It is on account of Sai Baba that Shirdi grew into importance. He conquered this Samsar (worldly existence), which is very difficult and hard to cross. Peace or mental calm was His ornament, and He was the repository of wisdom. He was the home of Vaishnav devotees, most liberal (like Kama) amongst liberals, the quint-essence of all essences. He had no love for perishable things, and was always engrossed in self-realization, which was His sole concern. He felt no pleasure in the things of this world or of the world beyond. His Antarang (heart) was as clear as a mirror, and His speech always railed nectar. The rich or poor people were the same to Him. He neither knew nor cared for honour or dishonour. He was the Lord of all beings. He spoke freely and mixed with all people, saw the actings and dances of nautch-girls and heard Gazal songs. Still, He swerved not an inch from Samadhi (mental equilibrium). The name of Allah was always on His lips. While the world awoke. He slept; and while the world slept. He was vigilant. His abdomen (inside) was as calm as the deep sea. His Ashram could not be determined, nor His actions could be definitely determined, and though He sat (lived) in one place, He knew all the transactions of the world. His Darbar was imposing. He told daily hundreds of stories.. He always leaned against the wall in the Masjid or walked morning, noon and evening towards Lendi (Nala) and Chavadi; still He at all times abided in the Self. Though a Siddha, He acted like a Sadhaka. He was meek, humble and egoless, and pleased all. Such was Sai Baba, and as the soil of Shirdi was trodden by Sai Baba's Feet, it attained extraordinary importance. As Dnyaneshwar elevated Alandi, Eknath did to Paithan, so Sai Baba raised Shirdi. Blessed are the grass-leaves and stones of Shirdi, for they could easily kiss the Holy Feet of Sai Baba, and take their dust on their head. Shirdi became to us, devotees, another Pandharpur, Jagannath, Dwarka, Banaras (Kashi) and Rameshwar. Contact of Sai Baba in Shirdi is like our study of Veda and Tantra; it quiets our Samsar (world consciousness) and renders self-realization easy. The darshan of Shri Sai is Yoga-sadhana, and talk with Him removed our sins. Washing His Legs was our bath in Triveni Prayag, and drinking the holy water of His Feet destroys our desires. His commands are Vedas, and accepting (eating) His Udi (sacred ashes) and Prasad is all purifying. He is Shri Krishna and Shri Ram, Who gives us solace, and He is Para Brahma (Absolute Reality). He was Himself beyond the pair of Dwandwas (opposite), never dejected nor elated. He was always engrossed in His Self as 'Existence, Knowledge and Bliss.' Shirdi was His centre; but His field of action extended far wide, to Punjab, Calcutta, North India, Gujarat, Dhakka (now in Bangladesh) and Konkan. Thus the fame of Sai Baba spread, far, and wide, and people from all parts came to take His darshan and be blessed. Still today, almost a centuary after Baba took Samadhi, millions of people still flock to Shirdi to obtain his blessings. By mere darshan, minds of people, whether, pure or impure, would become at once quiet.