SHRI SAI LEELA

JUNE 1977 CONTENTS

1

1.       Editorial       Miracle’

2.       Homage to Late Prof. D D. Parchure

3.       The Science of Religion            Swami Chinmayananda

4.       Shri Gajanan Maharaj,                         Shri S. N. Huddar

5.       The Miracle of Typhoid –Cure            Shri B. Ramanadha Rao

6.       Obituary

7.       Shri Sai Baba's Divine Favour ---        Shri V. B. Nandwani

8.       Saint Gadge Maharaj --              Dr. S. D. Parchure

9.       My Mind--                                Shri B. N. Moolchandani

10.     Extracts from Shri H. S. Dixit's Diary Shri.S. M.Garje

11.             Gurudakshina                                     Prof. V. H. Pandit t -

12.             Blessings of Shri Sai Baba                  Shri B. D. Kulkarni

 

SHRI SAI LEELA

(Official Organ of Shirdi Sansthan)

 

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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

Miracle

In Marathi there is a saying 'the meaning of which is "No body bows down unless he sees a miracle". This saying is true to a great extent.  If anything is done, which puzzles you for which you are not able to argue with cause and effect, then you are apt to call that act as a miracle. This act then makes you attribute some supernatural power to the person, who performs the miracle and then naturally what follows is that you honour the person and bow down to him.

If we look at the biographies of so many saints in different parts of the world, then at some stage or the other, they are said to have performed miracles in some form or the other. These miracles are legendary and usually there are no means to verify them by actually contacting the persons referred to in the legend as most of them, are usually out of this world, where no one-can approach them. If we review the biography of Shri Sai Baba as depicted in Sai Satcharita, we will come across the following incidents, which may be classed as miracles.

 

1.         Driving the Cholera epidemic out of Shirdi by grinding wheat in a hand-mill

(Chapter 1 )

2          Baba's reference to the discussion that took place at Sathe's Wada and asking the question "What did this Hemadpant say?" (Chapter 2 )

3.         Advice to Bhagwantrao Kshirsagar and reminding him about the worship of Vithoba in the family (Chapter 4.).

4.         Streams of Ganga-Yamuna water flowed from both the toes of Shri Baba (Chapter IV).

5.         Appearance of Shri Baba under the neem tree (Chapter 4).

6.         Shri Baba traced out Chand Patil's mare ( Chapter 5 )

7.         Shri Baba brought out a live burning coal by thrusting His prong in the ground. (Chapter 5)

8.         Water started oozing from Baba's Satka, when He dashed it on the ground. (Chapter 5)

9.         Lighting lamps with water. ( Chapter 5 )

10.       Shri Baba saves the child of a blacksmith by thrusting His arms into the Dhuni. (Chapter 7 )

11.       Shri Baba takes over the Bubonic plague, from which the son of Shri Dadasaheb Khaparde was suffering. (Chapter 7)

12.       Shri Baba foretold the visit of Nanasaheb Chandorkar to Shirdi (Chapter 7)

!3.        Shri Baba told master Tarkhad about the neglect of His Puja at Bandra, at Tarkhad's house on the same day. (Chapter 9)

14.       Shri Govind Balaram Mankar was questioned by Shri Baba about not offering to Him, the Pedha given to him by Mrs. Tarkhad for giving it to Shri Baba. (Chapter 9)

15.       Shri Baba told Mrs Tarkhad that the food offered by her to a dog reached Him and gave Him satisfaction. ( Chapter 9)

16.       Shri Baba controls the storm and rain at Shirdi. (Chap. 1I)

17.       Shri Baba quenches the fire in the Dhuni by dashing His satka on a pillar and commanding the fire to become calm. (Chapter II)

18.       Shri Baba knew that the munim of Kaka Mahajani would become sick and hence He ordered Kaka to return to Bombay on the next day. (Chapter 12)

19.       Shri Baba knew that .'Bhausaheb Dhumal's case at Nipani would be postponed and hence He did not allow Shri Dhumal to leave Shirdi for a week. (Chapter 12)

20.       Shri Baba gave darshan to Shri Moolay Shastri of Nasik in the form of the latter's Guru, Shri Gholap Swami. (Chapter 12)

21                Shri Baba gave darshan to a doctor in the form of Shree Rama. (Chapter 12)

22.       Shri Bbimaji Patil got  rid of T. B.  because of the favour of Shri Baba. (Chapter 13)

23.       Shri Baba cured Bala Ganpat Shimpi of Malaria by asking him to execute a recipe (Chapter 13)

24.       Shriman Bapusaheb Booty was cured of dysentry and vomitting by Shri Baba, (Chapter 13)

25.       Shri Booty was cured of cholera by Shri Baba by prescribing to him an infusion of almonds, walnuts, etc. (Chapter 13)

26.       A Swami from Alandi was cured of his pain in the ear. (Chapter 13)

27.       Shri Baba cured Kaka Mahajani of diarrhoea by giving him a handful of groundnuts to eat. (Chapter 13)

28.       Dattopant of Harda was cured by Shri Baba of his stomach­ache, which he had for fourteen years. (Chapter 13)

29.       Shri Baba cured Madhavrao Deshpande of his piles trouble. (Chapter 13)

30.       Shri Baba cured Gangadharpant, the elder brother of Shri Kaka Mahajani of his stomach-pain merely by touching his belly. (Chapter 13)

31.       Intense stomach-pain of Shri Nanasaheb Chandorkar, was cured by Shri Baba by asking him to eat burfi. (Chapter 13)

32.       Shri Baba asked Shri Ruttonjl Shapurji Wadia, dakshina of Rs. 5, subtracting therefrom an amount of Rs. 3-14-0, which he had spent on the reception of one Moulvisaheb at Nanded. (Chapter 14)

33.       Shri Ruttonji Shapurji Wadia was blessed by Shri Baba with a son. (Chapter 14)

34.       Rao Bahadur Hari Vinayak Sathe was asked by Shri Baba to remarry and blessed him that he would get a son and accor­dingly he got a son from his second wife. (Chapter 14).

35.       Shri Baba told Shri Bapusaheb Jog to give his guest (Shri Cholkar) cups of tea fully saturated with sugar and thus showed that He knew Shri Cholkar's vow to drink sugarless tea. (Chapter 15)

36.       Shri Baba predicted the meeting of two lizards on the wall of the masjid. (Chapter 15)

37.       When one Shri V. H. Thakur met Shri Baba, He told him about the former's meeting with Kanarese saint Appa and buffalo ride in the Nhane Ghat. (Chapter 21)

38.       When a pleader from Pandharpur came to Shirdi and bowed down to Shri Baba, He remarked referring to some discussion, which took place in the bar-room at Pandharpurt in which the pleader had taken part. (Chapter 21)

39.       The danger to Shri Babasaheb Mirikar, from a snake, was foretold by Shri Baba. (Chapter 22)

40.       A great astrologer named Nanasaheb Dengie once foretold the danger to the life of Bapusaheb Booty; but Shri Baba told him that the danger would be averted. A snake was accordingly seen in the privy by Shri Booty; but it went away without giving any trouble to Shri Booty. (Chapter 22)

41.       Shama was cured of snake-bite by Shri Baba. (Chapter 23}

42.       Damu Anna was saved by Shri Baba from two severe losses in cotton and grain speculations by giving advance warnings. (Chapter 25)

43.       Shri Baba gave four mangoes to Shri Damn Anna and bless­ed him. With Shri Baba's grace, Shri Damu Anna got children. (Chapter 25)

44.       Shri Baba gave three rupees to Shri Harishchandra Pitale and reminded him of the two rupees given to his father by Shri Akkalkot Maharaj. (Chapter 26)

45.       When Laxmichand from Sancacruz met Baba, the latter told him about all the things that had happened en route from his house to Shirdi. (Chapter 28)

46                   Shri Baba referred to Laxrnichand's desire to eat sanza and and the pain in his back. (Chapter 28)

47.       Though Megha poured the water of the Gomati river, brought by him, on the whole body of Shri Baba, only His head was drenched and the rest of the body was quite dry. (Chapter 28)

48.       Shri Baba gave darshan to the chief lady of the: Madrasi Bhajan Mela in the form of Shri Rama (Chapter 29)

49.       Shri Balabuva Sutar had prostrated himself before Shri Baba's portrait four years before his actual meeting with Shri Baba at Shirdi in 1917. In his first meeting with Shri Baba, He mentioned that He knew Shri Sutar since four years, refer­ring to Shri Sutar's first prostration. (Chapter 33)

50.       Shri Baba cured a doctor's nephew from Malegaon of Tuber­cular bone-abcess by application of sacred Udi on the abcess. (Chapter 34)

51.       Shri Baba informed Dr. Pillay that he will be cured within ten days. He also foretold of the pecking by a crow. Both the aforesaid events took place accordingly. Udi was used all along for application. (Chapter 34)

52.       The wife of Shama's younger brother, Bapaji, who was stay­ing near Sawool Well, was cured by Shri Baba cf Bubonic plague by the use of Udi, within one night and this was foretold by Him to Shama. (Chapter 34)

53.       Shri Baba blessed a woman of Kayastha Prabhu caste from Bombay and she had painless delivery. (Chapter 34)

Note:-The cases of Irani's daughter and the Harda gentleman relate to the use of Udi. They did not have direct contact with Shri Baba.

54.       Shri Baba spoke exactly in the tone of Kaka Mahajani's friend's father. Shri Baba knew that he had no intention to give Dakshina and hence Shri Baba did not ask him to pay the same, though 'He asked Shri Kaka Mahajani to pay it. (Chapter 35)

55.       Shri Baba gave grapes to Shri Thakkar of the Solicitor's firm, Thakkar Dharamsey Jethabhai and though the first few given to him had seeds, on his thinking that if Shri Baba was a saint, He should have given him grapes out of the same stock without seeds as he did not like seeds, he found that those given to him at the second time were entirely seedless. (Chapter 35)

Note:-The case of a Kayasth Prabhu gentleman of Bandra, who suffered from Insomnia and of Smt. Newaskar, narrated in Chapter 35, relate to the power of Udi.

56.       Mrs    Aurangabadkar   got a   son   through the grace of Shri Sai Baba. (Chapter 36)

57.       Shri Baba attended Mrs. Dev's Udyapun ceremony as a Sannyasi with two others. (Chapter 40)

58.       Shri Baba appeared in the house of Hemadpant in the form of a portrait as per His promise. (Chapter 40)

59.       Shri Baba averted the deaths of Ramchandra Dada and Tatya Patil. (Chapter 42)

60.       Shri Sai Baba pervaded all creatures (Chapter 42)

61.       Shri Baba permitted Shama to go to Banares and Prayag and told him that He would be ahead of him and Shama found Baba's portrait at Gaya as promised by Him. (Chapter 46)

62.       Shri Baba knew the past lives of Veerbhadrappa and Chennabassappa, (snake and the frog) and ordered Veerbhadrappa (the snake) to leave Chennabassappa (the frog). (Chapter 47)

63.       Mrs. Sapatnekar got a son by the grace of Shri Baba (Chapter 48)

64.       Shri Baba declared the name of Hari Kanoba without asking anybody about it and returned his new sandals to him. (Chapter 49)

65.       Shri Baba quoted correctly the thoughts of Shri Somadeva Swami while he was on his way to Shirdi. (Chapter 49)

66                   Shri Baba knew the restlessness of the mind of Shri Nanasaheb Chandorkar on seeing the face of the beautiful woman, who had come to take Shri Baba's darshan and aavftcd Srtm ??? Chandorkar accordingly. (Chapter 49)

67.       Shri Baba knew that Shri (Kakasaheb Dixit was coming to Shirdi from Ahmednagar and He therefore sent Shama to receive him. (Chapter 50)

68.       Shri Baba knew that Shri Tembye Svvami had sent a coconut to Him through Shri Pundalikrao and asked the latter to give it to Him. (Chapter 50)

69.       Shri Baba cured Shri Balaram Dhurandhar of his Asthma trouble by giving him His pipe to smoke, (Chapter 50)

The incidents, mentioned above, are usually termed as "miracles" by ordinary people, because they could not have taken place unless the person concerned had supernatural powers; but Shri V.T. Nandwani, one staunch Sai devotee from Bombay, sometime before suggested some classification for these events. An event like bringing out live burning charcoal by thrusting the prong in the ground is in his opinion no doubt a miracle, because no ordinary person would be able to do it; but curing Shama of snakebite or blessing Shri Ruttonji Shapurji Wadia with a son, should not be called a miracle, because here only one person was concerned and by the grace of Shri Sai Baba, that person got certain favours. Hence, such incidents in his opinion should be called divine favours and not miracles.

The classification proposed above by Shri Nandwani seems to be worthy of consideration. All the saints are believed to be awatar's (incarnations ) of God. Of course, some devotees have gone a step ahead and they believe that Shri Sai Baba is God himself. If therefore God is pleased to do away with the agonies or difficulties of any devotee, if the God feels like running to the help of His devotee and shows any particular favour to a devotee then that favour can naturally be called a divine favour. The devotees may consider this point and consider Shri Sai Baba's favour as a divine favour.

We may now consider the incidents referred to as miracles. Some people seriously believe that the age of miracles is no more in existence.  The miracles might have taken  place in the past centuries.  The twentieth century is not so auspicious that it can witness any miracles; but there are no doubt certain people, who still believe that miracles do take place and some so called saints exploit the situation to add glamour to their personality   and greatness.  If we look around us with open eyes, we will be able to see such so   called saints, who  perform such miracles in a gathering of their devotees, so that they   should go round and advertise about his greatness as a saint.  The simple minded devotees, who simply get stunned at the sight of the miracle, go round advertising the greatness of their guru.  This has a salutory effect on many other devotees, who are far off and who do not have constant personal contact with the guru. This advertisement of their guru, done by a few devotees, is believed by them and thus these saints are purposely showing these miracles among their devotees in order to advertise themselves and increase their following; but when we look at Sai Satcharita, we  do not find a single incident where Shri Sai Baba performed a miracle to advertise himself.  

From the incident of lighting the lamp with water to the incident of the coconut sent by Shri Tembye Swami, we see that Shri Baba acted in the situation not with any particular motive; but it was his mere leela.  He acted at that moment freely without any object in view. It will thus he seen  that in view of the modern concept of miracles, the incidents that took place in the life of Shri Sai Baba can now be classified as His leelas and divine   favours and not as miracles, performed to astonish and attract the devotees.

 

Homage to Late Prof. D. D. Parchure

Prof. D.D. Parchure,  Ex-Editor of this magazine, got a heart attack on 1-6-73 and he immediately succumbed to it. Prof. Parchure was a great Sai devotee and he worked very hard to boost the spread of this magazine among  the Sai devotees. This magazine is the vehicle for conveying the thoughts and teachings of Shri Sai Baba and     Prof. Parchure edited this magazine with that object in view.  He was performing keertans    in which he used to describe the life and teachings of Shri Baba. He composed a set of eight keertans covering most of the important events from the life of Shri Baba. These keertans have been published in book form by the Shridi Sansthan. For the spread of the Sai cult among children he first composed the biography of Shri Sai Baba in Marathi in story form in very simple language, under the caption 'Mulanche Saibaba'- which has now been translated in various other Indian language. This book is very popular among the children.

We pay our homage to the departed soul, on the fourth death anniversary of Prof. D. D Parchure and pray to God that his soul may rest in peace,—Editor.

 

THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION

By : Swami Chinmayananda

Is This Possible ?

When the promises of an achievement are so unbelievably spectacular, an ordinary man wonders if he can ever scale such heights of perfection in himself. Anyone can conceive and appreciate an Ideal, however noble and impossibly beautiful it may be; but when it comes to striving to achieve it, very few will have the confidence to march into it and gain it. We stop to wonder, "Is this possible for me?", and, stunned by the very doubt, our abilities collapse and our enthusiasm withers away.

Arjuna reaches such a benumbing state of inner doubt. And as a rational man, he raises questions to the possibility of such a personality achievement in man. He asks, (VI-33) ''This Yoga of meditation taught by you, O Madhusudhana, consittng of the evenness of mind, I am afraid, has no lasting effect, since mind is always restless''. This is his deep feeling of doubt. The highest in meditation is reached when the mind is Laserised to the chosen altar of our attention. But the mind is a vehicle, which always runs out into its familiar fields-of-objects. Thus, the Yoga of meditation, though theoretically acceptable to the reason in us, must be an impractical proposition because of the essentially fickle nature of the human mind.

In spiritual science, a student is given the full intellectual right to raise doubts and ask question. In no religion is this freedom fully allowed. Even in the Hinduism of the Puranas, the students are to listen to the teachers, believe in what they say, and accept what is said in the texts. Questions are not to be asked; to doubt the sacred statements is blasphemy in itself.

But in Vedanta, students are encouraged to raise all their logical doubt, and the Rishies take up the challenge to answer all such honest questions exhaustively. Thus, in the Hindu scriptures of the Upanishads and the Geeta alone, we find a dialogue between the Teacher and the taught. Here is Arjuna's doubt, very logically put, and so vividly expressed.

Krishna, as a good psychiatrist, allows his student to express himself completely. So Arjuna amplifies his own doubt, (VI.34) "Surely the mind, O Krishna, is restless, turbulent, powerful and unyielding ---I regard it as difficult to control it as to control the winds." Any seeker will realise that his mind is "surely restless, turbulent, 'powerful and unyielding, O Krishna".

The mind is the vehicle by which we express our desires and passions. It is the one instrument that seeks to fulfill our ideas and ideals. The vasanas constantly drive the mind out into the world-of-objects, searching for sense gratifications. These powerful desires lend their strength to the mind and any man can soon realise how restless and turbulent his mind is, and how powerful it becomes when he tries to persuade it away from its objects.

Naturally, Arjuna reasonably concludes that "to control the mind is as hard as to control the wild winds' No man can order and control the might of a storm, the tremendous forces of a typhoon. The storm does its havoc and spends itself. We can only rebuild what the storm has destroyed. We are helpless against its released fury and devastation. So too, the mind seems to be too powerful now, and we are helpless against its majestic ferocity.

Since the mind is unyielding to our will, how can a man quieten it and meditate? Meditation thus becomes an idealistic dream and not a realistic possibility. This doubt can arise in every student of meditation, especially when he has made his first few shots at meditation. There are many who have dropped their meditation-hour only because they felt disappointed at their futile efforts - - - in fact their minds have sabotaged completely all their efforts at meditation.

This tragedy visits all those who in a hurry to sit at their meditation-seats before they accomplish the purification of their hearts, before the exhaustion of their vasanas through selfless dedicated actions of service.

Without vasana reduction, mental quietude is unattainable. Through selfless dedicated acts of love, through Karma-Yoga, we were told earlier, how we could eliminate our vasanas and bring about mental peace and tranquillity. This precondition for meditation is first to be brought about. Thereafter nobody can be a failure at meditation.

So, once the student has sincerely accepted his own inner confusion, only then can he express his doubt. When he opens up the discussion with his question, Krishna gives the answer.

Surely, The Mind can be Tamed.

Arjuna, as a sceptic student, refuses to accept the Yoga of meditation as a possibility because of the unsteady and wild nature of the human mind. This is a challenge to Krishna as a teacher. The imperfect, in their arrogant objectivity and intellectualism, will always question and challenge the scriptural matters. The student is to be handled carefully and lifted into greater under­standing from where he himself must discover the answer to his queries.

Very tactfully thus, Lord Krishna admits, (VI-35) "No doubt, O mighty-armed soldier, the mind is ever restless and is difficult to control. But through practice and renunciation, O son of Kunti, the mind can be tamed." First of all, the teacher accepts the stand of the student and says, "true, the mind is restless and difficult to control." Here he addresses Arjuna as the "mighty-armed soldier". The thrust in it could not have escaped Arjuna: that the conquest of the mind is a job for a heroic soldier in life and not for a cowardly weakling.

When thus the main proposition in an argument is suddenly accepted, at least temporarily we whisk away the very platform from under the feet of the protestors! They seem to hang in the air, searching for some supporting base to stand upon. This is a subtle strategy in logical argumentation.

On the acceptance of the main objections, Arjuna becomes a little calm and less preoccupied with his doubt. Next Krishna comes out with his offensive thrust: "but through practice and renunciation, O son of Kunti, the mind can be tamed."

Continuous practice of bringing the mind back to the point of contemplation whenever it wanders into its world of sense objects is explained earlier as the "Yoga-of-Practice".  And this regular and sincere practice must be accompanied by the rejection and renunciation of the ego and egocentric desires.

Renunciation negatively helps in calming the mind, and so in the practice of meditation and positively pushes us onto the higher planes of consciousness. By these two processes. (1) by the practice of regular concentration and meditation and (2) by steadily renouncing and rejecting the ego and its vanities the mind can be brought under restraint ---it can be tamed, it can be governed properly.

We must carefully note here how Krishna addresses Arjuna in the first line of the verse as the "mighty-armed soldier" "You are a hero--- why be cowardly, afraid of the might of your subjective enemy?" Again, in the second line of the verse, he addresses Arjuna as "son of Kunti"  indicating, "you are very dear to me, for you are the son of mother-Kunti. I will not bluff you merely to win a point in an argument. Believe

me, it is a fact that the mind can be totally restrained if practice and renunciation are pursued diligently for a length of time".

Declares the Lord, (Vl-36) "Meditation (Yoga) is difficult to attain for one who is of uncontrolled self (ego); this is my opinion; but the self-controlled, striving correctly, does obtain it.

One who has not eliminated the turbulant vasanas in him, through practice of Karma-Yoga, will find his mind uncontrolled and so will never gain the Yoga-of-meditation. On the other hand, one who has cultivated the power of self-withdrawal from the fasci­nation of objects-emotions-thoughts, can, and does obtain deeper meditations

The supreme need for controlling the senses from their frenzied dash into the objects of ephemeral pleasures, for restraining the mind from its futile and exhausting roamings,  for steering clear the intellect from its panting exhaustions with passions and desires, is clearly brought out here. Until all the other whirls of matter equipments are controlled, until the body, mind and intellect are hushed and quietened, the leap into the transcendental, through meditation, is impossible. Herein lies the secret of all dire failures in meditation. We have not the necessary patience to strive for, and diligently accomplish, all the pre-meditation adjustments within us. Hence Lord pointedly says that for one who is self-controlled and "striving rightly" there is a way to be successful in these above two verses, Arjuna’s logical argument that meditation is impossible and impractical, because man's mind is ever turbulent, is fully answered and slickly check-mated!

Arjuna's sharp intellect has caught up the chain of reasoning in Krishna's words, and the militant warrior seems satisfied. But a dynamic intellect never stops probing: as soon as an earlier doubt has been cleared, the student gets yet other set of doubts and he asks to clear them. We shall discuss a fresh doubt raised by Arjuna in our next talk.

( Courtesy ; Geeta Office, Powai )

 

SHRI GAJANAN MAHARAJ

By:- Shri S. N.  Huddar

(Continued from May 1977   issue) CHAPTER 4

Smoke Without Fire

Shri Gajanan Maharaj was sitting amongst children on Akshayya Tritiya day (Vaishakh Shud 3). He asked the boys to fill his chilim. Being an anniversary day live coal was not available early in the morning. So the boys could not know how to get the live coal. Shri Maharaj asked the boys to get the burning coal from Janakiram goldsmith, as his oven is always ready for business.

The boys went to him and requested him to give the burning coal for the chilim of Maharaj. Janakiram said "Today is the anniversary day. So I cannot give live coal to you" The boys said, "There is nothing inauspicious in giving live coal from your oven to a Sadhu (saint)". He replied "How can Gajanan Maharaj be a Sadhu? who can call that man a saint, who smokes Ganja and tobacco and roams in the town without clothes? He acts like a mad chap. His caste and relatives are unknown. I do not call him a Sadhu. Bankatlal is a fool to be his follower. If he is God, why does he beg for live coal at others? He should create fire by his will power. Jallunder smoked; but he did not beg for fire. Go away, you shall not get burning coal from me".

The boys returned and reported to Shri Maharaj what had occurred at Janakiram. Shri Maharaj smiled and said "We do not need his burning coal". He took the chilim in his hand and asked Baukatlal to hold a straw on it and he began to smoke. The wonder was that smoke came out without any fire!

Jankiram observed Akshayya Tritiya at his house and some persons were invited for dinner. Tamarind soup was prepared. When the soup was being served, they found that it was full of worms. People could not have dinner and Janakiram was much distressed. He thought that as he did not give fire for the chilim of Shri Maharaj, he was punished.  He therefore ran to Bankatlal’s house with the pot of tamarind soup. Bankatlal said, "You might have used old tamarind'1. Jankiram replied, "It is new which is evident from the rubbish lying there". He bowed to Shri Maharaj humbly and expressed his regret for his impudence in not giving burning coal to him that morning and further requested that the tamarind soup was spoiled due to worms. Hence the persons who were invited could not dine and the anniversary rites could not be duly performed. He prayed "Kindly forgive me I shall not blame your holiness hereafter".

Shri Maharaj said "Your tamarind soup is quite good. It has no worms. Show it to me". Jankiram showed the pot to Shri Maharaj and he was astonished to see that the worms had disappeared and that the soup was quite clear. All wondered to see that.

SHRI MAHARAJ ATE CHANDU'S KANOLE

Chandu Mukin lived in Shegaon. He was one of the devotees of Shri Gajanan Maharaj. Once in Jeshtha, (3rd Bhartiya month) Shri Maharaj asked him to bring two kanole (an article of food prepared on Akshayya Tritiya day) placed in an earthen jar in his store room. Chandu said, ' How can those kanoles at my house be in a good condition, after more than a month's period? May I get them freshly prepared and bring them for you? Shri Maharaj said, ‘I want the same kanoles and no fresh ones be prepared'.

Chandu went home and asked his wife if she had kept Kanoles in any earthen jar in the store room. She said "I can prepare fresh ones if required; but I don't think that there are any kanoles in the Jar." He insisted and said "Just remember and see, you have kept any in any earthen pot. Maharaj wants the same and not the fresh ones". She then recollected that she had put remaining two kanoles in a jug.  She searched for them and, found two dry kanoles there; but there was no froth or fungus on them. She gave them to Chandu and he offered them to Shri Maharaj. How can the words of a saint be untrue! Maharaj then ate them with delight.

MADHAO'S   NIRWAN

There is a Village named ChinchoH to the south of Shegaon.  A Brahmin named Madhao lived there. He was 60 years old. He had lost his wife and children. He had lost all his property and now he became anxious about his future. He came to Shri Gajanan Maharaj at Shegaon and began to fast. He was reciting the name of 'Narayan'. After two days Shri Maharaj said to him '-You are not doing well. Why did you not recite this before? What is the use of calling a physician after death ? Whatever you have to do should be done in time, there is no use digging a well after the house has caught fire. You strived so much for your wife and children and they have passed away. Leaving the eternal, you were after the perishable. You must therefore bear the consequences. So do not insist on fast, Behave thoughtfully" Other persons also persuaded him to give up the fast, but he did not agree.  Kulkarni of Shegaon also requested him to give up his fast and invited him for dinner at his house. But Madhao did not go but remained in the math reciting God's name In the dark midnight Shri Maharaj assumed dreadful appearnce and approached Madhao. He was frightened and began to flee away. Shri Maharaj said, "Is this your courage? The death (Kal) will devour you in this way one day. You will not be able to run away that time". Madhao requested, ‘Kindly do not send me to Yamlok, but send me to Vaikunta. You have shown me the Yamlok. Though my sins are many, it is not difficult for you to wipe off my sins. I am rather fortunate and so I can see you, no fear of Yam".

After having seen you, there should be hearing this Shri Maharaj smiled and said, "You continue the Jap of "Shri Man Narayan," your time of passing away is approaching. Do not be careless. If you want to live for some more time, your life can be increased''. Madhao said "I do not wish to live any more. Do not entangle me in this worldly illusion". Shri Maharaj said "Let it be so. You shall have no birth now". After this Madhao was not on his senses. People said that he had been mad due to fast. In the afternoon he died in the presence of Shri Maharaj.

VASANT PUJA STARTED IN SHEGAON

One day Shri Maharaj asked his devotees to call Brahmins for Mantra Jagar i.e., to chant Veda Richas as by doing this the Gods are pleased. He also ordered to offer the Brahmins sweets, cold drink of raw mango and sugar and dakshina. The devotees said "There are no Brahmins well-versed in Vedas in Shegaon" Shri Maharaj said "You arrange for Vasant Puja (worship in spring) and God will send Brahmins to you".

The devotees collected 100 rupees. Necessary articles were brought. Paste (Gandh) of sandal wood was prepared, saffron and camphor was also brought. At midday some Vedic Brahmins came to the math and began chanting Veda Mantras loudly. They were offered sweets (as pedha, barphi) and cold drink of raw mango (Panha) and sugar and one rupee each as Dakshina, Bankatlal thereafter continued this Vasant puja every year.

(to be continued)

THE MIRACLE OF TYPHOID CURE

It was on December 11, 1975, that I caught some fever which I thought was ordinary; but as the temperature persisted unabated, I had to go to Doctor and on examination of my blood, it revealed to be para-typhoid.

The Doctor began to treat - but how? He is my family Doctor, Sri P. Vadiraja Rao. M.B.B. S, with his private clinic at Triplicane, while myself as a patient residing at Perambur, about five miles away. He had heart attack and his doctor advised him not to move out, hence he could not come to Perambur and I would not change this doctor, since I had faith in him, since he is our family doctor for over 20 years.

With this difficulty and inconvenience, I did undertake treatment with him, by going to Triplicane 5 miles away, twice a week in bus with all jolting and at times even standing in the bus for want of seat.

It may be noted that as a rule, a typhoid patient should be completely confined to bed with perfect rest- not even to roll much or sit even in bed - with only liquid food (fruit juice) for 21 days. All these restrictions were violated in my case but I continued treatment with that doctor only, saying to myself, "come, what may."

This was not the only disadvantage, I hardly slept in the bed for rest, since, there was some printing work of Sri Sai and one Ramananda Swamiji, a Sai Devotee, was visiting me almost every alternate day, for discussion clarifying points and thus exchange our views (This matter still stands at proof stage, as Swamiji did not turn up and I had to leave for Bangalore). In addition to this work, particularly and strangely during this period, unexpectedly lots of guests and friends visited, to whom I had to give courtesy talk. Thus 1 was disturbed from my even the minimum rest, in addition to the ordeal of my going for treatment five miles away by bus twice a week I could not afford a taxi or auto as a poor pensioner.

Due to these circumstances, my position became critical during the period twice, on 11-1-76 and 16-1-76, My people had even given up hopes and a taxi was brought to take me to the same doctor at Triplicane- but I do not know how, it revived on its own when I declined to go to the Doctor, but asked my people to phone and seek his advice.

Temperature which also came down to sub-normal, shot up twice. In one of my visits to the Doctor, he said I can take bath and go to Sri Partha Sarathy Temple for Darshan on 16-1-76 being Mukkti Ekadasi - a holy and sacred day at Triplicane (but on that day only I had a relapse and became critical).

The doctor told me that the relapse was due to my travel by bus 10 miles up and down twice a week.  Then  he made it once a week or 10 days, later he stopped entire visits of mine to him and asked ray people to go to him, give the report and get medicine.   However by 10-2-76, I was cured of Typhoid by Sri Sai's grace blessings and kindness, being His surrendered Bhakt. While my story of  Typhoid goes thus, I would like to impress on Sai Devotees and bring home the fact, that it is not the medicine that cured me, since I violated  all the medical restrictions due for a typhoid treatment, but my determined, adamant regular and steady prayers to Sri Sai for one full hour every morning, sitting in my bed, with Abhaya Hasta Sri Sai Photo on the wall before me, that I survived (but for what purpose I do not know, since I was praying Sai to take me to HIS LOTUS FEET).   After prayers, I was taking His Sacred Udi mixed in water daily before the liquid food.

My dear Bhaktas, it will be interesting to note, that not only this one hour prayer a day, I was doing, but Sri Sai made me read His "Satcharita" a few pages a day and made me complete reading in seven days (Sapthaham). How holy I am to have this done in my Typhoid period?

Is it not a miracle, that but for Sri Sai's grace, could I have survived (I also do not know why He spared me while I was craving to take me to HIM) specially violating all medical restrictions, by not remaining confined to bedrest, travelling 10 miles in bus for treatment- thus being busy and active throughout as a normal man?   Could there be an instance of this kind of survival of a typhoid patient ? I wonder.

Is it not evident that the Hand of Protection of Sri Sai is there on His Bhakta who has   surrendered to HIM. It is Bhakti, Bhakti and Bhakti that gives you mukti and peace.

Bow to Sri Sai.   Peace be to all by His grace.

B. Ramanadha Rao

Bangalore Rly Pin code: 560023

 

OBITUARY

We are sorry to inform our readers, that Smt. Sitaradevi, the wife of Shri P. L. Goyal, who is constructing a Sai temple-cum-Ashram at Kasauli (for description of this temple, refer to Shri Sai Leela magazine for March 1977), expired on 28-2-77. Our heartfelt condolences and sympathies go with Shri Goyal in his sad bereavement. We pray to God, "May the departed soul rest in peace".

Under the circumstances the donors, who intend to send their donations for the temple, may now send them in the name of Shri P. L. Goyal, Kaushi Villa, Kasauli, Simla Hill (H. P.) Pin code 173204, instead of Smt. Sitaradevi—Editor.

SHRI SAI BABA'S DIVINE FAVOUR

My "Sandhubhai" Dr. Minocha from Dehra Dun was here with us from 25th to 29th Dec. 1976. When he went back home, he knew little about Lord Sai from letters; but he was not even sure whether Sathya Sai Baba and Shirdi Sai Baba are ONE or different. The few days, we were together, he put lots of questions to me and I told him whatever little I knew. In between, I mentioned about Kasauli Sai Sudha too. On 27th night just before retiring at about 12.30, he gave me Rs. 5/- for Sai Sudha, saying he might forget to do it in the hustle bustle of leaving. Same night i.e., early morning hours about 2.30 to 3.00 A. M. he had the following dream :

He and myself were sitting near the Lotus Feet of Shri Sai Baba with some 8/10 other bhaktas, sitting behind us. Strange thing was that in the group sitting there, was one living Saint known as "Phuleri Baba", as he eats only fruit and no grains. He lives in a boat in the Ganga at Garh Mukteshwar, near Moradabad. Dr. used to visit him often when he was posted for years in that area and was treated by that Saint rather with more than usual favour. This Saint is known to be about 100 years young. There was general discussion for one and half hours during which Shri Baba blessed all about four times by raising HIS both hands and told Dr. that his "Vicharas" are correct and that he must stick to them.  The meeting broke when Shri Baba got up to go.

In the morning the whole family was happy and full of bliss to learn that Baba blessed Dr. and me and thus also graced this humble hamlet. One parcel of calendars etc. from Kasauli arrived when we both were getting ready to go to office and as such, thinking that the parcel contained only expected appeals, I did not care to open it then. Just before leaving office at about 2.00 P. M. Dr. asked me for some calendars and I told him that we do not distribute anything as New Year Compliments.

Having had tea etc. at home after coming from office, I asked him to hand over the parcel to me, as he was near the table on which it was kept. My wife was sitting near me when I started opening the wrappers. She said there must be calendars; but I replied that I know there are only printed appeals. Surprise of surprise as the wrapper came out partly, we saw the date sheets and I was found wrong. The joy of all was boundless to see such GRAND BABA calendars. Dr took three for himself and his two daughters. How divinely Baba arranged the arrival of the parcel.

Same evening Dr. and his wife and daughter and my daughter went for sight seeing, that being the last but one day of their stay here. On returning home at about 9 P. M. he gave me the sad news that he had somehow lost Rs. ISO/- and his Rly. pass. He is a retired Rly. Doctor. Suddenly, he got up and went to see his other pants and in his watch pocket, he found all what he had thought lost. So, we had this last Divine Favour of the day, turning sorrow into happiness. Without that 1st Class Rly. Pass he could not have travelled the next day to reach home in time for some function and on top of that he would have had to pay the fare for all the three persons. There were ten people in the house, but in Baba's Darbar only Dr and myself were there. However, we consider this as a blessing for all and the home.

V.  B. Nandwani

Bombay 16

 

SAINT GADGEMAHARAJ

By Dr. S.  D. Parchure M. A., Ph. D.

(Continued from May '77 issue)

The annual village fairs, that are being held in the country­side, are a favourite pastime of the village people. Saint Gadge Maharaj had been attending these fairs, at the places round about Dapure from his childhood. By nature he was very much fond of cleanliness. It may be recalled that even his cowshed was being kept very clean by him, in his youth. All his cattle were also being cleaned by him by taking them to the river. The accumulation of rubbish and other disorders in the village fairs were an eyesore for Shri Maharaj and hence as a part of his social duty, he undertook to improve the sanitary conditions in these places. The villagers, who used to attend the fairs, had no clear ideas of sanitation. Many of them used to bring their bullock-carts as their conveyance. The dung of their bullocks, their urine, the grass that was left over, all these used to add to the insanitation. The children that used to accompany the elders also used to answer nature's calls indiscriminately. The papers leaves etc that were being used for serving the lunch, as well as the remnants of food, used to be thrown by the people helter skelter. All these things used to create insanitary conditions. Shri GadgeMaharaj could not tolerate all these things. He had not yet acquired such a commanding personality, that he could tell people not to create filthy conditions or to clean the site of the fair and even if he would have told the villagers, who would have listened to him? He therefore took the broom in his hand and started cleaning the site of the fair as a part of his social work.

Shri GadgeMaharaj was not yet known to the people. He had to decide his line of action. Later on when he started per­forming keertans, the first thing that he used to do, was to sweep the site of the keertan very clean.  He used to select the area round about a village   temple and would sweep it clean in the early part of the day and would perform the keertan there in the night.  Whenever he used to visit any Village,  the first thing he used to do, was to visit the public place of the village.  He would first clean it with a broom.    If he would come across any choked  drain, he would drain out the accumulated water and reduce the filthy conditions prevailing there.  This practice of doing the work by himself was continued by Shri GadgeMaharaj even in his old age. After he built Dharmashalas at Pandharpur, Alandi, Dehu,  Kinamochan, Nasik etc. for the pilgrims,   he used to make it a point to attend these places during the fairs at these places and used to clean the drains, WCs etc. of these dharma-shalas, by taking the broom in his hand and doing the work by himself.

Though Sakhubai was  apparently  disappointed on the first Sunday in the fair at Rinamochan, still she was not a lady, who would be discouraged by such reverses. She had a real mother's heart.  She had hoped to convert her son's mind and hence on the   second Sunday, she again went to Rinamochan in order to meet her son and according to   her expectation, she did really meet Shri Maharaj at the fair. He was however busy for the whole day in doing his social service, which was least appreciated by the public.    Sakhubai again contacted Maharaj and requested him to leave that thankless job and   return home. She painted before him the rosy picture of the home and the family life;   but that had absolutely no effect on the mind of  Shri Maharaj.  He had not left the house because of somebody's pressure.  He had done it of his own accord after long deliberation, when he was fully convinced that he was wasting his life by remaining entangled in the family life. Sakhubai's persuations had therefore had absolutely no effect on him and he paid no heed to her request. She therefore got totally disappointed and   returned to Dapure in the evening.  Though two more Sundays followed and she knew fully well that Maharaj would attend  Rinamochan for the fair, for doing his public service, still she did not go there to meet her son, because she knew that it was almost like dashing her head against a strong stone wall!

Saint Gadgemharaj realised by and by that this work, that he was doing at the fair, was found to be useful by the villagers, attending the fair. The underlying idea of the the sweeping and cleaning was that the villagers should know the importance of cleanliness and should of their own accord keep the site of the fair clean; but this never happened. The general public in India is not enlightened to that extent even today. Then what to say of those remote days? Thus though the ultimate object of Shri Gadgemaharaj was not achieved, still he had the satisfation of starting some useful public service.

After the work that Shri Maharaj did in the fair for the first year, as explained above, he started doing it every year in the month of Poush. Slowly and slowly the Parit (Washerman) community, staying round about Rinamochan and attending the fair, came to realise the usefulness of the work that Maharaj was doing and they started taking part in the work. It may be recalled that when at Dapure, Maharaj used to arrange dinner at the end of Namasaptaha etc. that was taking place there.

            Similarly on the last day of the fair, the people started arranging the dinner by way of Prasad to the pilgrims attending the fair at Rinamochan. This dinner programme also became very popular and as many as two thousand people used to take food there. As at Dapure, Shri Maharaj used to work from the beginning to end in the dinner programme and used to see that the lame, blind and beggars got the food to their heart's content and that they were fully satisfied; but it was the speciality of Shri Maharaj that he never took a morsel of food out of the food prepared for the general public. He would go round and beg for bread and would remain satisfied with the stale bread that he would get by begging.

This activity of Maharaj helped to create an awakening among the Parit community, staying round about Dapure and Rinamochan. This annual activity first of all helped to develop a feeling of Co­operation among the community. The work at the fair from levelling the banks of the river, keeping the site of the fair neat and tidy and arranging the final Prasad (dinner), all required complete co-operation of the public and under the direction of Shri GadgeMaharaj, all worked sincerely and made the function a success. Self-respect of the people of the Parit community was regenerated. Due to constant preaching of Maharaj and his ideal behaviour, the community, especially the young generation, became free from the bad habit of drinking. A liking for public work also started developing in the Parit community.

Though all the materials, required for feeding the two thou­sand people on the last day of the fair, were quite cheap in those days, still the expenses of the Bhandara (by which name the last day's function of feeding the people by way of prasad was commonly known), were collected by contributions from the people, as this fostered a feeling of Co-operation among them. Though Shri GadgeMaharaj used to strive personally and collect the utensils for cooking the food from various sources, still bringing together all the utensils and returning them back to their owners, was a big job and lot of time and energy was consumed in managing that job. Hence it was decided to purchase by stages, the untensils required for the Bhandara and the money, that used to be found surplus after the function, was saved every year. When this amount was found to be sufficient, the programme of the purchase of utensils was taken up in hand and slowly and slowly all uten­sils sufficient for the Bhandara were purchased. The question then arose about the storage of the utensils and making them available every year for the Bhandara. Shri. GadgeMaharaj there­fore found out a solution for the problem. He first of all arranged to erect a tin shed, sufficiently spacious to accommodate all the utensils. He also then appointed a committee and gave the utensils in their charge. Thus though Shri Maharaj used to strive for all the public functions, he would usually remain aloof from everything and never get involved in any affairs. When the whole programme of the fair at Kinamochan was thus found to have been established on a solid footing, the people of other villages in the vicinity also started celebrating fairs at their villages, in a similar   manner.  Shri GadgeMaharaj was always ready to give guidance to the local committees   formed for the purpose and he strived for their functions also. Thus the holding of village fairs and Bhardars started on similar  lines in the villages round about Rinamochan also, within a few years.

Because of his selfless public service at the time of the fairs at Rinamochan, Pinchar Mahor and other places in the vincinity and because of his humbleness, the name of Shri GadgeMaharaj became known in the area covered by the aforesaid towns; but he was not yet known in remote villages, which were far in the interior and hence the residents of those villages, still continued to look upon this strangely clad man with suspicion. They there­fore would often not allow Shri Maharaj to stay in their village during the night.   Driving him out of the village limits was a common occurance.  Talking in pinching language and troubling him without any valid reason, used to take place very often. Still Shri GadgeMaharaj never used to utter a word of disapproval. He would allow the people to treat him as they liked.

Shri GadgeMaharaj did not escape from the torture of the Police department also. Because of his robust and well-built body, he was often suspected to be a person belonging to a burgler's gang.  His stay in the village was construed as spying for his gang, stationed in the jungle. The Police therefore several times arrested him on suspicion and kept him in the lock-up for one or two days without giving him food or even water. Some­times the Police forced him to carry a very heavy load from one place to another, which was as distant as seven to eight miles. Later on, when Shri Maharaj came in the limelight, some of these persons used to come to him and beg his pardon for the past events, which had taken place unknowingly. Shri Maharaj was however not at all ruffled by such reminiscences of the past. He used to laughout and say "Bury the past. Why do you worry about it? You did your duty. Is there anything wrong in it?".

(to be continued)

MY MIND

When shall you, O mind,

Wake up and find

Thy pure self,

Forgetting the power and self ?

When shall you, O mind,

Break the chains that bind,

And try to realise

The self and be wise ?

When shall you chant the name

Of God and forget the fame

And fun of this world,

And be a free bird ?

Pray, sing a celestial song

On the road, dreary and long,

And end the journey

In peace and purity.

Bakht N. Moolchandani

13, Lilian Apartments, 73, Dr. Ambedkar Road, KHAR, Bombay 400052.

H. S. DIXIT'S DIARY

“TALK WELL OF OTHERS” SHRI BABA

Once two friends were talking in the Wada (Dixit Wada) about Christ. The tenor of their talk was to find fault with Christianity. I also was then present and spoke against its faults. A little while thereafter, I went to take Darshan of Baba, as soon as I began to prostrate before him, Shri Sai Maharaj withdrew His feet from me. I understood from this act of His that I had acted against His daily or frequent advice. I mentally prayed for His forgiveness. Immediately, thereafter, Sai Maharaj spoke, of His own accord, thus; "Come, Kaka, sit" and He stret­ched out His leg and spoke in Marathi as-"Do not speak well of any nor speak ill of any" Few talk well of people. Mostly people talk ill of others. So do not talk ill of others. Baba used to watch and warn in this way.

 

PHOTO

Once a group of youths had come for Baba's darshan. They had a great desire to take Baba's photo and with this view they had taken a camera with them. Two days later, they conveyed this object to Shri Madhavrao Deshpande viz. on his return from Lendi Bagh, when He approached the Wada of Rao Bahadur Sathe, Baba should be reqested to stay there for a few minutes so that a photo might be taken. This was the plan made by Shri Madhavrao. In accordance with this plan, the group of youths, led by Madhavrao, waited with a camera ready for an exposure of Maharaj. When Sai Maharaj came, He said to, Madhavrao, "Shama, what is this?" Madhavrao replied, "O God! this group has a desire to have your photo taken. So they are standing here" Sai Maharaj said, "Tell these boys not to take any photo. It will be enough to demolish the wall." So saying He left the place without stopping even for a minute. What He meant to convey was that the body, whose photo