Baba told Anantrao Patankar, "Once a merchant came here. Before him, a mare passed her stool (nine balls of stool). The merchant, intent on his quest, spread the end of his dhotar and gathered all the nine balls of stool in it, thus he got concentration of mind".

Anantrao Patankar, a devotee of Sadguru Sainath came to Shirdi and after performing proper worship wanted Baba to give him peace of mind. The parable that Baba told Anantrao was as confounding as most of Baba’s earlier parables. Dada Kelkar, another devotee of Sainath explained Anantrao what Baba meant by nine balls of stool; the mare is God’s grace and the nine balls excreted are the nine forms of Bhakthi (devotion). Shravana (hearing of God’s magnificence), Kirtana (singing God’s glory), Smarana (constant remembrance), Padasevana (resorting to His feet), Archana (worship), Namaskara (bowing to God), Dasya (service), Sakhyatva (friendship with the Lord), and Atmanivedan (surrender of the self) are the nine different forms of devotion. Sadguru Sainath’s contention that Bhakthi (devotion) is the best and the easiest way to realize God. One might pursue scriptural knowledge by reading all Vedas, Upanishads and epics. However, unless the mind becomes calm, the book learning is of no use. Devotion, if faithfully practiced through any of the above nine ways, will lead to stability and peace of mind, so says Sai Baba.
Back to Menu

Contribution by Havovi Medora, Bombay, India

Chapter 1
Many years ago, in the sleepy little hamlet called Shirdi, in India, there came a man from apparently nowhere. He was no ordinary man and the simple village folk were the first to be blessed with his presence and love. Some looked upon him with awe and love, some in disbelief. Some saw him as a threat to their simple ways of life. But Sai Baba, as he came to be known, stayed there until his passing away, and that insignificant speck on the map today holds prestigious prominence throughout the world.

One day a strange man was sitting by a stream. A Muslim gentleman named Chand Patil came hurried searching for his horse. Seeing his harassed state, the strange man asked him of his plight. "I have lost my mare," he said. "I have looked all day for her."

"Go down to where the stream narrows and you will find her. She is grazing near the water," said the strange man. Chand Patil hurried away, and sure enough his mare was lazily grazing at that spot. He led the mare back to thank the strange man. From afar he could see the strange man getting ready to light a hubble-bubble pipe. But there was no burning coal or a spring to wet the cloth. The strange man took a short stick and dashed it onto the ground. It came up with a live burning coal. Then he stroked the earth again from where water began to trickle. With the cloth being wetted and the coal burning hot, the pipe was ready for smoking.

Chand Patil, who had stood by quietly watching all this in amazement, realized that this was not just an ordinary man. He thanked him and invited him to his house for a meal. By chance Patil was going to Shirdi with a marriage party, so he asked the strange man to accompany them. When they arrived in Shirdi, the cart stopped outside Kanobai’s temple. Mhalaspati, the presiding pujari, welcomed him and said, "Ya Sai!" The strange man turned to him and said "Sai? You called me Sai?" "Yes, Sai Baba" said the pujari. Then Sai Baba said, "It shall be." and chose a broken-down masjid as his home. That is how Sai Baba came to live in Shirdi.

As the days passed, Sai Baba settled into a routine. He would beg in the mornings from door to door. All solid food he would keep in his zoli, and all liquid foods he would collect in a tin pot. Everyone - birds, animals, beggars and even lepers - would come to partake of his peculiar meal. But Baba’s tongue was void of taste. He allowed everyone to eat and he ate whatever was left over. Some folk called him the ‘mad fakir’. Some even pelted him with stones, but others realized his true worth and became his followers and devotees.

Chapter 2
In Shirdi there lived a woman named Bajayabai and her son, Tatya. Bajayabai was totally enamored of her beloved Sai. She would come each noon to look for him and feed him with food she had prepared. One day Tatya discovered that some thugs had entered Shirdi to hurt Baba, as they thought him to be possessed by an evil spirit. Tatya tried to stop them but the thugs beat him up. The thugs then proceeded to the masjid and found Baba seated under a neem tree.

"I know you have come to hurt me." said Baba. "Come, do your work." The thugs became confused. They expected Baba to run and plead for his life, but instead this man just sat calmly. They raised their clubs to strike him, but as they did so some fell to the ground clutching their faces in agony. Others lost control of their clubs, and the remainder fled. Baba just sat there. A few moments later, a bleeding Tatya came hurrying up the masjid steps. Baba put his hand over Tatya’s wound and the bleeding stopped. Not even a scar remained. This truly was no ordinary man. Tatya became his firm devotee and stayed that way always. Once, when Baba was in the fields outside Shirdi, Tatya came running to say that his mother was breathing her last. Baba hurried home with him, but by then Bajayabai had closed her eyes. Tatya was overwhelmed with grief and asked Sai to resurrect her.

Baba said, "If you can show me one home where there has not been an inevitable death, I will make her alive for all eternity." Tatya pleaded, "She wanted to ask you something, Sai "she needed to ask you a question. If it remains unasked and unanswered, her soul will not rest in peace." So Baba took some water in his hands and sprinkled it on Bajayabai’s face. She slowly opened her eyes and smiled when she saw her beloved Sai standing before her.

"You wished to ask something of me?" Baba inquired. "Yes," she replied. "Will you answer me truthfully?" Baba smiled and said, "I have never lied." The old woman softly said, "Om Sai, I have seen you in so many forms. Who are you?" Then her face broke into a peaceful smile and she closed her eyes forever. Bajayabai was perhaps the only human being to have seen Baba in his true form. Those who believe need no explanation.

[to be continued...]
Back to Menu

Experiences of Devotees

Sai Sampathnath, Pamidighantam
Columbus, Ohio, USA

It is since long that I want to write about my experiences and encounters with Baba. It started with miracles, but now I am no longer interested in them but for the feeling of His presence.

I was a non-believer of God, frustrated to the core because of failures in my life one by one. Though termed as intelligent guy and Engineering degree with good ranking, personal failures, job in Public sector and lost opportunities for higher education made me a nervous wreck. I get respite only when I am with a couple of friends or mother.

During this time after four and half years I got a break to work on the field I am interested in - LAN administration, reporting to Executive Director of the company and then to Chairman. I have learnt a lot during this period, were engaged to a girl on one fine Thursday. I got married to Subhadra on Thursday, 8 Jun 1995. I have passed all my CNE papers, final paper on another Thursday in Jan 1995. I was not sure of God at that time.

It all started during 1996 January. Mother and father were staying with me in Bangalore. Subhadra was 5 months pregnant. Immediately after Sankranti, after my brother’s family left back to Hyderabad, mother and Subhadra observed some strange marks in a small Saibaba’s photograph which my earlier roommate had left in our house. They are oily, and Subhadra thought they might have fallen while mother was doing prayers. Our neighbors next day reported to mother that they saw few drops of honey flowing from Shirdi Sai Baba’s photo in their house. Mother was skeptical that such incidents were not heard about Shirdi Baba. To our utter surprise the next day, we have observed that the marks on our Saibaba’s photo actually tasted like honey. I started checking all the photographs at home. I found the same on the other Saibaba photograph that was bigger in size. The flow of honey started at the same spot in each of those photos - from the center of His raised hand, mouth and from turban. My inquisitiveness and the scientific mind made me to experiment. I kept my photograph next to Baba’s, and cleaned both of them. Both of them had a similar smooth surface, so any deposits on them should be same in nature. The result concluded that I am not God.

The honey flow started to increase day by day. Now it started from other Gods’ pictures, photos, and sculpture of any material, and inside the books. It appeared in 5 min to 2 hours on any material having impression of any God even those brought by any outsiders into our house. Sweet smells and scents of incense started, in both office and house. I was horrified. Mother, one day narrated that she heard knock on door, but when she went there, no body was there. However, when he came to other corner of the house two persons, wearing flowing Kashaya robes were moving out from the compound. One of them was very tall, turned back and waved towards her.

Now, it is known to us that Baba is behind us, showing his presence, may be wants to get something done from us. But from whom ? Why he chosen us? In fact who among us : Me, Subhadra, Mother, Father or little Pranav who is still in his mother’s womb.

It is not Subhadra. She left to our in-laws house in Hyderabad for delivery. Baba’s sweet presence is still felt through honey everyday. On Mahasivaratri day mother went to Mysore to have darshan of Sri Ganapati Sachchidanda Swami. She left early in the morning, the whole day there was no honey flow. She came back around 11:30, brought a small Dattatreya idol and kept it on TV. As she was tired, had little buttermilk and went to Bed. I deciding to stay awake on Sivaratri day, was watching TV. Suddenly I observed that the honey is flowing from Dattatreya idol spoiling the cloth on the TV, placed it in a small plate and it filled the plate in no time. Now we are having another problem. People started coming to our house anytime they like to see this miracles. Mother’s concentration is disturbing. Even our Director finance, GMs started coming to our house. One way it was entertaining, but I started fearing for consequences. Even at this point I do not know much about Baba, his preaching and ways to pray. I used to simply sit before Him, stare at Him, and ask Him to give strength to help others as much as I can. Mother is growing spiritually, telling different experiences and miracles each day. Now I know it is mother, whose heart is filled with His name, singing and writing poems and songs, who can enlighten all of us in family. I have decided to give full support to her, giving anything she wants, providing right atmosphere to her. Her only fear now is that Baba may leave her after Ramanavami day (I do not know why!)
Back to Menu

Devotees say...

Upit Katarina
Umar Ali and Family
Sai Baba, my name is Upit Katarina, I have been praying to You and You showed up in my dreams couple of times. Baba, you know what I want and what I need. I am very glad although it was only in my dream. I want to thank you for everything you have done to me and my family. I hope Baba always be with my family.

J Naidu, Ohio, USA
Sai Ram to all Sai Baktas. My name is Ranjani and I am thoroughly enjoying your website. The messages are so well written and powerfully to the point. May Shirdi Bhagawan continue to spread his wonderful blessings and grace to all in His own phenomenal manner. I am an old Baba follower and have had the good fortune of experiencing some very hard to explain encounters which have been gracefully bestowed upon me by Swami. All I can say at this time is that the Guru's ways are inscrutable and magnificent in their orchestration. He knows each of us better than we know ourselves. If only we can believe and entrust our lives to him fully without question, He will surely lead us to where we really ought to be going. So many of us waste valuable time and effort asking for tinsel and tawdry stuff when He has a sea full of precious gems and goodness to offer such as freedom from the cycles of birth and death, extinction of past karma, and the lifting of the veils of Maya so that we can see and enjoy his divine bliss forever. Dearest Baktas we have among us the golden goose so lets keep him and no other problem can taunt us . With Him, all things are possible. There is no fear as he is there. There will be not starvation as he will provide. Just trust and believe and HE WILL NEVER FALTER IN HIS COMMITTMENT TO YOU HIS PRIZED BAKTA-YOU! Stay blissfully happy and Saifully filled
Back to Menu

Prayer Club

M. Suthananthan, Canada
My mother is suffering from cancer and she is a devotee of Baba. We all are praying for her cure. We all are desperate to get some blessing from Baba for her. I have faith in Baba. Please let me know is there anything I can do to make my mother feel better. I am so worried please send me a immediate reply.

Arun Venkat
Oh lord, save my mother from the recent mishap occurred to her. Cure her completely soon, Oh Gurudev. I am away from her. My pranams to you Guru.
Back to Menu

Sai Activities

Sai Samsthan USA informs us that limited numbers of sponsorships for Mahasamadhi Pooja on October 1, 1998 are still available. The sponsorships are also accepted in absentia. Maha Prasad and Kalasa from the 108 Kalasa Mahasamadhi pooja will be forwarded to the individual sponsor in absentia. Please visit Sai Samsthan, USA for more details.
Back to Menu

You may subscribe to receive the newsletter by e-mail.

Fill out your e-mail address and hit the subscribe button:

Back to Menu