Sai Baba required no special place, nor any special time for giving instructions. Whenever any occasion demanded, He gave them freely. Once it so happened that a Bhakta of Baba, reviled another behind his back, before other people. On leaving aside merits, he dwelt on the faults of his brother, and spoke so sarcastically, that the hearers were disgusted. Generally, we see that people have a tendency to scandalize others, un-necessarily; and this brings on hatred and ill-will. Saints see scandal, in another light. They say that there are various ways of cleansing or removing dirt, viz. by means of earth, water and soap etc., but a scandal-monger has got a way of his own. He removes the dirt (faults) of others by his tongue; so in a way of obliges the person, whom he reviles and for this he is to be thanked. Sai Baba had his own method of correcting the scandal-monger. He knew by his omniscience what the slanderer had done and when He met him at noon near the Lendi, Baba pointed out to him a pig that was eating filth near the fence and said to him - "Behold how, with what relish it is gorging dung. Your conduct is similar. You go on reviling your own brethren to your heart's content. After performing many deeds of merit, you are born a man, and if you act like this, will Shirdi help you in any way?" Needless to say, that the Bhakta took the lesson to his heart, and went away. 

Baba said that He was omnipresent, occupying land, air, country, world, light and heaven, and that He was not limited. To remove the misunderstanding of those, who thought that Baba was only His body - three cubits and a half in length, He incarnated Himself in this form and if any devotee meditated on Him day and night with complete self-surrender, he experienced complete union (without any difference) with Him like sweetness and sugar, waves and sea, eye and its luster. He, who wants to get rid of the cycle of births and deaths, should lead a righteous life, with his mind calm and composed. He should always engage himself in good actions, should do his duties and surrender himself, heart and soul to Him. He need not then be afraid of anything. He who trusts Him entirely, hears and expounds His Leelas and does not think of anything else, is sure to attain Self-realization. 

If you daily hear the Leelas of Sai, you will always see Him. Day and night you will remember Him in your mind. When you assimilate Sai in this way, your mind will lose its fickleness and if you go on in this manner, it will finally be merged in pure consciousness.

Answer to last week Question

The debate between Balasaheb Bhate and Hemadpant was about the necessity of Guru. Balasaheb Bhate was of the opinion that a spiritual aspirant must brush aside cleverness; pride or egoism and surrender to Guru. Hemadpant contended, "Why should we lose our freedom and submit to others? When we have to do our duty, why a Guru is necessary? One must try his best and save himself. What can the Guru do to a man who does nothing but sleeps indolently?" Thus I pleaded freewill, while Mr. Bhate took up the other side.

Next day Hemadpant got answer from Baba in the following incident

Kakasaheb went to Baba and asked whether he should leave Shirdi. Baba Said, "Yes". Then someone asked - "Baba, where to go?" Baba said, "High up." Then the man said, "How is the way?" Baba said, "There are many ways leading there; there is one way also from here (Shirdi). The way is difficult. There are tigers and wolves in the jungles on the way." I (Kakasaheb) asked - "But Baba, what if we take a guide with us?" Baba answered, - "Then there is no difficulty. The guide will take you straight to your destination, avoiding wolves, tigers and ditches etc. on the way. If there be no guide, there is the danger of your being lost in the jungles or falling into ditches."

Mr. Dabholkar was present on this occasion and he thought that this was the answer Baba gave to the question whether Guru was a necessity; and he thereupon took the hint that no discussion of the problem, whether man is free or bound, is of any use in spiritual matters, but that on the contrary real Paramartha is possible only as the result of the teachings of the Guru, even great Avatars like Rama and Krishna, who had to submit themselves to their Gurus, Vasishtha and Sandipani respectively, for getting self- realization and that the only virtues necessary for such progress are faith and patience.

Question of the week:

One Rohilla, tall and well built, strong as a bull, came to Shirdi, wearing a long Kafni (robe) and was enamoured of Sai who stayed there. Day and night he used to recite in a loud and harsh tone Kalma (verses from Holy Koran) and shout "ALLAH HO AKBAR" (God is Great). Most people of Shirdi, were working in their fields by day and when they returned to their homes at night, they were welcomed with the Rohilla's harsh cries and shouts. They could get no sleep and felt much trouble and inconvenience. They suffered in silence this nuisance for some days, and when they could stand it no longer, they approached Baba, and requested Him to check the Rohilla and stop the nuisance.

How did Baba respond to this request? 

This question is based on Chapter 3 of Shri Sai Satcharitra

Do you know this:  

Baba lived in his physical body for about 60 years in a dilapidated mosque, which he always referred as 'Dwarkamai', the Mother of Mercy. Dwarkamai is open to all irrespective of caste, creed or religion. It is the Holy landmark of all religions in the world. It is the place of Universal faith where all the religions have found their sanctity in Baba. Click here to read more...

Tell your children to know about Shri Sai, introduce the children's section to them 

Question : Can we define the form of God on the basis of concepts?

Answer :

God is not any single or limited concept which can be defined with our limited intellect or knowledge. He is a synthesis of millions of such concepts of Nature that emanated from Him only. This is the reason that to this day humanity does not have even a single saint from whole of the intellectual world. The knowledge of intellectuals is based on concepts, and concepts are made out of ignorance or limited knowledge. Majority of Saints were illiterate and not professors, high officials, scientists or thinkers. Saints never held any concepts. They kept flowing spontaneously with the natural force of life enduring all the impressions of life after life, and they continued to progress on this path by constant craving for God’s grace.

More questions and answers in the book "May I Answer".

To know more about the book "May I Answer"? Click here

Dear Devoted Readers,

I am a young man of 22 years of age, and I have also experienced the Leelas of Baba. I failed my first year of college, and my family and I were very depressed. I prayed very hard, started looking for answers. I met Guruji and told Him my problem also. He told me not to worry, and that I will pass and do well. Miraculously, after 4 months, my revaluation results came out, and I discovered that I passed. I needed 6 marks to pass, and I got exactly those 6 marks. Moreover, out of hundreds of students who applied for revaluation, I was the only one who converted from 'fail' to 'pass'. It was a miracle that made the biggest turnaround in my life. And I am sincerely thankful to Guruji and Baba for this miracle.

Believe in Sai...with all honesty.

Share your experience

If you have an experience to share, Something which may have touched you when you remembered Him in your work, or in crises, or while rejoicing Him. These experiences of yours can be inspiring for others to believe in Him. You can email them to us at myexperience@shirdibaba.org or send them online under Devotees Forum at www.shirdibaba.org

|| Bow to Shirdi Sai, Peace be to all ||