Sai Gita 2: Happiness & Sorrow

సాయి గీత 2 

Nana: (With folded hands) "Baba! Why then do we have happiness and sorrow? We get pleasure from happiness and heart breaking pain from sorrow. The person who is entangled in the world suffers between both these extremes every second of his life. If this world is the store house of happiness and sorrow; how can one destroy sorrow and achieve happiness without leaving it?"

Baba: "Happiness and sorrow are delusions. They are the fog which covers up and hides the reality.

What we feel are the pleasures of this world are not truly its pleasures.

Examine this aspect closely. Many people commit mistakes in understanding these aspects. It is by the prarabdha karma that one gets delicious food to eat while another gets dry bread to eat. The one who gets the stale dry bread may be plunged into sorrow. Another may get merely the dry crust of the stale bread. The man who got the delicious food to eat will think that he has everything and lacks nothing. One may eat delicious food or one may eat rice with pickle. It is merely to assuage hunger and to fill the stomach. Some may wear costly shawls with jeweled embroidery. Some may cover their skin with rags. It may be a costly shawl or a rag; the purpose is to cover the skin only. Beyond this basic use there no further use for these things".

"It is ignorance to give importance to happiness or sorrow.

Explanation:  

Here we have to quote Bhagavadgita sloka – 2:14

Maatraasparshaastu kaunteya sheetoshnasukhaduhkhadaah;

Aagamaapaayino’nityaas taamstitikshaswa bhaarata.

The contacts of the senses with the objects, O son of Kunti, which cause heat and cold and pleasure and pain, have a beginning and an end; they are impermanent; endure them bravely, O Arjuna!

Attachment is the primary reason for happiness and sorrow.  What is attachment?

Attachment describes the connection between an individual and an external object. Objects can be people, things, possessions, positions, power, fame etc.

Most people are attached to something or other in life, whether they are aware of their attachment or not.

We can use daily life scenario to understand this. We watch a program on Television. When this is done repeatedly for about two weeks, we develop attachment to this program and it becomes our favorite program. We leave the office in time so that I do not miss the program. If my subordinates do not finish their work in time, I become angry. I shout at them to hurry up lest I might miss my program. If my superior asks me to come to his cabin, I develop a fear that I may be delayed.

Until we experience fear or anger, we do not realize that we are attached. 

When we have attachments like this, they will be responsible for the sorrow.

Pleasures of life:

According to Bhagavadgita 18th chapter there are 3 kinds of Pleasures:

Sukham twidaaneem trividham shrinu me bharatarshabha;

Abhyaasaadramate yatra duhkhaantam cha nigacchati.

Now hear from Me, O Arjuna, of the threefold pleasure, in which one rejoices by practice and surely comes to the end of pain!

Satvic pleasures:

Yattadagre vishamiva parinaame’mritopamam;

 Tatsukham saattwikam proktam aatmabuddhiprasaadajam.

That which is like poison at first but in the end like nectar—that pleasure is declared to be Sattvic, born of the purity of one’s own mind due to Self-realization.

Rajasic Pleasures:

Vishayendriya samyogaad yattadagre’mritopamam;

Parinaame vishamiva tatsukham raajasam smritam.

That pleasure which arises from the contact of the sense-organs with the objects, which is at first like nectar and in the end like poison—that is declared to be Rajasic.

Tamasic Pleasures:

Yadagre chaanubandhe cha sukham mohanamaatmanah;

Nidraalasyapramaadottham tattaamasamudaahritam.

That pleasure which at first and in the sequel is delusive of the self, arising from sleep,

Indolence and heedlessness—such a pleasure is declared to be Tamasic.

There is no being on earth or again in heaven among the gods that is liberated from the three qualities born of Nature.

Like this Baba explained that all the pleasures and pains are only delusions, which means they are fixed false beliefs.

Baba continues!

If the mind is an ocean, the waves of sorrow and happiness are always rising and falling in that ocean.

What you feel as sorrow and happiness are not real. They are mere delusion caused by your infatuation with the body.

You may have a doubt here. Waves are present if only water in present. Light is present if only a lamp is present. So there must be a causative factor for the birth of these notions such as happiness and sorrow.

What is it? It is the six enemies such as lust, anger, covetousness, delusion, pride and envy which is the basis for the experience of happiness and sorrow in this world. The form of the waves is delusion. It makes the truth seem a lie; and a lie seems as the truth. When a poor man sees gold in the hand of a rich man, he feels envious. Then the wave of envy starts in his mind. 

He gets the feeling, "That gold should be in my hand." The moment he gets this feeling, another wave of greed starts in his mind.

Baba: (Continued) Nana, how many more examples can I give you of this? First, we have to conquer our six enemies. Once they are conquered, they cannot do anything to start these waves our mind. To tell the truth we cannot fully conquer these six enemies but we can make them our slaves.

Baba continues:

We should place our knowledge as the superior officer over these six enemies.

Over knowledge, we should place discrimination as the supervising officer.

If we successfully achieve this, there will be no further pain of happiness and sorrow for us."

"Alright, now I will tell you what the true happiness and sorrow are.

Mukti (Emancipation, salvation) is true happiness.

To take birth and die is true sorrow.

Any other happiness or sorrow but for these, is a result of mere delusion.

OM SAI RAM!

SAI GITA 1

సాయి గీత 1

Samsar

One day the pure and virtuous Nanasaheb Chandorkar and Nanasaheb Nimonkar came to Shirdi for the darshan of Sri Sai Baba. Nana sahib prostrated at Baba's feet and prayed,

Nana: "Oh Sai Maharaj, Oh thou able one! No more this worldly life for me.

All the Shastras say that this worldly life is futile. Protector of the meek and the downtrodden!

Please tear asunder these chains of worldly attachments, which entangle us and hinder our progress.

What pleasures we seek are turning into pain to haunt and torment us.

Desire is making us dance like puppets at her whim.

No matter how far the search, we are unable to find true bliss in this world. I am fed up of this life. I do not want these worldly entanglements anymore."

Baba patiently heard what Chandorkar had to say.

Baba:  “From where are you getting these insane ideas?

What you say is true to some extent but you seem to have gone on a tangent on the whole. You may try to escape from the worldly but it will not let you escape from it. It will always stick by your side. It is not possible for anyone to escape from its clutches. Even I could not escape being entangled in this body of mine.

How can we then escape the entanglements?

This world has many attributes. Let me explain them to you.

When lust, anger, covetousness, delusion, pride and envy are covered by ego the result is worldliness. That is the world.

The eyes see an object, the ears hear, the tongue tastes - this too is the world (Samsara). It is the nature of the body. This world is an admixture of pleasure and pain. They do not leave anyone. No one can escape from their clutches.

You feel that wealth, wife and children are the world. You are now weary of this. But they will not leave you even if you wish to leave them.

The reason for all this is your prarabhda karma. No one can escape it without experiencing it and working it out in the three worlds.

Nana: "All what you had said earlier was given by God and are his creation, the last - prarabhda is my own creation. I am wearied of this worldliness. Please remove my entanglements and save me somehow or the other."

Baba: (laughed) "Everything is your creation. What is the use of feeling fed up now?

All these are the result of the karma of your previous lives, the result of the prarabdha karma.

This prarabdha is the main reason for us to take birth in this world. None can escape the prarabdha. That is why people are born. There are the poor, the middleclass, the rich, the others, the bachelors, the vaanaprasthas, the sanyasis, the high and mighty, the low and such many kinds of people. There are many animals such as horses, cattle, foxes, birds, tigers, wolves, dogs, pigs, cats, snakes, scorpions, the ants and insects. The life inhabiting them all is the same. But they all look different from each other to the casual onlooker. Have you ever thought why this should be so? It is because of their sanchita karma that they are different from each other. They assume the qualities, conduct and the way of life as per their bodies.

What is the purpose of seeing all these bodies and feeling wearied? The tiger eats meat. The pig eats excreta. The wolf digs out the buried human body and eats it with relish. It is the nature of their bodies which makes them do that. The swan eats the tender leaves of the lotus; the vultures eat the stinking decayed meat. One gets the qualities and the habits of the body one is born in. This is the law of the nature. It is in accordance with this law of the nature that the living beings experience their prarabdha karma.

Look here Nana! Some lions roam freely in the jungle - the lords of all they survey. Some lions are caged and taken from village to village on show. The rich man's dog sleeps on mattresses of silk. Some dogs keep roaming throughout the day for a few pieces of bread. Some cattle are fed to satiety with hay. The owner gives them sufficient water and oilcakes to feed and takes good care of them. Some cattle keep roaming throughout the day, hungry for food. They do not even get a few stalks of grass to eat and have to nose about the rubbish.

The main reason for these differences is the prarabdha karma.

None can escape it without experiencing it to the full. It is the reason for the prosperity of the rich and the poverty of the poor.

None can escape its writ without undergoing the full course.

What law applies to animals applies to humans too.

One is rich, the other poor; one is prosperous, the other in the clutches of wretched poverty. One is an orphan who has to beg for alms.

One moves like a prince on horse-back.

One enjoys all the luxuries of life in kingly mansions.

One has nothing to call his own and sleeps naked on the bare ground, the sky itself his roof. Some have progeny, but they all die.

Some women are barren and bear no children.

Some women go to much trouble for just for the sake of bearing children”.

Now let us understand the Karma theory.

Whatever deeds we do from morning till the time of our sleep in the night, are all Karmas.  Every human being keeps on performing acts from birth to death and such acts yield results. Even the fruits of the acts are called Karmas. It is a certainty that every act yields fruits.  

Depending upon the time taken by actions to produce results they are classified into three divisions.  They are:

1) A g a mi Ka r m as (Current  Acts)          

2)  Sanchita  Karmas  (A cc um u la ted  Acts )

3) Prarabhdha  Karmas  (Accumulated  Karmas which  ripen  and became ready  to be experienced by the human being are termed Prarabhdha Karmas)

1. Agami Karmas (Current Actions)

Whatever actions we do now are to be classified as Agami Karmas. Of these some yield instant results and withdraw from further operation. Some others remain dormant for the time being and get accumulated for giving results in future at the appropriate time.

Take for instance our taking food when we are hungry.  Our hunger is immediately satisfied. Here taking food is an action and satisfaction of hunger is the result of the act.  Similarly when we feel thirsty, we drink water. Our thirst is quenched at once.  When we get angry against a person, we beat him. If the other person is in a position to retaliate, he will return the blow.   

While our beating the person first is an action, the other man returning the blow is the result of our act.   In all the above cases we observe that our acts produce instant results and get dissolved. 

Yet, there are some actions which do not produce immediate results.  Let us take a case where we curse a person, accusing him of some misdeeds, in his absence. Since that person is not before us, there is no reaction or result for our act.  So also when we do charities or meritorious deeds we do not reap the result immediately. Similarly when our children appear for examinations the results are known only after some months.   So in these latter instances the Karmas remain inert for a certain period for yielding results at a future point of time. These are also called current actions or Agami Karmas.

II. Sanchita Karmas (Accumulated Acts)

Of the total Karmas performed in a birth some yield instant results and get dissolved. The rest get stored for yielding fruits in the coming births.  Similarly some deeds done in earlier births also might get accumulated and both these types of Karmas are carried forward. The above two categories of Karmas come under the classification of Accumulated Karmas or ëSanchita Karmasí. It is note ñ worthy that even though Jeeva sheds off his body due to death, the accumulated karmas do not leave him, but accompany him to the next births till their fruits become ripe for enjoyment.

When  we change  rented  houses  we carry  with  us a ll  our belongings from the previously occupied house to the new house. Similarly when Jeeva leaves the body, which can be compared to a rented house let out by God, he carries forward all the Sanchita Karmas (accumulated fruits) acquired by his Karmas done in the course of the previous births and enters another suitable body (or a rented new house) kept ready by God. These reserves of Karma fruits which the Jeeva carries from birth to birth are Accumulated Karmas or Sanchita Karmas.

III. Prarabdha Karmas

Jeeva carries forward with him the Accumulated Karmas from birth to birth. Such of the said Karmas which become ripe for enjoyment in the current birth are called Prarabdha Karmas as far as that birth is concerned.

Jeeva enters a body appropriate for its occupation based on the Prarabdha Karmas and emerges  into the world  with  that bod y. That body la sts till the completion of enjoyment of the Prarabdha Karmas.   This is where Baba was saying we acquire a body based on Prarabda. Whenever we finish all these karmas in this body, we leave the body and we call this as Death. Whatever Karmas left and if they are suitable for a certain body (either as human or animal), we take that form.  In this way the wheel of birth and death rotates.

Sankaracharya in his Bhajagovindam describes this:

Punarapi Jananam Punarapi Maranam

Punarapi Janani Jathare Sayanam

This says: The Jeeva has to pass through innumerable number of births and deaths and for every birth has to enter the mother’s womb and suffer the related karmas.

   

Where is the end of this cycle of births and deaths then?  

 When does he get liberation from this chain?

Is there not a way to get salvation and attain the state of eternal bliss?  

Yes, there is.

Sai has shown us the great path and we have to cultivate Shradda and Sabhuri. 

We follow our great Guru and he will lead us to the salvation.

OM SAI RAM!

W. PRADHAN Part 2

This is an interview given by Mr. Pradhan on 19th October, 1936. Santa Cruz

Baba's kindness to my family was, I repeat, very great. When my wife begot "Babu", she resolved to make Baba, her father-in-law's household God. It is our custom for a lady that begets a child, when she goes to her husband's house, to fill up one end of her cloth with some wheat, coconut and fruits, tie them into a knot and unburden herself of these before her father-in-law or his Gods, i.e., domestic images. My wife tied up these articles and carried these, as also Babu when he was four months old, to Sai Baba at Shirdi. Baba readily received the articles on a plate and took up Babu in His arms. He then endearingly addressed Babu thus, "Babu, where had you been? Were you vexed with, or weary of me?". To mark the joyous arrival of Babu at Shirdi, Baba pulled out two rupees from His own pocket, got burfi (sweets) for that amount and distributed it exactly, as they do, on the occasion of a son’s birth. This was in 1912.

On this occasion, Baba pointed to the village wall stone arch and said "Whoever rebuilds this, will get blessings. My wife asked him for permission to rebuild it and gave it. Then I paid Rs.600 to N.Chandorkar to rebuild it. On this occasion, Baba said "Babu’s bungalow is beautiful and ready". I guessed that Baba meant that I should buy the Bungalow I now live in. So within two months, I got a lease of it and occupied it and in six months thereafter I bought it. Baba's words thus were fulfilled by my purchase and Babu had a beautiful bungalow in 1913.

Babu was again taken to Baba for his first birthday and again commemorated it, by buying Rs.2 worth of sweets (Burfi) and distributing it to all. On this occasion, Baba asked very significantly about Babu "Has he no brother and no sister?" My wife, with some degree of bashfulness an­swered "You gave us this Babu only". In fact, we had a daughter at that time. Baba's words were construed as a blessing that we would get one more son and one more daughter. That is exactly what happened. To commemorate Babu's first birthday at Shirdi, a grand dinner was prepared at Madhav Rao Deshpande's residence and all were invited. That was a Thursday. Bala Saheb Bhate excused himself from attending it on the ground that on a Thursday his rule was to avoid dining out. But when he went to Baba that day, Sai Baba asked him;

Have you dined at Bhao's (i.e., Pradhan's) place?

Baba, today is Thursday.

SB : What if?

BB : I do not dine out on Thursdays.  That is my rule.

SB : To please whom do you observe this rule?

BB : To please you.

SB :Then I tell you to go and dine at Bhao's.

Though it was 4 p.m. Balasaheb Bhate came up to me, told me what Baba had said and dined with us.

Next my wife had a dream here at Santa Cruz of Baba's ap­pearing before her and receiving Pada Pooja from her, Mr. N.G.Chandorkar interpreted it to mean, that Baba wanted her to start regular Pada Pooja of Baba at home and so bade her go to Shirdi with two silver Padukas. She did so. When she went up to Baba, the latter who was sitting with legs folded stretched out His legs of His own accord and said "Place the Padukas on these and do Pooja". Then my wife placed each of Padukas on each foot of Baba and worshiped them. Baba then said to Nana Saheb "See. Mother has cut off and carried away my feet" and Himself picked up the two Padukas and handed them over to my wife. Ever since that date, she is daily worshipping these Padukas.

Ever since my first visit, I was having my dinner at the Mosque with Baba. Baba with His own hand stuffed all food into our plates and cups in such large quantity. Instead of throwing away such valuable prasad I asked my niece to come up and take away about three fourth of what was served to me and that sufficed to feed my family. Yet what I ate warded off all hunger or appetite for a night meal. Baba almost invariably gave desert (i.e.,fruits etc) at the end of the meal. But when I went with Baba, Babu noticed that Baba did not care for cooked food and served mangoes and fruits first, so that Babu might have a full meal. When other children were born, I would take the three children with me including Babu, to the Mosque to dine with Baba.

My last visit to Baba was in May, 1913. I had taken with me Rs.3800 and overstayed my intended period, on account of Baba's insistence. Baba's unuttered but evident practice with those whom he loved was to deplete their re­sources. "I take away the wealth of those I love". So when I returned from Shirdi after the month's stay, my money was reduced to minus Rs.1200. In fact, I had borrowed that sum from an acquaintance, a Vet­erinary Doctor of Poona and returned it to him after coming home.

An incident relating to Babu's illness as an infant ought chronologically to be placed before this. When Babu was 3 or 4 years old, he had serious illness. We had Madhava Bhat, a learned and pious (and on the whole well-to-do) Telugu priest at home, who was greatly attached to the family and carried on Mantra Japa and Pooja in our house for our benefit. He noticed Babu's serious illness with concern. He had first no sympathy with our worship of Baba. He fancied that Babu's illness was due to our worshipping a Moslem Saint viz Sai Baba but he dared not give utterance to his thought. One night he had a dream. He saw a figure (which from the photo we had, he recongnised to be Sai Baba) sitting on the top of the staircase, holding a batton (Sota) in one hand. That figure (Baba) told him "What do you mean? I am the Lord of this house". The priest kept this dream to himself for a time (He had asked us to go and make a vow to Datta for the child's cure but he had been told that Baba was Datta himself).

Later Babu's condition was much worse than before. The priest noted with concern. He ran up at once to Baba's photo and loudly prayed thus "if the child should improve sufficiently by 4 p.m. so as to be brought downstairs, then I will agree that you are Datta". Within a short time of this prayer, the child's temperature was getting lower and by 4 p.m. he wanted to be carried down for amusement and his mother took him downstairs. Madhav Bhat was converted and felt that Sai Baba was really Datta. And he vowed he would pay him a dakshlna of Rs. 120 and paid it. The Pandit wanted to get a son and vowed he would pay Rs. 108 if he got one. He got one and then paid Rs. 108 to Baba. But at that very time, the Pandit vowed he would pay Rs. 1.008 if my (i.e._, Pradhan's) ambition should be achieved. When Mr.Deshpande referred to the gift of Rs.108 as large, Baba belittled it and said, "He is giving me much more" evidently referring to the vow of Rs. 1 ,008.

Baba gave some words of advice to my wife (l)e.g, "If anyone talks ten words at us, let us reply with one word ..... if we reply at all". (2) Do not quarrel or vie with any one not to be outdone. Early during the 32 days of my last stay with Baba. 1918, all of us escorted Him with umbrella and all paraphernalia to the lendi. We all left Him there and retreated. But me alone He recalled to Himself and put His palm over my head and said "Bhav, will you do what I ask you to do?" I said "yes”. Then he said "Pay me Rs. 100. Bring it in a bag and deliver it to me at the Masjid quietly". In this way He made me give Him all the sums I brought and the extra sums I borrowed. Then He made some signs which were not clear. They seemed to mean "Even if the heavens tumbledown on you, do not fear. I am with you". Baba at my first visit said that for the previous six years, He had been smoking the chilm that I had given Him. I could not make out His meaning.

Sri Buty's second marriage took place at Shirdi in 1916 and I was present.

When we left Shirdi Baba said, that He would accompany us. Physically and with a visible body He did not accompany us. But our journey was pleas­ant and free from danger. That indicated that He accompa­nied us with His invisible body and warded off all danger and trouble. After Baba blessed me and passed away, I had the following benefits. I was appointed 2nd Class Magistrate of South Salsette for 1920-1926 and am a J.P. since 1926. I was elected for Thana as a member of the Bombay Legislative Council and sat during 1921-1923. I was made a Rao Ba­hadur in 1927.

OM SAI RAM!

W. PRADHAN Part 1

This is an interview given by Mr. Pradhan on 18th October, 1936 4 p.m.

W.PRADHAN, B.A., L.L.B, High Court Pleader & J.P. aged 56, residing at Sai Baugh, Santa Cruz, says:

Nana Saheb Chandorkar was the cause of all my rela­tions going to Baba and therefore the cause of my going also. It was the first week of May 1910. A group of my brothers and other relations were chatting with Mr.Chandorkar. Then my brother Rama Rao asked: "Is there any one nowadays of the type of Akkalkote Maharaj?"

N.C.  :   Do you want to see one?

R.R :   Yes.

N.C.  : In that case, go to Shirdi.  In Sai Baba of Shirdi you have one.

R.R.  : This is the first time we hear of Shirdi. Where is it and how do we get to it?

N.C. : It is in Kopergaon Taluk, Ahmednagar Dis­trict. You have to go to Kopergaon Station (on Dhond Manmad Line) and take a tonga. Shirdi is 11 miles off the station.

Mr. Chandorkar gave such a vivid and glowing account of Baba's power, personality, kindness and greatness that all his hearers were aglow with the desire to rush at once or as early as possible to Shirdi and have darsan (sight) of Baba. These relations and friends of mine, forming a group of about 10 or 14 people started the very next day to Shirdi. They wanted me to be with the party. But I had been out and they left word with my wife and went away. I was that day with my mother who told me of their trip to see Baba; but I, in my ignorance, said to her "Who can say, if He is really genuine saint?"

When the party returned from Shirdi, I took a loan from my brother of two things that they had brought, a copy of Baba's picture and Chapter 31 of Bhakta Lilamrita of Das Ganu, describing Baba's life and the miracles he wrote, promising to return them the same day. I took them home, showed them to my wife, and began to read aloud that Chap­ter 31 to her. The effect was deep and electric. All the doubt that I had expressed to my mother vanished. I was con­verted. From that moment I got a firm belief that Baba was a true and great saint if ever there was one. My wife's faith was even greater. I told her that the book and the picture had to be returned that day. But she could not think of parting with Baba and that too on a Thursday. So at her insistence I kept them on, even the next day and the third. Then as they were called for by my brother, I had to return them on the fourth day.

Now we were burning with a desire to go to Baba. But circumstances seemed to be adverse to any such adventure. My sister-in-law, who had been recently widowed, appeared to be in advanced pregnancy and had no son. We all fer­vently hoped she would have a son and I, as the only male member in the house, could not leave the town as the deliv­ery might take place any day.

But my wife and sister were very anxious that I should not lose the chance of seeing Baba early. So I started about a fortnight after the first party returned from Shirdi by the end of May 1910. By the kindness of Mr. Chandorkar, his two sons Babu and Bapu became my companions. At starting I had provided myself with three or four gold sovereigns (guin­eas, as they were called) and some notes. I got a note changed with the object that I might be able to give silver rupees when Baba should ask for dakshina. I had 20 Rupees in cash and the rest in notes. Thus provided, I went to Shirdi. After a good reception at Kopergaon from the Mamlatdar and a good bath at the Godavari, we reached Shirdi. There at that very moment of our arrival, Baba was standing at the Lendi, as though he was waiting for us. So we at once got down and bowed to Him. We put up at the Sathewada and there had the company of Rao Bahadur Sathe, Mr. Noolkar, 1st Class Sub-Judge & C. Soon after, I took all the flowers, garlands, & fruits I had brought to the Masjid to garland Baba and gave Him all the presents. When I looked quietly into His face and eyes, I felt confirmed in my impression that Baba is a really great saint and said within myself “Thank God. I came". This deep impression was quite opportune. Baba at once proceeded to put my faith to the test.

Baba asked me for a Dakshina. Instead of giving Him silver as I had intended when I changed the notes at Kalyan, I gave Him gold. I put a sovereign in His hand. Baba received it, turned it in His palms now with St.George's figure up­wards, again with the written side upwards. He did so thrice and asked Noolkar each time, "What is this?" Noolkar replied "Baba, this is a guinea". Baba then asked him "What is it worth?" and he replied "It is worth fifteen rupees". Then Baba returned the coin to me saying "I do not want this. Keep it and give me fifteen rupees". I put the coin into my purse. But Noolkar was anxious that I should not mix up the coin touched and returned by Baba, with other coins and asked me to keep it apart as a sacred possession. Of course I did so. I then gave Baba fifteen silver rupees. Then Baba took the fifteen, counted them over and over and professed to find only ten rupees in what I gave and said "here is only Rs.10. Give me 5 more". This was really testing my faith in Him. A lawyer accustomed to combat and criticise would naturally defend himself against the aspersion that he gave only ten when asserting that he paid a larger sum. But my faith had come up to the mark. I meekly accepted Baba's declaration and without any inclination to dispute Baba's words gladly gave Hirn the other 5 rupees in my pocket. Baba was obviously aware that the 20 rupees in my pocket was intended for Him and expressly got to be paid to Him and under colour of wrong calculation was carrying out my inten­tion to place that sum at His feet. After I gave Him the 20 rupees on that occasion He did not ask for more, though I had a lot more in notes with me. Then I left Him.

When I went to Him next, He was giving udhi to a number of devotees crowding round Him. He caught sight of me as I stood at a distance, beckoned to me to draw near, addressed me as Bhavu (as He did ever afterwards) and said "It will be alright in 2 or 4 days". Then He gave me udhi and I left the mosque. Persons who were present and wondered at such deep interest of Baba in me and His regard for me, like Mr.Noolkar and Mrs.Jog, came to me. Noolkar embraced me. Mrs.Jog wanted to know from me what sacred reading I went on with (to find out how I should deserve the marked treatment accorded to me by Baba). Baba, every one knew, did not care for mere wealth, gold or family position. I hum­bly admitted to Mrs.Jog that I could boast of little sacred study, Pothi etc.

I thought I would return by the next day. But when leave was asked, Baba declined it in His characteristic fashion by saying, "Go tomorrow". He did so on succeeding days and kept me there for eight days. I was arranging for a special dinner or Biksha to Baba the next day and requested Him to inform me who were to be invited and what the menu was to be. Of course, Puranpoli was to be the crown of the dinner and for guests, He said I was to invite Babu (the nephew of Dada Kelkar), who was Baba's favourite and Baba. He said 'I also will come' before I invited Him. The next day, the dinner was prepared as directed and plates were served. Babu was invited and sat at one plate. Another was served and set apart for Baba. A crow came and lifted a puranpoli off the plate and carried it away. All hailed it with delight as evidence that Baba was going in the form to take away His own.

The afternoon, Baba touched His limbs on one side and said. "On this side of my body, there is excruciating pain". But He added "It will be alright in 2 or 4 days". Baba really appeared healthy, in spite of those words and what He meant to convey by His words escaped our powers of under­standing at that time.

On a Thursday, during that period Baba was prepar­ing food in "Handi" (i.e., pot) to feed large numbers. He drove away every one from the Masjid and was alone with His handi. At that time, to the great surprise and alarm of the spectators, myself and the two sons of Chandorkar went in. Baba far from being angry, received us very well, as though He had intended the expulsion of others for the very purpose of granting us a wholly private interview. Then after a little while Baba appeared to be singing out something. At least I thought it to be so. But I found that when He repeated the words for the third time, they were

‘Kayare apala kayahumanave sri rama jayaram jaya jaya ram’

At once, on hearing these words I was overcome with emotion and I placed my head on Baba's feet and tears flowed freely. These words were the guru mantra that I had received from my family guru Haribua (whose grandfather Atmaram Bua who has a temple built for his worship Thakurdwar Bombay, was the guru of my great grandfather). And Baba was so kindly reviving my interest in and regard for that guru mantra in this fashion for my benefit. Baba was attending to my spiritual benefit with­out any question from me and His loving interest in me was too deep for me to return and too great to acknowledge except through tears of gratitude and joy. At the "handi", I noticed with wonder that when the contents of the cauldron were boiling, Baba used His own bare palm and not a spoon nor a ladle to stir the contents thoroughly to secure even and uni­form consistency in the food or Siro. His hand was not scalded or swollen by such use. Thence suddenly at noon, He took us three to the lendi, a very unusual hour for Him to visit the lendi; and there He dug into the earth small hollows, gave me some corn and made me sow that corn in those hollows. Then after turning up some earth to cover the seeds, He made me water the patches sown; and then we returned to the mosque. It is that lendi garden which 7 or 8 years later (i.e., immediately after He passed away) I have purchased.

After detaining us for a week, Baba gave us permis­sion to go away. At that time Babu Chandorkar placed a plate under Baba's feet and pouring water on them collected the water to be used at home. That was a departure in the traditions of Shirdi. Till then only udhi was allowed to be taken away, and Pada-Tirtha was immediately used up at the Arathi or at any rate at Shirdi. I took my cue from Babu and took Baba's Padatirtha home for the use of my mother and others. On our way, at Manmad we had only 3rd class tick­ets; and under the Railway rules then obtaining, we could only board a later train but not the Punjab Mail. But by a happy thought we rushed in and contrary to the rules, got into that mail and reached home 4 or 5 hours earlier than if we had conformed to the rules. These 4 or 5 hours I discov­ered were specially valuable and it was obviously Baba's grace that enabled us to be so early. As soon as I reached home, I learnt that my mother had an attack of Paralysis. She was having the attack of hemiplegia in our house at Bombay, when Baba was saying "My side is giving me excru­ciating pain". Doctors had been brought in. My sister and other relations were discussing if I should be informed at Shirdi about the event. Mr.Chandorkar who was then pres­ent, remarked, it seems, that it was needless and that every­thing would be safe for my mother so long as I stayed with Baba and that Baba would Himself send me back, if and when there was need. On the night when we were starting from Shirdi the attendant doctor noting the high temperature, the constricted state of the bowels and her restlessness declared that her condition was critical and that if however the bowels should move in the course of the night the situation would be more hopeful. It was that very night about 4.30 or 5 a.m. I reached my mother's place. At once I gave her Baba's Udhi and Tirtha. She then got somnolent and sometime later, her bowels moved and consequently her temperature fell. The doctor came and found that there was improvement and that things had taken a favourable turn. Quite obviously our timely dismissal from Shirdi, with Baba's Tirtha and Udhi, our timely catching the Punjab Mail and arrival on the critical night were all seen or foreseen and willed by Baba and the fa­vourable turn was what He intended and foretold when He said to me at Shirdi "In 2 or 4 days it will be alright". Truly, Sai moves in mysterious way. His wonders to perform. My mother recovered full health soon and lived four years thereafter. Two years before her death, she went to Shirdi and had Baba's darsan and blessing.

Without exception all members of my family go to Baba and get His blessing. I shall mention how my wife and sister got to Baba and how my wife got a special blessing from Baba.

One night. Das Ganu Maharaj performed his splendid Kirtan (always in praise of Baba, whatever the main and ex­press theme of his Kirtan may be) at my mother's place. Then I invited him and Mr.Chandorkar and all the friends then present to go over to Santa Cruz for rest. They all came with the entire musical accompaniments and set. It was suggested that they should proceed with a fresh Kirtan here at my house. That went on from 2 a.m. to 5 a.m. the most impressionable hours of the night. My wife listening to the Kirtan got a burning desire to visit Shirdi. Baba came to her in a dream she told me; and this she considered as a suffi­cient indication that she should be taken to Shirdi. "But what of my wife or sister-in-law, who still seemed to be in advanced pregnancy?" I thought over it. My wife and sister-in-law were prepared to take the risk of labour pains enroute. I engaged a special second class railway car, paying the price of 12 tickets and arranged that the same car should be taken on via Manmad to Kopergaon and taken off to a lay-by there. We all started and throughout the journey there was not the least trouble. When we were nearing Kopergaon, my wife said that Mr.Chandorkar would perhaps be at the station to re­ceive us. I replied that it was impossible, though I had inti­mated our starting to him. Yet strangely that very thing happened.

Mr.Chandorkar had gone to Shirdi on account of his ill health. He was getting fever every alternate day and the day of our arrival was the day on which he would get fever in the usual course. Yet he got my letter and asked Baba for permission to receive us at Kopergaon. Baba gave it readily. When H.S.Dixit objected and went to Baba mentioning the alternate day's fever as a reason why he should go to Koper­gaon instead of Chandorkar, Baba gruffly sent him back and said that Chandorkar, and Chandorkar alone, should go. Mr.Chandorkar came and made grand and excellent arrange­ments for our reception and for the comfort of the ladies and all our holy baths at Godavari; and we all reached Shirdi safe. Mr.Chandorkar was not a whit the worse for his journey and was free from fever. His fever then left him for good.

On the day we reached Shirdi, Baba said to Madhava Rao Deshpande, pointing to my wife, “This is the mother of my Babu". Mr.Chandorkar thought it must refer obviously to my sister-in-law who was believed to be pregnant and asked Baba, pointing to my sister-in-law. "This is the lady, is it not?" Baba replied "No. It is this" and He again pointed to my wife.

Exactly twelve months from that date my wife was delivered of a male child and we have named that son "Babu" (the name used by Baba). At the "Christening" , Das Ganu, Mr.Chandorkar and all were present and it was a grand and joyous occasion reminding us of Baba's kindness and greatness.

At my first visit there was severe storm and rain for quarter of an hour when I was with Baba at the masjid. I then thought that if the rains beat like that streams would swell and getting back to my place at Bombay would be difficult and Baba would not grant me early leave to go away. Baba then looked at the sky and said,

"Oh God! Enough, stop the rain. My children have to go back home. Let them go back without difficulty". As He spoke, the rains became gentler and feebler. I felt that Baba knew my innermost thoughts. Then He gave me leave to go and I caught the Punjab Mail and took Udhi and Tirtha to my mother as stated above. Ill (IV] 359. The night after my return, my sister-in-law dreamt that a fakir robed in a Kuphni and wearing a towel on his head was in our house. This I felt was proving what Baba said "I will accompany you home". Baba is in our house.

OM SAI RAM!