Book Review: The Age of Shirdi Sai by Dr. Chandra Bhanu Satpathy

Dr. Chandra Bhanu Satpathy is the author of the book: The Age of Shirdi Sai. The book answers many queries – related to Shirdi Sai Baba, a Sufi saint who lived in the town of Shirdi in Maharashtra-India.

 

The Age of Shirdi Sai answers on important questions, like: why do people worship Baba and all other saints? The author writes, ‘We might have read the Shri Sai Satcharita ten times, but what is the use? Read books, but not superficially. Do not pretend to imbibe bhakti. Going to the temple, all decked up, does not express devotion.’ The author is clear that there is no point in worshipping Baba or other saints – unless we have the intentions to imbibe their teachings and translate them into our daily lives.

 

The book is a compilation of articles, written by the author, and published in the magazine: The Heritage of Shri Shirdi Sai, and other journals. Chapters, such as, Role of Sadguru in God-Realization, Conceptualizing God, Sadguru’s Role in war and conflict, Birth-Death Cycles and Moksha – explain the meaning of the divine doctrines. The book explains the correlation between our actions and the type of fruits derived from those actions.

 

Dr. Satpathy explains: When one links devotional or religious activities like visiting a temple, with the failing of one’s son in an examination, or, the sickness of one’s wife so directly, it surely proves that prayers to the Deity or Guru are not with any higher intention than simply the desire to be saved from all the troubles and tribulations of life. Such limited type of devotion is an attempt to achieve desirable results, and not to spiritually experience the Deity or Guru.

 

Dr. Satpathy has shown his ardent passion is following the divine essence of life. He has created public schools, provides medical care to the poor – and he raises awareness for the social upliftment through his books.

 

Dr. Satpathy received a Post-Graduate Degree in Political Science from Delhi University in 1970 and joined the Indian Police Service in 1972, and he also served as a lecturer in a college in Delhi. He retired at the rank of Director General of Police from the state of Uttar Pradesh.

 

After retirement, Dr. Satpathy began on a passionate mission of spreading the philosophy of the sage of Shirdi. He was never a mere follower, he also has played a very crucial role in the construction of over two hundred temples in India and other countries.  With the creation of more than sixty charitable trusts in the name of the Shirdi Sai – Dr. Satpathy has also written books on his spiritual guru.

 

The Age of Shirdi Sai is published by Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd.



Geeta Chhabra


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