Understanding Shirdi SaiBaba Philosophy

Symbolism of Sai

Sai is Mother full of unconditional Love

Sai is Father all capable and Giver

Sai is Beloved Friend always present when needed

Sai is Doctor setting us free from unimaginable afflictions

Sai is Bestower of Wealth filling our lives with immense prosperity

Sai is Samarth Sadguru fulfilling our quest for self knowledge

Sai is all pervasive omnipresent internal wirepuller solving all our confusions

Sai is formless who appears before his devotees in the very form they think of him.

Sai is lifeforce giving life and sustaining this entire Universe

But who is this SAI????

Shirdi Saibaba who was in human body garment till Oct 15, 1918, would often tell his devotees that what you see in Shirdi is a body of 3 ½ cubic feet comprising of five elements that will ultimately merge with the same.  HE advised his devotees to look within and recognize the real SAI, the one seated in heart of each living organism, vibrating, life giving force within each one of us.

Close your eyes, barring your body and name, what is left is that feeling of being alive.  This is I AM.  This is SAI.

People have given different names to this life force energy.  However, it is this awareness, this consciousness of our own existence is called by various names Krishna, Christ, Guru Nanak, Durga and so on.  All are different names representing One and Only One Truth.  Like Sai said SABKA MALIK EK (Everyone has One Master).

This consciousness, the awareness of existence, the feeling of being alive, is common to all living beings.  Hence Saibaba advised us not to differentiate – ‘Destroy this wall of Teli(separation) between you and me’.  All living forms are one with Sai.  Sai is in All and All are in Sai. We may know each other by different names.  Ornaments are of different shapes but they are all made of one metal - Gold

Devotees who had difficulty understanding this were advised to meditate on the physical form of Saibaba as they saw him until one would close eyes and start experiencing the formless Sai (presence of divinity within).  Sai pervades through each and every animate and inanimate object and binds entire Universe, visible as well as invisible.

Knowing all as One form of Supreme Divine, Shirdi Saibaba advised us all to drop hatred and treat each other equally as extensions of Self.  Be kind, loving and compassionate towards each other because you, me and others are all One (Self).  Thus we should not revile our own brethren, not harm any living being.  Respect and Love all life forms as extensions of Sai.  There is no difference between Sai and Me.

Our overwiseness, ego, feeling of I-ness and taking up of Do-ership binds Karma and creates rinanubandhs (pastilfe karmic debts) thus obstructing our path towards self realization and ultimately keeps us far away from Truth – God.  Saibaba advised us to get rid of shackles of this MAYA.  Go beyond the visible phenomenon and look at the neomenon.

Saibaba asked us to work out our duties as per station of life we are posted and think of our own welfare first i.e., observing, understanding and experiencing our own true State.

Saibaba promised that he is always with his true devotees and follows them everywhere.

Vandana Ritik Mulchandani

Noida

Finding God Within  Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha Volume 13  Number 19 11 May 2017

You say: “I am a devotee!” Now, the very reference ‘I’ – can you tell me whom it refers to? (Devotees: It refers to myself; ‘ātmā’.(soul)) That ātmā is God! If this is true, is there any distance between God who is remembered and ‘I’ who remembers Him? Also, tell me, who is the real God? The remembered entity is God, or the remembering ‘I’ is God? My dear children, this is called the path of jñāna(knowledge). In the path of jñāna, there is no additional need to remember God at all! Years back I had made some ‘classic propositions’ to God. Listen to me with attention. I gave two challenges to God. One is: “Banish me from your territory, if you can!”.  And the second is: “Exit from my heart, if you will!” And till today, ‘poor God’ has not been able to meet any of the two challenges! Are you able to appreciate the power of Self-realization that enables me to ‘challenge Him’ like this? I am saying this because I know that He cannot do it! For, if He is able to do it, then he ceases to be God. That is the strength of my Knowledge. Generally, none will think of God like this! This statement cannot be, or will not be, made by all; but I am making it! You have to be a Knower of Truth to say like this! When you are enlightened, when you find God so dear, you can even play with God like this. (Swamiji laughs heartily …) There is one more thing I want you to hear from me. I tell God: “My dear God, I cannot always remember you. Do I have to? It is you who has put me into the world; I never wanted to come to this world! Now that I have to live in the world, I have to deal with other things of the world. Whatever actions and interactions I have to undergo, let me do them very well. So, I cannot always remember you. Nor do I propose to remember you always. “Either I will remember you directly, or, I will remember you indirectly through the world, your own product. What difference does it make? It makes no difference to me. If it makes any difference to ‘you’, it is ‘your’ headache, not mine!” My dear children, are you understanding these statements well? And is the understanding giving you some sort of comfort and consolation? So, tell me; what is preventing you from saying like this? (Swamiji pauses, awaiting response from devotees. But there is no reply.) When you communicate with God with this kind of intimacy, will not your whole personality undergo devotional transformation? Nothing will trouble you. Not only that. You will become invincible! (Excerpt from the monthly magazine Vicharasethu published by Swami Bhoomananda Tirtha. Subscriptions to Vicharasethu are available at Rs 100 for 12 issues and Rs 1000 for 12 Years.)