While working through my Bengali archives I found more nectarean anecdotes about Sādhu Bābā, from Baba's tīrtha brāhmin Rādhācaran Deslā of Rādhākund (interview I made and recorded November 26, 2004):"Once he (Bābā) went by plane to Assam for a week to lecture - the ticket cost a lot of money, but guess what happened after 3 days? Bābā said: "Bhāi, I am leaving". The devotee who paid the ticket said in shock: "What are you doing? I paid so much money for that plane ticket!" Bābā said: "Bhāi, have you purchased me by paying that money? I don't want to leave my deities (any longer)" So he left right then - he had no interest in money at all. He would tell people to do this and do that, and if they would ask him how much it may cost he said: "Oh I have no idea about that- if you like you can do this for me, but I don't know anything about the costs." Bābā had a very rich merchant disciple who spent a lot of money on him, but still Bābā got into a fight with him and said: 'You are so rich, you think you purchased me? Don't come to my place anymore with this false esteem!"
These anecdotes are added to page 20 of Sādhu Bābā's biography and can be found on http://www.madangopal.com, linktab Nikunja Gopal Gosvami.
Today I also found this verse in the Haribhakti Vilāsa (4.154), for those who claim one cannot use the big toilet wearing a sewn sweater, even if it is wool - chinnaṁ vā sandhitaṁ dagdham āvikaṁ na praduṣyati - "Lambs-wool is not contaminated, even if it is torn, sewn or burned."
Edited 25 april 2007 7.23 CET Thanks anon!
I have now also added Ritu-Da's story of how Baba first appeared to him to the biography, which has now reached the magic size of 50 pages! Ritu-Da's story is originally a comment on my blog "Off to Radhakund" of september 30, 2006.
ReplyDeleteI have shifted the story of how Radhananda had the vision of Baba from page 39 to page 24, where it now stands together with Ritu Da's story....
It is interesting how a large number of saints have nothing but utter contempt for money and material wealth. I find it very admirable.
ReplyDeleteBut on the other hand, how realistic is it to live without money? Is it that your Baba was against the mentality that he could be "purchased" with money? Or a money-minded mentality in general? Not against money by itself, right?
ReplyDeleteIt isnt realistic to live without money, at least not for us here in the west where there is no culture of sadhu seva like in India. yadRccha lAbha santuSTo (Gita 4.22). When money is given, take it with both hands, but dont flatter, cheat, steal or posture for money. Baba was just aloof, that's all. I saw him returning donations to disciples and he even gave me some pocket money when I went to Rath Yatra in Puri. He being the 'poor Indian' and me being the 'rich westerner'.
ReplyDelete