Part 2 - Chapter 11 - Sadguru - ShirdiChe Sai Baba

Previously Posted

Chapter No	Part No	Contents of the Chapter
NA	NA	Note By G.P.Sinha
NA	NA	Publisher’s & Translator’s Note
NA	NA	Foreword
NA	NA	About The Author
NA	NA	Preface
NA	NA	Introduction
Chapter 1	Part 1	Our Anna
Chapter 1	Part 2	Our Anna
Chapter 1	Part 3	Our Anna
Chapter 2	Part 1	Arrival Of Sai Baba In Shirdi
Chapter 2	Part 2	Arrival Of Sai Baba In Shirdi
Chapter 3	Part 1	Shama
Chapter 3	Part 2	Shama
Chapter 3	Part 3	Shama
Chapter 4	Part 1	Baba’s Dakshina
Chapter 4	Part 2	Baba’s Dakshina
Chapter 5	Part 1	Mahalasa – Importance Of Nama-Japa
Chapter 6	Part 1	Thirst For God Realization
Chapter 7	Part 1	Baba’s Teachings
Chapter 7	Part 2	Baba’s Teachings
Chapter 8	Part 1	Why Did You Come To A Muslim?
Chapter 9	Part 1	Dissemination
Chapter 10	Part 1	Bhakt – Parayan Dasganu
Chapter 10	Part 2	Bhakt – Parayan Dasganu
Chapter 10	Part 3	Bhakt – Parayan Dasganu
Chapter 11	Part 1	Sadguru

Continued – CHAPTER 11

SADGURU

When a person through troubles, botherations and various burdens of life, he gets exasperated. But this temporary thought of renunciation is not a real Asceticism. Sri Sai Baba never had a slightest feeling conceit of His title “Guru“. He used to call himself a Bhakta Sevak (Servant of Devotees in Hindi, “Mein Banda hoon”). He used to grace each devotee according to his individual feelings and faith. He never used to take service from his devotees. They would serve Him on their own; but He never would expect it from them. He had no needs or necessities. He used to roam around a few houses for alms. The rotis thus obtained would be distributed to the needy people. Sometimes He would get wheat as alms. He himself used to make flour by grinding the grains with a domestic stone grinder. Preparing ‘Lapshi’ (a kind of sweet-dish prepared from wheat flour) which He used to give to the hungry poor. (Those stone grinders are still kept in the Masjid and visitors can see them. In the canopy of the Masjid the fire which Baba ignited is also kept burning till today).

All devotees and others used to obey Sai Baba. They never contradicted His words. He used to pose that He was observing Bade Baba’s instructions. Devotees never had to worry about Baba’s well-being but He would help His devotees in all their calamities however grave they might be. He used to wander in subtle form to save his devotees. He would take upon Himself their ailments. That is why His fame spread all over, from Rama Setu to Himalaya. He never indulged in anything and never insisted on sacrifice. He had attained perfect balance in His personality. Devotees used to bring high quality mattresses and pillows out of love and devotion. But He always used rough sack cloth to lie upon. People had never seen Him sitting on anything other than the sack cloth. He used to wear same single robe (kafani) for a long period; and never changed it until it was torn to tatters. So meagre His necessities were. Inspite of it He used to accept the money offered as “Dakshina“. But a point to be noted is, He neither used that money for Himself nor collected and deposited it. He used to distribute it amongst the devotees, especially those who were needy. He never even thought of any personal comfort or pleasures. He would look to a palanquin, a silk mattress and a rough sack cloth with an equal eye. He never aspired for a house or any ornaments to adorn His body. He was above all such trivial things.

People were always eager to call Him their Sadguru. But he never accepted anyone as His disciple. He used to assert, “I am not anybody’s Guru. I am a Servant. (Mein Banda Hoon). It is Allah’s grace that I talk about something here and the same thing happens somewhere else.”

He made no discrimination between the poor and the rich, a sinner and the righteous Hindu or Muslim, Brahmin or non-Brahmin were treated equally by Him. He loved all but was never attached to anybody. At times His behaviour used to be extremely strange. He was full of rage and nobody would dare to go near Him. Sometimes He would come out with a big wooden stick in His hand and would abuse continuously to no one in particular. But in the same aggressive mood He used to bless the people around saying “Allah will look after your welfare” (Allah Tera Bhala Karega).

Was it not a strange “balance” of waves of rage and calmness at the same time? That was why one could say that this anger was not real, but a mock anger. Just to restrain the people from the wrong actions (Karmas). Otherwise, He was not at all bad tempered; He was very calm and compassionate.

Once, at the time of waving of lights (Aarti) in Chawadi, He became violent and started non-stop beating Bapusaheb Jog. Tatya Patil then somehow rescued him. Same day at afternoon Arti, Baba asked, “Do you think that I have gone mad or anything? Surely not. I do not beat anyone. But those who are to be beaten will be beaten, will be broken or smashed“. Baba would never talk about spiritual things in plain language, but always in a figurative one. The significance of His words would be something else. His state of trance (Brahmasthiti) was never easily understandable. He used to say, “I am full of wisdom but my appearance and behaviour are like an insane person. That grocer abuses Me and looks down upon Me” but inspite of all these objectionable remarks Sai Baba still became widely known. Why did it happen? I (the author) think, everyone should find his own answer to this question. He had thousands of ways of upliftment of people. They used to get many inexplicable spiritual experiences. That was the reason people took Him to be God.

Baba used to give all credit to His Guru, who was a Brahmin, according to His own statement. He used to say, “Only Guru does everything. Without Sadguru you won’t find a path. My Guru has already pulled Me out and uplifted Me. He has given this inheritance to Me for the next thousand years.

Now I will spread beyond seven oceans this inheritance spirituality. One important thing I (the author) must mention that He was totally against the revelation of “Siddhis’. To those, who were keen about the Siddhis He would not allow them to step in the Dwarkamai. He had labelled Siddhis as undeserving women of low virtue. He disliked them so much.

For the interest of the readers, Ashta-Maha-Siddhis are stated here. Anima, Mahima, Garima and Laghima are the four Siddhis which work on body level. Prapti, Prakamya, Ishita Vashila are the remaining four.

Associated with these eight, are the ten secondary Siddhis. But all these eighteen Siddhis and UpaSiddhis are worthless. Aspirants should always keep them away intelligently. In his verse, a poet says ” Compared to these Siddhis, even calamity is a better wealth to strive for’. Veda-Shastra-Sampanna Krushnathbuva Mirajkar Joshi (Kushabhau Maharaj) had come to Shirdi advertising his achievements through revelations of Siddhis”. He used to produce handful of Udi through his raised hand. Baba had banned such acts. He immediately threw Kushabhau Maharaj out of Shirdi. Bidkar Maharaj had also acquired the same Siddhis. When he went to Akkalkot Swami said, “I got a delicious lunch from you, but still you owe Me ‘Dakshina’“. Swami further asked, “Little boy! How much Dakshina are you going to give? Will it be enough to fulfill my satisfaction?“

Bidkar Maharaj said humbly, “Yes, Swami! I will obey your command“. Swami said, “Is it? But I don’t believe you. You won’t give whatever I ask for. If you really mean it what you say, give me a promise first“. Saying so, Swami held out His hand and asked him to swear three times.

Bidkar had no idea what Swami would demand. He did not know that the stream of wealth was going to cease then. Bidkar asked for Swami’s command and He firmly said, “Stop all your magical acts and alchemy which you are indulging in and stop the plays of Siddhis. Stop it from today.”

As promised, Bidkar Maharaj left all those Siddhi activities and then he emerged as real Bidkar Maharaj who then got respect, name and fame. “Brahmavid Brahmaiva Bhavati” This Sanskrit line says he who knows Brahma, himself becomes Brahma. A Brahmavetta (knower) can only be defined as above. If crystals of common salt are put in a cup of water, the water uniformly becomes saline and salty. In the same manner everything becomes Brahma and nothing remains separate. Instead of ‘salty’ allegory, saint Tukaram illustrates his experience with ‘sweet’ simile of ‘jaggery’. The Ultimate (Parabrahma) is beyond the perception of senses and mind. When it is said that “Parabrahma’ is incomprehensible’, it supports the state of duality (Dwait) which is opposite of a complete merging. When ‘I’ is considered separate and different from the rest of the world complete knowledge of ‘Unity’ with Brahma is utterly impossible. A river has no capacity to swallow the ocean, but by throwing itself into an ocean, it can totally merge with the latter and itself becomes an ocean. In the similar way a human being can experience Parabrahma only by merging and becoming one with Him. Then he (human being) finds everybody in himself and sees himself in everybody. This state is known as ‘Brahma-Sthiti‘. (Bhagwad Gita 6.29). Those who say that they have ‘understood’ Parabrahma are surely in delusion. And those who are not sure that they have understood it actually have comprehended Him. This is the typical contradictory description of Parabrahma.

When one says, I have understood Prabrahma means he is counting the latter as separate from him. As the knower and object to be known are two different things. This is duality or Dwait. It reveals that he has not experienced the experience the unity or oneness with Him or his experience is not total but incomplete. It is like unripe fruit. In contrast, when one has a complete experience of Parabrahma he is not in a condition to say, “I have known that.” Because he cannot claim that he has known anything that has a separate existence than him. Then he is taken to be real knower (Dnyani) who is a realized soul.

Such dissolution of duality in Parabrahma without any remnants commonly seems to be difficult. Butone can attain it by constantly practicing Asceticism. Our Rishis have proven t through experience. In the state of realization, I-ness and My-ness die completely. Some incredulous people put a question. Is it not a kind self-annihilation?

Reply to this can be given as follows:

“Even if one cannot describe the state of realization while actually experiencing it, he can surely remember it clearly even after coming out of it“. So there remains no room to raise such sort of doubts. Moreover, saint Tukaram has given a figurative description, “I have seen death with my open eyes. That festive function has simile“.

Spiritual aspirant begins his Sadhana with worship of the form that he has chosen. Then he reaches to the steps of contemplation and meditation. Then he reaches the highest step of ‘Aham Brahmasmi‘ (I am that Brahmam). This is the state of realization. He is so immersed in the Parabrahma that he cannot define what state he is in. The state cannot be called as dream (Swapna), or deep sleep (Sushupti) because the aspirant is vigilant. Though vigilant he cannot be called as ‘fully awake’ as, all the activities imposed with the duality are ceased. Therefore this state is totally different from dream, deep sleep or awake state. This is what is called “Turiya” the fourth state. To reach the Turiya state aspirant has to practise ‘Nirvikalpa Samadhi Yog‘ according Patanjali. Where there is no trace of duality state called Nirvikalpa Samadhi. To attain it one should put in strong efforts without giving up. Lord Krishna gives this advice in Bhagwad Gita. (Bhagwad Gita, 6-2-23). ‘Brahmatmaika‘ (the world is Brahma) state is the highest knowledge. As everything in the world merges into one Brahma, nothing remains to be known, for an aspirant. He goes beyond Nama and Rupa (name and form). He slips out of the cycle of birth and death. Because birth and death are associated with ‘Nama and Rupa’ and the aspirant goes beyond these two, to experience the spiritual ambrosia. Saint Tukaram referred to this state as ‘death of deaths‘. Yadnyavalkya calls this as ‘Extremity of ambrosia principle‘. The state is a ‘Liberty state –‘ liberty from life cycle.

When one attains the liberty state, he automatically gets some miraculous powers as surfing through skies. Patanjali-Yoga-Sutras have clearly stated about this achievement. (3-16-55). Attracted by these powers, many people rigourously practise Yoga. To alert them Vasistha Rishi says in Yogavasistha, (his scripture) that to acquire these powers is not the aim of Yogic penance. He who has reached the stage of liberty does not make a show of these powers. He remains at a distance from Siddhis. Miracles are the acrobatic dances of Maya. They do not come under Brahmavidya. That is why the aspirants should not strive for these miraculous powers or Siddhis. They should struggle only for the ultimate Knowledge, Brahmavidya. Only pure soul can attain this Vidya (knowledge). To say more correctly, he who has attained the Vidya is a pure soul. Miracles do not prove knowledge. Those who perform miracles or play magic are not counted in the list of Brahmavetta, the knower of the ultimate knowledge. On the contrary, these performers are cruel and dangerous. (Ref: ‘Gita Rahasya ‘by Lokmanya Tilak) That is why Sadguru Sai Baba was against these Siddhis.

Today many fake Sadhus or Sanyasis are deceiving the public with the magic of miracles, just for making money. Worst part of their behaviour is they connect the name of Sai Baba to their magic tricks. That is why I (The author) request the devotees with utmost fervour not to fall a prey to such Sadhu magicians; and do not ever try to attain those powers.

Upliftment is easy through the path of devotion, Bhakti. Lord assures us, “I am in everybody’s spiritual heart. But those who have devotion, they are in Me and I am in them. I am not separate from them“.

END OF CHAPTER

Continued to Part 1 of Chapter 12 – Guru Bhakti