Wednesday, June 16, 2021

Looking Back

I read in the internet about the arrest of self-styled (fraud) Shiva Shankar Baba. Kudos to the police. My thoughts went a few years back. 

Our mother wanted to go see and get a darshan of this Baba in Chennai. She asked my younger brother to take her to see him. My brother refused by saying this guy is a fraud. (He used a rather derogatory word “Basxxrd”). But my mom insisted. Therefore, my brother took her to see this Baba in his ashram. 

At the ashram hundreds of people were waiting to have a darshan of this baba. My brother told our mom that he would wait outside and not come inside. He will take her home after the darshan is over.

While waiting outside, he saw a crowd nearby. He was curious. He went to find out what was the commotion. There was a couple with a dead body of their 14 year old girl. The taxi driver who was supposed to take them to the nearby village, put the body in the street and refused to drive. 

The driver wanted the agreed amount of Rs.2,000 then and there. The couple were crying. They said they have the money at home and will pay him after reaching the village. The driver refused. He said the parents would refuse to pay the money once he reached their village. 

There were more than 50 people in the crowd. No one was willing to help. 

My brother took out Rs.2,000 from his pocket. He gave it to the parents in front of the driver. Told them to give the money to the driver only after reaching their village. He gave his number to the parents and driver in case of any problem. 

My brother helped the parents put back the body in the car and they drove away. 

Our mom came out after the darshan.  My brother told our mom what happened while he was waiting outside. 

My mom said: It is the Baba who made you go outside and help that poor parents. 

My brother replied with a “facepalm”.

 

13 comments:

  1. I would probably say this differently .... because I am a big believer of positive energy.....and I feel we navigate through life based on the energy that surrounds us at any given point in time..... if your brother was having a bad day or angry for any reason he might have not gone to find out what was happening.... just my 2 cents (definitely not the baba's doing)

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    1. Thanks for your comments Dee. He was angry that my mom asked him to take her to that ashram. It is certainly not baba's doing. That is why his facepalm as a reply to my mom.

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  2. I have not heard his name before this arrest incident. Perhaps i am out of touch with even the names of the babas around the city! Good gesture by your brother, btw.

    Destination Infinity

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    1. Thanks for your comments Rajesh. There are so many fake babas.

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  3. Did the parents return the money later?
    There are sages and siddhars who roam about unseen in forests and only the fortunate can see them. But there are many fake gurus strutting about and one has to be cautious.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Mr. KP. After reading your comments, I called my brother in India. This is what he said: They asked for my brother's address to return the money. My brother refused to accept the money because he thought they may have many expenses due to the death of their daughter - cremation and other 10th day, 13th day thithi expenses.

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    2. Very considerate and kind of him. Inspiring act.

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  4. Coincidentally, I have been hearing / reading a lot about babas and cult figures.

    If one were to look at this closely, it's all about faith. And they are deeply personal.

    There is nothing wrong in it. Very often, many people find lot of happiness and contentment from such beliefs. It becomes a problem, only when someone exploits believers with beliefs by subjugating them.

    Babas get arrested for their criminal actions. That has nothing to do with virtuosity, wise teachings, and the paths of good living, which incidentally, at some point these babas might have spoken about. The two are different.

    Similarly, I don't find any relation between your mother's visit to the ashram and your brother helping someone. You mom did find a connection though. That's because of her belief.

    Beliefs help us connect dots. Only that scientific beliefs have empirical evidences. But religious beliefs have only anecdotal evidences.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Pradeep. It is all blind belief.

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  5. I was in Chennai and never heard about this baba. I think difficult times propel people towards them as the sell hope.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Renu. There is a saying in Tamil "samiya nambu aasamiya nabathey". (Believe in God but not believe these frauds)

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  6. Such frauds spoil the name of even the hermits or preachers that really mean goodness. Nice.

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    1. Thanks for your comments Sarala. You are correct.

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