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Monks' Dilemma
Monks' Dilemma
147
TEN
Putta Parti was a small village a few decades back. It is now a bustling modern town with good roads, hospitals, schools and colleges. There are well furnished guest houses with modern three star and five star comforts. It has attained a cosmopolitan status because of constant flow of devotees of all shades of caste, colour, creed, language and race. They come here for audience of Satya Sai Baba who proclaims to
f Shirdi Sai Baba. Deepak and Deepti managed to get appointment through their influential clients who were his dedicated devotees. They sat in the front row. Satya Sai Baba came at his scheduled time in his overflowing silken robes. All stood up in reverence. He was on the wheel chair, his paralysed legs fully covered with his robes. He had on his face bewitching smile, articulated or natural, nobody could make out. His bewildering hair style of symmetrically puffed and blown out dishevelled hair was captivating and was his special hall mark to catch attention of everybody. He pointed his finger towards Deepak and Deepti, "You have some questions.
Deepti, "You are proclaimed to be incarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba and simultaneously of almighty God but Shirdi Sai
Baba never proclaimed so. You are famous for materialising things of choice of devotees, the trick of hand, the late P.C.Sarkar challenged that he can also perform the same. Shri Krishna in the Gita said that he would incarnate in India whenever there is danger and onslaught on religion. The God incarnate should be concerned about the whole, the entire galaxy, the whole universe rather than India only on this planet earth, the little speck on the canvas of infinite universe. Does it mean that it is only in Bharat (India) that there is decadence of religion and nowhere else? As a matter of fact the conditions in the country at present are worse as compared to the Mahabharata era. It appears that your incarnation is as per promise of Shri Krishna. The greatest menace is from the hard core terrorists. Being incarnation of almighty God you should eliminate them. There are several problems of poverty, famines and droughts, wars and pestilences and many others, you must be aware of. You are here and these problems should be solved. There are stories agog that you have solved problems of many of your devotees, cured them of even terminal diseases. Your devotees in your name have done commendable philanthropic work; have built hospitals, schools and colleges. It is the householders who have done all these but you have taken all the credit. Is it not unjust that monks usurp the credit due to householders? All these compel me to conclude that monkhood is a redundant and a parasitic institution. Monks thrive on the sweat of the householders. Should not the institution of monkhood be abolished? Did any monk ever make slightest effort to earn money and then spend on charity? Do monks at all know the tribulations, difficulties, problems, hardships and challenges the householders face to earn money and meet the challenges? How do then they
