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
When 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
The 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
Shama 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
One 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
Baba 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
Let 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.
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