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

May 30, 2006

Baba a Hindu or a Muslim!

This question has often been tormenting the minds of the people who gathered

around Baba. From the information available Baba was born to a Hindu couple.

As a proof of this fact, his ears were pierced in the early years. (Piercing

the ears is a custom of the Hindus but not that of the Muslims).

Baba came into contact with a Muslim Fakir when he two years old. The

fakir's name was not known to us. It is difficult for us to infer the nature

of the Fakir who might h belonged to the village Manwat near Patri. Baba

used to refer the Fakir in some important contexts and often repeat his

words. We can very well understand that Baba, imbibed exemplary conduct and

discipline with the close association he had with his mentor, the Fakir, in

the formative years. He (Fakir) seemed to be a noble and saintly person who

had conquered his senses, an embodiment of pure dispassion, and above all a

faithful devotee of the Almighty.

Baba acquired qualities necessary to realize God from the training he had

received from the Fakir. (Second to sixth year) Infact the Fakir was his

first Guru. The Fakir must have belonged to the Sufi sect. Sufies often

attain a state of Samadhi (deep meditation) and utter in Arabic Anal Haque

(Aham Brahmasmi), indicating the state of mind that realizes the Ultimate

within them. Several followers of Baba heard him repeating the words Anal

Haque - (Mai Allah Hum - I am God) every now and then. He revealed himself

to the devotees in the form of Lakshmi Narayana -

Ganapathi-Dutta-Maruthi-Vittal-Sri Rama-Sri Krishna, and said all those are

the forms of Allah and that He Himself was in all such forms.

Baba often uttered Arabic and Parsi words in the beginning when he arrived

at Shirdi and was singing lyrics especially that - of Sant Kabir. He used

to sing and dance in ecstasy with Chiru in hands (wooden pieces with metal

that produces rhythmic sounds) and Gajjalu (anklets with bells).

It is stated in the Sufi religion: 1) It is our ignorance alone that leads

us astray. 2) Only God is the doer; our minds and should be absorbed in God,

and He does all his deeds through us..3) All we need is only a "Guru", who

elevates us not only with preachings but also with the message, showing his

wonderful powers of affection and love. The Guru transmits His wonderful

spiritual powers to his disciple. He merges the soul of his disciple with

his own and transforms him to his state of divinity.

To be contd....

_________________________

Recommended Posts