Shri Sai Satcharitra Chapter 11

Chapter – 11

Sai as Sagun Brahman - Dr. Pandit’s Worship - Haji Sidik Falke – Control over the Elements

This chapter describes the manifested (sagun) Brahman, Sai, how He was worshiped and how He controlled the elements.

Sai as Sagun Brahma

There are two aspects of God or Brahman: (1) The unmanifested (nirgun) and (2) the manifested (sagun). The nirgun is formless, while the sagun is with form, though both denote the same Brahman. Some prefer to worship the former, some the latter. As stated in the Bhagavad Gita (chapter XII), the worship of the latter is easy and preferable. As man has a form (body, senses etc.), it is natural and easy for him to worship God as form. Our love and devotion do not develop unless we worship sagun Brahman for a certain period of time, and, as we advance, it leads us to the worship (meditation) of nirgun Brahman. So let us start with sagun worship. Image, altar, fire, light, sun, water, and Brahman are the seven objects of worship, but the satguru is better than these. Let us now bring to mind the form of Sai, who was non-attachment incarnate and who was a resting place for His wholehearted devotees. Our faith in His words is the seat, or asan, and our sankalpa (determination to start and finish the puja) is the abandonment of all our desires. Some say that Sai was a Bhagwat-bhakta (devotee of the Lord), others say He was a maha-Bhagwat (a great devotee), but to us, Sai Baba was God incarnate. He was extremely forgiving, straight, soft, tolerant and content beyond comparison. Though He looked embodied (as having form), He was really disembodied, emotionless, unattached and internally free.

The Ganges, on its way to the sea, cools and refreshes creatures affected by the heat, gives life to crops and trees, and quenches the thirst of many. Similarly, saints (souls) like Sai, while they live their own life, give solace and comfort to all. Lord Krishna has said that the saint is My soul, My living image - ‘I am He or He is My pure form (being).’ This indescribable shakti or power of God, known as pure existence, knowledge and bliss, incarnated in the form of Sai Baba in Shirdi. The Shruti (Taittiriya Upanishad) describes Brahman as bliss. One can read this in books, or hear it, but the devout people of Shirdi experienced this Brahman or bliss directly through Sai Baba. Baba, the support of all, required no prop or support (asan) from anyone. He always used a piece of sack cloth for His seat, which was covered with a small, beautiful cushion placed there by His bhaktas. A bolster was placed as a rest for His back as well. Baba respected the feelings of His devotees and allowed them to worship Him as they liked. Some waved chamara or fans before Him, some played musical instruments, some washed His hands and feet, others applied scent and chandan, still others gave betelnut with leaves or offered naivedya. Though Baba appeared to be living in Shirdi, He was present everywhere. His all pervasiveness was experienced daily by His devotees. Let us bow in humble prostration to this all pervasive satguru.

Dr. Pandit’s Worship

Dr. Pandit, a friend of Tatyasaheb Noolkar, once came to Shirdi for Baba’s darshan. After honoring Baba, he stayed in the masjid for some time. Baba then asked him to go visit Dadabhat Kelkar. Dr. Pandit obeyed and went to see Dadabhat, by whom he was well received. After a while, both men left the house to do puja. Dadabhat worshiped Baba, but he, like the other devotees, dared not apply sandal paste to Baba’s forehead (only Mhalasapati could apply it to Baba’s throat). However, this simple hearted, devout Dr. Pandit took Dadabhat’s dish containing puja materials and, taking out some sandal paste, drew a tripundra (i.e. three horizontal lines) on Baba’s forehead. To the surprise of all, Baba kept silent without uttering a single word. That evening, Dadabhat asked Baba, “How is it that though you usually object to sandal paste being applied to Your forehead, you allowed Dr. Pandit to do so?” Baba replied that Dr. Pandit believed Him to be his guru, Raghunath Maharaj of Dhopeshwar, known as Kaka Puranik, and so he applied the paste to Baba’s forehead as he did to his guru. Baba could therefore not object. On inquiry, Dr. Pandit told Dadabhat that he took Baba as his guru Kaka Puranik and so he marked the tripundra on Baba’s forehead just as he did on his guru’s head. Although Sai Baba allowed the devotees to worship Him as they pleased, still, sometimes He acted in a strange way. At times, He threw away the puja dish and was wrath incarnate, and then who could approach Him? Sometimes He scolded the devotees. At other times, He looked softer than wax, a statue of peace and forgiveness. Though Baba seemed to shake with anger and His red eyes rolled round and round, yet, He was internally a stream of affection and unconditional love. Immediately after He appeared to be angry, He would call to His devotees and say He never knew that He was ever angry with His devotees, for just as the sea cannot turn back the rivers, He could not neglect the devotees’ welfare. He, the slave of His devotees, always stood by them and responded to them whenever they called upon Him and He always longed for their love.

Haji Sidik Falke

It was not known when Baba would accept a devotee that depended on His sweet will. An example of this point is Sidik Falke’s story. A Mohammedan gentleman named Sidik Falke of Kalyan, after having made a pilgrimage to Mecca and Medina, came to Shirdi. He lived in the Chavadi facing north and sat in the open courtyard of the masjid. For nine months Baba ignored him and did not allow him to step into the masjid. Falke felt very disconsolate and did not know what to do. Somebody advised him not to be disappointed, but to try to approach Baba through Shama (Madhavarao Deshpande), a close and intimate devotee of Baba. He told him that as they approach the God Shiva through His servant and devotee, Nandi, so Baba should be approached through Shama. Falke liked the idea and implored Shama to intercede for him. Shama agreed and on a convenient occasion he spoke to Baba about him thus: “Baba, why don’t You let the old haji step into the masjid? So many people come and go freely after taking Your darshan, why not bless him once?” Baba replied, “Shama, you are too young to understand things. If the fakir (Allah) does not allow this, what can I do? Without His grace, who can enter the masjid? Well, go to him and ask him whether he will come to the narrow footpath near the Barvi well.” Shama went and returned with an affirmative answer. Again Baba said to Shama, “Ask him whether he is willing to pay Me the sum of Rs. 40,000 in four installments.” Shama went and returned with the answer that he was willing to pay even forty lacs. Again Baba said to Shama, “We are going to butcher a goat in the masjid, so ask him whether he would like to have mutton, haunch or the testicles of the goat.” Shama returned with the answer that the haji would be happy to receive a small crumb from Baba’s kolamba (mudpot). Hearing that, Baba got excited and threw away the earthen jars and kolamba and straightaway advanced to the haji, whereby He lifted His kafni up with His hands and said, “Why do you brag and fancy yourself great and pose yourself as an old haji? Do you read the Koran like this? You are proud of your pilgrimage to Mecca, but you do not know Me.” Being scolded thus, the haji was confounded. Baba then went back to the masjid, purchased a few baskets of mangoes and sent them to the haji. From that time on, Baba loved the haji, invited him for meals and, thereafter, allowed the haji to come into the masjid whenever he liked. At times, Baba gave him some rupees and thus, the haji was enlisted in Baba’s darbar.

Baba’s Control over the Elements

We shall close this chapter after describing two incidents showing Baba’s control over the elements. (1) Once, in the evening, there was a terrible storm in Shirdi. The sky was overcast with thick black clouds. The wind began to blow forcibly. The clouds roared, lightning began to flash, and the rains began to descend in torrents. In a short time, the whole place was flooded with water. All the creatures - birds, beasts and men became terribly frightened and flocked to the masjid for shelter. There are many local deities in Shirdi, but none of them came to their help. So they all prayed to Baba - their God, who was fond of their devotion, and asked Him to intercede and quell the storm. Baba was much moved. He came out and, standing at the edge of the masjid, addressed the storm in a loud and thunderous voice, “Stop, stop your fury and be calm.” In a few minutes the rains subsided, the winds ceased to blow, and the storm stopped. The moon rose in the sky and the people then went home well pleased. (2) On another occasion, at noon, the fire in the dhuni began to burn brightly. Its flames were seen to be reaching the rafters above. The people who were sitting in the masjid did not know what to do. They dared not ask Baba to pour water or do anything to quench the flames, but Baba soon came to realize what was happening. He took up His satka (short stick) and dashed it against a pillar up front saying, “Get down! Be calm!”. At each stroke of the satka, the flames began to lower and slow down and in a few minutes the dhuni became calm and normal.

This is our Sai, an incarnation of God. He will bless anyone who will prostrate and surrender himself to Him. He, who will read the stories of this chapter daily with faith and devotion, will soon be free from all calamities, not only this, but being always attached and devoted to Sai, he will get God-vision very soon. All his desires will be fulfilled and being ultimately desireless, he will attain the Supreme. Amen!

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace Be to All