SWEET MEMORIES OF TATYA - What does this mean?

[Guest guest]

SWEET MEMORIES OF TATYA

What does this mean, you the resident of Shirdi?

Every night after taking leave of Baba, and before heading for home, the

devotees used to lower the curtains in the mosque so that the cold night air

would not harm Baba. As the devotees did this, Baba sometimes used to say with

sarcasm, "Yes of course! What would happen to me if all you people did not care

for me like this?" The next moment he would get serious, "How come you people

think you can save me? It is me that saves you all!" But then why did Baba ask

Tatya to care for him during the night - just as a little lad might meekly

plead with his elders? Not only this - sometimes as Tatya entered the mosque,

Baba used to pay him respects with folded hands saying, "Jai Deva, Jai Deva!"

Even though this act of Baba’s hurt him a lot, Tatya would take it as Baba

teasing him and used to respond with, "Salam-a-lekum," bowing to him, bidding

him salute. On one occasion Baba behaved in a still more baffling manner. Let

us read about it in the words of Tatya

himself.

"One day Baba got up suddenly and touched my feet. I felt terribly sorry.

Holding him by the hands I asked him in a choked voice, ‘Baba ! Is it proper on

your part to act like this?’ He, paying no heed to my words, freed himself from

my hands and again touched my feet and saluted. I felt still appalled and

shouted, ‘What is this you are doing Baba?’ Baba yelled back at me, ‘Shut up!

What do you know at all.’ Sometimes, I used to be shocked by his acts."

Not only Tatya, but also all the people, were shocked by such un-imaginable acts

of Baba. It was a mystery why Baba used to behave thus. This act of Baba reminds

one of the instance of Lord Jesus saluting his disciples and washing their feet.

 

"Experiences of Tatya" in the Marathi magazine Sri Sai Leela Masik