Chapter XLIX — Hari Kanoba's Sandals; Somadeva Swami and the Flags; Nanasaheb and the Veiled Lady
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/sai49.html
Sections
Preliminary — On Meditation as the Best Sadhana
Hemadpant: the Vedas and Puranas cannot adequately describe the Sadguru; yet the qualities of Sai Baba force us to break silence and speak. Pilgrimage, vow, sacrifice, and charity are good; penance is better; worshipping Hari is better still; meditation on the Sadguru is the best of all. Chant Sai's name with the mouth; think over his sayings in the mind; meditate on his form; feel real love for him in the heart; do all actions for his sake.
Hari Kanoba — the Lost Sandals
A gentleman of Bombay named Hari Kanoba heard Baba's leelas from friends and relations but doubted them. He came to Shirdi to test Baba personally, wearing a lace-bordered turban and a new pair of sandals.
Seeing Baba from a distance, he wondered what to do with the sandals; he placed them in a corner of the open courtyard and went inside the masjid. He bowed reverentially, took udi and prasad, and returned to find the sandals gone.
He searched in vain, returned dejected to his lodging. He bathed, offered worship and naivedya, ate his meal — thinking of nothing but the sandals. Coming out to wash his hands, he saw a Maratha boy approaching with a stick on the top of which was suspended a pair of new sandals.
The boy explained: Baba had sent him with the stick and the instruction to go through the streets crying:
"Hari Ka Beta, Jari Ka Pheta" — "Son of Hari, lace-bordered Pheta"
— with the further instruction: "If anybody claims these sandals, first assure yourself that his name is Hari, that he is the son of Ka (Kanoba), and that he wears a lace-bordered turban; then give them to him."
Hari Kanoba was astonished. He went forward, gave all three identifiers, and the boy returned the sandals. Hari Kanoba reflected: the lace-bordered turban was visible — Baba might have seen it. But how could Baba have known his name was Hari and he was the son of Kanoba? It was his first trip to Shirdi; he had come solely to test Baba. He understood: Baba was a great Satpurusha. He returned home well pleased.
Somadeva Swami — the Flags
Bhaiji, brother of Kakasaheb Dixit, lived at Nagpur. In 1906 he had gone to the Himalayas; at Uttarkashi down the Gangotri valley he made the acquaintance of one Somadeva Swami of Haridwar. They exchanged names in their diaries.
Five years later (1911) Somadeva Swami came to Nagpur and stayed with Bhaiji. Hearing Baba's leelas, a strong desire arose to visit Shirdi. With Bhaiji's letter of introduction the Swami went via Manmad and Kopergaon, taking a tanga to Shirdi.
Approaching the village he saw two high flags floating over the masjid. His thought: "Why should a saint take a liking for flags? Does this denote sainthood? It implies the saint's hankering after fame." He wished to turn back. The fellow travellers protested: "Then why did you come so long? If your mind gets restless at the flags, how much more agitated would you be on seeing in Shirdi the Ratha (car), the palanquin, the horse and all other paraphernalia?"
The Swami: "I have seen many such Sadhus with horses, palanquins and tom-toms. It is better for me to return."
The travellers pressed him: the paraphernalia was kept by the devotees out of love, not by Baba's wish. He was persuaded to continue.
Somadeva — at the Masjid
When the Swami saw Baba from the courtyard he was melted inside — eyes filled with tears, throat choked, all evil and crooked thoughts vanished. He remembered his own guru's saying: "That is our abode where the mind is most pleased and charmed."
He wished to roll himself in the dust of Baba's feet. As he approached, Baba got wild:
"Let all our humbug (paraphernalia) be with us; you go back to your home; beware if you come back to this Masjid. Why take the darshan of one who flies a flag over his Masjid? Is this a sign of sainthood? Remain here not a moment."
The Swami was taken aback — Baba had read his crooked judgment and spoken it out. He saw Baba embracing some, touching some, comforting others, staring kindly at some, laughing at others, giving udi to others — pleasing everyone. He realized Baba's wrath was a blessing in disguise, the precise response his inner thought required. His faith was confirmed; he became a staunch devotee.
Nanasaheb Chandorkar — the Veiled Lady of Bijapur
Once Nanasaheb was sitting in the masjid with Mhalsapati and others. A Mahomedan gentleman from Bijapur came with his family. Seeing the gosha (veiled) ladies, Nanasaheb wanted to leave; Baba prevented him.
The ladies took Baba's darshan. One of them removed her veil briefly in saluting Baba's feet, then resumed it. Nanasaheb, who saw her face, was so smitten with her rare beauty that he wished to see her face again. Baba — knowing Nana's restlessness — spoke to him after the family left:
"Nana, why are you getting agitated in vain? Let the senses do their allotted work, or duty; we should not meddle with their work. God has created this beautiful world and it is our duty to appreciate its beauty. The mind will get steady and calm slowly and gradually. When the front door is open, why go by the back one? When the heart is pure, there is no difficulty whatsoever. Why should one be afraid of any one if there be no evil thought in us? The eyes may do their work; why should you feel shy and tottering?"
Shama's Question and Nana's Gloss
Shama, present at the exchange, did not follow Baba's meaning. On the way home he asked Nana, who explained his restlessness at the lady's beauty and Baba's response. Nana's gloss:
"Our mind is fickle by nature; it should not be allowed to get wild. The senses may get restless, the body however should be held in check and not allowed to be impatient. Senses run after objects, but we should not follow them and crave for their objects. By slow and gradual practice restlessness can be conquered. We should not be swayed by the senses, but they cannot be completely controlled. We should curb them rightly and properly according to the need of the occasion. Beauty is the subject of sight; we should fearlessly look at the beauty of objects. There is no room for shyness or fear. Only we should never entertain evil thoughts. Making the mind desireless, observe God's works of beauty. In this way the senses will be easily and naturally controlled and even in enjoying objects you will be reminded of God. If the outer senses are not held in check and if the mind be allowed to run after objects and be attached to them, our cycle of births and deaths will not come to an end. With Viveka (discrimination) as our charioteer, we will control the mind and not allow the senses to go astray. With such a charioteer we reach the Vishnu-pada, the final abode, our real Home from which there is no return."
Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter
- (To the Maratha boy, the sandal-cry) "Hari Ka Beta, Jari Ka Pheta."
- (The three-identifier instruction) "If anybody claims these sandals, first assure yourself that his name is Hari, that he is the son of Ka (Kanoba), and that he wears a lace-bordered turban, and then give them to him."
- (To Somadeva Swami at the masjid) "Let all our humbug be with us; you go back to your home; beware if you come back to this Masjid. Why take the darshan of one who flies a flag over his Masjid? Is this a sign of sainthood? Remain here not a moment."
- (To Nanasaheb on beauty) "Nana, why are you getting agitated in vain? Let the senses do their allotted work; we should not meddle with their work. God has created this beautiful world and it is our duty to appreciate its beauty. The mind will get steady and calm slowly and gradually. When the front door is open, why go by the back one? When the heart is pure, there is no difficulty whatsoever. Why should one be afraid of any one if there be no evil thought in us? The eyes may do their work; why should you feel shy and tottering?"