All Saints are One - Sai Satcharitra

Om Ganeshaya Namah; Jai Maa Durga; Om Sri Sairam
Sairam All,

           Chapter XXI of Sai Satcharita says -"Various Saints appear (incarnate) themselves in various places to carry out the missions allotted to them, but though they work in different places, they are, as it were, one." I have experienced this personally just few years ago in my own way.

I shall narrate the same now.

              This was several years ago when I just started working. Through a very good friend of mine, I became an ardent devotee of Guru Raghavendra swamy. I've personally experienced His blessings through all these years. For those who do not know Raghavendra Swamy, He is a saint from 16th Century and He is a great devotee of Lord Rama and also has been blessed by 5 Faced Hanuman. (Pancha Mukhi Anjaneya) and he attained Jeevan Mukti in Mantralayam, Kurnool District Andhra Pradesh.

  

                          Last few years, I believe through Guru's blessings, I was introduced to Shirdi Sai through my good friends in US. I have known Shirdi Sai from my childhood, but was not an ardent devotee. Last few years since He has come into my life, He is pretty much my ALL.

                 After reading Sai Satcharita, a thought occured in my mind. If all saints are one and the same, maybe next time I visit Mantralayam, I shall seek Sai Baba there and vice versa.

               Later that year I made a trip to Mantralayam and after taking darshan, I wanted to shop around for a while. As I was looking through, I suddenly remembered to seek Shirdi Sai photo or picture or idol or anything there. Finally, after doing a lot of searching, I found a photo frame of Lord Shirdi Sai. I was happy and blessed.

                Two weeks later, we also undertook a trip to Shirdi and had a wonderful darshan of Sai in Samadhi Mandir. The next day, we were to return home and before we left, we again went and had another darshan of Sai. Then, we deicded to drive to Pune and take a return flight home. However, our car driver suggested we visit Lord Ganesh's temple just few minutes away from main Shirdi mandir. We went to Ganesh's temple and found to our surprise the priest was from the South. He was very happy to see us and we waited to get the pooja done. I just bowed down and on the plate, he had a silver idol of Shree Raghavendra Swamy and was getting it ready to worship. I was very happy to see this and also very convinced in my mind that all saints are indeed one.

                Later when I came home and discussed this with my teacher who is ardent devotee of Shirdi Sai, he said he has read several books where Raghavendra swamy devotees who have visited Shirdi have been blessed with Lord Raghavendra Swamy darshan.

Always At His HolyFeet,

Jai Sairam

Meena

My First Trip to Shirdi (Part 2)

Om Ganeshaya Namah; Jai Maa Durga; Om Sri Sairam

Sairam All,

I will now continue to narrate my experience in Shirdi during the same trip. After we had Baba's darshan, we headed to the billing counter. This was early in the morning, maybe 6 AM or 6.30 AM and it was still dark outside. At the billing counter, there were 2 counters and both had a line. We wanted to sponsor for some pooja for my late Father-in-law and we went and stood in one of the line. Just before our turn, we noticed an old woman with a head dress exactly like Baba walked into the room in which we were waiting. She had a yellow flower in her hand and she was slowly looking at each and every one in the room and walking slowly. We saw her and we ignored her as we were next in line and I was mentally making a list of Gothra and other details etc of my Father-in-law so we can give for pooja in his name. At the counter, just before our turn, the lady walked right in front of me and stretched her hand forward prompting me to take the yellow flower. At that point, my head was blank as I was waiting for my turn at the counter, so, I didn't say anything and I also did not pick up the flower. Next, she moved to my mother -in-law who was right next to me. Even my MIL did not pick up the flower. And then, our turn came and we paid at the counter and came out of line. The old lady now made sign with her hands as if to tell us that 'I gave you flowers, but you refused' and she went away. And we prayed Baba one more time and we went to the hotel to return to Bangalore.

On our way back home, my mother in law suddenly recalled that woman and told me that she looked exactly like Baba. She gave us something and we refused to take it. Until then, I did not even realize anything, but after my MIL spoke, I too felt bad that I should have accepted the gift from Baba.

This was my first trip to Shirdi and through this experience, I realized miracles such as these do happen and I should try to feel and see Baba everywhere.

Always At His Holy Feet,

Jai Sairam,
Meena.

My First Trip to Shirdi

Om Ganeshaya Namah; Jai Maa Durga; Om Sri Sairam

Sairam All,
Today, I'd like to recollect and share my first trip to Shirdi with my family. It was truly a wonderful experience and a very blissful one too.
My and my family visited Shirdi few years ago and it was my first trip. We reached Shirdi in the evening and we took some time, got refreshed and headed straight to the temple. I had heard from my friends and family that Lord Sai's Murthi in Shirdi is beautiful and blissful. My only strong desire was to stand before the Murthi up close and spend a couple of minutes there and enjoy bliss and peace.
When we reached the temple, it was an hour or so before Kakad Arti time. There was a big line and I had my 8 month old son with me. We waited for an hour or so before they finally opened the gate to enter Baba's Samadhi Mandir. When the gates were opened, all the devotees who were standing in line till now, left the line and just ran to the front of the line so they can get an opportunity to stand close to Baba. I could not run as I was carrying my son and was left behind. When I reached the Samadhi Mandir, I could not even see Baba's Murthi as I was way behind and there was a big crowd in front of me. I totally missed the Arti and did not get to see Baba from close proximity. I was really disappointed and after the visit, we left to our hotel room. After eating dinner, we slept.

My final thoughts for the night were myself saying to Baba "I came to you and having waited for over an hour in line, I did not get to see you the way I wanted (ie standing close to Baba's statue and have HIS darshan face to face). All this because I had the baby with me. If not, even I'd have pushed others and ran to the front to see arti and would have gotten your darshan from close proximity.

Early next morning i.e. Friday), my Mother In Law woke me up when I was still sleeping on the bed and she requested me to join her to the temple one more time before we left Shirdi in the afternoon. I woke up and told her I was not interested to visit the temple again due to my experience yesterday evening and went back to deep sleep.

Again my mother-in-law woke me up a couple of minutes later and said she was scared to go alone and requested me again to accompany her. This time, I just got up in a second, had a bath, got ready in minutes.

While getting ready, something flashed across my mind and I started recollecting about what had just happened with me and realized I had a dream.

After I refused to go with my MIL the first time, I slept and Baba came in my dreams for few minutes. He said "You are angry with me because you did not get my darshan the way you wanted yesterday. But come now, I will give you darshan the way you want it.".

Needless to say, me and my MIL went to the temple again and this time, I got to see Baba from very close proximity and spent an hour looking at his kind gaze. Thus SAI blessed me in my dream first, then gave me a wonderful darshan in reality and blessed me. My pranams at the feet of my Sadguru.

I'll narrate another blessing that occurred in the same trip in my next post.

Always At His Holy Feet,
Jai Sairam,

Meena.

Sai's Grace

Om Ganeshaya Namah; Jai Maa Durga; Om Sri Sairam

Dear All,

I have been thinking of putting all my experiences I've had with my Lord Shirdi Sai, truly my Father, my Mother, my brother , my sister and everything in this world. I am an avid reader and follower of so many blogs and I felt this will give me an opportunity to connect with other Sai devotees and followers to share each other's experiences and travel together in our journey to His abode.

Honestly, I don't know where to start. I've been religious all my life and have also prayed to Sai before like I did to all other gods and goddesses. There came a point in my life a couple years ago where I felt like I was wandering in my life, lost, in pain , confused and had no clue what was going on. All my family, nearest and dearest and closest people who mattered most to me and my life seemed really distant all of a sudden. For the first time in my life, I felt ALONE despite having family. That was the hardest moment of my life, till date. When I was wandering thus, lovingly, graciously, mercifully, my Lord Sai walked into my life through one of my friend. I did not go searching for Him, He entered my life when I needed Him the most.
And thus began my journey to His Holy Feet and I've realized, no matter what, I will hold on to Him every moment of my life. He ALONE will guide me to His Heavenly abode. This is a small effort towards that goal.

Please shower your grace and mercy on all of us Baba.

Always At His Holy Feet,
Jai Sairam,
Meena.