పరనింద
In our
scriptures (Vedas) Agni (Fire God) has utmost importance. He is responsible
to carry Havissu” – (Havissu's are the ingredients one uses to please Gods
through the fire in the Yagnas). Our body has different parts and each part has
its own God linked to it. The speech is linked to Fire God. We have to
understand how powerful this so called speech which is equivalent to Fire. When
ever we perform some action we burn some calories. These actions are called
karmas. There is either positive or negative consequence for each action.
We think of something in our mind, and
then we have to execute this in to action. To implement this, we need to use
our body parts or our speech. We use our mouth to communicate with others most
of the time. Our words can either cause comfort or pain to others. The fire can
burn any thing and in a similar way the speech is powerful too. What else is
better than reciting God’s name. We have to resist the temptation to criticize
others and stop looking for faults in other’s actions. This will burn our
positive energy. Baba took advantage of one of the situations to teach this
fact.
Sai does not require a particular place for his teachings – nor a right time or a right setting.
Even while talking, walking
or sitting he is able to effortlessly teach pure knowledge
to all. The story will show Sai’s compassionate nature as well as his
all-pervasiveness.
Pig eating filth and Baba’s teaching:
Once a great devotee,
while somebody was talking of another person, was
prejudiced and got deeply involved in criticizing.
The virtues were overlooked; and only the criticism was recounted on all sides. The actual story was lost sight of and
this became a reviling session. If at all there is a reason (for disagreement), or if someone
behaves abominably, then one should frankly and sweetly
try to correct him, and should pity him. Never belittle anybody. This is known to everyone. But such a nature cannot be suppressed. It cannot remain under control.
From within it rises,
gradually, till it is blurted out of the mouth. When the lips open, happiness and contentment are pushed
out.
The critic left the scene and went to the toilet and the rest of the group started towards
the Masjid for Baba’s darshan. Baba was omniscient. He instructed the devotees at the proper time. Listen, how he made use of this incident later on. On the way to the Lendi along with the others, Baba inquired about that devotee and was told that he was at the village stream, for toilet
purposes. After completing his ritual, Baba returned from the Lendi; and that devotee also turned from the village stream to go home. Both of them met. Oh, listeners! I pray to you to carefully
listen to all that transpired at
that meeting.
Nearby, next to a hedge, a village sow was eating excreta with great
relish. Baba pointed out that to him. “Look how its tongue is enjoying
the taste of the human excreta! A person who reviles
his own brethren
to his heart’s
content is similar to it. If you are born as a human being, after doing a lot of good deeds in
your previous birth, and if you thus waste the life, what good can Shirdi do for him, who is set to ruin himself? ” With these words, Baba walked away.
The devotee was inwardly hurt. He remembered the morning’s incident and those words pierced his heart.
So be it. Baba teaches his devotees lovingly, at the opportune time. If the essence of his teachings is retained, can salvation
remain far?
There is none else better than a critic,
in the three worlds.
He can help a person.
Criticism does well to a person and a critic thus obliges a
person. Some people
remove dirt with the help of the soap-nut; some use products like soap; some do it with clean and pure water;
but a critic does so with his
tongue. In a way, they bear the deterioration of their own character for the sake of others, to do well to them. Therefore, their deeds are, really speaking, indescribably benedictory. Surely,
a critic should be highly respected.
At every step, he points
out the hazards. He lets a person
know his shortcomings under the pretext of criticizing, thus helping
him to avoid future calamities and obliging everyone.
How much more could I praise him? Many people have praised them. Even saints and sages have talked about their greatness. I bow down to that band of critics. Those who were listening were nauseated.
It might be
difficult not to criticize others. Without our knowledge we fall in to this
trap. Why are we doing this? Are we deriving some pleasure out of this? May be
we mean best for the other person. We have to analyze ourselves. We have to
realize that we are acquiring the other person’s karma by criticizing. Is this
necessary for us? We have enough of bad deeds from the past lives. That’s why
Baba showed the pig which was eating filth as an example.
He, who definitely wishes to escape the bonds of birth and death, should follow the path of righteousness very meticulously and
be always tranquil.
Here are some suggestions from Sai
Satcharita.
1) One should abandon harsh words.
2) One should not pick on others’ weaknesses;
3)One should remain engaged in good acts concentrating on one’s own duties.
4) We have to realize
that words are powerful and compared to fire.
5) People can make
mistakes. If we have the capacity to make them realize this, that’s excellent,
otherwise we have to keep our mouth under control.
6) One should realize
that they are acquiring bad karma from the other person by criticizing them.
7) Once the thought
of criticizing others proliferates in our mind, restrict that thought in the
mind itself. Do not let that materialize through our words. This is not an easy
thing because this is habit we got used to for so many past lives.
8) Fill the mind with
good thoughts so that it won’t go towards bad deeds.
9) Explain the mind
about the consequences of criticizing others both spiritually and
psychologically.
10) Understand that
mind could be our friend or enemy.
11) Explain the mind
that we can lose positive energy by criticizing others. We can observe this
fact in our daily life. Sometimes we spend most of our day with gossip or
talking bad about someone. We come home and we don’t understand why we feel
tired. The reason is obvious. So we have to control the urge to criticize
others.
12) One useful
exercise is not to speak bad about anyone who ever is not in our presence. We
might fail initially but we can limit this to a maximum.
13) We have to realize
that God loves everyone unconditionally. Whatever is ours we tend not to
criticize and we can let that go. So we can teach the mind this universal
feeling as we are all part of God.
14) One should surrender their mind and heart to Baba.
Let us ask Baba to
give us his blessings so that we do not fall in to this trap of criticizing
others.
OM SAI RAM!
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