Sai Baba was not only a person who inspired a lot of His villagers in Shirdi; He also proved that He can do miracles given by His Guru.
One of the famous miracles done by Sai Baba is the lighting of lamps with water. Long before His fame spread, He was fond of burning lights in temples. He used to depend on the generosity of the villagers for oil, but there came a time that the people got tired of giving Baba and bluntly told him that they are not going to give him anymore. Without complaining, Baba returned to the temple and took the earthenware lamps. He poured water and lighted the wicks. The people who stalked on Baba and saw the lamps continued to burn all night long. Baba saw them and instead of getting angry with them, he just told them courteously never to lie again.
Baba also had a premonition of burning fields. It was summer on Shirdi and the heat was intense. One afternoon, he called Kondaji Sutar and told him to go to his farm because it’s on fire. Terrified, he ran to his field but saw no signs of fire. He went back and told Baba that he saw nothing. Baba told him to go back and see it again. Kondaji stood corrected and Baba was right after all. A bundle of corn was on fire and smoke was billowing from it. The strong wind was fanning the fire and the villagers were panicking. People asked helped from Baba and walked casually to the field and sprinkled water and said: “There now, the fire will die now!” and so it did.
There was a couple who went to Shirdi to take Sai Baba’s darshan or a bestowal of love. As the couple were about to leave, the rain poured down heavily. Thunder and lightning also appeared. As the couple looked in dismay, Baba prayed, “Oh Allah! Let the rain cease, my children are going home. Let them go peacefully”. The storm thereupon ceased, the rain reduced to a drizzle and the couple reached their destination safely.
When Baba came to Shirdi, there were no basic facilities available. There was a well but it was only put in a name. There was no natural spring water and if there were any, it must have been dried for a long time. Water was the primary problem out there. The villagers decided to go to Baba and ask for help. Baba gave them a platter of flowers on which the blessed food had been placed along with the remnants of alms. The villagers did what they were told to do. As the platter of leaves fell on the well, the water rose from the bottom as if divine command and completely filled it.
Sai Baba always maintained the Dhuni or the perpetual fire. He always talks in symbol or parables. He was the common man’s God. He mingles with them; he eats together with them, sang and danced with them, showing no pretensions of a God. But all of them knew that He was protecting them.
