SAI POOJA

[SS91]

SAI POOJA

"As all the rivers join the sea, in the same way the different spiritual paths reach ME"

SAI BABA

The word pooja is understood in terms of Japa or worship.

It is one of the most accepted and sacred rituals

performed by devotees.

To Muslims it is known as NAMAZ.

Worship may be done in the houses of the devotees or in temples,

mosques and churches daily or on some festival occasions.

Before performing the pooja to a particuler diety, Lord Sri Rama,

Vishnu Shiva or any other favourite diety GOD or GODESSES the pooja

of Lord Shri Ganesh Maharaj is performed at first.

The traditional method of pooja is that after taking bath,

the home diety is cleaned.

Then sandal wood paste will be applied on the forehead of idol

followed by the application of KUM KUM.

Then the lighting of lamps, lighting the joss sticks, placing the

flowers, offering Naivedya and finally waving the Aarathi by burning

the camphor will be done.

The pandits and learned people recite slokas in Sanskrit or in the

relevant language.

After observing all the above formalities, a devotee is likely to

get mental satisfaction.

Now coming to SAI BABA and SAI POOJA, SAI BABA himself said, that

 "I do not require any paraphernalia for worship either eight fold

or sixteen fold. If you always say SAI, I shall take you over the

seven seas. Believe in these words and you will certainly be

benefited".

From this it is quite evident that SAI BABA was not very particular

about SAI POOJA on traditional lines.

The effect of pooja may not necessarily be magical.

GOD may or may not give his darshan to a true devotee.

 It is a fact that true devotee of GOD is subject to many hardships.

Indian history had already recorded the wonderful experience of

Bhaktha Ram Das.

He had full faith in Lord Sri Rama and he was his strongest devotee

but there was never a chance in the whole life of this pious man to

have the Darshan of GOD.

This does not mean that Sri Rama was not with him, It is at the

eleventh hour the Lord came to his rescue when he was in jail.

 From this it can be safely concluded that the devotees need not be

disappointed for not having the darshan of Lord Shri Sai Baba even

though SAI POOJA is 'being performed very honesty. In our daily life

 we are likely to get disheartened while passing through trials

which are the test to measure our spiritual strength.

SAI BABA once tested, some devotees in this way, Fakir Pir Mohammed

of Malegaon alias Bade Baba who was very close to him was asked by

BABA to cut the Goat and offer as an oblation.

He refused to do so.

 Then Shama was asked.

 He went to bring knife, Meanwhile Baba asked Kaka Saheb Dixit, who

was a pure brahmin, He readily accepted and raised his hand with

knife and when the knife was just nearing the throat of the goat

BABA said 'stop'. People all around wondered to see that a brahmin

was ready to kill a goat. Kaka Saheb said that I always mediate on

you and your word is law. Blind surrender and obedience to Guru is

my duty.

Hemandpant recorded this incidence in SEI SAI SATCHARITA to point

out there are three kinds of disciples.

 First or the best of these disciples who act blindly on the advice

of a Guru without thin­king any thing except Guru.

Second or middle class is referred to those who give second

consideration to Guru's order and third those who niether obey

nor disobey Guru but go on postponing the order of Guru

SAI BABA never objected when he was worshipped in different ways.

 He did not advocate any particular method of worshipping the GOD.

There is no point in imitating the Slokas blindly without

under­standing the meatings and pronouncing words properly,

One should be quite clear about pooja and must not invite

metaphysical problems and doubts.

Pooja is just like horizon and is not subject to diminishing

process.

It is not very easy to concentrate towards GCD in the midst of many

worries.

If a sansari performs pooja with full devotion, whole heartedly even

for a minute it is more sacred and acceptable to GOD than a sanyasi

who does penance under a tree for the last one year.

Because of non attachment there is no wonder in it.

SAI POOJA is very simple and most convenient and depends upon the

degree of devotion and element of satisfaction which one gets from

it. It is an individual affair and left to oneself but however a

simpli­fied way of worshipping SAI is given below,

Repeat :

'-Om Sainathayanamaha"

"Om Samrath Sad Guru SHRI   SAINATH MAHARAJ KI JAI,

"Om SAI SHRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI"

Or still much more and the simpliest way is to chant SAI SAI as many

times as posible whenever and wherever one may be.

One should not be disappointed for not having the effect of

SAI POOJA immediately.

Let us hope that SAI POOJA will bring to us SAI blessings and down

the gap between expectation and   attainment considerably.

Let the simplified SAI NAMA JAPA make tomorrow better than today

and day after tomorrow still much more better than tomorrow.



OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Let us pray at the feet of Sai Baba who is the incarnation of all gods and protector of all, to show mercy on us, and increase our devotion towards him.