Baba was a perfect realiser of the soul and a thorough master of Atmajnana. It was not mere book learning as to what the nature of the Atman is. It was one of perfect realisation. He lived the life of one who noted that he was not the body, nor the artificial personality meant by people's ideas about him and his own ideas mostly based upon the body and its activities. As he said on some occasions, his Guru Mourshad took him away from his body, that is, long ago he cast away the idea that he was the body-self that practically every one of us takes ourselves to be. He was dwelling almost constantly on the Lord. Allah and Had were ever on his lips and in his heart. Consequently they were so even at the time of the parting of his breath from his body, and according to Bhagawad Gita, the effect of that would be to make him the perfect God or Brahman after his leaving of the body. Every real bhakta who is ardent in his attachment to Baba has ample proof that Baba is still active and vigorous as God is in his dealings with his bhaktas.
Samoham Sarvabhuteshu
Name dveshyo Asti na Priyah
Ye bhajanti tumam bhaktya
Mayi te teshu cha api aham.
This means, the Lord says, “I am perfectly even and equal towards all creatures. I have neither friend nor foe. But those who attach themselves to me by their devotion, are in Me and I am in them*. 'Ma me bhaktah pranascyati' (that is the Lord says, 'No devotee of mine ever perishes” for the best of reasons that there is the Lord to look after the yogakshemam of such a devotee). So many devotees of Sai are now experiencing His constant and perpetual guardianship, protection and help, in almost every matter, that there is no necessity for pressing this truth further to show that Sai is still there after His Mahasamadhi and is not gone. How can God go and where is He to go? But it is not every one that gets the benefit of His continued existence and protection. The devotee has to attach himself at first with some degree of effort to Sai Baba and then he can get the full benefit. Even if he is a sinner, and a low creature by previous karma still he can start a new life by contacting Sai.
Apichet Asi papebhyo
Sarvebhyo papagrit tamah.
This means that even if one is the worst of sinners, the Lord promises that he might change his life soon to become a perfect bhakta or jnana. So every one who cares now to think of Baba, to study about him to contact his bhaktas and to attend proceedings such as puja, bhajan, kathas, etc., impressing people, with the nature of Sai, gets undoubted benefit, and our Mahasamadhi Message this year may close with pointedly drawing the attention of all our readers to this fact that every reader should make his contact with Sai Baba as full and perfect as it can be and then rich will be his reward. As will be seen from the Foreword (to Volume II of the Life of Sai Baba,) furnished by Sri B. N. Data;, Home Minister with the Government of India, every portion of his life is covered by Sai Baba and happiness with success is the result, May similar contact, similar success, and blessings be the lot of every reader!
om sai sri sai jaya jaya sai