Shama and money 2

Sai Baba loved Shama (Madhav Rao Deshpande) so much. There was beauty and gladness about Shama, of which he did not had eyes to see. That was perhaps one of the reasons he kept coaxing Sai Baba for trivial matters. It did not matter much to Sai Baba, as his love wanted to give Shama the best, the spiritual treasures. He was assistance master in a junior school of Shirdi, which was adjacent to Dwarkamai.

Simultaneously, he practiced Ayurveda, the Indian ancient medical science of herbs that healed peoples of their physical problems. He did not attend any Ayurveda School for the same, the source of his learning was different books on the subject. He had became quite popular for the same. He always started his treatment after remembering Sai Baba and never failed to mix Udi, the sacred ash, which he use to receive from Sai Baba every time he met Sai Baba. Meeting with Sai Baba was several times a day, Shama use to collect the Udi with great care and respect. He used to put it in a corner of his home, which grew into a big heap, as times passed by.

Last post was about Shama and money, this post continues on the same theme.

Many devotees from far and wide would write letters to Sai Baba. Shama was the one who read the letters aloud to Him and wrote a reply according to Sai Baba’s narration. Well, letters where not the only thing that were sent to Sai Baba through post. Many devotees would send money through post to Saibaba. Shama used to collect this money from the post office and hand it over to Sai Baba.

Once it happened that a devotee had sent two Ruppes via post. Shama collected the money, on his way back somehow his intentions where changed. He did not return the money to Sai, instead he hide it over the door of huge room adjacent to Dwarkamai, where Ratha was accommodated, in a crevice of wall.

One night there was a theft in Shama’s home. He was robbed of Rs. 250/-, quite a significant amount for a man like him in those days. Search was made for the lost money, police were reported, in vain. The thief or the money were not to be discovered.

The depressed and angry Shama went straight to his Deva, and said, “ Deva there was a theft in my house and three hundred and fifty Rupees, were stolen. Do you feel good about it? Poor man like me lost so much money. Are Deva, who can I tell the tale of woe but You?

Sai Baba, who was calmly listening to the woes replied, “ Arre Shamyaa, what is the matter? Because there was a theft, and you lost your money, you came to me with your complaint. But when My two Rupees were stolen, to whom should I complain?”

Shama quick to understand the pointer of Sai Baba replied, “ Arre Deva, so You caused this robbery to happen. You are great, because Your two rupees were stolen You caused two hundred and fifty rupees to be stolen from a poor man like me. What kind of punishment is this? I lost two hundred and fifty rupees, while You lost only two rupees. What kind of justice is this?”

Sai Baba replied, “The value of two hundred and fifty rupees for a poor man like you, has the same value of two rupees for a Fakir like Me.”

The above story confirm one thing “Baba ki leela Baba hi Jane” (Only Sai Baba knows his play).

Read  more -  Stories of Shama – Madhavrao Deshpande



Jai SaiRam !!!