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 GURUPURNIMA MESSAGE OF SHRI C. B. SATPATHY
Ever since the phenomenon of
Shri Shirdi Sai extensively caught public attention in India and
outside, there has been a relentless stream of speculation as well
as concerted effort on the question of His parentage i.e. whether he
was born a Hindu or a Muslim. The net result of such research by
different researchers has turned out to be either speculative or
controversial since it is based more on circumstantial evidence as
opposed to primary data. However, my efforts are channelised into
finding out who and what Baba is rather than what was His parentage
or where he was born.
There can be no denial in any
quarter that Shri Shirdi Sai Baba is a divine personality of the
highest order who demonstrated magnificent qualities of selfless
service to all, who came in contact with Him, without least
consideration of His self. He was not constrained by the limitations
of any organized religion or path as is amply evidenced by His
acceptance of disciples from all religions, cultures, castes and
paths etc. There was no question of economic and social
differentiation in His scheme of things. Besides non-possession and
non-attachment, he was divinely magnanimous and empathetic towards
the poorest of the poor among His devotees, as well as animals and
birds. He also possessed wonderful powers of miracles, which he
often used to help His disciples in distress, even at distant
places.
Given this universal theme of
His approach, one can safely conclude that Shri Sai demonstrated the
highest qualities of Hinduism, notwithstanding whether He was born
of Hindu or Muslim parentage.
When one speaks of Hinduism at
first one has to understand as to what Hinduism stands for in its
essence. Some historians comment that the word ‘Hindu’ was
originally ‘Indu’ coming out of ‘Indus valley civilization’ but some
foreigners called it Hindu like ‘Hindukush’ mountain. Hinduism in
its quintessence is more a way of life than merely being a Hindu
path of worship of deities. It prescribes numerous paths to its
people and leaves them free to choose any one. It prescribes a
number of divine forms (Devatas/Devis) to be worshipped and also the
worship of the formless (Brahman – the ultimate God).
Hinduism does not insist on the
conversion of others to its fold and failing which their extinction.
It has never believed in religious expansionism with the help of
sword. This highest level of tolerance has led to the absorption of
many conquering or colonizing races, following different paths, into
its all embracing fold. Sufism, which truly believes in the unity of
souls and tolerance among people following different paths,
therefore, found a strong base in India – the soil of
Hindus.
Basically what Shri Shirdi Sai
Baba practiced and taught is spiritualism and humanism as against
bigotry, obscurantism and intolerance. To that extent He was a
genuine Hindu and genuine Sufi amalgamated together. He often used
to say ‘Allah Malik hai’ or ‘Ishwar Achha karega’ or ‘Sabka Malik ek
hai’ i.e., the one and ultimate God called Ishwar or Allah is the
sovereign power who controls everyone and everything. This is the
monistic “Advaitya” philosophy of the Hindus. On the other hand, He
never deterred His Hindu devotees from going to temples to worship
any deity of their faith or stopped the Muslims from taking out the
Tazia procession or doing anything prescribed by their religion etc.
Indeed He encouraged both and ensured, at Shirdi, tolerance towards
the religious sentiments of devotees practicing various faiths,
through mutual participation in each others festivals. Not only for
the residents of Shirdi but also for the outsiders who used to visit
Him in great numbers, He was not only a Guru but a part of their
entire existence. Shri Sai had permeated into all aspects of their
lives – religion, family, festivals, way of earning and spending,
social conduct, moral conduct, cultural activities, births and
deaths, diseases and cures and even regarding the rearing of their
children and pets. Baba’s influence has been so strong and wide that
even two to three generations of a family would come together to
seek His blessings and advice on varied matters at Shirdi. Every one
looked up to Him as a God in human form and also as the head of the
family and surrendered to Him. The way of life not only for the
natives of Shirdi, but those visiting Him, metamorphosized to a new
way of looking at life which Baba taught them through His conduct
and precepts. Thus, like Hinduism, the path shown by Shri Sai has
become a way of life for His devotees rather than a religious and
ritualistic path alone. Even today the same Sai spirit pervades the
lives of millions.
This is what explains the
unimaginable expansion of the Sai path not only in India, but in
other countries. Shri Sai remains, as promised by Him, a living
Master, with His all-pervasive spirit that controls the entire life
of His devotees. Such a magnificent, universal and time-less divine
personality is termed as “Vasudeva” in Hinduism. And the spirit of
Shri Vasudeva is eternal.
(C. B. Satpathy)
19th June, 2006
New Delhi (India)
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