“Shirdi is extremely fortunate to inhabit such a diamond (meaning a spiritual Master)�

[Guest guest]

……“Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi left His mortal body on the 15th of October 1918, about eighty three years back. Towards the last days of His mortal existence, a few thousand devotees along with their families used to visit Shirdi, some regularly and others occasionally. These devotees belonged mostly to Maharashtra and the neighbouring states. At that time there was no official or unofficial organization to look into the affairs of Shirdi.

 

Devotees drawn by the majestic and compassionate personality of Baba used to rush to Shirdi and get immense benefit, both temporal and spiritual from him. He was their God, their mentor, their father and their only anchor. Some of them affectionately called Him by different relationships and names. People of all ages, religions, castes and from different places came under the universal banner of Shri Sai. Devotees from various states of life like Yogis, Magistrates, Judges, Police and Revenue Officials, Political activists, Traders, Businessmen, Farmers, Fakirs and the simple rural-folk used to take shelter under Him. They were all treated alike, each given material and spiritual help as per his requirement by the Master, who knew the ins and outs of their hearts and minds.

 

During the physical existence of Baba, beautiful and broad-based value norms of human behavior and ethical conduct were set through His exemplary conduct and precepts for the later generations to follow.

 

At that time, no one had ever imagined or could have imagined, about the shape of things to come at Shirdi as it is today. The spread of Baba’s name and institutions dedicated in the name of Baba, not only in India but throughout the world, was not predicted by anyone. However it was predicted by a contemporary saint of Puntambe “Shirdi is extremely fortunate to inhabit such a diamond (meaning a spiritual Master)â€. Similarly Saint Anandswamy during his Shirdi visit saw Baba as a young boy and told the people of Shirdi that “even if He looks like an ordinary person from outside but in reality He is an extraordinary person. All of you will realize it in futureâ€. He had clearly seen the greatness of Baba and forecasted the assembled villagers in this manner.

One day, sitting in Dwarkamayee Masjid in one of His spiritually ecstatic moods (Zallali), Baba indicated that in future, Shirdi will become a famous holy place with huge buildings and visited by large number of devotees almost like a beeline.

 

What Baba had predicted about a century back has become true, given the fact that an average of about 40 to 45 thousand people per day from India and abroad are visiting Shirdi and this number is ever on the increase. Devotees from the highest levels and also poorest strata of the society visit His Samadhi. This is the place of pilgrimage in India visited by the largest number of devotees per day. Today, the sprouting-up of more than eighty hotels, restaurants and other required facilities has made the innocuous Shirdi of yesterday an important holy place on the map of India.

Thousands of temples where Baba’s statue is worshipped have been constructed throughout the country by self-motivated devotees. Hundreds of books, magazines, journals in various languages have been published by different trusts and individuals. The miraculous way in which ‘Saism’ is spreading all over the globe is an indication of the strength of the values and heritage on which it has been built. When we go through ‘Shri Sai Satcharitra’ an official publication of the Shirdi Sai Baba Trust at Shirdi on the life history and deeds of Shri Sai Baba, as well as other books and journals, it becomes clear that Baba as the highest spiritual power of the time, had brought into action the loftiest principles of humanism and spiritualism as has been enunciated in the Gita and other scriptures.

His entire life at Shirdi was spent in inspiring and teaching these principles to the thousands that came to Him, on which He wanted the future generations to build itself. The devotees looked upon Sai Baba of Shirdi as the ‘God Here And Now’ and not the imaginary God residing with all His resplendence, somewhere in Heaven. Sai lived with them, ate and slept with them and played with them no pretensions of a God, but they had no doubt that He was the God in the human form – “Saguna Brahmaâ€. He was Compassion Incarnate – every action, every thought, every minute for His devotees and nothing for Himself.

 

Just before His departure, Baba gave away the nine rupees He had with Him to a devotee, for He had come to Shirdi as a penniless fakir and also went away penniless. He did not set up any institutions or temples in His name nor did He encourage people apotheosizing Him. For all the acts of miracle attributed to Him by the devotees, He had only one thing to say, that is “Allah Malik†i.e. God is the Master.

Shri Sai left no property for His devotees, but He left a powerful and rich legacy of universalism as against individualism, humanism as against barbarism, religious tolerance in place of bigotry, mutual cooperation against antagonism, and spread of love as a cementing force of society in place of hatred, which had divided human beings into small groups. He even gave the highest consideration for species other than human beings. Thus when ‘Shyam Karan’ His horse at Shirdi was whipped, He received the pain on His body which had lasso marks. He was the incarnation of the Supreme Reality and whatever the devotees suffered or enjoyed, he also suffered or enjoyed.â€â€¦â€¦.