DEATH IS NOT ALWAYS AN EVIL

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DEATH IS NOT ALWAYS AN EVIL

We have already seen how Baba looked after Kaka’s daughter Vatsali when an

almirah tumbled down upon her. How did the fall of the almirah, with the heavy

articles inside, not hurt the girl? In BCS 35, Baba says, "I will not allow my

devotees to come to harm I have to take thought for my devotees. I stretch out

my hands, four hands, at a time to support them". There were some cases,

however, in which Baba finds himself prevented from doing anything, and that is

what happened finally in the case of Vatsali. When she was in Shirdi, she got

fever and Dixit was simply trusting Baba. But this time instead of saving her,

when the fever had far advanced, Baba appeared to her in her dream, and said,

"Why should you be down here? Come any be lying under the margosa tree". This

was ominous, and the very next morning, Baba asked Shama, "Is Kaka’s girl

dead?" Shama replied, "O, Deva, why are you speaking so inauspiciously?" Then

Baba replied. "She will die in the afternoon." She did accordingly at that

time. To enable Dixit to beat the blow, Baba gave him prescription. Kaka took

in his hands Bhavartha Ramayana and handed it over to Baba. Baba then dipped

hands into the book, and opening it, at the page in Kishkinda kanda, where Rama

kills Vali and consoles his widow, asked Kaka to read and digest the same. When

death is inevitable, Baba wants his devotees to be strong-minded enough to

recognise the fact of its inevitability and bear the separation. Death is not

always an evil. Baba conveyed this truth to Kaka at least on one other

occasion. An old woman with her only son was at Shirdi, and a cobra bit that

boy. The old woman ran to Baba, and asked for udhi to save the life of her son.

Baba did not give any udhi, then the woman went out. But soon she returned

beating her breast wailing aloud that her son was dead. She implored Baba to

revive her son. Baba gave neither udhi nor other help, and said nothing. But

Dixit was there. His sympathy was very much excited, and he requested Baba to

help her, "The woman’s plight is heartening. Please revive her dead son

for my sake." Baba replied, "Bhav, do not get entangled in this. What has

happened is for good. He has entered a new body. In that body, he will do

specially good work which cannot be accomplished in this body, which is seen

here. If I draw him back into this body, then the new body he has taken will

die, and this body will live. I will do this for your sake. Have you considered

the consequences? Have you any idea of the responsibility, and are you prepared

to take it up?" H. S. Dixit desisted from pressing his request. The current

idea of the worldly man that death is always evil is incorrect and the wise man

is he who cares for life only as long as it lasts and meets death without fear

when it comes. We have already seen how Baba looked after Kaka’s daughter

Vatsali when an almirah tumbled down upon her. How did the fall of the almirah,

with the heavy articles inside, not hurt the girl? In BCS 35, Baba says, "I

will not allow my devotees to come to harm I have to take thought for my

devotees. I stretch out my hands, four hands, at a time to support them". There

were some cases, however, in which Baba finds himself prevented from doing

anything, and that is what happened finally in the case of Vatsali. When she

was in Shirdi, she got fever and Dixit was simply trusting Baba. But this time

instead of saving her, when the fever had far advanced, Baba appeared to her in

her dream, and said, "Why should you be down here? Come any be lying under the

margosa tree". This was ominous, and the very next morning, Baba asked Shama,

"Is Kaka’s girl dead?". Shama replied, "O, Deva, why are you speaking so

inauspiciously?", Then Baba replied. "She will die in the afternoon." She did

accordingly at that time. To enable Dixit to beat the blow, Baba gave him

prescription. Kaka took in his hands Bhavartha Ramayana and handed it over to

Baba. Baba then dipped hands into the book, and opening it, at the page in

Kishkinda kanda, where Rama kills Vali and consoles his widow, asked Kaka to

read and digest the same. When death is inevitable, Baba wants his devotees to

be strong-minded enough to recognise the fact of its inevitability and bear the

separation. Death is not always an evil. Baba conveyed this truth to Kaka at

least on one other occasion. An old woman with her only son was at Shirdi, and

a cobra bit that boy. The old woman ran to Baba, and asked for udhi to save the

life of her son. Baba did not give any udhi, then the woman went out. But soon

she returned beating her breast wailing aloud that her son was dead. She

implored Baba to revive her son. Baba gave neither udhi nor other help, and

said nothing. But Dixit was there. His sympathy was very much excited, and he

requested Baba to help her, "The woman’s plight is heartening. Please

revive her dead son for my sake." Baba replied, "Bhav, do not get entangled in

this. What has happened is for good. He has entered a new body. In that body,

he will do specially good work which cannot be accomplished in this body, which

is seen here. If I draw him back into this body, then the new body he has taken

will die, and this body will live. I will do this for your sake. Have you

considered the consequences? Have you any idea of the responsibility, and are

you prepared to take it up?" H. S. Dixit desisted from pressing his request.

The current idea of the worldly man that death is always evil is incorrect and

the wise man is he who cares for life only as long as it lasts and meets death

without fear when it comes.

Written by: HH Pujyasri B V Narasimha Swamiji

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

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