7th Saying It is my duty to look after the welfare of the devotees who surrender and take refuge in me

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Let us whole-heartedly prostrate ourselves and offer our pranams with

full and sincere devotion to Baba the God and pray to him for the full

meaning of the seventh holy saying. Baba is an incarnation of God. He is

no other than parabrahman. He is a great yogeshwara. He is a great lord

of compassion. Glory to the great Sai Nath; All blessings and

benedictions to the devotees who worship the auspicious Baba our

Atmaram! For the fulfillment of our ideals and goals, may we now invoke

the blessings of the great God Sai Baba.

 

Who has really taken refuge at the altar of Sai Baba? Who has

surrendered fully at the feet of Sai Baba? How did Sai Baba protect his

devotees? Why did Baba consider it to be his duty to protect the

devotees? What did the devotees of Baba obtain from him?

 

Many people might have visited Shirdi. But how many of them a

self-surrendered? Many might have seen Sai Baba. But how many of them

had absolute faith in him? Those, who without any doubt had depended

upon him fully, are the real devotees. It is the duty of Baba to protect

them.

 

What type of protection do the devotees need? Why should God's devotees

need any protection at all?

 

He who drives away Maya and sees Baba is a real devotee. It is not easy

to throw away Maya. Family bondage itself is a great Maya. It is almost

impossible to get rid of family. In the place of family you should

establish your Guru and worship him. 'For this one has to fight against

Maya. Only a Guru can drive away your Maya. With his loving looks, he

constantly protects the devotees. This is real protection. Without this

protection devotees may face difficulties.

 

Baba cannot see any devotee suffering. He saves him like a mother. Baba

is more than a mother while protecting his devotees. Let us see the

lives of his devotees who had absolute faith in Baba.

 

The devotees are like the children of Baba. Baba is their godfather.

Those who believe in Baba are his real devotees.

 

One such devotee is Mahalsapati, Sai Baba himself called him, " The

bhagat " (devotee). He was able to make full use of Sai Baba's grace for

self-realization. He was dependent on God for everything. Baba did not

give him any worldly prosperity. He gave him only spiritual wealth. He

permitted him to draw any amount of spiritual wealth from Baba.

Mahalsapati enjoyed the real spiritual bliss.

Sai Baba is Shiva. Shyama is his Nandi or bull. Without seeing the

Nandi, you cannot see Shiva. Such important place was given to Shyama by

Baba. He was Baba's beloved. He, as a representative of Baba, received

the worship and admiration of many. He visited many pilgrim centers. He

considered Baba to be God and addressed him as Deva. If there were any

lapses while serving Baba, he felt sorry for them. He was one who could

recognize the divinity of Baba. He was unable to grasp the highest

spiritual knowledge given to him by Baba. But he was able to experience

and enjoy the pure love of Baba. Baba himself gave him silver shoes,

idols and photograph. Shyama is a very great devotee of Baba.

 

Upasani Baba was another great devotee, who was able to raise moral

spiritual heights by the grace of Baba. Because he was unable to

implicitly obey the order of master, he was unable to reach the expected

peaks of spiritual benefits. Firm determination and strong will are

present in him. Therefore, he was able to get certain rare powers. He

was able to get many divine as well by the grace of Baba. He was able to

see Baba everywhere. In due course, he himself developed into a Guru and

established an ashram at Sakori. He also wrote certain spiritual books

describing his attainments.

(to be contd..)

(Source Eleven Holy Sayings of Shirdi Sai Baba by Pujya Shri Ananda Sai

Swamy)