The Snake and the Frog

Sai Baba once narrated the past birth story of a snake and a frog. He said that one morning after taking his breakfast he was strolling along a small river bank. As he was tired, he rested there and washed his hands and feet. Then he had a bath and felt refreshed. 

There was a foot-path and a cart-track sheltered by big shade giving trees. The breeze was also blowing gently. As he was preparing to smoke chillim (pipe), he heard the croaking of a frog. He was striking the flint and lighting the fire, when a traveller turned up, sat by His side, bowed to Him and politely invited to his house for meals and rest. 

The traveller lit up the pipe and handed it over to Sai baba. The croaking was heard again and the traveller wanted to know about it . Sai baba told him that a frog was in trouble and was tasting the bitter fruit of its own karma!

 We have to reap now the fruit of what we sow (do) in our past life, and there is no use in crying about it!

Then the traveller smoked and handed over the pipe to Sai baba and said that he would go there in person and see for himself. Sai baba told him that a frog was caught by a big snake and was crying. Both were very wicked in their past life and were now reaping the fruit of their karma in these bodies!

 He went out and found that a huge black snake was holding a big frog in its mouth!

Then the traveler turned to Sai baba and said that in about 10-12 minutes time, the snake would gulp down the frog.

 Sai baba said that it cannot be that way! He was their protector and He was present there.

After smoking again, Sai baba walked on to the place. The traveller was however afraid and asked Sai baba not to proceed further as the snake might attack them. Sai baba did not heed to his remarks and addressed the creatures and called to the snake as Veerbhadrappa.He said to the snake that its enemy Bassappa(frog) have been reborn and repented but still maintaining bitter enmity. It should be ashamed and asked the snake to give up its hatred now and to rest in peace!

Hearing these words, the snake left the frog quickly and dived into the river and disappeared! The frog also jumped away and hid itself in the bushes.

The traveller was much surprised.He said that he could not understand how the snake dropped the frog and disappeared at the words uttered. And who was Veerbhadrappa Basssappa and what was the cause of their enmity. 

Sai baba returned with him to the foot of the tree and after sharing a few puffs of chillum , the former began to explain the whole mystery to the latter. 

There was an ancient holy place sanctified by a temple of Mahadev about 4 or 5 miles away.The temple was old and dilapidated. The residents of the place collected funds for the repairs of the temple.

 After a large amount was collected, arrangement for worship was made and plans with estimates for repairs were prepared. A rich local man was appointed the Treasurer and the whole work of repairs was entrusted to him. 

He was to keep regular accounts and be honest in all his dealings. However the rich man was a first class miser and spent very little for the repairs!

Thus the work made very little progress. He spent all the funds, and took some amount himself and spent nothing from his pocket.

 He had a sweet tongue and very cleverly offered plausible explanations regarding the poor and tardy progress of the work. 

The people again went to him and said that unless he lent his helping hand and tried his best, the work would not be complete. They requested him to work out the scheme and again collected money and sent the amount to him. 

He received it, but did nothing like before. After some days, God (Mahadev) appeared in his wife's dream and said to her to build the dome of the temple, He(Mahadev) would give her a hundred-fold of what she would spend!

 She told this vision to her husband. He was afraid that it would involve him in some expenses and therefore laughed it out saying that it was a mere dream and cannot be relied upon!

God does not like big subscriptions and donations collected against the wishes of the donors, but He likes ever trifling amounts given with love, devotion and appreciation!

Some days after, God again appeared in her dream and said - to not bother herself about her husband and the collections with him. Nor should she press him to spend any amount for the temple. What God(Mahadev) wanted was feeling and devotion!

 So she should give anything of her own as she desires. She consulted her husband about this vision and decided to give God her ornaments given by her father!

 The miser felt disconcerted and decided to cheat even God in this item!He undervalued the ornaments at Rs.1,000/- and bought them himself and in lieu of the amount gave a field to God as endowment or security. 

The wife agreed to this. The field or land was not his own, it belonged to one poor woman named Dubaki who mortgaged it to him for Rs.200/-. She was not able take it back for long . So the cunning rich man cheated all including his wife, Dubaki and even God!

The land was sterile, uncultivated and worth nothing and yielded nothing, even in best seasons.

Thus ended this transaction and the land was given in the possession of the poor priest who was pleased with the endowment. Sometime later on, strange things happened. There was a terrific storm and heavy down-pour of rain. Lightning struck the house of the miser, when he and his wife both died! Dubaki also breathed her last.

In the next life, the rich miser was born at Mathura in a Brahmin family and was named Veerbhadrappa. His devout wife was born as the daughter of the priest of the temple and was named Gouri!

 The woman Dubaki (the mortgager) was born as a male in the family of the Gurav (attendent) of the temple and was named Chenbassappa. The priest was a friend of Sai baba who often came to Him to chat and smoke with Him.

 His daughter Gouri was also devoted to Sai baba. She was growing up and her father was seeking a good husband for her. Sai baba told him not to worry about this as the bridegroom himself would come seeking her. One day a poor boy named Veerbhadrappa of their caste came wandering and begging to the priest's house.

 With Sai baba's consent Gouri was given in marriage to him!

He was also at first devoted to Sai baba as the latter had recommended his marriage with Gouri. Even in this new life Veerbhadrappa was hankering after money and asked Sai baba to help him to get it as he was leading a married man's life.

Strange things happened. There was a sudden rise in prices. By Gouri's good luck, there was a great demand for land and the endowment land was sold for one lakh of rupees (100 times the worth of her ornaments). Half the amount was paid in cash and the remaining was to be paid in 25 instalments of Rs. 2,000/- each. All agreed to this transaction, but began to quarrel over the money! 

They came to Sai baba for consultation. Sai baba told them that the property belonged to God and was vested in the priest and Gouri was his sole heiress and proprietress and no amount should be spent without her consent and that her husband had no right whatsoever to the amount.

 Hearing Sai baba's opinion Veerbhadrappa was angry with the former and said that the former wanted to establish Gouri's claim and take away her property. 

Hearing these words, Sai baba remembered God and kept quiet! Veerbhadrappa scolded his wife (Gouri) and she came to Sai baba at noon and requested baba not to mind the words of others and not to discard her as she was His daughter. 

As she thus sought His protection He gave her a pledge that He would cross seven seas to help her. 

Then that night Gouri had a vision. Mahadev appeared in her dream and said that the whole money was hers. She should not give anything to anybody and spend some amount for temple purposes in consultation with Chenbassappa and if she would want to use it for some other purpose then she should consult Baba in the Masjid (Sai baba).

 Gouri told Sai baba the vision and He gave her the proper advice in the matter. He told her to take the principal or capital amount to herself and give half the amount of interest to Chenbassappa and that Veerbhadrappa had nothing to do in the matter. 

While Sai baba was thus talking, both Veerbhadrappa and Chenbassappa came there quarreling. Sai baba tried His best to appease them and told them God's vision to Gouri

 Veerbhadrappa got very angry and threatened to kill Chenbassappa ! The latter was timid and caught Sai baba's feet and sought refuge! Baba pledged to save him(Chenbassappa) from the wrath of his foe. 

Then after some time Veerbhadrappa died and was born as a snake and Chenbassappa died and was born as a frog.

Hearing the croaking of Chenbassappa and remembering His pledge, Sai baba came there and saved him, thus keeping His promise!

God runs to His devotees for help in times of danger!Sai baba thus saved Chenbassappa (the frog).All this is God's Leela!

The Moral

The moral of the story is that one has to reap what one sows, and there is no escape unless one suffers and squares up one's old debts and dealings with others, and that greed for money drags the greedy man to the lowest level and ultimately brings destruction on him and others!