Sai Baba, also reverently known as Shirdi Sai Baba was a saint and a spiritual master from the land of India.
He is revered, respected, and loved by both Hindus and Muslims alike. During his lifetime, he preached the real value and importance of “realization of self.” Love, charity, helping others, inner peace, forgiveness, and devotion to God and Guru are the holy virtues that define him.
Furthermore, Sai Baba condemned and criticized the ideas of caste and religion. He refused to identify himself as one religion and also refused to be excused from the bonds of the other. He lived and practiced both the ways of Hindus and Muslims, and he even taught using the words of both religions.
In this blog, we are going to explore the life of the saint who lived and dedicated his life to others.
Early Life of Sai Baba
Although it is a known fact, it is quite unknown to a few that Sai Baba was not his real name. The name Sai was given to him by the temple priest Mahalsapti soon after his return to Shirdi in 1858.
Some believe that he was brought up in the village of Pathri. His father is suggested to be a Fakir, and his mother is a housewife.
It is also believed that he was looked after by Venuksha in his early days.
When asked about his parents and childhood, he answered that information was important. So, his origins are merely weak, with limited reliable sources.
He first arrived in the village of Shirdi when he was 16 years old. He is known for wearing a Kafni robe and a cloth cap, which later became his iconic look.
Sai Baba did long and hard penance, living under a neem tree and meditating through hot and cold. Without any active preaching, he attracted a lot of the crowd, who were taken aback by his devotion and involvement in his penance.
During his early years in Shirdi, he was said to have a withdrawn mind and be reluctant to communicate. He often wandered for long periods of time through the forest. Later, he took up residence in a mosque, where he lived a simple life according to the ways of both Hindus and Muslims.
Miracles associated with Saibaba
During his stay in Dwarkamai, he would light earthen lamps with the oil he borrowed from the villagers. Due to his Muslim attire, people from the village started being hostile towards him and later denied him the oil. He later returned to Dwarkamai with the empty oil can. He poured some water into the can and drank from it. He later poured water into the diyas and lit them up. The lamps shone brightly, burning from the water.
Chand Bhai, a Maharashtrian Patel of the village of Dhoopkhede, lost his horse and searched for 42 kilometers. He then stumbled upon a Sai Baba under a mango tree. Sai later inquired about the saddle in the hands of Chand Bhai and asked him to search for his horse near the Nala that was close. To Patel’s surprise, he found his horse.
In another miracle, a man named Rao Bahadur Moreshwar Pradhan, along with his wife, came to Shirdi to receive Sai Baba’s blessings. When the couple was about to leave, it rained dogs and cats. Sai Baba prayed, “Oh God, let the rain cease. My children are going home. Let them go peacefully.” Miraculously, the rain stopped, only leaving a slight drizzle in its wake, paving the way for the couple to get home.
Furthermore, the miracles surrounding Sai Baba are ceaseless. Sai Baba ending the cholera epidemic, saving the fields in Shirdi during the summer, raising the well water during Ram Navami, and causing the flow of Godavari from his feet are all part of the miracle-filled history.
Festivals dedicated to Sai Baba
Sai Baba is connected with a lot of festivals in India, and it is gloriously celebrated in the Shirdi Sai Baba Temple.
Sai Baba is believed to be the reincarnation of Lord Rama, and hence, on the Day of Ram Navami, devotees of Sai Baba express their love and devotion to him and receive his blessings.
He was one of the great philosophers of India, with his teachings of love, compassion, and dedication. On the day of Guru Purnima, dedicated to all Gurus, devotees of Sai Baba hold gatherings to pray to the revered Guru.
On the day of Vijayadashami, devotees of Sai Baba offer prayers and seek his blessings to overcome evil and triumph in life.
Shirdi Sai Baba Jayanti is celebrated to remember his past miracles and his teachings and seek his blessings.
The last years of Baba’s life
In a very predictive and knowing way, Sai Baba told his devotees that he would be leaving his mortal body towards the end of September 1918. He ran a high fever and refused to eat, but still took visitors. And on October 15, during the Vijayadashami festival, he passed away.
His remains were buried in Buti Wada in Shirdi, which is now a place of worship known as Shree Samadhi Mandir.
Conclusion
With his messages and philosophy, Sai Baba is one of the most respected and praised spiritual masters of India. He is worshipped in both Hinduism and Islam, embodying principles of love, compassion, and unity.
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