A story of greed By Sri Narasimha Swamiji

[Guest guest]

A story of greed

By Sri Narasimha Swamiji

THE LORD'S MY SHEPHERD

 

A brilliant and accomplished writer was invited to deliver a talk on

Psalm 23 - " The Lord is My Shepherd. " For over an hour he spoke

feelingly on the thought content, the beautiful language, the lyrical

verse and the poetic metaphors in the Psalm. At the end of the talk, an

old pastor came up and shook his hands. His eyes were touched with

tears, and he asked if he could recite the Psalm to conclude the

meeting. The speaker requested him to do so.

 

The old man held his hands in devotion and with eyes closed in piety,

recited the entire psalm from memory. A hushed silence fell on the

audience.

 

The speaker said to his audience; " I know the psalm. But this gentleman

here knows the Shepherd! "

Sai Baba occasionally narrated a few reminiscences of his own past

births. These were never taken down and most are forgotten. But a few

are still fresh in the memory of the hearers. One of these is given

below, substantially as given out by Baba. The readers will note how

every sentence of his brims with wisdom and virtue; and now, for

centuries, Baba is the same Samartha carrying on his mission of helping

humanity with his superhuman power, lofty principles and benign

impartiality.

 

One morning Sai Baba strolled along till he came to a river bank. There

he sat under a tree, admiring the dense foliage of an alley and lit his

pipe with a pair of flints. A wayfarer came up and the hospitable Baba

gave him a few puffs out of his pipe. Then a peculiar sound was heard.

 

Wayfarer: Let us see what the matter is.

 

Sai Baba: Matter! It is the croaking in pain of a frog seized by a

snake. It is reaping the fruit of its own karma. What we have done in

the past comes to us now as present suffering. And yet there is an

outcry against Fate!

 

The wayfarer went out to see the frog for himself.

 

Sai Baba (without leaving his seat): The frog is caught by a huge

serpent and is crying. But both the frog and the serpent were wicked in

their past birth and have come into their present bodies to reap their

reward.

 

The wayfarer, returning to Baba: Yes, I went and saw. A big frog, it is,

in the mouth of a huge black serpent. In 10 or 20 minutes, it will be

all over with the poor frog!

 

Sai Baba: No I am its father and am here. Will I let the snake eat it?

Just see how I release it!

 

Then Baba walked on to the place where the frog was. The wayfarer who

was going in advance suddenly took fright.

 

Wayfarer: Baba! let us go back. Do not go nearer. The serpent may fly at

us.

 

Sai Baba: Do not fear.

 

(to be contd..)

(Source Sri Sai padananda Jan 1999)