🚩 There is no single road to god — the scriptures name nine forms of bhakti, called navvidha bhakti. Sai Baba pointed to exactly these nine, in the most direct way possible, in his final hour: the nine coins he pressed into Lakshmibai Shinde’s hand as his last prasad. This is that story, and the nine forms of devotion in full. (Sources: Shri Sai Satcharitra, Chapters 21 and 42.)
1
The roti to the dog
Lakshmibai's love for Baba, and Baba's teaching in return.
2
Nine coins at Mahasamadhi
The final prasad — nine forms of bhakti in nine metal disks.
One form, held with a true heart, is enough. Bhakti is not measured; it is felt.
🪔 First — the story of the nine coins
Lakshmibai Shinde served Baba tirelessly. One evening Baba told her, “Lakshmi, I am very hungry.” She ran home, made a fresh roti and subji with her own hands, and placed it before Baba. Baba took the roti and gave it straight to a dog. Lakshmibai was stunned. “Baba, I made this with my own hands for you — and you gave it to the dog?”
“
"Arey — that dog's hunger has been quieted, and that is my hunger quieted. Whoever feeds the hungry, feeds me."
— Sai Baba, to Lakshmibai Shinde
It was this seva-bhaav — this quiet, no-questions-asked service — that moved Baba the most. On the day of his Mahasamadhi, in his final hour, Baba reached into his pocket and gave Lakshmibai first ₹5, then ₹4 — nine coins in all. These nine coins were the symbol of navvidha bhakti — the nine forms of devotion.
📿 The nine forms of bhakti
1
Shravan — listening
Hearing Baba's leelas and glory with faith. Reading or listening to the Satcharitra is exactly this.
2
Kirtan — singing his name
Singing Baba's attributes, bhajans and naam-sankirtan aloud, alone or in a group.
3
Smaran — remembrance
Remembering Baba every moment, in every act. Making his name a background rhythm to the day.
4
Padasevan — service to his feet
Serving Baba's feet — walking the path he laid out. Every small service is padasevan when the intent is his.
5
Archan — worship
Reverent worship — offering flowers, dhoop, water. The form is small; the bhaav is everything.
6
Vandan — humble bowing
Bowing to Baba with humility, letting go of ahamkar. The body bends only when the ego lets it.
7
Dasya — servitude
Seeing yourself as Baba's sevak. Every duty becomes seva when done for him.
8
Sakhya — friendship
Holding Baba as your closest friend. Speaking every joy, every fear to him first, before anyone else.
9
Atmanivedan — total surrender
Offering yourself entirely — body, mind, ahamkar — at Baba's feet. The highest form of bhakti.
🙏 What this means for us
Take any one of the nine to heart and Baba’s grace follows. Bhakti asks no wealth of you, no learning — only shraddha and saburi. One devotee reaches Baba through kirtan, another through seva, another through total surrender. Through Lakshmibai, Baba taught the same thing he had taught in his eleven promises: bhakti is not for show — it is a matter of the heart.
✨ A deeper reading of the nine coins
Many devotees also read the nine coins as a symbol of total surrender — that when we place our senses, our mind and our ahamkar at Baba’s feet, only then is bhakti complete. In his final moments Baba left this priceless teaching pressed into a devotee’s palm — nine small metal disks carrying every form of devotion ever named.
Lakshmibai kept those nine coins her whole life. A small shrine near her house in Shirdi still holds them behind glass — a quiet witness to the same devotion that Baba himself lived through his final days at Dwarkamai.
In one line
Baba's nine coins to Lakshmibai were nine forms of bhakti made visible. Pick even one — shravan, kirtan, smaran, padasevan, archan, vandan, dasya, sakhya, atmanivedan — and hold it with a true heart. That is enough.
🕯 A daily practice
If you want to start with one form today: read a chapter of the Sai Satcharitra parayan in the morning (shravan + smaran), or offer a small home puja before you begin your day (how to do Sai Baba puja at home). Both are entry doors to the same nine forms — no elaborate setup, no expense, only bhaav.
📍 Taking darshan at Baba’s samadhi
Many devotees carry these nine forms in their hearts and come to Shirdi. If you are planning too, stay within walking distance of the temple — TripSaffron has verified hotels in Shirdi with real photos, real distance to the mandir and free cancellation.
Navvidha bhakti means the nine forms of devotion — shravan, kirtan, smaran, padasevan, archan, vandan, dasya, sakhya and atmanivedan. Together they map every possible way a devotee can hold on to god. The teaching is old, from the Bhagavatam; Sai Baba pointed a devotee toward it directly through the nine coins he gave Lakshmibai Shinde in his final hour.
Why did Baba give Lakshmibai exactly nine coins?
Each of the nine coins stood for one form of bhakti. It was Baba's last prasad — and his last teaching. Lakshmibai had served Baba her whole life through food and care; the nine coins told her (and every devotee since) that bhakti and surrender are what everything else reduces to.
Do I have to practice all nine forms?
No. Even one form, held with a true heart, is enough. Some reach Baba through kirtan, some through seva, some through smaran, some through atmanivedan. The Satcharitra is clear: bhakti is a matter of the heart, not of quantity.
Where in the Satcharitra is this story?
The roti-to-the-dog incident with Lakshmibai is in Chapter 21 (Anna Chincholkar). The giving of the nine coins in Baba's final hour is in Chapter 42 (Mahasamadhi).
Are the nine coins preserved somewhere?
Yes. Lakshmibai kept them all her life. A small shrine near her house in Shirdi still holds those nine coins behind glass — a quiet witness to the story.