1-21. But for the merit of some good deeds of our past births, how could we have been so compellingly drawn to Your holy feet, which have proved to be our sole refuge?
1-37. As for you, O my listeners! I make my obeisance to you respectfully, as I pray for your undivided attention. Unless you are attentive, how can I be happy?
1-38. The greater the connoisseur a listener is, waiting eagerly for more and more, the grater is the enthusiasm and verve of the speaker, as he goes on narrating.
1-42. My own heart tells me that before You, I am but a piece of straw. And yet, I beseech You to be gracious and accept me with all my faults.
1-43. And now, let us remember our Sadguru and worship His feet with love and devotion. With body, speech and mind, let us surrender to Him, who is the mainspring of all wisdom and inspiration.
1-49. O Sadguru, You defy all comparison; for, to whichever object you are likened, You already pervade it, by virtue of natural attributes. Whatever object the eye falls upon, is but a form assumed by Yourself.
1-51. My obeisance to You, O Greatest among the Gurus, who are in auspiciousness, the Soul Beautiful!
1-53. Hail to you, O Sadguru, O treasure-house of kindness and mercy! Glory be to You, who are Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh, and Dattatreya, who wanders at will on the banks of Godavari! I bow to You in obeisance!
1-55. Bow your head before Him in reverence; with your hands, press his feet gently; let your eyes gaze into His face intently, and, the nose inhale the fragrance of the water that washes His feet.
1-56. Let the ears listen to the praises of Sai constantly, and keeping ties of worldly life will then fall off, automatically.
1-57. With devotion, offer at the Sadguru’s feet your body, mind, worldly wealth, —everything, and dedicate your entire life in the service of the guru.
1-59. Great is the power of all these, For they urge the devotee onwards, even without his knowing it, pushing him to the very threshold of Moksha. This has been tried and tested by those of single-minded devotion.
1-62. The Sacred name of the Sadguru is our Veda-Shastra; ‘Sai Samarth’ is our ‘mantra’ or the sacred chant. It is also our only ‘yantra’ and ‘tantra’.
1-74. O Gururaya! O Bliss Incarnate! You are my ultimate destination. You alone, are my repose, for only You can relive the pain and suffering of this affected one.
1-78. Ever since Sai, very kindly, conferred His grace on me I have been thinking only of Him day and night. That itself will destroy the fear of worldly life.
1-79. No more for me the chanting of other mantras, not yet, any other penance! I see only the pure, manifest form of Shri Sai, all the time.
1-80. Gazing into Sai’s face, hunger, thirst—everything is forgotten. What worldly pleasure can stand comparison to it? The trials and tribulations of worldly life are forgotten altogether.
1-81. Looking into Baba’s eyes, one forgets one’s self. And, as the love wells up from within, the mind is immersed into inexpressible joy.
1-82. To me service at Sai’s feet is everything; —karma and dharma, Shastras and Puranas, yoga and ritual sacrifice, and, the performance of prescribed religious ceremonies, pilgrimages, penance, —everything!
1-88. To express one’s devotion by performing pooja, is the way prescribed by Vyasa, the son of the sage Parashar, and is another form of devotion, called ‘Archan-Bhakti’.
1-93. After the ritual is over, the consciousness of the Supreme Spirit should be regained in your heart.
2-34. Sai’s Life’ is a grate ocean—boundless, infinite, a mine of precious gems; which I, a tiny Titwi (Lapwing) bird is endeavoring to empty. How can this ever come about?
2-35. Sai’s Life is thus unfathomable, which it is just impossible to recount fully and satisfactorily. One should therefore, be content to narrate as much of it as one can, and to the best of one’s ability.
2-43. Even a few words of these stories, falling on the ear casually, are enough to make the misfortunes of a creature, recede, at once. If then, the entire story is heard, with reverence and faith, a simple, trusting devotee will surely and easily cross the ocean of worldly life.
2-46. Those who have not had the actual darshan of Baba, to pacify their eyes, may at least gain some merit by listening to the stories of his greatness.
2-56. The words that came out of Sai’s mouth are as sweet as nectar. How can I describe their beauty and charm? Listening to them, the heart will be filled with supreme bliss.
2-79. “When ego and conceit are totally resolved, leaving, not even a trace behind, it is then that I will dwell in him, writing the book with my own hand.
2-80. “When listening, reflection or writing is begun with this thought firmly governing it, then that work will be accomplished by myself, while he (Dabholkar) will only be made my instrument.
2-84. “When heard with virtuousness and a good feeling, these stories will generate devotion in the listeners’ minds; self-experience and bliss will then follow most naturally and a state of perpetual joy will thus be attained.
197. Sai alone is our prosperity; Sai is our total consciousness of Bliss. He alone is our lasting detachment from worldly affections. And even our ultimate Refuge is none but Shri Sai!
3-3. “If my ‘leelas’ are recorded, then any sins committed through ignorance will be dissipated. And when these are listened to, with faith and devotion, the cares and troubles of worldly life will be forgotten.
3-4 “Waves of love and devotion will surge on the ocean of listening, diving again and again, into which, will bring gems of wisdom into your hands.”
3-11. “Moreover, one thing I tell you, Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande), I grant all the wishes of him who chants my name with love and faith, which, in turn, enhances his devotion to me.
3-13. “All the devotees who are attached to me, heart and soul, will naturally be delighted, listening to these stories.
3-14. “Whoever sings my praises in a kirtan, to him I shall give total, perfect happiness, peace and contentment, always. This is my promise.
3-15. “He who gives himself up to me with single-minded devotion, and sings my praises with full faith, remembers me and contemplates on me, the deliverance of him is my promise.
3-17. “Even if my stories are merely listened to, all the diseases will be cured. And I shall pull out my devotee from the jaws of death.
3-18. “Listen to the stories with reverence; reflect upon them deeply. After reflection, contemplate on them. This will bring great satisfaction.
3-20. “Repetition of the name “Sai, Sai” will burn down sins, resulting from the evil desires of kaliyug. A mere prostration before me is enough to destroy the past sins of speech and hearing.”
3-25. In the days to come, some will build ashrams; some, temples; others will construct a ghat on the river-bank, too! But let us follow the beaten track and read Sai’s life-story.
3-53. Restraint and control over the mind and the senses in Kritayuga, ritual sacrifices in the Tretayuga, ritualistic worship and pooja in the Dwarparyuga and chanting the ‘naam’, narrating the stories and singing the praises of God in Kaliyuga, these are the easy ways for attaining Salvation.
3-58. Such is this Sai’s story, pure and sacred! May the loving, noble listeners listen to it. And even their five great sins7 will be burned down and destroyed.
3-60. And so, may these stories be remembered till we die. May their study be always carried on; so that they bring peace and contentment to the beings burnt in the conflagration of worldly life and its sorrows.
3-61. Reading the stories, listening to them with faith and devotion, contemplation will come of itself, readily, of Sai, whose form will then appear before the eyes and will be fixed in the heart.
3-62. May the worship of Sadguru be accomplished in this way, and a detachment from the worldly life come about. May a fondness grow within, for the remembrance of the guru and the mind be purified.
3-81. “Moreover, do not repulse or reject anyone contemptuously—be it then, a dog, a pig, or a common fly. For, without some special bond from the previous birth, no one comes to us.
3-95. “To such a one then, as me, when all the workings of the mind, all affections are turned, that is the true service and true worship to me. T experience the bliss of consciousness (i.e.Me), is to be in that pure state which is knowledge.
Recitation of Shri Sai Satcharita and Sai Naam Jaap
1-62. The Sacred name of the Sadguru is our Veda-Shastra; ‘Sai Samarth’ is our ‘mantra’ or the sacred chant. It is also our only ‘yantra’ and ‘tantra’.
2-43. Even a few words of these stories, falling on the ear casually, are enough to make the misfortunes of a creature, recede, at once. If then, the entire story is heard, with reverence and faith, a simple, trusting devotee will surely and easily cross the ocean of worldly life.
2-84. “When heard with virtuousness and a good feeling, these stories will generate devotion in the listeners’ minds; self-experience and bliss will then follow most naturally and a state of perpetual joy will thus be attained.
3-3. “If my ‘leelas’ are recorded, then any sins committed through ignorance will be dissipated. And when these are listened to, with faith and devotion, the cares and troubles of worldly life will be forgotten.
3-4 “Waves of love and devotion will surge on the ocean of listening, diving again and again, into which, will bring gems of wisdom into your hands.”
3-11. “Moreover, one thing I tell you, Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande), I grant all the wishes of him who chants my name with love and faith, which, in turn, enhances his devotion to me.
3-13. “All the devotees who are attached to me, heart and soul, will naturally be delighted, listening to these stories.
3-14. “Whoever sings my praises in a kirtan, to him I shall give total, perfect happiness, peace and contentment, always. This is my promise.
3-15. “He who gives himself up to me with single-minded devotion, and sings my praises with full faith, remembers me and contemplates on me, the deliverance of him is my promise.
3-17. “Even if my stories are merely listened to, all the diseases will be cured. And I shall pull out my devotee from the jaws of death.
3-18. “Listen to the stories with reverence; reflect upon them deeply. After reflection, contemplate on them. This will bring great satisfaction.
3-20. “Repetition of the name “Sai, Sai” will burn down sins, resulting from the evil desires of kaliyug. A mere prostration before me is enough to destroy the past sins of speech and hearing.”
3-25. In the days to come, some will build ashrams; some, temples; others will construct a ghat on the river-bank, too! But let us follow the beaten track and read Sai’s life-story.
3-53. Restraint and control over the mind and the senses in Kritayuga, ritual sacrifices in the Tretayuga, ritualistic worship and pooja in the Dwarparyuga and chanting the ‘naam’, narrating the stories and singing the praises of God in Kaliyuga, these are the easy ways for attaining Salvation.
3-58. Such is this Sai’s story, pure and sacred! May the loving, noble listeners listen to it. And even their five great sins7 will be burned down and destroyed.
3-60. And so, may these stories be remembered till we die. May their study be always carried on; so that they bring peace and contentment to the beings burnt in the conflagration of worldly life and its sorrows.
3-61. Reading the stories, listening to them with faith and devotion, contemplation will come of itself, readily, of Sai, whose form will then appear before the eyes and will be fixed in the heart.
3-62. May the worship of Sadguru be accomplished in this way, and a detachment from the worldly life come about. May a fondness grow within, for the remembrance of the guru and the mind be purified.