Sai Baba Turning Water into Oil - Morals to learn

Sai Baba was a fakir or beggar who lived in Shirdi begging food from four or five houses. Many in Shirdi took Baba for a mad fellow. They never cared for Him. The people of Shirdi ignored him and treated as a person of no account. Baba always loved lighting lamps and in His Masjid (which He later called Dwarakamayi) He always lighted four or five lamps, you might have read the story of Baba turning water into oil in Chapter 5 of Sri Sai Satcharitra. Further in those days, Shirdi was a small village with hardly about 100 mud houses, with narrow lanes, snakes and scorpions were freely roaming about, there was no single respectable building, and there were some small temples, like than of Hanuman, Shani, etc and a small mosque which Baba made His dwelling place. The villagers lead a quiet life and they were very poor and seldom interfered in others affairs and they were contended with their lot.

There were no roads, no street lighting, and no public comforts. Also Baba had only Mahalsapthy and his two friends, Appa Bhil and Dagadu Darji. Let us recollect this once again

Turning Water into Oil

“Sai Baba was very fond of lights. He used to borrow oil from shop-keepers, and keep lamps burning the whole night in the Masjid and temple. This went on for some time. The Banias, who supplied oil gratis, once met together and decided not to give Him oil. When, as usual, Baba went to ask for oil, they all gave Him a distinct No. Unperturbed, Baba returned to the Masjid and kept the dry wicks in the lamps. The banias were watching Him with curiosity. Baba took the Tumrel (tin pot) which contained very little (a few drops) of oil, put water into it and drank it and forced it fall in the container. After consecrating the tin-pot in this way, He again took water in the tin-pot and filled all the lamps with it and lighted them. To the surprise and dismay of the watching Banias, the lamps began to burn and kept burning the whole night. The Banias repented and apologized. Baba forgave them and asked them to be more truthful in future.”

(Courtesy Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter V)

Now let us see the significance of Baba lighting the lamps with water and the moral of the story. In those days when there was no electricity, it was a common practice among all religions that the places of worship should be lighted in the night. So as part of this practice Baba used to light the Masjid in the night. The oil merchant of Shirdi felt that they are supplying oil to Baba and they did not understand that Baba was the universal and in their ego they thought they are the persons who kept Baba supplied with the necessary ingredient that is oil to light up the Masjid. After seeing the miracle performed by Baba, they were afraid of Babas power and thought that Baba will curse them, so they fell at His feet and begged His forgiveness. Baba first took them to task for having uttered a false hood, they had oil and they did not give (First Moral : We should not utter false hood). Next Baba pointed out to them how cunning and unsocial they were, the lights were needed for a holy place,(whether belonging to any religion), the light in the masjid was also serving the devotees or visitors who went to the mosque and also served as a beacon light for the villagers who used to go around in Shirdi. He advised the oil merchants never to take pleasure in others miseries and instead show sympathy to them.. God is the mother and father of All. Baba was the universal soul He is the mother and father of all the living and non living things in the world. Suppose we tell the father that we have hurt his child and we enjoyed seeing the child suffer, will the father and mother keep quiet. No they will not, they will try to seek revenge. But Baba was the universal Father and Mother, so Baba forgave the oil merchants and advised them not to take pleasure in others sufferings (Second Moral : We should not take pleasure in others miseries). After this small leela of Baba His fame spread.

So we have two morals to learn, Never to utter false hood, if we do not wish to give we have to politely refuse to give. Second never to take pleasure in others sufferings, if we cannot offer help atleast let us not enjoy others sufferings, cuz ultimately they are our own brethren either in the form of human or animal cuz Baba is the father and mother of all.

Jai Sai

Belive in Sai and Peace be to all.

for literature on Baba please visit www.saileelas.org, for old shirdi details visit www.heritageofshirdi.blogspot.com
For other interesting articles on Sai visit www.babasaiofshirdi.org