|
Chapter
XLI
Story
of the Picture - Stealing the Rags and Reading of
Jnaneshwari.
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 an
operation was performed and he was convalescing in the
house of his brother-in-law, Mr. Noor-Mahomed Peerbhoy in
Bombay. For three months his house in Bandra was closed;
and nobody was living there. Only the pictures of the
famous Baba Abdul Rahiman, Moulanasaheb Mahomed Hussain,
Baba Sai, Baba Tajudin and other saints (living) were
there. The wheel of time did not even spare these. He was
lying sick and suffering in Bombay. Why should the
pictures suffer there (in Bandra)? It seems that they have
also their ins and outs (births and deaths). 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 the all-pervasiveness, omnipresence of Sai
and His insrutable power.
He got a
small picture of Saint Baba Abdul Rahiman from Mahomed
Hussain Thariyatopan many years ago. He gave it to his
brother-in-law, Noor-Mahomed Peerbhoy and it was lying on
his table for eight years. Once the latter saw it, took it
to a photographer and got it enlarged to life-size and
distributed copies of the same amongst his relations and
friends, including Ali Mahomed who fixed it up in his
Bandra house. Noor-Mahomed was a disciple of Saint Abdul
Rahiman and when he went to present the picture to his
Guru in an open darbar held by him, the Guru got wild and
ran to beat him, and drove him out. He felt very sorry and
dejected. He thought that he lost so much of his money,
and incurred his Guru's displeasure and anger. As his Guru
did not like image-worship, he took the enlarged picture
with him to the Appollo Bunder and, after hiring a boat,
went in it and drowned it in the sea. He requested the
friends and relations to return their copies and after
getting them (6 in all) back, had them thrown by a
fisherman in the Bandra sea. At this time Ali Mahomed was
in his brother-in-law's house. He was told by him that his
suffering would come to an end if he would soon drown the
pictures of the saints in the sea. Hearing this, Ali
Mahomed sent his Mehta (Manager) to his Bandra house and
got all the pictures of the saints in his house thrown
into the sea.
When Ali
Mahomed returned home after two months, he was surprised
to find Baba's picture on the wall as before. He did not
understand how his Mehta took away all the pictures except
this. He immediately took it out and kept it in his
cupboard, fearing that if his brother-in-law saw it, he
would do away with it. While he was thanking how it should
be disposed of, and who would keep it and guard it well,
Sai Baba Himself as it were, suggested to him that he
should see and consult Moulana Ismu Mujavar and abide by
his opinion. He saw the Moulana and told him everything.
After mature consideration they both decided that the
picture should be presented to Annasaheb (Hemadpant) and
that he would protect it well. Then they both went to
Hemadpant and presented the picture in the nick of time.
This
story shows how Baba knew all the past, present and
future, and how skillfully He pulled the wires and
fulfilled desired of His devotees. The following story
shows that Baba liked very much those persons who took
real interest in matters spiritual and that He removed all
their difficulties and made them happy.
Stealing
the Rags and Reading of Jnaneshwari
Mr.B.V.Deo
who was Mamlatdar of Dahanu (Thana District) wished for a
long time to read Jnaneshwari - (the well-known Marathi
commentary on the Bhagawad-Gita by Jnaneshwar), along with
other scriptures. He could read daily one chapter of the
Bhagawad-Gita, and some portion of other books; but when
he took Jnaneshwari in hand, some difficulties cropped up
and he was precluded from reading it. He took three
months' leave, went to Shirdi and thence to his home at
Pound for rest. He could read there other books but when
he opened Jnaneshwari, some evil or stray thoughts came
crowding in his mind and stopped him in the effort. Try
however he might, he was not able to read even a few lines
of the book with ease. So he resolved in his mind that
when Baba would create love for the book and would order
him to read it, he would begin and not till then. Then in
the month of February 1914 he went with his family to
Shirdi. There Jog asked him whether he daily read
Jnaneshwari. Deo said that he was desirous of reading it,
but he was not successful and that only when Baba would
order him to read it, he would commence. Jog then advised
him to take a copy of the book and present it to Baba and
to start the reading after it was consecrated and returned
by Him. Deo then replied that he did not want to resort to
this device, as Baba knows his heart. Would He not know
his desire and satisfy it by giving him a clear order to
read?
Deo then
saw Baba and offered one rupee as Dakshina. Baba asked for
Rs. 20/- which he gave. At night, he saw one Balakram and
enquired how he secured Baba's devotion and grace.
Balakram told him that he would communicate everything
next day after arati. When Deo went for darshana next day,
Baba asked for Rs.20/- which he gave willingly. As the
Masjid was crowded, Deo went aside and sat in a corner.
Baba asked him to come close and sit with a calm mind,
which Deo did. Then after the noon-arati was over and
after the men dispersed, Deo saw again Balakram and asked
him his previous history, what Baba told him and how he
was taught meditation. Balakram was going to reply when
Baba sent one Chandru, a leper devotee to call Deo to Him.
When Deo went to Baba, the latter asked him when and with
whom and what he was talking. He said that he talked with
Balakram and heard from him His fame. Then Baba asked
again Rs.25/- as Dakshina which Deo gladly gave. Then Baba
took him inside and sitting near the post charged him
saying - "You stole away My rags without My
knowledge." Deo denied all knowledge of the rags, but
Baba asked him to make a search. He searched but found
none. Then Baba got angry and said - "There is nobody
here, you are the only thief, so grey-haired and old, you
came here for stealing." After this Baba lost His
temper, got terribly wild, gave all sorts of abuses and
scoldings. Deo remained silent and watching, and thought
that he might get a beating also. After about an hour or
so, Baba asked him to go to the Wada. He returned to the
Wada and told Jog and Balakram all that had happened. Then
in the after-noon Baba sent for all and Deo also, and said
that His words might have pained the old man (Deo) but as
he committed the theft, He could not but speak out. Then
Baba asked again for Rs. 12/- Deo collected the amount,
paid it and prostrated himself before Him. Then Baba said
to him - "What are you doing?"
"Nothing" replied Deo. Then Baba - "Go on
daily reading the Pothi (Jnaneshwari), go and sit in the
Wada, read something regularly every day and while
reading, explain the portion read, to all with love and
devotion. I am sitting here ready to give you the whole
gold-embroidered Shella (valuable cloth), then why go to
others to steal rags, and why should you get into the
habit of stealing?"
Deo was
much pleased to hear the words of Baba, for He asked him
to start reading Pothi (Jnaneshwari). He thought that he
got what he wanted and that he could read the book with
ease thenceforth. He again prostrated himself before Baba
and said that he surrendered himself to Him and that he
should be treated as a child and be helped in his reading.
He realized then what Baba meant by 'stealing the rags'.
What he asked Balakram constituted the 'rags' and Baba did
not like his behaviour in this respect. As He was ready to
answer any question, He did not like him to ask others and
make unnecessary enquiries and therefore He harassed and
scolded him. Deo thought that He really did not 'harass
and scold' him but taught that He was ready to fulfill his
desires, and there was no use asking others in vain. Deo
took these scoldings as flowers and blessings and went
home satisfied and contented.
The
matter did not end here. Baba did not stop with only
issuing an order to read. Within a year He went to Deo and
enquired about his progress. On 2nd April 1914, on
Thursday morn, Baba gave him a dream-vision. He sat on the
upper floor and asked him whether he understood the Pothi.
"No" answered Deo. Baba - "Then when are
you going to understand?" Deo burst into tears and
said, "Unless You shower Your grace, the reading is
mere worry and the understanding is still more difficult.
I say this definitely." Baba - "While reading
you make haste, read it before Me, in My presence."
Deo - "What shall I read?" Baba - "Read
Adhyatma (spiritualism)." Deo went to bring the book
when he opened his eyes and was awakened. We leave the
readers to imagine what ineffable joy and bliss Deo felt
after this vision.
Bow
to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
|
