Shree Swami Samarth Maharaj

A Short Biography of Shree Swami Samarth 191
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Sundarabai
After Cholappa, Sundarabai took over the management of all affairs related to
the service of Sri Swamiji. Cholappa had called in for Sundarabai as a helping hand.
Sundarabai was a resident of Sholapur and came to Akkalkot for rendering service to
Sri Swamiji. When Cholappa requested permission from Sri Swamiji to let Sundarabai
give him a helping hand, Sri Swamiji had already predicted, “Cholappa, do not give this
work to her. She will give you pain”, But Cholappa took this remark as a joke and
delegated work to Sundarabai. Eventually, she was able to take care of most of Sri
Swamiji’s needs such as taking him to the lavatory, giving bath, dressing him, and
feeding him food etc.
Thus she exerted her dominance on everybody. With her habit of backbiting, she
sent away Cholappa and prevented Balappa from taking the ‘Darshan’ of Sri Swamiji.
She started collecting all the offerings and monetary gifts from the devotees. Sri
Swamiji had to bear this highhandedness of Sundarabai. She also started extorting
money from the devotees who visited for the ‘Darshan’ of Sri Swamiji. She wore very
old torn sarees and requested money for purchasing a new saree from the devotees.
She also sometimes compelled Sri Swamiji to sleep or wake up.
Sundarabai snatched away all offerings whether it be money, sweet meats or
fruits that were offered by the devotees to Sri Swamiji. Once she snatched away
twenty-five rupees that a devotee offered to Sri Swamiji. When Sri Swamiji told her to
give that money to Cholappa, she started to evade. At last Sri Swamiji slapped her with
a shoe thrice on her head and only then she threw the money away. She later brought
her family members and let them stay in the temple. She became so arrogant that
when a devotee offered pomegranate to Sri Swamiji, she peeled and fed her grandson
first and then fed Sri swamiji with the remains fallen on the floor. Fed up with her greed
and highhandedness, the devotees started complaining about her. But she had fully
influenced the Queen and no one paid any attention to these complaints. At last, the
devotees complained to the Collector, who investigated the case and forcibly removed
Sundarabai from the service of Sri Swamiji.
Sundarabai was very virtuous and fortunate to get the golden opportunity of
serving Sri Swamiji for a number of years. This is a classic example of how greed and
temptation can make a person blind and arrogant. Sundarabai, with the strength of her
service to Sri Swamiji managed to take over the control and collected a number of
material things. However, even after being so close to the incarnation of Lord Dattatrey
Himself, she failed to use his blessings for her own spiritual upliftment.
Policemen were called over to remove her from the service of Sri Swamiji. They
seized everything from Sundarabai’s room such as money, clothing, grains, sweets etc.
Thus ended the authority of Sundarabai and the government finally decided to appoint
a Jury of five members for the service of Sri Swamiji. Sundarabai later repented for her
deeds, but did not give up her devotion towards Sri Swamiji. She was able to render
service to Sri Swamiji again during his last few days.
Copyright © 2006 Shree Vitthalrao Joshi Charities Trust