Thursday Message From Shri Sai Satcharitra

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Thursday Message:

 

Kakasaheb's Doubt and Anandrao's Vision - Wooden Plank Baba's bed-stead and not Bhagat's

 

We

have described in the last three chapters Baba's Passing away. His

physical or finite form has no doubt disappeared from our view; but the

infinite or spiritual form (Spirit of Baba) ever lives. The Leelas

which occurred during His lifetime have been dwelt upon at great length

up till now.

 

Ever since His passing away, fresh Leelas have taken place

and are even now happening. This clearly shows that Baba is ever-living

and helping His devotees as before. The people who got the contact of

Baba when He was living, were indeed very fortunate, but if any of them

did not get a dispassion for the things and enjoyments of the world and

had not their minds turned to the Lord, it was sheerly their ill-luck.

What was then wanted and is now wanted is the whole-hearted devotion to

Baba. All our senses, organs, and mind should co-operate in worshipping

and serving Baba. It is no use in engaging some organs in the worship

and deflecting others. If a thing like worhsip or meditation is to be

done, it ought to be done with all our mind and soul.

 

 

The love

that a chaste woman bears to her husband is sometimes compared to that

which a disciple bears to his master (Guru). Yet the former falls far

short of the latter, which is incomparable. No one, whether he be

father, mother, brother or any other relation, comes to our aid in

attaining the goal of life (self-realization). We have to chalk out and

traverse the path of self-realization ourselves.

 

We have to

discriminate between the Unreal and the Real, renounce the things and

enjoyments of this world and the next, control our senses and mind, and

aspire for liberation only. Instead of depending upon others, we should

have full faith in ourselves. When we begin to practice discrimination,

we come to know, that the world is transient and unreal and our passion

for worldly things becomes less and less, and ultimately we get

dispassion or non-attachment for them.

 

Then we know that the Brahma

which is no other than our Guru is the sole reality and as It

transcends and besets the seeming universe, we begin to worship It in

all creatures. This is the unitive Bhajan or worship. When we thus

worship the Brahma or Guru whole-heartedly, we become one with Him and

attain self-realization. In short, always chanting the name of the

Guru, and meditating on Him enables us to see Him in all beings, and

confers eternal bliss on us. The following story will illustrate this.

 

Kakasaheb's Doubt and Anandrao's Vision

 

 

It

is well-known, that Sai Baba had enjoined Kakasaheb Dixit to read daily

two works of Shri Ekanath: (1) Bhagawat and (2) Bhawartha Ramayan.

Kakasaheb read these daily while Baba was living and he followed the

practice even after Baba's passing away. Once in Kaka Mahajani's house

in Choupati, Bombay, Kakasaheb was reading Ekanathi Bhagawat in the

morning. Madhavarao Deshpande alias Shama and Kaka Mahajani were then

present and listened attentively to the portion read, viz., the 2nd

Chapter, 11th skandha of the book.

 

Therein the nine Nathas or Siddhas

of the Rishabha family, viz., Kavi, Hari, Antariksha, Prabuddha,

Pippalayan, Avirhotra, Drumil, Chamas and Karabhajan expounded the

principles of the Bhagawat Dharma to King Janak. The latter asked all

the nine Nathas most important questions and each of them answered them

satisfactorily. The first, i.e., Kavi explained what is Bhagawat

Dharma; Hari, the characteristics of a Bhakta (devotee); Antariksha,

what is Maya; Prabuddha, how to cross Maya; Pippalayan, what is

Para-Brahma; Avirhotra, what is Karma; Drumil, the incarnations of God

and their deeds; Chamas, how a non-devotee fares after death;

Karabhajan, the different modes of worship of God in different ages.

The substance of all the exposition was that in this Kali age, the only

means of liberation was the remembrance of Hari's (Lord's) or Guru's

feet. After the reading was over, Kakasaheb said in a despondent tone

to Madhavarao and others - "How wonderful is the discourse of the nine

Nathas on Bhakti or devotion.

 

But at the same time how difficult it is

to put it into practice! The Nathas were perfect, but is it possible

for fools like us to attain the devotion as delineated by them? we

won't get it even after several births, then how are we to get

salvation? It seems that there is no hope for us." Madhavarao did not

like this pessimistic attitude of Kakasaheb. He said - "It is a pity

that one who by his good luck got such a jewel (Guru) as Baba, should

cry out so disparagingly; If he has unwavering faith in Baba, why

should he feel restless? The Bhakti of the Nathas may be strong and

wonderful, but is not ours' loving and affectionate?

 

And has not Baba

told us authoritatively that remembering and chanting Hari's and Guru's

name confers salvation? Then where is the cause for fear and anxiety?

Kakasaheb was not satisfied with Madhavarao's explanation. He continued

to be anxious and restless, the whole day, thinking and brooding over

how to get the powerful Bhakti of the Nathas. Next morning, the

following miracle took place.

 

One gentleman, named Anandrao

Pakhade came there in search of Madhavarao. The reading of the Bhagawat

was then going on. Mr.Pakhade sat near Madhavarao and was whispering

something to him. He was mentioning in low tone his dream-vision. As

there was some interruption in the reading by this whispering,

Kakasaheb stopped the reading, and asked Madhavarao what the matter

was. The latter said - "Yesterday you expressed your doubt, now here is

the explanation of it; hear Mr.Pakhade's vision which Baba gave him,

explaining the characteristic of 'saving' devotion and showing that the

devotion in the form of bow to, or worship of, Guru's feet is

sufficient." All were anxious to hear the vision specially Kakasaheb.

At their suggestion Mr.Pakhade began to relate the vision as follows.

 

I

was standing in a deep sea in waist-deep water. There I saw Sai Baba

all of a sudden. He was sitting on a beautiful throne studded with

diamonds, with His Feet in water. I was most pleased and satisfied with

the Form of Baba. The vision was so realistic that I never thought that

it was a dream. Curiously enough Madhavarao was also standing there.

 

He

said to me feelingly - 'Anandrao, fall at Baba's Feet.' I rejoined - "I

also wish to do so, but His Feet are in water, how can I place my head

on them? I am helpless." Hearing this he said to Baba - "Oh Deva, take

out Your Feet which are under water." Then Baba immediately took out

His feet. I caught them without delay and bowed to them. On seeing this

Baba blessed me saying - Go now, you will attain your welfare, there is

no cause for fear and anxiety. He also added - "Give a silk-bordered

dhotar to my Shama, you will profit, thereby."

 

In compliance

with Baba's order, Mr.Pakhade brought the dhotar and requested

Kakasaheb to hand it over to Madhavarao; but the latter refused to

accept it, saying that unless Baba gave a hint or suggestion for

acceptance, he would not accept it. Then after some discussion

Kakasaheb decided to cast lots. It was the invariable practice of

Kakasaheb to cast lots in all dubious matters and to abide by the

decision as shown by the picked up chit or lot.

 

In this particular case

two chits, on one of which was written 'To accept' and on another 'To

reject', were placed at the feet of Baba's picture and an infant was

asked to pick one of them. The 'To accept' chit was picked up and the

dhotar was handed over to, and accepted by, Madhavarao. In this way

both Anandrao and Madhavarao were satisfied and Kakasaheb's difficulty

was solved.

 

This story exhorts us to give respect to the words

of other saints, but at the same time asks us to have full faith in our

Mother, i.e., the Guru, and abide by His instructions: for he knows our

welfare better than any other person.

 

Carve out on your heart, the

following words of Baba - "There are innumerable saints in this world,

but 'Our father' (Guru) is the Father (Real Guru). Others might say

many good things, but we should never forget our Guru's words. In

short, love your Guru whole-heartedly, surrender to Him completely and

prostrate yourselves before Him reverentially and then you will see

that there is no sea of the mundane existence before you to cross,

there is no darkness before the sun."

 

Wooden plank Baba's Bed-Stead, and not Bhagat's

 

 

In

His earlier days, Baba slept on a wooden plank, 4 arms in length and

only a span in breadth with panatis (earthen lamps) burning at the four

corners. Later on He broke the plank into pieces and threw it away

(Vide Chapter X).

 

Once Baba was describing the greatness or importance

of this plank to Kakasaheb. Hearing this the latter said to Baba - "If

You still love the wooden plank, I will again suspend or hang up one in

the Masjid again for You to sleep at ease." Baba replied - "I won't

like to sleep up, leaving Mhalasapati down on the ground." Then

Kakasaheb said - "I will provide another plank for Mhalasapati." Baba -

"How can he sleep on the plank? It is not easy to sleep up on the

plank. He who has many good qualities in him can do so. He who can

sleep 'with his eyes wide open' can effect that. When I go to sleep I

ask often Mhalasapati to sit by My side, place his hand on My heart and

watch the 'chanting of the Lord's name' there, and if he finds Me

sleepy, wake Me up. He can't do even this. He himself gets drowsy and

begins to nod his head.

 

When I feel his hand heavy as a stone on My

heart and cry out - 'Oh Bhagat', he moves and opens his eyes. How can

he, who can't sit and sleep well on the ground and whose asana

(posture) is not steady and who is a slave to sleep, sleep high up on a

plank? On many other occasions Baba said, out of love for His devotees

- "What (whether good or bad) is ours, is with us, and what is

another's is with him."

 

Bow To Shri Sai Peace Be To All

Sairam Baba Guide us all,At the feet of my Sathguru Sai BabaBaba's blessing are every where Manisha.Rautela.Bisht~Visit Shirdi Sai Baba Blogs~http://www..org http://www.shirdisaibabatemples.org http://www.saibababhajans.com http://shirdisaibabatamilstories.blogspot.com