Baba Settles the Loan of His Devotee – The Story of Shri Vasantrao & Shri Amidas Lakshmidas Mehta
A money lender named Shri Amidas Lakshmidas Mehta lived in Nagpur. He lent six hundred rupees to a Sai devotee named Shri Vasantrao. Vasantrao's bad days came and therefore he borrowed money from many other lenders also, but he could not repay his debts in time. So he decided to resort to Sai Baba. Moreover Sai Baba was always with him, so he went to Shirdi. Whenever any creditor went to Vasantrao's house for recovery of his dues, he used to get only one answer that, "Brother is not in town". Now Amidas was fed up by such answers. So he started searching for Vasantrao and came to know that he was in Shirdi. He got the news that Vasantrao was lying at the feet of a fakir.
Amidas went to Shirdi. He saw Vasantrao massaging Sai Baba's feet in Dwarkamai. Amidas abused Vasantrao then and there and uttered many bad words. Vasantrao was in tears on hearing Amidas's words and abuses. He quietly sat massaging Baba's feet. Sai Baba said to Amidas very politely, "Brother, you have waited for many days, now please wait for two more days. You will get your money with interest day after tomorrow." Somehow Amidas believed Sai Baba's words and went away.
It was the third day morning. Amidas was sleeping in his house; just then some one knocked the door. Amidas came to the door rubbing his eyes, opened it and saw a stranger standing. Amidas asked, "Why brother it happened that I can not recognize you?" The guest answered, "I am a humble servant of Vasantrao. Sir has sent me to settle your account. Just check your books and take the amount including interest from this small bag in order to settle the account." Placing a small bag in Amidas's hand the guest said, "Sir, count the amount with your own hands, I believe in you, you will not take any extra penny".
Amidas thought in his mind, "Will a big amount like six hundred rupees be occupied in such a small bag?" Looking at the guest with broad eyes, Amidas took the small bag and started counting the amount by taking out the coins. To his surprise, the small bag was not emptied although Amidas took many of the coins out. The coins did not decrease at all. Amidas took his six hundred rupees and said, "Brother the book of account is upstairs, please wait a minute, I will bring it". The guest denied and said, "Oh please don't bother sir, I have to settle many other accounts so I am in a hurry and will have to leave. Just send the receipt to Vasantrao".
When Vasantrao received the receipt he was speechless and overwhelmed with love and joy for Sai Baba. He repented thinking that Sai Baba had to take much pain to free from the trouble of creditors.
Source : Translated from Gujarati Book "Sai Sarovar"
