Shraddha & Saburi

Shraddha & Saburi

Baba’s explanation of Shraddha and Saburi

A story mentioned in Chapters 18 and 19 of Sai Satcharitra provides a clear explanation of Shraddha and Saburi by Shirdi Sai Baba.

Once an old woman named Radhabai resolved in her mind that she would fast herself unto death unless Baba accepted her as her Guru and provided her an Upadesh (instruction or mantra). Baba found out about it and addressed her by explaining the two paisa (coins) of Shraddha and Saburi:

“I had a Guru. He was a great Saint and most merciful. I served him long, very long; still he would not blow any Mantra into My ears. I had a keen desire, never to leave him but to stay with and serve him; and at all costs receive some instructions from him. But he had his own way. He first got my head shaved and asked Me two paisa as Dakshina [offering to a Guru]. I gave this at once. If you say that since My Guru was perfect, why should he ask for money and how should he be called desireless? I replied plainly that he never cared for coins. What had he to do with them? His two paisa were (1) Firm Faith and (2) Patience or perseverance. I gave these two paisa or things to him, and he was pleased.”

Shraddha or firm faith

Baba further explained what firm faith meant:

“I resorted to My Guru for 12 years…. When I looked at him, he seemed as if he was in deep meditation, and then we both were filled with Bliss. Night and day, I gazed at him with no thought of hunger and thirst. Without him, I felt restless. I had no other object to meditate, nor any other thing than My Guru to attend. He was My sole refuge. My mind was always fixed on him. This is one paisa Dakshina.”

Saburi or patience

Baba explained what patience meant:

“Saburi (Patience or perseverance) is the other paisa. I waited patiently and very long on My Guru and served him. This Saburi will ferry you across the sea of this mundane existence. Saburi is manliness in man, it removes all sins and afflictions, gets rid of calamities in various ways, and casts aside all fear, and ultimately gives you success. Saburi is a mine of virtues [a place where valuable things are found], consort of good thought. Nishtha (Faith) and Saburi (Patience) are like twin sisters that love each other very intimately.”

Here, Baba suggests that by cultivating patience, we can develop many other virtues. Patience can help us to stay calm in difficult situations, think clearly before reacting, maintain faith and hope, and be kind and compassionate towards others. It is not just about passively waiting, but also about having the inner strength to persevere through challenges.

Mohanji’s explanation of Shraddha and Saburi

In a blog, Mohanji explains Shraddha and Saburi as two walking sticks for any seeker. Mohanji says the path may sound simple but it is difficult in practice – since even a speck of ego or doership is unacceptable. Total surrender to the guru or master is a must.

Mohanji further explains that people often have a hard time acknowledging a guru’s stature when they meet him in the flesh. People arrive with some kind of mental image of what an enlightened master should look like and how he should behave. When the guru’s personality doesn’t match up to that image, they are shocked – “Oh, I didn’t expect the guru to behave that way” or “What, he smokes a chillum?”. This kind of commonplace behavior would confuse people, creating conflicts in their minds.

What is not known is that a guru, a liberated being, never feels pushed to talk or act in a certain way, or maintain a certain appearance. A true guru is free in the real sense of the word, unbound by a thing, person, situation or habit.

If we do not demolish preconceived notions or concepts of the mind, we will be unable to catch the truth; it will slip past. Instead if we drop the mental picture and reach for the consciousness that Baba is operating in, that will be a genuine enduring connection where we will be able to actually feel and experience the oneness. Look upon Baba as omnipresent, powerful, ever available and surrender to him without expectation, without barriers, never asking for anything. Everything will be delivered.

As explained by both Baba and Mohanji, this firm faith in the Guru with utmost patience believing that the Guru will ferry us across the sea of this existence, is the only offering that a devotee needs to make to their Guru.

Shraddha & Saburi – Faith, Patience, and the Path of Inner Strength

Shraddha & Saburi are two powerful spiritual qualities that guide a seeker through life’s difficulties, doubts, delays, and inner struggles. Shraddha means deep faith, trust, and sincere belief in the Divine, Guru, dharma, and the higher purpose of life. Saburi means patience, calm waiting, endurance, and the strength to continue without losing hope. Together, they form a complete path of spiritual maturity.

Faith gives direction to life. Without faith, the mind becomes restless, doubtful, and easily discouraged. A person may begin a noble practice, but if results do not come quickly, he may stop. Faith reminds the seeker that sincere effort is never wasted. Every prayer, every good action, every act of self-control, and every moment of remembrance has value.

Shraddha & Saburi teach that spiritual growth does not happen in a hurry. The seed does not become a tree overnight. It needs soil, water, sunlight, protection, and time. In the same way, the heart needs devotion, discipline, good company, prayer, self-examination, and grace. Patience protects the seeker from frustration when progress seems slow.

Many people lose peace because they want immediate results. They pray today and expect answers tomorrow. They meditate for a few days and expect deep experiences. They do good actions and expect life to become easy at once. But divine wisdom works in its own time. The seeker must learn to trust the unseen process.

Shraddha & Saburi also help in facing suffering. Life may bring illness, loss, failure, insult, delay, or confusion. During such moments, faith keeps the heart connected to God, while patience gives strength to endure the situation without bitterness. These two qualities do not remove every difficulty immediately, but they give courage, balance, and hope.

Faith should not be blind weakness. True faith is strong, pure, and thoughtful. It does not reject effort or responsibility. A faithful person still works sincerely, thinks wisely, takes practical steps, and follows dharma. Faith means trusting the Divine while doing one’s duty with honesty and dedication.

Patience also does not mean laziness. It is not an excuse to avoid action. It means acting rightly without becoming disturbed by delay. It means doing what is necessary and then waiting calmly for the result. A patient seeker does not become angry with life, jealous of others, or hopeless because of temporary obstacles.

Shraddha & Saburi are especially important in the relationship between the disciple and the Guru. The Guru may give guidance, but the disciple must practice with faith and wait for inner transformation. Doubt, impatience, comparison, and ego can block the blessings of spiritual guidance. A humble heart receives more than a restless and demanding mind.

In daily life, these qualities can be practiced in simple ways. Trust that good actions will bear fruit. Continue prayer even when the mind feels dry. Keep doing your duty even when praise does not come. Accept delays without losing balance. Control anger when situations do not move according to personal desire. This is practical spirituality.

The mind becomes peaceful when it stops fighting every delay. Sometimes delay protects us from wrong timing. Sometimes waiting prepares us for greater responsibility. Sometimes difficulty removes pride and deepens surrender. A wise person does not judge life only by immediate comfort. He tries to understand that grace may be working silently.

Shraddha & Saburi also protect the seeker from comparison. Another person may appear to progress faster, receive success sooner, or live with fewer problems. But every soul has its own journey, karma, lessons, and divine timing. Comparison weakens faith and creates restlessness. The sincere seeker walks his own path with humility and trust.

These two virtues are also helpful in devotion. A devotee may chant, worship, serve, and pray for years. The heart may sometimes feel close to God and sometimes dry. This is natural. One should not abandon the path because of changing moods. Steady remembrance slowly purifies the mind and deepens love for the Divine.

Faith gives warmth to spiritual life, and patience gives stability. Faith without patience may become emotional and unstable. Patience without faith may become dry endurance. When both are joined, the seeker becomes strong, gentle, hopeful, and balanced. Such a person can face life without losing inner direction.

The practice of these virtues also improves relationships. Faith creates trust, and patience creates understanding. Many conflicts become worse because people react quickly, judge harshly, and expect perfection from others. A patient heart listens, forgives, and gives time for growth. A faithful heart believes that goodness can still awaken in people.

In the end, Shraddha & Saburi are sacred companions on the path of devotion, wisdom, and self-transformation. They teach the seeker to trust the Divine, continue sincere effort, wait calmly, and accept life with courage. Through faith, patience, pure conduct, prayer, and surrender, the heart becomes strong and peaceful, and the soul moves steadily toward grace and liberation.

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