Shri Sai Sat Charitra - Chapter 12 - Part II

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Hear His powers. For the sake of devotees, He spent His stock of merits and was ever alert to help them. But the devotees could never approach Him, unless He meant to receive them. If their turn did not come, Baba did not remember them, and His Leelas could not reach their ears. Then, how could they think of seeing Him?

Some men desired to see Sai Baba but they did not get any opportunity of taking His darshan, till His Mahasamadhi. There are many such persons, whose desire for Baba's darshan was not thus satisfied. If these persons, believing in Him, listen to His Leelas, their quest for milk (darshan) will be, to a great extent, satisfied by the butter-milk (Leelas).

Some people who went there by sheer luck and took Baba's darshan, were they able to stay there longer? No. Nobody could go there on his own accord, and nobody could stay there long even if he wished so. They could stay there, so long as Baba permitted them to stay, and had to leave the place when asked to do so by Baba. So everything depended of Baba's will.

Sai Ram. There is a Telugu proverb, "Sivajna lenidi cheemaina kuttadu." Even an ant can't bite one without the permission of Sri Siva, who pervades the whole universe and is thus also Vishnu. In Satcharitra itself, it is told by Baba that not even a leaf moves without God's will. So, visiting a sacred place and meeting a saint can come about only if God/Saint wills it. Either they will not get the thought of seeing him or even hearing about the greatness of the saints. It is not that God/Baba does not remember the person. Till the time is ripe, He doesn't interfere. That is why God is called Kshetrajna (the knower of the Field) and the Jeevatma is the Kshetra.

God knows when what karma is coming to fruition and He being so merciful teaches the appropriate lesson through the fruits of karma. As mentioned above, Baba was a Kshetrajna. He knew when to do what with respect to a devotee. He also knew when to send a devotee to the care of some one else or to give an indication that He is one with the other Saints. Baba Himself used to say, Allah Malik, God is the supreme. Since He was perfect and without ego, He was one with Him. Sai Ram.

Sai Ram. Since Baba was not confined to His physical body, He is present in His photographs, in His devotees, in His stories and in His name and of course in all forms of God and Saints. So, a strong urge to reach Him through any of these different means establishes the connection. After all, as Baba told Shri Das Ganu Maharaj, when the devotee is bursting with love for Vitthal, He will make appearance, indicating that He is Antaryami or the Indweller. The same idea was also conveyed by Sai in similar words on other occasions too. So, looking at Baba's photo or painting is same as bowing to Him. This was confirmed by Sai when He told a devotee that He knew Him for 4 years when that devotee went to Shirdi for the first time.