Guest guest Posted August 16, 2004 Report Share Posted August 16, 2004 DIVINE EXPERIENCES – Sri. H.V. Sathe (3) Rao Bahadur Hari Vinayak Sathe, Retired Deputy Collector, Deccani, continues saying: When the construction was to go on, the walls had to be raised and some of the branches of the Neem tree (under which Baba had practised his early sadhana or penance) had to be loped off. As the tree was held sacred by all, none dared to cut the branches and Baba was approached. He then said, "cut off so much as interferes with the construction. Even if our own foetus lies athwart the womb, we must cut it." But even with his permission, the work men feared to cut it as it seemed so sacrilegious. Then Baba himself came and cut off the obstruction. Later the steps for going upstairs and a niche over Baba’s Guru’s tomb were put up. Baba made me spend monies in this and in other matters also so as to help on religion and charity e.g. when Das Ganu had his ‘Lives of the Saints" ready for printing Baba made me pay Rs. 75 towards the expenses. Baba was greatly attracted to Dada Kelkar’s (i.e., my father-in-law’s) nephew – Babu. He was measurer under my assistant, Limaye (I was then Assistant Superintendent of Revenue Survey of Kopergaon and Yeola). But instead of paying due attention to his official work, he would go and stay at Shirdi, doing services to Baba. My assistant complained to me that my brother-in-law (Babu) was always going away to Shirdi and neglecting his work. I communicated this to Kelkar and he said "What is to be done? He is guided and ordered by Baba." In fact, Baba knowing evidently that was happening to Baba very shortly, made light of his services and said, "Blast the services, let him serve me." Babu was always attending on Baba and rendering as much service as he could; and Baba would always see that Babu got the choicest delicacies whenever they were available. So Limaye let him do as he liked. Babu’s end was drawing near in 1910. He ate mangoes (which were always pouring in upon Baba since 1910) rather too freely. Baba warned Kelkar and told him to have some care of his fever and as he was nearing death, Baba asked Kelkar "Are to aahe kay?" i.e., "Is he alive?" In a few days Babu passed away (1910) aged only 22 leaving an issueless widow. Baba in the early days of my moving with him at times favoured the extension of his worship and at times did not. He made me and my father-in-law start the group congregational worship of Baba as Guru by all the devotees on Guru Poornima day. But when I tried to do Pooja to him as Mahadeva or Siva on ‘Shivaratri’ midnight he did not favour the proposal. When he was first asked for permission that day he said, "No". then we (i.e., myself and Megha) thought over it, took some Bilwa leaves and wished to do silent pooja at the steps of the Mosque at midnight (which is the time observed in all Shiva Temples). When we went there, Tatya from inside the Mosque waved his hand warning us off. But as Baba seemed to be asleep we dared to put some sandal and Bel on the steps in silence. Baba at once got up and hurled wild abuse without naming any one as the objective of his abuse. The whole village was roused and they flocked to the Mosque and blamed us for trying to steal a march over the rest of the devotees and in defiance of Baba’s wishes to obtain clandestine punya by midnight worship at the steps of Mosque. Though Baba did not want me to take upadesa from others he yet desired that I should show due respect and hospitality to Saints. In fact, he made one Saint go to me. Kaka Maharaj of Dopeshwar (near Rajapur) was a well known saint. Some 25 years ago, he visited Poona and lodged with one Devle. He was besieged by a crowd of devotees inviting him to their place for meal and comfort. I also made the same request. He regretted his inability to comply with my request. This was in the morning. Later at about noon of the same day, when I was at my office, I was surprised to learn that the Maharaj had sent word to say that he would visit my house and so I sent him my tonga and went home to receive him. When I met him, I asked him how he happened to change his mind so suddenly since morning. Pointing to Sai Baba’s portrait on my wall the Maharaj replied "He would not allow me to rest till I came and saw you." Shortly before this Maharaj passed away, he had given leave to my son-in-law’s brother Hari Gangadhar Joshi (pleader, Thana) and another to go to Sai Baba and pay their respects. They started to Shirdi after Kaka Maharaj passed away. When they arrived at the mosque Baba was in a towering passion, in one of his fits of rage that seemed so ungovernable. But as soon as Baba saw these two arrivals standing outside the mosque he ordered them to be brought to him. When they went up he had sufficiently cooled down and they took darshan without any trepidation or uneasiness. Later Baba started out for Bhiksha. Then he said to them "You have killed that old man (i.e., Kaka Maharaj) and come here eh?" Though he had not been told of the Maharaj’s permission or his death he knew the facts and thus revealed to them at once his knowledge of the facts and his fellow feeling with that Maharaj. (Written by HH Pujyasri B V Narasimha Swamiji during October 1936 in Devotees Experiences Vol.3) THOUGHT FOR THE DAY Birth and death are not two different states, but they are different aspects of the same state. There is as little reason to deplore the one as there is to be pleased over the other. Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya....... Question: It is said in Sri Ramcharitmanas that the only real thing is the worship of God, the world is a dream. What is its implication? Answer: The world is in a state of continuous flux. A discriminating analysis shall reveal, it is a long dream. We do not see dreams when in deep sleep or awake, these are seen in a state of half sleep. As far as worship (bhajan) is concerned, it manifests itself with satsang, to keep the consciousness of God alive, and awake in the midst of discharging your worldly duties in real worship. This should be practised regularly, morning, evening, by strengthening association with God and dissociation with the temporary self. Instead, we are all the time involved in asserting the ego, having no occasion to examine that there is anything beyond. We can only rise above the little self if we give prominence to satsang. The same idea is expressed by emphasising unattached action and surrendering the fruits thereof to God. Then we do not ‘do’ things as they happen. The feelings of ‘I’ and ego are eliminated, and the God’s presence is always felt. That is the reality, all the rest is unreal, a dream. (-Swami Premanandaji Saraswati ) Mail is new and improved - Check it out! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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