Baba's Wit and I lumour - Chanak Leela - (1) Hemadpant (2) Sudama (3) Anna Chinchanikar vs. Mavsibai. Preliminary

To say that, we shall state such and such in the next or this Chapter, is a sort of egoism. Unless, we surrender our ego to the feet of our Sad-guru, we will not succeed in our undertaking. If we become egoless, then our success is assured. By worshipping Sai Baba, we attain both the objects, worldly and spiritual, and are fixed in our true Nature, and get peace and happiness. Therefore, those who want to gain their welfare, should respectfully hear Sai Baba's Leelas or stories and meditate on them. If they do this, they will easily attain the object of their life and get Bliss. Generally, all people like wit and humour, but they do not like that jokes should be cut at their expense. But Baba's method was peculiar; when it was accompained with gestures, it was very interesting and instructive, and the people, therefore, did not mind, if they were held up to the ridicule. Hemadpant gives his own instance below.

We have done with Chapter 51 and now we come to the last Chapter (No. 52 in the original). In this Hemadpant gave his concluding remarks and promised to give an index, giving the contents of all the Chapters in verse as is given in Marathi sacred books, but unfortunately that index was not found in Hemabdpant's papers. It was therefore, composed and supplied by an able and worthy devotee of Sai Baba, Mr. B.V. Deo (Retired Mamlatdar) of Thana. As we give in English books an index in the beginning and contents of each Chapter at its top, we need not consider the last index Chapter here; and so we consider this Chapter as the Epilogue. Unfortunately Hemadpant did not survive to revise the manuscript of this Chapter and made it ready for the press. When it was sent to the press Mr. Deo found it to be incomplete and unintelligible in certain places; but it had to be published as it was found. The chief topics dealt therein are briefly given below.

Chapter 50 of the original Satcharita has been incorporated in Chapter 39, as it dealt with the same subject matter. Now, Chapter 51 of the Satcharita has been treated here as Chapter 50. This Chapter gives the stories of (1) Kakasaheb Dixit (2) Shri Tembye Swami (3) Balaram Dhurandhar.

Victory be unto Sai Who is the main-stay of the Bhaktas, Who is our Sadguru, Who expounds the meaning of the Gitaand Who gives us all powers. Oh Sai, look favourably on us and bless us all. The sandal-wood trees, grow on the Malaya mountains and ward off heat. The clouds, pour their rain-water and thereby, cool and refresh all the people. The flowers, blossom in the spring and, enable us to worship God, therewith. So the stories of Sai Baba come forth, in order to give solace and comfort to the readers. Both, those, who tell; and those who hear the stories of Baba, are blessed and holy, as also the mouths of the former and the ears of the latter. It is well-established fact, that though we try hundreds of means or sadhanas, we do not attain the spiritual goal of life, unless a Sadguru blesses us with his grace. Hear the following story in illustration of this statement.

The Vedas and the Puranas cannot sufficiently praise (describe) Brahma or Sad-guru; then how can we, who are ignorant, describe our Sad-guru Shri Sai Baba? We think that it is better for us to keep quiet in this matter. In reality the observance of the vow of silence is the best way of praising the Sad-guru; but the good qualities of Sai Baba make us forget our vow of silence and inspire us to open our mouth. Good dishes taste flat if there be no company of friends and relations to partake of the dishes with us, but when they join us, the dishes acquire additional flavour. The same is the case with the Sai Leelamrit - the nectar in the form of Sai's leelas. This nectar we cannot partake alone.Friends and brothers have to join us - the more the better.

He who teaches us Veda and Vedanta or the six Shastras (systems), he who controls the breath, or brands his body with Mudras (metallic marks of Vishnu's weapons) or gives pleasing discourses regarding Brahma, he who gives mantras (sacred syllables) to the disciples and orders them to chant the same a certain number of times, but does not assure them any result in a definite time, he who by his spacious wordy knowledge explains beautifully the Ultimate Principle, but has himself got no experience or self-realization is not a Sad-guru. But he, who by his discourse creates in us, a distaste for the enjoyments of this world and the next, and gives us a taste of self-realization, who is well-versed in both the theoretical and practical knowledge (self-realization) deserves to be called a Sad-guru. How can he, who is himself devoid of self-realization, give it to the disciples? A Sad-guru does not, even in his dream, expect any service or profit from his disciples. On the contrary he wishes to serve them. He does not think that he is great and the disciple small. Not only he loves him as his son but regards him as equal to himself or as Brahma. The main characteristic of a Sad-guru is that he is the abode of peace. He is never restless nor ruffled. He has no pride of his learning. The poor and the rich, the small and the great, are the same to him.

Blessed is the face of Sai. If we cast a glance at Him for a moment, He destroys the sorrow of many past births and confers great bliss on us; and if He looks at us with grace, our bondage of Karma is immediately snapped away and we are led to happiness. The river Ganges washes away the dirt and sins of all people who go to her for a bath; but she intently longs for the saints to come to her and bless her with their feet and remove all the dirt (sins) accumulated in her. She knows for certain that this accumulation can only be removed by the holy feet of the saints. Sai is the crest-jewel of the saints, and now hear from Himt he following purifying story.

Blessed, Oh Sai, are Your Feet, blessed is Your remembrance and blessed is Your darshana which frees us from the bond of Karma. Though Your Form is invisible to us now, still if the devotees believe in You, they get living experiences from You. By an invisible and subtle thread You draw Your devotees from far and near to Your Feet and embrace them like a kind and loving mother. The devotees do not know where You are, but You so skillfully pull the wires that they ultimately realize that You are at their back to help and support them. The intelligent, wise and learned folk fall into the pit of the samsar on account of their egoism, but You save, by Your power, the poor, simple and devout persons. Inwardly and invisibly you play all the game, but show that you are not concerned with it. You do things and pose yourself as a non-doer. Nobody ever knows Your life. The best course therefore for us is to surrender our body, speech and mind to Your Feet and always chant Your name for destroying our sins. You fulfill the wishes of the devotees and to those who are without any desire You give bliss supreme. Chanting Your sweet name is the easiest sadhan for devotees. By this sadhan (means), our sins, Rajas and Tamas qualities will vanish, the Sattwa qualities and righteousness will gain predominance and along with this, discrimination, dispassion and knowledge will follow. Then we shall abide in our Self and our Guru (who are one and the same). This is what is called complete surrender to the Guru. The only sure sign of this is that our mind gets calm and peaceful. The greatness of this surrender, devotion and knowledge is unique; for peace, non-attachment, fame and salvation etc., come in its train.

We have described in the last three chapters Baba's Passing away. His physical or finite form has no doubt disappeared from our view; but the infinite or spiritual form (Spirit of Baba) ever lives. The Leelas which occurred during His lifetime have been dwelt upon at great lengthup till now. Ever since His passing away, fresh Leelas have taken placeand are even now happening. This clearly shows that Baba is everliving and helping His devotees as before. The people who got thecontact of Baba when He was living, were indeed very fortunate, but ifany of them did not get a dispassion for the things and enjoyments ofthe world and had not their minds turned to the Lord, it was sheerlytheir ill-luck. What was then wanted and is now wanted is the wholehearted devotion to Baba. All our senses, organs, and mind should cooperate in worshipping and serving Baba. It is no use in engaging some organs in the worship and deflecting others. If a thing like worhsip ormeditation is to be done, it ought to be done with all our mind and soul.

Chapters 43 and 44 continue the story of Baba's Passing away, and therefore they are taken together It is the general practice amongst the Hindus that when a man is about to die, some good religious scripture is read out to him with the object that his mind should be withdrawn from worldly things and fixed in matters spiritual, so that his future progress should be natural and easy. Everybody knows that when king Parikshiti was cursed by the son of a Brahmin Rishi and was about to die after a week, the great sage Shuka expounded to him the famous Bahagwat Puran in that week.This practice is followed even now and Gita, Bhagawat and other sacred books are read out to dying persons. Baba being an incarnation of God needed no such help, but just to set an example to the people, He followed this practice. When He knew that He was to pass away soon,He ordered one Mr.Vaze to read Ramavijaya to Him. Mr.Vaze read thebook once in the week. Then Baba asked him to read the same againday and night and he finished the second reading in three days. Thuseleven days passed. Then again he read for three days and was exhausted. So Baba let him go and kept Himself quiet. He abided on His Self and was waiting for the last moment.

The stories given in the previous chapter have shown that thelight of Guru's grace removes out fear of the mundane existence, opensthe path of salvation and turns our misery into happiness. If we alwaysremember the feet of the Sad-guru, our troubles come to an end, deathloses its sting and the misery of this mundane existence is obliterated.Therefore those who care for their welfare should carefully listen tothese stories of Sai Samarth, which will purify their minds.In the beginning, Hemadpant dwells on Dr.Pandit's worship andhis marking Baba's forehead with Tripundra, i.e., three horizontal lines;but as this has been already described in chapter XI, this has been omitted here.

As stated in the last chapter, we continue here the story of the picture. Nine years after the occurrence of the incident depicted in the last chapter, Ali Mahomed saw Hemadpant and related to him the following story. One day while wandering in the streets of Bombay he bought the picture from a street-hawker; then he framed and set it on a wall in his house at Bandra (suburb of Bombay). As he loved Baba, he daily took darshana of it. Three months before he gave the picture to Hemadpant, he was suffering from an abscess or swelling on his leg for which anoperation was performed and he was convalescing in the house of hisbrother-in-law, Mr. Noor-Mahomed Peerbhoy in Bombay. For threemonths his house in Bandra was closed; and nobody was living there.Only the pictures of the famous Baba Abdul Rahiman, MoulanasahebMahomed Hussain, Baba Sai, Baba Tajudin and other saints (living)were there. The wheel of time did not even spare these. He was lyingsick and suffering in Bombay. Why should the pictures suffer there (inBandra)? It seems that they have also their ins and outs (births anddeaths). All the pictures met their fate, but how Sai Baba's picture escaped it, nobody had been able to explain to me up till now. It shows theall-pervasiveness, omnipresence of Sai and His insrutable power.

In this chapter we give two stories; (1) How Baba attended theUdyapan ceremony of Mr.B.V.Deo's mother at his house at Dahanu and(2) How Baba attended the Shimga dinner-party in Hemadpant's houseat Bandra.

Blessed is Shri Sai Samartha who gives instructions in both temporal and spiritual matters to His devotees and makes them happy byenabling them to achieve the goal of their life, - Sai He who whenplaces His hand on their heads transfers His powers to them and thusdestroying the sense of differentiation, makes them attain the Unattainable Thing. - He who embraces the Bhaktas who prostrate themselvesbefore Him with no sense of duality or difference. He becomes onewith the Bhaktas as the sea with the rivers when they meet it in therainy season and gives them His power and position. It follows fromthis that he who sings the Leelas of God's Bhaktas is equally or moredear to Him than one who sangs the Leelas of God only. Now to revertto the stories of this chapter.

Blessed is Shirdi and blessed is Dwarkamayi where Shri Sai livedand moved until He took Mahasamadhi. Blessed are the people of Shirdiwhom He obliged and for whom He came such long distance. Shirdiwas a small village first, but it attained great importance, on account ofHis contact and became a Tirtha, holy place of pilgrimage. Equallyblessed are the womenfolk of Shirdi, blessed is their whole and undivided faith in Him. They sang the glories of Baba while bathing, grinding, pounding corn and doing other house-hold work. Blessed is their love, for they sang sweet songs which calm and pacify the minds of thesingers and listeners.

In the last chapter we described Baba's Chavadi procession. In this we take up Baba's Handi (cooking pot) and some other subjects.

Oh, blessed Sad-guru Sai, we bow to You, Who have given happiness to the whole world, accomplished the welfare of the devoteesand have removed the affliction of those who have resorted to YourFeet. Being very liberal and being the protector and saviour of theBhaktas who surrender themselves to You, You incarnate yourself in this world to oblige the people and do them good. The liquid essence ofPure Self was poured into the mould of Brahma1 and out of this hascome out the crest-jewel of the saints-Sai. This Sai is Atmarama Himself. He is the abode of perfect divine bliss. Having Himself attained allobjects of life, He made His devotees desirelss and free.

Blessed is Sai's life, blessed is His daily routine. His ways andactions are indescribable. Sometimes He was intoxicated withBrahmanand (divine joy), and at other times content with Self knowledge. Doing so many things sometimes, He was unconcerned with them.Though He seemed at times quite actionless (doing nothing) He wasnot idle or dozing; He always abided in His own Self. Though He lookedcalm and quiet as the placid sea, He was deep and unfathomable. Whocan describe His ineffable nature? He regarded men as brothers, womenas sisters and mothers. He was a perfect and perpetual celibate as everybody knows. May the understanding (knowledge), we got in His company, last long unto death. Let us ever serve Him with whole-hearted devotion to His feet. Let us see Him (God) in all beings and let us ever love His name.

This Chapter also continues the subject of the importance of the Udi; it also gives two cases in which Baba was tested and not found wanting. These cases will be taken up first.

Preliminary In spiritual matters or endeavours, sectarianism is the greatest bar to our progress. Those, who believe the God is without form, are heard saying that to believe the God is with the form is an illusion and that the Saints are only human beings. Then why should they bend their heads before them and offer Dakshina? Persons belonging to other sects will also raise objections and say, "Why should they bow and offer allegiance to other Saints, leaving their Sadgurus?" Similar objections regarding Sai Baba were heard before and are heard even now. Some said that when they went to Shirdi, Baba asked for Dakshina from them. Is it good that Saints should collect money in this fashion? If they do so, where is their Sainthood? But there are many instances where men went to Shirdi to scoff; but remained there to pray. Two such instances are given below.

Kaka Mahajani's Friend A friend of Kaka Mahajani was a worshipper of God without form and was averse to idolatry. Out of curiosity he agreed to go to Shirdi with Kaka Mahajani on two conditions, viz., (1) that he would neither bow to Baba, (2) nor pay Him any Dakshina. Kaka agreed to these conditions and they both left Bombay on a Saturday night and reached Shirdi the next morning. As soon as they put their feet on the steps of the Masjid, Baba, looking at the friend from a little distance, addressed him in sweet words as follows, "Oh, welcome sir"*. The tone that uttered these words was a very peculiar one. It exactly resembled the tone of the friend's father. It reminded him of his departed father and sent a thrill of joy through his body. What an enchanting power the tone had! Being surprised the friend said, "This is no doubt the voice of my father". Then he at once up and, forgetting his resolution, placed his head upon Baba's Feet.

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".

This Chapter continues the subject "Greatness of Udi" and de scribes cases in which the application of Udi was most efficacious.

Doctor's Nephew At Malegaon (Dt. Nasik) there lived a doctor (qualified and degree-holder). His nephew suffered from an incurable disease - Tubercular bone-abcess. The doctor himself and his brothers, the medical practitioners, tried all sorts of remedies and even an operation. There was no relief and there was no end to the little boy's suffering. Friends and relations advised the parents of the boy to seek divine aid and recommended them to try Sai Baba, who was known to have cured such incurable cases by His mere glance. The parents, therefore, came to Shirdi. They prostrated themselves before Baba, placed the boy before Him and pleaded humbly and respectfully, and implored Him to save their son. The merciful Baba comforted them saying "Those who resort to this Masjid shall never suffer anything in this life and to the end of time. Be now carefree. Apply Udi on the abcess and within one week he will recover. Believe in God. This is no Masjid, but Dwarawati. He who steps here will soon get health and happiness and his sufferings will come to an end". The boy was made to sit before Baba, Who moved his hands on the affected part and cast His loving glances on him. The patient was pleased and with the application of the Udi, he began to recover, and was all right after some days. The parents then left Shirdi with their son, thanking Baba for the cure, which was effected by Udi and Baba's gracious looks. After knowing this, the doctor, the uncle of the boy became wonder-struck and desired to see Baba while he was on his way to Bombay for some business; but at Malegaon and Manmad somebody spoke to him against Baba and poisoned his ears. He therefore, dropped the idea of visiting Shirdi and went to Bombay direct. He wanted to spend the rest of his leave at Alibag, but at Bombay he heard three successive nights, a voice crying out,"Still you disbelieve me?". Then the doctor changed his mind and resolved to go to Shirdi. He had to attend in Bombay to a case of Infectious Fever, which showed no signs of abatement soon. So he thought that his Shirdi trip would be postponed. He however proposed a test in his mind and said,"If the patient gets all right today, I start for Shirdi tomorrow." The wonder is that exactly at the time when the determination was taken, the fever began to abate and the temperature became normal. Then he went to Shirdi as per his determination, took Baba's darshan and prostrated himself before Him. Baba gave him such experiences that he became His devotee. He stayed there for four days and returned home with Baba's Udi and blessings. Within a fortnight he was transferred on promotion to Bijapur. His nephew's case gave him an opportunity for seeing Baba and this visit engendered in him a neverfailing love for the Saint's feet.

In the last Chapter we described the greatness of the Guru; now in this we will describe the greatness of Udi. Preliminary Let us bow now before the great saints. Their merciful glances will destroy mountains of sins and do away with all the evil taints of our character. Their casual talk gives us good teachings and confers on us imperishable happiness. Their minds do not know any difference such as 'This is ours and that is yours.' Such differentiation never arises in their minds. Their debts (obligations) will never be repaid by us in this birth as well as in many future births. Udi

It is well-known that Baba took Dakshina from all, and out of the amount thus collected, He spent a lot on charity and purchased fuel with the balance left with Him. This fuel He threw in the Dhuni - the sacred fire, which he kept ever burning. The ash from this fire was called Udi and it was freely distributed to the devotees at the time of their departure from Shirdi. What did Baba teach or hint by this Udi? Baba taught by His Udi that all the visible phenomena in the universe are as transient as the ash. Our bodies composed of wood or matter of the five elements, will fall down, after all their enjoyments are over, and be reduced to ashes. In order to remind the devotees of the fact that their bodies will be reduced to ashes, Baba distributed Udi to them. Baba also taught by the Udi that the Brahman is the only Reality and the universe is ephemeral and that no one in this world, be he a son, father or wife, is really ours. We come here (in this world) alone and we have to go out alone. It was found and is even now found out, that the Udi cured many physical and mental maladies, but Baba wanted to din into the devotee's ears the principles of discrimination between the Unreal and the Real, non-attachment for the Unreal, by His Udi and Dakshina. The former (Udi) taught us discrimination and the latter (Dakshina) taught us non-attachment. Unless we have these two things, it is not possible for us to cross over the sea of the mundane existence. So Baba asked for and took Dakshina, and while the devotees took leave, He gave Udi as Prasad, besmeared some of it on the Bhaktas' foreheads and placed His boon-conferring hand on their heads. When Baba was in a cheerful mood, He used to sing merrily. One such song was about Udi. The burden of the Udi song was this,"Oh, playful Rama, come, come, and bring with you sacks of Udi."* Baba used to sing in very clear and sweet tones.

In this Chapter Hemadpant describes two things:- (1) How Baba met His Guru in the woods, and through him God; and (2) How Baba made one Mrs. Ghokhale, who had made up her mind to fast for three days, eat Puran-Polis. Preliminary In the beginning, Hemadpant describes the samsara (visible world) by the allegory of Ashvattha (Banyan) tree which has, in the phraseology of the Geeta, roots above and branches below. Its branches are spread downwards and upwards and are nourished by the gunas (qualities), and its sprouts are the objects of the senses. Its roots, leading to actions, are extended downwards to this world of men. Its form cannot be known in this world, nor its end, its beginning nor its support. Cutting this Ashvattha tree of strong roots with the sharp weapon of non-attachment, one should seek the path beyond, treading which there is no return. For traversing this path, the help of a good guide (Guru) is absolutely necessary. However learned a man may be, or however deep his study of Vedas and Vedangas (sacred literature) may be, he cannot go to his destination safely. If the guide be there to help him and show him the right way, he would avoid the pitfalls and the wild beasts on the journey, and everything will be smooth-sailing. Baba's experience in this matter, the story which He gave out Himself, is really wonderful, which, when attended to, will give you faith, devotion and salvation.