Chapter 6 - Historical Commentary - a podcast by Sai Babas Devotee Speaks

The main stories of chapter six are about the celebration of the Urus and the Ram Navami festivals, and the renovation of the Masjid. At the time of the construction of the Sabha Mandap, Baba flew into a rage, held a pillar with one hand and Tatya’s neck with the other. Then, shaking the pillar vigorously, He uprooted it. Baba took off Tatya's Pheta, lit it, and threw it into the pit. Then, he took a rupee coin from his pocket and threw that too into the pit. A short while later, Baba became calm, and later, presented Tatya with a beautifully embroidered Pheta.

I shall now talk about the Urus and Ram Navami festivals. Urus literally means the wedding with God, or uniting of the soul with God at the time of death. It is an annual celebration, and was started on the 16th of March, 1897, by Gopalrao Gund, who was the circle inspector of Kopergaon at that time. Gopalrao had three wives but no children. With Baba's blessings, a son was born to him. Out of gratitude, he wanted to venerate Baba as an Auliya. Baba's permission was sought, and Baba gave his consent. However, the Kulkarni of the village opposed it as he was concerned that, with a shortage of water and the arrival of thousands of devotees into Shirdi for the celebrations, there would be an outbreak of cholera. One of the two wells had brackish water, so Baba threw some flowers into it and the water turned sweet. The other well had insufficient water, so Tatya Patil had to arrange to get water from a well situated far away by fixing moats to it. Thus, the water problem was solved, the official consent was obtained, and the festival was celebrated with great pomp.

The Sandal procession was started by Amir Shakkar of Korhale on Friday, the 7th of April, 1911, and as it was Ram Navami that day, this festival was also celebrated on the same day. I often wondered how the Urus were celebrated in Shirdi when Baba was still alive. I asked Pawar Kaka, author of the Bhavartha Sai Satcharita, about this, and he told me that Urus were celebrated for those Auliyas, or Pirs, who had attained the zenith of their spiritual powers. They were still living and were being honoured and venerated by celebrating the Urus for them. These Pirs are known as Jindavalis, and have magnificent spiritual powers. Baba was Supreme, and much more than any Jindavali. Now, Ghanibai, a descendant of Abdul Baba, is celebrating the Urus. These celebrations are then followed by the Sandal procession.

The Sandal procession takes place between 9 p.m. and 10 p.m., when the descendants of Abdul Baba perform this beautiful ceremony. A platter with sandalwood scrapings, along with incense, is taken in procession around the village to the accompaniment of music. The platter, the incense, and the gifts to be offered are carried under a canopy. The canopy consists of a Galif, or Chadar, which is attached to four wooden poles. The Galif is green in colour with golden Kalams written, or inscribed, on it. On top of every post is a Panja, a silver replica of a hand. The Sandal procession to venerate the Auliyas, the Muslim saints, is described in chapter 6 of the Sai Satcharita. At the Samadhi Mandir, gifts like Chadar, fruits and sweets are offered. The procession then goes to Abdul Baba's Dargah, and again, the gifts are offered there. The procession ends in the Dwarka Mai, where sandalwood mixed with rose water and Ittar are pasted on the Nimbar with bare hands.

Now, here are some little known facts about Baba and the festival of Ram Navami. It was on Friday, the 7th of April, 1911, that the festival of Ram Navami was celebrated. It was Krishnarao Jogeshwar Bheeshma who proposed the idea of celebrating the Ram Navami festival as it fell on the same day as the Urus. Baba's permission was obtained, and it is being celebrated to this day in Shirdi. On that auspicious day, two ornamental flags were taken in procession. A beautiful flag was brought by Damu Anna Rasne and the other by Nanasaheb Nimonkar. With a great deal of merriment, the flags were taken in procession around the village, and hoisted in two corners of the Dwarka Mai. A cradle was placed in the Dwarka Mai to celebrate the birth of Lord Shri Ram, and there were Kirtans and Bhajans throughout the day. The next day, Gopal Kala was performed and the festivities ended.

Baba celebrated Ram Navami right from the early days of His stay in the Dwarka Mai. On this auspicious day, He washed the entire Dwarka Mai Himself. At about 12 noon, He bought a little oil and a few lamps. From the rest of the money, He bought some Gulal, and put some on Dhuni Mai and then on His own head. Then, He put some on each step leading to the Dwarka Mai, and each and every corner, and finally applied some to the entrance. Later, when the devotees started flocking to Shirdi, they had Katha and Kirtan in the Sabha Mandap, followed by the birth of Lord Shri Ram, after which, Baba distributed Pedas and Barfis.
(Reference: Shiladhi, by Dr. Keshav B. Gavankar)

Lord Shri Krishna had clearly stated, in the Gita, that He will reappear in various forms, time and again, for the upliftment of mankind and the establishment of Dharma. Baba's incarnation and earthly descent were for this very purpose. Baba, on numerous occasions, made references to His own former relationship with some of His devotees, including Abdul Baba and Bade Baba.

In chapter 18 of the Shripada Shrivallabh Charitra, Shankara Bhatt comes with two men for the Darshan of Shripada. Looking at them, Shripada tells Bhatt that the two men were not Brahmins as they ate beef. He goes on to tell them what a heinous act it is to kill cows, and the terrible repercussions it has on those who eat beef. However, because they had taken His Darshan, they will come as Abdul Baba and Bade Baba when He manifests as Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Baba also tells Shama that He knows him for 72 generations, and Nanasaheb Chandorkar for four generations.

To prove the truth of this to the reader, in the 13th century scripture on the life of Shripada Shrivallabh, authored by Shankara Bhatt, Baba’s manifestation in Shirdi as Samartha Sadguru Sainath is described in Chapter 45. Lord Shripada asks Lord Hanuman to manifest in the Kali Yuga as Samartha Sadguru Sai Baba. Hanumanji, however, tells him that he will not come as an Amsa Avatar because after finishing his mission on earth, He will merge with the Root Tattvam. Then the Amsa Avatar will not have any value. So, his Avatar should not only remain with the Root Tattvam, but also have all the powers of that Tattvam. Shripada promises him saying, "All the powers that I have will be in you and we shall become one. I will merge with you when you are in the Sai form. I will announce clearly that I am there in you. You will become famous as my Samartha Sadguru Avatar." Then, Hanumanji says, "I will be your Amsa and behave as a Guru. But, you are Lord Shri Dattatreya. Is it proper to have any difference between you and me? If I merge in you, and you in me, there is Advaita, so please grant me Datta Sayujyam.” Shripada then calls Kaalapurush and says, "I have granted Sayujyam to him. I am giving him Nath sound also. From today, He shall be called Sainatha. I am declaring today as Datta Jayanti. You transfer the Chaitanya of Hanuman accordingly and make it Datta Swaroopam. Hearing this, Lord Hanuman gladly agrees to manifest as Samartha Sadguru Sai Baba, and every cell of theirs merges into one another. And, in this way, Samartha Sadguru Sainatha manifests in Shirdi on Datta Jayanti day. Therefore, is it little wonder that Baba celebrated Ram Navami from the very beginning of His stay in Shirdi? This clearly tells us about Baba's descent and His former relationship with His devotees.

There is one aspect, however, that is often overlooked, which is the similarity between Baba and Lord Hanuman. Both, Lord Hanuman and Baba, were very simple in the way they lived. They wore no jewellery. Baba wore coarse Manjarpat Kafni and Hanumanji wore ochre-coloured Dhoti. Both were celibate and practised Akhand Brahmacharya. Baba taught His devotees to hold the hand of Shraddha and Saburi, and live by them, and Hanumanji is hailed as the Param Bhakta. Both loved Naam Jap. Baba, in the early days of His stay in Shirdi, would ask Mhalsapati to place his hand on His chest while He was chanting God's name, and ask him to wake Him up if the rhythm of His heart changed because of sleep. Baba was devoted to the Bhakti Marg. In fact, in chapter 19, ovi 25, of the Shri Sai Satcharita, Baba says, "Gyaan Marg is like Ramphal, while Bhakti is like the sweet, delicious custard apple." Both, Lord Hanuman and Baba, adored Lord Shri Ram, and when Baba was in a joyful mood, He often sang, "Ramte Ram Aayoji, Udi ki Guniya Layoji", as mentioned in chapter 33 of the Shri Sai Satcharita. Baba revered the Vishnu Sahasranam, which venerates Lord Vishnu, whose Avatar is Lord Shri Ram. The Leela of Baba giving Shama a copy of the Vishnu Sahasranam, and the benefits of reciting it, are given in chapter 27 of the Shri Sai Satcharita.

In another Leela, Baba tells a devotee, Sushilamma, to recite the verse 'Shri Rama Rama Rameti Rame Rame Manorame, Sahasranama Tattulyam, Rama Nama Varanane.' Sushilamma’s eyesight was failing, and this worried her a great deal. She felt that the deterioration of sight would make her dependent upon others who might resent it and not take care of her. So, she fervently prayed to Baba. One day, she had a dream where Baba told her about the law of Karma. He said, "Why do you grieve about your sight? If you wish, I will grant you your sight. But remember, you will have to experience the same fate in the next life. No one, not even me, can escape the effects of Karma. Think about it seriously and decide if you want to finish the balance of Karma in this life or the next." She woke up before she could tell Him what she desired. She continued to pester Him for better eyesight. The doctor operated on her and sent her home with a patch on the eye. One evening, while she slept on the terrace, a bat struck her on the eye and the patch fell off. She woke up with profuse bleeding from that eye. The doctor, on examining the eye, said it was damaged beyond repair. She persuaded the doctor to do his best. He bandaged it and admitted her in the hospital for a few days. That night, she dreamt that Baba Himself removed the bandage, and she could see clearly once again. The doctor examined her the next day and was astounded to see her miraculous recovery as she could see quite clearly. Then she began to worry about her next life and prayed for it. Baba was angry with her, and said, "You come up with some problem or the other. Now, feed 11 blind people and offer 11 coconuts to God, and you will be freed from the evil Karma forever." Sushilamma carried out Baba's order and was content and at peace. Her only son was betrothed to be married. Eagerly, she invited her whole family, but her brothers refused to attend the wedding because of some misunderstanding. Sushilamma cried in front of Baba's photograph. That night, Baba appeared in her dream and said, "Why do you worry about everything, big and small? Just go on chanting this: 'Shri Rama Rama Rameti, Rame Rame Manorame, Sahasranama Tattulyam, Rama Nama Varanane', then you will have no more difficulties." The meaning of the verse is - by uttering the name of Lord Shri Rama three times, the mind gets purified, and it is equivalent to chanting the Vishnu Sahasranam. She related the dream to her husband, who told her that it was a powerful Mantra, and that she should keep chanting it. The Vishnu Sahasranam, or the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu, is a powerful Stotra, and the chanting of it is difficult and takes time. One can reap its benefits by just chanting the four lines that were given by Baba to Sushilamma. Thus, Baba had bestowed on her health and spiritual instructions, as well as warded off many of her difficulties.
(Reference: Shri Sai Baba, The Master, written by E. Bharadwaja)

Baba loved the Hanuman Chalisa, and encouraged devotees to recite it as many times as they could. This Leela is about one such devotee who was told to repeatedly recite the Hanuman Chalisa. On the morning of July 17, 1946, advocate Subbarao woke up feeling hot and feverish. He had consumed only liquids the previous day, as he had been feeling unwell. That night, before he went to bed, he meditated on Baba and sought His help. Baba appeared in his dream, made him recite the Hanuman Chalisa, and asked him to repeat the recitation frequently. With each recitation, Subbarao began to feel better, and the dream ended. The next day, he prayed to Lord Hanuman by reciting the hymn, and by the end of the day, he was all right. The following morning, he again had a dream where he and Baba were invited to a large dinner party. Baba appeared as an advocate, sat very close to him, and enquired about his health. Baba also encouraged him to continue to recite the Hanuman Chalisa. Subbarao was touched by Baba's concern and kindness. He states that Baba helped him to overcome his major and minor ailments. He felt that the dream proved that Baba and Lord Hanuman were one and the same.

There is an interesting anecdote about Lord Hanuman that is given in chapter 45 of the Shripada Shrivallabh Charitra. Shripada meets Lord Hanuman, who was absorbed in chanting the name of Lord Ram, and the following conversation takes place between them.
Shripada says, "You have transcended time and have become immortal. You have to incarnate in the Kaliyug, that is, the fourth or the Iron Age, commencing before the Christian era and ending with the destruction of the world. You are a part of me." Hanuman replied, "Amsa Avatars merge with their original nature after completing their mission on earth and lose their value and importance. But the Amsa Avatar that I am going to take must be constantly connected with the Mool Tattva, that is, the root or the Source. I should possess all the wealth of strength and power of your ancient Mool Tattva." Shripada said, "After I have completed my Swami Samartha incarnation, when the time comes, I will incarnate into you and reign as Sainath. I will announce unequivocally that you are my incarnation and you will be famous as Samartha Sadguru, that is, the manifestation of divinity in human form." Hanuman replied, "You are Lord Datta Himself. Non-duality will be accomplished when we become One. So, grant me absorption into the essential nature of Lord Datta." Shripada decided that, on Datta Jayanti, the consciousness of Hanuman would be transformed into Lord Datta, and thus it came to pass.
(Reference: Sai Sudha magazine, volume 7, part 4, September 1943)

I shall conclude this chapter by talking about the renovation of the Masjid. Gopalrao Gund, who started the Urus, thought he should put the Masjid also in order. So, to carry out the repairs, he began collecting stones, but this work was not assigned to him, as it was reserved for Nanasaheb Chandorkar and the pavement work for Kaka Dikshit. At first, Baba was unwilling to allow them to carry out the work, but with the intervention of Mhalsapati, Baba gave His permission. When the pavement work was completed in one night, Baba took a small Gadi for His seat in the Masjid, discarding the usual piece of sackcloth that He used before. In a similar manner, the Sabha Mandap was also put in order in 1911. The open space in front of the Masjid was very small and inconvenient. Kakasaheb wanted to expand it by putting up a roof. At great expense, he got iron posts, pillars and trusses, and started the work. At night, all the devotees worked hard and fixed the posts. But, when Baba returned from the Chavadi the next morning, He uprooted them and threw them away. Once it so happened that Baba got excited and caught a pole with one hand and began to shake and uproot it. With the other hand, he caught hold of the neck of Tatya Patil. He forcibly took Tatya's Pheta, struck a match, set it on fire, and threw it into the pit. At that time, Baba's eyes flashed like burning embers and no one dared to look at Him. Finally, He calmed down and presented Tatya with a beautifully embroidered Pheta.

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