ShirdiSaiBaba

One very closely associated devotee of his still believes that Baba was only a Mohammedan. Even after 25 years of personal experience with him and 36 years of his post mortem glories, if a devote treats Baba as a communalist or ‘only a Mohammedan’ just as he did when Baba was in the flesh, it is a pity.

On the other hand, to Sri.M.B.Rege, a retired High Court Judge, Sai is only God, the Paramatma, and his view he held even in 1914.

Baba wishing to convince the Hindu devotees, he made water flow from his feet, as Ganga flooded from Mahavishnu’s feet. The Hindu devotees believed that he was Mahavishnu, Lakshminarayan, and other Gods. After witnessing water flowing from his feet, they praised him as Rama Avadhara. Taking the water coming from his feet, the devotees simply sprinkled a few drops on their head and would not drink it, as if it is coming from a Mohammedan’s feet. So great was the prejudice of ages that even one, who thought of him as Vishnu, thought he was a Muslim Vishnu. When he was believed to be a Muslim who lived all his life in a mosque, the devotees refused to believe that Baba was a Brahmin and that his parents were Brahmins and Prejudices die-hard. It was only a few persons like S.B.Dhumal who saw clearly that Baba was neither Hindu nor Muslim, but above all castes, sect nor religions.

Few people were there who could rise to the level of accepting Baba’s supreme claim that he was Paramatma in all beings. Such persons naturally worship him as Ishtadevata.

Thus there are vast differences in people’s opinions about Baba. His devotees and strangers alike said that Sai could not be understood and that nobody could know the secrets of Sai Baba. Syama called him Deva, that is God, but did not always behave as he would towards God.

To a Haji who was proud of his Hajj, Baba said, “You do not know what is here”, that is, in the body or personality of SaiBaba. A well-known song is:

“More Babaku Marma na Janare koyi More”.

“None knows my Baba’s secret”.