LIFE HISTORY OF SRI SHIRDI SAI BABA Part 2 To 4

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Om Sri Sai Ram

 

LIFE HISTORY OF SRI SHIRDI SAI BABA

 

By Ammula Sambasiva Rao

 

English Translation by Thota Bhaskara Rao

 

 

Chapter II

 

When our country was under foreign domination, the State of the Nizam with

Hyderabad as his capital extended upto Aurangabad, presently in Maharashtra

State.

 

In this State, there is a small village named Pathri, situated among green

fields, trees and other natural settings and taking the villagers to divine

heights.

 

The water flowing in the rivulet adjoining this village had the effects of the

water from river Ganga, curing several ailments. In this village, there lived a

pious couple named Ganga Bhavajya and Devagiri Amma. They lead a happy and

contented life. They did not have any property worth the name.

 

Ganga Bhavajya used to ferry a boat in the adjoining river and lived on this

meager earnings. Though, they were poor in terms of wealth, they were contented,

tolerant, tactful and had peace. Ganga Bhavajya used to worship Lord Shiva and

Devagiri Amma used to worship Gowri Devi. Under any circumstances, the worship

of Lord Shiva and Gowri Devi would be done before the couple attended to other

items of work for they believed that there was divine presence in their house,

protecting them every moment. But sadly they were not blessed with children. So

they used to pray to Shiva and Parvathi to bless them with children.

 

One day in Kailas, Shiva told Parvathi that the time for him to take birth on

earth had come as promised to Bhoodevi. Then Parvathi pleaded with Lord Shiva

that she be allowed to take birth on earth and assist Shiva in his Avatar. But

he did not agree, that in his new Avatar, he proposed to practice strictly what

he intended to preach and Parvathi would have no role to play in his ‘Fakir’

life. He then showed Parvathi, Ganga Bhavajya and Devagiri Amma on the earth,

telling her that they are the couple to whom he would be born.

 

Then Parvathi said that since she would not take birth on earth along with Lord

Shiva, they should visit Ganga Bhavajya and Devagiri Amma now. He agreed and in

the first instance sent Ganga Devi to fill Pathri village and its surroundings

with water. There was a heavy downpour, inundating the village and surroundings.

Fearing that the boats would be washed away in the floods, Ganga Bhavajya

proceeded to the nearby river to take care of the boats after taking his night

meal.

 

At about 9.00 p.m. in the night, there was a knock at the door of Ganga

Bhavajya’s house. Thinking that her husband had returned, Devagiri Amma opened

the door. But it was not her husband. An unknown old man entered the house. In

this small village Devagiri Amma knew everyone. But this old man was unknown to

her and that too coming at such a later hour. She tried to find out who he was.

The old man pleaded with her to allow him to remain inside the house for

sometime, as it was very cold outside. Being a pious lady, Devagiri Amma asked

the old man to sleep in the verandah, while she went inside her room, locking

the door from inside. After sometime, the old man knocked at her door. She

opened the door. The old man said, " Mother, I am hungry. Please give me some

food. " She felt helpless since whatever food she had cooked had been eaten and

nothing was left. She searched in the house for some eatables but found only a

small quantity of flour. She mixed

this flour with curds and served it to the old man who gratefully ate it. She

then went into her room and prepared to go to sleep, locking the door from

inside. Again after sometime there was a knock at her door. She opened the door

only to again find the old man standing there. He told her that his legs were

paining and requested her to massage them. She was perplexed at the way in which

a complete stranger was behaving when her husband was not in the house. She

wondered whether the old man was really a human being or whether Lord Shiva had

come to test her. Without knowing what to do under such circumstances, she wept

and prayed to Parvathi. She went out through the back door to procure the

services of two or three servants for massaging the legs of the old man. She was

willing to pay them liberally, but found none. She returned home disappointed

and wondered what to do now, whether she ought to massage the legs of the old

man or not.

 

Who was this old man? She prayed to Parvati wholeheartedly to show her a way out

of this predicament. The old man knocked at her door again. Just then a woman

entered through the back door and addressed Devagiri Amma, " Mother, it seems you

came to my house to engage me for massaging the legs of an old man. But at that

time I was not in the house. Now I have come, please tell me to whom I should do

the service? "

 

Devagiri Amma felt very happy. She presumed that on hearing her prayers, Parvati

must have sent this woman and she expressed her gratitude to the goddess. She

sent the woman to the verandah to massage the legs of the old man while she went

to her room and shut the door. After some time she opened the door again but she

did not find either the old man or the woman sent to massage his legs. But in

their place she saw Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. Her happiness knew no bounds

and she fell at their feet. Then Parvati blessed her, " You shall have one son

and one daughter. " On hearing this, she again fell at the feet of Lord Shiva who

blessed her, " Mother, I am pleased with your devotion, I will myself take birth

as your third child. " By the time she got up, both Lord Shiva and Goddess

Parvati had disappeared.

 

She lay awake the whole night, waiting for her husband’s return, to break the

happy news of the visit of Lord Shiva and Parvati to their house. She saw only

Lord Shiva and Parvati, whether she closed or opened her eyes. At daybreak, her

husband returned home and she narrated everything to him. But he did not believe

it. He told her sarcastically that she had gone mad or was dreaming. How could

the gods come to their house? However much she tried to convince him about their

visit he did not believe her.

 

In due course, Devagiri Amma gave birth to a male child and a female child a

year after. As the children were born after so many years and that too blessed

by Parvati Devi, Ganga Bhavajya started believing the visit of the gods to their

house and the boons granted to his wife. From then onwards a lot of change came

over him and he decided to do penance to have a vision and blessings of Lord

Shiva and Goddess Parvati. He began to think that family attachments were

obstacles for his penance.

 

While such ideas were taking concrete shape in him, the third child started

growing in the womb of Devagiri Amma. One day, Ganga Bhavajya took firm decision

and informed his wife that he was retiring to the forests. As duty bound

Devagiri Amma followed her husband. Without any money, placing complete faith in

Lord Shiva and Parvati, they proceeded towards an unknown destination in thick

forests. On one hand Devagiri Amma felt elated that shortly Lord Shiva would be

born to her. On the other hand, she was worried and fearful of the aimless

journey through forests. With these mixed feelings, they continued their

journey.

 

It was the 28th day of September 1835, Ganga Bhavajya and Devagiri Amma were

continuing their journey. The sun was rising throwing light red-coloured rays on

the earth. Devagiri Amma went into labour pains. She slowly reached a big banyan

tree and lay down on its shade. Goddess Parvati was beside her unseen, giving

her courage. All other gods were witnessing from above, this unique occasion of

Lord Shiva being born in human form on the earth. This new ‘Avatar’ would

put an end to religious fanaticism, jealousies, hatred, arrogance, egoism and

attachments prevalent in the humans and would generate peace, Jnana, love and

equality among them. The gods showered flowers from above, unseen, and jubilant

over the occasion. Great sages all over the world, for a moment became still and

in that state witnessed the arrival of Lord Shiva in human form as Devagiri

Amma’s child. Finally Devagiri Amma delivered the child. No one knew that the

new born Avatar of

Lord Shiva would one day be known as Shirdi Sai Baba and that he would respond

at once to the prayers of devotees, that he would show the way to a number of

devotees for attaining salvation by becoming their Sadguru, and that even after

his Samadhi he would protect his devotees.

 

Devagiri Amma was very happy that Lord Shiva himself was born to her. But Ganga

Bhavajya was not satisfied by looking at the human child form of Lord Shiva. He

was determined to see the real Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati, as was seen by

his wife. After sometime, he prepared to set out on his journey. It was a

testing moment for Devagiri Amma. One one side was her husband and she was duty

bound to follow him. On another side, it is the just born child, apart from her

weakness due to delivery. Finally, she decided to follow her husband, leaving

the child in the forest. She prepared a small bed of leaves and spread a soft

cloth over it. She placed her newborn child on the bed. She began weeping as

other mothers do and the warm tears began to fall on the child. These tears were

the last attachment between mother and child. She wept bitterly for not being in

a position to provide food and shelter for her child. Perhaps, she was not aware

that Adi Sankara,

who can protect all the creations, does not require her protection.

 

No such thoughts were in Ganga Bhavajya. His aim was to have vision of Lord

Shiva only. For achieving this , family bonds and attachments would be hurdles.

So he desired to be away from such attachments and go into the forest and do

penance. He started to proceed towards his goal, his wife following him. For

every step taken by her, the motherly love towards her newborn child began to

melt into tears which flowed from her eyes continuously. She kept looking

backwards at her child though advancing. The tears blocked her vision and she

was able to see only a blurred image of her child. After proceeding for some

more distance, she lost sight of her child completely and she followed her

husband blindly. In the coming chapters, we shall see where and how their

aimless journey ended.

 

On the golden Kailas Mountain, Lord Shiva should have been in the company of

Parvathi and other gods. But in his new ‘Avatar’ he was under the banyan

tree, as a newborn child, moving his legs and hands playfully and waiting for

the person who would find him and look after him. Lord Shiva knew who that

person was. That Mahatma named Roshan Sha came in the form of fakir (mendicant).

When he was walking with his wife, he heard the cries of a small child. As they

did not have any children, he picked up the child and gave him to his wife as a

gift from ‘Allah’.

 

We find no words to praise Roshan Sha and his wife who bathed Lord Shiva and fed

him. The child grew for four years till 1839 in the fakir’s house. The actions

of God cannot be gauged. How and when some persons come together and again get

separated is beyond the understanding of common people. The fakir died one day.

His wife brought up the child affectionately as her own.

 

In those days there were clashes between Hindus and Muslims. Under such

conditions, the behaviour of this boy used to be peculiar. He would suddenly

enter into a temple one day and start yelling, " Rama is God, Shiva is Allah " .

Both Hindus and Muslims used to admonish and punish him. On seeing this, Roshan

Sha’s wife used to suffer a lot. Finally, unable to withstand the complaints

against the boy, she decided to hand over the boy to a Sadhu by name Venkusa in

a nearby village.

 

" Om Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi "

 

Chapter III

 

There was a village named Jambavavi, now in the State of Maharashtra, under the

rule of a Nizam in those days. In this village, there was a pious Brahmin named

Keshava Rao and his wife. Both were devotees of Venkateswara Lord at Tirupathi.

As they had no children, they always used to pray to the Lord to bless them with

a child. One night, the Lord appeared to Keshava Rao in a dream and told him

that one Ramanand Yogi of Kashi would be born as their son shortly. After this

Keshava Rao’s wife became pregnant. He used to read the Holy Scriptures to his

wife and explain them in detail. This was an exercise undertaken by him to

impart Jnana to the child who was in the womb of his wife. His wife gave birth

to a male child on an auspicious day. The parents named him Gopal Rao, and

imparted several types of education. When the boy reached marriageable age, they

performed his marriage with a suitable girl.

 

Gopal Rao was a person of tact, strength, patience and knowledge. Above all

this, he was a person with a helping nature and service. Pleased with his

strength and courage, the Peshwas gave a paragana named Jintur as jagir to Gopal

Rao to rule over this place. Gopal Rao loved the inhabitants of this place as

his own children and ruled over them. He shifted his place of residence to the

centrally located village Selu and developed it a lot. He inherited from his

father, abundant devotion to Lord Venkateswara. Now and then, the Lord would

appear in his dreams. He established an ashram in his fort and gave opportunity

to several people to lead saintly lives.

 

One Evening, when he was taking a stroll in the fort, he found a young lady

undressing for taking bath and Gopal Rao’s mind had evil thoughts for a moment

on seeing her naked form. Immediately regretting his perverted thoughts, he

pierced both his eyes with a needle and lost his sight. Because of this, he

could not discharge his duties as jagirdar properly. On the advise of his

friends, he performed special Puja to Lord Venkateswara and regained his lost

eyesight with the blessings of the Lord. From that day, he came to be known as

Venkudas (Lord Venkateswara’s Slave).

 

Roshan Sha’s wife wanted to hand over the four-year-old boy to the care of

Venkusa. But Venkusa was on a pilgrimage. He did not practice discrimination on

account of religion, caste or creed. All were equal to him. He used to visit not

only temples but also the dargahs and gurudwaras while on pilgrimage.

 

Once, when he visited the Sawaghahi Dargah in Ahmedabad, he heard the following

words coming from there: " Salaam alekum Maharaj! You are born with a purpose. A

hundred miles from Selu Village, there is another village by name Manwat. There

Allah, who is born for setting this world right, is being brought up in a

fakir’s house. After you go back to Selu from your pilgrimage, the boy will be

brought to you. You must accept this boy as your pupil and teach him. This is

God’s work. The boy will grown up in your care and will become ‘Guru’ for

the entire world. "

 

Venkusa returned to Selu after the pilgrimage. Roshan Sha’s wife brought the

boy and handed him over to Venkusa. Thus the boy (Baba) came under the care of

Venkusa in his fifth year. Roshan Sha named the boy Majida and there are proofs

that the boy grew under Venkusa with the name Majida.

 

Venkusa taught the boy all kinds of Shastras. The boy who was born with natural

Godliness learnt all of them in his early age. Venkusa took the boy along with

him to other villages. In the year 1842, during summer, they both came to Shirdi

village and they stayed there for 7 days. They took their food in the house of

Bayija Bai and slept in the small temples of the village. This means Baba came

to Shirdi first in the year 1842. Perhaps because of the food provided to him by

Baija Bai, Baba used to call her Sister. Similarly, Baba in his young age came

into contact with Nanavali.

 

Nanavali was younger than Baba. He used to do service at the Samadhi of a great

person by name Nanavali, near Aurangabad. Hence, he got the name of Nanavali and

was known only by this name. During the tours of Venkusa along with Baba, they

met Nanavali for the first time in 1849. Nanavali used to address Baba as Uncle.

Having been brought up by Roshan Sha who was a Sufi saint, and later by Venkusa

who was a devotee of Lord Venkateswara, Baba understood the important aspects of

Islam and Hinduism and also the blind customs in both. Though Venkusa was a

Hindu, he used to take Baba to the Samadhis of great persons of both the

religions and explain their teachings and theories in detail.

 

Years rolled by. The boy, who was born with a purpose, the incarnation of Lord

Shiva, learnt everything related with physical, philosophical and other fields.

He also learnt about " Pancha Bhuthas " and the importance of the eight

directions. He was able to feel the divine power, which created this universe,

and notice the unstable condition of life, soul, mind and arrogance. He also

learnt the connection between these and the sensory organs and how to control

desires and command the divine power in the body. A divine light in his eyes,

sensibility in talk, calmness in his actions and mature thinking were found in

him.

 

For Venkusa, his joy knew no bounds, for the boy whom he brought up acquired so

many divine powers. He used to stare at the boy motionless, and tears would roll

down from his eyes. Night and day he would keep the boy with him. He used to

bathe him, dress him, feed him and put him to sleep. If sometimes he could not

attend on the boy personally, he would suffer mentally. Whether it was natural

love for the boy or whether it was the effect of the incarnation of Lord Shiva

in the form of this boy, we do not know. Whatever it was, Venkusa’s life was

blessed he acted as Baba’s guru, protector, friend, mother and father. Though

we do not know what Venkusa looked like, let us imagine and prostrate at his

feet for having brought up our Sai, for having moulded him and presented him to

crores of devotees throughout the world, let us prostrate at his feet for the

second time. Sai is not merely a Guru. He is Samartha Sadguru. For having acted

as Guru for such a

Samartha Sadguru, let us prostrate at the feet of Venkusa for the third time.

 

Since Venkusa was teaching the boy the secrets in Shastras, the other ashramites

posed unnecessary and irrelevant questions, which diverted the attention of Guru

Venkusa. As he was not able to pay proper attention under such disturbed

conditions, he took the boy into the forest and taught him in the different

fields of education. The ashramites discovered the place where Venkusa was and

sent a few disciples to bring him back to Selu. Suspecting that they were

jealous of the boy and hated him, probably might harm him, without loss of time

he inducted into the boy some of his powers on Suddha Dashami Day of the month

of Asweeyuja. The boy who was just completing 16 years of age appeared fully

mature, with divine powers.

 

Venkusa told the boy that he had done his duty as per God’s decision and the

day was not far off when they would be separated. He also told him that having

achieved his goal, he would go into Samadhi. As per the Shastras, a disciple

should not witness his guru attaining Samadhi, but if he went back to Selu or

the neighboring villages, the people there might harm him. If they continued to

be together then also the people who were jealous of them would be haunting

them. Therefore, it was necessary that they be separated. On a full-moon day,

Venkusa inducted into the boy all his remaining powers. It was decided that

Venkusa would return to Selu and the boy would proceed along the shores of

Godavari River. The plan was found out by some spies from Selu and the news was

carried over to Selu. From Selu, Venkusa’s successors secretly came to the

forest and watched their movements.

 

The people of Selu, thinking that Venkusa had left his family, ashram and

properties for the sake of this boy, planned to kidnap the boy so that Venkusa

would return to Selu. Sensing such a move, Venkusa protected the boy by staying

with him every moment. Since the village people found that it was very difficult

to kidnap the boy, they decided to kill him. That night was Chaturdashi, a day

prior to full moon. The conspirators were discussing the methods of killing the

boy. They had not brought knives or sticks with them. There were no big stones

nearby. While this was the situation, Venkusa and the boy prepared to go to

sleep.

 

The boy had peaceful sleep, whereas Venkusa could not sleep as he was

preoccupied with thoughts of the boy. One of the conspirators, with a view not

to delay their plan further, took a brick, which was lying nearby, and wanting

to kill the boy at one stroke, proceeded towards him. Venkusa, who was half

asleep, suddenly opened his eyes and found the brick coming towards the boy’s

head. He at once put his own head in the path of the brick, which hit his

forehead and caused bleeding. With blazing eyes, Venkusa cursed him, who fell

dead the next moment. Hearing the commotion the boy woke up from his sleep and

observed everything. The other two conspirators who were at a distance ran away,

lest they also die by the curse of Venkusa.

 

The boy tore off a piece of cloth from his dress and cleaned the injury suffered

by Venkusa. They were staring at each other with different thoughts in their

minds. While Venkusa was thinking that even at the risk of losing his life, he

would hand over the boy as Guru to posterity, the boy was thinking how to repay

the debt to his Guru for having protected him. Thus the hearts of Guru and

disciple became one, ideas became one, with love and affection in harmony. Such

should be the binding force between Guru and disciple.

 

The sun began to rise in the east with the red rays spreading over the sky.

Venkusa and the boy both took their bath in the river. Venkusa milked a nearby

cow and purring the milk into the hands of the boy, imparted all the remaining

powers he had and commanded the boy to bring to life one of the conspirators who

lay dead due to the curse given by Venkusa. The boy washed the toe of the right

foot of the Guru and sprinkled this water on the dead person who came alive,

saying he regretted his attempt to kill the boy and sought his pardon.

 

Venkusa wanted to give the boy all the valuable ornaments he was wearing but the

boy declined to have them. Instead he requested Venkusa to give him the brick,

which had hit him on his forehead while saving him (boy) from the murderous

attack. Overwhelmed by his request and with tears rolling down from his eyes,

Venkusa gave him the brick with his blessings. He wished that the brick always

be the boy’s companion and life partner. The boy also requested Guru Venkusa

to give him the piece of cloth drenched with blood while cleaning his injury.

Moved emotionally by such a request Venkusa tied the cloth piece around the

forehead of the boy and declared that it would protect the boy at all times. He

told him to proceed along the banks of river Godavari and the place where he

found complete peace would be abode. He also advised him to keep away from women

and wealth. Afterwards Venkusa proceeded to Selu along with the revived person.

 

After walking for three days along the banks of River Godavari, the boy reached

a place called Kopergaon in the year 1854, Margashira month on the third day

after full moon. After taking rest for a day, he again proceeded and reached the

village of Shirdi by evening. Not willing to approach anyone for shelter, he

began to live under the shade of a big Neem tree.

 

" Om Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi "

 

 

 

Chapter IV

 

After giving birth to the child Avatar on 28 September 1835, Devagiri Amma and

Ganga Bhavajya continued their journey aimlessly in the forests. Though he went

with detachment, he observed the physical weakness and helplessness in his wife

Devagiri Amma. Sympathy evoked in him, but he thought that he should not succumb

to such weakness, and so started proceeding further. But Devagiri Amma was too

weak to walk straight and her sight was getting blurred, her tongue drying up

with thirst. She had no physical strength at all. But as a devout woman, she

followed her husband slowly. With great difficulty, they moved ahead. Ganga

Bhavajya stopped near a freshwater tank. He could not proceed further after

seeing the condition of his wife. He tried to suppress his feelings

unsuccessfully. All his feelings and sympathies for his wife gushed out and he

thought Lord Shiva would not give him Darshan if he left his wife alone and

proceeded. He went to her and started

attending on her. After quenching her thirst, she went into deep sleep, fully

exhausted. In the meantime, a banjara (a nomad) who was passing by saw them and

told them that if they did not leave that place before dusk, there was danger

from wild animals. So saying, he took them along with him for some distance and

showed them a hut. He told them that this hut belonged to him and they could

rest in it. After sometime, the banjara’s wife brought food for them and after

serving them they all sat together. The banjara couple heard the story of their

guests attentively. Then they addressed the guests.

 

" The norms for leading an ordinary type of life are prescribed in the Vedas.

They are of four kinds, viz. Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Every man should

follow these four during his lifetime. The woman, while being the life

companion, should assist the man in attaining them. This is the specialty in

Hindu culture. But having brought forth three children, you left them

mercilessly and took to the forests. Your action goes against the dharma. It is

good to desire a vision of Lord Shiva. If that is life’s aim, one should be a

sanyasi and not Grahastha (family man). But being Grahastha, forgetting one’s

duties towards family, one should not seek God, for this is not correct.

 

After performing all your duties only you should take to Vanaprastha (retiring

to the forests) and then seek God. This is Dharma Marga. As you have already

abandoned your three children you should now proceed. Though you are wife and

husband, in future you should not have any bodily attachments, but concentrate

on doing penance for Atma Sakshathkaram and then for the Sakshathkaram of Lord

Shiva. There is a village named Nivasa about 150 miles from here and from there

you proceed another 20 miles and do your penance. "

 

The words of the banjara were like the chanting of the Vedas and Bhavajya

decided to do penance with his wife for the Sakshathkaram of Lord Shiva. In the

meantime, the banjara gave them two wild fruits from the forest and made them

eat, by which they got rid of all bodily ailments, attaining divine powers

necessary for doing penance. Late in the night they slept. When Ganga Bhavajya

woke up in the morning, he found neither the banjara couple nor the hut. All

that had taken place the previous night appeared to them as a dream.

 

Devagiri Amma regained her physical health and was happy. After traveling for

eleven days, they reached the place on the banks of Godavari River, as indicated

by the banjara and started their penance for years. Many used to visit them and

learn spiritual matters from them. The devotees named Devagiri Amma as

Dwarakamayi. Devagiri means Govardhanagiri, the mountain lifted by Lord Krishna

and the place surrounding it is Dwaraka, and Mayi means mother. Similarly, Ganga

Bhavajya was named Gurudhan because he was imparting Jnana to the seekers. So,

the names acquired by the parents of Baba, in the Jnana Marga, were Gurudhan and

Dwarakamayi. As many people started visiting them, it caused disturbance for

their penance, and so they shifted into the interior forest. Both used to be in

a state of Samadhi for days together.

 

After reaching Shirdi, Baba lived for sometime under a Neem tree on the

outskirts of the village. Some villagers with their unnecessary talk, were

disturbing Baba’s meditation. For a long time, he used to go into the nearby

forest and remain there all the day, eating fruits and other things available in

the forest. After a certain period, some of the villagers noticed this boy who

used to sit under the Neem tree under all extreme climatic conditions, and

always meditating. Some of them asked the same question direct to the boy,

thereby disturbing his meditation. While this was so, some people who were

carefully observing him recognised him as a boy with unusual divine powers . But

many used to talk about him critically and used to poke fun at him.

 

One day a blind person came and sat in the shade of the Neem tree. Some rowdies

abused him and threw him aside and went away. This commotion disturbed the

meditation of the boy. He found out the reason for the commotion. Feeling pity

for the blind person, the boy with his divine hands cleaned both the eyes and

catching the eyelids firmly with his hands passed his divine rays from his eyes

into those of the blind man. Unable to bear the agony of burning eyes, the blind

man cried aloud and fainted. The rowdies who had ill-treated the blind man

earlier assembled there with some others. After a short time, the blind man

regained his consciousness and found that he was no longer blind. Seeing this,

the people assembled there were wonderstruck. From then onwards not only the

villagers of Shirdi but also those from neighboring villagers started coming to

the boy for getting their ailments cured. Thus, a year passed.

 

Sometimes, the boy used to take the juice of any leaf found nearby and gave it

as medicine. Whatever seed he found he used to ask the patient to make a paste

of it and use it as medicine. If he touched the ailing limb of the body, the

ailment would disappear. Slowly, people recognised him as a great physician. The

entire daytime he used to treat the patients. In the nights some persons used to

come and disturb him with unnecessary questions. As he was not able to meditate

properly due to the conditions prevailing, one night he left Shirdi and

proceeded eastwards along the bank of River Godavari. He reached Tryambakeshwar

and finding the high mountains suitable for his meditation, he started doing

penance.

 

The brick given to him by Guru Venkusa was his only companion, and the piece of

cloth soaked with the blood of his Guru was his protector. He did penance for a

year. Afterwards, he returned by the same route along the banks of River

Godavari via Kopergaon and reached the place where he and his Guru Venkusa has

parted on exactly on the same day of the same month. As two years had lapsed

since then, he found that many trees had come up around the place like a thick

forest. He found it difficult to exactly pinpoint the place. Then he took out

the brick and tied it in the blood-soaked piece of cloth and prayed to his Guru.

Immediately, the entire area became, as it was two years back. Instantly, he

recognised the spot where his Guru had saved him from an attack to kill him. He

prayed: ‘Oh Guruji! You shed your blood to save me ! I want to have your

Darshan. But my power will always be protecting you. " Then the boy said, " I do

not have parents, brothers and

other relatives. You are the only person for me. I must have your Darshan today

as you have saved my life. Otherwise, I do not want to live further. I will take

out my life by hitting myself with the same brick from which you saved me two

years back. " So saying he hit his forehead with the brick. Suddenly, the hand of

his Guru Venkusa appeared in between the brick and his forehead. Venkusa stood

next to him and blessed him. He told the boy : " Because of your faith and

gratitude towards me I had to get up from my Samadhi and come to you. I

appreciate your devotion for your Guru. You will become Guru for the entire

world. Like me you will also bless your devotees from your Samadhi. I am giving

this boon to you . You have descended from Lord Shiva. The boon I give you now

is only symbolic. Even after you attain Samadhi you will be saving your devotees

from the Maya of Kali. This is possible only for Lord Shiva who drank poison and

kept it in his throat. As

I have come out of Samadhi, I will be with you for two years in an invisible

form. Continue your penance. " So saying Guru Venkusa disappeared. The boy

remained in the same place for two years doing penance. Whenever necessary, Guru

Venkusa used to advise him in the invisible form. In the year 1858, again on a

full-moon day in the month of Margashira, he gave him Darshan and told him to go

back to Shirdi. He further told him that he would also be there in the form of a

Jyothi (burning light) near the Neem tree in an underground structure.

 

The penance undertaken by Gurudhan (Ganga Bhavajya) and Dwarakamayi (Devagiri

Amma) reached the climax stage. Pleased with their penance Shiva and Parvati

appeared before them. Overjoyed at the Sakshathkaram, they pleaded with Lord

Shiva and Goddess Parvati to give them Moksha (salvation). Agreeing to this,

Lord Shiva told them, " You will get Moksha as desired by you. But you two, in

the form of Jyotis (burning lights) will remain permanently in the underground

structure near the Neem tree at Shirdi. Another Mahatma by name Venkusa will

also be there with you as Jyothi. Gurudhan will remain there permanently. In the

coming days, I will keep Dwarakamayi in a nearby place in the form of Dhuni.

Similarly, I shall arrange a suitable place for Venkusa. After my present

‘Avatar’ comes to an end, I will get the physical remains of my body placed

in between you two. In this way, Shirdi will be the abode of four divine powers,

and for the coming 500 years it

will grow day by day and will be Kailas for the devotees. " So saying Lord Shiva

put his hand (Abahaya Hastha) towards them. Immediately, two dazzling light rays

emerged from the hand and entered the bodies of Gurudhan and Dwarakamayi,

bringing out their inner life (prana shakti) in the form of jyotis and coming

out from their upper skull. In an invisible form these jyotis reached Shirdi

village and under the Neem tree in an underground structure remained there doing

penance. Similarly Venkusa came out from his Samadhi at Selu and came to Shirdi

in the form of Jyothi and joined the other two in the underground structure near

the Neem tree.

 

There the boy (Baba), after having Darshan of Venkusa, proceeded till he reached

a village called Dhoop near Aurangabad by sunset and took rest near a big

boulder. At the same time, the Patel (Munsiff) of Dhoop village, Chand Bai,

having lost his horse, started searching for it with the saddle on his shoulder.

Having roamed for the horse, he became tired and wanted to relax and so came to

the place where the boy (Baba) was taking rest.

 

Noticing Chand Bai, Baba questioned him, " What Chand Bhai! You seem to be tired

after searching for your horse. " Chand Bai was surprised at how this stranger

knew his name and about the missing horse. The boy replied that he knew

everything and there was nothing he did not know. Then Chand Bai asked the boy

to tell him where to find his lost horse named Bijli. The boy asked Chand Bai to

proceed on the right side for some distance and there would be a small pond

where he could find his horse Bijli gazing. Chand Bhai said that he had come

from that side and had not found his horse there and there was no use going

there again. To this the boy replied that his words would not go in vain and one

should have complete faith to have result. No one can get the result with a

doubtful mind. He asked him to go and get the horse. But this appeared

unbelievable truth for Chand Bai. While they were discussing thus, the boy took

out a smoking pipe and tobacco from his

bag. To use the pipe for smoking, water was required and to light the tobacco,

fire was required. The boy, with his metal rod-like instrument (sataka) struck

the ground before him. Immediately water came out in the form of a jet. After

preparing the pipe by filling it with tobacco, he struck for the second time at

the same place on the ground with his sataka and fire came out this time. The

boy then lighted the tobacco with this fire. He smoked from the pipe and passed

it to Chand Bai for smoking. Dumbstruck by these acts of the boy, Chand Bai

wondered whether what he was seeing was real or only a dream. After realising

that this was not a dream, hand Bai ran towards the direction given by the boy

earlier and found his horse ‘Bijli’ grazing near the pond. He came back with

the horse and prostrated before the boy. He invited him to come along with him

to his house. With great devotion he made the boy sit on the horse and he walked

along beside the

horse.

 

If the boy with such divine powers steps into his house, all the evils haunting

would go away and peace and happiness would come to the place. So thought Chand

Bai. The boy remained as guest of Chand Bai for 35 days, blessing the people of

Dhoop Village. Afterwards, on a request from Chand Bai, the boy accompanied the

marriage party of Chand Bai’s brother-in-law and came in a bullock cart to

Shirdi, which was the bride’s place. Chand Bai thought that if they took this

boy with the divine powers along with them there would not be any obstacles and

the marriage celebrations would go on peacefully.

 

The bullock carts of the marriage party were proceeding towards Shirdi. In the

evening cool winds started blowing and the bells tied round the necks of the

bullocks were giving rhythmic sounds mingled with the singing of the birds. At

dusk, the red rays from the setting sun from the west began to fall on the white

clouds in the east and the scene was pleasing to the eyes. As if welcoming the

Mahatma (Baba) sitting in front in the bullock cart, the birds started chirping

and flying before the cart. From a distance the koel (nightingale) was singing

as if saying: " God is coming to Shirdi personally to settle down there. Do not

think under the influence of Maya that he is only an ordinary person. So you all

please recognise him as God. " The moon appeared on the east as if to give light

to the Mahatma. The entire marriage party was full of joy and enjoying peace

every moment. Thus the marriage party proceeded towards Shirdi.

 

The entire nature was blooming to welcome this God incarnation from Kailas.

Those of the marriage party who witnessed this were really lucky. Similarly,

with a prayer that we should also get an opportunity to be with Baba at least

for a few months either in this birth or in future births, we end this chapter.

 

" Om Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi "

 

To be continued