Favour Shown by Giving Bhagwat and Vishnu-Sahasra
Nam - Dixit's Vitthal Vision - Gita Rahasya - Khapardes.
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.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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