DIVINE GRACE - FAITH FETCHES FOREVER

[Guest guest]

DIVINE GRACE – FAITH FETCHES FOREVER:

 

Nana Chandorkar and Haridas, a Kirtankar were both at Shirdi, and

both had to be at Ahmednagar the next day, and so had to catch a

train, the scheduled time of which required their immediate leaving

of Shirdi. So they want to take leave of Baba. Baba quietly told them

both, `You had better take your meal and then go for your train.'

Nana, having implicit reliance on his Guru did so, though it took

some time for him to take his meal. Haridas did not wish to risk the

loss of money which he would get at the next day's engagement, and

so, remembering the scheduled time and not Baba's words (on which he

did not place much reliance), started off immediately without food

and reached Kopergaon station and waited there for some hours, for

the train was late by some hours. Baba knowing the lateness by his

Antarjnana (or Ritambhara Prajna) gave the benefit of his knowledge

to Nana who went up leisurely after meal, and found Haridas waiting

at the station with hungry stomach, for the late train. Nana was in

time to catch the train, and Haridas learnt a lesson, which he no

doubt would preach to others but did not practice himself, namely,

that one must put implicit faith in Great Souls like the Guru Sai

Deva, and not throw aside their words and rely upon one's own wisdom.

 

This is the correct interpretation of the last line of the Niti

sloka: - Ushas Sasamsca Gargyastu Sakunamtu Brihaspatih, Manojayamtu

Mandavya, Vipravakyam Janardhanah, which means: -

 

(When one wishes to consult augury of success before starting on any

action) Gargya praised starting at dawn, Brihaspati held omens e.g.,

flight of birds etc., to be the best guide. Mandavya held one's own

optimism and powerful determination were the best guides. Janardhana

(Sri Krishna) viewed the words of the Vipra or holy ones as the best

(Baba was a Vipra in the best and every sense of the term).

 

Baba also taught Nana incidentally another lesson before he left

Shirdi (saying), `Look at this Haridas, He comes with you. He leaves

you behind and runs away for his own (fancied) advantage. You must

always have friends who will not desert you in the middle like this'.

 

Another incident also may be quoted here. Nana was staying with Baba

at Shirdi and wanted to start one morning to go to Kopergaon, where

he had an appointment to meet the Collector. When he went to take

leave of Baba in proper time. Baba simply said, `Go tomorrow'. That

meant, leave was denied. Others with less faith than Nana would have

simply brushed aside Baba's advice and started off. But Nana had full

faith in Baba, and consequently the advantage of staying one more day

with Baba. Having been stopped for that day, he took leave of Baba

the next day. Baba then said, `You now go and meet the Collector'.

When Nana went to Kopergaon and enquired of the office staff there as

to what happened on the previous day, they said that the Collector

had sent a telegram that he was not coming that day but only on the

following day. Baba did not receive a copy of the telegram, but by

his own Antarjnana knew of the postponement of the appointment and

gave Nana the benefit of it with the resulting further benefit of an

extra day's stay with his Guru. Thus even in the most important

official matters, Nana's faith made him follow Baba's words with

great advantage to himself, temporally and spiritually.

 

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

(Vasuki Mahal Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Trust, Coimbatore, India)