Thursday, March 9, 2017

Chapter 7, Leela 5: Leper Devotee’s Service

Leela:

On hearing the news of Baba’s hand being burnt from (Shama) Madhavrao Deshpande, Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, accompanied by the famous Doctor Parmanand of Mumbai with his medical outfit consisting of ointments, lint and bandage etc. rushed to Shirdi, and requested Baba to allow Dr. Parmanand to examine the arm, and dress the wound caused by the burn. This was refused. Ever since the burn, the arm was dressed by the leper devotee, Bhagoji Shinde. His treatment consisted in massaging the burnt part with ghee and then placing a leaf over it and bandaging it tightly with Pattis (bandages). Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar solicited Baba many a time to unfasten the Pattis and get the wound examined and dressed and treated by Dr. Parmanand, with the object that it may be speedily healed. Dr. Parmanand himself made similar requests, but Baba postponed saying that Allah was His Doctor; and did not allow His arm to be examined. Dr. Paramanand’s medicines were not exposed to their air of Shirdi, as they remained intact, but he had the good fortune of getting a darshana of Baba. Bhagoji was allowed to treat the hand daily. After some days, the arm healed and all were happy. Still, we do not know whether any trace of pain was left or not. Every morning, Bhagoji went throught his programme of loosening the Pattis, massaging he arm with ghee and tightly bandaging it again. This went on till Sai Baba’s Samadhi (death). Sai Baba, a perfect Siddha, as He was, did not really want this treatment, but out of love to His devotee, He allowed the ‘Upasana’ - service of Bhagoji to go on un-interrupted all along. When Baba started for Lendi, Bhagoji held an umbrella over Him and accompanied Him. Every morning, when Baba sat near the post close to the Dhuni, Bhagoji was present and started his service. Bhagoji was a sinner in his past brith. He was suffering from leprosy, his fingers had shrunk, his body was full of pus and smelling badly. Though outwardly he seemed so unfortunate, he was really very lucky and happy, for he was the premier servant of Baba, and got the benefit of His company.

 

Shri Sai Satcharita, The wonderful life and teachings of Shri Sai Baba, Translated by Nagesh Vasudev Gunaji (Mumbai: Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi, 20th Edition 2002), p43

 

Teachings from Leela:

1)    Overcome your tendencies to discriminate against others

Leprosy is a disease that has been known a very long time for its hideous symptoms, its incurability and contagiousness. This led to discrimination and outcasting of those who suffered from it. By giving Bhagoji the opportunity to treat his hand, Baba taught us to not fear it and to treat its suffers with kindness and compassion.  

Out of love and compassion towards Bhagoji, Baba uplifted him by making him His premier caregiver. Bhagoji changed the bandages of Baba’s hand daily until it healed, and after this, continued to massage His hand daily for the rest of his life. Contrary to popular belief, research shows that leprosy is not highly contagious and it is not transmitted through casual contact.

Through this leela, Baba wants us to understand that discrimination comes in various forms, not just in the form of leprosy. We must overcome it, and show kindness, provide help and uplift those who are discriminated and socially stigmatized by others.

This discrimination and social stigmatization still exists today amongst almost everyone, and if we are brutally honest, in ourselves too.  The discrimination could be based on how people look, the groups they belong to, based their gender, race, religious beliefs, political beliefs, social class, caste, etc. In our journey of spiritual development, we must fully overcome this, and learn to accept all of them as our own, regardless of their differences.

 

Putting into Practice

Here are some suggestions on how we could use this leela in our daily lives.

1)    Overcome your tendencies to discriminate against others

Almost everyone has tendencies to discriminate against others.  These tendencies come to exist due to one’s upbringing, the opinions of one’s parents, elders and friends, due to the fear of the unknown, or due to plain ignorance.

You too can take steps to act upon such tendencies in yourself. As you detect tendencies towards discrimination in yourself, you must contemplate upon this together with the other key teachings of Baba.  This will help you overcome them and advance you in your own journey.

Method

Step 1: The first step is to identify these tendencies.  This may happen on its own as you go through interactions in your everyday life.  You can also search for them through self examination. Begin your contemplation by going through in your mind one by one, various groups of people that are typically disadvantaged. 

Here are some examples to get you started: people suffering from mental illness or developmental challenges, those of lower status than yourself, those of different skin colour, race, religion or culture, those of different socioeconomic class (especially classes much lower to the one you were born into), victims of rape or forced prostitution, victims of child abuse, victims of domestic violence, those with different sexual preferences to our own, those with a gender identity that is different from their physical body, or those suffering from HIV/AIDS.

These examples describe people that are unfairly discriminated against all over the world. They are scorned, insulted, abused, beaten, tortured and murdered on a regular basis.

Step 2: Upon selecting a group towards whom you might have some trace of bias, go through the thought exercise of imagining yourself interacting with a person from that group under various intimate circumstances, such as giving them a hug, eating a meal cooked by them, having them stay over in your home for a day or two, doing their laundry or introducing them to your family and closest friends. As you imagine this, examine your mental reaction.

Step 3: Once you identify a negative reaction, your next task is to overcome it. In our spiritual tradition, it is said that all living beings are on a spiritual journey to evolve so that they can perfect themselves and reach the ultimate goal. All of us, regardless of our physical forms, are in the exact same situation, struggling along this spiritual journey. A deeper truth given in our tradition is that the light of consciousness that illuminates each of us is actually just One Consciousness that we all share.

You must next contemplate upon the many aspects of existence you share with that person, and the very few superficial differences between the two of you.  The way you experience your very existence is the same, as are the feelings of joy and love. You both experience suffering and you both wish to transcend it. You both experience hopes and fears.  You both live in fragile bodies that are easily injured, are guaranteed to age and become feeble over time and are guaranteed to die.  In comparison to all this, what could difference in physical appearance, mental attributes, belief systems, status, possessions or misfortunes suffered signify? 

The answer, you will conclude, is “nothing at all”.

 

Mantra:

Om, Sarve bhavantu sukhinaḥ

Sarve santu nirāmayāḥ

Sarve bhadrāṇi paśyantu

Mā kashchit duḥkha bhāgbhavet

Oṁ Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ, Shāntiḥ

Meaning:

May all be prosperous and happy

May all be free from illness

May all see what is spiritually uplifting

May no one suffer

Om peace, peace, peace

 

This above mantra is from the Brihadaaranyaka Upanishad

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/seekingshanti/2015/09/hinduprayerforeveryone_globalgoals/

I would encourage all of you to please share your interpretations, learnings and experiences on how you have put this leela into practice.

 

 

Om Sai Ram.

2 comments:

Deenu Sharma said...

Though i understand it is tough but certainly not impossible. If one has faith and follows the foot steps of BABA then sky is the limit. Jai Shri Radhey

Laxmi Ohm said...

Thanks for sharing your comments Dipu. Please also review the updated version of this leela. Radhey Radhey.