We have done with Chapter 51 and now we come
to the last Chapter (No. 52 in the original). In this Hemadpant
gave his concluding remarks and promised to give an index, giving
the contents of all the Chapters in verse as is given in Marathi
sacred books, but unfortunately that index was not found in Hemabdpant's
papers. It was therefore, composed and supplied by an able and
worthy devotee of Sai Baba, Mr. B.V. Deo (Retired Mamlatdar) of
Thana. As we give in English books an index in the beginning and
contents of each Chapter at its top, we need not consider the
last index Chapter here; and so we consider this Chapter as the
Epilogue. Unfortunately Hemadpant did not survive to revise the
manuscript of this Chapter and made it ready for the press. When
it was sent to the press Mr. Deo found it to be incomplete and
unintelligible in certain places; but it had to be published as
it was found. The chief topics dealt therein are briefly given
below.
Greatness of Sad-guru Sai
We prostrate ourselves before and take refuge in that
Sai Samarth Who besets all animate and inanimate things in the
universe-from a post to God Brahma, pots, houses, mansions and
even sky, Who pervades all creatures equally without any differentiation,
to Whom all devotees are alike; and Who knows not honour and dishonour,
like or dislike. If we remember Him and surrender to Him, He fulfills
all our desires and makes us attain the goal of life.
This ocean of mundane existence is very hard
to cross. Waves of infatuation beat high there against the bank
of bad thoughts and break down trees of fortitude. The breeze
of egoism blows forcibly and makes the ocean rough and agitated.
Crocodiles in the form of anger and hatred move there fearlessly.
Eddies in the form of the idea "I and Mine" and other
doubts whirl there inecessantly and innumerable fishes in the
form of censure, hate and jealousy play there, Though this ocean
is so fierce and terrible, Sad-guru Sai is its Agasti (Destroyer)
and the devotees of Sai have not the least to fear of it. Our
Sadguru is the boat, which will safety take us across this ocean.
Prayer
Now are fall flat before Sai Baba and holding His Feet make the
following prayer for the public:- Let not our mind wander and
desire anything except Thee. Let this work (Satcharita) be in
every house and let it be studied daily. Ward off the calamities
of those who study it regularly.
Fala-Shruti (Reward of Study)
Now a few words about the reward you get, from a study of this
work. After bathing in the sacred Godavari and after taking the
darshan of the Samadhi in the Samadhi-mandir in Shirdi, you should
read or hear the Satcharita. If you do this all your threefold
afflictions will vanish. Casually thinking about the stories of
Sai, you will get unconsciously interested in spiritual life and
if you then go on through the work with love, all your sins will
be destroyed. If you wish to get rid of the cycle of births and
deaths, read Sai's stories and remember Him always; and get yourself
attached (devoted) to His Feet. If you dive into the sea of Sai's
stories, and then give them out to others, you will get an ever-new
flavour of them and save the hearers from perdition. If you go
on meditating on Sai's Form, it will in course of time disappear
and lead you into self-realization. It is very hard to know or
realize the nature of Self or Brahma, but if you approach through
the Sugun Brahma (Sai's Form) your progress will be easy. If the
devotee completely surrenders himself to Him, he will lose his
individuality and be merged in Him and be one with Him, as the
river in the sea. If you thus become merged with Him in any of
the three states, viz., waking, dream and sleep, you get rid of
the bond of samsara. If anybody after bathing reads this with
love and faith,and completes it within a week, his calamities
will disappear; or if he hears or reads it daily and regularly
all his dangers will be warded off. By its study, a man wishing
for wealth will get it and a pure trader, success in his life.
He will get the reward according to his faith and devotion. Without
these, there will be no experience of any kind. If you read this
respectfully, Sai will be pleased, and removing you ignorance
and poverty, He will give you knowledge, wealth and prosperity.
With concentrated mind, if you read a Chapter daily, it will give
you unbounded happiness. One who has his welfare at heart, should
study it carefully and then he will ever remember Sai gratefully
and joyfully in birth after birth. This work should be read at
home specially on Guru-Pournima (Ashadha full-moon day), Gokul-Ashtami,
Rama-Navami and Dasara (Baba's anniversary day). If you study
this one book carefully, all your desires will be satisfied and
if you always remember Sai's Feet in your heart, you will easily
cross the Bhava (Samsar) sagar. By its study, the diseased and
sick will get health, the poor wealth, the mean and afflicted
prosperity, and the mind will get rid of all ideas and get steadiness.
Dear good and devoted readers and listeners, we also make our
bow to you all, and make you a special request. Never forget Him
whose stories you have read day by day or month by month. The
more fervently you read or listen to these stories, the more encouragement
Sai gives us to serve you and be of use to you. Both the author
and the readers must co-operate in this work, help each other
and be happy.
Prasad-Yachana
We close the with prayer to the Almighty for the following Prasad
of favour:- May the readers and devotees get complete and whole-hearted
devotion to Sai's Feet. May His Form be ever fixed in their eyes
and may they see Sai (the Lord) in all beings. amen!
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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