In this chapter we give two stories; (1) How Baba
attended the Udyapan ceremony of Mr.B.V.Deo's mother at
his house at Dahanu and (2) How Baba attended the Shimga
dinner-party in Hemadpant's house at Bandra.
Preliminary
Blessed is Shri Sai Samartha who gives instructions in
both temporal and spiritual matters to His devotees and
makes them happy by enabling them to achieve the goal of
their life, - Sai He who when places His hand on their
heads transfers His powers to them and thus destroying
the sense of differentiation, makes them attain the
Unattainable Thing. - He who embraces the Bhaktas who
prostrate themselves before Him with no sense of duality
or difference. He becomes one with the Bhaktas as the
sea with the rivers when they meet it in the rainy
season and gives them His power and position. It follows
from this that he who sings the Leelas of God's Bhaktas
is equally or more dear to Him than one who sangs the
Leelas of God only. Now to revert to the stories of this
chapter.
Mrs.Deo's Udyapan Ceremony
Mr.B.V.Deo was a Mamlatdar at Dahanu (Thana District).
His mother had observed 25 or 30 different vows and a
Udyapan (concluding) ceremony in connection therewith
was to be performed. This ceremony included the feeding
of 100 or 200 Brahmins. Mr.Deo fixed a date for the
ceremony and wrote a letter to Bapusaheb Jog asking him
to request Sai Baba on his behalf to attend the dinner
of the ceremony, as without His attendance the ceremony
would not be duly completed. Bapusaheb Jog read out the
letter to Baba. Baba noted carefully the pure-hearted
invitation and said - "I always think of him who
remembers Me. I require no conveyance, carriage, tanga,
nor train nor aeroplane. I run and manifest myself to
him who lovingly calls me. Write to him a pleasing reply
that three of us (the trio), Myself, yourself and a
third will go and attend it." Mr.Jog informed Mr.Deo of
what Baba said. The latter was much pleased, but he knew
that Baba never went to any place except Rahata, Rui and
Nimgaon in person. He also thought that nothing was
impossible to Baba as He was all-pervading and that He
might suddenly come, in any form He likes and fulfill
His words.
A few days before this, a Sannyasi with Bengali dress
and professing to work for the cause of the protection
of the cows, came to the station-master at Dahanu to
collect subscriptions. The latter told him to go into
the town and see the Mamlatdar (Mr.Deo) and with his
help collect funds. Just then the Mamlatdar happened to
come there. The station-master then introduced the
Sannyasi to him. Both sat talking on the platform.
Mr.Deo told him that a subscription-list for some other
charitable cause had already been opened by the leading
citizen Rao Saheb Narottam Shetti and so it was not good
to start another subscription-list and that it would be
better if he would visit the place after 2 or 4 months.
Hearing this, the Sannyasi left the place.
About a month afterwards, the Sannyasi came in a tanga
and stopped in front of Mr.Deo's house at about 10 a.m.
Deo thought that he came for subscriptions. Seeing him
busy with the preparations of the ceremony, the Sannyasi
said that he had come not for money but for meals. Deo
said - "Alright, very glad, you are welcome, the house
is yours." The Sannyasi - "Two lads are with me." Deo -
"Well, come with them." As there was time (2 hours) for
dinner, Deo enquired where he should send for them. He
said that it was not necessary as he would come himself
at the appointed time. Deo asked him to come at noon.
Exactly at twelve noon, the Trio came and joined the
dinner party and after feeding themselves went away.
After the ceremony was finished, Deo wrote a letter to
Bapusaheb Jog complaining of Baba's breach of promise.
Jog went to Baba with the letter, but before it was
opened Baba spoke - "Ah, he says that I promised him to
come but deceived him. Inform him that I did attend his
dinner with two others, but he failed to recognize Me.
Then why did he call me at all? Tell him that he thought
that the Sannyasi came to ask for subscription money;
did I not remove his doubt in that respect and did I not
say that I would come with two others, and did not the
Trio come in time and take their meals? See, to keep My
words I would sacrifice my life, I would never be untrue
to My words." This reply gladdened Jog's heart and he
communicated the whole of the reply to Deo. As soon as
he read it, he burst into tears of joy, but he took
himself to task mentally for vainly blaming Baba. He
wondered how he was deceived by the Sannyasi's prior
visit and his coming to him for subscriptions, how he
also failed to catch the significance of the Sannyasi's
words that he would come with two others for meals.
This story clearly shows that when the devotees
surrender themselves completely to their Sad-guru, He
sees that the religious functions in their houses are
duly executed and complied with all the necessary
formalities.
Hemadpant's Shimga Dinner
Now let us take another story which shows how Baba
appeared in the form of His picture and fulfilled the
desire of His devotee.
In 1917 on the full-moon morning, Hemadpant had a
vision. Baba appeared to him in his dream in the form of
a well-dressed Sannyasi, woke him up, and said that He
would come to him for meals that day. This awakening
constituted a part of the dream. When he fully awoke, he
saw no Sai nor any Sannyasi. But when he began to
recollect the dream, he remembered each and every word
the Sannyasi uttered in his dream. Though he was in
contact with Baba for seven years and though he always
meditated on Baba, he never expected that Baba would
come to his house for meals. However, being much pleased
with Baba's words, he went to his wife and informed her
that being the Holi day, a Sannyasi guest was coming for
meals and that some more rice should be prepared. She
enquired about the guest, who he was and whence he was
coming. Then not to lead her astray and not to cause any
misunderstanding he gave her the truth, i.e., told her
about the dream. She doubtingly asked whether it was
possible that Baba should come there (Bandra) from
Shirdi, leaving the dainty dishes there for accepting
their coarse food. Hemadpant then assured her that Baba
might not come in person but He might attend in the form
of a guest and that they would lose nothing if they
cooked some more rice.
After this, preparations for the dinner went on and it
was quite ready at noon. The Holika-worship was gone
through and the leaves (dishes) were spread and arranged
with 'Rangoli' marks around them. Two rows were put up
with a central seat between them for the guest. All the
members of the family - sons, grandsons, daughters and
sons-in-law etc., came and occupied their proper seats
and the serving of the various articles commenced. While
this was being done, everybody was watching for the
guest, but none turned up though it was past noon. Then
the door was closed and chained; the anna-shuddhi (ghee)
was served. This was a signal to start eating. Formal
offering to the Vaishwadeva (Fire), and Naivedya to Shri
Krishna were also over and the members were about to
begin, when foot-steps in the staircase were distinctly
heard. Hemadpant went immediately and opened the door
and saw two men there: (1) Ali Mahomed and (2) Moulana
Ismu Mujavar. These two persons, seeing that meals were
ready and all the members were about to begin eating,
apologized to Hemadpant and requested him to excuse
their interference. They said - You left your seat and
came running to us, others are waiting for you, so
please take this your Thing and I shall relate all the
wonderful tale about it later on at your convenience."
So saying he took out from his arm-pit a packet wrapped
in an old newspaper cover and placed it on the table.
Hemadpant uncovered the packet and saw, to his great
wonder and surprise, a big nice picture of Sai Baba.
Seeing it, he was much moved, tears ran from his eyes
and hair stood on end all over his body, and he bent and
placed his head on the feet of Baba in the picture. He
thought that Baba had blessed him by this miracle or
Leela. Out of curiosity he asked Ali Mahomed whence he
got this picture. He said that he bought it from a shop
and that he would give all the details about it some
time afterwards and wished that as all the members were
waiting for him, he should go and join them. Hemadpant
thanked him, bade them good-bye and returned to the
dinning-hall. The picture was placed on the central seat
reserved for the guest and after the due offering of the
Naivedya, the whole party commenced eating and finished
it in proper time. Seeing the beautiful form in the
picture everybody was extremely pleased and wondered how
all this happened.
The is how Sai Baba kept up and fulfilled His words
uttered by Him in the dream of Hemadpant. The story of
the picture with all its details, viz., how Ali Mahomed
got it, why he bought it and gave it to Hemadpant, is
reserved for the next chapter.
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