श्री स्वामी समर्थ प्रसन्न
Once in Mangalvedha (near Solapur), where Shree Swami stayed for a very long time (but, did not reveal Himself fully to the gaze of devotees), there lived Basappa Teli (who used to trade in oil). He was an authentic and fully committed devotee of Swami. Wherever Swami used to roam, Basappa used to follow Him and serve Him as possible. Swami often scolded Basappa thus, "Why are you following this renunciate? Your wife and children are in the village and hungry and waiting for you to provide them a decent living. And here you are following me in the jungles!"
But Basappa, in his own small way, had realized the Divinity that was roaming in Mangalvedha in the form of Shree Swami Samarth. And despite, the general population of Mangalvedha not heeding to Swami when he rarely appeared to them, Basappa had realized that the "Kalyana" (fruition) of his life lay in the service to the Avadhoot.
One day, Basappa, as usual, was following Swami. At the time of dusk, Swami went into the deeper forest and Basappa started getting nervous. Add to that, Swami was blissfully walking into an area crawling with snakes.
Frightened by the sight of the snakes, Basappa slowed down, but still continued to follow Swami.
Swami fully knew Basappa's devotion and suddenly turned around and ordered Basappa, "Pick up as many snakes as you want and get going home!"
Basappa muttered in fright, "But Swami, snakes....!"
Swami thundered, " Do as I say. Do not fear."
The devotion of Basappa, by Shree Swami's Grace, was indeed great and he hesitatingly and very carefully, caught a snake and tied it in his cloth bag.
Chanting the name of Swami, he retreated from the forest with fear about the parcel he was carrying.
On reaching home, he just threw the cloth bag in his courtyard and sighed a sigh of relief. No sooner than that, his wife started scolding him about his lack of attention to the family.
Basappa said, "But I have been with Swami !"
To that his wife sarcastically replied, "Going with that renunciate will get you nothing..."
"But look what Swami has given me today," said Basappa.
"And what has Swami given?" asked his wife.
"A snake," replied Basappa with some hesitation.
At this again, a volley of uncharitable remarks issued from his wife about Swami.
But Basappa opened the cloth bag carefully and exclaimed, "Swami !"
Lo and behold! The cloth bag now contained a snake of gold of the same size and shape but not an alive creature....
Basappa's delight knew no bounds and his wife lamented about making a hasty judgement about Swami.
The next day, the couple searched for Swami and prostrated themselves at His Lotus Feet. Swami blessed them both and asked them to live happily.
Swami knew the time had come for Him to move out of Mangalvedha to perform greater miracles and more transformations of the heart.
Thus, the unflinching devotion of Basappa was blessed and he was gifted deservingly by Swami, both spiritually and materially...
The Avadhoot, Dattatreya, none other than Shree Swami Samarth had kindness and benediction in His every thought, word, and action....
Once in Mangalvedha (near Solapur), where Shree Swami stayed for a very long time (but, did not reveal Himself fully to the gaze of devotees), there lived Basappa Teli (who used to trade in oil). He was an authentic and fully committed devotee of Swami. Wherever Swami used to roam, Basappa used to follow Him and serve Him as possible. Swami often scolded Basappa thus, "Why are you following this renunciate? Your wife and children are in the village and hungry and waiting for you to provide them a decent living. And here you are following me in the jungles!"
But Basappa, in his own small way, had realized the Divinity that was roaming in Mangalvedha in the form of Shree Swami Samarth. And despite, the general population of Mangalvedha not heeding to Swami when he rarely appeared to them, Basappa had realized that the "Kalyana" (fruition) of his life lay in the service to the Avadhoot.
One day, Basappa, as usual, was following Swami. At the time of dusk, Swami went into the deeper forest and Basappa started getting nervous. Add to that, Swami was blissfully walking into an area crawling with snakes.
Frightened by the sight of the snakes, Basappa slowed down, but still continued to follow Swami.
Swami fully knew Basappa's devotion and suddenly turned around and ordered Basappa, "Pick up as many snakes as you want and get going home!"
Basappa muttered in fright, "But Swami, snakes....!"
Swami thundered, " Do as I say. Do not fear."
The devotion of Basappa, by Shree Swami's Grace, was indeed great and he hesitatingly and very carefully, caught a snake and tied it in his cloth bag.
Chanting the name of Swami, he retreated from the forest with fear about the parcel he was carrying.
On reaching home, he just threw the cloth bag in his courtyard and sighed a sigh of relief. No sooner than that, his wife started scolding him about his lack of attention to the family.
Basappa said, "But I have been with Swami !"
To that his wife sarcastically replied, "Going with that renunciate will get you nothing..."
"But look what Swami has given me today," said Basappa.
"And what has Swami given?" asked his wife.
"A snake," replied Basappa with some hesitation.
At this again, a volley of uncharitable remarks issued from his wife about Swami.
But Basappa opened the cloth bag carefully and exclaimed, "Swami !"
Lo and behold! The cloth bag now contained a snake of gold of the same size and shape but not an alive creature....
Basappa's delight knew no bounds and his wife lamented about making a hasty judgement about Swami.
The next day, the couple searched for Swami and prostrated themselves at His Lotus Feet. Swami blessed them both and asked them to live happily.
Swami knew the time had come for Him to move out of Mangalvedha to perform greater miracles and more transformations of the heart.
Thus, the unflinching devotion of Basappa was blessed and he was gifted deservingly by Swami, both spiritually and materially...
The Avadhoot, Dattatreya, none other than Shree Swami Samarth had kindness and benediction in His every thought, word, and action....
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