Day -68. “Om Shri Sai Sarvantharyamine Namaha.”

           Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala –Meaning, Meditation and Miracle

                Day -68. “Om Shri Sai Sarvantharyamine Namaha.”

Meaning:

Humble salutation to Him who transcends everyone’s mind and as witness dwells in the heart of everyone. (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Meditation: 

People of almost every known civilization believed in one super power  external to them, which is not controlled by,  but controls the   the forces of  human limitations. Be it the ancient Hindus, or the Pagans or the Jews or Christians or Muslims or Mayans, humanity believed in a super power, that transcended beyond the limitations experienced by it. 

The differences arose while we tried to describe the nature of this great power in terms of our experiences such as size, shape, form, strength location and other factors. Where is that power? What is its size? Can it know everything? Whether it is He or She?  How it is affected by or affects what is happening around? Everyone who seriously tried to find the answers  defined and described that Power according to their skill, knowledge experience and creativity. There were so many answers, efforts and  faiths. 

 The great Rishis and Sages of ancient India found the ultimate answer for these questions by their own realization. They found the answer in Brahmam, God or Guru which is the self inside ourselves which is a witness to everything that affect the conscious nature. Can the nature be defined? It transcends the mind. Where it is located? It is located within one self, as it is the- one that feels the limitations and it is the one which goes beyond the human limitations and it is the one within us which continues beyond our time. It is the one that stands as witness to every conscious action. All the questions, were answered by realization that Brahmam, God or Guru, in the true nature, transcends the mind and being the self within us, is the witness to the conscience. 

While writing on God or Brahma Hemadpant writes in Sai Satcharita:

“There are two aspects of God or Brahma:(1) the Unmanifested ( Nirgun) and (2) the Manifested ( Sagun). The Nirgun is formless, while the Sagun is with form, though, both denote the same Brahma. Some prefer to worship the former, some the latter. As stated in the Gita( chapter XIII) the worship of the latter  is easy and preferable. As man has got a form (body, senses, etc), it is natural and easy for him to worship God with form. Our love and devotion do not develop, unless we worship Sagun Brahma, for a certain period of time, and as we advance, it leads us to the worship ( meditation) of Nirgun Brahma. So, let us start with Sagun worship. Image, altar, fire, light, sun, water, Brahma are the seven objects of worship, but Sadguru is better than all these. Let us, on this occasion, bring to our mind the form of Sai, Who was non- attachment Incarnate, and Who was a resting- place for His devotees. Our faith is His words is the Asan, and out our Sankalpa (determination to accomplish the Puja) is the abandonment of all our desires. Some say that Sai was a Bhagwat-Bhakta (devotee of the Lord), others say He was ever a Maha- Bhagawad ( a great devotee), but to us He is God Incarnate. He was ever forgiving, never irritable, straight, soft, tolerant and content beyond comparison. Though, He looked embodied (as having the form), He was really dis- embodied, emotionless, unattachement and internally free. The Ganges on its way to the sea, cools and refreshes the creatures affected with heat, gives life to the crops and trees, and quenches the thirst of many. Similarly, Saints (Souls) like Sai, while they live their own, give solace, and comfort to all. Lord Krishna has said that the saint is My soul,My living Image, I am He or He is My pure form(Being).  This in-describable Shakthi or Power of God, known as Pure Existence, Knowledge and Bliss, incarnated in the form of Sai in Shirdi.  The Shruti(Taittriya Upanishad) describes Brahma as Pure Bliss.  This we read or hear daily in the books, but the devout people experienced this Brahma or Pure Bliss in Shirdi.  Baba, the Support of all, required no prop or Asan from anybody.  He always used a piece of sack cloth for His seat, which was covered by a small mattress by His Bhaktas and had a bolster, placed by them, rest as His back.  Baba respected the feelings of His devotees and allowed them to worship Him as they liked.  Some waved Charmar or fans before Him, some played on musical instruments, some washed His hands and Feet, some others applied scent and Chandan, some gave beetelnut with leaves, and some others offered Naivaidya.  Though, He looked like living in Shirdi, He was present everywhere. This all pervasiveness of His was daily experienced by His devotees.  Our humble prostrations to this all pervasive Sadguru”(Shri Sai Satcharita Ch:11) 

He is all pervasive.  Transcending our minds.  Into our hearts and  being there ever as witness.  He is Sarvantharyamine.