Baba’s Mahasamadhi

It was 2:30 pm on 15th October 1918. Vijayadashami day had just ended, and the eleventh day of the lunar month ‘Ekadashi’ was about to begin. Baba chose this auspicious moment of transition from Dashami to Ekadashi for his ‘Seemollangan’ – crossing the border of this world to merge with the Supreme! He gifted nine coins of devotion to Lakshmi and rested his head on Bayaji Kote’s shoulder and in a split second left his human body! Baba was gone! Gone forever!
Bayaji Kote and Lakshmi cried aloud “B….A….B….A”. Their wailing cries carried the news to the entire village. The devotees, visitors, villagers all rushed to the mosque. Looking at his calm, lifeless body lying in an eternal slumber, they were almost in a breaking point! The emotionally disturbed devotees came to their senses! They realized they had to think of what was to be done next! The Hindus and Muslims talked of disposing of the body according to their own faiths. Heated arguments took place! Kaka Dixit pointed out Baba’s last desire that his body be buried in Buti’s wada and a Samadhi be built over it! For Muslims it was a tomb and for Hindus a Samadhi. That was a satisfactory solution for both communities!

Baba’s body was kept for darshan for two days.  In thousands they rushed to Shirdi!  Baba’s body remained fresh, smiling and shining till the end!  On the same night, Baba appeared in Dasa Ganu’s dream at Pandharpur.  He told him: “Ganu, I have given up my body!  Come there and adorn me with Bakul flowers!”

Madhava Rao’s uncle Lakshmana Kaka too had a dream: “Lakshman, that Bapu Jog thinks I am dead!  It is not so!  I shall be ever living for you all!  He will not do arathi!  At least you do it.”  Early morning Lakshmana Kaka did arathi!

Time to place Baba in the Samadhi pit arrived!  Dasa Ganu began to offer the last rites with repetition of ‘Om Namah Shivaya’.  With every name, thousands joined to recite the pranava – ‘Om’ the mystic syllable of the Divine!  It was joined by ‘Il-e-Ila-hee’ of the Muslim devotees!  The body was placed with utmost care along with Bilva, Tulasi, flowers and finally covered with earth!

Sai Baba’s physical body is gone but his divinity stays on!  He is still responding to his devotees with the assurance ‘If you look to me – I look to you’.  He is immortal.