Thursday Message From Shri Sai Satcharitra.

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Thursday Message :Two Gentlemen

Once two

gentlemen came from Goa for taking darshan of

Sai Baba, and prostrated themselves before him. Though both came together, Baba

asked only one them to give Him Rs.15/- as Dakshina which was paid willingly.

The other man voluntarily offered Rs. 35/-. This sum was rejected by Baba to

the astonishment of all. Shama, who was present, asked Baba, "What is

this? Both came together, one's Dakshina you accept, the other, though

voluntarly paid, you refuse. Why this distinction? Baba replied, "Shama,

you know nothing. I take nothing from anybody. The Masjidmayi (The presiding

Deity of the Masjid) calls for the debt, the donor pays it and becomes free.

Have I any home, property or family to look after? I require nothing. I am ever

free. Debt, enmity and murder have to be atoned for, there is not escape".

Baba then continued in His characteristic way as follows:-

As first he was poor and took a vow to his God that he would pay his first

month's salary if he got an appointment. He got one on Rs.15/- p.m. Then he

steadily got promotions, from Rs.15/- he got Rs. 30, 60, 100, 200 and

ultimately Rs.700/- per month. But in his prosperity he forgot clean the vow he

took. The force of his karma has driven him here and I asked that amount (Rs.15/-)

from him as Dakshina.

Another story, While wandering by the sea-side I came to a huge mansion and

sat on its verandah. The owner gave me a good reception and fed me sumptuously.

He showed me a neat and clean place near a cupboard for sleeping. I slept

there. While I was sound asleep, the man removed a literite slab and broke the

wall entered in and scissored off all the money from my pocket. When I woke up,

I found that Rs.30,000/- were stolen. I was greatly distressed and sat weeping

and moaning. The money was in currency notes and I thought that the Brahmin had

stolen it. I lost all interest in food and drink and sat for a fortnight on the

verandah, bemoaning my loss. After the fortnight was over, a passing fakir saw

me crying, and made enquiries regarding the cause of my sorrow. I told him

everything. He said, "If you act according to my bidding, you will recover

your money; go to a fakir, I shall give his whereabouts, surrender yourself to

him, he will get back your money; in the meanwhile give up your favourite food

till you recover your money." I followed the fakir's advice and got my

money. Then I left the Wada and went to the sea-shore. There was a steamer, but

I could not get into it as it was crowded. There a good-natured peon interceded

for me and I got in luckily. That brought me to another shore, where I caught a

train and came to the Masjidmayi.

The story finished and Baba asked Shama to take the guests and arrange for

their feeding. Then Shama took them home and fed them. At dinner, Shama said to

the guests that Baba's story was rather mysterious, as He had never gone to the

sea-side, never had any money (Rs.30,000/-), never travelled, never lost any

money and never recovered it, and enquired whether they understood it and

caught its significance. The guests were deeply moved and were shedding tears.

In a choking voice they said that Baba was omniscient, infinite, the One (Para

Brahma) without a second. The story He gave out is exactly our story, What He

spoke has already taken place in our case. How He knew this, is a wonder of

wonders! We shall give all the details after the meals.

Then after the meals while they were chewing betel-leaves,the guests began

to tell their stories. One of them said:-

"A hill-station on the ghats is my native place. I went to Goa to earn my living by securing a job. I took a vow to

God Datta that if I got any service, I would offer Him my first month's salary.

By His grace I got an appointment of Rs.15/- and then I got promotions as

described by Baba. I did forget all about my vow. Baba has just reminded me of

it in this way and recovered Rs. 15/- from me. It is not Dakshina as one may

think it to be, but a repayment of an old debt and fulfillment of long

forgotten vow".

Moral

Baba never,

in fact, actually begged any money, nor allowed His Bhaktas to beg. He regarded

money as a danger or bar to spiritual progress and did not allow His Bhaktas to

fall into its clutches. Bhagat Mhalsapati, is an instance on tis point. He was

very poor and could hardly make both ends meet. Baba never allowed him to make

any money, nor gave him anything from the Dakshina amount. Once a kind and

liberal merchant named Hansaraj gave a large amount of money to Mhalsapati in

Baba's presence, but Baba did not allow him to accept it.

Then the second guest began his tale. "My Brahmin (cook) was serving me

faithfully for 35 years. Unfortunately he fell into bad ways, his mind changed

and he robbed me of my treasure. By removing a laterite slab from my wall where

my cup-board is fixed, he came in while we were all asleep and carried away all

my accumulated wealth, Rs. 30,000/- in currency notes. I know not how Baba

mentioned the exact amount. I sat crying day and night. My enquiries came to

nothing. I spent a fortnight in great anxiety. As I sat on the verandah, sad

and dejected, a passing fakir noted my condition and enquired of its cause, and

I told him all about it. He told me that an Avalia by name Sai lives in Shirdi,

Kopergaon Taluka. Make vow to Him and give up any food that you like best and

say to Him mentally that 'I have given up eating that food till I take your

darshan'. Then I took the vow and gave up eating rice and s0aid, "Baba, I

will eat it after recovering my property and after taking your darshan".

Fifteen days passed after this. The Brahmin, of his own accord, came to me,

returned my money and apologized, saying, "I went mad and acted thus; I

now place my head on your feet, please forgive me". Thus everything ended

well. The fakir that met me and helped me, was not seen again. An intensive

desire to see Sai Baba, whom the fakir pointed out to me, arose in my mind. I

thought that the fakir who came all the way to my house was no other than Sai

Baba. Would He, who saw me and helped me to get my lost money ever covet to get

Rs.35/-? On the contrary without expecting anything from us, He always tries

His best to lead us on the path of spiritual progress.

I was overjoyed when I recovered my stolen property and being infatuated, I

forgot all about my vow. Then when I was at Colaba, one night I saw Sai Baba in

my dream. This reminded me of my promised visit to Shirdi. I went to Goa and

from there wanted to start for Shirdi, by taking a steamer to Bombay , en route. But when I came to the

harbour, I found that the steamer was crowded and there was no place. The

captain did not allow me, but on the intercession of a peon, who was stranger

to me, I was allowed to get into the steamer which brought me to Bombay . From there, I got

in the train and came here. Surely I think that Baba is all-pervading and

all-knowing. What are we and where is our home? How great our good fortune that

Baba got back our money and drew us here to Himself? You Shirdi folk must be

infinitely superior and more fortunate than we; for Baba has played, laughed,

talked and lived with you for so many years. I think that your store of good

merits must be infinite, for it attracted Baba into Shirdi. Sai is our Datta.

He ordered the vow. He gave me a seat in the steamer and brought me here and

thus gave proof of His omniscience and omnipotence".

Mrs. Aurangabadkar

A lady from Sholapur , wife of

Sakharam Aurangabadkar had no issue during the long period of 27 years. She had

made a number of vows of Gods and Goddesses for an issue, but was not

successful. She then became almost hopeless. To make a last attempt in this

matter, she came to Shirdi with her step-son Vishwanath and stayed there for

two months, serving Baba. Whenever she went to the Masjid, she found it full

and Baba surrounded by devotees. She wanted to see Baba alone, fall at His feet

and open her heart and pray for an issue, but she got no suitable opportunity. Ultimately she requested Shama to intercede with Baba for her when He was

alone. Shama said to her that Baba's Darbar was open, still he would try for her

and that the Lord might bless her. He asked her to sit ready with a cocoa-nut

and joss-sticks on the open courtyard at the time of Baba's meals and that when

he beckoned to her, she should come up. One day after dinner, Shama was rubbing

Baba's wet hands with a towel when the latter pinched Shama's cheek. Shama

feigning anger said, "Deva, is it proper for you to pinch me like this? We

don't want such a mischievous God who pinches us thus. Are we Your dependents,

is this the fruit of our intimacy?" Baba replied, "Oh Shama, during

the 72 generations that you were with me, I never pinched you till now and now

you resent my touching you". Shama, "We want a God that will give us

ever kisses and sweets to eat; we do not want any respect from You, or heaven,

balloon etc. Let our faith unto Your Feet be ever wide-awake". Baba,

"Yes, I have indeed come for that. I have been feeding and nursing you and

have got love and affection for you".

Then Baba went up and took his seat. Shama beckoned to the lady. She came

up, bowed and presented the cocoa-nut and joss-sticks. Baba shook the cocoa-nut

which was dry. The Kernal within rolled and made a noise. Baba said,

"Shama, this is rolling, see what it says". Shama, "The woman

prays that a child might be similarly rolling and quickening in the womb. So

give her the cocoa-nut with Your blessings".

Baba, "Will the coconut give her any issue? How people are foolish and

fancy such things!"

Shama, "I know the power of Your word and blessing. Your word will give

her a string or series of children. You are wrangling and not giving real

blessing".

The parley went on for a while. Baba repeatedly ordering to break the

coconut and Shama pleading for the gift of the unbroken fruit to the lady.

Finally Baba yielded and said, "She will have an issue".

"When?" asked Shama. "In 12 months" was the reply. The

cocoa-nut was therefore broken into two part, one was eaten by the two, the

other was given to the lady.

The Shama turned up to the lady and said, "Dear madam, you are a

witness to my words. If within 12 months you do not get any issue, I will break

a cocoa-nut against this Deva's head and drive him out of this Masjid. If I

fail in this, I will not call myself Madhav. You will soon realize what I

say".

She delivered a son in one year's time and the son was

brought to Baba in his fifth month. Both husband and wife, prostrated

themselves before Baba and the grateful father (Mr. Aurangabadkar) paid a sum

of Rs.500/- which was spent in constructing a shed for Baba's house

"Shyamakarna.

Sairam Baba Guide us all,At the feet of my Sathguru Sai BabaBaba's blessing are every where Manisha.Rautela.Bisht

 

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