Month: February 2021

Once during the Pushkar Mela, one visitor who was quite impressed looking at the grand seva and the sevadharis, came and told Sai that next year, please write to us and call us also for this seva. Sai said, “I do not write or call anyone, they all come on their own because of their love and devotion!”
One devotee later came and asked Sai, how could this person ask you to write to him and call him for seva?
Sai, without blaming him, said, “It is not his fault as many Saints do write and call their devotees for seva this way!”

Sai says that Narad Muni always comes during the Pushkar Mela and our devotees have experienced this. Every year arrangements for free food (bhandara) are made on a large scale and no visitor goes hungry. Even tea is distributed from 4 am onwards. Food is cooked for nearly 15,000 visitors daily and for this hundreds of devotees come for seva, not only locally but from throughout the country!
During the Mela vegetables are ordered in thousands of kilos and the devotees are eveready for service. Sai himself is fully involved and keeps an eye on every activity! Many times He comes and teaches the way to cut vegetables correctly! When food is distributed to the visitors, He teaches how the serving spoon should not touch the plate used for eating. His eyes rotate everywhere, whether it is cutting, cooking, distributing, loading, storing, etc.
It is a sight to see to realise that without His divine blessing and strength, it would be impossible for about 200 devotees to make about 20,000 chappatis each day for 5 days continuously in about 7 to 8 hours! At that point of time it seems that the Lord of the Universe has Himself descended on earth here and is amidst us to guide us through this grand happening!
While passing through every department, Sai always encourages and makes everyone laugh with His unique way of narrating different incidents, thereby removing any feeling of tiredness and making everyone feel fresh and happy! The devotees too confess that not only they do not feel tired, but even if they had any pain or ailment, it vanishes by participating in this seva!

Once when Sai was traveling from Gaya to Patna, He thought that if I call for an AC car, I will have to wait and it is time for the passenger train to come. So He bought the ticket, boarded the train, got a window seat where He went and sat down. Where a regular train would have taken only 2 hours, this being a passenger one was to take 6 hours. It is certainly not easy or comfortable to travel this way. But, Sai were amused and narrated that not only the passengers around were of a very poor class, but also there were cows, bullocks and other animals traveling. People  were smoking bidis, chewing tobacco and spitting; the cows and bullocks too were excreting there itself! Sai was narrating all this with a smile and saying that He was looking all around and enjoying the whole scene! The way the sight was, it was difficult to know whether the train was moving at all!

What is surprising is that in-spite of being in such an eminent position, Sri Mahant of Darbar Sahib Halani, He sat there as one of them and enjoyed the whole journey! On being asked as to why He did not hire an Innova car and travelled comfortably, Sai humbly replied, “I love to go through these situations to know the circumstances through which a common man is passing!”

Once when Sai had to travel from Alwar to Delhi, He stopped a taxi and inquired about the fare from the driver. From what the driver answered, Sai understood that he wants to cheat Him by charging excess fare. In the meanwhile, Sai happened to see a ST bus coming in His direction. Quietly He boarded the bus and sat down. On reaching Delhi, He was asked as to why He travelled by bus, as He could have taken another taxi and come comfortably.
Sai said, “When I can travel in Rs 50, why should I spend Rs 800 for the same. Also, by traveling this way, I get to know the experiences of so many other people with whom I am traveling!”
Magnanimity amidst humility!!!

After Dadi passed away in May 2003, the rooms upstairs in new block were completely demolished and new were constructed. On insistence of some devotees, Sai reconstructed His room too, with new A.C. and attached bathroom. But, soon Sai had to shift to a room downstairs, due an injury in His leg.
For this room too, the devotees again pointed out that the A.C. is old, room and the bed are small, making it difficult to even turn on it, the TV too is old, papers and clothes are are also lying out. Really speaking, you should be having the best of facilities. As He is, a complete picture of simplicity and humility, He smiled and said, agreed the bed is small, so I get up to change my side and so mattress too remains straight, the A.C. is old but is working fine, in fact I feel cold if it is on full, if the room is small, cleaning it is easier and as all the papers, laptop etc are out, it is easier for me to locate and pick it up. The moment I lie down, I go off to sleep!
When requested to repair the bathroom, which is very small, He replied that the municipal authorities have said, they will be putting a new pipeline shortly, so once that is done, I shall get all the bathrooms repaired, why unnecessarily spend so much now on my bathroom! He agreed that since many years nothing has been changed in the bathroom, but it is well maintained. After bathing, I put the towel down to keep it dry.
He does not approve of any wastage or unnecessary spending. He says, I may spend any amount on the right thing, but will do it in limits and without wastage.
This is how our Sai is, very simple, humble, not willing to spend anything for His comforts or luxury! What status, but what simplicity!