Stories from life and times of Shri Sai Baba for children -Part 1 of 2

[Guest guest]

Baba, the Great Saint, who lived at Shirdi, District Ahmednagar, Maharashtra,

India. He was extremely fond of children, because he himself had childlike

simplicity and purity of heart. Whence did be come to Shirdi, how he attained a

name and fame, what experiences people had about him - all these wonderful

stories I will tell you in the following pages. Having read these once, you

will feel like reading them again and again till you get them by heart. Like

countless other people, you will come to love Baba. You will offer him daily

prayer and ask for his blessings, which he will certainly bestow on you.

Introducing you to Baba,D.D. Parchure BABA'S FIRST DARSHAN In

Maharashtra, there is a district named Aurangabad, in which there is a village

named Dhoopkhede. Chandbhai was the patel of that village. Once he lost his

horse. Chandbhai searched and searched, but to no avail. A week after, while he

was on the search, he noticed by the roadside a young lad of sixteen, having

sedate looks and wearing the garb of a fakir. This beautiful boy with lustrous

eyes at once captured Chandbhai's heart. Reading, as if the onlooker's mind,

the fakir beckoned Chandbhai and asked, "What are you looking for, patel? "I

have lost my horse. For this whole week, I am searching him," said Chand,

approaching the fakir, with folded hands. "Then why go further? Your animal is

grazing beyond that hedge, there, look!" told the fakir, with. a gentle smile,

pointing to a thick hedge beyond which nothing could really be seen. Chandbhai

went and saw, and Io! The horse was found quietly grazing there. Chandbhai

was awe-struck. How did this fakir recognise him as the patel, how did the boy

know that there, was a horse beyond the hedge and that it belonged to him all

this struck him with wonder. He was convinced that the boy had a spark of

Divinity in him. As Chandbhai related this incident among his friends and

neighbours, the boy's fame spread like a drop of oil on the surface of

water. A few months later, a marriage procession went from Dhoopkhede to

Shirdi. The boy fakir also accompanied it. When the procession reached the

outskirts of Shirdi,it stopped to pay homage to God Khandoba. Mhalsapati, the

priest of Khandoba temple, eyed the fakir, and out of spontaneous admiration,

exclaimed, "Welcome, ye Sai Baba". It was as if the Divine Will that had given

the boy this name, for that very naw stuck to him all his life. From that day

(1854), the boy stayed in Shirdi. But what was his real name and his native

place none ever came to know. People at Shirdi soon discovered the perfect

Saintliness of the fakir and by and by, many of them became his devotees

(bhaktas). A few, however, who were themselves of a saintly nature, saw the real

worth of this Godly person. Sadhu Gangagir said, "This is a gem. By your great

good luck, you have got him." Anandnath said, "This is a jewel you will know

its worth in the immediate future." From places like Bombay and Poona, you

can now go to Shirdi directly by State Transport buses. You can also travel

upto Manmad or Kopargaon by Central Rly and then take a bus to Shirdi. When

Sai Baba first came to Shirdi, it was a little known, underdeveloped village.

But as Baba came and his fame spread in all quarters, Shirdi also grew and

improved. Like Pandharpur, it is now a great place of pilgrimage. Thousands and

thousands go there everv year to have a darshan of Baba's,

Samadhi (Tomb). Devotees still get the same experiences of Baba as they did when

Baba lived in flesh. Baba entered Samadhi in 1918. Now let us see Wherein lay

Baba's greatness and read the Bhaktas' actual experiences about Baba.

Baba's Devotees Mhalsapati and Kashiram were the two earliest devotees of

Baba. They assigned to Baba a dilapidated mosque to live in.

Baba named it 'Dwarkamai'. People who came to Shirdi visited Baba and had his

darshan at this place. Many structures, small and, big came up at Shirdi later

on. But Baba lived all his life in Dwarkamai only. This place is, therefore,

regarded as very holy. Mhalsapati spent almost his whole day with Baba and

served him with utmost devotion. Kashiram supplied Baba all necessary things.

There was not even a stint of selfishness in this. He did this all out of puire

love and sense of service. Once when he was traveling on business, he had a

bloody encounter with robbers. He was remembering Baba all the time. While he

was, on the point of fainting due to exhaustion, a drama was taking place in

Shirdi. Baba, throwing up his hands was shouting in Kashiram's direction. This

gave Kashiram such a sudden spurt of strength that the robbers, being

overpowered, fled away. This was

a clear indication of Baba's supernatural powers. Next, Madhavrao Deshpande of

Shirdi was strongly attracted towards Baba. He completely merged himself in

Baba's service. Baba lovingly called him 'Shama'. So great was Shama's

authority that Baba deputed Shama to go in his own place wherever needed. What

Arjuna was to Lord Krishna, the same was Shama to Sai Baba. Nanasaheb

Chandorkar, a highly placed Govt. officer, also became Baba's unflinching

devotee. Das Ganu Maharaj was serving in the Police Dept. But, after meeting

Baba, be left the service and turned to the Path of devotion. He became one of

the greatest kirtankars in modern times. He and Nanasabeb spread the fame of

Baba in all quarters. Sathe built the first wada at Shirdi and this became a

good resting place for visitors. Another wada, a bigger one, was built bv

Dixit. This provided further amenities. But the biggest wada, a spacious stone

and masonry structure, Was built by Gopalrao Buti of Nagpur. The present

Samadhi Mandir is housed here. Radhakrishna Mai came and settled at Shirdi,

after her husband's death. She lived only ten years more. But due to her

tireless and imaginative work during that short span of life, she eiitirely

changed the very face of Shirdi. The present discipline and daily routine at

Shirdi were laid down bv her. That Shirdi soon attained the status of a

Sansthan (Institution) is a testimony to her fiery zeal. Baba's Dhuni

After settling in Shirdi, Baba lit up a fire by his yogic powers. It is still

kept burning. It is called Dhuni and the holy aslies emerging from it are

called "udi". Baba gave medicines for several ailments and himself served the

patients. Later on, Baba gave his patients only the 'Udi' for external use as

well as for oral administration. Some wonderful stories of the use of Udi, I

will relate to

you in another chapter. Appa Bhil supplied the fuel for Baba's dhuni. When be

sold two stacks, he gave one for the dhuni. There was a saint named Tajuddin.

His dargah (place of worship) once caught fire. At the same time. Sai Baba in

Shirdi, sitting before the Dhuni, made certain movements with his hands. People

asked, "what are you doing Baba ?" "There is a fire at Tajuddin's dargah. I am

putting it out," said Baba. The next day, a word came from Tajuddin that a

fire had

broken out at the dargah, but as soon as he remembered Baba, the fire had

subsided. A blacksmith was an ardent devotee of Baba. Once Baba put

both his hands in the burning dhuni and took them out as if 'rescuing'

something. "Poor girl, if I had delayed a moment longer, she would have been

burnt to death". What had happened was that the blacksmith's daughter, while

playing about, had run into the furnace and Baba 'seeing' it, bad rescued her.

Baba's hands were scalded, but the girl was saved Baba's daily routine

Baba used to be in Dwarkamai the whole day. Nearby there was a thick jungle of

thorny shrubs. it was called Lendi Baug. Baba went there

for long hours to do yoga practices. Several Bhaktas offered him dakshina

(money) and Baba immediately distributed it to the poor and needv. Sometimes,

the sum thus distributed was as much as Rs .500/-. Baba never delivered long

sermons. He told simple parables, carrying particular lessons. The words came

from Baba's heart and directiv entered the listeners' hearts. Sometimes the

parable was meant for a particular person. To others, it appeared to be rnerely

an amusing story, but it went home straight to the person concerned. Baba knew

what was passing in the listener's mind and spoke to him accordingly. Baba even

knew the future and forewarned the people about it in suggestive terms. None,

knew what 'education' Baba had. But his talk showed that he was well-versed as

much in Veda and Upanishads as in Koran Sharif. He analysed every word of Gita

very skillfully. In

Shirdi, there, were no good flowers for Baba's worship. Only wild flowers had to

be used, so Purandare kaka, an ardent devotee, brought a few saplings from

Bombay and asked for Baba's permission to plant them. But Baba flatly refused,

obviously because he detested all outward show. He wanted Shirdi to blossom

forth with real devotion. Purandare pleaded again and again but Baba was

relentless. Purandare felt very sad. Three days passed without Purandare taking

even a drop of water. In the meantime the saplings dried up. At last seeing his

agony, Baba's heart melted. He called Purandare and, patting him on the back,

said lovingly, "Kaka, go and plant the saplings. Though dried up, they will

take roots. Go." And it happened exactly as Baba bad said. Something 'super'

natural. The flowering plants at present found in Shirdi thus owe their origin

to Baba's kripa. On the

way from Dwarkamai to Lendi Baug you will notice a neem tree. Under it there is

a cavern containing a tomb. Baba himself pointed out this place and said, "This

is my Guru's Samadhi. I have practiced my penance here. When going to Lendi Baug

and back, Baba unfailingly stopped here and adoringly bowed to the Samadhi.

Baba, with his own hands, daily prepared 'prasadam' in a big handi. This

consisted of rice, dal, vegetables and even meat with appropriately ground

masala. AlI Bhaktas were eager to partake even a morsel of it. Without

distinction of caste, creed or religion, they all assembled in a spirit of bon

homie. It was a sight worth seeing. It was the Gopal kala of Baba. Baba himself

went a-shopping to buy all the articles required for the prasadam. In wordly

dealings, Baba was very practical. Here is an instance. Once a woman came with

a bunch of seeta-fals --- the first flush of the season --- to sell the same to

Baba. After much higgling and haggling, Baba fixed the price at 10 annas.

Presently, another woman came with a similar bunch. But Baba now fixed the

price at 6 annas . Why? Because, the need at the second deal was much less, and

so was the price offered. However, while making payment, Baba paid Re 1/- to

each. Thus Baba was a liberal giver, but could not be cheated to give. Baba

had no temptation as regards his body or the household. He begged alms as a vow

at five houses only and lived in the ramshackle mosque Dwarkamai with perfect

satisfaction. In Dwarkamai, there was a shelf 5 ft. long and barely 9

inches in width, hung by slender shreds. Many a time, Baba was found sleeping

on that shelf. How could

those shreds support the weight of the shelf with Baba lying on it was a mystery

never solved. But how Baba got up there and back again was a mystery deeper

still. Baba's Miracles Baba was a Mahatma (Great Soul) with

uncanny,divine powers. But he called himself "Servant of God,' and the

supernatural feats that occured at his hands, he ascribed to God Himself. He

never called himself a Guru and had no disciples too. He had only

his devotees. Now I will tell you some of the earliest leelas of Baba. Every

night, Baba used to light earthen lamps in the Dwarkamai. For this, he asked the

grocers to give him oil. In the beginning, people looked upon Baba as a mad

fakir, and so the grocers gave him oil just for the fun of it. But soon they

got fed up with this daily practice and one day they all refused to give him

oil. With the empty oil-tin dangling from his hand, Baba came back to

Dwarkamai, with a merry song on his lips :-

roman" size="3">If no oil, I am not worried, Dwarkamai will supply the need. He

put a little water in the oil tin and drank it, as if to please the God within.

Then he took more water, poured it in the lamps and kindled them one by one.

Alack and ... ! God said, let there be light And there was light ! The

'water-lamps' burnt throughout the night. Those who had come to scoff remained

to praise. This incident established the supernatural powers of Baba beyond a

shred of doubt. At another time, there was an epidemic of Cholera in Shirdi.

Helpless people approached Baba for relief. Baba daily used to grind corn in

the Dwarkamai. Now he called the village women and asked them to lend a helping

hand to grind some wheat, beckoning God all the time to save his children. Then

he asked the women to throw the wheat-flour on the outskirts of the village.

Immediately, the calamity was driven away. One evening, the sky suddenly

became overcast with clouds. There were strong winds and flashes of lightening.

Soon there was a fierce hailstorm, followed by heavy rains. Again Baba ran to

the villagers' rescue. With satka (a foot-long black rod) in hand, he stood at

Dwarkamai's door, and thrashing the pillars with satka, ordered the rains to

stop. And stop they did! Once the fire in the dhuni blew up fiercely and the

flames rose higher and higher. Baba ordered the fire to calm down and the fire

instantly obeyed. Many a time, Baba took the bhaktas' ailments on himself. He

suffered their pangs and the bhaktas' were were

relieved. An instance in point is that of a young boy who had come to Shirdi

with his mother. The mother was constantly in the service of Baba, when her son

had an attack of plague. The fever rose dangerously and the mother, 'thinking

that nothing could be done in Shirdi, asked Baba whether the son should be

taken home. Consoling her, Baba said, "Mother, since you have thrown the burden

on me, you need not worry. I am taking on your son's fever and the bubos, look".

So saying, he showed the bubos in his arm-pits. The fever too could be clearly

felt. The boy soon recovered. Baba's

Festivals Once Gopalrao Gund, another steadfast devotee of Baba, thought of

celebrating the Ram Navami festival at Shirdi and holding also a fair along

with it. Baba was exactly thinking of the same things and so he readily agreed

to Gopalrao's proposal. The Ram Navami festival and the fair were started in

1911 and are continuing from year to year to this day on better and bigger

scale. Thousands of devotees from all parts of the country attend this

festival. Three days there is kirtan, at the end of which there is Gopal-Kala.

Lord Krishna's birthday is celebrated on the Gokul Ashtarni day when the

popular sport Dahi-handi is held. There are also wrestling bouts at which

tempting prizes are given. Physical culture and solidarity among the people -

the two main features of Krishna's life - are achieved through this festival.

This is the very foundation of a healthy society. Guru Pournima is celebrated

in the month of Ashadh. This is the day of paying yearlv tribute to one's guru.

Though Baba never called himself a Guru, still the Bhaktas offer special

worships to Baba on this day out of love and veneration. Artists voluntarily

present their performances before Baba. The underlying principle of the

Ram-Krishna festivals is to foster a feeling of equality among different

sections of the society. On such occasions people forget their differences and

freely mix together. Mahatmas like Sai Baba want exactly to achieve this and

that is why they

celebrate various festivals. Baba's all pervasiveness Baba had become

one with every being in the world. Hence the service of any creature ultimately

reached Baba. A lady living at Shirdi would daily bake two

breads - one for Baba and another for herself. One day she was taking the bread

for Baba when a dog approached her, licking its lips in hunger. Instantly, by

some inner urge, she offered the bread to the dog. She went back and started

again to take the other bread for Baba. Now a pig approached her and she

offered him that bread too. Then realising that she had nothing to give to

Baba, she felt intensely sorry and mentally asked Baba's pardon. Later, she

went to Baba and sat with folded hands. immediately Baba said, "Ma, today you

offered me bread twice, so that I was doubly satisfied." The lady thought Baba

was taunting her for not giving him anything. Remorsefully she cried, ."Baba,

today I had nothing left with me. So what could I bring for you ?"

Baba-replied, "Ma, you offered one bread to the dog and another to the pig.

They both reached me, because I am one with them." Once a lizard, perched on

a wall in the Dwarkamai began chirping vigourously. This is considered to be an

ill-omen. So a devotee asked Baba what evil it portended. Baba said, "There is

no evil portend in this. The lizard's sister will presently come here from

Aurangabad to meet her. So she is singing in joy." Everyone there thought

Baba was joking as was his habit. But very soon a bhakta arrived from

Aurangabad for Baba's darshan (to meet and seek blessings). And as he opened

his sack, a lizard jumped out. Straightaway she scaled the wall and embraced

her 'sister'. Their jesticulations definitely showed that they were overjoyed

to meet each other. How could Baba know all this before hand ? All were

convinced that the two lizards were sisters. My young friends, if you were

there to, see the meeting, would vou not feel the same ? Serpents and

scorpions too were in Baba's command. Once a cobra bit Shama's foot and its

poison began to go up. Shama was brought to Dwarkamai. Sensing the danger to

Shama's life, Baba said sternly, stop going up. Come down." This was a command

to the Serpent's poison and it obeyed the same immediately. A darvesh had

tamed a tiger who used to do certain tricks and thus maintain himself and

his master. As the tiger grew old, he could no longer play his tricks.

Naturally, he and his master both had to face starvation. Ultimately, the tiger

became mad and uncontrollable. As he was approaching his end, the darvesh

brought him to Baba for a last grace. Baba asked the darvesh to release the

animal who at once became quiet. Approaching Baba he prostrated himself at

Baba's feet and as Baba was stroking his back, the tiger opened his jaw and

breathed his last. Baba said, "This was a great bhakta of Lord Shiva. He has

gone to Kailash (Lord Shiva's abode). Now bury his mortal remains in front of

Shiva". It was done. Today his tomb can be seen in Shirdi.

All Knowing Baba Just as Baba knew the present, so he knew the past and future

too. Such a person is known as Trikal-gyani or Siddha. This will be clear from

the following stories. A certain lady was a life-long devotee of Baba. Once

she came to Baba and bowed at his feet. Stroking her head, Baba said "Ma, you

have a bad headache, isn't it ?" Looking up in surprise, she said, "Baba, it

was aching till this moment, but there is not a trace of it now." "Well, it

will never ache again," said Baba. The fact was that the lady's head was

aching for the last six years. However, she had not come to Baba so that it

could be cured by his grace. Yet Baba recognised her ailment and cured it by

his miraculous touch. At her residence, the lady used to offer naivedya

(prasadam) to Baba thrice a day. Baba told her that he visited her house thrice

daily to accept her offerings. Baba also told all the details about her house

and the inmates. A certain lady in Bombay asked her husband for a rupee to be

offered to Baba in her house. The husband was in a hurry to go to his office. He

opened his purse, but found only a ten-rupee note and no rupee coin. So he said,

he would get the change in the evening and then give her the rupee she wanted.

The gentleman descended the staircase and, feeling his other pockets, found a

rupee therein. But, instead of going back and giving the coin to his wife, he

proceeded to the office. But in the evening, none remembered about it. A few

days later, they both went to Shirdi. As thev were sitting before him, Baba

said, "Ma, people have now-a-days become liars, isn't it ? Even though they

have a rupee in their pocket, they say they don't have it. The lady could not

understand the meaning of these words. But the gentleman at once knew what

Baba was saying. He fell at Baba's feet and asked for pardon. At Nanded, there

was a wealthv merchant, named Ratanji. He had several daughters, but no son. He

was therefore very, dejected. Das Ganu had advised him to go to Shirdi and have

a darshan of Sai Baba. Ratanji earnestly wanted to do so, but due to pressure of

work, he had not been able to go. Once a local Saint, Mouli Baba by name, came

all of a sudden to Ratanji's house. Ratauji treated him with utmost respect and

offered him flowers and sweets. Mouli Babe blessed him. A few months later

Ratanji went to Shirdi. As he sat before Baba with hands folded, Baba said to

him, "you have already offered me a dakshina of Rs 3-14-0 and now you have

yourself come to this Masjid. So don't worry. Allah will

grant your wishes." So saying, Baba applied Udi to Ratanji's forehead. Ratanji

returned with satisfaction. But he was puzzled as to the dakshina of Rs. 3-14-0

which Baba had referred to. He told about it to Das Canu. But he too couldn't

make out anything. Then, in the course of conversation, Mouli Baba's visit

cropped up and just for fun; they made a list of all the expenses done on that

occasion. And what a wonder! The expenses added up exactlv to Rs. 3-14-0. it

was clear that things offered to Mouli Baba in Nanded had reached Sai Baba in

Shirdi ! The next year Ratanji was blessed with a son. Another merchant.

Seth Hariischandra Pitale, had

gone to Shirdi for the first time. His infant son was also with him. Baba gave

him three silver rupees aiid said, "I have already given you two rupees. Keep

these three with them and worship them together. They will lead to your

welfare." Pitale returned home with satisfaction. But since he had gone to

Baba for the first time, he could not understand Baba's words, 'I have already

given you two rupees'. He asked his mother. She thought deeply and, as in a

flash, she exclaimed, "Ah, I got it. When you were young your father had gone

to Akkalkot Swami, who had given him two rupees for worship. Your father

worshipped them in his lifetime. But, after him, they have been lying uncared

for. Now the Swami is re-born as Sai Baba in Shirdi, and that is why he

reminded vou of the 'two rupees already given and gave you three more.

Henceforward, worship them all with devotion."

roman" size="3">These incidents show how Baba was a Trikal-gyani Siddha. TO

BE CONTINUED... Courtesy: http://www.saibabaofshirdi.net/ With Sai love from

Sai brothers – ‘’

Mail Use Photomail to share photos without annoying attachments.