Day -64. “Om Shri Sai Bahuroopa Vishwa Moorthine Namaha.”

 

      Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala – Meaning, Meditation and Miracle

    Day -64. “Om Shri Sai Bahuroopa Vishwa Moorthine Namaha.”

Meaning:

Humble salutation to Him who manifests in many forms and in the form of universe itself.  (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Meditation:

 

Recently an young Sai devotee asked the question: Can I see God in person? Ages ago Dhuruv asked the same question to his mother. And this question continues to be asked till now, by every good heart.

Many of us ask, who are in the spiritual path, seek the answer to the question why we go through this life with many disappointments, defeats, fulfilments, victories sorrows and happiness. We also want to know, if God is there how He looks like? Can we see Him? What is His form?  

Rishis and Sages of ancient India asked the same questions and found the most surprising rational and beautiful answer.  They found that it is the Self who experiences the God. They found the great answer in “Aham Brahmasmi”. Then how God looks like? God is in the form whatever the Self sees and experiences within itself. God can be seen in anything what the Self experiences and enjoys! As a person most powerful, as a person with six heads and twelve hands, as a person most beautiful as a Mother, as one seated on Lion, as one having the head of an elephant,  as a Lion with human face, as Ram having none but one Sita in his life representing the Karma Yoga, or as Krishna with 16108 Gopikas representing the  Bhakthi yoga, as Dattatreya, as Baba, as River Ganges, or as Hanuman. The Brahmam, God or Guru with whom the devotee identifies and enjoys the bliss, appears in many forms, any form in the whole of the universe, which is experienced with infinite and universal love and internal bliss by the Self. Every true devotee can thus experience and see God, in whatever form he wants to see but only after total identification with Brahmam, God or Guru.

Though, Baba allowed devotees to worship Him as they pleased, still some times, He acted in a strange way. Sometimes He threw away the puja-dish, and was wrath Incarnate, then, who could approach Him? Sometimes, He scolded the devotees, at times; He looked softer than wax, a statue of peace and forgiveness. Though, He seemed to shake with anger and His red eyes rolled round. Still, He was internally, an ocean of affection and motherly love. He would call out His devotees and say, that He never knew, when He was every angry with them. If it was possible that mothers could kick their children and the sea turn back the river He too could neglect the devotees’ welfare; that, he, the Slave of His devotees, always stood by them, and responded to them, whenever they called upon Him and that, He always longed for their love.( Shri Sai Satcharita- Ch: 11).

It was in the year 1916, when a Chennai’s Bhajani Mela (party of the Ramdasi Panth) started on a pilgrimage to the holy city of Benaras, came to Shirdi and did good bhajan and sang very good songs, but inwardly they desired money from Baba. Three of the party were full of avarice but the lady or mistress was of a very different nature. She had regard and love for Baba. Once it so happened that when the noon day Aarti was going on, Baba was much pleased with her faith and devotion and gave her vision of her Ishta (chosen) deity. To her Baba appeared as Sitanath ( RAM), while to all others the usual Sainath. On seeing her beloved Deity She was very much moved. Tears began to flow to wonder at her joyful mood but were not able to guess its cause. Late in the afternoon she disclosed everything to her husband. She told him how she saw Shri Ram.( Shri Sai Satcharita- Ch: 29).

An orthodox Agnihotri Brahmin of Nasik, Mule Shastri, who had studied the six Shastras and was well- versed in astrology and palmistry, once came to Shirdi to see Mr. Bapusaheb Buti, the famous millionaire of Nagpur.  After seeing him, he and others went to see Baba in the Masjid. Mule Shastri, as a palmist, wanted examine Baba’s palm and asked Him extend His hand.  Baba ignored his request and gave four plantains to him. Then they all returned to the wada.  Then, Baba as usual started for Lendi and said”Take some Geru(i.e., a red miry substance used to dye clothes in saffron colour) we shall today don saffron coloured cloth.  None understood what Baba meant.  Baba sat on His seat, was worshiped by His devotees by the devotees and Arathi commenced. Then Baba said, ”Get some Dakshina from the new (Nasik) Brahmin”. Buti himself went to the wada to get the Dakshina and when he Gave Baba’s message to Mule Shastri, he was sorely perplexed.  He thought in his mind thus,” I am a pure Agnihotri Brahmin.  Why should I pay Dakshina?  Baba may be a great saint.  I am not His dependent” But, since a great saint like Saibaba was asking for Dakshina through a millionaire like Buti he could not refuse.  So leaving his routine unfinished, he started with Buti for Masjid.  Thinking himself holy and the Masjid otherwise, he remained at a distance and after joining his palms threw flowers at Baba from there. Then, lo, all of a sudden, he saw not Baba but his late Guru Gholap swami there.  He was wonderstruck. He pinched himself and thought again but could not reconcile to the fact of his late Guru Gholap being in the Masjid. Ultimately leaving aside all doubt fell at his Guru’s feet and then stood there with folded hands. He was extremely pleased; his eyes were full of tears of joy.  He saluted Baba and gave Dakshina. On seeing this wonderful Leela of Baba all the people including Mule Shastri were much moved and they realized the meaning of Baba’s words “Bring Geru. We shall don saffron coloured cloth.” (Shri Sai Satcharita Ch:12) 

He appears to the true devotee in the form in which devotee worships Him, as Ram Shyam or Shiva or Baba. He is Bahuroopa Vishwamoorthine.