Lessons From Then And Now – Shirdi Reminiscences
The Dasara festival is significant for many reasons. It is that time of the year when we worship God as the mother of all beings, showing gratitude for the ‘Shaktis’ bestowed on man, for the gifts of Nature’s bounties, and seeking courage to battle the evil within. In Prasanthi the festival is marked by the grand Veda Purusha Saptaha Jnana Yajna, the Grama Seva and the Prasanthi Vidwan Maha Sabha. In between we also have the festival where the various vehicles blessed to carry our Lord is worshipped. In the years gone by, Swami would come around breaking coconuts before the cars, and even alight the cars and the golden chariot at times. The last day of the Navaratri, Vijayadashami, is celebrated in memory of Rama’s victory over evil Ravana and also Goddess Durga’s victory over the demon, Mahishasura.
There is one more reason why Vijayadashami is special for devotees of Bhagawan. It was on the Vijayadashami day of the year 1918, Shirdi Baba, the previous incarnation of Bhagawan shed His mortal coil. In that sense, Vijayadashami is the Aradhana Mahotsavam for the Shirdi Avatar. So even as we participate in the Poornahuti of the Yajnam, the final session of Prasanthi Vidwan Mahasabha (in person or virtually), and pay our obeisance to our all-auspicious Mother Sai, let us also travel back to the holy precincts of Shirdi. There in the dilapidated Dwarakamayi lived Baba, acting as mysteriously as only Divinity can; one moment He was the Mother of all beings, compassionate and caring; the other moment He was Rudra Himself, blazing with rage. He wore a ragged kafni and called Himself a Fakir, but He went out on a royal procession as the devotees extolled Him as ‘Sainath Maharaj’. And what better way to make this journey, than to do it with Swami Himself. We offer you through this article, excerpts from Swami’s discourses, where He related little stories from His previous incarnation. Please do listen, read, contemplate and offer at the feet of Baba the two coins He ever sought as dakshina – the coins of Shraddha and Saburi (Faith and Patience).
At times we go back on our words. There is no greater sin than going back on one’s word. Emperor Bali said: “Can there be a greater sin that failing to keep one’s word?!” Therefore we must keep our word as sacred and protect it.
When in Shirdi, many devotees would visit Shirdi. There was a siristidhar (a government officer) by name Tarkhad. He had a wife and a son of 16 years age. The wife and son had immense faith in Baba. Therefore he never obstructed them.
One day the wife and son said, “We wish to go to Shirdi.”
“Certainly, go and come”, he replied.
This person, Tarkhad was affiliated to Brahmo Samaj and so had no desire to visit pilgrim centres. So though his wife requested him a lot, he never visited Shirdi. That too is a sort of weakness. What does it matter to which Samaj (society or group) you belong to, but one should understand the truth that God Almighty is one. Some people consider caste and religion to be of utmost importance and take to the wrong path. So this Tarkhad who belonged to the Brahmo Samaj said, “I am not coming, you both may go.”
But the 16 year old boy said, “Father, I won’t go.”
“Why won’t you go?” he asked.
“Father, in my everyday worship, from morning to night I observe my disciplines in prayer to God as they ought to be. I take sugar candy and place them as offering to Baba. With the faith that He has accepted it, I partake of it as prasadam. As I don’t wish to give up this practice, I won’t go to Shirdi.”
The father had a lot of love for his son. Since he did not want his son to be troubled he said, “Son, I will do that work, you can go.”
“Will you really do?” asked the son. “Will you worship Baba as I do? Will you make the offering to Baba? Will you then accept the offering? Then give me your word, only then will I go.”
The father’s heart melted seeing the determination of the boy. “How noble is this boy to be so steadfast in his disciplines? I don’t have such steadfastness in spite of my age” he thought to himself. He then gave word to his son that he will do. The mother and son then left for Shirdi while the father as promised performed the worship diligently for two three days. Offering sugar candy just like his son, eating that candy before lunch, all of this was happening. The third day was a Thursday and but he had some urgent work in the court. In the morning, he had his bath, offered worship, ate breakfast, put on his dress and rushed to office. When he returned for lunch he sat down and commanded his cook, “Get me that prasadam.” The cook replied, “Babuji, today in your hurry you have not made the offering.”
He felt very bad that he could not keep up the word he had given his son. He was not distressed because of not making an offering to Baba but because he had broken the word given to his son. On the following day, Tarkhad’s wife and son came to Shirdi to offer salutations.
Baba said, “Son, yesterday I visited Bandra, but no one served Me food. I did not even find the sugar candy that you keep for Me every day. I returned very hungry. Will you give Me anything now?”
The boy was shocked. When he went back to his room, he buried his head in the lap of his mother and started crying.
