Editing Sai Baba of Shirdi (section)

==Followers==

[[File:Sai Baba.jpg|right|thumb|Sai Baba depicted on a [[tapestry]]]]
[[File:Padukas.jpg|thumb|Padukas of Sai Baba]]

Shirdi Sai Baba left behind no spiritual heirs, appointed no disciples, and did not provide formal initiation (diksha), despite requests. Some of Sai Baba's notable disciples include Mahalsapathi, Madhav Rao (Shama), Nanasaheb Peshway, Bayijabai, Tatya Kote Patil, Kakasaheb Dixit, Radhakrishna Maai, Hemadpant, Bhuti, Das Ganu, Lakshmi Bai, Nanavali, Abdul Baba, Sapatanekar, Nanasaheb Chandodkar, B.V. Narashima Swamiji.<ref name="disciples">{{cite web |last1=Agrawal |first1=Pravin |title=SAI BABA OF SHIRDI |url=https://www.speakingtree.in/blog/sai-baba-of-shirdi-sharing |publisher=Speaking Tree |access-date=9 June 2020}}</ref> Some disciples became well-known spiritual figures, such as [[Upasani Maharaj]] of [[Sakori]]. After the death of Sai Baba, his devotees offered the daily [[Aarti]] to Upasani Maharaj when he paid a visit to [[Shirdi]] twice within 10 years.<ref name="asian_tribune_meher">{{cite news |author=sandman |url=http://www.asiantribune.com/news/2009/01/19/who-sai-baba-guru-zarzari-zar-baksh-who-lived-khuldabad-says-meher-baba |title=Who is Sai Baba' guru? Zarzari Zar Baksh who lived at Khuldabad, says Meher Baba |newspaper=Asian Tribune |date=20 January 2009 |access-date=8 January 2011 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101119133757/http://asiantribune.com/news/2009/01/19/who-sai-baba-guru-zarzari-zar-baksh-who-lived-khuldabad-says-meher-baba |archive-date=19 November 2010}}</ref>

===Hindus===

The Hindu saint Anandanath of Yewala called Sai Baba a "precious diamond."<ref name="templeofpeace">{{cite web |url= http://templeofpeace.org/history.html|title= Who is Shirdi Sai Baba|access-date=29 October 2007 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071015050416/http://templeofpeace.org/history.html |archive-date = 15 October 2007}}</ref> Another saint, Gangagir, said "Blessed is Shirdi, that it got this precious jewel."<ref name="templeofpeace" /> Sri Beedkar Maharaj greatly revered Sai Baba and when he met him in 1873, bestowed the title [[Jagad guru]] upon him.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.swamisamarth.com/parampara/beedkar_biography.html#An%20Avadhoot%20appears%20in%20front%20of%20Shree%20Beedkar%20Maharaj|title= A Short Biography of Shree Sadguru Beedkar Maharaj|access-date= 29 October 2007|url-status=dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071013230840/http://swamisamarth.com/parampara/beedkar_biography.html#An%20Avadhoot%20appears%20in%20front%20of%20Shree%20Beedkar%20Maharaj|archive-date= 13 October 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.saibaba.org/newsletter8-21.html|title= Beedkar Maharaj|access-date= 29 October 2007|work= Sai Vichaar, 6 Oct 2005, volume 8, issue 2001|url-status=live|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071017014535/http://saibaba.org/newsletter8-21.html|archive-date= 17 October 2007}}</ref> Sai Baba was also greatly respected by [[Vasudevanand Saraswati|Vasudevananda Saraswati]] (known as Tembye Swami).<ref>Dabholkar/Gunaji ''Shri Sai Satcharita''/''Shri Sai Satcharitra'' chapter 50 {{cite web |url=http://www.saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai50.html |title=Shri Sai Satcharitra |access-date=2007-06-17 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070525203709/http://www.saibaba.org/satcharitra/sai50.html |archive-date=25 May 2007}}</ref> He was also revered by a group of [[Shaivism|Shaivic]] yogis, known as the ''Nath-Panchayat''.<ref>Ruhela ''Sri Shirdi Sai Baba – the universal master'' p. 27</ref> He is considered an avatar of the "Supreme Reality" (Brahman or God), a satguru, or saint, depending on individual proclivities{{cn|date=July 2023}}. This is not uncommon in Hinduism where there is no central doctrine or cosmology, but a basis in individual faith and spirituality.

===Muslims===
Abdul Baba was a close devotee of Sai Baba and was the caretaker of the shrine from 1918 to 1922. A large number of Muslim devotees used to come to the shrine until the 1980s.<ref name="Karline2016"/>
===Parsis===

Shirdi Sai Baba was revered by prominent [[Zoroastrianism|Zoroastrians]] such as [[Nanabhoy Palkhivala]], Farhaad Panthaky, and [[Homi J. Bhabha|Homi Bhabha]], and has been cited as the Zoroastrians' most popular non-Zoroastrian religious figure.<ref>{{cite book|author=Hinnells, John R.|title=The Zoroastrian Diaspora:Religion and Migration: Religion and Migration|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=0Tha83L1QFUC&pg=PA109|date=2005|publisher=OUP Oxford|isbn=978-0-19-826759-1|page=109|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180303194030/https://books.google.com/books?id=0Tha83L1QFUC&pg=PA109|archive-date=3 March 2018}}</ref>

[[Meher Baba]], who was born into a Zoroastrian family, met Sai Baba in December 1915 and considered this event among the most significant in his life. ''Shri Sai Satcharita'' (Sai Baba's life story) makes no mention of Meher Baba, but in ''Lord Meher'', the life story of Meher Baba, there are numerous references to Sai Baba.<ref name="asian_tribune_meher" /> Meher Baba declared Sai Baba to be a ''Qutub-e-Irshad'', or the highest of the five [[Qutb|Qutubs]], a "Master of the Universe" in Meher Baba's spiritual hierarchy.<ref>Kalchuri, Bhau: ''Meher Prabhu: Lord Meher, The Biography of the Avatar of the Age, Meher Baba'', ''Manifestation, Inc.'' 1986. p. 64</ref>