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

Shirdi sai Raised the water level in the well

When saibaba first came to shirdi it had no basic facilities. People did not have much to eat and their living condition was not so good. Situation was worse as they did not have drinking water though there was a well but only in name. It had no natural spring water it must long ago have dried up. Water has to be fetched from a distance and it was all very difficult for the ladies and girls to leave their home early in the morning to fetch water for their families. When therefore Baba gave his permission to the villagers to celebrate the Ram Navami fair, (Baba’s birthday).The biggest problem the organizers were facing was of water supply. So when they found no solution they went to Saibaba for solution.

“Oh yes” said saibaba “So you want plenty of water, do you?” Here, take this and drop it in the well and wait and see” This was turned up to be a platter of flowers on which some Prasad (blessed food) had been placed along with the remnants of alms Baba had received earlier in the day. The villagers had no qualms about doing what Baba said as they had immense faith on him. No sooner the platter of leaves been dropped into the well, it is said, water rose from the bottom as if by divine command and completely filled in. And greater was the rejoicing of people from that day. People did not have any problem of water and with passage of time with the blessings of Saibaba the village was with full of food grains and the other basic facilities thereafter.

Aum Sairam

Shirdi sai’s Premonition of burning fields

Once upon a time during summer, harvesting in shirdi had been completed and the food grains of entire village were stored in a yard. The summer was on and the heat was intense and the people were feeling uncomfortable and there was no sign of rain. People who live in shirdi might now the climatic situation very well. One afternoon Shirdi Baba summoned Kondaji Sutar and said to him,”Go your field is on fire”. Frightened Kondaji ran to his field and frantically looked around for any sign of fire. There was not any. He returned to the masjid and informed Saibaba that he had looked everywhere but had found no trace of fireand why did Baba have to frighten him. Unfaded, Baba said,”You better turn back and look again” Baba was right after all. Kondaji noticed that a sheaf of corn was indeed on fire and smoke was bellowing from that. A strong wind was fanning the fire and word had gone round the villagers who now came running to Baba. ”Saibaba” the people shouted, “help us; help us to put the fire out we are going to loose all our crops which is the only source of livelihood.” There upon, Saibaba walked casually towards the yard, sprinkled some water on a stack of sheaves and said,” Right now the fire will die down!” and so it happened. The villagers thanked Saibaba.

Aum Sairam

Shirdi sai says “Eat appropriate don’t fast”

FASTING FOR BABA

One lady came from shirdi with some devotees. She stayed in Baba’s house. She desired to undertake fasting for three days and be with Baba.
But Baba told her,”Mother, there is no need to undertake fasting. Go to Dada Bhats house, prepare puranpolis (sweet stuffed chapattis) and feed his children and you also eat. Hence Baba’s advice appeared to be timely. Accordingly to his advice she prepared puranpolis, served the children, beggars and animals, and ate some on her own. Fasting is only a method of regulating the digestive system and nothing more. To think that one gets some divine benefit from that is only a misconception. Apart from not getting benefit fasting makes a person weak with the result that one cannot attend to one’s normal duties. Those who worship Baba can take food and worship him.

Shirdi sai’s tale about eating stale bread

BREAD & ONION STORY

Once, a disciple of yoga came to shirdi. He had studied all the works on yoga, but had no practical experience. He could not concentrate his mind and attain Samadhi, even for a short time. He thought only sai Baba came solve his problem and could show him the right way to attain Samadhi for a long time, so he came to shirdi and when he went to the masjid he saw Baba eating bread and onion. On seeing this, although arose in his mind, ’How can this man, who is eating stale bread with raw onion, solve my difficulties and help me?’ Sai Baba knew his mind and told Nanasaheb “Oh, Nana, He who has the power to digest onion, should eat it and none else.” Hearing this remark, the yogi was wonderstruck and then fell at Baba’s feet with complete surrender. With pure and open mind, he asked his difficulties and got his solutions from Baba

Shirdi sai’s Presence will be felt even in absence

Once Mr.Tarkhad asked his wife and son to go to shirdi and spend a few days in the divine presence of baba. The son was reluctant to go, as he was apprehensive whether his father would conduct the proper worship of baba in his absence. However after an assurance from the father that he would carry on the worship exactly as the son had been doing. Both the mother and the son left for shirdi

After they left, Mr. Tarkhad carried on the ritualistic worship with all devotion, keeping lumps of sugar at the altar as naivedya. But one day, after returning home for lunch, he asked the servant to serve the naivedya or Prasad before lunch. To his utter dismay, he was informed that no naivedya had been offered to Baba that day. Praying to baba to pardon, him for this lapse. Mr. Tarkhad immediately wrote a letter to his son, informing him about what had happened

On the same day, at shirdi, just before the commencement of noon aarti, Baba specifically told Mrs. Tarkhad,”Mother! I went to your house at Bandra to eat something. I found the door locked, but somehow I went in. and to my disappointment, found nothing for me to eat, and so I returned unappeased.

After hearing this, the son realized that there must have been some lapse in the worship at home, and he immediately wrote a letter to his father, telling him about what Baba had said, and requesting him not to neglect performing the worship properly. The letters were received by them respectively the next day.

Aum Sairam