Shri Sai Sat Charitra-Chapter XXVII-Part V

[Guest guest]

Mrs.Khaparde was faithful and devout, and loved Baba deeply. Every

noon she brought naivedya herself to the Masjid, and after it was

accepted by Baba, she used to return and take her meals. Seeing her

steady and firm devotion, Baba wanted to exhibit it to others. One

noon she brought a dish containing Sanza (wheat-pudding), purees,

rice, soup, and kheer (sweet rice) and other sundry articles to the

Masjid. Baba, who usually waited for hours, got up at once, went up

to His dining seat and removing the outer covering from the dish,

began to partake of the things zealously. Shama then asked Him - " Why

this partiality? You throw away dishes of others and do not care to

look at them, but this you draw to you earnestly and do justice to

it. Why is the dish of this woman so sweet? This is a problem to us.

 

Baba then explained thus : " This food is really extra-ordinary. In

former birth this lady was a merchant's fat cow yielding much milk.

Then she disappeared and took birth in a gardener's family, then in a

Kshatriya family, and married a merchant. Then she was born in a

Brahmin family.I saw her after a very long time, let me take some

sweet morsels of love from her dish. " Saying this, Baba did full

justice to her dish, washed his mouth and hands, gave out some

belches as a mark of satisfaction, and resumed His seat.

 

Baba asked her in low and fascinating tone to chant 'Rajaram,

Rajaram' then and always

 

Mrs Khaparde bowed to Baba and began to shampoo His legs. Baba began

to talk to her and knead her arms which were shampooing His Legs. On

seeing this reciprocal service, Shama began to joke and said - " It is

going on well, it is a wonderful sight to see God and His Bhakta

serving each other. " After being pleased with her sincere service,

Baba asked her in low and fascinating tone to chant 'Rajaram,

Rajaram' then and always, and said - " If you do this, your life's

object will be gained, your mind will attain peace and you will be

immensely benefited. To persons unfamiliar with spiritual matters,

this might appear as affair, but really it was not so. It was a case

of, what is technically called, 'Shakti-pat', i.e. transference of

power from the Guru to the disciple. How forcible and effective were

Baba's words! In an instant, they pierced her heart and found

lodgment there.

 

Sai Ram : We already read how the utterance of God's name is the best

purifier of mind. But getting the right mantra from the Guru is far

superior than simply chanting God's name and Baba in this case, gave

her a mantra suitable for her. Though Baba never gave any formal

mantra deeksha to any one and as we have seen in another chapter,

told the old woman that He did not get any mantra from His own Guru

and hence cannot give any mantra to her and thus indirectly told her

and other sadhakas like us not to hanker after mantra upadesh etc.,

He gave a mantra in this case to help Mrs. Khaparde. This, He could

do since He was One with all Gods and Gurus. He dissuaded hankering

after Gurus, Deekshas and Mantras and indicated that when the right

time came, the Guru would bless the disciple in His own way.

 

This case illustrates the nature of the relations that should subsist

between the Guru and the disciple. Both should love and serve each

other as one. There is no distinction nor any difference between

them. Both are one, and one cannot live without the other. The

disciple placing his head on the Guru's feet is a gross or outward

vision; really and internally they are both one and the same. Those

who see any difference between them are yet unripe and not perfect.

 

Sai Ram. The Guru is the lighted lamp and the disciple is the lamp

waiting to be lit. The disciple comes to the Guru so that he too is

lit and can in turn help others. Sai Ram.

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all

 

SHARING WITH LOVE

RAM