Sai Satcharitra
Sai Satchritra - Chapter XLV
Kakasaheb's Doubt and Anandrao's Vision - Wooden Plank Baba's bed-stead and not
Bhagat's.
Preliminary
We have described in the last three chapters Baba's Passing away. His physical or finite
form has no doubt disappeared from our view; but the infinite or spiritual form (Spirit of
Baba) ever lives. The Leelas which occurred during His lifetime have been dwelt upon at
great length up till now. Ever since His passing away, fresh Leelas have taken place and
are even now happening. This clearly shows that Baba is ever-living and helping His
devotees as before. The people who got the contact of Baba when He was living, were
indeed very fortunate, but if any of them did not get a dispassion for the things and
enjoyments of the world and had not their minds turned to the Lord, it was sheerly their
ill-luck. What was then wanted and is now wanted is the whole-hearted devotion to
Baba. All our senses, organs, and mind should co-operate in worshipping and serving
Baba. It is no use in engaging some organs in the worship and deflecting others. If a
thing like worhsip or meditation is to be done, it ought to be done with all our mind and
soul.
The love that a chaste woman bears to her husband is sometimes compared to that
which a disciple bears to his master (Guru). Yet the former falls far short of the latter,
which is incomparable. No one, whether he be father, mother, brother or any other
relation, comes to our aid in attaining the goal of life (self-realization). We have to chalk
out and traverse the path of self-realization ourselves. We have to discriminate between
the Unreal and the Real, renounce the things and enjoyments of this world and the next,
control our senses and mind, and aspire for liberation only. Instead of depending upon
others, we should have full faith in ourselves.
When we begin to practice discrimination, we come to know, that the world is transient
and unreal and our passion for worldly things becomes less and less, and ultimately we
get dispassion or non-attachment for them. Then we know that the Brahma which is no
other than our Guru is the sole reality and as It transcends and besets the seeming
universe, we begin to worship It in all creatures. This is the unitive Bhajan or worship.
When we thus worship the Brahma or Guru whole-heartedly, we become one with Him
and attain self-realization. In short, always chanting the name of the Guru, and
meditating on Him enables us to see Him in all beings, and confers eternal bliss on us.
The following story will illustrate this.
Kakasaheb's Doubt and Anandrao's Vision
It is well-known, that Sai Baba had enjoined Kakasaheb Dixit to read daily two works of
Shri Ekanath: (1) Bhagawat and (2) Bhawartha Ramayan. Kakasaheb read these daily
while Baba was living and he followed the practice even after Baba's passing away.
Once in Kaka Mahajani's house in Choupati, Bombay, Kakasaheb was reading Ekanathi
Bhagawat in the morning. Madhavarao Deshpande alias Shama and Kaka Mahajani
were then present and listened attentively to the portion read, viz., the 2nd Chapter, 11th
skandha of the book. Therein the nine Nathas or Siddhas of the Rishabha family, viz.,
Kavi, Hari, Antariksha, Prabuddha, Pippalayan, Avirhotra, Drumil, Chamas and
Karabhajan expounded the principles of the Bhagawat Dharma to King Janak. The latter
asked all the nine Nathas most important questions and each of them answered them
satisfactorily. The first, i.e., Kavi explained what is Bhagawat Dharma; Hari, the
characteristics of a Bhakta (devotee); Antariksha, what is Maya; Prabuddha, how to
cross Maya; Pippalayan, what is Para-Brahma; Avirhotra, what is Karma; Drumil, the
incarnations of God and their deeds; Chamas, how a non-devotee fares after death;
Karabhajan, the different modes of worship of God in different ages. The substance of all
the exposition was that in this Kali age, the only means of liberation was the
remembrance of Hari's (Lord's) or Guru's feet. After the reading was over, Kakasaheb
said in a despondent tone to Madhavarao and others - "How wonderful is the discourse
of the nine Nathas on Bhakti or devotion. But at the same time how difficult it is to put it
into practice! The Nathas were perfect, but is it possible for fools like us to attain the
devotion as delineated by them? we won't get it even after several births, then how are
we to get salvation? It seems that there is no hope for us." Madhavarao did not like this
pessimistic attitude of Kakasaheb.
He said - "It is a pity that one who by his good luck got such a jewel (Guru) as Baba,
should cry out so disparagingly; If he has unwavering faith in Baba, why should he feel
restless? The Bhakti of the Nathas may be strong and wonderful, but is not ours' loving
and affectionate? And has not Baba told us authoritatively that remembering and
chanting Hari's and Guru's name confers salvation? Then where is the cause for fear
and anxiety? Kakasaheb was not satisfied with Madhavarao's explanation. He continued
to be anxious and restless, the whole day, thinking and brooding over how to get the
powerful Bhakti of the Nathas. Next morning, the following miracle took place.
One gentleman, named Anandrao Pakhade came there in search of Madhavarao. The
reading of the Bhagawat was then going on. Mr.Pakhade sat near Madhavarao and was
whispering something to him. He was mentioning in low tone his dream-vision. As there
was some interruption in the reading by this whispering, Kakasaheb stopped the
reading, and asked Madhavarao what the matter was. The latter said - "Yesterday you
expressed your doubt, now here is the explanation of it; hear Mr.Pakhade's vision which
Baba gave him, explaining the characteristic of 'saving' devotion and showing that the
devotion in the form of bow to, or worship of, Guru's feet is sufficient." All were anxious
to hear the vision specially Kakasaheb. At their suggestion
Mr.Pakhade began to relate the vision as follows.
I was standing in a deep sea in waist-deep water. There I saw Sai Baba all of a sudden.
He was sitting on a beautiful throne studded with diamonds, with His Feet in water. I was
most pleased and satisfied with the Form of Baba. The vision was so realistic that I
never thought that it was a dream. Curiously enough Madhavarao was also standing
there. He said to me feelingly - 'Anandrao, fall at Baba's Feet.' I rejoined - "I also wish to
do so, but His Feet are in water, how can I place my head on them? I am helpless."
Hearing this he said to Baba - "Oh Deva, take out Your Feet which are under water."
Then Baba immediately took out His feet. I caught them without delay and bowed to
them. On seeing this Baba blessed me saying - Go now, you will attain your welfare,
there is no cause for fear and anxiety. He also added - "Give a silk-bordered dhotar to
my Shama, you will profit, thereby."
In compliance with Baba's order, Mr.Pakhade brought the dhotar and requested
Kakasaheb to hand it over to Madhavarao; but the latter refused to accept it, saying that
unless Baba gave a hint or suggestion for acceptance, he would not accept it. Then after
some discussion Kakasaheb decided to cast lots.
It was the invariable practice of Kakasaheb to cast lots in all dubious matters and to
abide by the decision as shown by the picked up chit or lot. In this particular case two
chits, on one of which was written 'To accept' and on another 'To reject', were placed at
the feet of Baba's picture and an infant was asked to pick one of them. The 'To accept'
chit was picked up and the dhotar was handed over to, and accepted by, Madhavarao.
In this way both Anandrao and Madhavarao were satisfied and Kakasaheb's difficulty
was solved.
This story exhorts us to give respect to the words of other saints, but at the same time
asks us to have full faith in our Mother, i.e., the Guru, and abide by His instructions: for
he knows our welfare better than any other person. Carve out on your heart, the
following words of Baba - "There are innumerable saints in this world, but 'Our father'
(Guru) is the Father (Real Guru). Others might say many good things, but we should
never forget our Guru's words. In short, love your Guru whole-heartedly, surrender to
Him completely and prostrate yourselves before Him reverentially and then you will see
that there is no sea of the mundane existence before you to cross, there is no darkness
before the sun."
Wooden plank Baba's Bed-Stead, and not Bhagat's
In His earlier days, Baba slept on a wooden plank, 4 arms in length and only a span in
breadth with panatis (earthen lamps) burning at the four corners. Later on He broke the
plank into pieces and threw it away (Vide Chapter X). Once Baba was describing the
greatness or importance of this plank to Kakasaheb. Hearing this the latter said to Baba
- "If You still love the wooden plank, I will again suspend or hang up one in the Masjid
again for You to sleep at ease." Baba replied - "I won't like to sleep up, leaving
Mhalasapati down on the ground." Then Kakasaheb said - "I will provide another plank
for Mhalasapati." Baba - "How can he sleep on the plank? It is not easy to sleep up on
the plank. He who has many good qualities in him can do so. He who can sleep 'with his
eyes wide open' can effect that. When I go to sleep I ask often Mhalasapati to sit by My
side, place his hand on My heart and watch the 'chanting of the Lord's name' there, and
if he finds Me sleepy, wake Me up. He can't do even this. He himself gets drowsy and
begins to nod his head. When I feel his hand heavy as a stone on My heart and cry out -
'Oh Bhagat', he moves and opens his eyes.
How can he, who can't sit and sleep well on the ground and whose asana (posture) is
not steady and who is a slave to sleep, sleep high up on a plank? On many other
occasions Baba said, out of love for His devotees - "What (whether good or bad) is ours,
is with us, and what is another's is with him."
Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all