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X.
The Same Baba: Shirdi Sai and Sathya Sai
The Shirdi Link
Baba reveals His Omniscience to
the Rani of Chincholi
The Raja of Chincholi was a very ardent devotee
of Shirdi Baba. Baba used to spend a few months every year
at Shirdi, Akalkot and other holy places in the company of
Siddhas and Sadhakas (holy men). After the passing away of
the Raja, the Rani (queen) was pleasantly surprised to hear
of the incarnation of the Lord as Sri Sathya Sai Baba at Puttaparthi
and she visited the place.
She prayed to Bhagawan who was just fifteen
years of age at that time to accompany her to Chincholi and
Hyderabad. What a surprise it was for her, when Baba on arriving
at the palace, asked her about a Margosa tree that had stood
Shirdi Sai had visited them, a well that had been filled up,
a line of shops that had been newly built. Baba told her that
He had seen the places years ago while 'in His previous body!'
Sathya Sai Baba asked her about a small stone
image of Anjaneya which had been given to the Raja while in
the previous body; the Rani did not know that it existed;
Baba himself discovered it for her! He also said that there
must also be found a picture of Sai Baba and that too was
later discovered in the house.
Three years ago, the Rani had been rummaging
the huge store-room at Chincholi for old brass, bronze or
copper which she could sell off and save space when she came
upon a brass ‘Kamandalu’, a drinking vessel used
by Sadhus, whose shape was quaint and artistic. The water
has to be poured through a slit in the handle and the spout
ends in a cow's-head figurine!
Some one suggested that it could be polished
and displayed as a decorative article in the drawing room
of her Hyderabad House. The mystery of the Kamandalu deepened
next day when they found a cobra coiled round it! "Baba
alone can solve the secret," she said to herself, while
propitiating the cobra with the traditional Puja (worship).
She arrived at Puttaparthi on the first day
of Dasara, and as soon as she entered the premises, Baba sent
word, asking her to come up, "with my drinking vessel"!
As soon as the Kamandalu was in His Hands
He showed some devotees standing nearby the letters inscribed
on the vessel in Devanagari characters, 'S A A' followed by
a pair of short vertical lines, 'B A A' with the two lines
again. 'SAA' indicating Sayi and 'BAA' for Baba!
Readers may wonder how the saint of Shirdi
who, according to all accounts, never left Shirdi for years,
could have gone to Chincholi and Hyderabad, and left a Kamandalu
with the Raja. But, devotees who have seen and experienced
the Avatar of Sri Sathya Sai Baba will have no difficulty
on this score. In fact, it is the honest belief of the Rani
as well as some old servants of the Palace that Sai Baba stayed
a few days every time He came and that He used to ride in
a Tonga drawn by bullocks far out of the town, in order to
have talks with the Raja who accompanied Him.
This Tonga is now at Prasanthi Nilayam and
is on display at the Chaitanya Jyothi Museum.
Reference: “Sathyam
Shivam Sundaram” Vol-I by Prof.
N Kasturi. Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications
Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam.
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