Sairam friends,
Ever wondered how is that we could read few stories from Sai’s lifetime were acceptable when he lived but it is not righteous for the current world?
A very simple example I often think about is this
A devotee goes to Saibaba, bows to him in Dwarakamai and says he does not have a Child. Saibaba says, when you marry, your second wife will have a child. Marrying more than once due to lack of a child or a male child was common in society when Saibaba lived. So, probably Sai answered them like this. That’s over 120 years back.
There were also cases were couples together go to Dwarakamai and ask Saibaba for birth of a child. Sai once told a couple as below “There was no child according to your fate for you in this birth but requested God and ensured you will have a child”.
Sometimes, Sai offered coconut to couples blessing them for child birth.
While, I am okay with the later stories, I often used to wonder how did Shirdi Saibaba allowed men to marry again just for a blessing of child. I could only answer myself with this logic that it was common and accepted in society a century back.
But what surprises me is this.
Occasionally, I used to get emails from women stating the following.
I wish to have a male child.
I am pregnant again and this time I wish Saibaba blesses me with a male child.
See my old article – Its 2010 and Sai devotees need a Baby Boy when they are expecting a baby.
I used to get annoyed by this because a century has passed and even now people have such desires. Having a desire is one thing but one should find roots of the desire. When Saibaba lived, society perceived a girl as belonging to a husbands family after an age only a Son was accepted as someone taking the family forward. Today, both a Son and Daughter could serve that purpose. A Daughter be seen as a asset for the family and take responsibilities for her parents even if she’s married. In our family too, I believe my Sister has made my parents proud than I would have. I mean, I am not so successful in the work I do.
So, I reply them saying, I don’t think Saibaba differentiates between birth of Son or Daughter today. He is a saint who changes based on what is currently accepted in society.
This is just one example.
In so many other issues, I believe Saibaba would have blessed devotees during his lifetime differently and now, for the same issue, he will bless devotees based on what is currently acceptable in society and culture.
Maybe, this is why Shirdi Saibaba has never prescribed any specific book or teachings or practice. Sai Satcharitra has devotee’s experiences but what was followed 150 years back may not be applicable today. When we read Sai Satcharitra, we should only focus on the crux of the story and Sai leela.
This is why Guru like Shirdi Saibaba are seen as Guru of Kaliyug.
They transform according to what’s acceptable in society today. They do not have any prescribed rules and regulations. We should know what is right for us at this point of time, for this world and keep our desires with standards that matches “Current times and culture.”
Venkat
Little Servant of Shirdi Saibaba
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