Chapter 15 - Historical Commentary - a podcast by Sai Babas Devotee Speaks

Chapter 15 describes how Baba explained to Das Ganu the style of Kirtan by Naarad, and how he made Cholkar drink tea saturated with sugar after fulfilment of his vow. And lastly, how, from their chirping, Baba understood about the lizard that came from Aurangabad to meet her sister in the mosque.

Chapter 15 is called Sankat Mochan, and many devotees read this chapter to free themselves from all obstacles, by Baba's grace. Spreading the palms before Baba is completely surrendering the ego with humility, and knowing fully well that we are helpless without Baba's grace. Day and night (in good times and in bad times), He is our only refuge, standing behind us and showering His grace upon us.

In this chapter, there is the story of Das Ganu all decked up with an Angrakha, Pheta and Uparna to perform a Kirtan. Baba, with his characteristic humour, asks Das Ganu where he was going all decked up like a bridegroom. Baba then tells him to get rid of all the outward show, and to perform Kirtans with a bare chest, like Narad Muni, the father of all Kirtankars. The only adornment required was intense faith and devotion, which became Das Ganu's Naradiya Paddhati. I will now relate the life of Das Ganu, and how Baba transformed him into Sant Kavi Das Ganu Maharaj.

Ganpatrao Dattatreya Sahasrabuddhe, popularly known as Das Ganu Maharaj, was born on 6th January, 1868, and passed away on 25th November, 1962. Das Ganu hailed from Akolner village, and was born in a Brahmin family. His studies started when he had his thread ceremony at the age of nine, and stopped when he was 14 years old, and he studied English only up to fourth grade. He married when he was 23, after which he came to Ahmednagar, but remained a vagrant and indulged in gossip.

While wandering, he met a police superintendent, Mr. Kennedy, who employed him as a Sepoy for a monthly salary of nine rupees. It was when he was working as a Hawaldar in the police force that Nanasaheb Chandorkar took him to Sai Baba. Nanasaheb was the deputy collector at that time (around 1890), and Das Ganu accompanied him to ingratiate himself with Nanasaheb, but with no particular desire to see Baba. Das Ganu took a great deal of interest in Tamashas and village plays of an erotic and somewhat obscene nature, and even took part in them. He dressed like a female and pranced about in great delight. He also composed poems impromptu. Neither his professional ways, nor his personal life, met with Baba's approval. Baba wanted Das Ganu to walk a different path. With considerable effort, Das Ganu gradually withdrew from play-acting, but the police-force career was another matter. For more than 10 years, he resisted Baba's admonitions until fate wove such a web that circumstances compelled him to resign from the force, after several mishaps. In fact, if Baba had not extended his protection, Das Ganu would have been punished and disgraced, and might have even faced death.

After retiring from the force, Das Ganu followed Baba's advice and settled at Nanded. He spent his time performing Kirtans, going where his devotees invited him. The annual Kirtan at Shirdi, on Baba's Urus, which coincided with Ram Navami festival, was also delivered by Das Ganu, even during Baba's times, from 1914. He kept up the custom for several decades, thereafter. His wife's death in 1919 left him childless, but unfettered to pursue the path of a Kirtankar. No monetary collections were made by Das Ganu for his work as a Kirtankar. He performed his Brahminical duties, carried on Puranik studies, and performed Kirtans, at which he was excellent. His needs were well taken care of by the devotees from various parts of the country with whom he stayed, upon their invitation. After all, Baba had assured him about his temporal welfare. Besides being a Kirtankar, he wrote several books, amongst which are Sant Katha Amrita in 1903, Bhakta Leela Amrita in 1906, and Bhakta Saar Amrita in 1925. The first book features some stories about Baba, and Baba is said to have blessed the effort. Though Das Ganu was one of the foremost Bhaktas of Baba, he did not spend too much time with Baba. Even when he was in Shirdi, he rarely saw Baba, who would not allow him to stay for long in the Masjid. He bade him to go to Vitthal Mandir, where Das Ganu lived and wrote about the lives of saints, or spent his time repeating the Vishnu Sahasranam.

The spread of Baba's fame, especially in Maharashtra, is largely due to Das Ganu's Kirtans. But, it is true that his own faith in Baba was not very strong, and often wavered, as at heart, he believed Baba to be a Muslim saint, and not a Poorna Parabrahma. Despite the well-known miracle that Baba performed of making water flow from both his feet, in lieu of the Ganga in which Das Ganu wished to bathe, he was unable to drink that palmful of water which he gathered as Tirth, but only sprinkled it over his head. As he was a Brahmin, Das Ganu thought that he would be polluted by drinking the washings of Baba's feet as Tirth. Even after he knew Baba, Das Ganu approached and received Upadesh from Vaman Shashi Islampurkar, an old married Brahmin of Islampur, whom he met during the course of his official duties. As Islampurkar had no children, it was Das Ganu who performed his last rites. In fact, he even inherited Islampurkar's property. But as Islampurkar's wife did not approve of such a disposal by her husband, Das Ganu handed over the property to her, thus proving to be a true Vairagya, not attached to temporal wealth. Spiritual progress for Das Ganu was founded on an old set of ideas. He could not forsake going to Pandharpur on a pilgrimage. Though he zestfully sang, "Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur," for Das Ganu, only Vitthal was God, and he wanted a vision of God in that form alone, and not the Sai form that he saw at Shirdi. Despite his flaws, Das Ganu was one of the most notable followers of Baba. Thus, Baba turned the base metal of a petty, lewd constable into the gold of a saint, who, in turn, has moulded the spiritual destinies of tens of thousands of Sai devotees through his Kirtans.

Several compositions of Das Ganu are embodied in the Shirdi Aarti, including a couplet in Hindi, which has earned him a monumental place in Shirdi, and in the hearts of all the devotees of Sai Baba. The “Shri Sainath Stavan Manjari,” a humble tribute of praise to Shri Sainath, was one of Das Ganu's compositions. It is broadcast every morning after the Lagu Aarti, Shirdi Majhe Pandharpur, and, of course, the Aartis that he wrote are sung all over the world by the devotees of Baba.

This was a short account of Das Ganu's life. This information was taken from 'The Life of Sai Baba', written by Narasimha Swami.


Cholkar's vow to give up sugar in his tea, and its possible meaning

In the Sri Sai Satcharita, chapter 15, the wonderful Leela of Cholkar drinking sugarless tea is given under the title, 'Story of Cholkar's vow of Sugar Candy'.

Cholkar, a resident of Thana, was a probationer at the civil court. His contract was temporary, and he was extremely poor. He had a large family to feed and look after. However, his job would become permanent if he passed an examination. At that time, some of the residents of Thana had arranged for Das Ganu to perform Kirtan and Hari Bhakti Parayan at the Kopineshwar temple. That day, Cholkar was amidst the audience. He listened with rapt attention to Das Ganu's narration of Baba's divinity. It had a profound effect on him. Cholkar immediately sought refuge at Baba's feet. He said, "Baba, I am a poor man, and have a great deal of responsibility. If I pass this examination by Your grace, I will become a permanent employee. I will humbly make a pilgrimage to Shirdi and bow at Your feet and distribute sugar candy in Your name."

Cholkar did pass the examination. Now, he was eager to fulfil his vow. He tried to save a small amount of money from his meagre pay and put it away, but no matter what he did, he did not have sufficient money to make the pilgrimage. Cholkar was determined to make the pilgrimage as soon as possible, so he decided to give up sugar in his tea. Finally, he had sufficient money to undertake the pilgrimage. He was Jog's relative, so he had a place to stay in Shirdi. It is human nature to protect, hoard and enjoy things that we like. Cholkar loved sugary sweet confectionaries. Being extremely poor, he did not partake of delectable confectionaries, but he did enjoy having a cup of sweetened tea. In fact, he looked forward to having a cup of sweet tea every day, and yet he sacrificed having sugar in his tea because he yearned to have Baba's Darshan, which was more important to him. It was more important than the transient sweetness of tea.

After undergoing a lot of trouble and sacrifice, he undertook the pilgrimage to Shirdi. He went to the Dwarka Mai, and with a calm and peaceful mind, placed a coconut at Baba's feet. He prostrated before Baba and rolled in the dust of His feet. Then, he distributed sugar candy in Baba's name. After having Baba’s Darshan, he was about to leave with Jog, when Baba told Jog, “Serve your guest cups of tea saturated with sugar.” Hearing this, Cholkar’s eyes filled with tears, and he placed his head at Baba's feet. Then, Baba said, "Cholkar, the sugar candy has reached me and your vow is fulfilled. Even though you kept it a secret, I know your dedication and determination." The moral of the story is that there are two options for all of us to choose from: Shreyas and Preyas. Shreyas is difficult but it is good, and Preyas is sweet, but it is relatively easy. These two aspects represent the hard path of spirituality and living in the materialistic world, respectively. Quite naturally, we choose the latter. We have chosen the sweet materialistic life and will face many difficult exams and the results of which are full of uncertainty. At this stage of our lives, we realise that we are in trouble. But if we turn to the Sadguru and pray to Him, He, by His grace, will surely answer our prayers. As a token of our devotion and respect, we ought to give up sugar, or Preyas, and seek refuge at his feet. Beyond doubt, we will reach Him. And in confirmation of our determination to give up the sweet, He himself orders us to have more, as he asked Jog to give Cholkar cups of tea saturated with sugar. He knows that now we will not sink, but float like butter on the Bhav Sagar.

"I may be here in my physical body, and you may be far away beyond the seven seas. Yet, whatever you do, I know immediately. Wherever you may be, when you spread your hands before me in supplication, faith, and devotion, I stand there behind you, day and night, as steadfast as your faith and devotion." Although these words were said to Cholkar, they are true for each and every devotee, even today.

The two lizards

In the Sai Satcharita, chapter 15, a lizard chirps excitedly, awaiting the arrival of a sister from Aurangabad. It so happens that the lizard comes with a devotee from Aurangabad in the mouth bag of the horse, and runs to meet her sister. When a devotee questioned Baba about the lizard’s chirping, Baba replied, "The lizard is overcome with joy that her sister is coming here to meet her from Aurangabad." Be it the chirping of a lizard, or the twittering of birds, Baba heard and understood everything.

Nanasaheb Dingle was a long-time devotee of Baba. He loved Baba intensely and Baba would go to his home in Nimgaon off and on. Often, they would chat for some time, and Baba would return to Shirdi. One day, Baba, in great haste, went to Nimgaon early in the morning. Dingle was pleasantly surprised to see Him. He made Him comfortable, and both of them sat in the courtyard chatting. A few hours later, some birds, perched on a nearby tree, started twittering excitedly. Nana fell silent and listened to them. Baba knew that Nana could understand the bird language. Baba asked Nana what the birds were saying. Dingle was silent because he knew Baba's power. Baba knew the past, present and future, but because Baba asked him, he replied, "They say nine people will die in Shirdi today." Baba then hired a Tonga and returned to Shirdi. At Shirdi, the villagers were happily preparing Prasad for Shani Dev. They had a large Haandi of Prasad ready, and all the villagers were assembled there to partake of it. Baba, however, went to the Dwarka Mai and sent a messenger to fetch Bhagoji Shinde immediately. Bhagoji came at once, and Baba said, "Go to the Shani Mandir immediately and throw all the Prasad on the floor." Bhagoji was astounded to hear this, but as Baba had commanded him, he did just that. Hurriedly, he carried out the task and ran back to the Dwarka Mai and took shelter at Baba's feet. As expected, the villagers ran to the Dwarka Mai and angrily complained to Baba of the sacrilegious act committed by Bhagoji. Baba calmly said, "I ordered him to do so. Now go and see what is in the Prasad." Confused, they ran to the scene and taking a big ladle, they whirled the Prasad around only to find a dead serpent in it. Trembling with fear, they ran back to the Dwarka Mai and prostrated before Baba. They thanked Him for saving the whole village from utter calamity and death. This Leela was narrated by Sivanesan Swamiji. These Leelas are about Baba’s all-pervasiveness, His knowledge of Cholkar's secret determination to give up sugar in order to have Baba's Darshan, and the love that Baba had for creatures, big and small.

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