Sahasra Nama Archana with 100000 (1 Lakh) Rose petals
In human life, the guru's place is pre-eminent. By keeping utmost faith in Guru alone, everything is obtained.
A devotee's entire strength is due to his guru. Devotion to the guru is superior to devotion to gods and goddesses.
A devotee's entire strength is due to his guru. Devotion to the guru is superior to devotion to gods and goddesses.
The guru is the supreme being.
సాయి రూపాన్నే ధ్యానిద్దాము, సాయి పాదాలనే పూజిద్దాము !
సాయి మాటలే మన మంత్రాలు, సాయి కృపే మనకు మోక్షము!!
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Sunday, July 21, 2013
Core principle behind Sai’s teachings.
Core Principle Shirdi Sai English Talk
Teachings to change lives –Shirdi Sai
What is Parasakthi? What ever is beyond the three gunas (satva, Raja and Tamo Gunas) that is characters of the universe, is called as Parasakthi. When this supreme energy along with these three characters, takes a form then we give a name to it. Why Sai’s teachings are essential to life? Why they make us walk in a correct path?
Once,
after the noon Arati,
when people started returning home, Baba spoke sweet words. It goes like this.
“Wherever you are, and whatever you may be
doing, always bear it in mind that I shall continue to be informed of the
minutest details of your deeds. In this manner, as I am described, I dwell in
the minds of all. I am in the hearts of all, all pervading. I am the Lord of
all. I fill the entire creation, within and without, to the point of
overflowing. This universe is directed by God and I am the one who holds the
reins. I am the Mother of all beings. I am the equilibrium of the three gunas15. I promote the activities of
the senses. I am the Creator, the Preserver and the Destroyer. One who
concentrates on ME, for him nothing is difficult. But the moment he forgets ME,
Maya will attack him. Whatever
is perceived is my image only, whether it be a worm, an ant, a poor wretch or a
king”. This immeasurable universe, consisting of mobile and immobile things –
these are Baba’s own image.
Sai is an embodiment of all the Godly characters. He himself
is perfection. Sai wanted us to see his Saguna rupa (human form) but he also
said that our focus should be on his Nirguna rupa (Form less energy). What does
he really mean? For this we need to understand what Guna means. Original
meaning in Sanskrit is “inherent nature”. We learned to see these gunas in
different ways. These Satva, Rajo and Tamo gunas are mixed in various
proportions with different permutations and combinations. Depending on the
ratio, our behavior manifests. The circumstances also bring about some changes
in us. Baba wanted us to see the world as it is. What this means? To understand
this, only two things are essential. Faith that is belief and once we believe
we need patience to materialize that. This applies perfectly in our daily life.
Now let us see an example. We take milk, we add little bit
of water –few drops. This is not going to change much the way the milk looks.
We can not detect the few drops of milk that we put in. Then we add more water
in to it. Still milk is milk; we cannot detect water. If we mix more water then
one might say the milk is diluted.
In our lives we originally have milk in the form of God, Soul,
and Truth- Satchidananda.
What are we doing? Basically we are adding too much of these
three Gunas.
If we add Satva Guna it is like few drops of water. If we
keep adding more water – that means adding Rajo Guna and Tamo guna. Then every
one can say that we are diluted milk. Even then we feel that we are OK. This is
a pity.
So we have to realize that we are diluted with these
obstructive qualities which will hinder our happiness and block us from
reaching our destiny.
Sai taught us love, honesty, faith, patience, humbleness,
truthful behavior and service. If we take Sai Satcharita and devotees
experiences, we can see different angles where Baba tried to bring changes in
their lives. He wanted change the way they behave and change their patterns and
habits.
Why he has to do this? This is very essential he wanted us
to experience our own nature that is pure bliss. If we deviate from our own
nature, we suffer. This is nothing but Maya (illusion). We are always presented
with some choices in our lives. We have to assess them and if we deviate we
need to get back to our original nature. We can not get tempted by Rajo guna or
tamo guna. If we experience pain in our lives, we have to visualize what
qualities are disturbing us. Just by understanding this, suffering eases.
Milk is always milk, no matter how much water is added. Our
Saints are called Parama Hamsas. Hamsa
means Swan. They say that Swan has quality where it can separate milk and
water. It can drink only milk leaving water behind. The saints can separate the
three gunas and the Truth.
Baba taught us this great truth, by simple words, stories
and making us experience the truth in various circumstances of life. Baba lived
like us and experienced all the emotions. People saw him with all the
characters a human being can experience.
People could have misunderstood him being mad and emotional. But he
always stayed in this truth – Satchidananda. He was omnipresent and omniscient.
He showed all the qualities of God and he was also in Nirguna (formless) state.
Depending on our Gunas (characters), past impressions, past
deeds and spiritual inclination, he appeared in that form. That’s why people
saw him as Lord Rama, Hanuman, Datta, Krishna ,
Vittal and many other forms. He did not even present with a name. Mhalsapati
called him with a name “Sai”. All forms and names are in him. He was able to
love everyone and there were no enemies. He wanted us to see him in animals,
living and nonliving things also. He even gave darshan as Nirguna (form less)
like a light to one of the devotees.
So what can we say about Sai? Sai is everywhere and he is
that universal energy beyond all the characters.
OM SAI RAM!
Wednesday, July 17, 2013
Teachings to change lives - Positive energy
Positive Energy English talk
How to cultivate positive thoughts:
Our mind is nothing but flow of thoughts in the back ground of impressions. These impressions will influence our life. Our thoughts will dictate our wellbeing. Positive thoughts will create positive environment and negative thoughts will lead us into chaos. We think about so many things before we go to bed and we want to implement them next day at any cost. When we get up in the morning, we get lost in the jungle of life. Everybody else control our life. You feel like you do not have a choice and you are dragged in different directions. Work, kids, family will cause exhaustion by the end of the day. We go to bed tired and emotional. Same thoughts, frustration and anger overwhelm you, because you could not control your life.
Baba said “If you get a good thought in the night, ponder over it, when you get up in the morning put that thought in to works. This is the first step in the direction of the truth that is Jnana (knowledge). This is what gives us mental peace”. Baba always encouraged his devotees to implement good thoughts immediately. He never liked laziness and thought of postponing for later period. Lot of times our lazy attitude is the reason why, we can not do what we want to do. So we are obstructing our own life. So we have to put good thoughts in to practice quickly, and leave the result to God’s grace. God always protects us and takes us forward with positive thoughts and good intentions. Baba always provided his blessings and will continue to give us enough patience to carry out those fruitful good thoughts.
Our mind creates our own reality. The Maya (ignorance) covering our thinking makes our reality blurred. Our thinking distorts because of this Maya.
Our thinking dictates our words.
Words will determine our language.
Language in turn makes us behave certain way.
Our behaviors will become our habits.
The habits will create our values.
Values will lead us to our destiny.
So making our thoughts positive will change every thing we experience in our lives. Our mind, thoughts, emotions, expectations and behaviors actually create our reality.
If we have negative thoughts, we will invite more of a negative energy. If we think positive we will imbibe positive energy.
Medical studies point out that a positive thought will increase our immunity by 5 hours and similarly a negative thought will reduce our immunity by 5 hours. We will have to make a choice here! Please let us not destroy our lives by negative thoughts. Let’s be positive.
How to generate positive energy:
1. Try to associate with people who are positive:
This could be challenging at times. But this is very essential. We might have some control if we can put some effort in to it. This could be done. When you have to deal with negative thinking, we can minimize our exposure to that circumstance. But our mind likes the negativity. Baba put it in simple words. “If you can not endure abuse from another, just say a word or two, or else leave”. This is great statement and he was thinking about the difficult circumstances that we face every day. He knows that we can not be perfect.
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 (Kusangh). 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 likeminded 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.
2. Cultivate positive language:
Baba taught us some nice things about positive thinking. He stated “There is a wall of separation between one self and others, between you and me. Destroy this wall”.
Usually we love everything that is ours. What ever is not ours we tend to look at it in a different way? We tend to criticize and jump to conclusions very quickly. We can not control the urge to react. This is where we need to be careful. That’s why Baba says, destroy that wall of separation. If we can just understand this concept our lives will improve for the best. Then we can avoid this negative thinking. We might not like every one that we interact with. But we can keep our words to a minimum so that we can not say negative words. By saying negative words we loose our own positive energy.
3. Focus on what you have rather than what you do not have:
There are so many things that we can find that are positive in our lives. Good health, good family, enough to eat and survive etc. Some of us may not be that fortunate. It does not matter, just focus on what we have. Some times having every thing is not enough and there is more to acquire. Mind always wants more, better, and what ever it does not have. Here we should be careful and think about the other side of the spectrum. It is not always about what we have or not have but also what others have. We tend to criticize the other people, their personality, or their possessions. They could be near perfect but our mind wants to find that one thing they do not have. By doing so, we lose positive energy. Instead learn to compliment. Give them positive blessing.
4. Everything that happens in our lives is an opportunity to grow and learn:
We want certain things to happen certain way only. When we perform certain tasks we expect certain result. We some times don’t care whether we deserve this nor did we put in enough effort in to it. In the process we get disappointed and show some emotions. These emotions will trick us to do some irrational things. We justify these emotions and our suffering increases many fold. We can stop for a moment and think that it’s not always the fault of others that you did not achieve what you expected. If we believe in destiny, the others could be instrumental in causing this suffering but in reality this might not be good for you. God has some thing else for you which might prove efficient for your future. This is where we need to learn patience. That’s why Baba always emphasized the Faith and Patience.
5. Create positive environment around your house:
You might not be able to control all the places you roam around but you have some control in your house. So we need to try to make our house a source of positive energy.
We need to have some rules where we do not criticize others. Family members can remind each other to be positive.
We can have some spiritual music playing in the background while our chores are being done. This will have a positive impact on kids, and other members of family before they start their day. It can carry forward to your work also.
Hang inspirational and positive pictures in your house. Dinner table is also a good place where we hang around most of the time as a family. What we watch on television makes an impact on our lives. Try to balance the entertainment part of it and mix in with some nature and spiritual programs. This will create some soothing atmosphere in the house. As parents we never think about these things or we don’t take it seriously. The movies, shows will have lot of impact on the kids. We can mix and match to some extent.
6. Reading spiritual and inspirational books:
Our culture is a treasure and we need to take advantage of this. So many great people wrote so many books explaining their experiences. Of course our scriptures are the manuals for our lives. Do we want to survive with out proper guidance? What else we can expect in our lives other than suffering if we ignore our scriptures. As parents we do not have time to read or listen to these great things. How can we expect our kids to be normal and responsible human beings? We can not ignore these simple facts. Let us make an effort to change our lives once for all.
7. Be Spiritual:
Understanding life and being peaceful is so important in life. Peace is always with in and no body else can give you peace. We have to realize that we have to generate positive energy from with in. Meditation is of great help. Meditation will activate your frontal lobe of brain. This in turn will give you the power of teasing things out. Frontal lobe has the power to discriminate right from wrong. In the scriptures it was mentioned that focusing in between your eye brows will activate your frontal lobe. When we can tease things better we stay positive.
Meditation is not just about sitting quietly for few minutes everyday. We have to show that same calmness through out the day in every interaction we go through. We don’t have to have so much emotion in to every act we perform. We have to learn to relax. This will inculcate a natural meditative state in your daily life.
We have to remember that life is multi faceted and complicated. So we have to tackle this with a multi prong approach. We need to apply every thing that can work.
G.S.Khaparde –Dadasaheb (Part- 3)
Baba
saving Master Khaparde:
Dadasaheb Khaparde’s
young son was staying with his mother and enjoying the pleasure of Baba’s
company. As it is, the boy was very young and he got very high fever. The
mother’s heart grew anxious and she became agitated. Her home was at Amravati.
Therefore, she thought of going there. In the evening, at the proper time, she
came to take Baba’s permission. While doing his evening rounds, Baba came near
the wada. There, the woman bowed down at his feet and told him what had
happened? As it is women are timid by nature. And, besides, the son’s trembling
did not stop. Also, there was the scare of plague. Therefore, she told him what
had happened.
Baba lovingly assured
her with these words. “Know that the skies are overcast. The rains will come
and the harvest will ripen. The clouds will clear up. Why are you afraid? ”
saying this, he lifted his kafni up to the waist and showed everybody the fully
developed bubos. In four places, there were four bubos of the size of a hen’s
egg.
He said: “See, I have
to bear this because of your difficulties”. People were amazed to witness
this divine and unique ordeal. How the Saints suffered for the sake of their
devotees!
Their heart is softer
than wax – just like butter appears, outwardly. They have selfless
love for the devotees as if they are his kith and kin. Some times as
devotees of Baba, we can see how much Sai took upon himself our troubles. Do we
want him to take all our troubles? Can we sustain some pain in our lives so
that our faith and patience will improve? It might be difficult to bear pain at
times and Baba knows that. He won’t let us suffer. But we should really feel
for Baba, whether we want him to take away the pain completely or ask him to
give us the strength to endure this.
Changes in
Khaparde’s life:
Sai not only took away the
diseases, pain in our lives but he is assisting us walk the spiritual path. He
tries to find the bad habits in our psyche and eliminate them through our
experiences. This is how he brings change in our lives and he influences our
minds. He also wants us to adopt good habits so that we can advance in our
quest. That’s why a guru is the best psychiatrist. We just have to surrender to
Guru. Then only he can transform us the way we need to be. This is what exactly
happened in Khaparde’s case also.
Referring to Mr. Khaparde's ambition, Baba
stated that the ambition was deeply ingrained and evident in a previous life
also. Baba stated that in a former birth, 'You (Khaparde) were with me for two
or three years, and went into royal service, though there was enough at home to
live in comfort.'
There is so much meaning
behind these words. In a way we are like that too. We drifted away from the
meaning of life and goal of life. But we run for momentary happiness and
towards worldly objects. We want recognition and fame. Everyone has to accept
our way. We thrive for praise. We know that God is in control still we want all
these things in our lives. To achieve all this we run after money and power. We
become slaves to pleasures and objects. All this is hindrance to progress in
spiritual path. Here we have to be careful and cannot misunderstand Baba. He
never said that you should not earn, work etc. All he wanted was to fulfill our
role in the society with righteousness. He wanted us to develop faith and
patience. He himself used to say “Allah Malik”
all the time reminding us the importance of God in our lives.
Khaparde acquired lot of
fame and made himself a well-known person in the society. He enjoyed the riches
of life. But Baba wanted to teach him the dispassion, devotion, knowledge about
supreme, and free him from ego. He wanted him to perfect Faith and Patience.
Based on these, Sai used the circumstances in Khaparde’s life to bring changes
in his mind. He himself sometimes created some situations so that he can make
Khaparde to adopt and learn what he wanted to teach.
Humility and a readiness for poverty were
the prerequisites for one to benefit by contacting a Samartha Sadguru. In the
case of Khaparde, he (Khaparde) notes that, when his wife massaged the feet of
Baba, the latter said that Dixit should give Rs. 200 to her. This at once
mortified Khaparde. His pride felt wounded at the idea that he, a practicing
lawyer, should be thought so low as to make his wife receive Rs. 200 from a
Bombay lawyer like Dixit, though his (GSK's) funds were indeed very low and he
badly required Rs.200 or more. Later he understood that the Rs. 200 was only
symbolical, that it meant Dixit's achievement of (1) poverty and (2) patience
or contentment with his poor lot. Khaparde rebelled at this idea also. He did
not want poverty. He did not go to Shirdi to remain poor forever. On the other
hand he wanted to amass wealth and attain high position and Sai was his cat's
paw to get at the desired things. This is where Baba wanted to teach him about
dispassion and ego. In his later life this incident could have helped Khaparde
family.
On one hand Sai was working on their minds
and on the other hand he was doing Shaktipata (transmitting energy) through his
blessings. In his diary Khaparde mentions this several times how just by
looking at some body Baba was transmitting energy during the arathi times. This
is the reason why Khaparde made so much progress while he was in Shirdi. He
used to teach major scriptures like Panchadasi, Dasa Bodha and Yoga vasista to
other people. These are not our regular scriptures and we need lot of understanding
and blessing from our guru. Upasini Maharaj once said Khaparde is also my Guru
in some way as he taught me all these scriptures. Here we have to understand
Sai’s greatness in granting this kind of understanding so that he can teach
someone. Khaparde really enjoyed the good company in Shirdi. He used to get
upset whenever he got some letters from home. He used to bounce back quickly in
the presence of Sai.
After Baba’s Mahasamadhi, Khaparde lived in Amaroati and
participated in the activities of Shirdi Sansthan. When Tilak met Baba, Baba
told them that Tilak should retire from politics and we will get freedom
through Gandhi. In August of 1920Tilak died. We learned about the book written
by Bala Ganghadahr Tilak (Geeta rahasya) in Sai Satcharita. After Tilak’s
death, Khaparde tried to follow his principles but adopted Sai’s teachings to
change his life.
Mrs. Khaparde’s last days:
After 1928, Laxmibai’s health began
declining. Periodic attacks of fever and asthama harassed her and she was
affected by inflammation of the knees with the result that she could not
walk. There is an entry in Dadasaheb’s diary of 30-4-1928 that she had
headache and high fever. The deterioration in her health thereafter was
fast and medicines ceased to act. She must have had a premonition of
events to come. She suggested that a group photograph of the family
should be taken. This was done on 11th July, 1928. Thereafter a
touching scene took place which is best described in Dadasaheb’s words.
The following is a translation of the extract from Dadasaheb’s biography in
Marathi.
“While I was doing my Sandhya just before luncheon, my wife came and worshipped me in the same way in which an idol is worshipped. I was puzzled and asked her why she was doing this today when she had not done anything of the kind all these years. She said, ‘I wish to depart from the world with a peaceful mind.’ I think she has been unwell for the last few days and has given up all hope of survival. I asked her to trust in God and to submit to His will.”
“While I was doing my Sandhya just before luncheon, my wife came and worshipped me in the same way in which an idol is worshipped. I was puzzled and asked her why she was doing this today when she had not done anything of the kind all these years. She said, ‘I wish to depart from the world with a peaceful mind.’ I think she has been unwell for the last few days and has given up all hope of survival. I asked her to trust in God and to submit to His will.”
The above incident did not become
known to the sons and their wives until they had read the description in the
diary. After the above incident Laxmibai was confirmed to bed and within eight
days thereof i.e. on 20th July 1928 she passed away quietly and happily after
having the darshan of her Sadguru Sai Baba. The description of her end is
best given in the words of Dadasaheb recorded in the diary for that day.
I went down stairs to see my wife. She apparently had a bad night, but appeared calm and collected. At the suggestion of my eldest son all the family bathed early and had something to eat which they could and we all watched by her bedside. I spent the whole time practically near her bed. We removed her from the room in which she was to the chowk and laid her in front of the room allotted to our family deities. Her breathing became harder and harder but she was cool and calm and passed on at about 3-15 p.m.
I went down stairs to see my wife. She apparently had a bad night, but appeared calm and collected. At the suggestion of my eldest son all the family bathed early and had something to eat which they could and we all watched by her bedside. I spent the whole time practically near her bed. We removed her from the room in which she was to the chowk and laid her in front of the room allotted to our family deities. Her breathing became harder and harder but she was cool and calm and passed on at about 3-15 p.m.
I felt overcome and could not
control myself for some time. At last I got over it…… Everybody said she was
very fortunate in passing away during my life time…… After we returned from the
funeral I heard from my sons that my wife distributed her ornaments, clothes
among her daughters-in-law and their children a few weeks ago and told that she
had discharged all her assets and blessed them to be happy…. She had the
darshan of her Guru…. So I think she had a fairly correct idea of passing on.
She never asked for medicine and showed no anxiety to be cured. She passed away
very happily and I have no doubt she is very happy now.”
He
portrayed this incident in his diary as it happened.
The last days
of Khaparde:
Khaparde
wrote almost 45 diaries in his life time. His diaries were of size 12.5 “ long
and 8” wide. He used each page as a day. He carried this diary with him all the
time. He used to write even at midnight some times. After a while he wrote next
day in the morning. He wrote diary every day except a day before his death and
on the day he died. He died on July 1st 1938 with Sai’s name in his
mouth and thinking about Sai.
We
really owe Khaparde for his documentation of Sai’s stories in his diary. So
many parables of Baba came in to light. We are all blessed to listen to these
kind of stories.
OM
SAI RAM!
Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Purandhare Part -2
R. B. Purandhare Part 2 Telugu talk (click here)
Love is
worship;
Purandhare
loved Baba so much and it is hard to describe his love in words. What ever work
he did Purandhare measured it in terms of his love towards Baba. He became the
representative of love. This is what
made him to come to Shirdi often. Baba used to say “Bhav you don’t have to come
here all the time. I am everywhere”. Baba encouraged Purandhare to be in
company of H.S Dixit. Whenever he came to Shirdi with Dixit, Baba used to keep
him for longer periods. One time he stayed there for a while and goes back to
work. His foreman complained to his superiors about his absence. When his
officer questioned him, he said “Here is my resignation. I went to see Sai
Baba”. His officer knew how much he loves Baba and tears up the resignation
letter. Then Purandhare gets a promotion after 6 months and this foreman who
complained earlier becomes his subordinate.
Purandhare never cared about any
thing else other than loving Baba. This is the best quality that we can all
adopt. We can do different kinds of worships but if we don’t have love towards
Guru or God we could never be complete.
Purandhare
once had an urge to go Shirdi and went to bed thinking about this. In his dream
Baba appears and tells him “don’t come to Shirdi. If you come here I will beat
you up. Why you want to come to Shirdi so many times? I am not far away from
you. I am everywhere and inside you also. Don’t do these hasty things”.
Purnadhare wakes up and felt disappointed. When he goes to work in the morning,
he saw workers protesting. If he went to Shirdi, his management could have
thought Purandhare had some thing to do with this strike and protest. Baba
protected Purandhare by asking him not to come to Shirdi that day.
We will see
another incident where Purandhare proves his love towards Baba. Baba once
became ill in 1915 and could not move with out proper help. His body was tired
and no one could describe the pain he was going through. Around the same time
Purandhare wanted to visit Baba along with his family. He goes to railway
station where he changes his mind to go alone. He asked his family to stay
behind. His wife and mother did not want him to go but he decided to leave.
When he came to Shirdi he saw Baba being sick. Purnadhare felt really sad
looking at Baba. The love in his worship brought him to Shirdi.
In 1916, Baba
and Radhakrishna Mai both became sick at the same time. At the same time
Purandhare was coming to Shirdi. When he came to Kopergaon horse carriage
driver by name Hasan tells him that Baba and Radhakrishna Mai were sick in
Shirdi. Then Purandhare could not wait for moment and immediately goes to
Masjid. He reaches Shirdi around 8.45
AM . He sees Baba breathing heavily. He starts crying like a kid.
Then Baba speaks “Bhav you came! I am so tired. Don’t leave me. I have been
waiting for you for the last 3-4 days. I even told kaka. You go and stay with
Radhakrishna Mai. Don’t leave Shirdi”.
There is so
much affection and love in Baba’s words. Purandhare was very fortunate and
blessed to have received such affection from Baba. When he visits Mai, she was
also very sick. Purandhare treated her as his mother and she also showed that
kind of love towards him. Baba wanted to go for alms as usual despite his
sickness. Couple people have to hold him while he was walking. When Baba came
to Lendi, Purandhare meets Baba and starts crying again. The Baba says “Bhav
don’t cry. I will be better in four days. God wanted me to go through this
pain. This body has to endure this pain. When we live on earth, we have to face
both good and bad. We can not be fearful and we have to face the
situation”. Hearing these words every
one realized what Baba was saying and meaning behind these words.
Purandhare
planting shrubs for Baba:
Baba
used to sleep in Chavadi alternate days and he walks to Lendi everyday. So
Radhakrishna Mai gets up in early morning and used to clean the roads where
Baba supposed to walk. She used to take all the stones from the road. In a
similar way one day Purandhare felt that he should plant some nice flowering
plants on both sides of road so that Baba can enjoy the fragrance. He took lot
of pain to get these plants and asks Baba’s permission to plant them. Baba does
not give permission. Three days passed and the plants withered out. His sorrow
at the idea of losing this enterprise of planting an alley and his sorrow at
the withering or the death of the creepers was intense. Baba inspite of his
vairagya and indifference to alleys and planting creepers could not be
indifferent to the pain of this loving Purandhare. So, he told him finally not
to have any fears and promised that even if the creepers were withering, he
would make them thrive again with his wonderful mystic powers and finally
granted permission after three days of withering. Strangely enough, the
creepers were planted and inspite of the loss of time, the plants grew up.
Building shed
for Palanquin.
Purandhare
and his friends had, with great enthusiasm and trouble, secured for Baba’s
picture a silver palanquin with silver ornament tacked on to the top of the
same, but, when these were brought by the loving and enthusiastic devotees,
Baba, who hated all pomp and pageantry and rated them at their proper worth,
refused to allow the palanquin to be brought into his mosque as Baba himself would
not sit in a palki.
He said, ‘Let it remain outside, and so the whole night the
palki remained outside without any watchman. During the night some thieves came
and made away some of the silver horses. In the morning the much distraught
devotees ran to Baba and complained about the theft.
Baba simply said, ‘Why did
the thieves not take away the whole palanquin?’ Baba had so much contempt for
wealth. But the devotees would not give up their own notions as to the need for
wealth and pomp to set off Sai Baba as a real Maharaja, a Prince with all sorts
of appurtenance like silver palanquin. So, Radhakrishna Ayi and Purandhare
resolved that the palanquin should be provided with a garage and they
determined that the place to the next to the mosque on one side should be
turned into a garage to safely lock up the palanquin. They could put up pillars
on one side of that space and lean rafters thereon, but to make the rafters
rest on the other side they had to put in support which should be inserted into
the wall of the mosque to support the roof. No one would dare to do it, because
it involved digging into the walls of the mosque, that is, boring holes, about
four or five of them. It is a downright desecration to bore holes in a wall of
a mosque, which has only three walls. But Purandhare had no alternative. He got
up boldly and dug holes in the wall and inserted the pieces of wood. By that
time Baba, who had gone out, returned and he was furious. He said, ‘Purandhare.
You want to break my mosque wall?’ Purandhare bowed to him and explained that
the wall would be safe that only three of four pieces of wood would be
inserted. But Baba refused permission. Here comes the liberty taken by the
spirit of love.
Purandhare determined to continue his work for honoring Baba with
a silver palanquin and a garage, and did not mind his orders. Baba was cursing
and swearing, all to no purpose, Purandhare continued his work unmindful of his
meal or that he was detaining his mother and wife from having their meal by
reason of his absence. But Baba’s heart was pained. He could not endure to see
Purandhare toil away without caring for his food and without caring for his
mother and wife who were starving. Baba at last gave in. His love overcomes his
orthodox objections as regards desecrating the wall. He told the people that
this rascal of a Purandhare was making himself and others suffer by keeping
away from food and not listening to his words.
Finally
Baba said, '‘Purandhare, go and eat'’ But Purandhare would not. He said,
'‘Baba, if I go away, you will undo all my work.’ Then Baba had to promise that
he would not undo the work done. It is only after that Purandhare got down and
went to his quarters for a meal. Then Baba said, referring Purandhare, ‘What is
to be done? If a child passes motions on our thigh, do we kill the child or cut
off the thigh? We have simply to put up with it.’ This is a very apt
description of the relation between Purandhare and Baba.
Salvation to
Purandhare’s wife:
Sadgati to his wife:
In 1920 Purandhare’s wife was very sick. She was suffering a serious case of influenza, she felt sorry that she could not attend the Urs Ramanavami festival at Shirdi. That night Sai Baba appeared in her dream and said "Do not cry. I will take you for the Urs." She got slightly better next morning and narrated this to her husband. Illness still continued and she expired on Ramanavami Crying "Baba, Baba" to the last.
In 1920 Purandhare’s wife was very sick. She was suffering a serious case of influenza, she felt sorry that she could not attend the Urs Ramanavami festival at Shirdi. That night Sai Baba appeared in her dream and said "Do not cry. I will take you for the Urs." She got slightly better next morning and narrated this to her husband. Illness still continued and she expired on Ramanavami Crying "Baba, Baba" to the last.
Sai
Protecting Purandhare from death:
In 1932 Purandhare
was hopelessly ill of Sciatica and Rheumatism. He then saw Yama dutas near him.
Then Baba came up, sat on his bed, took his hand on his knee and prevented
Yamadutas touching him or his bed. He was saved. This was told by Purandhare
himself in an interview.
Teachings by
Baba:
He was very
passionate, i e., hot tempered. Baba told him often "If anybody comes and
abuses you or punishes you, do not quarrel with him. If you cannot endure it,
speak a simple word or two or else go away from the place. But do not battle
with him and behave like that. I feel sick and disgusted when you quarrel with
others. Baba said these words to Purandhare and to others also several times.
Baba told
Purandhare to speak truth always. Baba appeared in his dream after Mahasamadhi
and asked him to go and assist with Sai Sansthan programs. Purandhare served as
treasurer for the Sansthan. He used to feel that Baba was with him all the time
while he was serving.
Baba brought
so many changes in the life of Purandhare where ever necessary. Like Baba
mentioned there is good and bad in this world, similarly there is death and
birth. Baba always follows us in every life and guides us.
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
Purandhare Part -1
R. B. Purandhare Part 1 Telugu talk (click here)
There
could be many people who can worship a Guru but people who can really love his
Guru are rare to find. This is possible only if we have utmost faith and
patience towards our guru. We worship different Gods with different kinds of
objects, different paraphernalia. We also perform different services in the
name of God. When it comes to a Guru it is very difficult to overcome the
external factors like his body, dress, his appearance etc. Our mind wanders in
different directions. This love we are talking about is beyond external
appearance.
If we
want to love someone we have to cross the external factors and see their inner
beauty. This kind of love is permanent. We want to love Baba! Then we have to
know him and read about him. We always have to think about him. We have to
experience his presence. Then only that ultimate love will burst out.
Of all
the devotees of Sai, Purandhare was the one who established this kind of love. When it
comes to love, he is not inferior to any of the Sai devotees. In fact he is the
foremost of all of them and even Baba mentioned this. Purandhare’s full name is
Raghuvir Bhaskar Purandhare. He was very ordinary person with a modest life.
His emotions will flow freely and he expresses his anger or love with lot of
emotion. He always had the urge to meet saintly people. He was leading his life
as a head clerk. He had a wife, mother, a brother and a daughter. His monthly
salary was only 35 rupees. He had to survive and take care of his family with
this income.
Sri
Pujya B.V Narasimha Swami gave us some details about Purandhare. Purandhare
gave an interview to Pujya Swami ji in 1936. Purandhare was 60 years old at
that time. He was born in Bramhin family and his father’s name was Bhaskar
Purandhare. He lived in Bandhra. He named his residence as Sainath ashram. Some of the details came in to light through
Sai leela Magazine.
First meeting with Baba:
Purandhare
heard about Sai Baba for the first time in 1909 and went to see him. He was
always desirous of association with Sadhus-saintly people. He heard he was a
Saint, so he felt attracted to Baba. Sai appeared in his dream and called him
to Shirdi. He fixed upon a certain day to leave for Shirdi, and if we see what
he did, we will see exactly what love does. He was naturally to go with his
wife and mother. But his young child was unwell and the mother thought that it
was foolish to risk taking a little child with fever for such a great distance.
He decided to leave inspite of his mother’s protest.
He took his wife, child, and his mother
with him to Shirdi. He remained there (first visit) for thirteen days. On the
third day of his visit, the child got alright. Baba did not permit him to go
back till the thirteenth day. He did not ask him about any matter. Perfect
faith was instilled in Purnadhare’s mind. He felt so much love towards Baba. When
Purandhare’s mother told Baba to look after him, Baba’s reply was, “I have
known him for generations. I have guarded him from his infancy in front and
behind. I will not eat even a bit of food without him”. That is, as much as to
say that Baba remembered the love between Purandhare and himself in
former lives.
Here
Purandhare had lot of issues like his child’s ill health, his mom’s protest,
his financial situation etc. The burning enthusiasm of his love for Baba bore
down all considerations of ordinary precautions or medial advice and they did
go. His love was accompanied by intense faith. So, Baba justified his faith and
his love in what followed. When the child was taken with an illness to Shirdi,
it quickly regained health instead of suffering. As devotees of Sai we need to
understand this love factor. How it proliferated unconsciously.
As stated
rightly in Bhagavadgita:
Purvabhysena Tenaiva Hriyate Hyavasopi
sahah,
Jignasurapi Yogasya Sabdha Brahmati
Varthathe
Purva Vasanas
(Past impressions), that is, traits in the soul existing in previous births
follow one in subsequent births also.
Baba’s teachings during the first
visit:
He told me to continue my previous Upasana. I
was and am fond of worshipping Vishnu and of prayers. I continued the same. He
asked me several times for Rs. 2 only. Once I asked him what for he asked
always for Rs. 2. He then said " It is not these Rupees I want. I want
Nishta, le., concentrated faith and Saburi (patience)." I replied I had
given these-faith in him and was patiently awaiting progress. He told me to
keep up Nishta and to be strict and anxious to fulfil all promises I made.
"You should have truth always with you. Then I will be always with you, wherever
you are and at all times." I promised to try my best and wanted his help
for controlling my mind. "Please get that done by me" I told him. He
agreed. All this was at my very first visit.
Owning house- Baba’s persistence:
Sai
taught modesty but in case of Purandhare he insisted that he needs to build a
house. He was a poor clerk and had no worldly financial ambitions. He was
living as a tenant in some house and had to face a lot of trouble in
consequence. The idea that a clerk on Rs. 35 monthly salary could purchase a
plot of land and build a bungalow on it was so queer that Purandhare could not
think of it. When Purandhare came to Shirdi, Baba told him definitely, ‘Bhav,
you had better buy a plot of land and build a bungalow on it’. Purandhere naturally
thought it was beyond his means, and he could not act upon it. Baba was
impatient.
When
Purandhare went to him again and again without building the house, Baba got
provoked and even threw stones at him. Baba told others, for instance, Bade
Baba, to go and tell this R.B. Purandhere, whom he called ‘Ram Bhav’, ‘Ask that
man whether he thinks me to be a man or a beast? Why does he not act on my
words?’ When Bade Baba came and asked Purandhare and found out what Baba’s
advice was, he also thought that it was not a question of practical politics
for this Rs.35 clerk to buy land and build a bungalow on it. Baba also
complained to both Nana Chandorkar and Kaka Dixit about this idea. When Nana Chandorkar went to
Purandhare and asked him what Baba referred to, Purandhare frankly told him the
situation. Then Nana went back at once to Baba’s feet and said, ‘this matter is
beyond his means; if you so desire, we will build a house for him and give it
to him’. Baba’s reply was most remarkable, he said, ‘I do not want anybody else
to pay for it’. There is a lot of money of this Ram Bhav in My Sirkar and I
alone will enable him to build. Nana could not understand how this Sirkar was
going to work, and there the matter seemed to end. But Baba kept on digging
into Purandhare.
At
last it occurred to Purandhare that he might get at least a site. There were
plenty of sites available at Bandra. A site in a place far away from popular
quarters would be fairly cheap. Anyhow even that price was unavailable. At once
that friend instead of saying anything else came and placed the money before
him so that he could at once take the plot. Purandhare asked whether he should
execute a document for the money and what interest he should pay. That friend
declined to have any document or any terms. He simply said, ‘Go on; build, Let
every other thing wait’. Purandhare then bought the land and secured the title
deed for the land. So he had taken one step in the direction in which Baba
wanted him to move. But it is one thing to have a site and a totally different
thing to have a bungalow built on it. Those who have built bungalows know to
their cost that actual building far exceeds the original estimate. Purandhare
was faced with further difficulties. He did not build. But when he went up to Baba
without building it, Baba got angry with him and found fault with him for
everything and for nothing. The conduct of Baba seemed to be to others most
unaccountable.
It
occurred to him that the office lent to the establishment some sums for
building purposes for building a tenement. So he applied and got from his
office a sum of Rs. 500 and got ready some materials like bricks, etc., for
building the bungalow. He was too unwell to look to the building. So his
brother went up and looked after the building work. Quick building is jerry
building and is bound to have serous defects. The wada or bungalow that was put
up in the course of a month by Purandhare’s brother was built so hastily that
in a short time, in a year or so, there were cracks on the walls. It must be
remembered that the building was built on agricultural land without any settu
or hard foundation. Evidently the hasty foundations laid for this wada were
insufficient to keep the walls together and in perpendicular position. So
cracks developed. Anyhow it was built rapidly in a month, and Purandhare with
his orthodox ideas wanted to do Vastupuja himself on the building before
occupying it. So he went up and did Vastupuja and strangely enough, only after
he went and occupies this bungalow, his neuralgic headache ceased.
Here
is a strange instance of Baba’s Love forcing a man to get a bungalow when he
could hardly afford it. There were other defects besides this jerry building.
The site was a lonely site in the midst of a waste. There were no neighboring
houses to give one safety of company. Purandhare was simply afraid of that,
with young wife and child at home, things were not safe, especially when he
went away to his office. Baba told him however, ‘Don’t you be afraid. I am
there guarding your wife all the time’. This was found to be true, because,
though Baba’s form was not always seen, no danger befell this family living a
solitary life in the midst of a waste.
This
is one good instance of Baba’s forcing benefit on those whom he loved and
loves. Baba’s conferring of benefit could be found in every direction.
Baba saving Purandhare’s wife from
Cholera and dangers of pregnancy:
Few days
after he built his new house, Purandhare’s wife got an attack of cholera and
the doctor gave her up as hopeless. She had severe case of diarrhea and became
very weak. Then Purnadhare did not know what to do. He goes out side and sees
Baba at the side of Datta Mandir in front of my Dadar house and Baba ordered
him to give the Udhi and Tirtha. He goes inside and gave her the Udhi and
Tirtha. Half an hour later, she had recovered sufficient warmth and the doctor
felt hopeful of her recovery and she recovered. The Doctor felt shocked and
asked the family about the medicine that she got. They told him it was Baba’s
udhi and tirtha.
Another time
Purandhare’s wife was pregnant and she became dangerously sick. Baba appears in
her dream applies Udhi (Sacred ash) on her body. She immediately wakes up form
the sleep and starts telling people that Baba came and applying fresh Udhi from
the Dhuni and my body is warm. After that she became healthy with out any major
issues. She reportedly saw Baba several times in her dreams.
Baba appearing as Vittal to
Purandhare’s Mother:
Purandhare
used to love his mother so much. In 1913 she felt like going to Pandharpur to
have a glimpse of Vittal. She asked Purandhare to take her for a visit.
Purandhare did not tell Baba about this issue. When his mother came to see
Baba, he immediately asked her “Mother when are you going to Pandharpur? Then
Baba appeared as Vittal to both Purandhare’s mother and wife. He gave dharsan
as vittal along with his consort Rukmini. They became ecstatic. Baba later
asked the mother about going to Pandharpur. She said “Baba this is our
Pandharpur. My God is right here”.
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