Sairam friends,
It was sometime around December 2004 when I desired to give Shirdi Saibaba photos as gift to Sai devotees in Shirdi Saibaba temple at Coimbatore. I still remember the first little Photo of Saibaba I bought. It must be set of 100 to 200 Photos. I eagerly bought them in a whole sale shop in Coimbatore, went to Saibaba temple and was trying to distribute to devotees as gift.
It was Thursday. So suddenly there was a huge crowd around me. A very good staff in temple was kind enough to organize the process of giving photos. He asked the devotees to stand in que and made me gift them.
Then, It became a habit. I also started printing Saibaba photos in quantity of 1000 with good wordings of Sai. Every day, I used to go to Sai baba temple carrying 30 to 50 posters of Sai and come around holy Dhuni. When ever I see any devotee who are sad or who are devoted to Saibaba, I will give it to them.
I was doing it for several years. When ever Sai photos are over, I will print another 1000 to 2000 again.
Later, I printed bigger Saibaba posters and gave it to my Sai friends. I remember the days in 2008 when I was working in a Film School in Mumbai. Once, a Man working in Professional couriers near Seepz in Andheri East asked me, What I am often sending? I told him, that I am sending Saibaba photos to my friends. He was really happy and told everyone in his office, “Ye Baba ka Seva kar kaha hai…. “From now on, when ever he comes, give him little discount”. I also gave him and his friend a laminated Shirdi Saibaba photo.
Those were beautiful experiences.
Later, I often tried to sell my Saibaba photos online but every time, I start to do it, I feel why should I do it? There are so many other ways to earn and I just stop myself.
The past few years, My Father is doing seva in our Colony Siddhi Vinayak temple. When ever there’s a festival or special occasion, I will go to the whole sale book shop and get 100 to 200 books with devotional mantra for affordable price. Today while I was at office, Dad asked me to get books to give in temple next week.
So I went to the whole sale book shop and bought a Tamil book in praise of Lord Ganesha – “Vinayagar Agaval”. I ordered 400 books. It was really heavy to carry as the shop does not have covers. They din’t even try to help me carry it by giving a rope so that I can hold it. I called a Taxi but had to walk holding the heavy pack to the place where its easy for the Taxi driver to pick me.
I came home and kept the books near our Pooja place. My Father said, the Temple people will contribute money for books and he just asked me to get it as they can’t go. I was arguing that I wanted to contribute personally but Dad asked me to do something else.
During evening until they close the temple, My father, his friends and the priest is bearing lots of mosquito bites. So I wish to get a Pedestal Fan which they can use. Hope I keep my words and buy the fan soon.
Having done all this, I was just wondering if doing all Good karma I could for the past 10 years is not enough for Saibaba?
Its not 1 year or 2 year.
Its whole 10 year.
May be it isn’t.
May be Sai wants me to do good karma for life time.
To be honest, these may not be really so good?
I myself know very few people have heart to do practically “Good” deed and I am just a dust.
Wonder what’s life has in store?
Aum Sai Ram
Venkat
sairam
I too after reading ur old articles decided to give shirdi UDHI which I get regularly because I do annadhanam regularly to deserving people who suffer immensely..
Sometime back my mother aged 87 was admitted in the ICU and I was standing outside and weeping as doctors have said she will have renal failure. I applied only UDHI at her forehead and held sai photo at her eyes.
That same time, another batch was standing outside with a person’s father having suffered heart attack.
I thought his father should get well and gave him one SHIRDI SAI UDHI packet as a gesture of good will.
I got the news from ICU that my mother has responded well for the treatment and she is getting well.
I was happy. at the same time the person to whom I gave udhi might have got some bad news about his father.
he was rushing out of ICU and to my surprise threw the UDHI to the ground.
I was upset. I thought I should take it from the ground and give to someone really needy. that same time his wife came out and she picked it up from the ground and kept it to herself. I remained silent as I do not know what to do.
rajkumar
Sai ram!
Although the Bhagvad Gita says ‘do your duty without expecting rewards for your labour’, and many people take this literally, I feel it is easier to understand it as ‘do your duty sincerely all the while praying that you get strength to accept the results if they are not to your satisfaction’.
It is also a fact that when we are of the impression that our life should only move in the way we want, any good that comes is also disregarded.
Venkatji, have you considered these observations (please excuse me as I am only citing some points from your own experiences that you share)?
1. You have been afforded the greatest seva on earth, that of serving aged parents. Imagine if your mind was not inclined to do this? Then, is that not a lost opportunity?
2. You are able to visit Sai mandir everyday. Some of us are hardly able to go once a week due to several excuses. Is that not a great blessing?
3. You are employed. Is that not a blessing?
4. So many devotees trust you enough to share their difficulties and pain. Is that not an honour?
So, the time that we are able to see the good things in our lives and be grateful for them is the time we will manifest more good things.