Sai Satcharitra
Sai Satchritra - Chapter XXII
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.
Bapusaheb Booty
A great astrologer named Nanasaheb Dengale told one day Bapusaheb Booty, who was
then in Shirdi, "To-day is an inauspicious day for you, there is a danger to your life". This
made Bapusaheb restless. When they, as usual, came to Masjid, Baba said to
Bapusaheb- "What does this Nana say? He foretells death for you. Well, you need not
be afraid. Tell him boldly "Let us see how death kills." Then later in the evening
Bapusaheb went to his privy for easing himself where he saw a snake. His servant saw it
and lifted a stone to strike at it. Bapusaheb asked him to get a big stick, but before the
servant returned with the stick, the snake was seen moving away and soon disappeared.
Bapusaheb remembered with joy Baba's words of fearlessness.
Amir shankar
Amir Shankar was a native of the village Korale, in Kopergaon Taluka. he belonged to
the butcher caste. He worked as a commission agent in Bandra, and was well-known
there. He once suffered from Rheumatism, which gave him much pain. He was then
reminded of God, and so, he left his business and went to Shirdi, and prayed to Baba to
relieve him from his malady. Baba then stationed him in the Chavadi, which was then a
damp unhealthy place, unfit for such a patient. Any other place in the village, or Korale
itself would have been better for Amir, but Baba's word was the deciding factor and the
chief medicine. Baba did not allow him to come to the Masjid, but fixed him in the
Chavadi, where he got very great advantage. Baba passed via Chavadi every morning
and evening; and every alternate day Baba went to the Chavadi in a procession and
slept there. So Amir got Baba's contact very often easily. Amir stayed there for full nine
months, and then, somehow or other, he got a disgust for the place. So one night he
stealthily left the place and came to Kopergaon and stayed in a Dharmashala. There he
saw an old dying Fakir, who asked him for water. Amir brought it and gave it to him. As
soon as he drank it, he passed away. Then Amir was in a fix. He thought that if he went
and informed the authorities, he would be held responsible for the death as he was the
first and sole informant, and knew something about it. He repented for his action, viz.
leaving Shirdi without Baba's leave, and prayed to Baba. He then determined to return to
Shirdi, and that same night he ran back, remembering and muttering Baba's name on
the way, and reached Shirdi before day-break, and became free from anxiety. Then he
lived in the Chavadi in perfect accordance with Baba's wishes and orders, and got
himself cured. One night it so happened that Baba cried at midnight- "Oh Abdul, some
devilish creature is dashing against the side of My bed". Abdul came with a latern,
examined Baba's bed but found nothing, Baba asked him to examine carefully all the
place and began to strike ground with His satka. Seeing this Leela of Baba, Amir thought
that Baba might have suspected some serpent had come there. Amir could know by
close and long contact the meaning of Baba's words and actions. Baba then saw near
Amir's cushion something moving. He asked Abdul to bring in the light, and when he
brought it, he saw the coil of a serpent there, moving its head up and down. Thereupon
the serpent was immediately beaten to death. Thus Baba gave timely warning and
saved Amir.
Hemadpant (Scorpion and Serpent)
(1) At Baba's recommendation Kakasaheb Dixit was daily reading the two works of Shri
Eknath Maharaj, viz., Bhagwat and Bhawartha Ramayana and Hemadpant had the good
forturne to be one of the audience when the reading of the works was going on. Once
when a portion from the Ramayana relating to Hanuman's testing Rama's greatness,
according to his mother's instructions, was being read, all the listeners were spell-bound.
Hemadpant was one of them. A big scorpion (none knew where it came from), jumped
and sat on the right shoulder of Hemadpant, on his Uparani (upper dhotar). First it was
not noticed, but as the Lord protects those, who are intent on hearing His stories, he
casually cast a glance over his right shoulder and noticed it. It was dead silence, not a
bit moved here or there. It seemed as if, it also enjoyed the reading. Then by the Lord's
grace, Hemadpant without disturbing the audience, took the two ends of his dhotar,
folded them, and brought them together, enclosing the scorpion within. Then he went
out, and threw it in the garden. (2) On another occasion some persons were sitting in the
upper floor of Kakasaheb's Wada, just before nightfall, when a serpent crept through a
hole in the window frame and sat coiled up. A light was brought. Though it was first
dazzled, yet it sat still and only moved its head up and down. Then many persons
rushed there with sticks and cudgels, but as it sat in an awakward place, no blow could
be dealt. But hearing the noises of men, the serpent went out hastily through the same
hole. Then all the persons there felt relieved.
Baba's Opinion
One devotee named Muktaram, then said that it was good that the poor creature
escaped. Hemadpant challenged him saying that serpents should better be killed. There
was a hot discussion between them - the former contending that serpents, and such
creatures, should not be killed, the latter that they should be. As night came on, the
discussion came to an end, without any decision being arrived at. Next day, the question
was reffered to Baba, who gave His settled opinion as follows:- "God lives in all beings
and creatures, whether they be serpents or scorpions. He is the Great Wirepuller of the
world, and all beings, serpents, scorpions etc., obey His command. Unless He will it,
nobody can do any harm to others. The world is all dependent on Him, and no one is
independent. So we should take pity and love all creatures, leave off adventurous fights
and killings and be patient. The Lord (God) is the Protector of all.
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all