My Leela is inscrutable - Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi

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My Leela is inscrutable - Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi

 

Miracles of Sai Baba

 

The villagers of Shirdi and afar soon found out that this was no

ordinary fakir but an avatar (incarnation) of a very high order. He

demonstrated through his miracles and utterances, the purpose and

intention for which he had come. He would often say, " My Leela is

inscrutable " . To each one he met, he imparted knowledge according to

the capacity of the recipient to absorb it. Baba's Leela's (miracles)

were plenty and varied, and we recount just a few which occurred

during and after his lifetime.

 

Lighting lamps with water

Long before Sai Baba's fame spread, he was fond of burning lights in

his Masjid and other Temples. But for the oil needed in those little

earthenware lights that he lit, he depended on the generosity of the

grocers of Shirdi. He had made it a rule to light earthenware lamps

in the masjid every evening and he would call on the grocers for

small donations. But there came a time when the grocers got tired of

giving oil free to Sai Baba and one day they bluntly refused to

oblige him, saying they had no fresh stocks. Without a word of

protest Sai Baba returned to the masjid. Into those earthenware lamps

he poured water and lighted the wicks. The lamps continued to burn

deep into the midnight. The matter came to the notice of the grocers

who now came to Sai Baba with profuse apologies. Wouldn't Sai Baba

kindly pardon them? Sai Baba pardoned them, but he warned them never

to lie again. " You could have refused to give me the oil, but did you

have to say that you

didn't have fresh stocks? " he admonished them. But he had made his

point.

Premonition of burning fields

Once, harvesting in Shirdi had been completed and the foodgrains of

the entire village had been stored in a yard. The summer was on. The

heat was intense as only those who have lived in Shirdi know. One

afternoon Sai Baba summoned Kondaji Sutar and said to him: " Go, your

field is on flrel " Frightened, Kondaji ran to his field and.

frantically looked around for any sign of fire. There wasn't any. He

returned to the masjid and informed Sai Baba that he had looked

everywhere but had found no trace of fire and why did Baba have to

frighten him? Unfazed, Baba said : " You better turn back and look

again. " Baba was right after all. Kondaji noticed that a sheaf of

corn was indeed on fire and smoke was billowing from it. A strong

wind was fanning the fire and word had gone round to the villagers

who now came running to the scene. " Sai Baba, " the people

shouted " help us, help us put the fire out! " Thereupon, Sai Baba

walked casually towards the yard, sprinkled

some water on a stack of sheaves and said: " There now! The fire

will die down! " And so it happened.

Stopping the rain

There is the story of one Rao Bahadur Moreshwar Fradhan who had come

to Shirdi to take Sai Baba's Darshan along with his wife. As the

couple were about to leave, it began to rain heavily. Thunder and

lightning rent the air. As the Pradhan couple looked round in dismay,

Sai Baba prayed. " Oh Allah! " he intoned, " let the rains cease. My

children are going home. Let them go peacefully! " The storm thereupon

ceased, the downpour reduced to slight drizzle and the Pradhans were

able to reach their destination safely.

Raising the water level in well

When Sai Baba first came to Shirdi it had of no basic facilities.

There was a well put only in name. It had no natural spring water and

if ever there had been one, it must long ago have dried up. Water had

to be fetched from a distance. When, therefore, Sai Baba gave his

permission to the villagers to celebrate the Ram Navami Fair, (Baba's

Birthday) the big problem facing the organizers was one of water

supply. So What should they do but go to Sai Baba with their

problem? " 'Oh yes, " said Sai Baba, 'so you want plenty of water, do

you? Here, take this and drop it in the well and wait and

see. " " 'This, " turned up to be a platter of flowers on which some

prasad (blessed food) had been placed along with the remnants of alms

Baba had received earlier in the day. The villagers had no qualms

about doing as they were did. Their faith in Sai Baba was total. No

sooner had that platter of leaves been dropped in the well, it is

said, water rose from the bottom as if

by divine command and completely filled it. And great was the

rejoicing of the people.

Saving a child from drowning

One report has it that word had spread that the 3-year old daughter

of a poor man called Babu Kirwandikar had fallen into the well and

had been drowned. When the villagers rushed to the well they saw the

child suspended in mid-air as if some invisible hand was holding her

up! She was quickly pulled out. Sai Baba was fond of that child who

was often heard to say : I am Baba's sister! " After this incident,

the villagers took her at her word. " it is all Baba's Leela " , the

people would say philosophically. They could offer no other

explanation.

Flow of Godavari (river) from Baba's feet

These were instances of things they had seen with their own eyes. It

was not secondhand information they had gathered. Sai Baba was to

them as real as their homes and their fields and their cattle and the

distant hills. Das Ganu once had an unforgettable experience. On a

festive occasion, he sought Baba's permission to go to a place called

Singba on the banks of the Godavari to have a bath in the holy

waters. " No, " Baba replied resolutely, " where is the need to go all

the way when the Godavari is here right at my feet? " Das Ganu was

vexed. He was willing to concede that Ganga the holy river (Baba

frequently referred to Godavari as Ganga) rose from the feet of Sri

Narayana (one among the Hindu trinity of Gods) himself, but his faith

was not deep enough to believe that the waters of the Godavari could

spring form the feet of his master, Sri Sai. Baba who was reading Das

Ganu's mind decided that this was the time to strengthen Das Ganu's

faith. He told his

devotee: " come closer to me and hold the hollow of your palms at my

feet! " . As soon as he did so water flowed freely out of the toes of

the master's feet and filled the hollow of Das Ganu's palms in no

time. His joy knew no limits. He sprinkled the water on his head and

his body and distributed some more among the assembled devotees as

tirtha (holy water).

Other miracles

There was that other occasion when many thought that the masjid which

housed Sai Baba itself would be consumed by fire from the flames

which leapt up from the dhuni. All that Baba did was to take some

swipes at a wooden pillar in front of him. With every blow the flames

subsided and the fire died down. " Miraculous, " said his devotees.

Often they would notice him stirring some hot concotion over the

kitchen fire, not with a ladle but with his bare hands. There never

was a time when his hand was scalded. What supernatural powers did he

have? On yet another occasion, Sai Baba was partaking of food with

three of his devotees in the masjid when, without any cause for

provocation, he exclaimed- " Stop! " Then, as if nothing had happened,

the four continued with their meal. Lunch over and the dishes

cleared, they stepped out of the masjid, when large chunks of the

ceiling fell on the very spot where they had been seated only a few

minutes earlier. Did Sai Baba's

powers extend even to inanimate matter, the devotees wondered.

Instances have been quoted by his devotees as to how Sai Baba

commanded the rains to stop and the winds to cease.

Understanding Sai Baba

Baba always maintained the " Dhuni " or the perpetual fire. The

realisation that all the phenomenons of the nature are perishable and

unworthy of our craving, is signified by " Udi " which Sal Baba

distributed to all. Baba never left Shirdi. He talked to people who

came to see Him. Sal Baba would often speak in symbols and parables

leaving his devotees to work out the answer - such as, " A man had a

beautiful horse, but no matter what he did, it would not run in

harness. An expert suggested that it should be taken back to the

place from where it had come. This was done and it become tracable

and useful " . The explanation of this story is that the horse is the

Ego. As commander of the physical and mental powers of man, it is

useful but self-willed and therefore cause endless trouble. Taking it

back to its source is re-absorbing it in the spirit source which it

arises. It is the return to the source which purifies and enlightens.

From there the ego issues forth

again, no longer an ego, but a conscious agent of the spirit. Baba

would ask for Dakshina (money offered with respect to the Guru) from

some of those who came to see Him. This was not because he needed

their money. This was one of Baba's methods for testing out the

devotee's attachment to worldly things and willingness to surrender

his ego. Once one has surrendered himself totally to Him, Baba takes

care of all His spiritual and temporal needs. Baba regarded money

like everything else, in a symbolical manner. He once said, " I ask

only from those who the fakir (God) points out and in exchange I give

them ten times as much " . By the end of the day, all the money Baba

had earned was distributed to the destitute, poor, sick and the

needy. Baba used to feed the fakirs and devotees and even cook for

them. For those who were accustomed to meat, he cooked meat and for

the others vegetarian fare.

The Dwarakamayee of Sai Baba was open to all, irrespective of caste,

creed or religion. Among those who came to see him and got his

darshan (establishing spiritual contact with the Guru) and blessings

were ministers, government officials, business people and village

folk. He was the common man's God. He Stayed with them, hejoked with

them, He slept and ate with them, he smoked a chillum (pipe) with

them, he sang and danced with them, having no pretensions of a God.

But all of them Knew that He protected them. Even today, though He

has left his gross body, they feel his presence and realise his worth

all the more. Baba would also refer to the sounding of the drum of

the beginning of eternity within the soul. This " anahat " sound

emerged from Baba's heart from every limb, every bone and pore of his

body. It was permeated with divine essence and Baba claimed that

though one day his physical body will not exist, his remains will

communicate with from the

grave. Therefore, the most important place in Shirdi is Baba's

temple - the Samadhi Mandir is his grave, which literally millions

have visited and still continues to draw many more.

Eleven Assurances of Sai Baba

Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings would come to an

end.

The wretched and miserable would rise into plenty of joy and

happiness, as soon as they climb the steps of my Mosque.

I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly

body.

My tomb shall bless and speak the needs of my devotees.

I shall be active and vigorous even from my tomb.

My mortal remains would speak from my tomb.

I am Ever living to help and guide all, who come to me, who surrender

to me and who seek refuge in me.

If you look at me I look at you.

If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it.

If you seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once.

There shall be no want in the house of my devotees

'Shri Sai Satcharitra'

The significance of 'Shri Sai Satcharitra' (written by C.B Satpathy)

are : -

 

This is the first and foremost book based on the life-story of Shri

Sai Baba, which was originally composed in Marathi verse form. The

writing of the book started in the lifetime of Baba with his

blessings.

The Hindi translation of this book is in simple Hindi language, which

can be understood even by a common man.

The divine truth imparted by this book is even greater than the

knowledge contained in the Vedas and Geeta, because all the

characters and events in it are real and authentic as also recorded

in details by many devotees.

Because of the expression in simple Hindi it is easy even for every

one to comprehend it. Today there are very few people who can

understand Sanskrit language properly and absorb the meaning and

substance easily.

The spiritual essence contained in all the religious scriptures like

Vedas, Geeta, Yoga Vashisht is found in the life-story of Shri

Sainath.

The concepts on God and spirituality are explained in such a simple

yet comprehensive manner in 'Shri Sai Satcharitra' that no additional

book, or commentary etc. is required to understand it. It has a

natural flow of which the readers starts feeling as if they had been

closely associated with its events in their past life.

I may mention here that the glory of Shri Sai is spreading in the

world, far and wide, in such an amazing way that detailed information

at the web sites on Internet about Shri Sai and 'Shri Sai

Satcharitra' is available for interested readers.

The foremost duty of a Sai devotee is therefore to read 'Shri Sai

Satcharitra' and absorb it by heart if possible. The more they read

this book, the more it will bring them closer to Baba and all their

doubts and apprehensions will be cleared.

It also has been experienced that during crisis if any devotee is

searching for an answer, if he randomly opens of 'Shri Sai

Satcharitra' praying Baba sincerely and with faith his answer can be

found in that open page.

Many people have got their desired benefits after reading 'Shri Sai

Satcharitra' for a week in a parayana form.

Therefore, 'Shri Sai Satcharitra' should be utilized by all Sai

devotees in the following manner:

 

Get the book, 'Shri Sai Satcharitra' in whatever language one chooses

to read. Neatly wrap it up in a piece of new cloth, and place it near

Baba's photograph or idol with due sanctity.

Whether at home or elsewhere, one should always read a few pages of

the book every night before going to sleep. Every devotee should try

to keep Baba as the last thought before sleep.

During crisis it should be read devotionally for a week, as is

mentioned in 'Shri Sai Satcharitra'. If possible, reading should

begin on a Thursday or on some other special day, such as Ramnavami,

Dussehra, Gurupurnima, Janmashtmi, Mahashivratri, Navratri, etc.

After it's completion on the seventh day one should feed the poor and

destitute either in the temple/home or wherever possible.

One should read it sitting in some isolated corner in the temple or

in front of Baba's statue or Photograph/painting. If other people are

present, then it should be read to them or with them as well. Group

reading should always be encouraged.

Wherever and whenever possible, it should be read continuously from

sunrise to sunset in the temples on auspicious days. Devotees may be

asked to read it by turn as is done in chanting the holy name i.e.

Naamjap. Encourage children to read this book. Question answer

competition from the " Shri Sai Satcharitra " can be organized in

temples.

'Shri Sai Satcharitra' should be read to the devotees - sick, old

aged and those nearing death as much as possible. All of them will

get peace.

'Shri Sai Satcharitra' is a reasonably priced book and is easily

available at Shirdi. Therefore, any devotee visiting Shirdi must

bring a few copies with him to distribute among the deserving people

free of cost.

At times, of distress and agony if one sincerely searches for the

answers from 'Shri Sai Satcharitra' he will not only find the answers

but also solace. His faith will grown in Baba. I pray Shri Sainath to

reveal the divine knowledge and mysteries contained in this book to

the devotees in the same manner in which he had inspired Hemandpant

to write this book sitting in his heart. Shri Sai Satcharitra should

be taken by all Sai devotees as Gita and Bible.