Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

The Lord fulfilled His word given to the then Arjunas some 5230 years ago when He descended again as Sathyanarayana Raju to be known later as Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Probably He waited for all these years for the yearning of His devotees over the ages and prayers of the virtuous to reach a crescendo as the 'amsavatars' (partial incarnation) that came in between did only partial fulfilment of the vow of Dharmasthapana (establishment of Dharma or Righteousness) during their sojourn on limited roles. The task by any standard was so enormous that the advent of a Poornavathar (complete fulsome and perfect incarnation) with all the accompanying powers became imminent.

He came to walk on the earth this time not with a bow and arrows, nor a flute and a discus; not as a powerful prince of prowess and statesmanship nor a kingmaker, but much much more than that since the battles to be fought and won are on the intellectual plane. Physical prowess and conventional warfare have to take a back seat this time. Their place is taken by penetrating powerful words of wisdom and disarming Pure Love, the splendour and majesty remaining the same as a rule. The assurance given more than five thousand years ago at the beginning of the Kali Yuga thus became fulfilment on the 23rd of November 1926 when the present Avatar Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born at Puttaparthi, an insignificant underdeveloped remote village in the Anantapur District of Andhra Pradesh.

It will look strange, yet interesting to note that the early part of the Yugavathars, be it Sri Rama, Sri Krishna or Sri Sathya Sai, was bristled with the onslaught of opposing evil forces either as ogres, demons and brutes or as powerful asuric (demonic) forces in the guise of kings and kinsmen, or in their modern version of exorcists, critics and carpers. If the earlier ones were met, subdued and killed with arrows and the discus, the present ones are mellowed and subdued by Wisdom and Love. Love is the greatest weapon of the present Avatar before which any powerful enemy kneels in utter submission.

Like His previous avatars, this time also He chose His father and mother for His earthly career. The choice fell on Pedda Venkappa Raju of the Ratnakaram family and Mother Easwaramma, whose lives were sanctified and glorified for posterity to remember. Motherhood received a greater measure of respect and honour, which was probably its due. What He could not (or did not?) do for Mother Kausalya in the Thretha (the Age when Sri Rama Avatar incarnated), He fulfilled in the Dwapara (the Age when Sri Krishna Avatar incarnated), and what still remained, in Kali Yuga (present age). If Mother Kausalya had to suffer pain and agony at the separation of Rama while He was in exile, it was amply compensated when Mother Devaki and Vasudeva were emancipated from the clutches of his uncle, the devilish Kamsa. He also gave joy and Grace to Mother Yashoda by making her His foster mother. So the fortune of one was divided for the two as both - chosen by Him only - deserved that grace. Yet, He was not satisfied in rewarding them. Perhaps He chose two more this time - mother Easwaramma as His Devaki and mother Subbamma as His Yashoda. How fortunate these mothers are! Their names are in gold in human history.
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Baba Saved a Woman from Death

In 1927. a husband and wife were returning home after celebrating Ramanavami at Shirdi, The wife got down at Thana railway Station to fetch water and just when with a water full vessel, she was boarding the train, the train started and the woman fell down under the train. The husband and other passengers combined shouted to the guard to stop the train. They feared, the woman must have been crushed under the wheels as the train having started already stopped Only after it had gone some distance. They ran up to the spot of accident; to their utter amazement they saw the woman standing there uninjured. In reply to the enquiry to all, "the woman said as soon as I fell I remembered Baba. He at once appeared, stood in front of me pressed me hard against the platform till the train passed away and saved me. Baba disappeared as soon as the train left the platform. What sort of Body, Baba had assumed to save this woman ? One can hardly know for usually there is no room enough to stand for two persons between the train wheels and the platform, and yet what is not possible to a superman like Baba? Surrender Shri Sai Completely !! Stupendous Delectation and Deliverance be there !!

(Adopted from  101 stories of Sai Baba after his Mahasamadhi as published in the rare book Ambrosia in Shridi by Sri Ramalingaswamy)
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Shri Sai Satcharitra

The Life Story of Shirdi Sai Baba
Chapter 10

Sai Baba's Mode of Life - His Sleeping - board - His Stay in Shirdi - His Teachings - His Humility - The Easiest Path.

Remember Him (Sai Baba) always with love, for He was engrossed in doing good to all, and always abided in His Self. To remember Him only is to solve the riddle of life and death. This is the best and easiest of Sadhanas, as it involves no expenditure. A little exertion here brings great rewards. So as long as our senses are sound, we should, minute my minute, practice this Sadhana. All other Gods are illusory ; Guru is the only God. If we believe in Sad-guru's holy feet, he can change our fortune for the better. If we serve Him nicely, we get rid of our Samsar. We need not study any philosophy like the Nyaya and the Mimansa. If we make Him our Helmsman, we can easily cross over the sea of all our pains and sorrows. As we trust the helmsman in crossing rivers and seas, so we have to trust our Sadguru in getting over the ocean of worldly existence. The Sadguru looks to the intense feeling and devotion of his devotees, endows them with knowledge and eternal bliss.

In the last chapter, Baba's mendicancy, and devotees' experiences and other subjects are dealt with. Let the readers now hear, where and how Baba lived, how He slept, and how He taught etc.

Baba's Wonderful Bed-Stead
Let us first see where and how Baba slept, Mr. Nanasaheb Dengale brought, for Sai Baba, a wooden plank, amount 4 cubits in length and only a span in breath, for sleeping upon. Instead of keeping the plank on the floor and then sleeping on it, Baba tied it like a swing to the rafters of the Masjid with old shreds or rags and commenced to sleep upon it. The rags were so thin and worn out that it was a problem how they could bear or support even weight of the plank itself, let alone the weight of Baba. But somehow or other-it was Baba's sheer Leela that the worn out rags did sustain the plank, with the weight of Baba on it. On the four corners of this plank, Baba lighted panatis (earthen lamps), one at each corner, and kept them burning the whole night. It was a sight for the Gods to see Baba sitting or sleeping on this plank! It was a wonder to all, how Baba got up and down the plank. Out of curiosity, many careful observers kept watching the process of mounting and dismounting, but none succeeded. As crowds began to swell so to detect this wonderful feat, Baba one day broke the plank into pieces and threw it away. Baba had all the eight Siddhis (powers) at His command. He never practiced nor craved for them. They came to Him naturally, as a result of His perfection.

Sagun Manifestation of Brahman
Though Sai Baba looked like a man, three cubits and a half in length, still He dwelt in the hearts of all. Inwardly, he was unattached and indifferent, but outwardly, He longed for public welfare. Inwardly most disinterested, He looked outwardly full of desires, for the sake of His devotees. Inwardly an abode of peace, he looked outwardly restless. Inwardly He had the state of Brahman, outwardly He acted like a devil. Inwardly He had the state of Brahman, outwardly he acted like a devil. Inwardly He loved Adwaita (union or monism), outwardly He got entangled with the world. Sometimes He looked on all with affection, and at times He threw stones at them; sometimes He scolded them, while at times He embraced them and was calm, composed, tolerant and well-balanced. He always abided and was engrossed in the Self and was well-disposed towards His Bhaktas. He always sat on one Asan and never travelled. His 'band' was a small stick, which He always carried in His hand. He was calm, being thought-free. He never cared for wealth and fame and lived on begging. Such a life He led. He always uttered 'Allah Malik' (God the real owner). Entire and unbroken was His love for the Bhaktas. He was the mine or store-house for self-knowledge and full of Divine Bliss. Such was the Divine Form of Sai Baba, boundless, endless and undifferentiated. One principle which envelopes the whole universe, (from a stone pillar to Brahma) incarnated in Sai Baba. The really meritorious and fortunate people got this treasure-trove in their hands, while those people who not knowing the real worth of Sai Baba took or take Him to be a man, a mere human being, were and are indeed miserable.

His Stay in Shirdi and Probable Birth-date
None knew or knows the parents and exact birth-date of Sai Baba; but it can be approximately determined by His stay in Shirdi. Baba first came to Shirdi, when he was a young lad of sixteen and stayed there for three years. Then all of a sudden He disappeared for some time. After some time, He reappeared in the Nizam state near Aurangabad, and again came to Shirdi with the marriage-party of Chand Patil, when He was twenty years old. Since then, He stayed in Shirdi continuously for a period of sixty years, after which Baba took His Maha-Samadhi in the year 1918. From this we can say that the year of Baba's birth is approximately 1838 A.D.

Baba's Mission and Advice
Saint Ramadas (1608-1681) flourished in the 17th century, and fulfilled to a great extent his mission of protecting cows and Brahmins against the Yavanas (Mahomedans), but within two centuries after him, the split between the two communities -- Hindus and Mahomedans widened again, and Sai Baba came to bridge the gulf. His constant advice to all was to this effect. "Rama (the God of the Hindus) and Rahim (the God of the Mahomedans) were one and the same; there was not the slightest difference between them; then why should their devotees and quarrel among themselves? You ignorant folk, children, join hands and bring both the communities together, act sanely and thus you will gain your object of national unity. It is not good to dispute and argue. So don't argue, don't emulate others. Always consider your interest and welfare. The Lord will protect you. Yoga, sacrifice, penance, and knowledge are the means to attain God. If you do not succeed in this by any means, vain is your birth. If any one does any evil unto you, to do not retaliate. If you can do anything, do some good unto other." This in short was Sai Baba's advice to all; and this will stand in good stead both in material and spiritual matters.

Sai Baba as Sadguru
There are Gurus and Gurus. There are many so-called Gurus, who go about from house to house with cymbals and veena in their hands, and make a show of their spirtituality. They blow mantras into the ears of their disciples and extract money from them. They profess to teach piety and religion to their disciples, but are themselves impious and irreligious. Sai Baba never thought of making the least show of His worth (piety). Body-consciousness, He had none, but He had great love for the disciples. There are two kinds of Gurus (1) 'Niyat' (appointed or fixed) and (2) 'Aniyat' unappointed or general). The latter by their advice develop the good qualities in us, purify our hearts and set us on the path of salvation; but contact with the former, dispels our quality (sense of difference); and estalishes us in Unity by making us realize "Thou art that". There are various Gurus imparting to us various kinds of wordly knowledge, but he, who fixes us in our Nature (Self) and carries us beyond the ocean of worldly existence, is the Sadguru. Sai Baba was such a Sadguru. His greatness is undescribable. If anybody went to take His darshana, he, without being asked, would give every detail of his past, present and future life. He saw Divinity in all beings. Friends and foes were alike to Him. Disinterested and equal-balanced, He obliged the evil-doers. He was the same in prosperity and adversity. No doubt, ever touched Him. Though He possessed the human body, He was not in the least attached to His body or house. Though He looked embodied, He was really disembodied, i.e., free in this every life.

Blessed are the people of Shirdi, who worshipped Sai as their God. While eating, drinking, working in their backyards and fields and doing various household works, they always remembered Sai and sang His glory. They knew no other God except Sai. What to speak of the love, the sweetness of the love, of the women of Shirdi! They were quite ignorant, but their pure love inspired them to compose poems or songs in their simple rural language. Letters or learning they had none, still one can discern real poetry in their simple songs. It is not intelligence, but love, that inspires real poetry as such. Real poetry is the manifestation of true love; and this can be seen and appreciated by intelligent listeners. Collection of these folk songs is desirable and Baba willing, some fortunate devotee may undertake the task of collecting and publishing these folk-songs, either in the Sai Leela magazine or separately in a book-form.

Baba's Humility
Lord or Bhagwan is said to have six qualities, viz. (1) Fame, (2) Wealth, (3) Non-attachment, (4) Knowledge, (5) Grandeur, and (6) Generosity. Baba had all these in Him. He incarnated in flesh for the sake of the Bhaktas. Wonderful was His grace and kindness! He drew the devotees to Him, or how else one could have known Him! For the sake of His Bhaktas Baba spoke such words, as the Goddness of Speech dare not utter. Here is a specimen. Baba spoke very humbly as follows:- "Slave of slaves I am your debtor, I am satisfied at your darshan. It is a great favour that I saw your feet. I am an insect in your excreta. I consider Myself blessed thereby". What humility is this? If anybody would think that by publishing this, any disrespect is shown to Sai, we beg His pardon and to atone for this we sing and chant Baba's name.

Though Baba seemed outwardly to enjoy sense-objects, he had not the least flavour in them, nor even the consciousness of enjoying them. Though He ate, he had no taste and though He saw, He never felt any interest in what He saw. Regarding passion, He was as perfect a celibate as Hanuman. He was not attached to anything. He was pure consciousness, the resting place of desire, anger, and other feelings. In short, He was disinterested, free and perfect. A striking instance may be citied in illustration of this statement.

Nanavalli
There was in Shirdi, a very quaint and queer fellow, by name Nanavalli. He looked to Baba's work and affairs. He once approached Baba who was seated on His Gadi (seat) and asked Him to get up, as he wanted to occupy the same. Baba at once got up and left the seat, which he occupied. After sitting there awhile Nanavalli got up, and asked Baba to take His seat. Then Baba sat on the seat and Nanavalli fell at His feet, and then went away. Baba did not show the slightest displeasure in being dictated to and ousted.

This Nanavalli loved Baba so much that he breathed his last, on the thirteenth day of Baba's taking Maha-Samadhi.

The Easiest Path
Hearing the stories of the Saints and Being in their Company:

Though Sai Baba acted outwardly like an ordinary man, His actions showed extraordinary intelligence and skill. Whatever He did, was done for the good of His devotees. He never prescribed any asan, regulation of breathing or any rites to His Bhaktas, nor did He blow any mantra into their ears. He told them to leave off all cleverness and always remember "Sai" "Sai". "If you did that" He said, "all your shackles would be removed and you would be free". Sitting between five fires, sacrifices, chantings, eight-fold Yoga are possible for the Brahmins only. They are of no use to the other classes. The function of the mind is to think, it cannot remain for a minute without thinking. If you give it a Sense-object, it will think about it. If you give it to a Guru, it will think about Guru. You have heard most attentively the greatness, grandeur of Sai. This is the natural remembrance, worship and Kirtan of Sai. Hearing the stories of the Saints is not so difficult, as the other Sadhanas mentioned above. They (stories) remove all fear of this Samsar (worldly existence), and take you on to the spiritual path. So listen to these stories, meditate on them, and assimilate them. If this is done, not only the Brahmins, but women and lower clases will get pure and holy.

You may do or attend to your worldy duties, but give your mind to Sai and His stories, and then, He is sure to bless you. This is the easiest path, but why do not all take to it? The reason is that without God's grace, we do not get the desire to listen to the stories of Saints. With God's grace everything is smooth and easy. Hearing the stories of the Saints is, in a way, keeping their company. The importance of the company of Saints is very great. It removes our body-consciousness and egoism, destroys completely the chain of our birth and death, cuts asunder all the knots of the heart, and takes us to God, Who is pure Consciousness. It certainly increases our non-attachment to sense-objects, and makes us quite indifferent to pleasures and pains, and leads us on the spiritual path. If you have no other Sadhana, such as uttering God's name, worship or devotion etc., but if you take refuge in them (Saints) whole-heartedly, they will carry you off safety across the ocean of wordly existence. It is for this reason that the Saint manifest themselves in this world. even sacred rivers such as the Ganges, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri etc., which wash away the sins of the world, desire that the Saints should come to them, for a bath and purify them. Such is the grandeur of the Saints. It is on account of the store of merit in past births that we have attained the feet of Sai Baba.

We conclude this chapter with meditation on Sai's Form. He, the beautiful and handsome Sai, standing on the edge of the Masjid and distributing Udi to each and every Bhakta, with a view to his welfare. He who thinks the world as naught and Who is ever engrossed in Supreme Bliss -- before Him -- we humbly prostrate ourselves.

Introducing Shri Shirdi Sai Baba

- (Late) Dr. RS.R. Swami

I give my children what they want so that they will begin to want what I want to give them."

"People do not come to me of their own accord, but I draw them to me as we draw birds by strings tied to their legs."

"Why fear when I am here? Throw your burdens upon me and I will bear them."

The above are some of the answers given by Baba in reply to questions of devotees when He walked on the earth as a human embodiment. They give us an idea about Him and the manner of His functioning. He was Grace incarnate and the greatest boon He conferred on those who sought Him was ABHAYA-heedom from fear. He used His divine powers viz. 'Yathaa Samkalpa Samsiddhih 'i.e. realising whatever one wants, and Tasya Cha Aajna Yathaa Mamah' i.e. getting one's command obeyed universally (vide Srimad Bhaaghavata) for the awakening (UDBODHAN) and upliftment of devotees by stages according to each one's capacity depending on 'rinanubandha' (residual after-effects of previous births) to rise through material advancement of directly on to Spiritual enlightenment.

People came to Him in small numbers at first from the neighbourhood and ere long in ever increasing numbers from far flung places. It might be as a result of a vision or a dream, initiation or prompting provided sub-consciously, or super-consciously, or a message conveyed through a friend or even another divinely at-ONE-ment Saint like the Akalkot Maharaj vibrating in unison directing a person to go to Shirdi, or in rare and blessed instances, Baba Himself appearing as the incarnation at Shirdi or as some fakir or Sadhu to render timely help in ire need and disappear leaving it to the person concerned to realise post facto either when he beheld a photo of Baba or a lucky coincidental visit to Shirdi en route to some place, when to the consternation of the person himself and the assembled devotees, Baba referred to the occasion of His visit with exact details. Not unoften, His visits were simultaneous at widely separated places. At other times He appeared as a dog or cat and later gave proof by exhibiting on His body traces of the injury inflicted on the animals by them. He proved both from His knowledge of past births and objectively how the relationship between Him and some chosen devotees had continued through successive births in some of which the latter were born even as lower mammals, reptiles or amphibians. He modified or completely obviated impending danger from various sources including the elements in respect of His devotees in answer to prayer or as a rule of His own volition as 'Bhaktha Paraadina'. The frantic gestures He used to make all of a sudden, waving His hands, hitting at imaginary Objects or shouting abuses, used to mystify those present at the old mosque where He stayed till, after calming down; He explained how they symbolised His efforts at putting down a fire, preventing a fateful fall or an attack by robbers or a poisonous bite bound to prove fatal and thus saving a devotee far away. Not till the concerned persons happened to visit Shirdi and narrated before Baba how they were saved by the appearance of a Good Samaritan at the nick of time or some such unexpected help did the people resident at Shirdi and were witness to those symbolic gestures realise the divine aspect of Baba. How truly did Robert Oppenheimer' aver that 'Symbolism is more real than fact'. He demonstrated beyond all doubt that He had nothing to do with the body they identified Him with by leaving the body for three days on one occasion (1886 Dasara) saying He was going to Allah* and if He did not return to the body duly, they were to bury it at certain spot. But He did return to re-animate it and let it house Him for another 32 years.

Baba granted a charter of boons to His devotees. Chief among them are His promises that He will continue to act from the tomb and the bones in it will speak and answer their prayers. To this day they are TRUE and continuing to find fulfilment from day-to-day and place to place. The writer, among thousands, is standing proof to bear testimony to this ETERNAL TRUTH of the incredible coming to pass and be experienced again and again, as the forthcoming chapters will prove beyond the faintest ray of doubt. Miracles continue to be worked as they happened before He shook off the mortal coil on the Vijaya Dasami day in 1918, after He Had announced this well in advance. The dead come back to life, the dumb speak, the blind see, the incurable are healed—in a word the incredible comes to pass in the lives of people among whom the writer claims to be counted as 'twice blest'. He is continuing to manifest Himself now and then to a blessed few as the Incarnate Baba of Shirdi, more often in disguise leaving indirect evidence of His identity and in visions and dreams. As in the blessed days of yore, even now at Shirdi His devotees hail from all races and religions—foreigners, Parsis, Christians, Muslims, Hindus, etc—daily in thousands, swelling into tens of thousands during festival days like Ram Navami, Diwali, Dasara, Guru Poornami, etc. But why Shirdi and not any other place? Because near the old, dilapidated, mud-walled mosque chosen by Baba as His abode lay buried the tomb of His Guru in a previous birth. None knew about it till on His advice they dug and found it at the foot of a neem tree. A nice little shrine is built over it and the leaves of the overshadowing branch of the neem tree do not taste bitter. Though sometimes He passed for a mad fakir, He was nobody's fool. He enjoyed discomfiting others with His own humour and practical jokes through which He elucidated a debatable point of philosophy or ethics. Though seemingly unletterd, He startled highly learned scholars with His erudition making them feel small at intellectual acrobatics. He told them they would find not Brahma but brama (illusion) in books. With such purely human qualities streaking through His divine personality, He endeared Himself all the greater to the common people. Infact, as Emerson says, "The human and divine are not separate, but rather various grades of one continuous series." Shri Ramana Maharshi, even as a pure Jnana Yogi, shared these qualities if in a more subtle manner. Valmiki says of Shri Ramachandra:

Mayamanush charitra mahadeuadi pujitaha

Indeed, "the line separating the sublime and the ridiculous is nebulous".
Was Baba a Hindu or Muslim by birth? According to the hints dropped by him now and then, He was born to Brahmin parents, was brought up and given 'Updesh' (spiritual initiation) by a fakir upto the fifth year and blossomed into spiritual perfection under a fully realised Brahmin Guru-indications of His future work of unification.

"The childhood shows the man, as the morning shows the day".

He was in his teens when he came to Shirdi as a Tejasvin' as all 'Urdhwarethaas' (those whose energy is sublimated in toto) are, at the beginning of the second half of the 19th Century. He gave equal respect to all religions. He said, 'If you are Christian, be a better Christian; if Muslim, a better Muslim; if a Hindu, a better Hindu,' and so on. He admonished one who had changed his religion saying, "Have you changed your father?" He thus inspired his devotees to have a common denominator we are sorely in need of. Is it not an irony of the times that man finds it easier to reach the moon than the heart of his neighbour? Baba seen -from all angles is veily the Beacon Light for the 21st century to save humanity from threatening selfannihilation. To deserve His grace fully, He advised, "Speak the truth. Be kind to the lowly, you need not become a Sadhu, but observe sexual purity." Needless to say one learns to be all this as a result of the unseen guidance provided by Him. But one must be a seeker.

Baba is a unique example of truth being stranger than fiction. For sheer incredibility and the thrill provided, just a couple of instances are worth narrating. One night, on hearing the peculiar croaking of a frog in the jaws of a snake at the edge of a pond near the mosque, He hastens to the spot and angrily shouts, "Hallo Veerabhadrappa come on, release Basappa." In implicit obedience it is done and the frog jumps into the water and escapes. When questioned, Baba says He is continuing to fulfil the promise given to Basappa in a privious birth when He was a fakir to save former from the wrath of Veerabhadrappa. Rinanubandha had brought them all together again. The other is about how he suddenly complains of pain in the loins and sends 'Udhi' (ash from the 'dhuni' He kindled with His yogic fire and kept burning at the mosque and continues to be so kept) through a messenger called Bapu Gir late in the night to be given to a devotee, a Deputy Collector, named Chandorkar about a hundred miles away, to be applied to his daughter Meenutai in the throes of labour. The man traveling by train arrives at Jamner, a way-side station not knowing how to reach the officer miles away in the-interior. Presently, to hi joy and relief, a person in office uniform with a lantern com* on the platform shouting, "Who is Bapu Gir from Shirdi?" Bapu Gir follows him to be seated in a brightly lit coach drawn by white horse with trappings and taken and left in the proximit of Chandorkar's bungalow. The 'Udhi' is received and applied and as if by magic the delivery takes place in a split second! " being told how grateful he is for the timely despacth of the coach to pick him up, the surprised officer says he does not have one It is only then that both realise how Baba has played His 'leele in His own inimitable way.

(Adopted from the Book Divine Miracles of Shri Shirdi SAi Baba - A record of thrilling experiences of (Late) Dr.P.S.Ramaswami (An Ardent Devotee of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba)This book can be read in the site http://www.saileelas.org" title="http://www.saileelas.org" target="_blank"http://www.saileelas.org)

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Transformation - Dr. Upadhaya's speech June 20th 1998

Today I would like to share with you a small experience I had 6 months ago. It's called: Transformation. It's quite wonderful how Swami changes the nature of His devotees. One by one. The time has come for the West to change. He is bringing to Himself the most difficult people to change: like David (Bailey) - he was a very difficult man and Swami has changed him. And now we see how wonderful it is that his music, his love is influencing people. There is another very difficult person in this country - Eric Arnott. I've been working with him for the last 22 years - he was my professor. He is a top professor in ophthalmology - the number one man in the world as far as the eyes are concerned.
Every time during the last 2-3 years when he would say, "Oh, I'm going to India, when can I see Sing Baba?" He could not even pronounce Sai Baba. I would answer, "Time has not yet come for you." But I really wanted him to meet Sathya Sai Baba one day, because I owe something to him: he is my teacher and he's taught me this wonderful eye surgery technique and with Swami's grace I've taken this wonderful technology to the very, very poor countries. I've been to the Himalayas, to the desert and to very cold climates where the temperature drops to minus 28 - 30 degrees centigrade. And it's wonderful when you give sight to people there, when they open their eyes and they can see the wonderful gift of God, given by Nature, of which they were deprived. They totally believe that God exists when for the first time after the operation you take the bandage off.

So, I had this deep desire in me that one day the professor should meet Sai Baba. But this fellow had a very great idea about Sai Baba's Ashram. He thought it was like the Vatican: when he goes there, he would have an interview and would sit down with the Pope and talk. He has operated on many priests and big people in the world, and so wherever he goes there is a red carpet for him and he is looked after with great respect. And that's how he expected to meet Sai Baba. So it was very difficult for me to tell him that no, this is not the way, it's a very different way.

Last year with the Help of 'Care and Share International Research Foundation' we acquired a wonderful machine which gives spontaneous vision and Swami very kindly accepted it. It is very beneficial for the poor people. It was invented in the West for the people to go and have their cataract operation and drive back by their car to work on the same day so they don't lose any wage. But Swami had a very different idea: he wanted to bring that machine for the poor people. His idea was that usually after a cataract operation a poor person has to stay in hospital for 3 or 4 days and is not allowed to do hard work for a week or ten days. It means that his family is out of bread and butter.

This was His idea for this wonderful machine. It is called "Legacy 2000". And Swami's drama was that this machine was supposed to reach Prashanthi Nilayam in the month of July, but there was some problem and it did not reach there on time. So our team which went to Puttaparthi to receive and operate it had to go back because Swami said,

"No, this machine is not coming here. You go back and return in November."

I said, "Swami, the machine is on the way. It's definitely coming."

Swami said, "I know better. It's not coming, definitely."

I waited one day, two days, three days, four days ... but nothing happened. And then we all had to go back. Swami knew best.

When we came back, we realised that the machine from America came to England and from England went to Belgium and got stuck in Belgium and when it finally reached India, it was October. And by that time Swami had listened to Eric Arnott's prayer and when we asked Swami who should come, Swami agreed that I should bring him to Prasanthi Nilayam. When I broke the news to him he was very excited.

He said, "Make sure that I have the best 5-star hotel there with a swimming pool."

So I told him, "Eric, there is no five star hotel there. It's a beautiful divine Ashram. And there is only one swimming pool - it is a pool of Love."

He said, "No, no, I am sure there must be a big town nearby."

I told him that the nearest big town is Bangalore.

"How far is it?"

"Hundred miles."

"No problem, I drive every day to Harley Street from Camberley. I'll stay in Bangalore and drive every morning to the Hospital in Puttaparthi."

I told him about the roads: it's not a Camberley to London drive, it is something more than that. It takes about 4 hours from Bangalore. He was not very sure he would like to stay in Prasanthi Nilayam. I was worried. I was so excited when Swami told me to bring him, but as the time was coming nearer, I was getting very, very nervous.

"Swami, I am bringing this man, I don't know whether he will fit into your discipline or not."

Then I started praying the other way round, "Swami, cancel this trip."

Swami knows best. When the day of our departure was approaching we were preparing the accessories needed for this particular machine. We were supposed to travel on Wednesday the 4th of November and when I rang Eric on Saturday, I found out that he had gone to Gibraltar. I thought, "Why has he gone to Gibraltar?" He didn't come back till Tuesday morning. On Tuesday he came to the surgery and I asked him,

"Is your visa and everything ready?"

He said, "No. You are arranging the visa."

I say, "How can I arrange the visa without your passport?"

He says, "Tomorrow 6 p.m. is the flight and I haven't got a visa."

I was very happy: I had an excuse that cancelled the whole thing. However, I realised I could get his passport and send somebody to the High Commission. Probably they would give a visa at two o'clock as a special one, but suddenly he dropped a bombshell.

"My wife also wants to come with me."

I thought I could arrange for one person to stay in a nice place in Puttaparthi but ladies and gents is always a problem in India and she has never been to a Sai meeting. So I was a bit worried. I said,

"How about her passport?"

He said, "Her passport is in Camberly. She can do one thing. She can send you a fax with all the data."

I said, "No, the High Commission is very strict. They can't issue a visa on a fax passport."

He said, "No, Swami is calling me; I must go."

I said, "Swami has to do a miracle."

This is when two things happened. Jean (Rally) came to see me that day and I was very very nervous. I told her,

"When you go back, can you ask Lucas to pray for me? I don't know what to do."

She went away. And then, just about fifteen minutes later I had a knock on my surgery door and I found His Excellency, the High Commissioner of India standing there. So I asked him,

"Sir, what are you doing here?"

He said, "I heard that you are going to India, I have some problem with my eye, I thought I better come and see you about it before you disappear."

So I told him that I normally go away for 5-6 days.

He said, "Something told me to come today."

I said, "I'll see you later. I've got a problem."

He said, "What is the problem?"

I said, "I urgently need visas."

He said, "No problem." He picked up the phone and said, "I'll give them diplomatic visas. No problem."

And within about 40 minutes somebody came from the High Commission with the visas. This is how Swami works. But still I was not very sure because I heard Eric talking to his wife that she must go to Selfridges (editor: an expensive shop in London) and buy some expensive wines, Scotch Whisky, Sivas Regal etc. for them to take to India. So I got very worried.

I said, "What are you trying to do?"

He said, "You told me there are no good drinks available there, so we want to take our own."

I said, "Eric, you cannot drink in the Ashram."

He said, "What are you talking about? When I was with the Pope he shared the wine with me."

So I said, "It's OK, you are going to Divine. Di and Vine means no wine!

He said, "Don't you worry. Everything is going to be all right."

I was very worried. I came home about 8 o'clock that evening and my wife told me there was a fax for me. As you know Lucas gets communication with Swami. And there was a beautiful message. It was coming just when I got in and it said, "My son, why worry? He is My guest; I will look after him."

I tell you, it was such a relief for me. I sat down, I thanked Swami; I thought: "All my burden is over after this fax."

But Swami continued testing me. At 9 o'clock Eric rang me again.

"Are you sure we are going first class?"

So I said, "We always travel economy class because I try to save some money. We cannot afford to take you first class."

He said, "You should have told me."

I said, "There's no question of you travelling in first class and all the rest of the people in second. We all travel as a group."

"No, no, I've never travelled in economy class. Which airline are we going with?"

"Air India."

He said, "I'll bring my cheque book and see what happens at the airport."

So I said, "It is very difficult to make changes at the last minute."

I could see that he was not very happy. Very early next morning we collected everything for the Hospital and reached the airport. We were told that we were far over the weight limit of what we are entitled to take - in fact, 100 kg in excess.

I said, "It is all for Swami and we are not going to pay anything. If you don't send it we will not be able to do the operations there."

And the receptionist said, "OK, wait, let me see what we can do." And suddenly she added, "Oh, is there somebody called Veronica and Eric Arnott in your group?"

I said, "Yes."

"Oh, they are all right. They are first class passengers, so you can take the additional weight of luggage."

I said, "How come?"

She said, "We don't know, just now a fax has come that they are promoted to first class."

Everything was going very well. Eric arrived a bit worried.

He said, "Let's see somebody about the first class."

I said, "Swami has already arranged for you to go in the first class."

We reached Bombay and on these flights, as you know, there is a 45 minutes to 1 hour stop there. Eric has been all over the world, but Swami wanted to show what He does when He calls somebody. Eric and his wife had all kinds of VIP arrangements: the moment they reached Bombay two air hostesses appeared with flowers in their hands, with beautiful garlands. They greeted them and said,

"Are you Mr and Mrs Arnott?"

This time I was absolutely "clean bowled" as they say in cricket. I couldn't understand what was happening. I didn't arrange all these things, I was just sitting and praying to God that this whole trip would go very smoothly.

I looked at Eric and said, "How do you like our Swami's arrangements?"

He said, "My goodness, I've never received such treatment as this. Even when I visited the Prime Minister of India. That time when I arrived there was somebody waiting for me but no garland - nothing of that sort."

I said, "Swami, after all, is the Lord of the Universe, so He knows everything."

Eric was especially invited to a Maharaja Lounge to rest there. Before going there he asked me,

"Are we allowed to drink here? We are still far away from Bangalore."

I said, "Yes, you can fill yourselves as much as you like, but not from tomorrow."

So, he went there and they treated him very nicely. He was very happy. From there we went directly to Bangalore and as it happens time and time again when we go on Swami's mission, no matter how much luggage you have got, no matter how much excess weight whatever it is, customs officers help you a great deal: they all came and unloaded the luggage from the conveyor belt, helped us to load all the things into the cars waiting outside because it was all signed for going to Prasanthi Nilayam. I was looking forward to reach Prasanthi Nilayam. It was 3 o'clock at night.

I thought: "Yes, this is the time. If we reach there about 7 o'clock, we are in time for Swami's morning Darshan." Because once you reach India there is only one thing for you to do - go and see Swami; you don't worry about staying in Bangalore or anything else.

But Eric says, "I am feeling very tired. I need 4 or 5 hours sleep. I didn't realise it was such a long journey. Can you find a hotel for me?"

I said, "Mr Arnott, everything is loaded. When we get to the Ashram then you can rest."

He said, "No, I must have some rest now, I have never taken such a long journey in one go. Otherwise I won't be able to concentrate when operating."

I said, "We don't know yet whether you will be operating or not."

There was no way to change his mind, so ultimately we found a hotel nearby for him, his wife and an operation assistant from the Wellington Humana Hospital. I was very upset because now I had nothing to do. Just sit and wait till he got up. So, we thought that meanwhile we will try and find out what is happening in Prasanthi Nilayam but no luck. Whatever Swami wants to do, according to His Will, you cannot change. I learn this time and time again. But still I wanted to push my luck to go as soon as possible.

Eric got up about 11 - 11.30 and I prayed to Swami, "Please, please, make it so that we can at least make the afternoon Darshan."

Half way through the journey to Puttaparti he wanted to stop somewhere and have a drink.

I said, "No, no, don't stop anywhere. The drinks outside are no good at all. They could be polluted and you haven't had any vaccination."

I tried to change his mind.

He said, "No, no, I have the drinks, so I want to stop."

Another half an hour gone!

Looking at my watch I asked, "Swami, what are you doing?"

At 4:15 we reached the Ganesh gate in Puttaparthi. Now I had a problem because all the accommodation office people were in the Darshan line. You can't arrange anything from 3:45 till Swami's Darshan is over. And I didn't know what to do. So we left the taxi outside the Mandir and went inside.

Suddenly a volunteer came up and said, "Doctor Upadhaya, you just go straight in - Swami is waiting."

I didn't know where to go. Somebody guided us and we landed in front of Swami's door. I was quite all right but Eric was in his best suit and tie - sweating and puffing - and everybody was looking, thinking - who is this man wearing a tie and a western suit? We didn't know where his wife was because ladies cannot get in from the gents side. At that particular moment Swami came out.

"Yes, come in," He told us.

We went in and found our friends from Russia and the UK.

Swami came and asked Eric, "How are you?"

Eric said, "Sir, I am all right."

He spoke to Swami as if Swami were a person, calling Him "Sir." Swami said that as he was not used to squatting properly, he could stretch his legs.

He said, " There are no Seva Dal workers here, so you can be comfortable - inside here you are all right."

Swami was very kind, He switched the fan on and we sat down, At that time I wanted to speak to Swami about the Arnotts' accommodation problem.

I said, "Swami, he - ."

Swami interrupted, "You keep quiet, don't talk."

So I just kept quiet. Then Swami turned His attention to a young Russian who was sitting next to Swami's chair and materialised a beautiful ring. On that ring the sacred Om sign was carved. Instead of giving the ring to the young man, Swami threw it to professor Arnott who caught it.

Swami asked, "What do you think this is?"

Eric looked at the ring and said, "I don't know exactly, sir, what it is, but it is some sort of a holy sign. I recognise the sign because this is what Dr. Upadhaya uses each time he starts something new."

Swami says, "In the West you say that the world started with a big bang. This is the same primordial sound that the whole world came from. It is called Om. Say with Me: Om."

I didn't know that Swami was purposely doing this to initiate him. At this moment Eric was sitting next to Douglas with legs stretched towards Swami. I was very uncomfortable because I didn't think that was right. But the moment I tried to open my mouth, Swami silenced me.

"Keep quiet."

As Eric said 'Om', suddenly his stretched legs folded, and his hands came together in reverence and he said, "Yes, Swami." It was total transformation from that moment. Swami took the ring from him and wanted to give it to the Russian boy knowing very well that he didn't want the ring with Om.

He asked, "What do you want?"

The Russian boy said, "Swami, I want your picture on the ring."

Swami took the ring and just about a foot away from Eric's face He blew on it and it changed into a beautiful Sai ring. He gave it to the boy, putting it onto the middle finger, and then He started talking to the group. After a while he told us that tomorrow morning we must start the operations and train Super Speciality Hospital doctors in this technique. Gradually everybody got up and began to go out.

I prayed at this moment, "Swami, as this Russian group is here, grant us a trip to Russia." Which I wanted to talk about some other time.

I asked Swami, "Swami, where is Eric going to stay?"

He smiled, "There is no problem. He'll stay in the Ashram."

I also asked about the drink, and He said, "Leave it outside."

I couldn't understand what He meant.

He added, "Come tomorrow morning, I'll give some more instructions."

This was the first time I have left Swami's room utterly confused. Here He is, telling me to stay in the Ashram, yet Eric says he doesn't want to stay in the Ashram. I was thinking I had to arrange some place, at least with some air-conditioning if there is no 5-star hotel. We came out to the Ganesh mandir where the taxi was waiting.

Eric told me, "Do you know something? It is foolish of me to think about staying somewhere else. I'll stay in the Ashram."

And I asked , "How about your drinks"

He said, "Let the taxi man have it."

For the taxi man it was the gift of a lifetime, as he never expected to receive the 6-7 bottles of Scotch whisky and other expensive stuff he had in the boot.

Eric said, "Just get our luggage and leave everything else outside. That is what Swami meant by: 'Leave it outside'."

On the way to the accommodation Eric said, "I want a room with just a toilet, a bathroom and a fan - that's all I want, nothing else."

Total transformation! 45 minutes before the interview, on the way from Bangalore to Puttapartthi he was trying to inquire which is the nearest place he can get air-conditioning, if not a 5-star hotel. After 15 minutes with Swami everything was totally changed.

When the next morning we came for Darshan, Swami made a wonderful arrangement for us to sit down near His door and at that time Eric asked me, "Is it possible that my wife could also see Swami?"

I said, "It's up to Swami."

He said, "But Swami said that He'll see me."

I said, "When Swami says He'll see you tomorrow, His tomorrow is very very long. It could be next year, it could be next life. So do not think that way. He may see you - He may not see you."

He said, "No, this morning, when I got up, deep inside I prayed and I could hear Swami saying, 'Yes, both of you'."

I said, "Let us see what happens."

Then Swami came and asked both of us to go in again that morning and Eric said to me,

"Ask about my wife."

I said, "You don't have to ask God for anything. He knows everything."

And how Swami tests us. When Swami came up to us, He did not give us a chance to speak.

Then suddenly He turned to us, "Yes, yes call your wife."

Eric didn't know how to call his wife, because there were so many ladies sitting there. He said, "How should I call my wife?"

I said, "You stand there and wave."

He said, "But how would she know that I am calling her?"

I said, "You have only one wife, nobody else would come."

So with his shaky hands and body he ran there - you know, he has never done something like that in front of some 10 thousand people sitting there; he tried to raise his arm and finally came back, thinking she must have seen him. God only know how she saw. She came with somebody from the Wellington Humnana Hospital and we all came in. There were also other people there.

As Veronica had never been to the interview room she didn't know what the discipline was. She came and sat down between me and her Husband.

Swami leaped from His chair and said, "Wife, this is Ashram, not London: you don't sit with men."

So she went to the ladies side and sat down there. And then Swami talked to various people there and then He asked her, "What do you want?"

I thought: "God only knows why You are asking this question because she has never known about Sathya Sai Baba. I don't know what she is going to say."

And to my utter surprise she said, "Swami, I don't want anything. After looking at you, I just want Your Grace."

Swami materialised a beautiful pendant for her with His picture on it and gave it to her.

And then He turned to Eric also and materialised a ring for him, saying, "This ring is a communication ring. Whenever you want to speak to Me, speak to Me through it."

Eric was looking at the ring, I tried to nudge him, "Look, Swami is talking to you."

Swami continued, "It took so long for you to come to Me. You've been thinking for the last 25 years about coming to see Me. The time has come. You are a kind man, now work for mankind."

How Swami plays with words! Then Swami took Eric and Veronica to the inner room and after some 20 minutes they came out and He said,

"Just get prepared and go straight to the operation theatre."

Eric whispered to me, "I don't know where the hospital is."

I said, "Please, wait outside, I'll come in a few minutes, because Swami told me to stay back."

There was another group and they have gone out. Only Swami and I are left.

Swami said, "Tell Me what's your problem now."

So I said, "No problem, Swami. I leave all to You."

Then at great length He spoke about the operations and the machines and everything like that.

He said, "Make sure that every evening I get a report of what is happening there. Also make sure that before you leave My hospital the surgeons are as well trained as you two, so that they can independently do this operation."

I was about to say, "Swami, it took us many years to learn this technique. You want this in three days?"

Swami said, "Don't worry about time and space."

Before I could say anything! You know, He reads your mind! And then Swami said a few other things and we came out. As we came out at Swami's door there was a woman in a wheelchair.

Swami asked her, "Why didn't you come in?"

She replied, "Swami, You closed the door and there was no-one to lift me in my wheelchair."

"Oh, wheelchair? Why are you in a wheelchair?"

"Swami, I can't walk."

"Who said you can't walk?"

Swami was standing outside the interview room, with some 10 thousand people watching.

He extended His lovely hand and told the lady, "Hold My hand and get up."

The lady got up and Swami pushed the wheelchair away and said, "You can walk now."

This must have been too much for Eric Arnott: he sang Om with Swami, then he saw a ring being changed into something else; Swami materialised a ring for him and a pendant for his wife, and now he sees a person who was crippled for 20 years walk without any sort of treatment. He was absolutely knocked out by what was happening; he didn't know what to say. He just managed to say,

"Swami, it would be nice if You could come to the operation theatre."

Swami said, "Oh, yes, I will be there."

We came to the Super Speciality Hospital and everything was arranged. We went to the operation theatre, scrubbed and changed, a patient was there and all the instruments were ready. But Eric wouldn't start, he just sat there. So I asked,

"What are you waiting for?"

He said, "Where is Swami? He said he was coming."

I said, "You should understand by now. Swami said, 'I am coming'. He is here; not necessarily in a physical form though."

But he insisted, "No, no He told me He was coming."

You know, the doctors there, they all want to finish their work as quickly as possible, so they can go to the afternoon Darshan. But Eric even with 6 patients waiting wouldn't start.

So I said to myself, "Swami, do something."

Then I said to Eric, "OK, you start and I'll find out what's happening."

So I changed again, and went outside. A few doctors and other people from London connected with 'Care and Share' were in the lounge, waiting to see the operation performed live on the monitor system. I thought - How can you speak to Swami? You can't pick up the phone and talk to Him.

I went to the little shrine room there and said, "Swami, he is not starting without You and I would like to ask You, please, do something. Either come Yourself or just give him the wisdom to start the operation, otherwise we won't get anywhere."

And I went back to the operation theatre.

This time Eric said, "Yes, I think we should start, Swami probably will come halfway through. He is very busy."

He started the operation and I thanked Swami. During the operation something unusual happened. After the cataract is crushed, the next step is to give a new lens, called an implant. We had 15 British-made implants, in the custody of a lady from Wellington Humana Hospital. She opened in front of everybody a fresh pack of implants then rinsed one in distilled water in order to make sure it was clean. Then we put it under a microscope so that we can magnify it. The moment Eric lifted the implant ... Baba was there.

He said: "l will be there". And He was there. For the first time I could see tears in Eric's eyes. Total transformation. For a moment he was speechless. Then he said to me,

"I'll finish the operation. You carry on instructing doctors on the procedure."

I said, "What happened."

He said, "I simply can't speak. I am in total bliss."

This was recorded on a video with Swami there. It was supposed to be a training video. Eric finished the operation beautifully. Swami sent the message: "Don't rush back. Carry on the second session also. I'll see you tomorrow."

Fine. So we carried on all the operations. Swami had selected very poor people, those who could not even dream about having an expensive eye operation. If you come to England to get this operation done or to see Eric Arnott, it is like a mad house. Representatives of all United Nations are there. He is a private surgeon and it's quite normal to wait for him for hours if you want to see him. But here he is operating on the poorest people with great happiness and bliss because he is a totally transformed man. And after finishing the session he told me something most beautiful, he said,

"I must have operated on the richest men in the world but I didn't get this satisfaction. Today after operating on the poorest men who even didn't have any decent clothes to wear, I feel I offered something to God. That is my offering to God."

And he was totally rewarded for that. After all this Swami spoke to him. Swami said,

"I'll see you again."

But the problem was the moment the 24 hour Bhajans start in the Mandir: no operations, nothing goes on. Everybody sits for 24 hours. It was a Saturday evening and the Bhajans started. Eric came and sat down. Every day he would put on his new suit.

And I asked him, "It's such a hot weather, why do you always wear this new suit? Why can't you wear something else, like a simple kurta pyjama or light trousers?"

He said, "No. I heard Sai Baba said to somebody, 'Do not try to change yourself. Be yourself'. Do not think what other people are wearing. Do I ever wear something like kurta pyjama in my country? No. And if I go and meet the Queen or the Pope or the President of America, I go in the best suit possible. I am going to meet the Lord - it doesn't matter whether I feel comfortable or uncomfortable - I should be in my best suit. So don't stop me."

That is what he did every single day. So he went and sat down. Swami came and said,

"I'll see you."

After an hour and a half he was sitting with his logs getting cramped. I said,

"There is no way Swami will speak to you now, the moment those Bhajans have started."

But He said, "He'll speak to me."

I said, "Again, Swami's language is very different. As far as I am concerned, Swami is not going to talk to anyone till the Bhajans are finished."

Eric was due to go to Bangalore, because his wife wanted to do some shopping. Then they wanted to go to Ooty and Mysore and see some palaces and other historic places. Because Eric did an operation on one of the maharaj family in Mysore, they invited him to come. So we arranged the trip. While he was away, I planned to stay and enjoy the Bhajans.

Eric stayed in the Mandir till 8 o'clock at night, then realising that Swami wouldn't see them, both of them went to Bangalore and stayed in a hotel. The next day, (Sunday) he said to his wife,

"I don't feel like going to see anything. I have come here for a purpose and not for sightseeing or to meet any family. I would like to sit and read some Baba books. But if you want to go shopping, you go."

His wife said, "OK," and went away with a friend.

Eric stayed in the hotel in Bangalore reading a Baba book. On Sunday night they wanted to go to bed early. He went to bed about 9 o'clock and about 10 he suddenly woke up. He asked his wife,

"Did you hear something?"

She said, "Yes, I heard Baba saying, 'Come back'."

He said, "I thought I was hearing things. But the arrangement is that we are flying to Ooty tomorrow."

She said, "No, I've heard very clearly from that corner [pointing] Swami said, 'Come back'."

So they decided when tomorrow morning at 4 o'clock the taxi came, to go back to Puttaparthi instead.

Meanwhile when the Bhajans finished. Swami gave us a beautiful Prashadam with His own hands, and suddenly He said,

"8 o'clock tomorrow morning start the operation - he is coming back."

I said, "Swami, but that was not in the program."

He said, "No. There is a reason for that."

"Thank You, Swami."

How to tell the hospital staff? They already had the message. Now Eric got up at 4 o'clock in the morning and the taxi which was scheduled to go to Ooty changed direction and arrived in Puttaparthi. At 1 minute to 8 he was in the Super Speciality Hospital.

Swami told us, "After Darshan go to the Hospital - everything is waiting for you there."

When we came to the hospital we realised the reason we were needed was that the surgeons there were still not very confident in doing the operation on their own. We worked hard the whole day and at about 4 o'clock we finished everything and asked the head doctor,

"Are you happy now?"

He said, "Yes, now I am happy."

Then we asked him to do an operation on his own. We watched. He did it beautifully. There was no problem. We rushed to Swami. And like a mother, like a father He was waiting. Darshan had finished and we reached on time to take Padanamaskar.

Swami said, "Where is your report?"

We gave Swami the report.

Swami said, "That is the reason I called you. I knew they were not ready to do the operation independently. Now the program is complete. That's why I told him, 'I'll see you'."

Eric had been very worried Swami won't see him. Now he took Swami's Padanamaskar.

Swami said, "Don't worry, this is your home. You can come any time."

And He blessed us.

A taxi was waiting for us to go back. But there was another scenario: now Eric's wife was crying, she said,

"Why didn't Baba look at me? I also came for His Darshan and I wanted Swami at least to wave at me, so that at least I go with that great joy that both of you have."

And while we were waiting for the luggage to be loaded into the taxi, a lady from Singapore came running, she said,

"Is somebody called Veronica here?"

So Veronica said, "Yes, it's me."

The lady said, "This is from Swami. He has just sent it for you."

It was a beautiful Swami picture with a blessing and Swami had written on it: With love.

Veronica was In tears that her prayers were also answered.

And now these people who didn't know anything about Sai Baba, who had pronounced His Name Sing Baba, sit down every evening for one hour together to read beautiful literature about Swami.

Eric is working on a wonderful mission to take Swami's message and this technology from village to village. What a transformation! It's only when Swami touches somebody, that the person is totally transformed. A difficult man, a material man has become so humble that he wants to devote his time for mankind.

That is the story of the experience I had.

Source: http://users.cybercity.dk/" title="http://users.cybercity.dk/" target="_blank"http://users.cybercity.dk/~bbi1421/eye_doc.html

Sai Satcharitha
The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba

Chapter VI

RAMA-NAVAMI FESTIVAL AND MASJID REPAIRS

Efficacy of the Touch of Guru s Hand - Rama-Navami Festival - Its Origin, Transformation etc. Repairs to the Masjid.

Before describing Rama-Navami Festival and Masjid Repairs, the author makes some preliminary remarks about Sad-Guru as follows:-

Efficacy of the Touch of Guru s Hand

As hinted in the last Chapter, I shall now describe first how Sai Baba returned to Shirdi after His disappearance.

Where Real or Sad-Guru is the helmsman, he is sure to carry us safely and easily beyond the worldly ocean. The word Sadguru brings to mind Sai Baba. He appears to me, as if standing before me, and applying Udi (scared ashes) to my fore-head and placing his hand of blessing on my head. Then joy fills my heart and love overflows through my eyes. Wonderful is the power of the touch of Guru s hand. The subtlebody (consisting of thoughts and desires), which cannot be burnt by the world dissolving fire, is destroyed by the mere touch of the Guru s hand, and the sins of many past births are cleaned and washed away. Even the speech of those, whose heads feel annoyed when they hear religious and Godly talks, attains calmness. The seeing of Sai Baba s handsome form, chokes our throat with joy, makes the eyes overflowing with tears, and overwhelms the heart with emotions. It awakens in us I am He (Brahman) consciousness, manifests the joy of self-realization, and dissolving the distinction of I and Thou, then and there, makes us one with the Supreme (One Reality). When I begin to read scriptures, at every step I am reminded of my Sadguru, and Sai Baba, assumes the form of Rama or Krishna and makes me listen to his Life. For instance when I sit to listen to Bhagwat, Sai becomes Krishna from top to toe, and I think he sings the Bhagwat or Uddhava Gita (song of teachings by Lord Shri Krishna to His disciple, Uddhava) for the welfare of the devotees. When I begin to chitchat, I am at once put in mind of Sai s stories for enabling me to give suitable illustrations. When I myself start to write anything, I cannot compose a few words or sentences, but when He of his own accord makes me write, I go on writing and writing and there is no end to it. When the disciple s egoism props up, He presses it down with His hand, and giving him His own power, makes him gain His object, and thus satisfies and blesses him. 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. Four paths, viz., of Karma, Jnana, Yoga and Bhakti lead us separately to God. Of these, the path of Bhakti is thorny and full of pits and ditches, and thus difficult to traverse, but if you, relying on your Sadguru, avoid the pits and thorns and walk straight, it will take you to the destination (God). So says definitely, Sai Baba.

After philosophising about the Self-Existent Brahman, His Power (Maya) to create this world and the world created, and stating that all these three are ultimately one and the same, the author quotes Sai Baba s words guaranteeing the welfare of the Bhaktas:-

"There will never be any dearth or scarcity, regarding food and clothes, in any devotees homes. It is my special characteristic, that I always look to, and provide, for the welfare of those devotees, who worship Me whole-heartedly with their minds ever fixed on Me. Lord Krishna has also said the same in the Gita. Therefore, strive not much for food and clothes. If you want anything, beg of the Lord, leave worldly honours, try to get Lord s grace and blessings, and be honored in His Court. Do not be deluded by worldly honor. The form of the Deity should be firmly fixed in the mind. Let all the senses and mind be ever devoted to the worship of the Lord, let there be no attraction for any other thing; fix the mind in remembering Me always, so that it will not wander elsewhere, towards body, wealth and home. Then it will be calm, peaceful and care-free. This is the sign of the mind, being well engaged in good company. If the mind is vagrant, it cannot be called well-merged."

After quoting these words, the author goes on to relate the story of Rama Navami festival in Shirdi. As Rama-Navami is the greatest festival celebrated at Shirdi, another fuller account, as published in Sai Leela Magazine of 1925, page 197, is also referred to and a summary of the festival, as related in both these accounts is attempted here.

Origin

One, Mr. Gopalrao Gund, was a Circle Inspector at Kopergaon. He was a great devotee of Baba. He had three wives, but had no issue. With Sai Baba s blessings, a son was born to him. In the joy that he felt regarding the event, an idea of celebrating a fair or 'Urus'1 occurred 1. Urus celebrations are made at the tombs of Muslim Holy men. It is surprising that how Mr.Gund, a Hindu, got this idea. 33 to him in the year 1897, and he placed it for consideration before other Shirdi devotees, viz. Tatya Patil, Dada Kote Patil and Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama). They all approved of the idea, and got Sai Baba s permission and blessings. Then an application for getting the Collector's1 sanction for celebrating the urus was made, but as the village Kulkarni reported against holding the fair, the sanction was refused. But as Sai Baba had blessed it, they tried again, and ultimately succeeded in getting the Collector s sanction. The day for the Urus was fixed on the Rama-Navami day, after having consultation with Sai Baba. It seems, He had some end in view, in this, viz., the Unification of the two fairs of festivals, the Urus and the Rama-Navami and the unification of the two communities - the Hindus and the Mahomedans. As future events showed, this end or object was achieved.

Though the permission was obtained, but other difficulties cropped up. Shirdi was a village, and there was scarcity of water. There were two wells in the village, the one in use, dried up soon, and the water from the second was brackish. This brackish water was turned into sweet one by Sai Baba, by throwing flowers into it. The water of this well was insufficient, so Tatya Patil had to arrange to get water, from a well by fixing Moats (leather sacks) thereon, at a considerable distance. Then temporary shops had to be constructed, and wrestling bouts arranged. Gopalrao Gund had a friend, by name Damu Anna Kasar, of Ahmednagar. He also was similarly unhappy in the matter of progeny, though he married two wives. He too was blessed by Sai Baba with sons, and Mr. Gund prevailed upon his friend to prepare and supply one simple flag for the procession of the fair; he also succeeded in inducing Mr. Nanasaheb Nimonkar to supply another embroidered flag. Both these flags were taken in procession through the village, and finally fixed at the two ends or corners of the Masjid, which is called by Sai Baba as Dwarkamai. This is being done even now.

The ‘Sandal’ Procession

There was another procession which was started in this fair. This idea of Sandal procession originated with one Mr. Amir Shakkar Dalal, a Mahomedan Bhakta from Korhla. This procession is held in honour of great Muslim Saints. Sandal i.e. Chandan ( ) paste and scrappings are put in the THALI (flat dishes), and these are carried with incense burning before them in procession to the accompaniment of band and music through the village and then after returning to the Masjid, the contents of the dishes are thrown on the Nimbar (nitche) and walls of the Masjid with hands. This work was managed by Mr. Amir Shakkar for the first three years, and then afterwards by his wife. So on one day, the two processions, the Flags by the Hindus and that of Sandal by the Muslims, went on side by side, and are still going on without any hitch.

Arrangement

This day was very dear and sacred to the devotees of Sai Baba. Most of them turned out on the occasion, and took a leading part in the management of the fair. Tatya Kote Patil looked to all outward affairs, while the internal management was entirely left to one Radha Krishna Mai, a female devotee of Baba. Her residence was full of guests on the occasion, and she had to look to their needs, and also to arrange for all the paraphernalia of the fair. Another work, which she willingly did, was to wash out and clean and white-wash the entire Masjid, its walls and floor, which were blackened and were full of soot on account of the ever-burning Dhuni (sacred fire) of Sai Baba. This work, she did during the night, when Sai Baba went to sleep every alternate day in the Chavadi. She had to take out all the things, including even the Dhuni, and after thorough cleaning and whitewashing replace them, as they were before. Feeding the poor, which was so dear to Sai Baba, was also a great item in this fair. For this purpose, cooking, on a grand scale and preparing various sweet dishes, was done in Radha-Krishna Mai s lodging, and, various rich and wealthy devotees took a leading part in this affair.

Transformation of Urus into Rama-Navami Festival

Things were going on in this way and the fair was gradually increasing in importance till 1912 A.D., when a change took place; That year one devotee, Mr. Krishnarao Jageshwar Bhisma (the author of the pamphlet Sai Sagunopasana ), came for the fair with Dadasaheb Khaparde of Amraoti, and was staying on the previous day in the Dixit Wada. While he was lying on the verandah, and while Mr. Laxmanrao alias Kaka Mahajani, was going down with Puja materials to the Masjid, a new thought arose in his mind and he accosted the latter thus - There is some providential arrangement in the fact that the Urus or fair is celebrated in Shirdi on the Rama-Navami day; this day is very dear to all the Hindus; then why not begin the Rama-Navami Festival - the celebration of the birth of Shri Rama here on this day? Kaka Mahajani liked the idea, and it was arranged to get Baba s permission in this matter. The main difficulty was how to secure a Haridas, who would perform Kirtan and sing the glories of the Lord on the occasion. But Bhishma solved the difficulty, by saying that his Rama Akhyan (composition on Rama s birth) was ready, and he would do the Kirtan himself, while Kaka Mahajani should play on the harmonium. It was also arranged to get the Sunthavada (ginger-powder mixed with sugar) as Prasad prepared by Radha-Krishna Mai. So they immediately went to the Masjid to get Baba s permission. Baba, who knew all things and what was passing there, asked Mahajani, as to what was going on in the Wada. Being rather perturbed, Mahajani could not catch the purport of the question and remained silent. Then Baba asked Bhishma, what he had to say. He explained the idea of celebrating Rama-Navami festival, and asked for Baba s permission and Baba gladly gave it. All rejoiced and made preparations for the Jayanti1-festival. Next day, the Masjid was decorated with buntings etc., a cradle was supplied by Radha-Krishna Mai, and placed in front of Baba s seat and the proceedings started. Bhishma stood up for Kirtan and Mahajani played on the harmonium. Sai Baba sent a man to call Mahajani. He was hesitating to go, doubting whether Baba would allow the festival to go on; but when he went to Baba, the latter asked him as to what was going on and why the cradle was placed there. He answered that the Rama-Navami festival had commenced, and the cradle was put on for that purpose. Then Baba took a garland from the Nimbar (nitche), and placed it round his neck and sent another garland for Bhishma. Then commenced the Kirtan. When it came to a close, pound sounds of "Victory to Rama" went up; and Gulal (red - powder) was thrown up all round, amidst band and music. Everybody was overjoyed, when suddenly roaring was heard. The red-powder thrown promiscuously all round, went up, somehow entered Baba s eyes. Baba got wild and began to scold and abuse loudly. People got frightened by this scene and took to their heels. Those intimate devotees, who knew Baba well, took these scoldings and outpourings of Baba, as blessings in disguise. They thought that when Rama was born, it was proper for Baba to get wild and enraged to kill Ravana; and his demons, in the form of egoism and wicked thoughts etc. Besides they knew, that whenever a new thing was undertaken at Shirdi, it was usual with Baba to get wild and angry, and so they kept quiet. Radha-Krishna Mai was rather afraid; and thought that Baba might break her cradle, and she asked Mahajani to get the cradle back. When he went to loosen and unfasten the cradle, Baba went to him, and asked him not to remove it. Then after some time, Baba became calm, and that day s programme, including Mahapuja and Arati was finished. Later on, Mr. Mahajani asked Baba, for permission to remove the cradle, Baba refused the same saying, that the festival was not yet finished. Next day, another Kirtan and Gopal-Kala ceremony (an earthern pot containing parched rice mixed with curds is hung, only to be broken after the Kirtan , and the contents distributed to all, as was done by Lord Kri shna amongst His cow-herd (friends), were performed, and then Baba allowed the cradle to be removed. While the Rama-Navami festival was thus going on, the procession, of the two flags by day and that of the Sandal by night, went off with the usual pomp and show. From this time onwards, the Urus of Baba was transformed into the Rama-Navami festival.

From next year (1913), the items in the programme of Rama- Navami began to increase. Radha-Krishna Mai started a Nama-Saptah (singing the glory of God s name continuously day and night for seven days), from 1st of Chaitra, For this, all devotees took part by turns, and she also joined it, sometimes early in the morning. As Rama-Navami Festival is celebrated in many places all over the country, the difficulty of getting a Haridas was felt again. But 5 or 6 days before the festival , Mahajani met accidentally Balabuva Mali, who was known as modern Tukaram, and got him to do the Kirtan that year. The next year (1914), another Balabuva Satarkar of Brihadsiddha Kavate, District Satara, could not act as a Haridas in his own town, as plague was prevailing in his town, and so he came to Shirdi; With Baba s permission, which was secured through Kakasaheb Dixit, he did the Kirtan; and was sufficiently recompensed for his labour. The difficulty of getting a new Haridas every year was finally solved from 1914 by Sai Baba, as He entrusted this function to Das Ganu Maharaj permanently, and since that time, he has been successfully and creditably conducting that function uptill now.

Since 1912, this festival began to grow gradually year by year. From the 8th to 12th of Chaitra, Shirdi looked like a bee-hive of men. Shops began to increase. Celebrated wrestlers took part in wrestling bouts. Feeding of the poor was done on a grander scale. Hard work and sincere efforts of Radha-Krishna Mai turned Shirdi into a Sansthan (State). Paraphernalia increased. A beautiful horse, a palanquin, chariot and many silver things, pots, buckets, pictures, mirrors etc. were presented. Elephants were also sent for the procession. Though all this paraphernalia increased enormously, Sai Baba ignored all these things, and maintained His simplicity as before. It is to be noted that both the Hindus and Mahomedans have been working in unison in both the processions, and during the entire festival, there has been no hitch or quarrel between them at all so far. First about 5000- 7000 people used to collect, but that figure went up to 75000 in some years; still there was no outbreak of any epidemic or any riots w orth the name during so many past years.

Repairs to the Masjid

Another important idea occured to Gopal Gund. Just as he started the Urus or fair, he thought that he should put the Masjid in order. So in order to carry out the repairs, he collected stones and got them dressed. But this work was not assigned to him. This was reserved for Nanasaheb Chandorkar, and the pavement -work for Kakasaheb Dixit. First, Baba was unwilling to allow them to have these works done, but with the intervention of Mhalsapati, a local devotee of Baba, His permission was secured. When the pavement was completed in one night in the Masjid, Baba took a small Gadi for His seat, discarding the usual piece of sack - cloth used till then. In 1911, the Sabha - Mandap (court - yard) was also put in order with great labour and effort. The open space in front of the Masjid was very small and inconvenient. Kakasaheb Dixit wanted to extend it and put on it a roofing. At great expense, he got iron-posts, and pillars and trusses and started the work. At night, all the devotees worked hard and fixed the posts; but Baba, when he returned from Chavadi next morning, uprooted them all and threw them out. Once it so happened that Baba got very excited, caught a pole with one hand, and began to shake and uproot it, and with the other hand caught the neck of Tatya Patil. He took by force Tatya s Pheta, struck a match, set it on fire and threw it in a pit. At that time, Baba s eyes flashed like burning embers. None dared to look at Him. All got terribly frightened. Baba took out a rupee from his pocket and threw it there, as if it were an offering on an auspicious occasion. Tatya also was much frightened. None knew what was going to happen to Tatya, and none dared to interfere. Bhagoji Shinde, the leper devotee of Baba, made a little boldly advance, but he was pushed out by Baba. Madhavrao was also similarly treated, he being pelted with brick pieces. So all those, who went to intercede, were similarly dealt with. But after some time, Baba s anger cooled CHAPTER VI 3 8 SHRI SAI SATCHARITRA down. He sent for a shopkeeper, got from him an embroidered Pheta and Himself tied it on Tatya s head, as if he was being given a special honour. All the people were wonderstruck to see this strange behavior of Baba. They were at a loss to know, what enraged Baba so suddenly and what led Him to assault Tatya Patil, and why His anger cooled down, the next moment. Baba was sometimes very calm and quiet and talked sweet things with love, but soon after, with or without any pretext, got enraged. Many such incidents may be related; but I do not know which to choose and which to omit. I, therefore, refer them as they occur to me.

In the next Chapter the question whether Baba was a Hindu or a Mahomedan will be taken up; and His Yogic practices and powers, and other matters will be dealt with.

Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all

Sai Satcharitha
The Life Story of Shri Shiridi Sai Baba

Chapter V

Baba's Return with Chand Patil's Marriage - party - Welcomed and Addressed as "Sai" - Contact with Other Saints - His Dress and Daily Routine - The Story of the Padukas - Wrestling Bout with Mohdin and Change in Life - Turning Water into Oil - The Pseudo - Guru Javhar Ali.

Return with Chand Patil's Marriage - Party

As hinted in the last Chapter, I shall now describe first how Sai Baba returned to Shirdi after His disappearance.

There lived in the Aurangabad District (Nizam State), in a village called Dhoop, a well-to-do Mahomedan gentleman by name Chand Patil. While he was making a trip to Aurangabad, he lost his mare. For two long months, he made a diligent search but could get no trace of the lost mare. After being disappointed, he returned from Aurangabad with the saddle on his back. After travelling four Koss and a half, he came, on the way, to a mango tree under the foot of which sat a RATNA (queer fellow). He had a cap on His head, wore Kafni (long robe) and had a "Satka" (short stick) under His arm-pit and He was preparing to smoke a Chilim (pipe). On seeing Chand Patil pass by the way, He called out to him and asked him to have a smoke and to rest a little. The Fakir asked him about the saddle. Chand Patil replied that it was of his mare which was lost. The queer fellow or Fakir asked him to make a search in the Nala close by. He went and the wonder of wonders! he found out the mare. He thought that this Fakir was not an ordinary man, but an Avalia (a great saint). He returned to the Fakir with the mare. The Chilim was ready for being smoked, but two things were wanting; (1) fire to light the pipe, and (2) water to wet the chhapi (piece of cloth through which smoke is drawn up). The Fakir took His prong and thrust it forcibly into the ground and out came a live burning coal, which He put on the pipe. Then He dashed the Satka on the ground, from whence water began to ooze. The chhapi was wetted with that water, was then wrung out and wrapped round the pipe. Thus everything being complete, the Fakir smoked the Chilim and then gave it also to Chand Patil. On seeing all this, Chand Patil was wonderstruck. He requested the Fakir to come to his home and accept his hospitality. Next day He went to the Patil's house and stayed there for some time. The Patil was a village - officer of Dhoop. His wife's brother's son was to be married and the bride was from Shirdi. So Patil made preparations to start for Shirdi for the marriage. The Fakir also accompanied the marriage-party. The marriage went off without any hitch, the party returned to Dhoop, except the Fakir alone stayed in Shirdi, and remained there forever.

How the Fakir Got the Name SAI

When the marriage - party came to Shirdi, it alighted at the foot of a Banyan tree in Bhagata Mhalsapati's field near Khandoba's temple. The carts were loosened in the open court-yard of Khandoba's temple. The carts were loosened in the open court-yard of Khandoba's temple, and the members of the party descended one by one, and the Fakir also got down. Bhagat Mhalsapati saw the young Fakir getting down and accosted Him "YA SAI" (Welcome Sai). Others also addressed Him as Sai and thence-forth he became known as Sai Baba.

Contact with Other Saints

Sai Baba began to stay in a deserted Masjid1. One Saint named Devidas was living in Shirdi many years before Baba came there. Baba liked his company. He stayed with him in the Maruti temple, in the Chavadi, and some time lived alone. Then came another Saint by name Jankidas. Baba spent most of His time in talking with him, or Jankidas went to Baba's residence . So also one Vaishya house-holder Saint, from Puntambe by name Gangagir always frequented Shirdi. When he first saw Sai Baba, carrying pitchers of water in both hands, for watering the garden, he was amazed and said openly, "Blessed is Shirdi, that it got this precious Jewel. This man is carrying water to-day; but He is not an ordinary fellow. As this land (Shirdi) was lucky and meritorious, it secured this Jewel." So also one famous Saint by name Anandnath of Yewala Math2, a disciple of Akkalkot Maharaj came to Shirdi with some Shirdi people. When he saw Sai Baba, he said openly, "This is a precious Diamond in reality. Though he looks like an ordinary man, he is not a ëgar' (ordinary stone) but a Diamond. You will realize this in the near future." Saying this he returned to Yewala. This was said while Sai Baba was a youngster.

Baba's Dress and Daily Routine

In his young days, Sai Baba grew hair on His head; never had His head shaved. He dressed like an athlete. When He went to Rahata (3 miles from Shirdi), He brought with Him small plants of Merry Gold, Jai and Jui, and after cleaning, he planted and watered them. A devotee by name Vaman Tatya supplied Him daily with two earthen pitchers. With these Baba Himself used to water the plants. He drew water from the well and carried the pitchers on His shoulders. In the evening the pitchers were kept at the foot of the Neem tree. As soon as they were placed there, they were broken, as they were made of raw earth and not baked. Next day, Tatya supplied two fresh pitchers. This course went on for 3 years; and with Sai Baba's toil and labour, there grew a flower-garden. On this site, at present, stands the big mansion - Samadhi Mandir of Baba, which is now frequented and used by so many devotees.

The Story of Padukas (foot-prints) under the Neem Tree

A devotee of Akkalkot Maharaj by name Bhai Krishnaji Alibagkar worshipped the photo of Akkalkot Maharaj. He once thought of going to Akkalkot (Sholapur District), taking the darshana of the Padukas (footprints) of the Maharaj and offering his sincere worship there; but before he could go there, he got a vision in his dream. Akkalkot Maharaj appeared in the vision and said to him - "Now Shirdi is my resting place, go there and offer your Worship." So Bhai changed his plan and came to Shirdi, worshipped Baba, stayed there for six months and was happy. As a reminiscence of this vision etc., he prepared the Padukas and installed them on an auspicious day of Shravan, Shaka 1834 (1912 A.D.) under the Neem tree with due ceremonies and formalities, conducted by Dada Kelkar and Upasani. One Dixit Brahmin was appointed for worship, and the management was entrusted to devotee Sagun.

Complete Version of this Story

Mr. B.V. Deo, Retired Mamalatdar of Thana, and a great devotee of Sai Baba, made enquired about this matter with Sagun Meru Naik and Govind Kamlakar Dixit and has published a full version of the Padukas in Sai Leela Vol. 11, No. 1, page 25. It runs as follows:

In 1834 Shaka (1912 A.D.) one Doctor Ramarao Kothare of Bombay came to Shirdi for Baba's darshana. His compounder; and his friend, Bhai Krishnaji Alibagkar, accompanied him. The compounder and Bhai became intimate with Sagun Meru Naik and G.K. Dixit. While discussing things, these persons thought that there must be some memorial of the fact of Sai Baba's first coming to Shirdi and sitting under the holy Neem tree. They thought of installing Baba's Padukas there and were going to make them of some rough stones. Then Bhai's friend, the compounder, suggested that if this matter be made known to his master, Dr. Ramarao Kothare, who would prepare nice Padukas for this purpose. All liked the proposal and Dr. Kothare was informed of it. He came to Shirdi and drew a plan of the Padukas. He went to Upasani Maharaj in Khandoba's temple, and showed him his plan. The latter made many improvements, drew lotuses, flowers, conch, disc, man etc., and suggested that the following SHLOKA (verse) regarding Neem tree's great ness and Baba's Yogi powers be inscribed. The verse was as follows:

"Sada Nimbarvrikshasya mooladhiwasat,
Sudhasravinam tiktamapi-apriyam tam,
Tarum Kalpavrikshadhikam sadhayantam
Namameeshwaram Sadgurum Sai Natham"

Upasani's suggestions were accepted and carried out. The Padukas were made in Bombay and sent to Shirdi with the compounder. Baba said that they should be installed on the Pournima (15th) of Shravan. On that day at 11 a.m., G.K. Dixit brought them on his head from Khandoba's temple to the Dwarkamai (Masjid) in procession. Baba touched the Padukas, saying that these are the feet of the Lord and asked the people to instal them, under foot of the Neem tree.

A day before, one Parsi devotee of Bombay named Pastha Shet sent Rs.25/- by money order. Baba gave this sum for the installation of the Padhukas. The total expense of installation came up to Rs.100/- out of which Rs.75/- were collected by subscriptions. For the first 5 years, G.K. Dixit worshipped the Padukas daily and then this was done by Laxman Kacheshwar Jakhadi. In the first five years, Dr. Kothare sent Rs. 2 per month for lighting and he also sent the railing round the Padukas. The expense of bringing the railing from the station to Shirdi (Rs. 7-8-0)1 (presently Rs.7.50p) and roofing was paid by Sagun Meru Naik. Now, Jakhadi (Nana Pujari) does the worship and Sagun Meru Naik offers the naivaidya and lights the evening lamps.

Bhai Krishnaji was orginally a devotee of Akkalkot Maharaj. He had come to Shirdi at the installation of the Padukas, in Shaka 1834 on his way to Akkalkot. He wanted to go to Akkalkot after taking the darshana of Baba. He asked Baba's permission for this. Baba said - "Oh, what is there in Akkalkot? Why do you go there? The incumbent Maharaj of that place is here, Myself." Hearing this Bhai did not go to Akkalkot. He came to Shirdi off and on, after the installation of the Padukas.

Mr. B.V. Deo concluded that Hemadpant did not know these details. Had be known them, he would not have failed to depict them in his Sat-charita.

Wresting Bout with Mohdin Tamboli and Change in Life

To return to other stories of Baba. There was a wrestler in Shirdi, by name Mohdin Tamboli. Baba and he did not agree on some items, and both had a fight. In this Baba was defeated. Thenceforth, Baba changed His dress and mode of living. He donned Kafni, wore a Langot (waist band) and covered His head with a piece of cloth. He took a piece of sack-cloth for His seat, sack-cloth for His bed and was content with wearing torn and worn out rags. He always said that "Poverty is better than Kingship, far better than Lordship. The Lord is always brother (befriender) of the poor." Gangagir was also very fond of wrestling. While he was once wrestling, a similar feeling of dispassion came over him, and at the proper time he heard the voice of an adept, saying that he should wear out his body, playing with God. So he too gave up Samsara and turned towards God-realization. He established a math on the banks of the river near Puntambe, and lived there with disciples.

Sai Baba did not mix and speak with the people. He only gave answers when he was questioned. By day he always sat under the Neem tree, sometimes under the shade of a branch of a Babul tree near the stream at the outskirts of the village. In the afternoon, He used to walk at random and go at times to Nimgaon. There He frequented the house of Balasaheb Dengale. Baba loved Mr. Balasaheb. His younger brother, named Nanasaheb, had no son, though he married a second wife. Balasaheb sent Nanasaheb for taking darshana of Sai Baba, and after some time with His grace, Nanasaheb got a son. From that time onwards, people began to come in numbers to see Sai Baba, and His fame began to spread and reached Ahmednagar; from thence Nanasaheb Chandorkar and Keshav Chidamber, and many others began to come to Shirdi. Baba was surrounded by His devotees during day; and slept at night in an old and dilapidated Masjid. Baba's paraphernalia at this time consisted of a Chilim, tobacco, a "Tumrel" (tin pot), long flowing Kafni, a piece of cloth round His head, and a Satka (short stick), which He always kept with Him. The piece of white cloth on the head was twisted like matted hair, and flowed down from the left ear on the back. This was not washed for weeks. He wore no shoes, no sandals. A piece of sack-cloth was His seat for most of the day. He wore a coupin (waist-cloth-band) and for warding off cold he always sat in front of a Dhuni (sacred fire) facing south with His left hand resting on the wooden railing. In that Dhuni, He offered as oblation; egoism, desires and all thoughts and always uttered Allah Malik (God is the sole owner). The Masjid in which He sat was only of two room dimensions, where all devotees came and saw Him. After 1912 A.D., there was a change. The old Masjid was repaired and a pavement was constructed. Before Baba came to live in this Masjid, He lived for a long time in a place Takia, where with GHUNGUR (small bells) on His legs, Baba danced beautifully sang with tender love.

Turning Water into Oil

Sai Baba was very fond of lights. He used to borrow oil from shop-keepers, and keep lamps burning the whole night in the Masjid and temple. This went on for some time. The Banias1, who supplied oil gratis, once met together and decided not to give Him oil. When, as usual, Baba went to ask for oil, they all gave Him a distinct No. Unperturbed, Baba returned to the Masjid and kept the dry wicks in the lamps. The banias were watching Him with curiosity. Baba took the Tumrel (tin pot) which contained very little (a few drops) of oil, put water into it and drank it and forced it fall in the container.

After consecrating the tin-pot in this way, He again took water in the tin-pot and filled all the lamps with it and lighted them. To the surprise and dismay of the watching Banias, the lamps began to burn and kept burning the whole night. The Banias repented and apologized. Baba forgave them and asked them to be more truthful in future.

The Pseudo-Guru Javhar Ali

Five years after the wrestling bout mentioned above, one Fakir from Ahmednager by name Javhar Ali, came to Rahata with his disciples and stayed in Bakhal (spacious room) near Virabhadra temple. The Fakir was learned, could repeat the whole Koran and had a sweet tongue. Many religious and devout people of the village came to him and began to respect him. With the help of the people, he started to build an Idgah ( a wall before which Mahomedans pray on Idgah day), near the Virabhadra temple. There was some quarrel about this affair, on account of which, Javhar Ali had to leave Rahata. Then he came to Shirdi and lived in the Masjid with Baba. People were captured by his sweet talk, and he began to call Baba his disciple. Baba did not object and consented to be his Chela. Then both Guru and Chela decided to return to Rahata and live there. The Guru (Teacher) never knew his disciple's worth, but the disciple knew the defects of the Guru, still he never disrespected him, observing carefully his duties. He even served the Master in various ways. They used to come to Shirdi off and on, but their main stay was in Rahata. The loving devotees of Baba in Shirdi did not like, that Baba should stay away from them in Rahata. So they went in a deputation to bring Baba back to Shirdi. When they met Baba near the Idgah and told the purpose for which they came, Baba said to them that the Fakir was an ill-tempered fellow, he would not leave him and that they should better return to Shirdi without him, before the Fakir returned. While they were thus talking, the Fakir turned up and was very angry with them for trying to take away his disciple. There was some discussion and altercation and it was finally decided that both the Guru and Chela should return to Shirdi. And so they returned and lived in shirdi. But after a few days the Guru was tested by Devidas and he was found wanting. Twelve years before Baba arrived in Shirdi with the marriage-party, this Devidas aged about 10 or 11 came to Shirdi and lived in the Maruti temple. Devidas had fine features and brilliant eyes, and he was dispassion incarnate and a Jnani. Many persons, namely Tatya Kote, Kashinath and others regarded, him as their Guru. They brought Javhar Ali in his presence, and in the discussion that followed, Javhar was worsted and fled from Shirdi. He went and stayed in Bijapur and returned after many years to Shirdi, and prostrated himself before Sai Baba. The delusion that he was Guru and Sai Baba his Chela, was cleared away, and as he repented, Sai Baba treated him with respect. In this case Sai Baba showed by actual conduct how one should get rid of egoism and do the duties of a disciple to attain the highest end, viz., self-realization. This story is told here according to the version given by Mhalsapati ( a great devotee of Baba).

In the next Chapter will be described Rama-Navami Festival1, the Masjid, its former condition and later improvement etc.

Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all

Incredible! - Still

The first volume of this book has a chapter on "The Same Baba", where many facts that convince us to the identity and continuity of the Sai Baba at Shirdi and the Sai Baba at Puttaparthi were mentioned. Baba refers to Himself always as Sai Baba, the name of Sathya Sai Baba is being used only to avoid legal and administrative complications with institutions and organisations that have grown round 'the previous body' and its admirers. When the Chairman of the Shirdi Samasthan, charged with the duty of administering the properties and the ceremonials of worship at Shirdi, where the 'previous body' is laid to rest, hesitated to swallow the 'Vibhuthi' materialised by the 'present body', (Sri Sathya Sai Baba) because he feared it might be a sacrilege, Baba gave him a sign, to convince him that the two are the same. His picture on the wall of that room in Bombay gave forth a flash of brilliant light, and the dark doubt in his heart was gone!

When Tideman Johanessen of Norway was before the Shirdi Shrine, an old man appeared before him and giving him a picture of Sathya Sai Baba and also a small quantity of Udi, directed him to see the present Avathar in Bombay, on the thirteenth day of March! No one had any inkling of the visit to Bombay in March of Sathya Sai Baba at that time. Later, when on 13th March, he met Baba at Bombay, Baba convinced him that he was informed at Shirdi by Him alone.

Sathya Sai Baba is the effulgence, the majesty, the compassion that animates every shrine in which Shirdi Sai Baba is now adored. A nephew of Kakasaheb Dixit, one of the inner circle of Sai devotees at Shirdi (if we can speak of inner and outer, instead of stronger and weaker) had written a song of prayer to Shirdi Sai Baba, where he yearned to be at least, 'your gatekeeper'! This was years ago. Now, he is the gatekeeper at Brindavan, Whitefield, living in a cottage near the gate and hurrying with the keys when Baba drives in, from Prasanthi Nilayam or Madras or Nilgiris.

Pray to Him, either as Shirdi Baba or as 'Parthi' Baba; it is Baba that hears. Mrs. Bhataja and her daughter heard of Baba while at Bangalore; they had to proceed to Bombay after a visit to Shirdi. They decided to have the Darsan of Baba on their way. Since they could not get the 'interview' within a few days, they had to leave. They called out to Baba when He was passing along the veranda on the first floor for permission to leave. So, He called me into His Presence and giving me some 'Udi' packets, said, "Go and give these to the mother and daughter from Bombay, waiting below." He added, "They have brought a piece of cloth for Me. Tell them they can take it back and use it, stitched as items of dress, as My Prasad." When I told them this, they were amazed! The piece of cloth they had brought and kept carefully inside their box was for offering at the Shrine of Shirdi; there, it would be spread on the 'tomb'! But, since Baba had accepted it "We shall not go to Shirdi; this is Shirdi. That offering has been accepted and returned as Prasadam," they exulted.

The Sai Sathcharitham, written while Sai was at Shirdi, with His Blessings, by Govinda Raghunatha Dabholkar refers to Shirdi Sai Baba Himself as "Sathya Sai"! It speaks of the story of Shirdi Sai Baba as "Sathya Sai Katha", it also describes a Sathya Sai Vratha, Sathya being as has happened in the present incarnation the abridgement of the name, Sathyanarayana!

Bhimaji Patel, after a miraculous recovery from disease through the Grace of Shirdi Sai, celebrated thanksgiving ceremonies. Full of gratitude and reverence instead of the usual Sathyanarayana Vratha, he observed the Sathya Sai Vratha! Instead of Sathyanarayana Katha which had to be read after the Vratha, he recited the Sathya Sai Katha! Sai Baba at Shirdi must have, as the indweller of Bhimaji, prompted him to name the Vratha and the Katha, in that manner, urged by the Sankalpa to suggest coming events. For, has not Sai Baba said at Shirdi, over and over again, "Blessed and fortunate is he who knows Me as seated in the hearts of all beings." In fact, He knew the past, present and future as Dabholkar has declared.

Ten years ago, a Maharashtrian composed a poem on Baba at Shirdi in which he characterised Sai as Sathya Sai. Last year, he came to know of Sathya Sai, through the first volume of this book. He came to Prasanthi Nilayam, drawn by the name which had come to his pen unawares. He told me that the continuity of the two Sais was confirmed by the last incident in the life of the first, and the first incident in the career of the second. Sai Baba appeared before Das Ganu at dawn on the 16th day of October, 1918 and said, "The Masjid has collapsed; I am going from there now; I have come to inform you; go there, quick. Fulfil this wish of mine: place flowers on My Dabari." Dabari indicated the 'tomb'. Das Ganu did as he was told. In 1940, when Baba announced Himself as having come again to resume His work and foster His Bhakthas, Peddavenkappa Raju asked his son who was making the announcement, "Show us a sign and convince us that you are the same Baba." And, Baba asked that 'flowers' be placed in His hands! - Flowers that He had asked Das Ganu to place on His Dabari, when He took leave of Shirdi! He threw the flowers on the floor - and the two words SAI and BABA were formed by those flowers moving themselves into those lines. For those who can read the tracks and trails of Godhead, this is a meaningful coincidence.

On Vijayadasami, 1916, when someone told Sai Baba at Shirdi, "Today is Seemollanghana Day", Baba stunned everyone by His announcement: "Yes; it is the day of My Seemollanghanam too." Seemollanghanam means the act of crossing the boundary, from one kingdom into another. Kings, in former days, gathered their forces, equipped them with arms worshipped and propitiated on Ayudha Puja Day (The Day previous to Vijayadasami Day) and, crossing their own state boundaries, they invaded the neighbouring states, eager to achieve Vijaya or Victory. That was on the tenth Day of Dasara, the tenth or Dasami day of the bright half of the Aswija month.

What exactly did Sai Baba mean, when He said, "Vijayadasami is the day of My Seemollanghanam"? Which border was He crossing and into which state was He proceeding? He left the body, as He had foretold, on Vijayadasami. He told Das Ganu next morning, appearing before him, "I am going from Shirdi now; oilmongers and grocers tease me a lot". So, He left Shirdi and crossed from one state to another, from Maharashtra to Andhra. That was the Seemollanghanam!

Sathya Sai Baba has said that in his previous Body, He told Kakasaheb that He would appear after 8 years, and not as 'a child of 8'. He appeared again at Puttaparthi, in 1926, 8 years after that Vijayadasami. He revealed Himself as a Divine Child, with a miraculous career before Him, in His 8th year, when He willed at school that the teacher should be stuck to his chair until He could get down from the bench on which He was ordered by him to stand. That was the first 'dramatic' announcement of the Advent of Sai again! - 'as a child of 8'.

There are some who limit the Almighty Will of Godhead and say that Sai Baba cannot enter into a human cage, once having flown out of it - as if they are the lawgivers for that Eternal Absolute! One such wrote a letter to me from Madras repeating this argument; when he received my reply he was so firmly convinced that he supported the identity and continuity and advent by a new argument! "The Bhagavadgitha tells us, the Lord has announced that those who depart from the body during a distressed smoky condition of the mind, or during the night, or the dark half of the month, or during the six months when the Sun is in the southern hemisphere, that is to say, during the six months that mark the southern or the manes' path, reach the region of the Moon, if they are Yogins. After some time, they have to return thence to the earth and human birth. (Chapter 8, Sloka 25). Sloka 28 says that if they depart during the day and during the bright half of the moon and during the six months of the Northward sun, the yogis do not return at all. Sai Baba of Shirdi departed during the Dakshinayana, the six months of the southern sun, because, evidently, He courted the chance of returning to earth." I can only say that such buttresses are not needed to prove the obvious. Here, beckoning us in love and sweetness is the Avathar, the reappearance of Sai whom we can all experience and benefit from. What need is there for argument?

As a boy of 14, when Baba decided to stand forth as Sai Baba, giving up the role of Sathyanarayana Raju, He threw away His school books, and walked away from His home, to a garden outside the town of Uravakonda. He told His sister-in-law who tried to persuade Him to stay: "I have got my work; My Bhakthas are waiting for Me." What was the Work? Who were the Bhakthas? We can see that the work was 'the continuation of what was achieved at Shirdi'; the Bhakthas were those who adored Him while at Shirdi and subsequently. This was the reason why He chided a far-famed worshipper of His Shirdi Form who refused to recognise Him thus: "What is the use of all your adoration and meditation when you cannot recognise the very God whom you are adoring and meditating upon?" Even in His teens, He demonstrated to two of His masters at school, Subbannachar and Kondappa, that He was Sai come again: He granted visions of Shirdi to His mother and father and many others at Puttaparthi. He gave pieces of the Kafni He wore at Shirdi to Thammiraju Manchiraju and others at Uravakonda.

Thammiraju Manchiraju was a teacher at the Uravakonda High School. He has written many articles about those days in the "Sanathana Sarathi" magazine. "Since the untimely death of my daughter, my wife was very depressed and so my 'pupil' at school - Sathya shall I say or Baba - came to my house frequently to console her. She used to go every Thursday evening to Him, at the Telugu teacher's house (the house of the elder brother of Baba). One day, while she was falling at His Feet, He raised her up saying, "I shall carry all burdens for you. Be happy, henceforth." Then, He waved His hands and created rice grains (just as he created for Megha at Viramgaon while at Shirdi) and asked her to tie them up in the Gerua piece of the Kafni He had given us earlier.

"We had to go some distance to the village well for the day's stock of potable water. My wife one day collected the children of the neighbours and asked them to play with our five-year old son, so that could go to the well and return. She gave them some sugar and said, 'Do Sai Puja, all of you; I shall come soon. Offer this sugar to Him and then, take it as Prasadam.' The children went into the shrine room; they repeated the hymns they knew. They saw Sai Baba sitting before them. He ate a small quantity of the sugar and gave each one of them a handful. My son was so excited at the Old Man's visit that he ran out to meet his mother and bring her along. He knew she would be delighted to meet Him. When she came in, the room was empty. 'Where has He gone?' she asked the children. The little innocents replied: 'We saw Him go into that picture'. Within a few days, we were at Puttaparthi, Baba told me, "You were sad that I had come away to Puttaparthi; but I can be here and still be there. I knew you would believe this only when the children spoke about what they saw." Thammiraju writes, "The question may arise: Why did He choose the Shirdi Form? I asked myself this question. I got the answer too from Sathya: There is no 'that form' or 'this form'. Both are one."

Sai Baba, while young, used to sing with enthusiasm, and dance with tinkling anklets on His Feet. In this appearance as Sathya, He used to delight in dance and impart delight to others by the dance. He sings with enthusiasm Kirthans and Namavalis which inspire hundreds of thousands into ecstatic devotion. Sai Baba wore, when He came to Shirdi, only a Dhothi round His waist and a shirt on His body; for many years, at Puttaparthi also, He wore the same style of clothes. He changed over to the long gown, as Sai Baba did at Shirdi, only later. He adopted the coloured gown and Dhothi for general wear, at the instance of devotees so that He could be more readily identified and not get lost when hundreds milled round Him for Darsan and to touch His Feet.

"Your joy is the food I subsist on", says Sathya Sai Baba. To give joy to the people around Him, at Shirdi, Sai Baba meekly submitted to pageantry and pomp. Every alternate day, Sai Baba was taken in procession from Dwarakamayi to the Chavadi, where He slept. Groups of men and women with Tal, Chiplis, Kartal, Mridang, Khanjira, Veena, and other musical instruments formed the vanguard of the procession. A long line of beautiful Raths followed behind. Next came the richly caparisoned horse, Syamakarna, which Sai Baba fondled and loved. Behind the horse was a palanquin borne by men who sang hymns, accompanied by many torchbearers on both sides. There were others with canes, silver sticks, poles with flags, bearers of poles with carved figures of Garuda on their crests. They danced in joy, shouting Jai, to the tune of drums and trumpets. Fireworks announced the approach of the procession through sound and the brilliance of sudden flashes of multicoloured light. Baba appeared on the steps of the Masjid with persons holding yak-tail Chowries on each side of him. The Bhaldars announced His appearance by shouting His name. Devotees spread folds of cloth on the road, as He moved along. An umbrella was held over His head; flowers besmeared with Gulal were showered on Him as he proceeded slowly."

The Sai Sathcharitha says, "What a beautiful procession. What an expression of devotion! That scene and those days are gone now. Nobody can see them now, nor in the future."

No; Baba has come again! He permitted devotees to arrange such processions again at Puttaparthi during the Dasara and Birthday Festivals, until about 1954. At Shirdi, Baba was bejewelled before He started for the Chavadi. "They put on His head a Mukuta (crown) and placed jewels round His neck as well as garlands. (Years ago, Sakamma from Bangalore brought many jewels which she put on Baba) During the short time of the procession, they changed His head-dress off and on." Even now, Baba yields to the prayers of people when He knows they are sincere and allows them to arrange processions in towns and villages (as at Shivajinagar, Kalyanapuram, Udumalpet, Coimbatore, Ootacamund), though with paraphernalia very much reduced.

At Shirdi, Baba referred to His Sircar, His Treasury, His Durbar; now too, He refers to Himself as Sath-Chakravarthi; He speaks of His storeroom, His treasury, His treasure (Pennidhi). At Shirdi, He said that "This Dwarakamayi is the Dankapuri of Dakurnath, the Pandhari of Vital, and the Dwarak of Ranchod". Baba has announced that the present Dwarakamayi (Prasanthi Nilayam) is "another Mathura, another Badrinath and another Thirupathi." The name Dwaraka was applied to the city built by Krishna on an island, because, the word means, a place the doors of which are open for the four castes and for the four types of men, namely, Aartha, Artharthi, Jijnasu and Jnani, so that they may attain the four Purusharthas. Certainly, the dwelling of the Lord at Dwaraka, Shirdi and Puttaparthi deserves the name. Baba has said, "This Prasanthi Nilayam has no wall or fence round it, for the Lord is accessible to all who come from all directions and all paths. All are welcome to the gift of Grace."

Sai Baba 'expressed a wish' that a Muralidhar idol of Krishna (with the flute or Murali in His hand) be installed in the quadrangle of the palatial building that Buty built in Shirdi; but He 'left' Shirdi before that wish could be fulfilled. Perhaps for that reason, Baba has a Muralidhar idol of Krishna on the porch of Prasanthi Nilayam, as the centre of adoration for all who raise their hands in prayer. He has a Muralidhar in the shrine in the Prayer Hall. There are two charming images of Muralidhar in the lovely garden of Brindavan, too.

A close study of the Sai Sathcharitha is a MUST for any one seeking to unravel the mystery of Sathya Sai Baba, for the Hand that gives and the Voice that teaches are the same. When a Brahmachari of the Ramakrishna Mission came to Prasanthi Nilayam to get his chronic colic cured, Baba asked him to pray to Guru Maharaj Himself, and instructed him how to do Dhyan with greater success. He assured him that Ramakrishna, his Gurumaharaj, will cure the ailment that hinders the spiritual progress of his child. At Shirdi, Baba would have given the same advice. "Do not lose hold of the bolster you have secured" "Apula bap tho, apula bap" (Our father alone is our father). "You cannot change one Master for another, to suit your whim and fancy." Sai Baba gave Darsan to the disciples of Golapswami as Golapswami, and to the disciples of Raghunath Maharaj as Raghunath Maharaj. Sai Baba was all saints in one.

Now also, it is the same One. While at Prasanthi Nilayam, Baba has given Darsan at Ramanasram to Swami Abhedananda as Ramana Maharshi and at Shimoga to Ramanandarao as Ramdas of Kanhangad! Sai Baba has accepted gifts intended for other Saints and Gurus, for He was all of them. Baba too has surprised many people by telling them that He has been with them for years, guiding and guarding, when they protest that they are meeting Him for the first time. Baba makes it clear that He is the very guru that they have followed so far.

The Secretary of the Hindi Prachar Sabha, Bangalore, had a meaningful experience. He was in the home of a friend when Baba arrived there, years ago. His friend and many others fell at His Feet, but he had no mind to do likewise. He feared that he may be singled out as a conceited youth, refusing to revere a great person. So, he fell at Baba's Feet, with a mental reservation that the prostration was not for Baba but was for his Guru, who was at Maddur in a Siva temple. When he rose after the fall, Baba patted him gently on the back and said, with a smile, "Your homage has reached your guru at Maddur." Thus He came to know, as many did at Shirdi, that Baba is the Divine vein of gold that runs through all the Spiritual Masters and all Divine Teachers.

The unbroken continuity of the Sais is established by the identical panacea they grant - Udi. Then, it was given from the Dhuni or fireplace at Dwarakamayi; now, it is created in the Divine palm, for, a fireplace cannot now be carried wherever He goes or feels like granting it. I must mention here one interesting fact about the Udi, and Shirdi Sai Baba. Sai Baba often sang a song on the Udi, a song which has become immortal, since He sang it "Ramathe Raam! Raam! Aayoji, aayoji! Udiaonki gonia Laayoji, laayoji!" (O, playful Rama, come, come! sacks of Udi, bring, bring.) Who is the Rama that is called upon by Sai Baba to bring sacks of Udi? Rama of the Ramayana did not distribute Udi as a mark of His Grace. Udi was Baba's own special gift, His unique means of alleviating man's physical and mental ills. So, it is a call into the future; for Baba at Shirdi did not stack the Udi and carry bags of it. It is a peep into the present, when we find Baba moving between long lanes of men and women with a bag or basket of Udi packets and placing a few in the outstretched palms of hundreds and thousands, in towns and villages all over the land!

When Baba "took on" the cerebral thrombosis or as the Director of Medical Services in Mysore diagnosed it, 'tubercular meningitis' of a devotee of the Lord, we were reminded not only of similar acts of compassion shown by Him in the past, but also of such acts done by Him while at Shirdi as Sai Baba. Sai Baba had taken on four fully developed bubos from the son of Dadasaheb Khaparde of Amraoti. Showing them to the boy's mother, Sai Baba declared, "See how I suffer for my devotees; their suffering is mine."

When we hear Sathya Sai Baba announcing, "Vivekananda has come again; he is growing up in Ceylon; he will come to me and join in my task", as He did one morning or "The man who wrote the first English biography of Vivekananda was born last night in a thatched hut on the sea shore on the west coast at Kuttipuram. It is a charming baby, with bright big eyes", we are reminded of Sai Baba at Shirdi announcing to the people around Him the past lives of snakes and cows and goats! In His discourses, Baba has often said, "I know your past; I know your future; so, I know why you suffer and how you can escape suffering." The declarations that resound from Prasanthi Nilayam are but echoes of those heard at Dwarakamayi. Baba says, "Imagine how foolish you are! Coming to this Kalpatharu and asking for a little coffee powder! Your behaviour is like a man coming to a huge departmental store and asking for a towel." As Sai Baba, He said, "I am sitting here, ready to give you the gold embroidered Shella cloth; then, why go and steal rags?"

Sai Baba spoke in such conundrums and parables. He told Kaka Saheb that He will send him a Vimana when he died. What happened was that he died in a moving train. Sathya Sai Baba also speaks thus. He told an aged film star, who spoke to Him of his physical illness, "I know; your body is a bundle of diseases; I shall overhaul you and give you a new body." What happened was, he died soon and entered a new body. That film star was blind; he pleaded that he might at least or rather utmost, get a picture of Baba in his heart. What happened can best be described by quoting a para from the book, Sai the Superman, by Swami Sharananand. He is writing about Sai Baba of Shirdi, but exactly the same thing happened at Prasanthi Nilayam, too! He prayed to Baba, "I have lost my eyesight. I do not feel its loss; for want of eyesight keeps me away from many undesirable things; but I am eager to see the human form in which you, My Lord, have manifested yourself. Please therefore grant me eyesight till I satiate myself by the sight of your glory. You may withdraw this grant as soon as this is done." Baba at once granted this request; he saw Baba with his own eyes and then he lost vision and became blind again.

Sai Baba evinced enthusiasm to safeguard and foster Sanathana Dharma and to promote scriptural studies, that can alone clarify the intellect and purify the mind. We read in the Sai Sathcharitha how He rebuked a Ramadasi for retaining his short temper, in spite of his recital of Vishnu Sahasranama for years. He rebuked Swami Vijayananda, who had ostensibly given up kith and kin, when he asked him for permission to go to Madras to see his sick mother. "Go and read the Bhagavatham", he told him. As Sathya Sai Baba, He is continuing on a vaster scale this role of correcting the craving and attachments of monks and Sadhakas. He rebukes them for celebrating or even remembering their birthdays; for decorating themselves and others with titles indicative of spiritual progress, and engaging themselves in competitive publicity to attract and retain rich followers. Sai Baba asked Haji Sidi Falke of Kalyan, "Do you read the Quoran like this?" As Sathya Sai Baba, we have seen Him regulating and modifying the speed and pitch of renowned Vedic reciters. Sathya Sai Baba places emphasis on the Gayathri, on Omkar as well as on the Githa as the most efficacious of Manthras and texts. As Sai Baba too, He did the same. He asked people to read the Bhagavatha, the Patanjali Yogasuthras, the Vicharasagara, the Panchadasi and other texts. Dadasaheb Khaparde, an expert in Vidyaranya's Commentaries, 'uttered no word' in Sai Baba's presence, because, as he confessed, 'learning cannot shine before self-realisation'. This is the experience of many a scholar in the presence of Sathya Sai Baba also. When a renowned poet and pundit, and popular preacher, who has toured USA, USSR, Japan and other countries and lectured there on religion, fell at His feet and offered to spend the remaining years of his life in flying from continent to continent, spreading the happy news of His Advent, Sathya Sai Baba told him, "Do not worry about My Advent; worry about your own future. I wish some one would clip your wings and keep you in one fixed place, so that you can do some Sadhana and save yourself, before its too late." "Concentrate on your own uplift before attempting to uplift others", was His advice to another popular exponent of the Githa and Upanishads. He has come to cure the blind, correct the proud, console the ignorant and comfort the distressed.
The declaration made at Shirdi and by Sathya Sai Baba everywhere about the Divinity and Mystery of Sai are naturally identical. Sathya Sai Baba says, "My Sakthi, My Power, My mystery can never be understood, whoever may try, for however long a period, by whatever means." Sai Baba said, "I pull the wires of this puppet show." At Shirdi, He told Vijayananda, "You were able to reach this place only as the result of the merit acquired in previous births." At Puttaparthi, He says the same thing to all those who come. The reaction to praise and blame, then as now, is the same. The Sathcharitha says: "Sai Baba was tolerant, emotionless, unattached, eternally free." Baba wrote to His brother when He was but twenty, "I shall not slacken My activity; for Me fame and name, reputation and calumny, are equally trivial. I am unconcerned with the whole lot."

Sai Baba was the embodiment of Prema; Sathya Sai Baba names Himself as Premaswarupa. The Sathcharitha refers to Udivrishti and Kripavrishti, the shower of Udi and the shower of Grace; any book on Baba, then as now, must mention these two showers, for they are the marks of the Sai Godhead. Sai addressed people as "O, Bhau", "You Anna", or "You Bapu", in love and endearment; now, in the new Sai Form, He addresses them as "Bangaru", "Nayana" or "Appa".

Then and now, Sai has taken every opportunity to proclaim His Glory, for how else can man realise His good fortune? At Shirdi, He said, "I am the indweller of all beings." Recently, Baba wrote to a learned Pundit, "Do not disparage the rich; do not disparage anyone. Sai dwells in every one and so, when you disparage any one you are disparaging Me." Professor G.G. Narke of the Engineering College, Poona, wrote of Sai, while He was at Shirdi, "He spoke as One seated in my heart, knowing all its thoughts and all its wishes. I tested Him at times. Each test produced the same conviction that He was all-knowing, and able to mould things according to His will." Now, in the present Sathya Sai form, Baba told a Sarvodaya worker, a certain Sri Mehta who asked Him quite frankly how He could read his mind so right, "This is no Siddhi or attainment; this is My Swavhava, My very nature. I do not by means of a power that I have learned and earned, enter into your mind, collect all the information I require about its contents, emerge from it, and then recite it all to you, to impress you. No. I am there always and everywhere. I am your Hrudaya-vasi, the Indweller."

Sai Baba told Balaram Mankar, when He appeared in person before him at Mathsyendragad, while also, at Shirdi, and in answer to Mankar's question as to why He had sent him away from Shirdi to that hill, "You imagined that, with this body three cubits and a half long, composed of the five elements, I was at Shirdi! Isn't it? I wanted to make you know My Reality; that is why I sent you here, so that I may come before you and show you that I am not in that body only." Sathya Sai Baba too has appeared as such to devotees in far off places and even beyond the seven seas, making them aware that He is not bound by the physical frame, which many mistake to be He. He says, "Learn to yearn, so that you can draw Me to you wherever you are. That is a more rewarding Sadhana than the journeys you now undergo. Transform your heart into a Prasanthi Nilayam; then, I shall certainly come and stay there."

The golden streak of continuity is evident in the miraculous cures they effect, in the mysterious ways by which they save devotees from accidents, by which they forewarn and rescue, in the methods by which they teach and train, in the emphasis they lay on the fundamentals of faiths. People who have lived long at Shirdi have noticed at Prasanthi Nilayam the same turns and twists in conversation, the same love and mercy, even the same mannerisms of gesture. M.S. Dixit vouchsafes for one such: "Sathya Sai Baba waves His right hand, just as the Shirdi Lord used to do, one or two fingers in the air, as if He is writing in the air." This waving of the hand, with no evident purpose or meaning, is mentioned in the Sai Sathcharitha of Hemadpant in Chapter, 27.

Another trait of Baba, at Shirdi and Puttaparthi, is the awarding of nicknames to people around and using them in general conversation. At Shirdi, the Lord was Fakir, Panduranga was Vital Patil; at Puttaparthi He is the Potter, the Smith. Das Ganu was the 'bridegroom', another person was 'the gourmand' or 'the fat one'. The nickname, Hemadpant, with which He accosted Govindarao Raghunath Dabholkar has become historic, since he accepted it as his nom de plume, writing at the end of each chapter, as its colophon, "Bhaktha Hemadapantha Virachitha Sri Sai Samartha Sathcharitha!"

Hemadpant was a famous minister of the Yadava Dynasty who ruled from Deogir (Daulatabad); he served two of the rulers, Mahadeva and Ramadeva, in the XII century, AD He wrote many celebrated works in Sanskrit, like Chathurvargachintamani and Rajaprasasti, mainly concerned with sociology and political science. When he was given this nickname, Dabolkar took it as a "dart to destroy my ego", as a means to teach me "nithya nirabhimana" (permanent egolessness). He contrasted his own insignificant attainments with the gigantic achievements of the person whose name was stuck on him; he prayed that Baba may write His story Himself through the pen he was privileged to hold. And, Baba blessed Him, 'so be it'!

Now too, there is a repetition. When recently I scanned my Diary for 1958, I discovered this entry on the 29th day of November: 'Baba accosted me, when I went to Him at 7-15 a.m. as Nannayya Bhatta!' I had no idea then that it was a name that was heavy with history. This was two years previous to the publication of His Life, "Sathyam Sivam Sundaram", a book He wrote while I held the pen, His Sathcharitha. He had blessed me with the task as early as 1948, and I was waiting for His command to begin, even ten years later, for he was saying, "Now, if you publish a book about Me, people will not believe it: they will deem it as a fairy tale; wait till the world is made ready to receive it."

That name He accosted me with is, as I learnt later, famous in Andhra, as the name of the Adi Kavi, the First Poet, one of the three who together compiled the immortal Andhra Mahabharatham; Nannayya Bhatt is also said to have composed another great poem, on Sri Rama, "Raghavabhyudayam" He lived at Rajamahendravaram on the banks of the Godavari River, in the XI Century AD, and he had as his patron, the Chalukya Emperor, Rajaraja. While naming, with a twinkle in the eye, illiterate me, as Nannayya Bhatt who extolled in excellent poetry the glory of Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, Baba was only revealing His Identity. The nickname was a dart against my egoism, the conceit of this infinitesimal ripple on the ageless boundless Ocean that He is. May I too be established in nithya nirabhimana, that is my daily prayer.

M. S. Dixit, to whom reference has been made, is the nephew of Kakasaheb, who was intimately attached to Sai Baba at Shirdi. He had many opportunities of receiving blessings from Baba, at Dwarakamayi. Once, Baba took Udi and applying it to his forehead with a slap, said, "Go to the Wada, don't sit here." He was a boy in his teens then; so he told his uncle, "I will not go to Baba; He slapped me on the forehead." But Kakasaheb said, "You are a fool; the slap means your horrible headache will not recur." He is seventy now and the headache has not dared to pay him a visit since that slap. Dixit writes of another incident; "One day, about 5-30 a.m., Baba sent for the barber and had a shave, after which He bathed. This was very unusual. He generally had a shave and a bath in the afternoon. That day, after the bath, he sent a man to the grocer, and got a coconut, some jaggery and a quantity of groundnuts. He broke the coconut and cut the kernel into pieces; then, he gave a piece along with jaggery and groundnuts to all present. After this, He said, "Bolo Gajanan Maharaj Ki Jai." We all cheered, Jai. I wondered why; no one knew who this Gajanan Maharaj was. Later, Baba said, "I have lost My brother, this morning. Two days later, a letter came to Kakasaheb from Shegaon written by Buty Saheb that his Guru Gajanan Maharaj had left the body at 5-30 a.m., that day and that during his last moments, he had assured him, "My brother Sai Baba will take care of you hereafter; go to him, at Shirdi!" (Sathya Sai Baba too is immediately conscious of the birth or death or whatever happens to all; He announces to those around Him the passing away - or rather, the mergence in His Feet - of persons yearning to have that happy way of release).

Some years ago, Dixit who was at Mangalore, and reading the 'Guru Charitha' in the orthodox style, determined to finish the book in 'seven days', a Sapthaha as it is called. On the seventh day, he had a dream: "I entered an arched gate which led me into a magnificent building at the end of a wide road, with dark green trees on both sides. As I was proceeding, I felt some one was following me, calling me in a soft sweet voice, Dixit, Dixit. When I turned round to find out who it was, I saw a charming figure in silken robes, and a thick halo of hair that was remarkably curly. A few days later, I went to a friend, a Doctor and I saw in his room, the picture of that same figure. Who is this? Is He available? I asked. The reply took me by storm. 'He is Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba!' Sai Baba? Sathya Sai Baba? - I pondered. The doctor said, "Some of my friends are going to see him shortly, you can join them if you care to." Dixit was overwhelmed with joy; he joined the party and arrived at Prasanthi Nilayam. He passed through the arched gate, he proceeded along the wide road with dark green trees on either side. He saw the charming figure. He heard the silver voice, when he was called in for a personal talk, in the Private Room.

Let Dixit relate what happened. "Baba called me in. He saw with me a small photograph of my uncle. 'I know him, he is Dixit, your father's brother, elder brother. I told him I will be coming again, eight years later. Have you any doubt?', He enquired. That question was relevant, for until then, I was bogged in doubt." Dixit is unshakeably convinced now that this Sai Baba is the same that he served at Shirdi, for he had many an experience to deepen his faith.

Baba also grants many fortunate persons such experiences, even the many who have not heard of either Baba. His plan is, perhaps, to draw them to Him, so that they may become messengers of the 'Sai Era' of spiritual Joy. Else, how can we explain the following remarkable experience of Srimathi Sudha Mazumdar of Calcutta? She is a social worker since many years and has contributed much to the amelioration of the lot of women in the prisons of India; she was for a long time the Vice President of the All India Woman's Conference. Her translation of the Ramayana into English has kindled the flame of devotion in thousands of hearts all over the world. Here is her own account of the way in which, quite spontaneously, Sathya Sai Baba established Himself in her heart and instilled faith in Him, as the same Sai who was at Shirdi:

There was a slight drizzle that morning, in October 1964. I was in Darjeeling, high up in Jalapahar, on a bench under a shelter, on the edge of the road, looking down the deep valleys. Beyond were the snowy ranges of the Kanchenjunga, covered with clouds. The beauty of the Himalayas failed to lift my spirits; I was weighed down by my troubles. As I gazed at the splendour of Nature with unseeing eyes, I noticed a figure, clad in white, climbing up to where I was. An old man, with a battered umbrella under his arm reached the shelter, and stood before me, breathing heavily. He had on a small white cap; from his long white robe, I knew him to be a faquir. He hesitated, as if he was not sure whether I would like him to share my bench. I welcomed him warmly. He smiled and sat beside me, carefully leaning his umbrella against the bench. It was covered with some white material that had become unstitched, in places from the frame; I wondered how it served its purpose!

He sat in silence; so did I. We both gazed at the snow-covered peaks before us, for, the clouds had moved off, revealing the dazzling splendour. When he had recovered his breath, I asked him where he had come from. "Oh, very far", he smiled and with outstretched hand, he pointed to the distance. "From Nepal", he added. "But where do you stay here?" "Oh, anywhere, when the sun sets". "And food?" "People are kind, I always get something to eat and some kind of shelter at nightfall." Then he laughed. "I enjoyed a fine meal when the poor were fed after Nehru died". He had crossed his long legs and fumbling in the cotton bag slung over his shoulder, he brought out a piece of rag, from which he took out a pinch of tobacco. He did not partake of this, however, he sat with his eyes on the distant mountains, while he chanted melodious words in Hindi. "What is this?", I asked. Turning his eyes on me, he said they were from Kabir. He was a Kabir Panthi. "Yes," he continued, "both my father and mother died when I was very young. I had no kinsmen. Neighbours said I must marry, for some one must cook me food. But, I thought, since He has chosen to leave me without any people of my own, it must be because He wants me to leave the world. So, one night, I left home and became a wanderer. When I was sixteen years old, I became a faquir, of the path of Kabir."

Here, he hummed another verse. It had a haunting quality. Taking out a note book and pencil I had in my bag, I begged him to give me the words. With kindly eyes, he looked at me and nodded. One by one, I jotted down the terse verses. He corrected the mistakes and explained the meanings. Here they are, translated as best I can:-

Choosing bits of brick with care
Man erects a mansion here.
Then, he says "This home is mine!"
But it's neither 'mine' nor 'thine';
So I heard
It is but a Nest for the Bird.

Thy land shall go
Thy goods shall go
Thy linen fine shall go
With braided hair, the maid so fair.
The blind too shall go
Oh, so beautifully...
And for a while thy abode -
The wilderness shall be!

With what high hopes the boy was raised
How fondly fed with milk, so pure...
And he?
Blame not the mother, nor the father
It was all destined for thee.

The faquir taught me the meaning very patiently "Homes are but nests for the spirit encased in the body; the nest is abandoned when the allotted span is spent... All that is in this world will have to be left here, when death arrives. The body returns to the elements of which it is composed...". With compassion in his eyes, he explained the last verse, "When you do not get love or gratitude in return for all the labour and pain you have undergone, remember, that is the result of one's own Karma. Blame none".

"Very true," I murmured with misty eyes. "But how to proceed on the path?" I remember he gave good advice... Also that I should wake at 4 o'clock in the morning and repeat these verses and meditate on them. He was so kind and understanding. I bent low before him with folded hands in Namaskar and placed a rupee beside him on the bench. He gave me his blessings in many words that I do not quite remember, picked up his umbrella, and left me with a sense of peace.

Who was this faquir? My son said, "I go down daily to office from this side of Jalapahar; I have never seen any faquir. Your habit of making friends with strangers will land you in trouble someday, be careful."

In the Illustrated Weekly of November, 1965, there appeared articles and pictures of Sathya Sai Baba. The hair arrangement completely put me off. I never even read the article! In March, 1966, came an anonymous post card with a Bombay stamp - one of those chain letters requesting me to send off to 20 people what was written on that card about Sai Baba and good fortune would be mine in 10 days! I was in great mental distress at that time. I found myself getting 20 postcards and typing the letters in secret and posting them off! If the family knew, they would have teased me, for had I not refused to know anything of Sai Baba, because of his hair?

Late in November, two friends came to me for discussions over a seminar to be held the next month at Bangalore. "You are lucky to be able to go; try and see Sai Baba if you can", said one friend. "Oh," I said absent-mindedly "Why? Who is he?" Then, we were told of the miraculous powers of Baba and that miracles were happening in the home of a Mrs. Rao. The details sounded so incredible that I must have smiled. "You don't believe me?", she said in a hurt voice. I hastened to assure her that since this came from her, what she said must be true. She shook her head. "No. You must see for yourself. I can take you there now, it is not far."

So, we left our files and papers, called a taxi and came to the modest home of Mrs. Rao. Welcoming us, she laughed and said, "See what Baba is doing!" and took us where amongst other holy pictures, the small framed one of Baba had benediction in his eyes. Over his forehead, there appeared a fine grey dust. This was 'Vibhuthi' we were told and we were given a little folded in pieces of paper. Mrs. Rao had never seen Baba except once in a dream; she secured this photograph of his and sometime later, this fragrant ash began appearing on it and it is stored for devotees. "But, this is nothing." She laughed. "You should see what is happening in the home of my Dasi". She related how this woman servant became a devotee of Baba, and securing three pictures, kept them framed in her place of worship. She finishes her prayers at 4 o'clock in the morning, before she goes on her daily rounds to wash and scrub and sweep in different homes for her livelihood. Over her pictures, as an indication of Baba's Grace, there appears Vibhuthi in one, Kumkum in another and on the third photograph, Haldi powder! Good fortune is hers now; she has left for better wages offered elsewhere. "Is her home very far off?" I asked. "Can we not go there now?" Mrs. Rao said it was not a distant place, but in the heart of a bustee where there were no street lights even and the rain that day must have made the land leading to it very muddy indeed. We assured her we would not mind anything if she would kindly lead us there. We walked with her in the darkness through narrow lanes, lit up now and then by the flickering flame of oil lamps from adjoining homes, till we reached our destination.

The maid's name was Madhuri. She was not at home but her husband, a truck driver, was there with the four children. Occupying half the small room was a split bamboo structure fixed on the mud floor on which they all slept together, keeping their belongings under it. The other half of the room was reserved for their place of worship.

The place was specklessly clean, the few brass vessels gleamed in the lamplight. The wall of this portion of the room was covered with coloured prints of holy pictures including one of Shirdi Baba and, at the bottom above a steel shelf covered with a clean cloth, were the three pictures of Sathya Sai Baba, and true enough, there could be seen the Vibhuthi, Kum Kum and Haldi Powder in profusion over Baba's forehead. A light burnt on a brass lamp and a beautiful fragrance pervaded the humble home. The place had a definite atmosphere and overcome, I uttered a prayer and left a small offering. Two days later, the maid had managed to trace me and sent a large basket of Prasad - mostly home made sweets and Baba's Vibhuthi. I was moved to the depths and vowed to myself that I must see this Sai Baba.

How I succeeded in my endeavours when I had given up all hopes is another story; here I will conclude with only the portion that is connected with my Faquir. Leaving the car on the road, Usha and I were walking by the footpath to where Sai Baba was giving Darshan to devotees on his last day in Madras in January 1967. Lost in thought over what I had seen and heard of this most extraordinary person, I heard Usha say, "Look Aunty, isn't that a lovely house?" "Yes, it's indeed beautiful" I agreed. Then, suddenly remembering that first verse of Kabir, I sang it softly to myself. "What is it Aunty?" asked Usha. "Oh, only a Bhajan given by a faquir in Darjeeling, it's Kabir's. He was a Kabir Panthi". Usha stopped and faced me with puzzled eyes. 'Faquir? Kabir Panthi? Why Aunty?', she gasped, 'that must have been Shirdi Sai Baba!' "What on earth are you saying Usha?" Greatly excited Usha clutched my hand and nodded, "Yes! Yes! It must be Shirdi Sai Baba. I have just been reading Arthur Osborne's 'Incredible Sai Baba' and in this, there are incidents when he appears to people, and he was a Kabir Panthi..." I could do nothing but smile at the extravagance of her thought. "Aunty", persisted Usha, as we continued to walk. "Ask Sai Baba when you meet him this morning, for he is the reincarnation of Shirdi Baba".

I could never ask him anything so absurd, I told her, but she continued to press the matter. Her parting words were "You need not fear, he is never annoyed over questions"...

As I recall the past I was amazed at the strange sequence of events that brought me before the closed door upstairs. I had in my hands a small slip which I begged for an interview if he did not think I was too unworthy. It was meant to be made over to the person who opened the door... We had not knocked. The door opened and behold - it was Baba! Playfully he said to me smiling "Come, do Namaskar!" He was giving me my heart's desire. I bowed low to touch the beautiful feet of the red clad figure with benediction in his eyes.

I had meant to ask him questions about my own troubles, but it was he who told me what my sorrows were and assured me all would be well. Then, remembering my niece's words, I stammered, "Baba, Usha was saying I should ask about the faquir I met in Darjeeling... he..." Interrupting me he said, "That was I in another form. I gave you three Upadesh," he added raising three fingers... I remember sobbing at his feet and all that came to my lips was, "Baba, will you be with me?" I felt his hand upon my head and as in a dream heard, "Always! Always!" My face was wet with tears. My heart was full. My spirit was at peace at last... Then, he materialised as if to comfort me, Vibhuthi and a small photograph with his Abhay Hasta raised that had his address too, like a visiting card. "Put this in your purse," he said and gave me a handful of small packets of Vibhuthi from a brass container. "Come to Puttaparthi during Shiva Ratri... all facilities will be provided". He also told me he would come to Calcutta... He only knows when I will be blessed enough to be at Puttaparthi and favoured with another Darshan.

June 1957. I was at Bombay for a meeting, but my mind was bent on a cherished wish. "I would like to go to Shirdi!" I told my friends.

"Do please make enquiries", I entreated my host, "and help me to make this visit". He returned from office smiling broadly one day saying, "Why Aunty, when I mentioned your desire I was told since you wish to go, Shirdi Baba will surely fulfil your wish!" "That is all very well to say", I replied glumly, "but how? With whom? And where do I stay in Shirdi?" My health was not too good and the more I thought about it the more despondent I felt at the prospect of going to a strange place all by myself. But the prediction was true. In an extraordinary manner, I was guided right from the train in which I was going in the wrong direction, by the charming Maharashtrian lady travelling in the same compartment. With my two companions discovered at the last moment, devotees of Baba, she gave us hospitality in her home at Nasik and made all arrangements for our Shirdi visit one morning.

"The Arati is commencing; come at once!" The bus drive has been long and dusty; so after a quick wash we hastened to the Samadhi Sthan. Where the mortal remains of Shirdi Baba had been laid to rest, a gleaming silver sheet covered the spacious place. There were colourful flowers in abundance there, lights burnt, the air was heavy with the fragrance of incense, bells were ringing, the crowd surged, I pressed forward for a better view. My heart stood still as my eyes fell on the life size white marble image. Sitting with his right leg crossed over his knee, this figure of Shirdi Baba near his Samadhi Sthan strangely resembled the faquir I had met in Darjeeling. The same face, the same pose, only instead of the small cap, there was a scarf wound round his head. The same kind inscrutable eyes looked penetratingly at me. I held my breath. Time passed... My mind gradually accepted an indisputable fact and ceased to worry over the whys and wherefores. With my surrender, the tears rained down easing the tension. My trembling lips murmured, "Baba! Baba!" and wordlessly I prayed for His Kripa. My hands held on to the tray filled with fruit and flower given to me to make the formal offering here with the others. My tears continued to fall, I was blessed with a sense of peace - the peace that passeth all understanding filled my heart."

Sathya Sai Baba spontaneously and suddenly choosing Sudha Mazumdar at Darjeeling as His Instrument and drawing her into the Sai Family, giving her Darsan and Upadesh, in the form of His previous Body! Faquir, Sathya Sai Baba, Sai Baba - Sudha Mazumdar is indeed fortunate beyond words! Her experience is an eye-opener to those who refuse to see.

There is an old lady at Prasanthi Nilayam, whose experience clinches the question of the Avatharhood. Her father, a Collector in the Nizam's Dominions, took her to Shirdi in her third year and again in her seventh year; she was married at that age; torn by agony at the death of the four children that she bore, she clasped the Feet of Sai Baba at Shirdi in 1917, asking for spiritual initiation or Upadesh and permission to stay on with Him. In Lendi Bagh, Baba told her, "Not now; I will come again in Andhra; you will meet me then and be with me." She returned to the Nizam's Dominions, took to the propagation of Bhakthi by means of musical recitations on the life-stories of saints and sages, established a refugee-home for orphan girls named Sai Sadan, and, during her peregrinations to collect money for her institutions heard that a Raju Boy had announced Himself as Sai Baba! She hurried to Uravakonda, joined the throng that was proceeding to the house of Seshamaraju that Thursday and sat near Him, on the right side. She says, that Baba spoke to her in a low voice in Hindi, as at Shirdi, "So, you have come, My child." He asked her for a balance of sixteen rupees that she owed him! This took her by storm. She asked Him how that debt arose. He replied, "Out of the money you had accumulated to be sent to Shirdi for the Dasara Celebrations, you lent Balaram forty rupees; he returned only twenty-four." And, He added, in a whisper "I am asking you this, only to convince you that I am Shirdi Sai Baba... You have not touched My Feet... You sat as soon as you came in." This lady had to wind up her institution and visit Puttaparthi frequently thereafter. She is now at Prasanthi Nilayam, happy that what Baba told her at Shirdi has come true.

Incredible, is it? Well. Arthur Osborne could not get any other adjective to summarise the glory of Sai Baba; the incredibility of the wonder persists even now.

From: Sathya Sivam Sundaram by Prof. N. Kasturi
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