Day-102- “Om Shri Sai Samsara Sarva Dukhakshaya Karaya Namaha.”

         Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala –Meaning, Meditation and Miracle

Day-102- “Om Shri Sai Samsara Sarva Dukhakshaya Karaya Namaha.”

Meaning:

 Humble salutation to Him who rids of all pains arising out of worldly life” (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Meditation:

The cancellation of an important order in the business, Failure in an exam, diagnosis of a terminal disease, the loss of a very close member of the family or friend,  or a natural disaster and so on –life continuously gives many shocks and surprises to every one of us that may shake and threaten our very existence and values. There is almost no one who can boast of having never come across such shocks. May be the intensity of pain and suffering vary from one individual to another. The one who is capable of absorbing the shock, come out soon and march on in life, succeeds. The biggest challenge such shocks pose is the very acceptance of the situation. The one who accepts the situation at the earliest, is easily prepared to analyse and move on for the better handling of the future. The capacity to accept an unavoidable painful happening is greatly increased by the devotion to Brahmam, God or Guru on whom the cause of happening is shifted.” Let thy will happen”. These four words, shift the burden of acceptance to the Brahmam, God or Guru and the devotee immediately gets the strength to move on into the future. The Brahmam, God or Guru thus becomes effective in getting rid of the pains and be the guide and future actions of the devotee. Having overcome the pain through his intense faith on Guru, the devotee feels strong and ready to march on with his worldly life. He is prepared for the future ups and downs in life having said,” Let thy will happen”.

Mr.Gopal Narayan Ambadekar of Poona was a devotee of Baba.  He served for ten years in the Abkari department in the Thana district and in Javhar state, from where he had to retire.  He tried to get some other job but he did not succeed.  He was overtaken by other calamities and his condition grew from bad to worse.  He passed 7 years in this condition, visiting Shirdi every year and placing his grievance before Baba.  In 1916 his plight became worse and he decided to commit suicide in Shirdi.  So he came there with his wife and stayed for two months.  One night while sitting in a bullock cart in front of Dixit Wada, he resolved to end his life by throwing himself into a well close by.  But Baba wished to do something else.  A few paces from this place there was a hotel and its proprietor Mr.Sagun, a devotee of Baba came out and accosted him thus: “Did you ever read Akkalkot Maharaj’s life?” Ambadekar took this book from Sagun and began to read it.  Casually, or we may say providentially he came across a story, which was to this effect, during the lifetime of Akkalkot Maharaj, a certain devotee suffered from an incurable disease and when he could no longer endure the agony and pain, he became desperate and in order to  end his miseries threw himself one night into a well.  Immediately, the Maharaj came there and took him out with his own hands and advised him thus: “You must bear the fruit- good or bad – of your past actions; if it is incomplete, suicide won’t help you.  You have to take another birth and suffer again; so instead of killing yourself, why not suffer for some time and finish up the fruits of your past deeds and be done with it once and for all?”

Reading this appropriate and timely story, Ambadekar was much surprised, and moved.  Had he not got Baba’s hint through the story, he would have been no more.  On seeing Baba’s all pervasiveness and benevolence, his faith in Him was confirmed and he became a staunch devotee.  His father was a devotee of Akkalkot Maharaj and Sai Baba wanted him to walk in his father’s footsteps and continue his devotion to Him.  He then got Sai Baba’s blessings and his prospects began to improve.  He studied astrology and gained proficiency in it, and thereby improved his lot.  He was able to earn sufficient money and passed his later-life in ease and comfort.  (Shri Sai Satcharita Ch. 26)

He knows the pains and sufferings of His devotees and allows them to finish up the fruits of their past life. He takes care of them by mitigating their pains of the worldly life when needed and blesses them with happiness.  He is Sansara Sarva Dukhakshaya Karaya.