Day-46: “Om Shri Sai Bhakthi- Shakthi Pradhaya Namaha.”

 

        

       Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala – Meaning, Meditation and Miracle

 

       Day-46: “Om Shri Sai Bhakthi- Shakthi Pradhaya Namaha.” 

Meaning: 

Humble salutation to Him who grants humility and power. (Shirdi Sai Trust). 

Meditation:

 

The most powerful and most intelligent animal (of course excluding humans) is also the most polite and graceful. That is elephant. Politeness and silence should not be understood as derivatives of weakness and ignorance. On the other hand the one who is polite and silent may be the one who may have great powers and knowledge. In case of saints, Gnani’s and true devotee of a Guru or God, the politeness and silence invariably indicate their inner greatness and power. The more we know about the vastness of the universe, the space, the galaxies, the nebulae, the stars, the planets, their sizes, complexities and varieties, the more we think about the infinitely small nature of us, our insignificance, in this vast universe, whoever we may be. We more and more admire the Creator, the Brahmam, the God and the Guru and understand how small we are. Our identification, devotion, Bhakthi makes us feel great. We feel to have inherited all their powers, the power of universal love and capacity to overlook the small weaknesses of even great people. At the same time we feel our insignificance before this all and mighty cosmic power, the Almighty. At one and the same time we feel very powerful and also polite. This is the very process by which the Brahmam, God or Guru grants the feeling of  power and the realization and  humility to a true devotee who feels “Aham Brahmasmi”. 

On the humility of the Satchidananda Satguru, Hemadpant His devotee writes in Sai Satcharita: 

Lord or Bhagwan is said to have six qualities, viz.(1) Fame, (2) Wealth, (3) Non- attachment, (4) Knowledge, (5) Grandeur and (6) Liberality. Baba had all these in Him He incarnated in flesh, for the sake of Bhaktas. Wonderful was His grace and kindness, for He drew the devotees to Him, or how else could one have known Him. For the sake of His Bhaktas Baba spoke such words, as the Goddess of speech could not utter. Here is a specimen. Baba spoke such words, as the Follows: “Slave of slaves I am your debtor. I am satisfied at your darshan. It is a great favour that I saw your feet. I am an insect in your excreta.  I consider Myself blessed thereby”. What humility is this!

Though, outwardly Baba seemed to enjoy sense- objects, He had not the least flavour in them, or even the consciousness of enjoying them. Though, He ate, He had no taste and though, He saw, He never felt any interest in what He saw Regarding passion, He was as perfect a celibate as Hanuman. He was not attached to anything. He was as pure consciousness, the resting place of desire, anger, envy and other feeling. In short, He was disinterested, free and perfect. A striking instance may be cited in illustration of this statement. . (Shri Sai Satcharita-Ch: X).  

Ganges Bath:

On one Makar Sankranti day Megha wanted to smear the body of Baba with sandal- paste and bathe him with Ganges water. Baba was first unwilling to undergo this but at his repeated requests He consented. Megha had to traverse a distance of eight Kos( going and returning,1 Ko=4.8Kms) to bring the sacred water from the Godavari river. He brought the water, made all preparations for the bath at noon and asked Baba to get ready for the same. Then, Baba again asked him to be spared from this bath saying that as a Fakir He had nothing to do with Ganges water but Megha did not listen to Him. He knew that Shiva is pleased with Abhishek (Sacred Bath) on that auspicious day. Baba then consented, came down and sat  on a wooden board and projecting His head said,” Oh Megha,  do at least this favour, head is the most important organ of the body, so pour the water over that only- it is equivalent to the whole body”. “ All right”, said Megha and lifting the water put up began to pour it on the head but in doing this , he was so much overwhelmed with love that he cried out, ” Har Har Gange” ( Hail goddess Ganga) and emptied the pot on the whole body. He kept the pot aside and began to look at Baba, but to his surprise and amazement he found that only Baba’s head was drenched while the body quite dry (Shri Sai Satcharita-Ch: 28). 

They have taken Baba’s message to the far corners of the World; they have built numerous temples for Baba; they have established huge functioning charities in the name of Baba; yet they are very humble always dedicating all their works to Baba. They are Baba’s devotees- both power and humility granted by Him.  Bhakthi- Shakthi Pradhaya.