BABA AND HUMOUR (5)
Another case of practical joke is this. This carried with it a moral lesson also showing us the combination of the human and divine elements in Baba. M.B. Rege was a devotee greatly attached to Baba. Once when he sat by Baba's side, somebody brought a bunch of red plantains to be offered to Baba. Young Rege was very fond of these fruits. He thought that Baba would, of course, distribute these plantains among them all, and he would have an opportunity of having his share of fine red plantains to eat. Baba read his mind at once, Baba then took up the plantains, and after distributing the fruits to all, and omitting Rege, he pulled off one fruit, and, having given the pulp to somebody else, threw the red skin alone Rege saying, `Khav, Khav' eat, eat. It was the red exterior that had attracted young Rege, and the kind but jovial Baba was showing him what the red exterior was. It was no doubt unpalatable, but still Rege'' bhaktirose equal to the occasion and he swallowed the skin as though he was a bull. Baba took up to a second fruit and a third and went on throwing them to Rege being in a mood for jokes. but at last, he turned to Rege and said, `Ha! have I given you no fruit?' Then, as he really loved Rege, and returning Rege's powerful love, he peeled of another fruit and asked Rege to bite it off, and then he himself bit off another portion and thus between them they finished the plantain. This enjoying one plantain together was a sign of great love, and the joke also had the effect of impressing on the young devotee the important lesson that externals which attracted were not worth having, as the attractive redness of the skin of the red plantain would not give him joy when eaten by itself. Instances of Baba's humour and practical jokes are many.
Another instance of humour is as followed. there was a Ramadasi, who was waiting upon Baba and reading his Vishnu Sahasranama and other holy books at the Mosque. he had the whole thing by heart and he kept up the parayanam of Vishnu Sahasranama at the Mosque. one day Baba wished to have some fun and teach him a lesson. Baba said he had some stomach trouble, and told the Ramadasi left the premises, Baba pulled out his Vishnu Sahasranama and gave to Shama telling him to keep it and read it. Shama protested that the man would get angry. Baba said, `Never mind. Keep it'. But soon the Ramadasi returned. Then Anna Chinchinikar, wanting to play the role of Narada, told the Ramadasi that his Vishnu Sahasranama had been taken by Baba and given to Shama. Then the Ramadasi got fiery, flared up, and vituperated against Shama for having used Baba to rob him of his sacred book. Baba then said to the Ramadasi, `Shama is only our child. There is no reason to get angry with him'. Baba said that as far as the Ramadasi was concerned, no book was necessary, because he had the whole by heart, and if he was going to get angry for the loss of a book, he was not a Ramadasi but a Kamadasi. He was a slave to the sense of property, attachment to earthly goods which servants of Rama ought to avoid. So, Baba gave some very sound moral lessons to the Ramadasi. Then Shama too mollified the Ramadasi saying that he would get fresh book, new books – and give them to the Ramadasi. The man was partlymollified. But Baba's practical jokes and pun were impressed on the memory of everyone present showing how even for the possession of a sacred book one should not lose one's temper. One should retain equanimity under all circumstances, especially a Ramadasi, that is, a follower of God. this is a spiritual instruction of great value not merely to the Ramadasi but to all. Baba gave that instructionaccompanied with this practical joke so as to impress it on the mind of every one present and every one that reads it.
Another case of practical joke is this. This carried with it a moral lesson also showing us the combination of the human and divine elements in Baba. M.B. Rege was a devotee greatly attached to Baba. Once when he sat by Baba's side, somebody brought a bunch of red plantains to be offered to Baba. Young Rege was very fond of these fruits. He thought that Baba would, of course, distribute these plantains among them all, and he would have an opportunity of having his share of fine red plantains to eat. Baba read his mind at once, Baba then took up the plantains, and after distributing the fruits to all, and omitting Rege, he pulled off one fruit, and, having given the pulp to somebody else, threw the red skin alone Rege saying, `Khav, Khav' eat, eat. It was the red exterior that had attracted young Rege, and the kind but jovial Baba was showing him what the red exterior was. It was no doubt unpalatable, but still Rege'' bhaktirose equal to the occasion and he swallowed the skin as though he was a bull. Baba took up to a second fruit and a third and went on throwing them to Rege being in a mood for jokes. but at last, he turned to Rege and said, `Ha! have I given you no fruit?' Then, as he really loved Rege, and returning Rege's powerful love, he peeled of another fruit and asked Rege to bite it off, and then he himself bit off another portion and thus between them they finished the plantain. This enjoying one plantain together was a sign of great love, and the joke also had the effect of impressing on the young devotee the important lesson that externals which attracted were not worth having, as the attractive redness of the skin of the red plantain would not give him joy when eaten by itself. Instances of Baba's humour and practical jokes are many.
Another instance of humour is as followed. there was a Ramadasi, who was waiting upon Baba and reading his Vishnu Sahasranama and other holy books at the Mosque. he had the whole thing by heart and he kept up the parayanam of Vishnu Sahasranama at the Mosque. one day Baba wished to have some fun and teach him a lesson. Baba said he had some stomach trouble, and told the Ramadasi left the premises, Baba pulled out his Vishnu Sahasranama and gave to Shama telling him to keep it and read it. Shama protested that the man would get angry. Baba said, `Never mind. Keep it'. But soon the Ramadasi returned. Then Anna Chinchinikar, wanting to play the role of Narada, told the Ramadasi that his Vishnu Sahasranama had been taken by Baba and given to Shama. Then the Ramadasi got fiery, flared up, and vituperated against Shama for having used Baba to rob him of his sacred book. Baba then said to the Ramadasi, `Shama is only our child. There is no reason to get angry with him'. Baba said that as far as the Ramadasi was concerned, no book was necessary, because he had the whole by heart, and if he was going to get angry for the loss of a book, he was not a Ramadasi but a Kamadasi. He was a slave to the sense of property, attachment to earthly goods which servants of Rama ought to avoid. So, Baba gave some very sound moral lessons to the Ramadasi. Then Shama too mollified the Ramadasi saying that he would get fresh book, new books – and give them to the Ramadasi. The man was partlymollified. But Baba's practical jokes and pun were impressed on the memory of everyone present showing how even for the possession of a sacred book one should not lose one's temper. One should retain equanimity under all circumstances, especially a Ramadasi, that is, a follower of God. this is a spiritual instruction of great value not merely to the Ramadasi but to all. Baba gave that instructionaccompanied with this practical joke so as to impress it on the mind of every one present and every one that reads it.
(Courtesy: H H Pujyasri B V Narasimha Swamiji)
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment