Sai Sat Charita - mysaiprayer.com

Baba said, "Alright, now let Me know whether you both had a chitchat, and if so, tell Me all that you talked about." Not minding the sounds of the bell, the drum and the chorus songs,

Hemadpant was eager to tell what they had talked and started to narrate it. Baba was also anxious to hear, and so He left the bolster and leaned forward.

Hemadpant said all that they talked about was very pleasant, and that specially the story of the old lady was most wonderful and that on hearing it, he thought that His Leela was inexplicable, and under the guise of that story, He really blessed him.

Baba then said - "Wonderful is the story. How were you blessed? I would like to know everything in detail from you, so tell Me all about it."

Then Hemadpant related in full the story which he had heard a little while before, and which had made a lasting impression on his mind. Hearing this Baba was much pleased and asked him - "Did the story strike you and did you catch its significance?"

He replied - "Yes, Baba the restlessness of my mind has vanished and I have got true peace and rest, and come to know the true path."

Then Baba spoke as follows:- "My method is quite unique. Remember well, this one story, and it will be very useful. To get the knowledge (realization) of the Self, Dhyana (meditation) is necessary.

If you practice it continuously, the Vrittis (thoughts) will be pacified. Being quite desireless, you should meditate on the Lord, Who is in all the creatures,

and when the mind is concentrated, the goal will be achieved. Meditate always on My formless nature, which is knowledge incarnate, consciousness and bliss.

If you cannot do this, meditate on My Form from top to toe as you see here night and day. As you go on doing this, your Vrittis will concentrate on one point and the distinction

between the Dhyata (meditator), Dhyana (act of meditation), Dhyeya (this meditated upon) will be lost and the meditator will be one with the Consciousness and be merged in the Brahman.

The (mother) tortoise is on one bank of the river, and her young ones are on the other side. She gives neither milk, nor warmth to them. Her mere glance gives them nutrition.

The young ones do nothing, but remember (meditate upon) their mother. The tortoise glance is, to the young ones, a down-pour of nectar, the only source of sustenance and happiness.

Similar is the relation, between the Guru and disciples." When Baba uttered these last words, the chorus of the Arati songs stopped and all cried out loudly in one voice: "Victory be to our Sadguru Sai Maharaj, Who is Existence, Knowledge and Bliss."

Dear readers, let us imagine, that we are at this time, standing amongst the crowd in the Masjid; and let us join them in this Jayajayakar.

After the Arati ceremony was over, Prasad was distributed. Bapusaheb Jog advanced as usual, and after saluting Baba, gave into His hand a handful of sugar-candy.

Baba pushed all this quantity into the hands of Hemadpant and said to him, "If you take this story to heart and remember it well, your state will be sweet as the sugar-candy, all your desires will be fulfilled and you will be happy."

Hemadpant bowed before Baba and implored, "Do favour me like this, bless and protect me always."

Baba replied - "Hear this story, meditate on it and assimilate its spirit. Then you will always remember and meditate on the Lord, Who will manifest Himself to you."

Dear readers! Hemadpant got Prasad of sugar-candy then; and we now get the Prasad of sugar-candy or nectar of this story. Let us drink it to out heart's content, meditate on it, and assimilate it,

and be strong and happy by Baba's grace. Amen! Towards the end of the 19th Chapter Hemadpant had dealt with some other matters which are given below.

Baba's Advice Regarding our Behaviour

The following words of Baba are general and invaluable. If they are kept in mind and acted upon, they will always do you good.

"Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere."

If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, but receive them well and treat them, with due respect. Shri Hari (God) will be certainly pleased,

if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked, and your verandah to strangers for sitting and resting. If anybody wants any money from you, and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him, like a dog.

Let anybody speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by giving any bitter reply.

If you always tolerate such things, you will certainly be happy. Let the world go topsy-turvy, you remain where you are.

Standing or staying in your own place, look on calmly at the show of all things passing before you. Demolish the wall of difference that separates you from Me;

and then the road for our meeting will be clear and open. The sense of differentiation, as I and thou,

is the barrier that keeps away the disciple from his Master, and unless that is destroyed the state of union or atonement is not possible, "Allah Malik" i.e. God is the sole Proprietor, nobody else is our Protector. His method of work is extra-ordinary, invaluable, and inscrutable.

His will will be done and He will show us the way, and satisfy our heart's desires.

"It is on account of Rinaubandh (former relationship) that we have come together, let us love and serve each other and be happy. He, who attain the supreme goal of life, is immortal and happy; all others merely exist, i.e., live so long as they breathe".

Encouraging Good Thoughts of Fruition

It is interesting to note how Sai Baba encouraged good thoughts. You have to surrender yourself completely to Him with love, and devotion, and they you will see how, He helps you, off and on, in so many things.

Some Saint has said, that when you get a good thought, immediately after awakening from sleep,

and if you develop the same afterwards during the day, your intellect will be unfolded and your mind will attain calmness.

Hemadpant wanted to try this. On one Wednesday night before going to bed, he thought - "Tomorrow is Thursday - an auspicious day and the place, viz. Shirdi, is so holy; so let me pass the whole day in remembering and chanting the Rama-nama,

and then he slept. Next morning when he got up he remembered without any effort the name of Rama and was much pleased. He then, after finishing his morning duties, went to see Baba with flowers.

When he left Dixit's Wada, and was just passing Booty's Wada (present Samadhi-mandir) he heard a beautiful song that was being sung nicely by one Aurangabadkar, in the Masjid before Baba.

The song was Guru - kripanjan payo mere bhai" etc . by Ekanath, in which he says that he got collyrium in the form of Guru's grace which opened his vision and made him see Rama, in and out, in sleep, dream, and waking state and everywhere.

There were so many songs; and why was this song particularly chosen by Aurangabadkar, a devotee of Baba?

Is this not a curious coincidence arranged by Baba to feed the determination of Hemadpant to sing unceasingly Rama-nama, during the day?

All Saints agree on and lay stress upon the efficacy of uttering Rama's (God's) name, in fulfilling the ambitions of the Bhaktas and in protecting and saving them from all calamities.

Variety in Upadesh -- Slanderer Condemned

Sai Baba required no special place, nor any special time for giving instructions. Whenever any occasion demanded, He gave them freely. Once it so happened that a Bhakta of Baba, reviled another behind his back, before other people.

On leaving aside merits, he dwelt on the faults of his brother, and spoke so sarcastically, that the hearers were disgusted.

Generally, we see that people have a tendency to scandalize others, un-necessarily; and this brings on hatred and ill-will.

Saints see scandal, in another light. They say that there are various ways of cleansing or removing dirt, viz. by means of earth, water and soap etc., but a scandal-monger has got a way of his own.

He removes the dirt (faults) of others by his tongue; so in a way of obliges the person, whom he reviles and for this he is to be thanked.

Sai Baba had his own method of correcting the scandal-monger. He knew by his omniscience what the slanderer had done and when He met him at noon near the Lendi,

Baba pointed out to him a pig that was eating filth near the fence and said to him - "Behold how, with what relish it is gorging dung.

Your conduct is similar. You go on reviling your own brethren to your heart's content. After performing many deeds of merit, you are born a man, and if you act like this, will Shirdi help you in any way?"

Needless to say, that the Bhakta took the lesson to his heart, and went away. In this way Baba went on giving instructions whenever necessary.

If these are borne in our minds and acted upon, the spiritual goal (realization) is not far off. There is a proverb which says - "If there be my Hari (Lord), He will feed me on my cot."

This proverb is only true in respect of food and clothing, but if anyone trusting in this, sits quiet and does nothing in spiritual matters, he will be ruined.

One has to exert himself to his utmost for attaining self-realization. The more he endeavours, the better for him.

Baba said that He was omnipresent, occupying land, air, country, world, light and heaven, and that He was not limited.

To remove the misunderstanding of those, who thought that Baba was only His body - three cubits and a half in length, He incarnated Himself in this form and if any devotee meditated on Him day and night with complete self-surrender,

he experienced complete union (without any difference) with Him like sweetness and sugar, waves and sea, eye and its luster.

He, who wants to get rid of the cycle of births and deaths, should lead a righteous life, with his mind calm and composed. He should always engage himself in good actions, should do his duties and surrender himself, heart and soul to Him.

He need not then be afraid of anything. He who trusts Him entirely, hears and expounds His Leelas and does not think of anything else, is sure to attain Self-realization.

Baba asked many to remember His name and to surrender to Him, but to those, who wanted to know who they were ('Who am I' enquiry), He advised Shravanam (study) and Mananam (meditation).

To some, He advised remembering God's name, to others hearing His Leelas, to some worship of His Feet, to others reading and studying Adhyatma Ramayan, Jnaneshwari and other sacred scriptures.

Some He made sit near His Feet, some He sent to Khandoba's temple, and some He advised the repetition of the thousands names of Vishnu and some the study of Chhandogya Upanishad and Geeta.

There were no limit, nor restriction to His instructions. To some, He gave them in person. To others by visions in dreams.

To one addicted to drink, He appeared in his dream, sat on his chest, pressed it and left him, after he gave a promise not to touch liquor anymore. To some, He explained some Mantras like `Gurur Brahma' in dreams.

To some devotee, who was practising Hath-Yoga, He sent word that he should leave off Hath-Yoga practices, sit quiet and wait (Saburi). It is impossible to describe all His ways and methods.

In ordinary wordly dealings, He set examples by His actions, one of which is given below.

Remuneration for Labour

One day at noon, Baba came near Radha-Krishna-Mai's house and said - "Bring Me a ladder." Some men brought it and set it against a house as directed by Baba.

He climbed up on the roof of Vaman Gondkar's house, passed the roof of Radha-Krishna-Mai's house and then got down from the other corner.

What object Baba had, none could know. Radha-Krishna-Mai was, at that time, shivering with Malaria. It may be to drive off that fever, that He may have gone there.

Immediately after getting down, Baba paid Rupees two to the persons who brought the ladder.

Somebody asked Baba, why he paid so much for this.

He replied that nobody should take the labour of others, in vain. The worker should be paid, his dues promptly and liberally.

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all