Shri Sai Satcharitra-Chapter 43 And 44 Part IV

Some days before Baba's departure, there occurred an ominous sign foreboding the event. There was, in the Masjid an old brick on which Baba rested His hand and sat. At night time He leaned against it and had His asan. This went on for many years. One day, during Baba's absence, a boy who was sweeping the floor, took it up in his hand, and unfortunately it slipped from thence fell down broken into two pieces. When Baba came to know about this, He bemoaned its loss, crying - "It is not the brick but My fate that has been broken into pieces. It was My life-long companion, with it I always meditated on the Self, it was as dear to Me as My life, it has left Me to-day."

Some may raise here a question - "Why should Baba express this sorrow for such an inanimate thing as a brick?" To this Hemadpant replies that saints incarnate in this world with the express mission of saving the poor helpless people, and when they embody themselves and mix and act with the people, they act like them, i.e., outwardly laugh, play and cry like all other people, but inwardly they are wide awake to their duties and mission.

Sai Ram. While that may be true, it is also likely that the inanimate brick is not lifeless as it appears to us with limited senses, but is in fact pervaded by a spirit friend and guide of Sai. It is given elsewhere that the brick was thrown at Sai when He was young, out of jealousy by the other disciples and that it was stopped in the midair by the Guru Himself. It is said when the other disciples regretted their envy towards, Sai, the favourite disciple of the Guru, the brick actually hit the Guru! Thus, the brick represented His Guru's grace to Sai, the perfect disciple! Sai Ram.

To be continued

About the author

S.V. Swamy

Swarna.Venkateswara Swamy, (also known as Venkateswara Swamy Swarna, S.V.Swamy or simply Swamy) is a physicist and a metallurgist by education. He considers Sai Baba of Shirdi as his Sadguru but respects all Gurus. He is an avid reader, a book reviewer and an editor. He has an abiding interest in holistic health systems.