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, 20th 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.
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