Saibaba's child hood days.

None of the devotees of Shirdi Sai could ascertain, Baba's childhood days or the village where he was born or about his parents. Sathya Sai Baba during one of his discourses on 28 Sep 1991(from my memory) has narrated the unknown period in Shirdi Baba's childhood days. Shri Ganga bava and Devagiriamma, lived in Pathri village of erstwhile Nizam state. They had no issues. They were devoted to Lord Parameshwar and mother Parvati. Ganga bava was earning his livelihood by transporting the people across the river through a boat. On one particular day when there is a heavy rain, he wanted to safeguard his boat and he took his food and left the house asking Devagiriamma to take care since he has to stay over night in the river bed ensuring the safety of his boat. Devagiriamma bolted the door inside and started resting. After some time, she heard some body tapping the door and calling, She opened the door and found a very old man who requested her a little shelter due to rain. She asked him to stay in the verandah. Again she heard some call and she opened the door. The old man was pleading, 'i need some food to satiate my hunger".Devagiriamma went inside and found curd and little rice cooked earlier. She mixed both and gave it to the old man outside and again retired for sleep. After some time, she heard the tapping sound. She opened the door. The old man was asking for somebody to press his feet since it is aching. Finding the situation intriguing, she went to her deity, mother Parvati and prayed to relieve her from this peculier situation. Suddenly she remembered that there are certain people in the villages who do such service for money. She bolted the door, went to a nearby place and enquired about any manual help. After some time, she heard the call from outside where a woman enquired whether she called for her help and since she was away, she could not come earlier. Then Devagiri amma requested the woman to serve the oldman and bolted the door inside. Again there was a call from outside. Since there is a woman outside, she fearlessly opened the door. Lo! There stands "Shiva and Parvati" with their benevolent smile. She immediately prostrated. They blessed her profusly and said they had come there in the form of a old man and woman. Finding her sincere devotion, Lord Shiva blessed her that she will give birth to a daughter. Shiva also told her that He will himself take birth as the third child. She was blessed thus, and the Divine couple vanished. Devagiri amma was unable to sleep for the rest of the night. She was anxiously waiting for the arrival of her husband from the river bed. As soon as he returned, she narrated the entire episode, Shiva Parvathi's Dharsan and the boons she received from the Lord. Gangabava did not relish the story. He said, you might have gone to sleep and dreamt like this. How is it possible that their hut is visited by the Lord of the Universe. But Devagiri amma did not bother about his argument. Devagiri amma conceived and gave birth to a daughter. Second time also she conceived. Finding that the boon of Shiva is actually materialising, Ganga bava became desolate, since he could not get the Dharsan. He was anxious to get release from this samsar. For the third time, Devagiri conceived. Her husband was adamant. He want to leave the house in quest of God's Dharsan. Devagiri amma though in an advanced stage of pregnancy followed her husband. After walking for a while, she had labour pain and rested near a tree and delivered a male baby. She too become detached from this mundane life. She covered the baby with the leaves of the tree and followed her husband in quest of God. A Muslim who wanted to ease himself came near the tree. Finding a new born baby, he became happy since he was childless. Immediately he took the baby boy to his house and handed over the boy to his wife. He was brought up there upto his fifth year. Meanwhile the Muslim husband passed away. Unable to take care of the boy all alone, she handed over the boy in the custody of one "Venkusa" who was a pious guru teaching many. He took the child under his care and thus the boy(saibaba) was under the care of his first Guru Venkusa for twelve years. Shirdi Baba was born on 28 Sep 1835. We will continue in the next post.