Within a very short passage of time, Shirdi Sai Baba's spiritual name has spread throughout the nook and corner of the country like the fragrance of early morning breeze. In Delhi and adjoining areas, quite a good number of beautifully constructed Sai Temples with Baba's full-size marble idols blessing his ever - growing devotees on the principles of Shirdi Sai Sansthan are coming up progressively well. Thousands of devotees, of various castes and creeds, irrespective of sex or age, collect in these temples on every Thursday rendering morning to evening arties before the Lord of Lords.
In addition, Sai Bhajans which have always played a vital role in spreading Baba's name and fame, are regularly held in several homes of the devotees, particularly in the major towns, including NOTDA. Large number of people participate in such bhajans and yearn for perpetual mental and spiritual peace.
Customarily, at the end of bhajans and keertans, Baba's blessings in the shape of "prasad" is distributed amongst one and all participants. Prasad is invariablly in the form of eatables, normally sweets, either bazar made like "ladoos", or "barfi" or home-cooked like "halwa" or "puri-sabzi", on the wishes and resources of the sponsorer-house holders. But the most appropriate "prasad" on all such occasions should be "UDI" which cost practically nothing and is easily affordable even by a poor devotee. On the other hand, it is the most sacred Sai-blessing.
Udi was originated by Baba himself. It was not just the ashes produced as a result of burning fuel which Baba used to throw in the "Dhuni" — the sacred fire which he kept ever burning. It was blessed and freely distributed by Baba himself, not only as a cure for many physical and mental maladies but also to spread deep, thought-provoking spiritual lessons which the "faqir" had for the worldly people.
UDI was inter-aliameant to convey as a forceful reminder of the universal truth that our bodies are composed of elements wood and would eventually be reduced to ashes in due course. It was, thus, Baba's sacred prasad which He gave His devotees in their hands and besmeared some of it on their foreheads placing His boon-conferring hand on their heads.
Shri Sai Satcharita, particularly the Chapters 33 and 34, is rich with miracles explaining the greatness of UDI. It is very difficult to ignore any one of them while recollecting them all. Even now, when Sai Baba is physically not present with us in Shirdi sans than, UDI obtained by perpetual burning of Dhuni day in and day out at Shirdi Mandir, continues to be pious as ever. Sai devotees make it a convenient practice to keep enough of it with them and use it regularly in the Puja as Sai Blessing to get over sundry ailments.
It is said that in the case of non-availability of UDI, ash obtains from any other source and utilised with prayers serves the same purpose. The incident of Bubonic Plague case quoted in Shri Sai Satcharita is a vivid explanation of this factual statement. A similar incident occurred to me a few years ago which I like to share with my Sai-devotee friends :-
While on deputation to Bhutan Engineering Service, I was posted to Chukha, an out-of-way, inaccessible, lonely and remote area place on the bank of river Chukha, by my Chief Engineer, probably to teach me a lesson. But it proved to be a blessing in disguise as I was able to concentrate myself daily by perching over and meditating for hours together on the big boulders lying majestically within the river torrents.
There was a small contigent of office employees staying in tents or other make-shift accommodation. There was otherwise no trace of any human presence in or near that area. Everyone wanted to get rid of that god-forsaken place by hook or crook. After my posting there, the Chief Engineer started transferring them abruptly to better places, one by one, ordering me to take over the respective charge. In the process, he also transferred the compounder-cum-doctor making me, as usual, to take charge of his so-called medical chest. However, I used to apply Baba's UDI as and when any body fell ill. In fact, the "patients’' would always turn to me for UDI instead of any other available medicine.
Once, while returning to the camp late in the evening from the river bed, my companion, the head clerk, fell down about 10' in a ditch. He suffered several injuries, not serious but painful enough to stand up and walk. Unfortunately," at that time I did not have UDI which generally I used to keep with me. Recollecting Shri Sai Satcharita I took some sand in my hand, prayed to Baba and applied it on his forehead as well at the injuries. Practically within no time, the injured head clerk was able to get up and started limping to the camp where he was given other possible treatment too. UDI IS GREAT.
The Greatness of UDI is due to greatness of Baba.
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