GURUVAAR PRARTHNA
Our Beloved Sadguru Sainath, please accept our humble prayers on this Holy Day of Guruvaar. Baba, please make us to believe You when everything looks doubtful, help us to visualize our dreams when depression wants to drown us, guide us to celebrate ourselves when everybody is rejecting us, help us to be a victor even though the future may look uncertain, direct us to soldier on even when the odds are stacking against us, help us to get better from a situation that was supposed to breed bitterness within us. Baba, on this holy day we start our prayers by reading your divine guidance from Shri Sai Samartha Satcharitra.
There is no need for any other means or money. It is also not necessary to be an expert in the six shastras. Only complete faith is enough because a Guru is he who wards off evil and brings about good luck.
Therefore, the Guru is considered great. Guru is the image of Brahma, Vishnu and Shankar. He who knows him in reality is the blessed one in all the three worlds. "
When the old woman was explained in this way, that story convinced her. She agreed to give up her fasting and thus honoured his wishes, by putting her head at his feet.
Having heard this complete story and having understood the propriety of it, I was happy and at the same time surprised at the revelation of the true meaning.
Seeing Baba's powers, I was choked with emotions, my heart overflowed with love and now I fully understood the lesson.
Seeing my emotional state, Madhavrao said to me: "Anna Saheb ! why have you become sentimental? And why are you quiet?
There are innumerable such stories about Baba. How many should I tell now?" And then the bells (of the Masjid) began to ring while Madhavrao was speaking thus.
Every afternoon, before the meals, the devotees would go and sit, in the Masjid, and perform Baba's complete puja with gandha, akshata, arghya etc., that is with all rituals.
Afterwards, Bapusaheb Jog would take the five-wick lamp in his hand and lovingly wave it before Baba with devotion, while the devotees sang the arati compositions.
The bell proclaiming the arati began clanging and we started for the Masjid. My wishes were fulfilled.
Both men and women participated in the noon arati, the women standing up in the Masjid and the men remained below in the courtyard.
Accompanied by auspicious instruments and the resounding sound of the temple bells, the arati compositions would be recited at the top of the voice and joyfully.
We arrived at the gate of the courtyard while the arati reverberated to the skies. The men had crowded near the steps and there was no room to go up.
I bow down to Sree Ganesh
I bow down to Sree Saraswati
I bow down to the Guru
I bow down to the Family Deity
I bow down to Sree Sita-Ramachandra
I bow down to Sree Sadguru Sainath.
Sarveshaam Svaastir Bhavatu
Sarveshaam Shaantir Bhavatu
Sarveshaam Poornam Bhavatu
Sarveshaam Mangalam Bhavatu
Om Shanti, Shanti, Shanteeh
-(from Shri Sai Samartha Satchrita, Chapter 19, Ovi 74 - 86)
