Spiritual Paradox

Aum Sairam

This is further to my previous posting in response to the featured article "Spiritual Paradox". There is an interesting instance in Shri Sai Satcharitra, which I have been studying for nearly one and half years now.

Somebody brought a plank with an idea of making a cot for Sri Sai Baba. Of course, one narrow plank was not enough for making the cot. But before more planks could be collected, Sri Sai Baba hoisted the plank near to the ceiling and tied it with thin and withered rags.

Question had been asked in my pratham an examination of panchshila to explain Sri Sai Baba's couch on the narrow plank hoisted high with rags.

Another interesting aspect of that couch on the narrow plank hoisted high with rags was that nobody could ever see how he went up the plank and how he came down. Venerable Shri Dhabholkar alias Hemadpant has made a very poetic guess on this, saying, "May not one bestowed with 'Siddhi's become a fly and go up there or come down from there?"It occurred to me when writing my answer that Sri Sai Baba making a couch up there, away from all world was sannyasa [renunciation], going up there as a fly was siddhi attainment and being unconcerned whether the narrow plank was comfortable enough or not was Samadhi equanimity - all the three approaches rolled in one single instance, same as their having been quoted together in the verse 3-6!

In the context of this instance, one can also wonder whether Sri Sai Baba ever slept. Would God ever sleep? In this context it is interesting to relate this question with verse 2-69 in Shree Bhagwad-Gita, "Yaa nishaa sarva-bhootaanaam, tasyaam jagarti sanyamee, yasyaam jaagrati bhootaani saa nishaa pashyato muneyh" When the people retire to sleep, sanyamee, one with unpurturbing mind yet stays alert, [caring for the world?] and when the world is up and kicking, the Muni is oblivious to it all, even when seeing it all. Baba exemplified all this.

People tell that the philosophy of Shri Bhagwad Geeta is not just for reading and understanding but also for imbibing into ones life. But one needs examples to show how this is done. Shri Sai Satcharitra is full of such exemplary directions for one to improve ones life! This then becomes also an answer to the question of the week, "How to read Shri Sai Satcharitra?"

Allah Malik