Baba’s sayings about death and birth
Para Number in the Book ‘BCS”, About death and birth
3I3-A. Prema conferred by Baba: He appeared before Rao saheb Galwankar and said: “What do you want”?
G. Nothing but Prema.
Baba. Yes (and Baba disappeared. But G. has often gushed of Prema, ever since then.)
313-B Imam (i.e., faith) is conferred by Baba.
Rajaballi Mahomed came to Baba.
Baba to R.M.: What do you want.
R.M.:Only Imam, faith.
Baba: Allah accha karega. (God will bless.)
314: Baba: “Why do you grieve: men are born to die. one day each one of us will die.”
Baba to Appa Kulkarni’s wife.-“Death and life are manifestations of God’s activity. you cannot separate the two. God permeates all. However, (in fact) none is born. None die.: See with your inner eve. Then you realise that you are God, and not different from Him. Like worn-out garment, the body is cast away by God. Appa wants to change his dress (kupni) before I do. Let Appa go. Do not stop him. Do not ask for Udhi.
Gain and loss, birth and death, are in the hands of God. But how blindly do these people forget God! Look after life just so long as it lasts. When death arrives, do not be grieved.
The wise ones do not grieve for death; the fools do.
Behold! The five pranas were lent for use till now. Now the lender claims back his won; and they are returned. Air goes back to air, fire to fire. Every one of the five elements thus goes back to its place.
The body (is made up) of earth. See, really they are the same. Therefore its return to the earth is not a thing to bemoan.”
Birth
315. Baba: “Birth also is similar to be dealt with. Do not be jubilating over a birth. This is the process of creation (and goes on from the beginning). Be not moved by it.
The earth bears seeds. Clouds drop their rain on them. The sun sends his rays, and makes them sprout. When these sprout, earth, clouds and Sun keep on their sport and happy course in all directions.
But they neither exult at the growth not deplore the destruction of the sprout. You should be (unaffected) like these. If you are, whence can sorrow come to you? Mukti is this absence of sorrow.
Selfishness of Sorrow
(At the cries of an aged woman crying at the death of her husband who after intense suffering from protracted disease died thinking of Baba).
316. Baba: “Listen to the cries of that woman! “What will become of me? Who will give me cloth or food?” she says. She wholly forgets the miseries and happiness of her husband!”
Death of a son, daughter etc. W.G. Pradhan
317. Baba: Why does the fool go on lamenting for the loss of a son? It is merely going to the earth. The body must go to the earth. Why go on lamenting for that? Scatter your fruits-Rarnphal-far and wide.
-To a Magistrate. Sai Baba to N.G. Chandorkar(who had lost a grandchild)
318. Baba:(to Bayyaji Patil): “Why should you be sorry? (for the death of your father). In five months, he will come back, [In five months, a son was born to Bayyaji]
Jnani’s passing away
319. Baba- ” They do not talk of saints as dying. They take samadhi”. (cf Kabir. )
320. Baba’s warning to G P Bendre who was to lose his eldest son suddenly in four days.
Baba: Go and ask Buty for Rs. 10 Dakshina.
Bendre goes to Buty and sees that Buty is calmly proceeding to bury his clerk just dead.
Baba to G P Bendre: “A very grievous thing has happened. Be not afraid. be courageous. Do not throw up your limbs.”
(Thus prepared, Bendre did not feel the shock so much at the loss of his son two days later).
When death is an advantage. Baba does not avert it.(Cobra bitten boy)
(Sometime after Baba revived a kid that seemed to fall down dead in midday heat, a woman came and cried for Udhi to save her son who was bitten by a cobra. That was not given; and the bay died. She came again and cried)
321 H S Dixit: “Baba, the woman’s cries are heart rending . For my sake, revive her dead son.”
Baba: Bhav, do not get entangled in this. Bhav, what has happened is for good. He has entered into a new body. In that body, he will do specially good work which can not be accomplished in this body, which is seen here. If I draw him back into this body, then the new body he has taken will die and this this body will live. I will do this for your sake. but have you considered the consequences? Have you any idea of the responsibility and are you prepared to take it up?
H.S. Dixit desisted from pressing his requests.
The girl with slit lips
322. In 1913, S B Mohile took his daughter to baba for curing her split lip, which doctors could not cure.
Baba: I know what for you are come. I can cure her; but it will be of no use. The girl is of divine sort (Daivi) and consequently her span of life will be very short. Next Magha Shudda Chathurthi, i.e., March 1914, she will expire. If on that day you are not at home and go away to your office, you will not be able to see her (alive on your return).
The girl died on that very date when the father was in his office.
Appa Kulkarni
323. Baba: (Appa Kulkarni): “Pucca (bilander) thieves have come to the village. You are the first object of their attack. Their aim is to get at the principal things. Taking these, they run away.”
This referred to the Cholera epidemic which was to come upon the village and in which appa was the first victim. Appa, however, mistook it as referring to the public funds he kept in the chavadi and he placed a special guard over it. Appa was attacked by cholera; and he succumbed.
323-A; Appa Kulkarni’s wife (crying) Baba, save my husband.
Baba: Mother, Let Appa go. Do not stop him. He is removing his kupni before I take off mine. It is better for him that he goes.
Trying to prevent Death-Ineffectual attempt
324. When the Nigoj patil’s wife was seriously ill of plague, that night Baba was at the Chavadi with Mahalsapathi (Bhagat).
Baba: Bhagat, do not sleep to-night. Stand and keep watching. I have to remember God today. Because the rude Rohilla (death or plague) wants to kill that woman, so I am praying to Allah.
Mahalsapathy kept watch to prevent any disturbance of or interruption to baba’s prayers; but in the course of the night, the Nivas mamlatdar came with his peons who made a hubbub and shouted that mamlatdar wanted darshan. Their take with Mahalsapathi and mamlatdar’s taking Udhi disturbed Baba, who got angry and threw away mamladtar’s cloth.
Baba: (After much abuse): You Bhagat! Are you a father of a family? you do not note what is going on in the village, Nigoj (i.e, the plague attack on the Patil’s wife). In such circumstances why did you admit people? Be it so. What has happened is good.
That night the Patil’s wife died.
Consolation
325. Baba to Damodar B.Rampoorkar (who had lost two children and had a son ailing at the time)- “Why are you fearing? Those who are gone, are gone. Be contented with those who survive. Fear not. Am I not near you? what then?
326. Baba to H.S. Dixit (just after his daughter died): “Read this Adhyatma Ramayana where Rama condoles Mandodari.”
BABA AVERTS DEATH
327. In May, June 1917, a Mumbai lady and her younger son sat before Baba at noon Arati.
Baba: Your must come here exactly at 2 p.m.
Boy: Yes.
Accordingly the boy was there at 2 p.m. at the Dwarakamayee.
Baba: “Boy, come here. Sit at my feet on this mat. Be massaging my feet and do not let go my feet till I tell you.”
Accordingly the boy went on massaging. At 3 p.m. a terrible female figure with wild dishevelled hair, begrimed face and head and a protruding long tongue shot out and moving like a dog’s jumped over the compound wall and coming near the boy, said:
“I want this person”.
Baba: I will not give him.
She: This exactly is the person I want.
(She then approached the boy and pulled him. Baba got up enraged and holding the boy with one hand, kicked her on the breast. She roared and ran away)
Baba: Boy, are you not attending? Do you know the woman that came; Hallo! that woman wanting you to be given up. But how can I give? I refused.
Boy: When this was going on, I sat benumbed like a picture. I saw everything, but my body was inert or stonelike.
(Baba declared that the female form was the goddess cholera. And the very next morning, Baba permitted the boy and his mother to go back to Mumbai. Cholera then began to rage at Shirdi)
BABA’S PASSING AWAY
Baba’s first attempt to leave the world (1886)
328. In 1886 Baba said to Mahalsapathy: “I am going to Allah. Take care of this body for three days. If I return, I will look after it myself thereafter. If I do not, inter this body thereafter in that open land (pointing to an open land) and place two standards there to mark the place, where my body is placed.
Then Baba’s breathing, pulse, circulation, all stopped and the body became a corpse. The village officers and police held an inquest and ordered Mahalsapathy to bury the body; but he prevented it, thus averting catastrophe which befell Sankaracharya’s body – a catastrophe that was in Sankaracharya’s case remedied by a Goddess.
On the third day consciousness returned to Baba. Breathing began and the abdomen was seen moving. then Baba’s opened and his life was restored.
II. In 1916
329. In 1916 Vijayadasami Day (October) Baba was in a rage. He tored off all his clothes and threw them into the fire (Djuni) before him and stood there stark naked. Baba with red eyes shouted: “Fellows, decide for yourselves now If I am Moslem or Hindu.”
After two hours of this rage, Bagoji Scindhe, his leper companion tied a langoti to him and said: “Why all this? To day is the festival of Simolanagan”. Baba striking the ground with his baton: “This is my Simolangan (my going beyond the boundary of life.)”
People could not understand his meaning then, but it was on the Vijayadasami day of 1918 that Baba crossed the boundary of life.
In 1916 before vijayadasami, Baba had been seriously unwell and the rumour got abroad that he was about to die. And the devotees conducted a sapta at Shirdi with mass feeding for the recovery of his health.
Thereafter he recovered; but when Nana Saheb Nimonkar came there, on his way to Poona
Baba: Nana, you stay here, bury me and then go.
Baba would not allow Nana either to go back to Nimon or proceed on to Poona.
Shama intervened on behalf of Nimonkar and asked Baba for leave for his going away.
Baba: “Shama, do you want to kill my people. Is Kaka (Nana Nimaonkar) eating your father’s property?”
Shama: But his daughter-in-law is pregnant and requires help.
Baba: (Addressing Nimonkar): Hallo Kaka, why are you anxious? God will help. Bury me and then go.
His daughter-in-law had no help. Suddenly at 10 p.m. one night, she felt that pains were coming and was at once taken in a tonga to the Poona Municipal Maternity hospital and left on a bed. The nurse went away to some other room at 11 p.m. and in the nurse’s absence, she was delivered of a male child without any help.
Baba said to Nana Nimonkar at that time at Shirdi: “There was a woman. She was taken to a place. There she was delivered safe of a male child.”
III. In 1918
330. Baba had told Uddhavesa Bua some months back no to be “paying fortnightly visits” and made him final farewell. In Dasara time, Baba was unwell, for a number of days, as also Tatya Patil.
In the earlier part he went and begged food in the accustomed places supporting his body on some others. During the last two or three days, he was not able to go out.
On the 15 October 1918, i.e., Dasara day, after Arati was over:
Baba: “You Kaka (H S Dixit), Buty, etc., go for your meal.”
And then they left. After they left, Baba sat upon his bed, reclined on Bayyaji’s lap and said, “I am going. Carry me to the Wada. All the Brahmins will be living near me.” and then breathed his last. Nana Nimonkar poured water into his mouth; but the water came out. It was about 3 p.m. The day was no doubt Vijaya Dasami, but Ekadasi had begun at that time.
In anticipation of his passing away, he gave gifts (dana) in the morning of that dasami. He sat up and paid from his pocket first Rs.5/- and then Rs. 4/- to Lakshmi Bai Scindhe, who was daily preparing and giving him food and daily receiving Rs. 4/- from him.
A few days before Baba passed away, he sent Rs. 200 for feeding fakirs and the chanting of prayers with drum beating, at a holy place. He sent word to another Moslem saint in these terms, “The light of Allah lit, he is taking away.” That saint received the intimation with tears.
Rama Viyaya had been read during the 14 days of Baba’s illness, i.e., on the 9th, 10th, 11th day of Dasara within Baba’s hearing, as he had said that “Mrityunjaya would be pleased thereby.”
On the night of Dasara, Baba appeared in the dream of Lakshman mama and said, “Get up quick and do my Kakada Arati. Jog thinks that I am dead and he will not come.”
And Lakshman did the morning Arati in spite of the protest of the Maulvis. Jog resumed the noon arati on the 16th October 1918.
330.A Baba’s reference to the approach of his Mahasamadhi. Baba to Chotakhan: “Put this garland on the fakir Banne Mea and tell him “Allah is taking away the lamp he placed here.” That was mentioned to the Moulana shortly before 15-10-1918. That fakir then shed tears.
IV. Baba’s Samadhi and Temple
331. One night both Shama and Bapu Saheb Buty dreamt that Baba wanted the latter to build a wada and a temple. H.S.D. went to Baba to verify this with Shama.
Sharma : Deva what mysterious wonders you are working?
Baba, (shutting his ears): I am in my own place and say nothing to anyone.
Then Baba was asked for permission to build and he gave it. Later Buty wanted to install Murlidhar’s image in the central hall without having a special garba-griha. Baba’s consent was asked. Baba- “After the temple is built, we will reside there.”
When Baba was unwell and fast approaching his end, he said to Bayyaji and others. “I am going. Place me in the (Buty) Wada. Brahmins will reside near me”.
Buty did not wish to reside there or introduce Murlidhar after Baba passed away and he agreed to Baba’s remains being placed in the Wada. Then Hindus and Moslems had a hot contest as to where Baba’s mortal remains should be interred and the local Mamlatdar ordered a plebiscite to be taken through mahajars. The Hindus, by a large majority voted that Baba’s remains should be placed in Buty wada and that was done. Baba’s samadhi is now there.
SADGATI /Moksha [Salvation / Liberation]
1. A BLIND MAN
332. A blind man went to Baba for restoration of sight. Baba did not give him any encouragement and so he went out of the Mosque.
He was then admonished, that restoration of physical sight to a man in his position, with only a short of life before him perhaps, is undesirable, as restored sight may merely develop desires and that his appeal to Sri Sai Baba should be for the grant of spiritual vision.
The man returned and said, “I do not want my physical sight. Please take me under your protection and give me the inner vision.”
Baba: Stay on.
The man stayed for a month, improved spiritually and died.
Baba: This man is not dead. It is only his wife, (ignorance) that is dead. He has attained Sadgati.
(2) L K NOOLKAR
333. Lakshman K. Noolkar, who was sub-judge at Pandharpur in 1909, while N G Chandorkar was Deputy Collector there, was being induced to go to Shirdi by the latter.
LKN: “I cannot go until I get a Brahmin cook, and good Nagpur oranges for presentation. I can find neither of these.”
NGC: Baba’s grace will provide.
That night a Brahmin cook came to NGC and wanted service and was referred to Noolkar who engaged him. In the morning Noolkar found a parcel of excellent Nagpur oranges and no trace could be found as to who the sender was. Any how, Noolkar, convinced of Baba’s miraculous powers of providing the needful, started with NGC, and went to Baba.
Baba: Nana, who is this notorious crazy person, whom you have brought with you?
Next day when Noolkar visited Masjid. Baba was in a furious mood and seizing his head, knocked it against pillar saying, “Your existence or truth will be lost or your unreality will be lost”.
Noolkar was much afraid; but NGC, gave an optimistic interpretation of these occurrences.
That night Noolkar suddenly got up and asked Nana for betel, which Noolkar was not ordinarily using. Just at that time, Baba was at Mosque far away.
Baba to someone present: “Take these four bidas i.e., rolled up betel, and go and give them to an old man, at Chandorkar’s who needs the betel.”
The sudden appearance of that man and the delivery of the bidas convinced Noolkar that Baba was his Antarsakshi and thenceforward Noolkar’s faith was greatly strengthened and he stayed on at Shirdi. Noolkar’s death suddenly came on rapidly, sacred literature was read within his hearing, as he approached the end. Baba’s Pada Theertham also was brought and given to him and died with his attention centered on Baba.
Baba referring to Noolkar’s death: “Tatya, (Noolkar) has gone in advance (of us). He stayed here as I directed. His life’s goal has been reached. He will be born no more.”
(3) VIJAYANANDASWAMI
334. Sri Vijayananda Swami, a Madrasi, started from Madras on pilgrimage to Manasarovar. He visited Baba at Shirdi en route. Here one Somadevaji, a swami of Haridwar frightened the Madrasi and made him waver about his trip by describing the difficulties of the pilarimage. Then when Vijayananda went to Baba, Baba cried out, “Turn this useless Sanyasi out”.
The man left the Masjid; but watched Sai Baba from the mandap and was very well impressed with Sai Baba. He was then graciously received by Baba.
Then a letter came to him from Madras that his mother was very ill and so asked Baba for permission. But Sai saw the future better than the Madrasi and said: “If you are so fond of your mother, why did you assume the garb of sanyasi? The ochre colour and ‘Mamata’ i.e., attachment cannot go together. Go and sit at your quarters. wait for a few days courageously. We shall see then about the future. In your wada (i.e., building) there are many thieves. Bolt your doors and be on your guard. they will carry away everything. Wealth, kith and kin etc., are all transient – attended with fear.
Utter renunciation alone leads to bliss. Begin “Sapthaha” of Bhagavata from tomorrow. Do three of these “Sapthaha” – devoting body, speech and mind to it; meditate on it, That will quench all vasanas; all-illusion will end”. Vijayanandaswami started his Bhagavata Parayana Sapthaha from the next day, right seriously. after two Sapthahas, i.e., 14 days, he was too much exhausted and weak and so spent 2 days at his quarters. the third day he breathed his last on Bade Baba’s lap.
In the above incident, Baba’s each word is impregnated with universal spiritual advice to all humanity.
“Turn this useless Sanyasi out” – For those who have family responsibility and dependent to take care of, sanyasm is unacceptable and unwarranted.
This is how Sai Baba ensured his Sadgati, foreseeing his end.
(4) Mrs. S.B. Dhumal
335. Baba to S.B. Dhumal: “the next masik you perform for your wife, perform at shirdi and I will give her sadgaft (And the masik was performed.)”
(5) Mrs. Upasani Maharaj
336. When Upasani Maharaj’s wife died about the end of January 1912, Upasani M came much perturbed to Baba and said “Here is Rs.10/-, please do something to give sadgati to my wife.”
Baba-” Keep the money. She (her spirit) has already come to me. What has to be taken from you has already been taken.”
SADGATI TO ANIMALS: A SHE BAFFALO
337. Baba to Mrs. Jog: “You will get a buffalo coming to you. Give it plenty of pooran poli with plenty of ghee.”
Mrs. Jog: How am I make out that buffalo?
Baba: It will itself come to your door.
Mrs. Jog: So many baffaloes pass by my door.
Baba: When you finish making the required number of pooran polis, that baffalo which comes to your door is the one.
Mrs. Jog: I have two doors. Northern and southern door.
Baba: It will be at the southern door.
Mrs. Jog finished making pooran poli ready painted with ghee at noon that day. Just then a buffalo was at the southern door. Mrs. Jog placed all the pooran polis before it. The animal ate the whole and fell down dead. Mrs. Jog was in terror afraid of being charged in the next world with sin and in the world of being troubled by the owner or by Government. She went to Baba and mentioned the facts and her fear. Baba allayed those fears.
Baba: That she baffallo had exhausted all her vasanas except the desire to eat plenty of pooran polis with ghee and when that desire was satisfied, her vasanas were exhausted and she passed away from the buffalo body. Go home. There is no reason why you should feel worried. You have only released it from this body.
SATGATI TO A CHILD
337A M B Rege’s wife (who was enceinte) and M B Rege visited Baba about 1914. Baba then told them “you have one of my gift with you”.
After the child was born, they took it to Baba. Baba to M B Rege: “Is he mine or yours. “
M B Rege: Yours Baba.
Baba: Keep him with you as a charge from me.
18 months later, the child was dying. Rege prayed to Baba to take the child and give its soul rest at his feet, and that its remaining karma would be undertaken by himself. The child then died like a yogi, with a smile on its face when life left it, by the crown of the head being drawn in with a hiss (i.e., Brahmarandara gati). When he next visited Shirdi,
Baba: “The child was mine and this man agreed to keep it. One day he said, you keep him with you and I shall take the karma. I took him and kept him here (pointing to baba’s heart) and he shall be here eternally.
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