The Dargah of Hazrat Tajuddin Auliya

Om Shree Ganeshaaya Namaha! I bow to the foremost lord of the Universe. Thou art essentially formless oh Lambodhara. By worshiping you alone all obstacles are quelled. Hold the hands of your child oh Mother of mine and guide me in narrating your divine splendor. For in describing you the Vedas have merely said "Not this, Not this"! Even the thousand tongued Adi Shesha upon whom you rest cannot describe your glory fully. What about a dullard like me? Kindly bless me and as I am an instrument in your hands, help me sing your glory.

About 12 miles from the banks of river Godavari is the holy land called Shirdi. It is like the Ayodhya of Lord Rama, or the Vrindavana or Dwaraka of Lord Krishna. For the lord manifested there as Sainath Maharaj.

Essentially formless, the Maharaj had attained the form for the sake of the devotees. Those who were blessed and had a store of good merits got to touch the lotus feet of this Samartha Sadguru.

Whether he was a Hindu or Yavana none could tell. He wore the garb of a fakir and lived in a Mosque. On his lips were the words "Allah Malik". However his ears were pierced. He gave money to rennovate temples and allowed devotees to worship him. Like a staunch agnihotri Brahmin he kept a fire burning always in the Mosque which is called the Dhuni. The holy ash coming from this fire is given to devotees. This can burn their karmas and heal their wounds both physical and mental and help them regain their health. None knew where he came from or who were his parents or who his guru was. There are speculations, but this is like an eternal mystery. However the Maharaj truthfully answered that "Brahma is my father and Maya my mother. I belong to no place in particular and the whole universe is my abode. I am essentially nirguna (Without form), however due to Karma, I have come in this body."

Now in another part of the Deccan Plateau in India at Kemptee in Nagpur lived the holy Hazrat Tajuddin Aulia. A great Sufi saint and Wali of Allah, this saint blessed many who came in touch with him. His compassion and mercy extended everywhere and were boundless. He held his Durbar (Court) in Kemptee and is called the Master of the seven climes. Such is the greatness of this Wali.

In Shirdi, devotees one day noticed Sainath Maharaj making strange movements towards the fire in the Dhuni. None could follow what was happening. When asked Baba said "There was a fire in the Darga of my brother Tajuddin. I just doused the flames".

Where is Shirdi and where is Nagpur? People were quite perplexed by what the Maharaj had to say. The staunch devotees of Sainath like Mhalsapathi,Shama and Nimonkar understood the purport of Sainath's words and bowed before the Samartha.

A few days after this some devotees came from Nagpur and after taking darshan (Seeing and taking blessings) of Sainath Maharaj told the other devotees that the Dargah of Tajuddin Auliya had caught fire in Nagpur but the fire got doused by itself within a few minutes. Then people understood Sainath's words and bowed at his feet. Then Sainath maharaj told them "God has several agents everywhere and their powers are vast". These agents are in fact god himself with a form. They are indeed incarnations of god. Verily they thought, what is the difference between Tajuddin Auliya and Sainath Maharaj. They are different manifestations of the one supreme.

Blessed are those who hear this leela (Divine play) of Sadguru Sainath who is verily an incarnation of Lord Dattatreya. All their threefold afflictions will disappear like the fire in the dargah of Tajuddin Auliya when they read this leela and their desires will be fulfilled. May Sainath Maharaj bless us all. This post is offered to the feet of Samartha Sadguru Sainath Maharaj who is Hari,Hara and Brahma.

Bow to Shree Sai! Peace be to all!