Kusha Bhav and Babas Udi

[Guest guest]

The town people from Bombay etc. were not coming to Him then. Only the

villagers would go to Him now and then, and ask Him to remedy their trifling

complaints (e.g.) stomach- ache, fever etc. He gave His Udhi to all these

from his ever-buring fire (dhuni) which he maintained at the mosque. He

was not asking for dakshina from all but only a few pice (e.g) 4 or 5 He

would ask for and getting these, He might buy fuel for His dhuni or some

such article of necessity. As for big people, I remember that Nanasahib

Nimonkar was often with Him; and as for His talks, I never heard Him say

anything about Maya or Brahma or Mahavakya tatwas or Viveka, and

Sadhana Chathustftya, He imparted faith to those resorting to Him faith in

Ishwara, by exercising His wonderful powers:

they would go on with their devotion to their Ishtadevata and finally, He

would grant them Sakshatkara of that particular ishtadevata.

As for myself, I stayed three full years at a stretch with Him and then

went on visiting Him during the nine years that followed. During that period

of nine years, He told me to see a person with three heads. That of course,

I took as a direction to go and see Datta at Gangapur. Every year I visited

Gangapur twice once in Guru Poomima and next in Magha poornima. Then, once

He told me to do 108 parayanas of Guru Charitra, taking three days to finish

each parayana. I did this at Gangapur and stayed there 10 or 11 months for

this purpose. As for my powers, He had interdicted their use. But, out of

His kindness, He gave me some other power. It came about thus. One

Ekadashi day. I sat by His side. Baba: What do you eat today?

I : Nothing, to-day is Ekadashi

Baba: What does Ekadashi mean?

I : It means a day for upavas

Baba : What does upavas means?

I: It is just like rojas

Baba: What is rojas?

I. We take nothing except Kandamulaa

means root and usually 'sweet potatoes' and is the food that is eaten

(onions should not be taken by the orthodox) on Ekadashi day. Then Baba

picked up some onions, evidently having a phonetic equivocation, and told me

to eat it. Seeing Baba was persistent and not wishing to run counter to His

wishes, I yielded, but added 'If you eat It, I will eat it’. Then Baba ate

some onions and I ate some. Then as visitors began to arrive, Baba was

enjoying some fun at my expense.

Baba : Look at this Bramniya (a contemptuous corruption of the word

Brahmin), he is eating onions on Ekadashi day. I began to defend my

conduct or justify it. I : Baba ate it and I ate it. Baba, at one stroke,

was having humour at my expense and the manifestation of His powers and He

declared that He had not eaten onions. At once, He vomitted out

something. That was not onion but sweet potatoes (Ratale). Baba : See,

it is not onion but sweet potato I had

eaten.

 

(to be contd....)

Source Devotees Experience of Sai Baba by Narasimha Swamy