Chapter XXXII — In Quest of Guru and God; the Vanjari and the Well; Fasting Disapproved; Baba's Sircar

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/sai32.html

Sections

Preliminary — the Inverted Ashvattha

Hemadpant opens with the Gita's image of samsara as the Ashvattha (Banyan) tree with roots above and branches below, nourished by the gunas, sprouts as objects of the senses. The tree must be cut with the sharp weapon of non-attachment; the path beyond, once trod, allows no return. For traversing it a good Guru is absolutely necessary, however learned the seeker.

The Quest of Four Young Men

Baba's own narration:

"Once four of us were studying religious scriptures and other books and, being thus enlightened, we began to discuss the nature of the Brahman. One of us said that we should raise the self by the Self and not depend on others. The second replied that he who controls his mind is blessed; we should be free from thoughts and ideas. The third said that the world (phenomenon) is always changing, the formless is eternal; so we should discriminate between the Unreal and the Real. And the fourth (Baba Himself) urged that bookish knowledge is worthless, and added: 'Let us do our prescribed duty and surrender our body, mind and five pranas to the Guru's feet. Guru is God, all-pervading. To get this conviction, strong unbounded faith is necessary.'"

The Vanjari's Hospitality

The four set out through trackless woods. They met a Vanjari (a low-caste man who traded grain on bullock-back) who asked, "It is hot now, where and how far are you going?" They gave evasive replies.

The Vanjari said: "Without knowing the woods fully, you should not wander at random. If you want to walk through forests and jungles, you should take a guide with you. Why do you exert yourselves unnecessarily at this sultry noon-time? You may not give out your secret quest; still you can sit down, eat bread, drink water, take rest and then go. Be always patient at heart."

The four rejected his offer and marched on. The woods were vast; the trees so tall the sun's rays could not penetrate. They lost their way, wandered long, and by sheer good luck returned to the place from where they started.

The Vanjari met them again: "Relying on your own cleverness you missed your way; a guide is always necessary in small or great matters; and no quest can be successfully carried out on an empty stomach. Unless God wills it, no one meets us on the way. Do not discard offers of food; served dish should not be thrust away. Offers of bread and food should be regarded as auspicious signs of success."

Again the three rejected him. Baba alone — moved by the Vanjari's extraordinary love and his own hunger — accepted:

"He who loves others disinterestedly is really enlightened, and I thought acceptance of his hospitality was the best beginning of getting knowledge. So very respectfully I accepted the loaf of bread offered, ate it and drank water."

The Guru Appears — the Well

At that moment the Guru appeared:

"What was the dispute about?"

Baba told him everything. The Guru said: "Would you like to come with me? I will show you what you want; but he alone who believes in what I say, will be successful."

The other three left. Baba bowed reverently and accepted. The Guru took him to a well, tied his feet with a rope, and suspended him head-downward three feet above the water — unable to reach the water with his hands or his mouth. The Guru went away.

After 10-12 ghatakas (4-5 hours) the Guru returned, quickly took Baba out, and asked how he had fared.

Baba:

"In Bliss supreme, I was. How can a fool like me describe the joy I experienced?"

The Guru was much pleased. He drew Baba near, stroked his body with his hand, and took him to his school.

The Guru's School

Baba's description:

"He took care of me as tenderly as a mother-bird does of her young ones. He put me into his school; how beautiful it was! There I forgot my parents, all my attachment was snapped and I was liberated easily. I thought that I should embrace his neck and remain staring at him always. If his image were not fixed in my pupils, I would like better to be blind… My Guru became my all-in-all, my home and property, mother and father, everything. All my senses left their places and concentrated themselves in my eyes, and my sight was centred on him… By his grace, realization flashed upon me of itself, without effort or study. I had not to seek anything, but everything became clear to me as broad day-light."

Hemadpant's Gloss

Hemadpant identifies the four:

• The first — a Karmatha (ritualist)
• The second — a Jnani puffed with knowledge-pride
• The third — a Bhakta surrendered to God
• The fourth — Sai himself, Discrimination and Dispassion incarnate

Though an Incarnation himself, Baba mixed with them to set an example: by accepting the Vanjari's food with the conviction "food is Brahman" Baba showed that without humility no Jnana is possible. The four objects of life — Dharma, Artha, Kama — are attainable by effort; the fourth, Moksha (liberation), only by Guru-grace. The chapter notes that in Baba's Darbar all kinds of beings appear — astrologers, princes, ordinary men, sannyasis, yogis, songsters, Mahars (who salute with "Johar" and call Baba "Mai-Baap"), jugglers, Gondhalis, the blind and lame, Nath-panthis, dancers — and the unnamed Vanjari also appeared and played his part.

Fasting Disapproved — Mrs. Gokhale

Mrs. Gokhale came to Shirdi with an introductory letter from Mrs. Kashibai Kanitkar to Dada Kelkar. She had resolved to sit at Baba's feet observing a three-day fast.

The day previous, Baba told Dada Kelkar:

"I would not allow my children to starve during the Shimga (Holi) holidays, and if they had to starve, why was I there?"

The next day, when Mrs. Gokhale and Dada Kelkar came, Baba said:

"Where is the necessity of fasting? Go to Dadabhat's house, prepare the dish of Puran Polis (wheat rotis with gram-flour and jaggery), feed his children and yourself too."

Shimga holidays were on. Mrs. Kelkar was in her menses; no one was cooking at Dadabhat's house. Baba's advice was timely. Mrs. Gokhale went, cooked, fed the family and herself. Hemadpant's gloss: "Neither fasting nor overeating is good. Moderation in diet is really wholesome both to the body and mind."

Baba's Sircar — the Beedgaum Embroidery Story

Baba narrated of his boyhood:

"When I was a youngster, I was in search of bread and went to Beedgaum. There I got embroidery work. I worked hard, sparing no pains. The employer was very much pleased with Me. Three other boys worked before Me. The first got Rs. 50, the second Rs. 100, and the third Rs. 150. And I was given twice the whole of this amount, viz. Rs. 600. After seeing my cleverness, the employer loved me, praised me and honoured me with a full dress, a turban for the head and a shela for the body. I kept this dress intact without using it. I thought that what a man might give does not last long and it is always imperfect. But what My Sircar (God) gives, lasts to the end of time."

Baba then gave the central teaching:

"My Sircar says 'Take, take', but everybody comes to me and says 'Give, give'. Nobody attends carefully to the meaning of what I say. My Sircar's treasury (spiritual wealth) is full, it is overflowing. I say, 'Dig out and take away this wealth in cartloads; the blessed son of a true mother should fill himself with this wealth'… What about Me? Body (earth) will mix with earth, breath with air. This time won't come again. I go somewhere, sit somewhere; the hard Maya troubles Me much; still I feel always anxiety for My men. He who does anything (spiritual endeavour) will reap its fruit, and he who remembers these words of Mine will get invaluable happiness."

Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter

1. (To the three companions, before the Vanjari met them) "Let us do our prescribed duty and surrender our body, mind and five pranas to the Guru's feet. Guru is God, all-pervading. To get this conviction, strong unbounded faith is necessary."
2. (Baba's own recognition of the Vanjari's hospitality) "He who loves others disinterestedly is really enlightened, and I thought acceptance of his hospitality was the best beginning of getting knowledge."
3. (The Guru's first words on appearing) "What was the dispute about?… Would you like to come with me? I will show you what you want; but he alone who believes in what I say, will be successful."
4. (Baba's reply after the well-suspension) "In Bliss supreme, I was. How can a fool like me describe the joy I experienced?"
5. (Baba on the Guru's school) "All my senses left their places and concentrated themselves in my eyes, and my sight was centred on him… By his grace, realization flashed upon me of itself, without effort or study."
6. (To Dada Kelkar, day before Mrs. Gokhale's arrival) "I would not allow my children to starve during the Shimga, and if they had to starve, why was I there?"
7. (To Mrs. Gokhale) "Where is the necessity of fasting? Go to Dadabhat's house, prepare the dish of Puran Polis, feed his children and yourself too."
8. (The Sircar teaching) "My Sircar says 'Take, take', but everybody comes to me and says 'Give, give'. Nobody attends carefully to the meaning of what I say. My Sircar's treasury is full, it is overflowing. I say, 'Dig out and take away this wealth in cartloads; the blessed son of a true mother should fill himself with this wealth.'"