SHRI SAI LEELA

( Official  Organ of Shirdi Sansthan )

VOLUME 56

OCTOBER  1977

No. 7

 

Need of the West and East

India's true culture, I verily believe, is not the superstructure of material forces of production. Here it is, as it seems to me, that Marx and many others,—his supporters and interpreters in the Western world,—have tripped.  Renewal of the Spirit, I believe, is a piteous need, not alone of the West but, also, of India and other Eastern nations.

 

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 Niksw,.804- Dr.Ambedkar Road,

Dadar Mumbai, 400 014, Tel 443361

 

EDITORIAL                Begging Alms

THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION By  Swami Chinmayananda

NAVAVIDHA BHAKTI BUNCH OF KEYS by R.S.Sastry

SHRI GAJANAN MAHARAJ By Shri S.N.Huddar

SHIRDI SAI BABA Dr.Babaji

Extracts From Shri H. S. Dixit's Diary

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

SAI BABA'S DIVINE GRACE  by Dr.Homi Batliwalla

Miraculous Escape from Accident by Bipin Swadia

SELFISHNESS by Anil Jaiswal

SHRI SAI BABA TEMPLE AT BHIVPURI

EDITORIAL

Begging Alms

Our readers might remember a recent episode, that took place in the Maharashtra State, and which ultimately took  a humourous turn.  We are referring to the hit passed by the Maharashtra State, which made begging an offence in the State.  Under this bill all persons, who were found to be begging, were arrested and sent to work on the construction of a dam, that was under cons­truction in this slate.  Though all the facilities such as residence, utensils, ration etc. were provided for the beggers and though the state was dreaming about the rehabilitation of the beggers,  the dream proved only to be a day-dream and the beggers, who were used to getting food without doing any work, did not like to toil, with the result all of them deserted the place and ran away. Thus ended the honest attempt of the Maharashtra State Govern­ment to liquidate the begging in this state.  From time immemorial, it has been a practice in  this country for the Sadhus, Sannyasis and the disabled persons to beg alms.  The people at large have also never thought anything unusual in their begging, because it is usually thought to be a duty of the society to give food-gr ams or cooked food to these people as a charitable act or philanthrophy.

Two prominent saints of Maharashtra viz- Saint Ramdas and Saint Tukaram, who lived in the seventeenth century and who were more or less contemporaries, have expressed somewhat contradictory opinions about begging alms. In one of his Abhangas •-Saint Tukaram said, ......

("Wretched is the life of one, who depends oh the begging bowl. God should ignore such a person).

In   his   famous   book   Dasbodh   Saint Ramdas wrote about (begging alms) as follows :-

 

"Begging alms is the main function of a Brahmin. He must preserve the tradition of begging alms".

After laying down the main function thus, Saint Ramdas later on directs how much should be accepted as alms thus :-

(One should beg for alms and should remain satisfied with a little. Even if you are offered a lot, you should accept only a handful). While describing the benefits of begging  alms further,  Saint Ramdas has said, “there is no detachment like begging alms” “(under the garb of begging alms, we should observe all the people” “detachment    from this world is expressed by begging  alms” “Many   acquaintances  are caused due to begging alms and many misunderstandings  are removed from it”.

If we examine the above quotations from the literature of the aforesaid two saints, we find that though  Saint Tukaram has condemned begging,   his main object is to blame those persons, who depend on begging for their livelihood like the modern beggers in most of the Indian cities. The only thing that these beggers do, is to beg and some of them also indulge in petty thefts. These beggers are thus only a burden on the society who  does not get any return for the food and clothing that the society gives to these people by way of alms.  Saint Tukaram was there- before quite right in condemning these parasites sucking  the blood of the society, like the mosquitoes sucking human blood.

From the quotations from Dasbodh, given above, we will see that Saint Ramdas has altogether a different view about the practice of begging alms. In the beginning he says that it is one of the functions of a Brahmin.  It is a part of  his duty to beg alms.  Though he thus includes begging of alms in the duties of a Brahmin, still he immediately cautions as to how much should be accepted as alms.  Like other beggers  a Brahmin should not accept any quantity of food and store it for future. He clearly says that if after requesting for alms, a large quantity is offered, only a handful should be taken and not the whole.  He has also said that a person begging alms is detached from this   world and it is quite natural.  We ordinary people are always  worried and attached to this world because we are worrying for the next day. We are also worried about the food to be   cooked for the day. Our worry is that the food, which is cooked may fall short or otherwise if it is not fully consumed, the remnant may be spoiled and thus wasted.  We have also to see that the food-grains and other provisions for the next day, are kept ready only to day, so that we may not have to starve on the next day.  While describing the other benefits of begging alms.   Saint Ramdas states further that because  of  the travel, which is required to be done for begging alms, we are able to make many acquaintances and many of our misunderstandings are cleared when we mix with the common people. As a part of advice useful for our daily life, Saint   Ramdas also says that we might observe  the ways and attitudes of the various people that we   come across during the course of our wandering.  Samarth Ramdas was not a saint who only had a religious outlook on life. While shaping people, who were having full faith in religion, he also   wanted them to take interest in the worldly life.   He wanted to inspire people to be religious and also national minded.   It is because of this that he looked on first (begging alms) from various points of view, unlike Saint Tukaram, who had mainly a religious outlook on life.

In the face of the  aforesaid  diverse opinions expressed f two famous saints of Maharashtra,   we   have to examine mendicancy of Shri Sai Baba. In Sai Satcharita Shri Dabholkar has examined this question and he writes regarding the mendicancy of Shri Sai Baba as follows :-

THE NECESSITY OF MENDICANCY

Now to return to the question of mendicancy.  A question may arise in the minds of some that if Baba was such a great personage — God in fact, why should He have  recourse to the begging bowl, all his lifetime?    This question may be considered and replied from two standpoints.  (1) Who are the fit persors who have a   right to live by the begging bowl?  Our  Shastra say that those persons, who getting rid of,  or becoming free from the three main Desires, viz.    (1) for progeny, (2) for wealth. (3) for fame, accept Sannyas, are the fit persons to live by begging alms.  They cannot make cooking arrangements and dine at home. The duty of feeding them is laid on the shoulders of house-holders. Sai Baba was neither a house-holder nor   Vanaprastha.  He was a celibate Sannyasi i.e., Sannyasi from  boyhood.  His firm con­viction was that the   universe was His home. He was the Lord Vasudeo — the Supporter of the universe and the Imperishable Brahman.  So he had the full right to have recourse to the begging-bowl.  Now from the standpoint of (1) Panch-soona    — five sins and their atonement.  We all know that in order to prepare food-stuffs and meals, the householders  have to go through five actions or processes,   viz.   (1) Kandani   — pounding. (2) Peshani — Grinding,   (3)   Udakumbhi —  washing   pots,   (4)   Marjani — Sweeping and cleaning, (5) Chulli — Lighting hearths.  These pro­cesses involve destruction of a lot of small insects  and creatures, and thus the householders incur an amount of sin.  In  order to atone for this sin, our Shastras prescribe five kinds of sacrifices viz. (1) Brahma-yajna or (2) Vedadhyayan - offerings to Brahma or the study of the   Vedas,   (3) Pitri-yajna — offerings to the ancestors,   (4)   Deva-yajna — offerings to the Gods, (5) Bhoota-'f     yajna ????— offerings to the beings,   (6)   Manushya-Atithi-yajna — ;-jj[??? offerings to men or uninvited guests.  If these sacrifices enjoined by the Shastras are duly performed, the purification of their minds is effected and this helps them to get knowledge and Self-realization, Baba, in going from house to house, reminded the inmates of their sacred duty, and fortunate were the people who got the lesson at their home from Baba. (Page 51-52, Sai Satcharita 7th edition 1974.)

In the above passage, Shri Dabholkar has explained fully the theory of mendicancy from which  it will be seen that it is the duty of the society to provide food for the person, who has dedi­cated his whole life to the welfare of the society.  There is one more difference between the other beggers and Shri Baba.  The beggers only collect food from the society and do not give any­thing back to the society, except perhaps nuisance. The beggers collect the food and consume the whole of it by themselves, without giving anything to others while look at the way in which Shri Daba used to utilize the food collected by him by begging.

"The food thus collected was thrown in a Kundi i.e., earthen pot. Dogs, cats and crows freely ate from   it and Baba never drove them away. The woman, who swept the floor of the Masjid took some 10 or  12 pieces of  bread to her house and  nobody prevented her from doing so".    (P 47 Sai   Satcharita 7th edition 1974). As explained by Saint Ramdas, Shri Baba begged alms in a limited number of houses and also collected limited food.  Out of the food collected by him, be consumed very little and the rest was allowed to be consumed by cats, dogs, crows etc. Thus the mendicancy of Shri Baba was also His Leela   and it was done by Him only to remind the people of their  sacred duty.  One recent saint of Maharashtra, Saint Gadgemaharaj also lived on the bread, which he procured by begging. In the   beginning   he would not get it regularly ;  but he never felt sorry for that and remained without food occasionally when he did not set bread.

Mendicancy in the  case of a begger is thus a vice and it should not be encouraged, because  thereby a part of the society turns into parasites, who consume the food procured by others by great effort. In this world no one, who is able-bodied, has a right to consume food without toiling and therefore begging is really a sin against society. The Maharashtra Government, there­fore, acted in the right direction in passing a bill against begging; but because of the traditional lethargy of the people in this country and our queer ideas of philanthrophy, the beggers are thriving in this country and begging is a business of certain people in our country. However we must not measure all the people with the same yard-stick. We must differentiate between people. Though everyone who begs alms could be catagoricaily termed as a begger, we have also to look to the whole life of a person and his object in begging. Thus the mendicancy of such saints like Ramdas, Shri Sai Baba or Shri Gadgemaharaj does not really amount to begging as in the case of beggers and it should be looked upon as a part of their life's mission to remind the members of the society of their sacred duty towards great souls like them.

Exhibition of Shri Sai Literature

As a part of the celebration of the 60th year of the Mahanirvan of Shri Sai Baba, it is proposed to hold an exhibition at Shirdi from the 14th of November to 21st of November 1977. Photos of Shri Sai Baba, of all size, books written in all languages on the life and teachings of Shri Baba and periodicals that are being published for spreading the Sai cult will be mainly exhibited in this exhibition. The exhibition will be open to the Sai devotees for a week. Later on this same exhibition will be held at Sai Niketan Dadar, according to convenience.

Those Sai devotees, who intend to exhibit their books, photos etc. in this exhibition, are requested to forward two copies of their books, etc to the Editor Shri Sai Leela at Sai Niketan, 804 B Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar, Bombay 400014, before 5th November 1977. No sale will be conducted in the exhibition. .

—    Editor, Shri Sai

 

THE SCIENCE OF RELIGION

By  Swami Chinmayananda

The Lord  of the Universe —Jagadeeswara

In the previous talk the Lord indicated His lower and higher natures. The lower aspect is the world of matter and His higher aspect is the principle of Consciousness in all living creatures.

It was also said that this principle of Consciousness, the Self, is the essential factor that sustains all the worlds of physical, mental and intellectual experiences in every living creature. In short, we found that the universe is the play of the higher through the lower nature of the Lord.

When we say the house of Kittu, or the book of Laju,  we do not mean that Kittu is the house, or Laju is the book, Kittu and Laju are the owners, the possessors, and as such, distinctly different from the house or book. Similarly, the higher and lower natures of the Lord cannot be the Lord Himself. He projects Himself as the world of plurality and plays in life when His lower - nature, matter, gets thrilled by His higher - nature. Consciousness.

At first, when the student hears of this statement and digests it, he may come to realise rightly that his body - mind - intellect equipment gets enlivened to activity only when Life, Consciousness, is in him. Thus, he may grasp the significance of the statement, "Consciousness, by which the entire universe is sustained'  the presence of the Lord's higher nature is in each one of us, presiding over our perceptions, feelings and thinking activities.

This is to understand little!  Its implications are extremely universal and supremely all-embracing.    To bring the student's focus of attention to this fuller and ampler wealth of meaning in the simple, almost casual statement - Lord Krishna declares (VI1-6) "Please understand that these two (Prakrities) are the wombs of all beings. I am the origin and the dissolution of the entire universe " The play of Conscious­ness through matter explains the structure and function of all living creatures. The entire universe of plants, animals and men are of this same single divine pattern : also of the stone-life, although in it, Consciousness does not play out, as the mind-intellect equipment has not yet evolved and emerged out from it.

Thus, the ocean itself is the waves, and the waves rise, play, and die in the ocean alone. So too, in the Infinite Conscious­ness, names and forms of the universe rise, exist, play about, get worn, die and disappear. "I am the origin and dissolution of the whole universe"

Thus, "I am the Infinite Reality and My own higher-nature plays through My own lower-nature", and this is the universe at its play! 1 am the substratum for the entire universe, just as the ocean is the substratum for the entire play of the waves.

A student with a keen intellect cannot but accept this logical arui ???? convincing explanation when it is expressed with such eloquence. But he might ask, who controls the Supreme? what is behind Him whose nature form the wombs of the universe? Explaining that He is the Ultimate, Krishna thunders, (VII-7) "Beyond Me, O Dhananjaya, there is nothing. All this is strung on Me as a row of pearls on a thread. There is no other "cause" for the universe other than Me. This principle of Truth is the Uncaused Cause with reference to everything, He is the 'cause', but He Himself is 'Uncaused'. He is not the product of something else. If He were, He would be changeable and therefore finite. The Infinite knows no change.

In this Infinite Truth, names and forms are held together as "a   thread holds together a row of pearls".

This simile is extremely effective. Pearls by themselves have not the same beauty as when they are strung together into a necklace. The world has its mighty civilizations and cultures, achievements and efficiencies, only when they are all harmonised together into a rhythmic whole, functioning as a great grand orchestra - - the sun pouring energy into the tiniest grass blade, the five elements, plants, animals, men, all mutually helping and functioning together to achieve the melody of existence, to produce the thunder of progress.

The unseen chord that holds all blooms together into this bouquet of the universe is Life, the Principle of Truth.

Again, individually, each of us perceives through the five sense-organs, feels with the mind, and thinks with the intellect. If these thoughts, feelings and preceptions are not properly coordi­nated, brilliant acts of intelligent significance cannot emerge. Consciousness as Life in us pervades them all and all our actions, feelings and thoughts are strung together on this ever-present Beam of Awareness.

Through the pearls we cannot see the string and between the pearls we recognise nothing. Yet we know that the string is within and without every pearl in the necklace. Similarly, this subtle divine Presence, within and without us, is not perceived directly by our senses, mind, or intellect. Yet, It is there for us to realise by rising above the intellect. At such moments of intuitive stillness and inner peace, we realise Him, in whom all "this is strung like a row of pearls on a thread"

The Supreme Indicated

In fact, finite words can never express the Infinite. Yet, all scriptures strive to express it in language. The Supreme as Cause of the universe, meaning, as God, can, to a certain extent, expressed in terms of the world, and our worldly experiences. But, how can any sage ever exprees that Reality which expresses as God, world, and man ?

Since words cannot directly express it, the Rishis of India employed a "contemplative - language", a language where the suggestiveness of words is employed, rather than the literal meaning of the world.

This we do even in our worldly talk. When we say, "The red ran this afternoon", we mean the red-horse ran in the race. Similarly, if I say, "My house is right on the sea", I mean that my house is nearest to the sea. Thus, in our daily conversations, we often employ the ringing notes of suggestions, contained in words and in any sequential arrangements of words.

Thus, instead of the 'dictionary - meaning' of words, sages employ in scriptures the 'suggestive - meaning' of words. This is the only way in which the Inexpressible can be expressed, the Indescribable described, the Undefinable defined. Hence the bea­uty of all scriptures, when you know how to read and understand them. This peculiar style is also the very spring of all difficulties in scriptural studies.

 

Copying  from the Upanishads Vyasa defines the Infinite Reality in the Bhagawat Geeta. Says Lord Krishna, VI1-8 "I am the sapidity in water; I am the radiance in the moon and the sun; I am the OM in all the Vedas; sound in space; and man­hood in men."  In short, the Infinite is the Essence in everything; "that" because of which a thing is a thing is called its dharma. Without its   own dharma  a thing cannot be what it is : thus radiance is the dharma of the sun and moon.   Without radiance the sun can no longer be the sun, nor the moon be the moon.

The Lord continues, VII-9 "I am fragrance in earth; I am heat in fire; the "Life" am I in all beings; and in ascetics, austerity am I." The Supreme is introduced here as that subtle factor present in all, because of which things and beings are what they are. The poetic beauty of the statements is indeed awe-inspiring and mind-blasting.

            Krishna indicates, VII-IO "Please understand Me as the eternal Seed of all beings. I am the intelligence in the intelli­gent and heroism in all heros." The Supreme is the one Source from which all names and forms have emerged. The world of forms is inherent in the Self. Just as a giant banyan tree, although unmanifest, is present in its seed. The sprouting of different vasanas constitutes the expression of different personalities.

Having thus indicated what the Supreme is in the system of the universe and its play. Lord Krishna labours to indicate Its presence in each and every bosom. VII-11. “I am the strength in the strong, devoid of desire and attachment. I am desire unopposed to dharma in all beings." This verse is highly meditative. The Infinite in us expressing as the Self is defined as the strength in the strong. But a strength that is "devoid of desire and attachment" The "desire for what is absent"  and ''affection for what one has obtained"  are the factors that poison 'strength' into power that tyrannises over others. Thus, in the 'strength' of Ravana, we see but the brute, the terrible, the ugly. While in Rama's 'strength' we glimpse the Godly, the righteous, the beautiful. When desire and attachment are removed from one's heart, the power of life, unimpeded, flows through us and the Divine Essence in us is unveiled, pure, and blissful.

Nay, the Lord goes one step further in His thirst to commu­nicate.  Everyone knows, within one's own direct experience, the force of desire. Now the Lord says, "I am desire" But  with a   difference. I am "desire unopposed to dharma, —righteousness.". When desire is muddied with selfish passions and ego-centric lusts, it becomes vulgar, ugly, ruinous. But when desire is righteous, to serve others, to bring happiness to the community that desire-power is a true expression of divine-Grace.

In these 4 verses that we have discussed now, we have altogether 14 different indications, all pointing out the seat of pure Awareness in us, which is the very basis, the substratum of the entire universe.

None of them defines Truth, or this great Reality. But they are all arrow-marks, pointing towards this One Truth. Those who can lift their minds in contemplation, along the directions pointed out, they can reach a unique State of Consciousness. These are verses to be meditated upon. For, in 4 verses here we have 14 different excercises in meditation.

( Courtesy : Geeta Office, Powai )

 

NAVAVIDHA BHAKTI

BUNCH OF KEYS

My family intended to have a Shirdi trip on 1st Jan. 1976 to have darshan of Lord Sai.   As I am a poor man, I could not afford for such a long trip and as such I kept quiet.  On the 26th of Dec. 1975, casually I saw Baba in my mental vision, calling me there; but the question was  howto manage for leave  and   finances.   As Baba helps His devotee from all sides, when I asked for leave, my boss immediately granted me the leave, and the finances too were arranged by him. The salary, which we normally get on the first of every month, was given on 30th Dec. 75, itself.   Till 8 p. m. on that day, some Sai devotees were sitting at my house, and we were talking of Baba.

Immediately thereafter I packed my luggage and started for Shirdi, with my family. By Shri Baba's grace, I reached Shirdi at 14-00 hrs. on 1st January 1976.

We offered 101 laddus specially prepared for Sai Baba on the 2nd of January 1976, and after attending the Kakad Arathi, Madhyanha Arati, we felt bliss. This happiness took a different turn by the evening. The keybunch, consisting of 9 keys, (my office keys and house keys) was lost. Fear grew in my mind, that I will have to break up my office drawers and house locks, and people will laugh at me after my return from Shirdi. I too cried in despair, and my wife was telling, that we should leave Shirdi, at once, since Baba has punished us, although we have undergone so many difficulties in coming over 1400 kins, from the South.

As I am a staunch devotee of Lord Sai, I thought and convinced my wife that we will definitely get our bunch of keys back before we leave Shirdi. The restlessness of my mind grew, as I had to go back to my office to report for duty. I enquired with everybody at Shirdi regarding my key-bunch. As there were nine keys which are denoting nine types of devotion in the bunch, I was thinking that it was a test taken by Shri Baba. I enquired with the vegetable vendors, security people, and even at the Court Receiver's office also, regarding my keys. Even the archakas, who stand beside Lord Sai, were asked "Have you found my 9 keys" -"No" was the reply. In Shirdi, I used to ask "Aap ka Mera Chavion ka Guchha mila ? "Hame Nahi mila" was the reply from everybody.

As intended, I attended eleven Aaratis in total, and we were about to pack up for our return journey. I proposed in my mind, if Baba is alive, he should bless me with my keybunch, before I return; after packing. I 'called a coolie for lifting the luggage and while we were starting, my wife said- 'Look at that" Lo- miracle of miracles! ! Our key bunch was found on the top of the win­dow, where I never kept it nor my wife had kept. Our joy knew no bounds and immediately with folded hands and with tears in my eyes, I ran to the Samadhi Mandir, offered Rs. 11-11 as Guru dakshina, and so happily and merrily we came back. Due to the blessings of Shri Baba, my devotion increased, and everyday we worship Him both times as a Kamadhenu.

R. S. Sastry Sriharikota,

Nellor Pincode No   524124

SHRI GAJANAN MAHARAJ

(Continued from September 1977 Issue)

By Shri S.N.Huddar

When there is a conflict in a society there is no happiness. Just as a man is reduced day by day due to tuberculosis, so the society denigrates. One day a Mahar of Deshmukh party disobeyed Khandu Patil, who had asked him to take some official paper to the Tashil Office at Akola. He refused to do that saying that why should he give order to the man of Deshmukh. Further he expressed that he regarded his order as the shouting of Shimga (Holi). Khanduji was enraged by his arrogant words and he gave a good blow of a stick on the Mahars hand, which resulted in a fracture of his hand.

            Deshmukhs induced the Mahar to lodge a complaint against Khandu Patil. Mahar was then taken before a Magistrate, who was ill informed. The complaint was recoreded and a warrant of arrest was to be  issued against Khandu Patil. Khanduji and the members of his family were shocked by this news and the ensuring disgrace. This made him very sad as he had behaved as a lion in Shegaon. His brothers went to Akola to do something to arrest this disgrace. Khanduji came to Gajanan Maharaj in the night, placed his head on the feet of Shri Maharaj and requested “ A great calamit is to befall on me. Kindly save me from this. I gave a blow to a Mahar for an official work and Deshmukhs are contriving to entangle me in this trifle matter and get me arrested. This is a matter of great disgrace to me and the Patil family. You only can save me in this difficulty. IF you cannot do so, kindly cut my throat by this sword. Arjuna wanted to burn himself on a pyre at the time of the vow about Jayadrath, but Shrikrishna saved him. Similarly you should save me this time " Saying so, he shed tears from his eyes. Shri Maharaj embraced him with both his hands and said "A social worker has to face such difficulties very often. So he should not care for them. When selfishness increases, morals are not followed. You Patil and Deshmukh are of the same caste. Yet you try to harm each other for self interest. Kouravas and the Pandavas fought in the past for this reason; but God Krishna helped the Pandavas. You need not fear. Let Deshmukhs try their might, you will not have hand-cuffs on your hands. Do not be afraid".

Khanduji Patil was acquitted without any stain on his cha­racter. The saint's words had come true. The members of the Patil family hereafter became more devoted to Shri Maharaj. Patil took Shri Maharaj to his house for some days. When he was at Patil's, five to ten Telangi Brahmins came there and began to chant Vedas. When they came, Shri Maharaj was sleeping and his mouth was covered with a blanket. The Brahmins were erring, while chanting Vedas. Shri Maharaj at once took off the blanket and sat and said "How did you study Vedas. Do not decrease their value. The study of Vedas is not for earning money but it is for salvation. Keep the prestige of the shawl round your head. Just listen to me and say as I say. Do not deceive the ignorant people". Shri Maharaj then chanted the same Richas  with ascents and descents with proper toning. The greedy Brahmins were much astonished. They humbly bowed to Shri Maharaj. When the Sun has risen, what is the value of ordinary lamps ? Shri Maharaj was like Brahmadeo. They exclaimed that he must be a well versed Brahmin. He was Paramhansa and a great Yogi who had attained self realisation. It is due to their goodluck that they have been able to see his holy self. He is Vamdeo.

Shri Maharaj asked Khandu Patil to give one rupee each to the Brahmins. The Brahmins were pleased and they went away. Shri Maharaj was tired of such botherations. Fake saints on the other hand like such things.

There was a farm to the north of the Shiva Mandir   which was surrounded by shady Neem trees.  It belonged to Krishna Patil. youngest brother of Khandu.  Shri Maharaj went to the farm, sat on a plinth   near the mandir and said to Krishnaji "I have come here to stay for some days near Shri Shankar " Krishna, brought some tins and put up a shed over the plinth.  Due to the residence of Shri Maharaj there, it became a holy place.  Krishnaji arranged for the food of Shri Maharaj and he would take prasad and have his dinner after Shri Maharaj dined.

One day, ten to twenty Gosavis  came to the farm.  They asked Krishnaji to serve food consisting of Shirapuri.    Brahmagiri who was head and Guru of the Gosavis,   said  ‘We are pilgrims, who are going to Rameshwar, carrying Bhairathi water with   us. We have visited Gangoiri,  Jamnotri, Kedar. Girnar Thakor and many other holy places on foot.  We shall stay here only for 3 days.  Give us Shirapuri and ganja as much as we require.   You have kept a naked Sadhu in your farm. Then why should you hesitate to provide us with food and ganja. Can he be called a gentleman, who protects an ass and drives away a cow?"   One of them said. "You should hear our Guru's lecture (pravachan) in the evening and then you will, have an idea of his vast know edge".

Krishnaji said. "You should have bread today. You may have Shirapuri tomorrow. Nilkanth himself is staying here. You will get janna from him" As it was midday the Gosavis were hungry so they accepted bread and pickle and went to the well to have bath.

In the evening Brahmagiri began his sermon on a shloka of Geeta  The people were not impressed with his sermon. They came to Shri Maharaj and sat before him. Gosavis were enraged and they began to smoke Ganja. Shri Maharaj was sitting on a bed-stead under the tin shed. So smirks of fire fell on the bed-stead and gradually it caught  Shaskar said, "Maharaj the bed-stead is burning.

Kindly leave it and come down.  We  shall extinguish the fire with water".

Shri Maharaj said, "Do not bring water. Bring that Brah­magiri here and let him be seated near me on this bed-stead". Bhaskar went to Brahmagiri and caught him by his hand and brought him to Shri Maharaj Brahmagiri was afraid; but he could not run away. Shri Maharaj said to him "Come here and sit with me on this burning bed-stead. Just now, you have given a sermon on '  ' you should prove this by your example why are you afraid to sit here? Pralhad, son of Kayadhu was made to stand in fire. So Shri Maharaj at on the burning bed­stead fearlessly.

            Brahmagiri said to Bhaskar "Please do not take me to the bed-stead. I did not realise the devine power of Shri Maharaj". Bhaskar forcibly brought him near Shri Maharaj. Shri Maharaj said to him "You have just preached  prove this by your own example". Hearing this he began to tremble. He said "I have become a Gosavi only to eat Shirapuri. I am a mercenary Gosavi. I called you mad. Kindly forgive me. I repent for my folly. I surrender myself to you. Kindly give me your protection".

People said to Shri Maharaj "You are not afraid of fire; but for our sake kindly leave the burning^bed-stead". As Shri Maharaj came down, the bed-stead collapsed and was reduced to ashes.

Brahmagiri fell on the feet of Maharaj. His vanity was wiped off. Shri Maharaj advised him, "Give up these mischieves. One who applies bhasma should be aloof from all botherations. You should not say what you have not experienced. Due to the vanity of learning, our culture has fallen. Shri Shankaracharya, Machhindra, Jallunder, Gorakh, Gahini, Dnayaneshwar - how can the power that these saints possessed, be described ? They were ascetics who had realised the Self. Eknath attained bliss, living in the family. Study their lives. Do not wander here and there to eat Shirapuri and to smoke-ganja".

Hearing this, Brahmagiri, became passionless. In the next morning without informing any body he went away with his discipiles.

            When the people of Shegaon knew this incident, they came to the farm to see Shri Maharaj and the burnt bead stead.

( to be continued)

 

SHIRDI SAI BABA

As the sunshine in the darkness,

As the king unto his realm,

As the treasure in the coffer,

As the mother in the home,

So, Shirdi Sai Baba are Thou to me!!

As the fountain to the garden,

As the honey in the comb,

As the fruit unto the mango tree,

As the light within the bulb;

So, Shirdi Sai Baba are Thou to me! !

As the ruby in the setting,

As the manna in the ark,

As the bridegroom to his bride,

As the candle in the darkness,

So, Shirdi Sai Baba are Thou to me!!

As the image to the glass,

As the dew to the grass,

As the keeper unto the cattle,

As the pilot to the helm;

So, Shirdi Sai Baba are Thou to me! !

 

Dr. Babaji Sai Cottage, Udhampur P. O. Kashmir

 

Extracts From Shri H. S. Dixit's Diary

31-8-1918 PARLE

 

Shri H. S Dixit got a letter, when at Shirdi, from Bombay to this effect. "Balukaka (brother) and the wife of Nansf Saheb JCarambelkar are seriously unwell". I informed Baba of it. Then about Balukaka, Shri Sai Baba said, "he will get all right". Shri Sai asked about the wife, "Has she come?'' I said "No" and asked "Shall I send for her ?" "Yes" Baba said. Later I under­stood that the wife died and Balukaka got all right.

16-9-1918 PARLE

Once Madhavrao Deshpande (of Shirdi) had piles. He told Baba about it. Baba said, ''We shall give medicine in the afternoon" Baba prepared an infusion of Swarnamukhi (probably SENNA) and gave him part of it. With that the piles trouble stopped. Two years later, he again got piles. As Baba bad given him this infusion, he thought that he himself would prepare the infusion at his home; but that increased the piles instead of stopping it. Later on by Baba's grace the piles were cured. Purport of all this is that the cure was the result of Baba's Asirvada and not of the medicine.

Amritanubhava of Janeswar is a well known work; but it is very hard to understand. Very few read it. Dasa Ganu wanted to write explaining it in detail (tika) so that the common man could understand it. Das Ganu said so to Dada Maharaj, the well known man of Satara. The latter put an obstacle in his way and said, "Before you write a tika or commentary, you must understand the original text. If you remain for some months with me and learn the book, then you can write the commentary" Dada Maharaj is reputed to be well versed in Amritanubhava. Das Ganu told him, "If Baba wants me to write the tika, then He will give me the buddhi - - - to make me understand the book,  I will not go to anyone to learn it". Dada Maharaj did not appreciate Das Ganu's idea; but he prayed to Baba on Das Ganu's  behalf.  Then Das Ganu began his commentary.  After comments were written on 2  chapters, Das Ganu went to Dada Maharaj and the latter enquired about the commentary. Das Ganu read out his chapters.  Hearing that, Dada Maharaj gave his compli­ments and said, "Baba is truly a Samartha.  Because of his favour on you, such a tika has been written. There is no need for any one else to help you.

29-9-1916 PA RLE SAFE DELIVERY

The daughter of one of my friends became insane during her pregnancy.    She was blabbering throughout the day and night. She threw away things through a window.    When nine   months   were completed, all became anxious about her as the Doctor  said that the labour would be difficult. The Doctor had appointed a skilled nurse or midwife. Baba had blessed her and his blessings came to her rescue. One morning, the pains began. A man went out to fetch the doctor and another to fetch her elder sister. The latter came at once and sat near the pregnant girl. As soon as she sat the baby came and fell in the hands of the sister. There was no trouble.  Half an hour after the delivery, the doctor came; but news of the safe delivery was already dispatched to the doctor before he arrived.

            Krishnaji Narayan alias Chotu Bhayya Saheb Parulekar,  an honorary Magistrate of Harda wrote to H. S. Dixit on 11-2-1924 thus.

"By Baba's grace, I was cured of a disease in the following manner. I was suffering from amlapitta (bilious acidity). If I took my afternoon meal, immediately it was vomited out. The same occured at my night meal. To cure this, many doctors and Vaidyas gave me medicines, which I took without getting any relief. Some days later my father's friend Sadashiv Ramachandra Patwardhan sent an excellent Vaidya from Nagpur and recommended me to use his medicines.  The Vaidya was a very old man.  He came to Harda and prepared medicine.  He prepared three packets and asked me to take one in the morning and one in the after­noon.  So I took two packets.  From 3 P. M., my bowels began to move.  By 8 p. m. I had so many motions that I was not able to get up from my bed.  Thereupon the Vaidya and the people of my house got terrified. Then the Vaidya got into our Puja room, prayed to God and then gave medicine for stopping the motions.  At 11 p.m. the motions stopped. Later he told my father, "Hereafter do not give him any medicine for this Amla­pitta.  It will stop only by the grace of a Satpurusha".  I stopped all medicine. 

Five or six years later I went to Shirdi to see Shri Baba.  Neither I nor my companions told Baba about my disease. Next year, for Guru Poornima, I again went to Shirdi.  After the celebration was over, the   next day at 4 or 4-30 p. m. my brother Narayanrao and I with two or three companions went to the   Masjid  and sat at Baba's feet. Meanwhile a lady called 'Mausi Bai' came there and Baba asked, 'Mausi, why are you so late?"  She answered and told Baba that,   'okala'   (Nausea   or Retching, Tamil okkalam) was the reason for the delay.  There­upon Baba laughed and said, "You are eating too much and there­fore you have this okala".    Then Mausi requested him to protect her from that nausea.    Baba kept quiet for a few minutes.  Then he pointed his finger to me (Chotu Bhayya) and said, "This brother for a very long time had the same (okari) trouble".  Then Narayan, brother of Chotu Bhayya   prayed to Baba thus, "This man had okari and all treatment failed".  Baba then said, "Hereafter all medicines should be stopped. This nausea will not recur."  From that day, i.e., all these eight or nine years, the amlapitta has disappeared.  For ten or twelve years, in spite of many medicines that disease was not cured; but by Baba's utterance, it completely disappeared.  How wonderful are these Samarth's Lilas ?

One   day   Baba   asked   Vaze,   "What work are you doing? Then Vaze   said,  "If  there is any work   in the Masjid to do, I shall do it".  Baba replied. "If there is any work in the wada to be done, do it". Next day, Pandit, the man who was, doing much work in the wada, fell ill. Thereupon in accordance with Baba's order, Vaze undertook all the work that Pandit did and continued to serve at the wada till Pandit's recovery.

BABA'S PROMPTING OTHERS :  One Haribhau Karnik of Dahanu  went to Shirdi during Guru Poornima of 1918.  A friend of his had to ask Baba for leave to go away and had accom­panied him.     Some  gentleman  asked on behalf of that friend for leave to go and Baba gave it.  He also got permission from Baba for Haribhau and told Haribhau "Get down"   (from the floor of the Masjid where Baba sat). Haribhau went down, but it struck him  then that he had thought of giving one Rupee to Baba.  Meanwhile that gentleman from the Masjid told him "Go Now". So immediately Haribhau went away from there and proceeded to visit a temple. There was a Digambar Swamy(i.e., naked) with a big crowd a round him. As soon as Haribhau entered the temple that Digambar got up and came to Haribhau, held his wrist, and said,   "Where is my rupee? Bring it" and got one rupee from Haribhau.     In this way, the desire of Haribhau to pay one rupee to Baba was gratified by the latter.

BABA'S   OPERATING   ON   MINDS :   Doctor   Mehta, a Parsi gentleman, was visiting Shirdi from 1920;  but he had not seen Baba in flesh.  Yet he had various experiences of Baba at various times and so he had faith in Shri Baba.  Two years later he came to Shirdi and at that time there was a suit  against him in the Bombay High Court.  So he told me (H.S.D.) that a suit was filed by a gentleman in whose favour, for some reason or other, the Doctor (Mehta) had excuted  a promissory note for Rs. 3,000 without receiving any consideration and handed over the promissory note to that gentleman.  The latter filed a suit.  So Doctor Mehta asked me to appear for him in that  case.  As I had given up practice, I told him that my friend Maniklal would look to it and gave him a letter to Maniklal.  He went with the case record to Maniklal. The latter asked him about the facts, and then asked him what evidence he had to support his case.  Dr. Mehta said, "Evidence? I have nothing. When the promissory note was written, the plaintiff and I were the only two persons present". Then Maniklal thought that the defence was hopeless, and suggested to him (doctor) that he should settle the claim with the plaintiff.

The doctor requested, "You please try to put up a defence and fight and see.  Thereupon Baba's mercy is there and what He wills will happen". On account of the doctor's insistance Maniklal prepared a written statement and filed it in the court.  Before the case came up for hearing, he had twice or thrice written to the doctor to come and see him, but the doctor did not come.  Finally the case came up for hearing on a Monday.  The previous Satur­day, that is 2 days before the hearing, Maniklal sent his Karkun to the doctor and invited him to come over to his office. But the Karkun found that the doctor had left home on account of ill-health and was staying in a Parsi sanatorium. So the doctor could not come. Maniklal advised the doctor again to compromise the case. But no compromise was arrived at.

Maniklal told the doctor that if he did not compromise, the claim would be decreed fully with all the costs against the defendant. But the doctor replied, "I do not know how to compromise. I have not to pay a pie. Whatever happens, my honour will be saved. That I am sure of. A few days back, Sai Baba came to me in a dream and said, 'I shall save your honour and not allow it to be lost'. Baba's words never prove false. So please try to put up a fight in the Court". Thereupon Maniklal prepared a brief Till 8 p.m., he worked in the office that night. The next day (Sunday) he had asked the doctor to come. The next day, the doctor was to go to his house, but a friend went to the doctor and said. "I have settled his claim. You must agree to my settlement. Unless and until you agree, I will not go away from here. The settle­ment is as follows : You pay the plaintiff in all Rs. 800/- and if you cannot pay that in a lump sum, pay Rs. 50 a month.

Each party has to bear his own costs. To this effect a consent decree must be passed by a petition signed by both parties," On account of the compulsion of that friend, the doctor agreed to the com­promise and accardingly the next day the Court passed a consent decree. As the instalment amounts were small, the doctor was able to pay them. Thus the words of Baba "I will not all allow your honour to be lost" were found to be perfectly true.

Shri S. M.  Garje 80, Shivaji Nagar, PUNE -411005

 

SAINT GADGEMAHARAJ

( Continued from September 1977  issue ) By  Dr.S.D. Parchure  M. A..  Ph. D.

 

The successful culmination of the work of the ghat at Rinamochan on the Poorna river inspired confidence in Shri Gadgemaharaj and he thought of undertaking further work. His attention was now turned towards the most holy place of pilgrimage in Maharashtra viz. Pandharpur.

From the fourth century A. D. or so Pandharpur is a place of pilgrimage for the devotees of Vitthal. The pilgrimages on two Ekadashis viz. the one coming in the month of Ashadha and the other one in the month of Kartik are attended by a large number of people coming from far off places all over Maharashtra. Though Pandharpur is considered so holy, still it has not grown into a big city. It is still more or less a big village. It cannot therefore accommodate all the pilgrims that come to Pandharpur for the pilgrimage on Ekadashi days. It is estimated that in recent years the pilgrimage is attended by not less then two lakhs people. All houses and every nook and corner in the city is found flooded during the days of the pilgrimage. Even though the temple of Shri Vitthal is kept open for all the twenty four hours, still it is humanly impossible for all these people to visit the temple on the day of pilgrimage. There is therefore a convention among the pilgrims to only have a darshan of the pinnacle of the temple on the Ekadashi day and treat it as the darshan of Shri Vitthal himself. During the pilgrimage in the month of Kartik, the bank of the river, Chandrabhaga is open to the pilgrims for camping. However during the month of Ashadha, the river Chandrabhaga is overflowing on its banks and flooding them. Hence there is hardly any place available on the banks for camping.

            The upper class people are somehow able to find some shelter somewhere in the village of Pandharpur during the pilgrimages; but the Harijans are in a very bad predicament. As they were formarly treated as untouchables, they also thought it as their bad luck to have been born in a particular caste and did not try to assert themselves on the grounds of humanity. They had naturally no place to stay in the village. They therefore tried to obtain some shelter in the house of a relative or acquaintance staying in the Maharwada of Pandharpur during the time of the pilgrimage. The economic condition of the Harijans was never sound. Hence they did not have good houses. They were staying in ramshackle huts of a very small size. Family planning was not known to most people in India, in those days and therefore every family had a large number of members. In addition to the human beings staying in those small huts of the untouchables, there would be their goats and hens in their huts. Under such conditions, the plight of the Harijans, visiting Pandharpur for the pilgrimage, used to be quite pitiable. They had to go round the village in rain and had to wade through mud; but only because of their strong devotion to God, they used to suffer all the incon­veniences and come for the pilgrimage. Shri Gadgemaharaj had seen all this during his visit to Pandharpur for the pilgrimage. He always had sympathy for the poor and the neglected sector of the society. He therefore decided to build a Dharmashala for the Harijans in Pandharpur.

Money was no consideration for him now. Because of his keertans, he was widely known. His behaviour and way of living had convinced everyone of his selflessness. People from far and wide came to him and offered him money to be spent by him in any manner he liked. Whenever anyone came to him with money, he told him to keep it with him and give it when he would send him word. The people also sincerely kept their promises and sent the money immediately on getting word from Shri Maharaj.

Saint Gadgemaharaj was a man of action. He did not like lethargy. Hence on getting any idea he would start action. In order therefore to execute his plan for building a Dharmashafa at Pandharpur, Shri Maharaj came to Pandharpur and started looking for a suitable place to put up the building.  On the   eastern side of the village on the Gopalpur Road, he came across a suitable open plot and immediately   negotiated for it.  He pur­chased the same and started the construction of a building thereon. He sent  word    to all the people, who had offered him money and they promptly sent it in fulfillment of their promises.

Bricks were ordered, sand was brought, wood was purchased and cement also was ordered.  These and other building materials were coming to the site in large quantities  and the work was progressing briskly.    Though Maharaj was not literate, still he was quite intelligent.  He also had the experience of conducting work at Rinamochan  when the ghat was built there.  

 In addition to his intelligence, he therefore  had now the confidence to his credit. This made him supervise the work of the Dharmashala at Pandharpur by himself.  He would be ready at the site early in the morning and would continue to supervise  the work upto the end of the day. In the noon he would retire for about   half  an hour, just to go for begging bread and eating it.  Due to his presence at the work, the labourers also had to work constantly and the building work progressed satisfactorily.

Chokhamela was the renowned saint of the Mahar commu­nity and hence Shri Maharaj had decided to   name this Dharma­shala, which he was building for the Harijans, after that saint. When the work of this Dharmashala was in progress, a miracle happened.   One  Swamiji  in saffron clothes got down from a tanga on the road near the aforesaid building work in progress. He came near and enquired with the workers as to who was conducting the work.  Somebody informed Shri Maharaj that one Swamiji was  enquiring about him.  At that  time Shri Maharaj was sitting under a tree and was eating  his bread.  When he came to know, about the person enquiring about him, he immediately came forward to receive the Swamiji.   After looking to the queer dress and the general appearance of  Shri  Maharaj,  the Swamiji was not quite happy.  However he enquired with Maharaj whether he was putting up the building of the Dharmashala exclusively for the Harijans. On knowing that it was so, the   Swamiji was pleased.   Shri Maharaj then took him round and showed him the whole building.   In the end the Swamiji said, "I would also like to join my hand in this laudable work".   Shri Maharaj promptly replied, "You are quite welcome".   The Swamiji immediately took out his cheque book and gave a cheque to Shri  Maharaj.  From the dress of the Swamiji, Shri Maharaj had thought that he might at the most donate five hundred rupees or  so but when he handed over the cheque to his people and came to know that it was for Rupees Twenty-five thousand, he had no words to express his gratitude to the donor.   The stranger, who came on the site to enquire about the work, was Shri Swami Akhandanandji from Gujrat. He had dedicated his life to the spread of religious literature at cheap rates in the Gujarati language and for that he had started one institution under the name of Sastu Sahitya Mandal, which had done lot of work in spreading religious literature in Gujrat.  Similar donations went on pouring from all directions and the work of  the Chokhamela  Dharmashala was completed  by Shri Gadgemaharaj in 1917 at a cost of Rs. 50,000/-.

Though Shri Maharaj could supervise the work, he needed someone who could keep the accounts and do the writing work. Two such persons voluteered to undertake the work and help Shri Maharaj.  Shri Jagoba Borkar from the village of Dabhe from Yaotmal district and Shri Tulshiram Phulzele from Adyal in the Nagpur district were the two persons who helped Shri Maharaj in carrying out the work.  Both these gentlemen were themselves Harijan and hence Shri Maharaj promptly accepted their help.

(to be continued)

SAI BABA'S DIVINE GRACE

I was at Shirdi during the Gurupournima festival. I was to leave Shirdi and go to Bombay via Manmad on Saturday, the 2nd of July 1977 by the 5-30 A. M, Navapur Bus and had reserved one seat in it. I am used to getting up early morning before 5. O'clock wherever 1 may be, whether at home or out of town.! At Shirdi it has been my practice to rise before 3.30 A. M.

I do not know what happened to me on Saturday the 2nd July 1977, for I did not get up as usual.    At ten past five, I got up with a start due to loud knocks at the door and on opening it, I saw the Gurusthan watchman and two hamals, whom I had called to carry my baggage. I asked them to wait outside.  I went to answer nature's call and after just washing my face, without brushing my teeth, I dumped my things into the trunk and called the hamals to start for the Bus Stand. I followed them, repeating Sai Baba's name for his help, panting for breath.  As stated above the scheduled time for departure of the bus was 5.30 A. M. and it was now 5.45 A. M.  The bus had already left the Bus Stand.  However one of the hamals who had proceeded ahead came to learn   that the bus had gone to the petrol pump for filling in air into the tyres.  This petrol pump was   about a furlong away from the Bus Stand.   I reached there hurriedly and took my seat in the bus-   After that the bus started. It was now five minutes to six.

The bus stopped over the Manmad Bridge for the railway passengers to alight. I called a hamal to pick up my luggage. As we were stepping down the stairs, we saw a train puffing in­to the Manmad Station. The hamal informed me that it was the Punjab Mail which had arrived late and further stated that Janata Express would follow after half an hour. This hamal reached me u