Object of Writing the Work - Incapacity and Boldness in the Undertaking - Hot Discussion – Conferring Significant and Prophetic Title of Hemadpant - Necessity of a Guru
In the last Chapter, the author mentioned in the original Marathi book that he would state the reason that led him to undertake the work, and the persons qualified to read the same and such other points. Now in this chapter, he starts to tell the same.
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Sai Ram. Yes, just as to write Satcharitra, Hemadpant had to seek the blessings of Sri Sai Baba, and to translate the same into English, Shri Gunaji got permission from Sai, (as nicely narrated by him in the first introduction), to read too, we need some minimum qualification, some merit, some poorva janma punyam, i.e. merits done in the previous birth. Later in Sri Sai Satcharitra, nine types of devotion have been mentioned, viz., Sravanam, kirtanam, (Vishno) smaranam, padasevanam, archanam, vandanam, dasyam, sakhyam, atma nivedanam. Hearing, loudly reciting and praising Vishnu (God), remembering, worshipping His feet, doing formal Puja, doing namaskar, i.e. bowing, serving, friendship and self-surrender are the nine modes of devotion.
So, reading Sri Sai Satcharitra comes under kirtanam category. Or when someone reads aloud, we may hear and that comes under sravanam, i.e. hearing. As we keep reading or hearing, we do remember Him and His leelas often, so smaranam, remembering takes place. We develop love to Him, so Sakhyam or archanam also happens. Finally our ego gets sufficiently purified and we surrender to Him completely. Sai Ram.
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Object of Writing the Work
In the first chapter, I described Sai Baba’s miracle of checking and destroying the epidemic of Cholera by grinding wheat and throwing the flour, on the outskirts of the village. I heard other miracles of Sai Baba to my great delight, and this delight burst forth into this poetic work. I also thought, that the description of these grand miracles of Sai Baba would be interesting, and instructive to His devotees; and would remove their sins, and so I began to write the sacred life and teachings of Sai Baba. The life of the saint is neither logical nor dialectical. It shows us the true and great path.
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Sai Ram. Let us recall the grinding of wheat and enjoy the spiritual gems through one more interesting aspect. Please recall what He did before He started the preparations for grinding wheat. "After washing His mouth and face, Sai Baba began to make preparations for grinding wheat." After sending the article on Spiritual Gems from the first chapter in 2003, a few days later, I was reciting Aditya Hridayam (a Stotra in praise of Sri Sun God, Surya), also called popularly as Suryanarayana, signifying His oneness with Narayana, the Para Brahma, the origin of this whole Universe. This particular Stotra is a part of Sri Ramayana composed by that great Sage, Sri Valmiki, who was a hunter earlier. His transformation was effected through the great Ram Naam. Sage Agastya, gives the physical Rama the Hridayam (the inner core, the heart) of Aditya (Sun) (the Atma Ram, the True Self) and assures Sri Rama that if He worships Sun God, i.e. understands the true nature of Atma, Self, He will be sure to conquer Ravana, the Ten-headed Rakshasa (our five body organs and five sense organs). Sri Rama too, worships Aditya after doing Achamanam three times (Trirachamya Suchirbhutva… says Aditya Hridayam, which can also be interpreted as cleansing body, mind and intellect). It is a common feature in all Hindu rituals to start any Puja with Achamanam, i.e. cleaning oneself physically, mentally and spiritually by washing one’s hands and sipping water three times. For the first sip, we use Om Kesavaya Swaha, for the second sip, Om Narayanaya Swaha and for the third sip, we recite Om Madhavaya Swaha. There is a lot of esoteric signficance in those three Mantras. At the appropriate time, by Sai's grace, we will discuss that too. So, Sri Sai also did Achamanam before His yogic ritual of grinding wheat, before His fight against the Cholera!
Sri Sai is showing us the power or efficacy of true detachment. After assiduously grinding the wheat (putting so much effort), He asked that it be thrown on the village boundary) without any attachment. True Nishkama karma. It is thus a true Bali, sacrifice (Atma nivedanam, the last and highest form of Bhakti). Sai always used to utter "Allah Malik" (God is the proprietor). And yes, it is a fortunate coincidence that this was keyed in on the day of Bakrid, a holy festival of our Muslim brothers. (This article in its original form was keyed in on Bakrid Day in the year 2003). As all of you know, God asks the father to offer his own son as sacrifice. The father doesn't hesitate. At the last second, Allah substitutes a goat for the child. This story is also present in The Bible. The story of Bhakta Siriyala is the Hindu equivalent of the same story. Thus, sacrifice of one self and what one holds dear (it is easier to sacrifice one’s own life than to give up the attachment to one’s family and possessions) is praised in all religions. Sri Sai reinforced the same message through the grinding of wheat, which apparently looked like a miracle. Such miracles are the means of attracting the devotees by Sai so that they come nearer to Him, physically, mentally and spiritually. Faith improves and His grace starts flowing better through them. It is like tilling and watering a field, where the seeds of Bhakti are lying dormant. With the right inputs, Bhakti sprouts up and the field gets fulfilled. We are the Kshetra (Field) and He is the Ksetrajna (Knower of the field) as given in Srimad Bhagavat Gita. In a later chapter, we shall see how Baba tilled the flower garden where the present Samadhi Mandir stands! Thus He indeed proved that He is Kshetrajna. Sai Ram
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Incapacity and Boldness in Undertaking the Work
Hemadpant thought that he was not a fit person to undertake the work. He said, "I do not know the life of my intimate friend nor do I know my own mind, then how can I write the life of a saint or describe the nature of Incarnations, which even the Vedas were unable to do? One must be a saint himself, before he could know other saints, then how can I describe their glory? To write the life of a saint is the most difficult, though one may as well measure the depth of the water of the seven seas or enclose the sky with cloth-trappings. I knew that this was the most venturous undertaking, which might expose me to ridicule. I, therefore, invoked Sai Baba’s grace.
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Sai Ram. Hemadpant thought that, he was not a fit person to undertake the work. The irony is that, if he thought he was fit, he would simply and certainly would have been unfit. In my childish enthusiasm, I too thought that I am very spiritual and so on and wanted to expound the great spiritual truths uncovered by my great intellect, much earlier, in the year 2001 or so. Sai, the kind master that He is, removed such illusions and made me go through the Satcharitra several times before He started giving out the spiritual gems. He only knows who is fit for what seva, and He chose the time for these Spiritual Gems to come out into the light at the appropriate time. What started in the year 2003 is still going on (I never imagined that) and even now, as I read and review the earlier articles, He keeps giving new insights.
Shri Hemadpant thought that "One must be a saint himself, before he could know other saints, otherwise, how can I describe their glory?" It is true to a certain extent, but even sinners were drawn to Him because of the merits in their present or previous births. To really know a saint or jnani, one has to be a saint or jnani himself, because if one were not, one’s ego blocks one from fully knowing and experiencing the saint’s and thus God’s grace. But even through a cloud, we perceive Sunlight, thus, even with our ego-limited perception, we are able to realize the greatness of Saints like Sai and benefit by their Sangatya. So, unless we are totally blind, i.e. totally unfit, we do realize and we benefit from their company. As already stated above, we do have some merit and that is why, we are brought into His fold. Sai Ram.
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The premier poet-saint of Maharashtra, Shri Jnaneshwar Maharaj, has stated that the Lord loves those who write the lives of saints; and the saints also have a peculiar method of their own of getting the service, which the devotees long for, successfully accomplished. The saints inspire the work; the devotee becomes only an indirect cause or instrument to achieve the end.
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Sai Ram. Many times, we are not aware of our own mission in Life, but Sai knows and He gets the service and gives us the results, which we need, so that we can proceed further. Sai Ram.
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For instance, in 1700 Shaka year, the poet Mahipati aspired to write the lives of saints. Saints inspired him, and got the work done; so also in 1800 Shaka year, Das Ganu’s service was accepted. The former wrote 4 works-Bhakta Vijaya, Santa Vijaya, Bhakta Leelamrit and Santa Kathamrit, while the latter wrote two - "Bhakta Leelamrit and Santa Kathamrit", in which the lives of modern Saints were described. In chapters 31,32,33 of Bhakta Leelamrit and in chapter 57 of Santa Kathamrit, the sweet life and teachings of Sai Baba are very well depicted. These have been separately published in Sai Leela Magazine, Nos. 11 and 12, Vol. 17; the readers are advised to read these chapters. So also Sai Baba’s wonderful Leelas are described in a small decent book named Shri Sainath Bhajana Mala by Mrs. Savitribai Raghunath Tendulkar of Bandra. Das-Ganu Maharaj also has composed various sweet poems on Sai Baba. A devotee named Amidas Bhavani Mehta has also published some stories of Sri Baba in Gujarathi; some Nos. of Sainath Prabha, a magazine published by Dakshina Bhiksha Sanstha of Shirdi, is also published. Then the question of objection comes in, that while so many works regarding Sai Baba are extant, why should this (Satcharita) be written and where is its necessity?
The answer is plain and simple. The life of Sai Baba is as wide and deep as the infinite ocean; and all can dive deep into the same and take out precious gems (of knowledge and Bhakti), and distribute them to the aspiring public. The stories, parables, and teachings of Sai Baba are very wonderful. They will give peace and happiness to the people, who are afflicted with sorrows and heavily loaded with miseries of this worldly existence, and also bestow knowledge and wisdom, both in the worldly and in spiritual domains. If these teachings of Sai Baba, which are as interesting and instructive as the Vedic lore, are listened to and meditated upon, the devotees will get, what they long for, viz., union with Brahman, mastery in eight-fold Yoga, Bliss of meditation etc. So I thought, that I should call these stories together that would be my best Upasana. This collection would be most delightful to those simple souls, whose eyes were not blessed with Sai Baba’s Darshan. So, I set about collecting Sai Baba’s teachings and expressions - the outcome of His boundless and natural self-realization. It was Sai Baba, who inspired me in this matter; in fact, I surrendered my ego at His feet, and thought that my path was clear; and that He would make me quite happy here, and in the next world.
I could not myself ask Sai Baba to give me permission for this work; so I requested Mr. Madhav Rao Deshpande alias Shama, Baba’s most intimate devotee, to speak to Him for me.
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Sai Ram. I too, could not bring myself to ask Baba directly and so approached Baba through, Saibanisa. Baba told Shama "He is Only an outward instrument. I should write Myself My Autobiography and satisfy the wishes of My devotees." – That applies to this work also, and the title of Spiritual Gems was so kindly suggested by Sai Himself through the above. Even today, He is giving new insights as I read stories about His miracles from Sai Satcharitra and other holy scriptures or His miracles being experienced by His devotees even today. Sai Ram.
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He pleaded for my cause and said to Sai Baba, "This Annasaheb wishes to write Your biography, don’t say that You are a poor begging Fakir, and there is no necessity to write it, but if You agree and help him, he will write or rather, Your feet (grace) will accomplish the work. Without Your consent and blessing, nothing can be done successfully." When Sai Baba heard this request, He was moved and blessed me by giving me His Udi (sacred ashes) and placing His boon-bestowing hand on my head said: - "Let him make a collection of stories and experiences, keep notes and memos; I will help him. He is only an outward instrument. I should write Myself My autobiography and satisfy the wishes of My devotees. He should get rid of his ego, place (or surrender) it at My feet. He who acts like this in life, him I help the most. What of My life-stories? I serve him in his house in all possible ways. When his ego is completely annihilated and there is left no trace of it, I Myself shall enter into him and shall Myself write My own life. Hearing my stories and teachings will create faith in devotees’ hearts and they will easily get self - realization and Bliss; let there be no insistence on establishing one’s own view, no attempt to refute other’s opinions, no discussions of pros and cons of any subject."
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So, Sai Ram, I place my head at your lotus feet. Please bless the readers and me. Sai Ram.
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The word ‘discussion’ put me in mind of my promise to explain the story of my getting the title of Hemadpant and now I begin to relate the same. I was on close friendly terms with Kakasaheb Dixit and Nanasaheb Chandorkar. They pressed me to go to Shirdi and have Baba’s Darshan, and I promised them to do so. But something in the interval turned up, which prevented me from going to Shirdi. The son of a friend of mine at Lonavala fell ill. My friend tried all possible means, physical and spiritual, but the fever would not abate. At length he got his Guru to sit by the bedside of his son, but this too was of no avail. Hearing this, I thought ‘what was the utility of the Guru, if he could not save my friend’s son? If the Guru can’t do anything for us, why should I go to Shirdi at all?’
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Sai Ram. Hemadpant thought "What was the utility of the Guru, if he could not Save my friend’s son?" This episode served to trigger the thoughts about Guru in his mind, and yes, the Guru saved that boy’s Sukshma Shareera (the subtle astral body, of desires) by sitting at his bedside while the physical body was being shed. So the Guru’s sitting at the boy’s bedside was not in vain at all! It is to be understood that the Guru is One and takes several physical forms to help the sadhakas, as clearly explained in Sri Guru Charitra and as clearly brought out by the different stories in Sri Sai Satcharitra. Sai Ram.
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Thinking in this way, I postponed my Shirdi-trip; but the inevitable must happen and it happened in my case as follows: - Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, who was a Prant Officer, was going on tour to Bassein. From Thana he came to Dadar and was waiting for a train bound for Bassein. In the meanwhile, a Bandra Local turned up. He sat in it and came to Bandra; and sent for me and took me to task for putting off my Shirdi trip. Nana’s argument for my Shirdi trip was convincing and delightful, and so I decided to start for Shirdi, the same night. I packed up my luggage and started for Shirdi. I planned to go to Dadar and there to catch the train for Manmad, and so I booked myself for Dadar and sat in the train. While the train was to start, a Mohammedan came hastily to my compartment and seeing all my paraphernalia, asked me where I was bound to. I told him my plan. He then suggested that I should straight go to Boribunder, and not get down at Dadar, for the Manmad Mail did not get down at Dadar at all. If this little miracle or Leela had not happened, I would not have reached Shirdi next day as settled, and many doubts would have assailed me. But that was not to be. As fortune favored me, I reached Shirdi the next day before 9 or 10 A.M.
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Sai Ram. Since Hemadpant’s time has come; the miracle did take place and he reached Shirdi (not just the physical place, but his inner destination). Sai Ram.
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Mr. Bhausaheb (Kaka) Dixit was waiting for me there. This was in 1910 AD, when there was only one place, viz., Sathe’s Wada for lodging pilgrim devotees. After alighting from the Tonga, I was anxious to have Darshan, when the great devotee, Tatyasaheb Noolkar returned from the Masjid and said that Sai Baba was at the corner of the Wada, and that I should first get the preliminary Darshan and then, after bath, see Him at leisure.
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Sai Ram. He was advised to take the ‘Dhooli Darshan’ (literally dusty sighting), since Guru is the best purifier and so bowing to Guru, wherever He is, in whatever condition we are, is the first and best purifier. Physical bath cleanses the body and refreshes and thus cleans the mind, but this namaskar to Guru, this Dhooli Darshan is the best purifier of the ego. Sai Ram.
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Hearing this I ran and prostrated before Baba and then my joy knew no bounds. I found more than what Nana Chandorkar had told me. All my senses were satisfied and I forgot thirst and hunger. The moment I touched Sai Baba’s feet, I began a new lease of life. I felt myself much obliged to those who spurred and helped me to get the Darshan; and I considered them as my real relatives, and I cannot repay their debt. I only remember them and prostrate (mentally) before them. The peculiarity of Sai Baba’s Darshan, as I found it is that by His Darshan our thoughts are changed, the force of previous actions is abated and gradually non-attachment of dispassion towards worldly objects grows up. It is by the merit of actions in many past births that such Darshan is got, and if only you see Sai Baba, really all the world becomes or assumes the form of Sai Baba.
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Sai Ram. In Ramayana, we are told about Sri Rama and Sri Lakshmana being given two mantras by Sage Viswamitra. The two mantras were "Bala" and "Ati bala" and by the grace of these two mantras they were freed from hunger, thirst and fatigue etc., i.e. they were freed from all the human body’s weaknesses. Sri Annasaheb Dabholkar, shortly going to be named as Hemadpant also forgot his thirst and hunger. He felt the sign of Guru’s grace. Sai Ram.
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Hot Discussion
On the first day of my arrival in Shirdi, there was a discussion between me and Balasaheb Bhate regarding the necessity of a Guru. I contended, "Why should we lose our freedom and submit to others? When we have to do our duty, why a Guru is necessary? One must try his best and save himself. What can the Guru do to a man who does nothing but sleeps indolently?" Thus I pleaded freewill, while Mr. Bhate took up the other side, viz., Destiny, and said, "Whatever is bound to happen must happen; even great men have failed, man proposes one way, but God disposes the other (contrary) way. Brush aside your cleverness; pride or egoism won’t help you." This discussion, with all its pros and cons went on for an hour or so, and as usual no decision was arrived at. We had to stop the discussion ultimately, as we were exhausted. The net result of this was that I lost my peace of mind and found that unless there is strong body-consciousness and egoism, there would be no discussion; in other words, it is egoism, which breeds discussion.
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Sai Ram. "What can the Guru do to a man, who does nothing, but sleeps indolently?" asked Hemadpant, thus pleading free-will. But what did the Guru do to Hemadpant? He agitated his mind through his friend’s son’s death episode and brought him to Shirdi. So, the Guru does wake up the sleeping man too. He will create such situations in that man’s life that he starts running! And even these qualities of pride, cleverness, ego etc. help in ripening the destiny of the man quickly and a ripe fruit has to fall from the tree of sansar, as given by the Mahamantra, “Tryambakam Yajamahe Sugandhim Pushti Vardhanam, Urvaruka Miva Bandhanan Mrutyor Musksheeya Mamrutat.”
In all the puranas, we come across stories of Daityas (sons of Diti, also called as Rakshasas etc.), who met death at the hands of various forms of God (like Vishnu, Siva, Kartikeya, Durga etc.). Results follow actions is the inviolable law of karma. They (the Rakshasas) did great penance and so obtained boons. They misused the powers thus obtained and met their just end. But since they were powerful in a negative way, a positive power had to manifest itself in the form of Siva, Vishnu etc., to annihilate the negative power. If we need to eliminate or destroy an electron (a very tiny particle which is electrically negatively charged) we need to bring a positron (an electrically opposite charged particle, otherwise identical or superior) to it. The result? Both disappear and pure energy equal to the combined mass of both appears. Similarly if a proton and an electron combine, a neutron forms or vice-versa. Thus in the cosmic drama, good and bad or simply like light and shadow. "I lost my peace of mind and found that, unless there is strong body-consciousness and egoism, there would be no discussion; in other words, it is egoism, which breeds discussion." And I would add, desire too. Unfulfilled desire leads to frustration, resentment, anger and all other evils. Sai Ram.
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Then when we went to the Masjid with others, Baba asked Kakasaheb Dixit the following: -
"What was going on in the (Sathe’s) Wada? What was the discussion about?" and staring at me, Baba further added, "What did this Hemadpant say?"
Hearing these words, I was much surprised. The Masjid was at a considerable distance from Sathe’s Wada where I was staying and where the discussion was going on. How could Baba know our discussion unless He is omniscient and Inner Ruler of us all?
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Sai Ram. This surprise is not surprising in the initial stages of one’s spiritual path. That Sai is One with All and hence knows our innermost thoughts may be known to us, but we still feel that awe when we experience such incidents where Baba speaks aloud about what happened far away from His physical presence. Sai Ram.
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Significant and Prophetic Title
I began to think why Sai Baba should call me by the name Hemadpant. This word is a corrupt form of Hemadripant. This Hemadripant was a well-known Minister of the kings Mahadev and Ramadev of Devgiri of the Yadav dynasty. He was very learned, good-natured and the author of good works, such as Chaturvarga Chintamani (dealing with spiritual subjects) and Rajprashasti. He invented and started new methods of accounts and was the originator of the Modi (Marathi Shorthand) script. But I was quite the opposite, an ignoramus, and of dull, mediocre intellect. So I could not understand why the name or title was conferred upon me, but thinking seriously upon it, I thought that the title was a dart to destroy my ego, so that, I should always remain meek and humble. It was also a compliment paid to me for the cleverness in the discussion.
Looking to the future history, we think that Baba’s word (calling Mr. Dabholkar by the name Hemadpant) was significant and prophetic, as we find that he looked after the management of Sai Sansthan very intelligently, kept nicely all the accounts and was also the author of such a good work "Sai Satcharita", which deals with such important and spiritual subjects as Jnana, Bhakti and dispassion, self-surrender and self-realization.
About the Necessity of a Guru
Hemadpant has left no note, no memo about what Baba said regarding this subject, but Kakasaheb Dixit has published his notes regarding this matter. Next day after Hemadpant’s meeting with Sai Baba, Kakasaheb went to Baba and asked whether he should leave Shirdi. Baba Said, "Yes". Then someone asked - "Baba, where to go?" Baba said, "High up." Then the man said, "How is the way?" Baba said, "There are many ways leading there; there is one way also from here (Shirdi). The way is difficult. There are tigers and wolves in the jungles on the way." I (Kakasaheb) asked - "But Baba, what if we take a guide with us?" Baba answered, - "Then there is no difficulty. The guide will take you straight to your destination, avoiding wolves, tigers and ditches etc. on the way. If there be no guide, there is the danger of your being lost in the jungles or falling into ditches." Mr. Dabholkar was present on this occasion and he thought that this was the answer Baba gave to the question whether Guru was a necessity (Vide Sai Leela Vol. I, No.5, Page 47); and he thereupon took the hint that no discussion of the problem, whether man is free or bound, is of any use in spiritual matters, but that on the contrary real Paramartha is possible only as the result of the teachings of the Guru, as is illustrated in this chapter of the original work in the instances of great Avatars like Rama and Krishna, who had to submit themselves to their Gurus, Vasishta and Sandipani respectively, for getting self- realization and that the only virtues necessary for such progress are faith and patience. (Vide Sai Satcharita, Ch. II, 191-92).
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Sai Ram. Baba said "The way is difficult. There are tigers and wolves in the jungles on the way." The tigers and wolves are desire, anger, jealousy and cruelty etc., which are waiting to pounce upon the Sadhaka and finish him up. Luckily Guru helps us to avoid them or face them with light (it is a known fact that wild animals like tigers, wolves etc., are afraid of fire, which is light) of true knowledge and faith. So, let us submit our cleverness, ego, body-consciousness, desires and all else at the feet of Sadguru Sai Maharaj, so that our path becomes clear like a Raja Marga (Royal Road). Sai Ram.
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Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all
Sai Ram. We have completed the second chapter of Sri Sai Satcharitra for now. We will revisit the post and edit it as needed and as inspired by Sai Maharaj in future. Sai Ram.
