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The Tiger Skin
His return from Uravakonda and the
announcement at Puttaparthi that He was the Sai Baba of Shirdi,
came when He was only fourteen years of age. But the villages
around, and even far off Anantapur (forty miles away), knew of
His being Sai Baba.
One day a jeep-driver crossed the river bed and walked the
streets of Puttaparthi, trying to locate Swami. His master, a
young English sub-divisional officer, had gone for Shikar to the
forest on the other side of the Chitravathi, and while returning
to Anantapur the vehicle had stopped right opposite Puttaparthi
village. The driver did his best, as did the officer, to get the
vehicle moving, but failed. The driver suggested that there was
a 'Boy' at Puttaparthi who could materialise Vibhuti (sacred
ash). Yes, "create, by a circular movement of His palm, the very
panacea for all ills, even for the jeep!" Stranded halfway, the
Englishman agreed and let the driver go to the village, while he
himself sat in the jeep. The driver bumped into the Boy at last,
but was astounded to hear Baba say, "I am coming, myself, to the
jeep." He walked across the sandy bed, and on reaching the road,
peeped into the vehicle and saw the carcass of a tiger that the
officer had shot barely two hours ago. Swami's deep love for all
beings could not tolerate animals being killed or tortured. He
said, "I stopped the jeep at this place, for it is a mother,
whose three small cubs are at this very time loudly wailing and
calling out to her, that you are carrying. Go back! Recover
those cubs and gift them to some zoo where they will be well
looked after. And do not shoot wild beasts again, for they have
caused you no harm. Why do you kill them, surround them and lay
traps to catch them. Shoot them instead with a more superior
weapon, your camera. That won't maim or kill them." The
Englishman was at once enlightened, and he never carried a
firearm again. Shooting wild beasts armed with a camera, he
discovered, was far more adventurous and Sathwic (pure). He
presented the orphaned cubs to the zoo, and when the tiger skin
came back from the taxidermist, he brought it to Puttaparthi.
Prasanthi Mandir was then under construction. He met Baba and
placed the skin at His feet. Sakamma of Coorg pleaded with Him
to sit on it in Yogic fashion, with a rosary between His
fingers. She had a photographer ready. And Baba obliged, though
He has never sat in Dhyana (meditation) or held a rosary!
Source:
Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram
http://laluni.helloyou.ws/askbaba/sathyamsivamsundaram/s1050.htm
Shirdi Sai Baba and Tiger
Tiger
Seven days before Baba passed away, a wonderful incident occured at
Shirdi. There came a country-cart and stopped in front of the
Masjid. A tiger was on the cart, fastened with iron chains, with its
fierce face turned to the rear. It was suffering from some pain or
agony. Its keepers - three Derveshis - were taking it from place to
place and making money by exhibiting it. It was the means of their
subsistence. They tried all sorts of remedies to cure it from the
malady it was suffering from, but all was in vain. Then they heard
of Baba's fame and came to Him with the animal. They got it down the
chains in their hands and made it stand at the door. It was
naturally fierce, besides, disease ridden. So it was restless. The
people began to look at it with fear and amazement. The Derveshies
went in, told Baba everything about the animal and with His consent,
brought it before Him. As it approached the steps, it was taken
aback on account of the lustre of Baba and hung its head down. When
both saw each other, it got on the step and looked at Baba with
affection. Immediately it moved the tuft of its tail and dashed it
thrice against the ground and then fell down senseless. On seeing it
dead the Derveshis were first much dejected and full of sorrow, but
on mature thought they came to their senses. They considered that as
the animal was diseased and nearing its end, it was very meritorious
on its part that it should meet its death at the feet and in the
presence of Baba. It was their debtor, and when the debt was paid
off it was free and met its end at Sai's Feet. When any creatures
bow down their heads at saints' feet and meet death, they are saved;
and unless they have got a good store of merit on their account, How
could they get such a happy end?
Source: Sai-Satcharitra, Chapter XXXI
http://saibaba.ws/avatar/saisatcharitha/monday.htm
Shiva Sai
SHIVA SAI'S SEATING:
Shiva is seated
on a tiger skin, Vyaaghra CharmaAaseena,
suggestive of the control of cruel animalistic qualities.
Svaami, in Prashaanthi Mandhir, is daily
seated on a chair underneath of which is a tiger headed
skin. In his wandering youth days, Svaami's only
luggage piece was a tiger skin (with a pair of towels)!
Source:
http://www.eaisai.com/baba/docs/shivasai.htm
Tiger skin: The tiger is the
vehicle of Shakti, the goddess of power and force. Shiva is beyond
and above any kind of force. He is the master of Shakti. The tiger
skin that he wears symbolises victory over every force.
According to an interesting legend in the Puranas , Shiva once
wandered in the forests in the form of a bare-bodied mendicant and
the wives of the sages were enchanted by his figure. The jealous and
angry sages tried to capture him by setting a trap. A pit was dug
and when Shiva passed by it, a tiger that was crouching inside, was
let loose. Shiva killed the tiger, removed its skin and wore it as a
garment.
Source:
http://spirituality.indiatimes.com/articleshow/2760744.cms
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