Chapter XLI — Story of the Picture; Stealing the Rags; B.V. Deo and the Jnaneshwari
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/sai41.html
Sections
Ali Mahomed's Picture — the Survival
Nine years after the incident of Chapter 40, Ali Mahomed saw Hemadpant and related the story of how the picture came to him.
Ali Mahomed had bought a picture of Sai Baba from a Bombay street hawker, framed it, hung it in his Bandra house. He loved Baba and took its darshan daily.
Three months before he gave the picture to Hemadpant, he was suffering an abscess on his leg; an operation was performed; he was convalescing at his brother-in-law Noor-Mahomed Peerbhoy's house in Bombay. For three months his Bandra house was closed. Only pictures hung there — of Baba Abdul Rahiman, Moulanasaheb Mahomed Hussain, Sai Baba, Baba Tajudin, and other living saints.
The Drowning of the Pictures
Years earlier, Ali Mahomed had received a small picture of Baba Abdul Rahiman from Mahomed Hussain Thariyatopan and given it to Noor-Mahomed Peerbhoy. After eight years on his table, Noor-Mahomed had it enlarged to life-size by a photographer and distributed copies to relations and friends, including Ali Mahomed.
Noor-Mahomed was a disciple of Saint Abdul Rahiman. When he tried to present the enlarged picture to his guru in open darbar, the guru — opposed to image-worship — got wild, ran to beat him, and drove him out. Noor-Mahomed was distraught: money lost, guru displeased.
He took the enlarged picture to the Apollo Bunder, hired a boat, and drowned it in the sea. He recovered the six distributed copies from friends and relations and had them thrown into the Bandra sea by a fisherman.
At this time Ali Mahomed was at his brother-in-law's house. Noor-Mahomed told him his suffering would end if he too drowned the saint-pictures in his Bandra house. Ali Mahomed sent his Mehta (Manager) to collect them. The Mehta returned with all the pictures — except Sai Baba's.
When Ali Mahomed returned home after two months he found Baba's picture on the wall as before. He could not understand. He immediately moved it to a cupboard for safe-keeping, fearing his brother-in-law might destroy it.
The Picture Comes to Hemadpant
Wondering how to dispose of it, "Sai Baba Himself as it were, suggested to him that he should see and consult Moulana Ismu Mujavar." The Moulana and Ali Mahomed together decided the picture should be presented to Annasaheb (Hemadpant) for protection.
They went to Hemadpant and presented the picture "in the nick of time." Hemadpant's gloss: this shows how Baba knew past, present, and future, and skillfully pulled the wires to fulfill devotees' desires.
B. V. Deo and the Jnaneshwari — the Long Wait
B. V. Deo, Mamlatdar of Dahanu (Thana District), had wished for a long time to read the Jnaneshwari (Jnaneshwar's Marathi commentary on the Bhagavad Gita). He read daily one chapter of the Gita and portions of other books with ease; but every attempt at the Jnaneshwari was blocked by intrusive stray thoughts.
He took three months' leave, went to Shirdi, then to his home at Pound to rest. Even at Pound the Jnaneshwari was unreadable; other books were fine. He resolved: until Baba ordered him to read it, he would not begin.
At Shirdi — Four Dakshinas
In February 1914 Deo went to Shirdi with his family. Bapusaheb Jog asked whether he was reading the Jnaneshwari. Deo replied: he was waiting for Baba's order. Jog advised him to take a copy to Baba for consecration. Deo refused: "Baba knows my heart. Would He not satisfy my desire by giving a clear order?"
Deo gave Re. 1 as Dakshina. Baba asked for Rs. 20 — Deo gave it.
That night Deo met one Balakram and asked how he had secured Baba's grace. Balakram promised to tell him the next day after arati.
The next morning at darshan Baba again asked Rs. 20 — Deo gave it willingly. The masjid was crowded; Deo sat aside; Baba asked him to come close and sit calmly.
After the noon arati Deo went again to Balakram for the promised account. Balakram was about to speak when Baba sent Chandru, a leper devotee, to summon Deo. Baba asked: "When and with whom and what were you talking?" Deo said: with Balakram, about Baba's fame.
Baba asked Rs. 25 — Deo gave it.
"You Stole Away My Rags"
Baba then took Deo inside, sat him near the post, and charged him:
"You stole away My rags without My knowledge."
Deo denied any knowledge. Baba asked him to search. He searched; nothing was found.
Baba got angry:
"There is nobody here, you are the only thief, so grey-haired and old, you came here for stealing."
For an hour Baba abused and scolded. Deo sat silent, watching, half expecting a beating. Eventually Baba sent him to the Wada.
The Explanation
In the afternoon Baba called everyone, including Deo. He said his words might have pained the old man, but as the theft was real, he had to speak. He asked Rs. 12 more. Deo paid and prostrated.
Baba then said:
"What are you doing?" — "Nothing." — "Go on daily reading the Pothi (Jnaneshwari), go and sit in the Wada, read something regularly every day and while reading, explain the portion read, to all with love and devotion. I am sitting here ready to give you the whole gold-embroidered Shela, then why go to others to steal rags, and why should you get into the habit of stealing?"
Deo understood: asking Balakram about Baba's grace constituted "stealing the rags." Baba was the source; asking other disciples was theft. Deo took the scoldings as flowers and blessings.
The Dream-Vision (2 April 1914)
The matter did not end with the order. Within a year, on 2 April 1914, Thursday morning, Baba came to Deo in dream-vision. He sat on the upper floor and asked:
"Do you understand the Pothi?" Deo: "No." Baba: "Then when are you going to understand?"
Deo burst into tears:
"Unless You shower Your grace, the reading is mere worry and the understanding is still more difficult."
Baba:
"While reading you make haste, read it before Me, in My presence." Deo: "What shall I read?" Baba: "Read Adhyatma (spiritualism)."
Deo went to bring the book — and woke. Hemadpant: "We leave the readers to imagine what ineffable joy and bliss Deo felt after this vision."
Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter
- (Charging Deo at the post) "You stole away My rags without My knowledge."
- (In the abuse-scene) "There is nobody here, you are the only thief, so grey-haired and old, you came here for stealing."
- (The order to read) "Go on daily reading the Pothi (Jnaneshwari), go and sit in the Wada, read something regularly every day and while reading, explain the portion read, to all with love and devotion. I am sitting here ready to give you the whole gold-embroidered Shela, then why go to others to steal rags, and why should you get into the habit of stealing?"
- (Dream-vision, 2 April 1914) "Do you understand the Pothi? Then when are you going to understand?… While reading you make haste, read it before Me, in My presence. Read Adhyatma (spiritualism)."