Sai Service Newsletter-10

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SAI SERVICE Newsletter – 10

Issue June 13, 2002

 

This Thursday's Message: (Baba said)

 

I am the Mother –

Origin of all beings –

The Harmony of three Gunas,

The Propeller of all senses,

The Creator, Preserver and Destroyer.

 

a) Baba's Talk with Devotees

b) Divine Dews from our God

c) Weekly Article on Baba – Greatness of Baba

d) Spiritual Spectrum – Highest Object of Konwledge

e) Our Prayers to Baba

f) Baba's Help for Cure of Diseases

 

 

a. Baba's Talk with Devotees

 

In October 1917, Baba spoke to a Bombay lady.

 

Baba: Mother, what do you want? Ask for it.

Lady: Let me be free from the whirl of births and deaths.

Baba: (Laughing) Is this all you want? What! Have you come to die?

Lady (shocked) Baba, I do not at all understand you.

Baba: Think who you are

Lady: I do not understand.

Baba (pointing to her husband): He will tell you.

 

Then the lady went with her husband to her lodging and asked him what

Baba meant.

 

Husband: Baba's words are mysterious. I cannot be sure I have made

out his meaning. Probably he means something like this. the jiva goes

on incarnating any number of times till it gets Sakshatkar i.e., sees

or realises God. Baba is God. But people seeing him do not get full

faith and do not see him i.e., feel him to be God; and hence they do

not get Mukti.

 

One must learn from the sastras, that essentially Jiva and Siva are

one. You think yourself to be a jiva is it not?

 

Lady: Yes.

Husband: Baba and Sastras want you to regard yourself as Siva or God.

Lady: No No. I am petty sinner-a Jiva and not the great God Siva.

Husband: No doubt that is your feeling. But Baba means that by

constantly regarding yourself as God, your deeply ingrained belief

that you are only a finite Jiva will be removed. This process

continued, may be through numerous births and strengthened and helped

by contact with saints will give you the firm belief that you are

Brahman. That must be Baba's meaning.

(The pair again returned to Dwaraka Mai)

 

Baba: Mother, I have listened (from here) to all that your husband

told you. Keep that in mind.

 

 

b. Divine Dews from our God

 

 He should get rid of his ego, surrender it at My feet. He, who act=

s

like this in life, him I help the most. (SSS Ch.2)

 

 Those devotees, who are attached to Me, heart and soul, will

naturally feel happiness, when they hear these stories. (SSS Ch.III)

 

 Believe that, Guru is the sole Actor or doer. (SSS Ch.XVIII & XIX)=

 

 

 Let anybody speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by=

 

giving any bitter reply. If you tolerate such things you will

certainly be happy. (SSS Ch.XVIII & XIX)

 

 God pervades everything. (SSS Ch.XX)

 

 My words are always pregnant with meaning and never hollow. (SSS

Ch.XXVIII)

 

 

 

c. Weekly Article:

 

Greatness of Baba – as observed by a devotee

 

`Baba in the mornings would sit near his dhuni and wave his arms and

fingers about, making gestures which convey no meaning to the

onlookers and saying Haq which means `God'. Baba's methods of

imparting spiritual benefit were hardly noticeable. He would speak of

god only rarely and that with feeling. His religious practice could

hardly be discovered by any one. But Baba's purity, strength,

regularity and self-denial were prominent. He would always go and beg

his food even during His illness. He would take the begged food and

eat only a little of it. the rest would be given away or taken away.

Baba's talk would be about Vanis, Telis, and they looked like

meaningless jargon. But it was intentionally so. Baba's words would

be understood only by these whom he intended to enlighten.

 

Jayamani Jaisa Bhav,

Taya Taysa Anubhav

 

says the arati song. That is, You get an experience of Baba in

accordance with what you think of him. Baba's stoic indifference to

comforts was most impressive. He did not acre for any comforts, not

even for his residence. The Mosque, which was a worthless, rumbling,

old and dilapidated building, and though it needed repairs, he put up

with. He did not want it to be repaired, and when others tried to

repair it, he obstructed their efforts. It was only at night when he

went to the chavadi on alternate days that the reconstruction of the

mosque could be pushed through. In one night they had to put up the

whole flooring.

 

Baba had no particular marga, as the yoga marga etc., But if any

person came to grief in his yoga marga, he could give relief. One

yoga sadhaka had bleeding piles and came to Baba and got relief at

Baba's hands. His liberality and generosity were remarkable. He would

daily get dakshina in three figures; one hundred to three hundreds.

He scattered the whole thing away. Bhajan parties and fakirs were

liberally supplied when they came up, and they were always coming up.

His self control and equanimity were equally remarkable. he had no

particular preference of one dish over another, though some people

thought he liked mangoes or sira or even country beans. He was

accessible at all hours of the day and night to people. He himself

said, My durbar is always open at all hours. All his actions were

open and above board. there was nothing done in secrecy. He had

nothing shameful to conceal as no fear from scrutiny. his most marked

feature was perfect calm and total freedom from care and anxiety. He

had no interests to serve or protect, no institutions to support, no

acquisitions to safeguard and no private property to feel anxious

about. With a very large daily income, he left only Rs.16 at the

moment of his passing away from his body. He was perfectly just and

impartial. He was not obsequious to the rich and highly placed nor

supercilious and contemptuous to the lowly. Revenue Commissioners and

collectors and lower officials came in large numbers, and D.Os.,

D.C.s., and Mamlatdars poured in. Also there came the ragamuffins in

the street, paupers and beggars ad nauseam. He treated them all with

perfect equality. Baba's personality was far greater than of any

other saint.

 

 

d. Spiritual Spectrum: (EXTRACTS FROM PURANAS, MESSAGES FROM

SATPURUSHAS)

 

Highest Object of Knowledge

 

>From The Mahabharata - Aswamedha Parva, Section XXXV

Translated by Sri Kisari Mohan Ganguli

 

Arjuna said: It behoveth thee to expound Brahman to me, - that which

is the highest object of knowledge. Through thy favour, my mind is

delighted with these subtle disquisitions.

 

Vasudeva (Krishna) said: In this connection is recited the old story

of the discourse between the preceptor and his disciple on the

subject of Brahman.

 

Once on a time, O scorcher of foes, an intelligent disciple

questioned a certain Brahmana (Brahmin) of rigid vows who was his

preceptor, as he was seated (at his ease), saying: What indeed, is

the highest good? Desirous of attaining to that, which constitutes

the highest good, I throw myself at thy feet, O holy one. O learned

Brahmana, I solicit thee, bending my head, to explain to me what I

ask.

Unto that disciple, O son of Pritha (Arjuna), who said so, the

preceptor said: O regenerate one, I shall explain to thee everything

about which you may have any doubts.

 

Thus addressed, O foremost one of Kuru's race, by his preceptor, that

disciple who was exceedingly devoted to his preceptor, spoke as

follows, with joined hands. Do thou hear what he said, O thou of

great intelligence.

 

The disciple said: Whence am I? Whence art thou? Explain that which

is the highest truth. From what source have sprung all creatures

mobile and immobile? By what do creatures live? What is the limit of

their life? What is truth? What is penance, O learned Brahmana? What

are called attributes by the good? What paths are to be called

auspicious? What is happiness? What is sin? O holy one, O thou of

excellent vows, it behoves thee to answer these questions of mine, O

learned Rishi, correctly, truly, and accurately. Who else is there in

this world than thee that is capable of answering these questions? Do

thou answer them, O foremost of all persons conversant with duties.

My curiosity is great. Thou art celebrated in all the worlds as one

well skilled in the duties relating to Emancipation. There is none

else than thou that is competent to remove all kinds of doubts.

Afraid of worldly life, we have become desirous of achieving

Emancipation.

 

Vasudeva said: Unto that disciple who had humbly sought his

instruction and put the questions duly, who was devoted to his

preceptor and possessed of tranquillity, and who always behaved in a

manner that was agreeable (to his instructor), who lived so

constantly by the side of his instructor as to have almost become his

shadow, who was self-restrained, and who had the life of a Yati and

Brahmachari, O son of Pritha, that preceptor possessed of

intelligence and observant of vows, explained all the questions, O

foremost one of Kuru's race, O chastiser of all foes.

 

The preceptor said: All this was declared (in days of old) by Brahma

himself (the Grandsire of all the worlds). Applauded and practiced by

the foremost of Rishis, and depending on a knowledge of the Vedas, it

involves a consideration of what constitutes the real entity. We

regard knowledge to be the highest object, and renunciation as the

best penance. He who, with certainty, knows the true object of

knowledge which is incapable of being modified by circumstances,

viz., the soul abiding in all creatures, succeed in going wherever he

wishes and comes to be regarded as the highest. That learned man who

beholds the residence of all things in one place and their reverence

as well, and who sees unity in diversity, succeeds in freeing himself

from misery. He, who does not covet anything and does not cherish the

idea of mineness with regard to anything, comes to be regarded,

although residing in this world, as identifiable with Brahman. He who

is conversant with the truth about the qualities of Pradhana (or

Nature), acquainted with the creation of all existent objects,

divested of the idea of mineness, and without pride, succeeds,

without doubt, in emancipating himself.

 

Understanding properly that great tree which has the unmanifest for

its seed sprout, and the understanding for its trunk, and high

consciousness of self for its branches, and the senses for the cells

whence its twigs issue, and the five great elements for its flower-

buds, and the gross elements for its smaller boughs, which is always

endued with leaves, which always puts forth flowers, and upon which

all existent objects depend, whose seed is Brahman, and which is

eternal, - and cutting all topics with the sharp sword of knowledge,

one attains to immortality and casts off birth and death.

(to

be continued)

 

e. Our Prayers to Baba:

 

"I shall draw out My devotees from the jaws of death. If My stories

are listened to, all the diseases will be got rid of. So, hear My

stories with respect, and think and meditate on them, assimilate

them" – Shri Sai Baba, SSS Ch.III

 

BABA LISTENED TO OUR PRAYERS:

 

Kamakshi

 

To All Sai Devotees,

I had posted (Sai Service Newsletter-5, May 09, 2002) a request for

prayer for my daughter who was to undergo a brain surgery and by

Baba's grace every thing went off well and she is now recovering

Thank you all. Sai Ram

 

 

f. Baba's Help:

 

 

BABA'S CURE OF DISEASES

 

In this article we shall consider how far Baba helped his devotees

and their families in the matter of regaining health and cure of

disease. As for prevention, Baba knew exactly by his wonderful

insight where the germs of a disease were and which disease would

kill, and which would not kill. For instance, in Narke's case, he

asked him to bring halwa from the shop of a sweetmeat maker, who had

died of plague. The halwa taken from the plague infected house and

distributed to all as naivedya did not hurt a single person.

Similarly Baba knew exactly where the danger lay, and told people

when they came with a complaint that cholera epidemic had come into

the village, `Do not be frightened, there will be only seven deaths,

and after this, this epidemic will cease'. Baba knew exactly where

the disease was running, how far it would run, and when it would

stop. Therefore, he would give directions for the prevention of, or

escape from disease.

 

The readers would remember in the case of S.B. Dumal, who was living

in plague-infected Nasik, that when plague dad attacked his

neighbours and his neighbourhood, Baba kept him in his plague-

infected bungalow. Even when his own well had dead rats, Dhumal

remained there, and there not the slightest damage to him or to his

family, while in the town 16 or 19 cases of plague deaths were

reported. Baba's knowledge, therefore, as to where exactly infection

was, was marvelous, and he could direct people aright so as to save

themselves from death from plague as he could direct them against

death from snakes. In this connection the readers will remember

Baba's advising Kaka Dixit that he would have a few days fever and

that he would surely regain health.

 

Numerous cases in which Baba guarded people from snake bite have been

referred already. Mrs. Sadasiva Tarkhad, whose eyes were defective,

going about at night in the lanes of Shirdi, where there was

absolutely no street lighting, was about to tread upon a snake when,

suddenly by an internal impulse, evidently granted by her Guru Baba,

she stopped dead in the middle, without knowing why. A lamp was

brought very soon and they saw a serpent in the place where she was

about to place her foot. Baba similarly saved Mr. Buty, a

millionaire. He also saved Baba Sahib Merikar, a Sardar at

Ahmednagar, from snake bite at Chitale station. The protection by

Baba did not cease with his Mahasamadhi. After his Mahasamadhi and

after his fame pervaded the southern portion of the Indian continent,

devotees have always had Baba's protection. Cases have been reported

in Sai Sudha how bhakthas treading or about to tread on snakes were

saved by Baba. There was such a case in Tindivanam. But the one

reported from Shanti Ashram, Thotapalli Hills, Visakhapatnam

District, Andra state in the year 1954. There, Baba's most recent

leelas have taken place from March onwards. A lady devotee proceeding

at dusk from the Swami's Ashram to her own cottage suddenly trod upon

a snake, and cries out `Om Sai'. She escaped from any harm, for the

snake quietly moved on without hurting her. Similar cases are

reported elsewhere, and bhaktas who concentrate on Baba with their

attention have nothing to fear, for Baba's eye of vigilant

supervision is on all those who love him, and that is a charter which

they may very well rely upon. As far saving life, there are various

other cases also.

 

 

Baba saved lives, and expressly commissioned people to go and save

the lives of children dying or about to die. For instance, when at

Nimon, a child was in serious peril, and when Somnath Nimonkar, a

Police Sub-Inspector, was taking leave of Baba, Baba gave him udhi

and told him, `Porala Jiva lao'. that is, `Save the child'. He could

not understand anything at the time. But when he reached his father's

home at Nimon, he discovered that the child there was actually dying,

and people had give up hopes. He had lost the udhi given by Baba. But

he took up child on his lap, and then began to pray to Baba . IN 15

minutes, the child given up as lost revived. Thus Baba had saved the

child's life.

 

Another case of a bhakta's life being saved would be remembered by

students of Baba's Gospel. Baba used to say about a child that was

sleeping before him `When this baby sleeps, we have to stand up, keep

awake, and watch or take trouble'. In accordance with Aditya

Hridayam,

 

Esha Supteshu Jagarti

Bhuteshu Parinishtitah

 

This means, `(This) Sun god is carefully watching when creatures are

sleeping'. Baba proved the truth of his careful watching or

guardianship on several occasions. Shanti Kirvandikar, a child of two

or three years, living at Shirdi, used to say of Baba was her elder

brother. Baba loved the child, as he loves all devotees. There are

many wells without parapet walls in Shirdi. One day this child was

running about and suddenly dropped into a well with plenty of water

in it, and would have surely drowned. but there were persons at some

distance who noticed that the child had suddenly disappeared. They

ran up and found that the child was holding on to the edge of a rock

and laughing. When asked, Shanti said, `When I fell, Baba held me in

his arms and left me in this position. People will remember Baba's

saying, `I will not allow any devotee to come to harm. I have to take

thought for my devotee, and if a devotee is about to fall, I stretch

out my hands and thus, with four outstretched hands at a time,

support him. I will not let him fall'. It is thus the child saved.

 

Another instance will be remembered by the reader in S.B. Nachne's

family. Nachne's little two year old child fell down from upstairs

and when the father ran up expecting to see the child seriously

injured the child was there whole and laughing and said, `Baba held

me in his arms as I fell and left me here unhurt'.

 

Publisher's Note:

 

THE SOLE PURPOSE of this newsletter is to present Sai messages and

other spiritual messages to the interested devotees on Thursdays.

Feel free to forward this newsletter to your interested associates.

 

In this newsletter, wherever the sources of the articles not

mentioned, please consider these items are taken from H H Pujyasri B

V Narasimha Swamiji's books.

 

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