Story
of the Picture - Stealing the Rags and Reading of
Jnaneshwari.
As stated in the last chapter, we continue here the
story of the picture.
Nine years after the occurrence of the incident depicted
in the last chapter, Ali Mahomed saw Hemadpant and
related to him the following story.
One day while wandering in the streets of Bombay he
bought the picture from a street-hawker; then he framed
and set it on a wall in his house at Bandra (suburb of
Bombay). As he loved Baba, he daily took darshana of it.
Three months before he gave the picture to Hemadpant, he
was suffering from an abscess or swelling on his leg for
which an operation was performed and he was convalescing
in the house of his brother-in-law, Mr. Noor-Mahomed
Peerbhoy in Bombay. For three months his house in Bandra
was closed; and nobody was living there. Only the
pictures of the famous Baba Abdul Rahiman, Moulanasaheb
Mahomed Hussain, Baba Sai, Baba Tajudin and other saints
(living) were there. The wheel of time did not even
spare these. He was lying sick and suffering in Bombay.
Why should the pictures suffer there (in Bandra)? It
seems that they have also their ins and outs (births and
deaths). All the pictures met their fate, but how Sai
Baba's picture escaped it, nobody had been able to
explain to me up till now. It shows the
all-pervasiveness, omnipresence of Sai and His
insrutable power.
He got a small picture of Saint Baba Abdul Rahiman from
Mahomed Hussain Thariyatopan many years ago. He gave it
to his brother-in-law, Noor-Mahomed Peerbhoy and it was
lying on his table for eight years. Once the latter saw
it, took it to a photographer and got it enlarged to
life-size and distributed copies of the same amongst his
relations and friends, including Ali Mahomed who fixed
it up in his Bandra house. Noor-Mahomed was a disciple
of Saint Abdul Rahiman and when he went to present the
picture to his Guru in an open darbar held by him, the
Guru got wild and ran to beat him, and drove him out. He
felt very sorry and dejected. He thought that he lost so
much of his money, and incurred his Guru's displeasure
and anger. As his Guru did not like image-worship, he
took the enlarged picture with him to the Appollo Bunder
and, after hiring a boat, went in it and drowned it in
the sea. He requested the friends and relations to
return their copies and after getting them (6 in all)
back, had them thrown by a fisherman in the Bandra sea.
At this time Ali Mahomed was in his brother-in-law's
house. He was told by him that his suffering would come
to an end if he would soon drown the pictures of the
saints in the sea. Hearing this, Ali Mahomed sent his
Mehta (Manager) to his Bandra house and got all the
pictures of the saints in his house thrown into the sea.
When Ali Mahomed returned home after two months, he was
surprised to find Baba's picture on the wall as before.
He did not understand how his Mehta took away all the
pictures except this. He immediately took it out and
kept it in his cupboard, fearing that if his
brother-in-law saw it, he would do away with it. While
he was thanking how it should be disposed of, and who
would keep it and guard it well, Sai Baba Himself as it
were, suggested to him that he should see and consult
Moulana Ismu Mujavar and abide by his opinion. He saw
the Moulana and told him everything. After mature
consideration they both decided that the picture should
be presented to Annasaheb (Hemadpant) and that he would
protect it well. Then they both went to Hemadpant and
presented the picture in the nick of time.
This story shows how Baba knew all the past, present and
future, and how skillfully He pulled the wires and
fulfilled desired of His devotees. The following story
shows that Baba liked very much those persons who took
real interest in matters spiritual and that He removed
all their difficulties and made them happy.
Stealing the Rags and Reading of Jnaneshwari
Mr.B.V.Deo who was Mamlatdar of Dahanu (Thana District)
wished for a long time to read Jnaneshwari - (the
well-known Marathi commentary on the Bhagawad-Gita by
Jnaneshwar), along with other scriptures. He could read
daily one chapter of the Bhagawad-Gita, and some portion
of other books; but when he took Jnaneshwari in hand,
some difficulties cropped up and he was precluded from
reading it. He took three months' leave, went to Shirdi
and thence to his home at Pound for rest. He could read
there other books but when he opened Jnaneshwari, some
evil or stray thoughts came crowding in his mind and
stopped him in the effort. Try however he might, he was
not able to read even a few lines of the book with ease.
So he resolved in his mind that when Baba would create
love for the book and would order him to read it, he
would begin and not till then. Then in the month of
February 1914 he went with his family to Shirdi. There
Jog asked him whether he daily read Jnaneshwari. Deo
said that he was desirous of reading it, but he was not
successful and that only when Baba would order him to
read it, he would commence. Jog then advised him to take
a copy of the book and present it to Baba and to start
the reading after it was consecrated and returned by
Him. Deo then replied that he did not want to resort to
this device, as Baba knows his heart. Would He not know
his desire and satisfy it by giving him a clear order to
read?
Deo then saw Baba and offered one rupee as Dakshina.
Baba asked for Rs. 20/- which he gave. At night, he saw
one Balakram and enquired how he secured Baba's devotion
and grace. Balakram told him that he would communicate
everything next day after arati. When Deo went for
darshana next day, Baba asked for Rs.20/- which he gave
willingly. As the Masjid was crowded, Deo went aside and
sat in a corner. Baba asked him to come close and sit
with a calm mind, which Deo did. Then after the noon-arati
was over and after the men dispersed, Deo saw again
Balakram and asked him his previous history, what Baba
told him and how he was taught meditation. Balakram was
going to reply when Baba sent one Chandru, a leper
devotee to call Deo to Him. When Deo went to Baba, the
latter asked him when and with whom and what he was
talking. He said that he talked with Balakram and heard
from him His fame. Then Baba asked again Rs.25/- as
Dakshina which Deo gladly gave. Then Baba took him
inside and sitting near the post charged him saying -
"You stole away My rags without My knowledge." Deo
denied all knowledge of the rags, but Baba asked him to
make a search. He searched but found none. Then Baba got
angry and said - "There is nobody here, you are the only
thief, so grey-haired and old, you came here for
stealing." After this Baba lost His temper, got terribly
wild, gave all sorts of abuses and scoldings. Deo
remained silent and watching, and thought that he might
get a beating also. After about an hour or so, Baba
asked him to go to the Wada. He returned to the Wada and
told Jog and Balakram all that had happened. Then in the
after-noon Baba sent for all and Deo also, and said that
His words might have pained the old man (Deo) but as he
committed the theft, He could not but speak out. Then
Baba asked again for Rs. 12/- Deo collected the amount,
paid it and prostrated himself before Him. Then Baba
said to him - "What are you doing?" "Nothing" replied
Deo. Then Baba - "Go on daily reading the Pothi (Jnaneshwari),
go and sit in the Wada, read something regularly every
day and while reading, explain the portion read, to all
with love and devotion. I am sitting here ready to give
you the whole gold-embroidered Shella (valuable cloth),
then why go to others to steal rags, and why should you
get into the habit of stealing?"
Deo was much pleased to hear the words of Baba, for He
asked him to start reading Pothi (Jnaneshwari). He
thought that he got what he wanted and that he could
read the book with ease thenceforth. He again prostrated
himself before Baba and said that he surrendered himself
to Him and that he should be treated as a child and be
helped in his reading. He realized then what Baba meant
by 'stealing the rags'. What he asked Balakram
constituted the 'rags' and Baba did not like his
behaviour in this respect. As He was ready to answer any
question, He did not like him to ask others and make
unnecessary enquiries and therefore He harassed and
scolded him. Deo thought that He really did not 'harass
and scold' him but taught that He was ready to fulfill
his desires, and there was no use asking others in vain.
Deo took these scoldings as flowers and blessings and
went home satisfied and contented.
The matter did not end here. Baba did not stop with only
issuing an order to read. Within a year He went to Deo
and enquired about his progress. On 2nd April 1914, on
Thursday morn, Baba gave him a dream-vision. He sat on
the upper floor and asked him whether he understood the
Pothi. "No" answered Deo. Baba - "Then when are you
going to understand?" Deo burst into tears and said,
"Unless You shower Your grace, the reading is mere worry
and the understanding is still more difficult. I say
this definitely." Baba - "While reading you make haste,
read it before Me, in My presence." Deo - "What shall I
read?" Baba - "Read Adhyatma (spiritualism)." Deo went
to bring the book when he opened his eyes and was
awakened. We leave the readers to imagine what ineffable
joy and bliss Deo felt after this vision.
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