DEEDS IN WORDS

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DEEDS IN WORDS

Baba said, "My words are always pregnant with meaning and never hollow" in Sri

Sai Satcharitra, ch. XXVIII

It is said that all spiritual Masters use symbolism in their methods of work and

teaching. In the case of Sai Baba the use of symbolism is more pronounced. A

lady once asked Him to come and take food with her. Baba consented. The lady

prepared special dishes with all care and love. Before everything was ready a

stray dog entered and was about to partake the food that was being prepared.

The lady in horror drove away the dog just in time, and then went to invite Sai

Baba. Baba replied "you drove me away, when I wanted it. Now I don’t want it".

A devotee’s spectacles fell at the feet of Baba, when he was bowing down.

Someone suggested that as the spectacles had fallen at the feet of Baba, they

be presented to Him. Baba wore no spectacles but He said "I don’t need

spectacles, I have got a pair, they cost me forty rupees". This answer puzzled

the devotees who were around until and elderly person explained that by

referring to pair of spectacles, Baba implied realisations, and forty rupees

implied the forty years since He attained realisation.

A devotee wanted to take a photograph of Baba. Baba said "No, don’t take, it is

enough if you knock the wall down". A photographer gives the likeness of the

physical body of Sai Baba. Knocking the wall down is not to identify Sai Baba

with the physical body. When the wall is knocked down the true likeness of Sai

Baba will appear.

There was symbolism in the dakshina and money that He demanded. He would

repeatedly ask, dakshina of only Rs. 2.00 from a devotee. When asked why, Baba

replied that what He wanted was not the metal coin, but two things namely,

faith and patience. The other reasons why Baba demanded money as dakshina were

payment of First fruits and for fulfillment of forgotten vows. It is important

to note that He did not ask all who came to Him for money. He has said that He

asked money only from those whom the fakir pointed out, and in exchange He has

to give them ten times that. In several instances He refuses money though

offered voluntarily.

(from the book ‘The Eternal Sai’)

 

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