Day - 5:“Om Shri Sai Godavari Tata Shiladi Vasine Namaha”

       Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala- Meaning, Meditation and Miracle

      Day - 5:“Om Shri Sai Godavari Tata Shiladi Vasine Namaha” 

Meaning:

My humble salutation to Shirdi Sainath, who resides at Shiladi (Shirdi) on the banks of the river Godavari.

Meditation:

The River Godavari is also known as “Dakshin Ganga”. It was also known as “Gouthami” ,because it is believed that  Maha  Rishi  Gautham’s  (Ahalya’s Husband) sin of being the cause of death of a cow was atoned by Lord Shiva at Triambakeshwar at the origin of the river.

Triambakeshwar is home to one of the twelve Jyothir Lingas. Godavari is unique being a river which flows from north to south in one stretch and hence called “Dakshin Vahini”.

Sai Baba chose Shirdi, a small unknown village close to River Godavari’s origin and made it a place known all over the world. To get Shirdi in those days one had to go to Kopargaon, cross the Godavari River and reach Shirdi. People bowed to Mother Godavari, before reaching Sai Nath on the other side.

Was it that Ishwar having given Ganga to flow in North, came to Southern Ganga and sat there to those who cannot go Kailash, Kedarnath, Haridwar and Kasi?

Baba said to Dasganu, who wanted to go to the holi tirth of Prayag “It is not necessary to go so far. Our Prayag is here, believe Me!”

Where from He came to Shirdi?

The villagers of Shirdi were wondering who that youth was sitting under the Neem tree day and night.

One man got God Khandoba on him. They asked Khandoba who that youth was and where from he came.

Khandoba showed a place and asked them to dig there. They dug the ground.  There was a cellar underground. Four lamps were burning inside the cellar. There were japa sadhans.  Khandoba told them the youth was meditating in the cellar for 12 years.  When asked by the villagers the youth told them that it was his Guru’s place and requested them to protect (Shri Sai Satcharita Ch: 4).

Yes, that is Shirdi. And that was Sai.

Baba said “The Dankapuri (Takore) of Dakurnath, the Pandhari of Vitthal, the Dwarka of Ranchhod (Krishna) is here (Shirdi). One need not go far out to see Dwarka. Will Vitthal come here from some outside place? He is here! Only when the devotee is bursting with love and devotion, Vitthal will manifest Himself here (Shirdi). (Shri Sai Satcharita Ch: 4).

He never left Shirdi. Yet He was Omnipresent. Blessed is Mother Godavari.  Blessed is Shirdi. He is Godavari Tata Shiladi Vasine.