The name of Sai Baba have been known for a long time. I visited his temple in Bangalore, India about five years ago. I was in India on business and when I touch down in Bangalore, there was a perfect weather. The place is famous for its cool temperature and is known as the air-condition city of the world. I stay at a city hotel and after finishing the business for the day and yet , I have about three hours of idle time and I booked a taxi to visit the famous IT park which housed Infosys . The park was huge and the building was very modern but surrounded by cluster of huts and old houses. After visiting the park, the taxi driver asked me whether I want to visit the ashram of Sai Baba which was one hour away from the IT park. I did not hesitate and asked the taxi driver to drive on.
The journey on the dusty road was full of traffic jam and the road was narrow and uneven. Both sides of the road is full of old houses , huts , sheds and illegal extensions. After an hour of monotonous sights, I reach a market place which surround the temple. I went down from the taxi and walk towards the entrance of the temple. It was huge and surrounded by a high wall. There were so many hawkers lining the entrance of the temple. The first thing I saw was a huge prayer hall. It was about the size of one football field and surrounding it was a few buildings. It was already 4pm and I tried to moved around the building and try to catch a glimpse of the famous Guru. He was not in the temple and it was not the prayer time yet.
I remember I have a class mate whom I bump in many years ago. He was a staunch believer of Sai Baba. One of the evening after I met him, he called me up and offered to show me the miracle of Sai Baba. He pick me up and sent me to his friend's house and show me the picture of Sai Baba with ashes oozing out from the picture. He told me that there are many such happenings and it is the manifestation of the Guru. There were many stories of him performing miracles and offer blessings to his followers. His students or followers include a former Prime Minister of India and high ranking government officers. My friend took me that he can turn a string into gold and he revived two dead men with his powers. He was like God to me but I just kept his image in one corner of my mind. I was never converted or connected with him although I have seen his image or photographs in some places.
Latest news, I read is that he is severely ill and have a pace maker installed to manage his irregular heart beat. He is only 85. For a Saint, it is too young. But, Buddha also die in his early 80's after falling sick. I expects Guru to live forever or if not a few hundred or thousand years. But, there are mortals as well. One question, I have in mind is why those great minds or Gurus who possesses great wisdoms die so young. It seems that the more wisdom you have , the younger you will die. And since, they have great powers in reviving the deadl why can't they cure themselves and make them live forever. Why they die like mortals?
But, does wisdom and live longer have any connections ? Logically, it should be. If you are wise, you understand life and always live in meditative stage. With wisdom, you will know how to preserve your mind and your health and this will make you live longer.This is one side of the story. Another story would be that since you know life is impermance and meaningless , you will indulge in your own extremes to live your life wild and die young.Another option would be to follow the middle path and live a moderate life and die in between. There could be so many variations between the two extreme ends. The mid point between live too short and too long. Life is full of surprises and variations.
Here, I pray for the good recovery of Sai Baba. As he has blessed millions of people and now let this millions of people pray for him.
Namaste.
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