Naradiya Kirtan Paddhati – Mr. Cholkar’s
Sugarless Tea – Two Lizards
The readers may remember that mention was made in
the 6th chapter regarding the Ram-Navami Festival in
Shirdi; how the festival originated and how in the early
years there was great difficulty in getting a good Haridas for doing
Kirtan on those occasions and how Baba permanently entrusted this
function (Kirtan) to Das Ganu and how he has been doing it successfully,
ever since. Now, in this chapter we shall describe the manner in which
Das Ganu has been doing the Kirtan.
Generally our Haridas, while doing the Kirtan, wear a Gala and
full dress. They put on a head-dress either a Pheta or a turban, a long
flowing coat with a shirt inside, an Uparani (short Dhotar) on the
shoulders and the usual long Dhotar from the waist below. After dressing
himself in this fashion for some Kirtan in the Shirdi village, Das Ganu
once went to Baba for prostrating before Him. Baba asked him, “Well,
bridegroom! Where are you going dressed so beautifully like this?” “For
doing a Kirtan”, came the reply. Then Baba said, “Why do you want
all this paraphernalia-coat, Uparani and Pheta etc. lay off all that before
Me, why wear them on the body?” Das Ganu immediately took them
off and placed them at Baba’s Feet. Thenceforth Das Ganu never wore
these things, while doing the Kirtan. He was always bare from waist
upwards, a pair of ‘Chiplis’ was in his hand and a garland round his
neck. This is not in consonance with the practice generally followed by
all the Haridas, but this is the best and the purest method. The sage
Narada from whom the Kirtan Paddhati originated, wore nothing on
his torso and head. He carried a ‘Vina’ in his hand and wandered from
place to place, singing the glory of the Lord.
Mr. Cholkar’s Sugarless Tea
Initially Baba was known in Poona and Ahmednagar districts but
Nanasaheb Chandorkar, by his word of mouth and Das Ganu by his
splendid Kirtans spread the fame of Baba in the Konkan (Mumbai
Presidency). In fact, it was Das Ganu – May God bless him – who, by
his beautiful and inimitable Kirtans, made Baba available to so many
people there. The audience, who come to hear the Kirtans, have different
tastes. Some like the erudition or learning of the Haridas, some his
gestures, some his singing, some his wit and humour, some his
preliminary dissertation on Vedanta and some his main theme and so
on; but among them there are very few, who, by hearing the Kirtan get
faith and devotion or love for God or saints. The effect of hearing Das
Ganu’s Kirtan on the minds of audience was, however, electric, as it
were. We give an instance here :
Das Ganu was once doing his Kirtan and singing the glory of Sai
Baba, in the Koupineshwar temple in Thana. One Mr. Cholkar a poor
man, serving as a temporary employee in the civil courts in Thana, was
amongst the audience. He heard Das Ganu’s Kirtan most attentively
and was much moved. He there and then, mentally bowed and vowed
to Baba saying, “Baba, I am a poor man, unable to support my family.
If by Your grace, I pass the departmental examination and get a
permanent post, I shall go to Shirdi, fall at Your Feet and distribute
sugar-candy in Your name.” As luck would have it, Mr. Cholkar did
pass the examination and did get the permanent post, and now it
remained for him to fulfil his vow, the sooner the better. Mr. Cholkar
was a poor man with a large family to support and he could not afford
to pay for the expenses of a Shirdi trip. As is well said, one can easily
cross over Nahne Ghat in Thana district or even the Sahyadri range
but it is very difficult for a poor man to cross Umbar Ghat, i.e., the
threshold of his house. As Mr. Cholkar was anxious to fulfil his vow
as early as possible, he resolved to cut down his expenses and save
money. He determined not to use sugar in his diet and began to take
his tea without it. After he was able to save some money in this way,
he came to Shirdi, took Baba’s darshan, fell at His Feet, offered a
coconut, distributed it with a clean conscience along with sugar-candy,
as per his vow and said to Baba that he was much pleased with His
darshan and that his desires were fulfilled that day. Mr. Cholkar was
in the Masjid with his host Bapusaheb Jog. When the host and the guest
both got up and were about to leave the Masjid, Baba spoke to Jog as
follows, “Give him (your guest) cup of tea fully saturated with sugar.”
Hearing these significant words Mr. Cholkar was much moved, he was
wonderstruck, his eyes were bedewed with tears and he fell at Baba’s
Feet again. Mr. Jog was also curious about this direction. Baba wanted
by His words to create faith and devotion in Cholkar’s mind. He hinted
as it were that, He got the sugar-candy as per his vow and that He knew
fully well his secret determination not to use sugar in his diet. Baba
meant to say, “If you spread your palms with devotion before Me, I
am immediately with you, day and night. Though, I am here physically,
still I know what you do beyond the seven seas. Go wherever you
wish, over the wide world, I am with you. My abode is in your heart
and I am within you. Always worship Me, Who is seated in your heart
as well as in the hearts of all beings. Blessed and fortunate indeed
is he, who knows Me thus.”
What a beautiful and important lesson Baba had, thus imparted
to Mr. Cholkar
Two Lizards
Now we close this chapter with a story of two little lizards. Once
Baba was sitting in the Masjid. A devotee sat in front of Him, when a
lizard tick-ticked. Out of curiosity the devotee asked Baba, whether this
tick-ticking of the lizard signified anything good or was it a bad omen?
Baba said that the lizard was overjoyed as her sister from Aurangabad
was coming to see her. The devotee sat silent not making out the
meaning of Baba’s words. Immediately a gentleman from Aurangabad
came on horse-back to see Baba. He wanted to proceed further, but his
horse would not go as it was hungry and wanted grams. He took out
a bag of grams from his shoulders to bring grams and dashed it on the
ground to remove dirt. A lizard came out from there and in the presence
of all, climbed up the wall. Baba asked the questioner devotee to mark
her well. She at once, went strutting to her sister. Both sisters met each
other after a long time, kissed and embraced each other, whirled round
and danced with love! Where is Shirdi and where is Aurangabad for
the lizard? How should the man on horse back come there from
Aurangabad with the lizard? And how should Baba make the prophecy
of the meeting of the two sisters? All this is really very wonderful and
proves the omniscience – the all-knowing nature of Baba.
Post Script
He, who respectfully reads this chapter or studies it daily, will get
all his miseries removed by the grace of the Sadguru Sai Baba.
Bow to Shri Sai – Peace be to all
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