EDITORIAL (July 1983)

During the life-time of Shri Sai Baba, Shri Dasganu Maharaj performed Keertans in Marathi all over Maharashtra and spread the devotion to Shri Baba among the masses. Shri Nanasaheb Chandorkar, Solicitor Dixit, Shri B.V. Deo and other sincere devotees of Shri Sai Baba also spread the name and fame of Shri Baba in Maharashtra; but with the coming of Shri Narasimhaswamiji in the fold of Shri Sai Baba and with the foundation of the All India Sai Samaj at madras and with the zeal with which Swamiji made Sai prachar, the name of Shri Sai Baba became known in all the area now covered by the four southern states viz. Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. The natural effect of this spread of Sai devotion was the erection of Sai temples and formation of Sai Institutions all over the country, some of these temples are owned by private individuals; but a majority of them are owned by institutions, who have regular constitution and consequently managing committees etc. As individuals have different opinions these Managing Committees are dominated by certain persons, who make them run according to their own whims. As a pioneer institution, founded by the great personality like Shri Narasimhaswamiji, the honour of holding the first All India Sai devotees convention went to the All India Sai Samaj at Madras and even all the subsequent conventions are being held with the Co-ordination and auspices of that institution; but due to its limited band of workers it appears that the Samaj cannot undertake the work of Co-ordination of all the Sai Institutions though such a wish is expressed at the All India Conventions.

However it is proposed to put forth a few suggestions here for the consideration of the members of all the Sai Institutions, which are spread far and wide in our country.

Sometime before one member from some Sai Institution had suggested that the Shirdi Sansthan should be the central institution of Sai Culture and all other Institutions started in the name of Shri Sai Baba or connected with Him, in some form or the other, should be affiliated to the central institution viz. Shirdi Sansthan. The suggestion was very good from the point of view of uniformity of aim and uniformity of programme chalked out to achieve that aim; but such arrangement would not be liked by the members of all the institutions as this is somewhat against human nature. Affiliation is not a very easy thing. It will mean control by the central organization. Certain fees will have to be paid annually as affiliation fees, As these fees may be quite nominal and as they are to be paid to the Shirdi Sansthan, which is doing such a lot of work for the devotees and in the social field, the management would not grudge for making that annual payment to the Shirdi Sansthan; but this is not the material point. Control by the central organization will mean the surrender of certain powers of the affiliated institutions to the Central Organisation. It will be incumbent upon all the affiliated institutions to hold their annual general meeting in time and they will have to forward a copy of their annual report and a statement of audited accounts to the Central Organisation. Apart from this, if Shirdi Sansthan is recognized as a Central Organisation by all Sai Institutions, then naturally the Shirdi Sansthan might have to issue certain instructions to the affiliated institutions, who will have to carry them out. Though the common aim of all the institutions may be the spread of Sai Culture, still the individuals, who are in charge of the institutions, may not like to have control over their affairs by others and if some ill feeling is thus created, it will mar the work of those institutions. If instead of the Shirdi Sansthan, the All India Sai Samaj, Madras, is proposed to be the central organization, still the same problem will arise and it may not be easy for that institution to give guidance and exercise control over all Sai Institutions, which are spread far and wide.

Under the circumstances mentioned above we may not think of affiliation of all Sai Institutions to one central institution as it is likely to give rise to some complications; but this should not deter us from trying to streamline the programmes at different Sai institutions and bring uniformity in them with a view to achieving the objects of the teaching of Shri Sai Baba. At the All India Sai Devotees, Conferences which are held from year to year, some delegates give vent to their ideas in this respect; but these sporadic efforts cut no ice and those talks melt in the air. It is however felt that if some thoughts on this subject are expressed in this magazine, they will be given a serious though by all Sai Institutions and they will be put into practice thus bringing uniformity in the programmes at all the Sai Institutions.

Thus while thinking about the programmes, the first and foremost thing to be borne in mind would be to know the life and teaching of Shri Sai Baba and behave accordingly. For this purpose the only authentic book is the Sai Satcharit composed by the late Shri. Annasaheb Dabholkar. Hence the first thing that should be done by every Sai Institution is that there should be ample provision for the study of that book. Sufficient copies of this book in the local language and in English and Sai magazines should therefore be kept at every Sai Institution for perusal of the members and their families. This will enable all person within the jurisdiction of the institution to become Sai minded. Literacy has now spread and most of the persons are able to read. However for some illiterate persons the institutions should hold a regular programme every week for reading a part of Sai Satcharit or if there is any good speaker available with the institution, he may tell the stories from the life of Shri Sai Baba and thus impress the teachings of Sai Baba on them.

While chalking out the programmes at the institutions the following broad outlines of the life and teaching of Shri Sai Baba should be borne in mind.

1. Equality of all religions, castes and creeds.

2. Sympathy for the poor and needy.

3. Sympathy for the ailing persons.

4. Spiritual and moral teaching.

5. Fostering the devotion of the people.

6. Programmes covering social and educational work.

The above list could be suitably modified according to the circumstances prevailing in different places.

One enthusiastic Sai devotee from Ongole (A.P) Shri E. Bharadwaj, has given some though to this subject and he wrote an article captioned “Sai Mandirs” which was published in Shri Sai Leela for the month of February 1993 at pages 26 to 28. In this article, he has made some concrete suggestions by which all the Sai Mandirs will have uniform pattern of programmes whereby Sai cult will spread in our country. The suggestions made in the article are for having regular rituals at Sai Mandirs and Sai Institutions. While estimating the result of this drill Shri Bharadwaj observes, “All the countless Sai devotees all over the country would be linked together into one spiritual family by this subtle spiritual power of Baba” and there appears to be much force in what has been said by Shri Bharadwaj. The uniformity of prayer helps all to have a fraternity. The prayers in Church or the prayers conducted in mosques are all sung in a uniform manner and we see the effect of those prayers in the brotherly feeling that is established in the people, who attend the prayer. If the programmes suggested before in this article are also observed, then they also will help to establish a Sai fraternity in our country.

The first thing that all Sai Institutions should do is to observe on a mass scale the three main festivals that are being held at Shirdi (This is already being done at most of the Sai Institutions)

This will involve a very large number of the members of the public in these festivals and they will known about the great Saint of Shirdi, Shri Sai Baba. After this the aaratis and bhajans etc. should be done as far as possible on every day and at the time at which they are being sung at Shirdi. A special programme of bhajan or such other programme accompanied by music should be arranged every Thursday, so that some persons will be coming to the temple atleast once a week for this programme.

Shri Sai Baba Himself cooked food and served it to the poor. So poor feeding was very great favourite programme of Shri Baba. The Sai institutions should give prominence to this programme and it may be observed atleast once a month or according to the facility available at the place. However, this programme should never be missed on the days of the three main festivals.

Shri Sai Baba always gave medical help to the poor and needy. He was giving medicines in the beginning and later one His only medicine was the Udi from his Dhuni in the Drawkamai. This Udi was found to cure all diseases during the life-time of Shri Sai Baba and even during the last, sixty five years after his Mahasamadhi the Udi from his Dhuni has not lost its efficacy. Today this Udi is being given to all the devotees from the various places, who are coming to Shirdi and it is being used by them for all their ailments. However, free medical help should be given by the Sai institutions in various places as that would be fulfilling Shri Baba’s desire to give help to the ailing persons. Among the Sai devotees, who may be the members of the institutions, there might be some doctors, who would be rely to devote some time for this honorary work. This work will go a long way in popularizing the Sai Institution.

If possible a school may be started by some Sai Institutions, where the children could be given training of Sai devotion from the childhood. In English their is a saying that, “Catch them young” meaning that whatever is expected to be reaped in the later life of a person, should be sowed in his childhood. Thus if a person is to be developed into a Sai devotee in his youth and in his grown up age, then he should get his first lessons in his childhood. The school conducted by the All India Sai Samaj at Madras is found to be shaping their students into Sai devotees in this manner.

It will be seen from the above discussion that if the programmes, suggested before for being carried out at Sai Institutions, are gone through regularly at all Sai Institutions, there will develop a uniform fraternity of Sai devotees in our country and the chain of Sai Institutions will be doing very useful work like the Ramakrishna Mission Centres or like so many missions, run by the Christian Missionaries. Devotion is a great quality in human nature, which is able to bring together people on a mass scale. Devotion to Shri Sai Baba is being developed in very many people and they will be coming together for prayers and for the darshan of Shri Sai Baba on the coming Gurupournima day on the 12^th of this month. The persons, who are running the Sai Institutions, will also be meeting on this occasion. They should therefore invoke Shri Baba’s blessings on this auspicious day of Gurupournima and also give a thought to the above suggestions with a view to have uniform programmes at Sai Institutions, which will help to spread the teachings of Shri Sai Baba among the masses, which is the main object of starting all these Mandirs and Institutions. We pray to Shri Sai Baba to bless one and all on this auspicious day of Gurupournima.