Remember Him (Sai Baba) always with love, for He was
engrossed in doing good to all, and always abided in His
Self. To remember Him only is to solve the riddle of
life and death. This is the best and easiest of Sadhanas,
as it involves no expenditure. A little exertion here
brings great rewards. So as long as our senses are
sound, we should, minute my minute, practice this
Sadhana. All other Gods are illusory ; Guru is the only
God. If we believe in Sad-guru's holy feet, he can
change our fortune for the better. If we serve Him
nicely, we get rid of our Samsar. We need not study any
philosophy like the Nyaya and the Mimansa. If we make
Him our Helmsman, we can easily cross over the sea of
all our pains and sorrows. As we trust the helmsman in
crossing rivers and seas, so we have to trust our
Sadguru in getting over the ocean of worldly existence.
The Sadguru looks to the intense feeling and devotion of
his devotees, endows them with knowledge and eternal
bliss.
In the last chapter, Baba's mendicancy, and devotees'
experiences and other subjects are dealt with. Let the
readers now hear, where and how Baba lived, how He
slept, and how He taught etc.
Baba's Wonderful Bed-Stead
Let us first see where and how Baba slept, Mr. Nanasaheb
Dengale brought, for Sai Baba, a wooden plank, amount 4
cubits in length and only a span in breath, for sleeping
upon. Instead of keeping the plank on the floor and then
sleeping on it, Baba tied it like a swing to the rafters
of the Masjid with old shreds or rags and commenced to
sleep upon it. The rags were so thin and worn out that
it was a problem how they could bear or support even
weight of the plank itself, let alone the weight of
Baba. But somehow or other-it was Baba's sheer Leela
that the worn out rags did sustain the plank, with the
weight of Baba on it. On the four corners of this plank,
Baba lighted panatis (earthen lamps), one at each
corner, and kept them burning the whole night. It was a
sight for the Gods to see Baba sitting or sleeping on
this plank! It was a wonder to all, how Baba got up and
down the plank. Out of curiosity, many careful observers
kept watching the process of mounting and dismounting,
but none succeeded. As crowds began to swell so to
detect this wonderful feat, Baba one day broke the plank
into pieces and threw it away. Baba had all the eight
Siddhis (powers) at His command. He never practiced nor
craved for them. They came to Him naturally, as a result
of His perfection.
Sagun Manifestation of Brahman
Though Sai Baba looked like a man, three cubits and a
half in length, still He dwelt in the hearts of all.
Inwardly, he was unattached and indifferent, but
outwardly, He longed for public welfare. Inwardly most
disinterested, He looked outwardly full of desires, for
the sake of His devotees. Inwardly an abode of peace, he
looked outwardly restless. Inwardly He had the state of
Brahman, outwardly He acted like a devil. Inwardly He
had the state of Brahman, outwardly he acted like a
devil. Inwardly He loved Adwaita (union or monism),
outwardly He got entangled with the world. Sometimes He
looked on all with affection, and at times He threw
stones at them; sometimes He scolded them, while at
times He embraced them and was calm, composed, tolerant
and well-balanced. He always abided and was engrossed in
the Self and was well-disposed towards His Bhaktas. He
always sat on one Asan and never travelled. His 'band'
was a small stick, which He always carried in His hand.
He was calm, being thought-free. He never cared for
wealth and fame and lived on begging. Such a life He
led. He always uttered 'Allah Malik' (God the real
owner). Entire and unbroken was His love for the Bhaktas.
He was the mine or store-house for self-knowledge and
full of Divine Bliss. Such was the Divine Form of Sai
Baba, boundless, endless and undifferentiated. One
principle which envelopes the whole universe, (from a
stone pillar to Brahma) incarnated in Sai Baba. The
really meritorious and fortunate people got this
treasure-trove in their hands, while those people who
not knowing the real worth of Sai Baba took or take Him
to be a man, a mere human being, were and are indeed
miserable.
His Stay in Shirdi and Probable Birth-date
None knew or knows the parents and exact birth-date of
Sai Baba; but it can be approximately determined by His
stay in Shirdi. Baba first came to Shirdi, when he was a
young lad of sixteen and stayed there for three years.
Then all of a sudden He disappeared for some time. After
some time, He reappeared in the Nizam state near
Aurangabad, and again came to Shirdi with the
marriage-party of Chand Patil, when He was twenty years
old. Since then, He stayed in Shirdi continuously for a
period of sixty years, after which Baba took His Maha-Samadhi
in the year 1918. From this we can say that the year of
Baba's birth is approximately 1838 A.D.
Baba's Mission and Advice
Saint Ramadas (1608-1681) flourished in the 17th
century, and fulfilled to a great extent his mission of
protecting cows and Brahmins against the Yavanas (Mahomedans),
but within two centuries after him, the split between
the two communities -- Hindus and Mahomedans widened
again, and Sai Baba came to bridge the gulf. His
constant advice to all was to this effect. "Rama (the
God of the Hindus) and Rahim (the God of the Mahomedans)
were one and the same; there was not the slightest
difference between them; then why should their devotees
and quarrel among themselves? You ignorant folk,
children, join hands and bring both the communities
together, act sanely and thus you will gain your object
of national unity. It is not good to dispute and argue.
So don't argue, don't emulate others. Always consider
your interest and welfare. The Lord will protect you.
Yoga, sacrifice, penance, and knowledge are the means to
attain God. If you do not succeed in this by any means,
vain is your birth. If any one does any evil unto you,
to do not retaliate. If you can do anything, do some
good unto other." This in short was Sai Baba's advice to
all; and this will stand in good stead both in material
and spiritual matters.
Sai Baba as Sadguru
There are Gurus and Gurus. There are many so-called
Gurus, who go about from house to house with cymbals and
veena in their hands, and make a show of their
spirtituality. They blow mantras into the ears of their
disciples and extract money from them. They profess to
teach piety and religion to their disciples, but are
themselves impious and irreligious. Sai Baba never
thought of making the least show of His worth (piety).
Body-consciousness, He had none, but He had great love
for the disciples. There are two kinds of Gurus (1) 'Niyat'
(appointed or fixed) and (2) 'Aniyat' unappointed or
general). The latter by their advice develop the good
qualities in us, purify our hearts and set us on the
path of salvation; but contact with the former, dispels
our quality (sense of difference); and estalishes us in
Unity by making us realize "Thou art that". There are
various Gurus imparting to us various kinds of wordly
knowledge, but he, who fixes us in our Nature (Self) and
carries us beyond the ocean of worldly existence, is the
Sadguru. Sai Baba was such a Sadguru. His greatness is
undescribable. If anybody went to take His darshana, he,
without being asked, would give every detail of his
past, present and future life. He saw Divinity in all
beings. Friends and foes were alike to Him.
Disinterested and equal-balanced, He obliged the
evil-doers. He was the same in prosperity and adversity.
No doubt, ever touched Him. Though He possessed the
human body, He was not in the least attached to His body
or house. Though He looked embodied, He was really
disembodied, i.e., free in this every life.
Blessed are the people of Shirdi, who worshipped Sai as
their God. While eating, drinking, working in their
backyards and fields and doing various household works,
they always remembered Sai and sang His glory. They knew
no other God except Sai. What to speak of the love, the
sweetness of the love, of the women of Shirdi! They were
quite ignorant, but their pure love inspired them to
compose poems or songs in their simple rural language.
Letters or learning they had none, still one can discern
real poetry in their simple songs. It is not
intelligence, but love, that inspires real poetry as
such. Real poetry is the manifestation of true love; and
this can be seen and appreciated by intelligent
listeners. Collection of these folk songs is desirable
and Baba willing, some fortunate devotee may undertake
the task of collecting and publishing these folk-songs,
either in the Sai Leela magazine or separately in a
book-form.
Baba's Humility
Lord or Bhagwan is said to have six qualities, viz. (1)
Fame, (2) Wealth, (3) Non-attachment, (4) Knowledge, (5)
Grandeur, and (6) Generosity. Baba had all these in Him.
He incarnated in flesh for the sake of the Bhaktas.
Wonderful was His grace and kindness! He drew the
devotees to Him, or how else one could have known Him!
For the sake of His Bhaktas Baba spoke such words, as
the Goddness of Speech dare not utter. Here is a
specimen. Baba spoke very humbly as follows:- "Slave of
slaves I am your debtor, I am satisfied at your darshan.
It is a great favour that I saw your feet. I am an
insect in your excreta. I consider Myself blessed
thereby". What humility is this? If anybody would think
that by publishing this, any disrespect is shown to Sai,
we beg His pardon and to atone for this we sing and
chant Baba's name.
Though Baba seemed outwardly to enjoy sense-objects, he
had not the least flavour in them, nor even the
consciousness of enjoying them. Though He ate, he had no
taste and though He saw, He never felt any interest in
what He saw. Regarding passion, He was as perfect a
celibate as Hanuman. He was not attached to anything. He
was pure consciousness, the resting place of desire,
anger, and other feelings. In short, He was
disinterested, free and perfect. A striking instance may
be citied in illustration of this statement.
Nanavalli
There was in Shirdi, a very quaint and queer fellow, by
name Nanavalli. He looked to Baba's work and affairs. He
once approached Baba who was seated on His Gadi (seat)
and asked Him to get up, as he wanted to occupy the
same. Baba at once got up and left the seat, which he
occupied. After sitting there awhile Nanavalli got up,
and asked Baba to take His seat. Then Baba sat on the
seat and Nanavalli fell at His feet, and then went away.
Baba did not show the slightest displeasure in being
dictated to and ousted.
This Nanavalli loved Baba so much that he breathed his
last, on the thirteenth day of Baba's taking Maha-Samadhi.
The Easiest Path
Hearing the stories of the Saints and Being in their
Company:
Though Sai Baba acted outwardly like an ordinary man,
His actions showed extraordinary intelligence and skill.
Whatever He did, was done for the good of His devotees.
He never prescribed any asan, regulation of breathing or
any rites to His Bhaktas, nor did He blow any mantra
into their ears. He told them to leave off all
cleverness and always remember "Sai" "Sai". "If you did
that" He said, "all your shackles would be removed and
you would be free". Sitting between five fires,
sacrifices, chantings, eight-fold Yoga are possible for
the Brahmins only. They are of no use to the other
classes. The function of the mind is to think, it cannot
remain for a minute without thinking. If you give it a
Sense-object, it will think about it. If you give it to
a Guru, it will think about Guru. You have heard most
attentively the greatness, grandeur of Sai. This is the
natural remembrance, worship and Kirtan of Sai. Hearing
the stories of the Saints is not so difficult, as the
other Sadhanas mentioned above. They (stories) remove
all fear of this Samsar (worldly existence), and take
you on to the spiritual path. So listen to these
stories, meditate on them, and assimilate them. If this
is done, not only the Brahmins, but women and lower
clases will get pure and holy. You may do or attend to
your worldy duties, but give your mind to Sai and His
stories, and then, He is sure to bless you. This is the
easiest path, but why do not all take to it? The reason
is that without God's grace, we do not get the desire to
listen to the stories of Saints. With God's grace
everything is smooth and easy. Hearing the stories of
the Saints is, in a way, keeping their company. The
importance of the company of Saints is very great. It
removes our body-consciousness and egoism, destroys
completely the chain of our birth and death, cuts
asunder all the knots of the heart, and takes us to God,
Who is pure Consciousness. It certainly increases our
non-attachment to sense-objects, and makes us quite
indifferent to pleasures and pains, and leads us on the
spiritual path. If you have no other Sadhana, such as
uttering God's name, worship or devotion etc., but if
you take refuge in them (Saints) whole-heartedly, they
will carry you off safety across the ocean of wordly
existence. It is for this reason that the Saint manifest
themselves in this world. even sacred rivers such as the
Ganges, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri etc., which wash
away the sins of the world, desire that the Saints
should come to them, for a bath and purify them. Such is
the grandeur of the Saints. It is on account of the
store of merit in past births that we have attained the
feet of Sai Baba.
We conclude this chapter with meditation on Sai's Form.
He, the beautiful and handsome Sai, standing on the edge
of the Masjid and distributing Udi to each and every
Bhakta, with a view to his welfare. He who thinks the
world as naught and Who is ever engrossed in Supreme
Bliss -- before Him -- we humbly prostrate ourselves.
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