This Was Senani

Dr. Rambhau Joshi

English Translation by:

Prof. S.B. Hudlikar

First Published: March 1979

Published by:

Prof. S. B. Hudlikar

770 Dr. Ghanti Road Parsee Colony,

Dadar Bombay 400 014

This Was Senani

AT THE FEET OF THE VENERABLE GURUJl

Maharashtra knows Sane Guruji as a great modern Saint expounding his ideas

with a mother's heart, replete with compassion. As a personality Guruji is

always adorable to us. We honestly feel that his achievements and his fame

should spread more and more in the minds of the people all over and thereby a

good turn may be given to the future of the society and the nation as a whole.

Instead of saying that Sane Guruji was a personality it would be much more

appropriate to call him an auspicious thought born in Maharashtra, by the

blessings of god! Endowed with the meritoriousness of the Indian (Bharateeya)

culture, inspiring genius of Dnyaneshwar, Namdeo's devotional love, a heart

melting with the sufferings of other people and the hands working hard with

the inborn sense of service, the personality of Guruji was adorned with the

unique combination of all these great merits. There was no artificiality any-

where, there was no sense of egoism either!

"Let my egoism vanish! Let my name be forgotten!

Let the whole humanity forget me at once!"

This was an everlasting contemplation in his mind. In his entire active life there

was a permanent broad image of humanitarian heart, may it be the question of

Hindu-Moslem problem, his fasting unto death in the cause of entry into the

holy Hindu temples by the Harijans, or may it be the changing of the party in

the political field! Whatever questions he handled he used to pour his whole

heart into them. "When I give, I give all" was his natural characteristics. His

literature, his oratory and his capability of work had made him brilliant. That

personality of his was not easily understandable by logical arguments and

therefore it was that even many of his own coworkers could not understand him

correctly. Of course, he never bothered about it either!

After his departure Guruji is becoming more and more manifest, that is what

we feel. His unparalleled love for his country, his devotion to his father and

mother, and the great respect he had for his teachers (educators) and for the

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great national leaders, his farsightedness in high and low personalities and

intolerance in any kind of difference in mankind, his attitude in seeing divinity

in little children and especially his earnest desire to live a pure life devoted

wholely to God, all these qualities are absolutely essential in modern life. If

this Sane Guruji touch stone ' can be made applicable to modern politics, it will

turn to be very wholesome for us all, we honestly believe. This is therefore our

absolutely sincere desire to spread far and wide the success and fame attained

by Sane Guruji, and it is therefore that we are having great regard and

affection for those innumerable institutions and societies carrying forward the

work of Sane Guruji in Maharashtra.

"I shall render great service to you!

Let me not have that egoism!

Dear God my strength is but feeble!

Please accept my service according to my capacity!"

According to these holy words of Guruji it is the humble aim of the Sane Guruji

Balvikas Mandir, to be more and more useful in the cause of children! As one

part of the Mandir, we have been publishing the Monthly Magazine “Bal Vikas”

for the last few years. In our Magazine "Bal Vikas" for the last one year we have

been publishing the inspiring sanctifying memories of Dr. Rambhau Joshi - the

intimate friend of Sane Guruji, and we are today publishing the same in English

for the wider public.

Those that have read Sane Guruji's "Shyam's Mother" or "Shyam Part 1-2-3," they

will never be able to forget "Shyam—Ram."

These two friends met each other for the first time behind the black-board in

the School in Dapoli when they were about eight or nine years old. The

friendship of Guruji and Rambhau is a holy Ramayan. This holy relationship of

friendship Guruji maintained till his death. We derive great pleasure in hearing

from Guruji's loving brother Appa Sane, what great pleasure and joy Guruji's

sensitive mind was deriving from this devotional friendship. During the life time

of Guruji, Dr. Rambhau had obtained a respectable seat in the heart of his dear

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Senani and eventually in that of the entire Sane family. Even after the

departure of Guruji that the Sane family is bearing the same respectful regard

for Dr. Rambhau is no wonder!

After the loss of his friend Dr. Rambhau's mind was torn to pieces like a

wounded bird! While telling the memoirs of Guruji Rambhau gets so absorbed in

them that he forgets all sense of time, of age as well - he goes to school in

Dapoli with his beloved Senani, the sound of coming on the hand of Senani

clearly resounds in his ears, he wanders in the Vegetable market-Mandai in

Poona, he enjoys eating the Anarsa brought secretly hidden by Senani from

Shukrawar-Peth. How many times they laugh, are moved to tears and in each

word we hear from him we feel the sense of the loss of his friend, and actually

burning helplessly in the agony of losing a great friend!

Being pressed by his listeners the attempt of Dr. Rambhau Joshi to put in words

the various aspects of the holy friendship means this book "This Was Senani!"

It is a great blessing of Sane Guruji that we had the good fortune of publishing

these holy memoirs in the monthly issues of Bal Vikas. Further memoirs are also

being published gradually and they will be published in Part II of this book. We

feel like saying humbly that these memoirs will be most certainly useful in

understanding the unfathomable individuality of Sane Guruji.

This book in Marathi (1974) is being published today under the auspices of the

Mumbai Marathi Granth Sangrahalaya in Bombay, the famous institution in

Maharashtra and its Chief Executive Officer Mr. V. V. Bhat, under whose

patronage the Bal Vikas Magazine is being published and by the prompt

encouragement of Mr. Appa Sane, Mr. Prakashbhai Mohadikar, the founder of

Sane Guruji Story-Series is beyond doubt. We are grateful to Prof. Dr. S. B.

Hudlikar - the child education expert of international fame and the learned

editor of Balak Mandir for giving his sensitively grave introduction to this book

to Maharashtra- literature. Prof. Hudlikar has great faith in Guruji's literature

and he is doing the translation of "Shyam's Mother" into English and German and

so introducing Sane Guruji as a grea personality to the whole world. And we are

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sure of its success. We are grateful to him for this English Translation of "This

Was Senani" also.

The responsibility of Dr. Rambhau Joshi's Marathi manuscript being prepared for

printing script was kindly undertaken by the enthusiastic worker of Bal Vikas

Mandir, Mrs. Sushila Purushottam Mhatre and she did it with great interest. In

the same way Mr. Rajaram Patkar, Mr. Atmaram Shinde, Mr. Bappa Kunkerkar

and many other co-workers have also rendered great help which shall ever be

remembered with pride and gratitude. Hearty thanks to Mr. K. B. Raul for

printing the book very nicely in Marathi.

It is our sincere prayer to God that the attempt of ours be liked by revered

Guruji and the lives of us all and those of the younger generation be made

happier and more useful by the touch of the personality of our great Guruji!

June 1974

Y. B. Kshirsagar, M. A.

Editor: ' Bal Vikas', President: Sane Guruji Bal Vikas Mandir

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INTRODUCTION BY THE TRANSLATOR

I deem it my good fortune that I am writing this introduction to the most

wonderful book "This Was Senani" by the famous Doctor Rambhau Joshi of

Umbergaon and Sane Guruji s friend from childhood.

I came in personal contact with Sane Guruji through my intimate friend Acharya

Atre and that too on account of a peculiar incident. Really speaking Sane Guruji

was living on the Dr. Ghanti Road, where I also have been living since 1942-

nearly thirty seven years now. Although I know that he had been living so close

at hand, just a few houses away from my residence, I had not the good fortune

of coming into personal contact with him, although I had read and appreciated

all his writings, and his ideas of educating the younger generation were just

identical with mine own. I had the impression that he was very shy and had

actually plunged headlong into politics, and I had no love for politics or political

movements. I had devoted my whole life in the sacred cause of child education.

It may be that was the probable cause of my aloofness. But in Pandharpur Sane

Guruji went on a fast unto death in 1942 because the priests of Shree Vithal

Temple obstinately would not allow the Harijans to enter the temple. This

news spread throughout Maharashtra like wild fire and the whole of Maha-

rashtra was shaken as though by an earthquake! That memorable incident has

been permanently engraved on my sensitive mind. In order to fulfil Sane

Guruji's objective we also must carry on a stirring movement throughout

Maharashtra, otherwise a great Saint! -a great devotee of political and social

reforms will sacrifice his life uselessly! Influenced by this fear and this

sentiment Acharya Atre made up his mind at once to start for Pandharpur and

save the life of a great thinker and educator in our modern Maharashtra! Anant

Kanekar and myself joined this trip and started in Acharya's car and reached

Pandharpur at about 3 p. m. Sane Guruji had begun his fast in a Math and when

we went there we saw him very feeble and lying on a cot with eyes sunk down,

and very much imatiated. I took his photograph in this condition which has been

published in Nava Yuga of Acharya Atre along with his article.

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That unprecedented meeting of Acharya Atre and Sane Guruji! Tears were

flowing down the cheeks of us all without a single word coming through our

mouths, that was as though our thoughts were melted into tears but they

proved to be more effective than actual words! They were so to say more

eloquent than words! We had decided to see that Sane Guruji gives up this fast

at any rate! Of course that feat was not as easy as it looked at the outset. On

the one band the Badves (the priests of the holy temple) had been obstinately

refusing to allow the socalled Harijans (the untouchables) to come even near

the temple, and on the other hand Sane Guruji was fasting unto death unless

the Harijans were allowed to enter the temple! This was a sort of a very

dangerous Satyagraha (Insistence for truth). This was a real insoluble dilemma.

Of course Sane Guruji's obstinacy was well founded. How can God be

contaminated if seen or even touched by a Harijana! Having a bath in the holy

waters of the river Chandrabhaga and thus being purified, why should such

clean Harijans be refused admission to the Temple of Shree Vithal who makes

no distinction between man and man? What a horrible type of social injustice

this! A fight must be declared against it, was Sane Guruji's firm stand point.

And now he was supported whole heartedly by a great fighter like Atre! And in

the end Atre's idealistic insistence, his obstinacy was crowned with success and

Sane Guruji's life was saved!

But the real question before us is, why should a saintly sensitive person like

Sane Guruji be forced to go on a fast unto death at all? And in solving this

problem we get the clear picture of a resolute character of Sane Guruji stands

before our mind's eye!

The younger generation of today can get a real image of Sane Guruji from the

book "This Was Senani"! by the famous Doctor Rambhau Joshi of Umbergaon.

There is a unique importance attached to this book as it vividly depicts the inti-

mate relationship between him and Sane Guruji from the very childhood right

up to the end! Without the least compunction he has described every little

detail, the entire truth in his book, and so it surpasses all other biographies of

other people in Marathi literature!

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By the good fortune of Maharashtra and of Marathi literature as a whole, this

great book is being published today and who will not be delighted by it, who

will not be proud of this publication! Whose heart will not be moved by reading

the heart-felt description of “Shyam" by "Ram"?

Sane Guruji wrote his wonderful book "Shyam's Mother!", he wrote many

touching and educating stories for the younger generation, many moral tales

for the general public, and struggling children and charming poems for all of

them, all these are very well known! But how a "Simple Sane" became a "Sane

Guruji" this sweet secret we can enjoy only from the book "This Was Senani"!

which undoubtedly is a fact.

"Ram" has described in a vivid and touching manner all the memorable incidents

in the life of Sane Guruji and how after he passed his M. A. Examination he

resolved to jump headlong into politics for the liberation of India from the for-

eign yoke and how he bore untold sufferings silently in the cause of his ideal!

From the two books in Marathi literature "Shyam's Mother" by Sane Guruji and

now "This Was Senani" by Dr. Rambhau Joshi Sane Guruji's intimate friend will

be shown to the world what a saintly, devoted person Sane Guruji was, in the

cause Of social uplift and political liberation! Sane Guruji has proved to be

therefore a world figure and it is but proper that the whole world must get

acquainted with this great, with this unique personality all sentimental, all

sacrificing in the cause of humanity! And in order to give an intimate

knowledge of this great personality to the whole world I am giving the

translation of this great book by our friend Dr. Rambhau Joshi. Sane Guruji's

books translated into English - the world language will carry the message of

"Mother's love" and thus the love of one's own Motherland to all homes where

English is spoken. And thus the author's dream will ultimately bear fruit.

Acharya Atre's film on "Shyam's Mother" should be revived again and the

dialogues should be rendered in English in order to inspire in the hearts of the

younger generation, throughout the world, the love of the mother - the love of

the motherland!

Acharya Atre wrote about this book:

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"Several poets and writers all over the world may have written about "Mother",

many have composed poems on them! But Sane Guruji's "Shyam's Mother" in

which he has written the great gospel of Mother's love in the Marathi language,

is a unique contribution, a unique Epic replete with sweetness and purity, has

no parallel in any other language, i think."

"May God bless the soul of Sane Guruji" and may He give guidance to the world

to see what great personalities are born from generation to generation in our

dear Motherland Bharat!

1st January 1979

S. B. Hudlikar

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This Was Senani

THIS WAS SENANI

RAM'S CHERISHED NARRATION!

"SENANI, DO YOU REMEMBER?"

Senani, it is almost two dozens of years since you departed from us! To be more

exact, twenty one years have passed! Senani, people say, that you have gone

there to take everlasting rest, but shall I tell you the truth? What the people

say is altogether wrong or I may say inexact! And the reason for it ... |

Senani, must I disclose to you the reason for it? Now, please remember and tell

me yourself — when you used to be here with us, did you ever take rest, and

now that you have gone, do you really mean, you are going to take rest? Your

whole life was spent in absorbing yourself in hard work of some kind or the

other! Would you ever feel happy if you could really take rest?

And Senani, shall I tell you what you must be doing over there? You must be

brooding over the thought, that you cannot do anything more for your dear

Motherland, for this Bharat but thereby not being disappointed. You must be

collecting the actively struggling children that may have come to meet you

there, and comforting them and being seated amongst them, you must be

telling them interesting, inspiring stories! And those children must be feeling

themselves delighted and thanking themselves that they could again listen to

your pure, cheering words! They must be listening to your sweet words with

their minds all concentrated and with all attention!

But Senani! I ask you straight away, you departed from here, without meeting

your dear little boys and girls, without their permission, haven't you thereby

committed a sin against them? These children are now crying loudly

remembering you!

Senani, do you remember - you had come to Umbergaon in the month of May in

the year 1949? At that time we two, were taking a walk in the pleasant

moonlight. You had returned then from your Anter-Bharati (Inter Bharati)

propaganda tour, in Belgaum and Dharwar districts! You had been then

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thoroughly disappointed because you did not get a fitting response in your tour!

You were saying to me - "Ram, I am dead tired now! I can't render any service

to my motherland, for the benefit of our people! Why should I carry on the

useless burden of my life any more on my shoulders! It is enough now!

And Senani, do you remember, I was telling you what you say is partly true. But

you do not know yourself, in a way you don't understand, that you may not have

any more need of your own life, but the entire student - population, your dear

children all over, how anxious, how eager they are to hear those few inspiring

words through your mouth, to observe your life of sacrifices close at hand!

Thereafter dedicate your entire existence for their good, and please don't do

anything without their permission! Today they are in great need of a self-

sacrificing, selfless person like you! Please don't do anything absurd, for their

sake at least! "

But dear Senani! You did not pay attention to my words! You did what you

thought fit!...? Result ...? The result is this, that those very students, those

very little children are lamenting loudly, remembering you!

Senani! amongst these very children there are quite a large number of hard

working, struggling for existence ones, being inspired, to cheer them, I have

decided to attempt to tell them your life history during your student days, how

you framed your own career, some passing aspects of your life - through some

of your remembrances.

Senani, do you remember? In our young days we used to talk to each other in a

dumb manner? You first came to meet me in Gogte s Boarding house in Camp

Dapoli, and thereafter also on several occasions, instead of talking to each

other, we were spending our time in conveying to each other our thoughts

through our hearts overflowing with sentiment! And today - today I am telling

our remembrances with an overflowing heart!

Senani! Once I had come to meet you in Poona, at that time you had become a

cook and you were looking after the students come from Khandesh! And at that

very time one student actually addressed you as "Mother Then I came to realise

what you were doing for them! And today you have gone away without taking

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their permission, after you had tenderly loved them with the love of a mother,

and after creating love for you in their heart of hearts!

Senani! Did you really not have any sentiment while going away from them?

Senani, you did not realise! You went away from here but you took away the

human sentiment with you! What shall I say to you?

Senani, do you remember? Our teacher's mother was down with plague, and

how selflessly you served her? What could the teacher give you? But with what

sense of gratitude he offered you a fresh glass of milk—the sentiment in his

eyes.... Senani, don't you remember all that?

Oh, Senani, how selflessly you nursed my sister when she was down with

typhoid ! And I am telling you, just initiating your sense of service to humanity I

began my career as a doctor!

Senani I We were trying to worship you as " God " in our young days 1 You used

to get upset over it and in great fury you used to walk away from us! We were

doing all that under the influence of sentiment I In a way it may have been a

bit of an exaggeration also. Taking for granted that it was right, still Senani you

were really great by virtue of your noble mind. And today we realised that you

were not God but a “Human being” and that was really your greatness. But-

now-a-days even after hunting out all over it has become impossible to find a

“Man" with humanity in his heart! Therefore I do say that you took away with

you that humanity as well, when you departed from us!

Senani! It is in a way easy for a human being to become "God" but being a man

(human) is a difficult task! You however did show that!

Now I feel it my sacred duty to tell everyone big and small, in the form of those

remembrances of yours, of your great deeds in those days!

Senani! I am exerting myself to tell some of those happy remembrances so that

I could get inspiration from your career, to absorb at least some part of your

selfless life, to continue your selfless service to humanity; with this very ideal I

have decided to carry on my life.

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Senani, do you remember? We had decided to meet each other even after

death! In fact we had promised each other to do that. But nothing of that sort

has happened yet. But am going to meet you through my heart, remembering

the old time memories. And Senani, be assured, that whatever I close my eyes.

I always visualise you before my closed eyes very distinctly!

If anyone would get inspiration from your life and if he would try to imitate you

then I shall deem that your "self-sacrifice" has born fruit! What more shall I say?

Umbargaon (Dist. Balsad)

Your dearest friend

Dated 24th December 1972

Ram

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CONTENTS

1. My great child friend "SIMPLE SANE"

2. From today we are friends!

3. Sweetmeats brought by father

4. Hide and seek of love for a friend

5. Confession after twenty years

6. Caned till blood flowed out from hand!

7. Students' seat of faith

8. Nobility of heart

9. Wonderful capacity for learning by heart!

10. Senani's first speech

11. School life

12. Shall I come to stay with you?

13. Waiter in a restaurant

14. At last mother found it out

15. He was mother to poor and helpless persons

16. Prepared for physical sufferings!

17. "Ram, I am searching for you!"

18. Senani's study

19. "Go on doing something like this"

20. I shall hurry up if I see a sick person

21. Service to the old mother

22. I am the Skanda amongst the army generals

23. Carrying on studies half starved

24. Story of Shukrawar Pagadi

25. Just for my Ram!

26. Promise of meeting after death

27. Senani's first lecture

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28. Real test of a friend!

29. Studies at colleges!

30. He would be reputed writer in Marathi literature

31. He refused his appointment at the Wilson College

32. Senani's penance!

33. His simple life stands no comparison!

34. Is this the "Sane Guruji"?

35. Extreme Limit of a Saint's heart!

36. The Mahatma (the great soul) conquering others by love

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1. MY GREAT CHILD FRIEND "SIMPLE SANE"

In the evening after finishing the day's hard work when I test b little in my easy-

chair, I am often reminded of the sweet memoirs of those good old days of my

childhood. Amongst these memoirs some that have been firmly impressed upon

my mind, do crowd themselves and stand before my mind's eye. These memoirs

are always of my departed friend whose name is "Pandurang Sadashiv Sane"

alias "My Senani" or in the later age who attained fame as "Sane Guruji". How

time flies as I sit ruminating over these sweet memoirs, does not even strike

me! Finally what strikes me most is, that if one educates oneself with a distinct

ideal right from the childhood, to what great height one can reach is a living

instance, and that is "Sane Guruji ".

No individual is born great. One attains to this greatness by didn’t of his hard

labour. When one actually examines certain instances, one is struck with

wonder to realise what a training one has to give to his mind, what discipline

one has to follow, how one has to live a hard life with a perfect control of the

mind, to attain to all these qualities! There is a well-known proverb which says:

"You can attain to a great position only if you pass through hard times!" We can

easily utter this proverb, but while actually living upto it, when you think of

what trial's one has to pass through, you feel struck dumb with wonder!

In his childhood "Sane Guruji" was known as "Simpleton Sane", amongst us

school children! But the same "Simpleton Sane" in his later career through sheer

hard, ascetic, disciplined life became "Sane Guruji" not for those days only, nay

for all the future generations he attained a place of high regard in the hearts of

the entire student world. By his behaviour, by his action he proved "If a man

really works hard he attains godhood!"

How was this Sane Guruji then? How did he spend his life? Strictly controlling

his mind, living a life of strict discipline, how he attained greatness, all these

facts I had the good luck to see from a close approach. Sane Guruji has a vast

number of friends. In his future career, several people came in his close inner

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circle of active life, they might have collected round him as friends, many

might have seen him, understood him in one capacity or another; but if

anybody had the good fortune of knowing him intimately, of recognising his

merits, and getting them firmly impressed upon his mind, I must say it was I. I

say this with honest pride and without the least exaggeration.

In those days Sane had a vast crowd of friends around him, and it is also true

that they had observed him very closely too. In spite of all this very close

contact, if anyone had secured a place of absolute oneness, of very great

intimate friendship, that was secured by "Shyam's Ram" — of course that is by

me. Because I am the Ram of that Shyam!

Many memoirs of this "Simpleton Sane" in later age Senani and in the last stage

of his life "Sane Guruji", crowd in my memory very often. I feel a flooding

emotion in my heart when I tell and retell these memoirs to my listeners and

particularly to the students, and not only the eyes of some students but also

those of some elderly persons are filled with tears. I am in the habit of telling

these memoirs again and again. Due to my profession I have been living a bit

apart from others and hence my contact with a majority of the student class

and other workers is rather rare. But whenever I get an opportunity I burst out

with a deep emotion, those happy, sweet inspiring memoirs to my listeners.

I had such an occasion at the Mulund Centre of "Sane Guruji Balvikas Mandir" at

the meeting celebrating the birth day of Sane Guruji. In that meeting, the

audience consisted of men and women, young and old, I got the opportunity of

telling these happy memoirs. Of course how many memoirs could I recount in

an hour and a half? And yet after listening with rapt attention to those

memoirs, the then Secretary Mr. S. D. Barde, President, the late Mr. V. V. alias

Bappasaheb Dalvi, and Mrs. Sumati Barde, the Principal of the High School in

Mulund, and my friend Mr. S. M. Bhole, they all made a pressing request to me

that I should write out those sweet memoirs and publish them. I am very much

obliged to thank them for their request and so I am putting those memoirs now

in writing.

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I need not say that these are memoirs only of us two, of "Shyam's and Ram's"

personal, individual life! I had not at all come into contact with the public life

of Sane Guruji, in fact I could not. Hence these memoirs have no bearing on the

public career of Sane Guruji. But on the strength of these memoirs one could

clearly come to realise how Sane Guruji was evolved out of a "Simpleton Sane".

This secret can be relished with a deep significance. For the formation of

character of young pupils of the new generation, these memoirs will serve a

great purpose. This is my humble tribute to the memory of my dear friend of

childhood!

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2 FROM TODAY WE ARE FRIENDS!

This incident is from the year 1913. At that time I was in III Standard English,

i.e. the present day Standard VII. One day about four o' clock, a rather thin

bony person entered our class room with his ward. He told something to our

class-teacher, and our teacher asked the boy to sit on the last bench on the last

number. When the man saw the boy seated on his seat there, he made a sign to

him and he walked away. And our teacher continued his teaching work.

Soon that period was over, and the second was also over and the bell rang for

the closing of the school. According to the custom in those days, the boys used

to sit on their benches according to their numbers, carrying with them only the

bag for books. The discipline in those days was that the students had to take off

their shoes behind the blackboard, kept standing on a tripod in the corner near

the entrance door. We had to remove our sandals or shoes and putting our

umbrellas behind the blackboard and tying our bags round our shoulders we had

to occupy our fixed seats, barefooted! Similarly when the first bell would ring

for the closing of the school we had to put-on our shoes and taking our

umbrellas we had to stand up by our seats assigned to us, and then we had to

go out of the class-room one after the other in a regular serial manner. In those

days students had no desks to write upon but only benches without backs. The

blackboard used to stand in a corner near the door, and the benches were

arranged in a row along the walls. Students used to sit on these benches. On

the other side of the blackboard, along with the wall used to stand the chair

and table for the teacher, and a box just near at hand for the articles belonging

to the teacher, such as catalogue, books, dusters, canes, chalks, pencils,

inkpots, etc.

That day when the first bell for closing the school was rung, just like the other

pupils, but without crowding I went behind the blackboard to take up my

sandals; at that time the new boy also came to pick up his umbrella. We just

casually looked at each other. Then he smiled and looked at me and asked:

"Well, what is your name?" I also casually replied "Joshi!" "And what is your

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name?" "My name is Sane! And look here, from today we have become friends!" I

also replied with a smile: "Well then, from today we have become friends!"

This I said just very casually, but what did the boy mean by his words: "Well

then" or in what context he had used those words, could not be quite clear.

Really speaking the words ' well then ' have a special significance based on

cause and effect. But here, there was nothing of that kind! The boy had also

uttered those words very casually. There wasn't therefore any special meaning

to those words in his mind.

This was my first meeting and acquaintance with Sane! Our friendship started

right from that very moment. We thought, we spoke and we became friends.

There is absolutely no reason whatever why we should feel friendship for each

other at the very first sight. There is a proverb "Some internal motive power

attracts things." This was exactly like this! To sum up, what I have to say is, my

first acquaintance with Sane, our meeting and friendship behind the blackboard

was just a pure accident. And that friendship grew up like the growing phases

of the moon, and it lasted to the very last day endowed with affection and

intimacy!

Even today I remember precisely and before my closed eyes I clearly see, that

at that time Sane was wearing a checked coat with dark stripes. Whenever he

walked into the class he had his eye half-closed. In his childhood he had some

eye trouble and therefore in order to avoid the glare of the sunlight he used to

close his eyes partially while walking. Our class teacher had observed this and

since that day he used to call him "Simple Sane!" by the mode of his walking,

and he used to call him by that very name. Because the class teacher himself

used to call him by that name, all we boys also began to address him as "Simple

Sane." At that time asked: "Well, what is your name?" I also casually replied

"Joshi!" "And what is your name?" "My name is Sane! And look here, from today

we have become friends!" I also replied with a smile: "Well then, from today we

have become friends!”

This I said just very casually, but what did the boy mean by his words: “Well

then" or in what context he had used those words, could not be quite clear.

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Really speaking the words 'well then' have a special significance based on cause

and effect. But here, there was nothing of that kind! The boy had also uttered

those words very casually. There wasn't therefore any special meaning to those

words in his mind.

This was my first meeting and acquaintance with Sane! Our friendship started

right from that very moment. We thought, we spoke and we became friends.

There is absolutely no reason whatever why we should feel friendship for each

other at the very first sight. There is a proverb "Some internal motive power

attracts things." This was exactly like this! To sum up, what I have to say is, my

first acquaintance with Sane, our meeting and friendship behind the blackboard

was just a pure accident. And that friendship grew up like the growing phases

of the moon, and it lasted to the very last day endowed with affection and

intimacy!

Even today I remember precisely and before my closed eyes I clearly see, that

at that time Sane was wearing a checked coat with dark stripes. Whenever he

walked into the class he had his eye half-closed* In his childhood he had some

eye trouble and therefore in order to avoid the glare of the sunlight he used to

close his eyes partially while walking. Our class teacher had observed this and

since that day he used to call him "Simple Sane!" by the mode of his walking,

and he used to call him by that very name. Because the class teacher himself

used to call him by that name, all we boys also began to address him as "Simple

Sane." At that time none of us had the least idea, neither did it occur to any

one of us, nor could we think then, — it was quite impossible to think also, —

that this "Simple Sane" would one day grow into an extraordinary individual

"Sane Guruji"!

The “Simple Sane" of those days reached the high status of "Sane Guruji", of

course he did not attain that position very easily! He had to perform a severe

penance for that, he had to pass through very severe hardships, right from the

very beginning he had taught his mind perfect discipline. In those days to carry

on his studies to get knowledge, he had observe the penance of suffering

hardships of whatever kind, that might befall him. His home life was very much

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poverty- stricken. On that account a finer type of life was naturally denied to

him. A poor boy has to suffer all sorts of insults and jeerings. Even so, he never

took it ill whenever we addressed him, "just out of the sheer mischief "Simple

Sane"! And never did he wound the feelings of others by retorting, even with a

simple offensive word. Forbearance, and endurance were in him to the fullest

extend Really speaking when we are studying in schools if someone is taunted

by a foul name, we would certainly retort, retaliate by saying "tit for tat". But

in the case of Sane things were far too different!

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3. SWEETMEATS BROUGHT BY FATHER

As soon as the bell for the mid-day recess used to ring, all of us students used

to walk about in groups, or sometimes we used to sit in the shade of the trees.

On one such a day as we were talking all sorts of nonsense, Sane's father came

in all of a sudden enquiring about him. As soon as Sane saw him, he got up and

asked him with a smiling face the reason of his coming. His father had walked

all the long distance from Palgad to Dapoli and had brought with him a tin of

sweetmeats for Sane. Our school in Dapoli was at a distance of about ten or

twelve miles from Palgad! Father handed over the tin to Sane and asked him to

eat it in the evening. When he would go home, his father had just casually told

him that and Sane also said, "Well, thanks" and kept the tin with him. After his

father departed Sane opened the tin and distributed the sweetmeats amongst

all of us.

Sane taught us by action that day, what a delightful pleasure it is to distribute

sweets amongst friends and eat them in company even if it be an insignificant

thing. The built of his mind was of that kind. Instead of enjoying happiness and

pleasure singly, it increases manifold if it is distributed amongst friends. Sane

taught this very important lesson to us. The matter may be very unimportant

but the philosophy behind it was of such an importance! Any other boy would

certainly have hidden away the tin of sweets in his pocket and would have

eaten the contents all by himself! But the make-up of Sane's mind was like this

even in those days, that one must allow others also to partake of one's

happiness. Avoid selfishness!

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4. HIDE AND SEEK OF LOVE FOR A FRIEND

In those days Sane was a bit of a lover of solitude. But this love of solitude was

not at all due to human hatred. But it was due to his feeling that he should not

be a trouble to anyone. He was behaving with me and I was also behaving with

him with all our souls in such a way that you would not find the same love and

regard for each other even amongst brothers! And the most wonderful part of it

is, that there was really no reason whatsoever as to why we were so much

attracted to each other, why we should feel so much friendship for each other.

But it is quite certain that we did have an attraction for each other! As soon as

we used to enter our class, if our eyes used to search for anything at all, it was

solely for each other! We could not help but meet each other, see each other

and touch each other. Joy used to pour out of our eves when Sane saw me and I

saw him, and touching each other we used to inquire of each other like this:

"When did you come?" We could not be satisfied unless we asked this simple

question, meaningless as it was. This was our behaviour right from the

beginning. I say it again and again, there was absolutely no reason whatever as

to why we felt for each other like that: "There may be some innermost reason

for it!" seems to be the fact.

But just see what used to be the result of this all. In our childhood as school

boys, on account of a very insignificant thing we would misunderstand each

other, quarrel with each other and drop off talking to each other, without

rhyme or reason. Sane and myself used to misunderstand each other for no

reason and we used to stop talking to each other. This misunderstanding and

this stopping of talking was so whimsical that we would not even look at each

other nor would we touch each other. In our childhood's unreasoning mind we

used to have such "untouchability". But in our heart of hearts we used to have

quite different things altogether! I used to feel that Sane should start talking to

me first. He should touch me first. And forcing ourselves for no reason we used

to turn our back to each other. In those days amongst us school boys there used

to be a practice with us, that as soon as we used to come to know that

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someone has stopped talking to his friend we used to push one against the

other. On that account they had not only to touch each other but has to meet

each other. This used to happen often times between me and Sane. Then I used

to purposely tell someone that “We were not on friendly terms with each

other, that we don't talk to each other." The point behind this action" was that

the others should push me against Sane or Sane against me so that we would

meet each other again and get on again friendly terms: It was like saying “Get

me home" when a boy had quarrelled at home and nobody would bother about

him. All this was nothing but mock hide and seek. But it was so joyful, so

pleasant all the same! All the things in childhood are like this without rhyme or

reason and that is why they are also pleasant. "Oh God, give us back our

childhood!" is a right prayer.

But that day our quarrel took a bitter turn. I never looked at Sane even

askance, nor did I tell anybody that we had quarreled with each other. But in

my heart of hearts it was smoothering and the same must have been the

condition with Sane. But our childhood's stiffness, that pride would not allow us

to take up any step at all. Sometimes it used to happen like this also, that Sane

threw a twisted up piece of paper at me, in which he used to write "Shall we

start on talking to each other again?" When that piece of paper used to fall on

me, I used to feel extremely cheered up and with a false pretence of self-

dignity I used to show that I was ready to talk, and we used to talk to each

other again. But that day nothing of that kind happened. I was looking askance

at Sane but all was futile. I was thoroughly disappointed and disgusted in my

mind. I could not think as to what I should do then. I felt that Sane should start

talking to me* first but to start talking to him, my false pride used to come in

the way. Gradually it became evening, and I returned home in the same

dejected mood!

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5. CONFESSION AFTER TWENTY YEARS

I was feeling uneasy throughout the night. I could not even sleep well. After

getting up in the morning I finished my bath etc. and taking a paper and pen

and sat down to write a letter to Sane. I was writing to him, and yet I had that

stubbornness in my mind. I wrote a letter to Sane, I wrote my first letter to

him, but I did not want him to know from whom it was. I wrote on the top of

the letter instead of the name of the town r Earth ", and the signature down

below was "X”. I do not now remember what the contents of the letter were.

But I do remember that I had earnestly requested him with all love to talk with

me again, I posted the letter. I had written Sane's address very correctly. Sane

got the letter and he at once realised that it must be from me. Of course my

signature was not there down below. It was "x". Still Sane was convinced that

the letter must have been written by me.

He was Sane indeed! In those young days having read my most pathetic letter

he was inspired and in that strain he answered that letter in a poem of four or

six stanzas.

I believe, that must be Sane's first poem ever written! In his soul, and in his

heart Sane was a born poet. It is a fact that he got inspiration from that funny

letter of mine to write out his first poem. I think Sane must have realised from

that very moment that he could compose poems. At that time we were in

English Standard IV - it means we were about fourteen years old then. Sane's

capacity to compose poems dates from that time.

Next day when we met in the class Sane said, "I halve received your letter." But

my useless egoism burst forth and I said that I had never written any letter to

him at all. And still Sane gave me his poem written in reply to my letter. What

was the next poem about? How it was? Today I do not remember anything about

it. What I just remember is that he had written that poem in red ink. I had

preserved that paper with his poem for several years. AH the various slips of

paper received by me from Sane I had carefully kept in a small cloth-bag and

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secretly locked up in a trunk or a box of some kind. That letter meaning

thereby that the poem and several slips of paper I had carefully preserved for

eighteen years. But in 1932 or 1933 I burnt them all.

I forgot to mention here about my letter! Sane must have asked me at least

three or four times as to whether I had really written that letter, and every

time I had denied having done it.

Much later, when I was at Umbergaon in 1932, Sane had come to see me. On

that occasion just remembering I had said to him, “Senani, do you remember

when we were in IV Standard we had stopped talking to each other? At that

time you had been asking me about a letter. Till now I had been denying it

frankly. But with the same frankness I tell you today, "Yes, that letter was

written by me. At that time I was feeling uncomfortable without your company

and that is why I had written that letter to you. After so many years I am

openly confessing it today to you!"

I Sane did not tell me what he felt then in words, but as soon -as he heard from

me what I said he clasped me in a close embrace.

Today I feel that I should not have burnt that poem and those slips of paper

from him. But what about it now! The matter is over, over long ago!

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6. CANED TILL BLOOD FLOWED OUT FROM HAND!

We were then in IV Standard. Late Krishnaji Pandurang Limaye was teaching us

Sanskrit. He was a poet and his nickname was "Radharaman”. By nature he was

a man full of wrath. But as he was an expert in teaching Sanskrit, we, his

students, had great respect and regard for him. He was a man of very strict

discipline and as such he used to treat us, his students, with great strictness

and sternness. During his period we had to sit close to each other with our

school satchels of books and notebooks round about our necks. That was his

strict order. He was rather a well-built person and we boys used to be terribly

afraid of him.

At that time we had a practice among ourselves, to come to school early in the

morning, put our satchels with our numbers on the benches and after hearing

the first school bell for the opening of the classes we used to enter the class-

rooms. Till that time we used to play about in the school compound or do some

mischief. Some students used to sit under a tree in groups. Some others used to

play hide and seek and spend the intervening time in some such sort of an

occupation. Sane used to keep on talking in the group of his friends, or going in

the Drawing Hall to rotate a wooden cylinder there with his foot. The drawing

teacher used to make use of these cylinders as models for the students of the

drawing class.

But on this particular day two mischievous boys from our own class had a

sudden impulse of playing some mischief. After the students had left their

satchels on their respective seats in the class-room they had gone out to play

about or do some monkey tricks. These two boys collected these satchels

together, tied them up with their strings and the bundle thus made they kept it

right in the centre of the class-room. Sane was unfortunately there in the class

room at that time, and he was watching their mischief. Those mischievous boys

were laughing over the fact that when the students would return to the class-

room after the first bell was rung, how they will be confused seeing their

satchels all tied up together!

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In the meantime the first bell rang and the second bell would be rung after five

minutes and the teachers would start coming into the class rooms was a fixed

rule. And when the students after coming in the class found their satchels all

tied up together they started pulling their satchels in confusion. But they could

not, as they were very tightly tied together. There was a big push and pull and

a loud laughter and clapping of hands resounded in the class-room. Sane who

saw all this pulling and pushing said to these boys: "Oh, why are you doing all

that? By this you will tighten the knots much. Now, please do this, take this

knife and cut the knots so that the bags will be easily separated. Please hurry

up, the second bell will just be rung, and our teacher will enter the class room!

Today Mr. Limaye has his period. Please hurry up and cut the knots with the

knife. But nobody was willing to follow this advice. Each one was busy in

getting his bag free! Thereby same bags were torn, turned upside down and the

books and notebooks inside were being thrown on the floor: Still Sane went on

advising them to cut the knots with a penknife—and just then...

The second bell rang and Mr. Limaye, the class teacher, entered the class.

When he saw all this hubub his wrath knew no bounds. The students were all

terribly frightened. They began to run to their seats with their torn bags — one

boy actually pulled the whole bundle together to his seat and Sane in a way

being thoroughly disappointed silently walked back to his seat. Mr. Limaye saw

this and due to his uncontrollable wrath he had the impression that Sane

himself must have tied all these knots! He was simply trembling with anger.

Standing in front of the table he shouted out "Who did this? And you were here,

you must have put these knots together or you must be certainly knowing who

done it. Come on, tell me. Who put these knots together? I shall cane every one

now!"

But all the boys in the class were dead silent being, terribly frightened. All

were sitting on their benches with down cast looks. Only Sane was standing

near his seat. Mr. Limaye got still more upset. He shouted “You! you tell me!

Who else did it, you did, didn't you? "

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But Sane had not done it. The only fact was, Sane alone knew who had put the

knots. He humbly said, “I haven't done it!"

"You might not have done it yourself, but you must be certainly knowing who

had done it. Come out, tell me the names. I shall cane every one now", and Mr.

Limaye turned all red and yellow in his face owing to terrible anger. Biting his

teeth with anger he shouted: "You will not open your mouth this way! Come on

own up!" And turning his fiery look all over the class. "Tell me the names of the

boys who did this." But...But! Nobody in the class said a word. Those who had

tied the knots were dead silent and none but Sane knew the names of the

mischief-mongers. Sane also was dead silent! Mr. Limaye was now convinced

that it must be Sane himself, who must have done this mischief. He roared:

"Monitor, bring two canes from outside." The monitor got an opportunity to

escape out of the class. There were a number of Nirgudi trees outside. He cut

with his knife two strong canes and handed them over to Mr. Limaye silently.

Mr. Limaye struck these canes on the table and ordered "Stand up all of you,

boys, I give you two cuts each, and this, this rascal you see! I shall hit him so

hard!" He cast his fiery glance at Sane, who was already standing over there,

now came forward, and Mr. Limaye started hitting two canes on each boy right

from number one onwards.

After caning every boy in the class he came to Sane and being more terrific

said, "Now you hold up your hand. I shall now hammer you. You must have done

all this mischief!" And with an uncontrollable fiery wrath he began caning Sane

continuously. The cane broke into two pieces, Sane's hand began to bleed, the

blood dropping on the floor. Sane said nothing', nor would he take back his

hand. He took a second cane and started beating him again with terrible

fierceness on his other hand, which too began to bleed, and drops of blood fell

on the floor. That cane also broke off. Angrily Mr. Limaye threw away the

broken pieces and shouted at Sane ordering him to take his seat!

Sane, with his both hands bleeding, went to his seat. It was a marvel. Sane did

not utter a single word, nor did he tell anybody's name! The whole class was

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struck dumb, was touched to the quick, was frightened, perhaps some eyes

were full of tears as well, after seeing this incident!

Soon regular study began, but none could pay attention to what was being

taught. And just look at this funny coincidence. That very day we had a

Shraddha or Paksha ceremony in our house, and so I was late in going to school.

Half an hour after the lesson had begun in the class, I came and said: "May I

come in Sir!" So being permitted I entered the class. I had no idea whatever of

what had transpired before.

Mr. Limaye's class was over and he went out. The next teacher arrived. His class

was also over, and the recess started. What I felt most was, that the entire

class was dead silent so far. The recess started and I had an opportunity to ask

what had happened. In the meantime Sane and some other students were

sitting under a tree.

By the time I could make a thorough inquiry with my fellow students, the recess

was over. Sane was sitting under a tree and some other students were making a

casual inquiry. But all this time Sane was thinking “My Ram will just arrive, and

will blow his healing breath on my bleeding hands." But this was not to be.

Because Ram had no knowledge of it at all. He was inquiring from other

students about this incident during the recess. I could meet Sane only' the next

day and then I looked at his hands. He had scars of dried up blood stains!

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7 STUDENTS' SEAT OF FAITH

By the general bevaviour of Sane on that day all the students began to have

respect for him and had faith in him too and we also learned quite a lot of

things from his conduct that day. Sane knew the names of all the boys who had

tied up the knots still he kept silent and attracted all the wrath of Mr. Limaye

towards himself and silently bore the terrible punishment meted out to him.

Sane taught us by his example how we must be ready to bear all the grief by

ourselves for the sake of others. Mr. Limaye was actually hammering him as he

would hammer a cattle, but with a firm resolve in his mind he did not even

utter a "sigh" even once, nor did he withdraw his hand! The poor old cane broke

into pieces. The wrath and vehemence of Mr. Limaye proved fruitless. All

happened, but Sane never withdrew his hand!

When one has once resolved to bear sufferings for others there is merit in it.

Sane demonstrated this to us by his conduct and taught that lesson!

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8 NOBILITY OF HEART

As a matter of fact this incident ought to end here, but a far different end is

coming later on. Later on means almost about thirty or thirty-five years later.

The good old Bawla (naive) Sane had then attained to the respectable position

of Sane Guruji. Some years after that after Mr. Limaye had expired his soon

decided to publish in a book form the life of his father. The publication

ceremony of this book took place in Thakurdwar, in the Mumbai Marathi

Granthasangrahalaya (Bombay Marathi Bibliotheck) under the Presidentship of

Maha Mahopadhyaya Datto Vaman Potdar. Sane Guruji was the Chief speaker on

that occasion. After doing the formal opening ceremony of the book Sane

Guruji paid a great compliment to his teacher in his childhood with great

respect to him. It is said that Sane Guruji's respectful regards paid to his

teacher moved the heart of Mr. Potdar to tears. Who was great? Sane Guruji or

his Guruji?

Mr. Limaye may have treated the then simple Sane with unthinkable harshness

but he was really a very tender hearted person is also a fact. He had great

sympathy for from students. He used to help such students in various ways.

Monetary and educational as well. Sane was trained under such a teacher, he

was closely observing the kindhearted conduct of his teacher, storing it in his

heart of hearts, and it is therefore that he became Sane Guruji in later years,

and proved to be adorable to his students. It is really a matter of wonder how it

was that Sane Guruji alone turned out to be so amongst so many students of

his! A whole series of Sane Gurujis should have turned under Limaye's training!

But...!!

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9 WONDERFUL CAPACITY FOR LEARNING BY HEART!

It is a fact that Sane was counted among the clever students in the school. But

he never had the first or tire second number in the class. Generally he used to

be among the first ten boys. That is all! At first we used to look upon him as a

very studious boy rather than as a very clever one. But when we came in the V

Standard we came to realise that Sane was fond of reciting poems by heart and

that he was an expert in that art. He was also much ahead of us in Sanskrit as

well as in Marathi. Many poems in Sanskrit, maxims etc., he used to know by

heart. Sometimes out of sheer fun we used to arrange competitions in reciting

poems. In them he used to defeat us very easily. Sometimes our class teacher

also used to ask us to arrange such a competition. And in that also Sane used to

defeat us all easily. On certain occasions even when the whole class was on one

side and Sane alone on the other, Sane could win an easy success against us.

We used to admire his capacity for learning things by heart. At this time he

used to go ahead of us even in English studies. He had a habit of learning by

heart writings of great English authors and speech of some orators as well. In

the subject of languages he was even then a great expert. His progress in other

subjects was very ordinary. He was very weak in mathematics especially and it

was therefore that he never got the second or the first number in the class.

Knowledge of mathematics is necessary to score marks in all examinations. But

Sane's knowledge of mathematics being very poor his total of marks used to be

poor and therefore his number used to be rather low. But language was his

fondest subject.

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10 SENANI'S FIRST SPEECH

Since we were in the V Standard Sane used to be very fond of listening to

speeches and of comprehending them as well. At that time a "Debating Society"

had just been started in our School. Sane used to attend to the debates without

fail. He used to listen to the lecture very carefully and used to think over the

subjects discussed, but I do" not remember whether he had at that time ever

spoken or delivered a speech! Then after we came to Poona i. e. when we were

in VII Standard, I do remember very well, that he had delivered a lecture in a

private institute - in a " Friends Association " - before only a few students, and

this I think must be his first maiden speech. But that was only of a character of

sowing the seed. Students of Khandesh soon came to realise what a mighty tree

had grown out of this wee little seed. But the students of Umbergaon and I

myself also came to experience of only after thirtyfive - thirtysix years later.

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11 SCHOOL LIFE

Sana's method of study was quite different right from the beginning that is it

was rather deep and thorough and of a “going to the root" type. Be it an English

poem or a Sanskrit one or even a Marathi one, if he would ever find a difficult

word in them he would never proceed one step forward unless he referred it to

a Dictionary and had understood the root meaning of it. It used to be quite

enough for us if we just understood the superficial meaning of it. But Sane

would never proceed unless he had understood the root meaning very thor-

oughly. And it was therefore that he understood the real spirit of the literature

and that is how he achieved proficiency in the linguistics.

Sane developed his art of writing much later. I do not know whether Sane had

published any of his writings as long as we were in. the Matriculation class or in

the First year class in our College. But in his heart he must have certainly

decided to be a writer, that is certain. I faintly remember that he used to make

notes of all that he was reading. Small books on the lives of Pandit

Ishwaichandra Vidyasagar and Gopal Krishna Gokhale, which he published later

on, he had made notes of them even in the Matric class and in the previous

class in the College.

Even as a student he was never known to be fond of any games. But in those

good old days to take interest in games or be an expert in it was looked upon as

squandering one's time uselessly. In those days we did not even know the terms

— competitive sports and games. To use dumb-bell, a couple of times or march

right - left a few steps was all that we understood of physical exercise or

games. At the most our teachers used to divide us into two groups and ask us to

play the limping game!

After finishing my V Standard studies I left Dapoli and came to Poona and Sane

went to Oundh. While parting from Dapoli, we took leave of each other but by

a sheer chance we came back together again in Poona.

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In Poona I was living in Mr. Parkhi Shastri's house, in a lane in Panjarpol in

Shaniwar Peth. Our family consisted of seven persons, five brothers, one sister

and our mother. My father had died in Poona in 1913 when I was in Standard in.

In 1916 I joined the Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya in Standard VI.

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12 SHALL I COME TO STAY WITH YOU?

Sane and myself left Dapoli together. But he went first to Palgad in his own

home and from there he went to Oundh and joined school there. But the

circumstances there having proved adverse to him he decided to come to

Poona. If at all he would come to Poona, where to stay there was his real

problem. In his heart of hearts he had decided to come to Poona, stay with me

and go to school together, and so he wrote me a letter from Oundh to that

effect.

I Ram! I am not getting on well here. So I am deciding to come to Poona and

stay with you.. Will that be possible? I just want a place to stay. About my food

I shall arrange somehow. Please therefore ask your mother and let me know

soon... etc.

I showed that letter to my mother and on her telling me I wrote to Sane "Do

come! We shall go to school together! something like that.! Accordingly he

came to Poona at once, and started staying with us. That must be October or

November because Sane joined school in the second term.

In those days it was customary in the Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya a student who

was newly admitted had to sit in the D Division and after the examination was

over, was admitted to A, B or C Class according to the marks scored by him. I

was admitted in June in the D Division. But when I secured more than 60%

marks in the Terminal Examination, I was promoted to A Division. Sane had

joined after the Terminal Examination, so he was of course admitted in D

Division.

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13 WAITER IN A RESTAURANT

In this way the arrangement for staying and admission' to school was well

arranged. But how to manage about meals? Senani decided to take a day meal

by arrangement with generous people from day to day. But how can this be

arranged all of a sudden? For this you have to go to several houses plead to

them, implore them and request people there to arrange for the day meal! It is

really a shocking thing for a man of self-respect. But when one has to face

poverty, one is forced to do it Sane was indeed poor but he was also a youth of

self-respect. He was forced to visit houses and actually beg for a day meal; in

this certainly his self-respect was terribly hurt. So he used to find it very

difficult to go to the same and actually ask for a day's meal!

There was another way out of.it in Poona at that time. The restaurant owners

never engaged enough waiters to serve their customers, in this case they used

to temporarily engage a poor student as a waiter. This student had to serve the

first two' shifts and then after taking his meal he could go to attend his school.

Sane took advantage of this situation. Before arranging his day meal in

different houses he got himself engaged in a restaurant. He used to serve two

shifts, and after his meal he used to attend the school. But this arrangement

was good for the morning meal! But Sane used to have only one morning meal

throughout the day and in the evening he used to go without any meal!

When he first came to stay with us my mother knew about > his intention of

arranging for daily meals by turns, she said: "Sane, you do arrange your own

meal elsewhere, if you like; I but till that arrangement is made, you take your

meal with us. Don't go fasting without food!"

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14 AT LAST MOTHER FOUND IT OUT

At the beginning at least Sane decided to work as a waiter in a restaurant and

secure one meal at least and go without food (observe fast) in the evening! But

it stood against his self-respect to ask my mother for his evening meal daily.

He used to tell us a flat lie, so that we should not suspect him "I shall have my

meal in a restaurant." Saying this he used to put on his coat and cap and go

away. As a matter of fact he used to go to the Temple of Dattatreya owned by

sweetmeat seller's wife and simply return from there without any meal.

At this moment all of us, mother and children used to have our meal. Before we

would finish our meals Sane used to return home and would silently go upstairs,

to remove his dress. After our meal was over mother used to clean up

everything. We were seven people taking our meals, so naturally some food

used to remain untouched. She used to preserve it for the next day. But before

she used to put it safely preserved she would naturally ask Sane, "Look here,

Sane, we have food here, please have it. I don't want to preserve it for

tomorrow; and Sane used to eat it up being, served by mother. This went on for

several days. Every day the same routine! Nobody could suspect that Sane used

to go without food in the evening but mother found it out! "How is it possible"

—she used to think—" If Sane has his evening meal in a restaurant how is it that

he willingly eats up everything offered to him?" Mother conjectured, "he must

not be eating in the evening in any restaurant at all," she thought out a jolly

expedient to find out the truth!

The next day when Sane said: "Mother, I am going out for my meals,'' and

actually went out and returned before our meal was over. Before he went

upstairs to change his clothes Mother said, "Sane, come straight on and see

what is slicking on to my head, just remove it, will you?" So saying when Sane

came near her, she caught hold of his hand and moving it over her head

brought it down straight to her nose and smelt it, and that is why she had

purposely brought it down to her nose.

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It was obvious that the restaurant people were using a peculiar kind of a

condiment for their vegetables, and naturally when Mother smelt his hand, she

did not smell any odour of that peculiar condiment. From this it was proved by

her that Sane did not go to a restaurant for a meal, he suffered hunger!

So next day when Sane again said that he was going out for meals and walked

out of the house, Mother told me and my younger brother "Go behind Sane

secretly and mark where he goes and make a careful observation of what he

does." So we started on the trail of Sane. After leaving home Sane straight went

to Budhwar Square and taking a turn from there went straight to the Temple of

Dattatreya belonging to the Sweetmeat seller's wife After a reverential bow to

the deity, he turned back slowly on his way home. We both of us saw this and

taking a different route reached home before him and told our Mother what we

had observed. We had finished our report to Mother when Sane just entered the

house and said, "I have had my meal", so saying he started straight off upstairs,

but Mother stopped him and said, "Oh sane, you have not taken your meal. You

are telling a lie. My sons have just seen what you were doing. You went just to

the Temple of Datta. Please don't do this. Till you arrange your meals by turns

in different houses you must dine along with my children. We are seven and you

will be the eighth. What more expense is there! Among seven the eighth can

certainly be well accomodated."

Since then Sane began to dine with us in the evenings. Just look I How Sane was

so very shy and how full of self-respect. Even when he was actually starving he

did not say even to his most beloved friend "I am hungry, I wish to dine!" He

thought it below his dignity. "Why should I trouble others for nothing?" was his

mode of thinking. That was his nature. He never gave any trouble to any one

for his sake. Silently bear all the sufferings, that was his characteristic. He

suffered such pangs and therefore he became "Sane Guruji" later on.

That was his nature from the very early childhood. I do not remember that he

ever did anything for his own physical pleasure even when he was older. His

whole life was for self-sacrifice, suffering and for all that. But he had laid the

very foundation of this strength right from his childhood. He got used to

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sufferings to such an extent, that without them he would find life dull and

uninteresting!

What I want to emphasise is that he was ready even to suffer any kind of

hardship. It is a fact that it had become part and parcel of his life, but seeing

the misery and sufferings of poor people his heart was terribly moved, and just

on that account his eyes used to shed tears. I remember several occasions in

later life and one gets convinced how sensitive he used to be on that account.

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15 HE WAS MOTHER TO POOR AND HELPLESS PERSONS

In the year 1916 when we were in the Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya in Poona under

the leadership of our Drill Teacher Mr. Yeole a trip of us students had started

marching. We had arranged to pay a visit to a nearby temple on the bank of the

river. The temple was at a distance of about five miles. We were about a dozen

students (Sane was of course amongst us) with our Teacher, and early at eight

o'clock in the morning our trip started from the school quadrangle. And

marching slowly we reached the temple by about ten o'clock. We were so

pleased to see the river and the trees over there and before paying our

obeisance to the deity in the temple we wanted to play a little in the sandy

bank and after dipping ourselves in the river we had planned to visit the

temple. So after paying about for half an hour we all went to the temple. The

temple was on a high hill. We had to go up climbing the steps and at the foot of

the hill there was a rell. We all went up and assembled ourselves in the

assembly-room of the temple. We had decided to bow before the deity one by

one and stand again in the assembly-room in a row. We did stand in a row

accordingly. When the Drill teacher call the roll, one was found missing. He

called the roll once again and yes, one was still missing. Then the Drill teacher

was very much frightened and he thought that someone might have been

drowned in the river while having a dip in it, and someone suggested to go

down and search for the missing boy in the sandy bed of the river, when the

attention of a student was drawn to the well at the foot of the hill. There was a

boulder and a boy was giving a bath to another man who was sitting there.

We went near and saw clearly that he was a man- a leper-full of bleeding skin.

And the boy who was giving him a bath was Sane!

When we were climbing the steps of the temple we had seen a man walking,

limping slowly towards the well to take water out of it with a bucket, which he

was not successful in doing. But we had been so eager and impatient to pay our

obeisance to the deity in the temple, that we had no time to look to the lame

person. To visit the temple was of more importance, we had thought. But Sane

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had seen the lame person and felt pity for him. To serve the bleeding leper, he

had found it of greater importance than of visiting the temple. Our God was in

the deity, while Sane's God was in that lame, bleeding poor person! Sane at

once took the bucket from his hand, and pulling water out of the well he was

engaged in washing and cleaning the bleeding wounds of that poor leper,

seating him on a nearby boulder.

Even in that young age of a school boy it had struck Sane to serve a helpless,

forlorn, suffering leper by giving him a bath was much more holier than by

giving a bath to the deity and decorating him with scent 2nd sweet smelling

flowers.

Today I remember, that dirty man must have been a leper! That time of course

we did not realise it. Even today we see such lepers loitering about the

envirous of the temples all over from place to place. But still it does not strike

us that these poor helpless creatures do need our service, our help and that in

the selfless service of such persons the service to God has been already

included! Washing the bleeding wounds of poor lepers with cold water from the

well is much more holier and that alone is appreciated by God. God is not in

the deity alone, He is in the living human beings as well. But have we got eyes

to see the God in the human beings? We can easily see the God in the deity in a

temple, we shall worship with light and offerings! But we will easily let a man

die of starvation! This is our religion and this is our pious action!

But Sane even in those young days had understood the importance of rendering

service to helpless poor persons. God is not in stone, he is in the living beings,

this knowledge was carved on his heart right from the very childhood! When

this knowledge had attained its full development, when older, he went on

fasting unto death for the entry of Harijans into the holy temple at Pandbarpur?

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16 PREPARED FOR PHYSICAL SUFFERINGS!

Sane was living with us when we had been living in Poona. During that period

Sane had to undergo all sorts of physical sufferings. His main aim was to study

well and for that he was ready to suffer any amount of hardships. When one has

to live with others one has to put up with insults, forced to bear certain things

against one's will, there are many occasions like this which one has to silently

put up with. The occasion may be very insignificant but does give pain to the

mind. In young days the mind is more sensitive and ideas of honour and

dishonour are widely different. When Sane was living with us he was of course

very young.

Although he had been slaying with a dear friend still it was a stranger's home.

But even in that young age he did not mind some occasions of tolerance or

intolerance. He never shirked in doing any hard work he was forced to do.

Whatever hardships he had to undergo he bore them with delight and with a

smiling face.

In these days as a rule we used to all get up early in the early morning at four

o'clock. After doing our daily baths and washings we used to sit for our studies.

In those days my brothers and myself used to have a warm bath. Sane had many

times to light up fire and heat the water for bath. But he never had a warm

bath himself. He used to take a cold bath with fresh water from a well or

sitting under a cold water tap. At that time we were using wood for heating

water and for cooking our food as well. We had to buy this wood which was

brought into the market place in carts and bring it home and cut it into small

pieces. We used to cut the wood all ourselves in our house. In this work Sane

was of great help to us. He never thought any work that was assigned to him

below his dignity. Washing, filling water, why even washing the pots and pans,

grinding corn and pounding it, all this kind of work he used to willingly do along

with us. He never felt it insulting to him. "Dignity of physical labour" nobody in

those days had ever uttered this phrase. But Sane actually put it into practice.

Sane's time used to be utilised in this manner so he had to devote his night time

for study.

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17 "RAM, I AM SEARCHING FOR YOU!"

Even in those days Sane had sleep just for a few hours. At night he used to

study upto twelve o'clock in the midnight. Some nights he used to study even

till two o'clock in the morning. If ever he was tired of study he used to look at

me who used to be fast asleep and he with a finger in the book used to squat

near me. Whenever I used to get up in between this was the sight that used to

strike me always. I then used to say to him: "Well Senani! What are you doing

all this for!" He used to reply with calm words, "Oh Ram, I have been searching

you!" I never understood what he actually meant by those words. But this much

I could understand however, that Sane must be looking at me with an

affectionate heart of a dear friend. What relief he found in his heart of hearts

he alone must be knowing it!

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18 SENANI'S STUDY

Even in those days Sane used to read books and got down notes from them. He

used to know almost everything by heart even in those days. Even when he was

in the VI and VII Standards he had learned by heart some portion from the

Kadambari, the Sanskrit novel by Bana Bhatta. Sanskrit was his pet subject. He

used to explain to me the meaning of some stiff passages from the Kadambari

of Bana Bhatta. Imitating him I also learnt some passages from the Kadam bari

by heart. The mode of our study of Sanskrit or English was slightly different. If

you found some word was difficult to understand we used to refer it to the

Dictionary and were quite satisfied even with the superficial meaning of it, and

we were quite happy that we could understand the meaning.

But Sane on the other band used to find out the root meaning of the word. He

used to remark that it was very useful to know the root meaning of words.

When we were in Standard VII our Teacher used to recommend some books to

us and Sane used to secure them from somewhere and we also used to read

them all.

We used to sleep all of us in one room after spreading our beds. And this was

also our study room. This room had a big window. It was a very big window

touching the floor and reaching up to the ceiling. Just outside this window

there used to be a Municipal lamp. When the doors of the window were

opened, there used to be light throughout the room. Sane used to sit in this

window and study in that light. It is often told that the late Gopal Krishna

Gokhale also used to study standing under a Municipal lamp.*

In the same way the future "Sane Guruji" used to study also sitting in the

Municipal light, which is an absolute fact.

* But this is true of Mr. Sitarampant Patwardhan and not of Gopal Krishna Gokhale. -

Translator.

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19 "GO ON DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS"

In that young age also Sane used to admire little children and their natural

activities. He used to love children very much. In the big building we were

staying in, there used to be a small boy of six years old. He was studying in

Standard II or III perhaps. In those days in the primary school they were taught

clay modelling, gardening etc. That boy used to collect some sticky clay and

used t> make some models.

One day in the same fashion he took some sticky clay and prepared a model of

chilly and he showed it to everybody, to all of us. "See I have made this chilly"

he said with great pride. We started laughing at this imitation chilly. The little

boy was thoroughly disappointed by our treatment. In the meantime Sane

walked in. The boy showed his imitation chilly to Sane and looked at him with a

glance of a bit of pride. Although that clay-piece did not at all have the shape

of a chilly, still Sane took that piece in his hand and patting on the back of the

child, said admiringly: “Oh, How fine! You have just made a nice chilly indeed!

It is really fine. Go on doing some other things as well. “Having heard the

cheering words of Sane and being patted by him on his back he forgot all his

disappointment. He burst into a smile and jumping on his legs said, '' My chilly,

my chilly" he went away crying loudly like this.

This incident may look rather insignificant, but little children always must be

encouraged, they need it, they want someone to pat them on their backs, and

Sane had a keen sense of it even in those days. He always used to admire small

children. In his later years he came to be so much admired by children is a fact

of some importance.

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20 I SHALL HURRY UP IF I SEE A SICK PERSON

Sane was very fond of nursing and carefully looking after the sick persons. How

much work you have to do for a sick person I If need be you have to look after

his urination and passing stool as well if one has any sympathy for the patient,

some good wishes, some sincere feeling for him, one can perform all these

functions easily.

When my little sister was ill, if anybody had served her sympathetically it was

Sane! My sister was down with typhoid and the doctors attending upon her had

told her not to do any sort of movement whatever. Someone had to do spunging

for her. A bed-pan had to be given to her and it had to be cleaned out. To give

her a bed-pan and thereafter to clean it was very dirty for us, we used to think.

We therefore used to avoid it purposely. But Sane on the other hand used to do

it regardless of the dirt; he used to do identifying himself selflessly with the

patient. He never showed the least negligence in it, never the least idleness.

We were her real brothers, and Sane - whose who? But he looked after her

perfectly selflessly!

Later on our sister was cured. She began to feel a sense of gratefulness for

Sane. Looking at Sane's general behaviour in the home it had made a

tremendous impression upon her mind. She became a sort of devotee of Sane.

Some idea struck her and she told it to me and to my younger brother. We also

appreciated it and we decided to act up to it accordingly. We three of us

collected Bakul-flowers and our sister made a garland of them and we lured

Sane to sit on the upper step of the staircase and we actually worshipped him.

My sister put the garland round his neck, we showered flowers on him and we

all bowed to him. After this we began to address him by the name "God".

Of course Sane never liked this at all, he got wild and straight walked away

from there. “I did not serve her, not at all for this ", saying something like this

he sprung upon his legs and walked away. We certainly did not stop calling him

“God” and bowing to him. He used to always tell us: “You should always praise

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God! Never worship a man in vain." We used to silently hear all that but at that

time we had not understood the real significance of the word in vain. One

should not praise a man, but in that couplet there is a word ' in vain But Sane

had served selflessly, with a sense of humanity in his heart, wasn't he therefore

deserving to be praised? We were certainly not praising him in vain? But at that

time it did not strike us that way.

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21 SERVICE TO THE OLD MOTHER

This was my sister! Senani's dearest friend Ram, that was his sister! He served

her. What was much in that, to say like that was wrong! Sane's very nature was

service! Leave alone the case of my sister. But the mother of our Drill teacher

was down with plague. I remember that incident quite clearly even today. We

used to go to the school play ground without fail between 6 to 7 p m. Sane

never used to be with us. My younger brother and myself used to go there

alone. Sane used to have a lot of other work to do hence he was never with us.

Our Drill teacher Mr. Yeole used to teach us various kinds of games, especially

exercising ourselves on the single bar, double bar, trapeze and such other

sports of physical exercise. Yeole our teacher used to teach us everything with

perfect enthusiasm. We had a group of about eight boys. We had developed

great respect a sort of devotion to our teacher. His old mother had an attack of

plague. She had a big bubo in her arm-pit. She had very high fever and begun to

prattle away. At that time there was no other person in the house of our

teacher!

We used to go to him in the evenings just to inquire about his mother. One day

Sane also came with us just casually. He did not even know Mr. Yeole

personally. But he understood the situation at once and naturally a desire to

serve the mother suddenly sprung up in his heart. He decided immediately and

said to me, " Ram, let us come here to sleep every night for a week at least and

render our service to the poor mother." I at once said yes and since that day we

began to go to Mr. Yeole teacher's home. As a matter of fact I used to go there

and quietly go to bed at about nine o'clock and used to be fast asleep till about

four in the morning. If at all I would be awake and just make some casual

inquiries about the patient that is all. But on the other hand Sane used to be

sitting near her pillow and getting up about seven times used to look after her

requirements. He used to foment her bubo) and put ointment to it, press her

legs, give her milk, water rice paste and whatever other things were prescribed

for her, to prepare them and give them to her. After eight days her fever came

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down and the bubo also subsided. Relations came to teacher Yeole and

thereafter we left going there. Teacher Yeole not only was struck by the

devotion of Sane he was also very grateful to him. That we were calling Sane

"God" he also appreciated it and on several occasions he bowed to, him also.

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22 I AM THE SKANDA (स्कंद) AMONGST THE ARMY GENERALS

When we used to address Sane as God he used to be peevish and horribly angry.

And still we did continue to call him God. But after we started learning Geeta

we came across the expression "I am the Skanda amongst the army generals."

There we found it that the word Senani was nearer to Sane, we therefore

addressing him as Senani and that became his permanent names. In my letters

to him I used to address him by the title Senani. After some time I came to

understand the real significance of the word Skanda in its original meaning.

"Skanda" means Kartik Swami and just as Kartik Swami remained a bachelor to

the end of his life in the same way Sane too remained a bachelor to the end of

his life. Later on, I sometimes very rarely used to address him as Skanda also.

Whatever it may be the nick name Bawlya (बावळ्या) silly given by our teacher to

Sane, was sentimentally called by us "God" in later life by his actions and

meritorious deeds he came to entitled “Sane Guruji”.

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23 CARRYING ON STUDIES HALF STARVED

I have already said that Sane used to stay with us and study with us but used to

have his food by turns in different houses. At the outset he had not got meals

for all the days. Many times he used to go starving in the evenings. Later on my

mother found it out and he started dining along with us regularly in the

evenings. After some days the arrangement for his meals by turns in different

houses was done. But he had resolved, come what may, at any cost, even going

on starvation if need be, to carry on his studies most deligently. This was his

fixed resolution. Then he was much too young, he was hardly about sixteen,

seventeen years old. But even at that age his resolution was fixed and

permanent. He had entertained no thought other than finishing his studies

completely. He used to be always worried and always used to sit alone and

think for himself.

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24 STORY OF SHUKRAWAR PAGADI ( शुक्रवार पगडी )

One day after returning from school he was very much worried. He went and

sat on a step of Harivishweshwara Temple just opposite our house. He was all

absorbed in his deep thought. At that time a certain gentleman had come there

to do obeisance to the deity. He went inside the temple, paid his obeisance to

the deity, and while doing the rounds to the temple saw Sane just casually. His

curiosity was awakened by seeing Sane a mere boy sitting absorbed in deep

thought. He went near him and with sincere affection asked him "Well my boy,

who are you, and what are you all the time thinking about?"

Sane at once understood the sympathy and cordiality in his affectionate words

and he therefore replied, "I am a student and am staying here with my friend

and am carrying on my studies here." "What worries have you in your mind at

such an early age? Where do you take your meals? It is with your friend, isn't it?"

Sane quickly replied, "No, I take my meals by turns at different houses, and

when the need arises I also dine with my friend."

"It means all your days of meals by turn are net fixed yet."

Sane replied, "Some are fixed but some are not yet!"

"I see! What days are missing then?"

"Er.... Friday.... and.... and" Sane got confused!

"Well, then, do come to me on Fridays! And if any other day is not yet fixed

then do come to me for meals that day also! But don't leave off your studies!

Well- then which school are you attending and in what standard are you

learning? "

Sane immediately felt the tenderness of heart of that gentleman and he said: "I

am learning in the English School known as Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya in the VI

Standard, and my friend also is in the VI Standard."

"Well, well, please take this address of mine, and do come to me on Fridays,"

saying this that gentleman handed his address and name to Sane and again

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asking him to come to him on Friday, he finished his rounds of the temple and

went home.

That gentleman was staying also in Shukrawar Peth and he was a well-to-do

person. In his home he used to live alone with his daughter. The gentleman was

very kind hearted indeed. It was his habit of visiting the temple and after

paying his obeisance to the deity he used to return home. The gentleman was a

bit old having passing his fifties. He used to have a black long coat, white dhoti

on his shoulders, a stick in his hand, a red pagadi on his head and Poona shoes

on his feet. That was his usual dress. It was by sheer accident that he met Sane

that evening. You hardly meet people who speak so sympathetically to an

unknown boy. It was just an accidental meeting and Sane luckily got his Friday

meal fixed. At first as we did not know the name of that gentleman, but when

Sane told us all about him and heard from him his full description, then we of

course called him by the nick name "Shukrawar Pagadi ".

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25 JUST FOR MY RAM!

Gradually all the days of meals by turns were fixed. We had fixed his two days

with us and these two days mother never let him go anywhere else. Days were

passing on like that, and we passed the Examination of Standard VI and were

promoted to Standard VII (in the Matric Class). Our studies began regularly and

soon came the Deepawali Holidays. Where was Sane to go during these

holidays? He was staying with us. That year the first day of Deepawali fell on

Friday.

The Friday before when Sane had to go that gentleman he had said: "Oh Sane,

next Friday is Diwali day. Therefore do come in the morning also for breakfast

and as usual come for meals also in the noon. Don't be shy." And Sane said yes

and remembered it.

On the Deepawali day Sane had a bath along with us and then he said: "Rama,

‘Shukrawar Pagadi’ has also invited me for breakfast. I am therefore going to

him instead of having it with you. He has given me his pressing invitation."

Upon this I said "Senani, look here, if that gentleman has invited you so

cordially then do go to him. You can have your breakfast any other day with

us." And Sane went to him for his Deepawali breakfast. He went there, but in

his mind the thought was all the time rolling, "I should have been this morning

with my dear friend Ram, and we should have enjoyed our breakfast

together.... etc.! These thoughts were revolving in his mind and his feet were

taking him to Shukrawar Pagadi ".

Senani reached their house. The gentleman was quite pleased and he told his

daughter at once "Tai, look Sane has arrived, please serve him his special Diwali

breakfast! I have to go out just for a short while" and then turning to Sane, he

said: "Sane, I am going out, enjoy your Diwali breakfast heartily, don't be shy.

Please take from Tai whatever you want! "So saying the gentleman went out.

Tai brought all the sweets in a brass plate, put it on a wooden board and asked

Sane to start his breakfast seating himself on a board seat. Sane seated himself

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on the wooden seat, but looking to the sweet, tasty eatables he was at once

reminded of his dear Ram, "What! am I going to eat all these things without my

Ram! How can I eat? Ram should have been with me, then both of us would

have enjoyed the Diwali breakfast." These thoughts were rolling in his mind,

"Even if Ram is not with me now in person, I can take some sweet preparation

for him," this thought was firm in his mind. Tai was all the time watching him

standing in the door way. Well now! How to take some sweet preparation for

Ram? This was a tough problem. All sweet preparations were before him but he

could not touch a piece or even pick it up.

Finally an idea struck him and he said, "Tai, please bring me some water!" Now

Tai did at once realise that she had forgotten to put a jug of- water with a

brass pot for drinking. Goodness me! Oh, I have clean forgotten about that,"

saying this she just ran inside the kitchen. Sane immediately took advantage of

this opportunity and picking up one sweet Anarasa* put it quickly in an inner

pocket of his coat. And why did he do this? This was to be given to Ram as a

memento of this fine occasion! While this was done Tai walked with the brass

jug and the drinking pot.

Sane had his breakfast, after drinking water he took leave of Tai saying good

bye to her. And he simply ran home to meet Ram. How can he ever feel happy

without offering that Anarasa to Ram! He practically rushed into the house and

called Ram in all haste "Just look Ram, I have brought some nice thing for you."

So saying he took out the hidden Anarasa from his pocket and gave it to me.

When I saw that Anarasa I was rather surprised and asked him, "But dear

Senani, how did you manage to get this Anarasa?" Senani thereupon replied,

"How what how? I brought it like this in my pocket."

"And, well, how could you manage it? None observed you doing it?”

"Look here Ram, Tai put the plate full of sweet things in it but I could bite no

morsel without your being there! I was thinking about you all the time. And I

did a trick. I sent Tai to bring drinking water from the kitchen and as soon as

her back was turned I put one Anarasa into my inner pocket, and I got it for you

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here. Please take it and just eat it." So saying Senani offered it to me and I ate

it with great joy and satisfaction.

Why shouldn't I feel blessed, that I had get such a loving friend in my life? How

many people are blessed with such dear friends? Of course at that time he had

not yet become Sane Guruji. And by various meritorious deeds of his he became

a "Sane Guruji" out of a simple Senani. He not only showed this great love for

his dear friend, but in his future career he had most unselfish love for all

beings, particularly for all helpless, poor, orphans and crippled people. And

because he had this love for all human beings therefore it was that he rose to

the high position of "Sane Guruji!”

Whatever it may be! These are all facts from his future career, but can I ever

forget that sincere love that he had for me in those young days of ours? This

incident and this happy memory has been ingrained in my heart and I always

remember it with pride!

Sane - that our Senani, that "Shyam of Ram", has now gone away, but he has

gone leaving behind him such incidents of sincere love and cordial affection!

We have only to j remember them. Gone away is our dear old Senani!

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26 PROMISE OF MEETING AFTER DEATH

At that time we were in VI Standard. After passing the Annual Examination we

both of us were now in the Matriculation Class. Just to pass time we were both

reading a story from a monthly magazine. The story was like this: Some

gentleman was staying in Nasik, and his son was staying in a Boarding in

Ratnagiri for his studies. One night when the gentleman was fast asleep, he

woke up suddenly at midnight and on opening his eyes he saw His son in the

Ratnagiri Boarding standing by his cot, and was saying to him : Father, I have

come to meet you— and now that I saw you, I am going away! Saying this and

without waiting for a reply the boy disappeared all of a sudden- he vanished!

By that time the gentleman was quite awake. After rubbing his eyes he looked

round but there was none to be seen there! He naturally thought then, that

must have been just a vision. When he looked into his watch he found it had

just struck one. The doors and windows of his bed room were all closed. Then it

struck him if at all his son had actually come in at least a door must have been

open or at least a window! How could he have come in otherwise? What he saw

was simply an apparition and so thinking he again fell fast asleep.

But early in the morning he got a wire from the Superintendent of the Boarding

in Ratnagiri, that his son had suddenly died of an accident that night between

twelve and half past twelve. Reading this wire the gentleman was overcome

with uncontrollable grief. But even in that terrible grief he felt certain that

what he had seen was not at all an apparition but a solid truth. For then it had

just struck one o'clock in his watch.

The writer of this story had come to the conclusion that after death the soul of

a man leaves the body and goes elsewhere to meet the dearest person it loves.

It is possible!

Both Sane and myself read this story and each of us had the same thought in

our minds. We had full faith in every incident in this story and therefore Senani

said to me,"Ram, just look, after death one can certainly meet his dear and

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near ones! Then just look, let us promise each other, whosoever may die before

he must come to meet the other person."

Minds, hearts, of both of us were full of faith and full of sentiment. Therefore

we took an oath and promised to meet each of us! We were both at that time

overcome with a peculiar sentiment.

This incident took place when we were in VI Standard- i. e. in the year 1916-

1917. But this incident had such an effect upon our minds, that whenever we

used to .meet each other after many years we used to repeat our old promise.

Our hearts were full of faith!

Thereafter we passed the VI Standard, the Matriculation Examination also and

passed also the Previous Examination in our College. Then I came to Bombay to

join the Medical College. But Senani continued to stay with us as before.

Whenever during the vacations I used to come back to Poona we could meet

each other and in our talks together we used to remind each other about our

promises.

Later on I learnt the Science of human body. I began] getting the real

knowledge on carrying on the dissection of | the dead bodies, I came to realise

that soul, rebirth etc. were all tall talks and I lost all faith in them, and I had'

firm faith in my mind, that when a man dies, all things do] vanish. No soul even

remains behind. Only the dead body] remains behind.

This idea of mine was solid firm in my mind and I was thoroughly convinced of

it. And thereafter when I again met Senani, I told him in clear terms, "Senani,

there is no such] thing as soul different from the body. After death nothing of a

human being remains behind except his dead body. What pure imaginations this

life and this soul. And if there is no such things as body and soul then how can

we meet each other after death? "

Senani could never be convinced about these ideas of mine. For he had solid

faith in soul, life, rebirth etc. he had 1 full faith in them. He therefore used to

say " Whatever you say leave that alone, but I have full faith in the fact there

remains soul after man is dead and it can meet his dear friends, can meet like

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this! Therefore leave all those thoughts, as per our oaths we are sure to meet

each other after | death! Yes, this is fixed eh? "

Then I used to laugh and say,"Oh Senani, my opinion and what I say is really

true!" But whatever be my opinion of soul, body if there is anything at all away

from human body - then certainly as per our oaths we are sure to meet each

other after death. And we again used to take oaths and repeat our early

promises.

Time was passing quickly. I passed my final Medical examination and became a

Doctor and after about a year and a half I started my private practice in

Umbergaon. Senani left Poona after passing his B. A. and he joined in Amalner

Institute (तत्तत्तवज्ञान मंददर) for his M. A. studies and passed his M. A. examination

from that Institute. Thereafter he entered politics, we used to meet each other

in about two years time and that too just for a day or two. In that meeting of

ours we used to revise our old time memories. But we never forgot to remind

ourselves of the promise to meet each other after death. We used to repeat our

individual opinions again and again.

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27 SENANI'S FIRST LECTURE

Gradually we both of us passed our annual examination of Standard VI

creditably and now came the time for our appearing at the Matriculation

Examination. Sane was rather weak in Mathematics, the total of his marks was

below the average. Hence he was put in the B division of Standard VII. I was in

A division. There was then a rule in the Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya, that

Professors of their College used to come to teach students in the A division of

Standard VII. But this used to be too much for us. Whatever they were teaching

used to fly over our heads. Professor Tulpule used to teach us English and Mr.

V. B. Joshi used to teach English to the B division. The method of teaching of

Mr. Joshi was excellent. He was an expert in making the students understand

the subject thoroughly. Sane was learning under him. If we had any difficulty in

our English lessons we used to ask Sane about it. At that time Sane's knowledge

of English, Sanskrit and; Marathi was excellent. Sane used to read Panchatantra

and! Hitopadesh very fluently, used to recite it. He had no difficulty in any

word at all. But we could not follow properly.

At that time some students of other High schools had come together and had

founded an institution called "Mitra Mandal” - Friends' Association. In that

Association they used to give free lessons to other needy students. There used

to< be students "from the III and IV Standards. They were taught English,

Arithmetic, Marathi and Sanskrit. Sane was an expert teacher" of Marathi and

Sanskrit. I remember quite clearly that sometimes boys from the VI and VII

Standards used to attend that class to ask Sane about their difficulties in

Sanskrit.

A section called "Speech encouragement" was also started. We used to try to

give talks in that Section. At that time I had not the least knowledge of what

lecturing meant, and how the subject matter could be systematically arranged.

One day I was asked to deliver a lecture on Napoleon. But I had no idea

whatever that the subject had to be studied first thoroughly, points had to be

put together etc. I only knew about the description of three or four battles he

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had fought, about which I had read. And on the strength of that meagre

collection of information I was expected to lecture for one full hour! When I

actually started my lecture my subject was over within five minutes and I sat

down being very nervous! But a boy in the V Standard stood up and he delivered

an excellent lecture on Napoleon for about three quarters of an hour. I was put

to shame. I thought that boy was extraordinary.

But the next Sunday Sane delivered his lecture; I came to learn what a lecture

really meant, what the subject matter meant, and how to expound the subject

matter in a lecture. It must have been the first lecture of Sane. At least I had

heard it for the first time. The subject was Gopal Krishna Gokhale and Sane had

studied the subject so thoroughly, he had collected all the necessary

information and he knew very well how to put the matter systematically and in

proper sequence. One hour assigned to the lecture was over, but Sane went on

speaking and we heard him with rapt attention, interest and eagerness. After

about half an hour later his lecture was over. The life of "Hon. Mr. Gopal

Krishna Gokhale" which he wrote later on, he had already prepared the rough

notes of it even when he was just in Standard VII. So also he delivered his.

Maiden speech in this "Friends Association”. I still remember quite vividly that

first lecture of Sane!

When we were in Standard VII Sane and myself had only one book in common.

We used to study from that book only. As we were in different divisions one

copy of that book was quite enough for us. At ever period he used to take away

from me any book he required in his class and used to give me whatever book I

needed.

At last our Matriculation Examination was over and both of us passed in that

Examination successfully. I need not mention here that the number of my total

marks was much higher than his on account of my sound knowledge of

Mathematics. Not only that, but we were mightily afraid 'about Sane's

performance in Mathematics, but fortunately he also got through successfully.

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28 REAL TEST OF A FRIEND!

At that time the financial circumstances of my house (home) also were not

quite sound, but any way they were much better than that of Sane at any rate.

I had not to seek my food by turns nor had I any difficulty in paying my fees.

But on account of certain reasons I had to earn about six Rupees per month

giving tuition when I was in Standard VI. At that time it used to be a custom

that before our results were declared after our examination we used to get a

vacation of two months, when one could earn some money by getting himself in

some sort of service. In those days in the Military Camp side there were a

number of government offices and a number of temporary clerks could get an

employment. It was therefore easy to secure an appointment there. Whatever

amount - say about Rs. one hundred, could be useful for paying the fees in the

college. This was usual in Poona. I had no source of information as to how

things were in Bombay at that time. Sane's eldest brother was employed in the

Colaba Observatory then. At that time there was only one post of a clerk that

was vacant. I had just casually mentioned to Sane during our talks that I would

like to get some temporary employment somewhere for two months. After our

examination was over we had both applied for a post in the Military Camp,

Poona. But as we had not passed the Matriculation examination, we could not

get any employment there.

At that time Sane was in great need of money. Of course my need was as great

as his. And yet Sane had requested his eldest brother to try to get an

employment for me in the Colaba Observatory.

We both came to Bombay and Dada secured that appointment for me. I served

there for two months accordingly. We were both of us staying with "Dada" then.

But I alone was in service. As a matter of fact Sane had greater need of service

than I had. But because he was staying with us in Poona, he had secured this

post for me -just to show his gratitude for what we had done for him.

It was his usual habit of sacrificing his own interests for the sake of others. And

in his later life it had expanded very largely.

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29 STUDIES AT COLLEGES!

After passing our Matriculation Examination we both got entrance in the then

"New Poona College" in the Previous Year Class. This New Poona College was

being conducted by the Society Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya. In those days this

College was functioning in the front buildings of the Nutan Marathi Vidyalaya,

on both the sides. Later on it became "Sir Parashuram Bhau College" and was

removed to the New Buildings at the foot of the Parvati Temple hill. At our

time it was in the city itself.

Sane and', myself used to sit on the same bench in our class-room. At that time

Sane was extremely fond of reading various books and big volumes. He used to

sit in the Marathi Grantha Sangrahalaya "Marathi Library " and read there books

and used to make his own notes from them. Even in the first year in the College

the general knowledge of the books on literature of Sane "used to be much

better than that of all the other students. Since then he was storing up vast

knowledge. I was not very fond of reading.

After passing the Previous Examination I went to Bombay for my medical

studies and since then I lost close touch with Sane. During vacations I used to

return to Poona sometimes and at that time Sane used to meet me. Even when

I was staying in Bombay Senani continued to live with us. But our close

relationship had ended since then and I rarely used to write to him also. But

then during 1920-21 our circumstances changed.

Senani joined the B. A. class after passing his Inter Arts Examination. At that

time he was looked upon as a very clever student. In the year 1920-21 the Non

Cooperation] movement of Mahatmaji was set a foot and he asked students in

schools and colleges to come out, and the pleaders to come out of their courts.

By this new movement of Mahatmaji the minds of "young students were inspired

and Senani being by nature very sentimental decided to join the movement and

leave the colleges which he did whole heartedly.

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At that time Mr. V. G. Apte was the Principal of the New Poona College. He

new that Sane was a very clever student! He had already anticipated that one

day Sane's name would be widely famous. When Sane decided to leave College.

Principal Apte specially called him and persuaded him not to leave College. But

Senani's decision was firm and the forces of his sentiment was also

predominant. He left College and prepared himself to join the movement.

Soon thereafter the force of sentiments waxed and several students returned to

colleges once again. Senani met the Principal and told him that he would rejoin

the College! Principal Apte was a very kind hearted man. The good of the

students was always in his heart. He had never liked the; idea that a clever

student like Sane leaving College and joining a political movement. Even at the

very outset he had told Sane that he should not leave College. In spite of this

fact bearing no grudge in his mind, he readmitted Sane in the College so that a

clever student like Sane should not suffer, not only this but continued his term

also.

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30 HE WOULD BE REPUTED WRITER IN MARATHI LITERATURE

Sane was now going to appear for the B. A. Examination- His principal subject

was Marathi. At that time there used to be an oral examination in the principal

subject at the B. A. examination. Sane had written his papers very well indeed

and the oral examination was to take place at Marathi Grantha-Sangrahalaya

(Marathi Library), Thakurdwar in Bombay. The examiners were the late

Narsinha Chintaman Kelkar and the late Rao Bahadur Chintaman Rao Vaidya.

At that time I was staying with my maternal uncle in Kamat Company's chawl in

Thakurdwar. Senani came to Bombay for his examination and he had come to

see me at my maternal uncle's place. Marathi Sangrahalaya being just to the

right hand side of our chawl we could see whatever was going on in that hall.

Senani's examination was in that very hall. But at that time I had to attend my

class in my College, so that I could not watch Sane's oral examination even from

a long distance. After the examination was over Sane came to meet me.

I asked him just casually how he had done in his oral examination, and he had

said that he had done very well. But he had never said how well he had done.

All what he had said was but very indistinctly.

Much later on he himself told me that his oral examination had been excellent.

First of all his written papers had been very good and the examiners had been

tremendously impressed by his answers. They were naturally very highly

pleased in his oral examination too. They must then have been convinced about

his place of honour in the Marathi literature in the near future. It need not be

mentioned that Time itself proved this expectation in full measure.

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31 HE REFUSED HIS APPOINTMENT AT THE WILSON COLLEGE

Both those examiners wear so pleased with Sane's performance at the

examination that they actually recommended! to the Principal of the Wilson

College to take one B. A. candidate named Mr. Sane on their staff, as that

candidate was a most deserving young man with encouraging.

The Principal must have been convinced that this candidate must be really a

very deserving one being so highly recommended by the two eminent persons.

He therefore wrote| a letter to Sane requesting him to join on the staff of

Wilson College as soon as the B. A. result will be declared. The reason of it was

that late Mr. Kelkar or late Mr Vaidya were both high lights in Marathi

literature. "The meritorious understands the meritorious "what can an ignorant

person know?" is a well known proverb!

At that time Sane bad to decline the kind offer and he] did it very politely in

his letter. Sane had decided to join the Tatvadnyan Mandir - Temple of

Philosophy - in Amalner for his M. A. studies and he had also decided to devote

his whole life with selfless sacrifice in the cause of service to the country. He

had also resolved to do nothing in that direction till he passes the M. A.

Examination.

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32 SENANI'S PENANCE!

No body can teach you to do sacrifice, and live a hard life in the service of the

country, and nobody can force you to do it either. This is an inspiration and a

great upsurge from the heart. If this is born in your heart, you can't help

following in its wake. Sane became a "Sane Guruji" due to this upsurge in his

heart.

Sane passed his M. A. Examination from the Amalner "Philosophy Temple"

Whatever price he had to pay for becoming a Sane Guruji from ordinary Sane it

was really very very high. If you go to the market to buy something you can fix

its price in Rupees and Paise. But to win the spontaneously given title " Sane

Guruji" you have to pay the price of a different sort altogether, by obtaining a

place in the hearts of the people, especially with hearts of helpless, infirm,

famished people, an honourable place of devotion. This price is invaluable. It is

impossible to compare it in Rupees and Paise! It is very very difficult to lead a

life of hardship by sacrificing the happiness of one's entire life, by perpetual

sacrifice by perpetual service to humanity!

Sane passed his M. A. Examination and he made a firm resolution to devote his

whole life for the students, poor, helpless, infirm people and he chalked out

one path of selfless service and self-sacrifice. In fact he forgot the very word

selfishness. He accepted with pleasure the life of poverty and hardships!

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33 HIS SIMPLE LIFE STANDS NO COMPARISON!

The life and behaviour of Senani was so simple and of poverty that it can't be

described in words. I believe I am also living a very simple life. But Sane's life

of simplicity stands no comparison. He had never enjoyed the glory of finer

clothes throughout life. Not only this but he actually hated it. Since then he

decided to use only Khadi (rough handmade cloth) as though he had sworn to do

it.

Senani's usual dress consisted of one Khadi shirt (and that too always torn) and

a short dhoti of Khadi cloth, and sometimes chappal on his feet. They were also

many times] torn off. Hair grown long but he did not at all know to use] oil,

combing and parting the hair and keep them smooth. People who did not know

him actually mistook him for a "labourer". On his face peace, affection and

keenness was quite apparent. But only those who knew him well could see that.

But superficially he did look a simpleton no doubt. He is M. A., he is a highly

learned man, is a man of sacrifice, nobody would even believe this even when

told in so many words!

People who would see him for the first time had grave doubt whether he could

speak even two words when he began' his speech. But when he actually would

start his speech, their hearts were overflowing with enthusiasm and their ears:

would be ever eager to listen to every word that fell out of his mouth. As a

matter of fact they were as though spell bound during his lecture. Those who

actually attended hid lecture would vouch safe for it, but not the others!

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34 IS THIS THE “SANE GURUJI”?

In the 1931 political movement Sane's name became "Sane Guruji ". In Khandesh

his name was resounding all over, later on not only throughout Maharashtra but

it spread out throughout India. Which youth was not attracted in Mahatmaji's

political movement? Amongst those who entered this movement wittingly,

'discriminatingly or with knowledge, Sane Guruji was ever there! The name

Sane Guruji was gradually spreading all over. Although the name? was known to

people all over no one had seen him yet. Many times Senani used to come to

me in Umbergaon.

At that time Umbergaon was the northern end of Thana District of the Bombay

Presidency. It was included in4 Maharashtra. The political movement of 1931

was gradually vanishing. It must be 1932-1933. The name Sane Guruji has heard

by many people and such a person, such a leader, such a source of information

of students is living in somewhere in Bombay Province this was known to the

general public. Senani had come to me then for the first time and this incident

is of that time. (There was a private Motor service then in Umbergaon). That

day a person with a torn Khadi shirt, wearing a short dhoti walking without

shoes, wearing a Gandhi cap with a small bedding covered with a torn blanket

(curable) got down from the noon train. The people who were there on the

platform thought this person must be one of those volunteers in the Gandhi

movement; and therefore they did not take any notice of him.

That person said to the motor driver rather shyly, "I have to go to Dr. Joshi in

Umbergaon. Which bus goes to the city? The motor driver in his usual haughty

and offensive tone of voice, replied "Don't you see, you! This very bus is going

to Umbergaon. Go and sit inside. Have you the money for the fare? "

And that person got into the crowded bus and seated himself on a seat properly

balancing himself. The bus started.

In those days the bus used to drop the passengers in their proper places. When

the bus entered the city he again told the driver "I want to go to Dr. Joshi!

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Where is his house?" In those days the driver himself used to be the owner of

the motor. In a little slighting manner he told "Sit a bit silently. I shall show you

his house when we reach it." At last the bus stopped on the Main Road and the

driver said, "Oh you get down, cross the left hand galli and go further, the third

bungalow to the left belongs to Doctor Saheb. Inquire in the neighbourhood and

someone will show you the house. "I And that person, that volunteer got down

on the Main Road and entered the galli as was pointed out to him.

On that day it must have been about half past one o'clock! I was busy examining

some patient when someone entered] the house with a bedding on the

shoulder. When I looked up —and what did I see?— Senani! I at once said, "Oh,

Senani! And did you come all of a sudden like this? You should have at least

informed me that you were coming. Then I took the bedding myself and put it

inside. After examining the patient, and prescribing medicine for him I let him

go, and then| we started our usual talk and had tea and meals. I asked! Senani

all about him.

Whatever had happened was quite all right. But the main point I want to

mention here is quite different. After two days; Senani started going back. He

was always in a hurry. "I told my servant to bring a motor car. The same old

owner of their motor car appeared in due time. Senani was saying continuously,

"No, no but I took his bedding on my shoulder and carried it to the motor car.

The driver seeing me carrying^ the bedding on my shoulder immediately rushed

forward and taking the bedding from me put it in his car and properly arranging

the seat asked Senani to take his seat. And Senani: started off in the car!

The incident does not end here. It might have been eight - o'clock in the

evening, I really don't know what the motor driver might have been thinking!

But he entered my dispensary and said: "Doctor Saheb, who was your guest

today? And you carried his bedding on your shoulder! I just smiled a little and

said: "Oh, he was Sane Guruji!"

And when the motor-driver heard my words "Sane Guruji" he slapped his check

(repenting) "Oh, how could I know this? Oh, was it he, Sane Guruji? We have so

often heard his name. My daughter who goes to school, she often tells and goes

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on saying: “Sane Guruji, Sane Guruji! Oh! It was a great mistake on my part!

We should have invited him for dinner! My daughter wanted to offer her bow at

his feet- oh, but, it was a very great mistake. Oh, he was Sane Guruji! How

simple he is! Oh oh!—and he went on talking like this.

Senani's simple life, and his famous name among the students, realising all this I

was myself struck with amazement. Such was our simple dear old Senani. This

was Senani's first public visit to Umbergaon! That was his first visit after he

became "Sane Guruji".

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35 EXTREME LIMIT OF A SAINT'S HEART!

“Tell them, I am willing to marry!”

Before this first visit of his, in the years 1927-28, Senani had come to me with

some of his friends. But at that time he was not known publicly as “Sane

Guruji”. If at all, I may say he was on his way to it. But there happened one

incident which has been particularly engraved on my mind. I am particularly

writing out this memorable incident.

Senani passed his M. A. Examination. That was of course with some fixed plan

in his mind. He used to always chalk out a definite plan in his mind as to what

was going to do in the future. But his mind was naturally inclined to sacrifice

rather than to enjoy life. Service to humanity, service to people was the only

spiritual aspect of his plan all fixed up in his mind! In those days the student

class was prominently before his mind's eye. Therefore he decided to start a

movement for the benefit of the student world. But this field was rather too

narrow for his nature. Those were the times of movements, movement for the

liberation of our nation, Lokamanya Tilak died in the year 1920 and the yoke of

leadership came on the shoulders of Mahatmaji. During that time all the young

people who were in some movement were eager to join the political

movement. It is quite certain that Senani too was thinking the same way.

But one has to observe a few rigerous rituals before one can join the political

movement. The first and foremost ritual is that one must be very well

educated, and gain real knowledge. Senani had passed his M. A. Examination.

One way he was fully educated. But that was nothing!

Bear a bracelet of service to the country, and devote oneself to the service of

the poor and the helpless people, and follow the path of service to humanity,

and for this one has to observe the strict rituals. You have to forget the word

"Self" keep the "self-pleasure" out of bounds, and you have to get sacrifice and

service ingrained in your heart, you have to give up desire for wealth, because

you have to see that the family life of other people is well established, you

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have therefore to sacrifice your thought of your own family life and even the

desire for it has to be banned out of your mind. Woman and desire for wealth

have to be discarded from the very outset.

Senani had said good bye to the thought of earning money by getting into

service and of living a happy home life after marrying. He had decided firmly in

his mind, that he would never be enticed by the desire of wealth and woman.

Observe celibacy throughout his life was firmly engraved on his mind and he

was behaving accordingly. "Never serve anywhere and never marry" with this

resolution he had come to me in Umbergaon. This is from my memory.

When Senani had come to me there were a couple of coworkers with him. I do

not remember the names of all of them now but there was one coworker with

him named Bhattacharya, that is certain. Nobody has any concern with this

incident in my memory. This incident in my memory is rather personal and

private. But from that one gets quite a different manifestation of the make up

of Senani's mind.

At that time a certain gentleman was living in our neighbourhood. His family

was once upon a time very rich and of noble heritage. But in the course of time

the family began to degenerate, all wealth was lost but the feeling of his noble

heritage remained ingrained in his heart. Never give up the past habits and

never acquire new ones, such was his mental attitude. Time was running fast,

the world is running forward, new ideas and new thoughts are coming forth; not

only the mode of old thinking but also the make up of the new society is lagging

far behind, social and political transformation is taking place, this idea never

struck him and it was impossible for him to understand it either. At home he

had two grown up daughters still unmarried. Their marriages could not be

arranged at all. And the reason for it all was that gentleman's fantastic ideas

and actions! He wanted for his daughter a husband well educated, rich, young,

unmarried, very capable and belonging to a very prominent family in Society,

without a dowry and without any expense on his part, and he was really hoping

to get one like that.

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But one can't find such bridegrooms endowed with all qualifications and merits

down on the streets! But this idea had never struck him. Well, the daughter was

uneducated, only was acquainted with mere alphabets, not at all good looking

and without any money either. How can then her marriage be arranged? The

elder daughter began to pine for love. She was prevented from stirring out of

the house. She could not even come in the courtyard of the house. She used to

go to visit the temple at night when it was dark and that too to a temple in the

neighbourhood. This girl used to behave like this due to the high brow ideas of

her famous family traditions due to social fears and the traditional training she

had received! The girl used to sit at home and cry and used to blame her sad

fate. In the end she began to get epileptic fits. Of course it all automatically

becomes the talk of the neighbourhood. Another gentleman had just casually

spoken to me about this. He had given me all the detailed information and he

had even put a problem before me of how to solve it, and what could one do

under such circumstances. What could I do in these circumstances the problem

rather of a private nature?

But when very soon Senani came to me again, I told him about this matter just

very casually and I also asked him about his opinion on it.

Senani remained silent. In his heart of hearts there was sympathy and pity for

this girl. All this is happening purely under the strain of circumstances- what

fault could there be on the part of the girl - he had this awareness in his mind

and by sheer inner prompting he said "Ram, I am ready to marry this girl."

And I was really struck with wonder when I heard these | words from Senani.

Because Senani had resolved to remain: a celibate throughout his life, and I had

known about it, and naturally when I heard these words from him I was struck

dumb! And to get the matter clearly from Senani I said to him again, "Look here

Senani, is it all true what you are saying? Shall I ask that gentleman?"

And immediately Senani replied in solid words "Yes, J Ram, I am really telling

you the thought in my mind. I am | ready. Do ask that gentleman on my

behalf!"

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It is quite certain what Senani was saying was really from the bottom of his

heart. Right from the beginning he was sentimental and the story of the girl

was also such that any sympathetic person would have felt pity for her. What

wonder is there then that a sentimental person like Senani could entertain such

thoughts in his mind? Having heard that girl's story there must have arisen a

struggle in his mind. His resolution of service to the country and for that to

remain a celibate throughout his life and now falling a prey to this particular

social traditional behaviour, and having come to know the helpless condition of

that unfortunate girl and her sufferings caused thereby, and the struggle

created in his mind on account of the pathetic case of the girl on the one hand

and a sense of duty born in his heart due to it on the other. His mind must have

been struggling with these contradictory thought and therefore he must have

given his assent being enforced by his pure sentiment.

What it may have been, I did think it was quite natural. Whatever it was, it was

not bear any fruit, because as soon as the gentleman heard his name, he at

once rejected the proposal.

In this matter the person who told me about the case was also a respectable

citizen and my neighbour. I told him at once: " For the girl you were talking to

me about I suggest a name of my friend who has come to me, he is an M. A. and

a young man and certainly very clever of course. He will be a man of fame in

the future but at present very poor etc.”

And my neighbour spoke about it to the father of that girl and suggested the

name of Sane as a possible “bridegroom". But that guardian without thinking

even for a moment had said at once: "No, no. The bride-groom howsoever well-

educated and virtuous type he may be, if he is Poor and not rich, I shall never

give my daughter to him. Make this absolutely clear to him."

And that subject was dropped there. What happened was in a way quite good

one could say. Who can vouchsafe, if in the moment of sentimentalism if Sane

had really married and had become a family man, would behave in the futures

even become a "Sane Guruji"? And our nation would have] lost a selfless, self-

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sacrificing servant of the country, and a source of inspiration to the student

world!

And really speaking and admitting the fact we shall haves to say that a common

man's mind is more attracted by richness (Laxmi) rather than by learning

(Saraswati). I think right from the beginning of society every one is a devotee of

Laxmi. Poor Saraswati is always standing in a corner wearing torn clothes. Who

will pay attention to her.

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This Was Senani

36 THE MAHATMA (THE GREAT SOUL)

CONQUERING OTHERS BY LOVE!

One can’t imagine how much sacrifice was so much ingrained in his hand. Life

of simplicity and not feeling infra dig ( below dignity ) in any kind of low work

these two qualities were predominantly shining in him.

"Greatness of hard work-physical sufferings" these words were unknown in those

days to anyone. But Senani had actually put them into action long ago. Senani

was my dearest friend. To suffer any physical hardship for my sake he never

felt it below his dignity nor did he feel it insulting. But his actual tendency was

never to feel any hard work for others as below his dignity. In fact he could not

help doing that hard work and undergoing those hardships. Our individual

contacts were manifold, hence at every step I could see his way of work and his

nature, his qualities were making a deep impression on my heart.

I always remember that song and those lines in it very vividly.

"Washes Arjuna's horses! Always keeps him by him!

Sprinkling water in the courtyard! Left off all shyness.

For the work of my devotees! I have left off all my shyness.

Krishna did this for his devotees and Senani did this for me!"

One day Senani came to me all of a sudden as he always used to come like that.

How shall I describe what he was feeling for me? But it is certain that he felt in

my something much more than actually was in me, than actually I deserved. His

behaviour with me as a friend used to reach the extreme limit of

sentimentality.

That day when Senani had come to me, my wife had gone to Bombay on some

work. Of course I had sent her myself on some personal and private work of

mine, and I was feeling very anxious about the outcome of that work and

therefore I was anxiously waiting for her arrival. But she was going to return at

11 o' clock on the day after Senani's arrival.

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When my wife was not at home my servant used to do all the cooking for us.

And even if a guest arrives he used to cook rice and pulse etc. After doing his

work he used to go home at eleven o'clock in the morning and at six o'clock in

the evening.

When Senani arrived at my place it was five o'clock in the evening. The servant

had done all the cooking and after our meal was over he had finished his work

and had gone home. Senani had just arrived casually as usual so we had not

much talk or discussion that evening, and that night I had to go out to see my

patients twice or three times. We then went to bed. Next morning I told Senani

why my wife had gone to Bombay and why I had sent her etc. I was very

anxious, very eager to know what was going to be the outcome of our work. I

told him that also.

In the morning we finished our meals and after washing the pots and pans our

servant had gone home at eleven o'clock. Senani and myself were sitting and

chatting when the service Bus arrived and my wife Kamalabai got down from it.

When we saw her we both came downstairs and taking luggage came into the

house.

While coming into the house I casually asked her “Well, you got the first train

eh?” “Yes, I got it! I got up very early in the morning and straight arrived at the

station. We have an early train! Bai was asking to have breakfast before going;

but I came straight on! Now we will carry on everything at ease. "And with a

smile she looked at me and Senani. Senani was no stranger to her. She used to

know him very well.

"Well, my dear! What about the work you had gone for?" "Yes, I am going to tell

you just now all about that.” And saying this Kamalabai took me into the inner

room and when Senani saw us going into our room, he went upstairs.

Kamalabai and myself had been so much absorbed in our talk, that we had no

sense of time at all. It was twelve or half past twelve. Our talk was still going

on. Kamalabai had still lots to tell me.

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But as we were absorbed in our talk- when we heard a loud sound of a dropped

pot, and were as though awakened by it! We thought the cat must have

dropped the milk pot, suspecting this we entered the kitchen practically

running and shouting off, ( shook-shook )!

But on seeing the scene there we were wonderstruck, not only this we were

rather dumb founded. There was no cat at all but there was a ‘big Pussy cat’.

When Senani had come down stairs we had not known at all. After coming down

Senani had lighted fire in the hearth. He had sought out the wheat flour and

had baked chapatis after carefully rolling them with a roller and keeping them

all ready. He had even kept the wooden seat ready with plate and water jug.

When he was taking down the brass plate for her from the rack it slipped out of

his hand and that had caused the big noise!

Seeing all this we were simply struck dumb! What else could we have

experienced! And being moved by the sight I ran to Senani and catching hold of

both his shoulders " Oh, what is all this my dearest Senani. Why did you take all

this trouble? What shall I say to you now? "

And Senani replied with perfect calmness, "Oh, Ram, she has been hungry since

early morning! After your talk would be over she will come down und when can

she cook her food? And you see I was quite free. Be sitting up quietly! Should I?

I therefore came down and just rolled these chapatis. Let her first take her

meal now, and then we shall go on talking!”

Kamalabai now came to understand what Senani had done for her. Realising the

entire situation she was moved to tears and with perfect devotion she lowered

her head on Senani's feet! In what other way could she have shown her

gratitude?

That was really Senani's very nature! If there would have been any other

woman she too would have done the same thing with all reverence to Senani.

Knowing Kamalabai was hungry from the early morning he had prepared those

chapatis. But now I remember and feel like saying when he was staying with us

during his student days - at the beginning at least he used to be starving in the

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evening. How is it that he did not realise "the true meaning of starvation"? His

heart was touched more by other people's sufferings than his own!

I now have come to realise the real significance of the poem that I had learned

in my school days. The substance of it is like this: "Butter melts if it comes into

contact with fire; and great saintly persons melt themselves if others come into

contact with fire! Well then is it possible that the poet must have composed

this poem by putting the ideal of Senani in front of him? He must surely have it

before him.

Man may be conquering man by Philosophy. But conquering others by love how

many "Mahatmas" are here?

* * *

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Document Outline

- THIS WAS SENANI

- AT THE FEET OF THE VENERABLE GURUJl

- INTRODUCTION BY THE TRANSLATOR

- THIS WAS SENANI - RAM'S CHERISHED NARRATION!

- CONTENTS

- 1. MY GREAT CHILD FRIEND "SIMPLE SANE"

- 2 FROM TODAY WE ARE FRIENDS!

- 3. SWEETMEATS BROUGHT BY FATHER

- 4. HIDE AND SEEK OF LOVE FOR A FRIEND

- 5. CONFESSION AFTER TWENTY YEARS

- 6. CANED TILL BLOOD FLOWED OUT FROM HAND!

- 7 STUDENTS' SEAT OF FAITH

- 8 NOBILITY OF HEART

- 9 WONDERFUL CAPACITY FOR LEARNING BY HEART!

- 10 SENANI'S FIRST SPEECH

- 11 SCHOOL LIFE

- 12 SHALL I COME TO STAY WITH YOU?

- 13 WAITER IN A RESTAURANT

- 14 AT LAST MOTHER FOUND IT OUT

- 15 HE WAS MOTHER TO POOR AND HELPLESS PERSONS

- 16 PREPARED FOR PHYSICAL SUFFERINGS!

- 17 "RAM, I AM SEARCHING FOR YOU!"

- 18 SENANI'S STUDY

- 19 "GO ON DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS"

- 20 I SHALL HURRY UP IF I SEE A SICK PERSON

- 21 SERVICE TO THE OLD MOTHER

- 22 I AM THE SKANDA (स्कंद) AMONGST THE ARMY GENERALS

- 23 CARRYING ON STUDIES HALF STARVED

- 24 STORY OF SHUKRAWAR PAGADI ( शुक्रवार पगडी )

- 25 JUST FOR MY RAM!

- 26 PROMISE OF MEETING AFTER DEATH

- 27 SENANI'S FIRST LECTURE

- 28 REAL TEST OF A FRIEND!

- 29 STUDIES AT COLLEGES!

- 30 HE WOULD BE REPUTED WRITER IN MARATHI LITERATURE

- 31 HE REFUSED HIS APPOINTMENT AT THE WILSON COLLEGE

- 32 SENANI'S PENANCE!

- 33 HIS SIMPLE LIFE STANDS NO COMPARISON!

- 34 IS THIS THE “SANE GURUJI”?

- 35 EXTREME LIMIT OF A SAINT'S HEART!

- 36 THE MAHATMA (THE GREAT SOUL)

Table of Contents

THIS WAS SENANI

AT THE FEET OF THE VENERABLE GURUJl

INTRODUCTION BY THE TRANSLATOR

THIS WAS SENANI - RAM'S CHERISHED NARRATION!

CONTENTS

1. MY GREAT CHILD FRIEND "SIMPLE SANE"

2 FROM TODAY WE ARE FRIENDS!

3. SWEETMEATS BROUGHT BY FATHER

4. HIDE AND SEEK OF LOVE FOR A FRIEND

5. CONFESSION AFTER TWENTY YEARS

6. CANED TILL BLOOD FLOWED OUT FROM HAND!

7 STUDENTS' SEAT OF FAITH

8 NOBILITY OF HEART

9 WONDERFUL CAPACITY FOR LEARNING BY HEART!

10 SENANI'S FIRST SPEECH

11 SCHOOL LIFE

12 SHALL I COME TO STAY WITH YOU?

13 WAITER IN A RESTAURANT

14 AT LAST MOTHER FOUND IT OUT

15 HE WAS MOTHER TO POOR AND HELPLESS PERSONS

16 PREPARED FOR PHYSICAL SUFFERINGS!

17 "RAM, I AM SEARCHING FOR YOU!"

18 SENANI'S STUDY

19 "GO ON DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS"

20 I SHALL HURRY UP IF I SEE A SICK PERSON

21 SERVICE TO THE OLD MOTHER

22 I AM THE SKANDA (स्कंद) AMONGST THE ARMY GENERALS

23 CARRYING ON STUDIES HALF STARVED

24 STORY OF SHUKRAWAR PAGADI ( शुक्रवार पगडी )

25 JUST FOR MY RAM!

26 PROMISE OF MEETING AFTER DEATH

27 SENANI'S FIRST LECTURE

28 REAL TEST OF A FRIEND!

29 STUDIES AT COLLEGES!

30 HE WOULD BE REPUTED WRITER IN MARATHI LITERATURE

31 HE REFUSED HIS APPOINTMENT AT THE WILSON COLLEGE

32 SENANI'S PENANCE!

33 HIS SIMPLE LIFE STANDS NO COMPARISON!

34 IS THIS THE “SANE GURUJI”?

35 EXTREME LIMIT OF A SAINT'S HEART!

36 THE MAHATMA (THE GREAT SOUL)

AT THE FEET OF THE VENERABLE GURUJl

INTRODUCTION BY THE TRANSLATOR

THIS WAS SENANI - RAM'S CHERISHED NARRATION!

CONTENTS

1. MY GREAT CHILD FRIEND "SIMPLE SANE"

2 FROM TODAY WE ARE FRIENDS!

3. SWEETMEATS BROUGHT BY FATHER

4. HIDE AND SEEK OF LOVE FOR A FRIEND

5. CONFESSION AFTER TWENTY YEARS

6. CANED TILL BLOOD FLOWED OUT FROM HAND!

7 STUDENTS' SEAT OF FAITH

8 NOBILITY OF HEART

9 WONDERFUL CAPACITY FOR LEARNING BY HEART!

10 SENANI'S FIRST SPEECH

11 SCHOOL LIFE

12 SHALL I COME TO STAY WITH YOU?

13 WAITER IN A RESTAURANT

14 AT LAST MOTHER FOUND IT OUT

15 HE WAS MOTHER TO POOR AND HELPLESS PERSONS

16 PREPARED FOR PHYSICAL SUFFERINGS!

17 "RAM, I AM SEARCHING FOR YOU!"

18 SENANI'S STUDY

19 "GO ON DOING SOMETHING LIKE THIS"

20 I SHALL HURRY UP IF I SEE A SICK PERSON

21 SERVICE TO THE OLD MOTHER

22 I AM THE SKANDA (स्कंद) AMONGST THE ARMY GENERALS

23 CARRYING ON STUDIES HALF STARVED

24 STORY OF SHUKRAWAR PAGADI ( शुक्रवार पगडी )

25 JUST FOR MY RAM!

26 PROMISE OF MEETING AFTER DEATH

27 SENANI'S FIRST LECTURE

28 REAL TEST OF A FRIEND!

29 STUDIES AT COLLEGES!

30 HE WOULD BE REPUTED WRITER IN MARATHI LITERATURE

31 HE REFUSED HIS APPOINTMENT AT THE WILSON COLLEGE

32 SENANI'S PENANCE!

33 HIS SIMPLE LIFE STANDS NO COMPARISON!

34 IS THIS THE “SANE GURUJI”?

35 EXTREME LIMIT OF A SAINT'S HEART!

36 THE MAHATMA (THE GREAT SOUL)