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__________________________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ISSUE
SAI SUKTHI -ACHARYA VANI
AT THRESHOLD OF ETERNITY - ORIGIN BY BHAGAVAN SRI BHARADWAJA.
PROMINENCE OF GURUPATNI (SPOUSE OF SADGURU IN MYSTIC TRADITION).
PARIPRASNA- ORIGIN BYBHAGAVAN SRI BHARADWAJA.
SRI CHAITANYA SWAMYJI'S MESSAGE.
ABOUT THIS ARTICLE.
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SAI SUKTHI -ACHARYA VANI
ONE WHO THINKS BABA IS ONLY AT SHIRDI HAS TOTALLY FAILED TO SEE BABA.
SRI SAI BABA.
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AFTER THE DARSHAN OF SRI SAI, HIS IMAGE SHOULD BE RECORDED IN THE MIND.
ONE SHOULD ALWAYS CONTEMPLATE IN MIND THE EXPERIENCE OF THE STAY IN SHIRDI ,
REGARDLESS WHERE THEY ARE STAYING OR MOVING ABOUT. HIS PRESENCE SHOULD BE
FELT ALL THE TIME. IS THERE A PLACE WHERE SRI SAI IS NOT PRESENT ,AS
HE IS THE UNIVERSAL CONSCIOUSNESS.
BHAGAVAN SRI BHARADWAJA
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AT THRESHOLD OF ETERNITY- ORIGIN BY BHAGAVAN SRI BHARADWAJA
For 56 long years since 1858 devotees went pouring in and out of Shirdi
for the darshan of Sai Baba, “the diamond on the dunghill”. Everyday the
devotees that flocked there numbered hundreds. In 1914, Sai Baba made a very
casual remark to one of his devotees. He pointed out a piece of waste land of
the village to Mrs.Bapusaheb Jog and said, “It is my site; a big mansion will
rise up here and we shall live there. Big people would look after me”. Mrs. Jog
took it as one of the very many inscrutable things he said and hoped that one
day she might understand what it meant. Two years passed by and she forgot all
about it.
Bapu Saheb Booty, a famous millionaire of Nagpur, was drawn to Baba and
was so impressed with his spiritual power that he wished to have a building at
Shirdi. One night he was sleeping in Dixit’s wada .Baba appeared in his dream
and ordered him to build a wada of his own with temple in it. Shama was also
sleeping there. Booty woke up and found Shama shedding tears and asked him the
cause of his grief.Shama said “Baba appeared in my dream and ordered,
distinctly, ‘Build the wada with temple .I shall fulfill the wishes of all.’ On
hearing the words of Baba I was overpowered with emotion”.
Bapu Saheb was surprised at the precise correspondence between their dreams. He
immediately drew up a plan for the wada with the cooperation of Shama and Kaka
Saheb Dixit, and placed it before Baba who blessed it. Work was commenced soon
under the supervision of Shama, the ground floor; the cellar and the well were
completed. On and off Baba visited the site on his way to or from Lendi and
suggested certain improvements. Further work was entrusted to Bapu Saheb Jog
and in the course of it, it occurred to Bapu Saheb Booty that there should be
an open platform in the center of which the idol of Muralidhar (Lord Krishna
playing on his Flute) could be installed. As usual, when Baba passed by, Shama
spoke about it to him.Baba readily gave his consent, but added, “After the
temple is complete, I will come and stay there”. Staying at the wada, he
further added, “we shall live, move, play there, embrace each other and be
happy”.Order was placed with sculptors for an idol of Muralidhar. Booty was
happy that the work was progressing satisfactorily and that too with the
blessings of Sai Baba.
Days passed briskly as though they enjoyed the rising glory of Shirdi.
The year 1918 commenced as inconspicuously as any other and a few months
passed. In the month of October, one day Baba left the mosques on his daily
rounds. The boy Madhav Fasle was sweeping the mosque. He found the brick which
was so dear to Baba on the floor. It was, Baba often said, a token of his
Guru’s love and his life companion. To prevent the dust from falling on the
holy brick ,the boy took it up but suddenly, it slipped fell down and
broke into two .the boy was terrified that he might incur Baba’s wrath.
Instead, when later Baba saw it, he was very much depressed and said, “It is
the not the brick that is broken; it is my destiny. It has been my life’s
companion and I meditated on the Self with its help; it is my very life. It has
left me today. I shall not survive it for long.”
About the same time Ramachandra Patil, a devotee of Sai Baba, became seriously
ill, and medical aid proved ineffective. He was counting his days. Inwardly he
went on pleading for his recovery to his last refuge, SaiBaba. One midnight Sai
Baba appeared physically before him.Patil held his feet firmly and asked Baba
to tell him the exact time of his death.Baba was moved and said, “Don’t be
anxious; your death warrant has been withdrawn and you will soon be alright;
but I am worried about Tatya Patil’s life. He will pass away on the
Vijayadasami day. Do not reveal this to anyone, not certainly to Tatya; for he
will be frightened.” Indeed Ramachandra Patil quickly recovered, but he was
afraid of Tatya’s safety.
As the terrible day neared, Tatya fell ill and was
bedridden. He could not go to Dwarakamayi for Baba’s darshan.Though Baba was
also down with fever; Tatya had full faith in Baba that he would save his life.
Baba’s condition too was fast worsening.Bapu Saheb Booty worried that if Baba
passed away, his wada would not be consecrated by the touch of Baba’s feet and
all his money, lakhs of rupees, would go waste. At one stage Tatya felt his end
was certain. He was getting udi regularly from Baba.One day Baba summoned him
to the mosque for lunch. As Tatya could not walk, he was carried their by a
fellow devotee. Then baba gave him a little rice boiled in milk which he ate
with great difficulty.Baba looked enquiringly at Tatya,and he burst into
tears.Though he himself was ailing, Baba applied udi to Tatya’s forehead and
said,” Tatya at first I got two swings ready for both of us.But now I have
changed my mind.I don’t want to take you now.I am going alone.Go home!” Then
Baba gave him udi and taty was taken home.
It was still four days for the holy Vijayadasami,the day which Sai
Baba described as the day of ‘Seemolangam’.Mrs.Andu Marwadi, one of the local
devotees of Sai Baba ,was sitting in front of him.Sai Baba said, “Bai, I am
tired of being in Dwarakamayi and Chavadi. I’ll go over to the (Booty’s) wada
where big people will look after me.” At that time Baba’s health was far from
satisfactory. He stopped his morning trips to Lendi and his rounds for food and
only sat in the mosque.
At last the fatal day of Vijayadasami (15th October
1918) dawned. Ramachandra Patil and BAla Shimpe knew what was in store for
Tatya.News came that his pulse was getting weaker.Baba too was very ill
and weak. He sat up in the morning and called Mrs .LAkshmi bai Shinde near him
,gave her Rs/- 5 at first and then Rs/-4 and told her to preserve
them.Then after the morning art,Baba asked all his devotees to go for
lunch.Just a few of the devotees like Mrs. Lakshmi Bai Shinde,
Bhagoji,Bayyaji,Bala Shimpe and Nanasaheb Nimonkar stayed with Baba.
He told them that he did not feel well there in the mosque and asked
them to take him to the DAGDI ( Stone) Wada of Booty where he would be alright.
Saying these last words,heleane don Bayyaji’s body and breathed his last.
Bhagoji noticed it and told Nanasaheb Nimonkar. Nanasaheb then brought a little
water and poured I tin Baba’s mouth but it all came out. Then Nana Saheb burst
out weeping.
It was aterrible blow to the countless devotees and the whole village of
Shirdi felt like a corpse with its spirit gone.The news spread fast and the
whole village rushed ot the mosque weeping and crying. Strangely Tatya
recovered very rapidly and could sit up by noon. Devotees felt that Sai made
the supreme sacrifice o fhis life to save Tatya fromcertaindeath. For did not
Sai say that he would even give his own head to save a devotee?
Soon after that matter of the last rites of Baba became the subject of
great controversy.One section of devotees said that the body must be buried in
an open plot according to the Moslem customs.the other group could think of no
other way than enshrining his body in Booty’s wada as per Baba’s wish.It was
finally decided as per the majority to enshrine the body in an underground
cellar beneath the elevated platform in the Booty’s wada.In the place of the
idol of Muralidhar,the photograph of Sai Baba was placed which was later
replaced by the present marble statue in 1956.The last rites were conducted by
Bala saheb Bhate and Upasani Maharaj.
One questioned has remained unexplained.Baba indicated that the proposed
Shrine of Muralidhar would be his final resting place and said that big people
would take care of him there. How did it come to pass?
By big people Baba can hardly be taken to have meant ‘big ’in
wordly,monetary sense.For he was a fakir to the core who cared two pins for
rupees. Even if he did, Booty Is not a small man by nay standard. A building
worth a few lakhs in those times, when Indian money had much greater
value than today,was not a small matter.Besides,I was not just a matter of
rupees.A Mansion,that was to be a temple of Muralidhar was made the temple of
Sadguru Sainath and no greater honor can be conceived far a saint or guru.
Taking the word ‘Big’to mean ‘great spiritual stature’,Upasani Baba was
a ‘Maharaj’ even as Sai Baba was a ‘King’(in the sense in which the Christ was
called the King).Sai Baba personally alchemised Upasani Sastry into Upasani
Baba.To have a Sadguru of his own stature honor his mortal remains –what a
great honor can anyone have and from – what a greater soul?
In the spiritual lore of Hindus (and of Muslims) When saints leave
their physical body they are
said to have attained Samadhi,but not said as dead.
This may give rise to question whether Baba has died or not? Jesus Christ died
but he again rose from the dead body thereby his death was infact a triumph
over death. In similar way Baba attained Samadhi.
“IT IS DEATH THAT ‘S DEAD ,NOT HE
!”
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PROMINENCE OF GURUPATNI (SPOUSE OF SADGURU) IN THE MYSTIC TRADITION .
Revered Master Sri Ekkirala Bharadwaja emphasized the
importance of service to Sadguru on my occasions. He has practically showed us
how to serve a Guru and has explained us how to stabilize complete faith. When
we look at our Master's life and teachings, we get to know who is Sadguru and
how a Sadguru leads his life.The innumerable devotees of Pujya Master felt
a huge void after his attainment of Mahasamadhi. This lacuna in their lives is
being filled up by the Revered Master's spouse- Divine Mother Ekkirala
Alivelu Mangatayaru.She has been carrying on the noble mission of spreading
Sri Sai's divine life and teachings, initiated by Sri Sai Master. It is
said that once Guru sheds his mortal body, it is his wife who takes the revered
place of Sadguru.It is needless to emphasize the greatness of the Divine
Mother Alivelu Mangatayaru, for she is the life partner of our revered Master
Sri Bharadwaja.There will be a lot of difference in serving the revered Master
and the Divine Mother after realizing the way to serve them as well as after
realizing the significance of spouse of Sadguru in the Guru tradition.If one
cannot distinguish between a precious gem and an ordinary stone, there is a
possibility of mistaking a stone to a gem or a gem to a stone. As the saying
goes "all that glitters is not gold", in this era of fake gurus,
there is very high probability of ordinary people getting lured by them. In
this scenario, it is highly difficult to realize a Sadguru and thereafter serve
his spouse with equal reverence and this requires a high degree of alertness on
the part of the devotee.In the ancient times, education was imparted at
Gurukulas.Unlike today, there were no schools and colleges and children at very
young age, for seeking education, were sent to distant places for years
together to reside with Guru to seek education. It was Guru and the
Guru's wife who took care of these children in all respects, who were living
miles away from their parents. While Guru took great care in imparting
education to them, Gurupatni (Guru's wife) showered equal amount of love and
affection and diligence regarding food and nourishment of these children. Our
Holy Scriptures say that while a Guru was all knowledgeable and spiritually
powerful so was the Gurupatni who was equally powerful through her chastity.
We
all know how knowledgeable and powerful were the spiritually enlightened
couples like - Atri-Anasuya, Vasistha-Arundhathi and Agastya-Lopamudra.
Mother Anasuya through her power of chastity transformed the holy trinity Brahma,
Vishnu and Maheswara into infants, who came to seek alms from her. (Complete
account of this is available in Gurucharitra) It is said that the great rivers
like Ganges, Yamuna and Narmada sought the darshan of Mother Anasuya for
cleansing themselves of the sins of the devotees who bathed in those rivers.
Mother Anasuya who displayed such great powers is amongst us today in the form
of our Divine Mother Alivelu Mangatayaru. Acharya
Sri Bharadwaja, owing to his keen reflection on joy and sorrow in his life,
came to a decision to remain celibate all his life and dedicated all his
energies to the spiritual quest. He also felt that if at all he should marry,
it is next to impossible to find one equally inclined towards spirituality as a
life partner. It was the Saints of Chintapalli forests and Chirala who directed
and even chose our divine mother as a suitable life partner for Revered Master.
For ordinary mortals like us, it is impossible to gauge the significance of
this great decision by these two great saints to whom the past, present and
future is an open book. Our Divine Mother Alivelu Mangatayaru spent years
before marriage in spiritual practice at the Ashram, in the divine presence of
Mother of Jilellamudi, Baptla, Andhrapradesh.
It can be said that Lord Siva and Parvathi have manifested in the form of our
revered Master and Divine Mother Alivelu Mangatayaru for the welfare of the
entire universe. One significant thing that every devotee gets to see
in the Divine Mother is that she is moderate in her speech. She is a
personification of simplicity.Grace and compassion, love and affection are
natural with her. As one enters Her room, She welcomes them with a gracious
smile that lightens up one's heart .The tranquility that pervades in her
presence can be felt by one and all. There are no words to express
it. It should only be experienced personally. Her silence conveys
everything that a devotee needs. We are very fortunate to have such a divine
personification amongst us. Let us fruitfully utilize to optimum this divine
opportunity of serving the Holy Mother to make our lives meaningful. On
the occasion of our Divine Mother's 69 th birthday that is falling on the 1st of
October, let us pledge that we shall earnestly endeavor to realize the true
purpose of life and follow the path paved by revered Master and the Divine
Mother.
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PARIPRASNA - ORIGIN BY BHAGAVAN SRI BHARADWAJA.
Q:It was written that Mahatmas appear like mad persons, naked persons
(Digambarulu). Please tell us how to recognize true Mahatmas from other mad and
crazy people? Can you tell the Mahatmas who live close to our place?
A:
Mahatmas can be recognized only by the meritorious actions of past birth and by
Sadguru's grace. Elders say that either knowingly or unknowingly if we do
service to Mahatmas in previous birth, then we will come across them in this
birth.
The fact that intentional meritorious actions in this birth also can
take us to their presence is proved by the experiences of the devotees. Of
all these meritorious deeds the most powerful one is to pray Baba, express
our intention for darshan and blessings of Mahatmas and do parayana
of the holy text 'Sri Sai Leelamrutham '.
Parayana of 'Sri Guru Charitra 'and 'Sri
Guru Geetha' are equally powerful. There are several
instances about obtaining the Darshan of Mahatmas, which is mentioned in
other books published by us like "Sri Sai Leelamrutham, Sri
Akalkot swamy Charitra, Sri Paakalapaati Guruvugari Charitra, and Sadguru
Jyothi." Similarly these can be seen in another publication "Sri
Avadhootha Leela" that will be published in August.
All our Satsang members who do regular parayana of the life
histories of the incarnations of Lord Dattatreya had Darshan and blessings of
Mahatmas. In order to recognize the Muslim holy persons, one should read a
special chapter in Quran by standing behind them, and then they will turn
around and talk to us. Usually they will either hit or curse us. The reason
being because of the prayer, they were forcibly turned into this outward
world from their inward state. Unless specified by a known person these
things are very dangerous to be performed .Devout reading of the life histories
of the incarnations of Lord Dattatreya will result in the blessings and grace
of these Mahatmas with out any problem. This is also from my personal
experience for the last two decades. If we do parayana like this you can see
clearly in the books mentioned above how Mahatmas will shower their blessings.
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SRI CHAITANYA SWAMYJI'S MESSAGE :
BHA : BHAKTHAS OF GOD
RA : RAKHAKA
DWA : DWARAKAMAI (The place which can bestow four purushardhas)
JA : JANMA SARDHAKATHA .
THE PERSON WHO PROTECTS HIS DEVOTEES AND BESTOWS ON THEM
PURUSHARDHAS AND MAKE THEM REALIZE THE TRUE MEANING OF HIS LIFE AND
EXISTANCE IS NONE OTHER THAN BHAGAVAN SRI BHARADWAJA.
“AMMA” MEANS “MOTHER ALIVELU MANGAMMA.”
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