Baba’s sayings about Greed of Wealth and Asking Donation

Para Number in the Book & About Greed Managing

233. R.B.P. A devotee: “Why are you asking for so much money?”

Baba- ” I am not asking of every one. I ask only from the man whom the fakir (God) points out. But in exchange, I have to give that man ten times the amount, which I have taken. I do not take the money for my own use. I have no family.”

Every morning Baba would be a poor fakir owning zero and during the day dakshinas would accumulate; and by evening or night the whole accumulation will be disbursed. When Baba passed away, after receiving a Governor’s income from dakshina for about ten years, he had only Rs.16 in his possession.

234. A man living with a mistress and suffering from venereal complaints came to Baba and said: “Baba, take this Rs.500″. Baba (angrily):” I want none of your money. You are keeping someone in your house; is it not? Give it to her.”

The man was mortified at this exposure and went away.

235. Some persons were on their way to Shirdi mosque of Baba.

Baba (angrily): “Rascals, (pouring plenty of abuse) committing such and such vile crimes and sins (naming their sins, vices etc.,)! What help can they get! (as he finished this tirade, the parties entered with rich gifts.)

Baba: “This is just what I have been saying” (and he refused to accept gifts or give help)

Dakshina, a means of denuding a devotee of even thing

[Which means I take away everything, when I wish to show my favour.] 

236. S.R.V. Jayakar who has painted Baba’s portrait kept in Dwarka Mayee at Shirdi was staying before Baba with Rs.2-8-0 in his pocket.   One Varde of Bombay came to Baba. 

V. I have no money to perform Satyanarayana Pooja.

B.: How much do you want? 

V Rs.2-8-0.

B.: This man (pointing to Jayakar) has got it    Borrow from him.

So varde applied and Jayakar had to part with the entire Rs.2-8-0 he had in his pocket.

237. P.R. Avaste, a Judicial Officer of Indore and a devotee of Baba came during summer vacation with his wife and son to Shirdi. He was on his way to perform his son’s marriage and kept with his son Rs.400/- and Rs.300/- with his wife. He was to get a good bridegroom (karini) for his son’s marriage. When he came to Baba,

Baba to P.R. Avaste: Will you give me Dakshina?

P.R. Avaste: How much?

Baba: Rs. 30/-

Baba to P.R. Avaste’s son: Will you give me Rs.40/-

Thus again and again Baba took away the whole fund with Mrs. PRA and her son – except Rs.30/-

Baba to P.R. Avaste: Will you give me Rs.30/-

P.R. Avaste: Shall I give it, Baba?

Baba: Yes.

Then with great pain at heart, Mr. Avaste took the last remaining Rs.30/- from his wife and paid to Baba.

Baba asked for nothing more.

As P.R. Avaste was dolefully returning from Baba, Bapu Saheb Jog exultingly patted him on the back.

Jog: I say I congratulate you. Baba has taken frequent Dakshina from you. You are lucky. Baba never takes except to give back tenfold.

P.R. Avaste: I do not know about that. I know that I have not got a pie remaining for going to the place of marriage.

Jog: How much do you want?

P.R. Avaste: Rs.100/-

Jog: Here it is. Baba has got a present of Rs. 6000/- from a Mumbai merchant who vowed he would pay 25% of his profits, if the news of loss of his goods proved false. Of that 6000, Baba has already spent 3000 in three days. If I tell him I gave you Rs.100/-, he will neither object nor call for the Rs.100/-, but as he has taken Rs.600 odd from you, I assure you that you will have a promotion by Rs.50/- per mensem now.

P.R. Avaste: I have no godfather to get me promotion.

But as stated by Jog, the promotion of Rs.50/- was given to Mr. P.R. Avaste, as he learnt after the vacation ended.

Dakshina asked for taking away first fruits on indicating coming of the amount asked

238. Baba to S.B.Dhumal: “Bhav give me Rs.50/-.”

S.B.D. I have not got the money.

B.: Then ask Saheb (H.V.S.)

S.B.D. went and asked H.V.S. for Rs.50/- H.V.S. gladly gave it. This was an indication to H.V.S. that his claim, then pending before Govt for an extra sum of Rs.50/- as part of his pension was to be allowed.

Later the order allowing it came. And the date of the order was the date of Baba’s demand of Rs.50/-.

239. Somanaih S.D.Nimonkar, a Police Sub-Inspector, was before Baba in 1912. 

Baba- “Give me Rs.10/-.

S. paid the amount of Rs. 10/-.

Six months later S got an order raising his pay byRs.10/- from the date of his above payment.

Dakshina as Prophecy or control

240. R.S.Dev was before Baba, intending to get Baba’s sanction for building five suites of rooms.

Baba (drawing 25 lines on the floor). “One rupee for each line, i.e., each suite of rooms. Give Rs.25/-.”

R.S.Dev paid the sum. Though he intended to build only five, he went on adding till the number happened to be 25 suites of rooms and there are only 25 even now.

241. Baba to S.B.Nachne and Sankar Rao: “Give me Rs.64/-.”

S.B.: We have no money,

Subsequently when Baba was ill, they collected funds for poor feeding and sent it up. That collection was exactly Rs.64/-.

Dakshina as claim of first fruits

242. Daji Hait Lele, Deputy Inspector of Land Records at Nasik was going to Shirdi and on the way at Kopergaon saw the Gazette and found that he had been promoted from Rs.125/- to Rs.150/-.

Then he came and bowed to Baba at Shirdi.

Baba- “Bring me Rs.15/-.”

L.: I have no money.

Baba- “It is only yesterday I gave you Rs.25. Go and bring the money.”

Lele borrowed the money and paid it.    (See H.V. Sathe’s Experiences).

Dakshina to deprive a man of money which he should not have taken or kept

243. S.B. Dhumal was directed to file a criminal appeal on behalf of Baba’s chamatkar. Judgement of acquittal was immediately pronounced, as soon as he presented the appeal. He was given Rs.300 by the appellants and when he came with the money to Shirdi.

Baba- ” Bhau, will you give me dakshina? “

S.B.D.: Yes, Baba.

In this way he repeatedly collected just the Rs.300 and did not ask for anything more.

Dakshina asked for giving effect to intention

244. M. W.Pradhan, when starting to see Baba for the first time intended to give him Rs.20 in silver, and for that purpose got a Rs.50 note changed.

When he actually came to Baba and dakshina was asked, he changed his mind and wanted to give gold. So he gave a sovereign.

Baba- ” What is this?”

Noolkar: This is a guinea.

B.. What is it worth?

N.: Rs.15.

B… I do not want this.    Give me Rs.15, and keep this.

And Pradhan carefully treasured up the coin touched by Baba and gave him 15 silver rupees.

Baba, (counting it over and over): Here is only Rs. 10. Give me Rs.5. more:

M.W.P.: Here are Rs.5 more.

Thus, under colour of wrong calculation and putting to test also M.W.P.’s combativeness in dealing with his own guru, Baba gave effect to his intention to pay Rs.20.

After receiving the Rs.20, he did not ask for anything more.

Secondary meaning of Dakshina

245. Baba to B.V.Dev.: “Bhau. give me dakshina. 

B.V.Dev gave one guinea. 

B.: Give me more.

Baba after getting four said.- “Though four were given by you, Baba has got only one.”

Dev.: “Baba, I have given four.”

B.’. Yes, but I have only one.    You will know.

The obvious interpretation is, though the devotee surrenders his fourfold Antahkarana (of Manas, Buddhi Ahankara, Chitta) Baba receives only the Jiva; and all multiplicity, when it reaches God-Baba becomes one. So the mind must surrender multiplicity unto the God Guru to attain unity’.

Dakshina

246. Baba (to G.G.Narke): Give me Rs.I5 dakshina.

G.G.N’.: Baba, you know I have not got a pie. Why do you often ask me for Rs.15/-?

Baba- ” I know you have no money. But you are reading Yoga Vasishta. Get me Rs. 15 dakshina from that.”

Getting dakshina here means deriving lessons from Y.Vasishta and lodging them in. the heart where Baba resides.(S.C.I 86.)

247. Baba to R.B.Purandhare: “Give me Rs.2 dakshina.” R.B.P.:  Baba, why do you constantly ask me for Rs.2 when you know that I am a poor clerk.

B.: “It is not these coins that I want. I want (1) Nishta (faith) and (2) Saburi (patient endurance and waiting courageously). Give me these.” R.B.P.: I have given you these. Please get these done by me.

248. Baba to Mrs. T.: Give me Rs.6 dakshina.

Mrs. T. (to her husband). We have no money. It is so painful to be asked when we have nothing.

Mr. T.: Baba wants only your six inner enemies (Lust, anger etc.) to be surrendered to him.

Baba, again to Mrs.T:. Will you give me Rs.6? Mrs. T: Baba, I have given them. B.: See that you do not wander off.

Dakshina asked for teaching lessons

249. Judge (MB Rege) in 1912, went to see Baba with Rs.100/- in his pocket.

Baba: Give me dakshana Rs. 40/- That was given.

Again Baba: Give me dakshana Rs.40/- That was given.

Again Baba: Give me Rs. 20/-

That also was given by the judge, who noted that Baba was reducing him to zero condition.

Later, Baba to Judge: Give me Rs.40/- dakshina.

Judge: I have nothing to give.

Baba: Then go and get the money and give.

Judge: To whom am I to go.

Baba: Shyama.

Then Judge went to Shyama and told him.

Shyama: You have not understood Baba. He cares a rap for you rupees. What he wants is your mind and heart, your time and soul to be devoted to him. That is his meaning.

The Judge went back and reported to Baba.

Baba, smiling: Go to Dixit and ask him.

The Judge went and told Dixit.

Dixit: Baba’s directions to you must be understood in the circumstances as a lesson to you and that you should not feel absence of money or the begging for money or for anything else to be a humiliation and that you should not consider yourself to be above begging.

Judge went and reported to Baba. Baba, smiling: Go to Nana (N.G. Chandorkar) Judge went and reported to Nana.

NGC: I know how delicate it is, when baba asks for Dakshina and there is nothing to be given. You must learn my plans and ways.

Whenever I go to Shirdi, I start with a certain sum and leave half of it at Kopergaon, e.g., on this occasion I came with Rs.200/= and left half of it at Kopergaon and came to Shirdi with Rs.100/- only. I go on giving dakshana out of the stock in hand to Baba and when it is exhausted, I send for the reserve at Kopergaon. You must adopt this plan.

Judge went and reported this to Baba.

Baba then sent for Nana and Nana came.

Baba: Nana, give me Rs.40/- And Nana paid it and went away.

Again he was sent for.

Baba: Nana, give me Rs.40/- more.

Again Baba sent for Nana and collected Rs.20/-. Then Nana sent someone to Kopergaon for the reserve fund, but before it came, Baba wanted more from Nana and Nana felt humiliated.

The lesson taught by these demands for dakshana was that it was a presumption on the part of anyone to think that he himself was the great Providence supplying Baba or that anyone could supply all that Baba might ask for.

DAKSHINA:

                See elsewhere for the meaning of Baba’s demanding Rs.5,11,16, cf 135, 136, 186, 255

(Chakra Narayan noted that Baba never showed anger or displeasure if any did not pay dakshina, and never gave (or sold) special favour for donors of dakshina. His unbought grace was given free to all. The moneys received by Baba did not stick to his palm, but were quickly passed out. Baba did not lead a luxurious life, but lived on simple begged food, except for the addition of Naivedya presented.)