Sai Ram.
The Spiritual Gems from Chapter 3 of Sai Satcharita are now placed at the Lotus Feet of Sri Sai Maharaj
"Sai Baba gave His complete assent to the writing of the Sat Charita and said, "I fully agree with you regarding the writing of Sat Charita. and if one dives deep into My Leelas, he would get precious gems of knowledge." "Turning to Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) Sai Baba said, "If a man utters my name with love, I shall fulfill all his wishes, I shall draw out my devotees from the jaws of death." May I add, from the jaws of desire too, since desire is death? How? It is the desires, which bind us to the vicious circle of birth and death. (Page 11 of Sai Satcharita)."
Dear Sai Bandhus, this one paragraph is worth its weight in pure gold and precious gemstones! This Para or this assurance of Sai Baba is the basis for this series of articles. The author with utmost gratitude says that the Lord has entrusted different jobs to different people. The author feels that he being the jack-of-all-trades and master of none is being entitled to write Sai's story. So he feels that his job is only to continue writing with humility, as he is an instrument in Sai's hand. Sai only knows the purpose of making him write His divine story. "Neither the flute, nor the harmonium knows, how the sounds are produced. This is the concern of the player." So lets read on with the firm conviction that we are the instruments in Sai's hands.
"Blessed are the stories of the saints. When they enter our hearts through the ears, the body-consciousness or egoism and the sense of duality vanish;" Page 12 of Sat Charita. We have already learnt the nine methods of devotion. Hearing is the first. Reading skills were less in the earlier days and so good souls were used by God and saints to spread the bhakti cult through Hari Kathas etc Now, when reading skills are wide spread, eyes too help us in cultivating devotion. "The other Sadhanas, viz., Yog, Tyag (sacrifice), Dhyan (meditation) and Dhyan-Dharana (concentration) are very difficult to practice; but singing and hearing the stories and the glory of the Lord (Sai Baba) is very easy. With a very restless mind the author finds it impossible to concentrate or meditate even for a few seconds. But Sai, very kindly showed the way through the reading of Sat Charita. "The devotees may now easily read and hear these stories... get detachment and self-realization." Page 13. Slowly but steadily Mother Sai has been pulling me to Her, and thus away from materialistic desires including subtle desires for name, fame etc. So, dear Sai Bandhus please follow this easy path and realize the aim of taking the human birth in this life itself! Sai Ram.
Baba replied, "He will get some other job; but now, he should serve Me and be happy!" Page 13. Sai Baba was asking for the first and probably last Guru Dakshina from Shri Hemadpant, viz., surrender of ego! This is confirmed by His next few sentences: "His dishes will be ever full and never empty. He should turn all his attention to Me and avoid.... If he does this, he will get eternal happiness." Page 13 and 14. The question, Who is this He, Whose worship is advocated, is already answered in a note on 'Who is Sai Baba' in the prologue, at the beginning of this work. Page 14 of Sai Sat Charitra. Unfortunately in the later editions, this prologue is not to be found. But it is clear from the reading of Sat Charita, that Sai is Paramatma, Para Brahma, the in-dweller in our heart. Like Sri Krishna gave Gita to Sri Arjuna, Baba has, through Shri Hemadpant, given out this wonderful Upadesa.
Rohila's story is an excellent example of keeping bad thoughts at bay through Nama-Smaran, singing of Lord's name. That was the reason for Baba to take up the cause of Rohila. Baba chided the villagers who were unable to see through Rohila's harsh voice, his devotion. One day at noon, after the Arati, devotees were returning to their lodgings, when Baba gave the following beautiful advice: "Be wherever you like, do whatever you choose, remember this well that, all what you do is known to Me. ... but Maya will lash or whip him, who forgets Me." Page 14 and 15. Not only what we do, what we think is also known to Sai. Nothing is secret to Him. If Maya lashes us when we forget Him, can Yama be far behind? Actually Maya also is helping us to remember Sai by whipping or lashing us. So we should thank Maya and return to Sai's fold.
"All the insects, ants, is My body or form." Page 15. Sai is Viswatma, Viswaroopa. Viswam, Vishnur, Vashatkaro as how it begins in Sri Vishnu Sahsra Nama Stotram. He is all- pervasive. The same truth is expounded beautifully in Chapter 18.
"Before concluding this Chapter, I request the readers to leave out the various hindrances viz. indolence, sleep, wandering of mind, attachments to senses, etc. and turn their whole and undivided attention to these stories of Sai Baba. Let their love be natural, let them know the secret of devotion; let them not exhaust themselves by other Sadhanas, let them stick to this one simple remedy, i.e. listening to Sai Baba's stories. This will destroy their ignorance and will gain them salvation. A miser may stay at various places, but he always thinks of his buried treasure. So let Sai Baba be enthroned in the hearts of all."
Sai Ram. "Let their love be natural...," says Hematpand, the author. Forced love is also useful at times. As we eat, even neem becomes sweet, goes a proverb in Telugu A person asked Swami Shivananda Maharaj of Divine life society about the usefulness of Meditation in the absence of purity of mind. The kind Swami told him to go on repeating the Lord's name even mechanically so that the mind becomes pure. So reading Sai's wonderful stories will lead to mental purification and that in turn will lead to better success in meditation and other advanced methods. Even now, I find it difficult to concentrate or meditate, but I have found that remembering Him has become easier because of the sadhana of the last few years. After all, the Vasanas and distractions have developed over nearly 50 years and though it may not take 50 years to get rid of them, a few years of sadhana are certainly needed.
Shraddha and Saburi are the two paise that Sai is asking from us and let us offer these two at His Lotus feet.
Sai Ram.
subhasrini
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.
Topic: Some Random Thoughts--- At Baba's Lotus Feet! (Read 79336 times)