Sai Baba’s Resurrection

By: Sri Narasimha Swamiji

‘Bhagat’ is the very first word uttered by Sai Baba after he went to Allah’s abode to get rid of the bouts of cough and breathlessness. Giving up his life-breath, Baba kept his head on the lap of his intimate devotee Mhalsapati virtually lifeless for three days, got back life in the early hours of the fourth consecutive day. Baba had asked Mhalsapati to guard his body for three days and accordingly he regained life at the end of three days. While the entire village thought that Baba is dead and prepared for his burial, only Mhalsapati was hoping that Baba will return to life

Three days passed. By now it was certain that Sai Baba had died. People imagined that his body should be gracefully buried in the grave and they dug a pit too. The village was in mourning. On the third night, in the early hours, Baba came back to life. The first word he spoke ‘Bhagat’ became prophetic.

So goes the Sai-Kirtan — and the narration in Sai Satcharita. It is true because it gives the essential truth; it is also symbolic. And it is evident that the more profound the subject matter, the greater the need for symbols.  The court records of Ahmednagar have authenticated this resurrection.

When Baba’s life disappeared for three days as he lay down on Mhalsapati’s lap, the story goes that he stood before the gates of God. He experienced God. God spoke to him, “I have healed your breathing ailment. I have given you my treasury. Now go back and give unto others what I have given unto you”. The utterance ‘Bhagat’ is Sai Baba’s first offering after his God-experience.

Unless you lose yourself completely, until you die, you cannot hope to meet God. Your annihilation becomes his being. As long as you are, he cannot be. This is the symbolic meaning of Baba giving up his life for three days.

You too will have to lose yourself; you too will have to give up life. Death is only completed after three days because the ego does not give up easily. These three days in Baba’s life represent the time required for his ego to dissolve completely.

The one who is lost invariably returns, but he returns as new. He who treads the path most certainly returns. While he was on the path, he was thirsty, but when he returns, he is a benefactor; he left as a beggar, he returns as a king. Whoever follows the path carries his begging bowl; when he comes back, he possesses infinite treasures.

To appear before God and to attain the beloved, are purely symbolic terms that are not to be taken literally. There is no God sitting somewhere on high before whom you appear. But, how else can it be expressed? When the ego is eradicated, when you disappear, whatever is before your eyes is God — the energy beyond form.

To stand before this formless energy means to see infinite energy wherever you look, whatever you see. When the eyes open, everything is He. Ego is like the mote in your eye; the minute it is removed, God stands revealed before you. And no sooner does God manifest, than you also become God, because there is nothing besides Him.

Sai Baba returned, but the Sai Baba who returned was also God himself. Then each word uttered became so invaluable as to be beyond price, each word equal to the words of the Vedas.