PAIN IS A BLESSING TOO

PAIN IS A BLESSING TOO

 

“All physical tribulations, diseases, even leprosy and all other problems, which we have because of our actions in the previous birth, unless they are fully borne, we cannot be free from them, even by committing suicide.” – Shri Sai Samartha Satcharita, Ch. 26, Ove 138.

 

To the great Sufi teacher, Dhu-al-Nun, who, in his own days, was revered as a Qutab (Chief of Saints) and who was blessed with the power to work miracles, a friend wrote, “From my sick-bed, I appeal to you, O Friend of God, to pray for me that I may be relieved of this intolerable agony and soon become well again.”

 

Dhu-al Nun answered, “Beloved brother of the heart! You know not what you ask. How can I pray to God to take away His Grace from you?

 

“Veiled within the veil of affliction doth the Beloved come to us to bless us, to beautify our lives, to give us the only gifts that count – the gifts of the Spirit.

 

“So it is that the Sufis pray that sickness may be their constant companion. And the Sufis rejoice in the midst of misfortune. And with open arms, the Sufis welcome disapprobation of the crowd and calamity and disgrace.

 

“For such things truly lead to healing of the Spirit.

 

“Therefore my brother, I pray that God may make you ashamed of what you ask.

 

“And may He bless you that you may complain not, but, for every affliction, give gratitude to Him!

 

“The true lover of God entrusts all he is and all he has in the Safe Hands of Him whose Name is Compassion and Love!”

 

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PANCHATANTRA STORY - TECHIE VERSION

PANCHATANTRA STORY – TECHIE VERSION

 

 

 

“Nanasaheb Chandorkar was a good student of Vedanta. He had read Gita with commentaries and prided himself on his knowledge of all that. He fancied that Baba knew nothing of all this or of Sanskrit. So, Baba one day pricked the bubble.” – Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XXXIX & L.

 

Once upon a time, there was a software engineer who used to develop programs on his Pentium machine, sitting under a tree on the banks of a river. He used to earn his bread by selling those programs in the Sunday market.

 

One day, while he was working, his machine tumbled off the table and fell in the river. Encouraged by the Panchatantra story of his childhood (the woodcutter and the axe), he started praying to the River Goddess.

 

The River Goddess wanted to test him and so appeared only after one month of rigorous prayers. The engineer told her that he had lost his computer in the river.

 

As usual, the Goddess wanted to test his honesty. She showed him a match box and asked, "Is this your computer?”

 

Disappointed by the Goddess' lack of computer awareness, the engineer replied, "No."

 

She next showed him a pocket-sized calculator and asked if that was his. Annoyed, the engineer said "No, not at all!!"

 

Finally, she came up with his own Pentium machine and asked if it was his. The engineer, left with no option, sighed and said "Yes."

 

The River Goddess was happy with his honesty. She was about to give him all three items, but before she could make the offer, the engineer asked her, "Don't you know that you're supposed to show me some better computers before bringing up my own?"

 

The River Goddess, angered at this, replied, "I know that, you stupid donkey! The first two things I showed you were the Trillennium and the Billennium, the latest computers from IBM!". So saying, she disappeared with the Pentium!!

 

Moral: If you're not up-to-date with trends, it's better keep your mouth shut.

 

 

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HELP TO STAND ON HIS OWN LEGS

HELP TO STAND ON HIS OWN LEGS

 

Shirdi Sai Baba said, “I will help him. He is only an outward instrument” in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. II.

 

At the time of the famine of 1865, a poor boy came to Vidyasagar begging for a pice.

 

“Suppose I give you not one but four pice,” said Vidyasagar.

 

“Let us be serious, Sir,” answered the boy; “give me just one pice.”

 

“I am quite serious,” said Vidyasagar. “If I give you four pice, what would you do?”

 

“With two pice, I would buy food and give two pice to my mother.”

 

“And suppose I give you two annas?”

 

The boy did not wait; he turned away. Vidyasagar followed him, caught him by the arms and said to him, “Tell me, what would you do with two annas?”

 

The boy broke out into tears. “I would buy rice with four pice and give the rest to my mother.”

 

“And suppose I give you four annas?”

 

“I would spend two annas in getting food which would last for two days, and buy two annas’ worth of mangoes, sell them at a profit, buy more mangoes and get more profit and thus provide for the needs of my mother and myself.”

 

Vidyasagar gave him a rupee, and the boy could not believe it! He hesitated, then took the rupee and ran away in joy.

 

Two years later, Vidyasagar passed by a small shop. A young man stepped out and said, “Sir, will you very kindly enter the shop and bless it? It is your shop.”

 

“I do not know you,” said Vidyasagar.

 

With tear-touched eyes, the young man explained how, two years earlier, Vidyasagar had helped him to stand on his own feet. Now he owned the small shop and earned enough to look after his small family and also extend a helping hand to some in need.

 

 

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GIVE GIVE RIGHT NOW

GIVE GIVE RIGHT NOW

 

Shirdi Sai Baba said, "Give with faith, give with magnanimity, i.e. liberally, give with modesty, with awe and with sympathy” in Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XIV.

 

Karna was a great giver. He gave and gave and was never tired of giving. He gave whatever he had, and forgot about it.

 

One day, as he took his bath by the side of a well, a poor man approached him for help. At that time, Karna held, in his left hand, a gold cup containing oil which he rubbed on his body. Without hesitating for a moment, he passed on the gold cup to the needy one.

 

Someone asked, “The Scriptures say that when you give, you must give with the right hand. How is it that you gave away the gold cup with your left hand?”

 

Karna’s answer was significant, “Life is uncertain. By the time I transferred the cup from the left hand to the right, anything could have happened.”

 

When you get the impulse to give, give immediately.

 

I remember how a man came to swamiji at dead of the night, woke him up from sleep and passed on to him a bundle of notes for the service of the poor and the needy. When swamiji asked him, “Where was the hurry” he said, “When I got the impulse to give, I did not wait, for I was not sure of the condition of my mind if I waited till the tomorrow.”

 

 

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WHY DON'T WE PRAY?

WHY DON’T WE PRAY?

 

“Make us ever remember Your name and forget all other things. Remove the restlessness of our mind, and make it steady and calm.” – Sri Sai Satcharitra, Ch. XXV.

 

A traveler arrived at a strange city. When he got off the train, he was struck by the strange sight that met his eyes – none of the people on the platform wore shoes! Passengers, porters, railway officials – everyone was barefooted.

 

“Perhaps footwear is prohibited on the railway station,” thought the man.

 

He went out of the station and hailed a cab. The taxi driver was barefooted.

 

“Why don’t you wear shoes?” asked the man in surprise.

 

“Yes, why don’t I wear shoes?” repeated the taxi driver.

 

When the man got out of the taxi, it began to snow. He saw people trudging on the snow with bare feet.

 

“Don’t you know how useful shoes can be?” he asked a passing stranger, “why don’t you wear shoes to protect your feet from the bitter cold?”

 

“That’s just it! Why don’t I wear shoes?” repeated the stranger. Getting more and more curious, the traveler asked the next man he met, “Isn’t there a factory making shoes in your city?”

 

“Oh, yes there is!” the man replied.

 

“Then why don’t any of you wear shoes?”

 

“We export all the shoes we make here. As for us, why don’t we wear shoes?” the man repeated.

 

Prayer is like shoe in this city. Everyone knows the value of prayer; everyone knows it is good to pray; and yet, why do not we pray?”

 

 

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