SHRI SAILEELA
( Official
Organ of Shirdi Sansthan )
VOLUME 53
MARCH 1975
No. 12
A Pilgrim of
the Infinite
The call of the
prophets and saints, alike of East and West, is:- "Awake, O man! Thou art
a pilgrim of the Infinite!" In the great exponents of the Spirit,
this thought of life as pilgrimage ,is
affirmed and re-affirmed in a variety of ways. Significant became the life of the Buddha when, inspired
by this idea of life ;as a pilgrimage, he renounced his kingdom and entered the
Middle ' Path. With compassion for all, he moved from place to place, giving
his great message— "Conquer trishna, - the desires of the 'flesh : and
enter into yourself to find the Peace that passeth , understanding."
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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YOGIRAJ VASUDEVANANDA SARASWATI
OMNIPRESENT BABA – A LIVE MIRACLE
INAUGURATION OF SHRI NARASIMHASWAMIJI CENTENARY H ALL
SRI SAI BABA – THE UNIVERSAL SUPREME
A
CONCRETE EXAMPLE OF MYSTERIOUS GRACE
Yogiraj
Vasudevananda Saraswati
In this issue
we are publishing the last article of the biography of the great saint Yogiraj
Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati, who was also known as Tembe Swarni Though he is
known among the Marathi speaking people, because of his works and because he
spent many days of his life at Wadi, he is not known to the people who are not
conversant with the Marathi language. It is, therefore, hoped that this
biography is liked by our readers and that they have found it very interesting.
Shri
Vasudevananda Saraswati was born at Mangaon in the former Sawantwadi State in
Maharashtra on Shravan Vadya 5th in Shaka 1776. From his childhood only he was
never addicted to this worldly life. He had great mastery over Mantras. He was
giving suitable Mantras to so many devotees and was himself using them whenever
necessary. The examples of this mastery are numerous in the life of Shri Tembe
Swami and our readers will be able to remember them
Control over
spirits was his another achievement. Several examples of the people oppressed,
possessed or troubled by ghosts and spirits have been cited in his- life aNd
all got relief after observing the rituals as per his instructions. Here also
his power of Mantras was seen in a number of instances.
Miracles seemed
to be a play thing for him. Like Shri Sai Baba he had not only had the control
over reptiles, but he had control over the elements of nature like the rain.
Instances of having rain whenever wanted and wherever needed, as well as stopping
the rain and not allowing it to fall at a particular place are also very common
occurances in his life. Even the rivers were under his control and were not
rising beyond a certain limit when requested by him. A number of instances,
where the persons who were declared as dead, for all practical purposes and who
were brought to life can he quoted from Shri Tembe Swami's life. Dreaded
epidemics like Cholera were also easily brought under control by him.
The most
important thing that should be
remembered here is that Swamiji
never did al! these miracles for achieving any
publicity or collecting devotees and disciples around him. As we see from the life of
Shri Sai Baba that the miracle of lighting the lamps in Dwarakarnai with water
or the miracle of driving the Cholera
out of Shirdi by grinding the corn or asking the rain and storm to stop, these were his mere "Leelas"
which he did not do purposefully.
They occured during the course
of his routine life. Similarly we
also find from the life of Swamiji that these miracles were not performed by
him for publicity, but they occured
naturally as a part of his life. In this connection we might remember that before a few years one
Hatyogi had publicised his feat of walking on water very widely in
Bombay. Ultimately he failed to
achieve it; but the fact remains that he wanted . to make a capital out of that feat, which appeared to be unique and which would have proved
the supernatural powers of
its performer. The speciality of the saints like Shri Sai
Baba and Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati is this that they are neither conscious
that they are performing a miracle nor
are they expecting any publicity or gain out of it.
Shri Sai Baba
and Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati were contemporaries. After coming to Shirdi,
Shri Sai Baba never moved out; but that was not the case with Swamiji. He moved
practically all over India and preached the devotion to Lord Datta; but as
providence willed it, Swamiji had never come to Shirdi. Still it appears that
they knew each other. In this connection we might refer to the incident of the
cocoanut forwarded to Shri Sai Baba by Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati, related
at length in chapter no. 50 of Shri Sai Satcharitra (English). This incident
shows how saints love each other with fraternal affection.
Though Shri
Vasudevananda Saraswati was a devotee of Lord Datta, though he used to have a
dialogue with him in human form and though he used to preach devotion to Lord
Datta, still he had equal respect for all other deities, who are being
worshipped by others. In fact he was also advising so many people to perform
"Laghu Rudra", "Maha Rudra" etc. Similarly Shri Sai Baba also
was having respect for all the gods that the people used to worship. In fact he
told everyone not to discontinue the worship and prayer of the god he was
already doing. Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati was a Sanskrit scholar and he used
to compose stotras on the spur of the moment. At the time of his visit to so
many holy places, he had composed instantly stotras praising the particular
deity or place or the river. All these stotras are lucid in style and the use
of words therein is so appropriate that they describe the object of the stotra
in proper perspective.
In addition to
Sanskrit books and commentaries Shri Vasudevananda Sarawsati had also written a
number of commentaries on Sanskrit books in Marathi. Shri Gulavani Maharaj of
Pune, who was the disciple of Shii Vasudevananda Saraswati, has published all
the literature of his Guru which runs into about six thousand printed pages.
Apart from the Sanskrit and Marathi languages it appears that Shri
Vasudevananda Saraswati also knew Persian and Arabic. There are a few instances
where the Muslims, who approached him for relief from certain ailments, were
given by him "Mantras" from the Qoran. It therefore appears that the
study of religion of this sage was not onesided. He had also studied other
religious books in addition to those of the Hindu religion.
It will thus be
seen that Yogiraj Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati was resembling Shri Sai Baba in
many respects. The last, but not the least, is the fact that like Shri Sai
Baba, Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati also is believed to be an incarnation
(Avatar) of God Datta. In the last article published in this issue, the account
of the Maha Samadhi of this saint is given in full details from which it will
be seen that Swamiji took Samadhi at Garudeshwar, on the bank of the rive"
Narmada on the night of Jeshtha Vadya 30 in Shaka 1836 (July 1914 A. D.) where
his Samadhi Mandir and Datta Mandir are built by his devotees.
While going
through the biography of this great sage for the last two years or so we were
living in the company of Swamiji and travelling with him all over India. It was
really a great pleasure to worship God Datta along with Swamiji. We are sure
our readers will be missing this interesting series from the next month, but we
are pleased to assure our readers that we hope to start a series of articles
from the next month, which though perhaps not more enchanting, will be at least
on par with the one that is ending.
Fiftythree years of publication.
With this issue
we will be completing 53 years of our publication. For a magazine of this
type, it is really an achievement to have continued the publication so long;
but apart from the sympathy and support of the Sai devotees, we feel that the
dynamic force behind the publication of this magazine is Shri Sai Baba, who
has steered us safely through thick and thin.
At the time of the first gathering of the writers and poets contributing their articles to Shri Sai Leela, held at Shirdi on the 18th and 19th of January 1975, a report of which was published in the issue for the month of February 1975 of this magazine, it was made clear that inspite of advice from the Court and the Charity Commissioner, the publication of this magazine is per-sistantly continued with a subsidy of over twenty thousand rupees every year, because the magazine is dedicated to the noble cause of spreading the mission and the teachings of the great sage of Shirdi, Shri Sai Baba, among the devotees and among the public. We hope to continue this mission in the years to come.
By : Swami
Chinmayananda
Few Succeed,
Many Fail——Why?
The simple technique in all success was already
given out. "Surrender to a great
ideal, and centering your heart at the ideal, act well". The bosom
gets flooded with
a gushing, gurgling spring of dynamism. This should not
be allowed to get
dissipated either in the
regrets of the past, or in the
anxieties of the future, or with the excitements in the present. Bring the entire
dynamism to express itself in the field of endeavour
and thus fight the battle of
life.
This philosophy
and vvay-of-life sounds so simple and so completely satisfactory to the
rational intellect in us that we wonder why so few people live this perfect
life.
In order to
drive home this philosophy, Krishna even pleads, (111-31) "Those
persons who constantly practise this teaching with full faith and without
cavilling, they too, are freed from all bondages of actions." And
conversely, Krishna says, (111-32) "Those who decry this teaching of
the technique of success, understand those fools to be deluded of all knowledge
and lost."
When Krishna
thus again and again
guarantees the effectiveness of his
philosophy of success, the intelligent sceptic may find a doubt arising
in his mind. If
there be such an assured way to success,
which seems to be quite acceptable, and even simple to
practise, why is it that we find, even among the children of the Hindu culture
so few who climb and reach the peak of material or spiritual,
success?
Anticipating
this probable question, we find Krishna answering it here with utter honesty, (111-33) "All living creatures follow
their own tendencies (Vasanas); even a wise-man acts according to the tendencies of his own nature. What can restraint do?" All creatures during their life-time think according to their Vasanas, and act as they powerfully think. The source of all activity in every creature is thus its
tendencies, or Vasanas. Krishna,
therefore, announces here,
"All living creatures follow their own tendencies; even
a wise-man acts
according to the tendencies of his nature." (sadrusam cheshtathe swasyaa'a prakru-therjnaanavaanapi). More pithily the Lord pronounces, "Beings follow nature" (prakrithim
yaanthi bhuthaani).
"Even a
wise-man" (jnaanavaanapi) follows his tendencies— here,
"wise-man" means not a Man-of-Perfection. but an erudite scholar —-
one who has understood intellectually the implications of the technique of sure
success.
Here then is
the answer to the unexpressed doubt — why do men not generally follow such a
simple 'art of success in life? Even one who has intellectually understood this
technique, seems to fail to live it — why? "Beings follow their own
nature" (prakrithim yaanthi bhuthaani).
The truth of
this paradox is experienced by everyone of us in life. A doctor can be a
drunkard, although he has full knowledge of the adverse effects of alcohol, and
may come to die of cirrhosis of the liver! A lawyer who knows law may, under
provocation even commit a murder That we know is not sufficient for us to live
what we know.
Intellectually
we may applaud and appreciate a certain moral value of life, but by the time it
has to be expressed as action, we act as lowly as though we had no education at
all. Strange is the enchantment of this paradox!
Just because I
can appreciate music or painting, it does not mean I can sing tunefully or
produce a masterpiece! Knowledge is needed; but to express the knowledge we
need a lot of laborious training. By merely restraining, all of a sudden
nothing can happen The question,- "What can restraint do?" (nigrahah
kim karishyathi) along with the admission, "creatures follow their own
nature", sounds as though it is a statement of despair But Krishna is not
a cynic — he has the greatest hope for the highest possibilities in man Yet he
has to state the truth — it is the honest diagnosis of life. It explains why
even the educated and the cultured behave sometimes worse than the uneducated
and the uncultured.
So then, "Even the wise act according
to their nature", (sadrisam cheshtathe swasyaah
prakritherjnanavaanapi).
Let me take an example. A morose man, tired from work returns
home. He feels like picking on someone to let off steam,
but can find nothing on which he can blow up. Then his cup of coffee comes. He sips it — here is his chance —- he howls and
roars, curses all, complaining that
there is no sugar in his
coffee. His loving wife calls out
from the kitchen, "I have put
sugar. It is in the cup." This
enrages the man more. At last
she again calls out, "The
spoon is in the
saucer." The man still
murmuring and complaining at his fate stirs his coffee and lifts
the cup to his lips. There .... no more complaints. In all
silence he drinks his coffee and goes out. The wife smiles.
Now the cup of
coffee had sugar : the erudite scholar has knowledge. But the coffee was not stirred
properly, and so it was not sweet. When book-knowledge is well-digested with
reflection and practised for some time, the knowledge can come to add a fresh
glow to our actions. Instructions do not constitute education :
instruction is necessary : and it is easily available. But education is the
goal to be reached : and it is to be gained by one's own reflection.
Instructions are given : education is achieved. Instruction is objective; education is a
subjec phenomenon kindled in the student and maintained by the teach.
In modern times
we have Instructional Institutes, no educational schools! Therefore, we have
many instructors but hardly any teachers!!
It is mainly
the duty of each one of us to get educated. Teachers should instruct and
inspire students to digest independently — even here, real teachers can, by
their example and nobility, help to maintain the inspiration kindled in the
student.
"What can
a mere self-restraint do?" (nigrahah kim karish-yati). Restraint must
spring from our own understanding, that what we are now indulging in is a
shameful waste of life's vitality and chances.
(Courtesy :
Geeta Office, Powai)
Shri Laxmikant,
the son of Shri Vyankatrao Mule, the Proprietor of Plaza Tailors at Dadar,
expired on the 25th of February 1974, after an operation of kidney. Shri
Vyankatrao Mule has given a liberal donation of Rupees Twenty five Thousand,
as a fixed deposit, in memory of his late son, Shri Laxmikant. The amount of
the interest on the fixed deposit, will be utilized for giving treatment to
the patients at the Sainath Hospital, Shirdi.
(A Biography)
(Continued from
February 1975 issue) By:- Shri S.
N. Huddar
GARUDESHWAR
(Continued)
Maharani Indirabai Holkar
Indirabai, grand daughter of Anandrao Talcherkar, was to be married to Tukojirao Holkar of Indore. The betrothal ceremony took place at Indore in Shaka 1834 (1912 A. D.) Tukojirao then went to Europe and eleven months passed, but he had not returned Talcherkar family was very anxious about the future of Indirabai. Her horoscope was sent to Swami Maharaj through Narayan Dattatraya, a priest of Wadi. Seeing the horoscope Swamiji remarked, "There is no Raj Yoga". Narayanrao said, "As the horoscope has reached Swami Maharaj. the marriage must take place."
Swami Maharaj
informed Indirabai to worship and recite the mantra "^Devedrani
Namastuyumam^" etc. The marriage would be celebrated in Margasheersha
Accordingly the marriage was ceremo-nised on Margasheersha Shuddha 10, Shaka
1835 (1913 A. D.) and K.umari Indirabai was known as Sou. Maharani Indirabai
Saheb Holkar. She had great regard for Swami Maharaj, and she has donated
liberally for the publication of his volumes, construction of ghats, mandirs,
houses at Managaon, Kurugaddi, Karanja, Garudeshwar etc.
Insufficient Prasad Given to Hundreds
One day there
were 300 to 400 persons. The prasad was very little. When males were given
prasad, Swamiji looked at the pot of the prasad removing the cover and found it
was more than half the pot. It was distributed amongst the females.
Rain Stopped on Krishna Jayanti
On Krishna
Jayanti after Kirtan, Bhajan was started. Beyond Narmada it was raining and it
was expected that the rain would be on this side also and Bhajan will have to
be stopped. Swami Maharaj looked at the sky and said, "Do not be afraid.
Let Bhajan be continued." After completion of the Bhajan all went under
the shed and then there were showers of rain. Swamiji said to Shri Sabnis,
"This is the rain you were afraid of."
Vithal Sonar of
Baroda prepared a Datta Murti. It was installed at the hands of Koparkar by
Ramchandra Shastri Prakash-kar on Ashwin Shuddha 9. One serpent was seen at the
place of the Datta Murti. Swamiji chanted a mantra and put the
"akshat" on the serpent. Next day at the time of Geeta prava-chan the
serpent began to move. Swamiji came to him and asked him to go away. The
serpent went away from that place. Some persons followed to kill it. Swamiji
said, "Do not kill the serpent. You may leave the serpent in the
Narmada".
The amount offend to Swami Maharaj and
God was put in a box. One day the balance was only Rs 3/-. Daily 200 to 300
persons were being fed. Shri Sabnis informed this to Swami Maharaj who said,
"why do you care? God will manage the affairs " After 8 to 10 days
Swamiji said, "Make payment to the persons who supplied the material
" When Shri Sabnis opened the box he found that it was full of guineas.
Once Swami
Maharaj had passed through the field of Ambadas Bhake of Berar. He
got bumper crops. He and his
wife were devotees of Swamiji. They came to Garudeshwar and offered
gold guineas of Rs. 3000/- Swami Maharaj had asked him to write 'Ram' on a
piece of paper which was mixed with wheat flour dough and he was asked to give
pills of this to the fish. He devotedly did this.
Guru Dwadashi
function was observed with grandeur. Thousands of persons had dinner. Everyone
was given Dakshina. Swami Maharaj then addressed the people as follows :-
"I have to
tell you in brief what I have been
advising and what is
contained in the books, I have written with the
adesh of Shri Datta from time to time. The principal aim of a human being should be to gain mukti (salvation). For this, the mind is to be controlled first, which is possible
by observing daily rituals, as per one's caste and religion. Hearing, thinking and meditation of
Vedant should always be done. Hearing should receive more attention and
this would make the mind less attached to family affairs. Man's
sublimation depends on his pure behaviour. To achieve this, your food should be simple, limited and pure. The signs of satwik mind are to have great regard for one's religion, to have daily bath, Sandhya,
Puja, and to do five sacrifices regularly, have regard for the Atithi (guest), to serve the cow, have liking for
Katha-Kirtan-Pujan-Bhajan,
to speak sweet with all, not to harm anybody by one's action, to serve
parents, the females should serve their husbands and also obey the
mother-in-law and father-in-law and other elders
"For one's
maintenance, trade, agriculture or service may be done; but behave as per Vedic
religion obeying the Guru and the elders should not be neglected or forsaken.
By doing one's duty the heart becomes pure, which gives strength for devotion.
By devotion one's mind becomes quiet and one can know his self and consequently
attains salvation."
He also
explained seven stages of knowledge nicely and assured that one who acts as
directed would live happily.
Shri Datta
Jayanti was observed on a grand scale. About 2 to 3 thousand persons had
gathered. In Vaishakha of Shaka 1836 dysentary troubles again started and Swami
Maharaj became weaker and weaker day by day. Knowing this, water was being
poured on the Padukas at Wadi continuously. When Swamiji knew this he informed
the Wadi priests, "Do not trouble God. This body wijl soon pass away."
Swami Maharaj
asked Shri Datta, "what arrangement should be made of your murti
here?" Shri Datta replied, "I intend to stay here. The murti need not
be removed anywhere." Hereafter whatever money was received was kept here
and was not sent to Wadi as was being done so far.
Swami Maharaj
was lying in bed for a month. Replies to letters were also got written by
others. Swamiji was often in samadhi or meditation. He spoke only 10 to 12
sentences throughout the day. In order to have smooth management at
Garudeshwar, Brahmanand Swami appointed a Panch committee as follows:-
1)
Chairman- Shri Narsinha
of Wadi.
2)
Vice-Chairman- Shri Ramchandra Vithal Adhikari.
3)
Cashier- Shri Parashram Kuberram Bhat.
4)
Members- Shri Amritrao Purushottam Sabnis.
5)
Laxmishankar Hari Govinddas Thanedar.
6) Pradyumnanand Teerth.
People requested
Swami Maharaj to take medicine,
but he replied, "This body
will pass away soon. There is
no necessity of medicine. Shri
Shankaracharya lived only
for 32 years. Comparatively I
have lived longer.
This body was
bitten by serpent twice, once
it -was affected by Plague, thrice by Cholera, once by Typhoid, twice
by Leprosy. Dysentary is almost from birth Who gave, me medicine
all these years? The Physician I chose from birth, is still there. What he wills
will occur". In the end he recited
the Shloka, which Bhishmacharya had recited. He uttered 'Datta' 'Datta'
and asked others to do the same.
On Jeshtha
Vadya 14 he asked Dhondopant to recite a mantra 1200 times daily, observe
Gurudwadashi, Datta Jayanti and Guru Pratipada and feed Brahmins. Saying this he gave his chati to him.
Even on Amavasya, he persisted
to do the daily rituals. But
water could not stand on his palm.
When Pratipada started, he sat on
siddhasan facing God, did Tarak
(a kind of mudra) and with Kumbhak did long 'Pranavochhai' and assimilated
himself in the Brahma. It
was Ashad Shuddha Pratipada Shaka 1836 Tuesday
(July 1914 A D.),
Ardra Nakshatra, Uttarayan time II P.M. in the night.
On hearing the news of Swamiji's Niryana, all the devotees were sunk in great grief.
Next day Swami
Maharaj was given a bath with Purushsu-kta and Rudrasukta. Wreaths of flowers, Tulsi, Bel were
offered. Placing the body on a seat of
flowers specially prepared, it was
taken on the bank of the Narmada in procession. The mortal
remains were again worshipped. Naivedya,
fruits, tambul and
dakshina were offered. Swamiji's Dand was
broken in three pieces and placed on his laps His Bowl was bored at the bottom. Stones
were tied to his body and it was sunk in the holy Narmada. This biography
of Yogiraj Shri Vasudevananda Saraswati Tembe Swami
Maharaj is dedicated to his
most holy feet with great regard and humility.
What is
mysticism? It is an attitude of mind. It means a direct, immediate, first hand,
intuitive apprehension of God. It implies a silent enjoyment of God It is
ineffable mystical experience incapable of expression.
This type of
ineffable experience is closely linked with its character. There are three
faculties involved in this experience-(1) Intellect, (2) Feeling, (3) and Will.
These three faculties to-gethe enable us to have full experience of God but
there is one special organ to view it. To see God face to face needs a determinative
prolonged and continued exercise or effort of the will.
It is an
exercise of an intensive cultivation of the emotions too. The three faculties
of Intelligence, Will and Feeling are all necessary in the case of mystical
endeavour and they should be backed by intuition.
The mystics of
all ages and climes form an eternal divine society. There is no racial, no
communal, no national prejudices among them. Time and space have nothing to do
with the eternal and infinite character of their mystical experience.
Dnyaneshwar was
one of the greatest mystics the world has ever seen. He can be fitly compared
with Dante, whose vision, philosophic imagination, and poetic melody are just a
counterpart of Dnyaneshwar. He can most appropriately be compared with the
brilliant St. John of the Cross, whose fulness and variety of mystical
experience and whose manner of presenting it stand almost unsurpassed in the
literature of western mysticism. Besides, he can be compared with the mystical
luminaries of the west as Plotinus, Augustine, Eckhart and Baron Von Hugel-
Maharashtra had
given birth to three female mystics, namely Muktabai, Janabai and Kanhopatra.
These female mystics are more subjective in their temperament rather than
activistic. Sexual symbolism in religion is less prominent with them.
Tukaram is yet
a different type of mystic. He possesses per. sonaiistic element whose joys and
fears, griefs and tears, wailings and railings, as well as whose final
consummation are exactly like those of his Indian compeer. It is a fruitful
consummation towards the "Grace Abounding". It is a mystical ecstatic
consciousness of the God's Vision.
Yet one more
outstanding mystic of Maharashtra is Ramdas. He is of an activistic type. He
had a political colouring to his religious teaching and founded an Order of
disciples. His teaching can be summed up: "One should spend one's entire
life in strenuous work, and yet again in steady contemplation in a moment. It
is a combination of the active and spiritual life. The most inward man must live
his life in two ways — namely in work and rest, in each, he must be whole and
undivided, and is perpetually called by God to renew both his rest and work.
He is living and willing instrument of God, with which God works whatsoever He
wills and howsoever He wills. He is thus strong and courageous in suffering all
that God allows to befall him and is ready alike for contemplation and
action."
And what is
action? It is a Yoga - Yoga is skill in action. "Perform action', 0
Dhananjaya, dwelling in union with the Divine, renouncing attachments and
balanced evenly in success and failure: equilibrium is called Yoga "
(Bhagawadgita) All yogis are mystics but all mystics are not yogis. Yoga is
quite different.
Dnyaneshwar
tells us that "when the tree of unreality has been cut down, one is able
to see one's self, one's own form. The vision of the individual self is as a
spring which may exist in its own fulness even when it does not come up into a
well.
When water
dries up, the image in it goes back to its prototype; when fuel is burnt, fire
returns into itself, in a similar way, is the vision of the Self by the Self.
This is the Ultimate Being which exists in itself, after reaching which, there
is no return".
In the same way
Upanishads tell us that when a man reaches the acme of his spiritual
realisation, "he sees his Self, his own form, suffused in a halo of
dazzling light."
Such too was Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. We do get a glimpse from his utterances and incomprehensible behaviour at times. Sai Baba was the greatest and ideal sage of the early twentieth century. He was without inward difference and without difference from the rest of Being. He was beyond everything. He always dwelt in eternal tranquillity. His method of teaching and preaching was absolutely his own. It was some times direct and at other times indirect; yet he never preached but exhibited by action of his ownself. It was and is still a wonderful life. Baba always bathed in Divine Light. He was a great Yogi. He was a great mystic too.
Such are the mystics
and their mysticism.
Prof, Vaman H.
Pandit
13, Khatipura
Road, Indore City (M. P.)
By Dr. S.
D. Parchure M. A., Ph. D.
(Continued from
February 1975 issue)
The fame of
Shri Dasopant had already reached Ambejogai like the fragrance of the flowers
which is carried to a long distance by the wind. People, therefore, started
coming to him for darshan and for advice. Among the visitors Shri Sitopant,
Deshpande of Ambejogai, was also one. Sitopant was an important personality of
the village He was also a man of philosophical bent of mind; but had not so
far chosen anybodv as his Guru, because he had not so far come across a person
who could influence him and make him go into Samadhi at the first sight. He
however visited the Ganapati temple as a matter of course, in order to enquire
about the visitor, who came from elsewhere; but as Providence willed it, no
sooner Shri Sitopant's eyes met those of Dasopant, the former went into
Samadhi. He saw something,heavenly in the eyes of Dasopant and he straight
walked into the world of untainted joy.
Sitopant was in
that state of joy for about fifteen to twenty minutes. When he awoke from the
Samadhi, he saw Shri Dasopant in his front and his joy knew no bounds. He
thought to himself that as per his resolve he has come across a saint who
really has some supernatural powers and who deserves to he his Guru. He
immediately got up and bowed down to Dasopant and requested him to accept him
as his disciple. When Dasopant found that Sitopant was an ardent devotee of
God, he readily accepted him as his disciple and initiated him.
When an
influential person like Sitopant became the disciple of Dasopant, the whole
village of Ambejogai went after him. Sitopant found out a house for his Guru
and comfortably housed him there. He furnished the whole house and gave
abundant clothes to Shri Dasopant. Then he requested Dasopant to stay at
Ambejogai permanently and favour him and the villagers with his company, which
would show them the path to salvation. Dasopant readily accepted this good
offer and decided to stay at Ambejogai for the rest of his life.
It is a rule of
chemistry that when there is enough saturation in a solution the
crystallization starts. Dasopant was upto now not settled in his life. He had
spent nearly thirty five years of his life in quest of God, who ultimately gave
him a permanent place to stay. He passed through critical times to get
ultimately settled at Ambejogai; but during all these years, he was all along
pondering over the religious books known to him. This persistent thinking
saturated his mind with thoughts and they now started crystallising in book
form.
Like
Dnyaneshwar, Dasopant too was proud of the Marathi language. He had good power
of expression and had complete faith in the power of the language. Though, out
of the forty-eight books that he has written, a few are in the Sanskrit language,
still a majority of them is in the language of the people viz. Marathi. Like
Saint Dnyaneshwar he also was dedicated to the mission of spreading the
philosophical and religious thoughts among the masses, who had no knowledge of
the Sanskrit language.
When Dasopant
started writing the books, he did it as if it was his life's mission. Everyday
he would require ink worth two pice. His forty-eight books, written in his own
handwriting are preserved by his decendents at Ambejogai from which we see that
he had a bold handwriting. In addition to the decendents of Shri Dasopant at
Ambejogai, some of his other decendents are staying at a place known as
Chandrapur near Nagpur. The decendents at Ambejogai say that the decendents at
Chandrapur also must be having
some of his books written
in his own
hand.
Shrimadbhagwadgeeta
is a treasure that has fascinated all Marathi writers and most of them have
tried their hand on that sacred book. Saint Dasopant seems to have special
fascination for this book, because he has written as many as five books on
Bhaga-wadgeeta. In order to have a rough idea of the voluminious nature of work
done by Saint Dasopant, it may be mentioned that his book
"Geetarnava" alone comprises of as many as one lakh and twentyfive
thousand "Ovees". This book was printed in part some years back and
it cannot be said whether all his books would at all be printed, because that
work is both expensive and tiresome. Under these circumstances it is at-least
necessary to take care to preserve his hand written books in proper order. In
Pune, there is an institution known as the Maharashtra Sahitya Parishad, which
is working for the uplift of the Marathi language This Parishad is holding
every year the gathering of the Marathi speaking people and the writers and
poets writing in the Marathi language. There are other institutions in
Maharashtra State having similar objectives. It can, therefore, be suggested
that all these institutions should join hands and may take, whatever help that
might be needed, from the Maharashtra State Government, which is pledged to the
uplift of the Marathi speaking people, their language, literature and heritage,
to take care of this valuable literature and similar such manuscripts, which
are strewn all over the Maharashtra State. The preservation of such manuscripts
is not the work which an individual can shoulder. If some institutions join
hands then only it would be possible to achieve this difficult task.
There is one
curious thing about Saint Dasopant. Apart from writing books on paper, he
experimented the writing on cloth. He took a piece of cloth forty feet in
length and four feet in width. Then he left a margin of four inches all round
and wrote a complete book on that cloth. He wrote on this cloth, in verse form,
the book known as "Pancheekaran" which expounds the philosophy
of Shri Dasopant. This curious book written on the cloth is recently printed
and is available in book form. The idea of writing a book on a piece of cloth
is itself very curious. This: piece of cloth is known as Dasopant's
"Pasodi". As the original "Pasodi" has now become tattered.
A replica of the same is now prepared and persons who show special interest in
the book are shown this replica in order to have an idea of the work. Dr.
RajendraPrasad, the Ex-President of India, at the time of his visit to
Marathwada, was shown this "Pasodi" in original and he expressed his
wonder at the ingenious idea of the auther, Shri Dasopant, in thinking of
perpetuating his work in this fashion.
However learned
a person may be, still there comes an occasion in his life when he becomes
elated and feels proud about nis achievement. Legends, bringing out such
incidents, are always told about most of the saints One such legend is being
told about Dasopant also. It is told that Dasopant wrote his book Geetar-nava
after sitting in a cave known as "Bute Jaradi"; but it has not been
possible in identity the exact location of this cave. Dasopant was a staunch
devotee of God and he therefore, had all the eight "Siddhis" at his
command. After completing his "Geetarnava" which ran to over a lakh
of ovees, Dasopant got a little elated and he got puffed up with pride. He
thought that his book, which surpassed Dnyaneshwari in bulk, was also much
superior to that book in quality. He therefore, wondered why people did not
honour his book so much as they honoured Dnyaneshwari. When he got such wrong
notion in his mind, he was ordered by God to dip both the books in the holy
waters of river Godawari for test. After doing that, it transpired that
Dnyaneshwari floated, on the water, while his book Geetarnava went to the
bottom. Looking to this decision of the God, Dasopant became humble and
stopped competing with Dnyaneshwar. It cannot be said how far this legend is
authentic. Dnyaneshwari was a book which was written some three hundred years
before Dasopant's book. Time is the real test of the value of a literary work.
The work, which
is easily forgotten by the people
after a short while, is not a work of a high standard, while a work which is -remembered even after genarations is a
work of unparallel merits. Saint Dasopant was not a man who would not have
understood these things and
acknowledged the superiority
of Dnyaneshwari to his work, because it had stood the test of time. Saint Dasopant does not
seem to be a person who would have vied
with Dnyaneshwar on this account.
Hence as in the case of so many
other saints, we have just to listen to this legend and understand its purport
in the proper perspective.
It is a
common experience that
contemporary saints have respect
for each other. Of course, in those
good old days when means of communication were few, the people staying at far distances might
not have known
each other. In
the case of Dasopant, we find that he knew some other saints of
his time and had good regard for them. Saint Eknath, Nrasinha Saras-wati (whose life has been
depicted in Guru Charitra) and
Saras-wati Gangadhar (disciple of Shri
Nrasinha Saraswati and author of Guru
Charitra) were the contemporaries of Dasopant and he had high
regard for all of them
Out of these three however,
saint Dasopant was having very close friendship with saint Eknath. It is
narrated in the life of saint
Eknath that he had come and stayed with
saint Dasopant on his way from Banaras to Paithan. It is also stated that saint
Dasopant paid saint Eknath a
return visit to Paithan. A number
of legends about these two
friends are current. Shri Dasopant
was himself an ardent devotee of God Datta
and all the
aforesaid three saints
also belonged to the Datta cult and hence this common tie
among all these
saints might have been the cause of their mutual friendship.
Saint Dasopant
appears to have sound knowledge of the Sanskrit language as can be seen from
his books in that language. He also had equally good command over the Marathi
language; but though he was the contemporary of Saint Eknath, there is
difference in their language. The language of Eknath is much more simple than
that of Dasopant. Due to the voluminous writings of Shri Dasopant and due to his
scholarship, which is manifest in his writing, it sometimes becomes difficult
for the common man to follow him
The time of
Dasopant was a period when books on philosophy have been written in abundance.
Most of the authors of this age have written books expounding some philosophy
or the other. It was only during this period that the work of translation of
the Puranas into Marathi was started.
We see
that after Dnyaneshwar and Namdeo, there was a sort of a lull in the Marathi literary world. The horizon
of the Marathi literature appears to have darkened during the course of these
three hundred years. However with the rise of the bright stars like saint Eknath and Dasopant, the sky of Marathi literature
brightened up again and since then there has not been any recession in
the Marathi literary world. Dasopant was a saint who had long experience of life. He has written his books not by mere imagination but by his
personal experience. Like
saint Ramdas, who was born later on, saint Dasopant also new the ins and outs of daily life and the ways of
the world. He has therefore,
written a lot in his books
which is not only good, as i
far as theory goes, but which is also quite useful in daily life and
which would help a man to behave well in the worldly life. After contributing
substancially to the Marathi literature this great saint had his Samamdi
at Ambejogai at the
age of sixty five on the Vadya
Sixth in the Magha month of Shaka 1537 (1615 A. D.)
God Datta is
also known as Datta Digambar and Saint Dasopant, who was a staunch devotee of
god Datta and on whom god Datta showered his favours, was therefore also known
as saint Daso Digambar.
The most important
question that may arise in our mind, after hearing and realising Baba's Leelas
in mind whether He is still alive and guarding the destiny of His devotees or
His Leelas are just due to coincidence of circumstances and time that makes us
realise and cherish the same as the evidence of His OMNIPRESENCE, OMNIPOTENCE
AND OMNISCIENCE.
The answer is
simple, The truth remains that He is very much alive and much more active,
vigilant and limitless in His Power to-day than He was in human body before
taking His ---MAHASAMADHl on the 15th of October 1918.
Since we all
know that a 'SIDDHA PURUSH' never dies, the question of Baba dying does not
arise, because He was 'GOD INCARNATE'. He took birth only with a mind to spread
the gospel of love, sense of Brotherhood and equality among His devotees In His
Darbar rich and poor both had their access and were treated without any
difference in status. To look after their welfare was the sole responsibility
of Baba, irrespective of which school of thought a devotee belonged to.
Therefore He is very much on this planet and ruling over the universe and thus
guarding over the destiny of His devotees.
To cite one of
the sermons which Baba had imparted to Mr. Cholkar on his vow of not taking
sugar in the tea since he wanted to save the cost of sugar and made many other
economies to save enough money in order to take Baba's darshan which reads as
follows:-
If you spread
your palm with devotion before Me, I am immediately with you day and night.
Though I am here bodily, still I know what you do beyond seven seas. My abode
is in your heart and I am within you. Worship Me always, who is seated in your
heart as well as in the hearts of all beings — SAI SATCHARITRA Chapter XV.
Further if we
go through the Charters and Saying of Baba on which Principles even today He
stands, then we would find that His Leelas are the result of His Limitless
Powers and being the Guardian of the destiny of His devotees. The Sayings of
the Charters read as follows:-
9. My eye (of vigilant supervision) is
ever on those who love Me. Whatever you do, whatever you may be, ever bear this
in mind that I am always aware of .everything you do.
10. If one ever meditates on Me, repeats
My name, sings My deeds and is thus transformed into Me, His 'Karma' is
destroyed. I always stand by his side.
It was 26th
April 1974, the date of my departure from Baba's blessed Darbar after staying
for ten days with Him. I was feeling very sad with the very thoughts that today
I would be leaving His darbar, though in the morning only Baba was kind enough
to bless me with 'Tulsi Leaves' as His Prasad, which is very sacred and holy.
At 10-30 A. M.
I was being suggested by Mr. Gangwal, Proprietor of SAI Prasad Grab, that it
would be better if I go to Baba with a cocoanut to seek His Blessings and thus
take His permission to leave since it is a ritual to go to the Sadguru with the
cocoanut to take His permission.
Accordingly at
12-40 P. M. no sooner Noon Arti of Baba was performed at His Samadhi Mandir, I
made my way to 'Dwarka Mayee' with a cocoanut in hand. On reaching Dwarka Mayee
I prostrated on the lotus feet of the Master and kept the cocoanut on the
collection box, with a mind to worship Baba first.
No sooner I
lighted the incense sticks and was about to place them in front of Baba, to my
surprise and to the surprise of all present at Dwarka Mayee at that time I
noticed that the two bulbs which are fitted before His portrait started
flickering. The flickering of those two bulbs was so fast that it took no time
for me to understand that something had gone wrong somewhere and Prabhu is
trying to point out through His Omnipresent personality to rectify the same.
Since no lights other than those two bulbs were flickering, it was a phenomenon
worth-watching.
The sooner I
turned my head towards the cash box, I found that the cocoanut was missing.
Immediately I shouted in order to find out who had taken away the cocoanut from
the cash box.
My shouting and
the stopping of the flickering of those two bulbs were simultaneous. On seeing
this wonderful Leela of Baba everyone present at that time at Dwarka Mayee was
spellbound. The gentleman who had taken away that cocoanut immediately returned
it to me with a word of apology.
Had Baba not
pointed out the missing of the cocoanut at the very time through His
Omnipresence, I would have certainly lost that cocoanut which would have been a
matter of great regret. In other words it was a lesson to me from my Guide and
Benefactor to be watchful at all times.
The above
mentioned Leela of Baba is an authentic proof of His Omnipresence and
Omnipotence and thus true to His words that "My eyes (of vigilant
supervision) are ever on those who love Me".
Whatever you
do, wherever you may be, ever bear this in mind that I am always aware of
everything you do".
Secondly the
flickering of those two powerful bulbs was not due to defect in the electrical
lines or loose contact in the switch board, because other bulbs had no effect,
as stated earlier. Therefore it is ample proof of Baba's Omniscience since He
is the controller of elements as well and needs no switch board or electrical
device to control the light.
Thirdly had His
mercy not been timely, I would have been the subject of talk of the devotees
present at that time at Dwarka Mayee, and I would have been feeling bad in my
heart of hearts for the loss of that sacred cocoanut.
Bow to Shree SAI Peace be to all!
Mahesh C.
Srivastava
The
Vice-President of India, Shri B. D. Jatti inaugurated His Holiness Shri
Narasimhaswamiji Centenary Hall at Madras on January 7. 1975. The
fallowing is the text of his speech which he delivered on that Occasion -
Editor
I am grateful
to Shri Sai Padananda Radhakrishna Swamiji, President, All India Sai Samaj,
Madras, for inviting me to inaugurate the Hall which has been constructed to
commemorate the Birth Centenary of His Holiness Shri Narasimhaswamiji, whose
unique life is a perfect example of how God's designs can alter the course of
human life in the most unexpected manner.
I was fascinated
by the story of Shri Narasimhaswamiji's life. He was born in a fairly
prosperous family which moved to Salem from Bhavani after his birth. He had a
good home, a brilliant educational career, a lucrative practice at the Bar and
a full satisfying and successful public life at Salem. He was an active
co-operator, Chairman of the Municipality, member of literary societies,
legislator and political worker. He was a fiery follower of Bal Gangadhar
Tilak, a member of the Indian National Congress and a member of Dr. Besant's
Home Rule League. He had made substantial property through his profession and
became a leading figure in the politics of the day. In this background one
visualises a person amassing more and more wealth, becoming politically more
and more important and rising ever higher in the social scale and ending his
days in the full glory of material achievement and success. But as I have mentioned
earlier the God's design is a mystery which no one can foresee. What happened
was that through a divine alchemy, coarse metal was transmuted into pure gold.
The man of the world was transformed into a saint, but it was a transformation that emerged
from the anguish and pain of a terrible domestic tragedy. The wordless grief
which overwhelmed Shri Narasimha-swamiji brought to him a feeling and later a
realisation that he was meant to serve God and humanity and not continue the
life of a man of the world however successful.
Gradually, Shri
Narasimhaswamiji renounced his activities and interests one by one. He gave up
legal practice, politics and property and began a spiritual quest in the course
of which he came across many men of God, notably Bhagawan Shri Ramana Maharshi
of Arunachala and Upasani Baba of Sakori. He visited many places of spiritual
significance including the Siddharudha Mutt of Hubli. Through the Upasani
Baba's inspiration he was drawn to Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi who at the time of
his Samadhi in 1918 was neither widely known nor well understood. Out of a
variety of studies and sadhanas, Swamiji came to the conclusion that to pursue
the quest of God through Bhakti, performing japa, Bhajan and Parayan in
unquestioning faith, is a more effective spiritual approach than through
research and discussion, study and speculation .in philosophy and metaphysics.
And that became his way of life. He was lost in his devotion to Sri Sai Baba of
Shirdi and was inspired to discover and record his glorious life for posterity.
If Sai Baba, who was rather obscure in his own life time, became a living force
and a "God who moves among men" in the last three decades, it was
largely the result of Shri Narasimha Swamiji's endeavours. Today Sai Bhaktas
are to be counted by the millions. He is the talisman against dangers,
difficulties and doubts, and the hope and solace of the suffering.
It was observed
by Remain Rolland that the age-long history of the spirit of India is the
history of a veritable galaxy of spiritual personalities marching ever to the
conquest of the Supreme Spirit. Shri Narasimhaswamiji belongs to that shining
galaxy. May his grace, and the grace of Shri Sai Baba bless all.
I have
now much pleasure
in declaring open
the Birth Centenary Hall of
Shri Narasimhaswamiji.
Jai Hind.
Earlier Shri
Saipadananda Radhakrishnaswamiji President, All India Sai Sama], Mylapore,
Madras presented the Welcome Address to His Excellency Shri B. D. Jatti,
Vice-President of India.
INDIA is a land
blessed by the exemplary lives and deeds of Sages and Saints-
They are verily, "the gems of the purest rays serene". India's
culture and civilization - nay, her very life-source - find reflection in the
mirror of the wisdom of our sages. Their thoughts are soulful.
The saints live in the bliss of divinity,
and know that all else is a super imposition. Saints have come into this world
and have left it, after their alloted work; but still they continue their work
through their own ethereal body and through their best tried and best chosen
devotees. Whenever there is accumulation of sin in the world, when justice,
truth and righteousness and Dharma are given a death knell, aid whenever the
world becomes topsy turvy on account of unrighteousness etc., the Universal
Supreme sends His chosen few to set right matters and to restore truth and
justice and Dharma to their right place Of such, chosen few, SRI SAl BABA is
one and a unique phenomenon.
We know so
little about Sai's life or his family background and we are unable to fathom
the mystery of his choosing a little known village like Shirdi for his'
mission. But due to the diligent probing of some of his closer disciples, we
learnt that he was born in a middle class brahmin family in a small town in the
former Hyderabad Mate. When still very young, was handed over to a Muhammadan
Fakir, who in his turn, placed him under the kind care of Sri Venkatesa Guru of
Selu village. The poor boy was kept under strict discipline and he strictly
followed the path chalked out by his Guru. He remained with his Guru for nearly
a dozen years and had the super abundant Grace of the Guru. He went to the
banks of the Godavari to serve humanity in a variety of ways, and finally
settled at Shirdi and was called Sai by a Biiakta. Mhalsapati, a Bhakta,
accosted him with the words
"YA
SAI" (Welcome, Sai) and henceforth, the name "SAl BABA" OR SAI
(God is with us) became famous. He was hailed as the Avatar of this Kali Yuga.
He attained marvellous spiritual powers He could control the five elements
with an amazing ease. He could stop torrential rains which threatened the safety
of Shirdi.
The object of
this article is to show that Sai Baba had attained the highest perfection and
rose to the rank of an AVATAR. In whatever, he has done, he has shown his
marvellous spiritual powers in such a manner that one cannot hesitate to call
him GOD. What is God if not the Universal Supreme who is omnipotent,
Omnipresent, and All-Merciful? His possession of all these divine attributes
can very easily be illustrated by a reference to his life.
His Omnipresence no one can doubt, the most touching example being of Kondya Sutar, a sincere devotee of Baba, who was one day told by Baba that a lire had broken out in the village grain yard and asked him to hurry to the spot. A fire in the grain yard is not a small matter to the villagers. Kondya ran to the place, but finding nothing wrong, returned to Baba, complaining of sore and scorched feet on account of the needless trouble on such a hot day. Baba beckoned him near and asked Kondya to heed His words; for Baba said "My words are never untrue. Turn back and see, the smoke is curling up". Heaps of grain and hay were stored in the yard, close to each other and the stack in the centre had caught fire. It was full summer and the time was afternoon. A strong wind was blowing like a typhoon's blast. It appeared to the villagers as if PRALAYA VATA had started. Trees heaved to and fro, broke and fell with terrific crash. The roofs of huts and grain storages were rent from their supports. If the fire should spread! The poor villagers were awe struck. They ran to Baba, their only support, fell at His feet and cried like helpless children "Oh Store-house of grace and kindness," they appealed, "Our grain yard has caught fire. Have mercy on us. It is our life, it is our living. If it is lost, not only ourselves but our cattle also will have to face starvation. We pray for your aid. You are SRI HARI, You are the knower of the past, present and future. Guide us." Baba went to the spot and encircled the burning stack, segregating it, as it were. He assured the villagers that, that stack alone would burn to ashes and the rest would be safe. So it happened. The good villagers sighed in thankfulness, fell at Baba's feet and rejoiced at the grace of the Saviour. The "Great Ones" they say have power over the elements for, are not even the Gods at their command? His Omnipotence inspired awe in the minds of His devotees. He could control the five elements with an ease that amazed the onlooker and left him dumb and gaping. He could even stop rain falling in torrents endangering the safety of Shirdi. He was verily the Almighty, the Formless in Human Form. Das-ganu was fortunate to sip the waters of Ganges and the Jumuna that flowed from His right and left toes. Who would doubt His Might? Another instance of Baba's