Friday 5 August 2011

Shirdi Sai Baba’s Temple

Sai Baba of Shirdi
India is a land of saints, Rishis and Mahatmas. Many saints were born in this country at different times. The message of love and compassion has been spread by the saints through the ages. Bhagvan Mahavir, Gautam Buddha, Kabir and Sai Baba to name a few, all spoke of love and humility so that ordinary people could achieve fulfillment in their lives. Love is universal. “Love ye one another and I will love you all”, said Sai Baba. Kabir also said that if one learnt the meaning of love, one had gained the ultimate knowledge.
Sai Baba lived for establishing peace and harmony among people of all castes, creeds and religions. He wanted  people not to fight over petty matters but live peacefully. People respect each others’ feelings and avoid confrontation. Another thing very dear to Sai Baba was to feed and help others. He used to say that those who help others, and remove the miseries of others were very close to hisheart.
Sai Baba of Shirdi is truly an incarnation of “Dattatreya”. We do not know anything about his birth or birthplace.
He came to Shirdi at the age of 16 when it was a very small village. He disappeared and again came to Shirdi after four years. Since then, he made Shirdi as his abode. His divine presence turned Shirdi into a holy place like Varanasi, Ayodhya, Dwarka, Pandharpur, Jagannathpuri, Tirupati etc. It has become a Sansthan and lakhs of people visit Shirdi every day.
Nobody can reach Shirdi unless ordained by Sai Baba. He said, “I pull my devotee, as one pulls a sparrow with strings to his leg”. So Baba’s pull came to me in 1988 when a friend of mine took me to Shirdi.
That was the first time I had gone to Shirdi Sai Baba’s Temple. I felt very calm and peaceful there. After that, I went there to seek solace several times.
The first time I touched the stone, on which Baba sat in Dwarakamai and the Samadhi of Sai Baba at Samadhi Mandir, a kind of current (it was an energy flow, which is inexplicable) ran through me.
I cherished this unique experience, but after that whenever I went to Shirdi and waited for that sensation to overtake, I never experienced it. Maybe, on my first visit, Baba wanted me to know that we have a connection.
There are eleven sayings (Vachans) of Sai Baba:
1. Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings would come to an end.
2. The wretched and miserable would experience joy and happiness, as soon as they climb the steps of my mosque.
3. I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving earthly body.
4. My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees.
5. I shall be active and vigorous even from the tomb.
6. My mortal remains would speak from the tomb.
7. I am ever living to help and guide all who come to me, surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.
8. If you look to me, I look at you.
9. If you ease your burden on me, I shall surely bear it.
10. If you seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once.
11. There shall be no want in the house of my devotee.
The above sayings are universal truths. After I went to Shirdi and had his Darshan in 1988, all my anxieties, worries and tension vanished. I got rapid promotions in the service and was presented National Award for Best Teacher.
After superannuation, I was having a lot of anxieties as to how I would engage myself fruitfully, but Sai Baba had something else in the mind. Immediately, I got an assignment in Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and now I am the Director of Bhavan’s Shikshan Bharati. It could not have been possible but for the blessings of Sai Baba.
I have a very caring, loving and supporting family. My only son after doing his B.E. and M.B.A. got well placed in a reputed organisation. The greatest blessings of Sai Baba is that I got a good daughter-in-law, an M.B.A., who is equally loving and caring. She is well placed in a multi-national company and has total faith in Indian culture and values. My wife is very gracious and is equally devoted to Sai Baba. Presently, when joint families are becoming  rare, ours is a very committed and devoted family caring for each other. All these are due to the blessings of Sai Baba.  
I can assure that if one visits Shirdi once, all the troubles and miseries vanish and one will go to Shirdi again and again.
May Sai Baba bless us all.                     
Article by : R. Saxena
Source: Bhavan's Journal 28 February 2009
To know more about Bhavan's Journal and to subscribe visit: http://www.bj.bhavans.info/

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