Thursday Message from Sri Sai Satcharitra

[Guest guest]

theSarvantaryami BABA, knows what he is thinking and told to NANA, "Oh Nana, he

who has the power to digest onion, should eat it and none else". This shows

that BABA is Sarvantaryami. Nothing can be hidden from Baba and Baba knows our

ins and outs, so let’s have control over our taste buds, the message we get

here is that we should not judge a person by the food he eats; rather we should

respect him and try to learn the good things from him, ignoring the bad things

of thatperson.Real Bhakti and faith on BABA saved Mr. Shama from snakebite.

Herewe noticed that only BABA's word saves the life of Shama. The fivewords

"Go, Get away, come Down" the powerful poison also returned from the body of

Shama. The words were directed towards the poison. The Message we get here is,

the human body which is made by panchabhutas, so we should throw out the

poison's swabhavas from us toreach the paramavadhi, to pray to Baba with a

request, to help usto remove the

poisons i.e., 5 gunas (Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Mada, &Matcharya) and the best way

to remove this is to surrender at his lotus feet, i.e., Sarvasyasaranagathi.And

the last message we get from this Chapter is to trust our Gurucompletely, and we

should add patience to this, and our spiritualprogress is assured, and that is

what Baba always asked hisdevotees, 2 Paise or Faith and Patience. If we have

total faith inBaba as Kaka Saheb Dixit had, then there is no need of for

anyform of Yoga Sadhana, and as the child trusts its mother blindly,and has

faith in what its mother says, we should also trust ourGuru Mother Sri Sai and

this blind trust and Blind faith willcarry us across the Sansaric Ocean, and

the Guru will guide usreach our goal of Salvation.

mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Note: Please send your

views about this Chapter. ________

EN-US; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA"> Chapter XXIII

Yoga and Onion - Shama Cured of Snake - Bite - Cholera Ordinance Broken -

Ordeal of Guru-Bhakti. Preliminary Really this Jiva (human soul)

transcends the three qualities, viz. Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas, but

being deluded by Maya, he forgets his nature which is

'Existence-knowledge-bliss', and thinks that he is the doer and enjoyer and

thus entangles himself in endless miseries and does not know the way of

deliverance. The only way of deliverance is Loving Devotion towards the Guru's

feet. The great Player or Actor Lord Sai has delighted His Bhaktas and

transformed them into Himself (His nature). We regard Sai Baba as an

incarnation of God for reasons already stated, but He always said that He was

an obedient servant of God. Though an incarnation He showed the people the way,

how to behave satisfactorily and carry out the duties of their respective

stations (Varnas) in this life. He never emulated others in any way, nor asked

others to have something done for Him. For Him, Who saw the Lord in all movable

and immovable things of this world, humility was the most proper thing.

None He disregarded or disrespected; for He saw Narayan (Lord) in all beings, He

never said, "I am God," but that He was a humble servant and He always

remembered Him and always uttered - "Allah Malik" (God is the sole proprietor

or Owner). We do not know the various kinds of Saints, how they behave, what

they do and eat etc. We only know, that by God's grace they manifest themselves

in this world to liberate the ignorant and bound souls. If there be any store of

merits on our account, we get a desire in listening to the stories and Leelas of

the Saints, otherwise not. Let us now turn to the main stories of this Chapter.

Yoga and Onion Once it so happened, that a sadhak of Yoga came to Shirdi with

Nanasaheb Chandorkar. He had studied all the works on Yoga, including the

Yoga-sutras of Patanjali, but had no practical experience. He could not

concentrate his mind and attain samadhi even for a short time. He thought that

if Sai Baba be pleased with him, He will show him the way to attain samadhi for

a long time. With this object in view he came to Shirdi, and when he went to the

Masjid he saw Sai Baba eating bread with onion. On seeing this, a thought arose

in his mind - `How can this man, eating stale bread with raw onion, solve my

difficulties and help me?' Sai Baba read his mind and said to Nanasaheb - "Oh

Nana, he who has the power to digest onion, should eat it and none else".

Hearing this remark, the yogi was wonder-struck and then he fell at Baba's Feet

with complete surrender. With pure and open mind, he asked his difficulties and

got their solution from Baba. Thus

being satisfied and happy, he left Shirdi with Baba's Udi and blessings. Shama

Cured of Snake-Bite Before Hemadpant begins the story, he says about the Jiva

that it can be very well compared with a parrot, and that they both are bound,

the one in the body and the other in a cage. Both think that their present

bound state is good for them. It is only when a Helper, i.e., Guru comes and by

God's grace opens their eyes and liberates them from their bondage, that their

eyes are opened to a greater and larger life, compared to which their former

limited life is nothing. In the last Chapter, it was

shown how Baba anticipated the calamity, that was to befall on Mr. Mirikar and

rescued him from it. Now let the readers hear a story grander than that. Once

Shama was bitten by a poisonous snake. His little finger of the hand was stung

and the poison began to spread into the body. The pain was also severe and

Shama thought that he would pass off soon. His friends wanted to take him to

the God Viroba, where such cases were often sent, but Shama ran to the Masjid

-- to His Viroba (Sai Baba). When Baba saw him, He began to scold and abuse. He

got enraged and said - "Oh vile Bhaturdya (Priest) do not climp up. Beware if

you do so" and then roared - "Go, Get away, Come down." Seeing Baba thus red

with wrath, Shama was greatly puzzled and disappointed. He thought that the

Masjid was his home and Sai Baba his sole Refuge, but if he was driven away

like this, where should he go? He lost all hope of life and kept silent. After

a time Baba became normal and calm when Shama went up and sat

near. Then Baba said to him - "Don't be afraid, don't care a jot, the Merciful

Fakir will save you, go and sit quiet at home, don't go out, believe in Me and

remain fearless and have no anxeity". Then he was sent home. Immediately

afterwards, Baba sent Tatya Patil and Kakasaheb Dixit to him with instructions

to the effect, that he should eat what he liked, should move in the home, but

should never lie down and sleep. Needless to say that these instructions were

acted upon and Shama got all-right in a short time. The only thing to be

remembered in this connection is this - the words of Baba (or the five

syllabled Mantra, viz, `Go, Get away, Come down') were not addressed to Shama-

as it apparently looked - but they were a direct order to the snake and its

poison not to go up and circulate through Shama's body. Like others well-versed

in Mantrashastra, He had not to use any incantation, charged rice or water etc.

His words only were most efficacious in saving the life of Shama.

Any one, hearing this story and other similar ones, will beget firm faith in

the Feet of Sai Baba, and the only way to cross the ocean of Maya is to

remember ever the Feet of Baba in the heart. Cholera Epidemic Once, Cholera

was raging virulently in Shirdi. The residents were much frightened and they

stopped all communication with the outside people. The panchas of the village

assembled together and decided upon two ordinances as a remedy to check and put

down the Epidemic. They were (1) No fuel-cart should be allowed to come in the

village, and (2) No goat should be killed there. If anybody

disobeyed these ordinances, they were to be fined by the village-authorities and

panchas. Baba knew that all this was mere supersition, and therefore, He cared

two pence for the Cholera-ordinances. While the ordinances were in force, a

fuel-cart came there, and wanted to enter the village. Everybody knew that

there was dearth of fuel in the village, still the people began to drive away

the fuel-cart. Baba came to know of this. He came to the spot and asked the

cartman to take the fuel-cart to the Masjid. None dared to raise his voice

against this action of Baba. He wanted fuel for His Dhuni and so He purchased

it. Like an Agnihotri keeping his sacred fire alive throughout his life, Baba

kept His Dhuni ever burning all day and night; and for this He always stocked

fuel. Baba's home, i.e. the Masjid was free and open to all. It had no lock and

key; and some poor people removed some wood from there for their use. Baba did

not grumble about this. Baba saw that the whole universe was

pervaded by the Almighty, and so He never bore enmity or ill-will to anybody.

Though perfectly detached. He behaved like an ordinary house-holder to set an

example to the people. Ordeal of Guru-Bhakti Let us now see, how the second

Cholera-ordinance fared with Baba. While it was in force, somebody brought a

goat to the Masjid. It was weak, old and about to die. At this time Fakir Pir

Mohamad of Malegaon alias Bade Baba was near. Sai Baba asked him to behead it

with one stroke, and offer it as an oblation. This Bade Baba was much respected

by Sai Baba. He always

sat on the right hand of Sai Baba. After the chilim (pipe) was first smoked by

him, it was then offered to Baba and others. After the dishes were served, at

the time of taking meals at noon, Baba respectfully called Bade Baba and made

him sit on His left side, and then all partook of food. Baba paid him also

daily Rs.50/- out of the amount collected as Dakshina. Baba accompanied him

hundred paces whenever he was going away. Such was his position with Baba. But

when Baba asked him to behead the goat, he flatly refused, saying "Why it

should be killed for nothing?" Then Baba asked Shama to kill it. He went to

Radha-Krishna-Mai and brought a knife from her and placed it before Baba.

Knowing the purpose for which the knife was taken, she recalled it. Then Shama

went to bring another knife, but stayed in the Wada, and did not return soon.

Then came the turn of Kakasaheb Dixit. He was 'good gold' no doubt, but had to

be tested. Baba asked him to get a knife and kill the goat. He went to

Sathe's Wada and returned with a knife. He was ready to kill it at Baba's

bidding. He was born in a pure Brahmin family and never in his life knew

killing. Though quite averse to do any act of violence, he made himself bold to

kill the goat. All the people wondered to see that Bade Baba, a Mahomedan was

unwilling to kill it while this pure Brahmin was making preparations to do so.

He tightened his dhotar and with a semicircular motion raised his hand with the

knife and looked at Baba for the final signal. Baba said - "What are you

thinking of? Go on, strike". Then, when the hand was just about to come down,

Baba said - "Stop, how cruel you are! Being a Brahmin, you are killing a goat?"

Kakasaheb obeyed and kept the knife down and said to baba - "Your nectarlike

word is law unto us, we do not know any other ordinance. We remember You

always, meditate on Your Form and obey You day and night, we do not know or

consider whether it is right or wrong to kill, we do not want to reason or

discuss things, but implicit and prompt compliance with Guru's orders, is our

duty and dharma". Then Baba said to Kakaseheb, that He would Himself do the

offering and killing business. It was settled that the goat should be disposed

of near a place called Takkya, where fakirs used to sit. When the goat was

being removed to that place, it fell dead on the way. Hemadpant closes the

Chapter with a classification of disciples. He says that they are of three

kinds : (1) First or best (2) Second or middling and (3) Third or ordinary. The

best kind of disciples are those who guess what their Gurus want and immediately

carry it out and serve them without waiting for an order from them. The average

disciples are those who carry out the orders of their Masters to a letter,

without any delay, and the third kind of disciples are those, who go on

postponing the carrying out of their orders and making mistakes at every step.

The disciples should have firm faith, backed up by intelligence and if they and

patience to these, their spiritual goal will not be distant. Control of breath

-- ingoing and outgoing, or Hath-Yoga or other difficult practices are not at

all necessary. When the disciples get the above-mentioned qualities, they

become ready for further instructions and the Masters then appear and lead them

on, in their spiritual path to perfection. In the next Chapter we will deal

with Baba's interesting wit and humour.

Verdana"> Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all

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