Shri Sai Satcharita Chapter XXII

Shri Sai Satcharita Chapter XXII

Rescues from Serpent bites (1) Balasaheb Mirikar (2) Bapusaheb

Booty (3) Amir Shakkar (4) Hemadpant - Baba’s Opinion Regarding

Killing of Serpents

Preliminary

How to meditate on Baba? No one is able to fathom the nature or form of the

Almighty. Even the Vedas and the thousand tongued Shesha are not able to describe it

fully. Devotees cannot understand, nor can they look at the form of the Lord, but they

know that His holy feet are a source of grace to attain the supreme goal of life. They know

of no other method than to meditate on the holy feet of the Lord. Hemadpant suggests an

easy way of devotion and meditation as follows:

As the full moon of every month gradually diminishes, the moonlight also wanes in

the same degree and on the night of the new moon, the moon is not visible at all, nor do

we get her light. Therefore, when the moon begins to reappear, people are anxious to see

the new crescent as it starts to form. On the night of the first day of the new moon, the

moon is not seen and on the night of the second day she is also not clearly visible. People

are then asked to look at the moon through an opening between two branches of a tree

and when they begin to gaze with concentration through this aperture, the distant small

crescent of the moon comes, to their great delight, within their ken. Following this method,

let us try to see Baba’s light. Look at Baba’s posture. How fine it is! He is sitting with His

legs folded, His right leg held across His left knee. The fingers of His left hand are spread

on His right foot. On His right toe, His two fingers - the index and middle ones - are

spread. By this posture, Baba means to say, as it were, if you want to see My Light, be

egoless and most humble, and meditate on My toe through the opening between the two

branches - (index and middle fingers) - and then you will be able to see My Light. This is

the easiest means of attaining devotion.

Now let us turn for a moment to Baba’s life. Shirdi became a place of pilgrimage on

account of Baba’s stay. People from all over began to flock there, and both rich and poor

began to be blessed and benefitted in many various ways. Who can describe Baba’s

boundless love, His wonderful natural knowledge and His all pervasiveness? Blessed is he

who experienced one or all of these.

Sometimes Baba observed long periods of silence which was, in a way, His dissertation on

Brahma. At other times, He was consciousness-bliss incarnate whilst surrounded by His

devotees. Sometimes He spoke in parables, while at other times, He indulged in wit and

humor. At times, He was quite clear and direct, yet on other occasions, He seemed

enraged. Furthermore, although He often gave His teachings in a ‘nut shell’, under certain

circumstances, He argued at length. In this way, He gave varied instructions to His many

different bhaktas, according to their requirements. His life, therefore, was inscrutable,

beyond the ken of our mind, beyond our intellect and speech. Our longing to see His face,

to talk with Him and hear His leelas can no longer be satisfied, still, we are overflowing with

joy. We can measure the amount of rainfall, calculate the velocity of wind, but who can

measure the greatness of Sai Baba’s leelas? Now we shall address one aspect of them,

viz. how He anticipated or forestalled the calamities of His devotees and warded them off in

time.

Balasaheb Mirikar

Balasaheb Mirikar, son of Sirdar Kakasaheb Mirikar, was mamlatdar of Kopergaon.

He was going on tour to Chitali, and stopped on the way in Shirdi to see Sai Baba. When

he went to the masjid and prostrated himself before Baba, the usual conversation

regarding health and other matters commenced when Baba sounded a note of warning as

follows: “Do you know our Dwarakamai?” As Balasaheb did not understand, he kept quiet.

Baba continued, “This is our Dwarakamai, where you are sitting. She wards off all

dangers and anxieties of the children who sit on her lap. This Masjidmai (its presiding

deity) is very merciful. She is the mother of the simple devotees whom she will save in

calamities. Once a person sits on her lap, all his troubles are over. He who rests in her

shade gets bliss.” Then Baba gave him udi and placed His protecting hand on his head.

When Balasaheb was about to depart, Baba again said, “Do you know the ‘Lamba Baba’

(long gentleman), viz. serpent?” And then closing His left fist, He brought it near the right

elbow and moving His left arm like the hood of a serpent, He said, “He is so terrible, but

what can he do to the children of Dwarakamai? When Dwarakamai (its presiding deity)

protects, what can the serpent do?”

Everyone present was curious to know the meaning of this and its reference to

Mirikar, but none had the courage to ask Baba. Then Balasaheb saluted Baba and left the

masjid with Shama. Baba called Shama back and asked him to accompany Balasaheb

and to enjoy the Chitali trip. Shama then went over to Balasaheb and told him he would

come with him, according to Baba’s wish. Balasaheb replied that he need not come, as it

would be inconvenient, so Shama returned to Baba and told Him what Balasaheb had said

to him. Baba said, “Alright, do not go. We should mean well and do well. Whatever

is destined to happen, will happen.”

Meanwhile, Balasaheb thought things over again and asked Shama to accompany

him,so Shama took leave of Baba and started off in a tanga with Balasaheb. They reached

Chitali at 9 pm and encamped in the Maruti temple. The office people had not come, so

they sat in the temple quietly talking. Balasaheb was sitting on a mat reading a

newspaper. His uparane (upper dhotar) was spread across his waist and on part of it, a

snake was sitting unobserved. It began to move with a rustling sound which was heard by

the peon. He brought a lantern, saw the snake, and raised an alarm, ‘serpent, serpent’.

Balasaheb was frightened and began to quiver. Shama was also shocked. Then he and

others moved noiselessly and took sticks and clubs in their hands. The snake got down

slowly from Balasaheb’s waist and moved away from him. It was immediately done to

death.

Thus, this calamity which was prophesied by Baba was averted and Balasaheb’s

love for Baba was deeply confirmed.

Bapusaheb Booty

One day a great astrologer named Nanasaheb Dengale told Bapusaheb Booty, who

was then in Shirdi, “Today is an inauspicious day for you. There is danger to your life.”

This made Bapusaheb restless. When they, as usual, came to the masjid, Baba said to

Bapusaheb, “What does this Nana say? He foretells death for you. Well, you need not be

afraid. Tell him boldly, “Let us see how death kills.” Later that evening, when Bapusaheb

went to his privy for easing himself, he saw a snake. His servant saw it and lifted a stone

to strike it. Bapusaheb asked him to get a big stick, but before the servant returned with

the stick, the snake was seen moving away and soon disappeared. Bapusaheb

remembered with joy Baba’s words of fearlessness.

Amir Shakkar

Amir Shakkar was a native of the village Korale in Kopergaon Taluka. He belonged

to the butcher caste. He worked as a commission agent in Bandra and was well known

there. He once suffered from rheumatism which caused him great pain, but upon

remembering God, he decided to leave his business, come to Shirdi, and seek Baba’s

grace to relieve his malady. Baba then stationed him in the Chavadi which was at the time,

a damp, unhealthy place, unfit for such a patient. Any other place in the village, or Korale

itself, would have been better for Amir, but Baba’s word was the deciding factor and the

chief medicine.

Baba did not allow Amir to come to the masjid, but had him stay in the Chavadi

where he received a very great advantage, since Baba passed via the Chavadi every

morning and evening. Also, every alternate day, Baba went with a procession to the

Chavadi where He would sleep. Thus, Amir was easily in contact with Baba quite often.

Amir stayed in the Chavadi for a full nine months, but then developed a disgust for the

place.

One night, he stealthily left the place and went to Kopergaon and stayed in a

dharmashala. There, he saw an old, dying fakir who asked him for water. Amir brought

the fakir some water, but upon drinking it, the old man passed away. This put Amir in a fix.

He thought that if he went and informed the authorities, he would be held responsible for

the death, as he was the first and sole informant and knew something about the matter.

He then repented for his actions, (viz. leaving Shirdi without Baba’s permission) and prayed

to Baba.

Amir decided to return to Shirdi that same night and ran all the way back, all the

while remembering and muttering Baba’s name. He reached Shirdi before day break and

his anxiety finally abated. He then lived in the Chavadi in perfect accordance with Baba’s

wishes and orders and was cured.

One night it so happened that Baba cried out at midnight, “Oh Abdul, some devilish

creature is dashing against the side of my bed.” Abdul came with a lantern, examined

Baba’s bed, but found nothing. Baba asked him to examine the place carefully and He

began to strike the ground with His satka. Seeing this leela of Baba, Amir thought Baba

might have suspected some serpent had come in. Amir knew, by close and long contact

with Baba, the meaning of His words and actions. Baba then saw something moving near

Amir’s cushion. He asked Abdul to bring in a light which revealed a coiled serpent moving

its head up and down. The serpent was immediately beaten to death. Thus, Baba gave a

timely warning and saved Amir.

Hemadpant (scorpion and serpent)

At Baba’s recommendation, Kakasaheb Dixit read daily two works of Shri Ekanath

Maharaj, viz. Bhagwat and Bhawartha Ramayana. Hemadpant had the good fortune to be

in the audience when the reading of the works was going on. Once, when a portion from

the Ramayana was being read which related to Hanuman’s testing Rama’s greatness

according to his mother’s instructions, all the listeners were spell bound. Hemadpant was

one of them. Suddenly, a big scorpion (none knew where it came from) jumped and

landed on Hemadpant’s right shoulder on his uparane (upper dhotar). At first, it was not

noticed, but as the Lord protects those who are intent on hearing His stories, Hemadpant

cast a glance over his right shoulder and noticed it. There was dead silence and not a bit

of movement. It seemed as if it, too, enjoyed the reading. Then, by the Lord’s grace,

Hemadpant, without disturbing the audience, took the two ends of his dhotar, folded them,

and brought them together enclosing the scorpion within. He then went out and threw it in

the garden. On another occasion, some people were sitting in the upper floor of

Kakasaheb’s Wada just before nightfall, when a serpent crept through a hole in the window

frame and sat coiled up. A light was brought in. Though the snake was dazzled at first, it

sat very still and only moved its head up and down. Many people rushed there with sticks

and cudgels, but as it sat in an awkward place, no blow could be dealt. Upon hearing the

noises of the men, the serpent went out hastily through the same hole. Everyone present

then felt relieved.

Baba’s Opinion

One devotee, named Muktaram, said it was good the poor creature escaped.

Hemadpant challenged him, saying it is better that serpents should be killed. There was a

hot discussion between them - the former contending serpents and such creatures should

not be killed, and the latter, that they should.

As night came on, the discussion came to an end, without arriving at any decision.

Neither Hemadpant nor Muktaram would change their opinions on the matter, so it was

decided to refer the issue to Baba the next day.

Baba settled the matter by saying:

“God lives in all beings and creatures, whether they be serpents or scorpions.

He is the great wirepuller of the world, and all beings, serpents, scorpions etc. obey

His command. Unless He wills it, nobody can do any harm to others. The world is

all dependent on Him, and no one is independent. We should, therefore, pity and

love all creatures, leave off adventurous fights and killings, and be patient. The Lord

(God) is the Protector of all.”

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all