Sai Satcharitra-Let us all read it together, a little everyday

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Chapter XXIII

Yoga and Onion - Shama Cured of Snake - Bite - Cholera Ordinance Broken - Ordeal of Guru-Bhakti.

Preliminary

Really this Jiva (human soul) transcends the three qualities, viz. Sattwa, Rajas

and Tamas, but being deluded by Maya, he forgets his nature which is

'Existence-knowledge-bliss', and thinks that he is the doer and enjoyer and

thus entangles himself in endless miseries and does not know the way of

deliverance. The only way of deliverance is Loving Devotion towards the Guru's

feet. The great Player or Actor Lord Sai has delighted His Bhaktas and

transformed them into Himself (His nature).

We regard Sai Baba as an incarnation of God for reasons already stated, but He

always said that He was an obedient servant of God. Though an incarnation He

showed the people the way, how to behave satisfactorily and carry out the

duties of their respective stations (Varnas) in this life. He never emulated

others in any way, nor asked others to have something done for Him. For Him,

Who saw the Lord in all movable and immovable things of this world, humility

was the most proper thing. None He disregarded or disrespected; for He saw

Narayan (Lord) in all beings, He never said, "I am God," but that He was a

humble servant and He always remembered Him and always uttered - "Allah Malik"

(God is the sole proprietor or Owner).

We do not know the various kinds of Saints, how they behave, what they do and

eat etc. We only know, that by God's grace they manifest themselves in this

world to liberate the ignorant and bound souls. If there be any store of merits

on our account, we get a desire in listening to the stories and Leelas of the

Saints, otherwise not. Let us now turn to the main stories of this Chapter.

Yoga and Onion

Once it so happened, that a sadhak of Yoga came to Shirdi with Nanasaheb

Chandorkar. He had studied all the works on Yoga, including the Yoga-sutras of

Patanjali, but had no practical experience. He could not concentrate his mind

and attain samadhi even for a short time. He thought that if Sai Baba be

pleased with him, He will show him the way to attain samadhi for a long time.

With this object in view he came to Shirdi, and when he went to the Masjid he

saw Sai Baba eating bread with onion. On seeing this, a thought arose in his

mind - `How can this man, eating stale bread with raw onion, solve my

difficulties and help me?' Sai Baba read his mind and said to Nanasaheb - "Oh

Nana, he who has the power to digest onion, should eat it and none else".

Hearing this remark, the yogi was wonder-struck and then he fell at Baba's Feet

with complete surrender. With pure and open mind, he asked his

difficulties and got their solution from Baba. Thus being satisfied and happy,

he left Shirdi with Baba's Udi and blessings."Gurur Brahma Gurur VishnuGurur

Devoh Maheshwar;Gurur Shakshat ParambramhaTashmai Shri Gurur Veh Namah"May the

Merciful Sri Sai Baba always shower His grace on us and our families and remove

our problems and anxieties by giving us all - strength , goodluck, success and

happiness with peace of mind.Sai bhakt,Deepa Hdebu7366

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