Sometimes Baba used to tie small bells around his legs and sing divine songs and dance near a placed called Takia. His voice was very pleasing. Sometimes when he sang with full fervor, not only the devotees, but also the animals used to watch him and enjoy his music.
In those days there used to be Hindu-Muslim religious differences in most parts of the country. The English who ruled the country,wantonly used to create such differences. In view of the then prevailing conditions, Baba never disclosed anything about his parents or the details of his birth. He dressed like a Muslim fakir He used to have firewood continuously burning in the Dhuni (a Hindu custom) in the mosque. He grew a Tulsi (basil) plant in the left front side of the mosque. In this way, he used to follow both Hindu and Muslim customs. He thus drew devotees from both the religions and used to teach them religious tolerance and co-existence.
In due course Sai Baba’s name reached far-off places like Bombay. Ailments, which could not be cured with medicines, got cured with the udi given by Sai Baba. His pada Tirth acted like Sanjeevini (the herb that cured Lakshmana in the war with Ravana). Problems, which could not be solved earlier, got solved, before the devotees reached their respective places after praying to Baba personally. Hindus and Muslims but also Sikhs, Parsis and Christians came to Sai.
Mahalasapati used to perform Puja to Baba personally every day. Shama used to look after the needs of devotees. Baba used to ask some devotees for Dakshina (alms). He declined it from some devotees who voluntarily offered. He used to distribute the amount collected by way of Dakshina to poor people who depended on him.
The village Munsiff Bhate did not like what Baba was doing, thinking that he was practicing black magic and mesmerism. Bhate tried to find some drawbacks or defects in Baba so that he could be proved to be a cheat in the eyes of his devotees.
Sai Baba liked lighting the lamps very much. He used to request the village oil merchants to donate oil with which he used to light the lamps in the mosque. Bhate persuaded the oil merchants not to donate oil to Baba, for then Baba would not be able to light the lamps in the mosque and everyone would come to know of his incapacity.
Sai Baba, without worrying over it, asked Bhagoji to bring some water. He drank the water and later vomited it in a vessel. This water turned into oil with which Bhagoji lighted the lamps and they burned the whole night. The oil merchants, who had declined to donate oil, and were watching this, seeing the lights burning with water, ran up to Baba and fell at his feet, pleading for forgiveness.
Devotees ouof love for Baba used to do pada Puja (offer prayers at his feet) daily. They also put sandal paste on the hands and gave arathi and camphor. Though Baba had no desire for all this, he never objected to their actions. A Muslim devotee of Baba, Rohilla, out of religious fanaticism, wanted to kill Baba, because he was allowing ringing of bells, giving arathi, etc. in the mosque, which went against Islamic doctrine. So, one night he waited for an opportune time to hit Baba with a big stick. When Baba came out of the mosque for a stroll, Rohilla tried to hit him. Immediately Baba turned around and with his eyes wide open focused them on Rohilla. Two light rays came out of Baba’s eyes and fell on the hands of Rohilla. Immediately, the stick dropped to the ground from his hands. Baba lifted his own hands and showed Rohilla his palms. Rohilla saw Mecca Medina and the sacred Quran in the palms of Sai Baba. Saying “Ya Allah”, he fell at the feet of Baba.
Sai Baba tried his best to establish friendship between the Hindus and the Muslims. The gist of Baba’s teachings is as follows: “Rama who is worshipped by the Hindus and Rahim by the Muslims, are one and the same. There is no difference between them. When it is so, why do the respective devotees quarrel among themselves? All religions and communities should become united as brothers and work towards national integration. No benefits come from disputes, clashes etc. Do not compete with others. You take care of your own advancement. Yoga, Thyaga, Tapas and Jnana are the four ways for attaining Moksha. One can choose one out of the four to attain Moksha. Do not harm anyone because he has harmed you. Whatever good is possible, you go on doing for others.”
Sai Baba never exhibited his superiority. He did not have any attachment for his body. He had endless love for his devotees. He used to tell the past, present, and future of his devotees! Friends and foes were equal for him. Though the villagers of Shirdi did not have the required Jnana, they had endless love and devotion for him. Baba had all the six natural qualities found in God. They are fame, wealth, detachment, Jnana, super power and magnanimity.
The assurances given by Baba to the devotees are as follows: “I am slave among slaves. I am indebted to you. I am contented with your Darshan. I am gratified with your pada Darshan. I am like a worm in your excretion.” From these words of Baba one can decide how much love and affection he had for his devotees.
Though he appeared in the human form, he is God Incarnation. He resides in the hearts of all. He never had any attachment for anything or anyone in his heart. But outwardly, he appeared like a man of many desires. He was always peaceful. But sometimes, he used to abuse and talk aloud like a mentally deranged person. Always he used to think about Atma. He used to say “Allah Malik”. He used to lean about the wall of the mosque and distribute udi as prasad to devotees.
In the beginning, Mahalasapati also thought that Baba was a Muslim fakir. But as the acquaintance with him grew, and when Baba lighted the lamps with water, then he believed that he was God incarnated and worshipped him in the same manner as he worshipped God. He used to give arathi. Immersed in devotion, he used to sing devotional songs. This was the daily routine of Mahalasapati. Muslim devotees like Rohilla and Rangari adjusted themselves to the way Baba was worshipped by the Hindus. But some Muslim fanatics, acting on the advice of their religious leader Sangammer, gather about ten strong men with sticks and surrounded Baba’s mosque. They warned that anyone who tried to enter the mosque to worship Baba in the Hindu way, would be beaten to death. Mahalasapati, who was very timid by nature, worshipped Baba from a distance.
Having noticedĀ the situation, Baba called Mahalasapati and asked him to come inside the mosque and do Puja as usual: “I will see who will harm you,” So saying Baba struck the floor with his sataka. On hearing Baba’s roaring voice, all the Muslims who were near the
mosque carrying sticks, ran away in fear. But Mahalasapati could not get over the fear that gripped him. He began to fear that they might harm him on his way home and told Baba about his fear. Then Baba, pitying him, gave him the following assurance. “Either these persons or any other person, here or elsewhere, either in your present birth or future births, cannot do any harm to you. I will be guarding you with a thousand eyes. I will continue to protect you. You can go home without any fear.” Such assurances have not been given by any other god till now.
May the assurance given to Mahalasapati by Baba apply even now to those devotees who read this Life History of Sai Baba. Let foes become friends. Let the devotees have peace and happiness in the name of Sai.
“Om Shanti! Shanti! Shantihi”Ā
Sai Sannidhi 