Shri Sai The Superman By Swami Sai Sharan Anand-Part 3

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1. BIRTH, RACE AND FAMILY - CONTINUED

Shri Sai Baba’s own utterances in this respect should also be considered.

(1) The oldest, most pious and revered devotee of Shri Sai Baba the late Shri Mahlasapati, who had the unique honour of sleeping with Baba on every alternate night for 30 to 40 years in the Dwarkamayi said that Baba had once told him. "I am a Brahmin of Pathri and when, young, my parents gave me over to a Fakir for being trained under him."

(2) In December 1912 when the writer went to Shirdi, he was anxious about his father’s life, as the father had dropsy and dropsy was in those days considered to be a fatal disease. Unasked Baba said, "Bring that big bellied man here." I said to myself. "Bring that big bellied man here." I said to myself. "How is it possible when he takes you to be a Mussalman?" This clearly shows Baba considered himself to be a Brahmin.

Another time in 1916 when one Shantaram Nachne Dehnukar went to Shirdi and he forgot to pay to Baba a two-anna paisa that his friend V.S Samant had given for Baba along with a coconut etc., and he asked Baba’s permission to return home giving him coconut etc., Baba had reminded him of the said two anna paisa by saying, "You may go, but why have you been retaining the two anna paisa of this poor Brahmin?" Whereupon Dehnukar at once paid the two-anna piece requesting Baba to pardon him for the lapse of his memory.

When on the behest of his master Shri H.V. Sathe one Megha came to Baba, taking Baba to be a Mohammedan, Baba became angry on seeing him and did not allow him to mount up the steps of the Dwarkamayee threatening him with a stone, that if he came up to see Him, He would assured kill him with the stone, and bawled out, "I am the lowest of the low, a Yawan (Mohammedan) and you are a Brahmin of the highest caste." This clearly shows Baba’s dislike for those who considered him to be Mohammedan.

Baba putting His hand on His chest said to Mrs. Kashibai Kanitkar of Poona. "This is Brahmin. This Brahmin will lead lacks of people to the Shubhra Marga (The White Path as opposed to the Black Path of demons and take them to the goal right up to the end. This is a Brahmin’s Masjid." (Baba Charters and Sayings Page 57. B. V. Narasimha Swami.)

All this clearly shows that if Baba was really born, He was born in a Brahmin family. Born or unborn Baba thought He was Brahmin and got offended with all those who thought He was Mohammedan.

We may therefore say with the late Shri Narasimha Swami "The birth and parentage of Sai Baba are wrapped in mystery. We have not come across a single person who has any direct knowledge of them."

It is however common knowledge that the people of all castes, creeds, races and religions Hindus, Mussalmans, Parsis, Christians and other come to Baba and soon become attached to Him. They all gradually recognise him to be their long-lost philosopher, friend and guide. They see in Him their God, their Prophet, their Son of God, their Saviour or their best and dearest friend. They realise that Sai Baba is always present. He controls their hearts and knows all their actions good bad or indifferent. They are also convinced that He knows their most secret thoughts and their wicked actions and yet He is full of mercy and never gives up those who remember him. He cares not to look at the family, caste creed or religion even the action of His devotees; but as soon as the devotees remember Him, he runs up at once with or without assuming a forms and defends them against fell diseases, calamities, worldly difficulties, ill-repute etc. etc. For instance, He assumed the form of a farmer for His devotee Balakram Mankar and banded over to him a rail ticket for his destination-Poona. For another devotee Nanasaheb Chandorkar, He became (assumed the form of) a tanga, horses and a coach-man, when Shri Sai Himself dispatched His Udi with one Ramgir. He had taken that Ramgir to Nana’s house and saved by that Udi Nana Saheb’s daughter from a mortal delivery. Even after He left His body, He has been helping devotees in the same way. Thus he put Dhumal’s hand-hand-signature on about a thousand municipal papers one night when Dhumal was unable to find time for the purpose. For another devotee Nachne, of Prabhu caste, he assumed the form of a peon called Himself Ganpatishankar. Attended on him till he reached Nasik and thereafter also he helped him in the performance of the obsequial ceremonies of his wife for three days and as soon as the ceremonies were over, He left him saving Him services were wanted by His Master. Persons visiting Shirdi have known that if only they would remember him, he would without fail stretch His helping hand and render such help as they would require. These devotees look upon Sai Baba as their own god, prophet, Saviour and as such they try their utmost to draw or attract Him to them by propitiating Him and by rendering such services as they can. They sole yearning of these devotees is to obtain His grace, for they know that therein only lies their material and spiritual welfare; they little care to know His parentage, family, race or His guru. They have ever believed that the kind and merciful God though ever formless has for their benefit assumed a form and so if they are wise they should without delay try their level best to obtain His grace, the root cause of all earthly and heavenly happiness, leaving all other matters about His family etc. to logicians, the worldly wise and wiseacres. They definitely believe and assert-God is only one; there are no separate Gods for the various races, castes and creeds and yet He has powers to assume such forms. as His devotees yearn for and ardently desire to behold with their material eyes. And the living testimony of this is Shree Sai Baba.


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