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Chapter
XIV
Ruttonji
Wadia of Nanded - Saint Moulisaheb - Dakshina Mimansa.
In the
last Chapter, we described how Baba's word and grace cured
many incurable diseases. Now, we shall describe, how Baba
blessed Mr. Ruttonji Wadia with an issue.
The life
of this Saint is naturally sweet in and out. His various
doings, eating, walking and His natural sayings are also
sweet. His life is Bliss incarnate. Sai gave it out as a
means of His devotee's remembrance to Him. He gave them
various stories of duty and action, which ultimately led
them to true religion. His object may be that people
should live happily in this world, but they should be ever
cautious and gain the object of their life, viz.
self-realization. We get human body as a result of merits
in past births and it is worth-while that with its aid, we
should attain devotion and liberation in this life. So we
should never be lazy, but always be on the alert to gain
our end and aim of life.
If you
daily hear the Leelas (stories) of Sai, you will always
see Him. Day and night you will remember Him in your mind,
When you assimilate Sai in this way, your mind will lose
its fickleness and if you go on in this manner, it will
finally be merged in pure Consciousness.
Ruttonji
of Nanded :
Now
let us come to the main story of this Chapter. In Nanded,
in the Nizam state, there lived a Parsi mill-contractor
and trader, by name Ruttonji Shapurji Wadia. He had
amassed a large amount of money and had acquired fields
and lands. He had got cattle, horses and conveyances and
was very prosperous. To all outward appearances he looked
very happy and contented, but inwardly, and really he was
not so. Providential dispensation is such, that no one in
this world is completely happy and rich; Ruttonji was no
exception to this. He was liberal and charitable, gave
food and clothing to the poor and helped all in various
ways. The people took him to be a good and happy man, but
Ruttonji thought himself miserable as he had no issue,
male or female, for a long time. As Kirtan (singing
glories of the Lord) without love or devotion, music of
singing without rhythmical accompaniments, Brahmin without
the sacred thread, proficiency in all arts without
commonsense, pilgrimage without repentance and
ornamentation without a necklace, are ugly and useless, so
is the house of a man or house-holder without a male
issue. Ruttonji always brooded on this matter and said in
his mind, "Would God be ever pleased to grant me a
son?" He thus looked morose, had no relish for his
food. Day and night, he was enveloped with anxiety whether
he would ever be blessed with a son. He had a great regard
for Dasganu Mahajat. He saw him and opened his heart
before him. Dasganu advised him to go to Shirdi, take
Baba's darshan, fall at His Feet and seek His blessing and
pray for issue. Ruttonji liked the idea, and decided to go
to Shirdi. After some days he went to Shirdi, took Baba's
darshana and fell at His Feet. Then opening a basket, he
took out a beautiful garland of flowers and placed it
around Baba's neck and offered Him a basket of fruits.
With great respect he then sat near Baba, and prayed to
Him saying- "Many persons who find themselves in
difficult situations come to You, and You relieve them
immediately. Hearting this, I have sought anxiously Your
Feet; please, therefore, do not disappoint me." Sai
Baba then asked him for Daksbina of Rs. five which
Ruttonji intended to give, but added, that He has already
received Rs. 3-14-0 from him, and that he should pay the
balance only. Hearing this, Ruttonji was rather puzzled.
he could not make out what Baba meant. That was the first
time, he thought, that he went to Shirdi and how was it
that Baba said that He had formerly got Rs. 3-14-0 from
him? He cold not solve the riddle. But he sat at Baba's
Feet and gave the balance of the Dakshina asked for,
explained to Baba fully, as to why he came and sought His
help, and prayed that Baba should bless him with a son.
Baba was moved and told him not to be worried, and that
that time his bad days had ended. He then gave him Udi,
placed His hand on his head and blessed him saying that
Allah (God) would satisfy his heart's desire.
Then
after taking Baba's leave, Ruttonji returned to Nanded and
told Dasganu everything that took place at Shirdi, He said
that everything went on well there, that he got Baba's
darshan and blessing with Prasad, but there was one thing
which he could not understand. Baba said to him that he
had got Rs.3-14-0 before. Please explain as to what Baba
meant by this remark. He said to Dasganu, "I never
went to Shirdi before, and how cold I give Him the sum to
which Baba referred?" To Dasganu also, it was a
puzzle, and he pondered much over it for a long time. Some
time afterwards it struck him that Ruttonji had received
some days ago a Mahomedan Saint, by name Moulisaheb, in
his house and had spent some money for his reception. This
Moulisaheb was coolie-saint wellknown to the people of
Nanded. When Ruttonji decided to go the Shirdi, this
Molisaheb accidentally came to Ruttonji's house. Ruttonji
knew him and loved him. So he gave a small party in his
honour. Dasganu got from Ruttonji the yadi or memo of
expenses of this reception, and everybody was wonderstruck
to see, that the expenses amounted to exactly Rs.3-14-0,
nothing more, nothing less. They all came to know, that
Baba was omniscient, that thought He lived in Shirdi, He
knew what happened outside far away from Shirdi. In fact
He knew the past, present and future, and could identify
Himself heart and soul with anybody. In this particular
instance how could He know the reception given to
Moulisaheb, and the amount spent therefore, unless He
could identify Himself with him, and be One with him?
Ruttonji
was satisfied with this explanation and his faith in Baba
was confirmed and increased. In due time afterwards, he
was blessed with a son and his joy knew no bounds. It is
said that he had in all a dozen (12) issues out of which
only four survived.
In a
foot-note towards the end of this Chapter,it is stated
that Baba told Rao Bahadur Hari Vinayak Sathe, after the
death of his first wife, to remarry and that he would get
a son. R.B. Sathe married second time. The first two
issues by this wife were daughters and he, therefore, felt
very despondent. But the third issue was a son. Baba's
word did turn out true and he was satisfied.
Dakshina
- Mimansa
Now
we shall close this Chapter with a few remarks about
Dakshina. It is a well-known fact that Baba always asked
for Dakshina from people who went to see Him. Somebody may
ask a question, "If Baba was a Fakir and perfectly
non-attached, why should he ask for Dakshina and care for
money?" We shall consider this question broadly now.
First for
a long time, Baba did not accept anything. He stored burnt
matches and filled His pocket with them. He never asked
anything from anybody--whether he be a devotee or
otherwise. If anybody placed before Him a pice or two, He
purchased oil or tobacco. He was fond of tobacco, for He
always smoked a bidi or Chilim (an earthen pipe). Then
some persons thought that they could not see the Saints
empty-handed, and they, therefore, placed some copper
coins before Baba. If a pice was placed before Him. He
used to pocket it; if it was a two pice coin, it was
returned immediately. Then after Baba's fame had spread
far and wide, people began to flock in numbers; and Baba
began to ask Dakshina from them. It is said in the Shruti
(veda) that Puja of the Gods is not complete, unless a
golden coin was offered. If a coin was necessary in the
Puja of the Gods, why should it be not so in the Puja of
the Saints also? Ultimately, the Shastras laid it down
that, when one goes to see God, King, Saint or Guru, he
should not go empty-handed. He should offer something,
preferably coin or money. In this connection we may notice
the precepts recommended by the Upanishads. The
Brihadaranyak Upanishad says that the Lord Prajapati
advised the Gods, men and demons by one letter "Da".
The Gods understood by this letter that they should
practice (1) "Dama" i.e. self-control; the men
thought or understood that they should practice (2)
"Dana" i.e. charity; the demons understood that
they should practice (3) "Daya" i.e. compassion.
To men Charity or giving was recommended. The teacher in
the Taittiriya Upanishad exhorts his pupils to practise
charity and other virtues. Regarding charity he says,
"Give with faith, give with magnanimity, i.e.
liberally, give with modesty, with awe and with sympathy.
In order to teach the devotees the lesson of charity and
to remove their attachment to money and thus to purify
their minds, Baba extracted Dakshina from them; but there
was this peculiarity, as Baba said, that He had to give
back hundred times more of what He received. There are
many instances, in which this has happened. To quote an
instance, Mr. Ganpatrao Bodas, the famous actor, says in
his Marathi autobiography, that on Baba's pressing him
often and often for Dakshina, he emptied his money-bag
before Him. The result of this was, as Mr. Bodas says,
that in later life he never lacked money, as it came to
him abundantly.
There
were also secondary meanings of Dakshina, in many cases,
in which Baba did not want any pecuniary amount. To quote
two instances - (1) Baba asked Rs.15/- as Dakshina from
Pro. G.G.Narke, who replied that he did not have even a
pie. Then Baba said, "I know you have no money; but
you are reading Yoga-Vashistha. Give Me Dakshina from
that." Giving Dakshina in this case meant - `Deriving
lessons from the book and lodging them in the heart where
Baba resides'. (2) In the second case Baba asked a certain
lady (Mrs. R. A. Tarkhad) to give Rs.6/- as Dakshina. The
lady felt pained, as she had nothing to give. Then her
husband explained to her that Baba wanted six inner
enemies (lust, anger, avarice etc.) to be surrendered to
Him. Baba agreed with this explanation.
It is to
be noted, that though Baba collected a lot of money by
Dakshina, He would distribute the whole amount the same
day, and the next morning He would become a poor Fakir as
usual. When Baba took His Mahasamadhi, after receiving
thousands and thousands of Rupees as Dakshina for about
ten years, He had only a few Rupees in His possession.
In short,
Baba's main object in taking Dakshina, from His devotees
was to teach them the lessons of Renunciation and
Purification.
Post-script
Mr.
B. V. Deo of Thana, retired Mamlatdar, and a great devotee
of Baba, has written an article on this subject (Dakshina)
in "Shri Sai Leela" magazine, Vol.VII, P.6-26,
in which he says amongst other things, as follows:-
"Baba
did not ask Dakshina from all. If some gave Dakshina
without being asked, He sometimes accepted it; and at
other times He refused it. He asked it from certain
devotees only. He never demanded it, from those devotees,
who thought in their minds that Baba should ask them for
it, and then they should pay it. If anybody offered it
against His wish, He never touched it, and if he kept it
there, He asked him to take it away. He asked for small or
big amounts from devotees, according to their wish,
devotion and convenience. He asked it, even from women and
children. He never asked all the rich for it, nor from all
the poor."
"Baba
never got angry with those from whom He asked Dakshina,
and who did not give it. If any Dakshina was sent, through
some friend, who forgot to hand over the same to Baba, He
reminded him somehow of it and made him pay it. On some
occasons, Baba used to return some sum from the amount
tendered as Dakshina, and ask the donor to guard it or
keep it in his shrine for worship. This procedure
benefited the donor or devotee immensely. If anybody
offered more than he originally intended to give, He
returned the extra amount. Sometimes, He asked more
Dakshina from some, than what they originally intended to
give and, if they had no money, asked them to get or
borrow from others. From some, He demanded Dakshina three
or four times a day."
"Out
of the amount collected as Dakshina, Baba spent very
little for His own sake, viz., for buying Chilim (clay
pipe) and fuel for His Dhuni (sacred fire), and all the
rest, He distributed as charity in varying proportions to
various persons. All the paraphenalia of the Shirdi
Sansthan was brought, by various rich devotees at the
instance and suggestion of Radha-Krishna-Mai. Baba always
used to get wild and scolded those, who brought costly and
rich articles. He said to Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, that
all His property consisted of one koupin (codpiece), one
stray piece of cloth, one Kafni and a tumrel (tinpot), and
that all the people troubled Him by bringing all these
unnecessary, useless and costly articles."
Woman and
wealth are the two main obstacles in the way of our
Pramartha (spiritual life); and Baba and provided in
Shirdi two institutions, viz., Dakshina and Radha-Krishna-Mai.
Whenever they came to Him, He demanded Dakshina from them,
and asked them to go to the 'SCHOOL' (Radha-Krishna-Mai's
house). If they stood these two tests well, i.e. if they
showed that they were free from attachment for woman and
wealth, their progress in spirituality was rapid and
assured by Baba's grace and blessings.
Mr. Deo
has also quoted passanges from the Gita and Upanishads;
and shown that charity given in a holy place and to a holy
personage, conduces to the donors' welfare to a great
degree. What is more holy than Shirdi and its Presiding
Deity -- Sai Baba?
Bow
to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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