Shri Sai Satcharitra - Chapter 7, Part II

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Behaviour of Sai Baba

Fool that I am, I cannot describe Baba's miracles. He got almost all the temples in Shirdi repaired. Through Tatya Patil, the temples of Shani, Ganapati, Shankar-Parvati, Village Deity, and Maruti were put in order.

Sai Ram. Baba got all the temples repaired. And His devotees got the old and dilapidated Masjid repaired. It is the mutual Seva. Baba never claimed that He was God, He was always most humble and was an exemplary devotee. Just like a leader should first be a follower. Sai Ram.

His charity was also remarkable. The money He used to collect as Dakshina was freely distributed, Rs.20 to some, Rs.15 or 50, to others everyday. The recipients thought that this was 'pure' charity money, and Baba wished that it should be usefully employed.

Sai Ram. Baba showed absolutely no attachment to money. He collected large sums as Dakshina and gave liberally to some people. At the end of each day, He used to again revert to the stage of a pauper, a poor Fakir. Sai Ram.

Having a darshana of Baba immensely benefited people. Some became hale and hearty; wicked people were turned into good ones. Kushtha (Leprosy) was cured in some cases, many got their desires fulfilled, without any drops or medicine being put in the eyes, some blind men got back their sight and some lame ones got their legs. Nobody could see the end of His extraordinary greatness. His fame spread far and wide, and pilgrims from all sides flocked to Shirdi. Baba sat always near the Dhuni and eased Himself there, and always sat in meditation, sometimes with and on other times without a bath.

The darshan or sparshan (touch) or any other Sangatya (Company) - including remembering them, reading about them like here, of great Saints is never without benefit. So, all devotees who came into contact with Baba also got benefited. Depending on their merits of the past birth, they could come into contact with Him and their demerits, sins, got burnt down like dry grass in fire. So, poor became rich, ill people became well and minds were purified. Sai Ram.

He used to tie a white turban on his head; and wear a clean Dhotar round his waist, and a shirt on his body. This was his dress in the beginning. He started practicing medicine in the village, examined patients and gave medicines. He was always successful, and He became famous as a Hakim (Doctor). A curious case may be narrated here. One devotee got his eye balls quite red and swollen. No Doctor was available in Shirdi. The other devotees took him to Baba. Other Doctors would use ointments, Anjans, cow's milk and camphorated drugs etc., in such cases. Baba's remedy was quite unique. He pounded some 'BEEBA' (Some Carpus Ana Cardium i.e. marking nuts) and made two balls of them, thrust them on in each eye of the patient and wrapped a cloth-bandage round them (eyes). Next day, the bandage was removed and water was poured over them in a stream. The inflammation subsided and the pupils became white and clear. Though the eyes are very delicate, the BEEBA caused no smarting; but removed the disease of the eyes. Many such cases were cured and this is only an instance in point.

Sai Ram. Initially Baba was giving herbs and other medicines to draw people to Him and to increase their faith in Him. Later, when the faith of the devotees became strong enough, He stopped giving any such medicines and His touch and His Udhi were sufficient, and the healing took place by His grace. So, even when He was not physically present, He could help people and save. One such incident where Baba saved a small child and allowed His hand to get burnt (He was probably against disappointing Fire God of His food!) is described in this chapter. Sai Ram.

Baba's Yoga Practices

Baba knew all the processes and practices of Yoga. Two of them will be described here:

(1) DHAUTI or CLEANING PROCESS: Baba went to the well near a Banyan tree at a considerable distance from the Masjid every third day and washed his mouth and had a bath. On one occasion, He was seen to vomit out his intestines, clean them inside and outside and place them on a Jamb tree for drying. There are persons in Shirdi, who have actually seen this, and who have testified to this fact. Ordinary Dhauti is done by a moistened piece of linen, 3 inches broad 22 1/2ft. long. This piece is gulped down the throat and allowed to remain in the stomach for about half an hour for being reacted there and then taken out. But Baba's Dhauti was quite unique and extraordinary. Sai Ram. These extraordinary feats testify to Baba's training over several births and His discipleship under a great Master. But they should not be emulated or learnt for the sake of yogic powers, Siddhis etc., since that would be a diversion from the path of true Yoga, which is unification of our awareness with the Highest Self. Sai Ram.

(2) KHANDA YOGA: In this practice, Baba extracted the various limbs from His body, and left them separately at different places in the Masjid. Once, a gentleman went to the Masjid, and saw the limbs of Baba lying separately at separate places. He was much terrified; and he first thought of running to the village officers, and informing them of Baba being hacked to pieces and murdered. He thought that he would be held responsible, as he was the first informant, and knew something of the affair. So he kept silent. But next day when he went to the masjid, he was very much surprised to see Baba, hale and hearty and sound, as before. He thought, that what he had seen the previous day, was only a dream.

Sai Ram. Baba was not only showing His great yogic powers in this instance but was conveying a great spiritual truth. Initially, He was only one, but became many and finally, the Many return to the One. The water drops leave the ocean, form into clouds, rain down upon earth, become rivers, streams etc. and finally rejoin the ocean. All creation is from energy and all creation returns to energy as per modern science too. Baba was showing this in His own inimitable way. Sai Ram.

Baba practiced Yoga since, His infancy and nobody knew or guessed the proficiency He attained. He charged no fees for His cures. He became renowned and famous by virtue of His merits and gave health to many a poor and suffering person. This famous Doctor of doctors cared not for His interests, but always worked for the good and welfare of others, Himself suffering unbearable and terrible pain many a time in the process. One such instance, I give below, which will show the all-pervasive and most merciful character of Sai Baba.

Baba's All-pervasiveness and Mercy

In the year 1910 A.D., Baba was sitting near the Dhuni on Divali day and warming Himself. He was pushing the firewood into the Dhuni, which was brightly burning. A little later, instead of pushing logs of woods, Baba pushed His arm into the Dhuni; the arm was scorched and burnt immediately. This was noticed by the servant Madhava, and also by Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama). They at once ran to Baba and Madhavarao clasped Baba by His waist from behind and dragged Him forcible back ward and asked, "Deva, for what have you done this?" Then Baba came to His senses and replied, "The wife of a blacksmith at some distant place, was working the bellows of a furnace; her husband called her. Forgetting that her child was on her waist, she ran hastily and the child slipped into the furnace. I immediately thrust my hand into the furnace and saved the child. I do not mind my arm being burnt, but I am glad that the life of the child is saved."

Sai Ram. We learnt (and we will be seeing in the future chapters too) that Baba had full control over all the elements. So, why did He allow His hand to be burnt? He could have saved the child just by His will, isn't it? Yes. But then He had two intentions. One, He wanted to tell His devotees that they should not mind injury to their body when they are trying to save some one else. Body consciousness is a big obstacle in the path of spirituality. So, Baba was demonstrating that one should get rid of body consciousness. Secondly, He wanted to provide an opportunity to the leper devotee Bhagoji Shinde, to serve Him as given below. Let us remember Baba's words on that occasion: "Forgetting that her child was on her waist, she ran hastily and the child slipped into the furnace. I immediately thrust my hand into the furnace and saved the child. I do not mind my arm being burnt, but I am glad that the life of the child is saved." Baba was mentioning that, even if we forget about something, He doesn't and He always protects the devotees. Sai Ram.

Pujya Shri B.V.Narasimha Swamyji has documented similar incidents of Baba helping His devotees at far off places without ever leaving His place in Shirdi in "Devotees' experiences". All these incidents were Baba's efforts to show us that He was beyond the constraints of space and time. And that He was not confined to His body. These miracles were performed with the sole intention of strengthening our Faith in Him, so that our ego becomes humble and the Teli's (Oil Grocer, Business man, a Sadhaka in early stages who still looks for karma phala, the rewards for his efforts) wall between Sai and us is broken down (Sai's advice to a Sadhaka in a later chapter). Sai Ram.