Short Summary, Chapter-7, Wonderful Incarnation - Behaviour of Sai Baba - His Yoga Practices - His All pervasiveness - Leper Devotee’s service - Master Khaparde’s Plague-case - Going to Pandharpur. (Shri Sai Satcharita)

No one knew for sure whether Baba  SAI was a Hindu or a Muslim. He permitted the celebration of Hindu’s festivals of Ram Navami and Gokulashtami. At the same time he allowed the Muslims to say Nmaz on EId, keep tabut in the masjid and conduct the sandal procession. He lived in a masjid but kept constantly a fire lit like a Brahmin Agnihotri. He permitted application of sandal paste on his forehead and performing of Hindu ways of worship including sounding of bells in the masjid. His ears had been pierced. He used to repeat like Muslims Allah Malik (God is the sole proprietor). But He declared Himself as Ganapathi, Mahalakshmi, Lakshmi Narayan etc., Orthodox Brahmins bowed at his feet without any hesitation.

He renovated all the temples in Shirdi. Wicked ones got reformed. Lepers got cured. He functioned as good medicine man also. Once a person’s eyes became reddish and swelled. Baba ground beeba seeds (used by w asher men), applied that paste on the eyes and bandaged. Next morning the eyes were absolutely clear without any damage whatever. Baba knew all the yoga method including the ones to pull out the liver and clean it separating his body parts and rejoining them.

In 1910 , one day Baba suddenly thrust his hand into the Dhuni. Shama and Madhav who were near pulled him off post haste. Baba said that at a distant village a blacksmith’s child fell into the fire and He saved it without any harm. Rejecting all offers of medical aid, Baba directed Bhagoji, the leper devotee, to apply ghee on His hand and serve him regularly. Not only the wound healed but also the leprosy of Bagoji..

Once Kaparde’s wife, while in Shirdi, heard that her son was suffering from bubonic plague in her place and sought the permission of Baba to leave Shirdi. Baba immediately lifted his kafni and showed big bulbs of plague on his body and said: “See! I have to suffer for my devotees. Their sufferings are all mine only.”

One day suddenly Baba told Mahalsapathi and two others that all four of them should sing that the doors of Pandarpur temple were open. A little later, Nana Chandorkar from Nandurbar came with his family and said that he had been transferred to Pandarpur and prayed Baba to come with them. Baba gave them Udhi. There is no end to Baba’s divine sports.