.: ॐ साई राम :.
Among the eminent devotees of Sai Baba the most prominent was Upasani
Baba who at one time was thought to be the successor of Sai Baba and was
groomed by him with that purpose in view. Upasani Baba, whose full name
is Kasinath Govind Upasani Maharaj, was born in 1870 in an orthodox
Brahmin family in satana village in Maharashtra.He had little formal education and was married when he was 14 to a girl of 8 in 1883 that died a year later. He married again in 1885 and his second wife also passed away shortly thereafter. Upasani run away from home and lived away from his family for long intervals. In 1910 with his third wife visited a number of places as a pilgrimage. In 1911,a yogi, kulkarni in Rahuri advised him to go to Sai Baba.Thinking that Sai Baba was a Muslim, Upasani said he would not go to see Sai Baba.Later he met Narayan Maharaj, a Dattatreya devotee who said to possess marvellous powers. When Upasani told him of his poor health Narayan Maharaj made him chew betel and nut and said he was "finely painted" inside and outside and asked him to go away.
Upasani again met Yogi Kulkarni who again asked him to meet Sai Baba. Finally, Upasani decided to go to Shirdi and he meet Sai Baba in 1911.After staying for a day Upasani asked Baba for permission to return home.Baba said:"What! So soon! When are you returning?" Upasani replied it was not easy for him to return to shirdi.Baba said :"Then you had better stay. Do not go away."Seeing him undecided Baba said:"Well, go. I shall see what I can do".Upasani thought permission had been given him to leave and left Shirdi. While he was at kopergoan the priest at the Datta temple there told him to go back to Shirdi and stay with Baba. Upasani said:"No, I have been there already. Some visitors come there asked the priest for Shirdi way. Then the priest asked Upasani to guide this visitors.So,inspite of his protest Upasani was forced to accompany them to Shirdi.At Shirdi Sai Baba welcome Upasani and said :"you have back again".So,this is whole leela of Sai Baba.Thereafter,Upasani continue to stay in Shirdi.
Baba asked Upasani to go and live in solitude at the Khandoba temple, not to mix with people but to remain alone doing nothing.Baba wanted him to live alone and so that soul will experience the touch of guru. For this Baba created lots of problem for Upasani like getting food which became difficult.Baba wanted Upasani to develop nishta and saburi and Upasani was slowly developing them.The reason for teaching Upasani this lesson was that Baba want to give his power to Upasani.But Upasani does not know it, he was unhappy. One of the methods adopted by Baba was to convey his teaching through vision and pictures. Later Upasani said to Baba that "I am happy with you".
Baba gave him various experience to teach him "punya" and "paap".When Upasani came to Shirdi, he was very unhappy and in very break down condition. But after staying in Shirdi with Baba.He become an avadhuta, working as a man of God for the benefit of humanity. After some times, he got the news that his wife is dead.Upsani was shocked. Now, Upasani wanted to leave Shirdi as soon as possible.Because he is feeling that nothing remain in his life.
On July 25 ,1914 ,Upasani left Shirdi after a stay of three years.Upasani older tendencies, idiosyncrasies and ideas though modified by what picked up in Shirdi were remoulding him and result was to develop a Upasani Baba working lines reminiscent of Shirdi but in direction totally different from Sai Baba's.Upasani Baba Passed away in 1941
