BABA'S NEVER ENDING GRACE

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BABA’S NEVER ENDING GRACE TO RASANE

But we may first mention the sort of assurance that Baba gave him before

Mahasamadhi. Baba was relied upon by Damia as his great asset, the one shield

against all sorrow and trouble, the one supreme protector who would guard him

against every evil. So, whenever he was in trouble, he thought of Baba. On one

occasion, his wife’s nath, nose ornament, usually considered to represent

the Mangalya, was stolen by an old-time servant. The matter was reported to the

police. They came and seized the thief and after making a search, arrested him.

Damia felt hurt in every way, firstly by the loss of the Mangalya ornament and

next the fact that the thief was a man whom he had trusted for thirty years.

That such a servant should turn a traitor was a shock to him. So, he at once

went to Shirdi and Baba, noting how upset he was, told Shama to give him a good

fine feast. Then he was given a coating of sandal paste and Baba assured him he

was with him, and restored his courage, self-possession and equanimity.

On other occasions also, he always appealed to Baba and Baba came to his aid.

Damia had implicit reverence for and faith in Baba and obeyed his directions.

Although he was very orthodox in his ways, he invited Baba for a meal on an

important occasion at Shirdi. Baba declined to go and then Damia asked him,

"Send at least Bala Patel", who was Baba’s constant attendant, though a

Harijan. Baba said, "I will send him. But do not cry Dhut, Dhut at him and keep

him far away from your own place of eating." Damia agreed and, inspite of his

orthodoxy, spread a plate for Bala next to himself. This was a great

achievement in those days at the beginning of 20th century.

Damia has said that his mind was always dwelling on Baba, and he saw him at his

own house at Ahmednagar. sometimes, he says, Baba abused him and even beat him

fiercely. But he adds he knew that, as with Akkalkote Maharaj, blows and abuses

have an auspicious ending. So, he always found that blows and abuse were not

matters for regret.

On religious matters, he had very little occasion to seek Baba’s

assistance. It was chiefly temporal blessings that he got. For instance, when

his son Nana had only one son, Damia prayed to Baba at his Samadhi for a second

grandson and a second grandson was born. Being almost wholly occupied with

worldly affairs, his consultations with Baba were only on business and domestic

matters.

On one occasion, a Bombay cotton broker told him that he had a good lot of Rs.

50,000 or Rs. 60,000 with him, and he could safely speculate in cotton and earn

lakhs of rupees and that too very quickly. At once Damia wrote to Shama to ask

Baba for permission to launch on this speculation. When letter came to Baba,

Baba said, "Damia wants to catch at the sky. His head is wrong. He is trying to

think of lakhs. Write to him that his present position is not bad, and ask him

not to think of lakhs". After the letter came, Damia with great regret dropped

the idea of cotton speculation, but not finally. He thought he would go

directly to meet Baba, and then induce Baba to give the permission by offering

a share in the profits to Baba. So he went to Shirdi and when massaging

Baba’s legs, was thinking of his plan. Baba at once said, "Damia, I am

not in anything." That is, Baba was not going to be a partner in any

speculation or similar affair. Baba did not want money at all and, if he

wanted, speculation was not necessary for him. Prakamya is one of the siddhis

forming part of one’s divine nature. Baba said, "I am God". He also said,

"I have vast powers." Baba could command large amounts at will. But he had no

necessity for wealth.

Again on another occasion, Damia found people trading in grain. So, he wanted

Baba’s permission for himself to trade in grain. Baba said, "No." He was

wondering why. He had friends who advised him that grain prices were rising,

and if the grains were stored up the yield of profit would be cent per cent or

more. But Baba said, "Arre, you will be buying at five seers per rupee and

selling seven seers per rupee. For a month or two, the prices were rising

still; Baba’s prophecy seemed to be false. But when Asvina came, the

monsoon rains were abundant and everywhere the crops were excellent, and so

prices fell and the grain hoarders suffered a loss. Damia discovered that Baba

had saved him from this calamity.

Damia had occasional curiosity, which prompted him put questions. First he

wanted to know if when so many were crowding around Baba whether they all got

any benefit from him. This was a mental question. Baba at once replied, "Look

at the mango tree in blossom. If all flowers turn fruit, what a splendid crop

it would be? But do they? Most fall of by the wind. Very few remain." The

second question was, that, if Baba should pass away, how helpless Damia would

be. This also a mental question. To this Baba answered, "I will be with you

whenever you think of Me and wherever you think of Me." This was mentioned

before 1918 and is fulfilled even after 1918. Damia says, "Even after his

Mahasamadhi, He is still with me. He is still guiding me, as per his statement

made in 1936." So, he is one of the Ankita children of Baba, whom Baba guided,

corrected and helped.

Author: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

(Vasuki Mahal Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Trust, Coimbatore-641025, India)