Kaka Mahajani’s had a friend who was a devotee of formless God. He had no liking for idol worship. Upon insistence by Kaka Mahajani and out of curiosity, he agreed to go to Shirdi with Kaka Mahajani on two conditions: 1) That he would not bow to Baba. 2) He would not offer any Dakshina.

Kaka agreed and they both left Bombay on a Saturday night and reached Shirdi the next morning. As soon as their feet touched the steps of the Masjid, Baba, looking at the friend from a distance, addressed him with sweet words, “Oh, welcome sir!”

The voice in which Baba said these words was not his regular voice. It resembled the voice of the friend’s father. It reminded him of his departed father and he became very joyous hearing this. What an enchanting power the voice had! With surprised look on his face the friend said, “This is no doubt the voice of my father”. Saying this, he went up and placed his head upon Baba’s feet, forgetting his resolution.

During the day, Baba asked for Dakshina from Kaka twice, once in the morning and again at the noon. The friend whispered to Kaka, “Baba asked twice for Dakshina from you. I am with you, yet He ignores me?”

“Why don’t you ask Baba Himself”, was Kaka’s reply. Baba asked Kaka what his friend was whispering to him. The friend asked Baba if he could offer any Dakshina. Baba replied, “You had no wish to offer dakshina, so you were not asked; but if you want to offer now you may.”

Hearing this, the friend paid 17 Rupees as Dakshina, the same amount that Kaka had paid. Baba then addressed him with a few words of advice, “You destroy the wall (sense of difference) between us so that we can see and meet each other face to face”.

Finally, Baba allowed them to depart; Though the weather was cloudy and not conducive for travel, Baba assured them of their safe journey. Both of them reached Bombay safely. When he reached home and opened the doors and windows of his house, he found two sparrows had fallen dead on the floor and one flew out through a window. He was sad that he did not leave the window open and that caused the death of two sparrows. Thinking more about it, it occured to him that probably the birds had met their fate and that Baba had sent him back soon enough to save the third sparrow.

Om Sai Ram.