Sai Baba's love and compassion for His beloved devotees is seen in many of the stories we read. Sai Baba of Shirdi knew all that was happening, all that happened and all that would happen.
Mhalsapati was a dear devotee of Sai Baba. Mhalasapati was the one who welcomed Sai Baba when Sai Baba returned to Shirdi in physical form and stayed there, till He left His physical human body.
Mhalsapati had an attraction for holy men. He was a priest in Khandoba temple in Shirdi.
When he saw Sai Baba, he knew that the young fakir (Sai Baba), who has arrived in Shirdi was indeed a holy man. This attraction made him visit Sai Baba more often. With each visit the attraction towards Sai Baba, the attraction towards divinity increased. He had found a spiritual guru with love and compassion.
Mhalsapati would worship Sai Baba when Sai Baba was considered to be a mad fakir by most villagers. Miracles of Sai Baba are well known to most devotees and non devotees. It was after a miracle of lighting the earthen lamps with water instead of oil, that the villagers knew that the fakir was not ordinary but had miraculous powers. As time passed by due to devotees love aartis of Sai Baba was accepted by Baba and Mhalsapati the devotee who loved Him through heart and soul would always be present on such devotional occasions.
Though devotional occasions such as aartis and worship were not the only time Mahalsapati would be with Sai. Sai Baba called him Bhagat (devotee), and like a true devotee he would be with Sai Baba when ever the time would permit him. He would not sleep at home but would sleep with Sai Baba in the open Musjid (Dwarkamai).
Once, in the late evening Mahlsapati was about to leave Dwarkamai for his home, some 100 meters away. In those days there was no electricity in Shirdi, also it was like a village situated in jungle. Sai Baba told Mahlsapati,"You go; I am with you. There are thieves near your house. Take a lamp." Mhalsapati on the way to his home with lamp in his hand discovered that there were snakes, which he could avoid stepping on and kept a safe distance.
Sai Baba used the word thieves, many a times for the agents who take away life from physical body. Thus the compassionate Sai Baa saved Mahlsapati from the thieves.
Sai Baba took care of Mahlsapati's spiritual progress. In the old age when it was time for Mhalsapati to leave his body, he postponed it for a day. At the time of leaving the physical body (what we generally call death), he said, "I am leaving for heaven.", and passed away with peace and purity.