Tag: Learn

learning from experience

  • Baba’s Methods of Teaching

    Baba’s Methods of Teaching

    Rao Bahadur bought a good Chirdi (small Sari) and presented it to the mind-servant of Kaka (Kakasaheb Dixit)

    Like a starving person getting luckily good dishes to eat, her joy knew to bounds. Next day she wore the new Sari, and out of great joy and merriment, whirled, danced round and played `Fugadi’ with other girls and excelled them all.

    The Day following, she kept the new Sari in her box at home and came with the old and torn rags, but she looked as merry as she did the previous day.

    On seeing this, Das Ganu’s pity was transferred into admiration. He thought that the girl being poor had to wear a torn rag, but now she had a new Sari which she kept in reserve and putting on the old rag, strutted herself, showing no trace of sorrow or dejection.

    Thus he realized that all our feelings of pain and pleasure depend upon the attitude of our mind.

    On thinking deeply over this incident, he realized that a man ought to enjoy whatever God has bestowed on him in the firm conviction that He besets every thing, from behind and before, and on all sides and that whatever is bestowed on him by God must be for his good.

    In this particular case, the impoverished condition of the poor girl, her torn rag and the new Sari, the donor, the dance and the acceptance were all parts of the Lord and pervaded by HIM

    Hence, Das Ganu got a practical demonstration of the lesson of the Upanishad – the lesson of contentment with one’s own lot in the belief that whatever happens, is ordained by God, and is ultimately good for us.


    Unique Method of Teaching

    In this particular case, He sent Das Ganu to Vile Parle, where he got his problem solved,through the maid-servant. To those, who say that it was not necessary to sent Das Ganu outside and that Baba could have personally taught him, we say that Baba followed the right or best course, or how else could Das Ganu would have learnt a great lesson, that the poor maid-servant and her Sari were pervaded by the Lord.

    SSSC ch-20

  • A Sai Baba Prayer Journey Through 26 Divine Virtues

    The Bhagavad Gita reveals 26 divine qualities that illuminate the path to God. Through sincere prayer and Baba’s boundless grace, each one of us can nurture these virtues within—transforming our lives from the inside out. Let us reflect, with an open heart, on how many of these divine qualities we already carry.

    Bhagavad Gita 16.1-3: The Supreme Divine Personality said the saintly virtues of those endowed with a divine nature—

    1. fearlessness,
    2. purity of mind,
    3. steadfastness in spiritual knowledge,
    4. charity,
    5. control of the senses,
    6. performance of sacrifice,
    7. study of the sacred books,
    8. austerity, and
    9. straightforwardness;
    10. non-violence,
    11. truthfulness,
    12. absence of anger,
    13. renunciation,
    14. peacefulness,
    15. restraint from fault-finding,
    16. compassion toward all living beings,
    17. absence of covetousness,
    18. gentleness,
    19. modesty, and
    20. lack of fickleness;
    21. vigor,
    22. forbearance,
    23. fortitude,
    24. cleanliness,
    25. bearing enmity toward none, and
    26. absence of vanity.
  • Baba’s EARLIEST life

    Baba’s EARLIEST life

    Sai Baba’s earliest period was with his original parents who had deserted him. They had given him away. His stay with them was far too short, for any noticeable development or change of personality.

    The next stage of life reached by Baba, was when he stayed with the fakir who received him. This period lasted for at least four or five years. It spanned almost from the first to the sixth year, which was the most impressionable period of Baba’s whole life.

    This fakir appears to have been a very advanced Sufi. He and his wife seem to have loved Sai Baba tenderly. They brought him up with all attention and care.

    In the case of Sai Baba, the father and mother are the earliest Gods. The fakir and his wife must have given him the idea of God. They must have responded to his love and his need for protection.

    After the fakir died, his wife took Baba to the Selu zamindar. The zamindar was Gopal Rao Deshmukh, a perfect lover of God Tirupati Venkatesa.

    Here again Baba’s destiny was that his previous line of thinking, feeling and being should be continued and not disturbed. The love which began under the fakir became still more powerful, under the care of Gopal Rao Deshmukh or Venkatesa.

    He was perpetually attending upon Venkatesa Gopal Rao Deshmukh. This was in a way which the Guru Gita aptly described. Baba was like a peon. He was ever ready at hand to carry out the Chieftain’s orders.

    There was no distraction of games or playmates or rivalry or any examination to trouble Baba. His whole heart ran on to the Master. Baba himself gives a description in BCS 175 which applies here also:

    ‘I loved to gaze at him all the while, and even for a few seconds if he were not there to see, I would not like to have eyes at all. I did not wish to go back. I forgot all things but the Guru. My life was concentrated in my sight and my sight in him. That was the object of my meditation. In silence, I bowed‘. These words referred to a Guru of a former life probably.

    But the description of the contact with the latest Guru in BCS 178 as given below is on the same lines and as follows:

    ‘For 12 years I waited on my Guru who is peerless and loving. How can I describe his love to Me?. When he was in Dyanastha ie. love trance, I sat and gazed at him. We were both filled with Bliss. I cared not to turn my eye upon anything else. Night and day I pored upon his face with an ardour of love that banished hunger and thirst. The Guru’s absence for a second made me restless.
    I meditated on nothing but the Guru, and had no goal, or object, other than the Guru. Unceasingly fixed upon him was my mind. Wonderful indeed, the art of my Guru! I wanted nothing but the Guru and he wanted nothing but this intense love from me. Apparently inactive, he never neglected me, but always protected me by his glance.

    That Guru never blew any mantra into my ear. By his grace, I attained to my present state. Making the Guru the sole object of one’s thoughts and aims one attains Paramartha, the Supreme Goal.“

    The positive and the negative go together in this early period. This means thorough detachment from the world and thorough attachment to God or the Guru representing God. However, it might be of great importance in making up Baba’s life.

    The life of Baba was to be a life of perfection. After Mahasamadhi, this should be fully recognised as the Divine operating without limitations of time or place. It is for the benefit, not of one individual or one country but for all.

  • PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT, SHRI SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST

    PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT, SHRI SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST

    PUBLICATION DEPARTMENT OF SHRI SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST SHIRDI is selling monthly magazine and many books They are offered officially at a very low price.

    First Issue of Shri Sai Leela, monthly magazine, More than 100 years Old. Saga year 1845. (1922)

    These books are available in many languages, including English and German.

    You can see the list of books published by them in the following Website.

    Browse the list and buy your books online itself, directly Only from Shirdi Mandir, with the blessings of Sadguru Sai Baba, Shirdi

    Browse list at https://www.sai.org.in/en/publication-list

    Login at https://online.sai.org.in/#/Publications

  • 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

  • Special Value of Human Birth

    Special Value of Human Birth

    As we all know, four things are common to all the creatures, viz. food, sleep, fear and sexual union. In the case of man, he is endowed with a special faculty, viz. knowledge, with the help of which he can attain God-vision, which is impossible in any other birth. It is for this reasons that Gods envy man’s fortune and aspire to be born as men on earth, so as to get their final deliverance.

    Some say, that there is nothing worse than the human body, which is full of filth, mucus, phlegm and dirt, and which is subject to decay, disease and death. This is no doubt true to a certain extent; but inspite of these drawbacks and defects, the special value of the human body is – that

    1. man has got the capacity to acquire knowledge:
    2. it is only due to the human knowledge that one can think of the perishable and transitory nature of the body itself, and of the world and
    3. get a disgust for the sense-enjoyments and can discriminate between the unreal and the real,
    4. and thus attain God-vision.
    • So, if we reject or neglect the body because it is filthy, we lose the chance of God-vision, and
    • if we fondle it, and run after sense – enjoyments, because it is precious, we go to hell.
    • The proper course, therefore, for us to pursue is the following;

    that the body should neither be neglected nor fondled, but should be properly cared for, just as a traveler on horse-back takes care of his pony on the way till he reaches his destination and returns home.

    Thus the body should ever be used or engaged to attain God-vision or self-realization, which is the supreme end of life.

    SSSC Ch-8

  • Snake wouldn’t bite you; When?

    Snake wouldn’t bite you; When?

    Devotees of Sai Baba, like Kasinath have received directives from him. They are told to adopt the process of mentally conceiving Sainath. Sainath should be envisioned as being inside each creature they meet.

    For instance, a young man went out at night and under a tree saw an evil spirit or ghost, and hastily returned. Baba the next day asked him, what he saw. The young man answered. ‘I saw an evil spirit’. Baba said “No, It was I’. The person answered again that he saw an evil spirit.

    Then Baba said “Go to your mother and ask her”. The man went to his mother. She told him that Baba (being God) is in every creature, whether evil or good spirit. Therefore, ‘Baba wants you to remember that He is in everything and that you need not fear anything‘.

    Similarly, when Baba passed away from his body in 1918, one Lakshmi was praying. She said, “Baba, should you not show yourself to me?”

    She came out in the dark from the Mosque. On her way, there was a snake. Immediately, she asked, “Baba, if you come to me in this form of a snake, what should I do?” Despite being terrified by the snake’s form, she saw Baba within it. She prayed to the snake, picturing Baba. This is the practice commended by Baba.

    If you dip yourself by laya (brought to the wave length of) in God constantly, then you feel that you are part and parcel of God- BG XI (9) 22-23.

    Similarly everything is part and parcel of God. The dog, the snake, and everything are manifestations of that sacred force. You call this sacred force your God. If so realized, it will really react on you like God only.

    If you suddenly see a snake , No other Go, then Worship it as God, and it will not bite you.

    Similarly stand before an evil spirit and say: “Thou art Brahman’. The evil spirit will not harm you.

    The very moment you are thinking that everything is God, your spirit is part of God. You cease to be your body. No harm can befall you.

    This is the most valuable teaching and training that Baba gave under this heading of Cosmic feeling of Godhood

  • 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

  • Movies On Life History Of Shirdi Sai Baba

    Movies On Life History Of Shirdi Sai Baba

    There are many movies on the Life of Shirdi Sai Baba.

    YearFilm*Language
    1955Shirdi Che Sai Baba (English subtitle)Marathi
    1977Shirdi Ka Sai BabaHindi
    1986Sri Shirdi Saibaba MahathyamTelugu
    1989Bhagavan Shri Sai BabaKannada
    1993Sai BabaMarathi
    1999Maya /   Guru Poornima /  JayasuryaTamil
    Telugu
    Kannada
    2000Sri Sai MahimaTelugu
    2001Shirdi Sai BabaHindi
    2005Ishwarya Avatar Sai BabaHindi
    2010Malik EkHindi
    2011Bhagwan Sri Shirdi Sai BabaKannada
    2012Shirdi SaiTelugu
    2017Mere SaiHindi
    “Bhagwan Sri Sai Baba”, released in 1993 is also available with English Title in YouTube

    * Check Our disclaimer and Policy on YouTube

    ✅ Direct Links to Authorized Sai Baba Full Movies

    You can safely use a direct link to any of these videos available in YouTube:

    Movie TitleLengthAuthorized ChannelDirect Link
    1. Shirdi Sai (HD) – Hindi Dubbed Full Movie (Starring Nagarjuna)2 hours 16 minsGoldmines (A major content distributor)[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OYyZUpAqAIs]
    2. Shirdi Ka Sai Baba (1977) – Full Movie (Classic film starring Sudhir Dalvi)2 hours 26 minsPlayMovies (A large movie content channel)[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHzhtn1LVbA]

    Note : WE acknowledge the movie is hosted by the above distributors on YouTube, and that our site is only providing a link; We are not hosting or distributing the film.

    Enjoy watching these heartfelt films and other beautiful depictions of Shirdi Sai Baba at cinema theaters, on YouTube, and on TV, surrounded by your loved ones; may you all receive Baba’s blessings together.

    Do you know other Cinema etc ? Please help other Devotees to see. Both get blessings of Shirdi Sai Baba; Give the following details:-

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  • “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:

    FROM DARK TO BRIGHT WITH SMALL LIGHT

    Sai Baba’s Teachings to Overcome Anxiety, Worry and Overthinking

    In the Sree Sai Samartha Satcharita, several incidents in Shirdi Sai Baba’s life and teachings directly address anxiety, generalized worry, overthinking, and feeling mentally overwhelmed. Below is a list of these incidents and Baba’s specific guidance: 1. Dharamsi Jethabhai Thakkar: Overthinking and Imaginary Burdens 2. Gopal Narayan Ambdekar: Mental Overwhelm and Despair 3. Anantrao Patankar:…

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    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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