9th If you cast your burden on me, I shall carry it

[Guest guest]

Because of close relationship with Baba, Nana Chandorkar was called to

Shirdi and Baba took upon himself his burden also.

 

When G.G. Narke visited Shirdi for the first time, Shyama took him to

Baba and tried to introduce him. Then Baba said, " Are you introducing

him to me? I know him for the past 30 births. "

 

In 1912, Balaram Durandar brothers visited Shirdi to see Baba. Baba told

them that they were his friends for the past 60 births. Baba told

Raghuveer Purandhar that he knew him for 700 years.

 

T.A. Karlik of Kalyani was told by Baba that he knew him for 2000 years.

Similarly Jog, Dada Kelkar and Shyama were all told that they were very

closely known to Baba for several births. He also told them that on

account of his grace only they were able to live together at Shirdi. He

also told Balakram Mariker and Sai Saran Anand that they were doing

tapas in the previous birth sitting in the cave opposite to each other.

 

Speaking about Srimathy Chandrabai Borkar, Baba said that she was his

sister for seven births. She would go to him wherever he was.

 

There were Veerabathrapa and Chennabasappa who were enemies like frog

and snake. Baba told them about their previous births. Almost on

everybody, this way, Baba used to tell the incidents of the previous

lives. On account of their intimacy with him, he took upon himself their

burden.

 

If you can love, serve and worship Baba as God and make him indebted to

you, you are sure to have your burden carried by him.

 

In truth what is burden? The reply would be Samsara or family bondage.

Then the next question would be what is Samsara? Samsara is nothing but

our life and the struggles connected with our lives. It is nothing but a

great burden. What is that burden? On whose head is it? Physically

speaking no body has any burden on the head. It is not like a railway

porter carrying burden on the head. Then, how is that burden? Where is

it? Our body is never a burden to us. It should never become a burden.

We need the body. But it should not be a burden. That means burden is

elsewhere. It is not outside the body.

 

It is very much in our body. What is there in the body? It is the mind

that makes it burdensome. The mind has the burden-Mind itself is

burdensome. The sick, unwanted and troubled traits are the burden in the

mind. This burden causes pain in the mind. It is not visible externally.

Only, we feel the load and the pain. This is our experience.

 

When we have worldly problems, mind will be burdensome and life will be

painful. When we are peaceful, we may not feel the lightness of the

mind. But when we are worried, we find it to be burdensome. When we are

healthy, mind may not be light. But when we are sick, it is heavy. When

we are happy, mind may be light. But when we are unhappy, it is

burdensome. That means burden is not outside us. It is in us, in the

mind.

 

Baba takes away the burden of the mind and makes it light. How does he

take the burden away? If you go to him with worries and problems, he

will take them all away and give you peace. If you go to him with ill

health, he will give you health. If you go to him with suffering, he

will take it and give you happiness. If you go to him with problems, he

will take them all and give you solution.

 

A visit to Shirdi is enough to make you light in heart and peaceful in

mind. Some people still may entertain some doubt about Baba's acceptance

of our burden. Let us try to understand it fully, unless we understand

the spiritual significance of Baba and his compassion, we can't know why

and how he is carrying your burdens.

(to be contd..)

(Source Eleven Holy Sayings of Shirdi Sai Baba by Pujya Shri Ananda Sai

Swamy)