SABURI
SABURI
(Victory to bestower of auspiciousness - Lord Govinda, Gopaala, Mahadeva, Lord of Shirdi and Parthi - Lord Sai - Saviour and sustainer of entire creation, who grants fearlessness. Prostrations to the Lord of Parthi)Jaya Jaya Sai Namo Jaya Shubadaayi Namo Jaya Govinda Jaya Gopaala Jaya Mahadeva Namo Jaya Jaya Sai Namo Abhaya Pradhaatha Vishwa Vidhaatha Jagadodhaara Namo Jaya Jagadeesha Jaya Partheesha Jaya Paramesha Namo
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SHRI SAI SATHCHARITHA
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Balasahebmirikar |
Chapter XXII |
Baijabaikote |
Rescues from Serpent-bites - (1) Balasaheb Mirikar (2) Bapusaheb Booty (3) Amir Shakkar (4) Hemadpant - Baba's Opinion Regarding Killing of Serpents.
Preliminary
How to meditate on Baba? No one has been able to fathom the nature or the form of the Almighty. Even the Vedas and the thousand-tongued Shesha are not able to describe it fully; but the devotees cannot but know and look at the form of the Lord, for they know that His Feet are the only means of their happiness. They know no other method of attaining the supreme goal of life, except meditating on the Holy Feet. Hemadpant suggests an easy way of devotion and meditation as follows:-
As the dark fortnight of every month wears out gradually, the moonlight also wanes in the same degree and on the newmoon day, we do not see the moon at all, nor do we get her light. Therefore, when the bright fortnight begins, people are very anxious to see the moon. On the first day, the moon is not seen and on the second day also she is not clearly visible. Then the people are asked to see the moon through an opening between the two branches of a tree, and when they begin to see through this aperture eagerly and after concentratedly, the distant small crescent of the moon comes, to their great delight, within their ken. Following this clue, let us try to see Baba's Light. Look at Baba's posture, how fine it is! He is sitting with His legs folded,the right leg held across the left knee. The fingers of His left hand are spread on the right-foot. On the right toe are spread His two fingers-the index and middle ones. By this posture Baba means to say, as it were-if you want to see My Light, be egoless and most humble and meditate on My toe through the opening between the two branches-index and middle fingers-and then you will be able to see My Light. This is the easiest means of attaining devotion.
Now let us turn for a moment to Baba's life. Shirdi had become a place of pilgrimage on account of Baba's stay. People from all quarters began to flock there, and both the rich and the poor began to be benefited in more ways than one and in some form or other. Who can describe Baba's boundless love and His wonderful natural knowledge and His all-pervasiveness? Blessed is he, who could experience one or all of these. Sometimes Baba observed long silence which was, in a way, His dissertation on Brahman; at other times He was Consciousness-Bliss Incarnate, surrounded by His devotees. Sometimes He spoke in parables, and at other times indulged in wit and humour. At times, He was quite unambiguous (clear) and at times He seemed enraged. Sometimes He gave His teachings in a nut-shell, at other times He argued at length. Many a time He was very plain. In this way, He gave varied instructions to many, according to their requirements. His life was, therefore, inscrutable, beyond the ken of our mind, beyond our intellect and speech. Our longing to see His face, to talk with Him and hear His Leelas was never satisfied; still we were overflowing with joy. We can count the showers of rain, encircle (tie) the wind in a leather bag, but who can gauge or measure His Leelas? Now we deal here with one aspect of them, viz. how He anticipated or forestalled the calamities of His devotees and warded them off in time.
Balasaheb Mirikar
Balasaheb Mirikar, son of Sirdar Kakasaheb Mirikar was Mamlatdar of Kopergaon. He was going on tour to Chitali. On the way he came to Shirdi to see Sai Baba. When he went to the Masjid and prostrated himself before Baba, usual conversation regarding health and other matters commenced, when Baba sounded a note of warning as follows:-"Do you know our Dwarakamayi?" As Balasaheb did not understand he kept quiet, Baba continued - "This is our Dwarakamayi, where you are sitting. She wards off all dangers and anxieties of the children, who sit on her lap. This Masjidmayi (its presiding Deity) is very merciful, she is the mother of the simple devotees, whom she will save in calamities. Once a person sits on her lap, all his troubles are over. He, who rests in her shade, gets Bliss". Then Baba gave him Udi, and placed His protecting hand on his head. When Balasaheb was about to depart, He again said- "Do you know the "Lamba Bava" (long gentleman), Viz. serpent?" And then closing the left arm like fist He brought it near the right elbow, and moving His left arm like the hood of a serpent, He said- "He is so terrible, but what can he do to the children of Dwarakamayi: When the Dwarakamayi (its presiding deity) protects, what can the serpent do?"
All who were present there, were curious to know the meaning of all this and its reference to Mirikar, but none had the courage to ask Baba about this. Then Balasaheb saluted Baba and left the Masjid with Shama. Baba called Shama back and asked him to accompany Balasaheb, and enjoy the Chitali trip. Shama came to Balasaheb, and told him that he would go with him according to Baba's wish. Balasaheb replied that he need not come as it would be inconvenient. Sharma returned to Baba and told Him what Balasaheb said to him. Baba said, "Alright, do not go. We should mean well and do well. Whatever is destined to happen, will happen".
In the meanwhile Balasaheb thought over again, and calling Shama asked him to accompany him. Then Shama going again to Baba and taking His leave started with Balasaheb in the tanga. They reached Chitali at 9 P.M. and encamped in the Maruti temple. The office-people had not come; so they sat quiet in the temple, talking and chitchating. Balasaheb was sitting on a mat reading a newspaper. His Uparani (upper dhotar) was spread across his waist and on a part of it a snake was sitting unobserved. It began to move with a rustling sound which was heard by the peon. He brought a lantern, saw the snake and raised an alarm- 'serpent, serpent'. Balasaheb was frightened and began to quiver. Shama was also amazed. Then he and others moved noiselessly and took sticks and clubs in their hands. The snake got down slowly from the waist and it moved away from Balasaheb; it was immediately done to death. Thus this calamity, which was prophesied by Baba, was averted and Balasaheb's love for Baba was deeply confirmed.
Devotees Experiences
BAYAJABAI -THE PERSONIFICATION OF LOVE
Sri Sai Baba was the human shape assumed by God. He was an example of how the power of God, which is infinite, can fit into the human casing made of the five elements and show divine power through the body.
Of those devotees who served Baba when he was alive, over ninety-five per cent saw this divine power in him and became his devotees. As Sri Madhav Adkar sang in his arati, "Jayaa manee jaisaa bhaava, tayaa taisaa anubhava! Daavisee dayaaghanaa aisee tuzee hee maava!" (As is one's intent, such shall be our experience. As such, bestow thy grace upon each according to their conception of thee. Such is thy divine sport, oh compassionate one.) Baba's devotees saw Baba as a reflection of their own feelings for him. The remaining five per cent became his devotees not because of Baba's power, but because they loved him. They tied Baba to them with the silken fetters of love. It is on these, who loved Baba unconditionally, that Baba rained his grace so copiously. Looking at Baba through their loving eyes, Baba's divine shape appears to us a glorious rainbow of love and affection. Of all those devotees who danced happily, fully soaked in the gentle rain of Baba's love, the foremost was Sri Tatya Kote Patil. The love and devotion shown by his parents Sri Ganapati Kote and Smt. Bayajabai for Baba was the main reason behind the immense good fortune of Sri Tatya's attachment to Baba.
It was in Shirdi that Sri Sai Baba revealed himself to the world to save humankind. He accompanied Chandbhai Patil's marriage party to Shirdi and stayed on there. When Baba first came to Shirdi, he appeared to the locals as a mere mad fakir and a beggar. In those days, when he kept his divine powers hidden, only three or four villagers were attracted to him. They themselves could not say what attracted them to Baba. Mhalsapati, Kasiram Shimpi, Appa Jogle and Ganapati Kote Patil were the four devotees who served Sri Sai Baba with the utmost love and devotion at that time.
Of these four, Baba was very close and intimate with Ganapati Kote Patil. Baba looked upon Bayajabai, Ganapati Kote's wife, as his own sister and used to call her as such. Sri Sai Sarananand writes in his book about the first time Baba met Ganapati Kote Patil and Bayajabai as follows.
"Perhaps the first person who introduced himself to Baba was Mahalsapati." After he talked to Baba, Mahalsapati felt that he was a saint and believed in him. From then on he would meet Baba without fail every day. He later introduced Baba to his friends, Kashiram Shimpi and Appa Jogle. These three would meet Baba every day and arrange for Baba's needs to be met.
Ganapati Kote Patil heard about Baba from these three and went with his wife, Bayajabai, to meet Baba. Baba rose from his seat and welcomed them graciously, saying to Bayajibai, "Oh lady, you are really my sister!"
Bayajabai was enthralled by Baba. She was devoted to him and vowed that she would not eat without first giving food to Baba. In those days, Baba would not stay in one place, he would be roaming about, sometimes in the village and sometimes in the fields outside the village and staying there. As Bayajabai had vowed not to eat unless she fed Baba first, she would search high and low for him until she found him. She would wait at home for Baba till noon every day in case he would come to beg for food. If he had not appeared by then, she would put the food in a basket and placing it on her head, start searching for him in the fields and thickets outside the village. When she found him she would make him sit down and would feed him with the utmost love and affection. After some time, as if to save Bayajabai the bother, Baba started staying at the mosque and having his food there.