In one of the entries
of Sri Khaparde's Shirdi diary dated 17/1/1917 he writes "we went to
the Chavdi for Kakad Aarti. Megha was too ill to attend. So Bapu Sahib
did the Aarti. Sayin Baba showed his face and smiled most benignly. It
was worth while spending year here to see it even once. I was
overjoyed and stood gazing like mad". The feeling expressed here is so
strong that it will move any Sai devotee. It is not possible to bring
back those days, but one can go through experiences of various Sai
devotees who had the good fortune of being in Baba's company during
Shirdi days.
One can gather that Baba was very soft spoken. Sri Khaparde writes
that Sayin Sahib spoke with wonderful sweetness and smile so often
with extraordinary sweet grace. When he used to be in good mood he
used to sit chatting and laughing. He used to make jokes, Sai devotees
are aware of Baba making jokes at the cost of devotees. In Sai Sat
Charita chapter 24 Sri Dabholkar writes that all people generally like
wit and humor, but they do not like that jokes should be cut at their
expense. But Baba's method was peculiar. It was very interesting and
instructive, and the people, therefore did not mind if they’re held up
to the ridicule. After that he narrates the Chanakya Lila story. He
narrates that Baba through his jokes advices us that before the
senses, mind intellect enjoy their objects, He should be first
remembered and if this be done, it is a way of making an offering to
Him. This will help in removing the attachment for them. In the same
chapter there is a story of another witty incident involving Anna
Chinchanikar and Mausi Bai. In this incident also Baba asks as to what
harm or impropriety is there, when a mother is kissed by a child.
Probably He put forward that for the spiritual up-liftment of all
women are to be seen as mothers.
Most of the time Baba was in a very pleasant mood. In this mood, he
generally used to narrate some stories. In these stories he used to
talk about previous births, or some parables or stories of his
wandering. He used to show his grace to the devotees. In one entry
date 6th January 1912 Mr. Khaparde writes "Sai Maharaj was in an
exceptionally pleasant mood, made mystic signs to Megha and did what
are known as "Drishti Pata" in yoga. Next day he writes "Sai Maharaj
looked exceedingly pleased and gave yogic glances. I passed the whole
day in a sort of ecstasy.” On some days his glances used to be
conspious by their absence. Mr. Khaparde writes on 13th January 1912
“Sai Maharaj did not say a word today and not even throw the glance he
usually does.” On the day Megha died on ¬19th Jan. 1912. Mr. Khaparde
writes that it was a sad day. The Kakad Arti was done, but never threw
glances spreading grace.
In pleasant and relaxed mood He used to smoke and share His 'Chillum'
with his devotees. One will find that not only he used to show his
grace through his glances but also through his chillum. In the entry
dated 12th January 1912 Mr. Khaparde writes that he was very gracious
and repeatedly gave me smoke out of his pipe. It solved many of my
doubts and I felt delighted. In Sai Sat Charitra Chapter 50 there is
mention of Sri Balaram Dhurandhar. During one of his visits to Shirdi,
Bala Ram sat near Baba, massaging his legs. Baba who was smoking the
chillum advanced it towards him and beckoned him to smoke it. Bala Ram
was not accustomed smoking. Still he accepted the pipe, smoked it with
great difficulty and returned it reverentially with a bow. This was
the most auspicious moment for Bala Ram. He was suffering from asthma
for six years. This smoke completely cured the disease, which never
troubled him. Some six years later one particular day, he again got an
attack of asthma. ¬This was precisely the time when Baba took
Mahasamadhi. Baba used to smoke from others Hukka in a pleasant mood
Sri Khaparde writes on 9th December 1911" Sai Maharaj was in a
pleasant mood. I took my Hukka there and Sai Maharaj had a smoke out
of it. He looked wonderfully beautiful at Arti time, but dismissed
everyone very soon after it. He said he would come to dine with us.
During relaxed hours He organized music and dance. He himself also
used to sing and dance at some occasions reminding others strongly of
what lord Krishna did in GokuL How he used to bless these singers and
dance parties is quite known to Sai devotees from the famous Madrasi
Bhajan Mandali story in chapter 29 of Sai Sat Charita. Sri Khaparde
has mentioned that many persons used to sing Bhajans before Baba. Once
he mentioned about one Mr. Gokhle who came from Narsoba's wadi. He was
directed to see Narain Maharaj of Kedgaon and Sai Maharaj. He sang
very nicely and at night Mr. Khaparde got him to sing a few Bhajans.
Sri Bhishma the author of Baba's Artis was a regular singer. There
where occasional spiritually developed devotees such as Bramhandandi
Bai. As discussed earlier Baba himself used to sing and dance. In Sai
Sat Charita also there are mentions of Baba singing the famous Udi
song or singing Bhajan for Pandharinath when Nana sahib Chandorkar's
arrival and with his posting orders for Pandharpur. In the entry of 31
December 1912 Sri Khaparde writes he was in a very pleased mood,
talked pleasantly, danced and sang and reminded me and other very
strongly of what Lord Krishna did in GokuL One day Khaparde found that
Sai Maharaj was sitting in the yard and a man was exhibiting some
tricks taught to a monkey. There were also Professional singers and
dancers. Later on came Bramhanandi Bai, his companion Salu Bai and
Shivanand Shastri. They did the Puja and Bramhanandi Bai whom they
call Maiya Sahib sang very beautifully. Sai Sahib ordered the
"Sinhasan" to be brought and when all was arranged we stood spell
bound. Sayin Sahib liked them. (Entry dated 7.2.1912) On 21st February
1912 there is a mention of a dancing women of Bombay arriving and
singing a few songs in the Masjid. She was a pupil of Balkrishna Bua.
His mood used to change occasionally showing shades of anger. But
every time this anger proved to be for the benefit of one or the other
devotee. Sri Khaparde records slight change in his mood in one of the
entries dated 11th December 1910 he writes "My son told his friend Mr.
Patwardhan that Sayin Maharaj accepted or refused fruits in proportion
to the devotion with which they were offered. My son, Baba tried to
tell this to me and wished to do the same to Patwerdhan this made a
little noise and Sayin Maharaj looked at me with eyes that blazed and
sparkled with anger. He demanded what I said and I replied that I was
saying nothing and that children were talking with each other. He
looked at my son and Patwardhan and changed the mood immediately.” If
he was in the poor mood He will not see anybody. Sri Khaparde writes
on 10th of December 1911 “I made two attempts to see Sai Maharaj in
the afternoon, but he was not in the mood to see anybody. I saw him in
the evening near the Chawdi.” On 27th of December 1911 he writes that
in the afternoon many people attempted to go to see Sao Maharaj but he
was not inclined to speak and dismissed them soon.
Some time it was very difficult to interpret or understand Baba's
behaviour. On 26th of December Mr Khaparde writes "I got up early and
attended Kakad Arti. Sai Maharaj was in rather unusual[ mood, took his
stick and with it tapped the ground round about. By the time he
descended the steps of Chawdi He walked twice backward and forward and
used violent language.” On 14th of February 1912 it is mentioned in
Khaparde’s diary "I got up early, attended the Kakad Arti and was very
much struck by the fact that Sai Baba on leaving the Chawadi made
passes with short stick towards the east, north and south. Then he
proceeded with hard words as usual.” On 3rd January 1912 Sri Khaparde
has entered in his diary "He was in a very pleased mood and laughed
and abused in one and the same breath.” But his entire foul mood use
to be for the benefit of mankind as is clear from the entry of 8th
January 1912. The entry goes “During the mid day service after the
Arti, Sayin Maharaj exhibited sudden and great anger and abused
violently. It appears as if plague is likely to reappear here and Sai
Maharaj is endeavouring to prevent its reappearance”. In the entry
dated 11th January 1912 Sri Khaparde writes “Sai Baba was angry and
threw away the Arti utensils and the dishes full of fruit brought by
his worshippers. He lifted up Ram Maruti Baba who declared afterwards
that he felt very happy and as if sent off to higher regions. Sai
Maharaj also roughly handed one Bhagya and villager. Sitaram brought
the Arti and we finished the Arti as usual, though in a hurried way.
Mart and, son of Mahalsapati, showed the great presence of mind and
prevented confusion by directing that Arti should be finished when it
had started. He did not show when Sai Baba Moved out of his usual
place before finishing Sai Baba resumed his seat and all went much as
usual except that Udi was distributed wholesale and not individually,
He was not really angry of course and did the whole thing as a Lila".
In 6th chapter of Sai Satcharita also there is mention of Baba's
strange behaviour during repairs of the Masjid . In 1911 Baba Devotee
tried to renovate the Masjid. At great expense, they got iron-posts,
and pillars and trusses and started the work. At night, all the
devotees worked hard and fixed the post; but Baba when he returned
from Chawadi next morning, uprooted them all and threw them out. Once
it so happened that Baba got very excited, caught a pole with one
hand, and began to shake and uproot it, and with the other hand caught
the neck of Tatya Patil. He took by force Tatya's Pheta, struck a
match set it on fire and threw it in a pit. At that time, Baba's eyes
flashed like burning embers. None dared to look at him. All got
terribly frightened. Baba took out a rupee from his pocket and threw
it there, as if it were an offering on an auspicious occasion. Tatya
also was much frightened. None knew what was going to happen to Tatya,
and none dared to interfere. Bhagoji Shinde, the leper devotee of
Baba, made a little boldly advance, but he was pushed out by Baba
Madhavrao was also similarly treated, he being pelted with
brick-pieces. So all those, who went to intercede, were similarly
dealt with. But after some time, Baba's anger cooled down. He sent for
a shopkeeper, got from him an embroidered Pheta and Himself tied it on
Tatya's head, as if he was being given a special honor. All the people
were wonder struck to see this strange behaviour of Baba. They were at
a loss to know what enraged Baba so suddenly and what let Him to
assault Tatya Patil, and why His anger cooled down, the next moment.
Baba sometimes was very calm, quiet and talked sweet things with love
but soon after, with or without any small pretext, used to get
enraged. - Sairam |
adopted from various Shirdi Sai
Baba stories and online shirdi Sai pages
(derived from Sri Khaparde's Shirdi diary & other old devotees) |
