Subscribe
Share
Share
Embed
'Shyam Karna - Baba’s Horse' is the 61st story in this series.
'Sai Baba's Divine Leelas' is a new audio series compiled and recited by Dr Vinny Chitluri. Repeated hearing of these Leelas will deepen one's faith and love in Baba.
Transcript
Qasim, a horse merchant, was distraught because his mare was barren. He promised Baba that if his mare had a foal, he would offer the firstborn to him. By Baba's grace, the mare did have a series of foals. So he came and presented the firstborn to Baba. Baba called him Shyam Karna as this horse was brown in colour with black ears, and hence its name. Many devotees call this horse Shyam Sunder. However, Baba called him Shyam Karna because of the colour of his ears.
The Samadhi of Shyam Karna
I have often wondered why a Fakir would want to keep a horse. The word ‘Ashwa’ has many meanings. ‘Ashwa’ means the great eater. So one can possibly say that the horse represents the destruction, or eating away, of our karmas. ‘Ashwa’ also means infinite knowledge. This knowledge could help in dispelling the love for the transient, materialistic things, thus ending the lure of temporary and worldly things and helping one on the journey from the Unreal to the Real. Lord Indra represents ego. He rides a horse. The Brihad-Aranyaka Upanishad, chapter 1, ovi 5 describes the symbology of the horse as follows. As it is too long, I will give a few points. The head of the sacrificial horse is dawn; the eyes the sun; its open mouth the fire called Vaisvanara; and the body is the year. Its back is heaven; the belly is the sky; its hoof the earth; its sides the four quarters or time of day; its ribs the intermediate quarter; its genitalia the season; the joints the months and the fortnight; its yawning the lightning; its shaking of the body the thunder; its making water (urinating) the rain, and its name the voice.
The word ‘Shyam’ literally means flawless, pleasing black, but the word in Hindu mythology could mean pure and holy. It has been prefixed by other words to convey different meanings. For example, Shyam Sunder is used to refer to Shri Lord Krishna and Shyam Kanta to Lord Shiva. Shyam was the name of the horse of the Ashwa of the Ashwamedha. The Rinanubandh between Shyam Karna and Baba was deep. At every Aarti, he danced with joy, and after the Aarti, he was the first to bow to Baba. Baba then applied Udi to his forehead, and then gave the rest of the Bhaktas Udi. The horse symbolises the whole cosmos, and it bowed before Baba and danced with joy when Baba was being worshipped. Little wonder that his Samadhi is in Lendi Bagh.
The horse was housed in a room situated on the eastern side of the Dwarka Mai, which is now called Shyam Sunder Hall. The trainer, Khasgiwala, saw to it that the horse was well looked after, and decked with the trappings that are now exhibited in the museum. Shyam Karna was taught to stand in front of Baba, climb the steps of the Dwarka Mai, and do Namaskaar to Baba, and later to Baba’s Samadhi.
At about one o'clock, the noon Aarti was performed with grandeur. At that time, Shyam Karna was bedecked with the Mala, anklets, and tiny bells and looked quite regal and royal. He stood in the centre of the Sabha Mandap, where the marble tortoises are, and waited patiently for the Aarti to start.
The devotees stood on either side of him, and when the Aarti started, he danced merrily, keeping beat with the tiny bells tied to his feet. After Baba’s Lalkari, he climbed the central steps of the Dwarka Mai and bowed to Baba. Then Baba applied Udi to his forehead and blessed him. After this, the other devotees received Udi and Prasad. After Baba’s Mahasamadhi, he attended the Aartis in the Samadhi Mandir and bowed to Baba’s Samadhi.
On Vijayadashami, he was bedecked with all the trappings and was taken out in procession. Before the processions, the devotee would take a rupee coin and wave it around his head. This was done to dispel the effects of the evil eye. On Chavadi procession days, he led the procession, dancing all the way to the Chavadi. After this, when Baba entered the Chavadi, he stood facing Baba. Shyam Karna died in 1945. His Samadhi is in Lendi Bagh.
The above information was taken from the annals of the Khasgiwales.
Krishna Kashinath Khasgiwale, alias Nana Saheb
Krishnaji, that is Nana Saheb, was born in Karala in Ratnagiri district. He was a Brahmin of the Limaye caste. His ancestors migrated from the coast of Maharashtra. His forefathers were brave men and well-built.
Jwaji Pant, alias Anna Khasgiwala, en route to the mainland, carried with him only two sets of clothes and food. On the way, he was blessed with a vision of Jyotiba (a deity). The blessing of Jyotiba enabled him to procure a job as Khasgiwale (Manager) in the Peshwa dynasty. Hence, the title of Khasgiwala was conferred on him. With the title came affluence and power and his family lived well.
Nana Saheb was born in the Khasgiwale family at the time when the British annexed the Peshwas. Some of the elders joined the British Government, but Nana’s father refrained from doing so. This resulted in the loss of the title, and poverty set in. They had ancestral Wadas and were overseers of Singwe Gaon in Nashik. Along with the loss of title, they lost everything.
Sudhakar, Nana’s grandson, says, “Disheartened, Nana Saheb wandered about here and there. Then in Niphad, he met Nana Saheb Bharve who took him to Shirdi. In Shirdi, Nana Saheb found peace and decided to make Shirdi his home. Soon, he became the trainer of Shyam Karna, Baba’s beloved horse.”
Nana Saheb was well-built and a good wrestler. But most of all, he loved horses and had a good knowledge about them. It was in 1910 or 1912 that he arrived in Shirdi. Seeing him, Baba said, “Seven generations of yours had Lakshmi (wealth), and now she has left you for some time. But she will return again after a while.” Indeed, at present, the family is affluent.
The Khasgiwales were responsible for starting Ganpati Festival in Shirdi. Nana Saheb loved to listen to Das Ganu’s Kirtans, and his faith in Baba increased by leaps and bounds. He and his father, Bhau Saheb, would often give sessions of Maalish (or massage) to Baba. When Shyam Karna died, the Samadhi was made in Lendi Bagh. There was a board in front of the Samadhi saying ‘Shrimant Sardar Nana Saheb Khasgiwale was the trainer of Shyam Karna, who taught him to bow to Sri Sai Baba. This is the Samadhi of the fortunate horse.’ Now, this board does not exist. However, there is a photograph with Shyam Karna in the museum on the ground floor.
The above information was taken from Santkavi Sri Darshan Das Ganu Maharaj.
A special podcast series by Dr. Vinny Chitluri which is on Baba's leelas and life history.