“Eating that lovely bread I(Baba) am heartily contended and I am still belching. The dog which you saw before meals, and to which you gave the piece of bread is, one with Me.
So also other creatures (cats, pigs, flies, cows etc.) are one with Me. I am roaming in their forms. He, who sees Me in all these creatures is My beloved.
So abandon the sense of duality and distinction, and serve Me, as you did today.
Baba in SSSC-Chapter 9 to Mrs. Tarkhad
Category: Other Sadhnas
Methods of/ Devices for Doing
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He, who sees Me (Baba) in all the creatures
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Quotation- BCS 309
Alms giving without discrimination
“Athiti is what ever creature is hungry and comes on to you, at that (kakabali-crow offering) time, whether it is human or a bird, beast or insect.All these seek food. The real Athiti that you get, (but) you do not regard as such. These have come to you in lakhs.
Nana! give up your rotten interpretation*. At kakabali, take plenty of boiled rice outside the house and leave it there.
Do not shout or call for any, nor drive away. Whatever the creature that comes to eat, let not that disturb your mind. You get thus the merit of feeding lakhs of guests. “
Baba in BCS para 309 to N G Chandorkar alias Nana
*The phrase “Atithi Devo Bhava” translates to “The guest is akin to God,” highlighting the reverence and care that should be given to guests.
In Hinduism, welcoming guests, especially unexpected ones, is considered a sacred duty. This practice is deeply embedded in the culture and traditions, emphasizing the hospitality that should be extended to guests. Here are a few key aspects:
Rituals and Practices for Welcoming Guests
1. Traditional Welcome:
– Guests are often greeted with a warm “Namaste,” a gesture of respect and reverence.
– In some households, a ceremonial welcome called Aarti might be performed, where a small lamp is waved in front of the guest, accompanied by singing or chanting.
– Some families may apply a small mark (often a red dot known as tilak) on the guest’s forehead as a sign of blessing and respect.
2. Offering Refreshments:
– Guests are typically offered water, tea, butter-milk or other beverages upon arrival. This practice signifies hospitality and the intention to make the guest feel comfortable and valued.
– Following this, guests may be served snacks or meals, often including traditional and home-cooked dishes.
3. Providing Comfort:
– Hosts ensure that the guests have a comfortable place to sit and rest. Clean towels, refreshments, and any other necessities are provided.
– In many cases, if the guest is staying overnight, special arrangements are made to ensure their comfort, including clean bedding and private space.
4. Treating Guests with Respect:
– Throughout the visit, guests are treated with utmost respect. Conversations are often centered around the guest’s well-being, their travel experiences, and any needs they might have.
– Hosts may also offer small gifts or tokens of appreciation when the guest departs, further signifying the importance of their visit.
These practices not only reflect the value placed on hospitality in Hindu culture, but also emphasize the spiritual aspect of serving and honoring guests as part of one’s duty (dharma). -
How to conquer Jealousy, easily?
Baba guided us ‘How we can conquer Jealousy, one among Six Basic weakness of human’ as below:-
- “Among the six (Viharas) weakness, Jealousy is the easiest to conquer.
- In Jealousy,
- 1. There is no question of (actual) gain or loss, to ourselves
- 2. (Matsara) Jealousy is the inability to endure another’s profit and prosperity.
- 3. If another gets fortune or power, we cannot put up with it, we scandalise him.
- When he meets with loss, we rejoice.
- But is it good? When that man attains prosperity , what loss have we really suffered?
- Now, Do consider, the following points! If One attains good
- 1) let us rejoice (with him) or
- 2) let us consider ourselves also, as lucky or benefited or
- 3) let us attain or strive to attain, equal good.
- Thus, conquer jealousy first.”
BCS -Para 225
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Quotation 323
” What is this sira and who eats it? Do not say of anyone that he is your enemy”.
Baba wanted to point out to Das Ganu (devotee) that he is the soul, which neither eats nor has any other physical function. And that all souls are in essence one and the same, viz., Paramatma.
To one who has realised himself as Paramatma, there can be no enemy at all.
Which means, “The one Vishnu (God) is in you, in me and others; all he endures. Your anger is senseless. See the (same) Atman in every one. “
LoSB-Chapter 3 of Part II, to Das Ganu Maharaj who had said that “that man is my enemy”, when not getting sira/drink
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Sai Devotees-Do Free Service at Shirdi Temple
Sai Devotees, You can now do Free Service at Shirdi, under Sai Sevak Scheme of Shirdi-Sai-Baba-Temple-Management.
Opportunity to do seva at/near our Sai Mandir at Shirdi, and get Sai Baba’s blessings, directly.
About Sai Sevak Scheme
- Sai Sevak ‘Group’ with maximum 21 members
- Seva period will be 7 days only ie Every Tuesday to Monday
- Sai Sevak Group should reach on Monday at Sansthan’s Sai Ashram No.2 (Dharmashala) by 2.00 p.m.
- Free facilities given:
- 21 members accommodation, at Sai Dharmshala
- Meals at Prasadalaya
- Breakfast packets at accommodation
- Tea at seva
- Daily Darshan
- Aarti once in 7 days.
- Documents required are
- 2 Passport size Photos.
- Aaadhar Card Xerox.
- Medical Fitness certificate.
- Police (On Line) Verification or Character Certificate from Corporation Ward Member/ Municipal Chairman /Gram President.
- No compensation/ claim for employment, against Seva.
- Only 10 groups will be accepted for service in each week by Temple.
- Service Places offered at:-
- Contact:-
- Website – online.sai.org.in
- Email: labour@sai.org.in
- Call: 02423 258811/10
PS. The above details are given for information only. Contact the above, for Registration and latest updates.
Steps in registration process -
No Fasting
Bromatology is the scientific study of food. It integrates principles from chemistry, biology, and engineering to understand and enhance the foods we consume.
- Baba never fasted Himself, nor did He allow others to do so.
- The mind of the faster is never at ease, then how could he attain his Paramartha (goal of life)?
- God is not attained on an empty stomach; first the soul has to be appeased.
- If there is no moisture of food in the stomach and nutrition,
- with what eyes should we see God,
- with what tongue should we describe His greatness and
- with what ears should we hear the same?
- In short, when all our organs receive adequate nutrition and remain sound, we can practice devotion. This also allows us to perform other sadhanas to attain God.
- Therefore, neither fasting nor overeating is good. Moderation in diet is really wholesome both to the body and mind.
SSSC-Ch 32
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Man should seek God alone
Once God’s grace is secured, all else will be got with ease. For this, man must get rid of attachment, fear and hatred.
He must perform all actions as an offering to God, who is omnipresent.
The vigil and fasting observed on Shivaratri night have become a farce. True vigil and fasting consist of concentrating one’s thoughts on God during the whole night.
God’s grace is a direct sequel to one’s actions. Each one must examine and see in what spirit one is performing one’s worship. The Divine can be realised only through Shraddha and Vishvasa (steadfastness and faith).
The Divine is within everyone. Once man recognises this fact, he will give no room for bad qualities. Embodiments of Divine Love! Dedicate yourselves to the performance of your duties.
Do not waste your time or that of others in idle talk. Starting with the duties of the individual, man should aim at achieving oneness with the Divine as the ultimate goal.
Shivaratri is an auspicious occasion for concentrating the mind on God. Devote at least this one night entirely to the contemplation of God, to the exclusion of all other thoughts and worries.
– Divine Discourse, by Puttaparti Satya Sai Baba, Feb 19, 1993 -
FURTHER RESULTS OF WORSHIP II- Nine modes
Especially the nine modes of worship mentioned in the Bhagavata and stressed by Sri Sai Baba often have to be attended to and followed.
In setting out those nine forms, one can see how the external and internal are inextricably interwoven and combined and how one gradually progresses with lower and external forms till his inner kernel of devotion attains maturity and perfection.
The nine modes of Devotion are,
1) Sravana– Listening to accounts of the deeds of God, his Avataras and Saints.
2) Kirtana– reciting these or repeating God’s names and praise,
3) Smarana– constantly recalling these, especially uttering God’s names
4) Padasevanam– falling at the feet of God and Saints
5) Archana– formal worship, for example with flowers, water, food, scents and all the 16 upacharas etc
6) Vadana– prostration before God and the saints.
7) Dasya– Eg. service, doing every work for God or Saint.
8) Sakhya– remaining in the company of God or Saint and
9) Atma Nivedana-surrender of the self that is forgetting oneself entirely in the contemplation of God, after formally offering the self as a gift to God.
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SUBMITS TO WORSHIP OUT OF LOVE TO DEVOTEES
Baba’s submits himself to worship by devotees
Para Number in the Book “BC&S” and about Baba’s Submission himself for Worship by Devotees.
551. Baba from the beginning disliked or avoided the worship of his body by devotees. But Mahlsapathy’s ardent devotion began the worship and could not be resisted. Bapu, a four year old son of N.G. Chandorkar extended it, and all (then) began to claim the same privilege as the child.
Still Baba did not wish to have sandal applied to his forehead e.g., in three horizontal lines. But Dr.Pandit came and put these lines of sandal on Baba’s forehead. Baba suffered it quietly.
Dada Kelkar : Baba, How is it that though you objected to this form of sandal paste, you allow it now?
B.: “Pandit believes in his mind that I am the same as his Brahmin guru Dhopeswar Kaka Maharaj, and applied sandal to me as he was doing to that guru. Hence I could not object.”
Abdul Rangari, a moslem, came later and asked Baba.
A.R.: Baba, how is it that sandal is being pasted on you? This is not our custom.
B.: “Jaisa Desh, Vaisa Vesh (i.e., we must conform to our surroundings). The Hindus worship me as their God. Why should I displease them? I allow them to do so. I myself, am a devotee of God.”
Baba orders Guru Purnima Celebration
552. Baba’s (group) Arati and pooja on ordinary days was started in 1909; but for some time, there was no celebration of Guru Purnima by special worship of Baba on that day.
Baba himself sent for Dada Kelkar on Guru Purnima day and said “Do you not know that this is Guru Poornima; Bring your worship materials and do your Guru Pooja”. The Guru Pooja was done on that day and this practice of celebrating Guru Poornima by all the devotees worshipping Baba, then begun, has continued up-to-date.
But Baba objected to stealthy midnight worship of himself on Sivaratri, by H.V.Sathe.
"I draw to Me, My man from far off or even across the seven Seas to Shirdi, like a sparrow with a string fastened to its feet"-Shirdi Sai Baba, Indian Spiritual Guru-God 