SAI BABA

GREAT MYSTIC SAINT BABA

Sai Baba of Shirdi was known as a great mystic saint when he was in flesh. One curious story would be enough to indicate his saintliness.

One day, a man came to him begging for his blessing and some alms. Sai Baba told him, "I shall give you a rupee a day, if you would sit here the whole day long from morning till night and abuse me in front of all my devotees". The man was surprised and readily picked up the challenge saying, "It is the easiest thing in the world".

The first day, his voice was in its fullest strength. He abused and slandered the fakir to his heart's content. None knew that he was paid for it. The second day, he poured out the abuses, but they became distinctly feeble and weak. On the fourth day, he refused to carry out the fakir's orders. "I would rather go without your rupee and strive than slander a man like you."

The principal object of this great fakir was to drive away fear from the hearts of his devotees and to take upon himself their burdens. What selflessness!

Contributed Article: See Sai!

"Those who see Me in everyone and knows Me thus is blessed", said Sai Baba. How does this translate to practical terms? May be this is a yardstick one might use to see how realized they are spiritually. Myth does not allow one to drop everything that he/she acquired at an instance and embark on a spiritual journey or realize Sai in everything that is heard, seen, and felt. While part of the myth is due to the natural orientation the souls with the human body have to endure, significant effects do come from the slips of ignorance even for those who are vigilant. Saadhana should be such that the growth is progressive and the results permanent. It may not come with an ego-driven pursuit of an entity that is hard to explain, much less realized. On the other hand, the goal may lie next waiting to be realized. Shri Sai Satcharitha narrates several incidents supporting the thought that Sai is ubiquitous and some were made to realize this, the episode of Laxmibhai and the dog to cite an example. The principle of non-dual nature of the supreme has never been demonstrated in such simple terms. Blessed are the followers who realize this aspect of Sai tatva. Blessed are those who strive to see His dispensation at every encounter of life, animate and inanimate. Blessed are those who see Sai in every being and treat everyone as they would treat Him. Here lies the practical terms of egolessness and humility, very virtues Sainath stands for.