From Shirdi to
Parthi:
Even in his early days,
Sathyanarayana was giving clues about his kinship, nay, identity, with the
Saint of Shirdi, even from his childhood. When he taught his companions
songs on a Babaji, whom no one had seen or heard about, and on a place of
pilgrimage to which no one had gone, people wondered! Where is this
Shirdi, they asked each other. Who was this Muslim fakir? Little did they
realise that the child in their midst, singing and dancing so
captivatingly was, in a few years, make their village another Shirdi to
which hundreds and thousands seeking the same Baba will be coming!
When finally the formal announcement was made by Sathyanarayana, that he was Sai Baba, of Bharadwaja Gothram, Apasthambha Sutram, and of Shirdi, He was asked, If you are Sai Baba show us some miracle now! and the boy said, Bring me some jasmine flowers; when they were placed in their hands he threw the flowers and lo! they fell in the form of Telugu letters, Sai Baba, flower behind flower, as if arranged with meticulous skill, all the curves and convolutions of the Telugu letter perfectly reproduced! The elder brother ,Seshama Raju, who had learnt by long practice to live with the miracle boy, was himself surprised at the emphasis of the revelation.
The Previous Body :
Sathya Sai Baba invariably
refers to 'my previous body' when he speaks about Shirdi Baba. He often
describes to his devotees, how he, in his previous body dealt with people
and situations, what illustrations he gave to amplify certain points, what
questions were asked, etc. He quotes what he told Dasganu or Mahalaspathi
in the last birth. While telling people about Shirdi baba, he
may be saying, just as you have seen me do now or just as I do
while in trance, to make the point clear. Sometimes he replies a question
with a remark, the same doubt was raised by a man who had come to
Shirdi and He would continue the conversation with the reply He gave the
other man long ago in Maharashtra! He recognizes all the devotees of
Shirdi Baba as His own. In fact, He tells them, I have known you
since ten years or Though this is the first time you see this,
Sairam, I have seen you twenty years ago when you came to Shirdi and the
person will find that he had been to Shirdi exactly twenty years ago.
He has vouchsafed to his devotees, lockets and talismans with
pictures of Shirdi Baba or of Shirdi Baba with His own portrait. As a
matter of fact, no distinction is made or allowed to be made in worship or
puja between Himself and the previous manifestation. In fact, there
are in the Prasanthi Nilayam Prayer Hall, two pictures which demonstrate
this continuity. They are both captivatingly charming. During early days,
on Guru Purnima Day, the silver statue of Shirdi Baba in his usual cross
legged posture
sitting on an impressive silver
Adisesha would be brought out and Abhishekam performed with vibhuti
coming out in a profuse shower from an empty pot. In the Ashtothara
Sathanamavali or the list of 108 names with which Baba is worshipped,
names specifically attributable to Shirdi Baba are included. Sathya Sai
Baba is addressed as 'He who was born in the village of Parthi. and
also as He who was living in the village of Shirdi' ,etc. Baba is
also praised as 'He who is the undifferentiated incarnation of Shirdi
Sai Sakthi and He who is the Embodiment of Shirdi Sai' etc.
The purpose of both the Sai avatars are the same. Only, the need
to transform the modern wisdom has now become more imminent. Then,
the emphasis was more on community, now it is on the individual; then the
message was given to comparatively few, now all are welcome to it. And it
is even taken to the doors of the needy. The same love of the unity of
religions indicated on the Sarva Dharma Symbol; the same overwhelming love
for devotees coupled with the utmost detachment; miracles intensely
dramatic in a similar fashion, revealing omniscience and omnipresence; the
same utter disregard for personal safety, comfort or fame; to know the
identity that persists in these matters is to add a new dimension to one's
understanding of Shirdi Sai and Sathya Sai.
Years ago, the Rani of
Chincholi went to Puttaparthi to see Bhagawan. Even as she was entering
the gate, Bhagawan told one of the close devotees standing there: Ask
her to bring the brass lota that I left at her house years ago. The Rani
Saheb herself did not know much about it. But, on a thorough search of
heirlooms in the house, it turned out that the brass lota of Shirdi Baba,
who had visited the house years ago, had been carefully preserved by
elders among other things. Sri Dixit, the nephew of Kakasaheb Dixit, who
was a close disciple of Shirdi Baba, went to Puttaparthi to put an acid
test to the identity of Sathya Sai Baba with Shirdi Baba. He always
carried a small photo of his uncle in his pocket. The first thing that
Bhagawan asked Dixit to do was to take out the photograph of 'My
Kaka' from the pocket! There is also the thrilling story of the old lady,
who had seen Shirdi Baba and who found the promise given to her by Shirdi
Baba fulfilled by Sathya Sai.
There is a miraculous incident related by Pedda
Venkama Raju's sister.She was troubling, Baba with a request to grant her
some vision, to instil faith in her heart, for, she did not want to
dismiss the story of Sai Avatar as an invention, an attitude that many in
the family found it easy to assume. Baba had a liking for this particular
lady, because she was a simple soul, steeped in suffering; so, He told
her, " I shall show you My previous Body this evening ! She confesses that
she could not contain her joy and was praying for a shorter afternoon and
a quicker sunset ! As soon as dusk fell, Baba led her across a number of
doorsills, into one of the innermost rooms of the house, and on reaching
the farthest, He took off His palm which was all the while covering her
eyes and asked her to look at a corner, which He pointed out with His
Finger. The lady looked! And, there sat Shirdi Sai Baba, on the floor, in
His characteristic pose, but, she says, with eyes closed and Vibhuti marks
on the forehead and arms. The incense sticks before Him were burning and
the smoke was rising straight into the air! His Body was glowing with a
strange effulgence and there was a beautiful fragrance around. After a
minute or so, Baba asked her," Have you seen ?" and, when she said, " Oh,
how wonderful!", He placed His palm again firmly over her eyes and led her
back into the outer room.