WHY FEAR I AM HERE

WHY FEAR I AM HERE

Purandhare found that his child’s health far from being ruined by the journey was set right completely at Shirdi. This in itself was sufficient to constitute one of those Aneka Ascruta Atarkysa Lila Vilasaih. Here is Baba’s superhuman power. Here is kindness towards those that flock to his feet.

If supreme power and kindness are combined, what more is wanted to give us the idea of God’s help? So, Purandhare was made firmer in his faith and deeper in his love of Sai Baba by this occurrence and this was the only one. At every step he had full faith in Baba’s omniscience and omnipotence and he found that his faith was fully justified by the subsequent events.

Baba knew exactly when Purandhare should start, when he should stay at a place like Nasik, a holy place of pilgrimage, which his mother wanted to visit, and how long he should stay there. When Purandhare acted upon Baba’s directions, it seemed to several that he was running foolish risks, but everything that Baba said occurred exactly as he said it would. He was told to stay one day at Nasik and to proceed on the next day. When he went there, he found that cholera was attacking some members of his family, such as his brother, and he was advised to get away. But he remembered that Baba had said that he must stay one day at Nasik. So he did stay. On the next day with ill-health in the family, he found that he was perfectly safe in the following Baba’s directions to the very letter. This confirms a man in the extent of reverence and faith that he has in Baba.

Reverence and faith combined with thankfulness for the resulting good, form an excellent basis for the development of love. in this way, his love for Baba got more and more deep-rooted and his faith, being justified, was the means for so many others catching on to that faith. Baba’s kindness towards him was remarkable even from the beginning. Why should Baba care so much for this petty clerk who went to Shirdi for the first time? That is the question, which any one would ask. And one would like to know the root of that love. The root of love is not always traceable, but in this particular case we have Baba’s own statement to help us.

When Purandhare’s mother told Baba to look after him, Baba’s reply was, "I have known him for generations. I have guarded him from his infancy in front and behind. I will not eat even a bit of food without him". That is, as much as to say that Baba remembered the love relations between Purandhare and himself in former lives.

Purvabhysena Tenaiva Hriyate hyavasopisab
Tatra tam buddhi samyogam Labhate Pourvadehikam

These two are extracts from the Bhagavat Gita constantly quoted to show that purva vasanas, that is, traits in the soul existing in previous births follow one in subsequent births also. In addition to the Bhagavat Gita chapter 16, Verse 10, Baba consciously expressed that love that existed between the two, but Purandhare felt the same love unconsciously and was being pulled to Baba. Baba added no doubt that he draws his devotee’s even from thousands of miles away and his drawing is like a boy drawing a bird to whose foot one end of a string is attached while the other is held by him. The bird cannot choose but go to the boy when the boy pulls it. Baba’s statement was that he similarly pulled persons who had former contact with him which is Rinanubhandha and Purandhare was expressly one of those greatly attached to him in a former life. That may explain how he run so many risks like taking a sick child to Shirdi from Bombay for the purpose of seeing Baba, with no ostensible gain to explain the risk taken.

Having hinted at the origin of the love link between Baba and Purandhare we may proceed to sketch out how this seed of love in the latest janma manifested itself. Purandhare was always giving vent to every emotional feeling strongly. If he felt angry, he would at once burst out in a fit of anger and quarrel. If he felt love, h would be equally ready to express it. Baba had to warn him against his quick temper and thus improve him in respect of this first concern. Baba used his emotional nature for developing love. Conferring of benefits is the surest means of the development of love. Baba conferred benefits in a very peculiar, and often in a very mysterious way. The manner of benefits being conferred as well as the nature of the benefit being conferred, tended to equally develop the mysterious elements of love.

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

WITH PATIENCE GAIN VICTORY OVER YOURSELF – Rig Veda

WITH PATIENCE GAIN VICTORY OVER YOURSELF – Rig Veda

Some devotees are generally short tempered, and to such devotees Baba gave the special advice that they should not yield to that weakness. R. B. Purandhare and Mrs. Pradhan were two such persons Baba said to Purandhare, ‘If anybody comes and abuses you or punishes you, do not quarrel with him. If you cannot endure it, speak a simple word or two or else leave the place. But do not battle with him and give tit for tat. I feel sick and disgusted when you quarrel with others.’

He told Mrs. Pradhan, ‘If anyone talks ten words at us, let us answer with one word, if we reply at all. Do not battle with any one.’ On another occasion, Baba said, ‘If any one is angry with another, he wounds me to the quick. If any one abuses another, I feel pain. if any one bravely endures the abuse, I feel highly pleased.’

Baba’s self control and carrying out this same advice has been noticed at times. A half-crazy sadhu called Nana Wali, on one occasion came to Baba and standing before him, said, ‘Baba, get up; I want to sit in your seat.’ Any other person would have kicked Nana Wali out, but Baba quietly vacated his seat and the impertinent Nana Wali occupied it. After sitting on it a few moments, the crazy man thought he had done too much. So, he got up, requested Baba to resume his seat, and fell at his feet, and Baba was calm throughout. This shows to what extend Baba could control his anger.


Baba said, ‘I get angry with none. Will a mother harm her little ones? I love devotion. I am the bondslave of my devotees’. He also told Nana on one occasion, ‘I am not angry with you’. Baba told Mrs. Pradhan, ‘You see I did not get angry with any one today.’

On one occasion, when he was uttering words in a towering rage, he uttered in the middle, ‘Let blessing be to all’.

"Sarve janah sukhino bhavantu"

This blessing cannot co-exist with anger. It is characteristic of a peaceful and loving frame of mind.

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

BABA SAVED DAS GANU'S LIFE

BABA SAVED DAS GANU'S LIFE

With Baba's Grace, Das Ganu not only escaped from punishment, but he thought he had a very good chance of rising in his profession. With that thought upper most in his mind, he was riding past Shirdi to go somewhere. Just as his horse came to Shirdi, and when he did not want to alight there but to pass on without seeing Baba, Baba was on the road and made him alight. Then Baba asked, "Arre, who is it that swore with a palmful of water in his hand, man?" Then Das Ganu'sunabashed reply was, "What of that? Baba, I am going to resign after all, after I get the Fouzdarship". Baba said that he would see to it that he resigned, and added `Until a peg is driven into you, (i.e., pressure becomes painful), you will not obey'.

Das Ganu thought there was no further pressure. But pressure came. He along with three other Constables was told off to the duty of capturing a notorious dacoit, who was a terror to the whole country side, and whose organisation was so vast and wonderful that even the Police Department was in his pay, that is, several of the Police Department were in his pay and he could checkmate their movements.

Das Ganu went off to Lonivarni, a place which that famous Khana Bhil by name, was visiting. But Khana Bhil was a man of extra-ordinary abilities. He had shot the other three persons nominated along with Ganpat Rao (Das Ganu) to catch him, and was determined to deal withGanpat Rao in the same way. Ganpat Rao disguising himself as a Ramdasi was making use of the village children, learnt from them details about the visits of these robbers, and communicated their movements to the police head quarters.

Suddenly one day Khana Bhil turned up, seized Ganpat Rao by his neck, and said, `You fellow, you are going to catch me! Do you know that it is Khana Bhil that has now caught you? Now I am going to shoot you, as I have already shot your three companions. Ganpat Rao was in terror. He was close to Sri Rama's image. He suddenly fell at its feet and thinking of Sai, and said, `Save me, save me. I will give up all my police efforts'. Khana Bhil was softened instead of shooting at both Ganpat Rao and the image, he said, `I let you off this time. But if you again interfere in my affairs, you are a dead man. Remember.'

But the ambition of Ganpat Rao was not to be quenched. Again he got information about Khana Bhil's movements and communicated it to the authorities, with the result that a police force armed with carbines, etc., was sent to surround the hillock on which Khana Bhil and his men had pitched their camp. A fierce battle was fought between the dacoit gang and the police, and Khana Bhil effected his escape. Ganpat Rao knew that his life was doomed. So he went to Nana Chandorkar and with his good offices secured a medical certificate and got relieved of his detective duties. Thus for a second time his prayer to Baba to save his life was effectual.

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

NOT TO GIVE WAY TO ANGER.

NOT TO GIVE WAY TO ANGER.

Krodha means anger. It would include hatred, disgust, and kindred feelings. In the usual sense, anger is that which tends to vent one's full force against the adverse creature or person. Therefore, it is extremely unusual. All the same it is a necessity. Creatures are together in this world, and there is the struggle for the survival of the fittest, and creatures have to obtain objects coveted for by more than one end, therefore, the obtaining of an object requires the venting of one's full force against adversaries or adverse forces. Hence, anger is sometimes treated as a virtue, and, in any case, a necessity of situation in the world as it goes (especially in war). Therefore, for a virtuous person like Rama, the epithet applied is `Jitakrodhah', Anger-controller; that is, not that he had no anger, but that he had conquered it.


For Shirdi Rama (that is Sri Sai Baba) also, we can use the same epithet, namely, `Jitakrodhah'. `When the anger was on, Rama is described by Valmiki as `Kalagni Sadruscah Krodhe'. That is, `When in anger, he (Rama) resembled the terrific fire that devours the world at its end'. Rama put on this anger for purposes of battle when he went to meet Ravana. He checked it when he found that Ravana had been beaten to the ground. He told him then, `You had better go home. Come tomorrow again for battle' showing that Rama was a Jitakrodha, that is, he could rouse anger up at one time and stop it at the proper time and place.


Baba also had need for anger, a physico-psychical need that could be understood only by persons who thoroughly studied Baba's physico-psychical organism. Anyhow, it has been noticed that Baba himself was in towering rage at times, and this appeared to be an ungovernable rage to people. They would regard Baba at those times as mad with rage. G. G. Narke once saw Baba in such a condition, and thought for the moment that Baba was a mad man. Mahlsapathy also had similar impressions. Baba corrected G. G. Narke when he came to bow to him, and said, `Narke, I am not a madman', knowing his momentary thought. That is, even he was in a towering rage, he could read Narke's mind. Now reading another's mind is the result of the clairvoyant power which require a considerable degree of placidity, satva guna, clear buddhi, and santi. So, Baba had all these even when he was in a towering rage. Similarly on several occasions, of which examples are given. Baba, when apparently under a wave of anger, was really placid enough to note with calmness who had come, what for, and how they required to be accommodated immediately e.g., Uddhavesa Bua, Police Sub-Inspector Samant, and Pleader Joshi of Thane each separately; and each on a separate occasion noted that Baba suddenly stopped his rage, carried out their wishes, gave them calm and cool replies and udhi.


This is `Jitakrodhah'. Rouse up your anger, use it for a time, and when you do not want it, put it back into its scabbard. This is the proper use of anger. But people do not always understand it, and may plead Baba's anger as an excuse for their own. If they really wish to have anger like Baba, they must be able to shut it up at will; but that ability they have not . Baba however put down anger as the staunch enemy of all equanimity so absolutely essential for one's upward march in realising the final state of life called santi (Om santih, santih, santih). So he told a Ramadasi, who was overpowered by anger when he learnt that his Vishnu Sahasranama had been taken away without his permission or knowledge and given away to Shama. When Jog got angry with Baba who asked him for dakshina, Baba told him not to give way to anger.

Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji

EXIT EGO - EXPECT EXCELLENCE

EXIT EGO - EXPECT EXCELLENCE

Baba said, "He who casts aside his egoism and thanks Him and he, who trust Him entirely will have his shackles removed and will obtain liberation" in Sri Sai Satcharitra Ch.XXXIV.

Do not imagine yourself to be great because of your superior birth, social status, learning, wealth and position. Remember; the same Lord is pervading all. Superiority exists only in our worldly relations and does not belong to the Atma.

In our worldly relations observance of indiscriminate equality is impossible and harmful; therefore, observing inequality, where necessary, in our worldly relations, maintain equality in your mental outlook. Know all to be equal so far as the Atma is concerned. Neither look down upon another as inferior, not let any sense of self-importance enter your mind.

He is really great, who regards himself as humbler than the humblest creature. Remember always this secret.

God is ever and every moment with you. Do not forget this fact. The sense of His being always present with you will prove very helpful in ridding you of all fear and sin. This is not a mere hypothesis; He isreally present with everyone of us.

Increase your faith in the existence of God; the day you are fully assured of His existence you will be absolved of all sins and will inevitably have your face turned towards God.

Always try to make yourself strong, healthy, powerful and pure. In order to achieve this purpose, you will have to persuade yourself that you are really so. And, in fact, you are so. You are not the body; you are the spirit. And the spirit is always strong, healthy, powerful and pure. It is only when one identifies oneself with the body that weakness, disease, impotence and impurity creep in.

Identifying yourself with the body, never imagine that you are strong, healthy, powerful and pure. Your doing so will simply go to swell your vanity, because these qualities do not exist in the body.

Identifying of self with the body is itself a sin and is the greatest form of impurity. Regard yourself either as the Atma, a pure and integral part of God Himself, or as a servant of God, the Lord of the heart. The Atma is intrinsically pure and strong, whereas a servant of God also, through the contact and power of his Master, becomes as pure and strong as the Master Himself.

Never try to circumscribe God. He is indefinable. He is both possessed of Form and Formless, and is also beyond Form and Formlessness both. In whatever aspect the devotee worships Him, he will find in that very aspect. There lies his divinity.

Without wasting time in the attempt to understand intellectually the nature of God and His creation, cling to anyone of the numerous paths of discipline with reverence and devotion and begin to advance alongthat path. As you proceed, the whole enigma will begin to unravel itself to you. If instead of marching along any path you idly spend your time in discussions, you will identify yourself with a particular creed and waste your life in fruitless controversies and disputations. Truth is not realized through arguments and theological discussions, it is realized through service of one's preceptor and by reverently treading the path prescribed by him.

(Courtesy: Wavelets of Bliss – by Sri. Hanumanprasad Poddar)