'Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi -A God!' by Bapatla Hanumanth Rao Garu

[Guest guest]

CHAPTER THREE

Before dwelling upon the second question, "Is Sai Baba, a God? ", it is

essential for us to know briefly about the life history and the mission of

Sri Sai Baba.

 

We are not exactly aware of the actual details of the birth Sri Sai Baba.

But according to the information given by Sri Baba himself to his close

confederate devotee, Sri Mahalsapati during his last phase of life (in the

year 1910 or about) and also as per the writings of other devotees like Das

Ganu Maharaj; Hemad Pant, Kaparde etc., the following details emerge.

 

Baba was born to a Brahmin couple in 1838 in a village Pa near Manwath in

Parbhani taluq in the erstwhile Nizam state (A historian wrote that Jamuna

Bai and Nandalal were the names of Baba's parents - how far this is

reliable, is not known). The parents entrusted the child in his second year

to a fakir (mendicant). The fakir and his wife brought up the child for

years. In their custody, Baba learnt good conduct and discipline The fakir,

before breathing his last, asked his wife to entrust the care of the boy to

Sri Gopal Rao Deshmukh of Selu village.

 

Sri Gopal Rao was then the Zamindar of the Jintur Paragana appointed by the

Pishwas of Maharastra around 1800 AD. was a staunch devotee of Lord

Venkateswara. And he, being perfect embodiment of divine wisdom and

detachment, endowed with all Siddhies (super natural powers). The people

served him as the incarnation of Lord Venkateswara and fondly called him

Venkusa.

 

As directed by her husband, the fakir's wife brought the six year-old boy to

Selu and entrusted him to the care of Sri Gopal Rao Deshmukh. Baba served

him as his Guru for twelve years with utmost faith, veneration and devotion.

It was only by the grace of Venkusa that Baba inherited all the divine

qualities and super natural  powers. This is called Saktihipatha, the

transfer of super natural powers from the teacher to the disciple.

 

Baba arrived at Shirdi for the first time in the year 1854. With face

glowing bright with divinity, Baba, then an young lad of eighteen, always

used to sit and meditate under a sweet neem tree. He left the place after a

few days, wandering here and there, details of which were not known.

 

To be contd....

(Source : http://www.saileelas.org/book/agod.htm

 

Sri Satchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki Jai !!!

 

Baba Bless us all

 

 

!