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Shri Sai Baba Sai Mandir USA 1889 Grand Avenue, Baldwin, NY 11510, USA Designed & Developed by : Praveen Batchu http://www.imagicapps.com SHRI SAI SATCHARITA OR THE WONDERFUL LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF SHRI SAI BABA Adapted from the original Marathi book by Hemadpant by Nagesh Vasudev Gunaji, B.A., L.L.B. 227, Thalakwadi, Belgaum. changes to the current version to make a easy reading experience to American devotees. This book is available for free to all devotees. Published by Kashinath Sitaram Pathak, Court Receiver, Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi, ‘Sai Niketan’, 804-B, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar, Bombay 400 014. This book will be available for sale at the following places: (1) Court Receiver, Shri Sai Sansthan, Shirdi, P.O. Shirdi, (Dist. Ahmednagar). (2) Shri Kashinath Sitaram Pathak, Court Receiver, Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi, “Sai Niketan”, 804-B, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar, Bombay 400 014. Copyright reserved by the Sansthan Printed by N.D. Rege, at Mohan Printery, 425-A Mogul Lane, Mahim, Bombay 400 016 and Published by Shri Kashinath Sitaram Pathak, Court Receiver, Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi, “Sai Niketan”, 804-B, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Dadar, Bombay 400 014. DEDICATION “Whosoever offers to me, with love or devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, that offering of love of the pure and self-controlled man is willingly and readily accepted by me.” Lord Shri Krishna in Bhagavad Gita, IX - 26 To Shri Sai Baba The Antaryamin This work with myself Editor : Laura Keller New York, USA SHRI SAI SATCHARITA CONTENTS Preface by the author Preface to the second edition Preface by Shri N.A. Savant for the Sansthan Committee Prologue (1) The Book and its Author (2) Who is Sai Baba? Life History of Shri Sai Baba CHAPTER Page 1 The wondrous Saint grinding wheat - Salutations - the story of grinding wheat and its philosophical significance 2 2 Object of writing the work - Incapacity and boldness in the undertaking - Hot discussion - Conferring significant and prophetic title of Hemadpant - Necessity of a guru 6 3 Sai Baba’s sanction and promise - Assignment of work to the devotees - Baba’s stories as beacon light - His motherly love - Rohilla’s story - His sweet and nectar- like words 12 4 Mission of the saints - Shirdi, a holy tirth - Personality of Sai Baba - Dictum of Goulibuva - Appearance of Vitthal - Kshirasagar’s story - Das Ganu’s bath in Prayag - Immaculate conception of Sai Baba and His first advent in Shirdi - Three wadas 18 5 Baba’s return with Chand Patil’s marriage party - Welcomed and addressed as “Sai” - Contact with other saints - His dress and daily routine - The story of the padukas - Wrestling bout with Mohdin and the change in life - Turning water into oil - Pseudo Guru Javhar Ali 26 6 Efficacy of the touch of the guru’s hand - Rama-Navami Festival - Its origin and transformation - Repairs to the Masjid 34 7 Wonderful Incarnation - Behavior of Sai Baba - His yogic practices - His all pervasiveness and mercy - Leper devotee’s service - Master Khaparde’s plague case - Going to Pandharpur 42 8 Importance of human birth - Sai Baba’s begging food - Bayajabai’s service - His Dormitory - His affection for Khushalchand 50 9 Effect of compliance and non-compliance with Baba’s orders at the time of taking leave - A few instances - Mendicancy and its necessity - Devotees’ (Tarkhad family’s) experiences - Baba fed sumptuously - How? 56 10 Sai Baba’s mode of life - His sleeping board - His stay in Shirdi - His teachings - His humility - The easiest path 62 11 Sai as sagun Brahma - Dr. Pandit’s worship - Haji Siddik Falke - Control over the elements 68 12 Sai Leelas - Experiences of (1) Kaka Mahajani (2) Dhumal Pleader (3) Mrs. Nimonkar (4) Moolay Shastri (5) A doctor 72 13 More Sai Leelas - Diseases cured (1) Bhimaji Patil (2) Bala Shimpi (3) Bapusaheb Booty (4) Alandi Swami (5) Kaka Mahajani (6) Dattopant of Harda 76 14 Ruttonji Wadia of Nanded - Saint Moulisaheb - Dakshina-mimansa 82 15 Naradiya Kirtan Paddhati - Mr. Cholkar’s sugarless tea - Two lizards 88 16-17 Quick Brahma Jnana 92 18-19 How Hemadpant was accepted and blessed - Stories of Mr. Sathe and Mrs. Deshmukh - Encouraging of good thoughts to fruition - Variety in Upadesh - Teachings regarding slander and remuneration of labor 98 20 Das Ganu’s problem solved by Kaka’s maid servant 110 21 Stories of (1) V.H. Thakur (2) Anantrao Patankar and (3) Pandharpur Pleader 116 22 Rescues from serpent bites (1) Balasaheb Mirikar (2) Bapusaheb Booty (3) Amir Shakkar (4) Hemadpant - Baba’s opinion regarding killing of serpents 122 23 Yoga and onion - Shama cured of snake bite - Cholera ordinance broken - Ordeal of Guru bhakti 128 24 Baba’s wit and humor - Chanak leela - (1) Hemadpant (2) Sudama - (3) Anna Chinchanikar vs. Mavsibai 134 25 Damu Anna Kasar of Ahmednagar (1) Speculations and (2) Amra leela 140 26 Stories of (1) Bhakta Pant (2) Harischandra Pitale (3) Gopal Ambadekar 146 27 Favor shown by giving Bhagwat and Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam - Dixit’s Vitthal vision - Gita Rahasya Khapardes 152 28 Sparrows drawn to Shirdi (1) Lakamichand (2) Burhanpore lady - (3) Megha 158 29 Stories of (1) Madrasi Bhajani Mela (2) Tendulkars (father and son) (3) Dr. Captain Hate (4) Waman Narvekar 166 30 Drawn to Shirdi (1) Kakaji Vaidya of Vani (2) Panjabi Ramlal of Bombay 172 31 The passing away in Baba’s presence of (1) Sannyasi Vijayanand (2) Balaram Mankar (3) Noolkar (4) Megha and (5) Tiger 178 32 In quest of Guru and God - Fasting disapproved 184 33 Greatness of Udi, Scorpion sting and plague cases cured - Jamner miracle - Narayanrao’s sickness - Balabuva Sutar - Appasaheb Kulkarni - Haribhau Karnik 190 34 Greatness of Udi (continued) - Doctor’s nephew - Dr. Pillay - Shama’s sister-in-law - Irani girl - Harda gentleman - Bombay lady 198 35 Tested and found not wanting - Kaka Mahajani’s friend and master - Bandra insomnia case - Bala Patil Newaskar 204 36 Wonderful stories of (1) Two Goa gentlemen and (2) Mrs. Aurangabadkar 210 37 Chavadi procession 216 38 Baba’s handi - Disrespect of shrine - Kala or Hodgepodge Cup of buttermilk 220 39 (chapter 50 from original book included herein) Baba’s knowledge of Sanskrit - His interpretation of a verse from the Bhagavad Gita - Construction of the samadhi mandir 226 40 Stories of Baba (1) A sannyasi and two others attending Mrs. Deo’s Udyapan ceremony (2) Baba’s visit to Hemadpant’s house in the form of His picture 234 41 Story of Baba’s picture - Stealing the rags and reading of Jnaneshwari 238 42 Baba’s passing away - Previous indication - Averting deaths of Ramchandra Dada Patil and Tatya Kote Patil - Charity to Laxmibai Shinde - Baba’s last moment 244 43-44 Baba’s passing away (continued) - Preparation of samadhi mandir - Breaking of the brick - Baba’s 72 hours’ samadhi - Jog’s sannyas - Baba’s nectar-like words 250 45 Kakasaheb’s doubt and Anandrao’s vision - Baba’s wooden plank bedstead 256 46 Baba’s Gaya trip - Story of two goats 260 47 Baba’s reminiscences - Story of Veerbhadrappa and Chenbassappa (snake and frog) 264 48 Warding off devotees’ calamities - Stories of (1) Mr. Shevade and (2) Mr. Sapatnekar 270 49 Stories of (1) Hari Kanoba (2) Somadeva Swami and 276 (3) Nanasaheb Chandorkar 50 Stories of (1) Kakasaheb Dixit (2) Shri Tembye Swami and (3) Balaram Dhurandhar 282 Epilogue.................................................................................. 288 ARATI..................................................................................... 291 List of Illustrations 1 Shri Sai Baba - Shirdi 2 Nagesh V. Gunaji - Author of Shri Sai Satcharita in English 3 Late Shri Govindrao R. Dabholkar - Author of Shri Sai Satcharita in Marathi 4 Shri Sai Baba - In Masjid 5 Shri Sai Baba - On his way to Lendi from Masjid 6 Shri Sai Baba - Standing near Dwarkamai Wall 7 Shri Sai Baba - Begging Alms 8 Chavadi of Shri Sai Baba 9 Shri Sai Baba’s resting place in Lendi baug 10 Nawalkar Wada: The sacred Neem tree and Gurupadukasthan 11 Mahasamadhi of Shri Sai Baba PREFACE (By the author) Many years ago I heard about Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi and His miracles from some of my friends, but, unfortunately for me, He did not draw me to Him while He was living.Some thirteen or fourteen years after His mahasamadhi, I went to visit my noble and worthy friend, the late Mr. K.G. Deshpande, Bar-at-Law in Baroda, in his temporary residence on Charni Road, Girgaum, Bombay. There, I happened to see for the first time, Shri Sai Baba. His small portrait was kept in the household shrine for worship. Then, four or five years later, I, along with my friend, the late Mr. K.G. Ajrekar who was a government pleader, saw the book Shri Sai Satcharita written in Marathi (ovi-verse) by Mr. Govind Raghunath (Annasaheb) Dabholkar, alias Hemadpant. I also saw some stray publications of ‘Shri Sai Leela’, a magazine written in Marathi. As I perused the book and magazines carefully, I felt a very great love and devotion for Sai Baba, who then captured me. In 1936 I went to Bombay for some private work and had intended to go to the holy place (tirth) of Shirdi on my way home, but finding that I did not have sufficient money for the pilgrimage, I changed my mind. With what little money I had, I purchased (1) Shri Sai Satcharita (Marathi), (2) Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi - a glimpse of Indian Spirituality (English) by R.B.M.W. Pradhan, (3) two Marathi pamphlets named ‘Sainath Sagunopasana’ and ‘Sai Leela Kirtan - anka’ ( a special edition of ‘Sai Leela’ magazine) and lastly, I purchased some pictures of Sai Baba. Thus, I brought “the real Sai Baba” home with me.
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