“Do not fear when I am there”…….Baba

[Guest guest]

……“The greatest contribution of Sri Sai Nath Maharaj

is that he stands like a beacon-light in the

tempestuous and darkened ocean of this Kaliyuga,

singing to his devotees a soothing melody of loving

assurance and keeping His compassionate hands on them.

He is saying “When I am with you why do you fear”. To

those who are lost in the whirlpool of the worldly

sufferings, Sri Sai Baba is assuring that “You can

have spiritual progress and even in this evil world

full of trials and tribulations you can realise God

and emancipate”. Baba further tells us that “for this

you do not have to strenuously practise Yoga, Tapa,

Dhyana, Hatta Yoga etc., only take my name, meditate

on me with or without my form, follow my advices and

make me the very basis of your existence with faith

and patience, believing that I am always with you”.

Baba proved what he said through his own examples.

What he means to tell all his devotees can be put in

the following language: “You see me in this world in

the poor you help; you see me in the kindness you

extend to the distressed; you see me when getting rid

of debts; you see me when getting rid of hate and

anger; you see me when caring for your children; you

see me in loving your neighbours; you see me in

fulfilling the promises you have made; you see me in

getting out of greed and you see me in every religion,

every guru and every pure thing around you”. The gist

of all that He said in Shri Sai Sacharitra is that

while staying in the society one should look at Him

and should test the level of his faith and purity with

reference to the ideals set by Baba.

 

 

In today’s world it is not easy to follow and practice

all that has been mentioned hereinbefore. Baba knew

that his devotees would fail many a times and,

therefore, will feel hopeless and restless. To

encourage them what he said can be written thus: “Do

not desperate my child. If you take one step towards

me I shall take ten steps towards you. It does not

matter how many times you fail but try to proceed step

by step towards your goal. As I am your mother, I

shall, therefore, accept both your virtues and sins,

your purities and impurities equally. Therefore, till

the last moment of life depend only on me. It may take

a few lives but do not be desperate because whatever

good act you do, will never go unrewarded”. In order

to convince his devotees about the continuity of life

cycles of human beings, He spoke about the past lives

of many of His devotees (mentioned in Shri Sai

Satcharitra) and has promised that in all their lives,

He will be responsiblefor their protection and

evolution. We do not know whether his devotees li1e

Kaka Saheb Dikshit, Shama or others are born and if so

where they are, but we believe that in whatever form

they are, Sri Sai Baba is taking care of them. Then

what is there to fear? When the Sadguru is with us

life after life and keeping His promises then why

should anyone be desperate, why should anybody feel

hopeless and agonized?

 

 

In today’s world it is difficult to go through the

four stages of life (ashramas) as prescribed as of old

by Hinduism. They are Brahmacharya, Grihastha,

Vanaprastha and Sanyas. Therefore, Baba had shown the

way to His devotees to go through these four stages of

life even when staying in the family. Baba held that

the institution of family is one of the most difficult

Ashrams but even being a family man one can carry on

the activities of all the four Ashrams. Upasani

Maharaj who was a married person was asked to stay for

years in Khandoba Mandir at Shirdi. Kaka Saheb Dikshit

whose family was at Bombay was also asked to stay at

Shirdi. Similarly, many other devotees came from time

to time and stayed at Shirdi and had spiritual

evolution and emancipation. It has been experienced

that one can evolve out of his miseries, hopelessness,

desperation of the domestic and worldly life and

evolve spiritually even in this

Kaliyuga, would he follow the simple path prescribed

by Baba with faith and patience. The fluttering flag

atop the Sri Sai Shirdi Samadhi Mandir at Shirdi

announces this eternal truth saying:

 

“Do not fear when I am there”…….