My treasury is open but no one brings carts to take from it. I say, “Dig!” but no one bothers.
---SAIBABA
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SHRI SAI SATHCHARITHA
"Sada Nimbarvrikshasya mooladhiwasat,
Sudhasravinam tiktamapi-apriyam tam,
Tarum Kalpavrikshadhikam sadhayantam
Namameeshwaram Sadgurum Sai Natham"
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shyamraojaikar
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Chapter XVII
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moreshwarpradhan
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Variety in Upadesh -- Slanderer Condemned
Sai Baba required no special place, nor any special time
for giving instructions. Whenever any occasion demanded, He gave them freely.
Once it so happened that a Bhakta of Baba, reviled another behind his back,
before other people. On leaving aside merits, he dwelt on the faults of his
brother, and spoke so sarcastically, that the hearers were disgusted. Generally,
we see that people have a tendency to scandalize others, un-necessarily; and
this brings on hatred and ill-will. Saints see scandal, in another light. They
say that there are various ways of cleansing or removing dirt, viz. by means of
earth, water and soap etc., but a scandal-monger has got a way of his own. He
removes the dirt (faults) of others by his tongue; so in a way of obliges the
person, whom he reviles and for this he is to be thanked. Sai Baba had his own
method of correcting the scandal-monger. He knew by his omniscience what the
slanderer had done and when He met him at noon near the Lendi, Baba pointed out
to him a pig that was eating filth near the fence and said to him - "Behold how,
with what relish it is gorging dung. Your conduct is similar. You go on reviling
your own brethren to your heart's content. After performing many deeds of merit,
you are born a man, and if you act like this, will Shirdi help you in any way?"
Needless to say, that the Bhakta took the lesson to his heart, and went away.
In this way Baba went on giving instructions whenever necessary. If these are
borne in our minds and acted upon, the spiritual goal (realization) is not far
off. There is a proverb which says - "If there be my Hari (Lord), He will feed
me on my cot." This proverb is only true in respect of food and clothing, but if
anyone trusting in this, sits quiet and does nothing in spiritual matters, he
will be ruined. One has to exert himself to his utmost for attaining
self-realization. The more he endeavours, the better for him.
Baba said that He was omnipresent, occupying land, air, country, world, light
and heaven, and that He was not limited. To remove the misunderstanding of
those, who thought that Baba was only His body - three cubits and a half in
length, He incarnated Himself in this form and if any devotee meditated on Him
day and night with complete self-surrender, he experienced complete union
(without any difference) with Him like sweetness and sugar, waves and sea, eye
and its luster. He, who wants to get rid of the cycle of births and deaths,
should lead a righteous life, with his mind calm and composed. He should always
engage himself in good actions, should do his duties and surrender himself,
heart and soul to Him. He need not then be afraid of anything. He who trusts Him
entirely, hears and expounds His Leelas and does not think of anything else, is
sure to attain Self-realization. Baba asked many to remember His name and to
surrender to Him, but to those, who wanted to know who they were ('Who am I'
enquiry), He advised Shravanam (study) and Mananam (meditation). To some, He
advised remembering God's name, to others hearing His Leelas, to some worship of
His Feet, to others reading and studying Adhyatma Ramayan, Jnaneshwari and other
sacred scriptures. Some He made sit near His Feet, some He sent to Khandoba's
temple, and some He advised the repetition of the thousands names of Vishnu and
some the study of Chhandogya Upanishad and Geeta. There were no limit, nor
restriction to His instructions. To some, He gave them in person. To others by
visions in dreams. To one addicted to drink, He appeared in his dream, sat on
his chest, pressed it and left him, after he gave a promise not to touch liquor
anymore. To some, He explained some Mantras like `Gurur Brahma' in dreams. To
some devotee, who was practising Hath-Yoga, He sent word that he should leave
off Hath-Yoga practices, sit quiet and wait (Saburi). It is impossible to
describe all His ways and methods. In ordinary wordly dealings, He set examples
by His actions, one of which is given below.
Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all
Devotees Experiences
DID BABA SACRIFICE HIS LIFE TO SAVE
TATYA’S?
Sri Ramachandra Kote
Patil fell seriously ill in 1916. All types of medication were tried but were
found to be futile. Everyone thought that his early death was inevitable. He too
was resigned to his death and waited with dread for the day. One night Baba
presented him with his divine vision and said, “Do not fear. I have stopped your
death. You will get well soon. I am only worried about Tatya. He will die in
1918 on Vijayadasami day, but do not reveal this to anyone, especially Tatya. If
you tell him this, it will only serve to terrorise him before his death.”
Amazingly Ramachandra Patil started to recover his health from the very next day
and attained his former good health in a few days. He was an intimate friend of
Tatya and knew that Baba’s words were unalterable and had to come true. He
realised that Tatya had only two more years left in this world and was engulfed
in sorrow. He could not keep this burning anguish within himself for long and
shared the secret divulged by Baba with his friend Bala Shimpi alone.
As Ramachandra Patil
and Bala Shimpi feared, Tatya fell seriously ill as the Vijayadasami of 1918
approached. Baba too fell ill around the same time. Tatya’s condition worsened
day-by-day and turned critical one or two days before Vijayadasami. He could not
even come to the mosque for the darshan of Sri Sai Baba. One day Baba sent word to him to come to
the mosque and have his meal there, but as Tatya could not summon enough
strength to even rise from his bed, some devotees helped him to go to the mosque
where Baba fed him with semolina pudding with his own hands despite his ill
health. Tatya could only swallow a couple of mouthfuls with great difficulty.
Baba told him, “Tatya, I have arranged for two swings (carriages) for us
initially. But I have changed my mind. I alone will go on now presently. Now you
may go home.” Tatya understood the import of Baba’s words and started sobbing.
He said, “Baba, why do you not send me first?” Baba replied, “I am a fakir,
there is no one to cry for me when I go away. But all your people will grieve if
you go.” Tatya heard the tone of finality in Baba’s words and his sorrow
intensified and he started weeping piteously. He said, “Baba, if I go, it is
only my relatives who will grieve. But if you go, you will make many people of
this world orphans. If you live on many people will attain salvation by your
mere darshan. What of me? My
life is a burden to me and to my relatives too.” Baba would not brook any
further talk in this vein from Tatya. He scolded him lovingly, “Alright, no more
talk from you. Go home.” He put udi on Tatya’s forehead and sent him home, watching him with a
heavy heart until he was out of sight.
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