The life of this Saint (Shirdi Saai Baba) is naturally sweet. His various doings, eating, walking and His natural sayings are also sweet. His life is Bliss Incarnate. Saai gave the bliss to His devotees as a means of remembrance. He gave them various stories of duty and action, which ultimately led them to true religion. His object may be that, people should live happily in this world but they should be ever cautious, and achieve the object of their life, viz., self-realization. We get human body as a result of merits in past births and it is worth-while that, with its aid, we should attain devotion and liberation in this life. So, we should never be lazy but always be on the alert to gain our goal of life. If you hear the Leelas (stories) of Saai daily, you will always see Him. Day and night you will remember Him in your mind. When you assimilate Saai in this way, your mind will lose its fickleness, and if you go on this manner, it will finally be merged in Pure Consciousness. Ratanji of Nanded: Now, let us come to the main story of this chapter. In Nanded, in the Nizam state, there lived a Parsi mill-contractor and trader, by name Ratanji Shapurji Wadia. He had amassed a large amount of money and had acquired fields and lands. He had cattle, horses and conveyance, and was very prosperous. In all outward appearances, he looked very happy and contented but inwardly he was not so. Providential dispensation is such that, no one in this world is completely happy, and rich Ratanji was no exception to this. He was liberal and charitable, gave food and clothing to the poor and helped all in various ways. The people took him to be a good and happy man but Ratanji thought himself miserable, as he had no issue, male or female, for a long time. Just as Kirtan (singing glories of the Lord) without love or devotion, song without rhythmical accompaniments, Brahmin without the sacred thread, proficiency in all arts without commonsense, pilgrimage without repentance and ornamentation without a necklace, are futile and useless, so is a house-holder without an issue. Ratanji always brooded on this matter and said in his mind, “Would GOD be ever pleased to grant me a son?” He, thus, looked morose, and did not relish his food. Day and night, he was enveloped with the anxiety, as to whether he would ever be blessed with a son. He had a great regard for Das Ganu Maharaj. He saw him and opened his heart before him. Das Ganu advised him to go to Shirdi, take Baba’s darshan, fall at His Feet and seek His blessing and pray for issue. Ratanji liked this idea, and decided to go to Shirdi. After some days, he went to Shirdi, took Baba’s darshan and fell at His Feet. Then, opening a basket, he took out a beautiful garland of flowers and placed it around Baba’s neck and offered Him a basket of fruits. With reverence he, then, sat near Baba, and prayed to Him saying, “Many persons, who find themselves in difficult situations came to You, and You relieve them immediately. Hearing this, I have anxiously sought Your Feet, please do not disappoint me.” Saai Baba, then, asked him for Dakshina of Rs.5, which Ratanji intended to give, but added that, He had already received Rs.3-14-0 (in those days, the currency was Rupees, Annas and Paise) from him and that, he should pay the balance only. Hearing this, Ratanji was rather puzzled. He could not make out, as to what Baba meant. That was the first time, he thought that, he had come to Shirdi and how was it that, Baba said that He had earlier got Rs.3-14-0 from him? He could not solve the riddle. But he sat at Baba’s Feet and gave the balance of the Dakshina asked for, explained to Baba fully, as to why he came and sought His help and prayed that Baba should bless him with a son. Baba was moved and told him not to worry, and that thence onward his bad days had ended. He then, gave him Udi, placed His hand on his head and blessed him saying that, Allah (GOD) would satisfy his heart’s desire. Then after taking Baba’s leave, Ratanji returned to Nanded and told Das Ganu everything, that took place at Shirdi. He said that everything went on well there, that he got Baba’s darshan and blessing with Prasad, but there was one thing, which he could not understand. Baba said to him that he had got Rs.3-14-0 before. Please explain, as to what Baba meant by this remark. He said to Das Ganu, “I never went to Shirdi before, and how could I give Him the sum, to which Baba referred?” To Das Ganu too, it was a puzzle and he thought much over it for a long time. Some time afterwards, it struck to him that, Ratanji had received some days ago a Mohammeden saint, by name Moulisaheb in his house and had spent some money for his reception. This Moulisaheb was a well known saint of Nanded and worked as a porter. When Ratanji decided to go to Shirdi, this Moulisaheb turned up at Ratanji’s house. Ratanji knew him and loved him. So, he gave a small party in his honour. Das Ganu got from Ratanji, the yadi or memo of expenses of this reception, and everybody was wonderstruck to see that, the expenses amounted to exactly Rs.3-14-0, nothing more, nothing less. They all came to know that, Baba was Omniscient, that though, He lived in Shirdi, He knew the past, present and future, and could identify Himself with anybody. In this particular instance, how could He know, the reception given to Moulisaheb and the amount spent therefore, unless, He could identify Himself with him and be one with him? Ratanji was satisfied with this explanation and his faith in Baba was confirmed and increased. In due time, he was blessed with a son and his joy knew no bounds. Dakshina Mimansa: The teacher, in the Taittiriya Upanishad, exhorts his pupils, to practise charity and other virtues. Regarding charity, he says, “Give with faith, or even without it give with magnanimity, i.e., liberally, give with modesty, awe and sympathy. In order to teach the devotees the lesson of charity and to remove their attachment to money and thus, to purify their minds, Baba extracted Dakshina from them but there was this peculiarity, as Baba said that He had to give back hundred times more of what He received. There are many instances, in which this has happened. To quote an instance, Mr. Ganpatrao Bodas, the famous actor, says in his Marathi autobiography that, on Baba’s pressing him often for Dakshina, he emptied his money-bag before Him. The result of this was, as Mr. Bodas says that, in later life he never lacked money, as it came to him abundantly. It is to be noted that, though, Baba collected a lot of money by Dakshina, He would distribute the whole amount the same day and the next morning He would become a poor Fakir as usual. When Baba took His Mahasamadhi, even after receiving thousands and thousands of Rupees as Dakshina, for about ten years, He had only a few Rupees in His possession. In short, Baba’s main object in taking Dakshina, from His devotees, was to teach them the lesson of Renunciation and Purification. ..... SHRI SAAI SATCHARITA (Chapter-XIV) Bow to Shri Saai – Peace be to all
Posted on: Sat, 05 Oct 2013 07:06:55 +0000
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