||chapter fifty-one||

|| sri sai satcharitra ||

|| chapter fifty-one ||

|| phala-shruti ||

|| Sri Ganeshaya Namaha || Sri Saraswatye Namaha ||

|| Sri Venkateshaya Namaha || Sri Sai Nathaya Namaha ||

|| Sri Sadgurubhyo Namaha ||

In this chapter, Hemad Pant describes greatness of Sadguru Sai Baba, Phala-Shruti and other matters.

This is the Chapter 52 of the original Marathi version of Sri Sai Satcharita. An index is provided in all sacred spiritual literature of Marathi language. Sri Annasaheb Dabholkar (Hemad Pant) wanted to provide an index for Sri Sai Satcharita also. Unfortunately, in spite of extensive search of all of Hemad Pant’s papers, the index was not found. Then, Baba’s able, worthy and pious devotee, Sri B.V.Deo (Mamlatdar of Thane) prepared an index for the book. As it is the current practice to include a table of contents at the beginning of the book, and provide a gist of each chapter at its beginning, the same practice is followed here also. It would be appropriate to consider this chapter as an epilogue. Unfortunately, Hemad Pant did not survive to revise the manuscript of the last chapter of the work and make it ready for publication. It was published as it was found.

SADGURU SAI:

“Hey Sai! I prostrate at Your divine feet and beg You to take me under Your refuge, as You are the only mainstay of this entire universe”. If we pray the Sadguru with such humility, it is assured that all our desires will be fulfilled at the earliest and we will attain our ultimate goal of life. Even the strong roots of the tree of fortitude are being uprooted because of the tempest of Maya and Moha on the banks of the contaminated thoughts. Because of the strong winds of egoism, there is a storm in the ocean of our heart, in which alligators called anger and hatred are moving fearlessly. In the continuously swirling whirlpool of desires and counter desires, amidst egoism and hatred, fishes called censure, hatred and jealousy are swimming merrily. Even though this ocean is so dreadful, there is no necessity for the devotees to be afraid even in the least. Our Sadguru Sai is like a ship and will skilfully take us over this dreadful Bhavasagara and leave us safely on the other bank.

PRAYER:

By doing Saashtaanga namaskaras to Sri Satchidananda Sadguru Sai Maharaj and holding his feet firmly, we pray, for the welfare of all the devotees, that, “Hey Sai! Kindly banish our fickle mindedness and worldly attachments. Hey Prabhu! Except your divine feet, let there be no ambition for anything else. Let this narration of yours reach each and every house and let it be read everyday. Let all the troubles of those devotees, who read this sacred book with love and devotion, be warded off”.

PHALA-SHRUTI:

Let me say a few words about the benefits obtained by studying this book. By studying this sacred book, all the desires of the mind will be fulfilled. After taking bath in the sacred Godavari River, and after having a darshan of Baba’s samadhi in the Samadhi Mandir at Shirdi, if you do parayana of this sacred book, all the three fold afflictions will be warded off. By frequently reading Baba’s stories, you will unknowingly develop interest in the spiritual life, and by continuing to read regularly, all your sins will be washed away. If you want to escape from the eternal cycle of birth and death, or coming and going, read daily Sai’s stories, recollect them and develop deep love in the divine feet of Baba.

Churn this sea of Sai’s stories and whatever nuggets you get, distribute them to others by which you will experience new kind of happiness everyday and those who listen to you will be saved from future misery. If the devotees submit themselves to Baba, then they will shed their attachments and become one with Him just as a river merges with the sea. If you immerse yourself in Sai’s thoughts in any one of the three states (awake, dream and sleep) then you will escape from the materialistic cycle. Those who, after taking bath and with love and devotion, complete reading this sacred book in a week will find that all their calamities have disappeared. Those who read this sacred book daily will have all their fears removed instantly. By studying this sacred book everyone will get benefits depending on their dedication and devotion. Without any dedication or devotion, no benefits can be obtained.

If you study this book with respect and reverence, then Baba will be pleased and relieve you of your ignorance and poverty and grant you knowledge, money and affluence. If you read at least one chapter with concentration, then you will get unlimited comforts. You should read this book in your house definitely on Guru Poornima, Gokulashtami, Sri Ramanavami, Vijayadashami (Baba’s Mahasamadhi day) and Deepavali days. If you daily read with concentration this sacred book alone, then you will get happiness and comfort. By doing thus, the divine feet of Sri Sai will always be fixed in your conscience and you will be able to overcome this Bhavasagara. By doing parayana of this sacred book, the sick will become healthy, poor will become rich, and those who are in distress and are troubled will get solace. All the aberrations of the mind will disappear and they will get peace of mind.

My dearest devoted readers and listeners, prostrating at your feet, I have a humble request. The one whose stories you have read and listened all these days, never allow His image to fade away from your memory. More fervently you read these stories with interest, dedication and determination, Sri Sai will similarly bless us with the will to serve others. Let both the writer and the readers be blessed by our beloved Baba.

PRAYER:

In the end, before completing this book, we pray the omnipotent God that, “Hey Eashwar! Kindly bless the readers and the devotees with complete and whole hearted devotion in the divine feet of Sri Sai Baba. Let the graceful form of Baba be ever present in their vision and let them be able to see Devadhi Deva Sri Sai Bhagavan in the entire beings. Evamastu!!”

With this, the fifty first chapter called Phala-Shruti is completed. With Phala-Shruti, Sri Sai Satcharitra, is also complete.

||Sri Sadguru Sainathaarpanamasthu|Shubham Bhavatu||

|| Om Sri Sai Yashahakaaya Shirdivaasine Namaha ||

Om Shanti Shanti Shanti