DAS GANU MAHARAJ - GOD-REALISATION SAKSHATKARA

We have heard about Das Ganu Maharaj a lot. He is one of the apostles of Baba. Baba has chosen His apostles who will go and do the prachar work of Baba.

Das Ganu was the orderly of Nana Saheb Chandorkar. He was in the police service and Das Ganu had lots of experience of Baba, we will recollect such experiences in some future posts, but at present we will restrict ourself at the misfortune of Das Ganu who could not see Baba as a god. He never considered Baba as a god. Years later Das Ganu went to meet a great saint and sought his appointment. The appointment was not given initially as the Saint clearly said “You call yourself a Kirtankar, why then have you ahamkar, The saint further said, “Shall I tell you what kind of Ahamkar you have ? Is not Sai Baba your guru and shall I say what you have done to Him? Did you Sai Baba produce water from his feet and what did you do with it? You sprinkled it on your head but would not drink it because you were a Brahmin and the Ganga was coming from the feet of Baba who is staying in a Masjid. Is this is not Ahamkar. Ganu felt Ashamed.

We can list out a few miracles Baba performed for Das Ganu

1) He thought him the essence of Upanishad through the maid servant of Kaka Saheb Dixit.

2) He made Ganga flow at His feet for the sake of Das Ganu,

3) He got him saved from his fellow constables who were jealous of Das Ganu.

4) He was saved from the clutches of Appa Bhil a dread dacoit

5) He was again saved by Baba in a theft embezzlement case.

We can write many such leelas Baba has done for Das Ganu. This Leela which we are going to see is very important, cus Baba knows the heart of His devotees and never goes out of the way to force a devotee and respects the wishes of His devotees.

Das Ganu wanted a Sakshatkar (Divine Vision) of His Chosen devotee Vithoba of Pandarpur. Das Ganu Maharaj. He is a varkhari of Pandharpur and the idea of Pandarinath, standing on bricks with arms is the idea of God, which is uppermost in his mind.

So Das Ganu requested Baba to give Him Sakshatkar of Vittobha. Baba has asked him to do a seven day reading of Bhagavata, and Das Ganu was ready to do a seven day reading of the book provided Baba assured him of a divine vision or Sakshatkar .

Baba assured Das Ganu that Vittal will appear, but Das Ganu should have intense devotion. Das Ganu read his saptha of Bhagavata; but failed to get sakshatkar.

Das Ganu Maharaj was disappointed and said to Baba that He promised Sakshatkar but He did not get it. Baba advised Him patience. [Baba was evidently waiting for development of the requisite faith and earnestness in D.G.]

In 1916, Bhadrapad, Das Ganu was keen on going to Pandharpur; but Nana Saheb Chandorkar took him to Shirdi and made him perform keertans and was for detaining him there even for Asvin, evidently with Baba’s assent. Das Ganu then taught within himself without saying “How is He a Guru who blocks my way to my God at Pandharpur” (Das Ganu had a Brahmin Guru. He did not deem Baba as his guru)

Baba said to Nana : Nana do not stop him from going to Pandharpur. And Baba gave permission to Das Ganu to go to Pandarpur.

So Das Ganu gladly went to Pandharpur for asvin, as Vittal of Pandaripur alone was God to him and not Baba. Later he returned to Shirdi.

Das Ganu again said to Baba, you have been long putting off request of Sakshatkar. When will you give me sakshatkar? Baba then said I am that Vittal of Pandarpur please see me. I am God. Das Ganu was not satisfied cuz he never considered Baba as Guru or God and said to Baba “I expected you would say so. But I am not satisfied with that.

Das Ganu considered that it was not in his destiny (Prarabdha) to have sakshatkar of God Vittal, as that was what he evidently wanted.

So what do we learn from this. We can learn that Baba was a unique God or Saint who walked on earth. The other previous incarnations of God in this earth left behind books or teachings and requested their followers to follow them. But Baba was a God who never left any teachings encouraged devotees to follow their own gods and religious practices, and never came in the way of his devotees who wanted to follow their own chosen way.

Jai Sri Sai.

For more literature on Sai Baba Please visit www.saileelas.org