ImportanceofHumanBirthSaiBabaBeggingFoodBayajabai'sServiceSaiBaba'sDormitoryHis

AffectionforKhushalchand.
AshintedinthelastChapter,Hemadpantnowexplainsatlength,inhispreliminaryremarks,onthe
importanceofhumanbirth;andthenproceedstorelatehowSaiBababeggedHisfood,howBayajabai
servedHim,howHesleptintheMasjidwithTatyaKotePatilandMhalsapatiandhowHeloved
KhushalchandofRahata.

ImportanceofHumanBirth
Inthiswonderfuluniverse,Godhascreatedbillions(84lacsaccordingtoHindusastracalculation)of
creaturesorbeings(includingGods,demigods,insects,beastsandmen)inhabitingheaven,hell,earth,
ocean,skyandotherintermediateregions.Ofthese,thosecreaturesorsouls,whosemerits
preponderate,gotoheavenandlivetheretilltheyenjoythefruitsoftheiractions,andwhenthisis
done,theyarecastdownwhilethosesouls,whosesinsordemeritspreponderate,godowntohell,and
suffertheconsequencesoftheirmisdeedsforsolongatimeastheydeserve.Whentheirmeritsand
demeritsbalanceeachother,theyarebornonearthashumanbeings,andaregivenachancetowork
outtheirsalvation.Ultimatelywhentheirmeritsanddemeritsbothdropdown(aregotridof)
completely,theygettheirdeliveranceandbecomefree.Toputthematterinanutshell,soulsgettheir
birthsortransmigrationsaccordingtotheirdeedsandintelligence(developmentoftheirminds).

SpecialValueoftheHumanBody
Asweallknow,fourthingsarecommontoallthecreatures,viz.food,sleep,fearandsexualunion.In
thecaseofman,heisendowedwithaspecialfaculty,viz.knowledge,withthehelpofwhichhecan
attainGodvision,whichisimpossibleinanyotherbirth.ItisforthisreasonsthatGodsenvyman's
fortuneandaspiretobebornasmenonearth,soastogettheirfinaldeliverance.
Somesay,thatthereisnothingworsethanthehumanbody,whichisfulloffilth,mucus,phlegmand
dirt,andwhichissubjecttodecay,diseaseanddeath.Thisisnodoubttruetoacertainextent;but
inspiteofthesedrawbacksanddefects,thespecialvalueofthehumanbodyisthatmanhasgotthe
capacitytoacquireknowledge:itisonlyduetothehumanknowledgethatonecanthinkofthe
perishableandtransitorynatureofthebodyitself,andoftheworldandgetadisgustforthesense
enjoymentsandcandiscriminatebetweentheunrealandthereal,andthusattainGodvision.So,ifwe
rejectorneglectthebodybecauseitisfilthy,welosethechanceofGodvision,andifwefondleit,and
runaftersenseenjoyments,becauseitisprecious,wegotohell.Thepropercourse,therefore,forus
topursueisthefollowing;thatthebodyshouldneitherbeneglectednorfondled,butshouldbe
properlycaredfor,justasatraveleronhorsebacktakescareofhisponyonthewaytillhereacheshis
destinationandreturnshome.ThusthebodyshouldeverbeusedorengagedtoattainGodvisionor
selfrealization,whichisthesupremeendoflife.
ItissaidthatthoughGodcreatedvarioussortsofcreatureshewasnotsatisfied,fornoneofthemwas
abletoknowandappreciateHiswork.SohehadtocreateaspecialbeingMan,andendowhimwitha
specialfaculty,viz.KnowledgeandwhenHesawthatmanwasabletoappreciateHisLeela
marvellousworkandintelligence.Hewashighlypleasedandsatisfied.(Vide,Bhagawat11928).So
reallyitisgoodlucktogetahumanbody,betterlucktogetbirthinaBrahminfamily,andbestone,to
getanopportunityofhavingrecoursetoSaiBaba'sFeetandsurrenderingtoHim.

Man'sEndeavour
Realizinghowpreciousthehumanlifeis,andknowingthatDeathiscertainandmaysnatchusatany
time,weshouldbeeveralerttoachievetheobjectofourlife,weshouldnotmaketheleastdelaybut
makeeverypossiblehastetogainourobject,justasawidowerismostanxioustogethimselfmarried
toanewbride,orjustasakingleavesnostoneunturnedtoseekhislostson.Sowithallearnestness
andspeed,weshouldstrivetoattainourend,i.e.,selfrealization.Castingasideslothandlaziness,
wardingoffdrowsiness,weshoulddayandnightmeditateontheSelf.Ifwefailtodothis,wereduce
ourselvestothelevelofbeasts.
HowtoProceed?

ThemosteffectiveandspeedywaytogainourobjectistoapproachaworthySaintorSageSadguru,
whohashimselfattainedGodvision.Whatcannotbeachievedbyhearingreligiouslecturesandstudy
ofreligiousworks,iseasilyobtainedinthecompanyofsuchworthysouls.Justasthesunalonegives
light,whichallthestarsputtogethercannotdo,sotheSadGurualoneimpartsspiritualwisdomwhich
allthesacredbooksandsermonscannotinfuse.Hismovementsandsimpletalksgiveus'silent'advice.
Thevirtuesofforgiveness,calmness,disinterestedness,charity,benevolence,controlofmindand
body,egolessnessetc.areobservedbythedisciplesastheyarebeingpracticedinsuchpureandholy
company.Thisenlightenstheirmindsandliftsthemupspiritually.SaiBabawassuchaSageorSad
Guru.ThoughHeactedasaFakir(mendicant),HewasalwaysengrossedintheSelf.Healwaysloved
allbeingsinwhomHesawGodorDivinity.BypleasuresHewasnotelated.Hewasnotdepressedby
misfortunes.AkingandapauperwerethesametoHim.He,whoseglancewouldturnabeggarintoa
king,usedtobegHisfoodfromdoortodoorinShirdi,andletusnowseehowHedidit.

BabaBeggingFood
BlessedarethepeopleofShirdi,infrontofwhosehouses,Babastoodasabeggarandcalledout,"Oh
Lassie,giveMeapieceofbread"andspreadoutHishandtoreceivethesame.InonehandHecarried
aTumrel(tinpot)andintheotherazoliorchoupadari,i.e.,arectangularpieceofcloth.Hedaily
visitedcertainhousesandwentfromdoortodoor.Liquidorsemiliquidthingssuchassoup,
vegetables,milkorbuttermilkwerereceivedinthetinpot,whilecookedrice,bread,andsuchsolid
thingsweretakeninthezoli.Baba'stongueknewnotaste,asHehadacquiredcontroloverit.Sohow
couldHecareforthetasteofthedifferentthingscollectedtogether?whateverthingsHegotinHiszole
andinthetinpotweremixedtogetherandpartakenbyBabatoHisheart'scontent.Whetherparticular
thingsweretastyorotherwisewasnevernoticedbyBabaasifHistonguewasdevoidofthesenseof
tastealtogether.Bababeggedtillnoon,butHisbeggingwasveryirregular.SomedaysHewentafew
rounds,onotherdaysuptotwelvenoon.Thefoodthuscollectedwasthrowninakundi,i.e.earthen
pot.Dog,catsandcrowsfreelyatefromitandBabaneverdrovethemaway.Thewomanwhoswept
theflooroftheMasjidtooksome10or12piecesofbreadtoherhouse,andnobodypreventedher
fromdoingso.Howcould,He,whoevenindreamsneverwardedoffcatsanddogsbyharshwordsand
signs,refusefoodtopoorhelplesspeople?Blessedindeedisthelifeofsuchanobleperson!Peoplein
ShirditookHiminthebeginningforamadFakir.Hewasknowninthevillagebythisname.How
couldone,wholivedonalmsbybeggingafewcrumbsofbread,bereveredandrespected?Butthis
Fakirwasveryliberalofheartandhand,disinterestedandcharitable.ToughHelookedfickleand
restlessfromoutside.Hewasfirmandsteadyinside.Hiswaywasinscrutable.Stilleveninthatsmall
village,therewereafewkindandblessedpeoplewhorecognizedandregardedHimasaGreatSoul.
Onesuchinstanceisgivenbelow.

Bayajabai'sBrilliantService

TatyaKote'smother,Bayajabai,usedtogotothewoodseverynoonwithabasketonherhead
containingbreadandvegetables.Sheroamedinthejungleskoos(about3miles)afterkoss,trampling
overbushesandshrubsinsearchofthemadFakir,andafterhuntingHimout,fellatHisfeet.The
Fakirsatcalmandmotionlessinmeditation,whilesheplacedaleafbeforeHim,spreadtheeatables,
bread,vegetablesetc.thereonandfedHimforcibly.Wonderfulwasherfaithandservice.Everyday
sheroamedatnooninthejunglesandforcedBabatothepartakeoflunch.Herservice,Upasanaor
Penance,bywhatevernamewecallit,wasneverforgottenbyBabatillhisMahaSamadhi.
Rememberingfullywhatservicesherendered,Bababenefitedhersonmagnificently.Boththesonand
themotherhadgreatfaithintheFakir,WhowastheirGod.Babaoftensaidtothemthat"Fakir
(Mendicacy)wastherealLordshipasitwaseverlasting,andthesocalledLordship(riches)was
transient".Aftersomeyears,Babaleftoffgoingintothewoods,begantoliveinthevillageandtake
HisfoodintheMasjid.FromthattimeBayajabai'stroublesofroaminginthejunglesended.

DormitoryofTrio

EvenblessedaretheSaintsinwhoseheartLordVasudeodwells,andfortunate,indeed,arethe
devoteeswhogetthebenefitofthecompanyofsuchSaints.Twosuchfortunatefellows,TatyaKote
PatilandBhagatMhalsapati,equallysharedthecompanyofSaiBaba.Babaalsolovedthemboth
equally.ThesethreepersonssleptintheMasjidwiththeirheadstowardstheeast,westandnorthand
withtheirfeettouchingoneanotheratthecentre.Stretchingtheirbeds,theylayonthem,chitchatting

andgossipingaboutmanythings,tilllateatmidnight.Ifanyoneofthemshowedanysignsofsleep,
otherswouldwakehimup.Forinstance,ifTatyabegantosnore,Babaatoncegotupandshookhim
fromsidetosideandpressedhishead.IfitwasMhalsapati,Hehuggedhimclose,strokedhislegsand
kneadedhisback.Inthiswayforfull14years,Tatya,leavinghisparentsathome,sleptintheMasjid
onaccountofhisloveforBaba.Howhappyandnevertobeforgottenwerethosedays!Howto
measurethatloveandhowtovaluethegraceofBaba?Afterthepassingawayofhisfather,Tatyatook
chargeofthehouseholdaffairsandbegantosleepathome.

KhushalehandofRahata

BabalovedGanpatKotePatilofShirdi.HeequallylovedChandrabhanshetMarwadiofRahata.After
thedemiseoftheShet,BabalovedhisnephewKhushalchandequallyorevenperhapsmore,and
watchedhiswelfare,dayandnight.Sometimesinabullockcart,atothertimesinatangawithintimate
friends,BabawenttoRahata.Peopleofthatvillagecameout,withbandandmusic,andreceivedBaba
attheVesorgateofthevillageandprostratedbeforeHim.ThenHewastakenintothevillagewith
greatpompandceremony.KhushalchandtookBabatohishouse,seatedHimonacomfortableseat
andgaveHimagoodlunch.Thentheytalkedfreelyandmerrilyforsometime,afterwhichBaba
returnedtoShirdi,givingdelightandblessingtoall.
ShirdiismidwaybetweenandequidistantfromRahataononeside(south)andNimgaonontheother
(north).BabaneverwentbeyondtheseplacesduringHislifetime.Heneversawanyrailwaytrainnor
travelledbyit.Still,Heknewexactlythetimingofarrivalanddepartureofalltrains.Devoteeswho
actedaccordingtoBaba'sinstructions(re:theirdeparture)whichweregivenbyhimatthetimeof
takingHisleavefaredwell,whilethosewhodisregardedthemsufferedmanyamishapandaccident.
MoreaboutthisandothermatterswillbetoldinthenextChapter.