We all heard about the miracles of Udi (Sacred ash). This Udi
denotes the transient nature of this world. We need to understand that this
whole universe is not permanent and one day all these elements will be
integrated into the space. In a similar way, this body vanishes too. When the
soul leaves the body, this body will collapse and proves that this is nothing
but ash. You and I will undergo the same stages. So that you should remember
this and I should also be aware of it, day and night, I give the vibhuti.
The entire universe is full of Maya. Brahman is the only reality,
while the universe is illusory. Bear this in mind that this is what the udi teaches.
No person belongs to anyone in this world – be they wife, son, uncles or
nephews. Naked you come and naked you will return. The udi is a reminder of
it”. If this udi is applied to the body, then physical and
mental sufferings are cured. But the true significance of the udi is
deep and it is meant for discriminatory detachment. Baba reiterates this
fact and that’s why he gives Udi to every one and is trying to teach us the
renunciation. Baba used to sing a song related to Udi. “Ramate
Rama ayogee; Ayogee; udiyon ka Goniya Layogee” “O playful
Ram has come! And brought sacks of Udi” were the two lines he sang.
Whenever he was in a happy and joyous mood, he sang this refrain repeatedly, in
a melodious voice. Of course that is the sweetness of Lord Rama’s name.
This could be understood only when we give offerings (Dakshina) to Sai and take
Udi from him. The
greatness of this udi is beyond limits. Now
let us hear the stories where this Udi helped Baba's devotees.
Narayan Motiram Jani
Narayan was a devotee of Baba and used to live in Nasik. Once he
comes to Shirdi with his mother. Baba tells his mother that he no longer has to
serve anyone for his job and he can start his own business. He then started a
boarding home by name Ananda ashram. It thrived really well. One of his friends
was stung by a scorpion and was in extreme pain. They were looking for Baba's
udi but they could not find none. Then Narayan goes to his pooja mandir and
gets ashes from joss-stick. He invokes Baba and thinking that this ash is
Baba's udi puts it on the seat of pain. Then pain disappears. They felt
delighted and moved by Baba's miracle.
Another time one devotee of Bandra came to know that his daughter was down with bubonic plague. He had no Udi so he requests Nana Chandorkar to send himsome Udi. At that time Nana was traveling and did not have any Udi with him. He then gets some dust from the place and prays to Baba and gives it to the person who came. This made his daughter get better.
Another time one devotee of Bandra came to know that his daughter was down with bubonic plague. He had no Udi so he requests Nana Chandorkar to send himsome Udi. At that time Nana was traveling and did not have any Udi with him. He then gets some dust from the place and prays to Baba and gives it to the person who came. This made his daughter get better.
Jamner Miracle
Sai
took care of Nana’s family like he took care of Nana himself. Nana’s daughter,
who was in labor, was in intense pain; and from Jamner Sai Samartha was being
invoked constantly. No one at Shirdi was aware of the state of affairs at
Jamner. Baba, however, knows everything and is all pervading. There is nothing
in the universe that he is unaware of. Baba was one with his devotees.
Realizing the circumstances at Nana’s home Sai Samartha’s heart overflowed with
compassion. See what he did immediately! He thought of sending udi.
At the same time Gosavi Ramgir Buva had an urge to go to his village. His
village was in Khandesh. He made all preparations to leave and came to
the Masjid to take darshan and be at Baba’s
feet. For no one left Shirdi for any work without touching Baba’s feet and
obtaining his permission, as long as he was in body. Ramgir came in accordance
with it, touched Baba’s feet and asked permission to leave.
He
said: “Baba, I am going to my village in Khandesh. Give me udi and
blessings and your permission to this servant to leave”. Baba affectionately
called him by the name ‘Bapugir’. He replied: “Go happily to your village. But
rest a while on the way. Go first to Jamner and stay at Nana’s home. After
inquiring about his well-being, then proceed further”. Then he said
to Madhavrao Desphande: “Shama, make a copy on a piece of paper of that
Arati of Adkar and send it to Nana with the Gosavi”. Then he gave udi to
the gosavi and made a small packet of it and placing it in his
hand asked him to give it to Nana. “Take both the udi and
Arati and give them to Nana. Inquire after his well-being, and then proceed to go
to your village,” he said. This ‘Arati Saibaba’, is like ‘Dñyaneshwar’s Arati’
composed by Rama Janardan. They both have the same tune. Rama Janardan was a
devotee of Swami Janardan, while Madhav Adkar was devoted to Sai’s feet. This
was an inspired composition and without it, Sai’s worship is incomplete. As
Baba liked this Arati very much, listeners should hear this arati from
beginning to end, which Baba sent with the udi. Later, you will
realize the fruits of it.
The
Gosavi said to Baba: “I have altogether two rupees with me. Baba, how will I
reach Jamner with only this amount?
Baba
said: “Go without any care. Everything will be arranged for you. ” Having full
faith in Sai’s Words, the Gosavi set out.
Taking
these instructions from Baba, and obeying his orders, Bapugir left for the
assigned work immediately, after taking the udi as prasad.
During those days, there was no rail route to Jamner, as it is now; and it was
not easy to make the journey. So the Gosavi was worried. Setting out in the
train, the passengers had to alight at Jalgaon, from where they had to go on
foot the rest of the distance.
The
peon looked very smart, with a beard, twirled moustache, and side – burns,
wearing a livery. The tonga also looked well maintained. The
horses matched the tonga. They were certainly not hired out
animals. Leaving other tongas behind they moved ahead due to
their eagerness. The tonga had started for the journey
around 2.48 a.m. and was halted at dawn near a stream on the way.
Then
the tongawallah unharnessed the horses to water them and said:
“I’ll come back soon after which we will have refreshments at leisure. I will
fetch a little water and then we will eat mangoes, then after re-harnessing,
the horses we will leave”. From his beard and dress he looked a Muslim. Hearing
his words, Ramgir had doubts about accepting the refreshments from him.
Therefore, he asked him about his caste. He said: “Have you doubts about me? I
am a Hindu from Garhwal and a Kshatriya. I am a Rajput by caste. These
refreshments have also been sent by Nana for you with me. Certainly, have not the
slightest of doubts. Eat them free of worry”. When his doubts were thus
removed, they both had the refreshments. The tongawallah harnessed
the horses and the journey came to an end at sunrise. As they entered the
village, Nana’s office became visible. The horses also stopped for a moment.
Ramgir felt happy.
The
Buva looked for a secluded place in which to relieve himself. When he returned,
he was surprised by the sight. No tonga, no horses, no tongawallah could
be seen! No one was to be seen at that moment. The place was deserted. Ramgir
wondered: ‘What is this marvel? After bringing me so far, where has he gone in
such a short time?’ As he was eager to meet Nana, the Buva went inside the
office. When he learned that Nana was at his residence, he decided to go there.
Buva inquired the way, along the road, and easily found Nana’s home. He reached
and sat on the verandah and Nana called him in. They met one another. He took
out the udi and arati and placed them before Nana and told him
the whole story.
It
was a marvel that, when this udi came, Nana’s daughter was
suffering intensely, due to some obstruction in the delivery. To ward off this
difficulty, the Nava–Chandi Havan and Saptashati recitation
was in progress. The Gosavi was surprised.
Nana
then felt as a hungry person feels when a platter of delicacies is placed
before him or as a thirsty chakor feels when he gets nectar in
his mouth. Nana called his wife and gave her the udi to
administer to his daughter with water and he himself began singing the arati.
Within moments, a message was received from the inner quarters, that the girl
was better as soon as the cup of udi was put to the lips. She was freed from
pain immediately and had a safe delivery.
The
crisis passed away happily. Everybody’s worries were over. Then Ramgir asked
Nana: “Where did the tongawallah go? I do not find him here
also. Where is the tonga that you sent? ” Nana replied: “I did
not send. I do not know of what tonga you are speaking. Who
knew that you were coming? Why should I send the tonga? Then Buva
told the story of the tonga, from the beginning to the end to all.
Nana was surprised; thinking about Baba’s loving concern for his devotees as
his own children. What tonga! Which peon!
This
Sai Mauli (Mother) is the Lord of the Universe performing various
wonderful feats! At the time of difficulty, he comes running to the devotees
because of the intensity of devotion.
Balabua Sutar:
Next
in this chapter Hemadpanth talks about Balabua Sutar who was also called as
"Modern Tukaram". When he goes to Shirdi, Baba says that he knows him
for the last 4 years and he became surprised as this was his first to Shirdi.
He could not understand why Baba said thta he knows him for 4 years? Then he
remembers prostrating at Baba's portrait 4 years ago. He said to himself
"how Omniscient and all pervading are the saints and how kind are they to
their devotees! I merely bowed to his photo, but this was noticed by Baba and
in due time he made me realize that seeing his photo is equivalent to seeing
him in person".
Appa saheb Kulkarni
Appa used to worship
Baba's photo everyday. He wanted to have a darshan of Baba. Once he had to go
out of town and one fakir visits his family asking for dakshina. His family
thought it could be Baba and asks him "Are you Shirdi Sai Baba?" Then
that fakir replies "I am God's servant". Then he gives them some Udi
to keep in puja mandir. Then he left. Once Appa came home he realized that Baba
came to their house and felt that they gave only 1 rupee dakshina and he could
have given 10 rupees. He wanted to find this fakir but could not find him. He
comes home and eats his meal then goes to find him. The fakir appears before
him and asks for dakshina. Appa became very happy and gives him a rupee. He
still aks him for money, then Appa gives him 2 rupees. Then fakir still wanted
money, he had to borrow from his friend Mr. Chitre, another 3 rupees. Fakir
still wanted more, then Appa takes fakir to his place and offers him another 3
rupees. He was still unsatisfied. Then Appa shows rupees 10 and teh fakir takes
10 and returns the 9 rupees back to Appa. Baba took rupees 10 as Appa
originally wanted to give rupees 10. Then Appa and his family realized that
Appa wanted to give 10 rupees. Here we have to realize how Baba blessed Appa by
giving him the rupees 9 back and it signifies the navavidha bakthi like he gave
9 rupees to Laxmi Bai just before his Mahasamadhi.
Haribhau Karnik
In this chapter at the end, Hemadpanth
writes about Haribhau Karnik who happened to come to Shirdi in 1917 during
Gurupurnima time. He worshiped Baba and took blessings from him, when he was
leaving Dwarakamai, he realizes that he forgot to give 1 rupee to Baba but he
cannot go back once he took leave from Baba. Then he goes to Nasik and gets a
darshan of Kala Ram> while coming out of the temple a saint by name Narsing
Maharaj stops by him and asks him a rupee dakshina. He was so happy that he
asked him a rupee which he wanted to give earlier. This way Baba fulfilled his
wish through another saint. This story illustrates that all saints are one and
how they work in unison.
Baba's teachings from Jamner Miracle:
Baba
could have saved Minatai without all this, but he used udi, Gosavi, Tonga and Peon. What was he trying to teach us? He
also introduced Adkar’s “Arathi Sai Baba” through this incident. Only Baba can
make us understand the real meaning behind this. Ramgiri Buva had only 2
rupees when he started at Shirdi. This is nothing but Shradda and Sabhuri
(Faith and Patience). After he bought the ticket up to Jalgaon, he was left
with 2 Annas (Change). This faith and patience showed him the way at Jalgoan
station. When ever we keep trust in Baba, he will definitely take care of us.
The Aarthi we talked about earlier is usually sung as Sandhya aarthi. Here
Sandhya means the state between two situations or times. This attributes to the
time between life and death. We all need to be aware of this time period and we
have to remind ourselves about God. We call 11th hour when we
are at the last minutes of any task. In a similar way Ramgir Buva reaches
Jalgaon at 11 PM. Baba showed him the way in this 11th hour
only where he had no other options.
Sai
strengthened Nana’s faith by saving Minatai. By giving Udi and Aarthi song Sai
wanted to show Nana the transient nature of life and hidden meaning behind the
Aarthi. He wanted to teach Nana the Vairagya (Detachment). After few months of
this happy situation, Minatai’s baby dies. Her husband already died prior to
her delivery. Nana experienced most difficult time of his life. Baba knew about
future and the sadness that is forthcoming. In this way Baba showed so many
aspects to his Jamner miracle.
OM Sri Sainatharpanamasthu!
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