{"id":1056,"date":"2026-09-20T13:53:10","date_gmt":"2026-09-20T12:53:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/?page_id=1056"},"modified":"2026-09-20T15:55:35","modified_gmt":"2026-09-20T14:55:35","slug":"life-of-sai-baba-volume-1-chapter-18-babas-love-of-devotees-and-appreciation-of-prema","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/life-of-sai-baba-volume-1-chapter-18-babas-love-of-devotees-and-appreciation-of-prema\/","title":{"rendered":"Life of Sai Baba \u2014 Volume 1, Chapter 18: Baba\u2019s Love of Devotees and Appreciation of Prema"},"content":{"rendered":"<style>.ap-story-page{--ap-ink:#17324d;--ap-muted:#49657e;--ap-teal:#08736e;--ap-line:#dde7ea;--ap-soft:#eef8f6;color:var(--ap-ink);font-family:Inter,system-ui,sans-serif;line-height:1.7}.ap-story-wrap{max-width:1060px;margin:0 auto;padding:8px 0 54px}.ap-story-kicker{color:var(--ap-teal);font-size:.78rem;font-weight:700;letter-spacing:.14em;text-transform:uppercase}.ap-story-dek{max-width:780px;color:var(--ap-muted);font-size:1.2rem;margin:.45rem 0 1rem}.ap-story-subtitle{font-size:1.05rem;color:var(--ap-muted);margin:0 0 18px}.ap-story-grid{display:grid;grid-template-columns:minmax(0,1fr) 300px;gap:34px;margin-top:28px}.ap-story-main,.ap-story-card{background:#fff;border:1px solid var(--ap-line);border-radius:12px}.ap-story-main{padding:clamp(22px,4vw,46px);box-shadow:0 12px 28px rgba(16,52,80,.05)}.ap-story-main h2{font-size:1.8rem;margin-top:0}.ap-story-main h3{font-size:1.25rem;margin-top:2rem}.ap-story-main p{margin:0 0 1rem}.ap-story-main p:first-of-type:first-letter{float:left;font-size:4rem;line-height:.8;padding:.1rem .5rem 0 0;color:var(--ap-teal)}.ap-story-aside{display:grid;gap:16px}.ap-story-card{padding:20px}.ap-story-card h2{font-size:.8rem;letter-spacing:.12em;text-transform:uppercase;color:var(--ap-teal);margin:0 0 .7rem}.ap-story-card p{margin:.45rem 0}.ap-story-card a{color:var(--ap-teal);font-weight:700}.ap-story-source{background:#fbfcfc}.ap-story-teaching{background:var(--ap-soft);border-left:4px solid var(--ap-teal)}.ap-story-tag{display:inline-block;border-radius:999px;padding:4px 10px;margin:4px 4px 0 0;background:#e8f4f2;color:var(--ap-teal);font-size:.82rem}.ap-story-note{border-top:1px solid var(--ap-line);margin-top:24px;padding-top:16px;color:var(--ap-muted);font-size:.86rem}.ap-story-nav{display:flex;justify-content:space-between;gap:12px;margin-top:24px;padding-top:18px;border-top:1px solid var(--ap-line)}@media(max-width:760px){.ap-story-grid{grid-template-columns:1fr}.ap-story-nav{display:grid}}<\/style>\n<section class=\"ap-story-page\">\n<div class=\"ap-story-wrap\">\n<div class=\"ap-story-kicker\">Chapter 18 \u00b7 Life of Sai Baba<\/div>\n<p class=\"ap-story-dek\">Baba\u2019s Love of Devotees and Appreciation of Prema<\/p>\n<p class=\"ap-story-subtitle\">The central place of love in Baba\u2019s relationship with devotees.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"ap-story-tag\">Sai Baba<\/span><span class=\"ap-story-tag\">Spiritual study<\/span><span class=\"ap-story-tag\">Volume 1<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"ap-story-grid\">\n<article class=\"ap-story-main\">\n<h2>The chapter<\/h2>\n<p>Sai Baba\u2019s love for devotees is presented as both equal and deeply personal. In principle he looked upon everyone alike, yet he gave special attention to people such as Nana Chandorkar, Tatya Patil and M. B. Rege. The chapter explains this not as partiality, but as the natural response of love, service and long-standing spiritual connection.<\/p>\n<h3>Equality and special affection<\/h3>\n<p>Baba\u2019s teaching follows the paradox found in the Gita: the Divine is impartial, but those who approach with devotion enter into a closer relationship. Love changes the devotee and draws a corresponding response. Baba\u2019s affection for Nana Chandorkar was connected with their relationship across several births; he repeatedly sent for Nana because of that bond.<\/p>\n<p>He also received Mrs. Khaparde\u2019s food before touching other offerings, saying that its sweetness came from her love. Tatya Patil was treated as a nephew because Tatya\u2019s mother had cared for Baba from his earliest days, running into the fields to feed the wandering fakir. Baba never forgot that service. Tatya slept with Baba and Mahlsapathy in the mosque for years, and Baba watched over his moral, physical and material welfare.<\/p>\n<h3>Love that protects and corrects<\/h3>\n<p>Baba\u2019s prema was not indulgence. He protected devotees from danger, illness and loss, but he could also delay a request, rebuke a person or refuse a desired result when that response was necessary for spiritual growth. His concern included the devotee\u2019s family, livelihood, conduct and final spiritual welfare.<\/p>\n<p>The chapter therefore distinguishes love from the satisfaction of every passing wish. A devotee may receive help with worldly concerns, but the deeper gift is to become less selfish, less fearful and more capable of remembrance, service and surrender.<\/p>\n<h3>The heart behind the offering<\/h3>\n<p>Baba valued the feeling carried by an offering more than its material worth. Simple food, a small gift or an act of service became precious when offered with love. The devotee\u2019s mind is shaped by what it repeatedly holds; dwelling on Baba with friendship, trust and devotion gradually makes the devotee resemble the qualities contemplated.<\/p>\n<h3>What this account invites us to reflect on<\/h3>\n<p>The chapter presents compassion as tender but demanding. Baba loved devotees equally as the indwelling Divine, while responding especially to those whose faith and service had created a living bond. True love protects the soul\u2019s growth and turns gratitude into a more generous life.<\/p>\n<p class=\"ap-story-note\"><strong>Editorial note:<\/strong> This page is a concise paraphrase for web presentation and does not reproduce the complete chapter. Please consult the original PDF for the full account and wording.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ap-story-nav\"><a href=\"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/life-of-sai-baba-volume-1-chapter-17-nature-and-functions-of-baba\/\">\u2190 Previous chapter<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/life-of-sai-baba-volume-1-chapter-19-ankita-children\/\">Next chapter \u2192<\/a><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<aside class=\"ap-story-aside\">\n<section class=\"ap-story-card ap-story-source\">\n<h2>Referenced source<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Life of Sai Baba<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>By <em>Sh. B. V. Narasimha Swami<\/em><br \/>Volume 1, Chapter 18: <em>Baba\u2019s Love of Devotees and Appreciation of Prema<\/em><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/life-of-sai-baba-volume-1-18-baba-s-love-of-devotees-and-appreciation-of-prema.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">View original chapter PDF \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/life-of-sai-baba-by-sh-b-v-narasimha-swami\/\">View the complete book \u2192<\/a><\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ap-story-card\">\n<h2>People and places<\/h2>\n<p><strong>People:<\/strong> Sai Baba \u00b7 Devotees<\/p>\n<p><strong>Places:<\/strong> Shirdi<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<section class=\"ap-story-card ap-story-teaching\">\n<h2>Related teaching<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Faith, patience and devotion<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This chapter may be read alongside Sai Baba\u2019s teachings on faith, patience, equality, love and compassion.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/teachings-and-parables-of-sai-baba\/\">Explore teachings and parables \u2192<\/a><\/section>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/section>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Chapter 18 \u00b7 Life of Sai Baba Baba\u2019s Love of Devotees and Appreciation of Prema The central place of love in Baba\u2019s [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1056","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1056","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1056"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1056\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1184,"href":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1056\/revisions\/1184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/akshayapeeth.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1056"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}