One vs. Thirty-Three Million: The Secret of Steadfast Devotion
The Leela
In the sacred chronicles of Shirdi, there lies a profound incident recorded in Chapter 11 involving Dr. Pandit. A visitor to Shirdi, Dr. Pandit was a staunch disciple of a Brahmin Guru, yet he found himself standing before Sai Baba, who appeared to the world as a Muslim Fakir.
Usually, Baba would never allow devotees to apply sandalwood paste to his forehead. However, when Dr. Pandit approached, something shifted. With a heart full of reverence, he did not see a 'different' Guru or a 'Fakir'; he saw his own Brahmin Guru seated before him. Driven by this singular vision, he boldly smeared the Tripundra (three lines of sandalwood paste) on Baba’s forehead.
To the surprise of onlookers, Baba accepted this mark delightedly. Why? Because Dr. Pandit’s act was not a mere ritual; it was an act of Ananya Bhakti (one-pointed devotion). He did not switch loyalties; rather, he superimposed the image of his beloved Guru onto Baba. Baba later remarked that even Brahma, Vishnu, or Mahesh would bow to such firm devotion. This story stands as a beacon, illustrating that while forms may vary, the essence of the Guru remains One.
? The Conflict / Doubt
In a culture that acknowledges 33 million Gods and Goddesses, how can a devotee practice Ananya Bhakti (One-Pointed Devotion) without being disrespectful to others? If we worship Shiva on Monday and Vishnu on Tuesday based on our fluctuating desires, are we truly devoted, or is our faith merely transactional and wandering?
The Revelation
True steadfast devotion is not about rejecting the 33 million deities, but about understanding the singularity of the connection with one's Guru. The speaker illuminates this path through several profound realizations:
-
The Danger of 'Adulterous' Devotion: Citing Saint Dnyaneshwar and Saint Kabir, the teaching warns against wandering faith. Reverence that shifts from deity to deity based on selfish desires—seeking Shiva one day and Ganesha the next for material gain—is likened to a relationship lacking fidelity. It destabilizes the soul.
-
The Universal Vision: The concept of 33 crore (33 million) gods can be understood as seeing the divine in every living being. If one views every human they meet as a deity, the apparent conflict dissolves.
-
Respect All, Ask One: We must treat all deities and religions with immense respect. If you visit a temple of another deity, bow with full reverence, but maintain this internal prayer:
"Oh Lord, I bow at your feet with the prayer that my devotion towards my Guru may increase a million times that of now."
-
Fidelity without Fanaticism: One-pointed devotion should never turn into fascism or bitterness toward other faiths. Baba came to universalize love, not to convert. If a Christian comes to you, your duty is to strengthen their faith in Jesus; if a Muslim comes, strengthen their faith in Islam. This magnanimity is the hallmark of a true Sai devotee.
-
The Ultimate Test: As Baba asks in Chapter 45:
"Can he become a true Sai devotee, who can bear to be away from Sai even for a moment? Can he be considered as attached to Sai's feet who is not detached from the worldly life?"
Scriptural References
đź“– Sai Satcharitra (Ch 3, v4; Ch 11; Ch 12; Ch 45, v25) | Dnyaneshwari (Ch 13)
Watch the Discourse
In the sacred chronicles of Shirdi, there lies a profound incident recorded in Chapter 11 involving Dr. Pandit. A visitor to Shirdi, Dr. Pandit was a staunch disciple of a Brahmin Guru, yet he found h...
Leela Narration
In the sacred chronicles of Shirdi, there lies a profound incident recorded in Chapter 11 involving Dr. Pandit. A visitor to Shirdi, Dr. Pandit was a staunch disciple of a Brahmin Guru, yet he found h...