A story of greed By Sri Narasimha Swamiji

[Guest guest]

But the old hankering for wealth was still working in Veerabhadrappa and he

appealed to the Fakir Baba to get him wealth. Baba told him to wait,for the

suitable time would be coming soon.

 

And it came. For that vast stretch of coast land, there was at last a

demand and a sudden appreciation of value. It sold for Rs. 1, 00,000

(just 100 times the worth of the jewels) a moiety of which was paid down in

cash, the rest being payable in 24 annual installments. Now was Veerabhadrappa's

chance. He tried to clutch at that money. Basappa was naturally hostile to his

claims and resisted his efforts.

 

Baba's intercession was sought and Baba pointed out that Gowri had the

right to the entire money and that none else should interfere.

Veerabhadrappa got angry with Basappa and Baba. He threatened to kill

Basappa who, in his cowardice, sought refuge from Baba. Baba plighted

his word that he would shield him from the wrath of his wicked foe. Then the

parties to this feud died. Veerabhadrappa was born as the serpent and was still

unrelenting in his hatred. The coward Basappa was born as a frog. Veerabhadrappa

tried even in this birth to kill his enemy.

 

Winding up, Baba said, " Hearing the miserable croaking of Basappa, and

remembering my pledge to save him, I am here. I have kept my word and

saved him. " Baba then changed his expression and said " God saved

Basappa, his devotee, by sending me. All this is God's leela or sport. "

 

This may be taken for a perfectly true history. For Baba never spoke

anything but truth. This anecdote has been embodied in grand sonorous

Olivares in Dabolkar's Sai Satcharitra Ch. 47.

 

That book is read for daily study, " Parayana " by numerous devotees of

Sai Baba. One day, Mr. G. B. Dattar, B.A., LL.B., a Pleader of Thana,

was reading it. A lady in the house was listening to it in a half drowsy

condition. She suffered from periodical internal pains. As she listened, she

burst out half involuntarily, in that drowsy condition, and said " Baba, you have

such pity for a dumb irrational creature. Have you no pity for me, a human

being? "

 

Then she heard a voice emanating apparently from a peg in the wall

saying " Will you give me Rs. 5 Dakshina for the Dasara? " And she

answered she would, if she was cured. At once she woke up from her

dozing condition and had the money sent up to Sai Samsthan. She began to improve

and in some hours, her agony considerably abated. This was in 1932.

 

To love God with all your soul: How can you do this if you don't know

what your soul is? Meditation is the way to know your Self as the soul. As you

progress in meditation, you suddenly realize. " I am not this little body made of

flesh. I am not all of these emotions and these habits. I am that something

which is behind this flesh, which is behind these thoughts, which is surely

directing the course of my life. "

 

Gradually you see that you are the master of your own fate. You see you are that

which is made in the image of the Divine-the soul of Self

within you. And you feel a sense of expansion as your soul-awareness

unfolds revealing itself as a part of the Infinite.

- Self-Realization (Source Sri Sai padananda Jan 1999)