LIFE HISTORY OF SRI SHIRDI SAI BABA - Chapter 11 To 12

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Om Sri Sai Ram

 

LIFE HISTORY OF SHIRDI SAI BABA

 

By Ammula Sambasiva Rao

 

English Translation by Thota Bhaskara Rao

 

Chapter - XI

In the year 1896, Gopal Rao Gundu was the Revenue Inspector of

Kopergaon circle. In spite of having three wives, he had no children.

With the blessings of Sai Baba, children were born to him. Out of

gratitude to him he thought of celebrating Urs festival every year.

Baba agreed to do this. It was decided to celebrate the festival on

Shree Ramnavami day.

 

 

 

Urs-Shree Ramnavami Festivals

In the year 1897, the Urs celebration was started in Shirdi for the

first time on Ramnavami Day. Simultaneously the Muslim devotees

started the Sandal Utsav. A devotee, Amir Shakkar, belonging to the

village Korah, got the Sandal Utsav performed at Shirdi. They put

sandal paste in the big plate and took it in a procession and with

drums and cymbals to Dwarakamayi. They smeared the walls of

Dwarakamayi with sandal paste.

 

 

 

During Sandal Utsav and Ramnavami Utsav, they got two flags prepared

with silk cloth and zari borders; they brought them in a procession

and planted them on either side of the mosque. The festival, thus

started, had become a full-fledged Ramnavami festival from the year

1912 at the instance of Sri Krishna Rao Jageshwar Bhishma. The

celebrations included Hari Kathas, cradle function and spraying

coloured powder called Gulal on one another. Next day, they hung a

pot from a considerable height. This pot contained curds, rice

flakes, etc. Whoever tried to catch it was sprayed with water jets.

Baba moved among all the devotees, blessing them. People thought that

Lord Rama had come in the form of Sai Baba. Baba used to cry aloud

with anger whenever the Gulal powder fell in his eyes. Actually those

cries were directed against the evil spirits moving around there.

 

 

 

After the festivities were over, Gopal Rao Gundu wanted to get the

mosque repaired and put stone slabs for the flooring of Dwarakamayi.

But Baba gave away the stone slabs to the temple in the village for

undertaking repairs.

 

Vasu Devananda Saraswathi

In a `Tapovan' near Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh, there was a great

saint with divine and supernatural powers. He was Vasu Devananda

Saraswathi. Thousands of devotees visited him. Das Ganu, a native of

Nanded, along with four others went to visit this Yogi. After hearing

about Shirdi and the name of Sai Baba from Das Ganu, Vasu Devananda

was overwhelmed with joy and told them " Children! My elder brother is

there in Shirdi. Why did you come here instead of visiting him?

People are under the impression that Sai Baba is a Muslim fakir . But

he is my elder brother. Please give this coconut to him with my

salutations. " So saying he gave a coconut to Das Ganu. They returned

with Das Ganu to Nanded and after fifteen days started for Shirdi via

Manmad and Kopergaon. After reaching Manmad they learnt that the

train to Kopergaon was running late. So they sat near the rivulet

nearby, to eat the fried rice flakes brought by them. As they found

the rice flakes too pungent, they broke the coconut given to them by

Vasu Devananda Saraswathi and after crating it, mixed it with the

rice flakes and ate it. While eating they suddenly remembered that

this coconut was intended for Sai Baba and feared the consequences.

 

 

 

When they reached Shirdi, Sai Baba called Das Ganu and asked him

about the coconut given by Vasu Devananda. Surprised as to how Baba

knew about it, Das Ganu narrated everything and sought the pardon of

Baba. He rose to go to the shop to get another coconut. But Baba

prevented him and told him. " Child, do not go. Can the coconut which

you intend to bring now be equal to the one sent by my brother? Do

not worry. You are also my children. All my possessions are yours. I

do not have anything against you " . So saying, he blessed them.

 

 

 

Dixit Wada

Kaka Saheb Dixit heard about the miracles and Leelas of Sai Baba and

came to Shirdi for the first time in the year 1909. While in England,

his leg was injured in a train mishap and so he came to Shirdi with

the hope that Baba would cure him. But after visiting Baba he prayed

to Baba to make him emotionally stable rather than physically.

 

He saw the miracles and Leelas of Sai Baba and decided to permanently

settle down at Shirdi. He purchased a piece of land to the north of

Gurusthan and constructed a rest house. He kept the first floor for

himself while the ground floor was for the visiting devotees. This

building was called Dixit Wada.

 

 

 

Bala Saheb Mireekar

Bala Saheb Mireekar was the Tahsildar of Kopergaon. On his way to the

village Chitili, he came to Shirdi to visit Sai Baba. He went inside

the mosque and after salutation to Baba, sat by his side. Baba told

him, " The place where you are sitting now is Dwarakamayi. The mother

is very kind-hearted. She is more than a mother to sincere devotees.

Those real devotees who sit on her lap are relieved of their

difficulties and anxieties. " So saying he put his hand in the shape

of a snake's hood, warning him that the snake was very dangerous. But

as long as Dwarakamayi protected her children, the snake could do no

harm to you. "

 

 

 

After sometime, when Bala Saheb got up to leave the mosque, Baba

called Shama and ordered him to accompany Bala Saheb to Chitili.

Though Bala Saheb did not agree to this, yet Baba told him, " We wish

for your good. But who can change one's fate? " Reluctantly Bala Saheb

agreed to Shama coming with him.

 

 

 

They took rest in the Hanuman temple near Chitili at about 9 o' clock

in the night. Bala Saheb read the newspaper. Shama noticed a snake on

the upper cloth of Bala Saheb. Bala Saheb was very frightened. The

snake slid down and slithered away. The nearby people gathered there

and killed the snake. Baba had foreseen this and cautioned Mireekar,

also assuring him that nothing would happen. Furthermore, he had sent

Shama with him for his protection.

 

 

 

When we pray to Baba and seek his protection, he foresees our coming

difficulties and gives us the required protection, and with his

blessings, reduces the intensity of our difficulties. According to

the theory of Karma if one had to undergo the difficulties, Baba

would lessen the difficulties and alleviate our suffering. In the

above story, there must have been danger from snakebite for Bala

Saheb as per the Theory of Fate. But Baba's assurance to Bala Saheb

was more powerful, and though the snake went up the upper cloth of

Bala Saheb, it could not do anything. Some devotees fully believed in

Sai Baba, but no miracles or Leelas happened to them and Sai Baba did

not do anything for them. But Sai Baba foresaw their difficulties and

tried to prevent them . In the eighth chapter, we had seen how Baba

had saved Shama from snakebite, by ordering the poison to come down.

From these stories, the readers can imagine how Baba protects his

devotees with his motherly love.

 

 

 

The need for a Guru

In any Yuga, the need for a Guru was there for spiritual advancement.

Lord Rama and Lord Krishna, regarded as incarnations of God, also had

Gurus. Any high caste person or wealthy or strong person or a person

with knowledge of the Vedas, etc. cannot have spiritual advancement

unless he has a Guru. Mere book knowledge is not sufficient to know

the path for God-realisation. A Sadguru will be useful for us like a

guide in a forest. We shall now learn about this in Baba's words.

 

 

 

One day Dixit came to Baba and sought permission to leave Shirdi.

Baba gave him his permission. Someone there asked, " Where to? " and

Baba said, " To a place very far up. There are several ways to reach

that place. From Shirdi also there is a way. This is a very difficult

one. There are tigers, wolves, etc. in the forest. If you take a

guide along with you, he will safely take you to your destination,

making you escape from the wild animals. If there is no guide

accompanying you, you can get killed by the wild animals, or you may

fall in some pit. You can get salvation only by the Guru's

teachings. "

 

 

 

The gist of Baba's teaching is that life's journey is like traveling

through a thick forest. Jealousy, selfishness and hatred will infest

this jungle like wild animals. We do not know which moment we may

fall prey to them. To move forward avoiding these pitfalls, the help

of a Sadguru is very essential.

 

 

 

Shirdi Sai Baba is the incarnation of Lord Shiva, come down to this

world from Kailas to show the materialistic people the Jnana Marga

and the way to salvation. It is not at all difficult to have the

blessings of the Sadguru. Baba said, " If you look to me, I look to

you... If you come one step towards me, I will come ten steps towards

you.... I shall give you help or advise, the moment you ask for it. "

Even after leaving the physical body, Sai Baba remained in this world

in the form of Guru.

 

 

 

All Sai devotees should consider him as their Sadguru. He is the form

of all gods in one. He is the creator and preserver of this world.

Let us put everything at his feet and benefit from his human birth.

 

 

 

Das Ganu's Holy Bath

On Shivaratri day in the year 1905 Das Ganu wanted to bathe in the

nearby Godavari river, and sought the permission of Baba. Baba told

him, " Why should you go to such a distant place? Godavari water is at

my feet, " Das Ganu knew that Baba was the incarnation of Lord Shiva

and Ganga Devi would be always with him. But he thought that the

satisfaction of bathing in a river would not be there. Knowing the

thoughts inside Das Ganu, Baba asked him to hold both the palms of

his hands together and put them near his feet. When Das Ganu did

this, holy water flowed from the toes of Baba's feet. Wonderstruck at

this, Das Ganu sprinkled the water on his head with joy and got the

satisfaction of having bathed in River Ganga.

 

 

 

Isha Upanishad

Das Ganu was not able to understand the gist of Isha Upanishad and

therefore approached many persons who too could not explain it to him

properly. Thereupon, he decided to go to Shirdi and take the help of

Sai Baba in understanding the Upanishad properly. Baba blessed him

and told him not to be in a hurry to know the gist, saying, " In your

return journey, if you go to the house of Kaka Saheb Dixit at Ville

Parle, his servant girl will clear your doubts. " The other devotees

there wondered how an illiterate servant girl could clear his doubts

when so many learned people could not do this. But Das Ganu took

Baba's words as divine truth.

 

 

 

On his return journey he stayed in the house of Dixit. He found the

servant girl wearing a torn dress and singing happily and attending

to the household work. He wondered at the poor servant girl in such a

happy mood. He presented a sari to her through his friend Pradhan.

The servant girl wore the new sari and sang and danced with joy with

other girls. Next day she put her new sari in her box and came to

work with the torn dress that she had earlier worn. But there was no

change in her behaviour. She was as happy as she was when wearing the

new sari. After observing this, Das Ganu realised that sorrows and

happiness depend on one's own moods and thinking and this was the

central idea of Isha Upanishad. In this world everything is the

creation of Ishwar. But according to one's mind and thought, one is

happy when one has what one wants and unhappy when it is not with

one. The cause of sorrow and happiness is one's mind and thinking and

not the creator Ishwar.

 

 

 

What Gautama Buddha realised, sitting under the Bodi Tree was only

the above truth. For those who have conquered their minds there will

not be sorrow but only happiness. He would always be a contented and

happy person. This is the state called Brahamananda.

 

 

 

Today Sai Baba is not with us in flesh and blood. Then how will he

teach us Jnana? This question may be in your mind. The way how he

taught Das Ganu through a servant girl, in the same manner Baba would

also teach us Jnana through our own actions and through the actions

of the people around us. But we should have the true desire and

understanding capacity. Sai Baba will give us these qualities only if

we surrender ourselves completely to him.

 

 

 

Sai Baba will be observing how far you are able to assimilate

anything while doing Parayana of his life history. When you have

devotion to Baba and are sincere in the Parayana everything will

automatically be grasped by our minds. Then Baba will show his

Leelas. So, if you want to experience the love of Baba towards you,

you should do Parayana in the above-mentioned manner. This is

something you yourself have to practice where others cannot help.

 

 

 

Let us end this chapter with a prayer to Sai Baba to impart Jnana to

those who read his life history with devotion and also to stay in

their hearts permanently and make their houses a Sai Nilayam.

 

 

 

" Om Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi "

 

Chapter XII

 

The actions of Baba seem impossible to believe sometimes and at times

strange. No one understands why Baba did thus.

 

 

 

Baba's Strange Actions

In the early days when the holy fire (Dhuni) was started in

Dwarakamayi, Baba collected used matchsticks and stored them

carefully. He took Dakshina half-anna (equivalent to three paisa)

from the devotees who visited him. He smoked from a mud pipe called

chillum.

 

 

 

With thin and weak cloth pieces measuring five feet in length and one

and half feet in width, Baba used to hang a wooden board four inches

thick, to the rafters of Dwarakamayi. He put four lamps at the four

corners of the wooden board, and slept on the board. While it was

surprising as to how the cloth pieces withstood the weight of the

wooden board, it was more surprising as to how they withstood the

weight of Baba also.

 

 

 

In the afternoons, between 1 and 2 p.m. devotees were not allowed

inside the mosque. During this period Baba would take out 15 to 20

old coins from his bag and rub them with his fingers, saying

aloud, " This coin is Nana's, this coin is Kaka's. " Perhaps by doing

like this Baba was removing their desires.

 

 

 

Everyday, after watering the plants in Lendi Bagh, Baba would put the

earthen pots with their mouths down. Once a person named Kolambi,

observing this crazy action of Baba, asked him why he was doing like

that. To this Baba replied that people who were coming to him were

like the earthen pots with their mouths down, meaning they were not

able to receive carefully what Baba wanted to give them.

 

 

 

Baba's Knowledge of Past, Present and Future (Ruthambara Prajna)

Baba used to tell his devotees frequently:

 

" Whether you are before me or at far off place, whatever you do and

think will be known to me. " He used to tell the devotees who visited

him, their past, present and future. This is called Ruthambara Prajna

in Yoga Shastra. This is found in saints in a limited capacity. But

Baba's power was limitless, covering the entire world and beyond

imagination.

 

 

 

Baba sometimes brought to life some persons who were dead. But he did

not revive some persons. One day a woman, whose child died, came to

Baba and asked for udi. Inspite of her repeated pleas, he declined to

give it. When Kaka Saheb Dixit intervened in the matter, Baba told

him " Baav! Do not interfere in this matter. Whatever happened has

happened for the good. The dead boy has already taken birth in

another body in which he will do many good things. If I bring the boy

here now, the new body will perish and this body will live. If I do

this for your sake, will you accept the consequential

responsibility? "

 

 

 

Baba would immediately answer any question that was put to him.

Though the answer appeared to be coincidental, his word turned into

absolute truth. Though he would appear to be seeing and talking like

us, he would always be in a state of Samadhi. He was a confirmed

bachelor like Hanuman. Lust feared to approach him. His eyes were

like burning lamps and penetrated like searchlights the hearts of

many.

 

 

 

How Baba saved Nana Chandorkar

Baba always looked after those who believed in him. One day,

Chandorkar and his friend Shastri were traveling in a Tonga from

Poona. Suddenly the horse pushed back the Tonga with the result that

the Tonga fell upside down. Both men fell down. This was a serious

accident. In the ordinary course there was danger to the life of the

passengers. At the same hour at Shirdi, putting his hands together

like a conch, Baba made sounds like that emanating from a conch. It

was an indication of imminent danger. Baba cried aloud, " Nana is

falling down! But I will not let it happen. " Because of this Leela

Nana and his friend escaped unhurt and completed their journey

safely.

 

One day, Nana Chandorkar was climbing the Harischandra hill to see a

temple there. Another friend and two servants accompanied him. After

climbing for sometime, he felt very thirsty due to severe heat from

the sun. Becoming tired, he rested. There was no water nearby. To get

water, either one had to go down or else go up the hill. He

remembered Baba. He thought that if Baba were to be here, he would

have somehow provided him water. But he was 80 miles away at Shirdi.

At the same hour, Baba sitting in Dwarakamayi told Shama and

others, " Nana is very thirsty. The climate is very hot. He was also

tired. I should give him some water. " Shama and others could not

understand what Baba said.

 

 

 

On the hill, Nana sat silently for sometime. A Bhil (of the forest-

dwelling tribe) happened to come there. Coming near Nana he told him

that if he was thirsty, water could be had from the water hole under

the big stone on which he was sitting. When the stone was shifted,

pure drinking water was found. Nana quenched his thirst by drinking

the water. After some days, when Shama told Chandorkar what Baba had

said a few days back, he recollected the incident and concluded that

Baba himself had come in the form of the Bhil to quench his thirst.

 

 

 

Baba taught Nana about Mind Control

One day, a Muslim family from Bijapur came to visit Baba. There were

two ladies in their veils. They came to Baba, and removing their

veils saluted him. One of the ladies was very beautiful. Nana was

sitting next to Baba and at the sight of the beautiful lady, his mind

went astray. He wished to see her face again. Observing this Baba hit

him gently on the thigh. After the ladies left Baba asked Nana if he

know why he had hit him. Nana replied that having noticed his

agitated mind, Baba must have hit him. Baba said, " The lady you saw

was very beautiful. God had created her so beautifully. When a person

created by God is so beautiful, then how much more beautiful would be

the creator? Did you ever think of this? "

 

 

 

We should always think of the creator of this beautiful world and not

the things created. We go to a temple to worship God and not to see

the sculptures. When mind merges with senses then only one gets

excited. Our body is like a chariot. The mind is the driver (Sarathi)

and the senses are horses. If the charioteer holds the reins firmly,

then one can safely reach one's destination. Instead, if the

charioteer loses control over the horses, they would run wildly and

one cannot reach one's destination. Instead, if the Charioteer loses

control over the horses, they would run wildly and one cannot reach

one's destination. Those who can control their senses with mind,

alone can advance spiritually. Those who become slaves to the senses

will use their mind only to achieve their desires. If we tempt the

senses with anything, they will desire to have it. Because of this

nature of the senses, you desired to see that lady again and again.

You can stop that desire by controlling with your mind. Then you can

utilise all your leisure time for spiritual purposes. Otherwise, the

entire life time will be spent on achieving our desires, and where

then is the time to think of God? "

 

 

 

Baba's Control over all the Five Elements

The entire world is made up of five elements (I) earth (ii) water

(iii) fire (iv) air and (v) sky. This was known to Indians even

before the ancient Puranas. According to the latest science, the

entire creation is a combination of one or more of these elements.

Baba had full control over these elements. There were several

instances to prove this.

 

One day, there was a heavy downpour in Shirdi due to cyclonic

conditions. The roofs of some thatched houses were about to be blown

off. There was knee-deep water in the entire village. All the

villagers young and old came to the mosque and pleaded with Baba to

save them. The kind-hearted Baba came out of the mosque and commanded

the wind and rain to reduce their intensity by saying " Stop! Slow

down! " In a few minutes, the rains stopped. In the same way, Baba

stopped the rain on an earlier occasion when Nana Chandorkar wanted

to return home.

 

 

 

One day the flames in the Dhuni in the mosque went high up all of a

sudden touching the wooden rafters. The Baba, striking the floor with

his sataka, ordered the flames to come down. On one summer day the

haystack of a farmer caught fire, and was burning, assisted by the

blowing wind. There was no sufficient water in the village to put out

the fire. All feared that the flames would spread to the neighboring

haystacks and to the nearby houses. Some ran to Sai Baba and begged

him to save them from the calamity. Immediately, Baba went to the

raging fire and with a small vessel containing water sprinkled it

around the haystack and ordered the fire not to go beyond that

boundary. The fire subsided after sometime without spreading.

 

 

 

In the first year of the celebration of Ramnavami in Shirdi, there

was acute water shortage. To tide over this shortage, Baba threw

flowers into the dried up village well. Immediately water oozed and

filled the well. This is another instance to prove Baba's control

over the elements.

 

 

 

Megashyam, a native of Vivergaon, was the Brahmin cook of Sathe. He

was a very orthodox person. In the early days of Sathe's visit to

Shirdi, Megashyam was given the work of a Pujari and also to serve

Baba. Over a period, Megashyam saw several of Baba's Leelas and fully

believed that Baba was the incarnation of Lord Shiva. He used to

daily drink the water with which Baba's feet were washed. Baba

brought about a change in him and made his devotion permanent.

 

 

 

On one Sankranti, Meghashyam wanted to apply sandal paste all over

Baba's body and bathe the body with Ganga water (water from nearby

Godavari river). He sought permission of Baba who reluctantly gave

it. He walked to and fro 18 miles and brought the water in a pot on

his head. It was noontime. He made Baba sit on a low wooden stool.

Baba put his head a little forward and told Megashyam that since the

head was important part of the body, it was enough if the water was

put on his head only instead of on the entire body. But Megashyam

crying out ecstatically " Har Ganga " emptied the water from the pot on

the entire body . But to his surprise, Baba's advise, only Baba's

head got wet as Baba desired.

 

 

 

From the above two Leelas, it is evident that Baba had complete

control over water also.

 

Brahma Jnana

A very rich man Gulzar was residing near Malegaon. On hearing about

the powers and Leelas of Sai Baba, he decided to go to Shirdi to get

Brahma Jnana from Baba. He engaged a Tonga for the journey. After

reaching Shirdi, he approached Baba, and asked him to teach him

Brahma Jnana without delay, as he had engaged a Tonga for the

journey. Baba told him, " Friend, do not get worried. I will show you

Brahman just now. All my transactions are for cash only and no

account. All who come to me are with selfish desires. Very few ask

for Brahma Jnana like you. " So saying, Baba diverted the topic. He

called for a boy and asked him to get five rupees as loan from Nandu

Marwadi. The boy returned after sometime stating that the house was

locked. Baba sent him to some other house, with the same result. He

sent him to two more places, but without success. Then Baba looked at

Gulzar who had come for Brahma Jnana and said, " There are fifty

currency notes of five rupees denomination in your pocket. Attaining

Brahma Jnana urgently is not materialistic. I have been sending the

boy to get a loan of five rupees, with the intention that you should

observe. You did not volunteer to give that five rupees to me, that

too as a loan, even though you have a lot of money. Such a miser

cannot understand Brahma Jnana. You were in a hurry because, if there

was delay the tongawala would charge you more. "

 

 

 

Baba then added, Oh friend! Brahma Jnana means realisation of Self

(Atma). There is no difference between Atma and God. If you want to

realise Atma in your body, then you have to surrender to God the

following five things: (1) five pranas (2) five senses (3) mind (4)

intellect and (5) ego. All these are inside a person. It is easy to

surrender the eternal things. But to surrender those which are inside

a person is very difficult. It is like walking on the edge of a sharp

knife. Those who cannot surrender even the external things are deemed

to be fully under delusion. Such persons cannot understand the five

inside matters.

 

 

 

A person who wants Self-realisation or Atma Jnana, should be careful

in the following matters:

 

 

 

1. A strong desire should be there for Moksha or freedom from worldly

matters.

 

2. One should have detachment from all things of this world and also

desires about the other world (paraloka).

 

3. All the senses of a man are accustomed to seeing external things

only. One should make these senses see the self or Atma.

 

4. When he cannot divert his mind from bad and undesirable things and

not be able to control his mind, he cannot get Atma-Sakshathkaram

even if he gets Jnana.

 

5. One should always speak the truth under all circumstances and

remain a bachelor.

 

6. Man should choose only that which would do him good and not that

which gives him pleasure. Worldly matters give pleasure. Spiritual

matters do him good. Instead of going for temporary or momentary

pleasures, one should prefer spiritual matters only, which do good to

him.

 

7. Man should have under control, the mind and sensory organs. If he

goes for pleasures, the senses also will keep the mind occupied with

these matters and there will not be any room for spiritual matters.

 

8. He must keep his mind pure. He should do his duties in a proper

and satisfactory way, without expecting reward for his actions. Then

the mind will be pure. Knowledge comes out from a purified mind and

increases detachment, leading to self-realisation. Unless greed,

delusions and desires are removed, man cannot get Jnana.

 

9. If all the above-mentioned thing are practiced rigorously he will

achieve results. After this stage, the need for a `Guru' arises. A

Guru should be one who has attained Atma-Jnana; otherwise no useful

purpose will be served.

 

10. The first eight are one's own efforts. To this, if the help of a

Sadguru is also there, then God's blessings will also be there.

Knowledge of the Vedas, or riches or great intelligence will not get

us Atma-Jnana. "

 

 

 

The above lengthy speech of Baba was not only directed to Gulzar but

to all other Sai devotees and readers of this life history. May the

readers do parayana of the portion of this chapter dealing with

Brahma Jnana. Those who read this with devotion will have Sai Baba as

their Sadguru permanently. Let their lives journey be towards Atma

Sakshathkaram.

 

 

 

What are the needs of a man? Happiness, peace, food and clothing and

bodily requirements. Sai Baba has said, " In my devotees house,

nothing will be wanting. " So we should not waste our life for the

sake of food and clothing, name and fame. Attachments to mother,

father, brother, wife, husband, etc. are limited to this birth only,

but the attachment to Sai will be there for several births (janmas)

to come.

 

 

 

Let us wish that through the parayana of this sacred Life History of

Sai Baba, Sai will be a part of our family and our lives shall be

tied up with Sai Baba.

 

" Om Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi "

 

To be continued…