Sairam friends,
The past 2 days, I kept praying Shirdi Saibaba and Goddess Saraswathi to show grace on me. I kept remembering Sai and Saraswathi chanting “Sai Saraswathi…Sai Saraswathi” in mind. One of the reason I do it is because I was surprised with the dream I had couple of weeks before which really surprised me. I kept it as a secret as its too divine and the world won’t understand it. We think that we are devoted to God but “Devotion” itself comes by grace of God.
It is the will of God that we must show devotion on them which makes us be devoted to Gods, Goddess and Saints like Shirdi Saibaba.
This is an experience of very ordinary devotee which assures that there are many people whom God and Sai has hooked into their beautiful flower of Devotion. We remain in this flower like bees drinking honey and fly to another flower of devotion. In Sai Satcharitra, Sai explains the nine forms of Bhakti ( Devotion)
I have presented photos I took on Diwali night in Shirdi Saibaba temple in my hometown – Nagasai Mandhir. Devotees have lit these lamps beautifully, I went to Annapurna temple and came Nagasai to see these divine lamps.
Lamps lit in Shirdi Saibaba Temple
Nine forms of Devotion – Nava Vidha Bhakti
1. Sravana
Listening to the scriptural stories. Its always good to listen to Spiritual stories. You can read Purana like Vishnu Purana, Shiva Purana, Ganesha puran etc. Reading Sai Satcharitra is good because immersing one’s mind in the life of Saints washes away one’s sins.
Life of Shirdi Sai baba – Sri Sai Satcharitra
2. Kīrtana
Praising – Ecstatic Singing – Group of devotees singing in praise of God and Guru. Sai devotees do Bhajan in temple and in their homes but mere external show of such bhajans doesn’t work. Singing in praise of Gods and Saints must come from bottom of the heart.
I love Earthen lamps so much as its made of mud and natural
3. Smarana
“Remembering” or fixing the mind on God and Guru. I like this way of Devotion. I have requested hundreds of thousands of Sai devotees to remembering Sai or any Gods they like by chanting in mind.
Naam Smaran is very powerful. You can do your duty of day to day life but spend just few minutes to remember Sai in your mind. May be when you travel or when you do odd work etc. Simply chant “Sai…Sai…Sai” in mind. – Shirdisaichant.com
4. Padasevana
Resorting to the feet of God and Guru. This is what we call as surrendering to the holy feet of Saints and Gods. I have seen the padhuka of Shirdi Saibaba more divine and beautiful than any other form of Sai. I also love to worship Padhuka of Lord Rama. Padhasevana is not simply worshiping padhuka.
To me, it means doing physical work in temple or any good place serving the lord. Do any physical work to God or humanity. Its not just the temple. Even if you work as a volunteer for a social cause remembering god in mind, you are actually doing Padhasevana.
I have seen people distributing Prasad of Saibaba like Annadhan and doing other service in temple gradually developing ego as if they are special and they have rights to order other devotees and become rude. Your service is of no use if you are egoistic. Now a days, I like devotees who simply come to temple, worship, remain calm and move. Doing our duty of day to day life honestly without hurting anyone and remembering Gods and Saints itself becomes Padhasevana in kaliyug.
5. Archana
Worshiping. Daily Pooja at home like doing holy bath – Abishekam to statues, offering flowers, lighting lamps and doing the same in temple through priest becomes Archana. We are used to this kind of Pooja during festival times but do we really think about God when we do it? .
Even I do my morning pooja so fast as if its too mechanical. 2 days back, I prayed Ganesha that please let my devotion be pure, true and honest.
6. Namaskara (Vandana)
Bowing. I love this very much. Bowing and doing Namaskara to Gods and Saints is very auspicious. Every Bow we do to saints equals 100 times more bow from others to us at some point in our life. Simply Bowing once to Gods and Saints with devotion is enough.
When you bow remember, Your Body, mind and soul is offered in the holy feet of Shirdi Saibaba.
Sacred word “OM” created with lamps
7. Dasya – Service
This again means the service you do in temple or at home during pooja. Make sure you do it with pure mind and as a real service. Don’t expect any thing back for what you did. Never misuse your authority where ever you do service in any form.
God is watching everything you do. I like people who serve humanity than who do in temple. Serving in temple is truly great but many people are willing to do it. Only very few can actually serve Humanity.
If you love Sai, Build a School for ordinary people near Shirdi Saibaba temple
8. Sakhya -Friendship
This is how I perceive Shirdi Saibaba. I love him like a friend. I speak to Sai like a friend and I get angry with him as he is the one who knows who I really am. Sai accepts me irrespective of all my drawbacks and Sai punishes me when I go wrong. I gave the freedom to Sai to work on my life as he wishes because my friend rules 3 worlds and crores of Universe. He knows to rule me too.
and
9. Atmanivedana
Surrender of the self. Many times we complain Gods and Sai that they din’t really help us in need. We are upset with them for all the failures we face in life. This is because we see Sai and us as different. That Sai is too powerful and must have helped us. Honestly, Though Sai is powerful at times Sai wants us to accept him as ordinary as possible.
Sai’s soul is so pure that we can realize his divinity only when we surrender our self in his holy feet. Many of us likes happiness and success but when failures happen, we hurt Sai. Surrendering ourself to Sai simply is having faith in God almighty and the holy Saint like Sai no matter what happens in life.
Sai has said
“Even if thunder falls on your head, believe me and I will there for you”
Holy name “Sai” – Keep lighting lamps and chant “Sai..Sai…Sai”
Stories of little Servant of Shirdi Saibaba
Now let’s come to my stories. Yes “Story” because I know many of you come to StarSai once in a while, read what this stupid wrote and going back. “Summa varadhu, Padikradhu…Indha loosu enna pandraanu paaka vendiyadhu, poida vendiyadhu”….
“You’ll come, read what this stupid is doing now and disappear”
It seems I am revealing too much about my personal life in StarSai that it becomes like a Novel for all of you.
Now let me tell you something, Sai has a register and he is ticking who all gave attendance in his Paradise called StarSai everyday. You might think that I don’t know you but Sai is watching you. Forget my personal stories from StarSai and keep the pearl alone in your heart. Pearl is “Sai” and Sai devotion will certainly make your life good.
World loves Stories
One of the reason, I write about my life in StarSai is because the world loves stories. Have you seen Sai preaching any devotees during his life time?
Sai lived a very pure, sacred life and the incidents during his lifetime, the parables Sai says indirectly to his devotees is a message for thousands of generations ahead.
Similarly, my personal happenings in day to day life and how I accepted Sai irrespective of my worldly desires and failures helps Sai to connect with devotees with similar issues. I am not changing any one’s life. I am showing a path. The path is that no matter how much disappointments or problems you have in life, hold on to Sai and have patience.
Never hurry to do or get anything in life. I am surprised when parents get so upset when their children doesn’t get selected in campus interview. Is that the end of the world?
There are women who worry so much as they can’t have child just 3 years after marriage. You have all rights to worry but hold on. You will be blessed with a child.
There are people who are sick and pray Sai to get healed. Don’t get upset but make your mind strong enough to live in peace.
Sai Cares for you even when he doesn’t do your favorite miracle
Most of the mails I get are about relationship problems. Sai devotion can never be connected to Miracles. I don’t like people speaking about silly miracles like honey fell from Sai photos, Sai opened his eyes in temple, Sai gave darshan in Temple, Sai came for wedding etc.
Even I like to listen to these little miracles but are we giving a name to Sai as if he is Saint of such Miracles. Sai has a greater responsibility. Sai has to think about the whole Earth. Every life counts for Sai.
We can’t reduce Sai as simply a “Miracle worker”. Please learn to see Shirdi Saibaba in a more divine, beautiful way. Continue to be devoted to Saibaba even when your favorite “Miracles” doesn’t happen.
I have my own stories of miracles but the when miracles happen, we are showing our teeth. When nothing happens we really get upset with Sai. I don’t like this habit in myself which is why I wish all of us must see Sai as a simple Saint who cares for us. Even when Sai doesn’t do his leela, he cares for us.
I have faced so much pain in relationship issues. I never regretted once because I have been pure and honest every time I like a girl. I realized, its a process of becoming more human and humble. Accepting a girl to move on is a good quality.
Finally, when I met someone who likes me but can’t marry me, I accepted it. I still pray that Sai does a leela to unite us. My Life is Sai’s own script and its his own Story. I let him write it as he wills.
Om Sai Ram – gifted are the devotees who beautifully decorated these lamps
The past few days, I keep telling everyone that I am too old..I am getting old…So I don’t like celebrating birthday and I think better to live life as single.
Its November 4th 2013.
The day I was born.
Yesterday, I hugged Saraswathi Sahasranama book and slept as I want to see Saraswathi as soon as I wake up. I was blessed with a dream which relates to Sai telling a devotee during his life time like this..
Sai asks the devotee – “Does 16 come after 17?’
Devotee – “Baba, How is it possible? 16 comes before 17.
Saibaba – ” But in your life 16 comes after 17″
Saying this Saibaba Shows a book which looks like a register to the devotee. The devotee opens it and reads.
Devotee – “Yes Baba. In this book, 16 comes after 17″
Saibaba believed the devotee will understand what it means.
I took it this way.
Many times, I used to tell my Mom that I never enjoyed my life when I was young and I had always suffered one way or the other. My Mom tells me “Some people are happy when they are young and some will be happy in their later years”.
May be Sai tells that I will be happy from now on.
Secondly, Sai doesn’t want me to keep thinking that I got old because positively thinking, I have more years to live and Sai will make my life beautiful. On this birthday, I pray Shirdi Saibaba to bless me with a “Beautiful Mind”. Few month back, I wrote the below article
A Beautiful Mind
I always wish to be little servant of Shirdi Saibaba. No matter how many years pass on, I will call myself as “Little” servant of Sai especially because I do very little for Sai and the little is “StarSai”
Sai, You are my heart, You are my soul.
Love,
C.Venkatraman
4/11/2013
Little Servant of Shirdi Saibaba