Sri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 35

Chapter – 35

Tested and Found Not Wanting - Kaka Mahajani’s Friend and Master - Bandra Insomnia Case - Bala Patil Newaskar

This chapter continues to describe the importance of udi. It also gives two cases in which Baba was tested and found not wanting. These cases will be taken up first.

Preliminary

In spiritual matters or endeavors, sectarianism is the greatest bar to our progress. Those who believe that God is without form are heard saying that to believe God is with form is an illusion. They believe that saints are only human beings and question why they should bow before them or offer them dakshina. People belonging to other sects also raise objections, questioning why they should bow and offer allegiance to saints other than their own satgurus. Objections regarding Sai Baba were made. Some people complained that when they went to Shirdi, Sai Baba asked dakshina of them. They questioned whether saints should collect money in this fashion, reasoning that if they did so, where was their sainthood? There are, however, 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 worshiped God without form and was averse to idolatry. Out of curiosity, he agreed to go to Shirdi with Kaka Mahajani on two conditions: that he would neither bow to Baba nor pay Him dakshina. Kaka agreed to these conditions and they both left Bombay on a Saturday night, reaching Shirdi the next morning.

As soon as they put their feet on the steps of the masjid, Baba, looking at the friend from a small 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 generated 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 immediately went up to Baba, forgetting his resolution, and placed his head upon His feet.

Sai Baba asked for dakshina twice, once in the morning and again at noon at the time of their taking leave, but He asked it only from Kaka, and not from his friend. The friend whispered to Kaka, “Baba asked for dakshina from you twice. I am with you, why does He omit me?” “You can ask Baba Himself,” Kaka replied. Then, just as Baba asked Kaka what his friend was whispering, the friend asked Baba Himself whether he should pay any dakshina. Baba replied, “You had no intention to pay, so you were not asked, but if you want to pay now, you may.” The friend then paid Rs.17/ as dakshina, the same amount that Kaka paid, and Baba addressed him with a few words of advice, “You should destroy the Teli’s wall (sense of difference) between us so that we can see and meet each other face to face.” Baba then allowed them to depart. Though the weather was cloudy and threatening, Baba assured them a safe journey and they reached Bombay safely according to Baba’s grace.

Kaka Mahajani’s Master

Kaka was the manager in the firm of Thakkar Dharamsey Jethabhai, a solicitor of Bombay. Both Kaka and his employer were on close terms. Mr. Thakkar knew that Kaka often went to Shirdi, stayed there for several days, and then returned after receiving Baba’s permission. Out of curiosity, and just to test Baba, Mr. Thakkar decided to go to Shirdi with Kaka during the Shimga holidays. As Kaka’s return was uncertain, Mr. Thakkar also took another man with him as an associate. The three started out together and Kaka bought two seers of raisins (dried grapes with seeds) on the way for presentation to Baba. They reached Shirdi in due time and went to the masjid for darshan.

Babasaheb Tarkhad was at the masjid and Mr. Thakkar asked him why he came to see Baba. “For darshan,” Tarkhad replied. Mr. Thakkar then asked if miracles took place there. Tarkhad replied it was not his attitude to see miracles, but the earnest intentions of the bhaktas were satisfied by Baba. Kaka then prostrated before Sai Baba and gave Him the raisins. Baba ordered them to be distributed. Mr.Thakkar received a few of them. He did not like raisins and was advised by his doctor not to eat them without washing and cleaning them, so he was in a bind. He did not want to eat them, nor could he reject them.

To keep up formalities, he put them in his mouth, but did not know what to do with the seeds. He could not spit them out on the floor of the masjid, so he pocketed them and thought if Baba was really a saint, how could He be ignorant of his dislike of the raisins and why would He force them on him? Just as this thought arose in his mind, Baba gave him some more raisins, but Mr. Thakkar did not eat them and just held them in his hand. Baba then told him directly to eat the raisins. He obeyed, and found to his surprise, they were all seedless. Mr. Thakkar had wanted to see a miracle, and here was one! He knew Baba read his thoughts and, as per his wish, had converted the raisins (with seeds) into seedless raisins. What a wonderful power, but Mr. Thakkar decided to test Baba further and asked Tarkhad, who was sitting near him and who also received some raisins, what kind of raisins he received. Mr. Tarkhad replied, “The variety with seeds.” Mr. Thakkar was still more surprised to hear this. Then, to confirm his growing faith, Mr. Thakkar thought that if Baba was a real saint, the raisins should now be given to Kaka Mahajani first. Reading this thought as well, Sai Baba ordered that distribution should be commenced with Kaka.

These two actions were sufficient proof for Mr. Thakkar and satisfied his doubts. Shama (Madhavarao Deshpande) then introduced Mr. Thakkar as Kaka’s master. Baba said, “How could he be his master? He has a different master altogether.” Kaka appreciated this reply. Then, forgetting his resolve, Mr. Thakkar saluted Baba and returned to the wada. After the noon arati was over, they all went to the masjid to receive permission from Baba to take their leave for their departure. Shama spoke for all of them and then Baba said: “There was a fickle minded gentleman. He had health and wealth and was free from both physical and mental afflictions, but he took on needless anxieties and burdens and wandered here and there with no peace of mind. Sometimes he dropped these burdens and at other times carried them about with him. His mind knew no steadiness.

Seeing his state, I took pity on him and said, “Now please keep your faith on any one place (point) you like. Why roam about like this? Stay quietly in one place.” Mr. Thakkar realized at once the description was exactly that of him. Thakkar also wished that Kaka would be allowed to return with him, although it was not expected that Kaka would be permitted to leave Shirdi so soon. Baba read this thought and permitted Kaka to return with his master, giving Mr. Thakkar still another example as proof of Baba’s capacity to read another’s mind.

Baba then asked Kaka for Rs. 15/ as dakshina and received it. To Kaka, He said, “If I take one rupee as dakshina from anyone, I have to return it tenfold to him. I never take anything gratis. I never ask anyone indiscriminately. I only ask and take from him whom the Fakir (my guru) points out. If anyone is still indebted to the Fakir from the past, money is received from him. The donor gives, i.e. sows his seeds, only to reap a rich harvest in the future. Wealth should be the means to work out dharma. If it is used for personal enjoyment, it is wasted. Unless you have given it before, you do not get it now, so the best way to receive, is to give. The giving of dakshina advances vairagya (non-attachment) and thereby bhakti and jnana. Give one and receive tenfold.”

Hearing these words, Mr. Thakkar put Rs. 15/ into Baba’s hand, forgetting his resolve not to do so. He thought he did well in coming to Shirdi, as all his doubts were dissolved and he learned so much.

Baba’s skill in handling such cases was unique. Although he caused these miracles to happen, He was totally nonattached to them. Whether or not anyone greeted Him and whether or not anyone gave Him dakshina, was all the same to Him. He disrespected none. He felt no pleasure because He was worshiped, and no pain because He was disregarded. He transcended the pairs of opposites, viz. pleasure and pain, etc.

Insomnia Case

A Kayastha Prabhu gentleman of Bandra suffered from insomnia for a long time. As soon as he laid himself down for sleep, his departed father appeared to him in his dream, and abused and scolded him severely. This disturbed his sleep and made him restless throughout the night. This went on every night and the man did not know what to do. One day, he consulted a devotee of Baba who recommended udi as the only infallible remedy he knew. The devotee gave the man some udi and asked him to apply a little of it to his forehead before going to bed and to keep the udi packet under his pillow. The gentleman tried the remedy and found, to his great surprise and joy, that he got sound sleep with no disturbance of any kind. He continued using the remedy and always remembered Sai. He then got a picture of Sai Baba which he hung on the wall near his pillow. He started worshiping it every day, and on Thursdays, he would offer a garland and naivedya. The gentleman did well and completely forgot his former trouble.

Balaji Patil Newaskar

This man was a great devotee of Baba. He rendered most excellent and detached service. Every day he swept and kept clean all the passages and streets in Shirdi through which Baba passed during his daily routine. (After Balaji Newaskar, this work was done equally well by a female devotee named Radha Krishna Mai, and after her, by Abdula.) When Balaji reaped his corn every year, he brought the whole quantity to Shirdi and presented it to Baba. He returned home with whatever corn Baba gave back to him and maintained himself and his family with it. Balaji followed this practice for many years, and his son continued after him.

Balaji had two wives and some children. Sometimes they all went to Shirdi from Newase to receive Baba’s darshan. Baba not only bestowed His grace on them, He bought saris and other clothes which He gave them with His blessings.

Power and Efficacy of Udi

Once, it so happened that on the day of Balaji’s anniversary, a certain number of guests were invited for dinner. When dinner time arrived, it was discovered that three times the number of people invited showed up. Mrs. Newaskar was in a bind. She thought the food that had been prepared would not suffice for the people assembled, and that if it fell short, the honor of the family would be at stake. Her mother-in-law comforted her by saying, “Don’t be afraid. It is not ours, but Sai’s food. Put udi into each dish of food, then cover every vessel with cloth and serve the dishes without taking the lids away. Sai will save us from ignominy.” She did as she was advised and it was found to their surprise and joy that not only did the food suffice for all, but plenty of it remained after serving. “As one feels intently, so he realizes accordingly was proved in this case.                           

Sai Appearing as Serpent

Raghu Patil of Shirdi went to visit Balaji Patil at Newase. That evening, he saw a serpent that had entered the cowshed hissing. The cattle were all afraid and had begun to move about. Everyone in the house was frightened except Balaji, who thought it was Sai Baba appearing in the form of a serpent. Without being in the least afraid, he brought a cup of milk and placed it before the serpent saying, “Baba, why do You hiss and make such noise? Do you want to frighten us? Take this cup of milk and drink it with a calm mind.” So saying, he sat close by unperturbed. The other people present were frightened and did not know what to do. In a short time, the serpent disappeared. No one knew where it went. It was not found even though a thorough search was made in the cowshed.

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all