SHIRDI BABA BABA ATTAINING SAMADHI (leaving His gross body)

May 22, 2008

BABA ATTAINING SAMADHI (leaving His gross body)

It was 15th of October of the year 1918, on Tuesday at about 2.35 in

the afternoon that the Supreme Master, Sai Baba of Shirdi breathed

His last. His self-allotted labour of love in His gross body was

perhaps finished. The last words that He uttered were that He should

be taken to an adjoining 'wada' (building) as He did not feel well in

the masjid. As the Master shed His gross body all men and women

plunged into agonizing grief.

Baba had given indication of the approach of His 'Mahasamadhi'

(shedding His mortal body) in as early as 1916 on the same day, that

is the day of Dussehra (a festival in India marking the victory of

Good over evil). A few weeks before His passing out of gross body He

sent a message to a Muslim saint in Aurangabad, " Allah is taking away

the lamp He placed here. " On hearing this that fakir shed tears.

Surprisingly, the 15th October 1918, which was a day of Hindu

festival Dussehra also happened to be the day of Moharram (A Muslim

festival) and Buddha Jayanti (A Buddhist festival). The departure of

Baba on such a day was symbolic of His universal approach to human

problems cutting across all religions, nationalities, castes, social

differentiation and all such manmade barriers.

After Baba passed away there was a dispute about how and where Baba's

mortal remains should be interred. At the end, all disputes and

controversy were smoothed out and His Hindu and Muslim devotees alike

decided to inter the body of the Master in `Buti Wada', as desired by

the Master Himself. The physical body of the gracious Guru, the

Supreme Master, was laid to rest in the central hall with due

formalities, sanctity and honour, but His Eternal Spirit rises from

the tomb to proclaim to His followers again and again the

indisputable evidence of His resurrection and life. The Supreme

Master had often promised and assured that His tomb would speak and

move with those who made Him their sole refuge. His final rest is in

Samadhi Temple, which is open to all caste, creed and religion as a

Gateway to God.

The sound of eternity emerged from Baba's heart every limb, every

bone and every pore of His body

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