Om Sai Ram

 

In 1910, Ramachandra V.Pathankar, a Retd. Clerk of Alibaugh was in distress. His monthly earnings of Rs.30/- was not sufficient to meet his family expenses. There was a certain photograph of Akkalkot Swami at Balkrishna Buva’s Mutt, Dadar that attracted him. He visited that Mutt often, as he was devoted to Swami Samarth. One day Ghansham Gupta, a close friend of his, asked Pathankar to accompany him to Shirdi. Although he attended Das Ganu’s Kirtan and Pravachan but he did not have faith in Baba. He thought that Baba was a Muslim. Insisting him to come Ghansham assured Pathankar that all his expenses for the trip would be borne by him. Pathankar was reluctant at first, and then he agreed to accompany Ghansham, on the condition that he wouldn’t give any Dakshina to Baba. If he did, it would be no more than one rupee. Ghansham agreed to this and both of them went to Shirdi. At that time, there was only one hotel in Shirdi. Unfortunately, Pathankar found a few worms in the dal when he was having lunch. He started shouting at the top of his voice. “Did I come all the way to Shirdi to eat worms?” he said. Then, both the friends went for Baba’s darshan. Baba, on seeing Pathankar, flew into a rage and drove him away. Pathankar was upset and decided to leave Shirdi, without Baba’s consent. The other devotees consoled him and asked him not to do so. Later both the friends went for Baba’s darshan again. Baba had calmed down and looking at Pathankar, He said, “Do people come here to eat worms?” On hearing this vital question, Pathanknr fell at Baba’s feet. He realized that Baba was omnipresent. Then, Baba gave him darshan as Akkalkot Swamy, the very same form that he worshipped at Balkrishna Buva’s Mutt. Pathankar was over whelmed and realized that Baba was not different from Swami Samarth. He gave Baba one rupee Dakshina. But Baba asked for Dakshina again. He gladly gave another rupee. Then Baba gave him permission to leave. Upon returning home, he got another job, which gave him a better salary, and he could live comfortably. Baba took two rupees Dakshina and gave back a hundred. Courtesy- Ambrosia in Shirdi

from the poetry of sand,

to the novels of clay,

a behemoth sleeps, constructed

by bricks,

the souls of many are locked

in there,

you can hear them moan

or cry

about the agony

of their futile convictions

Iron bars of righteous esteem,

radiate memories

of the killings and the murders

and the robberies,

then suddenly, they forgo sordid ignorance,

the theft of the mind,

they're at home,

yet convicts of their wrong doing

Now, their vicions are tainted

with blood,

and their peace has been

stolen by their own cruel actions,

rattled conscience!

their sins ressurrect as ghouls

to hover over them

and their future,

they shall know no rest

till the truth has been spoken.

                                                        By Kakraba Afful

No, my parents didn't pamper me,

it was I, who pampered myself

with ignorance;

I became a weakling at last,

devoid of knowledge and understanding

No, my parents did all I could do,

but I injected myself

with the vaccine of shortcomings,

a strong, hazardous drug

I mistook for free freedom

but this freedom was evil,

it made my brain and hands

lazy,

so I could do nothing

I was capable of doing

Then laughter comes from all sides

and stabs me ravenously,

tis nothing but my ignorance

that haunts me

like a ghost of my existence.

                                                          By Kakraba Afful