Shri Sai Sat Charitra-Chapter XXVIII-Part I

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Preliminary

Sai is not finite or limited. He dwells in all beings, from ants and insects to Lord Brahma. He pervades all.

Sai Ram. To me, He gave the meaning of SAI as an acronym: Spiritual, Absolute and Infinite. The Self or Spirit pervades throughout the universe and probably beyond. When Maya clouds our vision, He helps us to overcome it and realise our own true nature by manifesting in the form of Gods and Gurus, including the 'Mad Fakir' at Shirdi. Sai Ram.

Sai was well-versed in the knowledge of the Vedas, as well as in the science of Self-realisation. As He was proficient in both these, He was well-fitted to be the Sad-guru. Any one, though learned, but not able to awaken the disciples and establish them in Self-realisation, does not deserve to be called a Sadguru. Generally the father gives birth to the body, and death invariably follows life; but Sadguru does away with both life and death, and so he is more kind and merciful, than any body.

Sai Ram. Sai never claimed any knowledge of Vedas and never claimed that He was self realised in the sense that He was not demonstrative of the fact. But because of his total lack of ego, He could help all seekers to see beyond the limitations of their egos. When they were ready, Sai gave the right instruction. Sai Ram.

Sai Baba often said that-let His man (Devotee) be at any distance, a thousand koss away from Him, he will be drawn to Shirdi like a sparrow, with a thread tied to its feet. This Chapter describes the stories of three such sparrows.

Sai Ram. It is said that when the disciple is ready, the Guru Himself comes. Or the disciple is pulled to the Guru. The above statement is in conformity with that. I too was pulled to His feet in 1998, though He was working on my ego-refinement for ages! The Master guides and corrects too. Sai Ram.

Lala Lakhmichand

This gentleman was first serving in the Railways and afterwards in Shri Venkateshwar Press in Bombay and thereafter in the firm of Messrs. Ralli Brothers as a munshi (clerk). He got the contact of Baba in 1910. One or two months before Christmas he saw in his dream at Santacruz (a suburb of Bombay) an old man with a beard standing, surrounded by his Bhaktas. Some days later he went to the house of his friend. Mr Dattatreya Manjunath Bijur to hear the kirtan by Das Ganu. It was always the practice of Das Ganu to keep Baba's picture in front of the audience during the kirtan.

Lakhmichand was surprised to see that the features of the old man he saw in his dream, tallied exactly with those in the picture and thus he came to the conclusion, that the old man, he saw in his dream was Sai Baba himself. The sight of this picture, Das Ganu's kirtan and the life of Saint Tukaram on which Das Ganu discoursed, made a deep impression on his mind and he pined to go to Shirdi. It is always the experience of the Bhaktas that God always helps them in their search for Sad-guru and other spiritual endeavours.

Sai Ram. That is true and has been experienced by many devotees including your humble servant here. Sai Ram.

That very night at 8-00 p.m. a friend named Shankarrao knocked at his door and asked him whether he would accompany him to Shirdi. His joy knew no bounds and he at once decided to go to Shirdi. He borrowed Rs.15/- from his cousin and after making due preparations left for Shirdi. In the train, he and his friend Shankar Rao sang some Bhajan (sang religious songs) and enquired about Sai Baba with some fellow passengers, four Mahomedans, who were returning to their place near Shirdi. They all told them that Sai Baba was a great Saint living in Shirdi for many years. Then when they reached Kopergaon he wanted to buy some good guavas for offering to Baba, but he was so much enthralled with the scenery and sights there, that he forgot to purchase them.

When they were nearing Shirdi, he was reminded of the guavas; just then he saw an old woman with a guava-basket on her head, running after the tanga. The tanga was stopped and he gladly purchased some select fruits, when the woman said - "Take all the rest and offer them on my behalf to Baba". The facts viz. that he had intended to purchase guavas, but that he had forgotten to do so, the old woman's encounter and her devotion for Baba, all these were a surprise to both the friends; and Lakhmichand thought, that the old woman might be some relation of the old man he saw in his dream. When they neared Shirdi they caught sight of the flags on the Masjid and they saluted them. With Puja materials in hand, they then went to the Masjid and worshipped Baba with due formality. Lakhmichand was much moved and was extremely happy to see Baba. He was drwan to Baba's Feet as a bee with a sweet smelling lotus.

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all