Shri Sai Satcharitra-Chapter XXIV-Part I

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Preliminary

To say that, we shall state such and such in the next or this Chapter, is a sort of egoism. Unless, we surrender our ego to the feet of our Sad-guru, we will not succeed in our undertaking. If we become egoless, then our success is assured.

Sai Ram : While ego has to merge with Sai at the right time, ego is the tool for doing one's karma in this world. Thus ego can be used for useful purposes. The important thing to remember is to submit the ego to the wishes of Guru. Thus the ego is protected from going astray. Sai Ram.

By worshipping Sai Baba, we attain both the objects, worldly and spiritual, and are fixed in our true nature, and get peace and happiness. Therefore, those who want to gain their welfare, should respectfully hear Sai Baba's Leelas or stories and meditate on them. If they do this, they will easily attain the object of their life and get Bliss.

Sai Ram. Humans have four purusharthas in life - dharma (righteousness),artha (material wealth), kama (fulfillment of desires) and moksha (liberation from desires). Shri Hemadpant affirms with his own experiences that worshipping Guru (Sai) takes care of all purusharthas. Sai Ram.

Generally, all people like wit and humour, but they do not like that jokes should be cut at their expense. But Baba's method was peculiar; when it was accompanied with gestures, it was very interesting and instructive, and the people, therefore, did not mind, if they were held up to the ridicule. Hemadpant gives his own instance below.

Sai Ram. People don't like jokes to be cut at their expense by other people but with Baba it was different since Baba had the power to be one with their mind and open their awareness to a higher level and thus lift them from the shackles of their egos. So, they did not mind the jokes. Here we see a lesson. A man who can laugh at his own folly and a man who can laugh at jokes directed at himself is already relatively free from the shackles of pride and ego. It is our ego that makes us like or dislike something. It is also our ego which makes us enjoy the discomfiture of others (it has to do with our desire to dominate others for our own pleasures. Sai Ram.). However, in the presence of our Sadguru Sai, our egos get refined and learn the lessons from jokes or humor. That is the effect of Sadguru and of course the result of our merits of this birth or past lives. Sai Ram.