Sai Baba’s Fame
Rare is the man in this country who does not know Sai Baba. Ever since his advent in Shirdi in the year 1838, he has been giving all sorts of experiences physical, hygienic, moral and spiritual etc., to many people during his life time, and even after Samadhi many people are getting similar experiences and more as predicted by him. From this it seems that Sai Baba is more ALIVE than when he was living and therefore his fame is spreading throughout the country and his devotees are increasing day by day. They are all anxious to read his Leelas (experiences) and know more about his life and everything about him.
Baba’s Birth, Birth Place, parents
But we are all fortunate in the respect for no one knew or knows about his birth, birth place and parents etc. No one has yet definitely known where Baba was born, in whose family and who his parents were. Many devotees used to ask Baba questions about these things, and they never got straight replies to them. When pressed too much, Baba said, that he came from Aaurangabad and that he was in his Mama’s house and his name was Nasatya. Once he was examined on commission in a criminal case of the Dhulia Magistrates court and then Sai Baba said that they call him Sai Baba, that his guru was Venkusa, his creed or religion was Kabir, and his caste or race was Parvardigar (God) and gave other evasive replies.
Chief of the Nath Panchayatan
It is said that few centuries ago, there was a Daspanchayatam (groups of five saints) consisting of Samarth Ramdas, Jayaramswami, Ranganathswami, Keshavaswami and Anandamurthi. Similarly, it is said that there was Nath Panchayatan in these days, consisting of Madhavnath, Shri Sadguru Sainath, Dhundiraj Palsuji, Gajananmaharaj of Shegaum and Gopaldas (Narsingmaharaj) of Nasik and they all worked together by inner control or force (vide Madhavnath Dipprakash 22-109, 110). Mr. Suman Sundar has also written about this in Sai Leela Vol 19. No7-9, wherein he says that Sai Nath (Baba) had great respect in this Panchayatnan and was referred to as Triloknath and Kohinoor by Madhavnath.
Choice of Shirdi
To some, why Baba chose Shirdi which was a small hamlet of Rahata, District Ahmednagar for his residence was a problem but thinking a little closely we find that this was no problem at all. Baba described his Guru as follows: – “He brought me up. There was no dearth of food and clothing. He was full of love, nay He was love incarnate. He loved me most. Rare is a Guru like him. He was my sole refuge; my mind was always fixed on him (P.98 Sai Satcharitra).” From this it is clear the extraordinary love Baba had for his Guru. It seems that the incognito period of his life was spent with his Guru practicing tapas and then in 16th or 17th year. He commenced making enquiries about the whereabouts of his Guru or his Samadhi and then in that search, he came to Shirdi when he was observed by the mother of Nana Chopdar. She said that this young lad (Baba) fair, smart and very handsome was first seen under the Neem tree (vide Satcharitra Chapter IV) in front of Sathe wada. There Baba lived for some time and left Shirdi and again came there after 3 or 4 years with Chand Patil’s marriage party and lived there (at his Guru’s Padukas) till his Samadhi.
After his second advent in Shirdi with Chand Patil’s marriage party, Baba lived in the lime light with men and women devotees, officers and all people, and his later life is known to all. It is also thereafter very well described by the Sai Satcharitra and Sai Leela Magazine. Therefore no detailed description of the same is necessary
BY N.V.GUNAJI
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