Chapter XLV — Kakasaheb's Doubt; Anandrao's Vision; the Wooden Plank
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/sai45.html
Sections
Preliminary — Baba Continues to Help
Hemadpant: Baba's physical form is gone, but his spiritual form ever lives. The leelas continued — and continue — after Mahasamadhi. The fortunate are those who got Baba's contact while embodied; the doubly fortunate are those who, having received it, then turned dispassion toward the world and full faith toward the Lord. What was wanted then is wanted now: whole-hearted devotion. All senses, organs, and mind must co-operate in worship — half-engagement does not serve.
The disciple's love for the Guru — sometimes compared to a chaste woman's love for her husband — surpasses it. Father, mother, brother, no relation comes to our aid in attaining the goal of self-realization. We must discriminate Real from Unreal, control senses and mind, aspire for liberation; chanting the Guru's name and meditating on him is sufficient.
Kakasaheb's Doubt — Ekanathi Bhagavat 11.2
Sai Baba had directed Kakasaheb Dixit to read daily two works of Ekanath: the Bhagavat and the Bhawartha Ramayan. Kakasaheb continued the practice after Baba's passing.
One morning in Kaka Mahajani's house in Choupati, Bombay, the reading proceeded. Shama and Kaka Mahajani listened. The portion was the 2nd Chapter, 11th Skandha — the nine Nathas of the Rishabha family expounding to King Janaka the principles of the Bhagavata Dharma:
- Kavi — what is Bhagavata Dharma
- Hari — characteristics of a Bhakta
- Antariksha — what is Maya
- Prabuddha — how to cross Maya
- Pippalayan — what is Para-Brahma
- Avirhotra — what is Karma
- Drumil — the incarnations of God and their deeds
- Chamas — how a non-devotee fares after death
- Karabhajan — the different modes of worship of God in different ages
The substance: in the Kali age, the only means of liberation is the remembrance of the Lord's or the Guru's feet.
After the reading Kakasaheb said despondently:
"How wonderful is the discourse of the nine Nathas on Bhakti! But at the same time how difficult it is to put it into practice! The Nathas were perfect, but is it possible for fools like us to attain the devotion as delineated by them? We won't get it even after several births, then how are we to get salvation? It seems that there is no hope for us."
Shama protested:
"It is a pity that one who by his good luck got such a jewel (Guru) as Baba, should cry out so disparagingly. If he has unwavering faith in Baba, why should he feel restless? The Bhakti of the Nathas may be strong and wonderful, but is not ours' loving and affectionate? And has not Baba told us authoritatively that remembering and chanting Hari's and Guru's name confers salvation?"
Kakasaheb remained anxious all day.
Anandrao Pakhade's Vision
The next morning, Anandrao Pakhade came in search of Shama while the Bhagavat reading was in progress. He sat near Shama and whispered. The whispering interrupted the reading; Kakasaheb stopped and asked what the matter was.
Shama: "Yesterday you expressed your doubt; here is the explanation. Hear Mr. Pakhade's vision which Baba gave him, explaining the characteristic of saving devotion and showing that devotion in the form of bow to the Guru's feet is sufficient."
Anandrao related the dream:
"I was standing in a deep sea in waist-deep water. There I saw Sai Baba all of a sudden. He was sitting on a beautiful throne studded with diamonds, with His Feet in water. I was most pleased and satisfied with the Form of Baba. The vision was so realistic that I never thought it was a dream. Curiously enough Madhavrao (Shama) was also standing there. He said to me feelingly: 'Anandrao, fall at Baba's Feet.' I rejoined: 'I also wish to do so, but His Feet are in water; how can I place my head on them? I am helpless.' Hearing this Shama said to Baba: 'Oh Deva, take out Your Feet which are under water.' Then Baba immediately took out His feet. I caught them without delay and bowed to them. On seeing this Baba blessed me saying: 'Go now, you will attain your welfare; there is no cause for fear and anxiety.' He also added: 'Give a silk-bordered dhotar to my Shama; you will profit, thereby.'"
The Casting of Lots
In compliance with Baba's order, Pakhade brought the silk-bordered dhotar and requested Kakasaheb to hand it to Shama. Shama refused: unless Baba gave a hint or suggestion for acceptance, he would not take it.
Kakasaheb's standard practice in dubious matters was to cast lots. Two chits — "To accept" and "To reject" — were placed at the feet of Baba's picture; an infant picked one. "To accept" was drawn. The dhotar was handed over and accepted.
Hemadpant's gloss: respect the words of other saints, but have full faith in your own Guru and abide by his instructions:
"There are innumerable saints in this world, but 'Our Father' (Guru) is the Father (Real Guru). Others might say many good things, but we should never forget our Guru's words."
The Wooden Plank — Baba's Bed-Stead
In his earlier days Baba slept on a wooden plank, four arms long and one span broad, with panatis (earthen lamps) burning at the four corners (described in Chapter X). He had broken it up and thrown it away.
Once Baba was describing the plank's greatness to Kakasaheb. Kakasaheb:
"If You still love the wooden plank, I will again suspend or hang up one in the Masjid for You to sleep at ease."
Baba:
"I won't like to sleep up, leaving Mhalsapati down on the ground."
Kakasaheb: "I will provide another plank for Mhalsapati." Baba:
"How can he sleep on the plank? It is not easy to sleep up on the plank. He who has many good qualities in him can do so. He who can sleep 'with his eyes wide open' can effect that. When I go to sleep I ask often Mhalsapati to sit by My side, place his hand on My heart and watch the 'chanting of the Lord's name' there, and if he finds Me sleepy, wake Me up. He can't do even this. He himself gets drowsy and begins to nod his head. When I feel his hand heavy as a stone on My heart and cry out 'Oh Bhagat,' he moves and opens his eyes. How can he, who can't sit and sleep well on the ground and whose asana is not steady and who is a slave to sleep, sleep high up on a plank?"
On other occasions Baba said:
"What (whether good or bad) is ours, is with us; and what is another's is with him."
Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter
- (To Anandrao in dream-vision) "Go now, you will attain your welfare; there is no cause for fear and anxiety. Give a silk-bordered dhotar to my Shama; you will profit thereby."
- (Hemadpant's summary of Baba's recurring teaching) "There are innumerable saints in this world, but 'Our Father' (Guru) is the Father (Real Guru). Others might say many good things, but we should never forget our Guru's words."
- (To Kakasaheb on the second plank for himself) "I won't like to sleep up, leaving Mhalsapati down on the ground."
- (On the qualifications for sleeping on a suspended plank) "He who has many good qualities in him can do so. He who can sleep 'with his eyes wide open' can effect that."
- (On Mhalsapati's watching at night) "When I go to sleep I ask Mhalsapati to sit by My side, place his hand on My heart and watch the chanting of the Lord's name there… When I feel his hand heavy as a stone on My heart and cry out 'Oh Bhagat,' he moves and opens his eyes."
- (Recurring saying) "What is ours, is with us; and what is another's is with him."