Chapter 5
Life of a Jobless creature :
Mumbai – January 31 2009 . Morning 6.30 A.M.
The greatest gift someone who just lost job can get is the feeling that he can sleep as long as he wants. No more hurry to run for the local trains. I woke up little late with memories about my students .
During this 8 month stay in Mumbai, i used to ask my close friend and room mate Ashish how many days should we suffer in this local trains, crowd n all mechanical life of mumbai…i wish to go somewhere else…
Ashish always replies …”its your karma ( bad deeds of previous birth )..you have to wash away your karma like other mumbaiates”…ofcourse this applies for anyone who stays any where in the world.
Yesterday when i just knew that i lost the job Ashish called me from the room….i told him that they asked me to go.when i came back to room i saw a spiritual book with a paper over which Ashish had written
” Venkat..your karma is over now .You can leave mumbai….take this as Saibaba’s decision for you and start a new life…be happy ” – Ashish.
It was saturday 31st january 2009. I had some dream as if i go to few temples of Goddess saraswathi.
i tried to remember what exactly i dreamt…soon the memories about my life as a teacher started coming….few good students, the way they express themselves. my parents feelings. some painful feeling of insulted by the owners of the institute.I started worrying about students and the first words i uttered looking at the book of saint shree paadha shree vallabha is
” Bless all of my students with out any problem.They are gold”
Everybody has problems :
I walked out with Aashish to have tea in the little shop run by a old Gujrati man who just lost his job too. The person who owns the place gave the contract to another guy to run the shop.The old man was still roaming around in the little tea shop as he had given tea on montly basis for many customers around whos payment is pending.
In the most powerful economic city of India – Mumbai, there are people who make such Payment pending deals even for Tea. Probably thats what runs my Great Nation. Theres some understanding…Some adjustment…Some friendly deals. Is there a Little tea shop in United States of America where i can keep such monthly accounts ?
I want to write this story about the tea shop owner as i want the reader to be aware that this book is not created just because i had time to write a book. Everybody has problems. I cannot go and solve others problem when i am ignorant to solve my own. Suddenly people lose job…lose money in business….or had to repay huge debt. All i have is show the way. The way to Saibaba of Shirdi. Will this Saibaba solve your problems ? Here is the answer …
Does all the flowers in Mango tree becomes a fruit ?
Once when Hamadpant was sitting in Dwarakamai , he wanted to clarify if Saibaba will really solve everyones problem and will everyone who comes to saibaba be benefitted by him ?
To this Saibaba replied ” Look at the Mango tree with lots of flowers.How beautiful it will be if all these flowers becomes fruit but do they ? . Similarly though huge crowds of devotees comes to me only very few have patience , faith and pure devotion on me with unconditional love and someday they get benefitted. ”
If you remember SAI , Sai will guard you like a eye lid guards eye :
Dear Sai friend, I hope you also show such unconditional love on shirdi saibaba no matter wha happens in life. Let him not answer our prayers or let him take time to do good to us but remember Saibaba is guarding us each and every moment .Like the very famous saibaba quote “”If you look to me , I look to you” . Similarly Saibaba also guards you and protects you and your family when ever you remember Sai Sai Sai with good thoughts, habits and total faith.
Coming back to tell the incidents which happened after i lost job…After having tea , me and my friend Ashish walked towards Hanuman Mandhir which is situated in a small road adjacent to the railway station.
The Old women who sells the orange powder, green leaves garland,udbathi and oil offering for Lord Hanuman sitting in the corner of subway has good memory. …when i went to get these offerings ..she said ” today you are late” with a smile…..i told Ashish …she doesn’t know i lost the job.I went to hanuman with the same love and happiness for he always smiles invitingly as we approach the mandhir.The first 10 rupees i spent everyday during my stay in Mumbai is to buy some flowers and other offerings.
God gave us Saints who cares even for our little emotions and desires :
Today when the women asked why i am late i did felt a bit painful which only Hanuman knew or probably he don’t because some human emotions are ignored even by Gods. Thats why God gave us the Gift of Saints . We Sai devotees are really gifted to get the greatest Saint on earth.Who cares for little emotions, Tears,smiles,cries and desires.
Every single drop of Devotion you show on him, Sai returns to you with love thats as big as the ocean.
When i boarded the train at 9.03 A.M, little did i know that i will see a poster which has a sai photo in the corner. Usually i do some chantings when ever i travel..Today i was chanting looking at Saibaba and planning few things i wish to do in future. Ofcourse i could feel holy padhukas of Saibaba in my heart while i continued to chant.
Only yesterday i was discussing with the students few hours before i was terminated that if anyone else is in my place they won’t be so calm having known that they are going to lose the job any moment. I don’t worry about it because I want to write the book i was planning for days to help Sai devotees and i will accept this setback as Saibaba’s gift.
Today i went to Andheri to drop my check n to meet my student Anant to handover his project to him, i asked him to come to Andheri Ganesha mandhir. before he came i was worshiping lord ganesha, shiva, mahalakshmi and came around dattatreya for few times…..Datta pradhishana ( coming around Statue,Temple ) is very auspicious ..
Greeting with a sweet “Sairam” :
When Anant came, we were sitting under the tree..he was saying “it would have not happened’…i said , i am going shirdi n will start to work on the book…i simply forced him to go n see all Gods n come.Most of my Students who don’t even have regular habit of worshipping also started telling “SaiRam sir” to me when ever they wanted to greet me in the class. May be its not trendy like “Hi”…Hello” “Whatz up” but its expression of love between two sai devotees that they have one Faith. One God. One Saint.
After a while Anant and me sat under the tree in the Ganesha temple . I asked him what would you like to read in a book about saibaba.In my mind i was praying all angels to guide me through him…
he said…everyone shows how sai lived, his blessings to people but i would like to know how it ended meaning what happened when saibaba took samadhi ?
Sai sparked my heart with this beautiful concept….yes…everyone starts with beginning of how Saibaba came to Shirdi but this holy book …let it start with the end..The end of sai saga in flesh and blood and the biginning of sai saga for centuries to come after he took samadhi.
A flower from Sai – blessings to write the book :
I told Anant it is a good concept to write because even i lost this job and now i am able to take time n write the sai book which means theres something beautiful in failures, pains and sufferings that it leads us towards light. The moment i thought about the events which happened during saibaba’s samadhi on the holy vijayadhasami day in the year 1918, a flower from the tree fell down between my hands in the bag. I showed him the little flower ….” see…the flower has fallen.”….Anant smiled nodding his head.
On my way back to room when i got down the Local train another student Rajeev called up and asked me not to leave Mumbai as i decided to settle down back in my hometown coimbatore. I told him am going to stay in shirdi for 10 days to write a book.He said “Sir You write about your life”
I thought about the worries my parents would have experienced when i told them i lost the Job. I want to prepare them for this day. For over a month i was telling them about situation in office. Even for loosing a job we worry so much , Imagine how close devotees of saibaba who lived in shirdi and far away places would have reacted painfully hearing the news of Saibaba’s Samadhi .
For a Saint its Samadhi – The eternal destiny from where they will live, protect and care for us forever but for ordinary human being its taken as death as they cannot touch the holy feets of sai any more, they cannot do holy bath to his feets and they cannot see the glorious powerful eyes of Saibaba.
How beautiful were those days . Oh Sai, even when i write this i have tears in my eyes .How beautiful it would have been if you were living and i came to your dwarakamai to say “Baba , I lost my Job …Now show me a way ” .How great it would be if i hear you saying “Venkat, you serve me Now” as you asked to Hamadpant to serve . Me and the friend who is reading this are not gifted to see you, touch you and listen to you but we can feel you Sai. We can Feel your presence in us, Our family and our House.
The end of Saibaba’s Life time in Shirdi :
Lets go back to october 15th 1918 – Afternoon 2.15 P.M
Imagine the pain the people in Shirdi would have felt when Saibaba had his samadhi. What did they do when they got the news ? What did they speak to each other ? What messages did saibaba conveyed through dreams to his close devotees ? Is there a way to Console a Child who lost his mother Sainath ?
We all are his children and Saibaba lives forever . When the stories of Saibaba are so sacred and lively how much these devotees would have cried when Sai took his MahaSamadhi. There could be incidents where some would have rolled themselves in Mud and cried to core…Some devotees would have hugged each other to console themseves with tears. Some would have touched the Holy feets of Sainath and asked him to Come back to life.
Sai knew we ignorant devotees might think that he is Gone forever. So is Sai still living ? We all know Saibaba is ever living infact more vibrant and active after his Samadhi. Such Sai devotees will be happy to read the below beautiful leela of shirdi saibaba related to his maha samadhi .
1.The Saint who begged for food also needs some money for his last rites and ceremony :
How sweet is my Saibaba. I write this with tears . A little ball of tear about to flow is there in the corner of my eyes.What makes me go emotional at times when i write about Sai is the greatness of our Guru. Friend, We all feel shy and embarrassed even to ask for little favour from our close friend or relatives. We have ego and other prestiege issue.
Look at our Guru Saibaba. Every Single day untill his last few days Saibaba went to 5 houses in shirdi begging alms. Sai used to ask at times with affection and at times shouting at them if they make it late to come out side and give him what they cooked.When saibaba became very sick, he assigned his close devotees to beg for alms on his behalf.
Saibaba has his samadhi on october 15th 1918. His close devotees arranged for ceremony in shirdi and there was some need of money as huge crowd gathered in shirdi. Sai knew this can be done only if all his close devotees share the money their saved.One such close bhakta of saibaba has the below experience
“Give me all the money you stored in your box “
W.Pradhan is a high court pleader who had doubts on Saibaba.. When his family members along with a group first went to Shirdi , he told his wife “Who can say, if he is really a genuine saint ? ” . Later when the party returned from shirdi and gave their experiences abour saibaba he understood that Sai really is a great Saint , went to Shirdi and continued to be his devotee forever.
On october 19th 1918 , Pradhan got a dream. Saibaba appeared and gave 3 rupees. Pradhan was feeling bad to accept the money as he felt money given in dream is not auspicious. Saibaba said ” Receive, Receive it and give me all the money you stored in your box”.
Pradhan woke up and sent all the money he stored in his Box to shirdi for ceremony during Saibaba’s samadhi.
Friend, People used to say they must save some money for their last period in life.Look at this great saint. Sai never stored any thing for himself .Even for his last rites Sai affectionately came in the dream of Pradhan and asked him to send the money for ceremony in shirdi.
The same night Saibaba came in Pradhan’s sister and asked her to Send a Yellow pitambar ” ( shawl ) to be offered to his Samadhi. Pradhan accepted the 3 rupees from Saibaba in the dream .May be this is a gift Sai meant to give to each and everyone of his Devotees like us. The gift of Sai himself.
Sadhguru Sainath , the greatest of all Avatars of Lord Dattatreya will live with us forever.
2. Sai appeared as Serpant to Bhikubai :
Bhikubhai is another close devotee of Saibaba. On the day of Saibaba’s Samadhi, she was weeping at about 10 P.M in her house saying “Baba, i cannot see you again”..Later when she came out side her front door and saw a Snake.She had a feeling that Sai is giving her darshan in the form of a serpant. Bhikubai said “Sai, i cannot recognize you in this serpant body. I know only your Form as Sai Baba.”
Friend, we also would have experienced the presence of Saibaba through such little leela of sainath. In coimbatore Saibaba appeared as Snake on january 7th 1943 which came to be known as Nagasai Mandhir. There are incidents when we are worried , sai gives us darshan through a Photo or a sticker or even a surprise gift of a Saibaba statue from our friend or prasad from shirdi. Though we cannot see the form of saibaba as Bhikubhai worried about, let us accept such leela from our sainath as his real presence to bless us.
Sairam friend, I hope the above leela of saibaba related to his mahasamadhi made you feel the presence of Sainath now and forever. in your life. I plan to stay in little room of GG ( GG is one of my friend , in his early 50’s living in shirdi for over 20 years and helping sai devotees who comes to shirdi . Since i don’t want him to get any disturbance through me, and since it wont be good to highlight a sai sevak in the book about saibaba , i better dont reveal his real name and call him GG in this book )
Staying in the little room of GG is not so easy. Its already a very small room with just one bed , 2 feets of open space and a attached bathroom. GG sir got permission from his house owner that a boy wants to stay with him as he wish to write a book about Saibaba and they agreed. . I am taking my laptop to shirdi.my sisters old laptop is too heavy but its worth taking it everyday out in shirdi where ever i go. I hope sai himself write the book…
May be its childish expression of my love for Sai but i really wish to keep some gems of wisdom in the book.
I wrote a message to my Sai friends as below
“Tommorow evening at 7.30 i will start from mumbai to shirdi.so on monday morning ( 02 :02:2009 ) i will be in shirdi .
please pray sai to bless my parents as they were worried about me…not because i lost job but because they feel i must not be upset…just to check if i ate on time my appa called up….probably they know i would have forgotten to have my breakfast only after they called i remembered n had my food.
There are parents who show faces on their children if they can’t get job in campus interview…i am 30…i was jobless for years…i got job after years…i lost the job in 7 month and here are parents who wants to know if i ate on time and reminding me to book the ticket to shirdi and making sure if i will call them everyday during my stay at shirdi.
I always could see saibabas holy feets in my mind when i chant Sai Dattatreya mantra..today somehow i felt my parents holy feets too. I am selfish too. I will pray for my parents good health and long life in shirdi for they must be there always to help me see the light of sai.
Will try to access internet in shirdi friends…if not call me to see whats going on and yes your chanting for 108 days to serve sai children purely is working wonders..i lost my job to write a book to increase faith , devotion and love on sai when many sai children looses something.
sai bless you with peace friends
I am always in job. Sai gives me some work or i do sai’s work as a little servant ! He he he.
Venkat
always in the holy feets of shirdi saibaba”
That was the message i sent to few of my sai friends the day before i started to Shirdi. I had mentioned about their 108 days prayers by chanting “Sai Si Sai”. Yes these are wonderful Sai friends from around the world who organized t chant “SAI SAI SAI” 108 times everyday for 108 days and prayed saibaba to bless me to serve him .
If there is a gift Sai could give in this life time, its the people whom i met through www.StarSai.com , ofcourse there are many who write to me and forget me. Some stick to me and encourage me to serve the greatest saint on earth.Thats why i again like to mention ” I am always in job. Sai gives me some work or i do sai’s work as a little servant ! ”
Come with me to Shirdi, Sai will take you ( the reader – My friend ) along with me and make you feel you are really in Shirdi….
We Sai devotees are really gifted to get the greatest Saint on earth.Who cares for little emotions, Tears,smiles,cries and desires.
SO TRUE!! Though i’m still going through so many big problems in my life, but my faith has increased to such a level that i know that they ‘ll be solved soon. All this is kripa of sai nath since he keeps blessing me everyday by giving small signals of his since he knows i need them everyday for stop being fearful ..otherwise he knows i scold him 😛
He’s guarding me n my family everytime..
Only Sai knows his ways of working which are simply extra-ordinary..he’s very smart n clever..
May sai bless you with a wonderful job soon!
Yes thats really true Sai Baba always shows his presence through small signals whenever i am fearful for something or facing any problem. Few days back, i was having so many negative thoughts about the problems i am facing. Although continously thinking that Baba ji is there….still some fears appears sometimes….. But immediately i saw Babaji ‘s pictures on the book a girl was reading as if Baba ji is saying dont worry dear….M there…n got a sweet smile on my face….Such beautiful experiences baba ji give us everytime…….JAI SAI RAM…..OM SAI RAM….
Yes, Sai baba our father will give his presence anywhere we go… will carry his blessings everywhere we move and every job we do….:-)