WONDEROUS SAINT SRI SAI BABA-PART 2

BY PUJYA SRI NARASIMHASWAMY JI

CRYPTIC WORDS OF SAI BABA
POONA PROFESSOR'S EXPERIENCES

Among the data that B. V. Narasimhaswamy has gathered for the biography of Sai Baba, is a statement from the late Prof. G. G. Narke, M.A.,MSc., Professor of Geology, in the Engineering College of Poona.
Prof. Narke first went to the Saint in 1913 soon after his return from Manchester, and when he was introduced, Sai Baba remarked; "You introduce him to me! I have known him for 30 generations".
That was something strange for an England returned person; but he bad another surprise soon after. Here is his own version of it:—
"At the Arati, Sai Baba was in a towering passion. He fumed, cursed and threatened for no visible cause. I doubted if he was a madman. That was a passing thought".
"In the afternoon, he stroked my head and said: 'I am not mad.' Nothing is concealed from him. Nothing was beyond him or concealed from him, past, present or future".

No Fakir's Gown :
"My mother was anxious about my employment. I was being tossed from place to place and had often periods of unemployment. Sometimes I had stray fancies that a fakir's life was good for me also".
One day in 1914, Baba had got ready a number of kupnis (which are worn by fakirs) and presented a number of people with them. I was watching the distribution from a distance and hoped that one might be conferred upon me. He beckoned to me and placing his hands kindly on my head, stroked it and said: "Don't blame me for not giving you a kupni. That Fakir (evidently meaning God) has not permitted me to give you one".

Promise of Job :
"My relations were asking Baba what was to become of me and Baba told them: I will settle him at Poona".
"I got sometimes a number of jobs (i.e. prospecting for mines) at the same time and I went to Baba each time relying wholly on his foresight. He would choose the place and always add 'Poona' after it'1.
"In 1916 I had to choose between an offer from Benares of a professorship and a prospecting job in Burma. Baba told me: 'Go to Burma and Poona'. I always laughed within myself at the addition of Poona, as I was a mining engineer and Poona held no prospects for me".

Solved soon :
"It was in 1917 that the announcement was made that a Professor of Geology was wanted for the Engineering College at Poona. I asked Baba if I should try for the place. He said 'Yes' and I went to Poona. After I left, he asked: "Where is Narke gone?" He was told that I had gone for the appointment. 'Allah will bless,' was Baba's remark".
"Even in 1913, Baba was seeing my present permanent appointment as Professor of Geology in Poona which I have held since 1918'*.

Cryptic Language :
"Baba's language was highly cryptic, full of symbology. A literal translation would be made by superficial people who would then conclude that he was a worldly man among worldly men, and very avaricious at that".
"For instance, a man came to Baba and watched him for a time. Asked for his impressions, he said: 'I never saw any saint till now talking of money all the hours of the day.' This man did not know that paisa was used by Baba to denote merit (punya) and not money".
‘'One day Baba asked me several times to give him Rs. 15 as dakshina. I had then no money and he knew it full well. So when I was alone with him, I said: Baba, you know I have no money, and why do you ask for Rs. 15 dakshina?"

The Dakshina :
"Baba answered that he knew my impecunious condition well enough. 'But', he added, 'you are reading a book now. The part you are now reading is specially important. Get me Ks. 15 dakshina from that'."
"I was reading Yoga Vasishta. Getting money out of it meant deriving valuable lessons therefrom; and giving the money to Baba of course meant lodging the lessons in my heart."