Once Hemadpant went for Darshan of Sai Baba in Masjid. There he was surprised to see Him grinding the wheat. Because of this incident writing of the sacred book Shri Sai Satcharitra was also born in his Hepadpant’s mind.
One morning in the sacred land of Shirdi. Sai Baba cleaned His teeth and washed His face. Then he began the preparation for grinding the wheat. Baba took a scuttle basket and walked towards Nimbar where wheat sack was placed. He took out fistfuls of wheat from the sack and put them in the scuttle basket.
Then Sai Baba spread the spare sack on the ground. He put the stone grinding wheel on it, hammered the peg firmly in it so that it may not come out while grinding. Then Baba rolled up his sleeves, gathered the loose folds of His kafni and sat down in front of the grinding wheel spreading His legs.
Watching this Hemadpant wondered. Why should Baba grind the wheel? He has no possessions nor any wherewithal. Sai Baba held the peg of the grinding stone and with His head bent down and began rotating the wheel with His own Hands. It seemed He was crushing some obstructing or harmful forces. Hemadpant had seen many saints, but none a grinder. Baba alone knew the purpose derived from grinding the wheat.
The on looker were filled with awe on watching this act and none dared to ask the reason. The men and women of Shirdi came running to witness this leela of Sai Baba. Their breathing had become heavy due to running. Four women not minding the tiredness climbed up the steps of sacred Masjid and forcibly took the peg from Baba’s hand.
Sai Baba became furious, yet the four women started rotating the grinding wheel, singing the songs in praise of Him and his leelas. Seeing this, the anger from Baba’s face vanished instantly and a loving smile appeared on His divine face. Four seers of wheat were grounded and the scuttle basket got empty. The women’s mind began to fancy. Different thoughts started appearing in their minds. ” Baba does not make chappatis. He goes about begging for His food. What will He do with the flour? He has neither wife and children. He lives alone. He has no family and no relatives. And so much of flour.”
One of them said, ” Baba is kind and compassionate. This leela is for us. He will distribute the entire quantity of flour to all of us. Now He will divide the flour in four equal parts and give each one to us.” Thus their minds began to build castles in the air.
Baba’s ways are unique and only He knows his sport. None could fathom the reason for His actions.
All of the wheat was to turned into flour. The women’s greed to carry away the flour to their home took force. They placed the grinding stone against the wall. They collected all the flour in scuttle-basket with the intention to carry it to their respective homes.
Baba watched everything silently till now. As they began to divided the flour in four equal parts. He said, ” You are mad with greed! What are you taking away and where? Does this flour belong to your father? Go to village boundary and sprinkle it on along the boundary. You good for nothing have come to loot me. Have you given the wheat on loan that you want to take away the flour? The women looked worried and anxious. They whispered among themselves in stressed voice. Took the flour and hurried towards the village boundary.
None would know or guess about Sai Baba’s motives in the beginning. With patience, His motives are revealed. Such wonderful and astonishing was this characteristic of Baba.
Later on, Hemadpant asked the villagers of Shirdi about Sai Baba’s motives. They said that Baba did this to save the village from the Cholera epidemic. This was the way of Sai Baba to stop the dreaded disease of Cholera from entering and spreading in the village. The cholera epidemic had receded since the flour was thrown in handfuls on the village boundary on the banks of the stream.
The village was freed from the anxiety of Cholera since then. The village was totally eradicated from cholera.
Having witnessed this marvel, Hemadpant was awestruck. ‘How can the cause and effect be related to each other? How can the proof be found?’ he thought. He experienced the love within him upsurge like the waves of the sea. He felt like singing the wonderful grace bestowing tales of Baba to his heart-content.