Sai,asSagunBrahmanDr.

Pandit'sWorshipHajiSidikFalkeControlovertheElements
Letusnow,inthisChapter,describethemanifested(Sagun)BrahmanSai.HowHewasworshipped
andhowHecontrolledtheelements.

SaiasSagunBrahman

TherearetwoaspectsofGodorBrahman:(1)theUnmanifested(Nirgun)and(2)theManifested
(Sagun).TheNirgunisformless,whiletheSaguniswithform,thoughbothdenotethesameBrahman.
Someprefertoworshiptheformer,somethelatter.AsstatedintheGita(chapterXII)theworshipof
thelatteriseasyandpreferable.Asmanhasgotaform(body,senses,etc.),itisnaturalandeasyfor
himtoworshiptheGodwithform.OurloveanddevotiondonotdevelopunlessweworshipSagun
Brahmanforacertainperiodoftime,andasweadvance;itleadsustotheworship(meditation)of
NirgunBrahman.SoletusstartwithSagunworship.Image,altar,fire,light,sun,water,Brahmanare
thesevenobjectsofworship,butSadguruisbetterthanallthese.Letus,onthisoccasion,bringtoour
mindtheformofSai,WhowasnonattachmentIncarnate,andWhowasarestingplaceforHiswhole
hearteddevotees.OurfaithinHiswordsistheseatofAsan;andourSankalpa(determinationtostart
andfinishthePuja)istheabandonmentofallourdesires.SomesaythatSaiwasaBhagwadbhakta
(devoteeoftheLord),otherssayHewasaMahaBhagwat(agreatdevotee),buttousHeisGod
Incarnate.Hewasextremelyforgiving,neverirritable,straight,soft,tolerantandcontentbeyond
comparison.ThoughHelookedembodied(ashavingtheform),Hewasreallydisembodied,
emotionless,unattachedandinternallyfree.
TheGangesonitswaytothesea,coolsandrefreshesthecreaturesaffectedwithheat,giveslifetothe
cropsandtrees,andquenchesthethirstofmany.SimilarlySaints(Souls)likeSai,whiletheylivetheir
ownlife,givesolaceandcomforttoall.LordKrishnahassaidthat'theSaintisMysoul,Myliving
image,IamHeorHeisMypureform(Being).'ThisindescribableShaktiorPowerofGod,knownas
PureExistence,KnowledgeandBliss,incarnatedintheformofSaiinShirdi.TheShruti(Taitiriya
Upanishad)describesBrahmanasBliss.Thiswereadorheardailyinthebooks,butthedevoutpeople
experiencedthisBrahmanorBlissinShirdi.Baba,thesupportofall,requirednoproporsupport
(Asan)fromanybody.
HealwaysusedapieceofsackclothforHisseat,whichwascoveredwithasmallbeautifulbedbyHis
bhaktasandhasabolsterplacedbythem,asaresttoHisback.BabarespectedthefeelingsofHis
devoteesandallowedthemtoworshipHimastheyliked.SomewavedChamaraorfansbeforeHim,
someplayedonmusicalinstruments,somewashedHishandsandFeet,someothersappliedscentand
chandan,somegavebetelnutwithleavesandotherthings,andsomeothersofferednaivedya.Though
HelookedlikelivinginShirdi,Hewaspresenteverywhere.ThisallpervasivenessofHiswaydaily
experiencedbyHisdevotees.OurhumbleprostrationtothisallpervasiveSadguru.

Dr.Pandit'sWorship

OneDr.Pandit,afriendofTatyasahebNoolkar,oncecametoShirdiforBaba'sdarshana.After
salutingBaba,hestayedintheMasjidforsometime.BabaaskedhimtogotoDadabhatKelkar.He
wenttoDadabhat,bywhomhewaswellreceived.ThenDababhatlefthishouseforPujaandDr.
Panditaccompaniedhim.DadabhatworshippedBaba.Nobodyuntilthendaredtoapplysandalpasteto
Baba'sforehead.OnlyMhalsapatiusedtoapplyittoHisthroat.Butthissimplehearteddevout,Dr.
Pandit,tookDabadhat'sdishcontainingPujamaterialsandtakingsandalpasteoutofit,drewa
Tripundra,i.e.therehorizontallinesonBaba'sforehead.Tothesurpriseofall,Babakeptsilentwithout
utteringasingleword.ThenDababhatthateveningaskedBaba,"Howisit,thatthoughYouobjectto
thesandalpastebeingappliedbyotherstoYourforehead,butYouallowedDr.Pandittodosonow?"
BabarepliedthatDr.PanditbelievedHimtobethesameashisGuru,RaghunathMaharajaof
Dhopeshwar,knownasKakaPuranik,andheappliedthepastetoHisforehead,ashewasdoingtohis
Guru.HenceHecouldnotobject.Onenquiry,Dr.PandittoldDadabhatthathetookBabaashisGuru
KakaPuranik,andhencehemarkedtheTripundraonBaba'sforehead,ashedidonhisGuru'shead.
ThoughBabaallowedthedevoteestoworshipHimastheypleased,stillsometimes,Heactedina
strangeway.Sometimes,HethrewawaythePujadishandwaswrathIncarnate,thenwhocould

approachHim?Sometimes,Hescoldedthedevotees,attimes,Helookedsofterthanwax,astatueof
peaceandforgiveness.ThoughHeseemedtoshakewithangerandHisredeyesrolledroundand
round,still,Hewasinternallyastreamofaffectionandmotherlylove.Immediately,HecalledoutHis
devoteesandsaid,thatHeeverangrywithHisdevotees;thatifmotherskickedtheirchildrenandifthe
seaturnedbacktherivers,Hewouldneglectthedevotees'welfare:thatHe,theslaveofHisdevotees,
alwaysstoodbythem,andrespondedtothem,whenevertheycalleduponHim,andthatHealways
longedfortheirlove.

HajiSidikFalke

Therewasnoknowing,whenBabawouldacceptadevotee.ThatdependedonHissweetwill.Sidik
Falke'sstoryistothepoint.OneMahomedangentlemanbynameSidikFalkeofKalyan,aftermaking
apilgrimagetoMeccaandMadina,cametoShirdi.HelivedinaChavadi,facingnorth,andsatinthe
opencourtyardoftheMasjid.Forninemonths,Babaignoredhim,anddidnotallowhimtostepinto
theMasjid.Falkefeltmuchdisconsolate,anddidnotknowwhattodo.Somebodyadvisedhimnotto
bedisappointed;buttotrytoapproachBabathroughShama(MadhavaraoDeshpande),acloseand
intimatedevoteeofBaba.HetoldhimthatastheyapproachtheGodShivathroughhisservantand
devotee,Nandi,soBabashouldbeapproachedthroughShama.
FalkelikedtheideaandimploredShamatointercedeforhim.Shamaagreedandonaconvenient
occasionspoketoBabaabouthimthus:"Baba,whydon'tYouallowtheoldHajitostepintothe
Masjid,whilesomanypersonsfreelycomeandgo,aftertakingYourdarshan;whynotblesshim
once?"Babareplied"Shama,youaretooyoungtounderstandthings.IftheFakir(Allah)doesnot
allow,whatcanIdo?WithoutHisgrace,whowillclimbintothemasjid?Well,gotohimandaskhim
whetherhewillcometothenarrowfootpathneartheBarviwell."Shamawentandreturnedwithan
affirmativeanswer.AgainBabasaidtoShama,"Askhimwhetherheiswillingtopaymethesumof
Rs.40,000/infourinstalments."Shamawentandreturnedwiththeanswerthathewaswillingtopay
even40lacs.
AgainBabasaidtoShama"WearegoingtobutcheragoatintheMasjid,soaskhim,whetherhe
wouldliketohavemutton,haunchortesticlesofthegoat."Shamareturnedwiththeanswerthatthe
HajiwouldbehappytoreceiveasmallcrumbfromBaba'skolamba(mudpot).HearingthisBabagot
excitedandwithHishandsthrewawaytheearthenjarsandkolambaandstraightwayadvancedtothe
HajiandliftingHisKafniupwithHishandssaid"Whydoyoubragandfancyyourselfgreatand
poseyourselfasanoldHaji?DoyoureadKoranlikethis?YouareproudofyourpilgrimagetoMacca,
butyoudonotknowMe."Beingthusscolded,theHajiwasconfounded.Babathenwentbacktothe
Masjid,purchasedafewbasketsofmangoesandsentthemtotheHaji.ThenagainBabawenttothe
HajiandtakingoutRs.55/fromHispocket,gavethemtotheHaji.Fromthattime,Babalovedthe
Haji,invitedhimformealsandtheHaji,thereafter,cameintotheMasjidwheneverheliked.Babagave
himattimessomerupees,andthustheHajiwasenlistedinBaba'sDarbar.

Baba'sControlovertheElements

WeshallclosethisChapterafterdescribingtwoincidentsshowingBaba'scontrolovertheelements.
(1)Onceateveningtime,therewasaterriblestormatShirdi.Theskywasovercastwiththickblack
clouds.Thewindsbegantoblowforcibly;thecloudsroaredandthelightingbegantoflash,andthe
rainsbegantodescendintorrents.Inashorttime,thewholeplacewasfloodedwithwater,Allthe
creatures,birds,beastsandmengotterriblyfrightened;andtheyallflockedtotheMasjidforshelter.
TherearemanylocaldeitiesinShirdi,butnoneofthemcametotheirhelp.SotheyallprayedtoBaba
theirGod,Whowasfondoftheirdevotion,tointercedeandquellthestorm.Babawasmuchmoved.
HecameoutandstandingattheedgeoftheMasjid,addressedthestorminaloudandthunderous
voice"Stop,stopyourfuryandthecalm."Inafewminutestherainssubsided,thewindsceasedto
blow,andthestormcametoastop.
Thenthemoonroseinthesky,andthepeoplethenwentbackhomewellpleased,(2)Onanother
occasionatnoonthefireintheDhunibegantoburnbrightly,itsflameswereseentobereachingthe
raftersabove.ThepeoplewhoweresittingintheMasjiddidnotknowwhattodo.Theydarednotto
askBabatopourwaterordoanythingtoquenchtheflames.ButBabasooncametorealize,whatwas

happening.HetookupHisSatka(shortstick)anddasheditagainstapillarinfront,saying"Get
down,Becalm."AteachstrokeoftheSatka,theflamesbegantolowerandslowdown;andinafew
minutestheDhunibecamecalmandnormal.
ThisisourSai,anIncarnationofGod.Hewillblessanymanwhowillprostrateandsurrenderhimself
toHim.He,whowillreadthestoriesofthisChapterdailywithfaithanddevotion,willsoonbefree
fromallcalamities;notonlythis,butalwaysattachedanddevotedtoSai,hewillgetverysoonGod
vision:allhisdesireswillbefulfilledandbeingultimatelydesireless,hewillattaintheSupreme.
Amen!