First day in Shirdi – Darshan, Dwarakamai and Dream

Chapter 7

First day in Shirdi – Darshan, Dwarakamai and Dream

The bus reached shirdi early in the morning . As soon as the devotees got down the bus there were 2 men repeatedly marketing to their best

” To take bath in hot water – 25 , Dormitary per day with lock and keys only 250 Rs.”

The best part is – Free drop and pick up from the main samadhi mandhir temple complex.

I walked away from business of bathing towards the temple complex. I took a turn towards the main road and realized the cold sacred air of shirdi getting into me. Sai made me shiver . Ha ha. ” I am in shirdi and walking on the land where my God, My Guru walked.”

Who ever touched the shirdi Soil , his sufferings will come to an end

Many saibaba devotees come to shirdi especially because they believe in the above assurance of sai.I bent down, took a pinch of the holy sand and applied on my forehead . I heared myself saying deeply ‘Saaayeee”.

A sai friend who lives in Shirdi – Lets call him “Shree Guru”

I have a elderly sai friend ,a saintly friend whose name i don’t want to reveal as i don’t want to disturb his simple life. So lets name him”Shree Guru” in this book. Where ever i write “Shree Guru” , it refers to my elderly sai friend who lives in shirdi for over 20 years.

He asked me to directly come in auto to his small out house a room which only has a small wooden cart, a self where he kept few divine books of saibaba and other Gods , a place to keep Sai photos and light lamps with attached toilet and bathroom. This out house also doesnt have a concrete roof and measures less than 10 by 4 feet.

Since he is in his late 50’s and can’t carry much weight this outhouse offers him best comfort as theres this attached bathroom and he don’t have to carry water. Trust me saibaba has given him a place to stay in shirdi which is smaller than varanda of many of our houses and he lives there with satisfaction with a heart to invite a guest ( me ) to his little palace.

I shall write about how hard it is to take bath in cold water in his room in next chapter. Though i reached shirdi early, he asked me to lay down few minutes and then after getting ready and his regular parayan and pooja , we started to walk towards Saibaba’s Samadhi Mandhir.

Bowing to Sun God Surya standing in the corner of Busy Shirdi road:

On the way, i noticed a shop which was closed and the shutter reads ” INTERNET – Email – 40 Rs per hour ” . I don’t have net on my mobile and have to check mails from sai devotees who come to starsai.com . Shree guru said “They started this recently, you can come later “.Probably sai wants me not to get into my Internet Maya so soon.

We had tea made by a friend of Shree Guru in his road side tea shop. The morning sun was shining , Buses, cars, autos , devotees and other people of shirdi walking here and there . The sound from the distant samadhi mandhir set the mood for the divine first day in Shirdi.I can’t stop myself from my usual habit to bow to Sun God surya Deva , Shree Guru waited on the platform untill i finished my prayer . Sometimes i also call him “Sai Surya ”

On the way from his room, there’s a very small

Darshan of Sacred Saibaba Samadhi Mandhir :

How was the Darshan ? If you go shirdi, every one asks this and the usual answer will be “Crowded” . Yes it has to be crowded because who is the saint of Shirdi. Its our Sai. Where there is Sweet , Ants go there”. Where else can the wreched and the miserable go in this entire world other than the samadhi of the greatest saint on earth.

Where else can men, women and children go other than the saint who assures them “I will be active even after my samadhi, My bones will be discussing your welfare ” .

I too had a good peaceful Darshan of saibaba in samadhi mandhir. Trust me, irrespective of crowd and other issues, if we deeply remembering Sai Sai and Sai alone leaving all our needs and desires aside, our samadhi mandhir darshan will be wonderful. Some sai devotees worry that they din’t got a good darshan or that they were not able to attend aarti in samadhi mandhir. Please remember what ever happens in Shirdi, Keep your mind active with Sai thoughts alone.

Dwarakamai in Shirdi and You :

The place where Sai Baba lived all his life in Shirdi. The holy Masjid called Dwarakamai. How can i describe its beauty. Every brick of Dwarakamai are like the cells in the body of Saibaba. The wooden Pillar in dwarakamai are his arms and legs . The Holy Dhuni – The sacred fire which was always burnt by saibaba is where i see the Soul of Saibaba. To me dwarakamai is where sai lives even today and crores of years to come. One is the dwarakamai in Shirdi and other is the Dwarakamai in the heart of Every Sai devotee. Yes there are crores of Dwarakamai moving around this world . Its in you. Deep in you.

There’s a dwarakamai, there’s a place where Sai lives in you. The only Guru who lives inside his devotee. You don’t have to come all the way to shirdi to see his sacred Dwarakamai. Close your eyes and Call him 10 minutes chanting “Sai Sai Sai” . He will show you that dwarakamai exists in you and he lives in you.

First Disappointment in Shirdi :

I shall tell you later how i was disappointed when the old 7 KG laptop i carried all the way from mumbai din’t work. It was over 8 P.M , somewhere in the shops near temple complex, i got a Note book to write .The note book i got in the shop had a photograph of Tea Cups. Hence i was inspired to write that this book is like tea made by sai himself, Tea of Sai leela.

Expecting a Dream from Saibaba to write this book :

The entire first day in shirdi went with out writing a single word for the book i wished to write. I was thinking if saibaba has approved my desire to write book because without saibaba’s assurance and approval we must not start any work.

It was 2.2.2010 , I was very tired , had a tomato oothapam in a small hotel with shree Guru. We reached his little out house . Since there was only one cart , he offered me to sleep over the cart and he himself slept down on the floor. I told him , its ok i shall sleep on the floor but he is always firm . You are my guest . If i make you sleep on floor , then Sai will be angry with me .He added

“Atithi devo bhava – Treat Guests like God ”

I took the note , Opened its first page and wrote

“Today i came shirdi and stayed in Shree Guru’s little out house. I will write this book if Sai comes in dream and Blesses me with his words and voice …. “

Next Chapter

Chapter 8 – Athithi Devo Bhava – Sai baba takes care of his guests in Shirdi

Contents page – Shirdi Sai Baba Book of Love