Shri Upasani Baba
None can declare himself/herself as a devotee, disciple or descendant of Baba. It is He (Sainath) who bestows the title on us. Pujya Shri Narasimha Swamiji’s love for his Sadguru Shri Sainath made Swamiji the apostle of Baba. After personal tragedies, Swamiji wandered for Eleven years in search of peace and Guru to guide him. He was disappointed and dejected in life. It was 29 th August Sravan Poornima day Narasimha Swamiji got up at 4:00 am and was in a pensive mood. He made up his mind to leave Upasani Baba’s ashram once and for all. He was firmly convinced that he is not destined to get peace of mind in this birth. Narasimha Swamiji was afraid that Upasani Baba might influence him to reverse the decision if he conveyed his intention to get back to Chennai (previously known as Madras). So, from a distance, he bowed down to Upasani Maharaj and mentally sought his permission to leave.
Narasimha Swamiji came out of the ashram and as he was crossing the cremation ground, a six-foot- tall, well-built man of Pathan origin accosted him and questioned him as to where he was headed to. Swamiji confided about his journey and disappointments and that he was heading home. This gentleman requested Swamiji to have at Shirdi and said he may be benefited spiritually there. This meet was the turning point not only in Swamiji’s life but for all the devotees of Shri Sai Baba. This apostle of Sai Baba not only spread Sai literature, but his living style was exemplary for the devotees then and now after nearly hundred years of Samadhi.
It is not the preaching of Sai Baba but His actions, and life are a lesson for us. Likewise, an incident in Swamiji’s life teaches us to share with all and not to give any possession, creation the label of belonging; all belongs to the Almighty. Narasimha Swamiji visiting
the samadhi of Sai Baba is a memorable event in his life. Sai Baba like a magnificent wave of fire engulfed each and every one of the millions of cells of Narasimha Swamiji. It was new life for Swamiji; the old body of Narasimha Swamiji was no more and it transformed into Sai Swaroopi Narasimha Swamiji.Everything happened in a split second and Narasimha Swamiji became a realized soul then and there.
Great soul’s, saints, and sages are aware of our thoughts. Some of us are taught by mere glance and some learn only by the presence of a divine soul. Hence, often it is said just by being in the company of a Satpurusha you are uplifted. It was in 1941 one fine evening myself and my wife Sharada were introduced to Shri Narasimha Swamiji. He was feeding sparrows sitting on an arm chair.
Our opening conversation with Swamiji very curiously enough started with a topic on which I and my wife were poles apart in our opinion. My contention was once we decide to adopt Sai Baba as our deity we should do all the pooja’s (worship), namely Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Ganesh etc., to Sai Baba only and no Individual pooja’s to the individual deities are to be done. My wife’s opinion was to the contrary that while we do pooja to Sai Baba, we should continue pooja’s to various deities and also Sai Baba, as individual deities represent particular aspects, while Sai Baba represents the whole.
Swamiji started thus: “Sharada, you see this body of mine, you call it Swamiji, I want to eat, then I use my mouth; I want to hear, then I use my ear; I want to walk, the I use my legs; so on and so forth. For every act I desire to do, I use a particular limb. Each limb is not identified as Swamiji but as one belonging to Swamiji. When you think of Swamiji, you think of him as one piece, but when any one of the acts say walking, eating etc., comes to your mind, you think of the particular limb. Thus, the limb has its purpose and should be utilised separately but all limbs collectively made the unit and the unit has its purpose.While you respect the unit as an entity, you need not discard the limb as an individual of the whole unit.”;
A perfect answer to our unexpressed question!
Swamiji conquered us and made me an active member of the Sai Samaj. I was also the Secretary for some time.
I may quote a very simple instance which reflected Swamiji’s anxiety to put Sai Baba at everybody’s
disposal and to prove that He is nobody's private property or preserve. We had published the book “Wonderous Saint” and the lawyer-mind that I had made me add a note: “All rights reserved” so that the contents may not be misquoted or misused. Swamiji, on seeing the printed books, was furious and asked me if I had bought Sai Baba lock stock and barrel that! should ‘reserve all rights’ in the book. He directed me to correct ‘all’ to ‘no’ which I accepted to do but postponed it to the evening. But when I arrived at the Samaj in the evening, I saw Swamiji himself vigorously correcting the word ‘all’ to ‘no’.
Though Swamiji is not physically with us, he is watching from above carefully. Once in 1962, I had a problem in my office and was feeling the absence of Swamiji, as I used to run on such occasions to him to seek a solution earlier. Next morning, my wife told me that Swamiji appeared to her in a dream and told her;’why does OKV think I am not there. I am here. He will get over this problem soon.’
By O.K. Varada Rao
Source: Sai Padananda
“Whoever you may come across, in this house or outside of it, or on the way, they are all my manifestations; I pervadethem all truly and always”
Sai Baba
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