Importance of Human Birth – Sai Baba Begging Food – Bayajabai’s Service – Sai Baba’s Dormitory – Baba’s Affection for Khushalchand.
As hinted in the last Chapter, Hemadpant now explains at length, in his preliminary remarks, on the importance of human birth; and then proceeds to relate how Sai Baba begged His food, how Bayajabai served Him, how Baba slept in the Masjid with Tatya Kote Patil and Mhalsapati and how much He loved Khushalchand of Rahata.
Importance of Human Birth
In this wonderful universe, God has created billions (8.4 millions according to calculations cited in Hindu shastras) of creatures or beings (including insects, beasts and men), inhabiting in heaven, hell, earth, ocean, sky and other intermediate regions. Of these, those creatures or souls, whose merits preponderate, go to heaven and live there till they enjoy the fruits of their actions, and once it’s over, they are cast down to earth while those souls, whose sins or demerits preponderate, go down to hell, and suffer the consequences of their misdeeds for a preordained period.
When the merits and demerits of a soul balance each other, it is born on earth as a human being, and is given a chance to work on its salvation. Ultimately when the soul’s merits and demerits both drop down (are got rid of) completely, the soul gets its deliverance and become free.
In a nutshell, souls get their births or trans-migrations according to their deeds and intelligence (development of their minds).
Special Value of the Human Body
As we all know, four things are common to all the creatures, viz. food, sleep, fear and sexual urge. In the case of man, he is endowed with a special faculty, viz. knowledge, with the help of which he can attain Self-Realization, which is impossible for any other species. It is for this reasons even Gods envy man’s fortune and aspire to be born as men on earth, so as to receive their final deliverance.
Some say, that there is nothing worse than the human body, which is full of filth, mucus, phlegm and dirt, and which is subject to decay, disease and death. This is no doubt true to a certain extent; but in spite of these drawbacks and defects, the special value of the human body is – that man has got the capacity to acquire knowledge: it is only due to the human knowledge that one can think of the perishable and transitory nature of the body itself, and of the world and develops a dislike for sense-enjoyments and can discriminate between the unreal and the real, and thus attain Self-Realization. So, if we reject or neglect the body because it is filthy, we lose the chance of Self-Realization, and if we fondle it, and run after sensual pleasures, we go to hell.
The proper course, therefore, for us to pursue is the following; The body should neither be neglected nor fondled, but should be properly cared for, just as a traveler on horse-back takes care of his pony on the way till he reaches his destination and returns home. Thus the body should always be used or engaged to attain self-realization, which is the supreme goal of life.
It is said that though God created different creatures he was not satisfied, for none of them was able to know and appreciate His work. So he had to create a special being – Man, and endow him with a special faculty, viz. Knowledge and when He saw that man was able to appreciate His Leela – marvelous work and intelligence. He was highly pleased and satisfied. (Bhagavad Gita 11:9:28). So it is really a good fortune to get a human body, better fortune to get birth in a Brahmin family, and the best one, is to get an opportunity of having recourse to Sai Baba’s feet and surrender to Him.
Man’s Endeavour
Realizing how precious the human life is, and knowing that Death is certain and may snatch us at any time, we should be ever alert to achieve the goal of our life, we should not make the least delay but make every possible effort to gain our goal, just as a king leaves no stone unturned to seek his lost son. So, with all earnestness we should strive to attain our objective,i.e.,self-realization. Casting aside inertia and laziness, warding off sluggishness, we should day and night meditate on the Self. If we fail to do this, we reduce ourselves to the level of beasts.
Protection of the Sadguru
The most effective and expeditious way to gain our objective of this life is to approach a worthy saint or Sage – the Sadguru, who has himself attained self-realization. What cannot be achieved by hearing religious lectures and study of religious texts, is easily obtained in the company of such worthy souls. Just as the sun alone gives light, which all the stars put together cannot provide, so the Sadguru alone can impart spiritual wisdom which all the sacred books and sermons cannot infuse.
His actions, simple talks give us ‘silent’ advice. The virtues of forgiveness, composure, indifference towards worldly objects, charity, benevolence, control of mind and body, ego-less personality etc. provide practical experiences to the devotees. This enlightens their minds and lifts them up spiritually. Sai Baba was such a Sage or Sadguru. Though He acted as a Fakir (mendicant), He was always engrossed in the Self. He always loved all beings in whom He saw God or Divinity. He was not elated by pleasures. He was not depressed by defeat and debacles. Both the king and the pauper were equal before Him. He, whose glance would turn a beggar into a king, used to beg for alms from door to door in Shirdi, and let us now see how He did it.
Baba Begging for alms
Blessed are the people of Shirdi, in front of whose houses, Baba stood as a beggar and called out, “Oh Mai, give me a piece of bread” and spread out His hand to receive the same. In one hand He carried a Tumrel (tinpot) and in the other a Jholi (a rectangular piece of cloth bag). Everyday He used to visit certain houses. Baba used to receive liquid or semi-liquid food items such as soup, vegetables, milk or butter-milk in the tinpot, while cooked rice, bread, and solid items were kept in the Jholi. Baba’s tongue knew no taste, as He had acquired control over it. So why should he care for the taste of the different things collected together? Baba used to mix the food items in his Jholi and in the tinpot and eat to his heart’s content. Whether a particular food was tasty or not was never noticed by Baba as if His tongue was devoid of the sense of taste altogether. Baba begged till noon, but His begging was very irregular. Some days he went a few rounds, on other days he begged till noon. The food thus collected was thrown in an earthen pot. Dogs, cats and crows freely ate from it and Baba never drove them away. The woman who used to sweep the floor of the Masjid used to take few pieces of bread with her, and nobody prevented her from doing so. How could, He, who even in dreams never warded off cats and dogs by harsh words and signs, refuse food to poor helpless people? Blessed indeed is the life of such a noble person! In the beginning People in Shirdi thought Baba to be a mad Fakir. He was known in the village by this name. How could one, who lived on alms by begging a few crumbs of bread, be revered and respected? But this Fakir was very loving, kindhearted, dispassionate and charitable. Tough he looked unpredictable and restless from outside, he was firm and still inside. His way was inscrutable. Yet there were few kind and blessed people in that small village, who recognized and regarded him as a great soul. One such instance is given below.
Bayajabai
Bayajabai’s Brilliant Service
Tatya Kote’s mother, Bayajabai, used to go to the woods every noon with a basket on her head containing bread and vegetables. She used to roam in the forest for miles trampling over bushes and shrubs in search of the mad Fakir, and after searching him out, used to fall at his feet. The Fakir used to sit calm and motionless in meditation, while she place a leaf before him, spread the eatables, bread, vegetables etc. and feed him forcibly. Wonderful was her faith and service. Every day she roamed at noon in the forest and forced Baba to partake the lunch. Her service, or upasana or penance, by whatever name we call it, was never forgotten by Baba till his Maha Samadhi. Remembering fully what service she rendered, Baba showered his blessings on her son. Both son and the mother had great faith in the Fakir, Who was their God. Baba often said to them that “Fakir (Mendicacy) is the real grandeur as it is everlasting, and the so called nobility (riches) is transient“. After some years, Baba stopped going into the woods, began to live in the village and take his food in the Masjid. From that time Bayajabai’s troubles of roaming in the forest ended.
Dormitory of Trio
Even blessed are the saints in whose heart lord Vasudev dwells, and fortunate, indeed, are the devotees who get the benefit of the company of such saints. Two such fortunate devotees, Tatya Kote Patil and Bhagat Mhalsapati, equally shared the company of Sai Baba. Baba also loved them both equally. These three individuals slept in the Masjid with their heads towards the east, west and north and with their feet touching one another at the center. Stretching their beds, they lay on them, chatting and gossiping about many things, till late midnight. If any one of them showed any signs of sleep, others would wake him up. For instance, if Tatya began to snore, Baba at once used to get up and shake him from side to side and pressed his head. If it was Mhalsapati, He hugged him close, stroked his legs and kneaded his back. In this way, for fourteen years, Tatya, leaving his parents at home, slept in the Masjid due to his love for Baba. How happy and memorable were those days! How can one measure that love and how can we value Baba’s grace? After the loss of his father, Tatya took charge of the household affairs and began to sleep at home.
Khushalehand of Rahata
Baba loved Ganpat Kote Patil of Shirdi. He equally loved Chandrabhan Seth Marwadi of Rahata. After the demise of the Seth, Baba loved his nephew Khushalchand equally or even perhaps more, and watched his welfare, day and night. Baba used to visit Rahata with close associates, sometimes in a bullock cart, at other times in a tonga (horse-drawn two-wheeled vehicle). People of Rahata used to welcome Baba near the village entrance with band and music and prostrated before him. Then He was taken into the village with great pomp and ceremony. Khushalchand used to take Baba to his house, make him seat on a comfortable seat and serve him a good lunch. Then they talked freely and merrily for some time, after which Baba used to return to Shirdi, giving delight and blessing to all.
Shirdi is midway between and equidistant from Rahata on one side (south) and Nimgaon on the other (north). Baba never went beyond these places during his life time. He never saw any railway train nor traveled in it. Still, He knew exactly the timing of arrival and departure of all trains. Devotees who acted according to Baba’s instructions (during their departure from Shirdi) which were given by him at the time of taking His leave fared well, while those who disregarded them suffered many a mishap and accidents. More about this and other matters will be told in the next Chapter.
Bow to Shri Sai– Peace to be all
NOTE: An incident, given in the footnote at the end of this Chapter, showing Baba’s love for Khusalchand how He asked one afternoon Kakasaheb Dixit to go to Rahata and fetch Khushalchand, and at the same time appeared before Khushalchand in his dream asking him to come to Shirdi, is not given here as it is described later on (Chapter 30).