HERITAGE OF SHIRDI SAI NEWSLETTER

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N E W S L E T T E R

 

VOL33, JULY 2007

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FROM SHRI C.B. SATPATHY'S MESSAGE

……"Therefore, the Maha Samadhi day of Baba simply means that on the 15th of October, 1918, He had decided to leave His mortal body, as the work He wanted to perform with the use of the body was over. There is enough evidence to prove that Baba had known about His Maha Samadhi even two years before, on the day of Dussehra in 1916, which Baba had called the day of `Seema Langhan' and which means crossing the boundaries from a mortal existence to an immortal existence. When the consent to construct the present Samadhi Mandir at Shirdi was given by Him, He had said that "after the Wada is completed, I will come there to stay" Before His Maha Samadhi, Baba had sent some money to Shamsuddin, a Saint of Aurangabad for conducting Kawali, Mauli and Nyas, saying that the light that Allah had lighted will be taken back by Him on 9th Muharram in 1918 which incidentally was the 15th October, 1918. Therefore, Baba the Perfect Master, who was a Jivan Mukta, had decided to leave His body, as His last days and last minute actions indicate.

When the Master was with a human body, He outwardly looked like a man but 'internally' He was carrying on His universal divine role. But did His divine role end when He left His body? Before leaving His body the all merciful Sai, had clearly stated about His role after His Maha samadhi, so that the devotees He had been protecting and helping, do not feel like orphans. He had promised that He will look-after His devotees even from His tomb and also that they only will have to approach Him through their hearts and with love to get His love and support. Today the experiences of millions of devotees throughout India and everywhere else, indicate that Baba's divine activities in helping and evolving His devotees continue with all their manifestations and glory. Reports of thousands and thousands of devotees getting unexpected help for temporal, mental and spiritual development are coming from numerous places in India and the world. Experiencing His grace, self-motivated devotees are building many Sai temples throughout the world and carrying on various types of activities in propagating His deeds and philosophies across the globe. It seems as if Shri Sai without a human body is many times more active in removing the suffering of His devotees, than the Sai when He was with a body. Those days the number of His devotees was much less than the number of devotees today. The activities to spread His name have multiplied a thousand times.Sadgurus as the embodiments of Divine Mercy are ever in a state of full divine consciousness, and beyond the states of life and death. They take a human body out of infinite compassion for the suffering devotees. Sadguru Shri Sainath Maharaj had taken His Maha Samadhi eighty-four years back. But because of His Maha Kripa (infinite compassion), His love and protection for the devotees continues."…….

 

FROM "LIFE OF SAI BABA" BY NARASIMHA SWAMI

……"Baba was watching not only over Kaka, but over all his relatives also. One day Kaka received a letter that his younger brother at Nagpur was ill. Then he said to Baba, `I have received this letter and I am of no service to him.' Baba said, `I am of service'. Kaka could not make out why Baba said so. But at that very moment, at Nagpur, a sadhu came to attend upon his brother, and cured him of his illness, and used the very words of Baba, namely, `I am of service'. Kaka thus found that across 1,000 miles, Baba could see what went on and could carry out what was necessary for his sishya's relatives.

Dixit had such perfect reliance on Baba that before taking any step in any important matter, he would go to Baba and get his orders and follow the same to the very letter, even though the course was running counter to his own judgment and feelings or those of his friends and relations. Baba once tested and proved his implicit obedience while enjoying the fun of the test. B.C.S. 619 gives the account which shows that Bade Baba, Shama, and Ayi all shrank from assisting Baba or carrying out his order that a goat thoroughly weak and about to die should be slaughtered with a knife at the mosque-while Kaka Dixit alone stood the test and was bringing down a knife over the neck of the creature in implicit obedience to an apparently horrid command. B.C.S. 619 gives the account thus:Once a goat entered the mosque, old, famished and just about to die.

Baba (to Bade Baba):-Cut that goat with one stroke.

Bade Baba-(Looking at it with pity) How are we to kill this?

So saying, he went away from the mosque.

Baba:-Shama, you cut it. Fetch a knife from Radhakrishna Ayi.

(Ayi sent a knife; but learning the purpose, recalled it.)

Shama:- I will go home to fetch a knife. Shama went home and stayed away there.

Then Baba to H.S.D. – `You fetch a knife and kill it.'

H.S.D. went and fetched a knife.

H.S.D.-Baba, shall I kill it ?

Baba- Yes.

H.S.D. lifted up the knife and held it up in hesitation. Baba-What are you thinking of? Strike.

Dixit obeyed and was bringing the knife down.

Baba - Stop.

Let the creature remain. I will kill it myself but not at the mosque.Then Baba carried the creature a few yards, after which it fell dead."……

 

 

ARTICLE

Living In Truth II

(In continuation of the preceding part, analysis of similarities and influence of various thoughts of Sufi School, Bhakti traditions, Baba's sayings has been made to draw attention of the readers towards the path and the conduct )

The lives of Sufi Saints provide interesting examples of the use of social traditions to propagate spiritual concepts. The songs sung at mandirs, gurudwaras. mazaars of Sufi Shrines propagate the concept of unity of Godhead and integration, at a time when dissension was prevalent in myriad forms in society, in a dialect that people could understand. Thus the Saints led the masses in achieving harmony in society.

The Sufi School extensively utilized prayers and music (qwaalis) in its quest for achieving the union. Music (qwaalis) was often used in Sama (congregation of worshippers), which often threw its listeners into raptures inducing haal (heightened state of ecstasy) . Similarly, the medieval Bhakti Saints of India also composed songs, prose and lyrics in praise of God. The songs of both Sufi Saints and Bhakti Saints narrate the various stages of the path of God realization in a cryptic manner. The dimensions of the same song varied, according to the ripening of the seeker. The songs extensively sung praise of the Master / Guru (i.e. Pir. Murshid Yaar) for the Master led the path .

As Baba says:

Guru bina suna re sadho. ... ... guru se bichadna mera bhay hai(Quote: Sai Charan Mein)(Translation: The world is a meaningless place without Master's grace…………. To fall from his grace is my fear or leads to death)

The use of music (in Sama) by Sufi Saints was looked down upon by the local ulemas who considered this to be against the Islamic injunctions. It is stated that during Sheikh Muinindin Chisti's time as also during Sheikh Kaki's time, concerted efforts were made by the local ulemas (priests) to ban music during prayers. The opponents had to retreat after realizing the spiritual powers of Sheikh Muinindin Chisti and Sheikh Bakhtiyar Kaki. The songs of Amir Khusro till date are sung by Qawaals and it is not uncommon to see the Qawaals paying respect to the Saints by performing at their mazaar (shrine). This is similar to the Hindu tradition of offering prayers in a musical form to various Gods / Saints. Shri Ramakrishna Parmahansa often sang prayers in praise of Ma Kali and often experienced Samadhi while listening to the songs.

Shri Shirdi Sai also listened to qawaalis, songs and prayers and watched performances of dancers etc. as stated in Shri Sai Satcharitra thus showing the fusion of varied schoosl of religious thought, having in common the principle of unity of the Godhead, which is followed till date in Shirdi. During major festivals, performers and musicians consider it a privilege to sing / perform at Shirdi to offer their respect to Shri Shirdi Sai.

Baba Tajudin Auliya often experienced Samadhi after listening to qawaalis and it was not uncommon to see musicians and dancers performing as a mark of respect before Baba Tajuddin. The Masters remained absorbed within, even while witnessing performances of dancers, musicians etc. though they outwardly conducted themselves in an ordinary manner.

Sheikh Kaki said that "Sama" should be used only by those who can follow it. While the Saints extensively used music as a means to offer prayers yet the mode in hands of an unripe seeker could also be the cause of his ruin. As Shri Ramakrishna Parmahansa stated, a larger receptacle is able to withhold and withstand more whereas a smaller vessel becomes turbulent easily. The Master / Guru alone can guide the disciple. As Rumi states, whoever travels without a guide needs two hundred years for a two day journey. Khalil Gibran, the mystic poet of Lebanon, says that a teacher takes you to threshold of your wisdom. The Hindu tradition also places the Master /,"Guru" above all Gods, parents etc. Guru Gita states that:

Guru Brahma Guru Vishnu Guru devoh Maheshwara, Guru Sakshat Parbrahma Tasme Shri Guruveyha Namah.

The Master provided the sheet anchor to continue in the path, often shielding the disciple (Murid) from the vicious flux. No wonder, the Master was the husband, beloved, brother, confidante, God, all at once, for his pupil. Like Guru tradition, the Master is GOD in the Sufi School. His intercession and blessings could lift the veil of ignorance for the child (disciple).

It is stated that Kabir Sahib told his disciple to pray to the Lord. The disciple ardently prayed only to find that his "Guru Kabir" was in fact the God. After experiencing this, he narrated the same to Kabir Sahib asking him why had he not disclosed this fact to him earlier, instead of directing him to look for the Lord. Kabir Sahib told him that now that he had experienced and witnessed it, he would believe the same. It is in this context it is stated that the Masters and God are one.

As Baba says:

" Pita hain ishwaar par nirakar, Aankh me in aate nahinNar jab naaryan ban kar aaye, to sadguru ban kar aaye.. ..(Quote: Sai sharan me in : poem " Sant Kripa")

(Translation: The Formless GOD manifests in the form of the Sadguru to guide.)

Stories of the disciple following the Master to the grave also exist, as in the case of Amir Khusru. It is said that Sheikh Amir Khusro was a favourite disciple of Sheikh Nizamudin Auliya. Sheikh Nizamudin Auliya once remarked to Khusro "Turk, I may tire of myself, but not of You". Within six months of Sheikh Nizamudin Auliya's death, Amir Khusru too died. His tomb is within the precincts of Sheikh Nizamudin's dargah, and respect is first offered at Khusro's shrine before praying to Sheikh Nizamudin Auliya