Shri Sai Sat Charitra-Chapter XXVII-Part V

Sai Satcharitra

oi-Staff

By Super

Friday, May 4, 2012, 9:10

Mrs.Khaparde was faithful and devout, and loved Baba deeply. Every noon she brought naivedya herself to the Masjid, and after it was accepted by Baba, she used to return and take her meals. Seeing her steady and firm devotion, Baba wanted to exhibit it to others. One noon she brought a dish containing Sanza (wheat-pudding), purees, rice, soup, and kheer (sweet rice) and other sundry articles to the Masjid. Baba, who usually waited for hours, got up at once, went up to His dining seat and removing the outer covering from the dish, began to partake of the things zealously. Shama then asked Him - "Why this partiality? You throw away dishes of others and do not care to look at them, but this you draw to you earnestly and do justice to it. Why is the dish of this woman so sweet? This is a problem to us.

Baba then explained thus : "This food is really extra-ordinary. In former birth this lady was a merchant's fat cow yielding much milk. Then she disappeared and took birth in a gardener's family, then in a Kshatriya family, and married a merchant. Then she was born in a Brahmin family.I saw her after a very long time, let me take some sweet morsels of love from her dish." Saying this, Baba did full justice to her dish, washed his mouth and hands, gave out some belches as a mark of satisfaction, and resumed His seat.

Mrs Khaparde bowed to Baba and began to shampoo His legs. Baba began to talk to her and knead her arms which were shampooing His Legs. On seeing this reciprocal service, Shama began to joke and said - "It is going on well, it is a wonderful sight to see God and His Bhakta serving each other. "After being pleased with her sincere service, Baba asked her in low and fascinating tone to chant 'Rajaram, Rajaram' then and always, and said - "If you do this, your life's object will be gained, your mind will attain peace and you will be immensely benefited. To persons unfamiliar with spiritual matters, this might appear as affair, but really it was not so. It was a case of, what is technically called, 'Shakti-pat', i.e. transference of power from the Guru to the disciple. How forcible and effective were Baba's words! In an instant, they pierced her heart and found lodgment there.

Sai Ram : We already read how the utterance of God's name is the best purifier of mind. But getting the right mantra from the Guru is far superior than simply chanting God's name and Baba in this case, gave her a mantra suitable for her. Though Baba never gave any formal mantra deeksha to any one and as we have seen in another chapter, told the old woman that He did not get any mantra from His own Guru and hence cannot give any mantra to her and thus indirectly told her and other sadhakas like us not to hanker after mantra upadesh etc., He gave a mantra in this case to help Mrs. Khaparde. This, He could do since He was One with all Gods and Gurus. He dissuaded hankering after Gurus, Deekshas and Mantras and indicated that when the right time came, the Guru would bless the disciple in His own way.

This case illustrates the nature of the relations that should subsist between the Guru and the disciple. Both should love and serve each other as one. There is no distinction nor any difference between them. Both are one, and one cannot live without the other. The disciple placing his head on the Guru's feet is a gross or outward vision; really and internally they are both one and the same. Those who see any difference between them are yet unripe and not perfect.

Sai Ram. The Guru is the lighted lamp and the disciple is the lamp waiting to be lit. The disciple comes to the Guru so that he too is lit and can in turn help others. Sai Ram.