Satsang At the Feet of Sai Baba

Satsang At the Feet of Sai Baba

At the Feet of Sai Baba
By PURUSHOTHAM R. AVASTHI

We are pleased to publish a portion of the autobiographical sketch of Late
Shri PR. Avasthi, an intimate devotee of Sai Baba. Sri Avasthi was a
spiritually advanced person and had the benefit of being a devotee of our
Master, introduced by Sri M.B. Rage Sahib. Further, the credit of bringing
Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Rege Sahib together goes to Sri P.R. Avasthi –
Editor

It was Christmas holidays of 1914. My friend M.B. Rege took me to Shirdi
along with him to seek the blessings of Sai Baba. During the journey, I was
wondering as to whether I have transgressed the advice of my Guru not to
visit another saint. I was indeed in a repentant mood for having agreed to
go to Shirdi and was beginning to feel that I have been led astray by the
jugglery of the old fakir at Shirdi. I felt that I should overpower his
sorcery by utterance of Shri Ram Nam. Rege called me 'Crazy'.

At Shirdi, we met Sai Baba in the Chavdi. My friend Rege went to him and
prayed to him to rid of my fit of craziness. Baba looked at me and I was
cured of my spell instantly on hearing Baba's melodious and devout tone
'Allah Malik Hai'. I apologized to him mentally to pardon at my defects. I
put my head at his lotus feet. He blessed me by gently touching my head.
Then onwards every creature that I happened to look on our way began to
strike me as Sai Baba. In meeting Sai Baba, my quest for a Sadguru was over
and Sai Baba was everything for me.

We went to the residence of Mother Radhakrishna Ayi. She appeared to me like
the proto-type of my Guru Shanthi Devi. On seeing me Mother Radhakrishna Ayi
narrated a few earlier incidents of my life. I was stunned but still did not
accept her as a substitute for my Guru Shanthi Devi but as her sister.

Even as I was thinking on these lines, Mother Radhakrishna Ayi cried aloud
'I am dying' and fell flat on the ground. I ran up to her and putting her
head on my lap loudly chanted one after the other five mantras based on the
five letters of 'Shiv Panchakshari' which represented the five elements. I
implored the deities to revive her in exchange for all the virtues I had
acquired in 16 years of my spiritual sadhana. Mother Radhakrishna Ayi opened
her eyes and I felt exceedingly grateful to God for this recovery.

I was in Shirdi for four days. Sai Baba passed me through various stages and
phases of His miraculous powers and made me realize as to His being an
avatar. This visit proved to be a turning point in my life as it weeded out
the unholy thoughts about Him as a 'Muslim' and drove me towards Him to took
upon Him not only as my Sadguru but as my God in whose quest I had been so
long hankering after.

It was 'Ekadashi' - the last day of my visit. Sai Baba had returned to the
mosque from Chavadi after the Kakad Arathi. He sent for my friend M.B. Rege
and directed him to take me away. A cart-Tonga was got ready. As we started
to go he came out of the mosque to go on for his morning round and we had
the good fortune to salute him near the village gate and got his blessings
at the time of our departure.

After this visit, I used to go to Shirdi at least twice or thrice a year and
on every occasion I was fortunate to get His darshan and blessings. This
continued for four years or so without a break.

In November 1917, in the early hours Sai Baba manifested in our residence at
Ujjain. I got up from my bed and bowed to Him reverentially. He suddenly
disappeared. At that very moment I heard the familiar voice of Abdul Bhai
calling me by name from the garden. I opened the door and rushed out to find
Abdul Bhai. But I found only a friend of mine plucking flowers who on
enquiry told me that no one else had come and called me by name!

I was wondering about the significance of Sai Baba's visit to our house. On
the third day of this incident, I received a letter from Sri Waman Rao Patil
of Shirdi about the sad demise of Mother Radhakrishna Ayi in the early hours
of the very day Sai Baba had visited our residence.

In May 1918, I visited Shirdi along with my sister and niece. They wanted to
offer 'Naivedya' of pithala to Sai Baba and were preparing it in the very
room that used to be formerly occupied by Mother Radhakrishna Ayi. The fuel
was wet and smoke covered the entire room. Unable to bear the smoke, my
sister thought of Mother Radhakrishna Ayi to come and help in kindling the
fuel. At once they fancied that Mother had come downstairs and helped them
in enkindling the wet fuel and then disappeared. While they felt the
ethereal presence of the Mother amidst them, reality dawned that Mother had
cast off her mortal coil in November 1917 itself. But they were inwardly
happy for having her darshan.

Another incident I recall was in October 1918. At Ujjain, ladies in our
household had inadvertently washed the husked rice grain twice or thrice and
went into the kitchen. Soon they realized the mistake and were at their
wit's end as to what is to be done. By chance, I happened to go there and
when they told me about this, I casually asked them to prepare 'Sakhar Bath'
as Sai Baba liked it (rice mixed with sugar and fried in ghee and a little
quantity of saffron added to it). After we offered 'Naivedya' to Sai Baba
and partook ‘prasad’, we got a letter from Shirdi conveying the saddest news
of Sai Baba's 'Mahasamadhi'. The news was like a bolt from the blue and we
became benumbed and overtaken with grief.

A friend of mine who was there remarked that on such occasions, sweet rice
or Meeta Bath is generally prepared according to Muslim rites and Sai Baba,
in His own inimitable manner had received ‘Naivedya’ through me. What a
coincidence.

Sai Baba is blessing us for ever. I am totally incapable of penning them
adequately. Beyond the bounds of mind lies all comprehensive intelligence.
Beyond the compass of the heart pervades all embracing love infinite. This
great cause of all causes -The one Truth -God The Beloved of our heart, in
us resides He is the sweetest Companion Giver of true solace, peace and joy
Have Him and all your known and unknown Longings are fulfilled.

(Source Saipadananda Magazine October 1994)