Chapter 4 (Part 8) – Scribblings of A Shirdi Sai Devotee

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Stray Thought on Circulation of letters and other such activities

During the last many years, a number of letters written in Baba’s name, asking the recipient to circulate a particular number of its copies to other persons, have come to my notice. In these letters, the benefits accruing to persons who have maintained the chain and the tribulations suffered by those who have broken the chain, are mentioned. As and when I have received such a letter, I have never responded to it and have invariably placed it in the bucket containing already offered flowers to Baba for being thrown into the river Yamuna. I have never found myself weak enough to continue the chain and succumb to the pressures brought out in such letters. No damage seems to have come my way by Baba’s kripa. I am of the firm view that Baba is our merciful mother who is always worried about the welfare of its child and can never even think of doing him any harm. The floating of such a chain of letters is the handiwork of some petty minded, ignorant and unscrupulous persons.

A devotee must not encourage such acts in Baba’s name. It should be our endeavour to curb these practices as and when these come to our notice.

Enquiries have also been made to me by a few devotees regard to the circulation of a bread received by them from some fellow devotee. They say that they have received half a piece of bread in Baba’s name which when placed in water becomes double its size and they are supposed to send half a piece of this bread to each of two devotees. The taking up of this chain is supposed to bring ill-luck to theperson breaking it. My advice to these persons has been to throw away the bread in some river or well.

In this context, I would also like to state that I have also seen Baba’s pictures being used in their advertisements by Muslim, so called Sufi Saints, to seek clientage to their astrological predictions or in using Yantra and Tantra, Devotees must see to it that these unscrupulous persons are not allowed to use Baba’s pictures for such cheap gimmicks.

A Thought

A good act done provides satisfaction to the soul and envelops it with bliss. The soul of the person feels grateful to Bal who has provided him the capacity and the will to do act. The admiration by others of this act, works on the ego the man and provides him impetus to do similar or still more purposeful acts in life. This could also act on his ego in the other way i.e. give him a feeling that Baba has given him something more than others, who mostly want to ‘take’ from him rather than ‘give’ in their life.

A thought is hammered into the mind of the ‘Sadhak’ that a bhakta should give up his ego and the feeling doership. There can be no two opinions in the matter. But a bhakta becomes completely devoid of ego and the feel of doership, how shall he be able to make a distinc between the good and bad – the thoughts which motivate the act of doing good. There are examples of sages and who have raised themselves completely above the self, thus become incapable of determining the good and bad, so much so that they eat their own excreta. Ramakrishna Paramhansa has said again and again that if one gives up his ego completely, he cannot remain alive for more than 2’ days and, therefore, it is necessary for the body to retain a little ego.

Our Baba had an extremely practical view in such matters. When Nana Chandorkar desired to have another look at that young and pretty Muslim lady who had come to Dwarkamayee for Baba’s darshan alongwith an elderly lady, Baba although made Nana aware of his impure feelings, did not rebuke him, but told him that it was the act of’indriyas’ to appreciate beauty but the thought arising out of doing so should be diverted towards Him. By doing so, there shall be no harm in allowing indriyas to play their part. From what has been stated above, the following thoughts emerge:

a) When a satisfying act is performed, it cleanses the ‘atma’ and provides it impetus to do still better.

b) When a bhakta has surrendered himself to his deity and even then baser thoughts arise in his mind, he should not feel guilty of them but divert them to his God. He may even ascribe such a thought to his deity who hasn’t been able to take him beyond such thoughts. Let him surrender this thought to Him and not bother about it being good or bad. He should not then be guilty of the effects of this thought and in course of time such thoughts, would cease bothering him.

c) If a thought is allowed to be suppressed, will it not do more harm to the bhakta for he shall not then be able to concentrate on the higher things of life. Was not Acharya Rajneesh advocating this theory in what he preached and asked his devotees to live down such thoughts and emerge calm and cool, so that these may cease to affect their Sadhana adversely?

If and when the soul becomes completely devoid of ego, how shall it then be able to differentiate between good and bad? It shall then be beyond this concept and there shall remain no question of its doing good or bad. Even to imagine reaching such a state seems difficult to attain while living and moving in the world.

Often I have wondered, if the soul can ever give up the ‘ego’ which is its sheath. If so, why indulge in its meaning analysis. Let a ‘Bhakta’ continue to tread the path of Baba unmindful of the thoughts of vice and virtue good or bad. When the Bhakta has surrendered himself ‘Him’, how can the effect of such thoughts remain his own.

The following utterances of Baba may be relevant in appreciating this thought:

a) “Do not entertain the sense of doership in perfor good or bad act; be entirely free from pride and ego in all actions”.

b) “How can the worldly desires and impure inclinations come near persons who remember me in their ever life, worship me and lovingly listen to and brood over My life stories. I shall draw them out from the jaws of death.

Shri Sai Nath Maharaj Ki Jai

Continued…Chapter 5

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