SHRI SAI LEELA

( Official Organ of Shirdi Sansthan )

TO GUIDE THE WORLD ON THE RIGHT PATH IS THE PRINCIPAL  AIM OF SHRI SAI LEELA.

VOLUME 57                                                   MAY   1978                                        No. 2

Rigour and Attainment of God

There have been seekers of God who have imposed on them­selves the rigour of sleeping on the floor filled with noxious insects. One such seeker after God tells us how he practised extreme asceticism for years together and then, to quote his words, "after some twenty years of tormenting torture, I saw in a vision a messenger from Heaven who told me God required not this of me; whereupon I discontinued it."

 

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. 1. C, R. B. : Annual Subscription Rs. 6.00 Single Copy Rs. 0.60

Office:

Sai Niketan, 804-B,  Dr.   Ambedkar Dadar Bombay 400014

443361 

 

1.         Editorial Fire - Worship

2.         The Science of Religion  -  Swami Chinmayananda

3.         Shri Gajanan Maharaj - Shri S. N. Huddar

4.         Extracts from Shri H. S.Dixits Diary Shri S. M. Garje

5.         A Self Unfoldment - Shri Avdhutswarai Maharaj

6.         Omnipresent Baba - Shri A. K. Rasa!

7.         Fourth Annual Gathering - Dr. S. D. Parchure at Shirdi

8.         Saint Gadgemaharaj - Dr. S. D. Parchure ?

9.         To the Editor - Prof. M.V. Ramachandran

 

EDITORIAL

Fire - Worship

 

Three places in Shirdi are of very great importance to all Sai devotees, who visit Shirdi.    The Samadhi Mandir is the first place of importance, because it houses the Samadhi of Shri Sai Baha. Big life like marble statue of Shri Sai Baba is also installed in this mandir.  Hence for taking darshan of the Samadhi and the statue, every Sai devotee goes to that mandir.  In addition to taking darshan, if a devotee has to perform "Abhishek", he again goes to the Samadhi Mandir for that purpose. The devotee next visits "Dwarakamai". This is  the place where Shri Sai Baba spent most of His time during His life time. Udi, which is used by the Sai devotees for various purposes, is obtained from the Dhuni which is located in Dwarkamai. The third place of importance is the Chawadi.     Shri Sai Baba used, to sleep in the Chawadi every alternate day and thus this place was His dormitory. It will thus be seen that all these three places are closely connected with Shri Sai Baba and are therefore reverved very much by the Sai devotees.

Out of the aforesaid three places, the importance of Dwarka­mai is twofold. The   permanent burning fire is located in the Dhuni in this building and Shri Sai Baba's   Aarati was being performed here during His life time. Hence the present importance of the Samadhi Mandir was given to the Dwarkamai during the life-time of  Shri Sai Baba.    Though Shri Sai Baba celebrated Ramanavami, Gokul Ashtami and such festivals of other Gods and deities, still He also worshipped the fire by keeping it burning all the year round.

Fire-worship is not now for the human, race. If we look at the life of the aboriginal man on earth we find that he was in the beginning a cave-dweller.  All around him, nature was showing its wonders and horrors. The aboriginal man was puzzled by the manifestation of the power of the main five elements of nature viz. the earth, water, heat, wind and the sky or vacuum. The human beings must have seen earthquakes. They must have seen storms as well as heavy floods. They must have seen big fires in the jungles,    caused due to rubbing of one tree on another. Thus the original man might be having a   sort of a feeling of fear in his mind about these elements. This fear therefore perhaps resulted in his considering them as Gods and worshipping them. Of course, these elements were originally worshipped  as deities. There were no idols of these deities in the beginning.  It was later on that these deities came to have a form and they manifested themselves into the form of idols. In the vedas we find several hymns composed in praise of these elements of nature.

Though the aboriginal human being did not know how to kindle fire, that knowledge was obtained by him with the growth of civilisation. Though he did not know to cook food and though he used to eat it raw, still later on he used the fire for that purpose, in the -cold season, he obtained warmth from the fire and protected himself from the cold. The use of metals added further use of fire. Some human beings misuse the fire for burning other's houses; but then that is the case with every good thing. The use of a thing depends on the user. A good thing can be used for a good cause if the user wishes to use it for that purpose. The same thing can also be used otherwise, if the user wishes accordingly. Any way considering all the above uses of fire, the human beings started considering it as a revered thing and gave it a place among the Gods.

The Yagnasanstha of the Aryas is based on fire-worship. Fire (31%) was a deity, which was required to be appeased and this was done by offering to him in the sacrifice various objects like ghee, rice and other grains. Fire was also a vehicle or an agent of the Gods; because offerings, required to be made to other Gods, could be accomplished by throwing handfuls of corn or other things in the fire, which was kindled in the sacrificial pit.

During the Vedic period, sacrifices were very common; but then they could not be performed in any manner you like. There were elaborate ceremonies and rituals prescribed for a yagna and all of them were observed to the last letter of the Vedic hymn, Even the brahmins, who could act as priests in the sacrifice, were required to have certain qualifications and accomplishments. Like modern tournaments or Olympics, sacrifices were also planned and their preparation was going on for days on end.

With the rise of Buddha and his preaching against sacrifice on grounds of himsa, the sacrifices got a big set back and this ritual almost came to an end. The worship of the, fire now took a different form. The person, taking this vow of fire-worship, was known to be an Agnihotri. He had to keep the fire in his   house, burning all the time. He had to worship the fire every day and on certain auspicious days of the month, he had to perform special ceremonies connected with the worship of fire. The daily worship of the fire in his house, was required to be done by an Agnihotri and  hence there were natural restrictions on his movements and his stay out of station.   The fire was required to be maintained in a special holy place, which would be away   from any sort of polution.  It was because of these restrictions that   this vow of fire-worshipwas not commonly undertaken by all the learned priests or brahmins living in the society.  Only a selected few undertook this vow and observed all the rituals prescribed for that vow in religious books. It is stated in the Sai Satcharita about Shri Baba's stay at   Shirdi as follows:- "Shirdi is midway between and equidistant from Rahata on one side (south) and Nimgaon on the other ( north).  Baba never went beyond these places during His life time" (Shri Sai Satcharita   P. 49, Eighth edition 1978). Shri Baba was a fire-worshiper and because of that vow, He had to remain in Shirdi near the fire and keep it burning. Hence He must have never moved out of Shirdi during the night time. Shri Sai Baba never talked about Himself and hence He must not have referred to His vow of the fire-worship and the reason for which He always stayed at Shirdi by night.

Shri Baba took great care to maintain the fire in the Dwarkamai. An incident of how he broke the ordinance of the panchas of the village, not to allow a fuel cart to come in the village in order to ward off the spread of the Cholera epidemic, and how be brought the fuel cart to the Masjid and unloaded the fuel for keeping his Dhuni aljve has been narrated at length in the Sai Satcharita at page !24 (8th Edition 1978). After narrating the incident the author has further commented, "Like an Agnihotri keeping his sacred fire alive .throughout his life, Baba kept his Dhuni ever burning all day and night; and for this He always stocked fuel". (P. 125, Shri Sai Satcharita 8th edition 1978). The secret of Shri Sai Baba's permanent stay in Shirdi perhaps lies in His fire-worship, as pointed out above by Shri Dabholkar. Two stories, relating to Shri Baba's encounter with fire, have been narrated in Sai Satcharita. The first refers to the taking out of a child out of the blacksmith's furnace (P 42) and the other relates to bringing under control the five elements in the Dhuni in the Masjid, which had all of a sudden started burning brightly and its flames had consequently started reaching the rafters above (P 66 Shri Sai Satcharita, 8th edition 1978) in both these cases, we see that Shri Sai Baba was fearless and confident that the fire would co-operate with Him. Shri Baba perhaps got this confidence in fire and control over it, because He was a fire-worshiper.

Fire-worship is still observed as a religion by a few people in Iran. It was Zorostor, who preached creed. Among the many theories of the spread of the human race on the earth, there is one theory which says that originally the human race was on the north pole. At that time the earth had not cooled as much as it is today. Hence there was no ice on the north pole at that time and it was habitable. By and by the north pole started freezing and the conditions there became noncongenial to the human race. The equitorial region, which was very hot before, also became temparate.  Hence the human race started migrating from the north pole to the south.  One group went at that time to Iran and settled there; while another migrated to India and settled there.  The religious books of   the Iranis are written  in the Zend and Avestha languages. These languages are very near   the Vedic Sanskrit, which was the language of the group, which migrated to India.    Zorostor was more or less similar to the Rishies in ancient India and therefore his preaching of the fire-worship is the remnant of the original ways of worship of the human beings, when they were staying on the north pole.

After the aggression of the Mohomedans on Iran, the fire-worshipers became more or less extinct. A few, that still believe in that religion, cannot openly observe it and they have to do fire-worship in hiding. Those, who still believe in old traditions, are no doubt still carrying on the fire-worship secretely. It is said that many of the Hindus, who were converted to Christanity by the Portugese by force, still secretely keep idols of Hindu Gods with them and worship them. The position of the Zorostrians in Iran is more or less like these converted Christians on the west coast of India. It was because of this persecution that a few Zorostrians migrated to India and adopted this country as their motherland; They are at present known as the Parsee community in India and have still maintained their tradition of fire-worship in tact. Their temple is known as Agiary (fife temple). Many Parsee devotees have been attracted towards Shri Sai Baba; because He also happened to be a fire-worshiper.

Flame or torch is the symbol of fire and is still honoured in all the countries of the world. The Hindus always light a lamp at the time of any auspicious occasion. The Christians light candles at the shrine and this flame indicates the sanctity of fire. Even the Olympic games are started by carrying the flame according to old traditions of the Roman people.

It will thus be seen that fire-worship, in some form or the other, is being done all over the world even today, though the form of worship might be slightly different from place to place. To all Sai devotees fire is very sacred, because it is the base of the Dhuni of Shri Sai Baba. The tradition of fire-worship by Shri Sai Baba, will therefore be virtually continued by the Sai devotees by honouring Shri Baba's Dhuni and considering the Udi obtained therefrom as very sacred.

THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION

By  Swami Chinmayananda

Meditational   Pointers

 

In the last talk, Krishna emphasised the secret effects of dedicated work upon the inner personality. Then He declared that when a mind trained to be steadfast is turned to contemplate upon ihe Infinite Self, the meditator realises the Self.

In Arjuna, a man-of-action, mere theories generate an into­lerable impatience. He demands for direct means and ways of meditating. How can a finite mind, however trained it may be, however steadfast it may be, contemplate upon the Infinite All pervading Consciousness? The Imperishable is beyond the mind-intellect and so is not available for the mind to reflect upon, nor for the intellect to contemplate upon.

Thus, to the ruthless logic of a thinking-mind meditation is a paradox Lord Krishna in the following two verses- provides eight pointers to hold the mind's attention. When the mind is held in these directions, it is in meditation, ready for the descent of the experience divine fully alert to receive intimations from the Supreme Consciousness divine.

Lord Krishna enumerates them, (VIII-9-10) "The Omniscient, the Ancient, the Over-ruler, smaller than the smallest, the Sustainer of all, of inconceivable Form. Self-luminous like the sun, and beyond darkness - - he who meditates upon Him thus, at the time of death, full of devotion, with the mind unmoving, and also by the power of Yoga, fixing his whole Prana between the eyebrows, he goes to that Supreme Resplendent Purusha". Here are the eight directions indicated, each of them a different pointer, but all pointing to the same Seat of Consciousness in everyone. To hold the mind's attention through one or many of these pointers is to keep the mind in meditation.

Consciousness  illumines  all knowledge, and so is termed here as the All-knowing --- (It the "Omniscient".  It is from Consciousness that the universe emerged and as the very father of time and space, It is indicated  here as the "most (2) Ancient”. Every action of   all living creatures, plants, animals and men, is an expression of the Self, and so It is hinted at as the (3) "Over-ruler". It is (4) subtler than the subtlest and being All-pervading, It is even in the smallest of small things in the universe.  It is the very life in   all beings and so the (5)   "Sustainer" of all. The mind-intellect cannot make It an object of their feelings of thoughts, as It is the very subject, the very Consciousness behind all feelings and   thoughts.  Hence,   (6)   of "Form-inconceivable". Consciousness illumines all and is Itself the pure Light of Know­ledge.  Just as a lamp in a room illumines  everything in the room and needs no other light to illumine it, so too, Consciousness is (7) "Self-luminous".   The resplendent Self being Consciousness is (8) "Beyond all darkness" -- beyond all Maya. There is in It neither any non-apprehension nor misapprehensions of Reality. It is the pure apprehension of  the Self by the Self in the One Infinite Self.    It is Peace Infinite, Bliss Supreme.

He who can meditate upon Me thus, "at the time of death,"  "with a steady mind full of devotion", “he goes to that Supreme Resplendent Self" Here "death" is to be understood not as the biological death of the body, but the "mystic" death of the ego-sense in deep meditation. In the intense heat of deep meditation the sense of the ego ends and the awakening to the Supreme Consciousness takes place.

"By the power of Yoga, fixing the Prana between the brows" - - - is not to be taken literally. We have already seen how every science has to use its own vocabulary. Here is a sentence which is clustered with special terms, "By the power of Yoga" means by the results of intense meditation, 'Pra'na" is not breath. In Sanskrit, breath is swasa so Prana-yama is not "breath-control". If it were so, the right Sanskrit term would have been swasa-yama. "Prana" in our entire scripture literature is used as the "expression of life at the body, mind, intellect level". Thus perceptions, feelings, thinking, etc. constitute Prana. As indicated by the eight directions given, when all our conscious attention is gathered from its extrovert dissipation and held steadily in medi­tation, then the Self is experienced.

Not only has the Lord given all the guidelines to lift the mind from its drab commonplace sensuous distractions, but has provided a seeking student with all necessary instructions. When meditation becomes intense one glides into God-consciousness as one glides in tired repose into the engulfing depths of sleep !

All failures at meditation are only because of the dissipation of the meditator's attention into the world of sense-objects. These vasanas that drive the mind into sense fields get wasted in the heat of our daily attempts as meditation. Slowly, the mind stops its roamings. Naturally, more and more of it is employed in contemplation upon the Self.

When we thus develop this faculty of heaving ourselves on­to the higher planes of Consciousness, we become ready for the sudden intuitive experience of the Divine. This is the death of the ego and the birth of God-hood. This transcendental State of God-hood cnn be reached and man can end his confusions which are born out of his sense of inadequacy and his sense of limitation.

( Courtesy : Geeta Office, Powai )

SHRI GAJANAN MAHARAJ

By:- Shri S.N. Huddar

(Continued from April 1978 issue)

 

CHAPTER 15

LOKMANYA TILAK AT AKOLA

In 1907, Shiva Jayanti Utsava was organised at Akola (Berar) under the chairmanship of Lakmanya Bal Gangadhar Tilak, a great national leader of Poona. Shivaji's mother Jijabai, was from the Jadhao family of Sindkhed Raja of Berar. Shivaji's father Shahaji belonged to Maharashtra. Arrangements of the festivities were being made since a month. Shri Damle Kolhatkar, Khaparde were the leaders of Berar who had come to Akola for the festival.

Some expressed their opinion that Shri Gajanan Maharaj of Shegaon should also be invited for this utsava.   Others said, that he would roam here and there naked and might  strike even Shri Tilak.   Others replied, "You are not right. His madness is for the mad man. He will behave well with the learned gentlemen". At last it was decided to bring Shri  Gajanan Maharaj for the occasion. Some persons including Dadasaheb  Khaparde came to Shegaon.   Shri Maharaj said to Shri Khaparde,  “I shall gladly come to the festival at Akola. I shall not do anything awkward. I shall sit silent at one place. Bal Gangadhar Tilak is a real national Leader. His friend Shri Annasaheb Patwardban, is a disciple of Shri Narsinha Saraswati of Alaadi and he   is also coming.   I shall come to see   both  these leaders".

Dadasaheb Khaparde said to Kolhatkar, 'The discussion at Akola is already known to Shri Maharaj by intuition. See what great powers these saints possess. It is evident by his words how he loves the national leaders. We are not required to pursue him to come to Akola." Khaparde, Kolhatkar and others were pleased and they returned to Akola.

This ceremony on Akshatritiya (Vaishakh Shudha) was in the summer. A great pandal was erected. People from long distances had come to see and listen to Lokmanya Tilak and see Shri Gajanan Maharaj. The pandal was full of people. Lokmanya Tilak and Shri Annasaheb Patwardhan sat on the dias. Shri Gajanan Maharaj sat by the side of Lokmanya Tilak.

Lokmanya Tilak said in his speech, “Today is the birthday of that brave personality Shivaji, who spent his life for the free­dom of our country. That great warrior was blessed by Samarth Ramdas Swami. We are fortunate that today Shri Gajanan Maharaj has come here to bless us. The country without inde­pendence is like a dead body. So it is necessary to impart such education, which will inculcate love for our nation in our children. Will the present foreign Government give us such education?”

Shri Gajanan Maharaj raised his voice "No No". Tilak's speech was most impressive. Shri Gajanan Maharaj smiled and said, "Due to such speeches fetters come on hands," and he started his usual bhajan. "Gan Gan Ganat Bote ".

LOKMANYA TILAK'S CONVICTION

The function was a great success. Shri Maharaj's prediction came true the same year. Under section 124, a case was filed against Lokmanya Tilak. He was arrested. Great Barristers and Advocates pleaded for him. When Shri Khaparde started for Bombay for this purpose, he asked Shri Kolhatkar pleader to go to Shri Gajanan Maharaj at Shegaon and pray to him for the release of Lokmanya Tilak. He expressed his regret for his inability to go personally, as he had to proceed to Bombay urgently.

 

When Kohlatkar came to  Shegaon, he found that Shri Maharaj was asleep continuously for 3 days.   Kolhatkar waited till he awoke. Shri Maharaj said to Kolhatkar, "In spite of your great efforts, there would be no success. Chhatrapati Shivaji though blessed by Samarth Ramdas Swami, had to be in the custody of Aurangzeb at Delhi. Political salvation comes after the suffering of great persons. The tale of Kauns tells us the same thing. However I give you this bread as prasad. Give it to Shri Tilak. He will achieve a great deed. He will go far away but there is no other means to avoid this." Kolhatkar bowed to Shri Maharaj and went to Bombay.

At Bombay, he met Shri Tilak and Khaparde and narrated the words of Shri Gajanan Maharaj and also gave the bread as prasad. Lokmanya Tilak pounded the bread on his palm and ate it. Lokmanya Tilak smiled and said, "Shri Maharaj has uttered the truth. His knowledge is unfathomable. Government will keep their prestige. But the words that I would achieve some great deed, appear to me mystic."

Lokmanya Tilak was sentenced to six years rigrous imprisonment and he was removed to Mandalay in Burma. There he wrote "Geeta-Rahasya" a most learned and honoured treatise on Shri Bhagwad-Geeta". This has been undoubtedly his great deed. There have been many treatises written on Geeta by various learned authors for the benefit of the universe and expressed views to suit their times and circumstances. Due to this volume Lokmanya Tilak's name will be remembered forever in the whole world.

ADVICE TO SHRIDHAR KALE

Shridhar Govind Kale of Kolhapur, a Koknastha Brahmin, was very poor. After Matriculation, he joined college but he failed in the Intermediate Arts examination. He read the life of Oyama Togo in Kesari and this inspired him to go to England to study mechanical Engineering. But he had no money to proceed to England. He was thinking over the question of collecting money.

He went to Bhandara to one of his friend, who was a teacher in the Munro High school. He also approved of his idea of taking foreign education. Both started for Kolhapur. Hearing the name of Shri Gajanaa Maharaj, they halted at Shegaon and came to Shri Maharaj. They bowed to Shri Maharaj and sat before him. Knowing the intention of Shridhar Kale, Shri Maharaj . said to him, "Are you mad ? Do not think of going to the foreign country. Every thing is there in our country. There is nothing special in physical science. Study philosophy and you will gain much". Hearing this, Shridhar recollected similar advice, given by a saint, living at Kumbhargalli at Kolhapur. Shri Maharaj further said, "After many virtues one gets birth in this Bharat. Do not go elsewhere out of Bharat. Yoga is more important than Physical Sciences. Philosophy is more valuable than Yoga-shastra. If possible study that. Your wife is waiting for you at Kolhapur. You return soon to your home". Shridhar was delighted with these words. He passed B. A. and later on M. A. examination and became Principal of Scindia College of Shivapur (Gwalior State). He prospered there very well. Due to this meeting with the saint, Shridhar could choose the proper line of his life.

(to be continued)

 

Shri Sai Temple at Bhilai Nagar

With the spread of devotion to Shri Sai Baba, the Sai cult is spreading far and wide, in this country and abroad. In the Sai temple, located in the town-ship of Bhilai Nagar, the Aarti is sung on every Thursday and it is attended by the residents of the town-ship in great numbers. The first Aarti was sung on Thursday the 8th May 1975 and since then, Aarti is sung there on every Thursday on a large scale. Other important occasions like Dasara, Ramanavami, Guru Pournima are also being cele­brated there with great devotion, co-operation and enthusiasm.

 

Extracts From Shri H. S. Dixit's Diary

BABA IS IN HIS PORTRAIT

Balabuwa Sutar is called The Modern Tukaram. When he had been to Sai's darshan to Shirdi, Shri Maharaj (Baba) said, "I know this person for the last four years". Balabuwa could not be convinced of this as he had not come to Sai at any time before. However, he suddenly remembered that it was exactly four years since the day when he saw a portrait of Maharaj and bowed to Baba in the portrait. And as such, he was convinced of the truth of Baba's words. (This incident is reported at page 185 of Sai Satcharita, Eighth edition 1978).

BABA IS AKKALKOT MAHARAJ

A gentleman from Bombay ( Pitale) had once been to Shirdi to take darshan of Sai and at that time Maharaj gave him Rs. 2 and said, "When you were a young child. I had given to you Rs. 1. Keep these two rupees along with the same". That gentleman could not   clearly understand what Baba was saying, since he had never been to Sai before. After coming to Bombay, he told this to his old mother and she said, "When you were a child we had been to Akkalkot Maharaj, who had given you a rupee and I have kept the same carefully. The gentleman was overjoyed to know that both these saints were one and the same, (this incident appears at pages 140 of Sai Satcharita 8th edition 1978). There is however difference in the amounts paid to Shri Pitale).

INSTALLATION OF PADUKAS AT THE  FOOT OF THE NEEM  TREE

There is a Maratha gentleman by name Bhai. Once he thought of spending some days at the sacred feet of Akkalkot Maharaj. i.e., at Akkalkot. On the night on which he was to start, he had a dream wherein Akkalkot Maharaj appeared and told him to go to Shirdi (and not to Akkalkot) as He (Akkalkot Maharaj) was at Shirdi at the time. Accordingly Bhai went to Shirdi, remained there for about five to six months, and arranged the sthapana i.e., installation of the padukas of Akkalkot Maharaj under the "gode neem" tree in Sathewada. (This incident is reported at page 24 of Sai Satcharita, 8th edition 1978). The name of the person stated there is Bhai Krishnaji Alibagkar).

BABA GIVES ALMOND FOR DIARRHOEA

Once cholera was raging when Bapusaheb Buti was at Shirdi. He suffered from diarrhoea, vomiting and great thirst. His friend Dr. Pillai went to Baba, told Him everything and asked Sai Baba whether Bapusaheb was to be given water or coffee. Upon which Baba replied, "Give him conjee of coarse wheat flour, milk, almond, pistas and walnuts (ackroots). The same was prepared and given to Bapusaheb which not only reduced his thirst but also cured the cholera. (This incident appears at page 75 of Sai Satcharita, 8th edition 1978. It is however stated there that Shri Bapusaheb Buti suffered from cholera).

ANTARJNAN

Once Kaka Mahajani went to Shirdi with the intention of spending some 8 days there. When he approached Maharaj, the latter asked him as to when he was returning back. Kaka was wonderstruck and replied that he would do so as soon as he was ordered. Baba told him to proceed the next morning itself. Upon his return, Kaka found that his boss as well as his(Kaka's) clerk were ill and Kaka's presence was essential in the Office. They had already addressed a letter to Kaka at Shirdi to return. But before Kaka got it, he had already started back. (This incident appears at page 69 of Sai Satcharita, 8th edition 1978).

BLESSING CURES CHRONIC COLIC

There was a gentleman by name Dattopant, living in Datta's temple at Harda.  He has troubled with Colic for about 12 to14 years. He went to see Sai, hearing of Sai's glory.  Sai Baba blessed him and kept him for some days and gave His blessing (Ashirvada). The stomach pain stopped completely and never repeated again. (This story appears at pages 76-77 of Sai Satcharita, 8th edition 1978).

THAKARSAY AND MAHARAJ

There came a solicitor from Bombay to have darshan of Sai Maharaj. Sai handed him some grapes. He ate one grape with great difficulty, as he did not like to eat grapes without washing them. Then his greater difficulty was where to spit out the grape seed. On Maharaja's insistance, he ate one more of the grapes and he did not find any seed in it. The same was the case with the rest. He just thought of giving some grapes to his friend and immediately Baba gave, some to his friend. At this he was wonderstruck. (This incident is reported at page 95 of Sai Satcharita, 8th edition 1978).

HYSTERIA CURED

Every year, there assembled  at Dabolimath in Venguria, Ratnagiri District, a   conference of a religious section to which Annasaheb Dabholkar belonged. It is named Maha Mandal.  On behalf of  this Mandal, Annasaheb was asked seven years ago (i.e., in 1917) to preside; but he refused to do so as there was no permission from Sai Maharaj.    He was requested even next year; but before that he had a vision at Bandra wherein Maharaj permitted him to preside over the function. Accordingly he accepted the invitation from the math. One of his daughters was suffering from hysteria, and she never used to keep good health; but after Annasaheb  accepted  the invitation, she improved in her health and was cured of her malady.

 

A SELF UNFOLDMENT

By :- Shri Avdhutswami Maharaj

(Shree Avdhutswami Maharaj Limaye, who stays at Navalkar Building, N. C. Kelkar Road, Oadar, Bombay-28 is a disciple of Shri Gajanan Maharaj Borkar, who was also staying at Dadar. Shri Samarth Kamdas Swami, whose books and teachings are honoured and revered very much by Shri Avdhutswami, has never advised his disciples to leave the family life and go to the jungle in order to attain God. Though many common people have heard this advice of staying with your family and attaining God and achieving progress on the spiritual path, still it is rather difficult for them to follow it and bring it into practice. Shri Avdhutswami is a family man. He was in service and still he could achieve good progress on the spiritual path with the help of his Guru. Swamiji was born on 3rd May 1906. He will therefore be completing 12 years of his age on the 3rd May 1978 and entering the 73rd year of his life. In honour of his birthday coming in ttys ??? month, the following article, written by him, is being published here. In this small autobiographical article (1st part, second part will be published in June 1978 issue), our readers will find how a family man can struggle and achieve spiritual progress if he has a will to do it. These two articles will therefore serve as beckon light to all 'Sadhakas', who want to remain in their family, live a family life and also achieve spiritual progress - - - Editor).

To be born as a human being on this earth, especially in the meritorious land of sages and saints, is the most miraculous and wonderful thing that can happen in this Universe, because the man possesses intellect and can get knowledge of the Universe, its Greater God, and finally of himself. He can know the real purport and secret of human life and by practising the same in his own life, can attain the greatest bliss. From time immemorial, the Great Sages and saints realised this most secret and sacred path of bliss and showed it to the suffering humanity around and made them happy. No man can live for himself alone. He has to live for himself and  also for the World. If he does not, what is he but a mere animal; and  who  would not be ashamed to be an animal being born a human being.    Man is the golden and the ripest fruit of this wonderful Universal tree. This tree has no splendour without its beautiful ornamentation of golden fruits and the fruits cannot have existence without the tree. The ripe fruit alone bears the seed of the tree. The human being bears the seed of the Universe the  Omnipotant existence of God i.e., the soul in the body. The Universe cannot have existence without the Omnipotent Brahman; the body cannot have existence without the Atman. The man has just to realise this and he will one day awaken himself with the most thrilling and joyful experience that he is the complete part and parcel of the Almighty. For this awakening it is essential that he must ardently take himself to the meritorious path of devotion, love and service with the guidance of the ablest Master - The  Sadguru.

I am really proud and very happy that I was born and  that by Grace of God I am still alive quite safe and sound.  I came into this world on 3rd May, 1906 and now I quite realise that I have to go one  day, any day any moment. Every moment of my life is therefore precious and must be properly utilized. Very often I have to think what happ­ened in my life till now and what should happen at every moment that may come. I was born in a pious Brahmin family and experi­enced all the ,Good and Evil, and Shri Avdhutswami Maharaj all the usual happiness  and tormentations of a Childhood. Since early childhood I also experienced faith and love for God and got a liking to utter the name of "Lord Ram", to visit temples and attend Bhajans and Keertans and to read lives of Rama-Krishna and Saints etc. I could not know how and why these things were there; but it was a fact that I could not just do without them. There was natural inner yearning and very often some friendly person would goad me further. As time passed I could just experience that faith in God helps to minimise our sorrows in life and to attain some of our desires for a happy life, but very often there were long periods of forgetfulness of God. I matriculated in a Bombay School in 1923 and Graduated in 1927 at Sangli. I went for Law at Poona; but left the course having no liking for the pro­fession. In 1929 I served as a Head Master in an English School at a village in Kolaba District and got a wonderful experience of human life. I joined the Postal Service in 1930, and was married in 1931.

Throughout the latter part of the above period and even later on, I got a very bitter experience of life. Not only I suffered from continuous sickness and physical ailments but got no peace of mind from any source whatever. I really got a disgust of the world around. I experienced the weakness of the humanity in general in every respect. There was dishonesty and immorality. There was greed for money and power to such an extent that even my own kith and kin were not an exception. There was no selfless love and kindness to be seen. There was neither sincerity of purpose nor any devotion to duty. Faith in God and religion was lacking. With a sincere and loving heart and honest purpose, I tried my best to cope up with the situation but came to a point of breaking, so much so that on the very day of my marriage, I thought of leaving my family and going in search of God. But good reason prevailed. I thought I was a coward if I could not face the world, which God has created and desired to run away. But where could I go ? Could I be really away from the world by a mere change of place? And who could guarantee that the world far away was happier ? God had kept me at the right place and in proper circumstances; befitting my "Prarabdha" of my previous births, and I must face them only by surrendering myself to God. I thought that sages and saints have already described in detail the phases of Kaliyuga and it should be so. It was a folly to blame the world or anybody for the sorrows that overcame me.

(to be continued)

OMNIPRESENT BABA

Shree Baba is Omnipresent and in His own inimitable way, He has encouraged me to fight in times of difficulties and blessed me and my family on happy occasions.

It was on 19-1-1976, I had got married and it was His devout follower Dr. K. B. Gavankar, who had blessed us both on that happy occasion by his presence at the wedding.

Shri Baba did it again on 19-1-1978, when I had taken off from duty and paid an early visit to Sansthan Office at Dadar to get the 1978 Diary, I was deeply pleased to see Shri V. V. Bagwe, Manager of Samadhi Mandir and Librarian of the Sansthan Library at Shirdi. When he asked me, I told him the reason for which I had come to the Office. Without my asking, he gave Shri Baba's photo, Udi, Prasad and a sugar packet and while giving those articles he said that, my feeling for Shri Baba being true, it was He who arranged the meeting. So true ! Shree Baba has created in me a stream of self-less love for Him and I dedicate all fruits thereof to Him.

Shri A. K. Rasal

Bombay 400037

 

Fourth Annual Gathering at Shirdi

(Continued from April 1978 issue)

SECOND SESSION

 

 

The post-lunch session started at the same place at about 3-30 p. m. This is supposed to be the most important session of the whole gathering, because.it is in this session that the adminis­tration and the editors come to know the reactions of the contributors, who form a section of the readers. Though during the last   three gatherings, suggestions were always  made by number of delegates, still   if they are scanned very carefully,would  be noticed that some of them are being repeated from  time to time. Some suggestions  are not practicable, some suggestions are    concerning change in the administrate policy and  some suggestions are made on the    spur of the moment, which are not at all concerned with the issue of Shri Sai Leela   Magazine. The Chairman of the meeting has always to be alert on such points.  He has also not to allow people to digress and take the time of the session either by speaking besides the point or repeating the arguments already put forth by somebody.   In doing   this job, the Chairman becomes, a target of criticism both because he does not check the speakers in time even when they are speaking beside the point and also because he     does not check the people who are lacking in brevity;   but it goes to the credit of  this   year's Chairman, Shri Chitambar that he acted so very well in his chair, that no one from the audience could complain against him on any of the aforesaid grounds. He was all the time quite alert and he made such pertinent remarks that they gave rise to fountains of laughter in the  gathering.

(From left to right:- Mrs. Pathak, Shri K. S, Pathak, Court Receiver, Dr. K. B Gavankar, Shri Radhakrishna Swamiji, Chief Guest, Shri G.J. Chitambar, President, Dr. S. D. Parchure, Executive Editor, Shri Sadanand Chendwankar, Executive Editor and Shri A. J. Chitambar, President of the gathering held in 1977.Photo :   by Shri J. N. Kulkarni, Pune.)

 

Out of the delegates present, the  following persons made certain suggestions; -

1) Shri Gajanan  Kulkarni   2) Shri Ramesh   D. Chawan 3) Shri Madhav Gore   4) Shri Hasmukh Onkar Patil 5) Dr. (Mrs). Sumati Khanvilkar   6) Shri ^???ajanan Nirkhe   7) Shri Vijay Hajare 8) Prof. Gunderao  Patwari   9) Shri R. B. Sandbhor    10) Sow. Meena   Khadilkar   11)   Shri Bipin Swadia   12)   Shri   Nagesh Mogalaikar   13) Shri Rajaram Humne   14) Prof. M. V. Ramchan-dran   15)   Shri  Suresh Chavan   16) Shri Jagdish   Devpurkar 17) Shri Radhakrishna Gupta  18) Shri Suryakant Garje  19) Shri R. S. Pujari   20) Shri Dattatraya More   21) Shri Prakash Doshi  22) Shri Anil Rasal   23) Miss   Shashikala  Salgaonkar   24) Mrs Sarala Garje   25) Shri K. H. Bhuraney   26) Dr. K. B. Gawankar 27) Mrs. Sushila Hajare.

In addition to the usual suggestions of having a seperate issue of Shri Sai Leela in Hindi   and in English and to increase the number of  pages, there were a few more suggestions like having a separate section for children, having a better get up, changing the size of the magazine, keeping the magazine for sale on Railway station stalls, giving new writers a place along with old ones, giving extracts from old issues, giving advertisements, introducing philosophical subjects in the story form, increasing the subscription, having articles of limited size, giving more prominance to poems, giving more publicity so as to make Shri Sai Leela known to all Sai devotees, giving  some place to picture based on the, incidents referred to in the articles; advertising about the articles to be published, in the next issue, giving prize to the best poem of the month, using more costly paper,   requesting the editors to give their idea about the articles required by them for publication, holding a gathering of the readers also, requesting all delegates to have at least one more subscriber.  

In addition to the above suggestions one  speaker was audacious enough to suggest publishing "what the stars foretell!" every month.  Both the Executive Editors were - noting down  the suggestions, that were being made by the delegates.  As most of the persons that spoke were readers of the Marathi edition,  their suggestions  were mainly in respect of the Marathi issue. Shri Sadanand Chendwankar therefore gave a reply to the suggestions made pointing out how many of  them could be implemented and at the   same time informing the delegates why it was not possible to implement some of their suggestions.

The second Executive Editor Dr. Parchure, thereafter said in his speech, "Most of the suggestions, that were made here, related to the Marathi issue and a reply is already given in this behalf by my co-Executive Editor Shri Chendwankar. As regards the English issue, I may state that some of the people here, have praised the get up and the contents of the issue outside this hall, then why have they been backward in speaking it here ? Excep­ting perhaps Shri Garje, nobody spoke about the improvements done and the good articles that are being published in the issue. As far as the English issue is concerned,   several suggestions; made in the past, have been implemented.  New heads like

"Questions and Answers", "Likes and dislikes" have been started.

It is open to the readers to express their opinions without any reservation. As the readers speak about something that they do not like, similarly they should speak about things which they like.  Such opinions encourage the editors to strive further for improv-

ment of the magazine.   As suggested before, the list of donor has now been reduced and   the pages so released are being utilized for articles. We are doing our" best to improve the

magazine  and its sale. If  the  contributors co-operate with us and make some further suggestions, which could be implemented, they will be welcomed and implemented".

As this session had prolonged for a pretty long time, it was necessary to close it; but before closing the session, the Chairman had to make an announcement. Among the delegates, there were a number of poets and other artists, who wanted to entertain the audience with their art. It was therefore decided to have a full cultural programme from 8 to 10 p. m. in the Samadhi Mandir on the same day (12-3-78) and also a programme for singing songs and poems, in the morning on 13-3-78 from 9 a. m. to 11 a. m. Shri Chitambar the chairman announced both these programmes and declared that the session has concluded.

In the cultural programme in the night, held in the Samadhi Mandir on 12-3-78, Shri Appa Samant, the vetaran Dholak player, gave his solo programme and also accompanied other singers. His accomapanyment, as well as his solo programme, was much appreciated by the audience. Among other programmes a special mention is required to be made of the singing of "Bharud" by Shri R. B. Sandbhor from Poona. By itself the Bharud, though philosophical, has a humourous touch and when it is presented with appropriate acting, it appeals to the audience very much.

Shri Sandbhor is a good artist and he is presenting that programme at other places publicly. Hence his programme becomes quite lively. A number of poets sang their poems in both the program­mes and their poems also were appreciated much by the audience. Among the poets, who sang their songs, a special mention is required to be made of Prof. Gunderao Patwari from Bidar. He is a professor of Hindi in a college at Bidar and is well-conver­sant with the Urdu literature. He has therefore a special liking for "Shers". None of his speeches will be complete without a sher. He must give it in the beginning or end with it. In his programme he gave a lot of shers. The following poets sang their poems in the programme :-

1) Shri Ramesh Chavan 2) Shri Nagesh Mogalaikar 3) Dr. (Smt.) Sumati Khanvilkar 4) Mrs. Sushila Hajare 5) Shri Dattatraya More 6) Prof. Gunderao Patwari 7) Shri Jagdish Devpurkar 8) Mrs. Sandbhor 9) Mrs. Meena P. Khadilkar 10) Miss Shashikala Salgaonkar and others.

A poet no doubt composes his poem for giving vent to his own overwhelming feelings; but by mere composition of a.poem he does not get full satisfaction. He wishes that his poem should be read by others or at least it should be heard by others when, he sings it. As nearly three hours time was given to the poets for their programme during the gathering, they appeared to be satisfied for having got an opportunity to show their art. From the enthusiasm shown by the poets this year, it appears that this programme will have to be included every year in the annual gathering at Shirdi.

CONCLUDING SESSION

The concluding, session began in the hall on the ground floor of Shanti Niwas in the afternoon at about 3.30 p. m. on 13-3-78. Because of the constant increase in the number of delegates from year to year, it is always found to be necessary to hold the sessions of the gathering in the hall of Shanti Niwas. However due to influx of the devotees, the aforesaid hall was not available on Sunday and hence the previous sessions had to held on the first floor of the Saniadhi Mandir. As this last session was in the big hall in Shanti Niwas, the delegates were happy as they could now sit at ease.

Though the Court Receiver, Shri Pathaksaheb is alway fully alert to provide all facilities to the delegates attending the gathering, still it is of course upto the staff of the Shirdi Sanstha to carry out his orders and arrange for the  comforts of the delegates.  As this staff always remains behind the curtain, none of the delegates come to know, who worry for their comforts. With, a view to introducing the heads of the sections of the different departments  in the  Sansthan Office at  Shitdi, this year it was decided to call them and   to introduce them to  the delegates. Shri Shinde, who is incharge of the accommodation, Shri Patil, who is the Civil Engineer incharge of the properties of the Sansthanj Shri   Bagwe, who is incharge of the Library and the Samadhi Mandir, Shri Nagpure, who is incharge of the Cash Dept, and other Officers-incharge  of  Security staff and the mechanical and electrical department and Dr. Kelkar, the R. M. O. of the Sansthan Hospital at Shirdi, were introduced to the delegates.   Shri Bagwe and Shri Patil delivered   short speeches regarding the working of the Shirdi  Sansthan  and complimented Shri Pathaksaheb for his initiative and drive, due to which the Sansthan has made miracu­lous progress during the- last seven or eight years.

On behalf of the Shirdi Sansthan, Shri Pathaksaheb felicitated the following persons by garlanding them and offering to them Shawl, Coconut and Prasad.

1) Shri G. J.Chi tarn bar, Chairman  2) Shri Radhakrishna Swamiji, Chief Guest  3) Shri A. J, Chitambar, the Chairman of the gathering held last year  4) Dr. K. B. Gawankar  5) Mrs. Chitambar  6) Shri Sadanand Chendwankar, Executive Editor  7) Dr. S D. Parchure. Executive Editor  8) Shri Nivritti Patil Gondkar, old resident of Shirdi village and class student of Shri Chitambar  9)Shri R. S. Pujari  10) Mrs. Sunita T. Chawak for winning a prize in the essay competition. On behalf of the delegates the  Chairman offered a garland   to Shri Pathaksaheb and his wife.

In his short speech, Dr. Gawankar, then told the audience that to be a good contributor to the Sai Leela magazine, they must all have good knowledge of Sai Satcharita and it is therefore necessary for them to read and assimilate it fully. He further said that as an ex-editor of Shri Sai Leela, he knows the difficul­ties ot an editor and added that the present editors are doing a good job under the conditions in which they are working.

Shri Radhakrishna Swamiji thereafter delivered a short bene­dictory speech. His fully white attire, resembling his white beard and hair, made the audience feel that he was purity incarnate. In his speech, which he delivered in English, he thanked the organizers for giving him the opportunity to attend the gathering as the Chief Guest. He narrated his experiences about the favour showered on him by Shri Sai Baba in difficult situations and told the audience about his contact with other saints. Shri Swamiji said that such gatherings would help the spread of the Sai cult and also the spread of the Sai Leela magazine. He also invited all the delegates to Bangalore on 10-5-78 for the inauguration of a Sai temple there. Shri Swamiji's speech, though delivered in English, had a salutory effect on even the persons, who did not know English. His speech created a peaceful and serene atmos­phere. As a part of the audience did not understand English, Dr. Parchure explained in brief in Marathi, the salient features of Shri Swamiji's speech.

Shri Nivritti Patil Gondkar also sang a few abhangas and narrated his experiences about Sai Baba. As his family members were residents of Shirdi for generations, his words were received with special reverence by all. Though he cannot be really called as an educated person as per our usual defination, his sincerity and urge added force to his speech and it made an impression on the audience.

Shri Chitambar then delivered his presidential address. In his speech, which lasted for nearly half an hour, he thanked the organizers for electing him as a Chairman of this year's gathering, though he feels that by merely coming into contact with Shri Sai Baba for a few years in his childhood, he does not become a previleged person. If the people appreciate his personal achieve­ments and if they feel that he is suitable for this post because of that, then he would be happy in accepting the Chairmanship of the gathering. He then narrated his experiences in various fields of life and wished that the Sai cult and Sai devotion should spread far and wide in order to have mental peace and satisfaction. He said in the end that the executive editors are doing their best for the magazine and therefore Shri Sai Leela has got a distinct future. He again thanked the gathering for offering him the Chairmanship and helping him to hold the session in harmony and peace without annoying anyone.

On behalf of the delegates, Mrs. Sushilabai Hazare, from Malegaon, thanked the staff of the Shirdi Sansthan, Shri Subbash Chendwankar and Shri Pathaksaheb for looking to all their com­forts during their stay at Shirdi. As a secretary of the gathering Dr. Parchure, thanked the Chairman, Ex-Chairman, Shri Radha-krishna Swamiji, the delegates for having come from far and wide, the staff of the Shirdi Sansthan and particularly Shri Pathaksaheb for helping him in holding the gathering and making it a complete success.

The fourth annual gathering of the contributors to Shri Sai Leela magazine, thus concluded on the evening of 13-3-78 at about 7 p. m. with a wide applause from the audience. As an annual affair, it is eagarly awaited by most contributors and hence they all returned home with the hope of coming back next year. Some delegates started returning on the night of 13-3-78, some left during the morning and evening of 14-3-78 and the rest left Shirdi on 15-3-78.

S. D.  Parchure   Executive Editor, Shri Sai Leela (Eng.)

 

SAINT GADGEMAHARAJ

( Continued from April  I978 issue )

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

The letter from the collector to waive the payment of the yearly land revenue, gave an impetus to the work of the Dharmashala at Nasik. The foundation was laid, the plinth came up and the walls started growing inch by inch. The roof followed. The doors and windows were fitted and the building of the Dharmashala was ready. It appeared that in place of the jungle of the cactus bushes at Hanumangadhi, a palace has come up at the site. The ground at Hanumangadhi was not plain. It was a sort of a hillock. Hence the structures, comprising of the whole unit, were constructed at different levels according to the availability of plane ground. On the west side was the Datta Mandir of Bhimabai Sawant. The different structures, located in the campus, were painted with attractive colours. The  entire arrangement used to astonish the pilgrims. They used to be puzzled further to find that only some nominal rent was charged for staying there. A library was also provided in the premises, so that if someone wanted to do some reading, he could do it there.

In the early months of 1935, the buildings became ready for occupation. Shri Maharaj however decided to open this Dharma­shala with a special function. Nasik is a place of Pilgrimage where pilgrims flock in great numbers. In  order to take advantage of the philanthrophy of these pilgrims, an equally big number of beggars collects there. Some of them are able bodied and they move about and collect enough food for themselves; but those that are lame or blind, are not able to move about and beg for alms. Shri Maharaj had noticed the pitiable condition of such beggars all over the country, during the time in which he was wandering from place to place, before being famous as a saint. He   therefore decided to give free food to such infirm beggars at this Dharmashala and started moving in that direction.

By this time, Shri Maharaj was a known personality. His word had now gained weight. So when he declared his plan for providing free food to the lame and blind, money and food-stuffs started flooding the Dharmashala at Nasik. When therefore he inaugurated this Dharmashala at Hanumangadhi, he called nearly six hundred beggars, who were lame, blind, diseased or infirm and made them sit in a row properly Out of the donations that were given by Shrimant Pratapshet from Amalner, Shri Tulsidas Chimji from Bombay, Shri Kisansinha Rathod from Amravati, Shri Sarosh Irani from Nagpur and others. Shri Maharaj arranged to give food, clothes etc to all the aforesaid beggars. This was really a new thing in Nasik and hundreds of pilgrims and citizens had collected round about to see this novel function.  It was really a sight to see. The feeling of satisfaction and joy that could be seen on the faces of those beggars, on finding that there was someone who cared for them, was really unique.  Shri Maharaj also was pleased to see the sight. In one of his Abhangas Shri Tukaram Maharaj has said

 

The meaning of this Abhanga is "He should be known as a real sadhu (Saint), who considers the maimed, the oppressed and disabled as his own kins and does something for them," Shri Maharaj fitted in that definition very well and was really a Sadhu in the true sense of the word.

The interest of Shri Maharaj in all such buildings of public interest, always used to come to an end, as soon as the building was completed. It was his policy to put up such buildings, meant for public use, with the money collected from the public; but after that he would get out of it, but at the same time he would see that the building always continued to give service to the public. He therefore always appointed a board of trustees for every such building. In the case of the above Dharmashala he appointed the following persons as the first trustees 1) Shri Pratapshet from Amalner 2) Shri Ganpatrao Gangan 3) Shri Bhikusa Yamasa Kshatriya 4) Shri Dhanawate from Nagpur and 5) Shri Achulrao Deshmukh. Later on Shri Yashwantbuwa Bhandari was directed by Shri Maharaj to pay attention to this Dharmashala.

When a person is young, he always wishes that he should have long life; but when he becomes old he finds that his strength starts reducing. The diseases that were under control when he had strength, start showing their power and they have their upper hand and thus they disturb the peace of mind of the person. In addition to these weaknesses of the body, if a person has no means to sustain himself, then there is no person in this world, who is as, wretched as he. Under such condition nobody cares for the old man and sometimes he is even driven out of the house. Due to breaking up of the joint family system, the problem of the old is becoming more and more acute. Shri Gadge Maharaj had very keen observation of the society and on observing this pitiable condition of these old people, he had always thought of doing something for them; but the question of having a separate asylum or rest-house for the old, could not be solved by putting up a separate building due to want of a suitable plot. Shri Gadge Maharaj had however noticed that there was some open place available behind the Dharmashala at Pandharpur. He therefore arranged to put up some huts on the site and started accommodating such old people there. Establish­ing separate Ashrams or Asylums or rest-houses for old people is considered to be a modern concept by many people; but it was conceived long ago by Shri Gadgemaharaj and here lies his greatness. Service to humanity was the goal of his life and after observing the social conditions, he gave service to the society in all possible  ways.

When the old people were housed in the aforesaid huts, it was necessary first of all to arrange for their food. Most of them had either physical disability or financial difficulty, and they were "therefore not able to provide for their food. The staff appointed for upkeep and maintenance of this Dharmashala, was staying on the premises and food was being cooked for them. Shri Maharaj made arrangements for the food of these old people along with that food. When such arrangements were made, it was expected that the old people will stay at ease for the whole day and utilize their time in chanting the name of God; but these old people had come from various places. They had brought with them their inherent habits. Hence they often times used to quarrel with their neighbours on flimsy grounds. All this was required to be tolerated without showing any annoyance.

Shri Gadgemaharaj had a very kind heart. He could nowhere tolerate, the suffering of humanity. He always tried to heal it up. Some old and helpless people used to come to the Ashram of their own accord when they used to come to know about it; but whenever Shri Maharaj used to come across such a person, he used to pick him up at once and bring him into the rest-house.

Once Shri Maharaj started from Wakhari and was going to Pandharpur. He saw on the way one such old and feeble man lying by the roadside. He was asking for bread from all the passers by. The pilgrims that were passing by were on their way to Pandharpur. They were very eager to have darshan of the Pandurang in the temple at Pandharpur; but they utterly disregarded the Pandurang, who was lying by the roadside and was asking for food. The dust that was rising due to their movement on the road, was being deposited on the body of the old man; but none was paying heed to him. The sight of Shri Gadgemaharaj was always alive to all such persons. He immedi­ately went to him and said, "Baba, I am a Dhobi by cast. Will you have any objection to take food from me?" With tears in his eyes, the old man said, “I am so hungry that I will take food, touched by any  body.”

This old man was a brahmin by caste and in those days, brahmins were normally not taking food touched or cooked by people from other caste; but severe hunger and shortage of food for a long time had subdued the old man so much that he became ready to eat food prepared by any one. Hearing the above words of the old man, Shri Maharaj realised the pitiable condition of the old man and he at once lifted him up in his arms. The followers of Maharaj picked up his belongings and all of them came to Pandharpur. He was then placed in one of the huts and started staying there.

The condition of these old men was very bad. Because of oldage, their digestive power had become weak. They were there­fore often times not able to digest the food eaten by them. Some of them then vomited or some of them got loose motions. In both these cases the whole of the hut would become full of filth. Many of the attendants, therefore, avoided to go to that hut. Service to humanity, however, was the creed of Shri Maharaj, hence whenever he used to be in Pandharpur, he always attended to that old man personally. He would give him a wash. He would change his clothes and he would give him all possible service without showing any sort of nausea or disregard!

Those persons, who had a normal life and have no disability are sometimes thrown into very bad predicament in old age because of several factors. Shri Maharaj hence established a rest-house for such old people in the huts behind the Dharmashala; but Pandharpur being a place of pilgrimage, it.attracted all sons of beggars amongst whom many were blind, lame, maimed and few of them were also suffering from leprosy. The main sourse of food for all these beggars was nothing else but begging. Other beggars, who were able-bodied used to move from place to place and collect sufficient food for themselves. It was not possible for these beggars with some deficiency. They were required to sit at a place and try their luck. It was not always possible for them to secure sufficient food for the day; with the result that some of them had to fill only a part of their belly and remain half-starved for days together. Shri Gadgemaharaj had observed this fact and he wanted to serve food to these beggars every day. Shri Maharaj conceived this idea; but at the same time he knew the trouble required to be taken in order to give concrete shape to his plan. In so many village fairs, Shri Maharaj had planned the Bhandara and carried it out successfully, but to arrange for one dinner, may be for about two thousand people, and to arrange for lunch for round about four hundred to five hundred people every day, was quite different. For that a continuous flow of funds would be necessary, at the same time there should be suitable machinery to carry out the daily programme.

Shri Gadgemaharaj had his queer ways of collecting funds. His daily need was only one bread and he used to beg for it; but his principle was that he should not feel shy to ask for others. What would happen at the most ? The donor, whom we may approach, may at the most give a negative reply, for which he would always keep himself ready; but if the donor happened to be in good mood, then the problem of financing a good project . would be solved. So whenever he went to any village or town, he would enquire about the philanthropic minded person in that town. During day he would go to that person's house. That person would already be aware about the work of Shri Maharaj and hence he would be ready to welcome him. On getting into the house, the person would request Shri Maharaj to sit in his well-furnished hall. Shri Maharaj would naturally reject the proposal and sit on the ground. Then he would request Maharaj to eat something and he would accordingly offer him something. Shri Maharaj would humbly refuse that also. The person would then like to introduce his family members to Shri Maharaj.

At first the wife of the person would come.   Shri Maharaj would ask her, "Where have you kept the butter, ghee, milk etc?"

 

 

'Maharaj, it is in the kitchen’ would be the reply. Then Maharaj would say, "You should not do like this. You should always be near it and keep a watch over it. Otherwise your daughters and daughters-in-law will all finish it."

On hearing this, a wave of laughter would sweep the audience and the old lady would say, "No Maharaj, I have no worry of that type. My daughter-in-law is a good lady. She manages everything very economically Here she comes." with this introduction, the daughter-i