Om Brahma charya tapascharyaadi suprataaya namaha

See the divine in the human being ---SAIBABA

OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI

SAI BHAJAN (Click Here For Real Audieo)

Anthar Jyothi Namo Paramaatma Jyothi Namo Akhanda Jyothi Namo Mama Jeevana Jyothi Namo Antharyami Namo Shree Sadguru Sai Namo
(To the inner, supreme light of God, I bow; To the eternal light 
  which is the essence of my life, I bow; To the indwelling Lord, to the true 
  guru Sathya Sai, I bow.) 

	SHRI SAI SATHCHARITHA "Sada Nimbarvrikshasya mooladhiwasat, Sudhasravinam tiktamapi-apriyam tam, Tarum Kalpavrikshadhikam sadhayantam Namameeshwaram Sadgurum Sai Natham"
Nandumarwadi	Chapter XXIII	Laxmanmungi

Yoga and Onion - Shama Cured of Snake - Bite - Cholera Ordinance Broken - Ordeal of Guru-Bhakti.

Preliminary

Really this Jiva (human soul) transcends the three qualities, viz. Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas, but being deluded by Maya, he forgets his nature which is 'Existence-knowledge-bliss', and thinks that he is the doer and enjoyer and thus entangles himself in endless miseries and does not know the way of deliverance. The only way of deliverance is Loving Devotion towards the Guru's feet. The great Player or Actor Lord Sai has delighted His Bhaktas and transformed them into Himself (His nature).

We regard Sai Baba as an incarnation of God for reasons already stated, but He always said that He was an obedient servant of God. Though an incarnation He showed the people the way, how to behave satisfactorily and carry out the duties of their respective stations (Varnas) in this life. He never emulated others in any way, nor asked others to have something done for Him. For Him, Who saw the Lord in all movable and immovable things of this world, humility was the most proper thing. None He disregarded or disrespected; for He saw Narayan (Lord) in all beings, He never said, "I am God," but that He was a humble servant and He always remembered Him and always uttered - "Allah Malik" (God is the sole proprietor or Owner).

We do not know the various kinds of Saints, how they behave, what they do and eat etc. We only know, that by God's grace they manifest themselves in this world to liberate the ignorant and bound souls. If there be any store of merits on our account, we get a desire in listening to the stories and Leelas of the Saints, otherwise not. Let us now turn to the main stories of this Chapter.

Yoga and Onion

Once it so happened, that a sadhak of Yoga came to Shirdi with Nanasaheb Chandorkar. He had studied all the works on Yoga, including the Yoga-sutras of Patanjali, but had no practical experience. He could not concentrate his mind and attain samadhi even for a short time. He thought that if Sai Baba be pleased with him, He will show him the way to attain samadhi for a long time. With this object in view he came to Shirdi, and when he went to the Masjid he saw Sai Baba eating bread with onion. On seeing this, a thought arose in his mind - `How can this man, eating stale bread with raw onion, solve my difficulties and help me?' Sai Baba read his mind and said to Nanasaheb - "Oh Nana, he who has the power to digest onion, should eat it and none else". Hearing this remark, the yogi was wonder-struck and then he fell at Baba's Feet with complete surrender. With pure and open mind, he asked his difficulties and got their solution from Baba. Thus being satisfied and happy, he left Shirdi with Baba's Udi and blessings.

Shama Cured of Snake-Bite

Before Hemadpant begins the story, he says about the Jiva that it can be very well compared with a parrot, and that they both are bound, the one in the body and the other in a cage. Both think that their present bound state is good for them. It is only when a Helper, i.e., Guru comes and by God's grace opens their eyes and liberates them from their bondage, that their eyes are opened to a greater and larger life, compared to which their former limited life is nothing.

In the last Chapter, it was shown how Baba anticipated the calamity, that was to befall on Mr. Mirikar and rescued him from it. Now let the readers hear a story grander than that. Once Shama was bitten by a poisonous snake. His little finger of the hand was stung and the poison began to spread into the body. The pain was also severe and Shama thought that he would pass off soon. His friends wanted to take him to the God Viroba, where such cases were often sent, but Shama ran to the Masjid -- to His Viroba (Sai Baba). When Baba saw him, He began to scold and abuse. He got enraged and said - "Oh vile Bhaturdya (Priest) do not climp up. Beware if you do so" and then roared - "Go, Get away, Come down." Seeing Baba thus red with wrath, Shama was greatly puzzled and disappointed. He thought that the Masjid was his home and Sai Baba his sole Refuge, but if he was driven away like this, where should he go? He lost all hope of life and kept silent. After a time Baba became normal and calm when Shama went up and sat near. Then Baba said to him - "Don't be afraid, don't care a jot, the Merciful Fakir will save you, go and sit quiet at home, don't go out, believe in Me and remain fearless and have no anxeity". Then he was sent home. Immediately afterwards, Baba sent Tatya Patil and Kakasaheb Dixit to him with instructions to the effect, that he should eat what he liked, should move in the home, but should never lie down and sleep. Needless to say that these instructions were acted upon and Shama got all-right in a short time. The only thing to be remembered in this connection is this - the words of Baba (or the five syllabled Mantra, viz, `Go, Get away, Come down') were not addressed to Shama- as it apparently looked - but they were a direct order to the snake and its poison not to go up and circulate through Shama's body. Like others well-versed in Mantrashastra, He had not to use any incantation, charged rice or water etc. His words only were most efficacious in saving the life of Shama.

Any one, hearing this story and other similar ones, will beget firm faith in the Feet of Sai Baba, and the only way to cross the ocean of Maya is to remember ever the Feet of Baba in the heart.

Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all

Devotees Experiences

BAYAJABAI -THE PERSONIFICATION OF LOVE

"Radhakrishna Ayi was first staying at Pandaripur and later came to Shirdi. Once she decided to go on a pilgrimage to Pandaripur from Shirdi by foot. Bala Shimpi and Madhav Fasle also started along with her. They wanted to take part in the festival which would be held at Pandaripur on the eleventh (ekadasi) day of the month of Ashaad. My mother, a few others, and I too decided to go to Pandaripur to take part in the festival. As Radhakrishna Ayi and her group had already left, we decided to go by cart as far as Ahmednagar and catch up with them, after which we could all proceed further by foot. My mother, my brother-in-law, Lakshmibai Shinde and a few other ladies all got ready for the trip.

Before starting, we all went to the mosque to have the darshan of Baba and take his blessings for the trip. Baba blessed us and gave udi to each of us. Three carts packed with our stuff were standing ready under the tree at the village well. I went and broke a coconut at the Maruti temple so that our trip would go well without any problems, and later went to the temple of Saturn. About fifty villagers were standing at the village well to bid us farewell. While I was on my way to the temple of Saturn, I was surprised to see Baba standing where the Samadhi Mandir is at present. I broke a coconut at the temple of Saturn and came out. As I was coming out of the temple, Kondya, a Muslim devotee of Baba, came and told me that Baba was calling me. I went to Baba. He took me to the mosque. Some of the villagers who had come to bid us goodbye came with me to the mosque while the others stayed on at the well. I sat beside the railing at the mosque while Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama) sat opposite me. Madhavrao lit the pipe and gave it to Baba. Baba sat smoking. All were quiet. After a while Madhavrao said, "Deva (Oh, God) your Bayajabai and the others are all waiting for him to come so that they can go to Pandaripur. "Call Bayajabai," replied Baba.

My mother hurried in and said, " Baba, have you sent for me? The sun has set and the dusk is deepening. We are all ready to start." Baba placidly said, "Mother, go home. Do not start today. Do not even start tomorrow. Start the day after tomorrow. Do not ask why. Do not consult anyone in this matter. Here, take this udi and go." My mother did not hesitate a second or even take time to think. She said, "Alright Baba, we will go the day after as you say." We unloaded the carts and sent them off. The friends and relatives who had come to see us off left for their homes. Later, Madhavrao saw the astrological calendar and charts and said that the day was not an auspicious one for travel.

On the morning of the third day, we again got ready to travel. Baba cheerfully gave udi to each of us and came as far as the highway to see us off. We reached Puthamba as planned and after bathing and having a light repast got into the train and reached Bewoor by eight a.m. We met Radhakrishna Ayi's group by nine a.m. That day we reached Narsingpur by lunchtime and had the darshan of Sri Narsing Maharaj. Starting again from there, we reached Pandaripur by the evening of the next day. Cholera struck Pandaripur by the eleventh day of the waxing moon and by the next day was raging throughout the town. Some of us wanted to leave immediately for Shirdi but I was adamant that we should stay till the day of the full moon. My mother was also scared. She met the mamalatdar, Sri Nana Saheb Chandorkar, who was an ardent devotee of Baba, and asked him to convince me to return to Shirdi. Nana Saheb sent for Bala Shimpi and me and advised us to return immediately to Shirdi. Baba knew that cholera would ravage Pandaripur, but seeing our enthusiasm for the trip could not forbid us to go to Pandaripur."