SAGES, SAINTS, AND AVATARS - SHIRDI SAI BABA

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SAGES, SAINTS, AND AVATARS - SHIRDI SAI BABA

Sai Baba of Shirdi

Sai Baba of Shirdi was a crown jewel among Saints. He lived his entire life out

in a small and obscure village in India. The villagers of Shirdi each claimed

him as a member of their own religion, Muslim or Hindu, but really he came to

make peace between them and he always encouraged each to stick to his own

religious path. He drew devotees from all over the country though he never

traveled and never cared for fame. Over and over his devotees found he knew

their innermost thoughts and details of their lives. He effected cures,

conferred health, happiness, and prosperity, and made childless couples

conceive. His real purpose though was to

awaken in them a longing for the spiritual life. Thousands thought of him as a

wonderful saint with miraculous powers but his innermost circle knew him to be

in incarnation of God himself. Some said of Datta, others of Shiva, still

others saw ecstatic visions of their own beloved Guru or chosen Ishta

(personalized icon of God) while gazing at Him. He himself said only that he

was the humble servant of God and pleased and furthered all who came in contact

with him. Many books have been written about Shirdi Sai Baba but the Shri Sai

Satcharita, the story of Sai Baba's life and actions (quoted from below) was

written in his own lifetime and is best known among Sai devotees. Just before

leaving his body he told a disciple he would be reborn in a certain village 8

years hence and so it came to pass. (See section on Sathya Sai Baba.)

Sai Baba was first seen as a youth of sixteen sitting under a Neem tree in

Shirdi. None knew his origin or past. Even then he seemed to be full of the

knowledge of Brahman. He had no desire for worldly objects, even in dream. He

kicked out Maya (illusion) and Mukti (illumination) was serving at his feet.

This young lad, fair, smart, and very handsome, was first seen under a Neem

tree seated in an Asan (meditative posture). The people of the village were

wonderstruck to see such a young lad practicing hard penance, not minding heat

and cold. By day he associated with none. by night he was afraid of nobody.

People were wondering whence that young chap turned up. His form and features

were so handsome that a mere look endeared him to all. He went to nobody's

door, always sat near the Neem tree. Outwardly he looked very young; but by his

action He was

really a great soul. He was the embodiment of dispassion and an enigma to all.

A saint name Gangagir who frequented Shirdi said of him on first setting eyes on

him "Blessed is Shirdi, that it got this precious jewel". Another saint by name

Anandanath said "This is a precious diamond in reality, though he looks like an

ordinary man. You will realize this in the near future."

Peace or calm was his ornament and he was the repository of wisdom. He had no

love for perishable things and was always engrossed in self-realization. He did

not know or care for honor or dishonor. The name of Allah was always on his

lips. His inside was as calm as the deep sea. Though he sat in one place, he

knew all the transactions of the world. Though a Siddha (realized being), he

acted like a sadhaka (disciple on the spiritual path). He was meek, humble, and

pleased all.

Shortly after coming to Shirdi Baba displayed his mastery over matter. He was

fond of lights and used to borrow oil from the shop keepers to keep earthen

dishes with wicks burning the whole night in the Masjid (temple). After a while

the shop keepers got together and decided not to give oil. Then they watched to

see what Baba would do. Unperturbed, Baba poured water into his oil pot, took a

drink from it, then filled all his earthen dishes with it and lighted them. To

the surprise and dismay of the shopkeepers, the wicks began to burn and kept

burning the whole night. Afterwards the shopkeepers repented and apologized.

EXPERIENCES OF SAI BABA'S VARIOUS DEVOTEES

Sugar Tea

Dasganu was once performing his Kirtan (religious discourse) and singing the

glory of Sai Baba, in the Koupineshwar temple in Thana. One Mr. Cholkar, a poor

man serving as a candidate in the Civil Courts in Thana, was amongst the

audience. He heard Dasganu's Kirtan most attentively and was much moved. He

there and then mentally bowed and vowed to Baba saying - "Baba, I am a poor

man, unable to support my family. If by your grace, I pass the departmental

examination, and get a permanent post, I shall go to Shirdi, fall at Your Feet

and distribute sugar-candy in Your name." As good luck would have it, Mr.

Cholkar did pass the

examination and did get the permanent post and now it remained for him to

fulfill his vow, the sooner the better. Mr. Cholkar was a poor man with a large

family to support; and he could not afford to pay for the expenses of a Shirdi

trip. As Mr. Cholkar was anxious to fulfill his vow as early as possible, he

resolved to economize, cut down his expenses and save money. He determined not

to use sugar in his diet and began to take his tea without it. After he was

able to save some money in this way, he came to Shirdi, took Baba's Darshan

(sight of a holy person), fell at His Feet, offered a coconut, distributed it

with a clean conscience along with sugar-candy as per his vow and said to Baba

that he was much pleased with His Darshan and that his desires were fulfilled

that day. Mr. Cholkar was in the Masjid with his host Bapusaheb Jog. When the

host and the guest both got up and were about to leave the Masjid, Baba spoke

to Jog as follows:- "Give him (your guest) cups of tea, fully

saturated with sugar." Hearing these significant words, Mr. Cholkar was much

moved, he was wonderstruck, his eyes were bedewed with tears, and he fell at

Baba's Feet again. Mr. Jog was also curious about this direction, regarding the

tea-cups to be given to his guest. Baba wanted by His words to create faith and

devotion in Cholkar's mind. He hinted as it were, that He got the sugar-candy

as per his vow and that He knew full well his secret determination not to use

sugar in his diet. Baba meant to say, "If you spread your palms with devotion

before Me, I am immediately with you, day and night. Though, I am here bodily,

still I know what you do; beyond the seven seas. Go wherever you will, over the

wide world, I am with you. My abode is in your heart and I am within you. Always

worship Me, Who is seated in your heart, as well as in the hearts of all beings.

Blessed and fortunate indeed, is he who knows Me thus."

Bread and Onion Story

Once it so happened, that a Sadhak (disciple) 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 (the highest meditative state) 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, who is 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 (sacred ash) and blessings.

Picture equivalent to Darshan

It was often the experience of Sai Baba's devotees that seeing Baba's picture

earnestly is equivalent to seeing Him in person. The following story

illustrates this statement.

A Saint of Bombay named Balabuva Sutar, who on account of his piety, devotion

and Bhajan (sacred singing), was called "Modern Tukaram", came to Shirdi for

the first time in 1917. When be bowed before Baba, the latter said "I know this

man since four years." Balabuva wondered and thought, how that could be, as that

was his first trip to Shirdi. But thinking about it seriously he recollected

that he had prostrated himself four years ago before Baba's portrait at Bombay

and was convinced about the significance of Baba's words. He said to himself,

"How omniscient and all-pervading are the Saints and how kind are they to their

Bhaktas (devotional devotees)! I merely bowed to His photo, this fact was

noticed by Baba and in due time He made me

realize that seeing His photo is equivalent to seeing Him in person!"

Faith Secures Passing Grade

There lived in Bandra, a suburb of Bombay, one Tendulkar family, all the members

of which were devoted to Shirdi Sai Baba. The son of the family was studying

hard day and night and wanted to appear for the medical examination. He

consulted some astrologers. Examining his horoscope they told him that the

stars were not favorable that year and that he should appear for the

examination next year, when he would be certainly successful. This cast a gloom

over him and made him restless. A few days afterwards his mother went to Shirdi

and saw Baba. Amongst other things she mentioned the gloomy and morose

condition of her son, who was to appear for the examination in a few days.

Hearing this Baba said to her,” Tell your son to believe in Me, to

throw aside horoscopes and predictions of astrologers and palmists and go on

with his studies. Let him appear for the examination with a calm mind, he is

sure to pass this year. Ask him to trust in Me and not to get disappointed".

The mother returned home and communicated Baba's message to her son. Then he

studied hard and in due course appeared for the examination. In the written

papers he did well, but being overwhelmed by doubts he thought that he would

not secure sufficient marks for passing. So he did not care to appear for the

oral examination. But the examiner was after him. He sent word through a

fellow- student, stating that he had passed in the written examination and that

he should appear for the oral. The son being thus encouraged appeared for the

oral examination and was successful in both. Thus he got through the

examination that year successfully by Baba's grace, though the stars were

against him. It is to be noted here that doubts and difficulties surround us

just to

move us and confirm our faith. We are tested as it were. If we only hold on

steadily to Baba with full faith and continue our endeavors, our efforts will

be ultimately crowned with success.

Suicide Thwarted

Mr. Gopal Narayan Ambadekar of Poona was a devotee of Baba. He served for ten

years in the Abkari department, from where he had to retire. He tried to get

some other job, but he did not succeed. He was overtaken by other calamities

and his condition grew from bad to worse. He passed 7 years in this condition,

visiting Shirdi every year and placing his grievance before Baba. In 1916 his

plight became worst and be decided to commit suicide in Shirdi. So he came

there with his wife and stayed for two months. One night while sitting in a

bullock cart he resolved to end his life by throwing himself into a well close

by. He proposed to do one way but Baba wished to do something else. A few paces

from this place, there was a hotel and its

proprietor Mr. Sagun, a devotee of Baba, came out and accosted him thus, "Did

you ever read this Akkalkotkar Maharaja's life?" Ambadekar took that book from

Sagun and began to read it. Casually, or we may say providentially he came

across a story which was to this effect. - During the life time of Akkalkotkar

Maharaj a certain devotee suffered very much from an incurable disease and when

he could endure the agony and pain no longer be became desperate and to end his

miseries threw himself one night into a well. Immediately the Maharaj came

there and took him out with his own hands and advised him thus, "You must enjoy

the fruit - good or bad - of your past actions; if the enjoyment be incomplete,

suicide won't help you. You have to take another birth and suffer again; so

instead of killing yourself, why not suffer for some time and finish up your

store of the fruit of your past deeds and be done with it once and for all?"

Reading this appropriate and timely story, Ambadekar was much surprised, and

moved. Had he not got Baba's hint through the story, he would have been no

more. Seeing Baba's all-pervasiveness and benevolence, his faith in Him was

confirmed, and he became a staunch devotee. His father was a devotee of

Akkalkotkar Maharaj and Sai Baba wanted him to walk into his father's footsteps

and continue his devotion to Him. He then got Sai Baba's blessings and his

prospects began to improve. He studied astrology and gained proficiency in it

and thereby improved his lot. He was able to earn sufficient money and passed

his after-life in ease and comfort.

STATEMENTS OF SAI BABA

There will never be any dearth or scarcity, regarding food and clothes, in any devotees' homes.

It is my special characteristic, that I always look to, and provide, for the

welfare of those devotees, who worship Me whole-heartedly with their minds ever

fixed on Me. Lord Krishna has also said the same in the Gita.

Be wherever you like, do whatever you choose, remember this well that all that

you do is known to me.

I am the Inner Ruler of all and seated in their hearts. I envelope all

creatures. I am the Controller - the wire-puller of the show of this Universe.

I am the mother - origin of all beings - the harmony of the three Gunas

(attributes), the propeller of all senses, the Creator, Preserver, and

Destroyer. Nothing will harm who turns his attention towards me, but Maya will

lash or whip him who forgets Me. All the insects, ants, the visible, movable

and immovable world is my Body or form.

You need not go far, or anywhere in search of Me. Barring your name and form,

there exists in you, as well as in all beings, a sense of Being or

Consciousness of Existence. That is Myself. Knowing this, you see Me inside

yourself as well as in all beings. If you practice this, you will realize all

pervasiveness and thus attain oneness with Me.

Baba's Mission Continues after Death

Bhakta Narayanrao had the good fortune to see Baba twice during the Latter's

lifetime. Three years after the passing away of Baba in 1918, he wanted to come

to Shirdi, but he could not come. Within a year of Baba's Mahasamadhi (leaving

the body) he fell sick and suffered much. All ordinary remedies gave him no

relief. So he meditated on Baba day and night. One night he had a vision in his

dream. Baba coming to him through a cellar, comforted him saying, "Don't be

anxious, you will be improving from tomorrow, and within a week you will be on

your legs." Narayanrao got perfectly well within the time mentioned in the

vision. Now the point for consideration is this:- Was Baba living because he

had the body, and was He dead because He left it? No, Baba is ever alive, for

He transcends both life and death. He who loved Him once whole-heartedly gets

response from Him at any time and at any place. He is always by our side and

will take any form and appear before the devout Bhakta (devotee) and satisfy

him.

Saints Working in Unison

In 1917 Haribhau Karnik of Dahanu came to Shirdi on the Guru-pournima day and

worshipped Baba with all formality. He offered clothes and Dakshina (money

offering), and after taking Baba's leave through Shama, got down the steps of

the Masjid. Then he thought that he should offer one more rupee to Baba and was

just turning to get up when Shama informed him by signs that as he had got

Baba's leave, he should go and not return. So he started home. On his way, when

he went into the temple of Kala Rama at Nasik for Darshan, the resident Saint

Narsing Maharaj who used to sit just inside the big door of the temple, left

his Bhaktas there, came to Haribhau, caught his wrist and said, "Give me my one

rupee". Karnik was surprised. He paid the rupee most willingly and thought that

Sai Baba recovered the rupee, which he intended in his mind to give, through

Saint Narsing Maharaj. This shows how the saints work in unison.

Role of Pain and Suffering

One Dr. Pillay was an intimate Bhakta of Baba. He was much liked by Baba, who

always called him Bhau (brother). Baba talked with him off and on and consulted

him in all matters and wanted him always at His side. This Pillay suffered once

very badly from guinea-worms. He said to Kakasaheb Dixit, "The pain is most

excruciating and unbearable. I prefer death to it. This pain, I know, is for

repaying past Karma, but go to Baba and tell Him to stop the pain and transfer

the working of my past Karma to ten future births of mine." Mr. Dixit went to

Baba and told Him his request. Then Baba, being moved by his request, said to

Dixit, "Tell him to be fearless. Why should he suffer for ten births? In ten

days he can work out the sufferings and consequences of his past Karma. While I

am here to give him temporal and spiritual welfare, why should he pray for

death? Bring him here on somebody's back and let us work and finish his sufferings once for all".

The doctor was brought in that condition and was seated on Baba's right. Baba

gave him His bolster and said, "Lie calmly here and be at ease. The true remedy

is, that the result of past actions has to be suffered and got over. Our Karma

is the cause of our happiness and sorrow; therefore put up with whatever comes

to you. Allah (God) is the sole Dispenser and Protector, always think of Him.

He will take care of you. Surrender to His feet with body, mind, wealth and

speech, i.e. completely and then see what He does." Dr. Pillay said in return

that Nanasaheb had put a bandage over the leg, but he found no relief. "Nana is

a fool" replied Baba. "Take off that bandage or else you will die. Now a crow

will come and peck you, and then you will recover."

While this conversation was going on, one Abdul who always cleaned the Masjid

and trimmed the lamps, turned up. While he was attending to his work of

trimming, his foot accidentally fell upon the stretched leg of Dr. Pillay. The

leg was already badly swollen and when Abdul's foot fell upon it and pressed

it, all the seven guinea-worms were squeezed out at once. The pain was

unbearable and Dr. Pillay bawled out loudly. After some time, he calmed down

and began to sing and cry alternately. Then Baba remarked, "See, our Bhau is

all right now and singing." Then Pillay enquired when the crow was coming and

pecking at him. Baba said, "Did you not see the crow? He won't come again.

Abdul was the crow. Now go and rest yourself in the Wada and you will be soon

all right."

By application of the Udi and by taking it in the stomach with water, and

without taking any other treatment or medicine, the disease was completely

cured in ten days as predicted by Baba.

Summoned by Dream

It is said that a dream, which we get in the small hours of the morning,

generally comes out true in the walking state. This may be so, but regarding

Baba's dreams there is no restriction of time. To quote an instance:- Baba told

Kakasaheb Dixit one afternoon to go to Rahata and fetch Khushalchand to Shirdi,

as He had not seen him since long. Kakasaheb accordingly took a tanga (cart)

and went to Rahata. He saw Khushalchand and gave him Baba's message. Hearing

it, Khushalchand was surprised and said that he was taking a noon nap after

meals when Baba appeared in his dream and asked him to come to Shirdi

immediately and that he was anxious to go. As he had no horse of his nearby, he

had sent his son to inform Baba; when his son was just out of

the village-border, Dixit's tanga turned up. Dixit then said that he was sent

specially to bring him. Then they both went in the tanga back to Shirdi.

Khushalchand saw Baba and all were pleased. Seeing this Leela of Baba,

Khushalchand was much moved.

More Statements of Sai Baba

Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere. If any

men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, but

receive them well and treat them with due respect. Shri Hari (God) will be

certainly pleased if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry,

clothes to the naked and your verandah to strangers for sitting and resting. If

anybody wants any money from you and you are not inclined to give, do not give,

but do not bark at him like a dog.

If my Leelas (sportive Divine actions) are written, the Avidya (ignorance) will

vanish and if they are attentively and devoutly listened to, the consciousness

of worldly existence will abate and strong waves of devotion and love will rise

up and if one dives deep into my Leelas, he would get precious jewels of

knowledge.

Let the world go topsy-turvy, you remain where you are. Look on calmly at the

show of all things passing before you. Demolish the wall of difference that

separates you from Me; and then the road for our meeting will be clear and

open. The sense of differentiation, as I and Thou, is the barrier that keeps

away the disciple from his Master, and unless that is destroyed the state of

Union or At-One-ment is not possible.

Baba Fed Sumptuously, How?

Once, Mrs. Tarkhad was staying in a certain house in Shirdi. At noon, meals were

ready and dishes were being served, when a hungry dog turned up there and began

to cry. Mrs. Tarkhad got up at once and threw a piece of bread, which the dog

gulped with great relish. In the afternoon, when she went to the Masjid and sat

at some distance, Sai Baba said to her, "Mother, you have fed Me sumptuously up

to my throat, My afflicted pranas (life-forces) have been satisfied. Always act

like this, and this will stand you in good stead. Sitting in this Masjid I shall

never, never speak untruth. Take pity on Me like this. First give bread to the

hungry, and then eat yourself. Note this well." She could not at first

understand the meaning of what Baba said.

So she replied, "Baba, how could I feed You? I am myself dependent on others and

take my food from them on payment." Then Baba replied -- "Eating that lovely

bread I am heartily contended and I am still belching. The dog which you saw

before meals and to which you gave the piece of bread is one with me, so also

other creatures (cats, pigs, flies, cows etc.) are one with me. I am roaming in

their forms. He, who sees Me in all these creatures is my beloved. So abandon

the sense of duality and distinction and serve Me, as you did today." Drinking

these nectar-like words, she was moved, her eyes were filled with tears, her

throat was choked and her joy knew no bounds.

Maid Servant demonstrates meaning of Upanishad

Das Ganu once started to write a commentary on the Ishavasya Upanishad. He

translated it verse by verse into the Marathi language, but did not comprehend

the gist of it and so was not satisfied with his performance. He therefore

consulted some learned men regarding his doubts and difficulties and discussed

with them at great length. They did not solve them nor did they give him any

rational and satisfactory explanation. So Das Ganu was a little restless over

this matter.

This Upanishad is the quintessence of the Vedas. It is the science of

self-realization, it is the scythe or weapon which can rend asunder the bondage

of life and death, and make us free. Therefore, he thought, that he who has

himself attained self-realization, can only give him the true or correct

interpretation of the Upanishad. When nobody could satisfy Das Ganu, he

resolved to consult Sai Baba about this. When he got an opportunity to go to

Shirdi, he saw Sai Baba, prostrated himself before Him, and mentioned his

difficulties about the Ishavasya Upanishad and requested Him to give the

correct solution. Sai Baba, blessed him and said- "You need not be anxious,

there is no difficulty about the matter, the maid-servant of Kaka (Kakasaheb

Dixit) will solve your doubts at Vile Parle, on your way home". The people who

were present then and heard this,

thought that Baba was joking and said, "How could an illiterate maid-servant

solve the difficulties of this nature", but Das Ganu thought otherwise. He was

sure, that whatever Baba spoke, must come true, Baba's word was the decree of

the Brahma (Almighty).

Fully believing in Baba's words, he left Shirdi and stayed with Kakasaheb Dixit.

There the next day, when Das Ganu was performing his morning worship, he heard a

poor girl singing a beautiful song in clear and melodious tones. The subject

matter of the song was a crimson coloured Sari (Indian dress), how nice it was,

how fine was its embroidery, how beautiful were its ends and borders etc. He

liked the song so much that he came out, and saw that it was being sung by a

young girl, the sister of Namya, who was a servant of Kakasaheb. The girl was

cleaning vessels, and had only a torn rag on her person. On seeing her

impoverished condition, and her jovial temperament, Das Ganu felt pity for her

and when Rao Bahadur M.V.Pradhan next day gave him a pair of dhotars, he

requested him to give a sari to the poor little girl also. Rao Bahadur bought a

good

Chirdi (small Sari) and presented it to her. Like a starving person getting

luckily good dishes to eat, her joy knew no bounds. The next day she wore the

new Sari, and out of great joy and merriment, whirled, danced round and played

`Fugadi' with other girls and excelled them all. The day following, she kept

the new Sari in her box at home and came with the old and torn rags, but she

looked as merry as she did the previous day. Seeing this, Das Ganu's pity was

transferred into admiration. He thought that the girl being poor had to wear a

torn rag, but now she had a new Sari which she kept in reserve and putting on

the old rag, strutted herself, showing no trace of sorrow or dejection. Thus he

realized that all our feelings of pain and pleasure depend upon the attitude of

our mind. Thinking deeply over this incident, he realized that a man ought to

enjoy whatever God has bestowed on him in the firm conviction that He besets

every thing, from behind and before, and on all sides and

that whatever is bestowed on him by God must be for his good. In this particular

case, the impoverished condition of the poor girl, her torn rag and the new

Sari, the donor, the donee and the acceptance were all parts of the Lord and

pervaded by Him. Here Das Ganu got a practical demonstration of the lesson of

the Upanishad - the lesson of contentment with one's own lot in the belief that

whatever happens is ordained by God and is ultimately good for us.

Sacred Ash (Udi) of Sai Baba

One of Baba's special features was that he always kept a sacred fire (Dhuni)

burning. The ash from this fire was called Udi and it was freely distributed to

the devotees at the time of their departure from Shirdi. What did Baba teach or

hint by this Udi? Baba taught by His Udi that all the visible phenomena in the

universe are as transient as the ash. Our bodies composed of wood or matter of

the five elements, will fall down, after all their enjoyments are over, and be

reduced to ashes. In order to remind the devotees of the fact that their bodies

will be reduced to ashes, Baba distributed Udi to them. Baba also taught by the

Udi that the Brahman is the only Reality and the universe is ephemeral and that

no one in this world, be he a son, father or wife, is really ours. We come here

(in this world) alone and we have to go out alone. It was found out

and is even now found out, that the Udi cured many physical and mental maladies,

but Baba wanted to din into the devotee's ears the principles of discrimination

between the Unreal and the Real.

Scorpion Sting

Narayan Motiram Jani of Nasik was a devotee of Baba. He was serving under

another devotee of Baba, by name Ramachandra Vaman Modak. Once he went to

Shirdi with his mother and saw Baba. Then Baba Himself told her that he (her

son) should serve no more, but start independent business. Some days after,

this prophecy turned true. Narayan Jani left service and started a boarding

house, 'Anandashram' which thrived well. Once a friend of this Narayan Rao was

stung by a scorpion and the pain caused by it, was severe and unbearable.

Baba's Udi (sacred ash) is most efficacious in such cases; it is to be applied

on the seat of pain, and so Narayan Rao searched for it, but found none. Then

he stood before Baba's picture and invoked Baba's aid, chanted

Baba's name and taking out a pinch of the ashes of the joss-stick burning in

front of Baba's picture and thinking it to be Baba's Udi, applied it on the

seat of pain and the sting. As soon as he took out his fingers, the pain

vanished and both the person were moved and felt delighted.

Udi used to facilitate childbirth

About 1904-05 Nanasaheb Chandorkar was Mamlatdar (revenue collector) at Jamner,

in the Khandesh District, which is more that 100 miles distant from Shirdi. His

daughter Mainatai was pregnant and was about to deliver. The case was very

serious and she was suffering from labour-pains for the two or three days.

Nanasaheb tried all remedies but they proved in vain; he then remembered Baba

and invoked His aid. There in Shirdi, one Ramgirbuva, whom Baba called

Bapugirbuva, wanted at this time to go to his native place in Khandesh. Baba

called him and told him to take a little rest and stop at Jamner on his way

home and give the Udi and Arati (spiritual ceremony) to Nanasaheb. Ramgirbuva

said that he had only two rupees with him and that amount was barely sufficient

for the railway fare up to Jalgaon and it was not possible for him to go from

jalgaon to

Jamner, a distance of about 30 miles. Baba assured him that he need not worry,

as everything would be provided for him. Then Baba asked Shama to write the

well-known Arati composed by Madhav Adkar and give a copy of it with Udi to

Ramgirbuva to be delivered to Nanasaheb. Then relying on Baba's words,

Ramgirbuva left Shirdi and reached Jalgaon at about 2:45 a.m. He had only two

annas left with him and was in a hard plight. To his great relief he heard

somebody calling out "Who is Bapugirbuva of Shirdi?" He went to him and told

him that he was the person Bapugirbuva. Then the peon, professing to be sent by

Nanasaheb, took him out to an excellent tanga with a good pair of horses. They

both drove in it. The tanga ran fast and early in the morning they came to a

brooklet. The driver took the horses for watering them and the peon asked

Ramgirbuva to partake of some eatables. Then

both of them took the refreshments and started again. They reached Jamner at

dawn. Ramgirbuva alighted to attend a call of nature and returned within a few

minutes, but found that there was no tanga, no driver and no peon. He was

dumbfounded. Then he went to the neighbouring Katcheri and making enquiries,

learnt that the Mamlatdar was at home. He went to Nanasaheb's house and

announced himself and gave Nanasaheb Baba's Udi and Arati. At this time,

Mainatai's case was most serious and all were in deep anxiety about her.

Nanasaheb called out his wife and asked her to give the Udi, mixed with water,

to their daughter to drink, and sing Baba's Arati. He thought that Baba's help

was most opportune. In a few minutes came the news that the delivery was safe

and that the crisis had passed away. When Ramgirbuva thanked Nanasaheb for the

peon, tanga and the refreshments etc. the latter was greatly surprised as he

had sent none to the station, and was not aware of any person coming from

Shirdi.

Saved from Humiliation by Baba's Grace and Udi

Balaji Neweskar was a great devotee of Baba as was his son after him. Once it

happened that at Balaji's anniversary day, a certain number of guests were

invited and dinner was prepared for them. But at the dinner-time it was found

that thrice the number of people invited turned up. Mrs. Newaskar was in a fix.

She thought that the food would not suffice for the people assembled and that if

it fell short, the honour of the family would be at stake. Her mother-in-law

comforted her by saying, "Don't be afraid, it is not ours, but Sai's food;

cover every vessel with cloth, putting some Udi in it, and serve from the same

without opening it : Sai will save us from ignominy." She did as she was

advised and it was found to their surprise and joy that not only did the food

suffice for all, but plenty of it remained after serving. "As one feels

intently, so he

realizes accordingly" was proved in this case.

Really this Jiva (human soul) transcends the three qualities, viz. Sattva, 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 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 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 Narayana (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.

>From Sai brothers with Sai love

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