The Mystery of Two Coins: Pure Devotion vs. Spiritual Greed
The Leela
In the divine court of Shirdi, a fascinating interplay of intent and omniscience unfolded, recorded in Chapter 29 of the Shri Sai Satcharitra.
Captain Hatay, a devotee from Gwalior, held a secret wish in his heart. He sent a single coin to Baba via a friend, thinking, "If Baba touches this coin and returns it to me, I shall place it in my puja room and worship it forever." He told no one of this specific desire. When the friend arrived at Dwarkamai and offered the coin, Baba—the knower of all hearts—held it, played with it, and perceiving the pure love behind it, returned it with blessings, fulfilling Hatay’s unvoiced wish.
Witnessing this, another devotee named Vamanrao Narvekar thought he could replicate this miracle for material gain. He believed that possessing a coin touched by Baba would bring heaps of wealth to his home. He hurriedly bought a special coin embossed with the images of Ram, Laxman, and Sita, and sent it through Shyama with the specific instruction: "Purify it and return it to me."
The result was starkly opposite. Baba not only refused to return the coin but also demanded twenty-five rupees—a significant sum at the time—from Narvekar. Even after Narvekar struggled to borrow and pay the amount, Baba kept the money and the coin, declaring, "Even if you give me heaps of wealth, I will not return this coin."
? The Conflict / Doubt
Why did Baba, the ocean of mercy, fulfill the unexpressed wish of Captain Hatay by returning his coin, yet sternly refuse Vamanrao Narvekar's identical request, confiscating both his coin and his money? Does this not look like partiality?
The Revelation
This Leela unlocks the profound spiritual truth that God looks at the Bhav (inner intent) rather than the action. Baba’s reaction was a mirror to the devotees' internal states.
- Omniscience (Antaryami): Baba knew that Hatay’s wish was born of devotion (worship), while Narvekar’s wish was born of greed (accumulation of wealth). As the Ovi states:
"Discard the evil thoughts and cherish the good thoughts."
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The Heron Analogy: The transcript draws a parallel to the Heron (Bagula). The heron stands still in water, looking like a sage in a trance (Samadhi), but its total focus is on hunting fish. Similarly, Narvekar appeared to be a great devotee with a religious coin, but his inner focus was on the "fish" of material wealth.
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Destruction of Greed: By taking twenty-five rupees and keeping the coin, Baba was performing spiritual surgery. He was extracting the poison of greed from Narvekar. A true Sadguru does not feed a devotee's ego or greed; He destroys it to make way for spiritual growth.
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Total Absorption: The teaching is reinforced by the story of Laila-Majnu. Just as Majnu was so absorbed in love that he didn't notice a man praying, true devotion requires losing oneself in the Divine, not calculating profits like a merchant.
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The Lesson: Selfish devotion (Sakam Bhakti) is the starting point for many, but Baba pushes us toward Selfless devotion (Nishkam Bhakti). He warns that external shows of yoga or piety are worthless if the heart is hiding a transactional motive.
Scriptural References
đź“– Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 29 (Ovi 162 & 177) | Kabir Doha: "Man Maila Tan Ujala"
Watch the Discourse
In the divine court of Shirdi, a fascinating interplay of intent and omniscience unfolded, recorded in Chapter 29 of the Shri Sai Satcharitra. Captain Hatay, a devotee from Gwalior, held a secret wi...
Leela Narration
In the divine court of Shirdi, a fascinating interplay of intent and omniscience unfolded, recorded in Chapter 29 of the Shri Sai Satcharitra. Captain Hatay, a devotee from Gwalior, held a secret wi...