Sai Baba of Shirdi: Creator, Sustainer, and Destroyer of Universes
Revered by thousands of Hindu, Muslim, Christian, and Zoroastrian devotees, Shirdi Sai Baba was known to be an Indian saint, Satguru, fakir (vowed to poverty and devoted to God), and spiritual master.
The translation of Sai Baba’s name speaks directly to how people saw him. Sai means “Sufi Saint” and Baba means “Father.”
Baba did not support the hierarchical caste system or the notion that one religion was more significant than another. Throughout his life, he gently wove elements of Christianity, Hinduism, and Islam into his unique version of Vedantic teachings.
While Sai Baba’s birth year was not recorded, it is assumed he was born near the year 1838. He passed from this life in samadhi in 1918. Baba often lived in a Mosque, and his physical body was cremated in a temple.
Many believe Sai Baba of Shirdi to be the embodiment of Saguna Brahma, which refers to an eternal, absolute and immanent divine presence. Many also believe Sai Baba is the embodiment of the supreme God and Sri Dattatreya, one of the consecrated avatar-lords of Yoga in Hinduism.
Baba was most likely born to Brahmin parents within a few hundred miles of Shirdi, Maharashtra, India. Some have reported that he came from the village of Pathri. When he arrived in Shirdi, at the age of 16, where he led an ascetic life, Baba began meditating under a neem tree and teaching local villagers.
Baba left Shirdi for some time and was thought to have traveled throughout the country meeting with other saints, fakirs, and gurus.
“Do not be misled by what you see around you, or be influenced by what you see. You live in a world which is a playground of illusion, full of false paths, false values, and false ideals. But you are not part of that world.”
— Shirdi Sai Baba
The Teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba
While most of the local villagers saw Sai Baba as a beautiful and humble saint, a few considered him to be evil and would throw stones at him. Regardless, he remained in a state of profound peace and showered his followers with love, respect, and kindness.
When living at the Mosque, Baba would tend the sacred fire (dhuni) and would give out the ashes to his devotees. Baba’s holy ash was reported to have produced many healings and miracles.
Sai Baba’s teachings were based in the three Hindu paths, Bhakti, Jnana and Karma Yoga. He believed one God to govern all. He was occasionally heard chanting, “Allah Malik” or God is King.
Like many Satgurus, Shirdi Sai Baba focused on the importance of self-realization, while continually warning of the trappings found when we love things in the material world. Baba taught about love and forgiveness, charity, selfless service, inner peace, and how to maintain an un-shattered devotion to God.
Sai Baba of Shirdi was particularly adamant about the importance of surrendering to your guru or Satguru. He taught that having a living master helps initiates release their attachments to their self-identities and move closer to God-consciousness.
Sai Baba of Shirdi would often share ideas that seemed to be akin to a spiritual form of physics. He would say, “To every one of us there must come a time when the whole universe will be found to have been a dream when we find the soul is infinitely better than its surroundings. It is only a question of time, and time is nothing in the infinite.”
Baba taught two fundamental principles over and over again, Shraddha and Saburi. The Sanskrit word “Shraddha” means to have love, respect, and faith in the divine. Baba taught that Shraddha would take devotees far beyond intellectual intelligence and a rationalized reality. He taught that Saburi, meaning “patience and firmness,” is a vital part of achieving self-realization.
In all things, Baba taught us that our spiritual paths would be less burdened if we protected the purity of our souls, minds, and hearts.
Sai Baba of Shirdi Quotes
“What is new in the world? Nothing. What is old in the world? Nothing. Everything has always been and will always be.”
“Man is lost and is wandering in a jungle where real values have no meaning. Real values can have meaning to man only when he steps on to the spiritual path, a path where negative emotions have no use.”
“College education gives you the chance to earn money and live thereupon. But, unless it destroys certain illusions that are nourished by the common level of mankind, your lives will not be happy.”
“Look out into the universe and contemplate the glory of God. Observe the stars, millions of them, twinkling in the night sky, all with a message of unity, part of the very nature of God.”
“Why fear when I am here?”
“The end of knowledge is wisdom. The end of culture is perfection. The end of wisdom is freedom. The end of education is character. And character consists of eagerness to renounce one’s selfish greed.”
“I am formless and everywhere. I am in everything and beyond. I fill all space.”
“I will not allow my devotees to come to harm. If a devotee is about to fall, I stretch out my hands to support him or her. I think of my people day and night. I say their names over and over. I look on all with an equal eye.”
“I cannot do anything without God’s permission.”
The Other Sai: Sathya Sai Baba
More recently, Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian guru who lived from 1926 to 2011, was a revered spiritual teacher who claimed to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi.
Both devotees and non-devotees reported Sathya Sai Baba’s ability to materialize jewelry, heal the sick, and appear in multiple locations at the same point in time. These public displays of spiritual magic elevated his fame while also producing controversy.
Throughout his 84 years, Sathya Sai Baba established a network of free hospitals, clinics, ashrams, and schools, and was committed to funding clean water projects in a long list of cities throughout India. There are over 1200 Sai Centres in 126 countries.
Over 500,000 people attended Sathya Sai Baba’s state funeral, including the President, Prime Minister and other famous dignitaries. Among thousands of others, the Dalai Lama offered his sincerest condolences.
“Love All, Serve All. Help Ever, Hurt Never.”
— Sathya Sai Baba
This article is part of a series on saints and gurus — for more click here.
About the Author
Dharma: 11 Steps to Find Your Spiritual Life Path
The meaning of life has been the query of humanity since ancient times. And still today we are no closer to knowing how to find our spiritual calling than they were! Our God Self holds the blue print and when we can be in alignment with our quiet center, it reveals itself to us. When you go beyond the outer quest for success and comfort and dive into the cavernous spaces within, you will find surest answers. The simplest answer to “why am I here” is:
You are a being of light, sent here to reincarnate until you merge with the vibrations of love and forgiveness that are the true nature of the universe.
Your life purpose – your dharma – is to walk this path as only you can. Finding your spiritual path is a life quest and not a weekend workshop. It requires honesty, integrity and a commitment to unearthing all that distracts you from Spirit.
Daunting, yes. And how the heck am I supposed to do that? The blessings are myriad for once you find your dharma, bliss follows on its heels ensuring devotion and fulfillment.
According to the Chopra Center, “When you live in the harmonious flow of dharma, the entire field of pure potentiality opens to you. You’re able to create as much happiness and wealth as you want because you’re aligned with the domain of spirit, the unlimited source of all manifestation.”
The Law of Dharma
The Chopra Center illuminates The Law of Dharma. According to their teaching, it consists of three steps needed to align with spirit and effortlessly fulfill your life purpose.
Seek Your Higher Self
Once this decision is made to reunite and embody your God Self, the universe will conspire to help you. Even though we may not know how to find this sense of self, the prayer or request alone will draw this divine aspect closer to us.
Our essential nature is spiritual and it is the design that we all fulfill this unique expression and purpose.
Find your Unique Talent or Gift
If you can’t readily identify your uniqueness, look back to what you love. What conversations or activities excite you most? What are you better at than anyone else? When we work in these places of our brilliance, time disappears as we become completely one with the creation.
Your passions are your purpose and you’ll discover they weave throughout your life.
Contribute to the World
Inherent in our dharma is a unique gift that serves humanity. Finding your true purpose innately invites the expression of your purpose. It is these skills which nurture you and the world. To save this life energy only for ourselves would burn us up from the inside out. It is this emblazoned dharma which is to be shared that sustains our vital qi energy.
Matt Kahn offers his own lesson on this in his video Serving the Cosmic Heart: Each day is an opportunity to be a being of light in service to the enlightenment of the planet. When we seek only to be of service rather than fulfilling our own agenda, everything will come to us naturally.
Your gifts are not only yours but they are an intricate design within the global blueprint. We need you to fulfill your dharma. It feels good to fulfill your dharma: it is your very reason for being.
The natural result is that you have more joy, more peace and more vitality to handle life’s curve balls as they appear.
“I am the immeasurable potential of all that was, is, and will be, and my desires are like seeds left in the ground: they wait for the right season and then spontaneously manifest into beautiful flowers and might trees, into enchanted gardens and majestic forests.” ::Ancient Vedic Proverb
Such a simplistic and beautiful design is not by accident. Yet our monkey minds complicate the heck out of the obviousness. Be gentle on yourself and in your honest moments, let life call you back to yourself. The enlightenment gleaned is invaluable to us all.
How to Find and Follow Your Dharma
1. Synchronicity
The universe speaks to us in many ways but coincidental timing is the most profound. As if our timeline is matching up with that of the universe, synchronicities affirm our current place. No need for judgment or self chiding, these events find us and act as a balm of peace and acceptance for wherever we may find ourselves.
2. Passion
Passions and curiosities always point to your dharma. Follow these gentle urgings to bring you closer to the places of peace, passion and purpose.
3. Connect the Dots
Sometimes we are reluctant to suppose there is great care and meaning in the way things are unfolding. The brain would much rather dismiss the significance than admit there are divine forces at work. Connect the dots and acknowledge ( joyously proclaim!) there is a reason bigger than you. Ignore the logic and follow the cosmic clues to your dharma.
4. Divine Discernment
Know when its time to cut your losses. We only have so much energy. Use that life force wisely and show the universe your dedication to your purpose and call the bliss of dharma to you.
5. Non-Linear Growth
Spiritual growth is a spiral and the cautious planning of our task-master minds to achieve a goal may not jive with divine timing. Be in loving receipt when things do show up and don’t fret when the completion of your goals feels far off. The bigger lessons are offered in the journey to becoming.
6. The Path is Often Illogical
Dharma is not rational. Spirit is not rational. The mind insists that they should be, but very rarely does any of the path to your true self make perfect sense. Go with the flow and trust the feelings more than the logic.
7. Spiritual Practice
Dharma lies in the spaces of your divine self. A commitment to your spiritual path exercised daily will support you while the journey unfolds. Yoga, meditation, time in nature and even journaling are paths that nourish the spirit and feed your dharma.
8. Find Heroes and Role Models
Look to the people you admire. They are representing aspects of you not yet manifested that will give clues to your dharma. While you may not have yet achieved what they have, recognizing the qualities of those to whom you venerate will be revealing.
9. Be Gentle
Everything matters and nothing is significant. While we give devotion to this way of being, it can offer its own slippery predicaments. Don’t take yourself too seriously or work from ego. It is instead the childlike ways that are more true to the calling of your dharma.
10. Courage
To walk this path takes a courage rarely found amongst the masses. Faith carries us and is our constant companion so long as we show up. Be bold, be fearless and follow your intuition first. You won’t be led astray.
11. Expand and Contract
It’s a funny journey to walking our truth. Some moments feel so clear, yet just around the corner is deep murkiness. Patience is crucial. In shedding layers of the illusion, there is brilliance and darkness. Know this is the nature of illumination and don’t lose hope.
To become that which we were born to be is both exhilarating and crazy making. Since this is a path few traverse, we look to the guides, gurus and Masters who have achieved peace before us. It is the blessing of this current lifetime to live your purpose: It is after all the graduation of the ages we have awaited. Truly knowing how to find your spiritual path it is a commitment of love. Enjoy the ride and be true to you. Dharma is your destiny when you are willing to walk with it.
