240. Govindpant Kulkarni is cured of his stomach ache

|| Shri Swami Samarth ||

Govindpant Kulkarni lived in Mamdabad, which was around two kilometers from Akkalkot, on the banks of the Bori river. He was suffering from a terrible illness. He would vomit out involuntarily, any food that he ate. Naturally, his health suffered.

Tired of his ailment, he went to Gangapur and there he offered seva to Shri. After having offered service for some time, one night when he was asleep, he had a vision. In this vision, he was instructed that as soon as he received the darshan of the Supreme Brahman, he would be relieved of his suffering.

When he woke up, he began to think, "In this Kaliyuga, it is so rare for even great Yogis to receive the darshan of the Supreme Brahman. What chance do I have!?"

He told of his dream to another Brahmin, Baba Bhat, who was a learned scholar who was unfortunately a leper. 

"I am an ordinary family man", said Govindpant, "I have no authority in matters of spirituality. How am I to then receive the darshan of the Supreme Brahman".

Baba Bhat, on behalf of Govindpant Kulkarni, prayed to Shri at Gangapur.

That same night, Govindpant received instructions in a vision to go to Akkalkot and sweep houses and was told that that is where and how he would find the Supreme Brahman.

The next morning, an elated Govindpant offered a special pooja to Shri's paduka and after offering brahmana-bhojana, arrived in Akkalkot the following day. That day Shri Swami Samarth was at a Brahmin's home performing his leela. 

Govindpant offered his obeisances to Shri Maharaj and stood before him in great humility. 

Shri Maharaj said to him, "Eat a mixture of cow urine and cow dung for seven days and you will be cured of your disease. You had troubled an old cow and that is why you were suffering from this ailment!"

Govindpant then glorified Shri Maharaj, "You are Shiva Himself. You have come in this form to uplift us. Of this I am certain!", and then offered his obeisances again.

After following the remedy as instructed by Shri Maharaj, Govindpant was cured of his illness. Then, with Shri's permission, he returned home fully cured.

|| Shri Swami Samarth ||

068. The Brahmin with a stomach ache

|| Shri Swami Samarth ||

There was an old Vaishnav Brahmin who had come to Akkalkot hoping for Maharaj's blessings to cure his chronic stomach ache. He served Maharaj for many days.

Maharaj always had an entourage of around two hundred people that were ready to offer seva. This Brahmin had also joined that group. 

There wasn't really much to do in terms of personal seva as opportunities like making His bed, cooking for Him, offering Him the lamp and incense, bringing flowers as an offering to Him, or carrying His things when he moved around, were already taken. 

So, for the Brahmin, like most devotees, seva meant receiving darshan thrice a day, partaking in tirtha and prasadam, and being present in the gathering of bhaktas.

Maharaj was at the sakhar vihir (well) and the Brahmin was seated under the nearby lemon tree along with the rest of the devotees. He was in extreme agony due to his stomach ache and prayed silently to Maharaj for relief. 

Just then Maharaj said to him, "Am I your father's servant? Why have come to die near a Sannyasi like Me?"

The Brahmin let out a cry and prayed, "Maharaj! Who else but You can save me!? Please take mercy on this poor orphan."

On hearing his anguish, Maharaj, who is the most merciful, was moved with compassion and instructed him, "Eat the mixture of elephant stool and the leaves of the lemon tree overhead to cure your stomach ache."

The Brahmin followed through and the next day came to Maharaj and said, "The lemon leaves are very bitter."

On hearing this, the bhakta-kama-kalpadruma Maharaj angrily said to him, "Eat the leaves of this branch", holding a particular branch of the tree.

It was a miracle! The tree had three branches. The leaves on two of the branches were bitter, and those on the third, which was the one Maharaj had held, were sweet.

With the prescribed medicine, the Brahmin's stomach ache was cured completely, and was now desirous of receiving spiritual initiation from Maharaj. On hearing his prayer Maharaj said, "Go, eat onion bondas!"

No one understood what Maharaj meant by these words but the Brahmin became a firm devotee of Shri Swami Samarth.

|| Shri Swami Samarth ||

006. The Brahmin's chronic stomach-ache is cured

|| Shri Swami Samarth ||

There was a Brahmin by the name of Sridhar, from Karnataka, who was suffering from chronic stomachache. He was staying in Gangapur with the hope that he would be cured of his illness.

One night, Shri Datta appeared in Shridhar's dream in the form of a Yati and instructed him, "Extract the juice of the leaves of the shripur plant, mix with suntha (dried ginger) and saindhav (rock salt), and eat. Your stomachache will be cured!"

The next morning, he remembered the dream but did not know the shripur plant. He consulted the vaidyas and senior people but none of them had heard of the shripur plant. He was now worried but continued reaching out to people asking for their help in identifying the plant. The next night, Shri again appeared in his dream and instructed, "Shri Paramhansa Swami is at Akkalkot, he will show you the shripur plant."

The next morning Shridhar left for Akkalkot and reached in a day. Shri Samarth was seated in the Maruti temple near the new well.

Shridhar placed his head on Shri's feet and then stood with folded hands in front of Maharaj. 

Looking at him Maharaj said, "The neem tree is called shirpur. Extract the juice from the leaves, mix suntha and saindhav, and have for three days so that your illness will go away!"

Shridhar did as instructed, and in three days' time, just as Maharaj had said, his illness disappeared. He then, very happily, left for his hometown.

|| Shri Swami Samarth ||