Chapter - VI

The Significance of Sainthood

We have already noted in the foregoing pages that Hazarat Tajuddin Aulia is one of those saints who are particularly relevant to their times. His is the time when different religions of the world, being called into fellowship through historic changes, urgently needed to realise the importance of shedding all bigotry and learning of true fellowship and brotherhood with one another. We shall now note how Baba Tajuddin's biography shows instances of the truth that all saints os all religions always work for a single purpose(which is the Divine purpose) in close coordination and harmony.

How to make 'two' into 'one' ?

.........A disciple of a famous saint, Hazarat Niyaz-bin-Niyaz, came to Nagpur from Utter Pradesh in 1920 to attend the Congress conference that was in progress there. One day Tajuddin Baba was going on his coach followed by the crowd of his devotees as usual. Incidentally, the saint, on seeing this stranger in the crowd, broke a bread and offered a piece to him. But the man hesitated to take it and reflected : " If I take anything from anyone it must be from my own master. Why should I take from another? " Immediately the Baba said: " Don't you know to make the 'two' into 'one'? The man's doubt vanished, and he fell at Baba's feet in obeisance. These remind us of the words of Ramana Maharshi that all realized Saints constitute a unity in knowledge which all of them embody.

Parsi Saint's homage

........The famous Parsi saint, Mehar Baba, who passed away recently, was mysteriously initiated by Baba Jan, the woman saint, in 1913-14 in Poona. After he attained some progress spiritually, she directed him to spend a long time with Baba Tajuddin. Accordingly he came and stayed with Baba Tajuddin for along time. One day the Baba said: " Close your eyes and then see God's word". Maybe, this made Mehar Baba remain silent ever after, as he did for the rest of his life.

..........When Mehar Baba again visited Nagpur in 1958, Maharaja Raghoji Rao sought his blessing. Mehar Baba wrote on a slate: " You are already blessed by Tajuddin Baba. What more can I do? " Later he went to " Tajuddin Hall " and sat in meditation for some time. Karim, one of the chief disciples of Baba Tajuddin, also went there and prayed silently " Mehar Baba, pray for me also". Immediately Mehar Baba kept his hand on Karim's heart and pointed at Baba Tajuddin's portrait in the hall, meaning, " How shall I pray for one whose heart is full of Tajuddin" ? This reveals how deeply Mehar Baba revered Hazarat Tajuddin Baba.

Nilakantha Rao's case

........Mr. Nilakantha Rao of Maharashtre was an employee in an office in Jabalpur. He had a photograph of Baba Tajuddin to which he regularly offered incense and salutations daily. One day he was so much engrossed in meditation that he forgot the Baba's photo, his house and everything, when suddenly Baba Tajuddin appeared personally before him. Nilkantha Rao was overpowered with the state of Hall ( ecstasy) and became unconscious. Every one in the house was awfully frightened and even a doctor was summoned. But he regained his consciousness only the next day. The effect of Hall could be seen clearly on his face. In that state he went to Baba Tajuddin and remained in his service for several days. One day the Baba ordered him to visit another saint, Keshav Dadaji Dhuniwala of Saaikheda, who was a Hindu guru.

.........It was Karim Baba, who also accompanied Nilakantha Rao to Saikheda. But even before they reached the place, Nilakantha Rao was in ecstasy and went on singing and dancing with the following verses:

" Whoever recognised Mohammed as his captain
He already reached the shore.
There are lakhs of steps in this ocean.
Only those who know the way can lead us to the shore.
Whoever drinks of the nectar of Master's grace
Will realise the treasure of Truth. "

..........When they reached Saikheda, they saw Dadaji even from a distance, sitting among his devotees on a chabutra(platform) and the devotees were singing the praise of Dadaji's powers of transforming any one at a glance. Nilakantha Rao was charmed at this sight and approached him on his knees, awaking in ecstasy, climbed the chabutra, prostrated to him and cried out loudly "BABA TAJUDDIN". Dadaji laughed and said : " Tajuddin fell in a pot, take him out if you can." Then he put a piece of Jalebi( an Indian sweet ) in Nilakantha Rao's mouth. The implication is easy to grasp for those who understand spiritual language. The 'pot' is the heart wherein, through right knowledge, Nilakantha Rao was asked to realise the 'Truth'. Or Nilakantha Rao must have seen Baba Tajuddin himself in the image of Dadaji and this must have made him cry" Baba Tajuddin" in utter amazement. Dadaji then asked him not to mistake Tajuddin to be only his Physical Body, but to know that in 'spirit' all saints are one. The intimate spiritual liaison which Baba Tajuddin had with Baba Jan (the great woman saint of Poona) and Dadaji of Saikheda, existed even between Tajuddin and Sai Baba of Shirdi. The Sai Baba used to say to some of his devotees "Now is the reign of Tajuddin, go there," and sent some of them to Nagpur. Similarly Tajuddin Baba also used to send many people to Sai Baba for their spiritual development.

Shri Upasini Maharaj

...........This Saint of Sakori, who was a famous disciple of Sai Baba of Shirdi, used to visit Baba Tajuddin frequently at Waki and Sakardara. Tajuddin Baba also had great regard for Upasini Maharaj. He sent Dr. Powanaskar to Upasini Maharaj. for his spiritual guidance and benediction. As Dr. Deshpande writes : " Dr. Pownaskar was not a man who would easily bow his head to adore miracles. The incredible miracles of Tajuddin Baba, apart from what the great Fakir told him, made the learned doctor kneel down before him. On account of what Tajuddin Baba told him, Dr. Ponasker became a staunch devotee of Upasini Maharaj also. He ordered the doctor to accept Upasini as his Guru. Indeed the doctor saw all the signs and indications mentioned by Tajuddin Baba at Sakori, and hence his faith in Upasini Maharaj became unshakable. It must be remembered here that the peer Saheb of Patna, Brahmachari Baba, Tajuddin Baba and Upasini Maharaj all had worked together for the spiritual uplift of Dr. Pownasker. Saint Harnath Kusum of Bengal and majzoob Kallow Badshah of Ajmeer- one of the two famous majzoob saints of Baba Tajuddin's blessings. Thus, irrespective of caste, crest, creed or race, all true saints work in perfect harmony and brotherhood and it is a very sad comment on the various communities of our day if they persist in narrow bigotry and behave without tolerance and love for one another. We are reminded of Sri Sai Baba statements that he, Baba Tajuddin, Dhuniwala Baba of Saikheda, Narasingh Maharaj of Nasik, Swami Samrth of Akkalkot, and Shri Ganjanan Maharaj of Sheogaon were all manifestations of Lord Dattatreya working with a common mission and in close cooperation.

.............Be it in Islam or Hinduism, when a man lives a pious and ordered life, devoted to God Almighty, He, in His love and infinite mercy, graces His beloved ones with some of his divine powers through spiritualism. All saints are indeed friends of God. They are the illuminating models of ideal religious life. When they are free of narrow bigotry in their mutual relations, why should we differ and entertain mutual hatred specially while professing the same religions as they do?

BAD OMENS

............Today the world is thirsting for peace. But, to the religious, the omens are not good despite all the best efforts of man. Kipling said: " East is East and West is West. Never the twain shall meet." He was not wrong. because East always worshiped the eternal and immortal DIVINE POWER through its various "revealed" Religions, while the West, dazzled and enticed by unprecedented 'scientific materialism' of this kaliyug, is now forgetting the noble teachings of the Holy Christ. Result : there is over increasing greed, mutual hatred, rivalry, all-round indiscipline and suspicion- the better enemies of society and world-peace.

............Only resurrection of 'religious faith and discipline' can save the world from it's irreligious trends and progressive nuclear inventions which defy and often insult Divine Powers in the current world affairs. After all man is only a humble creature of God. He may conquer all material world but he shall ever be, in the almighty Hands of his "CREATOR, the call- powerful Maker of this most wonderful universe, and not in the hands of significant scientists. May God, in his infinite mercy and grace, grant us due wisdom to realise His Powerful Might, and may He bless us with Mutual love to create peace on earth.------Amen.

Light of Love

............God is Love. Therefore, the saints too become embodiments of Lord's Mercy to the same degree as they merge their ego in Him by constant meditation. When the ego is totally absorbed in Him, such a saint's mercy would also be infinite like the Lord's. This was what Jesus told his disciples when he said," be ye perfect even as the Father in Heaven is perfect", For the Lord does not judge, and sends rain and sun on all people alike, irrespective of their merits or sins. Such was the mercy of the Buddha, of the Christ and of Mohammed. The greatest of saints produced in each of the religious are thus the nearest approximations to these prophets of truth and love. Baba Tajuddin is undoubtedly one such. Let us illustrate the point.

..........One day a prostitute visited Huzoor Tajuddin to do homage to him and sung thus ----" Here stay good ones Where can sinners go?" Huzoor Baba immediately replied, " Good ones must go there; all sinners must come here. Oh merciful Lord be it so !"

..........On another occasion Baba Tajuddin sat leaning against a Mandir, in the outskirts of Sakardara. Thousands of devotees flocked around him. He looked at them, and raising his eyes towards the sky said. " Lord, ask me for explanation regarding their sins and not them, for they are mine ! " How merciful of him to make himself accountable for all their sins !

..........While Tajuddin Baba was a great spiritual teacher to his disciples, he was more loving than a mother to his devotees. He never left them sad on any account. He fulfilled all their pious wishes such as to serve him and he uplifted them spiritually and even cured them of their ailments.

..........One Mr. Jalalaluddin Khan saw some people massaging the legs of Baba Tajuddin and cursed himself as a sinner for not getting such a chance. Immediately Baba Tajuddin sat up and said, " I never keep any of my friends unlucky. I am an enemy t none." Jalaluddin was thrilled by these words and he prostrated before the saint in gratitude.

.........Another Sahab Baba prayed that he should be made to know meaning of the verse in the Quran: 'Soora-i-Muzzammil Sarkar Muzmil' . Tajuddin laughed and replied, 'Yes dear, even these blind ones read in our presence' as he pointed to his disciples. He meant that though they were not learned enough to read the Quran, he induced the spirit of Quran in them and that they will be oblivious of their physical bodies by his grace and would be alive fully to God alone. Baba Tajuddin meant that direct experience is more valuable than learning and that he graces his disciples with it.