Biography of a Living Legend

A needy person is not essentially poor. Sai says,  it is not based on rich or poor, but on his need. He always advises that wherever you see a needy person, try and help him. 

Whenever natural calamities have struck, Sai has always reached there with help. When Kutch in Gujrat was struck by a disastrous earthquake, the rich over there lost all wealth, properties, belongings, but due to shyness and modesty, would not ask for help or even move out anywhere. When Sai sent a bagful of commodities for them, they had tears in their eyes. Sai, accompanied by His devotees, left Ajmer with a truck full of clothes, foodstufs, vessels, etc. He emptied His room and took out all clothes from it and when someone asked, He replied, “Let the needs of the needy be fulfilled first, this room will again be full by the grace of God!”

After reaching there, He did not leave a single stone unturned as far as service for the needy was concerned. Due to the damage to the pipeline, there was no clean supply of water. Sai immediately organized trucks full of boxes with bisleri water. He saw to it that it reaches every nook and corner of the affected area. Sai also asked the doctors there to, not only use this water for drinking, but also washing hands etc, so that they remain free from any infection and are fit to help the people around. This whole arrangement was and always is under direct supervision of Sai. Even if He is not physically present over there, His attention is always there and practically every hour He calls and speaks to the devotees there to get updates.

Even when Surat was struck by plague, Sai sent loads full of bisleri water there to ensure that all the unwell patients get clean and pure drinking water.

Sai’s planning, execution of such assistance during these calamities is magnanimous, even at such large levels!

It is a well known fact that if someone is unable to find a shelter elsewhere, he will certainly get refuge in Darbar Sahib Halani. Even if the person is dumb and/or deaf, handicapped, a little insane or deranged, they are given shelter and they progress also here in every way! These are things that most of us have often personally witnessed.
Sai says, “Gyani (intelligent) is one who can make an _agyani_ a better person, teach and take work from him! It is nothing great if an intelligent person can work with another intelligent person. Real intelligence is when he is far-sighted and can improvise the other person.”
Sai’s capabilities to handle any person effectively are unmatched! He can take work from any useless or inefficient person. Also, Sai allocates work as per one’s capability. He knows who can lift a load of 50 kgs and the other who can sit on a chair and do table work. Be it any devotee, Sai makes him sharp and competent in his field and also uplifts him in every way by improving his deeds!

During the month of shradh, whatever samagri is put in the pind, at the time of puja, reaches the sky, pataal (place underneath the earth) and water. Our shastras say that what we feed the crow, reaches the sky; for pataal we feed the cow and all the leftovers in the pind are submerged in the sea and consumed by different living creatures there! Crow has been known to be an intelligent bird, cow is a sacred mother and the living creatures in the sea, where nothing much is provided for them, these materials when submerged are consumed by them. This way Sai teaches us to follow the path shown by our shastras.

On the day of umas (no-moon day) , during the shradh period, also the last day of shradh, Sai organises meals for bhrahmins, nyanis (unwed girls) and the poor! Sai does this for about 2500 nyanis and also gifts them some amount. It is said that one nyani is equivalent of 100 brahmins! 

Sai says that disciples, especially those staying abroad, who are not aware about the tithis ie important dates as per Hindu calender e.g. one on which their elders had passed away or even those who are not very affording and cannot organise such meals, on behalf of all such devotees, Sai organises this large scale bhandara. He says that being a father of all my disciples, it is my duty to do this on their behalf!

During the days of shradh, the devotees send kadhi chawal to Darbar Sahib practically everyday and Sai without fail, eats a little from that saying that one who prepares all this with so much devotion and takes the trouble of bringing it here, how can I not accept the same?

In Sep 2009, when Sai’s maternal uncle Dr Mohan passed away in Delhi, Sai could not immediately leave, as it was Satyanarayan that day. Sai said that many devotees visit Darbar Sahib this day and I am duty-bound. After everything got over, Sai left for Delhi, completed the funeral rituals and came back. Four days later, His aunt came to Ajmer, after concluding the Bhog Sahib of Akhand Path kept there. She was very sad and heartbroken. Sai went to their house to console her and the children and give them the strength to bear the loss. Sai said, “All human beings have come alone and will depart alone. He was born alone to his parents like you were born to your parents. This was an in-between union between you both, as destined by the Lord, who is Supreme and has an incredible computer. No one can evade what is destined. The ever powerful Lord’s actions are strange which no one can explain or comprehend. We must always accept and bow in front of His verdict and judgement. Thank Him as He has saved the uncle from any misery or suffering during his last moments. Sitting on his chair, while working and without getting stuck in any attachment, he has gone peacefully. Such an end is rare and mostly very saintly and spiritually advanced souls get this privilege.”
This way Sai explained everything to His aunt and she could slowly slowly muster courage to accept and face the reality. Inspite of being a fully accomplished saint, yet Sai also fulfills His duties towards His personal relations!

During the days of shradh, when as a ritual, brahmins are offered meals in remembrance of close family members who are no more, one lady devotee came for seva to Darbar and told Sai that my son and other children insisted that you go for seva and we shall do the needful. Sai said, “When I myself am so strict about rules and principles, how can I ask you to be here for seva. Your first duty is towards your family, so go home and make the necessary preparations to feed the brahmin and let your children follow this later after you.”
Even those disciples, devotees who come to Darbar everyday, Sai always advises them to first look after their families, as that is their prime duty. Especially when there is any eventuality in any devotee’s house, Sai does not permit them to come to Darbar. Sai says that compassion and compatibility is very essential between family members in order to perform their duties towards each other. If the wife is a devotee of God and the husband is a drunkard, it becomes difficult to fulfill the duties. If the husband is religious minded and wife is extra socializing types and without any devotion towards God, again it creates difficulties. Good feelings are a requisite between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law also and if that is not the case, even good deeds done in the past will be lost because of this.
Sai in this way gives us advise with clarity and assures us that He is always with us even when we are discharging our duties towards our family!

Sai has often said that our deeds (karmas) play a very significant role in our lives. Our duty is to merely perform our deeds and not think of the fruits or results, as that is completely in Lord’s hands! It is our deeds which take us to places and the implications are so complicated that none other, but the Lord alone knows our destiny!
Everything is karma and these are linked to us since many births for which we have to account and pay for! No one can be blamed for this.
Sai always advises that to improvise our karmas, the only thing we need to do is to perform our duties well. Performance of duties alone can save us from the consequences of our bad karmas and uplift us. Sai has always set an example by following this himself! At the time when Sai’s father passed away, as is the practice to bow in front of the brahmin, Sai were the first to get up and bow in front of the maharaj present there, who immediately reacted by saying, “You yourself being such an highly acclaimed saint, why are you bowing in front of me?” Sai said, “Today I bow to you not as a saint but in the capacity of an eldest son of the deceased!”
Such are the highest standards of our Sai in thoughts and practice, as set and followed by Him and a lesson for us!

Sai said once that if someone is affected by the disease of worrying, it will not leave him till the time of his death. He will die worrying! But, if such a person takes refuge under an accomplished saint, he will never leave that saint, provided he has true devotion in his mind. Then he shall not leave the company of that saint till his death. He will live with the support of the saint and with his blessings try to cross over the ocean of life fruitfully!

Giving His views on True Love, Sai once said, “There is nothing like real love today, it is all to fulfill some selfish purposes. Where are the likes of Laila Majnu, Sasui Punnu, Suhini Mehvar or the kind of love they shared amongst each other? In this current scenario, there is no lover of those types!”

Giving His views and advice on how to live, Sai said, don’t do it blindly, live a complete and wholesome life. How to do that, Sai said regularly read Bani, chant His Holy Name, acquire real knowledge and attend Satsang, and be in the company of Saints! Speak well and meditate. Simran and true spiritual meditation can be achieved by being in the company of saints. Happiness and wealth we get as per our karmas, but qualities and character can only be got at a place of worship. What is truth, that, which is within us! But we love lies and deceit, because of which we are unhappy inside. All these ailments and medical issues are mainly due to our mind. That is why we must not pray to God for materialistic and worldly things as they provide temporary and momentary pleasure. If we wish to ask the Lord for something, it should be for the wealth of His Holy Name ( naam). To get naam, we must first become a deserving recipient for it. We have to work hard for it and be fully involved in it’s study. While eating drinking, sitting standing, moving or stationary, we must chant His Holy Name in every breath. It really does not matter then, whether it is Satnam, Shri Ram, Waheguru or any other Name! By chanting His Holy Name regularly, it settles within us so firmly, that even when we turn our side in sleep and pay a little attention, we will realize that His Holy Name is running inside, though we may not be aware about it! This certainly proves one thing that the chant is so perfect that even at the time of death, this chant shall continue!

There is immense importance attached to our last breath and hence all saints give so much importance on chanting,  so that our end is peaceful and our birth fruitful!

Sai advises that those who wish to follow the path of spirituality, should keep away from 3 things, first is kanchan, second kamini and third kirti.
Kanchan means wealth. One should earn enough to run his household comfortably and lead a decent life. It should not happen that you go on accumulating money and towards the end you face serious health problems due to such futile obsession. We should not be blindly after money, but we should have it as per requirement.
Second is Kamini, means another woman. When a man runs after or befriends such a lady, not only he ruins his home, but also it adversely affects his health. That is why not only one should stop even thinking of another woman but also completely remain aloof from such a vice. Such misadventure can even result in other serious problems like it can lead towards the doors of a jail, so one has to take extra precaution of not indulging in it.
The third thing that is a big obstacle is Kirti, which means fame. A person who has a big name and reputation is bound to be maligned and disgraced. He is likely to fall in such a pit where he can never be found again.
When Sai were giving this knowledge, one devotee asked as to how one can save himself from these vices? Sai said that he should attend and involve himself in Satsang, where one can regulate his mind and thoughts towards refinement!
To conclude, kanchan, kamini, kirti are impediments towards spiritual advancement and will not allow a devotee to achieve refinement!