1Those whose meritorious deeds of their past lives have borne fruit get Sai’s darshan. They are not harmed by the three-fold difficulties and it provides the means to achieve spiritual progress.
2Now, meditating on your Guru for a moment, oh you listeners, please I beg of you, to give me your attention and be in a frame of mind to listen.
3“We know that you are there to tell the story. Why are you taking this trouble unnecessarily?” Please do not say this. Pardon me. You are comparable to the ocean.
4For the ocean, though brimming with water, does not send back the rivers; even though the clouds pour thousand - fold, it gives refuge to the waters.
5You, listeners, are as virtuous as the ocean and I wish to immerse myself in it. Do not, I beg of you, repulse me. It is not right to reject the weak.
6The pure waters of the Ganga as well as the stream from the village are both accommodated by the ocean. When they merge with the ocean, there is no commotion.
7Therefore, the urge to listen to the story of the Saint which you are fostering will by itself be fruitful if you look at me benevolently.
8If you partake of this nectar in the form of the life story, with patience and faith, loving devotion will spring within you and the listeners will be gratified.
9The devotees will easily achieve the supreme state of existence. The listeners will be full of devotion and freedom from attachment. For those full of faith, they will receive happiness and peace; and for all, in general, contentment.
10Listening to these stories from the mouth of the Guru will eradicate the troubles and anxieties pertaining to the world. Bliss will be born in the minds of the listeners and knowledge of the soul will dawn upon them.
11In this chapter, there will be the description of how the loving devotees prayed to Sai and how he gave them darshan, and was pleased with them. Now, listen to it all.
12If a cat has just fed her new born and goes out, then when she returns her kittens longingly return to her, and again and again rush to her with love to suckle.
13Then she gets fed up and growls which quietens the babies for a while. No sooner than the mother cat is quietly resting, they circle around her and again suckle.
14When they lovingly nudge and suck, milk flows out of the mother cat. Then she forgets her earlier growling and spreads herself on the ground with love.
15As her love overpowers her reluctance, she hugs her own babies with her four legs tightly; again and again licks them and fondles them. Oh, what a wonderful sight it is!
16As her abdomen is scratched by their sharp nails, her love increases and the milk flows more abundantly.
17Just as those babies’ love and affection makes the mother give more milk, your devotion at the feet of Sai will melt his heart.
18Once, the people of Thane requested that peerless kirtankar, Ganu Das, to perform kirtan at Koupineshwar (temple).
19Ganu Das obliged the gentlemen at their request, but he did not demand or ask for even a pie.
20Not a single pie was paid for the kirtan. He did not wear garments on his upper body and was bare-headed, wearing only a ‘pancha’[1]. Still, listeners flocked to the kirtan.
21There is a story behind this mode of dress. You will enjoy it when you hear it. Listen to it with your full attention. Wonder at Baba.
22Once, Ganu Das was going to do a ‘Katha’ at Shirdi. So he set off properly dressed with a long coat, uparna[2], and pheta[3] on head.
23According to custom, he happily went to Baba to bow at his feet. On seeing him, Baba said: "Oh, now you have adorned yourself like a bridegroom!
24Where are you going so dressed up?" Baba asked him. Das Ganu replied: “I am going to perform kirtan.”
25Baba said to him, further: "Why have you taken so much trouble over dressing up? Why do you have long coat, uparna and pheta? We do not need all these things.
26Take them off in front of me. Why burden your body with them?" As per his orders, he took them off and laid them at his feet.
27Since then, till this day, Ganu Das wears no upper garment and makes no show. He carries ‘chiplis[4]’ in his hands and a ‘mala’[5] round his neck at the time of kirtan.
28Though this is not generally accepted, it is of a pure origin. This was the tradition of Narada, the most enlightened of enlightened sages.
29This is the original school of ‘Naradiyan kirtan’ from which the Haridasas originated. They did not bother about the outward glamour but stressed purification of soul.
30Only the lower half of the body is covered. Chiplis are used and the veena[6] is played. Hari’s name is loudly chanted. Such is the well-known and pure image of Narada.
31With the grace of Sai Samartha, Das Ganu composed stories describing the saints and performed kirtans free. Thus, he became famous.
32He was truly instrumental in spreading the zest of Sai devotion. He brought to high tide, the ocean of Sai love and self – contentment.
33We are very grateful to the foremost of the devotees Chandorkar, who has definitely been the root cause for increasing the devotion to Sai’s feet.
34Even Das Ganu came here because of Chandorkar. He performed kirtans everywhere, going from one place to another, and people started singing Sai’s praises.
35Maharaj’s fame had already spread to Pune, Nagar and Sholapur. But because of these two, people from the Konkan developed faith.
36To them, also, goes the credit for the growth of Sai devotion in and around Bombay. Sai Maharaj, the compassionate one, manifested there through them!
37At Sree Koupineshwar Temple, in the midst of the reverberations of the kirtan of Sai’s kindness and the tumultuous jubilation with the Lord’s name, Cholkar felt goose pimples over his body.
38Numerous people came to listen to the kirtans, but they liked it for different reasons. Some appreciated Buva’s intimate knowledge of the subject and some liked his expressions and gestures.
39Some only appreciated the singing and would say how wonderfully Buva sings and gets carried away with the devotional singing of Vitthal’s name and how he dances with exuberance for the love of Vitthal.
40Some enjoy the first part which expounds the philosophical thought; some love to listen to the story part of it; some like the dramatisation in which the Haridas indulges mimicking local characters; some love the words and poetry.
41Whether a buva is ordinary or a scholar or so clever as to give different meanings, references, derivations or expert in telling stories in the latter half of the kirtan – in this manner, the listening of a kirtan depends on different things.
42Such listeners are many. But by listening they develop faith and devotion. But a state of mind whereby a listener has absolute love of God and devotion at the feet of Sai, is rare.
43One may listen for a long time but if it just accumulates one layer over another of false knowledge, can it be called the right outcome of listening? Such listening would be futile.
44How can we call a thing soap if it does not cleanse? How can it be called listening if it does not remove false knowledge?
45Cholkar[7] was already a devout man. He felt pangs of love for Sai and said to himself: ‘Baba, merciful one, protect this humble one’.
46He was an ordinary probationer incapable of looking after his family financially. He wanted a higher post in the government and put this burden on Baba.
47Covetous persons take a vow, saying that if their wish is fulfilled, they would feed the Brahmins, as per the menu set by them, to their hearts’ desire and also give gifts to them.
48The rich, by way of a vow, promise to feed a thousand or donate a hundred cows, if their desires are fulfilled.
49But Cholkar was, as it is, a poor man. He also wanted to make a vow. Therefore, remembering Sree Sai’s feet, he spoke humbly thus:
50"Baba, I am poor and have to look after a family. My life depends on my job. I have to pass an examination to become permanent.
51I have prepared with a lot of effort. I solely depend on passing the examination. Otherwise. I will lose this job which I hold on probation and I will be deprived of the little that I earn.
52If I pass by your grace, I will present myself at your feet and distribute sugar candy in your name. This is my firm resolution".
53In this manner, he took a vow. His wishes were fulfilled and he was happy. But it took time for him to complete the vow. Therefore, he gave up sugar.
54He would need some money on the way. It was not proper to go empty-handed. Therefore, he would go on postponing. Thus the days passed by.
55It is possible to cross over Nane Ghat[8] of the high Sahyadri mountain but it is difficult to cross the threshold of the home, for a householder.
56Till the vow of going to Shirdi was not fulfilled, Cholkar did not eat anything made of sugar. He even took tea without sugar.
57Some days passed by like this. Then the time came and he went to Shirdi. He fulfilled the vow and was happy.
58As soon as he had Sai’s darshan, Cholkar rolled at his feet, and bowing to Baba he was extremely happy.
59With a pure heart he distributed sugar, offered coconut and said: “To-day all my wishes have borne fruit”.
60He was jubilant with Sai’s darshan and was happy with the conversation he had with him. As he was Jog’s guest, he had to leave along with Jog.
61As Jog got up to leave, his guest got up also and Baba said to Jog: “Give him lots of cups of tea with plenty of sugar”.
62No sooner did Cholkar hear these significant words, he was surprised. His eyes were filled with tears of joy and he put his head at his feet.
63Jog was surprised but Cholkar was doubly so because both (Baba and he) knew the reason and understood each other.
64Baba had nothing to do with tea; so, why did he remember it at this moment? It was to convince Cholkar and stamp him with devotion.
65Immediately, this was enough of a hint. He said: "I have received your promised sugar. The period of sacrifice for you is over, Cholkar.
66I know the state of your mind at the time of taking the vow and about your self-imposed punishment for the postponement. Though you have kept it a secret, I have come to understand it all.
67Any one of you, wherever you are, whenever you come to me, with your hand outstretched, with devotion, I am there to respond to your faith, day and night.
68Though I am bodily present at this place and you may be beyond the seven seas, and doing anything there, I am aware of it immediately.
69You may go anywhere on the face of this earth, I am always with you. I reside in your heart and I am within you.
70You should always bow down to that ME who thus resides in your heart. I am also the same ME who resides in the hearts of all beings.
71Therefore, whomsoever you come across, at home, outside or anywhere in the course of life, I am within them and I am myself present in them.
72All living creatures – insects, ants, creatures of the water and the sky, dogs and pigs – I am always present within them. I am in all and everywhere.
73Do not keep at a distance from me. There is no difference between you and ME. Whosoever regards ME in this way, he is indeed fortunate."
74This story, though seemingly brief, is yet full of merit. How sweet it was for Cholkar and how much it strengthened his devotion!
75Whatever passed in his mind, Baba gave him proof of it in this way. What a skill, the sages possess!
76Baba’s words are invaluable. They penetrate deep into the hearts of the devotees, nurture their love and make their devotion one-pointed.
77To quench the thirst of a Chatak, the clouds shower water kindly, with the result that the whole earth is cooled. So did it happen in this case.
78Poor Cholkar was a complete stranger. Das Ganu’s kirtan was instrumental in his making that vow and Baba was also pleased with him.
79It was because of him that this amazing episode took place and gave him a glimpse of the Sage’s heart. Baba was always ready to create a situation to teach.
80Cholkar was just incidental, for the sake of the good of all the devotees. Baba’s skills are beyond comprehension. We can only look and wonder.
81Describing a similar episode, I will bring this chapter to an end – how somebody put a question and how Baba explained to him.
82Once, when Baba was sitting on his seat in the Masjid, a devotee who was sitting in front of him heard a lizard chirrup.
83The falling down of a lizard and its utterances! Do they portend anything? He casually asked Baba a question, out of curiosity.
84“Baba, why is this lizard on the wall behind chirruping? What is the meaning? Is it a bad omen?”
85Baba replied to him: “The lizard is joyous in anticipation of her sister’s arrival from Aurangabad to meet her”.
86At the outset, the lizard is an insignificant creature. How could she have a father, mother, sister or brother? What does any relationship mean to it?
87Therefore, Baba merely said something jocularly in reply, he believed; and therefore, sat quietly for a while.
88In the meantime, a gentleman arrived from Aurangabad on horseback to take Baba’s darshan. At that time, Baba was having his bath.
89He had to go further but his horse would not move without his fodder. Therefore, he set out for the bazar to purchase some green grams.
90The man who had raised the query about the lizard was watching with interest this newly arrived traveller, who emptied the feeding bag which he was carrying under his arm and dusted it.
91As soon as the bag was hit on the ground, one lizard came out of it, and hastily ran, with fright, while everyone was watching.
92Baba said then to the person who had asked the question: “Now, keep an eye on her. This is the sister of that lizard. Look at the marvellous behaviour”.
93She started moving immediately in the direction of that noise of the chirruping of her sister, swaying joyously.
94The meeting of the two sisters after a long time took place. They kissed and hugged each other closely. Their affection was exhibited in an incomparable way.
95They went around each other; they turned round and round happily; went straight, horizontally, diagonally and danced about freely.
96Where is the city of Aurangabad? And where is Shirdi? What explanation is there about all this? And how did the horseman arrive there suddenly with the lizard?
97The lizard, undoubtedly, from Aurangabad had in some way crept into the horse’s feeding bag. But how did her arrival coincide with the question and answer session?
98Why should the lizard chirrup? What inspired the question? Why should the explanation be given? Why should it be immediately proved?
99Such was the unique coincidence. Love of humour is universal. Saints deliberately create incidences to increase the welfare of the devotees.
100Let us reflect – if this intellectually curious person was not present there or no one had asked the question, how would have Sai’s greatness been revealed and who would have understood the significance?
101Many times, many people have heard lizards chirruping, but does anyone ask the meaning of their chirruping or about their language?
102In short, these are the dramas in the world. The reins are not perceivable and are beyond understanding. If anyone can understand, all are amazed.
103On the contrary, where a lizard is heard chirruping, it is supposed to be ominous. If the word “Krishna, Krishna” is uttered, the bad effect is warded off. So people say.
104Whatever the significance of this sound, it does not matter. To make a devotee believe firmly in him, Baba employed this supreme means.
105Whoever reads this chapter with respect, or recites it a fixed number of times regularly, will find his difficulties warded off by Gururaya. Bear it well in your mind.
106Whoever puts his head truly at his feet with single minded devotion, he is the only saviour, the protector for him, the only one who gives assurance, the doer, the warder of all difficulties.
107Do not have doubts about this. Sainath is really so. I am telling you the essence of my experience for the sake of the good of the devotees.
108“I am omnipresent. There is nothing else besides Me in this world. I exist not only in this world but in all the three[9]”.
109Wherever there is such unparalleled belief, there is no scope for fear. When the being realises that the Pure Consciousness fills all, that person is devoid of ego and pride.
110Hemadpant surrenders to Sai. He does not wish to leave his feet, even for a moment because they lead him across the ocean of mundane existence. Listen to the sweet narration.
111In the next chapter there is a beautiful incident, which Sai, the Great Master creates, about how the knowledge of Brahman is asked by people, in a trice.
112A certain greedy person asks about the knowledge of Brahman; and Maharaj will, as it were, take it out of his pocket and present it to him.
113When the listeners hear that story, they will come to know Baba’s powers. Unless desires are completely given up, it is impossible to attain Brahman, without any doubt.
114No one stops to consider the worthiness of the aspirant. Maharaj will explain who can achieve it and how.
115I am his most humble servant. I beg of you and expect from you to listen with enthusiasm to the exuberance of my love for Sai.
116It will give you pleasure, and enlighten you. Therefore, listeners pay attention and you will understand the greatness of saints.