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Sai Baba of Shirdi (Unknown –
October 15, 1918), also known as Shirdi Sai
Baba, was an Indian guru, yogi and fakir who is
regarded by his Hindu and Muslim followers as a
saint. Some of his Hindu devotees believe that
he was an incarnation of Shiva or Dattatreya.
Many devotees believe that he was a Sadguru.
There are many stories and eyewitness accounts
of miracles he performed. He is a well-known
figure in many parts of the world, but
especially in India, where he is much revered.
The name 'Sai Baba' is a combination of Persian
and Indian origin; Sāī (Sa'ih) is the Persian
term for "well learned" or "knowledgeable",
usually attributed to Islamic ascetics, whereas
Baba (honorific) is a word meaning "father;
grandfather; old man; sir" used in Indo-Aryan
languages. The appellative thus refers to Sai
Baba as being a "holy father" or "saintly
father". His parentage, birth details, and life
before the age of sixteen are obscure, which has
led to a variety of speculations and theories
attempting to explain Sai Baba's origins. In his
life and teachings he tried to reconcile
Hinduism and Islam: Sai Baba lived in a mosque
which he called Dwarakamayi, practiced Hindu and
Muslim rituals, taught using words and figures
that drew from both traditions and was buried in
a Hindu temple in Shirdi. One of his well known
epigrams says of God: "Sabka Malik Ek Hai" ("One
God governs all") which traces its root to the
Bhagavad-Gita and Islam in general, and Sufism,
in particular. He always uttered "Allah Malik"
("God is Master"). He had no love for perishable
things, and was always engrossed in
self-realization, which was his sole concern.
Sai Baba taught a moral code of love,
forgiveness, helping others, charity,
contentment, inner peace, devotion to God and
guru. His teachings combined elements of
Hinduism and Islam and tried to achieve communal
harmony between these religions.
Sai Baba remains a very popular saint and is
worshipped by people around the world. Debate
over his Hindu or Muslim origins continues to
take place. He is also revered by several
notable Hindu and Sufi religious leaders. Some
of his disciples received fame as spiritual
figures and saints such as Upasni Maharaj, Meher
Baba, Saint Bidkar Maharaj, Saint Gangagir,
Saint Jankidas Maharaj and Sati Godavari Mataji. |
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SAI BABA |
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