The Glory of Shirdi SaiThe Glory of Shirdi Sai

0 6 - J U N E - 2 0 1 3 Y E A R 2 0 1 3 — I S S U E 1 2

गु ब्र मा गु िवर् ण:ु गु दवो महे वर: | गु : शाक्षात परब्र म त म ै ीगरुवे नमः:||

CONTENT

*** Ambrosia in Shirdi Shirdi Dairy Sri Sainatha Mananam The Dreams Train Devotees Corner Baba’s close devotees Children Section Collection of Articles  Aditya Hridayam

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द्धा सबुरी

A Bi-Weekly Publication by www.saidarbarusa.org an affiliate of SAIDARBAR Hyderabad, India

JAI SAI RAM

Leela 5 At every opportunity, Chidambar R.K. Gadgil made a trip o visit Shirdi for Baba's darshan. This was easy task for him, as he was the Personal Assistant to the Collector of Ahmadnagar district. Then he switched his job and he worked as a Mamlat-dar in Sinnar and at that time too he came to Shirdi and took Baba's darshan.

Then he got transferred to a distant place, with the order 'to join immediately'. He followed the orders, but with a heavy heart. The journey he took was via Kopar-gaon yet he could not break his journey, and go to Shirdi. At Kopargaon, he was thinking how 'futile it was, as he could not have Baba's darshan being so close to Shirdi'. Just as he thought this, a packet containing Udi was thrown in his lap. He looked out of the window to see who had done this, but could not find anybody. He reverentially picked up the packet and kept it safely. Some time later he got a chance to visit Shirdi when Baba said, "Even though you could not visit Shirdi did I not give you My Udi at Kopargaon?" Gadgil was filled with joy at Baba's love and concern, so he put the Udi in a Talisman and wore it constantly. Leela 6 A Cashier of a well-known firm at Bombay, had mis handled a large sum of money. He had a master plan, and that was, to go to Shirdi and seek refuge there. So he executed the plan exactly the same way. A warrant for his arrest was put out. The Manager of the firm was asked to execute the warrant and bring the cul-prit for prosecution. The manager was a Baba devotee. He diligently searched all the places far and near, but could not trace the culprit. Out of desperation, he thought he would go to Shirdi and place the matter before Baba, before giving up the search. So he went to Shirdi and to the Dwarakamai for darshan. When to his utter amazement he saw the cashier shampooing Baba's feet. On seeing the manager, the cashier was at his wits end. He prostrated before Baba and begged Him to save him. Baba advised him to go with the manager to Bombay, and confess the whole mat-ter and request to be pardoned. The cashier carried out Baba's words to the letter. Thus the cashier was saved from criminal prosecution. The firm thanked the man-ager for handling the affair with excellence.

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Adhrusta

purva adharsithre

Namaha

1912 28 January Sunday, Shirdi I slept very well last night & got up in time to pray before day break & commence the routine of the day. I went about 8 a.m. to the temple of Khandoba where Upasani lives & sat talking with him. It is a nice little place. We held our Parmamrit class in the quarters of Bapusaheb Jog, as talking & discussing Vendantic subjects in the verandah of my lodgings disturbs my son Balvant. We saw Sayin Maharaj go out & again after he returned to the Masjid. He asked me how we spent the morning & I gave him an account of what we did. He appeared to be in a pleased mood and the mid-day arti passed off easy except that Radha Krishna Bai appeared to be put out and vexed & she closed the doors So the arti things could not be got at soon. After the midday meal, I lay down for a while, then wrote a letter and attended the Puran of Ramayan by Dixit. Then we went & saw Sayin Maharaj at his evening stroll. Then there was Wada Arti, but no Bhajan as Bhishma was unwell At night Dixit read Ramayan, after we returned from Shejarti.

*** 1912 29 January Monday, Shirdi I got up very early in the morning prayed & found that I was a bit too early but I kept on & attended the Kakad Arti. On my return I began the routine of the day. About 9 A.M. I went to Bapusaheb, with him & Upasani, began the Parmamrit, but most unaccountably I felt so sleepy that I could make no progress. At last I returned to my lodgings & lay down and fell asleep so long that I did not get up till 12.30 or 1 P.M. Madhavarao Deshpande & others tried to awaken me for the Arti & called me aloud but I did not respond. At last they went to the Arti & somehow the matter reached the ears of Sayinsaheb & he said that he would awaken me. Somehow I got up as the arti was being finished and attended the closing portion of it. I felt ashamed of having slept so long. I felt drowsy during the rest of the day. Narayan Rao Bamangankar came today from Sholap. He is a nice young man & I sat talking with him. Then in the afternoon I attended the Purana of Dixit & saw Sayin Saheb at the evening stroll. I had seen him when he went out between 9 & 10 A.M. In the evening there was the Bhajan of Bhishma & afterwards the Puran of Dixit. He read Ramayan as usual.

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T H E G L O R Y O F S H I R D I S A I

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Pujyasri B.V.Narasimhaswamiji, who visited Shirdi in the year 1936, collected authentic information about Lord Sainath from persons lived with Sai and wrote many books on Lord Sainath. All his works are authentic . One such book is SRI SAINATHA MANANAM. This book was published as early as in the year 1942 and the fourth edition came in the year 1945.

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Baba’s Inscrutability "Achyuta, Ananta, Sayeesa" forming a quarter of the Anushtup verse constitute the supreme Man-tra with the worlds "Om" added in the beginning and "Namah" added at the end. By the japa of the Mantra so enclosed, one gets free of all disease. Oh excellent Guru Sayeeswsara, prostrations be unto you. The ashes of your Dwaraka Mayee quickly give relief to one sufering from great harm from the planets or from utpatas, from dire dis-ease and intolerable pain. May the Royal Sai Baba who is very powerful and all pervasive, protect me in the front , and be-hind and on both sides. To the blind man, a man with one eye is a Guru or Guide; and to the one eyed, a person with both eyes is a Guru or Guide. To all with two eyes Sri Sayee who has three eyes(including the eye of wisdom) is the Parama Guru.

Namaskara Prostrations be unto Sayee, the soul of all creatures, taking the form of all, in whom all are; from whom all emanate; who is everywhere and who is all. Prostrations to Sai Paramatma, that is the supreme Lord Sai who is the witness of all; who sheds light on all souls and who is beyond the reach of speech, mind and chitta(ego). Prostrations unto the suprme Lord Sai wo is the Brahman(creator) with endless power, who has no form and has yet numerous forms and whose doings are marvellous. We bow unto the highly excellent Sai, of Shirdi, who is an ocean of Mercy ever undertaking, the protection of the distressed, a veritable axe to cut down the tree of Mahapapas (committed by the devotees) and who is like the autumnal Moon delighting and conferrring boons desired by the devotees.

Will continue...

P A G E 4

Adhvaitha

vasthu thathvajnaya

Namaha

T H E G L O R Y O F S H I R D I S A I

DEVOTEES EXPERIENCE AND ARTICLES ON A SINGLE POINTED DEVOTION ~ (Late) Dr. RS.R. Swami Moo/cam Karoti Vachalam Mritamudhjiua yatyapi. Friends, these are not glib, academic statements I am mouthing like a parrot. These incredible happenings have taken place in my immediate presence and these eyes have witnessed the miracles leaving me stunned and dumb founded, thrilled and filled with ecstasy by turns. How can I describe Him who is beyond speech and understanding Daya-Sindu, karunamaya, literally Aapadhbhandhava and Anaadhara/csha/ca, all forgiving and ever vigilant. Bhaktha paradeena, Bhaktha uatsala, Satya-swarupi. All He wants is faith and patience -Nista and Saboori - as He has said no ritual, no show and no fanfare is needed. That is Shirdi Baba for you. It matters not whether you call him my Baba or his Baba. Gandhiji said, God to be God must rule over the heart, transform it and express Himself in every act of the votary. Baba does it. I can vouch for it. He holds the reins. You can not swerve from the chalked out course, even if you want to. Thus you are safe. He has said when once you are my

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14-01-1998: Sai appeared as a saint and said: Always think of God and offer him a coin in the form of faith. In return I will see that you get back your coin in the form of God’s grace. Follow the example set by Bhakta Prahlada and proceed further to win the God’s grace. In you’re past life you came to Shirdi with your parents travelling by train, bus and a horse drawn cart. All the present near and dear ones, relatives, and friends are the ones coming out of past relationships in the previous life. Therefore attempt to clear all your past debts with them to free yourself from all the bonds.

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devotee, you need not worry about your vimukthi. He will incarnate again and again with his devotee's re-births (Punarapi Jananam as Shri Shankara says) till the Latter merges in Him. He demonstrated it in the case of some of His apostles like Nana Saheb Chandorkar, Dixit, Dabholkar, Radhabai Deshmukh, Mahlsa-pathy and a host of others tracing their Janmas in their previous births. In the case of Veerabhadrappa and Basappa give just one example. He demonstrated how He has been keeping up the promise given to the lat-ter in a previous birth. You see one dark night on the bund of a pool near the mosque where Baba as a hu-man incarnation used to reside, there was the croaking of a frog caught in mouth of a snake. At once He rushed to the spot followed by the devotees present and shouted angrily, "Come-on Veerabhadrappa leave Basappa free, you should be ashamed of your conduct", Immediately, the snake opened its mouth and let the frog jump into the water and escape. To the mystified spectator Baba said how in a previous incarnation as a fakir He had given His word to Basappa to save him from the murderous wrath of Veerabhadrappa and now again they are born as enemies and Rinanubandha has brought them here and He is redeeming his pledge. I can give parallel instances from my own life. This is not occasion. "Why fear when I am here, cast your burden on me and I will bear them." He literally does so. "I give my children what they want so that they will begin to want what I want to give them." He does so. You can put Him to the test and put QED first as in geometry and then look for proof. You will find it. I have done it during my Navy days and as a Homeopath and so vouch for. You can ask for a blank Cheque. He gives it out of a sense of humour and watches the fun to see how you use it. Suppose Baba appears before a devotee and asks what one wants, what would be or should be the reply? The truth is we know not what we really need, though we may desire for or want so many things. You see I can talk only for myself. I always had my own value of things in life. While I was in the Navy as an Ammu-nition Examiner, rather a complicated job for which I was not fit but pitch-forked into it by Baba Himself and enabled me, to my own surprise, to make a mark and attract notice "Mathi heena mathipradhah", I was asked to go to England to be trained. I refused, it is a long story, but I was retained. Similarly, every time I was asked to go elsewhere on promotion I turned down the offer. So, once Admiral Kamath at that time commanding the INS Vikrant, our air-craft carrier, asked me bluntly, "Have you no ambition, Mr. Swami?" Even Officers of the rank of commanders were afraid to reply back to him. He was such a fire-eater. I was also famous or notorious for rushing in where angels fear to tread. So I told him" Sir, I can only answer you with a question, if you would permit me" and asked "can you define ambition, Sir?" he was taken aback. I said, "I have been unable to decide what should be my ambition wealth, enjoyment, power, position etc. So, I left it to Baba to give me what He deems fit. What is due to me, no power on earth can take away. So I live from day to day with its good and bad. I am sustained by the belief that the sum total of a man's happi-ness and misery, whether a prince or a peasant is a constant "K" Only you must evaluate correctly. So why worry?" He was impressed. The fact is even the cultured among us do not know what we want and we want what we can't get. Once I was speaking about the unity of Science and religion and life, that the qualities required to succeed in one are the same as in others viz,, adherence to truth, dedication, hard work and so on. The next morning one Maj sahasrabudha rang me up and said "swami saab, I heard you yesterday and spent a sleepless night trying to concile what you said with the actual state of affairs.

Will continue...

P A G E 6

Baba’s Close Devotees ~ Courtesy: http://blessedones.saibaba.com/ DAS GANU MAHARAJ

i.e., Ganpatrao Dattatreya Sahasra-buddhe, Brahmin, Kirtankar, aged about 78, residing generally at Nanded. (Nizam's State) POONA, JUNE 1936.

I have known Sri Sai Baba for a long time and I have given some account of him in my books (1) Bhakti Saramrita Ch. 26, 65, 66 and 67 (1925) (2) Bhakta Lilamrita Ch.31 (1906) and Ch 32 and 33 and (3) Santakatamrita Ch 57. Ch 31 of No.2 and Ch. 57 of No.3 were published in Baba's lifetime.

Some facts, i.e. autobiographical reminiscences, came from Baba's own mouth. But they were very few. Besides, I had not spent much time with Baba. I rarely saw him. When I was at Shirdi, Baba did not allow me to stay long at the masjid. He made me go away to the Vittal temple where I stayed to write lives of saints, or to spend my time in repetition of Vishnu Sahasranama etc. I made some inquiries about Baba also be-fore writing these works. Some facts were within my personal knowl-edge. I was in active (police) service as a Havildar. I had however my literary and histrionic leanings. I took great interest in tamashas (village plays) and took part in them. I composed poems impromptu, in lavani and other metres. While I was in service and Nana Saheb Chandorkar was D.C. or Collector's chitnis, he took me to Sai Baba. Even from the outset Sai Baba foresaw my future and wanted to save me from my own ways and choice of profession and pastime. He told Nana Saheb even in my presence, 'This man is fond of Tamashas, and of his service. Let him give it all up". He told me the same and Nana Saheb also. But I liked my pastimes and service. Gradually I gave up taking part in Tamashas, i.e. Village plays. As for service, I could not think of giving it up. Each time I was advised to give up service, I said, "I will see." Baba then said that only by sheer compulsion, i.e. by being impaled, I

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Adhvaitha

nandha varsakaya

Namaha

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could be made to quit service. So for about 10 years, Baba went on dinning into me, di-rectly and indirectly, that I should give up service. I shall mention later how in 1903 I was reduced to giving up service after several disasters in which Baba's grace saved me from punishment, disgrace, trouble of various sorts, and even death. First I shall narrate how some facts about Baba's antecedents were revealed at an examina-tion of Baba as a witness. There was a thief charged with theft etc., of jewels in the Dhulia Tahsildar Magistrate's Court. The accused pleaded that Sai Baba of Shirdi had given him the jewels and cited Baba as a witness. Summons came. Baba refused to receive it and had it thrown into his dhuni (fire). Anyhow the report was sent that summons had been served on Baba. But Baba did not go to Dhulia for the trial. So a warrant was issued by the Dhulia Court for producing Sai Baba to give evidence at Dhulia. The warrant came to Gana-patramji, the Chief Constable of Kopergaon. He brought the warrant to Baba and informed him of its contents and requested Baba to go with him to Dhulia. Of course he had not the courage to arrest Baba. Baba was defiant. He cursed and swore and asked the constable to throw the warrant into some foul place. The constable was perplexed. I was there and told him to consult Baba's devotee Nana Saheb Chandorkar, then Dep.Collector at Ahmednagar. N.S.C. was consulted and he said that if Sai Baba and the devotees disliked his going to Dhulia, the people should get a Mahazar prepared and get numerous signatures to it and send it up to Dhulia. This was done. The Mahazar stated that Sai Baba of Shirdi was an ex-traordinary person, worshipped as God by vast numbers of devotees, that the enforcement of ordinary Court's process against him was neither proper nor desirable in view of the con-sequences that might follow etc., and that if his evidence was necessary, a Commissioner might be sent to Shirdi to take his evidence. The Dhulia Court then sent a Commission. One Nana Joshi, 1st Class Magistrate, Assistant Collector, came down to Shirdi to take the evi-dence of Baba. Three hours before his arrival Baba had sent for chairs and a table and im-provised a Court at the Mosque. The Commissioner came and began Sai Baba's examina-tion; and an extraordinary examination it was.

Will continue…..

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The greater grief scours off the smaller

When Dasaratha, the emperor died, there was no one at hand to perform the obsequies and so, they sent word to the two younger sons, Bharata and Satrughna, who had left for their kinsman's capital. They were not informed of the death, and when they came

and saw the body, they were too shocked at the inert si-lence of their dear father, that they ran to Kausalya, the queen, and their stepmother. She burst into tears when the two boys ran into her apartments. They were shocked at this and inquired why. It was then that she broke the sad news of the death of their father. Bharata was plunged in grief at this tragedy; he wept aloud beating his breast. It was inconsolable agony. Then amidst the distress he said, "Mother, how unfortunate I am. I had no chance to nurse him in his illness, during his last days. Alas, dear brother, you too lost the precious chance of service", he said, pat-ting Satrughna on the head. After some moments, he con-

tinued, "Mother, how fortunate are Râma and Lakshmana. They were with him. They nursed him and ran on little errands for him. They were with him when he breathed his last. Since we were far away, did father leave any command for us? What was his last wish regarding us? Did he remember us, ask that we should be sent for?" Kausalya said, "Son, he had only one word on his lips, one form before his eye; that word was Râma, that form was Râma". Bharatha looked surprised. He asked, "How is it that he uttered the name and craved for the form of Râma, who was by his bedside, and did not yearn for me who was far away? O, how unlucky I am. I have lost the af-fection of my dear father." Kausalya replied, "Well, if Râma had been by his bedside or near him, he would not have passed away". Bharatha ejaculated, "Mother, where had Râma gone? Why was he

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away? Where is he now? Did he go hunting to the forest? Was he on a pleasure trip on the Sarayu?" The mother said, "No, no, He was gone into the forest for fourteen years". Bharatha could hear it no longer. "Alas, what an outrageous tragedy, this. What crime, what sin did Râma commit to deserve this exile? Why had he to go?" "Your mother wished that He should go, and so he went!" said the queen. When Bharatha heard this, the grief that he sustained on hearing of the death of his father paled, and the grief that arose at his mother sending Râma into exile for fourteen years supervened overwhelming all else. The greater grief scours off the smaller.

Compassion is a sign of the great

Once when Samartha Ramadas was moving about the countryside with his disciples, those be-hind, him seeing a fine field of juicy sugar cane entered it and started pulling out the cane, crunching it with great relish. The owner of the field naturally enraged at their behavior and at the loss, to which they were subjecting him, fell upon them with a stout cane. The Master was sorry that his disciples broke the discipline so objectionably drawn by the desire of the tongue for the sweet juice. Next day they reached Emperor Sivaji's place, where a great welcome awaited the guru and his followers. Sivaji offered to attend person-

ally to the guru during his ceremonial bath; when Ramadas undressed, Sivaji was shocked to find broad red marks, indicating that he had been beaten! Such was the sensitive sympathy of the great saint, that he received on his back the blows meant for his pupils; Sivaji sent for the owner of the field of cane; and, when he stood shivering in fear before the emperor and his guru, Ramadas was requested by Sivaji to inflict on him any punishment he liked. But, Ramadas accepted the fact that wrong was committed by his disciples and blessed the farmer, granting him a boon that his lands would be tax-free for ever.

P A G E 1 0

Adhvaitha anantha askthaye

Namaha

T H E G L O R Y O F S H I R D I S A I

Shri Jnanadeva and The Path of Bhakti Continued from last issue.. The Summum Bonum of Life. Instead of the eight fold scheme of values put forth by Western thinkers like Prof. Urban, ancient Indian thinkers put forth a four fold scheme of values Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha. Artha—wealth — and Kama — pleasure — stand for economic and the hedonistic good — the useful and the pleasant. Dharma in its narrower sense is religious merit but in a broader aspect it can be taken as the moral good. Moksha is spiritual good. Artha and Kama are secular or empirical values. They are subserviant to Dharma and Moksha that are spiri-tual and real values. Moksha or liberation is the highest spiritual ideal. All the other values are to be pursued as means to this final aim. Discarding the traditional concept, Shri Jnanadeva regards Bhakti as the fifth Purusharth or aim of life, higher than Moksha (or liberation). Moksha means the experience of complete merger of the indi-vidual self with the Absolute or God. The experience of Bhakti involves union with God as well as preserv-ing the individuality for tasting the sweetness of Love Divine. According to Jnanadeva the higher Bhakti is the Supreme acme of human life. He describes how Lord Shri Krishna did not like the total merging of the Arjuna in Himself. The Lord did not wish to remain alone and deprive Himself of the seperate en-tity of the Bhakta, by which He could enjoy the bliss of seeing, talking and em-bracing His devotee. So, He preserved a thin curtain of duality between Ar-juna and Himself. He safeguarded the love of Arjuna from evil eye of one hankering after Moksha or liberation (Jnaneshwari VI, 113-119). Not only was the devotee anxious for the experience of Divine Love but God Himself was equally desirous of it. Man's love of God is reciprocated by God's love for His devotee. The ascent of man to God is at the same time the descent of God to man.

Will continue….

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Source: http://devotionalonly.com/aditya-hridayam-stotram/ Continued from last issue…

PhalaShruti

अथ रिवरवदि नरी य रामं मुिदतमनाः परमं प्र यमाणः। िनिशचरपितसंक्षय ंिविद वा

सुरगणम यगतो वच वरेित॥ ३१॥

31. Atha Ravira vadana Nireekshya Ramam Muditamanaah paramam Prahrushya maanah | Nishichara pati samkshayam viditvaa Suragana madhyagato Vachastvareti ||

Atha = Afterwords; Suragana Madhya gatah = In the middle of the groups of Devas; Ravih = Surya; Muditamanah = With a mind full of pleasures; Nisicara Samkshayam = to destroy the king of Rakshasas; Viditva = Having known decidedly; Ramam = Rama; Nirikshya = Seeing; paramamprahrusyamanah = Very much pleased; Tvara = Do quickly; Iti vacah = These words; Avadat = said.

Then knowing that the destruction of Ravana (the ruler of the night wonderers) at hand, the Sun God. Standing in the midst of a host of gods, looked at Rama with delighted mind and exclaimed “Be quick”.

May Shri Raama Bless us all

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From the Editor’s Desk

He moves the praana (the inward life-breath) upwards; He brings down the apaana. He, in the small form, who is seated at the center of the body, is worshipped by all Devas (the Gods and Goddesses).

~ KATHOPANISHAD

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JAI SAI RAM

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