Shirdi Sai Baba - Questions

Sai Baba on Prayer: 

Shirdi Sai Baba - Questions and Answers

Many questions are asked about Sri Shirdi Sai Baba at Shridi Sai Baba Prema Vahini Temple, Trivandrum, Kerala. Some of them with answers are given below:

How does Baba reach so many faraway places to reach to help the devotees? Does he hear the prayer of those devotees?

Baba Used to say many times over, “I am always concerned about those who remember me always. I need no vehicles or transportation. I simply manifest myself by the side of the person who remembers me and calls for my help intently”. And one of the commandments of Shirdi Sai Baba was, “My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees”

To those devotees anxious to get things done by Baba, he would say, “Stay by me and keep quiet. I shall do the rest.”

H

ow will I get rid of my sins was a question often asked to Baba during his life time.

Baba would say, “Just keep on repeating my name, “Sai, Sai”.
Ego is the worst factor standing in the way of spiritual progress. He used to tell his devotees, “Do not take the doer ship of either good things or bad things. Be detached to every ‘karma’ -action- you do. The work is done by Allah and the fruits of action are also his. Spiritual progress is possible only if you take this dispassionate view”.

Many people complained to Baba that they were not able to properly meditate on his form. Baba’s response, “Before the start of meditation on my form concentrate on me deeply, and touch your head, your eyes, your nose, your ears, your mouth, your mouth, your chin, your shoulders, your heart, your abdomen, your knees and your feet. The result of meditation will not also accrue to you if you meditate without a proper posture or without a cloth spread on the floor”.

H

ow does one get knowledge about the SELF?

Shirdi Sai Baba told Bharam Uma Maheshwara Rao in Meditation this in 1979!
“Those who want to know the self should read the Easavaya Upanishad. This gives the knowledge about how to get out of the cycle of birth and death.

A

nd how to get over Calamities and miseries in life?

Baba further told Mr. Rao, “Shirdi is a holy place. Here you can perceive complete knowledge about me and my omnipotence. Don’t utter words which hurt others. Do only benevolent deeds. Those who completely surrender to me need not fear anything. If you keep your mind on me, you can forget the world of hunger and thirst. Consciousness of carnal pleasures fades away and truth radiates. Whoever has complete and whole hearted devotion in me shall tide over calamities and miseries. Be away from the worldly affairs”.

More at:  http://www.premavahini.org and http://www.premavahini.org/shirdi-sai-baba-questions/

Shirdi Sai Baba- The Gospel-2

The Gospel of Shirdi Sai Baba- 2

This is the second part of the video series of the Gospel of Shirdi Sai Baba.

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba, we have seen earlier had complained that His teachings and philosophy were not propagated well in His lifetime and even after His Maha Samadhi.  So an attempt is being made here, through a video and transcript series here to do so.

I humbly request the readers and listeners to go through the same and propagate the same to fellow travelers in the spiritual path. Shirdi Sai Baba has assured blessings on them.

                               The Gospel of Shirdi Sai Baba- 2

For more teachings and the Gospel- www.premavahini.org

Video Transcript:

The Gospel of Shirdi Sai Baba- 2

One attains merits or sins as per one's own actions. I am the witness of your good deeds and bad deeds. My philosophy of divine knowledge which when dawns on you with utmost clarity, absolves you of all your sins.

"Shed, 'I' and 'Mine' . Worldly life is filled with ego and attachment . Destroy them. Then only you get a philosophical bent of mind. Try to acquire the Divine Light. While practicing for it, try to acquire selflessness. Selflessness is the goal for all. Selflessness is God.

All the actions you do with good intention shall yield you good results and bad actions shall give you bad results. Any Karma done with selflessness does not bind you. Learn detachment while beginning to do a good deed. Do Karma as a witness.

A hold on Indriyas liberates you from all bonds. Self-Control brings perfection and selflessness. You understand my philosophy first and reflect on it and meditate on it. Then you will know who I am.

Wisdom dawns on you though the power of perception and comprehension. Then this power evolves into Supreme refuge. Transformation comes through selfless thoughts and philosophical strength.

Preach my philosophy to fellow devotees and advise them to follow it.

Karma done with good intention, frees you from attachments and sins. Karma done with non-attachment results in purification of mind. Purification of the minds leads to knowledge of the Aatma.

By attaining knowledge of the Aatma, one gets salvation. Merge your mind into me. It is foolishness to think that I am far away. I am in your body. Search for me as the self- the Aatma.

Those who practise to chant my name at all times, get divine qualities. Whoever chants my name at the time of death, will get my form. Those who worship me throughout their lives with My image- Ruupam in them, will get salvation irrespective of the way they die.

Those who know My philosophy and worship me always, do not have rebirth. Those who understand my true self and always worship me with full faith and devotion will be endowed with 'Brahama Nirvahaka Sthithi'. Those who worship me, shedding bodily attachments, acquire my form.

There is no re-birth to those who follow the righteous path, behave well, learn my philosphy, become self-contented and get rid of all desires. Know that attachment and bondage are all in the mind.

Unattached Karma is very essential for spiritual practice. Conquer your mind with your mind itself.

Those who surrender to me and concentrate their minds on me, attain divine grace. To them, I reveal myself completely. There is no way for those who doubt me. If one wants to reach the goal of attaining salvation, one should hold on to me tightly.

Drop the desires of worldly pleasures; try to seek a joyous self instead. Do not think that salvation is elsewhere and comes from somewhere else- salvation is right here, and it comes from within.

Do not be elated by pleasures and depressed by hardships, but keep your mind and intellect firm in me. Attain spiritual powers; shed selfishness not only in thought but also in deeds; and also in money matters.

I am the cause of the creation, maintenance and destruction of the universe. I am all pervading. My power is mixed with the three qualities or Guunas. I am the three qualities, but they are not in me. Maaya or delusion does not affect those who take refuge in me and surrender to me.

Knowledge of the union with God relieves you from the effects of Karma. See me as the supreme goal. Then only shall I be fond of you. Think always of me with a single minded purpose. Then only will you attain the divine state. So, worship me at all times to attain the divine state.

Irrespective of the good or bad things happening in your life, keep complete faith in me. Faith gives you salvation. To reach me, peace is essential. Peace is attained by praying me always in mind. If you completely surrender to me, you shall be free from pleasures and pains.

Shirdi Sai Baba: For more teachings and the Gospel- www.premavahini.org

Shirdi Sai Baba- The Gospel -1

Shirdi Sai Baba- The Gospel -1

Shirdi Sai Baba's teachings have been innumerable. But He had complained more than once that His philosophy had not been propagated properly. 

I am trying to propagate the Great Master's philosophy through a series of videos. I humbly seek the blessings and co-operation of all Sai Devotees. 

Here is the first Video in the series:

Gospel of Shirdi Sai Baba- 1

The transcript of the video is given below:

The Gospel of Shirdi Sai Baba - 1

I am a witness like the sun. I am neither detached nor attached to anyone. Man reaps what he sows according to his thoughts, words and deeds. This is the divine law that applies to all. But I bless all my children who always chant my name.

Know that I am within you always. There is never a moment of time when I am absent or separate from you. You worship me with pure speech, mind and body.

Meditation is essential to attain the light of wisdom. Keep your mind always on me. Then it gets stabilized. 

One definitely has to reap one's own deeds. Results of past Karmas are reaped here. Sincere repentance lessens the effects of Karma. There is nothing like repentance to lessen its impact. The visits to holy places and bath in holy rivers reduce some more Karma. Visits to Tombs of Holy people reduces the effects of more bad Karma. These are places sanctified by their movements. 

Visits to the tombs and holy places will give complete Self Realization. Do not doubt that the holy people who attained Self Realization cannot give you Illumination. 

Conceive the whole movable and immovable world as my form and worship the whole. He who worships like this becomes equal to me. 

When you attain spiritual power, you will attain, the "Seven Powers" in all your actions. You will be powerful to handle all affairs. 

Mind that holds on to matters binds you. Mind wavers. To attain stability of mind, spiritual strength and knowledge of the Self are required. 

Liberation, Moksha, Salvation means nothing but winning over egoism. Seek Self realization, realization of one's own self. Plead God for self purification. Knowledge dawns only in a purified mind. 

Control the mind. Mind gets controlled only when breath gets controlled. Then you will have my darshan, my vision. 

Do your allotted duties always without aspiring for the results. Keep your mind free from likes and dislikes. Purity of mind is attained through Karmas done without seeking the results. Grief and hardships are caused not by Karmas but by attachments to the bonds of passions. 

Get rid of selfishness. Don't be fond of the body which leads one to ego. Do not let selfish thoughts and passions come near you. If you are free of them, you can do any karma even while you are in this world. This is dispassion- Vairagya.

Dispassion is nothing but being unselfish in mind and thought. Do not be fond of the body, but do not neglect it. What is done in total control of the body and of the mind, is Virakthi- Detachment. That is dispassion. 

Dispassion can be attained through determination and will power. Surrender all that is yours to God. Such devotion will give you tranquility of mind;  the power of total peace.

Do not force unwilling people to do anything.


For more teachings and Gospel of Shridi Sai Baba, visit: www.premavahini.org

About doing the repetition of the divine name and meditation, and achievement of Godhood, Shirdi Sai Baba had this to say:

                         Shirdi Sai Baba on the Repetition of the Divine Name and Meditation

While doing the repetition of the name of the Lord or Guru, or meditation, keep your mind steady and do it with concentration.

Avoid contact of the mind with sensory objects, that is, sound, touch, form, taste and smell, and do the repetition of the name, getting immersed in it.

Know that the knowledge of the universe and its perception can be be attained only by self knowledge.

When you can go from finite to infinite, when you can go from untruth to truth and from death to deathless state, then only do you attain benefit by the repetition of the name of the Lord or Guru, and meditation.

Know this world to be an illusion. Do your duty which is allocated to you and this will not lead you to misery.

Keep your mind steady. It is going round and round like a whirlpool; do your spiritual practices in search of the ultimate truth.

Aatma or the 'self' is kindness personified. To attain purification, you have to merge your mind in the Self or Aatma.

Get the staunch knowledge of "Aham Brahma Asmi" or "I am Brahman". He, who sees himself in all beings and sees all beings in himself, attains the divine state of Godhood.

Shirdi Sai Baba's divine gems of wisdom can be found at:

http://www.premavahini.org/shirdi-sai-baba-quotes-1/

Shirdi Sai Baba Prema Vahini Temple- Insight from a Master

Insights from a Master:

“Learn to let all conflicts spawned by the mind to play themselves out and cancel each other out, as the Yadavas did on the final battlefield. Be a witness to the holocaust. The ultimate solution to the conflict is not decision or even choice, but passive being. Dare to remain inconclusive. See the endless quandaries of the mind as Divine Leela, His sport, as the natural function of the bundle of desires called mind.; do not rally to its assertions and appetites.”

“The ‘I’ in you is Paramatma Himself. The ‘I’ is the tiny wavelet that plays with the wind for a moment, over the deep waters of the sea. The wave gives you the impression that it is separate from the azure and timeless ocean below. But it is just an appearance, a creation of the two ideas- Name and Form. Get rid of the two ideas and the wave disappears in the sea; its reality flashes upon you and you know.”

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

For wonderful insights from enlightened masters, teachers and spiritualists, see:

http://www.premavahini.org/shirdi-sai-baba-insights/ 

Shirdi Sai Baba's Unforgettable Assurances - Video

Shirdi Sai Baba had given some unforgettable assurances to devotees. They sooth, they calm, they give hope and they give substance and spiritual sustenance to the devotee. 

They are typically in keeping with Baba's line of philosophy: Trust in the Guru or the Master; be fully committed to Him, and He would take you to the other bank of liberation, the other world of eternity and eternal bliss.

No more going round and round in the wheel of this grief-filled world of life and death.

Eternal peace. Joy.

Blessing. Beatitude. Benevolence. Grace. 

For Shirdi Sai Baba's hypnotic life, miracles, sayings, quotes and other facets of his quaint personality, visit: 

www.premavahini.org

Listen to the heart warming and uplifting words of Shirdi Sai Baba in the small video presentation here below:

More assurances that Baba gave for the uplift of humanity are given at:

http://www.premavahini.org/shirdi-sai-baba-quotes/

Shirdi Sai Baba Quotes- Video

Quotes of Shirdi Sai Baba

Quotes of Shirdi Sai Baba

More at: http://www.premavahini.org/shirdi-sai-baba-quotes/

What is the Use of Praying? Video at: 

http://www.premavahini.org/shirdi-sai-baba-questions/ 

Shirdi Sai Baba Miracle - Seetha Ramamma

Sarada Devi was from the Hyderabad Dimunion of India. She was born in a rich and powerful joint family. Her family had seventy boys and no girls.

Her paternal uncle was a great devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba. Taking all the trouble there was- mind you, it was the nineteenth century India - he used to visit Shirdi and Sai Baba often, and pray to Him that a girl be born in his family.

The kind Baba acceded to his request and blessed him, and a girl was born to his elder brother. The baby was taken before Sai Baba, and He named her, Sarada Devi. Baba was very fond of the child, and He used to call her, Gauri.

Gauri was brought up in opulence, with a silver spoon in her mouth, so to say. But she was very religious and very fond of Sai Baba. She even had great liberties with the temperamental Master. She grew up into a beautiful young woman.

There was a lady named Seetha Ramamma who lived in the same street as Gauri. This lady was much abused by her husband and her husband's family for not bearing a child. This had been going on for very long. Not able to suffer humiliation any longer, she came to Gauri one day and confessed her grief to the later.

Gauri told her not to worry, "Dussera festival is coming. I am going to visit Shirdi and pay obeisance to Sai Baba. You can join me too. We will tell the Great Baba of your sorrow. He would remedy your problem".

So before the Dussera festival, the two ladies packed their bags and left for Shirdi. 

The place was jam packed. There was not an inch of space in the mosque which was Baba's abode. The surrounding space was filled up too. The festivities were going on with colour and festoons. The ladies could not meet up with Sai Baba for many days.

Then on the Dussera day, someone came to them and said that Sai Baba was calling them. They squeezed their way through the milling crowd, and reached before Baba, sitting grimly in his usual place. There was neither mirth or merriment in His face. 

Baba gruffly asked Seetha to prostrate before Him. The lady did so as asked. When she got up, she found Baba quivering in anger, and without any rhyme or reason, shouted, 

"What are you two doing here? Get out of this place fast and get home",

and he kicked, Seetha so violently on her tummy that she spun away in the mosque.

Baba was so incensed that He was now trembling in anger. The people around shivered in fright.

Then what happened?

Read it at:  http://www.premavahini.org/shirdi-sai-baba-prema-vahini-miracles/

Shirdi Sai Baba Philosophy

Shirdi Sai Baba was one of the greatest saints humanity has ever seen. 

He was born with all divine powers. He had full power and control over the five elements - Earth, Water, Temperature, Air and Ether. His life was laden with incidents when he had to exert his powers over nature, by the cajoling of his devotees under duress. 

Shirdi Sai Baba was above the three Gunas- the three qualities- Tamas, sloth; Rajas- activity and Satwa- Balance. 

He was/is the all pervading Consciousness- the Know-er.

Still, He harbored a grouse during his lifetime; and it seems after his life time too, what with his various uttering and orders during meditation sessions to so many devotees.

His grouse was/is that during his life time and afterwords, his teachings and philosophy were ignored and are being ignored. 

He requested and asked many devotees to spread his philosophy and teachings, very simple to follow, so that man moved away from this grief filled world of attachments and aversions and attained perennial joy and bliss.

When during his life time, he showed too much love and protection to his devotee, Upasani, other devotees complained. It had reached such a stage that Baba would ask people who had come to visit him to go and pay obeisance to Upasani. 

Baba said, "My role is to create as many enlightened souls as possible, and through them uplift as many miserable people as possible to supreme joy".

As Shirdi Sai Baba seemed to have no ONE particular philosophy, and had advised each one according to his or her own taste and stage of progress- the yogi, along Raja Yoga, the royal road, the devout, along the path of devotion; the work-oriented along the path of activity- no one work or book appeared to guide the devotees underlying and emphasizing Shirdi Sai Baba's philosophy.

But if one examines his teachings and sayings carefully, the one path he would go over and over to, most of the time was the path of devotion, and that too- Guru Bhakthi Yoga- the union with the ultimate through the grace of the Guru; the realization of the SELF through one pointed attachment, love, reverence and devotion to one's guru.

'Reverence to your Guru is all that is needed. He would take you across the ocean of worldliness', Baba used to say. He also used to say that love and devotion to the Guru is the only spiritual exercise needed for Self Realization.

To know the life, philosophy and teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba, visit:

http://www.premavahini.org