Shri Saibaba Punyatithi Festival 27th Sunday – 29th Tuesday 2009 at Shirdi

Shirdi cordially invite you all to join them in celebrating 91st ” Shri Saibaba Punyatithi Festival” from Sunday 27th Sept 2009 to Tuesday 29th Sept 2009 at Shirdi.

Programmes

Opening Day

Sunday – 27/09/2009

4:30am       Kakad Aarati of Shri Sai Baba

5:00am       Procession of Portrait of Shri Sai Baba and Pothi

5:15am        Akhand Parayan of Shri Sai satcharita in Dwarkamai

5:30am       Holy Bath of Shri Saibaba and Darshan

12:30           Mid-Day Aarati and Teerth Prasad

4pm -6pm Keertan

6:15pm       Dhooparathi

9:15pm       Palanquin Procession of Shri Saibaba through the village

11:00pm    Shejarati {on return of Palanquin Procession }

Note: Dwarkamai will remain open for parayan throughout the night.

Main Day

Monday – 28/09/02009

4:30am       Kakad Aarati of Shri Sai Baba

5:00am       Akhand Parayan Samapti (conclusion), Procession of Portrait of Shri Sai Baba and Pothi

5:30am       Holy Bath of Shri Saibaba and Darshan

9:00am       Bhiksha-zoli Programme

10am-12pm Keertan

12:00pm    Aradhana Vidhi

12:30pm    Mid-Day Aarati and Teerth Prasad

5:00pm      Seemollanghan at Khandoba Mandir & Procession Programme.

6:15 pm      Dhooparati

9:15 pm     Chariot Procession of Shri Saibaba through the village.

10:30 -5am Artists Programmes.

Note: Dwarkamai will remain open for parayan throughout the night.

Concluding Day

Tuesday – 29/09/02009

5:05am     Holy Bath of Shri Sai Baba and Darshan

6:45am     Rudrabhishek in Gurusthan Mandir

10:00am Gopalkala Keertan and Dahihandi Programme

6:00pm   Dhooparati

10:30pm  Shejarati

END OF FESTIVAL

Sai Baba Post Letter

Shri Shirdi Sai has spread his wings through the Department of Posts, India. The Department of posts, Government of  India, has released the first ever postage stamp, First day cover postage-seal and brochure on Shri Shirdi Sai Baba on 20th May 2008. The stamp is of Rs 5/- denomination and about 0.4 million stamps have been printed by India Security Press, Nasik.

Shirdi Festivals

Shirdi Sai Baba

Presently, Mandir functions as to be:-

6:00 AM     Abhishek (Mangal Snan).
7:30 AM     Aarti
8:00 AM     NAM JAP
11:00 AM Bhog
2:00 Noon Arthi
4:00 PM     Mandir Opens, Devotional Bhajans.
6.15 PM Evening Aarti Depends on Sun set
Shirdi Sai Baba from Akshay Trutiya ( Month of May) to Dashara (Vijaydashmi) at 7:00 PM

Shirdi Sai Baba from MakarSankranti to Akshay Trutiya at 6:30 PM

Sai Baba from Dashara (Vijayadashmi) to Makar sankranti at 6:00 PM
9:00 PM     Mandir gets closed.
On Every Amawasya (NO MOON DAY)
6:00 AM     ABHISHEK (Mangal Snan) Open for all Public
On Every Thursday
Approximately 1500 people visits mandir in entire day. Morning and evening Aarti is fully crowded. After Evening Aarti, Sansthan offers Prasad (Rice / Chapati / Curry) to all visitors.

Utsav
Sansthan Celebrates following utsav’s on Large scale –
Sai Baba SRI RAMNAVAMI
Shirdi Sai Baba pusad GURUPOORNIMA

Devotees from distance places visits Shirdi.

Apart from above two Sansthan celebrates –

MAHASHIVARATRI
GOKUL ASHTAMAI (birth of Lord Krishna)
DASHAHARA (Vijayadashmai, MAHASAMADHI DAY OF BABA)
DEEWALI (5 days Celebration)
DUTTA JAYANTI

On all above great days sansthan performs Abhishek (Mangal Snana with Panchamrut, essence, Attar, Pure Water) for main IDOL of BABA which is open for all.
Apart from daily worship Afternoon Aarti (12:00 NOON) followed by Prasad / Mahaprasad will get distributed to all devotees throught a day (till evening Aarti).

MAHASHIVARATRI

On the eve of MAHASHIVARATRI Early morning at 6:00 am abhisekh followed by Aarti Afternoon Aarti, Prasad Distribution and evening Aarti.
Mahashivaratri Happens in the month of February/March.

Followed by- Sai Baba pusad

RAMNAVAMI
Ramnavami is the biggest festival, celebrated by sansthan. On the eve of SRIRAMNAVAMI. Early morning at 6:00 am abhisekh followed by Aarti, Afternoon Aarti,,
MahaPrasad Distribution and evening Aarti. For Mahaprasad every year Peoples taking benefit of Prasad are increasing. Presently 15,000-16000 people are coming for prasad from local town, nearby towns and villages.
Mahaprasad will be distributed in between 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM. A team of 50 peoples/devotees apart from Sansthan Management cooperate to make this function a (Prasad Distribution) successful. SRIRAMNAVI Happens in the month of March/April.

Followed by- Sai Baba pusad

GURUPOORNIMA

GURUPOORNMA is one more big festival, celebrated by sansthan. This function is to pay regards to our GURU (Teacher). On the eve of GURUPOORNMA, Early morning at 6:00 am abhisekh followed by Aarti,
Afternoon Aarti, MahaPrasad Distribution and evening Aarti. For Mahaprasad every year Peoples taking benefit of Prasad are increasing. Presently 7,000-8000 people are coming for prasad from local town, nearby towns and villages.
Mahaprasad will be distributed in between 12:30 PM to 4:00 PM. A team of 50 peoples/devotees apart from Sansthan Management cooperate to make this function (Prasad Distribution) successful. Gurupoornima Happens in the month of July /August.

Followed by- Sai Baba pusad

DASHARA (VIJAYADASHAMI)

Sadguru Shri SAIBABA took MAHA SAMADHI on DASHARA. On eve of Dashara Early morning at 6:00 am abhisekh follwed by Aarti.
Entire Mandir will get enlighten with traditional Lamp (DIWA). Afternoon Aarti, Prasad Distribution and evening Aarti, Dashara Happens in the
month of October/November, 20 days prior to DEEWALI..

Followed by- Sai Baba pusad

DEEWALI

BABA used to keep DWARKAMAI always enlighten. This is a day of Light. BABA Loves light. On Deewali entire mandir is covered with lighting for five days.
On the eve of Narakchadurdashi and Deepawalt Day (LAXMIPOOJAN) Early morning at 6:00 am abhisekh followed by Aarti, Prasad Distribution and evening Aarti.
DEEWALI Happens in the month of October/November 20 days after Dashara.

Followed by- Sai Baba pusad

OTHERS
Apart from all above five Utsav, Sansthan observes/celebrates JANMASHTAMI (Lord Krishna Birth Day), DUTTA JAYANTI (Lord Duttatraya Birth Day).
SRI SADGURU SAI BABA is AVATAR of Duttatraya.

Vijayadashami Special at Shirdi – Sept 28

Shirdi Sai BABA has left his mortal coil on 15th of October 1918, on Vijayadashami day.

SAI BABA did not have any known true disciples whom HE has initiated and asked them to carry on His work to humanity.
Since then and now in present times; people have been swayed by the benevolence and kindness of this Mad Old Fakir accepting Shirdi Sai BABA as Sadguru.
Some of these people were chosen by BABA to carry on the light of Sai philosophy by spreading Sai Tatv – of Universal love, compassion and brotherhood in all the
corners of the world.Sai Baba alone assigns each person different tasks. Sai Baba assigned different jobs to various people according to Sai wish him to do. Sai message is about praying, love, and compassion, sharing, listening, respecting and giving. One finds these characters or qualities in followers of Sadguru,
though they may not be aware of it. Shirdi Sai Baba’s teachings have always been shrouded with mysticism. BABA always spoke in parables as is evident in Sai
Satcharitha. It is difficult for common man to understand these teachings unless the Guru graces the man. During His time BABA tested his followers, Chapter 14 of
Satcharitha testifies this fact “Woman and wealth are the two main obstacles in the way of our Paramartha (ultimate purpose of life); and Baba provided in Shirdi two
institutions, viz., Dakshina and Radha-Krishna-Mai. Whenever they came to Him, He demanded Dakshina from them, and asked them to go to the ‘SCHOOL’ (Radha-Krishna-Mai’s house).
If they stood these two tests well, i.e. if they showed that they were free from attachment for woman and wealth, their progress in spirituality was rapid and assured by
Baba’s grace and blessings.”We consider BABA as Anantha, the one with no beginning and end and all pervasive, so it is fair to assume that this MAD old man does
pull the strings and tests His children even to this day and time. One might wonder what is the relevance of this point in providing service to humanity. While doing service
to fellow beings, Sai followers get emotionally attached to people whom they are serving, as a result a bond is established, now at this point it becomes necessary to use
our discretion. One must hold on steady fast to the holy feet of the lord and analyze the emotions that we go through. In heightened emotional state, one might think they
are in love – as associated with physical wanting, hatred, anger, desire etc.; towards the person who are helped and consider these feelings are ordained by BABA.
This happens many a times and is still happening now.It is essential that one who is involved in such sacred work be aware of the situations and gear accordingly and
understands that it is a situation created by Lord to test the sincerity of the person. It is up to us to use our discretion and act accordingly by severing to the best of our
abilities.

Shirdi Sai Baba has so subtly warned His children of this effect when He said “Though I have become a Fakir, have no house or wife, and though leaving off all cares, I have stayed at one place, the inevitable Maya teases Me often.
Though I forgot Myself I cannot forget Her. She always envelops Me. This Maya (illusive power) of the Lord (Shri Hari) teases God Brahma and others, then what to speak of a poor Fakir like Me? Those who take refuge in the Lord will be freed from Her clutches with his grace”.
The maya here BABA speaks is interpreted as 6 inner enemies – Kama, Krodha, Lobha, Moha Madha and MathsaryaThese inner enemies do surface at some point when we are involved in serving the MASTER when take up his work of serving the humanity.
When that happens mind is clouded with ignorance and we indulge in infidelity, arguments, scandalizing, sin and are self opinionated and pompous in our actions without considering the consequence of our actions. One should keep future aspects of actions in view rather than acting on the spur of the moment.
One derives satisfaction to ego at that moment, but Lord is our witness, and we will reap the fruits of our actions either good or bad later – there is no escape.
BABA gave an antidote for such behavior. Chapter 20 of Satcharitha, in which Hemadpant writes about Ishaopanishad describing it as “The poetry of the Ishopanishad is a Commixture of moral, mystical and metaphysical (ibid, Page 41)”.” Das Ganu learnt through the actions of the poor girl that “all our feelings of pain and pleasure depend upon the attitude of our mind”.
We have to surrender negative thoughts and feelings to Lotus feet of our Sadguru and ask Him to guide us and help us to take hold of the reins of these wild thoughts and actions so that we may do our service diligently and with purity. One falters in the way of executing works of BABA, but by using knowledge and focusing on goals one needs to render highest quality of Service. BOW TO SHRI SAI-PEACE BE TO ALL.

Latest News

Specials Trains To Shirdi  from Chennai.

Southern Railway to clear the extra rush will run the 0677/0678 Chennai Egmore -Shirdi-Chennai Egmore (Weekly) Specials from July 7 to October 1.
It will leave here at 3.15 pm on Tuesdays and arrive in Shirdi the next day at 18.45.
In the return direction, it will leave Shirdi at 8 am on Thursdays and arrive here the next day at 11.45 am.
Advance reservation will commence on Saturday 04th July`09.

Source – http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Chennai/Special-trains-extended/articleshow/4735784.cms

Shirdi News

Rs 100-crore gift to Shirdi Sai Baba
January 01, 2008.

• A Chennai-based information technology industrialist has promised to donate Rs 100 crore to the Sai Baba temple trust in Shirdi.Sources in the cash-rich temple trust said it was the biggest ever donation in its history.

• KV Ramani, the CMD of Future Software, will be donating the money to the Shri Saibaba Sansthan for the construction of a Bhakta Niwas,a residential complex for devotees on January 10.

• Ramani was not available for comment but the chairperson of the trust, Jayant Sasane, confirmed the donation.

• Sasane said negotiations between trustees and Ramani had been on for almost a year. The residential complex will come up on 14 acres of land owned by the trust.

• Ramani, a great devotee of the Sai Baba, has asked the trust to reserve 10 per cent of the total number of rooms in the complex for poor devotees and give out 30 per cent at concession rates.

• Sasane said 15,000 devotees could be accommodated in the facility. The foundation stone will be laid on January 10. Construction is expected to be complete within a year and a half.

• Ramani set up the Shirdi Sai Trust with Rs 250 crore that he had in his kitty. His trust has been spending Rs 20 crore every year for social causes and for construction of Sai Baba temples at various places.

• Sources in Shri Saibaba Sansthan said Ramani believes he owes his wealth to Sai Baba and he has to donate it to him.The sansthan, controlled by the Maharashtra government, has an annual turnover of around Rs 200 crore.

Shirdi to get airport for devotees

• Wednesday, June 25, 2008. MUMBAI: Devotees of Saibaba can now reach shirdi by flight too, as the Maharashtra Government today approved construction of an airport at the holy place.

• The estimated cost of constructing the airport, at Kakadi village, 15 kms away from Shirdi in Ahmednagar district, is Rs 264 crore, an official said.The project to be executed by the Maharashta Airport Development Company will be completed with public-private partnership, he added.

• The Ahmednagar Collector will soon start the land acquisition of about 400 hectares of land required for the airport.

• Another news is The blood bank run by the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi, has been honoured by the Maharashtra State Government by awarding certificate and memento for its continuous efforts to collect and give the blood to the needy patients at the reasonable prices.

• This award was accepted by Sunil Karjule from Maharashtra Health Minister Dr. Vimaltai Mundada.

• This blood bank is motivating the blood doors in the rural area. The devotees also donate the blood on every Thursday and Sunday.

• In all 7300 persons donated blood in 2007. This blood is supplied to Ahmadnagar, Nasik and Aurangabd Districts.

Shirdi Sai Baba temple, Second Richest in Country

• Kopargaon, Jan 09: The famous Shirdi Sai Baba shrine in Maharashtra has become the second richest in the country in terms of income after the Balaji temple in Tirupati, trustees said on Friday.

• The temple has collected Rs 81 crore in cash, 920 kgs of gold and 440 kgs of silver in the form of donations during 2008, creating a record, Ashok Khambekar, a trustee of Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, said.

• The temple also collected a record amount of close to Rs 4 crore and 15 lakh in its cash donation box between December 29, 2008 and January six, 2009, Khambekar said. During 2007, about 104 kgs of gold, 235 kgs of silver and Rs 60 crore in cash was received by the temple through donations, he said.

• The trust, which was formed in 1992, has an annual budget of Rs 200 crore which is used for development works such as construction of hospitals, new buildings and roads in and around Shirdi, Khambekar said adding a super speciality hospital and a ‘prasadalaya’ (dining hall) had already been constructed.

• The Sai Sansthan had a record collection of  Rs81 crore in cash, 920 kg of gold and 440 kg of silver in its ‘hundi’ at the Saibaba temple in 2008, informed Ashok Khambekar, trustee, SSST.

• Apart from this collection, donations worth Rs42 crore were also made through different sources in 2008. The trust was formed in 1922.The collection from December 29, 2008, to January 6, 2009, reached a record high of Rs4,13,60,250.

• The collections in the past year has created a record. In 2007, Rs60 crore, 104 kg of gold and 235 kg of silver had been collected. Also, a golden throne had also been donated for Saibaba. Last year, a devotee donated for the covering of the sanctum sanctorum to be covered by gold sheet.

• The yearly budget of the temple trust is Rs200 crore which caters to the daily maintenance and management of the temple and its various religious and social activities, including donations for medical relief.

• In 2008, the trust started a super-specialty hospital at an outlay of Rs23 crore where patients are treated in bare minimum cost. The hospital has gained name for its success in heart surgeries. The trust is also building a ‘prasadalaya’ worth Rs35 crore, the work of which began in June 2008.

Record donation at Shirdi Sai Baba temple in 2007
30 Jan, 2008.

• MUMBAI: The Sai Baba shrine at Shirdi has received cash donations to the tune of Rs 60 crore, besides 14 kg gold and 235 kg of silver in 2007, making it the highest collection in a year.

• “In 2006, devotees had donated Rs 35.25 crore in cash, 9 kg gold and 136 kg silver,” the Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan Trust said in a statement here on Wednesday.

• On the occasion of Dattatrey Jayanti, which fell on December 23 last year, a Hyderabad-based devotee donated a 90-kg gold throne estimated to be worth Rs 10 crore to the temple, it said.

• The highest donations received in 2007 during December month, with devotees donating Rs seven crore in cash, 1.25 kg gold and 20 kg silver.This year, the devotees have donated Rs 6.24 crore cash, 1 kg gold and 30 kg silver to the shrine so far.

• The trust had earmarked Rs 300 crore for a development plan which would include construction of roads, creation of a drinking water scheme and providing facilities at a local hospital and school, the statement added.

Shirdi Sai Temple will be open through the night

• 31.Dec.07. Devotees of Sai Baba will begin the new year with the customary trip to Shirdi. Anticipating the influx of devotees, the Sai temple trust has made special arrangements to accommodate around five lakh devotees expected to visit the temple tonight.

• “The temple will be open through the night so that all the devotees can take darshan. There will be a bhajan night to welcome the new year. Judges from the Supreme Court and the High Court and politicians, including Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and chemical and fertilisers and steel minister Ram Vilas Paswan are also expected,” said Jayant Sasane, secretary of the temple trust.

• The number of people travelling to Shirdi from Mumbai has increased since last week. Rambabu Chouhan, a travel agent from Parel, said, “Out of the 30 cars in my travel fleet, 21 have been booked for Shirdi on December 31 and January 1, 2008.”

• One of the attractions is the golden throne donated recently by a Hyderabad-based businessman. Sasane  said, “People are curious, but I can’t claim they are there only to see the throne.

________________________________________________________________________

94-kg gold throne for Sai Baba

• Shirdi (Maharashtra) : Sri Sai Baba Sansthan at Shirdi – the town famous for Sai Baba’s temple – received an early morning bounty Thursday from two devotees.

• Two brothers, Mahesh and Girish Reddy of Hyderabad, gifted the Sansthan a 94-kg gold throne costing a whopping Rs. 100 million.It has been made by artisans in Bangalore for a five-and-half feet idol of Sai Baba, installed at the Sai Temple in Shirdi.

• It was a challenge for the Reddys and the transporters to ferry the throne safely to Shirdi, located nearly 200 km from Pune. The Reddys packed it in a bus, which was escorted by a fleet of 15 cars carrying gun-toting security personnel.

• Jayant Sasane, director of Sri Sai Baba Sansthan, said the siblings, builders by profession, are Sai Baba devotees and have been visiting the temple town for the past 20 years.

• During one such trip, they had sought Sai Baba’s blessings for a big contract which could bring them prosperity. They promised to install a special gold throne for the Sai Baba if they bagged the contract.

• Apparently, Sai Baba fulfilled their wish and the Reddys called the Sansthan to tell them that they would keep their promise made to the Baba, Sasane told IANS.

• “Incidentally, one-and-a-half years ago we had announced our plan for a gold throne for Sai Baba. Devotees had been donating for the cause and so far we have collected around Rs. 10 million,” Sasane said.

• Some political parties suggested that the money meant for the throne should be used for victims of natural calamities.”Last September, the Reddys called with their private offer to install the gold throne,” he said.

• It will be installed Sunday (December 23), the day of Dutta Jayanti. The date is significant for millions of Sai Baba devotees around the world as he is considered an incarnation of Dutta Guru.

• The throne is the second most generous donation that the Sansthan received in 2007. In June, one V.K. Ramani of Chennai donated Rs. 750 million, Sasane said.

• Ramani, an IT professional, donated it for the construction of the sprawling Dutta Niwas. “It will cost almost Rs 10 billion.

• The money donated by Ramani will be used and the Sansthan will spend the rest,” Sasane added.

• When completed, the Dutta Niwas will accommodate 15,000 devotees at a time, making it one of the largest congregation halls in the country.

100,000 devotees can dine daily at Shirdi prasadalaya

November 29, 2007

• The Sai Baba temple trust here has built what is billed to be Asia’s biggest prasadalaya, a dining hall with a seating capacity of 5,500, making it possible to feed more than 100,000 devotees daily.

• The Sri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, on an average, spends Rs 190 million annually on feeding pilgrims visiting Shirdi.

• The prasadalaya, constructed at a cost of Rs 240 million, was inaugurated by President Pratibha Patil on Tuesday. The complex is built on 7.5 acres of land and has a built-up area of 183,000 sq feet. It is 700 metres from the main Sai Baba temple.

• A gigantic hall has been constructed on the ground floor, which can seat 3,500 devotees. Two separate halls have been constructed on the first floor with a seating capacity of 1,000 each.

• Fourteen domes made of polycarbonate and Manglorian tiles have been constructed to give ample natural light to the hall, so that power cuts do not disturb the activities in the prasadalaya during daytime.

• Raghunath Aher, chief engineer, Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, told IANS: “The work of the prasadalaya has been going on for 15 months and it will be fully functional in two months.”

• The meals served at the Sansthan are at highly subsidised rates of Rs 5. Huge refrigerating rooms have been built for keeping vegetables fresh. Most of the cooking will be done with solar energy.

• VR Wakchure, executive officer of the Sansthan, said: “All the cooking will be done with modern machines, giving top priority to hygiene.”

• According to the trust, Shirdi has become one of India’s most visited pilgrim places after Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh. On a normal day, around 20,000 devotees visit Shirdi whereas the number increases to about 60,000 during a festival.The previous dinning hall had a capacity of 1,000 people together.

• The prasadalaya serves simple Maharashtrian food comprising dal, rice, chapatti, two vegetables and a sweet. For pilgrims who cannot afford to pay, there is another hall, which has a capacity of 150 people and the trust serves food for free.

• Ganpath Tatya, prasadalaya supervisor, said: “Every day more than 100 people come here to make just chapattis. The prasadalaya is always full. We like serving food to everyone who comes here, we do not want anyone visiting Shirdi to leave hungry, and they should be happy and satisfied.”

• The prasadalaya is open from 10 am to 10 pm.The food is first offered to Sai Baba and then served to the devotees.

Shirdi Temple faces terror threat – Nashik police received threatening letter.

• Nashik, Oct 8. 2007.: Nashik police has received a unknown letter threatening to blow up famous Sai Baba temple at Shirdi.

• Meanwhile, the security at Shirdi and Trimbakeshwar temples has been beefed up after police and intelligence agencies rated the threat perception from terrorist as alarmingly high for the two temples.

• The investigation is on to establish the authenticity of the letter and no arrest has been made so far in this connection.

• As per intelligence agencies’ assessment, terrorist groups could target religious places like Shirdi and Trimbakeshwar during the festive season of Navratri and Diwali.

• The Union Home Minister, Shivraj Patil also cautioned that militant outfits might target religious places and top political leaders.

Guru Poornima Special July7-2009

What is Guru Purnima?
The full moon day in the Hindu month of Ashad (July-August) is observed as the auspicious day of Guru Purnima,a day sacred to the memory of the great sage Vyasa.

All Hindus are indebted to this ancient saint who edited the four Vedas, wrote the 18 Puranas, the Mahabharata and the Srimad Bhagavata.

Vyasa even taught Dattatreya, who is regarded as the Guru of Gurus.

Significance of Guru Purnima
On this day, all spiritual aspirants and devotees worship Vyasa in honor of his divine personage and all disciples perform a ‘puja’ of their respective spiritual preceptor or ‘Gurudevs’.

Description of Guru:

The human soul, even though initiated in the spiritual path, cannot love an abstract power; and it is for this reason that the scriptures advise us to venerate those who lead us to God and to love their physical presence as the Divine manifesting itself in human form. The Guru’s physical body is just a receptacle of the mighty Divine, and as such worthy of the utmost devotion and reverence.
God as the abstract Creator eludes our imagination, but when a human temple enshrines divinity we begin to understand through this familiar medium the purpose of our own ultimate destiny. Thus, when God assumes a human form, He establishes Himself as the Guru. Guru is manifested God- this is perhaps the most succinct and satisfying definition of the word, and eliminates the false claims of some so-called Gurus who are ready to assume the mantle of spiritual authority without the true manifestation of the divine principle.
The Guru as manifested God soon becomes the Light, the inspiration and the great exemplar. The life of the average seeker, as it is lived on the material and physical level, is barren and unproductive until it finds its focus in the Master. It requires the grace, protection and the powerful push of the Guru to release this imprisoned splendor which lies captive in each and every one of us.
The Guru and God are one because the Almighty and His medium of manifestation cannot be different. The Guru embodies not only the Saguna (characteristics) but also the Nirguna(quality) of the Supreme Being, and so to that extent the Guru is approachable and accessible to man’s needs and comprehension.

Relationship between a Guru and a Disciple:
Once a contact between the Guru and the bhakta(disciple) is established, the relationship between master and disciple becomes a thing of beauty. This leads us to consider the principle of reciprocity which operates in this relationship. In return for the innumerable demands which a bhakta makes on the Master, it is but natural that the Guru too should impose a few conditions on the bhakta.The Guru expects total surrender, absolute obedience ,and, the last and most important, supreme effort.

Saint of Shirdi – Shri Sai Baba – Saguna Brahma – Guru:

The saint of Shirdi recognized and emphasized the beauty of a Guru-guided life.
Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi is the Guru incarnate to live on this earth in the late part of last century and early part of this century.
Shri Sai Baba gave tremendous importance to the adoption of the Guru in one’s spiritual “Sadhana”(pursuit).
With an innate compassion Shri Sai Baba often declared -”I am your savior, not only from the weight of sin, but from the weight of care and misery”.
“Guru is all the Gods”, said the Saint of Shirdi. Moreover, the Baba declared reassuringly though as the all pervading Guru he would naturally expect
complete surrender, obedience and loyalty, he promised that through his supreme powers he would extend complete protection to those who put their
implicit faith in him.

Is Surrender to the Guru the only Sadhana Prayer?:

This question was hotly debated even in the presence of Baba. The answer to this complex question as given by Shri Sai Baba comes straight out of Sri Sai Satcharita.

Kakasaheb Dixit(an ardent Devotee of Shri Sai Baba) has published his notes regarding this matter. Next day after Hemadpant’s meeting with Sai Baba,
Kakasaheb went to Baba and asked whether he should leave Shirdi. Baba Said, “Yes”. Then someone asked – “Baba, where to go?” Baba said, “High up.”
Then the man said, “How is the way?” Baba said, “There are many ways leading there; there is one way also from here (Shirdi). The way is difficult.
There are tigers and wolves in the jungles on the way.” I (Kakasaheb) asked – “But Baba, what if we take a guide with us?” Baba answered, – “Then there is no difficulty. The guide will take you straight to your destination, avoiding wolves, tigers and ditches etc. on the way. If there be no guide, there is the danger of your being lost in the jungles or falling into ditches.”

Has Shri Sai Baba qualified to be a Guru?

Not only did the Saint of Shirdi perform his duties of Guruship during his life, but was able to establish a lasting Guru-parampara(successors of Guru’s)
through his vision and foresight.

Shri Sai Baba was not content to transfer his messiahship to his descendants.
In the last years of his life, he said to his devotees with a mother’s solicitude, “Do not grieve when my body passes away.
My tomb will live and move and speak with all those who make me their sole refuge.” Happily, though we have celebrated over 78 years of his mahasamadhi, Sai Baba’s promise is abundantly fulfilled even to-day. Millions of devotees flock to his Samadhi regularly to seek his blessings.
Through decades of void there comes echoing down the years the gracious message- “Lo, I am beside you always”.

Significance of Guru Poornima Day.

The Poornima(Full Moon) Day in the month of Ashadha(July-August) is known as Guru Poornima.
This is a very sacred day on which special worship is performed to the Acharyas(Gurus), who, through their Infinite Compassion and Supreme Grace,
have imparted the Knowledge of the Absolute(Brahma Vidya) through a long and continuous line of Acharyas(Guru Parampara) to all the Seekers of the Self.

Celebration of Guru Poornima Day in Shirdi

The celebration of Guru Poornima began in Shirdi around 1908.
One day Shri Baba told his disciple Shri Dada Kelkar, “Do you know this day is the day to approach Gurus? Bring your worship articles”.
Then Shri Kelkar and his friends looked up the calendar and found that the day was Guru Poornima day.

They started worshipping Shri Sai Baba as their Guru, and that practice has continued till today not only in Shirdi but all over the world where prayers are offered to Shri Sai.

Sai Mantra’s

Om Sai Ram

Dear devotee please read this sai mantra every thursday or every day to save you from danger and make your Baba to stand along with you day and nite and be happy and make others happy too…. Om Sai Ram

 

                            “Shirdi saibaba 108 Ashtothram Mantra”

 

 

Aum shree saaye naadhaaya namah

Aum shree laxmi naaraayanaaya namah

Aum shree krishna raama shiva maaruthyaadhi rupaaya namah

 

Aum shesha shaayene namah

Aum godhavari thadashiradi vaasine namah

Aum baktha shrudhaalayaaya namah

Aum sarva shruthvaasine namah

 

Aum boodhaa vaasaaya namah

Aum boodha bavisyath paava varji dhaaya namah

Aum kaalaa dheedhaaya namah

Aum kaalaaya namah

Aum kaala kaalaaya namah

 

Aum kaala dhar badha manaaya namah

Aum mruth yunjayaaya namah

Aum amarthyaaya namah

Aum marthyaa bayapradhaaya namah

Aum jeevaa dhaaraaya namah

Aum sarvaa dhaaraaya namah

 

Aum bakthaavana samarthaaya namah

Aum bakthaavana pradhik gnaaya namah

Aum anna vasthra dhaaaya namah

Aum aarokya sheshama dhaaya namah

 

Aum dhana maangalya pradhaaya namah

Aum ruthi sithi dhaaya namah

Aum puthra mithra kalathra bandhu dhaaya namah

 

Aum yooga shesha mava haaya namah

Aum aabath baandha vaaya namah

Aum maarga bandhavee namah

Aum bukthi mukthi svargaa bavarga dhaaya namah

 

Aum priyaaya namah

Aum preethi vardha naaya namah

Aum andhar yaamine namah

Aum sachi dhaathmane namah

 

Aum aanan dhaaya namah

Aum aanandha dhaaya namah

Aum paramesh varaaya namah

Aum para brahmanee namah

 

Aum para maathmanee namah

Aum gnana svarubinee namah

Aum jagadhaa pithre namah

Aum bakthaanaam maathru thaathru pidhaa mahaaya namah

 

Aum baktha baya pradhaaya namah

Aum baktha paraa dheenaaya namah

Aum bakthaa nukraha kaadha raaya namah

 

Aum saranaa kadha vathsalaaya namah

Aum bakthi sakthi pradhaaya namah

Aum gnana vairaakya dhaaya namah

Aum prema pradhaaya namah

Aum samsaya srudhaya thelar balya paabakarma vaasanaa shaya karaaya namah

 

Aum hrudhaya krandhi bedha kaaya namah

Aum karmath vamsine namah

Aum sutha sath vasthi dhaaya namah

 

Aum gunaa dheedha gunaath manee namah

Aum anandha kalyaana gunaaya namah

Aum amidha paraakra maaya namah

Aum jayinee namah

 

Aum dhoo dharshaa shesap yaaya namah

Aum abaraaji dhaaya namah

Aum thriloo kesu askandhitha kadhaye namah

Aum asakyarahi dhaaya namah

 

Aum sarva sakthi murthaye namah

Aum suruba sundha raaya namah

Aum sulosanaaya namah

 

Aum bahurooba vishva murthaye namah

Aum arubaavyak dhaaya namah

Aum asindhaaya namah

Aum soosha maaya namah

Aum svaandhar yaaminee namah

 

Aum manovaaga dhidhaaya namah

Aum prema murthaye namah

Aum soola badhurla baaya namah

Aum asahaaya sahaayaaya namah

 

Aum anaadha naadha dheena bandhave namah

Aum sarva baarap rudhe namah

Aum agarmaanega karma soogarmine namah

 

Aum punya sravana keethanaaya namah

Aum theerthaaya namah

Aum vaasu dhevaaya namah

Aum sadhaam gadhaye namah

 

Aum sath paraaya naaya namah

Aum loga naadhaaya namah

Aum bavanaa nagaaya namah

 

Aum amrudhaam savee namah

Aum baaskara prabaaya namah

Aum brumha sarya thapas saryaadhe suvradhaaya namah

 

Aum sathya dharma paraaya naaya namah

Aum sithes svaraaya namah

Aum sitha sangal paaya namah

Aum yoogesh svaraaya namah

 

Aum bagavadhe namah

Aum baktha vathsalaaya namah

Aum sath purushaaya namah

Aum purushotha maaya namah

Aum sathya thathva podhagaaya namah

 

Aum kaamaadhi sarva akgnana thvam sine namah

Aum abedha nandhaanu bavapra dhaaya namah

Aum shama sarvamadha samma dhaaya namah

 

Aum dhashinaa murthaye namah

Aum vengadesra manaaya namah

Aum athpudhaa nandha saryaaya namah

 

Aum prapannaar thee haraaya namah

Aum samsaara sarva dhukka sayaka raaya namah

Aum sarvavith sarva dhaumu kaaya namah

 

Aum sarvaandhar bahisthe dhaaya namah

Aum sarva mangala garaaya namah

Aum sarvaa peesta pradhaaya namah

Aum samarasa sanmaarga sthaapa naaya namah

 

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Shirdi Map

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Map 2

11 Sayings of Sai Baba

 

 

 

1.   Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings would come to an   end.

2.   The wretched and miserable would rise into plenty of joy and happiness, as soon as they climb steps of my Samadhi.

3.   I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body.

4.   My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees.

5.   I shall be active and vigorous even from the tomb.

6.   My mortal remains would speak from the tomb.

7.   I am ever living to help and guide all who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.

8.   If you look to me, I look to you.

9.   If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it.

10. If you seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once.

11. There shall be no want in the house of my devotees

 

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