Gospel of Sri Sai Baba
Gospel of Sri Sai Baba
R. Radhakrishan
"There will never be any dearth or scarcity of food and clothes in my
devotees' home. It is my special characteristic that I look always to and
provide for the welfare of those devotees whose minds are ever fixed on me.
Lord Krishna has also said the same in the Bhagavad Gita (Chapter IX Verse
22). Therefore, strive not much for food and clothes. If you want anything
to beg of the Lord, leave worldly honour, try to get the Lord's grace and
blessings and be honoured in his court. Do not be deluded by wordly honour.
The form of the deity should be firmly fixed in the mind. Let all the senses
and mind be ever devoted to the worship of the lord. Let there be no
attraction for any other thing; fix the mind in remembering him always so
that it will not wander elsewhere towards body, wealth and home. Then it
will be calm, peaceful and carefree.This is the sign of the mind being well
engaged in good company. If the mind be vagrant, it cannot be called well
merged. (Sai Satcharita, Chapter - VI}.
Now, I will relate the life story of two ardent devotees of Baba namely,
Dasganu Maharaj and Balaram Mankar, who implicitly obeyed Baba's orders and
got all the benefits (both material and spiritual) from him which bear the
testimony to Baba's words stated above.
Shri Ganapatrao Sahasra Buddhe alias Dasganu Maharaj was a police constable
and an orderly of Baba's ardent and a great devotee, Shri Nana Saheb
Chandorkar Deputy Collector.
Once Dasganu visited Shirdi along with Nana and had darshan of Baba. Baba
(looking to his future bright spiritual prospects), told him to resign from
the constable's post, come to Shirdi and stay with him. But, Dasganu replied
that he would do it after becoming fouzdar (Sub-Inspector). Although Baba
repeatedly told him to resign, he did not. But, finally Baba created a grave
situation for him - he was to be killed by a notorious dacoit by name Khana
Bhill in Ram Mandir, when he took the oath as follows: "Baba, I will resign
this time if I am now saved." Wonder of wonders! The dacoit warned him not
to try to catch him nor hand him over to the police and let him go scot
free.
This happened in the year 1903 and Dasganu finally left the job, went to
Baba, prostrated before him and said with tears in his eyes "Baba, I am
without any property and I have no income. Unless there is some provision,
myself and my wife have to starve" (No children were born to him). Then Baba
said, "Do not fear. I will provide for you, Ganu." Baba did provide. He told
him, "Go to Nanded in Nizam's state. Attend to your Brahaminical duties
(Swadharma) of reading' Puran', explaining them and conducting keertan,
etc." Dasganu did so. He had an excellent voice and had a good mastery of
the art of keertans (singings). He used to keep Baba's photo by his side
while doing keertan and used to draw thousands of devotees (through his
melodious voice). His name was a "household word" throughout Maharashtra. It
was said in those days that Dasganu Maharaj by his inimitable keertans and
Nana Saheb Chandorkar by his talks and discourses on Baba to his friends,
spread Baba's name and fame (glory) throughout Maharashtra. Ganu was a great
devotee of lord Panduranga and he used to make "Vari" trip to Pandharpur
every year. He died at the ripe age of about 90 at Pandharpur itself as per
his wish. Thus Baba made him to cast his mortal coil and fulfilled his wish
to attain "Sadgati" at the abode of Lord Panduranga. In fact, Baba and
Panduranga are one and the same. It may not be out of place if I say that
his Samadhi is at 'Umri' near Nanded and hundreds of his disciples even now
flock there (Umri) every year to participate in the Samadhi Utsav
(function).
It is also to be mentioned here that Dasganu, after becoming Baba's devotee,
never had to suffer for want of food and clothes. Always someway or other
money was pouring in and later he began to own land in Nanded, which he gave
to his adopted son. Baba's undertakings for his Bhaktas are never left
unperformed.
Let us see what was Dasganu (Police constable Dattatreya Ganpatrao Sahasra
Budhe) before becoming Baba's ardent Devotee; He was leading a sinful life
and he used to take pleasure in composing "Lavanis" (Marathi poems in
typical language) and the same was sung by groups of nautch girls (dancing
girls) during the performance of "Tamashas" (very popular stage dramas) in
villages throughout Maharashtra arousing passion in the minds of audience
(viewers). How great our Lord Sai is! He transformed a sinner into a great
saint - par excellence.
Then again take the case of Balaram Mankar, who attached himself to Baba
with intense love, solely for spiritual purposes. His relatives complained
to Baba that he was the only earning member in his family and by his staying
on with Baba at Shirdi there was utter damage done to the family welfare.
They said that Mankar had a number of sons who would be left destitute by
his neglecting business. Baba then said, "I will provide for Mankar's sons."
Mankar was sent away to Machindragad for spiritual meditation and especially
for learning the fact that Baba was as much with him at Machindragad as he
was at Shirdi.
Baba one day appeared to him at Machindragad and told him that the object of
his being sent there was to demonstrate to him that Baba who was at Shirdi
was, at the same time at Machindragad also and could talk to him and guide
him, Mankar had very great spiritual advancement and it was one time hoped
that he would be the successor to Baba's "throne". So high was his spiritual
position. But, unfortunately he died in the year 1913, long before Baba
attained Mahasamadhih 1918. As for provision for his family, all the four
sons of Mankar are now well placed and are in high positions drawing incomes
mostly in seven to eight figures (in 1913). Baba's statement that he would
provide for Mankar's sons (Yoga, Kshemam, Vahamiaham) has proved to be
absolutely true.
In conclusion, it is to be stated that Baba had also provided hundred of his
devotees (when he was living) to mention a few, Shri Abdul Baba, Madhavarao
Deshpande (alias schoolmaster Shama), Anna Saheb Debholkar (all's Hemadpant;
Mahalsapati, Appa Shindi, Kashiram Meghapa, etc. Even now he is providing
every sincere and ardent devotee who has completely surrendered to him with
"Tan, Man, Dhan" (Body, mind and wealth) and worship him with wholehearted
devotion.
Therefore, let us always remember Baba's leelas/stories, meditate on them
and chant his "Taraka Mantra"- Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai, so that we may
easily cross over the sea of Samsara (Mundane Existence) and finally merge
in the eternity of Baba (Self -Realisation).
(Adopted from Souviner published on INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION OF SHIRDI SAI
DEVOTEES AND UNIVEILING OF SAI BABAS STATUE AT FARIDABAD (OCT 1997) -
The book can be read at www.saileelas.org)
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