SAIPADANANDA
A Thought
Do not be afraid of obstacles; each obstacle is a means for one's progress. Only those persons have progressed in the world who encountered difficulties at each step. Obstacles awaken the individual, remove the errors and unfold hidden power, but enslave one, who is afraid of them.
- Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji
Contents
1. Editorial
2. Spiritual Giants and Worldly Help
3. Value of Guru prasad
4. An Appeal and a Warning
5. Power of Guru
6. Guru Poornima
7. Role of Bhava in Vishnu Sahasranama
8. A test in Detachment
9. The ever-vigilant Sai Baba
10. Time for the Timeless
11. The Immortal friend
12. The Unsuspected Presence
13. Memorable Movements with Swamiji
14. The Lord of All Lords
15. His Living Presence
16. Subtle Bodies & Scientists
17. Moments Relived
Editorial
Making the Most of Life
When one looks at the life of Sai Baba and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji and sees how men and women have been used in wonderful ways for good, it seems incredible that any of us who possess normal faculties should be totally unaware of the Divine power within us that can perform wonders without ceasing. Yet the truth is that many people spend years of monotony in more or less complete ignorance of the wonderful realm which is ever awaiting discovery. It is a tragic thing that any of us should walk amid Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji's grace and yet be so unaware of it and in particular unaware of the source of it all.
Swamiji has taught us to recite Vishnu Sahasra Namam and turn inwards to a realm of truth and we must feel our way down to the roots of our beings until we come at last to an animating power which is not our own, a breath which is Sai Baba's breath in us. Instead of looking at the things outside our bodies and forming our assessment from what we see through the windows of our eyes, we must come to understand what it is that looks through those eyes, what we truly are. We must look within to this Eternal realm which is filled with God's own being. We must lay aside our own willing and thinking and turn the eyes of the soul upon Sai Divinity.
Some might ask, "What do you mean by Sai Divinity?" This is a fair question, for there are very many who have no real conception of Sai Baba and who are not at all willing to accept any kind of definition that points to some super being made in the image of man and dwelling in some particular place. A great many people very wisely put aside such definitions as being unworthy of our intelligence.
We can come to a true conception of Sai Baba only by the experience of His life within our own souls. It is not possible for any human mind to think about Sai Baba in any definite terms or to confine His being within such boundaries. But it is possible for any human being to have such a deep and true experience of Sai's life within the soul that there follows an experience of all life is like in all places and at all times. Thus there is born out of actual experience a true conception of what Sai Baba is and where Sai Baba is. And we come to see the truth, as we recite Vishnu Sahasra Namam and visualize Narayana as Sai Baba.
It is a startling truth to our mind, for it sweeps away the whole world of illusion that man has tried to build up in the imagination of his own heart as being a world in some way separate from the spirit. It is a truth that declares that all life is one, that every particle of the material world is connected inseparably with every other particle and that the whole of it is animated by Sai Baba's own life.
This truth, presented in human terms, means that every human being is inseparable from every other human being his body, mind and soul and that no man can arrive at the true understanding of his own identity until he arrives at this truth. Swamiji has given us the initiation of Vishnu Sahasra Namam which leads us to this truth. But fortunately the journey is not an outward one nor is it a journey of the mind. It is merely a journey in consciousness and it is one that can be made swiftly as we recite Sahasranamam.
This is why there is no need for any one ever to despair at the outward visible signs of material progress which seem to leave out the things of spirit. The spirit cannot be left out. All that can ever happen is that there may be an advance preparation made, a set of circumstances arranged so that the spirit can ultimately find its full expression.
For to make the most of life is not to achieve worldly fame and fortune but to achieve a point in consciousness where Sai Baba alone matters and where His purpose alone matters and where the full expression of His life and His light in and through ourselves is the one goal that counts above all else.
Swamiji has given us the panacea in the form of Vishnu Sahasra Namam and let us stick on to it day in and day out.
The grace of Sai Baba is his, who asks for it
The grace of Sai Baba is found by him who seeks for it
The grace of Sai Baba is open to him who knocks at his door
Spiritual Giants and Worldly Help
Is It Objectionable?
By H. H. Narasimha Swamiji
Life is a mirror. It reflects what we give to it.
Therefore, let us give it the best we have. And the best will return to us!
Some who learnt of Baba's miraculous help to his devotees have been oppressed by doubts and objections. What trivial work is done by the saint! If he be a great saint, could he or should he attend to such trifles, or to any worldly work at all? If not exactly infra dignitatem, does it not prove that he is not a Jnani in Sat-Chit-Ananda, i.e., perpetual absorption in Supreme Bliss of God or the Atman? Can zai Atma nishta or Jivan Mukta afford to fritter away his moments hi concern for worldly gains and losses, comforts and discomforts, even though they are not his but others? Have not saints themselves decried the working of miracles, and is not such working prima facie proof of the absence of Jnana or Realisation?
A close examination of these objections is not possible here. But a single circumstance that constitutes a complete reply may now be mentioned. Is not a fact that Sri Krishna, Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ, Sri Shankaracharya, Lord Gauranga and a host of other 'Great Ones' have rendered temporal help, even in small matters, to many even by miracles? Are these to be labeled Ajnanis?
Not His: But God's
What applies to them applies to Baba. The reader will find the truth declared often by Baba that what are called 'his' actions is really 'His'. Baba repeatedly stated that he did nothing, that God did everything that God is the Master (Allah Malik), and that he, Baba, performed no miracles and indeed did not do anything unless permitted or made to do it. Ample proof will be found even to these pages of his complete self-surrender his merger in or identification with God. Meanwhile, the reader is requested, in the words of Baba, to have faith and patience (nishta and Saburi), to wait and see. He will soon find that the apparently trivial is at times an important link in momentous affairs, that Baba's ‘worldly’ works is unworldly, that his efforts and care are consistent with-nay the expressions of his supreme love and bliss.
Baba's care for children began even before they were born. The devotees that successfully prayed to Baba for securing matches for their daughters and progeny have urged their prayers on all occasions, great and small. Pregnancy is sometimes the occasion of great anxiety and Baba has not failed to help his devotees in such critical moments. Here is a typical instance.
Presence Unnecessary:
The daughter-in-law of Nana Saheb Nimonkar, a Hony. Magistrate of Nimon was in the family way and in September-October, 1916, her accouchement was expected. Mr. and Mrs. N. Nimonkar started for Poona to help in the accouchement and called enroute at Shirdi. When they wanted leave to go to Poona, Baba refused. He told N.N. on the other hand that the latter should stay by Baba's side, bury him and then leave Shirdi. Asked about the accouchement, Baba replied, "Why are you anxious? God will help". That meant of course that Baba undertook the safe delivery of the child and that Nimonkars stayed on.
At Poona, no preparations for helping the lady were made and when the pains began, she was taken about 10 p.m. to a hospital and there within an hour, in the total absence of help when even the attendant nurse was absent, a male child was born in good health. At about that time, Baba told Nana Saheb Nimonkar at Shirdi, "There was a woman. She was taken to a place. There she was delivered safe-of a male child". Here again as promised, God did help- through Baba, of course.
The most amazing fact of love is that the more you love, the more you grow in the power to love!
Value of Guru Prasad
Guru and his Leela, Sai Baba's Teachings
By Radhakrishna Swamiji
Sai’s Leelas were novel and wonderful. There was a brick always near Sai Baba. He had great love for it, valuing it above his own life. Daily when he went to bed at night, he kept it near him and used it as a pillow. One day Chandorkar (one of the pet devotees of Baba) was surprised at seeing it. And he said with reverence (folded palms) "Baba, do not place your head on this brick. I will furnish you with a pillow." Baba said to Chandorkar, Nana "The worth of this brick cannot be reached, even if you made a lakh of pillows. This brick is my Guru's gift to me. My dear man, the value of this is greater than that of the universe. This brick is the object of my meditation and is also my meditation. This brick is my visible life. If this is broken, this body of mine must die.
When I was with my Guru in a forest, in the district of Parbhani (Former Nizam State, now Andhra Pradesh) near about Seilu an incident happened, which I am narrating now-listen. Some wicked men hurled bricks and stones (due to jealousy and hatred) towards us, with murderous aim. That stone which was aimed at me struck my Guru's head. That brick which struck the Guru is this. But my Guru's power was wondrous. Unimaginable! This brick was suspended in air for one and half hours. That stone which hit the Guru was aimed at me. Remember this. And it could have continued suspended in the air, but its force had to terminate hitting something. My Sadguru gave his head to the stone and received it on his head for my sake. See, Nana, how lofty are the souls of saints. On account of their power, the brick was suspended in mid-air. Such being his power, the Guru Maharaj was ready to surrender for the benefit of others. To teach me this only, he did not arrest the stone that came to his head. He saved me, but himself suffered. By (arresting the flight and) suspending the brick in air, he showed me his powers. Think on this affair. All wisdom can be derived from it.
This shows, those saints always take on themselves suffering to relieve other's suffering. They have power within themselves, but will not manifest their powers. I took up this from mid air and placed it at the Guru's feet and, my Sadguru gave it to me as his gift. As my Guru's feet touched this brick I place my head on it and make it my pillow. He whose head is at the Guru's feet, his shadow or darkness even is precious. So I daily place my head at the Guru's feet - (my head on the brick as a token thereof).
Therefore, it is but proper that I should place my head on this brick just as the Godavari returns the waters of the ocean to the ocean. When placed the brick at the foot of my Sadguru, Guru Maharaj (dear to me as a mother) spoke to me thus endearingly. "Good! Good! You have done us to give me this brick. Formerly, Pundalik gave a brick to Sri Krishna (Vittal and made him stand thereon. Now on account of your devotion, I have stand eternally on this brick. I swear to you thrice that, the very same bow of mine, which will be in the tomb, will be standing on your brick night an day". My Good Guru (Gopal Rao Deshmuk) Maharaj entered into and became Venkatesa. The foot-prints of that Venkatesa are on this brick. Therefore, I call my Guru-Guru Venkusa (i.e., Venkatesa). Such is the greatness of this brick. Have you now understood it? Sri Chandorkar when heard this was gushing with emotion and prostrated himself before that brick and Baba. If the Guru is gracious towards one, will he not get Iswara Darshan? If a man has planted sugar-cane abundantly and it has become matured, can he not get sugar-cane (Immortal Bliss obtained from unadulterated Devotion to Guru).
Any Saint's story will be most purifying and is the ladder leading to heaven. By listening to it, the mind gets steady in the Good Path (the path spirituality). Wise ones will get sins and troubles burnt up by the contact with Sadhus and Saints (Sat Sangh). One should live with a mind completely filled with renunciation and Vairagya, in solitude night and day seeking after the truth and the ultimate reality, if he desires to liberate. Remember joys and sorrows (pains and pleasures, etc.) are borrowed and they are always dependent upon others. All this that you see is mere MAYA (illusory passing shows on the stage of the world. Think of God-Parvardigar. He is the root cause of world, the Abode of all Happiness.
Gain and loss, birth and death, these are regulated by God alone Forget not God. When gain comes we rejoice. When loss occurs, why weep. We say 'mine' and 'mine'. What is the meaning of it? Whatever things are on the earth, their origin is like this -Loss and Gain-Gain or Loss. Their owners are the five elements constituted by God. Nothing is ours at any time. On should be ever vigilant to realize this 'Truth'. God gives with one hand and takes away everything with, the other. Life exists for going through pleasure and pain, gain and loss for knowing the unknown.