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This article is about Sai Baba of Shirdi, an Indian saint who lived from the mid-19th to the early 20th century. See Sai Baba for other saints referred to as Sai Baba.

Sai Baba of Shirdi or Shirdi Sai Baba (circa 1838 - October 15, 1918), (real name, birth place, and date of birth unknown), was an Indian guru, yogi and fakir, who is regarded by his Hindu and Muslim followers as a saint. Some of his Hindu followers believe that he was an Avatar of Shiva, Dattatreya and the next incarnation of Kabir. In his life and teachings he tried to embrace and reconcile both faiths: Sai Baba lived in a mosque, was buried in a Hindu temple, embraced Hindu and Muslim practices, and taught using words and figures that drew from both traditions. One of his well known epigrams says of God: "Allah Malik" ("God is king.")

Biography

Early life

There is no clear record of Sai's given name, nor of his origins. However, there are some indications based on his own words that he was born in a Brahmin family in the village of Pathri, under the name Haribhau. According to estimates he was born circa 1838. Once he told his devotee - Mlahaspathy - that he had been born in Pathri and his parents had given him to a "Fakir" (it is uncertain what Sai Baba meant using this expression). According to some sources as a boy Sai Baba was brought up by a Sufi fakir and according to others by a Hindu guru. Some people combine both these theories (that Sai Baba was first brought up by a fakir and then by a guru).

First stay in Shirdi

Sai arrived at the village of Shirdi in Ahmednagar district of Maharashtra state when he was about sixteen years old (in 1854). There he lade an ascetic life - he stayed in a den under a neem tree where he meditated sitting in an asana. He aroused the interest and admiration of a few villagers of Shirdi.

Years 1854 - 1858

After approximately two months Sai Baba left Shirdi for four years. It is unknown where he stayed at that time or what happened to him. There are some indications however that he met saints and fakirs, worked as a weaver as well as fought in the Indian Rebellion of 1857.

Second stay in Shirdi

In 1858 Sai Baba returned to Shirdi together with Amin Bhai Patil's wedding procession. When he entered the Khandoba temple in Shirdi he was greeted by the priest Mlahaspathy with the words Ya Sai (welcome saint). The name Sai stuck to him and some time later he started being known as Sai Baba.

He stayed in Shirdi till his death in 1918. There he lead a simple and ascetic life; e.g. he begged for food. He lived in an old mosque. At first he performed the function of a local hakim and treated the sick. In the mosque he kept up a sacred fire - a Dhuni. He had the custom of giving Udhi to his guests before they left - they believed that it had healing powers and could protect them in dangerous situations. He also delivered spiritual teachings to his visitors (and according to what the witnnesses said) performed many miracles. He took part in religious festivals. He was also in the habit of preparing food for his visitors, which he distributed to them as prasad. His entertaiment was dancing and singing religious songs (he enjoyed the songs of Kabir most).

In 1910 Sai Baba's fame spread to the whole of India. Numerous people starte visiting him, because they regarded him as a saint (or even an Avatar) with the power of performing miracles.

Death

Sai Baba of Shirdi took Mahasamadhi on 15 October 1918. He died on the lap of one of his devotees with hardly any belongings. He was buried in the "Buty Wada" according to his wish. Later on a mandir was built their known as the "Samadhi Mandir".

One of his devotees - Sharada Devi - says that before his death he told her secretly that in eight years he would reincarnate in Andhra Pradesh, under the name of Sathya (what means 'truth'), what is in accordance with the birth of Sathya Sai Baba in 1926, in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh who claims to be the next reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba. Later Sharada Devi became a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba believing that he was the next incarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi.

Shirdi Sai Baba, leaning against the wall of his masjid, with devotees

Teachings

In his teachings Sai Baba concentrated on uniting the Hindu and Muslim religion. He took part both in Hindu festivals and Muslim pilgrimages. He prayed in the Hindu and Muslim way. Together with his disciples he read the Qur'an and the Hindu scriptures. He wore the clothes of a Sufi fakir, and sometimes performed salat. Another example of the way he combined both faiths is the name he gave to his mosque - Dwarakamai (it is connected with Hinduism - the sacred place Dwaraka where Krishna lived). Sai Baba also opposed all sorts of persocutions on religious or caste backgruond. (In India, at the times when he lived religious intolerance and conflicts were common).

Sai Baba of Shirdi was also an opponent of religious orthodoxy - both Hindu and Muslim.

Althoug Sai Baba himself lead the life of an ascetic, he advised his followers to lead an ordinary family life.

Sai Baba encouraged his devotees to pray, chant God's name and read holy scriptures - he told Muslims to study the Qur'an and Hindus texts like the Ramayana, Vishnu Sahasranam, Bhagavad Gita (and commentaries to it), Yoga Vasishta. He advised his devotees and followers to lead a moral life, help others, treat them with love and develop two important features of character: faith (Shraddha) and patience (Saburi). He also critised atheism. In his teachings Sai Baba emphasised the importance of performing one's duties without attachement to earthly matters and being ever content regardless of the situation.

Shirdi Baba also interpreted the religious texts of both faiths. According to what the people who stayed with him said and wrote he had a profound knowledge of them. He explained the meaning of the Hindu scriptues in the spirit of Advaita Vedanta. This was the character of his philosophy. It also had numerous elements of bhakti. The three main Hindu spiritual paths - Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Karma Yoga - were visible in the teachings of Sai Baba. This dos not mean however that they were exclusively Hindu - they had many Islamic elements.

Sai Baba said that God penetrates everything and lives in every being as well as that God is the essence of each of them. He emphasised the complete oneness of God which was very close to the Islamic tawhid. Sai Baba said that the world and all that the human may give is transient and only God and his gifts are eternal.

Shirdi Sai also emphasised the importance of devotion to God - bhakti - and surrender to his will. He also talked about the need of faith and devotion to one's spiritual preceptor (guru). He said that everyone was the soul and not the body. He advised his disciples and followers to overcome the negative features of character and develop the good ones. He taught them that al fate was determined by karma.

Sai Baba left no written works. His teachings were oral, typically short, pithy sayings rather than elaborate discourses. Sai would ask his followers for money (dakshina), which he would give away to the poor and other devotees the same day and spend the rest on matches. According to his followers he did it in order to rid them of greed and material attachement.

Sai encouraged charity and the importance of sharing with others. He said: "Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere. If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, but receive them well and treat them with due respect. Shri Hari (God) will be certainly pleased if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked and your verandah to strangers for sitting and resting. If anybody wants any money from you and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him like a dog." Other favourite sayings of his were: "Why do you fear when I am here","He has no beginning... He has no end",. Sai Baba made eleven assurances to his devotees:

Whosoever puts their feet on Shirdi soil, their sufferings will come to an end.
The wretched and miserable will rise to joy and happiness as soon as they climb the steps of the mosque.
I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body.
My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees.
I shall be active and vigorous even from my tomb.
My mortal remains will speak from my tomb.
I am ever living to help and guide all who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.
If you look to me, I look to you.
If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it.
If you seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once.
There shall be no want in the house of my devotee.

His eleven famous sayings are:

No harm shall befall him who sets his foot on the soil of Shirdi.
He who cometh to My Samadhi, his sorrow and suffering shall cease.
Though I be no more in flesh and blood, I shall ever protect My devotees.
Trust in Me and your prayer shall be answered.
Know that My Spirit is immortal. Know this for yourself.
Show unto Me he who sought refuge and been turned away.
In whatever faith men worship Me, even so do I render to them.
Not in vain is My Promise that I shall ever lighten your burden.
Knock, and the door shall open. Ask and ye shall be granted.
To him who surrenders unto Me totally I shall be ever indebted.
Blessed is he who has become one with Me.

Miracles

Sai Baba's disciples, followers and devotees believe that he had performed many miracles. Some of them were: bilocation, exorcisms, curing the incurably sick, helping his devotees in need in a miraculous way, reading the mind's of others. Numerous inhabitants of Shirdi talked about these miracles. Some of them even wrote about them in books. They talked and wrote about how they (and others) were the witnesses of his unusual Yogic powers: levitation, entering a state of clinical death at wish, even removing his lims and sticking them back to his body (Khanda Yoga) or doing the same with his intestines.

According to his followers he appeared to them after his death, in dreams, visions and even in bodily form, when he often gave them advice.

Historical sources

Biographers of Sai Baba of Shirdi (e.g. Govindrao Ragulnath Dabholkar, Smriti Srinivas, Antonio Rigpolous, Satya Pal Ruhela) when writing about him base it on what people who knew Sai Baba said and wrote. The words of two devotees of Sai who died at the turn of the twentieth century - Shivamma Thayee and Sharada Devi - are of particularly important to contemporary biographers of Sai. Another important source they use is the Shirdi Diary written by Ganesha Shrikrishna Khaparde, which describes every day of the author's stay at Shirdi. When speculating about the unknown episode's of Sai Baba's life, they mainly base their speculations on his own words.

The most important source about Sai's life is the Shri Sai Satcharita written in Marathi, in 1916 by Govindrao Ragulnath Dabholkar whom Sai Baba nicknamed Hemadpant, which is an account of his life, teachings and miracles. Other important sources about Sai Baba are books by B. V. Narasimhaswamiji such as Sri Sai Baba's Charters and Sayings or Devotee's Experiences of Sai Baba.

Worship and devotees

The Shirdi Sai Baba movement began in the nineteenth century, during his life, while he was staying in Shirdi. A local Khandoba priest - Mlahaspathy is believed to have been his first devotee. However, in the nineteenth century Sai Baba's followers were only a small group of Shirdi inhabitants and a few people from other parts of India. It started developin in the twentieth century and fastest in 1910 with the sankirtans of Das Ganu (one of Sai's devotees) who spread Sai Baba's fame to the whole of India. Since 1910 numerous Hindus and Muslims from all parts of India started coming to Shirdi. During his life Hindus worshipped him with Hindu rituals and Muslims revered him greatly, considering him to be a saint. Later (in the last years of Sai Baba's life) Christians and Zoroastrians started joining the Shirdi Sai movement.

The Sai Baba mandir in Shirdi is active and every day worship of Sai is conducted in it. Pilgrimes visit Shirdi every day. Shirdi Baba is especially revered and worshipped in the state of Maharashtra. A religious organisation of Sai Baba's devotees called the Shri Saibaba Sansthan is based there. It maintains a complex of Sai Baba temples and publishes publications about him. It also conducts free charity, social and medical work and ensures the development of Shirdi. It is governed by a board of trustees. Another of Sai Baba's devotees - Guruji C. B. Satpathy also has an important role in the development of the Shirdi Sai Baba movement.

Legacy

Sai Baba is among the most popular of Indian saints, and continues to have a large following. His image seems to be everywhere in India: seen on shrines, lockets, billboards and cars of Hindus. While he is recognizable throughout India, his devotees are especially numerous in the state of Maharashtra, the place of his birth, and in Andhra Pradesh. His place of Mahasamadhi is a well-known place of pilgrimage.

Many religious teachers, groups and organizations promote his teachings and devotion to Sai. Among the most prominent is the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, which also takes care of the shrines and temples in Shirdi, and the All-India Sai Samaj (founded by B.V. Narasimha Swamiji) which publishes books on Sai Baba as well as administrates the temples of Sai Baba built all over India.

Some disciples of Sai Baba achieved fame as spiritual figures including Upasni Maharaj of Sakori and Meher Baba of Ahmednagar. These disciples also include Swami Kaleshwar who according to him and his followers received spiritual guidance from Shirdi Sai Baba who appeared to him in a vision.

At least two youngsters and two gurus have claimed to be the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba. By far the most famous is Sathya Sai Baba (born in 1926) who lives at Puttaparthi Andhra Pradesh, India.

Film & Television

A Hindi film, "Shirdi ke Sai Baba", was made in 1977 on his life and Sudhir Dalvi played the title role.

In 1986 the telugu film "Shri Shirdi Saibaba Mahathyam" (about Shirdi Sai Baba) was made by K. Vasu. Vijayachander played Shirdi Sai Baba.

In 2001 Balraj Deepak Vij made a Hindi film called "Shirdi Sai Baba". Sudhir Dalvi played the title role.

A more recent Hindi TV series, "Sai Baba" was made by Ramanand Sagar and broadcast by Star Plus in 2006, with 31-year old Mukul Nag in the title role.

A T.V. serial on Sai Baba is telecasted on Star T.V. net work on every sunday at 8:00 P.M. to 9:00 P.M.- Prof. C. Vijendra, Hyderabad, A. P., India.Mobile No: 9246593236

Notes

Rigopoulos, Antonio The life and teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi State University of New York press, Albany, (1993) ISBN 0-7914-1268-7 page 3
"No historical evidence is available concerning the time and place of birth "
The exact time of his first stay in Shirdi is uncertain, but it certainly was not longer than two months
Ruhela S. P., Sai Baba z Shirdi - mistrz uniwersalny, wyd. Limbus, 2004, ISBN 83-7191-120-3 Error: {{Lang}}: no text (help)
*Dabholkar, Govindrao Raghunath (alias Hemadpant) Shri Sai Satcharita Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Shirdi, (translated from Marathi into English by Nagesh V. Gunaji in 1944) available online or downloadable
^ http://chavadi.saibaba.org:8080/index.htm
Rigopoulos, Antonio The life and teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi State University of New York press, Albany, (1993) ISBN 0-7914-1268-7 page 246
"The idea of a possible future incarnation of Sai, however, soon brought various claims of by persons declaring themselves to be avataras of Baba.
Narasimhawami reports on two of these cases: that of a boy of Karur and that of a girl of Bangalore."
Rigopoulos, Antonio The life and teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi State University of New York press, Albany, (1993) ISBN 0-7914-1268-7 page 247
"A claim of being an avatara of Sai Baba was made by one Basheer Baba (1942-80?) of Hyderabad.
The site of his asram at Ram Sai Naga was one and a half miles from Duvvuru village, in the Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh."
"The case of the living Hindu saint of Puttaparthi, Sathya Sai Baba, is different. he is presently venerated by millions of people in India as well as abroad as an avatara of Shirdi Sai Baba."
Rigopoulos, Antonio The life and teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi State University of New York press, Albany, (1993) ISBN 0-7914-1268-7 pages 245-249
http://imdb.com/title/tt0283005/
http://imdb.com/title/tt0295603/

References

Bowen, David The Sathya Sai Baba Community in Bradford: Its origins and development, religious beliefs and practices. Leeds: University Press. (1988)
Dabholkar, Govindrao Raghunath (alias Hemadpant) Shri Sai Satcharita Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Shirdi, (translated from Marathi into English by Nagesh V. Gunaji in 1944) available online or downloadable
http://chavadi.saibaba.org:8080/index.htm
Rigopoulos, Antonio The life and teachings of Sai Baba of Shirdi State University of New York press, Albany, (1993) ISBN 0-7914-1268-7

Bibliography

Bharadwaja, Acharya E. Sai Baba The Master: A Sai Baba Reader in English available online Telugu Version is also available.
Dabholkar, Govindrao Raghunath (alias Hemadpant) Shri Sai Satcharita Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Shirdi, (translated from Marathi into English by Nagesh V. Gunaji in 1944) available online or downloadable
Shepherd, Kevin R.D. Gurus Rediscovered: Biographies of Sai Baba of Shirdi and Upasni Maharaj of Sakori. Anthropographia Publications 1986.
Shepherd, Kevin R.D. "Investigating the Sai Baba Movement: A Clarification of Misrepresented Saints and Opportunism" (2005) ISBN 0-9525089-3-1
White, Charles S.J. The Sai Baba Movement: Approaches to the Study of India Saints in The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 31, No. 4 (Aug., 1972), pp. 863-878

External links