Stories of Shama – Madhavrao Deshpande

Shama one of the closest contemporary devotees of Sai Baba was the reason, that everybody could meet Sai Baba easily.It was Shama who would request with humbleness, nag and even pick a fight with Sai Baba if He refused to meet any particular devotee.

On this blog dedicated to Sai Baba of Shirdi there are about 15 posts with the stories of Sai Baba with Madhavrao Deshpade or Shama as he was called. Sai Baba used to call him Shamya with love. This post is a collection of the links to all those posts.

Shirdi Sai Baba on Setu bridge of Ramayana
Shama asked Sai Baba, " Kaya Re" ( a slang use in Marathi, to address the closest of friends, otherwise it would enrage the other person as a mark of disrespect). "Deva (Shama always use to address Sai Baba by Deva, meaning God) it is written in Ramayana that Lord Rama got a bridge built by 1 crore (10 million) monkeys. (more on the link above)

Saibaba curing eyes of His Sakha devotee Shamyaa
A bit from what the above link contains. If you like, go ahead and read the whole story. ------

Shama when confronted Sai Baba, Sai Baba, knowing all, asked him if everything was Ok. Being the relation of Sakha (friend),
Shama replied in upset tone, which a bhakt (devotee), would not think about, he said angrily, " Deva I have not seen such a callous, uncaring and unconcerned God like You. You cure the whole of the humanity. For past four days I am in immense agony."

Sai Baba shows Trilok (Three divine worlds) to Shama
A bit from the post linked above.

Shama having read these descriptions in scriptures, once asked Sai Baba that whether there was a Trilok. It feels nice to read the question in his characteristic way of Shakha Bhav (sense of friendship). " Deva, is there a Bhrahma Lok, Vishnu Lok and Shiva Lok Re?" 'Re' suggests a sense on deep friendship.

Shama and Money
This what Shama says to Shirdi Sai Baba  - I don't think there is anyone as stingy as You in this world, Deva. You tie a rag around your head, sit in this Masjid and smoke a chillum, and then go around this village begging for food and eat it. Then how can You give me anything? Now everyone calls You God, but who made You God, but me? Otherwise everyone would be calling You a begging Fakir."

Shama and money 2

Once it happened that a devotee had sent two Rupees via post. Shama collected the money, on his way back somehow his intentions where changed. He did not return the money to Sai, instead he hide it over the door of huge room adjacent to Dwarkamai, where Ratha was accommodated, in a crevice of wall.

Don't look down or talk down of any Saint or SadGuru

Once Shama visited Nagpur and Amravati. On returning to Shirdi, he went straight to Dwarkamai to see Saibaba.
Straight away Sai Baba asked him, “Arre Shamyaa, what were the places that you visited?’
Shama replied that he visited Nagpur. Sai Baba furthered his query, “Arre Shama did you go to South Nagpur? There is a golden tree there. Did you see it?”
Sai Baba mostly spoke in symbolic language. Shama was quick to grasp the symbol; he knew that Sai Baba was referring to contemporary saint and a perfect Master, Shri Tajuddin Baba.

Shama and religious texts

When Sai Baba spoke most people felt that all the attention gathered on their ears and the wandering mind got concentrated without effort. The words would pierce deep inside the heart and soul. Shraddha (Faith) and Saburi (patience) developed by the power of grace around Shri Saibaba.


You might like to read more about other - Contemporary devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba.