Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala – Meaning, Meditation and Miracle
Day-41. . “Om Shri Sai
Bhaktanaam Maatru Dhaatru Pitha Mahaayaa
Namaha.”
Meaning:
Humble salutation
to the Master, who is the Mother, Brother and great Father to His devotees.
(Shirdi Sai Trust).
Meditation:
An angel requested God to permit it to be born as a human and come back.
God permitted. But the angel changed its mind. God asked the reason. The angel
replied, it never wanted to leave the company of God. God said, “I will be
there with you. I will be always with you in the form of your Mother”.. The
angel happily was born as a child.
The simple story we heard in our childhood is the essence of Motherhood.
Excepting the DNA recognition (which is the great contribution of Modern
science) there is only one nature defined relationship that is, the
relationship between a mother and her child. All others are derived
relationships or relationship shown by mother to her child. Just like the
natural instincts of survival and procreation in all living beings the love and
care of a mother to the child is also a natural instinct. Created by God.
Even great saints Adhi Sankara
who had abandoned all bonds with the world could not abandon the bond of love for
Mother. When Supreme love and care is thought one thinks of Mother. The extent
to which Mothers in every species got to take care of their younger ones, from
the time of conceivement is amazing. God, can be seen in every effort of the
mother to provide and protect the offspring. The care of the Guru for His true
devotee is as intense as that of a mother for a child.
Balasaheb Mirikar, son of Sardar Kakasaheb Mirikar, was going on tour to
Chitali. On the way he came to Shirdi, to see Baba. When he went to the Masjid
and prostrated himself before Baba. The usual conversation, regarding health
and other matters commenced, when Baba sounded a note warning, “Do you know our
Dwarkamai?” As Balasaheb did not understand, he kept quiet. Baba continued, “This is our Dwarkamai, where
you are sitting. She wards off all dangers and anxieties of the children, who
sit in her lap. This Masjidmai (its presiding Deity) is very merciful; she is
the merciful Mother of the simple devotees, whom she will save in calamities.
Once a person sits in her lap, all his troubles are over. He who rests in her
shade, gets Bliss.( Shri Sai Satcharita-Ch:22).
Hemadpant, in Sai Satcharita, while writing on the “Motherly love of Sai
Baba” writes:
“Everybody knows how a cow loves her infant calf. Her udder is always
full and when the calf wants milk and dashes at the udder, out comes the milk
in an unceasing flow. Similarly, a human mother knows the wants of her child
before- hand and feeds him, at her breast in time. In case of dressing and
adorning the child, the mother is peculiar, extraordinary and disinterested,
and has no parallel. Sadgurus feel this motherly love towards their disciples.
Sai Baba had the same love towards me, and I give an instance of it below:
In 1916, I retired from Government service.
The pension that was settled in my case was not sufficient to maintain my
family decently. On Guru Pournima (15th of Ashadha) day of that
year, I went to Shirdi with other devotees. There Mr. Anna Chinchanikar, of his
own accord, prayed to Baba for me as follows:” Please, look kindly at him, the
pension he gets is quite insufficient, his family is growing. Give him some
other appointment, remove his anxiety and make him happy!” Baba replied,” He will get some other job,
but now, he should serve Me and be happy! His plates will be ever full and
never empty. He should turn all his attention towards Me and avoid the company
of atheists, irreligious and wicked people. He should be modest and humble
towards all, and worship Me with heart and soul. If he does this, he will get
eternal happiness.”(Shri Sai Satcharita-Ch:
3).
Like a loving mother forcing bitter, but beneficial medicines down the
throats of her children for the sake of their health, Sai Baba imparted
spiritual instructions to His devotees. His method was not veiled or secret but
quite open. The devotees, who followed His instructions, got their object.
Sadgurus, like Sai Baba open our (eyes of the) intellect and show us the divine
beauty of the self, and fulfill our tender longings of devotion. .(Shri Sai Satcharita-Ch:18&19).
Millions of devotees have been taken care by Him in the same way as a
Mother takes care of her Child. He loves
His devotees like a mother, supports them like an elder brother and guides them
like a Pithamaha. He is Bhaktanaam Maatru Dhaatru Pitamahaaya.
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