Sri Shirdi Sai By Sri.Sri.Muralidhara Swamiji

[Guest guest]

Radhe Krishna To All,

 

“The Lord, in His absolute mercy and compassion, desires to redeem the

‘samsaris’ (worldly people) from ignorance. The Lord is just as adamant to

save the ‘jivas’ from the clutches of the darkness of ignorance, as the

Jivas are adamant to remain in the pit of darkness!

 

At first the Vedas and scriptures were given for the purpose, but to no avail.

The learned did not seem to experience the essence of it all. So, the Lord took

various ‘avataras’ (incarnations) to show the way.

 

Ramavatara is widely known to have been taken to emphasise the need for the

upkeep of dharma or to kill the asura ‘Ravana’ and Krishnavatara to kill

‘Kamsa’: but, the real reason behind such avatars is entirely different.

They were taken more for the show of His divine play! For Him who is omnipotent

and has the whole cosmos within Him an asura like Ravana or Kamsa is but a speck

of dust. The need for Him to incarnate on earth to kill them is absurd. So, the

real reason is only for the ‘Bhaktas’ to sing his glory and ‘lilas’

(divine play).

 

The Lord’s avatara as Rama was more comprehensible as He worked for the upkeep

of dharma. But His avatara as Krishna was absolutely out of this earth, since,

even as a child He killed many an asura and carried out feats such as

‘kaaliyanardhana’.

 

Fingers were pointed at Ramavatara when He killed Vali using what was considered

as improper tactics and also later when He sent his wife Sita away to the

forest.

 

In Krishnavatara when He blessed Arjuna with ‘Viswarupa Darshana’, the

outcome was devastating, for, Arjuna developed fear of Krishna whom he had until

then held as his closest and dearest friend.

 

Thus, when even His incarnations failed to serve their purpose the Lord sent

innumerable ‘Mahans’ onto the earth. ‘Mahans’ lived and moved amidst the

people. It was easier for the people to relate themselves to ‘Mahans’.

However, just as it is difficult to comprehend the Lord it is absolutely

impossible to understand the actions of ‘Mahans’. ‘Maha Periyaval’ lived

every moment of His life in absolute accordance with the prescribed dharma. This

is quite comprehensible and not impractical to follow. Whereas, there were

‘Mahans’ like Shirdi Sai Baba, Seshdriswamigal, Sri Ramakrishna Parahamsa,

whose behaviour was beyond the understanding of an ordinary mortal.

 

Baba procured food through alms. In later years when wealthy devotees advised

him, “Baba, why do you go out for alms when we are so eager to provide food

and other things required by you?†Baba explained, “Do you think I beg for

food because I am hungry? No, not at all. I can go without food. Through their

offerings of food I take away the ‘papam’(sins) of these people.

 

Baba also used to visit the shops in Shirdi and beg for oil for lighting lamps,

in his place of stay, at night. The shop-keepers once decided to stop supplying

Baba with oil for the lamps. When he could not procure oil, that night Baba lit

the lamps with just water! To the wonder-struck devotees he explained, " I

collect oil from all these people only to burn away their sins at night by

lighting the lamps!â€

The compassion of ‘Mahans’ extended to animals and other creatures as well.

Baba once instructed a lady devotee, " A buffalo will come to your doorstep

tomorrow. Feed it with 18 ‘polis’! " The lady acted as she was bid. But the

buffalo on consuming the 18th ‘poli’ fell down dead! Totally shaken she ran

to Baba and cried out, " The owner of the buffalo will sue me with the mistaken

notion that I have poisoned his buffalo.†Baba consoled her, “Relax. Nothing

of the sort will happen. This buffalo was my devotee in its previous birth but

nurtured the desire to eat 18 polis. Due to other reasons my devotee has been

born as a buffalo. Now that its desire has been fulfilled it has left the world

and come to me!â€

When a devotee once called out to Baba to save him from some crisis Baba not

only saved him from that particular crisis but also assured him, " I shall protect

you not only from this crisis but from all others as well; not only here but

wherever you are; not only in this janma (birth) but in all other janmas, too. "

 

And when another devotee asked Baba, " Baba, is this grace of yours extended only

to him? " Baba assured, " No, it is meant for all. To all those who show unstinted

and one-pointed devotion to me, wherever they be, they shall enjoy my

blessings. "

 

With a mere look a ‘Mahan’ will know all about the past, present and the

future births of his devotee. A devotee of Baba worked under a District

Magistrate. Baba instructed him to bring the Magistrate to him. The devotee,

occupying a subordinate post in the place of work, approached the Magistrate

with much apprehension. As anticipated, the Magistrate did not take his words

seriously when approached with the message from Baba. However, Baba continued to

instruct him to bring the Magistrate to him; and finally the Magistrate did come

to Baba only to become one of his ardent devotees!

 

Once when this devotee was massaging Baba’s feet, the latter asked him, " Nana,

you have held a high post in the Government. I am but a fakir. Would not people

laugh at you for massaging this beggar’s feet? "

The devotee replied, " In the ‘Gita’ it is said, " tadviddhi pranipathena pari

prashnena sevaya. "

 

Baba, " Nana, what does it mean? Would you educate me on this? " The devotee

remained silent.

 

Baba asked, " Do you know what these words mean? "

The devotee looked doubtfully at Baba, " Baba, this is Sanskrit. Do you know

Sanskrit? "

 

Baba, " How do you ask if I understand? Or is it that you do not know what they

mean? "

 

The devotee, " Baba, it means that the devotee should serve the Guru and when the

Guru is happy and relaxed have his doubts cleared " â€

Baba, " What does ‘pari’ mean? "

 

D: " Question. "

Baba, " And ‘Preshnena’? "

 

D: " Question. "

Baba, " If both mean ‘question’ why use two words meaning the same? "

 

The devotee accepted his ignorance in the matter. Baba then explained, " Pari is

used here as a supplement to emphasise that one should pose questions to the

Guru in all humility. And not with the ego sense - to show off to the Guru that

he knows everything - or in order to test the Guru’s knowledge in the matter! "

 

Baba then blessed this devotee with ‘viswaroopa darshana!’ "

 

Regards

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

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