If you step into the soil of Shirdi, your sufferings will come to an end

We often find ourselves oscillating between the pleasures and sorrows of life. This roller coaster ride of life can be very exhausting at times. However, Baba has given us His golden first assurance (of the eleven well known assurances) that “If you step into the soil of Shirdi, your sufferings will come to an end.”

Mohanji explains in this video that sufferings start from ignorance related to what we have identified with in our life. Mostly we identify ourselves with our personality believing that we are the personality that has positions, possessions, and relations. This identification or the attachment with the personality leads to various sufferings due to ups and downs or the vacillations in the positions, possessions, and relations.

This suffering comes to an end when we step into the soil of Shirdi.

What is suffering?

Stepping into Shirdi

Mohanji further explains that stepping into the soil of Shirdi, or in other words bowing down to Baba, means surrendering to Baba with the resolution that “I am Yours. Take me forward.”

As we bow down to Baba and surrender, Baba takes us forward to complete dissolution where we detach ourselves from our personality and realize our real Self.

This transition from suffering to dissolution starts when we step into the soil of Shirdi. By applying the teachings of Baba, we slowly start detaching ourselves from our personality which in turn slowly results in the end of the sufferings.

How do sufferings end

We have collected this personality through our thoughts, words, and actions over lifetimes and this end of the sufferings attached to the personality cannot be overnight. One should not expect this suffering to end as soon as one steps into Shirdi.

As we continue to detach ourselves from our personality and offer ourselves to Baba, He takes us forward. As we reduce the attachment to the personality, we learn to accept whatever Baba gives to us. This results in dilution of the accumulated personality and we learn to accept and handle situations in life without suffering from them. This results in the end of all the suffering.

Dissolution of the ego

This internal transformation by dissolution of the ego is evident in Megha’s story mentioned in Chapter 28 of Sai Satcharitra.

Megha was a simple and illiterate Brahmin [a typically priestly caste in Hindu society] cook who worked for a man named Rao Bahadur H. V. Sathe. He was a devotee of Shiva and always chanted the five-syllabled mantra, “Om Namah Shivaya”. Sathe told him that Sai Baba was the embodied form of the Lord Shiva and convinced him to visit Shirdi. At the Railway station, he learnt that Sai Baba was a Muslim and his simple and orthodox mind was very perturbed at the prospect of bowing to a Muslim. So he pleaded with his boss not to send him to Shirdi.

On Mr Sathe's insistence, Megha went to Shirdi. Baba was very indignant and would not allow him to enter. “Kick this rascal out!” roared Baba, and then said to Megha, “You are a high caste Brahmin and I am a low Muslim; you will lose your caste by coming here. So go away!” Hearing these words, Megha began to tremble. He was astonished as to how Baba had come to know about what was passing in his mind. He stayed there for a few days, serving Baba in his own way, but was not convinced. Then he went home and after that went to Tryambak (Nasik District) and stayed there for a year and a half. Then he again returned to Shirdi. This time, at the intercession of Dada Kelkar, he was allowed to enter the Masjid and stay in Shirdi. Sai Baba’s help to Megha was not through any verbal instructions. He worked upon Megha internally (mentally) with the result that he was considerably changed and benefited. Then Megha began to look upon Sai Baba as an incarnation of Shiva.

Here Megha can be seen as someone suffering from the attachment to the ego and preconceived notions. Stepping into the soil of Shirdi need not be taken literally but it is the surrender of the self at Baba’s feet. As Megha detached himself from his personality, he began to surrender himself at the feet of Baba. This slow detachment and surrender lead to inner transformation and ultimately dissolution.

Megha passed away in 1912. Baba touched Megha’s corpse and said, “This was a true devotee of Mine.”

This assurance from Baba is a golden opportunity for all of us to detach from our egos and surrender ourselves at the feet of Baba.This is a sure way to end all the sufferings in our life.

Join the Sacred Prana Prathistha in Virginia

Construction is close to completion in bringing Shirdi Sai Baba's idol and presence to the beautiful Appalachian mountain area of Virginia.

The upcoming temple at the Mohanji Center of Benevolence in Virginia will be consecrated during a powerful Prana Prathista ceremony on April 21, 2024. This temple space will serve as a place of rejuvenation and connection to Baba for all who walk on these grounds.

We invite you to join us in person as Baba's Presence is brought to life for the benefit of all.