WONDEROUS SAINT SRI SAIBABA-PART 22

BY PUJYA SRI NARASIMHASWAMY JI


SAI BABA'S FIRST RISE TO FAME
AS SANTANAKARAKA

Loka Bhinnaruchih, i.e., "Tastes differ" is an ancient saying which applies in the field of religion at least as much as in other fields. To some, God is too grand a Being or too much of an ideal abstraction to meddle with the humdrum of our daily life especially with such trifles as getting bride¬grooms, or children. To others, God is pre-eminently the power that blesses them in all their efforts and affair and secures for them highly prized objects like the above, proving therein His Omnipotence, Omniscience and unfathomable kindness and love. Each set receives a benefit in accordance with its own views. No writer on religion can afford to overtook the existence of either set. The vast majority, nay, almost the entire rank and file of the devotees of Sri Sai Baba that this writer has come across belong to the second class and have given him an account of their experiences of Sai's power and kindness exercised, in such cases. Hundreds, nay, thousands of other people of like view exist outside this circle, who are at present ignorant of Sri Sai Baba's vast powers and beneficence towards devotees and who will welcome a brief reference to and appraisal of such experience. In any case without such, reference, no account of Sri Sai Baba will be complete.

The First Gift :
In the early history of Baba, if any extraordinary powers of his mote than an other contributed largely to the spread of his name and influence among the cultured and; English-educated classes, it was his blessings for issue. Gopal Rao Gund, a Revenue Inspector, living with two wives- had no issue. Baba blessed him saying that Allah would give him children, and he got issue. The inspector had many friends and acquaintances among officials and other educated and influential people and to these he gave a glowing account of Sri Sai Baba's powers and kindness. Thence forward officials great and small paid reverential visits to Shirdi, several of them in the hope of being benefited by this "Samartha" (i.e., person endowed with superhuman power, to achieve practicaly everything he likes) in their domestic and other temporal concerns; and others followed their examples. It is neither possible nor necessary to catalogue those who obtained progeny or other benefits by Sai's grace. Here we may just notice a few in whose case there is any special and noteworthy feature not found in other cases.

The Grateful Official :
The Revenue Inspector, in his gratitude, brought a quantity of stones to rebuild Baba's dilapidated mosque. But evidently reserving the merit of rebuilding it to others, Baba distributed the stones among local Hindu temples for their use. G. Gund was keen on starting a grand annual fair at Shirdi on Ram Navami day in honour of Baba; and with the help of others this was started in 1895 and is still kept up.
Just about this time a bangle merchant of Ahmednagar Sri Damodar Savalraai Rasane (whom Baba used to call Damia) came to Baba. Living with two wives, he was blessed with no issue. With great faith, he approached Baba (and was prominent among the devotees by his services in connection with the Ramanavami fair). The manner in which Baba blessed him bears a striking resemblance to the blessings received by King Dasaratha after securing the help of a great rishi Rishyasringa and performing a grand Puthrakameshti sacrifice.

Four Filched Away :
Baba used to receive or even buy mangoes by dozens or even by the basket. These he would distribute freely to all. One day in 1895, he had disposed of a good quantity, and kept apart 8 mangoes. The voracious boys that clustered around him asked Baba to distribute these also. "No, they are for Damia", he said. "But Damia is not here" insisted the boy. "He is not, but he is at Kopergaon now on his way here", Baba replied (though none knew or had reason to expect Damia's coming) and declined to give the fruits away. But when Baba was out or was attending to some other matters, these "naughty children" of his filched four of these fruits. And thereafter Damia arrived Baba received him cordially saying that he had reserved mangoes for him. He presented the remaining four fruits saying "Eat these and die". Damia was shocked. Mahlsapathy, an ardent devotee of Baba, explained to Damia that it was a blessing to die at the sacred feet of a saint. Baba, however, put an end to his grim humour and thus addressed him, "Damia, do not eat these fruits yourself. But give them to your wife, i.e., the junior wife and she will bear you children. The first, a son, you should name Daulat Shah, the second, a son, Nana Shah". Damia took the fruits, and his junior wife ate them. Twelve months later, she brought forth one son, and another in a further period of eighteen months. She begot exactly eight children of whom four were filched away by the hand of Death. Four sons survived including Saheb Rasane or Daulat Shah, who was an active trustee of Sri Sai Baba's Sansthan.

An Open Guarantee :
Another striking and well-known instance is the case of Rao Bahadur H. V. Sathe, retired Deputy Collector, Poona. Mr. Sathe was left widower about 1900, with one or two daughters, but no sons. Pressed constantly to marry again, he declared that there was no great probability of his obtaining male issue, that a marriage late in life was a serious matter and that he would wed only if assured by a great saint (Sat Purusha) that a marriage would give male issue and be beneficial. In 1904 at the age of 49, he was posted to Ahmednagar District, and he visited Shirdi. Then as he was leaving Baba, the local Mamlatdar told Baba "Baba, Saheb (i.e. H. V. S.) has no son". Baba replied "If he marries, God (Allah) will give him a son". Mr. H. V. S., thus assured, married his second wife, the very next year. During the next 7 years two children were born of this marriage, but both proved to be daughters. His father-in-law, Dada Kelkar went to Baba and complained of absence of male issue, for which every member of the family was hoping and praying. Baba replied, "Wait, Allah will bless. I am praying to Allah". The next year a son was born who is now the prop of his father in his green old age.

WONDEROUS SAINT SRI SAIBABA-PART 21

BY PUJYA SRI NARASIMHASWAMY JI


DIVINITY IN ALL LIFE

IMMANENCE
The question is often asked especially by people outside Maharashtra, whether Baba attained the highest Realisation himself and imparted it to his devotees. As for the first part of the question, there can be no hesitation in giving an affirmative answer. The loftiest realisation that any achieved must be obviously perceived and enjoyed by one whose nature and powers surpass our capacity to describe or comprehend. A fuller answer to the above question involves an intricate examination of subtle matter which would be uninteresting,nay, positively wearisome-to the general reader and has therefore been left over. It is enough here to say that if any creatures or beings had the intellectual perception and the emotional or spiritual enjoyment conveyed by the terms God-Realisation and Self-Realisation, Sai who had gone through the necessary sadhanas and obtained his guru's grace, and who read every one's mind and heart and shared the ideas, sorrows and bliss therein certainly realised God and His Self and enjoyed Divine Bliss.

The General Demand :
Referring to the second half of the question, we shall content ourselves here with the statement that the thousands that went to Sri Sai Baba and still go, have not cared for the loftiest realisation and never asked for it. Baba knew, if anyone knew, that removal of immediate troubles was almost invariably the heart's desire of his visitors and devotees and that the better sort among them wanted Devotion, and other virtues, vision of God, Sadgati and other spiritual good of the same order and he has showered these liberally on his devotees.

God Guru is All :
In not a few casts, he gave his ardent devotees certain interim experiences of Realisation that would naturally lead on to the highest. Among these is the power to see the Guru and that means the same thing as God to most of his devotees in all creatures and at all places. They viewed him, at least in their moments of exalted devotion, as God and when they saw their God Guru in various creatures, there was a more intense and vivid realisation of the intellectually accepted truth that God is in all. Jnaneswari, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita in Marathi ranked very high in the Maha-rastra , describes the seeing of God in all creatures as an important, nay, indispensable part of the aspirant's course. Hence , Baba helped many to attain that step especially through the identification of God with the Guru. Nana Saheb realising his Guru-God's presence in flies, ants, etc., is a good instance of this help.

WONDEROUS SAINT SRI SAIBABA-PART 20

BY PUJYA SRI NARASIMHASWAMY JI

FLIES AND ANTS AS GOOD AS MEN
GUESTS FOR THE DEVOUT

Nana Saheb was very orthodox and pious. He daily offered the Vaiswadeva sacrifice (i.e., cooked lice) to the domestic fire and went out to see if any guest (Athithi) was available to partake of the food. This is enjoined on the householder by Scripture. Nana Saheb never found any guest coming to him at such times.
Could the Scripture enjoin such a useless duty as to go out and look for guests - when none in fact came? He went one day to Baba hoping to ask him about it. But before he opened his mouth Baba taunted him with the words "Yes, the Guests? The devil, they will come to you". Nana understood that Baba was trying to solve his difficulty as to whether Vedas could prescribe a futile observance. Baba retorted that the scripture were not fatuous nor faulty, and that the fault was in the narrow interpretation of Nana.
He asked Nana why he took the woid Athithi to mean" a human being, 3 cubits high, with a pair of arms and a Brahmin at that. Thousands of hungry guests were daily passing his way at the time of his Vaiswadeva offerings but he took no note of them. They were the ants, flies, crows, dogs, cats cattle and other creatures that were ever ready and constantly approaching him to satisfy their hunger. So Baba's advice was to take the cooked food and leave it at any place outside his house and all guests would gladly partake of the same, at their own time and God would be pleased with the sacrifice.

A Sudden Demand :
One day Nana arrived at Shirdi about 12 noon, without any cook or family. Baba told him "Prepare pooran poli (Poli - a flat cake made of lentil, coconut, wheat and sugar), I would like to taste it. Nana objected that the hour was late and that he had none to cook. Baba persisted and so Nana felt sure that some Brahmin would be available in the village to prepare that and other dishes. He took these to Baba at the mosque and requested him to taste them. Without touching them, Baba said, -'Good, Take back the plates'. Nana Saheb was dissatisfied and said, "How is it you ask me to take back the plates without even touching them? If you did not want to eat anything, why ask me to prepare? Unless you partake of something, I will not take away the plates nor eat anything myself".
Baba : I have eaten the poli. Go and take the plates away and have your meal.
Nana : You took the poli! When ? What was brought on the plates remains just as it was. Unless you eat I will not.

Won't Budge :
Saying so Nana felt chagrined and went away to the chavadi, leaving the plates behind. Baba's heart could not endure his 'children' starving and he sent for Nana and bade him to take the food saying, "Some time (back) I have taken your poli. Do not be obstinate. Take the plates away and have your breakfast.
Nana: "No. Not unless you take a bit at least". Nana went back to the chavadi.
Baba sent for him a second time and said in a tone of irritation: "What Nana! You have been with me these 18 years, and is this all your appraisal of me? Does 'Baba' denote to you only this Three-and-a-half cubits body and nothing more? Hallo!
Where the ant eats, there eat I. Where the fly sips, there sip I.
I take any form I like and eat with any form. I have eaten your poli long ago. Do not be unreasonably obstinate".

Moral Stressed :
Nana saw that the logic of Baba was unanswerable. Baba was God in his view, and therefore immanent in all creatures including the flies and ants that settled on the polis as he presented it to Baba. Yet that faith was a weak watery faith that did not support fuller action on its basis'
Nana: Even though you say this, I realise nothing What am I to do?
Baba then made Nana's faith glow, by revelation of his All-Knowingness. There was some secret of Nana, which he never expected any outsider to know. But Baba made a gesture revealing his knowledge of that secret also Nana was convinced thereby that Baba was residing in his heart of all, watching everything; and as Nana gladly took away the plates, Baba told him: "As you see this sign that I make, you will see that I can take food (through other mouths)". This helped Nana better to realise the teaching, "He who sees me within all creatures and is thus devoted to me as the one, the centre, dwells in me, whatever he might be doing".