Exclusive interview with Sulakhe Maharaj
Newsletter Team USA
July 28, 2024
“We had fed our family by begging.”
Interviewer: Thanks for coming to the MCB USA. Please tell us about Sai Baba. How did you become a devotee of Sai Baba?
Sulakhe Maharaj: Sairam. I did not have any special information about Baba. I had heard that there is Sai Baba in Shirdi and Shirdi is Baba’s. Once during my childhood, I got the opportunity to get Baba’s darshan with my father. Apart from this, I had no knowledge about Baba.
Interviewer: What was your journey in becoming the Chief Priest of Shirdi?
Sulakhe Maharaj: I came from a very poor family. In fact, the word ‘poor’ is not enough to describe our state. It is because our family consisted of three brothers, two younger sisters and a younger brother, and we fed our family by begging. My father had suddenly lost his eyesight in both eyes after eye surgery. When I had gone to Tryambakeshwar Jyotirling, near Nashik, for studies, there too I had to beg for some days. Then my food was arranged in the ashram of Dongre Maharaj Swami.
By the grace of Baba, while studying, one day someone told me that there was an advertisement in the paper that they needed a priest in Shirdi. So, I submitted an application, and that too, I didn’t know how to do it. My elder brother, who had become a priest in Nityananda Swami Ganeshpuri after my father, helped me finish up and send the application. We got a letter for an interview (sent to Ganeshpuri), in which it was written that you have to come (to Shirdi) on this date to give interview for priest, and that you will have to bear the cost of travel. At that time there was no facilities like telephone, etc., but I got a letter from home that I have to go to Shirdi on this date for interview. I went there.
“Why did you call me, I complained to Baba.”
There was one opening for a priest and about 63 Maharajs had come. When the Maharajs spoke, I realized that their personality, their knowledge, their lifestyle, everything was different. When I went there and asked everyone why they had come, they said they had come to become priests. Then I thought, what is my age, what is my education (compared to all these people) ? By the grace of Baba, I had given the exam of Sahitya Shastri from Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Mumbai. I went to Baba and said, Baba, why did you call me? I had to spend Rs. 3.75 for coming and Rs. 3.75 for going back. I do not have the capacity to spend seven and a half rupees. Why did you call me? I complained to Baba.
Next to the Shirdi temple, there is a Nityananda Swami’s devotee (owned) Swami Madras Hotel, which is the oldest hotel in Shirdi. Almost seventy years ago, when there were no facilities in the temple, water was heated with the help of firewood. During the rainy days, the wood would get wet. As a result, Baba’s bath would be delayed and would occur at around 7/7:30 pm. So the Sansthan had called Amma (the hotel owner), and asked her if she would give warm water for Baba’s bath, as she would wake up early in the morning. She said, definitely. Since then, till today, Baba is bathed with the hotel’s hot water.
I went back to take my bag that I had kept at that hotel, and was planning to leave without giving the interview. At the hotel, they asked me if the interview was done, and I said no. I said I wanted to return. They asked why. I said I am not very educated and there are many qualified people here who have come for the interview. They said, Maharaj, if you succeed, we will pay your inbound fare. If you fail, we will give the inbound and return fare as well. I said, fine. I had just complained to Baba a few minutes back. And Baba showed me in 15 minutes that He is listening. My heart was overjoyed and I gave the interview. I thought even if I fail, I am getting the incoming and outgoing fare.
“Baba not only makes it possible but makes it successful also.”
They had made 3 batches. At that time, there were court receivers. There were court receivers from 1962 to 1984. From 1984 onwards, there was the Trust. I was in the first batch. In that batch, two Maharajs were told to stay back. From the second batch, one Maharaj was asked to stay back. Out of the three, one Maharaj left. Only two of us were left. The other Maharaj was called first and asked if we keep you here what salary would you expect? Now the Gyani (learned people) will usually ask for something. So he asked as per his expectation. Then they called me and asked what I would take? I said, I will work for only two months because I have to study further. They said, we will give you three hundred rupees per month and a staff quarter to stay. I said, I will get 600 rupees in two months? They said, if you stay Baba will not leave you. So, this is how Baba took me at His feet.
After that, He brought such a transformation in my life that for a person who used to find it difficult to have one meal a day, with Baba’s grace, today, not a hundred, but even if a thousand guests come, then by His grace, He has made me capable of giving. There was a time when it was difficult to have one rupee. Today, as per my name Sulakhe, if I plan in lakhs, Baba not only makes it possible but makes it successful also. This was my first experience, but if I write a book about the past 40 years, it will fall short.
“Baba’s flower fell and I got Baba’s green signal”
Experience with Kailash Yatra
In 2019, Mohanji’s devotee, Sumit ji, and I went to Maa Vaishno Devi for darshan. Before that, in 2013, I had a major heart attack. In 2019, Mohanji said, in the presence of Madhuji, “Maharaj, are you coming to Kailash?” One of our Param Sai devotees from Dubai, Mr. Pawan Kachuro was also there. Pawanji also asked “are you coming?”
I said, how should I tell him, I am a heart patient. However, Baba’s flower fell and I got Baba’s green signal, and by Baba’s grace I did the Manas Sarovar Parikrama. When the doctors were testing, I had the maximum oxygen, which is impossible. The doctor said that if you come to ask us, we will say, it would be better not to go. I said, it has been ordered, and anyway, death is inevitable.
Typically we go to Nashik, and if we have money, we go to Kashi, but no one goes beyond that. So why not, instead of going to Kashi, if my life goes away in Mansarovar before that, whose fortune will it be? It is because of Baba order only, this experience, this miracle happened. Isn’t this a miracle, because, heart patients have been told not to walk even 100 steps, or climb stairs. It is because of Baba’s grace I climbed 1000 steps. So, the one who believes in his Guru, should not bother with miracles. The fact that I have met my Guru, for me, it is a miracle in itself.
“Baba has said, “Runanubandh chi ya gaathi”, by which he means, not only us, even a single animal or bird does not come to you, unless there is a karmic connection.”
Interviewer: how did you meet Mohanji?
Sulakhe Maharaj: I have known Mohanji for about 25 years. When I was in Dubai, I used to go for puja, and Mohanji used to sit in a corner. We gave him Prasad, and he used to take it. I said Sai Ram, he used to say Sai Ram back. He never came forward, to ask for anything. At that time I was also busy, and everything has its time. So he used to come, and I had my mantra to keep going on. We used to exchange Sai Ram, and sometimes he gave ten rupees as Dakshina. I used to take it, and the interaction used to be limited to that.
From 2010 onwards, Baba made such a change, that today, me without him and he without me, even if it has been a week or two that we have not talked, and have exchanged Sai Rams, then both of us become restless.
Baba has said in Sai Sat Charitra, no one goes to anyone, even if there is no relationship of this birth, but to complete the incomplete relationship of the previous birth. God makes you and me meet. Otherwise sometimes, for two years we do not know who lives in the flat next door. Sometimes you go to a function, go to Shirdi, go somewhere, suddenly you meet, get acquainted, and in ten minutes it seems that we have been friends for ten years. Baba has said, “Runanubandh chi ya gaathi”, by which he means, not only us, even a single animal or bird does not come to you, unless there is a karmic connection. Baba has said that, if someone comes to you, if you don’t want to give them anything, don’t give, but don’t behave indecently. One who hurts others makes Me unhappy. One who feeds the hungry feeds Me.
What does Mohanji do today? How much does he eat? But when he comes, 100 people get Prasad. And after coming to him, the biggest meal that one gets is that of knowledge.
People used to come to Sai Baba, and the soul realized that this is Paramatma (God). One does not become a saint by applying make-up. Even, if he is considered as a saint, it is not permanent.
Now, Mohanji, what kind of clothes does he wear. I have never seen Mohanji with make-up. I have not seen him do his hair, or apply color on them. He says, whom do I have to show? The ones whom I wanted to like, they have liked me as is. How do our Fakirs live? Fakirs live like you and me. What do we show to whom?
I liked these qualities and I don’t go anywhere without Baba’s command and I will not go also. So now these meetings have become a “Runanubandha” bond. I wish that God grants me the opportunity to live in the company of such a saint, for many lives.
Interviewer: We are really honored to have you visit the MCB USA not once, but twice. How did you like it here?
Sulakhe Maharaj: Look, Sai Satcharitra has the answer to every problem, every question of life. It is mentioned in Sai Satcharitra that in the first minute whatever your soul feels and gets satisfied, consider that to be your place. Everyone needs money. But with Baba’s grace, there was a time when I complained for Rs. 3.75, but if today even Rs. 3.75 lakh is lost, I will not feel sad. But getting happiness is a different thing. Getting that eternal happiness is a different thing. And becoming that eternal happiness is the “Paramanand” bliss.
It is a different matter that the confluence of all has brought me to such a place, that is why I wonder when Baba will call us again. Baba has made it happen that I am here twice within 3 months. I came here in September and there was another temple in Detroit that called me in October, but I didn’t go there. So, wherever He wants me to go, that’s where I will go. And definitely, if I don’t feel like doing anything, I will not do it, may it be good or not good. Because, He is the giver with thousand hands. What will we give with two hands. Sai Ram.
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