ALL CARE IS MINE

[Guest guest]

ALL CARE IS MINE

To most people however Baba did not appear to be a Guru at all, and he seldom

declared himself to be a Guru. But on one occasion he quaintly or silently

admitted or avowed his Gurudom and its wonderful nature. It was once the lot of

H. S. Dixit to elicit this avowal from Baba. It came in connection with a

commonplace request for leave from Baba for Dixit and others to go to Bombay.

When Baba said, "You may go" (BCS 176), some one asked Baba, "Where to go?"

Baba gave that a spiritual turn and said, "Up", meaning evidently "to Heaven or

God". The question was asked, "What is the way?" Baba answered, "Many ways there

are from many places." Baba added, "From this place (meaning Shirdi or

Baba’s Masjid) also there is a way. But the way is full of obstacles.

There are tigers and bears on the way. If one is careless, there is a deep pit

into which one may fall." Then Dixit asked Baba "If there is a guide?" Baba

answered, "In that case, there is no danger or difficulty. The bears and tigers

will move aside." This was a clear statement that persons wishing to reach the

goal, viz., God, could do so even from Shirdi c.f. Kabir’s song "Guruvina

Kon bethave Vat." If there is no Guru, who will show the way. If they have the

help of a Guru (guide), there will have no difficulty, and they can safely

reach their goal. Of course, the sishya must have Nishta (faith) and Saburi

(courage and perseverance). Unless he gets out of worldly attachment, lust,

anger, etc., he can never be attached to his Guru or God; and, therefore, the

complete, unconditional and perfect surrender of "Tan, Man, Dhan" i.e., mind,

body and possessions by the sishya, at the feet of the Guru is very necessary.

Confidence in the Guru is a necessary pre-requisite for getting the help of the

Guru." Dixit offered his Tan, Man, Dhan, at his Guru’s feet with perfect

confidence. He gave up practice. He gave up society, politics, social esteem,

etc., which were dear to him in former days, and stuck to Shirdi to render

service to Baba and the bhaktas, both before and after 1918 up to the very end

of his life. One may ask, as many of Kaka’s relatives asked, "What is to

happen to the relatives and dependants of Kaka, if Kaka gets vairagya and stops

earning?" A similar question was asked about Balakram Manker, who was the chief

earning member of his family and who was suddenly attracted to Baba, and gave

up his earning activity by staying with Baba or alone on Machendragad under his

direction. When the relatives asked Baba "What is to become Manker’s sons

if he ceases to earn?", Baba’s answer was, "I will provide for

Manker’s sons." (BCS 31). Baba has really provided for them for they are

all occupying high and enviable financial positions now.

About Kaka Dixit, at the very outset, Baba had answered this question by saying,

"Kaka Tula Kalji Kasli; Mala Sara Kalji Ahe" i.e., Dixit, why should you have

any care? All care is mine." Baba, having said this, would be the last person

to break his promise of bearing the entire responsibility for Kaka and his

relatives. Several incidents would be mentioned to show that before the

Mahasamadhi of Baba in 1918 and after, Baba did bear all that responsibility.

First we shall take Dixit’s sons and narrate an incident or two. In 1913

Kaka Dixit’s boy was reading at Bombay at Ville Parle, and Kaka was with

Baba at Shirdi. Just a month or two before examination, the boy had continuous

fever. So Kaka’s brother wrote to him to come up and look after the boy,

but when the letter was shown to Baba, he told Kaka not to go, but, on the

other hand to send for his son to Shirdi, where there was neither doctor nor

medicine available. So, the boy’s uncle sent him up to Shirdi

unwillingly, and strange to say, without hospital, doctor, and medicine, the

boy improved in health and got all right at Shirdi. Then the uncle wrote that

the examination was on 2-11-1913, and the boy must be sent up for studies. But

Baba did not allow it, not even for attending the examination on 2-11-1913,

though the boy’s uncle wrote that the boy should be sent up. Kaka asked

for leave. But Baba did not allow him to start. It looked as though Baba was

seriously injuring the boy’s prospects. But what happened at Bombay? The

examination to be held on 2-11-1913 had to be postponed to 6-11-1913 as a

plague rat was found in the examination hall. Again for the 6th, the boy was

requisitioned. Again Baba forbade the boy’s departure. The boy did not go

up. The explanation appeared soon. Again there was a plague rat in the

examination hall and the examination had to be postponed to the 13th. Baba

ordered the boy to be sent up for that date, and he attended the examination

and passed.

Written by: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji in Life of Sai Baba.

(Vasuki Mahal Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Trust, Coimbatore 641025, India)

To read more articles on Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, please visit http://shirdisaibaba.blogspot.com