Dasganu Part 3:

Isavasyopanishad teaching:

Dasganu Maharaj once wanted to write commentary on Isavasyopanishad and fulfills his desire by writing this complicated scripture. So many people appreciated his writing and praised for doing so. But Dasganu had lot of questions and he put his doubts in front of some great scholars. But they could not satisfy his mind. He was unhappy about this. He approaches Baba and requested him to bless him with this knowledge. Then Baba says that there is nothing difficult about this and when you go back visit kaka’s house. His maid will clarify your doubts.

Every one felt that Baba is joking and how a maid can teach a scripture. But Dasganu knew that he has to go to Kaka Dixit’s house. What Baba said is the truth. Here the take home point is the belief in your Guru in Baba’s words Shradda (Faith). Guru’s word is God’s word. Then he goes to Kaka’s house and rests that night. He suddenly wakes up to a sweet voice who was singing about a saree. Then he woke up and wanted to check who that lady was? He started thinking is this the lady Baba was talking about? She was the sister of another worker by name Namya. Then he listens closely to the song she was singing about Saree (dress) which is in color orange. She was wearing a rag yet she was singing about a beautiful dress. She was very happy in singing this song.

Then he felt for her poverty and asked Moreswar Pradhan to give her a Saree. Then she wore that dress next day and started singing again. She came back to work next day with her original rag and still she was happy. She was singing and there was no difference in her attitude. After observing all this, Dasganu felt that he understood the Isavasyopanishad. He was able to satisfy his zeal in understanding the scripture.

What did Dasganu learn from observing this maid? Baba could have taught him this in Shirdi itself. Why send him to kaka’s house. What can we learn from the maid, the Saree, the work she was doing, the happiness that she showed by singing even when she was not wearing the new saree. What is the link and relation to Isavasyopanishad?

Isavasyopanishad has 18 verses. This is the smallest Upanishad of all of the Upanishads. Eesa means God and Vaasa means “who is omnipresent. Baba could have told him this in Shirdi itself. But he wanted to show Dasganu that he can teach through a maid to prove that he is everywhere.  The initial verse teaches us that God is every where and is all pervading. The universe came from this completeness. The maid’s poverty, ragged Saree, person who donated the saree, and all this is part of God. If we can get rid of ego, the sense of me, mine and enjoy with out expectation, then we will succeed in spiritual path.

In this story, maid was happy when she was in a rag or new Saree. This did not affect her happiness. This is what Baba wanted Dasganu to learn. This teaching is confirmed in the verses of Isavasyopanishad. It is really hard to reject the materialistic happiness. But we have to enjoy them by rejecting them. They both are contradicting each other. What it really means is to enjoy the worldly things with out getting attached to the object. All these objects were given to us by God. He gave air to breath, water to drink, and all the required elements to live. We did not bring any thing when we came in to this world and we do not take any thing with us when we die. We have to appreciate God for giving all this. The scripture says that we should not take any thing that does not belong to us. In this universe we were given enough and we have to understand our piece of the pie. If we try to snatch from others and accumulate, what will happen? Some people by their crooked ways gulp every thing around them. This is not fair and we can not even imagine what they have to go through after wards.  There will be balance in the nature.

The word “Tena Tyaktena Bhunjida” also denotes another meaning. When we eat banana, we eat the pulp and throw the skin. In a similar way, we have to reject the materialistic world by grasping the force behind this that is Paramatma (Supreme God). In our story we have lot of elements like the maid, saree, and rag, person who donated the saree etc. But the happiness that she was in irrespective of what she was wearing is the concept of ultimate happiness (Paramatma tatva). Baba not only provided this situation for Dasganu to learn but he also gave him an extraordinary out of body experience. This what great Gurus do! They will make you experience the scripture rather than just telling you. With this ultimate experience Dasganu’s doubts were cleared once for all about Isavasyopanishad.         

                   

Dasganu Maharaj after Baba Mahasamadhi

Baba took care of his devotees the same way as he did prior to his Mahasamadhi. He made sure that his devotees did not deviate from the path. Dasganu Maharaj resigned his job in 1903. After that Baba gave him the opportunity to do Harikathas (Story telling) and spread his teachings. For Dasganu Vittal in Pandharpur is the God. He wrote few chapters about Baba in his books. Mr. Sathe helped him financially to publish those books.  They were published in 1906. Dasganu always enjoyed reading books and he could tell some poetry just like that. He worked hard to learn Marathi and Sanskrit grammar and became well versed with those languages. His work about different saints was introduced as syllabus for school children in their yearly curriculums.

He used to have big crowds when he was giving talks and some times up to 2000 people in those days. He used to mesmerize them with his singing and story telling. Baba knew what Dasganu’s capability and how he will succeed in this task. That’s why he made him resign his job as police constable and direct him towards Bhakti (Devotion path) marga. Dasganu Maharaj wanted to write a commentary on a great book “Amrutanubava” written by Jnanadev himself. Every one told him that it is a difficult task. He asked Baba for blessings and he was able to write it later. He was praised for his work.

In 1919 Dasaganu was living alone in Nanded after his wife’s death. He was doing kitanas in different places and when there is no program, he stayed in Nanded itself. Once he went to meet a great soul by the name of Virakta Brahmachari. This person did not allow Dasganu to meet him. He avoided him. Dasganu was very disappointed. He tried to talk to him but without any success. He felt that he could not give him any offering and finally sends some food with another devotee. Then he accepts his food. Finally he allows Dasganu to meet him. Then Dasganu asks him for the reason he did not give Dasganu the darshan.

Then Brahmachari says like this; you say that you are a Kirthankar, but you could not get rid of your ego. You sent me the food which was laced with ego. Then he tells him some words from his recent writings, which were not published yet. Then Dasganu realizes that this Brahmachari is great soul and he knows past, present and future. The Brahmachari continued to say like this. He reminds him of Baba’s miracle about Prayag bath. When sacred water came from Baba’s feet, you sprinkled them on your head, but you did not drink the water. You are proud that you are a Brahmin and Baba was a muslim. You have to get rid of this ego. After this, Dasganu prayed to Baba and asked his grace. This is how Baba works with his devotees and he protects us from the difficulties.

Dasganu Maharaj wrote a book by name Stavanamanjari just 36 days prior to Baba’s Mahasamadhi. In 1925 he published a book called Bhakta Saramrutam. Baba appeared in Dasganu’s dream just after his mahasamadhi and asks him to come to Shirdi. After Baba’s mahasamadhi, Dasganu mostly lived in Nanded. Every year he did Pilgrimage to pandharpur. 

He died in 1963 at age 95. He died on Karthika Ekadasi in Pandharpur where his Vittal is. Baba blessed him so that he can leave his body in his favorite place. His Samadhi is in Nanded and thousands of people visit this place.

Once Baba takes you under his wing, he takes you to the goal and protects you in every aspect of your life. But it is our job to have faith in him. That’s why he is the Satchidananda Parama Guru.

OM SAI RAM!