Shri Sai Sat Charitra-Chapter 30-Part II

There lived in Vani, Nasik District, a man named Kakaji Vaidya. He was the priest of the Goddess Sapta-Shringi there. He was so much overwhelmed with adverse circumstances and calamities that he lost peace of mind and became quite restless. Under such circumstances one evening he went into the temple of the Goodess and prayed unto Her from the bottom of his heart and invoked Her aid to free him from anxeity. The Goddess was pleased with his devotion and the same night appeared to him in his dream and said to him, "You go to Baba and then your mind will become calm and composed". Kakaji was anxious to know from Her who that Baba was, but before he could get any explanation, he was awakened.

Kakaji began to think as to who might be that Baba, to whom the Goodess has asked him to go. After some thinking, he resolved that this Baba might be 'Tryambakeshwar' (Lord Shiva). So he went to the holy place 'Tryambak' (Nasik District) and stayed there for ten days. During this period, he bathed early in the morning, chanted the 'Rudra' hymns, did the 'Abhishekam' (pouring unceasingly fresh cold water over the Pindi) and did other religious rites; but with all that, he was as restless as before.

Sai Ram. The problem of using one's own intellect is shown beautifully in the above example. Instead of praying to the Goddess and asking Her to explain whom She meant through that cryptic word Baba, Kakaji used his own limited intellect and ended up in Tryambakeshwar temple. No doubt the ten days of worship of Siva made him better fitted to receive the grace of Sadguru Sai later. Thus, we can see that no good karma is ever wasted. Sai Ram.

Then he returned to his place and again invoked the Goddess most pitifully. That night She again appeared in his dream and said - "Why did you go to Tryambakeshwar in vain? I meant by Baba - Shri Sai Samarth of Shirdi."

Sai Ram. No good karma goes in vain but the Goddess was gently chiding Her beloved devotee Kakaji that he should come out of the shackles of the mind and ego. Sai Ram.

The question before Kakaji now was 'How and when to go to Shirdi and how to see Baba? If anybody is in real earnest to see a Saint, not only the Saint but God also, fulfills his wish. In fact the 'Sant' (Saint) and the 'Anant' (God) are one and the same; there is not the least difference between them. If anybody thinks that he will go himself and see a Saint, that will be a mere boast. Unless the Saint wills it, who is able to go and see Him? Even the leaf of the tree won't move without His bidding. The more anxious a Bhakta is for the saint's visit, the more devout and faithful he is, the more speedily and effectively is his wish satisfied to his heart's content. He who invites anybody for a visit, also arranges everything for his reception, and so it happened with Kakaji.

Sai Ram. As already mentioned, we can't get God's and Guru's grace without some past merit in our lives. Even if we have not done any good deed in this life and thus think that we don't deserve the grace, They (God and Guru) see beyond the present and see our past and future clearly and will intervene when needed to set us on the right path. Sai Ram.

To Be Continued

Chat With Devoties Of Shirdi Saibaba