SHRI SAI LEELA

( Official Organ of Shirdi Sansthan)

 

VOLUME 55

NOVEMBER 1976

No. 8

 

Do not be Disheartened!

 

Does sin pursue you?  Be not disheartened!  In sin, too, is the Sinless One.  The Lord pursues you  and when the glamour of evil will go, you will know that, wading through sin, your spiritual strength has grown greater and your spiritual vision is keener than before!

 

Editor :

Shri K. S. PATHAK Receiver, Shirdi Sansthan of Shri Sai Baba

 

Executive Editors:

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

Shri Sadanand Chendwankar B. Sc., S. T. C., R. B. Pravin

 

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EDITORIAL Minds of the Great

THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION       By :  Swami Chinmayananda

SHRI GURUCHARITRA     By:- Shri S.N.  Huddar

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

SHRI SAI BABA       Bakht N. Moolchandani

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Shri Baba getting Angry.

SAI AS MIDWIFE    Shri  Ramchandran

THE RIDDLE            L. Suryanarayana Sarma,

OUR SOUL AND MIND      Dr.  Anil Jaiswal

Shri Sai Mandir, at Forjett Street

GURU NANAKS TEACHING         Vaman H.  Pandit

EDITORIAL

Minds of the Great

 

What is the distinguishing mark of a great person?  How can we differentiate between the ordinary people and great perso­nalities?  If we look at both of them, we will apparantly find no difference between them like ordinary people, the great people also appear to have only two eyes and not more. Of course, if we want to speak figuratively, we may say that only the great personalities have the active inner eye, which perceives the God within themselves, which the other ordinary people are not able to see; but apart from this apparent imaginary difference, we cannot ordinarily find any physical difference between the ordinary people and the great personalities; but still they are called great people.  It is because of their great minds that people become great and are known to be great people.

The next question that arises is, what are the special features of the minds of the great?  In the drama known as Uttarrama-charita the poet has described the minds of the great as follows:-

Bhavbhuti, the author of the above drama, says, "Who can know the minds of the great, which are harder than the Vajra and which are more soft than the flower?"

Vajra is the misile of God badra. ft is supposed to be very strong and hard because - it was with this misile that India clipped off the wings of the mountains, who were formerly moving from place to place and causing nuisance to the people on the earth.  Vajia was therefore a standard of hardness and in order to show the hardness of the minds of the great, the poet says that they are even harder than Vajra.

The poet has also compared the minds of the great with a flower.  Just as he has taken the Vajra as a standard for hardness, similarly he has taken the flower as the standard of softness.  The flowers are no doubt very tender.  When they are plucked, they fade in no time.  They can be crushed very easily.  The heat is not their only enemy; but even the cold affects them adversely.  One Sanskrit shloka says:-

There is danger to the trees from (stormy) wind.  Similarly, there is danger to the lotus flowers, from the cold.  The tender­ness of the flowers is thus their special quality; but the poet says that the minds of the great are even more tender than the flowers!  Though thus it appears to be paradoxical, the minds of the great are harder than the Vajra and softer than the flowers!

 

There are various facts of the character and minds of the great.  One more trait of their mind has been described in another shloka as follows:

"This is my man and this is a stranger, these are the considerations of the narrow-minded people. Those who have got a very liberal mind, consider the whole world as their family." This is the meaning of the above shloka.  The terminology that we have used so far is, 'the minds of the great', while in the above shloka the poet has called those people as 'liberal minded people'.  Of course, for all practical purposes liberal-minded people, who consider the whole world as their family are also people with great minds and they also stand in line with the people having great minds.

If we look to the world history so far, we see that we have not yet crossed the border of national patriotism.  The leaders and dictators of all nations are fostering the love for their own country among the citizens of their country.  They are always appealing to them for sacrificing everything for the uplift of their own country.  This has no doubt resulted in producing patriotism for their mother country among the masses; but at the same time it has also resulted in generating a feeling of no concern about their neighbouring countries, if not a feeling of despise or hatred for them.  Under such circumstances, it is mighty difficult to get people, who will think about other countries as their own and will consider the whole world as their family, as explained in the shloka quoted above.

In spite of the extreme stress laid on nationalism by the political leaders, the great thinkers and philosophers of the world have considered the pros and cons of the wars between different countries of the world and the general unrest in the world.  As a solution to end all the economic and political woes of the world, they have made a proposal of a world state.  Though the idea of a world state is very attractive and an apparant solution to end all the tensions in the world, it has so far remained only an Utopain idea; but it may be recalled that this same idea is embo­died in the saying U3§%3

Our late Prime Minister, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru,  was a person  having a  broad   outlook and liberal views.  He spoke about non-alliance and neutrality of nations whenever possible and preached about international peace throughout his life.   He was a great figure in the international  field and his ideas to establish lasting world peace were received with great concern in all the international conferances,  that he attended during his life time; but due to the difference in theory and practice all his thoughts and preachings melted away, as he could not establish a lasting peace even with his immediate neighbours viz. China and Pakistan.  When Chou En Lia, the Prime Minister of China, came to India, Panditji gave the slogan of   "Hindi Chini Bhai Bhai"; but this myth was very soon exploded when China stabbed India in the back by launching an attack on our country from the North-East.

The further history, how Panditji took a great shock because of this incident and almost broke completely when he saw the defeat of his own principles before his very eyes in his own life time, is known to everybody and need not be traced here.  What we have to bear in mind is that the great minds or master minds with broad outlook are very rare in the international field and in the present day politics when the national pride has reached its zenith, it is difficult to generate such minds any more.

Because Panditji was an international figure, he voiced forth his ideas in public speeches in the international field; but though he was somewhat influenced by the western ideas, he was mainly a product of the India culture.  Dnyaneshwar, who was an advocate of the local languages, has wrote  meaning that this whole world is my home.  This may appear to be an expression of the Sanskrit saying  in Marathi; but he was a saint having a great mind and his behaviour during the short span of his life, shows his humbleness and liberal mindedness.  It will thus be seen that the ideas of the world state existed in India in the past ages and that inheritance was placed before the world by Panditji in a presentable form.

If we look to the life and behaviour of Shri Sai Baba, we feel that this principle of considering the whole world as his family, embodied in our Sanskrit and Prakrit literature was mas­tered completely by him.  He was sitting in the Masjid, but was maintaining an everlasting fire.  He was bringing together all the Hindus during their festivals.  He had combined in him the Hindu, Muslim and Parsee faith and tried to bring them all together. His command over the Quran and the Sanskrit scriptures is well-known and because of that he could establish real secularism in Shirdi in his own lifetime.

We, the Sai devotees, will be celebrating the Diwali festival this year as we do it every year.  In the villages, this festival was being celebrated by all the people irrespective of their caste and creed. The people of the so called upper classes, used to cook the sweet dishes -and entertain all others with them.  Even the religion was not a bar.  The people of other religious also would be called for the feast and entertained as other neighbours; but of late some political leaders made the people specially conscious of their caste and creed with the ulti­mate aim of stabilizing their leadership and.this has disrupted the tranquility of the village life.  The city life is not so interdepen­dent as that in the village and therefore a general tendency to remain aloof from the neighbours is also growing enormously in the cities.  Of course, the people in the cities are getting rather over-conscious of their privacy and they do not like to be disturbed by anybody.  All these circumstances have resulted in disrupting our social and political field; but this should not dishearten the Sai devotees.  They will always get enough inspiration from the life and teachings of Shri Sai Baba. 

Though Shri Sai Baba wanted all people to obtain Mukti (relief from the eternal cycle of birth and death) and though for that purpose He wanted that all should serve God and remember Him, still He did not want His devotees to renounce the worldly life. He wanted them to live this life quite happily, so that all their desires get fulfilled and they become free from desires.  He was himself joining the 'people in all the religious and social festivals; but was never distinguishing between persons and persons.  We, the Sai devotees should therefore bring into practice the teachings of Shri Sai Baba by celebrating this Diwali along with all our friends of different castes and creeds and thus try to cultivate the principle of considering the whole world as one's own family.  The minds of the great personalities, like Shri Sai Baba, have various facets and we, his followers have to try to imbibe in us slowly and slowly the traits of that master mind. Though the end of the world feuds is still far out of site, still the beginning has to be made, sometime or the other and as the beginning of all big things is usually small, celebration of Diwali in the above manner by the Sai devotees may prove to be the beginning of some international fraternity, as the Sai devotees of many castes and creeds are spread all over the world.

THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION

By :  Swami Chinmayananda

VI   Chapter

In this chapter, the ideas are unhurried and leisurely, and are slowly infused into our understanding.  Here we see in the Geeta Acharva, His infinite love and tender affection for His students.  In this, the sixth chapter of the Bhagawat Geeta, Krishna, the philosopher, shows great sympathy for our inherent intellectual weaknesses, and He very sympathetically discloses the essential secrets of the Path of Meditation.

The earlier five chapters had already explained the need for, and the urgency in living a life of selfless dedication to the Lord, and spending our time and energy in fulfilling our duties towards others in the immediate community and the world around us.  By thus striving in an attitude of pure love for all, and deep devotion to the Creator, our vasanas get exhausted.  When the vasanas are eliminated, the mind becomes quiet, as the flood of agitations in it dries up.  With such a quietened, pacified, hushed mind, we must practise contemplation and deeper meditations upon the nature of the Self.  This "Art of Mediation  is the theme of the sixth chapter of the Bhagawat Geeta.

The chapter opens with a definition of a man of "true renunciation" (sanyaasee) and a "true practitioner of spiritual life" (sanyaasee). The ochre robe and the shaven head cannot make a Sannyasi, nor can the display of some supernatural powers declare the real worth of a Yogi. '

Says Krishna, (VI-1) "He who performs his obligatory duties without anxiety to enjoy their fruits, he is a Sannyasi and a Yogi — not he who has 110 alters nor he who is without action".  By merely renouncing one's duties, both sacred (agnih) and secular (kriyah), he can become Nirangnih and Akriyah but not a Sannyasi or a Yogi.  One who performs his spiritual and material duties without any anxiety to enjoy their fruits (anaa-sritah karmaphalam), he alone is a true Sannyasi and a Yogi.  So long as there are expectations to enjoy the fruits of an action, it is a clear indication of the presence of vasanas deep within; hence the desires.  This sense of "enjoyment" must end through dedicated selfless actions (karmayoga).  Then alone can one be considered as a "renouncer" (sanyaasee) and as one "steadfast-in-mind" (yogee).

What then is the difference between the renunciation of sense object (sanyaasa) and fixing the mind steadily upon the Ideal (yoga)? Krishna declares, (Vl-1) "Know, that renunciation-of-fruit itself is devotion-to-action, O Pandava, — for none can have devotion-to-action without renouncing Sankalpa''.  It was during the decadance of Hinduism that these terms got misin­terpreted. Sannyasa and Karma-Yoga are both one and the same, as each intensifies the other.  "Renunciation of ego" (sannyasa), makes an individual a better Yogi, and, in "selfless work" (Yoga) when he renounces his desire for fruits, he pulls down the super-structure of his ego.  True Karma-Yoga cannot be in one who has not renounced the play of his sankalpa - game.

Sankalpa is a very pregnant term used in Hindu psychology.  The human mind fancies possibilities of further happiness, and thereafter it tenaciously holds on to its dream and strives with exhausting efforts and panting struggles to accomplish that dream.  This preoccupation of the mind is called its sankalpa - game.  So long as such desire prompted and yasana - goaded fancies invade the mind, it can never in quietude work with steady dedication to the ideal.  One who has not given up sankalpa cannot be a truly dedicated worker (na hi asamnyastasankalpo yogee bhavati kascana).  One who makes plans and grows restless in his anxiety to enjoy the fruits of his actions, can never be a truly dedicated worker (Karmayogee).  Thus, to be a Yogi is to be a Sannyasi: to renounce desire is to destroy the ego : to conquer the sense -of-enjoyership is to vanquish the sense-of-doership.

The two paths --- the Path of Renunciation and the Path of Action - - - are a balanced equation.  Krishna even hints that they are complementary to each other,  the one is not possible without the other - - - they enhance each other by their mutual potencies.

To be shy of work is not to lead a spiritual life.  Work under­taken in an attitude of offering unto the Creator is itself one of the most effective and powerful spiritual exercises (sadhana).  Social service, political work, selfless creative works in art and literature, research work in science and technology - - - why, even our mundane day-to-day activities --- when properly performed in a spirit of dedication - - - can be transmuted into a day-long spiritual programme.  Such seekers grow inwardly and reach the higher levels in Sannyasa in excercising the ego-devil from themselves.

If thus Yoga ... as the selfless dedicated performance of our duties - - - can bring about the end of the sense-of-individuality (ego), and give us the experience of the ultimate Reality, why do Masters insist upon ''Meditation"? Where does meditation, as a process of quietening the mind and silencing it, come into the scheme of self-perfection?

This is the main topic to be elaborated upon, in this dis­course.  One of the special beauties that make the Bhagawat Geeta so unique, is the clear and vivid exposition of the Art of Meditation in this chapter.  Nowhere else in the world's religious literature do we find such an exhaustive treatment of the technique of meditation.  Even in the Upanishads we do not find so many details packed together, in a single discourse.  All these different ideas lie scattered in the garden of our scriptures - - - Vyasa has collected them all and Krishna has strung them together into a garland of beauty and eloquence.

Concentration

Meditation is the art of contemplating a single theme with the entire mind to the exclusion of all other distracting, dissimilar . thoughts. The mind, left to itself, has a natural tendency to wander and roam about among the tumbling haphazard topics thrown up from the garbage-can of the subconscious.  To regulate its aimless wanderings and to converge all the rays of the mind to a single given topic of contemplation needs a special strength of the mind, called "concentration".  Without concentration, the mind has no strength, no efficiency.

Just as the warm rays of the tropical sun, when focussed through a lens can become powerful enough to burn or ignite things, so too, when the mind's rays are converged at a given focus-of-thought, the mental efficiency increases.  Concentrated thinking alone is creative, capable of producing results.  A wandering mind is only capable of wool-gathering.

Concentrated thinking is the very nature of the mind.  But the mind is disturbed by the subconscious currents of inhibitions, repressions and suppresions.  So long as these surface, the mind becomes inefficient and incompetent.  To exhaust these filthy and unhealthy impressions stored away in the subconscious, is the secret of bringing the conscious mind to its fullest efficiency of performance.

What then is the contribution of meditation in the evolution of.the seeker ---in the pilgrimage of the sadhak on the path of spiritual sefl-discovery?  Sri Krishna'answers, (VI-3) "The seeker who wants to mount the steed of Yoga, dedicated work is the means; having mounted it, quiescence is the means".  To develop concentration. Karma Yoga is the means; but having developed it, it must be employed for deeper contemplations upon the Self for this, quietude is necessary.  This practice of qirescence (sama) is "meditation".

Krishna conceives the path of self-development in two distinct stages --- first,, through selfless service to the community, we conquer the sense of l'enjoy ership" (bhoktrutv bhaava) and thereby discover a wealth of concentration-power roaring into our mind.  The mind madly wanders here and there, only under the whip of "desires", and when the "desire to enjoy" gets eliminated, the- mind becomes steady in its applications and this is called its power to concentrate.

When through right-karma one has thus developed a mind rich in concentration, our anxiety should then be to quieten it (samah), so that it is not distracted from its continuous contem­plation upon the nature of the Self.

Krishna here uses a metaphor - - - mounting the horse - - - a familiar picture to men of battle of those days, and  so it must have been very revealing to Arjuna, the warrior.

 "He who wants to mount the steed-of-Yoga"   (aarurukshormuneryogam) to him "selfless-work   is   most   helpful"   (karma   kaaranaraucyate).   But "having  mounted the   steed-of-Yoga"    (yogaaroodasya   tasaiva), "to him quiescence is the means" (samah kaaranamucyate) to reach the highest.  To develop concentration, the causes that distract the mind must be removed.   When we analyse carefully, it can be seen that the sources for all mental agitations are (1) the ego and (2) ego-centric desires.   These two are eliminated  in selfless dedicated work.  Thus Yoga is the means for those who are seeking to develop the faculty of concentration in their minds.  Having developed a certain amount of concentration (yogaa roodasya),' the  spiritual seeker must strive to  bring more and| more quietude within  his heart.   This  attempt  to general quiescence   within  is called Sama.  The Vedantic term sama ha been defined as the "restraining of the mind from its wandering into remembered fields of sense-pleasure".

How can one know for certain that one has sufficientl acquired the power-of-concentration, that one has "mounted the steed-of-Yoga"?

Lord Krishna explains, (VI-4) "One is said to have attained concentration when one has no attachment either to sense-objects or to actions, and when one has renounced all sankalpas "

The state of perfect concentration is achieved ---the state of Yoga-roodha is gained - - - only when all the causes for mental disturbances are removed.  The main sources for disturbances are three --- (1) our clinging attachments to sense-objects, (2) our anxiety for our worldly work and (3) our ability to imagine possibilities for future enjoyments - - -

The power of sankalpa.

Krishna here vividly explains that one who has given up his all attachments to sense-objects and to actions (yadaa hi na indriyaartheshu na karmasu anushajjate), and one whose mind has stopped wandering (sarvasankalpasanyaasee), is considered as fully established in Yoga (yogaaroodastadocyate).

A successful meditator must have a well-developed power of concentration.   The   faculty of concentration in  every human mind gets disturbed and so becomes ineffectual, for, the mind gets distracted : (1) with our clinging attachments to sense objects, (2) with our anxiety to our worldly work and   (3) with our uncontrolled and wild imaginations   and fancies.  When these causes are removed, the mind manifests its own natural, healthy powers of concentration.  Such a powerfully charged mind alone can succeed --- even in the material cut-throat competition of life.  All successful young men of commerce or politics, of art or science, of all professions or of any great undertaking  have a reservoir   of  these powers of concentration - - - and hence their success in their chosen fields of endeavour.  Anyone can  discover this faculty of concentration in himself and bless his own life.

Only after discovering and developing the power of concen­tration can one hope to enter the seat of meditation.  To sit with a wandering mind, dancing from object to object, is to drown in worldly joys and sorrows.   Such a personality will fail to gain the bliss of meditation.  Meditation is meant only for those who have developed concentration.

( Courtesy : Geeta Office Powai)

 

SHRI GURUCHARITRA

By:- Shri S.N.  Huddar

( Continued from  October  6  issue ) CHAPTER 43

 

Tantuk's Shri Shailya Yatra on Maha Shivratri

Tantuk, a weaver, was one of Shri Guru's devotees.  He served Shri Guru devotedly.  He did his profession till afternoon, then bathed and swept the courtyard of Shri Guru's Math.  Maha Shivratri was approaching.  His parents and other relations started for Shri Shailya, and asked Tantuk to come with them.  Tantuk said, 'My Shri Shailya is here' and he lived alone at home.

Shri Guru asked him 'Why did you not go for yatra?' He replied, 'My yatra is at your feet.'

On the Maha Shivaratri day Shri Guru went to Sangam for bath.  Tantuk observed fast and he also went to the Sangam and bowed to Shri Guru.

Shri Guru said 'All your relatives went for yatra. You only remained behind.  Do you want to see Shri Shailya? Follow me, I shall show you.  Shut your eyes and hold my Sandals firmly."  Saying so, he took him to Shri Shailya within a moment.  Shri Guru asked him to open his eyes.  Tantuk saw Shri Giri before him.  Shri Guru told Tantuk to do Kshour, bathe and see the Malleshwar.  He went to the river where he met his parents and relatives.  They asked him, 'Why did you not come with us but came stealthily.'  He said, 'I came just now with Shri Guru.'  Some people did not believe in his words.

Doing Kshour and  taking 'bel' and flowers he went to the temple.  While worshipping, he saw Shri Guru sitting on the Linga.  He offered  puja  with devotion and came back to Shri Guru who asked him, 'Will you stay or come with me?'

Tantuk said, 'I saw a wonder today.  While worshipping Shri Shankar, I saw you in the place.  When you are there why people come so far?  Kindly explain this to me.'

Shri Guru said, 'God is all over.  But significance of the place is there.  The greatness of this place is narrated in the Skand Purana.  Formerly Vimarshan was a king of the Kirat desh.  He had won all the kings.  He was adulterer, and ate meat.  Still he worshipped Shiva devotedly.  His wife Kumudwati was pious and devoted.  She once asked the king, 'You are adulterer and eat meat.  Yet how are you devoted to God?'

The king said, 'I shall tell you an account of my previous birth.  I was a dog in Pampa city.  On the Shivaratri day all were worshipping Shri Shiva in the temple.  I went there hoping to get something to eat.  The people began to drive me out of the temple and beat me with sticks and stones.  I ran around the temple and entered into a drain.  I saw the worship of Shiva, that was being performed there but due to the thrashing given to me by the people, I died in front of the temple.  Due to that meritorius deed, I became a king in this life, but the nature of dog of eating anything has not left me."

The queen asked, 'You narrated your previous life.  Please tell me of my previous life.'

The King said, 'You were a Kapoti (Bird).  You were flying with a piece of flesh in your mouth.  A kite saw this and it attacked you, You ran in the forest at Giri and began to take rounds at the Shiva temple.  The kite followed you all along.  Ultimately you got tired, you sat at the top of the temple and the kite attacked you and took away the flesh that you .had.  You too died instantly.  Due to the merit of the rounds of the Shiva temple, you became my queen in this life.'

The queen further asked, 'What  will be  our  future life? 

The  king  said,   'I shall be the king of the Sindhu desh and you will be born in the Srinjaya  desh and you shall again   be my queen.  Later I shall be the king of Sourashtra and you shall be born in Kaling and shall be my queen.   In  the fourth birth  I shall be the king of Gandhar and you will be born  in Magadh and shall be my queen.   In the fifth, I  shall  be the king of Awanti  and you will be born in Dasharha and shall be my wife.  Next I shall  be the king of Anart and you being a daughter of Yayati, you  will  marry me.   Seventh  time  I shall  be the king   of   Pandya and   'Padvarma' will be my name.  You being the Vidaibha   princess   'Vasumati'  shall  marry me  in  a Swayamvara.    After performing many sacrifices, I   shall accept Sanyasa and study Brahmavidya at Agastimooni's Ashram and in the end I shall go to the heaven with you.'

Such is the greatness of the worship of Shri Shailya.  Shri Guru then said, 'There is Kalleshwar in Ganagapur.  Thinking him as Mallikarjuna worship Him.  Tantuk said, 'When I saw thyself at the place of Mallikarjuna, why should I worship other shrines?'

Hearing this Shri Guru smiled and asked Tantuk to shut his eyes and hold his padukas (sandals) firmly and instantly both returned to Ganagapur.  Shri Guru sent Tantuk in the town to call his disciples.

Seeing Tantuk in clean shave, people wondered and asked him why he had shaved. Tantuk said, 'I had been to Shri Shailya.  Here is the bukka and prasad.' All laughed and said, 'We saw you here in the morning.  How can you go to and return from Shri Shailya so soon?"  He said, -I had been there with Shri Guru and have just returned.  Shri Guru is at the Sangam and he has asked me to call you.'

Hearing this all were astonished.  They went to the sangam and praised Shri Guru.  The persons, who had been to Shri Shailya, re­turned in a fortnight.  They also wondered to know this episode.

CHAPTER 44

Nandi Brahmin relieved of Leprosy : He became a Poet

Nandi was a Brahmin suffering from Leprosy.   He worshipped Tuljapur Bhavani  for 3   years.  He observed fast.  He stayed near Bhuvaneshwari at Bhilavadi for 7 months and   worshipped the deity devotedly.  He was told in a dream to go to Shri Guru at Ganagapur and that he would then be relieved of the disease.  Nandi  said,   'You are -Goddess  yourself, how do you ask me to go to a human being.   I shall be here, no matter if I have to lose my life.'

The pujari also had similar dream.  He and some others told Nandi, 'Do not trouble the Goddess hereafter and if you do not mind, we shall not allow you to enter this mandir.'

Being helpless he came to Ganagapur and went to the Math and bowed to Shri Guru.  Shri Guru asked him 'Leaving the Goddess, why did you come to a human being?  When you doubt, how can you be relieved of the disease?'

Realising  that Shri  Guru knew what was in his mind, he said, 'I am a dullard.    Kindly forgive me.  I have  come for your shelter.   Kindly protect  me.  I  am very much harrassed due to this disease.  My wife also  left  me and  went  to her parents.  Chandla Devi has sent me to you.  Kindly do not drive me away.  Shri Guru asked Somnath to take Nandi to the Sangam and said. "Let him bathe at the Shatkul  and have rounds of   the Ashwattha.  Give him new clothes, throwing away his old ones and then bring him here for meals."

As advised by Shri Guru, Somnath took Nandi to the Sangam for bath.  After bath his body became free from leprosy.  After taking rounds of the Ashwattha, Somnath brought him back to the Math.  Nandi  bowed to Shri Guru and began to pray Him.

Shri Guru asked him, 'See if all your body has been free from the disease. He looked to his body and found that some patches had remained on his thigh. Being afraid he asked 'After having your blessings why these patches should be here?'

Shri Guru said, 'You came with a suspicion that what a man could do and so a little disease is there. You should stay here praying God, the little disease that is there will also be wiped off soon.'

Nandi said, 'I am illiterate. How can I compose poems of praise?'

Shri Guru asked him to draw out his tongue. When he did so, Shri Guru put little bhasma on the tip of his tongue, instantly he became wise.  He bowed to Shri Guru and began to compose poems in praise of Shri Guru.  The summary of those poems is as follows :-

“I   was   sinking   in   the wordly ocean, being deluded by the family members- I was roaming through different species as Swedaj, Andaj, Udbhija and Jaraj  i.e., animal life.  Human life, the best of all.  I had no knowledge in the Shudra birth.  The birth of a Brahmin is the best amongst the human bemg.  But, if a Brahmin is also a dullard, how can he have knowledge of Shri Guru?”

“The blood of the mother and the semen of the father unite and a fetus comes into existence as a bubble.  After 15 days it becomes liquid.  Within a month a small solid fetus is formed.  In the second month the head and the limbs take shape.  When the five great elements i.e., the earth, the water, the luster, the wind and the sky unite, the soul enters the fetus.  In the fifth month the skin and the hair are formed.  In the sixth month the fetus starts respiration.  In the seventh month, the ear, the tongue, the brain and the marrow become solid.  In this way I was growing in the mother's uterus.- The mother would eat hot, salt, sour, pun­gent and acidic articles, due to which I was greatly troubled.

I then took birth.  My span of life was fixed.  Half of the time i.e., the nights were spent in sleep in vain.  The remaining half is divided in three stages, childhood, youth and old age.  In the childhood, I had to suffer much.”

“I wept due to pain in the stomach, but my mother thought that I was hungry and took me to her breast.  And when I was hungry, she thought I was ailing and gave me bitter medicines.  At times due to scorpion bite, in the cradle I would cry.  She would then sing lullabies and move the cradle to and frow and tried to lure me to sleep or she would think that I am affected by some spirit and so she tried Mantra - Tantra and tied a black string on my wrist.  My mother would take pungent and sour articles and I had to suffer from diarrhoea, cough etc.

In the youth. I was influenced by passion.  I disregarded the parents and the guru and always thought about the female-sex.  Due to vanity, I dispised sadhus, saints and old persons.  How could have I adored Shri Guru during this period?”

“In the old age I was affected by cough, gases and other troubles.  My hair became white while taking care of my family and children.  I lost my teeth, I could not hear well and see properly.  Even in this state I did not serve Shri Guru.  You are the protector and liberator of the universe.  Please liberate me.”

Illiterate Nandi composed such poems.  All wondered to see his feat.  Nandi further said, 'Vedas say that the feet of Shri Guru are holy there is no other way than the feet of Shri Guru, to be free from the worldly sea.  By the favour of Shri Guru, all my sins are wiped off.  Shri Guru Narsimha Saraswati is like Kamdhenu.  So people should adore him and get liberated.

Nandi was later called 'Kavishwar' due to his poetry.  The patches of leprosy on his thigh also disappeared in course of time.  Nandi greatly rejoiced at the cure.  He began to serve Shri Guru with more devotion. (to be continued)

SAINT GADGEMAHARAJ

By Dr.  S. D. Parchure M. A., Ph. D.

(Continued from October 1976 issue)

Dhebuji was thus passing his days of boyhood.  Because of the successful management of the Bhajan Saptaha, he became the indisputable leader of the village boys.  Playing of the pranks is a natural tendency of the boys.  Dhebuji also was no exception to this rule.  He therefore once played a practical joke on the villagers.

At that time, one famous burglar, Bawara by name, was looting people in Berar.  All the villagers were terribly afraid of him.  He used to come to the village beating the drums and sounding the bugles.  On dark nights he would come with torches.  Bawara would earmark a particular house in a village.  After this was done, the inmates of that house could only wait for him on that night after collecting together all the gold and other costly things in the house, duly packed.  Bawara would then come in the dead of the night in his usual way with music and torches and after ascertaining that there was no foul play and that every thing in the house was duly surrendered, he would go away carrying the packages with him without creating much trouble.  If on the other hand wherever he would meet the slightest opposition, he would see that the house was completely razed to the ground or burnt and reduced to ashes.

Every few days, some news or the other of the burglary of Bawara would be received. One day news would come that Bawara looted a house at Belore.  After a few days people were being beard talking about the burglary of Bawara on the house of a landlord of Chandur.  A few days later, it would be heard that one leading merchant of Murtizapur   refused to give money to Bawara and he therefore cut his nose.

The above legends about the burglar, once suggested a nice idea to Dhebuji.  He was the leader, of all the village boys and they were always ready to carry out all his wishes.  One day after all the boys returned home in the evening along with their cattle, they started acting according to the plans that were hatched by them during the noon.  After the children, in all the house had their evening dinner, they one by one got out of their houses under the pretext of joining a Bhajan programme in the temple.

They collected the oil from the lamp in the Maruti temple.  One boy brought from his house some old and tattered rags Old and broken tins from the houses were carried away by a few boys With all these preparations, the boys gathered in the grove' out­side the village. They cut some branches- of the trees and tied to them the pieces of cloth brought with them. The oil brought from the Maruti temple ultimately helped them to get the torches ready.

The preparations of the campaign of the faked Bawara were thus read, and at about the midnight, the torches started burning and the broken tins started sounding.  This resembled the approach of the famous burglar Bawara and all the adults in the village got terrified to a great extent.  The villagers did not know what to do.  Bawara was a terror and he would loot whatever he wanted.  He was merciless and he would not mind killing any­body, if he was not given what he wanted.  Some villagers with weak minds became senseless, some could not utter a word through fear, a few, that were a little bold, were just looking in the direction of the burglars, who were approaching the village and could hear the sound of the drums and the bugles.  Against the background of the darkness of the night, the scene was quite imposing Bawara was usually coming with previous intimation.  So it was suspected by some people that this may not be the approach of Bawara's gang; but on a second thought, they thought that he might have changed his modus operandi.  They also therefore thought that Bawara was really attacking their village.  As the village boys had just to poke a fun, the campaign of Bawara very soon melted away.  The torches were put off and all the boys returned to their houses, late in the night, pretending that they were returning after performing a bhajan.

After Dhebuji became Gadgemaharaj, he had almost no time for gossiping.  He had decided to improve the whole society and for that purpose he had decided to undertake certain programme.  He had decided to carry out certain works  and also to create awakening among the masses by performing Keertans.  In this busy programme, he hardly had any spare time.  He him­self always remained busy and kept all the persons around him fully busy in something or the other; but at times when he was in light mood, he was in the habit of narrating certain anecdotes from his early life.  This incident about Bawara used to be told by him with special zeal and interest.  He used to laugh aloud freely, while telling this account; but would add seriously, "it was really God's grace that nobody recognised us on that night, otherwise the villagers would have murdered us for playing that joke on them."

Coming back to Dhebu's early life, we see that neatness was as if imbibed in his blood. He was quite neat and clean from his childhood.  When he came to Dapuri along with his mother after his father's death, he was just a young lad.  His maternal uncle was a kind hearted person and he never gave differential treatment to Dhebu.  It was because of this homely atmosphere and good treatment that Dhebu looked upon the cattle and the whole property of his uncle with keen interest.  He used to look after the cattle as if they were his own.  He used to keep them quite clean and fed them properly.  His uncle's cattle would therefore appear to be different from the other cattle of the village.

His way of working in the fields of his uncle was similarly peculiar.  He spared no pains while working in the field.  He would not allow weeds or grass to grow in the field.  The fields of other villagers round about his uncle's fields, used to be infested with rank vegetation, grass and weeds.  While because of Dhebu, his uncle's fields would appear to be different from those of his neighbours.  The bunds of fields of Dhebu's uncle would always be properly constructed and the ploughing and other operations of the agriculture used to be performed by Dhebu quite in time.  It was therefore no wonder that the yield   from his fields always used to be good.

Early marriage was a very common custom among the Hindus in the nineteenth century. The cities were somewhat advanced; but the villages were clinging too fast to the ancient customs.  Hence when Dhebu became fourteen years of age, his mother started worrying about his marriage; but who would take the lead?  Ultimately his mother broke open the subject to her brother Shri Chandrabhanji therefore started negotiations for Dhebu's marriage; but he met with disappointment at several places.  Dhebu was a well-built and a fair looking chap.  He also knew most of the jobs connected with agriculture.  He was almost managing the whole work by himself; but this was not enough.

The would be fathers-in-law were after money or landed property.  They were always enquiring about the estate of Dhebu and would come to know that he had no property or money.  They then used to refuse the proposal of the marriage.  Ultimately one Dhanaji Parit, a resident of Kamalpur, agreed to give his daughter in marriage to Dhebu.  At the age of sixteen in 1892 (A D.) Dhebu was married Kuntabai.  After the marriage when Kuntabai came to know that Dhebuji had no landed property or money and that he was passing his days on the charity of his uncle, she got very much disheartened and annoyed; but the ladies, in those days, had hardly any voice which could be heard.  Though Kuntabai thus got annoyed in the begin­ning, she had to be reconciled and she ultimately started doing the household duties in Dhebuji's house without any complaint.

The money lenders in the villages of those days were quite merciless.  They were always seeking opportunities to catch poor farmers in tight corners. 

After that they would fabricate false accounts and swallow the small piece of land that the farmer would have. Dhebuji had a very bitter experience from the money lender of his village and because of that, later on when he was known as Gadgemaharaj, he always used to refer to the unscrupulous ways of the savakars (money lenders) and used to advise people, "If you have nothing to eat, take lunch only once in a day or starve fully.  Our country is a hot country. We require very few clothes. If you have no money, remain without clothes and move about like that.  Do not spend money for the marriage ceremony or the celebration of birthdays; but see that you never approach a savkar for loan; because remember once a loanee is always loanee and the first loan is the sure first step towards the loss of your property."

(to be continued)

SHRI SAI BABA

We salute You, the Master of miracle,

Who by Your sheer will

Can remove our sorrow and agony!

And fill our heart with joy!

You're so sweet and kind,

The like of Whom we'll ne'er find

On this earth,

Giving us joy and mirth!

You're full of charm and magic,

Who can cure the sick,

And grant us any boon,

However difficult, so soon!

We kiss Your lotus feet

For You're our safe retreat

In this world of woe and worry;

Verily, You're God, behold and see!

 

Bakht N. Moolchandani

Bombay-400052

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Our readers are requested to refer to the two questions asked by Shri Pujtni, which were published in the issue of this magazine for the montii of November 1975 (P. 31).  Replies of Shri Nandwani to those two questions were published at page 34 of the issue of this magazine for the month of March 1976.  The replies given by Shri Dube are being published here. - Editor

Q : 1 : The rubbing of coins by Shri Sai Baba and uttering the particular name of His devotees denote below-noted spiritual significance.

As is known "Jeeva" taking birth after birth has his collected "Papa-Punya" and sanskars connected with them. "Papa" can be wiped off only through sufferings in the human body.  There is one other way in which a Samarth-Sidha Purush can with his will-power wipe them off.  The means through which this is to be performed can be a substantial thing or action.  With a view to wipe off the evil effects of previous wrongdoings of his devotees and to make them deserving to receive his teachings and to react desirably in this very birth, Shri Sai Baba was rubbing the coins and uttering particular names.

Q: 2 : The possible reason may be that Shri Sai Baba wanted to put to an end, his own tied Karm-Bandhan of previous birth, with Shri Baba and to get rid of that much liability, which might be a hindrance in the path towards reali­sation of God.

Shri B   K   Dube

Hoshangabad (M. P )

POONA-7

To

The Editor,

Shri Sai Leela,

Sir,

With reference to the issue of Shri Sai Leela 'Questions and Answers' Aug. 76, P. 39, Dr. LSR Krishna Sastri's Querry, I humbly offer to give the following explanation to the querries raised.

i)    Shri Baba getting Angry.

Baba's anger has to be viewed according to the circumstances.  Baba, though an incarnation said, He was an obedient servant of God and HE showed the people the way how to behave satisfac­torily and carry out the duties of their respective status (Varnas) in this life.

To understand such circumstances when He got angry for the benefit of His bhaktas, we will cite one example, though many such can be found in Sai Charitam.  Baba anticipates the calamity that was to befall his devotees and rescued them from it.  His devotee Shama was once bitten by a poisonous snake.  In pain Shama ran to the masjid.  When Baba saw him, HE began to scold and abuse. HE got enraged and said, 'Oh Vile Bhaturdya (.priest), do not climb up.  Bewara if you do so. Go, get away.  Come down’, Baba was red with wrath.  Shama was greatly puzzled and disappointed.  When Baba was normal and calm, Shama went to Him.  Baba said, 'Don't be afraid, the merciful Fakir will save you. Believe in Me and remain fearless and have no anxiety.  Tatya Patil and Kakasaheb Dixit then explained to Shama that the orders of Baba in an angry tone were directed to the snake and to poison not to go up and circulate through Shama's body.  His words were most efficacious in saving the life of Shama (English Shri Sai Satcharita, by Gunaji - Ch. 23). Every incidence of Anger has to be studied with reference to the circumstance.

ii)    Baba - undressing in the midst of Bhaktas.

Presumbly the incident refers to the story of Sidik Falke referred to in Ch. 11 of Sai Satcharita.  Because this individual was proud of his pilgrimage to Mecca and Madina, Baba ignored him for a long time and did not allow him to step into the Masjid.  After much repentance Baba agreed to meet him near Barvi well.  Only Shama was the third person there.  Baba during their "heated argument "lifted His Kafni up with His hands" and said, "Why do you brag and fancy yourself great and pose your­self as an old Haji? Do you read Quran like this?  You are proud of your pilgrimage to Mecca but you do not know ME". After this scolding, Haji became a sincere bhakta of BABA.  Baba purchased a "few baskets of mangoes and gave him ks. 55/-The Haji came, thereafter regularly to the Masjid and became one of the Bhaktas whom Baba liked very much.

So Baba's ways of anger and action have to be viewed as per the special circumstances and the lesson in each case has a broader meaning to all Bhaktas.  Sai Satcharita abounds in such stories.

Always in the service of Baba.

Yours sincerely

R.  Pattabi Ram

Sai Das Mandal – POONA

THIRD GATHERING AT SHIRDI

The Third Gathering of the contributors to Shri Sai Leela magzine is proposed to be held at Shirdi some time in the month of January 1977.  Further details will be announced later.  All interested should watch further announcement in this behalf. — Editor.

SAI AS MIDWIFE ?

I am a railway employee. I came to know the greatness of Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi during the year 1950 and began developing my faith in Shri Sai Baba through the medium of Shri Sai Baba's Satcharitam written in the Tamil language.  With the passage of time and regular reading of Sai Satcharitam, I came to have implicit faith in Sai Baba and His words, "Why do you fear when I am here," went deep in my heart and, felt that I can always look to Shri Sai Baba for protection.

During the ninth month of pregnancy of my wife, we received a telegram  informing   about the serious illness of my wife's mother and that our presence in the mother's house   was necessary.  After a hurried consulation with the doctor and with limited cash in hand we boarded the Madras mail from Bombay.  This was the occasion that demanded my heartfelt prayers to Sai Baba for safety of my pregnant wife,with the fear in me about my unfavourable financial position in case of emergency while in travel.  I firmly placed myself at the feet of Sai Baba for protec­tion.

 My brother's son unexpectedly came to the railway station and handed over Rs. 100/- to me with a request to pay the amount to his father in Madras.  The train moved and the next morning at 8 O'clock my wife developed delivery pain.  The train halted at a way-side statiou (off the Schedule) for a short spell when a Fakir entered the compartment and took   his   seat.  I asked the Fakir, if he could help my wife with medicines for safe delivery.  Immediately, he took out three small packets of medicine, in powder form and   gave 2 of them to my wife.  One packet the Fakir himself administered to her, with   instructions to take the other two, each, once in 2 hours and the Fakir left us at Sholapur station.   My wife completed the two packet course, as instructed by the Farir and she felt   releived of the   pain. 

The train was heading towards Adoni station, when my wife entered the latrine and gave birth to a male child with commendable ease.  I was anxiously waiting outside the door of the latrine.  The train stopped at Adoni.  Suddenly a woman came to me and said that she is there to render help and that I need not worry.  She took a knife from me and entered the latrine with another woman who was in her company.  After attending to my wife, they came out and gave me all clear and safe signal.  I gave Rs. five in return for the timely service rendered to my wife and they left.  Although I was happily placed at that time I could not escape wondering the appearance of these women in the particular com­partment in that critical stage of my wife.  Their taking leave of us so abruptly was another matter to be pondered.  I spared no time to appraise the Station Master of the situation who immediately arranged for her admission in the Central hospital at Adoni. The mother and child progressed well.  The Lady doctor's pleasing manners and extra-ordinary interest in the welfare of my wife and baby gave me added pleasure in that strange place.

It is crystal clear in my mind that Sai Baba heard my humble prayers and accepted the entire burden, that I placed at His feet in my prayers.  Rs. 100/- given to me through my brother's son, the appearance of the Fakir in the compartment from a way-side station, giving powder packets liquidating the pain of my wife and her smooth delivery, the woman who entered the latrine with a companion to render midwifery service to my wife and the motherly touch of the lady doctor in the hospital made me bow down my head to Shri Baba with devotion and I said to myself, “Oh! My Lord, Sai Baba, Your leelas are wonderful. You take pleasure in going all-out in the service of Your bhaktas everywhere and in any form as required by circumstances.”

Oh! My Lord, Sai Baba, You are 'sarva vyapee', (all pervading) You are supreme.

We prostrate before You our Lord - Shri Sai Baba.

      

Shri  Ramchandran

Bombay  19

THE   RIDDLE

“Baba ! Yogeswar ! Avatar of Dattatreya ! Mercy personified ! Ocean of love! Where art thou ? Art thou real and permanent ? Truthful ? Omnipotent? Speak to me Sai.  Why art thou inflicting suffering on me thus? Endless, innumerable, intriguing art these hardships! Insurmountable Baba! pity me.  Shower thy grace on me.  Have compassion on me.  Bear  the rocks of difficulties thrown upon me by thee.   Is this the way thou adopt towards those who surrender to thy feet? Art thy leelas, miracles and wonderful acts only tales of past or mere romantic stories woven by thy sycophants and flatterers or Art thy power confined to the period thou lived in Shirdi ?  Baba ! What about your eleven state­ments? Are they not valid now? Have thou forgotten thy words that thou stand by thy bhaktas for ever. "Throw thy burdens on me, I will bear.  It is my duty to protect him who surrenders to me and who takes shelter under me and who seeks my help".  Thou said.  Art thy promises unreal, unstable and unbelievable? Baba, where is the truth of thy sayings, teachings and precepts ?”

“Thou said thy bhakta will be released first from economic want and worry. Do thou knoweth? I am ridiculed, mocked at for serving thee.  Pained I am. As thou art in me thou knoweth my agony I surmise.  Solve the present riddle imparting perfect answer and hapiness to me.  Grant me comfortability, peace, solace, steadfast­ness in my devotion.  I believed in thee, thou art my saviour, lord, guru, father and mother Baba!  Why art thou silent?  Am I not sincere and devoted to thee ?  Why don't thou speak to me?  Why don't thou grant darshan to me Baba ?  If there is shortcoming in me, tell me frankly and guide me properly.  Let misery and troubles be ended, grant me happiness to adore thee more.  All Avatars art in thee, thou art Siva and Vithal, Ram and Krishna.  Turn my life as one of dedicated service to thee and to thy lotus feet.  Dispel disappointments, discomfitures, doubts, conquer devils of senses Baba !  Believe me there is nothing that I have with me.”

            “Everything is thee.  It is my staunch and inner feeling that in me art thou only.  Therefore thou art free to avail me in any way thou thinketh.  When thou art in me, is this justice Baba to subject me to untold mental torture ?  Speak out Baba !  Solve this problem, intolerable it has become to me.”

L. Suryanarayana Sarma, B. A.,