Shirdi Sai

Shirdi Sai
Sab Ka Malik Ek

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Aye Malik Tere Bande Hum - Shirdi Sai

Sri Sacchidananda Sadguru Sai Nath Maharaj Ki Jai !




Aye Maalik Tere Bande Hum
Aye Maalik Tere Bande Hum, Aise Ho Hamaare Karam

Neki Par Chale, Aur Badi Se Tale, Taaki Haste Hue Nikale Hum


Badaa Kamajor Hai Aadmi, AbhI Laakhom Hai Is Me Kameeyam Is Me Kami
Par Tu Jo Khadaa, Hai Dayaalu Badaa, Teri Kirapaa Se Dharti Thaami
Diya Tune Jo Hame Jab Janam, Tu Hi Jhelega Hame Sab Ke Gam
Neki Par Chale, Aur Badi Se Tale, Taaki Haste Hue Nikale Dam     || E Malik ||

Jab Zulmon Kaa Ho Saamnaa, Tab Tu Hi Hame Thaamnaa..O..O..
Jab Zulmon Kaa Ho Saamnaa, Tab Tu Hi Hame Thaamnaa
Vo Burayi Kare, Ham Bhalayi Bhare, Nahin Badale Ki Ho Kaamna
Badh Uthe Pyaar Kaa Har Kadam, Aur Meethe Bair Kaa Ye Bharam
Neki Par Chale, Aur Badi Se Tale, Taaki Haste Hue Nikale Dam     || E Malik ||

Ye Andhera Ghanaa Chaa Rahaa, Tera Insaan Ghabaraa Rahaa..O..O..
Ye Andhera Ghanaa Chaa Rahaa, Tera Insaan Ghabaraa Rahaa
Ho Rahaa Bekhabar, Kuch Na Aataa Nazar, Sukh Ka Suraj Chupaa Jaa Rahaa
Hai TerI Roshani Me Jo Dam, Jo Amaavas Ko Kar De Poonam
Neki Par Chale, Aur Badi Se Tale, Taaki Haste Hue Nikale Dam     || E Malik ||




ए मालिक् तेरे बन्दे हम्

ए मालिक् तेरे बन्दे हम्, ऐसे हो हमारे करम्
नेकी पर् चले, और् बदी से टले, ताकि हंस्ते हुए निकले दम्


बडा कमजोर् है आद्मी, अभी लाखों हैं इस् में कमी
पर् तू जॊ खडा, है दयालू बडा, तेरी किरपा सॆ धरथी थमी
दिया तूने जॊ हमें जब् जनम्, तू ही झेलेगा हमें सब् के गम्
नेकी पर् चले, और् बदी से टले, ताकि हंस्ते हुए निकले दम् ॥ए मालिक्॥

जब् ज़ुल्मों का हो सामना, तब् तू ही हमें थामना..ओ..ओ..
जब् ज़ुल्मों का हो सामना, तब् तू ही हमें थामना
जब् ज़ुल्मों का हो सामना, तब् तू ही हमें थामना
वो बुराई करे, हम् भलाई भरे, नहीं बदले की हो कामना
बध् उठे प्यार् का हर् कदम्, और् मीठे बैर् का ये भरम्
नेकी पर् चले, और् बदी से टले, ताकि हंस्ते हुए निकले दम् ॥ए मालिक्॥

ये अन्धेरा घना छा रहा, तेरा इन्सान् घबरा रहा..ओ..ओ..
ये अन्धेरा घना छा रहा, तेरा इन्सान् घबरा रहा
हो रहा बेखबर् , कुछ् न आता नज़र्, सुख् का सूरज् छुपा जा रहा
है तॆरी रोशनी में जो दम्, जो अमावस् को कर् दे पूनम्
नेकी पर् चले, और् बदी से टले, ताकि हंस्ते हुए निकले दम् ॥ए मालिक्॥

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Guru shlokam


Guru means teacher. Of the two syllables Gu Ru.  As scriptures say

guk¡ra ¾ca a¯dhak¡rµ hi ruk¡rast£ja uccyat£
aj²¡na grµsakam brahma guruv£va na sa¯k½aya

गुकार श्च अंधकारो हि रुकारस्तेज उच्च्यते
अज्ञान ग्रोसकम् ब्रह्म गुरुवेव न संक्षय

"Gu" kaara means darkness and "ru" kaara means dispels. The parabrahma who swallows the ignorance is refered to as Guru.  

Guru plays an important role in everybody's life.  For everybody "mother" is the first guru.
 
Gurur Brahma Gurur Vishnuhu Guru Devo Maheswaraha
Gurussakshaat Parabrahma Tasmai Shree Gurave Namaha

गुरुर्ब्रह्मा गुरुर विष्णुहु  गुरु देवो महेश्वरः 

गुरुस्सक्षात परब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरवे नमः

Guru, the teacher is considered equivalent to GOD

Guru is Brahma - the Generator or (creator), 
Guru is Vishnu - the Organizer,
Guru is Maheswara - the Destroyer

So
Generator
Organizer
Destroyer
is
GOD
since guru helps in instilling and maintaining knowledge, and destroying or dispelling ignorance, guru is considered as GOD 

Wednesday, January 5, 2011

Sri Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh - Conclusion

Sri Ganeshayanamaha      Sri Saraswatyainamaha      Sri Gurubhyonnamaha
 Sri Sai Ramachandrayanamaha


Sri Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh
(Nitya Paarayana Granth)

Source: Sri Sai Satcharitra written by Sri Hemad Pant and published by Shirdi Samsthan

Abridged by: Ch. K. Surya Prakasa Rao, Visakhapatnam (A.P., India), 
Sai Devotee
 Translated by: Suryanarayana Vulimiri, Morrisville, NC USA, 
Sai Devotee

CONCLUSION

I would like express my heart-felt gratitude to Brahmasri Suryaprakasa Rao garu who took lot of efforts in writing a condensed version of Sri Hemad Pant’s “Sri Sai Satcharitra” published by Shirdi Sansthan into a small booklet titled “Sri Sai Satcharitra Saramsh”.  He spoke about this precious message on Guru Poornima day (July 25, 2010) to enthusiatic Sai devotees.  In order to make it available to all Sai devotees, he entrusted me to put it into print.  Its a great pleasure in carrying out Sai seva by typing the text first into Telugu font and then translating it into English.  I am really greatful to Sri Suryaprakasa Rao garu for showering fatherly affection on me and giving me the opportunity to get invovled in the service of Sri Sai..

With warm regards

Sai Devotee

Suryanarayana Vulimiri
Morrisville, North Carolina, USA
September 09, 2010. 

Sri Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh - Wednesday Paarayan

Sri Ganeshayanamaha      Sri Saraswatyainamaha      Sri Gurubhyonnamaha
 Sri Sai Ramachandrayanamaha


Sri Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh
(Wednesday Paarayan)

Source: Sri Sai Satcharitra written by Sri Hemad Pant and published by Shirdi Samsthan

Abridged by: Ch. K. Surya Prakasa Rao, Visakhapatnam (A.P., India), 
Sai Devotee
 Translated by: Suryanarayana Vulimiri, Morrisville, NC USA, 
Sai Devotee


45th Chapter:

                Baba’s physical or finite form disappeared from our view. But his infinite power and spiritual form will remain forever.  Even now what we need is heart-felt devotion for Baba. Our intellect, mind and all the senses should be unified in the service of Baba. None of our kith and kin, such as father, mother, brothers or relatives will be able to help us in attaining self-realization in life. We have to find our way and continue to travel to attain this goal.
                In Kali yug there is only one way to attain liberation. It is nothing but seeking the refuge at the divine feet of Guru or Hari (God). Always chanting Guru’s name and meditating on him gives us eternal bliss. Baba once said to Mahalsapati, “Whether it is good or bad, whatever it belongs to us remains with us, while others have what belonged to them”.

46th Chapter:

                Although Baba’s image is invisible now, if the devotees keep faith in him they can experience all the leelas that had happened before he attained samādhi. If Baba accepts someone as a devotee he will stay with him round the clock and also will follow him even he is at a far off place. If a devotee goes to a place of his interest, Baba would arrive there ahead of anybody and always show up in an unanticipated form. Based on the story of the two goats it is apparent that Baba loves animals so much.

47th Chapter:

                Pure and blessed is the face of Sai. If we cast a glance at Sai for a moment, He will get rid of the sorrow we acquired from the past several births and confers great bliss on us. His looks of grace and mercy would make us free of the bondage of karma in no time and we will be laid to happiness. Everyone has to reap the fruits formed in this birth due to the seeds sown in the previous birth, and there is no escape.  There is no use in worrying over the past. God will always rush to the rescue of the devotees in times of necessity. This has been exemplified in the story of Veerabhadrappa-Chenna Basappa (Snake-Frog story).

Moral: From this story we learn that we need to experience the effects of our own past deeds. Besides, we may have to experience the troubles that come due to our relationship with others. There is no way one can escape. If we have enimity with others, we have to be liberated from that. You have to repay a debt if you owe anything to others.  Unpaid debt and uncleared enimity  always makes you suffer mentally. Those who are greed and avaricious end up in misery, eventually leading to destruction.

48th Chapter:

Qualities of Sadguru:

                A sadguru is one who creates distaste in us towards worldly pleasures; one who inculcates interest in us towards self-realization; one who has both theoretical and practical knowledge in self-realization. He is deserved to be called as sadguru. A saduguru is an epitome of peace and is never restless or ruffled. They never show pride for their learning. The rich, the poor, the great and the small are all equal to them. Sri Shirdi Saibaba is such a sadguru. Thus, devotees should fill the lamp of their heart with the oil of faith and dovotion and use love as the wick. When they kindle the lamp with the flame of  knowledge it will glow brighter. God will manifest where there is true yearning and superior expression. It is nothing but love, which shows the path to liberation.  Thus, whatever the experiences the devotees had while Baba was physically present, the same experiences are felt by those who instilled complete loyalty to him even today.

49th Chapter:

                Practising penance (tapasya) is always superior than pilgrimage, vow, sacrifice or charity. Worshipping Hari is better than penance. However, meditation of Sadguru is superior to all the above. If we fulfill our duties sincerely, Sai Sadguru definitely helps us and eventually liberates us. Once Baba said to Nana, “Why are you getting agitated unnecessarily? Let the senses perform their assigned duties. We should not interfere with them. God has created this beautiful world. It is our duty to look at this beauty and enjoy it. As long as your heart is pure there is nothing wrong with it. When we do not harbor evil ideas why should we scared of others? Eyes will do their duty of seeing and enjoying. You need not feel ashamed. “If you can not control the external senses, and let your mind run after objects of desire, and be attached to them, you will never be able to break the cycle of birht and death”.

50th Chapter:

                The stories of Sai Baba give solace and comfort to the readers. Those who tell or listen to Sai stories are blessed and holy. The mouths of those who tell and the ears of those who listen are pious. Baba says to devotees, “Do not entertain the sense of doership in doing good or bad deeds; be entirely prideless and egoless in all things and thus your spiritual progress will be rapid”. “During your terminal stages of life I will take you in an air coach”. Baba always says that if the devotee does not belong to Him, he will neither be attracted to Him nor gets a glimpse of Him.

51st Chapter: (This is equivalent to Chapters 52 and 53 from Sai Satcharitra)

                These are the last chapters. In this Hemadpant gave his concluding remarks.

Greatness of Sadguru Sai:

                We prostrate ourselves infront of Sadguru Sai and seek his refuge. He pervades equally in all living creatures and animals as well as in inanimate objects without any differentiation. If we remember Him and seek his shelter, He will fulfill all our wishes and makes us attain the goal of our life. It is very difficult to traverse the ocean of mundane existence. Sadguru Sai helps us being like a boat to safely take us across this ocean.

Sri Sāinātha’s Ēkādasha Sūtras:

  1. Stepping on Shirdi soil will bring all your sorrows to an end.
  2. The wretched and miserable who climb the steps of my samadhi will get comforts and prosperity.
  3. I will be awake and active even after leaving this physical body.
  4. My devotees get the protection from my Samādhi itself.
  5. I will carry out all my chores from the Samādhi itself.
  6. My mortal remains would speak from the Samādhi.
  7. It is my duty to protect those who surrender to me and seek refuge in me.
  8. If you look to me, I will look to you.
  9. If you cast your burden on me, I shall bear it for certain.
10. If you seek my help or advice, I shall be given to you at once.
11. There shall be no poverty in the house of my devotees. 

Phala Shruti (Reward of Study)

Let us talk about the benefits of reading this book.  One should read Sai stories in order to escape from the cycle of birth and death.  And always remember them.  Always seek shelter at His divine feet. Worship Him with devotion. As you continue to meditate Sai’s Form, eventually it leads you to the path of self-realization. If a devotee surrenders himself completely to Baba, he will forget himself and at the end will join the God just like the rivers merge into the great ocean.
                Every day after taking bath who ever reads this book with devotion, love and complete faith and finishes in one week, will ward off all their troubles or sorrows. Even if you can read one chapter every day by focusing your mind, it gives immense happiness.  If you belive in seeing only Sai’s holy feet in your heart you can easily cross the ocean of mundane existence.  Always the rewards depend on the extent of one’s faith and devotion.

Prasad Yachana

We conclude reading this book with the prayer of the Almighty. We beseech Him for showing mercy on us.  Let those whoever read this book shall get heart-felt complete devotion at the feet of Sri Saibaba. Let Sai’s Form stay in their eyes forever. They would see Sai in all beings. Let it be happen.

Sri Satchidanand Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai!


Sri Sai Satcharitra Saramsamu is complete.

It was possible to write this book only because of the mercy of Sri Sai.

I would dedicate it to my parents. I always surrender to Him.

Sai Devotee
Ch.K.Suryaprakasa Rao, Visakhapatnam
Camp: USA, NorthCarolina, Morrisville.
Date: 25th July 2010. 

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

Sri Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh - Tuesday Paarayan

Sri Ganeshayanamaha      Sri Saraswatyainamaha      Sri Gurubhyonnamaha
 Sri Sai Ramachandrayanamaha


Sri Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh
(Tuesday Paarayan)

Source: Sri Sai Satcharitra written by Sri Hemad Pant and published by Shirdi Samsthan

Abridged by: Ch. K. Surya Prakasa Rao, Visakhapatnam (A.P., India), 
Sai Devotee
 Translated by: Suryanarayana Vulimiri, Morrisville, NC USA, 
Sai Devotee

38th Chapter:

      Sri Sai is the Sadguru and an embodiment of purity. He protects and nourishes those who surrender to him and seek his refuge. Baba used to prepare food with his own hands and used to feed vegetarians with vegetarian food and others with meat-based food. Baba used to mix the food with his bare hands while the food was cooking on a stove. Even then he never got his hands burnt. Our scriptures say it aloud that we should perform tapasya (penance) in Kruta yug, acquire jnyana (knowledge) in Trētā yug, yagyna (sacrifice) in Dwāpara yug, and dān (charity) in Kali yug. Of all the charities, anna-dān (food-donation) is the greatest.  “Annam Parabrahma Swaroopam”, meaning food is the symbolism of the superior divinity.  
      
      Baba never liked if someone ridicules Gods or their abodes such as temples. He used to get all the temples repaired which needed some attention in the Shirdi village. Some people used to think that Baba is a Hindu while others used to think that he is a Muslim. But in reality, Baba never belonged to any caste or religion. Nobody knew where Baba was born or his parents.

Kala mixture (hodge-podge): His devotees used to mix all the prasādam brought by different people and offer it first to Baba and then used to take it as his prasādam.
      
      Being aware that he will be going into the Samadhi soon, Baba gave a vessel full of buttermilk to Hemad Pant and asked him to drink it. This tells us that Baba is omniscient. All the readers should salute to Hemad Pant. Because he drank a vessel full of buttermilk and in turn gave the amrit (nectar) of Baba’s leelas (miracles) to everybody in the form of Sai Satcharitra. Let us rejoice by drinking this amrit as much as we can.

39th Chapter:

      Dwārakamāyi is as auspicious as Shirdi. Becaused Sai lived, moved, roamed and ultimately attained Mahā Samādhi there.  When Nana, a close follower of Baba felt out of pride that Baba does not know Sanskrit, Baba recited the 34th shloka “tadviddhi pari prānēna pari prasnēna sēvayā, upadēksyamti tē jnānam jnāninās tatva darsinaha” from the 4th Chapter of bhagavad-geeta, and explained its meaning in detail.  Baba emphasized few points: “service is not something you do when you like it and not do when you don’t like it”. “This body is not yours, you are not its owner, instead you should assume that it belongs to the guru and it is meant for serving the guru.  Here guru means the God. A true devotee always thinks that everything what he possesses belongs to the supreme Lord Krishna.

Construction of Samadhi Mandir:

      Baba never used to let anyone know of what he is going to do. When Sriman Bapu Saheb Buti and Shyama told Baba that they would like to build a spacious temple in Shirdi where they intend to install the idol of Muralidhar (Srikrishna), the omniscient Baba said “Once you complete the temple construction, I will go and live there”. “We should only use the temple after the completion of construction”. It is true that it is impossible for anyone to know the depth of Baba’s life or intensions.
      
      Baba’s words during the time he fell sick just before his samādhi “place me in the stone temple (Buti wāda)” are suggestive that he himself is Muralidhar. Since Baba was engraved in Buti wāda, we should realize that Baba is actually Muralidhar and the Buti wāda is the Samādhi mandir.

40th Chapter:

      Just as the rivers flow into the ocean during the rainy season, his devotees are energized when they meet Him. Baba said “I will not forget those who remember me. I do not need a vehicle or a train or a tāngā or an aeroplane.  Anyone who calls me with love, I will appear in front of them in no time”.  If devotees seek the shelter of sadguru with complete surrender, the sadguru will make sure that ominous things happen in the devotees’ homes all the time.

41st Chapter:

      Baba loves those who are keen in spiritual thinking. Besides, he removes their problems and makes them happy.  Baba lives in every devotee’s heart. Baba does not like it when someone asks others to know about him or other devotees.  Baba says “When I am here why should you ask others about me? Why don’t you ask me directly?”.

42nd Chapter:

Baba attaining Samādhi:
      All our troubles will go away if we remember the divine feet of sadguru. Even ‘death’ looses its nature. Worldly sorrows will go away. Those who wish to be secure should listen to Sai’s miracles.  It purifies their mind.  Baba prophesied the time of his death and averted the death of his devotees Ramachandra Patil and Tatya Kote Patil.  Instead, Baba left the world on 15th October, 1918. This indicates that Baba always showered love and affection upon his devotees.
      
       Once at the instance of Baba, a devotee Lakshmi Bai ran in haste, made roti (bread) and brought to Baba.  Baba fed it to a dog saying “The appeasement of the dog’s hunger is the same as mine”. “Know for certain that whoever feeds the hungry really serves Me with food. This suggests that Baba is present in all creatures great and small. Baba is omni-present, birthless or deathless. He is immortal. It is said that yogis come to this earth wearing a body on a mission. Once the mission is accomplished they exit smoothly, quietly and peacefully just the way they came.

43rd & 44th Chapters:

Period after Baba’s Samādhi:

      Whoever thinks about spiritual matters and withdraws from worldly things at the time of death would reach upper worlds naturally and easily.  Although Baba is an incarnation of God and does not need such help, in order to set an example he asked a devotee Mr. Vaze to read the holy book Ramavijayam to him for 14 days.
      
      Even after his demise Baba appeared in the dream of Lakshman Mama Joshi, a maternal uncle of Shyama and said “Get up soon, Bapusaheb thinks that I am dead and so he won’t come. You do the worship and the Kakad (morning) Arati for me!”.
      
      Baba’s body did not get stiff, though it was exposed for 36 hours and that all limbs were elastic and that His Kafni could be taken out without being torn to pieces. Some days before Baba’s departure a brick against which Baba used to lean or rest in the mosque, was broken into two pieces when a boy accidentally dropped the brick while cleaning. When Baba came to know this said, “It is not the brick, but My fate has broken into pieces. It was my life-long companion, with it I always meditated on the Self, it was as dear to Me as My life, it has left Me today”.  About 32 years before this incident, i.e. in 1886 Baba went into samādhi for 72 hours and finally returned to life again. It is a point to ponder for the readers to consider whether Baba was the three and a half cubit’s body that He occupied or He was the self (ātma) inside!

Baba’s nectar-like words:

      Baba said “Those who love Me most, always see Me. I am dependent on those who do not eat anything without first offering it to me. I feel indebted to those who surrender themselves completely to Me without having even a little bit of pride or egoism. I shall repay their debt by giving them salvation (self-realization).  See Me inside yourself as well as in all beings. If you practice this, you will realize all-pervasiveness, and thus attain oneness with Me. He, who carps and cavils at others, pierces Me in the heart and injures me, but he that suffers and endures, pleases Me most”.

Sri Satchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai!  

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh - Monday Parayan

Sri Ganeshayanamaha      Sri Saraswatyainamaha      Sri Gurubhyonnamaha
 Sri Sai Ramachandrayanamaha


Sri Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh
(Monday Paarayan)

Source: Sri Sai Satcharitra written by Sri Hemad Pant and published by Shirdi Samsthan

Abridged by: Ch. K. Surya Prakasa Rao, Visakhapatnam (A.P., India), 
Sai Devotee
 Translated by: Suryanarayana Vulimiri, Morrisville, NC USA, 
Sai Devotee


31st Chapter:

      The future of a person will be decided by the thought or desire present in the person’s mind at the time of death. In shlokas 5 and 6 of the 8th chapter of bhagavad-geeta, Lord Srikrishna says “whoever thinks of me during the last moments of life, they can reach me”. “If they think of something else they get what they think at that time”. Those who lay down their life at the feet of yogis are always protected. Unless they acquire such punya they do not attain such a holy future.

32nd Chapter:

      Even if a person is a pundit and well-versed with Vedas and Vedanta he may not reach his destination safely without a guide (guru). If there is a guide who helps in showing the right path (mārgadarshi), that person can avoid the pitfalls and escape from wild beasts and will have a smooth transit in reaching the destination.

      Bookish knowledge alone is useless. We need to fulfill our assigned duty (karma) and surrender our body, mind and pancha prānas (5 lives) at the feet of the guru, the God who is pervading. Baba says that in order to have such feeling one should develop deep and eternal belief. Baba is an incarnation who is an epitome of knowledge and who is free of passions or worldly attachments. Dharma (righteousness), artha (prosperity) and kāma (desire) are attainable with our efforts, but the fourth one, mōksha (liberation) is achieved only with the help of a guru. Baba never observed fasting. Also, he never allowed anybody to observe fasting. He thinks that the minds of those who observe fasting will not be steady. First one has to pacify the ātma (soul).

33rd Chapter:

Udi (holy ash) Mahima (miracle) 1: The way Baba taught.

      All the objects in the world are temporary like the ash. Our body is made up of the pancha bhutas, but ultimately becomes ash after we enjoy all the worldly pleasures. For everybody to remember this fact, Baba used to give Udi prasadam to all devotees. By giving Udi to everyone Baba taught that brahmam is permanent or perpetual, but the world is transient or temporary and that in reality all our kith and kin (e.g. father, mother, son etc) in this world do not belong to us. We come into this world alone and leave this world alone. Udi used to treat all bodily and mental ailments. It used to bring health and wealth and emancipate everybody from anxieties. Baba used to teach two things, the first one is Udi which provides knowledge, and the second one dakshina (fee) which makes one being ascetic. Without these two qualities one can not cross the samsāra sāgara.
      
      For those who wish to get the benefit of Udi, should wear it on the forehead or mix it in water and drink as holy teertham after taking a bath. At the time of Samadhi Baba gave Lakshmi Bai 9 rupee coins. They represent 9 forms of devotion (navavidha bhakti).

34th Chapter:

Udi mahima 2:
                                       
      Baba says “Whoever comes to this mosque will never suffer from any disease in this birth. This is not a mosque. This is dwāravati. Whoever steps in this place will get healthy and happy. They will overcome their troubles or problems”.  Our karma is responsible for our troubles or pleasures. Allah is the only one who abates the suffering.  Always keep him in the prayers. You need to surrender to him completely. Then you watch  his actions.
      
      The path of karma is intriguing. Baba says, “I am neither a God nor a ruler. I am God’s trusted servant. I will always remind you of Him. Whoever tosses up his/her ego and salutes to the God, whoever trusts him completely, they will be devoid of their attachments and attain moksha”.

35th Chapter:

Udi mahima 3:

      Baba says, “If I have to take 1 rupee as dakshina from anybody I need to give them 10 times worth of it. I will not take anything from anybody just like that. I will not ask anyone indiscriminately.  Whomever the fakir (saint) shows me, I will take from those persons. Also I will take money from those who owe me from their previous birth. As they give the dakshina to me, their detachment will increase. As a result they will inherit bhakti (devotion) and jnana (wisdom).

Baba’s message for those who suffer from sleeplessness:

      “Before you go to bed every night, wear udi on your forehead and keep the rest of the udi packet under the pillow”. Once at someone’s house there were three times more number of guests than they invited. When the daughter-in-law of the house was worried, her mother-in-law instructed her to cover all the food with a cloth and with reciting Sai’s name sprinkled some udi on top of the cloth. When they removed the cloth they were surprised to see surplus amounts of food that even after feeding all the guests still lot of food was left over. That is the mahima of udi. This is Sai’s miracle.

36th Chapter:

      With regards to accepting the dakshina, Baba said to Shyama “You don’t know anything. I will not accept anything from anybody. The masjid-mai (mother mosque) asks to repay the debt. Those who are indebted would get emancipated by paying the dakshina”.  Baba never begged to anybody and he never allowed his devotees to beg around. He always considered money or wealth to be dangerous and a hindrance to attain moksha.
      
      To confirm that he is omniscient, Baba pinched Shyama’s cheek and told him that he is related to Shyama for the past 72 births. A married woman who did not have children for almost for 27 years since marriage bore children with the blessings of Baba. This suggests that Baba is omniscient, omnipresent and is the incarnation of Dattatreyaswami.

37th Chapter:

Chavadi utsavam: (Chavadi procession)

      Among the Sai devotees whoever remembers chavadi utsavam before going to bed, will be blessed with comfort, pleasure, happiness, satisfaction, piece of mind and Sai’s blessings.

Sri Satchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai!

Saturday, January 1, 2011

Sri Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh - Sunday Paarayan

Sri Ganeshayanamaha      Sri Saraswatyainamaha      Sri Gurubhyonnamaha
 Sri Sai Ramachandrayanamaha


Sri Sai Satcharitra Sārāmsh
(Sunday Paarayan)

Source: Sri Sai Satcharitra written by Sri Hemad Pant and published by Shirdi Samsthan

Abridged by: Ch. K. Surya Prakasa Rao, Visakhapatnam (A.P., India), 
Sai Devotee
 Translated by: Suryanarayana Vulimiri, Morrisville, NC USA, 
Sai Devotee

23rd Chapter:

     Jeeva (human soul) transcends the three qualities (gunas), viz., Sattwa, Rajas and Tamas, but often being masked by illusion (Māya). He who forgets his nature of being “Pure Consciousness-knowledge-bliss (Sat-chit-ānanda) and assumes that he is the doer, and thus entangles himself in endless miseries, and not obtaining salvation. The only way for liberation is to have loving devotion towards Guru’s feet.  In order to cross the ocean of illusion one should pray Baba by thinking of his divine feet in their hearts. Baba always used to say that he is the servant of God.
     Hemad Pant describes desciples as three kinds. 1. Those who recognize Guru’s needs and provide them even before Guru orders them are Best (uttama); 2. Those who obey Guru’s orders faithfully without any delay are Average (madhyama); and 3. Those who always procrastinate and commit plenty of mistakes are Ordinary (adhama) disciples.

24th Chapter:

     Unless we surrender our ego at Sadguru’s feet we will not be victorious in our endeavors. Our success is assured if we are free of egoism. By worshipping Sai Baba we can attain both worldly and spiritual objectives. We will have peace of mind and happiness. Mind and heart will experience materialistic pleasures even before the five senses do. For this reason we should think of God before eating anything.  Those who discriminate between Guru and God cannot envision divinity anywhere.
     Baba used to allow his devotees to serve him by whatever way they chose to. He never liked anyone else interfering with their approaches. He says “Whoever does not share with others the food they have, will suffer the misery similar to Kuchēla (Sudhāma)”.

25th Chapter:

     The wishes of devotees will be fulfilled quickly if their faith is steady and devotion is complete.  Baba said “Even if I attain Samādhi, my bones will talk from the grave. They will provide you with hope and faith. Besides, my Samadhi would move and also speak to those who seek my shelter whole-heartedly.  Never get anxious that I am not near you. Even my bones would talk to you and enquire about your welfare. Always remember me. Keep your heart and soul filled with trust in me. Then you will get the utmost benefit.
     Whenever or wherever you think of me, I will be there momentarily.  Be aware that all the flowers that blossom on a mango tree will not turn into fruits. Most of them will fall off as flowers or unripe fruits before becoming actual fruits.  Similarly all those who come to me may not get my blessings. To get my blessings one should have devotion and faith.  Baba never liked astrologers or their words.

26th Chapter:

     Baba to his devotees “Whatever it might happen, never give up the grip on seeking Guru’s shelter.  Always be steadfast and be reciting Guru’s name. God will always protect those who have faith and patience in Him. Yogis, just like Gods, also depend on their devotees. God would only help those who seek His shelter with soul and heart”.
     Baba told a devotee Mr. Baba Ambedkar, “You have to experience the fruits of bad or good deeds that you have done in your previous birth or due to your past actions. If it is not complete, suicide won’t help you. You have to be born again and suffer again. Why don’t you experience the fruit of your past deeds for some time now before you die naturally? You need to repay all you debts of bad deeds once for all.

27th Chapter:

     Baba is a like a sacred tree that fulfills all our wishes. He is an ocean of knowledge.  Sri Sai is the Guru who would show us the path to self-realization.  He is the Lord of saints who can show the God in all creatures great and small.  He is the adorable person who knows the minds of his devotees; he touches and consecrates them and gives his devotees different religious books to read and recite regularly.

28th Chapter:

     Baba is omni-present. Usually father creates the body and gives life, while death chases the life at a later time.  But a sadguru will rescue us from the cycle of birth and death. So they are the most kind-hearted souls.  Baba said, “Wherever my devotees live I can pull them to Shirdi just like how you can drag a sparrow with a thread tied to its feet. I do not need any doors to enter. I am formless and live everywhere. Whoever keeps the faith in me and gets immersed in my smaran, I will take care of their deeds staying behind the scene like a director who pulls the threads of puppets”.
     Baba opines that one should not take a debt for the sake of seeing the God or celebrating a festival or for going on a pilgrimage. One day, Meghashyama, a true devotee of Sai wanted to give head-bath to Baba. By chanting “Hare Ganga! Hare Ganga!” he poured water on Baba’s head. Although the head got wet, Baba’s body remained dry. All the devotees were surprised to see this leela of Sai.

29th Chapter:

     Baba knows what is safe and secure for his devotees.  Doubts and troubles surround us in order to make our devotion stronger and deeper. They test us. However, all our endeavors will eventually become successful if we work hard, as well as worship Baba with complete faith.

30th Chapter:

     Although Baba is indifferent to the three gunas, and is formless (nirguna), he attains a form (saguna) form for the sake of his devotees. Even though others leave us and go, Sai would never desert us. Those who taste his mercy and kindness will attain surplus amounts of power, knowledge and the ability to distinguish between permanent and temporary intelligence.  Baba always understands the wishes of the devotees and fulfills them in a timely manner. The higher the intensity of pain a devotee takes and the greater the faith and devotion he shows to have a glimpse of the yogi, the faster and stronger it will take to get his desire fulfilled.

Sri Satchidanand Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai!