SEEING BABA IS SEEING THE GOD

[Guest guest]

SEEING BABA IS SEEING THE GOD !

Today we wonder how blessed the people of Shirdi must be, who had the good

fortune of having had the darshan of Sri Sai Baba when he was in his physical

body. We long to see Baba ‘manifest’ to us a bodily way. It is but natural,

however, that those people who saw Baba physically may not have felt the

experience as sakshatkar (manifestation). Even in those days, devotees felt

that it was a manifestation if Baba appeared physically in a place other than

Shirdi, for instance giving darshan to Balaram Mankar at Machindragarh and to

Mahalsapati at Jajoori. Or even if he gave darshan in their dreams the devotees

felt as if it were a manifestation. But none could appreciate that seeing his

form, which was always available to all the people of Shirdi in those days, was

itself the manifestation.

It is well known to Baba’s devotees that Das Ganu was one among the few who

served Baba very intimately. However, Das Ganu did not accept Baba as his

Master (guru) as he had a brahmin guru by the name of Vaman Shahi Islampurkar,

who had initiated him. Initially, a devotee of Lord Shiva, he later felt

attracted to Lord Vithal of Pandhari. Sri Das Ganu continued his sadhana

(spiritual practice) in the warkary (wandering minstrel) tradition.

Once Baba told Das Ganu to conduct Bhagavata sapthaham (seven days of

uninterrupted group recitation of Bhagavatam). Das Ganu said to him, "Baba, I

shall conduct the namasapthaham as you wish, but I long to have satshatkar.

Could you grant me the vision of Vithal as a reward?". Baba replied, "Vithal

will appear to you, but to see him you must have the right mindset!" Das Ganu

finished the namasapthaham but there was no trace of satshatkar! Das Ganu

complained to Baba, "You gave me your word that you would grant me the

satshatkar; but there was none!" Baba told him "All right! You wait and see for

a few more days".

A few days later Das Ganu was contemplating going on a pilgrimage to Pandhari in

the month of bhadrapad, 1916. However, Nana Chandorkar brought him to Shirdi

instead and requested him to conduct sankeerthans (worship with songs) with the

permission of Baba. The month of aswayuj was fast approaching and Das Ganu was

worried that Baba was putting obstacles in the way of his plans to go to

Pandhari. He even went to the extent of wondering to himself, "What sort of a

guru is he who obstructs you from going and having the darshan of the Lord of

Pandhari?." No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than Baba said to Nana

Saheb Chandorkar, "Nana! Do not stop him should he wish to go to Pandhari," and

called up Das Ganu and told him, "You may go to Pandhari right away." Das Ganu

then spoke his mind, "Baba, for a long time you have been putting off my

request, when will you grant me satshatkar?" Baba replied, "Are you not seeing

me? This

is the manifestation. I am the God!" Das Ganu reconciled himself with the fact

that there was no possibility of having satshatkar in his stars.

As we read the reply given by Baba to Das Ganu it reminds us of the words of

Jesus Christ in the bible. Just as Das Ganu asked Baba for a vision, one of the

intimate disciples of Jesus called Philip asked, "O Lord, please show us our

Father in the heaven and make us contented!" Jesus replied to him, "Philip, you

have been with me for so long but still have not understood me. Seeing me is

seeing the God, so why do you ask me to show you the Father? I am in the Father

and the Father is in me!"

(Source: Saipadham Magazine)