Shri Sai Satcharitra · Chapter 36

TL;DRChapter 36 records two tightly-paired episodes of Baba's omniscience told as if from his own life.

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Editor’s note

Chapter 36 records two tightly-paired episodes of Baba's omniscience told as if from his own life. Two Goa gentlemen arrive together; Baba takes Rs. 15 from one and rejects Rs. 35 from the other. To explain, Baba narrates two stories in the first person — a man who vowed his first month's pay to God Datta and forgot, and a man whose Brahmin cook stole Rs. 30,000 in currency notes from his cupboard. Shama remarks at the meal afterwards that Baba has never been to the sea-side, never had Rs. 30,000, never lost or recovered it — but the two guests, weeping, recognise the stories as their own exact lives. The first guest had taken just such a Rs. 15 vow to Datta on getting his first job at Goa; the second's cook had stolen Rs. 30,000 from his cupboard fifteen days earlier and returned of his own accord after the guest took a fakir's instruction to vow rice-abstinence until darshan. The chapter's second half is the Mrs. Aurangabadkar episode — 27 years of childlessness, every vow tried; Shama beckons her at the meal hour; Baba shakes a dry coconut, says "see what it rolls and says"; Shama insists the unbroken fruit must be given as blessing for a "string of children"; Baba finally yields "She will have an issue… in 12 months." The boy is born within the year and brought back at five months; Mr. Aurangabadkar pays Rs. 500 for a new shed at Baba's "Shyamakarna." For modern readers Chapter 36 is the canonical Satcharitra source for Baba's first-person omniscience-narrations and for the Aurangabadkar coconut-blessing.

Chapter XXXVI — Two Goa Gentlemen; Mrs. Aurangabadkar's Coconut

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/sai36.html

Sections

Two Goa Gentlemen — Baba's First-Person Stories

Two gentlemen arrived together from Goa for darshan. Baba asked one for Rs. 15 Dakshina (paid willingly); the other voluntarily offered Rs. 35; Baba rejected it.

Shama asked why. Baba:

"Shama, you know nothing. I take nothing from anybody. The Masjidmayi 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 no escape."

He then narrated two stories in the first person.

Story 1 — the forgotten vow:

"At 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 to 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."

Story 2 — the Brahmin cook and the Rs. 30,000:

"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 laterite 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…

"After a fortnight a passing fakir saw me crying, made enquiries, and 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.' I followed the 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. 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."

Shama's Comment and the Guests' Recognition

Shama took the guests home and fed them. At dinner he said the stories were mysterious — Baba had never gone to the sea-side, never had Rs. 30,000, never travelled, never lost or recovered money. Did the guests understand?

Both guests were deeply moved and shed tears. They recognised the stories as their own.

The first guest's account. A hill-station native who went to Goa for work and vowed his first salary to God Datta if he got a job; he got Rs. 15 p.m., was promoted to Rs. 30, 60, 100, 200, and Rs. 700 — and forgot the vow. The Rs. 15 Baba had just collected was the repayment of the vow.

Moral — Baba Never Hoarded Money

Hemadpant interpolates: Baba never actually begged money, nor allowed his bhaktas to. He regarded money as a danger to spiritual progress. Bhagat Mhalsapati was very poor; Baba never gave him anything from the Dakshina amount. Once the kind merchant Hansaraj offered Mhalsapati a large sum in Baba's presence — Baba did not allow him to accept it.

The Second Guest's Account

"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 cupboard 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… A passing fakir noted my condition, enquired, and told me: 'An Avalia by name Sai lives in Shirdi, Kopergaon Taluka. Make a vow to Him and give up any food that you like best; say to Him mentally, "I have given up eating that food till I take your darshan."' I took the vow and gave up rice.

"Fifteen days later, the Brahmin of his own accord came to me, returned my money, and apologized: 'I went mad and acted thus; I now place my head on your feet, please forgive me.'"

When he recovered the money he forgot the rice-vow. At Colaba one night Baba appeared in his dream and reminded him. He went to Goa, embarked from there — the harbour steamer was crowded; the captain refused him; a stranger-peon interceded and got him aboard; he reached Bombay and trained to Shirdi.

His closing reflection:

"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 — 27 Years of Childlessness

A lady from Sholapur, wife of Sakharam Aurangabadkar, had no issue for 27 years. She had tried every vow to every god and goddess. Almost hopeless, she came to Shirdi with her step-son Vishwanath and stayed two months in Baba's service.

The masjid was always crowded; she could find no occasion to fall at Baba's feet alone. She asked Shama to intercede when Baba was alone. Shama: Baba's Darbar is always open, but I will try. He told her to wait in the open courtyard at the meal hour with a coconut and joss-sticks.

One day after dinner, while Shama was drying Baba's wet hands with a towel, Baba pinched Shama's cheek. Shama feigned anger:

"Deva, is it proper for you to pinch me like this? We don't want such a mischievous God."

Baba:

"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… Let our faith unto Your feet be ever wide-awake." Baba: "I have indeed come for that. I have been feeding and nursing you and have got love and affection for you."

The Coconut

Shama beckoned the lady. She presented the coconut and joss-sticks. Baba shook the coconut — it was dry; the kernel rolled and made noise. Baba:

"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 coconut 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 continued. Baba repeatedly told Shama to break the coconut; Shama insisted the unbroken fruit go to the lady. Baba finally yielded:

"She will have an issue."

Shama: "When?" — Baba: "In 12 months."

The coconut was then broken into two parts; one was eaten by the two; the other given to the lady. Shama turned to her:

"Dear madam, you are a witness to my words. If within 12 months you do not get any issue, I will break a coconut against this Deva's head and drive him out of this Masjid. If I fail in this, I will not call myself Madhav."

She delivered a son within the year. The boy was brought to Baba in his fifth month. Mr. Aurangabadkar paid Rs. 500 — used to build a new shed at Baba's "Shyamakarna."

Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter

(To Shama, on accepting one Rs. 15 and refusing the other Rs. 35) "Shama, you know nothing. I take nothing from anybody. The Masjidmayi 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 no escape."
(Baba's first-person story of the Datta vow) "At 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… 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 from him as Dakshina."
(Baba's first-person story of the Rs. 30,000 theft) "While wandering by the sea-side I came to a huge mansion and sat on its verandah… While I was sound asleep, the man removed a laterite 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."
(To Shama, on the cheek-pinch) "Oh Shama, during the 72 generations that you were with me, I never pinched you till now and now you resent my touching you."
(To Shama on Mrs. Aurangabadkar's coconut) "Shama, this is rolling, see what it says… Will the coconut give her any issue? How people are foolish and fancy such things!"
(Final coconut-blessing) "She will have an issue… in 12 months."

Frequently asked about this chapter

Why did Baba accept Rs. 15 from one Goa gentleman but refuse Rs. 35 from the other?

Baba's explanation: "I take nothing from anybody. The Masjidmayi calls for the debt, the donor pays it and becomes free." The Rs. 15 was the exact amount of an unfulfilled first-salary vow the first gentleman had made to God Datta years earlier in Goa. Baba was collecting the debt, not asking for money. The Rs. 35 was not owed to the Masjidmayi.

What is the "Rs. 30,000 theft" story Baba told as his own?

A first-person story Baba narrated of being given hospitality at a mansion, sleeping near a cupboard, and being robbed of Rs. 30,000 in currency notes — recovered after a fortnight on a passing fakir's advice (food-vow, surrender to another fakir). At dinner Shama pointed out Baba had never been to the sea-side or had Rs. 30,000. The second Goa gentleman wept in recognition: his Brahmin cook of 35 years had stolen exactly Rs. 30,000 from a cupboard wall fifteen days before, and returned the money of his own accord after the gentleman took a similar vow to abstain from rice until Sai darshan.

How was Mrs. Aurangabadkar given a son?

A 27-year childless lady from Sholapur, wife of Sakharam Aurangabadkar, came to Shirdi with her step-son Vishwanath and stayed two months. Shama beckoned her at the meal hour. She presented a coconut and joss-sticks. Baba shook the coconut (the dry kernel rolled audibly). Shama insisted the unbroken fruit be given as blessing for "a string of children." After a long parley Baba yielded: "She will have an issue… in 12 months." The son was born within the year and brought to Baba at five months; Mr. Aurangabadkar paid Rs. 500 for a new shed at Shyamakarna.

What did Baba mean by "72 generations" with Shama?

A remark made while Shama feigned anger at Baba pinching his cheek: "During the 72 generations that you were with me, I never pinched you till now and now you resent my touching you." Hemadpant does not elaborate. Shama's bantering reply — "We want a God that will give us ever kisses and sweets" — is met by Baba's gentle "I have indeed come for that. I have been feeding and nursing you."

Why didn't Baba allow Mhalsapati to receive a large gift?

As an instance of Baba's principle that money is a danger to spiritual progress, Chapter 36 records: the merchant Hansaraj offered the very poor Bhagat Mhalsapati a large sum in Baba's presence. Baba did not allow Mhalsapati to accept it. Baba never gave Mhalsapati anything from the Dakshina collection either. The poverty was Baba's protection.

What is "Shyamakarna" mentioned at the end of the chapter?

Baba's house — the masjid he called Dwarakamai is also referred to by the term Shyamakarna in this chapter. The Rs. 500 Mr. Aurangabadkar paid in gratitude for his son was spent on the construction of a new shed there.

Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra by Govind Raghunath Dabholkar (Hemadpant), 1929. English adaptation by N. V. Gunaji. Original chapter text: saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai36.html. This page is a factual summary with verbatim quotations from the source. We add no commentary attributed to Baba.

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Ch. 35 — Tested and Never Found Wanting: Thakkar; Insomnia; Balaji Newaskar

Ch. 37 — The Chavadi Procession