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

LIGHT OF THE VEDAS: HYMN TO USHA

LIGHT OF VEDAS: HYMN TO USHA


HYMN TO USHA

O Usha! You are the the Light of immortal Truth, the foundation of the Dawns,
the Illuminer, Creator, Organiser and Witness of all things, our highest mental heaven,
by Your revelations, You bring into existence in us the concealed luminous mind.


O Usha! You are the revelation of the thought and word of the seer,
the power conscient of the truth of all that is knowable and known,
the affirmation, full and ample,of the giver supreme of all the plenitudes.


O Usha! guided are Your steps according to the rule of a divine plan;
You bring within our reach all desirable things, all the supreme boons,
the boons of the Chida-Ananda, the blessings of the divine existence.


O Usha! You are ancient and eternal, the dawn of the Light Divine
that was from the beginning, but in Your advent ever fresh and young
signifying the full force of the Light and the revelation of the Truth.


O the Divine Dawn! You are the Light of the immortal existence
You bring out in man the powers or the voices of Truth and Joy,
the chariot on which You move is at once of light and of happiness.


O Usha! ever luminous and blissful, You pour into man, ananda and amŗta,
the nectar-delight of immortality as the Divine Dawn of concentrated Light,
confront the worlds with the all-permeating Light of the Universal Being.


O Usha! uplifted You stand on the heights above the mind, in the highest heaven,
as the symbol of Immortality of the Self-Effulgent Timeless Being,
revealed as the Truth of beatific existence or the eternal all-blissful Godhead.


Dawn, O bearer of every boon, Goddess, ancient, yet ever young,
many-thoughted thou movest following the law of thy activities
conscious, absorbed in the affirmation of Him who expresses thee.


O Dawn divine, thou shine out immortal in thy car of happy light
send forth the pleasant voices of the Truth in all the regions, of earth and heaven
may Your steeds, golden-brilliant, well-guided and of wide might bear thee.


O Usha! the horses that bring You, are the nervous forces, perfectly controlled,
golden, bright in hue, dynamic and vibrant, signifying Your divine aspect,
like a wheel moving smoothly over a level field, sans diversities and discords.


O Sūrya Sāvitri! the daughter of Heaven, You accomplish Your task of illumination
by the bright power of the continuous Dawns in the mind’s sky’s divine heavens
by Your increasing illuminations the movements of the mind grow conscient and brilliant.

O Usha! You are the medium of man’s awakening, the first condition of his self realization,
by Your power You induce enlightenment clarifying and enlightening man’s whole nature,
through You dawns the divine Light letting You arrive at the Truth of the Beatitude.
.

Throwing off veil after veil that hides the Truth,
O Usha! You reveal the luminous godhead,
the Divine Dawn to the illumined ones of all times.


In Your Light Divine man's activities are revealed,
the yajna is done, the sacrifice offered to the fire,
its fire-borne fruits by humanity are gathered.

THE ANCIENT WISDOM IN OUR TIME:THE ANCIENT MYSTIC FRATERNITIES

THE ANCIENT MYSTIC WISDOM

THE SCHOOLS OF INITIATION

These schools started long before history began to write of human activities. During every epoch their members willingly served the best interests of their communities, teaching and guiding them to enjoying the greatest possible benefits in life and reducing suffering. Nevertheless, history reveals that not all were willing to receive the truth “that makes men free!”

Their fundamental teachings can be traced to primitive Coptic Egyptian and pre Christian Gnostics and have never changed.

Nonetheless, every age has required a new interpretation and application of the Law to adapt to the needs of individuals and nations.

In this New Age the work of the Hidden and Spiritual Associations needs to be re-established in the world with the same vigor as in previous epochs so that communities may be educated in the Law and qualified to apply it in obtaining Illumination and the immortalizing of the Soul as the only salvation for humanity.
In times past pseudo-occult societies and imaginary Rosicrucian organizations have destroyed the confidence of many researchers, students and aspirants. Man has an overwhelming tendency to accept as true those appearances that please him. But his confidence must be reestablished.

THE ESOTERIC KNOWLEDGE

When the mind of an individual is open to thinking that a deeper science exists than that which is taught in the universities – great and respectable in many aspects, the Secret Science needs to be studied along side of the others and this intent will initiate a process of spiritual culture that the Sacred Writings call “the ascent of Jacob’s ladder”, conducting him, not to heaven exactly but to the Illumination of his Mind and Soul. That is to say: to Initiation, with the result of liberation of the Soul and spirit from all servitude to the body.

The majority receive only knowledge of the possibilities of material life and ignore that they possess a Soul that can be awakened and made active, whose powers are greater, more vital and real, than anything else that might be desired. Many continue to believe that a higher education is a most desirable and worthy human achievement. But the intellect does not provide access to the world of the Soul, the world of Life; its greatest power consists of giving superficial explanations of things without penetrating their essence and lacks the vital power to reform men and create fraternity. On the other hand the emotional nature, often called the divine nature, is the foundation of all intelligence and strength that is true and enduring.
The primary objective of these teachings is to guide the individual toward the inner self until he finds his own Metaphysical Center and lights the Sacred Flame on his own Inner Altar. This flame is the point of contact between men and the source of all power and knowledge. It provides a spiritual center around which a happy, constructive, and productive life can be built.

According to the mystical literature of all cultures, including the West, it is the highest experience a man may attain. The genuine Christian mysticism is rich in this theme; of this field it will suffice to cite Saint Francis of Assisi, Saint Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross. The Order teaches the aspirant the laws and principles that will guide him; however, the aspirant has to do his own work. It is he who must apply these in his daily life to obtain inner development and awaken the forces that can be utilized to achieve health, vitality and youth, as well as any other personal or social purpose.
This training allows you to conquer self and act according to reason and by the Law of Love. It is simple, natural, and becomes a part of your daily life. It is therefore not incompatible with any activity or appropriate business, nor does it prohibit positive pleasures. It increases the capacity for work, refines the senses, clears the mind, develops sensibility and ennobles the capacity for pleasure and in accord with the law of polarity, the capacity for pain. It does not seek to dominate others, but only to inspire and serve in an effective and disinterested way. It prompts you to become independent in your thoughts and free will and to increase the capacity of judgment and discernment by becoming free, but before all, responsible men.

Step by step, and imperceptibly, the neophyte gains the strength to face the circumstances of his life however adverse they might be. He learns to awaken his own strength and exercise his own power. He learns to cultivate the emotions of the heart and the Soul and realize his own powers, energies and latent possibilities for realizing the bounty of life and to carry forth the Sacred Flame so that it burns in the center of his being and transforms him into a Brother of Light or Son of God.

Once a man reaches a certain degree of inner development he can commune with the Hierarchical Centers where dwell pure and creative life and obtain the gifts existing in the Higher Realms, of Love, Power, Energy and Kindness, that belong to the wise and are attainable by all men. It is not only possible to contact these Centers, they can be reached by a vast number of individuals who are wasting away in their dying careers or awaken too late to remedy their folly. Beethoven, for example, was naturally bound to the Musical Centers and received his inspirations from these Centers. Socrates was in contact with the Philosophical Centers and the Soul of the Prophet of Galilee drew inspiration from the most inner Center, that of Love.

Never in the history of the world have better opportunities been offered than in the present. But men and women live as if in a dream, enslaved by weaknesses both their own and that of others, blinded by their environment and adverse or idiotic conditions, enslaved by the opinions of others. They walk blindly, guided by the outer philosophies of symbolic religions, stumbling upon experience without understanding the lessons of pain, happiness and loss, without understanding the reason for it all. Those who resort to the hidden knowledge will discover why they suffer and understand the reason for suffering, the sense of pain or joy and for effort. By the light of philosophy, science, and the experiences of those who have preceded them on the path, they study the necessary steps to reach a realization of illumination and immortalization of the soul within a creative and positive life for themselves and those around him.

THE ROSICRUCIANS

In spite of persecution for independent thought during the medieval period, scientists, professors, doctors and monks, protected by the walls of their monasteries, surrendered to the study of science, philosophy, alchemy, astronomy, magic and the hidden philosophy. Some of these individuals were deeply religious, sincere followers of the doctrine of Jesus and understood it as a teaching of ethics and mysticism relating to life and not as a dogmatic theological system. To defend themselves in their pursuit they united in hidden societies and maintained their faith to the traditional Secret Wisdom of Pythagoras, the Essenes, the Gnostics, Platonists and the Brotherhood of the East. Celebrated thinkers, mystics and scientists such as Raymond Lull, Roger Bacon, Tritemio, and Paracelus were leaders and members.
At the beginning of the Reformation in Germany, one of the most prominent figures of that epoch, Johan Valentin Andrea, joined with many of the most advanced Initiates of those societies to form a new fraternity that took as its emblem the Rose and Cross. Its objective was to unite in a single body the spiritual interpretation of Christianity as given by Suza, Tauler, Echhart, Studion and Johann Schaeffer, the ancient Hermetic wisdom, and the teachings of the Oriental Mystics.

At the early beginning of the 17th century (1614) this Rosicrucian Fraternity, or Fraternity of the Rose Cross, whose original and immutable name is Rosicrucian Order, as the heir of the Ancient Wisdom of the mysteries and the best of Mystical Christian thought was the creative school of its time and since then, and continuing today, has continued to strictly observe all the ancient “Lardmarks”. Subsequently, various different organizations have abusively taken this wonderful name for themselves.

It is an exclusive spiritual and secret school dedicated to the truly spiritual teaching of philosophy and spiritual science whose practice is to carry out the development and immortalization of the human Soul while it lives within a physical body, leading it to Cosmic Consciousness and by this means establishing fraternity in the land.
The Order is an association of free people, absolutely ethical and free of every dogma. Members of any religion may be and are aspirants in this School. It is apolitical, even as it adheres ardently to a doctrine advancing the complete freedom of men. It is fundamentally spiritual because it teaches the Immortality of the Soul and the Paternity of God, is scientific because it teaches the laws that give health to the body, strength to the mind, and works incessantly for the elevation of spiritual, mental and physical liberation of men.

It does not promise divine or supernatural powers to its Neophytes, although its inner members are familiarized with psychic forces and certain laws of Nature and are experts in the management of these and have discovered that forces more subtle than electricity, under certain conditions, can be used and directed appropriately by a mind trained in will and creative imagination to utilize them to carry out many things for the exaltation and benefit of humanity, while at the same time a form of power is established in the soul that is far superior to what men of earthly minds can understand.

The Fraternity, Order, Temple and Brotherhood of the Rosicrucians basically teaches the highest forms of ethics and the transmutation of the low metals (passions of the mind and body) into the pure gold of spiritual Illumination.Rosicrucians are practical people who believe in the advancement of the race, in order, and in the continuous improvement of the self in all spheres of action. Their motto is: DARE TO DO.

Being a Rosicrucian is not to have received a degree or title from some Order or Fraternity, however powerful it may be, it is the final result of a process of development; coming from having penetrated certain deep levels of being and attaining knowledge and power by ones own effort and dedication. And the lips of those who attain are sealed with an impenetrable silence that can never be given or taken away.

Editorial Note:
Grand Master Constant Chevillón, a great personality in European esotericism during the first half of the 20th century, wrote this interesting article. In addition to being very spiritual, this illustrious man was so committed to the ideals of liberty that the Nazis who occupied France in 1944 executed him.

MYSTIC SAINTS OF INDIA:SATHYA SAI BABA

MYSTIC SAINTS OF INDIA

SATHYA SAI BABA


Sathya Sai Baba was born Sathyanarayana Raju to Pedavenkappa Raju and Easwaramma, a poor agrarian family in the remote village of Puttaparthi, located in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh. Since he was born after the Sri Sathyanarayana puja, he was named after the deity. It was said that instruments played on their own accord in his household when he was born.

According to professor Narayana Kasturi (Sathya Sai Baba's official biographer), in his book Easwaramma - The Chosen Mother, Sathya was conceived through a Virgin birth, which was supported by Easwaramma's claim that she found out she was pregnant after a huge sphere of blue light rolled towards her, merged into her and made her faint.

According to Kasturi's biography , on March 8th, 1940 Sai Baba started behaving as if a black scorpion had stung his foot. However, nobody found the scorpion, according to Kasturi. Kasturi further wrote that for one night after this strange event Sai Baba entered a state similar to coma, which his devotees call the state of "leaving his body". Kasturi continues by writing that after he got out of this state he started behaving in a way that worried his parents - he didn't want to eat, he would often keep silent for a long time, recite ancient Shlokas or elaborate on holy Hindu scriptures. Finally, according to Kasturi's biography, on May 23rd, 1940 the young Sathya claimed to be the reincarnation of the fakir Shirdi Sai Baba and subsequently took the fakir's name.

According to his own assertion and the biography by Kasturi he stopped going to school in the town of Uravakonda on October 20, 1940 to start his mission. However, he is listed in the 1942 school record of the nearby village Bukkapatnam. Though the exact year on which he started his mission full-time is uncertain, it is a fact that in the 1940s he took the fakir's name. Kasturi's biography mentions several miracles by and signs of divinity of the young Sathya. According to Howard Murphet, in his book Sai Baba Man of Miracles, the young Sathya was a vegetarian and was known for his aversion to animal cruelty and compassion for the poor, disabled and elderly.

According to Kasturi and to Sathya Sai Baba himself, the young Sathya composed bhajans spontaneously (even as young as 8 years of age) and was talented in drama, dance, music and poetry. In a discourse in 1963 he claimed to be a reincarnation of Shiva and Shakti. In the same discourse SSB said that Shirdi Sai Baba was an incarnation of Shiva and that his future reincarnation Prema Sai Baba would be a reincarnation of Shakti and repeated this claim in 1976.

Miracles

Sathya Sai Baba's followers report many, sometimes spectacular, miracles of various kinds that they attribute to him. Daily, he is observed to allegedly manifest vibuthi (holy ash), food and small objects such as rings, necklaces and watches. Sathya Sai Baba explained the phenomenon of manifestation as an act of divine creation.

In books, magazines and articles, there are numerous reports that Sathya Sai Baba can heal diseases and will sometimes take on the illnesses of devotees on himself.

In devotee's houses all around the world, there are international claims from neutral observers, journalists and devotees that vibuthi, kumkum, turmeric powder, holy water, siva lingams, statues of deities (brass and gold), sugar candy, fruits, herbs, amrita (a fragrant, nectar-like honey), gems, coloured string, writings in ash and various other substances spontaneously manifest and materialize on the walls, furniture, pictures and altars of Sathya Sai Baba.

The Icelandic psychology professor Erlendur Haraldsson wrote that although he did not get Sathya Sai Baba's permission to study him under controlled circumstances, he investigated and documented the guru's alleged miracles and manifestations through first-hand interviews with devotees and ex-devotees. Haraldsson's research yielded many extraordinary testimonies. Some of the miracles attributed to Sathya Sai Baba included levitation (both indoors and outdoors), bilocation, physical disappearances, changing granite into sugar candy, changing water into another drink, changing water into gasoline, producing objects on demand, changing the color of his gown into a different color while wearing it, multiplying food, healings, visions, dreams, making different fruits appear on any tree hanging from actual stems, controlling the weather, physically transforming into various deities and physically emitting brilliant light.

These devotees and ex-devotees also claimed that they witnessed Sathya Sai Baba materialize many substances from his hand such as vibuthi, lost objects, statues, photographs, Indian pastries (both hot and cold), food (hot, cold, solid and fluid), out of season fruits, new banknotes, pendants, necklaces, watches and rings.

Haraldsson wrote that the largest materialized object that he saw was a mangalsutra necklace, 32 inches long, 16 inches long on each side. Haraldsson wrote that some miracles attributed or performed by the Baba resemble the ones described in the New Testament, but also with some differences. According to Haraldsson, although healings certainly figure into Sai Baba's reputation, his impression is that healings do not play a prominent role in SSB's activities as in those of Jesus.

Teachings

Sathya Sai Baba is a prolific orator about religious topics in his native language Telugu and he is regarded by some as an excellent speaker. He asserted that he is an Avatar of God in whom all names and forms ascribed by man to God are manifest. He also says that everybody else is God and that the difference is that he is aware of this and others have yet to realize it.. He further claims to be that he is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipotent, and able to create matter from mere thought. He also stresses he and humans should always free from desires and states that desires bring mental pain (depression, anger jealousy etc).

Sathya Sai Baba preaches love and the unity of all world religions and asserts that people who follow him do not need to give up their original religion. His teachings are sometimes seen as completely syncretic (uniting all religions) and sometimes as Hindu. He teaches among others a rather traditional form of Hinduism that has come from many sects and movements including advaita, occasionally drawing from other religions like Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam and Christianity. One of the Christian influences can be felt in the institution of regular Sunday School sessions for devotees. He says that he has come to restore faith in, and encourage the practice of the teachings in the Vedas. Several books and discourses by him, such as the book Ramakatha Rasavahini teach the literal interpretation of Hindu mythology and advocate the practice of Hindu Dharma.

Across the globe local Sathya Sai Baba groups assemble to sing bhajans (Hindu devotional songs), study Sathya Sai Baba's teachings, do collective community service (called seva), and teach Education in Human Values (Sai Sunday School). Baba's movement is not missionary and Baba discouraged publicity for him in a public discourse in 1968. Bhajans are sung at nearly every meeting with the names of the traditional Hindu deities as well as saints and prophets of other religions occasionally replaced by Baba's name.

Based on Sathya Sai Baba's teachings, his organisation advocates the five basic human values. These values are sathya (truth), dharma (right conduct, living in accord with natural law), ahimsa (non-violence), prema (love for God and all his creatures) and shantih (peace).

Other primary teachings are:
▪ Service and charity (seva) to others.
▪ Love for all creatures and objects
▪ Put a ceiling (limit) on one's desires.
▪ Everything that has been created is maya (illusion), only God is real.
▪ Every creature and object is God in form, though most do not experience this as their reality.
▪ Vegetarianism
▪ Detachement from the material world
▪ Meditation - Baba teaches four techniques, repetition of the name of God, visualising the form of God, sitting in silence and jyoti (Light meditation).
▪ Inclusive acceptance of all religions as paths to realizing the One (God).
▪ Importance of bhakti (devotion) to God
▪ Developing virtues and eschewing vices of character
▪ japa and other sadhana (spiritual exercise) to foster devotion.
▪ Reverence for parents, teachers and elders

Sathya Sai Baba's teachings are said to be realized by observing the following four principles:
▪ There is only one Caste, the Caste of Humanity;
▪ There is only one Religion, the Religion of Love;
▪ There is only one Language, the Language of the Heart;
▪ There is only One God and He is Omnipresent
S ources :Wikipedia

SRI RAMANUJA

Sri Ramanuja In the year 1017 A.D., Ramanuja was born in the village of Perumbudur, about twenty-five miles west of Madras. His father was Kesava Somayaji and his mother was Kantimathi, a very pious and virtuous lady. Ramanuja's Tamil name was Ilaya Perumal. Quite early in life, Ramanuja lost his father. Then he came to Kancheepuram to prosecute his study of the Vedas under one Yadavaprakasha, a teacher of Advaita philosophy. Ramanuja was a very brilliant student. Yadavaprakasha's interpretations of Vedic texts were not quite up to his satisfaction. Ramanuja pointed out many mistakes in the exposition of his master. Sometimes he gave his own interpretations which were much liked by all the co-students. This made Yadavaprakasha very jealous of Ramanuja. Yadavaprakasha made a plan to take away the life of Ramanuja. He arranged for Ramanuja and his cousin Govinda Bhatta--a fellow student--a pilgrimage to Varanasi. Govinda Bhatta, being a favourite student of Yadavaprakasha, came to know of the latter's plan while they were travelling. He at once apprised Ramanuja of the danger and helped him to escape. By the grace of God, Ramanuja escaped with the help of a hunter and his wife whom he accidentally met on the way. About the end of the tenth century, the Visishtadvaita system of philosophy was well established in Southern India and the followers of this creed were in charge of important Vaishnavite temples at Kancheepuram, Srirangam, Tirupathi and other important places. The head of the important Vaishnavite institution was Yamunacharya, a great sage and profound scholar; and he was also the head of the Mutt at Srirangam. One of his disciples, by name Kanchipurna, was serving in the temple at Kancheepuram. Although a Sudra, Kanchipurna was so very pious and good that the people of the place had great respect and reverence for him. At present, there is a temple at Kancheepuram where Kanchipurna's image has been installed and where he is worshipped as a saint. Young Ramanuja came under Kanchipurna's influence and had such reverence for him that he invited him to dinner in his house.

Ramanuja's intention was to attend on Kanchipurna and personally serve him at dinner and himself take meals afterwards. Unfortunately, Kanchipurna came to dinner when Ramanuja was not at home, and took his meals being served by Ramanuja's wife. When Ramanuja returned home, he found the house washed and his wife bathing for having served meals to a Sudra. This irritated Ramanuja very much and turned him against his wife who was an orthodox lady of a different social ideal. After a few incidents of this nature, Ramanuja abandoned the life of a householder and became a Sannyasin. About this time, Yamunacharya being very old was on the look-out for a young person of good ability and character to take his place as head of the Mutt at Srirangam. He had already heard of Ramanuja through his disciples and made up his mind to instal Ramanuja in his place. He now sent for Ramanuja. By the time Ramanuja reached Srirangam, Yamunacharya was dead; and Ramanuja saw his body being taken by his followers to the cremation ground outside the village. Ramanuja followed them to the cremation ground. There he was informed that Yamunacharya, before his death, had left instructions that he had three wishes which Ramanuja was to be requested to fulfil, viz., that a Visishtadvaita Bhashya should be written for the Brahma Sutras of Vyasa which hitherto had been taught orally to the disciples of the Visishtadvaita philosophy and that the names of Parasara, the author of Vishnu Purana, and saint Sadagopa should be perpetuated. Ramanuja was deeply touched, and in the cremation ground itself, before the dead body of Yamunacharya, he made a solemn promise that, God willing, he would fulfil all the three wishes of Yamunacharya. Ramanuja lived for 120 years, and in the course of his long life, fully redeemed his promise by fulfilling all the three wishes of Yamunacharya. After the death of Yamuna, his disciples at Srirangam and other places wanted Ramanuja to take Yamuna's place as the head of the Mutt at Srirangam. This was also the expressed wish of Yamuna. Accordingly, Ramanuja took his place and was duly installed with all the attendant ceremonies and celebrations as the head of the Visishtadvaita Mutt at Srirangam. Ramanuja then proceeded to Thirukottiyur to take initiation from Nambi for Japa of the sacred Mantra of eight letters Om Namo Narayanaya. Somehow, Nambi was not willing to initiate Ramanuja easily. He made Ramanuja travel all the way from Srirangam to Madurai nearly eighteen times before he made up his mind to initiate him, and that too, only after exacting solemn promises of secrecy. Then Nambi duly initiated Ramanuja and said: "Ramanuja! Keep this Mantra a secret. This Mantra is a powerful one. Those who repeat this Mantra will attain salvation. Give it only to a worthy disciple previously tried". But Ramanuja had a very large heart. He was extremely compassionate and his love for humanity was unbounded. He wanted that every man should enjoy the eternal bliss of Lord Narayana. He realised that the Mantra was very powerful. He immediately called all people, irrespective of caste and creed, to assemble before the temple. He stood on top of the tower above the front gate of the temple, and shouted out the sacred Mantra to all of them at the top of his voice. Nambi, his Guru, came to know of this. He became furious. Ramanuja said: "O my beloved Guru! Please prescribe a suitable punishment for my wrong action". Ramanuja said: "I will gladly suffer the tortures of hell myself if millions of people could get salvation by hearing the Mantra through me". Nambi was very much pleased with Ramanuja and found out that he had a very large heart full of compassion. He embraced Ramanuja and blessed him. Having thus equipped himself with the necessary qualifications, Ramanuja succeeded Yamuna. By this time, Ramanuja's fame had spread far and wide. He became a good controversialist. Then he wrote his commentary on the Brahma Sutras known as the Sri Bhashya. The Visishtadvaita system is an ancient one. It was expounded by Bodhayana in his Vritti, written about 400 B.C. It is the same as that expounded by Ramanuja; and Ramanuja followed Bodhayana in his interpretations of the Brahma Sutras. Ramanuja's sect of Vaishnavas is called by the name Sri Sampradaya. Ramanuja wrote also three other books--Vedanta Sara (essence of Vedanta), Vedanta Sangraha (a resume of Vedanta) and Vedanta Deepa (the light of Vedanta). Ramanuja travelled throughout the length and breadth of India to disseminate the path of devotion. He visited all the sacred places throughout India including Kashi, Kashmir and Badrinath. On his way back he visited the Tirupathi hills. There he found the Saivites and the Vaishnavites quarrelling with one another, one party contending that the image of the Lord in the Tirupathi hills was a Saivite one and the other party saying that it was a Vaishnavite one. Ramanuja proposed that they should leave it to the Lord Himself to decide the dispute. So they left the emblems of both Siva and Vishnu at the feet of the Lord, and after locking the door of the temple, both parties stayed outside on guard. In the morning, when they opened the doors, it was found that the image of the Lord was wearing the emblems of Vishnu, while the emblems of Siva were lying at its feet as left there the evening before. This decided that the temple was a Vaishnavite one and it has remained so ever since. Ramanuja then visited all the Vaishnavite shrines in South India and finally reached Srirangam. Here he settled himself permanently and continued his labours of preaching the Visishtadvaita philosophy and writing books. Thousands of people flocked to him everyday to hear his lectures. He cleansed the temples, settled the rituals to be observed in them, and rectified many social evils which had crept into the community. He had a congregation of 700 Sannyasins, 74 dignitaries who held special offices of ministry, and thousands of holy men and women, who revered him as God. He converted lakhs of people to the path of Bhakti. He gave initiation even to washermen. He was now seventy years old, but was destined to live many more years, establish more Mutts, construct more temples and convert many more thousands of people. The Chola king about this time was Kulothunga I and he was a staunch Saivite. He ordered Ramanuja to subscribe to his faith in Siva and acknowledge Siva as the Supreme Lord. Two of the disciples of Ramanuja, Kuresa and Mahapurna, donned the orange robes of Sannyasins and visited the court of Kulothunga I in place of Ramanuja. They argued there for the superiority of Vishnu. The monarch refused to hear them and had their eyes put out. The two unfortunate people started for Srirangam--their native place. Mahapurna was a very old man, and unable to bear the pain, died on the way. Kuresa alone returned to Srirangam. Meanwhile, Ramanuja, with a few followers, by rapid marches through day and night, reached the foot-hills of the Western Ghats, about forty miles west of Mysore. There, after great difficulties, he established himself and spent some years in preaching and converting people to the Visishtadvaita philosophy. The king of the place was Bhatti Deva of the Hoysala dynasty. The Raja's daughter was possessed of some devil and nobody was able to cure her. Ramanuja succeeded in exorcizing the devil and the princess was restored to her former health. The king was very much pleased with Ramanuja and readily became his disciple and he was converted by Ramanuja into a Vaishnavite. Thereafter Ramanuja firmly established himself in the Mysore king's dominions, constructed a temple at Melkote, and created a strong Vaishnavite community there. The Pariahs or depressed classes (now called Harijans) of the place were of great service to Ramanuja; and Ramanuja gave them the right of entry inside the temple which he constructed at Melkote--on some fixed days and with some limited privileges--which they enjoy to this day. Ramanuja constructed a few more Vishnu temples in and about Mysore, set up a strong Vaishnavite community and put them in charge of his disciples to continue his work and spread the Visishtadvaita philosophy and Vishnu worship throughout the king's dominions. Thus he continued his labours here for nearly twenty years and his followers numbered several thousands. Meanwhile, Kulothunga Chola 1, who persecuted Ramanuja, died. The followers of Ramanuja immediately communicated the news to Ramanuja and requested him to come back to Srirangam. Ramanuja himself longed to go back to his followers in Srirangam and worship in the temple there. But his new disciples and followers at Melkote and other places in Mysore would not let him go. So he constructed a temple for himself, installed therein his own image for worship by his disciples and followers, and left the place for Srirangam. He was welcomed by his friends and disciples at Srirangam. The successor to Kulothunga Chola I was a pro-Vaishnavite and Ramanuja was left undisturbed. Ramanuja continued his labours for thirty years more and closed his long active career after attaining the remarkable age of 120 years. Ramanuja was the exponent of the Visishtadvaita philosophy or qualified non-dualism. Ramanuja's Brahman is Sa-visesha Brahman, i.e., Brahman with attributes. According to Ramanuja's teachings, Lord Narayana or Bhagavan is the Supreme Being; the individual soul is Chit; matter is Achit. Ramanuja regards the attributes as real and permanent, but subject to the control of Brahman. The attributes are called Prakaras or modes. Lord Narayana is the Ruler and Lord of the universe. The Jiva is His servant and worshipper. The Jiva should completely surrender himself to the Lord. The oneness of God is quite consistent with the existence of attributes, as the attributes or Shaktis depend upon God for their existence.

SOURCES
1. This biography is based on the book "Lives of Saints" by Sivananda. 2. Acharyas from the school of Vedanta: Sankara, Ramanuja, Madhva, Vallabha, Nimbarka, Gauranga. 3. The Visishtadvaita Philosophy of Sri Ramanuja from Swami Sivananda's book All About Hinduism.