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The
birth and the early life of Shri Saibaba are not much
known. From the year 1858, Baba lived in the village of
Shirdi in the state of Maharashtra for over sixty years.
Baba came to Shirdi in 1858 accompanying a wedding
procession as guest of honor. He was greeted my
Mahalsapathi "Ya - Sai"(Welcome Sai). Baba accepted that
name to be eternally his and spent his early days at
Shirdi, under a neem tree and later lived in the masjid
which he named as Dwarkamai or Mother Dwarka (Dwarka is
the holy city associated with Lord
Krishna)....... |
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Chand Patil was
once riding through the forest when suddenly he felt an
acute urge to smoke. To his great dismay, however, he
found that he did not have the wherewithal to ignite a
fire to light his chelum with. Seeing Sai Baba seated
under a tree, the rider approached him for a match. Baba
had no matches, but just by thrusting the tongs nearly,
he produced flames. The rider witnessing the miracle,
realizes Baba's divine stature and kneels to him in
devotion ...... |
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Here is an instance of a devotee's burning
love for the master. Baijabai daily sought out Baba in
the forest where he lived in the early days, in order to
bring him food, which she lovingly prepared for him.
Baba raises his hand in a gesture of blessing......
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Service is the badge of God's kingdom.
Radha Krishna Mai voluntarily assumed the duty of
sweeping the ashram compound daily. This was her way of
showing her adoration for the Master...... |
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Saibaba was the common man's God. He lived
with them; he slept and ate with them. He had no
pretensions of any kind. Baba used to feed the fakirs
and devotees and even cook for them. The food that Baba
made seemed to grow in abundance and there was always
enough for everyone. The touch of a Sat-Purusha unlocks
the storehouse of the Goddess Annapoorna's unlimited
resources..... |
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Saibaba was very fond of children. He used
to spend part of his day in playing, chit-chatting or
humoring with the children of the village..... |
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Saibaba used to sit on the steps of the
Dwarkamayee at Shirdi, absorbed in the divine bliss of
music. Saibaba's appreciation of talent, and the warm
encouragement He gave to those who had talent were
priceless gifts from the Master....... |
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Saibaba in the company of devotees and
fakirs used to dance and sing in divine bliss, with
small tinklets tied around his ankles. Songs he song
were mostly in Persian or Arabic or sometimes some
popular songs of Kabir....... |
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Saibaba had a profound love and compassion for
suffering humanity. The master used to personally attend
to the needs of the sick as a physician and a
nurse....... |
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Saibaba's knowledge of the Shastras, the
Geeta, the Quran and other scriptures was phenomenal.
Without studying or reading books, Baba possessed a rare
proficiency in all the scriptures, and he could quote a
verse or a line from these books and scriptures to show
where a particular truth lay embedded........ |
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Saibaba distributed the holy 'Udi' - the
panacea for all troubles - to his bhaktas. 'Udi' is the
ash from the perpetual sacred fire - Dhuni - lit by Baba
a hundred years ago. The Udi is the token of his divine
grace to all who come to him for help...... |
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Saibaba ploughed up the village common land and
raised a flower garden thereon; he watered the plants,
carrying pots full of water on his shoulders. In the
later years he spent a few hours in this Lendi garden,
which he himself had laid out in the early
days....... |
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He begged for alms and shared what he got with his
devotees and all the creatures around him. He never kept
any food in reserve for the next meal. At times Baba
would scold a grudging housewife by saying- "Mother, you
have so many chapaties, so much rice and this or that
vegetable in your pots, why refuse a bit of food to a
Fakir?". The gentle prodding and the accuracy of the
strange fakir's pronouncements would remove the veil of
maya from these women who would then rush to put all
with them at his feet, as an offering of
Love....... |
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Laxmibai Shinde used to offer Saibaba bread and milk
every day with love and devotion. Baba accepted and took
the offering she made. She was so special to Saibaba
that just before his passing away, Saibaba gave her
Rs.5/- and Rs.4/- in all Rs.9/-. The figure 9 is special
and is indicative of the nine types of devotion viz.,
(1) Shravana (Hearing); (2) Kirtana (Praying); (3)
Smarana (Remembering); (4) Padasevana (resorting to the
feet); (5) Archana (Worship); (6) Namaskara (Bowing);
(7) Dasya (Service); (8) Sakhyatva (Friendship); (9)
Atmanivedana (surrender of the self). |
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The 15th October 1918 was a sorrowful day for the
little village of Shirdi, for in the heavy hours of the
noon, the beloved master suddenly breathed his last.
Quietly and unobrusively, Baba gave up his body and let
his head fall gently on the shoulders of a near
disciple. Though Saibaba might have left his mortal
coil, he still is alive for his devotees. He is a Living
God. Even today, though he has left his gross body, we
feel his presence and obtain his grace and protection
every day....... |
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| * The above content is a courtesy of www.shirdisaitrust.org |
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