Blessed is Shirdi and blessed is Dwarkamayi where Shri Sai lived and moved until He took Mahasamadhi.
Blessed are the people of Shirdi, whom He obliged and for whom He came such long distance.
Shirdi was a small village at first. It attained great importance due to His contact. It became a Tirtha, a holy place of pilgrimage.
Equally blessed are the womenfolk of Shirdi, blessed is their whole and undivided faith in Him. They sang the glories of Baba while bathing, grinding, pounding corn and doing other house- hold work. Blessed is their love, for they sang sweet songs which calm and pacify the minds of the singers and listeners.
One special peculiarity of Shirdi-pilgrimage was this, that none could leave Shirdi, without Baba’s permission;
and if he did, he invited untold sufferings,
but if any one was asked to quit Shirdi, he could stay there no longer.
Baba gave certain suggestions or hints, when Bhaktas went to bid good-bye and take leave. These suggestions had to be followed.
Accidents were sure to befall those who did not follow Baba’s directions. Problems occurred if they departed from them..
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.
Once Kaka resolved to observe fasting for the night. But as Baba did not encourage unnecessary observances, he repeatedly told Dixit to take his night meal. So Dixit gave up his idea of fasting
This reminds us of St Mark II 18-21. In this passage, Jesus informed people that his disciples were not fasting as other devout people did. The children of the bride chamber would not fast so long as the bridegroom was with them.
As long as Jesus watched over his disciples and kept them pure, fasts and vigils were unnecessary,
When Baba was there to keep Kaka free from lascivious thoughts and tamasic disposition, there was no need to fast.
Turning to Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) Sai Baba said. “If a man utters My name with love, I shall fulfill all his wishes, increase his devotion.
And if he sings earnestly My life and My deeds, him I shall beset in front and back and on all sides.
Those devotees, who are attached to Me, heart and soul, will naturally feel happiness, when they hear these stories.
Believe Me that if anybody sings My Leelas, I will give him infinite joy and everlasting contentment.
It is My special characteristic to free any person, who surrenders completely to Me, and who does worship Me faithfully, and who remembers Me, and meditates on Me constantly.
How can they be conscious of worldly objects and sensations, who utter My name, who worship Me, who think of My stories and My life and who thus always remember Me?
If My stories are listened to, all the diseases will be got rid of. So, hear My stories with respect; and think and meditate on them, assimilate them. This is the way of happiness and contentment.
The pride and egoism of My devotees will vanish, the mind of the hearers will be set at rest; and if it has wholehearted and complete faith, it will be one with Supreme Consciousness.
The simple remembrance of My name as ‘Sai, Sai’ will do away with sins of speech and hearing”.
