According to Chapter 4, after the death of Bhagwantrao Kshirsagar's father, who was a great devotee of Vitthal, the family's spiritual duties were abandoned. The text explicitly states that the worship and food offerings (Naivedya) for the household idol of Vitthal ceased entirely. Significantly, the Shraddha, or the annual death anniversary rites for his father, were also skipped. When Bhagwantrao eventually came to Shirdi, Sai Baba intervened directly. Calling Bhagwantrao's father 'a friend of mine,' Baba confronted him about the lapse. Baba poetically explained the situation by saying, 'He never offers food (Naivedya); he keeps me hungry too,' and 'He keeps Vitthal hungry too.' Baba stated He had purposely brought Bhagwantrao to Shirdi to remind him of his filial and spiritual duties and set him back on the path of worship.
Describe what happened to the worship of Vitthal in Bhagwantrao Kshirsagar's home and how Sai Baba addressed the situation.
📖 Chapter 4