Begging and Humility

[Dipika]

Begging and Humility
Baba's begging continued until His Mahasamadhi. During His final days, when His movements were restricted due to illness, Baba delegated the honor of begging His food to others. Such was His insistence on the honorable act of bowing in front of others for the daily bread. Begging aids in the purgation of pride and brings in humility. Humility is a easy path to God. Baba's insistence on begging is only to highlight this axiomatic truth.

Scriptures say that the duty of feeding a mendicant falls on the society as the renounced do not earn their livelihood by other means. However, mendicancy is not a way for everyone. Only a few can tread that path. Mrs. Shaila Hattiangadi in "Sai's Story" wrote as follows:

Baba never recommended Sanyasa. "Sanyasa", He said, "is not the way for you. In fighting desires which are normal, you will lose all your strengths. The more you fight, the larger the temptations will become. And if you drain your energy and strength in trying to fight and overcome them, you will have no power left in you to reach God. Instead, live a normal, natural life, reserve the energy and use it positively to find God". "Sanyasa", he would say to His devotees, "is a path for select few, to be followed under divine guidance and directive, and not by one's inclination alone. It is very difficult path"

The real significance of Baba's begging is glorification of the virtue of humility and not just as an act of a mendicant. Let us on this Thursday, resolve to emulate our Sadguru and emphasis on the virtue of humility in our own ways

http://www.saibaba.org/newsletter3-45.html

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM


dipika duggal

[Dipika]

One God !
As rivers merge into ocean, so do religions into God...that Supreme Reality, that nameless, formless God. If such is the simple, philospophical view of God, what is the necessity for the various religions, rituals and practices? The answer is simple: Rituals instill the necessary discipline, fear and awareness in all of us; we start with worship in a 'form' or 'principle' and hopefully over the course of this lifetime (or many lifetimes) will come to worshipping the 'formless' God.....from Saguna Chintana to Nirguna Chintana.

God is 'Gunaatmaka Nirgunaaya', implying God is 'with form' yet 'formless'. In other words, God appears in the form that the seeker visualizes. After significant spiritual progress, the seeker begins to 'feel' God in things that exist and things that do not; and the seeker thus begins worshipping the formless 'Sarvaantaryaami'.

Does Guru have a role in this God-realization? The answer resoundingly is YES. Can God-realization occur without the aid of a Guru? In most instances, it appears that Guru is an essential ingredient in God-realization. Consider Vivekaananda/Ramakrishna Paramahansa; consider Yogaananda/Yukteswaraananda; consider Arjuna/Krishna; consider Moses/'the burning bush'; examples are abound...to support this viewpoint.

A Guru is a guide that sets/shows us the 'right' path at the 'right' time in our material and spiritual evolution. Gurus work in wonderous ways..they do not even have to be physically with you...by mere thought they influence you. Gurus transform (or should we say reform?) the disciples; Gurus redeem the sins of the disciples; Gurus bear the burden of the disciples; Gurus sacrifice their lives for the disciples....all in exchange for 'Patience' and 'Faith'.

Sai had a Guru by the name of Venkusha or Venkoosa. Upon completing the spiritual training, Venkusha orders Sai to go and practice what he learned alone. At that time, Sri Sai asks for his Guru's blessings. Venkusha was fully aware that Sai is none other than God-Incarnate. Venkusha therefore hesitates to bless Sai saying, "How can I bless the Supreme God?"

Sai replies, "Guruji, I understand your hesitation. But in every human incarnation, there is a need for Guru and as a Sishya, I have a right to be blessed by my Guru..please do not deny me that right. Recollect the fact that Rama and Kirshna - and other incarnations - had Gurus to lead them in the right direction." Thus satisfied by Sai's explanation, Venkusha blesses Sai with two hands wide open and quickly converts the posture of hands into a 'namaskara' by joining the hands together. In a way, Venkusha blessed Sai as well as prayed to Him.

It is by the accumulation of PUNYA that a Guru enters your life. We are fortunate to be associated with Sri Sai in this life. It is a rare opportunity...it is up to us to either use it or lose it.

Om Sai Ram! Allah Malik! Satnem Wahe Guru! Jai Jinendra! Amen! As the rivers merge into ocean so do religions into God.........that ONE GOD

(Contributed by Prasad V Nimmagadda)  

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

Sai baba let your holy lotus feet be our sole refuge.OMSAIRAM

dipika duggal