Significance of Sai Babas Mahasamdhi- X By B.V.Narasimha Swamy

[Guest guest]

The Mahasamadhi Dav of Sri Sai Baba comes off this year on the 15th of

October and, as the Sai Sudha of October'56 containing the Mahasamadhi

Message would not reach our readers before the 15th of October, we have to

issue that message in the September issue AS explained on numerous previous

occasions,

Sal Baba Mahasamadhi is not a matter for regret. The parting of the soul

from the body in the case of the ordinary house-holder is generally

considered very painful, and poetry largely feeds upon the sentiment of

sorrow on such occasions. In the case of Sri Sai Baba the parting of the

breath from the physical body was not a matter to be regarded as painful

either for Baba or for those connected with him.

Baba was a perfect realiser of the soul and a thorough master of Atmajnana.

It was not mere book learning as to what the nature of the Atman is. It was

one of perfect realisation. He lived the life of one who noted that he was

not the body, nor the artificial personality meant by people's ideas about

him and his own ideas mostly based upon the body and its activities. As he

said on some occasions, his Guru Mourshad took him away from his body, that

is, long ago he cast away the idea that he was the body-self that

practically every one of us takes ourselves to be. He was dwelling almost

constantly on the Lord. Allah and Had were ever on his lips and in his

heart. Consequently they were so even at the time of the parting of his

breath from his body, and according to Bhagawad Gita, the effect of that

would be to make him the perfect God or Brahman after his leaving of the

body. Every real bhakta who is ardent in his attachment to Baba has ample

proof that Baba is still active and vigorous as God is in his dealings with

his bhaktas.

Samoham Sarvabhuteshu

Name dveshyo Asti na Priyah

Ye bhajanti tumam bhaktya

Mayi te teshu cha api aham.

This means, the Lord says, “I am perfectly even and equal towards all

creatures. I have neither friend nor foe. But those who attach

themselves to me by their devotion, are in Me and I am in them*. 'Ma me

bhaktah pranascyati' (that is the Lord says, 'No devotee of mine ever

perishes” for the best of reasons that there is the Lord to look after the

yogakshemam of such a devotee). So many devotees of Sai are now

experiencing His constant and perpetual guardianship, protection and help,

in almost every matter, that there is no necessity for pressing this truth

further to show that Sai is still there after His Mahasamadhi and is not

gone. How can God go and where is He to go? But it is not every one

that gets the benefit of His continued existence and protection. The

devotee has to attach himself at first with some degree of effort to Sai

Baba and then he can get the full benefit. Even if he is a sinner, and

a low creature by previous karma still he can start a new life by contacting

Sai.

Apichet Asi papebhyo

Sarvebhyo papagrit tamah.

This means that even if one is the worst of sinners, the Lord promises that

he might change his life soon to become a perfect bhakta or jnana. So every

one who cares now to think of Baba, to study about him to contact his

bhaktas and to attend proceedings such as puja, bhajan, kathas, etc.,

impressing people, with the nature of Sai, gets undoubted benefit, and our

Mahasamadhi Message this year may close with pointedly drawing the attention

of all our readers to this fact that every reader should make his contact

with Sai Baba as full and perfect as it can be and then rich will be his

reward. As will be seen from the Foreword (to Volume II of the Life of Sai

Baba,) furnished by Sri B. N. Data;, Home Minister with the Government of

India, every portion of his life is covered by Sai Baba and happiness with

success is the result, May similar contact, similar success, and blessings

be the lot of every reader!

 

 

(Adopted from Significance of Babas Mahasamadhi by H.H.Narasimhaswami and

published by All India Sai Samaj, this book can be read at

www.saileelas.org)