SAI SPIRITUAL SHOWERS “ ISSUE 39

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Once a teacher,

having about 10 students, was teaching them some good things. To such an

ashram came one who had some position and power. This teacher did not go to

the door to welcome and receive him. The man who came there, because he had

some position and authority, felt somewhat hurt and he went right into the

class and asked the teacher: "Why is it that you didn't care for me?

You have not come and received me. What are you doing?" The teacher

said, "I am busy teaching the children some good things." The

person who came in asked: "Just because you are teaching them some

good things, are the hearts of these children going to be changed and

become more sacred?" The teacher took some courage and said,

"Yes, of course, there is every possibility of their mind changing by

my teaching." The intruder said, "No, I cannot believe it,â€

and the teacher replied: “When you cannot believe it, it simply means

that you have no faith in it. Because of that, I cannot give up teaching

these boys some good things.â€

Then

this person, who felt somewhat important, started arguing and said there is

no possibility of changing a mind merely by words. The teacher, who was

clever and who had known these things, asked one of the youngest boys to

stand up. In the hearing of this visitor, the teacher told the young boy,

"Look here! My dear boy! You just get hold of the neck of this visitor

and throw him out of the door." Immediately on hearing these words,

the visitor became completely excited and he came to beat the teacher. Then

the teacher asked, "Sir, what is the reason for your becoming so

angry? We did not beat you, we did not throw you out, the only thing that

has excited you to this stage of anger are the words which I conveyed to

this young boy. You said that you do not believe in changing the mind by

mere words. What is the reason why the mere words which I uttered to this

young boy have changed your mind so much that you are so excited? With mere

words you can cause any excitement. With mere words you can cause any

amount of affection. With mere words you can earn the grace of anyone

else.â€

So, if in this world you want to promote friendship, you can

do so by using sweet words, by talking in a very sweet manner and by

speaking about sacred things. (from Chinna Katha)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are innumerable subtle ways in which

Bhagawan Baba transforms the devotees who come to Him. There are, of

course, equally countless cases in which by direct advice or reproof or

even a sharp chiding, He makes devotees realise the error of their ways and

to give up one or other spiritually and socially undesirable habit. Many

who had been addicted to drink, smoking, meat eating or other practices

have given them up after coming under the influence of Bhagawan. Invariably

the devotees have reformed themselves out of the conviction that these

habits are totally repugnant to the spiritual way of life for which they

had come to Baba.

 

 

 

 

A

notable instance of how a thirty-year old habit was given up in one

agonising moment is described by Prof. Kasturi in his delightful and

illuminating autobiography, "Loving God", which is replete with

anecdotes of his experiences with Bhagawan. Describing a trip to the

Himalayas with Bhagawan Baba in 1957, Prof. Kasturi writes:

On my

first night at Hrishikesh, the sacred spot on the Ganga, I gained a victory

which had eluded me for over nine agonising years. I must admit that I had

fallen a victim to snuff during my years at the Royal City of Mysore. The

preparation of a dark variety of capsules which when pressed between thumb

and index finger became flavourful snuff to be inhaled slowly and enjoyed

was an art known only to a few families there. It was an aristocratic and

aromatic acquisition. My friend Swami Siddeswarananda, the poet Puttappa

and many others of that generation were devoted to that exciting device for

mental arousal. For over three decades, that vice had led me by the nose.

When I yielded to the impact of Baba, I decided, like Sindbad, to overthrow

the old man who was riding on me. But he sat astride firmly. Baba often

spoke sharply, within my hearing, of the habit. But luckily only in general

terms. He spoke disparagingly about a few persons, whom I knew, and

condemned the weakness which prevented them from wriggling out of the dirty

dusty snuff habit. I felt glad that he had not black listed me, by name.

When I joined the Hrishikesh party I armed myself with a pound weight of

the precious stuff bought at Madras, so that I could happily nose around

that snuff less region.

That

crucial night, Baba came over from the cottage of the Ashram complex, which

was allotted for His stay, into the dormitory where I and five others were

settling down for rest. I had prepared my bed and was enjoying the

stretching of limbs, when Baba appeared, followed by Satchidananda and

Sadananda. He came over my cot and turned the pillow over to expose the

snuff box cosily resting there. I shivered in remorse. I remembered the

centuries old ritual, which Hindus observe when they reach pilgrim spots.

They give up a habit that is dearly loved. Baba looked at me sternly. He

said only one single word, "Dirty". I took the box and threw it

far into the thick night. I clenched my teeth to lock my sobs in. I took an

explosive vow, touching Baba's feet "No more, Swami! I am giving it up

from this moment.â€

Baba

gave me a soft pat on the shoulder. I bent under the cot, dragged out my

leather luggage box and took hold of the one pound tin of the disgusting

stuff and was about to cast it into the bushy under growth when two

renunciants in ochre robes snatched it from my hands. They said (they were

evidently not belonging to the Shivanandashram) they were getting their

supplies of the 'Jnana Choornam' (the Powder that promotes the intellect),

from New Delhi, which was too far away. Hearing the noise, Baba turned back

and laughed. Satchidananda and Sadananda too laughed. I have not inhaled

that Rajasic poison since. It was indeed a pity that what I, a house

holder, threw to the winds was caught and treasured by those Sanyasins!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WITH A VISION THAT GUIDES AND A MISSION THAT

TRANSFORMS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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