Footsteps along the ‘path’
The main task of religion is the ennoblement of humankind by the removal of our inhuman tendencies and to awaken our humanity to ultimately make us god-like.
Prophets and sadgurus have appeared before us with this aim from time to time in various countries and have shown us the path and the various practices to be followed according to the social, political and the cultural mores of the age and country. However, over time human ignorance of the true nature of religion and our inherent selfishness have created barriers between religions, and between persons. This has resulted in religious fanaticism, which has bred hatred and made religion - the sole support of human existence - itself, the ultimate casualty. The result is visible to us in the form of inter-religious strife, increasing religious intolerance, inhuman sadism in the name of religion and the negation of human values.
Religion, the very purpose of which is to propagate feelings of love and kindness towards all beings and show the path to transform humankind into God, has degenerated into a path of violent intolerance and devilish hatred. This is the damage done to religion by its fanatical followers. Whenever the danger to humankind from these fanatics becomes acute, divine incarnations come down to earth and show us the true path. Sri Sai Baba is the divine incarnation of this age whose mission is to cure society of these ills and lead hundreds of thousands of souls on the true path to God.
Other mahatmas such as Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi have also taught us that the essence of all religions is one, and that the ultimate truth is one God who transcends all apparent differences of perceptions. However, as these mahatmas were known to belong to a particular religious community, the people belonging to other religions or sects did not care much for their teachings.
This may be the reason why Sri Sai Baba kept his origins a divine secret. Baba was a Hindu to Hindus and a Muslim to Muslims. The best qualities of each religion are inherent and apparent in him. This union of the best aspects of all religions was so happily apparent in Sri Sai Baba that even the most intolerant of religious fundamentalists and bigots used to claim him as their own without reservation. This is unprecedented in the history of religion. Sri Sai Baba has burnt up our gross tendencies and religious bigotry in the purifying fire or dhuni of his love and has given us the resultant ennobling ash as his divine udi.
We can never be true devotees of Sri Sai Baba unless we follow sincerely and zealously, with mind, speech and thought, his central theme of universal love and tolerance of all religions. Sri Sai Baba stated that his religion was ‘Kabir’ and that his caste was God (Parvardigar). So also all devotees of Sri Sai Baba should proclaim unequivocally with pride that their religion is SAI religion, which is the essence of all religions, and that their caste is Sai caste. We should so organize worship in the Sai temples in such a way that no differences on the basis of creed and caste are followed. Only then can we follow that path which Sri Sai Baba followed and taught all his life, and be entitled to fully receive his grace.
courtesy SAI PADHAM MAGAZINE
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI!!!
Topic: Foot steps along the path (Read 1779 times)