The Horse Shyam Karan

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The Horse Shyam Karan

 

I have often wondered why 'The Fakir would need a horse? 'The

Brhadarnyaka Upanisad #1:v5 describes the zymology of the Horse as

follows:

 

The head of the sacrificial horse is the dawn; its eyes, the sun; its

the vital force the ai,r its open mouth, the fire called Vaisvanara, and the

body is the year. Its back is heaven, its belly the sky; its hoof the earth; its

sides the 4 quarters; its ribs the intermediate quarter, its members the

seasons; its joints the months and the fortnight. Its feet, the days and night;

its bones the stars; and the flesh the clouds. Its half digested food the sands;

its blood vessels the rivers. The liver and spleen the mountains; the hairs the

herbs and trees. Its foreparts the ascending sun. Its yawning, the lightening.

The shaking of its body is thunder. It's making water (passing urine) the rain

and its neighing is voice(spoken word).

 

The word 'Shyam' literally means black. A flawless black that is pleasing to the

eye. But the word in Hindu mythology could mean pure, pleasing, flawless and

beautiful It has been prefixed to other words to convey different meanings. For

example Shyam Sunder is used to refer to Shri Krishna.; Shyam Kant or [shri

Shankar]. But Shyam Karan was the name horse or Ashwa of the Ashwamedha. The

Rinanubandh between Baba and Shyam Karan was deep and unfathomable. At every

Aarati, He danced with joy. And after the Aarati he was the first to bow to

Baba. Baba then applied Udi to his forehead, and then gave the rest of the

bhaktas Udi. Here the horse that symbolizes the whole cosmos bows before Baba

and dances with joy when Baba is worshiped. Little wonder that his Samadhi is in

Lendi Baugh. Baba's Kafni was made of a coarse [Manjarpat] cloth. In the early

days Baba used to wear either an Orange or white Kafni. Then Bala Shimpi

stitched a green Kafni for Him. Baba asked him to make only white Kafnis for

Him. In the Dwarakamai there would be bundles of Kafnis lying; Baba would often

give His Kafni to some of His devotees, they were Balaram Mankar, Udavesa Bua,

Kaka Dixit and Tatya Saheb Nulkar just to mention a few. On one of Nulkars visit

to Shirdi he writes " In the afternoon Appa Kote came and stood near the pillar

of the Chavadi. He was twisting a rag around his fingers I asked him if his

finger was hurt? He said " No " and told me that the rag was a piece from Baba's

Kafni. I asked him why he tore it? He says Baba tears the Kafni for wicks, and

this bit was hanging out. I prayed to be given the piece and He gladly gave it.

Little did Tatya Shaeb know that Baba would Himself give him His Kafni? One

afternoon Baba summoned Tatya Shaeb to the Dwarakamai. Tatya Shaeb of course

went immediately. Baba took off His Kafni; and gave it to him saying, " take

this, it will keep you warm on cold winter nights "

Here a leela of Baba's Kafni is appropriate. Jyotindra Tarkad [sai at

Charitra #9] was devoted to Baba from a very young age. Their

relationship was more than a father and son. On one of his visits to

Shirdi this wonderful incident took place. Jyotindra Tarkad was ever

willing to do Baba's seva; without expecting any returns. One day Baba told

Jyotindra that He was going to Lendi Baugh, to bathe. He asked him whether he

would do a chore for Him. Baba said " Its not a difficult task, I will bathe.

Before doing so, I'll hand you My Kafni. Take it to the well and wash it. As you

know I take an extremely long time to bathe, and it will dry in the meantime.

But do not allow it to trail on the ground. So hold it up. Okay! " Jyotinder

readily agreed. But he institintctively felt that there was a lesson in this

chore. Then Baba entered the room to have His bath. Jyotindra waited outside for

Baba to hand over His Kafni. After quite a long time he got impatient, as the

Kafni was not forthcoming. He decided to peep through the slat in the door. What

he saw left him speech less and spellbound. There was Baba, and from each and

every pore He was emanating light. The light was so powerful that he feared

loosing his sight. He at the same time was

repentant for trying to see Baba in the nude. At that very moment Baba called

out to him to take the Kafni. Hastily Jyotindra took the Kafni. He went to the

well and carefully washed it, rinsed it and wrung it. Then he stepped in mid day

sun and held the Kafni with both hands above his head. As time passed by, the

Kafni instead of getting lighter from drying started getting heavier and

heavier. His arms ached as time went by and he knew he would fail. As a last

resort he started praying to Lord Hanuman. To give him strength to

complete the chore, " O! Hanuman, destroyer of Lanka. Give some of your strength

so I can fulfill this Seva. O! Hanuman, Bhakta of Rama, help me to perform this

service as a Bhakta and sevak of Baba " . His lips moved silently in prayer. Just

then Baba yelled " Arre Bhau, why are you praying to Hanuman for help. " At that

very moment the Kafni started getting lighter. Needless to say Jyotindra

confessed to Baba and begged for forgiveness.

 

(Source Sri Saileela Magazine)