Sai Satcharitra-Let us all read it together, a little everyday

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Sai Satchritra - Chapter XXV

Damu Anna Kasar of Ahmednagar - (1) Speculations - (2) Amra-Leela

Preliminary We begin this Chapter with a bow with all our eight limbs to Sai

Baba, Who is an ocean of mercy, the God incarnate, who is Para-Brahman and the

great Yogeshwara (Lord of Yoga). Victory be unto Sai Baba, Who is the

crest-jewel of the Saints, who is the home of all auspicious things, who is our

Atmaram (Dear Self), and who is the able refuge of the devotees. We prostrate

ourselves before Him, Who has attained the aim and end of life.

Sai Baba is always full of mercy. What is wanted on our part is whole-hearted

devotion to Him. When a devotee has got firm faith and devotion, his wishes are

soon fulfilled. When the desire arose in the mind of Hemadpant to write the life

and Leelas of Sai Baba, He immediately got it written by him. When the order 'to

keep the memos' was given, Hemadpant was inspired and his intellect got strength

and boldness to undertake and finish the work. He was not, he say, qualified to

write the work, but the gracious blessings of Baba enabled him to complete the

undertaking; and thus you have this Satcharita which is a Somakant jewel, from

which nectar in the form of Sai Leelas oozes out for the readers to drink to

their hearts' content.

Whenever, a devotee had complete and whole-hearted devotion to Sai Baba, all his

calamities and dangers were warded off and his welfare attended to by Baba. The

story of Damodar Savalaram Resane, Kasar of Ahmednagar (now of Poona) alias

Damu Anna illustrating the above statement, is given below.

Damu Anna The readers are aware that a mention of this gentleman was made in the

6th Chapter, regarding the celebration of Rama-Navami festival in Shirdi. He

went to Shirdi about the year 1895, when the Rama-Navami Utsava-celebration

began and from that time he has been providing an ornamental flag for that

occasion every year. He also feeds the poor and the fakirs that come there for

the festival.

His Speculations : (1) Cotton A Bombay friend of Damu Anna wrote to him, that

they should do some cotton-speculation business in partnership which would

bring them about two lacs of rupees as profit. (Damu Anna says in his statement

made about the year 1936 to Mr. B.V.Narasimha Swami that the proposal about

speculating at Bombay in cotton was from a broker who was not to be a partner,

and that he (Damu Anna) was to be the sole adventurer: - vide P.75 of the

Devotees' Experiences Part II). The broker wrote that the business was good and

involved no risks and that the opportunity should not be lost. Damu Anna was

oscillating in his mind. He could not at once determine to venture in the

speculation. He thought about this and as he was a devotee of Baba, he wrote a

detailed letter to Shama giving all the facts and requested him to consult Baba

and take His advice in the matter. Shama got the letter next day and when he

came with it at noon to the Masjid and placed it

before Baba. He asked Shama what the matter was, and what the paper (letter) was

about. He replied that Damu Anna of Nagar wanted to consult Him about something.

Then Baba said - "What does he write, and what does he plan? It seems that he

wants to catch the sky and that he is not content with what God has given him;

read his letter". Shama than said, "The letter contains what you have just said

now. Oh, Deva you sit here calm and composed and agitate the devotees and when

they get restless, you draw them here, some in person and others through

letters. If you know the contents of the latter, why do you then press me to

read it?" Baba said - "Oh Shama, read it please. I speak at random and who

believes Me."

Then Shama read the letter and Baba heard it attentively and said feelingly -

"The Shet (Damu Anna) has gone mad; write to him in reply that nothing is

wanting in his house. Let him be content with the half loaf (bread) he has now

and let him not bother himself about lacs." Shama sent the reply which Damu

Anna was anxiously waiting for. Reading it, he found that all his hopes and

prospects about lacs of rupees as profit were dashed to the ground. He thought

that he had done a mistake in consulting Baba. But as Shama had hinted in the

reply that there was always much difference in seeing and hearing and that,

therefore, he should come to Shirdi personally and see Baba. He thought it

advisable to go to Shirdi and consult Baba personally about the affair. So he

went to Shirdi, saw Baba, prostrated himself before Him and sat shampooing His

legs. He had no courage to ask Baba openly about the speculation, but he

thought in his mind, that it would be better if some share

in the business should be assigned to Baba and said in his mind, that if Baba

were to help him in this transaction, he would surrender some share of profits

to Him. Damu Anna was thus thinking secretly in his mind, but nothing was

veiled from Baba; everything past, present and future were clear to Him as an

Amalaka fruit in hand. A child wants sweets, but its mother gives bitter pills;

the former spoil its health, while the latter improve it. So the mother looking

to the welfare of her infant, coaxes it and gives it bitter pills. Baba, kind

mother as He was, knew the present and future prospects of His devotees, and

therefore reading Damu Anna's mind, He openly spoke to him - "Bapu, I do not

want to be entangled in any such wordly things (sharing profits)." Seeing

Baba's disapproval Damu Anna dropped the enterprise.

(2) Grain-Dealing : Then he thought of trading in grain, rice, wheat and other

groceries. Baba read also this thought and said to him, "You will be buying at

five seers and selling at seven seers a rupee". So this business was also given

up. The rice in the prices of grains was kept up for some time, and Baba's

prophecy seemed to be falsified, but in a month or two there was abundant rain

everywhere and the prices suddenly fell down; and, therefore, those who stored

grains suffered a severe loss. Damu Anna was saved from this fate. Needless to

say that the cotton speculation which was conducted by the broker with the help

of another merchant also collapsed with a severe loss to the adventurers. After

seeing that Baba had saved him from two severe losses in cotton and grain

speculations, Damu Anna's faith in Baba grew strong and he remained a true

devotee of Baba till His passing away and even now. "Gurur Brahma Gurur

VishnuGurur Devoh

Maheshwar;Gurur Shakshat ParambramhaTashmai Shri Gurur Veh Namah"May the

Merciful Sri Sai Baba always shower His grace on us and our families and remove

our problems and anxieties by giving us all - strength , goodluck, success and

happiness with peace of mind.Sai bhakt,Deepa Hdebu7366

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