MIssing Yagna Kalasa(sacred vessel for performing rituals)
Time chosen by the Lord for performance of Yagna!
It was long ago that Saibaba decided to inaugurate a great fire ritual for the welfare of the mankind in Prasanthi Nilayam. Saibaba named it as "Veda Purusha Saptaha jnana Yagna" which coincided with the 9days festival of Dasara(Navarathri). Many holy items were required for the performance of such grand yagna by many scholars and pundits. Saibaba has asked the head priest in charge of the yagna, to give him a complete list of items required for the successful performance of yagna. The chief priest too consulted his associates and drawn an elaborate list of materials required for the fire sacrifice like pure ghee, samith(cuttings from holy trees), many varieties of fruits, cloths, gems, gold and silver items and the containers etc including rice, grains, turmeric powder, camphor and all the paraphernalia for that event. The exhaustive list was handed over to Saibaba and he has arranged for all the items mentioned in the list. On the day, just before commencement of the holy event, the Chief priest was bewildered to find that he has not mentioned one important main item, "Yagna Kalasa"(holy vessel for performance of ritual pouring of holy waters of rivers). With great fear, he approached Saibaba and blurted out that he has missed the item from including in the list and he sought pardon for the serious mistake. But Saibaba has told him, that there is hardly few minutes for commencement of the Yagna". He entered into his small room and came back in few minutes holding in his hand a beautiful silver vessel with exquisite design and engraving. saibaba explained to the Chief Priest, I had to go to Chincoli palace and searched the store room where unused items are kept. With great difficulty, i could bring this since it belonged to Saibaba of Shirdi given by the King. It contained the inscription, "Sa" and "Ba" in Devanagari script. Thus the great yagna was performed without any hindrance by the grace of Baba!
On another occasion, for performance of Yagna, the priests selected a time and day for commencement of the Yagna by consulting the almanac and other scriptures. They told Saibaba that 7.30 AM is the right time for commencement of the Yagna. But Baba retorted, No, 9.30 AM should be the correct time and he smiled mischievously at the priests. On that holy day, the priests departed to the river bed, took bath and wore the new cloths presented to them by Baba and filled the vessels with river water for performance of the holy ritual. The time was 6.30 AM. By the time, they started to return to Prasanthi Nilayam, the entire sky opened and poured copious rain continuously for more than two hours. The priests were stranded at the river bed unable to move even an inch. At last, by 9.00 AM they could start back and when they were reaching the place, procession was started and Saibaba entered exactly at 9.30 AM to inaugurate the grand Yagna. Thus the Lord's will is Supreme and final. The earlier assessment of the priests were washed away by the rain! Rest in next hub!
