SHRI SAI SATCHARITRA


SHRI SAI SATCHARITRA

THE WONDERFUL LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF SHRI SAI BABA

SHRI SAI SATCHARITRA

Chapter I

Salutations -- The Story of Grinding Wheat and Its  Philosophical  Importance.

Shri sai satcharitra starts with salutations. According to the ancient and respected custom of India, Hemadpant begins the work, Sai Satcharitra (the wonderful deeds of Satguru, God), with various salutations.

First, he bends to the God Ganesha to remove all obstacles, make the work a success and says that Sai baba is the God Ganesha.
After, he pray Goddess Saraswati to inspire him to write out the work, says that Sainath Maharaj is Goddess Saraswati and that He is Himself singing His own life.
He prays the Brahma, Vishnu and Shankar - the Creating, Protecting and Demolishing Gods. he says that Shirdi Sainath is one with them and He as the great Satguru, will carry us across the River of Worldly Existence.
Then, to his tutelary God Narayan Adinath who manifested himself in Konkan - the land get back by Parashurama, (Lord Rama) from the sea; and to the Adi (Original) Purusha of his (writer’s) family.
Then, to the Bharadwaja Muni, into whose gotra (clan) he was born.
After he pray to various Rishis, Yagyavalakya, Bhrigu, Parashara, Narad, Vedavyasa, Sanak, Sanandan, Sanatkumar, Shuka. Shounak, Vishwamitra, Vasistha, Valmiki, Vamadeva, Jaimini, Vaishampayan, Nava Yogindra etc, and also modern Saints such as Nivritti, Jnanadev, Sopan, Muktabai, Janardan, Ekanath, Namdev, Tukaram, Kanha, and Narahari etc.
Then, to his grandfather Sadashiv, father Raghunath, his mother, who left him in his childhood, to his aunt, who brought him up, and to his loving elder brother.
Then, to the readers and prays them to give their whole and complete attention to his work.
Lastly, to his Guru Shri Sainath - an Incarnation of Shri Dattatreya, Who is his sole Refuge and Who will make him realize that Brahman is the Reality and the world a daydream; and incidentally, to all the Beings in whom the Lord God dwells.
After describing in brief the various modes of devotion according to Parashara, Vyasa and Shandilya etc., the author goes on to narrate the following story:
"It was sometime after 1910 A.D. that I went, one fine morning, to the Masjid in Shirdi for getting a darshan of Sai Baba. I was wondered to see the following fact. After washing His mouth and face, Sai Baba began to make preparations for grinding wheat. He spread a sack on the floor; and thereon set a hand-mill. He took some quantity of wheat in a winnowing fan, and then drawing up the sleeves of His Kafni (robe); and taking hold of the peg of the hand-mill, started grinding the wheat by putting a few handfuls of wheat in the upper opening of the mill and rotated it. I thought ‘what business Baba had with the grinding of wheat, when He possessed nothing and stored nothing, and as He lived on alms!’ Some people who had come there thought likewise, but none had the courage to ask baba what He was doing. Immediately, this news of Baba's grinding wheat spread into the village, and at once men and women ran to the Masjid and gathered there to see Baba's act.
Four bold women, from the crowd, forced their way up and pushing Baba aside, took forcibly the peg or handle into their hands, and, singing Baba's Leelas, started grinding. At first Baba was angry, but on seeing the women's love and devotion, He was much pleased and began to smile. While they were grinding, they began to think that Baba had no house, no property, no children, none to look after, and He lived on alms, He did not require any wheat-flour for making bread or roti, what will He do with this big quantity of flour? Perhaps as Baba is very kind, He will distribute the flour amongst us. Thinking in this way while singing, they finished the grinding and after putting the hand-mill aside, they divided the flour into four portions and began to remove them one per head.
Baba, Who was calm and quiet up till now, got wild and started abusing them saying, "Ladies, are you gone mad? Whose father's property are you looting away? Have I borrowed any wheat from you, so that you can safely take the flour? Now please do this. Take the flour and throw it on the village border limits." On hearing this, the women felt abashed and whispering amongst them, went away to the outskirts of the village and spread the flour as directed by Baba.
I asked the Shirdi people - "What was this that Baba did?" They replied that as the Cholera Epidemic was spreading in the village and this was Baba's remedy against the same; it was not wheat that was ground but the Cholera itself was ground to pieces and pushed out of the village. From this time onward, the Cholera Epidemic subsided and the people of the village were happy. I was much pleased to know all this; but at the same time my curiosity was also aroused. I began to ask myself - What earthly connection was there between wheat flour and Cholera? What was the casual relation between the two? And  how to resolve them? The incident seems to be mysterious. I should write something on this and sing to my heart's content Baba's sweet Leelas. Thinking in this way about this Leela, my heart was filled with joy and I was thus inspired to write Baba's Life - The Satcharita.
And as we know, with Baba's grace and blessing this work was successfully accomplished.
Philosophical Significance of Grinding
Sai Baba lived in Shirdi for about 60 years and during this long period; He did the business of grinding almost every day - not, however, the wheat alone; but the sins, the mental and physical afflictions and the miseries of His countless devotees. The two stones of His mill consisted of Karma and Bhakti. The handle with which Baba worked the mill consisted of Jnana. It was the firm belief of Baba that Knowledge or Self-realization is not possible, unless there is the prior act of grinding of all our impulses, desires, sins; and of the three gunas, viz. Sattva, Raja and Tama; and the Ahamkara, which is so subtle and therefore so difficult to be got rid of.
This reminds us of a similar story of Kabir who is weeping, seeing a woman grinding corn. His Guru, Nipathiranjana asked why you are weeping. Kabir said "I am weeping because I feel the misery of being crushed in this wheel of worldly existence like the corn in the hand-mill." Nipathiranjana replied, "Do not be afraid; hold fast to the handle of knowledge of this mill, as I do, and do not wander far away from the same but turn inward to the Center, and you are sure to be saved."


Shri sai satcharitra First Chater completed

Sainatharpana Masthu (Dedicated Saibaba)
Subham Bhavathu
Shri Dabholkar (Hemadpant)

Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all

Shri Dabholkar     = Writer of Shri Sai Satcharitra

Sai Satcharitra     = Wonderful stories of Satguru Saibaba

God Ganesha       =  Hindu God

Goddess Saraswati = Hindu God

Hemadpant           =  Writer of Shri Sai Satcharitra

Brahma                  = Hindu God of Creation

 Vishnu                 = Hindu God of Protection

 Shankar               = Hindu God of Demolion

Narayan Adinath =  Hindu God

Konkan                 = Konkan is a rugged section of the western coastline of India

Parashurama        =  Hindu God, Lord Rama

Adi (Original) Purusha = First person

Bharadwaja Muni = Indian saint

Brahman               =       The person who relealise his soul

Masjid                  =        Muslim prayer place

Shirdi                   =       The holy land , near Mumbai, India

Darshan                =       Watching of God or Guru with devotion

Leelas                   =       Wonderful deeds of Satguru, God

Karma                  =       Result of  previous actions

Bhakti                   =      Love towads God

Jnana.                  =     True knowledge

Ahamkara             =     Self ego

Kabir                    =     Great saint of India

Nipathiranjana      =    Kabir’s  Guru.

Shri Dattatreya         =     First Guru of whole Universe


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