ALL MULTIPLICITY WHEN IT REACHED TO BABA - BECOMES ONE

ALL MULTIPLICITY WHEN IT REACHED TO BABA - BECOMES ONE

 

Baba occasionally gave B. V. Dev hints for his spiritual progress. But it was not always that Dev could understand them correctly. Baba asked Dev once, "Bhav, give me dakshina" B.V. Dev gave one guinea.

 

Baba: Give more.

 

Baba, after getting four guinea said, "Though four were given by you, Baba has got only one."

 

Dev: "Baba I have given four."

 

Baba: "Yes, but I have only one. You will know."

 

The obvious interpretation is, though the devotee surrenders his fourfold Antahkarana Manas, Buddhi, ahamkara and Chitta, Baba receives only the Jiva and all multiplicity when it reached God – Baba, becomes one. So, the mind must surrender multiplicity unto the Guru God to attain unity.

 

Baba helped B.V. Dev to surrender himself more and more and derive Baba's help at every stage and hence, B.V. Dev in his turn becomes a means of spreading Baba's glory. Though not quite on the large scale in which Chandorkar did work for Baba. Dev also absorbed Baba's magnetism through Chandorkar and also directly, and communicated Baba's magnetism to others. But it is not always easy to make people derive full faith in Baba. A karnam under B.V. Dev, having learnt about Dev's attachment to a great Satpurusha called Sai Baba, came to him to get Baba's help to decide an important question for himself and his family. That karnam had his own Guru who for his own purposes wished to get a new image to replace the karnam's former image and have a grand installation ceremony, hoping to derive consider pecuniary profits from the proposed ceremony. So, while the priest of the karnam insisted on it, the karnam himself had some doubts and came to Dev and through him consulted Baba as to whether the new image should be brought and installed. Baba was consulted, and gave his opinion that the new image should not be brought in. the consultation was through Shama. The karnam, being very anxious to get his priest's advice confirmed, wanted to ask Baba, "What would happen if the new image was brought?" Baba gave a story. He said he and a companion had gone together and he told his companion not to buy an animal. Inspite of his advice, that animal was bought and brought to the village, and at once an epidemic of plague broke out as the result of the animal coming in. Baba left it there. The karnam, not fully impressed by Baba's All-knowing character, tried to please his Guru and brought in the new image. At once an epidemic broke out and the karnam's own wife was attacked first. The karnam asked his Guru to help him, but that Guru wanted half the property of the karnam to be made over immediately to the priest, and was trying in various ways to deprive the karnam of his property. The karnam woke up. He went to Dev and mentioned how things had turned out. Then on Dev's advice he removed the new idol and reinstalled the old idol. By Baba's grace he was saved from further harm.

 

Dev's services for Baba were mainly through Sai Sansthan and through his researches into matters connected with Sai Baba and the Sansthan. These researches he made after great trouble. For instance, he made researches into the ancient history of Shirdi and into the meaning of certain words and phrases. These articles appeared in the Sai Lila Masik which was the organ of the Shirdi Sai Sansthan, of which he was a member, and signed them with the pseudonym, Babache bal that is, child of Baba. He had a very good command of Marathi and even in Sanskrit his proficiency enabled him to compose brilliant verses which have appeared from time to time in Sai Lila Masik. He took very active interest in promoting the welfare of the Sansthan, and spent a very large part of his time at Shirdi. He had a good physique and could endure thirst, hunger or troubles for long periods. He had assisted various enquiries into matters on Sai and enabled them to become staunch Sai bhaktas. In the statement he has given to the author, some hints may be found of the way in which he helped the Sai Sansthan. He worked to the last as a trustee of the Sansthan, and he passed away dying in harness so to speak. He has written a good deal in Marathi and these would be appreciated by those who know that language. The accuracy of some interpretations he has given to Baba's Sayings has appeared, however, to the author to be doubtful but one cannot be positive in these cases. Taking first the conclusion in Baba's Charters and Sayings in paragraph 245 mentioned earlier, the interpretation given to Baba's statement is the author's and not Mr. Dev's for Mr. Dev thought that he should keep Baba's teachings secret and did not reveal how he interpreted Baba's statement that he gave four. Baba received only one. Dev's services have now been continued by his son Sri. S.B. Dev, who is now also a trustee of the Sansthan, doing yeoman service for Baba.

 

Written by: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji