The ‘Bhakta-Pati’
The experiences of Kaka Saheb Dixit, a staunch devotee of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba have been recorded in the book “The Diary of Kaka Saheb Dixit”. Few of the experiences have been depicted below:
One of Kaka saheb’s acquaintance Shankar Rao’s mother once planned to visit Shirdi and later proceed to Pandharpur and few other places of pilgrimage. When she went for Baba’s darshan, Baba gave her Udi and asked her to return home. Since she used to consider Shirdi as her Pandharpur, she cancelled her pilgrimage and returned home. After reaching home, when she unpacked her luggage to distribute the Udi to her family members, she didn’t find it. Instead, she found a packet of Bukka (fragrant powder which one gets upon visiting the shrine of Pandharpur). She was surprised and elated at the same time. Later she realized that since she strongly felt that Shirdi is her Pandharpur, she received Bukka instead of Udi.
On another occasion, in 1915 Kaka Saheb visited Shirdi along with his wife, brother-in-law, and Shankar Rao. En route they met one of Baba’s devotee, Vasudev Sitaram Saamanth at Basin. After learning that Kaka Saheb is heading to Shirdi, he gave two annas to Kaka Saheb and asked him to buy coconut, incense sticks, and camphor and on his behalf offer them to Shri Sai Baba. After reaching Shirdi, Kaka Saheb went for Baba’s darshan, but forgot about Vasudev’s offering. After a delightful darshan of Baba, they asked for his permission to leave. Baba granted them permission but reminded him about the money Vasudev gave him at Basin. Kaka Saheb quickly realized his mistake and fetched the items and offered them to Baba. He said, “When you take responsibility of any task, perform it with utmost care or else don’t accept it.“
As quoted in Shri Guru Bhagavat, Vol. 2
Sarbapraaneera manobhaaba || Jaanibaa taankara swabhaaba
Duraru shabdara shrabana || Dura ghatanaara darshan
[He (Shri Guru) can spontaneously read the mind of every living being. He can hear from a distance (clairaudience) and see from a distance (clairvoyance)
Bhaktankara ichhaa O mana || Sadaa Gurushakti adheena
Shiba je roope ‘Pashupati’ || Guru je roope ‘Bhakta-pati’
All the wishes and thoughts of the devotee are ever under his control. As lord Shiva is called Pashupati (Controller of all animals), so also Guru can be called the Bhakta-Pati (Controller of the devotees).
