A story of greed By Sri Narasimha Swamiji

[Guest guest]

But the old hankering for wealth was still working in Veerabhadrappa and he appealed to the Fakir Baba to get him

wealth. Baba told him to wait, for the suitable time would be coming soon.

 

And it came. For that vast stretch of coast land,

there was at last a demand and a sudden appreciation of value. It sold for Rs. 1, 00,000 (just 100 times the worth of the jewels) a

moiety of which was paid down in cash, the rest being payable in 24 annual

installments. Now was Veerabhadrappa's chance. He

tried to clutch at that money. Basappa was naturally

hostile to his claims and resisted his efforts.

 

Baba's intercession was sought and Baba pointed out

that Gowri had the right to the entire money and that

none else should interfere. Veerabhadrappa got angry

with Basappa and Baba. He threatened to kill Basappa who, in his cowardice, sought refuge from Baba.

Baba plighted his word that he would shield him from the wrath of his wicked

foe. Then the parties to this feud died. Veerabhadrappa

was born as the serpent and was still unrelenting in his hatred. The coward Basappa was born as a frog. Veerabhadrappa

tried even in this birth to kill his enemy.

 

Winding up, Baba said, " Hearing the miserable

croaking of Basappa, and remembering my pledge to

save him, I am here. I have kept my word and saved him. " Baba then changed

his expression and said " God saved Basappa, his

devotee, by sending me. All this is God's leela

or sport. "

 

This may be taken for a perfectly true history. For

Baba never spoke anything but truth. This anecdote has been embodied in grand

sonorous Olivares in Dabolkar's Sai Satcharitra Ch.

47.

 

That book is read for daily study, " Parayana " by numerous devotees of Sai Baba. One day,

Mr. G. B. Dattar, B.A., LL.B., a Pleader of Thana, was reading it. A lady in the house was listening to

it in a half drowsy condition. She suffered from periodical internal pains. As

she listened, she burst out half involuntarily, in that drowsy condition, and

said " Baba, you have such pity for a dumb irrational creature. Have you no

pity for me, a human being? "

 

Then she heard a voice emanating apparently from a peg

in the wall saying " Will you give me Rs. 5 Dakshina for the Dasara? "

And she answered she would, if she was cured. At once she woke up from her

dozing condition and had the money sent up to Sai Samsthan.

She began to improve and in some hours, her agony considerably abated. This was

in 1932.

 

To love God with all your soul: How can you do this if

you don't know what your soul is? Meditation is the way to know your Self as the

soul. As you progress in meditation, you suddenly realize. " I am not this

little body made of flesh. I am not all of these emotions and these habits. I

am that something which is behind this flesh, which is behind these thoughts,

which is surely directing the course of my life. " Gradually you see that

you are the master of your own fate. You see you are that which is made in the

image of the Divine-the soul of Self within you. And

you feel a sense of expansion as your soul-awareness unfolds revealing itself

as a part of the Infinite.

- Self-Realization

(Source Sri Sai padananda

Jan 1999)