Shirdi Sai Thought!

[Dipika]

I could not myself ask Sai Baba to give me permission for this work; so I requested Mr. Madhavrao Deshpande alias Shama, Baba's most intimate devotee, to speak to Him for me. He pleaded for my cause and said to Sai Baba, "This Annasaheb wishes to write Your biography, don't say that You are a poor begging Fakir, and there is no necessity to write it, but if You agree and help him, he will write or rather, Your feet (grace) will accomplish the work. Without Your consent and blessing, nothing can be done successfully."

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

When Sai Baba heard this request, He was moved and blessed me by giving me His Udi (sacred ashes) and placing His boon-bestowing hand on my head said :- "Let him make a collection of stories and experiences, keep notes and memos; I will help him. He is only an outward instrument. I should write Myself My autobiography and satisfy the wishes of My devotees. He should get rid of his ego, place (or surrender) it at My feet. He who acts like this in life, him I help the most. What of My life-stories? I serve him in his house in all possible ways. When his ego is completely annihilated and there is left no trace of it, I Myself shall enter into him and shall Myself write My own life. Hearing my stories and teachings will create faith in devotees' hearts and they will easily get self - realization and Bliss; let there be no insistence on establishing one's own view, no attempt to refute other's opinions, no discussions of pros and cons of any subject."

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Looking to the future history, we think that Baba’s word (calling Mr. Dabholkar by the name Hemadpant) was significant and prophetic, as we find that he looked after the management of Sai Sansthan very intelligently, kept nicely all the accounts and was also the author of such a good work "Sai Satcharita", which deals with such important and spiritual subjects as Jnana, Bhakti and dispassion, self-surrender and self-realization.


JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

About the Necessity of a Guru

Hemadpant has left no note, no memo about what Baba said regarding this subject, but Kakasaheb Dixit has published his notes regarding this matter. Next day after Hemadpant's meeting with Sai Baba, Kakasaheb went to Baba and asked whether he should leave Shirdi. Baba Said, "Yes". Then someone asked - "Baba, where to go?" Baba said, "High up." Then the man said, "How is the way?" Baba said, "There are many ways leading there; there is one way also from here (Shirdi). The way is difficult. There are tigers and wolves in the jungles on the way." I (Kakasaheb) asked - "But Baba, what if we take a guide with us?" Baba answered, - "Then there is no difficulty. The guide will take you straight to your destination, avoiding wolves, tigers and ditches etc. on the way. If there be no guide, there is the danger of your being lost in the jungles or falling into ditches." Mr. Dabholkar was present on this occasion and he thought that this was the answer Baba gave to the question whether Guru was a necessity (Vide Sai Leela Vol. I, No.5, Page 47); and he thereupon took the hint that no discussion of the problem, whether man is free or bound, is of any use in spiritual matters, but that on the contrary real Paramartha is possible only as the result of the teachings of the Guru, as is illustrated in this chapter of the original work in the instances of great Avatars like Rama and Krishna, who had to submit themselves to their Gurus, Vasishtha and Sandipani respectively, for getting self- realization and that the only virtues necessary for such progress are faith and patience. (Vide Sai Satcharita, Ch. II, 191-92).

Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all

   
JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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


dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Greatness of Sad-guru Sai

We prostrate ourselves before and take refuge in that Sai Samarth Who besets all animate and inanimate things in the universe-from a post to God Brahma, pots, houses, mansions and even sky, Who pervades all creatures equally without any differentiation, to Whom all devotees are alike; and Who knows not honour and dishonour, like or dislike. If we remember Him and surrender to Him, He fulfills all our desires and makes us attain the goal of life.

This ocean of mundane existence is very hard to cross. Waves of infatuation beat high there against the bank of bad thoughts and break down trees of fortitude. The breeze of egoism blows forcibly and makes the ocean rough and agitated. Crocodiles in the form of anger and hatred move there fearlessly. Eddies in the form of the idea "I and Mine" and other doubts whirl there inecessantly and innumerable fishes in the form of censure, hate and jealousy play there, Though this ocean is so fierce and terrible, Sad-guru Sai is its Agasti (Destroyer) and the devotees of Sai have not the least to fear of it. Our Sadguru is the boat, which will safety take us across this ocean.

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Prayer

Now are fall flat before Sai Baba and holding His Feet make the following prayer for the public:- Let not our mind wander and desire anything except Thee. Let this work (Satcharita) be in every house and let it be studied daily. Ward off the calamities of those who study it regularly.


JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Fala-Shruti (Reward of Study)

Now a few words about the reward you get, from a study of this work. After bathing in the sacred Godavari and after taking the darshan of the Samadhi in the Samadhi-mandir in Shirdi, you should read or hear the Satcharita. If you do this all your threefold afflictions will vanish. Casually thinking about the stories of Sai, you will get unconsciously interested in spiritual life and if you then go on through the work with love, all your sins will be destroyed. If you wish to get rid of the cycle of births and deaths, read Sai's stories and remember Him always; and get yourself attached (devoted) to His Feet. If you dive into the sea of Sai's stories, and then give them out to others, you will get an ever-new flavour of them and save the hearers from perdition. If you go on meditating on Sai's Form, it will in course of time disappear and lead you into self-realization. It is very hard to know or realize the nature of Self or Brahma, but if you approach through the Sugun Brahma (Sai's Form) your progress will be easy. If the devotee completely surrenders himself to Him, he will lose his individuality and be merged in Him and be one with Him, as the river in the sea. If you thus become merged with Him in any of the three states, viz., waking, dream and sleep, you get rid of the bond of samsara. If anybody after bathing reads this with love and faith,and completes it within a week, his calamities will disappear; or if he hears or reads it daily and regularly all his dangers will be warded off. By its study, a man wishing for wealth will get it and a pure trader, success in his life. He will get the reward according to his faith and devotion. Without these, there will be no experience of any kind. If you read this respectfully, Sai will be pleased, and removing you ignorance and poverty, He will give you knowledge, wealth and prosperity. With concentrated mind, if you read a Chapter daily, it will give you unbounded happiness. One who has his own welfare at heart, should study it carefully and then he will ever remember Sai gratefully and joyfully in birth after birth. This work should be read at home specially on Guru pournima (Ashadha full-moon day), Gokul-Ashtami, Rama-Navami and Dasara (Baba's anniversary day). If you study this one book carefully, all your desires will be satisfied and if you always remember Sai's Feet in your heart, you will easily cross the Bhava (Samsar) sugar. By its study, the diseased and sick will get health, the poor wealth, the mean and afflicted the prosperity, and the mind will get rid of all ideas and get steadiness.

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Dear good and devoted readers and listeners, we also make our bow to you all, and make you a special request. Never forget Him whose stories you have read day by day or month by month. The more fervently you read or listen to these stories, the more encouragement Sai gives us to serve you and be of use to you. Both the author and the readers must co-operate in this work, help each other and be happy.


JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Prasad-Yachana

We close the with prayer to the Almighty for the following Prasad of favour:- May the readers and devotees get complete and whole-hearted devotion to Sai's Feet. May His Form be ever fixed in their eyes and may they see Sai (the Lord) in all beings. amen!

 

Bow to Shri Sai -- Peace be to all

 
JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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


dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Tendulkar family

There lived in Bandra (a suburb of Bombay) a Tendalkar family, all the members of which were devoted to Baba. Mrs. Savitribai Tendulkar has published a Marathi book named "Shri Sainath Bhajan Mala" containing 800 abhangas and padas describing the Leelas of Baba. It is a book worth reading by those who are interested in Baba. The son, Babu Tendulkar was studying hard day and night and wanted to appear for the medical examination. He consulted some astrologers. Examining his horoscope they told him that the stars were not favourable that year and that he should appear for the examination next year, when he would be certainly successful. This cast a gloom over him and made him restless. A few days afterwards his mother went to Shirdi and saw Baba. Amongst other things she mentioned the gloomy and morose condition of her son, who was to appear for the examination in a few days. Hearing this Baba said to her,"Tell your son to believe in Me, to throw aside horoscopes and predictions of astrologers and palmists and go on with his studies. Let him appear for the examination with a calm mind, he is sure to pass this year. Ask him to trust in Me and not to get disappointed". The mother returned home and communicated Baba's message to her son. Then he studied hard and in due course appeared for the examination. In the written papers he did well, but being overwhelmed by doubts he thought that he would not secure sufficient marks for passing. So he did not care to appear for the oral examination. But the examiner was after him. He sent word through a fellow- student, stating that he had passed in the written examination and that he should appear for the oral. The son being thus encouraged appeared for the oral examination and was successful in both. Thus he got through the examination that year successfully by Baba's grace, though the stars were against him. It is to be noted here that doubts and difficulties surround us just to move us and confirm our faith. We are tested as it were. If we only hold on steadily to Baba with full faith and continue our endeavours, our efforts will be ultimately crowned with success.

The father of this boy, Raghunathrao was serving in some foreign mercantile firm in Bombay. As he grew old, he was not able to attend to his work properly and so he had to take leave and rest. As he did not improve during the period of leave a further extension of leave or retirement from service was inevitable. The Chief Manager of the firm decided to retire him on pension as he was an old and a reliable servant. The question regarding the amount of pension to be given was under consideration. He was getting Rs.150/- p.m. and his pension i.e. half the amount viz. Rs. 75/- would not be enough to meet the expenses of the family. So they were all anxious about this matter. Fifteen days before the final settlement, Baba appeared to Mrs. Tendulkar in her dream and said, "I wish that Rs. 100/- should be paid (settled) as pension, will this satisfy you?" She replied "Baba, why ask me this? We fully trust in You". Though Baba said Rs.100/- still he was given ten Rupees more i.e. Rs.110/- as a special case. Such wonderful love and care did Baba exhibit for His Bhaktas.

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!


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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Those who think that Baba is only in Shirdi
have totally failed to know me.


My people do not come to me of their own accord;
it is I who seek and bring them to me


However distant my people may be,
I draw them to me just as we pull a bird
to us with a string tied to its foot.



If a devotee is about to fall,
I stretch out my hands to support him or her.


I will not allow my devotees to come to harm.

 

Whatever you do, wherever you may be,
always bear this in mind:
I am always aware of everything you do.

SAI BABA

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Lord Krishna has said in the Bhagawadgeeta (9-26) "Whosoever devoutly offers to me a leaf, a flower, or a fruit or water, of that pure-hearted man, I accept that pious offering." In the case of Sai Baba, if a devotee really longed to offer anything to Sai Baba, and if he afterwards forgot to offer the same, Baba reminded him, or his friend about the offering, and made him present it to Him, and then accepted it and blessed the devotee.

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!


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

dipika duggal

[Ramesh Ramnani]

Date:Thursday, December 22, 2005

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

One should yearn not for the prolongation of life but for its sanctification. A few moments as Hamsa, the Celestial Swan, are far more precious than many years as a crow. One should sublimate one's lower urges and take to the holy path, and achieve the glorious destiny of oneness with the Cosmic Consciousness, the identity of the Jiva (individual) and the Deva (Universal).
 
-BABA

[Dipika]

The four sadhanas and the six sastras are not necessary.
Just have complete trust in your guru: it is enough.


Meditate on me either with form or without form,
that is pure bliss.


God is not so far away. He is not in the heavens above,
nor in hell below. He is always near you.

If anyone gets angry with another,
they wound me to the quick.

What do we lose by another’s good fortune?
Let us celebrate with them, or strive to emulate them.
That should be our desire and determination.

If anyone offends you do not return tit for tat.  

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!


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

dipika duggal

[Dipika]

Put full faith in God’s providence.

Poverty is the highest of riches
and a thousand times superior to a king’s wealth.  


My devotees see everything as their Guru.

Be contented and cheerful with what comes.  


What God gives is never exhausted,
what man gives never lasts.

Look to me and I will look to you.

JISKE SIR UPAR TU SAI WOH DUKH KAISA PAAYE!

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

dipika duggal