Sai Baba: 2013

One gentleman from Poona by name Anantrao Patankar, wished to see Baba. He came to Shirdi and took Baba's darshan. His eyes were satisfied and he was much pleased. He fell at Baba's Feet and after performing proper worship said to Baba,

"I have read a lot, studied

but still, I have not got any peace of mind so I think all my reading was useless. Simple ignorant devout persons are better than myself. Unless the mind becomes calm, all book-learnings is of no avail. I have heard from many people that, You easily give peace of mind to so many people by Your mere glance and potent word so I have come here, please take pity on me and bless me."

Then Baba told him a parable, which was as follows :

Parable of Nine Balls of Stool (Nava-vidha Bhakti)

'Once a merchant came here. Before him a mare passed her stool(nine balls of stool). The merchant intent on his quest, spread the end of his Dhotar and gathered all the nine balls in it, and thus he got concentration(peace) of mind.'

Mr. Patankar could not make ot the meaning of this story so, he asked Ganesh Damodar alias Dada Kelkar, "What does Baba mean by this?" He replied, "I too do not know all that Baba says and means but at His inspiration I say what I come to know. The mare is God's grace and the nine balls excreted are the nine forms or types of Bhakti,viz.

http://devotioninformation.blogspot.com/2009/02/navadha-bhakti.html

Next day when Patankar went to Baba for salutation, he was asked whether he collected the 'nine balls of stool'. Then he said that he being a poor fellow, should first be graced by Baba and he would be enabled to collect them. Then Baba blessed and comforted him, saying that he would attain peace and welfare. After hearing this, Patankar became overjoyed and happy.

http://veda-upanishad.blogspot.com/

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Bal+Gangadhar+Tilak+at+Shirdi

Khaparde came along with Bal Gangadhar Tilak, to Shirdi on 19 May 1917. Khaparde who had come earlier also to Shirdi, had seen the greatness of Baba personally. Hence, he brought Tilak who was the extremist leader in the Indian National Congress and a freedom fighter, to have darshan of Baba and take his advice in the matter of freedom movement. There were proofs that Baba gve Tilak certain advices secretly. According to the then prevailing conditions under British rule, these matters were kept secret. After Tilak left Shirdi, then District Collector of Ahmednagar sent a CID Officer to Shirdi to keep an eye on the activities of Sai Baba and send a confidential report.

There were several proofs to show that Baba predicted that India would certainly become an independent nation, through a non-violent revolution only and not through extremist violent acts. He gave advice to Tilak along the above lines and there were indications that from that day the extremist actions were toned down.

http://leaderofpeace.blogspot.com/