I speak at random and who believes Me!. Who said that and what was the incident

[Guest guest]

I speak at random and who believes Me! " . Who said that and what was

the incident?

 

A Bombay friend of Damu Anna wrote to him, that they should do some

cotton-speculation business in partnership which would bring them

about two lacs of rupees as profit. The broker wrote that the

business was good and involved no risks and that the opportunity

should not be lost. Damu Anna was oscillating in his mind. He could

not at once determine to venture in the speculation. He thought about

this and as he was a devotee of Baba, he wrote a detailed letter to

Shama giving all the facts and requested him to consult Baba and take

His advice in the matter. Shama got the letter next day and when he

came with it at noon to the Masjid and placed it before Baba. He

asked Shama what the matter was, and what the paper (letter) was

about. He replied that Damu Anna of Nagar wanted to consult Him about

something. Then Baba said - " What does he write, and what does he

plan? It seems that he wants to catch the sky and that he is not

content with what God has given him; read his letter " . Shama than

said, " The letter contains what you have just said now. Oh, Deva you

sit here calm and composed and agitate the devotees and when they get

restless, you draw them here, some in person and others through

letters. If you know the contents of the latter, why do you then

press me to read it? " Baba said - " Oh Shama, read it please. I speak

at random and who believes Me. "

 

Then Shama read the letter and Baba heard it attentively and said

feelingly - " The Shet (Damu Anna) has gone mad; write to him in reply

that nothing is wanting in his house. Let him be content with the

half loaf (bread) he has now and let him not bother himself about

lacs. " Shama sent the reply which Damu Anna was anxiously waiting

for. Reading it, he found that all his hopes and prospects about lacs

of rupees as profit were dashed to the ground. He thought that he had

done a mistake in consulting Baba. But as Shama had hinted in the

reply that there was always much difference in seeing and hearing and

that, therefore, he should come to Shirdi personally and see Baba. He

thought it advisable to go to Shirdi and consult Baba personally

about the affair. So he went to Shirdi, saw Baba, prostrated himself

before Him and sat shampooing His legs. He had no courage to ask Baba

openly about the speculation, but he thought in his mind, that it

would be better if some share in the business should be assigned to

Baba and said in his mind, that if Baba were to help him in this

transaction, he would surrender some share of profits to Him. Damu

Anna was thus thinking secretly in his mind, but nothing was veiled

from Baba; everything past, present and future were clear to Him as

an Amalaka fruit in hand. A child wants sweets, but its mother gives

bitter pills; the former spoil its health, while the latter improve

it. So the mother looking to the welfare of her infant, coaxes it and

gives it bitter pills. Baba, kind mother as He was, knew the present

and future prospects of His devotees, and therefore reading Damu

Anna's mind, He openly spoke to him - " Bapu, I do not want to be

entangled in any such wordly things (sharing profits). " Seeing Baba's

disapproval Damu Anna dropped the enterprise.