Chapter IV — Sai Baba's First Advent in Shirdi

Source: Shri Sai Satcharitra, trans. Gunaji
Marathi original: Sai Satcharita (archive.org scan) · Devotee testimonies: Narasimha Swami 1936 (Internet Archive) · Full bibliography: /sources.html

URL: https://www.saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai4.html

Sections

Mission of the Saints

Hemadpant cites Bhagavad Gita IV.7–8 — "Whenever there is a decay of Dharma… I manifest Myself" — and names the saints of the bhakti tradition (Nivritti, Jnanadev, Muktabai, Namdev, Gora, Gonayi, Ekanath, Tukaram, Narahari, Narsi Bhai, Sajan Kasai, Sawata, Ramdas) before placing Sai Baba in that lineage.

Shirdi — A Holy Tirth

Shirdi is in the Kopargaon Taluka of Ahmednagar District. After crossing the Godavari at Kopargaon, three kos (9 miles) brings one to Nimgaon, from which Shirdi is visible.

Personality of Sai Baba — Hemadpant's Description

"He was the home of Vaishnava devotees… The name of Allah was always on His lips. While the world awoke, He slept; and while the world slept, He was vigilant… Though a Siddha, He acted like a Sadhaka. He was meek, humble and egoless, and pleased all."

Goulibuva's Witness

An aged devotee, Goulibuva (~95 years), was a Varkari of Pandharpur who spent 8 months at Pandharpur and 4 months on the Ganges each year. He came annually to Shirdi to see Baba, stared at him and said: "This is Pandharinath Vithal incarnate, the merciful Lord of the poor and helpless."

Das Ganu's Namasaptaha and the Vithal Vision

Baba once asked Das Ganu Maharaj to perform a Namasaptaha (seven-day continuous Name chanting). Das Ganu said he would do it only if assured Vithal would appear on the 7th day. Baba placed his hand on Das Ganu's breast and assured him Vithal would come, provided "the devotee must be earnest and devout." Later:

"The Dankapuri (Takore) of Takurnath, the Pandhari of Vithal, the Dwarka of Ranchhod (Krishna) is here (Shirdi). One need not go far out to see Dwarka. Will Vithal come here from some outside place? He is here."

After the Saptaha, Kakasaheb Dixit saw Vithal in a vision after his morning meditation. When he went to the masjid at noon, Baba asked point-blank: "Did Vithal Patil come? Did you see Him? He is a very truant fellow, catch Him firmly, otherwise He will escape." That same day a hawker arrived from outside selling 25–30 pictures of Vithoba; one of the pictures matched exactly the figure of Kakasaheb's vision. Kakasaheb bought one and placed it in his shrine.

Bhagwantrao Kshirsagar's Story

Bhagwantrao's father had been a devotee of Vithoba, made annual Varis to Pandharpur, and kept an image at home. After his death the son stopped the Vari, the worship, and the shraddha. When Bhagwantrao came to Shirdi Baba said: "His father was my friend, so I dragged him here. He never offered naivaidya and so he starved Vithal and Me. So I brought him here. I shall remonstrate him now and set him to worship."

Das Ganu's Bath in Prayag

Das Ganu wished to bathe at Prayag (confluence of Ganga and Yamuna) and came for Baba's permission. Baba's reply: "It is not necessary to go so long. Our Prayag is here, believe me." When Das Ganu placed his head on Baba's feet, the Satcharita records that streams of Ganga–Yamuna water flowed from both of Baba's toes.

Immaculate Conception of Sai Baba and His First Advent

Hemadpant notes that nothing certain is known of Baba's parents, birth or birthplace. He compares the case to Namdev (found on the bank of the Bhimrathi river by Gonayee) and Kabir (found on the bank of the Bhagirathi by Tamal). Baba "first manifested Himself as a young lad of sixteen under a Neem tree in Shirdi."

The mother of Nana Chopdar described the appearance: a fair, smart, handsome young lad seated in asana under the neem tree, doing hard penance unmoved by heat or cold, by day associating with none, by night fearing nobody. One day "God Khandoba possessed the body of some devotee" and was asked who the lad was. Khandoba directed the people to bring a pickaxe and dig in a particular place. Bricks were uncovered under a flat stone; removing the stone revealed a corridor leading to a cellar where "cow-mouth-shaped structures, wooden boards, necklaces were seen." Khandoba said: "This lad practiced penance here for 12 years."

When questioned, the young lad said only that this was his Guru's place, his holy Watan, and asked them to guard it. The corridor was closed again. The neem tree was held by Baba as sacred. Mhalsapati and others regard the site as Baba's Guru's samadhi-sthana.

The Three Wadas

1. Sathe's Wada — the site with the neem tree (and surrounding land) was bought by Hari Vinayak Sathe, who built a large wada. A platform (par) was built round the tree, with steps and a niche facing south. Devotees burn incense on Thursday and Friday evenings.
2. Dixit Wada — Kakasaheb Dixit, a Bombay solicitor, had injured his leg in an accident in England. The injury was untreatable. Nanasaheb Chandorkar suggested he see Baba. In 1909 he came to Shirdi and asked Baba to cure "the lameness of my mind rather than that of my leg." Foundation was laid on 10 December 1910 — the same day Dadasaheb Khaparde was permitted to return home, and the night Arti in the Chavadi was commenced. The Wada was inhabited on Rama-Navami day, 1911.
3. Booty Wada — built by the Nagpur millionaire Mr. Booty. Baba's body now rests in this wada — it is the Samadhi Mandir. Its site had previously been a garden Baba himself watered and tended.

Verbatim Sai Baba quotes documented in this chapter

1. "Did Vithal Patil come? Did you see Him? He is a very truant fellow, catch Him firmly, otherwise He will escape."
2. "His father was my friend, so I dragged him here. He never offered naivaidya and so he starved Vithal and Me."
3. "It is not necessary to go so long. Our Prayag is here, believe me."
4. "The Dankapuri (Takore) of Takurnath, the Pandhari of Vithal, the Dwarka of Ranchhod (Krishna) is here (Shirdi)."
5. (To the villagers about the neem-tree cellar — through the boy himself) "This is My Guru's place, His holy Watan; guard it well."