Baba's Test to Prof. Narke and Final Results
Continuing with the translated stories of Prof. Narke from 'Sai Sarovar', here is yet another story wherein Prof. Narke again gets proof of Sai Baba's pervasiveness and omniscience.
In the year 1913, Shirdi was again under the grip of a plague epidemic. Witnessing the results of the epidemic, fear of death settled in Prof. Narke's mind. He was thinking that if he stayed in Shirdi he would have to face death. Many a times the cause of person's unstable state of mind is his own thoughts and fears. In this epidemic, a sweet vendor had to sacrifice his life.
Sai Baba called Narke and entrusted him a job. He gave Narke some money and said, "Go and bring sweet for prasad from Rangrao's shop". There were not many sweet shops in Shirdi and Narke was totally aware where the sweet shop was since he was living in Shirdi for a considerable time. It was evening time. When Narke reached the shop he saw that the shutter of the shop was half closed. Exactly near the cupboard where the sweets were kept, a man was covered with a white cloth and was lying on the floor. A lamp was lighted near his head and Rangrao's wife Sitabai was crying hiding her face in a corner. Narke, saw all this and was confirmed that the man who seems to be sleeping wasdead.
Narke was in a fix now. On one hand a dead body was lying in the shop and the death was due to plague and on other hand Baba had strictly told to get the sweet from Rangrao's shop. How can a sweet from such shop be consumed? But was not Baba fully aware that Rangrao had met his fate before sending me here? There may be some deep reason behind Baba's sending me to this shop. Narke asked for sweet from Rangrao's wife. She pointed to the cupboard and said, "You yourself take sweet from the cupboard and weigh it. Narke did so and kept money aside and left. Narke placed the sweet at the Holy Feet of Baba. Baba distributed the sweet among the devotees present inDwarkamai.
Baba said to Narke, "Do you think that by living in Shirdi you will die and if you leave Shirdi will you be saved? This is your delusion. This Dwarkamai will save the one whose death has not come and the one, whose death is definite, will die". Thus the fear of Narke was destroyed by Baba in a practical way.
In the next post we shall see how Narke's wish to take Sanyaas was not accepted by Baba as He was aware of Narke's bright career and future.
We had read a story about how Narke's fear about death was destroyed by Sai Baba by following peculiar actions. In this story also we shall see how Baba showed Narke his predecided path.
The death of Rangrao left a deep impression on Narke's mind. He was surprised to see the helplessness of Sitabai. On one hand her husband's dead body was lying and on the other hand to earn money she had to keep the shop open. Due to poverty, the real worth of feelings has decreased and mutual relations are just for the sake of name only, were the thoughts of Narke.
Narke's mind was engrossed in various sorts of thoughts of human's feelings and poverty. His mind lost its stability. Meanwhile one day Sai Baba gave a few old Kafnis to Thosar, Sakharam Bapusaheb Jog and Vamanrao Patel because Baba was aware that these devotees will take Sanyaas in near future. Narke was present at that time and thought, "If Baba gives me Kafni too, I will leave these worldly affairs at this very moment". Narke forwarded his hand to take Kafni, but Baba starting speaking in sweet words, "What can I do if this Fakir of Dwarkamai does not allowme to give you Kafni". Baba was fully aware that Sanyaas was not for Narke. Even if he was unhappy that day, his future was bright. On one hand Narke was not employed for a long time and on the other hand whenever he went to Dwarkamai Baba used to ask him for dakshina of fifteen rupees which was a considerable amount in those days.
Narke possessed great self respect and did not ask for a single penny from his father-in-law, even though he was a well to do man. Whenever Baba asked for dakshina he could not do anything except listening silently to what Baba spoke. Narke was a learned person. He knew that Baba was omniscient and was fully aware of his unemployment. There must be a deep meaning behind His asking for dakshina of fifteen rupees every time. He tried to find that deep meaning.
One day after noon meals, Baba was alone in Dwarkamai. So Narke asked Baba, "Baba You know that I am unemployed for a long time and you ask for dakshina of fifteen rupees from me, I don't understand the reason behind this". Baba said, "Oh son, do you think that I need this money made of gold and silver? What will I do with such money? You read Yog Vashishta daily, so inculcate fifteen teachings from the chapter which you are reading right now. Practice those fifteen teachings and they will help you in your good and bad times. I don't require any material money from you."
Narke continuously tried for jobs while staying in Shirdi. Once it so happened that interview calls from Burma and Calcutta came simultaneously. Baba said, "You go to Burma-Pune". Readers may be remembering that in an earlier post it was written that Baba used to add suffix Pune after every city's name which He recommended. Narke was not mentally prepared to go to Burma as well as Calcutta, so he denied both the offers.
Like this five years passed away. Narke got an interview call from university of Banaras, but Baba said to him, "There is no need to go to Banaras, you go to Pune". Narke said, "Baba, there are no colleges and universities of geology in Pune". But he did not get any answer from Baba.
At last in the year 1917, a section for geology was started in Pune University. Narke read the classified in newspaper and applied for professor's position as per Baba's permission. Narke was selected for the position and was appointed with a handsome salary of Rs. 600. In the year 1918, his job was permanently fixed in the university and with the money thus earned Narke purchased a bungalow and lived happily with his wife and children.
Now the mystery of suffix 'Pune' was resolved by Narke and he got a practical example of Baba's all pervasiveness.
(Source: Holy Gujarati Book – Sai Sarovar.)
