The Wonderous Saint of Shirdi

[Guest guest]

No Fakir's Gown :

"My mother was anxious about my employment. I was being tossed from place to

place and had often periods of unemployment. Sometimes I had stray fancies that

a fakir's life was good for me also".

One day in 1914, Baba had got ready a number of kupnis (which are worn by

fakirs) and presented a number of people with them. I was watching the

distribution from a distance and hoped that one might be conferred upon me. He

beckoned to me and placing his hands kindly on my head, stroked it and said:

"Don't blame me for not giving you a kupni. That Fakir (evidently meaning God)

has not permitted me to give you one".

Promise of Job :

"My relations were asking Baba what was to become of me and Baba told them: I

will settle him at Poona".

"I got sometimes a number of jobs (i.e. prospecting for mines) at the same time

and I went to Baba each time relying wholly on his foresight. He would choose

the place and always add 'Poona' after it'1.

"In 1916 I had to choose between an offer from Benares of a professorship and a

prospecting job in Burma. Baba told me: 'Go to Burma and Poona'. I always

laughed within myself at the addition of Poona, as I was a mining engineer and

Poona held no prospects for me".

Solved soon :

"It was in 1917 that the announcement was made that a Professor of Geology was

wanted for the Engineering College at Poona. I asked Baba if I should try for

the place. He said 'Yes' and I went to Poona. After I left, he asked: "Where is

Narke gone?" He was told that I had gone for the appointment. 'Allah will

bless,' was Baba's remark".

"Even in 1913, Baba was seeing my present permanent appointment as Professor of

Geology in Poona which I have held since 1918'*.

Cryptic Language :

"Baba's language was highly cryptic, full of symbology. A literal translation

would be made by superficial people who would then conclude that he was a

worldly man among worldly men, and very avaricious at that".

"For instance, a man came to Baba and watched him for a time. Asked for his

impressions, he said: 'I never saw any saint till now talking of money all the

hours of the day.' This man did not know that paisa was used by Baba to denote

merit (punya) and not money".

‘'One day Baba asked me several times to give him Rs. 15 as dakshina. I had then

no money and he knew it full well. So when I was alone with him, I said: Baba,

you know I have no money, and why do you ask for Rs. 15 dakshina?"

The Dakshina :

"Baba answered thai he knew my impecunious condition well enough. 'But', he

added, 'you are reading a book now. The part you are now reading is specially

important. Get me Ks. 15 dakshina from that'."

"I was reading Yoga Vasishta. Getting money out of it meant deriving valuable

lessons therefrom; and giving the money to Baba of course meant lodging the

lessons in my heart."

(Adopted from The Wonderous SAint by Pujya Narasimha Swamy, this book can be

read at www.saileelas.org)