Saturday, August 23, 2008

Shama’s vow- Sapta shringi




The famous Sapta Shringi temple was in a place called Vani at Nashik district. Kakaji Vaidya was the priest of that Temple. He suffered one difficulty after another in his life and there was no peace of mind. One day he stood in front of the idol and prayed to the goddess,” I have been worshipping you with utmost devotion and sincerity all this days. Please give me peace of mind.” The priest thought Baba meant Lord shiva of Triambakeshwar. So he went there and stayed for ten days worshipping with devotion. But he did not get peace of mind and returned to his place. Again he prayed to the goddess and she told him in his dream that she meant Shirdi saibaba when she said Baba.
The priest was wondering how to go to shirdi. As he was pious Baba made arrangements for his visit to Shirdi in some other manner.
When Baba’s devotee Shama was a small boy he fell sick. His mother took a vow to take the boy to sapta shringi temple and worship at the feet of the Goddess. After sometime, the mother suffered with ring worm or her breasts and she took another vow to offer the goddess two silver breasts if the ringworm subsided without fulfilling these two vows she died. This had happened 32 years earlier. Shama had forgotten about this. Once an astrologer told Shama that the vows taken by his mother remained unfulfilled. After thinking over, Shama recollected the two vows. Immediately he got two silver breasts prepared and placing them at baba’s feet, pleaded Baba to accept them since Baba was also the Goddess Sapta shringi
Baba did not accept them, but asked Shama to go to sapta shringi temple and offer them to goddess. Shama went to the house of Kakaji Vaidya, and told him in details. Kakaji Vaidya thought it a great honor to receive a close follower of Baba of shirdi. Shama also was pleased meeting the priest through whom the vows are to be fulfilled. Baba might have seen shama to sapta Shringi to bring him and Kakaji together. After fulfilling the vows both of them went together to shirdi. As soon Kakaji Vaidya touched Baba’s feet, his disturbed mind become placid and he felt happy. Baba did not even bless him. Even then, by the mere touch of his feet, Kakaji secured peace of mind. Thus Kakaji Vaidya found greatness of Baba. He stayed for 12 days at Shirdi, experienced Baba’s love and left shirdi taking Baba’s udi with him.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Shirdi sai and the story of Avasthe

Avasthe, on hearing about the greatness of Baba through Rege, wanted to see him. One day they were traveling by train. On their way they saw a large number of troops so all the passengers in the train were asked to alight. Avasthe and Rege prayed to Baba to help them. In the meantime the Military Commander came and after inspecting their carriage told them that this was too small to accommodate the troops and told them that they need not get down. The whole night Avasthe prayed to Baba. They reached Shirdi the next day morning. When they went to the mosque, baba said, ”As they were trying to disembark my children from the train, I told the captain that they are my children and let them come to me and this Avasthe was by my side the whole night, calling Baba! Baba!” So you came safely. This incident tells that Baba always protects the devotees who fully believe in him.

Previously Avesthe had a yogini as his Guru. He thought that now if he started serving Baba, he might be considered as unfaithful to the yogini. But Rege told that his Guru was also integrated in Sai Baba. Hence if he worships Saibaba it amounts to worshipping his guru Yogini. But Avasthe desired to have some proof of this. He thought that if Baba personally asked and took the rice ball from the floor he will follow Baba

Baba called him and asked him and said that he in turn would send it to the person for whom it was intended. Avasthe felt very happy and he decided to have Baba as his Guru.

Aum Sairam

The story of two goats

That was the month of May in the year 1909. Shirdi had acute Shortage of water. The severe summer made the people very uneasy. In the nights the villagers slept outside in the open though there was no breeze. But in the early hours there was a cool breeze. One day, Baba was going to Dwarakmai towards Lendi Bagh. Behind him were Shama, Tatya Balashimpi, Bhagoji Shinde and others. Just then a herd of goats passed that away. Baba Caught hold of two goats from the herd. Bhagoji Shinde went to assist Baba. He talked with the owner of the herd and purchased the two goats for RS.32.The actual cost of the two goats would not be more than RS7.Baba ordered for five seers of Chand dal (Bengalgram) and fed the goats.

Seeing the strange behavior of Baba, Shama questioned him about this. Tatya and shama were discussing seriously among them about the transaction. Baba gave away the two goats to the owner of the herd. Baba explained his strange actions and the story of the two goats, to the devotees thus:”These two goats were humans in their previous births. They were with me for sometimes. They were brothers born to the same mother and were affectionate in the beginning. As they grew up, enmity grew between them. The younger brother earned a lot of money with his intelligence. The elder brother, out of jealousy, tried to kill his brother and steal all his money. The younger brother wanted to take revenge from the elder brother for that. In this way the two brothers tried to kill each other. At last both of them died at the same time by killing each other. Because of their actions in the previous birth, now they are born as goats.

Aum Sairam

Shyam karna- Baba’s horse

A devotee of Baba, who earned huge profits in his business, presented a nice horse to Baba. Baba named it Shyam sunder (or Shyama Karma) Baba had a deep love and affection for shyam Sunder and so he always tried to take care of his each and every requirements so he entrusted its maintenance to a devotee named Tukaram. Many times Baba told the devotees not to merely consider Shyam Sunder as an animal but to treat it is Baba’s child. One day the horse did not eat grass for reasons unknown. Tukaram tried his best but the horse did not touch the grass. He lost his patience and hit it with a stick. This happened a little away from the mosque. Baba sent for Tukaram and asked him angrily why he hit him (Baba) with such a big stick. Tukaram shivered at Baba’s words. Then Baba lifted his long shirt (kafni) and showed a red weal in the shape of a stick on his body. Those who saw it were surprised and feared. They looked at Tukaram suspiciously, but Tukaram told that he had not come near Dwarakmai on that day and did not hit Baba. Then Baba said,” Is it not hitting me, if you hit my child Shyam Sunder?” He thus made Tukaram realize what he had done. Immediately the devotees ran to the place where the horse was tried. They found a similar swelling and the mark of the stick on the back of the horse. Everyone was surprised. They considered this as baba’s leela to prove to the devotees that he was present in all living things. From that day onwards everyone looked after shyam Karna with love and respect. Some brought fodder for the horse and some brought Zari shawls.

Aum Sairam

Shirdi Sai Picture is equivalent to His Darshan


SaiBaba’s devotees often experienced that seeing baba’s picture is equivalent to seeing him in person. This story illustrates the statement. A saint of Bombay named Balabuva Sutar, who was very devotional and respected Sai baba came to shirdi for the first time. When he bowed before Baba, Baba said that “ I know this man since four years” Baluva wondered how could that be possible as that was his first trip to shirdi. But thinking about it seriously he recollected that he had prostrated himself four years ago before Baba’s portrait at Bombay and was convinced about his significance of the baba’s words. He said to himself,”How omniscient and all pervading are the saints, and how kind are they to their bhakthas? (Devotional devotees)!” He merely bowed to his photo, this fact was noticed by Baba and in due time he made him realize that seeing his photo is equivalent to seeing him in person.

Aum sairam

From Shirdi baba’s feet Godavari (River) flow:

On a festive occasion, Das Ganu sought Baba’s permission to go to a place called Singba on the banks of the Godavari River, to have bath in holy waters. ”No” Baba replied,”Where is the need to go all the way when Godavari is there right at my feet?” Das Ganu was confused. His faith was not deep enough to believe that the waters of the godavari could spring from the feet of his master. Sri Sai Baba who was reading the mind of Das Ganu He asked Das ganu to come close to him and hold the hollow of his palms at his feet. As soon as he did so water flowed freely out of the toes of the master’s feet and filled Das ganu’s palms. His joy knew no limits. He sprinkled the water on his head and his body and distributed some more among the assembled devotees as tirtha (Holy water)