Sai. In this examination, he had given his fathers name as Baba. By the combinationof these two names, he was therefore called Sai Baba. No one knew when and where Sai Baba was born and who gave him that name.Later, many persons began to have doubts about his transcendental powers. One day, the birth anniversary of Dattatreya was to be celebrated (in the month of Margashira on Panchami day). Several devotees had assembled in Shirdi. Among them was a wealthy man, a great scholar called Kaijack. He is not to be confused with hijack! His name was Balwanth Kaijack. Ashe was approaching theMasjid, Baba took a stick and waved it at the devotees, askingthem to get away. He even beat some o them, shouting, Saitan! Saitan! No one could understand why Baba was behaving like this. I am suffering labor pains. Get away, all of you! he shouted. In those days, Baba not only used to shout at people, but also wield the stick on them on occasions. He used to even throw the stick at fleeing persons. Everyone used to be afraid of him. They all fled from the place.Some time later, he called all of them to come. Balwanth Kaijack, come! he said. When Balwanth came, Baba went inside theMasjid. Balwanth went in and found that Baba was not there. He found a three-headed baby on the floor. Baba had declared that he was suffering from labor-pains and there was a baby there. The three-headed baby appeared to represent Dattatreya. It was a small baby with a number of hands. Balwanth recognised thechild as Dattatreya and called other devotees to come inside. They went in and on seeing the child close their eyes. At that instant, Baba reappeared there. From that time onwards, people started looking upon Baba as the incarnation of Dattatreya.A controversy arose among the local people as to whether Baba was a Muslim or a Hindu. At one time he used to say,Allah is Great! Allah is Great (Allah Malik! Allah Malik!)! At other times he would say,Dattatreya is Great (Dattatreya Malik!)! Whenever he shouted Allah Malik, Muslims used to come to him in theMasjid. His appearance was very much like that of a Muslim. Hence, many Muslims used to come to him. Hindus used to also come and offer incense to him. The Muslims did not approve of what the Hindus were doing. The Hindus did not like the way Muslims revered Baba. Consequently, bitterness developed between the two communities.One day Mahalasapati was sitting near Baba and doing some service to him. Mahalasapati was the priest in the Khandoba temple. The Muslims who were opposed to the presence of a Hindu priest near Baba, came with sticks and beat up Mahalasapati. At every stroke, Mahalasapati cried out, Baba! Baba!. Each time he shouted the name of Baba, the blow was borne by Baba. Mahalasapatifell to the ground. Baba came out.Muslims had great reverence for Baba. Baba roared at the Muslim crowd,Saithan! On the one side you worship me and on the other you beat me. Is this devotion!? Baba was bleeding all over the body. The Muslims saw it and asked Baba who had beaten him. Did you not beat me? Did you not beat me? said Baba pointing to several men in the crowd. They said, We did not come near you at all. We only beat Mahalasapati.Who is in Mahalasapati? I am in him, declared Baba. He has surrendered to me and hence all his trouble are mine.On hearing this, the Muslims fell at Babas feet and craved his forgiveness. Baba then summoned the Hindus and Muslims and told them, Dear children, you are all the progeny of one mother. Thereby Baba demonstrated the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. He wanted all differences of caste and creed to be eschewed. What mattered for mankind was the heart. One who is only concerned about his creed (matham) will never discover the Divine (Madhava). You must seek the Divine within you. Baba pointed out that all caste and creed distinctions related only to the body. Therefore, you should seek the Supreme in your inner consciousness. Baba, who came to Shirdi with Chandhybhai Patel in 1858, did not leave the place till his passing in 1918. Baba lived for 80 years.One day, aPanditcame to Baba and said that his biography should be written. His name was Hemanthpanth. He is the authorof Sai Satcharita [The gospel of Shirdi Babas life]. He entreated Baba to disclose facts about the place of his birth, his parentage, his name and his early life. He could not get any information. Baba did notreveal anything to anyone. But on one occasion, when he was alone with Mahalasapati Baba disclosed his date of birth for him. Mahalasapati was no scholar.He had learnt only a few mantras to conduct thePujain the temple. He noted down the date of birth, on a piece of paper.This came into the hands of Hemadpant. With this, he began to write the life of Baba.No one knows the real truth about Baba. The world knows some facts about his life after his 16thyear. He was born on September 27, 1838, and attainedSamadhion Vijayadashami day in 1918. During his lifetime he taught many sacred things to the people and performed many remarkable deeds. He was worshipped by many devotees. Dada, Nana, Shama, Abdul Baba, Mahalasapati, Chandharkar and Dasganu were always with him. Abdul Baba was active till recently. He was a fervent devotee of Baba. In his view, it did not matter to what religion one belonged. All were one in their devotion to God.Kaka Dixit was a Judge whose son stayed inBrindavan (Whitefield) for twenty years. The latters wife is now in Brindavan. Kaka Dixit maintained a diary in which many facts about Baba have been recorded including his statement about when he would pass away.No one can make any affirmations about the nature of the Divine. Ones relationshipwith the Divine is spiritual—AtmatoAtma(soul to soul). In this Kali or Dark Age, however, many become prey to doubts because of their preoccupation with the physical form. This is because of their beingimmersed in worldly attitudes derived fromtheir perception of the physical elements. The phenomenal nature (Prakriti) is repletewith sensory experiences. The spiritual life is based on detachment. Enduring bliss is experienced only when there is sacrifice or detachment.Man today is not prepared for sacrifice. On the contrary, his desires are insatiable and he is losing all human qualities. The mind ispolluted and truth has become a rarity. At every step, man is indulging in wrongdoing.Noble thoughts have taken flight. Envy and hatred are rampant. Men should learn to follow the dictates of their heart and act accordingly to the prompting of their conscience. This conscience is related to the universal consciousness.During the discourse on October 6, 1992, Vijayadashami CelebrationsIn my previous body (as Shirdi Sai Baba) everyone was taught through actions. For example, Dhamu and Nana were rendering service to the Lord (Shirdi Baba). Baba collected a few copper coins and was playing with them, by tossing them from one hand to another, and also testing themin various ways. He appeared to examine them individually. He did not exchange a word with Dhamu and Nana. He went on playing with the coins for half an hour in this manner.Curious to know what Baba was doing, Nana asked him why he was scrutinizing the same coins again and again. Baba replied, Beta (dear son), it is true I am repeating the same action again and again,repeating the same words. Look at the mango tree in front of you. It is in full bloom. The leaves are hardly visible. If all the flowers in the tree were to become fruits, will the branches be able to bear the weight? But it does not happen that way. Most of the flowers are swept away by the wind. Many others drop of their won account. Only some of them become fruits. Of these some are eaten by squirrels, birds, or monkeys. In this way ninety percent of the flowers do not result in fruits. Only ten percent remain in the tree. Is it not so? They agreed, that it was so.Baba continued, In the same manner thousands of devotees are coming to me. Are they all ripening into good devotees? Many drop away in the middle. Some comefor getting their desires fulfilled. Some seekwealth. Many are coming either for study
Posted on: Sun, 06 Apr 2014 01:09:54 +0000
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