Day -99. “Om Shri Sai Venkatesha Ramanaya Namaha.”

         Shirdi Sai Ashtotramala –Meaning, Meditation and Miracle

            Day -99. “Om Shri Sai Venkatesha Ramanaya Namaha.”

Meaning:

Humble salutation to Him who is the embodiment of Lord Shri Venkatesha (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Meditation:

They come in millions – by air, by road, by train, by bus and by walk chanting the name of the Lord of The Seven Hills, putting in all their efforts braving heat rain and physical disabilities just to trying to pay Him back what they owe through vows. From small coins, through bank note bundles to silver, gold diamonds and jewellery, the offerings are made as promised.  The flow never stops.  The offerings amount to billions.  The devotees are so happy that at least a small offering be made for untold boons they received, receive or will be receiving. The Lord continues to bless His devotees from the wealthiest and most visited place of worship, the Temple of Lord Venkateshwara in Thirupathi.  One of the many stories goes that He needs tons of wealth to repay the debt He incurred to Kubera, the Heavenly treasurer, while marrying Goddess Laxmi!

As the name taken by Him, Bhagwan Venkatesha (meaning in Sanskrit being the Lord who destroys sins) is the one who can be looked upon to remove the burden of sins committed knowingly or unknowingly.  Karma leaves unfulfilled desires in this birth and the soul takes birth again and the cycle continues. If the Self is to be freed from this cycle and be united back to Brahmam God or Guru, the heavy burden of Karma and the consequent desire to be involved in another cycle of birth and death should be destroyed.  This cycle can be broken only by the one who can destroy the sins by inculcating a sense of sacrifice or relinquish a desire by the devotee which is Dakshina, offer or vow.  Thus, the devotee gets into the practice of relinquishing material desires and on the way to freedom from desire breaking the cycle of birth. The Brahmam, God or Guru is destroyer of sins, is Venkatesha.

Hemadpant writes in Sai Sat Charita:

“Light Houses are constructed are constructed at various places in the sea, to enable the boatman to avoid rocks and dangers, and make them sail safely.  Sai Baba’s stories serve a similar purpose in the ocean of worldly existence.  They surpass nectar in sweetness, and make our worldly path smooth and easy to traverse.  Blessed are the stories of saints.  When they enter our hearts through the ears, the body consciousness or egoism and the sense of duality vanish; and when they are stored in the hearts, doubts will dissipate, pride of the body will fall, and wisdom will be stored in abundance.  The description of Baba’s pure fame, and the hearing of the same with love, will destroy the sins of the devotee and, therefore, this is the simple sadhana of attaining the salvation.  The Sadhana for Kritha Age was Sama-dama (tranquillity of mind and body); for the Treta Age, Sacrifice; for Dwapar worship; and for Kali (present) Age it is singing of the name and glory of the Lord.  This last sadhana is open to all people of the four varnas (Brahmins etc).  The other Sadhanas, viz., Yoga, Tyaga (Sacrifice) Dhyan (Meditation) and Dhyan Dharana (Concentration) are very difficult to practice, but singing and hearing the stories and glory of the Lord (Sai Baba) is very easy.  We have only to turn our attention towards them. The listening to and singing of the stories will remove the attachment to the senses and their objects, and will make the devotees dispassionate, and will ultimately lead them to self-realization. (Shri Sai Sat Charita Ch: 3)

Just singing His name and meditating on Him devotees enjoy inner bliss peace and self realisation taking them to a higher level of spiritual development away from senses and sins. He is Venkatesha Ramanaya.