Thursday Message from Sri Sai Satcharitra

[Guest guest]

Saint, we know that "BABA Sarvantaryami"., Baba informed Mr. Ruttonji Shapurji

Wadia, that he already received Rs.3-14-00 and asked him to pay only the

balance amount.(this amount he spend to Sri Moulisaheb, when he came to his

house). Mr. Ruttonji came to BABA to pray him to bless him with an issue, as

he is miserable with not having kids. When he expressed his desire to BABA

“told him not to be worried, and that time his bad days had ended" placed His

hand on his head and blessed him saying that Allah (God) would satisfy his

heart's desire. Later he was blessed with son and confirmed his faith on BABA.

mso-bidi-font-family: 'Courier New'"> The main message we have to learn and

assimililate through thischapter is Dakshina. Baba asked Dakshina from devotees

who visited Him. It means that not only the rupees, we have to give him our

heartful Faith and Bhakti to Him. He want to teach us to give with hesitation

and reservation and also tests His devotees that they are not attached to money

and material things, and the devotee is qualified enough for the growth of

spiritual life, that is His demand for Dakshina and sending them to SCHOOL

(Radhakrishnamai's house), who stood well in these tests, (from the attachments

of wealth and woman) their progress in the spiritual life is remarkable.

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“Devotees are requested to send their views about this chapter.”

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yes"> Chapter XIV

Ruttonji Wadia of Nanded - Saint Moulisaheb - Dakshina Mimansa. In the last

Chapter, we described how Baba's word and grace cured many incurable diseases.

Now, we shall describe, how Baba blessed Mr. Ruttonji Wadia with an issue.

The life of this Saint is naturally sweet in and out. His various doings,

eating, walking and His natural sayings are also sweet. His life is Bliss

incarnate. Sai gave it out as a means of His devotee's remembrance to Him. He

gave them various stories of duty and action, which ultimately led them to true

religion. His object may be that people should live happily in this world, but

they should be ever cautious and gain the object of their life, viz.

self-realization. We get human body as a result of merits in past births and it

is worth-while that with its aid, we should attain devotion and liberation in

this life. So we should never be lazy, but always be on the alert to gain our

end and aim of life. If you daily hear the Leelas (stories) of Sai, you will

always see Him. Day and night you will remember Him in your mind, When you

assimilate Sai in this way, your mind will lose its fickleness and if you go on

in this manner, it will finally be merged in pure Consciousness. Ruttonji of

Nanded : Now let us come to the main story of this Chapter. In Nanded, in

the Nizam state, there lived a Parsi mill-contractor and trader, by name

Ruttonji Shapurji Wadia. He had amassed a large amount of money and had

acquired fields and lands. He had got cattle, horses and conveyances and was

very prosperous. To all outward appearances he looked very happy and contented,

but inwardly, and really he was not so. Providential dispensation is such, that

no one in this world is completely happy and rich; Ruttonji was no exception to

this. He was liberal and charitable, gave food and clothing to the poor and

helped all in various ways. The people took him to be a good and happy man, but

Ruttonji thought himself miserable as he had no issue, male or female, for a

long time. As Kirtan (singing glories of the Lord)

without love or devotion, music of singing without rhythmical accompaniments,

Brahmin without the sacred thread, proficiency in all arts without commonsense,

pilgrimage without repentance and ornamentation without a necklace, are ugly and

useless, so is the house of a man or house-holder without a male issue. Ruttonji

always brooded on this matter and said in his mind, "Would God be ever pleased

to grant me a son?" He thus looked morose, had no relish for his food. Day and

night, he was enveloped with anxiety whether he would ever be blessed with a

son. He had a great regard for Dasganu Mahajat. He saw him and opened his heart

before him. Dasganu advised him to go to Shirdi, take Baba's darshan, fall at

His Feet and seek His blessing and pray for issue. Ruttonji liked the idea, and

decided to go to Shirdi. After some days he went to Shirdi, took Baba's darshana

and fell at His Feet. Then opening a basket, he took out a beautiful garland of

flowers and placed it around Baba's neck

and offered Him a basket of fruits. With great respect he then sat near Baba,

and prayed to Him saying- "Many persons who find themselves in difficult

situations come to You, and You relieve them immediately. Hearting this, I have

sought anxiously Your Feet; please, therefore, do not disappoint me." Sai Baba

then asked him for Daksbina of Rs. five which Ruttonji intended to give, but

added, that He has already received Rs. 3-14-0 from him, and that he should pay

the balance only. Hearing this, Ruttonji was rather puzzled. he could not make

out what Baba meant. That was the first time, he thought, that he went to

Shirdi and how was it that Baba said that He had formerly got Rs. 3-14-0 from

him? He cold not solve the riddle. But he sat at Baba's Feet and gave the

balance of the Dakshina asked for, explained to Baba fully, as to why he came

and sought His help, and prayed that Baba should bless him with a son. Baba was

moved and told him not to be worried, and that that time his bad

days had ended. He then gave him Udi, placed His hand on his head and blessed

him saying that Allah (God) would satisfy his heart's desire. Then after

taking Baba's leave, Ruttonji returned to Nanded and told Dasganu everything

that took place at Shirdi, He said that everything went on well there, that he

got Baba's darshan and blessing with Prasad, but there was one thing which he

could not understand. Baba said to him that he had got Rs.3-14-0 before. Please

explain as to what Baba meant by this remark. He said to Dasganu, "I never went

to Shirdi before, and how cold I give Him the sum to which Baba referred?" To

Dasganu also, it was a puzzle, and he pondered much over it for a long time.

Some time afterwards it struck him that Ruttonji had received some days ago a

Mahomedan Saint, by name Moulisaheb, in his house and had spent some money for

his reception. This Moulisaheb was coolie-saint wellknown to the people of

Nanded. When Ruttonji decided to go the Shirdi, this Molisaheb accidentally

came to Ruttonji's house. Ruttonji knew him and loved him. So he gave a small

party in his honour. Dasganu got from Ruttonji the yadi or memo of expenses of

this reception, and everybody was wonderstruck to see, that the expenses

amounted to exactly Rs.3-14-0, nothing more, nothing less. They all came to

know, that Baba was omniscient, that thought He lived in Shirdi, He knew what

happened outside far away from Shirdi. In fact He knew the past, present and

future, and could identify Himself heart and soul with anybody. In this

particular instance how could He know the reception given to Moulisaheb, and

the amount spent therefore, unless He could identify Himself with him, and be

One with him? Ruttonji was satisfied with this explanation and his faith in

Baba was confirmed and increased. In due time afterwards, he was blessed with a

son and his joy knew no bounds. It is said that he had in all a dozen (12)

issues out of which only four survived. In a foot-note towards the end of

this Chapter,it is stated that Baba told Rao Bahadur Hari Vinayak Sathe, after

the death of his first wife, to remarry and that he would get a son. R.B. Sathe

married second time. The first two issues by this wife were daughters and he,

therefore, felt very despondent. But the third issue was a son. Baba's word did

turn out true and he was satisfied.

FONT-FAMILY: Verdana"> Dakshina - Mimansa Now we shall close this Chapter

with a few remarks about Dakshina. It is a well-known fact that Baba always

asked for Dakshina from people who went to see Him. Somebody may ask a

question, "If Baba was a Fakir and perfectly non-attached, why should he ask

for Dakshina and care for money?" We shall consider this question broadly now.

First for a long time, Baba did not accept anything. He stored burnt matches and

filled His pocket with them. He never

asked anything from anybody--whether he be a devotee or otherwise. If anybody

placed before Him a pice or two, He purchased oil or tobacco. He was fond of

tobacco, for He always smoked a bidi or Chilim (an earthen pipe). Then some

persons thought that they could not see the Saints empty-handed, and they,

therefore, placed some copper coins before Baba. If a pice was placed before

Him. He used to pocket it; if it was a two pice coin, it was returned

immediately. Then after Baba's fame had spread far and wide, people began to

flock in numbers; and Baba began to ask Dakshina from them. It is said in the

Shruti (veda) that Puja of the Gods is not complete, unless a golden coin was

offered. If a coin was necessary in the Puja of the Gods, why should it be not

so in the Puja of the Saints also? Ultimately, the Shastras laid it down that,

when one goes to see God, King, Saint or Guru, he should not go empty-handed.

He should offer something, preferably coin or money. In this connection we

may notice the precepts recommended by the Upanishads. The Brihadaranyak

Upanishad says that the Lord Prajapati advised the Gods, men and demons by one

letter "Da". The Gods understood by this letter that they should practice (1)

"Dama" i.e. self-control; the men thought or understood that they should

practice (2) "Dana" i.e. charity; the demons understood that they should

practice (3) "Daya" i.e. compassion. To men Charity or giving was recommended.

The teacher in the Taittiriya Upanishad exhorts his pupils to practise charity

and other virtues. Regarding charity he says, "Give with faith, give with

magnanimity, i.e. liberally, give with modesty, with awe and with sympathy. In

order to teach the devotees the lesson of charity and to remove their

attachment to money and thus to purify their minds, Baba extracted Dakshina

from them; but there was this peculiarity, as Baba said, that He had to give

back hundred times more of what He received. There are many instances, in which

this

has happened. To quote an instance, Mr. Ganpatrao Bodas, the famous actor, says

in his Marathi autobiography, that on Baba's pressing him often and often for

Dakshina, he emptied his money-bag before Him. The result of this was, as Mr.

Bodas says, that in later life he never lacked money, as it came to him

abundantly. There were also secondary meanings of Dakshina, in many cases,

in which Baba did not want any pecuniary amount. To quote two instances - (1)

Baba asked Rs.15/- as Dakshina from Pro. G.G.Narke, who replied that he did not

have even a pie. Then Baba said, "I know you have no money; but you are reading

Yoga-Vashistha. Give Me Dakshina from that." Giving Dakshina in this case meant

- `Deriving lessons from the book and lodging them in the heart where Baba

resides'. (2) In the second case Baba asked a certain lady (Mrs. R. A. Tarkhad)

to give Rs.6/- as Dakshina. The lady felt pained, as she had nothing to give.

Then her husband explained to her that Baba wanted six inner enemies (lust,

anger, avarice etc.) to be surrendered to Him. Baba agreed with this

explanation. It is to be noted, that though Baba collected a lot of money by

Dakshina, He would distribute the whole amount the same day, and the next

morning He would become a poor Fakir as usual. When Baba took His Mahasamadhi,

after receiving thousands and thousands of Rupees as Dakshina for about ten

years, He had only a few Rupees in His possession.

Verdana"> In short, Baba's main object in taking Dakshina, from His devotees

was to teach them the lessons of Renunciation and Purification. Post-script

Mr. B. V. Deo of Thana, retired Mamlatdar, and a great devotee of Baba, has

written an article on this subject (Dakshina) in "Shri Sai Leela" magazine,

Vol.VII, P.6-26, in which he says amongst other things, as follows:-

"Baba did not ask Dakshina from all. If some gave Dakshina without being

asked, He sometimes accepted it; and at other times He refused it. He asked it

from certain devotees only. He never demanded it, from those devotees, who

thought in their minds that Baba should ask them for it, and then they should

pay it. If anybody offered it against His wish, He never touched it, and if he

kept it there, He asked him to take it away. He asked for small or big amounts

from devotees, according to their wish, devotion and convenience. He asked it,

even from women and children. He never asked all the rich for it, nor from all

the poor." "Baba never got angry with those from

whom He asked Dakshina, and who did not give it. If any Dakshina was sent,

through some friend, who forgot to hand over the same to Baba, He reminded him

somehow of it and made him pay it. On some occasons, Baba used to return some

sum from the amount tendered as Dakshina, and ask the donor to guard it or keep

it in his shrine for worship. This procedure benefited the donor or devotee

immensely. If anybody offered more than he originally intended to give, He

returned the extra amount. Sometimes, He asked more Dakshina from some, than

what they originally intended to give and, if they had no money, asked them to

get or borrow from others. From some, He demanded Dakshina three or four times

a day." "Out of the amount collected as Dakshina, Baba spent very little for

His own

sake, viz., for buying Chilim (clay pipe) and fuel for His Dhuni (sacred fire),

and all the rest, He distributed as charity in varying proportions to various

persons. All the paraphenalia of the Shirdi Sansthan was brought, by various

rich devotees at the instance and suggestion of Radha-Krishna-Mai. Baba always

used to get wild and scolded those, who brought costly and rich articles. He

said to Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, that all His property consisted of one koupin

(codpiece), one stray piece of cloth, one Kafni and a tumrel (tinpot), and that

all the people troubled Him by bringing all these unnecessary, useless and

costly articles." Woman and wealth are the two main obstacles in the way of

our Pramartha (spiritual life); and Baba and provided in Shirdi two

institutions, viz., Dakshina and Radha-Krishna-Mai. Whenever they came to Him,

He demanded Dakshina from them, and asked them to go to the 'SCHOOL'

(Radha-Krishna-Mai's house). If they stood these two tests well, i.e. if they

showed that they were free from attachment for woman and wealth, their progress

in spirituality was rapid and assured by Baba's grace and blessings. Mr. Deo

has also quoted passages from the Gita and Upanishads; and shown that charity

given in a holy place and to a holy personage, conduces to the donors' welfare

to a great degree. What is more holy than Shirdi and its Presiding Deity -- Sai

Baba? Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all

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