Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Ashtotra Sada Namavali (Flowers 11-14).

Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Ashtotra Sada Namavali(Flowers 11-14).

Ashtotram is (praise) offering our prayers to the Divine, through "OM", and the attributes of the Divine.

There are 108 attributes of Sai Baba in Ashtotra Sada Namavali. Each one is an everlasting flower of divine fragrance.

Flower-11:“OmShri Sai Kaalaya Namaha”.

Meaning: My humble salutation to the embodiment of Time (or death) as appeared by Lord Krishna to Arjun while showing him Vishwa roopa Darshan. (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Reflections:

Why we have the three Gods Brahma the creator,Vishnu the Preserver and Shiva the destroyer? In addition why we have Raja Rajeshwari,the Shakthi, at the centre (Bindu) of the Shri Chakra or at the 16th level of the Maha Meru Yantra? What is the concept of Vishwa Roopam? Why Shiva the destroyer, is associated with Kaal? Why Shiva is called ‘Maha Kaal’ in Ujjain, one of the twelve Jyothir Lingas? Why in Ujjain the Bhasma Aarti in the morning is done with Bhasmam (Vibhuthi) from the Samshan ground (burning Ghats)? Why the God of death, Yama is also called Kaalan? Why time is also known as Kaal? Why absence of light (i.e. black colour) is also called Kaal?

The whole manifestation which we see as the universe is understood by understanding the Brahman, whose immense nature is somewhat revealed in Time,” Kaal”. Our Vedas, Rishis, and Mythologies presented this difficult concept as the Swaroopams in Vishwa Roopam. They realised and wanted to communicate the relationship between the soul and time through death. They gave the same name Kaal- for the Time, Shiva, Death and absence of light. While referring to the death of a person we normally say “He became (one in) time”.

Sai the Brahman is Time. In His Avatar He commanded Time. One who commands Time can bring back the dead to life.

Saptanekar, a lawyer from Akalkot was crying before Baba with his wife.
He had lost his only son. Baba was at first angry with him and asked him again and again to leave the Masjid. He came again with his wife to Baba after Baba’s darshan in his wife’s dream. Again he cried placing his head on Baba’s feet.

Pointing to Saptanekar, Baba said to another devotee, “This fellow blames Me and charges Me with the killing of his son. Do I kill people’s children? Why does this fellow come to the Masjid and cry? Now, I will do this, I will again bring that very child back in his wife’s womb”.

With these words He placed His blessing hand on his head and comforted him saying, “These feet are old and holy, you are carefree now; place entire faith in Me and you will soon get your object”. Saptanekar got a male child within a year. (Shri Sai Satcharita, Ch: 48).

In 1886, (32 years before he took His Maha Samadhi in 1918, on the day of Vijayadasami)Baba suffered from a severe attack of Asthma. To get rid of it, Baba decided to take His Pran high up and go into Samadhi. He said to Bhagat Mahlsapthi,“Protect My body for three days! If I return, it will be alright, if I do not,bury my body in that open land (pointed to it) and fix two flags there as a mark!” After saying this, Baba fell down at about 10 P.M. His breathing stopped as well as His pulse. It seemed as if His Pran left the body. All the people,including the villagers came there and wanted to hold an inquest and bury the body in the place, pointed by Baba. But Mhalsapati prevented this. With Baba’s body on his lap, he sat full three days guarding it. After three days passed, Baba showed signs of life at 3.00 A.M, His breathing commenced, and the abdomen began to move. His eyes opened and stretching His limbs,Baba returned to consciousness (life) again. (Shri Sai Satcharita, Ch:43-44).

Om Shri Sai Kaalaya Namaha, the Brahmam that controls Time, Death and the Birth and is shown in different forms of the Vishwa Roopam and is still there as Blackness when the manifestation is absorbed back and Time ceases to exist!

HumbleSalutation to Sainath, who is the form of Om.

Flower-12:“OmShri Sai Kaala Kaalaya Namaha”.

Meaning: My humble salutation to the eternal one who Vanquishes Time (or death) as evidence to Markandeya. (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Reflections:

The Brahmam is the one who gives birth to the concept and entity we understand as “Time”. The one who can vanquish time stops its flow and reverses the directions can bring the dead to life back.

In the ancient book, “Spanda Karikas” (Literally “Verses of Vibrations”), The Brahmam is described in the state of rest before the beginning of Divine Pulsations (Maya). When it decides to vibrate, time appears and then the manifestation known as Universe comes out. The Universe is absorbed back and concealed and Time dies, when He decides and goes into the state of Samadhi again, Maya vanishes and The Divine Pulsation stops. He is the Kaal for Kaal (Time).

The one who creates and conceals time, the one who is beyond time, is beyond death and controls death. He turns the time back and gives life to the death or stops the flow of time for a devotee and changes the time of death.

Baba’s devotee Ramachandra Patil became seriously ill and was waiting for the last moment.Then, one midnight Baba suddenly stood in his bed.

Patil held His feet and said, “I have lost all hopes of life, please tell me definitely, when I shall die”. Merciful Baba said, “Don’t be anxious, your Hundi (death warrant)has been withdrawn and you will soon recover, But I am afraid of Tatya Patil.He will pass away on Vijaya Dashami of Shaka 1840 (1918A.D). Do not divulge this to anybody, not to him, for he will be terribly frightened”.

Ramachandra Dada got well.

On Vijayadasami day Shaka1840, Tatya Patil was critically ill. Baba took Samadhi on that day and Tatya Patil survived miraculously! (Shri Sai Satcharita Ch: 42).

“Bhakta Narayanarao had the good fortune to see Baba twice during the latter’s life time. Three years after the passing away of Baba in 1918, he wanted to come to Shirdi but could not. Within a year of Baba’s Mahasamadhi he fell sick and suffered much. All possible remedies gave him no relief. So he meditated on Baba day and night. One night he had a vision. Baba came through a cellar comforted him saying, “Don’t be anxious, you will improve from tomorrow and within a week you will be on your legs.”

Narayanrao got perfectly well within the time indicated in the vision. Now the point for consideration is this: Was Baba was living because He had the body, or was He dead because He left it? No, Baba is ever alive for, He transcends both life and death.

He, who loved Him whole heartedly, gets response from Him at any time at any place. He is always by our side and will take any form, appear before the devout Bhakta and satisfy him” (Shri Sai Satcharita Ch: 33).

Humble Salutation to Sainath, who is the form of OM.

Flower-13:“OmShri Sai Kaala Dharpa Dhamanaaya Namaha”.

Meaning: My humble salutation to the one who subdued the ferocity and Pride of Time (or death). (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Reflection:

Baba entered Maha Samadhi on 15th October; 1918.There may not be any one living today who had seen Baba in His physical form. (The one who was 5 years old during Baba’s Maha Samadhi should be 100 year old in 2012!).Defying almost 100 years after his MahaSamadhi Baba’s devotees are ever increasing today. Heis going to many new cultures, new languages, new countries, and new temples. With the flow of time, his memories get stronger and stronger. Shirdi the small unknown village in the Kopargaon Taluk of Ahmad NagarDistrict has become a major destination in the map of Holy places in India. Baba’s name is known to more and more..Shirdi Sai Baba’s Mandir seen in web all over the world.

The great power of time has bowed before Baba Is this His power over time?

Once Baba was sitting in the Masjid, a devotee sat in front of Him, When a Lizard tick- ticked. Out of curiosity the devotee asked Baba whether the tick-ticking of the lizard signified anything good or was it a bad omen. Baba said that the lizard was overjoyed as her sister from Aurangabad was coming to see her. The devotee sat silent not making out the meaning of Baba’s words. Immediately a gentleman from Aurangabad came on horse-back to see Baba. He wanted to proceed further, but his horse could not go as it was hungry and wanted grams. He took out a bag of grams from his shoulders to bring grams and dashed it on the ground to remove dirt. A lizard came out from there and in the presence of all, climbed up the wall. Baba asked the questioner devotee to mark her well. She at once, went strutting to her sister. Both sisters met each other after a long time, kissed and embraced each other, whirled round and danced with love!( Shri Sai Satcharita Ch:15).

Yes, Baba moved freely across time, vanquishing the great limitation of time.

Having decided the time His Maha Samadhi, Baba asked one Mr.Vaze to read Ramvijay to Him for 14 days.Thereafter He kept quiet for three more days and took His Maha Samadhi. He chose His time for shedding the body and was alert till the end and breathed His last after telling that He be taken to the place where His Samadhi is now.(Shri Sai Satcharita Ch:43 & 44)

Humble Salutation to Sainath, who is the form of OM.

Flower-14:“OmShri Sai mrityunjayaya Namaha”.

Meaning: My humble salutation to the embodiment of LordShiva, who has conquered death(Immortal). (Shirdi Sai Trust).

Reflections:

The MahamrityunjayaMantra (Sanskrit: महामृत्युंजयमंत्र, Mahāmṛtyuṃjaya Mantra"great death-conquering mantra"), also called the Tryambakam Mantra, is a verse of the Rigveda (RV 7.59.12.

ॐत्र्यम्बकम्यजामहेसुगन्धिम्पुष्टिवर्धनम्।

उर्वारुकमिवबन्धनान्मृत्योर्मुक्षीयमाम्रतात्।।

Aum tryambakaṃ yajāmahe sugandhiṃ puṣṭi-vardhanam

Urvārukam Iva bandhanān mṛtyor mukṣīya māmṛtāt

Translation: We hail the fragrant Three-eyed One who nourishes [all] and increases the[sweet] fullness of life. As the cucumber is liberated from captivity [from its stem], may we [also] be liberated (mukshiya)from death (mrityor) not from immortality (maamritaat).(Wikipedia).

The desire to conquer death is essentially the desire to conquer birth. Since anything whichis born is bound to die, the true conquest over death occurs only when the cycle of birth, death and birth is broken, which Sages call as Mukti. The Brahmam is Desire less. Brahmam thus conquers death and thus becomes Mritunjayan- the conqueror of death.

Baba, who was seen and worshipped every day with Bel leaves as Shiva by Megha, suffered the pains of many dying devotees and saved them from death.

One Mrs. Khapardethe wife of Mr. Dadhasaheb Khaparde of Amravathi was staying in Shirdi with her son for some days. One day the son got high fever, which further developed into Bubonic Plague. The Mother was frightened and felt most uneasy. She thought of leaving the place for Amravati, and went near Baba in the evening, when He was coming near the Wada (now Samadhi Mandir),in His evening rounds for asking His permission. She informed Him in a trembling tone that her dear young son was down with Plague. Baba spoke kindly and softly to her, saying that the sky is beset with clouds; but they will disperse and pass off and everything will be smooth and clear. So saying He lifted up His Kafni up to the waist and showed to all present, four fully developed bubos, as big as Eggs and added, “ See,how I have to suffer for My devotees, their difficulties are Mine”. (Shri SaiSatcharita- Ch: 7.)

In the year 1910,Baba was sitting near the Dhuni on Diwali and warming Himself. He was putting fire-wood into the Dhuni, which was burning brightly. A little later instead of pushing logs of wood, Baba pushed His arm into the Dhuni. His arm was scorched and burnt. This was noticed by the errand boy Madhav and also by Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama).They, at once, ran to Baba and Madhav Rao clasped Baba by His waist from behind and dragged Him forcibly backward and asked, “ Deva, Why you done this?”. Then Baba came to His senses and replied, “The wife of the Blacksmith at the distant place was working the bellows of a furnace. When Her husband called her, forgetting that her child was on her lap, she got up hastily and the child slipped into the furnace. I immediately thrust My hand into the furnace and saved the child. I do not mind My arm being burnt but, Iam glad the life of the child is saved.( Shri Sai Satcharita Ch:7).

For the simple minded devotees who had nothing but faith, He saved them from bodily death.

For those who realize Him as Brahmam He saves them from the cycle of birth and death and liberates them from death.

He is Mritunjaya.

Humble Salutation to Sainath, who is the form

of OM.

 

Dear Shruthi Sister,

Om Sai Ram.

Thanks to Baba for encouraging me through you.

Hope you enjoyed the meaning, the related thoughts and the incidents from Sri Sai Satcharita.

May Baba inspire us to share more.

 

Dear Sivaranjani Sister,

Om Sai Ram.

Thanks to Baba for encouraging me through you.

May Baba inspire us to share more.

 

Dear Saisakthi Sister,

Om Sai Ram.

Thanks to Baba for encouraging me through you.

Hope you enjoyed the meaning, the related thoughts and the incidents from Sri Sai Satcharita.

May Baba inspire us to share more.

Om Sai Ram.

 

Dear Ramya,

Glad you enjoyed the reading.