sai sudha (december 1943) -...
TRANSCRIPT
SAI SUDHA
(DECEMBER 1943)
Editorial SERVICE, SACRIFICE AND SELF-LESS-NESS.
VEDANTA AND THE MASSES
JANAMRITAM
IS SAI A BREAKER OR BUILDER
PERSONALITY OF SRI SAI BABA
EXPERIENCES
REVIEW
SERVICE, SACRIFICE AND SELF-LESS-NESS.
By service, sacrifice and self-less-ness, one will achieve God-realisation,
more easily than by rigidly practising all the ethics of the world, for a thousand
years. Rituals and ceremonies instituted by the priest ridden Religions lead .to
this but have made the process of attainment too rigid and dry and that accounts
for the lack of interest felt by the modern educated classes things in general.
Forms and ceremonies, instead of diminishing the Ego, strengthen it. The.
stronger the Ego, the:, ore aggressive it becomes, by consciousness of a-
separate Self and it sees not all the phenomena’s forms of .its own self. -The
least and easiest way of overcoming the. Ego and attainment of God-realisation
is to develop Love and render Self-less-Service to all Humanity in whatever
circumstances we may be placed. The more we live for others and the less we
live for ourselves, the more, our lower desires are eliminated and this in turn - will
react on the Self, suppressing it and transforming it proportionately and, lead us
to God-realisation;' Sri Krishna says in Bhagavata that he will show himself in the
heart of a spiritual teacher or preacher, Who serves and helps those who are
struggling .to; see the-Light.
Self less-ness is the characteristics of a man in whom the ego has. been killed
due, to assertive individualitys and in whom God easily manifests Himself Ego
has to be killed by generating individual consciousness-from its; association-'with
the 'material' and physical world. Good -. actions or self-less~deed - or sacrifices
help to carry forward, the Self to realise, and identify itself with the' Universe and
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bring the entire universe within its consciousness and help the Self to pass from
the stage of immersion in the pleasures sorrows of Life to the stage of
detachment from emotions "which caused those pleasures and sorrows and
knowledge of Self Begins when thse emotions end. By mere -mental effort one
can efface oneself without infringing one's knowledge of Self and then he cannot
bring- karma ;and hence Sri Krishna; said to Arjuna that actions should be done
without attachment.
Self-interest is at the root of all our difficulties—indiyidual and social and it
is not easy to .eliminate Self-interest. -But it can be eliminated with the aid of a
perfect saint who is one with the Universal Mind, and' is also present in the mind
of every human being and hence can give just the particular help needed to
awaken the highest;consciousness latent in every individual and has the power
to convey the truth at will. For Self-interest, springs from a false idea of the true
nature of the self and this, idea has to be eradicated and' the truth experienced
before the elemnation of Self-interest is possible. When a man sheds this last
make shift Self and steps on to stable Knowledge he Casts-off the Self from him
and gets always absorbed in the communion, with the all pervading Reality.
Complete surrender to the Diyine will of such a perfect one and unflinching
readiness to carry out the order faithfully achieve a result not possible even by
rigidly practicing all the virtues— Yajna, Dana and Tapas.
Good emotions as Bhakthi, affection or zeal help one to acquire God-
realisation and will, in turn give rise to good and help to others and sacrifice.
These acts make their imprint on the Inner, mind and generate Divine Sympathy
which is forward by the Sell in its onward march towards Self-realisation Without
haying done good acts and. sacrifices with no Self-interest or "'selfishness and
shown generosity, man can never acquire Divine Sympathy... Service,
however, in order ;to achieve the greatest result in the world must be completely
surrendered to the Divine Will and must have the human touch and a keen
sensed .humour.:;
Hence by concentrating on the 3, S's (Service, Sacrifices and Self less-
ness) and centering our interest on them other .mental .states as self-interest,
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selfishness, "I" and My'" ness yanishes before them and knowledge of Self
begins due to the reflex:; actions the-Inner .Mind which opens out and reveal that
the material and worldly., pleasures and pain are delusions,,-and ignorance and
are due to the individualistic Prakriti or Maya and pave, the way self or God-
Realisation- which is the purpose –and goal of life.
VEDANTA AND THE MASSES
Vedanta is the highest rung in the spiritual ladder of the Hindu Philosophy.
Some- -over-enthusiastic religious dealers, in their patience to get the masses
over-night to the zenith of Vedanta overlook and ignore the initial steps of Karma
and Bhaktir with the ievitable result that the ignorant Amasses neither reach the
top. catch a glimpse of the first stages. The masses do not understand the
subtleties and the ultimate import of the Advaita thought much less do they apply
it in the everyday routine of life It is a matter of common experience that only a
microscopic minority of : the religious-minded people is putting Vedanta1' into
practice but the majority yedanta does not go beyond a mere intellectual assent.
'It is not for nothing that Shastras have, laid down a certain course of Sadbana.
after which an aspirant- can be initiated into this sublime thought. Only yery few
are eligible for Vedanta because only a very few people are capable of that
'rigorous and sincere Sadhana. The. masses' require to be taught Bhakti arid
which are easily intelligible to them. It is said that Swami Rama Tirtha repented
afterwards for. preaching yedanta because Realised that all his gigantic efforts-
had brought forth no corresponding substantial result'."'' Swami Vivekananda
was severely criticised in his life for oyerstressing yedanta and ignoring Bhakti.
People want facts, hard' and .tangible facts,-practical principles which they can
easily grasp, easy clues to solve: the riddles of life, Intelligible and concrete ways
to feel; the nearness bf God, yedanta, to them a 'science meant for intellectual
jugglers and dry pundits, its teachings fall .upon their minds like rain on arid
sands. they would rather jave a grain of a practical hint than bushells of
theoretical knowledge., No doubt Vedanta contains the sublimest of truths, truths
that need to be comprehended and applied in the daily walk of life but that is; no
excuse why one should ignore the allied truths which are equally great if not
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greater. The Gita has elucidated in an ,' inimitable ''manner the .complementary
nature of these various paths and has shown that Karma, Bhakti; Gnana are not
competitive or alternative but the different ways to "the same goal. .So to reach
yedanta and especially the advaita philosophy irrespective. Of time place and
person-is carrying' water in a seive. You cannot teach Vedanta to anybody and -
eyerybody.- The whole affair will become a square peg jn a round hole.
In proportion to: the. greatness of a truth misapplications and Misinterpretations
are bound to 'crop up’ round it. Many thoughtless politicians have misused the
weapon of Satyagraha to enforce their selfish desires, many-unwary lovers have
brought about grim ' tragedies under the shelter of Platonic love, even many
crooked persons have exploited this Vedantic weapon for their personal ends.
Vedanta is a sharp razor which can be trusted only in the hands of a skilful and a
saintly warrior, not in the hands of a child or an ignorant man, " Tat Twam Asi,
Aham ; Brahmasmi " are the watchwords" of Vedanta and under their . pretext;
many sins are committed, sometimes consciously, and sometimes-
unconsciously. A man who has imperfectly the .real ; significance of these
Mahavakyas easily poses himself as God ; without considering others as such,
easily deceives himself about his intellectual and spiritual superiority; and
commits countless sins because he thinks and foolishly thinks, that he is not the
doer but only the witness in justification of wicked deeds.
Vedanta must be taught to a select few. Udia Baba teaches Bhakti and
Karma to the masses. He teaches Vedanta to a select few only and does not
allow the Bhaktas to attend his classes when he teaches Vedanta. Every
intelligent teacher gives his teachings according to the temperamental leanings
of the disciple. An unpromiscous preaching of Vedanta will land the teacher and
the taughtvin difficulties which may not be easily surmounted.
JANAMRITAM
BY SRI SWAMI SIVANANDA, RISHIKESH
The worldly enjoyments are unstable like a flash of lightning in a mass of
clouds. Life is like a drop of water upon a piece of heated iron, liable to disappear
at any moment. The frog that is hanging in a serpent's throat is yet desirous of
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eating the serpent's flesh with its teeth. Even so men of the world are desirous of
enjoying the unstable worldly objects, although they are being swallowed up by
the serpent of time.
Night and day man does work of various sorts with great difficulty for the
sake of the body. But the body is distinct from the Self or Atman. What enjoyment
can the Atman then have here?
The meeting of fathers, mothers, brothers, wives, relations and, friends, is
unstable in this world. It is like the meeting of people at a place for drinking
water or the meeting of two pieces of wood in a river.
Fortune is as fickle as the shadow.;. Youth is as unstable as waves of the
ocean. The pleasure derived from the company of woman is like a dream. Life
is short and uncertain and yet human brings have so much attachment/to these.
Mysterious is Maya. Marvellous is Moha
The course of worldly life is like a dream. It is always with 'diseases and
the like. -.It is like "a castle in -the air. It is the fool only who runs after it. Life is
waning at .each, rising and setting of the sun. Even' though you see others dying
and growing old, yet you never wake up from your own dream of 'the vanity of
worldly life. Each day is like- the other, each night is like the other and yet foolish
man runs, after worldly enjoyments and sees not the passing of time. Oh AlasJ
life is waning away every moment like water kept in an unbaked pot of clay.
Diseases are assailing the body on every side like enemies. Old age is troubling
you. Death is ever on the watch to swallow you. It is waiting its time to devour
you.
I am the body "acting under this notion one says, I am a scientist well
known throughout the world. I am a specialist in throat and ear diseases. I am
a reputed songster.'' Thus; hum an .beings believe the body which' is food for
worms or is liable to be 'changed into dust, to be their own .self . Tell me,
'friends, how can. the body which is composed of skin, bones, flesh, secretions,
urine, semen, blood and the like, which is ever -changing over, decaying, ; be the
Self ? " I am this body."— this erroneous notion is called Avidya or ignorance. " I
am not this body, but the ever blissful Atman or Self the immortal and all-
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pervading.'" This' is called knowledge. Avidya is the cause of the world.
Knowledge of self destroys ignorance. You should ever strive for the -
attainment of Brahma Gnana or knowledge of Self, if you wish to attain the
emancipation.
Desire, passion, hatred, jealousy, greed are the enemies of knowledge. Under
their influence man kills fathers, brothers, 'friends and others. All mental fever
has its root in passion. Passion is the destroyer of virtue. Therefore abandon
passion; and be at ease. This anger is your great, enemy. Contentment is the
'heavenly bower. Peace is Kalpa Vriksha which yields every 'desired object.
Desire is the great ocean. You .will ;have no enemy if you cultivate Kshama or
forgiveness.
The, reflection in the intellect of the Atma is' called the Jiva. Brahman or
the Eternal is verily the witness of the intellect, and the rest. In Brahman who is
the Self, - of all, all this world is superimposed through ignorance. He is an
object of cognition as he is all pervading and infinite and extremely subtle. He is
taintless and pure. He is the Self of all.
Just as in; diverse kinds of, wood there is only one great fire which assumes
various shapes because of differences in the form of wood, even so in the eye of
the, wise, differentiation is due to the five sheaths -and the like. Just as a piece of
pure crystal appears to be -coloured because of its contact with a coloured object
so "also .does Brahman appear to be differentiated on account of what it comes
into contact with.
Different from" the body, the senses, the life-breaths, and .the intellect,
self and immortal is the pure formless Atma or the self. So long as you do not
know the –Self to be distinct from the body, the senses and the life breaths, you
are troubled by worldly sorrows and are under the influence of death. Therefore
.meditate always in your heart upon thy Self "as distinct from the body.
.Knowing thyself to be different from tne intellect and the rest, do not grieve.
Exhausting all the Prarabadha Karma, the resultant of actions which has given
this incarnation, whether pleasurable or painful by doing what comes in –thy
way ,thou shalt not be tainted by such action. Even though out wardly thou sho
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west thyself to bean' actor, yet because of the purity of thy internal nature, thou
Salt not be affected by action, " May you all attain to the state of complete mental
detachment! May you all while performing the prescribed duties in the respective
station in life attain the state of perfection of final beatitude I May you all be
liberated from the bonds of 'Karma and consequent birth and death the wheel of
Samsara and attain freedom .like the fully ripe Amlaka fruit which falls off from
the tree of itself.
IS SAI A BREAKER OR BUILDER
When people are informed of Sai Baba's glorious- nature and deeds, his
wonderful help in matters of this world and beyondj some claim,--." "Why-do you
ask me to give up my old loyalty to my Ishta Devata Rama, and Krishna and my
guru with his guru mantra and sadhanas ? Some even go further and condemn
what they call creation of a new cult with a new God through 'violent methods of
propaganda and Proselytism so foreign to the satvic ideals of Hinduism." Let us
pause to analyse and examine each of these objections.
The first set of objectors are using leading or misleading question,' Haye
you left off beating, your mother ? Answer yes or no if you put to a witness who
has not admitted that'. he ever beaten his mother, usually quoted as an example
of this objectional question." The, short answer to this set of .questioners is that
neither Baba nor any true devotee of his ever asks people to give up their
loyalties to their gods, gurus, guru sampradayas etc. But inspite of this
declaration, these qbjectors often repeat their question though some are satisfied
when the following acts are narrated to them. Baba did not wish Hindus to give
up their religion to embrace Islam or Christianity. Once, a Hindu recently
converted to Islam was brought to Baba – who asked him then “Have- you given
up the father that begot you and taken another father.?
Baba first dissuaded Hindus who ran up to worship, him and directed them
to go back and worship the stone gods which their 'fathers worshipped' from
“auld long syne” :and allowed: them finally to worship him in addition to and not
substitution of their old gods, When a man approached Baba with the' fear
tuckincg at his heart that he was' doing Gurudroham to his former guru in
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approaching a new guru Baba sent him -away. ; When another approached him
with the same fear, Baba expressly told him that one's previous gurus, and
gurumantra and guru sampradaya etc; should not be given up, however little their
apparent merit and however great the merits of other gurus, might be; or seem.
To a third man who had already obtained gurumantram from his 'guru and yet
light heartedly applied to Baba to make himself the ' guru' Baba's answer was
that no guru was necessary and all that 'the man had to do was to dive within
himself and see himself. Advaitic line being evidently that man's hereditary or
"chosen marga Baba generally added the assurance that by intensifying- one's
faith to one's own guru be that guru even a mere-potsherd, one is sure to achieve
one's objects, including even moksha.
If one had no other preexisting loyalties and came to Baba to treat him as
one's Guru-God and his name as the sacred Guru, mantra, Baba allowed and
even encouraged it.; To such people Baba even touched ;his own. pictures and
presented or returned the same for worship, and assured people that he resided
in the picture-thus, worshipped, and even gave proof of such residence. .Baba
however never, gave any' Picture or other object to moslims or Christians that
had a strong aversion to the worship of objects. Baba never disturbed the faith of
people in their own scriptures.
In spite of these facts being- reiterated, still some objectors raise the
above objection. We may dive into their minds and discover the reason. It is not
enough to say that prejudices die hard. That may be the explanation for the
tenacity in adhering to this objection in some cases; But in- other cases, it is a
vague perception Of some basis remaining apparently unaffected, by the
narration of the-above facts Let us 'prove into that, basis -and examine, whether
It is a sound basis one ought to be dismantled.
Building or Creation is a complex process, and involves the replacing the
old forms by new ones. Though the old order changed giving place to the new, In
gods plan several people stick to their old forms and these are called
superstitions. But instead of applying opprobrious epithets to these, it is better to
allay their fears by demonstrating that apparent destruction by God of; the old is
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an indispensable part of His constructive work and that :really destruction is
construction in such cases. When in the march of evolution, the single cell
bursts into two, the death of .the old is the birth of the new. Even where highly
complex organisms with, sex characteristics differentiated, the older must wear
out and die before the younger are born and developed. The old dilapidated
temple however sacred must be pulled down before the new beautiful temple is
built on the same site. Similarly though ; Baba assures people of his respect
for old forms, old gods and gurus, what "happens often is that a new strong
vigorous, charming and. fruitful .faith in Sai Baba replaces, the old decadent
profession of faith in one's older gods and gurus. But do those enjoying the new
faith deplore the loss of the old or even declare that they have lost anything? In
fact, they have lost nothing really. What has been given up was not any living -
faith. People should not, give up their living and fruitful faith in Rama, Krishna
etc. and in their gurus. They never do give up such faith. But people fancy
sometimes that they have living faith when they have only the shadows or shells
of such faith, while the real substance or the life within (such shells) has left them
long ago- Such people ought to try and revivify their faith. Baba has given
great help to such persons. A Rama bhakta that worshipped Rama for 30 year
had not obtained Sakshatkara, or Brahmqnanda by that worsship When he
was .invited to Baba's mosque or " Dwaraka Mayee" : by a friend, he stood
outside, as he had no wish to bow to a Moslem.
—as that is what Baba looked like. But Baba drove off the bee from this
man's bonnet first by suddenly showing his own body as Rama's body, i.e. dark
blue holding the bow and attended upon by Hanuman, the Monkey-God, and
next by filling him for fifteen days with Atmananda i.e. glimpses of the
Brahmananda which is the ultimate end and aim of all such devotees. This
devotee was made to realise that his faith in 'God in the Rama form was not
destroyed but fulfilled by his approaching God in the Baba form.
A more recent instance occurring at Kumbakonam may be cited. A
staunch Vaishnavite Brahmin was worshipping God', as .Tirupati Venkatesa and
refused to pay any regard to any other form'.; He was ailing from very acute and
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painful Sciatica and Rheumatisim. -His son-in-law gave him Baba's Udhi and
asked ' him repeat" Sai Baba's name with faith. At first be resisted this attempt to
subvert his faith in Venkatesa, as he termed it. But necessity is the mother of
faith. One night, when the pain in his' body could not. be endured any .further, he
suddenly took ;Baba!s Udhi and applied it to his legs thrice,, palling on Sai Baba
to remove his pain. .The effect was instantaneous. The pain was off. Sleep that
he could never obtain, instantly supervened. I He woke up in the morning freed
from Sciatica and was able to walk.
He first thought that Venkatesa had led him into faith in Baba. He finally
discovered that Baba was Venkatesa, Babas Guru being Venkatesa or one that
had merged his Self in Venkatesha. In fact there is only one God. However
necessary it may be to start ones faith in God by localizing God and attraching a
particular form and name to Him, earnest faith ultimately carries one to the stage
where the form is burst through and name is pushed aside as mere preliminary
steps. When one reaches the ultimate Divine Bliss there is no form or name
there. At that stage, (as the Upanishad describes it) the Chandala is no
Chandala, the Brahmans is no Brahmana, the thief is no thief et., distinctions and
differences are not found – and Sai, Rama Venkatesa, Osiris, Siva, and Allah are
all submerged in the same ocean of Bliss.
Even long before this stage is reached many are enable to see tha tSai
Baba is the new form brought to us to fulfil the old. It is be repeated prayers to
Rama etc, that one gets faith in a Sai Baba, whereby temporal and spiritual
blessings are now so easily, quickly and surely obtained by large numbers. God
is fulfilling himself in many ways lest some good customs (once good) should
corrupt the world.
Let us, realise that the old is:being -steadily substituted by the new,-in
every sphere we must ring out the old and ring in the new ; what is it after all that
is ;being;-given up or taken away ?;' Mere dead forms, mere sheaths, are; lost.
Surely we are better off, if remnants of dead matter are removed so as not ;to
obstruct fresh growth or expansion. Life is not lost. Life - is revived..; Let
everyone therefore try to revivify his faith with the help of his old images, his Ishta
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Devatas, His gurus, his guru mantras etc. But if. sufficient earnestness and
power have not come to him 'to do this; work efficiently, his previous good Karma
in revering and worshiping these may suddenly bear fruit in a remarkable way.
Pains, 'sorrows, disappointments may break his heart and seem to prove the
worthlessness of the old faith. .-Sudden necessity may pull him to the use of the
Sai name and Sai's mantra and white with faith he may be -the joyous recipient
.of Sai's favours. But ;the best; • of Sai's favours is yet to follow.. Sai enables
men ultimately to see; that the fruit of former faith is the present faith and that;
Sai; "is no other than. The Old Ishta Devata ;and ;old ' guru. Such experience
has come to several.- Reader, if' it has not come to you yet, you may also get it
one day.
PERSONALITY OF SRI SAI BABA
By P.N.Janakiraman, B.A. Bombay
People very often forget the true nature of the realized human beings and
are carried away by external forms of appearances their environments etc.1
rather than go deep into the real personality of the realized being concerned]
"Just for instance; in our short study, we take Sri Sai Baba. At the outset people
generally ask why Sri Sai Baba should be idolised, worshipped and offered,
prayers etc., as if he himself is a GOD.
Students of Philosophy will know the great significance that underly the
Upanishad sentence—v' THAT THOU ART "—which explains the complete
identity of the individual SELF and the Universal SELF. Every being in the
Universe-is inherently Divine; which aspect is very latent and the very purpose of
evolution consists in the unfoldment of the inherent divinity through the
medium, of matter. This inherent Divinity of each Being is completely forgotten
due to the powerful influence of Divine Illusion (called by various name as maya
etc)
Every now and then, the Divine sends forth persons with vast powers
knowledge and bliss of the Supreme to deal with Individual Jivas and help them
out of their involution to evolve into the Supreme Being. As one Master of
Wisdom observes that "the Guru-God is not confined to the small human body
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but extends far beyond—covering the entire universe OB .one side and on the
'other, very subtle and therefore enters as "Sarva Antaryami" into all hearts. We
may add-that the work of Sad-Gurus consists in giving all possible help to the
Aspirants from within and without, in their attainment of
Sri Sai BabA is one such Sad-Guru who, descended to the World with all
powers, knowledge and bliss of the. Supreme to help the masses, to create
feeling of intense devotion in their hearts, in order to drag them on in the Spiritual
path. Sri Baba used to cater to their material needs also, with only idea that the
people should understand the very purpose of Life's existence and take their ,
efforts, of course, with the help of the Guru to attain SELF REALIZATION.
The Self realization is attained by the complete eradication of all Vasanas,
the ego mentality, the conquest of the cravings of the senses, verily seeing in all
beings the LORD, transcending the pairs of opposites, living for, even in a
tranquil mood, being ever absorbed in the contemplation of the SELF, complete
disregard for the external forces that generally drag the attention 'even the moat
enlightened ones and at the same time working for the betterment of mankind as
a whole without associating himself either in action or in the result of action, but,
dedicating all to the LORD with the idea that he is not the doer but only' the
instrument in HIS hands to work out HIS will, There consists the Glory of Self-
realization and one who attains that state, become indeed a fit instrument to work
put the Divine Will in all its Glory and .delight Such a one js Sri Sai Baba.
For the realized ones, all powers and knowledge reveal as. it were as matter of
course., By their control over the forces that sway in Microcosm (i.e., in the body)
they verily can control the forces that sway in' the Macrocosi (i.e ,in the universe).
'Such realized ones can assume any form, God or other wise' and; can render
any help when called for even disregarding the Laws Nature. As they have
become one with the Absolute, they really,, as already observed, enter into the
hearts of .all Beings as SARVA'-ANTARYAMI. Such a one is Sai Baba
When such realized ones leave the human body; when the taking the
human form is over, they again merge, in: the Absolute.
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Sai Baba preached the Gospel of LOVE & TRUTH and his life was
mainly, dedicated for the removal of ignorance in the minds of men and help,
them attain them all in the living of Universal Brotherhood without having any
hatred because of caste colour, creed or nationality.
In conclusion, we may observe that there is no distinction at all between
the realized being and the God, as both become One. And as such there is no .
harm or discredit in the worship of realized ones such as Sri Sai Baba, as God.
As Bhagwan Krishna observes in Gita, that He, in whatever form or in
whatever name is. worshipped, it is HE that is really being worshipped and that it
is HE that confers the necessary boons to the devotees concerned, coming to,
them if necessary, in the form of their own choice. It is needless to say that
norm and name, do not matter at all, but, what matters is the sincere devotion to
the cause taken and the complete faith and self-surrender to the WILL-
SUPREME, dedicating everything to Him and to HIM only.
EXPERIENCES
BY SBI S. SUBBA KAO, Pleader, Gooty
1. Baba was in the habit of collecting Dakshina (money) from Bhakthas came
to him and was distributing the - same to the deserving poor and the needy. He
has said that this is a way of destroying one's bad karma. A young swamijee (a
Bhaktha of Dattatreya) came to Gooty in- the' beginning of this month casually
on his way to his disciples' villages for collection: of money for performing Datta
Saptaham at his village Sridharaghatta near Bellary, I met him and invited him
to take milk and fruits in my house. -He .was- very much Pleased with Baba's
Thursday worship in my .house. I also expressed my view that Baba and Datta
are one and the same. The next night, Baba appeared in my dream and placed
Rs. 20 in my hands with a direction, for payment to Swamijee, in the presence
of another bhaktha who on enquiry told me that he had already paid Rs.",20 to
this Swamijee. Accordingly, I invited the young Swamijee on the following
Thursday at Pooja time and paid Rs. 20-after Explaining my dream and my
experience. In my present circumstance, I would not have paid the above-said
amount, but for Baba's timely intervention. Thus Baba, though he has left his
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earthly body, still continues his work as he was doing during his physical
existence. Dear Bhakthas, if only one surrenders completely to Him (Baba), He
takes care of him in more ways than one just as he was taking care while in the
physical body. I can give several personal proofs in support of this.
2. I went to Madras for an appeal work in the Madras High Court at my
client's expense. I had not sufficient money to do all that I wanted then. 'I prayed
to Baba Baba appeared in my dream and advised ;me to perform'
Satyanarayana Vratam on my return to Gooty. I acted up to the direction of
Baba and got sufficient money for my alloted work.
My .daughter had some family difficulties to contend with Baba appeared
in her ;dream and suggested the worship of Dattatreya. She immediately took,
the; hint and did it.. Her family anxieties were at an end. Thus Baba has proved
through his Bhaktbas that Baba is also Datta and Satyanarayana.
3. As I have almost retired from my profession, whenever I find time, I make
Namajapam of Baba. If; on any day I fail to make namajapam in whole or part,
there is the hand of Baba to' remlnd me to do the self alloted work of making
namajapam. On 1.4-11-43; I did not do namajapam at 'night as usual.' I heard a
voice in .my dream 'Patri vvhich.is the name ;of the village in Baba was born.
That hint; signified that I should make namajapam Baba takes meticulous care of
our acts and sees to the fulfilment thereof,
P. Raghavachari, Inspector of Police, writes:—•>
It was:Gokulashtami Day Myself, my father and mother were left'
Manapparai.' Never was my wife (who is more attached to Sri Sai Baba than
myself ) was away from me on such important days. This time she was force to
stay with her daughter (under-treatment).at Salem.
The worship was, done at Manapparai. as usual on the night, Just at about the
same hour, at Salem my wife and son suddenly noticed a. scorpion on the photo
of Sri Sai Baba. which was hanging on the wall near which my daughter was.
lying. It drew the attention, of not one or two but many of those that resided in the
neighbourhood. It stayed there for about an hour. or so.- neve.r moved inspite of
so much noise etc., created by the spectators. After an hour my wife performed a
Sai Sudha December 1943
www.saileelas.org 15
camphor arathi upon which the scorpion suddenly disappeared. Sri; Sai Baba
manifested himself like that. My wife has had similar experiences of Sri Sai Baba
before and she has personally narratted a few of thpse experiences to the
Swamigal in person. My daughter and wife arrived at Manapparai just a few days
ago., I got a telegram .from. Kalli (near Hosur) that my mother-in-law was
seriously ill there. Her son is R; I. there. I, uttered the name of Sri Sai Baba and
sent my wife, and son at once to Kalli. I now hear that she is getting better and
there no need to be anxious about her health.-
REVIEW
We have received the annual repprt of the Sai Baba Bhaktha Samaj
Calcutta; the first of the kind, for the period ending with 30th September 1943
read and adopted on the occasion of the 3rd year Maha Samadhi Celebrations
on 8th' October 1943. We are glad to note and appreciate the many, side,
activities and an, excellent record of services of the Samaj, viz., popularizing Sri
Sai Githarchana, Bhajana, publication of Sai literature in Bengali as well as a
Bengali Supplement to Sai Sudha, feeding of a large number of hungry ,and daily
Saha,sranamarchana in the evenings by devotees by turn. 'Toward the close of
tne yearwe note, another centre of the Pooja was opened at 120/B Rash'Behari
Avenue, where the poor are being fed every. Sunday.. The holy Udhi and holy
water were used to cure the sick and many malignant types of Various
illness with great success. Special lectures on .various spiritual subjects as
Yoga, Spiritualism, Truth, Surrender to God, Lord Gauranga as well as
lantern lecture on Sai Baba were given by eminent Pandit Scholars, Goswamis
and Yogi Maharajas. We are glad to see that the Samaj functioning: as a
dyanamic Spiritual organisation and a powerful medium for the dissemination of
Sai Bhakthi in Calcutta and suburbs and we join, their appeal they Have made to
all to contribute their mite towards the building fund they have opened and
obtain the grace of Sri Sai Baba and gratitude posterity.: