The Thief, The Dream, and The Cure: The Hidden Depth of Chapter 13
The Leela
In the sacred pages of the Sai Satcharitra, we find the tale of Bhimaji Patil, a wealthy and charitable landowner from the Pune district. Despite his noble outward behavior and generosity in feeding guests, Bhimaji was struck down by a terrible fate—severe tuberculosis. He coughed blood, his body withered, and death seemed imminent. Having exhausted all medical avenues, he was advised by Nana Saheb Chandorkar to seek refuge in Shirdi. Too weak to walk, he was carried like a lifeless burden and placed before Sai Baba.
However, instead of words of immediate comfort, Baba turned to his devotee Shama and uttered a startling rebuke: 'Shama, how many more thieves will you keep bringing and placing at my feet?'
Despite this harsh label, Bhimaji was allowed to stay in the cowshed (gotha). There, he experienced two vivid dreams. In one, he was a student unable to recite a poem about a chaste woman, for which a teacher beat him mercilessly. In the other, a heavy stone roller crushed his chest, causing immense agony. Yet, upon waking from these nightmares, the coughing of blood ceased, and the 'thief' found himself miraculously on the path to recovery.
? The Conflict / Doubt
Why did the compassionate Sai Baba call a suffering, charitable man like Bhimaji Patil a "thief"? Furthermore, why was his cure administered through painful dreams involving a specific poem about a chaste woman? The intellect questions why a Saint would mock a dying man and what connection exists between a lung disease, a thief, and a poem about fidelity.
The Revelation
This Leela reveals that Sai Baba acts not merely as a healer of bodies, but as a Sadguru who purifies the soul by eradicating the root cause of suffering—karma and sin.
- The Hidden Sin: Baba used the word "thief" intentionally. The transcript interprets this as Chamdi Chor (one governed by lust). The poem Bhimaji failed to recite in the dream described the virtues of a chaste, faithful woman. His inability to recite it signaled a flaw in his own character—likely adultery or lust—which was the karmic seed of his disease.
- Cure via Expiation: A magician might suppress symptoms, but a Guru removes the root. The beating and the crushing pain in the dreams were not punishments, but the burning of karma. Baba allowed Bhimaji to suffer the consequences of his sins in the dream state to spare him from suffering them in waking life.
- The Grip of Maya: The story serves as a warning against the power of Maya (specifically attraction to the opposite gender). Baba illustrates that unless one realizes their mistake, the disease (suffering) cannot be truly cured.
- Baba's Will vs. Our Will: The narrative teaches that we must seek the logic behind the Guru's actions. By understanding why Baba called him a thief, we move from superficial worship to deep Vedantic understanding.
"How many more thieves will you bring to my feet? This is very important. Baba never utters words without purpose."
"If my Guru cures me of my disease without making me realize my sins, then he is also committing a sin... But if he first washes away the cause of my disease and then takes me out of the disease, then he is a true Guru."
Scriptural References
đź“– Sai Satcharitra Chapter 13 (Story of Bhimaji Patil), Chapter 32 (The Quest for Guru), Chapter 4 (Verse 124 - Birthplace), Chapter 20 (Verse on Jivatma & Brahma)
Watch the Discourse
In the sacred pages of the Sai Satcharitra, we find the tale of Bhimaji Patil, a wealthy and charitable landowner from the Pune district. Despite his noble outward behavior and generosity in feeding g...
Leela Narration
In the sacred pages of the Sai Satcharitra, we find the tale of Bhimaji Patil, a wealthy and charitable landowner from the Pune district. Despite his noble outward behavior and generosity in feeding g...