Category: Company of saints

Satsang — the company of holy ones — is one of Baba’s most emphasised practices. Explore the lives of saints who walked alongside Baba, and the transformative power of holy association.

  • Mastering Dispassion: A Guide to Spiritual Liberation with Baba

    Mastering Dispassion: A Guide to Spiritual Liberation with Baba

    Baba’s physical or finite form has undoubtedly vanished from our sight; however, the infinite or spiritual essence (Spirit of Baba) endures eternally.

    Baba’s plays continue:

    • The divine Leelas (play) that transpired during His earthly existence have been extensively discussed till now.
    • Since His departure, new Leelas (play) have emerged and continue to unfold even now.
    • This clearly illustrates that Baba remains ever-living and extends His assistance to His devotees as before.

    About Those contacted physically Baba:

    • Those who were blessed to have contact with Baba during His lifetime were indeed fortunate;
    • nevertheless, if any of them failed to cultivate dispassion for worldly possessions and pleasures, or did not turn their minds toward the Lord,
    • it is purely a matter of their misfortune.

    Now what is necessary:

    • What was necessary then, as it is Now, is a wholehearted devotion to Baba.
      • All our
        • senses,
        • organs-faculties, and
        • minds should collaborate in worshiping and serving Baba:
      • to engage only certain faculties in worship, while neglecting others is of no use.
      • Should one partake in worship or meditation, it ought to be undertaken with one’s full mind and soul.

    Can anyone assist us in achieving?

    • The love that a devoted wife holds for her husband is frequently, likened to the devotion a disciple offers to his master (Guru).
    • Yet, the latter is unparalleled and far surpasses the former.
    • No individual, be it a father, mother, brother, or any other relative, can assist us in achieving the ultimate purpose of life (self-realization).
    • We must delineate and navigate the path of self-realization independently.
    • We are tasked with
      • discerning the Unreal from the Real,
      • renouncing the desires and pleasures of this world and
      • the next, mastering our senses and minds, and
      • aspiring solely for liberation.
    • Rather than depending on others, we ought to place total faith in ourselves.

    Practice What? and How?

    • As we begin to practice discernment,
    • we come to realize the transitory and illusory nature of the world, and
    • our passions for worldly matters gradually diminish,
    • ultimately leading to dispassion or non-attachment.
    • We then acknowledge that the Brahma,
      • which is none other than our Guru, is the sole reality;
      • as it transcends and pervades the apparent universe,
      • we begin to worship it in all beings.
    • By wholeheartedly worshiping the Brahma or Guru, we become one with Him and attain self-realization.
    • In summary:
      • consistently chanting the name of the Guru and
      • meditating on Him, enables us to
      • perceive Him in all beings.
      • It bestows upon us eternal bliss.
  • Baba is a Scientist in Teaching Education

    Baba is a Scientist in Teaching Education

    Pedagogics is the art and science of teaching and education. It involves not only conveying information, but also understanding how people learn. It requires creating environments, that foster growth and development.

    Sai Baba is also not only delivering information, but create environment for learning and growing of His devotees. viz:

    • One,
      • totally devoid of any book study, but
      • possessed of
        • perfect self-surrender,
        • humility,
        • trust, and
        • love towards the Guru Baba,
        • was and is the person who could derive
        • the fullest benefits from Baba.
    • The idea that
      • one has understood all about Jiva and Paramatma and
      • the methods by which Paramatma could be reached by a Jiva,
      • forms the greatest obstacle to one’s progress.
    • It is
      • not the intellect, the keenness of intellect, that is
      • wanted from a person approaching Baba.
    • It is
      • humility,
      • receptivity, and
      • a readiness to receive all that Baba gives, that counts.
    • As Baba pointed out to the Valambi Station Master,
      • persons (evidently with much conceit of learning etc.) came to him
      • like vessels the mouth of which was kept inverted; and were therefore
      • incapable of receiving any benefits from him.
    • In the case of Nana (Devotee),
      • his very high learning and
      • great ability in official and other matters were naturally accompanied
      • by a high degree to self-assertion and egotism;
      • which make for success in
        • literary study,
        • official matters, and to a certain extent even in
        • spiritual matters.
      • But for the highest results in spiritual matters, it is just the opposite, namely,
        • utter reduction of egotism,
        • the power to relax the Ego and
        • keep it relaxed for long periods, that is essential.
    • This is why
      • the consumption of water, that was used to washing of the feet of the Guru, and
      • the acceptance of his Uchchishta tirtha (the remnants of food that have been contaminated by the Guru’s saliva) are emphasized in the
      • “Guru Gita” for a pupil’s advancement,
      • as these practices foster a profound annihilation of Ahamkara, or Ego,
      • through deep reverence for the Guru, culminating in Love.
    • In Baba’s system,
      • the Guru-Teacher imparts virtue after virtue to the sishya-Student.
      • HE trains him step by step to secure these virtues and the knowledge, he wishes to equip the pupil with.
      • This process is just as the cat carries its kittens to safe and good places.
    • The first essential preparatory step in Baba’s course is thus,
        • not book learning, but the
        • development of
          • humility and
          • receptivity.
        • These would result from
          • perfect faith, absolute faith,
          • unlimited and powerful faith in the Guru.
        • The Guru must be everything to the sishya,
          • the giver of bread,
          • the giver of life and light and
          • the giver of all that life is worth living for, and
          • at one stroke.
          • He must not regard anything else. This alone is the tyaga of Tan, Man, Dhan – body, mind and possessions.

      LoSB-Vol II’ Ch 2

      • Baba’s company was the highest education one could get. As a Mahratta saying goes, ‘Let us stay with saints. If they do not give us Upadesa, let us note what they do and say. That is the best Upadesa‘.
    • You are God, you are mighty and opulent

      You are God, you are mighty and opulent

      Shishya (disciple) like the Sad-guru is really embodiment of Jnana.

      The difference between the two lies in the attitude, high realization, marvellous super-human Sattva (beingness) and unrivalled capacity and Aishwarya Yoga (divine powers).

      The Sad-guru is Nirguna, Sat-Chit-Ananda. He has indeed taken human form to elevate mankind and raise the world. But his real Nirguna nature is not destroyed thereby, even a bit. His beingness (or reality), divine power and widsom remain undiminished.

      The disciple also is in fact of the same swarupa. But, it is overlaid by the effect of the samaskaras of innumerable births in the shape of ignorance, which hides from his view that he is Shuddha Chaitanya (see B.G. Ch. V-15). As stated therein, he gets the impressions – “Iam Jiva, a creature, humble and poor.”

      The Guru has to root out these offshoots of ignorance and has to give upadesh or instruction.

      To the disciple, held spell- bound for endless generations by the ideas of his being a creature, humble and poor, the Guru imparts in hundreds of births the teaching – “You are God, you are mighty and opulent.” Then, he realizes a bit that he is God really.

      The perpetual delusion under which the disciple is labouring, that he is the body, that he is a creature (jiva) or ego, that God (Paramatma) and the world are different from him, is an error inherited from innumerable past births. From actions based on it, he has derived his joy, sorrows and mixtures of both.

      To remove this delusion, this error, this root ignorance, he must start the inquiry.

      How did the ignorance arise? Where is it? And to show him this, is called the Guru’s upadesh.

      SSSC-Ch 29

    • During 72 generations that you were with me.

      During 72 generations that you were with me.

      A woman from Sholapur tried for 27 years to have a child, making prayers to various gods in vain. In her final effort, she and her stepson went to Shirdi and stayed for two months, serving Baba.

      Whenever she visited the Masjid, it was crowded, and Baba was always surrounded by people. She wanted to express her feelings, but couldn’t find the right moment to pray to Him for a child. In the end, she asked Shama to speak to Baba for her when He was alone.

      Shama told her Baba’s Darbar was open, still he would try for her, hoping the Lord would bless her. ‘She should be ready with a coconut and joss sticks when Baba had His meals. She should also come to Him, when he called’.

      One day, after dinner, Shama was wiping Baba’s wet hands with cloth, when Baba playfully pinched his cheek. Pretending to be upset, Shama said, “Deva, is it right to pinch me? We don’t want a mischievous God. Are we Your dependents; is this fruit of intimacy?”

      Baba replied, “Oh Shama, during 72 generations that you were with me, I never pinched you until now. Now you resent my touch.”

      Shama: “We want a God who always love us and give food; we don’t want reward or heaven. Let our faith unto your feet be awake.” Baba: “Yes, I have come for that. I care for you and love you.”

      Then Baba sat down, and Shama signaled to a lady who offered a coconut and joss sticks. Baba shook the dry coconut, and the kernel made noise. He said, “Shama, look how it’s rolling, what does it mean?” Shama replied, “The woman hopes to have a child that rolls and grows in her womb. Please bless her.”

      Baba questioned, “Will the coconut give her a child? People are foolish to believe such things!” Shama insisted, “Your blessing will bring her children. You are just wrangling and not giving a real blessing.” They continued to discuss.

      Baba wanted to break the coconut, but Shama suggested gifting it to the lady instead. Then Baba agreed, saying, “She will have a child in 12 months.” The coconut was split in two. One half was eaten by Baba and Shama. The other half was given to the lady.

      Shama alias Madhav looked at the woman and said, “You will be my witness. If you don’t have a child in a year, I will break a coconut on Deva’s head. If I fail, I won’t call myself Madhav anymore.”

      A year later, she had a son, taken to Baba at five months. The grateful father, Mr. Aurangabadkar, donated Rs.500, which was spent to build a shed for Baba’s home, “Shyamakarna.”

    • Last thought, man has at death-hour, determines his future

      Last thought, man has at death-hour, determines his future

      The last wish or thought that a man has at the hour of death, determines his future course.

      Shri Krishna has said in Gita (VIII-5-6) that “he who remembers Me in his last moments, comes verily to Me, and he who meditates otherwise at that time, goes to what he looks for.”

      We cannot be certain that we can entertain a particular good thought at our last moment, for, more often than not, we are more likely to be frightened and terrif ied by death.

      Hence constant practice is necessary, for enabling us to fix our mind on any desired good thought at any moment.

      All Saints, therefore, recommend us to always remember God and chant His name always, so that we may not be puzzled when the time for departure comes.

      The devotees on their part surrender themselves completely to the Saints, fully believing that the all-knowing Saints (Sai Baba) would guide and help them in their last moments.

    • Oh Sai, create in us reverence for Your stories

      • When a man takes a plunge into the sea, he gets the merit of bathing in all the Tirthas and sacred rivers.
      • Similarly when a man takes refuge at the feet of the Sad-guru, he gets the merit of bowing to the Trinity, i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Siva and also Para-Brahma.
      • Victory be unto Shri Sai, the wish-fulfilling tree and the ocean of knowledge, who gives us self-realization.
      • Oh Sai, create in us reverence for Your stories.
      • Let the readers and audience devour them with the same relish; the chatak bird drinks the water from the clouds and becomes happy.
      • While listening to Your stories, let them and their families get all the true and pious emotions, viz.
        1. let their bodies perspire,
        2. let their eyes be full of tears,
        3. let their breath be steady,
        4. let their minds be composed,
        5. let their hair stand on end,
        6. let them cry, sob and quiver,
        7. let their hostilities vanish.
      • When these things happen, that is a sign of the grace of the Guru dawning upon them.
      • When these emotions develop in you, the Guru is most pleased.
      • The Guru will definitely guide you to the goal of self-realization.
      • The best way, therefore,
        • to get free from the shackles of Maya,
        • is our complete and whole-hearted surrender to Baba.
      • The Vedas cannot take you across the ocean of Maya. It is only the Sadguru, who can do so, and make you see the Lord in all creatures

    • Classification of disciples

      Classification of disciples

      • There are of three kinds of disciples of a Guru:
        • (1) First or Best
        • (2) Second or Average and
        • (3) Third or Ordinary.
      • The best kind of disciples are those who
        • guess what their Gurus want and
        • immediately carry it out and
        • serve them
        • without waiting for an order from them.
      • The average disciples are those who
        • carry out the orders of their Masters to a letter,
        • without any delay, and
      • the third kind of disciples are those, who
        • go on postponing the carrying out of their orders and
        • making mistakes at every step.
      • The disciples should have
        • firm faith,
        • backed up by intelligence
        • and if they add patience to these,
          • their spiritual goal will not be distant.
      • Control of
        • breath (ingoing and outgoing), or
        • Hath-Yoga (Balancing Sun and Moon force of Human Body) or
        • other difficult practices
          • are not at all necessary.
      • When
        • the disciples get the above mentioned qualities,
        • they become ready for further instructions and
        • Masters then appear and
        • lead them on, in their spiritual path to perfection.
    • Sense of differentiation is the barrier to Happy or Union

      Sense of differentiation is the barrier to Happy or Union

      “If anybody wants any money from you, and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him, like a dog.

      Let anybody speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by giving any bitter reply. If you always tolerate such things, you will certainly be happy.

      Let the world go topsy-turvy, you remain where you are. Standing or staying in your own place, look on calmly at the show of all things passing before you.

      Demolish the wall of difference that separates you from Me; and then the road for our meeting will be clear and open.

      The sense of differentiation, as I and thou, is the barrier that keeps away the disciple from his Master, and unless that is destroyed the state of union or atonement is not possible, “Allah Malik”

      Baba in SSSC-Ch 18 & 19

    • Now, How to visualize Baba

      Now, How to visualize Baba

      • Let us remember and visualize Shri Sai, now.
      • Let us go to Shirdi, and see carefully the programmes, after the noon-Arati. After the Arati ceremony was over, Sai used to
        • come out of the Masjid, and
        • standing on its edge,
        • distribute udi to the devotees with
        • very kind and loving looks.
      • The Bhaktas also got up with equal fervour,
        • clasped His Feet, and
        • standing and staring at Him,
        • enjoyed the shower of Udi.
      • Baba
        • passed handfuls of Udi into the palms of the devotees and
        • marked their foreheads with Udi with His fingers.
      • The love He bore for them in His heart was boundless. Then He addressed the Bhaktas as follows:-
        • “Oh Bhau, go to take your lunch;
        • you Anna, go to your lodgings;
        • you Bapu, enjoy your dishes”.
      • In this way He accosted each and every devotee and sent them home.
      • Even now, you can enjoy these sights if you bring into play your imagination. You can visualize and enjoy them.
      • Now bringing Sai before our mental vision, let us meditate on Him, from His Feet upwards to His face, and prostrating before Him humbly, lovingly and respectfully

      Baba in SSSC-Ch20

    • Blessed knows the greatness of his Guru

      Blessed knows the greatness of his Guru

      “Make me the sole object of your thoughts and actions. You will, no doubt, attain Paramartha (the spiritual goal of life).

      Look at me whole-heartly; and I, in turn, look at you.

      Sitting in this Masjid, I speak the truth, nothing but truth.

      No sadhana or proficiency in the six Shastras, is necessary. Have faith and confidence in your Guru. Believe that, Guru is the sole Actor or Doer.

      Blessed is he, who knows the greatness of his Guru and thinks him to be Hari, Hara and Brahma (Trimurti -Gods) Incarnate.”

      Sai Baba in SSSC-Chapter 18 & 19.