SHRI SAI SATCHARITA THE WONDERFUL LIFE AND TEACHINGS SHRI SAI BABA SHIRDI We feel the greatest pleasure in offering the Sai Satcharita in the English garb to the devotees of Shri Sai Baba and to the public in general. Ever since the mahasamadhi of Sai Baba in 1918, and ever since the sanctioning of the plan for the management of the Shirdi Sansthan of Sai Baba by the District Court of Ahmednagar in 1921, the committee, formed under the plan, has been functioning and doing the management of all aspects of the Sansthan, including the arrangement for the worship of the shrine and the celebration of the annual festival etc. Reports are being published month by month and year by year in the columns of ‘Sai Leela’ magazine, which is published by the Sansthan. We think, however, that the main estate of the Sansthan consists, not in the property, both movable and immovable, but in the precious immortal teachings and leelas of Shri Sai Baba. The entire committee think it their chief duty to guard and cherish this invaluable estate and make this treasure available to the general public. The Origin and Accumulation of this Estate While Sai Baba was living in the flesh, He was personally imparting His teachings and spiritual instructions, partly by His spoken words, and mainly by His deeds (leelas). To collect these previous teachings and to put them in a durable and available form by publishing them in a book, was a hard and stupendous task, but Sai Baba, in His mysterious ways, got it done. He inspired Mr. Annasaheb Dabholkar (Hemadpant) to write the Shri Sai Satcharita and showered him with His grace and blessings (Vide Chapter II). Under Baba’s loving guidance, Hemadpant collected the stories (leelas) of Sai Baba by keeping notes, which he then began to publish after Baba’s mahasamadhi in 1918. The work was published in seriatim in ‘Sai Leela’ magazine. It was commenced in 1923 and finished in 1930. As this work was undertaken and finished under the express direction, guidance and grace of Sai Baba, this has become the Veda of His devotees. Shri Sai Baba is considered to be an incarnation of God Dattatreya. Two of the first incarnations of this deity were (1) Shri Shripada Shrivallabha and (2) Shri Narasimha Saraswati. The miracles and teachings of these two incarnations are described by the devotee Saraswati Gangadhar in the well known Marathi work, Shri Gurucharita. The leelas of Shri Sai Baba, the present incarnation, have been likewise chronicled by Hemadpant in his equally famous Shri Sai Satcharita. The devotees of Sai Baba consider this work to be the modern form of Shri Gurucharita and regard its parayan (study) equally meritorious and efficacious. Fame of Sai Baba Sai Baba first came to Shirdi - no one knows from where - about the year 1854 when He was a lad of sixteen. He lived there for about three years, then disappeared for some time, and again returned to Shirdi with Chand Patil’s marriage party in about 1858. He remained in Shirdi for sixty years until His mahasamadhi in 1918. During this long period, He never stirred out of Shirdi krosh (limits) to any outside place. Occasionally, He used to visit Rahata, which was south of Shirdi, or Neemgaon to the north, the two villages being only about three miles from Shirdi. In the beginning, He was not well known outside these villages. Only the people who came in contact with Him and had experiences with Him, knew and revered Him. One of Sai Baba’s closest devotees, Nanasaheb Chandorkar, came to Shirdi in about the year 1892, and after him, another great devotee, Das Ganu Maharaj. Both these devotees spread the fame of Sai Baba far and wide in the Konkan and Bombay Presidency, the former by his talks to his friends and acquaintances and the latter by his splendid and invaluable kirtans in various places. Since that time, people from these parts began to flock to Shirdi, thus making it a veritable place of pilgrimage. It was the influence of Nanasaheb Chandorkar that brought Hemadpant to Shirdi in the year 1910. A few years before His mahasamadhi, Sai Baba had predicted that even after His passing away, He will speak through His samadhi (tomb). This prediction, we now find, came out true. Sai Baba seems to be more active (in the matter of communicating with the devotees and giving them experiences) now, than when He was living. During the last fifteen years, His fame has spread far and wide throughout the country. The Genesis of This Work In the English section of ‘Sai Leela’ magazine, some articles about Sai Baba appeared in 1943. Some South Indian devotees wrote to the then editor, Mr. S. N. Kharkar, suggesting that the Shri Sai Satcharita, being in Marathi, was a sealed book to them and that it would be better if the purport of the chapters of that book be published in seriatim in the English section of ‘Sai Leela’. The editor requested Shri N.V. Gunaji to undertake this work and by Sai Baba’s grace, he did it as part of his service to Him. By Baba’s inspiration and guidance, the work was completed by the end of 1944, but owing to the scarcity of paper, as well as the paper control regulations under the Defense of India Rules, the publication was delayed for some time. The committee cordially thanks Mr. N.V. Gunaji, who has rendered lasting service to countless devotees of Shri Sai Baba, in making Baba’s life and teachings available in English to those who do not understand Marathi WHO IS SAI BABA? There are three views regarding the question ‘Who is Sai Baba?’ (1) Many people who are accustomed to perceiving things and people superficially, said that Sai Baba was a mad fakir who lived for many years in a worn out and dilapidated masjid in Shirdi, and who talked at random and extracted money in the form of dakshina from people who went to see Him. This view is quite wrong. To a friend of Mr. R.A.Tarkhadkar who was full of tears when he was taking Sai Baba’s leave at the time of leaving for Bombay, Baba said, “Why do you behave like a madman? Am I not with you there in Bombay?” The friend said, “I know that, but I have no experience of Your being with me there in Bombay.” Thereupon, Sai Baba said that the person who thinks that Baba is in Shirdi only, has yet to understand Baba. Vide p. 308 of ‘Sai Leela’ magazine, dated January 15, 1925. (2) Some people said that Sai Baba was a saint. The Mohammedans took Him for one of their pirs and the Hindus regarded Him as one of their saints. The managers of the festivals celebrated annually at Shirdi refer to Sai Baba in their announcements as the crest jewel of the saints. This view is also not correct, because: (3) Those who knew Sai Baba intimately regarded Him, and regard Him still, as God incarnate. The following are a few examples: 1. Hon. Mr. Justice M.B. Rege, B.A., L.A.B., High Court Judge, Indore, in his forward to Sai Baba’s Sayings and Charters by B.V. Narashimhaswami (page 1-2) says: Baba in the flesh was to his devotees, the embodiment of the supreme spirit, lighting the sadhakas’ path by His words and actions. The mortal body has passed away, but the “Baba” once abiding in it, now lives in the spirit eternal, helping in a silent way. He often helped and gave solace to myriads of His devotees who sought His help while He was in His physical body. 2. A High Court judge from a state in the north made the following statement quoted on page 1 in Devotees’ Experiences by B.V. Narasimhaswami:I look upon Shri Sai Baba as the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. I did so before His mahasamadhi in 1918 and do so now. To me, He is not gone. He exists even now. To me, He had no limitations. Of course, when He was with us, there was the fleshy tabernacle. That was prominently brought to our attention at times. But mostly, the infinite aspect of His was what remained before me. I thought of Him as a mental or spiritual image in which the finite and infinite blended quite perfectly - yet allowing the finite to appear before us at times. Now that the body has been cast off, the infinite Sai Baba alone remains. 3. Professor G.G.Narke, M.A., M.Sc. of the College of Engineering, Poona, made the following statement which was printed on page 10-20 in Devotees’ Experiences by B.V. Narasimhaswami:I have placed Sai Baba amongst the household gods we worship daily at my home. Sai Baba is God, not an ordinary satpurusha. My father-in-law, Mr. Buti, my wife, and my mother, were all great devotees of Sai Baba and worshiped Him as God.At an arati, in my early visit, Sai Baba was in a towering passion. He fumed, cursed and threatened for no visible cause. I doubted if He was a madman (a passing thought I had had). The arati was completed in the usual way. In the afternoon of that day, I went and massaged Baba’s feet and legs. As I did so, He stroked my head and said, “I am not mad.” Lo! He is seeing my heart. Nothing is concealed from him. He is my antaryamin - the inner soul of my soul, I thought. Thenceforward, numerous instances occurred in my own experience of His antaryamitwa. When He talked, he spoke as one seated in my heart, knowing all its thoughts and all its wishes, etc. This is God within.I had no hesitation in deciding that He was God. I tested Him at times and each test produced the same conviction, that He was all knowing and able to mold all things to His will. 4. The Honorable Dadasaheb Khaparde, the famous and learned advocate of Amraoti- Berar, in his introduction to Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi by R.B.M.W. Pradhan (pg 3) wrote:He appeared to know the innermost thoughts of everybody, relieved their wants and provided comforts to all. He fulfilled my idea of God on earth. 5. Shri Das Ganu Maharaj in his Stavanamanjiri (ovi 17) refers to Sai Baba as the Primary Cause of the universe, the Pure Consciousness, the Ever Merciful. 6. Hemadpant referred to Baba in the first chapter of Shri Sai Satcharita as a wonderful saint who ground wheat, but after coming in closer contact, he referred to Him as God or Brahma. (vide - Sai Satcharita, chapter 11 -25, 18-41, 21-126, 31-85, 41-17 etc.) 7. Shirdi devotees, especially Madhavarao Deshpande, alias Shama, who was very intimate with Sai Baba, as well as other devotees from outside, always addressed Sai Baba as Deva (God). We agree in toto with all these devotees and think they are perfectly right. The Doctrine of the Immanence of God Our ancient rishis, the seers of the Upanishads, propounded the doctrine of the Brihadaranyak, Chhandogya, Katha and Shwetashwater Upanishads, that the whole of nature, including all that is living as well as nonliving, (all of which are God’s handiwork), is filled and inspired by the antaryamin, i.e. the Inner Controller and Ruler. If any illustration or proof be needed to prove this doctrine, it is Shri Sai Baba. If the reader reads carefully the Shri Sai Satcharita and other Sai literature, he will experience the real Sai Baba. Life History of Shri Sai Baba Sai Baba’s Fame Rare is the man living in this country (India) who does not know Sai Baba. Ever since His advent in Shirdi about the year 1838, He has been giving a wide variety of spiritual, moral and physical experiences to many people, both during His lifetime in a physical body, and as He predicted, after His mahasamadhi as well. From these various accounts, it seems Sai Baba is more alive and active now than when He was living in a physical form. His fame continues to spread throughout the country, and His devotees are increasing day by day. Everyone is anxious to read of His leelas (experiences) and to know everything about Him and His exceptional life. Baba’s Birth, Birthplace, Parents etc. We are indeed unfortunate as no one knew or knows about Sai Baba’s birth, birthplace, parents etc. No one has definitely ascertained where Baba was born, in what family, or of which parents. Many devotees used to ask Baba about these questions, but they never got straight replies. When pressed too much, Baba said that He came from Naurangabad and that He was in His mama’s house and His name was Nasatya. Once, He received a summons to attend the Dhulia Magistrate’s Court to testify against a thief who had stolen some jewels. When Baba was asked by the magistrate about His own personal background, He replied evasively, merely telling them that He is called Sai Baba, His guru was Venkusa, His creed or religion was Kabir, and His caste or race was parvardigar (God). Chief of the Nath Panchayatan It is said that a few centuries ago there was a Daspanchayatan (group of five saints) consisting of Samarth Ramdas, Jayaramswami, Ranganathswami, Keshavswami and Anandmurthi. Similarly, it is said that there was Nath Panchayatan in those days, consisting of Madhavnath, Shri Satguru Sainath, Dhundiraj Palusi, Gajananmaharaj of Shegaum and Gopaldas (Narsingmaharaj) of Nasik. They all worked together by inner control or force (vide Madhavnath Deipprakash 22-109.110.) Mr. Suman Sundar has also written about this in ‘Sai Leela’ magazine vol. 19 no. 7-9, wherein he says that Sai Nath (Baba) was greatly respected in this Panchayatan and was referred to as Triloknath and Kohinoor by Madhavnath. Choice of Shirdi To some, why Baba chose Shirdi, which was a small hamlet of Rahata, (District Ahmednagar) for His residence was a problem, but thinking a little more intently, we find that this is really no problem at all. Baba described His guru as follows: He brought Me up. There was no dearth of food and clothing. He was full of love, nay He was love incarnate. He loved Me most. Rare is a guru like Him. He was My sole refuge. My mind was always fixed on Him From this statement it is clear what extraordinary love Baba had for His guru. It seems that the incognito period of His life was spent with His guru practicing tapas. There is indication that at some point Baba’s guru left Him, leaving Baba to continue His tapas. Then, in Baba’s sixteenth or seventeenth year, He commenced making inquiries about the whereabouts of His guru or His samadhi, and in that search, He came to Shirdi. There, He was observed by the mother of Nana Chopdar who first saw Him under the neem tree (vide Shri Sai Satcharita chapter IV) in front of what is now Sathe’s wada. Baba lived there for some time and then left, returning three or four years later with Chand Patil’s marriage party. Thus, Sai Baba lived in Shirdi near His guru’s padukas until His mahasamadhi. After His second advent in Shirdi with Chand Patil’s marriage party, Baba lived in the limelight with men and women devotees, officers, and all types of people. His later life is known to all, the details of which are carefully described in ‘Sai Leela’ magazine as well as in the Shri Sai Satcharita. Thus, no further details are deemed necessary in this description. WILL BE CONTINUE TOMMOROW
Posted on: Mon, 05 Jan 2015 03:42:42 +0000
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