Smritigami - Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust,Shirdi||SAI BABA

‘Smritigami’ calls out,
“Bhiksham Dehi... !”
The Enlightened Being - Who helps all common beings find the rhythm of God’s grace, and in whom the
divine functions of creation, sustenance, dissolution are constantly revealed- channeled through Brahmarishi
Atri. The holy Trimurti or Trilogy consist of cosmic powers personalized in the form of Brahma the Creator,
Vishnu the Preserver, and Shiva the Destroyer. This Holy Trinity amalgamated into one single boundless,
eternal and immutable icon, namely, Lord Dattatreya.
Smritigami - this is the differential symptom of Datta. Smritigami means ‘Existence’ - Existence that
makes its instant appearance on being remembered. Then, it may be any - of any form… That is why he, who
comes to our rescue in the very darkest hours and hard times, is called ‘Datta’; and we exclaim thus : ‘The
protector has come in the guise of Lord Datta’… and the Datta-Aarati puts its stamp on our exclamation,
“Datta yeuniya ubha thakla” (Datta has come and stood in front of me.)
Like Guru Dev Datta, Sadguru Sai Baba assured, “I shall be ever active and vigorous for the welfare
of my devotees, even after leaving this earthly body. I’ll come to their rescue as and when they
remember me.”
Because of the visibility of extraordinary divine attributes in Sai Baba, we invoke Him thus : “Aisa yei ba
Sai Digambara…” (“We invoke, thee, Oh Sai Digambar!”)
Those sadhus, yatis, faqirs, sanyasis and vairagis - who control destructive instincts and impressions and
renounce the world in its entirety - are identified with Avadhut Digambars...
... See, what happened once! Baba returned from the Lendi and sat in the Masjid. The devotees
began arriving for Darshan.
Amongst them was the great devotee Chandorkar, whom Baba loved very much. He came
with Biniwale (his brother-in-law), eager for Darshan.
After doing obeisance to Sai Nath, both of them sat in front of Him. While they were
exchanging generalities about the welfare and well-being, Baba suddenly got angry.
Baba said, “Nana, how is it that you have forgotten? After having spent such a long time in
my company, is this only, what you have learnt?
Is this the result of the time, you have spent in my company? How could your judgement
have strayed like this? Tell me in detail.”
Listening to this, Nana became dejected. He wondered about the reason for this anger, but
could not recall anything. He felt sad.
He could not remember, where he had erred. He could find no reason for the anger. But,
unless something had happened, Baba would never hurt anybody.
Therefore, he clutched Baba’s Feet and repeatedly entreated Him. Finally, Nana supplicated
earnestly and asked, “Why are You angry?”
“Though you have been in association with me for so many years, how could you have
acted thus? What happened to your senses?” Baba asked Nana.
“When did you come to Kopergaon? What happened on the way? Where did you get down
on the way? Or did you come here straight?
Something strange happened on the way. I feel like listening to it in detail. Tell me, what
happened and where, be it a big or small incident.”
Hearing this, Nana realised his mistake and his face fell immediately. Though he felt
ashamed to speak of it, he narrated it.
Nothing could be concealed here! Having decided this, Nana told Baba, whatever had
happened in detail...
Nana said, “We hired a tonga to come straight to Shirdi, as a result of which Biniwale
missed the Darshan of Lord Datta on the banks of Godavari.
Biniwale is a Datta devotee. When we came across the Datta temple on the way, he wanted
to get down to have Datta’s Darshan.
But, I was in a hurry; So I prevented him and told him that we could take the Darshan on
our return journey from Shirdi.
Thus becoming hasty and thinking, it would get late to come to Shirdi, I tried to avoid the
matter and disregarded Datta’s Darshan.
Later, while bathing in Godavari, a big thorn pierced my foot and gave me a lot of trouble
on the way, till I could pull it out with much effort.”
Then Baba advised, “It is not good to be in such haste. Thank your stars, that you had only
the thorn to contend with, though you had disrespected the Darshan.
When a very venerated Deity like Datta is on the way, awaiting Darshan, unfortunate is he who has not
taken the Darshan! How can I help him?”
Shri Sai Sat Charita Chapter 38
... Then, the guests replied in voices choking with tears, “Sai is Omniscient. He is the
Parabrahma Avatar, without any duality. He is Infinite and All-Pervading.
Whatever He has said now, is word to word our own story. As soon as this delicious repast
is over, we will tell you everything in detail.
Whatever Baba said has actually taken place in every detail. How did He come to know
without even knowing us? Therefore, it is beyond our comprehension.”
So be it. After the meal, when they were chewing betel-nut leaf, with Madhavrao present,
they started telling the stories.
One of the two gentlemen said, “The ghats are my native place; but I was destined to earn
my livelihood from a place near the sea.
Therefore, I went to Goa and thought of getting a job there. For that purpose, I began
worshipping and propitiating Lord Datta and took a vow to Him with great reverence.
I said, ‘O Lord, I need a job for the maintenance of the family. Therefore, be merciful and
give me one. I prostrate at Your Feet.
Within a short time, if You keep Your word, I will offer to You my entire earnings of the
first month.’
By good fortune, Lord Datta was propitious and, in a short time, the object of my vow was
fulfilled. I began to get Rupees 15/- per month, as salary in the beginning.
Later, as Sai Baba described, my promotions came; but I totally forgot about the vow and
Baba reminded me in this manner.
It may be considered that ‘dakshina’ was taken. But, it was not ‘dakshina’, but a repayment
of a debt. He reminded me, by this pretext, of a very old vow.”
Shri Sai Sat Charita Chapter 36
... Then Sai gave Udi to the gosavi and made a small packet of it and placing it in his hand
asked him to give it to Nana.
“Take both the Udi and Aarati and give them to Nana. Inquire after his well-being, and then
proceed to go to your village,” He said.
This “Aarati Sai Baba”, is like ‘Dnyaneshwar’s Aarati’ composed by Ram Janardan. They
both have the same tune.
Ram Janardan was a devotee of Swami Janardan, while Madhav Adkar was devoted to Sai’s
Feet. This was an inspired composition and without it, Sai’s worship is incomplete.
As Baba liked this Aarati very much, listeners should hear this Aarati from beginning to
end, which Baba sent with the Udi. Later, you will realise the fruits of it.
Aarati
Refrain :
“We do Aarati to Sai Baba, the Giver of happiness to all. Give refuge to the downtrodden
and to Your devotees, who are at Your Feet. We do Aarati to Sai Baba.
Burn up the desires. To those who are engrossed in the Self, teach them to obtain Moksha.
Let them see the Lord Shrirang, with their own eyes. Lord Shrirang. We do Aarati...
You grant suitable experiences to everyone in accordance with their faith and devotion. O,
Merciful One! Such is Your own way. Your own way. We do Aarati...
Meditation upon Your Name removes the worldly sufferings of all. Unfathomable is Your
action. Show the path to the unfortunate ones. Show the unfortunate ones. We do Aarati...
In this age of Kaliyug, You are the True Brahma Avatar, that has taken form and descended
on this earth. You are also Swami Datta Digambar. Datta Digambar. We do Aarati...
Once a week, on Thursdays, the devotees take a trip to have a glimpse of the Lord’s Feet
and to avert their worldly fears. Avert fears. We do Aarati...
The only wealth that I desire is to serve at Your Feet, O Lord of Lords. We do Aarati...
Just as the Chatak bird, desires to drink pure water (rain water as it falls from the clouds), so give me
Madhav, knowledge directly O Lord! And, kindly give me Your assurance. Your assurance. We do
Aarati...”
Shri Sai Sat Charita Chapter 33
‘‘ ... Who can give enough to another person? However, much is given, it is always
inadequate. But, when my Sarkar (God) begins it lasts till the end of time. The only True Giver
is my Sarkar. Can any else be compared with Him? How can the finite be the ornament of the
infinite? My Sarkar says ‘take, take’; but everybody comes to me and says ‘give, give’. Nobody
attends carefully to the meaning of, what I say. No one takes cognisance. My Sarkar’s treasury is
overflowing. No one comes to fetch cart loads away. When I say ‘dig’, no one does so. No one
wants to make efforts. I say ‘dig up this wealth and plunder cart loads of it. The blessed son of a
true mother should fill his store with this wealth’...’’ Shri Sai Baba Shri Sai Sat Charita
Chapter 32
Though they don’t own any world of their own, they still bother for the entire world; they maintain faith in
others, and allow suffering their body for the welfare of others.
One out of these is the great Saint Sai, full of divine attributes and perfections. But, He lived like a fakir and
(Shri Sai Sat Charita, Chapter 8)
was always engrossed in Self-realization.
Lord
Dattatreya,
Who
absorbed
the
whole
misery
of
the
entire
world
into
His
heart,
assured the mankind by putting His words in Sai Baba’s mouth : “If you cast your burden on me, I shall
surely bear it... my words shall not pass away.”
Kashi snan jap, prati divashi
Kolhapur bhikshesi, nirmal nadi tunga
Jal prashi, nidra Mahur deshi...
(We invoke thee, Oh Sai Digambar, Who perform thy daily ceremonial ablutions at Kashi (Banares),
accept alms at Kolhapur and drink everyday the pure water of the river Tungabhadra and retire to bed at
Mahur every night)…
Lord Datta was such a mendicant Who - in the semblance of Sai Baba - stood as a beggar in front of the
five houses in Shirdi and called out, “O mother! Bhiksham Dehi!” (‘‘Give me a piece of bread’’), and spread out
His right hand to receive it in the tumrel (begging bowl), with a jhola (bag) hanging on His left shoulder. (Shri
Sai Sat Charita, Chapter 8).
It might possibly cause curiosity in the minds of most people that while the entire world and all the powers
bowed down to these Divine Avatars, why should Both of Them have recourse to the begging bowl, all their
lifetime? We have the answer to this inquisitiveness of the masses in the Shri Sai Sat Charita, Chapter 9.
Without the five sacrifices (Brahma Yagna is reciting of Vedas, Pitru Yagna - offering food by encircling
with water, Dev Yagna - offering food to the Deities, Bhoota Yagna - offering food to all creatures, Atithi Yagna
- offering food to the uninvited guest, who may come to the doorstep), the householder is advised against
eating of food. But, Sai would perform these sacrifices (for the sake of His devotees) and get the food cooked
and daily purified the meals.
Everyday, He would go to five houses and remind the hosts about the Atithi Yagna. So, the persons were
really fortunate, who could sit at home and earn the ‘punya’ (merit of a good did).
Those people, who after performing the ‘Panchmaha Yagnas’, ate the remaining food, were saved from
the terrible and unknown five sins; because the sins were burnt.
The well-known five sins are : ‘Kandani’ - pestle, ‘Chulli’ - lighting the hearth fire, ‘Udkumbhi’ - water pots,
‘Peshani’ - grinding, ‘Marjani’ - sweeping.
The grains are put in the pot (ukhal) and the pestle strikes the grain, so that the chaff is removed and
unknowingly during this activity lives are destroyed.
But, the grains are not edible without the above-mentioned treatment. Therefore, the sin known as
‘Kandani’, is counted first in the list of ‘Panch Soonas’.
In the stove, wood is burnt and cooking is done. There also, without knowing, life is destroyed. This sin is
known as ‘Chulli’, the second sin.
Even in a grinding stone or wooden grinding mill, when grains are ground, unknowingly innumerable lives
are destroyed. That sin is known as ‘Peshani’.
When people bring water in the pots from a well, or a lake, or a tank, or when men and women wash
clothes, innumerable lives are destroyed.
While cleaning the pot, scrubbing and rubbing with the hands, unwittingly life is destroyed. This is the
fourth sin of ‘Udkumbhi’.
Similarly, when bathing in lukewarm water or while sprinkling cow-dung (on the floor), life is destroyed
pitiably. This sin is called ‘Marjani’.
In order to be free from these five sins, a householder has to perform these five ‘Maha Yagnas’, after
which the sins are destroyed and he attains purity.
This is the power of purity of mind. The pure knowledge that is gained is sinless. After knowledge,
liberation is secured. This is the attainment of the goal of life.
- Dr. Subodh Agarwal
‘Shirdi Sai Dham’,
29, Tilak Road, Dehra Dun - 248 001,
Uttarakhand.
Mobile : (0)9897202810
Tel. & Fax : 0135-2622810
E-mail : subodhagarwal27@gmail.com