Baba’s sayings about Road to Heaven
Para Number in the Book & Path that leads to heaven
- SAMSARA: N G Chandorkar bowed to Sai and said- “Enough of this Samsara for me. As the Sastras describe it, samsara is really nissara i.e., worthless. Break its fetters off from me, Baba. What first seems to be joy here is seen to be sorrow at the end. Fate leads us a nice dance here and there. I cannot discover even a bit of happiness in this Samsara. I am quite disgusted, I do not wish to touch it, Baba, any further.”
Baba- “What crazy and delusive talk is yours! There is some truth in it – mixed up with error. As long as the body remains, samsara remains. None escapes it. How can you? Even I am caught up in it.
Samsara is various sorts. It is like the surface of the body. Kama (desire) Krodha (anger) etc., and any mixture of these is samsara. All mental and bodily processes are samsara. The contact of any two things is samsara. By going away to a forest you cannot escape samsara. Your present condition, has been brought about by yourself. What is the use of irritation at it? This Deha Prarabdha is result of the karma done by you in former births. This body was, therefore, born. The jiva takes birth in body to work out former Karma. Without suffering the results of Prarabdha Karma, you cannot get rid of it.
All persons, all creatures differ in form etc., Why? Because of previous karma of each. Difference between species, like difference between individuals is due to the same cause. see the difference between the rich man’s dog lolling on sofa and the poor man’s running about in search of crumbs. That is due to Deha Prarabdha.
- TRUE HAPPINESS: Question by N G Chandorkar: “Joys and sorrows of samsara disturb one so much. Should we not renounce samsara therefore?”
Answer by Baba- “Joy and sorrow are mere delusion. Mere appearance of worldly joy is not true happiness. The worldly man is forcibly drawn to it, as he believes it to be true happiness. According to the Prarabdha of each, one gets delicacies (Panchamrita), one, stale crumbs, and one, mere bran-gruel. the latter fancy themselves unhappy at that, and the former fancies he lacks nothing.
But the result of eating any of these is merely the satisfaction of hunger. some cover themselves with laced shawls, others with barks. Both serve only one purpose, covering the body. This joy and this sorrow is due to opinion, which is mere illusion and is ruinous. Whenever any idea of joy or sorrow arises in your mind, resist it. Do not give room to it. It is pure delusion.
The ‘Shadripus’ i.e., Lust, Anger, Covetousness, Delusion, Pride and Jealousy) are all delusive. they make the unreal appear as real. if a rich man wears a gold ornament, the poor man gets jealous, and thinks he must have one. This is Lobha.
All are like this. so one must conquer the six enemies. if they are conquered, waves of passion will not arise. Else they will enslave you. If they are subordinated and reason made the commandant, then the delusive pressures and pains will no longer hold sway over you.”
115. Mukti (Release) is true joy or happiness. Coursing through births and deaths is unhappiness. All the joys and sorrows of samsara are unreal.
116. I will tell you how to conduct yourself in samsara. The wise should be cheerful and contented with their lot in life, as it is the result of Deha Prarabdha. Do not kick against the pricks.
If wealthy, be humble. Plants bend, when they have fruits. But humility is not towards all. Severity is needed in dealing with the wicked. But towards saints, be humble. Respect them.
Spend money in Dana (charity) and Dharma (piety) – but be not extravagant. The world perishes no doubt. But not obsessed by the importance of wealth. Do not be entangled in it, ot be misery. Be liberal and munificent – but not lavish or extravagant.
Get on cheerfully with your worldly round of activities but do not forget God. Remember God. “This samsara is not mine but God’s”. Think thus all the time you are awake. Have consideration for the poor and wretched. Do not persecute and tease them. Inquire always, “Who am I”?
117. Anant Row Patankar- “Baba, I have read a good lot of Sastras, etc., but I have no peace of mind. Prary, grant me your blessing.”
Baba- “Once a merchant came here. In his presence, a quadruped passed its stomata, i.e., nine balls of stool. The merchant anxious to attain his quest spread his cloth beneath its tail, gathered all the nine balls and took them away. He got concentration and peace of mind.
Anant Row, unable to make out this parable, questioned Data Kelkar, “What does Baba mean?”
Data Kelkar- “God’s grace is the quadruped. The nine balls excreted are the nine forms of Bhakti. You are to be in the position of the merchant. If you follow Nava Vidha Bhakti, you will attain peace.”
Again Ananta Row went to Baba.
Baba: Have you gathered the nine balls?
Anant Row. For that I must have your grace.
Baba: God will bless
118. Baba– “Gnana marga is like Ramphal. Bhakti marga is like Seethapal (custard apple), easy to deal with and very sweet. The pulp of the Ramphal is inside and difficult to get at. Rampal should ripen on the tree and be plucked ripe. If it falls down, it is spoiled. So if a Gnani falls, he is ruined, even for a Gnani there is the danger of a fall, e.g., by a little negligence or carelessness.”
"I draw to Me, My man from far off or even across the seven Seas to Shirdi, like a sparrow with a string fastened to its feet"-Shirdi Sai Baba, Indian Spiritual Guru-God 