You can also listen to the free audiobook version of this Chapter on Youtube: Chapter 11
- Sai, as Sagun Brahman
- Dr. Pandit’s Worship
- Haji Sidik Falke
- Control Over the Elements
Sai as Sagun Brahman
There are two aspects of God or the Brahman: the Invisible (Nirgun) and the Visible (Sagun). The Nirgun is formless, while the Sagun has a form and both denote the same Brahman. Some prefer to worship the former and some the latter. As stated in the Gita (chapter XII), the worship of the latter is easy and preferable; As man has got a form (body, senses, etc.), it is natural and easy for him to worship the God with form. Our love and devotion do not develop unless we first worship Sagun Brahman for a certain period of time, and as we advance, it leads us to the worship of the Nirgun Brahman. So let us start with Sagun worship; An image, an altar, fire, light, sun, water and the Brahman are the seven objects of worship; But the Sadguru is better than all these. Let us on this occasion, bring to our mind the form of Sai, Who was non-attachment incarnate and Who was a resting-place for His sincere devotees. Our faith in His words is the seat of His Asan and our Sankalpa (determination to start and finish the Puja) is the abandonment of all our desires. Some say that Sai was a Bhagwad-bhakta (devotee of the Lord) while others say He was a Maha-Bhagwad Bhakta(a great devotee), but to us He is God incarnate. He was extremely forgiving, never irritable, honest, soft, tolerant and content beyond comparison. Though He looked embodied (as having a form), He was really dis-embodied, emotionless, unattached and internally free. The Ganges, on its way to the sea, cools and refreshes the creatures affected by the heat, gives life to the crops and trees, and quenches the thirst of many. Similarly, Saints like Sai, while they live their own life, give solace and comfort to everyone. Lord Krishna has said that “the Saint is My soul, My living image; I am Him or rather He is My pure form (Being).” This in-describable Power of God, known as Pure Existence, Knowledge and Bliss, incarnated in the form of Sai in Shirdi. The Shruti (Taitiriya Upanishad) describes Brahman as Bliss; This we read or hear daily in religious books, but devout people experienced this Brahman or Bliss in Shirdi. Baba, who supported everyone, required no support from anybody. He always used a piece of sack-cloth for His seat, which was covered with a small, beautiful bed by His devotees and a pillow to support his back. Baba respected the feelings of His devotees and allowed them to worship Him as they liked. Some waved Chamara or fans before Him, some played on musical instruments, others washed His hands and Feet, while some applied scents and sandalwood; Some offered Baba betel nuts with leaves and other things and others offered naivedya(offerings of food). Though He looked like he was living in Shirdi, He was present everywhere. This all-pervasiveness was experienced daily by His devotees. We prostrate before this all-pervasive Sadguru.
Dr. Pandit’s Worship
Dr. Pandit, a friend of Tatyasaheb Noolkar, once came to Shirdi to receive Baba’s darshana. After bowing before Baba, he stayed in the Masjid for some time. Baba asked him to go and meet Dadabhat Kelkar. He went to Dadabhat, by whom he was well received. Then Dababhat left his house for the Arti Puja and Dr. Pandit accompanied him. Dadabhat worshipped Baba and nobody until then had dared to apply sandal paste to Baba’s forehead; Only Mhalsapati used to apply it to Baba’s throat. But the simple-hearted and devout Dr. Pandit, took Dabadhat’s dish with Puja material, which contained sandal-paste, and drew three horizontal lines on Baba’s forehead. To everyone’s surprise, Baba was silent and did not object to this. Then Dababhat that evening asked Baba, “How is it that You object to sandal-paste being applied by others to Your forehead, while You allowed Dr. Pandit to do so?” Baba replied that Dr. Pandit believed Him to be the same as his Guru, Raghunath Maharaj of Dhopeshwar, known as Kaka Puranik; And he applied the paste to Baba’s forehead, as he would do to his Guru. Hence, Baba could not object. On enquiry, Dr. Pandit told Dadabhat that he indeed took Baba to be his Guru, Kaka Puranik, and hence he had drawn the lines on Baba’s forehead.
Though Baba allowed devotees to worship Him as they pleased, sometimes He acted in strange ways. Sometimes, He threw away the Puja-dish and was wrath Incarnate. Then who could approach Him? Sometimes, He scolded devotees and later He looked softer than wax, a statue of peace and forgiveness. Though He seemed to shake with anger and His red eyes rolled, He was internally a stream of affection and motherly love. Immediately, He called out to His devotees and said that He would only be angry with His devotees if mothers kicked their children and if the sea turned back the rivers. He felt he was a servant of his devotees, always stood by them and responded to them whenever they called upon Him. And thus He always longed for their love.
Haji Sidik Falke
There was no telling when Baba would accept a devotee. That depended on His sweet will; Sidik Falke’s story demonstrates this point. A Muslim gentleman named Sidik Falke of Kalyan, after a pilgrimage to Mecca and Madina, came to Shirdi. He lived in a Chavadi facing the north and sat in the open courtyard of the Masjid. For nine months, Baba ignored him and did not allow him to step into the Masjid. Falke felt very disconsolate and did not know what to do. Somebody advised him not to be disappointed, but to try and approach Baba through Shama (Madhavarao Deshpande), a devotee who was very close to Baba. Falke liked the idea and implored Shama to intercede for him. Shama agreed and on a convenient occasion spoke to Baba, “Baba, why don’t You allow the old Haji to step into the Masjid? When so many people come and receive Your darshan, why not bless him once?” Baba replied, “Shama, you are too young to understand things; If the Fakir (Allah) does not allow, what can I do? Without His grace, who will climb into the Masjid? Well, go to him and ask him whether he will come to the narrow footpath near the well.” Shama went and returned with an affirmative answer. Baba then said to Shama,”Ask him whether he is willing to pay me the sum of 40,000 rupees in four installments.” Shama went and returned with the answer that Falke was even willing to pay 4 million rupees. And then Baba said to Shama, “We are going to butcher a goat in the Masjid, so ask him whether he would like to have mutton, the haunch or the testicles of the goat.” Shama returned with the answer that the Haji would be happy to receive a small crumb from Baba’s pot. Hearing this, Baba got very angry and approached the Haji and said, “Why do you brag, fancy yourself great and then pose as an old Haji? Is this the way you read the Koran? You are proud of your pilgrimage to Mecca, but you do not know Me!” Being thus scolded, the Haji was confounded. Baba then went back to the Masjid, purchased a few baskets of mangoes and sent them to the Haji. Then Baba again went to the Haji, took 55 rupees from His pocket and gave it to the Haji. From that time, Baba loved the Haji, invited him for meals and the Haji thereafter came to the Masjid whenever he liked. Baba gave him, at times, a few rupees and thus the Haji was enlisted in Baba’s Darbar(royal court).
Baba’s Control Over the Elements
We shall close this Chapter after describing two incidents showing Baba’s control over the elements. One evening, there was a terrible storm at Shirdi. The sky was overcast with thick black clouds. The winds began to blow fiercely, the clouds roared, lightning began to flash and the rain began to descend in torrents. In a short time, the whole place was flooded with water. All the birds, beasts and men got terribly frightened and they all flocked to the Masjid for shelter. There are many local deities in Shirdi, but none of them came to their aid. So they all prayed to Baba−their God− to intercede and quell the storm. Baba was deeply moved. He came out and, standing at the edge of the Masjid, addressed the storm in a loud and thunderous voice, “Stop! Stop your fury and be calm!” In a few minutes, the rains subsided, the winds ceased to blow and the storm came to a halt. Then the moon rose in the sky and the people went back home relieved
On another occasion, at noon, the fire in the Dhuni(the fire Baba kept burning all day) began to burn brightly and its flames were seen to be reaching the rafters above. The people who were sitting in the Masjid did not know what to do. They dared not ask Baba to pour water or do anything to quench the flames. But Baba soon came to realize what was happening. He took His Satka (short stick) and dashed it against a pillar in front of Him, saying, “Get down! Be calm!” With each stroke of the Satka, the flames began to burn less fiercely and in a few minutes, the Dhuni became calm and normal.
This is our Sai, an Incarnation of God; He will bless any man who prostrates and surrenders before Him. He, who reads the stories of this Chapter daily with faith and devotion, will soon be free from all calamities. He will also, always be attached and devoted to Sai; He will very soon attain divine vision, all his desires will be fulfilled and thus being ultimately desire-less, he will attain the Supreme Abode.
Bow to Shri Sai — Peace be to all