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Sri Sathya Sai Baba Avatar |
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General Index
Sai Satcharitha
The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba
Sunday
Reading – Day 4
Index
Chapter XXIII
Yoga and Onion - Shama Cured
of Snake - Bite - Cholera Ordinance Broken - Ordeal of
Guru-Bhakti.
Chapter XXIV
Baba's Wit and I lumour -
Chanak Leela - (1) Hemadpant (2) Sudama (3) Anna Chinchanikar vs.
Mavsibai.
Chapter XXV
Damu Anna Kasar of
Ahmednagar - (1) Speculations - (2) Amra-Leela
Chapter XXVI
Stories of (1) Bhakata Pant
(2) Harishchandra Pitale and (3) Gopal Ambadekar.
Chapter XXVII
Favour Shown by Giving
Bhagwat and Vishnu-Sahasra Nam - Dixit's Vitthal Vision - Gita
Rahasya - Khapardes.
Chapter XXVIII
Sparrows Drawn To Shirdi
(1) Lakhamichand - (2) Burhanpore Lady - (3) Megha
Chapter XXIX
Stories of (1) Madrasi
Bhajani Mela - (2) Tendulkars (Father and son) - (3) Dr. Captain
Hate - (4) Waman Narvekar.
Chapter XXX
Drawn To Shirdi
(1) Kakaji Vaidya of Vani - (2) Punjabi Ramalal of
Bombay.
Shri Sai Satcharitra
Chapter XXIII
Y oga and Onion - Shama Cured of Snake -
Bite - Cholera Ordinance Broken - Ordeal of Guru-Bhakti.
Preliminary
R eally this Jiva (human soul) transcends
the three qualities, viz. Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas, but being
deluded by Maya, he forgets his nature which is
'Existence-knowledge-bliss', and thinks that he is the doer and
enjoyer and thus entangles himself in endless miseries and does
not know the way of deliverance. The only way of deliverance is
Loving Devotion towards the Guru's feet. The great Player or Actor
Lord Sai has delighted His Bhaktas and transformed them into
Himself (His nature).
We regard Sai Baba as an incarnation of God for
reasons already stated, but He always said that He was an obedient
servant of God. Though an incarnation He showed the people the
way, how to behave satisfactorily and carry out the duties of
their respective stations (Varnas) in this life. He never emulated
others in any way, nor asked others to have something done for
Him. For Him, Who saw the Lord in all movable and immovable things
of this world, humility was the most proper thing. None He
disregarded or disrespected; for He saw Narayan (Lord) in all
beings, He never said, "I am God," but that He was a humble
servant and He always remembered Him and always uttered - "Allah
Malik" (God is the sole proprietor or Owner).
We do not know the various kinds of Saints, how
they behave, what they do and eat etc. We only know, that by God's
grace they manifest themselves in this world to liberate the
ignorant and bound souls. If there be any store of merits on our
account, we get a desire in listening to the stories and Leelas of
the Saints, otherwise not. Let us now turn to the main stories of
this Chapter.
Yoga and Onion
O nce it so happened, that a sadhak of Yoga
came to Shirdi with Nanasaheb Chandorkar. He had studied all the
works on Yoga, including the Yoga-sutras of Patanjali, but had no
practical experience. He could not concentrate his mind and attain
samadhi even for a short time. He thought that if Sai Baba be
pleased with him, He will show him the way to attain samadhi for a
long time. With this object in view he came to Shirdi, and when he
went to the Masjid he saw Sai Baba eating bread with onion. On
seeing this, a thought arose in his mind - `How can this man,
eating stale bread with raw onion, solve my difficulties and help
me?' Sai Baba read his mind and said to Nanasaheb - "Oh Nana, he
who has the power to digest onion, should eat it and none else".
Hearing this remark, the yogi was wonder-struck and then he fell
at Baba's Feet with complete surrender. With pure and open mind,
he asked his difficulties and got their solution from Baba. Thus
being satisfied and happy, he left Shirdi with Baba's Udi and
blessings.
Shama Cured of Snake-Bite
B efore Hemadpant begins the story, he says
about the Jiva that it can be very well compared with a parrot,
and that they both are bound, the one in the body and the other in
a cage. Both think that their present bound state is good for
them. It is only when a Helper, i.e., Guru comes and by God's
grace opens their eyes and liberates them from their bondage, that
their eyes are opened to a greater and larger life, compared to
which their former limited life is nothing.
In the last Chapter, it was shown how Baba
anticipated the calamity, that was to befall on Mr. Mirikar and
rescued him from it. Now let the readers hear a story grander than
that. Once Shama was bitten by a poisonous snake. His little
finger of the hand was stung and the poison began to spread into
the body. The pain was also severe and Shama thought that he would
pass off soon. His friends wanted to take him to the God Viroba,
where such cases were often sent, but Shama ran to the Masjid --
to His Viroba (Sai Baba). When Baba saw him, He began to scold and
abuse. He got enraged and said - "Oh vile Bhaturdya (Priest) do
not climp up. Beware if you do so" and then roared - "Go, Get
away, Come down." Seeing Baba thus red with wrath, Shama was
greatly puzzled and disappointed. He thought that the Masjid was
his home and Sai Baba his sole Refuge, but if he was driven away
like this, where should he go? He lost all hope of life and kept
silent. After a time Baba became normal and calm when Shama went
up and sat near. Then Baba said to him - "Don't be afraid, don't
care a jot, the Merciful Fakir will save you, go and sit quiet at
home, don't go out, believe in Me and remain fearless and have no
anxeity". Then he was sent home. Immediately afterwards, Baba sent
Tatya Patil and Kakasaheb Dixit to him with instructions to the
effect, that he should eat what he liked, should move in the home,
but should never lie down and sleep. Needless to say that these
instructions were acted upon and Shama got all-right in a short
time. The only thing to be remembered in this connection is this -
the words of Baba (or the five syllabled Mantra, viz, `Go, Get
away, Come down') were not addressed to Shama- as it apparently
looked - but they were a direct order to the snake and its poison
not to go up and circulate through Shama's body. Like others
well-versed in Mantrashastra, He had not to use any incantation,
charged rice or water etc. His words only were most efficacious in
saving the life of Shama.
Any one, hearing this story and other similar
ones, will beget firm faith in the Feet of Sai Baba, and the only
way to cross the ocean of Maya is to remember ever the Feet of
Baba in the heart.
Cholera Epidemic
O nce, Cholera was raging virulently in
Shirdi. The residents were much frightened and they stopped all
communication with the outside people. The panchas of the village
assembled together and decided upon two ordinances as a remedy to
check and put down the Epidemic. They were (1) No fuel-cart should
be allowed to come in the village, and (2) No goat should be
killed there. If anybody disobeyed these ordinances, they were to
be fined by the village-authorities and panchas. Baba knew that
all this was mere supersition, and therefore, He cared two pence
for the Cholera-ordinances. While the ordinances were in force, a
fuel-cart came there, and wanted to enter the village. Everybody
knew that there was dearth of fuel in the village, still the
people began to drive away the fuel-cart. Baba came to know of
this. He came to the spot and asked the cartman to take the
fuel-cart to the Masjid. None dared to raise his voice against
this action of Baba. He wanted fuel for His Dhuni and so He
purchased it. Like an Agnihotri keeping his sacred fire alive
throughout his life, Baba kept His Dhuni ever burning all day and
night; and for this He always stocked fuel. Baba's home, i.e. the
Masjid was free and open to all. It had no lock and key; and some
poor people removed some wood from there for their use. Baba did
not grumble about this. Baba saw that the whole universe was
pervaded by the Almighty, and so He never bore enmity or ill-will
to anybody. Though perfectly detached. He behaved like an ordinary
house-holder to set an example to the people.
Ordeal of Guru-Bhakti
L et us now see, how the second
Cholera-ordinance fared with Baba. While it was in force, somebody
brought a goat to the Masjid. It was weak, old and about to die.
At this time Fakir Pir Mohamad of Malegaon alias Bade Baba was
near. Sai Baba asked him to behead it with one stroke, and offer
it as an oblation. This Bade Baba was much respected by Sai Baba.
He always sat on the right hand of Sai Baba. After the chilim
(pipe) was first smoked by him, it was then offered to Baba and
others. After the dishes were served, at the time of taking meals
at noon, Baba respectfully called Bade Baba and made him sit on
His left side, and then all partook of food. Baba paid him also
daily Rs.50/- out of the amount collected as Dakshina. Baba
accompanied him hundred paces whenever he was going away. Such was
his position with Baba. But when Baba asked him to behead the
goat, he flatly refused, saying "Why it should be killed for
nothing?" Then Baba asked Shama to kill it. He went to
Radha-Krishna-Mai and brought a knife from her and placed it
before Baba. Knowing the purpose for which the knife was taken,
she recalled it. Then Shama went to bring another knife, but
stayed in the Wada, and did not return soon. Then came the turn of
Kakasaheb Dixit. He was 'good gold' no doubt, but had to be
tested. Baba asked him to get a knife and kill the goat. He went
to Sathe's Wada and returned with a knife. He was ready to kill it
at Baba's bidding. He was born in a pure Brahmin family and never
in his life knew killing. Though quite averse to do any act of
violence, he made himself bold to kill the goat. All the people
wondered to see that Bade Baba, a Mahomedan was unwilling to kill
it while this pure Brahmin was making preparations to do so. He
tightened his dhotar and with a semicircular motion raised his
hand with the knife and looked at Baba for the final signal. Baba
said - "What are you thinking of? Go on, strike". Then, when the
hand was just about to come down, Baba said - "Stop, how cruel you
are! Being a Brahmin, you are killing a goat?" Kakasaheb obeyed
and kept the knife down and said to baba - "Your nectarlike word
is law unto us, we do not know any other ordinance. We remember
You always, meditate on Your Form and obey You day and night, we
do not know or consider whether it is right or wrong to kill, we
do not want to reason or discuss things, but implicit and prompt
compliance with Guru's orders, is our duty and dharma".
Then Baba said to Kakaseheb, that He would Himself
do the offering and killing business. It was settled that the goat
should be disposed of near a place called Takkya, where fakirs
used to sit. When the goat was being removed to that place, it
fell dead on the way.
Hemadpant closes the Chapter with a classification
of disciples. He says that they are of three kinds : (1) First or
best (2) Second or middling and (3) Third or ordinary. The best
kind of disciples are those who guess what their Gurus want and
immediately carry it out and serve them without waiting for an
order from them. The average disciples are those who carry out the
orders of their Masters to a letter, without any delay, and the
third kind of disciples are those, who go on postponing the
carrying out of their orders and making mistakes at every step.
The disciples should have firm faith, backed up by
intelligence and if they and patience to these, their spiritual
goal will not be distant. Control of breath -- ingoing and
outgoing, or Hath-Yoga or other difficult practices are not at all
necessary. When the disciples get the above-mentioned qualities,
they become ready for further instructions and the Masters then
appear and lead them on, in their spiritual path to perfection.
In the next Chapter we will deal with Baba's
interesting wit and humour.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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Shri Sai Satcharitra
Chapter XXIV
B aba's Wit and I lumour - Chanak Leela -
(1) Hemadpant (2) Sudama (3) Anna Chinchanikar vs. Mavsibai.
Preliminary
T o say that, we shall state such and such
in the next or this Chapter, is a sort of egoism. Unless, we
surrender our ego to the feet of our Sad-guru, we will not succeed
in our undertaking. If we become egoless, then our success is
assured.
By worshipping Sai Baba, we attain both the
objects, worldly and spiritual, and are fixed in our true Nature,
and get peace and happiness. Therefore, those who want to gain
their welfare, should respectfully hear Sai Baba's Leelas or
stories and meditate on them. If they do this, they will easily
attain the object of their life and get Bliss.
Generally, all people like wit and humour, but
they do not like that jokes should be cut at their expense. But
Baba's method was peculiar; when it was accompained with gestures,
it was very interesting and instructive, and the people,
therefore, did not mind, if they were held up to the ridicule.
Hemadpant gives his own instance below.
Chanak-Leela
I n Shirdi, bazar was held every Sunday, and
people from the neighbouring villages came there, erected booths
and stalls on the street, and sold their wares and commodities.
Every noon, the Masjid was crowded more or less; but on Sunday, it
was crowded to suffocation. On one such Sunday, Hemadpant sat in
front of Baba, shampooing His Legs and muttering God's name. Shama
was on Baba's left, Vamanrao to His right - Shriman Booty and
Kakasaheb Dixit and others were also present there. Then Shama
laughed and said to Annasaheb - "See that some grains seem to have
stuck to the sleeve of your coat". So saying he touched the sleve
and found that there were some grains. Hemadpant straightened his
left fore-arm to see what the matter was, when to the the surprise
of all, some grains of gram come rolling down and were picked up
by the people who were sitting there.
This incident furnished a subject-matter for joke.
Everybody present began to wonder and said something or other as
to how the grains found their way into the sleeve of the coat and
lodged there so long. Hemadpant also could not guess how they
found an entrance and stayed there. When nobody could give any
satisfactory explanation in this matter, and everybody was
wondering about this mystery, Baba said as follows :-
Baba - "This fellow (Annasaheb) has got the bad habit of eating
alone. Today is a bazar-day and he was here chewing grams. I know
his habit and these grams are a proof of it. What wonder is there
is this matter?"
Hemadpant - "Baba, I never know of eating things
alone; then why do you thrust this bad habit on me? I have never
yet seen Shirdi bazar. I never went to the bazar today, then how
could I buy grams, and how could I eat them if I had not bought
them? I never eat anything unless I share it with others present
near me".
Baba - "It is true that you give to the persons
present; but if none be near-by, what could you or I do But do you
remember Me before eating? Am I not always with you? Then do you
offer Me anything before you eat?"
Moral
L et us mark and note carefully, what Baba
has taught us, by this incident. He has advised us that before the
senses, mind and intellect enjoy their objects, he should first be
remembered, and if this be done, it is in a way an offering to
Him. The senses etc. can never remain without their objects, but
if those objects are first offered to the Guru, the attachment for
them will naturally vanish. In this way, all the Vrittis
(thoughts) regarding Desire, Anger, Avarice etc. should first be
offered and directed to the Guru and if this practice be followed,
the Lord will help you in eradicating all the Vrittis. When before
enjoyment of the objects, you think that Baba is close by, the
question whether the object is fit to be enjoyed or not will at
once arise. Then the object that is not fit to be enjoyed will be
shunned and in this way our vicious habits or vices will disappear
and our character will improve. Then love for the Guru will grow
and pure knowledge will sprout up. When this knowledge grows, the
bondage of body - consciousness (we are the body) will snap and
our intellect will be merged in spirit-consciousness (we are the
spirit). Then we shall get Bliss and contentment. There is no
difference between Guru and God. He who sees any difference in
them, sees God nowhere. So leaving aside all ideas of difference,
we should regard Guru and God as one, and if we serve our Guru as
stated above, Lord (God) will be certainly pleased and purifying
our minds He will give us self-realisation. To put the matter in a
nut-shell, we should not enjoy any object with our senses etc.
without first remembering our Guru. When the mind is trained in
this way, we will be always reminded of Baba, and our meditation
on Baba will grow apace. The Sagun Form of Baba will ever be
before our eyes and then devotion, non-attachment and salvation
will all be ours. When Baba's Form is thus fixed before our mental
vision, we forget hunger, thirst, and this samsar; the
consciousness of worldly pleasures will disappear and our mind
shall attain peace and happiness.
Sudama's Story
W hen the above story was being narrated,
Hemadpant was reminded of similar story of Sudama, which
illustrates the same priciple and, therefore, it is given here.
Shri Krishna and His elder brother, Balarama, were
living with a co-student, named Sudama, in the ashram of their
Guru, Sandipani. Once Krishna and Balarama were sent to the forest
for bringing fuel. Then the wife of Sandipani sent also Sudama for
the same purpose with some quantity of grams for the three. When
Krishna met Sudama in the forest, he said to him - "Dada, I want
water as I am thirsty". Sudama replied - "No water should be drunk
on an empty stomach, so it is better to rest a while". He did not
say that he had got grams with him and that He should take some.
As Krishna was tired, He lay down for rest on the lap of Sudama
and was snoring. Seeing this, Sudama took out the grams and began
to eat. Then Krishna suddenly asked him - "Dada, what are you
eating, whence is the sound?". He replied - "What is there to eat?
I am shivering with cold and my teeth are chattering. I can't even
repeat distinctly Vishnu-Sahastra-Nama". Hearing this, the
Omniscient Krishna said - "I just dreamt a dream, in which I saw a
man, eating things of another, and when asked about this, he said
- "What earth (dust) should he eat?", meaning thereby that he had
nothing to eat? The other man said - "Let it be so". Dada, this is
only a dream. I know that you won't eat anything without Me; under
the influence of the dream I asked you what you were eating?" If
Sudama had known a bit of the Omniscient, Shri Krishna and His
Leelas, he would not have acted, as he did. Therefore, he had to
suffer for what he did. Though he was a chum of Shri Krishna he
had to pass his later life in utter poverty. But when he later
offered Krishna a handful of parched rice, earned by his wife with
her own labour, Krishna was pleased and gave him a golden city to
enjoy. This story should be remembered by those who have the habit
of eating things alone without partaking them with others.
The Shruti also emphasizes this lesson, and asks
us to offer things first to God and then enjoy them after they are
renounced by Him. Baba also has taught us the same lesson in His
inimitable and humorous way.
Anna Chinchanikar vs. Mavsibai
H emadpant, now describes another witty
incident, in which Baba played a peace-maker's part. There was one
devotee by name Damodar Ghanashyama Babare alias Anna
Chinchanikar. He was simple, rough and straightforward. He cared
for nobody, always spoke plainly and carried all dealings in cash.
Though he looked outwardly harsh and uncompromising, he was good
natured and guileless. So Sai Baba loved him. One day, like others
serving Baba in their own way, this Anna was, one noon standing
prone and was shampooing the left arm of Baba, which rested on the
kathada (railing). On the right side, one old widow named Venubai
Koujalgi whom Baba called mother and all others Mavsibai, was
serving Baba in her own way. This Mavsibai was an elderly woman of
pure heart. She clasped the fingers of both her hands round the
trunk of Baba and was at this time kneading Baba's abdomen. She
did this so forcibly that Baba's back and abdomen became flat
(one) and Baba moved from side to side. Anna on the other side was
steady, but Mavsibai's face moved up and down with her strokes.
Once it so happened that her face came very close to Anna's. Being
of a witty disposition she remarked - "Oh, this Anna is a lewd
(bad) fellow, he wants to kiss me. Even being so old with grey
hair he feels no shame in kissing me." These words enraged Anna
and he pulled up his sleeves and said - "You say that I am an old
bad fellow, am I quite a fool? It is you that have picked up a
quarrel and are quarreling with me". All the persons, present
there were enjoying this encounter between them. Baba Who loved
both of them equally and wanted to pacify them, managed the affair
very skillfully. Lovingly He said - "Oh Anna, why are you
unnecessarily raising this hue and cry? I do not understand what
harm or impropriety is there, when the mother is kissed?" Hearing
these words of Baba, both of them were satisfied and all the
persons laughed merrily and enjoyed Baba's wit to their heart's
content.
Baba's Characteristics -- His Dependency on
Bhaktas
Baba allowed His devotees to serve Him in their
own way, and did not like any other persons interfering in this.
To quote an instance, the same Mavsibai was on another occasion,
kneading Baba's abdomen. Seeing the fury and force used by her,
all the other devotees felt nervous and anxious. They said, "Oh
mother, be more considerate and moderate, otherwise you will break
Baba's arteries and nerves". At this Baba got up at once from His
seat, dashed His satka on the ground. He got enraged and His eyes
became red like a live charcoal. None dared to stand before or
face Baba. Then He took hold of one end of the Satka with both
hands and pressed it in the hollow of his abdomen. The other end
He fixed to the post and began to press His abdomen against it.
The satka which was about two or three feet in length seemed all
to go into the abdomen and the people feared that the abdomen
would be ruptured in a short time. The post was fixed and
immovable and Baba began to go closer and closer to it and clasped
the post firmly. Every moment the rupture was expected, and they
were all dismayed, did not know what to do, and stood dumb with
wonder and fear. Baba suffered this ordeal for the sake of His
Bhakta. The other devotees wanted only to give a hint to the
Mavsibai to be moderate in her service and not cause any trouble
or pain to Baba. This they did with good intention, but Baba did
not brook even this. They were surprised to see that their
well-intentioned effort had resulted in this catastrophe; and they
could do nothing but to wait and see. Fortunately, Baba's rage
soon cooled down. He left the satka and resumed His seat. From
this time onward, the devotees took the lesson that they should
not meddle with anybody but allow him to serve Baba as the
chooses, as He was capable to gauge the merits and worth of the
service rendered unto Him.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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Sri Sai Satcharitra
Chapter XXV
D amu Anna Kasar of Ahmednagar - (1)
Speculations - (2) Amra-Leela
Preliminary
W e begin this Chapter with a bow with all
our eight limbs to Sai Baba, Who is an ocean of mercy, the God
incarnate, who is Para-Brahman and the great Yogeshwara (Lord of
Yoga). Victory be unto Sai Baba, Who is the crest-jewel of the
Saints, who is the home of all auspicious things, who is our
Atmaram (Dear Self), and who is the able refuge of the devotees.
We prostrate ourselves before Him, Who has attained the aim and
end of life.
Sai Baba is always full of mercy. What is wanted
on our part is whole-hearted devotion to Him. When a devotee has
got firm faith and devotion, his wishes are soon fulfilled. When
the desire arose in the mind of Hemadpant to write the life and
Leelas of Sai Baba, He immediately got it written by him. When the
order 'to keep the memos' was given, Hemadpant was inspired and
his intellect got strength and boldness to undertake and finish
the work. He was not, he say, qualified to write the work, but the
gracious blessings of Baba enabled him to complete the
undertaking; and thus you have this Satcharita which is a Somakant
jewel, from which nectar in the form of Sai Leelas oozes out for
the readers to drink to their hearts' content.
Whenever, a devotee had complete and whole-hearted
devotion to Sai Baba, all his calamities and dangers were warded
off and his welfare attended to by Baba. The story of Damodar
Savalaram Resane, Kasar of Ahmednagar (now of Poona) alias Damu
Anna illustrating the above statement, is given below.
Damu Anna
T he readers are aware that a mention of
this gentleman was made in the 6th Chapter, regarding the
celebration of Rama-Navami festival in Shirdi. He went to Shirdi
about the year 1895, when the Rama-Navami Utsava-celebration began
and from that time he has been providing an ornamental flag for
that occasion every year. He also feeds the poor and the fakirs
that come there for the festival.
His Speculations : (1) Cotton
A Bombay friend of Damu Anna wrote to him, that
they should do some cotton-speculation business in partnership
which would bring them about two lacs of rupees as profit. (Damu
Anna says in his statement made about the year 1936 to Mr.
B.V.Narasimha Swami that the proposal about speculating at Bombay
in cotton was from a broker who was not to be a partner, and that
he (Damu Anna) was to be the sole adventurer: - vide P.75 of the
Devotees' Experiences Part II). The broker wrote that the business
was good and involved no risks and that the opportunity should not
be lost. Damu Anna was oscillating in his mind. He could not at
once determine to venture in the speculation. He thought about
this and as he was a devotee of Baba, he wrote a detailed letter
to Shama giving all the facts and requested him to consult Baba
and take His advice in the matter. Shama got the letter next day
and when he came with it at noon to the Masjid and placed it
before Baba. He asked Shama what the matter was, and what the
paper (letter) was about. He replied that Damu Anna of Nagar
wanted to consult Him about something. Then Baba said - "What does
he write, and what does he plan? It seems that he wants to catch
the sky and that he is not content with what God has given him;
read his letter". Shama than said, "The letter contains what you
have just said now. Oh, Deva you sit here calm and composed and
agitate the devotees and when they get restless, you draw them
here, some in person and others through letters. If you know the
contents of the latter, why do you then press me to read it?" Baba
said - "Oh Shama, read it please. I speak at random and who
believes Me."
Then Shama read the letter and Baba heard it
attentively and said feelingly - "The Shet (Damu Anna) has gone
mad; write to him in reply that nothing is wanting in his house.
Let him be content with the half loaf (bread) he has now and let
him not bother himself about lacs." Shama sent the reply which
Damu Anna was anxiously waiting for. Reading it, he found that all
his hopes and prospects about lacs of rupees as profit were dashed
to the ground. He thought that he had done a mistake in consulting
Baba. But as Shama had hinted in the reply that there was always
much difference in seeing and hearing and that, therefore, he
should come to Shirdi personally and see Baba. He thought it
advisable to go to Shirdi and consult Baba personally about the
affair. So he went to Shirdi, saw Baba, prostrated himself before
Him and sat shampooing His legs. He had no courage to ask Baba
openly about the speculation, but he thought in his mind, that it
would be better if some share in the business should be assigned
to Baba and said in his mind, that if Baba were to help him in
this transaction, he would surrender some share of profits to Him.
Damu Anna was thus thinking secretly in his mind, but nothing was
veiled from Baba; everything past, present and future were clear
to Him as an Amalaka fruit in hand. A child wants sweets, but its
mother gives bitter pills; the former spoil its health, while the
latter improve it. So the mother looking to the welfare of her
infant, coaxes it and gives it bitter pills. Baba, kind mother as
He was, knew the present and future prospects of His devotees, and
therefore reading Damu Anna's mind, He openly spoke to him -
"Bapu, I do not want to be entangled in any such wordly things
(sharing profits)." Seeing Baba's disapproval Damu Anna dropped
the enterprise.
(2) Grain-Dealing
Then he thought of trading in grain, rice, wheat
and other groceries. Baba read also this thought and said to him,
"You will be buying at five seers and selling at seven seers a
rupee". So this business was also given up. The rice in the prices
of grains was kept up for some time, and Baba's prophecy seemed to
be falsified, but in a month or two there was abundant rain
everywhere and the prices suddenly fell down; and, therefore,
those who stored grains suffered a severe loss. Damu Anna was
saved from this fate. Needless to say that the cotton speculation
which was conducted by the broker with the help of another
merchant also collapsed with a severe loss to the adventurers.
After seeing that Baba had saved him from two severe losses in
cotton and grain speculations, Damu Anna's faith in Baba grew
strong and he remained a true devotee of Baba till His passing
away and even now.
Amra-Leela (Mango miracle)
O nce a parcel of about 300 good mangoes was
received at Shirdi. It was sent from Goa by one Mamlatdar named
Rale to Sai Baba in the name of Shama. When it was opened, all the
mangoes were found to be in a good condition. They were given in
Shama's charge and only four were retained and placed in the
kolamba (pot) by Baba. He said that, "These four fruits are for
Damu Anna, let them lie there".
This Damu Anna had three wives. According to his
statement mentioned above, he had not three but two wives only. He
had no issue. He consulted many astrologers and himself studied
astrology to some extent and found that as there was a 'papi'
(inauspicious) planet in his horoscope, there was no prospect of
any issue to him in this life. But he had great faith in Baba.
When he went to Shirdi, two hours after the receipt of the mango
parcel, for worshipping Baba, He said, "Though other people are
looking for the mangoes, they are Dammya's. He whose they are,
should 'eat and die'." Damu Anna on hearing these words was first
shocked, but on Mhalsapati (a prominent Shirdi devotees)
explaining to him that death meant the death of the little self or
egos, and to have it at Baba's Feet was a blessing, he said that
he would accept the fruits and eat them. But Baba said to him. "Do
not eat yourself, but give them to your junior wife. This
Amra-Leela (mango miracle of 4 mangoes) will give her four sons
and four daughters. This was done and ultimately in due course it
was found Baba's words turned out true and not those of the
astrologers.
Baba's speech established its efficacy or
greatness while He was living in the flesh, but wonder of wonders!
It did the same even after His passing away. Baba said - "Believe
Me, though I pass away, My bones in My tomb will give you hope and
confidence. Not only Myself but My tomb would be speaking, moving
and communicating with those who would surrender themselves
whole-heartedly to Me. Do not be anxious that I would be absent
from you. You will hear My bones speaking and discussing your
welfare. But remember Me always, believe in Me heart and soul and
then you will be most benefited.
Prayer
H emadpant closes this Chapter with a
prayer. "Oh Sai Sad-guru, the wish fulfilling tree of the Bhaktas,
Let us never forget and lose sight of Your Feet; we have been
troubled with the ins and outs (births and deaths) in this samsar;
now free us from this cycle of births and deaths. Restrain us from
the outgoing of our senses to their objects and introvert us and
bring us face to face with the Atma (Self). As long as this
outgoing tendency of the senses and the mind is not checked, there
is no prospect of self-realisation. Neither son, nor wife nor
friend will be of any use in the end. It is only You, Who will
give us salvation and happiness. Destroy completely our tendency
for discussions and other evil matters, let out tongue get a
passion for chanting Your name. Drive out our thoughts, good or
otherwise and make us forget our bodies and houses, and do away
with our egoism. Make us ever remember Your name and forget all
other things. Remove the restlessness of our mind, and make it
steady and calm. If you just clasp us, the darkness of night of
our ignorance will vanish and we shall live happily in Your light.
That You made us drink the nectar of Your Leelas and awakened us
from our slumber is due to Your grace and our store of merits in
past births".
Note :- In this connection the following extract
from Damu Anna's statement mentioned above, is worth perusal,
(Page 76).
"Once when I sat at His Feet along with many
others, I had two questions in my mind and He gave answers to
both.
(1) There are so many crowding to Sai Baba. Do
they all get benefit from Him?
To this, He replied orally - "Look at the mango
tree in blossom. If all the flowers brought fruit, what a splendid
crop it would be. But do they? Most fall off (either as flowers or
as unripe fruits) by wind etc. Very few remain".
(2) The second question was about myself. If Baba
were to pass away, how hopelessly adrift I would be and how am I
to fare then? To this Baba answered that He would be with me
when and wherever I thought of Him. That promise He had kept up
before 1918 and has been keeping up after 1918. He is still with
me. He is still guiding me. This was about 1910-11, when
brothers separated from me and my sister died, and there was a
theft and police enquiry, all of which incidents upset me very
much.
When my sister died, my mind was much upset. I did
not care for life and enjoyments. When I went to Baba, He pacified
me with His Upadesh and made me eat a feast of Pooran Poli at Appa
Kulkarni's house and get pasted with sandal.
There was a theft in my house. A thirty year's
friend of mine stole my wife's jewel-box, including her auspicious
Nathi (nose-ring). I wept before Baba's photo. The next day, the
man returned the jewel-box and prayed for pardon.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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Shri Sai Satcharitra
Chapter XXVI
S tories of (1) Bhakata Pant (2)
Harishchandra Pitale and (3) Gopal Ambadekar.
Preliminary
A ll the things that we see in the universe
are nothing but a play of Maya -- the creative power of the Lord.
These things do not really exist. What really exists is the Real
Absolute. Just as we mistake a rope of a garland or a stick for a
serpent on account of darkness, we always see the phenomena, i.e.
things as they outwardly appear, and not the Noumenon which
underlies all the visible things. It is only the Sad-guru that
opens the eyes of our understanding and enables us to see things
in their true light and not as they appear. Let us, therefore,
worship the Sad-guru and pray to him to give us the true vision,
which is nothing but God-vision.
Inner Worship
H emadpant has given us a novel form of
worship. Let us, he says, use hot water in the form of tears of
joy to wash the Sad-guru's feet, let us besmear His body with
sandle-paste of pure love, let us cover His body with the cloth of
true faith, let us offer eight lotuses in the form of our eight
Sattwik emotions and fruit in the form of our concentrated mind;
let us apply to His head bukka (black-powder) in the form of
devotion and tie the waistband of Bhakti and place our head on his
toes.
After decorating the Sad-guru with all jewelry in
this way, let us offer our all to Him and wave chamar of devotion
to ward off heat. After such blissful worship, let us pray thus:-
"Introvert our mind, turn it inward, give us discrimination
between the Unreal and the Real and non-attachment for all worldly
things and thus enable us to get Self-realisation. We surrender
ourselves, body and soul (body-consciousness and ego). Make our
eyes Yours, so that we should never feel pleasure and pain.
Control our body and mind as You will and wish. Let our mind get
rest in Your Feet".
Now let us turn to the stories of this Chapter.
Bhakta Pant
O nce it so happened that a devotee by name
Pant, a disciple of another Sad-guru had the good fortune of
visiting Shirdi. He had no mind to go to Shirdi, but man proposes
one way and God disposes the other. He was travelling in a B.B. &
C.I. Rly. train where he met many friends and relations bound for
Shirdi. They all asked him to accompany them and he could not say
nay. They alighted at Bombay while pant got down at Virar. There
he took the permission of his Sadguru for the Shirdi trip and
after arranging for the expenses, left with the party for Shirdi.
They all reached the place in the morning and went to the Masjid
at about 11 A.M. Seeing the concourse of the devotees assembled
for Baba's worship, they were all pleased, but Pant suddenly got a
fit and fell senseless. They were all frightened, still they tried
their best to bring him to his senses. With Baba's grace and with
pitchers of water which they poured over his head, he regained his
consciousness and sat upright as if he was just awakened from
sleep. The omniscient Baba knowing that he was a disciple of
another Guru, assured him fearlessness and confirmed his faith in
his own Guru, by addressing him as follows :- "Come what may,
leave not, but stick to your Bolster (support, i.e. Guru) and ever
remain steady, always at-one-ment (in union) with him." Pant
at once knew the significance of this remark and thus he was
reminded of his Sad-guru. This kindness of Baba he never forgot in
his life.
Harishchandra Pitale
T here was a gentleman by name Harishchandra
Pital in Bombay. He had a son, who suffered from epilepsy. He
tried many allopathic and ayurvedic doctors, but there was no
cure. There remained only one way of remedy, viz. resorting to the
saints. It has been stated in Chapter XV that Das Ganu by his
inimitable and splendid kirtans spread the fame of Sai Baba in the
Bombay Presidency. Mr. Pitale heard some of these kirtans in 1910
and learnt therefrom and from others that Baba, by His touch and
mere glance, cured many incurable diseases. Then a desire arose in
his mind to see Sai Baba. Making all preparations and taking
presents and fruit-baskets, Mr. Pitale came to Shirdi with family,
wife and children. He then went to the Masjid with them,
prostrated before Baba and placed his sick son on Baba's Feet. No
sooner Baba saw the child than an untoward thing happened. The son
immediately revolved his eyes and fell down senseless. His mouth
began to foam and his whole body began to perspire profusely and
it seemed as if he breathed himself out. Seeing this, the parents
became very nervous and excited. The boy used to get such fits
very often, but this fit seemed to persist long. Tears began to
flow ceaselessly from the mother's eyes and she began to wail,
crying that her condition was like that of a person, who being
afraid of the robbers ran into a house which collapsed on him,or
like a cow fearing a tiger, ran into the hands of a butcher, or
like a traveller, who being tormented by the heat of the sun went
to take refuge under a tree, which fell upon him, or like a devout
person going for worship into a temple which collapsed upon him.
Then Baba comforted her saying - "Do not wail like this, wait a
bit, have patience, take the boy to your lodging, he will come to
his senses within half an hour." They did as directed by Baba and
found that His words came true. As soon as he was taken into the
Wada, the boy recovered and all the Pitale family, husband, wife
and others were very delighted and all their doubts disappeared.
Then Mr. Pitale came with his wife to see Baba and prostrated
himself before Him very humbly and respectfully and sat shampooing
His legs and mentally thanking Baba for His help. Baba then
smilingly said - "Are not all your thoughts, doubts and
apprehensions calmed down now? Hari (Lord) will protect him, who
has got faith and patience". Mr. Pitale was a rich and well-to-do
gentleman. He distributed sweet-meat on a large scale and gave
Baba excellent fruits and pan (betel-leaves). Mrs. Pitale was a
very Sattwik lady, simple, loving and faithful. She used to sit
near the post staring at Baba with tears of joy flowing down from
her eyes. Seeing her of an amicable and loving nature, Baba was
much pleased with her. Like Gods, Saints are always dependent on
their devotees who surrender and worship them with their heart and
soul. After passing some happy days in Baba's company, the Pitale
family came to the Masjid to take Baba's leave to depart. Baba
gave them Udi and blessings and called Mr. Pitale close by and
said to him - "Bapu, I had given you before, Rs. two, now I give
you Rs. three; keep these in your shrine for worship and you will
be benefited." Mr. Pitale accepted these as Prasad, prostrated
himself again before Baba and prayed for His blessings. A thought
arose in his mind, that as that was his first trip to Shirdi, he
could not understand what Baba meant, when He said that He had
given Rs. two previously. He was curious to have this mystery
solves, but Baba kept silent. When Mr. Pitale returned to Bombay,
he narrated to his old mother all that had happened at Shirdi and
the mystery about Baba's giving him Rs. two formerly. The mother
also did not understand the mystery, but, thinking seriously about
that, she was reminded of an old incident, which solved the
mystery. She said to her son - "As you now went to Sai Baba with
your son, so had your father done when he took you to Akkalkot,
for the darshana of the Maharaj there many years ago. That Maharaj
was also a Siddha, Perfect Yogi, omniscient and liberal. Your
father was pure, devout and his worship was accepted. He then gave
your father Rs. two for being kept in the shrine and worshipped.
Your father worshipped them accordingly till his death, but
thereafter the worship was neglected and the rupees were lost.
After some years the memory of these two rupees also disappeared
and now, as you are very fortunate, the Akkalkotkar Maharaj has
appeared to you in the form of Sai Baba just to remind you to your
duties and worship, and to ward off all dangers. Now beware
henceforth, leave off all doubts and bad thoughts, follow your
ancestors and behave well; go on worshipping the family gods and
the rupees, appraise properly and take pride in the blessing of
the Saints. Sai Samartha has kindly revived the spirit of Bhakti
in you, cultivate it it your benefit." Hearing the remarks of the
mother, Mr. Pitale was very much delighted. He came to know, and
was convinced about the all-prevasiveness of Baba and the
significance of His darshan. From that time he became very careful
about his behaviour.
Mr. Ambadekar
M r. Gopal Narayan Ambadekar of Poona was a
devotee of Baba. He served for ten years in the Abkari department
in the Thana District and in Javhar state, from where he had to
retire. He tried to get some other job, but he did not succeed. He
was overtaken by other calamities and his condition grew from bad
to worse. He passed 7 years in this condition, visiting Shirdi
every year and placing his grievance before Baba. In 1916 his
plight became worst and be decided to commit suicide in Shirdi. So
he came there with his wife and stayed for two months. One night
while sitting in a bullock cart in front of Dixit's Wada, he
resolved to end his life by throwing himself into a well close by.
He proposed to do one way but Baba wished to do something else. A
few paces from this place, there was a hotel and its proprietor
Mr. Sagun, a devotee of Baba, came out and accosted him thus -
"Did you ever read this Akkalkotkar Maharaja's life?" Ambadekar
took that book from Sagun and began to read it. Casually, or we
may say providentially he came across a story which was to this
effect. - During the life time of Akkalkotkar Maharaj a certain
devotee suffered very much from an incurble disease and when he
could endure the agony and pain no longer, be became desperate and
to end his miseries threw himself one night into a well.
Immediately the Maharaj came there and took him out with his own
hands and advised him thus - "You must enjoy the fruit - good or
bad - of your past actions; if the enjoyment be incomplete,
suicide won't help you. You have to take another birth and suffer
again; so instead of killing yourself, why not suffer for some
time and finish up your store of the fruit of your past deeds and
be done with it once and for all?"
Reading this appropriate and timely story,
Ambadekar was much surprised, and moved. Had he not got Baba's
hint through the story, he would have been no more. On seeing
Baba's all-prevasiveness and benevolence, his faith in Him was
confirmed, and he became a staunch devotee. His father was a
devotee of Akkalkotkar Maharaj and Sai Baba wanted him to walk
into his father's footsteps and continue his devotion to Him. He
then got Sai Baba's blessings and his prospects began to improve.
He studied astrology and gained proficiency in it and thereby
improved his lot. He was able to earn sufficient money and passed
his after-life in ease and comfort.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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Shri Sai Satcharitra
Chapter XXVII
F avour Shown by Giving Bhagwat and
Vishnu-Sahasra Nam - Dixit's Vitthal Vision - Gita Rahasya -
Khapardes.
This Chapter describes, how Sai Baba favoured
His devotees by granting them religious books after he had
touched and consecrated them, for parayana (reading regularly)
and certain other matters.
Preliminary
W hen a man takes a plunge into the sea, he
gets the merit of bathing in all the Tirthas and sacred rivers.
Similarly when a man takes refuge at the feet of the Sad-guru, he
gets the merit of bowing to the Trinity, i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and
Mahesh and also Para-Brahma. Victory be unto Shri Sai the
wish-fulfilling tree and the ocean of knolwedge, who gives us
self-realisation. Oh Sai, create in us regard for Your stories.
Let the readers and audience devour them with the same relish with
which the chatak bird drinks the water from the clouds and becomes
happy. While listening to Your stories, let them and their
families get all the sattwik emotions, viz. let their bodies
perspire, let their eyes be full of tears, let their prana be
steady, let their minds be composed, let their hair stand on end,
let them cry, sob and shake, let their hostilities and their
distinctions, great and small vanish. If these things happen, that
is a sign of the grace of the Guru dawning upon them. When these
emotions develop in you, the Guru is most pleased and will
certainly lead you on to the goal of self-realisation. The best
way, therefore, to get free from the shackles of Maya is our
complete and whole-hearted surrender to Baba. The Vedas cannot
take you across the ocean of Maya. It is only the Sad-guru, who
can do so and make you, see the Lord in all creatures.
Granting Consecrated Book
T he variety of imparting instructions
followed by Baba has already been noticed in the previous
Chapters. In this, we shall deal with one aspect of it. It was the
habit of some devotees to take some religious books, of which they
wanted to make a special study, to Baba and to receive the same
back from Him, after they were touched and consecrated by Him.
While reading daily such books, they felt that Baba was with them.
Once, Kaka Mahajani came to Shirdi with a copy of Ekanathi
Bhagwat. Shama took that book to read and taking it with him went
to the Masjid. There Baba took it from him, touched it and turning
some pages here and there gave it back to Shama and asked him to
keep it with him. When Shama said that it belonged to Kaka and had
to be returned to him. "No, no", said Baba. "As I have given it to
you, better keep it with you for safe custody; it will be of use
to you." In this way many books were entrusted to Shama. Kaka
Mahajani after a some days came again with another copy of the
same Bhagwat and gave it in Baba's hand. Then Baba gave it back as
Prasad and asked him to preserve it well and assured him that it
would stand him in good stead. Kaka accepted it with a bow.
Shama and Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam
S hama was a very intimate devotee of Baba
and Baba wanted to favour him in a particular way by giving him a
copy of Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam as Prasad. This was done in the
following way. Once a Ramadasi (follower of Saint Ramadas) came to
Shirdi and stayed for some time. The routine he followed daily was
as follows : He got up early in the morning, washed his face,
bathed and then after wearing saffron-coloured clothes and
besmearing himself with sacred ashes, read Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam (a
book giving a thousand names in praise of Vishnu, and held second
in importance to Bhagwad Geeta) and Adhyatma-Ramayana (Esoteric
version of Rama's story) with faith. He read these books often and
often and then after some days Baba thought of favouring and
initiating Shama with Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam. He, therefore, called
the Ramadasi to Him and said to him that, He was suffering from
intense stomach-pain, and unless He took Senna-pods (Sona-mukhi, a
mild purgative drug) the pain would not stop; so he should please
go to the bazar and bring the drug. The Ramadasi closed his
reading and went to the bazar. Then Baba descended from His seat,
came to the Ramadasi's place of reading, took out the copy of
Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam, and coming to His seat said to Shama- "Oh
Shama, this book is very valuable and efficacious, so I present it
to you, you read it. Once I suffered intensely and My heart began
to palpitate and My life was in danger. At that critical time, I
hugged this book to My heart and then, Shama, what a relief it
gave me! I thought that Allah Himself came down and saved Me. So I
give this to you, read it slowly, little by little, read daily one
name at least and it will do you good." Shama replied that he did
not want it, and that the owner of it, the Ramadasi who was a mad,
obstinate and irritable fellow would certainly pick up a quarrel
with him, besides, being a rustic himself, he could not read
distinctly the Sanskrit (Devanagari) letters of the book.
Shama thought that Baba wanted to set him up
against the Ramadasi by this act of His, but he had no idea of
what Baba felt for him. Baba must have thought to tie this
necklace of Vishu-Sahasra-Nam round the neck of Shama, as he was
an intimate devotee, though a rustic, and thus save him from the
miseries of the worldly existence. The efficacy of God's Name is
well-known. It saves us from all sins and bad tendencies, frees us
from the cycle of births and deaths. There is no easier sadhana
than this. It is the best purifier of our mind. It requires no
paraphernalia and no restrictions. It is so easy and so effective.
This sadhana, Baba wanted Shama to practise, though he did not
crave for it. So Baba forced this on him. It is also reported that
long ago, Eknath Maharaj, similarly, forced this
Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam on a poor Brahmin neighbour, and thus saved
him. The reading and study of this Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam is a broad
open way of purifying the mind, and hence Baba thrust this on His
Shama.
The Ramadasi returned soon with the Seena-pods.
Anna Chinchanikar, who was then present and who wanted to play the
part of Narada (the Celestial Rishi who was well-known for setting
up quarrels between Gods and demons and vice versa), informed him
of what had happened. The Ramadasi at once flared up. He came down
at once on Shama with all fury. He said that it was Shama who set
Baba to send him away under the pretext of stomach-ache for
bringing the medicine and thus got the book. He began to scold and
abuse Shama and remarked that if the book be not returned, he
would dash his head before him. Shama calmly remonstrated with
him, but in vain. Then Baba spoke kindly to him as follows - "Oh
Ramadasi, what is the matter with you? Why are you so turbulent?
Is not Shama our boy? Why do you scold him unnecessarily. How is
it that you are so quarrelsome? Can you not speak soft and sweet
words? You read daily these sacred books and still your mind is
impure and your passions uncontrolled. What sort of a Ramadasi you
are! You ought to be indifferent to all things. Is it not strange
that you should covet this book so strongly? A true Ramadasi
should have no 'mamata' (attachment) but have 'samata' (equality)
towards all. You are now quarrelling with the boy Shama for a mere
book. Go, take your seat, books can be had in plenty for money,
but not men; think well and be considerate. What worth is your
book? Shama had no concern with it. I took it up Myself and gave
it to him. You know it by heart. I thought Shama might read it and
profit thereby, and so I gave to it him."
How sweet were these words of Baba, soft, tender
and nectar-like! Their effect was wonderful. The Ramadasi calmed
down and said to Shama that he would take 'Panch-ratni' Geeta in
return. Shama was much pleased and said - "Why one, I shall give
ten copies in return".
So the matter was ultimately compromised. The
question for consideration is "Why should the Ramadasi press for
Pancha-ratni Geeta, the God in which he never cared to know, and
why should he, who daily read religious books in the Masjid in
front of Baba, quarrel with Shama before Him?" We do not know how
to apportion the blame and whom to blame. We only say that, had
this procedure been not gone through, the importance of the
subject, the efficacy of God's name and the study of
Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam would not have been brought home to Shama. So
we see that Baba's method, of teaching and initiating was unique.
In this cases Shama did gradually study the book and mastered its
contents to such an extent, that he was able to explain it to
Professor G.G. Narke, M.A. of the College of Engineering, Poona,
the son-in-law of Shriman Booty and a devotee of Baba.
Vitthal-Vision
O ne day, while Kakasaheb Dixit was in
mediation after his morning bath in his Wada at Shirdi he saw a
vision of Vitthal. When he went to see Baba afterwards, Baba asked
him - "Did vitthal Patil come? did you not see Him? He is very
elusive, hold Him fast, otherwise He will give you the slip and
run away". Then at noon a certain hawker came there, with 20 or 25
pictures of Vitthal of Pandharpur for sale. Mr. Dixit was
surprised to see that the form of Vithal he saw in his mediation
exactly tallied with that in the picture and he was also reminded
of Baba's words. He therefore, bought one picture most willingly
and kept it in his shrine for worship.
Geeta-Rahasya
B aba always loved those who studied
Brahma-vidya (metaphysics) and encouraged them. To give an
instance - Once Bapusaheb Jog received a post-parcel. It contained
a copy of Geeta-Rahasya by Lokamanya Tilak. Taking it under his
armpit he came to the Masjid and prostrated himself before Baba,
when the parcel fell at Baba's Feet. Baba enquired what it was. It
was opened then and there and the book was placed in Baba's hand.
He turned some pages here and there for a few minutes and took out
a rupee from His pocket placed it on the book and handed the same
with the rupee to Jog and said to him - "Read this completely and
you will be benefited".
Mr. and Mrs. Khaparde
L et us close this Chapter with a
description of the Khapardes. Once Dadasaheb Khaparde came with
his family and lived in Shirdi for some months. (The diary of his
stay has been published in English in the Shri Sai Leela Magazine
first Volume.) Dadasaheb was not an ordinary man. He was the
richest and the most famous advocate of Amraoti (Berar) and was a
member of the Council of State, Delhi. He was very intelligent and
a very good speaker. Still he dared not open his mouth before
Baba. Most devotees spoke and argued with Baba off and on, but
only three, viz. Khaparde, Noolkar and Booty kept always silent.
They were meek, modest, humble and goodnatured. Dadasaheb, who was
able to expound Panchadashi (A well-known Sanskrit treatise on the
Adwaita Philosophy by the famous Vidyaranya) to others, said
nothing or uttered no word when he came to the Masjid before Baba.
Really a man, however learned he may be even in Vedas, fades away
before one, who was realised Brahman and become one with it.
Learning cannot shine before Self-reaisation. Dadasaheb stayed for
four months, but Mrs. Khaparde stayed for seven. Both were highly
pleased with their Shirdi stay. Mrs. Khaparde was faithful and
devout, and loved Baba deeply. Every noon she brought naivedya
herself to the Masjid, and after it was accepted by Baba, she used
to return and take her meals. Seeing her steady and firm devotion,
Baba wanted to exhibit it to others. One noon she brought a dish
containing Sanza (wheat-pudding), purees, rice, soup, and kheer
(sweet rice) and other sundry articles to the Masjid. Baba, who
usually waited for hours, got up at once, went up to His dining
seat and removing the outer covering from the dish began to
partake of the things zealously. Shama then asked Him - "Why this
partiality? You throw away dishes of others and do not care to
look at them, but this You draw to You earnestly and do justice to
it. Why is the dish of this woman so sweet? This is a problem to
us." Baba then explained - "This food is really extra-ordinary. In
former birth this lady was a merchant's fat cow yielding much
milk. Then she disappeared and took birth in a gardener's family,
then in a Kshatriya family, and married a merchant. Then she was
born in a Brahmin family. I saw her after a very long time, let Me
take some sweet morsels of love from her dish." Saying this, Baba
did full justice to her dish, washed his mouth and hands, gave out
some belches as a mark of satisfaction, and resumed His seat. Then
she make a bow and began to shampoo Baba's legs and Baba began to
talk with her and knead her arms which were shampooing His Legs.
On seeing this reciprocal service Shama began to joke and said -
"It is going on well, it is a wonderful sight to see God and His
Bhakta serving each other. "After being pleased with her sincere
service, Baba asked her in low and fascinating tone to chant
'Rajarama, Rajarama' then and always, and said - "If you do this,
your life's object will be gained, your mind will attain peace and
you will be immensely benefited." To persons unfamiliar with
spiritual matters, this might appear as affair, but really it was
not so. It was a case of, what in technically called,
'Shakti-pat', i.e. transference of power from the Guru to the
disciple. How forcible and effective were Baba's words! In an
instant, they pierced her heart and found lodgement there.
This case illustrates the nature of the relations
that should subsist between the Guru and the disciple. Both should
love and serve each other as One. There is no distinction nor any
difference between them. Both are One, and one cannot live without
the other. The disciple placing his head on the Guru's feet is a
gross or outward vision; really and internally they are both one
and the same. Those who see any difference between them are yet
unripe and not perfect.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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Shri Sai Satcharitra
Chapter XXVIII
S parrows Drawn To Shirdi
(1) Lakhamichand - (2) Burhanpore Lady - (3) Megha
Preliminary
S ai is not finite or limited. He dwells in
all beings, from ants and insects to the God Brahma. He pervades
all. Sai was well-versed in the knowledge of the Vedas, as well as
in the science of Self-realisation. As He was proficient in both
these, He was well-fitted to be the Sad-guru. Any one, though
learned, but not able to awaken the disciples and establish them
in Self-realisation, does not deserve to be called a Sadguru.
Generally the father gives birth to the body, and death invariably
follows life; but Sadguru does away with both life and death, and
so he is more kind and merciful, than any body.
Sai Baba often said that-let His man (Devotee) be
at any distance, a thousand koss away from Him, he will be drawn
to Shirdi like a sparrow, with a thread tied to its feet. This
Chapter describes the stories of three such sparrows.
Lala Lakhamichand
T his gentleman was first serving in the
Railways and afterwards in Shri Venkateshwar Press in Bombay and
thereafter in the firm of Messrs. Ralli Brothers as a munshi
(clerk). He got the contact of Baba in 1910. One or two months
before Christmas he saw in his dream at Santacruz (a suburb of
Bombay) an old man with a beard, standing and surrounded by his
Bhaktas. Some days later he went to the house of his friend. Mr
Dattatreya Manjunath Bijur to hear the kirtan by Das Ganu. It was
always the practice of Das Ganu to keep Baba's picture in front of
the audience while making the kirtan. Lakhamichand was surprised
to see that the features of the old man he saw in his dream,
tallied exactly with those in the picture and thus he came to the
conclusion, that the old man, he saw in his dream was Sai Baba
himself. The sight of this picture, Das Ganu's kirtan and the life
of the Saint Tukaram on which Das Ganu discoursed, all these
things made a deep impression on his mind and he pined to go to
Shirdi. It is always the experience of the Bhaktas that God always
helps them in their search for Sad-guru and other spiritual
endeavours. That very night at 8-00 p.m. a friend named Shankarrao
knocked at his door and asked him whether he would accompany him
to Shirdi. His joy knew no bounds and he at once decided to go to
Shirdi. He borrowed Rs.15/- from his cousin and after making due
preparations left for Shirdi. In the train, he and his friend
Shankar Rao did some Bhajan (sang religious songs) and enquired
about Sai baba with some fellow passengers-four Mahomedans, who
were returning to their place near Shirdi. They all told tham that
Sai baba was a great Saint living in Shirdi for many years. Then
when they reached Kopergaon he wanted to buy some good guavas for
offering to Baba, but he was so much enrapt with the scenery and
sights there, that he forgot to purchase them. When they were
nearing Shirdi, he was reminded of the guavas; just then he saw an
old woman with a guava-basket on her head, running after the
tanga. The tanga was stopped and he gladly purchased some select
fruits, when the woman said - "Take all the rest and offer them on
my behalf to Baba". The facts viz. that he had intended to
purchase guavas, but that he had forgotten to do so, the old
woman's encounter and her devotion to Baba, all these were a
surprise to both the friends; and Lakhamichand thought in his
mind, that the old woman might be some relation of the old man he
saw in his dream. Then they drove on and came near Shirdi and
seeing the flags on the Masjid they saluted them. With Puja
materials in hand, they then went to the Masjid and worshipped
Baba with due formality. Lakhmichand was much moved and was
extremely happy to see Baba. He was enrapt with Baba's Feet as a
bee with a sweet smelling lotus. Then Baba spoke as follows :-
"Cunning fellow, he does bhajan on the way and
enquires from others. Why ask others? Everything we should see
with our own eyes; where is the necessity to question others? Just
think for yourself whether your dream is true or not? Where was
the necessity of the darshan by taking a loan from a Marwari? Is
the heart's desire now satisfied?"
Hearing these words Lakhamichand was wonderstruck
at Baba's omniscience. He was at a loss to know how Baba came to
know about all the things that had happened enroute from his house
to Shirdi. The chief thing to note in this respect is that Baba
never liked people to run into debt for taking His darshan, or
celebrating any holiday or making any pilgrimage.
Sanza
A t noon when Lakhamichand was sitting for
meals he got some sanza (wheat-pudding) from a devotee as Prasad.
He was pleased to have it. Next day also he expected it, but got
nothing. So, he was anxious to get it again. Then on the third day
at the noon Arati time, Bapusaheb Jog asked Baba, what naivedya he
should bring. Baba told him to bring sanza. Then the Bhaktas
brought two big potfuls of sanza. Lakshamichand was very hungry
and there was some pain in his back. Then Baba said to him - "It
is good that you are hungry, take sanza and some medicine for the
pain in the back." He was again wonderstruck to see that Baba
again read his mind and spoke out what was passing therein. How
omniscient was He!
Evil eye
O n this occasion, he once witnessed one
night the procession to the chavadi. Baba then suffered much from
cough. He thought that this suffering of Baba might be due to
somebody's evil eye. Next morning when he went to the Masjid Baba
spoke to Shama as follows - "I suffered last night from cough; is
it due to some evil eye? I think that somebody's evil eye has
worked on me and so I am suffering". In this case Baba spoke out
what was passing in Lakshamichand's mind.
On seeing these proofs of Baba's omniscience and
kindness to His Bhaktas, he fell prostrate at Baba's Feet and said
- "I am much pleased with your darshan. Ever be kind and merciful
to me and protect me always. There is no other God to me in this
world except Your Feet. Let my mind be ever rapt in Your Bhajan
and Feet. Let Your grace protect me from the miseries of the world
and let me ever chant Your name and be happy".
After getting Baba' Udi and blessing he returned
home with his friend, much pleased and contented and singing
Baba's glory on the way. He remained a staunch devotee of baba
afterwards and always sent garlands of flowers, camphor and
Dakshina with any person of his acquaintance bound for Shirdi.
Burhanpore Lady
N ow let us turn to another sparrow (Baba's
word meaning devotee). One lady in Burhanpore saw in her dream Sai
Baba coming to her door and begging khichadi (rice cooked with dal
and salt) for His meals. On awakening she saw no body at her door.
However, she was pleased with the vision and told it to all
including her husband. He was employed in the Postal Department
and when he was transferred to Akola, both husband and wife, who
were devout, decided to go to Shirdi. Then on a suitable day they
left for Shirdi and after visiting Gomati Tirth on the way,
reached Shirdi and stayed there for two months. Every day they
went to the Masjid, performed Baba's worship and passed their time
happily. The couple came to Shirdi to offer Khichadi as naivedya
but for the first 14 days, somehow or other, it could not be
offered. The lady did not like this delay. Then on the 15th day
she came at noon to the Masjid with her khichadi. There she found
that Baba and others were already sitting for meals, and that the
curtain was down. Nobody dared enter in when the curtain was let
down, but the lady could not wait. She threw up the curtain with
her hand and entered. Strange to say that Baba seemed that day,
hungry for khichadi and wanted that thing first and when the lady
came in with the dish, Baba was delighted, and began to eat morsel
after morsel of khichadi. On seeing the earnestness of Baba in
this respect, everybody was wonderstruck and those, who heard the
story of khichadi, were convinced about His extraordinary love for
His devotees.
Megha
N ow let us go to the third and bigger
'sparrow'. Megha of Viramgaon was a simple and illiterate Brahmin
cook of Rao Bahadur H. V. Sathe. He was a devotee of Shiva and
always chanted the five syllabled mantra 'Namah Shivaya'. He did
not know the Sandhya nor its chief mantra, the Gayatri. Rao
Bahadur Sathe was interested in him, got him taught the Sandhya
and the Gayatri. Sathe told him that Sai Baba of Shirdi was the
embodied form of the God Shiva and made him start for Shirdi. At
the Broach Railway station he learnt that Sai Baba was a Moslem
and his simple and orthodox mind was much perturbed at the
prospect of bowing to a Moslem, and he prayed to his master not to
send him there. His master, however, insisted on his going there
and gave him a letter of introduction to his (Sathe's)
father-in-law, Ganesh Domodar, alias Dada Kelkar at Shirdi, to
introduce him to Sai Baba. When he reached Shirdi and went to the
Masjid, Baba was very indignant and would not allow him to enter.
"Kick out the rascal" roared Baba, and then said to Megha - "You
are a high caste Brahmin and I am a low Moslem; you will lose your
caste by coming here. So get away." Hearing these words Megha
began to tremble. He was wondering as to how Baba had come to know
about what was passing in his mind. He stayed there for some days,
serving Baba in his own way, but was not convinced. Then he went
home. After that he went to Tryambak (Nasik District) and stayed
there for a year and a half. Then again he returned to Shirdi.
This time, at the intercession of Dada Kelkar, he was allowed to
enter the Masjid and stay in Shirdi. Sai Baba's help to Megha was
not through any oral instruction. He worked upon Megha internally
(mentally) with the result that he was considerably changed and
benefited. Then Megha began to look upon Sai Baba as an
incarnation of Shiva. In order to worship Shiva, bela leaves are
required and Megha used to go miles and miles every day to bring
them and worship his Shiva (Baba). His practice was to worship all
the Gods in the village and then come to the Masjid and after
saluting Baba's gadi (asan) he worshipped Baba and after doing
some service (shampooing His Legs) drank the washings (Tirth) of
Baba's Feet. Once it so happened that he came to the Masjid
without worshipping God Khandoba, as the door of the temple was
closed. Baba did not accept his worship and sent him again, saying
that the door was open then. Megha went, found the door open,
worshipped the Deity, and then returned to Baba as usual.
Ganges-Bath
O n one Makar-Sankranti day, Megha wanted to
besmear the body of Baba with sandal-paste and bathe Him with
Ganges water. Baba was first unwilling to undergo this operation,
but at his repeated requests, He consented. Megha had to traverse
a distance of eight koss (going and returning) to bring the sacred
water from the Gomati river. He brought the water, made all
preparations for the bath at noon and asked Baba to get ready for
the same. Then Baba again asked him to be freed from his bath
saying that, as a Fakir He had nothing to do (or gain) with Ganges
water; but Megha did not listen. He knew that Shiva is pleased
with a bath of Ganges water and that he must give his Shiva (Baba)
that bath on that auspicious day. Baba then consented, came down
and sat on a pat (wooden board) and protruding his head said - "Oh
Megha, do at least this favour; head is the most important organ
of the body, so pour the water over that only-it is equivalent to
the full or whole bath." "Alright" said Megha and lifting the
water pot up, began to pour it on the head but in doing this he
was so much overwhelmed with love that he cried out 'Har Gange'
and emptied the pot on the whole body. He kept the pot aside and
began to look at Baba, but to his surprise and amazement he found
that Baba's head was only drenched but the body quite dry.
Trident and Pindi
M egha worshipped Baba in two places; in the
Masjid he worshipped Baba in person and in the Wada, Baba's big
picture, given by Nanasaheb Chandorkar. This he did for 12 months.
Then in order to appreciate his devotion and confirm his faith,
Baba gave him a vision. Early one morning when Megha was still
lying down on his bed with eyes closed but internally awake, he
saw clearly Baba's Form. Baba knowing him to be awake threw
Akshata (rice-grains marked red with Kumkum) and said, "Megha,
draw a Trident" and disappeared. Hearing Baba's words, he eagerly
opened his eyes but did not see Baba, but saw only rice grains
spread here and there. He then went to Baba, told Him about the
vision and asked permission to draw Trident. Baba said - "Did you
not hear My words asking you to draw Trident? It was no vision but
direct order and My words are always pregnant with meaning and
never hollow." Megha said - "I thought you woke me up, but all the
doors were closed, so I thought it was a vision". Baba rejoined -
"I require no door to enter. I have no form nor any extension; I
always live everywhere. I carry on, as a wirepuller, all the
actions of the man who trusts Me and merges in Me."
Megha returned to the Wada, and drew a red Trident
on the wall near Baba's picture. Next day a Ramadasi Bhakta came
from Poona, saluted Baba and offered Him Pindi (an image of
Shiva). At this time Megha also turned up there. Baba said to him
- "See, Shankar has come, protect (i.e., worship) Him now." Megha
was surprised to see Pindi following Trident immediately. Then
also in the Wada, Kakasaheb Dixit was standing with a towel on his
head after having taken his bath, and was remembering Sai, when he
saw a Pindi before his mental vision. While he was wondering about
this, Megha came and showed him the Pindi presented to him by
Baba. Dixit was happy to know that the Pindi exactly tallied with
the One he saw a few minutes before in his vision. In a few days
after the drawing of the Trident was complete, Baba installed the
Pindi near the big picture which Megha was worshipping. The
worship of Shiva was dear to Megha and by arranging the drawing of
the Trident and the installation of the Pindi, Baba confirmed his
faith therein.
After continuous service of Baba for many years,
doing regular worship and Arati every noon and evening, Megha
passed away in 1912. Then Baba passed His hands over his corpse
and said - "This was a true devotee of Mine." Baba also
ordered that at His own expense the usual funeral dinner should be
given to the Brahmins, and this order was carried out by Kakasaheb
Dixit.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
Back to Index
Shri Sai Satcharitra
Chapter XXIX
S tories of (1) Madrasi Bhajani Mela - (2)
Tendulkars (Father and son) - (3) Dr. Captain Hate - (4) Waman
Narvekar.
This Chapter described other interesting and
wonderful stories of Sai Baba.
(1) Madrasi Bhajani Mela
I t was in the year 1916 that a Madrasi
Bhajani Mela (Party of the Ramadasi Panth) started on a Pilgrimage
to the holy city of Banaras. The Party consisted of a man, his
wife, daughter and sister-in-law. Unfortunately their names are
not mentioned. On their way, the party heard that there lived at
Shirdi in Kopergaon Taluka, Ahmednagar District, a great sage
named Sai Baba, who was calm and composed, and who was very
liberal and who distributed money every day to His Bhaktas and to
skilful persons, who went and showed their skill there. A lot of
money in the form of Dakshina was collected daily by Sai Baba and
out of this amount, He gave daily one rupee to a three year old
girl Amani, the daughter of a Bhakta Kondaji and Rs. 2 to 5 to
some, Rs. 6 to Jamali, the mother of Amani and Rs. 10 to 20 and
even Rs. 50 to other Bhaktas as He pleased. On hearing all this
the party came to Shirdi and stayed there. The Mela did very good
bhajan and sang very good songs, but inwardly they craved for
money. Three of the party were full of avarice, but the chief lady
or mistress was of a very different nature. She had a regard and
love for Baba. Once it so happened, that when the noon-day Arati
was going on, Baba was much pleased with her faith and devotion,
and was pleased to give her darshan of her Ishtam (Beloved Deity).
To her Baba appeared as Sitanath (Rama) while to all the others
the usual Sainath. On seeing her beloved Deity, she was very much
moved. Tears began to flow from her eyes and she clapped her hands
in joy. The people began to wonder at her joyful mood; but were
not able to guess its cause. Late in the afternoon she disclosed
everything to her husband. She told him how she saw Shri Rama in
Sai Baba. He thought that she was very simple and devout, and her
seeing Rama might be a hallucination of her mind. He poohpoohed
her, saying that it was not possible, that she alone should see
Rama while they all saw Sai Baba. She did not resent this remark,
as she was fortunate enough to get Ramadarshan now and then, when
her mind was calm and composed and free from avarice.
Wonderful Vision
T hings were going on like this, when the
husband got a wonderful vision in his dream one night as follows
:- He was in a big city, the police there had arrested him, tied
his hands with a rope, and put him up in a cage (lock-up). As the
police were tightening the grip, he saw Sai Baba standing quiet
outside, near the cage. On seeing Baba so near, he said in a
plaintive tone - "Hearing Your fame I came to Your Feet and why
should a calamity befall me when You are standing here in person?"
Baba said - "You must suffer the consequences of your action" He
said - "I have not done anything in this life which would bring
such a misfortune on me." Baba said - "If not in this life, you
must have committed some sin in your past life." He replied, "I do
not know anything of my past life, but assuming that I did commit
some sin then, why should it not be burnt and destroyed in Your
presence, as dry grass before fire? "Baba - "Have you got such
faith?" He - "Yes." Baba then asked him to close his eyes. No
sooner did he shut them than he heard a thumping sound of
something falling down, and opening his eyes, he saw that he was
free and the police had fallen down, bleeding. Being much
frightened he began to look at Baba who said - "Now you are well
caught, officers will now come and arrest you." Then he begged -
"There is no other saviour except You, save me anyhow." Then Baba
again asked him to close his eyes. He did so and when he opened
them, he saw that he was free, out of the cage and that Baba was
by his side. He then fell at Baba's Feet. Baba then asked him -
"Is there any difference between this namaskar and your previous
ones? Think well and reply." He said "There is a lot of
difference; my former namaskaras were offered with the object of
getting money from You, but the present namaskar is one offered to
You as God; besides, formerly I thought resentfully that you,
being a Mahomendan, were spoiling us, the Hindus". Baba "Do you
not believe in your mind in Mahomendan Gods?" He said "No". Then
Baba said - "Have you not got a Panja (Emblem of Hand) in your
house and do you not worship the same in Tabut, i.e. Moharum
festival? Also there is in your house another Mahomedan Deity by
name Kadbibi, whom you propitiate and appease on your marriage and
other festivals. Is it not so?" He admitted all this. Then Baba
said,"What more do you want?" Then a desire arose in his mind to
get the darshan of his Guru Ramdas, when Baba asked him to turn
back and see. And when he turned, lo, Ramadas was in front of him.
No sooner did he begin to fall at His Feet, Ramadas vanished. Then
he inquisitively asked Baba,"You look old. Do You know Your age?"
Baba - "What! Do you say I am old! just run a race with Me and
see." Saying this Baba began to run and he too followed. Baba
disappeared in the dust raised by His foot-steps while running and
the man was awakened.
After awakening he began to think seriously about
the dream-vision. His mental attitude was completely changed and
he realised the greatness of Baba. After this, his grabbing and
doubting tendencies disappeared and true devotion to Baba's Feet
sprang in his mind. The vision was a mere dream, but the questions
and answers therein were most significant and interesting. Next
morning when all the persons assembled in the Masjid for the
Arati, Baba gave him as prasad two rupees' worth sweetmeats and
also two rupees from His pocket and blessed him. He made him stay
there for a few more days and gave him His blessing, saying,"Allah
(God) will give you plenty and He will do you all good". He did
not get more money there, but he got far better things viz. Baba's
blessing which stood him in good stead all along. The party got
plenty of money afterwards and their pilgrimage was successful as
they had not to suffer any trouble or inconvenience during their
journey. They all returned home safe and sound, thinking of Baba's
words and blessings and the Anand(Bliss) they experienced by His
grace.
This story illustrates one of the methods, which
Baba followed (and is following even now) in some cases to improve
and reform His devotees.
(2) Tendulkar family
T here lived in Bandra (a suburb of Bombay)
a Tendalkar family, all the members of which were devoted to Baba.
Mrs. Savitribai Tendulkar has published a Marathi book named "Shri
Sainath Bhajan Mala" containing 800 abhangas and padas describing
the Leelas of Baba. It is a book worth reading by those who are
interested in Baba. The son, Babu Tendulkar was studying hard day
and night and wanted to appear for the medical examination. He
consulted some astrologers. Examining his horoscope they told him
that the stars were not favourable that year and that he should
appear for the examination next year, when he would be certainly
successful. This cast a gloom over him and made him restless. A
few days afterwards his mother went to Shirdi and saw Baba.
Amongst other things she mentioned the gloomy and morose condition
of her son, who was to appear for the examination in a few days.
Hearing this Baba said to her,"Tell your son to believe in Me, to
throw aside horoscopes and predictions of astrologers and palmists
and go on with his studies. Let him appear for the examination
with a calm mind, he is sure to pass this year. Ask him to trust
in Me and not to get disappointed". The mother returned home and
communicated Baba's message to her son. Then he studied hard and
in due course appeared for the examination. In the written papers
he did well, but being overwhelmed by doubts he thought that he
would not secure sufficient marks for passing. So he did not care
to appear for the oral examination. But the examiner was after
him. He sent word through a fellow- student, stating that he had
passed in the written examination and that he should appear for
the oral. The son being thus encouraged appeared for the oral
examination and was successful in both. Thus he got through the
examination that year successfully by Baba's grace, though the
stars were against him. It is to be noted here that doubts and
difficulties surround us just to move us and confirm our faith. We
are tested as it were. If we only hold on steadily to Baba with
full faith and continue our endeavours, our efforts will be
ultimately crowned with success.
The father of this boy, Raghunathrao was serving
in some foreign mercantile firm in Bombay. As he grew old, he was
not able to attend to his work properly and so he had to take
leave and rest. As he did not improve during the period of leave a
further extension of leave or retirement from service was
inevitable. The Chief Manager of the firm decided to retire him on
pension as he was an old and a reliable servant. The question
regarding the amount of pension to be given was under
consideration. He was getting Rs.150/- p.m. and his pension i.e.
half the amount viz. Rs. 75/- would not be enough to meet the
expenses of the family. So they were all anxious about this
matter. Fifteen days before the final settlement, Baba appeared to
Mrs. Tendulkar in her dream and said, "I wish that Rs. 100/-
should be paid (settled) as pension, will this satisfy you?" She
replied "Baba, why ask me this? We fully trust in You". Though
Baba said Rs.100/- still he was given ten Rupees more i.e.
Rs.110/- as a special case. Such wonderful love and care did Baba
exhibit for His Bhaktas.
(3) Captain Hate
C aptain Hate, who was staying in Bikaner,
was a great devotee of Baba. Once Baba appeared to him in his
dream and said "Did you forget Me?" Hate then immediately held
Baba's Feet and replied, "If a child forgets his mother, how could
it be saved?" Then Hate went into the garden and took out fresh
walpapadi vegetables, and arranging 'shidha' (ghee, wheat-flour
and dal etc.) and Dakshina, was about to offer all this to Baba
when he was awakened and came to know that the whole thing was a
dream. Then he decided to send all these things to Baba at Shirdi.
When he came to Gwalior some days afterwards, he sent Rs.12/- by
money order to a friend, with instructions that Rs. 2 should be
spent in buying shidha articles and walpapadi vegetables, and
those should be offered to Baba with Rs. 10 as Dakshina. The
friend went to Shirdi and purchased the things mentioned, but
walpapadi was not available. In a short time a woman turned up
with a basket on her head, which curiously enough contained the
vegetables. It was purchased and then all the things were offered
to Baba on behalf of Captain hate. Mr. Nimonkar prepared the
'naivedya' (rice and walpapadi vegetables) next day and offered
the same to Baba. All the people were surprised to see that Baba
while dining, took and ate walpapadi, and did not touch rice and
other things. Hate's joy knew no bounds when he heard of this from
his friend.
Consecrated Rupee
A t another time Captain Hate wished that he
should have in his house a coin of rupee consecrated by Baba with
His touch. He came across a friend who was bound for Shirdi. With
him Hate sent his rupee. The friend went to Shirdi and after the
usual saluation gave first his Dakshina which Baba pocketed. Then
he gave Hate's rupee, which Baba took in His hand and began to
stare at it. He held it in front, tossed it up with His right
thumb and played with it. Then He said to the friend, "Return this
to its owner with the Prasad of Udi, tell him that I want nothing
from him, ask him to live in peace and contentment." The friend
returned to Gwalior, handed over the consecrated rupee to Hate,
and told him all the h0appened at Shirdi. This time Hate was much
pleased and realised that Baba always encouraged good thoughts,
and as he wished intently, Baba fulfilled the same accordingly.
(4) Waman Narvekar
N ow let the readers hear a different story.
A gentleman, named Waman Narvekar loved Baba very much. He once
brought a rupee. On one said (obverse) of it were engraved the
figures of Rama, Laxman and Sita and on the other (reverse) side
was engraved the figure of Maruti, with folded hands. He offered
it to Baba with a hope that He should consecrate it with His touch
and return it to him with Udi. But Baba immediately pocketed it.
Then Shama spoke to Baba, regarding Womanrao's intention and
requested Him to return it. Then Baba spoke in the presence of
Wamanrao as follows :- "Why should it be returned to him? We
should keep it ourselves. If he gives Rs.25/- for it, it will be
returned." Then, for the sake of that rupee, Wamanrao collected
Rs.25/- and placed them before Baba. Then Baba said, "The value of
that rupee far exceeds 25 Rupees. Shama, take this rupee, let us
have it in our store, keep this in your shrine and worship it." No
one had the courage to ask Baba why He followed this particular
action. He only knows what is best and most suitable to each and
all.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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Shri Sai Satcharitra
Chapter XXX
D rawn To Shirdi
(1) Kakaji Vaidya of Vani - (2) Punjabi Ramalal of
Bombay.
In this Chapter the story of two more devotees
that were drawn to Shirdi, is narrated.
Preliminary
B ow to the Kind Sai Who is the Abode of
Mercy and Who is affectionate towards His devotees. By His mere
darshan, He does away with their fear of this 'bhava' (samsar) and
destroys their calamities. He was first Nirgun (formless), but on
account of the devotion of His Bhaktas, He was obliged to take a
form. To give liberation - self-realisation to the Bhaktas is the
mission of the saints, and for Sai - the Chief of them, that
mission is inevitable. Those who take refuge in His Feet have all
their sins destroyed and their progress is certain. Remembering
His Feet, Brahmins from holy places come to Him and read
scriptures and chant the Gayatri mantra in His presence. We, who
are weak and without any merits, do not know what Bhakti is but we
know this much, that though all others may leave us, Sai won't
forsake us. Those whom He favours get enormous strength,
discrimination between the Unreal and the Real and knowledge.
Sai knows fully the desire of His devotees and
fulfills the same. Hence they get what they want and are grateful.
So we invoke Him and prostrate ourselves before Him. Forgetting
all our faults let Him free us from all anxieties. He who being
overcome with calamities remembers and prays Sai thus, will get
his mind calmed and pacified through His grace.
This Sai - the ocean of mercy, says Hemadpant,
favoured him and the result of this, is the present work -
Sai-Satcharia. Otherwise what qualifications had he and who would
undertake this enterprise? But as Sai took all the responsibility,
Hemadpant felt no burden, nor any care about this. When the
powerful Light of knowledge was there to inspire his speech and
pen, why should he entertain any doubt or feel any anxiety? Sai
got the service in the form of this book done by him; this is due
to the accumulation of his merits in the past births and,
therefore, he thinks himself fortunate and blessed.
The following story is not a mere tale, but pure
nectar. He who drinks it will realise Sai's greatness and
all-pervasiveness. Those who want to argue and criticise, should
not go in for these stories. What is wanted here, is not
discussion but unlimited love and devotion. Learned, devout and
faithful believers or those, who consider themselves as servants
of the Saints, will like and appreciate these stories, others will
take them to be fables. The fortunate Bhaktas of Sai, will find
the Sai-leelas as the Kalpataru (Wish-fulfilling Tree). Drinking
this nectar of Sai-leelas, will give liberation to the ignorant
Jivas, satisfaction to the house-holders and a sadhana to the
aspirants. Now to the story of this Chapter.
Kakaji Vaidya
T here lived in Vani, Nasik District, a man
named Kakaji Vaidya. He was the priest of the Goodness
Sapta-Shringi there. He was so much overwhelmed with adverse
circumstances and calamities that he lost peace of mind and became
quite restless. Under such circumstances one evening he went into
the temple of the Goodess and prayed unto Her from the bottom of
his heart and invoked Her aid to free him from anxeity. The
Goddess was pleased with his devotion and the same night appeared
to him in his dream and said to him, "You go to Baba and then your
mind will become calm and composed". Kakaji was anxious to know
from Her who that Baba was, but before he could get any
explanation, he was awakened. Then he began to think as to who
might be that Baba, to whom the Goodess has asked him to go. After
some thinking, he resolved that this Baba might be
'Tryambakeshwar' (Lord Shiva). So he went to the holy place
'Tryambak' (Nasik District) and stayed there for ten days. During
this period, he bathed early in the morning, chanted the 'Rudra'
hymns, did the 'Abhishekam' (pouring unceasingly fresh cold water
over the Pindi) and did other religious rites; but with all that,
he was as restless as before. Then he returned to his place and
again invoked the Goddess most pitifully. They night She again
appeared in his dream and said - "Why did you go to Tryambakeshwar
in vain? I mean by Baba - Shri Sai Samarth of Shirdi."
The question before Kakaji now was 'How and when
to go to Shirdi and how to see Baba? If anybody is in real earnest
to see a Saint, not only the Saint but God also, fulfills his
wish. In fact the 'Sant' (Saint) and the 'Anant' (God) are one and
the same; there is not the least difference between them. If
anybody thinks that he will go himself and see a Saint, that will
be a mere boast. Unless the Saint wills it, who is able to go and
see him? Even the leaf of the tree won't move without his bidding.
The more anxious a Bhakta is for the saint's visit, the more
devout anf faithful he is, the more speedily and effectively is
his wish satisfied to his heart's content. He who invites anybody
for a visit, also arranges everything for his reception, and so it
happened with Kakaji.
Shama's Vows
W hen Kakaji was thinking his visit to
Shirdi, a guest came to him at his place to take him to Shirdi. He
was no other than Shama, a very close and intimate devotee of
Baba. How he came to Vani at this juncture, we shall just see.
Shama was severely ill when he was very young and his mother had
taken a vow to her family Goddess Sapta-Shringi at Vani, that if
the son got well, she would bring and dedicate him at Her feet.
Then after some years the mother herself suffered much from
ring-worms on her breasts. At that time she again took another vow
to her Deity that if she got all right, she would offer Her two
silver breasts. These two vows remained unfulfilled. At her
death-bed she called her son Shama to her and drew his attention
to the vows and after taking a promise from him that he would
fulfills them, she breathed her last. After some time, Shama quite
forgot about these vows and thus 30 years elapsed. About this time
a famous astrologer had come to Shirdi and stayed there for a
month. His predictions in the case of Shriman Booty and others
came true and everybody was satisfied. Shama's younger brother
Bapaji consulted him and was told that his mother's vows, which
his elder brother promised to fulfill at her death-bed, were not
yet fulfilled; hence the Goddess was displeased with them and
bringing troubles on them. Bapaji told this to his brother Shama
who was then reminded of the unfulfilled vows. Thinking that any
further delay would be dangerous, he called a goldsmith and got a
pair of silver breast prepared. Then he went to the Masjid,
prostrated himself before Baba and, placing before Him the two
silver breath, requested Him to accept them and free him from the
vows as He was to him his Sapta-Shringi Goddess. Then Baba
insisted upon him to go himself to the temple of Sapta-Shringi and
offer them in person at the feet of the Goddess. Then after taking
Baba's permission and Udi, he left for Vani and searching for the
priest came to Kakaji's house. Kakaji was then very anxious to
visit Baba and Shama went there to see him at that very time. What
a wonderful coincidence is this!
Kakaji asked him who he was and whence he had
come, and on learning that he came from Shirdi, he at once
embraced him. So overpowered was he with love! Then they talked
about Sai-leelas and after finishing the rites of Shama's vows,
they both started for Shirdi. On reaching the place, Kakaji went
to the Masjid, and fell at Baba's Feet. His eyes were soon bedewed
with tears, and his mind attained calmness. According to the
vision of the Goddess, no sooner did he see Baba, that his mind
lost all its restlessness and it became calm and composed. Kakaji
began to think, in his mind, "What a wonderful power is this! Baba
spoke nothing, there was no question and answer, no benediction
pronounced; the mere darshana itself was so conducive to
happiness; the restlessness of my mind disappeared by His mere
darshan, consciousness of joy came upon me - this is what is
called 'the greatness of darshan'." His vision was fixed on Sai's
feet and he could utter no word. Hearing Baba's Leelas, his joy
knew no bounds. He surrendered himself completely to Baba, forgot
his anxiety and cares and got undiluted happiness. He lived
happily there for twelve days and after taking Baba's leave, Udi
and blessings returned home.
Khushalchand of Rahata
I t is said that a dream, which we get in
the small hours of the morning, generally comes out true in the
walking state. This may be so, but regarding Baba's dreams there
is no restriction of time. To quote an instance :- Baba told
Kakasaheb Dixit one afternoon to go to Rahata and fetch
Khushalchand to Shirdi, as He had not seen him since long.
Kakasaheb accordingly took a tanga and went to Rahata. He saw
Khushalchand and gave him Baba's message. Hearing it, Khushalchand
was surprised and said that he was taking a noon nap after meals
when Baba appeared in his dream and asked him to come to Shirdi
immediately and that he was anxious to go. As he had no horse of
his own nearby, he had sent his son to inform Baba; when his son
was just out of the village-border, Dixit's tanga turned up. Dixit
then said that he was sent specially to bring him. Then they both
went in the tanga back to Shirdi. Khushalchand saw Baba and all
were pleased. Seeing this Leela of Baba, Khushalchand was much
moved.
Punjabi Ramalal of Bombay
O nce a Punjabi Brahmin of Bombay named
Ramalal got a dream in which Baba appeared and asked him to come
to Shirdi. Baba appeared to him as a Mahant (Saint), but he did
not know His whereabouts. He thought that he should go and see
Him, but as he knew not His address, he did not know what to do.
But He Who calls anybody for an interview makes the necessary
arrangements for the same. The same happened in this case. The
same afternoon when he was strolling in the streets, he saw a
picture of Baba in a shop. The features of the Mahant, he saw in
the dream, exactly tallied with those of the picture. Then making
enquiries, he came to know that the picture was of Sai Baba of
Shirdi. He then went soon after to Shirdi and stayed there till
his death.
In this way Baba brought His devotees to Shirdi
for darshan and satisfied their wants, material as well as
spiritual.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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