A story of greed

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But the old hankering for wealth was still working in Veerabhadrappa and he

appealed to the Fakir Baba to get him wealth. Baba told him to wait, for the

suitable time would be coming soon.

 

And it came. For that vast stretch of coast land, there was at last a demand

and a sudden appreciation of value. It sold for Rs. 1, 00,000 (just 100

times the worth of the jewels) a moiety of which was paid down in cash, the

rest being payable in 24 annual installments. Now was Veerabhadrappa's

chance. He tried to clutch at that money. Basappa was naturally hostile to

his claims and resisted his efforts.

 

Baba's intercession was sought and Baba pointed out that Gowri had the right

to the entire money and that none else should interfere. Veerabhadrappa got

angry with Basappa and Baba. He threatened to kill Basappa who, in his

cowardice, sought refuge from Baba. Baba plighted his word that he would

shield him from the wrath of his wicked foe. Then the parties to this feud

died. Veerabhadrappa was born as the serpent and was still unrelenting in

his hatred. The coward Basappa was born as a frog.

Veerabhadrappa tried even in this birth to kill his enemy.

Winding up, Baba said, " Hearing the miserable croaking of Basappa, and

remembering my pledge to save him, I am here. I have kept my word and saved

him. " Baba then changed his expression and said " God saved Basappa, his

devotee, by sending me. All this is God's leela or sport. "

 

This may be taken for a perfectly true history. For Baba never spoke

anything but truth. This anecdote has been embodied in grand sonorous

Olivares in Dabolkar's Sai Satcharitra Ch. 47.

 

That book is read for daily study, " Parayana " by numerous devotees of Sai

Baba. One day, Mr. G. B. Dattar, B.A., LL.B., a Pleader of Thana, was

reading it. A lady in the house was listening to it in a half drowsy

condition. She suffered from periodical internal pains. As she listened, she

burst out half involuntarily, in that drowsy condition, and said " Baba, you

have such pity for a dumb irrational creature. Have you no pity for me, a

human being? "

 

Then she heard a voice emanating apparently from a peg in the wall saying

" Will you give me Rs. 5 Dakshina for the Dasara? " And she answered she

would, if she was cured. At once she woke up from her dozing condition and

had the money sent up to Sai Samsthan. She began to improve and in some

hours, her agony considerably abated. This was in 1932.

 

To love God with all your soul: How can you do this if you don't know what

your soul is? Meditation is the way to know your Self as the soul. As you

progress in meditation, you suddenly realize. " I am not this little body

made of flesh. I am not all of these emotions and these habits. I am that

something which is behind this flesh, which is behind these thoughts, which

is surely directing the course of my life. " Gradually you see that you are

the master of your own fate. You see you are that which is made in the image

of the Divine-the soul of Self within you. And you feel a sense of expansion

as your soul-awareness unfolds revealing itself as a part of the Infinite.

- Self-Realization

 

http://www.saileelas.org/magazines/saipadananda/jan1999.htm#Astoryofgreed