SHRI SAI LEELA
MARCH 1976 CONTENTS
1 Editorial Key
to Progress
2. Hussain The
Martyr of Karbala
3. The Science of Religion Swami
Chinmayananda
4. To The Editor Shri V.B.Nandwani
5. Shri Gurucharitra Shri
S. N. Huddar
6. Shri Sai Baba's Wish Shri
Amarnath
7. Saint Ramdas Dr. S. D. Parchure
8. Questions and Answers Shri V, B. Nandwani
9. Rukmini Prof.
Vaman H Pandit
10. Sad Demise of Shri
Nagesh A. Sawant
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EDITORIAL
Key to Progress
The urge for progress is, infused very deep in the human blood. The human beings are striving all the time for their uplift and progress. After a child is born, it tries slowly and slowly to crawl and speak. The crawling is slowly discarded and standing, walking and running follows. The articulation of monosyllables is replaced by words and speech in due course of time. In the childhood, the child is trying to acquire physique and learning. After attaining youth, the man or woman is trying to acquire wealth and property and yet comfort in life. Some out standing personalities become leaders of the people, some become great artists and some become great writers. Obtaining fame in this fashion, is the progress aimed at by certain ambitious persons in this world.
The
progress explained above is all material progress. The human beings in general are all the
time running after pleasure and their aim therefore, mostly is to get material
benefits; but there are a few persons who have no particular interest in these
things. They are interested in spiritual progress. We, who claim ourselves to
be the devotees of Shri Sai Baba have no doubt to lead a good life in this
world. We would like to live up to a
certain standard of living; but that would not be the aim of the Sai devotees
in this world. Their aim in life would be spiritual uplift or progress leading
to Moksha or relief from the cycle of birth and death.
The question now is how to achieve this progress. For getting material benefits, people try
various means and they obtain them. In
many cases their ways are not liked by others; but the people, who are simply
intoxicated with material progress and pleasures, are least worried about the
ways and means by which they obtain them. Apart from obtaining wealth and
property in the later age, for which
the person concerned has to strive hard, we find that the human beings
have to strive and struggle personally in their childhood and youth. Their
object during this period of life is to acquire learning and physique. From our experience we know that even in the
most advanced scientific age, that we claim to live in today, no pills or
injections have been discovered so far to obtain these things. The persons
concerned themselves have to strive hard to achieve both these things. As in the case of material progress, the
devotee also has to plod on the way to
spiritual goal. In the Bagawadgeeta we
find a tip in this behalf given by lord Krishna Himself. We know that on the battlefield of
Kurukshetra, Arjuna was totally
baffled to see his own relations standing before him to fight against him. He was then afraid of destroying his own
family members and Lord Krishna had to advise him in various ways to clear off his doubts, Lord Krishna is a great
personality. He knows very well how to coax a person. At times he ridicules Arjuna by smiling and
saying that, the future generations would call him a coward who ran away from
the field of battle. At times he
paints before him a rosy picture of the future, after the victory of the
Pandavas over the Kauravas.
At times he holds learned
discourses with Arjuna and tries to convince him about the necessity of
fighting the war. Thus after the disturbed state of Arjuna’s mind is explained at length in the first canto of the
Bhagawadgeeta, the arguments of Lord Krishna start pouring from the second
canto. Thus Sankhyayog, Karmayog,
Karmabrah-marpanayog, and Karmasanyasayog were explained by Lord Krishna at length in the second, third, fourth and fifth cantoes respectively of the Bhagawadgeeta and i.e.,
Arjuna followed the arguments of Lord Krishna very closely. He came to know that the sum and
substance of the argument was that one
should have control over the sense
organs, one should make his intelligence stable and one should go on
doing one's duty without expecting any fruit from it All the aforesaid advice was very good; but then the question
arose how to bring it into pracitice ?
As per expectations of the common man, Arjuna also expected
that Lord Krishna, who was himself a Mahayogi, should inculcate all these
things in Arjuna as he was
encouraging him and was at times praising him by such epithets as one with long arms, one who is
sinless, one who is best among
men etc; but Lord Krishna, who
perhaps read the mind of Arjuna, therefore, told him in the sixth canto
of the Bhagawadgeeta Abhyasayog wherein he pointed out that,
for achieving progress, - man
has himself to exert. Just as an
electric lamp is lighted simply by
pressing the button, similarly it
is not possible for every disciple of a Guru to get the shower of
the Guru's favours
by which he would rise very high
in the spiritual field. In the lives
of some saints no doubt some stories are told in which the disciple, who was
just an ordinary person, was
instanteneously enlightened by the Guru
In the life of Saint Eknath,
the history of one Gawaba is
narrated' which is pertinent in
this connection. This Gawaba was a
totally uneducated person and from his early life nobody would have predicted
that he whould in future complete the half finished work of
the Bhawartha Ramayan of Saint Eknath;
but this did happen ! Saint
Eknath knew that his end was drawing near and that he
would not be able to finish the book captioned Bhawartha
Ramayan' which he had written half
way. He, therefore, placed his hand
on the head of Gawaba and blessed him
and handing over his pen to him, ordered Gawaba to complete the work. We are told that the
rest of the work was finished
by Gawaba in such a way that we are hardly able to make out
which portion of the book
was written by Saint Eknath and which portion has come from Gawaba's pen; but barring such
exceptions others have to strive hard
for their own progress and
uplift. This is told by lord Krishna to Arjuna in
a nutshell as follows :
The meaning of the above shloka is
Man should achieve progress by
his own efforts. One should not allow
oneself to be degenerated; because one is the only friend and foe of
oneself. After thus explaining the
importance of the self, Lord Krishna has explained in detail how to practice
yoga and achieve progress by oneself.
Dnyaneshwar, who also was himself a yogi, has commented at length on
these shlokas in his book Dnyaneshwari and explained the practice of
yoga further. In order to impress upon
Arjuna the importance of
the Abhyasayog while explaining the Bhakthiryog in the twelfth
canto, Lord Krishna again tells him
:
It will
thus be clear that a teacher or a Guru ran just give guidance to his
disciple. He cannot change his student
overnight and bring about metamorphosis in him. The student himself has
to strive hard. In the case of a teacher
or a professor giving guidance to his students also we see that the teacher
will be ready to guide his students constantly; but he cannot appear at the examination for the student. It is
for the student to study according to the guidance of the preceptor. Similar is the case of a student wanting to
build his body or to achieve proficiency in wrestling. A coach or a teacher can only give guidance to such a student. The coach cannot cause development of the
body of the student, who himself has to strive and develope his body.
In short the key to progress is
self exertion.
From
chapter fifty of Sai Satcharita, in
which the discussion between Shri Nanasaheb Chandorkar and Shri Sai Baba about
the shloka from Geeta has been described at length, we know that Shri Sai Baba
knew Sanskrit very well and had full knowledge of the Bhagawadgeeta. The philosophy of the Bhagawadgeeta was
mastered fully by Him in His own behaviour and His advice to His devotees. It was because of this that He never collected
an army of disciples, who would be longing for progress at His hands, He at
times, gave advice to the devotees for their guidance. He told the devotees to follow the advice
and behave accordingly.
He
assured them about the relief in this world and the next. Let all of us, who
call ourselves devotees of Shri Sai Baba, therefore, bear in mind this teaching
of the Geeta and Shri Baba and start for our uplift by ourselves, keeping
complete faith in Baba as per His advice, which is reported at length in Sai
Satcharita.
Once
Hussain was sitting at his dinner, and his slave was present to serve him. By an accident, a hot dish fell on Hussain’s
knees. The slave felt nervous and
recited a verse from the Quran: “Paradise belongs to him who restraineth his
anger.”
And Hussain answered: “I am not angry.”
The slave continued : “Paradise
belongeth to him who forgiveth his brother.”
And Hussain said : “I forgive you.”
And the slave finished the verse thus: “For God loves the benevolent.”
And immediately answered Hussain : “I give you liberty ! No longer are you my slave, and I give you four hundred pieces of silver !”
Yes, God loveth the benevolent; God loveth them who serve the poor; God loved them who clothed in humble garbs, go about with radiant eyes of compassion and love, go about doing good and blessing the lowly and the lost.
THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION
Chapter-V
In the previous chapter emphasis was on dedicating the personal ego at the altars of a higher understanding and to act selflessly, whatever be the types of problems facing the individual. The constant insistence was, “Arise, O Bharata. Do not yield to circumstances - battle against falsehood with a steady righteous mental attitude in yourself.” Thus keep on inspiredly acting under all circumstances, with a dedication of your ego at the alter of the world. Act in the Yagna-spirit. The chapter was entitled, (jnaanakarmasamnyaasayoga)- renunciation of Karma in the knowledge.
Here the same topic is taken up for a more thorough Investigation and a more exhaustive study. It is very easy for spritual masters to tell us to renounce the ego. But what exactly constitutes ego? Where exactly does it come into play? If thus we can clearly know its identity and its usual fields of activity, perhaps, we as seekers, may be able to apprehend the ego, capture and destroy it.
In this chapter, Krishna clearly points out the two main fields in which the ego asserts itself and confuses us in our life’s path. Ego expresses both in our sense of agency the doer-ship, and in all our sense-of-enjoyment the enjoyer-ship. The sense of ego, the I-do mentality is ever with us. And in all experiences, good or bad, we have the I-enjoy-sense. Here enjoyment means experiencing. I am hearing a pleasant song, here I am hearing is the expression of the sense-of-agency, and a pleasant song is the expression of the sense-of enjoyment. The play of this pair of ideas summarises the autobiography of the ego in us. If these two false urges are renounced, what is left is the infinite experience of the Pure Self. In this chapter the technique of ending this ego is discussed, hence the chapter is called, The Way of Renunciation.
Spiritual terms have a knack of getting clouded behind thick layers of vaporous interpretations, commentaries, notes, etc. which they gather in the passage of time. People come to read new meanings in old terms and soon the terms are found to be loosely employed in new contexts, hearing unexpected loads of fresh meanings. Arjuna finds the eighteen Geeta discourses a very convenient occasion to clear his doubts and to get at a re-definition of many such confusing terms. Krishna elaborately explains them all and there is the charm of spontaneity in every one of Krishna’s crisp definitions and exhaustive explanations. This chapter opens with Arjuna’s demand to know what exactly is meant by renunciation of action (Karmasamnyaasa), and by performance of right action (yoga).
In explaining these two terms, within the span of some 29 simple verses, Krishna packs an entire philosophy of action, at once selfless, dedicated and inspired.
The description of the Lord as the mighty actionless centre of the active, dynamic world-of-beings is superb for its sheer poetry. The charm and magic of such verses especially where Arjuna is made to understand the Immaculate Self, Ever Pure, even in the most hardened criminal, soar to impossible heights of breath-taking beauty.
Throughout this chapter He scattered thumb-nail pictures of an egoless Man of Perfection his physical behaviour in life, his mental attitudes to life, and his intellectual evaluation of life. Every aspect of the Man of Perfection is so vividly brought out that any sincere student must feel that he has a nodding acquaintance with such men of wisdom.
Arjuna, a spirited man of action, has no patience with ideal pictures of perfection, however expressive and fascinating they be. He is characteristically suspicious of impractical idealism, dreaming bluffs and Utopian visions. This impatience with ideal dreams is essentially the genius of the Aryan Folk. At every step they demanded, and they have been provided with the detailed instructions how the vulgar ego and its endless passions can be totally removed from the bosom of the seeker. The Upanishads are rich in them. The eighteen chapters of the Geeta are strewn with them. The closing verses of the Vth chapter in Mantra form spell out the essential techniques involved in the art of meditation.
Running all through chapter V are the main points so far developed and enlarged upon in the previous chapters. The entire Geeta palace is thus built up carefully wherein ideas and thoughts are systematically developed, scientifically explored, logically stated and poetically expressed. Thought by thought, the philosophy develops to grow out into an unquestionably perfect way of life.
No where
in the Geeta is there a condemnation of this world or an over emphasis of the
other world. In and through life and
life’s actions a path is shown, whereby each of us, doing our duties, and
performing our actions, cannot only serve the world around, but get our within
purified our insights deepened and our
awareness brightened.
Life when
properly lived can round the sharp edges in our character, and thus polished,
our personality can come to reflect the rays of the Lord’s own glory.
Total
transmutation of life is the goal kept in view in the Geeta. Man, when he lives righteously the life of
the spirit, shall grow out of his present evolutionary status, into new
heights, expressing his own inherent subtle beauties. Man arrives at his final destination, the animal-man ends, and
the God-man arises.
A Popular Doubt
In the
previous chapter, Krishna forcefully belaboured to convince his listener that
man must strive to renounce, and thus eliminate his ego and egocentric passions
from his heart, when his hands and
legs are vigorously employed in actions of
pure service in the world outside.
This Krishna termed as Sannysa, but earlier there was a call to action a roaring demand to take up
the pursuit of Yoga. “Take refuge in Yoga, arise O
Bharata.” ( yogamathishtothishta
bharata ). These were the concluding
words of the last chapter.
Naturally,
the alert and vigilant intellectual in Arjuna suspects a palpable contradiction
in the discourse of Krishna. The
warrior prince knows no hesitation. He
immediately shoots his doubt at Krishna.
The opening verse of this chapter is Arjuna’s doubt. He asks, (V~l) “You recommend enunciation of action and again you emphasise
its performance. Of these two which
one is the better path; this you tell me decisively.”
Now we
are really confused. The two paths seem
contradictory. One suggests that all
actions must be renounced (Sanyasa and the other exhorts us to actively
participate and get involved in the
problems besetting us socially and individually.)
Here the
subtle meaning is lost on Arjuna. Krishna rightly feels that his audience
may comprise many like us who would
make the same mistake. Renunciation of
the ego in actions is termed as Renunciation of action (karmanam sannysa) and
giving up our anxieties for the enjoyment of the fruit of action is called yoga
(karmayoga).
In fact,
the state of perfect Awareness of the universal oneness can fill the bosom
only when both the ego and its passions are eliminated. These create the I-do mentality (Ahankara),
the sense of agency, the vanity of doership (karthrothabhavaj ), and
enjoyership (bhoktruthobhava). These
together consitute the psychological
block that exiles us from our divinity, culture and obility, that hurls us into
an arena of a selfish life of sense ratifications. The ways of giving up the sense-of doership (karthtrotha-ava)
constitutes renunciation of work (karmanamsannyasa) and i.e., ways of dropping
the sense of enjoyer-ship forms Yoga (kar-layoga). So then
renunciation of the ego and service of the world is Sannyasa while
to curb the anxiety to enjoy the results of actions and thus serve the world is
Yoga. Once we understand what
the Sastras mean by these terms, our doubts should lift readily. The Pandava Prince pointedly wants to be
guided to a single path, either total renunciation Sannyasa, or
(complete action ) Yoga.
As a true
teacher Krishna understands the very source of this confusion in Arjuna and
takes up the job of clearing it for him.
Announces Krishna, (V-2) “ Both renunciation of action and
performance of action lead to freedom, but of these, performance of action is
superior to the renunciation of action.
In sannyasa, the renunciation-of-action, we are required to give up
our sense of agency the powerful ego-sense, in us. This is indeed more difficult for a beginner, than Yoga, the
performance -of-action, wherein we are only asked to shed our anxiety to enjoy
the fruits of action, our sense-of-enjoyer-ship, the irrepressible pursuit of
desire fulfilment. Therefore, Krishna
declares, “Of these performance-of-action is superior to
renunciation-of-action.” (thayoshtu karmasannyasath karmayogo vishityate ).
Why does
Krishna insist that Sannyasa is so very difficult and why is Yoga so vigorously recommended as the
easier of the two paths ?
The Lord
in the following verse intelligenty hints at the subtle difficulty in the
pursuit of the path-of-renunciation of the ego by holding up to us the purity
and glory of a true Sannyasin. Says the Lord, (V-3) “He is to be
known as a constant Sannyasin who neither likes nor dislikes;
for, free from the pains of opposites, O mighty-armed, he gets easily freed from bondage.”
So a Sannyasin is not one who has shaven his head clean; and who wears an ochre-robe. But he is one from whom the ego sense has fled completely. He has neither likes nor dislikes (yo na dweshtti na kaamkshati).
Likes and dislikes for the objects
of the world arise from our Vasanas.
When we have Vasanas, things which are unconducive
to their satisfaction are things we like, and things which are unconducive are things we
dislike. Thus the texture of our Vasanas decide our likes and
dislikes. A smoker likes cigarettes! and a drunkard likes his glass of
whisky. When Vasanas are changed, then likes and dislikes also
change.
He is to be considered as a constant Sannyasin (jneyahl sa nityasammnyaasee ), who has neither likes nor dislikes (yo na dweshti na kaamkshati.) Therefore, a Sannyasin he who has no Vasanas and consequently no likes and dislikes. Whatever comes to him is welcome. He neither loves nor hates, for he is no longer functioning in the relative field of the ego.
Such an
individual who has sublimated his ego has risen above the planes of mere
intellectual existence. With our
discriminative intellect we judge and classify the world outside as good or
bad, beautiful or ugly, joyful or sorrowful.
Our likes and dislikes are maintained and brought into play by the intellect faithfully
dancing to the rhythm set by the
Vasanas in each of us, “O mighty armed soldier, he who is free from the pairs
of opposites, is easily set free from bondage, (nirdwando hi mahaabaaho sukham bandhaat pramucyate).
Such one
lives in a fresh field of awareness.
He is free from the desires of the intellect, thoughts of the mind and
the passions and lust of the
flesh. He is no more a suffering
mortal, he soars to the stature of a God-man on earth.
A seeker in the early days of his Sadhana cannot hope all of a sudden to achieve this egolessness, this Sannyasa. Hence Krishna insisted that Performance of action is easier than renunciation of action.
Through selfless dedicated actions undertaken in a devoted Yagna-spirit, the existing Vasanas can be exhausted and thus is achieved the final victory over the ego and its tyrannies.
Totally selfless, divinely prompted, sheer inspired activities can spring forth only from one in whom the ego is no more blocking the flood of the Infinite Melody. One through whom it flows in an unimpeded flood is a true Sannyasin. Sublimation of the ego is the goal, desireless activity without anxiety to enjoy the fruits is the means.
Pursue the means and reach the Goal in time.
(Courtsey: Geeta Office, Powai)
Dt. 25-1-76
I am obliged to Shri R. S. Pujari, for answer to my question, as published in English Sai Leela of Nov. 1975 (page 31). I think there cannot be any other answer. But who can really know the ways and whys of Saints? As is said and rightly too, To know a Saint, one must be a Saint.
Sincerely yours
V. B. Nandwani
Bombay, 16
By:- Shri S. N. Huddar
(Continued from January 1976 issue) CHAPTER-31
Code of Woman's Behaviour
Hearing the
advice, the young wife requested the Sanyasi tell her how she should behave.
The
Sanyasi explained to her the code of female behaviour. He said, 'This code is
mentioned in the Kashi Khand of the Skand Purana. Agasti Muni lived in Kashi. His wife Lopamudra was a great
devoted wife. Vindhyagiri (mountain) was a disciple of Agasti.
Once Narad came to Vindhya and said, 'you are praiseworthy in all
respects, but there is only one thing wanting in you. You are not as high as
Merugiri/
Hearing this, Vindhya got enraged and began to grow. He grew so high that he touched the sky. Due to this, the entire country in the south of Vindhya plunged into darkness. Consequently the Brahmins could not observe their daily rites and sacrifics. The Rishis told this to Indra, who went to Brahmadeo & narrated this to him. Brahmadeo said, 'Agasti is the Guru of Vindhyagiri. Send him -southwards. Seeing Agasti Vindhya will come down to bow to him. Agasti should then ask him to be in that very position and not grow high. In this way this , calamity can be removed.'
Indra
accompanied by Brahaspati and other Gods, came to Agasti at Kashi. They
worshipped Agasti and Lopamudra and praised them. At that time Brahaspati (Guru
of the Gods) narrated the code of behaviour of a devoted wife. He said,
'Arundhati.
Savitri, Ansuya, Lakshmi, Parwati,
Shantarupa, Menka, Suniti, Sandyadevi, Suryakanta, Swahadevi have all been devoted
wives. So is Lopamudra a great devoted wife. Every devoted wife dines after her
husband has dined. She respects the guests, and the elders and greets her
husband, when he comes from outside. She does not disobey her husband. She
worships her husband thinking him to be Shri Shankar. She serves him in the
night and goes to sleep after her husband has slept. She gets up before her husband,
cleans the courtyard and sprinkles it with 'water. After bath she worships her
husband and takes his teerth (Toe dipped water). She dresses and wears
ornaments when her husband is at home. When he goes out, she does not have a
make up. Even if the husband speaks harshly to her, she does not retort. She
does not abuse him. When he comes home she greets him and asks him what he
wants. A devoted wife, when she goes out, does not look at other persons and
returns home soon.
She does
not observe any vrat or fast or does not give any thing in charity without the
permission of her husband. If there is some function, fair or ceremony in the
town, she does not go without the husband's instructions. If the husband is
happy, she is not dejected and if he is in grief, she will not be joyful If she
is in monthly course, she does not come in front of her husband and does not
hear the Vedas After bath on the fourth day, she gives company to her husband
and in his absence, she only sees the Sun, She applies halad-kunkum-kajal and
wears the mangalsutra round her neck, bangles on her wrists for the long life
of her husband. She does not make friendship with the washerwomen, concubines,
atheists and those who cajole their husbands.
A woman should not live deserting her mother and father-in-laws, brothers-in-law, brothers and sisters. She should not bathe putting off all her clothes. She should not sit on the grinding stone or mortar-pestle. She should not argue with her husband. She should not behave in such a way that he would he displeased.
Even if the husband is moneyless, miserable, weak, diseased or thoughtless the wife should consider him as God and be obedient to him. She should not compare him with other rich and strong persons and censure him. Devoted service of the wife to her pleases Trimurti Dattatraya.
A woman
retorting angrily to her husband
becomes a dog, fox or dumb or pauper in seven lives. Even if
the husband is weak, he should not be disregarded. She should not speak loudly or laugh in presence of the elders. She should not look towards other persons
with lust. If she does so, she is
degraded morally. A husband is the soul of his wife. She is regarded auspicious as long as her
husband is alive. After the husband’s
death, she is regarded inauspicious.
While going to some place, if a widow is seen, it is considered
inauspicious except to her own son.
If the
wife observes, Sati i.e., she burns herself with the dead body of her husband,
she attains all glory. She liberates the persons of 42 generations
(21 of the husband and 21 paternal). If
the husband is sinful, still she takes him to heaven. Yama’s servants also are afraid of a Sati. The virtue of
going sati is immense. On the contrary if a woman is adulterous,
she sents her 42 generations to the hell. Those who have a Sati in there homes, are really fortunate. They attain four valours
(Purusharthas). Their arts are
virtuous. That home is like a forest,
which is without a Sati.
In this way Brahaspati told
Lopamudra regarding the behaviour of a devoted wife. The same was narrated by the Sanyasi to the mourning young woman.
CHAPTER-32
Behaviour
of a Widow: Dead Husband Made Alive
Brahaspati told regarding the behaviour of a widow as follows: If the husband dies in the presence of the wife, then she should observe Sati. But if she is pregnant, if she has a child which is being fed on her breast or if the husband dies at a far off place, then she should not observe Sati. She should live as a widow. She should shave off the hair on the head, else the husband goes to hell. She should bathe daily and should have only one meal every day. She should observe Chandrayan, i.e., take one morsel of food on the first day of the bright (shuddha) fortnight, increase one morsal daily and take 15 morsels on the Poornima. In the dark fortnight (Krishna or Vad) she should go on decreasing one morsel daily and take only one morsel of food on the Amavasya (newmoon day). She should not take milk, should not sleep on the bedstead, should not take mangal bath, nor take pan. If she has no son, she should do tiltarpan, worshipVishnu daily and act as per the wishes of her dead husband. She should wear white clothes.
In the Vaishakh month she should give an earthen vessel in charity. In the Kartik ‘deep’ should be given to a Brahmin. She should offer umbrellas and shoes to persons going on pilgrimage. She should take meal cooked out of only one corn in Kartik. Whatever vrat she observes, its udyapan (ending function) should also be duly done. If she has a son, she should act as per his wishes. Widows behaving in this way are virtuous and even if their husbands are suffering in hell, they would take them to heaven after their death.
Brahaspati had told this to Lopamudra in relation with the code of female behaviour and the same was narrated by the Sanyasi to the bereaved young woman. Then he said, “You now act as you wish. If you have courage, you can observe, sati and if you act as a widow, it will also be virtuous.”
Bowing to the Sanyasi, the woman said, “You are like my parents, brother and all. I have no relatives here. You have told me the rules of behaviour of a Sati and a widow. I think it will be difficult for me to act as a widow, for as I am young and fair the people at large will speak ill of me. So I think it is better to observe sati. You kindly give me your blessings.”
The Sanyasi blessed her
and said “you have come from a long distance with your deceased husband to see
Shri Guru. What was destined to happen has happened. Even great men as Harishchandra, Bhishma, could not avoid it.
Still you better see Shri Guru who can even win ‘Kal’ and then observe Sati.”
He applied Bhasma to her forehead, gave her 4 Rudra beads and said, “Tie two in your husband’s ears and two around your neck and sprinkle the teerth on the body of your husband and on yourself, after Rudrabhishek to Shri Guru. After doing this, you may observe Sati.” The sanyasi then went away.
The young woman started preparations for observing sati. She called Brahmins, gave prayashchitta to the body of her husband. She took a bath, wore a silk sari and the ornaments, aapplied haldi kunkum and became ready to observe sati. The body of her husband was taken to the river and she was going in front of the corpse with fire pot in her hand. The young girl of sixteen appeared as bright as Goddess Lakshmi and all wondered to see her courage.
A pyre of wood and cowdung cakes was prepared. The young woman offered vayan Haldi Kunkum and mangal sutra to married women, bowed to them and said, ‘please inform my parents and father and mother-in-laws that we are staying as holy place and are in good health. Otherwise out of grief they will give up their lives.’
At this time, she remembered the advice of the Sanyasi, she tied 2 Rudra beads to the ears of her husband and tied 2 Rudra beads around her neck. She took permission of the Brahmins and started to go to the Sangam to see Shri Guru. Many Brahmins accompanied her.
She was praying all the way in the mind, ‘Oh Trimurty, your fame is widespread, and you possess all siddhis. If a complaint is made to a ruler, he gives justice. If one goes to a physician, he gives medicine for relief. I came crossing 20 villages with the hope that my husband will recover. I am coming to ask you how my husband expired on the way.’
She saw Shri Guru sitting below an Ashwatha tree and she bowed to him respectfully. Shri Guru, blessed her and said, “You shall have soubhagya for ever.” She again bowed to Shri Guru and he exclaimed, “you will have 8 sons”. The Brahmins accompanying her told Shri Guru, ‘her husband has expired and she has come here to see you before observing Sati.’
Hearing this, Shri Guru smiled and said, “Her Soubhagya is everlasting. Bring her husband’s body here immediately. Let me see when he lost his life.”
Some persons soon brought the dead body before Shri Guru. The strings were cut and the cloth covering was removed. The Teerth of Rudrabhishek was sprinkled on the dead body and Shri Guru looked at it with his sight full of nectar. Immediately the Brahmin youth sat up as if aroused from sleep. He was ashamed to see himself without clothes. He wore the dhoti and asked his wife why she did not awake him before, why he was brought there and who was the Sanyasi. The wife narrated to him all that had occurred. Then both of them bowed to Shri Guru with devotion and began praying to him. All the persons who had assembled there were delighted to see the miracle.
One cynic person said to Shri Guru, ‘This Brahmin died as per his fate. How can he be alive ?’
Shri Guru smiled and said, “I requested Brahmadeo to give 30 years life from his next life to this brahmin youth.”
All were astonished to hear this. All bowed to Shri Guru and returned. The young Brahmin couple bathed at the Sangam, worshipped Shri Guru devotedly and pleased the Brahmins and the poor by giving in charity.
CHAPTER 33
A Devoted
Concubine
Next day the young Brahmin couple bowed to Shree Guru and sat before him. The wife asked Shri Guru, ‘when I was mourning, a Sanyasi advised me, gave me 4 Rudra beads and asked me to tie 2 beads in the ears of my husband and to put 2 beads round my neck. He also told me that when I go to see Shri Guru, I should sprinkle the Teerth of Rudrabhishek on my Husband’s body and mine. Who was that Sanyasi ?’
Shri Guru smiled and said, “seeing your devotion, I myself gave you the Rudra beads. Sins do not touch them who wear Rudraksh. The significance of Rudraksh is very great. One should wear a wreath of 1000 Rudrakshas. If this is not possible then have a wreath of 108 beads round the neck, 80 beads in both the hands, 32 round the neck, 40 on the head, 12 in both ears. The wreath should contain silver, gold and precious stones as diamond, emerald, pearl, coral, etc. One who bathes with Rudra beads on his body gets the credit of Ganga bath. If Rudraksh is worshipped, it is like worshipping Shri Shiva Linga. The Rudrakshas have 1, 5, 12 or 14 holes. I shall now tell you a tale in this respect.”
‘There lived a king Bhadrasen in Kashmere and his son’s name was Sudharma. The name of his minister’s son was Tarak. Both were fast friends. They were of the same age. Both of them had studied together. They were devotees of Shiva. They wore wreaths of Rudraksh and applied Bhasma to their bodies. They did not like rich clothes and ornaments of gold and gems.
Once Parashar Rishi came
there. The king greeted and worshipped
him. The king said to the Rishi, “my
son is fond of Rudraksh and has no liking for good clothes and ornaments
befitting a Royal family. Please advise
him properly.”
Parashar said, “the account of
the previous birth of your son and that of your Mantri, is wonderful. There lived a concubine in Nandigram. She
was very beautiful. She wore golden
sandals. Her ornaments, and her
bedstead was webbed with precious stone.
He had constructed a high class dancing hall, where she sang and danced
daily. She had many attendants. She had placed a monkey and a cock in the
dancing hall. She tied Rudraksh round
their necks and taught them to dance. She was a great devotee of Shiva and gave
alms to the Brahmins and others profusely.
One day a rich Vaishya, wearing a Rudraksha
wreath, came to her. He had in his hand
a Shiva Linga of precious stones, which was as bright as the Sun. The concubine longed to have that Shiva
Linga. She asked her maid servant to ask the Vaishya if he would sell the Shiva
Linga, or he would give it to her if she accepted to serve him as a devoted
wife for three days.
When the maid servant told this to
the Vaishya, he laughed and said, “I would gladly give this Linga to your
mistress, if she agrees to serve me as a devoted wife for three days. The Vaishya then said to the concubine, “you
are a prostitute by profession and caste.
How can I believe that you would be honest with me for three days? Take
an oath for this.”
The concubine took the oath. “I
shall serve you devotedly for three days”. He then gave the Linga to her and said, “I love and regard this
Linga even more than my life. If it is
lost or destroyed, I shall give up my life.
It should not be with you at sex.play.
Keep it safe.”
She agreed and kept the Linga tied
to a pillar in the dancing hall. Both
then entered the inner apartment. While
they were enjoying, the dancing hall caught fire and was burnt in no time. Efforts to extinguish the fire were made,
but the Linga was burnt ! Seeing that
the precious Linga was burnt, the Vaishya arranged a pyre and burnt himself.
The concubine was much grieved. She decided to observe sati as she had agreed to be a devoted wife of the Vaishya. Her relatives tried to persuade her from giving up her life, but she was firm in her resolution. She called the brahmins and gave money in charity. She arranged the pyre, took three rounds around it and lept in the fire of the pyre.
Instantly Shri Shiva with five heads and locks of hair on his head, caught her in his ten hands and took her out of the fire and said, “I am pleased with your devotion. You are really a sati. You can ask for a boon. I myself had come to you as the Vaishya to test you. I myself set the dancing hall on fire and entered the pyre and got burnt.”
The concubine said, “Kindly take me with all my relatives and servants to your place.” Shri Shankar seated them all in His divine plane and took them to Kailas.
(To be continued)
A Sai devotee family of this place intended to visit Shirdi and have darshan of Shri Sainath Maharaj for the first time. Truly speaking Shri Sai Baba Himself drew this Nagpal family to Him out of His grace. They reached Shirdi on 7th July, ‘75 Monday at about 10.00 a.m. Before their leaving this place Pathankot, I had requested them to offer some mangoes to Baba.
Respected Sai Bhaktas: How this trifling offering of mine was accepted by Shri Sainath Maharaj will be illustrated by the following story narrated by the visiting family :—
“We reached Shirdi
at about 10.00 a.m. on Monday, 7-7-75. We had darshan of Shri Sainath in the Samadhi Mandir. Our eyes were filled with tears and hearts
with emotion to realise that Shri Baba is present here all the time. We could not afford to have the slightest
doubt that He is away from this place.
We felt from the core of our hearts that we were in our own house, while being at His lotus
feet.
It was proposed to
offer the mangoes on the next day i.e., Tuesday. We may mention that there
was good quality of mangoes available at Shirdi on Monday. But lo!
We visited the market again and again on Tuesday but we could not get
mangoes of good quality during the whole day.
On Wednesday morning i.e., on 9-7-75, the mangoes were not available, so
I intended to go to Kopargaon in order to fetch mangoes from that place and offer them to Shri Baba. At about
10.00 a. m. after taking bath and my breakfast, started towards bus
stand, but as soon as I reached the
market, a vendor had just put down his basket of fruit, containing first
quality mangoes on the ground. The first purchase was therefore made for
Shri Baba. This was the first miracle seen by us.
Now what happened
next is most wonderous and may be noted
whole-heartedly.
We took the mangoes, washed them
under the taps near the Samadhi Mandir and wiped them with a towel. I went to the pujarj and asked him to give
us a thali for offering the mangoes to Shri Baba, which he very kindly gave.
The mangoes were kept in the thali and we reached inside with this thali in our
hands. The Pujari asked if the mangoes were to be taken back by us as the
prasad is generally returned to the devotees.
We told him that the mangoes were an offering from a devotee from
Pathankot, Punjab and were as such for Shri Baba. Hearing all this he smiled and asked us to cut all the mangoes
into pieces. We came out and cut the
mangoes accordingly. By this time the noon arti had begun and we reached near
the Samadhi with the mangoes. The Pujari took the thali from our hands and when
the arti was over and Shri Baba’s bhog arrived, some pieces of mangoes were
placed in Shri Baba’s bhog and the rest were distributed among the
bhaktas. And now it was narrated by the
Pujari that since morning no bhog for Shri Baba had arrived except these
mangoes. Hearing all this we became
dumb and spell bound. We were stunned to see the grace of Shri Sainath Maharaj
and we were unable to make anything out of it.
The only course was the tears rolling down our cheeks and now we rushed
to the market in order to have some more mangoes, but wonder of wonders,
neither the mangoes nor the vendor was there.
Respected
bhaktas, is this instance not a lesson for all of us to realize, up to what
extent Shri Baba can go for His children?
He, Who is Triloknath, remains without any bhog till noon for a silly
child like me. Had He tied strings so that no other devotee should offer Him
any bhog on that day?
I have been to Shirdi near the
lotus feet of Shri Sainath Maharaj twice, once in June, ‘74 and then in March,
‘75. I cannot dare call myself a
devotee of Sai Maharaj because devotion is not an easy task. Unless and until He showers His grace,
nobody can have devotion. Every now and
then I pray Him to render me pure and accept me at His lotus feet.
Let us all pray for pure devotion
and absolute surrender, May Shri Sainath Maharaj accede to this humble request
of ours.
That is the day of dawn in one’s life.”
Bow to Shri Sainath Maharaj and many
salutations at His lotus feet.
Amarnath
Pathankot, (PUNJAB)
By Dr.
S. D. Parchure M, A., Ph. D.
(Continued from February 1976 issue)
Importance of solitude has been stressed by many saints all over the world. Many saints have been resorting to solitude whenever possible. Running away from the tumult of the common people is always found necessary by many saints. Thinking about God, concentrating on God or meditating always requires solitude. Sometimes even to think about a complex problem and to have its solution, requires a person to resort to solitude. Saint Ramdas had spent nearly twelve years in austere penance. Then he travelled all alone in the whole of India for pilgrimage. He therefore, was used to live by himself; but after he came to settle at Chafal, where he put up the Rama temple, he had many disciples and he was usually surrounded by a lot of people. Hence he sometimes felt like resorting to solitude. Within a few miles from Chafal, there were a number of mountain caves where Saint Ramdas used to retire when he used to be in such pensive moods.
In order to have an idea of these mountain resorts of Saint Ramdas, it would not be out of place to describe them briefly here.
Sajjangad was the place of abode of Saint Ramdas in his later age. In that same mountain when one is desending from the fort there branches off a road leading to Parali. Just above this road there is a cave where saint Ramdas used to stay at times.
There is another cave in the Chandragin Mountain. On one side of the Krishna River the villages of Masoor and Shahapur are located, while on the other bank of the river stand Umbraj and Charegaon. In the rear of Charegaon is the location of, cave. This was a favourite resort of Saint Ramdas in the beginning. It is stated that a tiger was occupying this cave. The mountain cave is on a good height and because of the jungle its vicinity, and the atmosphere is very pleasant.
Another cave exists in the mountain, which stands in the Shineanwadi. This mountain is at a distance of about two to three miles from Chafal. To reach this cave, you have to climb very high. It is recorded that Saint Ramdas used to watch the Ramnavami festival at Chafal from this cave. This pleasant cave is known after the name of God Rama.
At a distance of about five to seven minutes walk from this cave, there is a holy place known as the Kubdi Teertha. A story is as usual told about this Teertha. Once Chhatrapat Shiwaji Maharaj came to meet Saint Ramdas, due to long journey, Shiwaji Maharaj was tired as well as thirsty. He however came and bowed down to Saint Ramdas; but he could not ask for water to drink. Ramdas however came to know about it and immediately thrust his Kubdi under a nearby stone and overturned it, and lo ! Out came a gush of water ! this stream is flowing continuously since that time. Even in the hot season, when there is no water elsewhere, this stream flows continuously and cold and sweet water from this Teerth refreshes the traveller who passes by (Kubdi) is a crutch. Now-a-days lame people use a pair of crutches to help them in walking, but in the days of Saint Ramdas there was a fashion among the Sadhus, who used to give Pravachan by sitting, to use a small crutch (Kubdi) to give them support in the sitting posture. This kubdi they usually held under their armpit and reclined on it. Among the followers of Saint Ramdas, this Kubdi, made out of wood, used to be designed in such a manner that it used to conceal a small dagger in it, which would be used by the wearer in emergency. In some of the pictures of Saint Ramdas, in a sitting posture, this kubdi can be seen.
The cave at Shivtar played a very
important part in the life of Saint Ramdas.
From Shaka 1576 to Shaka 1598, Saint Ramdas used to stay here very often
and sometimes for a long duration. It is recorded that on many
occasions Saint Ramdas and Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj met here for
discussion on policy matters. This cave
is in the mountain range in the rear of the village of Shivtar. Dasbodh which is the most famous book
of Saint Ramdas, was mostly composed
in this same cave. A few other
compositions are also stated to have taken
birth in this place. It appears that even after the Samadhi of
Saint Ramdas, his disciples used to
visit this cave. This cave is very
spacious.
It is about 125 feet long and about seventy five feet wide. It has also got compartments. At a little distance just above this cave, there
are the remains of the house of
Chandrarao More, the famous
Raja of Javli. Shiwaji Maharaj tried
his best to win over Chadrarao More to his side, but Chandrarao was not ready to transfer his loyalty from the
Sultan of Bijapur to Shiwaji Maharaj.
Ultimately Shiwaji Maharaj had to
attack Chandrarao and capture Javli Valley. Since the downfall of Chandrarao More in Shaka 1578, Saint Ramdas
started staying here for longer duration.
Another cave is located in the
Tarala valley in the Kalamba Mountain. This valley is on the south side of the
Chafal valley. Kalmba mountain is at a distance of about five miles from
Tarala. This cave is also quite spacious, its length being 110 feet and breadth
about 25 feet. The weather at this place is quite healthy and balmy.
The last important cave is known as
the Hehvak cave. Helwak is on the Koyna
river. To the North of Helwak, there is
another village Kondhavle by name. In
the mountain near this village, is the Helwak cave. This cave is about 130 feet in length but its breadth is not uniform. It varies from twenty feet to 40 feet. This cave faces the north. It is known from the records that the whole
of the chaturmas (sacred four months of the monsoon ) in Shaka 1596, was spent
by Saint Ramdas in this cave.
Saint Ramdas was strong disciplinarian. He had a fine conviction
that without discipline, there
would be no efficiency. Hence though he
founded more than a thousand Maths, as star before, he never allowed the disciples in charge of the Maths to run
them as they liked. Rules for running
the Maths were framed by Saint Ramdas and they were closely followed by all the
disciples in charge of the Maths:
Every Math was in charge of a disciple, who was known as Mathadhipati
(Offier in charge of the Math). Any
Tom, Dick and Harry could not aspire to be the
Mathadhipati.
There were certain tests like some standard of learning,
capacity to manage and preach etc. The
Mathadhipati was required to beg alms every day as that was the sign of a
follower of Saint Ramdas. In every
Maths all the literature Saint Ramdas
was kept for the study of all visitors. In the absence of printing presses, it was common practice to
copy all important religious books and epics.
This work of copying holy books was constantly going on in all the
Ramdasi Maths. These Maths therefore,
more or less served as public free libraries.
We now come to a very controversial
incident in the life of Saint Ramdas.
The research scholars of Maratha History are
divided on the point of the meeting of Saint Ramdas and Chhatra-pati Shiwaji
Maharaj prior to Shaka 1594. Some
historians are of opinion that this meeting must have taken place much earlier,
though there may not be any written evidence to that effect in this behalf, but
some are apt to conclude that in the absence of some evidence to that effect it
should not be taken for granted that
they must have met before that date.
There is also another point.of discussion about these two big personalities, whether Chhatrapati Shiwaji
Maharaj got a push because of Saint Ramdas or whether Saint Ramdas became known
so mush because a king like Shiwaji Maharaj supported and gave protection to
him.
This discussion is however only
academic, because both these persons
were incarnations of God and they had
taken birth in this world in order to fulfill certain mission. The mission of one was to put a stop to the
expansion of the Mohamedan rule and the mission Of the other was to
spread the devotion to God and thus avert the danger to Hindu religion and we
find that both these personalities did full justice to their mission and
inscribed their names in the Maratha history permanently.
There are however very strong reasons to conclude that
the first meeting of these two great personalities must have taken place round
about Shaka 1571. There is some forest
at Shingan-wadi at the foot of the mountain behind the Shree Rama temple at
Chafal and it is probable that they met each other there for the first time.
The assasination of Afzalkhan took
place in Shaka 1581 and Saint Ramdas had warned Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj
about the danger from the Khan. He had
also warned Shiwaji Maharaj to be alert and watchful, otherwise there would be
danger to his life from the treacherous Khan, who had come from Bijapur with
special army in order to crush the mountain rat (Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj).
The Mathadhipati of Kanhari Math,
Shri Wasudeo Mahant, who was a disciple of Saint Ramdas, was granted an Inam of
eleven Bighas of land by Shiwaji Maharaj in Shaka 1592. In view of this fact, we cannot overrule the
possibility of the meeting of Saint Ramdas with Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj
prior to Shaka 1594.
We are concerned very little with
the aforsaid controversy of the historians. They may continue their heated
discussion on the issue. Our concern is
with the work done by these two great personalities in the history of
Maharashtra and the turn that they gave to the history by swimming against the
current. Just as the two rivers Ganga
and Jamna start separately in the Himalayas, meet together at Allahabad and go
on supplying water and food to the people thereafter, similarly the work of
both these great personalities was complementary to each other.
The work of one enabled
the other to go ahead in his play, about Shaka (1567-68) Saint Ramdas first inaugurated Maruti temple and
raised the bannar of the Hindu religion and about the same time, not very far
from that place, Chatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj
captured the Torana Fort and laid the foundation of the independent
Maratha State. Hence it is quite
possible that both of them had heard about each other’s work and
had a strong
desire to meet each other.
It is however an accepted fact by
all that these two met each other in Shaka 1594 and from that time their respect for each other went
on growing in limitless manner. It was
because of this respect that
Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj thought
that Saint Ramdas should shift to a very safe and comfortable place. Saint Ramdas was however never bothered where he lived and how he
lived. His wants were very few and he
led the life of a real ascetic, not
caring for his personal comforts. However because of the special request of
Shiwaji Maharaj, Saint Ramdas decided to shift his abode from Chafai to the
Parli Fort which was later on renamed
as Sajjangad. The temple at Chafai was
the creation of Saint Ramdas and hence he first made all arrangements regarding
the daily worship and the festivals of
that temple. At the same time he
ordered certain arrangements to be made at the Parli Fort in order to make that
place suitable as his permanent abode.
In Shaka 1598, Saint Ramdas decided
to shift to the Parli Fort permanently. According to the wish of Saint Ramdas all the saints and devotees
in Maharashtra were invited to attend the inaugural function. Saint Ramdas himself saw that all the
guests were given all the comforts and that they were properly
entertained. Chhatrapati Shiwaji
Maharaj himself attended the function and welcomed all the guests. In the gathering all exchanged their views
with each other and made various
suggestions for expanding the Maratha Kingdom and for furtherance of the Hindu
religion. The gathering vowed to
try their best to establish permanently the Rama
Rajya in this world.
Keertan, which was most popular
form of giving expression to religious
feeling, performed every day. At the
request of Saint Ramdas, Chhatrapati Shiwaji Maharaj also performed keertan on one day.
This long festival concluded with
the keertan of Saint Ramdas. At his mature age, the speech of Saint Ramdas was
flowing like the river Ganga in flood. All were simply drowned in the Ras of
devotion. Because of this congregation
of all the good people of Maharashtra on the Parli Fort, it was renamed as
Sajjan-jad and it became the permanent abode of Saint Ramdas from that time.
( to be continued )
To
The
Editor,
Shree
Sai Leela