Guruvaar Prarthna
Our Beloved Sadguru Sainath, please accept our humble prayers on this Holy Day of Guruvaar. Baba, we are very fortunate by calling ourselves as Sai children as all children are unique with mind purity, unconditional love, no diversion of mind and simply following parents, no enmity, no worries for future, making selfless friendship, flawless radiance on face, smile with magnetic love attracting near and dear , in short, the lovely little ones total dependence on parents eliminates all their worries and confirm safe shelter. Being Your children, please bless all qualities of a child as we totally depending on You, always looking for You for our nourishment and growth and we wish to be Your children for now and always. On this holy day we start our prayers by reading your divine guidance in Shri Sai Samartha Satcharitra.
On one occasion Tatyasaheb Noolkar's friend, by the name of Dr. Pandit came to Shirdi only once to take Sai Baba's darshan.
No sooner than he arrived at Shirdi, he went first to the Masjid and after doing obeisance to Baba, sat quietly for a moment.
Baba then said to him: "Go to Dada Bhat's. Go, go this way ", showing the way with the fingers of his hand.
Pandit went to Dada's. Dada gave him a suitable welcome. Then when Dada set out for Baba's worship, he asked him if he would come along.
Pandit accompanied Dada. Dada worshipped Baba. Till then no one had dared apply fragrant paste (gandh) " tilak" (circular, auspicious mark on the forehead) to Baba.
Whosoever may be the devotee, he would not allow him to apply the fragrant paste to his forehead. Only Mhalsapati smeared it on his throat; others applied it to his feet.
But this Pandit was simple and full of devotion. He took away Dada's "puja thali", and holding Sree Sai's head, he annointed him with the three fingered parallel lines; (tripundra).
Seeing his daring, Dada's heart began to beat hard. He thought that Baba would be enraged. What a rash act this was!
Thus the impossible had happened! Baba did not utter a word. On the contrary he seemed quite pleased and did not get angry with him at all.
So be it. He let that moment pass. But Dada felt a disquietude. Then, that same day's end he asked Baba about it.
" When we try to apply a small tilak of paste to your forehead, you do not allow us to touch your forehead – but what happened this morning?
You dislike our tilak. Yet Pandit'stripundara was found favourable! Why this unusual behaviour? There seems to be some inconsistency" .
Then very lovingly Sai smiled and spoke to Dada. Listen to that sweet remark with devotion, all of you.
" Dada, his Guru is a Brahmin. I am by caste a Mussalman. But believing me to be his Guru, he did Guru puja.
I am a great, pious Brahmin. He is an unholy Yavan (Muslim). How should he be worshipped? He had no such doubts.
This is how he ensnared me. There I had no alternative. There was no room to raise any objection. He overwhelmed me".
Though such a reply was heard, Dada took it lightly. But the essence was realised when Dada returned (home).
This inconsistency of Baba greatly hurt Dada. But, while talking to Pandit, his doubts were immediately clarified.
Pandit was enjoined to the feet of Raghunath, a sage from Dhopeshwar, well known as 'Kaka Puranik'. The deep relationship was that of a disciple.
He invoked Kaka. He experienced such a feeling (that Baba was one with Kaka). As per one's faith, devotion is rewarded.
So be it. He would get all the rituals done if only he so desired. Otherwise he would throw away the 'puja thalis' and he would become 'Narasimhan' incarnate (display wrath).
When he displayed this nature, who would be so courageous as to withstand it? Everyone would run for their lives when he was furious.
Suddenly, at times, he is furious and full of fire and brimstone, with his devotees; sometimes, he is softer than wax – the image of peace and forgiveness.
At times, he resembles an erupted volcano (fire at the time of destruction), and would keep the devotees at the razor's edge (hold them in mortal fear); at times he is softer than butter, and shines with bliss.
Even if he trembles with rage and rolls his eyes, round and round, but within his heart there is a spring of kindness like a mother's towards her child.
Within a moment when he resumes his normal behaviour (after his anger subsides) he would call his devotees by name and say: "When I get angry with anyone, I am not aware of it.
If a mother kicks her child, or the ocean rolls back the water of the rivers, then only would I scornfully neglect you and would harm you.
I am under my devotees' obligations. I am always beside them (standing close). I am always hungry for love. I am at their beck and call ".
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 11, Ovi 49 - 76)
