Thursday Message from Sri Sai Satcharitra

[Guest guest]

Sairam to all

Shirdi Sai Baba is Ultimate

Thursday Message:

 

We can see all Gurus and Gods in Sri Sai and Baba is not different

from them. Baba always takes care of His devotee's welfare and

fulfills their wishes who ever surrender to Him.

No devotee can visit Shirdi (Baba) without His permission; Non-can

stay a minute more or less without Babas will. When devotees go to

Baba to take his permission to leave Shirdi, Babas knows what is good

and bad for the devotee and accordingly gave permission to go or not

to go and it was ultimately found out that it was for the good of the

devotee. So it is amply proved that Baba cares for his devotee's

welfare. And to progress in the spiritual and material life, we have

one and only one sadhana, just to trust Baba blindly and our welfare

is taken care.

God is one, and as all the rivers lead to the sea, however mighty or

small it is. So also all gods and gurus are one, this was amply

proved by Baba both in the stories of Mule Sastry and Doctor.

With all these leelas, we can know that our interest is of paramount

importance to Baba and whatever he does is in our interest, and

further Baba is there in all Gurus and Gods; we should keep our firm

faith on our beloved Sadguru Sri Sainath and he is no different from

other gurus, even if we love other gurus or gods, we should see Baba

in that Guru or God, and continue to worship them. So our Baba is the

all pervading, and the basic teaching of Baba is not to leave our

guru or god, and not to leave our religion, either Hindu or Muslim or

Christian or Parsi, or Jew, Baba is there in all of them. So dear

devotees we are really very very fortunate to get such a great Guru

God, lets stick to our religious practices, lets continue to worship

the form of God we love either Ram or Krishna, or Shiva or Vishnu or

Jesus or Allah or any other form, Baba is there in all of them. So

lets stick to our Gods or Guru, and not forsake them and follow Babas

teaching, and try to put them in practice, because our welfare is of

paramount importance to Baba, and what ever Baba does is for our

welfare and good and Baba takes the decision in the long term

interest of ours. You may feel disheartened in the short term but in

the long term you will be happy.

So see Baba in all beings and surrender to him that is the best thing

for us.

 

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Chapter XII

 

Sai Leelas - Experience of (1) Kaka Mahajani - (2) Dhumal Pleader -

(3) Mrs. Nimonkar - (4) Moolay Shastri - (5) A Doctor

Now let us see in this Chapter how devotees were received and treated

by Baba.

 

Saints' Mission

 

We have seen before, that the purpose or object of Divine Incarnation

is to protect the good and destory the wicked. But the mission of the

Saints is quite different. To them the good and the wicked are the

same. First they feel for the evil-doers and set them on the right

path. They are like the Agasti to destroy the Bhava-sagar (the ocean

of wordly existence) or like the Sun to the darkness of ignorance.

The Lord (God) dwells in the Saints. In fact they are not different

from Him. Our Sai is One of these, Who incarnated for the welfare of

the devotees, Supreme in knowledge and surrounded with divine lustre,

He loved all beings equally. He was unattached. Foes and friends,

kings and paupers, were the same to Him. Hear His powers. For the

sake of devotees, He spent His stock of merits and was ever alert to

help them. But the devotees could never approach HIm, unless He meant

to receive them. If their turn did not come, Baba did not remember

them, and His Leelas could not reach their ears. Then, how could they

think of seeing Him? some men desired to see Sai Baba's but they did

not get any opportunity of taking His darshan, till His Mahasamadhi.

There are many such persons, whose desire for Baba's darshan was not

thus satisfied. If these persons, believing in Him, listen to His

Leelas, their quest for milk (darshan) will be, to a great extent,

satisfied by the butter-milk (Leelas). If some persons went there by

sheer luck and took Baba's darshan, were they able to stay there

longer? No. Nobody could go there of his own accord, and nobody culd

stay there long even if he so wished. They could stay there, so long

as Baba permitted them to stay, and had to leave the place when asked

to do so by Baba; so everything depended of Baba's will.

 

Kala Mahajani

 

Once, Kaka Mahajani went to Shirdi from Bombay. He wanted to stay

there for one week, and enjoy the Gokul-Ashtami festival. As soon as

he took Baba's darshan, Baba asked him - " When are you returning

home? " He was rather surprised at this question, but he had to given

an answer. He said that he would go home when Baba ordered him to do

so. Then Baba said - " Go to-morrow " . Baba's word was law and had to

be obeyed. Kaka Mahajani, therefore, left Shirdi, immediately. When

he went to his office in Bombay, he found that his employer was

anxiously waiting for him. His munim, i.e., the manager, suddenly

fell ill, hence Kaka's presence was absolutely necessary. He had sent

a letter to Kaka at Shirdi, which was redirected to him at Bombay.

 

Bhausaheb Dhumal

 

Now listen to an opposite story. Once Bhausaheb Dhumal, a pleader,

was going to Niphad for a case. On the way he came to Shirdi, took

Baba's darshan and wanted to proceed to Niphad immediately. But, Baba

did not premit him to do so. He made him stay at Shirdi, for a week

or more. In the meanwhile, the magistrate at Niphad suffered

intensely from pain in his abdomen, and the case was adjourned. Mr.

Dhumal was then allowed to go and attend to his case. It went on for

some months and was tried by four magistrates. Ultimately Mr. Dhumal

won the case, and his client was acquitted.

 

Mrs. Nimonkar

 

Mr. Nanasaheb Nimonkar, Watandar of Nomon and Honorary Magistrate,

was staying at Shirdi with his wife. Mr. and Mrs. Nimonkar were

spending most of their time in the Masjid with Baba and serving Him.

It so happened, that their son fell ill at Belapur and the mother

decided, with Baba's consent, to go to Belapur, and see her son and

other relatives; and stay there for a few days, but Mr. Nanasaheb

asked her to return the next day. The lady was in a fix and did not

know what to do; but her God Sai came to her help. While leaving

Shirdi she went to Baba, who was standing in front of Sathe's wada

with Mr. Nanasaheb and others, and prostrated at His Feet and asked

His permission to go. Baba said to her, " Go, go quickly, be calm and

unperturbed. Stay comfortably at Belapur for four days. See all your

relatives and then return to Shirdi. " How opportune were Baba's

words! Mr. Nanasaheb's proposal was overruled by Baba's decree.

 

Moolay Shastri of Nasik

 

An orthodox Agnihotri Brahmin of Nasik, by name moolay Shastri, who

had studied the six Shastras and was well-versed in astrology and

palmistry, once came to Shirdi to see Mr. Bapusaheb Booty, the famous

millionarire of Nagpur. After seeing him, he and others went to see

Baba in the Masjid. Baba bought various fruits and other things from

vendors with His own money, and distributed them to the persons

present in the Masjid. Baba used to press the mango on all sides so

skilfully that when any person received it from Baba and sucked it,

he got all the pulp at once in his mouth and could throw away the

stone and the skin forthwith. Plantains were peeled off by Baba and

the kernel was distributed to the devotees, while the skins were

retained by Baba for Himself. Moolay Shastri, as a palmist, wanted to

examine Baba's hand or plam and requested Him to extend the same.

Baba ignored his request and gave four plantains to him. Then, they

all returned to the Wada and Moolay Shastri bathed, wore sacred

clothes, and started his routine duties, viz. Agnihotra etc. Then

Baba as usual started for Lendi and said - " Take some Geru (i.e. a

red miry substance, to dye clothes in saffron-colour), we shall today

don saffron-coloured cloth. None understood what Baba meant. Then

after some time when Baba returned, and preparations for the noon-

Arati were being made. Bapusaheb Jog asked Moolay Shastri, whether he

would accompany him for the Arti. He replied that he would see Baba

in the afternoon. Very soon Baba sat on his seat, was worshipped by

the devotees and Arti commenced. Then Baba said - " Get some Dakshina

from the new (Nasik) Brahmin. " Booty himself went to get the

Dakshina; and when he gave Baba's message to Moolay Shastri, he was

sorely perplexed. He thought in his mind thus: " I am a pure Agnihotri

Brahmin, why should I pay Dakshina? Baba may be a great Saint. I am

not His dependent. " But as a great Saint like Sai Baba was asking for

Dakshina through a millionaire like Booty, he could not refuse. So

leaving his routine unfinished, he forthwith started with Booty to

the Masjid. Thinking himself holy and sacred, and the Masjid

otherwise, he remained at a distance, and joining his hands threw

flowers at Baba. Then lo! all of a sudden, he saw no Baba on the

seat, but saw his late Guru Gholap Swami there. He was wonder-struck.

Could this be a dream? No, it was not, as he was wide awake; but

though awake, how could his late Guru Gholap be there? He was

speechless for some time. He pinched himself and thought again, but

could not reconcile the fact of his late Guru Gholap being in the

Masjid. Ultimately, leaving all doubt, he went up, fell at his Guru's

feet and then getting up stood there with folded hands. Other people

sang Baba's Arati, while Moolay Shastri chanted his Guru's name. Then

casting off all pride of caste and ideas about sacredness, he fell

flat at his Guru's feet and closed his eyes. When he got up and

opened his eyes, he saw Baba asking for Dakshina. Seeing Baba's

blissful form, and His inconceivable power, Moolay Shastri forgot

himself. He was extremely pleased, his eyes were full of tears of

joy. He again saluted Baba and gave the Dakshina. He said that his

doubt was removed and that he saw his own Guru. On seeing his

wonderful Leela of Baba all the people, including Moolay Shastri,

were much moved, and they realized the meaning of Baba's

words, " Bring Geru, we shall don saffron-coloured garment. " Such is

the wonderful Leela of Baba.

 

A Doctor

 

Once a Mamlatdar came to Shirdi with a doctor friend of his. The

Doctor said that his Deity was Rama and that he would not bow before

a Mahomedan, and so, he was unwilling to go to Shirdi. The Mamlatdar

replied, that nobody would press him to make a bow, nor would ask him

to do so. So he should come and give the pleasure of his company.

Accordingly, they came to Shirdi, and went to the Masjid for Baba's

darshan. All were wonder-struck to see the Doctor going ahead and

saluting Baba. They asked him how he forgot his resolve and bowed

before a Mussalman. Then the Doctor replied that he saw his beloved

Deity, Rama, on the seat and he, therefore prostrated himself before

Him. Then as he was saying this, he saw Sai Baba there again. Being

dismayed, he said, " Is this a dream? How could He be a Mahomedan? He

is a great Yogasampanna (full of Yoga) Avatar. "

Next day, he made a vow and began to fast. He absented himself from

the Masjid, resolving not to go there, until Baba blessed him. Three

days passed and on the fourth day, a close friend of his from

Khandesh, turned up, and with him, he went to the Masjid for Baba's

darshan. After the salutation, Baba asked him, whether anybody had

gone to call him, so that he had come. Hearing this vital question,

the doctor was moved. The same night he was blessed by Baba, and he

experienced the Bliss supreme, in his sleep. Then he left for his

town, where the experienced the same state of a fortnight. Thus his

devotion to Sai Baba increased manifold.

The moral of all the stories mentioned above, specially, that of

Moolay Shastri, is this that we should have firm faith in our Guru

and nowhere else.

 

More Leelas of Sai Baba will be described in the next Chapter.

 

Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all