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Chapter
X
Sai
Baba's Mode of Life - His Sleeping - board - His Stay in
Shirdi - His Teachings - His Humility - The Easiest Path.
Remember
Him (Sai Baba) always with love, for He was engrossed in
doing good to all, and always abided in His Self. To
remember Him only is to solve the riddle of life and
death. This is the best and easiest of Sadhanas, as it
involves no expenditure. A little exertion here brings
great rewards. So as long as our senses are sound, we
should, minute my minute, practice this Sadhana. All other
Gods are illusory ; Guru is the only God. If we believe in
Sad-guru's holy feet, he can change our fortune for the
better. If we serve Him nicely, we get rid of our Samsar.
We need not study any philosophy like the Nyaya and the
Mimansa. If we make Him our Helmsman, we can easily cross
over the sea of all our pains and sorrows. As we trust the
helmsman in crossing rivers and seas, so we have to trust
our Sadguru in getting over the ocean of worldly
existence. The Sadguru looks to the intense feeling and
devotion of his devotees, endows them with knowledge and
eternal bliss.
In
the last chapter, Baba's mendicancy, and devotees'
experiences and other subjects are dealt with. Let the
readers now hear, where and how Baba lived, how He slept,
and how He taught etc.
Baba's
Wonderful Bed-Stead
Let
us first see where and how Baba slept, Mr. Nanasaheb
Dengale brought, for Sai Baba, a wooden plank, amount 4
cubits in length and only a span in breath, for sleeping
upon. Instead of keeping the plank on the floor and then
sleeping on it, Baba tied it like a swing to the rafters
of the Masjid with old shreds or rags and commenced to
sleep upon it. The rags were so thin and worn out that it
was a problem how they could bear or support even weight
of the plank itself, let alone the weight of Baba. But
somehow or other-it was Baba's sheer Leela that the worn
out rags did sustain the plank, with the weight of Baba on
it. On the four corners of this plank, Baba lighted
panatis (earthen lamps), one at each corner, and kept them
burning the whole night. It was a sight for the Gods to
see Baba sitting or sleeping on this plank! It was a
wonder to all, how Baba got up and down the plank. Out of
curiosity, many careful observers kept watching the
process of mounting and dismounting, but none succeeded.
As crowds began to swell so to detect this wonderful feat,
Baba one day broke the plank into pieces and threw it
away. Baba had all the eight Siddhis (powers) at His
command. He never practiced nor craved for them. They came
to Him naturally, as a result of His perfection.
Sagun
Manifestation of Brahman
Though
Sai Baba looked like a man, three cubits and a half in
length, still He dwelt in the hearts of all. Inwardly, he
was unattached and indifferent, but outwardly, He longed
for public welfare. Inwardly most disinterested, He looked
outwardly full of desires, for the sake of His devotees.
Inwardly an abode of peace, he looked outwardly restless.
Inwardly He had the state of Brahman, outwardly He acted
like a devil. Inwardly He had the state of Brahman,
outwardly he acted like a devil. Inwardly He loved Adwaita
(union or monism), outwardly He got entangled with the
world. Sometimes He looked on all with affection, and at
times He threw stones at them; sometimes He scolded them,
while at times He embraced them and was calm, composed,
tolerant and well-balanced. He always abided and was
engrossed in the Self and was well-disposed towards His
Bhaktas. He always sat on one Asan and never travelled.
His 'band' was a small stick, which He always carried in
His hand. He was calm, being thought-free. He never cared
for wealth and fame and lived on begging. Such a life He
led. He always uttered 'Allah Malik' (God the real owner).
Entire and unbroken was His love for the Bhaktas. He was
the mine or store-house for self-knowledge and full of
Divine Bliss. Such was the Divine Form of Sai Baba,
boundless, endless and undifferentiated. One principle
which envelopes the whole universe, (from a stone pillar
to Brahma) incarnated in Sai Baba. The really meritorious
and fortunate people got this treasure-trove in their
hands, while those people who not knowing the real worth
of Sai Baba took or take Him to be a man, a mere human
being, were and are indeed miserable.
His
Stay in Shirdi and Probable Birth-date
None
knew or knows the parents and exact birth-date of Sai
Baba; but it can be approximately determined by His stay
in Shirdi. Baba first came to Shirdi, when he was a young
lad of sixteen and stayed there for three years. Then all
of a sudden He disappeared for some time. After some time,
He reappeared in the Nizam state near Aurangabad, and
again came to Shirdi with the marriage-party of Chand
Patil, when He was twenty years old. Since then, He stayed
in Shirdi continuously for a period of sixty years, after
which Baba took His Maha-Samadhi in the year 1918. From
this we can say that the year of Baba's birth is
approximately 1838 A.D.
Baba's
Mission and Advice
Saint
Ramadas (1608-1681) flourished in the 17th century, and
fulfilled to a great extent his mission of protecting cows
and Brahmins against the Yavanas (Mahomedans), but within
two centuries after him, the split between the two
communities -- Hindus and Mahomedans widened again, and
Sai Baba came to bridge the gulf. His constant advice to
all was to this effect. "Rama (the God of the Hindus)
and Rahim (the God of the Mahomedans) were one and the
same; there was not the slightest difference between them;
then why should their devotees and quarrel among
themselves? You ignorant folk, children, join hands and
bring both the communities together, act sanely and thus
you will gain your object of national unity. It is not
good to dispute and argue. So don't argue, don't emulate
others. Always consider your interest and welfare. The
Lord will protect you. Yoga, sacrifice, penance, and
knowledge are the means to attain God. If you do not
succeed in this by any means, vain is your birth. If any
one does any evil unto you, to do not retaliate. If you
can do anything, do some good unto other." This in
short was Sai Baba's advice to all; and this will stand in
good stead both in material and spiritual matters.
Sai
Baba as Sadguru
There
are Gurus and Gurus. There are many so-called Gurus, who
go about from house to house with cymbals and veena in
their hands, and make a show of their spirtituality. They
blow mantras into the ears of their disciples and extract
money from them. They profess to teach piety and religion
to their disciples, but are themselves impious and
irreligious. Sai Baba never thought of making the least
show of His worth (piety). Body-consciousness, He had
none, but He had great love for the disciples. There are
two kinds of Gurus (1) 'Niyat' (appointed or fixed) and
(2) 'Aniyat' unappointed or general). The latter by their
advice develop the good qualities in us, purify our hearts
and set us on the path of salvation; but contact with the
former, dispels our quality (sense of difference); and
estalishes us in Unity by making us realize "Thou art
that". There are various Gurus imparting to us
various kinds of wordly knowledge, but he, who fixes us in
our Nature (Self) and carries us beyond the ocean of
worldly existence, is the Sadguru. Sai Baba was such a
Sadguru. His greatness is undescribable. If anybody went
to take His darshana, he, without being asked, would give
every detail of his past, present and future life. He saw
Divinity in all beings. Friends and foes were alike to
Him. Disinterested and equal-balanced, He obliged the
evil-doers. He was the same in prosperity and adversity.
No doubt, ever touched Him. Though He possessed the human
body, He was not in the least attached to His body or
house. Though He looked embodied, He was really
disembodied, i.e., free in this every life.
Blessed
are the people of Shirdi, who worshipped Sai as their God.
While eating, drinking, working in their backyards and
fields and doing various household works, they always
remembered Sai and sang His glory. They knew no other God
except Sai. What to speak of the love, the sweetness of
the love, of the women of Shirdi! They were quite
ignorant, but their pure love inspired them to compose
poems or songs in their simple rural language. Letters or
learning they had none, still one can discern real poetry
in their simple songs. It is not intelligence, but love,
that inspires real poetry as such. Real poetry is the
manifestation of true love; and this can be seen and
appreciated by intelligent listeners. Collection of these
folk songs is desirable and Baba willing, some fortunate
devotee may undertake the task of collecting and
publishing these folk-songs, either in the Sai Leela
magazine or separately in a book-form.
Baba's
Humility
Lord
or Bhagwan is said to have six qualities, viz. (1) Fame,
(2) Wealth, (3) Non-attachment, (4) Knowledge, (5)
Grandeur, and (6) Generosity. Baba had all these in Him.
He incarnated in flesh for the sake of the Bhaktas.
Wonderful was His grace and kindness! He drew the devotees
to Him, or how else one could have known Him! For the sake
of His Bhaktas Baba spoke such words, as the Goddness of
Speech dare not utter. Here is a specimen. Baba spoke very
humbly as follows:- "Slave of slaves I am your
debtor, I am satisfied at your darshan. It is a great
favour that I saw your feet. I am an insect in your
excreta. I consider Myself blessed thereby". What
humility is this? If anybody would think that by
publishing this, any disrespect is shown to Sai, we beg
His pardon and to atone for this we sing and chant Baba's
name.
Though
Baba seemed outwardly to enjoy sense-objects, he had not
the least flavour in them, nor even the consciousness of
enjoying them. Though He ate, he had no taste and though
He saw, He never felt any interest in what He saw.
Regarding passion, He was as perfect a celibate as
Hanuman. He was not attached to anything. He was pure
consciousness, the resting place of desire, anger, and
other feelings. In short, He was disinterested, free and
perfect. A striking instance may be citied in illustration
of this statement.
Nanavalli
There
was in Shirdi, a very quaint and queer fellow, by name
Nanavalli. He looked to Baba's work and affairs. He once
approached Baba who was seated on His Gadi (seat) and
asked Him to get up, as he wanted to occupy the same. Baba
at once got up and left the seat, which he occupied. After
sitting there awhile Nanavalli got up, and asked Baba to
take His seat. Then Baba sat on the seat and Nanavalli
fell at His feet, and then went away. Baba did not show
the slightest displeasure in being dictated to and ousted.
This
Nanavalli loved Baba so much that he breathed his last, on
the thirteenth day of Baba's taking Maha-Samadhi.
The
Easiest Path
Hearing
the stories of the Saints and Being in their Company:
Though
Sai Baba acted outwardly like an ordinary man, His actions
showed extraordinary intelligence and skill. Whatever He
did, was done for the good of His devotees. He never
prescribed any asan, regulation of breathing or any rites
to His Bhaktas, nor did He blow any mantra into their
ears. He told them to leave off all cleverness and always
remember "Sai" "Sai". "If you did
that" He said, "all your shackles would be
removed and you would be free". Sitting between five
fires, sacrifices, chantings, eight-fold Yoga are possible
for the Brahmins only. They are of no use to the other
classes. The function of the mind is to think, it cannot
remain for a minute without thinking. If you give it a
Sense-object, it will think about it. If you give it to a
Guru, it will think about Guru. You have heard most
attentively the greatness, grandeur of Sai. This is the
natural remembrance, worship and Kirtan of Sai. Hearing
the stories of the Saints is not so difficult, as the
other Sadhanas mentioned above. They (stories) remove all
fear of this Samsar (worldly existence), and take you on
to the spiritual path. So listen to these stories,
meditate on them, and assimilate them. If this is done,
not only the Brahmins, but women and lower clases will get
pure and holy. You may do or attend to your worldy duties,
but give your mind to Sai and His stories, and then, He is
sure to bless you. This is the easiest path, but why do
not all take to it? The reason is that without God's
grace, we do not get the desire to listen to the stories
of Saints. With God's grace everything is smooth and easy.
Hearing the stories of the Saints is, in a way, keeping
their company. The importance of the company of Saints is
very great. It removes our body-consciousness and egoism,
destroys completely the chain of our birth and death, cuts
asunder all the knots of the heart, and takes us to God,
Who is pure Consciousness. It certainly increases our
non-attachment to sense-objects, and makes us quite
indifferent to pleasures and pains, and leads us on the
spiritual path. If you have no other Sadhana, such as
uttering God's name, worship or devotion etc., but if you
take refuge in them (Saints) whole-heartedly, they will
carry you off safety across the ocean of wordly existence.
It is for this reason that the Saint manifest themselves
in this world. even sacred rivers such as the Ganges,
Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri etc., which wash away the
sins of the world, desire that the Saints should come to
them, for a bath and purify them. Such is the grandeur of
the Saints. It is on account of the store of merit in past
births that we have attained the feet of Sai Baba.
We
conclude this chapter with meditation on Sai's Form. He,
the beautiful and handsome Sai, standing on the edge of
the Masjid and distributing Udi to each and every Bhakta,
with a view to his welfare. He who thinks the world as
naught and Who is ever engrossed in Supreme Bliss --
before Him -- we humbly prostrate ourselves.
Bow
to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all
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