Leela:
Sai Baba loved His devotees and anticipated their wishes and movements. Mr. Nanasaheb Chandorkar, who was a great devotee of Baba, was the Mamlatdar (local official) at Nandurbar in Khandesh.
He received orders to transfer to the town of Pandharpur, famous for its Vithoba (Lord Vishnu) temple, which is regarded as Vaikunth (heaven on earth).
As Nanasaheb’s transfer was effective immediately, he set out at once, without writing or informing anyone in Shirdi. He decided to give a surprise visit to Shirdi, his Pandharpur, see and salute his Vithoba (Baba), and then proceed.
As soon as Nanasaheb arrived in Neemgaon, which was just a few miles from Shirdi, there was a stir at the Masjid. Baba was sitting and talking with Mhalsapati, Appa Shinde and Kashiram, when He suddenly said, “Let the four of us sing some Bhajans. The doors of Pandhari are open, let us merrily sing.” They began to sing in chorus, the words of the song being “I have to go to Pandharpur and I have to stay on there, for it is the house of my Lord.” Baba sang, and the devotees followed Him.
Soon, Nanasaheb arrived with his family, prostrated before Baba and requested Him to accompany them to Pandharpur and stay with them there. The devotees told Nanasaheb that Baba was already in the mood of going to Pandharpur and staying there. Hearing this, Nanasaheb was moved and fell at Baba’s Feet. Then, after receiving Baba’s permission, udi (sacred ashes) and blessings, Nanasaheb left for Pandharpur.
Based on 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), p44
Based on Shri Sai Satcharita, The Life and Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba, G. R. Dhalbokar, Translated by Indira Kher (Slovenia: Bird Publisher, 2009), p58
Teachings from Leela:
1) Your Sadguru knows when you advance in your spiritual journey
and it makes Him very happy
Pandharpur
is considered one of the holiest places in the State of Maharashtra, and a
destination for millions of pilgrims every year. It’s Vithoba (Lord Vishnu)
Temple is the main center of worship. Nanasaheb’s transfer to this place to
set up residence had strong spiritual significance. Once at Pandharpur, he
would be in constant company of God.
Baba made it known to his devotee that He was already aware of the transfer
orders to Pandharpur, and made it clear that this was an indication of an
advancement in his devotee’s spiritual journey which was worthy of celebration,
which led Him to sing:
To Pandharpur, I go, I go,
There alone
do I stay,
There alone do I stay, I stay,
In that abode of my Lord
Shri Sai Satcharita, Indira Kher, p59
2) It is easy to remember God in bad times, as your mind seeks Him out for help, but you must make sure to remember Him in good times too
We must remember God even during our good times and not just the times when we are sad and need His help. When faced with challenges and difficulties, we sometimes think, that God is not watching over us and is not aware of the situation we are in, but this is not true.
Via this leela, Baba wants us to know that no matter what circumstances we are facing in life, we are not alone. He knows everything and is aware of our happiness as well as our difficult times. He too takes pleasure in our happiness and success.
We must learn from Nanasaheb, who remembered Baba even during his good times, by going to Shirdi to receive Baba’s blessings and to request Him to stay with them in Pandharpur. Sant Kabir has rightly said: (note 1)
Dukh mein sumiran sab kare, sukh mein kare na koye
Jo sukh mein sumiran kare, to dukh kahe ko hoye
दुख में सुमिरन सब करे, सुख में करे ना कोय |
जो सुख में सुमिरन करे, तो दुख कहे को होय ||
In anguish everyone prays to Him, in joy does none
To one who prays in happiness, how can sorrow come
Putting into Practice
Here are some suggestions on how we could use this leela in our daily lives.
1) Your Sadguru knows when you advance in your spiritual journey
and it makes Him very happy
Take
comfort in the thought that your Sadguru is constantly looking out for you, is
deeply committed to your spiritual progress, and is very happy for you in your
successes.
Take inspiration from this, and give Him more reasons to be happy and proud of
you.
2) It is easy to remember God in bad times, as your mind seeks Him
out for help, but you must make sure to remember Him in good times too
When you
go through difficult times in your life, you pray to God and become very close
to Him. The suffering you experience and your increased attention towards God
brings you to a greater understanding of the true nature of your reality. Your
attachment to material things or to your loved ones begins to loosen and you
develop more compassion towards others. Suffering moves you forward on your
spiritual path.
When you experience happy times, your mind is no longer reminded of God, and
you are in danger of becoming attached to worldly pleasures and material
things. Even if you are strong enough to resist more attachments, you are
still inclined to neglect your spiritual development in these times. Make it a
priority for yourself to not forget God; continue your spiritual practice
daily, and express your gratitude for the happiness in your life.
In my previous
blog, Chapter 20, Leela 1: Ishavasya Upanishad-Kaka's
Maid Servant
I have discussed about the true nature of our selves in detail. Both happiness
and suffering are part of life and both will come and go. It does not mean that
if you pray to God during good times, you will no longer face suffering in your
life. The spiritual practice you do during your good times helps advance you
spiritually and makes you more capable of dealing with the inevitable suffering
to come.
|
Listen
to the stories with reverence; Reflect upon them deeply. Shirdi Sai Baba Shri Sai Satcharita, The Life and Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba, Chapter 3, verse 18 |
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.
Notes:
1. http://santkabirdas.blogspot.ca/2011/05/dukh-mein-sumiran-sab-kare-sukh-mein.html
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