Shri Shirdi Saibaba
Shri Shirdi Saibaba
Sai Baba of Shirdi (Unknown – October 15, 1918), also known as
Shirdi Sai Baba (Marathi: शिरडीचे साईबाबा, Hindi: शिरडीके साईबाबा,
Telugu: షిర్డీ సాయి బాబా), was an Indian guru, yogi and fakir who is
regarded by his Hindu and Muslim followers as a saint. Some of his
Hindu devotees believe that he was an incarnation of Shiva or
Dattatreya. Many devotees believe that he was a Sadguru. There are
many stories and eyewitness accounts of miracles he performed. He is
a well-known figure in many parts of the world, but especially in
India, where he is much revered.
The name 'Sai Baba' is a combination of Persian and Indian origin;
Sāī (Sa'ih) is the Persian term for "well learned" or
"knowledgeable", usually attributed to Islamic ascetics, whereas
Baba (honorific) is a word meaning "father; grandfather; old man;
sir" used in Indo-Aryan languages. The appellative thus refers to
Sai Baba as being a "holy father" or "saintly father". His
parentage, birth details, and life before the age of sixteen are
obscure, which has led to a variety of speculations and theories
attempting to explain Sai Baba's origins. In his life and teachings
he tried to reconcile Hinduism and Islam: Sai Baba lived in a mosque
which he called Dwarakamayi, practiced Hindu and Muslim rituals,
taught using words and figures that drew from both traditions and
was buried in a Hindu temple in Shirdi. One of his well known
epigrams says of God: "Sabka Malik Ek Hai" ("One God governs all")
which traces its root to the Bhagavad-Gita and Islam in general, and
Sufism, in particular. He always uttered "Allah Malik" ("God is
Master"). He had no love for perishable things, and was always
engrossed in self-realization, which was his sole concern.
Sai Baba taught a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others,
charity, contentment, inner peace, devotion to God and guru. His
teachings combined elements of Hinduism and Islam and tried to
achieve communal harmony between these religions.
Sai Baba remains a very popular saint and is worshipped by people
around the world. Debate over his Hindu or Muslim origins continues
to take place. He is also revered by several notable Hindu and Sufi
religious leaders. Some of his disciples received fame as spiritual
figures and saints such as Upasni Maharaj, Meher Baba, Saint Bidkar
Maharaj, Saint Gangagir, Saint Jankidas Maharaj and Sati Godavari
Mataji .
Early years
Where and when Sai Baba was born in Pathari (Dist Parbhani, India),
but various communities have claimed that he belongs to them.
Nothing has been substantiated, however. It is known that he spent
considerable periods with fakirs. His attire resembled that of a
Muslim fakir. Baba reportedly arrived at the village of Shirdi in
the Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra, India, when he was about 16
years old. Although there is no agreement among biographers on the
date of this event, it is generally accepted that Baba stayed in
Shirdi for three years, disappeared for a year and returned
permanently around 1858, which posits a possible birth year of
1838.[6]
Some claim Baba was born on 29 September, 1835, but there is no
apparent reason on how the date was arrived at. In any case, the
only agreement amongst historians and his devotees is that there is
no conclusive evidence of his birthday and place. He led an ascetic
life, sitting motionless under a neem tree and meditating while
sitting in an asana. The Sai Satcharita recounts the reaction of the
villagers:
The people of the village were wonder-struck to see such a young lad
practicing hard penance, not minding heat or cold. By day he
associated with no one, by night he was afraid of nobody.
His presence attracted the curiosity of the villagers, and the
religiously-inclined such as Mhalsapati, Appa Jogle and Kashinatha
regularly visited him, while others such as the village children
considered him mad and threw stones at him.[8] After some time he
left the village, and it is unknown where he stayed at that time or
what happened to him. However, there are some indications that he
met with many saints and fakirs, and worked as a weaver; he claimed
to have fought with the army of Rani Lakshmibai of Jhansi during the
Indian Rebellion of 1857.
Shirdi and teaching
In 1858 Sai Baba returned to Shirdi with Chand Patil's wedding
procession. After alighting near the Khandoba temple he was greeted
with the words "Ya Sai" (Marathi:welcome saint) by the temple priest
Mhalsapati. The name Sai stuck to him and some time later he started
being known as Sai Baba. It was around this time that Baba adopted
his famous style of dress, consisting of a knee-length one-piece
robe (kafni) and a cloth cap. Ramgir Bua, a devotee, testified that
Baba was dressed like an athlete and sported 'long hair flowing down
to his buttocks' when he arrived in Shirdi, and that he never had
his head shaved. It was only after Baba forfeited a wrestling match
with one Mohdin Tamboli that he took up the kafni and cloth cap,
articles of typically Sufi clothing. This attire contributed to
Baba's identification as a Muslim fakir, and was a reason for
initial indifference and hostility against him in a predominantly
Hindu village. According to B.V. Narasimhaswami, a posthumous
follower who was widely praised as Sai Baba's "apostle", this
attitude was prevalent even among some of his devotees in Shirdi,
even up to 1954.
For four to five years Baba lived under a neem tree, and often
wandered for long periods in the jungle in and around Shirdi. His
manner was said to be withdrawn and uncommunicative as he undertook
long periods of meditation. He was eventually persuaded to take up
residence in an old and dilapidated mosque and lived a solitary life
there, surviving by begging for alms and receiving itinerant Hindu
or Muslim visitors. In the mosque he maintained a sacred fire which
is referred to as a dhuni, from which he had the custom of giving
sacred ash ('Udhi') to his guests before they left and which was
believed to have healing powers and protection from dangerous
situations. At first he performed the function of a local hakim and
treated the sick by application of Udhi. Baba also delivered
spiritual teachings to his visitors, recommending the reading of
sacred Hindu texts along with the Qur'an, especially insisting on
the indispensability of the unbroken remembrance of God's name (dhikr,
japa). He often expressed himself in a cryptic manner with the use
of parables, symbols and allegories. He participated in religious
festivals and was also in the habit of preparing food for his
visitors, which he distributed to them as prasad. Sai Baba's
entertainment was dancing and singing religious songs (he enjoyed
the songs of Kabir most). His behavior was sometimes uncouth and
violent.
After 1910 Sai Baba's fame began to spread in Mumbai. Numerous
people started visiting him, because they regarded him as a saint
(or even an avatar) with the power of performing miracles. and they
built his first ever temple at Bhivpuri, Karjat as desired by Sai
Baba.
Notable disciples
Sai Baba left behind no spiritual heirs and appointed no disciples.
In fact, he did not even provide formal initiation (diksha), despite
requests from some of his devotees. Some disciples of Sai Baba
achieved fame as spiritual figures like Upasni Maharaj of Sakori and
Meher Baba of Ahmednagar. After Sai Baba died, his devotees offered
the daily Aarti to Upasani Maharaj when he paid a visit to Shirdi,
two times with an interval of 10 years.
Teachings and practices
Shirdi Sai Baba, leaning against the wall of his masjid, with
devotees. In his personal practice, Sai Baba observed worship
procedures belonging to Hinduism and Islam; he shunned any kind of
regular rituals but allowed the practice of namaz, chanting of Al-Fatiha,
and Qur'an readings at Muslim festival times. Occasionally reciting
the Al-Fatiha himself, Baba also enjoyed listening to moulu and
qawwali accompanied with the tabla and sarangi twice daily. He also
wore clothing reminiscent of a Sufi fakir. Sai Baba also opposed all
sorts of persecutions on religious or caste background.
Sai Baba was also an opponent of religious orthodoxy - both Hindu
and Muslim. Although Sai Baba himself led the life of an ascetic, he
advised his followers to lead an ordinary family life.
Sai Baba encouraged his devotees to pray, chant God's name and read
holy scriptures - he told Muslims to study the Qur'an, and Hindus,
texts like the Ramayana, Vishnu Sahasranam, Bhagavad Gita (and
commentaries to it), Yoga Vasistha. He advised his devotees and
followers to lead a moral life, help others, love every living being
without any discrimination, treat them with love and develop two
important features of character: faith (Shraddha) and patience
(Saburi). He also criticized atheism. In his teachings Sai Baba
emphasized the importance of performing one's duties without
attachment to earthly matters and being ever content regardless of
the situation.
Sai Baba also interpreted the religious texts of both faiths.
According to what the people who stayed with him said and wrote he
had a profound knowledge of them. He explained the meaning of the
Hindu scriptures in the spirit of Advaita Vedanta. This was the
character of his philosophy. It also had numerous elements of bhakti.
The three main Hindu spiritual paths - Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and
Karma Yoga - were visible in the teachings of Sai Baba. Another
example of the way he combined both faiths is the Hindu name he gave
to his mosque, Dwarakamai.
Sai Baba said that God penetrates everything and lives in every
being, and as well that God is the essence of each of them. He
emphasized the complete oneness of God which was very close to the
Islamic tawhid and the Hindu doctrine, e.g. of the Upanishads. Sai
Baba said that the world and all that the human may give is
transient and only God and his gifts are eternal. Sai Baba also
emphasized the importance of devotion to God - bhakti - and
surrender to his will. He also talked about the need of faith and
devotion to one's spiritual preceptor (guru). He said that everyone
was the soul and not the body. He advised his disciples and
followers to overcome the negative features of character and develop
the good ones. He taught them that all fate was determined by karma.
Sai Baba left no written works. His teachings were oral, typically
short, pithy sayings rather than elaborate discourses. Sai would ask
his followers for money (dakshina), which he would give away to the
poor and other devotees the same day and spend the rest on buying
wood to maintain Dhuni. According to his followers he did it in
order to rid them of greed and material attachment.
Sai encouraged charity and the importance of sharing with others. He
said: "Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes
anywhere. If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously
drive them away, but receive them well and treat them with due
respect. Shri Hari (God) will be certainly pleased if you give water
to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked and your
verandah to strangers for sitting and resting. If anybody wants any
money from you and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do
not bark at him like a dog." Other favorite sayings of his were:
"Why do you fear when I am here", "He has no beginning... He has no
end."Sai Baba made eleven assurances to his devotees:
Sai Baba of Shirdi (took samadhi in 1918)
1.Whosoever puts their feet on Shirdi soil, their sufferings will
come to an end.
2.The wretched and miserable will rise to joy and happiness as soon
as they climb the steps of Dwarakamai (Mosque).
3.I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this
earthly body.
4.My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees.
5.I shall be active and vigorous even from my tomb.
6.My mortal remains will speak from My tomb.
7.I am ever living to help and guide all who come to Me, who
surrender to Me and who seek refuge in Me.
8.If you look at Me, I look at you.
9.If you cast your burden on Me, I shall surely bear it.
10.If you seek My advice and help, it shall be given to you at once.
11.There shall be no want in the house of My devotee.
Worship and devotees
Main article: Shirdi Sai Baba movement
The Shirdi Sai Baba movement began in the 19th century, during his
life, while he was staying in Shirdi. A local Khandoba priest -
Mhalsapathy - is believed to have been his first devotee. However,
in the 19th century Sai Baba's followers were only a small group of
Shirdi inhabitants and a few people from other parts of India. It
started developing in the 20th century and even faster in 1910 with
the Sankirtans of Das Ganu (one of Sai's devotees) who spread Sai
Baba's fame to the whole of India. Since 1910 numerous Hindus and
Muslims from all parts of India started coming to Shirdi. During his
life Hindus worshipped him with Hindu rituals and Muslims revered
him greatly, considering him to be a saint. Later (in the last years
of Sai Baba's life) Christians and Zoroastrians started joining the
Shirdi Sai movement.
The Sai Baba mandir in Shirdi is active and every day worship of Sai
is conducted in it. Pilgrims visit Shirdi every day. Shirdi Baba is
especially revered and worshipped in the state of Maharashtra and in
Gujarat. A religious organization of Sai Baba's devotees called the
Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust is based there. The first ever Sai Baba
temple is situated at Bhivpuri, Karjat.
The devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba have spread all over India.
According to the Gale Encyclopedia of Religion there is at least one
Sai Baba mandir in nearly every Indian city. His image is quite
popular in India. Some ordinary non-religious publishing houses
(such as Sterling Publishers) publish books about Shirdi Sai written
by his devotees. Shirdi is among the major Hindu places of
pilgrimage. The Shirdi Sai Baba movement is partially organized.
Only a part of his followers and devotees belong to the Shri Saibaba
Sansthan or to other religious organizations that worship him.
Beyond India the Shirdi Sai movement has spread to other countries
such as the U.S. or the Caribbean. Sai Baba mandirs and
organizations of his devotees have been built in countries including
Australia, Malaysia, Singapore and the USA. The Shirdi Sai Baba
movement is one of the main Hindu religious movements in
English-speaking countries.
According to estimates the Sai mandir in Shirdi is visited by around
twenty thousand pilgrims a day and during religious festivals this
number amounts to a hundred thousand.