Our Beloved Gurudev Sri Anand Sai Ji whom we called "Papa" with love was a sanitary contractor before attaining the Gurutatva. He was required to travel, sometimes by railway and sometimes by road. While travelling by railsway His Naam Jap used to be in rhythm with the sound of the wheels of the train. He penned many Bhajans while travelling. He utilized every moment He could, in the fond remembrance of the Lord. He enjoyed nature and saw His own Bab Sai Nath in the shole of creation. Following lines penned by Him narrate this.
While in Pachmari He used to climb a hillock and sing in the praise of Bab Sainath of then sit down to hear its echo. Due to the location of that hillock and surrounding vallies and mountains the echo could be heard several times. While hearing the echo He would get immersed in the Supreme Divine Love.
He had very remarkable friends. To name a few Shri Bedi Ji, Shri Jasawala Ji, Shri Pussulal Agarawal Ji. All of them were spiritually inclined and enlightened souls. They used to sit together and share their experiences. Time would fly when they got immersed in the spiritual discussions. In this way also He acquired knowledge about different faiths, religions and developed His faith about oneness of God. He used to naratte very fond memories of that time. Once He told us about an experience of one of His friend who was in defence services. He once travelled by bus and got down at his designated place. While walking down to the place where he was to stay he was required to cross a bridge. As he was crossing the bridge a fakir sitting on that bridge as asking for four annas to have food. The defence servicemen was a pious soul. He took out a coin from his pocket and gave it to the fakir. The fakir saw the coin and called on the donor. I am in need of four annas and you have given me eight annas. I need only four annas for my meals. The doner said "O.K. baba keep the balance four annas for tomorrow." Baba staring at the doner said "Aye, I need only four annas not more than that. If you want to give, please give me four annas or take your eight annas back." The doner said repeated what he had said earlier. The fakir was annoyed by the insistence and said "what do you think will my Allah die tomorrow. Will he not provide me with food tomorrow, then why should I worry for the day to come" and while saying so he flung the coin down on the road side. The defence personnel while narrating this to Beloved Pap said what a good lesson that fakir had taught him. If we have unflinching faith in God then why should we worry about or future. Why should we not love in the present leaving the rest to God. Beloved Papa then used to add "learn from that fakir, from the incident. Have total faith in God, surrender whole heartedly to Him and never worry about your future. He will take care of your upcoming days."
Papa did Bhakti of different forms of God. While He was involved in a particular form of God He would be whole heartedly immersed in that particular form. He used to feel the presence of that very form and would converse with that form. Here we quote the lines penned by Him while he was in Ram Bhakti. These lines very well narrate His experience -
His love for Baba Sai Nath was so immense that at times He was unable to bear His separation from Him. Then He prayed to Baba for His 'Darshan'. At certain moments the urge (viraha) to meet the Lord was so immense that he used to bang His head against the wall, crying like a child to have a glimpse of His mother, Baba Sai Nath. As a small child does not like anything but wants only his mother's lap, similarly Papa at certain moments wanted His "Sai Maa", to be in His lap, to be one with Him. His urge was so great that He used to cry for the whole night. His pillow used to be wet with tears in the morning. And, when the urge is so immense, love is so true then how can The Mother stay back. The mother also runs to the child and picks him up. "Sai Maa" gave darshan to His child several times. Even Baba took physical form on several occasions for the sake of His child. Once He took the form of a Daridra Narayan and came to Papa's door asking for alms. Papa was sitting in the open yard of His house. He checked His pockets but His pockets were empty. He called His wife (our Guru Mata) asking to give something to Narayan. But surprisingly there was nothing to offer. Ultimately the Narayan left empty handed. When He prayed to Baba for darshan while in deep meditation, Sai said that He had been to His place but He didn't recognize Him. Papa was surprised and shocked to know this. After meditation He told His wife about Baba's visit to their place. Thus Sai Mother played Hide and seek with His child.
Papa could not bear to see the cruelty on innocent, speechless animals. He preached to have mercy on the speechless beings. He said cruelty on animals, birds etc begets untold sufferings. The incident from Beloved Papa's life narrated below is a clear example of His nature of a tongs (horse driven cart). It was early morning and the horse was tired hence was unable to move fast. The owner wanted to return back to his home after night long work. So he was hurry and wanted the horse should move fast, but to no avail. Papa was feeling pity for the horse. He asked the tongawala to stop whipping or else He would get down. But the tongawal did not heed Papa's request and hence Papa forced him to stop, got down and settled his fare. He then walked down to the rest house painfully feeling mercy and pity on the sick innocent animal. He was so pained that as soon as He reached the rest house. he sat down for meditation and Baba appeared before Him and said child you have terribly shaken. What will happen if you see the whole life of such eighty four lakhs of speechless beings. Do you know shy all this happens? This all happens due to the karmas (actions) of previous births. The horse you just saw suffering miserably, had duped the tangawala in a previous hbirht and was now repaying in this birth. One has to repay his/her debts in different forms in different modes. One has to get rid of all his dues.
Papa also narrated a story of madari and a bear. A madari earned his livelihood by showing the pranks of a bear to the public on the road side. The bear had to act as per commands of the madari. He was mercilessly tortured while being trained and had to work the whole day thereafter. The bear was terribly upset and eager to get rid of the torturous life. The madari used to pass through a place where a saint had camped. The bear prayed to the saint for mercy everyday while he was hauled up to the city by the madari. One day the merciful saint called the madari and gave him Rs. 10 and eight annas. The madari was pleased and thanked the saint. The bear died instantly. The madari ran back to the saint, with tears told the saint about the demise of the animal. Then the saint pacified him and told him that in the previous birth the bear and madari were partners in a business. The bear had ditched you of a certain amount which he was repaying in this birth. The bear was in agony and repented for his deeds while he prayed for mercy. I found that Rs. ten and eight annas were left to be repaid. It would have taken a long time for the bear to clear this amount. Having pity on threat jeeva. I repaid the debts and he was freed. These two narrations are eye openers for us. They teach us that one should be honest and live within ones means. Taking debts and not being able to repay or ditching others will put us in such traumas and unending miseries. Let us learn from the above narrations.
Before concluding we will take you all to join us in the prayer at the Lotus Feet and Baba Sai Nath. O Baba! we They children humbly pray to Thee for peace and harmony on this earth. O Baba! give good sensed to all human beings so that there is no bloodshed.
"Sri Guru Charanam Samarpayami"
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