Category: Books

Recommended reading for every Sai devotee — from the Shri Sai Satcharita to contemporary works that illuminate Baba’s life, teachings, and relevance for the modern world

  • Sathya Narayana Poojah

    Sathya Narayana Poojah

    People in the Maharashtra, India always celebrate God Satya-Narayana Puja in their homes every fortnight or month.

    When they are suffering from any problem, they say, ‘I do Satya Narayana Pooja.’ After getting rid of the problem, they performed the Satya Narayana Puja.

    In all Sai Baba Temples, Sai Satya-vrata Puja is performed instead of Satya Narayana Pooja. People choose to recite the Sai story. It was told in three figurative verses. These were from the book “Bhakta Liyamaruth” composed by Daskanu Maharaj.

    Satya Narayana Puja will be held daily at 7 am and 9 am in Shirdi. At the end of the prayer, the priest reads the three stories in Marathi. He reads them on behalf of all the devotees present. Then the offering will be given.

    If  you have time, please attend the Sai Satya Narayana puja, at Shirdi Mandir(RS.100 per couples), and also do monthly Pooja at your home in front of Satya Narayana picture and get Health, Wealth and Happiness

  • Vishnu Sahasranama- Importance

    Vishnu Sahasranama- Importance

    Shama was a very intimate devotee of Baba and Baba wanted to favour him in a particular way by giving him a copy of Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam as Prasad. This was done in the following way.

    Once a Ramadasi (follower of Saint Ramadas) came to Shirdi and stayed for some time. The routine he followed daily was as follows : He got up early in the morning, washed his face, bathed and then after wearing saffron-coloured clothes and besmearing himself with sacred ashes, read Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam (a book giving a thousand names in praise of Vishnu, and held second in importance to Bhagwad Geeta) and Adhyatma-Ramayana (Esoteric version of Rama’s story) with faith. He read these books often and often and then after some days Baba thought of favouring and initiating Shama with Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam.

    Baba, therefore, called the Ramadasi to Him and said to him that, He was suffering from intense stomach-pain, and unless He took Senna-pods (Sona-mukhi, a mild purgative drug) the pain would not stop; so he should please go to the bazar and bring the drug. The Ramadasi closed his reading and went to the bazar.

    Then Baba descended from His seat, came to the Ramadasi’s place of reading, took out the copy of Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam, and coming to His seat said to Shama- “Oh Shama,  this book is very valuable and efficacious, so I present it to you, you read it.

    Once I suffered intensely and My heart began to palpitate and My life was in danger. At that critical time, I hugged this book to My heart and then, Shama, what a relief it gave me! I thought that Allah Himself came down and saved Me. So I give this to you, read it slowly, little by little, read daily one name at least and it will do you good.”

    The efficacy of God’s Name is well-known. It saves us from all sins and bad tendencies, frees us from the cycle of births and deaths. There is no easier sadhana than this.

    It is the best purifier of our mind. It requires no paraphernalia and no restrictions. It is so easy and so effective. This sadhana, Baba wanted Shama to practise, though he did not crave for it. So Baba forced this on him.

    It is also reported that long ago, Eknath Maharaj, similarly, forced this Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam on a poor Brahmin neighbour, and thus saved him. The reading and study of this Vishnu-Sahasra-Nam is a broad open way of purifying the mind, and hence Baba thrust this on His Shama.

    Ramadasi on return scold and abuse Shama and remarked that if the book be not returned, he would dash his head before him. Shama calmly remonstrated with him, but in vain.

    Then Baba spoke kindly to him as follows – “Oh Ramadasi, what is the matter with you? Why are you so turbulent? Is not Shama our boy? Why do you scold him unnecessarily. How is it that you are so quarrelsome? Can you not speak soft and sweet words? You read daily these sacred books and still your mind is impure and your passions uncontrolled. What sort of a Ramadasi you are! You ought to be indifferent to all things. Is it not strange that you should covet this book so strongly? A true Ramadasi should have no ‘mamata’ (attachment) but have ‘samata’ (equality) towards all. You are now quarrelling with the boy Shama for a mere book. Go, take your seat, books can be had in plenty for money, but not men; think well and be considerate. What worth is your book?

    Shama had no concern with it. I took it up Myself and gave it to him. You know it by heart. I thought Shama might read it and profit thereby, and so I gave to it him.”

    How sweet were these words of Baba, soft, tender and nectar-like! Their effect was wonderful. The Ramadasi calmed down and said to Shama that he would take ‘Panch- ratni’ Geeta in return.the matter was ultimately compromised.

    We only say that, had this procedure been not gone through, the importance of the subject, the efficacy of God’s name and the study of Vishnu-Sahasra- Nam would not have been brought home to Shama.

    So we see that Baba’s method, of teaching and initiating was unique. In this cases Shama did gradually study the book and mastered its contents to such an extent, that he was able to explain it to Professor G.G. Narke, M.A. of the College of Engineering, Poona, the son-in-law of Shriman Booty and a devotee of Baba.

    SSSC-Ch27

  • The way of happiness and contentment

    • “If a man utters My name with love, I shall fulfill all his wishes, increase his devotion.
    • And if he sings earnestly My life and My deeds, him I shall beset in front and back and on all sides.
    • Those devotees, who are attached to Me, heart and soul, will naturally feel happiness, when they hear these stories. Believe Me that if anybody sings My Leelas, I will give him infinite joy and everlasting contentment.
    • It is My special characteristic to free any person, who surrenders completely to Me, and who does worship Me faithfully, and who remembers Me, and meditates on Me constantly. How can they be conscious of worldly objects and sensations, who utter My name, who worship Me, who think of My stories and My life and who thus always remember Me?
    • I shall draw out My devotees from the jaws of Death. If My stories are listened to, all the diseases will be got rid of. 
    • So, hear My stories with respect; and think and meditate on them, assimilate them. This is the way of happiness and contentment.
    • The pride and egoism of My devotees will vanish, the mind of the hearers will be set at rest; and if it has wholehearted and complete faith, it will be one with Supreme Consciousness”

    SSSC Ch-III

  • Sai Baba’s Declaration

    Sai Baba’s Declaration

    Turning to Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) Sai Baba said.
    “If a man utters My name with love, I shall fulfill all his wishes, increase his devotion.

    And if he sings earnestly My life and My deeds, him I shall beset in front and back and on all sides.

    Those devotees, who are attached to Me, heart and soul, will naturally feel happiness, when they hear these stories.

    Believe Me that if anybody sings My Leelas, I will give him infinite joy and everlasting contentment.

    It is My special characteristic to free any person, who surrenders completely to Me, and who does worship Me faithfully, and who remembers Me, and meditates on Me constantly.

    How can they be conscious of worldly objects and sensations, who utter My name, who worship Me, who think of My stories and My life and who thus always remember Me?

    If My stories are listened to, all the diseases will be got rid of. So, hear My stories with respect; and think and meditate on them, assimilate them. This is the way of happiness and contentment.

    The pride and egoism of My devotees will vanish, the mind of the hearers will be set at rest; and if it has wholehearted and complete faith, it will be one with Supreme Consciousness.

    The simple remembrance of My name as ‘Sai, Sai’ will do away with sins of speech and hearing”.

  • “Shri Sai Sat Charitra” -SSSC

    “Shri Sai Sat Charitra” -SSSC

    Baba’s Stories are “Beacon Light (Light House)”

    The life of Sai Baba is as wide and deep as the infinite ocean. All can dive deep into the same and take out precious gems (of knowledge and Bhakti). They can distribute them to the aspiring public.

    The stories, parables, and teachings of Sai Baba are very wonderful.

    They will give peace and happiness to the people. These people are afflicted with sorrows and heavily loaded with miseries of this worldly existence. They will also bestow knowledge and wisdom, both in the worldly and in spiritual domains.

    If these teachings of Sai Baba are listened to and meditated upon, the devotees will get what they long for. These teachings are as interesting and instructive as the Vedic lore. The devotees will attain union with Brahman, mastery in eight-fold Yoga, Bliss of meditation etc…

    This collection would be most delightful to those simple souls, whose eyes were not blessed with Sai Baba’s darshana.

    So, I set about collecting Sai Baba’s teachings and expressions – the outcome of His boundless self-realization.

    Blessed are the stories of the saints. When they enter our hearts through the ears, the body – consciousness or egoism and the sense of duality vanish. When they are stored in the heart, doubts will evade. Pride of the body will fall, and wisdom will be stored in abundance.

    The description of Baba’s pure fame and the hearing of the same with love, will destroy the sins of the devotee. Therefore, this is the simple Sadhana for attaining salvation.

    The Sadhana of ‘singing of the name and glory of God’ is open to all the people of the four varnas (classification of society, based on their doing Profession. ie. 1. Priests & Teachers 2. Warriors & Rulers 3. Traders & Agriculturists and 4. Service providers & Laborers= Brahmins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas and Shudras ).

    The other Sadhanas, viz. Yoga, Yagya (sacrifice), Dhyana (meditation) and Dharana (concentration) are very difficult to practice. However, singing and hearing the stories and the glory of the Lord (Sai Baba) is very easy. We have only to turn our attention towards them.

    “The listening and singing of the stories will remove the attachment to the senses and their objects. This practice will make the devotees dispassionate. It will ultimately lead them to self-realization.

    With this end in view, Sai Baba made me or helped me to write His stories, Sat-Charita. The devotees may now easily read and hear these stories of Sai Baba. While doing so, they can meditate on Him and His form. This leads them to attain devotion to Guru and God (Sai Baba), get dispassion and self-realization.

    Sai Baba’s grace accomplished everything in the preparation and writing of this work, Sat-Charita. He made use of me as a mere instrument”-Hemadpant.

    SSSC Ch3 and 10

    Thanks Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan for the Book PDF Link

    Look at these:

    Thanks SSST, Shirdi

    Self-Affirmation from Chapter XVI & XVII of SSSC for Sai Baba devotees

    1. 🔥The Fire of Freedom I seek freedom. I long for freedom. With unwavering resolve, I walk toward freedom. 2. 🍂Sacred Detachment I release the world. I release its rewards. In detachment, I enter the realm of the Spirit. 3. 🧑‍🦯Journey Within I turn inward. I trust my inner Self. In the quiet depths, I…

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