Sri Saisatcharita chapter 25

Sai wanted us to focus on spiritual path but he never abandoned us with materialistic aspects of life. He even said that his devotees come to him for worldly things first and after helping them with this issue he will direct them to spiritual path. Here we need to be careful so that we do not waste our lives devoting ourselves to these worldly objects. Baba gave great message to mankind through Damia. Because Baba’s main goal is to take us to the ultimate goal of human life that is salvation.

     

Damodar Sawalram Rasane was one of those devotees who asked Baba for help in his business dealings family issues and other day to day life issues. Baba was always there for him. He was a Kasar and one of the earliest of Ahmednagar citizens to learn about Sai Baba. He was a very humble man and began as a poor bangle seller but all his transactions yielded good profit and he soon grew rich. He first came to Shirdi to see Baba in 1895 during the Ramanavami celebrations. He contributed an ornamental flag. He also helped feeding the poor during that festival. 

Baba averting greed:
In this chapter he wanted help and permission from Baba in business deals to buy cotton to make profits as someone suggested that he will make a huge profit. He first writes a letter to Baba asking permission but Baba tells him to be happy with what he has and not run for the riches. Later he wanted to buy some grains but Baba tells him not to do that. Here also Baba protected him from disastrous loss. Then Damu's faith grew stronger and he remained a true devotee till his passing away. 

Sai blessing him with children:

He had everything to make life happy, but had no children. Seeing that his first wife could not bear a child, he married a second time. But even the second wife could not bear him a child. Astrological curiosity made him explore into his horoscope and he found that he could never have a child. He had heard of Sai Baba and went up to meet him. Sai Baba had kept apart 8 mangoes to be given to him from a basket of mangoes that were sent to Baba. The children were the recipients of the rest of the mangoes and some children wanted more. When Baba said, “There is nothing,” the children pointed to the eight mangoes. Baba said, “They are for Damia.” But the children said, “Damia is not here.” “I know that. He is on the way. He is coming,” said Baba. Then, when Baba went out, some of these petted children of Baba stole away four mangoes, and when Rasane came, there were only four mangoes remaining. As soon as he came, Baba gave him those four mangoes. “Eat and die. People are clamoring for mangoes.” Eat and die – Damodar was perturbed by hearing the inauspicious word die, and Mahlsapathy noting his perplexity told him that it was a blessing to die at the feet of Baba. Baba was enjoying the humor all the time, as the word die, which he had used, did not refer to the physical death but in a spiritual sense.

Baba came to the rescue and said, “Damia do not eat these fruits yourself. Give them to your wife”. Damia wanted to know, which wife were the fruits to be given. Baba said, “The second wife.” Baba also said, “She will have eight children. The first and second would be boys. Name the first Daulat Shah and the second Thana Shah.” Taking up his note book immediately, Damia wrote down the names. Then the fruits were taken and given to his second wife, and, she did eat the four fruits. She begot, as stated by Baba, exactly eight children, one after another, their sexes being in the order given by Baba. It took fifteen years for all the children to be born. It may be noted that the eight mangoes representing eight children that Baba set apart for Damia, four were stolen away. Corresponding to that loss, of the eight children that were born to Damia, four were filched away by death and the remaining four survived.

One year after that, he had his first son.  When his son was 15 months old Damia took him to Sai Baba at Shirdi for darsan and he then asked Baba "How shall I name this child?"   Baba replied "Have you forgotten what I told you?  You have written it on page 3 of your note book.  Did I not say that he should

be named Daulat Shah?" He is also known as Nana Saheb Rasane.  

In addition to the above, Nana Saheb Rasane, the eldest son was helped by Baba in his spiritual development. He later helped spreading the Sai faith by lectures. When Daulat Shah was five years old, and when he first began writing the letters Hari on the slate, Baba held his hand and helped him to write. Baba also helped him with his marriage by suggesting a girl from a poor family.

But the best contribution that Damia made was his becoming an Ankita or child of Baba, whom Baba looked after wherever he was and wherever he thought of Baba. Baba told him, “I am with you wherever you are and whenever you think of me.” This was said when Damia was afraid that Baba would leave his body and would no longer be helping him personally with his presence. Baba’s assurance, Damia says in his statement in 1936 has been, perfectly true. Baba is with him and frequently appears before him. When he is not personally present, Damia casts chits before Baba, and the chits always give the answers of Baba. He says in the innumerable cases that he consulted Baba on chits, not even on one occasion was Baba’s direction found to be wrong. 

Baba's message to his devotees:
Baba reassured all of us through two questions that Damu had in his mind and Baba answered them as follows. 

First question: There are so many crowding Baba and do they all get benefit from him?
Baba's answer: Look at the Mango tree in blossom. If all the flowers become fruit, what a splendid crop it would be. But do they? Most fall off by wind (as flowers or unripe fruits) and very few remain. 

Second question: If Baba were to pass away, how hopelessly adrift I would be and how I am to fare then? 

Baba answered that, He would be with me, whenever and where ever I thought of him. 

As promised Baba protected Damu anna after Mahasamadhi also. This is true for all of the Sai devotees one way or the other. 

At the end of the chapter Hemadpanth prays to Baba asking his blessings to not to lose sight of Baba's feet and making sure we walk the path of Self -realization. 

Sri Sainatharpanamasthu!