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"I draw to Me, My man from far off or even across the seven Seas to Shirdi, like a sparrow with a string fastened to its feet"-Shirdi Sai Baba, Indian Spiritual Guru-God

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Tag: Discipline and Guidance

How Baba guides and discipline his children

  • Why Shirdi Sai Baba is a Universal Spiritual Guide

    Why Shirdi Sai Baba is a Universal Spiritual Guide

    A captivating exploration of the profound themes and vital truths surrounding Shirdi Sai Baba reveals a figure of immense spiritual significance.

    I. The Nature and Identity of Sai Baba

    Sai Baba is a divine, omniscient, and omnipresent, being whose true nature transcends conventional human and religious classifications.

    • Ambiguity of Origin and Faith:
      • Baba’s identity as Hindu or Muslim is deliberately obscured, highlighting his universality.
      • He celebrated both Hindu festivals (Rama-Navami, Gokul Ashtami) and allowed Muslim practices (Sandal procession, Namaj in Masjid).
      • His physical attributes (pierced ears like a Hindu, advocacy of circumcision, but not circumcised himself) further blurred the lines.
      • No one definitely knew whether He was a Hindu or a Mahomedan.
    • Divine Incarnation and Sadguru:
      • Baba is depicted as a “Wonderful Incarnation,” a “precious Jewel,” and a “precious Diamond.”
      • He is the “crest-jewel of the Saints, who is the home of all auspicious things, who is our Atmaram (Dear Self), and who is the able refuge of the devotees.”
      • He is explicitly referred to as a “Sadguru,” a true spiritual master.
      • “Lord (God) dwells in the Saints.
        • In fact they are not different from Him.
        • Our Sai is One of these,
          • Who incarnated for the welfare of the devotees,
          • Supreme in knowledge and surrounded with divine lustre.”
    • Omniscience and Omnipresence: Baba has absolute knowledge of the past, present, and future.
      • He knew Mr.Damu Anna’s secret thoughts about cotton speculation and his desire to offer Baba a share of profits.
      • He knew Mr. Cholkar’s secret vow regarding sugar and his decision to forego sugar. Baba remarked, “Though, I am here bodily, still I know what you do; beyond the saven seas. Go wherever you will, over the wide world, I am with you. My abode is in your heart and I am within you.”
      • He knew Mr.Hari Kanoba’s name, parentage, and other details about him, even though it was Hari’s first visit to Shirdi.
      • He read Somadeva Swami’s critical thoughts about the flags at the Mosque, directly addressing them.
      • He knew about one pleader’s slander behind His back at Bar Council, demonstrating “His omniscience and His using it for correcting people and setting them on the right path.”
      • He correctly predicted and averted the death of Ramachandra Patil and foresaw Tatya Patil’s passing.
    • He is described as “omnipresent, occupying land, air, country, world, light and heaven, and that He was not limited.”
    • Detachment and Humility: Despite his divine powers, Baba lived a life of extreme simplicity and humility. He lived on alms, possessing nothing, and residing in a deserted Masjid. He begged for food daily, mixing all offerings together, and “His tongue knew no taste.” Dogs, cats, and crows freely ate from his earthen pot, and “Baba never drove them away.”

    II. The Role and Importance of the Sadguru

    The Sadguru (Guru, who realized Self) as the sole means to spiritual liberation and worldly well-being.

    • Bridge to Salvation:
      • The Sadguru is essential for crossing the “worldly ocean.”
      • “Where Real or Sadguru is the helmsman, he is sure to carry us safely and easily beyond the worldly ocean.”
      • The Vedas alone cannot achieve this; “It is only the Sad-guru, who can do so and make you, see the Lord in all creatures.”
    • Destroys Egoism and Sins:
      • The touch of the Guru’s hand is described as having “wonderful… power.”
      • It can destroy the “subtle-body (consisting of thoughts and desires)” and cleanse “sins of many past births.”
      • M. Hemadpant said, when starting writing Shri Sai SatCharitra, “Sai Baba took away my egoism and wrote Himself His stories.”
    • Catalyst for Transformation:
      • Baba’s darshan (sight) leads to profound inner change:
        • “by His darshana our thoughts are changed,
        • the force of previous actions is abated and
        • gradually non-attachment of dispassion towards worldly objects grows up.”
      • He transforms his devotees into “Himself (His nature).”
    • Teacher and Guide:
      • The Sadguru Sai teaches based on the disciple’s qualifications, without unsettling their minds.
      • He dispels ignorance (“Destroying ignorance is Jnana”) and
      • He helps the disciple realize their true Self (“You are God, you are mighty and opulent.”).
    • Unconditional Love and Service:
      • A true Sadguru expects no service or profit,
      • but instead wishes to serve his disciples, treating them as equals or even as Brahma.
      • “Baba had great love for the disciples.”
        • He “loved all beings equally.
        • He was unattached. Foes and friends, kings and paupers, were the same to Him.”

    III. Key Teachings and Practices Advocated by Sai Baba

    Baba’s teachings, though sometimes indirect, emphasized faith, surrender, moral conduct, and devotion.

    • Faith (Nishtha) and Patience (Saburi): These were presented as two coins of devotion by Baba to His Guru.
      • Baba said: “This is one pice -Faith. Patience or perseverance is the other pice. I waited patiently and very long on My Guru and served him. This Saburi will ferry you across the sea of this mundane existence.” (pice=1/100 INR)
    • Complete Surrender: “If any one prostrates before Sai and surrenders heart and soul to Him,
      • then unsolicited, all the chief objects of life viz. Dharma (righteousness), Artha (wealth), Kama (Desire) and Moksha (Deliverance), are easily and unsolicitedly attained.”
      • “The best way, therefore, to get free from the shackles of Maya is our complete and whole-hearted surrender to Baba.”
    • Charity and Non-Attachment to Wealth: Baba frequently extracted “Dakshina” (offerings),
      • not for personal gain, but “to teach the devotees the lesson of charity and to remove their attachment to money and thus to purify their minds.”
      • He asserted that “He had to give back hundred times more of what He received.”
      • He discouraged debt for spiritual purposes: “Baba never liked people to run into debt for taking His darshan, or celebrating any holiday or making any pilgrimage.”
      • He considered “money as a danger or bar to spiritual progress.”
    • Ethical Conduct and Self-Correction:
      • He advised against discourteously turning away those who come to you, emphasizing:
      • “Shri Hari (God) will be certainly pleased, if you give
        • water to the thirsty,
        • bread to the hungry,
        • clothes to the naked, and
        • your verandah of your Home to strangers for sitting and resting.”
    • Baba condemned slander:
      • “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.”
      • He used the example of a pig eating filth to correct a slanderer, stating, “Your conduct is similar. You go on reviling your own brethren to your heart’s content.”
    • Baba taught the importance of offering everything to the Guru before enjoyment:
      • “before the senses, mind and intellect enjoy their objects, Sai should first be remembered, and if this be done, it is in a way an offering to Him...
      • all the Vrittis (thoughts) regarding Desire, Anger, Avarice etc. should first be offered and directed to the Guru.”
    • He guided devotees to remain calm and composed, engage in good actions, and perform duties without attachment.
    • Remembrance of God/Guru (Dhyana/Bhajan): Baba advised various forms of devotion, including
      • “remembering My name,”
      • “hearing His Leelas,”
      • “worship of His Feet,” and
      • studying sacred scriptures like Shri Sai SatCharitra, Bhagwat, Jnaneshwari, and Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam.
      • He stated, “If you always say ‘Sai, Sai’ I shall take you over the seven seas.”

    IV. The Human and the Divine

    • Interaction with Devotees:
      • Baba allowed devotees to serve him in their own way,
      • demonstrating his “dependency on Bhaktas” (in the sense that he allowed their devotion to manifest).
      • He engaged in normal conversation, jokes, and sometimes strong reprimands, always with a deeper purpose.
    • The Guru-Disciple Relationship: The relationship is central. Disciples are encouraged to fully surrender and trust the Guru. The Guru sees beyond superficiality and acts for the disciple’s ultimate good.
    • Transcending Form:
      • While he had a physical form, Baba’s true nature was “unattached and indifferent” and “the state of Brahman.”
      • He demonstrated “Khandayoga, i.e., separating His limbs and joining them again,”
      • His visible form was merely a “mould” for the “liquid essence of Pure Self.”

    V. Miraculous Powers (Leelas) and Their Purpose

    Baba’s “Leelas” (divine plays or miracles) are frequently cited, serving not as ends in themselves, but as tools to deepen devotees’ faith, teach spiritual lessons, and alleviate suffering.

    • Manifestation of Divine Power:Grinding Wheat: Initially misunderstood as mundane, Baba’s grinding of wheat was a symbolic act to “destroy the cholera epidemic in Shirdi” with the flour.
    • Turning Water into Oil: This demonstrated his control over natural elements(fire) and taught the Banias (Oil Traders) a lesson in /
    • ‘truthfulness.
    • Curing Diseases: He cured various ailments, including eye problems with Beeba (marking nuts-Carpus Ana Cardium) and diarrhea with groundnuts, emphasizing that “The true medicine… was Baba’s word.”
    • Saving from Calamities: He averted the snake bite for Shama and predicted/averted the death of Ramachandra Patil. He also saved Mr. Mirikar from a potential snake bite.
    • Fulfilling Desires (within divine plan):
      • The “Amra-Leela” story illustrates his power. Four mangoes, given by Sai resulted in four sons and four daughters for Damu Anna. This happened despite astrological predictions.
      • He facilitated the return of a stolen jewel-box and a stolen sum of money.
    • Disguised Blessings and Tests:Baba’s “rage” and “abuses” were often a “blessing in disguise,” as seen with Somadeva Swami, or a direct command to the poison in Shama’s case.
    • Drawing Devotees and Confirming Faith:
      • The numerous anecdotes of individuals being drawn to Shirdi, despite their initial reluctance (Hemadpant’s own journey, Kakaji Vaidya being directed by Goddess Sapta-Shringi, the “idolater” friend of Kaka Mahajani) highlight Baba’s magnetic spiritual pull.
      • His precise knowledge of hidden thoughts or distant events served to “create faith and devotion” in his devotees.
    • Guaranteeing the Welfare of His devotees:
      • “There will never be any dearth or scarcity, regarding Food and clothes in My devotee’s home.”
    • In a nutshell
      • Baba’s teachings
        • emphasize love, compassion, and faith,
        • uniting all religions and
        • inspiring devotion beyond boundaries.
      • His miraculous acts instill hope, and
      • His wisdom fosters inner peace.
  • Promoting Love

    Promoting Love

    Sai Baba actively promoted love and unity, both among his devotees and towards animals, through his teachings, actions, and the examples he set. Here’s how the sources illustrate these aspects:

    • Unification and Harmony:
      • Sai Baba worked towards the unification of communities, particularly Hindus and Muslims.
      • He celebrated Hindu festivals like Rama-Navami with all due formalities.
      • He also permitted the ‘Sandal’ procession of Mahomedans and allowed Muslims to offer prayers (Namaj) in his Masjid. This demonstrated his disregard for religious distinctions and his wish for communal harmony.
      • His constant advice was that “Rama (the God of the Hindus) and Rahim (the God of the Mahomedans) were one and the same.” He emphasized that their devotees should not quarrel. Instead, they should “join hands and bring both the communities together” for national unity.
    • Fostering Unity and Eradicating Duality: Baba emphasized the importance of dissolving the sense of difference between individuals and with God.
      • He explicitly stated, “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“.
      • This teaching directly supports universal love by promoting the realization of oneness.
    • He also encouraged his devotees to love their Guru with whole-hearted affection. He advised them to surrender completely. He suggested prostrating reverentially before Him to attain this unity.
    • Direct Instruction on Conduct:
      • Baba provided invaluable general advice for interacting with others:
      • “If any men or creatures come to you,
        • do not discourteously drive them away,
        • but receive them well and treat them, with due respect.
      • Shri Hari (God) will be certainly pleased, if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked, and your verandah to strangers for sitting and resting“.
      • This emphasizes hospitality, compassion, and respectful treatment of all.
    • Discouraging Slander and Gossip: Baba strongly disliked slander.
      • He stated, “He who carps and cavils at others, pierces Me in the heart and injures Me, but he that suffers and endures, pleases Me most“.
      • In one instance, he corrected a slanderer by pointing to a pig eating filth and comparing the slanderer’s actions to the pig’s,
      • thereby teaching a powerful lesson against reviling others.
    • Personal Relationships and Care: Baba demonstrated deep personal love and care for his close devotees.
      • He shared his dormitory with Tatya Kote Patil and Bhagat Mhalsapati for 14 years, showing immense affection and intimacy.
      • He loved Khushalchand of Rahata and “watched his welfare, day and night,” even visiting him.
      • He exhibited “motherly love” towards his disciples, knowing their wants and feeling boundless joy when they were adorned.
      • He ensured the proper execution of religious functions in devotees’ homes, even attending a dinner in Mr. B.V. Deo’s house through an appearance.
      • His “anger” was often a disguise for blessings or tests, as seen
        • when he appeared enraged with the women grinding wheat but later smiled at their devotion, or
        • when he seemingly scolded Haji Sidik Falke only to then show him great favor.
    • He sometimes appeared in dreams or visions to guide and comfort his devotees, like the instance of Hemadpant’s Shimga dinner.
    • Importance of Guru-Disciple Relationship: Baba emphasized
      • complete surrender and unwavering faith in the Guru, assuring that such
      • devotion leads to spiritual progress and self-realization. This deep bond fosters profound love and trust.
    • Saints, like Baba and Shri Tembye Swami, are shown to love each other with “fraternal affection,” indicating a wider spiritual family bound by love.

    Promoting Love with Animals:

    • Oneness with All Creatures: Sai Baba explicitly taught the principle of seeing God in all beings, including animals. When Mrs. Tarkhad fed a hungry dog, Baba told her, “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“. This is a profound teaching that directly connects compassion for animals with devotion to God.
    • Compassion and Non-violence: Baba’s conduct consistently demonstrated compassion for animals. He never drove away dogs, cats, or crows that ate from his food pot, indicating his acceptance and care for them. He also gave a clear opinion on the killing of serpents, stating, “God lives in all beings and creatures, whether they be serpents or scorpions… So we should take pity and love all creatures, leave off adventurous fights and killings and be patient. The Lord (God) is the Protector of all“.
    • Reminiscences of Past Lives: In a remarkable instance, Baba purchased two goats for a significantly high price, explaining to his surprised devotees that these goats were formerly two human brothers who had fought bitterly and killed each other. He bought them out of pity, fed them, and then returned them. This story highlights Baba’s boundless love and compassion for all creatures, acknowledging their karmic journeys.
    • Protection of Animals:
      • Baba saved his devotees from potential harm from animals like snakes,
      • sometimes by foretelling the danger and
      • other times by direct intervention,
      • but he always advised against killing them,
        • emphasizing universal love and the divine presence in all creatures.
      • Even a fierce tiger was drawn to his feet and found a blessed end in his presence, demonstrating Baba’s all-encompassing mercy towards even wild animals.
  • Handle Anger

    Handle Anger

    When you find anger rising within you,

    • you may withdraw from the place to provide time for cooling your emotions. Or
    • you may drink a glass of cold water and sit quietly in a place. Or,
    • take a brisk walk for a mile to get over your anger. Or,
    • stand before a mirror and look at your face.

    By any one of these methods, your anger will gradually come down.

    • Do not, however,
      • stay near the person who has provoked your anger,
      • because there is no limit to what anger may lead you to.
    • Owing to anger and agitation,
      • the blood gets heated up.
      • It takes three months for the blood to cool down. Within that period,
      • the nerves become weaker and even the
      • blood cells get destroyed.
        • Weakness is aggravated and the
        • memory power is reduced.
        • Old age sets in prematurely.
    • All the aberrations that we witness today among men arise from anger.
    • -Puttaparti Satya Sai Baba in the Divine Discourse, Apr 22, 1985.
  • Complete surrender to the Guru involves

    Complete surrender to the Guru involves

    Complete surrender to the Guru encompasses several dimensions, as elucidated in the Shri Sai Sat Charitra:
    Devotion and Remembrance: This entails a total surrender of oneself while consistently recalling the Guru’s presence, with the necessity of continually chanting the Guru’s name.
    Seeing the Guru in all beings: Engaging in meditation on the Guru allows one to perceive Him within every being, thereby bestowing eternal bliss. A true devotee regards every Guru as Krishna.
    Lack of Egoism: This principle mandates the relinquishment of pride and ego, thereby surrendering to the Guru who resides within one’s heart. The removal of egoism and the complete trust in the Lord liberates one from worldly constraints.
    Service: True surrender requires Sarvaswa Sharangati (total surrender) to the Sad-guru, where one must recognize that they are not the sovereign of their own body; rather, the body belongs to the Guru and exists solely to serve Him.
    Faith and compliance: A disciple’s duty and dharma necessitate implicit and prompt adherence to the Guru’s directives.
    Channeling Senses to the divine: Prior to indulging the senses, mind, and intellect in their respective pursuits, it is incumbent to remember the Guru; such remembrance serves as an offering to Him.
    Experiencing Oneness: The individual who approaches the Guru achieves oneness with Him, akin to a river merging with the sea.
    Desirelessness: The Guru liberates His devotees from desires, rendering them free.
    Love: The Guru desires nothing but love for all sentient beings. Genuine love requires earnest affection; thus, where there is true yearning and feeling, God reveals Himself.
    Mindfulness: Regularly chanting the Guru’s name and engaging in meditation fosters the ability to perceive Him in all beings, which in turn grants eternal bliss. A definitive indication of this practice is the attainment of a calm and peaceful mind.

  • Study materials available to Foreigners, interested in Shirdi Sai Baba.

    Study materials available to Foreigners, interested in Shirdi Sai Baba.


    Foreign individuals seeking to understand the life, teachings, and global influence of Shirdi Sai Baba have access to a wide array of study materials.

    1. Academic Works

    Academic studies offer a structured, critical, and contextual understanding of Shirdi Sai Baba, often distinguishing historical facts from hagiographical embellishments.

    As per (Thanks) Oxford Bibliographies:-

    “Academic study of Shirdi Sai Baba has emerged within the past several decades as scholars of religion in South Asia began to engage in a wide array of studies of popular saints and gurus;

    and as they observed the rapid growth in devotion to Shirdi Sai Baba in particular within the Indian subcontinent and, eventually, beyond India.

    White 1972 provided the first academic analysis of Shirdi Sai Baba, noting his growing popularity in western India and attributing it to the unifying bond created between Sai Baba’s devotees, a bond that crosses distinctions of caste, class, and social status.

    Antonio Rigopoulos 1993 is the first book-length academic study of Shirdi Sai Baba, which presents a biography of Sai Baba in the first half that draws upon Hindu-authored hagiographies, and presents Sai Baba’s key teachings in the second half with an emphasis on interreligious tolerance.

    Warren 2004 includes a valuable translation of the diary kept by Abdul Baba, a Muslim follower of Sai Baba in Shirdi, and draws upon that to present an interpretation of Sai Baba as a Muslim fakir who traveled the Sufi path.

    McLain 2016 traces Shirdi Sai Baba’s rise from small village guru to global phenomenon, using a wide range of textual, material, and visual sources to investigate the different ways that Sai Baba has been understood and the reasons behind his skyrocketing popularity among Hindus in particular.

    The edited collection Srinivas, 2022 provides insight into the worship of Sai Baba beyond the village of Shirdi in the early twentieth century, with essays that examine more contemporary worship at multiple sites within India as well as in Asia and Africa.

    Several articles also make valuable contributions to the study of Shirdi Sai Baba:

    Hardiman 2015 analyzes the miracle healing cures associated with Sai Baba and the relationship between his spiritual power and secular science;

    Rigopoulos 2012 analyzes some of Sai Baba’s miracles in connection with yoga powers;

    Vicziany 2016 examines the worship of two syncretic figures, Shirdi Sai Baba and Haji Ali, in the city of Mumbai, India; and

    Loar 2018 compares the hagiographies of Shirdi Sai Baba that were written by two of his Hindu followers, Dabholkar and Narasimhaswami.”- Thanks Oxford for your article at www.oxfordbibliogrsphies.com.

    Cambridge University

    Cambridge University have explored aspects of Sai Baba’s life and the movement he inspired.

    1. Academic Research and Publications:
    * Cambridge Core: Cambridge University Press has published academic works that discuss Shirdi Sai Baba and the broader Sai Baba movement.
       * Smriti Srinivas’s article, “Sai Baba: The Double Utilization of Written and Oral Traditions in a Modern South Asian Religious Movement,” published in Diogenes, examines the origins of the Sai Baba movement rooted in Shirdi Sai Baba.
       * Another article in Comparative Studies in Society and History titled “Miracle Cures for a Suffering Nation: Sai Baba of Shirdi” explores his popularity and perceived ability to provide miraculous cures.
       * The “Cambridge Companion to New Religious Movements” features a chapter by Tulasi Srinivas on the Sathya Sai Baba movement, which originated from Shirdi Sai Baba’s legacy.
    * Cambridge University Library: Kevin R.D. Shepherd, a British author, conducted private research at Cambridge University Library for twelve years, focusing on the history of religions and philosophy. He has authored books such as “Sai Baba of Shirdi: A Biographical Investigation” and “Investigating the Sai Baba Movement.”
    2. Perspectives on Shirdi Sai Baba:
    * Syncretism: Some scholars highlight Shirdi Sai Baba’s image as a unifying figure between Hindu and Muslim traditions, emphasizing the composite nature of Indian culture in the growth of his devotion.
    * Miracles and Faith: His devotees often attribute miraculous abilities to him, which contributed to his widespread popularity. Academic analysis has also focused on these aspects.
    * Historical Context: Research connects the rise of Shirdi Sai Baba’s popularity with the Indian nationalist movement and the search for unifying symbols.
    3. Mentions in Other Contexts:
    * Sathya Sai Baba: Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi, and his movement have also been subjects of academic study, including publications by Cambridge University Press.
    * Educational Initiatives: Cambridge University Press has collaborated with Indian educational institutions for programs like the “SAI-Cambridge Reading Quest,” although this is related to language skills development and not directly to the study of Sai Baba.
    While Cambridge University’s press has published scholarly articles and books that analyze his life, teachings, and the socio-religious movements associated with him. Individual researchers connected to the university have also contributed significantly to this field of study.

    Teachings and Philosophy

    Social and Cultural Significance

    • Karline McLain’s Be United, Be Virtuous: This work investigates the role of Sai Baba’s teachings in promoting religious harmony and examines the movement’s cultural impact within Indian society.
    • Edited Volumes (e.g., Devotional Spaces of a Global Saint): These collections often feature contributions that analyze the institutional development of the Sai Baba movement and its place in the lives of modern devotees.

    Miracles and Belief Systems

    • Analytical Perspectives on Miracles: Academic literature explores the narrative function of miracles in constructing Sai Baba’s authority, examining their sociological and psychological dimensions and drawing comparisons with miracle traditions in other religions.

    Global Spread and Contemporary Practices

    • Studies on Globalization: Scholars analyze how Sai Baba’s devotion has transcended geographic boundaries, highlighting the establishment of temples and devotional practices in international contexts.
    • Media and Technology: Contemporary research considers how digital media platforms are employed to maintain global devotional networks and disseminate teachings.

    Methodological Approaches

    Engagement with academic resources introduces foreign learners to various methodological frameworks—historical criticism, sociology of religion, and anthropology—that enable a comprehensive and critical study of religious figures and movements.

    2. Devotional and Informational Websites

    In addition to academic works, several online platforms provide accessible resources tailored to the needs of international devotees.

    Websites for International Devotees (e.g., shirdisaibaba.international)

    • Curated Publications: These platforms offer English-language articles, news updates, and publications, suited for global audiences.
    • Translations of Key Texts: They often provide details of translated versions of significant devotional texts and biographies.
    • Community Engagement: Discussion forums and community pages offer a space for interpretation, Lists of Sai Baba temples in countries like the USA, UK, Canada, Singapure, Dubai…and sharing of experiences, reflecting the living tradition of Sai Baba devotion.

    Official Temple Trust Website (sai.org.in)

    • Authoritative Information: Offers official narratives, details of temple rituals, and historical overviews from the perspective of the temple trust.
    • Online Resources: Includes downloadable material, videos, and frequently asked questions, all primarily in English, facilitating introductory-level engagement.

    3. Key Considerations for Foreigners

    Language Accessibility

    The wide availability of English-language materials—both academic and devotional—greatly enhances accessibility for non-Indian audiences.

    Multiple Perspectives

    A balanced approach that includes both academic and devotional materials provides a more nuanced and comprehensive understanding of Shirdi Sai Baba.

    Cultural Context

    Academic studies help situate Sai Baba within the broader Indian religious and cultural milieu, an essential context for foreigners unfamiliar with the subcontinent’s spiritual traditions.

    Critical Engagement

    By engaging with academic sources, foreigners are encouraged to critically examine the narratives surrounding Sai Baba, differentiating between historically substantiated facts and devotional interpretations.

  • Don’t entertain the sense of doership

    Don’t entertain the sense of doership

    Once Shri Vasudevanand Saraswati, known as Shri Tembye Swami, camped at Rajamahendri (Andhra State) by the river Godavari. He was a devoted Jnani and Yogi Bhakta of God Dattatreya.

    Mr. Pundalikrao, a pleader from Nanded, visited him with friends, during which they mentioned Shirdi and Sai Baba.

    The Swami bowed when Baba’s name was spoken. He gave Pundalikrao a coconut. The Swami asked him, to offer it to Baba, with his regards. He also wanted Pundalikrao, to remind Baba to remember him.

    The Swami noted that he usually does not bow to others, but made an exception here. Pundalikrao agreed to take the fruit and message to Baba.

    A month later, Pundalikrao and his friends traveled to Shirdi with the coconut. They stopped at a rivulet for water. Feeling hungry, they broke the coconut. They mixed it with their Chivda, making it tastier. Unfortunately, this was the coconut, meant for Baba.

    When Pundalikrao reached Shirdi, he remembered the coconut and felt guilty. He saw Baba, Who already knew about the coconut and asked Pundalikrao, to give the items from his brother -swami.

    Pundalikrao confessed his negligence. He sought forgiveness and offered to replace the coconut.

    Baba declined his offer, saying its value was far greater than an ordinary one.

    Baba also added- “

    • Now you need not worry yourself any more about the matter.
    • It was on account of my wish that the coconut was entrusted to you.
    • Ultimately it was broken on the way.
    • Why should you take the responsibility of the actions on you?
    • Do not entertain the sense of doership in doing good, as well as for bad deeds; be entirely prideless and egoless in all things and
    • thus your spiritual progress will be rapid
  • Qualities That Define a True Sadguru

    Qualities That Define a True Sadguru

    who is Guru:

    • He who teaches us Veda and Vedanta or the six Shastras (systems),
    • He, who controls the breath, or
    • brands his body with Mudras (metallic marks of Vishnu’s weapons) or
    • gives pleasing discourses regarding Brahma.
    • he who gives mantras (sacred syllables) to the disciples and
    • orders them to chant the same a certain number of times,
    • but does not assure them any result in a definite time.
    • He who by his spacious wordy knowledge, explains beautifully the Ultimate Principle,
    • but has himself got no experience or self-realization is not a Sad-guru.
    • How can he, who is himself devoid of self-realization, give it to the disciples?

    Who is SadGuru:

    • But He, who by his discourse creates in us,
    • a distaste for the enjoyments of this world and
    • the next, and gives us a taste of self-realization.
    • who is well-versed in both the theoretical and practical knowledge (self-realization) deserves to be called a Sad-guru.

    • He is never restless nor ruffled.
    • He has no pride of his learning.
    • The poor and the rich, the small and the great are the same to him.

    • A Sad-guru does not, even in his dream, expect any service or profit from his disciples.
    • On the contrary, he wishes to serve them.
    • He does not think that he is great and the disciple small.
    • Not only he loves him, as his son but regards him, as equal to himself or as Brahma.
    • The main characteristic of a Sad-guru is that he is the abode of peace.
  • When failure is nobler than success

    When failure is nobler than success

    Man still believes that Ananda (Happy) can be obtained from the external world.

    • Man hoards
      • wealth,
      • authority,
      • fame and
      • learning, to acquire happiness.
    • But he finds that they are fraught with
      • fear,
      • anxiety and
      • pain.
    • The millionaire is beset
      • by the tax-gatherer,
      • the cheat,
      • the donation hunter, and
      • the house-breaker.
      • His sons and
      • kinsmen also clamor for their share.
    • The happiness of material origin is short-lived and has misery as its obverse.

    ‘Struggle to realise the Atma and to visualize God’. Even failure in this struggle is nobler than success in other worldly attempts.

    • The buffalo has horns; the elephant has tusks. But what a difference.
    • To live in the body, with the body, for the body is the life of a worm.
    • To live in the body, with God, for God is the life of man.

    The dull, activity-hating tamasik persons cling to the ego and to kith and kin; their love is limited to these.

    The rajasik (active, passionate) persons seek to earn power and prestige, and love only those who will contribute to these.

    But the satwik (the pure, the good, the equanimity-filled) love all as embodiments of God. They engage themselves in humble service.

    – Puttaparti Satya Sai Baba in the Divine Discourse, May 24, 1967

  • 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‘.