"SHIRDI SAI MOODS"

"SHIRDI SAI MOODS"

This article is selected from Sri Khaparde's Shirdi diary and references from other prominent Shirdi devotees.

In one of the entries of Sri Khaparde's Shirdi diary dated 17/1/1917 he writes "we went to the Chavdi for Kakad Aarti. Megha was too ill to attend. So Bapu Sahib did the Aarti. Sai Baba showed His face and smiled most benignly. It was worth while spending year here to see it even once. I was overjoyed and stood gazing like mad". The feeling expressed here is so strong that it will move any Sai devotee. It is not possible to bring back those days, but one can go through experiences of various Sai devotees who had the good fortune of being in Sai's company during Shirdi days.

One can gather that Sai was very soft spoken. Sri Khaparde writes that Sai Sahib spoke with wonderful sweetness and smile so often with extraordinary sweet grace. 

                                   

When He used to be in good mood He used to sit chatting and laughing. He used to make jokes. Sai devotees are aware of Sai making jokes at the cost of devotees. In Sai Satcharita chapter 24 Sri Dabholkar writes that all people generally like wit and humor, but they do not like that jokes should be cut at their expense. But Sai's method was peculiar. It was very interesting and instructive, and the people, therefore did not mind if they are held up to ridicule. After that he narrates the Chanakya Lila story. He narrates that Sai through His jokes advises us that before the senses, mind intellect enjoy their objects, He should be first remembered and if this be done, it is a way of making an offering to Him. This will help in removing the attachment for them. In the same chapter there is a story of another witty incident involving Anna Chinchanikar and Mausi Bai. In this incident also Sai asks as to what harm or impropriety is there, when a mother is kissed by a child. Probably He put forward that for the spiritual upliftment of all; women are to be seen as mothers.

Most of the time Sai was in a very pleasant mood. In this mood, Sai generally used to narrate some stories. In these stories He used to talk about previous births, or some parables or stories of His wandering. He used to show His grace to the devotees. In one entry dated 6th January 1912 Mr. Khaparde writes "Sai Maharaj was in an exceptionally pleasant mood, made mystic signs to Megha and did what are known as "Drishti Pata" in yoga”. Next day he writes "Sai Maharaj looked exceedingly pleased and gave yogic glances. I passed the whole day in a sort of ecstasy.” On some days His never glanced at anyone.  Mr. Khaparde writes on 13th January 1912 “Sai Maharaj did not say a word today and not even throw the glance He usually does.” On that day Megha died.  Mr. Khaparde writes that it was a sad day. The Kakad Aarti was done, but Sai never threw glances spreading grace.   

        

In pleasant and relaxed mood Sai used to smoke and share His 'Chillum' with His devotees. One will find that not only He used to show His grace through His glances but also through His chillum. In the entry dated 12th January 1912 Mr. Khaparde writes that “Sai was very gracious and repeatedly gave me smoke out of His pipe. It solved many of my doubts and I felt delighted”. In Sai Satcharita Chapter 50 there is mention of Sri Balaram Dhurandhar. During one of his visits to Shirdi, Bala Ram sat near Sai, massaging His legs. Sai who was smoking the chillum advanced it towards him and beckoned him to smoke it. Bala Ram was not accustomed to smoking. Still he accepted the pipe, smoked it with great difficulty and returned it reverentially with a bow. This was the most auspicious moment for Bala Ram. He was suffering from asthma for six years. This smoke completely cured the disease, which never troubled him. Some six years later one particular day, he again got an attack of asthma. This was precisely the time when Sai took Mahasamadhi. Sai used to smoke from others Hukka in a pleasant mood Sri Khaparde writes on 9th December 1911 "Sai Maharaj was in a pleasant mood. I took my Hukka there and Sai Maharaj had a smoke out of it. He looked wonderfully beautiful at Aarti time, but dismissed everyone very soon after it. He said He would come to dine with us”. 

During relaxed hours Sai organized music and dance. He himself also used to sing and dance at some occasions reminding others strongly of what Lord Krishna did in Gokul. How Sai used to bless these singers and dance parties is quite known to Sai devotees from the famous Madrasi Bhajan Mandali story in chapter 29 of Sai Satcharita. Sri Khaparde has mentioned that many persons used to sing Bhajans before Sai. Once he mentioned about one Mr. Gokhle who came from Narsoba's wadi. He was directed to see Narain Maharaj of Kedgaon and Sai Maharaj. He sang very nicely and at night Mr. Khaparde got him to sing a few Bhajans. Sri Bhishma the author of Sai's Artis was a regular singer. There were occasional spiritually developed devotees such as Bramhandandi Bai. As discussed earlier Sai Himself used to sing and dance. In Sai Satcharita also there are mentions of Sai singing the famous Udi song or singing Bhajan for Pandharinath when Nana Sahib Chandorkar's arrival and with his posting orders for Pandharpur. In the entry of 31 December 1912 Sri Khaparde writes Sai was in a very pleased mood, talked pleasantly, danced and sang and reminded me and others very strongly of what Lord Krishna did in Gokul.  One day Khaparde found that Sai Maharaj was sitting in the yard and a man was exhibiting some tricks taught to a monkey. There were also Professional singers and dancers. Later on came Bramhanandi Bai, his companion Salu Bai and Shivanand Shastri. They did the Puja and Bramhanandi Bai whom they call Maiya Sahib sang very beautifully. Sai Sahib ordered the "Sinhasan" to be brought and when all was arranged we stood spell bound. Sai Sahib liked them. (Entry dated 7.2.1912) On 21st February 1912 there is a mention of a dancing woman of Bombay arriving and singing a few songs in the Masjid. She was a pupil of Balkrishna Bua.

Sai’s mood used to change occasionally showing shades of anger. But every time this anger proved to be for the benefit of one or the other devotee. Sri Khaparde records slight change in Sai’s mood in one of the entries dated 11th December 1910. He writes "My son told his friend Mr. Patwardhan that Sai Maharaj accepted or refused fruits in proportion to the devotion with which they were offered. My son tried to tell this to me and wished to do the same to Patwerdhan. This made a little noise and Sai Maharaj looked at me with eyes that blazed and sparkled with anger. He demanded what I said and I replied that I was saying nothing and those children were talking with each other. He looked at my son and Patwardhan and changed the mood immediately.” If Sai was in the poor mood He will not see anybody. Sri Khaparde writes on 10th of December 1911 “I made two attempts to see Sai Maharaj in the afternoon, but He was not in the mood to see anybody. I saw Him in the evening near the Chavdi.” On 27th of December 1911 he writes that in the afternoon many people attempted to go to see Sai Maharaj but He was not inclined to speak and dismissed them soon.

Some time it was very difficult to interpret or understand Sai's behavior. On 26th of December Mr. Khaparde writes "I got up early and attended Kakad Aarti. Sai Maharaj was in rather unusual mood. Sai took his stick and with it tapped the ground round about. By the time He descended the steps of Chavdi He walked twice backward and forward and used violent language.” On 14th of February 1912 it is mentioned in Khaparde’s diary "I got up early, attended the Kakad Aarti and was very much struck by the fact that Sai Baba on leaving the Chavdi made passes with short stick towards the east, north and south. Then Sai proceeded with hard words as usual.” On 3rd January 1912 Sri Khaparde has entered in his diary "Sai was in a very pleased mood and laughed and abused in one and the same breath.” But His entire foul mood used to be for the benefit of mankind as is clear from the entry of 8th January 1912. The entry goes “During the mid day service after the Aarti, Sai Maharaj exhibited sudden and great anger and abused violently. It appears as if plague is likely to reappear here and Sai Maharaj is endeavoring to prevent its reappearance”.

In the entry dated 11th January 1912 Sri Khaparde writes “Sai Baba was angry and threw away the Aarti utensils and the dishes full of fruit brought by His worshipers. He lifted up Ram Maruti who declared afterwards that he felt very happy and as if sent off to higher regions. Sai Maharaj also roughly handled one Bhagya, a villager. Sitaram brought the Aarti items and we finished the Aarti as usual, though in a hurried way. Mahalsapati, showed the great presence of mind and prevented confusion by directing that Aarti should be finished when it had started. He did not know when Sai Baba moved out of his usual place. Before finishing Sai Baba resumed His seat and all went much as usual except that Udi was distributed wholesale and not individually, He was not really angry of course and did the whole thing as a Lila". In 6th chapter of Sai Satcharita also there is mention of Sai's strange behavior during repairs of the Masjid.

In 1911 Sai’s Devotee tried to renovate the Masjid. At great expense, they got iron-posts, and pillars and trusses and started the work. At night, all the devotees worked hard and fixed the post; but Sai when He returned from Chavdi next morning, uprooted them all and threw them out. Once it so happened that Sai got very excited, caught a pole with one hand, and began to shake and uproot it, and with the other hand caught the neck of Tatya Patil. He took by force Tatya's Pheta, struck a match set it on fire and threw it in a pit. At that time, Sai's eyes flashed like burning embers. None dared to look at him. All got terribly frightened. Sai took out a rupee from his pocket and threw it there, as if it were an offering on an auspicious occasion. Tatya also was much frightened. None knew what was going to happen to Tatya, and none dared to interfere. Bhagoji Shinde, the leper devotee of Sai, made a little boldly advance, but he was pushed out by Sai. Madhavrao was also similarly treated, he being pelted with brick-pieces. So all those, who went to intercede, were similarly dealt with. But after some time, Sai's anger cooled down. He sent for a shopkeeper, got from him an embroidered Pheta and Himself tied it on Tatya's head, as if he was being given a special honor. All the people were wonder struck to see this strange behavior of Sai. They were at a loss to know what enraged Sai so suddenly and what let Him to assault Tatya Patil, and why His anger cooled down, the next moment. Sai sometimes was very calm, quiet and talked sweet things with love but soon after, with or without any small pretext, used to get enraged.

Sai knows best and Sai does best.

Om Sairam