A Test in Detachment By M. Rama Rao

[Guest guest]

A Test

in Detachment

By

M. Rama Rao

L " Rama divides all the religions of the

world into three classes. These will cover all. In one form of the religion

Rama calls their curtain as 'lam His' (Tasyaivaham).

In the other form of religion, the curtain may be called like 'lam Thine' (Tavaivahm). After that

curtain of duality has become so thin, as if it did not exist at all, 'I am

God'. That is the case of (Tavamevahma) that is 'lam

Thou', 'I am God, I am Siva'. When the curtain is

altogether removed, even the above phrase is not possible to utter. "

- Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji

 

between the years 1921 to 1936, H. H. Narasimha Swamiji met so many saints; his analytical mind could not

accept anyone of them as his Master; yet he liked them all. His search for

Truth went on from day to day and ultimately in 1936, as he stood before the

'Samadhi' of Sai Baba at Shirdi, he was blessed with ‘Self- realisation’. Sai Baba gave his entire ‘Anugraha’ to Sri Narasimha Swamiji.

Swamiji's search had its rewards because the experien­ces

he gathered and the suffering he underwent perfected him in many ways. They

played a very significant part in shaping his outlook and approach when he

founded the All India Sai Samaj in 1941, placing him

on a firm spiritual foundation. His itinerant life during 1921-36 was making

Sri Narasimha Swamiji a ready receptacle for the

grace of Sai Baba in 1936 to come. Sai Baba gave him the final touches and

accepted him as his great apostle.

 

Soon after he obtained 'Self-Realisation', Sri Narasimha Swamiji

called on Upasani Maharaj

to pay his respects at Sakori. Sri Upasani himself was a great saint and had known that Swamiji was basking in the grace of Sai. Still he wanted to

test Sri Narasimha Swamiji. At that time, another

devotee of Sai Maharaj, who later on became famous as

H. H. Ram Baba was also at Sakori.

 

Open Feast

One day, Upasani

Maharaj held an open feast. As the feast was about to

end, an old man suffering from leprosy came along. The leper had a frightening

appearance. He had only one eye; blood and pus were oozing from his disfigured

lips, nose and eyes; he had open ulcers all over his body. As if this were not

enough, an awful stench also emanated from his body. Everyone was aghast at the

sight. Imagine Swami Ram Baba's bewilderment when Upasani

Maharaj said: " Feed the old man with your own

hands. He is not able to eat by himself. " Swami Ram Baba pulled himself

together as best as he could and started feeding the repulsive leper. He,

however, took great care to see that his hand did not touch the bleeding lips

of the leper. As a result, some of the food kept dropping down.

 

After the leper had eaten and walked away,

Upasani Maharaj asked Sri

Narasimha Swamiji: " Pick up the food from the

plate and eat it " . For the onlookers, to eat the food that had been

contaminated by the bleeding lips of the leper seemed impossible. But, a

realized soul he was, Sri Narasimha Swamiji took the

plate and ate up all the remnants without the least hesitation. As everyone

looked on in amazement, Upasani Maharaj

explained to the onlookers: " Did you see how swiftly the old man walked

away? Is it possible for one so terribly afflicted by open sores and leprosy to

walk like that? Do you know who came to you in the garb of a repulsive leper?

It was none other than Lord Sai Baba Himself. "

 

Sri Narasimha Swamiji

realized with great joy that Shirdi Sai Baba Himself had come to instruct him

not to attach importance to the external superficialities of existence but to realise that He and He alone pervades everything and every

being.

 

Enjoyment leads to

wandering, while renunciation leads to stability in the self. Enjoyment gives

birth to strong craving, desires and passions, which bring only suffering and

misery; while renunciation makes such impulses weak, and devoid of support;

they disappear of their own accord, even as fire gets extinguished in the

absence of fuel.

- Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji

(Source Sri Sai padananda

Oct 1991)