From Nepal with Love – If someone is going to Shirdi, Send your love to Sai

Sairam friends,

I usually don’t write so much in StarSai but now a days I feel satisfied to write because that’s the only way I could express my deepest feelings of Life, Love and Humanity. Its already 12 at night when I start to write this article. So Sai please help me complete it before my parents come to my room and ask me to sleep. Pleaseeeeeeee

I received Sai’s 13,880’th mail from a Shirdi Sai Baba devotee in Nepal.  Sai devotees in Nepal have been writing to me for many years. This time, I was inspired my the mail of this devotee to write an Article. Where’s Nepal, Where’s Coimbatore? and I am awake late night listing to music of flute and writing this article.

I have used Photos courtesy of Wikipedia contributes in this post make make you feel Nepal in your heart and divine Annapurna ranges in Himalayas.  Wish to get beautiful photos and Shirdi Saibaba experiences from sai devotees in Nepal . Note that StarSai is all about Saibaba of ‘Shirdi”. I personally don’t have belied in any other form of Sai. Hope you understand.

The mail goes like this..

Namaste. Hello.

One of my relatives is going to Shirdi. I am a Shirdi Sai bhakta. Could you please tell me what pooja samagri should I send for Shirdi Sai Baba.  I have no idea. It would be appreciated if you could send me a list of things which people usually offer to god there. I hope to hear from you soon.
Regards

( I shall publish name if devotee agrees to share. StarSai has privacy policy* accept for Venkat’s life who writes everything the world likes to keep it personal.)

I wanted to think what usually I will take to Sai in the end. Before that lets think about what one can usually send for Saibaba to offer.

1. Dakshina – Offering of Money:

Sai collected Dakshina in Dwarakamai only during his later stage. Earlier Sai used to collect Match sticks and keep it in his pocket. Later Sai started asking for money as Dakshina. Some devotees were very much willing to give dakshina to Sai as himself has assured

“Who gives me one, I have to return ten times more”

It could be understood as Dakshina given to any pure ancient saints like Shirdi Saibaba is very auspicious and they bless us with abundance. I usually offer money in the dakshina box kept in Dwarakamai or Samadhi Mandhir. I usually offer little money only as I believe Sai wants us to use money to help the needy and those who really deserve it. But make sure you surely offer little money/coins when you visit Shirdi.

So when your friends/relatives are going to Shirdi, give them some coins or currency notes. Request them to keep it safe and offer the same coins to Sai.

During Sai’s lifetime, Captain Hate desired that he must have a coin that’s touched by Saibaba. He sent a coin through his friend and never told him his desire. The friend had darshan of Sai in dwarakamai and gave the coin as offering. Saibaba took the coin, played with it and gave it back to the devotee saying “Give it back to its owner and tell him that I am always with him”

How sweet is Sai’s understanding of even such a small desire of his ardent devotee?

At the same time, One must never cheat or spend reckless with the money given to Gods/Sai. Saibaba has said

“A fakirs money is forced away till the last pie”

Meaning if you cheat a Saint and use his money or belongings, someday in your life, you will have to pay back until the last pie is given back.

2. Offer Flowers, Garland and anything Natural:

I know a few devotees in Coimbatore who love taking lots of Lotus and Thulasi (Tulsi) to offer Saibaba in Samadhi mandhir. They do it with lots of devotion and Saibaba has always accepted it happily in Shirdi. You can send any flowers you love to offer Saibaba. Now a days due to security issues,they might not allow taking flowers into samadhi mandir ( Am not confirming but it might happen). In such cases, you can offer flowers to any near by temple in Shirdi.

Like the Mahalakshmi temple situated in Pimpalwadi road, Lakshmi Narasimhar temple situated near Chawdi, any other small temples you come across like Kanifnath temple, Kandoba temple or simply offer the flowers any where you see a simple Sai statue or any Gods statue or Photo. Surely you will get some way to offer your flowers.

Make sure your friends or you can reach Shirdi with in a day so that the flowers look fresh or giveup this idea.

3. Sweets and Food:

Hmm…When Saibaba lived many devotees had the habit of bringing delicious food to offer him. We have read stories where Sai used to ask his devotee to cook brinjal but that wasn’t a season from Brinjal in shirdi. On inquiry, they will find that a devotee has brought Brinjal to offer some Kichdi to Saibaba.

Now you can’t offer Sweets and Food to Sai but you can certainly ask your friends to accept it so that they can have it during their journey. One of my friends wife cooked food for 40 devotees traveling from Coimbatore to Shirdi by train. It was very kind of them and I felt so good about it. So give sweets/Snacks to your friends/relatives *if they are willing to have.

You know Sai lives in everyone as Antaryami. Sai when your friends have food, sweets you gave, its like offering Sai himself.

4. Pooja items:

Well, I really don’t know if you can send Pooja items to offer Sai but try your best. Example – You can offer incense Sticks – Agarbathi but where will you light it ? Am sure you or your friends can find a place but don’t expect to light it only where you want.  You can also offer Kumkum, Tumeric, Chandan and Beetle leaves and nets…These are not accepted inside temple complex. So be flexible in where it can be offered…

My suggestion would be to use any Pooja items in any temple if it could not be offered to Sai in Samadhi temple or Dwarakamai etc. I love the Mahalakshmi temple in Shirdi.

5. Offer Lamps:

This is something my heart always thinks about. I wish there’s a beautiful big place in Shirdi especially to light lamps. There is already a place I believe near Nanda deep but not sure if its still there. So send some Diya and Ghee ( Lamps and Ghee) along with cotton wicks to your friend or take it when you travel Shirdi by yourself.

Someway, Sai will show you a place to light lamps. Try in any Small temple near by if you are not allowed to light where you wish. You can travel to Sivanesan Swamiji Samadhi which is situated 2.5 kms in Pimpalwadi road to light lamps there.

6. Offer Cloth:

Usually Sai devotees likes to offer cloth, you know the silky dress, embroidery dress. I am not sure about the length but make sure its at least 5 to 10 meters long. This can be offered if you are lucky in Samadhi mandhir. Sometimes, they return it back. I think there’s a place you can register and offer this. You are just offering to Sai but there’s no guarantee that your dress will be worn for Sai the same day.

I have not covered everything a devotee can offer Shirdi Saibaba during his/her trip to shirdi. You can send your friends/relatives above offerings or any offerings you desire but don’t get upset if they are not accepted in Samadhi mandhir or dwarakamai.

Your offering reaches Shirdi and its touched by the divine air of Shirdi. Be satisfied because Sai lives in every atom of Shirdi and of course the whole universe.

Now lets come to my favorite offering for Sai.

When ever my friends goes to Shirdi, I give them some Dakshina to offer. Mostly 10 Rs, even 2 Rupee coin ( Two Rupee coin means Shradha and Saburi) and request them to offer in dakshina box.  I give money to for expenses to some of my close friends if they really need it as it helps them when they travel.  That’s it.

and I request them to Say my Love for Sai.

I tell them

“Remember me in Shirdi and tell Baba that I love him”

tell Sai that

“I really wish to come to Shirdi”

tell Sai

“My pranams…Bow to him on my behalf”

Friends, Sai never expects anything for us.

Saints simply wants us to remember them. Ever if you keep remembering Sai with love, that’s the greatest offering you give for Sai. So request your friends/relatives to pray for you in Shirdi and simply say Sai that you love him and wish you love him for lifetime.

From Nepal with Love can be substituted to any place …Be it Dubai, America, Europe, Australia,  Singapore, Malaysia,Mauritius or any where in India. Where ever you live, offer your devotion, Your remembrance and your Love for Sai. You can do it right now. This moment if you close your eyes, imagine Saibaba beautifully sitting in Dwarakamai and offer him what ever you wish along with your love, Sai accepts it.

Sai wants your love as much as you want Sai.

This post is dedicated to Sai devotees who are missing Shirdi and really wish to go to Shirdi like me. Well, I don’t really feel so sad about it because my heart is Shirdi and Sai lives there. Sai himself doesn’t like you to leave your responsibilities and go to Shirdi. Sai always believed in doing what you are supposed to do and keep remembering him where ever you are.

keep remembering Sai

Keep loving Sai

Make your heart pure as the Shirdi Sand touched by the holy feet of Sadhguru Sainath.

Sai will come to live in you forever.

and

If someone is going to Shirdi, Send your love to Sai.

That’s all Sai wants from you. Your devotion. Your love.

Its 1.30 at night now. My mom already asked me why am not sleeping. Tata friends…Jo Jo now !

Love,

Venkat

Always in the holy feet of shirdi saibaba

5/6/2013