SHRI SAI LEELA

 

FEBRUARY 1976 CONTENTS

 

 

 

1.       Editorial                                    God's Favourite

2.       The Science of Religion            Swami Chinmayananda

3.       God and Untouchability

4.       Shri Gurucharitra                      Shri S. N. Huddar

5.       Saint Ramdas                           Dr. S. D. Parchure

6.       Ramkrishna Pararnahansa          Prof. Vaman H. Pandit

7.       Late Rao Saheb V. P. lyer         Smt. Hirabai lyer

8.       Shri Sai Baba's Divine Favours  Shri V.  Bf Nandwani

9.       Existence of God Sai                Dr. Anil Jaiswa!

 

SHRI SAI LEELA

( Official Organ of Shirdi Sansthan )

FEBRUARY  1976

No. 11

Result   of   Longing   for   God

In the longing for God,   you  forsake   the   vanity   of the world :   you   ask    God    to   purify   you   and    to   empty   you. And when you   are   empty,   He   fills   you,   He   flows   into  you, He    overflows   into   you,—your   actions,    your    silence,    your illuminated heart.

Editor :

Shri K, S. PATHAK Receiver, Shirdi Sansthan of Shri Sai Baba

Executive Editors.-

Dr. S. D. Parchure M. A., Ph. D.

Shri Sadanand Chendwankar B. Sc., S. T. C, R. B. Pravin

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EDITORIAL

Gods favourite

All ancient writers and poets in India were believers in God. They have described God in   various   ways.   Some have   gone   to the extent of saving   that the only best use of speech and pen is to praise God and sing about his   qualities.   One   of  the epithets of  God   is “Bhaktavatsala”   (fondler of the devotees).    The  'parents   are-supposed to fondel their children.     They are expected to be par­tial towards their offsprings.    Similarly God is also partial towards his devotees.   In one saying God says that he is present wherever his devotees are singing about him. For his devotees God has taken a lot of pains.    He has taken the form of a messenger for some devotee    He has   helped a devotee like Janabai in grinding   the corn.    He has  come   to   the help of Gajendra, the elephant king, who was in the jaws of a crocodile. Similar instances can be quoted in any number from our mythology; but can we know why the God liked these devotees 1 Is there any test laid down by God for being his favourite ?

In order to find out a reply to the above question, we have to refer to the twelfth canto of the Bhagawadgeeta. In this canto Lord Krishna explains Bhaktiyog  to   Arjuna.    fn   the   course   of the narration the Lord explains what   sort of   a person is liked by  him as follows .-

The first criterion is that the person should not irritate others. In our daily life we constantly come in contact with a number of people. Our contact with our near relatives is very close; but there are many people against whom their relatives also complain bitterly   that they  do not know how to behave, with other people. Such people naturally irritate   the persons with  whom they come in contact.

On    bus    stops,    on   stations,    in   railway    trains.   offices, cinema   theatres-and markets we   come in   contact with    various • types of people.   It we   are not composed and   cool-headed, then I we are bound to irritate others.    We often   see   the quarrels   that 'such persons   who cannot keep their heads cool,   are   picking   up with others. The case of the persons who are leaders of  a group  or a nation is slightly different.    People at various levels have got some work or the other with them.    The benefit, of course, is reaped by the visitors.    They almost   encircle   him   all the time; but in spite of that the leader cannot afford   to   displease   them.    He has got to give a patient hearing to all of them.    If on the other hand be gets upset very often and thus annoys or vexes the people, who come to him, then his leadership will start dwindling.   Lord Krishna, who was himself a leader of the cowherds and had enough experience of leadership, therefore lays   down   this as   the second criterion of his favourite that he   should under   no   circumstances get annoyed or vexed   by   other   people   who   might come   in his contact.

For becoming God's favourite, only  the aforesaid -two quali­ties are not enough.    Lord Krishna   has laid down further that he who wants to become his favourite, should not be ruffled by mirth, anger and fear  -The human mind is like an ocean.   Even the slight-test breeze gives rise to ripples   on the sea,   similarly   feelings   of j joy, anger or fear are bound to affect the   minds of all   ordinary human beings.    These emotions are therefore, bound to ruffle the the people, but a man with   a  balanced mind and steady intellect remains composed and does not allow   himself  to   fall a prey to these emotional outbursts and he is therefore,   dear to God.

It will thus be seen that though everyone wants to become a favourite of the god, the way that leads to that goal is full of obstacles. It is not only uneven and full of ups and downs, but it is also full of many dangerous spots. Only a person! with full control over his organs and senses can therefore try to travel on this path. It therefore appears that before trying to follow this path we have to practise Yoya and get perfect control over ourselves, both bodily and mentally.

The main aim of Lord Krishna was to drive out the doubt and fear in the mind of Arjuna. For that purpose he has advised Arjuna in various ways. In the second canto, he has '.described Sthitapradna while describing the Sankhyayog. This person is described as a man with stable intellect. He is described as a person who has no longing for pleasure and joy. He has been depicted as a person with full control over his organs and senses (2/56 ).

In the third canto Lord Krishna explains Karmayog to Arjuna. While explaining the proper way of doing our actions in this world, Lord Krishna explains that nobody ever remains in this world for even a moment without doing something (3/5) and adds later on that the person who controls his organs by his mind and does all the actions without keeping an eye over the fruit is a person who can be called a Karmayogi (3/7). So here also under the garb of explaining Karmayoga the control over the sense organs has been emphasised.

In the fourth canto Karmabrahmarpanayog    has   been   explained by   Lord   Krishna.    In   this   canto the Lord explains that those, who   have   discarded    attachment,   fear   and anger and have taken   recourse to   him   have   become   one   with him.   (4/10) Later on in   the   same   canto   while   explaining   the ; behaviour of a learned person, Lord Krishna states that he does all the deeds without   expecting any fruit therefrom   and  ; therefore, all his actions are purified by the fire in  the   form   of the knowledge of the self.   (4/19)

The fifth canto of the Bhagawadgeeta is dedicated to the Karmasanyasayog. In the beginning Lord Krishna states that karmasanyas and karmayoga both to Moksha and adds that out of these two ‘Karmayoga’ is superior to ‘Karmasanyasi’ (5/2). As in the fourth canto, the Lord again tries to define the ‘pandit’ as a person with stable intellect who looks with the same kind of gaze on a learned Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, a dog and a Chandala 5/18). so we will find that the stable intellect and an impartial sight is stressed by Lord Krishna constantly in the Bhagawadgeeta

In the sixth canto, while explaining the ‘Abhyasayog’, Lord Krishna states that unless a person discards all his attachments, he cannot become a real ‘Karmayogi’ (6/2)- He further states that when a Yogi gets full control over his mind, he has a quite neutral outlook on such duels as hot and cold, pleasure and sorrow and honour and dishonour. (6/7)

It will thus be seen that in the five cantoes from the second to the sixth, Lord Krishna has under different names referred again and again to the person of the same temperament. The person referred to is one who has full control on his organs and senses and who is neutral to all the emotions, so very common to the living beings. In the nineth and the twelfth cantoes, Lord Krishna has explained the bent of mind of a devotee  and in the fifteenth canto, he has explained the ideal man but still we find that nothing new has been told by Lord Krishna in the twelve cantos from the seventh to the eighteenth. He has more or less commented further on his earlier philosophy or explained the same further in these cantoes. Because of these facts some scholars and ardent students of the Bhagawadgeeta have propounded the theory that the original Bhagawadgeeta must have been only of six cantoes. It might have been expanded later on up to eighteen cantoes by repeating or reorganising the philosphy explained in the earlier cantoes of the Geeta. Anyway we may accept or reject the above theory; but we have to accept this fact that in the opinion of Lord Krishna the ideal person has   got to have full control over his organs and senses and he has got to be neutral towards all the emotions which   baffle the   human   beings and cause various storms in their minds.    Though   Lord   Krishna has   given   various   names   as ‘Karmayogi’ ‘Pandit’ ‘Uttampursh’ ‘Sanyasi’ or ‘Bhakta’   to such persons, the qualities   that   we   see   in  him  are more on less the same.    This was, therefore, the person liked by Lord Krishna. God's favourite was   therefore, a person   who-had   I all the qualities explained above. •-

When we start looking on the life of Shri Sai Baba, we first of all note that he never    called   himself a   god.' Some devotees, however, consider him to be god himself; but the very fact that he often said “Allah Malik” show that he never considered himself to be the god.    Next if we look to   his   behaviour   in his   life we find that he, of his own accord never vexed   others.    The people that came in his contact never got annoyed by his company.    The flow of visitors to Shirdi was perennial.   Some visitors   only came for mere darshan of Shri Sai Baba; but most of them   came with an idea of getting some relief from some personal   ailment   or   from some family troubles.    However Baba remained  composed and he dealt with   all   of them quite   sympathetically.   As explained   by Lord Krishna   in the shloka quoted   earlier in   this article,   Baba never annoyed the persons that came to him, neither he got anno­yed with anyone among them.    The other   qualities of a devotee viz. not being ruffled by mirth, anger or fear were also present in him.    From some incidents in his   life, people   may think that he was irritable and used to   fall   a   prey  to  anger;   but   it is not correct.   It was only in the cases of certain persons who came to him   with a   suspicious   mind or   with  slippery faith  -that  Shri Sai Baba showed apparent anger;    but it   was  not   the   emotion which we show in our daily life   for   insignificant   things,   which results in permanent enmity for the whole of the   life.    The appa­rent anger was   meant   only  for   the   correction   of   the   person approaching him.

Moksha and god are the ideals of human life and   for that purpose every one likes to be   a   favourite   of  the   God;   but as explained above it is not very   easy   to   become a favorite of the God.    For becoming his   favourite   some   acid   tests   have   been prescribed by him; but the devotees of   Shri Sai   Baba   will   pass those tests very   easily,   if   they   follow   Shri   Baba's   foot   steps closely.    Would you    then not like to walk briskly   on   that path Ihich leads you to become a god's favourite ?

Second Gathering of the Contributors to Shri Sai Leela 1976

The Second Gathering of the persons contributing articles to Shri Sai Leela will be held at Shirdi on the 15th and 16th of February 1976.

This is a unique opportunity for the contributors to Shri Sai Leela for introduction with each other. All contributors are cordially invited to attend the gathering.

As usual arrangements for lodging and boarding of all the delegates will be made by the Shirdi Sansthan. The pro­gramme for two days will include talks, symposiums and discussions relating to the material to be published in Shri Sai Leela and the steps to be taken to promote its circulation. Delegates from Bombay should start by the S. T. bus leav­ing Bombay Central at 12 noon on Saturday, the 14th February 1976 and should inform the Court Receiver, Shirdi Sansthan before 10-2-76 about their intention to take part in the gathering.

 

THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION

By : Swami Chinmayananda

Means   of   Wisdom

The knowledge of the higher Self is spiritual Wisdom (jnanam) and Krishna in these closing four verses extolls its glories. The entire chapter was a call to men to comprehend this Truth and to end th6 limited ego-centric life of ignorance and imperfections. How the little ego gets flooded out and annihilated by wisdom is the main theme of this chapter and hence the chapter is entitled "Renunciation of Action in Knowledge" (Jnaanakarmasamnyaasa-yoga)

In order to realise the Self in us, in an immediate personal experience, certain adjustments are to be made in our personality which are all processes of removing the agitations of our mind. Mind fluttering with its lusts and passions, worries and regrets, fancies and imagination cannot focus itself in the direction of Self, and in its disturbed perception only a very, very dim and highly distorted experience can be had. Here Krishna lays down healthy conditions under which a clear and vivid experience of the Self can be ours

Insists Krishna, (IV-39-) "He who has Sraddha, is devoted; and is a master of his senses, attains this knowledge. Having attained knowledge, ere long, one reaches the Supreme Peace".

The man who has Sraddha gains spiritual experience" (sraddha-vaan labhate jnaanam), is a famous statement in-the Hindu scrip­tures, oft repeated and always translated as "a man of faith gains true wisdom". Here the word faith is no doubt the best corres­ponding word in English, but it brings along with it an atmosphere of tradition ---to mean a blind, unintelligent, unquestionable faith. In Vedanta freedom of the intellect of the student is fully recognised and zealously guarded both by the teachers and the students "Faith is a belief in what I do not know now, so that I may soon enough come to know what I believe in." The dar­ing heroism of a fully convinced intellect, to take the plunge into the unknown, to live in quest therein, till in a subjective expe­rience the theoretical knowledge acquired already is confirmed in glowing wisdom.

A mere intellectual daring and a restless heroism are not suf­ficient in themselves. The student must be devoted (tatparah) to the pursuit of the Supreme. Faith and devotion can provide the seeker with maximum inner alertness to meditate, but very often' we find him fail in his final climbs, because his inner attention gets shattered when he has not cultivated in himself sufficient control over his sense-organs (samyatendriyah). The sense-organs are by their very nature extrovert, and their functions are to fan out our attention into the field of perceptions. Therefore, no amount of faith in the ideal and devotion to it can supply us the required meditative poise unless the sense-organs are brought under control.

When these three are cultivated, intellectual faith, mental devotion and physical control of the senses, all our personality layers get involved in the integrated meditation In such a total attention, with a devoted mind and intellect soaked in under­standing the seeker comes to live the higher experiences of the world of Reality. At first these exhilarating excursions into the Self may come in short blindening flashes. Soon, ere long, he goes to the Supreme Peace (jnaanam labdhwaa paraam saantim acire-naadhigacchati)

Conversely, if there be one "who has not cultivated any faith (asraddadhaanasca), and, is therefore, "full of doubts" (samsayaat-maa), "he perishes". "To the doubting Thomas there is neither this world, nor the next - - - and never happiness", (naayamlokosti na paro nasukham samsayaatmanah). To animals there can be no doubts: Only intelligent men can have doubts. Doubts come where clear and convincing understanding has not risen. This is something from which no one can help another out. Teachers, scriptures, commentaries, discourses, studies ... are all the means not the end : the fulfillment of all these is the growing conviction gathering all by itself in the heart of the reflective student. A mere active participation in studies, however sincere, in not sufficient by itself. What has been comprehended by inte­llectual study must be apprehended by the heart - - - and this is achieved only when the seeker gets involved in the study and independently learns to quietly reflect upon what he has gathered in his studies. To the extent the seeker commits himself to what he has gathered during his studies and reflections, to that extent alone his faith glows to spread its beatific light within. Then all doubts cease.

The majority of us undertake study for a vainful satisfaction of our superficial curiosity. We are not prepared to re-orgainse our life - - - to re-orientate our views - - - in the light of the fresh knowledge so gathered. We have no irrepressible hunger to conquer new dimensions - - - we are easily satisfied with our present state of existence : limited, conditioned, crushed, tossed about. Therefore knowledge does not bring the clear light of a dawn into our bosom - - - its fading light is the dying glow of dusk- - - and darkness gathers in every corner ---as time pas-.es there is more and more darkness.

Ours must be a valid knowledge - - - capable of guiding us, ready to support us, vigorous enough to nurture and nourish us all along life's uneven path : through all its dreary depths and sunny peaks. If it is not so then the ineffectual, undigested, impo­tent knowledge is but a heavy load of gold that donkeys carry : it weighs down the beast of burden - - - but it is of no use to it.

The doubting Thomas is a sad phenomenon in life. Such an individual ever doubting every thing is not an intellectual - - - if at all anything, - - - he is just   the   opposite.    Much better it is to be sure that there is no greater life - - - that the scriptures are false - - - that there is no higher life   to   aspire for.    Such  were the mighty   aethists - - - the   Rakshasas ...... the wicked ones who lived life dangerously courageous, criminally winning all their sense-gratifications, supremely secular,; vulgarly licentious, shame­lessly corrupt, thoughtlessly immoral and, yet withal, lived cons­tantly in dreadful dreams of their own dishonourable failure in the end

To such an ever- doubting personality there is no success in this world, no achievement in the next - - - and never happi­ness anywhere, at any time. Hence Krishna argues, (IV-40) "The ignorant man without Sraddha, the doubting-man, goes to his own destruction. Such a doubter has neither this world, nor the next - - - and never happiness anywhere, at any time."

This is a sad negative mentality we often see in many people. They constantly doubt. They doubt everyone around them - - -their motives, actions, intentions, purposes. They doubt their friends, relations, superiors, dependents. They doubt all religions, every philosophy, every word of everyone, irrespective of who they are. Their doubts are the irrational, irresponsible, irrepressible confusions of their own ignorance.

In fact such persons doubt even themselves and their own abilities. When an individual has thus no faith either in himself or in the world around him, he can have neither any achievement in this world - - - nor any glories in the next : why, he cannot have any happiness, anywhere, at any time, since he keeps doubting.

Therefore, Krishna roars his conviction "a man with faith attains to this spiritual wisdom" ( sraddhaavaan labhate jnaanam ).

ARISE, O BHARATA

The Geeta is a scripture of man, bringing to him guidance in living a dynamic life of clean activities, fearless of his environ­ments and circumstances Arjuna represents man, confused and worse confounded by the tumultous challenges and grinning cir­cumstances crowding all around him. The Hindu answer is not to run away from the problems but to take up a stand on firm grounds and act ^intelligently with faith -in oneself, faith >in the world and hope for the final success and victory of man, over the onslaughts of cruel nature within and without him.

History records many periodic waves of ' world-convulsion when the good and the wicked forces seem to get fully organised to face each other. At such moments in the final clash the good alone   has    won - - - never    the   wicked   (satyameva  jayate   na anritam).

In the Mahabharata story, such a crises is symbolically re­presented, when the Pandavas are made to face the organised might of the unspiritual materialistic forces - - - the Kauravas. Geeta is addressed to Arjuna, the commander of the forces of the Good. The final advice is "rise - - - O.! Bharata" (uttishta bhaarata).

At all such moments of world revolutions the truly dynamic seekers of self-evolution should not run into caves, but must stand their ground and act rightly; that is important - - - act rightly. What are then the duties of a good man in such a tra­gic predicament ? The Lord vividly explains, (IV-41) "When action is renounced by Yoga, and doubts are cut asunder by knowledge, O. Dhananjaya. then actions do not bind him who is thus poised in the Self."

When selfish actions stinking with sensual desires are renoun­ced in Karma Yoga - - - in the sublime Yagna-spirit - - - (yagasa-mnyastakarmaanam) all such disturbing Vasanas get eliminated.

We do not merely remove negative Vasanas but by study and reflections, we positively gain in our inner understanding; in the light of which our intellectual doubts are cleared (jnaanasamsay).

Carefully please note that we have so far accomplished the removal of all negative Vasanas, and refilled the bosom with positive knowledge, that has lifted up all our doubts. When thus the mind is rendered steady for contemplation, by the elimination of the Vasanas. and is given a clear and vivid understanding of the Supreme Self, it automatically turns away from the world of distractions to perceive clearly the Unitary Substratum Divine. He becomes "poised in the Self (aatmavantam.)

To such a person who has thus evolved into the higher State of Consciousness, the world and activities in it cannot create any new shackles of   Vasanas to fetter him   any   more  (na karmaani nibadhnanti).    In Short, allow our hands and legs    to act in this world in the service of mankind, without our  minds leaving ever the Vision of  the   Higher - - - the   Awareness    of  the Supreme. Just as a musician is   ever aware of   the   background base-sound (sruti} while he sings; just as a mother is ever in attention to her child in the cradle, even though she is   engaged   in   her   domestic activities - - - so too a   man   can   stay in Yoga   within, and yet act    brilliantly   -outside.     By   so  acting   no  fresh Vasanas   are produced to fetter man's inner personality.

This greater vision is clouded by our ego-centric preoccupa­tions. The ego-sense arises in us out of our "non-apprehensions" of the true Self. This non-apprehension creates misapprehensions of the ego and its passions. The ignorance of the real, gives us the delusions of the unreal.

For example let us say that in the dim light   of   a   star-lit night, on a deserted road, you see a 9-ft    tall ghost with outstretched bony arms.    You see fire shooting out of its   sunken   eyes, blood flowing from its skull-mouth.    Many horrid details you see, and   in the despair of fear you hurl your walking-stick at it. cling-clang-clung : a metallic sound : the ghost vision disappears _ _ _ in its place now is the innocent street lamp with a fused-bulb. The "non-apprehension" of the post gave you "mis-appre­hensions" of the detailed picture of the ghost. On discovering the real post, the unreal delusion of the ghost disappears. Similarly, when the real Self is realised, the delusory ego and its endless undivine vulgarities end. Thus, the Lord concludes this chapter saying : (IV-42) "Therefore Cutting down with the sword of knowledge, the doubt regarding the Self, born out of ignorance - - - residing in your heart, take refuge in Yoga. Arise O Bharata "

The doubts regarding the   nature   and   existence of  the Se can be ended only by the immediate   and direct experience of  I This doubt makes us live entrenched in   our ego - - -   and this due to our non-apprehension   of  the Self.      "Therefore, with the sword of   direct experience cut down   this doubt,  that has arise from our spiritual ignorance" ( tasmaadajnaanasambhutam hritsthan jnaanaasinaatmanah chitwaa enam samsayam. )

With the awareness of the Presence Divine, dedicate all activities to Him and without ego and its passionate desires act i the Yagna-spirit .... This is Karma Yoga "take refuge in Yog (yogam aatishta.)

By thus acting, our consciousness expands, our awareness becomes more and more intense, and thus "Arise from your moody confusions and lack of Self—confidence, to live and act as a Go< upon the earth ~ - - O'! Bharata (uttishta bhaarata). Ever unconducive environments can be rendered a blessing if only w are ready to face our life-problems with a true heart of faith and spirit of dedication. If this Yoga-attitude is maintained ever action in this world will release us from our existing psychological encumbrances, and we shall discover ourselves growing into unexpected dimensions both in our capacities and in our capabilities.    It is the ego and its   endless   desire-prompting   that chains us to be the suffering pygmies that we are at this moment.

Man is supreme. The world is his field of play. World problems cannot defeat a man truly intelligent and well-disciplined in himself. Our youth must realise this and start living the life of preparedness to strive diligently and accomplish great and useful achievements for the generations to come. Actions which have not the spirit of service about them, the Seva-Bhava, - - - if the Yagna spirit is not in the community - - - then all activities, however noble-looking they may be, can in the end bring about only sorrows and calamities.

Thus through action with the right mental attitude Awake - - - "arise O' Bharata" (uttishta Bhaarata). This is the tireless call of the Geeta - - - not only to the Pandava Prince of the Mahabharata, but to man at all times, in all climes, belonging to all races, religions and cultures.

The term Bharata denotes Arjuna, the descendent of the ancient King Bharat. Our country is called Bharat not merely because of this ancient King. The Rishis chose this name for its very word meaning. "Bha" in Sanskrit stands for Light, illumina­tion, resplendence. Hence Bhaaskar --- sun; Prabhaa - - - light; Prabhaatam --- dawn; Bhaanu --- sun, etc. "Rathah" means "one who revels in" Thus Bhaa + Ratah means "One who revels in the Light of Wisdom". This country stands for a life of dyna­mic activity in the clear light of true wisdom. Spiritual India, Bharat, has no boundaries - - - She sways her divine sceptor all over the world. Whenever there be one who lives courageously in the Light of Wisdom, stretching himself to reach the Supreme, he is a Bharateeya, a true Indian. Are you a true Bharateeya ? Have you the courage to live your convictions ? Do you live a life of no compromises'? Are you straight-forward, honest, and heroic enough to reject corrupt and immoral ways ? Are you constant­ly and silently fighting down your lower urges and vulaar pas­sions ? Do you consider the the destiny of your nation and its people more sacred than your own personal safety   and   security ? Then you are a Bharateeya.    ARE you ?  ............ Awake

"Arise O' Bharata.'    (uttishta Bhaarata).

(Courtesy : Geeta Office, Powai)

God and Untouchability

The high priest of a Hindu Temple refused admission to an "untouchable." saying:-"You are impure. Come again! Do penance for two years, and I shall let you know if you are fit to sit in the temple."

Sad at heart, the "untouchable" went back home. After three years, the priest saw the "untouchable", passing by the Tem­ple "Where have you been?" asked the priest. "Two years and more have passed since you saw me last!"

The "untouchable" said :- "Sir! you were kind to ask me to do the penance: and the Lord was gracious. He blessed me with His vision And He said to me:- 'Enter not the Temple where they sit in pride of birth and caste : I Myself have not been in the Temple for many, many years ! They who have humility in their hearts, - they behold Me: for the light of Lord doth shine in their silence and their worship !' "

SHRI GURUCHAR1TRA

By:- Shri S. N.  Huddar

(Continued from January  1976 issue) CHAPTER-28

Advice of Karma Vipak to the Harijan

Shri Guru said, ' I will tell you the account of your past life. One gets birth as per one's good or bad actions. If a Shudra enjoys with a Brahmin woman he becomes a chandal. Brahmins and persons of other castes are degenerated if they lead a faulty life.

One who leaves his parents or Guru and goes elsewhere and who forsakes his wife, becomes a chandal. One who adores other deities, leaving one's family god, who speaks a lie, who kills animals, sells his daughter, takes Shudra's food, sells horses, enjoys with Shudra women, sets fire to the forest, separates a cow from its calves, rides on an ox, becomes a chandal

A Brahmin after going to a holy place, does not bathe there and does not observe six Karmas, his first wife being alive, marries with another and forsakes the first, who enjoys with widows, becomes degenerated. Similarly one who breaks tanks and wells, causes split in Brahmins' houses, enjoys with wives of master, Guru or a friend, takes meals in the evening, runs away from the battle field leaving the master, tells vedas to shudras, does not observe shradha, (anniversary of parents etc. ) speaks about one's virtues, administers medicines without knowing the pulse, censures Hari and Har also gets birth in a chandal family.

One who learns mantras from shudras, mixes water in cow's milk, becomes a dog. One who criticises Vedas disrespects Brahmins, suffers from stone in the bladder. One who causes abortions of women, becomes neutral and even if he has issues they do not survive.

One who steals gold, suffers from syphilis, he who steals book becomes blind. One who steals at his friend's house, suffers from glands in the neck. A thief of food articles suffers from tumour. One who takes away other's wife, becomes a Brahma Rakshas. One who takes away money offered to God becomes a leper. One who steals pots and water becomes a cock, and steals cow's milk becomes a leper.

The bad results of adultery are given in Shantiparva of Mahabharat. One who embraces other's wife, becomes a dog for 100 lives and then a serpent. One who sees the vagina of other's wife becomes blind. One who enjoys with a friend's wife or maternal aunt, becomes a dog If a Shudra enjoys with a Brahmin woman, both will become worms.'

Hearing this Trivikram asked, 'If one has committed a sin, how can it be wiped off ?'Shri Guru : 'If there is real repentance, the sin is wiped off. Prayashchittas (Puritive acts) are given in 'Karma Vipak' as follows. Take Brahmadand. Give cow with ornaments in charit to a Brahmin. If this is not possible give money. If the sin is minor then giving of a gold coin will suffice If a man and his wife both have committed a sin both should take Prayashchitta or recite 'Gayatri' mantra ten thousand times or feed 12 Brahmins. 'Gayatri Krichhra' 'Prajapati Krichhra' means to take meal once a day or take 'madhukari' (food alms taken at Brahmins) and have fasts for 3 days, mild sins are wiped off by this act.

In 'Ati Krichhra' take 15 morsals of food in the morning and 12 in the. night or take eight morsels of madhukari food each in the morning and in the night Take ghee for 3 days and milk for 3 days, live only on air for 3 days and then only milk for 3 days and then take only milk for 21 days. A weak person can observe fast taking til, gur, parched paddy (Lahi). In 'Parna Krichhra' water in which leaves of certain trees are dipped, is to be taken. One should declare one's sin in a meeting openly. 'Tirth Krichhra' means to go to a holy place, take bath and recite Gayatri mantra for twelve hundred times. All sins are destroyed by doing this. Bath at Setubandh wipes off sin of killing a child in womb. Recitation of a crore of Gayatri mantra wipes off even the sin of a Brahmahatya.

Pavmansukta, Indra mitra, Shunah shep, Apamadhya, Tadvi-shnoh, Purushsukta from the vedas will wipe off sins if recited daily. Taking of Panch Gavya (mixture of 5 things i. e. Cow's milk, curds, ghee, cow's urine and dung) after repentence, destroys sins committed due to ignorance.

Brahmahatya, drinking, enjoying with guru's wife, theft of gold and cooperation in these 4 crimes are the five great sins which are destroyed by the favour of Shri Guru'.

Shri Guru told the Harijan, 'You were a brahmin but you disregarded your parents and therefore, you have become a chandal. You bathe at the sangam for a month and your sins will be wiped off'

T          he Harijan said, 'A crow becomes a Rajhansa on going to the Manas lake, similarly I have been pure by your sight (darshan). How can the iron transformed into gold by the touch of paras (Philosopher's stone) be iron again ?' Assimilate me now amongst the Brahmins '

Shri Guru smiled and said, 'You are born in a low caste. How can you be a Brahmin without change of the present body ? In the former times, Vishwamitra was born as Kshatriya, by penance he called himself a 'Brahmarshi'. Indra and other gods said, 'If our guru Vashishta calls you 'Brahmarshi' we shall follow his verdict.': Vashishta did not address Vishwamitra as 'Brahmarshi' Vishwamitra was enraged and he killed 100 sons of Vashishta and also lifted a hill to throw on Vashishta in order to kill him. But he thought, 'If I kill Vashishta who will call me a Brahmarshi?' So he changed his mind. Seeing that Vishwamitra is repenting, Vashishta addressed him as 'Brahmarshi'. Vishwamitra was de­lighted and he invited Vashishta for dinner at his Ashram. Vashishta asked him to cook food on his head by the heat of the Sun and then he would dine at his Ashram. Vishwamitra heated his body by the rays of the Sun and cooked food on his head due to his hard penance. Vashishta then dined at Vishwamitra, who there­after was known as Brahmarshi universally. So you will have to cast off your body. Still the Harijan was not .prepared to go away from Shri Guru

In the meanwhile, the wife and children of the Harijan came there. The Harijan asked them not to touch him. The wife requested Shri Guru, 'why my husband is saying like this. If he forsakes me, who will protect me and these children ? Kindly give him right advice, else I shall give up my life.'

Shri Guru said to the Harijan, 'Go home. You will have no salvation if you take the curses of your wife and children. Satisfy your senses first and then do religious acts. It is a great offence to forsake one's wife.'

Shri Guru thought, unless the Vibhuti applied to his body is wiped off, he will not have love for his wife .and children. So he asked a Brahmin, who was doing grocery business, to pour water on the body of the Harijan. On doing so, the vibhuti was washed off and he lost the knowledge that he had gained. He then approached his wife and children with love and affection and went home.

This incident was witnessed by many persons and they were amazed. Trivikram asked Shri Guru, 'How the knowledge of the Harijan was lost after the bath ?' Shri Guru said, 'This is due to the great power of Vibhuti or Bhasma. I shall narrate to you a tale in this connection.'

CHAPTER 29

The   Great   Power   of    Bhasma

In Krityug there lived a great yogi, Wamdeo by name. He was selfless, content and observed 'Moun'. He applied Bhasma to his body, wore scale of trees and the skin of tiger and roamed on earth. Once he came to the Krounch forest. A Brahma, Rakshas approached him and intended to devour him. He caught Wamdeo by his hands and due to this he had a touch of the Bhasma applied to Wamdeo's body. Instantly he lost his hunger and thirst and he got knowledge of his previous births. He therefore, requested Wamdeo for liberation.

Wamdeo asked, 'Who are you ? How did   you come in this ,dense forest ?' Brahma Rakshas:'! was a king named Durjaya in in a Muslim country. I had a very loose character. Being a king, I married many women. Besides I enjoyed other innumerable females. I used to enjoy a new woman everyday. I molested the wives of well-to-do persons, living in my kingdom. I enjoyed devoted wives, widows of all castes and profession. I thus incurred curses o several women and suffered from consumption and other diseases.

'The enemies usurped my kingdom. After death, I was in the life of a spirit for many years and suffered severely. Thereafter I was a tiger, a python, a lamb, a pig, a deer, a bear, a cock, an ass, a cat, a frog, a tortoise, a fish, a rat, an owl, an elephant and in the 25th birth, I have become a Brahma Rakshas.'

Being pleased by his speech, Wamdeo said, 'this is due to the great power of the bhasma applied to my body. I will tell you a tale in this connection. Formerly a Brahmin lived in Draviddesh. He had given up his rituals and was living with a shudra woman. He was adulterous and a thief also. Once when he was committing a 'theft, a shudra killed him and threw his corpse outside the town. A dog, who had rolled in Bhasma, came to eat the flesh of the corpse. Thus the bhasma touched the dead body of the Brahmin. He being a sinner, was being taken by the Yamadoots. But as his body had the marks of bhasma, Shivadoots also came to carry him to Shiva's place. The Shiva­doots attacked the Yamadoots, who then left the Brahmin's corpse and complained to Yama, who came to the Shivadoots and angrily asked them. "Why did you take that sinful Brahmin from mymen?" The Shivadoots told him, "The body of the Brahmin had marks of bhasma on it and so as per Shiva's orders we are taking him to Kailas Your men should not have taken him as sin does not touch the body, with marks of Bhasma." Being satisfied Yama then went away.

Brahma Rakshas said, 'when I was the king, I had construc­ted a tank in a forest and had given some land to the Brahmins. So as told by Yama, 1 had the fortune to see you in this 25th life. Kindly tell me how bhasma is to be applied and liberate me from the cycle of births and deaths'.

Wamdeo said, 'Shri Shanker had gone to Mandrachal along with his Rudragan. Indra, Brahmadeo, Vashishta, Narad, Yaksh, Gandharva and Rishis also had come there to see Shri Shankar, who was seated on a beautiful throne, having seven back grounds, all very bright and made of precious stones. He had the Moon on his forehead, locks of hair on his head, Takshak on one ear and Vasuki on the other and wreaths of serpents around this neck. He had trishul in one hand, Damaru (drum) in the second, sword in the third and the bow and arrows in the fourth. Thus all his ten hands, held different weapons. He was sitting with Parwati devi, who was wearing rich clothes and ornaments.

Sanatkumar requested Shri Shankar to tell some means by which one could attain all the four Purusharthas.

Shri Shankar said, 'have tripundra ( 3 lines ) on the forehead and apply bhasma on the body. This will destroy all the sins, such as taking the wealth of others, enjoying with others, wives, cajoling, giving false witness,   stealing of cow, land, gold   or til, selling milk, flesh, salt and   doing   adultery  etc   and after deat one goes to heaven.

Wamdeo gave enchanted Bhasma to the Brahma Rakshas who applied it to his body and had tripundra on his forehead. He was at once transformed into a celestial person and a plane descended to take him to the heaven.

Though bhasma has much greatness, the greatness of Shri Guru is still more and so due to the favour of Wamdeo the Brahma Rakshas was liberated."

CHAPTER 30

The Death of a Young Brahmin Husband

When Shri Guru lived at Ganagapur, his name and fame spread all over the country. The desires of all were fulfilled by the favour of Shri Guru.

Gopinath a rich Brahmin lived at Mahur. His issues did not survive. Both the Brahmin and his wife were devotees of Shri Datta. They had a son. When he was of 5 years, his thread ceremony was celebrated. When he became twelve years old, his marriage was celebrated. When he was of 16 years, the couple looked very charming. Both loved each other intensely.

Unfortunately the youth fell ill. Many medicines were given. His wife served him devotedly. He could not take full meals. So she also did not take meals. After 3 years he developed con­sumption. His body emitted foul odour. Even physiciations did not like to go near him. But his wife served and nursed him with great devotion. She took only as much food as her husband took. The medicines given to him were also taken by her. She gave up rich garments and lived a very simple life.

The parents of the couple were rich. They were pained to see the sufferings of their son and daughter-in-law. Jap, vrat, cha­rity, sacrifices, feeding of the Brahmins and the poor had been done; but all was futile. All were passing days in grief, relying on the Almighty God.

The youth tried to console his parents and wife in various ways. The wife requested her father and mother-in-law to send them to some good holy place. She said, "My husband would recoup his health there. Shri Guru Narsinha Saraswati lives at Ganagapur. His name and fame have spread all over the country. Hence send us to him “

The parents managed for   their   journey to   Ganagapur and bade them 'good bye with heavy   hearts.    On the   way,   the youth had tridosh and when they reached   Ganagapur,   the   youth   died. The wife    wept bitterly.    She dashed; her    head   on   the ground The local persons tried to console  her   but it was in   vain.    She exclaimed,    'I brought you away from your parents and have been the cause of your death.    I have committed a great sin. How can show my face to them now ?' She fell :on  the   dead   body and wept.    She decided to observe 'sati'   and   burn   herself with   the body of her husband.

In the meanwhile,   there  arrived   a   bright   looking   sanyasi with ash (bhasma) marks on his body, with a wreath of Rudraksh round the neck 'and locks   of   hair   on   his   head.    Knowing the cause of her mourning, he began to advise her saying, 'Every one gets the fruit of his actions in the past.    You need not mourn on the death of this youth. Every one who is  born   has   to die   one day or the other.    When   Ganga is   flooded, logs of   wood   from different places come together and again part.    Several birds come for shelter on a tree in the   night   and fly away in the   morning. Similar is a family life.    Due   to   affection,    we    say   my   father, mother, husband, son, daugher etc.    but just as foam   or bubbles in water do not last long, so is the life on this earth.    Life is like a dream, so do  not mourn ' ( to be continued )

 

SAINT    RAMDAS

By Dr.  S.   D.  Parchure M. A., Ph. D.

(Continued from January 1976 issue)

Though saint Ramdas had decided to start awakening in the minds of the public through religion, he was not yet definite as to the place where he should settle. It appears, therefore that during the :years in Shaka 1566 and 1567 he moved from place to place round about the Krishna River in search of a suitable place for his abode.

During these two years Ramdas mainly moved in the Satara District, Colaba District, Sangali, Miraj and Kolhapur. Whenever he happened to be in the towns and cities, Ramdas used to perform Keertans to preach the devotion to god and religion. He had a very good and lustrous personality. He had a sweet voice and above all he did not expect anything from anybody. Hence his Keertans used to attract big crowds.

During his travel from Satara to Kolhapur in these two years he collected a number of disciples at different places. Because of the Muslim aggression, there were in those days a number of young people everywhere, who wanted to do something to consolidate the Hindu population by some means of the other. This element found a suitable guide in Saint Ramdas and they at once became his disciples The chief among his disciples may be mentioned as follows :- The young blood from the three families of Afale, Pore and Budhakar from Masoor took his initiation. Similarly Diwakar brothers from Mahabaleshwar, the youngsters from Chafal and Tarale, Kalyan and Dattatraya from Kolhapur are also stated to have joined him during this period and they became his disciples. Though the lady folks were not allowed to take active part in social and political fields in those days, still we find that a few ladies also had joined his fold. Sitabai from Shahapur, Ambikabai from Waive, Akkabai from Karhad and Venabai from Miraj were the chief among the ladies who joined him as his disciples and helped him in the maintenance of Maths and preaching among the masses. All these ladies played a very important role in helping Saint Ramdas in his projects.

Solitude is very dear to   most   saints   Ramdas   also   used to resort to solitude whenever he liked to give a serious' thought 'to any problem. In order to make the people overcome their defeatist mentality, Ramdas wanted to make them think about and worship the god who was heroic -and victorious.    Ramdas had  been cons­tantly thinking about this during his   retirement to solitude.   Like Tukaram, Ramdas also   was fond of   resorting  to   the mountains in the vicinity of the Krishna   River   and   some   other   mountain caves in Maharashtra. His constant thinking ultimately led him to the conclusion that his own family deity Shree Rama was the only god about whom preaching   should   he   done   among   the masses. Shree Rama was a Kshatriya.    He   was   wielding   the   bow   and arrow.    He was the destroyer of the king of Lanka, Ravan.    He was a devotee of his father and mother. He was also very faithful to his wife and had great   love for   the family members   and the citizens of his kingdom.   Maruti, the   servant of  Rama,   was the strength incarnate and was a faithful   and ideal servant.    Ramdas therefore, thought it   proper   to   preach   devotion   to   this deity, which in his opinion was a victorious god, who  would infuse the zest for achieving victory,   in the   minds of the devotees.    At the same time the temples of Maruti  became the centres of  acquiring strength for the young generation, as every  Maruti   temple had a gymnasium attached to it.

Saint Ramdas travelled far and wide in India. Wherever he went, he founded a Math and built a Maruti temple. The type of idol that he preferred to be installed in the temple was specially approved by him. Just as Nandi is always installed in front of the Shiva temple, similarly Maruti temple must always be in front of Rama temple. The idol of Maruti that we come across in these traditional temples is usually in standing posture with folded hands. As Maruti was a loyal servant, it was quite natural that he should have been portrayed with folded hands; but Saint Ramdas was a person with peculiar views. He wanted to keep such an idol before the eyes of the people that the followers of the idol must be :infused with enthusiasm and confidence to win a victory over the cruel and bad element. Hence Ramdas always depicted his idols of Maruti as trampling down under his feet a demon. If therefore we want to know whether any parti­cular temple was established by Saint Ramdas or not, we must look to the posture of the Maruti in it and if he is as described above, we might safely conclude that, that particular idol has been installed by Ramdas. It has been recoided that Ramdas founded more than one thousand Maths and Maruti temples throughout the length and breadth of India.

In order to create confidence in the minds of the followers and with a view to establish a place for worship, - where people could gather in large numbers and hence under the garb of religious work even some underground political work could also be done, Ramdas decided to build a temple of God Rama some­where near Karhad on the bank of a river. In his wanderings he was on the lookout for such a suitable place and he selected Chafal as the site for the temple. Chafal is situated on the bank of the Mand River, which takes its birth in the mountains nearby. This River flows for about 8 to 10 miles independently and then meets the Krishna river. At the site selected by Ramdas there was a jungle and it was a problem how to build the temple. Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj, who had by now come to know about the activities of saint Ramdas and had developed deep reve­rence for him, offered to build the temple entirely at his cost; but Ramdas is said to have declined the offer with thanks. He was of opinion that if people put up a temple with their own efforts, then they would get self-confidence. They would be ready for sacrifice for protecting that temple from any alien aggression, because of their special love for that temple, Ramdas was not a person who simply ordered others to do things. He himself prom­ptly applied himself to the work. He himself started cutting the trees and clearing the site. The followers, of course, immediately gathered to help him. The carpenters started cutting the wood, the masons started chipping the stone and thus with the help of everyone the temple rose inch by inch. We appreciate the theory of Shramadan recently started, in order to have the feeling of involvement of all in the work; but it appears that Saint Ramdas knew the theory behind Shramadan -very well and he must have therefore, declined the offer of Shiwaji Maharaj and built the temple with the co-operation of the masses."

The temple was thus rising by inches and feet and naturally the question arose about the idols to be installed in j the temple. The vision of God Rama appeared to saint Ramdas in his dream and pointed out the location where the idol was lying deep in the waters of the Krishna river near the village Angapur. Ramdas was a very good swimmer from his childhood and loved to under­take such adventures. He at once started for Angapur. He also had a good physique. Very soon he reached Angapur and diving deep into the waters he came out of the water and held the idol on his head in high esteem and started for Chafal.

The news about the salvage of the idol from the waters of the Krishna river at once spread far and wide. Some villagers at once said, "The idol was lying near our village and we shall not allow Ramdas to carry it away for installing in his temple." Some others who knew Saint Ramdas and had reverence for him advised the villagers not to object to the removal of the idol; but the others who originally objected to taking away of the idol did not budge an inch. They continued their protests and would not allow Ramdas to carry away the idol. Ramdas was, however, cock sure that he would get the idol. Hence he said, "Alright, if you are not inclined to allow me to take the idol away, I will have no interest in taking it with me. The idol was lying, uncared for deep in the waters of the Krishna river for years together and none of you knew about it. Now when I am salvaging the idol and installing it with the idea of worshipping it daily, you are objecting to it. It is really not proper; but if you do not wish to part with the idol, I am ready to place it here. You may take it away and instal it in a temple of your choice."

Ramdas then kept the idol on the ground near the people. Everyone of the persons, who had gathered there tried to lift the idol; but none could lift it. They then applied the hands of all of them 'and tried to lift the idol collectively; but the result was the same. The villagers were then convinced of the supernatural powers of Ramdas and realised their own folly and withdrew their opposition. In the presence of the villagers thereafter, Ramdas all alone easily lifted the idol and took it away to Chafal for installing in the temple under construction.

Thus when the building of the temple was ready and the idol was brought from Angapur, it was installed in the temple with pomp and show on theRamnavami day and the temple was inaugurated. The celebration went on for days together. Thousands of brahmins and other people were fed during the festival. Though Saint Kamdas founded the temple, it was for the people to manage it. He never got involved into worldly affairs. He how­ever,- knew that people interested in such things later on created trouble. In all such temples there were traditions and they were maintained scrupulously. Hence in order to avoid future disputes saint Ramdas made arrangements for the functioning of the tem­ple. As the temple was of Rama, he had decided to have an annual festival every year on the Ramnavami day and detailed arrangements were made and committed to writing. The functions like white washing the walls, painting the pictures on the walls, cooking in the kitchen, lighting of the lamps, purchases from the bazaar, managing the stores, carrying the palanquin of the deity, the right of worshipping the idol, serving the food in the dinners, the spreading of carpets at the time of keertans etc. which were connected with the management of the temple were all described in detail and appointments were made for doing the same. The idea in doing this was to avoid clashes among the workers and thus avoid chaos and quarrels during the festival. So long as Saint Ramdas was living at Chafal, he used to see personally that all the work was being carried out as laid down in the document prepared in this behalf. Later on saint Ramdas stayed permanenty on Sajjangad; but he regularly attended the festival and saw that it went on smoothly. However in Shaka 1602 Ramdas could not attend the Ramnavmi festival and in his absence, there arose some trouble regarding the right of doing certain things in the festival. Those disputes were later on settled by saint Ramdas himself at Sajjangad.

During his pilgrimage throughout India, as described before, Ramdas had observed the atrocities of the Muslims. Destroying the Hindu temples and breaking the idols therein, was- a very common game of the Muslims, who had the support of the rulers. In such predicament, Saint Ramdas decided to erect a temple and dedicate it to his favourite deity, who was the victorious Shree Rama. When this mighty task was accomplished by him, he went further in securing 'Inams’ of lands to the temple, even from the Muslim Ruler of Bijapur. The Hindu rulers in general and Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj in particular no doubt donated libe­rally for the maintenance and up keep of the temple; but it was a great feat on the part of Saint Ramdas to get "Inam" from the Muslim ruler of Bijapur. Apart from the other effects of build­ing of this temple on the minds of the masses, the main effect was that they all overcame the defeatist mentality in them. They all recovered their lost self confidence and had faith in themselves that they also could achieve some good thing if they unite toge­ther and apply their minds to any good work. This psychological change in the minds of the people helped Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj to get a following from all the quarters of Maharashtra in his attempt to found a separate Maratha kingdom.

The temple built by Samarth Ramdas has stood the Sun and the rain for  nearly three hundred years.   The annual festival and the daily worship is being carried out there without interruption. Recently, however, when there was an earthquake in the area of Koyna river, this temple cracked and was in a dilapidated condi­tion. A Mill owner from Bombay, Shri Arvind Mafatlal, who happened to visit the temple in that condition, was moved very much and he immediately ordered the rebuilding of the temple at the cost of a few lakhs of rupees. He had ordered new marble idols from upcountry and they were to he installed there. However the old people from the village and the trustees of the temple objected to the displacement of the old idols. Ultimately a com­promise was arrived at and both the old and new idols are now installed in the temple. This monument of Saint ;amdas, in the form of the Rama Temple, can still be seen at Chafal.

( to be continued )

SHRI   SAINATH   DIARY   1976

Shri Sainath Diary for the year 1976 is ready. All Life Members staying within Greater Bombay 'and Thana are req­uested to call at Sai Niketan, 804 B Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar, Bombay 14, during office hours and collect their copy.

RAMKRISHNA   PARAMAHANSA

A DEEP DEVOTEE OF THE UNIVERSAL MOTHER

Often in our hearths and homes we see the picture of a small brown man with short flowing beard & beautiful dark eyes, full of light, obliquely set and slightly veiled - - seeing half-closed a great distance, both outwardly and inwardly. He is Ramkrishna Paramahansa, the saint who gave us Vivekananda.

Kamarpukar is a village in Bengal (West), set in the midst ' of palm trees, pools and rice fields. In that village there lived a pious and old Brahmin couple. They were devotees of Lord Shri Ramchandra. The child whom the world was to know as Ram­krishna was born in this family on February 18, 1836. His cradle name was Gadadhar.

What are the stories told about his childhood ? Gadadhar was the fourth of the five children, his parents had. His father died when he was seven years old. His biographers tell us stories about his frequent ecstasies when he played different role in the village dramas with the bo>s of his own age. His being was possessed by the roles of gods and goddesses and he lost himself in