Guru Purnima in 1860

Sairam friends,

I wish to go back in Time machine when Shirdi Saibaba was a young lad and there were just 2-3 people who realized that he is a great saint and has powers to change one’s life. I am imagining what these 2 people would have done on the holy Guru Purnima.

Many people who doesn’t know about Sai’s real past ask me “How can you worship a human? How is he accepting all this pooja?”

To tell you the truth, Sai was actually worshiped like how we do only after 1895. So that’s the last 25 years in his lifetime in Shirdi. Earlier, Saibaba never allowed anyone to worship him the way we do pooja to Gods and Goddess. There are incidents when Sai would even hit the pooja thali when a devotee would bring it. Later, Sai saw that these innocent devotees are willing to do pooja to him due to their true devotion on him. Saints appreciate devotion more than anything else. Hence, Sai allowed them to worship him.

During Sai’s lifetime, devotees liked to offer a crown over his head but he never allowed it. He used to push it down. So devotees used to hold a crown a inch above his head…he he…Sai knows whats happening but now,he could not do anything but simply smile.

Today, the way we worship Sai in temples and at home is really extreme. Everything is accepted but please leave off your ego and do these pooja etc with true love on Sai.

Before we start our journey back in time, I wish to show you two simple Shirdi Saibaba photos contributed by my Sai friends

Here’s Sampurna’s New Sai Photo

Here’s Saibaba in Nila’s home

 

I am simply trying to imagine on this holy Guru Purnima, what the 2-3 devotees would have done on Guru Purnima of 1860.

Saibaba would have been sitting in Dwarakamai and started early to village outskirts in to the woods for he want to meditate all the day. Lets imagine that Kashiram Shimpi, the tailor in Shirdi walked all the way into the woods and spotted the young Sai doing dhyana. He offered a new Kafni to Saibaba as dakshina and Sai opened his eyes.

Kashiram Shimpi bowed to Sai and asked Baba to wear the new Kafni as its Guru Purnima. Baba said that he is comfortable with the old one and he shall wear the new one some other day.

Kashiram saw Sai’s foot had few thorns and plucked them out. This happens regularly as Sai walks into woods to escape from some rude people who speaks harsh to him. Mean while, the priest of Khandoba temple comes running with Chappati and onions to offer Saibaba. Mahalsapathi brings water in a small pot to wash Sai’s holy feet and sit near him. Sai never utters any word to them but smiles to them.

A little girl in the village who had a dream as if she was offering garland to Saibaba last night, shouts “Sai….” as she was searching him.

Sai asks Kashiram to help the little girl reach him. Kashiram brings the little girl under the Neem tree where these people were sitting.

The girl tells Baba that she made a beautiful garland for Sai as she was blessed with a dream.

Sai takes this garland, plucks a flower and kept it in his pocket. He then said “Offer the garland to Lakshmi Mata on the way home”.

Now, it was none.

Sai took the Chapati bought by Mahalsapathi, ate one of them and asked others to eat the rest as they too would be hungry.

They all partook the Chapati and happily slept in the tree shadow.

Sai again started his meditation with these 3 devotees sleeping deeply.

By 4.30 in the evening, everyone woke up. They were not allowed to sing in praise of Sai. So the girl sang in praise of Lord Ganesha and Goddess Lakshmi.

Sai loves music a lot and he listened to it. He kept his holy palm over everyone’s head and blessed them immensely.

They all came out of the woods thanking Sai for his company on the holy Gurupurnima of 1860.

Hope all of you enjoyed my imaginary time travel friends.

This Guru Purnima, worship Sai with love. If you have time, read below article.

Eight things you can do on Guru Purnima Festival for Sri Shirdi Sai Baba

Sai blessings to all of You,

C.Venkatraman

Little Servant of Shirdi Saibaba

You can write to me at

starsai27@gmail.com