Shyamdas and Daxina

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Shyamdas and Daxina

 

While on the pilgrimage to Dwarka, Shyamdas was reading

Atwala's Dnyaneshwari. His purse along with the tickets had fallen into

the sea. That day he couldn't concentrate on the chapter and read it

rather mechanically. It was then that he took a negative decision. " I

will not read any scripture till Baba tells me to. " After his trip, he

came to Shirdi. At that time, Baba did not ask for daxina, nor did he

give any. The subject of reading any religious books did not arise and

he returned home. He wrote letters to Baba on Ekadashi, and received a

reply. Thus, 2-3 years passed. Once, Chidambar Keshav Gadgil read out

Shyamdas' letter to Baba. Baba said, " Call him here. Ask him to come

quickly. "

 

Shyamdas went to Shirdi within 4-5 days of receiving the

reply. Baba asked him daily for Rs.11/-, which he readily gave for ten

days. Everyday, he would go to Dwarkamai at about 3:30 in the afternoon

and only at that time would Baba ask for dakshina. On the eleventh day,

as usual, Baba asked for dakshina. Shyamdas had no money left. " Baba,

I've no money left to give dakshina. You tell me, where am I to get the

money from. In lieu, I offer my ten Indryas and mind " , to which Baba

replied, " They are mine already. Who are you to give them? Go to

Bapusaheb Butti and borrow Rs.11/- and give them to Me. " Upon hearing

this, Shyamdas got up to go and get the money. Hardly had he reached the

gate of the Sabha Mandap, when Baba called out to him, " Arre Shyam, come

here; bring the eleven rupees later. But bring them from Bapusaheb Jog.

Now be seated. " After taking Udi and Prasad and left for the Wada and

clean forgot about the eleven rupees. At 3:30, he went for darshan, but

Baba did not ask for the eleven rupees. In the evening, He said, " Go to

Bapusaheb Jog and ask him for eleven rupees and bring him along with

you. "

 

Shyamdas went to the Wada and found Jog reading the Eknath

Bhagwad to a few devotees. He told Jog what Baba had said. Both of them

went to the Masjid. Baba was getting ready to go out. Upon seeing them,

He blessed them, but did not ask for dakshina. Later, they returned to

the Wada, when the other devoteed asked Shyamdas about this episode of

'eleven rupees dakshina' and what was its meaning. Shyamdas had not

pondered over it. Everyday, thereafter, both of them went to Baba, but

Baba did not ask for dakshina.

 

On the fourth day, it was in the evening, when Baba asked

Jog, " So, how many rupees did you distribute today " , to which Jog

replied, " Sixty-one rupees. Butti, received fifty rupees and Shyamdas

eleven. Shyamdas was silent all this time when Baba said, " Did you get

the eleven rupees? " Without understanding its significance, Shyamdas

said yes. Then Baba said, " No, you didn't. Let us see tomorrow. In the

meantime, have a look at the pothi, okay? " They returned to the Wada

and started discussing what Baba could have meant by asking for eleven

rupees. Balasaheb Bhate was astute enough to connect the dakshina with

the reading of Eknath Bhagwad. Suddenly, Shyamdas remembered how he had

taken a decision not to read any Pothi unless directed by Baba to do so.

Later, he went to the Masjid, and Baba told them a long story which is

given below.

 

" We were two brothers on a long journey. While walking on a

path, the brother went ahead. He was bitten by a serpent and died. I was

walking steadily and way behind him. Just then, 5-6 people came and

enquired of me, where the brother was. I told them that he died

following a snake-bite and I had already buried him. They did not

believe me. 'We will go and search for him and bring him back', they

said. I cautioned them, saying, 'There is a huge serpent there. It will

bite you too. Why are you going there?' But they did not head my words.

They did go there and were killed by the serpent. I buried them also and

continued my journey. Then, a strong lady came and asked me where the

brother was. I told her that the huge serpent bit him and was buried by

me. Then she enquired about the six men and I told her how they went

looking for the brother and were killed by the serpent. She was anxious

to go there and find the brother. I said, 'Why are you going there

needlessly. You will not find that brother', to which she replied, 'I

will go there and diligently search for him, find him and bring him

back.' Thus, she went ahead, she too met the same fate. I buried her

too. Then I continued my journey and went a long distance and met 5-6

Muslims who said, 'Wait a while.' I waited. The Muslims got a goat and

killed it and cut it into pieces. These, they brought to me and said,

'Eat'. I said, 'No. I am a Brahmin and I cannot eat it.' When one of

them took a piece and thrust it towards my lips, trying to make me eat

it, I said, 'Just wait a while. I will pray to God, then eat it.' I took

a piece of cloth and held it to my mouth and thought of God. Lo! The

pieces of meat turned into roses. Huge beautiful roses that you couldn't

find anywhere, even in Shirdi. Then those Muslims went away. I continued

my journey. When I looked back, there was water, crystal clear, and a

small pathway ahead. I walked a short distance, and there was water on

either side, behind and in front of me, without any pathway. This is the

doing of Allah Malik. Allah Malik is the savior of the poor. "

The next day, Baba was in a tearing rage right from early

morning till noon. Some of his devotees received his wrath in the form

of beatings and abuses. But his daily routine went on as usual.

Shyamdas went to the Dwarkamai at 3:30 p.m. and did Charan Seva. Baba

said, " You received the eleven rupees, didn't you Shyam? " to which he

replied, " If the eleven rupees is regarding the reading of the pothi,

then yes. But which pothi am I supposed to read. Then, Baba gave a clue

of the rinanubandhu of theirs, saying, " Read that pothi in which there

is a dialogue between you me. " This sentence further confused him.

Should he read Gita or Dnyaneshwari? Baba said, " Arre Shyamdas, go to

Bapusaheb Jog and bring the pothi that he is reading. " He did so and

Baba opened the book at random and the eleventh chapter of Eknath

Bhagwad opened and pointing to it, Baba said, " Read this, everyday of

your life. Read it just as it is written and understand it for yourself.

Don't explain or expound it to other people. Only you need to know and

understand it. Allah Malik will do good. "

 

(Source Shri Sai Leela Magazine)