Chapters XVIII & XIX — Hemadpant Accepted; Sathe; Radhabai Deshmukh's "Two Pice"; Behaviour; Slander; Remuneration

Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra, trans. Gunaji
Marathi original: Sai Satcharita (archive.org scan) · Devotee testimonies: Narasimha Swami 1936 (Internet Archive) · Full bibliography: /sources.html

URL: https://www.saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai18_19.html

Sections

Mr. Sathe — One More Saptaha

Mr. Sathe, having suffered losses, came to Shirdi in 1917 and at once began a parayana (saptaha — seven-day reading) of the Guru-charitra. When the week's reading was finished, he had a vision that night of Baba holding the Guru-charitra in his hand, explaining it to him. Through Kakasaheb Dixit, Sathe asked Baba whether one saptaha was sufficient. Baba replied:

"He should make one more saptah of the book; if the work be studied carefully, the devotee will become pure and will be benefited, the Lord will be pleased and will rescue him from the bondage of the mundane existence."

Hemadpant's Restless Thought, and Baba's Reply

Hemadpant, shampooing Baba's legs, was struck with a private envy: Sathe had read for a week and received a vision; Hemadpant had been reading the same book for forty years with no result; his seven years in Shirdi seemed to have come to nothing. Baba read his thought at once and sent him to Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama):

"Go to Shama and ask him Rs. 15 as Dakshina. Sit there chitchatting with him for a while and then return."

The Visit to Shama

Hemadpant left without delay. While Shama was finishing his worship, Hemadpant sat in the verandah. He saw on the window the Marathi book Nath-Bhagwat (Ekanath's commentary on the eleventh Skandha of the Bhagwat). He had broken off his daily reading of it the previous day to accompany devotees to the masjid. When he opened it now, the very portion he had left unfinished came up. He read it and finished his daily portion. Shama, when asked for Rs. 15, said he had none and asked Hemadpant to take "fifteen namaskaras" instead. Hemadpant agreed, and asked for stories of Baba's leelas.

The Story of Radhabai Deshmukh — Two Pice

Shama then told the story of an old woman called Radhabai, mother of one Khashaba Deshmukh, who had come to Shirdi from Sangamner. She loved Baba intimately and resolved to fast unto death until Baba accepted her as Guru and gave her an Upadesh / Mantra. After three days without food or water Shama, frightened, interceded. Baba sent for her and told her his own story — the central source for Sai Baba's teaching on Faith and Patience:

"Oh mother, why are you subjecting yourself to unnecessary tortures and hastening your death? You are really My mother and I am your child. Take pity on Me and hear Me through. I tell you My own story, which if you listen carefully, will do you good.

I had a Guru. He was a great Saint and most merciful. I served him long, very long; still he would not blow any Mantra into My ears. … He first got My head shaved and asked Me two pice as Dakshina. I gave the same at once. If you say that as My Guru was perfect, why should he ask for money and how should he be called desireless? — I replied plainly that he never cared for coins. What had he to do with them? His two pice were (1) Firm Faith and (2) Patience or perseverance. I gave these two pice or things to him, and he was pleased.

I resorted to My Guru for 12 years. He brought Me up. There was no dearth of food and clothing. He was full of love, nay, he was love incarnate. … He loved Me most. … Night and day, I gazed at him with no thought of hunger and thirst. Without him I felt restless.

Saburi (Patience) will ferry you across the sea of this mundane existence. Saburi is manliness in man; it removes all sins and afflictions, gets rid of calamities, casts aside all fear, and ultimately gives you success. Saburi is the mine of virtues, consort of good thought. Nishtha (Faith) and Saburi (Patience) are like twin sisters, loving each other very intimately.

My Guru never expected any other thing from Me. He always protected Me by his glance, just as the tortoise feeds her young ones, whether they are near her or away from her on the other side of the river bank, by her loving looks.

Oh mother, My Guru never taught Me any Mantra; then how shall I blow any Mantra in your ears? … Make Me the sole object of your thoughts and actions; and you will, no doubt, attain Paramartha. Look at Me whole-heartedly, and I in turn will look at you similarly. Sitting in this Masjid, I speak the truth, nothing but the truth. No Sadhanas, nor proficiency in the six Shastras, are necessary. Have faith and confidence in your Guru."

Radhabai was convinced and gave up her fast.

Baba's Direct Confirmation to Hemadpant

At the noon Arati Hemadpant told Baba the story he had just heard. Baba, leaning forward, asked: "Did the story strike you and did you catch its significance?" Hemadpant answered: "Yes, Baba, the restlessness of my mind has vanished." Baba then said:

"My method is quite unique. Remember well, this one story. To get the knowledge of the Self, meditation is necessary. Being quite desireless, you should meditate on the Lord who is in all the creatures. … 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. … 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. Similar is the relation between the Guru and disciples."

Bapusaheb Jog placed a handful of sugar-candy in Baba's hand, which Baba pushed into Hemadpant's hands:

"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."

Baba's Advice Regarding Behaviour

Hemadpant gathers the following at the end of chapter 19 as Baba's recurring instructions on conduct:

"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. 'Allah Malik' — God is the sole Proprietor, nobody else is our Protector. … It is on account of Rinanubandh (former relationship) that we have come together. Let us love and serve each other and be happy."

Slander Condemned — the Pig at the Lendi

Baba once met a devotee who had been reviling his brother behind his back. Walking near the Lendi at noon, Baba pointed to a pig eating filth near the fence and said:

"Behold 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?"

Remuneration for Labour

One noon Baba called for a ladder, climbed onto the roof of Vaman Gondkar's house, passed across to Radha-Krishna Mai's roof (she was shivering with malaria at the time), and came down on the other side. Immediately he paid the men who had brought the ladder Rs. 2. Asked why so much, Baba said:

"Nobody should take the labour of others in vain. The worker should be paid his dues promptly and liberally."

Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in these chapters

1. (To Sathe via Kakasaheb) "He should make one more saptah of the book; if the work be studied carefully, the devotee will become pure and will be benefited, the Lord will be pleased and will rescue him from the bondage of the mundane existence."
2. (Sending Hemadpant to Shama) "Go to Shama, get from him Rs. 15 as Dakshina, sit and chitchat with him for a while and then return."
3. (The "two pice" passage to Radhabai) "I had a Guru. He was a great Saint and most merciful… His two pice were (1) Firm Faith and (2) Patience or perseverance. Nishtha (Faith) and Saburi (Patience) are like twin sisters, loving each other very intimately."
4. (To Hemadpant about meditation) "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."
5. (To Hemadpant with sugar-candy) "If you take this story to heart and remember it well, your state will be sweet as the sugar-candy."
6. (General advice on conduct) "If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away… Give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked… Allah Malik — God is the sole Proprietor."
7. (To the slanderer near the Lendi) "Behold with what relish [the pig] is gorging dung. Your conduct is similar."
8. (After paying the ladder-bearers) "Nobody should take the labour of others in vain. The worker should be paid his dues promptly and liberally."