Every saint has a past and every sinner has a future - Part 2

Dissatisfaction is the nature of the world

In the art of storytelling, it is important to know where detailed descriptions have to be given and where they should be avoided. The story should be long enough to cover all points but short enough to keep it interesting. Having gone into all the details of that momentous single day of Mohammad’s life in Part 1 of this story,  I shall avoid the mundane details of the next 3 months. But there is one detail that has to be narrated because it inspires interest and also conveys a lesson. And that is the fact that Mohammad, in those 3 months, often kept thinking about his benefactor at the Arabian sea. As he thought more and more about him and the episode, he began to realize more and more that  there was no peace or joy in the world that he was acquainted with.

There is a feeling of emptiness. A sense of dissatisfaction that engulfs us without exception. It rises and ebbs, perhaps, depending on the phase of life we are in. I doubt if this hollowness will ever be filled. It was there when we were born and it continues to grow as we age. Filling this emptiness, this dissatisfaction is possible only by spiritual means.

Though he began to make a decent living catching fish in the new motor boat, his inner world was in total turmoil. He now began to smoke even more than before in search of an escape from his mundane existence. But whatever he did, a strange sense of dissatisfaction plagued him. He remembered his fakir friend so much that he got an irrepressible urge to meet him. He decided to undertake another journey to Bombay and seek him out.

If one makes a close enquiry, one will notice that at some point in everyone's life, a sense of dissatisfaction sets in. The actual point of this dissatisfaction setting in might vary but this definitely happens irrespective of one's wealth, position, relationship status and age. This is a dissatisfaction that can be 'cured' only by spiritual means because true happiness lies only in union with God. That union can come about only when one drops one's desires and one's false sense of identification with one's body. That is precisely the reason why when anybody asked Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, "I want peace", His reply was,

"Drop the 'I' and drop the 'want'. You have peace automatically."

These statements are not only high in literary  value. They are profound spiritual truths packed in a very concise manner. In that sense,  though not in Sanskrit, they are mantras indeed.

The address that the fakir had given lead Mohammad to a temple in Bombay.  

[Note: The building indicated by the fakir friend was a Shirdi Sai Temple known as Shri Sai Dhaam Mandir located near Congress House on Vithalbhai Patel Road in Girgaum. A Christian lady, Mrs Valentine, sold the house to the Trustees of Sai Dhaam for Rs.50,000/-. The house was then remodelled as a temple for another Rs.20,000/- and was inaugurated on Gudi Padwa day in 1960 by Shri Yeshawantrao Chavan, the then Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The statue of Baba, in sitting posture, was carved by Shri Balaji Wasant Talim]

Not finding any house, he began to make enquiries about the fakir's whereabouts. He regretted that he had not asked the fakir his name which made the task of finding him very difficult. He had to go around describing him to the people there. Finally, somebody directed him to go into the temple. (Mr. Venkatesh Prithviraj, the narrator and witness to whom Mohammad told his remarkable story, personally visited this Shirdi Baba temple in the later years.) Mohammad had never entered a temple in his life. But today, nothing would stop him from doing so. Strangely, nobody seemed to be surprised to see a Muslim enter a temple. It was as if that was normal! Walking in, Mohammad got a shock of his life. He fell on his knees and began to sob uncontrollably.

Mohammad landed in a temple like this and concluded that his dear friend was 'famous' and that he had died

A kindly gentleman walked to him and consoled him. He asked him what the matter was.

“Yeh Admi Apan Ka Dost Hain (This person is my friend). A few months ago, I met this fakir friend when I was all at sea, the Arabian Sea to be precise. Today, I realize that I will never be able to see him again... When did this happen?" he continued to sob.

Now, tears welled in the eyes of the consoling gentleman. It was 1984 now and this gentleman did not seem to know that Shirdi Baba had left the physical in 1918!

"You are indeed blessed sir! This 'friend' you speak about is our Baba, our God. He lived in Shirdi where he gave up His body in 1918. And so, I want to assure you that if you saw Him a few months ago, there are all the chances that you can see Him again."

Mohammad's eyes grew large in wonder as the gentleman said this. He was eager to know  more and more about Shirdi Baba and His wonderful leelas. He realized that the fakir who had saved him years ago had the potential to save him from his mundane living and help him find meaning in life. Wiping away his tears, he walked up to the idol of Baba and stood in prayer. Completing his prayer, he walked out of the temple, to his boat and back to Kerala.

The final odyssey

Onam is a very special festival in Kerala and the people of that state believe that their king and God visit them during those three days of festivity. For the devotees of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the state, it is a time when they carry out their annual pilgrimage to Puttaparthi; a time to travel from God’s own land, Kerala, to God’s home at Prasanthi Nilayam. It was a couple of weeks before Onam that Mohammad spotted a procession on the road.

He saw a photograph of his fakir friend, Shirdi Baba, being paraded in a palanquin. He also saw another photograph next to the Shirdi Baba one. The man in that photograph had a thick mop of curly hair and wore a saffron robe unlike the white one of Shirdi Baba. Inquisitive, he moved towards the procession and asked someone,

“Yeh Chotu Kaun Hain? (Who is this little guy?)”

A revelation followed wherein Mohammad was told about how Swami, Sri Sathya Sai Baba, was considered as Part 2 in the ‘Sai series’ of incarnations. A lot of emphasis was also laid on the unity of the two Babas. Mohammad was fascinated no doubt and he began to make a lot of enquiries. His efforts led him to procure a seat in one of the buses that would be part of the Onam pilgrimage to Puttaparthi. During the journey, he was ‘initiated’ into the rules and regulations at the ashram. That was when he realized that Sathya Sai and Shirdi Sai seemed so different. Smoking and eating meat were strict no-nos at Puttaparthi. Being a chain smoker, Mohammad wondered how he would be able to manage. He was forced to throw away all his cigarettes. Wondering what else was in store for him, he continued towards Puttaparthi.

Mohammad found himself in the darshan grounds at Prasanthi Nilayam. He watched in awe at the devotion and reverence of the thousands gathered there towards the orange-robed form of their Swami, Bhagawan Baba. The Kerala group was in for some special treatment as Swami called them separately to bless them and speak to them. And out of all those devout thousands from Kerala, Swami beckoned to Mohammad to go into the interview room.

An interview to remember

In the interview room, Mohammad was seated close to Swami who was on a chair. Looking into his eyes, Swami told him,

“You are smoking a lot. That is why you have no children of your own.”

The words hit Mohammad and he knew that he had heard similar words in the past. But the reason ascribed then was the drugs he was smuggling. Today, he was being told that smoking was the cause for his childlessness. How could one give up something that is an addiction today?

“Give up smoking and you will have children. I will help you.”

Then, coming closer to his face and looking deep into his eyes, Swami asked him,

"Do you recognize me?"

Mohammad stared blankly back at Swami. He had no recollection of having met this crinkly-haired Baba ever before. With a smile, Swami placed His right hand on Mohammad's head, right on the spot between his eyebrows, and he was transported into another time-space in an instant.

He was in the body of a person who was roaming over large tracts of land in search of his lost mare. Suddenly, he hears a voice calling out to him,

"Chand! My dear Chand. You have lost your mare and are worried right?"

"Yes sir...", he replies to the fakir wondering how on earth he knows his name, "She has wandered off somewhere today morning and I don't seem to be able to locate her at all." That is when he realizes that he has seen the fakir somewhere else - on his boat. But wasn't that another life? Or was it?

"She is just beyond this little hillock. She is safe and is awaiting you."

Chand Patil bows to Shirdi Baba after the fakir helps him locate his mare. 

Rushing, he locates the mare and returns gratefully to the fakir, bowing to him. The fakir says, "Come, join me for a smoke." With those words, he lifts a metal rod and strikes it to the ground. Water starts oozing out from there with which he wets the chillum (a kind of smoking pipe). He strikes the ground once more with the same rod and now, there is a brightly burning ember at that place with which he lights the chillum. Both, the fakir and himself enjoy a smoke together after which he invites the fakir to his daughter's wedding.

Chand Patil's samadhi at Dhoop Kheda.
Courtesy: Sai Prema's blog

The scene now begins to fade and Shirdi Baba too begins to dissolve. And in his place now, is this crinkly-haired Baba! Before Mohammad is able to understand that the vision is complete, his eyes are open and he is now looking into the eyes of Swami. And then realization dawns. It comes gushing over him in torrents! Mohammad recognizes his association with Shirdi Baba and sees how his master has been seeking and guiding him over lifetimes.  In spite of his wayward ways, He had guided him back to the shores of peace and tranquility when he was flailing wildly in the rough seas of worldly life.

For old times' sake

Mohammad looked at Swami. He had tears in his eyes. Without wasting another moment, he held His feet and cried out,

"Swami! How I have faltered! How I have moved away from you. Please hold on to me as you have done so far. I want to reform. I want to change. I don't want to get stuck in the mire that I have wallowed in for so long. Please, my dear Lord, my Allah, keep me with you."

Who would have thought of 3 smokes as the 3 ways to
God?

Ah! That was the moment for which dissatisfaction seemed to have been implanted in Mohammad - a moment which gave him the realization of the true source of peace and happiness. Even as he made that prayer, Mohammad could feel all his dissatisfaction melting away. He felt a surging joy at his self-discovery. Whatever be one's achievements in life, man will never find peace and joy till he realizes his unique relationship with God - the relationship of oneness!

Swami now did something that cemented the relationship over the ages. It was via a smoke that Shirdi Baba had bonded with Chand. And now, Swami waved His palm and, much to Mohammad's surprise, materialized three cigarettes! Handing it over to him, Swami blessed him and said,

"Three smokes and all will be well. Through these three cigarettes, I grant you the three greatest gifts of Karma, Jnana and Bhakti. "

As many ways to God as there are people on earth

"It is that third and last of those cigarettes that I finished smoking now. When Sai Baba, the top-shot of this place, has permitted me to smoke, who are these people to stop me?", concluded Mohammad.

A dazed Prithviraj paid for the tea and the duo walked out of the Kumar Vilas hotel (which no longer exists in Puttaparthi today.). He had heard that there are as many ways to God as there are people on earth but this was something beyond his most fantastic imagination. Truth indeed is stranger than fiction.

And now, that Mohammad was greeting him in the canteen. He had definitely turned over a new leaf.

“How are you Mohammad? It is so nice to see you.”

“I am a regular Seva Dal now. When I saw you, I remembered that you were the only person who allowed me to smoke that day. I can never forget you and the tea that we had that day.”

“Has your smoking reduced now?” asked an eager Prithviraj.

“Reduced? I am allergic to cigarettes. The Bhakti cigarette that I smoked in your presence has been the last one of my life. From that day, I am just unable to stand the smell or even the sight of a cigarette. That is Swami’s leela.”

“Four years without a smoke - wow! That is really Swami’s grace. So, you are a happy father now?”

“What shall I say? Every year, in the last four years, I have had a child! If I get an interview this time, I shall tell Swami that its enough - I don’t want any more children.”

Prithviraj was lost in joy now. What a tale the Lord had scripted. He wished that he had picked up at least the butt of the Bhakti cigarette which Mohammad discarded and had taken a puff. But well! It was not possible now.

Suddenly, there was commotion. Mohammad was gone and everyone seemed to be in a tearing hurry.

“Swami is coming to the canteen.”

That was the hurried talk going on. A few minutes later, the beautiful form glided into the canteen. Among the other things that Swami did, He spoke to Prithviraj when He came near him. Looking at him, Swami asked,

“You want to smoke? To get devotion? That was only for him. No shortcuts!”

So saying, Swami glided away. Prithviraj understood that in His love and boundless grace, Swami had created a new and unique way for a devotee to reach Him - via three cigarettes!

If you enjoyed reading this, you will surely enjoy these also:

1. What Sathya Sai did for Shirdi Sai - thoughts on the oneness of the two Babas

2. Sathya Sai fulfills a promise He gave as Shirdi Sai

For all readers:

(If you enjoyed this and wish to subscribe to this blog, please go to the right hand side and choose the last 'box' which says subscribe. Also explore the many 'previous articles' listed month-wise on the top right here, in the web version of the blog. Another blog which I maintain with more than 230 articles on it is at http://aravindb1982.hubpages.com. If you wish to be added to my mailing list, please email me via this page with the subject "ADD ME TO MAILING LIST".)