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Sai Humour
Barber
"A young man in the interview
room had the shoulder-length hair fashionable at the time. After
teasing him for looking like a woman, Baba advised him to get it
cut. 'Will You cut the first lock, Swami?', asked the young man
adoringly. Baba shook His head in mock horror, 'I am Baba, not
Barber!' He said.
Chocolates for Mother
There was one person by name Mr.
Hariharan working in the Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning,
Prasanthi Nilayam. He used to celebrate his birthday by taking one
Kg. of chocolate to Swami, which Swami will throw to the devotees
assembled there, as His blessings to one and all. This is because
Swami celebrates each and every devotee's birthday as His own
birthday and that is why he threw chocolates. Hariharan was doing
this for a number of years, ever since he came to Swami. He has
his mother.
A few years back, when Hariharan´s
birthday came, as usual he purchased one Kg. of chocolate and was
to take the same to Swami. At that time his mother told him that
why he is wasting money to buy so much chocolate and is it not
enough if he just buys 1/4 Kg. Hariharan said that he is following
the procedure every year and he will do so this year also.
Then he took the plate containing
the chocolates and went and sat with the students in the verandah.
Usually those boys who celebrate their birthday are given
preference to sit in the front line on the verandah facing swami's
room, so that Swami will come out and bless the students first
before going to darshan line. In those days Swami used to emerge
from the interview room for darshan also.
Hariharan sat in the middle where
two other boys sat on either side of him awaiting Swami's arrival.
They too carried chocolates. Swami came out, first went to the boy
sitting on the left side of Hariharan, blessed him and threw the
chocolates around. He smiled at Hariharan and without touching his
chocolate went to the boy sitting on his right side, blessed the
student, threw the chocolates and straight away went for the
darshan line to bless devotees. Hariharan was disappointed but
patiently held the position in the hope Swami will bless him when
he returns to the room, after darshan. Swami came back to the
verandah after darshan, gave a look at Hariharan and then took one
handful of chocolates from each of the students who were sitting
on his sides, threw the same into the plate of chocolates held by
Hariharan and told him in Tamil " Unga Amma Kitte kondu poi kodu"
- meaning give the chocolates to your Mother. Hariharan was amazed
how Swami came to know of the dialogue between him and his mother
and was shedding tears .Swami told him that His blessings are
always there whether one brings chocolates or not. This is one of
the many episodes of humor in Swami. He is so nice even in humor
which we should all emulate.
S. Sangaranarayanan
The Mantra
Many years ago Kasturi was with
Baba at Benares and was consumed by the desire to receive a Mantra
from Swami. Having mentioned this to Baba, he bathed himself in
the sacred waters of the Ganges and fasted all morning to receive
it. But the morning hours passed. Noon came. But no Mantra! He
confessed that by this time he shed tears of disappointment. Then
horror of horrors, lunch time came, and he was seated right next
to Swami. 'Kasturi, why aren't you eating?' Asked Baba, assuming
innocence. 'The Mantra...' began the miserable Kasturi, swallowing
a sob. 'What is the purpose of a Mantra?' Swami asked. 'To get
closer to the Lord,' Kasturi replied.
Baba looked down at Kasturi's arm
and then at His own. They were almost touching. 'Well,' He smiled
in His divinely down-to-earth way, 'How much closer do you want to
get?'
Danish Delight
At an interview Swami addressed a
Danish couple saying to the wife: "He is a good man."
The wife gleaming with joy responded: "Yes very good Swami." "No, no" Swami replied, "Not very
good, only good."
Kids Play
On the morning of 29 July 1994,
Swami called the U.K.
group together for with a young man and his
father for an interview. Swami on an earlier occasion had
materialized a three stone diamond ring for the young man. During
the interview Swami called the young man who was sitting at the
back to come forward and said, "The ring is a little tight on your
finger, give it to me and I will make it a bit bigger so that it
fits you perfectly". Just then, as Swami was about to
blow on the ring to change its size, he said, "No I will change
the ring completely". Swami showed the original ring to some of
the boys and men from the U.K group, and then He blew on the ring
3 times, and changed not only the size of the ring but also the
style. Once again Swami showed the 'new' ring to the same boys and
men to confirm that He had changed the ring. At that moment in
time a young boy (about 10 years old) was so amazed at what Swami
had just done that he sat up straight and turned towards this
little boy and said, "Shall I change you in to a little girl?" The
little boy looked shocked and was speechless so Swami said it
again, "Shall I change you into a little girl?" Still speechless
but now looking a little frightened the little boy just shook his
head to indicate No, at which point everyone in the room burst out
laughing… except the little boy!!
Asking for it
A Californian woman came to Baba, obsessed with
anxiety about the predicted San Francisco earthquake. Baba
listened to her fears for a good while, apparently agreeing that
an earthquake was likely to happen. "But what shall I do?" the
hapless lady asked. Baba leaned forward and whispered
dramatically, "Prepare to die..!!"
Second Chance
"How do you spell 'wife'?"
Baba asked a devotee
in the interview room. "W-I-F-E-Worry Invited For Ever!" teased
Baba. Then seeing the downcast expression of the wife, He gently
corrected himself: "No - Wisdom Invited For Ever".
Con-sequence
During an address, at a meeting, Sri Baba
discussed the question of how a little knowledge or half knowledge
is dangerous. Its easy to teach the ignorant or the wise but the
half ignorant and the half wise are difficult material." said Sri
Baba. He then recounted a lighter vein, the story of a solider who
did not know English and was tutored by his immediate boss about
how to answer questions that were likely to be asked by the
General when he inspected the soldier's camp. The tutor taught the
soldier answers to three questions, in a sequence. He told him:
"The General will first ask you-'How long have you been in the
Army?' And you must answer:' Two years'. For the next question
'What is your age?' Your answer must be 22 years, and for the
third question 'Do you
like the army or the country?' Your answer must be-'Both!' The
soldier learnt all the answers in that order. During his
inspection the General asked the three questions, but
unfortunately for the soldier not in the same order. The General
first asked the question, what is your age?" and the soldier
replied, "Two years." For the next question," How long have you
been in the Army?" Pat came the
answer; "22 years." Angry at the answers, the General shouted,
"Are you a fool or am I a fool?" "Both!" Answered the soldier
promptly.
Baba's car gets the Pranams
One day in the mountains Kodaikanal, Baba's red
Mercedes came down to the main road. My family and other devotees
were across the lake about a kilometer away. As soon as Baba's car
came on to the main road, we stood up and held our hands together
as a mark of respect. People lined up on either side of the road
holding their hands together, paying their respects to Baba in the
red Mercedes. As the car passed, they realized that Baba was not
in the car. He was in the bus with the students, and he said, "See
the
car is getting all the pranams. The reason is that the car kept
company of God and today though the car is going alone, all the
devotees are offering their pranams to the car, i.e. you are
judged by the company you keep. But, I am missing all the pranams
because I am with you."
Extracts from
Sai Humour, by Peggy Mason, Sandra Levy and Dr. M. Veeravahu
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