By Sanjay Dhagat

(Author of "Sri Eashwara Uvaacha" (The God Speaks), SSSBPT)

There was a disciple of Shirdi Sai, Sadashiv Rao, who was a “Jamindar” (land lord) of Harda (Madhya Pradesh). He used to go for the darshana of Shirdi Baba very often. So when Shirdi Baba took Samadhi, he became very upset. Then one day Shirdi Baba gave him dream and said I am in Sai Kheda now you can go there to have my darshana.  

The book Sai Thy Kingdom Come had reminded me of  a true story of that very great saint Paramhamsa Swami Shri Keshavanand ji, very popularly known as “Dhuni wale Dadaji” of  Sai Kheda  (Dist. Narsinghpur, Madhya Pradesh). He was contemporary to Shirdi Sai and great Muslim saint Shri Tajuddin Baba Auliya. 

I am telling you this true story of the great saint because he reappeared thrice in his same physical body after death followed by cremation every time. He was also considered as Shiva-avatar. My maternal grand mother was an ardent devotee of Dadaji. Almost 20-25 years back, once, while talking about Sri Dadaji, my mother informed me about a prophecy by Dadaji that, “the day will come, when Mongols will once again rule the world.” Today, we can see that China is emerging as a new super power.

“Dhuni wale Dadaji” was great-grand disciple of Sri Adi-Shankara. Sri Totakacharya ji was one of the first four disciples of Sri Adi Shankara. He was the first Shankaracharya of Jyotishmath. Sri Totakacharyaji’s disciple was Swami Sri Kamal Bharti ji, who was an ardent devotee of “Narmadaji” (river Narmada) and “a Narmada-Parikrmawasi” (the one who does revolution of the river Narmada). His disciple was Sri Gouri Shankar ji Maharaj and whose disciple was Sri Krishna Nandji Maharaj. Later on this, Sri Krishna Nandji Maharaj called more popularly as Sri Keshava Nandji Maharaj and “Dhuni wale Dadaji”. The word “Dhuni” stands for the sacred fire lit by Hindu saint.

Nobody knows when & where Dadaji was born. He came alone to his guru at the age of 7. His guru gave him the name Madhava. Madhava was very brilliant. He learnt all the Vedic knowledge, Yoga-Sadhana and Hatha-Yoga within a very short time. After “diksha” (initiation) Madhava became Swami Krishna Nandji.  The happy guru, Sri Gouri Shankar ji Maharaj made Krishna Nand as the head of group of his own disciples and took Samadhi. But considering it as “Bandhan” (attachment), Swami Krishna Nandji (later on known as Dhuniwale Dadaji) handed over it to his “guru bhai” and went in dense forests of Omkareshwar (M.P.). After a few days in dense forest, making reason as snake bite, Sri Krishna Nand ji left his body. His body was flown in the river Narmada. With this ended the very high level of “Yog-sadhana” and “Tapa” episode of Swami Krishnanand ji. But there was more to come.

The first reappearance

Swami Krishnanand ji reappeared in same human form in 1892 at the bank of the river Narmada in Hoshangabad (M.P.). Here he was called Ramphal Dada. After performing many leelas, one day in 1895, chanting loudly “Jai Maa Narmade”, he jumped in to a well. He was declared dead. After police and legal procedures he was buried.

The second reappearance

After few days, he reappeared in the forest of Imaliya near Sohagpur (M.P.). Everybody was surprised, because it was same Ramphal Dada, sitting near a “Dhuni”. After few days people requested him to come to Narsinghpur. His devotees wanted to take “Guru-Mantra” from him. So, in 1905, on the occasion of “Guru-Purnima” they organized “Guru-Puja” festival at the “Brahman-Ghat” (a bank of Narmada). Devotees were preparing food etc. for the occasion and Dadaji was swimming in the river Narmada, suddenly he came out and started crying loudly that, O’ my children, I am taking Samadhi now. He left his body, and the body fell in the river and started flowing. He was brought back, but it was all over. Again police came. To avoid the reappearance episode of Hoshangabad, police kept his body for 3 days. After ensuring everything Police ordered to bury him. He was buried at the “Brahman Ghat”.

The third reappearance

Now, it was 1907, some cow-keeper saw a big snake sitting on an ant-hill. They ran to the landlord and ask him to come with his gun. When they reached to the ant-hill the snake was no-where, but some soil of ant-hill was shed off and they saw two shining eyes inside. The landlord with great courage removed some more soil from the ant-hill and saw a great saint. The saint asked him, “I am Ramphal, sitting here in solitude, what do you want? Did you come here to take me with you?” The landlord replied, “Dadaji you are Brahma yourself. I want to take you to my village”, and he took him to his village.

This was Dadaji’s 3rd reappearance in the same physical form. He was now popularly called Swami Sri Keshavanand Sukirti and Dadaji Dhuni wale. He performed many leelas in Sai Kheda till 1929 and on 7th January 1929, Dadaji finally left Sai Kheda. Started moving from one place to another he finally reached Khandwa on November 30th 1930. He finally took Samadhi on December 3rd 1930 in Khandwa and gave pause to his leelas in physical body. Although he kept performing leela and gave darshana to many people after that too.

I am narrating this great story of the great rudravatar saint in support of the book "Sai Thy Kingdom Come" and its claim about the possibility that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba will  reappear in same human form. Before his final departure, Dhuniwale Dadaji died and cremated thrice, but reappeared thrice too in the same physical body. So how can "reappearance" be considered as against the laws of nature? Reappearance of “Purnaavatar” Bhagawan Baba is certainly a possibility.

We are thankful to you because, your book has given us (Sai devotees) a new life and filled our life with joy. Now we are eagerly waiting to have physical darshan of our “Premaavtar” Bhagawan Baba.

*Source: “Sri Dadaji Gaurav Gatha”, a Hindi book published by Sri Keshavanand Ashram Nagpur. 1989.