Avdhoot Sri Sadguru Shirdi Sai Nath

About Shirdi Sai Nath:-

The early life of Sai Baba is still cloaked in mystery as there isn't any reliable record of the Baba's birth and parentage. It is believed that Baba was born somewhere between 1838 and 1842 AD in a place called Pathri in Marathwada in Central India.

How the Fakir Got the Name Sai :-
When the marriage - party came to Shirdi, it alighted at the foot of a Banyan tree in Bhagata Mhalsapati’s field near Khandoba’s temple. The carts were loosened in the open court-yard of Khandoba’s temple. The carts were loosened in the open court-yard of Khandoba’s temple, and the members of the party descended one by one, and the Fakir also got down. Bhagat Mhalsapati saw the young Fakir getting down and accosted Him "YA SAI"

(Welcome Sai). Others also addressed Him as Sai and thence-forth he became known as Sai Baba.

Sai Baba arrived at Shirdi as a nameless entity at a young age tempered by the discipline of penance and austerity. At Shirdi, Baba stayed on the outskirts of the village in Babul forest and used to mediate under a neem tree for long hours. Some villagers revered the saintly figure and gave him the food for sustenance.
After wandering in the thorny woods for a long time, Baba moved to a dilapidated mosque, which he referred to as "Dwarkarmai" (named after the abode of Krishna, Dwarka).This mosque became the abode of Sai Baba till his last day.

Long time ago, at the beginning of eighteenth century a young bearded man ( Shirdi Sai baba) with sparkling eyes took shelter in a mosque, in Shirdi Village (of Maharshtra State, In India) . Nobody knew from where this stranger had come who hardly spoke a word and stayed there.

Personality of Sai Baba:-

It is on account of Sai Baba that Shirdi grew into importance. Let us see what sort of a personage Sai Baba was. He conquered this Samsar (worldly existence), which is very difficult and hard to cross. Peace or mental calm was His ornament, and He was the repository of wisdom. He was the home of Vaishnava devotees, most liberal (like Karna) amongst liberals, the quint-essence of all essences. He had no love for perishable things, and was always engrossed in self-realization, which was His sole concern. He felt no pleasure in the things of this world or of the world beyond. His Antarang (heart) was as clear as a mirror, and His speech always rained nectar. The rich or poor people were the same to Him. He did not know or care for honour or dishonour. He was the Lord of all beings. He spoke freely and mixed with all people, saw the actings and dances of Nautchgirls and heard Gajjal songs. Still, He swerved not an inch from Samadhi (mental equilibrium). The name of Allah was always on His lips. While the world awoke, He slept; and while the world slept, He was vigilant. His abdomen (Inside) was as calm as the deep sea. His Ashram could not be determined, nor His actions could be definitely determined, and though He sat (lived) in one place, He knew all the transactions of the world. His Darbar was imposing. He told daily hundreds of stories, still He swerved not an inch from His vow of silence.He always leaned against the wall in the Masjid or walked morning, noon and evening towards Lendi (Nala) and Chavadi; still He at all times abided in the Self. Though a Siddha, He acted like a Sadhaka. He was meek, humble and egoless, and pleased all. Such was Sai Baba, and as the soil of Shirdi was trodden by Sai Baba’s Feet, it attained extraordinary importance. As jnaneshwar elevated Alandi, Ekanath did to Paithan, so Sai Baba raised Shirdi. Blessed are the grass-leaves and stones of Shirdi, for they could easily kiss the Holy Feet of Sai Baba, and take their dust on their head.

Some villagers revered the saintly figure and gave him the food for sustenance.
After wandering in the thorny woods for a long time, Baba moved to a dilapidated mosque, which he referred to as "Dwarkarmai" (named after the abode of Krishna, Dwarka).This mosque became the abode of Sai Baba till his last day.

Gradually the curious villagers started offering food to the man, but he never asked anything from them. Sometimes he shared his food with the animals. Soon the young fakir, as he was started to be addressed, started expressing his view points with few elderly villagers. His simple language of expresssion and his special power of solving the problems of poor needy and destitutes soon made this less known fakir, to be known as Shri Sai Baba. As the days passed, devotees started streaming into Shirdi in ever growing numbers. The village was fast becoming a centre of pilgrimage. As gifts and presentations flowed in, the pomp and ceremony of Sai worship were evolving. Everyday Sai Baba would be a pauper having distributed all among the needy and the poor. But Sai Baba's life of a Fakir remained calm, undisturbed, unaltered and therein is the saint's Spiritual glory.

As all good things have to end ultimately "Baba" also left his body on his own will on 15th Oct. 1918, leaving his millions of believers and followers crying. His body was laid in the Samadhi Mandir called "Booty", which he had asked his disciple to built before his death.

Shirdi once a small village in the rahata tahsil has reached the standards of an international place of pilgrimage due to the presence and blessings of Shri Sai Baba. This place is well supported with many infrastructural facilities like transportation, accommodation and communication. This holy city is always busy to cope with the large number of devotees pouring from all sides of the country. Previously there were only a few temples near Samadhi temple but now it has grown into a huge temple complex. In order to control the growing activities of the temple complex a trust called Shridi Saibaba Sansthan trust was appointed. This trust is the authorized governing and administrative body controlling day to day activities of Shirdi Saibaba Samadhi Temple.