Wonderful Stories of
(1) Two Goa Gentleman
(2) Mrs.
Aurangabadkar.
This Chapter relates the wonderful
stories of two gentlemen from Goa and Mrs. Aurangabadkar of Sholapur.
Two Gentlemen
Once two gentlemen came from Goa
for taking darshan of Sai Baba, and prostrated themselves before him. Though
both came together, Baba asked only one them to give Him Rs.15/- as Dakshina
which was paid willingly. The other man voluntarily offered Rs. 35/-. This sum
was rejected by Baba to the astonishment of all. Shama, who was present, asked
Baba, "What is this? Both came together, one's Dakshina you accept, the
other, though voluntarly paid, you refuse. Why this distinction? Baba replied,
"Shama, you know nothing. I take nothing from anybody. The Masjidmayi (The
presiding Deity of the Masjid) calls for the debt, the donor pays it and
becomes free. Have I any home, property or family to look after? I require
nothing. I am ever free. Debt, enmity and murder have to be atoned for, there
is not escape". Baba then continued in His characteristic way as follows:-
As first he was poor and took a vow
to his God that he would pay his first month's salary if he got an appointment.
He got one on Rs.15/- p.m. Then he steadily got promotions, from Rs.15/- he got
Rs. 30, 60, 100, 200 and ultimately Rs.700/- per month. But in his prosperity
he forgot clean the vow he took. The force of his karma has driven him here and
I asked that amount (Rs.15/-) from him as Dakshina.
Another story, While wandering by
the sea-side I came to a huge mansion and sat on its verandah. The owner gave
me a good reception and fed me sumptuously. He showed me a neat and clean place
near a cupboard for sleeping. I slept there. While I was sound asleep, the man
removed a literite slab and broke the wall entered in and scissored off all the
money from my pocket. When I woke up, I found that Rs.30,000/- were stolen. I
was greatly distressed and sat weeping and moaning. The money was in currency
notes and I thought that the Brahmin had stolen it. I lost all interest in food
and drink and sat for a fortnight on the verandah, bemoaning my loss. After the
fortnight was over, a passing fakir saw me crying, and made enquiries regarding
the cause of my sorrow. I told him everything. He said, "If you act
according to my bidding, you will recover your money; go to a fakir, I shall
give his whereabouts, surrender yourself to him, he will get back your money;
in the meanwhile give up your favourite food till you recover your money."
I followed the fakir's advice and got my money. Then I left the Wada and went
to the sea-shore. There was a steamer, but I could not get into it as it was
crowded. There a good-natured peon interceded for me and I got in luckily. That
brought me to another shore, where I caught a train and came to the Masjidmayi.
The story finished and Baba asked
Shama to take the guests and arrange for their feeding. Then Shama took them
home and fed them. At dinner, Shama said to the guests that Baba's story was
rather mysterious, as He had never gone to the sea-side, never had any money
(Rs.30,000/-), never travelled, never lost any money and never recovered it,
and enquired whether they understood it and caught its significance. The guests
were deeply moved and were shedding tears. In a choking voice they said that
Baba was omniscient, infinite, the One (Para Brahma) without a second. The
story He gave out is exactly our story, What He spoke has already taken place
in our case. How He knew this, is a wonder of wonders! We shall give all the
details after the meals.
Then after the meals while they
were chewing betel-leaves,the guests began to tell their stories. One of them
said:-
"A hill-station on the ghats
is my native place. I went to Goa to earn my living by securing a job. I took a
vow to God Datta that if I got any service, I would offer Him my first month's
salary. By His grace I got an appointment of Rs.15/- and then I got promotions
as described by Baba. I did forget all about my vow. Baba has just reminded me
of it in this way and recovered Rs. 15/- from me. It is not Dakshina as one may
think it to be, but a repayment of an old debt and fulfillment of long
forgotten vow".
Moral
Baba never, in fact, actually
begged any money, nor allowed His Bhaktas to beg. He regarded money as a danger
or bar to spiritual progress and did not allow His Bhaktas to fall into its
clutches. Bhagat Mhalsapati, is an instance on tis point. He was very poor and
could hardly make both ends meet. Baba never allowed him to make any money, nor
gave him anything from the Dakshina amount. Once a kind and liberal merchant
named Hansaraj gave a large amount of money to Mhalsapati in Baba's presence,
but Baba did not allow him to accept it.
Then the second guest began his
tale. "My Brahmin (cook) was serving me faithfully for 35 years.
Unfortunately he fell into bad ways, his mind changed and he robbed me of my
treasure. By removing a laterite slab from my wall where my cup-board is fixed,
he came in while we were all asleep and carried away all my accumulated wealth,
Rs. 30,000/- in currency notes. I know not how Baba mentioned the exact amount.
I sat crying day and night. My enquiries came to nothing. I spent a fortnight
in great anxiety. As I sat on the verandah, sad and dejected, a passing fakir
noted my condition and enquired of its cause, and I told him all about it. He
told me that an Avalia by name Sai lives in Shirdi, Kopergaon Taluka. Make vow
to Him and give up any food that you like best and say to Him mentally that 'I have
given up eating that food till I take your darshan'. Then I took the vow and
gave up eating rice and s0aid, "Baba, I will eat it after recovering my
property and after taking your darshan".
Fifteen days passed after this. The
Brahmin, of his own accord, came to me, returned my money and apologized,
saying, "I went mad and acted thus; I now place my head on your feet,
please forgive me". Thus everything ended well. The fakir that met me and
helped me, was not seen again. An intensive desire to see Sai Baba, whom the
fakir pointed out to me, arose in my mind. I thought that the fakir who came
all the way to my house was no other than Sai Baba. Would He, who saw me and
helped me to get my lost money ever covet to get Rs.35/-? On the contrary
without expecting anything from us, He always tries His best to lead us on the
path of spiritual progress.
I was overjoyed when I recovered my
stolen property and being infatuated, I forgot all about my vow. Then when I
was at Colaba, one night I saw Sai Baba in my dream. This reminded me of my
promised visit to Shirdi. I went to Goa and from there wanted to start for
Shirdi, by taking a steamer to Bombay, en route. But when I came to the
harbour, I found that the steamer was crowded and there was no place. The
captain did not allow me, but on the intercession of a peon, who was stranger
to me, I was allowed to get into the steamer which brought me to Bombay. From
there, I got in the train and came here. Surely I think that Baba is
all-pervading and all-knowing. What are we and where is our home? How great our
good fortune that Baba got back our money and drew us here to Himself? You
Shirdi folk must be infinitely superior and more fortunate than we; for Baba
has played, laughed, talked and lived with you for so many years. I think that
your store of good merits must be infinite, for it attracted Baba into Shirdi.
Sai is our Datta. He ordered the vow. He gave me a seat in the steamer and
brought me here and thus gave proof of His omniscience and omnipotence".
Mrs. Aurangabadkar
A lady
from Sholapur, wife of Sakharam Aurangabadkar had no issue during the long
period of 27 years. She had made a number of vows of Gods and Goddesses for an
issue, but was not successful. She then became almost hopeless. To make a last
attempt in this matter, she came to Shirdi with her step-son Vishwanath and
stayed there for two months, serving Baba. Whenever she went to the Masjid, she
found it full and Baba surrounded by devotees. She wanted to see Baba alone,
fall at His feet and open her heart and pray for an issue, but she got no
suitable opportunity. Ultimately she requested Shama to intercede with Baba for
her when He was alone. Shama said to her that Baba's Darbar was open, still he
would try for her and that the Lord might bless her. He asked her to sit ready
with a cocoa-nut and joss-sticks on the open courtyard at the time of Baba's
meals and that when he beckoned to her, she should come up. One day after
dinner, Shama was rubbing Baba's wet hands with a towel when the latter pinched
Shama's cheek. Shama feigning anger said, "Deva, is it proper for you to
pinch me like this? We don't want such a mischievous God who pinches us thus.
Are we Your dependents, is this the fruit of our intimacy?" Baba replied,
"Oh Shama, during the 72 generations that you were with me, I never
pinched you till now and now you resent my touching you". Shama, "We
want a God that will give us ever kisses and sweets to eat; we do not want any
respect from You, or heaven, balloon etc. Let our faith unto Your Feet be ever
wide-awake". Baba, "Yes, I have indeed come for that. I have been
feeding and nursing you and have got love and affection for you".
Then Baba went up and took his
seat. Shama beckoned to the lady. She came up, bowed and presented the
cocoa-nut and joss-sticks. Baba shook the cocoa-nut which was dry. The Kernal
within rolled and made a noise. Baba said, "Shama, this is rolling, see
what it says". Shama, "The woman prays that a child might be
similarly rolling and quickening in the womb. So give her the cocoa-nut with
Your blessings".
Baba, "Will the coconut give
her any issue? How people are foolish and fancy such things!"
Shama, "I know the power of
Your word and blessing. Your word will give her a string or series of children.
You are wrangling and not giving real blessing".
The parley went on for a while.
Baba repeatedly ordering to break the coconut and Shama pleading for the gift
of the unbroken fruit to the lady. Finally Baba yielded and said, "She
will have an issue". "When?" asked Shama. "In 12 months"
was the reply. The cocoa-nut was therefore broken into two part, one was eaten
by the two, the other was given to the lady.
The Shama turned up to the lady and
said, "Dear madam, you are a witness to my words. If within 12 months you
do not get any issue, I will break a cocoa-nut against this Deva's head and
drive him out of this Masjid. If I fail in this, I will not call myself Madhav.
You will soon realize what I say".
She delivered a son in one year's
time and the son was brought to Baba in his fifth month. Both husband and wife,
prostrated themselves before Baba and the grateful father (Mr. Aurangabadkar)
paid a sum of Rs.500/- which was spent in constructing a shed for Baba's house
"Shyamakarna".
Bow to
Shri Sai - Peace be to all
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