Sai Sat Charita Parayan Sunday

Sunday’s parayan
Sai devotees used to come to Baba and seek his pardon for mistakes committed by them and sought his blessings for an end to their sufferings. Baba understood their needs and blessed them.
Today you will read about the experiences of some devotees and people who were drawn to Baba even before they had met him or heard about him. The pujari (priest) of the Saptashringi temple at Nasik was mentally troubled and fervently sought the Devi’s help in overcoming his difficulties. One day the Goddess of the Saptashringi temple appeared to him in his dream and instructed him to go to Shirdi. The pujari, Kakaji Vaid, decided to do as instructed by his Devi and began to plan for his trip to Shirdi when Shama, the great devotee of Baba, came for the darshan of Saptshringi devi. Shama immediately offered to take Kakaji Vaid to Shirdi with him. On getting Baba’s Darshan at Shirdi, Kakaji Vaid was awestruck and surrendered himself at Baba’s feet. He returned to Nasik after spending a week at Shirdi with Baba’s vibhuti Prasad and amazingly free of the tensions he had travelled with to Shirdi.
Ramlal Punjabi once had a dream in which a mahatma (saint) came to him and told him to go to Shirdi. Ramlal, however, did not know where Shirdi was and did not know the Mahatma who had appeared in his dream. He spent his waking hours wondering who the Mahatma was and how he could get to Shirdi and to his surprise he saw a picture of the same mahatma at a shop. When he asked the shopkeeper about the person in the picture, the shopkeeper told him the picture was of Shirdi Sai Baba and gave instructions about the route to Shirdi. Ramlal immediately set out for Shirdi. Baba’s darshan filled him with immense peace and joy and he thereafter decided to spend the rest of his life in Shirdi.
Once Kaka Saheb Dikshit had a dream in which Baba asked him to go to Rahata and bring Sri Kushalchand to Shirdi. Kaka hired a tonga (horse carriage) and went to Kushalchand’s house at Rahata. While Kaka was on his way to Rahata, Kushalchand also had a vision in which Baba asked him to come to Shirdi. As he was preparing to leave for Shirdi he realized that his horse was unwell and just at that very moment Kaka arrived at his house and told him he had come to accompany him to Shirdi. This is the amazing leela of Baba, he communicated with his devotees without sending any letters or telegrams.
Master Tendulkar once consulted an astrologer who told him that it was not a good time for him to take his exams as he may fail the tests. When Master Tendulkar’s mother met Baba and told about the prediction of the astrologer, Baba said her son should have complete faith in him and should start preparing for the exams. As advised by Baba, Master Tendulkar prepared for his exams and he passed the exams without any difficulty. His faith in Baba got him success.
Once members of the Madras Bhakta Samaj came to Shirdi and sang bhajans at the Shirdi shrine. While in Shirdi, the head lady of the bhajan mandali had a dream in which Baba appeared as Sri Ram, her ishta devta. When she told her husband about her dream he dismissed it as just a dream. He in turn had a dream in which he saw himself in prison and was released through the blessings of Baba who appeared as Ramdas swamy. His wife’s dream where Baba appeared as her istha devta and his dream in which Baba set him free from prison appearing as Ramdas Swamy made him a devotee of Baba. He received the blessings of Baba and was told that he would receive plenty of money through the grace of Allah.
The first time Shiva Bhakt Megha went to see Baba, he hesitated to prostrate before Baba because he thought Baba was a muslim. On seeing him Baba got wild and did not allow him to enter the masjid, and angrily told Megha that since he was a high caste Brahmin and Baba a Muslim, he would lose his identity if he came near Baba. On hearing this Megha immediately knew that Baba had read his mind and he found himself spontaneously prostrating at Baba’s feet seeking his blessings. Thereafter, he stayed in Shirdi for some time and his affection and devotion for Baba deepened. While at Shirdi he would visit all the temples everyday and then come to Baba for the Pada tirtha (holy water). Once he expressed a desire to do abhisheka of Baba as was done to Shiva Lingas. He walked about eight kilometers to fetch water from the Gomati river and did the abhisheka of Baba. Baba had requested him not to pour water on any other part of the body other than his head. Megha poured water on Baba’s head chanting Har Har Gange, and to the amazement of everyone who was a witness to this beautiful spectacle not a drop of water fell on any other part of Baba’s body.
Once a devotee by the name Lala Lakshmichand had a vision of an old man with beard and when he attended a discourse by Das Ganu he saw a picture of Sai Baba kept there. It struck him that the old man he had seen in his dream resembled the person in the picture. This made him very eager to see Baba and so he borrowed rupees fifteen and arrived at Shirdi to see Baba. On seeing him Baba said “if you wanted to come to Shirdi why did you have to borrow money?” He advised him not to borrow money anymore. On seeing Baba’s love and affection, Lakshmichand was moved and he decided to spend rest of his life at Shirdi.
A Ramdasi- a devotee of Lord Ram, lived in Shirdi and everyday he recited the Vishnu Sahasranam (thousand names of Lord Vishnu) after taking bath. One day Baba sent the Ramdasi to the market to bring Sena pods. While the Ramdasi was away, Baba took his Vishnu Sahasranam book and gave it to Shama, a great devotee of Baba. On his return when the Ramadasi found that his Vishnu Sahasranam book was with Shama, he got wild and said he will die if the book was not returned to him immediately. On hearing the Ramadasi scream thus Baba called him and told him not fight and asked him to be considerate, affectionate and not have any attachment for material things. Baba said “you are not able to give away a small book whose contents you have memorized fully, how can you give yourself away when it is required. The Ramdasi understood significance of Baba’s message, and the meaning of life. This brought him peace and tranquility.
Gopal Narayan Ambedkar would come to Shirdi and used to share his grief and happiness with Baba. Once he was so overcome by troubles that he decided to commit suicide by jumping into the well at Shirdi. Just when he was about to take this drastic step, another devotee came there and gave a book which had the biography of Akalkot Maharaj. In the book it was mentioned that the Maharaj had saved a person from drowning in the well and told him he had to suffer for all bad deeds committed in his past birth in this life itself, and one cannot escape the same by committing suicide. The book further said that if one tries to escape the sufferings and pain in this life by ending one’s life then one has to take several rebirths to atone for sins committed. This left a deep impression on Ambedkar and he realized that taking one’s own life is a sin. Over a period of time he mastered astrology and spent the latter part of his life immersed in astrological studies.
Harshchandra Pitle’s son used to faint very often and so Harshchandra brought him to Baba’s masjid hoping that his child would get cured. However, the boy fainted as soon as they entered the masjid. Both Harshchandra and his wife were inconsolable on seeing their son’s plight and began to lament that they had brought their son to Baba hoping he would be cured but it seems there was no help. Baba asked them to be calm and assured them that the boy will regain consciousness soon, and God definitely helps those who have Shraddha and Saburi - faith and patience. As assured by Baba, the boy recovered and was completely cured of his sickness.
Shri Pitle was given three rupees by Baba and was told that he should keep the same in the shrine at home and worship it to attain happiness. Baba also told Shri Pitle that he had been given two rupees earlier. Shri Pitle, however, did not remember receiving the two rupees. Morever, that was his first visit to Shirdi. When he returned home and narrated his conversation with Baba to his mother, she told him that as a young boy he had visited Akalkot Maharaj with his father. At that time his father had received two rupees from the maharaj. His father used to worship the coins. Thus Baba conveyed to Shri Pitle that he knows the past of people and one Mahatma knows about the other because of their visionary power.
Once someone sent a box of mangoes for Baba at Shirdi. From the box, Baba set aside four mangoes for Damu anna. Baba asked Damu anna to give the mangoes to his second wife and said that Damu anna will be blessed with a child once his wife eats the mangoes. Damu anna who has been childless for a long time was blessed with a child through Baba’s amra (mango) leela. After sometime Damu Anna wanted Baba to join his business as a partner. Baba declined the offer saying that he did not want to entangle himself in worldly affairs.
Baba had said that even after he takes Samadhi he would take care of his devotees. He may not be physically present but His spirit would continue to guide his devotees, He would talk to His devotees and take care of their wellbeing. He asked his devotees to always remember Him and have faith. “Good things will happen to you,” thus spoke Shri Sai Baba.
Once Hemandpant was washing Baba’s feet when some peanuts fell from his coat pocket. He was puzzled as to how there were peanuts in his coat pocket. Baba remarked that since it was the day of the baazar (weekly market) Hemandpant may have gone to the bazaar, bought some peanuts and eaten them all by himself. On hearing this Hemandpant told Baba that he never ate anything without sharing and it was wrong to say that he had brought peanuts to eat them all by himself. To this Baba replied that he knew that Hemandpant always shared and would never eat anything without giving to others. He advised all present there to remember that God is always with them and before anything is eaten it should be offered to God as all that we had or receive is provided by His grace and blessings.
Once Shama, a devotee of Baba was bitten by a snake, and as was the custom people wanted him to be rushed to the temple of Khandoba. Shama refused and said his God and doctor was Baba, so they should take him to the Masjid. When he was entering the Masjid, Sai Baba started to scream “Oh thankless Brahmin get down and get out.” Shama was taken aback by Baba’s reaction and as he lay at the Masjid wondered why Baba was not helping him. However, he soon found himself feeling better, cured of the effects of poisoning without any medicine. He came to realize, as did the other devotees present there, that Baba was not shouting at Shama but commanding the snake to get out.
Om Sri Samarth Sadguru Sai Nath Maharaj Ki Jai.
Baba Sai, my prostration to you at your feet. With your blessings I could complete the Parayan for Sunday. Please bless me with a life well lived, with good health, with the means to take care of my life and of those around me, and peace for the world. Please bless me with your remembrance always and to receive the Prasad of your blessings daily.
Om Satguru Sainathay Namah.
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti.