Sai Mother

Chapter – 1

Sai Mother

God is listening to you because he did for me.

When you suffer extremely in life, when you prayed God or a Saint and in the end face difficulties, its natural to ask “Is God really there, why i suffer so much being so good ? ” . This is the first cup of tea. A story about how God saved my mother as a proof that God answers every good prayers . Sometimes , God fails but in my life, God has been so kind because he gave me and my sister the gift of worlds greatest Mother.

Flash back : 1984

Those are the days we won’t care for date and time. If its working day in school, then it means all world is being unkind to me .If its a holiday, then happiness starts as soon as i wake up.

One such happy day in 1984, my father is took us to pateeswaran temple ( lord shiva ) from our grandparents house. Me and my sister are supposed to hold our parents palm when ever we cross the road. I wonder if today’s parents insist this to their children. Little act of caring in relationships is fast disappearing.

Pateeswaran shiva temple in coimbatore is built by ancient kings. our attraction is the Elephant standing near a pillar, if we keep 10 paise coin in its trunk , he will touch our little head and bless us. My father gives us the coins to take blessings .we bend our head fearing the touch of the big Ganesha.I also remember a wooden statue of Lord Hanuman , the entire room will be filled with many papers over which the devotees has written “Sri rama Jayam”.

Though not matured to understand life, me and my sister indra were not enjoying this purticular visit to shiva temple. Amma ( mom ) was sick . She had a surgery without much recovery and was not able to eat any solid food for months togather. If she sneezes in our house, strangers standing in a bus stop beyond 2 street could hear the sound. Her stomach used to pain more due to such contineous sneeze.

Guidance of a old women to Lord Ganesha devotion :

A old women selling grocery items carrying it in a basket from house to house, looking at my mothers condition requested her to go to a small Ganesha temple situated 3 kilo meters from our grand parents house every evening , come around it 108 times so that Lord Ganapathy will show us a way.

Every evening me, my amma, grandmother and sister used to walk slowly holding amma’s palm and walk 3 kilometers to the little ganesha temple, we will do holy bath for lord ganapathy with a jar of water. Our grandma asks us to pluck little green grass from mother earth to offer to Ganesha.

After doing this simple pooja, we come around the temple with lots of exitement…1…2…3…4..5…6…i used to do this pradhikshana ( coming around Gods statue ) fastly and imagine that the more i come around Ganapathy , the more he will bless me to get good marks in school and also save our Amma.

Finally 108 pradhikshana is done, i used to come around extra rounds to please Ganesha.Probably Ganesha did count my extra rounds of little venkat who never has interest in studies. I got less marks in school but a better gift of mother.

Ganesha blessed us showing the right way :

Worshipping Ganesha will break the obstacles which help us grow in life. Here our obstacle was which doctor or a saint will save my Amma.

Once when my sister was suffering from skin alergy due to insect bite. My mother took her to Mani iyer a priest of Murugan temple who gave her solution and it also worked well. My mother never thought about seeking his guidance when she herself was ill, naturally we humans believe in medical ways to cure disease. My father used to spend all his salary for purchasing medicines for amma which led him to face problems in home.

Finally, after months of suffering, my mother decided to take a spiritual guidance and decided to meet Mani iyer. Only those who’s sins has vanished and who has done lots of good deeds in their past birth gets a opportunity to meet a saint. Similarly though my mother knows him earlier, only now we all came to pateeswaran temple to seek his guidance for herself.

Mani iyer will be guiding hundreds of devotees sitting behind the Lord Murugan sannidhi . So our present visit to Pateeswaran shiva temple is not to play with elephants but to meet Mani iyer and get his blessings. Many middle class and poor devotees were already waiting to see him for guidance. When our turn came, he gave a pinch of viboodhi ( holy ash ) to my mother and asked her how it tastes. She said it tastes as if she ate tamarind seeds.

He said, someone has kept blackmagic to my mother and requested us to visit another holy person who is a expect in removing such evil blackmagic so that Mani iyer can give some siddha medicines for better health. First the evil has to be out of the body so that treatment can be given.

The next day my parents left us in house, took the early morning 5 o clock bus to meet man who is expert in removing blackmagic.The man looked very scary ( fat and dark ) as per my moms description . He had said that the effect of blackmagic is too extreme that it has mixed in my mothers blood and now nothing can be done.My father has asked what will happen. His answer made my parents get shocked and they were in deep pain. That man added, Mani iyer is guru for all of us. So again take your wife to him and tell him the situation.

Meeting the saint again and Ganesha temple near river bank :

My parents directly came back to Pateeswaran temple and explained their hopeless situation to Mani iyer. He has a very sarcastic and commanding way of telling the people who come to him seeking guidance. He told my mother ” go to the Ganesha temple situated under the tree near the river bank, do pradhikshana 108 times and come back.”

Already my mother was not even able to walk..she was so weak for months not able to have any solid food. My father holded her hand , took her to little Ganesha temple near river bank and helped her come around it 108 times.

Friends,when we do pradikshana, it means that though God is truth, we come around in a world of maya. So we say God that i am leading this worldly life keeping you as center. Further, the holy vibrations of the sacred statue and temple makes our body and mind to shed our sins and inspires good thoughts and actions.

In the holy feets of Lord Murugan ( Karthikeya ) :

They came back to the murugan Sannidhi of Pateeshwaran temple and met Mani iyer. In his comanding tone, he asked my father to get 9 lemons and come. Then he kept some powder siddha medicine folding inside a paper , along with 9 lemons and kept it under the holy feets of Lord Murugan in that temple, did pooja and gave it to my parents telling ” There is nothing in my hands, if this Lord Murugan wills, he will bless you to be a mother of these children and bring them up” .

Hugging us with tears :

Me and indra know that our mother is seriously sick by that evening. Even now i could see my mother hugging her two little children with tears flowing from her eyes begging god “Saami, indha pillaigalukku amma irukanum, idhungalukaavudhu enna kaapaathu” – “God ,my children needs the love of a mother, save me so that i will bring them up with affection”. Me and indra started crying and we can understand and i remember telling my mother ” Amma, saami kaapathuvaaru”. Amma, God will save you.

If there is Good , theres also Evil – Spiritual ways for health issues is important :

There are some people who doubt black magic etc but i have seen few suffer worst pains in life since human beings uses evil forces to spoil others life, business and reputation. If you find anyone suffering with health issues with out the doctor able to cure the disease,please turn to spiritual side . Dont trust people blindly who climbs to take off the black magic demanding huge sum. There are very few people who does this sacred work of helping the effected people come out of pain.

Personally, i request sai devotees to keep a glass of water everyday in front of shirdi saibaba photo or statue in their house, light 9 lamps everyday , read one chapter in sai satcharita , chant sai sai sai for 10 minutes and have the water as prasad. This may not be the solution but this will increase your devotion in sai and sai will show you a way.

I would have not believed in such evil forces had i not seen my own mother suffer. Now all my mother has to do is to trust the guidance of Mani iyer, have faith in Lord Murugan ( karthikeya ) and do as per his instructions. Every day she makes juice from one lemon, mix the siddha powder in it and must drink it. My mom used to tell that it was so bitter that she can’t even drink it. The vomit and stomach ache increased as the days passed on . On the 5th day my grandma told my mom to stop this siddha lemon medicine as it has aggrevated her pain. My mother told her “This is my final attempt to save myself. I have faith in lord Murugan. Let me take it for 9 days as instructed” .

Having solid food after 8 months of stomach ache and sufferings :

On the 9th day Mani iyer asked her to crush one lemon over her head while taking bath. My mom was not even able to walk by this time. Its the 9th day of Lord Murugans blessed medicine. My grandma crushed the lemon over my mothers head . Even now my mother tells us that she really felt as if some evil force is leaving her body. Then she did prayers and for first time in 8 months , she had one idly ( rice cake ) fully. She was satisfied.

My parents took us and went to see Mani iyer. My mother continued the siddha medicines given by Mani iyer for few months. Though my mother was saved from worst effects of black magic, since it was too late for us to take her from medical treatments to spiritual ways, it was not a complete cure. My mother often gets sick but Lord Murugan ,MariAmman and Sai whom my mother worships cures her every now and then

A Guru resting in the holy feets of Lord Murugan :

When ever we face any difficulties in life, my parents used to take us to Mani iyer and he gives us a solution. He has served thousands and thousands of poor, middle class and rich people all over tamil nadu with his spiritual knowledge in the name of Lord Murugan. He also gave a blessing to our family by conducting my sisters wedding as he always used to assure from her childhood. In january 2006, mani iyer passed away .May be he was only a priest of Murugan temple ,his powers and way of life was like that of a saint. so to me he had his samadhi. During his last times, he has told his sons that they need not worry about spending for his last rites. Everything will be provided.

When Mani iyer passed away, people from all cast and creed came to his house and donated vegetables, milk and all items used for the final rites for over a weeks time. A priest, saint and a good atma earns love of people whom they serve. Only when they are gone we realize their value. Many who lived during saibabas life time had a similar feeling.

Mani iyer has gifted a framed photo of his to my father which is kept in my parents room for worship. Though our house is surrounded by shirdi sai baba photos and statues, i bow to Mani iyer when ever i feel like. He is a wonderful devotee of Lord Murugan and i believe now he rests in the holy feets of Lord Murugan.

Ten paise to Lord Ganesha :

The above story happened between march 1984 to october 1984 when my mother got seriously ill not even able to have solid food once. When my mother was admitted in hopital, my father takes me to a Ganesha temple. I ask him ten paise to offer as dakshina to Lord Ganesha everyday. I keep it to lord ganesha and say ” saami ammava kaapathu”. God save my mother .

Probably it is this faith on God which started from offering of ten paise which has led me today to have a heart to serve children of God. Its my karma that God was not able to make me highly educated or be in a big career but it is by the grace of Lord Murugan and shree Guru that i got mothers love.

This incident helps us learn few beautiful things in life :

1. God will show us a way if he cant solve the problem immediately.
2. God will help us through ordinary people

The old women selling house hold items first guided my mother to do pradhishana of ganesha temple 108 times.

3. Only good deeds of past and present life will lead us to a Pure hearted Guru
It is important to do good deeds in this life as the right Guru who has knowledge to guide us will pull us towards him.
4.God will help us through a Guru

Though we have faith in God, it requires a Guru, a saint and a great priest of Murugan temple like Mani iyer to show us the right path.

5. God will help us to the extent allowed by laws of karma.

God helped my mother save her life but she did suffer with illness all her life.
I am satisfied that God does protect her every now and then.

6. Offering Dakshina ( monetary gifts ) to god need not be big sum as god looks at your devotion.

I offered only 10 paise coin which doesnt even exist now to lord ganesha everyday praying to Save my mom.
It is not money ,It is my devotion which Ganesha accepted and blessed me with love of mother.
Friends,Now we shall recollect few incidents during sai babas life time[/color]

Sai and Mother :

Friend, this book is expression of my love for shirdi saibaba.To have a human touch , i have tried to integrate the wisdom i gained through sufferings in life with the stories of shirdi saibaba and how Sai helped us . This chapter is dedicated to all Mothers on earth. So we shall read few incidents how sai helped women and Mothers during his life time.

1.Aalaas Kaay – “Have you Come”

This is a welcome message for the readers of this book. The leela is expressed by a devotee who lived during saibaba’ life time called Shridhar Narayan Kharkar. His son, Givind was hungering and thirsting to have the joy of visiting saibaba’s samadhi and dwarakamai at shirdi. In 1934, he went to shirdi with his fathers family friends.

Saibaba’s eyes and voice :

We can now imagine how serene and beautiful shirdi would have been in those years with no crowd. Govid climbed the steps of dwarakamai and looked at the Oil painting of Saibaba done by Jayakar. This painting is so vivid that Baba’s eyes from the portrait seems to pierce in to you , where ever you may stand, it seems sai looks into you. It is one of the great quality of Sai.

His eyes emits invisible rays of power and penetration. You feel this is a great saint who knows all about you, your past , present and future and he reads every thought of yours and reveals nothing unless required.

Govid was looking at this beautiful painting of saibaba in dwarakamai as if he is hungry and our sai mother is feeding him the divine nector through his eyes. Govind looked deeply in to the face of Sai and closed his eyes. In few seconds , He heared a clear voice
” Aaalaas Kaay ” meaning ” Have you come” .

He opened his eyes wondering who would have welcomed him and found himself alone in Dwarakamai. The leela of Sai are motherly and affectionate. Sai invites every single devotee to his dwarakamai with pure love of a mother. Friends, see how beautifully our sai has showed his parental affection on Govind. Similarly, i pray our great Saint Sai to invite you ( the reader ) to the dwarakamai of this book. Every word in this book , i wrote sitting in front of saibaba’s portrait and at times remembering sai with heart and soul .

Accept our saibaba’s invitation to read many more beautiful sai leela in the Dwarakamai of this book. Where ever you are , what ever you do, when ever you remember sai whole heartedly, that place becomes dwarakamai. Sai rests there where there is pure love . This moment close your eyes, take a deep breath, bring in your mind the form of Shirdi Sai and listen the voice of sai inviting you ” Have you come” .

2.”How is it you are neglecting my mother ? “

Chandrabai has seen sai since 1898, 20 years before his Samadhi. She has seen Baba filling his lamps with water instead of oil. Saibaba was sitting under the neem tree when she first had his darshan.

Every day Sai used to give her udi with his own hand .She preserved it with utmost care as it has great virtue and potency. Those days there were no places to stay in Shirdi. When ever she went to shirdi, she was put up in the house of some villagers. By this we understand it is good to have a guest in house who come for pilgrimage.

Now listen to a beautiful incident during her life time.

Chandrabai’s husband Mr.Borkar has never seen sai baba but even to him Sai showed great kindness. In 1909, Borkar was doing a contruction work in Pandharpur. While he was there, Chandrabai went to shirdi and served Sai. One day saibaba told her “You better go to Pandharpur and i will go with you”. Sai also said that he had no difficulty to travel and she must start immediately.

Chandrabai reached Pandharpur but to her disappointment she realized her husband was not there and gone away to Bombay. She was in great sarrow since she had very little money and 2 companions. With her little money she reached Kurdwadi, sat in the railway station very sadly. Suddenly a Fakir appeared before her and asked her why she is sad. She told him about the problem in finding her husband .

The fakir told “your husband is in Dhond , go there at once with your 2 companions” .

The surprising fact was the fakir not only guided them but also gave them 3 tickets to Dhond and went away. She boarded the train to dhond with her friends.

While this was happening with chandrabai, In Dhond railway station Mr.Borkar was having tea sinking in to a half dozed condition.

A Fakir appeared before him and said ” How is it that you are neglecting my mother ? She is coming by the train in carriage no. such and such “

]and also gave him the carriage number in which his wife is travelling.

Borkar was shocked and got up in angry mood. Immediately the Fakir disappeared. When the train arrived both husband and wife were surprised to see each other and reached home safe. He told chandrabai that a Fakir appeared before him asking why he neglects his mother and asked her to show Sai Baba’s photo. Borkar thus learnt how kind is his wife’s Guru , even to a person who dint worshiped him, he appeared in person and helped his family in the time of need.

Friends…. How affectionate is our Sai towards all his devotees . Sai has no difference between rich or poor, man or women. Sai perceives every women who comes to him as a mother. If sai with all rights asks chandrabai’s husband ” how is it that you neglect my MOTHER ? ” then realize how much he cares for us when our family members or friends hurts us. Sai is ocean of mercy. This is a beautiful leela since our sai mother calls his devotee as his own Mother.

3. Bai, whats your heart’s wish ?

Friend. See how caring are the words of our Sai ma. Every word uttered by sai is a blessing . Chandrabai did not had a child for years. In 1918 when she was aged 48, she has not conceived at all. She desired to have a child though every doctor ruled out the possibility of having a child in this age.

Once in 1918 when she went to shirdi , Sai knowing her desire asked her

Saibaba – Bai, what is your hearts wish ?

Chandrabai – Baba, you know everything . What is there for me to tell you ?

Friend, this is how we must pray to sai. See how sweet were the words of Sai and his devotee. Both had faith and love on each other. Sai caringly asked whats your desire, chandrabai instead of telling she wish to become a mother, simply says baba that he knows everything being her Antaryami.

Three years later, Chandrabai was diagonised with internal tumour and proposed to remove it by operation.Chandrabai said to Dr.Purandre that she will wait for 10 months and decide. The Doctor said when she is 51, long continued absense of conception, its impossible have a child. To chandrabai the words of sai will never become untrue. Baba used to say

“To keep My words I would sacrifice my life, I would never be untrue to My words.”

Chandrabai did got the gift of child by sai grace . A son was born to her 3 years and 2 days after Baba has Maha samadhi.

Oh friend. Did you see the firm faith of Chandrabai, even when she had tumour she din’t want to go for operation instead wait another 10 months as she has so much trust in saibabas words. When sai affectionately asked her ” Bai , whats your heart’s wish ? ” , it shows his concern on chandrabai whos only desire was to become a mother.

Let us also understand that Sai wishes to fulfill few of our hearts wishes but we must face the obstacles and bear the pains on our way towards success. I wish Sai asks the reader ” Bai, Whats your heart’s wish ?”

4. Sai understands the heart of a mother :

Nanasaheb Nimonkar and his wife used to serve sai from sun rise to late in the evening. Every morning after taking bath , they take the pooja plate and go towards Dwarakamai. They do Kakad Arti for Sai and then do all seva for sai and those who come to see him.

Once when Nana’s elder son in Belapur was not feeling well, the wife wanted to go there and stay there for 4 days as it was time of pola festival..But Nimonkar asked her to go Belapur and come back immediately….the lady was in pain as she cant talk against him. As those days women cant even imagine to go against her husband. She was in sarrow as she needs to take care of her son in fever with permission of her husband to go to Belapur.

when she saw baba near Sathe wada and fell in his feet to get ashirwad..Baba immediately said “Go now..go soon, take care of your son, enjoy pola festival and come back leisurely after 4 days”.

Even without requesting Sai to speak to her husband to let her go for long period, sai himself learnt her motherly heart and asked her to come back leisurely. When Sai himself gave this commands , Nimonkar was not able to go againt it and let her go. This made Nimonkar’s wife soooooo touched and gave her unimaginable joy.

What we have to note here is , the women never asked baba to convince her husband to allow her to come back leisurely. Saints heart is such that they care for us even when we never expect it from them. This incident is a powerful example of how sai will help in little issues concerning a Mother trying to express her love towards her children. Sai understands the heart of every Mother. Who else can, if not Sai. Our mother of several births.

Sai saved my mother, even before i know him. :

Now we shall revert to the story of my mother.

Those days when i was a kid , i never knew of shirdi sai baba. I came to know of shirdi saibaba only in 1993 . All i know was Lord Ganesha and Murugan will surely save my Amma. When i think deeply, i realized Sai did showed his presence through another saint – the priest of Murugan Temple Mani iyer who guided us . Sai has expressed the greatest secret of all time. “All saints are one and they work in unision” . Heres a sweet leela which happened in Saibabas life time.

Listen to this story from Shree Sai Satcharita

Saint’s works in Unison :

In 1917 Haribhau Karnik of Dahanu came to Shirdi on the Guru-pournima day (in the month of Ashadha) and worshipped Baba with all formality. He offered clothes and Dakshina, and after taking Baba’s leave through Sharma, got down the steps of the Masjid. Then he thought that he should offer one more rupee to Baba and was just turning to get up when Shama informed him by signs that as he had got Baba’s leave, he should go and not return. So he started home.

On his way, when he went into the temple of Kala Rama at Nasik for darshan, the Saint Narsing Maharaj who used to sit just inside the big door of the temple, left his Bhaktas there came to Haribhau, caught his wrist and said,”Give me my one rupee”. Karnik was surprised. He paid the rupee most willingly and thought that Sai Baba recovered the rupee, which he intended in his mind to give, through saint Narsing Maharaj. This shows how the saints work in unison.This story illustrates the fact that all saints are one and shows how they work in unison.

Even before Shirdi Sai baba came in to my life, in this birth, i believe Sai saved my mother by guiding us through the priest of Murugan Temple.

Art of Motherly Love :

Friend, I would like to write more about Saibabas love and respect for Women devotees and also his Motherly love on all of us. The essence of all these beautiful leelas of Sai is that we must give respect to our mother and father. Let us always be affectionate with them, help them in fulfilling their responsibilities and even if theres a misunderstanding , let us bow to them with affection and let them understand our situation. Sai never preached anything . Sai’s ways are unique.

Sai taught us the “Art of love” towards our parents, siblings and friends. The Art of Motherly Love.

Sai,you saved my mother who made me and will still make thousands of Tea which i drink to my hearts content every single day in my life. Hope you ( reader ) felt the taste of first cup of tea in the dwarakamai of our House.

Welcome for more…

Sai . You are my heart. You are my soul.

Sai Leela : Friend. The day i wrote this chapter on 10:03:2009,i called my father from Nagasai mandhir . It was a sweet surprise to me as on this holy full moon day they had Darshan of Lord Murugan in Thiruchendur Murugan temple.

My mother always used to tell that her mother ( my grandma ) went to Thiruchendur Murugan temple praying that she must be blessed with a Baby Girl ( daughter ) and then my mom was born.I am really happy that the day i wrote how Lord Murugan saved my mother , she actually had darshan of Lord Murugan.

Now i have got Lotus to be offered to Lord Dattatreya . I shall start the pooja with prayers for all good souls who reads this book.

Next Chapter

Chapter 2 – Education is the Greatest Blessing

Contents page – Shirdi Sai Baba Book of Love