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Shri Sai Sat Charitra-Chapter 30-Part I

By Staff

Sai Sat Charitra, Chapter 30
Drawn To Shirdi

(1) Kakaji Vaidya of Vani - (2) Punjabi Ramalal of Bombay.

In this Chapter the story of two more devotees that were drawn to Shirdi, is narrated.

Sai Ram. Unless He wills it, no one can go to Him and even if some one goes there physically, he will not be given a darshan of Baba or will not be allowed to come closer. Thus some merit is needed on the part of the sadhaka to attract the grace of Guru Sai. Once Guru's grace starts flowing, the sadhaka is drawn closer to the Guru and afterwards, even if the sadhaka is physically away from Guru, the link continues. Sai Ram.

Preliminary

Bow to the kind Sai Who is the abode of mercy and who is affectionate towards His devotees. By His mere darshan, He does away with their fear of this 'bhava' (samsar) and destroys their calamities. He was first nirgun (formless), but on account of the devotion of His Bhaktas, He was obliged to take a form. To give liberation - self-realisation to the Bhaktas is the mission of the saints, and for Sai - the chief of them, that mission is inevitable. Those who take refuge in His feet have all their sins destroyed and their progress is certain. Remembering His feet, brahmins from holy places come to Him and read scriptures and chant the Gayatri mantra in His presence. We, who are weak and without any merits, do not know what Bhakti is but we know this much, that though all others may leave us, Sai won't forsake us.

Sai Ram. As already mentioned above, the link between the sadhaka and Guru continues once established. Even if the sadhaka forgets Sai, Sai won't forget the sadhaka. Sai Ram.

Those whom He favours get enormous strength, discrimination between the unreal and the real and knowledge.

Sai knows fully the desire of His devotees and fulfills the same. Hence they get what they want and are grateful. So we invoke Him and prostrate ourselves before Him. Forgetting all our faults let Him free us from all anxieties. He who being overcome with calamities remembers and prays Sai thus, will get his mind calmed and pacified through His grace.

This Sai - the ocean of mercy, says Hemadpant, favoured him and the result of this, is the present work - Sai-Satcharia. Otherwise what qualifications had he and who would undertake this enterprise? But as Sai took all the responsibility, Hemadpant felt no burden, nor any care about this. When the powerful light of knowledge was there to inspire his speech and pen, why should he entertain any doubt or feel any anxiety? Sai got the service in the form of this book done by him; this is due to the accumulation of his merits in the past births and, therefore, he thinks himself fortunate and blessed.

Sai Ram. This present service of the Spiritual Gems also is only due to His grace and the writer feels blessed in getting this opportunity to serve Sri Guru. Sai Ram.

The following story is not a mere tale, but pure nectar. He who drinks it will realise Sai's greatness and all-pervasiveness. Those who want to argue and criticise, should not go in for these stories. What is wanted here, is not discussion but unlimited love and devotion. Learned, devout and faithful believers or those, who consider themselves as servants of the saints, will like and appreciate these stories, others will take them to be fables. The fortunate Bhaktas of Sai, will find the Sai-leelas as the Kalpataru (Wish-fulfilling Tree). Drinking this nectar of Sai-leelas, will give liberation to the ignorant Jivas, satisfaction to the house-holders and a sadhana to the aspirants. Now to the story of this Chapter.

Sai Ram. The ego contaminates the intellect and makes it argue. Truth has to be found by experience and not through arguments. And experience of the higher planes comes when the doors of the mind are opened and that happens only when the noisy, egoistic mind calms down and allows the doors to the experiences of the higher plane open through the means of Sraddha and Bhakti. Sai Ram.

To Be Continued

Chat With Devoties Of Shirdi Saibaba

Story first published: Friday, February 27, 2009, 11:01 [IST]
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