KAKA SAHEB DIXIT'S VANA VASA AT SHIRDI

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DIXIT’S VANAVASA AT SHIRDI

Sai Baba distinctly undertook the full care of Dixit and his family to enable

him to carry out his spiritual work. Baba’s express words to Kaka were

‘Kaka Tula Kalji Kazl Mala sara Kalji Ahe.’ That is, ‘Kaka,

why should you have any anxiety or care? All care and responsibilities are

mine.’ (BCS 29) On the first occasion when he said this, Baba gave him

indisputable proof that the undertaking, though vast and unlimited by time and

circumstances, was real. No ordinary man with human powers will or can give

such an undertaking. But it was Baba, possessed of divine powers, that gave it.

When at Shirdi Baba gave this undertaking, Kaka’s daughter, aged about

eight, was in his bungalow at Ville Parle, and was playing a close to a huge

almirah with a large number of big dolls in it. She climbed up the almirah, and

the same (with all the dolls) fell upon her, but strangely enough, no dolls fell

upon her, and no damage was done to her by the fall except the breaking of her

bangles and the consequent scratch. Kaka learnt of this incident only later,

and understood what a divine power and kindness were in Sai (his Gurudeva) when

he gave the undertaking, which he fulfilled thus at once at Ville Parle. Dixit

could never forgot that Sai’s powers and nature were divine, and that all

responsibility for him and his family rested on Baba’s divine shoulders,

and that there was no need to apprehend any harm. His heart was free from

anxiety, fear or worry though, a lucrative practice, with high social and

political position and prospects were lost by his clinging to Sai at Shirdi

ignoring his worldly affairs. Ordinarily the change from affluence to lack of

funds would be painful. But in the case of Kaka Saheb, his habits were simple.

He reduced his needs to the minimum, and avoided every sort of luxury or

unnecessary expenditure. The loss of income or wealth be considered a great

evil by others; but he, as the "Ankita" or earmarked child of Baba (who

undertook all responsibilities), and as a student of the spiritual life and a

special student of Bhagavata, remembered what Lord Krishna says in Sloka 10,

Adhyaya 17, Tam Bhramscayami sampatbhyo yasya cha ichchami anugraham, i.e.,

‘I deprive him of all wealth, whom I wish to bless’. His keeping

away from courts, society, and public work might make life dull and insipid to

him but he realized that he was being trained by the Sadguru for something

higher, i.e., Sadgati, by shedding the popular confusion of wealth with welfare

and of enjoyments with happiness. For a person steeped in worldliness and

spending 95 percent of his time in worldly company, all chances of spiritual

progress depend upon sequestration and solitude and entire absorption in holy

company amidst holy surroundings. Therefore it is our sacred books prescribe

that after Grihasthasrama has been enjoyed to a certain extent, we should

retire and live in forest, i.e., Vana Prastha Ashrama. (SB XI (18)1-11). Kaka

Saheb had already 25 years of practice and worldly grahasthashrama and was ripe

therefore for Vanaprasthasrama. In his case, however, he had no necessity to go

to a reserved forest. His life at Shirdi from 1912 onwards (i.e., from his

forty eighth year) may be considered to be his Vanaprasthasrama. To make that

effective, i.e., to give him Vanaprastha Ashrama. Baba told him, ‘Kaka,

remain in your wada upstairs. Do not go here or there. Do not come here (even

to the Dwarakamayi)" which was crowded and distracting. Kaka obeyed this

instructions strictly. Then he found his absence at the darshan of Baba for 2

O’clock Arti was very painful. Through Shama he prayed and obtained

permission to attend it and the Arti at Chavadi. Thus Baba kept him for nine

months in solitude. This is strict Vanaprastha or Vanavasa. Alarmed by the

change, his wife at Ville Parle tried to give him her company and came to

Shirdi. At Kaka wada, ladies should not go upstairs; that was the rule. When

Shama broached the question to Baba whether during his wife’s stay

downstairs. Kaka should go down for sleep or sleep upstairs only. Baba

emphatically said that Kaka must sleep upstairs. Thus Kaka’s Brahmacharya

and rigorous tapas were maintained, and his wife returned quickly to Ville

Parle. On the occasion of her departure, Sai Baba repeated his assurance that

he was entirely responsible for Kaka Dixit. He told her "Have no fear at all

about Kaka. I will look after him myself".

The regular study by Kaka (prescribed by Baba) when he was upstairs was an

excellent purificatory preparation for self-realisation and God-realisation

through bhakti and jnana. Kaka had gone through Hativarata, i.e., Marati

commentary on the 10th Sloka of Bhagavata. Then Kaka went to Baba and asked

him, "This is finished. Should I read this again or read any other pothi?" Baba

said, "Go on with the parayana of Eknath Brindavan pothi." Amongst the numerous

works of Eknath, none is named Brindavan Pothi. So Kaka Saheb took

Eknath’s Bhagavata, 11th Skanda, and asked Baba whether that was

Brindavan Pothi. Baba said ‘Yes". Kaka did not understand, and others

also did not understand why Baba called Eknath Brindavan Pothi. But when Kaka

came to end of the book, he found the last stanza of the last i.e., 31st

Chapter in which the author Eknath says

Haa Ekadasca navhe jann

Eka tisaam Ehanache Brindavan

Etha nitya base Sri Krishna

Swananda purna nijasatta

Which means – ‘Know This (book) is not eleventh. It is the 31st

storeyed Brindavan. Here Sri Krishna always resides, in his own essence, full

of his own bliss’. Kaka and all wondered how thoroughly familiar Sai Baba

was with Eknath Bhagavata by seeing the he referred to what was stated in its

last stanza (in the 31st Chapter). When Dixit’s daughter Vatsali died,

that day a copy of Bhavartha Ramayan came to Dixit by post. He gave it into

Baba’s hands. Baba holding it up side down dipped his hand in it and took

up the passage where Rama condole Tara after Vali was slain and asked Dixit to

read it. What is there Baba did not know? When Bhagavata was over, Kaka Saheb

asked Baba, if he should study Bhagavat Gita with commentaries. Baba ordered

him to go with concentrated study of only two works, Bhagavata and Bhavartha

Ramayana. He had not merely to study but also do Mananam (meditation) and

observe Acharanam (to have his conduct based on the scriptures). After the nine

months were over, Baba stopped his severe practice of seclusion, and Dixit was

permitted to go and visit Bombay also.

Written by: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

Vasuki Mahal Shri Shirdi Sai Baba trust, Coimbatore 641025, India