Devotees Experiences by HH Pujyasri B V Narasimha Swamiji, Sri Jayker concludes..

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Devotees Experiences by HH Pujyasri B V Narasimah Swamiji, Dt: 17-10-1936

Shama Rao Jayker, aged 70, painter, Ville Parle, continues:

Baba strengthened my faith in him by showing me his antarjnana (i.e.,) knowledge

of every fact without being told of it or having direct sensual experience of

it. Once I sat before him with only Rs.3 in my pocket. That was the entire sum

I had for my household expense. Baba was seated along with Kaka Dixit, nana

Saheb Nimonkar at the time and he has asked me, ‘mala char dhave’ I doubt if he

said Rupaya. But, I took it that he wanted Rs.4 dakshina and took out my Rs.3

and placed it before him. Kaka looked at me suggestively as much to say, "why

give only 3 when 4 was asked for?" Baba at once answered, "Where are 4? There

were only 3". Baba knew the exact state of my pocket. As he knew also my

straitened circumstances, the demand for 4 seemed to indicate his desire that I

should develop resignation to fate, to face utter absence of pecuniary resources

with confidence on him, of course to remedy matters, when he thought fit, and to

part with the last pie

cheerfully when ordered by him to do it.

Here is another instance of his depriving me of the last pie in my possession

and leaving me absolutely helpless to meet domestic responsibilities coupled

with his exhibition of his antarjnana. It was a day in Ashad 1917. I sat in the

Sabha Mantap some 20 feet away from the main mosque where Baba sat. One Varde

was talking with him. Varde told him that he wished to perform Satya Narayana

Pooja there and wanted permission. Baba accorded permission. Then Varde said he

had no funds to perform it. Then Baba pointing to his finger to me said to Varde

"Go and ask him". Varde came to me and reported that Baba had asked him to ask

me for money for the expenses of Satya Narayana Pooja to be done there. Varde I

knew barely as a devotee of Baba and was hardly anything more than an

acquaintance. But, when he said Baba told him to get money from me. I at once

agreed and asked him how much he required. Fancy what his reply was, He just

asked for Rs.2.50. That was the exact sum

that I had in my pocket and constituted my entire resources. This thought of

asking for the entire amount with me must have been Baba’s Lila. I gave him the

Rs.2.50 at once. Then, Varde set about getting the necessary materials and made

all the requisite arrangement. He brought small plantain plants and set them on

both sides of Baba, to make a chappar or pandal and tried to use Baba himself

for the God Lakshmi Narayana or Satya Narayana that has to be worshipped at

this pooja. Baba objected and asked him to have his usual images or pictures

and place his plants round them. But, Varde and other devotees went on

insisting that Baba should himself as the Satya Narayana and Baba ultimately

yielded.

Then, Satya Narayana pothi was being read in the mantap below, while I sat with

1 or 2 by Baba’s side in the mosque itself. My mind was very soon at war with

itself and I was much perplexed. I love to hear Satya Narayana Pothi. But,

Baba’s own personality and neighbourhood that was a great fact and I could not

decide which I should prefer. Again, I was hearing Pothi sitting up above the

level where the reader of the Pothi sat. To sit on a higher level is improper

for the hearer. So, what should I do? I was greatly perplexed in my mind. Baba

evidently read the conflict in my mind and told me suddenly "Go down and sit

there" (i.e.,) in the lower level, close to the Pothi reader. Baba made the

election for me when I was unable to make it for myself.

Baba once showed us how concerned he was to save poor dumb creatures from

unnecessary molestation; how powerful he was to cure serious ailments of such

creatures and what a refuge or sanctuary he was to all creatures. I was on the

veranda of Dixit Wada at Shirdi, one day; I saw a strange sight. Big dogs were

running away from and being chased by a small white dog. It was clear that the

small dog was rabid and that the bigger dogs were afraid of its bite. The

villagers then took sticks in their hands and pursued the small dog with a view

to smash it to death. When this chase was going on, I had moved on to the

Mosque. The chasing party came up there. Suddenly, the small white dog ran up

the steps of the Mosque and stood behind Baba. It seemed to feel that Baba was

its sanctuary and that its assailants dared not attack it there. This indeed

proved to be the fact. The men stood at a distance and waited for the dog to

come out. Meanwhile, Baba abused them vigorously for

their heartless cruelty to a poor dumb creature. They explained that the dog was

mad that it should be killed. He abused them the more and asked them to get

away. Myself and Dr. Pillai were at the Mosque, fairly near Baba and the dog,

and we were assured that the dog was mad and felt that we were in dangerous

proximity to it. But ultimately the men went away and the dog was saved. I said

then to Pillai that Baba had evidently out of consideration, cured the dog and

saved its life, of course, knew the exact situation in respect of the dog, its

rabid state, its possibilities of cure, and the way to save it.

 

 

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