A few days ago, there were a series of unexpected back to back incidents that took place in my shrine at home. First, there was a small leakage over the altar of Lord Sai Baba, then the main lighting over the image too stopped working. This was followed by a series of such small events, one after the other.
It made me feel a little disheartened, but I soon realised that this was a projection of mine onto Sri Sai Baba as if these things were of significance to Him.
What I painfully and honestly realized later is that to Sri Sai Baba only one's faith, love, devotion and intention matter and not all these external paraphernalia or objects of devotion.
In fact, contemplating on the teachings of Baba and even the Bhagavad Gita is that any over-emphasis on external objects is something one may get pulled over by without even knowing it.
While the intention may be good and pure, still it’s important in every instant to Surrender. Baba’s udi too is symbolic of the transient nature of the material world.
So, this was a hidden blessing in disguise. It was a humble reminder of how simple and humble Lord Sri Sai Baba's ways were and that He spent decades in a dilapidated mosque and was totally indifferent to His surroundings. All He wants is pure love and devotion from His children.
In one of the talks, Guruji Pujya Dharmandas Bapa mentioned something very significant in which He said, "Shirdi, me sab sona sona kar diya hai, kyoon ki woh sab soye hue hai." (In Shirdi they have turned everything to gold, because they are asleep spiritually speaking.) Baba would wear only one tattered kafni, that too for social norms, otherwise He did not even need that.
How Sri Sai Baba led His life, what He show us by His own example is a subject of deep contemplation in our daily living.