SHRI SAI LEELA

JULY 1976

CONTENTS

1.         Editorial                        Guru Pournima

2.         The Science of Religion By : Swami Chinmayananda

3.         Shri Akkalkot Swami Maharaj and Shri Sai Baba          by V.B.Kher

4.         Leukoplakia Reproduced & Cured       Prabhudas Mehta

5.         Saint Ramdas   Dr.S.D.Parchuru

6.         Compilation of Directory

7.         Shri Gurucharitra                      Shri S.N.Huddar

8.         Shri Sai Hindu Centre, London.

 

SHRI SAI LEELA

( Official Organ of Shirdi Sansthan)

Page.

2 VOLUME 55

JULY 1976

No. 4

 

Life's Richest Treasure

I believe that true spiritual life is  not the monopoly of any one nation or race but is common to the world - faiths   and   the wisdom of all prophets of humanity.   So I rejoice in the teaching 'of John and Paul, as I do in the thought of the Upamshads, that life's richest treasure is in the synthesis of Sat, Chit and Ananda.

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

Guru Pournima

On the llth of this month, Guru pournima will be celebrated all over India     As usual there will be a festival for three days Shirdi.    Those who are lucky will be   able   to   participate in festival at Shirdi; but others also could pay their homage to the great guru, Shri Sai Baba at their own houses.

Guru Pournima is celebrated every year on the full me day in the month of Ashadha. This Pournima is also known Vyas Pournima, because this is -the day on which we have remember the obligations done by Bhagwan Vyas on the mankind and thank him for these obligations.

Bhagwan Vyas was a great thinker, organizer and a voluminous writer. The Mahabharat, Bhagwat and 18 Puranas are main contributions that have come to us through all these are but apart from this, his very important work relates to Veda which has helped to retain them in their original form. Vedas were composed long before the birth of Vyas. The Vedic hymns were scattered all over. They were committed to memory by different people and were being passed on to their disciples but there was no regular arrangement by which the Vedas co be perpetuated. Bhagwan Vyas therefore selected his four illustrious disciples, and rearranging the Vedas into four parts, assigned them to those disciples as follows. He assigned Rigweda to his disciple Pail ( q?5 i. His illustrious disciple Vaishampayan.got the Yajurveda from Bhagwan Vyas. third Veda viz. Sama Veda was acquired from Vyas by his favourite disciple Jaimini.  Sumantu was also a disciple on whom the favours of Shri Vyas was showered. He was pleased to assign to him the fourth of Sacred Vedas viz. Atharva-Veda. Because of this arrangement, the load on every individual was reduced. The establishment of a separate order for each Veda resulted in course f time in obtaining staunch followers of that particular tradition, though after ages the followers of the different Vedas had a little friction with each other due to their bubbling enthusiasm ,in their own Veda, which only they considered to be more important than other Vedas, still the tradition of the guru and disciple continued without interruption and hence today we get .the Vedas in the same form as they were some four thousand years ago. This work of Vyas is commemorated thus  Apart from perpetuating e work done by Bhagwan Vyas in respect of the Vedas, this gives us a clue about   his name viz.  (Vyas)

The story   of  the   birth of   this great   sage   is   very queer. Once Parashar Rishi   was on his way to the Himalayas.    He had ready acquired much merit by performing   penance, but he   was being dragged to them, for   further penance, by the snow-capped peaks of the Himalayas.    On his way, while   crossing the river in •country craft,  he   saw a comely   girl   of the  fisherman   caste, who was   rowing the boat and he immediately got   enamoured of her.    The   son   of   that   fisherwoman,   Satyawati   by   name,   was Bagwan Vyas.   In those days the   caste-system does not seem to be become very rigid and anybody would be allowed to acquire knowledge and to study the Vedas and other   scriptures.    The birth of Vyas took place   on an island   (Dweepa)  in the stream of the Jamuna river and hence he was also known as Krishnadvaipayan.

Apart from his lineage from a great sage like Parashar, there story about how Vyas got his enlightenment.    It is said that he had a holy bath in the river Saraswati near   Brahmakund and "became enlightened immediately after that    This enlightement Sired him for composing the Puranas and he started composing them one after another.   Even after composing seventeen Purans; in this fashion, he could not get peace of  mind.    Hence   Narada advised him to compose  a Purana on   the   life of  Lord Krishn Bhagwaa Vyas therefore composed Bhagwat Purana and taught to   his   disciple   Soota   This composition  ultimately   helped him to achieve lasting peace of mind. I

One incident that is related from the life of Vyas brings out the   importance   of  god    Ganapati.     After   preparing  the   four Branches of Veda and   demarketing   them,   Bhagwan   Vyas   got little elated because of his unique work and while undertaking the, work of   composing   the   Puranas,   he   forgot   to bow down Ganapati in the usual fashion.    This lapse on his part   disturb his balance of mind and he could not think or  write coherent Shri Vyas therefore approached  god Brahma for advice, who gave him a Mantra and the Ganesh Puran, which describes the  greatness of god   Ganapati.   He  also   advised   him   to  perform   penance.  After   doing   this   the   work   of  composing   the    Puranas   took momentum and it concluded quickly.

!           Once Shri Vyas thought of  matrimony.   He   was  therein married to the daughter of the sage Jabali.   Vatika,   the wife Vyas got a   son, who was named   as   Shuka. When son went to heaven, Vyas with all his learning could not contain himself.    When he started lamenting, Rudra himself came to and pacified him.   The system   of "Niyog"   was   in vogue in the days of   Mahabharata and hence  according   to  the   order  ol mother, Shri Vyas   was responsible for the birth of Dhritarasl Pandu and Vidoor.

Looking to the many works recorded in the name of Vyas, a number of research scholars have thought that the persons who composed all these works must not be a single individual It must be the work of many persons going under the same name which might be degree or a post or a designation. This be true because of the belief that in every "Dwapar" yug a Vyas is born. According to this belief, there have elapsed twentyeight "Dwapar" yugas in the Vaiwaswata Manvantar and so far there have accordingly been twentyeight Vyasas. Their names have been listed out in the Vishnu Purana.

Whether the above belief is true or not, we know that Mahabharata was composed by Vyas in order to explain and bring out in brief all the philosophy that has been strewn over in the Vedas. Because of this nature of Mahabharat, it occupies a very important position in the philosophical and religious books of the Hindus. Its importance can be very well judged because of the fact that it is called the fifth Veda.

In our society the guru or the preceptor occupies an envy-able position. The student was always being told “Acharya Devo Bhava” (Be one to whom the guru is like a god) after he was told “Pitru devo Bhava”, and “Matru Devo Bhava.” The Rishis of ancient days also behaved in such a manner that they commanded much respect in the .society. They preserved all the knowledge that they acquired from their preceptor or guru and they gave it liberally to their disciples. The urge of the ancient gurus to give their knowledge to their disciples was so much and they imparted their knowledge so whole-heartedly that their expection was. (The preceptor should expect a defeat from his disciple). The gurus of old days imparted their knowledge to their disciples without any reservation and expected their disciples to be so proficient, that their real test of the .student was this ihat he would be able to defeat even the guru in argument and ' a advancement of knowledge. Under such circumstances, it was just natural that all the disciples had unlimited reverence for their Guru and they paid unreserved homage to him. The guru-purnima s the day on which this homage is being publicly paid to the Guru by the disciples. Since the time of the Ex-President of India, Radhakrishnan a day which is known as teachers' day, is being elebrated at Government level all over India.   The State Governments are also felecitating every year the best teachers of the year.

Shri Sai Baba is the guru of all gurus as fas as the Sai Devotees are concerned. Though He never delivered long sermons. He showed by His actions and His symbolic talk the best way to behave in this life and to obtain “Moksha”. Since 1909, the devotees going to Shirdi could get an opportunity to worship Baba in person in the Dwarkamai. Really those people. Who got that opportunity were extra lucky; but this should not discourage others. S per the words of Shri Sai Baba himself though he has cast away his human body, still he would be at the beck and call of his devotees in their nick of time and hence it is our duty to always remember Him and pray to him. Shri Baba had also crossed all the limitations of place. Though He was supposed to be only at Shirdi, by the common people. He moved out of Shirdi and appeared at several places far away from Shirdi in many forms. He is therefore present everywhere and the Sai Devotees may worship Him at their own houses on the Guru Pournima day according to their own wish. Let us then pay our homage to Shri Sai Baba, the guru of gurus on the Guru Pournima day along with Bhagwan Vyas and other revered gurus.

SHRI GURU POURN1MA FESTIVAL AT SHIRDI

The Guru Pournima Festival of this year will be celebrated as usual at Shirdi from Saturday, the 10 July 1976 to Monday, the 12th July 1976. All Sai devote are requested to attend the festival at Shirdi and p their respects to Shri Sai Baba.

THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION

By : Swami Chinmayananda

Who Gains This Vision

In the modern psychological terms of our own times, Vyasa enumerates the conditions under which the human heart gets merged into the divine beam, and comes to gain a clear vision of the Lord-of-the-Universe in an immediate experience. Declares e Geeta Acharya, (V-17) "Those who have their intellects absorbed in That, whose minds are soaked with That, —— who are steadfast in the pursuit of That, - - - whose consumption is That - - - they, their impurities cleansed by knowledge, do attain i the "Never Return" (liberation).

Four conditions are here clearly enumerated, as the most conducive adjustments within us, when we become turned up to the Higher Consciousness "Those whose intellect; is absorbed in that" (tadbuddhayah) - - - through study and sincere discussions with the learned we come to intellectually appreciate the glorious leory of the spiritual life and gain a vivid concept of the goal i be attained. Your all-out participation in your studies is necessary in order to gather such a clarity of understanding of the profound vision of the spiritual life.

A mere intellectual appreciation of an ideal by  itself, is not Efficient to make us live that ideal.   Through independent reflection, the ideal understood, must come down to water our mind. Whose mind is soaked with That" (tadaatmaanah). The ideal is respect with our reason, must become the altar of our adoration and love. Deep devotion felt for the ideal, soaks the mind, much a creative devotion is gained only when we hold, long and -deep reflections upon our ideal. Here begins our involvement with the ideal.

Next   comes   the   stage   indicated here    by "those who   are steadfast in their   pursuit   of   That", (tannishttaah), which represents the   "period of  practice".    Hence   at   his third   stage, the one, who has been already convinced of an ideal, and has become devoted to it now makes honest attempts to   live it.    In  the initial period of practice the   young   man is   found to   live this new life of his discovered ideal, only when he   is   not called   upon to vigorously deny and totally contradict his own old ways-of-living -Whenever convenient - - - whenever the temptation  is not strong enough to challenge his intellect, - - - whenever he is   not called upon   to   make   any   extraordinary   sacrifice   - - -   at   all   ,such intervals he lives his own convictions.

The more he lives, what he knows to be true, and what he is devoted to, the more he experiences in them an ampler joy - a greater satisfaction - - - a fuller sense of fulfillment. Natural!-he is won over by the tremendous charm of the true way-of-life'!

Thus comes the fourth and the last stage, "whose   consumation is That"  (tatparaayanaah).    Hereafter   such   a man   finds! immpossible to go back to his old ways-of-life, and   continuous! lives the life of his deeper convictions and his nobler values - -the higher ways of the   cultural   living.    He   no   longer   compromises - - - he becomes now commited to the   ideals  he has first intellectually appreciated, ideals   to which then he   mentally gets devoted to, and the ideals which he tried to practice   in life with shy hesitations.   Now he   cannot but- live   his   new   life can no   longer   brook any compromises.   Just   as  a   river   flowing down, gushing over the obstacles, swirling along   mountains -yet ever,  lashing and roaring   down its march to  the sea, so a man of character, at this stage,   can no longer   be halted al his irresistible march in step with his own convictions.

Such mighty men   of   determination   and   faith, ardour convictions alone had reached heights of splendour in their success and they alone guided the later generations   to walk   the path of culture. Young men preparing themselves to be leaders of men and matter - - - in Science and politics, in social work or spiritual life - - - cannot overlook this essential technique in self-cultivation.

Such persons, who have accomplished   these   four-disciplines to themselves, really move into a greater life of permanent glory  -. to a state of beauty and perfection, which is a "point of no-return" (gacchantyapunaraavrittim), when their old Vasanas, and the consequent attitudes (sins) get cleansed by knowledge (jnaana-cirdhootakalmashaah).

Once the old Vasanas are blisterd in the fire-of-knowledge, they shall no more rise up to shackle our personalities. The experience beyond the Vasanas is a permanent state of higher evolution - - there is no chance of us returning back again into our older ways of living, and feeling and thinking.

Once this experience of the Self  is   realised, the individual's entire vision-of-life changes : (V-18) "With an equal vision they consider a learned and   humble   Brahmin, a cow, an elephant, _ dog and a dog-eater. "

Men, who peeped over their ego-centric personality, come to -evaluate the world-of-beings around them   with a new understanding. He listens to and hears a divine note of harmony singing through all - - - whether in the best of men (vidyaavinayasam-nne brahmane ) or in intelligent animals (gavihastini) or in the dullest of men ( swapaake ), the awakened ones recognise the play the same Divine Spark-of-Existence. Hence, "equal vision comes to all those who are wise (pandttaah samadersinah).

This power to recognise the   underlying   oneness is 'the core all culture.    Even   civilized   life   is   not possible   without this answer of equal vision in the people.    Communal quarrels,   party tables, inter-racial disturbances, even international   wars   breed  unreasonable   anger   arising   out of partial   vision, and the disturbing recognition of distinctions and   differences.    Caste pre­judices, creedal   fights,   inter-religious   animosities - - - why even unhappy   bickering between, man and   wife,   between   father   and   , son - - - are all due to seeing distinctions and not able to recognise the subtle points of harmony.

The recognition in another man, some aspect or the other of yourself, is the basis of  all   friendship and   love.   The animosity felt against a stranger leaves us   the   moment we,  in our conver­sations, recognise him as a man from our own country, or district or town.    Even if   the   other   is   a   foreigner, - - - yet, if   he is recognised as one who had studied in your own college, he beco­mes a friend.   May be a stranger, - - - but when  he is  recogni­sed as one pursuing your own profession   or   art, he   becomes at once  a pal to you.    These are some instances, wherein the recog­nition of   at   least a part   of. yourself   in   the   other,   builds an immediate bridge between you and the other person. , To realise the play of the   One-Self in all, is to   throw   at . once bridges   from   the   individual to   all  others in the   cosmos. Indeed, sages and saints of Self-realisation,  experiencing the One Self   everywhere,   are   ever   men   of   "equal-vision"    (panditaah samadarshinah ).

(Courtesy : Geeta Office, Povai)

Where is God? :

 

Ba Yazid of   Bistam   was a Muslim   seer. When   asked : "Where   is God?"   he said :—

"The temple and the mosque, alas ! are both empty. Both are built of beautiful stones : but God is not there ! Far and wide I wandered in Arab countries and other lands. Alas ! 1 found Thee not, in any of them. I found Thee in the temple of loving service. I found Thee in the temple of the Heart .'"

 

Shri Akkalkot Swami Maharaj and Shri Sai Baba

(On his seventieth birth-day Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore remarked, "The same sun is reborn in many lands in a ring of endless dawns". In a sense this would seem to be true of many seers. Was the renowned spiritual guide Shri Akkalkot Swami Maharaj one such incarnation of the spirit ? Was Shri Sai Baba so similar to Akkalkot Maharaj as to be almost the same spirit, resurfacing in the stream of life for the benefit of mankind ? In this article Shri V. B. Kher examines this appearance or reality in the light of evidence that has come his way.-Editor )

To those interested in the spirit and the things of the spirit, Shri Akkalkot Swami Maharaj needs no introduction whatsoever. Even so, it is worth recording here that the followers of the Datta Sampradaya regard him as an incarnation of Lord Datta-treya. They believe that Shri Narsimba Saraswati, the third incarnation in the Sampradaya, who vanished from Ganagapur after leaving his padukas behind, over five hundred years ago, resurfaced as Akkalkot Maharaj. In view of all this, it should be of some interest to the followers of Akkalkot Swami Maharaj and Sai Baba, that Sai Baba himself regarded the Maharaj as a kindred spirit-so much akin that they were almost one.

"Is there any one now-a-days of the type of Akkalkot ', Maharaj ?" This query was put to Shri Nanasaheb Chandorkar, an ardent devotee of Sai Baba by Shri Ramarao Pradhan some-; time in 1909 or 1910. [1] Nanasaheb Chandorkar replied that Sai Baba of Shirdi. was Akkalkot Swami's peer and asked Shri Pradhan to go to Shirdi. The aforesaid discussion is indicative of the spiritual stature of Akkalkot Maharaj and the tremendous impact of his personality in his time. In fact, his fame had spread so far and wide that devotees from all quarters thronged in Akkalkot to pay homage to him.

Akkalkot Swami first became well-known at Mangalvedhe where he came in about 1838. From thence, he went to Sholapur and soon made his way to Akkalkot at the beginning of 1857. [2] Akkalkot was then a small princely state under the rule of Malojiraje. He derived his name of Akkalkot Swami Maharaj from his^ long stay in Akkalkot. Nothing is known about the place of birth of Akkalkot Maharaj, his early, life the family in which he was born and who were his parents. No reliable information is also available as to when he took to orders or by whom he was initiated and when. In fact, there is a veil of mystery enshrouding his life until his appearance in Mangalvedhe.

[3] From his pictures which are available, It appears that he was of medium height. He had a fair and bright complexion and his arms reached upto his knees. He had such power in his eyes that none could continue to took at him for long without lower­ing his gaze [4]. These characteristics of Akkalkot Maharaj were also marked in Sai Baba.

It is said that there is a great deal of parallelism between Akkalkot Maharaj and Sai Baba [5]. To say that there are many things in common between these two men of spirit is a truism It would, however, be nearer the truth to say that they were bound by strong ties of affinity and that there was perfect unity of spirit between them. Before noting their common traits or qualities and points of similarity between them, it will be rewarding to examine closely their mutual relationship.

Shri Ramachandra Keshav Naik had written an interesting and informative letter dated 25th July, 1925 to the Editor of Shri Sai Leela which throws light on how they cherished each other. As a child R. K. Naik often accompanied his father Shri Keshav Naik on his visits to Akkalkot Maharaj. In 1878, when Keshav Naik received a telegram from Shri Balappa Maharaj that the end of Akkalkot Maharaj was near, he along with his son reached Akkalkot, and appearing before Akkalkot Swami asked, what they were to do after Swami Maharaj was no more. Swami Maharaj hurled his leather sandals at Naiks for being worshipped. He also directed them to go to Sai Baba and serve ; him with heart and soul. So Keshav Naik with his son came to  Shirdi. Sai Baba recognized them at once and showed his spiritual identity with Akkalkot Maharaj by bestowing many marks of favour on them. As Swami Maharaj had years ago turned the , bitter leaves of half of the Neem Tree at Akkalkot into sweet, Sai Baba did the same with the famous Neem tree at Shirdi and both Naiks had their fill of these sweet leaves. After his father's death R. K. Naik occasionally visited Shirdi. Once he met Anandnath Maharaj. In his discourse, Anandnath Maharaj refer­ring to Sai Baba said those who regarded Sai Baba as a mad fakir were deluded and did not know his true worth. Sai Baba was none other than Akkalkot Swami [6],

Anandnath Maharaj was a Kudaldeshkar Brahmin by birth and belonged to Walawal, a village near Sawantwadi. His I surname was Walawalkar and he traded in harda. Once when he visited Bombay, hearing the fame of Akkalkot Swami Maharaj, he immediately proceeded to Akkalkot where he was blessed by Swami Maharaj. He took sannyasa and was thereafter known as Anandnath Maharaj. Anandnath Maharaj lived in Akkalkot for six years and received benediction from Swami Maharaj in the form of mini silver padukas. He established three mutts one  Yevale in the Nasik District, another at Hodawade near Sawantwadi and third at Vengurla. He has written extensively on Swami Maharaj but most of his works remain unpublished. Anandnath Maharaj lived in grandeur and had a large parapher-nelia. Through the grace of Akkalkot Swami, he had acquired siddhis ( occult powers ) which he used for curing the sick and the diseased. He took samadhi in 1904 at Vengurla where his padukas are installed. [7]

Shri G.R. Dabholkar, the   author   of   Shri Saisatcharita, records that Anandnath Maharaj, a disciple of Akkalkot   Maharaj and a person   of   highly   ascetic   disposition,  had   no   hesitatioi in declaring after a visit to Sai Baba   at   Shirdi that ordinary a the young Fakir appeared to the outward eye, his real worth was far greater.   He   was   like a diamond   lying  undiscovered   on  dung heap [8].    The incident referred to in Shri Saisatcharita took place in 1885 when Anandnath Maharaj   was camping at his mutt at Savargaon, 6 miles from Yevale.   Shri   Madhavrao Deshpand^ along   with Nandram Marwadi and others called on him. At the close   of     their   meeting,   Anandnath accompanied   them   to: Shirdi to see Sai  Baba   and   made the   observations   referred   to above [9]. Twelve years earlier, when Sai Baba had just made his permanent abode in Shirdi, Bidkar Maharaj,   another well-know disciple of Akkalkot Maharaj is said to have met Sai Baba [10],

A visitor to Shirdi cannot fail to notice the padukas und^ the famous Neem tree around which a small shrine has bee erected. The story of these padukas is interesting. There are two versions about these padukas : one, of the author of Shj Saisatcharita and the other, of Shri B. V. Deo. It would  worthwhile to examine these two versions. j

The author of  Shri   Saisatcharita   states   that   there   was devotee of Akkalkot   Swami   Maharaj   by the name of Bhai [1v who installed the padukas of Swami Maharaj, Bhai once   thought of going to Akkalkot for the darshan of Swami's padukas and made all preparations for the journey.   But Akkalkot   Swami appeared to him in his dream the night before, and instructed him to go to Shirdi where, he said,   he   was   then   abiding.   Accordingly  Bhai went to Shirdi where he resided for six   months.   To   commemorate his vision, he installed padukas of  Akkalkot   Swami on the full   moon day in the month of Shravan   ( August )   1912   und the foot of the neem tree.   The padukas were  duly   installed Dada Kelkar and   Upasani   Maharaj officiated   at   the ceremony.  The daily worship of the padukas was entrusted to a Brahmin the name of Dixit and the general supervision  was carried out Sagun [12].

Shri B. V. Deo gives a somewhat different version according to which the padukas are not of  Akkalkot Swami but of Sai Baba. The story goes that sometime   in   1912,   Doctor   Ramrao Kothare of Bombay visited Shirdi for   Sai   Baba's   darshan. He was accompanied by his compounder and friend,   Bhai   Krishnaji Alibagkar.    After taking   counsel   with   Sagun   Meru   Naik   and G. K. Dixit two devotees of Baba, Bhai thought of  commemora­ting the event of Sai Baba's  first   coming   to   Shirdi and   it was decided that the best way of doing this was to install his padukas under the Neem tree. When informed, Dr. Kothare liked the idea. He drew up a plan of the   padukas   and showed   it   to Upasani Maharaj who was then   staying   at   Khandoba   temple   in Shirdi. Upasani Maharaj incorporated therein motifs of lotus, conch, disc etc.    and composed a Sanskrit   verse in   praise of   Sai Baba and the holy Neem tree which  is as follows :

 

A free rendering of this is : I bow- to Sadguru Sai Nath (vho by his constant abode at the foot of the Neem tree made the ree, which is bitter and unpleasant, into a nectar-giving one and •etter than the Kalpa-Vriksha ( the boon-giving tree )".

On the advice of Baba, the padukas were installed under the Neem tree on the full moon day   in the   month   of   Shravan  in 1912.   On that day, at 11 00 a. m., Shri G. K. Dixit carried the padukas on his head from Khandoba temple to Dwarkamai where Baba blessed them before   their   installation.   A day before, Baba also gave for this purpose a sum of Rs. 25/~ which he had received a day earlier from a Parsi devotee named Pastashet.   Bhai was present at the installation of the padukas and he wanted to go to Akkalkot, thereafter, but Baba dissuaded him   saying that he and Akkalkot Swami Maharaj were one.   So Bhai   then  dropped the ea of going to Akkalkot on that occasion [13].

 

Sagun Meru Naik in his statement   also   confirms   that the marble stone padukas installed in 1912 were of   Sai Baba but his account varies from Shri Deo's as regards some details.  Accordingly to   Sagun   Meru   Naik,   Bhai   Alibagkar   was   a   vendor   of agarbattis     Though Bhai conceived   the  idea   of   installation of Baba's padukas, he being poor,  the   whole   of the expenses were practically borne by Dr. Ramrao   Kothare.    Baba gave Rs. 25 -as his contribution    Four Brahmins,   representing the four Vedas,! were brought from Kopargaon for performing the   ceremony and they were assisted by Balasaheb Bhate, Bapusaheb Jog, Dada Kelkarj and Upasani Maharaj [14].

The padukas that one sees today   are not those   installed in 1912. Foi, sometime later, one Martand, a mad Brahmin living on bounties from Baba broke the   padukas with a huge   stone.    He' also destroyed the idols in   Mahadeo-Parvati  temple.    Baba was' sked whether new padukas should be   installed in   place   of the broken once.    Baba   did   not   approve of the   idea   and   advised that anna-shanti would suffice.   So about two to three hundred people were fed as a part of the   Shanti   ceremony [15] /

            It makes no difference whether the padukas are of   Akkalkot Swami or of Sai Baba.    As Sai Baba avers,   the two are one and indivisible. The worship of   one is   the   worship   also of the other.   Their oneness and unity of spirit has been  proclaimed by both these   sages and   it will   be well to bow to them   both  it reference. Some tales aie also told which show the nexus orthe close connection between these spiritual giants and are worth noting.'

STORY OF- G. N. AMBDEKAR

Gopal Narayan   Ambdekar   of   I'une   was a devotee   of Sai Baba.    He was in Government  service in the Excise   Departme from which he had to retire after ten years'  service.    He tried get other suitable   employment but   without   success.   Gradual his fortunes declined and he fell on evil   days.  Seven  years elapsed. He Visited Shirdi every year and importuned Baba to improve his condition. Finally, he become desperate and being unable to bear his suffering any longer, the thought of committing suicide took hold of his imagination. He came to Shirdi with his family and stayed there for two months. One night, while sitting on a bullock cart outside Dixitwada, he was so much overcome with melancholia that he proposed ending his life by [throwing himself in a well; but Sai Baba, the omniscient, had a plan to prevent his watery grave. A few paces away from where  Ambdekar sat was a kiosk of Sagum Meru Naik, a Sai devotee.

Sagun came out at the appropriate moment with a biography of Akkalkot Maharaj and asked Ambdekar whether he had read it, Ambdekar took the book in his hand and while turning over  its pages, his attention was riveted on a tale of Vamanbuwa Bododekar which mirrored his own condition. [16]

Vamanbuwa Badodekar was a staunch   devotee of Akkalkot Swami.    He   hailed   from   Wambori,   a   village  seven   miles   off Ahmednagar.    He had, in   turn,   worked as   a   school-master,   a clerk in the   Collector's   Office at   Dhulia and later in a printing al press at Ahmednagar.    Being inclined towards religious and scholarstic pursuits,   he   found   no   pleasure   in   these   jobs   and   was  restless   at heart.    He often mixed   with fakirs,   sannyasins and and religious mendicants.    Once at Poona he was directed by a Brahmin to   seek    guidance   from   Akkalkot    Maharaj.    Vamanbuwa  accordingly went to Akkalkot and took refuge in Swami Maharaj. In 1876,    Vamanbuwa was suffering from a multitude of ailments and   was   disgusted   with   life.    Cough,   rheumatism, eye-trouble, piles, diarrhoea and a   number of other disorders assailed his body .    and he could get no sleep.    At that time he was staying with his ' family at Baroda.    He lost all hopes of survival; but all the same continued with his devotional worship   of  Akkalkot   Swami.    He sent letters to Swami, telling him of his condition and praying for relief, but received   no  reassurance.    So in a fit of  depression he decided to end his life. Stealthily, one night, he approached the lake I Sursagar, entered the waters and   was   about   to drown   himself when Akkalkot Swami appeared to him in person, pulled him out of jaws of death by his hand and slapping him hard, scolded hi thus: "Why do you want to end your precious life? Unless you work out your karma, you have no release. Why do yo fret ? Your aim should be Sahaj Samadhi ( i. e. merging effortlessly with Brahman ) and not cowardly suicide.". He brought him home and blessing him advised .him to have patience and hope steadily. Vamanbuwa's condition improved and after a visit to Akkalkot, he was completely cured. [17] '

On reading this story of Vamanbuwa Badodekar, Ambdekar recovered his poise and silently praised Sai Baba for His timely help and guidance. Ambdekar's father had been a devotee of Akkalkot Maharaj. Ambdekar resolved henceforth to continue with this devotion. The wheel of fortune slowly turned in - Ambdekar's favour; he prospered and his faith in Sai Baba was strengthened. [18]

2.         STORY OF HARISCHANDRA PITALE

Shri Harischandra Pitale's   son   was epileptic.    Hearing   the fame of Sai Baba through   Das   Ganu's   kirtans in   1910,    Pitale with his family went to Shirdi.    Through the grace of   Baba, his son's condition improved.    Before departing, Pitale   came to take leave of Baba, who took out   three   rupees   from his   pocket and placing them   in   Pitale's   hand said,    "I have   given you   rupees two before. Place these three along with those two in your shrine of worship and you will be   blessed".    Pitale   accepted   the   holy gift with reverence   but   could   not   understand   the   import   and significance of the blessing   until   on   his   return   home   his aged mother clarified that his   deceased   father   had   visited   Akkalkot Swami   along with him years ago when that Swami had given his father rupees two as a gift. [19]

3. THE STORY OF AGNIHOTRI MULE SHASTRI

The following story, as confirmed by Agnihotri Mule Shastri .himself, appeared in Shri Sai Leela [20]. Sometime in 1915 Muleshastri of Nasik once came to Shirdi to   see   Bapusaheb   Buti to request him to allow the use of his property in Panchavati   at   Nasik for his School of Vedic Studies.    After his work was over, Muleshas­tri made preparations to return to Nasik, but Buti suggested that he should not   leave Shirdi   without   taking   leave Sai Baba. Muleshastri was an orthodox Brahmin   and did   not   desire to be polluted by any contact with the Musjid ! Buti   assured   him that he would ensure that Muleshastri would not be contaminated by anybody's touch in the, Musjid.    He also agreed to ask for Baba's leave on behalf of Muleshastri. Muleshastri could not object to these arrangements and it   was decided to approach Baba next morning. Next day at about 9.00 a. m., Baba, when out on his daily round to Lendi, asked   his   attendants   for   ''geru"   or   ochre-coloured robes.    Not understanding the   meaning   of  his .remark,    it was ignored.    When the devotees   had   assembled at   the   Masjid   for arati at noon, Muleshastri stood   in   a   distant   corner  near   the Musjid-    As the arati commenced,   to   Muleshastri's   vision, the figure of Sai   was   transfigured into   that of  his   deceased,   guru Gholapshastri.   Overpowered with emotion   and as   if   possessed, Muleshastri   ran up the steps of the Musjid,   caught   hold of the feet of   Sai   Baba and  cleansed   them  with his tears !  All those !  gathered were astonished  at  the  impulsive   act   of  Muleshastri. After the completion of arati   when   the   crowd   was dispersing, Muleshastri explained to Solicitor   H. S. Dixit   the   truth   of   his experience and   then the attendants realised   the    significance   of •  Baba's reference to geru in the morning.

Ramachadra Dhondo Gholap or Baba Gholap, as he was known, was the guru of Muleshastri, (1825-1877) and was a Yajurvedi Deshastha Brahmin by birth. He was a Vedic scholar. His family belonged to Sangamner. His grand father shifted to Nasik. Baba Gholap had his traditional learning under Nathappa Bhanu-vanshi, a Vedic Pandit. Baba Gholap's father Dhoridobhatt who had abandoned samsar was his son's spiritual guide. In course of time Baba Gholap took sannyasa and assumed the name of Adwaitendra Saraswati.    His place of residence  in Panchavati at Nasik was near Kapaleshwar temple [21].  It   is said that  when Baba Gholap was doing tapas on the banks of Godavari, he was favoured with   darshan   by   Akkalkot   Swami.    Subsequently   he visited Akkalkot and spent   some time   serving   Swami   Maharaj. He brought Swami's padukas to Nasik and worshipped them for years until he took sannyasa t22]. The foregoing stories clearly establish the existence o f enduring spiritual ties that welded Swami   Maharaj   and Baba into a spiritual union of souls.    It is now   appropriate to  notice a few, of their common traits and qualities.

1.         Both Swami and Baba were unorthodox in their ways and mingled freely with people of all castes and religions without any discrimination and looked upon them with an equal eye.

2.         Neither of them would accept disciples or give formal initiation. Swami once remarked to a Sadhu who sought initiation.

3.         Asking for dakshina was   not   uncommon   for both but Sai Baba was more often   asking   for   dakshina   in   the spiritual interest of the devotees. j

4.         Both Swami and Baba are known to have taken on themselves the karmic suffering of their devotees. Similarly the remedies prescribed by both of them were very unconventional and strange and the wonder of it was they worked !

5.         Though they were adepts in yoga and possessed the eight major siddhis, they performed miracles only sparingly and refer­red disparagingly to the exhibition of siddhis and did not set store by them.

6.         It is their promise to   their   earnest   devotees   that  they will ever be with them and help and succour them.

This is  not   a   complete   catalogue   of  their   qualities   and powers.   Only as a matter of observation, some similarities notice-'able between these two saints   have been stated.  Their   existence "did not end with   extinction   of   their   mortal   frames,   for   their power continues to work even   alter their passing   away and they •bring   solace   and   reassurance   to   innumerable   lacerated hearts. Akkalkot Swami   passed   away   on   30th   April,   1878.   His .devotees recently   celebrated the 98th anniversary   of    the   event. ! Akkalkot Swami and Sai Baba,   like Dnyaneshwar and Tukaram, s'are eternal and time cannot obliterate the it   memory     May their presence    continue to guide their devotees.

V. B. Kher il Alka, Bombay-52

 NOTES :

1.    B. V. Narasimhaswami, Devotees' Experiences of Sri Sai Baba, Part II, All India Sai Samaj, Madras, 3rd Edn, 1965, p. 1.

2.   Ganesh Ballal Mulekar, Shri Akkalkot Niwasi   Swami Maharaj Yanche Charitta (Marathi), 1956, 3rd Edn. p. 1.

3.   Ibid. p. 2.

 4.    Ibid, pp. 2-3

5.   B. V. Narasimhaswami, Devotees'    Experiences   of Shri Sai Baba, Part I, p.87 at p. 90

6. Shri Sai Leela, 1925, Issue No. 5. p. 363

7. Ganesh Ballal Mulekar, Shri Akkalkot Niwasi Swami Maharaj Yanche Charitra (Marathi), Appendix A, pp. 281-83.

8. Shri Sai Satcharita (Marathi), Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi, 8th Edn, 1972, Chap V, 40-44.

9. B. V. Narasimhaswami, Devotees' Experiences of Sai Baba, Part II. p. 137 at p. 1J9.

10.    Ibid, p. 15

11. The full name of this devotee was Bhai Krishnaji Alibagkar and he resided in Bombay.

12. G. R. Dabholkar, Shri Sai Satcharita (Marathi), Chap. V, 52-61. I

13. Shri Sai Leela. Vol. II, Issue No. 1, p. 25 A translation of the narrative also appears in the   English   trans­lation of Shri Sai Satcharita by Shri N. V. Gunaji.

14. B. V. Narasimhaswami, Devotees' Experiences of Shri Sai Baba Part III p. 127 at p. 129

15.  Ibid, p. 127 at pp. 129-30

16. G. R. Dabholkar, Shri Sai Satcharita (Marathi), Chap. XXVI, 114-33.

17. Ganesh Ballal Mulekar, Shri Akkalkot Niwasi Swami Maharaj Yanche Charitra (Marathi) pp. 139-40 & 177-78.

18. G. R. Dabholkar, Shri Sai Satcharita (Marathi), Chap. XXVI, 134-50

19. Ibid, Chap. XXVI, 57-112

20. Shri Sai Leela, Vol. VIII, Shravan Issue, p. 26 An account of this incident also figures in Shri Sai Satcharita, Chap. XII, 20-23 & 85-150.

21. Gopalbuwa Kelkar alias Printinand Swamikumar, Shri Swami Samarth (Marathi), Anmol Prakashan, Poona 2, 1st End. 1975, pp. 235-36 & 303-04.

22. Ibid pp. 235-36.

23. Ganesh Balal Mulekar, (Shri Akkalkot Niwasi Swami Maharaj Yanche Charitra (Marathi), p. 13.

24 G. R. Dabholkar, Shri Sai Satcharita (Marathi), Chap.' XIX, 69.

25. B. V. Narasimhaswami, Devotees' Experiences of Sri Sai Baba, Part I, p. 18 at p. 28. \

Leukoplakia Reproduced and Cured

( We have to request our readers to refer to the article by Shri Prabhudas Mehta captioned "Naturopathy etc." published in the issue of this magazine for the month of August 1975 at pages 23 to 32. In that article, while explaining the 'Magnet Theory' Shri Mehta has stated his case as follows:—

"Now let me narrate my own experience. Sometime back, I had lot of toothache and gums trouble. I have removed these pains by applying magnets. Magnet is very good to remove any kind of pain. In case of burns it works like magic, to the extent that burning is immediately removed the moment the magnet is applied and then the healing is quite natural. Magnet also works on wounds and sprains, fresh and old There are so many uses where magnet can be utilised successfully, but I cannot do so for lack of space.

"However, I would like to narrate a very interesting incident that happened to me. About two months back, I happened to go to my dentist. He said that I have Leukoplakia in the mouth. I saw him again after a fortnight, he was surprised that the Leukoplakia had disappeared. He said he should have taken the photograph. I replied that if you wish to have the photograph I can bring it back and then again cure myself of 'it. Accordingly I started smoking which I had given up for a number of months to bring in Leukoplakia again, and then I went to my dentist who photographed these spots and then I started my cure, to be pho­tographed. This cure was brought about after a fortnight or so. As the pictures are not ready ;yet, they may be published in the next issue "

As stated in the last paragraph, the photographs of Shri Mehta, showing the ailment and the disappearance thereof are now ready and hence the following article of Shri Mehta is published here.—Editor )

 

Below is the picture of my left   inside   cheek  being  affected by Leukoplakia.    This was reprodced for taking a picture.

 

The second picture is of Leukoplakia cured. I must confess that it has taken me much longer time to cure this time, for the following reasons:

1. My first cure made me over-confident, as a result I continued to smoke, expecting the treatment to prevail over the cause. The cure was very, very slow. Ultimately, I had to give up smoking to bring about speedy cure.

2. For the same reason, I was -not regular to take the treatment. Finally, I had to start the regular treatment to bring about speedy cure. And this is the result.

I had employed all the three Therapies but I lay more stress on Magnet Therapy. The Magnet Therapy has wonderful cures to its credit.

3. Sometime back I had to remove infected Mollars. It is quite possible that the infection had remained behind affect­ing the gums and spreading it to the ears also. Therefore I had to treat the ears and gums before bringing about the cure of Leukoplakia.

The credit of all successes is due to the Mercy of SHRI SAI. I bow to Thee!

Prabhudas Mehta

Bombay, 7

 

SAINT RAMDAS

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

( Continued from June   1976 issue )

We have so for   seen   the   life   story   of  Saint Ramdas   in brief.    We can now find out in what  his greatness lay.    In Maha-rashtra there   are a number   sects,   who   have   Hinduism as their common religion.    Among   them,   the   Warkari   sect has got the largest following.    This sect .has   god   Vitthal   as  their principal god of worship.    They   have no   animosity   against   other   Hindu gods, but they consider Pandurang or Vitthal as the supreme god. Saint Ramdas did not advocate and   preach the   devotion to god Vitthal.    He advocated the devotion  to   his family god Ram    Of; course,   like the followers of the   Warkari   sect, he also did   not have any   hatred   or   ill-feeling   against   the   other   Hindu   gods; but   he    considered   Ram   to   be   the   supreme    god    instead of, Vitthal.    A very good