Chapter 21 highlights the importance of the Navavidha Bhakti, or nine modes of devotion. By way of a parable narrated to a devotee, who went to Baba seeking peace of mind, Baba speaks about the importance of practising the Navavidha Bhakti in order to attain a peaceful and steady mind. Devotees' experiences and practices described in this Chapter teach us about these different types of devotion that we can adopt in our lives.
A tip that can be useful to all of us can be found in the story of a devotee named V. H. Thakur, who once met the Kannada saint, Appa. Giving Thakur a copy of the “Vichar Sagar”, Appa told him that he would one day meet Sai Baba and receive His blessings. Later, when Thakur met Baba, Baba tells him that merely reading a spiritual text is not sufficient: "To achieve your goal on the spiritual path, you must read it mindfully, understand it, and then inculcate its teachings into your daily life." We can do the same when we read Baba's Charita.
(A little about the book Vichar Sagar - Nishal Das (1791-1863), the author of Vichar Sagar, was a very prominent Vedanta scholar, whose work was written in Brij Bhasha (Hindi) and later translated into Marathi. The book is about the metaphysics of the Upanishads, and the philosophy of the Advaita Vedanta and the non-dualistic approach mentioned in the Vedas. Many Hindu theological colleges use this book in their curriculum.)
Another story is about Anantrao Patankar, a resident of Pune, who went to Shirdi for Baba's Darshan. After prostrating at Baba's feet, he said, "I have studied the Vedas, the Vedanta and the Upanishads, and listened to all the Purans. Yet my mind is restless. Without peace of mind, this knowledge is futile. I have heard how easily you give peace of mind to many people by your mere glance and playful words. So please take pity on me and bless me." Baba then narrated to him the parable of the mare who passed nine lumps of dung before a merchant, who swiftly collected the lumps. Later, Dada Kelkar explained the meaning of the parable to Patankar. The mare is God's grace, and the nine lumps of manure are the nine modes of Bhakti that Lord Shri Ram explained to Shabari.
The following are the nine modes of Bhakti (Navavidha Bhakti):
1) Shravanam – listening to the attributes, excellence and wondrous achievements of saints.
2) Kirtanam - recitation
3) Smaranam – recalling and meditating upon the names and perfection of the Lord.
4) Pada Sevanam - washing and kneading of the feet.
5) Archanam – ritualistic worship
6) Vandanam - adoration,
7) Dasya – service (including menial work)
8) Sakiya - cultivating fellowship
9) Atmanivedan - surrendering of oneself.
The names of the devotees who were known to practise each of the above types of Bhakti are:
1) Shravanam - Bala Bhate, Khaparde, Bheeshma, Upasani, Shama, Ram Maruti, and several other devotees
2) Kirtanam - Dabholkar, Gavankar, Das Ganu, Moreshwar Pradhan, Bheeshma, Adkan, B. V. Deo, and the Tendulkar family
3) Smaranam - Shama, Mahali, Megha and Nachane
4) Pada Sevanam - Laxmibai Khaparde, Mrs. Pradhan, Abdullah, Tatya, Bhagoji, Butti, Khaparde, Bheeshma, Dabholkar, Nimonkar, Bala Bhate, and Dhumal
5) Archanam - Dr. Pandit, Moola Shastri, Jyotindra Tarkhad and Nachne
6) Vandanam - Sapatnekar
7) Dasya - Abdullah, Nivaskar, Radhakrishna Mai, Mhalsapati, Bayaja Mai, and Nanavalli.
8) Sakiya - Shama, Chandrabai Borkar, Bade Baba, Dr. Pillai, and Jyotindra Tarkhad
9) Atmanivedan - Dikshit, Swami Saisharnanand, Radhakrishna Mai, and Megha
Many of these devotees practised more than one mode of Bhakti. Baba laid a great deal of emphasis on Shravanam, and everyday in Shirdi, there were regular readings of Jnaneshwari, Bhavartha Ramayan, Guru Charita, and Eknath Bhagwat. Baba often sent a devotee to get Dakshina from Jog or Dikshit, and the devotee would get the answer to his doubt upon hearing the chapter being read that day. All of Baba's devotees, like Chandorkar, Dikshit and Khaparde, have graduated from the class of Shravanam. Because Baba favoured this type of Bhakti, devotees never failed to attend the readings by Dikshit and Khaparde.
SHRAVANAM
The following are two incidents highlighting the significance of Shravanam, as encouraged by Baba.
In the first incident, a devotee named Pansare visited Shirdi, where he soon became friends with Jog. Jog would ask Pansare to sit and listen to him while he read the Jnaneshwari. But, Pansare, not paying any heed, would go and sit in the Dwarka Mai. One day, Baba sternly said, "You don't listen to the Jnaneshwari being read by Jog, nor do you read it yourself. And as soon as you wake up, you come here. Now go and sit with Jog." Pansare had no choice but to obey Baba.
The second incident is about a non-believer who ended up doing a Parayan of the Charita. This is the story of Ramchandra Deshmukh, a resident of Shirdi, who did not believe in Baba. Once, his daughter fell ill, and was...
