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Offline SS91

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December 28th is Vaikunda Ekadasi
« on: December 26, 2009, 07:57:23 AM »
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     SaiRam devotees,

      December 28th is Vaikunda Ekadasi  , Baba always encourages us to recite Vishu Saharasnamam. Let us all chant VSN on this auspicous  day if not we can  chant   om namo narayanaya

    http://india-latestnews.blogspot.com/2009/01/vaikunta-ekadasi-vaikunta-ekadasi-live.html

    http://forum.spiritualindia.org/vishnu-sahasranama-in-sai-worship-t10305.0.html;wap2=


    Shirdi sai kept Vishnu Sahasranama close to my chest

    There is another interesting incident in the life of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Once Sai Baba had heart disease. He used to cure all the diseases of the devotees. But now he himself was suffering. Who could cure him? Sai Baba himself narrated as to how his heart disease was cured.
    Baba: I had heart disease. I kept Vishnu Sahasranama close to my chest. Hari (meaning Lord Vishnu) descended from it. I was cured. (Incident no 198: Sri Sai Baba’s Charters and Sayings by Sri B V Narasimhaswami) Such is the power of Vishnu Sahasranama. It can cure all the diseases. It has miraculous powers. One can get wealth, health according to his/her wish and needs.



    A Person, who has controlled his mind, can achieve any success in his life. How far you are trying to control your mind?
    The mind that judges not others ever remains tension-free.
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    Offline SS91

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    Re: December 28th is Vaikunda Ekadasi
    « Reply #1 on: December 26, 2009, 09:48:05 AM »
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  • Shri Sai Satcharitra

    Chapter XXVII

    Favour Shown by Giving Bhagwat and Vishnu-Sahasra Nam - Dixit's Vitthal Vision - Gita Rahasya - Khapardes.

    This Chapter describes, how Sai Baba favoured His devotees by granting them religious books after he had touched and consecrated them, for parayana (reading regularly) and certain other matters.

    Preliminary

    When a man takes a plunge into the sea, he gets the merit of bathing in all the Tirthas and sacred rivers. Similarly when a man takes refuge at the feet of the Sad-guru, he gets the merit of bowing to the Trinity, i.e. Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and also Para-Brahma. Victory be unto Shri Sai the wish-fulfilling tree and the ocean of knolwedge, who gives us self-realisation. Oh Sai, create in us regard for Your stories. Let the readers and audience devour them with the same relish with which the chatak bird drinks the water from the clouds and becomes happy. While listening to Your stories, let them and their families get all the sattwik emotions, viz. let their bodies perspire, let their eyes be full of tears, let their prana be steady, let their minds be composed, let their hair stand on end, let them cry, sob and shake, let their hostilities and their distinctions, great and small vanish. If these things happen, that is a sign of the grace of the Guru dawning upon them. When these emotions develop in you, the Guru is most pleased and will certainly lead you on to the goal of self-realisation. The best way, therefore, to get free from the shackles of Maya is our complete and whole-hearted surrender to Baba. The Vedas cannot take you across the ocean of Maya. It is only the Sad-guru, who can do so and make you, see the Lord in all creatures.

    Granting Consecrated Book

    The variety of imparting instructions followed by Baba has already been noticed in the previous Chapters. In this, we shall deal with one aspect of it. It was the habit of some devotees to take some religious books, of which they wanted to make a special study, to Baba and to receive the same back from Him, after they were touched and consecrated by Him. While reading daily such books, they felt that Baba was with them. Once, Kaka Mahajani came to Shirdi with a copy of Ekanathi Bhagwat. Shama took that book to read and taking it with him went to the Masjid. There Baba took it from him, touched it and turning some pages here and there gave it back to Shama and asked him to keep it with him. When Shama said that it belonged to Kaka and had to be returned to him. "No, no", said Baba. "As I have given it to you, better keep it with you for safe custody; it will be of use to you." In this way many books were entrusted to Shama. Kaka Mahajani after a some days came again with another copy of the same Bhagwat and gave it in Baba's hand. Then Baba gave it back as Prasad and asked him to preserve it well and assured him that it would stand him in good stead. Kaka accepted it with a bow.

    Shama and Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam

    Shama was a very intimate devotee of Baba and Baba wanted to favour him in a particular way by giving him a copy of Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam as Prasad. This was done in the following way. Once a Ramadasi (follower of Saint Ramadas) came to Shirdi and stayed for some time. The routine he followed daily was as follows : He got up early in the morning, washed his face, bathed and then after wearing saffron-coloured clothes and besmearing himself with sacred ashes, read Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam (a book giving a thousand names in praise of Vishnu, and held second in importance to Bhagwad Geeta) and Adhyatma-Ramayana (Esoteric version of Rama's story) with faith. He read these books often and often and then after some days Baba thought of favouring and initiating Shama with Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam. He, therefore, called the Ramadasi to Him and said to him that, He was suffering from intense stomach-pain, and unless He took Senna-pods (Sona-mukhi, a mild purgative drug) the pain would not stop; so he should please go to the bazar and bring the drug. The Ramadasi closed his reading and went to the bazar. Then Baba descended from His seat, came to the Ramadasi's place of reading, took out the copy of Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam, and coming to His seat said to Shama- "Oh Shama, this book is very valuable and efficacious, so I present it to you, you read it. Once I suffered intensely and My heart began to palpitate and My life was in danger. At that critical time, I hugged this book to My heart and then, Shama, what a relief it gave me! I thought that Allah Himself came down and saved Me. So I give this to you, read it slowly, little by little, read daily one name at least and it will do you good." Shama replied that he did not want it, and that the owner of it, the Ramadasi who was a mad, obstinate and irritable fellow would certainly pick up a quarrel with him, besides, being a rustic himself, he could not read distinctly the Sanskrit (Devanagari) letters of the book.

    Shama thought that Baba wanted to set him up against the Ramadasi by this act of His, but he had no idea of what Baba felt for him. Baba must have thought to tie this necklace of Vishu-Sahasra-Nam round the neck of Shama, as he was an intimate devotee, though a rustic, and thus save him from the miseries of the worldly existence. The efficacy of God's Name is well-known. It saves us from all sins and bad tendencies, frees us from the cycle of births and deaths. There is no easier sadhana than this. It is the best purifier of our mind. It requires no paraphernalia and no restrictions. It is so easy and so effective. This sadhana, Baba wanted Shama to practise, though he did not crave for it. So Baba forced this on him. It is also reported that long ago, Eknath Maharaj, similarly, forced this Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam on a poor Brahmin neighbour, and thus saved him. The reading and study of this Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam is a broad open way of purifying the mind, and hence Baba thrust this on His Shama.

    The Ramadasi returned soon with the Seena-pods. Anna Chinchanikar, who was then present and who wanted to play the part of Narada (the Celestial Rishi who was well-known for setting up quarrels between Gods and demons and vice versa), informed him of what had happened. The Ramadasi at once flared up. He came down at once on Shama with all fury. He said that it was Shama who set Baba to send him away under the pretext of stomach-ache for bringing the medicine and thus got the book. He began to scold and abuse Shama and remarked that if the book be not returned, he would dash his head before him. Shama calmly remonstrated with him, but in vain. Then Baba spoke kindly to him as follows - "Oh Ramadasi, what is the matter with you? Why are you so turbulent? Is not Shama our boy? Why do you scold him unnecessarily. How is it that you are so quarrelsome? Can you not speak soft and sweet words? You read daily these sacred books and still your mind is impure and your passions uncontrolled. What sort of a Ramadasi you are! You ought to be indifferent to all things. Is it not strange that you should covet this book so strongly? A true Ramadasi should have no 'mamata' (attachment) but have 'samata' (equality) towards all. You are now quarrelling with the boy Shama for a mere book. Go, take your seat, books can be had in plenty for money, but not men; think well and be considerate. What worth is your book? Shama had no concern with it. I took it up Myself and gave it to him. You know it by heart. I thought Shama might read it and profit thereby, and so I gave to it him."

    How sweet were these words of Baba, soft, tender and nectar-like! Their effect was wonderful. The Ramadasi calmed down and said to Shama that he would take 'Panch-ratni' Geeta in return. Shama was much pleased and said - "Why one, I shall give ten copies in return".

    So the matter was ultimately compromised. The question for consideration is "Why should the Ramadasi press for Pancha-ratni Geeta, the God in which he never cared to know, and why should he, who daily read religious books in the Masjid in front of Baba, quarrel with Shama before Him?" We do not know how to apportion the blame and whom to blame. We only say that, had this procedure been not gone through, the importance of the subject, the efficacy of God's name and the study of Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam would not have been brought home to Shama. So we see that Baba's method, of teaching and initiating was unique. In this cases Shama did gradually study the book and mastered its contents to such an extent, that he was able to explain it to Professor G.G. Narke, M.A. of the College of Engineering, Poona, the son-in-law of Shriman Booty and a devotee of Baba.

    Vitthal-Vision

    One day, while Kakasaheb Dixit was in mediation after his morning bath in his Wada at Shirdi he saw a vision of Vitthal. When he went to see Baba afterwards, Baba asked him - "Did vitthal Patil come? did you not see Him? He is very elusive, hold Him fast, otherwise He will give you the slip and run away". Then at noon a certain hawker came there, with 20 or 25 pictures of Vitthal of Pandharpur for sale. Mr. Dixit was surprised to see that the form of Vithal he saw in his mediation exactly tallied with that in the picture and he was also reminded of Baba's words. He therefore, bought one picture most willingly and kept it in his shrine for worship.

    Geeta-Rahasya

    Baba always loved those who studied Brahma-vidya (metaphysics) and encouraged them. To give an instance - Once Bapusaheb Jog received a post-parcel. It contained a copy of Geeta-Rahasya by Lokamanya Tilak. Taking it under his armpit he came to the Masjid and prostrated himself before Baba, when the parcel fell at Baba's Feet. Baba enquired what it was. It was opened then and there and the book was placed in Baba's hand. He turned some pages here and there for a few minutes and took out a rupee from His pocket placed it on the book and handed the same with the rupee to Jog and said to him - "Read this completely and you will be benefited".

    Mr. and Mrs. Khaparde

    Let us close this Chapter with a description of the Khapardes. Once Dadasaheb Khaparde came with his family and lived in Shirdi for some months. (The diary of his stay has been published in English in the Shri Sai Leela Magazine first Volume.) Dadasaheb was not an ordinary man. He was the richest and the most famous advocate of Amraoti (Berar) and was a member of the Council of State, Delhi. He was very intelligent and a very good speaker. Still he dared not open his mouth before Baba. Most devotees spoke and argued with Baba off and on, but only three, viz. Khaparde, Noolkar and Booty kept always silent. They were meek, modest, humble and goodnatured. Dadasaheb, who was able to expound Panchadashi (A well-known Sanskrit treatise on the Adwaita Philosophy by the famous Vidyaranya) to others, said nothing or uttered no word when he came to the Masjid before Baba. Really a man, however learned he may be even in Vedas, fades away before one, who was realised Brahman and become one with it. Learning cannot shine before Self-reaisation. Dadasaheb stayed for four months, but Mrs. Khaparde stayed for seven. Both were highly pleased with their Shirdi stay. Mrs. Khaparde was faithful and devout, and loved Baba deeply. Every noon she brought naivedya herself to the Masjid, and after it was accepted by Baba, she used to return and take her meals. Seeing her steady and firm devotion, Baba wanted to exhibit it to others. One noon she brought a dish containing Sanza (wheat-pudding), purees, rice, soup, and kheer (sweet rice) and other sundry articles to the Masjid. Baba, who usually waited for hours, got up at once, went up to His dining seat and removing the outer covering from the dish began to partake of the things zealously. Shama then asked Him - "Why this partiality? You throw away dishes of others and do not care to look at them, but this You draw to You earnestly and do justice to it. Why is the dish of this woman so sweet? This is a problem to us." Baba then explained - "This food is really extra-ordinary. In former birth this lady was a merchant's fat cow yielding much milk. Then she disappeared and took birth in a gardener's family, then in a Kshatriya family, and married a merchant. Then she was born in a Brahmin family. I saw her after a very long time, let Me take some sweet morsels of love from her dish." Saying this, Baba did full justice to her dish, washed his mouth and hands, gave out some belches as a mark of satisfaction, and resumed His seat. Then she make a bow and began to shampoo Baba's legs and Baba began to talk with her and knead her arms which were shampooing His Legs. On seeing this reciprocal service Shama began to joke and said - "It is going on well, it is a wonderful sight to see God and His Bhakta serving each other. "After being pleased with her sincere service, Baba asked her in low and fascinating tone to chant 'Rajarama, Rajarama' then and always, and said - "If you do this, your life's object will be gained, your mind will attain peace and you will be immensely benefited." To persons unfamiliar with spiritual matters, this might appear as affair, but really it was not so. It was a case of, what in technically called, 'Shakti-pat', i.e. transference of power from the Guru to the disciple. How forcible and effective were Baba's words! In an instant, they pierced her heart and found lodgement there.

    This case illustrates the nature of the relations that should subsist between the Guru and the disciple. Both should love and serve each other as One. There is no distinction nor any difference between them. Both are One, and one cannot live without the other. The disciple placing his head on the Guru's feet is a gross or outward vision; really and internally they are both one and the same. Those who see any difference between them are yet unripe and not perfect.

    Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all

    A Person, who has controlled his mind, can achieve any success in his life. How far you are trying to control your mind?
    The mind that judges not others ever remains tension-free.
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    Offline OmkarSai

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    Re: December 28th is Vaikunda Ekadasi
    « Reply #2 on: December 26, 2009, 01:27:18 PM »
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  • Kusha Bhav’ (alias) Krishnaji Kasinath Joshi son of Kashinath
    Padmakar Joshi, Joshi Vattandr, Brahmin, aged 70, (10 miles off
    Ahmednagar) Mirazgaon, says:
    I was given a mere elementary Vernacular School Examination
    education to qualify myself for a school Master’s place on Rs.5
    or 7 per mensem. I got trained also for the hereditary duties of the
    village priest. I did not care for either. We were poor. In these circumstances,
    I wanted to devote myself to a life of bhakti. I found a
    Guru in Datta Maharaj, a truly great and Satvic soul. He took me
    away from time to time and trained me in yoga. Under him I learnt
    Asanas, Pranayama and the rousing of the Kundalini Sakti. But, in my youthful waywardness, I was not contented with all that and asked my Guru to impart to me the mantras he knew which gave worldly power (e.g) creatin maran, unchatan, vasikaran g spells and breaking spells, exercising devils and invoking them & c. The Guru very unwillingly imparted the mantras to me, on account of my importunity and I went through the necessary japa and sadhana. I wore an iron bangle, repeated the mantras as prescribed for the required number of times, I succeeded in getting possession of the coveted powers. I could simply utter a mantra and order the production of sweetmeats,
    pedhas and the like. And the articles I ordered would at once appear and be filling my hands. These I would show to others and distribute. The pedha etc., I could not use. I could not and should not eat or sell them but I gave them away to the admiring or wondering people about me. I could also destroy the evil spells of others. The production of pedha etc., was not by the use of evil spirits (e.g.) Yakshas, Jinns etc., This latter method is dangerous. It will extinguish one’s life. The spirits might even begin to cause physical harm to the man, who uses them. In my case, the articles required were produced purely by mantric power without the use of these evil spirits. When I was aged about twenty two and fully armed with these magical powers, my Guru resolved to go away from our society into the Himalayas and live there alone right up the end of his life. He started north and took me with him up to Delhi. There he wished to part company with me finally. As to what I should do, after he went away, he told me that there was one Sai Baba of Shirdi, whom he referred to as his elder brother “maja badila Bhai” and that I should go to him and do whatever he directs. Saying this, the Guru went away and disappeared from me and this part of the country, and I have not seen or heard anything more of him since.

    Then (i.e) in 1908, I went to Shirdi and found Sai Baba. He would not allow me to be with him till I should throw away my iron bangle and stop the production of pedhas etc., by mantric means. As his order was strict; I broke and threw away my iron wristlets and stopped my mantric production of articles like pedha etc. To sustain
    myself I begged food here and there at Shirdi. I had no abode. He ordered me to sit in a corner of the mosque and go on reading Dasbodha during the day, and I did so. At night, I would sleep in any place I could find space to lie on. He gave neither me nor anyone else any upadesh mantra etc. The town people from Bombay etc., were
    not coming to him then. Only the villagers would go to him now and then, and ask him to remedy their trifling complaints (e.g.) stomach ache, fever etc. He gave his udhi to all these from his ever burning fire (dhuni which he maintained at the mosque). He was not asking for dakshina from all but only a few pice (e.g) 4 or 5 he would
    ask for and getting these, he might buy fuel for his dhuni or some such article of necessity. As for big people I remember that Nanasaheb Nimonkar was obtain with him, and as for his talks, I never heard
    him say anything about maya or Brahma or Mahavakya tatwas or Viveka, and Sadhana Chathusthya. He imparted faith to those resorting to him faith in Ishwara, by exercising his wonderful powers; they would go on with their devotion to their Ishtadevata and finally, he would grant them Sakshatkar of that particular ishtadevata.
    As for myself, I stayed three full years at a stretch with him and then went on visiting him during the nine years that followed. During that period of nine years, he told me to see a person with three heads. That of course, I took as a direction to go and see Datta at Gangapur. Every year I visited Gangapur twice once in Guru poornima and next in Magha  poornima. Then, once he told me to do 108 parayanas of Guru Charitra, taking three days to finish each parayana. I did this at Gangapur and stayed there 10 or 11 months for this purpose. As my powers, he had interdicted their use. But, out of his kindness, he gave me some other power. It came about thus. One Ekadashi day, I sat by his side.
    Baba: What do you eat today?
    I: Nothing, today is Ekadashi?
    Baba: What does Ekadashi mean?
    I: It means a day for upavas
    Baba: What does upavas means?
    I : It is just like rojas
    Baba: What is rojas?
    I: We take nothing except kandamula.
    means root and usually ‘Sweet potatoes’ and is the food that is eaten (onions should not be taken by the orthodox) on Ekadashi
    day. Then Baba picked up some onions, evidently having a phonetic equivocation, and told me to eat it. Seeing Baba was persistent and not wishing to run counter to his wishes, I yielded, but added ‘If you eat it, I will eat it’. Then Baba ate some onions and I ate some. Then as visitors began to arrive, Baba was enjoying some fun at my expense.
    Baba: look at this Bramniya ( a contemptuous corruption of the word Brahmin), he is eating onions on Ekadashi day.
    I began to defend my conduct or justify it.
    I: Baba ate it and I ate it.
    Baba: At one stroke, was having humour at my expense and the manifestation of his powers and he declared that he had not eaten onions. At once, he vomited out something. That was not onion but
    sweet potatoes (Ratale)
    Baba: See, it is not onion but sweet potato I had eaten. Now here was my opportunity. By his miraculous powers,
    he had produced sweet potatoes from his mouth. I treated it as prasad, fell upon i t , seized it with my mouth and  ate it up. Baba abused me, kicked me and beat me. But I did not thiamind all in the least, as I was overjoyed at having got his uchchishta as prasad. I knew also that as with Akkalkote Maharaj, so with Baba his beating and abuse were auspicious and beneficial. If Baba kissed a man and sent him off, as he did sometimes, that was not auspicious, But in an instant, Baba’s mood was changed, His anger, real or pretended, gave way to warm appreciation of my unquestioning faith in him and he lovingly placed his hand on my head and blessed me. He
    said that I would thenceforth have the power by barely thinking of him and holding up my palms, to pour abundance of udhi from mypalms.

    Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai.
    Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai.

     


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