Preliminary
We 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
The 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)
Once 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
Hemadpant 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.
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