SABURI
SABURI Gopaala Gopaala Devaki Nandana Gopaala Gopaala Gopaala, Vasudeva Nandana Gopaala(Chant the name of Gopaala, the cowherd boy; The Beloved son of Devaki and Vasudeva)
|
SHRI SAI SATHCHARITHA"Sada Nimbarvrikshasya mooladhiwasat, Sudhasravinam tiktamapi-apriyam tam, Tarum Kalpavrikshadhikam sadhayantam Namameeshwaram Sadgurum Sai Natham" |
|
gopalraobuti |
Chapter V |
meghshyamrege |
Baba’s Dress and Daily Routine
I
n his young days, Sai Baba grew hair on His head; never had His head shaved. He dressed like an athlete. When He went to Rahata (3 miles from Shirdi), He brought with Him small plants of Merry Gold, Jai and Jui, and after cleaning, he planted and watered them. A devotee by name Vaman Tatya supplied Him daily with two earthen pitchers. With these Baba Himself used to water the plants. He drew water from the well and carried the pitchers on His shoulders. In the evening the pitchers were kept at the foot of the Neem tree. As soon as they were placed there, they were broken, as they were made of raw earth and not baked. Next day, Tatya supplied two fresh pitchers. This course went on for 3 years; and with Sai Baba’s toil and labour, there grew a flower-garden. On this site, at present, stands the big mansion - Samadhi Mandir of Baba, which is now frequented and used by so many devotees.Devotees Experiences
“Baba would sometimes tease me by hiding my upper cloth either behind the bag of wheat kept in the mosque, or some other place. He would then sit in the mosque as if he was innocent. When I asked him where my cloth was, his reply was always the same “What do I know about your cloth, do I look as if I would steal other’s clothes?” I would say, “You must have hidden my cloth somewhere.” Baba would also join me in searching for my cloth and show a lot of concern that it was lost. He would then bring it out from where he had hidden it, pretending that he had just found it. Sometimes he would slink in from behind and cover my eyes with his hands. When I asked who it was, he would run and hide behind the pillar and play hide and seek with me.
“At other times Baba would put my fingers between his fingers and press them. When I did the same to him he would act as if he was in great pain and shout that I had broken his fingers.
“Sometimes he would ask me to show my strength and taking my hand into his would press it hard. When I did the same to him he would writhe and complain as if he was in great pain and his hand was broken.
“Sometimes I removed Baba’s headscarf and made him wear mine in the shindi shahi manner of the Maratha landlord. I would also put a cloth around his neck and bring him a mirror. Joining in the fun, he would peer at himself in the mirror and imitating my way of talking, walking and various expressions, would roll his eyes and say, “Oh Mirror, please tell me if this Kotya looks like me and acts like me? Do tell!” He would then return all the clothes and mirror to me.