Do not be idle: work, utter God's name and read the scriptures. ---SAIBABA
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SHRI
SAI SATHCHARITHA
"Sada Nimbarvrikshasya mooladhiwasat,
Sudhasravinam tiktamapi-apriyam tam,
Tarum Kalpavrikshadhikam sadhayantam
Namameeshwaram Sadgurum Sai Natham"
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Shri Gopalraobuti
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Chapter 30
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Shri Shrisitaramdixit
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Drawn To Shirdi
(1) Kakaji Vaidya of Vani - (2) Punjabi Ramalal of Bombay.
In this Chapter the story of two more devotees that were drawn to Shirdi, is
narrated.
Preliminary
Bow to the Kind Sai Who is the Abode of Mercy and Who is
affectionate towards His devotees. By His mere darshan, He does away with their
fear of this 'bhava' (samsar) and destroys their calamities. He was first
Nirgun (formless), but on account of the devotion of His Bhaktas, He was
obliged to take a form. To give liberation - self-realisation to the Bhaktas is
the mission of the saints, and for Sai - the Chief of them, that mission is
inevitable. Those who take refuge in His Feet have all their sins destroyed and
their progress is certain. Remembering His Feet, Brahmins from holy places come
to Him and read scriptures and chant the Gayatri mantra in His presence. We,
who are weak and without any merits, do not know what Bhakti is but we know
this much, that though all others may leave us, Sai won't forsake us. Those
whom He favours get enormous strength, discrimination between the Unreal and
the Real and knowledge.
Sai knows fully the desire of His devotees and fulfills the same. Hence they get
what they want and are grateful. So we invoke Him and prostrate ourselves
before Him. Forgetting all our faults let Him free us from all anxieties. He
who being overcome with calamities remembers and prays Sai thus, will get his
mind calmed and pacified through His grace.
This Sai - the ocean of mercy, says Hemadpant, favoured him and the result of
this, is the present work - Sai-Satcharia. Otherwise what qualifications had he
and who would undertake this enterprise? But as Sai took all the
responsibility, Hemadpant felt no burden, nor any care about this. When the
powerful Light of knowledge was there to inspire his speech and pen, why should
he entertain any doubt or feel any anxiety? Sai got the service in the form of
this book done by him; this is due to the accumulation of his merits in the
past births and, therefore, he thinks himself fortunate and blessed.
The following story is not a mere tale, but pure nectar. He who drinks it will
realise Sai's greatness and all-pervasiveness. Those who want to argue and
criticise, should not go in for these stories. What is wanted here, is not
discussion but unlimited love and devotion. Learned, devout and faithful
believers or those, who consider themselves as servants of the Saints, will
like and appreciate these stories, others will take them to be fables. The
fortunate Bhaktas of Sai, will find the Sai-leelas as the Kalpataru
(Wish-fulfilling Tree). Drinking this nectar of Sai-leelas, will give
liberation to the ignorant Jivas, satisfaction to the house-holders and a
sadhana to the aspirants. Now to the story of this Chapter.
Bow
to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all