2|Page

Fragrance of
Sai Bhakti

“The sweetest songs are those

That sing the Glory of Sai…
The purest hearts are those
That breathe the Fragrance of Sai…”

Suresh Chandra Gupta

Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org

3|Page

Published and Distributed by:

Shri Sai Samiti Noida (Regd.)

64 - D/2, F - Block, Sector - 40,
Noida (Uttar Pradesh) - 201 303
Phone: (0120) 4238672-76, 2575672, 2572810
TeleFax: (0120) 4331915
E-mail: shrisaisamitisec40noida@gmail.com
Website: saimandirsec40noide.org

Fragrance of Sai Bhakti

© 2010, Suresh Chandra Gupta
ISBN NO. 978-81-909-0780-4

All proceeds from the sale of this book will go to

Shri Sai Mandir, Sector – 40, Noida
for use in Baba’s seva

Printed by: Sai Security Printers Pvt. Ltd.,

152, D.L.F. Industrial Area, Faridabad (Haryana) - 121 003
Phone: (0129) 2276370, 2272277
E-mail: sspdel@saiprinters.com

Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org

4|Page

Humbly Dedicated

To

Those Devotees of Shri Sai who merged in

Him, unknown and unsung, but who left
their mark on the waves of Sai Bhakti in
some form or other, particularly Shri Shiv
Ram Thakur, whose Hindi rendering of
‘Shri Sai Satcharitra’ has touched
innumerable hearts and turned them
towards Sai Bhakti.

&

To my dear daughter, Rekha Mittal, whose

unstinted support to me in this ripe age has
enabled me to remain absorbed in my Baba.

Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org

5|Page

“There is a path of joy and there is the path

of pleasure. Pondering on them; the wise
(one) chooses the path of joy and the fool
takes the path of pleasure”.
– Katha Upanishad

Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org

6|Page

Preface

When my book ‘Sai Aatm-Chintan’, in Hindi, came out in

August 2009, I was very apprehensive whether a book of this
sort which talked of neither the life and leelas of Sai nor
devotee’s experiences, nor Baba’s miracles but contained
only the outpourings of a devoted heart would find any
readership at all? My fears were soon allayed when several
devotee readers from far off places rang me up and in choked
voices expressed their sentiments pertaining to the book. The
stimulus to bring out a similar book in English was provided
by a telephone call from a lady Doctor from Chennai
(Tamilnadu) who told me that she had read my book,
“Scribblings of a Shirdi Sai Devotee” and would like to read
more of my books in English. A little later, one Professor
Mishra from Bhuvneshwar (Orrisa) also made a similar
request.

With considerable labour by an old man that I am, whose

body wouldn’t support his mind and the constant fear lurking
in his mind whether or not he would be able to complete the
work, by Baba’s ever raining ‘Kripa’, the book has reached in
your hands. It has been given the little “Fragrance of Sai
Bhakti”. I am confident that every reader shall have the feel
of fragrance of Sai bhakti oozing out from the pages of this
book. The under-mentioned devotees, to whom I owe
heartfelt gratitude, have contributed tremendously in making
this book take its present shape:

Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org

7|Page

a) Shri Vijay Raghvan of ‘Sai Security Printers Pvt. Ltd.’

for the printing and publishing of the book absolutely
free of all charges.

b) Shri Pradeep Mehrotra for digging out and providing

the material in the chapter on Bhakti from ‘Sree Sai
Samartha Satcharita’ of Smt. Zarine Taraporewala.

c) A devotee, who does not wish to reveal his identity, but

whose contribution in giving the book a proper shape
for publication has been tremendous. I have no
hesitation in accepting that, without his selfless help it
would have been extremely difficult for the book to
have seen the light of the day. In typing, he also
received help from a lady devotee from Baroda
(Gujarat) - Ms. Hetal Patil, which I acknowledge
thankfully.

I consider myself blessed for having received the support of

the above named devotees. I pray to my Baba to continue to
shower His Grace on these devotees and provide them the
will and the strength to serve Him and continue treading
miles and miles onto the path of Sai Bhakti.

I shall fail in my duty as a humble devotee of Baba, if I do not

mention the name of my co-devotee – friend, philosopher and
guide, Shri Kewal Krishan, who has stood by me constantly
in the thick and thin of my ‘Bhakti’ ever since he came into
contact with me in 1972. May Baba bless him and his family.

It is for the readers to judge, if this book has helped them in

anyway in nurturing their Bhakti and bringing them closer to
their Baba. There would seem to be repetition of an idea in
Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org
8|Page

certain thoughts. It is so, I agree. But each thought has been

scribbled in a different mental state and should, therefore,
have a different impact on the mind of the readers. The book
carries a number of poems. Every poem, in my view, conveys
a feeling and a purport which must touch the heart of the
readers and take them nearer Baba.

I humbly request my readers not to seek in my writing and

thinking the wisdom of a seer, the depth of knowledge of the
scriptures or the language, its flow and usage of a well-read
person. I am merely a struggler on the path of Sai bhakti and
whatever I have written or attempted to convey are my deep
feelings arising at that particular moment in my heart and
which are being shared with my fellow devotees solely with
the aim of enabling them to make them enjoy the Grace of
Baba.

May the Fragrance of Sai bhakti spread to every nook and

corner of the universe and Baba’s devotees continue to stick
to the ‘Pure’ and ‘Satvik’ path of Sai bhakti!

At the Lotus Feet of Sai,

1st July 2010 (Suresh Chandra Gupta)

‘Sai Sadan’
F - 5, Green Park Main,
New Delhi - 110 016
Mob: +91 - 9871009043
Ph: 011 - 26536864
Ph: 011 - 26865450
Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org
9|Page

Foreword

I deem it a great privilege to have had the opportunity of

writing a few lines as foreword to show how I have been
enjoying the Divine fragrance through the pages of the book:
‘Fragrance of Sai Bhakti’. In one’s life, I am of the view, that
one should go through a book like this to realize the existence
of Atman in one’s self and dedicate oneself to the cause of
service with love and humility. If one has to have an idea
about the great Incarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, one should go
through this book. Our Bhismapitamah, Shri Suresh Chandra
Gupta Ji, is one of the real devotees of Shirdi Sai Baba, who
has had the Divine experience of seeing through the eyes
given by Baba himself to have darshan of Shirdi Sai Baba.
This is not given to many. The deep concern for the people by
Shri Suresh Chandra Gupta Ji is evident from the language
employed by him. As expressed by him in his preface, he has
always been doing something for the benefit of the society
and his book ‘Sai Aatm Chintan’ in Hindi is proof of his
benign intention. In this book, it is highlighted that our
Baba’s nature is divine, pure, peerless and full of all blessed
qualities. Baba also took pains to pass Himself as an ordinary
person, Divinity in human form. Gupta Ji is well aware that
the senses, the mind and the intellect cannot comprehend the
subtlety and magnitude of Brahman and the same applies to
Baba’s Divine dimension. Therefore, to appreciate and get the
blessings of Baba, it is a must for all people religiously
inclined to go through this book and imbibe the messages
culled out from the life of Baba to justify our existence on
this planet.

On going through the book, I had a strange and interesting

feeling that all my system is aligned and restructured into an
orderly configuration so that my mind always thinks of Shri
Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org
10 | P a g e

Shirdi Sai Baba and is always in a state of bliss. This is really

a gift to us from a gifted personality. I wish that we all
emulate the life of Shri. Gupta Ji and get the blessings of
Shirdi Sai Baba and enjoy the free way of life, which we have
been having from time immemorial and India becomes one of
the leaders in the International Arena.

With most humble salutations at the Lotus Feet of

our loving God Sri Shirdi Sai Baba

- Om Sri Sai Ram - Jai Hind -

21st July 2010 Justice K. Ramamoorthy (R)

High Court of Delhi
‘Prashanth’
D - 17, G. K. Enclave - I,
New Delhi - 110 048
Mob: +91 - 9810529889
Ph: 011 - 26241780
Ph: 011 - 41630065

Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org

11 | P a g e

A Devotee Speaks

Reproduced below is the English version of a letter addressed

to the author of this book by Smt. Ila Ben Desai of Gujarat
containing her observations on the book, “Fragrance of Sai
Bhakti”.

Smt. Desai has had the opportunity of going through the

manuscript of this book. She is an old and eminent Sai
devotee who has distinction of translating into Gujarati
several books on Baba. She has devoted her whole life to the
cause of upliftment of the tribals in Gujarat, working on the
platform of ‘Bharatiya AdimJati Sevak Sangh’ - started by
Late Shri Thakkar Bapa in 1948. She happens to be a niece of
Late Prime Minister Shri Morarji Bhai Desai.

--- --- ---

I have gone through your book: ‘Fragrance of Sai Bhakti’. I
am writing my observations regarding this book. I seek your
pardon for not scribbling my views in English language
owing to an oath taken long back. Writing in ‘Rastrabhasha’
and ‘Matrabhasha’ is my oath. I, therefore, although read
English, do not correspond in this language.

It is your desire that the fragrance of Sai bhakti should spread

to every nook and corner of the world and the devotees take
to the ‘Satvik’ and pure path of Sai Bhakti. I am confident
that this book will show the true path of bhakti to many a
devotee. On attaining faith in Sai, a bhakta starts doing
‘Puja’, ‘Archana’ and other religious ceremonies but later, at
some stage, these religious acts turn into mere rituals and the
Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org
12 | P a g e

feelings within get watered down. What is left are mere

rituals!! Later such feelings and aspirations again grow up but
again die down as before. What to do? I myself many a time
participated in religious functions; joined ‘Katha-Kirtans’;
attended devotional gatherings, took part in ‘Mantras’,
‘Tantras’, ‘Yagnas’ and ‘Naam Jaaps’; even touched the feet
of Gurus but never could know what true bhakti is!!! On
reading each and every paragraph of your book I have come
to know what bhakti is and what is its way. We try to return
to God the wealth and other things bestowed on us by Him.
What sort of bhakti is it? To me it seems that the deep
feelings within one’s heart is bhakti. You have explained this
truth in a very simple language in your book.

On page 118 of this book, you have quoted, “Let my tears of

Joy...” from the Shri Sai Satcharitra. In fact the whole of this
paragraph shows the way of real Sai bhakti. Having delved
deep into Shri Sai Satcharitra you have presented every
aspect of Sai bhakti in an extremely commendable manner,
e.g. Bhakti, Upasana, Omnipresence, Naam-Jaap, Satsang,
Sai Leelas, Surrender etc.

Baba’s assurances to devotees have also been depicted

admirably well. The attributes of a devotee have been
presented in an extremely simple and easy to understood
language and in Bhakti Sutras, it seems as though a whole
ocean has been compressed into a pot.

I am having a strong feeling that the devotee, who studies this

book, shall have no need to read any other book. The answer
to each and every problem concerning Sai bhakti confronted
by a devotee would become available to him in this book. In
the end, it is my prayer that Sai Baba’s ‘Kripa’ and the
Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org
13 | P a g e

affection of Shri Suresh Chandra Gupta may remain available

to all Sai devotees.

9th July 2010 (Ila Ben Desai)

‘Shabri Ashram’
Jhalod, District Dahod,
Gujarat
Mob: +91 - 9825098972

Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org

14 | P a g e

Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org

15 | P a g e

A Thought…

When the currents of joy float all around me and the deep
within is filled with bliss, in those moments of consciousness,
what relevance could you have O’Death to me. Leave me
alone and disturb not the tranquility of my being. I am pure
‘Sat-Chit-Aanand’ – away from the bounds of Birht and
Death. Forget not, I am an Ansh (Part) of Sai – The Master
Absolute…

The Author

Hosted on: www.shirdisaibabstories.org