Parable of gold told by

Aum Sadguru Sainathaya Namaha

Yesterday a post was written about Sai Baba and gold. Actually it has little bit of history of my experiences in it. Most of the writers time is devoted to the divine love of Sai Baba. Service to His picture and reading the sacred text Sai Sat Charitra which also emits so much love and grace of Baba.

Writers business is to love Baba and put attention on His divine love and grace, rest about the writer is Sai Baba's business :).

"Casting the burden on me, he who truely becomes one with me, of him i become controller regulating bodily functions."
Shree Sai SatCharitra Chapter 28

Also in one of the books by Vinny Chitluri, Ambrosia in Shirdi part one there is similar assurance given by Sai Baba to Kaka Saheb Dixit. Baba said in Marathi,

" काका तुजा कलजी कसली? मारा साड़ी कलजी आहे!" " Kaka tuja kalji kasli? Maara saari kalji aahe!" (Kaka, why should you have anxiety? All your anxieties are mine.)

(Getting off track to the theme of post for a while )All four books written by Viinnyji are great books. Sai Baba devotees must read these books. So much hard work has been put by this lady with the divine love of Sai Baba, to give us much details about Baba and Shirdi plus Many quotes of Sai as said by Him in Marathi Language (I read and reread them, though i don't much understand the language and feel happy, picturing how Baba might have said it. Those books give me a feeling of being in Shirdi when Sai was in body and doing all wonderful leelas (divine play).

(Back to little history of earlier post) Well that was forgotten for a couple of days. Something made me think about business of Fast food, which i used to do. Although it originated to help a friend out it was taking turn in a different way. I was told of a place which could be available on rent for the fast food business and in the conversation twice it slept through my mouth that it was place of gold (business wise). Next day i was meditating in front of Sai Baba picture, eyes closed, letting the divine love of Baba work on whole of the body mind and heart. For about an hour i got frequent visions. I would have vision of Shirdi and a message would come to mind. This is place of Gold.Next the place of business would be seen with a heap of garbage. Next Sai Baba's Samadhi would come in vision and the message would come to mind this is gold, overflowing with gold.And again the place about the business with a heap of garbage. Needless to say the conversation or thought about the business vanished after the meditation.

Since i feel the presence of Sai Baba Divine love or the gold so much, i always ask this question to myself when any other drive we human feels try to take over. What is better this or the divine love that fills the whole system (body, mind, heart and more). The answer is always the later one and i love to sit and meditate. There are few cloth articles i have received from Shirdi and divine energy is felt from it, they have become constant companions. So much so they are around my body even when i sleep and while the sleep comes the awareness is on the energy felt through it. It's like hugging Baba while going to sleep.

Now the little parable that Sai Baba told to a devotee named Laxman Pradhan as a message to be given to Madhavnath Maharaj.

"I've got sacks of gold on a donkeys back. Theives have stolen them on the way. A hole in the ear has to be pierced only by the goldsmith. It is very difficult to pull on, in this naughty world. Tell this much to my brother Madhavnaath."

Sai Baba seemed to give the message in the sybolic language as most often done by Him. The gold is again the divine love and knowledge, on a donkeys back ment those who does not realize the value of gold and are quite unaware of the wealth. Even though gold is kept on donkeys back it still would go on bearing the weight out of usual habbit.

Thieves, all many worldly desires and anxieties born out it are the thieves that take away that gold.

Goldsmith - Certain works have to be done only by those who are capable of doing it. Only a Sadguru is capable of showering the divine love and grace and even Sadguru finds it difficult to do their jobs in this naughty world as there are many lucrative looking thieves preventing the love and grace of Guru.

The gold or wealth in spiritual terms

Shirdi Sai Baba once said, 'The walls of Dwarkamai are made of gold'.

In Shri Sai SatCharitra chapter 34 Sai Baba says

'What my master gives me is real 'giving'

'My Master says , "Take , O take this away!" Everyone says, "Give, give only to me!" (material things). But no one heeds my words. No one listens to me attentively.

"His treasury is overflowing, but no one cares to bring the carts. Nobody will dig, when asked to do so. Nobody bothers to do so. No one bothers to make effort."

" I say, 'Dig the wealth and carry it away by the cart loads."

Sai Baba by gold and treasure was indicating to the spiritual wealth, the divine love, the divine care that is present and overflowing, waiting for the ones to fill them up with the same.

But sadly, most who go there have different things on their minds. The minds are too occupied with the material gold as it feels that the material gold will bring an end to most of their problems. It forgets that in divine love, is the assurance of much more than the gold could ever give. Everything is taken care of when the mind is set totally on divine the divine takes care of whatever is needed.

Ah, but most of us lack that faith. Most of us think that let the gold come first, let other things that i desire come first.It uses a trick, God is always there, God is in out hearts, so let's worry about everything else other than God or divine love.

Real gold is the divine love and our mind and heart should be yearning for it. It is very easy to say God is in our heart and worry about other things, a little bit difficult to yearn for His divine love and divine love alone.

Further in the Sai Satcharitra chapter Sai Baba also says

"I to go somewhere sometimes, I just go and sit down at the same place. But mind is caught in the bewilderment of Maya and suffers a deep plunge. This Maya is very difficult to overcome and reduce me to piteous condition. Day and night, I keep thinking of my own people."

"As you sow, so you reap. He who will bear in minds the words I have uttered, will enjoy priceless happiness."

Aum Shri SaiNathaya Namaha.

related posts Sai Baba appeared in devotees dream and scolded him regarding the gold.
* fulfillment of desires or ending of desires

The Vanity - The story of Haji Siddik Falke

Shree Sadguru Sainath Maharaj,


We human live in vanity. There is vanity lurking in different form. This vanity is an apparent block for spiritual progress of one's being.

Vanity in non spiritual subjects is often seen and discussed about, however vanity for a spiritual seeker, or a religious mind, or a devotee has to be given up for healthy spiritual growth.

Sadguru Sai Baba often discouraged vanity, for those who left the vanity were lucky enough to get His divine love and help. Those who did not, were left with their vanity with them, with Baba's grace patiently waiting and erasing the same.

This reminds of a statement of Sai Baba. He once said in symbolic statement, as He most often did, that people come to the one who gives water in abundant, but most of them come with the pots upside down and leave without the water.

The water being the divine love and grace. Mouth down of the pots being the vanity absence of humbleness.

One classic example of this is of Haji Siddik Falke. Haji Siddik Falke had done the pilgrimage of Mecca. The spiritual dream of every Muslim. Haji Siddik had interest in spirituality, but had this vanity of being a Haji (one who has done the pilgrimage of Holy Mecca).

He had a deep desire of being close to Sai Baba and be in His divine grace and love. He visited Shirdi but was not allowed to climb the stairs of holy Dwarkamai. Although there was vanity he had one great quality that Sai Baba always asks from His devotees सबुरी- Saburi patience along with श्रद्धा-Faith. Sai's denial did not deter his Faith and he had perseverance. He lived in Northward facing Chavadi and waited for 9 long months. Those nine months for a lover of divine must have been really long as time is relative. When one is away from something one loves, it is really long. For nine long months he would try different ways to enter the Masjid (Mosque) but Baba would not even give a glance on him.

He tried to get the entrance in Baba's Durbar through Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande), as Shama was one devotee who's requests were seldom neglected by Sai Baba. For reasons known only to Sai Baba, Shama shared a rarest and close relationship with Him. Those who wanted to have a quiet undisturbed conversation with Sai, would always take Shama with them initially. He would then introduce the topics in soft devotional tone to Baba, as to who had come, the topic that would be liked to discussed. Sai Samarth would be then induced in the loving divine conversation that pleased the heart, mind and soul of the visitors. Aum Sai Ram.

Accordingly on suitable moment Shama entered the Masjid and brought about the topic rather slowly and cautiously, 'Baba, that old man is so sad, so distressed! Oh why don't you oblige him?

'That Haji has been to Mecca-Medina and now has come to Shirdi for your darshan. How can you not feel compasion for him? Oh, please allow him to come to the mosque!

'Countless people come, take darshan in the mosque, returning instantaneously. Why then is he singled out and waste away on languor?

Do be kind and compassionate to him, at last, and let him come to the mosque. Then he will be able to say to You what he wishes and go away immediately.'

Sai Baba responded, "Shama, you are new born infant, as yet.! Unless Allah favours him what can I do?

"Can anyone step up to this mosque without being Allahmiya's debtor? Inscrutable are the ways of this Fakir here. Over Him, I have no control.

"All the same go and ask him clearly if he is willing to carefully walk up the the narrow path which, goes straight, beyond the well Baravi."

(This again might be the symbolic language that the perfect Sufi Master, the gracious Sai Baba used. The path of spirituality is narrow. Mind should not be allowed to dwell on other subjects, if it has to get soaked in divine spiritual love)

Haji's reply was appropriate , 'However difficult it may be (he indicated that he was aware that spiritual path is difficult), I shall carefully tread the path.

Then he asks for the most important and essential for the spiritual progress. He continued, 'But give me personal audience, O Sai: let me sit at your feet.'

Listening to the answer He sent Shama with another query, "Ask him further, 'Will you give me 40 thousand Rupees in 4 installments?'"

Again Baba obviously was not asking for money in currency. He was asking if Haji was ready to do whatever He asked for to progress on spiritual path. Forty thousand Rupees was a huge amount in those days and indicated that much would be required, in installments. This also reminds of Sai 's indicating words to another seeker of truth or divinity. Sai Baba while eating Bhakhar (Indian bread) said that One cannot eat whole bhakhar one at a time, it has to be eaten morsel after morsel. This was the response from Baba as the question had arosed in the devotee's mind of when he will achieve the ultimate goal of merging in the divine.

Haji said to Madhavrao who conveyed this message, 'Oh, Will I not give forty Lakhs (4,00,000) when asked? What then of thousands!"

Haji indicated that he was ready to pay any amount of dedication.

On hearing this from Shama, Sai Baba sent a further query, "We intend to kill a goat in the Majid today. Ask him which part of the meat does he wants."

"Does he want the meat covered bones, or is his heart set on having sex organs? Go ask the old fellow what it is that he definitely wants."

This query indicated, what worldly pleasure he was looking for or his heart was set on.

Madhavrao again conveyed the message to Haji.

Haji replied categorically, ' I want none of it.'

'If He wishes to give me something, then i have only one wish -- that even I get a morsel from that earthen vessel of food, I shall be blessed.'

Haji indicated that all he wanted was the divine and gracious presence of Sai Baba fills him up.

Madhavrao duly conveyed this message to the Sadguru Sri Sai Baba. As He heard this, he flew into rage. He himself picked up the earthen vessel of food and the pitchers of water and flung them out of the door ( Inscrutable are the ways of this Fakir here.).

Catching His kafni with both His hands, He lifted it up in front of Haji and said,

"Who do you think you are that you boast vainly in my presence? You are flaunting the wisdom of your old age! Is this how you read your Quran -- that a pilgrimage of to Mecca has made you so proud and haughty? But do you know me yet!"

Sai Baba seemed to work against the vanity of scholarship, and the pride of the pilgrimage to Mecca.

He reviled him thus, hurled at him unutterable abuses! The old Haji was absolutely stunned!  Baba then went back.

As Sai Baba entered the courtyard of Masjid, He bought entire baskets of mangoes from farm-women selling mangoes, and sent them all to the Haji. At once He turned back and went to Haji, took his hand and taking out coins from His pocket counted them one by one on the palm of Haji until it was 55.

The divine relation between the guru and shishya (the master and the disciple) started thereafter. Haji mind was absorbed in divine love and experienced pure joy.

Later Haji left Shirdi only to return back. The affection and attachment towards Sai Baba, the divine, that frees one from every other attachments grew stronger.

Whisper and feel, Shri Sadguru SaiNath Maharaj Ki Jai as Sai is so close to our heart, we need not shout as if He is far way.

Shirdi Sai Baba a parable

There is an very interesting and instructive incident which happened in Shirdi, as all the incidents related to Sai Baba could also be called a parable. In 1912 Dada Kelkar visited Shirdi and stayed in Sathe Wada. Sathe Wada was built by Mr. Sathe and Dada Kelkar was his brother in law, so he made it is home and remained in Shirdi for along time.

Sathe Wada was built adjacent to the holy neem tree, the Gurustan and was used by the visitors of Shirdi as Dharmashala. Once an old lady from Dahanu visited Shirdi for Sai Baba's darshan and she took the lodging in Sathe Wada.

Dadasaheb Kelkar was a Brahmin and followed strict religious rules. He would not eat onions and garlic as they suppose to aggravate tamasic energy in individuals. Tamasic energy is the negative energy which is responsible for negative feelings like anger, mental and emotional down . Sai Baba had a special love for onions and onions were a regular part of his meals.

The old lady had spent her whole life in village and had some rustic habits. For the evening meal, after the dawn she bought some onions from nearby shop and started peeling and cutting them outside the Sathe's Wada. Dada Kelkar on seeing this started shouting in anger at the old lady about the act what he thought was irreligious. The old lady emotionally hurt by this and startled in a unknown village far from her home, went inside her room with a gloomy heart. There was no other way for her to sit alone and cry.

Dada Kelkar's grand daughter used to live with him. Suddenly she had a pain in her eyes. They tried different remedies for the same and none worked. In the evening Sai Baba's darbar took place in Dwarkamai. The old lady also came to the Darbar with a heavy heart still wounded by the harsh words of Kelkar. Dada Kelkar too came to the Darbar and told about her grand daughter's painful eyes.

Sai Baba said, "If you foment the eyes with warm onions, the agony of eyes will end." Pointing to the old lady Sai Baba added, " That old mother is sitting there, she resides in the room next to yours. She has some onions, take a onion from those, and foment the eyes after warming it, relief will be felt."

The old lady still in the agony created by Dada Kelkar first refused to give the onion to him, but how could she deny the words of Saibaba? She agreed to give the onion to Dada Kelkar so that the paining eyes get the relief.