You can also listen to the free audiobook version of this Chapter on Youtube: Chapter 8
- The Importance of Our Human Birth
- Sai Baba Begging Food
- Bayajabai’s Service
- Sai Baba’s Dormitory
- And His Affection for Khushalchand
The Importance of Our Human Birth
In this wonderful universe, God has created billions of creatures or beings (including Gods, demigods, insects, beasts and men) inhabiting heaven, hell, the earth, oceans, the sky and other intermediate regions. Of these, those creatures or souls whose merits preponderate, go to heaven and live there till they enjoy the fruits of their actions. And when this is done, they are cast down. On the other hand, souls whose sins or demerits preponderate, go down to hell and suffer the consequences of their misdeeds for so long a time as they deserve. When their merits and demerits balance each other out, they are born on earth as human beings and are given a chance to work out their salvation. Ultimately, when their merits and demerits are both completely destroyed, they get their deliverance and become free. To put the matter in a nutshell, souls get their births or trans-migrations according to their deeds and intelligence (the development of their minds).
The Special Value of the Human Body
As we all know, four things are common to all creatures: food, sleep, fear and sexual union. Man however, is endowed with a special faculty−knowledge− with the help of which he can attain divine-vision, which is impossible in any other birth. It is for this reason that even the Gods envy man’s fortune and aspire to be born as men on earth, so as to get their final deliverance.
Some say that there is nothing worse than the human body, which is full of filth, mucus, phlegm and dirt. It is subject to decay, disease and death. This is no doubt true to a certain extent. But in spite of these drawbacks and defects, the special value of the human body is that man has got the capacity to acquire knowledge. It is only due to human knowledge that one can think of the perishable and transitory nature of the body itself and the world, and thereby develop disgust for sense-enjoyments. Thus, humans have the capacity to discriminate between the unreal and the real, and thereby attain divine-vision. So, if we reject or neglect the body because it is filthy, we lose the chance to attain self-realization; And if we fondle it and run after sense objects, we go to hell. Therefore, the proper course for us to pursue, is that the body should neither be neglected nor fondled, but should be properly cared for; just as a traveler on horse-back takes care of his horse till he reaches his destination and returns home. Thus, the body should always be used or engaged to attain self-realization, which is the supreme end of life.
It is said that though God created various creatures, he was not satisfied. For none of them was able to understand and appreciate His work. So he had to create a special being, Man, and endow him with a special faculty− Knowledge. And when He saw that man was able to appreciate His Leelas (divine actions), He was very pleased and satisfied. (Vide, Bhagawat 11-9-28). Thus, it is good luck to get a human body and even better luck to have the recourse of Sai Baba’s Feet and to surrender to Him completely.
Man’s Endeavour
Realizing how precious human life is and knowing that Death is certain and may snatch us at any time, we should always be alert to achieve the true objective of our lives. We should not delay this and should make every possible attempt to gain our object; just as a widower is anxious to get himself married to a new bride, or just as a king leaves no stone unturned to seek his lost son. Similarly, with all earnestness and speed, we should strive to attain our end− self-realization. Casting aside sloth and laziness, and warding off drowsiness, we should day and night meditate on the Self. If we fail to do this, we reduce ourselves to the level of beasts.
How Should We Proceed
The most effective and speedy way to gain our object is to approach a worthy Sadguru who has attained self-realization. What cannot be achieved by hearing religious lectures and the study of religious work, is easily obtained in the company of such worthy souls. Just as the sun alone gives light, which all the stars put together cannot do, the Sadguru alone imparts spiritual wisdom, which all the sacred books and sermons cannot infuse. His movements and simple talk give us silent advice; The virtues of forgiveness, calmness, disinterestedness, charity, benevolence, control of mind and body and humility are imbibed by the disciples when they are observed in such pure and holy company. This enlightens their minds and lifts them spiritually. Sai Baba was such a Sadguru. Though He acted as a Fakir (mendicant), He was always engrossed in the Self. He always loved all beings, in whom He saw God or Divinity. He was not elated by pleasures and was not depressed by misfortunes. A king and a pauper were the same to Him. He, whose glance would turn a beggar into a king, used to beg His food from door to door in Shirdi. Let us now see how He did it.
Baba Begging for Food
Blessed are the people of Shirdi, in front of whose houses Baba stood as a beggar and called out, “Oh Lassie, give Me a piece of bread” and spread out His hand to receive the same. In one hand, He carried a tin pot and in the other a rectangular piece of cloth. He visited a few houses every day and went from door to door. Liquid or semi-liquid things such as soup, vegetables, milk or butter-milk were received in the tin pot; while cooked rice, bread and other solid food was received in the cloth. Baba’s toungue knew no taste, as He had acquired control over it. So how could He care for the taste of the different things collected? Whatever food He received, in His cloth and in the tin pot, were mixed together and partaken by Baba to His heart’s content. Whether particular things were tasty or not, was never noticed by Baba, as His tongue was devoid of the sense of taste. Baba begged till noon, but His begging was very irregular. Some days He went a few rounds, on other days up to twelve noon. The food thus collected was emptied into a clay pot. Dogs, cats and crows freely ate from it and Baba never drove them away. The woman who swept the floor of the Masjid took 10 or 12 pieces of bread home and Baba never prevented her from doing so. How could He, who even in His dreams never chased away cats and dogs by harsh words, refuse food to poor, helpless people? Blessed indeed is the life of such a noble person. People in Shirdi took Him, in the beginning, for a mad Fakir and He was known in the village by this name. How could one, who lived on alms and begged for a few crumbs of bread, be revered and respected? But this Fakir was very liberal, disinterested and charitable. Though He looked fickle and restless from the outside, He was firm and steady on the inside. His ways were inscrutable; Yet, even in that small village, there were a few kind and blessed people who recognized and regarded Him as a great soul. One such instance is given below.
Bayajabai’s Brilliant Service
Tatya Kote’s mother, Bayajabai, used to go to the woods every noon with a basket on her head containing bread and vegetables. She roamed in the jungle for several miles, trampling over bushes and shrubs, in search of the “mad Fakir”. And once she found Him, she fell at His feet; The Fakir sat calm and motionless in meditation, while she placed a leaf before Him, spread the eatables and fed Him. Wonderful was her faith and service. Every day at noon, she roamed the jungle and lovingly forced Baba to eat her food. Her Upasana (service) was never forgotten by Baba till his Maha-Samadhi. Remembering the service she had rendered, Baba benefited her son magnificently. Both the son and the mother had great faith in the Fakir, Who was their God. Baba often said to them that Mendicancy was the real Lordship, as it was everlasting; and the so-called Lordship (riches) was transient. After a few years, Baba stopped going into the woods, began to live in the village and had His food in the Masjid. From that time, Bayajabai’s troubles of roaming in the jungle ended.
The Dormitory of the Trio
Blessed are the Saints in whose hearts Lord Vasudev dwells; And fortunate indeed are devotees who get the benefit of the company of such Saints. Two such fortunate fellows, Tatya Kote Patil and Bhagat Mhalsapati, shared Sai Baba’s company equally. Baba also loved them both equally. These three slept in the Masjid with their heads towards the east, west and north and with their feet touching one another at the center. After preparing their beds, they lay on them, chatting and gossiping about many things till late at night. If any one of them showed any signs of sleep, the others would wake him up. For instance, if Tatya began to snore, Baba at once got up and shook him from side to side and pressed his head. If it was Mhalsapati, Baba hugged him, stroked his legs and kneaded his back. In this way, for a full 14 years, Tatya slept in the Masjid instead of his house, due to his love for Baba. How happy and memorable were those days! How does one measure that love and how does one value Baba’s grace? After his father passed away, Tatya took charge of household affairs and began to sleep at home.
Khushalchand of Rahata
Baba loved Ganpat Kote Patil of Shirdi. He also loved Chandrabhanshet Marwadi of Rahata equally. After the demise of the Shet, Baba loved his nephew, Khushalchand, perhaps even more and cared for his welfare. Sometimes, in a bullock cart and at other times in a tanga with intimate friends, Baba went to Rahata. The people of that village came out and with musical instruments playing, received Baba at the gate of the village and prostrated before Him. Then He was taken into the village with great pomp and ceremony. Khushalchand took Baba to his house, seated Him on a comfortable seat and fed Him a good lunch. Then they talked freely and merrily for some time. Baba returned to Shirdi, after blessing everyone.
Shirdi is midway between and equidistant from Rahata on one side (south) and Nimgaon on the other (north). Baba never went beyond these places during His lifetime. He never saw a train or traveled by it; And yet, He knew the exact timing of the arrival and departure of all trains. Devotees who acted according to Baba’s instructions, which were given by him when they were leaving, fared well. Those who disregarded them suffered many a mishap and accident. More about this and other matters will be told in the next Chapter.
Bow to Shri Sai– Peace to be all