Sacred Past: part-17: Teacher of teachers

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Teacher of Teachers Sacred Past-17 Sacred Past main Index

 

When he was eight, Sathya was declared ready to proceed to the Higher Elementary

School at Bukkapatnam, two and a half miles from Puttaparthi. He had to trudge

the distance in hot sun or rain over stony mounds or slushy fields, wading

through neck-deep water, as the season dictated. His bag of books would be

securely held above his head. He had to start early in the morning after a meal

of delicacies such as cold rice and curds or cooked rice and chutney. He trekked

regularly to Bukkapatnam with companions, carrying his afternoon meal in a bag.

Sri B. Subbannachar writes in a book published in 1944, "He was my student in

the eighth grade. He was a simple, unostentatious, honest, and well-behaved

boy." Unostentatious! With what great self-control must Sai Baba have

suppressed His manifold divine powers in order that the world might become

ready for the Announcement!

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Sri V.C. Kondappa, another teacher, who later revered the student as divine,

writes in the same book, "He was very obedient and never spoke more than

necessary. Coming early to school, he would gather the children and install an

image or picture in the schoolroom. With the flowers he brought with him, he

conducted worship, waved burning camphor, and distributed Grace in one form or

another. The boys, gathered around him for the things he 'took' out of his

empty bag! When asked about it, he said that a certain 'Angel' obeyed his will

and gave him whatever he wanted!"

One of his teachers was personally to experience the force of that "Angel" on

one occasion. Sai Baba was generally listless in class, engaged most of the

time in what he later described as composing chants and copying them for

distribution among his classmates. One day the teacher discovered that Sathya

was not taking down the notes he dictated. "He is setting a bad example for the

whole class," thought the teacher, and shouted, "All those who are not taking

notes, stand up!" Sathya was the solitary culprit and was asked why he was not

taking notes. He answered in an innocent and straightforward tone, "Sir why

should I take notes? I have understood what you dictated. Ask me any question

on it and I shall answer correctly." But the teacher's pride was injured, and

the boy must suffer. He ordered Sathya to stand upon the bench and remain

standing until the last bell of the day. Sathya obeyed. All the boys hung their

heads in sorrow. None of them could feel happy that day sitting down while his

Guru was poised uncomfortably upon a bench.

When the hour-bell rang, the teacher for the next class came in. It was Janab

Mahbub Khan, who loved and respected little Sathya beyond words. He taught

English, and his approach and method were so earnest and appealing that every

boy learned every lesson thoroughly. He was an elderly bachelor, and he treated

Sathya with a unique affection. (Sai Baba even today extols Mahbub Khan as a

highly evolved soul.)

Mahbub Khan would offer sweets and savories to Sathya, enticing him to eat by

means of a hundred different artifices. He told Sathya that his house was

specially cleansed for the preparation of the food, because he knew Sathya

would not eat food having the remotest contact with non-vegetarian dishes. He

would say that he had not eaten, as he wanted Sathya to partake of the food

first. He would sit quietly for long periods, stroking Sathya's hair and

whispering, "Oh, you are a wonderful boy! You will help thousands; you are a

great power."

When Mahbub Khan entered the classroom, he was shocked to find Satyanarayana

standing on the bench and the teacher still sitting on the chair. He asked the

teacher why he was not vacating the chair for the next class. The teacher

whispered that he could not get up because when he tried to get up, the chair,

too, rose up with him! The whisper was caught by the boys who quietly laughed

at the teacher's plight and said it must be due to Sathya's "Angel." Mahbub

Khan also suspected this was so, and suggested that the teacher ask Sathya to

come down. The teacher acquiesced. Immediately the chair fell away, and with

great relief he moved about unencumbered!

Years later, while relating this story, Baba said that He willed it to be so,

not out of anger - for He had no anger in Him - but purely to demonstrate

Himself and gradually prepare men's minds for the Announcement of His Mission

and Identity.

 

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