Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 21

Chapter – 21

Stories of (1) V.H. Thakur (2) Anantrao Patankar and (3) Pandharpur Pleader

In this chapter, Hemadpant relates the stories of Vinayak Harishchandra Thakur, B.A., Anantrao Patankar of Poona and a pleader from Pandharpur. All these stories are very interesting, which, when carefully read and understood, will lead the readers on to the spiritual path.

Preliminary

As a general rule, our good karma in the form of accumulated merits from past births enables us to seek the company of saints and profit thereby. To illustrate this, Hemadpant gives an example from his own experience. He was a resident magistrate of Bandra, a suburb of Bombay, for many years. A famous Mohammedan saint named Pir Moulana was living there and many Hindus, Parsis and other religionists used to go to him for darshan. Inus, Hemadpant’s mujavar (priest), urged him many times to go visit Pir Moulana, but for various reasons he was unable to go. After many years, Hemadpant’s turn came, and he was called to Shirdi where he was permanently enlisted in Sai Baba’s darbar. Only fortunate fellows get this contact with the saints.

Institution of Saints

There have been institutions of saints in this world from time immemorial. Saints appear (incarnate) in various places to carry out the missions allotted to them, but though they work in different places, they are, as it were, one. They work in unison under the common authority of the Almighty Lord and are fully aware of the work each is doing, adding assistance where necessary. An example illustrating this is given below.

Mr. Thakur

Mr. V.H.Thakur, B.A., was a clerk in the Revenue Department who once came with a survey party to a town named Vadgaum near Belgaum (S.M.Country). There, he saw a Kanarese saint (Appa) and bowed before him. The saint was explaining a portion of the book Vichar Sagar of Nichaldas (a standard work on Vedanta) to the audience. When Thakur was taking his leave to go, the saint said to him, “You should study this book, and if you do so, your desires will be fulfilled, and when, in the future, you go to the north in the discharge of your duties, by your good fortune, you will come across a great saint who will show you the future path, give you peace of mind and make you happy.”

Then, He was then transferred to Junnar where he had to cross Nhane Ghat. This ghat was very steep and impassable and no conveyance other than a buffalo was of use in crossing it, so he had to take a buffalo ride through the ghat, which inconvenienced and pained him very much. Thereafter, he was transferred to Kalyan for a higher post, where he became acquainted with Nanasaheb Chandorkar. Thakur heard much about Sai Baba from Nanasaheb Chandorkar and wanted to go see Him. The next day, Nanasaheb had to go to Shirdi and asked Thakur to accompany him. Thakur could not do so, as he had to attend the Thana Civil Court for a civil case, so Nanasaheb went alone. Thakur went to Thana, but the case was postponed. He then repented for not accompanying Nanasaheb and decided to go directly to Shirdi. When Thakur arrived, he found that Nanasaheb had left the previous day, but some of his friends, whom he met there, took him to Baba. Thakur saw Baba, fell at His feet, and was overjoyed. His eyes were full of tears of joy and his hair stood on end. Then, after a while, the omniscient Baba said to him, “The path of this place is not as easy as the teachings of the Kanarese Saint Appa or even as the buffalo ride in the Nhane Ghat. In this spiritual path, you have to put in your best exertion, as it is very difficult.” When Thakur heard these significant signs and words, the meaning of which no one else knew, he was overwhelmed with joy. Thus, he came to know that the words of the Kanarese saint turned out to be true. Then, joining both hands and placing his head on Baba’s feet, he prayed that he should be accepted and blessed. Baba then said, “Everything Appa told you were right, but these things have to be practiced and lived. Mere reading won’t do. You have to think and carry out what you read, otherwise it is of no use. Mere book learning, without the grace of the guru and Self-realization, is of no avail.” (Thakur had been reading and studying the theoretical portion of the work Vichar Sagar, but the practical way was shown to him at Shirdi.) The next story will bring out this truth more forcibly.

Anantrao Patankar

Anantrao Patankar, a gentleman from Poona, wished to see Baba. He came to Shirdi and took Baba’s darshan. His eyes were appeased and he was very much pleased. He fell at Baba’s feet and, after performing proper worship, said to Baba, “I have read a lot, studied Vedas, Vedantas and Upanishads and heard all the Puranas, but I still do not have peace of mind, so I think all my reading was useless. Simple, ignorant, devout people are better than me. UNLESS THE MIND BECOMES CALM, ALL BOOK LEARNING IS OF NO AVAIL. I have heard from many people that You give peace of mind to so many people by Your mere glance and wonderful words, so I have come here. Please take pity on me and bless me.” Then Baba told him a parable which was as follows:

Parable of Nine Balls of Stool (Nava-vidha Bhakti)

“Once a soudagar (merchant) came here. A mare passed nine balls of stool in front of him.

The merchant, intent on his quest, spread the end of his dhotar and gathered all nine balls in it and thus, he attained concentration (peace) of mind.”

Mr. Patankar could not understand the meaning of this story, so he asked Ganesh Damodar, alias Dada Kelkar, “What does Baba mean by this?” Kelkar replied “I, too, do not understand all Baba says and means, but at His inspiration, will say what I have come to know. The mare is God’s grace and the nine balls excreted are the nine forms or types of bhakti, viz. (1) shravana (hearing) (2) kirtana (praying) (3) smarana (remembering) (4) padasevana (resorting to the feet) (5) archana (worship) (6) namaskara (bowing) (7) dasya (service) (8) sakhyatva (friendship) (9) atmanivedana (surrender of the self). These are the nine types of bhakti. If any of these are faithfully followed, Lord Hari will be pleased and will manifest Himself in the home of the devotee. All the sadhanas, viz. japa (vocal worship), tapa (penance), yoga practice, and studying and expounding the scriptures are quite useless unless they are accompanied by bhakti, i.e. devotion. Knowledge of the Vedas, or fame as a great jnani, or mere formal bhajan (worship) without bhakti are of no avail. What is wanted is LOVING DEVOTION. Consider yourself as the seeker after the truth in the parable and be anxious and eager like him to collect or cultivate the nine types of devotion. Then you will attain stability and peace of mind.”

Next day when Patankar went to Baba for salutation, he was asked whether he collected the ‘nine balls of stool’. Patankar responded that being a poor fellow, he should first be graced by Baba and then they would be easily collected. Baba then blessed and comforted him, saying he would attain peace and welfare. Hearing this, Patankar became overjoyed and happy.

Pandharpur Pleader

We shall close this chapter with a short story showing Baba’s omniscience and how it was used to correct people and set them on the right path. Once a pleader from Pandharpur came to Shirdi, went to the masjid, saw Sai Baba, and fell at His feet and, without being asked, offered some dakshina, then sat in a corner eager to hear the talk that was going on. Baba turned His face towards him and said, “How cunning people are! They fall at the feet, offer dakshina, but inwardly give abuses behind the back. Isn’t this wonderful?” This cap (remark) fit the pleader and he wore it. None understood the remark. The pleader grasped it’s meaning, but kept silent. When they returned to the wada, the pleader said to Kakasaheb Dixit, “What Baba remarked was perfectly right. The dart (remark) was aimed at me. It was a hint to me that I should not indulge in reviling or scandalizing others. When the sub-judge or munsiff of Pandharpur (Mr. Noolkar) came and stayed here for the improvement of his health, a discussion about this matter was going on in the bar room at Pandharpur (as it happens in many a bar room). It was said or discussed there whether the ailments from which the sub-judge suffered were ever likely to be cured without medicine by merely going to Sai Baba and whether it was proper for an educated man like the sub-judge to have recourse to such methods. The sub-judge was taken to task, i.e. was criticized, as was Sai Baba. I took some part in this affair as well, and now Sai Baba has shown me the impropriety of my conduct. This was not to rebuke me, but was a favor, as advice, that I should not indulge in any scandal or slander of others and not interfere unnecessarily in other’s affairs.”

Shirdi is about a 100 koss (koss = 3 miles) distance from Pandharpur, still, Baba by His omniscience, knew what transpired in the bar room. The intervening places - rivers, jungles, and mountains - were not an obstruction to His all perceiving sight, as He could see or read the hearts of all. Nothing was secret or veiled from Him. Everything everywhere was known to Him. Let a man be far or near, he cannot avoid the all pervading gaze of Sai Baba. From this incident, the pleader learned the lesson never to speak ill of others, nor unnecessarily criticize them. Thus, his evil tendency ended and he was set on the right path.

Though the story refers to a pleader, still, it is applicable to all. Everyone should, therefore, take this lesson to heart and profit thereby.

Sai Baba’s greatness is unfathomable and so are His wonderful leelas. His life is also such, for He is Para Brahma (Lord God) incarnate.

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all