Sai Sat Charita Parayan Thursday

As the earlier version was posted in haste,the same is edited once again and posted here.We shall post the other days parayan with in few days.
Sai Sat Charita Thursday's Parayan
Param Guru Sainath ! I salute you a thousand times and bow before you. I depend on you completely and have full faith in you. I seek your blessings. Your grace protects my life. Parameswar, please keep me with you, and let not any evil spirit distract me from your guidance and please give me the strength to be with you, always. Please give me the ability to understand all your teachings and let me acquire the qualities of a good human being. Sainath, I prostrate before you a thousand times.

In the district of Kopergaon in Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, there is a small village called Shirdi and in that village under a neem tree Sai Baba appeared as a sixteen year old boy. Baba lived there for many years and his kindness and miracles transformed Shirdi into a holy place. No one knows where Baba was born or who his parents were. Baba never spoke to anyone about his past, his family or his early years. He was affected by neither rain nor scorching heat nor the cold weather in winter. He would sit under the neem tree unaffected by the changes in weather. He would often be seen in padmasan mudra, in deep meditation (tapas).

Once the people of Khandoba dug up a portion near the neem tree where they found a cave with four lamps burning. Baba informed the people there that his Guru had resided in that cave and asked the people of Khandoba to always protect it. After this incident Sai Baba left Shirdi and he came back after three years with a marriage party. Baba thereafter stayed in Shirdi till his samadhi.

Once Chand Patil, a rich man from a village called Dhoop, was searching for his mare when he saw a fakir wearing turban and kafni sitting under a mango tree. The fakir told Chand Patil that his mare was near the nullah. To Chand Patil’s surprise and joy the mare was found near the nullah. When he returned to the mango tree to thank the fakir, he saw the fakir striking the ground with his satka and out came a burning ember with which the fakir lit a chillum and with a wet piece of cloth he held the hukkah pipe. The fakir offered Chand Patil a smoke from the hukkah. Chand Patil realised that the fakir was not an ordinary human being. He requested the fakir to accompany his family to Shirdi for the wedding of his brother in law. When the marriage party reached the entrance to Shirdi, the priest of Khandoba temple welcomed the fakir saying “O SAI, please come” and from that day on he was called SAI by one and all and in due course he became SAI BABA.

In Shirdi, Baba stayed in a masjid made of mud. He wore a turban and kafani and his only possessions were a tin pot, a satka and chillum. Sai dressed like a Muslim, followed Hindu rituals and practices; like a Hindu he had his ears pierced and he resided in a masjid which he called Dwarakamai. He always kept a dhuni burning in the masjid like an ever burning agnihotra. He used to grind wheat between the two stones of a handmill. Devotees used to ring the bell before entering the masjid and would offer things in the dhuni to keep it burning. Brahmins used to visit the masjid and bow their heads before SAI BABA. Sai Baba would always chant “Narayan, Narayan” and “Allah Malik” (Allah is the sole owner of this world). In Shirdi the Hindus celebrated Ramanavami festival and the Muslims celebrated the sandal procession on the same day. Sometimes Baba would wear bells on his ankles and dance as if in a trance all through the day and night and people would stand watching him, mesmerised.

Many people returned to good health on seeing SAI BABA and many had their desires fulfilled. Baba’s touch helped blind people regain their vision and the lame were able to start walking. His grace ensured that there was no dearth of food or clothing in the house of his devotees. Sai Baba used to say that those who chanted his name or remembered him would always have their needs taken care of. He always blessed his devotees.

Baba talked to everyone very affectionately and never discriminated between the rich and the poor. Even though he lived in Shirdi he knew about events that were happening in distant places. He used to remove evil thoughts from the minds of his devotees and would urge them to nurture good thoughts. He directed them onto the spiritual path.

Baba’s fame spread far and wide, drawing devotees from different parts of the world. His presence gave immense solace to people who came to see him. At Dwarkamai, Baba used to light earthen lamps with oil borrowed from shop keepers at Shirdi. One day the shopkeepers refused to give Baba oil to light the lamps, saying that there was no oil in their stores. This behaviour of the shopkeepers did not upset Baba, instead he went about calmly pouring water in the lamps and to the utter bewilderment of the shopkeepers, Baba managed to light the lamps filled with water. The shopkeepers were ashamed of their behaviour towards Baba and they requested him to forgive them. Baba said that they were free to give or refuse but they should never lie.

An old man called Gouli Bua was a devotee of Lord Vittal and when he saw Baba at Shirdi he knew in his heart that Sai Baba was the incarnation of Vittal. He knew that Baba was not an ordinary person. During his early days in Shirdi Baba created a beautiful garden in the courtyard of the masjid and everyday he would water the plants with water from an earthen pot. Baba would fetch water from a well that was far away from the masjid and after watering the plants he would break the earthen pot at the foot of the neem tree. Baba was given a fresh earthen pot everyday by Tatya Patil. In due course of time a lovely garden came into being at the masjid.

Gangadhari, a sadhu, on seeing Baba watering the plants in the garden predicted that the boy would one day be a precious jewel of Shirdi. Shri Anand Rao Maharaj, a devotee of Akalkot Maharaj said the boy was a gem and the people would realise this one day in the near future. Once Shri Krishnaji, a devotee of Akalkot maharaj wanted to do a puja of the padukas of the Swami in Akalkot. In his dream he saw Baba who asked him to come to Shirdi and perform the paduka pooja. As instructed Krishnaji did the prathishta of the padukas under the neem tree after seeking Baba’s blessings. Sri Upasini Baba wrote a prayer and the same was engraved near the padukas under the neem tree.

In Shirdi, Baba was the doctor people sought help from for their ailments. People with no vision regained sight with the help of Baba’s medication made of biba seed paste which was applied over the eyes and the eyes were thereafter bandaged. When the bandage was removed the patient found his/her sight restored. Sometimes Baba would take the sufferings of his devotees upon himself and would suffer along with them. Mr Kharpade’s son once got bubonic plague and Mr Kharpade came to Baba seeking his help. Baba told Mr Kharpade that he was aware that his son was ill and had already started the process of treating the boy. Baba showed Mr and Mrs Kharpade Bubos of Plague on his body and said that he had taken the same on himself to cure the boy. Baba used to treat devotees who were ill even when they were far away from him. One day Baba thrust his hand into the dhuni, severely burning his whole arm. When questioned why he had done that Baba said that in a far away place a blacksmith’s wife who was working near fire had suddenly got up without remembering that she was holding her little baby in her lap. The baby was falling into the fire when, as the mother later recounted, an invisible hand stopped her son from falling into the fire and was thus saved. People in Shirdi realised that Baba was omniscient and knew if his devotees were in trouble and would rush to help them no matter where they be. Bhagoji Shinde, who was afflicted by leprosy, used to apply ghee to Baba’s wound caused by the fire and gently massaged Baba’s injured hand after it started to heal. Bhagoji Shinde continued with this practice till the Samadhi of Sai Baba. Bhagoji Shinde’s devotion towards Baba and Baba’s affection for him showed that Baba treated all his devotees alike and never discriminated on the grounds of caste, creed or physical affliction.

Sai Baba’s devotee, Das Ganu Maharaj, once wished to go to Prayag for a holy dip in the Triveni Sangam. Baba asked Das Ganu Maharaj to have faith in him and that he would soon be able to visit Prayag. Baba said that as Das Ganu was prostrating at his feet when water began to flow from Baba’s feet. Das Ganu beheld the holy rivers of the Sangam sitting at Baba’s feet.

For some time a bachelor called Rohilla stayed at the masjid with Baba and he used to do the aajan every day shouting Allah O Akbar and used to read aloud verses from the Koran. This disturbed the peace and tranquillity of the place and many devotees complained to Baba about this and asked him to stop Rohilla from shouting. Baba asked his devotees to be patient with Rohilla saying that the bachelor was being troubled by his wife (bad thoughts) causing him to wail out loud the Lord’s name. As assured by Baba, Rohilla recovered and stopped screaming.

A devotee of Baba, Sheerasagar worshipped Lord Vittal till his death but his son discontinued the puja thereafter and never offered any Naivedya. Baba passed on a message to Sheerasagar’s son saying that his father was a great friend of his and scolded the son for ignoring the puja and Naivedya of Vittal Bhagwan. Sheerasagar’s son realised his mistake and in earnest started the puja of Lord Vittal, observing all the practices his father had followed including the offering of naivedya everyday.

Anna Saheb Dabolkar once came to Shirdi and offered his pranam to Baba by prostrating at his feet. Anna Saheb witnessed several changes in his life thereafter. While he was at Shirdi Anna Saheb once saw Baba grinding wheat at the masjid. Some ladies who were also witness to this sat down with Baba and began to help him grind the wheat. And while they did this they began to sing beautiful songs in praise of the miracles Baba had shown. When all the wheat was ground they began to gather the flour to take home with them. Seeing this Baba got angry and directed the ladies to take the flour and spread it in the four directions across the village. This, the devotees later realised, was done to prevent a cholera epidemic from spreading into the village. Seeing this and the other miracles of Baba, Anna Saheb Dhabolkar wanted to write a book about them and he sought Baba’s permission through Shama, the great devotee of Baba. Baba granted Anna Saheb permission by applying udi on his forehead. Baba told Anna that he was would be a tool for writing the book while he (Baba) would write his own biography as a living example. “Once my devotees listen to my leelas and preaching they will take the spiritual path and even an atheist will learn to respect me and begin to have faith in me,” Baba told Anna Saheb. He also said that no one who believes in him will ever go hungry. Baba used to lovingly address Anna Saheb as Hemandpant.

Both Gopal Rao and Damu Anna Kesar, who were childless for a long time, were blessed with children by Baba’s grace. And in order to express their gratitude, Gopal Rao and Anna Kesar decided to start celebration of the Ramanavami festival and flag hoisting at the Masjid. Damu Anna Kesar and Nana Saheb together donated two flags which were taken out in a procession around Shirdi and thereafter they were placed at the masjid. During this time a Muslim gentleman decided to start the Sandal paste procession. At Shirdi Ram katha, the cradle festival celebrating the birth of Lord Krishna and the Sandal procession were held in a spirit of harmony between members of the Hindu and Muslim communities. A weekly reading of the Nam Saptah was also held and on the concluding day the poor were fed a sumptuous meal.

Om Sri Sathguru Sainath Maharaj Ji Ki Jai.

O Sri Sainath, I prostrate at your feet and seek your blessings. Today I have completed the first day’s reading of your Satcharita. Please bestow your blessings on me to complete the weekly reading of your Satcharita. Please bless me and those around me with peace, tranquillity, and devotion towards you. I pray for your Grace all through my life.

Sat Guru Sainathaya Namah
Om Shanti Shanti Shanti