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

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Shama and Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam

Shama was a very intimate devotee of Baba and Baba wanted to favour him in a

particular way by giving him a copy of Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam as Prasad. This was

done in the following way. Once a Ramadasi (follower of Saint Ramadas) came to

Shirdi and stayed for some time. The routine he followed daily was as follows :

He got up early in the morning, washed his face, bathed and then after wearing

saffron-coloured clothes and besmearing himself with sacred ashes, read

Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam (a book giving a thousand names in praise of Vishnu, and

held second in importance to Bhagwad Geeta) and Adhyatma-Ramayana (Esoteric

version of Rama's story) with faith. He read these books often and often and

then after some days Baba thought of favouring and initiating Shama with

Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam. He, therefore, called the Ramadasi to Him and said to him

that, He was suffering from intense stomach-pain, and unless

He took Senna-pods (Sona-mukhi, a mild purgative drug) the pain would not stop;

so he should please go to the bazar and bring the drug. The Ramadasi closed his

reading and went to the bazar. Then Baba descended from His seat, came to the

Ramadasi's place of reading, took out the copy of Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam, and

coming to His seat said to Shama- "Oh Shama, this book is very valuable and

efficacious, so I present it to you, you read it. Once I suffered intensely and

My heart began to palpitate and My life was in danger. At that critical time, I

hugged this book to My heart and then, Shama, what a relief it gave me! I

thought that Allah Himself came down and saved Me. So I give this to you, read

it slowly, little by little, read daily one name at least and it will do you

good." Shama replied that he did not want it, and that the owner of it, the

Ramadasi who was a mad, obstinate and irritable fellow would certainly pick up

a quarrel with him, besides, being a rustic himself, he could

not read distinctly the Sanskrit (Devanagari) letters of the book.

Shama thought that Baba wanted to set him up against the Ramadasi by this act of

His, but he had no idea of what Baba felt for him. Baba must have thought to tie

this necklace of Vishu-Sahasra-Nam round the neck of Shama, as he was an

intimate devotee, though a rustic, and thus save him from the miseries of the

worldly existence. The efficacy of God's Name is well-known. It saves us from

all sins and bad tendencies, frees us from the cycle of births and deaths.

There is no easier sadhana than this. It is the best purifier of our mind. It

requires no paraphernalia and no restrictions. It is so easy and so effective.

This sadhana, Baba wanted Shama to practise, though he did not crave for it. So

Baba forced this on him. It is also reported that long ago, Eknath Maharaj,

similarly, forced this Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam on a poor Brahmin neighbour, and thus

saved him. The reading and study of this Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam is a broad open way

of purifying the

mind, and hence Baba thrust this on His Shama.

The Ramadasi returned soon with the Seena-pods. Anna Chinchanikar, who was then

present and who wanted to play the part of Narada (the Celestial Rishi who was

well-known for setting up quarrels between Gods and demons and vice versa),

informed him of what had happened. The Ramadasi at once flared up. He came down

at once on Shama with all fury. He said that it was Shama who set Baba to send

him away under the pretext of stomach-ache for bringing the medicine and thus

got the book. He began to scold and abuse Shama and remarked that if the book

be not returned, he would dash his head before him. Shama calmly remonstrated

with him, but in vain. Then Baba spoke kindly to him as follows - "Oh Ramadasi,

what is the matter with you? Why are you so turbulent? Is not Shama our boy? Why

do you scold him unnecessarily. How is it that you are so quarrelsome? Can you

not speak soft and sweet words? You read daily these sacred books and still

your mind

is impure and your passions uncontrolled. What sort of a Ramadasi you are! You

ought to be indifferent to all things. Is it not strange that you should covet

this book so strongly? A true Ramadasi should have no 'mamata' (attachment) but

have 'samata' (equality) towards all. You are now quarrelling with the boy Shama

for a mere book. Go, take your seat, books can be had in plenty for money, but

not men; think well and be considerate. What worth is your book? Shama had no

concern with it. I took it up Myself and gave it to him. You know it by heart.

I thought Shama might read it and profit thereby, and so I gave to it him."

How sweet were these words of Baba, soft, tender and nectar-like! Their effect

was wonderful. The Ramadasi calmed down and said to Shama that he would take

'Panch-ratni' Geeta in return. Shama was much pleased and said - "Why one, I

shall give ten copies in return".

So the matter was ultimately compromised. The question for consideration is "Why

should the Ramadasi press for Pancha-ratni Geeta, the God in which he never

cared to know, and why should he, who daily read religious books in the Masjid

in front of Baba, quarrel with Shama before Him?" We do not know how to

apportion the blame and whom to blame. We only say that, had this procedure

been not gone through, the importance of the subject, the efficacy of God's

name and the study of Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam would not have been brought home to

Shama. So we see that Baba's method, of teaching and initiating was unique. In

this cases Shama did gradually study the book and mastered its contents to such

an extent, that he was able to explain it to Professor G.G. Narke, M.A. of the

College of Engineering, Poona, the son-in-law of Shriman Booty and a devotee of

Baba."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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