AMBROSIA IN SHIRDI-PART 15

EXCERPTS INHERITED FROM THE BOOK ,"AMBROSIA IN SHIRDI",
COMPILED BY : SAI BHAKT VINNY

Leela 34

Baba once asked Butti to go to Dixit Wada and get rupees sixteen and half as dakshina from Kaka.Butti at once got up and went to the Wada. There he found Kaka and Bala Saheb Bhate about to discuss the Eleventh Skanda of Eknath Bhagavat,

that they had just read. Butti related the reason for his coming there. Kaka had only one rupee left with him at that time. He

said, "I have already given sixteen and half to Baba," and explained to Butti the significance of the amount. Then Buti returned to Dwarakamai and told Baba what Dixit had just said and Baba gladly accepted.

Leela 34

Once Chandorkar and his family were at Shirdi, during the solar eclipse. He requested Baba to allow him to go to Kopargaon, to do Puja and bathe in the Godavari. Baba readily agreed. After he finished his rituals and bath, he gave a four-anna coin as dakshina to a Fakir. Upon his return to Shirdi, Baba showed him the same coin that He had accepted during the solar eclipse.

Leela 35

A devotee from Aurangabad sought refuge in Shirdi at Baba's feet. A Police warrant was filed against him for an injury case. He brought with him Rs.800/- in cash and had two gold rings on his fingers. At Shirdi he stayed at Dixit Wada and dined at Sagun Meru's hotel. Daily he took darshan of Baba who asked him for Rs. 100/- as dakshina. Soon, he was depleted of the money so he asked Sagun Meru to write to his brother for Rs.1000/-. Forthwith the brother came with the money, took Baba's darshan and left.Baba depleted him of the Rs.1000/- and he had no more money left. Meanwhile the police found out that he was at Shirdi. They arrived with the warrant and searched for him. The devotee heard that the police had come for him, so he ran to the Dwarakamai and sat before Baba. The police did their duty of searching and then came to Dwarakamai. They looked for him but could not see him though he was sitting in front of Baba. When they left, the devotee prostrated before Baba. Baba said "You may go home tomorrow after meals.Your troubles have come to an end." The next day he received a letter stating that he had been acquitted. Happily he returned home, and latter earned a lot of money, thus the dakshina provided protection, relief of mental anguish, and latter a good income.

AMBROSIA IN SHIRDI-PART 14

EXCERPTS INHERITED FROM THE BOOK ,"AMBROSIA IN SHIRDI",
COMPILED BY : SAI BHAKT VINNY

Leela 31

One devotee had gone to Shirdi for Baba's darshan and wanted to give Baba dakshina. On beholding the luminous roop of Baba, he was so overwhelmed that he forgot to give dakshina and returned home, That night, his wife dreamt of Baba who told her about a packet of money that was lying on a shelf in the bathroom. She related her dream to her husband, who realized that he had kept the packet there upon his return. He regretted having forgotten to give the dakshina. So he went immediately and sent the amount by money order.

Leela 32

Repeatedly Baba asked Purandare for rupees two as dakshina.Purandare went to see Baba often out of the deep love and regard he felt for Him. Every time Baba asked for rupees two nothing more or nothing less.Curious about this Purandare asked Baba about it, Baba replied, "It is not these coins I want from you. I want Nishta (concentrated faith) and Saburi (joyous patience)", Purandare replied that he had given all his faith to Baba and was patiently awaiting progress. Baba told him to keep up his faith unfailingly and to be strict and anxious to fulfill all the promises he had made. Further Baba said, "You should have truth always wifh you. Then I will be always with you wherever you are and at all times." Humbly, Purandare promised to try his best and entreated Baba's help for controlling his mind.

Leela 33

Baba once asked Butti to go to Dixit Wada and get rupees sixteen and half as dakshina from Kaka. Butti at once got up and went to the Wada. There he found Kaka and Bala Saheb Bhate about to discuss the Eleventh Skanda of Eknath Bhagavat, that they had just read. Butti related the reason for his coming there. Kaka had only one rupee left with him at that time. He said, "I have already given sixteen and half to Baba," and explained to Butti the significance of the amount. Then Buti returned to Dwarakamai and told Baba what Dixit had just said and Baba gladly accepted.

Leela 34

Once Chandorkar and his family were at Shirdi, during the solar eclipse. He requested Baba to allow him to go to Kopargaon, to do Puja and bathe in the Godavari. Baba readily agreed. After he finished his rituals and bath, he gave a four-anna coin as dakshina to a Fakir. Upon his return to Shirdi, Baba showed him the same coin that He had accepted during the solar eclipse.

AMBROSIA IN SHIRDI-PART 13

EXCERPTS INHERITED FROM THE BOOK ,"AMBROSIA IN SHIRDI",
COMPILED BY : SAI BHAKT VINNY

Leela 30

"Sometimes I am a dog, sometimes a pig, a cow, a cat and an ant, a fly, and a aquatic creature in such various form do I move about in the world. Know that I like only him who sees Me in all the living beings. So give up the sense of differentiation. This is the way to worship Me," said Baba to Mrs. Tarkhad (Sai Satcharitra Ch.9). She fed a hungry dog that came to her door at lunch time. Then came a hungry pig smeared all over with mud and dirt; happily she fed the pig too.Baba used to feed a mongrel dog daily. The dog used to sleep on the steps of Dwarkamai one day Madhu False hit the dog, who was obstructing his path. Baba at once flew into a rage and said, "It came here for Me and not for you. Be aware hereafter."In Devotees Experience, page 166, the story of Hansaraj is given. As he was an asthmatic, Baba for­bade him to eat curds. However, Hansaraj could not resist his love for curds. He got the curds made at home and asked his wife to hang it in a sling from the ceiling. Every day, a cat came and ate the curds. One day Hansaraj stayed at home to catch the cat in the act, so he could punish it. This is exactly what happened. The cat stealthily came in climbed up and ate the curds. Hansaraj waited with stick in hand and beat the cat as it left. Later he went to see Baba in Dwarakamai. Baba said, "There is a man who wants to die by eating sour and pungent things. But I would not allow him to do that. Today I went to him in the form of a cat. That fellow has given Me a caning on the back. See here!"Then Baba exposed His back and thereby showed the welt marks.Mahalsapathy used to feed a crippled bitch daily. One day having fed her he said "go, go" but the bitch would not move, so he took a stick and beat it. Later when he went to Dwarakamai, Baba said, "There is a bitch, sickly like Me in the village. Every one is beating it". Mahalsapathy remembered his behaviour and repented, (Ref. ~~ Life of Baba, Vol.2).After taking 'bhiksha' Baba put all the food collected into the 'Kolemba'. The cats and dogs of Shirdi waited for Him to return so, they could eat to their hearts content. He, who would not drive away the animals would He al­low them to be beaten?

DAKSHINA MIMAMSA

Dakshina literally means 'sacrificial fees'.In Sai Satcharitra Ch.14 is the wonderful story of Ratanji Shahapurji Wadia of Nanded. He went to Baba on Das Ganu's advice, because he was filled with sor­row and despair, as he had no male children. He longed for a son and prayed to Baba from the bottom of his heart. Baba said, "And so, after all these days you have come to Me today! But then give Me first whatever dakshina you wish to give. Only then will you get your satisfac­tion".Ratanji had brought with him the most beautiful garland the choicest fruit and of course dakshina. Full of love and humility, he offered them at Baba's feet. But Baba said, "/ know you have already given Me three rupees and fourteen annas. Now give Me the remaining money as dakshina". Here Baba identifies with another saint called Mauli Saheb, who was invited for lunch by Ratanji. The amount spent for that pur­pose was exactly rupees three and fourteen annas.Baba stayed in the Dwarakamai for sixty years. From the very beginning, He went for biksha to the five chosen houses. He ate very little. The rest He distrib­uted to the devotees, the dogs and cats survived because of that bhiksha. His needs were very little. All He required was a little tobacco, oil for burning the lamps and wood for His Dhuni.

Why did Baba demand dakshina?The most significant meaning for dakshina was to rid the devotee of ego, and instill non-attachment to the transient things. Baba had a unique method of tak­ing dakshina. Usually, He asked only for that amount that the devotee had wished to offer. At other times, He would keep on asking the devotee till his pockets were empty. There was a lesson behind this. He then asked the devotee to borrow it (instilling humility). Some times it was to instill faith, for another devotee would give that same amount unknowingly. Time and again the devotee left Shirdi penniless and Baba ap­peared on the way in some disguise and took care of every thing.

The most striking feature was the significance of the number.

1) Re. I/-. The number one stood for jeeva or even Brahma.

2) Rs.2/- for nishta, faith and saburi (Sathe and Radhabai Deshmukh. Sai Satcharitra Ch.18 & 19)

3) Rs.4/- often indicated the ego complex, i.e., Manas, Buddhi, Chitta and Ahankar and the need to surrender it at the feet of the Guru.

4) Rs.5/- symbolized the senses, i.e. the Indriyas (The Marwari and quick Brahma Cyan. Sai Satcharitra 16 & 17).

5) Rs.6/- refers to the six internal enemies (Mrs. Tarkhad. Ref: Devotees' experience)

6) Rs.9/- refers to Nav Vidya Bhakti of the Bhakti Marga (Laxmibai and Anantrao Pathankar and the parable of the mare, Sai Satcharitra Ch. 42 and 21 respectively.)

7) Rs.15/-. Giving Dakshina here means deriving les­sons from the scriptures and lodging them in the heart where Baba resides. (Prof. Narke. Ref: Devo­tees' experience)

8) Rs.16.50/-. Sharanagati (total and complete surren­der to Baba).

Some times the amount was large; implying a pay raise or bonus and the exact amount was demanded by Baba.