Sri Saibaba Temple Nashville, TN Weekly News Letter Volume 92

[Sri Saibaba Temple - Nashville]

 

Peace and quietness was what he wore as his robe, wisdom – he had in plenty. Among his devotees were Vaishnavites, Saivites, people from all religions, castes, creeds and ways of thinking but he preached the quintessence of all religions. He had no love for perishable things, always engrossed in the bliss of his own self. He had no time or pleasure for things of this world or the world beyond. His heart was as clear as a mirror and his speech reflected the sweetness of realization.

Rich and poor were the same to him, honour and dishonour he looked at, equally.

He spoke like the Lord of beings, freely mixed with all people, saw the dances of ‘natch’ girls and heard the ghazal songs but not an inch did he move from the equilibrium of samadhi. The name of Allah was always on his lips, people went to him with problems and said, “Baba, I have this problem, I have that problem.” He would open his eyes, gesture with his right hand up towards the sky and say, “Allah Malik hai” (Allah is the lord, he will take care of you) “Allah bhala karega” or he said, “Ram Ram, Khudha bhala karega, Ram bhala karega.” He was as calm as the deep sea. Nobody could say what he was or who he was and he lived in one place.

 

 

He knew all the transactions of the world also. He told hundreds of stories daily; still his mind was absorbed in the vow of silence. He leaned against the wall in his small masjid, a broken down mosque which he had named Dwarkamai. He acted like a sadhaka sometimes, though he was a fully established siddha. He was meek and humble and egoless. Such was Shirdi Sai Baba and because Shirdi was the place where he walked, Shirdi became important. As Jnaneswar elevated Alandhi, so Sai Baba raised Shirdi. The writer of Sai Satcharitha says, “Blessed are the grass, leaves and stones of Shirdi, for they have kissed the holy feet of Sai Baba and taken the dust on their head.

A thief was arrested with a stolen jewellery and brought before the magistrate’s court in the neighbouring town of Dhulia. It would have been a simple case but the thief brought forward the embarrassing plea that the jewels found in his possession had been given to him by Sai Baba of Shirdi and that, with equal non-chalance , he distributed them on the same day. In this case, it was not known for sure that the jewellery with the thief was stolen property. Now the only way to approach this problem was to issue a summons on Sai Baba to come to the magistrate’s court. So, in due course, the summons was sent to him. “Baba“, said the messenger, “here is the summons for you.” It was a police constable who was delivering the summons. He said it hesitatingly and timidly. Shirdi Sai Baba looked at him and roared, “Take that rag of paper and chuck it in the fire, one of you.” So, one of them did it. Naturally, such flouting of authority was not a matter to be overlooked and a warrant had to be issued for his arrest. The same unhappy constable came forward and said, “They have sent an arrest warrant this time Baba. Will you come with me to Dhulia?” Torrent of oaths, Baba ordered him to throw the warrant into the latrine. Some of the more influential devotees gathered together, talked over what could be done. They drew up a petition to the effect that one who was worshipped by a vast following ought not to be summoned to a law court, praying that a commissioner should be sent to Shirdi instead, to take down Baba’s evidence. This was conceded and one Nana Joshi, a first class magistrate was dispatched.

“What is your name?” he began.
“They call me Sai Baba”, replied Baba.
“Your father’s name?”
“Also Sai Baba.”
“Your guru’s name?”
“Venkusha”
“Creed or Religion?”
“Kabir.”
“Cast or community?”
“Parvardigar.”
“Age?”
“Lakhs of Years.”

It would have been hilarious, were it not for the fact that Sai Baba was entirely serious. Sai Baba was not his given name. Nobody knew it. By giving his father’s name also as Sai Baba, he was saying that he was no longer conditioned by human parentage. Kabir was a great poet saint of the late 15th-16th century who had both Hindu and Muslim followers. By naming him as his guru, Sai Baba was implying that he stood above formal religions. Parvardigar is a Persian word for the highest divinity. As for his age, to be counted in lakhs of years, Baba was clearly telling his interlocutor that he was beyond the limitations of time. The magistrate then switched on to another track.

“Will you solemnly affirm that what you are going to say is the truth and nothing but the truth?”
“The truth”, Baba said.
“Do you know the accused?”
“Yes, I know him.” That sounded satisfactory until Baba added, “I know everyone.”
“He says that he is your devotee and has stayed with you. Is that so?”
“Yes, all are with me, all are mine.”
“Did you give some jewels as alleged by him?”
“Yes, I gave them to him.”
But before the magistrate could take that down, Sai Baba added,
“Who gives what and to whom?”
The magistrate said, “If you gave him the jewels, how did you get possession of them?”
“Everything is mine”, said Baba.
The magistrate now lost his patience. He was asking mundane questions and he was getting metaphysical answers.
“Baba,” he said in exasperation, “This is a serious charge of theft. The man says that you delivered the jewels to him.”
Baba too lost his patience.
“What is all this about? What the devil have I to do with it?” and walked away.

Luckily, for all concerned, the question of getting more evidence from Baba did not arise because it was discovered that the accused had not been to Shirdi at all at the time of the theft. Can you beat that?

But Sai Baba had not been asked to sign any document. He never signed any document, he had no name. People called him Sai Baba; it was not his given name. It was as if he had no past, he lived only in the present. In many ways, Sai Baba was like the sufis of old and the conversation he had with the magistrate reminded many, of the dervish who fell into the river Tigris.

Seeing that he could not swim, a man on the brink called out, “Shall I summon someone to help you?” “No”, said the dervish. “Then do you wish to be drowned?” “No.” “What then do you wish?” The dervish replied, “God’s will be done. What have I to do with wishing?”

 

 

Sai Baba assured his devotees that those devotees who would with full dedication, faith and devotion remember me, in his house there would never have any lack of food, clothing and facilities of luxuries. His life’s entire responsibility and needs would be on Shri Sai Baba, and he would always help them.

 

Editorial Team

Sri Saibaba Temple of Universal Oneness

Seva Committee

www.srisaibabatemple.org