To be able to follow the path of righteousness and uprightness.

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On one occasion, Shri Shirdi Sai Baba advised one of His devotees working as a

Magistrate, to maintain 'probity' in personal and professional life. The word

'probity' means a high standard of moral behaviour or adherence to the highest

principles and ideals or in short, uprightness. People from all walks of life,

such as government servants like magistrates, revenue officials, tehsildars,

mamlatdars, police officials to lawyers, artists, pilgrims, used to flock around

Baba at Shirdi, seeking His divine blessings, help and guidance, both mundane

and spiritual. Baba helped everyone as and when required, without any

considerations of religion, caste, creed, temporal status or varied social

differentiation.

 

Of all the advice that Shri Sainath Maharaj rendered, the most important and

common advice was to maintain uprightness and honesty in all aspects of life

religious, social, professional or personal. By asking the Magistrate to exhibit

moral conduct in his profession, Baba gave the message that demonstrating the

quality of righteousness in only one sphere of life, is not conducive to

spiritual growth of an individual. It has to be practiced or adhered to in every

sphere of life.

 

In our ordinary life, we come across many people, who demonstrate their quality

of piety by donating lots of money to the temples, but shirk away in providing

any such help to their poor domestic servant, even if he or she may be in dire

stress due to any number of reasons such as the sickness of his or her child.

There are others who spend lots of money and time on the rearing of their pet

dogs, but do not think twice before hurling abuses and even beat up urchins

begging on the street. Such examples are too numerous to be described within the

limited space of this article. Such people show contradiction between their

thought, intent and action, where they display virtuosity selectively, sometimes

simply for their personal gains. Thus, the quality of uprightness, probity and

honesty are applied as utilitarian principles. One need not be surprised at such

examples, because to be successful in the worldly life, most people take

recourse to such a formula.

 

However, such an approach is not conducive for those desirous of their inner

evolution. The formula that Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi prescribed, was upholding

the qualities of tolerance, compassion, uprightness, sacrifice and

non-attachment to be practiced resolutely in every station of life be it

professional, personal, religious or social.

 

Those who followed Baba's teaching in letter and spirit gained spiritual

progress much faster than those who did not follow. Shri Sai Satcharitra cites

stories of many such evolved souls during Baba's lifetime, such as, Megha, who

maintained his simplicity till his demise, Bala Saheb Bhate and Kaka Saheb Dixit

who renounced worldly life entirely on the bidding of Baba, while Mahalsapati

maintained his non-attachment to materialism. These exalted and noble souls, and

many others, who never faltered in sustaining their qualities under the guidance

of the Master of Shirdi, have been praised in Shri Sat Charitra and elsewhere.

 

Therefore, it behoves the true Sai devotees to consciously try to evolve the

best qualities in them, in all the activities they undertake. No doubt, this is

not at all easy to achieve, but steadfast love, devotion and unwavering faith

towards Baba will gradually bring out the best qualities in them. May Shri Sai

bless us all, to be able to follow the path of righteousness and uprightness.