A story of greed By Sri Narasimha Swamiji

[Guest guest]

A story of greed

By Sri Narasimha Swamiji

THE LORD'S MY SHEPHERD

 

A brilliant and accomplished writer was invited to

deliver a talk on Psalm 23 - " The Lord is My Shepherd. " For over an

hour he spoke feelingly on the thought content, the beautiful language, the

lyrical verse and the poetic metaphors in the Psalm. At the end of the talk, an

old pastor came up and shook his hands. His eyes were touched with tears, and

he asked if he could recite the Psalm to conclude the meeting. The speaker

requested him to do so.

 

The old man held his hands in devotion and with eyes

closed in piety, recited the entire psalm from memory. A hushed silence fell on

the audience.

 

The speaker said to his audience; " I know the

psalm. But this gentleman here knows the Shepherd! "

Sai Baba occasionally narrated a few reminiscences of

his own past births. These were never taken down and most are forgotten. But a

few are still fresh in the memory of the hearers. One of these is given below,

substantially as given out by Baba. The readers will note how every sentence of

his brims with wisdom and virtue; and now, for centuries, Baba is the same Samartha carrying on his mission of helping humanity with

his superhuman power, lofty principles and benign impartiality.

 

One morning Sai Baba strolled along till he came to a

river bank. There he sat under a tree, admiring the dense foliage of an alley

and lit his pipe with a pair of flints. A wayfarer came up and the hospitable

Baba gave him a few puffs out of his pipe. Then a peculiar sound was heard.

 

Wayfarer: Let us see what the matter is.

 

Sai Baba: Matter! It is the croaking in pain of a frog

seized by a snake. It is reaping the fruit of its own karma. What we have done in the past comes

to us now as present suffering. And yet there is an outcry against Fate!

 

The wayfarer went out to see the frog for himself.

 

Sai Baba (without leaving his seat): The frog is

caught by a huge serpent and is crying. But both the frog and the serpent were

wicked in their past birth and have come into their present bodies to reap

their reward.

 

The wayfarer, returning to Baba: Yes, I went and saw.

A big frog, it is, in the mouth of a huge black serpent. In 10 or 20 minutes,

it will be all over with the poor frog!

 

Sai Baba: No I am its

father and am

here. Will I let the snake eat it? Just see how I release it!

 

Then Baba walked on to the place where the frog was.

The wayfarer who was going in advance suddenly took fright.

 

Wayfarer: Baba! let us go

back. Do not go nearer. The serpent may fly at us.

 

Sai Baba: Do not fear.

 

(to be contd….)

(Source Sri Sai padananda Jan 1999)