Oneness of Saints

|| Om Gam Ganapataye Namaha || Om Shree Saraswatyay Namaha || Om Shree Kuladevatyay Namaha || Om Shree Chandralambyay Namaha || Om Shree Gurubhyo Namaha || || Om Namaha Shivaaya ||

Blessed are those, who remember the single tusked, elephant headed Lord of the Ganas. For their every obstacle is destroyed by his mere grace. He is the primordial power who was born from the womb of the Universal Mother and the God of God's Lord Shiva. By worshiping him alone, the consort of Parvathi destroyed the three celestial cities of the Asuras with his unerring arrow. I then bow before that God of God's to destroy all my shortcomings with his divine blessings. I bow to Lord Shiva and Mother Parvati who are the very embodiment of Prakruthi (Environment) and Purusha(Cosmic consciousness). I then bow before Mother Saraswathi, with her vermillon mark and divine musical instrument the veena has given birth to the Vedas. I then bow before my family diety Mother Chandrala Parameshwari, whose very merciful glance bestows prosperity on her children. I beseech her to help me sing the glory of Saints in whose heart she resides. I then bow before my Sadguru Sainath Maharaj of Shirdi. A complete manifestation of Lord Dattatreya like Shree Narasimha Saraswati of Ganagapura and Shree Swami Samarth of Akkalkot, like Shree Shreepada Shree Vallabha near the banks of river Godavari and like Shree Manik Prabhu of Hamunabad. Verily the Sadguru is Parabrahman (God) as affirmed by the holy scriptures and saints alike. By his very thought alone, his single unmanifest form became the manifest many. I pray to him, who is ever present in the hearts of all to bless me in this endeavor to sing his glory!

It is a well known fact that God manifests himself in different forms in different places and at different times. Lord Krishna has said  in the Gita, that the saint is his soul. Hence there is no difference between Santha (Saint) and Anantha (The ever present God). Shree Sainath of Shirdi also confirmed by many of his leelas (Divine play) that all saints are one. Sai Satcharita abounds with such tales, which the devotees can read and experience bliss. How Aurangabadkar came to worship the holy feet of Shree Swami Samarth and came to Shirdi on the way to Akkalkot. How the ever merciful Maharaj of Akkalkot appeared in his dream and said "I am in Shirdi now!". The same was confirmed by Sai, when he told Aurangabadkar "The incumbent Maharaj of Akkalkot, is here myself!!". Hence one must regard these supreme incarnations of the son of Athri and Anasuya as one!

It has already been mentioned how Sainath Maharaj doused the flames that were threatening to engulf the Dargah of Hazrat Tajuddin Aulia. What is little known is how these saints knew one another and were in regular touch. Once Shree Madhao Rao Deshpande (Shama as he was called by Baba), a foremost devotee of Sainath took his permission to visit Nagpur. Having toured all the holy places in Nagpur and visiting many holy seers Shama returned to Shirdi and bowed before the lotus feet of Lord Sainath. Sai then inquired about his trip to Nagpur and then as Shama was describing his trip, Baba asked him "Did you visit the 'Golden tree' that is present in the south of Nagpur?". While everyone were puzzled by this question, Shyama with his long assosciation with Sainath understood that the "Golden tree" alluded to Hazrat Tajuddin Aulia. He immediately replied in the affirmative. Shama also related this delightful incident that occured in the durbar of the great Sufi saint. When Shama came to take blessings from him, the great Tajuddin asked him "You come from Mota Durbar, don't you? (A big and prosperous court- alluding to Sai Baba's Masjid)". Shama said yes and Hazrat Tajuddin was delighted. After recieving the blessings of the great Saint. Shama had returned to Shirdi. This incident proves that the two saints were in touch with one another and knew each other's devotees.


Another incident worth mentioning here, is about the great saint Shree Gajanan Maharaj of Shgaon. This great Avadhoota (A person, who does not identify with body or mind consciousness and is beyond any ego-consciousness. A person who is a manifestation of pure consciousness), appeared suddenly one day in Shegaon and was spotted by some pure minded devotees, who instantly recognized him as a divine manifestation. His glorious life is sung by Shree Dasaganu Maharaj, in the holy Gajanana Vijaya. Devotees can read the same in the following link.

Gajanan Maharaj had great devotees like Shree Das Ganu Maharaj, Shree Girish Shree Krishna Kharpade and Shree Bal Gangadhar Tilak. He is said to have directed these devotees to Lord Sainath after his Maha Samadhi (Leaving of the Mortal coil and merging with the supreme). It is said that when Shree Gajanan Maharaj left his mortal coil , Shree Sainath Maharaj at Shirdi cried aloud "Alas! My Gajanan has left his earthly abode!" and fell in a swoon! Sainath Maharj later recovered and for a while looked really sad. Then he again went on to abide in his self. The devotees did not understand what Sainath meant until news came of the samadhi of Shree Gajanan Maharaj.

Thus from these events, we can find out that all saints are one. They are a manifestation of that ancient Parabrahman who is without beginning and end.  Hence there is no 'death' for saints. They are ever present and are willing to help and bless those who fall at their feet.

--Dedicated to the lotus feet of Samartha Sadguru Sainath Maharaj.

Bow to Shree Sai! Peace be unto all!