Baba’s sayings about Images, Pauka, Coins, Tomb and Picture,
Para Number in the Book & About Objects that can be worshipped.
(a) Images
- If Gods like Datta are on the way, easily accessible, and if one does not take darshan of them, how can I help him?
“Appa Kulkarni, At Nivas, there is Mohiniraj. That is Allah, who had become saguna. Go and bow to Him first and then go to the D.P. for the case against you”. (Appa did so & was acquitted) (cf 119 & 145.)
- God exercises all power for the benefit of devotees.
- Megha, take this linga for worship.
- Megha, why did you come here for my worship, omitting to worship at one temple (Khandoba’s)? Go and worship at Khandoba’s now; it is open
(b) Paduka
- Nachne, keep this (Paduka) and do puja.
- Atmaram H. Chaubal took silver padukas to Baba. Baba placed his feet on them and returned them saying, “They are nice. Keep them in puja.” Once they were lost and very miraculously restored.
- Baba when allowing Mrs. W. Pradhari to place two silver padukas on his feet and worship them said (in handling them over to her)- “Nana, see, mother has cut off and carried away my feet. (i.e. Baba is in Paduka)”
(c) Coins
- It 1908 Balakrishna Ramachandra Khairikar going into the mosque trod upon a coin, a quarter anna piece, picked it up and gave it to Baba.
- B.R.K.: Baba, this is your coin. Keep it safe.
Baba. (returning it)- “that is all right. Take this coin home. Keep it in your puja along with the images you, worship.”
Khairikar worshipped it for three years and had prosperity. He then lost the coin and also prosperity.
- Baba giving S.B.Dhumal. coin- “Preserve this carefully. Do not part with it to anyone-nor spend it.”
(d) Tomb Worship
- Baba. “Whoever burns incense at this, my Guru’s tomb, under Gode Neem after cleaning it with cow-dung at sunset on Thursdays and Friday’s, will obtain the bliss of God.”
(e) Baba encourages worship of his picture also
165. S.B. Dhumal was taking Baba’s large size framed picture, past the mosque. Baba called out to him.
B.: Bhav, come here. What is this?
S.B.D.: You are here.
Baba.: Give it lo me.
Then Baba took it from SBD., gazed at it on all sides and returned it.
Baba: Keep it.
SBD kept this picture and worshipped it all his life.
(f) Picture Worship
Baba is in the picture that is worshipped
- Bala Bua Sutar, Bhajanakar of Bombay came for the first time to Shirdi in 1917 and bowed to Baba.
Baba, addressing someone: I have known this man since four years.
Bala Bua wondered, as he had never met Baba before; but he recollected that four years previously he had prostrated himself before Baba’s portrait at Bombay, (c.f. Shama seeing Baba’s portrait at Gaya).
Baba Strengthens faith in Gods etc
- Baba: (1) Megha, draw Trisul
- ” worship this linga
- ” worship all the village Gods before you come to worship me.
- “Nachne, go to Deopur, and worship the stones your forefathers worshipped.”
- “Shama, go to Sapta Sringi and present your silver nipples to the Vani Devi.”
- Khusa Bhav, go and see a person with three faces. (i.e. Datta)
- To Rao Bahadur M.W. Pradhan- “You can bring in Ganapati for worship.”
IMAGE WORSHIP
172. Bandra lady came and sat before baba with chronic (7 years) headache.
Baba (touching and gently stroking her head): Your head is aching. Is it not?
BL: It was. Now it has ceased.
(The chronic headache left her at once and for-ever)
Baba: You have been feeding me so well these years.
BL: I am seeing you only now.
Baba: But I have been seeing you ever since your infancy.
BL was greatly puzzled.
Baba: What worship had you in your house?
BL: Ganapathy’s
Baba: In your mother’s house?
BL: Ganapathy. I have given all flowers fruits and eatables to ganapathy.
Baba: “All that has come to me. So since your girlhood I have been seeing you.“
173. BL: “Baba, people say that my Ganapathy is right handed and besides, one hand is broken and so they say it must be thrown away. Is that right?“
Baba: If your child breaks its arm, will you cast it into water? Worship it daily.
174: CONSERVATISM, DO NOT CHANGE IMAGES
Once Kavle Patil with his Mamladdar, B.V. Dev went to Baba and through Shama wanted to know from Baba, whether in a temple newly built by Kavle he should reinstal the old image or bring in a new image from Vani, as directed by his own Guru.
Shama: “Baba. Kavle Patil wants to know what he is to instal in his newly built temple. “
Baba: “Let him place only the ancient stones that his family has been worshipping from old time and no new image.”
Shama: What objection is there to a new image from Vani?
Baba: Act as you please, Shama. Instal it or don’t.
Shama: Please say definetely whether the Vani image can be or should not be installed.
Baba: “If he wants that image, let him break off its arms and legs and then instal and worship it. Do not question me again and again.
I once went with a companion from village to village. He wanted to buy a cow. I said, “Don’t”. But he did buy it and brought it to a village. There an epidemic broke out and many died. “
Shama, later in the day: Baba, what harm will arise if the image is brought?
Baba: Let him worship the old stones and introduce nothing new.
Shama: What is the harm in introducing the new?
Baba: I am speaking with my mouth and not through anything else.
Kavle Patil had no faith in Baba, but great faith in his own guru and so brought the Vani image to the guru’s village. There plague broke out and many died.
The guru (who had already received Rs.300 or Rs.400) moreover sent a message to the Patil that, unless he gave a registered gift of his land to the guru, the latter would curse him to immediate death. The Patil woke up, discovered the unselfishness and wisdom of Baba and wickedness of his own guru and installed only his own hereditary images.
"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 