ACCEPTING GIFT LEADS TO DESTRUCTION OF MERITS
Mahlsapathy's contact with Baba was on close terms. By reason of the death of his only son (in the 1880's perhaps) and his having only three daughters, he was disgusted with life. His land yielded nothing, and the goldsmith's profession yielded also practically nothing. So, he was ready for the orders of his own Ishta Devata, Khandoba. Khandoba came upon him, that is, possessed his body, and gave him Drishtanta, that is, visions. In the first vision, he was told that he was to take Khandoba (i.e., movable images) from Khandoba temple to his own house, and worship him there with concentration. In another vision, Khandoba appeared as an old Brahmin and said to him, "What? Can you not get your bread ithout your profession of goldsmith?" Then Mahlsapathy answered the vision, "Yes, I shall give up" Then the vision said, "Touch my feet, and hold my feet." This meant evidently, "Hereafter, regard your subsistence as being dependent purely upon your holding to my feet and not upon your doing goldsmith's work". From that time forwards, he gave up goldsmith's work in perfect trust (Nishta and Sraddha) and lived by begging, that is, he became really a sanyasi "Monk" or Bhikshaikari, through living with a family of a wife and three daughters. Being disgusted with life, he did not care to sleep at home for that would develop his family cares and burdens, i.e., Samsara, still further.
He enjoyed Baba'' Company day and night and was greatly benefited thereby. At the Mosque and at the chavadi, Baba slept on alternate nights and to both places Mahlsapathy went and had his bed along withBaba". Mahlsapathy's main work was to be with Baba and he never failed to be with and sleep with Baba. But on one occasion, early in life, about 1896, Baba himself said, "Arre Bhagat, listen to my fakiri words, which are always true. You are coming and sleeping here and not with your wife. But you have got only daughters (the only son he had must have died before 1896). Daughters are like tamarind fruit but a son is like a mango fruit. You go and take bed in your house, and you will then get a son." In spite of Baba's pressure, he declined to go home as he did not want his family (samsara) to increase. But his friend Kasiram Simpi compelled him and took him home and left him there. Thereafter he took his bed in his house. He started it on the Janmashtami of 1896, and on the next Janmashtami (1897) a son was born to him. Baba's words are ever true and never false. But, having got a son, he resumed his old vow of notdeveloping samsara and ever afterwards slept only with Baba, in the Mosque, and at his chavadi. Mahlsapathy would spread his own cloth and on that Baba (when not lying on the plank) would lie on one half, and he would lie on the other.
Baba also gave him very hard duties which others could not possibly undertake. Baba would tell Mahlsapathy, "You had better sit up. Do not go to sleep. Place your hand on my heart. I will be going on with remembrance of Allah, Nama Samran, that is, a half conscious trance, and during that Nama smaran, the heart beat would clearly show you that I am still having Nama Smaran. If that suddenly goes away and natural sleep supervenes, wake me up." The heart beat during natural sleep would be evidently different from the heart beat of the contemplative trance. Thus neither Baba nor Mahlsapathy would sleepat night. Both would keep awake. Baba for directly communing with God, and by that means doing service to numerous devotees in various places, and Mahlsapathy for sharing the merit (punya) by keeping the vigil with Baba and benefiting himself morally and spiritually by his pious service. His tapas was the same practically as the tapas of Baba, that is, vigil for holy purposes. He also had great controlover all his senses (Indriyas), not merely over the sex urge but also over hunger and other urges and cravings, though he was not able to overcome sleep always.
At times for a fortnight he would go without food, purely by the power of his will, and sometimes his family also would suffer as shortage of food was the consequences of Mahlsapathy's having no profession and no earning and his rejection of offers of money and goods. This is a very important point to note about Mahlsapathy. His attitude towards acceptance of alms is one which very orthodox Hindus would understand. He regarded all acceptances of alms from others as direct interference with his own perfection of power. Pratigraham manyamanah Tapas tejo Yesconudam i.e., accepting gifts as destructive of austerities, power and fame". His `Apoorva' i.e., stored up merit was heightened by fasting, vigils and other "punya karma", such as reading of sacred literature, etc., and if he accepted gifts (dana)from others, he believed (as many other orthodox Hindus believe) that his merit or Apoorva would be lost, diminished, or transferred at least to some extent to the donor whose gift he accepted. Therefore he was strongly opposed to accepting any gifts (except Biksha food) even though he and his family might be starving. His family also completely accepted that axiom and they also would generally reject offers of help in money, materials, etc., Baba himself several times tried to press him to accept money. When Baba was getting large income, (1880-1918) he was daily showering Rs. 30 on one, Rs. 15 on another, Rs. 10 on a third, and so on. Baba told Mahlsapathy several times: "Take this Rs. 3. Go on taking it". Mahlsapathy invariably refused. Baba even added, "Go on receiving Rs. 3. I will make you well-to-do, and other people will come to you and depend on you and look to your favour; make your life comfortable." Mahlsapathy invariably replied "I do not want all that. I want to worship your feet." He counted his avoidance of gifts and contentment with his lot as far above his attaining or retaining material wealth. Mahlsapathy would not sleep on cots. He would not care to have comforts of any sort, even though these were available or offered to him.
Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji
Mahlsapathy's contact with Baba was on close terms. By reason of the death of his only son (in the 1880's perhaps) and his having only three daughters, he was disgusted with life. His land yielded nothing, and the goldsmith's profession yielded also practically nothing. So, he was ready for the orders of his own Ishta Devata, Khandoba. Khandoba came upon him, that is, possessed his body, and gave him Drishtanta, that is, visions. In the first vision, he was told that he was to take Khandoba (i.e., movable images) from Khandoba temple to his own house, and worship him there with concentration. In another vision, Khandoba appeared as an old Brahmin and said to him, "What? Can you not get your bread ithout your profession of goldsmith?" Then Mahlsapathy answered the vision, "Yes, I shall give up" Then the vision said, "Touch my feet, and hold my feet." This meant evidently, "Hereafter, regard your subsistence as being dependent purely upon your holding to my feet and not upon your doing goldsmith's work". From that time forwards, he gave up goldsmith's work in perfect trust (Nishta and Sraddha) and lived by begging, that is, he became really a sanyasi "Monk" or Bhikshaikari, through living with a family of a wife and three daughters. Being disgusted with life, he did not care to sleep at home for that would develop his family cares and burdens, i.e., Samsara, still further.
He enjoyed Baba'' Company day and night and was greatly benefited thereby. At the Mosque and at the chavadi, Baba slept on alternate nights and to both places Mahlsapathy went and had his bed along withBaba". Mahlsapathy's main work was to be with Baba and he never failed to be with and sleep with Baba. But on one occasion, early in life, about 1896, Baba himself said, "Arre Bhagat, listen to my fakiri words, which are always true. You are coming and sleeping here and not with your wife. But you have got only daughters (the only son he had must have died before 1896). Daughters are like tamarind fruit but a son is like a mango fruit. You go and take bed in your house, and you will then get a son." In spite of Baba's pressure, he declined to go home as he did not want his family (samsara) to increase. But his friend Kasiram Simpi compelled him and took him home and left him there. Thereafter he took his bed in his house. He started it on the Janmashtami of 1896, and on the next Janmashtami (1897) a son was born to him. Baba's words are ever true and never false. But, having got a son, he resumed his old vow of notdeveloping samsara and ever afterwards slept only with Baba, in the Mosque, and at his chavadi. Mahlsapathy would spread his own cloth and on that Baba (when not lying on the plank) would lie on one half, and he would lie on the other.
Baba also gave him very hard duties which others could not possibly undertake. Baba would tell Mahlsapathy, "You had better sit up. Do not go to sleep. Place your hand on my heart. I will be going on with remembrance of Allah, Nama Samran, that is, a half conscious trance, and during that Nama smaran, the heart beat would clearly show you that I am still having Nama Smaran. If that suddenly goes away and natural sleep supervenes, wake me up." The heart beat during natural sleep would be evidently different from the heart beat of the contemplative trance. Thus neither Baba nor Mahlsapathy would sleepat night. Both would keep awake. Baba for directly communing with God, and by that means doing service to numerous devotees in various places, and Mahlsapathy for sharing the merit (punya) by keeping the vigil with Baba and benefiting himself morally and spiritually by his pious service. His tapas was the same practically as the tapas of Baba, that is, vigil for holy purposes. He also had great controlover all his senses (Indriyas), not merely over the sex urge but also over hunger and other urges and cravings, though he was not able to overcome sleep always.
At times for a fortnight he would go without food, purely by the power of his will, and sometimes his family also would suffer as shortage of food was the consequences of Mahlsapathy's having no profession and no earning and his rejection of offers of money and goods. This is a very important point to note about Mahlsapathy. His attitude towards acceptance of alms is one which very orthodox Hindus would understand. He regarded all acceptances of alms from others as direct interference with his own perfection of power. Pratigraham manyamanah Tapas tejo Yesconudam i.e., accepting gifts as destructive of austerities, power and fame". His `Apoorva' i.e., stored up merit was heightened by fasting, vigils and other "punya karma", such as reading of sacred literature, etc., and if he accepted gifts (dana)from others, he believed (as many other orthodox Hindus believe) that his merit or Apoorva would be lost, diminished, or transferred at least to some extent to the donor whose gift he accepted. Therefore he was strongly opposed to accepting any gifts (except Biksha food) even though he and his family might be starving. His family also completely accepted that axiom and they also would generally reject offers of help in money, materials, etc., Baba himself several times tried to press him to accept money. When Baba was getting large income, (1880-1918) he was daily showering Rs. 30 on one, Rs. 15 on another, Rs. 10 on a third, and so on. Baba told Mahlsapathy several times: "Take this Rs. 3. Go on taking it". Mahlsapathy invariably refused. Baba even added, "Go on receiving Rs. 3. I will make you well-to-do, and other people will come to you and depend on you and look to your favour; make your life comfortable." Mahlsapathy invariably replied "I do not want all that. I want to worship your feet." He counted his avoidance of gifts and contentment with his lot as far above his attaining or retaining material wealth. Mahlsapathy would not sleep on cots. He would not care to have comforts of any sort, even though these were available or offered to him.
Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji
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