In our last post we read about strange love which Baba bore for Bade Baba. Now in this post the same stories contiues from Sai Leela Magazine.
Once, Baba was having His meal. An earthern pot contained some buttermilk. Suddenly a dog entered the Masjid and tasted it. Bade Baba who was sitting nearby asked a boy to throw away the buttermilk. Baba enquired what was wrong. After Bade Baba explained, Baba said, “That buttermilk is good. Take it home and make Kadhi (a dish made by chik pea flour, buttermilk and indian spicies) We both will have it.” Bade Baba prepared Kadhi, brought it; but did not touch it. Baba drank it whole-heartedly.
Sant – Sadguru try to eradicate the thoughts of Sankalp – Vikalp from the minds of their devotees. The above incident was Baba’s attempt to stamp out such thoughts from Babe Baba’s mind. The man had spent countless days with and around Baba. In spite of this, did he fail to get the message?
Baba always took with love and affection at least some portion from the Prasad brought by His devotees. He even tasted the non-vegetarian dishes. He did not differentiate between various religions and castes. He also did not believe Sovale-Ovale (achieving purity by not touching others). At the same time, He believed that His devotees must adhere to their respective religions and its dictates. Once, Bade baba brouoght a hindu who had converted himself into a Muslim. Baba slapped that person and asked, “Were you not ashamed to change your father?”
Baba could not agree with certain extreme customs of Islam and refused to follow them. Once, He told His staunch and hard-liner muslim devotees to go outside the border of Shirdi town and then do their Khutba prayer. On the second occasion, He allowed them to do Namaz in the masjid, but did not participate Himself.
Everyday, devotees offered Dakshina totaling to about Rs. 400 to Rs. 500 to Baba. By evening, Baba distributed the amount and His pockets became once again empty. Baba gave a certain sum of money everyday to Dada Kelkar, Bade Baba, Sunderabai, Laxmibai, Tatya Patil, etc. But, the honour of getting maximum amount varying between Rs. 30 to Rs. 55 went to Bade Baba. During the last 9 year (prior to Baba’s leaving His mortal body), Bade Baba and Tatya Patil got more than Rs. 100 everyday.
“What use a Fakir like Bade Baba can make of receiving such large sum of money to everybody” was the question which cropped in the minds of the residents of Shirdi. They, therefore, requested Baba Baba to finance the construction of the main entrance to the village. However, Bade Baba did not agree to the request. Hence, the villagers forbid him from stepping into the village. He, there, went and stayed at Nimgaon. To circumvent the problem, Baba used to meet Bade Baba everyday on the banks of the Nullah and handed over the amount to Bade Baba there. The villagers realized that they had put Baba to a lot of inconvinience and hence, called back Bade Baba to Shirdi.
After the above event, the villagers bowing down went to Bade Baba’s head. He realised that the folks were now coming to him with folded hands and this made Bade Baba more arrogant. Baba always treated Bade Baba with respect.But, Bade Baba started behaving with a sense of superiority and as per his whims and fancies. He even started acting against the wishes of Baba, but Baba who was loving mother of all tolerated all this. I think the strange behaviour of Bade Baba was tolerated by Baba because it was destined for Him and Bade Baba. The reasons are best known to Baba, the ocean of mercy and love.
© Shirdi Sai Baba Life Teachings and Stories
