SAI WORSHIP - SHRADDA (FAITH)
How to increase (Shradda ) Faith towards Baba?
As humans, we have extraordinary gift given by Eeswara that is Intellect (Buddhi). We use this intellect in everyday life to make our lives better. Do we trust our mind all the time? No, we analyze and dissect everything, that is presented to us and make sure that is good for us. Sometimes we have to choose between two good things. We are filled with conflict in favorable situations and difficult situations. We do not like that middle ground. Either we want pleasure or face sorrow. If we are in the middle, we keep feeling bored.
What makes us love, like and adore our children, our family and whatever belongs to us?
What pushes us away from certain things, certain people and certain situations?
Why we have preferences and what makes us choose objects, relations and situations?
If we can stay calm and try to understand these questions on an individual basis, we can find some answers. It might be difficult to answer these questions initially for some people but we have to dig deeper. Can we put our finger on these daily issues and start thinking!
How is this important in relation to Sai?
If we understand how and why we like certain people, objects and situations, then we understand ourselves. If we make our mind to think about God without properly understanding ourselves, our patterns and how we behave, you will not be able to succeed in this divine task. Of course, good deeds and karma will influence your path. But we are talking about people, who want to walk the path of Guru.
So Sai Bandhus, try to question your motives, patterns and how you react in different situations. What makes you react, what makes you love something and what makes you to stick with a particular task.
We all might differ to some extent but we all are human beings and we are wired the same way. The so called Maya (Illusion) will influence our thinking because we do not know the Dharma (Righteousness) and we don’t follow the commandments of God. It is a pity some times that we do not even know what this is. We feel guilty, struggle and feel sorry for our lives because we cannot love Sai the way we want. Sometimes we drift away in this worldly ocean not knowing where we end up. Everything around us seems so real, we start making excuses first, and then slowly we rationalize our behaviors.
Baba is watching us in these situations and he will guide us if we can establish relationship with him. That is called Runanubandha (Spiritual relationship).
Let us now go into specifics. Why I like anything in this world is because it belongs to me. We like our Country, state we live in, Town, our neighborhood, our house, family, finally ourselves. This is the hierarchy that we follow as a human being. Whatever we think that we own, we tend to love that. If it does not belong to us, we are not sure about it.
Love Sai Like your family member:
So to love Sai, make Sai your family member first.
Treat him like your family member; think that he is living with you.
If you have a son, daughter, mother, father, brother, or any relationship that you adore, identify Baba in a similar way. Think for a moment how you treat your family and try to apply same emotions to this relationship also. If we spend some thing for our family do something for Baba also.
Perform your actions with Sai in mind:
You get up in the morning- Think that you are waking Baba also. Of course you take care of your children and apply similar principles. Whatever you do, keep Baba beside you both physically and mentally. We can continue all the daily activities. This is the reason why our Hindu dharma kept puja (worship) system from morning to night in our temples. This is to remind us about God in every action that we perform. Mind always responds to routine and discipline.
If you are eating, try to offer the food first to BABA by a mental prayer and then eat.
If you are drinking, think that you are drinking Baba’s theertha (Blessed water).
When you feed your children, think that you are feeding Baba.
When you are in the community, reflect Sai’s teachings in your behavior.
Do not limit Baba to your Puja mandir or temple:
If we have a most revered person standing or sitting in your living room; how do we behave and what is our mental state. Can we be like that, most of the time!
It might be difficult, we might feel difficulty initially, but it is fine. God will understand, he saw our behaviors for so many Janmas (Lives).
We need to improve gradually and ask Baba every time to give you the strength to change. Always think that Baba is watching you.
Learn to make small sacrifices in your daily life:
We have wrong notion about Sanyasa (Renunciation) and it is definitely not just wearing saffron clothes and giving up family life. This is about giving importance to Parameswara, our Guru and experiencing God’s presence. This means, ultimately realizing that we are one with Paramatma that is Supreme Soul. These adjustments will create a positive relationship with Sai. Sai will shower his grace upon us.
Understand what discipline and regularity mean.
Time is essence; Years go by very quickly and by the time you realize, your body gets old.
Start waking up little bit early. Have discipline with your sleep patterns.
Give up gossip time.
Do not encourage people to be negative around you.
Be positive about your interactions.
It might be easier to talk about these things and practicing them could be much more difficult. When we need something in our lives, either it is exam, job related or family related issues, we make adjustments. All we need to do is convince our minds that this is the important thing in your life. There is nothing more that you want.
Are we that busy that we do not have enough time to thank the Supreme who gave us everything?
The air to breathe; Wait until you need oxygen when you cannot breathe anymore!
Body that functions in a perfect way; What if we are unable to eat, we cannot digest the food or eliminate the food.
What if our heart stops beating?
The harmony of the Nature: What if the earth stops rotating and there is no Sun?
So where are we running; stop and think for a while!!!!!
This will definitely make you love God more than anything. We thank so many people in our lives but we take it for granted these natural things. This kind of thinking will inculcate devotion, love and gratitude towards God.
Try to associate yourselves with people, who have similar thinking (Satsangh):
All the scriptures emphasized the importance of company of great and saintly people. This is called POSITIVE ASSOCIATION (Satsangh).
If we associate with people who do not have this kind of inclination and no appreciation for God, it is called NEGATIVE ASSOCIATION. We will take negative energy from the negative situations and this drains us both physically and psychologically. Some days you do not know why you feel tired and the reason is obvious.
If we have company of like minded people, we will feel positive and we can feed off from each other. This will help us love God more and feel bliss and peace in everyday life.
So Sai bandhus, let us understand these principles and get closer to Sai by having Shradda (Complete Faith).
OM SAI RAM!
Let Sai bless all of us.
HOW TO WORSHIP BABA:
1) Accept him as your “Only Guru”, God and your savior:
Shirdi residents were really blessed; they worshipped him and constantly thought of him while eating, drinking or sleeping.
They were singing his glory while working on the farm, or being in their backyard, grinding, husking or churning buttermilk and sing the praises of Sai all the time.
There were those who never thought of any deity other than Baba and who continuously remembered him while sitting, eating or sleeping.
We also need to think about Sai all the time.
2)Understand him through devotion:
Because of the devotion of the devotees, the “ Nirakar ” (that which is without form) has manifested in Shirdi in the form of Saakara -Sai.
Understand that; SAI means “Saakshat – Eeswara”. If you worship Sai, you are worshipping Supreme God that is Paramatma.
Show utmost devotion, Shradda (Faith) and Sabhuri (patience) towards Sai and you will be saved by Sai at every step.
3) Understand his nature and qualities:
He is the embodiment of the six virtues;
He shines with success, wealth, non-attachment, intelligence, prosperity and generosity. These are the Supreme God’s qualities. Like Sri Krishna is a Sampoorna Avatar (Pure & Total Incarnation), Sai is also Sampoorna Avatar in the form of Guru.
Baba’s restraint is extra – ordinary. He himself does not possess anything. Though he is formless, he takes the form to grant grace to his devotees. He is the embodiment of mercy.
4) Understand that we are very lucky to have Sai as our GURU:
The collective good deeds (Punya karmas) of the devotees have borne fruit completely at the opportune time. In Sai’s form, they have sprouted and borne fruit at Shirdi.
That, which is mute, breaks into speech;
That, which cannot be born, has taken birth;
That, which is near death, came alive;
That, which is disease prone, became healthy;
That, which is in difficulty, became free;
That, which is abstract, has taken a form from the very mould of the essence of mercy.
5) Understand and learn from Baba’s humble attitude:
Baba loves his devotees so much, and his words spoken with great humility present that evidence.
“I am the humblest of your servants. I am your debtor. I have come here to have your darshan. This is a great favor of yours that I have been able to reach your feet. I am a maggot in your excreta. I consider myself blessed thereby”.
What humility Baba showed when he said these words. We can learn so much from this. It should inculcate a desire in us to be humble in our daily life and this has to be a practical Sadhana. This is better than any other worship.
This will help us in getting rid of the Ego (Ahamkara).
6) Recite Sai’s name all the time:
If speech has become impure;
If the sin of hearing is to be avoided;
If the sin of all five senses to be avoided;
Let us recite Sai’s name continuously. It will cleanse the sins of all.
*So Sai Bandhus incorporate Baba in to your daily life and in every action you perform.
This is the best way you can have a perfect relationship with Shirdi Sai.
If we can do this Baba will show his grace and lead you to ultimate goal.
Let Sai bless all of us!
OM SAI RAM !
SADGURU SAI
Sai is the embodiment of permanent bliss; his mind is without any doubts. He is the incarnation of resignation (denial of pleasures).His regular behavior or disposition is based on the conviction of the illusory nature of pleasure and pain regarding the body. According to him these were wanderings of the mind, as in a dream. Therefore, he has warded off the illusion and reached the state of emancipation.
When he sees the worldly attachment of his disciples, his heart melts with pity; and he worries day and night how to remove those bonds.
His whole nature is one with Brahman.
Many such Gurus are there who collect a number of disciples around them and who forcefully give a mantra in the ear or some kind of upadesha (Secretly), merely to make money. They teach their disciples righteousness, but their own behavior is contrary. How will they help them to cross the worldly ocean and avoid life and death? There was no need for him to publicize himself. There was no bodily pride in him.
Now let’s look at Sai’s Guru Tatva (Nature):
He had great love for his disciples. Always, this was his nature. Such was Sai!
There are two types of Gurus:
1)Niyata Guru
2)Aniyata Guru.
The ‘Aniyata’ Guru stresses on the development of the divine qualities and purification of the mind. These are the only things that an Aniyata Guru can grant. He can also show the path ofmoksha. Where as Niyat Guru, dispels the dual nature that is two-fold nature of the self. He makes you experience the Mahavakyas, like “AHAM BRAHMASMI”.
Sai as Niyata Guru:
Sai bandhus! Understand Sai as Niyata Guru, who will guide you through out the journey and will make you experience the Satchidananda state.
He is the Real;
His greatness is imperceptible.
He is the Brahman, the great one who can take you across the worldly ocean.
Sai’s manifestation as Sadguru:
* Sai is Thrikaala Jnani;whoever goes to takedarshan, Sai tells him the past, the present, and the future. Sai, without being asked, knows and narrates the motives and intentions, and everything in detail.
* Sama Dhursti (Oneness):
He who looks at everything and at all creatures as Brahman itself, who looks upon friends and foes with equality and who does not discriminate the least. He is without expectations and regards everything equally, showers nectar of blessing even on those who have done harm to him. His mind remains unperturbed in good times or bad times. He entertains no doubts.
* Free of body attachment:
Though living in this perishable body, he is not entangled in the bonds of the body. Outwardly, he looks a physical being but inwardly, he is without body. Such a person is truly liberated though with a body.
Baba was not attached, he was the Supreme Being, turned towards his Self, whose desire and anger were put to rest, who was free from desires and attachments, and who had completely achieved his mission. Such was his state of liberation that he regarded the sense objects as Brahman.
He is beyond good deeds and bad.
He is the abode of complete repose.
He is the Samardha Sadguru.
LET SAI BLESS ALL OF US !
OM SAI RAM !
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