“Those, who are fortunate and whose demerits have vanished, take to My worship.
If you always say ‘Sai, Sai’, I shall take you over the seven seas; believe in these words. And you will be certainly benefited.
I do not need any paraphernalia of worship – either eight-fold or sixteen-fold. I rest there, where there is full devotion“.
Baba in SSSC-Ch 13
Para Number in the Book -BCS & Baba’s appearance in the form of other saints
Baba to Keshav Naik: You and your son may come and visit me, if you like.
(Pointing to the other two); These are Karmata Brahmins.
Baba to Ramachandra Naik: Fetch Margosa (Neem) leaves.
Ramachandra Naik brought some leaves. Baba distributed the leaves to the four.
Baba: Eat the leaves. How do they taste?
Brahmis (with a wry face): Very bitter.
The two Naiks: The leaves are sweet. We ate plenty of the leaves.
Thus Baba parted his sheep from the goats, and confirmed the statement of Akkalkote Maharaj.
I am at Mirzgaon (‘Fakir Bua’)
Why come here? (To Kusa Bhav)
I am Bandra Moulana.
[I am Nanded Moulana] You have already given me Rs.3-14-0
75. I am with you wherever you may be. I do not require conveyance to take me.
Para Number in the Book-BCS & His Universalities
Nine forms or types of Devotion (Bhakti) are, viz.,
If any of these are faithfully followed, Lord Hari will be pleased and manifest Himself in the home of the devotee.
All the sadhanas, viz. Japa (vocal worship), Tapa (penance), and Yoga practice are quite useless. Studying the scriptures and expounding them are also quite useless. These activities need to be accompanied by Bhakti, i.e., devotion. Knowledge of the Vedas, or fame as a great Jnani, and mere formal Bhajan (worship) are of no avail. What is wanted is Loving Devotion.
Think of yourself as someone searching for the truth. Be anxious and eager like the seeker to collect or cultivate the nine types of devotion. Then you will attain stability and peace of mind.
SSSC Ch 21
Sai Baba was neither a house-holder nor Vanaprastha. He was a celibate sannyasi, i.e., sannyasi from boyhood.
His firm conviction was that the universe was His home, He was the Lord Vasudeo – the Supporter of the universe and the Imperishable Brahman. So He had the full right to have recourse to the begging-bowl.
(2) Now from the standpoint of ‘Pancha-soon’ – five sins and their atonement. We all know that in order to prepare food- stuffs and meals, the householders have to go through five actions or processes, viz. (1) Kandani-Pounding, (2) Peshani-Grinding, (3) Udakumbhi – Washing pots, (4) Marjani – Sweeping and cleaning, (5) Chulli-Lighting hearths.
These processes involve destruction of a lot of small insects and creatures, and thus the householders incur a lot of sin. In order to atone for this sin, our Shastras prescribe six kinds of sacrifices, viz. (1) Brahma- Yajna, (2) vedadhyayan – offerings to Brahman or the study of the Vedas. (3) Pitra- Yajna-offerings to the ancestors, 4)Deva-Yajna – offerings to the Gods, (5) Bhoota- Yajna-offerings to the beings, (6) Manushya-Atithi-Yajna-offerings to men or uninvited guests. If these sacrifices, enjoined by the Shastras are duly performed, the purification of their minds is effected and this helps them to get knowledge and self-realization.
Baba, in going from house to house, reminded the inmates of their sacred duty, and fortunate were the people, who got the lesson at their homes from Baba.
SSSC Ch-9
Once, Mrs. Tarkhad was staying in a certain house in Shirdi. At noon, meals were ready and dishes were being served, when a hungry dog turned up there and began to cry, Mrs. Tarkhad got up at once and threw a piece of bread, which the dog gulped with great relish.
In the afternoon, when she went to the Masjid and sat at some distance, Sai Baba said to her, “Mother, you have fed Me sumptuously up to my throat, My afflicted pranas (life-forces) have been satisfied. always act like this, and this will stand you in good stead. Sitting in this Masjid I shall never, never speak untruth. Take pity on Me like this. First give bread to the hungry, and then eat yourself. Note this well.”
She could not at first understand the meaning of what Baba said. So she replied — “Baba, how could I feed You? I am myself dependent on others and take my food from them on payment.”
Then Baba replied — “Eating that lovely bread I am heartily contended and I am still belching. The dog which you saw before meals and to which you gave the piece of bread is, one with Me, so also other creatures (cats, pigs, flies, cows etc.) are one with Me. I am roaming in their forms.
He, who sees Me in all these creatures is My beloved. So abandon the sense of duality and distinction, and serve Me, as you did today.” Drinking these nectar-like words, she was moved, her eyes were filled with tears, her throat was choked and her joy knew no bounds
Moral
“See God in all beings” is the moral of this. The Upanishads, the Geeta and the Bhagwat, all exhort us to perceive God or Divinity in all the creatures. Sai Baba has practically demonstrated to us how to put the Upanishadic teachings into practice. In this way Sai Baba stands as the best Exponent or Teacher of the Upanishadic doctrines
Govind Raghunath Dabolkar, called Anna Saheb Dabolkar, was Mamlatdar and first class resident Magistrate.
His work ‘Sai Satcharitra’ in Marathi Ovi verse extends to a thousand pages. Maharashtra Sai bhaktas treat it as Sai Ramayana or modern Guru Charitra. They give it the respect due to ancient puranas. Even others respect it when they gain access through N.V. Gunjaji’s English adaptation or translations in Telugu, etc.
This work is highly meritorious and has been the instrument for many people becoming Sai bhaktas. The verses are highly sonorous. The stories about Sai Baba collected from various individuals are based on actual experiences. These stories have great charm and are always fresh.
On his first visit to Shirdi and Sai Baba in 1910, went to the mosque. He and his friend Bala Saheb Bhate prostrated before Baba. Baba pointed to Dabolkar and said, ‘What talk was going on there at the wada? And what did this Hemad Pant say (pointing his chin to Dabolkar)?’. Dabolkar’s name was not Hemad Pant at all.
Hemadpant-“I began to think why Sai Baba should call me by the name Hemadpant. This word is a corrupt form of Hemadripant.
This Hemadripant was a wellknown Minister of the kings Mahadev and Ramadev of Devgiri of the Yadav dynasty. He was very learned and good-natured. He authored good works, such as Chaturvarga Chintamani (dealing with spiritual subjects) and Rajprashasti. He invented and started new methods of accounts and was the originator of the Ovi (Marathi Shorthand) script.
But I was quite the opposite, an ignoramus, and have dull, mediocre intellect. I could not understand why the name or title was conferred upon me. However, after thinking seriously about it, I thought that the title was a dart to destroy my ego. This way, I should always remain meek and humble. It was also a compliment paid to me for the cleverness in the discussion#. (# before he started from Wada/Lodge to Sai Temple, he had some hot discussion with Bala Saheb Bhate about”Guru’s essential ” for 30 minutes)”.
Looking to the future history, we think that Baba’s word (calling Mr. Dabholkar by the name Hemadpant) was significant and prophetic, as we find that he looked after the management of Sai Sansthan very intelligently, kept nicely all the accounts and helped greatly in the publications of ‘Sai Lila Masik (Magazine)’ also as the author of such a good work “Shri Sai Satcharita (SSSC)”, which deals with such important and spiritual subjects as Jnana, Bhakti and dispassion, self-surrender and self-realization.
The premier poet-saint of Maharashtra (India), Shri Jnaneshwar Maharaj, has stated that the Lord loves those who write the lives of saints;
and the saints also have a peculiar method of their own of getting the service, which the devotees long for, successfully accomplished.
The saints inspire the work; the devotee becomes only an indirect cause or instrument to achieve the end.
For instance, in 1700 Shaka* year (AD year=78 + Shaka year) the poet Mahipati aspired to write the lives of saints. Saints inspired him, and got the work done;
So also in 1800 Shaka year, Das Ganu’s service was accepted.
An interesting story about seeing Sai Baba
SSSC-Ch30