DIVINE EXPERIENCES - SERVICE WITH PURE INTENTION

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DIVINE EXPERIENCES – SERVICE WITH PURE INTENTION

Bhikubai, wife of Bayyaji Patil Kothe, caste Mahrathi, aged about 42, residence Shirdi says:

My parental home is Ahmadnagar. I knew Radhakrishna Ayi as a friend at Nagar.

She had a photo of Baba and she told me about him there. She was worshipping

him with Arathi etc. She told me, she wanted to go to him. Her paternal

grandfather was a lawyer there. Baba Saheb Ganesh was his name. She resided

with him. I was wedded to one at Sangamner and he died and from there in my

14th year I came here, as Radhakrishna Ayi, my friend was here serving Sai Baba

(1908)

Gangagiri Baba of Vanjargaon was performing a huge Nama Saptha under the

Tamarind trees (near Wada). There was a huge gathering every day and among many

pilgrim groups that came, one was from Sangamner and when that returned to

Sangamner, it brought from my friend Radhakrishna Ayi a photo of Baba, a lot of

Burfi Prasad and an invitation to me to go over to Shirdi and settle there. I

accepted the invitation and came here without jewels and property. I then went

and saw Baba. He told me to live with Radhakrishna Ayi and be busy serving.

About the end of 1916, i.e. 1 or 2 months after Radhakrishna Ayi died, I had

gone to Nagar to draw my pension as the widow of a man that died in the war at

rupees 6 per month (which I still draw). On my way back, at Kopergaon, near the

banks of the Godavari, I was reminded of the fate of Radhakrishna Ayi, who was

burnt there. My mind was all in a turmoil. I had brought over my garland to

Shirdi for Baba. When I went to place it on Baba,

he said, "I don’t want this garland of mental uneasiness". He did not receive

it. H.S. Dixit requested him to take it as I had brought it from Ahmednagar for

him with such great trouble. I then went near Baba lifting the garland with both

hands. Then I neared Baba, the garland somehow snapped into 3 parts; one was

left in each hand and one fall on the floor. How it got severed like that I

could not discover. Baba was simply saying "I don’t want it."

I had brought with me along with the garland a water melon and some milk sweets

and I placed the pedas and the cut fruit before Baba. Baba took them up and

distributed them. Then I took a slice and cut off the outer skin and presented

parts to Baba and asked him to eat it. Dixit also requested him to eat it. Baba

then said, "This woman was weeping and shedding tears at Godavari and she has

brought it with such a troubled heart and so I will not accept it." The fact

was that at the river bank I was weeping and blaming Baba mentally for not

having saved Radhakrishna Ayi i.e., for allowing her to die such a wretched

death. Baba knew everything that was in my heart and hence his refusal to

accept my present.

Baba at his noonday meal daily gave me a vessel full of food which I took home.

On the day of Baba’s expiry, I was greatly agitated at his leaving desolate and

I was weeping at about 10 p.m. in my house saying "Baba I cannot see you again."

I came out and outside my front door I saw a serpent and felt that it was Baba

and said, "I cannot recognise you in this serpent body I know only your Sai

Baba form." The serpent disappeared.

(Written by HH Pujyasri B V Narasimha Swamiji in devotees Experiences Vol.3 on 2nd December 1936.)

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY:

Whatever is sacrificed, given or performed, and whatever austerity is practised

without faith, it is called ‘asat’, O Arjuna, it is naught here or hereafter

(after death).

>From The Bhagavad Gita Chapter 17, verse 28

Tamaso Ma Jyotirgamaya ....

The highest Siddhi is realisation of the Self, for once you realise the truth

you cease to be drawn to the path of ignorance.

Question: Then what use are the Siddhis?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: There are two kinds of Siddhis and one kind may well be a

stumbling block to realisation. It is said that by Mantra, by some drug

possessing occult virtues, by severe austerities or by samadhi of a certain

kind, powers can be acquired. But these powers are not a means to

Self-knowledge, for even when you acquire them, you may quite well be in

ignorance.

Question: What is the other kind?

Sri Ramana Maharshi: They are manifestations of power and knowledge, which are

quite natural to you when you realise the Self. They are Siddhis, which are the

products of the normal and natural Tapas (spiritual practice) of the man who has

reached the Self. They come of their own accord, they are God given. They come

according to one’s destiny but whether they come or not, the Jnani, who is

settled in the supreme peace, is not disturbed by them. For he knows the Self

and that is the unshakable Siddhi. But these Siddhis do not come by trying for

them. When you are in the state of realisation, you will know what these powers

are.

 

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