Sai Bhavana

[SS91]

Like the holy waters of the Ganges, the Shri Sai Satcharita purifies others through moral excellence. Blessed are the ears of the listeners (or the eyes of the readers) of the Sai Satcharita which is the means of success in this life as well as the life after death.”
 

[SS91]

The Universe Reflects God's Great Genius

Sri Sai is the Creator. One of His pastimes is the creation of the Universe. He turns awesome galactic systems into sphere-like balls and plays with them. He prepares and executes an excellent plan for each planet. The creation of countless milky ways, the sun, stars, galaxies and the planets in them, forests, mountains, rivers, variegated species and their varieties, nature and features of the earth and other planets in a suitable manner and enabling them to revolve in their respective spheres is indeed an amazing act of Sai. The multitude of stars, planets and other stellar objects will never come into friction by moving out of their sphere. Each planet resonates to the Law of Cosmic Rhythm. The Almighty Power binds all creation together. Our soul's ears can hear the 'music of the spheres'.
The sunrise, the pleasant moonlight and the star-studded sky will give us great joy. If this ecstasy is rightly perceived, the love of Baba will be realized by us. We, who are part and parcel of God's Creation, can get that blissful feeling by not violating the rules of nature. This is the message of Baba. But we are inviting trouble by ignoring the truth and behaving at will with egoistic feelings. If we observe the regular occurrence of the sunrise and sun-set, we can hear Baba's message of living like the sun, with a sense of discipline, commitment and regularity.

[SS91]

There shall be no want in the house of My devotees
Spiritual values mark the life of a devotee. We must forgive our enemies and love all. Our mind must be freed from thoughts of greed, cruelty, scandal-mongering and selfishness. We must be contented and live in peace, realizing the truth that money cannot buy peace of mind. We must erase our ego and savour the spiritual treasure of dwelling in the Divine Presence of Baba and restrain from getting lured by the worldly pleasures. Nothing will be lacking in the house of a God-conscious devotee. One may lack good health, peace of mind or material riches. Wants are endless and of course multiply upon fulfilling them. Being a slave to wants, man is never content or happy. But Baba's devotees are an exception as they have strong will-power and rock-like faith in His Grace. 'Want' or 'lack' does not bother them as they are aware that nothing can be obtained without His Grace and whatever they really deserve is provided at the right time. They believe that Baba is the ruler of their lives. Irrespective of the onerous responsibilities one has to shoulder, Baba's devotees live without fear or anxiety as they know that whatever will happen will be at His Will and whatever one enjoys is also gifted by God. Hence, Baba, in His Eleventh Divine Assurance, promises: "There shall be no want in the house of My devotees".

[SS91]

Short And purposeful life is better than A worthless long life

Life is like a water-bubble. But philanthropic pursuits and prayers to God would direct us to reach Him. This mundane world may end up, but the Will of God is eternal. All the external embellishments are momentary, except the invisible and eternal Omnipotent Universal Power of God. The cycle of birth and death recurs as per the divine will. Therefore, every individual must lead a purposeful life, love everyone and spend time in Godly thoughts. "Loving neighbors is virtue, harming others is sin", is the message one finds in the scriptures. In a bid to save Sita, bird Jatayu fought with Ravana and sacrified its life. Though Ravana lived a long life, he met a ghastly end. The short-lived life of Jatayu is thus an example of a noble life of self-sacrifice for a better cause rather than living a long, worthless life.
One has to totally surrender to God instead of wasting time to fulfil worldly pleasures. A little bit of service we render will be priceless in the eyes of God. A short-lived, purposeful life is far better than a worthless, long life. One should not count the years one lived, but how the years were spent. Serving the needy and compassion for one and all would draw us more closer to God. Better to live like a swan for a short span rather than a long-living crow.

[SS91]

Wealth Multiplies as We Share it With Others

God has provided us with abundant wealth and thereby assigned us the duty of making good use of it. But the wealth given to us is meant for sharing it with others. By hoarding it greedily, it becomes the cause of abject poverty. Baba makes use of us as His instruments to fulfil His nobler ends. The major objective of the Sai Master is to uplift the poor and the helpless. We are only the custodians and trustees of the wealth but not its owners. The wealth Baba gives us is endless. It multiplies upon sharing it with others. If we fail to discharge the duty of a trustee, we may have to lose the wealth gifted to us by the Merciful Baba.
By virtue of good past life, some wealthy people are treated as "trustees of wealth" by Baba. However, the possession of wealth does not mean construction of granaries and iron safes to store it with a greedy mind. We should never get enslaved by gross selfishness and greediness when Baba blesses us grow richer and prosperous. Unspent and hoarded wealth may go waste or get lost by theft. Then, nothing remains with us. Therefore, we must give up our ego and greed and donate money for good cause. The Supreme Master, Sai Baba would appreciate our service and increase our fund of wealth by many folds. We must always remember and follow the ideal of Baba set before us, viz. 'The wealth gets multiplied by sharing it with the needy'.

[PiyaSoni]

OmSaiRam !!

Whatever Happens, Good or Bad, it's Baba's Will




It is not so easy to understand the deeds of God. But one thing is certain. There is some inner meaning in whatever God does. He will always do good to His devotee-children who trust in Him. The adage that nothing shall occur except as God wills is, indeed, true. Although, we feel that certain incidents are likely to harm us, in fact, they turn out to be good for us. Sometimes the punishment given by Baba is only to perfectly train us, but not to persecute us. Just as gold cannot glitter if not burnt in fire, so also we cannot acquire spiritual wisdom unless we pass the tests and trials of life.

Nothing will ever happen in our lives which is not destined to happen. We must remember that whatever happens is for our own good and meant to shape our destiny. We go through sorrows and sufferings as God wants us to set right our wrongs, cleanse our sins and make us worthy of merging into God. A devotee feels perplexed when his scooter stops abruptly at a deserted place. He wonders, "why did Baba trouble me thus"? When he noticed boulders rolling down the hill and blocking the road, he realized how Baba saved his and his family's lives by stopping his scooter. His grateful heart thanked Baba for saving him from death. Both tears and smiles, joys and sorrows are for our good, as long as Baba showers His Grace on us.

OM SAI RAM, SRI SAI RAM, JAI JAI SAI RAM !!

[PiyaSoni]

OmSaiRam !!

Whoever Puts His Feet on Shirdi Soil
His Sufferings Would Come to an End



Baba shows us the peaceful path by assuring that 'Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings would come to an end. The entry to Shirdi itself is an end of all misery'. Human life is a mixture of pain and pleasure. Darkness is followed by light. We become diffident and impatient in grief. For people caught in the mid-sea of sorrows, Shirdi shrine is an Abode of Peace. The Power of Sai's Divinity, which envelops Shirdi, answers our every right prayer. Baba directly assures us "Come, come to Shirdi! Mother Sai waits for you in all times, to soothe your sorrow-stricken hearts with love". To the Merciful Sai Mother, all, irrespective of their caste or creed, are Her children. The soil of Shirdi is eager to feel the touch of the foot-prints of her children.

We should become Sai's children before entering Shirdi. And to become worthy children of Baba, we have to offer, 'faith and patience' in the form of two spiritual coins of donation. Those who enter Shirdi in full faith, will get rid of all troubles and problems. Assuring that Shirdi is not an ordinary land but the land of the Spirit-Power, Baba has been comforting the grief- stricken and relieving the hardships of the mankind

even today. Shirdi, in fact, is our heavenly abode. Let us seek the shelter of Shirdi and live in Supreme Peace and Ever-new Bliss.

OM SAI RAM, SRI SAI RAM, JAI JAI SAI RAM !!

[SS91]

Baba's unique Feats of Dhouti and Khanda Yoga 

Sri Sai Baba is the Great Seer and Maha Yogi. He is the Supreme Spirit who meditated on His Guru, chanting Allah Malik. He is, indeed, the Highest of the High who did not reveal the secrets of His incarnation and lived as a Fakir. He excelled in the yogic practices like dhouti, Khanda yoga etc.

There was a well far away from the Mosque. Baba used to go there every three days to wash his face or take bath. At that time Baba used to disembowel his entrails, clean them with water and dry them on the branch of a black apple tree. Some persons in Shirdi witnessed it. Normally in the dhouti method of Yoga, a cloth of 22 feet in length and 3 inches in width is swallowed and kept in the stomach for half an hour. Then it was taken out after it cleansed the intestines. But Baba's dhouti technique was unique and incredible. Baba's performance of Khanda Yoga was even greater. One day a person went to the Mosque and there he found Baba's head, torso and feet lying scattered. Fearing that Baba was murdered, he ran out. He did not tell anybody about it, afraid that people would hold him as a culprit. Yet, out of curiosity, he went to the mosque with other devotees, and was stunned to see Baba was alive, flashing His cool benign smile as that of the moon. Through these incredible yogic feats, Baba revealed His Divinity.
 

JaiSaiRam

[SS91]

Blessed to be a Flute-------------
God is all pervading. He dwells in every being. But only in a few that divinity is openly visible. The reason is that the blessed souls were freed from several impurities in order to manifest that divinity. It is the tendency of human nature to accumulate all and sundry things and having done so, one simply ignores their utility. A house gets jam-packed with unwanted articles. Likewise, our minds too get cluttered up with unwanted thoughts and there will be no scope for right thoughts. Then how come there be a place to think of God? Therefore, man must make his mind as empty as a hollow flute. An ordinary bamboo becomes a flute on removing its core substance. Likewise, a man can produce heavenly music like a flute by getting purified. God dwells in a pure heart. He will fill his breath as musical notes in that heart. Elated, He broadcasts soul-stirring songs. The air blown through the flute of heart will become spiritual and the universe echoes with it. The bamboo eagerly awaits for the touch of the lips of Lord Krishna and gets transformed into a flute. Like a flute spreading the melody of Lord Krishna in the universe, we can also spread the melodious message of Baba with our deep yearning for universal welfare. It is not just enough to think, "I must become a flute" but practice is essential for reaching that ego-erased, hollow state.

[SS91]

Baba is waiting for Your call
God is the greatest one who has created the vast universe. Therefore, the relationship between God and His devotee is like that of a father and child. Devotees cannot keep quiet without thinking of 'Baba' in heart. While taking food or asleep or in joy or sorrow, devotees would always chant the name 'Sai' or 'Baba'. And Baba too always waits for our call and is ever-awake to solve our problems. Engrossed in mundane life, we call Baba only when we are in dire need of His help. Once our hardships are overcome, we forget Baba-our minds clouded by illusion. One thought of remembrance of Ever-Blissful Baba wards off our difficulties. How much more Ever-New Joy we can experience once we install Sai on the silver throne of our hearts-Baba, the Wish-fulfilling Tree?
We have love and devotion to Baba. But it has been mixed up with various desires and selfishness. Now, let us pray to Baba with a pure, desire-free heart and unflinching faith, "Baba! I have no desires; I need Your holy presence. Please do make our hearts the foot-stool of Your Lotus Feet". And see how Baba runs to us and rains His grace on us. Baba, the Mother of Mercy, who has been fulfilling our desires, will readily respond to our heart-felt calls and gets Himself seated on the throne of our hearts.

[SS91]

Do not Imitate Others in the Mode of Worship
God is the Embodiment of Eternal Light. There are many paths to reach Him. We must choose the one which we like. In whichever path we move, we should not forget that we can reach God only with single-minded devotion. To some, the path of devotion appears simple. There are devotees who realize God by listening to His glories, chanting His Name and meditating on Him. Some others treat God as a mother, friend, lover and a master. No need for the mastery of logic to realize the Divine Master. Fervent prayers and firm devotion would please God.One devotee objected to another devotee who was serving Baba by vigorously massaging the stomach and torso of Baba. Baba felt annoyed. Baba would see the intensity of pure love-devotion of a devotee before he accepts his or her service to Him. Moreover, He would manifest in whatever form we worship Him. None can interfere between a devotee and God. If true love springs in heart, the intensity of such divine love guides us to reach God through any one or other medium. We need not imitate others who may worship God by offering golden flowers or serve tasty dishes. Although Mhalsapathy was very poor, the All-Compassionate Baba embraced him and even saved his family too. We must totally offer our mind to God and not imitate or worry about the religious rituals practised by others.

[SS91]

Baba Touches and Blesses the Scriptures

The words in the holy utterances are also like the words in our common speech. Yet, by the teaching of Guru, the words get sanctified and empowered. Likewise, the words in an ordinary book, when taught by a Guru, come alive, reveal the Truth-Light and become sweet and immortal. Like a mother who knows what food to feed the child, a Guru is well aware of what to teach and which book to be read by whom. Baba, the Living God of our times, used to touch and treat the Holy Scriptures with great respect in order to make His faithful devotees appreciate the importance of reading holy books.
When, Bapusaheb Jog received a parcel of Tilak's book on Geeta Rahasya, Baba returned it, after touching and placing a rupee coin on it, as a mark of respect. Once Baba presented a copy of Vishnu Sahasranama owned by one Ramadasi, to His close devotee Shyama and instructed him to read it. Again, Baba asked Shyama to present his copy of Pancharatna Geeta to Ramadasi who was peeved at the presentation of his book to Shyama. Baba advised him to shed attachment and cultivate the spirit of sacrifice. Shyama who got the book from Baba and Ramadasi who got the book from Shyama were doubly blessed. Not only did Baba present books but threw light on the teachings of the scriptures.

[SS91]

Let us Offer it to Baba Before We Partake the Food

We should not partake any item of food before we first offer it to Baba. Usually our mind and intellect will experience these things before the senses. Therefore, by offering them to God, our worldly desires get diminished. Taking food is one of the important daily activities. Ordinary food becomes sanctified by offering it to God. But very few people have the habit of offering food to God before eating it.
There used to be a fair organized on each Sunday at Shirdi. On one Sunday, Hemadpant visited the fair and returned to masjid. Very surprisingly, edible grains fell from his shirt. Teasingly, Baba said, "this fellow is in the bad habit of eating alone. He has purchased and eaten grains". To this, Hemadpant replied that he neither purchased nor ate them. Baba then questioned him "Before eating anything, are you remembering Me"? Thus, Baba taught us that we should offer anything first to God. If we remember Baba and partake anything, we will be delighted. It is God who creates and sustains us. Whatever we get is because of His grace and kindness. To our Baba, the Sustainer, Protector and Father should be offered everything we acquire. Our humble duty is to offer all that we have and accept what Baba gives us back as sacred.