Sri Gurudeva Datta Vaibhavam spiritual history with splendour of rare effulgence.

By : Sri Mahabhashyam. Rangacharya.

Round about 1300 A.D. - A brahmin, learned and well versed in sastras,
Sages and Seers Of Datta Guru Parampara in philosophy, by name Appala Raja, lived in Pithapuram, a town on the
east coast, in Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. His wife Sumati was a
Bharat and Bharatiyas have a great common heritage. The heritage of great Sati devoted and chaste, really a Sumati i.e. of good and refined
perfection is called Guru Parampara. The Siddha heritage has Lord disposition. She used to adore her husband with great reverence and
Dattatreya as its pinnacle, being the Guru of Gurus. Understandably, we follow the dictates of her husband meticulously and scrupulously. Sri
never call Brahma, Vishnu, Shankara, Ganesha as Gurudevas. But we call Kshetra Pithapuram is a town (a Railway Station) on the east coast in
Dattatreya as "Sri Guru Deva Datta". Lord Dattatreya is a "Smartugami". Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh. The holy place, Pithapuram,
you "just remember Him. He is there'. He is an ever living incarnation. In abounds in temples of Shiva (Kukkuteswara) and Vishnu (Kuntl
such an illustrious Guru Parampara there have been great sages and seers Madhava) and also famous for Padagaya tank, where Shraddhas are per-
who were all guided by this heritage. Records of most of them are not formed with Pinda Pradana drawing people from all over India.
available. But by the grace of Lord Dattatreya, the life-stories of a few According to the Puranic legend, the demon Gayasura was slained by
Siddhas/Mahatmas, are available. Shri Shripada Shri Vallabha is the one, Lord Vishnu and his mortal remains were strewned all over in a number
who is an incarnation of Datta Himself. of places. Afterwards these places came to be reckoned very holy. They
are now famous Shiro-Gaya, Nabhi Gaya and Padagaya. This Kshetra
Pithapurarn is considered to be as holy as Kashi (Benaras). Skanda
1 . Sri Sripada Shri Vallabha Purana mentions that whosoever performs Shraddha wiih Pinda- dana at
this holy kund of Pada - Gaya where the feet of Gayasura are supposed to
be embedded the Jeevatmas of his forefathers in Pitru-loka get salvation.
We have already This holy place is the birth place of Shree Pada Vallaba. Appalaraja and
seen how the Sumathi were an ideal couple of highest piety and purity. As misfortune
worship of would have it, they had two children both of them handicapped one blind
Dattatreya and the other without legs. So the couple spent most of their time in
developed with the looking after them. Their piety, particularly Sumati's sublime minded
progress of time. service bore fruit one day. It was a Shraddha day of the father of Appala
Right from the Raja. Sumati woke up very early before sunrise as usual and that morning
Puranic age, kings got herself immersed in preparing the food necessities, particularly
like required for the Shraddha Day. At mid-day when the sun was at the apex,
KartaveeryaArjuna Appalaraja left home to fetch Shraddha-bhoktas. Raja implies King not
, Ayu Alarka, only in name but also in disposition and behaviour. Though he had no
Yadu and Puranic worldly wealth, he was rich in piety and righreousness. Sumati just
personalities like finished the preparation of food requirements, when she heard the words
Parasurama, at the door-step "O please give me cooked food". She found a hermit at
Pingala, Prahlada, the door-step with rare splendour of divine effulgence, face, joyful
and later even the beaming brighter than that of the sun-glow, Sumati reverentially bowed
historical down and felt that Lord Dattatreya came in that guise of a hermit.
personalities like
Goraknath and He asked for alms and Sumati without hesitation or a second thought
others, the name of brought the food she prepared for the Shraddha and offered in great
Dattatreya hovered reverence and saluted him again and again. The hermit was extremely
over the pages of pleased and said Oh! mother, ask me for whatever you wish". Sumati in
great ecstasy, prayerfully said "Oh! Lord of Lords, you, all - merciful
have called me mother, let those words come true. I wish to have a son
like you,
universally revered and compassionate to all”. The hermit, who is no
other than Lord Dattatreya said “Be it so” and in a twinkle disappeared.
Sumati stood at the doorstep alone bewildered and overwhelmed with
indescribable joy shedding tears of joy. After inviting, the Bhoktas to
attend the Shraddha ceremony, Appala Raja returned home. He was
surprised to see Sumati standing at the door - steps in a stupefied
condition. After a while recognising her-Raja's return, she told him all
that happened and apologtically said "Oh ! my Lord, I have committed a
great mistake in giving away the Shraddha food to the hermit, who was
just a few minutes before, asking for alms. Please wait for a while I shall
re-cook for the Shraddha". Looking at Sumati, Appala Raja was intensely
moved and said "Oh ! you have been most lucky, you have done no
wrong. To give food to the hungry is the best and greatest of all
donations, My forefathers must have been amply and really satisfied with
this dana of yours. I feel that you have seen Shri Vishnu Himself in the
form of Shri Datta, the incarnate of the Trinity.
Days passed on the Lord himself had entered into the body of Sumati and
her physical demeanour, day by day grew in divine lustre, She was
spending all her time in deep meditation of Sri Datta Prabhu. She could
see all pervading Digambara Datta in her heart and outside as well. She
delivered in the tenth month a divine son. A kind of heavenly delight
filled the home. The whole universe appeared to enjoy the sacred event.
His Jataka was foretold. He was to be a very great (Tapasvi) ascetic. The
child was called Sripada as the emblems of Chakra and Shanka were
found in his feet. The splendour of his body so beautiful, so charming
with divine lustre his parents named him Shree Vallabha. As it is
customary, in his seventh year he was invested with the sacred thread
(Upanayanam). Whatever words Shripada spoke had profound
significance and he was (Eka Santagrahi) able to memorise anything just
by a single reading or on hearing. In very shot time he completed learning
Veda Sastras. His learning, maturity of knowledge, erudition in all Vedas
and scriptures was stupendous. Thus he grew upto his sixteenth year,
when his parents thought of marrying him. Learning the intention of the
parents, Sreepada Sree Vallabha, endearingly told them, "1 am already
married to renunciation".
"1 am an ascentic, I have to be in Nivrithi Marg and so I am not to
marry. " Hearing these words of her son, Sumati remembered the words
of the hermit who blessed her and thought to herself Yes, the hermit told
me of this and it is coming true now". The parents had an affectionate and
kindly look at their son and said "Oh ! hermit son . We are extremely
fortunate to have you with us and it was to be only for a short time of
sixteen years. Whatever is Lord's design it should be carried out. Shripada
Yati embraced his mother who in tears of joy and pure love bathed her
godly son. The mother in anguish pointed towards her two sons, maimed
and blind, and looked appealingly to her son. Lo ! Sripada Sreevallabha
by a mere look at the blind brother blessed him with sight and the legless
brother endowed with legs. The joy of the parents knew no bounds to find
their hitherto, handicapped children, now physically fit and bright. Later
they became very learned too. Sreepada, bade good-bye to his joyful
parents and started on a pilgrimage. He went to Kashi, Badrinath, and
Kedarnath in Himalayas, guiding and imparting Jnana to the Saints. Then
coming down visited all the pilgrim centres on the west coast, reached
Gokarna and finally retired to Kuruvapur, an island in river Krishna. He
was enlightening and giving solace to people wherever he went. His
desire was to dispense happiness to one and all, by freeing them from the
shackles of worldly attachment and disappointments. By his blessings he
made a delinquent, mentally retarded child quite normal and learned like
the child's father (who was a great scholar of Vedas) at the request of the
widow-mother Ambika and benevolently promised to born as her son in
her next Janma.
In another case, one day a Muslim Nawab came to river Krishna in a
ferry boat with his wives for a joyful float.
A washerman who was then washing clothes in the river water seeing the
grandeur of the Nawab, felt utter contempt for his own poverty and
miserable life. At the same moment Sripada Sri Vallabha Yati happened
to come to the river for taking his daily bath as usual. The Yati who could
easily read and understand the mind of the washerman and his mental
anguish said "Oh! washerman, your mind is yearning for a life of luxury.
You will get the same state as that Nawab in your next life." True, the
washerman later was born to the Muslim Nawab of Bidar, enjoyed all the
royal luxuries and also the grace of Sri Nrisimha Saraswati, who was a
reincarnate of Sreepada Sree Vallabha Yati. Sripada Yati fixed a day for
his Samadhi. It was on the twelth day of the dark half of month Ashwin,
of Margasira Constellation on Thursday, saluted mother Ganga and sat
for Samadhi on river-water and disappeared and got merged into
Brahman, wherefrom He came in human form on the earth as Sreepada
Sree Vallabha. Desires always come in the way of liberation and saints
like Sri Sripada Sri Vallabha, have pointed out the ways and process to be
free completely from them. Guru Charitha suggests the probable date of
Sripada Vallabha as 1300 A.D. but it cannot be taken with any
definiteness. In the 13th and 14th centuries, the condition of the country
was in a great flux. It will be interesting to have a glimpse of the
contemporary conditions of the country in general and Maharashtra then,
in particular, the rule of the Mohammedans was not generally very
popular. The Mohammedan rulers tried to attract people towards them by
offers of power and pelf. At this time in the interest of humanity there
was a pressing need of a powerful personality who would not only wean
them away from the prevailing powerful enticements, but to put them on
the right track. Sri Nrisimha Saraswati was such a personality.
2 . Shri Nrisimha Saraswati Swami
Nrisimha Saraswati was
born in a brahmin family at
Karanjananagar in the
Varad district of
Maharastra. His father's
name was Madhav who
belonged to the Vajasaneyi
branch of the Vedas, and
his mother's name was
Amba almost of the same
name Ambika, who got a
boon from Sri Srivallabha
to be born as her son in
next life. In that way
Nrisimha Saraswati, whose
original name was
Saligrama, is supposed to
be the reincarnation of Sri
Sreepada Sree Vallabha.
The boy Nrisimha
Saraswati, strangely till the
time of his sacred thread
ceremony (Upanayana) was
uttering only "OM" and
nothing else. At the time of
the thread-ceremony he
further surprised the people
reciting the sacred hymns
from Vedas. Promising his
parents to return after twenty years, he went away only to fulfil his
lifemission. He came to Benaras and was immersed in practice of Yoga
and penance. It was Sri Krishna Saraswathi an old Sanyasin of high
spiritual attainments, belonging to a venerable order of Sanyasins, gave
diksha. He scrupulously observed the tenets of Sanyasin, observing, never
to stay for more than a couple of days in a particular place, and kept on
moving. Wherever he went, gave boons to many explained the real
meaning behind the external practices prescribed in the scriptures in rela-
tion to mundane and spiritual life. He encouraged the performance of
Yagnas(sacrifices). The Bhasma and Rudraksha wearing were highly
recommended. The grace of God is always there for the good and it does
not discriminate between the rich and the poor.
Nrisimha Saraswati placed Sanyasamarga on a high pedestal and on solid
foundation. Gurucharitra narrates the story. Chandala with Bhasma
obtained from His Guru, who defeated two arrogant and learned brahmins
in discourses and of a Sati whose deceased husband was brought to life
by the grace of Guru Nrisimha Saraswathi. We see during his life time, he
not only stopped many a person changing his religion for the sake of
worldly benefits. He was a poineer in advocating the line of thought put
forward by Dattatreya in this Kali Age, like that of Rama worship by
Tulsidasa, flourished with great force, inspiring many personalities. The
worship of Dattatreya developed considerably with the advent of
Nrisimha Saraswai and inspired many saints particularly, in Maharastra.
Later on and even at the time of Nrisimha Saraswati, the worship of a
Guru, gained prominece. Guru Charitra speaks very highly -about the
glorification of Guru and Guru-Gita as a part of the same. Gradually, thus
the prefix Shri Guru Deva gained popularity before the thought of Sri
Datta Prabhu. From vedic times, it can be gleaned that faith itself formed
a part of reasoning from "Acharya Devo Bhava" mentioned in Taittiriya
Upanishad, we find that Svetaketu, very highly well-versed in all the
scriptures lacked spiritual knowledge, and had to approach a Guru to
obtain it.
It is rightly said that Guru, Vedanta and Iswara the trinity of spiritual
Sadhana is of utmost importance. God's incarnation in Datta and Shri
Guru is one and the same, "God is Trinity is Guru". Nrisimha Saraswati
elevated this principle highly, reminding the sloka "Guru is Brahma,
Vishnu Maheswar and Guru is nothing but really Parabrahman"
Dattatreya is Guru Avatara and later times, invocation”Jai Guru Dev
Datta” became an essential, in the Datta worship. A guru is Brahma
though he has only one face, instead of four of Brahma; he is Vishnu with
two hands instead of four hands and he is Siva with only two eyes,
instead of three eyes of Siva. The grace of Sadguru is the primary
necessity of life. The yati marga initiated by Sree Pada Sree Vallabha
gradually underwent a change into Guru-marga, considering it
synonymous with yati marga, in contrast to Vaidika marga which had a
firm hold, previously.
Nrisimha Saraswathi, with his yogic powers and penance, represented
himself as one who had come, for mankind, to save it from clutches of
narrow mindedness, ignorance, who wrongly considered "body" as god
and "eating" as prayer. Before the advent of Nrisimha Saraswathi, Karma
kanda had its predominance in every religious aspect of a Hindu. There
was high stress on Vratas, Prayaschitta, etc., even though tall talks on
higest highest philosophical doctrines were conspicuous without any
Chitta Suddhi. Behind each and every miracle associated with the name
of Sri Nrisimha Saraswati, one thing was emphasized that the pleasures
and pains of life are inevitable and are of no value but only the real value
lies in attaining the ultimate goal of life, self-realisation, the final
emancipation. The self alone is real and all actions are meant for
purifying mind.
Gradually due to his influence, people's minds got broadened and
difference between different sections of the people were bridged over.
3 . Manika Prabhu (1817 -1865 A.D.)
Manohara Nayaka Harakude, a
Srivatsa gotra, Desastha Brahmin
and Baya Devi of Ladavanti were
the parents of Manik Prabhu, their
illustrious son. Harakude and Baya
Devi were very pious and they did
Parayana of Guru Charitra for over
sixteen years continously with
rigid observance of the rules of
worship indicated in Guru
Charitra. Afterwards Lord
Dattatreya appeared in a dream
gave darshan to Harakude and
Baya Devi and asked them to
choose a boon. Both like Atri and
Anasuya, desired to have a son like
the Lord and nothing else. Thus the
birth of Manika Prabhu came into
existence in the world in the year
1817A.D. From the very childhood Manika Prabhu was known for his
worth in yoga, enrapturing his mother Baya Devi like Yasoda Devi, the
mother of Lord Krishna by his divine nature. When on Thursdays people
flocking together and approaching the child for something or other and
their wishes being fulfilled was an exciting scene. Child Manika Prabhu,
though he never attended a school, learnt many languages like Kanarese,
Urdu, Marathee, Persian, Sanskrit by himself and even acquired
proficiency in them.
Baya Devi was widowed just when Manika Prabhu was ten years old and
so his maternal uncle was his guardian. Manika Prabhu was found
wandering here and there doing things quite contrary to the sacred
traditions of Hindu religion. For instance, once Manika Prabhu was found
putting all his clothes and his chappals on the head of Maruti idol in a
temple. His settlement at Manikanagar is quite interesting. Once a certain
Brahmin family started for Darshana of Manika Prabhu. On their way at
Humnabad there was a temple and there they were resting for the night
without knowing that it was the meeting place of thieves. That night a
batch of dacoits visited the temple as usual and finding the family resting
therein, wanted to loot them. The Brahmin family startled by their
presence began crying out "Hei ! Manika Prabhu, Manika Prabhu" for
helping them out of the great danger they could sense.
Soon a miracle happened and the thieves saw a. great yogi, bedecked with
gorgeous jewellery in front, standing at the threshold of the temple. The
thieves preferred to loot the person with plenty of jewellery over his body
than the humble brahmin family. When the thieves ran after him he
disappeared and they found 'themselves benumbed completely, and
slowly they sneaked out away, lest something more harm should happen
to them. In fact, Manika Prabhu appeared in person there soon after and
made the place his permanent abode. The forest surounding the temple
was cleared and soon a township sprang up. The place became in a little
time, a centre where people saw both renunciation and enjoyment
harmoniously blended. Manika Prabhu never ate the rich food prepared
for the devotees thronged, but always lived on Madhukari food brought
by his disciples, begging from house to house. Some times he went for
alms in that way.
The paradox was people could see a rich beggar with all his royal pomp
was full of simplicity and humility. In him one could see, the effulgence
of a saint with the halo of worldly luxury, completely detached. An
unbroken celibacy even amidst women and wealth was conspicuous in
him strictly avoiding association with ladies in loneliness. He showed to
the world that even ladies with proper direction could attain the highest cherished desires.
knowledge of Atman the Absolute, if the director is careful about his 4 . Swami of Akkalkot
ownself.

He could freely mix with non Hindus, specially Mohammedans, for he Lord Dattatreya is an
evinced equal care and interest in the welfare of one and all. Thus like incarnation of the
Nrisimha Saraswati he influenced both the Hindus and Mohammedans Trinity, the three
alike. The founder of Sikhism has considered Manika Prabhu as "an highest Gods.
incarnation of Dattatreya", while Col.Alkot. of Theosophical Society, Brahma, Vishnu and
Basaveswara the founder of Lingayat sect, gave glorious accounts of Siva. Their Shakti,
Manika Prabhu, as an incarnation born in the world for the good of the Saraswati, Lakshmi
people. His wisdom, catholicity and foresight in handling different kinds and Parvati, being
of people under one banner, is strikingly, significant. In fact his whole highly chaste women
life passed in such activity of longing in a fusion of so called opposites in follow their
faiths and cults. It is (Sakalamata sthapana) universally of religions, his husbands and shower
seeing no conflict between activity (Pravitti) and inaction (nivritti) was their grace
his greatest contribution to the society and mankind. (Anugraha) on the
devotees of their
Manika Prabhu had many contemporaries. Of course the followers and Lords. Thus the
disciples of each saint consider them as different Avataras of Dattatreya. grace of goddess
For instance, Sri Baka Prabhu among Lingayats, Sri Alam Prabhu among Saraswati as regards
Yavanas, Sri Swami of Akkalkot were all illustrious in their own way. knowledge is fully
These saints who were contemporary always considered the worth of one showered upon as
another and never talked of their own greatness. They never cared for soon as a call is
fame. Though, inspite of their dislike for it, it came to them and clung to heard from the Guru
their names even after their departure from the world. They were born for Dattatreya. Thus we
a particular mission and they accomplished it in their own way by giving find that devotees of
things to the needy and enlightenment to those who sought for it. For Lord Dattatreya were blessed by Saraswati and they produced
instance, Manika Prabhu in the task of enhancing the power of Sidhas, monumental works. For instance, Gangadhara Saraswati's Guru Charitra,
helped Hamsaraja Swami in his pursuit of self realisation. Manik Prabhu's Dasopanta's Gitarnava, Niranjana's commentaries, Vasudevananda
connection with Sidhas, like Alam Prabhu, Revana Siddha, Suraja Saraswati's Dattatreya- Mahatmya, inspiring works have been the result
Sadananda was mysteriously startling. of Saraswati's blessings and they contributed considerably to the literature
dealing with the process of liberation (Mumukshutva). In the same way
Manika Prabhu wrote a book called kalpataru which contains the Goddess Lakshmi always remained at hand to bestow inexhaustible
knowledge he desired to impart. Moreover many padas, Artis were mines of wealth for advancement of Bhaktas towards their spiritual goal.
composed by him. The subject of Gopi Krishna's equisitively inter-woven
in many of his padas in great depth. Manika Prabhu took Samadhi at The life of Manika Prabhu is an instance. The same is the case with
Manikanagar in 1865, at the age of 48, the news of which was kept a Goddess Annapurna (Parvathi) in the role of mother of Universe (Uma)
secret at the behest of Manika Prabhu at the time of his taking Samadhi, provides food unlimited by her divine grace without knowing wherefrom
to allow the people gathered for Datta- Jayanthi to celebrate without it comes and how it is managed. The prominence of the three Goddesses
marring their joy which would have been upset if the news of his passing varies according to the needs of time and place. Yet all the three are one
away was made public. Manikanagar has become place of pilagrimage, and the same. Just like the grace of the Goddess of the three principal
where people throng from all parts of country for the fulfilment of their deities, we often come across the characteristic features of one or the
other of three Gods in the lives of these saints. In Sree Pada Sree
Vallabha the Avadhuta aspect, in Nrisimha Saraswati the paramahamsa
aspect, in the Swami of Akkalkot the child-like (Bala) aspect and mad life
(Unmatta), and in Shirdi Sai a peculiar synthesis of all these aspects of
Dattatreya are discernible. Various different accounts evolved out of the
biographical versions about the birth of the Swami Samartha as pro-
nounced by him at several times.
Firstly he told a Pujari of Ganagapur that his name was Nrisimha-bana
and that he was born 450 years ago. Secondly, he told a Parsi gentleman
that he was from Kadalivana moved to various places, Haridwar.
Kedareswara, Pandharpur and finally settled at Akkalkot. Thirdly, he told
a devotee Shri Darve that his caste was a Brahmin of Yajurveda branch
Kasyapa Gotra. Fourthly, he told a wine merchant that himself an
originator having his bed on a leaf of a banyan tree at Dattanagar, and
another time told that he was an outcast (Chamar) and his parents belong
to the caste of Mahar. Just as his statements regarding his name and caste
are varied, his behaviour and daily-life actions happened to be strange
and even at times transcending bounds of decency. But nobody ever
reported that he behaved against the common rules of the society. Every
body in fact respected him as a great saint of unfathomable behaviour and
absolutely unconcerned and unattached attitude to the objects, men or
environment around him.
The life of Swami Samartha was full of miracles and thousands of people
gathered around him solely for fulfilment of their worldly desires, while
none went to him for spiritual progress. Each utterance of the Swami was
regarded to contain some deep secret meaning or reference to a certain
incident of the future. According to Swami Shivananda Saraswati, "These
sages are absolutely free from selfish desires, They simply witted at times
to do good to humanity and every thing came to pass instantaneously". In
this aspect, a saint differs from a juggler who performs magic with a
selfish motive of earning for his livelihood, and moreover, the action
created is an
illusion created by him while in the case of a saint it is distinctly
different. Swami Samartha discriminated between a righteous desire and
an unrighteous one. His refusal of his grace to bless, the revolutionary
design of V.D.Phadke, to the Gaeckwad of Baroda who tried to tempt
him with wealth and position and so many others who approached him
with mundane motives illustrates the sublime consideration with which
he bestowed his anugraham.
His life inspired and led many disciples on the path of liberation.
Nrisimha Bharati of Alandi, Baba Sabnis are some of them. The highly
spiritual life of Samartha was conspicuous in his daily routine. He did
each and every work only when he had a mind to do it. Numerous people
were miraculously cured by the grace of Swami. The medicines he
prescribed varied with the faith of the patient from the juice of a lemon to
a remedy prescribed of putting a hand bitten by a scorpion inside a shoe
for relief. Many a devotee connected with places sacred to Dattatreya
such as Ganagapur, Narsoba Wadi got mysterious calls from their deity to
go to the Swami at Akkalkot for his blessings. By his grace he brought
about a fundamental change in the lives of many (Hridaya Parivartan) by
influencing their minds and hearts to get over their weaknesses and
blemishes. In short Swami emphasised the essentiality of purity of mind.
He had love and compassion for all cretures without any distinction. Such
a personality remarkable both from physical and spiritual aspects, passed
away in April 30, 1878 A.D. The Swami wrote nothing yet his whole life
inspired many works in this school. While residing both at Akkala
(Buddhi) and at kot (Avarna) as a mere witness of both mind and
environment around, he dispelled ignorance and showed a clear way of
envisioning the reality behind and beyond all things.
5 . Samartha Sadguru Sai Baba
In the unbroken line of sages
and saints of Bharat Varsha,
who held aloft the torch of
spirituality in all climes and
ages, the sage of Shirdi,
occupies a very significant
position. He is a very mysterious
personality whom everybody
interprets in his own way but no
interpetation could give a
complete picture of the saint.
This is perhaps the reason why
he is Rama, Krishna, Hanuman,
Sankara, Ganpathi, Dattatreya-
all rolled in one according to the
Samskar and desire of different
devotees. To comprehend the
divine nature of Sainath in its
entirety is a stupendous exercise
in the subtle realm of intuition, experience and realisation. His birth is
shrowded in great mystery for no one knew his parentage nor the place of
his birth. Possibly, the view held by some that he is a "Ayoni Sambhav"
(not born from human womb) be the case, like Lord Dattatreya. Rightly
SaiBaba, a Sampurna Avatar of Lord Dattatreya, has his centre every
where without a limiting circumference anywhere. When he was asked
about his parent-hood, he said "The world is my village, Brahma the
father and Maya the Mother". His effulgent complexion was said to be
strikingly captivating and endearingly charmful. It is said that
particularly, the lustrous golden-hued-body and brilliantly beaming face
were remarkably arresting one's attention and they were considered to be
the significatnt features of a Tapasvi observing the Mahavrat comprising
of Ahimsa, Satya, Astheya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha, Another
distinctive feature was Sai's most brilliant and enchanting eyes beaming
out cascades of love compassion and solace. Lo! just a glance of his was
enough to dispel all baffling doubts and distressing problems.
Significantly, Sai was easily accessible equally to the pauper and the
prince, the illiterate and the learned, the young and the old, the atheist and
the theist. Sai the arch-alchemist could in the crucible of his irresistible
and incissive look and words of divine wisom, transmute the faulty and
the fallen, the base metals into precious ones, using the chemical of his
grace endowed with compassion and love.
The sublime concept of 'Vasudhaika Kutumbam" one world one
humanity has been the cardinal principle of the glorious heritage of
spirtual and social culture of Bharat Varsha all through the millenniums
of the past. In this aspect "Tat-Twam Asi" "Thou Art that" represents the
fundamental identity of macrocosm and microcosm and having the same
natural characterstics, which are in constant dynamic contact with each
other. Sai laid stress on constant faith (Nista) and patience (Saburi) as he
demanded always these "two coins" from his devotees. Performance of
one's own duty and worship of one's own family deity with pure heart had
his appreciation, though at times Sai gave rude shocks to narrow-minded
orthodoxy. Yet he never encouraged nor approved anybody changing his
religion or his traditional mode of worship. This way of handling the two
divine influence over them. His catholicity of outlook, harmonious syn-
thesis of univarsal religion which is as much, Hindu, Muslim, Christian,
Buddhist, Zorasterian, even the monism derived from the 19th and early
20th century scientific and technological development, storming the
intellectual world, is akin to his tenets. Many great Mahatmas from time
to time effected changes in the mode of thinking, worship and ways of
life. As a result of their teachings new traditions, new concepts and per-
ceptions have sprung up. Unfortunately, certain aberrations too have crept
in. But the life -teachings of Sai are singularly free from these defects.
Sai's grace is like the sea-wind, always blowing from the sea, fresh and
envigouration. The Ahimsa aspect of Jainism, the renunciation aspect of
Buddhism, the Dharmic aspect of Lord Rama the Nishkama-Karma
aspect of Lord Krishna, the universal-love aspect of Jesus, the universal-
brotherhood aspect of Islam-all are found harmoniously blended in Sai
Nath's way of life, Strikingly in him, the qualities of an Avadhuta and
Sanyasin the salient features of sufism, of a hazrat, a parvardigar, a
bhikku are easily discernible, Sai is like an oasis in a desert, which
provides cool shelter and a refreshing drink to parched souls treading the
scorching sands of sansaric life. Truely, there can be no better healing
balm than Sai's grace for bleeding hearts badly mauled and wounded in
the battles of life. Sai incessantly emphasised the fundamental oneness of
all religions. Sai never prescribed a particular mode or method of worship
nor initiated with mantra to any one, nor asked to perform any creedal
religious rituals. He wrote nothing though his thoughts and flashy sayings
are divine in nature and prophetic in result. He is rightly considered to
have incarnated in Kali Age as an Avatar of redemption. Even the refuse
and the reprobate looked down by the society readily received his
Anugraha equally with the righteous and the high. There was no
exclusive-ness in His benign concern for the suffering. His grace, was
magnanimously pervasive and captivatingly persuasive. "If any child gets
covered with mud and dust, is it not my duty like a mother to cleanse him
and take him on my lap" typically illustrates the trait of Shri Sai Baba's
mercy and concern for the penitent and defaulter, In all the known
Avatars of the yore. "Sistha Rakshana and Dustha Sikshana" prevailed as
the specific mission of the Avatar. But, singularly Sri Sai, a unique
Avatar of Redemption of Kaliyug, redeemed in his own uninimitable
way, the faulty the perfidy and even the felon by curtailing their innate
tendencies and propensities and effected a complete transformation in the
course of their lives. He considered every one without distinction as his
child and as mother to her children, to correct, protect and enliven, was
his mission. He finished his work left his corporeal body, (which he as-
sumed of his own volition) on Vijaya Dasami, and entered into
Mahasamadhi in 1918 a day which significantly happenened to be
Bhagawan Buddha's Nirvana, Muharam and Dassarah important and
significant to Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists alike. His samadhi at
Shirdi acquired importance next to Tirupathi, the abode of Lord
Venkateswara in the aspect of huge concourse of devotees ever increasing
in number day after day, flocking to Shirdi for solace and fulfilment of
their desires, temporal and spiritual as well. In the words of Swami
Abhedananda, "Sai Baba is the one great ever bright luminary, still
having unparalleled existence, ever shedding his resplendent rays to
illuminate every nook and corner of the world". The significant nature of
Shirdi Sai's manifestation, at once draws our attention to the distinctive
feature of the emergence of numerous temples with Vigraha of Sai
installed and worshipped with usual agamic rites and rituals observed in
the temples of all Hindu pantheon, Vishnu, Siva, Rama, Krishna, etc..
From all over India and abroad devotees are found flocking at Shirdi in
thousands and thousands visiting His Samadhi in the Mandir and
Dwarakamayi where he stayed mostly. Sri Sai is a beacon light, a prophet
not to proselytise but to help, not to concert but to transform, not to
subdue but to elevate, not merely to preach but to live accordingly. His
cosmic message of universal brotherhood and endearing humanism and
love for all beings, is eternal.

"Pranamyam Deena Bandho

Praseeda Mama Rakshaka
Namo, Namo Sai Natha
Sai Baba Saranam Mama".