Aum Sairam
Sri Sai Baba's Strange Actions
In the early days when the holy fire [Dhuni] was started in Dwarakamai,
Sri Sai Baba collected used matchsticks and stored them carefully. He
took dakshina half-anna [equivalent to three paise] from the devotees
who visited him. He smoked from a mud pipe called chillum.
With thin and weak cloth pieces measuring five feet in length and one
and half feet in width, Baba used to hang a wooden board four inches
thick, to the rafters of Dwarkamai. He put four lamps at the four
corners of the wooden board, and slept on the board. While it was
surprising as to how the cloth pieces withstood the weight of the
wooden board, it was more surprising as to how they withstood the
weight of Sri Sai Baba also.
In the afternoons, between 1 and 2 p.m. devotees were not allowed
inside the mosque. During this period Baba would take out 15 to 20 old
coins from his bag and rub them with his fingers, saying aloud, "This
coin is Nana's, this coin is Kaka's." Perhaps by doing like this
Sri Sai Baba was removing their desires.
Everyday, after watering the plants in Lendi Baugh, Sri Sai Baba would
put the earthen pots with their mouths down. Once a person named
Kolambi, observing this crazy action of Sri Sai Baba, asked him why he
was doing like that. To this Sri Sai Baba replied that people who were
coming to him were like the earthen pots with their mouths down,
meaning they were not able to receive carefully what Sri Sai Baba
wanted to give them.
Sri Sai Baba's Knowledge of Past, Present and Future [Ruthambara Prajna]
Sri Sai Baba used to tell his devotees frequently:
"Whether you are before me or at far off place, whatever you do and
think will be known to me." He used to tell the devotees who visited
him, their past, present and future. This is called Ruthambara Prajna
in Yoga Shastra. This is found in saints in a limited capacity. But Sri
Sai Baba's power was limitless, covering the entire world and beyond imagination.
One day the flames in the Dhuni in the mosque, went high up all of a
sudden touching the wooden rafters. The Sri Sai Baba, striking the
floor with his satka ordered the flames to come down. On one summer day
the haystack of a farmer caught fire, and was burning, assisted by the
blowing wind. There was no sufficient water in the village to put out
the fire. All feared that the flames would spread to the neighboring
haystacks and to the nearby houses. Some ran to Sri Sai Baba and begged
him to save them from the calamity. Immediately, Sri Sai Baba went to
the raging fire and with a small vessel containing water sprinkled it
around the haystack and ordered the fire not to go beyond that
boundary. The fire subsided after sometime without spreading. In the
first year of the celebration of Ramanavami in Shirdi, there was acute
water shortage. To tide over this shortage, Sri Sai Baba threw flowers
into the dried up village well. Immediately water oozed and filled the
well. This is another instance to prove Sri Sai Baba's control over
the elements. Megashyam, a native of Vivergaon, was the Brahmin cook of
Sathe. He was a very orthodox person. In the early days of Sathe's
visit to Shirdi, Megashyam was given the work of a pujari and also to
serve Sri Sai Baba. Over a period, Megashyam saw several of Sri Sai
Baba's Leela's and fully believed that Sri Sai Baba was the
incarnation of Lord Shiva. He used to daily drink the water with which
Sri Sai Baba's feet were washed. Sri Sai Baba brought about a change
in him and made his devotion permanent.
On one Sankaranti, Meghashyam wanted to apply sandal paste all over Sri
Sai Baba's body and bathe the body with Ganga water [water from
nearby Godavari river] He sought permission of Sri Sai Baba who
reluctantly gave it. He walked to and fro18 miles and brought the water
in a pot on his head. It was noon time. He made Sri Sai Baba sit on a
low wooden stool. Sri Sai Baba put his head a little forward and told
Megashyam that since the head was important part of the body, it was
enough if the water was put on his head only instead of on the entire
body. But Megashyam crying out ecstatically "Har Ganga" emptied the
water from the pot on the entire body . But to his surprise, Sri Sai
Baba's advise, only Sri Sai Baba's head got wet as Sri Sai Baba desired.
From the above two Leela's, it is evident that Sri Sai Baba had
complete control over water also.
Brahma Jnana
A very rich man Gulzar was residing near Malegaon. On hearing about the
powers and Leela's of Sai Baba, he decided to go to Shirdi to get
Brahma Jnana from Sri Sai Baba. He engaged a Tonga for the journey.
After reaching Shirdi, he approached Sri Sai Baba, and asked him to
teach him Brahma Jnana without delay, as he had engaged a Tonga for the
journey. Sri Sai Baba told him, "Friend, do not get worried. I will
show you Brahman just now. All my transactions are for cash only and no
account. All who come to me are with selfish desires. Very few ask for
Brahma Jnana like you." So saying, Sri Sai Baba diverted the topic. He
called for a boy and asked him to get five rupees as loan from Nandu
Mar wari The boy returned after sometime stating that the house was
locked. Sri Sai Baba sent him to some other house, with the same
result. He sent him to two more places, but without success. Then Sri
Sai Baba looked at Gulzar who had come for Brahma Jnana and
said, "There are fifty currency notes of five rupees denomination in
your pocket. Attaining Brahma Jnana urgently is not materialistic. I
have been sending the boy to get a loan of five rupees, with the
intention that you should observe. You did not volunteer to give that
five rupees to me, that too as a loan,even though you have a lot of
money. Such a miser cannot understand Brahma Jnana. You were in a hurry
because, if there was delay the Tonga walla would charge you more." Sri
Sai Baba then added, Oh friend!
Brahma Jnana means realization of Self [Atma]. There is no difference
between Atma and God. If you want to realize Atma in your body,
then you have to surrender to God the following five things:
[1] five pranas
[2] five senses
[3] mind
[4] intellect and
[5] ego.
All these are inside a person. It is easy to surrender the eternal things.
But to surrender those which are inside a person is very difficult.
It is like walking on the edge of a sharp knife.
Those who cannot surrender even the external things are deemed
to be fully under delusion.
Such persons cannot understand the five inside matters.
A person who wants Self-realization or Atma Jnana, should be careful in the
following matters:
1. A strong desire should be there for moksha or freedom from worldly matters.
2. One should have detachment from all things of this world and also
desires about the other world [paraloka].
3. All the senses of a man are accustomed to seeing external things only.
One should make these senses see the self or Atma.
4. When he cannot divert his mind from bad and undesirable things and
not be able to control his mind, he cannot get Atma-Sakshatkara even if
he gets Jnana.
5. One should always speak the truth under all circumstances and remain
a bachelor.
6. Man should choose only that which will do him good and not that
which gives him pleasure. Worldly matters give pleasure. Spiritual
matters do him good. Instead of going for temporary or momentary
pleasures, one should prefer spiritual matters only, which do good to him.
7. Man should have under control, the mind and sensory organs. If he
goes for pleasures, the senses also will keep the mind occupied with
these matters and there will not be any room for spiritual matters.
8. He must keep his mind pure. He should do his duties in a proper and
satisfactory way, without expecting reward for his actions. Then the
mind will be pure. Knowledge comes out from a purified mind and
increases detachment, leading to self-realization. Unless greed,
delusions and desires are removed, man cannot get Jnana.
9. If all the above-mentioned thing are practiced rigorously he will
achieve results. After this stage, the need for a 'Guru' arises. A
Guru should be one who has attained Atma-Jnana, otherwise no useful
purpose will be served.
10. The first eight are one's own efforts. To this, if the help of a
Sadguru is also there, then God's blessings will also be there.
Knowledge of the Vedas, or riches or great intelligence will not get us Atma-Jnana."
The above lengthy speech of Sri Sai Baba was not only directed to
Gulzar but to all 6 other Sai devotees and readers of this life
history. May the readers do parayana of the portion of this chapter
dealing with Brahma Jnana. Those who read this with devotion will have
Sri Sai Baba as their Sadguru permanently. Let their lives journey be
towards Atma Sakshatkara.
What are the needs of a man?
Happiness, peace, food and clothing and
bodily requirements. Sri Sai Baba has said, "In my devotees house,
nothing will be wanting." So we should not waste our life for the sake
of food and clothing, name and fame. Attachments to mother, father,
brother,wife, husband, etc. are limited to this birth only, but the
attachment to Sai will be there for several births [janmas] to come.
Let us wish that through the parayana of this sacred Life History of
Sri Sai Baba, Sri Sai Baba will be a part of our family and our lives
shall be tied up with
Allah Malik
Sri Sai Baba's Strange Actions
In the early days when the holy fire [Dhuni] was started in Dwarakamai,
Sri Sai Baba collected used matchsticks and stored them carefully. He
took dakshina half-anna [equivalent to three paise] from the devotees
who visited him. He smoked from a mud pipe called chillum.
With thin and weak cloth pieces measuring five feet in length and one
and half feet in width, Baba used to hang a wooden board four inches
thick, to the rafters of Dwarkamai. He put four lamps at the four
corners of the wooden board, and slept on the board. While it was
surprising as to how the cloth pieces withstood the weight of the
wooden board, it was more surprising as to how they withstood the
weight of Sri Sai Baba also.
In the afternoons, between 1 and 2 p.m. devotees were not allowed
inside the mosque. During this period Baba would take out 15 to 20 old
coins from his bag and rub them with his fingers, saying aloud, "This
coin is Nana's, this coin is Kaka's." Perhaps by doing like this
Sri Sai Baba was removing their desires.
Everyday, after watering the plants in Lendi Baugh, Sri Sai Baba would
put the earthen pots with their mouths down. Once a person named
Kolambi, observing this crazy action of Sri Sai Baba, asked him why he
was doing like that. To this Sri Sai Baba replied that people who were
coming to him were like the earthen pots with their mouths down,
meaning they were not able to receive carefully what Sri Sai Baba
wanted to give them.
Sri Sai Baba's Knowledge of Past, Present and Future [Ruthambara Prajna]
Sri Sai Baba used to tell his devotees frequently:
"Whether you are before me or at far off place, whatever you do and
think will be known to me." He used to tell the devotees who visited
him, their past, present and future. This is called Ruthambara Prajna
in Yoga Shastra. This is found in saints in a limited capacity. But Sri
Sai Baba's power was limitless, covering the entire world and beyond imagination.
One day the flames in the Dhuni in the mosque, went high up all of a
sudden touching the wooden rafters. The Sri Sai Baba, striking the
floor with his satka ordered the flames to come down. On one summer day
the haystack of a farmer caught fire, and was burning, assisted by the
blowing wind. There was no sufficient water in the village to put out
the fire. All feared that the flames would spread to the neighboring
haystacks and to the nearby houses. Some ran to Sri Sai Baba and begged
him to save them from the calamity. Immediately, Sri Sai Baba went to
the raging fire and with a small vessel containing water sprinkled it
around the haystack and ordered the fire not to go beyond that
boundary. The fire subsided after sometime without spreading. In the
first year of the celebration of Ramanavami in Shirdi, there was acute
water shortage. To tide over this shortage, Sri Sai Baba threw flowers
into the dried up village well. Immediately water oozed and filled the
well. This is another instance to prove Sri Sai Baba's control over
the elements. Megashyam, a native of Vivergaon, was the Brahmin cook of
Sathe. He was a very orthodox person. In the early days of Sathe's
visit to Shirdi, Megashyam was given the work of a pujari and also to
serve Sri Sai Baba. Over a period, Megashyam saw several of Sri Sai
Baba's Leela's and fully believed that Sri Sai Baba was the
incarnation of Lord Shiva. He used to daily drink the water with which
Sri Sai Baba's feet were washed. Sri Sai Baba brought about a change
in him and made his devotion permanent.
On one Sankaranti, Meghashyam wanted to apply sandal paste all over Sri
Sai Baba's body and bathe the body with Ganga water [water from
nearby Godavari river] He sought permission of Sri Sai Baba who
reluctantly gave it. He walked to and fro18 miles and brought the water
in a pot on his head. It was noon time. He made Sri Sai Baba sit on a
low wooden stool. Sri Sai Baba put his head a little forward and told
Megashyam that since the head was important part of the body, it was
enough if the water was put on his head only instead of on the entire
body. But Megashyam crying out ecstatically "Har Ganga" emptied the
water from the pot on the entire body . But to his surprise, Sri Sai
Baba's advise, only Sri Sai Baba's head got wet as Sri Sai Baba desired.
From the above two Leela's, it is evident that Sri Sai Baba had
complete control over water also.
Brahma Jnana
A very rich man Gulzar was residing near Malegaon. On hearing about the
powers and Leela's of Sai Baba, he decided to go to Shirdi to get
Brahma Jnana from Sri Sai Baba. He engaged a Tonga for the journey.
After reaching Shirdi, he approached Sri Sai Baba, and asked him to
teach him Brahma Jnana without delay, as he had engaged a Tonga for the
journey. Sri Sai Baba told him, "Friend, do not get worried. I will
show you Brahman just now. All my transactions are for cash only and no
account. All who come to me are with selfish desires. Very few ask for
Brahma Jnana like you." So saying, Sri Sai Baba diverted the topic. He
called for a boy and asked him to get five rupees as loan from Nandu
Mar wari The boy returned after sometime stating that the house was
locked. Sri Sai Baba sent him to some other house, with the same
result. He sent him to two more places, but without success. Then Sri
Sai Baba looked at Gulzar who had come for Brahma Jnana and
said, "There are fifty currency notes of five rupees denomination in
your pocket. Attaining Brahma Jnana urgently is not materialistic. I
have been sending the boy to get a loan of five rupees, with the
intention that you should observe. You did not volunteer to give that
five rupees to me, that too as a loan,even though you have a lot of
money. Such a miser cannot understand Brahma Jnana. You were in a hurry
because, if there was delay the Tonga walla would charge you more." Sri
Sai Baba then added, Oh friend!
Brahma Jnana means realization of Self [Atma]. There is no difference
between Atma and God. If you want to realize Atma in your body,
then you have to surrender to God the following five things:
[1] five pranas
[2] five senses
[3] mind
[4] intellect and
[5] ego.
All these are inside a person. It is easy to surrender the eternal things.
But to surrender those which are inside a person is very difficult.
It is like walking on the edge of a sharp knife.
Those who cannot surrender even the external things are deemed
to be fully under delusion.
Such persons cannot understand the five inside matters.
A person who wants Self-realization or Atma Jnana, should be careful in the
following matters:
1. A strong desire should be there for moksha or freedom from worldly matters.
2. One should have detachment from all things of this world and also
desires about the other world [paraloka].
3. All the senses of a man are accustomed to seeing external things only.
One should make these senses see the self or Atma.
4. When he cannot divert his mind from bad and undesirable things and
not be able to control his mind, he cannot get Atma-Sakshatkara even if
he gets Jnana.
5. One should always speak the truth under all circumstances and remain
a bachelor.
6. Man should choose only that which will do him good and not that
which gives him pleasure. Worldly matters give pleasure. Spiritual
matters do him good. Instead of going for temporary or momentary
pleasures, one should prefer spiritual matters only, which do good to him.
7. Man should have under control, the mind and sensory organs. If he
goes for pleasures, the senses also will keep the mind occupied with
these matters and there will not be any room for spiritual matters.
8. He must keep his mind pure. He should do his duties in a proper and
satisfactory way, without expecting reward for his actions. Then the
mind will be pure. Knowledge comes out from a purified mind and
increases detachment, leading to self-realization. Unless greed,
delusions and desires are removed, man cannot get Jnana.
9. If all the above-mentioned thing are practiced rigorously he will
achieve results. After this stage, the need for a 'Guru' arises. A
Guru should be one who has attained Atma-Jnana, otherwise no useful
purpose will be served.
10. The first eight are one's own efforts. To this, if the help of a
Sadguru is also there, then God's blessings will also be there.
Knowledge of the Vedas, or riches or great intelligence will not get us Atma-Jnana."
The above lengthy speech of Sri Sai Baba was not only directed to
Gulzar but to all 6 other Sai devotees and readers of this life
history. May the readers do parayana of the portion of this chapter
dealing with Brahma Jnana. Those who read this with devotion will have
Sri Sai Baba as their Sadguru permanently. Let their lives journey be
towards Atma Sakshatkara.
What are the needs of a man?
Happiness, peace, food and clothing and
bodily requirements. Sri Sai Baba has said, "In my devotees house,
nothing will be wanting." So we should not waste our life for the sake
of food and clothing, name and fame. Attachments to mother, father,
brother,wife, husband, etc. are limited to this birth only, but the
attachment to Sai will be there for several births [janmas] to come.
Let us wish that through the parayana of this sacred Life History of
Sri Sai Baba, Sri Sai Baba will be a part of our family and our lives
shall be tied up with
Allah Malik
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