SHIRDI SAI BABA AND HIS TEACHINGS

SHRI SHIRDI SAI BABA AND HIS TEACHINGS


The Primordial, original, perfect Reality, the thing In-itself beyond name and from inspired by the force of devotee’s religious merit automatically manifested itself as Sai Nath, Sai Baba for the purpose of leading the lost souls to the path of Truth. When asked, His only reply was "Brahma is my father, Maya is my mother and this Universe is my house."

Shri Sai Baba’s devotees have seen in Him their ideal of God realised and so they have described Him in many different ways as their ideals of Guru or God have differed. To staunch devotees of Shri Ram, Shri Sai appeared as Ram, to those of Shanker, Maruti, Krishna, Vithoba, Akkalkot Swami, Gholap Swami and Ali irrespective of their race, caste, creed or religion. They all look upon Sai as their God, Saviour, or Prophet and worship Him as such in their own way, propitiate Him and crave blessings from Him. As an out-come of this propitiation each one of them feels and realises that he has been lucky enough to find in Him his benign father, protector, benefactor, a helper in distress, a safe refuge amidst the turbulent waters of this world. Each one has realised He is omnipresent, omniscient omnipotent.

Vedanti devotees of Baba Shri Sai look upon Him as the manifestation of knowledge incarnate, the joyful Brahman, the giver of highest happiness, free from dualities, ether like knowable by the four Maha Vakyas (key-sentences) of Vedas, the sole, the permanent, the pure, non-changing, the Universal witnessing Intellect, the one beyond emotions and the three gunas-pure, mixed, and impure-tendencies, the Master, teacher of Reality.

The non-Mohammedan devotees of this class firmly, believe that if Shri Sai Baba had adopted Hindu Mohammedan mixed ways of life and prayers it was simply for the purpose of drawing the attention of these devotees to the cardinal truth, the soul has no caste of race; that their object of proper worship is not of any caste; and what are castes? They are not skin, blood, flesh nor bones; but these castes are fixed for the purpose of the smooth running of this world. Hindu devotees of Baba particularly, Brahmins and other Dwijas believe that if Baba had donned Mohammedan garb and adopted some Mohammedan ways of worship (without giving of the ways of the purest of pure Brahmin sages) it was for the purpose of killing or removing the wrong interpretation of Veda and drawing attention to the truth that everything all without exception-is Brahman; that difference of diversity or duality does not exist

Sai Baba fully answers to the description of the perfect soul given by Brahma Sutra and this is and was the reason why He could manifest Himself in as many forms as he deemed necessary either to satisfy the loving hearts of His devotees or to show to the real aspirant that he is the same, in no way different from the God. Whom the aspirant worshipped. We shall quote a few experiences of the devotees in illustration of this.

The difference in the forms of worship of one and the same God between Hindus and Muslims coupled with ignorance of His real nature and want of toleration is the root cause of all their dissensions, disputes, strife’s etc.; Liberal minded educated Muslims understand this and they therefore do not join their orthodox section which cannot look upon Hindu ways of worship with the equanimity and toleration of really educated cultured men. In Shirdi as well, the orthodox Muslims believed that Hindus by their anointing Baba with sandal pastes, ceremonial worship and the noisy waving of lights before Him were compelling "the Mohammedan" Baba to commit what they thought to be a ‘Sin’ according to the tenets of Muslim religion. If therefore these Hindus were stopped from coming to Baba all this irreligion would be checked for ever. They therefore many a times spoke to Baba, tried to persuade Him to prevent Hindus from carrying out such noisy programmes before Him but Baba seemed to turn a deaf ear to all that they said. In the year 1894 therefore the ignorant Shirdi Muslims brought to Shirdi a Kazi (a religious teacher) from Sangamner (of Ahmednagar) and arming themselves with canes and Lathis under the leadership of that Kazi, stood at the Masjid entrance to prevent all Hindus from approaching Baba and worshiping Him with their materials of worship, such as sandal paste, flower, lamps etc. As per his daily routine, Mhalasapati came there to offer his worship to Baba but seeing the mob armed with lethal weapons at the gate of the Masjid he stood at a distances, mentally offered Him his Pooja and was just retracing his steps home when Baba Himself called him and asked him to carry out to finish his daily worship. The Muslims stood aghast; and could do nothing; they then slowly dispersed and since then never though of obstructing Hindus from worshipping Baba in their own way.

Twenty years after, a Pathan fanatic of the same orthodox, ignorant section came to Shirdi. He hated the Hindus for the same reason as above mentioned and so one mid-night when some Hindus were sleeping by his side in Chawdi, he said to Baba, "If you are being spoilt, it is because of these sleeping Hindus. I will make short work of them (kill them) if only you will permit me to do so,’ Baba replied, "the fault, if any, is not theirs but mine; instead of Killing them, therefore kill me so that all the things you hate would end.'’ But the Pathan could not muster courage to do that and so the sleeping Hindus were also saved.

Another Pathan, whom, on account of his bustling shouting prayers and wild manners people called Rohilla, worshipped Baba as his prophet and adored Him as such. But one day in the fit of his fanaticism, he forgot all this and thinking that he should stop Baba once for all from going astray in the way that He did by allowing Hindus to anoint him, worship him in the noisy way, he rushed upon Baba with a big stick to murder Him. Baba simply cast a glance at him and caught his wrist. This slight gesture of resistance of Baba rendered him powerless and he fell to the ground and was able to get up only with the help of two persons. The wonderful strength that Baba showed in resisting him fully convinced the Rohilla that Baba was the real prophet and thereafter let off examining the propriety or impropriety of Baba’s actions.

A much respected Mohammedan Fakir was in Baba’s constant company but was ignorant of the principles of true religion. One day the thought of converting Baba’s Hindu Devotees to Mahomedanism; so when Baba went out to Lendi as per His daily routine. He polluted the water kept ready for Hindu drink by dropping in each tumbler the residue of the water he had drunk. In his ignorance he thought that the conversion of the Hindus would be complete so soon as they drink the residue of the water drunk by him; he never thought that for real conversion of religion the heart has got to be converted. However that may be, by His omniscience Baba knew the trick the Fakir had played to carry out his programmer of conversion of Hindus in a mass; so on his return from Lendi he became mighty angry and his anger reached the highest peak; he broke the earthen drinking pot, threw away all the tumblers filled with polluted water and went on abusing for a long long time say an hour or two. At last the Fakir’s conspiracy of the conversion of Hindus in a mass leaked out and the Fakir got ashamed of the childish ignorance he had shown.

But the above unpleasant incidents of Muslim fanaticism were not thereafter repeated at all; for the annual fair of Ramnavmi gave the Muslims and Hindus an opportunity to meet and to understand one another and as a result thereof each gave up the disgust and hatred he had for the other and looked upon each other’s way of worship with eyes of equanimity and toleration. When therefore the Hindus started celebrating the Ramnavmi Festival by Katha, Kirtan, Arti with Band, Drums, Cymbals etc.; and Mohammedan took out their sandal procession the same day and went to the Dwarkamayee, each party joined the other in their worship of Baba. Thus Hindus joined the sandal procession and Muslims also took part in the celebration of Ramnavmi-festival. Particularly when in the evening two big flags were taken in procession and jointly hailed the putting up of these flags on the Dwarkamayee. The flags that were and are being so put up annually seem to be a standing testimony of the Hindu-Muslim unity at least in Shirdi, and, if we may say so, amongst Baba’s devotees of the whole of India.Sri Sai Baba advised all his devotees to bear Nishta {faith} and Saboori (patience) and always remember His name. He said that those who visit His Samadhi at Shirdi would be able to end their vows.
He preached love, tolerance and respect to other religions and their followers. His sayings are in agreement with all the scriptures of all religions, especially Hindu and Muslim. Regular reading of the sayings of Sri Sai Baba and His sacharitra will free one and all from mental tensions and worldly worries and provide peace and desirelessness or jeevanmuktha state.
BABA'S ASSURANCES :
1. Why do you fear when I am here?
2. Cast all your burdens on Me and I shall bear them.
3. If you spread your palms with devotion before Me I am in readily with you day and night.
4. Offer Me any thing before you eat.
5. There will never by any dearth or scarcity regarding food and cloths in My devotee's home. It is my special characteristic that I look always to, and provide for the welfare of those devotees.
6. My treasury is full and ! can give any one what he wants. But I have to see whether he is qualified to receive what I give.
7. I require no conveyance, carriage, tonga nor train nor aeoroplane. I run and manifest Myself to him who lovingly calls Me.
8. Worship Me always who is seated in your heart.
9. I always think of him who remembers Me.
10. In vision or direct My words are always pregnant with meaning and never hollow.
11. Donot be anxious that I would be absent from you. You will hear My bones speaking and discussing your welfare. But always remember Me. Believe in Me heart and soul and then you will be most benefited.
12. In due time your bad actions will be destroyed, your merits and dements will be reduced to ashes and I shall consider you blessed where you will renounce all attachments, conquer lust and palate and getting rid of all impediments, serve God whole-heartedly and resort to the begging "bowl (Sanyasa)
13. My Sircar's treasury (spiritual wealth) is full. It is overflowing I say "Dig out and take away this wealth in cart loads, the blessed son of a true mother should fill himself with this wealth."
14. If a man utters My name with love I shall fulfill all his wishes, increase his devotion and if he sings earnestly My deeds, him I shall beset in front and back and on all sides. These 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 ever-lasting contentment. It is My special characteristic to free any person, who surrenders completely to Me and worships Me faithfully and who remembers Me and meditates on Me constantly.
15. Who is this Me? You need not go far or anywhere in search of Me. Barring your name and form, there exists in you as well as in all beings, a sense of being or consciousness of existence. That is Myself. Knowing this, you see Me inside yourself as well as in all beings: If you practise this, you will realise all pervasiveness and thus attain one-ness with Me.
16. I require no door to enter. I have no form nor any extension, I always live every-where. I carry on as a wire puller, all the actions of the man who trusts Me and merges in Me.
17. Believe Me, though I pass away My bones in my tomb will give you hope and confidence. Not only Myself but My tomb would be speaking, moving and communicating with those who would surrender themselves whole-heartedly to Me.
18. Be wherever you like, do whatever you choose, remember this well that what all you do is known to Me. l-am the inner ruler of all and seated in their hearts. I envelop all the creatures, the movable and immovable world. I am the controller the wirepuller of the show of this universe. I am the mother-origin of all beings the harmony of the three Gunas, the propeller of all senses. the creator, preserver and Destroyer. Nothing will harm him who turns his attention towards Me, but Maya will lash or whip him Who forgets Me. All the insects' ants, the visible, movable and immovable world is My body or form.
19. Simple remembrance of My name as 'SAl, SAI' 'will do away all the sins of speech and hearing.
20. See how I have to suffer for My devotees; their difficulties are Mine.
21. Leave off all cleverness and remember 'SAI SAI'. If you did that all you shackles would be removed and you world be free.
22. I rest there where there is full devotion,
23. However oppressed and troubled one may be, as soon as he steps in the Maszid, he is on the pathway to happiness/ The Fakir here is very kind and He will cure the disease and protect all with love and kindness.
24. Sweet is Ram in the heart sweet with love. Mite Manme Mitai Ram.
25. Though I am bodily here, still I know what you do beyond the seven seas. Go wherever you will, over the wide world, I am with you. My abode is in your heart and I am within you. Worship Me always, who is seated in your heart : as well as in the hearts of all beings Blessed and fortunate indeed is he, who knows Me thus.
26. Do not try to get Mantra or Upadesh from anybody. Make Me the sole object of your thought and actions and you will, no doubt, attain Paramartha, Look at Me whole heartedly and I, in turn look at your similarly.
27. Dwarakamai wards off all dangers and anxieties of the children who sit on her lap. This Maszidmai is very merciful. She is the mother of simple devotees, whom she will save in calamities. Once a man sits on her lap. all his troubles are over. He who rests in her shade gets bliss

THE GAYATRI MANTRA:THE MANTRA OF MANTRA


THE GAYATRI MANTRA:THE MANTRA OF MANTRA

The gayatri mantra is the most popular Vedic hymn. It is tenth mantra in the 62nd sutra of the third mandal in Rig Veda. Gayatri Chhand is a poetic metre consisting of 24 syllables (letters), three lines of eight syllables each. Any hymn composed in this meter is called gayatri. The meter though originally contained in Rig-Veda is also found in other Vedas.(cf. Yajurveda-22/9, 30/2,36/3;Samveda 1462). The Gayatri Mantra has four feet: The first foot consists of the earth, sky and Heaven, the second foot, the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda and the Sama Veda and the third foot, prana, apana and vyana. The fourth foot consists of the Sun, the solar being. The Gayatri Mantra was first revealed to the Rishi Vishwamitra who was the very embodiment of all tapas and cosmo-ascetic forces and his mantras are endowed withthe power of light, energy,life, and transformation.

Most important and sacred duty of man is to remember God for all the bounties he has bestowed on all beings. Vedic prayers are hymns and are known as mantras. Apart from being a prayer-mantra the Gayatri Mantra is a beej mantra or seed syllable, derived from ancient primeval sounds.

All Vedic prayers have emerged from Om, which is synonymous with Brahma, and have ‘Om’ as prefix. ‘‘Om is a primeval sound. Exhaustive exposition of this mystic word has been given in the Mandukya Upanishad. ‘‘The word Om is this, that was in the past and all that would be in future. that which is beyond all this is also AUM’’. Om represents all physical and astral bodies, both manifested and unmanifested, from the external-most physical to the internal-most spiritual on four cosmic planes’’.

The mantra ,originally conceived is the worship of lord hari, of aditya or the sun and also pure nirguna worship of brahma, the all-creating principle. Japa or chanting of this mantra with concentration and understanding, bestows inexplicable inner peace, calm of mind and solace from triple affliction.It destroys the birth and death cycle and all the sins. Japa of this Mantra has the potential to unite the soul with the Supreme Being. it has miraculous powers which can infuse us with courage and strength to whether any storm and brave any adversity in life.

Lord krishna says in the bhagavad gita, ‘‘amongst the Mantras I am Gayatri’’. As Savitri or Sun Mantra, it is addressed to the divine power in the sun. The svetasvatara upanishad says, ‘‘the one affluent divinity is hidden in all beings. He is all- pervading and is the inner-self of all creatures. He presides over all actions and all beings reside in him. He is the inner-witness. He endows all with consciousness and He is Nirguna or free from the three Gunas’’.

However, the Rig Veda has defined this Mantra from a different angle. ‘‘The illumined sages like surayah constantly see that infinite all-pervading supreme reality vishnu without any obstruction as though their vast intuitive eye or vision was spread over the spiritual sky’’.

Gayatri is a spiritual Power which protects one who chants it, and blesses him with brilliant light of the highest spiritual illumination. Japa of the gayatri mantra ushers in the realisation of the divinity of the self.

Meaning of Gayatri

The word gayatri is drived from gaya, that which is sung, given in praise, and trayate that which preserves/protects/ gives deliverance/grants liberation. The word gaya also stands for vital energies. Thus, gayatri connotes a prayer of praise that awakens the vital energies in man and grants liberation. The mantra is said to have been revealed to sage Vishwamitra. The Vedic name of this Mantra is Savitri, as the hymn is addressed to Savitur (the sun) and that the word gayatri is nowhere mentioned in the body of the mantra.
Savitur stands for bright, luminous, sun like illumining inner power that leads to self-realization. Thus, through Savitur the prayer is addressed to the Light of lights which resides in the inner most sheath of golden hue (hiranmaye pare ko`se virajam brahma nishkalam, tachubhram jyotisam jyotih -tad yadatma- vido viduh - Mundak-II-2-9).

Three Aspects

The mantra has three aspects: praise, meditation, and prayer. The mantra hails the bestower of happiness, knowledge and light. It contemplates upon the glory of the lord who is the remover of darkness, of ignorance, pains, and of sorrows. It finally prays to the lord of light, the most adorable One,to shine forth its resplendent light and stimulate our intellect, illuminate our inner self and dispel our ignorance.

The first line of the Gayatri Mantra (Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah) is an invocation.
AUM , the Supreme name of God.

BHUR BHUVAH SWAH. The three words collectively are known as the "Mahavyahriti". They express the nature of God, and highlight His inherent qualities.

Word to Word Meaning

The word to word meaning of the Gayatri Mantra is as follows: Tat=That;
Savitur=Bright, effulgent,luminous like sun;
Varenyam=The choicest, the most adorable One, worthy to be worshipped and sought, the most venerable Being;
Bhargo= Destroyer of sins and afflictions, or gloried radiance, effulgence, splendour (that Light which bestows and sharpens intelligence);
Devasya= Of the shining divinity ;
Dheemahi=Meditate upon,on Whom we fix our whole attention;
Dheeyo=Intellect, intuition, power of inseeing,understanding of reality ;
Yo=He who,or the one who;
Na=Our, of us;
Prachodayat =May inspire, stimulate, sharpen, energise, direct, guide, reveal, unfold His Divine and Glorious Light.

Thus the literal meaning of the Mantra is: " We meditate upon (dheemahi) the splendour or the glory (bhargo) of the most adorable or acceptable One (varenyam) Supreme-Divine- Being (devasya) from which Savitur (the centre of light) is born, Who (yo) may stimulate or sharpen (prachdayat) our (na) intellect or illumine our inner self (dheeyo)"

A basic enunciation of the mantra can be given as under:
Oh God, the Lord Protector,the Self-emanating Effulgence, the basis of all life, Who is self-existent Light of Light, Whose contact frees the soul from all sorrows and afflictions, Whose power all-creating pervades and sustains all beings and things, Who is the Energizer-Supreme of the whole Universe, the Giver of life and happiness, Who is worthy of acceptance and worship, the most excellent Sovereign Divine Being , Who is Pure and the Purifier of all, let us adore and embrace that very God,so that He may direct our mental faculties in the right direction and guide us out of the mazes of the world into the tranquility and peace of God Himself, the source-supreme of all Existence, Knowledge, and Bliss.

The Four Parts of the Gayatri Mantra

Aum Bhur Bhuvah Swah

AUM
The Supreme name of God. AUM is the naad Brahman (primeval sound) emanating from the Creator Supreme at the time of creation.


BHUR BHUVAH SWAH

These three words Bhur, Bhuvah Suvah collectively are known as the "Mahavyahriti". They express the nature of God, and demonstrate his inherent qualities.
They represent the earth (matter), atmosphere and the space as symbols of gross, subtle and casual or sat, chit, annanda (truth, beauty bliss ). In the context of human body, from feet to the navel center is bhur (the earth), from navel to throat centre is bhuva (the atmosphere), and from above the throat to mind (braham randhra) is svaha (the space).
Enveloped by aakaas (the space),Rishis have envisioned seven realms (lokas) of existence viz:
(1) bhu=earth, the physical realm, the realm of being or food (matter);
(2 )bhuvah=atmosphere, the vital plane, the realm of becoming or prana (breath);
(3) suvah= space or heaven, the mental plane, the realm of light or illumination;
(4) maha=cosmic mind, the realm of dharma;
(5) janah=bliss, the realm of creation and creativity;
(6) tapah=force or penance, the realm of consciousness;and (7) satyam=truth, the realm of absolute reality.


1. BHUR
The word Bhur implies God is self-existent and independent of all. He is eternal and unchanging. He is without beginning and without end, the word Bhur can also mean the Earth as mother, on which we are born and who sustains all.
Bhur also means God is the provider and protector of all, by His divine will we all are blessed with all means to maintain us through our lives.
Bhur also signifies Prana, or life (literally, breath).It implies God is the life giver. He is the One Who maintains us throughout our lives. God alone has the power to take away our life, when He so chooses. He is the only permanent enduring entity, all others are subject to His Will.

2. BHUVAH
Bhuvah describes the absolute Consciousness of God, the Power all-controlling That govern the Universe.
Also, the word Bhuvah denotes God's greatness - greater than the sky and space, indeed everything in the celestial and temporal world. God is boundless and unlimited.
Bhuvah also points to God's role as the remover of all pain and sufferings (Apaana), what man is heir to and what surrounds him. We can be freed from that pain and hardship by God Who Himself is devoid of any pain. It is our own ignorance that makes us susceptible to the effects of Maya, or illusion, which is the root cause of all affliction and pain. Only true devotion to God frees us from the clutches of Maya, and thus rids us of all
pain and sorrow.
3. SWAH
The word Swah indicates God is omnipresent and pervades the entire Universe.Without Form Himself, He is able to manifest Himself in in the entire creation.He sustains the Universe created by Him, and thus ensures its smooth and proper running and functioning.
Also, Swah symbolizes God's bliss.He is above all pain, suffering and troubles. While happiness as experienced by humans is temporary and a transient state of mental satisfaction, which soon dissolves back into the mire of worldly afflictions, God alone experiences true bliss, permanent and unaffected by worldly woes. True happiness falls to the lot of those who establish oneness with that Supreme Divinity.

TAT SAVITUR VARENYAM

4. TAT
Literally, this word(TAT) means"that". Sri Krishna uses it to imply the selfless nature of Yajna or charity being used as r worship, in the form of action, implying that all action should be preformed without regard to its fruits, but simply out of devotion and sense of duty, or Dharma.
Tat then is used here in the Mantra to indicate that the praise being offered to God in the prayer is purely directed towards Him, without any thought of personal gain from that praise.
5. SA-VI-TUR
Savita, from which Savitur is derived, is another name of God, this being the reason that the Gayatri Mantra is often known as the Savitri Mantra. The implication of Savita is of God's status as the fountain, the source of all things. It is through His Divine Grace that the Universe exists.So this word sums up the Mahavyahriti, by describing God's ability to create the Universe and sustain it, as well as, at the right time, bring about its dissolution.
Savita is also indicative of God's gift to mankind in the form of power, or shakti, of savita which acts as an impetus in humans to do something or to constantly search and strive for something to do, what is commonly called the "creative urge" in man.
It is through this shakti that mankind has created art, and literature, and also made scientific advances .
Savita also gives creatures the ability of procreation. Hence, Savita can be thought of as denoting Father (or Mother) also.

Finally, it is the discerning power of Savita that enables mankind to distinguish right from wrong, and virtue from vice. Thus, Savita imparts to us a certain self-guiding ability to uplift ourselves and help ourselves to be our highest selves.
6. VA-RE-NY-AM
Varenyam signifies our acceptance of God as the Highest reality, and it is to Him that we dedicate our efforts rather than to material worldly pursuits.
Varenyam can also be interpreted to mean as the one
who is the most eligible or fit to be our Leader and our Guide. We surrender ourselves to Him out of sheer devotion regardless of anything else. We place no conditions on this acceptance.

BHARGO DEVASYA DHIMAHI

These three words are a further description of the attributes and qualities of God. They indicate His functional and instrumental qualities, and through those qualities, His relationship to us.


7. BHAR-GO
Bhargo connotes the light (devasya) of the divine being, dheemahi on whom we should meditate as the available form of light onto light of suns, to discover the formless Creator (God).
Bhargo also refers to That Glorious Light embodied in God's love and power. It signifies His complete purity and by virtue of His power to purify, and to destroy all sins and afflictions. By realizing His Divine Form and experience of unity and oneness with Him, we can cleanse ourselves of all stains of sin and be made pure by His Grace. This way we can regain our lost divinity, our soul’s lost radiance and luster. By removing the veil of Maya, we can cleanse our soul, and realize our true Divine self.
8. DE-VAS-YA
The word Deva, from which this word is derived, means "quality" or "attribute", and can denote another word for "Guna". Thus, the various forms of God are given this name, as each of those forms points to a specific quality and function (for example, Brahma has the quality of Creation, Shiva the quality of dissolution, Kamadeva has the quality of carnal love, etc.). Deva is thus anyone who is considered to possess a special quality or guna.
Deva can also be taken as describing the fundamental unity of God, describing in one word all the functions, roles and different attributes of God, and thus symbolizing his absolutely essential nature ,that is, without God, nothing can exist. He is all-creating Power.
9. DHI-MA-HI
Means to meditate and fix our mind on God. Meditation on God implies that we concentrate, and direct our mental energies towards the cherished object of all human quest, that is,
communion with God.

DHI-YO-NA-PRA-CHO-DA-YAT

Prayer is primarily aimed at:
praising and glorifying God;
thanksgiving to God;
asking forgiveness from God;
or asking a boon from God.

Having offered praise to God on His greatness, thanking Him for His generosity in Creation and maintaining all the created forms and asking forgiveness for our impurity and sins, which we have realized can and must be cleansed through our communion with God, we now proceed to beseech His guidance to show us the way. Since our soul is the Light of Life within us, of course inherently pure, being itself Divine in nature, through these four words we ask God to help us to refine and sharpen our intellect, and guide it towards what is right.

10. DHI
Sanskrit word stands for “intellect”. It is by use of this intellect that we are able to cultivate all other qualities (power, wealth, success in life, physical fitness, personal and collective wellbeing etc. Thus, intellect is the key to all else in life. We ask God to invest us with the highest intellect, and show us the way to use that intellect in the best possible manner both for personal and collective wellbeing and prosperity.
Material prosperity has little meaning for the person who is truly devoted to God. Pain and suffering can touch him not, since he is imbued with God’s own Divine Bliss. Thus, ones intellect must remain focussed on communing with and serving God.

11. YO
Means “Who” or “That”.
Yo points to the fact that we direct these prayers, but to God alone. Only God is worthy of the highest adoration andworship. God alone is perfect and free from all taints. It is That all-loving God, the Light all-pervading, to Whom we offer these prayers.

12. NAH
Means “Ours”.
Nah signifies the selflessness of the request, that is, we offer this prayer not simply for ourselves, but for the whole mankind. We wish for the wellbeing of the whole human family, true to the Hindu ideal of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” - “The whole world is one big family”. Thus, our prayer embraces not only ourselves, but one and all inhabiting the universe.


13.Pra-cho-dayat
The word Prachodayat rounds off the whole mantra. Here we invoke God for His Guidance, and Inspiration. We beseech Him to show us His Divine and Glorious Light (cf. BHARGO).We ask Him to remove the darkness of Maya from our paths ,to let us see the way .We crave that He guide us through the mazes of this world, to the haven of tranquility and peace, where dwells God Himself, the root of all Happiness, and the source of true Bliss.


Significance of the mantra

The Gayatri Mantra invokes the Sun, which in turn invokes the Self, the Atman, the Light of Life within. The Atman is the illuminator of reason, intelligence, perceptions, emotions, thoughts and purposes, just as the Sun is the illuminator of the entire world.

The Gayatri Mantra is an appeal by the seeker to the divine Sun inhering within everyone’s being to emerge out of the cloud of sensate desires and shine forth its resplendent light. The greatness of the Gayatri Mantra lies in its power of prayer and mantric power. It offers a guide to the unfoldment of the spiritual potentialities as well as man’s ultimate transformation.

The Gayatri mantra occupies a hallowed place in ancient Indian culture. Its importance is quite evident in branches like Yoga, Vedanta, Ayurveda and Vedic Astrology. In Yoga, it helps awaken the Kundalini force. In Vedanta, it grants the light of Self-knowledge and knowledge of the solar Self. In Ayurveda, it enlivens the power of the cosmic prana whose source is the sun. In Jyotir Vigian (Vedic astrology), it provides knowledge of the movements of all the heavenly bodies ruled by the sun.

Thus the Gayatri Mantra ,the mother of all the mantras, is a boon to the sincere seeker and it confers upon him the Light of the Infinite, the Bliss of the Eternal and the Life Divine of the Immortals.

WHAT IS SUFISM

WHAT IS SUFISM?

Your free will, your power to choose good or evil, Is increased by the inspirations of the angel And the promptings of the devil! The angel and the devil presenting The opposing choices in us, Force us to exercise our free will This is a faculty within us!
RUMI MASNAVI VI: 2985, 3004-5


Prophets and masters come and go but human ignorance lingers on. This is what Sufis call betassubi – narrowness or spiritual intolerance and indolence. This will continue until there is total transformation of human consciousness.

A Sufi can exist anywhere, in any form. Sufism is the essential core of all religions. It has nothing to do with Islam in particular. Sufism can exist without Islam. However, Islam cannot exist without Sufism. Only with Sufism does any religion become alive. Sufism is the very essence, the very being, Sufism is the breath of Mohammad. Sufism is tariqat – the way to attain to oneness with God just as it happened to the Holy Prophet.

Whenever a religion is alive it is because of Sufism. Sufism is an affair with the ultimate! A love affair with the whole or TAO, or that which is the very pulse of the existence! It means that one is ready to dissolve into the whole.

Sufism is the innermost core of all religions. Zen, Hassidism etc. are just names of the same happening. These are only different names of the same ultimate relationship with God.
Sufism is the art of removing the hindrance between you and you, between the self and the self, between the part and the whole. Sufism is the methodology to dissolve the vanity of ego.

An ancient Persian dictionary gives the definition of the word in a very unique way. It goes in rhyme: SUFI CHIST—SUFI, SUFIST. WHO IS A SUFI? The dictionary answers A SUFI IS A SUFI. The phenomenon that we call Sufi is indefinable. ‘A Sufi is a Sufi.’ It says nothing and yet it says everything. It says that the Sufi cannot be defined. There is no other word to define the entire phenomena.

Sufism is a special kind of magic, a rare kind of magic. It can be transferred only from a master to the disciple, not from a book. It cannot be transferred by scriptures. No way can this be communicated through the mind. It is also just like Zen – a transmission beyond words. It is a wordless communion. Nothing is spoken, yet still everything is heard.

Sufism is the transmission beyond communion. It is like that happen from a lit candle to the unlit one. Nothing is visible yet still something happens. And the closer the unlit candle comes to the lit one something jumps and lights the unlit one. This is transmission without lamp. A communication without word! The disciple remains within the energy field of the master beyond time and space in a state of continuum. This he does through trust, love for the master, and introspection on the words of the master. Thus he goes beyond time and space. This is Sufi way.

You cannot have it without being related to an enlightened Master. There is no other way. You can read all the literature that exists on Sufism and you will be lost in a desert of words. Unless you find a guide you will not have the taste of the miraculous.
Sufism is not for so-called God-fearing people either. In fact this place is for the God loving people. Love knows no fear. Love is the disappearance of fear. Just like when light is darkness can no more be. And such a person has a totally different quality. A God-fearing person can never move into the deeper realms of religion. Sufi way can happen once you are open to love and its deeper realms. Then it matters not what is your outer garb.

God loving persons have a totally different quality. They are in search. They want to know. They want to be. They want to attain to inner oneness. They want to explode their blissfulness. And they want to know authentically. They do not want to have borrowed knowledge about it. They want to have a taste. They want to encounter, they want to face God. They want to look into his eyes.

But before you can become capable of looking into the eyes of God, you will have to become capable of looking into the eyes of a Master. From there you take off. The journey begins. Master is the one who looks like you. He talks and walks like you. Yet still there is something of the beyond. He is soaked in God. He is overflowing the blissfulness. And in that state whatever he says transforms you. It is the miracle of the unknown. Beyond time and space-a continuum!

The word ‘Sufism’ has many orientations and all are beautiful. Each orientation speaks of the inner state of the one who is expressing this.

One old Naqshbandi Master, Abul Hassan Kharqani, has said, ‘Sufism was once a reality without a name and now Sufism is a name without reality.’ For many centuries Sufism existed without a name. It existed as reality only. That is why I say Jesus was a Sufi! So was Mohammed! So was Mahabir! And so was Krishna! Anyone who has come to know God! Is indeed a Sufi!

The word ‘Sufi’ is a new coinage. It is of a German origin. It emerged out of German scholarship. Is not more than one hundred and fifty years old? In Arabic the word is tasawwuf. But both come from a root ‘suf’ which means wool.

Why should wool become the symbol of Sufism? The scholars go on saying that it is because Sufis used to wear woollen robes. That is true. But why! Nobody has answered it. The symbolism is that wool is the garb of the animals and a Sufi has to become as innocent as an animal. He has to drop all kinds of civilization, all kinds of cultures. He has to drop all conditionings and become again innocent like an animal..

When man becomes animal he does not fall back as is normally conceived. Instead he goes higher. When a man becomes an animal he becomes a saint. His becoming an animal is his conscious choice. He is no more a Hindu and no more a Mohammedan and no more a Christian. He is in tune with existence as deeply as any animal. He has dropped all kinds of philosophies, all conceptualizations. Mind is without any content. He is, but he is no more in the mind. Only then the highest good the Absolute Good arises! This is ‘summum bonum’ the ultimate good!

A saint is more like animals than like you. The difference between a master and you is his innocence and spontaneity. That is why he is more like an animal than like the so called human beings. When you want to love God you have to be without masks. You have to drop all deceptions. You have to be authentically whatsoever you are. You have to be choice less. Be whatsoever you are. In that primal innocence God descends. When you choose, you have to repress. The animal does not choose. Whatsoever is actually is. The animal simply accepts it. Its acceptance is total. It knows no choice. So does a Sufi.

A Sufi knows no choice. He is choice less aware. Whatsoever happens he accepts it as a gift, as a God-given thing. He trusts in the universal mind that is why when you come across a Sufi you will see such animal innocence in his eyes and in his being. To approve the definition you need deeper insight into the whole phenomena that is Sufism. You have to be a Sufi to know this. You have to be in the ocean like a fish to know what is ocean. You have to dive deep in the womb of the ocean to explore the inner treasures of the unknown. You have never known such treasures. This is the rare experience. Sufism is such rare experience.

As the animal is not a chooser, the Sufi is not a chooser. Choose and you deceive; choose and you start going false; choose and you become plastic.

We only pay lip service to God. And in reality we are surrendered to the Devil. The Devil is deeper because the Devil has been repressed. Whenever something is repressed it goes deeper into your being; you become only a hypocrite on the surface. By asserting the symbol of the animal Sufis declare, ‘We are simple people. We do not know what is good and what is bad. We know only God, and whatsoever happens is his gift. We accept it. We are not doers on our own accord.’ This is the first meaning of the word ‘Sufi’.

There is another possibility. The word ‘Sufi’ can be derived from ‘sufa’! It implies purity, cleanliness, and purification. That too is good. When you live a life of choicelessness a natural purity comes. But remember, this purity has nothing of morality in it. It does not mean pure in the sense of being good. It means pure in the sense of being divine! Purity is transcendence. For a Sufi, God is not an idea. Instead it is his lived reality. It is not somewhere sitting on a throne high in the heavens as is conceived by your religious people. No! It is here now. It is all over the place. It is everywhere. God is just a name for the totality of existence. Totality! Just Totality!
A Sufi has never been respected by the society. A Sufi lives such a rebellious life that the society has almost always been murdering Sufis. Crucifying them! Because the Sufi makes you aware of your falsity! He becomes a constant sermon against all that is artificial. He reminds you of your ugliness. He is a reminder against your inner inhumanity to human beings! Against your masks! Against all that you are and represent. A Sufi becomes a constant pain in the neck to the so-called society and to the so-called respectable people.

It happened that once Abu Yazid, a Sufi mystic, was praying. It is said God spoke to Abu Yazid and said, ‘Yazid, now you have become one of my chosen people. Should I declare it to the world?’ Abu Yazid laughed. He said, ‘Yes, you can – if you want me to be crucified. Declare!’

You declared about Al-Hillaj Mansoor! You made him declare “A’nal Haq…” and what happened then? They crucified him. Whenever you declare that somebody has attained, people crucify him immediately. They do not love you. The world cannot tolerate your people. So if you want me to be crucified, declare. And it is said that God never declared about Abu Yazid. He kept quiet. This has always been so.

Someone asked al-Hillaj Mansoor, the greatest mystic ever, ‘What is the ultimate in Sufi experience?’ Al-Hillaj said, ‘Come tomorrow! Tomorrow you will come to know what the ultimate in Sufi experience is.’ Nobody knew what was going to happen the next day. The man asked, ‘Why not today?’ Al-Hillaj said, ‘You just wait. It is going to happen tomorrow -the ultimate in Sufism.’ And the next day he was crucified. And when he was crucified he shouted loudly for his friend who had asked the question. He said, ‘Where are you hiding in the crowd? Now come on and see the ultimate in Sufism. This is what it is.’ The society lives in hypocrisy. So is the family. None can tolerate truth. Truth has to be crucified. Only those who are ready to be consumed by the fire will be ready to fall in love with Mansoor.

‘Sufa’ means purity. Purity in the sense that there is no content in the mind any more! Mind has disappeared. There is no mind, no thinking, and no thought. It is a state of Satori, or samadhi.

There is another possibility which comes from another word, ‘sufia’. The word means: chosen as a friend by God. Sufis say that you cannot search for God unless he has already chosen you. How can you search for God? You talk as if you have already known God. You can search only for that you have already known? You can never know the unknown. And god is both UNKNOWN and UNKNOWABLE. All initiative is from the side of God. He is searching for you. He goes on calling ‘Where are you?’ When he chooses somebody only then do you start choosing him.

The same is true about a Master. You think that you choose a Master? All Holy Nonsense! It is always the Master who chooses you. The very idea that you choose the Master is egoistic. A master goes on choosing many who are not yet even alert about it. But they have started moving the moment a master chooses. And so is the ultimate case with God. God chooses first. Then you start feeling a hunger for him. And it is only Sufis who have told it.

The fourth possibility comes from the Greek word ‘Sufiya’. ‘Sufiya’ means wisdom. Wisdom is not synonymous with knowledge. Knowledge is through scriptures, through others. It is borrowed. Wisdom arises in your own being. You are a light unto yourself. Wisdom means that you know! And when you know there is no question to believe. Knowledge is belief. And a man becomes a Sufi only when he has known. When he himself has known! When he himself has touched the reality! When he himself has seen the face of God! Then he becomes a Sufi. He has become wise. He is no more just knowledgeable, it is his own experience now.
BASED ON:
TAOSHOBUDDHA'S LEAVES FROM A SUFI HEART VOL 1