Sai Sacharitra - Chapter 7

Sri Sai Bab's coming again to Shirdi with a marriage party, welcomed being address by the word Sai, meeting of Saint with Saints, Baba's attire and daily routine.

Shirdi Sai Baba, Singapore

Sri Sai Baba's coming again to Shirdi with marriage party

Chand Patil was a rich man who lived in the village Dhoop Gaon of Aurangabad (Nizamstate). When he was going to Aurangabad, his mare got lost on the way. he searched for her diligently for two months, but could not find her anywhere.Atlast he returned to Aurangabad with the saddle with him. Then after going for 14 miles he saw a faqir sitting under a mango tree preparing for his smoke, who was wearing a cap on his head, a long robe on his body and having a stick with him. being called by the faqir, Chand patil went to him. Seeing the saddle, the aqir asked what is this saddle for out of despair Chand Patil replied, "what should I say? I had a mare, she is lost and this is here saddle."

The faqir said, "Just search a little around the drain". When Chand Patil went near the drain he was astonished to find his mare gazing there. He thought that the faqir is a "Siddha-Purush" (man with mystic powers). When he returned along with his maree to the faqir by then the smoke pipe was ready, only two things remined - one fire to light tobacco pipe and second water to wet a piece of cloth to hold it with. The faqir thrust his tongs into ground and cameout burning coal to put on the pipe. Then faqir thrust his stick against the ground again and there come forth water flowing out of it. The faqir drenched a piece of cloth in it and held the pipe in his hand holding it with the wet cloth.

So after making preliminary preparation, the faqir smoked his pipe and therafter passed it on to Chand Patil. Chand Patil was greatly astonished by watching this miracle. Chand Patil persuaded the faqir to accompany him to his house and the faqir went along with him and stayed there for sometime. At Patil's house the wedding of the son of his brothe-in-law was about to take place and the marriage party was to go to Shirdi. So Chand Patil arranged everything to go to Shirdi. The faqir too accompanied the marriage party. after the wedding being over without any hassles, the marriage party returned to Dhoopgaon. But the faqir stayed on behind in Shirdi and lived there for his entire life.

Welcomed being addressed with the word Sai

When the marriage party reached Shirdi, it was provided facility of staying in the plot of Mlasapati near the temple of Khandova. The carts were being unfastened in the plot in front of the temple and the people of the marriage party began to alight down from their carriage. seeing the young faqir alighting from his carriage Mlasapati welcomed him by addressing "Come, O Lord! Sai" and present there also welcomed him by addressing the same way. Thereafter he became known and famous by the name Sai.

Meeting of Saint with Saints

Reaching Shirdi, Sri Sai Baba began living in the mosque. There lived a saint for several years named Devidas before Baba's arrival at Shirdi. He was very dear to Baba. Sometimes he used to live with him in Hanuman temple, and sometimes in Chawadi. After sometimes another Saint named Jankidas arrived in Shirdi. Now Baba began spending a lot of time in holding conversation with hi. Jankidas also once in a while came over the place of Sai Baba.

A household Viashya saint Gangagir of Puntambe often used to come to Baba when for the first time he saw Sai bab taking water to irrigate plants in the garden, he was greatly astonished. In clear terms, he began to declare aloud that great is fortune of Shirdi where such a priceless pearl has arrived, whom you see now labouring so hard is not an ordinary person. As a matter of fact, this land is greatly fortunate and sacred, that is why it has got such a priceless pearl. 

Similarly, a famous saint disciple of Akkalkot Maharajcnamed Anandnath(yevel math), who had arrived with some residents of Shirdi, held similar view.

Baba's Living and Daily Routine

 Baba did not get his hair shaved during his young age and he always used to live like sufi Saint. When he used to go to Rahata, he purchased plants of Marigold, Jasmine and Juhi and after cleaning them properly he planted them in good land and irrigated them with water himself. A devotee named Vaman Tatya used to give him daily two clay pots. With those clay pots Baba used to irrigate the plants with water taking it from the well. He would draw the water from the well and after pouring it on the plants in the garden put them under the tree in the evening. As soon as he put the pots there, they would be broken since they were made of raw clay. The next day Tatya would give him two clay pots. This sequence continued for three years and with Baba's great efforts now there stands to day a beautiful garden, where Samadhi-Mandir's palacious buiding is situated at the very place and is adored by teemimg-millions of devotees as sacred place of pilgrimage.