Shri Sai Satcharitra · Chapter 46

TL;DRChapter 46 records two episodes joined by the theme of Baba's all-pervasiveness and his identification with past lives.

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Editor’s note

Chapter 46 records two episodes joined by the theme of Baba's all-pervasiveness and his identification with past lives. The first traces Shama's pilgrimage to Kashi, Prayag, and Gaya as Baba's representative — Baba had told Kakasaheb Dixit and Nanasaheb Chandorkar, who came to invite Baba to family ceremonies at Nagpur (Babu's Upanayan) and Gwalior (Nanasaheb's son's marriage): "Take Shama with you; after doing Banares and Prayag, I shall be ahead of Shama." Shama and Appa Kote travelled — Rs. 200 from Dixit, Rs. 100 each from Chandorkar and Mr. Jather — through Nagpur, Gwalior, Kashi, Ayodhya (21 days at Jather's Rama-Mandir), and two months at Banares. They arrived at Gaya station amid plague-rumours; the Gayawala (the Brahmin priest who arranges pilgrim lodging) brought them to his commodious Wada. At the centre of the building hung the large portrait of Baba that Shama himself had given the Gayawala twelve years earlier. Baba was literally "ahead of Shama." The second episode is the two goats: returning from Lendi, Baba caressed two particular goats in a flock and bought them for Rs. 32 — far above the market rate (Rs. 2-4 each). When Shama and Tatya Kote criticised the bargain, Baba had four seers of dal bought to feed the goats, returned them to the shepherd, and narrated their past life as uterine brothers turned deadly enemies (the elder, idle and jealous; the younger, active and prosperous; the elder struck with a stick, the younger with an axe; both fell dead) — explaining why he could not let them go without feeding them. For modern readers Chapter 46 is the canonical Satcharitra source for Baba's literal omnipresence ("ahead of Shama") and for his past-life recognition of animals on the road.

Chapter XLVI — Shama's Gaya Trip; the Portrait Ahead of Him; the Two Goats

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/sai46.html

Sections

Preliminary — Baba's Invisible Thread

Hemadpant opens: Baba's form is invisible to us now, but those who believe receive living experiences. By an invisible subtle thread Baba draws devotees from near and far to his feet. The intelligent and learned fall into the samsar's pit through egoism; Baba saves the poor, simple, and devout. He plays the whole game inwardly while posing as a non-doer. Chanting his name is the easiest sadhana: it dispels Rajas and Tamas, raises Sattwa, brings discrimination, dispassion, and knowledge. The mark of complete surrender is that the mind grows calm and peaceful.

The chapter's promise: "If Baba accepts a devotee, He follows him and stands by him day and night, at his home or abroad. Let the devotee go anywhere he likes — Baba is there ahead of him in some form in an inconceivable manner."

The Invitation — Dixit, Chandorkar, and Baba's Promise

Kakasaheb Dixit decided to perform his eldest son Babu's thread ceremony (Upanayan) at Nagpur. Around the same time Nanasaheb Chandorkar decided to perform his eldest son's marriage at Gwalior. Both came to Shirdi and invited Baba. Baba asked them to take Shama as his representative. Pressed to come in person, Baba said:

"Take Shama with you. After doing Banares and Prayag, I shall be ahead of Shama."

Shama's Journey

With Baba's permission Shama and Appa Kote went together. Itinerary and financing:

Nagpur — thread ceremony at Dixit's; Rs. 200 for expenses
Gwalior — marriage ceremony at Chandorkar's; Rs. 100 from Chandorkar and Rs. 100 from Mr. Jather (the Vyahi, in-law)
Kashi (Banares) — Jather's Laxmi-Narayan temple
Ayodhya — Rama-Mandir, Jather's manager hosting; stayed 21 days
Back to Kashi (Banares) — two months
Then Gaya

Gaya — the Portrait at the Gayawala's Wada

On the train to Gaya they heard plague was prevailing. Reaching the station at night, they stayed in the Dharmashala. In the morning the Gayawala (the Brahmin priest who arranges pilgrim lodging) arrived:

"The pilgrims have already started; you better make haste."

Shama asked about the plague. The Gayawala: "No — please come without fear or anxiety, and see for yourself." They went with him to his commodious Wada.

Shama was pleased with the accommodation. But what pleased him most was the beautiful big portrait of Baba fixed in the central and front portion of the building. Shama was overwhelmed; remembered Baba's words "After doing Kashi and Prayag I shall be ahead of Shama"; burst into tears; hairs stood on end; throat choked; sobbed.

The Gayawala thought Shama was crying from plague-fear. Shama instead asked how he had obtained Baba's portrait. The Gayawala explained: he had 200 or 300 agents at Manmad and Punatambe arranging pilgrim convenience; from them he heard Baba's fame; twelve years earlier he had gone to Shirdi for Baba's darshan, requested a portrait for Shama's house, and with Baba's permission Shama himself had given it to him. The portrait now hung at the centre of his Wada in Gaya.

Shama remembered the former incident. The Gayawala's joy knew no bounds on learning that the same Shama who had obliged him was now his guest. The Gayawala — a very rich man — sat in a palanquin and made Shama ride an elephant, attending to every comfort.

The Two Goats — the Rs. 32 Bargain

Baba was once returning from Lendi when he saw a flock of goats. Two attracted his attention. He went to them, caressed and fondled them, and bought them for Rs. 32.

The devotees were surprised — the goats would fetch Rs. 2-4 each at most (Rs. 8 the pair). They began to take Baba to task. Baba remained calm.

Shama and Tatya Kote asked for an explanation. Baba said he should not store money — he had no home, no family to look after — and asked them to purchase at his cost four seers of dal to feed the goats. After feeding, Baba returned the goats to the shepherd.

The Past-Life Reminiscence

"Oh Shama and Tatya, you think that I have been deceived in this bargain. No. Listen to their story. In their former birth they were human beings and had the good fortune to be My companions and sit by My side. They were uterine brothers, loving each other at first; but later they became enemies. The elder brother was an idle fellow while the younger was an active chap and earned a lot of money. The former became greedy and jealous and wanted to kill his brother and take away his money. They forgot their fraternal relations and began to quarrel.

"The elder brother resorted to many devices to kill his younger brother, but all his attempts failed. Thus they became deadly enemies, and finally on one occasion the elder gave a deadly blow with a big stick on the latter's head while the latter struck the former with an axe, with the result that both fell dead on the spot. As the result of their actions, they were both born as goats.

"As they passed by me, I at once recognized them. I remembered their past history. Taking pity on them I wanted to feed them and give them rest and comfort, and for this reason I spent all the money for which you reprove me. As you did not like My bargain, I sent them back to their shepherd."

Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter

(To Dixit and Chandorkar, on accompanying Shama) "Take Shama with you. After doing Banares and Prayag, I shall be ahead of Shama."
(To Shama and Tatya about the goats — past-life recognition) "Oh Shama and Tatya, you think that I have been deceived in this bargain. No. Listen to their story. In their former birth they were human beings and had the good fortune to be My companions and sit by My side. They were uterine brothers, loving each other at first; but later they became enemies… the elder gave a deadly blow with a big stick on the latter's head while the latter struck the former with an axe… As the result of their actions, they were both born as goats. As they passed by me, I at once recognized them. I remembered their past history."

Frequently asked about this chapter

What did Baba promise about being "ahead of Shama"?

When Dixit and Chandorkar invited Baba to family ceremonies (Nagpur and Gwalior) and Shama was deputed in his stead, Baba said: "Take Shama with you. After doing Banares and Prayag, I shall be ahead of Shama." The promise was fulfilled literally — at Gaya, Shama found Baba's own portrait already mounted in the central position of the Gayawala's Wada, twelve years before Shama's pilgrimage arrived there.

Who is the Gayawala in this chapter?

The Brahmin priest of Gaya who arranges lodging and boarding for pilgrims at the Gaya tirtha. The unnamed Gayawala of Chapter 46 was a very wealthy man with 200-300 agents at Manmad and Punatambe; twelve years before Shama's pilgrimage he had visited Shirdi, taken Baba's darshan, requested a portrait, and received it through Shama himself. He hung it in the central position of his Wada in Gaya.

What is the "two goats" story?

Returning from Lendi, Baba saw a flock and was drawn to two particular goats. He caressed them and bought them for Rs. 32 — well above the market rate. When Shama and Tatya criticised the bargain, Baba had four seers of dal bought to feed the goats and returned them to the shepherd. He then narrated their past life as uterine brothers turned deadly enemies (the elder, idle and jealous; the younger, active and prosperous; final mutual killing with stick and axe). Both had been born as goats; Baba recognised them as they passed and took pity.

Did Sai Baba recognize devotees in past births?

Chapter 46 records the most extended such recognition — the two goats' uterine brotherhood and mutual killing — narrated by Baba in detail. Other instances appear in Chapter 27 (Mrs. Khaparde's four-life sequence) and Chapter 47 (snake and frog). The recognitions are not framed as predictions or psychic claims; they are offered as the basis for Baba's particular kindness toward a specific being.

How is the Gaya episode an instance of Baba's "all-pervasiveness"?

Hemadpant's chapter-opening prayer states the principle: "By an invisible and subtle thread You draw Your devotees from far and near to Your Feet… You are there ahead of him in some form in an inconceivable manner." The Gaya portrait — already centrally mounted twelve years before Shama's pilgrimage arrived — is the chapter's concrete illustration: the devotee thinks he is journeying to a holy place; the saint has been there first.

How much money was Shama given for the trip?

Rs. 200 from Kakasaheb Dixit for the Nagpur thread ceremony; Rs. 100 from Nanasaheb Chandorkar for the Gwalior marriage; Rs. 100 from the Vyahi Mr. Jather. Stops included Nagpur, Gwalior, Kashi (Banares), Ayodhya (21 days at Jather's Rama-Mandir), Banares again (two months), and Gaya.

Why did Baba pay Rs. 32 for the two goats?

Baba's explanation: he should not store money (he had no home or family); the goats were his past-life companions; he wanted to feed them. The Rs. 32 — well above market rate — was a deliberate non-bargain. When the devotees objected, Baba had four seers of dal bought to feed the goats and returned them to the shepherd.

Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra by Govind Raghunath Dabholkar (Hemadpant), 1929. English adaptation by N. V. Gunaji. Original chapter text: saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai46.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. 45 — Kakasaheb's Doubt; Anandrao's Vision; the Wooden Plank

Ch. 47 — Veerbhadrappa and Chenbassappa (Snake and Frog)