The Saint of Shirdi Peeth

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THE SAINT OF SHIRDI PEETH

 

—Shri J. N, Bose

 

Two prominently distinguished features in the life of Lord Sai Baba The

Saint of Saints

 

When the Lord Sri Sai Baba came in the year 1872 to a small village Shirdi

(abutting on the Agra Trunk Road, in the. Kopargaon Taluka in Ahmednagar

District) along with a marriage procession, He was welcomed at the outskirt

of the village by a devotee of the Khandava temple, Sri Mhalsapati who first

saw Baba, the former addressed Him as "Welcome Sai Baba and this is the

name i.e. "Sai Baba", by which thereafter the Saint of Saints became known

to the world. Like many other Avatars His ancestry was unknown. But when He

came to Shirdi He was perfect Brahma Gnani and had attained Brahma. As

such he used to foresee the past, present and future of His devotees who

included big govt. officers, millionaires and eminent politicians of the

country. Sri Baba at times used to please himself by uttering "Yade Haqq"

(i.e. I always remember God) and avoided the expression "Anal Haqq" (i.e. I

am God); still innumerable cases have been recorded where Baba's thousands

of devotees have realised the omnipotence, omniscience and omnipresence of

Shri Sai Baba.

 

This is the background in which the distinguishing features as indicated

below have most appropriately been realised by His devotees. First,

synthesis of religion which is considered to be the most essential factor in

our national life in the present days. In His Dwarkamai (the Holy Masjid)

where Sri Baba used to sit, synthesis of religion was demonstrated to the

world as in same floor of the same Dwarkamai Hindus are worshipping freely

with bells, symbols, on the other side Muslims are offering their prayers,

Parsis are offering prayers before the Holy Shirdi Dhuni. This is a unique

example in India—nay in the whole world of today— how the synthesis of all

religions could be achieved in the same floor simultaneously.

 

This is one of the personal experiences of the writer in 1943 who visited

Shirdi after his adverse experience gained in the Bengal at that time.

 

Synthesis of religion was also achieved in the Dakshineswar by Sri

Ramakrishna Paramashmsa Dev after His actual practical realisation of the

God as a Hindu, as a Muslim and as a Christian This idea of synthesis of

religion was preached to the world by His disciple Swami Vivekananda.

Similarly Sri Bijoy Krishna Go swami of Ganderia Ashram of Dacca, Bangla

Desh effected the synthesis of all religions. Mr. Campbell, an European

Fakir and other Hindus joined him in his Kirtan songs. This is a wonderful

achievement which is considered admittedly as an absolute necessity for

advancement of our national activities of our country. As such this

Dwarkamai which is considered to be holiest of the holy pilgrimage, like

Brindaban, Puri, Dakshineswar and Gandaria Ashram where synthesis of all

religions is achieved.

 

Secondly, the other distinguished aspect is that God after most sincere and

utmost prayers appears before His devotees and speaks to them. Sri

Ramakrishna Paramshamsa Dev stressed very strongly before His devotees that

"God can be seen and spoken to as I speak to you all" God Sri Bejoy Krishna

Goswami asserted the identical things. The humble writer believes that Baba

still lives today as He told His desciples "Jog thinks I am dead. I am

alive. Go and perform my morning arti. He used to assert that "I left my

mortal body but my tomb will speak". One practical experience of the humble

writter is Lord Sai conveyed His direction to the writer through one of His

favourite devotees (Sri Saipadananda Radha Krishna Swamiji of Madras) "Tell

Mr. Bose—he should take things easy, I shall take care of them". There are

hundred other examples in the writer's life in which Sri Baba appeared and

gave instructions in all troubles of the writer and his family and also to

other devotees which have been incorporated in the Bengalee book "Kalpataru

Sai Baba" (The Giver of Wishes).

 

( from Sai Bliss - July-August 1972 ) ( Reprinted from May 1973 issue. )

 

 

Source : Shri Sai Leela Vijayadasami Special Number 1973

http://www.saileelas.org/magazines/SAILEELA/special1973.htm