Dear all,Today I am uploading 4th chapter from the book "Inner Voyage To Explore Sai ".Devotees are requested to follow the link given at the end of this post if they miss on any part/chapter of the book .Jai Sai Ram
Chapter IV
PHILOSOPHY OF SAI LEELAS.
When our Sadguru Sai started living in a dilapidated mosque, named Dwarakamai, Baba, after His morning prayers, used to grind wheat and the flour was thrown on the borders of Shirdi Village, in order to prevent spreading of cholera to the village folk.Sai Sahasranamavali 341 says that Baba returned to Shirdi by the reason of numerous obligations and ties arising out of long residence there in the past births.
The grinding of wheat exhibited by our Sai also grinded the sins, miseries, mental and physical afflictions and the miseries of His innumerable devotees. It had also had a lesson in Bhakti marga. The two stones of His mill consisted of Karma and Bhakti, the former being the lower one and the latter the upper one. The handle represented Jnana. Baba also impressed by this act that knowledge or self-realisation was not possible unless there was prior grinding of all our impulses, desires, sins and the thee gunas and the Ahamkara which is so subtle and therefore, so difficult to get rid of it.
This is similar to the words of Kabir’s guruji, Nipathiranjana, when once Kabir, after seeing a woman grinding corn said to his Guru, “I am weeping because I feel the agony of being crushed in this wheel of worldly existence like the corn in the hand mill”. Kabir’s Guru, Nipathiranjana, advised him “Do not be afraid, hold fast to the handle of knowledge of this mill, as I do, and do not wander far away from the same but turn inward to the centre and you are sure to be saved”.
Mrs.Khaparde and Mr.Bala Sahib Khaparde, during their stay in Shirdi, found that their son had developed bubonic plague and so they got frightened and decided to leave Shirdi. In the evening, they went to Baba to seek His permission to leave Shirdi, Baba with His compassion and viswas spoke to the couple assuring them that everything will be alright.
So saying, He lifted His Kufni and showed them four fully developed bubos as big as an egg and said, “See how I have to suffer for my devotees and their difficulties are Mine”.
Seeing this extraordinary deed people were convinced that saints really suffered for the sake of their devotees and proved that their mind was softer than wax, it was so soft in and out as butter. They loved the devotees with the motto of self sacrifice.
N.C.Chandorkar’s devotion to Sai was proved when he got transfer order to Pandharpur, which is regarded as Bhoo Vaikuntha (heaven on earth). Chandorkar wanted to see Baba and get His blessings before leaving for Pandharpur and so visited Shirdi. At that time, Baba was sitting with Mahlsapathy, Appa Shinde and Kasiram. And suddenly, Baba told them, let us do some bhajans, the doors of Pandharpur are open le tus merrily sing. But the song was “I have to go to Pandharpur as I have to stay there for it is the house of my Lord”. In a short-while, Nana came there and prostrated before Baba and requested Baba to accompany him to Pandharpur and stay with him there. The devotees told Nana that Baba was already in a mood to go to Pandharpur and staying there. Nana was very much moved and fell again at Baba’s Feet.
Sai, by placing His hands on devotee’s head transferred His powers to them and destroyed the sense of differentiation and made them attain the unattainable things. When bhaktas, with no sense of duality prostrated before Him, Sai became one with such bhaktas like a sea merging with rivers in the rainy season.
When the devotees surrendered themselves to our Sadguru Sai, He sees that the religious functions in their houses are duly executed and completed with all necessary formalities.
Sai proved to be a Parameshwara to His ordained devotee Megha of Viramgaon, who was a simple and illiterate Brahmin cook of Rao Bahadur H.V.Sathe. When they reached Shirdi and went to the masjid, Baba was very angry and would not allow Megha to enter. “Kick out the rascal”, roared Baba and said to Megha “You are a high caste Brahmin and I am a low Muslim. You will lose your caste by coming here, so get away”. Hearing these words Megha went away to Triyambak and stayed there for over a year. Then, Baba started molding Megha internally to understand that Baba was an incarnation of Shiva. (Namami Iswaram Sadguru Sainatham)
As such, Megha sued to go to many miles everyday to bring Bel leaves to worship His Shiva in Sai Baba. He started worshipping Baba and after doing service, i.e., shampooing Baba’s legs, drank the padatheertha of his Master, Sai Baba.
Once it so happened, that he came to the masjid without worshiping his God Khandoba as the door of the temple was closed. Baba did not accept his worship and sent him again saying that the door of the temple was open. Megha went there and worshiped his deity and returned to Baba as usual. In the masjid, he worshiped Baba in person and in the wada Baba’s big picture given by N.C.Chandorkar. In order to appreciate Megha;s devotion and confirm his faith, Baba gave him darshan one early morning when Megha was still in his bed, eyes closed, but internally awake and said, “Megha, draw a Trident” and disappeared.
Hearing Baba’s words, Megha eagerly opened his eyes but could not see Baba and found only the rice grains (akshada) spread around. Then, he immediately went to Baba and sought permission to draw a Trident. Baba said, “It was no vision, but direct order. My words are always pregnant with meaning and never hallow.” Baba again said “I require no door to enter. I have no form, nor extension. I always live everywhere. I carry on as a wirepuller all the actions of the man who trusts me and merges in me.”
Megha returned to the wada and drew a red Trident on the wall near Baba’s picture. The next day some devotee offered Baba a Pindi (an image of Lord Shiva) when Megha also turned up there. Baba said to him, “See, Shankar has come, protect (i.e, worship) Him now.” Megha was surprised to see the Pindi following the Trident immediately. Afte ra few days, Baba installed Pindi near the big picture wich Megha was worshipping and showed Megha that Baba was the real Parameshwar.
According to Gospel, 167, Baba told Megha “to draw Trisul, to worship the Linga and worship all the village Gods before you come to worship Me”.
Baba told to Nachne “go to Deopur and worship the stones your forefathers had worshiped”.
Sadguru Sai told Shyama: “Go to Sapta Sringi and present your silver breasts to Vani Devi.”
Once, Kaka Mahajani wnet to Shirdi from Bombay to stay there for more days. But as soon as he prostrated before Baba, the Sage of Shirdi, by His clairvoyance, asked Mahajani to return home next day itself. So, when mahajani returned to Bombay, he saw that his employer was anxiously waiting fir his arrival as the munim of the company took suddenly ill and so Kaka’s presence was absolutely necessary. The employer had already sent a letter to Shirdi which was redirected to him at Bombay. So, Baba’s command had its own significance and this leela was ever remembered by Kaka.
Baba is a great yoga sampoorna avatar. When a South African doctor, who was a great Rama bhakta, was not willing to bow before Baba, whom the doctor considered as a muslim fakir. But with an assurance that he need not bow before Baba, he was taken by a mamaltar to the masjid. But the mamaltar and others were wonderstruck to see the doctor going ahead of all and prostrating before Baba. The doctor said that he saw his beloved deity Rama in Baba’s seat and so, he bowed to Him.
When Moolay Shastri, taking pride of being an agnihotri and a disciple of Guru Gholap, was hesitating to give dakshina to Baba. But all of a sudden, he saw his guru Gholap Swami seated in Baba’s asan and so with closed eyes fells at His guru’s feet and when others were singing Arati, Moolay Shastri was chanting his own Guru’s name. When he opened his eyes, he saw Baba asking for dakshina. Seeing Baba’s blissful form and His unconceivable power, Moolay Shastri was extremely pleased with full of tears of joy. He said his doubt was removed when he saw his own guru. The moral of the episode is that one should have firm faith in one’s own Guru.
Harischandra Pitale went with his family and sickly son, who was suffering from fits.
Pitale sought Baba’s mercy in getting his son cured and the boy was fully cured by Baba’s grace. After staying for a few more days by serving Baba in Shirdi, then, Pitale and his family sought Baba’s permission and blessings to leave Shirdi and Baba gave them Udi and called Pitale nearby and told him “Bapu, I had given you before rupees two and now I give another rupees three. Keep them in your shrine and continue your worship”. Pitale accepted them s prasad but could not understand the significance of it.
So on his return home, Pitale wanted to get Baba’s version cleared from his mother. Mother gave him the correct picture. “As you now went to Shirdi with your son, your father once along with you went to Akkalkotar Maharaj. The Maharaj was a perfect Siddha and He gave your father rupees two for being kept in the shrine and asked him to worship it daily. Your father did so till his death and then the coins had also disappeared. You are very fortunate that Akkalkot Maharaj has appeared to you in the form of Shirdi Sai Baba and has blessed you to keep the coins safe in your shrine and start worshipping it regularly. Sai Samartha has kindly revived the spirit of bhakti in you and try to adhere it to your benefit.”
Baba sometimes played practical jokes which looked like very much thoughtless fun but really conveyed some practical lesson or other benefits.
Baba impressed different people with his powerful personality or personal traits in different ways by the same set of acts and expressions. He was always living in Shirdi till 1918, yet Baba said to people “I am not in Shirdi. He who thinks he has seen me here has not seen me. I am not here”.
Someone promised to get a horse to present it to Baba. The coolly wanted immediate payment for getting the horse. As Baba was delaying payment, the coolly one day rushed to Baba’s resting place. As it was Baba’s resting hour, Sai growled in anger and hurled a brickbat at the coolly. The coolly was hurt on his head and to pacify him, H.S.Dixit made the coolly to accept Rs.200 and told him to buy a cart and bulls for the money and daily transport the stream of devotees to Shirdi. The coolly thus became a cart driver and Baba’s anger proved to be a blessing in disguise.
S.B.Nachne’s child and Kirwandikar’s child fell down from heights on the road or into the well. But Sai appeared in form visible only to the children and prevented the calamity and made only a slightest harm to befall on them.
When one day Baba was feeling very hungry he asked for food and Lakshmi Bai, a well to do woman devotee, went home and got the dishes. But Baba asked her to given the well-prepared food to a dog standing nearby and proved that He is existing in all creatures in the universe and was an antaryami of everyone. Upasani Baba after his pooja in the Khandova temple everyday used to offer his naivedya to our Sadguru Sai Baba. One day, Upasani Maharaj did not care for the dog and went to Dwarakamai to offer the naivedya. The next day also an emaciated Sudra was standing at the gate. Upasani Baba, ignoring him again went to Dwarakamai. Sadguru Sai, an antaryami of every creature, told Upasani Baba that there was no need for him to come to Dwarakamai, as He alone was present on both the days at the gate of Khandoba mandir in the form of a dog and sudra but Upasani Maharaj had failed to realize Baba as an antaryami in everyone.
A devotee of Akkalkotar maharaj, Bhai Krishnaji Alibagkar worshipped the photo of Akkalkotar Maharaj. He once thought of going to Akkalkot for taking the darshan of the saint’s padukkas and offer his sincere worship. But he could not go there. Akkalkotar Maharaj appeared in his vision and told him “Now Shirdi is my resting place, go there and offer your worship. So, Bhai changed his plan came to Shirdi and worshipped Baba, stayed there for six months. This proves that Baba can be worshiped in the form of one’s own guru.
When a sub judge had been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for corruption, he sought Baba’s help in his criminal appeal. Baba said “Sow margosa and reap margosa.” The judge could not understahnd Baba’s words. But it is patent reference to the Law of Karma, which had brought on its early results in the case of the sub judge who was advised to joyously suffer the results of his own action so as to start his account with a clean chit for the near course.
Though Baba remained in Shirdi, He used to tell people “I am not in Shirdi”. But highly devout bhaktas like Nana Chandorkar would note the importance of this teaching, that is, Baba was not Baba-body but He was everywhere in spirit and form. Baba could produce his mortal body in any place at any time as He did on numerous occasions to help the devotees. In any case, being an antaryami of all, He was not the mere body seen in Shirdi.
Sai had the power when He was physically present in Shirdi to take up other bodies and carried out His leelas in various places. When Mahlsapathy was in Jejuri for taking part in kavadi procession, Baba gave him darshan in his personal form. At Hardim Sadubhayya and some others were walking, suddenly Baba appeared before them. Baba came right upto them and thrust His hand into the hand of Sadubhayya, passed behind and disappeared. Baba had thrust a toothpick into the hand of Sadubhayya.
To H.S.Dixit once during his morning meditation, had the shashatkara of Vittal. He went to Baba to know the significance of the vision, Baba at once said, “Kaka, did not Vittal Patil come to you? Have you seen Him? That Vittal is very elusive. Tie Him first. If by inadvertence, you lose sight of Him, He will vanish in a second”. Thus Baba confirmed Kaka’s idea that it was Vittal Pandarinath. He said in order to have such shashatkaras to be frequent one should ever keep the vision before his mind and make God a permanent possession.
Sai Divya udi taken from the dhuni, which is burning for more than 15o years is a Sarva Roga Nivaranam and sarva siddhi sadanam. It is not merely a by-product but a life-saving spiritual ash.
Paying your obeisance to the image of Baba and with full faith if you smear the udi mainly in your forehead and also in your body or drink a drop of it with water, you are sure to be cured of any ailment.
In the beginning, this Spiritual Master of Shirdi was giving herbs and other medicines for curing the ailments of His devotees but after His 3-day Samadhi in 1886 and His Resurrection, Baba started giving only this nectar like udi with the chanting of Hari naama and “allah bhale Karega” for curing all physical and mental ailments of His bhaktas.
Philosophically, the udi teaches us that all the visible phenomena in the universe are as transient as the ash. Our body, composed of five elements, will perish after all the Karma Vasanas are exhausted and will be reduced to ashes. In order to remind the devotees of this essential lesson also Baba distributed udi to His devotees.
It also taught that Brahman is the only reality and the universe is ephemeral and no one in this world is really ours. This also reminded the devotees to know what is unreal and real and unless we understand to discriminate and develop non-attachment, it is not possible to cross over the samsaric ocean.
Baba’s main objective in taking dakshina from His devotees was to teach them the lessons of Renunciation and Purification.
Sai Baba asked for dakshina of rupees five which Ruttonji intended to give but added that He (Sai) had already received Rs.3.14.0 from him and he (Ruttonji) should pay the balance only. Hearing this, Ruttonji was puzzled. He could not make out what Baba meant.
Returning to Nanded from Shirdi, Ruttonji narrated everything to Dasganu and explained hat he could not understand what Baba meant about Rs.3.14.0. Dasganu said that Ruttonji had received some days before a Mohamedan saint and the amount spent for his reception exactly came to Rs.3.14.0.
This proved that Baba was omniscient though He lived in Shirdi. In fact, Baba knew the past, present and future and could identify Himself with heart and soul with any saint and keep account of the devotee’s service to that particular saint.
So, also, H.H.Saipadananda Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji, founder patron of Sri Sai Spiritual Centre, Bangalore-28, who followed the real spirit of Sadguru Shirdi Sai Baba, also accepted only the ‘sincere devotion’ as His Dakshina from His devotees.
He usually returned any amount of money, given as Dakshina with His blessings to the devotee or else gave it on the spot to a good Divine cause.
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© Shirdi Sai Baba Sai Babas Devotees Experiences Sai Baba Related all Details
The grinding of wheat exhibited by our Sai also grinded the sins, miseries, mental and physical afflictions and the miseries of His innumerable devotees. It had also had a lesson in Bhakti marga. The two stones of His mill consisted of Karma and Bhakti, the former being the lower one and the latter the upper one. The handle represented Jnana. Baba also impressed by this act that knowledge or self-realisation was not possible unless there was prior grinding of all our impulses, desires, sins and the thee gunas and the Ahamkara which is so subtle and therefore, so difficult to get rid of it.
This is similar to the words of Kabir’s guruji, Nipathiranjana, when once Kabir, after seeing a woman grinding corn said to his Guru, “I am weeping because I feel the agony of being crushed in this wheel of worldly existence like the corn in the hand mill”. Kabir’s Guru, Nipathiranjana, advised him “Do not be afraid, hold fast to the handle of knowledge of this mill, as I do, and do not wander far away from the same but turn inward to the centre and you are sure to be saved”.
Mrs.Khaparde and Mr.Bala Sahib Khaparde, during their stay in Shirdi, found that their son had developed bubonic plague and so they got frightened and decided to leave Shirdi. In the evening, they went to Baba to seek His permission to leave Shirdi, Baba with His compassion and viswas spoke to the couple assuring them that everything will be alright.
So saying, He lifted His Kufni and showed them four fully developed bubos as big as an egg and said, “See how I have to suffer for my devotees and their difficulties are Mine”.
Seeing this extraordinary deed people were convinced that saints really suffered for the sake of their devotees and proved that their mind was softer than wax, it was so soft in and out as butter. They loved the devotees with the motto of self sacrifice.
N.C.Chandorkar’s devotion to Sai was proved when he got transfer order to Pandharpur, which is regarded as Bhoo Vaikuntha (heaven on earth). Chandorkar wanted to see Baba and get His blessings before leaving for Pandharpur and so visited Shirdi. At that time, Baba was sitting with Mahlsapathy, Appa Shinde and Kasiram. And suddenly, Baba told them, let us do some bhajans, the doors of Pandharpur are open le tus merrily sing. But the song was “I have to go to Pandharpur as I have to stay there for it is the house of my Lord”. In a short-while, Nana came there and prostrated before Baba and requested Baba to accompany him to Pandharpur and stay with him there. The devotees told Nana that Baba was already in a mood to go to Pandharpur and staying there. Nana was very much moved and fell again at Baba’s Feet.
Sai, by placing His hands on devotee’s head transferred His powers to them and destroyed the sense of differentiation and made them attain the unattainable things. When bhaktas, with no sense of duality prostrated before Him, Sai became one with such bhaktas like a sea merging with rivers in the rainy season.
When the devotees surrendered themselves to our Sadguru Sai, He sees that the religious functions in their houses are duly executed and completed with all necessary formalities.
Sai proved to be a Parameshwara to His ordained devotee Megha of Viramgaon, who was a simple and illiterate Brahmin cook of Rao Bahadur H.V.Sathe. When they reached Shirdi and went to the masjid, Baba was very angry and would not allow Megha to enter. “Kick out the rascal”, roared Baba and said to Megha “You are a high caste Brahmin and I am a low Muslim. You will lose your caste by coming here, so get away”. Hearing these words Megha went away to Triyambak and stayed there for over a year. Then, Baba started molding Megha internally to understand that Baba was an incarnation of Shiva. (Namami Iswaram Sadguru Sainatham)
As such, Megha sued to go to many miles everyday to bring Bel leaves to worship His Shiva in Sai Baba. He started worshipping Baba and after doing service, i.e., shampooing Baba’s legs, drank the padatheertha of his Master, Sai Baba.
Once it so happened, that he came to the masjid without worshiping his God Khandoba as the door of the temple was closed. Baba did not accept his worship and sent him again saying that the door of the temple was open. Megha went there and worshiped his deity and returned to Baba as usual. In the masjid, he worshiped Baba in person and in the wada Baba’s big picture given by N.C.Chandorkar. In order to appreciate Megha;s devotion and confirm his faith, Baba gave him darshan one early morning when Megha was still in his bed, eyes closed, but internally awake and said, “Megha, draw a Trident” and disappeared.
Hearing Baba’s words, Megha eagerly opened his eyes but could not see Baba and found only the rice grains (akshada) spread around. Then, he immediately went to Baba and sought permission to draw a Trident. Baba said, “It was no vision, but direct order. My words are always pregnant with meaning and never hallow.” Baba again said “I require no door to enter. I have no form, nor extension. I always live everywhere. I carry on as a wirepuller all the actions of the man who trusts me and merges in me.”
Megha returned to the wada and drew a red Trident on the wall near Baba’s picture. The next day some devotee offered Baba a Pindi (an image of Lord Shiva) when Megha also turned up there. Baba said to him, “See, Shankar has come, protect (i.e, worship) Him now.” Megha was surprised to see the Pindi following the Trident immediately. Afte ra few days, Baba installed Pindi near the big picture wich Megha was worshipping and showed Megha that Baba was the real Parameshwar.
According to Gospel, 167, Baba told Megha “to draw Trisul, to worship the Linga and worship all the village Gods before you come to worship Me”.
Baba told to Nachne “go to Deopur and worship the stones your forefathers had worshiped”.
Sadguru Sai told Shyama: “Go to Sapta Sringi and present your silver breasts to Vani Devi.”
Once, Kaka Mahajani wnet to Shirdi from Bombay to stay there for more days. But as soon as he prostrated before Baba, the Sage of Shirdi, by His clairvoyance, asked Mahajani to return home next day itself. So, when mahajani returned to Bombay, he saw that his employer was anxiously waiting fir his arrival as the munim of the company took suddenly ill and so Kaka’s presence was absolutely necessary. The employer had already sent a letter to Shirdi which was redirected to him at Bombay. So, Baba’s command had its own significance and this leela was ever remembered by Kaka.
Baba is a great yoga sampoorna avatar. When a South African doctor, who was a great Rama bhakta, was not willing to bow before Baba, whom the doctor considered as a muslim fakir. But with an assurance that he need not bow before Baba, he was taken by a mamaltar to the masjid. But the mamaltar and others were wonderstruck to see the doctor going ahead of all and prostrating before Baba. The doctor said that he saw his beloved deity Rama in Baba’s seat and so, he bowed to Him.
When Moolay Shastri, taking pride of being an agnihotri and a disciple of Guru Gholap, was hesitating to give dakshina to Baba. But all of a sudden, he saw his guru Gholap Swami seated in Baba’s asan and so with closed eyes fells at His guru’s feet and when others were singing Arati, Moolay Shastri was chanting his own Guru’s name. When he opened his eyes, he saw Baba asking for dakshina. Seeing Baba’s blissful form and His unconceivable power, Moolay Shastri was extremely pleased with full of tears of joy. He said his doubt was removed when he saw his own guru. The moral of the episode is that one should have firm faith in one’s own Guru.
Harischandra Pitale went with his family and sickly son, who was suffering from fits.
Pitale sought Baba’s mercy in getting his son cured and the boy was fully cured by Baba’s grace. After staying for a few more days by serving Baba in Shirdi, then, Pitale and his family sought Baba’s permission and blessings to leave Shirdi and Baba gave them Udi and called Pitale nearby and told him “Bapu, I had given you before rupees two and now I give another rupees three. Keep them in your shrine and continue your worship”. Pitale accepted them s prasad but could not understand the significance of it.
So on his return home, Pitale wanted to get Baba’s version cleared from his mother. Mother gave him the correct picture. “As you now went to Shirdi with your son, your father once along with you went to Akkalkotar Maharaj. The Maharaj was a perfect Siddha and He gave your father rupees two for being kept in the shrine and asked him to worship it daily. Your father did so till his death and then the coins had also disappeared. You are very fortunate that Akkalkot Maharaj has appeared to you in the form of Shirdi Sai Baba and has blessed you to keep the coins safe in your shrine and start worshipping it regularly. Sai Samartha has kindly revived the spirit of bhakti in you and try to adhere it to your benefit.”
Baba sometimes played practical jokes which looked like very much thoughtless fun but really conveyed some practical lesson or other benefits.
Baba impressed different people with his powerful personality or personal traits in different ways by the same set of acts and expressions. He was always living in Shirdi till 1918, yet Baba said to people “I am not in Shirdi. He who thinks he has seen me here has not seen me. I am not here”.
Someone promised to get a horse to present it to Baba. The coolly wanted immediate payment for getting the horse. As Baba was delaying payment, the coolly one day rushed to Baba’s resting place. As it was Baba’s resting hour, Sai growled in anger and hurled a brickbat at the coolly. The coolly was hurt on his head and to pacify him, H.S.Dixit made the coolly to accept Rs.200 and told him to buy a cart and bulls for the money and daily transport the stream of devotees to Shirdi. The coolly thus became a cart driver and Baba’s anger proved to be a blessing in disguise.
S.B.Nachne’s child and Kirwandikar’s child fell down from heights on the road or into the well. But Sai appeared in form visible only to the children and prevented the calamity and made only a slightest harm to befall on them.
When one day Baba was feeling very hungry he asked for food and Lakshmi Bai, a well to do woman devotee, went home and got the dishes. But Baba asked her to given the well-prepared food to a dog standing nearby and proved that He is existing in all creatures in the universe and was an antaryami of everyone. Upasani Baba after his pooja in the Khandova temple everyday used to offer his naivedya to our Sadguru Sai Baba. One day, Upasani Maharaj did not care for the dog and went to Dwarakamai to offer the naivedya. The next day also an emaciated Sudra was standing at the gate. Upasani Baba, ignoring him again went to Dwarakamai. Sadguru Sai, an antaryami of every creature, told Upasani Baba that there was no need for him to come to Dwarakamai, as He alone was present on both the days at the gate of Khandoba mandir in the form of a dog and sudra but Upasani Maharaj had failed to realize Baba as an antaryami in everyone.
A devotee of Akkalkotar maharaj, Bhai Krishnaji Alibagkar worshipped the photo of Akkalkotar Maharaj. He once thought of going to Akkalkot for taking the darshan of the saint’s padukkas and offer his sincere worship. But he could not go there. Akkalkotar Maharaj appeared in his vision and told him “Now Shirdi is my resting place, go there and offer your worship. So, Bhai changed his plan came to Shirdi and worshipped Baba, stayed there for six months. This proves that Baba can be worshiped in the form of one’s own guru.
When a sub judge had been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for corruption, he sought Baba’s help in his criminal appeal. Baba said “Sow margosa and reap margosa.” The judge could not understahnd Baba’s words. But it is patent reference to the Law of Karma, which had brought on its early results in the case of the sub judge who was advised to joyously suffer the results of his own action so as to start his account with a clean chit for the near course.
Though Baba remained in Shirdi, He used to tell people “I am not in Shirdi”. But highly devout bhaktas like Nana Chandorkar would note the importance of this teaching, that is, Baba was not Baba-body but He was everywhere in spirit and form. Baba could produce his mortal body in any place at any time as He did on numerous occasions to help the devotees. In any case, being an antaryami of all, He was not the mere body seen in Shirdi.
Sai had the power when He was physically present in Shirdi to take up other bodies and carried out His leelas in various places. When Mahlsapathy was in Jejuri for taking part in kavadi procession, Baba gave him darshan in his personal form. At Hardim Sadubhayya and some others were walking, suddenly Baba appeared before them. Baba came right upto them and thrust His hand into the hand of Sadubhayya, passed behind and disappeared. Baba had thrust a toothpick into the hand of Sadubhayya.
To H.S.Dixit once during his morning meditation, had the shashatkara of Vittal. He went to Baba to know the significance of the vision, Baba at once said, “Kaka, did not Vittal Patil come to you? Have you seen Him? That Vittal is very elusive. Tie Him first. If by inadvertence, you lose sight of Him, He will vanish in a second”. Thus Baba confirmed Kaka’s idea that it was Vittal Pandarinath. He said in order to have such shashatkaras to be frequent one should ever keep the vision before his mind and make God a permanent possession.
Sai Divya udi taken from the dhuni, which is burning for more than 15o years is a Sarva Roga Nivaranam and sarva siddhi sadanam. It is not merely a by-product but a life-saving spiritual ash.
Paying your obeisance to the image of Baba and with full faith if you smear the udi mainly in your forehead and also in your body or drink a drop of it with water, you are sure to be cured of any ailment.
In the beginning, this Spiritual Master of Shirdi was giving herbs and other medicines for curing the ailments of His devotees but after His 3-day Samadhi in 1886 and His Resurrection, Baba started giving only this nectar like udi with the chanting of Hari naama and “allah bhale Karega” for curing all physical and mental ailments of His bhaktas.
Philosophically, the udi teaches us that all the visible phenomena in the universe are as transient as the ash. Our body, composed of five elements, will perish after all the Karma Vasanas are exhausted and will be reduced to ashes. In order to remind the devotees of this essential lesson also Baba distributed udi to His devotees.
It also taught that Brahman is the only reality and the universe is ephemeral and no one in this world is really ours. This also reminded the devotees to know what is unreal and real and unless we understand to discriminate and develop non-attachment, it is not possible to cross over the samsaric ocean.
DAKSHINA
Baba’s demand for dakshina does not count in exchange coins. It has another ethical lesson to every devotee.Baba’s main objective in taking dakshina from His devotees was to teach them the lessons of Renunciation and Purification.
Sai Baba asked for dakshina of rupees five which Ruttonji intended to give but added that He (Sai) had already received Rs.3.14.0 from him and he (Ruttonji) should pay the balance only. Hearing this, Ruttonji was puzzled. He could not make out what Baba meant.
Returning to Nanded from Shirdi, Ruttonji narrated everything to Dasganu and explained hat he could not understand what Baba meant about Rs.3.14.0. Dasganu said that Ruttonji had received some days before a Mohamedan saint and the amount spent for his reception exactly came to Rs.3.14.0.
This proved that Baba was omniscient though He lived in Shirdi. In fact, Baba knew the past, present and future and could identify Himself with heart and soul with any saint and keep account of the devotee’s service to that particular saint.
GURU DAKSHINA
1. Sai seeks only faith and patience
For Him to grant the boon
This soul offers Him dakshina for 2005
Sai, save me from samsaric doom
2. Dakshina is not valued in metallic coin
But weighed in Sharanagati, love and devotion combine
Firm faith is needed for His guidance and protection
With ceaseless patience for His grace and vision.
3. Embrace His Feet in prayer
Emboss His image in mental layer
This layer can never peel off
But would press the mind on Indweller
The Indweller is one’s soul force
That ferries the Atma to its source.
4. Retain yoga Vasishta in thy heart
The Lord, too, is seated in this hearth
So, Sai and self are never apart
He is ever hidden in cardiac cavity
And propels it in Divine gravity.
5. Dakshina imparts vairagya and bhakti
And helps stimulate self purification
It’s cleansing of soul and Mind
Any inner evil Sai will grind.
6. Baba returns dakshina in tenfold size
Never He accepts it as gratis
Dues if any, promptly He recovers
In the form of any saint, the devotee prefers
And also gives a few coins for His worship.
7. Dakshina teaches morality and duty
Thereby, Sai gives deliverance to a devotee
Padaseva, namaskaras also mean Dakshina
When one prays to Sai in Pradakshina.
For Him to grant the boon
This soul offers Him dakshina for 2005
Sai, save me from samsaric doom
2. Dakshina is not valued in metallic coin
But weighed in Sharanagati, love and devotion combine
Firm faith is needed for His guidance and protection
With ceaseless patience for His grace and vision.
3. Embrace His Feet in prayer
Emboss His image in mental layer
This layer can never peel off
But would press the mind on Indweller
The Indweller is one’s soul force
That ferries the Atma to its source.
4. Retain yoga Vasishta in thy heart
The Lord, too, is seated in this hearth
So, Sai and self are never apart
He is ever hidden in cardiac cavity
And propels it in Divine gravity.
5. Dakshina imparts vairagya and bhakti
And helps stimulate self purification
It’s cleansing of soul and Mind
Any inner evil Sai will grind.
6. Baba returns dakshina in tenfold size
Never He accepts it as gratis
Dues if any, promptly He recovers
In the form of any saint, the devotee prefers
And also gives a few coins for His worship.
7. Dakshina teaches morality and duty
Thereby, Sai gives deliverance to a devotee
Padaseva, namaskaras also mean Dakshina
When one prays to Sai in Pradakshina.
So, also, H.H.Saipadananda Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji, founder patron of Sri Sai Spiritual Centre, Bangalore-28, who followed the real spirit of Sadguru Shirdi Sai Baba, also accepted only the ‘sincere devotion’ as His Dakshina from His devotees.
He usually returned any amount of money, given as Dakshina with His blessings to the devotee or else gave it on the spot to a good Divine cause.
Coming up in Next post :
- SAI-KRISHNA
Already Posted:
- Inner Voyage To Explore Sai-Introduction.
- Inner Voyage To Explore Sai-Foreword and Introduction By Writer Sai Ananda.
- Inner Voyage To Explore Sai-Search Your Heart For Sai-Chapter 1.
- Inner Voyage To Explore Sai -A Realised Liberated Soul-Chapter 2.
- Inner Voyage To Explore Sai -Characteristic Of Sai-Chapter 3.
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