1. Editorial Dasara
2. The Science of Religion Swami
Chinmayanand
3. Saint Eknath Dr. S.
D. Parchure
4. Lord Mahavira. Prof. Vaman H. Pandit
5. History of Sai Baba Temple at Kurnool
6. Precious Stone with Om emblem
7. Yogiraj Vasudevanand Saraswati Shri S. N. Huddar
8. Guru Poornima Celebrations at Sai Nilayam, Madras
Once when Baba was sitting in Dwarkamai,
a lizard on the wall was heard tick-ticking. A devotee, who was sitting near
by, asked Baba whether it was a good omen or a bad one. Baba replied that the
lizard was very happy because her sister from Aurangabad was to meet her very
soon. In the meanwhile one man from Aurangabad came there and he put his bag
there. Immediately a lizard jumped out and climbed on the wall and met her
sister happily. Baba's omniscience is really wonderful !
SHRI SAI LEELA
(Official
Organ of Shirdi Sansthan )
VOLUME 53
OCTOBER 1974 No. 7
WHAT is the
place of asceticism in spiritual life ? There have been seekers of God who
have, in their search, tortured their bodies. So Buddha tells us he did for six
years, when he realised that extreme asceticism was an error. And when Gautama
became the Buddha, the seer and saint of spiritual life, the teacher of wisdom,
he gave his message to his disciples in significant words:-"Tune the sitar
neither low nor high".
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.
Annual Subscription Rs. 6.00 Single Copy Rs. 0.60
Office;
Sai Niketan,
804-B, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar Bombay PIN 400014. Tel.I 443361
This month we
shall be celebrating the Dasara festival on Friday the 25th instant Apart from
the usual religious importance of this function, we Sai devotees give special
importance to this day because it is the day of samadhi of Shri Sai Baba. It
was on the Dasara day on 15-10-1918 that Shri Sai Baba cast away his human body
and from that time his anniversary is being observed every year on the Dasara
day.
Shri Sai Baba
lived for a long time at Shirdi. He knew very well that his body is perishable
and he has to throw it away some day or the other; but he wanted to do this act
on a very auspicious day. Hence he chose Dasara for that purpose As a great
saint like Sai Baba chose the day of Dasara for Samadhi, this day must be a
specially auspicious day since long. Let us therefore try to find out what led
Shri Sai Baba to choose this particular day for taking leave of this world.
Dasara falls on
the 10th day of the first half of the month ot Ashwin. From the first day of
Ashwin the Navratra starts and goes on for nine days. The very meaning of
Navratra is nine nights This festival is celebrated on a large scale both in
Bengal and Gujrat as in Maharashtra By the end of Bhadrapad the monsoon almost
gets over. The crops are seen blooming in the fields. The farmers are a bit
free from agricultural work as the harvest season starts by the middle of
Ashwin. Hence they are able to take part in this festival whole heartedly.
Apart from this
social point of view, there is ample mythological background for this festival.
Why this festival is held for nine days can be traced to the defeat of the
demon Mahishasur by the Goddess Ashtabhuja (One who has eight hands). The story
of Mahishasur, as told in the puranas, says that once upon a time the demon,
Mahishasur by name, became Very powerful. He started oppression on the whole
world. All the Gods got frightened and they approached Brahma, Vishnu and
Mahesha to free the world from the oppression When these Gods Knew about it,
they created a Goddess with eight hands, who was well versed in the use of
weapons, to fight the demon. The Goddess fought with the demon for nine days
from the beginning of the Ashwin month for nine days and killed him, thus
freeing the world from oppression. It is because of this incident that the
Navratra is being observed for nine days before Dasara.
In Bengal the
Goddess that is worshipped in this festival, which is called the Pooja
festival, is known as Durga. The Bengalies call this goddess a fighter. In
their opinion she requires an offering of blood, either in the form of a cock
or hen or a goat. According to the traditions of the different places, the
goddess that is worshipped in this festival is attributed different qualities.
The Goddess known as Saraswati is also worshipped in this festival and she is
supposed to be the goddess of learning. Whatever may be the different ways or
traditions of worship, there is uniformity of a goddess in this festival.
Dasara comes at
the end of the Navratra festival. This day is also known as Vijayadashmi i. e.
the tenth day marking victory. The word Dasara has come from "Dash"
meaning ten. Mythology also tell us that Rama started for the war against
Ravana on the Dasara day and became victorious and hence for commemorating this
victory of Rama, this day came to be known as 'Vijaya Dashmi'. In Northern
India, the "Ramaleela" is held for all the nine days of Navratra and
the statue of Ravana is burnt on the tenth day i. e. on the Dasara day. It is
because of this connection of the above incident with the Navratra and Dasara
that Ramaleela is acted in the Navratra. Ramaleela is very popular in Northern
India and it therefore attracts large crowds
One other story
relating to Dasara is also told in mythology. Kautsa was a Brahmin lad who went
to a sage Waratantu by name for study. After the student i.e. Kautsa finished
his studies, he requested his guru to state the "Guru dakshina" that
he has to pay to him As per the custom in those ancient days Waratantu said
that he never imparted the Knowledge to him with the expectation of money. He
added further that he has got his dakshina in finding that his student has
acquired the lore fully; But when Kautsa insisted too much, his Guru said that
if at all he intended to give the dakshina, he should give him fourteen crores
of gold coins, as he had imparted to him fourteen different lores and that he
would charge him one crore gold coins for each lore.
After listening
to the above demand, Kautsa repented for having insisted on his Guru for
accepting the dakshina; but he knew of one king who would satisfy the demand.
It was king Raghu, the ancestor of Rama, whom Kautsa approached for his money,
king Raghu was known for his philanthropy and he had a reputation of not
sending back anyone empty handed; but just before that, Raghu had performed a
sacrifice where he had given the last gold coin in his treasury to the
Brahmins. He therefore requested Kautsa to wait for three days, when he would
arrange for the sum.
King Raghu was
not a mere philanthropist; he was an equally brave soldier also. He scratched
his head fora while and decided to attack the treasury of the gods, which is
maintained by "Kuber". When the Gods came to know about this, as they
knew the bravery and determination of King Raghu, they directed Kuber to shower
gold coins on the trees of "Shami" and "Apta" outside the
Ayodhya city. The next day in the morning this news was communicated to King
Raghu and he in his turn requested Kautsa to take away his fourteen crores of
gold coins. In those ancient days, honesty and integrity were valued much more
than gold, silver and diamonds. Hence Kautsa only picked up whatever amount he
wanted and left the other gold coins on the trees themselves.
When Waratantu
was paid his guru dakshina, the work of Kautsa was done and it was a question
as to what was to be done with the remaining gold coins. So Kautsa requested
the citizens of Ayodhya to loot the gold coins freely. In memory of this
incident there is a system in Maharashtra to exchange the leaves of the Apta
tree on the Dasara day calling it "Gold".
In Maharashtra
there is another custom of worshipping the "Shami" tree and
worshipping the instruments, tools and the weapons. This custom can also be
traced back to a Mythological story.
From
Mahabharata we know that after Yudhishthira lost the gamble, the pandavas had
to resort to the forest for twelve years and thereafter remain incognito for
one year. So before this one year's period started, the Pandawas kept all their
weapons bundled up on a "Shami" tree and on completion of the one
year's period, they recovered their weapons from the tree. This they did on the
Dasara day. Hence the custom of worshipping the Shami tree and the weapons,
tools, machines etc, was started.
We have so far
seen the importance of the day of Dasara from the Mythological point of view.
This day is important from the historical point of view also. Our country is
essentially a country of heavy rains during the monsoon. Upto the end of the 19th
century there were no bridges on any of the big rivers, which could be crossed
easily by infantry and cavalry. Because of this difficulty of crossing the
rivers, the wars would usually be at a standstill during the monsoon. During
the Maratha period, the Marathas had usually to proceed to Northern India for
fighting or capturing new territory. In the Maratha army all the soldiers were not
professional soldiers. Many of them were farmers also. Hence it was customary
among the Marathas to return to Deccan by about May every year and to proceed
again by about the end of October. This period used to synchronise with the
Dasara festival and therefore there was a custom to cross the border of the
village ceremoniously on the Dasara, as this day was considered to be one of
the most auspicious days in the year.. This ceremony was called seemoHanghan (
crossing the border). In the Baroda and the Mysore states, the Dasara
processions used to be taken out with great pomp and show and people used to go
from long distances to see these processions.
Dasara is thus
an important and auspicious day from various points of view. Several
mythological stories are connected with it and they indicate the importance of
this day in many ways In the historical times also this day has retained its
importance and it has been looked upon as a very auspicious day. It is a day
for undertaking new responsibilities and for “Seemollanghan". It is
therefore no wonder that a great sage like Shri Sai Baba thought of selecting
it as a day for crossing the boundaries of this world and going to heaven. Let
us therefore celebrate this festival as a social and religious function and
while meeting our friends and relatives as men of the world, let us also bear
in mind that this is the day of the Maha Nirvana of that great ;-age and devote
as much time as possible on that day in, meditating on Shri Sai Baba.
By :- Swami
Chinmayananda
Work We All
Must
We have already
found that no one can ever remain without action even for an instant; nature
will prompt us, with compelling force, to act Therefore, as human beings, in
our present state of evolution, we have, it seems, no choice at all between a
life-of-action and a life-of-inaction. Work we must. The only choice available
for us is in determining "how” to act. We can either act to the detriment
of ourselves and for the disaster of all around us— or we can act to bless
ourselves, and for bringing at least a ray of smile on the faces of all others
round us in the world.
To the
undynamic and the stupid, a life of least activity and maximum revelry would
seem most attractive. This wrong tendency at a national level spells ruin, and
even a total annihilation, of that nation. Members of the community must ever
be on their toes to act, to work, to strive, and to achieve —— then alone can
they reach rich success, productive prosperity, a valid existence and a
rewarding progress.
When everyone
employs his ingenuity to publicise their least contribution to national
endeavour, and to claim at the same time maximum comforts — that community
starts slipping down the slopes to disaster, to disintegration, and finally to
despair.
Work we must. There is no choice. Whether we be on the lowest rung of the social ladder or on the topmost be we the governors or the governed, be we the higher or the lower class —— everyone of us must work. And it is of no avail to avoid it — because "nature will assert and make you work: you are helpless in this" ( Karyate hyavashah karma sarvah prakrtijairgunaih ). Action is the insignia of life in an organism. So long as we live and breathe in our bodies we have to act and work, which is the final expression of life in its grossest form
So then
we must now try to understand how best we may work.
In order to
drive home the ideal way of life, the Lord describes the true worker and the
despicable type of hypocrites, (IM-6) "He who refuses to work with
his limbs, but sits brooding over the sense objects of pleasure in his mind,
he, the deluded fool, is called a hypocrite". Krishna echoes the
conclusions arrived at by the greatest thinkers of all times. Mental immorality
and indulgence brings about more dissipation of our vital energies than
intelligent physical immorality and sensuousness. One may claim to be morally
good, honest, truthful, etc. But if one is mentally entertaining immoral
thoughts, dishonest motives, false, pretences, etc. the personality-dynamism in
such an individual sink's low, and soon, he, who might have been a person
marked for success, slowly and steadily sinks into incompetence and failures,
all results of his inner dissipation.
Here Krishna
talks about the social parasite who does no service to society — such a deluded
fool (Vimoodhatma ) Krishna calls as a "hypocrite" (Mithyacharah),
because he is one who sits with his mind roaming in sense-objects (Manasa
indriyani smaran ya aste)
And as a contrast the Lord paints the
picture of the intelligent man who lives the ideal life of higher values:
(III-7 ) "But, who controlling, the senses by the mind, unattached,
employs his organs-of-action in Karma Yoga, "Service-of-all",
he. Oh Arjuna, indeed
excels".
The
sense-organs can be controlled only with the mind. The mind running out through
the sense-organs becomes our powers of perception and our inner ideas. Vasanas
in us, determine whether we get involved with the perceptions or not. The
world-of-objects have no power over us. In fact, it is our own "fancy for
things” that reflects from them as their "powers to tempt us”. At a show
window the women's wear cannot tempt a man, nor will a woman be tempted by a
shirt or a tie! Temptation for an object is only our reaction to it.
A man who has
thus re-educated his values, orders his sense activities by his re-adjusted
mind and comes to live a calm life, a master of the outer-world, and no more
tossed about by the fluctuating environments. Such a man must thereafter employ
his organs-of-action to work with dedication for the Seva of the world around
him.
He must work in
the world with a mind "unattached" (asaktah). This word is often used
in the Bhagavad Geeta, and unless we understand its full import we are apt to
misunderstand the entire philosophy of the Geeta. Attachment we all have, to
many things in life "I am attached to my mother, wife, children, work,
property, etc." What do we mean "attached to your wife"? What is
attachment?
Certainly ft is
not merely physical — you and your wife are not physically grafted to each
other, like the "Siamese twins"!! When we say we are
"attached" to our dog we only mean our mental attachment. Whenever I
have a strong feeling of "want" for any being or thing, there is
attachment. The intensity of attachment is always directly proportional to the
intensity of the demand "I want". Here there are two factors
"I", the ego, and "want", the desire to posses and enjoy.
Thus ego and egocentric desires together constitute "attachment".
Therefore, when
Krishna says that a man of self-control who has tamed his sense-organs through
his mind, serves the world "unattached" — it means serving the
world "without ego and egocentric desires and lusts". Such an
individual excels — because for him the work-field serves as a theater for the
exhaustion of his existing Vasanas, without creating any new ones.
The ego and
ego-centric desires in us generate Vasanas, and when actions are undertaken
without "attachment" — meaning, without ego and ego-centric-desires —
the existing Vasanas get exhausted and no new Vasanas are created. This
purgation of Vasanas brings peace and calmness into the bosom. A peaceful mind
is not only more creative, and irresistible in the material world of success,
but it is again the vehicle to reach us into an ampler world of fuller
awareness — of a larger State-of-Consciousness.
, (Courtesy:
Geeta Office, Powai)
By Dr. S. D.
Parchure M. A,, Ph. D.
(Continued from
September 1974)
Literature
It may be recalled here that Eknath's Guru Shri Janardan Swami, had already found out the potentialities of his student and had therefore directed him to write the commentary on the "Chatushloky Bhagwat" when they had gone on the pilgrimage and were staying at Nasik. From that time onwards Eknath went on writing commentaries in Marathi on different Sanskrit books. Along with this literary activity, Eknath also continued to preach about the devotion to God in his Keertans, which he was doing as often as possible.
In course of
time Eknath started writing a Commentary on the Eleventh Canto of "Shrimat
Bhagwat." when he completed three chapters of his book, the news was
received with anger by one head of a Math at Kashi (Banaras). In those days
Kashi was supposed to be the seat of Sanskrit learning and many brahmins from
all over India used to come there for learning Sanskrit. When the head of the
Math came to know about the Commentary on the Sanskrit book in Marathi, he was
terribly enraged and he sent his students to Paithan to call Shri Eknath to
Kashi for giving reply to the charge of writing a commentary in the common
language of the people, thus dishonouring the Sanskrit Language, the language
of the gods.
Shri Eknath was
not a person to get ruffled by such storms. He was as calm as ocean. He
received the students with a smile and welcomed them. On hearing the order of their
guru, he showed his willingness to accompany them to Kashi. By this time he had
completed five chapters of the book, so he went to Kashi along with the
students and his work. After going to Kashi the head of the Math charged Eknath
with dishonouring the Sanskrit language and he ordered his students to throw
his work into the Ganges. When this was done, the river Ganges came up along
with the book and handed it over back to the students. On seeing this miracle,
the pride of the head of the Math was found to be completely removed and he
begged pardon of Shri Eknath for having troubled him in that fashion. A portion
of the book was then read out by Shri Eknath to the gathering and all of them
expressed great satisfaction about the treatment of the subject given by Shri
Eknath. The versatile expression, the simple way of treatment, the adornment of
the language ail proved to be superb in all respects and this led the head to
request Shri Eknath to complete his work there only. Shri Eknath accordingly
completed his work and it was then taken over in the whole of Banaras in
procession on the back of an elephant. This was a great feat in the life of
Eknath and it brought him fame as well as recognition as a great literary
figure of his time. This incident that took place at Kashi gave further
encouragement to Shri Eknath and he thereafter wrote his book "Rukmini
Swayamwar" at Kashi itself within a short time thereafter. Similar
incident of the book thrown in the river not being destroyed is also described
in the life of Saint Tukaram.
After thus
satisfying the Sanskrit pundits at Kashi and after convincing them about the
need of the Commentaries in Marathi, as he was writing, Eknath started on his
journey back to south. On his way to Paithan he met Dasopant, another great
sage of his time and had a talk with him on religious and philosophical matters
Dasopaut also was a versatile writer and he also wrote a lot in his life time.
After a few days, Eknath took Dasopant's leave and went to Paithan. Later on as
per the invitation of Shri Eknath, Dasopant
also paid a return visit to Paithan and spent a few
days in the Company of Eknath there.
The
felicitation of Shri Eknath's work at Banaras (Kashi) was a very important step
in the literary career of that saint. This incident prompted Eknath further to
continue his literary pursuits. He therefore went on writing further books. His
intellect, his power of expression was of such a high level that he used to
write at the spur of the moment. His writing was quite spontaneous and
effortless; because of this ease in his writing there are works comprising of
over sixty thousand ovees, to the credit of Shri Eknath. In addition to the
works referred to above, the following works may be cited as his other
important works. Bhavarth Ramayan, Anandalahari, Geetasar, Hastamalak,
Swatmasukh, Prahlad vijay etc.
Many of
Eknath's works are commentaries on Sanskrit books. Eknath, it may be recalled,
had studied Sanskrit in his young age and his study of the Sanskrit books
continued in his later life also. It is quite clear from his works that he had
closely studied Bharat, Ramayan, Bhagwat; Brahmottar Khand, Panchtantra,
Hitopadesh and so many other Sanskrit books. In addition to the list of books
written by him, given above he has written casual poems and articles, which are
also available in good number, which go to indicate that like Sanskrit and
Marathi, Eknath had sound knowledge of the Urdu and Hindi languages also.
In Course of
time Eknath grew old and he knew that his end was drawing near. He therefore
went to Kashi (Banaras) and brought his son Hari Pandit from that place. Hari
Pandit was staying at Kashi to learn Sanskrit and the Vedas. After coming to
Paithan, Eknath initiated his son and instructed him about all the
routine rituals that were to be carried out daily at the house
One old lady
took a vow to have 'Sahasra bhojan' i. e. feeding one thousand brahmins; but
due to poverty she could not fulfil it for many days. In course of time
somebody told her that she should feed only one Brahmin like Eknath and that
her vow will be fulfilled. She accordingly requested Eknath to come to her.
house for lunch. According to her invitation Shri Eknath went to the house of
the old lady along with his son Hari Pandit After the lunch was over, Shri
Eknath requested Hari Pandit to help the old lady in picking up the leaves on
which they took the lunch. When Hari Pandit picked up the leaf on which Shri
Eknath took his lunch, he found that there was another leaf below it. He
thought that through oversight two leaves might have been placed there. So he
lifted that also and lo! there was a third one below it. He then understood
that this must have been a miracle performed by his saintly father in order to
help the old lady to fulfil her vow. He therefore went on picking up the leaves
one after the other and to the surprise of everybody the leaves went on. coming
upto the time they mounted to complete one thousand in number. When the old
lady saw this she was overwhelmed with joy and she heaved a sigh of relief and
had the satisfaction of having fulfilled her vow, which she would not have
normally been able to do,
Saint Eknath
was a very cool headed person and his motto was to have compassion for all
beings irrespective of caste and creed. As pointed out before, he did not also
observe the so called untouchability. Once when he had gone to the river
Godavari, he observed that one small child of the Harijan Community was
plodding in the sandy bank of the river in the blazing Sun. Due to the hot Sun
the sand had become so hot that the tender feet of the child were being
scorched. Eknath did not wait for a moment He immediately picked up the child
and carried him to his house.
When Eknath's
son, Hari Pandit came from Kashi, he had brought with him holy water from the
river Ganges. The custom and belief of the pilgrims is that the water from the
river Ganges is to be brought when you go for the pilgrimage of Banaras and you
have to bathe "Rameshwar" at Kanya Kumari with that holy water. While
returning you have to carry the 'Setu' and offer it to Kashi Vishweshwar at
Banaras and then only you acquire full merit of the pilgrimage. According to
this traditional belief Hari Pandit was to carry this water to Rameshwar; but
when Eknath found that one ass was restless in the sandy bank of the Godawari
river, being oppressed by the scorching Sun, he poured that water on that
animal and relieved that ass from the heat of the Sun. Hari Pandit naturally
was upset at this behaviour of his father and wanted to scold him; but on the
same night God Rameshwar himself appeared in his dream and told him that he
will get the full merit of the water of the Ganges brought by him for the
purpose of the pilgrimage. After seeing the dream, Hari Pandit realized the
real value of his father and his mind calmed down.
In his mature
old age Shri Eknath started writing the book "Bhavarth Ramayan''. He was
going at a brisk speed and he completed fortyfour chapters of the "Yuddha
Kanda". After this it was time for Eknath to take Samadhi so he told the
people that one Shri Gavba, who was staying with him for many years, will be
completing the book. When people heard about this, they could not believe in
it, because Gavba was an uneducated person. He was moreover a very poor person.
He resorted to Eknath's house with the idea of getting good and wholesome food
to eat. He was attending to some of Eknath's domestic duties and was making
merry for all the other time; but before his death, Shri Eknath called him near
his bed. He blessed him giving him his own pen and told him to complete his
aforesaid book. Eknath's blessings completely changed Gavba and he very soon
started writing the later part of the book and it is really a wonder how he
could write as good as Shri Eknath did; but as the tradition goes the credit of
completing Bhavarth Ramayan is given to Gavba. The miracles that the saints
perform are really beyond all reasoning !
It may be
recalled that the Guru of Shri Eknath, Shri Janardan Swami took his samadhi on
Falgun Vadya sixth and that day was being observed scrupulously at Eknath's
house. Once while speaking about this day, Eknath had said that this day is at
present famous for the following four occurrings:-
1) Birthday
of Shri Janardanswami.
2) The
day on which Shri Eknath got the darshan of Lord Datta.
3) The
day on which Shri Eknath met his Guru Janardan Swami for the first time.
4) The
day on which Janardan swami took his Samadhi. and added that it would be famous
for a fifth occurring in course of time. This occurring to which he referred
was his own samadhi day. Shri Eknath also took samadhi on the same day, which
was the Birthday and the day of the death anniversary of his Guru.
After assigning
the responsibility of completing Bhavarth Ramayana to Gavba Shri Eknath felt
that it was time for him to leave this world and hence his soul at once left
his body. This news immediately spread over Paithan like a whirlwind and people
started coming to Eknath's house for his last darshan. Among the people that
came, there were some mischievous people who when they saw Eknath said,
"He also died like other ordinary people. Many people used to say that he
was a saint. A person very dear to Gods, What is special about him? ". No
sooner those people uttered these words than Shri Eknath at once got up and
told Uddhav to arrange for the "Dindi" and arrange to inform all his
friends about his journey to the other world.
Eknath
thereafter started making his preparations. He first of all had a bath with the
water of the Ganges. He then took the "Veena" and started Keertan. He
also requested the people to repeat the God's name. The whole procession then
started through the streets of the city and Shri Eknath was walking with them
singing the God's name all along. On the way the people worshipped him with
great affection. Some offered him garland of flowers while others offered him
garlands of Tulsi. Bukka was all along being showered like rain. Most of the
people were watching Eknath very closely with the idea that this saint will not
be seen any more. Some people were oppressed with sorrow so much that they were
all along shedding tears but Eknath was quite composed and unruffled as usual.
When they reached near the Laxmi Tirth on the bank of Godawari, Eknath
requested all to sit down. He then did the Keertan in his usual way. As those
were the last words from the month of the great sage, all the people were
attentive and they were spell bound with his advice. He thereafter took leave
of all and walked slowly towards the stream. He waded in the water slowly and
when he was in waste deep water he cast away his human body peacefully and went
to heaven!
On seeing that
Eknath has left them, the whole assembly was completely submerged in grief; but
a few of them rushed into the stream and recovered the body of Eknath Maharaj
from the waters of the Godavari and brought it on the bank. The body was then
cremated according to all funeral rites laid down in the shastras. A "Vrindawan"
was later on constructed at the place where Shri Eknath's body was cremated and
it is since known as his Samadhi. The day on which Eknath went to heaven was
Sunday Falgun Vadya sixth Shaka 1521 (1599 A. D.). This death anniversary of
Eknath is observed every year on this day and is known as Nath Shashthi in
commemoration of the passing away of that great saint on that day.
GREATNESS
As pointed out
in the beginning, the real greatness of Eknath lies in reestablishing the Hindu
religion and putting it on a sound footing. In his time he also created
confidence hi the minds of Hindus in their religion and religious practices
From the point of view of the literary activities, we may say that the books of
Shri Eknath are more popular and are better read than his other contemporaries.
It is no doubt because of the inherent qualities in the books themselves; but
in addition to that the credit goes to the character and personality of Eknath
for this popularity. Eknath was a very calm and quiet person. He never offended
anyone. On the other hand he always held everybody in esteem and respect. This
also added to his popularity.
In the Warkari
sect, the literature of Eknath Maharaj is honoured next to that of Dnyaneshwar
and his book Eknathi Bhagwat is always named in that sect next to Dnyaneshwari.
He always advised the people not to leave the idol worship as that was always
within their reach. He had sound intellect, deep study and knowledge, high
reverance for his guru, compassion for all beings and a perfectly calm and
sound mind In his books and religious preaching he found a golden mean by
unifying the way of Bhakti and Dnyana and that impression about his personality
is still maintained on the mind of every Maharashtrian who is conversant with
his life and literature.
(Continued from
September 1974)
By : Prof. Vaman H. Pandit
Jainism, though
it denies the existence of a Creator but His existence is accepted as
undoubted; accordingly, in the account of Mahavira's initiation we shall find
many of the old Hindu gods represented as being present.
This
initiation, all sects agree, took place when Mahavira was about thirty years of
age, some time between 570 and 569 B.C. The Naya clan, to which he belonged
seems to have supported a body of monks who followed the rule of Parsvanath, an
ascetic who had lived some two hundred and fifty years before Mahavira. It was
naturally to this order, probably considered rather irregular by the Brahmans,
that the thoughts of Mahavira turned. Its monks had their cell in a park
outside the Ksatriya suburb ( Kundagrama) of Vaisali, and in the centre of this
park grew one of those evergreen Asoka or 'sorrowless' trees, whose leaves are
supposed never to know either grief or pain. The Asoka tree is always
associated with Mahavira, for the legends say that in his later life an Asoka
tree grew wherever he preached, and it was now under its shade that he made the
great renunciation and entered upon that ascetic life, whose austerities were
to dry up all the founts of karama and free him from the sorrowful cycle of
rebirth.
Mahavira had
fasted for two and a half days, not even allowing water to cross his lips, and
had then given away all his property, which can only have been the ordinary
possession of the cadet of a small House. But which the love of his followers
has exaggerated into the wealth of a (mighty emperor. Then followed by a train
of gods and men he was carried in a palanquin to the park and alighting, took
his seat on a five-tired throne, which was so placed as to face the east. There
he stripped himself of all his ornaments and finery flinging them to the
attendant god Vaisramana, who caught them up as they fell.
Most Hindu
mendicants cut or shave off their hair, but a peculiar and most painful custom
of the 'jains is that all ascetics, as a proof of their power of endurance,
must tear out their hair by the roots. One Jain writer declares in his English
book ‘Life of Mahavira' that 'only those can do it, who have no love with their
flesh and bones'. It is looked on as a sign that henceforth the monk or nun
will take no thought for the body.
The Jain mark
with great precision the five degrees of knowledge that lead to Omniscience.
Mahavira, they say, was born with the first three Mati Jnana, Sruta, Jnana and
Avadhi Jnana. He now gained the fourth kind of knowledge, Manahparyaya Jnana by
which he knew the thoughts of all sentient beings of five senses in the two and
a half continents, and it only remained for him to obtain the fifth degree of
knowledge that of Kevala Jnana or Omniscience, which is possessed by the Kevali
alone.
The Digambaras.
however, do not believe that Mahavira obtained the fourth kind of knowledge
till some time after his initiation. According to them, he failed to gain it,
though he performed meditation for six months, sitting absolutely motionless.
At the end of the six months he went to Kulapura; the king of Kulapura,
Kuladhipa, came and did him honour, washed his feet with his own hands and
having walked around him three times, offered him rice and milk. These Mahavira
accepted and took them as his first meal (Paranum) after a fast of six months.
He returned to the forest and performed twelve types of penance, but
still the knowledge was withheld from him. At last he visited Ujjayini (Ujjain)
and did penance in a cemetery there, when Rudra and his wife in vain tried to
interrupt him, it was only after overcoming this temptation and again entering
on his forest life of meditation that, according to the Digambara belief, he
obtained Manahparyaya Jnana. Henceforth Mahavira was houseless, and wandered
through the land so lost in meditation as to be indifferent to sorrow and joy,
pain and pleasure, subsisting only on the alms of the charitable.
Research seems
to have established the fact that at first he belonged to the order of
Parsvanatha, a body of medicants leading a more or less regular life, and that
in accordance with their custom he wore clothes; but many Jains will not
acknowledge that a Tirthankara could have belonged to an order even for ever so
short a time; they agree, however, that for thirteen months he did wear one
cloth.
The question of
clothes was a crucial one amongst the Jain. Mahavira apparently felt that the
complete ascetic must have completely conquered all his emotions, shame amongst
others. A true monk would not feel either heat or cold, and so would not need
the protection from the weather offered by clothes, and he would be so
indifferent to mere appearance as to be unconscious as to whether he wore
raiment or not. Being rid of clothes, one is also rid of a lot of other worries
too; one needs no box to keep them in, no materials to mend them with, no
change of raiment when the first set is dirty or outworn, and still more
important to a Jain, no water is needed in which to wash them.
The Digambara
believe that Mahavira abandoned clothes at the time of his initiation; the
Svetambara, as we have seen, that he abandoned them after thirteen months.
It was whilst
Mahavira was walking naked and homeless and as the Digambara believe, keeping
absolutely unbroken his vow of silence, that he was joined by Gosala, who
followed Mahavira for six years but subsequently left him and fell into those
grievous sins which so easily beset a mendicant and to guard against which so
many precepts in the jain scriptures are directed
For twelve
years Mahavira wandered from place to place, never staying for longer than a
single night in a village or for more than five nights in a town. The object of
this custom may have been to avoid levying too great a tax on the hospitality
of the people, and also to prevent the ascetic forming close or undesirable
friendships, which might tempt him to break either his vow of nonpossession of
goods or of chastity. The rule was however relaxed during the rainy season.
When Mahavira, like his subsequent followers made a practice of remaining for
four months at the same place, lest he should injure any of the young life that
springs so suddenly and abundantly into being, once the monsoon bursts and the
rains, on which India's prosperity depends, begin to fall. During these twelve
years, he meditated always on himself, on his Atma and walked sinless and
circumspect in thought, word and deed.
Mahavira was
born with three degrees of knowledge and had acquired the fourth. He was now at
the end of his twelve years of wandering and penance, to acquire the fifth
degree Kevala Jnana or Omniscience. In the thirteenth year after his
renunciation of the world and initiation as an ascetic, Mahavira stayed in a
place not very far from the Parasnath hills called Jrimbhakagrama. There was a
field there belonging to a farmer called Samaga which surrounded an old temple,
and through this field the river Rijupalika flowed. One afternoon Mahavira was
seated under the shade of a Sala tree in this quiet meadow in deep meditation.
Just as before his initiation, so now he had fasted for two and a half days
without water and as he sat there lost in thought, he peacefully attained
supreme knowledge. Henceforth he possessed 'complete and full, the
unobstructed, unimpeded, infinite and supreme best knowledge and intuition
called Kevala Jnana.' His meditations and austerities had been so profound as
to destroy the last of all the karma, the enemies to enlightenment, knowledge
and freedom, and henceforth his pathway would be unimpeded. Mahavira now added
to his titles those of Jina (or Conqueror of the Eight Karma, the great
enemies) from which Jainism derives its name, Arhata (or being worthy of
Veneration). Arihanta (or destroyer of Enemies) and Aruhanta or (one who has
killed even the roots of karma).
Now, as the
conqueror of karma and equipped with supreme .knowledge, Mahavira began to
teach his way and his first sermon was on the five great vows.
Mahavira's
great message to mankind was that birth is nothing and caste is nothing, but
karma is everything, and on the destruction of karma, future happiness depends.
Mahavira laid the greatest stress on asceticism. In its glow, karma could be
burnt up and only through austerities could one become a Tirthankara.
According to
the Digambara, the place Mahavira loved most was Rajagriha, the capital of
Magadha. Its king Srenika, with his whole army, had gone out to do honour to
the saint on his first entry into the country and had been won over by him. The
king asked numerous questions concerning the faith and all of them being
satisfactorily answered by Mahavira, he entered the Order and became one of the
staunchest champions of Jainism.
The Svetambara
have recorded the names of the places where Mahavira stayed during each rainy
season, and they cover a period of forty-one years. First, they say he went to
Asthikagrama! (the village of bones). The name of this village, the
commentators declare, was originally Vardhamana (the Kathiawad Jains .believe
it to have been identical with the modern Wadhwan); but an evil demon, Yaksha,
collected there an enormous heap of; bones belonging to all the people he had
killed, and on this heap the inhabitants built a temple, hence the change of
name.
Mahavira then spent
three rainy seasons
in Campa and Pristicampa (Bihar). As a prophet he cannot have been without honour in his
own country, for
he spent twelve monsoons
a Vaisali and Vanijyagrama, doubtless recruiting or his Order, which, having at its head
the brother of their king, naturally held out many attractions to the
inhabitants. He was also
able to win over all the members of the Order of Parsvanatha to which
he had originally belonged. He paid
even more visits to Rajagriha, where,
as the Svetambara and Digambara
both agree, he was much beloved and whose inhabitants prevailed on him to return fourteen times. Another
favourite resort, Mithila has
provide the Jain ascetics with a proverb; 'If Mithila burns, what
have to lose?' and it must have been a place of considerable importance, for
Mahavira spent six monsoons there, and its kings, as we know .from other
sources, were men of high standing and culture. The great ascetic spent two rainy seasons in Bhadrika and then just for one monsoon
he went to Alabhika to Punitabhumi, and to Sravasti in turn, and his last monsoon he spent at Papa
(or Pampa)
About a year
after gaining Omniscience Mahavira became a Tirthankara, one of those who show
the true way across the troubled ocean of life. The path Mahavira pointed out
for others to follow lay in becoming a member of one of the four Tirtha a monk,
or nun, if possible, otherwise a devout layman or lay woman.
We came now to
the closing scene of Mahavira's life. He attained Nirvana in his seventy-second
year, some fifty years before his rival and contemporary Buddha. Modern
research, has shown that the traditional dates for his birth and death, 599 B.
C. and 527 B. C. cannot be far wrong.
Mahavira's last
rainy season was spent in Papa, the modern Pavapuri, a small village in the
Patna district, which is still held sacred by the Jains. The king of Papa,
Hastipala, was a patron of Mahavira. Sitting in the Samparyanka position, he
delivered the fifty-five lectures that explain the results of karma and recited
the thirty-six unasked questions (i. e. the Uttaradhyayana Sutra) and having
finished his great lecture on Marudeva he attained Nirvana all alone, and cut
as under the ties of birth, old age and death. legends have gathered as thickly
round Mabavira's death as round his birth. One tells how nearly all the ruling
chiefs of the country had gathered to hear his discourses, and how the saint
preached to them with wonderful eloquence for six days; then on the seventh he
took his seat upon a diamond throne in the centre of a magnificient hall, which
had been specially built for him on the borders of a lake. His hearers had
arranged themselves into twelve grades according to their rank, for all were
there from the king to the beggar. It was a dark night but ball was brilliantly
illumined by the supernatural glow that issued from the gods who had come to
listen to the illustrious preacher. Mahavira preached all night, and towards dawn
his hearers fell asleep. The saint knew by his Sukladhyana that his end was
drawing nigh so he sat reverently with clasped hands and crossed knees
(the:Samparyanka position) and just as the morning dawned, he attained Nirvana,
and the people awakened only to find that their Lord was dead.
Now at last
Mahavira was freed, his forty-two
years as a monk with all their self-denial and austerities had
completely exhausted his karma. He had, unaided, worked out his own salvation,
and never again could the accumulated energy of his past actions compel him to
be reborn, for all their force was spent The Jains say there are two Terrible
Ones who dog the soul, like policemen attending a prisoner; one is called Birth
and one Death. 'He who is born must die some day or other, and he who is dead
must be born in some form or other'. These two terrible Ones had no longer any
power over Mahavira, for the chain of Karma that bound him to them, had been
snapped and never again could the prisoner be sentenced to life.
All of
Mahavira's disciples were present at his death.
Both Digambara
and Svetambara Jains love to visit Pavapuri. There are several small temples
there belonging to both sects; but the main temple is the one which contains
the footprints of Mahavira, and a narrow stone bridge leads to this shrine over
a lake on which bloom white and red lotus lilies
V. H, Pandit
Indore City (M.
P.)
AT
KURNOOL (A. P.)
Shri
Veeraswamy, a resident of Madras before Independence, came to Kurnool as a Jeep
Driver. One day while he was sleeping on the banks of River TUNGABADRA, Shri
Sai Baba appeared in his dream and directed him to construct a temple for Baba.
When he awoke, thinking of Shri Sai Baba, he saw immediately one Cobra (small)
spreading its hood in the vicinity underneath the shade, where an ASWATHA TREE
intertwined by a Neem tree (the symbol of Lakshmi Narayan) was situated.
Afterwards that cobra glided into the ant-hill situated nearby.
Since then,
Shrj Veeraswamy became a Sai devotee and from that day onwards he spared no
pains to secure funds and firmly resolved to construct the temple at the above
site. He managed, by the grace of Shri Sai Baba, to purchase a bus and by the
windfall of fortune, he became the owner of 16 buses. He started a bus service
and named it as 'Shri Sai Baba Bus Service'. Still these bus services are
running and are managed by his children.
In between the
years 1949-51, Sai Baba temple in Star shape was constructed on the banks of
the Tungabadra river, with an expenditure of 4 lacs of Rupees. A pure handsome
Marble Stone Statue of Shri Sai Baba was installed in the temple. There are in
all sixteen spacious rooms in the temple. Shri Veeraswamy left his body in 1953
and his body is interred, with a fitting tomb, in the premises of the temple
itself.
As in
other South Indian temples, regular
puja, Archana and bhajana are
conducted here and grand functions are celebrated on all important festive
days, with huge mass poor feeding, This temple is thronged with surging crowds of Sai devotees on all Thursdays.
(Translated
from the TELUGU article 'Shri Sai Baba' of Shri A. V. V. Narasimha Rao,
published in Andhra Prabha Illustrated weekly dt. 14/10/70)
In the
Matunga area of the Bombay city stays one Industrialist whose name is Babulal Jagjeevandas
Shah. He is religious minded and devoted to God. He is originally from
Rajkot. He has got a business both at Rajkot and
Bombay in Motor accessaries like
Batteries, bulbs etc. For his
business he is required to pay visits to Rajkot
occasionally.. Once when he had been to
Cburchgate for booking his
ticket for Rajkot, he met a Sadhu near
the station. He presented a stone to
him. He looked at the stone, accepted
it and offered to pay the price of the stone, but the Sadhu did not accept the
money.
After coming
home, Shri Babulalbhai
examined the stone closely and Io! he could see the letter Om in it! In order
to confirm his doubt, he examined the stone under a microscope and to his great
surprise he could see the letter Om at five different places in
the stone.
He decided
in his mind to show this queer stone to some experts on the next day and slept
on that night with ideas about that same stone. In his dream in that night he
saw a saint, who looked like a fakir, and on getting up in the morning on the
next day he realised that the saint was none else but Shri Sai Baba. Before
that time he was not a Sai Devotee; but since that time he became a staunch Sia
Devotee.
This precious
stone obtained by Shri Babulalbhai is transparent and whitish grey in colour.
The Archaeological research centre in Deccan College at Pune expressed the
opinion that it was a rare speciman of stone. The experts have opined that the
stone might be of a date prior to five to seven crores years. The American
National Museum of Natural History Smithsonian Institute in Washington has
recently expressed their view that the stone must belong to a very very old
age. In this stone we are able to get the view in one place of the (1) Sat
Brahma Onkar (2) Chit Brahma Onkar (3) Anand Brahma Onkar and (4) OM
Shri Babulalbhai considers this precious stone as a special "Prasad"
given to him by Shri Sai Baba and he worships it daily along with the other
Gods in the house. He has got prepared a golden ring and has set this stone in
it.
YOGIRAJ VASUDEVANANDA SARASWATI
(A Biography)
By:- Shri S. N. Huddar
(Continued from
September 1974)
A Singer
Becomes a Devotee
Saraswatibai renouncing her profession came to Vadi and lived with devotion. She was a good singer. At the advice of Dikshit Swami, she daily sang 'Karuna Tripadi' composed by Swami Maharaj to lesson the wrath of Shri Datta. Once she sang in the presence of Swarai Maharaj. Seeing her devotion Swamiji composed a pad, for her and gave some instructions for meditation.
Devotees
desired to have Paduka of Swami Maharaj for adoration at the time of Bhajan
etc. On the request of Narsinha Saraswati, Swamiji wore wooden Paduka and gave
them to them. When Narsinha Saraswati went to Amarpur (Aurvad), these Padukas
were taken there in Amareshwar Math.
Adesh For Going to Rameshwar
`On Margashirsh Vad 7, Swamiji
came to bow to Shri Datta Paduka. When he got Samadhi he was given Adesh to go
to Rameshwar. After alms in the afternoon he came to Datta paduka and told
people that he had an adesh to go out of Vadi. The news spread like wind and
ail people ran to see and take Prasad from him.
He advised,
"Serve Datta with devotion. Live united and sing Bhajan of 'Digambara
Digambara' you will be blessed "
He then started
for sangam and on the way one married woman waved 'arati' to him. All requested
swami Maharaj to return from Rameshwar for his children at Vadi. Swamiji said,
"My returning depends on your sincere devotion, "Swamiji crossed the
river and went to the other side. All shed tears at his departure. At night he
halted at Kurundwad ghat. 200 to 300 persons accompanied him. The news spread
in the city. The chief of kurundwad and others came to have Swamiji's darshan
even in the night.
Kurundwad
Swami Maharaj
stayed at the Datta mandir on the river bank. When at Vadi, Balasaheb
Kurundwadkar would come for his Darshan daily. When Swamiji reached Datta
Mandir, Balasaheb had been to Miraj A camel messenger was sent to him. He soon
returned and took darshan of Swami Maharaj on the ghat. He requested him for
alms the next day. All men of Kurundwad and Wadi were also invited Balasaheb,
Dajisaheb and Bhausaheb these three brothers cooked separately and offered alms
to swami Maharaj. Shrimant and Swami Maharaj took a round in the row of
invitees sitting for dinner. After alms, Swamiji proceeded further, took
darshan of Shri Vishnu, and Datta and went to Shrimant's residence on his
request. Swamiji said, "So far I had been to many states; but it is my
rule not to go to the palace and not to accept Royal alms. But today Balasaheb
with his devotion has urged me to break this rule." Hearing this Balasaheb
was much moved. Swamiji then bowed to Devi and went out of the city. Rajasaheb
offered sashtang dandwat and prayed Swami Maharaj to continue his kindness.
Swamiji said "Protect cows and Brahmins which is the duty of the Raja's
and serve Ganesh devotedly. You will have Blessings."
Swamiji then
stayed at the garden of Shri Datta at Kurundwad. Next day he went
to Tarwad and stayed at Mukteshwar mandir and then to Vithal mandir at
Sadalge. Bhajan was being sung there.
Hearing this
Abhang sung melodiously, swamiji got samadhi, which lasted for 3 hours. When he
awoke prasad was distributed and Swamiji himself gave a cocoanut and Prasad to
the singer of the Abhang. Swamiji said, ''Greatness of sant Tukaram is realised
while hearing such Abhangas." He then went to Veda Ganga. Swamiji had
started explaining 'Shatshloki' at Vadi, He completed it here and asked Vadi
people who had accompanied him so far to return to Vadi.
Wherever Swami
Maharaj went, he composed stotras in praise of the local deity. He reached
Sankeshwar on the Hiranyakeshi river where there is a Math of Acharya. After
bath he stayed in the garden of Kalkundrikar. From Shringpur he, came to
Kangeri, the place of Chidambar Dikshit known from the Peshwa period.
Chidambar
Dikshit was known as Shri Shanker incarnated Hundreds of persons were paid
daily by him. He could give any amount anytime from his brass lota. He
performed many sacrifices at Gurlhosur. He gave prasad of sacrifice to Bajirao
II, the last peshwa, who gave it to his dependent, the result being his powers
were taken over by him. Swami Maharaj composed Sanskrit and Prakrit stotras on
Chidambar Dikshit.
Ramcandra Kamat
of Goa, asked Swamiji some easy means to cherish devotion. Swamiji said,
"Namsmaran (recitation of God's name) is the only means. He then reached
Gurlhosur and stayed at Chidambar Math for 9-10 days. He took darshan of
Yallamma (Renukamata) on a hill nearby and prayed that Diety
Then he passed
by Ghatprabha and Vishwamitri rivers and reached Hampi on Tungabhadra at
Vidyaranya Swami Math. Here is a grand Virupax mandir and many big gopurs.
Vidyananda was the founder of Vijayanagar Rajya. Swamiji took bath, darshan,
prayed at Rishyamuk Parwat, Pampasarowar, Kishkindha and reached Sheshachal
mountains. He took darshan of Kartik Swami and prayed him. He wrote 'Kumar
Shiksha' here.
Darshan of Venkatesh
Swami Maharaj
proceeded to Bhagava Kshtra, shrirang, Shri Shailya Mallikarjuna and came to
Venkatgiri. Here none can touch the murti. But God had told the priest in
dream. The priest searched for Swamiji and took him to Venkatesh for darshan
and touch. From-here he went to Kalahasti, Shivakanchi, Vishnukanchi, Pakshi
Tirth etc.
On Chaitra
Purnima he had Kshour on Pinakini river. There was very little water in the
river; but next day when Swamiji stepped in the river, the water increased upto
his chest and he could have dips. He immediately composed a poem in praise of
Pinakini river.
On the next day
he reached Chidambar and prayed Chidambareshwar. There lived one Sundershastri
who was very proud of his knowledge of Sanskrit. Swamiji stayed with the
shastri. Swamiji said casually, "If there is vanity of learning, devotion
cannot be there. If there is no devotion, God's blessing cannot be had, and
without blessing there is no salvation. So you read Gurucharitra for Datta's
blessings. Do not waste time." Hence Sundershastri began to read Marathi
Gurucharitra and his vanity disappeared.
Roumour About Samadhi of Swami Maharaj
Some one spread
the news that Swamiji had taken Samadhi. When this news reached Vadi some
devotees went out to test its reality. They first went to Rameshwar and then
came to Tanjawar. Swamiji knew this by meditation, started for Chidambar and
reached Mayavaram Bazar, where he met these persons of Vadi.
Swamiji told
them not to believe in gossips. The time of Samadhi of this mortal body would
be known to them beforehand, He bathed in Kaveri, took alms, and asked the
persons of Vadi to return home. He then came to Tanjawar on Jesth Shudhaj
Ekadashi. After two days he started for Rameshwar. On the way he passed by
Shwetaranya, Kumbhakonam, Madura, Meenakshi etc. He stayed at Rameshwar for a
day. Tanjawar persons came here and insisted Swami Maharaj to observe chaturmas
at Tanjawar.
He started
from Rameshwar on
Ashadh Shudha 2,
and travelled 250 miles in 10-20 days and reached Tanjawar on Ashadh i Shudha 14.
He Stayed at Vimlamba Devi's
place. Kaveri river flows nearby on which there is the Sandhya Math
The river Kaverj is called 'Venu' at this place.
Seeing
Swamiji's sound knowledge and staunch following of Shastra rules, people
respected him as God. Swamiji had
written 'Shri Guru Charitra' as per Datta's adesh at Brahmavarta. Swami Maharaj
was here given an adesh to write 'Churnika' i. e. prose summary of the
Samhita. Swamiji wrote it here.
One bright
looking Digambar saint came to Swamiji during night. He had discussion with him
and in the morning he went away. A Brahmin woman suffering from Asthama for
several years came here, Gandabua gave her teerth of Swamiji's feet. After taking
that teerth, she had profuse vomiting and she gradually recovered.
Shringeri Acharya's Felicitations.
Swamiji wrote
Sanskrit criticism of 'Krishna Lahari'. After Bhadrapad Purnima Swamiji left
Tanjawar. On his way he saw Satya Mangal, Jambakeshwar, Kotilinga and Shrirang
on Kaveri.
Shri
Shankarachaiya of Shringeri was here. When Swamiji bowed to the Achrya, he
said, "I wished to see you since long. God has fulfilled this desire to
day." Swamiji prayed Acharya and Shardamba.
Acharya also
appreciated Swamiji by composing a Stotra. After alms, Acharya addressed the
people gathered there as follows:- "Dear Disciples, you have not
recognised this sanyasi, who has come here today. Shri Datta Prabhu himself has
taken birth due to pious behaviour of parents. He is preaching religion just as
the first Shankaracharya. He himself is behaving as per Shastra rules strictly
and he has induced several persons to follow religion. He has travelled all
over Bharat from Himalaya to Seta Bandh on feet and by action, devotion, and
knowledge, he has made the lives of several persons full of bliss. I pray God
to give him long life to do the work of religion incessantly." Swami
Maharaj said, "I am not worthy for all what your holiness has said to me;
but it is evident that the glory of this Achrya Peeth is due to your
holyself."
Wound in the Nose Cured.
Swamiji came to
Satya mangal. Shri Datta asked him to travel on the Bank of Kaveri. Swamiji
came to the sangam of Bhawani and Kaveri. He bowed to God and did Kartik Kshour
and stayed for 15-20 days. Lakshman Shastri of Amraoti (Dr. Gantur) came to
Swaraiji and requested for the cure of his son and daughter who had wounds on
their nostrils. Swamiji gave him Vakeri Bhate (herb) and asked him to rub on a
stone and put the drops in their nostrils. After doing this for some days, the
son and daughter were cured.
From Bhavani
Swamiji went to Karur on the bank of Kaveri, the Samadhi place of Brahmendra
Swami. He bowed to the samadhi place and composed a stotra. Shringeri
Shankaracharya had also composed a stotra and narrated his life in his books,
'Brahma
sutra vritti' and 'Yogasudhakar'. Swami Maharaj then came to Tanjawar and observed Datta Jayanti at Awadhutrao's residence.
Krishnamata's Assurance,
From here
Swamiji went to Amraoti to see Laxman Shastri' son and daughter and arranged to
get 'Vakeri Bhate' for him Via Chidamber he came to Tripur, Kalhasti,
Shrishailya giri etc, Thence he travelled by seashore and came to a town on the
Krishna river on Falguna Shuddha 14. He inquired about a place to live; but
nobody helped him. He then halted under a tree on the bank of the Krishna. He
had to arrange for next day 'Kshour'. He prayed the Krishna mata, "O,
mother, I have great respect for you, then should you also not care for me? If
Kshour is not made tomorrow, I shall not do Kshour hereafter in my life. I
shall give up Dand and roam anywhere. There is no reason to obey you from
today". "Saying so, he lay down. In his dream krishna mata said,
"Kshour will be arranged tomorrow, I am really proud of you”. Swamiji
prayed Krishna mata and she disappeared
Krishna mata
appeared in fierce form before some persons of the town and told them, 'O you
wicked, a great Sanyasi came to your town and you did not give him place for
living. Consequently you will have to face calamities You surrender to him,
arrange for his Kshour tomorrow and have his blessings".
The persons
were frightened. In the morning they came to Krishna mata's bank, searched for
the Swami Maharaj and when they met him all bowed to him humbly and begged his
pardon for their previous day's negligence. Swamiji went into the town and had
Kshour as per Shastra rules. He stayed there for 15 days. Thence he went to
Kotilinga in Monglai. Thence he came to Muktyala i. e Muktishwarpur in Nandigarh
Taluka, District Krishna in Madras state.
{to be continued)
Guru Poornima Celebrations At Sai Nilayam,
Madras.
Guru Poornima, also known as Vyasapoornima, which is considered a very sacred and important day from time immemorial, was celebrated under the auspices of Sai Baba Bhakta Samajam at Sai Nilyam, Shenoy Nagar, Madras-30 in the evening on Thursday the 4th July 1974, in the immediate presence of Guru Dev His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji. Shri K. S. Narasimhan, I A. S., Commissioner, H. R. & C. E. Deptt. Tamil Nadu participated in the celebration.
There was a
record gathering of more than 3000 devotees. Many came from far-off places like
Nellore, Nayudupet, Gudur, Vijayawada, Vuyyur, Nalgonda, Ananthapur, Salem,
Trivandrum, Chingelpet, Ennore etc. The celebration commenced with the usual
Thursday Pooja at the Shrine by Swamiji, At 5.00 P M. there was chanting of
vedic mantrams by Pandits at the Shrine beginning with Ganesha Pooja,
Lakshminarayana Prathishta in Kalasam, Sri Lakshmi Pooja and Vishnu Sahasranama
Parayanam. At 6.00 p, m. there was "Mangala Aarati". The whole
atmosphere breathed the holiness and was thrilling with spirituality.
Among the
contemporary Sages and saints of India, there is no one more well known and
beloved by the people than Sai Baba of Shirdi. He preached no doctrine and set
up no religious order. He took upon himself the sufferings of his fellowmen and
made their life happier and their faith in God stronger. He wanted men to look
upon fellowmen and even animals with equal love. He begged his food till his
last day (which he shared with the poor, dogs and crows) though beggars have
become kings by his grace. He was omniscient and an ocean of mercy. Sitting m
"Dwarakamyi" he would tell devotees to have faith in God to avert or
mitigate misfortunes like ill-health or accidents and give them
"Udhi" (Sacred ash). He shamed learned humbugs who believed in
exhibiting miracles to demonstrate their super, human powers. Although He is
not seen in his mortal form, His spirit remains immortal for the service of
mankind.
H. H. Swami
Kesavaiahji, the chosen apostle of Sri Sai Baba became a "Kripa
Siddha" on 1-7-1939 by the grace of Sri Sai Baba. History of Swami
Kesavaiahji is the life of Sri Sai Baba after Mahasamadhi and he explained His
leelas (deeds) after that period. Swamiji's pujas of Sri Sai Baba on Thursdays
at Sai Nilayam are so popular that thousands of devotees gather on these days
in pin drop silence seeking relief for spiritual and bodily worries. This is a
simple act of devotion and there is no mystery mongering or magic Many persons
in high status in life, ordinary sceptical and other simple people flock every
Thursday in fervent devotion.
H.H.Swami Kesavaiahji, the Founder - President of the Samajam read out his soul-filling message on this sacred occassion of Guru Poornima to the devotees who had gathered for the function. He said that "Guru Poornima, falling on the fullmoon day to help us lead a righteous and purposeful life leading to happiness and peace".
Sri K. S.
Narasimhan expressed great appreciation of the spiritual work rendered by
Swamiji and the Samajam.
Messages,
wishing success to the sacred function, were received from President of India,
Sri V. V. Giri; Vice-President of India, Sri G. S. Pathak, Governor of
Tamilnadu, Sri K. K. Shaw; Governor of Orissa, Sri B. D. Jatti and others.
Sri Sai Baba's
Udhi, consecrated coins and prasadam were distributed after the function by
Swamiji to all the devotees till about 1 .00 a. m in the night.
OM SHANTHI: SHANTHI: SHANTHI: