Day -76. “Om Shri Sai Punya Shravana Keerthanaya Namaha.”

          Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala –Meaning, Meditation and Miracle

      Day -76. “Om Shri Sai Punya Shravana Keerthanaya Namaha.”

Meaning:

Humble salutation to Him, whose glory is pure nectar to the ears of His devotees. (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Meditation:                     

“Sarvatra  Govindanama Sangeerthanam” ... 

When the Upanyasakar started and sought to focus the attention of the audience yet to be settled, he used to call them saying the above words. The audience immediately responded saying,” Govinda, Govinda”.In those few seconds every one became focussed. The vibrations in the atmosphere changed. Everyone was taken to a different plane of vibrations. The next 2 or 3 hours became different. Occasionally, when there was a little disturbance or deviation, the same “Namasmaran” brought back those vibrations and the state of mind was restored. The vibrations created by thinking and calling the Brahmam, God, Guru together or alone by a‘self’ ,are unique and give us some divine experience which fills us with bliss. 

We experience the same feeling when we enjoy a bhajan, together, even when at times we might not have understood the literal meaning of the words of the bhajan. Anyone who has been the part of the, “ Saint Thyagaraja Aradhana” in Thiruvaiyarau or any comparable event anywhere els  is sure to experience this divine state of being with Brahmam, God, Guru for a few minutes at least which is really the manifestation of the power of singing the glory of Brahmam, God, or Guru. The one who comes out of the experience from a bhajan, a divine music concert, or a Pravachan or even a meditation on the name of Brahmam, God or Guru,  is different from the one who entered. 

Hemadpant writes in Shri Sai Satcharita: 

” Though, Sai Baba acted outwardly like an ordinary man, His action showed extraordinary wisdom and skill. Whatever He did, was done for the good of His devotees. He never prescribed any Asan, regulation of breathing or any rites to His Bhaktas, nor did He blow any Mantra into their ears. He told them to leave off all cleverness, and always remember “ Sai” “ Sai”. If you did that, He said, all your shackles would be removed and you would be free. Sitting through five fires, sacrifices, chanting, eight- fold Yoga are possible for the Brahmins only, they are of no use to the other classes. The function of the mind is to think, it cannot remain without thinking for a minute. If you give it a sense- object, it will think about it. I f you give it Guru, it will think about Guru. You have heard most attentively the grandeur of Sai. This is the natural remembrance of Sai. Hearing the stories of the saints is not so difficult, as the other Sadhanas, mentioned above. They (stories) remove all fear of this Sansar (worldly existence) and take you to the spiritual path. So, listen to these stories meditate on them and assimilate them. You may attend to your worldly duties, but give your mind to Sai, and His stories, and then, He is sure to bless you. This is the easiest path, but why do not all take to it? The reason is that without God’s grace, we do not get the desire to listen to the stories of Saints. With God’s grace everything is smooth and easy. 

Hearing the stories of the Saints is, in a way, keeping their company. The importance of the company of the saints is very great. It removes our body- consciousness and egoism, destroys completely the chain of our birth and death, cuts asunder all the knots of the mind and takes us to God, Who is pure consciousness. It certainly increases our non- attachment to sense- objects and makes us quite indifferent to pleasures and pains and leads us onward on the spiritual path. If you have no other Sadhana, such as uttering God’s name worship or devotion etc., but if you take refuge in them (saints) whole-heartedly, they will carry you off safely across the ocean of worldly existence. It is for this reason that the saints manifest themselves in this world. Even sacred rivers such as the Ganges, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri etc., which wash away the sins of the world, desire that the saints should come to them, for a bath, and purify them. Such is the grandeur of the Saint. It is on account of the store of merit in past births that we have attained the feet of our Sai Baba. (Shri Sai Satcharita- Ch: 10). 

Across the continents His Namasmaran brings peace and happiness to millions of His devotees.  A refuge from the harsh realities of life even for a brief moment if one thinks of Him, looking inwardly saying “Sai”.  He is Punya Shravana Keerthanaya.