Part 2 – Chapter 10 – Bhakt – Parayan Dasganu – ShirdiChe Sai Baba

Previously Posted

Chapter No	Part No	Contents of the Chapter
NA	NA	Note By G.P.Sinha
NA	NA	Publisher’s & Translator’s Note
NA	NA	Foreword
NA	NA	About The Author
NA	NA	Preface
NA	NA	Introduction
Chapter 1	Part 1	Our Anna
Chapter 1	Part 2	Our Anna
Chapter 1	Part 3	Our Anna
Chapter 2	Part 1	Arrival Of Sai Baba In Shirdi
Chapter 2	Part 2	Arrival Of Sai Baba In Shirdi
Chapter 3	Part 1	Shama
Chapter 3	Part 2	Shama
Chapter 3	Part 3	Shama
Chapter 4	Part 1	Baba’s Dakshina
Chapter 4	Part 2	Baba’s Dakshina
Chapter 5	Part 1	Mahalasa – Importance Of Nama-Japa
Chapter 6	Part 1	Thirst For God Realization
Chapter 7	Part 1	Baba’s Teachings
Chapter 7	Part 2	Baba’s Teachings
Chapter 8	Part 1	Why Did You Come To A Muslim?
Chapter 9	Part 1	Dissemination
Chapter 10	Part 1	Bhakt – Parayan Dasganu

Baba and Staunch Muslims

Baba’s views and acts were in disharmony with the staunch Muslims of Shirdi. Badebaba and other Muslims had invited Sai Baba to join the prayer at ‘Khutba‘. Baba had agreed in the beginning. But when people came to lead Him to the place, Baba refused.

Next time those people brought a ‘Tajia‘ (Taboot) at Dwarkamai. On the fifth day of Moharrum, it was kept there in the masjid. After two days Baba said, “I do not want a corpse in Dwarkamai”. Baba then put the Tajia on fire and burnt it to ashes. No Muslim could take any action against Baba.

Once, an orthodox Muslim brought a garland of a typical flower. He wanted to decorate the arch of the masjid. When he asked Baba for His permission, He answered, “Take away this garland and put it on Hanuman idol“.

The person asked in confusion, “I am a Muslim; how can I garland a Hindu deity?”

Baba got annoyed as the person was ignorant about the uniqueness of the God. He said, “Allah and Hanuman are ONE”

The Muslim went away with the garland. Baba’s respect for Hanuman was beyond any description. Chawadi had a two levelled platform in its structure. Baba used to sit on the lower platform. There was an idol of Hanuman kept in one corner of the upper level surface. Once Baba was sitting in His usual place when it started drizzling. One of the devotees suggested Him to move to the upper platform, as rain-drops were falling on Baba. But Baba turned down his suggestion, saying, “How can I sit by the side of God Hanuman?

One day Fakirbaba (Badebaba) came to Dwarkamai. A person, who had just converted from Hindu to Muslim religion, was accompanying him. When Baba saw him, He got angry and slapped the person on his cheek. He shouted, “You have changed your father’. How could you dare to act like this?”

If someone asked for His permission to go to Pandharpur, He would first abuse the person and then would grant it. But if someone would be waving lights to Dnyaneshwar or Tukaram He would sit with joined palms, to show respect.

He never spoke about ‘Adwait’. Very rarely He seemed to murmur the words “Aham Brahmasmi“, or “Sarvam Khalu Idam Brahmam” (I am God Brahma: everything is God.). Baba Himself was Brahma. He was Unique. He was beyond passions and feelings. Everyday, thirtytwo female dancers and singers used to perform before him. But He was always impassive and expressionless. He used to be totally detached and engrossed in His own self and Bliss.

One day a devotee asked Him, “Baba, what is Brahma?” Baba did not reply. But He sent the other devotee to Bagchand Marwadi to bring hundred rupees from him. Instead of giving money the latter just sent his salutations to Baba. Again another devotee was sent to some other person for the same reason. He also came back without money. Then a note was sent to Bagchand, by Nanasaheb asking for hundred rupees. He immediately sent money in response to the note. Baba only said, “Worldly affairs and transactions run in this way”.

The devotee who asked the question about ‘Brahma’ did not follow what Baba wanted to convey. When he asked again, Baba said, “I demanded hundred rupees but the first two people could not get it. But Nanasaheb’s note was honoured. This is an indirect answer to your question. Your desire to know Brahma is not enough. You should deserve to know it. Deserve and then Desire”.

In Dwarkamai, sometimes Baba used to sit alone in the afternoon hours. He had a strange hobby of polishing the few old coins which He had collected earlier. He would polish the coins with His fingers. Then He would keep them in the same old pouch and hide the pouch somewhere. While rubbing the coins, He would say, “This belongs to Nana”, or “This is for Kaka and something like that.”

Once, a person from Shirdi had prepared ‘Rawa Halwa’, a sweet dish. He distributed it to many. When I went to Baba. He asked me, “Did you get the share of it?”

“No”, I said, “That person is not in good terms with me. That may be the reason, he did not consider me”

Baba then advised me in His own easy style. He said, “Who is the ‘giver’ or who is the ‘taker”? It is the Lord Who does everything and Halwa is such a trivial thing to wish for. Remember, never consider anybody as your enemy. Do not harbour any grudge against anybody. No one is bad or good. All are equal”.

These quotes I have included in my book “Comments on Amrutanubhav” When I was thinking about writing the above book, DadaMaharaj from Satara, warned me saying, “Amrutanubhav, a sacred book by Dnyaneshwar, is very difficult to comprehend. If you want to comment on it as a critic, you come to me and I will explain it to you. Then only venture to write the commentary”. I told him with confidence, “If Baba wants me to write the intended book, He only will give me enough wisdom and intelligence to understand and comprehend. I will not go to anyone else for solving my difficulties”.

DadaMaharaj must have felt offended. He did not agree with me. Later, when I completed the book by Baba’s grace, I showed it to him. He read it and praised it open heartedly. Choked with emotions he said, “Baba is really competent Guru and you have received His abundant grace. That is why this work is so appropriately done by you. You do not need anybody help when Baba is with you”. I felt happy on his positive remark. (When Dasganu was writing an analytical book on ‘Ishavasya Upanishad’, he fell in dilemma about certain incantations. Baba solved his difficulties through the maid servant working at Kakasaheb Dixit’s house. Baba used her as His instrument. Those who are curious, can read this interesting story in Sai Sat Charitra, Chapter 20.)

In my different scriptures I have written about Sai Baba. References are give below;

[1] BhaktiSaramrut (1925 A.D.) Chapters 26, 65, 66 and 67

[2] BhaktaLeelamrut (1906A.D.) Chapters 31, 32, 33.

[3] SantaKathamrut Chapter 57.

Chapter 31 from second book and chapter 57 from the third book were completed while Baba was there in Shirdi. (Rest of the chapters were writte after His Samadhi).

Some of the references, from the above chapters, had been told to me by Bai Himself. But such things are very few and rare. Other references that I have included are gathered from many other close devotees and some were directly known to me. Actually Baba did not allow me to stay in masjid for a long time. He used to send me to the ‘Vithoba temple’ (Baba would call it Khandoba temple). But it was very convenient for me. I used to get the necessary solitude and peace for my writing. The above mentioned books and biographies of Saints were written sitting in that temple. Moreover, I could do the ‘Japa’ with single minded concentration without any disturbance. His not allowing me to stay in the masjid was in my favour. It also was His grace.

I was serving as a constable in Police Department. Still I had a liking for Literature, especially for drama. I could instantly compose poetry in different metres, which could easily be set in rhymed verse which helped me to take part in various dance shows. I developed keen interest in ‘Tamasha’ (Famous dance show of Marathi province). I had written many romantic songs by instant inspiration, for Tamasha. Nanasaheb Chandorkar knew me very well, as he was a P. A. to the Collector and then a Deputy Collector. He was worried, that I would spoil my future if I would remain attached to the Tamasha. So he tried to dissuade me from it and took me to Sai Baba. In a way he saved me from further decline. When he took me to Baba, He said to Nana, “This person has a bad hobby of Tamasha. Ask him to restrain. He is also addicted to his service in police department. Ask him to resign and quit”.

He told all these things in front of me. Then Nana too insisted for the same. Actually, I had tremendous liking for my hobbies including Tamasha. Still, on Baba’s instructions, I gradually withdrew my participation in Tamasha. But I could not leave my job. During every darshan Baba would give me the same advice. I used to say, “I am thinking over it”. Thus, ten years passed in just avoiding the subject. Baba understood that I was not going to leave the job unless some severe calamity hit me. And it happened. I had to face many grave situations one after the other. Of course, I emerged intact only because of Baba’s grace. But I would describe about it in the later part of this chapter,

What was Baba’s age then? What caste did He belong to? Who were His parents? Nobody had any satisfactory answers to all these questions. Before forty years, I happened to meet one lady, named Salubai Shelke, whose age was between sixty-five and seventy then. She told me, ‘Baba was about forty or fifty when He came to Shirdi’. Another old woman, Sayeebai, told me that Baba was looking like a young lad when He came to Shirdi. From whatever information collected, it can be inferred that Baba’s age must be about hundred years, when He took ‘Samadhi’. Nobody would dare to ask Baba, the questions about the details of His life, before He came to Shirdi.

Sometimes Baba Himself would talk about His early days. Many times He told us about His Guru, Vyankushah. Politely He would give all the credit of His achievements to His Guru. (Refer “SantaKathamrut” Ch. 24.)

© Author – Dr. Keshav Bhagwant Gavankar (Annasahib Gavankar) – Explicit Rights To Publish To Shirdi Sai Baba Books.com (Member of SaiYugNetwork.com)