SHRI SAI SATCHARITA - Ch. III and IV

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FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Mruthyor Ma Amruthanga Maya - Oh Lord lead me from Death to

Immortality OM Shanthi Shanthi Shanthi Hi SHRI SAI SATCHARITA

TEXT-ALIGN: center" align="center">Chapter III Sai Baba’s Sanction and Promise -

Assignment of Work to Devotees - Baba’s Stories as Beacon - Light - His Motherly

Love - Rohilla’s Story - His sweet and Nectar - like Words. Sai Baba’s Sanction

and Promise As described in the previous chapter, Sai Baba gave His complete

assent to the writing of the Sat-Charita

and said, "I fully agree with you regarding the writing of Sat Charita. You do

your duty, don’t be afraid in the least, steady your mind and have faith in My

words. If my Leelas are written, the Avidya (nescience) will vanish and if they

are attentively, and devoutly listened to, the consciousness of the 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."

Hearing this, author was much pleased, and he at once became fearless and

confident, and thought that work was bound to be a success. Then turning to

Shama (Madhavarao Deshpande) Sai Baba said.

FONT-FAMILY: Arial">"If a man utters My name with love, I shall fulfill all his

wishes, increase his devotion. And if he sings earnestly My life and My deeds,

him I shall beset in front and back and on all sides. Those devotees, who are

attached to Me, heart and soul, will naturally feel happiness, when they hear

these stories. Believe Me that if anybody sings My Leelas, I will give him

infinite joy and everlasting contentment. It is My special characteristic to

free any person, who surrenders completely to Me, and who does worship Me

faithfully, and who remembers Me, and meditates on Me constantly. How can they

be conscious of worldly objects and sensations, who utter My name, who worship

Me, who think of My stories and My life and who thus always remember Me? I

shall draw out My devotees from the jaws of Death. If My stories are listened

to, all the diseases will be got rid of. So, hear My stories with respect; and

think and meditate on them,

assimilate them. This is the way of happiness and contentment. The pride and

egoism of My devotees will vanish, the mind of the hearers will be set at rest;

and if it has wholehearted and complete faith, it will be one with Supreme

Consciousness. The simple remembrance of My name as ‘Sai, Sai’ will do away

with sins of speech and hearing". Different Works Assigned to Devotees The

Lord entrusts different works to different devotees. Some are given the work of

building temples and maths, or ghats (flight of steps) on rivers; some are made

to sing the glories of God; some are sent on pilgrimages; but to me was

allotted the work

of writing the Sat Charita. Being a jack of all trades but master of none, I was

quite unqualified for this job. Then why should I undertake such a difficult

job? Who can describe the true life of Sai Baba? Sai Baba’s grace alone can

enable one to accomplish this difficult work. So, when I took up the pen in my

hand, Sai Baba took away my egoism and wrote Himself His stories. The credit of

relating these stories, therefore, goes to Him and not to me. Though Brahmin by

birth, I lacked the two eyes. (i.e. the sight or vision) of Shruti and Smriti

and therefore was not at all capable of writing the Sat-Charita, but the grace

of the Lord makes a dumb man talk, enables a lame man to cross a mountain. He

alone knows the knack of getting things done, as He likes. Neither the flute,

nor the harmonium knows how the sounds are produced. This is the concern of the

Player. The oozing of Chandrakant jewel and the surging of the sea are not due

to the jewel and the sea but to the rise

of the moon. Baba’s Stories as Beacon- Light Lighthouses are constructed at

various places in the sea, to enable the boatmen to avoid rocks and dangers,

and make them sail safely. Sai Baba’s stories serve a similar purpose in the

ocean of worldly existence. They surpass nectar in sweetness, and make our

worldly path smooth and easy to traverse. Blessed are the stories of the

saints. When they enter our hearts through the ears, the body – consciousness

or egoism and the sense of duality vanish; and when they are stored in the

heart, doubts fly out to all sides, pride of the body will fall, and wisdom

will be stored in

abundance. The description of Baba’s pure fame, and the hearing of the same,

with love, will destroy the sins of the devotee and, therefore, this is the

simple Sadhana for attaining salvation. The Sadhana for Krita Age was Shamadama

(tranquillity of mind and body), for Treta Age, sacrifice, for Dwapara, worship,

and for Kali (present) Age, it is singing of the name and glory of the Lord.

This last Sadhana is open to all the people of the four varnas (Brahmins,

etc.). The other Sadhanas, viz. Yoga, Yagya (sacrifice), Dhyana (meditation)

and Dharana (concentration) are very difficult to practice, but singing and

hearing the stories and the glory of the Lord (Sai Baba) is very easy. We have

only to turn our attention towards them. The listening and singing of the

stories will remove the attachment to the senses and their objects, and will

make the devotees dispassionate, and will ultimately lead them to

self-realization. With this end in view, Sai Baba made me or helped me to

write His stories, Sat-Charitamrita. The devotees may now easily read and hear

these stories of Sai Baba and while doing so, meditate on Him, His form and

thus attain devotion to Guru and God (Sai Baba), get detachment and

self-realization. In the preparation and writing of this work,

Sat-Charitamrita, it is Sai Baba’s grace, which has accomplished everything,

making use of me as a mere instrument. Motherly Love of Sai Baba Everybody

knows how a cow loves her infant calf. Her udder is always full and when the

calf wants milk and dashes at the udder, out comes the milk in an unceasing

flow. Similarly a human mother knows the

wants of her child and feeds it, at her breast in time. In case of dressing and

adorning the child, the mother takes particular care to see that this is well

done. The child knows or cares nothing about this, but the mother’s joy knows

no bounds, when she sees her child beautifully dressed and adorned. The love of

mother is peculiar, extraordinary and disinterested, and has no parallel.

Sadgurus feel this motherly love towards their disciples. Sai Baba had this

same love towards me, and I give an instance of it below: - In 1916 AD I

retired from Government Service. The pension that was settled in my case was

not sufficient to maintain my family decently. On Guru-Poornima (15th of

Ashadha) day of that year, I went to Shirdi with other devotees. There, Mr.

Anna Chinchanikar, of his own accord, prayed

to Baba for me as follows: - "Please look kindly on him, the pension he gets is

quite insufficient, his family is growing. Give him some other appointment,

remove his anxiety and make him happy." Baba replied - " He will get some other

job, but now he should serve Me and be happy. His dishes will be ever full and

never empty. He should turn all his attention towards Me and avoid the company

of atheists, irreligious and wicked people. He should be meek and humble

towards all and worship Me heart and soul. If he does this, he will get eternal

happiness". The question Who is this HE, Whose worship is advocated, is already

answered in a note on "Who is Sai Baba" in the prologue, at the beginning of

this work.

justify">Rohilla’s Story The story of the Rohilla illustrates Sai Baba’s all

embracing love. One Rohilla, tall and well built, strong as a bull, came to

Shirdi, wearing a long Kafni (robe) and was enamoured of Sai who stayed there.

Day and night he used to recite in a loud and harsh tone Kalma (verses from

Holy Koran) and shout "ALLAH HO AKBAR" (God is Great). Most people of Shirdi

were working in their fields by day and when they returned to their homes at

night, they were welcomed with the Rohilla’s harsh cries and shouts. They could

get no sleep and felt much trouble and inconvenience. They suffered in silence

this nuisance for some days, and when they could stand it no longer, they

approached Baba, and

requested Him to check the Rohilla and stop the nuisance. Baba did not attend to

their complaint. On the contrary, Baba took the villagers to task, and asked

them to mind their own business, and not the Rohilla. He said to them that the

Rohilla had got a very bad wife, a Zantippi, who tried to come in and trouble

the Rohilla and Himself; but hearing the Rohilla’s prayers, she dare not enter

and they were at peace and happy. In fact, the Rohilla had no wife and by his

wife Baba meant DURBUDDHI, i.e. bad thoughts. As Baba liked prayers and cries

to God better than anything else, He took the side of the Rohilla, and asked

the villagers to wait and suffer the nuisance, which would abate in due course.

Baba’s sweet and nectar-like words

6pt; TEXT-ALIGN: justify">One day at noon after the Arati, devotees were

returning to their lodgings, when Baba gave the following beautiful advice: -

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

you do is known to Me. I am the Inner Ruler of all and seated in their hearts. I

envelop all the creatures, the movable and immovable world. I am the Controller

- the wirepuller of the show of this Universe. I am the mother - origin of all

beings - the Harmony of three Gunas, the propeller of all senses, the Creator,

Preserver and Destroyer. Nothing will harm him, 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". Hearing these beautiful and

precious words, I at once decided in my mind to serve no man henceforward, but

my Guru only; but the reply of Baba to Anna Chinchanikar’s query (which was

really mine) that I would get some job began to revolve in my mind, and I began

to think whether it would come to happen. As future events showed, Baba’s words

came true and I got a Government job, but that was of short duration. Then I

became free and solely devoted my self to the service of my Guru-Sai Baba.

Before concluding this Chapter, I request the readers to leave out the various

hindrances

viz. indolence, sleep, wandering of mind, attachments to senses, etc. and turn

their whole and undivided attention to these stories of Sai Baba. Let their

love be natural, let them know the secret of devotion; let them not exhaust

themselves by other Sadhanas, let them stick to this one simple remedy, i.e.

listening to Sai Baba’s stories. This will destroy their ignorance and will

secure for them salvation. A miser may stay at various places; but he always

thinks of his buried treasure. So let Sai Baba be enthroned in the hearts of

all. In the next chapter, I shall speak of Sai Baba’s advent in Shirdi. Bow

to Shri

Sai - Peace be to all Chapter IV SAI BABA’S FIRST ADVENT IN SHIRDI Mission of

the Saints - Shirdi a Holy Tirth - Personality of Sai Baba - Dictum of

Goulibuva – Appearance of Vithal - Kshirsagar’s Story - Das Ganu’s Bath in

Prayag - Immaculate Conception of Sai Baba

and His First Advent in Shirdi - Three Wadas. In the last Chapter, I described

the circumstances, which led me to write Sai-Sat-Charita. Let me now describe

the first advent of Sai Baba in Shirdi. Mission of the Saints

FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Lord Krishna says in Bhagavad-Gita (Chapter IV, 7-8) that

"Whenever there is a decay of Dharma (righteousness) and an ascendancy of

unrighteousness, I manifest Myself; and for the protection of the virtuous, the

destruction of the vicious and for the establishment of righteousness, I

manifest Myself in age after age". This is the mission of Lord, and the Sages

and Saints, Who are His representatives and Who appear here at proper times,

help in their own way to fulfil that mission. For instance, when the twice

born, i.e. the Brahmins, the Kshatriyas and the Vaishyas neglect their duties

and when the Shudras try to usurp the rights of the higher classes, when

spiritual preceptors are not respected but

humiliated, when nobody cares for religious instructions, when every body thinks

himself very learned, when people begin to partake of forbidden foods and

intoxicating drinks, when under the cloak of religion, people indulge in

malpractice, when people belonging to different sects fight amongst themselves,

when Brahmins fail to do Sandhya adoration, and the orthodox their religious

practices, when Yogis neglect their meditation, when people begin to think that

wealth, progeny, wife are their sole concern, and thus turn away from the true

path of salvation, then do Saints appear and try to set matters right by their

words and action. They serve us as beacon-lights, and show us the right path,

and the right way for us to follow. In this way, many saints, viz. Nivritti,

Jnanadev, Muktabai, Namdev, Gora, Gonayi, Ekanath, Tukaram, Narahari, Narsi

Bhai, Sajan Kasai, Sawata, Ramdas, and various others did appear at various

times to show the right path to the people, and so

presently came Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Shirdi - A Holy Tirth The banks of the

Godavari river, in the Ahmednagar District, are very fortunate for they gave

birth and refuge to many a Saint, prominent amongst them being Jnaneshwar.

Shirdi also falls in the Kopargaon Taluk of the Ahmednagar District. After

crossing the Godavari River at Kopargaon, one gets the way to Shirdi. When you

go three Koss (9 miles), you come to Nimgaon, from whence, Shirdi is visible.

Shirdi is as famous and well known as other holy places like Gangapur,

Narsinhwadi, Audumbar on the banks of Krishna river. As the devotee Damaji

flourished in and blessed Mangalvedha (near Pandharpur) as Samarth Ramdas at

Sajjangad, as Shri Narasimha Saraswati at Saraswatiwadi, so Sainath flourished

at Shirdi and blessed it. Personality of Sai Baba It is on account of Sai

Baba that Shirdi grew into importance. Let us see what sort of a personage Sai

Baba was.

He conquered this Samsar (worldly existence), which is very difficult and hard

to cross. Peace or mental calm was His ornament, and He was the repository of

wisdom. He was the home of Vaishnava devotees, most liberals (like Karna)

amongst liberals, the quint-essence of all essences. He had no love for

perishable things, and was always engrossed in self-realization, which was His

sole concern. He felt no pleasure in the things of this world or of the world

beyond. His Antarang (heart) was as clear as a mirror, and His speech always

rained nectar. The rich or poor people were the same to Him. He did not know or

care for honour or dishonor. He was the Lord of all beings. He spoke freely and

mixed with all people, saw the acting and dances of Nautchgirls and heard

Gajjal songs. Still, He swerved not an inch from Samadhi (mental equilibrium).

The name of Allah was always on His lips. While the world awoke, He slept; and

while the world slept, He was vigilant. His abdomen

(Inside) was as calm as the deep sea. His Ashram could not be determined, nor

His actions could be definitely determined, and though He sat (lived) in one

place, He knew all the transactions of the world. His Darbar was imposing. He

told daily hundreds of stories; still He swerved not an inch from His vow of

silence. He always leaned against the wall in the Masjid or walked morning,

noon and evening towards Lendi (Nala) and Chavadi; still He at all times abided

in the Self. Though a Siddha, He acted like a Sadhaka. He was meek, humble and

egoless, and pleased all. Such was Sai Baba, and as the soil of Shirdi was

trodden by Sai Baba’s Feet, it attained extraordinary importance. As Jnaneshwar

elevated Alandi, Ekanath did to Paithan, so Sai Baba raised Shirdi. Blessed are

the grass-leaves and stones of Shirdi, for they could easily kiss the Holy Feet

of Sai Baba, and take their dust on their head. Shirdi became to us, devotees,

another Pandharpur, Jagannath, Dwarka, Banaras

(Kashi) and Rameshwar, Badrikedar, Nasik, Tryambakeshwar, Ujjain, and Maha

Kaleshwar or Mahabaleshwar Gokarn. Contact of Sai Baba in Shirdi was like our

Veda and Tantra; it quieted our Samsara (world consciousness) and rendered

self-realization easy. The Darshan of Shri Sai was our Yoga-Sadhana, and talk

with Him removed our sins. Shampooing His Legs was our bath in Triveni Prayag,

and drinking the holy water of His Feet destroyed our desires. To us, His

commands were Vedas, and accepting (eating) His Udi (sacred ashes) and Prasad

were all purifying. He was our Shri Krishna and Shri Rama who gave us solace

and He was our Para Brahma (Absolute Reality). He was Himself beyond the Pair

of dwandwas (opposite), never dejected nor elated. He was always engrossed in

His Self as ‘Existence, Knowledge and Bliss.’ Shirdi was His Centre; but His

field of action extended far wide, to Punjab, Calcutta, North India, Gujarat,

Dacca (Now in Bangladesh) and Konkan. Thus the fame of Sai

Baba spread, far, and wide, and people from all parts came to take His Darshan

and be blessed. By mere Darshan, minds of people, whether, pure or impure,

would become at once quiet. They got here the same sort of unparalleled joy

that devotees get at Pandharpur by seeing Vithal Rakhumai. This is not an

exaggeration. Consider what a devotee says in this respect. Dictum of

Goulibuva An old devotee by name Goulibuva, aged about 95 years, was a Varkari

of Pandhari.

He stayed 8 months at Pandharpur and four months - Ashadha to Kartik (July -

November) on the banks of the Ganges. He had an ass with him for carrying his

luggage, and a disciple, as his companion. Every year he made his Vari or trip

to Pandharpur and came to Shirdi to see Sai Baba, Whom he loved most. He used

to stare at Baba and say, "This is Pandharinath Vithal incarnate, the merciful

Lord of the poor and helpless." This Goulibuva was an old devotee of Vithoba,

and had made many a trip to Pandhari; and he testified that Sai Baba was real

Pandharinath. Vithal Himself Appeared Sai Baba was very fond of remembering

and singing God’s name. He always uttered Allah Malik (God is Lord) and in His

presence made others sing God’s name continuously, day and night, for 7 days.

This is called Namasaptaha. Once He asked Das Ganu Maharaj to do the

Namasaptaha. He replied that he would do it, provided he was assured that

Vithal would appear at the end of the 7th day. Then Baba, placing His hand on

his breast assured him that certainly Vithal would appear, but that the devotee

must be ‘earnest and devout’. The Dankapuri (Takore) of Takurnath, the Pandhari

of Vithal, the Dwarka of Ranchhod (Krishna) is here (Shirdi). One need not go

far out to see Dwarka. Will Vithal come here from some outside place? He is

here. Only when the devotee is bursting with love and devotion, Vithal will

manifest Himself here (Shirdi).

After the Saptaha was over, Vithal did manifest Himself in the following

manner. Kakasaheb Dixit was, as usual, sitting in meditation after the bath,

and he saw Vithal in a vision. When he went at noon for Baba’s Darshan, Baba

asked him point-blank - "Did Vithal Patil come? Did you see Him? He is a very

truant fellow, catch Him firmly, otherwise, he will escape, if you be a little

inattentive." This happened in the morning and at noon there was another Vithal

Darshan. One hawker from outside came there for selling 25 or 30 pictures of

Vithoba. This picture exactly tallied with the figure that appeared in

Kakasaheb’s vision. On seeing this and remembering Baba’s words, Kakasaheb

Dixit was much surprised and delighted.

He bought one picture of Vithoba, and placed it in his shrine for worship.

Bhagwantrao Kshirsagar’s Story How fond was Baba for Vithal worship was

illustrated in Bhagwantrao Kshirsagar’s story. The father of Bhagwantrao was a

devotee of Vithoba, and used to make Varis (annual trips) to Pandharpur. He

also had an image of Vithoba at home, which he worshipped. After his death, the

son stopped everything - the Vari, the worship and shraddha ceremony etc. When

Bhagwantrao came to Shirdi, Baba on remembering his father, at once said - "His

father was my friend, so I dragged him (the son) here. He never offered

naivaidya (offering of food) and so he starved Vithal and Me. So I brought him

here. I shall remonstrate him now and set him to worship." Das Ganu’s Bath in

Prayag The Hindus think that a bath in the holy Tirth of Prayag, where the

Ganga and Yamuna meet, is very meritorious and thousands of pilgrims go there,

at

periodical times, to have the sacred bath there. Once, Das Ganu thought that he

should go to Prayag for a bath, and came to Baba to get His permission for

doing so. Baba replied to him - "It is not necessary to go so long. Our Prayag

is here, believe me." Then wonder of wonders! When Das Ganu placed his head on

Baba’s Feet, out came or flowed streams, of Ganga - Yamuna water, from both the

toes of Baba. Seeing this miracle, Das Ganu was overwhelmed with feelings of

love and adoration and was full of tears. Inwardly, he felt inspired, and his

speech burst forth into a song in praise of Baba and His Leelas. Immaculate

Conception of Sai Baba and His First Advent in Shirdi

10pt; COLOR: fuchsia; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> Nobody knew the parents, birth or

birthplace of Sai Baba. Many inquiries were made, many questions were put to

Baba and others regarding these items, but no satisfactory answer or

information has yet been obtained. Practically we know nothing about these

matters. Namdev and Kabir were not born like ordinary mortals. They were found

as infants in mother-of-pearls, Namdev being found on the bank Bhimrathi River

by Gonayee and Kabir on the bank Bhagirathi River by Tamal. Similar was the

case with Sai Baba. He first manifested Himself as a young lad of sixteen under

a Neem tree in Shirdi, for the sake of Bhaktas. Even then He seemed to be full

with the knowledge of Brahman. He had no desire for worldly objects even in

dream. He kicked out Maya; and Mukti (deliverance)

was serving at His feet. One old woman of Shirdi, the mother of Nana Chopdar,

described Him thus. This young lad, fair, smart and very handsome, was first

seen under the Neem tree, seated in an Asan. The people of the village were

wonder-struck 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 and asking, whence this young chap had turned up. His

form and features were so beautiful 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 was an enigma to all. One day it so happened, that God Khandoba

possessed the body of some devotee and people began to ask Him, "Deva (God),

you please enquire what blessed father’s son is this lad and whence did He

come". God Khandoba asked them to bring a pickaxe and dig

in a particular place. When it was dug, bricks were found underneath a flat

stone. When the stone was removed, a corridor led to a cellar where

cow-mouth-shaped structures, wooden boards, necklaces were seen. Khandoba said

- "This lad practiced penance here for 12 years." Then the people began to

question the lad about this. He put them off the scent by telling them that it

was His Guru’s place, His holy Watan and requested them to guard it well. The

people then closed the corridor as before. As Ashwattha and Audumbar trees are

held sacred, Baba regarded this Neem tree equally sacred and loved it most.

Mhalasapati and other Shirdi devotees regard this site as the resting place

(Samadhi-Sthana) of Baba’s Guru and prostrate before it.

Arial">Three Wadas (1) The site with the Neem tree and surrounding space was

bought by Mr. Hari Vinayak Sathe, and on his site a big building styled Sathe’s

Wada was erected. This Wada was the sole resting-place for pilgrims, who flocked

there. A Par (platform) was built round the Neem tree and lofts with steps were

constructed. Under the steps, there is a niche facing South and devotees sit on

the Par (platform) facing north. It is believed that he who burns incense there,

on Thursday and Friday evenings will, by God’s grace, be happy. This Wada was

old and dilapidated and wanted repairs. The Sansthan has made the necessary

repairs, additions and alterations now. (2) Then after some years another

Wada, Dixit’s Wada was constructed. Kakasaheb Dixit, Solicitor of Bombay, had

gone to England. He had injured his leg by an accident there. The injury could

not be got rid of by any means. Nanasaheb Chandorkar advised him to try Sai

Baba. So he saw Sai Baba in 1909 AD, and requested Him to cure rather the

lameness of his mind than that of his leg. He was so much pleased with the

Darshan of Sai Baba that he decided to reside in Shirdi. So he built a Wada for

himself and other devotees. The foundation of this building was laid on

10-12-1910. On this day, two other important events took place. (1) Mr.

Dadasaheb Khaparde was given permission to return home and (2) the night Arti

in Chavadi was commenced. The Wada was complete and was inhabited on the

Rama-Navami day in 1911 AD, with due rites and formalities. (3) Then another

Wada or palatial mansion was put up by the famous millionaire, Mr. Booty, of

Nagpur. Lots of money was spent on this building, but all the amount was

well utilized, as Sai Baba’s body is resting in this Wada, which is now called

the Samadhi Mandir. The site of this Mandir had formerly a garden, which was

watered and looked after by Baba. Three Wadas thus sprang up, where there was

none formerly. Of these, Sathe’s Wada was most useful to all, in the early

days. The story of the garden, attended to by Sai Baba with the help of Vaman

Tatya, the temporary absence of Sai Baba from Shirdi, and His coming again to

Shirdi with the marriage-party of Chand Patil, the company of Devidas, Jankidas

and Gangagir, Baba’s wrestling match with Mohdin Tamboli, residence in Masjid,

love of Mr. Dengale and other devotees; and other incidents will be described

in the next Chapter.

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all TO BE CONTINUED… With Sai love from Sai

brothers – ‘’

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