In the last Chapter, we described how Baba's word and
grace cured many incurable diseases. Now, we shall
describe, how Baba blessed Mr. Ruttonji Wadia with an
issue.
The life of this Saint is naturally sweet in and out.
His various doings, eating, walking and His natural
sayings are also sweet. His life is Bliss incarnate. Sai
gave it out as a means of His devotee's remembrance to
Him. He gave them various stories of duty and action,
which ultimately led them to true religion. His object
may be that people should live happily in this world,
but they should be ever cautious and gain the object of
their life, viz. self-realization. We get human body as
a result of merits in past births and it is worth-while
that with its aid, we should attain devotion and
liberation in this life. So we should never be lazy, but
always be on the alert to gain our end and aim of life.
If you daily hear the Leelas (stories) of Sai, you will
always see Him. Day and night you will remember Him in
your mind, When you assimilate Sai in this way, your
mind will lose its fickleness and if you go on in this
manner, it will finally be merged in pure Consciousness.
Ruttonji of Nanded :
Now let us come to the main story of this Chapter. In
Nanded, in the Nizam state, there lived a Parsi
mill-contractor and trader, by name Ruttonji Shapurji
Wadia. He had amassed a large amount of money and had
acquired fields and lands. He had got cattle, horses and
conveyances and was very prosperous. To all outward
appearances he looked very happy and contented, but
inwardly, and really he was not so. Providential
dispensation is such, that no one in this world is
completely happy and rich; Ruttonji was no exception to
this. He was liberal and charitable, gave food and
clothing to the poor and helped all in various ways. The
people took him to be a good and happy man, but Ruttonji
thought himself miserable as he had no issue, male or
female, for a long time. As Kirtan (singing glories of
the Lord) without love or devotion, music of singing
without rhythmical accompaniments, Brahmin without the
sacred thread, proficiency in all arts without
commonsense, pilgrimage without repentance and
ornamentation without a necklace, are ugly and useless,
so is the house of a man or house-holder without a male
issue. Ruttonji always brooded on this matter and said
in his mind, "Would God be ever pleased to grant me a
son?" He thus looked morose, had no relish for his food.
Day and night, he was enveloped with anxiety whether he
would ever be blessed with a son. He had a great regard
for Dasganu Mahajat. He saw him and opened his heart
before him. Dasganu advised him to go to Shirdi, take
Baba's darshan, fall at His Feet and seek His blessing
and pray for issue. Ruttonji liked the idea, and decided
to go to Shirdi. After some days he went to Shirdi, took
Baba's darshana and fell at His Feet. Then opening a
basket, he took out a beautiful garland of flowers and
placed it around Baba's neck and offered Him a basket of
fruits. With great respect he then sat near Baba, and
prayed to Him saying- "Many persons who find themselves
in difficult situations come to You, and You relieve
them immediately. Hearting this, I have sought anxiously
Your Feet; please, therefore, do not disappoint me." Sai
Baba then asked him for Daksbina of Rs. five which
Ruttonji intended to give, but added, that He has
already received Rs. 3-14-0 from him, and that he should
pay the balance only. Hearing this, Ruttonji was rather
puzzled. he could not make out what Baba meant. That was
the first time, he thought, that he went to Shirdi and
how was it that Baba said that He had formerly got Rs.
3-14-0 from him? He cold not solve the riddle. But he
sat at Baba's Feet and gave the balance of the Dakshina
asked for, explained to Baba fully, as to why he came
and sought His help, and prayed that Baba should bless
him with a son. Baba was moved and told him not to be
worried, and that that time his bad days had ended. He
then gave him Udi, placed His hand on his head and
blessed him saying that Allah (God) would satisfy his
heart's desire.
Then after taking Baba's leave, Ruttonji returned to
Nanded and told Dasganu everything that took place at
Shirdi, He said that everything went on well there, that
he got Baba's darshan and blessing with Prasad, but
there was one thing which he could not understand. Baba
said to him that he had got Rs.3-14-0 before. Please
explain as to what Baba meant by this remark. He said to
Dasganu, "I never went to Shirdi before, and how cold I
give Him the sum to which Baba referred?" To Dasganu
also, it was a puzzle, and he pondered much over it for
a long time. Some time afterwards it struck him that
Ruttonji had received some days ago a Mahomedan Saint,
by name Moulisaheb, in his house and had spent some
money for his reception. This Moulisaheb was
coolie-saint wellknown to the people of Nanded. When
Ruttonji decided to go the Shirdi, this Molisaheb
accidentally came to Ruttonji's house. Ruttonji knew him
and loved him. So he gave a small party in his honour.
Dasganu got from Ruttonji the yadi or memo of expenses
of this reception, and everybody was wonderstruck to
see, that the expenses amounted to exactly Rs.3-14-0,
nothing more, nothing less. They all came to know, that
Baba was omniscient, that thought He lived in Shirdi, He
knew what happened outside far away from Shirdi. In fact
He knew the past, present and future, and could identify
Himself heart and soul with anybody. In this particular
instance how could He know the reception given to
Moulisaheb, and the amount spent therefore, unless He
could identify Himself with him, and be One with him?
Ruttonji was satisfied with this explanation and his
faith in Baba was confirmed and increased. In due time
afterwards, he was blessed with a son and his joy knew
no bounds. It is said that he had in all a dozen (12)
issues out of which only four survived.
In a foot-note towards the end of this Chapter,it is
stated that Baba told Rao Bahadur Hari Vinayak Sathe,
after the death of his first wife, to remarry and that
he would get a son. R.B. Sathe married second time. The
first two issues by this wife were daughters and he,
therefore, felt very despondent. But the third issue was
a son. Baba's word did turn out true and he was
satisfied.
Dakshina - Mimansa
Now we shall close this Chapter with a few remarks about
Dakshina. It is a well-known fact that Baba always asked
for Dakshina from people who went to see Him. Somebody
may ask a question, "If Baba was a Fakir and perfectly
non-attached, why should he ask for Dakshina and care
for money?" We shall consider this question broadly now.
First for a long time, Baba did not accept anything. He
stored burnt matches and filled His pocket with them. He
never asked anything from anybody--whether he be a
devotee or otherwise. If anybody placed before Him a
pice or two, He purchased oil or tobacco. He was fond of
tobacco, for He always smoked a bidi or Chilim (an
earthen pipe). Then some persons thought that they could
not see the Saints empty-handed, and they, therefore,
placed some copper coins before Baba. If a pice was
placed before Him. He used to pocket it; if it was a two
pice coin, it was returned immediately. Then after
Baba's fame had spread far and wide, people began to
flock in numbers; and Baba began to ask Dakshina from
them. It is said in the Shruti (veda) that Puja of the
Gods is not complete, unless a golden coin was offered.
If a coin was necessary in the Puja of the Gods, why
should it be not so in the Puja of the Saints also?
Ultimately, the Shastras laid it down that, when one
goes to see God, King, Saint or Guru, he should not go
empty-handed. He should offer something, preferably coin
or money. In this connection we may notice the precepts
recommended by the Upanishads. The Brihadaranyak
Upanishad says that the Lord Prajapati advised the Gods,
men and demons by one letter "Da". The Gods understood
by this letter that they should practice (1) "Dama" i.e.
self-control; the men thought or understood that they
should practice (2) "Dana" i.e. charity; the demons
understood that they should practice (3) "Daya" i.e.
compassion. To men Charity or giving was recommended.
The teacher in the Taittiriya Upanishad exhorts his
pupils to practise charity and other virtues. Regarding
charity he says, "Give with faith, give with
magnanimity, i.e. liberally, give with modesty, with awe
and with sympathy. In order to teach the devotees the
lesson of charity and to remove their attachment to
money and thus to purify their minds, Baba extracted
Dakshina from them; but there was this peculiarity, as
Baba said, that He had to give back hundred times more
of what He received. There are many instances, in which
this has happened. To quote an instance, Mr. Ganpatrao
Bodas, the famous actor, says in his Marathi
autobiography, that on Baba's pressing him often and
often for Dakshina, he emptied his money-bag before Him.
The result of this was, as Mr. Bodas says, that in later
life he never lacked money, as it came to him
abundantly.
There were also secondary meanings of Dakshina, in many
cases, in which Baba did not want any pecuniary amount.
To quote two instances - (1) Baba asked Rs.15/- as
Dakshina from Pro. G.G.Narke, who replied that he did
not have even a pie. Then Baba said, "I know you have no
money; but you are reading Yoga-Vashistha. Give Me
Dakshina from that." Giving Dakshina in this case meant
- `Deriving lessons from the book and lodging them in
the heart where Baba resides'. (2) In the second case
Baba asked a certain lady (Mrs. R. A. Tarkhad) to give
Rs.6/- as Dakshina. The lady felt pained, as she had
nothing to give. Then her husband explained to her that
Baba wanted six inner enemies (lust, anger, avarice
etc.) to be surrendered to Him. Baba agreed with this
explanation.
It is to be noted, that though Baba collected a lot of
money by Dakshina, He would distribute the whole amount
the same day, and the next morning He would become a
poor Fakir as usual. When Baba took His Mahasamadhi,
after receiving thousands and thousands of Rupees as
Dakshina for about ten years, He had only a few Rupees
in His possession.
In short, Baba's main object in taking Dakshina, from
His devotees was to teach them the lessons of
Renunciation and Purification.
Post-script
Mr. B. V. Deo of Thana, retired Mamlatdar, and a great
devotee of Baba, has written an article on this subject
(Dakshina) in "Shri Sai Leela" magazine, Vol.VII,
P.6-26, in which he says amongst other things, as
follows:-
"Baba did not ask Dakshina from all. If some gave
Dakshina without being asked, He sometimes accepted it;
and at other times He refused it. He asked it from
certain devotees only. He never demanded it, from those
devotees, who thought in their minds that Baba should
ask them for it, and then they should pay it. If anybody
offered it against His wish, He never touched it, and if
he kept it there, He asked him to take it away. He asked
for small or big amounts from devotees, according to
their wish, devotion and convenience. He asked it, even
from women and children. He never asked all the rich for
it, nor from all the poor."
"Baba never got angry with those from whom He asked
Dakshina, and who did not give it. If any Dakshina was
sent, through some friend, who forgot to hand over the
same to Baba, He reminded him somehow of it and made him
pay it. On some occasons, Baba used to return some sum
from the amount tendered as Dakshina, and ask the donor
to guard it or keep it in his shrine for worship. This
procedure benefited the donor or devotee immensely. If
anybody offered more than he originally intended to
give, He returned the extra amount. Sometimes, He asked
more Dakshina from some, than what they originally
intended to give and, if they had no money, asked them
to get or borrow from others. From some, He demanded
Dakshina three or four times a day."
"Out of the amount collected as Dakshina, Baba spent
very little for His own sake, viz., for buying Chilim
(clay pipe) and fuel for His Dhuni (sacred fire), and
all the rest, He distributed as charity in varying
proportions to various persons. All the paraphenalia of
the Shirdi Sansthan was brought, by various rich
devotees at the instance and suggestion of Radha-Krishna-Mai.
Baba always used to get wild and scolded those, who
brought costly and rich articles. He said to Mr.
Nanasaheb Chandorkar, that all His property consisted of
one koupin (codpiece), one stray piece of cloth, one
Kafni and a tumrel (tinpot), and that all the people
troubled Him by bringing all these unnecessary, useless
and costly articles."
Woman and wealth are the two main obstacles in the way
of our Parmartha (spiritual life); and Baba and provided
in Shirdi two institutions, viz., Dakshina and Radha-Krishna-Mai.
Whenever they came to Him, He demanded Dakshina from
them, and asked them to go to the 'SCHOOL' (Radha-Krishna-Mai's
house). If they stood these two tests well, i.e. if they
showed that they were free from attachment for woman and
wealth, their progress in spirituality was rapid and
assured by Baba's grace and blessings.
Mr. Deo has also quoted passanges from the Gita and
Upanishads; and shown that charity given in a holy place
and to a holy personage, conduces to the donors' welfare
to a great degree. What is more holy than Shirdi and its
Presiding Deity -- Sai Baba?
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