Compliance with Guru’s Orders is Our Duty
Once someone brought a goat to the Masjid. It was weak, old and about to die. At that time Fakir Pir Mohamad of Malegaon alias Bade Baba was present there. Sai Baba asked him to behead the goat, and offer it as an oblation. Bade Baba refused, saying “Why the goat should be killed for nothing?” Then Baba asked Shama to kill it. He went to Radha-Krishna-Mai’s place, brought a knife and placed it before Baba. Knowing the purpose for which the knife was taken, she recalled it. Then Shama went to bring another knife, but stayed in the Wada, and did not return soon. Then came the turn of Kakasaheb Dixit. Baba asked him to get a knife and kill the goat. He went to Sathe’s Wada and returned with a knife. He was ready to kill the goat. Kakasaheb was born in a pure Brahmin family and never in his life knew killing. Though quite averse to do any act of violence, he made himself bold to kill the goat. All the people wondered to see that Bade Baba, a Mahomedan was unwilling to kill the goat while this pure Brahmin was making preparations to do so. He tightened his dhoti (a garment worn by male Hindus) and with a semicircular motion raised his hand with the knife and looked at Baba for the final signal. Baba said – “What are you thinking of? Go on, strike“. Then, when the hand was just about to come down, Baba said – “Stop, how cruel you are! Being a Brahmin, you are killing a goat?” Kakasaheb obeyed Baba’s orders and kept the knife down and said to Baba:
Your nectar-like word is law for us, we do not know, any other ordinance. We remember you always, meditate on Your Form and obey You day and night. We do not know or consider whether it is right or wrong to kill, we do not want to reason or discuss things. Implicit and prompt compliance with Guru’s orders, is our duty and Dharma.
Then Baba said to Kakaseheb, that He would Himself do the offering. It was decided that the goat should be disposed of near a place called Takkya, where fakirs used to sit. While the goat was being taken there, it fell dead on the way.
As quoted in Shri Guru Bhagavat:
Gurunka baachhalya madhura || Gurunka pareeksha kathora
Bhakta kare jete pragati || Sete pareekshaa hue niti
Pratyeka pareekshaara pare || Chadhe pragatira sidhire
Guru thaai taa’ra nepathye || Nianti pragatira pathe
The filial love of the Guru (towards His devotee) is sweet but the trials of the Guru are arduous. The more a devotee evolves (spiritually), the more tests he has to face. After every (successful) test, the devotee climbs (a step) up in the ladder of (spiritual) evolution. The Guru leads him in the path of (spiritual) evolution, helping him from behind.
Sources:
1. Shri Sai Satcharita, Chapter 23
2. Shri Guru Bhagavat Vol.2 by Dr. C B Satpathy