Sri Saisatcharita Chapter 3

In the third chapter Hemadpanth continued to describe how baba blessed him to write the Satcharita and he gave the narration of Baba’s words as follows. You perform your duty. Do not have the least doubts in your mind. Have full faith in my words and be of resolute mind. If you write about my leelas, it will wipe out the faults which have arisen due to ignorance. And when you listen to it with faith your worldly involvements will disappear. It will cause waves of love and devotion to rise on the ocean of the mind; and, diving into them now and then, will bring up gems of knowledge. Whoever sings my praises, I will bestow upon him complete happiness, permanent pleasure and contentment. Believe this as the Truth.

Baba knows what kind of work needs to be assigned to each devotee. Some devotees were made to build temples; some were made to lose themselves in the joy of kirtan1; some were sent on pilgrimages. The simple fact that we all need to understand is what Baba did as sishya of his own Guru. He just followed him and he used to think about him all the time.

We see light houses anchored near the sea to guide the movement of ships by warning them to keep off the rocks and whirlpools. In a similar way, for people who tend to side track easily in everyday life, tales of Sai will navigate us safely and will smoothen the difficult paths of the ocean of existence. Blessed are the tales of the saints that penetrate into the consciousness through the ears and cleanse the bodily ego and destroy the sense of duality. Hemadpanth writes so much about the wisdom in the third chapter. He also describes about Brahman, and how we can reach that ultimate state. The third chapter also talks about how simply listening to Sai tales will get through so many problems of life, and free us from worldly vices. This will also free us from the shackles of bondage.

Sai’s love is compared to a cow’s love towards its own calf. Sai was portrayed as mother who knows everything about its child. He will take care of us in every life. Once Anna Chinchanekar pleaded with Baba about Hemadpanth’s financial situation after he retired. His pension was not enough to survive. Baba promised that he will get another job but for now he should resort to Baba’s feet only. Baba also promised that he will never have any difficulty with food or daily life. This reassurance was sufficient for Hemadpanth and he continued to serve Baba without any second thoughts.

Next he talks about the story of Rohilla who came to Shirdi and was attracted by Baba’s virtues. He stayed there for a long time and devoted himself to Baba. He used to recite Kalma and pray to God in the night time in a bigger voice. This used to bother the villagers who came home after day full of hard work. They spoke to Baba about this and Baba reassured them by saying “Do not harass the Rohilla. He is very dear to me. This Rohilla’s wife is a virago and not ready to stay with him. She is eager to come to me by eluding him. That woman does not observe the veil. She is without modesty and shameless. If driven out she comes back forcibly into the house. When he himself gets tired, he will keep quiet automatically”. The Rohilla does not have a wife but what Baba meant was by him reciting the God’s name his mind will be purified and the bad thoughts will not cripple him. Indirectly Baba is communicating to us to follow this recitation of God’s name to clear our hurdles in the spiritual path.

 Once, after the noon Arati, Baba spoke sweet words from his lips and they are as sollows.

“Wherever you are, and whatever you may be doing, always bear it in mind that I shall continue to be informed of the minutest details of your deeds. I dwell in the minds of all; I am in the hearts of all, and all pervading. I am the Lord of all. I fill the entire creation, within and without, to the point of overflowing. This universe is directed by God and I am the one who holds the reins. I am the Mother of all beings. I am the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer.

Baba continues “One who concentrates on me, for him nothing is difficult. But the moment he forgets me, Maya will attack him. Whatever is perceived is my image only, whether it is a worm, an ant, a poor wretch or a king”.

If one wishes to surrender at the feet of the Guru, one should sing the praises of the Guru or recite the life-story of the Guru or listen to the tales about him with devotion. We need to have utmost devotion so that the Supreme Energy will appear before us and the mind will be elevated. Even we are engrossed in worldly affairs and if we hear the tales of a saint, without making the slightest efforts, they will still do better because such is their nature. Then if they are listened to with faith and devotion, how much good can be gained.

The devotion to the Guru’s feet is enough and no other rites or rituals are necessary. The Supreme Good will be attained by doing so. Once the mind is disciplined in this way, the longing to listen to the stories will increase. The bonds of sense objects will easily break away and extreme happiness will pervade.  

Sri Sainathaarpanamastu!