Chapter 2, Leela 1: The Purpose of the Book

Leela:

I (the author, G. R. Dabholkar, alias Hemadpant) could not ask Sai Baba to give me permission for this work (writing the Sai Satcharitra), so I requested Mr. Madhavrao Deshpande (alias Shama), Baba’s most intimate devotee, to speak to Him on my behalf.

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 will Myself write 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 no trace left 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”.

 

 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, 20^th Edition 2002), p7

Based on Shri Sai Satcharita, The Life and Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba, G. R. Dhalbokar, Translated by Indira Kher (Slovenia: Bird Publisher, 2009), p11

 

Teachings from Leela:

1)    Sadguru plans for His devotee’s spiritual needs even after He is no longer in His Sagun form

Baba inspired Hemadpant to write the Sai Satcharitra and gave him His blessings to keep notes and make a collection of all the authentic stories, experiences, conversations, talks, etc. This was Baba’s way of planning to deliver His teachings to His contemporary devotees, and future devotees who would not be fortunate enough to see Baba in his sagun form.

What are Sagun Brahman and Nirgun Brahman?

There are two aspects of God or Brahman (the One Universal Consciousness): nirgun (the unmanifested), and sagun (the manifested). Nirgun is formless, while Sagun is with form, though both denote the same Brahman. Since we have a form (body, senses, etc.), we prefer to worship God with form, Sagun Brahman. When we advance in our spiritual practice, we will one day worship God without form, Nirgun Brahman.

Via this leela, Baba, our Sadguru, made sure that all His devotees’ spiritual needs would be taken care of, even after He would no longer be in His sagun form.

2)    Perform your karmas while keeping yourself unattached to their results, maintaining humility and by surrendering your Ego to your Sadguru   

Via this leela, Baba is trying to teach us that in order to make spiritual progress, we must get rid of our Ego and surrender it at our Sadguru’s feet.

 

What is Ego?

Ego, in Sanskrit is called Ahamkara. Aham means “I” and kara means “doer”. When we identify ourselves with our body, we create a feeling of “me” or “mine”. Until we are attached to our body and are ignorant of our true divine nature, we think we are the doer of our karmas and become attached to its results, which can give rise to an even stronger and more inflated Ego.

Hemadpant gave up his Ego and surrendered to Baba by asking for His grace and blessings to accomplish the task of writing the Sai Satcharitra. He did not take credit for writing the Sai Satcharitra and considered himself only an instrument, incapable of taking on this task without Baba’s grace and blessings. Hemadpant conveyed to Baba that without His consent and blessings, nothing could be done successfully.

 

What is our true nature?

Brahma Vidya (Knowledge of Brahman), found in the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavat Gita, is the highest knowledge. Following the jnana marga (the path of knowledge) is one way to know your true nature, which is Brahman, (Sat-chit-anand, the One Universal Consciousness).

 

 

Putting into Practice

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

1)    Sadguru plans for His devotee’s spiritual needs even after He is no longer in His Sagun form

First, learn about the core teachings of your Sadguru then assimilate them in your daily life.  Here is an example from the Mahabharata to illustrate the deeper level of maturity in assimilation. 

The great teacher Dronacharya is instructing a group of young Kaurava and Pandava princes to learn the teaching, “Speak the truth. Never become angry.” He asks them to return the next day to demonstrate their learning.

Most consider the task simply to memorize and repeat the teaching verbatim. The following day they all do this—except for Yudishthira, who repeats only the first half and says, “I haven’t been able to learn the second half.” He continues this each day for a week until Dronacharya confronts him: “A whole week has passed and still you haven't been able to learn your lesson!”

Yudhishthira doesn’t become upset or angry at his teacher’s reprimand and instead responds, “Sir, you said a whole week has passed, but even if my whole life were to pass, I'm not sure that I could learn this lesson properly. My idea of a lesson is not repeating it and just saying ‘Never become angry’. My idea of learning is never to be angry, and unless I'm like that, I can't truly say I've learned the lesson.” 

In this story, we can see evidence of Yudhishthira’s reflective study. He contemplated the deeper meaning of the teaching he had been asked to learn and, indeed, the deeper meaning of “learning” itself. He refused simply to mimic the words but instead chose to truly take them in. His lack of anger at the rebuke demonstrates that he is, most certainly, assimilating the teaching. Dronacharya acknowledges that Yudhisthira is the true student.

As a tribute to Baba, let us all keep Him alive in our hearts, by remembering His teachings, and by putting them into practice in our daily lives.

 

1)    Perform your karmas while keeping yourself unattached to their results, maintaining humility and by surrendering your Ego to your Sadguru  

Whenever you do something nice do not take pride or attach yourself to the results of your action. Stay unattached and do your duty without expectations. Accept any results that come your way, even if they are not what you expect.

How can we attain the knowledge of our true nature?

We must stop looking outside ourselves to find our true nature and look inwards instead. The answers lie within us. This is not an overnight process and takes many lifetimes to attain. However, we must start the journey in order to reach the destination some day. No effort goes to waste in your spiritual endeavour; in each life, you begin where you left off in your previous life.

Once we begin to understand our true nature, we come to understand the illusory nature of Maya (this illusory world), which at its core, is nothing but ignorance. This knowledge will help us become unattached to our karmas.

We free ourselves from the bondage of “I” and “mine,” as we begin to notice that there is only one pure consciousness, which is our true divine nature. This Consciousness is everywhere and in everything. In this state there is no “I” or “Mine”.

How can we get rid of our Ego, while we are still novices on this spiritual path?

We must teach ourselves to stop thinking in terms of “I”, “me” and “mine” and start thinking in terms of what is the most ideal thing to do in a situation, or better yet, ask ourselves, what would our Sadguru do in this situation? Even if we cannot act similarly to our Sadguru, this approach will lead us to seek out the most suitable way to act. This will cause us to make constant spiritual progress.

An inflated Ego proves to be an obstacle when trying to progress spiritually. Making progress on the spiritual path requires perfect humility, as for your Sadguru’s grace to flow towards you there is no room for Ego.

Gain victory over your Ego by unattaching yourself to the results of your karmas, staying humble, and surrendering your Ego to your Sadguru.

 

Listen to the stories with reverence; Reflect upon them deeply. After reflection, contemplate on them. This will bring great satisfaction. 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.

Chapter 13, Leela 4: Alandi Swami

Leela:

Padmanabhendra Swami from Alandi, wishing to take Baba's darshana, came to Shirdi. He suffered form a severe pain in his ear which prevented him from sleeping. He was operated for this but without success. The pain was severe, and he did not know what to do. At the end of his visit he came to take Baba's leave, when Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) requested Baba to do something for the pain in the Swami's ear.

 

Baba comforted the Swami by saying, "Allah Accha Karega (God will do good)”.

 

The Swami then returned to Poona, and after a week sent a letter to Shirdi, stating that the pain in his ear had subsided though the swelling was still there. He went to Mumbai for a second operation to treat the swelling but the surgeon, on examining the ear, said that no operation was necessary.

 

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, 20^th Edition 2002), p74

Based on Shri Sai Satcharita, The Life and Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba, G. R. Dhalbokar, Translated by Indira Kher (Slovenia: Bird Publisher, 2009), p106

 

Teachings from Leela:

1)    Even if you do not ask Baba for help, He arranges it by having someone else intervene on your behalf

This is an amazing leela of Baba offering us deep insight into Baba’s love for His devotees. Just as a mother is willing to do anything to help relieve the pain of her children, Baba, too is a loving mother to His devotees and cannot see His children suffer. The only difference is that a mother cannot take on her children’s sufferings even if she wishes to do so but Baba, our Sadguru, has the capacity to take on the sufferings of His devotees and suffer on their behalf.

In another leela, when a mother comes to Baba to tell Him of her son contracting bubonic plague, Baba lifted His Kafni up to the waist and showed to all present, four fully developed buboes (swollen, inflamed lymph nodes, a symptom of Bubonic plague), as big as eggs, and added,

See, how I have to suffer for My devotees.
Their difficulties are Mine.

A true Sadguru has no selfishness, ego or desire for recognition. He helps His devotees just out of love for them and to see them progress in their spiritual path. He himself has reached Moksha and wants to guide his devotees on that path to freedom. He does not expect anything in return.

Even though, the swami did not explicitly ask Baba for help, Baba, being omniscient, was aware of his suffering. He intervened by having Shama, (Madhavrao Deshpande) ask for help on behalf of the swami. 

 

2)    A Sadguru’s words are adequate to heal the devotees, and no explicit medical intervention is required

Baba’s comforting words are enough for his devotees. We may not see any apparent action by Him, and yet He is working on His devotee’s problems. If Baba said, “Allah Accha Karega (God will do good)”, then His devotees must rely on Baba’s words and have shraddha (faith based upon knowledge and trust) that it will surely happen.

 

In Shri Sai Satchritra, chapter 40, Baba has Himself said,

 

To keep My word, I would sacrifice my life.
I would never be untrue to My words.

Putting into Practice

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

1)    Even if you do not ask Baba for help, He arranges it by having someone else intervene on your behalf

When you find yourself in a situation where it appears you have got away with less harm than potentially could have happened, consider the possibility that Baba took on some of the consequences on your behalf. On contemplating this, you will realise that your faith in Him deepens.

You will also realise that in taking some of the consequences Baba has made some room for you. Instead of being fully occupied with the allotted suffering, you have been given the gift of time, which you should both cherish and make the best use of, by applying it towards your spiritual growth. We owe it to our Sadguru to put in the required effort towards our spiritual growth.

 

2)    A Sadguru’s words are adequate to heal the devotees, and no explicit medical intervention is required

A true Sadguru lives on, even when He leaves His physical body. Being omnipresent and omniscient, a true Sadguru is always aware of His disciple’s sufferings and, if needed, will help them ease their sufferings by taking it upon Himself.

Even today, when Baba is not in His physical form, there are numerous instances where Baba has manifested Himself to fulfill His devotee’s cry for help and, as promised, He will continue to do so for a long time to come.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Chapter 22, Leela 2: Bapusaheb Butti

Leela:

One day, an astrologer named Nanasaheb Dengale told Bapusaheb Butti, who was then in Shirdi, "Today is an inauspicious day for you. There is danger to your life. Have courage in your heart and be very alert".

 

This made Bapusaheb restless. When they went to Masjid, as they usually did, Baba said to Bapusaheb, "What does this Nana say? He foretells death for you. Well, you need not be afraid. Tell him boldly, ‘Let us see how death kills’”.

 

Later that evening Bapusaheb went to the privy (outdoor toilet) to ease himself, where he saw a snake. His servant saw it too and lifted a stone to strike at it. Bapusaheb restrained him, saying, "Go get a stick instead. Hurry, in such matters, is not good".

 

However, before the servant returned with the stick, the snake was seen moving away and soon disappeared. Bapusaheb remembered with joy Baba's words about fearlessness.

 

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, 20^th Edition 2002), p117

Based on Shri Sai Satcharita, The Life and Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba, G. R. Dhalbokar, Translated by Indira Kher (Slovenia: Bird Publisher, 2009), p185

 

Teachings from Leela:

1)    Your Sadguru will help you face your calamities with courage and fearlessness

Even though the astrologer asked Bapusaheb to have courage and be very alert, it still made him restless, as would you or me.

Baba being omniscient, knows how to help His devotees face their dangers with courage and fearlessness. While the astrologer’s advice to have courage did not help reduce the fear in him, the words of encouragement from His Sadguru assured Bapusaheb that Baba would take care of his problems and this gave him the courage to face the danger. Bapusaheb’s courage is evident from the way he was able to handle the situation.

When the snake did appear, his servant lifted a stone to strike at it. Bapusaheb restrained him, saying, "Go get a stick, instead. Hurry, in such matters, is not good".

By asking the servant to not react quickly, it shows how Bapusaheb was able to handle his situation with calmness, courage and fearlessness. This was only possible due to his Sadguru’s assurance that nothing would happen to him and that he was going to be safe.

Thus, Baba averted the danger, both to Bapusaheb Butti and the snake.

Putting into Practice

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

1)    Your Sadguru will help you face your calamities with courage and fearlessness

Always remember that you are a devotee of Baba. In chapter 11, of the Sai Satcharitra, Baba has Himself said, “He, the slave of His devotees, always stood by them, and responded to them, whenever they called upon Him”.

Offer all your troubles to Baba and then remembering this leela, act calmly to face all your calamities with courage and fearlessness. Finally, accept all that comes your way as His wish. Even if, on the face of it, it might appear that things are not going your way, Baba knows what is good for you in the long run. 

Everything will be okay in the end. If it is not okay, it's not the end.

 John Lennon

 

We are very fortunate that Baba is our Sadguru, so have shraddha (faith based upon knowledge and trust) in Him, as He will carry us all the way to the end ,to Moksha, no matter how many lifetimes it takes.

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Chapter 21, Leela 3: The Pandharpur Pleader

Leela:

Once a pleader (lawyer) from Pandharpur came to Shirdi, went to the Masjid, saw Sai Baba, fell at His Feet, offered some dakshina (donation) without being asked, and sat in a corner eager to hear the talk that was in progress.

 

Baba turned towards him and said, "How cunning the people are! They fall at the feet, offer dakshina, but inwardly give abuses behind the back. Is this not wonderful?"

 

This accusation fit the pleader and he had to accept it. None of the others understood the remark. The pleader grasped it but kept silent.

 

When they returned to the Wada, the pleader said to Kakasaheb Dixit, "What Baba remarked was perfectly right. The dart was aimed at me. It was a hint to me that I should not indulge in reviling or slandering others. When the sub-judge or munsiff of Pandharpur (Mr.Noolkar) came and stayed here for the improvement of his health, a discussion about this matter went on in the lawyers’ lounge at Pandharpur (as it usually happens in many a bar-room). It was discussed whether the ailments from which the sub-judge suffered were ever likely to be resolved without medicines, by merely going to Sai Baba, and whether it was proper for an educated man like the sub-judge to resort to such methods. The sub-judge was taken to task, which is to say that he was criticized, as was Sai Baba. I too took some part in this affair, and now Sai Baba showed the impropriety of my conduct. This is not a rebuke to me, but a favour, advice that I should not indulge in any slander of others; and to not interfere unnecessarily in others' affairs".

 

Shirdi is about 100 koss (300 miles) distant from Pandharpur. Still Baba, by His omniscience, knew what transpired there in the lawyers’ lounge. The intervening places, the rivers, jungles, and mountains, were not a bar to His all-perceiving sight and He could see or read the hearts of all. There was nothing veiled or hidden from Him. Everything, far or near, was plain and clear to Him as broad as daylight. Let a man be far or near, he cannot avoid the all-pervading gaze of Sai Baba.

 

From this incident, the pleader took the lesson that he should never speak ill of others, nor unnecessarily criticize them. This evil tendency was completely eradicated, and he was set on the right path.

 

Though the story refers to a pleader, it is applicable to all. All should, therefore, take this lesson to heart and profit thereby.

 

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, 20^th Edition 2002), p113

Based on Shri Sai Satcharita, The Life and Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba, G. R. Dhalbokar, Translated by Indira Kher (Slovenia: Bird Publisher, 2009), p178

 

 

Teachings from Leela:

1)    Your Sadguru takes care to improve each and every aspect of your personality for your spiritual growth

The leelas captured in the Sai Satcharitra are for the benefit all devotees. Baba uses every opportunity to teach, not just His devotees present in front of Him, but to all His devotees worldwide, for future devotees yet to be born.

 

Once a Sadguru has taken a devotee under His wing, He will work with them, to shape each and every aspect of their personality, even if it takes many lifetimes, to remove all their personality flaws, to help them complete their spiritual journey. Our Shirdi Sai Baba is one such Sadguru.

 

Here is a beautiful analogy of how your Sadguru will take care of your spiritual growth until you complete your spiritual journey, even if it takes you several lifetimes.

God will not release you as long as the slightest trace of your illness is left. You simply cannot leave the hospital if your name is registered there. As long as the illness is not perfectly cured, the doctor won’t give you permission to go.

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, page 322, Originally recorded in Bengali, By M., a disciple of the Master

Sant Kabir (a saint from the 15^th century), in this famous couplet, conveys an important message regarding the quality of a good teacher.

गुरू कुम्हार शिष कुंभ है, गढि़ गढि़ काढ़ै खोट।

अन्तर हाथ सहार दै, बाहर बाहै चोट।।

 

Guru kumhar shish kumbh hai, Gadhi gadhi kadhai khot.

Antar hath sahar dai, Bahar bahai chot

 

Guru is like the Potter and the disciple is like the (unbaked) pot

Guru Shapes and cures the flaws of His disciple with care

Protecting (always) with His palm from inside

While pounding the pot from outside

In order to give it a beautiful shape.

Via this leela, Baba is sending this powerful message, not just to the lawyer from Pandharpur, but to all His current and future devotees, that they must stop gossiping about and passing judgment over other people’s lives. We all must work towards reducing and eradicating these negative tendencies within us.

In a different leela, Baba makes a similar point about not passing judgment over other people’s spiritual practices. Based on the Sai Satcharitra, the Indira Kher version, chapter 19, page 163, verse 206, Baba said:

 

He who fritters away this precious human birth
which has come to him as a result of great past merit
and is thus bent on self destruction, to such a one,

what happiness or peace can this Shirdi give?

 

Baba said the above words to a devotee who was bad-mouthing someone behind his back. In that leela, Baba compared his conduct to that of a pig eating dung, Baba emphasised the disgust he felt for the bad-mouther’s actions, and conveyed how this conduct deeply offended Him. This should be sufficient indication for devotees to stay away from bad-mouthing or talking about others behind their back.

Via this leela, Baba wants us to be aware of these negative passions, stating that even Shirdi will not be able to help us if we continue with these negative passions. Let us work hard to remove them from our lives and stop talking about others behind their back.

 

2)    When your Sadguru points out your mistake, take it as a blessing for it is for your own spiritual growth  

When Baba pointed out the improper behaviour of the lawyer, he did not feel bad about it. In fact, he readily accepted the sharp disapproval and criticism by Baba. He considered the criticism as a favour. He took the advice to heart, that he must not indulge in any gossip or slander of others, and not interfere in other peoples matters, but mind his own business and focus on his own spiritual growth.

Putting into Practice

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

1)    Your Sadguru takes care to improve each and every aspect of your personality for your spiritual growth

Remember this leela when you catch yourself talking about others behind their back. Baba is omniscient and knows all that is going on in your mind, so focus on yourself rather than others.

2)    When your Sadguru points out your mistake, take it as a blessing for it is for your own spiritual growth 

Sometimes your Sadguru will point out the impropriety of your conduct. Do not be disheartened but accept the teaching as a blessing from your Sadguru and remember never to repeat that same behaviour again. By correcting your conduct in this one instance, He has advanced you closer to your spiritual goal.

 

 

 

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.

 

 

 

Chapter 4, Leela 5: Baba's Gurusthan

Leela:

One day it so happened that Lord Khandoba (a manifestation of Lord Shiva worshipped in the Deccan region of India) possessed the body of a devotee and people began to ask Him, "Deva (God), could you please find out which blessed father’s son is this lad and where did He come from".

Lord Khandoba asked them to bring a pickaxe and dig at a particular spot. When it was dug, bricks were found underneath a flat stone. When the stone was removed, a corridor was uncovered, which led to a cellar. There cow-mouth-shaped structures, a wooden seat and necklaces were found. Lord Khandoba said, "This lad practiced penance here for 12 years".

On hearing this, the people began to question the lad (the young Sai Baba, when he arrived there at age 18). He put them off the scent by telling them that it was His Guru’s place, His holy Watan (land owned by a landlord) and requested them to guard it well. The people agreed and closed the corridor as before.

During Sai Baba’s time, Mhalasapati and other Shirdi devotees regarded this site as the resting place (Samadhi-Sthana) of Baba’s Guru and prostrated before it.

 

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, 20^th Edition 2002), p20

Based on Shri Sai Satcharita, The Life and Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba, G. R. Dhalbokar, Translated by Indira Kher (Slovenia: Bird Publisher, 2009), p34

 

Teachings from Leela:

1)    Instead of taking credit for praiseworthy actions, attribute them to your Sadguru or God.

As described in Indira Kher’s version, Page 34, verses 131-134 below:

131. This is my Guru's seat and my most sacred legacy. Listen to me this once and preserve it as it is.

132. But why is this, my tongue, moved to say that Baba was giving it a different turn?

133. I was amazed at myself. Why should I think in such terms about Baba? But now I have realized that this must have been his spontaneous sense of humour.

134. Baba dearly loved a joke. Maybe, the cell was his own dwelling. But what does one lose in saying that it is the guru's? How does its importance suffer?

When the villagers dug at the spot indicated by Lord Khandoba, to their surprise they found a corridor which led to a cellar which had a wooden seat. Lord Khandoba said, "This lad practiced penance here for 12 years". However, when Baba was asked about it, He attributed all His doings to His Guru.

Why did Baba attribute the penance performed by Him to His Guru?

·         You might have noticed that whenever a devotee is praised for their good deeds, they do not accept credit but attribute it to their Sadguru, saying, “My Guru arranged to do this through me. I had nothing to do with it”.

·         An example of this is Hemadpant himself, who attributed the writing of the Sai Satcharitra to His Sadguru, Sai Baba.

o   As per the Indira Kher version of the Sai Satcharitra, page 19, verse 32:

For, the moment I took pen in hand, Baba subdued my ego, the "I" in me, and took upon Himself the writing of his own life-story. Thus, all the credit for writing it, is entirely His.

·         Even though Baba always comes to help His devotees during times of trouble, He has always said that He is not the doer and that He is a humble servant of God.

·         By attributing his penance to His Guru, Baba would always remember His Guru and feel obliged to Him whenever He is close to His place of meditation.

·         Baba is trying to teach us to give up our Ego and “I”-ness of doership to our Sadguru. He too practiced what He preached as this leela is an indication of His teachings. At many other times, He attributed His deeds to God Himself.

·         Here is a similar teaching from another spiritual master, Sri Ramakrishna Paramhansa:

Suppose you are cooking rice in a pot, with potato, eggplant, and other vegetables. After a while the potatoes, eggplant, rice, and the rest begin to jump about in the pot. They seem to say with pride: 'We are moving! We are jumping!' The children see it and think the potatoes, eggplant, and rice are alive and so they jump that way.

But the elders, who know, explain to the children that the vegetables and the rice are not alive; they jump not of themselves, but because of the fire under the pot; if you remove the burning wood from the hearth, then they will move no more.

Likewise, the pride of man, that he is the doer, springs from ignorance. Men are powerful because of the power of God. All becomes quiet when that burning wood is taken away. The puppets dance well on the stage when pulled by a wire, but they cannot move when the wire snaps.

The Gospel of Sri Ramakrishna, page 486, originally recorded in Bengali, By M., a disciple of the Master

Is it okay then to perform bad deeds, and use the excuse of what Baba said to claim to not take credit for your deeds?

We are responsible for our intentional bad deeds so we must make all attempts to avoid them. I don’t have to tell you to avoid doing wrong – you already know this. Your karma give rise to their own results. This is a universal law we all live by.

When we progress to an advanced stage of spiritual development, we will no longer be capable of intentionally carrying out bad deeds but may still carry out such deeds unintentionally, through neglect or absent-mindedness.

How will you know if you are at that stage? You will find yourself no longer capable of intentionally doing harm: by hurting others, by stealing, cheating, or engaging in other unethical behaviour, by indulging yourself in directing your frustration upon others through temper tantrums, etc.

In another leela in chapter 50 of the Sai Satcharitra, Pundalikrao was going to Shirdi to visit Baba with his friends. When Shri Tembe Swami (Vasudevanand Saraswati, 1854-1914) heard this, he gave a coconut as an offering to Baba on his behalf. Forgetting the significance of the coconut, Pundalikrao and his friends broke it open and consumed it during their journey back.

Baba, being omniscient, and aware of what happened to the coconut given by Tembe Swami for delivery to Him, asked for the object sent by His brother (Tembe Swami). Pundalikrao, realizing his mistake, held fast Baba's Feet,confessed his guilt and negligence, repented, and asked for His pardon.

Baba then said to him, “why should you take the responsibility of the actions on you? Do not entertain the sense of doership in doing good or bad deeds. Be entirely prideless and egoless in all things and your spiritual progress will be rapid."

Baba’s message of denying doership of bad deeds applies only to those devotees who are sufficiently advanced spiritually that they are not capable of doing bad deeds intentionally.

From the above leela, we can see that the wrongdoing was due to absent-mindedness. It was not purposefully intended. Things do happen in life which are beyond our control, and even though they are wrong on the face of it, we must take our learnings from such incidents and figure out ways not to repeat the same mistake again. Afterwards, we must move on without taking credit for them. On the other hand, if we do some good deeds, we must not take ownership of them and attribute them to our Sadguru.

 

Putting into Practice

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

1)    Instead of taking credit for praiseworthy actions, attribute them to your Sadguru or God.

Do not feed your ego by accepting praise for your good actions. Redirect the praise to your Sadguru or God. Remember this leela, that Baba too attributed all his penance and hard work to His Guru and to God.

Our bad deeds can be traced to two sources: ego and attachment. If sufficiently provoked, we are likely to become angry and commit wrongs in defense of our ego. Likewise, we are likely to commit wrongs in the quest of aggrandizement of our ego.

Similarly, we are likely to commit wrongs either to obtain or to protect objects (or people) we are overly attached to. Over-attachment to objects can show up as greed, over-attachment to people can show up as over-protectiveness, and over-attachment to sensory pleasures can show up as lust.

Stay vigilant to identify these natural flaws (we all have them). Once identifying them, work to reduce them and to eventually root them out.

 

Listen to the stories with reverence; Reflect upon them deeply. After reflection, contemplate on them. This will bring great satisfaction. 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.