Preliminary
Really 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
Once 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
Before 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
Once, 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
Let 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.
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