Ovi to Ovi english Translation - Foreword

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Maharaj’s routine was practised with great regularity. He woke early in the morning and sat near the dhuni; a little while later He performed His purificatory rites and evacuation of bowels etc. which He cleared off with His own hands. Then, He would sit quietly for a while. During that time, Bhagoji Shinde, a person by that name, would remove the bandages on Maharaj’s right arm and massage the whole body also. Then, he would fill the chillum, light it and give it to Maharaj to smoke and after Maharaj smoked it, He would give it again to Bhagoji to smoke. This would happen for five or six times and then Bhagoji would leave. This Bhagoji was stricken with leprosy but Maharaj never took objection to service by him; nor did he change His routine which involved him even by a jot. After Bhagoji left, Maharaj would remain seated for a while and at

that time, some regular devotees came and rendered services; and afterwards, Maharaj would get up to wash His face. The way Maharaj washed His face was worth watching. He poured as much water as He desired on His arms, feet, face, ears and cleaned all these parts with great delicacy31. As Sree Eknath Maharaj has described: “All the hair on the body was scrubbed. But the body was not massaged for that purpose. Thus He was not bringing in any distinction between any creature and himself, which may otherwise cause injury”. This was also the way in which the bath took

place. After the face was washed, He went into the village for alms. He went to five fixed places for alms and stood at a fixed spot. He would receive bhakri32 or dry preparations as given and eat a little bit, on His return to the Masjid. He would remain in one place for a while after eating. At that time, a large crowd of the devotees gathered and Maharaj would impart knowledge in the form of stories (parables). Sometimes, during the sitting Maharaj would purchase bananas, guavas and mangoes and distribute to the crowd and even fed them with His own hands. When I say ‘fed with His own hands’, I mean that Maharaj would peel the bananas, He would cut the guavas into pieces Himself and also the mangoes were pummeled and given by Him (to suck). After this sitting, Maharaj would go to the Lendi and would remain there generally for one

hour. From the time of His return from the Lendi till 2 O’clock in the afternoon, He would remain in the Masjid. During that time, the devotees performed Maharaj’s puja, worship, arati etc. Then after Maharaj’s lunch He would go again to the Lendi; He would return from there after three fourths of an hour approximately and would remain in the Masjid till evening. He would step out just a little in the evening and return immediately and stay in the Masjid. Normally, there would be three sittings during the day. One in the morning after breakfast, second on return from the Lendi and the third around five in the evening. During all the three sittings, Maharaj would impart knowledge in story form. Maharaj’s words would clear the different problems and doubts of the different persons gathered there and they would get solutions for the different matters concerning them. Maharaj did not speak on deep Vedantic issues openly nor did He give

lectures on the Upanishads. His teachings were essentially relating to good conduct. To cleanse the disciple’s mind and then to sow the seeds of knowledge in it, is the Shastric way of the Sadguru; and thus Maharaj acted; therefore His teachings were relating to morals and ethics. But instead of the open verbal teachings, one received from Maharaj priceless and several scholarly examples and experiences and therefore, those devotees who came with full faith to Maharaj, received the highest benefit. Devotees can read this book from the Book Section of http://www.saileelas.org/books/sss/index.htm

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