|| chapter three ||

|| chapter three ||

|| baba’s assurances ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||
|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||
|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

In this chapter, Hemad Pant tells us about Sai Baba’s permission and assurance, assignment of work to other devotees and other matters.

Once while talking to his friend, Harmohan Mitra, Swamy Vivekananda said, “Several shelf loads of books can be written on every sentence uttered by Sri Ramakrishna.” It was just an observation and in no way meant to boost up Sri Ramakrishna. Harmohan was surprised and said, “Is it so?! We never fathomed so deep. Please tell us the parable of ‘elephant god; and mahout god’ so that we can learn to see god in all beings”. Obviously, it was neither a challenge to Sri Ramakrishna’s greatness nor to Swamy Vivekananda’s earlier assertion.

Taking this opportunity, Swamy Vivekananda explained his friend for three days in simple and lucid language, quoting all the relevant scriptural authorities, that Sri Ramakrishna’s parable regarding the elephant god as the remarkable solution to the ever inconclusive argument raging between the scholars of east and west regarding “desire and fate”, “human effort and destiny”.

Sri Ramakrishna says, "Let me tell you a story. In a forest there lived a holy man who had many disciples. One day he taught them to see God in all beings and, knowing this, to bow low before them all. A disciple went to the forest to gather wood for the sacrificial fire. Suddenly he heard an outcry: 'Get out of the way! A mad elephant is coming!'
All but the disciple of the holy man took to their heels. He reasoned that the elephant was also God in another form. Then why should he run away from it? He stood still, bowed before the animal, and began to sing its praises. The mahout of the elephant was shouting: 'Run away! Run away!' But the disciple didn't move.

The animal seized him with its trunk, cast him to one side, and went on its way. Hurt and bruised, the disciple lay unconscious on the ground. Hearing what had happened, his teacher and his brother disciples came to him and carried him to the hermitage.

With the help of some medicine he soon regained consciousness. Someone asked him, 'You knew the elephant was coming – why didn't you leave the place?' 'But', he said, 'our teacher has told us that God Himself has taken all these forms, of animals as well as men. Therefore, thinking it was only the elephant God that was coming, I didn't run away.'

At this the teacher said: 'Yes, my child, it is true that the elephant God was coming; but the mahout God forbade you to stay there. Since all are manifestations of God, why didn't you trust the mahout’s words? You should have heeded the words of the mahut God.' (Laughter)

"It is said in the scriptures that water is a form of God. But some water is fit to be used for worship, some water for washing the face, and some only for washing plates or dirty linen. This last sort cannot be used for drinking or for a holy purpose.

In like manner, God undoubtedly dwells in the hearts of all – holy and unholy, righteous and unrighteous; but a man should not have dealings with the unholy, the wicked, the impure. He must not be intimate with them. With some of them he may exchange words, but with others he shouldn't go even that far. He should keep aloof from such people." (Source: From ‘Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna’)

Regarding Baba, multiple connotations could be attributed to not only his words, but his postures, his body language and even his looks. In this chapter, Sai says, “I am the one who creates, sustains and destroys this creation” That one statement is more than enough for us. We can delve deep into that statement and find many invaluable gems and that one statement is sufficient to create belief in the nonbelievers and to confirm faith in believers.

SAI THE CREATOR

Sai used to say that his father is Brahma and Maya is his mother. He always urged his devotees to become children worthy of his mother. Sai had the power to decide who was to be born when. In this aspect he was Sai the creator.

Moreshwar Vishwanath Pradhan, a Sai devotee went to Shirdi with his wife, Chotu Bai, and sister-in-law. They prostrated at the feet of Baba. Sai told all assembled there, “She will be the mother of my Babu”. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, who was present there, showed Pradhan’s sister-in-law, who was pregnant, and asked, “Is she the one you mean?” Baba said, “No, the other one” and pointed at Pradhan’s wife, who was not even pregnant then. Subsequently, she became pregnant. Sai had also said that she would deliver two babies, one of whom would die, and proved right. Sai made Babu take birth in the noble family of Pradhans. Omniscient Baba displayed the first aspect of the Trinity in controlling not only the destinies but also the destinations of souls. Then comes the second aspect of the Trinity.

SAI THE SUSTAINER

Uddhavesh Buva was a Sai devotee. He was on a pilgrimage with some of his friends. As part of that tour, he was on the way to Dwaraka. Accidentally, his purse fell into the sea. He had no money. Finding no other way, he prayed Sai. Within two days of his reaching Dwaraka, he received money order from his son. He was surprised and could not understand how his son came to know about his requirement. After going home, he asked his son about the money order. His son gave him the details.

A sadhu came in the dream of the son and told him, “Your father in Dwaraka does not have any money. Send him money immediately”. Waking up, he ignored the dream as of no consequence. On the second night, the sadhu reappeared in the dream and said, “Your father has no money. Send money immediately” Waking up, this time, he sent the money immediately.

A few days later, Uddhavesh went to Shirdi and prostrated at the feet of Sai. Then, Sai told him, “I saw to it that money reached you”. Uddhavesh understood that the sadhu who appeared in his son’s dream was none other than Sai. This illustrates how Sai the sustainer protects his devotees.

SAI THE DESTROYER

Appa Kulkarni was also a Sai devotee. Sai told him one day, “Dacoits have entered the village. They are going to attack you. So, take necessary precautions.” Appa did not understand the import of Sai’s words. He appointed Bhils for his safeguard. That night he contacted cholera. Eyes were sunk deep. His wife ran to Sai in Dwarakamai and begged, “Baba! My husband is the throes of imminent death. Give udi for him to become healthy. Don’t make me a widow”. Sai told her, “Look! Those who are born are sure to die. Why do you grieve? Try to understand. One day you will also die. When a shirt is torn, we throw it away and get a new shirt. Similarly, when the body becomes unusable, the soul discards it and gets a new body. Thus, no one really dies or takes birth. Appa decided to get his body changed earlier than me. He will be liberated. Don’t grieve” Appa died. Sai did not ward off his death. By doing so, it would not have benefited neither his family not anyone else. Thus, Sai showed the third facet of the Trinity – that of a destroyer.

SAI AS DIVINE MOTHER

In Sai’s own words, he is not just the Trinity who perform their commissioned duties. He is also the divine mother. Even when the entire world rejects the child, the mother takes it to her and embraces it with affection and love. Sai is the personification of the kindness of Lakshmi, Parvati, Saraswati and Annapoorna.

SAI AS SARASWATI – GIVER OF EDUCATION

Sakharam Kapadi was a Sai devotee. Rajaram Kapadi, his brother, would go with Sakharam to Shirdi and have darshan of Sai. Sakharam helped his father in business. Soon, Sakharam died. The father asked Rajaram to help him in his work. Rajaram, however, was deeply interested in pursuing his studies and never wanted to enter into business. He could not make up his mind about his father’s request. He went to Shirdi and asked Sai. Baba told him to continue his studies. Rajaram convinced his father and joined in the MBBS course. By then Mahatma Gandhi had given a call for civil non cooperation. As a patriot, Rajaram discontinued his studies. After the movement was over, he again joined the course. Subsequently he became ill. After overcoming all hurdles, he finally attained his goal – the MBBS degree. Then he worked day and night and without any desire for money, he served the mankind, only because of the encouragement given by Sai.

SAI AS LAKSHMI – GIVER OF WEALTH

Patil was a poor man, and a Sai devotee. Sai was pleased with his devotion and in the presence of other devotees, told him, “You will build a big bungalow in Bombay. Don’t forget to invite me!” Considering the existing situation, the other devotees thought that Baba had told those words in a lighter vein. They did not realize that it may take some time, but Sai’s words never go wrong. They are like words engraved on a stone. Several years passed by. The goddess of fortune smiled on him and Patil became wealthy. And one day, he did build a big bungalow in Bombay. A day was fixed for gruhapravesham. Patil forgot to invite Sai. Even when the child forgets, the mother does not forget. On the day of gruhapravesham, a beggar came to the house, and asked for alms. Patil’s wife, however, remembered Sai’s words. She thought that Baba had come in the form of the beggar. The guests had not taken food yet. She ignored several calls from others, prostrated at the feet of the beggar and fed him sumptuously. The beggar then asked for dakshina. She gave it happily. The beggar blessed her and went away. Sai later confirmed that it was indeed he who had visited Patil’s house as a beggar. Sai is the mother Lakshmi – giver of wealth. Mother’s heart is always kind towards the child.

SAI AS ANNAPOORNA – GIVER OF FOOD

Sadashiv Trayambak Wadhvekar went with his friend to Shirdi for Baba’s darshan. They were sitting in front of Sai in Dwarakamai. Sadashiv was habituated to take food at 09.00 am. The time then was nearing 11.00 am. He was unable to bear the pangs of hunger. At that time, Sai threw a peda offered by someone, in the lap of Sadashiv. As it was Sai’s Prasadam, he wanted to take it home. Sai said, “I did not give it to take home”. Sadashiv understood that Sai had given the peda to satiate his hunger. His hunger reduced to half. Then, Sai threw another peda. Sadashiv thought that at least he could take this peda home. Sai said once again, “It is not for taking home.” Sadashiv ate that peda. His hunger was fully satiated. Mother Sai never keeps the child hungry.

Two pathans came to Shirdi for darshan of Sai. It was a cold morning, and they sat shivering in front of Baba. They thought, “How nice it would be if we can have a hot cup of tea! But, such is not possible in this village!” At that time, Saguna Meru Naik came to Sai and asked him what snacks he should bring. Baba asked him to bring a kettle of tea. Naik was surprised. In all these years, he had never seen Sai take tea. He immediately prepared tea and brought it to Sai. Baba gave the tea to the two pathans. They were totally taken by surprise as to how Sai could know what they were thinking about. They realized that Sai was no ordinary sadhu, but a great aulia! Only Sai Annapoorna can understand the needs of the children and provide without their asking.

SAI AS PROTECTOR

Great saints like Sai are never confined to a particular individual, or a group, or place, or community. Sai always emphasized that one should grow above oneself. One should do as much as possible for the welfare of the others. One need not sacrifice oneself, but within the limitations, should help in the form of advice, or money or any other kind.

Chandrabai Borkar did not have any children. Her husband Ramachandra Borkar was an engineer in the railways. Frequent transfers were there. She first saw Sai around 1892 and since then she was in Shirdi, whenever she could come, and spent her time in the presence of Sai. Tatya Kote Patil was son of Bayajibai, who treated Sai as her own brother. He also did not have any children. He married a second time. That also did not produce any result. Then he married third time. Even then, he got not beget any children. Chandrabai Borkar knew all these. In 1918, she went to the extent of asking Sai, “Can’t you bless Tatya with at least one child?” What is to be appreciated is the fact that she never, even once, asked for an issue for herself, but prayed for another devotee, Tatya. Did not Sai know this? Baba was very happy with Chandrabai and said, “Tatya, and along with him you also, will have a child!” She was stunned by what Sai said, because, she was nearing fifty. It is difficult to believe what Sai says, but they are always true. Chandrabai gave birth to a son three years and two months after Baba’s Mahasamadhi.

Dr. ANIL KUMAR

Dr. Anil Kumar was paralyzed on the right side of his body, As he was a doctor, he tried treatment in various hospitals. The doctors in the hospitals told him that his disease was incurable and that his end was nearing.

At that time, one of his relatives went to Shirdi and prayed in the Samadhi Mandir that Dr. Anil Kumar should recover from his disease and should become normal like others. Dr. Anil Kumar wrote, “From that moment, my health improved day by day. I recovered control over my body. Sai Baba is doctors’ doctor”. When everyone is busy foregoing food and sleep and praying their own welfare, let us pause for a moment and pray for the welfare of others!

There are many instances in Sri Sai Satcharitra regarding cases wherein someone else prayed, selflessly, about the welfare of others, and Baba granting all those prayers.

Hemad Pant describes Anna Chinchinikar as a rough person. He also wrote that he was Kaliyuga Narada (one who indulges in making persons quarrel). Chinchinikar did not have any children. Still, he understood the problems of household persons. Hemad Pant had five daughters and one son. He had retired from the government service also. Pension was insufficient. Regarding such a big family man, Anna Chinchinikar told Baba, “His family is growing. Please be kind to him. His pension is also insufficient. Kindly place him in some other job and ward off his problems”. Chinchinikar never prayed Baba for children, but he prayed sincerely for Hemad Pant. Sai immediately blessed Chinchinikar, and granted his prayer.

BEACONS OF LIGHT IN UTTER DARKNESS

Our life is like an ocean. In that ocean, there is always total darkness. Sai stories appear as beacons of light in this darkness and guide us in our path. All these stories are real life events meant to provide us an insight into the moral, religious and spiritual worlds. In this materialistic world, they teach us how to attain divinity.

There was a pathan living with Sai in Dwarakamai. Irrespective of whether it was day or night, he would loudly recite, with great pleasure, kalmas from Quran. That was disturbing the sleep of the people in Shirdi. They complained about this to Sai. Sai pacified them with suitable explanation.

There are many persons like the pathan in real life. They forget the outside world in their moment of ecstasy. In that excited stage, they do not know what they are doing. During these times, we should just ignore them.

Sai told the people that the pathan had a lover. Devotion was that lover. This devotion enhanced the love of the pathan and made him shout, causing disturbance to others. Baba told that instead of suffering from this ecstasy, it is better to be one with the god. Another interpretation could be that the evil thoughts were the lovers of the pathan. When we meditate with deep concentration, there is no opportunity for the evil thoughts to enter. Once the meditation is stopped, then the evil thoughts take hold of our minds. Hence, those who want to be good should practice concentration.

SHRAVANAM, MANANAM AND NIDHI DHYAASANA

Baba used to say, “After doing shravanam dedicatedly, one should do mananam and then nidhi dhyaasana. Only then one gets peace of mind”, Shravana, manana and nidhi dhyaasana are the three steps in the path to spirituality.

SHRAVANAM

Listening to the stories of god, listening to the various spiritual discourses and recitals of the names of god, all constitute shravanam. This could be through the guru or someone else. Regarding shravanam, Bhagavata says, “O men, who are suffering from the contamination of materialistic world, why are you wasting your time? Spend at least few moments of your life listening to the nectar like stories told by sage Shuka, in order to get wealth and peace of mind. Shravanam, if done dedicatedly, gives salvation. Maharaja Parikshit is witness to this statement.”

Shravana can also be called as parayana or pathana of the sadgranthas. In the nine fold bhakti marga, there is no separate place for parayana. Parayana is shravana. Some difficulties may arise in this easily approachable path. Becoming sleepy while hearing, diverting one’s mind from the narration are some of these. These are encountered because of lack of interest in the topic being listened to.

MANANAM

To think repeatedly about what has been listened to is called as mananam. Just as a cow masticates its food before digesting it, shravanam has to be ruminated to become mananam. It also means knowing how to implement the lessons learnt from shravanam in in the path to spirituality.

Once, Kakasaheb Dikshit was giving a discourse on an episode in Ekanatha Bhagavata wherein the Nava Nathas explain the nine fold bhakti margas to King Janaka. Later, he began discussing with Shama, about the comprehension of these intricate concepts by the ordinary people. This could be cited as one of the examples of mananam.

NIDHI DHYAASANAM

Dr. Rajamani Tigunait defines nidhi dhyaasana, in simple words, as the actual implementation of the lessons learnt from shravanam and mananam. For example, Rohilla’s story could be listened to, and it becomes shravanam. To contemplate on that story and prepare ourselves on how to face such a situation, if encountered in real life, is mananam. Finally, the action we take when such a situation is faced, like ignoring the person, is called nidhi dhyaasanam. Three steps help us climb the ladder of spirituality.

PHALA SHRUTI

Sri Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavatar was a great exponent of Carnatic Music. He had a great voice and could easily keep the audiences spell bound for hours together. During the later part of his life, he lost his voice. He did not know what to do. All the performances stopped. He went to Guruvaiyur and fell at the feet of Lord Krishna there. He did parayana of Narayaneeyam, a thousand sloka treatise on Guruvayurappan composed by Narayana Bhattu. Within a week, Bhagavatar’s voice was restored. In gratitude for this, he donated half of what he earned from his concerts to the Guruvayurappan Temple. This is the result of parayanam. As a parayana grantha, Sri Sai Satcharitra has some specialties. At the end of almost every chapter, directly or indirectly, phala shruti is mentioned. That the Samartha Sadguru Sainath, about whom Hemad Pant wanted to compose Sri Sai Satcharitra, should mention - even before the Satcharitra was written – the virtues of parayanam, shravanam, mananam and nidhi dhyaasanam, is a rare fact indeed.

More than in any other chapter, chapter three describes the phala shruti very elaborately. While engrossed in the chores of this materialistic world, even if we hear unintentionally the stories of great saints, it does plenty of good. Hemad Pant says that when that is so, imagine the good that will happen if we listen to them intentionally.

Sai says, “By listening to my stories, diseases will be cured”.

SKIN DISEASE

Appaji Sutar lived in Shirdi. He suffered eczema in the feet, after the Mahasamadhi of Baba. He went to Kopergaon and spent money for treatment. The disease did not abate. Later, he got himself admitted to a hospital in Nasik. One night Sai appeared in his dream and said, “Return to Shirdi and read scriptures”. Appaji told him that he had come to Nasik for the treatment of eczema. Then Baba said, “Read my stories and apply udi. You will be cured”. As soon as he got down from the bus at Shirdi, he met Vithal Rao Marathe. Marathe told Appaji, “I am urgently going to Siruvel. Conduct parayana of pothi, in Sai’s presence, till I come back”. Appaji agreed. He did the parayana of Jnaneshwari, Ekanatha Bhagavata and Hemad Pant’s Sri Sai Satcharitra and applied udi to his feet. His eczema was cured in seven days.

PRAY TO SAI

The Canadian national James Wood was a Christian. Because of a serious disease, both his kidneys stopped functioning. The doctors worked hard to save his life by transplanting artificial kidneys. Wood’s body did not cooperate. He remained in the hospital. It was decided that he had only a few days to live. One day, his friend Leslie Boney came with a Sai devotee to see Wood. The devotee told him, “Don’t panic! Sai Baba is god. Offer him your heartfelt prayer and take this udi. Sai is capable of making your kidneys function without the help of any surgery.” As Wood was a Christian, the devotee suitably modified the Lords Prayer in the bible, wrote it on a paper and gave it to Wood to read. The patient followed the instructions carefully. He read the prayer, took udi and Sai teertham. The doctors were examining the kidneys every half an hour. By the night of the third day, the kidneys began working. The team of doctors were stupefied. A grateful Wood visited Shirdi on February, 23, 1979.

Dr CHANG

The American national Dr. Chang suffered asthma from his infancy. By the time he reached 35, it had become a part of his life. He had to depend on medicines. He had to keep the spray always with him as it provided some relief. At that age, he wanted to turn to spirituality, but how? Meditation, fasting, exercises, dieting – none of them had any effect. The moment he sat for concentration for meditation, his attack of asthma was there to disturb him!

It so happened, that he had read Arthur Osborne’s “The Incredible Sai Baba”. A description is given therein about the disease of Pradhan’s younger son. The boy was down with fever and was in the second floor. The pujari of the house prayed that if Baba could bring the boy down to the ground floor by 04.00pm, he would accept Baba as an incarnation of Dattatreya. Surprisingly, the boy’s fever took a downward trend and around 04.00 pm, he began to pester his mother that wanted go the ground floor and play. The moment Chang recollected the narrative, he felt the devotional surge in him. He closed his eyes and prayed, “Baba! If you can treat my asthma, I will accept you as god!” From that moment, Chang neither needed spray nor the medicines.

HAD I BEEN A FROG!!

Gopal Bhaskar Datar was reading Hemad Pant’s Sri Sai Satcharitra. A lady in his house was suffering from body pains for a long time. Medical help did not yield any results. Once, Datar was reading the serpent and the frog story from the Satcharitra loudly. The lady heard the story in a drowsy state and prayed, “O Baba! When you can shower such kindness on frogs and other animals, why not on a human being like me?” Then she heard the words, “Will you give me dakshina of rupees five for Dasara?” coming from a wooden nail on the wall. She replied, “Definitely, if I am cured of my pains”. Then she became fully conscious and told the event to Datar. He immediately sent rupees five to Shirdi. Her pains began decreasing from that moment itself and she was totally relieved by that evening.

We need not feel, “Had I been a frog, I would have earned Sai’s mercy”. We have Sri Sai Satcharitra with us and that is more than enough to take us across any calamity.

ALL ROUND PROTECTION

Sai said, “I will protect, those who lovingly sing my stories, from all directions”.

Dasganu Maharaj got ready to perform keertan in a neighbouring village to Shirdi. He went to Sai and sought his permission. Sai advised him to take Jyothindra Tarkhad, another devotee, with him. Dasganu did as he was told. He went to the village, placed Baba’s photo on the dais, lighted the lamps, and garlanded the photo. Audiences began to throng and the keertan started. After about an hour of spellbinding narration, Dasganu found that a few Bhils were taking a body for the last rites. Having seen Dasganu, the leader of Bhils came to him and asked whose photograph he had garlanded. Dasganu, in his inimitable style, told him about Baba and all his powers. The Bhil leader said, “In that case, let your Baba revive this dead person. Only then I will accept him as god, otherwise, I will kill all of you here”. Dasganu was taken by surprise by this unexpected turn of the events. He requested Jyothindra Tarkhad to sing, “Raham Nazar Karna”. Every one else there, including Dasganu, joined in singing and the entire atmosphere became very ecstatic. Within an hour, the dead person sat up and also began singing. The Bhils apologized and said that they would shortly have Baba’s darshan. What Baba needs is our love and devotion.

WHO ARE YOU?

This chapter is one of the most important chapters of Sri Sai Satcharitra. It is in this chapter that Sai explains about who he is and also how he should be worshipped. In his own words,

“I am the mother of all beings”

“I am the creator, sustainer and destroyer”

“The visible universe is my manifestation”

“The pranava known as AUM is my speech”

“If it is borne in mind that I have manifested in this universe as unbounded energy only then pure and total bliss will result”

“The only devotion to me, the only service to me is to turn one’s attention to me”

Let us worship the Sai embedded in our minds without any lapse! For that also, let us take shelter at the divine feet of our beloved Baba!

With this the third chapter of Sri Sai Satcharitra called as Sai Baba’s permission and assurance is complete. In the next chapter Hemad Pant tells us about Sai’s advent in Shirdi, appearance of Vithal, Ganga and Yamuna sprouting from Baba’s toes, about the three Wadas in Shirdi and other events

|| Sri Sadguru Sainatha arpanamasthu | Shubam Bhavatu ||
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti