BABA AND VASUDEVANAND

Vasudevanand, a contemporary of Baba, was a staunch fire-worshipper and a rigid observer of religious practices. He had also perfect command over several mantras. Baba too, was a fire-worshipper. Hence these two saints regarded each other as brothers.

When Vasudevanand was at Rajmahendry, Pundalikrao, a lawyer from Nanded and friends came for his darshan. Pundalikrao was a Sai Bhakta. So in the course of conversation, Baba's name came up. Hearing it, Vasudevanand was overwheImed with a feeling of reverence and folding his hands, inquired, "when are you going to Shirdi?"

"Right from here, I am going to Baba,"said Pundalikrao.

Vasudevanand picked up a coconut, held it near his heart and, handing it over to Pundalikrao, said, "Then, please give this to my brother."

Soon Pundalikrao and his friends started for Shirdi. They took with them flowers, fruits, coconuts etc. to offer to Baba, and a few eatables for themselves. On their journey, they ate some chivada, which tasted very hot. To appease the heat, one of them suggested that coconut be mixed with it. So a fruit was broken and, mixing it with chivada, they ate it with pleasure. Then it struck them that the coconut they broke was the same which Vasudevanand had given for Baba. They all felt very sorry. What could they tell Baba ? No hatched up account would do, for Baba would already be knowing everything. So Pundalikrao went and sat with his head hung down. Baba slyly asked, "Pundalikrao, where is the present from my brother?"

Pundalikrao confessed everything and said he would go and bring another coconut.

"No other coconut would do," Baba intervened. "That coconut cannot be replaced by a thousand others; for it was not a mere coconut; it was the very heart of my dear brother. Remember, how my brother had given it to you ?"

Pundalikrao recollected that Vasudevanand had held the cocoanut near his heart and said, "Give this to my brother." He had put his very heart in the coconut before handing it to Pundalikrao.

Highly developed souls like Vasudevanand and Sai Baba can communicate with each other by means of their psychic powers. That is how Vasudevanand had informed Sai Baba about the coconut he was sending. Baba too had immediately received that message. This is called telepathy (communicating mentally over long distance).

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