Stones and Diamonds

[Guest guest]

Stones and Diamonds

 

To be able to visit the Holy Shrine in Mecca is a matter of great significance

to the followers of Islam. Even if done once in a lifetime, Muslims revere the

occasion as the most blissful moment of their entire life. Those who

successfully complete this pilgrimage to Haj are respectfully addressed as Haji

and they command a high social status. Sidik Falke from Kalyan, Maharashtra,

India, was one such blessed follower of Islam who visited Mecca and Madina and

came to be known as " Haji " Sidik Falke. In his quest for spiritual fulfillment,

Haji came to Shirdi to take meet Baba. Shri Hemadpanth narrates Haji's visit to

Shirdi and how he was treated by Baba (Shri Sai Satcharitha Ch. XI, English

version by Shri NV Gunaji).

 

How could a spiritually inclined person, Haji, a Saadhaka in his own right, be

ignored at Baba's court? Why did the merciful fakir ignore this apparently pious

man? Baba told Shama, " You are too young to understand this. If Allah does not

allow, what can I do? " After giving Haji, the necessary lessons in humility,

Baba threw away His kolamba (mudpot), rushed towards Haji and said, " Why do you

brag and fancy yourself great and pose yourself as an old Haji? Do you read

Koran like this? You are proud of your pilgrimage to Mecca, but you do not know

me " . His ego completely annihilated, blessed Haji was enlisted in Baba's court.

 

Even great men fail due to this " giving in " to the myth of ego. Guru's grace

will be on those that can successfully isolate the " self " component and shatter

the walls. Once Guru's grace is obtained, it is the spiritual responsibility of

the seeker to sustain Guru's grace.

 

Intense practice is necessary to ward off the creeping ego. Experiences at the

end of any spiritual pursuit should if any, be limited to satisfaction, for even

a little slip here awakens the pride. Diamonds are the ones that glow, being

hollow of any obstructions to the divine light.