Sai Baba the Master by E.Bharadwaja

[Guest guest]

To most of us, the study of the lives of perfect masters is even more

effective. For human nature being such, even when we live with a sage,

we

tend to focus our attention more on his physical frame than on his

realization which is the essence of it all. Even the apostles of

Christ

faltered when their boat was tossed by a storm and the Christ chid

them as

those of “little faith”. Arjuna confesses to such an error in regard

to

Krishna in the Bhagavadgita. But when we study the life of a Master,

we

unfalteringly focus our attention on the Supreme wisdom-in-action

which is

the Master. Thereby, we are trained to do the same when we eventually

contact a living Master, as it happened in the case of Sai Baba; or

our

contact with the Master might remain at a purely spiritual level and

alchemise us, as happened in the case of Sri Ramana Maharshi. For when

a

devotee asked the sage how he happened to realize without the help of

a

guru, he said that he too had one, though not in the form which the

devotee expected.

IV

In this context, the life of Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi, I feel, is

unique. He

does not merely teach about the omnipresent Spirit. Indeed, his verbal

teaching is minimal. For there are scriptures galore to do that. But

mere

verbal teaching cannot strike deep root in the hearts of common folk.

Sri

Sai Baba has therefore taught through direct experiences. He baptized

mostly through the Holy Ghost. He showed unerring, at-one-ment with

all

gods of Hindus, all saints, all creatures and even with so-called

inanimate objects. He was ever aware of what transpired within and

without

his devotees everywhere. His devotees had no choice but to be aware of

an

omnipresent and omniscient Baba. The result is that at one stroke,

their

conduct and attitude to fellow-creatures were bound to conform to the

highest codes of altruism. Wherever the devotee was, he was made to

recognize that Baba was, in spirit, with him indeed. The implications

of

this aspect of Baba are rich beyond measure. The heart of all

spiritual

endeavour is to cultivate the presence of the Spirit uninterruptedly

and

this was secured for the Sai devotee - how remarkably, the succeeding

chapters illustrate.

 

(To be contd.....)

 

Source http://www.saibharadwaja.org)