Day-36. “Om Shri Sai Parameshwaraya Namaha.”

        Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala – Meaning, Meditation and Miracle 

                Day-36. “Om Shri Sai Parameshwaraya Namaha.” 

Meaning:  

Humble salutation to the one who is the Supreme Lord. (Shirdi Sai Trust). 

Meditation: 

Can there be a form for God? How big, strong, powerful He can be? God has been described to have simultaneously any form and   also no form by our scriptures. In Old Testament of the Bible it is stated “Jehovah’ (God) is not made of Gold or Diamond,” Our scriptures refer to God as “Paramatman” meaning “Supreme Atman”.   This description indicates that the ‘Atman’ within us being part of God and God is the highest state of our Atman. For most of us who are yet to comprehend the full nature of Atman and Paramatman sages described God as Parameshwar because Ishwar could be identified with some form at the beginning of the spiritual journey. The one who Himself is ‘Paramatman’ can be seen as Parameshwar depending on the intensity of devotion by the devotee. The devotee sees his Guru as ‘Parameshwar’ ‘or his Ishta Devata.  

Hemadpant writes:

“Though, Sai Baba looked like a man, three cubits and a half in length, still He dwelt in the hearts of all. Inwardly, He was unattached and indifferent but outwardly, He longed for mass welfare. Though, inwardly, an abode of peace, He looked outwardly restless. Inwardly, He had the state of Brahma; outwardly He seemed engrossed in the world. Sometimes He looked on all with affection and at times He embraced them and was calm, composed, tolerant and well-balanced. He always abided and was engrossed in the self, and was well-disposed towards His Bhaktas. He always sat on one Asan and never travelled. His ‘satka’ was a small stick, which He always carried in His hand. He was calm and thought-free. He never cared for wealth and fame, and lived on alms. Such a life He led. He always uttered “Allah Malik” (God is the real owner). Entire and unbroken was His love for the Bhaktas. He was the mine or store-house for self-knowledge and full of Divine Bliss. Such was the Divine form of Sai Baba, boundless, endless and undifferentiated. One principle, which envelopes the whole universe (from a stone to Brahma) incarnated in Sai Baba. The really meritorious and fortunate people, who not knowing the real worth of Sai Baba, took Him to be a mere human being, were indeed unfortunate.” (Shri Sai Satcharita-Ch: 10).

Devotees who came to Dwarakamayi were surprised beyond words when they saw their own Ishta Devata sitting on that simple stone.

He gave darshan as Vitthal to Kakasaheb Dixit, (Ch 27); as Shri Ram to the lady of Bhajanai Mela from Chennai (Ch29) and to the Doctor (Ch12); as Saint Raghunath Maharaj of Dopeshwar to Dr.Pandit (Ch11); and as Guru Gholap Swami to Mule Shastri of Nasik (Ch.12).Baba gave the Darshan to the true devotee in the form the devotee wanted to see. He is Parameshwaraya.