• The two Sai Baba
• The arrival in Shirdi
• The many faces of Shirdi Sai Baba
• Miracles and reincarnations

The two Sai Baba

When in Italy, as in the rest of the West, we read the name Sai Baba , it is automatic to immediately think of Sathya Sai Baba , founder of an immense philanthropic organization, known for his thick curly hair and for his ability to materialize ashes (vibhuti). and other objects, sometimes jewelry. 

Many books have been written about him, but few know that in India when the name of Sai Baba is mentioned, one immediately thinks of another figure, that of the fakir Shirdi Sai Baba , who left his body in 1918, eight years old. before the birth of the other Sai Baba, self-declared reincarnation of the first. 

Respected by Hindus, Zoroastrians and Muslims as a saint and fakir, Shirdi Sai Baba is a highly respected spiritual figure in the Indian yoga and mysticism landscape .

The arrival in Shirdi

Little is known about Shridi Sai Baba’s life prior to his inner realization, and even his real name is shrouded in mystery. He simply settled in Shirdi, in the current Indian state of Maharashtra, around 1860, after having spent long years of wandering spiritual practice , thus starting to officiate rites that had no precise connotations, as people of all caste and any religion. 

The many faces of Shirdi Sai Baba

His practices had both Hindu and Sufi elements , and he invited his guests to study both the Qur’an and Hindu texts. In the books that deal with his life, perhaps only a couple in Italian, at least three aspects of Shirdi Sai Baba appear. For ordinary devotees not engaged in a profound and decisive spiritual quest, it was a kind of guide-counselor, dispenser of tips on how to have children or commit one’s money. 

To others he revealed a peaceful gospel, inviting them to pray, to recite the name of God, to live a moral life, of sharing and mutual help, without differences of caste or religion, encouraging acts of charity .

Finally, for the circle of closest devotees, he showed himself as the master possessor of an absolute knowledge, derived from the realization of the self, which enabled him to interpret the most complex philosophical texts , and to guide the followers to identify with the divine. In any case, all these categories of disciples have always testified to his ability to perform miracles.

Miracles and reincarnations

The miracles that spread Shirdi Sai Baba’s fame all over India are not willful acts but a spontaneous manifestation of his connection with the One . The most famous concern numerous cases of telepathy : the disciples and visitors did not even have to formulate the questions and Shirdi Sai Baba already had the answer ready. There are many cases in which he has helped infertile couples to have children. 

There are also more daring testimonies, which portray him as capable of levitating or reshaping his own body . He used to appear in the dreams of the most distant devotees to help them in their spiritual practice and not infrequently
took their sufferings upon himself. A unique figure, above any religion but mixed with the daily life of his disciples, able to leave us mystical and philosophical interpretations of the sacred texts of the highest level, and committed to helping the business of the fruit hawkers.