Quick Brahma-gnyan
These two chapters relate the story of a rich gentleman,
who wanted Brahma-gnyan, quickly from Sai Baba.
Preliminary
The last chapter described, how Mr. Cholkar’s vow of small
offering was completed and accepted. In that story Sai Baba showed
that, He would accept with appreciation any small thing, offered with
love and devotion but if the same thing was offered with pride and
haughtiness, He would reject it. Being Himself full of Sat Chit Anand
(Pure Consciousness, Knowledge and Bliss) He did not care much for
mere outward formalities, but if an offering was made in a humble
spirit, the same was welcome and He accepted it with pleasure and
avidity. In fact, there is no person more generous and benevolent than
a Sadguru, like Sai Baba. He cannot be compared to the Chintamani
jewel, the Kalpataru (the celestial tree which fulfils our desires) or the
Kamadhenu (the celestial cow which yields, what we desire ), they give
us only what we desire, but the Sadguru gives us the most precious
thing, that is inconceivable and inscrutable the reality. Now let us hear,
how Sai Baba disposed of a rich man, who came to Him and implored
Him to give him Brahma-gnyan.
There was a rich gentleman (unfortunately his name and
whereabouts are not mentioned), who was very prosperous in his life.
He had amassed a large quantity of wealth, houses, and lands, and had
many servants and dependents. When Baba’s fame reached his ears he
said to a friend of his that he was not in want of anything, and so, he
would go to Shirdi and ask Baba to give him Brahma-gnyan, which if
he got, would certainly make him more happy. His friend dissuaded
him, saying, “It is not easy to know Brahma and especially so for an
avaricious man like you, who is always engrossed in wealth, wife and
children. Who will in your quest of Brahma-gnyan satisfy you, who
does not give away even a paisa in charity?”
Not minding his friend’s advice, the fellow engaged a return
journey Tonga and came to Shirdi. He went to the Masjid, saw Sai
Baba, fell at His Feet and said, “Baba, hearing that, You show Brahma
to all who come to you, I too have come here all the way from my distant
place. I am much fatigued by the journey and if I get Brahma-gnyan
from You, my troubles will be well-paid and rewarded.” Baba, then,
replied, “Oh, My dear friend do not be anxious, I shall show you
Brahma. Many people come to Me and ask for wealth, health, power,
honour, position, cure of diseases and other temporal matters. Rare is
the person who comes to Me and asks for Brahma-gnyan. There is no
dearth of people asking for worldly things but people interested in
spiritual matters are very rare, I think, it is a fortunate and auspicious
moment, when persons like you, come and ask Me for Brahma-gnyan.
So forthwith, I show to you with pleasure, Brahma, with all its
accompaniments and complexities.”
Saying this, Baba started to show him Brahma. He made him sit
there and engaged him in some other talk and thus, made him forget
his question for the time-being. Then He called a boy and told him to
go to one Nandu Marwadi and get from him a loan of Rs. five. The boy
left and returned immediately, saying that Nandu was absent and his
house was locked. Then, Baba asked him to go to Bala grocer and get
from him the said loan. This time also the boy was unsuccessful. This
experiment was repeated again twice or thrice, with the same result.
Sai Baba was, as we know, the living and moving Brahma
Incarnate. Then, some-one may ask, “Why did He want the paltry sum
of five rupees, and why did He try hard to get it? In reality He did not
want this sum at all. He must have known fully that Nandu and Bala
were absent, and He seemed to have adopted this procedure as a test
for the seeker of Brahma. That gentleman had a roll or bundle of
currency notes in his pocket and if he was really earnest, he would not
have sat quiet and be a mere onlooker when Baba was frantically trying
to get a paltry sum of Rs. five. He knew that Baba would keep His word
and repay the debt, and that the sum wanted was insignificant. Still he
could not make up his mind and advance the sum. Such a man wanted
from Baba, the greatest thing in the world, viz. the Brahma-gnyan! Any
other man who really loved Baba would have given to him Rs. five at
once, instead of being a mere onlooker. It was otherwise with this man.
He advanced no money nor did he sit silent but began to be impatient,
as he was in a haste to return and implored Baba, saying. “Oh Baba,
please, give me Brahma-gnyan soon!” Baba replied, “Oh my dear friend
did you not understand all the procedure that I went through, sitting
in this place, for enabling you to see Brahma? It is in short this : For
seeing Brahma, one has to give five things, i.e., surrender five things,
viz. (1) five Pranas (vital forces), (2) five senses, (3) mind, (4) intellect
and (5) ego. This path of Brahma-gnyan or self-realization is as hard
as treading on the edge of a razor.
Sai Baba then gave a rather long discourse on the subject, the
purport of which, is given below :
Qualifications for Brahma-gnyan or Self-realization
All persons do not see or realize the Brahma in their life-time.
Certain qualifications are absolutely necessary.
1. Mumukshu or intense desire to get free. He who thinks that, he
is bound and that, he should get free from bondage and works earnestly
and resolutely to that end and does not care for any other thing, is
qualified for the spiritual life.
2. Virakti or a feeling of non-attactment with the things of this world
and the next. Unless a man feels disgusted with the things, emoluments
and honours, which his actions would bring in this world and the next,
he has no right to enter into the spiritual realm.
3. Antarmukha (introversion) Our senses have been created by God
with a tendency to move outward and so, man always looks outward
and not inward. He, who wants self-realization and immortal life, must
turn his gaze inwards and look to his inner self.
4. Catharsis – (eliminating all base ideas and emotions) – Unless a
man has turned away from wickedness and stopped from doing wrong,
and has entirely composed himself, and unless his mind is at rest, he
cannot gain self-realization even by means of knowledge.
5. Right conduct – Unless a man leads a life of truth, penance and
insight, a life of celibacy, he cannot get God-realization.
6. Prefering Shreyas (the good), to Preyas (the pleasant) – There are
two sorts of things, viz. the good and the pleasant; the former deals with
spiritual affairs, and the latter with mundane matters. Both these are
open to man for acceptance. He has to think and choose one of them.
The wise man prefers the good to the pleasant, but the unwise, through
greed and attachment chooses the pleasant.
7. Control of the mind and the senses – The body is the chariot and
the self is its master, intellect is the charioteer and the mind is the reins,
the senses are the horses and sense-objects are their paths. He who has
no understanding and whose mind is unrestrained, has his senses
unmanageable, like the stray horse of a charioteer, does not reach his
destination (get self realization), but goes through the round of births
and deaths; but he who has understanding and whose mind is
restrained, has his senses under control, like the good obedient horse
of a charioteer, reaches the destination, i.e. the state of self-realization,
whence he is not born again. The man, who has understanding as his
charioteer (guide) and is able to rein his mind, reaches the end of the
journey, which is the supreme abode of the all-pervading, Vishnu (Lord).
8. Purification of the mind – Unless a man discharges satisfactorily
and dis-interestedly the duties of his station in life, his mind will not
be purified and unless his mind is purified, he cannot get self-realizaiton.
It is only in the purified mind that, Vivek (dis-attachment to the unreal)
crop up and lead on to self-realization. Unless egoism is dropped,
avarice got rid of and the mind made desireless (pure), self-realization
is not possible. The idea that “I am the body” is a great delusion and
attachment to this idea is the cause of bondage. Leave off this idea and
attachment therefore, if you want to reach the goal of self-realization.
9. The necessity of a Guru – The knowledge of the self is so subtle
and mystic that, no one can, by his own individual effort ever hope to
attain it. So the help of another person – teacher, who has himself got
self-realization, is absolutely necessary. What others cannot give with
great effort and pains, can be easily gained with the help of such a
teacher; for he has walked on the path himself and can easily take the
disciple, step by step on the ladder of spiritual progress.
10. And lastly, grace of the Lord is the most essential thing. When the
Lord is pleased with any body, He gives him Viveka and Vairagya and
takes him safe beyond the ocean of mundane existence, “The Self cannot
be gained by the study of Vedas, nor by intellect, nor by learning. He
whom the Self chooses, gains it. To him the Self reveals its nature,” says
the Katha Upanishad.
After the dissertation was over, Baba turned to the gentleman and
said, “Well sir, there is in your pocket the Brahma in form of fifty-times
of five (Rs. 250/-) rupees, please, take that out.” The gentleman took out
from his pocket the bundle of currency notes, and to his great surprise,
found on counting them, that, there were 25 notes of 10 rupees each.
Seeing this omniscience of Baba, he was moved and fell at Baba’s Feet
and craved for His blessings. Then Baba said to him, “Roll up your
bundle of Brahma, viz. currency notes. Unless, you completely get rid
of your avarice or greed you will not get the real Brahma. How can he
whose mind is engrossed in wealth, progeny and prosperity, expect to
know the Brahma without removing his attachment for them? The
illusion of attachment or the love for money is a deep eddy (whirlpool)
of pain, full of crocodiles in the form of conceit and jealousy. He who
is desireless, can alone cross this whirlpool. Greed and Brahma are
asunder as poles, they are eternally opposed to each other. Where there
is greed there is no room for thought or meditation of the Brahma. Then
how can a greedy man, get dispassion and salvation? For a greedy man
there is no peace, neither contentment, nor steadiness. If there be even
a little trace of greed in mind, all the Sadhanas (spiritual endeavours)
are of no avail. Even the knowledge of a well-read man, who is not free
from the desire of the fruit or reward of his actions, is futile and can’t
help him in getting self-realization. The teachings of a Guru are of no
use to a man who is full of egoism and who always thinks about the
sense-objects. Purification of mind is absolutely necessary, without it all
our spiritual endeavours are nothing, but useless show and pomp. It is
therefore, better for one to take only what he can digest and assimilate.
My treasury is full and I can give anyone, what he wants, but I have
to see, whether he is qualified to receive My gift. If you listen to Me
carefully, you will be certainly benefitted. While sitting in this Masjid
I never speak any untruth.”
When a guest is invited to a house all the members of the household
and other friends and relations, that happen to be present are entertained
along with the guest. So all those, that were present in the Masjid at that
time could partake of the spiritual feast, that was served by Baba for the
rich gentleman. After getting Baba’s blessings, one and all, including
the gentleman, left the place quite happy and contented.
Special Characteristics of Baba
There are many saints, who leaving their houses, stay in forest,
caves or hermitages and in solitude, in order to get liberation or salvation
for themselves. They do not care for other people and are always selfabsorbed.
Sai Baba was not of such a type. He had no home, no wife,
no progeny, nor any relations, near or distant. Still He lived in the
world (society). He begged His bread from four or five houses, always
lived at the foot of the (Neem) tree, carried on worldly dealings and
taught all the people how to act and behave living in this world. Rare
are the sadhus and saints, who, after attaining God-vision, strive for the
welfare of the people. Sai Baba was the foremost of these and, therefore,
says Hemadpant :
“Blessed is the country, blessed is the family and blessed are the
chaste parents, where this Extraordinary, Transcendent, Precious and
Pure Jewel (Sai Baba) was born.”
Bow to Shri Sai – Peace be to all
These two chapters relate the story of a rich gentleman,
who wanted Brahma-gnyan, quickly from Sai Baba.
Preliminary
The last chapter described, how Mr. Cholkar’s vow of small
offering was completed and accepted. In that story Sai Baba showed
that, He would accept with appreciation any small thing, offered with
love and devotion but if the same thing was offered with pride and
haughtiness, He would reject it. Being Himself full of Sat Chit Anand
(Pure Consciousness, Knowledge and Bliss) He did not care much for
mere outward formalities, but if an offering was made in a humble
spirit, the same was welcome and He accepted it with pleasure and
avidity. In fact, there is no person more generous and benevolent than
a Sadguru, like Sai Baba. He cannot be compared to the Chintamani
jewel, the Kalpataru (the celestial tree which fulfils our desires) or the
Kamadhenu (the celestial cow which yields, what we desire ), they give
us only what we desire, but the Sadguru gives us the most precious
thing, that is inconceivable and inscrutable the reality. Now let us hear,
how Sai Baba disposed of a rich man, who came to Him and implored
Him to give him Brahma-gnyan.
There was a rich gentleman (unfortunately his name and
whereabouts are not mentioned), who was very prosperous in his life.
He had amassed a large quantity of wealth, houses, and lands, and had
many servants and dependents. When Baba’s fame reached his ears he
said to a friend of his that he was not in want of anything, and so, he
would go to Shirdi and ask Baba to give him Brahma-gnyan, which if
he got, would certainly make him more happy. His friend dissuaded
him, saying, “It is not easy to know Brahma and especially so for an
avaricious man like you, who is always engrossed in wealth, wife and
children. Who will in your quest of Brahma-gnyan satisfy you, who
does not give away even a paisa in charity?”
Not minding his friend’s advice, the fellow engaged a return
journey Tonga and came to Shirdi. He went to the Masjid, saw Sai
Baba, fell at His Feet and said, “Baba, hearing that, You show Brahma
to all who come to you, I too have come here all the way from my distant
place. I am much fatigued by the journey and if I get Brahma-gnyan
from You, my troubles will be well-paid and rewarded.” Baba, then,
replied, “Oh, My dear friend do not be anxious, I shall show you
Brahma. Many people come to Me and ask for wealth, health, power,
honour, position, cure of diseases and other temporal matters. Rare is
the person who comes to Me and asks for Brahma-gnyan. There is no
dearth of people asking for worldly things but people interested in
spiritual matters are very rare, I think, it is a fortunate and auspicious
moment, when persons like you, come and ask Me for Brahma-gnyan.
So forthwith, I show to you with pleasure, Brahma, with all its
accompaniments and complexities.”
Saying this, Baba started to show him Brahma. He made him sit
there and engaged him in some other talk and thus, made him forget
his question for the time-being. Then He called a boy and told him to
go to one Nandu Marwadi and get from him a loan of Rs. five. The boy
left and returned immediately, saying that Nandu was absent and his
house was locked. Then, Baba asked him to go to Bala grocer and get
from him the said loan. This time also the boy was unsuccessful. This
experiment was repeated again twice or thrice, with the same result.
Sai Baba was, as we know, the living and moving Brahma
Incarnate. Then, some-one may ask, “Why did He want the paltry sum
of five rupees, and why did He try hard to get it? In reality He did not
want this sum at all. He must have known fully that Nandu and Bala
were absent, and He seemed to have adopted this procedure as a test
for the seeker of Brahma. That gentleman had a roll or bundle of
currency notes in his pocket and if he was really earnest, he would not
have sat quiet and be a mere onlooker when Baba was frantically trying
to get a paltry sum of Rs. five. He knew that Baba would keep His word
and repay the debt, and that the sum wanted was insignificant. Still he
could not make up his mind and advance the sum. Such a man wanted
from Baba, the greatest thing in the world, viz. the Brahma-gnyan! Any
other man who really loved Baba would have given to him Rs. five at
once, instead of being a mere onlooker. It was otherwise with this man.
He advanced no money nor did he sit silent but began to be impatient,
as he was in a haste to return and implored Baba, saying. “Oh Baba,
please, give me Brahma-gnyan soon!” Baba replied, “Oh my dear friend
did you not understand all the procedure that I went through, sitting
in this place, for enabling you to see Brahma? It is in short this : For
seeing Brahma, one has to give five things, i.e., surrender five things,
viz. (1) five Pranas (vital forces), (2) five senses, (3) mind, (4) intellect
and (5) ego. This path of Brahma-gnyan or self-realization is as hard
as treading on the edge of a razor.
Sai Baba then gave a rather long discourse on the subject, the
purport of which, is given below :
Qualifications for Brahma-gnyan or Self-realization
All persons do not see or realize the Brahma in their life-time.
Certain qualifications are absolutely necessary.
1. Mumukshu or intense desire to get free. He who thinks that, he
is bound and that, he should get free from bondage and works earnestly
and resolutely to that end and does not care for any other thing, is
qualified for the spiritual life.
2. Virakti or a feeling of non-attactment with the things of this world
and the next. Unless a man feels disgusted with the things, emoluments
and honours, which his actions would bring in this world and the next,
he has no right to enter into the spiritual realm.
3. Antarmukha (introversion) Our senses have been created by God
with a tendency to move outward and so, man always looks outward
and not inward. He, who wants self-realization and immortal life, must
turn his gaze inwards and look to his inner self.
4. Catharsis – (eliminating all base ideas and emotions) – Unless a
man has turned away from wickedness and stopped from doing wrong,
and has entirely composed himself, and unless his mind is at rest, he
cannot gain self-realization even by means of knowledge.
5. Right conduct – Unless a man leads a life of truth, penance and
insight, a life of celibacy, he cannot get God-realization.
6. Prefering Shreyas (the good), to Preyas (the pleasant) – There are
two sorts of things, viz. the good and the pleasant; the former deals with
spiritual affairs, and the latter with mundane matters. Both these are
open to man for acceptance. He has to think and choose one of them.
The wise man prefers the good to the pleasant, but the unwise, through
greed and attachment chooses the pleasant.
7. Control of the mind and the senses – The body is the chariot and
the self is its master, intellect is the charioteer and the mind is the reins,
the senses are the horses and sense-objects are their paths. He who has
no understanding and whose mind is unrestrained, has his senses
unmanageable, like the stray horse of a charioteer, does not reach his
destination (get self realization), but goes through the round of births
and deaths; but he who has understanding and whose mind is
restrained, has his senses under control, like the good obedient horse
of a charioteer, reaches the destination, i.e. the state of self-realization,
whence he is not born again. The man, who has understanding as his
charioteer (guide) and is able to rein his mind, reaches the end of the
journey, which is the supreme abode of the all-pervading, Vishnu (Lord).
8. Purification of the mind – Unless a man discharges satisfactorily
and dis-interestedly the duties of his station in life, his mind will not
be purified and unless his mind is purified, he cannot get self-realizaiton.
It is only in the purified mind that, Vivek (dis-attachment to the unreal)
crop up and lead on to self-realization. Unless egoism is dropped,
avarice got rid of and the mind made desireless (pure), self-realization
is not possible. The idea that “I am the body” is a great delusion and
attachment to this idea is the cause of bondage. Leave off this idea and
attachment therefore, if you want to reach the goal of self-realization.
9. The necessity of a Guru – The knowledge of the self is so subtle
and mystic that, no one can, by his own individual effort ever hope to
attain it. So the help of another person – teacher, who has himself got
self-realization, is absolutely necessary. What others cannot give with
great effort and pains, can be easily gained with the help of such a
teacher; for he has walked on the path himself and can easily take the
disciple, step by step on the ladder of spiritual progress.
10. And lastly, grace of the Lord is the most essential thing. When the
Lord is pleased with any body, He gives him Viveka and Vairagya and
takes him safe beyond the ocean of mundane existence, “The Self cannot
be gained by the study of Vedas, nor by intellect, nor by learning. He
whom the Self chooses, gains it. To him the Self reveals its nature,” says
the Katha Upanishad.
After the dissertation was over, Baba turned to the gentleman and
said, “Well sir, there is in your pocket the Brahma in form of fifty-times
of five (Rs. 250/-) rupees, please, take that out.” The gentleman took out
from his pocket the bundle of currency notes, and to his great surprise,
found on counting them, that, there were 25 notes of 10 rupees each.
Seeing this omniscience of Baba, he was moved and fell at Baba’s Feet
and craved for His blessings. Then Baba said to him, “Roll up your
bundle of Brahma, viz. currency notes. Unless, you completely get rid
of your avarice or greed you will not get the real Brahma. How can he
whose mind is engrossed in wealth, progeny and prosperity, expect to
know the Brahma without removing his attachment for them? The
illusion of attachment or the love for money is a deep eddy (whirlpool)
of pain, full of crocodiles in the form of conceit and jealousy. He who
is desireless, can alone cross this whirlpool. Greed and Brahma are
asunder as poles, they are eternally opposed to each other. Where there
is greed there is no room for thought or meditation of the Brahma. Then
how can a greedy man, get dispassion and salvation? For a greedy man
there is no peace, neither contentment, nor steadiness. If there be even
a little trace of greed in mind, all the Sadhanas (spiritual endeavours)
are of no avail. Even the knowledge of a well-read man, who is not free
from the desire of the fruit or reward of his actions, is futile and can’t
help him in getting self-realization. The teachings of a Guru are of no
use to a man who is full of egoism and who always thinks about the
sense-objects. Purification of mind is absolutely necessary, without it all
our spiritual endeavours are nothing, but useless show and pomp. It is
therefore, better for one to take only what he can digest and assimilate.
My treasury is full and I can give anyone, what he wants, but I have
to see, whether he is qualified to receive My gift. If you listen to Me
carefully, you will be certainly benefitted. While sitting in this Masjid
I never speak any untruth.”
When a guest is invited to a house all the members of the household
and other friends and relations, that happen to be present are entertained
along with the guest. So all those, that were present in the Masjid at that
time could partake of the spiritual feast, that was served by Baba for the
rich gentleman. After getting Baba’s blessings, one and all, including
the gentleman, left the place quite happy and contented.
Special Characteristics of Baba
There are many saints, who leaving their houses, stay in forest,
caves or hermitages and in solitude, in order to get liberation or salvation
for themselves. They do not care for other people and are always selfabsorbed.
Sai Baba was not of such a type. He had no home, no wife,
no progeny, nor any relations, near or distant. Still He lived in the
world (society). He begged His bread from four or five houses, always
lived at the foot of the (Neem) tree, carried on worldly dealings and
taught all the people how to act and behave living in this world. Rare
are the sadhus and saints, who, after attaining God-vision, strive for the
welfare of the people. Sai Baba was the foremost of these and, therefore,
says Hemadpant :
“Blessed is the country, blessed is the family and blessed are the
chaste parents, where this Extraordinary, Transcendent, Precious and
Pure Jewel (Sai Baba) was born.”
Bow to Shri Sai – Peace be to all
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