Shri Sai Satcharitra [Ch. XLII]

[Guest guest]

Health - your guide to health and wellness

http://health.

"M. Palaniswamy" saidarsn

 

Shri Sai Satcharitra [Ch. XLII]

Sat, 27 Apr 2002 18:45:14 +0530

Organization: Sai Darshan Infotech

Om Sri Sai Ram

Shri Sai Satcharitra

Chapter XLII

Total Surrender

Baba has carved a golden path to blessedness for humanity; a sublime culture

which is a sure path to blessedness. He has planted the banner of Truth, the

banner of Divine Peace and Universal Love, the banner of Righteousness and True

Dharma.

When mind and body are offered at the Lotus Feet of the beloved Sadguru Sai they

are purified. With body attired in His identity, in His proud uniform and with

mind rolling at His Holy Feet, the Divine controls both mind and body. The mind

remains dyed with the Nectar of the Divine Name and the body performs only pure

and heroic deeds.

This in itself is indicative of a total surrender, a total sacrifice as the

first and the foremost essential prerequisite for earning and attaining His

Grace Eternal. We have to offer our head at His Holy Feet. Thereafter, with

headless (egoless) existence, having died while living, be blessed with Nectar

of Immortality from the Holy Hands of our beloved Divine Sadguru, Father and

Mother Sai.

Sainatha Sainatha Sainatha Sadgurum

Yogiraja Yugapurusha Bhaktakoti Vanditham

Kripanidhim Tapodhanim Sainatha Pahimaam

Divyateja Bhavyamoorthi Punyacharita Poojitam

Baba's Passing Away

Previous Indication - Averting Death of Ramachandra Dada Patil and Tatya Kote

Patil - Charity to Laxmibai Shinde - Last Moment.

This chapter describes the Passing away of Baba.

Preliminary

The stories given in the previous chapter have shown that the light of Guru's

grace removes out fear of the mundane existence, opens the path of salvation

and turns our misery into happiness. If we always remember the feet of the

Sad-guru, our troubles come to an end, death loses its sting and the misery of

this mundane existence is obliterated. Therefore those who care for their

welfare should carefully listen to these stories of Sai Samarth, which will

purify their minds.

In the beginning, Hemadpant dwells on Dr.Pandit's worship and his marking Baba's

forehead with Tripundra, i.e., three horizontal lines; but as this has been

already described in chapter XI, this has been omitted here.

Previous Indication

The readers up till now heard the stories of Baba's life. Let them now hear

attentively Baba's Passing away. Baba got a slight attack of fever on 28th

September, 1918. The fever lasted for 2 or 3 days, but afterwards Baba gave up

his food and thereby He grew weaker and weaker. On the 17th day, i.e., Tuesday,

the 15th October 1918, Baba left His mortal coil at about 2-30 p.m. (Vide

Professor G.G. Narke's letter, dated 5th November 1918, to Dadasaheb Khaparde,

published in &quotSai Leela" magazine, Page 78, first year). Two years before

this, i.e., in 1916, Baba gave an indication of His Passing away, but nobody

understood it then. It was as follows:- On the Vijayadashmi (Dasara) day Baba

at once got into wild rage in the evening when people were returning from

'Seemollanghan' (crossing the border or limits of the village). Taking off His

head-dress, kafni and langota etc., He tore them and threw them in the Dhuni

before Him. Fed by this offering, the fire in the Dhuni began to burn brighter

and Baba shone still brighter. He stood there stark naked and with His burning

red eyes shouted - &quotYou fellows, now have a look and decide finally whether

Iam a Moslem or a Hindu." Everybody was trembling with fear and none dared to

approach Baba. After some time Bhagoji Shinde, the leper devotee of Baba, went

boldly near Him and succeeded in tying a langota (waist-band) round His waist

and said - &quotBaba, what is all this? To-day is the Seemollanghan, i.e.,

Dasara Holiday." Baba striking the ground with His satka said - &quotThis is my

Seemollanghan (crossing the border)." Baba did not cool down till 11-00 p.m. and

the people doubted whether the chavadi procession would ever take place that

night. After an hour Baba resumed His normal condition and dressing Himself as

usual attended the chavadi procession as described before. By this incident

Baba gave a suggestion that Dasara was the proper time for Him to cross the

border of life, but none understood its meaning. Baba gave also another

indication as follows:-

Averting Death of Ramachandra and Tatya Patil

Some time after this, Ramachandra Patil became scriously ill. He suffered a lot.

He tried all remedies, but finding no relief, despaired of his life and was

waiting for the last moment. The one midnight Baba suddenly stood near his

pillow. Patil held His Feet and said, "I have lost all hopes of life, please

tell me definitely when I shall die." Merciful Baba said, "Don't be anxious,

your hundi (death-warrant) has been withdrawn and you will soon recover, but I

am afraid of Tatya Patil. He will pass away on Vijayadashami of Shaka 1840

(1918 A.D.). Do not divulge this to anybody, nor to him, for he will be

terribly frightened." Ramachandra Dada got well, but he felt nervous about

Tatya's life, for he knew that Baba's word was unalterable, and that Tatya

would breathe his last within two years. He kept this hint secret, told it to

none but one Bala Shimpi (a tailor). Only these two persons - Ramachandra Dada

and Bala Shimpi were in fear and suspense regarding Tatya's life.

Ramachandra Dada soon left his bed and was on his legs. Time passed quickly. The

month of Bhadrapad of Shaka 1840 (1918 A.D.) was ending and Ashwin was in sight.

True to Baba's word, Tatya fell sick and was bed-ridden; and so he could not

come for Baba's darshana. Baba was also down with fever. Tatya had full faith

in Baba and Baba in Lord Hari, who was His Protector. Tatya's illness began to

grow from bad to worse and he could not move at all but always remembered Baba.

The predicament of Baba began to grow equally worse. The day predicted, i.e.,

Vijayadashami was impending and both Ramachandra Dada and Bala Shimpi were

terribly frightened about Tatya and with their bodies trembling and perspiring

with fear, thought that as predicted by Baba, Tatya's end was nigh.

Vijayadashami dawned and Tatya's pulse began to beat very slow and he was

expected to pass away shortly. But a curious thing happened. Tatya remained,

his death was averted and Baba passed away in his stead. It seemed as if there

was an exchange. People said that Baba gave up His life for Tatya; why He did

so? He alone knows as His ways are inscrutable. It seems, however, that in this

incident, Baba gave a hint of His passing away, substituting Tatya's name for

His.

Next morning (16th October) Baba appeared to Das Ganu at Pandharpur in his dream

and said to him - "The Masjid collapsed, all the oilmen and grocers of Shirdi

teased me a lot, so I leave the place. I therefore came to inform you here,

please go there quickly and cover me with 'Bhakkal' flowers." Das Ganu got the

information also from Shirdi letters. So he came to Shirdi with his disciples

and started bhajan and kirtan and sang the Lord's name, all through the day

before Baba's samadhi. Himself weaving a beautiful garland of flowers studded

with Lord Hari's name he placed it on Baba's samadhi and gave a mass-feeding in

Baba's name.

Charity to Laxmibai

Dasara or Vijayadashami is regarded by all the Hindus as the most auspicious

time and it is befitting that Baba should choose this time for His crossing the

border-line. He was ailing some days before this, but He was ever conscious

internally. Just before the last movement He sat up erect without anybody's

aid, and looked better. People thought that the danger had passed off and He

was geeting well. He knew that He was to pass away soon and therefore, He

wanted to give some money as charity to Laxmibai Shinde.

Baba Pervading All Creatures

This Laxmibai Shinde was a good and well-to-do woman. She was working in the

Masjid day and night. Except Bhagat Mhalasapati, Tatya and Laxmibai, none was

allowed to step in the Masjid at night. Once while Baba was sitting in the

Masjid with Tatya in the evening, Laxmibai came and saluted Baba. The latter

said to her - "Oh Laxmi, Iam very hungry." Off she went saying - "Baba, wait a

bit, I return immediately with bread." She did return with bread and vegetables

and placed the same before Baba. He took it up and gave it to a dog. Laxmibai

then asked - "What is this, Baba, I ran in haste, prepared bread with my own

hands for You and You threw it to a dog without eating a morsel of it; You gave

me trouble unnecessarily." Baba replied - "Why do you grieve for nothing? The

appeasement of the dog's hunger is the same as Mine. The dog has got a soul;

the creatures may be different, but the hunger of all is the same, though some

speak and others are dumb. Know for certain, that he who feeds the hungry,

really serves Me with food. Regard this as an exiomatic Truth." This is a

ordinary incident but Baba thereby propounded a great spiritual truth and

showed its practical application in daily life without hurting anybody's

feelings. From this time onward Laxmibai began to offer Him daily bread and

milk with love and devotion. Baba accepted and ate it appreciatingly. He took a

part of this and sent the remainder with Laxmibai to Radha-Krishna-Mai who

always relished and ate Baba's remnant prasad. This bread-story should not be

considered as a digression; it shows, how Sai Baba pervaded all the creatures

and transcended them. He is omnipresent, birthless, deathless and immortal.

Baba remembered Laxmibai's service. How could He forget her? Just before leaving

the body, He put His hand in His pocket and gave her once Rs.5/- and again

Rs.4/-, in all Rs.9/-. This figure (9) is indicative of the nine types of

devotion described in chapter 21 or it may be the Dakshina offered at the time

of Seemollanghan. Laxmibai was a well-to-do woman and so she was not in want of

any money. So Baba might have suggested to her and brought prominently to her

notice the nine characteristics of a good disciple mentioned in the 6th verse

of chapter ten, skandha eleven of the Bhagwat, wherein first five and then four

characteristics are mentioned in the first and second couplets.* Baba followed

the order, first paid Rs.5/- and then Rs.4/- in all Rs.9/-. Not only nine, but

many times nine rupees passed through Laxmibai's hand, but Baba's this gift of

Nine, she will ever remember.

Being so watchful and conscious, Baba also took other precautions in His last

moment. In order that He should not be embroiled or entangled with love and

affection for His devotees, He ordered them all to clear off. Kakasaheb Dixit,

Bapusaheb Booty and others were in the Masjid anxiously waiting upon Baba, but

He asked them to go to the Wada and return after meals. They could not leave

Baba's presence, nor could they disobey Him. So with heavy hearts and heavy

feet they went to the Wada. They knew that Baba's case was very serious and

that they could not forget Him. They sat for meals, but their mind was

elsewhere, it was with Baba. Before they finished, news came to them of Baba's

leaving the mortal coil. Leaving their dishes, they ran to the Masjid and found

that Baba rested finally on Bayaji's lap. He did not fall down on the ground nor

did He lie on His bed, but sitting quietly on His seat and doing charity with

His own hand threw off the mortal coil. Saints embody themselves and come into

this world with a definite mission and after that is fulfilled they pass away

as quietly and easily as they came.

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all

Attachment: (image/jpeg) Shirdi Sai Moorthy-1.jpg [not stored]

Attachment: (image/jpeg) Our journey destination.jpg [not stored]