This bond of kinship is pulling you towards Me. This thread of love is
weaving our births together in a garland. It is for this endearment that I
have clothed Myself in the attire of a Fakir, a man of compassion --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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Chapter 46
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Baba's gaya Trip - Story of Goats.
This Chapter describes Shama's strip to Kashi, Prayag
and Gaya and how Baba (in the Form of His portrait) was there ahead of him; it
also describes Baba's reminiscences of the past birth of two goats.
Preliminary
Blessed, Oh Sai, are Your Feet, blessed is Your
remembrance and blessed is Your darshana which frees us from the bond of Karma.
Though Your Form is invisible to us now, still if the devotees believe in You,
they get living experiences from You. By an invisible and subtle thread You draw
Your devotees from far and near to Your Feet and embrace them like a kind and
loving mother. The devotees do not know where You are, but You so skillfully
pull the wires that they ultimately realize that You are at their back to help
and support them. The intelligent, wise and learned folk fall into the pit of
the samsar on account of their egoism, but You save, by Your power, the poor,
simple and devout persons. Inwardly and invisibly you play all the game, but
show that you are not concerned with it. You do things and pose yourself as a
non-doer. Nobody ever knows Your life. The best course therefore for us is to
surrender our body, speech and mind to Your Feet and always chant Your name for
destroying our sins. You fulfill the wishes of the devotees and to those who are
without any desire You give bliss supreme. Chanting Your sweet name is the
easiest sadhan for devotees. By this sadhan (means), our sins, Rajas and Tamas
qualities will vanish, the Sattwa qualities and righteousness will gain
predominance and along with this, discrimination, dispassion and knowledge will
follow. Then we shall abide in our Self and our Guru (who are one and the same).
This is what is called complete surrender to the Guru. The only sure sign of
this is that our mind gets calm and peaceful. The greatness of this surrender,
devotion and knowledge is unique; for peace, non-attachment, fame and salvation
etc., come in its train.
If Baba accepts a devotee, He follows him and stands by him, day and night,
at his home or abroad. Let the devotee go anywhere he likes, Baba is there ahead
of him in some form in an inconceivable manner. The following story illustrates
this.
Sometime after Kakasaheb Dixit was introduced to Sai Baba, he decided to
perform the thread (Upanayan) ceremony of his eldest son Babu at Nagpur. At
about the same time Nanasaheb Chandorkar decided to perform the marriage
ceremony of his eldest son at Gwalior. Both Dixit and Chandorkar came to shirdi
and lovingly invited Baba for these functions. Baba asked them to take Shama as
His representative. When He was pressed to come in person. Baba told them to
take Shama with them and that "after doing Banares and Prayag He would be
ahead of Shama." Now mark these words for they show Baba's
all-pervasiveness.
Taking the permission of Baba, Shama decided to go to Nagpur and Gwalior for
these functions and ceremonies and thence to Kashi, Prayag and Gaya. Appa Kote
made up his mind to accompany him. They both went first to Nagpur for the thread
ceremony. Kakasaheb Dixit gave Shama Rs.200/- for his expenses. Then they went
to Gwalior for the marriage ceremony. There Nanasaheb Chandorkar gave Shama
Rs.100/- and his Vyahi (relation) Mr.Jather gave him also Rs.100/-. Then Shama
went to Kashi, and then to Ayodhya where he was well received in Jather's
beautiful temple of Laxmi-Narayan at Kashi (Varanasi or Banares) and in the
Rama-Mandir at Ayodhya by Jathar's manager. They (Shama and Kote) stayed for 21
days in Ayodhya and two months in Kashi (Banares). Then they left for Gaya. In
the train they felt a little uneasy on hearing that plague was prevailing in
Gaya. At night they alighted at Gaya station and stayed in the Dharmashala. In
the morning the Gayawala (the Priest who arranges and provides for the lodging
and boarding of the pilgrims) came there and aid - "The pilgrims have already
started, you better make haste." Shama casually asked him whether there was
plague in Gaya. "No" said the Gayawala. "Please come without any fear or anxiety
and see yourself." Then they went with him and stayed in his house which was a
big and commodious Wada. Shama was pleased with the accommodation provided for
him, but what pleased him most, was the beautiful big portrait of Baba fixed in
the central and front portion of the building. Seeing this portrait Shama was
overwhelmed with emotion. He remembered Baba's words, viz., "After doing
Kashi and Prayag He would be ahead of Shama" and burst into tears. His hairs
stood on end, his throat was choked and he began to sob. The Gayawala thought
that he was afraid of plague prevailing there and therefore was crying. But
Shama enquired of him whence he got Baba's portrait there. He replied that he
had 200 or 300 agents working at Manmad and Punatambe for looking to the
convenience of the pilgrims to Gaya and from them he heard about Baba's fame.
Then about 12 years ago he went to Shirdi and took Baba's darshana. There he
wanted Baba's portrait hung in Shama's house and with Baba's permission Shama
gave it to him. This was the same protrait. Shama then remembered this former
incident. The Gayawalas's joy knew no bounds when he learnt that the same Shama
who obliged him before, was his guest then. Then they both exchanged love and
service and were most delighted and happy. The Gayawala gave him a right royal
welcome. He was a very rich man. He sat in a palanquin and made Shama ride an
elephant and attended to all his comforts and conveniences.
The moral of the story is this:- That Baba's words came out true to the
letter and unbounded was His love towards the devotees. But leave this aside. He
also loved all creatures equally, for He felt that He was one with them. The
following story will illustrate this.
Two Goats
Baba was once returning from Lendi, when He saw a flock
of goats. Two of them attracted His attention. He went to them, caressed and
fondled them and bought them for Rs.32/-. The devotees were surprised at this
conduct of Baba. They thought that Baba was duped in this bargain, as the goats
would fetch Rs.two each, at the most Rs.3/- or 4/- each, i.e., Rs.8/- for both.
They began to take Baba to task for this, but Baba kept calm and cool. Shama and
Tatya Kote asked Baba for an explanation. He said He should not store money as
He had no home, and any family to look after. He asked them to purchase at His
cost 4 seers of 'dal' (lentil) and feed the goats. After this was done, Baba
returned the goats to the owner of the flock and gave out of the following
reminiscences and story of the goats.
"Oh, Shama and Tatya, you think that I have been deceived in this bargain.
No. Listen to their story. In their former birth they were human beings and had
the good fortune to be My companions and sit by My side. They were uterine
brothers, loving each other at first, but later on, they became enemies. The
elder brother was an idle fellow while the younger one was an active chap and
earned a lot of money. The former became greedy and jealous and wanted to kill
his brother and take away his money. They forgot thier fraternal relations and
began to quarrel with each other. The elder brother resorted to many devices to
kill his younger brother, but all of his attempts failed. Thus they became
deadly enemies and finally on one occasion the elder gave a deadly blow with a
big stick on the latter's head while the latter struck the former with an axe,
with the result that both fell dead on the spot. As the result of their actions,
they were both born as goats. As they passed by me, I at once recognized them. I
remembered their past history. Taking pity on them I wanted to feed them and
give them rest and comfort and for this reason I spent all the money for which
you reprove me. As you did not like My bargain I sent them back to their
shepherd." Such was Sai's love for the goats!
Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all