Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Upasani Baba Maharaj


Upasani Baba Maharaj
1870-1941


Early Years
Kashinath, as Upasani Mahraj was originally called, is the second of five sons in a Maharashtra family of priests famous for their piety , learning and devotion. Born on 5th may, 1870 at Satana, Maharashtra (in India), Kashinath did not exhibit traits of a normal child from the beginning, although his deviations did not indicate existence of any super-intelligence or excellence in him. He held extremely strong views about two vital aspects of life when in his teens. First, he declared that the formalized educational learning was only for bread winning and, therefore, after doing three years in a vernacular elementary school left it; merciless canning by his teacher becoming the immediate cause of such realization. Secondly, he hated and condemned the body (i.e. his own body) as the creator of limitations and pain in life. He spent all his time doing in Asans(exercises as per Yoga), Pranayama (Breath control exercises), repetition of mantras etc. With such an attitude he could earn nothing and for his family members he was a problem child. To make matters worse, he was married with the hope that his ways would change. Old habits die hard. Not only did Kashinath not change, but also a few months after marriage he ran away from home (at the Dhulia district in Maharashtra) leaving a departing note and reached Nasik. However, two months later anxiety about the plight of his parents compelled him to return home. Shortly thereafter his wife expired, but before the cup of sorrow could be emptied, Kashinath, now fifteen was got married second time. To earn livelihood he went to places like Pune and could not find a job because of the absence of any formal education. At times he did menial work for others and at other times, he took to begging. He was in a miserable state of life. Sometimes, he even had to sleep on footpaths (sideways) and live only on Margosa (Neem) leaves.

During this period of trials and tribulations, he met a saint who impressed upon him the virtues of Brahmacharya (celibacy). Leaving Pune he went to a place called Kalyan where he restored to begging as a means of livelihood, often quenching his hunger only by drinking water. A few days later, frustrated and exhausted, he decided to return home moving through Nasik. He reached home at Satana in July 1890. Soon after his father, grand father and his wife passed away. And his relatives arranged his third marriage.

In 1892, to earn bread and butter for the family he came to Sangli and studied "Ayurveda" the Ancient Indian system of medicine. In 1895 he started working as a physician at Satana and later at Amravati. He had done a job of a Malgujari (tax collector for the king or ruler) for some time. He also edited a Marathi monthly magazine "Bheshaj Ratnavali " for three years. By this time he had become very successful as a "Vaidhya", and had acquired wealth and fame. He also acquired hundreds of acres of land near Gwalior and started farming. But within two years numerous law suits were instituted against him. After having lost everything he came back to Amravati in 1908. He failed in all the material ventures he undertook. His health also deteriorated substantially due to neglect and lack of comforts. Kashinath now completely lost all interest in and attachment to the material world and his search for inner truth became stronger and stronger.

Meeting Narayan Maharaj
Then one day when Kashinath heard of Shri Sadguru Narayan Maharaj of Kedgaon, happening to visit Nagpur, he was drawn to His darshan. He joined the queue for darshan, but when darshan began, Maharaj spotted him and called Kashinath near Him. Kashinath fell at the feet of the Master, and Maharaj removed a Garland from His neck and put it around Kashinath, before the mammoth gathering. This was the gift of the Sadguru, which rarely one gets and rarely those who witness, understand.

After meeting Shri Sadguru Narayan Maharaj Kashinath journeyed to Dhulia, Paithan and Ahmednagar, for treatment of his breathing trouble that had started in the last few years while practicing Pranayama(Breath control exercises). His breath-cycle also got disturbed. Even his sleep, digestion and evacuation systems got difficult. All efforts of medical and religious having failed, he tried to get occult help of a Yogi. 

Meeting Yogi Kulkarni
A Yogi called Yogi Kulkarni whom he met at Rahuri told him that Kashinath had entered a high yogic state and therefore, must take the help of Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Presuming Shri Sai to be a Muslim, Kashinath did not take the advice seriously. One day when Kashinath was walking in the streets of Rahuri, an old man approached him to take hot water as a curative measure and to avoid taking cold water. Kashinath did not take this unsolicited advice given by a unknown person but continued his search for a Hindu Yogi. While on such a move, at a certain place called Jajuri, he went into a Samadhi state while sitting in a lonely place surrounded by prickly-pear bush. When he awoke, he felt very thirsty and went to the stream nearby to drink water. At that time the same old man re-appeared from nowhere. He repeated his advice in an angry tone and disappeared suddenly. Kashinath took his advice (this time) seriously and found sudden relief. In a short time his health became all right by this hot-water therapy. He however felt the desire to meet Sadguru Narayan Maharaj and in June 1911 traveled to Bombay to meet Him.Sadguru Narayan Maharaj received Kashinath with great love and warmth. He gave him a paan leaf to chew and colored him spiritually from the inside.On his way back he again met Yogi Kulkarni at Rahuri who again insisted upon him to meet Sai Baba, as Shirdi was on the way. 

Stepping on Shirdi Soil
Ultimately Kashinath came to Shirdi and met Shri Sai on 27th June 1911. Little did he realize at that time that he had met his Sadguru (Master) and that the course of his life would undergo complete thereafter. After staying at Shirdi for about two or three days, Kashinath wanted to leave for home. Obviously he had been wishing for a happy union with his family members and to live with them happily ever after. However, Sai would not agree. Everyone in Shirdi knew that if Shri Sai did not permit one to leave Shirdi, there must be something more to it. Those who disobeyed faced problems, which could have been avoided, had they heeded to the words of Shri Sai. When Kashinath pleaded vehemently, Shri Sai ultimately permitted him on the condition that he (Kashinath) should return to Shirdi in eight days. Kashinath, at that time, not having full faith in Sai, started worrying and fretting as eight days was too short a time. Sai knowing his mental state told him “well, go if you like, I will see what can I do.” Very happy at the prospect of going home he made a quick departure. However, strangely enough, moving from place to place, he reached Kopergaon (a village 8 miles away from Shirdi) on the eighth day. He was utterly confused and did not know that as to how in eight days of continuous walking he could only cover eight miles. Willy-nilly from Kopergaon, he came to Shirdi with a group of pilgrims and met Shri Sai again.
When he bowed before Shri Sai, the latter asked him
Sai : “So You have come, when did you leave this place?”
Kashinath : “Thursday”
Sai : “ At what time?”
Kashinath : “At Three”
Sai : “What day of the week is this?”
Kashinath : “Thursday.”
Sai : “How long since you left?”
Kashinath : “A week. To-day is the eighth day”.
Sai : “That’s it. When you left, you protested that you could not return within eight days!”
Kashinath : “I do not know how this has happened. It is all your doing”.
Sai : “Man, I was behind you all these eight days. Now go and stay in that wada” (i.e. Kaka Saheb’s, where visitors of Shri Sai usually stayed. ‘Wada’ means a building within a compound)

Into the fold of Shri Sai
From that day onwards Kashinath was put on probation by Shri Sai who asked him to stay in the wada (a place where the other pilgrims were put up). Kashinath attempted to understand Sai by starting to enquire from other devotees and observation of His daily activities. On one day, Sai as usual narrated a peculiar story in the form of a self-experience to the assembled devotees. He said that once he met an emaciated and pregnant woman whom he advised to take only hot water and avoid cold-water, so that the child could be delivered early. She did not heed His advice but went on to drink cold water. He again came and advised the lady not to take cold water but to take hot water only. When she started to take hot water, she delivered the child. While narrating the story Shri Sai pointed frequently at Kashinath, who was convinced that it was Shri Sai who had appeared at two places to save him. Love and gratitude engulfed him so much that he started crying. Sai told him clearly that he and Kashinath had Rinanubandha(Karmic obligations of the past, including the previous births) for many centuries.

To protect Kashinath from all external factors that effect spiritual growth, Sai asked him to go and sit in Khandoba Temple and do nothing so that Sai would be able to do whatever he wills to do i.e. to work within Kashinath and evolve him.  Sai told Kashinath that Khandoba’s (Lord Shiva) full grace will come on him after a period of four years.

Like a mother protecting its child from the on-slaughts of nature and people around even at the cost of her own life, Shri Sai protected Kashinath whole-heartedly and openly. Before the assemblage of jealous devotees who asked about the reason of His extreme grace He said, “yes, yes, everything has been given, whatever he is, good or bad, he is mine. There is no distinction between him and me. Now, the whole responsibility for him rests with me.” Kashinath still could not understand the import of the words of Shri Sai. To further indicate his future, Sai said “wherever you are, you are God – You will realize everything.”

The grace of the Sadguru is immeasurable. It is said that whereas a touch stone can change a stone to gold by mere touch, the Sadguru (Perfect Master) is such a touch-stone who can convert a stone (disciple) to a touch-stone i.e. to His own state (Perfect Master). The Sadguru, at this stage is responsible for everything, good or evil, done by the pupil. At this stage, the Sadguru virtually remains at the mercy of the disciple. By this total sacrifice of Himself, the Sadguru evolves the disciple to a state of perfection i.e. His own state. Shri Sai, once told one of His close-associates that the endeavor should be to create these perfect men so that they can, in turn, spiritually uplift thousands and millions of other souls from the state ofJivatma (bonded souls) to the state of Shivatma (Perfect souls). To evolve Kashinath was no easy task for Shri Sai. It is said that the difference in the state of consciousness between a stone and an ordinary man is what is the difference between an ordinary man and a Sadguru. Like a man turning a piece of stone by the use of hammer, chisel to a beautiful piece of sculpture, the Sadguru can change a gross individual to that of a perfect soul. This is what Shri Sai was trying to do on Kashinath. The methods he used were, sometimes, harsh from the point of view of Kashinath, but, none the less were meant for his evolution to that perfect state only.

To begin his work Sai told Kashinath “Sit quiet, somehow. Have nothing to do with anyone”. Sai wanted Kashinath not to create further ‘Samskaras’ or impressions for himself in attachment with other people but to draw his mind inwards. As he followed the master, a series of mystic reactions happened in Kashinath and around him.

To make Kashinath realize that, his Guru (Shri Sai) was present in every living being irrespective of the species, He once told Kashinath that he would one day visit Khandoba temple (where Kashinath used to stay). He further said that would Kashinath recognize Him, He would have chillum (earthen pipe for smoking) with him. About two or three months later Kashinath was taking some food to his Guru (Sai, who was sitting at the DwarkaMai mosque). A black dog who had been watching Kashinath while cooking, followed him. Without giving any food to the dog, Kashinath went straight to Sai, who said, “why did you take the trouble to bring the food here, in this hot sun. I was sitting there (i.e. near the temple)”. Kashinath was shocked to hear that his Guru was at the temple and he did not know. He told Sai that there was none in the temple except a black dog. At that, Sai said ‘yes, yes, I was that dog”. Hearing this Kashinath could not stop crying and resolved never again to commit such a blunder. On the next day, while cooking, he watched around cautiously lest the dog would come again. The dog was no where to be seen. A shudra (lower-caste) beggar was found leaning against a wall and watching him cook. Kashinath the Brahmin (Uppermost-caste) grown in the orthodox tradition, immediately asked him to go away. Later when he approached Sai, the latter asked him “yesterday you did not give me food and today you also ordered me not to stand there and drove me away. Do not bring food for me hereafter”. Again Kashinath was surprised and again he was told that ‘shudra’ was Sai Himself.  These two lessons taught Kashinath that God and Shri Sai are in everything, and that the essence of God pervades everyone and everything.

Kashinath becoming Upasani Maharaj
On the Gurupurnima day (Ashadha full moon day) of 1913, Shri Sai asked a devotee Chandrabai, a strong willed lady to worship Kashinath the way Sai was being worshipped.  This lady approached Kashinath in Khandoba temple with the Puja (worship) material for his worship.  Kashinath refused to be worshipped and, even, threatened her for her audacious act.  But Chandrabai told him (the language of Sai said through her) that even his body, which he thought was being worshipped, did not belong to him.  From this day onwards Kashinath was called as Upasani Maharaj as officially Sai installed him as a Guru even in his probation period.  After this incident, he started losing the sense of his body (Dehabhava).

Now Upasani Maharaj started having visions and feelings of a highly psychic and spiritual nature.  For example, he lost his normal vision by looking at the sun constantly.  The sun and other light sources looked dark to him.  When in this state, one day, he suddenly started seeing circles of light, which expanded and then came near him.  These circular specks of light would disappear coming near his body.  Now he started seeing spiritual visions inside these circles of light.  One day he saw himself standing at some place in the space and saw the whole cosmos including the sun, moon, sky revolving.  The whirling cosmos slowly became smaller and smaller, came towards him, and vanished near him or into him.  Upasani Maharaj now experienced that the whole world was illusory and revolving and that he, as a soul, was outside it. This was a higher stage in his spiritual growth.

From his childhood Upasani Maharaj had identified the body as the cause of all evils in life and had made conscious attempts to punish it.  For a spiritual aspirant identifying the body with the self is a big limitation.  How Shri Sai removed it is an interesting story.  One day Upasani Maharaj saw a vision that in an old building he (Upasani) and Sai were there.  Shri Sai beckoned him to bring his ear close to his (Sai) mouth so that he could give a mantra.  When Upasani Maharaj tried to do so, a shabby figure, which looked exactly like him tried to pull Maharaj away from Sai.  Then Sai beat-up that shabby figure carried him out and burnt him in a pyre.  Identifying himself with this figure when Upasani complained about this action (of burning).  Shri Sai told him that it was his (Maharaj’s) evil form, which has been burnt.  Little later, he saw an illuminated figure of himself.  Again on being asked, Sai said that it was his (Maharaj’s) virtuous form.  Maharaj was surprised and asked if he had an evil form and also a virtuous form who was he! Shri Sai told him that he was beyond both these forms and was the pure soul the element with which Shri Sai himself was made of.

As Upasani Maharaj proceeded from the stage of illumination to self-realization occult powers and ‘siddhis’ came to him.  When an aspirant evolves in the spiritual path higher psychic and occult powers gradually grow in him.  He could read the minds of everyone – his past, present and future.  People started surrounding him and he had some following.

Often, when he would be worshipped by a few persons, a crazy ascetic called Nanavali, who stayed at Shirdi, would come and pull out his cloth and talk with him with disrespect and contempt.  Once he tied him up and beat him up. As Nanavali was a tough and dangerous person, no one could protect Upasani Maharaj.  His cup of sorrow was full but inwardly his Godly qualities were evolving to perfection.  He was getting ready for his new and bigger role.  Every time he faced a problem, Sai assured him by saying that He (Sai) was always with him and that the more he suffered at present, better it would be for his future.

Leaving Shirdi
One night in July 1914 Upasani Maharaj left Shirdi quietly taking mental permission from his Guru for a role he was destined to play elsewhere.  First he went to a place called Shindi, then to Nagpur where he stayed for about a month and finally Kharagpur.  At all these places, people started worshipping him even when he tried fervently to run-away from such situations.  He tried to remain incognito but people would not leave him in peace.  The Hindu social life of 1915 was full of the feelings of cast and creed barriers. To end this barrier of castism, in February 1915, Shri Upasni Maharaj moved to a poor man Namdeo Mahar's house in Kharagpur. Maharaj belonging to a high brahmin caste voluntarily stayed in a cow stable, and ate food in the house of Namdeo who belonged to a lower and untouchable class. The high caste disciples of Maharaj were forced to come to Namdeo Mahar's house to seek Maharaj's blessing, and be prepared to receive a warm welcome by Namdeo.At Kharagpur, he deliberately stayed in a dirty condition and used filthy articles and even abused people in most unparliamentary language that he could.  People followed him everywhere and conducted his Puja (worship) and demanded advice out of him.  When a flower blooms and its aroma spreads, butterflies and insects naturally get drawn towards it.

Same was the case with Upasanji Maharaj.  Since he had become a ‘Satpurush’ (Perfect one) people naturally flocked to him whether he liked it or not.   All persons coming in contact with a Satpurush get purified.  His following increased everyday and his surroundings became a place of activities like poor feeding, kirtan and ‘Naamjap’ remembrance of the name etc.  Although Upasani Maharaj would not agree to be the creator, but a number of miracles started happening around him.  After staying for about a year in Kharagpur, when people tried to build a permanent abode for him, he quickly left the place.  Soon he reached Nagpur, where also, people surrounded to have his darshan.  After two months of stay at Nagpur, he visited places like Poona and also his home at Satana.  As his four-year period was over, he returned to Shridi and stayed at Khandoba temple for about seven months.   Thereafter, he left for a place called Rahata where he conducted naam japs, poor feeding etc.  From there he went to Ahmedabad for some time.  Returning to Shirdi, a third time he stayed near to his Guru for about two to three months.  In 1917, he finally shifted to Sakori and started functioning as a spiritual master (Sadguru).

This was December 1915, and Merwan, a young boy from Pune who was God absorbed, after Hazrat Babajan kissed him on his forehead, came to see Upasni Maharaj. When Merwan approached Maharaj, He was as usual sitting naked, near the Khandoba temple. Maharaj welcomed Merwan by throwing a stone at Merwan, hitting Merwan on the forehead, exactly at the place where Babajan had implanted a kiss. Merwan started bleeding, and prostrated before Maharaj. Only Masters know their ways. This welcome from Maharaj left those who accompanied Merwan in great shock and surprise, but Maharaj and Merwan both were unaffected. Maharaj greeted and embraced the bleeding Merwan and took him inside the Khandoba temple where they stayed together for two days in solitude.

This welcome gift of Maharaj brought Merwan down to the world of duality, which he had lost after the kiss from Babajan. Merwan became a disciple of Maharaj and later on various occasions stayed at Sakori. He traveled with Maharaj to many places, throughout India. Year after year, Merwan's consciousness became more normal. One day Maharaj told Merwan that He had given the key to Merwan, and He had become what He was, a Perfect One. Wandering to many places, Merwan, came to Ahmednagar, and His first disciples began calling Him Meher Baba. From Ahmednagar in the early twenties Meher Baba started His spiritual mission.


Sakori
Upasni Maharaj began residing in Sakori, a place nearly five kilometers from Shirdi, during July 1917. When Sai Baba dropped His physical form in 1918 Sakori, a small poor village, had already become spiritually rich, with the presence of Upasni Maharaj and a growing fleet of disciples. Maharaj looked after the last rites of Sai Baba as His chief disciple. Maharaj always welcomed hardships. Once in 1921 He locked Himself inside a small bamboo cage. The cage was too small for such a stout person like Maharaj and He was most cramped inside. He said He suffered for the release of His disciples, and was standing as a surety in the divine court for their release. Over thirteen months He confined Himself in that small cage, practically fulfilling all His daily needs from there. The disciples performed His "Arti" and listened to His discourses from within the cage. At last on 31st January 1924, Maharaj released Himself from the cage, and stepped out of it to greet a small child named Godavari.

Last Days
This child (Upasni) of Shri Sai served thousands and thousands of people, day in and day out with least regard for his personal comforts and finally left his gross body in the early hours of the 24th day of December, in the year 1941.  Like his Guru, Upasani Baba had given enough indications about his final departure earlier.  

Upasani Baba was Shri Sai’s loftiest creation a stone turned into a touchstone.






Shirdi Sai Baba



Who is Sai Baba of Shirdi
Considered as an avatar of Lord Dattatreya. A great Saint considered as great guru,a perfect master, god by his believers. Devotees consider that he came to remove the enemity between hindus and muslims prevailing during the 18th and 19th Centuries. He has taught by his life and actions rather than mere teachings and words. His eleven assurances that he is there forever and will protect his people at all times are experienced even today. One has to experience them because if someone asks about the sweetness in sugar, it cant be shown neither explained. One has to eat sugar to experience the sweetness, in a similar way one has to know Saibaba to experience him. No one knows where he was born, to whom he was born. Probably he doesnt want people to look through the coloured glass of religion namely hindu, muslim, christian etc. He never revelead nor let anyone know those details. No one knows his actual name. When he came to Shirdi first time, a temple priest called mahalsapati called him Aao Sai meaning Come Sai.  As his dress resembled the attire worn by muslim fakirs and people usually called them by the term Baba meaning father. People started calling him as Saibaba and as he was in the village of Shirdi, in due course of time he was known as Sai Baba of Shirdi.

He never preached any one particular religion. Whoever came to him, he simply strengthened their faith in their particular religion, guru or god. He simply taught people around him with the basics of loving all irrespective of caste, creed, religion including animals, insects etc.

History
Long time ago, at the beginning of eighteenth century a young bearded man with sparkling eyes took shelter in a mosque, in Shirdi Village (of Maharshtra State, In India) . Nobody knew from where this stranger had come who hardly spoke a word and stayed there.

Gradually the curious villagers started offering food to the man, but he never asked anything from them. Sometimes he shared his food with the animals. Soon the young fakir, as he was started to be addressed, started expressing his view points with few elderly villagers. His simple language of expresssion and his special power of solving the problems of poor needy and destitutes soon made this less known fakir, known as Shri Sai Baba. As the days passed, devotees started streaming into Shirdi in ever growing numbers. The village was fast becoming a centre of pilgrimage. As gifts and presentations flowed in, the pomp and ceremony of Sai worship were evolving. Everyday Sai Baba would be a pauper having distributed all among the needy and the poor. But Sai Baba's life of a Fakir remained calm, undisturbed, unaltered and therein is the saint's Spiritual glory.

People also realised that this "Baba" was no ordinary person but a person with extraordinary godly powers. Such powers are not known or present in normal human beings. Baba preached his principle of love and faith in humanity to all his disciples and followers. He always felt anguished over the fact that all those who came to him were more for their own personal problems and not for attaining the ultimate goal of reaching God which he felt could be attained only by true service to humanity.

Sai baba strongly believed in uniformity of religion and he never distinguished anyone on the basis of caste, creed or religion. He always made it a point not to return empty handed those who had come to him in their hour of need and grief. He performed miracles to alleviate the suffering of poor people. On one occasion he restored the eyes of a blind elderly and in another occasion he lighted a lantern with water when there was no oil to burn it.

As all good things have to end ultimately "Baba" also left his body on his own will on 15th Oct. 1918, leaving his millions of believers and followers crying. His body was laid in the Samadhi Mandir called "Booty", which he had asked his disciple to built before his death.

Sai Baba was Unique, in that, he lived his message through the Essence of his Being. His life and relationship with the common man was his teaching. The lmmense Energy that was manifest in the body of Sai was moving and is still moving in a mysterious way, creating and recreating itself everywhere, beyond the comprehension of time and space.Yet, he lived with the common folk as a penniless fakir, wearing a torn kafni, sleeping over a mat while resting his head on a brick, begging for his food. He radiated a mysterious smile and a deep inward look, of a peace that passeth all understanding. He was always and ever aware of what transpired within the hearts and minds of everyone, whether they be, His devotees or not. This Omnipresent and Omniscient Sri Sai Baba who left his mortal body in 1918, is the living spiritual force that is drawing people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, into his fold, today.Sri Sai Baba lived, acted and behaved as only a "God descended on Earth" can. He came to serve mankind, to free them from the clutches of fear.

His most concise message for one and all alike was "Why fear when I am here". To take refuge in Sai, is to enter into a journey to reach the Divine Oasis of Love and drink deep from the Fountain of Life, the source of all Spiritual Energy.Wherever the devotee is, Baba makes him recognize within himself his highest aspirations and goal and at one stroke, his conduct and the attitude to fellow beings is touched with the awareness of love, understanding, patience and faith. This is the promise that Sri Sai Baba holds out to all who come to Him. Sri Sai Baba was beyond the limitations of Time and Space and thus caste, creed, position dogmas and doctrines were fundamentally unimportant to him. He claimed no possessions nor accepted any disciples or gave any specific teaching.

This anonymity lent a strange facet to his interaction with the people who came to him for guidance. To the Hindus he was an orthodox Brahmin, with a sacred fire, enjoining the worship of many gods and the devout study of various Hindu scriptures. He lived in a mosque but always referred to it as "Dwarkamay!" (Lord Krishna's birth place is Dwaraka). To the Moslems he was a fakir living in a mosque observing the disciplines of Islam, uttering "Allah Malik" (God is the master) guiding Muslim seekers along the lines of their own religion. To the Parsis he was the sacred rire worshipper. His life was a living manifestation of the Sermon of the Christ and of the Eight-fold path of the Buddha.

Sai Baba's attraction and appeal lie in this fact that he was a perfect model of the harmony of all religions, for whom this world - with all its sectarian and religious antagonism, had been waiting. Sai Baba lived to awaken and lead mankind to the varities of spiritual life. He set in motion a wave of spirituality, which is now spreading all over the globe. All his life's activities constituted the upliftment of mankind. By first conferring temporal benefits, he drew unto himself countless souls caught up in ignorance (darkness) and opened their eyes to the true meaning of life. The miracles which manifested through Sai Baba were just such as were needed to create faith in the people and to make his devotees ethically and spiritually better evolved. Baba did not purposefully perform miracles to show his powers. The very strength of his perfect realisation, in its interaction with nature, caused "the miracle" to take place. Thus he drew people from their deluded pursuits after earthly objects of a transitory nature and induced and inspired them to strive for self-realisation. He continued this glorious work until the last moment of his human embodiment in Shirdi.

Amazingly, there are a phenomenally large number of Instances in which Sai Baba has been literally physically appearing before his devotees, even decades after his passing out of the physical body.Sai Baba is constantly and simultaneously proving that he Is alive in spirit and responds to our sincere prayers. He Is the One Spirit of all existence. which is God in all the forms of God, in all the saints, in all the men and in all the creatures.All those who sincerely take to a life of inner development, Sai Baba lifts him to a higher level. Every one derives benefit according to the ripeness o f his soul and in accordance with his inner yearning.Baba assured his devotees by his saying "I am at Shirdi and everywhere. Whatever you do, wherever you may be, ever bear this in mind, that I am always aware of everything". Sai Baba does not belong to any single tradition but to all mankind on the path of goodness, love and understanding.

Lifespan
Baba took Mahasamadhi on 15th October 1918. Prior to this he stayed at Shirdi for sixty years. He was around 20 years old when he came to shirdi. So considering this probably he was born around 1938.  One can calculate his age as 80 years. But as baba said so many times he is not the physical 5 and 1/2 feet form.
During one of the court question and answer session baba said that his age is thousands of years, he was there earlier, he is there now and he will be there hereafter. Because of such thing only he gave 11 assurances to all his devotees and followers that he will surely protect them even from his samadhi, which he is doing even today. Those who believe in him can experience such protection from him.


11 Assurances of Shri Sainath 

  1. Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings would come to an end.
  2. The wretched and miserable would rise into plenty of joy and happiness, as soon as they climb steps of my Samadhi.
  3. I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body.
  4. My Samadhi (tomb) shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees.
  5. I shall be active and vigorous even from the Samadhi (tomb).
  6. My mortal remains would speak from the Samadhi (tomb).
  7. I am ever living to help and guide all who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.
  8. Look to me, I will  look to you.
  9. Cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it.
  10. Seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once.
  11. There shall be no want in the house of my devotees 


Words are less to explain about him. Only we can salute such great master. But a little attempt to sing and praise the glory of guru.

Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai.

Anatakoti Brahmanda Nayaka Rajadhi Raja Yogiraja Parabrahma Sachidananda Samarda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki Jai.




Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Samarda Ramdas


Ramdas (Marathi: समर्थ रामदास, Rāmdās) (1606–1682) was a prominent Marathi saint and religious poet in the Hindu tradition in Maharashtra, India. Samarth Ramdas was a devotee of Lord Hanuman and Lord Rama. His birth name was Narayan Suryajipant Kulkarni Thosar.

Early life
Ramdas Swami was born in a Deshastha Rugvedi Bramhan family to Suryāji and Rānu-Bāi Thosar in Jāmb in Jalna District of Maharashtra on Ram Navami (the birth festival of Lord Ram), 1530 according to "Shāliwāhan Shak" calendar. His given name was Nārāyan.

As a child, Ramdas showed an inclination toward metaphysical contemplation and religion. One recorded incident tells how he was walking in the dark and bumped into something under a tree. Fetching a light, he saw a local villager who had been arbitrarily hanged by the Mughals, foreign rulers of India. This incident fired in him a desire to be free in all aspects of the world: free from foreign rule and also free from Maya, the illusion that prevents individual souls from realizing their unity with the greater Self, Ultimate Spirit.

When Ramdas was eight, his father died; which turned him into an introvert. After a lot of introspection he finally arrived at the thought of the God, at that tender age. He used to be engrossed in these thoughts and try and find out the ways to meet The God. Then at the age of 12 years Lord Ram himself appeared in front of him and advised him to count the 13 lettered Ram tarak Mantra 108 times at least once a day. Then Lord Ram accepted him as his own disciple. The Lord gave him a new name by which he has been known ever since,Ramdas.

At the age of 12 years while he was standing on the podium during his marriage ceremony he heard the Brahmins chanting "Saavdhan" (the last word which seals the marriage)  meaning, 'be careful or Beware'. Swami Ramdas interpreted that word to mean that he had to be careful not to get entangled in the bonds of Maya, and must seek Self realization.  Immediately after hearing it he knew what it meant and just ran away from the scene and went to the holy city, Nasik, where he started his worship of Lord Ram which lasted for 12 years. He did it the hard way, many a times remaining without food or water, for days together. Every millisecond of this time he spent in the worship of Lord Ram. During this time he was constantly guided from within by greatest worshipper of Lord Ram, Hanuman. After 12 years of extensive Sadhana he got the blessings of Lord Ram again and through him he also got the real knowledge and then he
embarked on a pilgrimage of most of the holy places of India which he completed in 12 years, bare feet. After finishing the pilgrimage he went back to Mahabaleshwar. Then at Masur he celebrated the birth day of Lord Ram wherein thousands of people took part in the religious activities. He started gathering people around him which was essential for his ultimate goal of establishing the
Hindu religion in its original form which was in a shambles because of hundreds of years of Muslim rule in the country. Next year he found the statues of Lord Ram in the deep waters of the river Krishna near Angapur. He built a temple at Chafal and installed them ceremoniously according to the Hindu tradition. He celebrated the birth day of Lord Ram that year at the newly built temple. 


Ramdas practised physical yoga exercises as well as meditation. The Surya Namaskara or Sun Salutation was his favourite as it involves every part of the body. It is said that he would do 1,200 Sun Salutations every day, believing that no spirituality could be attained if the physical body was not strong. In addition to his veneration of Ram, Ramdas worshipped Ram's divinely strong servant LordHanuman. He established 11 temples of Hanuman in Maharashtra and promoted physical exercise to develop a healthy society.

Writings
Ramdas Swami was a gifted composer. He produced considerable literature in verse form in Marathi. Among his works, two compositions particularly stand out: A small book of meditations,Shri Manāche Shlok, advises ethical behaviour and love for God, and a large volume, Dasbodh, provides advice on both spiritual and practical topics. Ramdas also wrote the Shri Māruti Stotra, a poem in praise of Hanuman, the AatmaaRaam, 11-Laghu Kavita and Raamayan (Marathi-Teeka).
His most popular composition is the Marathi song/prayer to Lord Ganesh Sukhkartā Dukhhartā Vārtā Vighnāchi. He also composed several other prayers such as Satrane Uddane Hunkaar Vadani to Lord Hanuman and Panchanan haivahan surabhushan lila to Lord Khandoba.

Dasbodh
Dāsbodh prescribes the path of devotion to God or "Bhakti mārg", and the path of Knowledge or "Jñana Marg" for liberation. Through knowledge, Ramdas clears away all doubts and gives the understanding of one's "True Self". Ramdas also reveals the true meaning and significance of "Discrimination" and "Detachment".
It was orally narrated by the saint Samarth Ramdas to his disciple, Kalyan Swami. The Dāsbodh provides readers with spiritual guidance on matters such as devotion and acquiring knowledge.It is a comprehensive volume in verse form providing instructions on the religious life, presented in the format of a conversation between a Guru and disciple. The narration is believed to have taken place in a cave called Shivatharghal in the Raigad district of Maharashtra.



It deals with diverse aspects of human life such as politics, conducting business dealings and taking care of one's body and family life. One of the key messages given by Saint Ramdas is to not be lazy, as he always encouraged aspirants to earn the livelihood in a virtuous manner. The person who is ready to work will always be fortunate. Common man normally does not want to work and expects everything from God without an effort.

In Dasbodh, Samartha Ramdas presents the essence of many Vedic texts. Dasbodh is a manual for life, in the highest sense, and is somewhat unique among spiritual literature in that it not only expounds the classic themes of discrimination between the true and the untrue and the detachment commonly found in Vedic literature, but also provides a detailed instruction on how to function and excel in society from a place of deep spiritual understanding.




Contained within the chapters of Dasbodh, Ramdas outlines the path of liberation through Devotion and Knowledge. Through knowledge, Ramdas clears away all doubts and gives the understanding of one's "True Self." Ramdas also reveals the true meaning and significance of "Discrimination" and "Detachment." Entire volumes could be written in trying to describe all that is contained within the text. It draws upon ancient Vedic texts including, but not limited to; The Vedas, the Shashtras, the Upanishads, the Avadhut Gita, the Bhagavad Gita, the Rama Gita, the Yogavasishtha, the Guru Gita, and the Brahma Sutras, to name a few. Mainly what is presented in Dasbodh is the voice of direct experience itself.


Dasbodha is an epic written by Shree Samarth. Whatever he wanted to tell the world he has conveyed through Dasbodha in a candid manner. As per the tradition in his times he wrote it in the Owi form. The contents of the book are simple, straightforward and easy to understand. It is so simple that sometimes it seems to be a prose. Dasbodha is divided in 20 main parts called as Dashak each of which contains 10 sub parts which are called as Samasas. The total Owis number 7751. Each Owi is made up of 4 lines. After being blessed by Lord Ram he wrote the Old Dasbodha. One finds the freshness, fearlessness and candidness of a person blessed with the ultimate knowledge just recently in it. After a while he started with the continuation of the work and completed up to the 7th Dashak to which he added the Dashak he had written earlier, called the Dashak of knowledge. Then throughout his life he continued writing for the Dasbodha which amounted to another 12 Dashaks. These were added to the earlier 8 ones and the final volume of the Dasbodha as we know it now was prepared just 2 months prior to the time when Shree Samarth left his mortal body. At the end of the book he has unassumingly asked the readers to study, ponder over, introspect and not just only read the whole Dasbodha.

Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj considered ramdas swami as his guru. Shivaji Maharaj requested Shri Ramdas swami to move his residence to a fort named Parali & establish his permanent monastery there. The fort was subsequently renamed Sajjangad (सज्जनगड) - Fort of the sacred





Swami Vivekananda

Swami Vivekananda
[12 January 1863 – 4 July 1902]

Swami Vivekananda, known in his pre-monastic life as Narendra Nath Datta, was born in an affluent family in Kolkata on 12 January 1863. His father, Vishwanath Datta, was a successful attorney with interests in a wide range of subjects, and his mother, Bhuvaneshwari Devi, was endowed with deep devotion, strong character and other qualities. A precocious boy, Narendra excelled in music, gymnastics and studies. By the time he graduated from Calcutta University, he had acquired a vast knowledge of different subjects, especially Western philosophy and history. Born with a yogic temperament, he used to practise meditation even from his boyhood, and was associated with Brahmo Movement for some time.



Birth and childhood

Swami Vivekananda was born in Calcutta on 12 January 1863 during the Makara Sankranti festival in a traditional Kayastha family. His given name was Narendranath Datta. His father Vishwanath Datta was an attorney of Calcutta High Court. Vishwanath Datta was considered generous, and had a liberal and progressive outlook in social and religious matters.Narendranath's mother Bhuvaneswari Devi was a deeply religious woman. Before the birth of Narendranath she yearned for a son and asked one of her relatives at Varanasi to make religious offerings to the god Shiva. According to traditional accounts, Bhuvaneswari Devi had a dream in which Shiva said that he would be born as her son. Narendranath's thinking and personality were influenced by his parents—by the rational thinking of his father and the religious temperament of his mother. He learnt the power of self-control from his mother. One of the sayings of his mother that Narendra quoted often in his later years was "Remain pure all your life; guard your own honour and never transgress the honour of others. Be very tranquil, but when necessary, harden your heart." He was adept in meditation and could enter the state of samadhi.He would see a light while falling asleep and had a vision of Buddha during his meditation. During his childhood, he had a great fascination for wandering ascetics and monks.


Narendra had varied interests and a wide range of scholarship in philosophy, religion, history, the social sciences, arts, literature, and other subjects. He evinced much interest in the Hindu scriptures like the Vedas, the Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Puranas. He was also well versed in classical music, both vocal and instrumental, and is said to have undergone training under two Ustads, Beni Gupta and Ahamad Khan. Since boyhood, he took an active interest in physical exercise, sports, and other organisational activities. Even when he was young, he questioned the validity of superstitious customs and discrimination based on caste and refused to accept anything without rational proof and pragmatic test. Narendra started his education at home then he joined the Metropolitan Institution of Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar in 1871 and studied here till 1877, till his father moved to Raipur. After two years, he returned back to Calcutta. In January, 2012 Raipur airport was renamed as Swami Vivekanand Airport.


College and Brahmo Samaj

In 1879 after his family moved back to Calcutta, he passed the entrance examination from Presidency College, Calcutta, entering it for a brief period and subsequently shifting to General Assembly's Institution, (currently known as Scottish Church College). During the course, he studied western logic, western philosophy and history of European nations. In 1881 he passed the Fine Arts examination and in 1884 he passed the Bachelor of Arts.

Narendra is said to have studied the writings of David Hume, Immanuel Kant, Johann Gottlieb Fichte, Baruch Spinoza, Georg W. F. Hegel, Arthur Schopenhauer, Auguste Comte, Herbert Spencer, John Stuart Mill, and Charles Darwin. Narendra became fascinated with the evolutionism of Herbert Spencer, and translated Spencer's book on Education into Bengali. Narendra also had correspondence with Herbert Spencer for some time. Alongside his study of Western philosophers, he was thoroughly acquainted with Indian Sanskrit scriptures and many Bengali works. According to his professors, student Narendra was a prodigy. Dr. William Hastie, the principal of Scottish Church College, where he studied during 1881–84, wrote, "Narendra is really a genius. I have travelled far and wide but I have never come across a lad of his talents and possibilities, even in German universities, among philosophical students." He was regarded as a srutidhara—a man with prodigious memory. Following a discourse with Narendra, Dr. Mahendralal Sarkar said, "I could never have thought that such a young boy had read so much!"


Narendra became the member of a Freemason's lodge and the breakaway faction from the Brahmo Samaj led by Keshub Chandra Sen. His initial beliefs were shaped by Brahmo concepts, which include belief in a formless God and deprecation of the worship of idols. Not satisfied with his knowledge of Philosophy, he wondered if God and religion could be made a part of one's growing experiences and deeply internalised. Narendra went about asking prominent residents of contemporary Calcutta whether they had come "face to face with God" but could not get answers which satisfied him.

His first introduction to Ramakrishna occurred in a literature class in General Assembly's Institution, when he heard Principal Reverend W. Hastie lecturing on William Wordsworth's poem The Excursion and the poet's nature-mysticism.  In the course of explaining the word trance in the poem, Hastie suggested his students that if they wanted to know the real meaning of trance, they should go to Ramakrishna of Dakshineswar. This prompted some of his students, including Narendra to visit Ramakrishna.


With Sri Ramakrishna

At the threshold of youth Narendra had to pass through a period of spiritual crisis when he was assailed by doubts about the existence of God. It was at that time he first heard about Sri Ramakrishna from one of his English professors at college. One day in November 1881, Narendra went to meet Sri Ramakrishna who was staying at the Kali Temple in Dakshineshwar. He straightaway asked the Master a question which he had put to several others but had received no satisfactory answer: “Sir, have you seen God?” Without a moment’s hesitation, Sri Ramakrishna replied: “Yes, I have. I see Him as clearly as I see you, only in a much intenser sense.” 
Apart from removing doubts from the mind of Narendra, Sri Ramakrishna won him over through his pure, unselfish love. Thus began a guru-disciple relationship which is quite unique in the history of spiritual masters. Narendra now became a frequent visitor to Dakshineshwar and, under the guidance of the Master, made rapid strides on the spiritual path. At Dakshineshwar, Narendra also met several young men who were devoted to Sri Ramakrishna, and they all became close friends.

Difficult Situations

After a few years two events took place which caused Narendra considerable distress. One was the sudden death of his father in 1884. This left the family penniless, and Narendra had to bear the burden of supporting his mother, brothers and sisters. The second event was the illness of Sri Ramakrishna which was diagnosed to be cancer of the throat. In September 1885 Sri Ramakrishna was moved to a house at Shyampukur, and a few months later to a rented villa at Cossipore. In these two places the young disciples nursed the Master with devoted care. In spite of poverty at home and inability to find a job for himself, Narendra joined the group as its leader.

Beginnings of a Monastic Brotherhood

Sri Ramakrishna instilled in these young men the spirit of renunciation and brotherly love for one another. One day he distributed ochre robes among them and sent them out to beg food. In this way he himself laid the foundation for a new monastic order. He gave specific instructions to Narendra about the formation of the new monastic Order. In the small hours of 16 August 1886 Sri Ramakrishna gave up his mortal body.
After the Master’s passing, fifteen of his young disciples (one more joined them later) began to live together in a dilapidated building at Baranagar in North Kolkata. Under the leadership of Narendra, they formed a new monastic brotherhood, and in 1887 they took the formal vows of sannyasa, thereby assuming new names. Narendra now became Swami Vivekananda (although this name was actually assumed much later.) 

Awareness of Life’s Mission

After establishing the new monastic order, Vivekananda heard the inner call for a greater mission in his life. While most of the followers of Sri Ramakrishna thought of him in relation to their own personal lives, Vivekananda thought of the Master in relation to India and the rest of the world. As the prophet of the present age, what was Sri Ramakrishna’s message to the modern world and to India in particular? This question and the awareness of his own inherent powers urged Swamiji to go out alone into the wide world. So in the middle of 1890, after receiving the blessings of Sri Sarada Devi, the divine consort of Sri Ramakrishna, known to the world as Holy Mother, who was then staying in Kolkata, Swamiji left Baranagar Math and embarked on a long journey of exploration and discovery of India.

Discovery of Real India

During his travels all over India, Swami Vivekananda was deeply moved to see the appalling poverty and backwardness of the masses. He was the first religious leader in India to understand and openly declare that the real cause of India’s downfall was the neglect of the masses.  The immediate need was to provide food and other bare necessities of life to the hungry millions. For this they should be taught improved methods of agriculture, village industries, etc. It was in this context that Vivekananda grasped the crux of the problem of poverty in India (which had escaped the attention of social reformers of his days): owing to centuries of oppression, the downtrodden masses had lost faith in their capacity to improve their lot. It was first of all necessary to infuse into their minds faith in themselves. For this they needed a life-giving, inspiring message. Swamiji found this message in the principle of the Atman, the doctrine of the potential divinity of the soul, taught in Vedanta, the ancient system of religious philosophy of India. He saw that, in spite of poverty, the masses clung to religion, but they had never been taught the life-giving, ennobling principles of Vedanta and how to apply them in practical life.
Thus the masses needed two kinds of knowledge: secular knowledge to improve their economic condition, and spiritual knowledge to infuse in them faith in themselves and strengthen their moral sense. The next question was, how to spread these two kinds of knowledge among the masses? Through education – this was the answer that Swamiji found.

Need for an Organization 

One thing became clear to Swamiji: to carry out his plans for the spread of education and for the uplift of the poor masses, and also of women, an efficient organization of dedicated people was needed. As he said later on, he wanted “to set in motion a machinery which will bring noblest ideas to the doorstep of even the poorest and the meanest.” It was to serve as this ‘machinery’ that Swamiji founded the Ramakrishna Mission a few years later. 

Decision to attend the Parliament of Religions

It was when these ideas were taking shape in his mind in the course of his wanderings that Swami Vivekananda heard about the World’s Parliament of Religions to be held in Chicago in 1893. His friends and admirers in India wanted him to attend the Parliament. He too felt that the Parliament would provide the right forum to present his Master’s message to the world, and so he decided to go to America. Another reason which prompted Swamiji to go to America was to seek financial help for his project of uplifting the masses.
Swamiji, however, wanted to have an inner certitude and divine call regarding his mission. Both of these he got while he sat in deep meditation on the rock-island at Kanyakumari. With the funds partly collected by his Chennai disciples and partly provided by the Raja of Khetri, Swami Vivekananda left for America from Mumbai on 31 May 1893.


The Parliament of Religions and After

His speeches at the World’s Parliament of Religions held in September 1893 made him famous as an ‘orator by divine right’ and as a ‘Messenger of Indian wisdom to the Western world’. After the Parliament, Swamiji spent nearly three and a half years spreading Vedanta as lived and taught by Sri Ramakrishna, mostly in the eastern parts of USA and also in London.

Awakening His Countrymen

He returned to India in January 1897. In response to the enthusiastic welcome that he received everywhere, he delivered a series of lectures in different parts of India, which created a great stir all over the country. Through these inspiring and profoundly significant lectures Swamiji attempted to do the following:

 to rouse the religious consciousness of the people and create in them pride in their cultural heritage;
 to bring about unification of Hinduism by pointing out the common bases of its sects;
 to focus the attention of educated people on the plight of the downtrodden masses, and to expound his plan for their uplift by the application of the principles of Practical Vedanta.

Founding of Ramakrishna Mission

Soon after his return to Kolkata, Swami Vivekananda accomplished another important task of his mission on earth. He founded on 1 May 1897 a unique type of organization known as Ramakrishna Mission, in which monks and lay people would jointly undertake propagation of Practical Vedanta, and various forms of social service, such as running hospitals, schools, colleges, hostels, rural development centres etc, and conducting massive relief and rehabilitation work for victims of earthquakes, cyclones and other calamities, in different parts of India and other countries.

Belur Math

In early 1898 Swami Vivekananda acquired a big plot of land on the western bank of the Ganga at a place called Belur to have a permanent abode for the monastery and monastic Order originally started at Baranagar, and got it registered as Ramakrishna Math after a couple of years. Here Swamiji established a new, universal pattern of monastic life which adapts ancient monastic ideals to the conditions of modern life, which gives equal importance to personal illumination and social service, and which is open to all men without any distinction of religion, race or caste. 

Disciples

It may be mentioned here that in the West many people were influenced by Swami Vivekananda’s life and message. Some of them became his disciples or devoted friends. Among them the names of Margaret Noble (later known as Sister Nivedita), Captain and Mrs Sevier, Josephine McLeod and Sara Ole Bull, deserve special mention. Nivedita dedicated her life to educating girls in Kolkata. Swamiji had many Indian disciples also, some of whom joined Ramakrishna Math and became sannyasins.

Last Days

In June 1899 he went to the West on a second visit. This time he spent most of his time in the West coast of USA. After delivering many lectures there, he returned to Belur Math in December 1900. The rest of his life was spent in India, inspiring and guiding people, both monastic and lay. Incessant work, especially giving lectures and inspiring people, told upon Swamiji’s health. His health deteriorated and the end came quietly on the night of 4 July 1902. Before his Mahasamadhi he had written to a Western follower: “It may be that I shall find it good to get outside my body, to cast it off like a worn out garment. But I shall not cease to work. I shall inspire men everywhere until the whole world shall know that it is one with God.”