Saibaba of Shirdi is a saint who appeared as a young lad meditating under a Neem tree in a small village called Shirdi in India.A old indian proverb goes like this
“Never try to find the origin of Ganges (holy river ) and the saints”
As it is said that its hard and not ethical to know the past life of a true saint, no body knows the life of saibaba , his parents or birth place.Though many stories exists , to millions of saibaba devotees, Saibaba is a God Incarnation who lived a simple and sacred life .
Why saints never give importance to reveal their past life before they come into existance as a saint in some place ?
Its simple. The Saint also would have started his child hood days in ignorance and had done some mistakes in their spiritual journey untill they had self realization. So most of the ancient saints in India has shown them selves only from the time they had their God realization.
When it comes to Saibaba, based on his few words, Saibaba seems to have undergone good practice of Guru Bhakti by serving his guru for over 12 years.
Difference between Avatar ( Incarnation ) and Sadguru :
A incarnation is a person who is really God and for welfare of human race, God himself has taken a birth.
Sadguru – A sadhguru is a person who took a birth as ordinary as other men but due to their self realization , they become one with God .
I personally feel and read Shirdi Sai baba to be a avatar of ancient Hindu Guru of all Gurus Lord Dattatreya. Saibaba is the 4th avatar of Lord Dattatreya.
So who really is Sai Baba ?
Is he a sadguru – a ordinary human being who because of his self realization became a sadguru and got extra ordinary powers to lead human race in the path of rightneousness
Is he a avatar – A incarnation of God .
Saibaba is Samartha Sadguru incarnation :
There are so many sadgurus and saints .Why our Saibaba of shirdi alone is so famous and liked by millions. The answer is Saibaba is both a sadguru , born as a ordinary human being and due to his unknown Guru he got self realization to be a sadguru and he also is a avatar.
How is it possible for saibaba to both be a Ordinary Man who became self realized Guru and also a Avatar – An incarnation :
The Third avatar of Lord Dattatreya , Swami Samartha had his samadhi in 1878 in Akalkot. Saibaba was already present as a Fakir in shirdi from approximately 1850s. From the time Swami samartha had his samadhi , Saibaba very clearly assured many of his devotees that Swami samartha is now here in shirdi.
Saibaba is both a Sadguru and an Incarnation :
So we can understand like this – Saibaba would have born as normal child and from his early child hood had got a Guru who had not taught him anything but Saibaba had served his guru with heart and soul.
A intense guru bhakti has helped saibaba to get self realization . Untill Swami Samartha had his samadhi, Saibaba would have remained a Fakir whos self realized and from the Moment the third Datta avatar, Saint Swami Samartha, had his samadhi, Datta verily came into our Sai making him an avatar.
As you see and believe Sai, Sai gives you assurances of the same :
Let us now come to the fact . Saibaba is Rama incarnation for devotees who believed him to be Lord Rama. Saibaba is shiva incarnation for devotees who believed him to be Lord Shiva and for few who thought saibaba as their Guru , Sai gave them experiences that made them feel theres no difference between Saibaba and their Traditional Guru.
To conclude the Life of Shirdi Sai baba , his past birth place, life etc is not at all the need of the devotees. What we need is whole hearted Faith and patience to hold on to Saibaba’s holy feet for a life time.
I wish to first take you into my child hood days which made me realize the Power of God in the chapters ahead…
mera sai hi mera sab kuchh hai,