Shri Sai Satcharita Quiz.

Answer to Q 42 is b) Nanavali

Further information:
Testing Baba

It was the year 1915. One Thursday morning, the mosque was full of devotees Baba was sitting with crossed legs on the big stone in front of the mosque. Nana Chandorkar, Shama, Mhalsapathi, Dixit, Tatya, Sathe and others were standing. A rich middle-aged lady, Janaki Bai, wearing a silk saree with zari border, brought several costly items of jewellery on a gold plate to give them to Baba. She was standing in the ladies queue. Every devotee had something or the other in his hand to hand it over to Baba. Some washed the feet of Baba by placing them in a silver plate. Some applied sandalpaste on his neck and sprinkled perfumes. Some offered flowers, fruits and pedas ( a milk sweet). Some offered money according to their capacity.

Nanavali, who was standing behind the devotees, observed all this and felt happy. But in a few moment his face changed and his happiness disappeared. His face flushed with anger. His eyes became red and his appearance was fearful. He called out in a very loud voice, "You fakir". All looked towards him, stunned. Nanavali slowly advanced towards Baba and was stared into his eyes. He was a rough type of person and everyone feared what was to happen. He said to Baba, "So many have got up and stood fearing me. But you are calmly sitting cross-legged." Baba did not reply. Nanavali ordered Baba to get up. Baba went and stood near the devotees. Nanavali sat cross-legged on the stone just like Baba. He ordered the devotees to bring the offerings to him. He ate some and threw away some. He stared for some time at the lady who had brought jewels in a gold plate. He stared alternately at the lady and the gold plate for some time. Finally he looked at her insultingly and spat.

Then he looked at Baba and said, "What Nawab! How are you?" Baba replied that he was a fakir only and not a nawab. Nanavali questioned Baba about how the world was. Baba replied, "It is as usual." Nanavali asked what Baba meant by his reply. Then Baba said, "With the five elements and eight directions, this world appears normal only to me." With this reply Nanavali’s face changed, his anger disappeared and he became normal again. Again he stared into Baba’s eyes. Their eyes exchanged something silently. Nanavali fell at Baba’s feet and asking pardon went away quickly to the relief of the devotees.

Then Nana Chandorkar said to Baba, "Baba, the crazy actions of Nanavali are increasing day by day. He dared to sit on your seat and spoiled the offerings brought by the devotees, and also insulted your devotees. We will not tolerate this further. If you permit us we will take appropriate action." To this Baba replied, "Nanavali is not a crazy person as all of you are thinking. He is a sage (avadhuta) who crossed the worldly limits. He had come to test me. "Then Nana Chandorkar asked Baba how a crazy person could test him. Baba explained as follows, "When I came to Shirdi for the first time, the villagers threw stones at me taking me to be a crazy person (pagal fakir). After sometime, they called me a doctor. Now you are all treating me as God and worshipping me and offering me several things. Nanavali only tested me to find out whether desires have sprouted in me on seeing all this. From the reply I gave him he understood that I am in the original state only and nothing has changed in me. Craziness is the climax of Vedanta." In the light of Baba’s explanation, the devotees recalled the questions and answers between Nanavali and Baba and felt happy. From that day they wiped out their opinion that Nanavali was a crazy person.

@suryakala
Yes, every time I read information because of you, it is something I learn new. You are doing a service which I am no way near. You had been the motivation for me to read.
Thanks a lot.
Vaidehi

 

b).nanavali

 

This is the link where I found the above information regarding Nanavali:
Life History of Shirdi Sai Baba

Thanks,
Vaidehi

 

v.h.thakur.

 

Q 44- answer is a) Mr Ambedkar

Mr. Ambadekar

Mr. Gopal Narayan Ambadekar of Poona was a devotee of Baba. He served for ten years in the Abkari department in the Thana District and in Javhar state, from where he had to retire. He tried to get some other job, but he did not succeed. He was overtaken by other calamities and his condition grew from bad to worse. He passed 7 years in this condition, visiting Shirdi every year and placing his grievance before Baba. In 1916 his plight became worst and be decided to commit suicide in Shirdi. So he came there with his wife and stayed for two months. One night while sitting in a bullock cart in front of Dixit's Wada, he resolved to end his life by throwing himself into a well close by. He proposed to do one way but Baba wished to do something else. A few paces from this place, there was a hotel and its proprietor Mr. Sagun, a devotee of Baba, came out and accosted him thus - "Did you ever read this Akkalkotkar Maharaja's life?" Ambadekar took that book from Sagun and began to read it. Casually, or we may say providentially he came across a story which was to this effect. - During the life time of Akkalkotkar Maharaj a certain devotee suffered very much from an incurble disease and when he could endure the agony and pain no longer, be became desperate and to end his miseries threw himself one night into a well. Immediately the Maharaj came there and took him out with his own hands and advised him thus - "You must enjoy the fruit - good or bad - of your past actions; if the enjoyment be incomplete, suicide won't help you. You have to take another birth and suffer again; so instead of killing yourself, why not suffer for some time and finish up your store of the fruit of your past deeds and be done with it once and for all?"

Reading this appropriate and timely story, Ambadekar was much surprised, and moved. Had he not got Baba's hint through the story, he would have been no more. On seeing Baba's all-prevasiveness and benevolence, his faith in Him was confirmed, and he became a staunch devotee. His father was a devotee of Akkalkotkar Maharaj and Sai Baba wanted him to walk into his father's footsteps and continue his devotion to Him. He then got Sai Baba's blessings and his prospects began to improve. He studied astrology and gained proficiency in it and thereby improved his lot. He was able to earn sufficient money and passed his after-life in ease and comfort.

link: Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 26

 

a).Gopal Nararayan Ambadekar of Poona .