Introduction
This book contains a selection of stories and teachings Tabo about the life of Shirdi Sai Baba as told by Sri Kaleshwar of Penukonda, India. To spend any time around Swami, as he is called, or to hear him speak publically anywhere in the world, means to hear him tell of the greatness and mystery of Shirdi Sai Baba, 'Baba' or 'the big boss' as he often refers to his master.
The first time I heard Swami speak about Baba was during my first visit in 1997 to Shirdi, India. Shirdi was the first stop our small group made with Swami during my initial visit to India to study with Swami, and for a very good reason Swami's life has been dedicated since his teen years. to introducing Shirdi Baba and his immense blessing energy to the world.
Shirdi, found 250 km northeast of Mumbai, was a tiny village during Baba's lifetime and the place where Baba lived most of his life. It is where his body now lies in samadhi, transmitting pure cosmic energy and eternal blessings. Since Baba's mahasamadhi in 1918, the village of Shirdi has flourished into one of the world's leading pilgrimage sites. Today Shirdi is the destination for millions of pilgrims every year. On auspicious occasions like October 15, the anniversary of Baba's mahasamadhi, more than 100,000 devotees will visit his tomb in a single day. Baba's devotees come from all religious backgrounds, span the spectrum of social and educational classes, and increasingly come from all around the world. The 'Shirdi Sai Baba movement is today considered the fastest growing new spiritual movement on the planet.
Back in 1997, after meeting Swami in Shirdi, he bought us copies of the Sri Sai Satcharita, a biography of Baba's life, with instructions to study it carefully. He brought us to Baba's samadhi tomb to receive Baba's blessings for our spiritual journey. We were privileged to meditate together through indescribable nights in Baba's Dwarkamai, the old temple where Baba spent the majority of his life. We sat together and watched the devotees, saints, and gurus with their disciples who enter the Dwarkamai to touch the famous rock that Baba sat on connecting to Baba and receiving his blessings. The saints of India revere Baba as Yogi Raja, the King of Yogis, the highest form of divine soul. Amidst it all. Swami began to tell us stories of Baba's life and leelas, of his own relationship with his master, and of Baba's greatness and role in the lives of everyone on the globe today.
Swami told the stories and passages in this book over the thirteen years since, revealing parts of Baba's life in talks given all around the world, from holy sites in India to public and private gatherings in Europe, America and Japan. We've listened to Swami tell these stories by the flowing river among the ruins in Hampi, sitting on ancient Shiva temple steps in Sri Sailam, and in the courtyard of Tirupati's golden temple. In his ashram, Shiva Sai Mandir, in Penukonda, Baba and his life stories are often part of Swami's talks, sitting in his swing near Hanuman, on his cot by his dhuni fire, in the Baba Temple, or gathered in his living room late at night. Any of the thousands of students who have attended a programme with him in Germany, England, Japan, or America will recall him telling at least one Baba story during the teachings. To meet Sri Kaleshwar is to also make the acquaintance of Shirdi Baba!
Many of these stories and teachings about Baba and his life you will not find in other biographies about Baba. Swami experienced these events of Baba's life directly through his inner visions during meditation, implementing siddhic energy from the ancient cosmic energy channels that he teaches to his students. In this way, Swami's ambition is to help the world (and the western mind in particular) understand the inscrutable character that is Shirdi Sai Baba, to uncover the
spiritual capacities and realities that Baba's life teaches us today, like avadhut energy, Dattatreya characters, or handling the Divine Mother and Her illusions. He explains the depth of the energy mechanisms and spiritual laws behind Baba's actions. It is thrilling and enlightening to hear Swami talk about the mystery that is Baba. Whenever he speaks about Baba, Baba's presence is clearly there. Many times over the years, we experienced that it was Baba himself talking through Swami. It is indeed so.
This book is a step in Sri Kaleshwar's mission to help bring Baba to the whole world. As a guru, Swami connects his students to Baba. Once that connection is made, the energy channel is open for students to experience Baba directly for ourselves. Baba becomes a living force in our life his love, his protection, his guidance, his help, his testing, his teaching, his sweet squeezing and releasing, his suffering our karmas for our benefit the amazing force that is Baba is palpable and alive. We really are in relationship with him. As his unique ways become more and more evident, we recognize his leelas. playing out in our life. More and more he makes his presence known. We begin to experience how he answers our prayers, often at the eleventh hour and in the most unexpected and dramatic ways that leave us marvelling.
When we listen to stories of Baba's life, we are turning towards him and he turns towards us immediately in response and we know that he is here. He has always been, but now we see more clearly how he orchestrates the dramas that fill this lifetime. We experience the reality and living truth of his presence. He is real. He is here. And he is most definitely with us. Knowing this is the blessing we receive from Sri Kaleshwar in this book.
About The Author
Born on January 8, 1973, Sri Kaleshwar was spiritually awakened at the age of fourteen by bis master, Shirdi Sai Baba. He started his ashram in Penukonda in 1995. Sincr that time, the ashram has grown to become a world-renowned spiritual centre serving hundreds of thousands of people.
Sri Kaleshwar's mission was to bring Shirdi Sai Baba and his spiritual messages to the West; to spread the ancient knowledge of bealing and enlightenment techniques from the sacred palm leaf manuscripts of India; to enlighten about the reality of Jesus Christ's life in India found in these manuscripts, and to create many healers and spiritual masters to serve the world using these ancient techniques. Sri Kaleshwar is also known for his far-reaching charitable works in southern India,
Sri Kaleshwar left bis mortal body in March 2012.
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