Sri Gurudeva Datta Vaibhavam
Sri Gurudeva Datta Vaibhavam
Sri Gurudeva Datta Vaibhavam
Soon a miracle happened and the thieves saw a. great yogi, bedecked with
Manohara Nayaka Harakude, a gorgeous jewellery in front, standing at the threshold of the temple. The
Srivatsa gotra, Desastha Brahmin thieves preferred to loot the person with plenty of jewellery over his body
and Baya Devi of Ladavanti were than the humble brahmin family. When the thieves ran after him he
the parents of Manik Prabhu, their disappeared and they found 'themselves benumbed completely, and
illustrious son. Harakude and Baya slowly they sneaked out away, lest something more harm should happen
Devi were very pious and they did to them. In fact, Manika Prabhu appeared in person there soon after and
Parayana of Guru Charitra for over made the place his permanent abode. The forest surounding the temple
sixteen years continously with was cleared and soon a township sprang up. The place became in a little
rigid observance of the rules of time, a centre where people saw both renunciation and enjoyment
worship indicated in Guru harmoniously blended. Manika Prabhu never ate the rich food prepared
Charitra. Afterwards Lord for the devotees thronged, but always lived on Madhukari food brought
Dattatreya appeared in a dream by his disciples, begging from house to house. Some times he went for
gave darshan to Harakude and alms in that way.
Baya Devi and asked them to
choose a boon. Both like Atri and The paradox was people could see a rich beggar with all his royal pomp
Anasuya, desired to have a son like was full of simplicity and humility. In him one could see, the effulgence
the Lord and nothing else. Thus the of a saint with the halo of worldly luxury, completely detached. An
birth of Manika Prabhu came into unbroken celibacy even amidst women and wealth was conspicuous in
existence in the world in the year him strictly avoiding association with ladies in loneliness. He showed to
the world that even ladies with proper direction could attain the highest cherished desires.
knowledge of Atman the Absolute, if the director is careful about his 4 . Swami of Akkalkot
ownself.
He could freely mix with non Hindus, specially Mohammedans, for he Lord Dattatreya is an
evinced equal care and interest in the welfare of one and all. Thus like incarnation of the
Nrisimha Saraswati he influenced both the Hindus and Mohammedans Trinity, the three
alike. The founder of Sikhism has considered Manika Prabhu as "an highest Gods.
incarnation of Dattatreya", while Col.Alkot. of Theosophical Society, Brahma, Vishnu and
Basaveswara the founder of Lingayat sect, gave glorious accounts of Siva. Their Shakti,
Manika Prabhu, as an incarnation born in the world for the good of the Saraswati, Lakshmi
people. His wisdom, catholicity and foresight in handling different kinds and Parvati, being
of people under one banner, is strikingly, significant. In fact his whole highly chaste women
life passed in such activity of longing in a fusion of so called opposites in follow their
faiths and cults. It is (Sakalamata sthapana) universally of religions, his husbands and shower
seeing no conflict between activity (Pravitti) and inaction (nivritti) was their grace
his greatest contribution to the society and mankind. (Anugraha) on the
devotees of their
Manika Prabhu had many contemporaries. Of course the followers and Lords. Thus the
disciples of each saint consider them as different Avataras of Dattatreya. grace of goddess
For instance, Sri Baka Prabhu among Lingayats, Sri Alam Prabhu among Saraswati as regards
Yavanas, Sri Swami of Akkalkot were all illustrious in their own way. knowledge is fully
These saints who were contemporary always considered the worth of one showered upon as
another and never talked of their own greatness. They never cared for soon as a call is
fame. Though, inspite of their dislike for it, it came to them and clung to heard from the Guru
their names even after their departure from the world. They were born for Dattatreya. Thus we
a particular mission and they accomplished it in their own way by giving find that devotees of
things to the needy and enlightenment to those who sought for it. For Lord Dattatreya were blessed by Saraswati and they produced
instance, Manika Prabhu in the task of enhancing the power of Sidhas, monumental works. For instance, Gangadhara Saraswati's Guru Charitra,
helped Hamsaraja Swami in his pursuit of self realisation. Manik Prabhu's Dasopanta's Gitarnava, Niranjana's commentaries, Vasudevananda
connection with Sidhas, like Alam Prabhu, Revana Siddha, Suraja Saraswati's Dattatreya- Mahatmya, inspiring works have been the result
Sadananda was mysteriously startling. of Saraswati's blessings and they contributed considerably to the literature
dealing with the process of liberation (Mumukshutva). In the same way
Manika Prabhu wrote a book called kalpataru which contains the Goddess Lakshmi always remained at hand to bestow inexhaustible
knowledge he desired to impart. Moreover many padas, Artis were mines of wealth for advancement of Bhaktas towards their spiritual goal.
composed by him. The subject of Gopi Krishna's equisitively inter-woven
in many of his padas in great depth. Manika Prabhu took Samadhi at The life of Manika Prabhu is an instance. The same is the case with
Manikanagar in 1865, at the age of 48, the news of which was kept a Goddess Annapurna (Parvathi) in the role of mother of Universe (Uma)
secret at the behest of Manika Prabhu at the time of his taking Samadhi, provides food unlimited by her divine grace without knowing wherefrom
to allow the people gathered for Datta- Jayanthi to celebrate without it comes and how it is managed. The prominence of the three Goddesses
marring their joy which would have been upset if the news of his passing varies according to the needs of time and place. Yet all the three are one
away was made public. Manikanagar has become place of pilagrimage, and the same. Just like the grace of the Goddess of the three principal
where people throng from all parts of country for the fulfilment of their deities, we often come across the characteristic features of one or the
other of three Gods in the lives of these saints. In Sree Pada Sree Nrisimha Bharati of Alandi, Baba Sabnis are some of them. The highly
Vallabha the Avadhuta aspect, in Nrisimha Saraswati the paramahamsa spiritual life of Samartha was conspicuous in his daily routine. He did
aspect, in the Swami of Akkalkot the child-like (Bala) aspect and mad life each and every work only when he had a mind to do it. Numerous people
(Unmatta), and in Shirdi Sai a peculiar synthesis of all these aspects of were miraculously cured by the grace of Swami. The medicines he
Dattatreya are discernible. Various different accounts evolved out of the prescribed varied with the faith of the patient from the juice of a lemon to
biographical versions about the birth of the Swami Samartha as pro- a remedy prescribed of putting a hand bitten by a scorpion inside a shoe
nounced by him at several times. for relief. Many a devotee connected with places sacred to Dattatreya
such as Ganagapur, Narsoba Wadi got mysterious calls from their deity to
Firstly he told a Pujari of Ganagapur that his name was Nrisimha-bana go to the Swami at Akkalkot for his blessings. By his grace he brought
and that he was born 450 years ago. Secondly, he told a Parsi gentleman about a fundamental change in the lives of many (Hridaya Parivartan) by
that he was from Kadalivana moved to various places, Haridwar. influencing their minds and hearts to get over their weaknesses and
Kedareswara, Pandharpur and finally settled at Akkalkot. Thirdly, he told blemishes. In short Swami emphasised the essentiality of purity of mind.
a devotee Shri Darve that his caste was a Brahmin of Yajurveda branch He had love and compassion for all cretures without any distinction. Such
Kasyapa Gotra. Fourthly, he told a wine merchant that himself an a personality remarkable both from physical and spiritual aspects, passed
originator having his bed on a leaf of a banyan tree at Dattanagar, and away in April 30, 1878 A.D. The Swami wrote nothing yet his whole life
another time told that he was an outcast (Chamar) and his parents belong inspired many works in this school. While residing both at Akkala
to the caste of Mahar. Just as his statements regarding his name and caste (Buddhi) and at kot (Avarna) as a mere witness of both mind and
are varied, his behaviour and daily-life actions happened to be strange environment around, he dispelled ignorance and showed a clear way of
and even at times transcending bounds of decency. But nobody ever envisioning the reality behind and beyond all things.
reported that he behaved against the common rules of the society. Every
body in fact respected him as a great saint of unfathomable behaviour and
absolutely unconcerned and unattached attitude to the objects, men or
5 . Samartha Sadguru Sai Baba
environment around him.
In the unbroken line of sages
The life of Swami Samartha was full of miracles and thousands of people and saints of Bharat Varsha,
gathered around him solely for fulfilment of their worldly desires, while who held aloft the torch of
none went to him for spiritual progress. Each utterance of the Swami was spirituality in all climes and
regarded to contain some deep secret meaning or reference to a certain ages, the sage of Shirdi,
incident of the future. According to Swami Shivananda Saraswati, "These occupies a very significant
sages are absolutely free from selfish desires, They simply witted at times position. He is a very mysterious
to do good to humanity and every thing came to pass instantaneously". In personality whom everybody
this aspect, a saint differs from a juggler who performs magic with a interprets in his own way but no
selfish motive of earning for his livelihood, and moreover, the action interpetation could give a
created is an complete picture of the saint.
illusion created by him while in the case of a saint it is distinctly This is perhaps the reason why
different. Swami Samartha discriminated between a righteous desire and he is Rama, Krishna, Hanuman,
an unrighteous one. His refusal of his grace to bless, the revolutionary Sankara, Ganpathi, Dattatreya-
design of V.D.Phadke, to the Gaeckwad of Baroda who tried to tempt all rolled in one according to the
him with wealth and position and so many others who approached him Samskar and desire of different
with mundane motives illustrates the sublime consideration with which devotees. To comprehend the
he bestowed his anugraham. divine nature of Sainath in its
entirety is a stupendous exercise
His life inspired and led many disciples on the path of liberation. in the subtle realm of intuition, experience and realisation. His birth is
shrowded in great mystery for no one knew his parentage nor the place of
his birth. Possibly, the view held by some that he is a "Ayoni Sambhav" Sai's grace is like the sea-wind, always blowing from the sea, fresh and
(not born from human womb) be the case, like Lord Dattatreya. Rightly envigouration. The Ahimsa aspect of Jainism, the renunciation aspect of
SaiBaba, a Sampurna Avatar of Lord Dattatreya, has his centre every Buddhism, the Dharmic aspect of Lord Rama the Nishkama-Karma
where without a limiting circumference anywhere. When he was asked aspect of Lord Krishna, the universal-love aspect of Jesus, the universal-
about his parent-hood, he said "The world is my village, Brahma the brotherhood aspect of Islam-all are found harmoniously blended in Sai
father and Maya the Mother". His effulgent complexion was said to be Nath's way of life, Strikingly in him, the qualities of an Avadhuta and
strikingly captivating and endearingly charmful. It is said that Sanyasin the salient features of sufism, of a hazrat, a parvardigar, a
particularly, the lustrous golden-hued-body and brilliantly beaming face bhikku are easily discernible, Sai is like an oasis in a desert, which
were remarkably arresting one's attention and they were considered to be provides cool shelter and a refreshing drink to parched souls treading the
the significatnt features of a Tapasvi observing the Mahavrat comprising scorching sands of sansaric life. Truely, there can be no better healing
of Ahimsa, Satya, Astheya, Brahmacharya and Aparigraha, Another balm than Sai's grace for bleeding hearts badly mauled and wounded in
distinctive feature was Sai's most brilliant and enchanting eyes beaming the battles of life. Sai incessantly emphasised the fundamental oneness of
out cascades of love compassion and solace. Lo! just a glance of his was all religions. Sai never prescribed a particular mode or method of worship
enough to dispel all baffling doubts and distressing problems. nor initiated with mantra to any one, nor asked to perform any creedal
Significantly, Sai was easily accessible equally to the pauper and the religious rituals. He wrote nothing though his thoughts and flashy sayings
prince, the illiterate and the learned, the young and the old, the atheist and are divine in nature and prophetic in result. He is rightly considered to
the theist. Sai the arch-alchemist could in the crucible of his irresistible have incarnated in Kali Age as an Avatar of redemption. Even the refuse
and incissive look and words of divine wisom, transmute the faulty and and the reprobate looked down by the society readily received his
the fallen, the base metals into precious ones, using the chemical of his Anugraha equally with the righteous and the high. There was no
grace endowed with compassion and love. exclusive-ness in His benign concern for the suffering. His grace, was
magnanimously pervasive and captivatingly persuasive. "If any child gets
The sublime concept of 'Vasudhaika Kutumbam" one world one covered with mud and dust, is it not my duty like a mother to cleanse him
humanity has been the cardinal principle of the glorious heritage of and take him on my lap" typically illustrates the trait of Shri Sai Baba's
spirtual and social culture of Bharat Varsha all through the millenniums mercy and concern for the penitent and defaulter, In all the known
of the past. In this aspect "Tat-Twam Asi" "Thou Art that" represents the Avatars of the yore. "Sistha Rakshana and Dustha Sikshana" prevailed as
fundamental identity of macrocosm and microcosm and having the same the specific mission of the Avatar. But, singularly Sri Sai, a unique
natural characterstics, which are in constant dynamic contact with each Avatar of Redemption of Kaliyug, redeemed in his own uninimitable
other. Sai laid stress on constant faith (Nista) and patience (Saburi) as he way, the faulty the perfidy and even the felon by curtailing their innate
demanded always these "two coins" from his devotees. Performance of tendencies and propensities and effected a complete transformation in the
one's own duty and worship of one's own family deity with pure heart had course of their lives. He considered every one without distinction as his
his appreciation, though at times Sai gave rude shocks to narrow-minded child and as mother to her children, to correct, protect and enliven, was
orthodoxy. Yet he never encouraged nor approved anybody changing his his mission. He finished his work left his corporeal body, (which he as-
religion or his traditional mode of worship. This way of handling the two sumed of his own volition) on Vijaya Dasami, and entered into
divine influence over them. His catholicity of outlook, harmonious syn- Mahasamadhi in 1918 a day which significantly happenened to be
thesis of univarsal religion which is as much, Hindu, Muslim, Christian, Bhagawan Buddha's Nirvana, Muharam and Dassarah important and
Buddhist, Zorasterian, even the monism derived from the 19th and early significant to Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists alike. His samadhi at
20th century scientific and technological development, storming the Shirdi acquired importance next to Tirupathi, the abode of Lord
intellectual world, is akin to his tenets. Many great Mahatmas from time Venkateswara in the aspect of huge concourse of devotees ever increasing
to time effected changes in the mode of thinking, worship and ways of in number day after day, flocking to Shirdi for solace and fulfilment of
life. As a result of their teachings new traditions, new concepts and per- their desires, temporal and spiritual as well. In the words of Swami
ceptions have sprung up. Unfortunately, certain aberrations too have crept Abhedananda, "Sai Baba is the one great ever bright luminary, still
in. But the life -teachings of Sai are singularly free from these defects. having unparalleled existence, ever shedding his resplendent rays to
illuminate every nook and corner of the world". The significant nature of
Shirdi Sai's manifestation, at once draws our attention to the distinctive
feature of the emergence of numerous temples with Vigraha of Sai
installed and worshipped with usual agamic rites and rituals observed in
the temples of all Hindu pantheon, Vishnu, Siva, Rama, Krishna, etc..
From all over India and abroad devotees are found flocking at Shirdi in
thousands and thousands visiting His Samadhi in the Mandir and
Dwarakamayi where he stayed mostly. Sri Sai is a beacon light, a prophet
not to proselytise but to help, not to concert but to transform, not to
subdue but to elevate, not merely to preach but to live accordingly. His
cosmic message of universal brotherhood and endearing humanism and
love for all beings, is eternal.