Stray Thought!
on Various Aspects of Sai Worship
(Adopted from Scribblings of a Shirdi Sai Devotee)
In pure
'Satvik' bhakti, there is no place for desires. When desires end, real bhakti
starts. The desire to multiply temples; erect monuments in the chosen deity's
name; count the holding of 'Nam Saptahs' and the number of idols installed; and
the like, may form part of 'Rajsik’ bhakti but surely not of pure and
unadulterated 'Satvik’ bhakti.
*******
Pure bhakti
generates absolute faith and faith leads to complete surrender. The joy of
surrender is unique. It can only be experienced and not talked about. Blessed
is the devotee who has acquired it through the grace of Baba. No treasure in
the world, not even knowledge, can match it. If one is a bhakta and some
unpleasant happening takes place in life which he attributes to Baba saying
that while Baba was there, how could such a thing happen to him and
consequently gives up his devotion to Baba, take it for certain that this
person is not a true bhakta. He was merely bartering his bhakti with Baba's
Grace. A true devotee will not, even in his dream, attribute this happening to
Baba, what to talk of giving up his faith in Him. He would accept it a result
of his 'Prarabdha'. This reminds me of a devotee of Baba who gave up his
worship of Baba after his wife died of Cancer, saying that how could he have
faith in Baba who could not save his wife who had served Him heart and soul. In
His life time, when a lady told Baba as to how her son could die when He was there,
Baba told her, "Mother ! please do not come to me if you feel there should
be no deaths in your family. I cannot change the Prarabdha."
*******
Baba prescribed
the simple path of bhakti to His devotees. It is also laid down in our
scriptures that in 'Kaliyug' God can be realised by doing mere 'Naam Japa'.
Baba would tell His devotees that there was no need for them to indulge in
other hard spiritual practices, such as Ashtang Yoga, Jap, Tap and sixteen fold
Bhakti. He lived in Bhakti alone. If they called Him even once whole heartedly,
He would come running to their help even from beyond the seven seas.
*******
Again and again
in the Sai Satcharita, Baba has exhorted His devotees to listen to His life
story and leelas. By merely doing so, devotees 'avidya' will vanish and pure
Satvik bhakti would start flowing in their hearts.
*******
In Bhakti,
there is no giving or taking. The bhakta becomes one with his deity and
exuberates His grace in every thought and action of His. Baba had said, "I
give to my devotees, what they want so that they may learn to want, what I want
to give to them". What was it that He wanted to give to His devotees? Pure
Satvik Bhakti and the resultant love which could engulf the devotees' whole
being.
*******
If you come
across a Guru who is arrogant and exhibits partiality towards some of His
devotees, know for certain that this Guru is a mere show-piece and incapable of
leading you on to the path of God Realisation. In Bhakti, love encompasses the
whole being and every pore of the body of such a person should emit love and
compassion. How could he display differentiation in the distribution of
limitless love within him?
*******
As per our
scriptures, there are four paths to spirituality i.e Gyan, Yoga,
Karma and Bhakti. Each path, in its own right is capable of taking the aspirant
to the ultimate. In Sai Temples however, it has been observed that often the
organisers mix up one path with the other, such as performing yagnas and
practising Yoga. While each path has its own efficacy, the organisers should
understand that on to the path of bhakti there is no need for adulteration or
deviation. The path of bhakti is self sufficient.