Hazrat Babajan, Sufi Matriarch, Pt. II

[Guest guest]

cont'd from Pt. I:

 

"Babajan did not ask for the crowds to assemble, any more than she

asked for the traders to appear or the street musicians to perform.

It was the popular manifestation of response to a dynamic not always

perceived or understood in its entirety. As the focal point of

activity, Babajan herself seemed strangely abstracted. Though the

benediction was indisputably in evidence, she at times gave the

impression that the whole scene was incidental to something else that

was happening." (p. 52)

 

 

Another excerpt from the same book:

 

"Many have testified that the love emanating from Babajan was so

intense that visitors felt paiined at leaving her presence, departure

involving the sensation of a powerful healing current being suddenly

switched off. There were numerous incidents in which her compassion

for humanity was made strikingly apparent, a transmuting influence

which positively affected even the most crude mentalities.

 

She maintained a habit of sharing her meals with the needy. Devotees

would frequently gift her with clothing and other items, but these

she would share with the poor and eventually (if not outrightly) give

away. Not content with this charity however, some would even dare to

steal such gifts from her, feeling convinced that she would not

protest. A characteristic expression of her attitude towards such

happenings occurred on the occasion when a man tried to steal a

costly shawl recently presented to her. This shawl covered her

apparently sleeping form, and one portion of it was held underneath

her body, causing the thief considerable difficulty in attempting to

remove it, since he tried not to rouse her. Her response was to

raise herslef a little without opening her eyes, to help him achieve

his purpose.

 

Another outstanding incident occurred when a wealthy man from Bombay

had placed upon Babajan's wrists two bangles of solid gold as a token

of his devotion. But at the earliest opportunity, an unknown thief

snatched away these bangles with such lack of grace that one of her

wrists was badly lacerated and bled profusely. Those around her were

infuriated, and raised the cary of "Catch the thief" to prevent the

miscreat's escape. A policeman on duty hastily arrived on the scene,

but to everyone's discomfort, Babajan ignored the real culprit and

asked the policeman to arrest those who were raising the hue and cry.

 

She was effectively emphasizing here that the bangles were of no

importance in the first place. In stressing inner needs, she was

opposed to the common human tendency to accentuate externals.

 

A visitor once offered to take her to one of the nearby tea-shops for

some refreshment. She consented to go, but said that she would pay.

The visitor waved this aside, commenting "You are a faqir, where can

you get money from?" He then jingled what was evidently an abundant

quantity of coins in hi pocket with that proud and complacent air

which distinguishes the self-conscious affluent. Babajan said

nothing, but accompanied him to the proposed establishment and drank

the tea ordered for her. But when the pretentious one went to the

counter to pay, he suddenly found to his dismay that he had no money

in his pocket at all. Others were watching, and he felt the sting of

humiliation. He returned to Babajan and explained his predicament,

asking her what could have happened. She said simply, "A little

while ago you had a good number of coins in your pocet." She then

paid the bill herself with alms money she had received. They

returned to the neem tree, where the crestfallen visitor

unaccountably discovered his missing cash intact in his pocket."

(p. 54-55, "A SUFI MATRIARCH: HAZRAT BABAJAN, by Kevin Shepherd)

 

 

Blessings,

 

Kathy

 

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