My Nana is in trouble...

[Guest guest]

" My Nana is in trouble. He is overcome by thirst. Should we

not give him a handful of water? " Said Baba sitting in the Dwarkamai.

 

The two leelas given below are similar, quenching Nana's

thirst, while on Harishchandra hill, and Shyamdas' on Girnar Parvat.

 

The Rinanubandh for each devotee was different; but Baba's

compassion, vigilant watchfulness and love were equal and infinite.

Nana, though overweight, was very fond of visiting temples on hill-tops.

Harishchandra hill is forty miles away from Shirdi with a Devi temple on

its summit. Once Nana with his entourage of peons and sheristadars made

this pilgrimage. It was a hot summer day and the hill rocky and barren.

There were no trees for shade, no water to drink. The troupe had climbed

half-way, when Nana was fatigued and overcome by thirst. The provisions

they had brought was exhausted. The Sheristadar suggested they return.

But exhaustion and thirst had taken its toll and Nana could not do so.

He just sat on a flat slab of stone and said, " If Baba were here, He

would surely give me water to slate my thirst. " The Sheristadar thought

that this speculation was futile as Baba wasn't there. But Baba was with

Nana at all times.

Here at Shirdi, Baba said, " My Nana is in trouble. " At that

very moment, a Bhil was walking down the hill. Nana asked, " I am very

thirsty. Can I get some water to drink? " The Bhil replied, " What? You

ask for water? Under the very slab on which you are seated, there is

water. " Then he walked on. The peons and sheristadars moved the slab and

found a palm full of clear sparkling water; just enough to slate his

burning thirst. Nana drank the water and having quenched his thirst,

continued the pilgrimage. He took darshan of the Goddess and returned

home.

It is said that prayer is a concentrated one pointed contact

with a higher power. When a devout soul is concentrating deeply on God,

the soul gets thoroughly saturated with the divine and the divine power

infiltrates the Jeeva and produces certain results. Here, the mere

thought of Baba had instantaneous results. The faith, devotion and love

behind the thought were the trigger of Baba's leela. Later, when Nana

visited Shirdi, Baba said, " Nana, you were thirsty. I gave you water.

Did you drink it? " This increased Nana's faith futher by leaps and

bounds. He was convinced more than ever, that Baba was Omnipresent,

Omnipotent, merciful and loving, that Baba had the power to bring water

to the barren hill, then appear as the Bhil and save his life while he

sat in the Dwarkamai with the devotees.

 

Tatyasaheb Noolkar (L.K.Noolkar), whom Baba lovingly called

'mhatara' or old man, used to write to his friend and mentor Nanasaheb

Chandorkar regularly. On 20/07/09, Tatya writes, " What have I left to

say to one, who's Guru remembers him every moment of the day. Day and

night, he says, 'Nana, Nana' and 'Kaka, Kaka'. "

 

Tatya gives us an insight of the love and the Rinanubandh

that Baba and Nana had for each other, while Nana replies, quoting a

doha from Kabir's, which says, " Iron gets spoilt, when it comes in

contact with a touchstone. When it gets spoilt, it turns into gold. I am

so very glad to see I have succeeded in spoiling you by the grace of Sai

Maharaj. It is now for you to make efforts for a good progress. "

Further, Nana writes, " It was a desire to sleep in the lap of the

mother. The mother has fulfilled this desire. Now, the one who is, will

be taken care of by her, but one must adhere to such practices that one

dreams of mother and she always remains before one's eyes. Then, the

mother (Guru Mauli) will rattle the name of mhatara as she does Nana and

Kaka. Have no doubt. "

 

What a beautiful letter it is, so full of insight,

understanding and love. Passionate love for the Guru Mauli.

 

(Source Sai Leela Magazine)