Day -62. “Om Shri Sai Suroopa Sundaraya Namaha.”

           Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala – Meaning, Meditation and Miracle

                 Day -62. “Om Shri Sai Suroopa Sundaraya Namaha.”

Meaning:

Humble salutation to Him who whose beauty is Matchless. (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Meditation: 

When we look up into the star studded cloudless night sky and the moon, when we stand on the sea shore and see the vast expanse of water, when we stand on the top of a mountain and look around, when we lose our conscious self in the music of MS or Bhimsen Joshi or Chaursia’s flute or Panditji’s Sitar or the lovely giggle of a baby clapping with just two teeth,   we go beyond the definitions and enjoy a divine beauty within ourselves. That feeling fills us with joy which is inexplicable and we are full in our heart. Our eyes may become wet, we become speechless and we take some time to come back to our normal self with the joys and sorrows of day to day life. 

To the devotee who has identified himself with Brahmam, God, or Guru, whenever he is on meditation, trying to dissolve his self, no external stimulant of any divine beauty is needed to enjoy that bliss. The very process of his meditation fills his heart with bliss and happiness and he sheds tears of joy. He feels that the Brahmam, God, or Guru is so beautiful, beyond all definitions and matchless. Whatever be the physical appearance of Guru, he sees nothing but beauty. Everything about God or Guru is so lovely, beyond words, beyond description. While identifying with the Brahmam, God, or Guru, he finds the form so beautiful beyond expressions and wonders at the beauty which is much greater than even seeing the most beautiful sights or hearing the most gifted and divine musicians!

While writing on Baba’s personality, Hemadpant writes in Shri Sai Satcharita:

“Ignorant as I am, I cannot describe Baba’s miracles. He got almost all the temple in Shirdi repaired. Through Tatya Patil, the temple of Shani, Ganpati, Shankar. Parvathi, village Deity and Maruti were put in order. His charity was also remarkable. The money He used to collect as Dakshina, was freely distributed, Rs20 to some, RS15 tor 50 to others, every day. The recipients thought that that was pure charity money, and Baba wished that it should be usefully employed. 

People benefitted immensely by Baba’s darshan. Some became hale and hearty, wicked people were turned into good ones.  Leprosy was cured in some cases, many got their desires fulfilled, without any medicine being put in their eyes, some blind men got back their sight and some lame ones got their limbs. Nobody could see the end of His extraordinary greatness. His fame spread far and wide, and pilgrims from all sides flocked to Shirdi.  Baba had His ‘Asan’ near the Dhuni and always rested there. He sat there in meditation, sometimes without a bath. 

He used to tie a small white turban on His head and wear a clean Dhotar round His waist, and a shirt on His body. This was His attire in the beginning. He first practised medicine in the village. He examined patients and gave medicines. He was always successful and He became famous as a Hakim(doctor).  A curious case may be narrated here. One devotee had his quite red and swollen. No doctor was available in Shirdi. The other devotees took him to Baba.  In such cases other doctors would use ointments, Anjans, cow’s milk and camphorated drugs etc., Baba’s remedy was quite unique.  He pounded some ‘Beeba’ (some Carpus Ana Cardium, i.e., marking nuts) and made two balls of them and thrust them on in each eye of the patient and wrapped a cloth-bandage round them. Next day the bandage was removed and water was poured over them. The inflammation subsided and the pupils became white and clear. Though, the eyes are very delicate, the Beeba caused no hurt but removed the disease of the eyes. Many such cases were cured, this is only one instance in this regard”. (Shri Sai Satcharita- Ch: 7) 

We have images of Baba only in His later years of physical life. When we meditate on Him He fills our hearts with matchless and beautiful bliss and feelings. We lose our expressions on beauty. He is Suroopa Sundaraya.