Satyagraha By A Lady

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Pearls of Wisdom - is the title chosen to the collection of writings,

speeches and messages of His Holiness Swami Kesavaiahji dealing with his

Guru, Sri Sai Baba of Shridi, speanning a period of four decades of the

Swamijis Spiritual ministry of Sainath, we will try to publish a portion of

the book every day)

 

 

Satyagraha By A Lady

One day Radha Bai Deshmukin came to Sai Baba for upadesh, got none and

determined to ofler Satyagraha. She started fasting, which should only end

with either death or with upadesh from Baba. After ten days of fruitless

fast, the Honourable Dikshit interceded with Baba on her behalf and

requested Him to utter some divine names in her presence. Baba sent for her

and addressed her thus :

"Mother, why do you think of dying, and torture yourself? Take pity on Me,

your child. I am a beggar. Look here. My Guru was a great saint and highly

merciful. I fatigued Myself in trying to serve Him and yet He did not utter

any mantra in My ear. Instead, He first shaved me clean and then begged of

Me two paise. What He wanted was not metallic coin. He did not care even for

gold, but only Nishta and Saburi, i. e., faith and courageous patience. I

gave these to Him at once and He was pleased.

" Mother, Saburi is courage ; do not discard it. It ferries you across to

the distant goal. It gives manliness to man, eradicates sin and dejection

and overcomes all fear.

"For 12 years, I waited on my Guru, who is peerless and loving. How can I

describe His love for Me ? When He was Dhyanasta (in love-trance), I sat and

gazed at Him ; and We were both filled with Bliss. I cared not to turn My

eye upon anything else. Night and day I pored upon His face with an ardour

of love that banished hunger and thirst. The Guru's absence, even for a

second, made Me restless. I meditated upon nothing but the Guru and had no

goal or object other than the Guru. Unceasingly fixed upon Him, was My mind.

Wonderful indeed is the art of my Guru ! I wanted nothing but the Guru and

He wanted nothing but my love. Apparently actionless, He never neglected me,

but always protected me by His glance.

“That Guru – I tell thee truthfully, sitting as I do in this Masjid - never

chanted any mantra into my ear; nor do I chant any into yours. Go thou

and do likewise.

"If you make Me the sole object of your thoughts and aims, you will attain

Paramartha, the supreme goal. Look at Me with undivided attention; so will I

look at you. This is the only truth, my Guru taught me. The four sadhanas

and the six sastras are not necessary. With entire confidence, trust your

Guru. That is enough."

The lady bowed, accepted the advice and gave up Satyagraha.

 

 

 

Saint Sayings

 

 

Never talk about the faults of others, no matter how bad they may be.

Nothing is ever gained by that. You never help one by telling about his

faults, you do him an injury, and injure yourself as well.

Truth, purity and unselfishness — wherever these are 'present, there is no

power below or above the sun to crush the possessor thereof, Equipped with

these, one individual is able to face tie whole universe in opposition. In

the case of a seeker, the heart goes first, then comes the tongue. In the

case of a wordly wise man, the tongue goes first, and then the heart.

Success and failure, achievement and frustration, -health and ill-health,

attraction and repulsion, are all working out according to laws starting

from the basic karma (past actions) of the individual. These sequences have

to be gone through. Unnecessary worry, annoyance and bitterness do not

reduce the intensity of what one is passing through. A certain amount of

cheerfulness regarding all unpleasant happenings as so much "' account

settled " makes the burden of life lighter.

H.H.SWAMI KESAVAIAHJl'S SELECTIONS