Shirdi Sai Baba,my desire for Money and Sri Suktam

Sairam friends,

I have stopped replying mails from Sai children now a days to maximum because there are times when they feel things will work out if they follow the Sai Pooja i tell them.  Honestly, I am just another ordinary man who shows you a way which makes you be more faithful on Shirdi Sai Baba. There was a complaint from a devotee looking at starsai that i am misleading devotees to do such Pooja where us Saibaba never asked anyone to follow specific Pooja. This is 100% true friends.

Kindly have atleast little vegetarian Food or Milk, Juice or Coffee during Sai Vrat Pooja:

The Sai Pooja and other Pooja of Gods/Goddess i wrote in StarSai is simply a option. Millions of Sai devotees are aware of Sai Vrat pooja – The pooja they do for 9 thursdays.  I might sound wrong but there are beautiful leela in Sai Satcharitra which makes us understand Saibaba doesn’t really like to see his children fasting too much. There are devotees who fast for Ekadesi for Vishnu and Pradosham days for Lord Shiva. That’s fine.

My humble request to Sai devotees who do Sai vrat pooja is that kindly don’t think Sai won’t fulfill your wish if you have little food. Actually for devotees who are used to fasting its fine. I am requesting the devotees who cant bear hunger. Better have some juice or little veg foods.

Now let’s think about the main reason why i started writing this article. Earning enough money to lead a comfortable life has always been a burden to me and many Sai devotees. Is it possible to give up our desire for money? No. I wrote this article just to realize where it all started and how Sai indirectly taught me to lead a life with what i am already blessed with.

“Is Venkat trying to reach skies? ” Probably this is what Sai baba is thinking when ever i pray sai to show me a way to earn better and make my parents happy.

Thanks to Devotee for above Beautiful Painting of Vishnu and Mahalakshmi as Sri Devi.

When did i first had desire for Money:

It must be around 1987-88 when i was in school in Pollachi ( South India).  My Mom asked me to buy something and come home. So i walked out side the quarters near which there’s a Bus depo . (My Father was a Manager in State Transport). I found a 20 Rupees lying down by the road side. Vow ! What a happiness. I can’t express how happy i was to grab it, run inside our quarters and show it to my Amma as if i got a Million dollar by Luck.

My Mom said some driver or conductor who got their days earnings would have mistakenly dropped it. Amma asked me to keep it as there was no way to return it to anyone. I called it “Luck”.

Is that the first time i desired money ? Lets go back to 1984/85. I must be very little. Less than 6-7 years old. Me and my elder sister were studying in a school in kovaipudur, Coimbatore. There used to be a shop near the school where all the kids eagerly bought a newly introduced pencil ( Those were the days of Bril Ink, Slate, Chalk piece and pencil and not gadgets like ipad todays kids are using).

I was eager to buy this colorful special pencil and asked my Mom to get it for me. My need for ignored as those days my fathers salary must not have been more than 1000 Rs.  For few days, i kept longing for that beautiful little pencils.

Stealing Money from my grand father:

That was really not the age to know what it means to steal. Probably my desire to buy color pencils was dominating me . I saw my Grand fathers cotton shirt hanging in the hall. Left my little fingers inside it, grabbed all the coins in it and ran to the shop. Those days running to school which is a bit far at evening 6 0 clock was too scary.

I reached the shop and asked the shopkeeper for the color pencils and dropped all the coins i had in my palm over the shops desk. The shop keeper said, the pencils cost 3 Rupees 50 paise and i had only 3 rupees with me. He said, You can’t get the color pencils.

I ran back to home fastly breathing heavy. As soon as i entered my Mom’s room, Amma asked me ” Did you take Thatha’s ( Grandpa’s) Money. I said “No i din’t”

My mother could make up from my fearful face and the way i was blinking that i did took it. Seems grandpa has checked his shirt and doubted me. Amma has argued with him saying her son is honest. He he……I feel like crying now …Oh Amma..How sweet are you.

Amma was fierce and beat me a lot. She told me never to steal money here after and keep the money back in Thatha’s shirt. I did that and continued to cry. I still remember Amma din’t bother me and simply was reading a Tamil magazine. Then she called near me and hugged me tight saying “If you want something , Ask for it”.

Probably Gods own way of making me a better human being.

Moral of the story – Its our need that makes us grab money somehow even if its a wrong way.

Probably which is why Sai used to bless his devotees with Udi. Udi can bless us with all the prosperity and good health and happiness in the world but it also has a inner meaning. When we pass away and our body is burn all that remains is UDI – Ashes.  There are some needs which we can’t live with out. We need money for food, clothes, to buy house or to pay our Bills. We need money to education our children,to get them married and if you get sick too.

Lets learn to lead a Simple Life:

There are devotees who write me saying that they have lots of Loan, Financial problems etc. Some devotees invest in business and have a loss and some suffer for years together without ability to pay Education loan.  My humble request is always think twice before you spend big money. You don’t have to be a miser. Be broad minded, help your friends/relatives but at the same time make sure your desires are really meaningful and necessary.

May Shirdi Sai Baba guide you to lead a simple life and also take care of your day to day livelihood.

Why i wrote this article about my desire for Money?

These days one needs to earn better to lead even a simple life.  Though i have a decent job now i realized the need to use my free time to earn better and am trying few stuff but am not successful. Sometimes i feel that Saibaba is not helping me. Natural feeling every devotee gets. Ha ha . Actually Saibaba really has helped me. Just that i am not content with what i earn. Probably its Sai’s way of saying ”  Hold on. Your time has not come”.

My fathers Honesty:

This is something i say for everyone who reads this.  Though my father was a government employee, he and some of his friends where always been very honest. They dedicated their time for the Transport corporation untill they retired and now roaming places to make sure they get their monthly pension forever. I learn from my father that its possible to lead a simple and peaceful life irrespective of so many health issues my mom and sister had.

My father is 67 years old now. He and his friends are engaged in constructing a Lord Shiva and Hanuman mandhir inside the Siddhi Vinayakar temple in our colony.  When i sleep early in the morning, sometimes Sai blesses me with a dream and right at the moment, the dream gets over, my dad opens the door of my room with a coffee for me. How much affection you have on me Appa. How is it that i spoke many days that you were taking care of your mother years back instead of giving us a more comfortable life.

I really have to learn from you.

There are millions of such Mom’s and Dad’s around the world who knows to lead a peaceful life no matter how little they earn. Its like Saibaba telling me “Venkat. You too can”

Before i complete this article, let me request all sai devotees to have a look at the article i wrote on my birthday –

Health is Wealth

Shirdi Sai Baba dream guidance to recite Sri Suktam:

Few month back i was blessed with a beautiful dream by Sai to recite Sri Suktam to get blessings of Goddess Mahalakshmi. I humbly request Sai devotees to try this sloka. Search for Sri Suktam Lyrics too.

Hope you liked Sri Suktam friends…( Thanks to the devotee who uploaded it. I just linked to this Mahalakshmi Mantra)

Sri Suktam Mp3

Goddesses Of India – Shree Suktam – Click to Buy

The above Album Goddess of India has Shree Suktam sung by Shweta Pandit . Listen to the 8th song in the Sample.

Sai’s ways are unique. Sometimes we worry a lot thinking that our life is not good.  Sai knows i have desire for money and wanted me to explore where it all originated. So made me write all this.

“I am happy with what you bless me with Baba. Just that i worry when i see some of my friends struggling to educate their kids. Wish i earn better by the time i get married and have a child. “

Thanks to Grand father who caught me for stealing his coins * ( few numbers of 5 paise, 10 paise, 20 paise which could not get me my color pencil but taught me a lesson for life time).

With love on Sai, Dad, Mom,

C.Venkatraman

Always in the holy feet of Shirdi Sai Baba

23/01/2013

After writing this i had severe fever and shivering like anything blabbering to parents. I remembered the girl i loved truly and wish she was near me. Amma and appa took care of me but sometimes we feel who will be there for us accept sai.  Baba, offered two red roses to Bhadra Kaali Amman going there with high fever and shiver. If Sai and the Goddess Annapurani wills let her come to me with love. As of now – Health is Wealth baba.