Day -59. “Om Shri Sai Trilokeshu Avigata Ghataye Namaha.”

        Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala – Meaning, Meditation and Miracle

      Day -59. “Om Shri Sai Trilokeshu  Avigata Ghataye    Namaha.”

Meaning:

Humble salutation to the one who has no impediments in all the three worlds. (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Meditation: 

What is Heaven? What is Hell?

Where they are located? 

While talking about heaven, we point our finger upwards as if Heaven and God are in the upward direction somewhere in the sky. We refer to Hell as if it is somewhere in the downward direction, below the Earth. 

We have been told Heaven is a place where everything is good, and you enjoy everlasting happiness. We have been told Hell is a place where everything is bad and you suffer everlasting pain.  

If heaven is in upward direction, which is up and which is down in the great cosmic space? There is neither up nor down in Astronomical measurements. They all become relative to our position- where  we stand on Earth while talking about Heaven or Hell. The up of one person on the Globe becomes the down for the person on the opposite side of the Globe! 

Then where are real Heaven, and real Hell?  

It appears and reasonable that the Heaven and Hell are the experiences or state of emotions of the Self in us. When our elders say that by doing good you will go to Heaven, probably what is really meant was that by doing good we enjoy a happiness that is Heaven. By doing bad ultimately our Self will be forced to experience the consequences- a pain that is Hell. The Self that is realised, is part of Brahmam God or Guru who is not attached to pleasures and pains of the world. It is always in permanent bliss which is its nature and thus not affected by Heaven, Earth or Hell, the Swargalog, Boolog or Pathal Log. It is beyond the Gunas of the three worlds, Happiness achievements, failures and struggles of the World and the pains of the Hell. The devotee who surrender to the Brahmam, God or Guru becomes part of their nature, enjoys bliss still going through the motions of the world unaffected. 

Das Ganu Maharaj was once doing his Kirtan and singing the glory of Sai Baba, in the Koupineshwar temple in Thana. One Mr. Cholkar a poor man, serving as a temporary employee in the civil courts in Thana, was serving amongst the audience. He heard Das Ganu’s kirtan most attentively and was much moved. He there and then, mentally bowed and vowed to Baba saying, “Baba I am a poor man, unable to support my family. If by your grace, I pass the departmental examination and get a permanent post, I shall go to Shirdi, fall at your feet and distribute sugar candy in your name”.  As luck would have it, Mr.Cholkar did pass the examination and did get the permanent post, and now it remained for him to fulfil his vow, the sooner the better.   Mr.Cholkar was a poor man with a large family to support and he could not afford to pay the expenses of a Shirdi trip. As Mr.Cholkar was anxious to fulfil his vow as early as possible, he resolved to cut down his expenses and save money.  He determined not to use sugar in his diet and began to take tea without it. After he was able to save some money in this way, he came to Shirdi, took Baba’s darshan, fell at His feet, offered a coconut, distributed it with a clean conscience along with sugar candy, and said to Baba that he was much pleased with his darshan and his desires were fulfilled that day. Mr.Cholkar was in the Masjid with his host Bapusaheb Jog.  When the host and the guest got up and about to leave the Masjid, Baba spoke to Jog as follows, “Give him (your guest) cup of tea fully saturated with sugar”.  Hearing these significant words Mr.Cholkar was much moved, he was wonderstruck, his eyes were bedewed with tears and he fell at Baba’s feet again. Mr. Jog was also curious about this direction.  Baba wanted by His words to create faith and devotion in Cholkar’s mind.  He hinted as it were that, he got the sugar candy as per his vow and that he knew fully well his secret determination not to use sugar in his diet.  Baba meant to say “If you spread your palms with devotion before Me, I am immediately with you, day and night.  Though I am here physically, still I know what you do beyond the seven seas.  Go wherever you wish, over the wide world, I am with you. My abode is in your heart and I am within you.  Always worship Me, who is seated in your heart as well as in the hearts of all beings. Blessed and fortunate indeed is he, who knows Me thus.”  

He is in our heart and in all the three worlds, which we experience through our heart and Conscience. He is Nirgun, unaffected, ever enjoying Supreme bliss.  HeisTrilokeshuAvidhayaGhataye.