Not Attachment, but Love
The Leela
In the hallowed sanctuary of Dwarakamai, a peculiar nighttime ritual unfolded as described in Adhyay 8 of the Sai Satcharitra. The night was not merely for rest; it was a canvas for Sai Baba's subtle spiritual surgery. Baba, along with his beloved devotees Tatya Patil and Mhalsapati, would sleep on the floor, but in a strange geometric formation.
Tatya lay with his head to the East, Mhalsapati to the West, and Baba to the North. While their heads pointed in three distinct directions—never meeting—their feet converged in the center, touching one another. It was a breach of social etiquette, for touching another with one's feet is usually considered disrespectful, yet here it was the norm.
Furthermore, Baba would not allow them the luxury of uninterrupted sleep. Sometimes he would wake them up, sometimes rub their backs, or press their heads. If Mhalsapati dozed off, Baba would wake him; if both devotees slept, Baba would create a disturbance. Under the guise of a restless night, the Master was orchestrating a profound internal awakening, ensuring that while their bodies lay down, their spirits remained vigilant against the slumber of ignorance.
? The Conflict / Doubt
Why did Baba enforce such a strange sleeping arrangement where feet touched but heads remained apart, and why did He deliberately disturb the rest of His devotees? In a world where we carefully avoid touching others with our feet out of respect, what was the hidden purpose behind this Leela?
The Revelation
This incident is not merely about sleeping positions; it is a profound lesson on transcending animalistic tendencies and understanding the difference between Attachment (Moha) and Divine Love (Prema).
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Transcending the Four Animal Instincts: As per Verse 19, humans are trapped by four weaknesses: Food (Aahaar), Sleep (Nidra), Fear (Bhay), and Procreation (Maithuna). Those enslaved by these are described as "beasts without tails." By keeping Tatya and Mhalsapati awake, Baba was actively working to break their slavery to Nidra (sleep) and preventing the subconscious mind from slipping into spiritual lethargy.
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Heads Apart, Feet Together: The physical separation of heads symbolizes Baba coming between their thoughts and worldly agreements. When "heads meet" in a worldly sense, it often strengthens the ego and false attachment. Baba kept their heads separate to sever the bond of Attachment, ensuring that their connection remained grounded only in humble service (represented by the feet).
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The Sword of Awareness: True spiritual growth requires the destruction of false worldly peace. The transcript draws a parallel to Jesus Christ, who noted that he came not to bring peace, but a sword—to sever the entanglements of family attachment so that one may find God.
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Divine Orchestration of Conflict: Baba teaches that friction in relationships is often His doing to purify us. When we agree too easily in worldly matters, we sleep in illusion. Baba creates conflict to wake us up.
"Whatever happens in our life, happens because of the Lord... He fights and also makes us fight."
"We will call love pure when selfishness drops... The root of this business is attachment not love."
Scriptural References
đź“– Sai Satcharitra Adhyay 8 (Verse 19, 118); Sai Satcharitra Adhyay 32 (Verse 57); Matthew 10:34
Watch the Discourse
In the hallowed sanctuary of Dwarakamai, a peculiar nighttime ritual unfolded as described in Adhyay 8 of the Sai Satcharitra. The night was not merely for rest; it was a canvas for Sai Baba's subtle ...
Leela Narration
In the hallowed sanctuary of Dwarakamai, a peculiar nighttime ritual unfolded as described in Adhyay 8 of the Sai Satcharitra. The night was not merely for rest; it was a canvas for Sai Baba's subtle ...