“SAI’S ADVICE ON CONDUCT IN LIFE”

Baba in chapters 10 and 15 of Sri Sai Satcharita had said that He is
servant of His devotees .HE also said that could be found in
everybody’s hearts. Before proceeding to the actual topic, I request
you to accept my pranams.

I would like to place before you the message that has attracted me the
most, when I was reading Satcharita for the first time.

“Life is like a white paper. If you write good words, people will hold
it in high esteem and give respect. On the other hand, if bad words
are written, they will tear it off and drop it in the nearest
dustbin”.

The best living example is Sri Sai Satcharita itself. Let us go
through chapter 2 of Sri Sai Satcharita. Anna Sahib Dhabolkar wanted
to write Sri Sai Satcharita. Baba said to Shyama-

“He should shed his inner ego and place it at my feet”.

In this way Baba nipped ego from Anna Saheb in the budding stage
itself. Anna Saheb followed the instruction in spirit of the words and
thereafter commenced writing Sri Sai Satcharita which today is
reaching millions and millions of Baba’s devotees. During the writing
stage, Anna saheb was nicknamed as Hemadripanth by Baba. All those
engrossed in regular ‘parayana’ of the Sri Sai Satcharita in their
daily life are getting immensely benefited.

“After climbing few steps on the spiritual ladder, one should learn to
remain there and should neither fall down nor descend”.

This we can see in
In chapter 21 of Sri Sai Satcharita, Baba said to V.H.Takur- “The road
is not that easy as told by Appa. It is not as simple as a buffalo
ride in the valleys of Naneghat. The terrain is difficult one. So also
the spiritual path is a difficult one to follow; Efforts and
concentration are therefore required to be made in the right
direction”.


“In case your life partner pre-deceases, do not repent, switch over to
spiritual life. Spend the remaining portion of the life in chanting
God’s name”.

We can come across this message as we read about Bapu saheb jog and
Khaparde couple.. Bapu saheb jog switched over to saffron clothes
whereas Khaparde spent rest of life in Baba’s service, after demise of
their wives.

“It will be worthwhile to live down in the cool valleys and stay by
the side of calm riverbeds rather than remaining at peaks of life
surrounded by all difficulties.”

We can come across this piece of advice by Baba to one of His
devotees, Tatya Saheb Noolkar; a sub-judge from Pandaripur. Noolkar
delivered land mark judgment that temple ownership has no rights on
the dakshina to the priests from Aaratis. He invited lot of opposition
from the temple management, which in those days was a powerful lobby.
Ultimately He had resigned from his position, unable to withstand the
pressures and mental torture and finally decided to stay in Shirdi.
When Noolkar passed away Baba said-“Tatya has left before us, there is
no rebirth for him”.

“Life need not be a big river, it could as well be a small stream, but
even that has to ultimately merge in the sea”.

We co-relate this message with the life of Meghashyam an ardent
devotee of Baba. He was poor and uneducated, but dedicated his entire
life in service of Baba. He died at a very young age. When Megha
passed away, Baba said-“He is my true devotee.” Baba stood by and
participated in the last rites of Megha.

“Life should grow like a tall coconut tree and be useful to society
instead of remaining like a wild useless growth.

We can co-relate this message with the life of Bapu Saheb Booti, a
millionaire in service of Baba. Booti put Baba’s order into practice
by constructing Samadhi mandir with his wealth and grew tall in
stature like a coconut tree. He continues to be useful to millions
and millions of Baba’s devotees and remembered for ever for the great
services rendered.


“Life is like a train travel, your wife and children are like your
co-passengers. They may not like to travel further, the moment you
have changed over to spiritualism.”

This we can infer from the life of Tatya saheb Noolkar, Sub-Judge of
Pandaripur. His wife and children preferred not to go with him to
Shirdi after he has chosen to dedicate his remaining part of his life
in service of Baba. Once Noolkar was going through bad health. Baba
assigned his childhood friend to take care of him in Satewada. Just a
day before Noolkar’s death, his eldest son came from Bombay and
offered ‘Baba’s padha theertha’ to Tatya Saheb Noolkar. He then
breathed his last and Baba blessed Noolkar .Baba said, Noolkar has no
rebirth.

“It is essential to explore God, but it need not necessarily begin
early in life. It could as well start at the middle age."

Kaka sahib Dikshit was a Bar-at-Law in England. He came to Bombay and
practiced there.. Later he visited Shirdi during the year 1909 and
finally became a true devotee of Baba. Anna saheb Dhabolkar came to
Shirdi in the year 1910 and made a beginning to write Sri Sai
Satcharita. With blessings of Baba He became popular as Hemadripanth.
Khaparde, a Lawyer from Amaravathi came to Shirdi in his middle age
and became a true devotee of Baba.

“Life is like a seven storied building. Stay in the seventh storey
having seven doors and be nearer to God”.

Let us refer to chapter 14 of Sri Sai Satcharita. Here the first six
storeys are symbolic with the Six Arishadvarghas- Kama, Krodha, Lobha,
Moha, Madha, and Mascharyas. Here devotee is advised to be above them
and live in the seventh storey from where the gap with God would be
least. The seventh storey is the head in the human body which is at
the highest level and has seven openings. The seven openings are the
two eyes, two nostrils, two ears and one mouth, which all happens to
be the sensory organs of the human body.


“Do not get addicted to alcohol as an excuse to overcome difficulties.
Do not fast to please God”.

We can relate this message to an incident in chapter18 of Sri Sai
Satcharita. Baba appeared to one of His devotees addicted to alcohol
in his dream and did not leave him till he promised that he would not
to drink again. In chapter 32 of Sri Sai Satcharita, Baba said to one
of His female devotee Radhabai, not to fast in the name of God.

Only Sadhguru can remove the unwanted growth of weeds of ignorance,
from the crop called wisdom. Efforts have to be put in, by the devote
himself to sustain healthy growth from there onwards.

We can relate this to the conversation Baba had with Nana saheb
chandorkar in the chapter 39 of Sri Sai Satcharita.” Guru shall teach
to recognize ignorance”. It was difficult to understand the meaning of
the words. Baba explained in detail. Removal of Ajnana is to educate
about Jnana and removal of ignorance itself is acquiring wisdom”.

When looking for children, do not grieve on the birth of a female
child. Baba advised to bring her up like any other child, educate her
and perform Kanyadhaan.

We can relate this to an incident in the chapter-47 of Sri Sai
Satcharita. The rich man was born as Veera bhadrappa in a poor
Brahmin’s family. The rich man’s wife was born as priest’s only
daughter, named Gouri. On the advice of Baba, the priest had
performed Kanyadhan of his only daughter with Veera bhadrapa.

“In the last moments, do not grieve over the absence of your children
by your side. Keep extending love to the kid in your neighbourhood,
maybe he would offer the holy water in your last moments”.

We can know this fact from Kaka saheb Dixie’s demise. Hemadripanth
offered water to Dixt in his last moments. Bade Baba offered to
Vijayanad, a sanyasi from Madras. Megha was a bachelor and devotees
from Shirdi offered him a sip of water before his death. Nimonkar an
ardent devotee of Baba, offered holy water to Baba in His last moments
before attaining Mahasamadhi.

Sai Nathay Arpanasthu,
In the Hole Feet Of My Sadguru
Sai Nath.