Sairam friends,
Mumbai has always been a place I love to visit as I have good memories of working as a Faculty in a Film School there. My devotion to Lord Dattatreya started as I used to visit a Temple of Dattatreya in Borivali every sunday. There used to be a small Hanuman temple in a flat where I go every morning.I love the holy book Guru Charitra about saint Narasimha Saraswati so much.
The women selling flowers gives flowers to every one for 5 Rs but to me alone she gives only for 10 Rs. Elaam Muga Raasi…Anyway, I used to think its OK, Let the poor women earn a living and offer it to Hanuman. I loved Mumbai accept the trains and missed my Mother a lot. For this reason alone I kept praying Saibaba that I wish to come back to coimbatore and lead a simple life here. Once Hanuman came in dream and blessed me too.
Memories of Saibaba temple:
One of my friend at work is going to get married and Sai said that in dream to me before I went for work. When ever I make fun asking friends to do microfinancing from websites with a dialogue
“No body wants to help a poor women get a Cow?”
He used to ask
“Is any body bothered about this poor guy not getting married?” ..he he…
I used to say You will. When ever I do photography of someone, they get married. So they kept asking, Take photo of us so we get married soon.
I didn’t bother the dream much and when I went to work, realized he really is going to get married. I was surprised and told the dream to the girl near me and she asked me why is not Sai showing dream about yours. Bulbu* I dint know what to say.Probably this is why we are not supposed to tell our dreams to others. Sometimes, we get exited and tell it out.
For first time in 2 years, I took my Mom’s food to work. I didn’t want her to wake up and cook but now they don’t want me to have food outside. So can’t stop her. I just feel uncomfortable to carry lunch and I don’t feel free where ever I go after work.
Last night I was too upset with Sai Baba. Went Nagasai Mandir and sat in front of Holy Dhuni in a corner of Dwarakamai. I remembered all that I have experienced in the temple from 2005. Those were beautiful days as very few devotees used to come to Nagasai mandhir and When there’s rain I will be coming around dhuni. When the fire gets off, me and the priest used to do all shorts of things to lit it back. We used to get the big camphor and drop, pour oil, ghee and finally when still the fire doesn’t start, we used to drop a small cloth…he he and I used to wave fastly so that fire picks up in Dhuni.
Sai Vrat Pooja
One of my friend asked me to get some books he wanted to distribute after Sai Vrat Pooja and I got them. I have not done Sai Vrat Pooja but its one of the most visited pages in StarSai past nine years. When ever people write me about books, I tell them better give one Sai Satcharitra – Life of Saibaba book instead of giving such 9 books.
I personally feel making people read at least few words from Sai’s holy life will wash away their sins. Anyway, Since he asked me personally, I got it for him. I usually only gift Sai books and never take money but these books are given after doing Pooja for 9 weeks. So people will feel they get blessing only if they bought on their own. So I might have to accept the money. I could buy another book with that and gift him.
Devotees do Sai Vrat Pooja for 9 weeks and at times worry that their wish is not fulfilled. You see, Sai devotion must come from heart. Its like loving your Mom. Completion of Ritual or Pooja must not limit you from getting close to Sai. Wishes mostly get fulfilled based on our past Karma and our own effort. So hold on.
I want people to remember Shirdi Saibaba on day to day basis which is why I created StarSai Shradha Saburi Pooja
Even this pooja must never be a Wall between devotee and Shirdi Saibaba. Rituals and Pooja must always be a way to connect a devotee with Gods/Saints. So you don’t really have to do any Pooja if you keep remembering God and Saints. My request is to worship Sai and Gods internally in your mind.
Our word Pooja, Rituals, getting prasad,Udi and any thing auspicious is nothing when compared to the love you show on Gods and Saints internally in your mind from bottom of your heart.
But I always wish people light lamps. I believe it and I will keep encouraging to light Lamps for lifetime.
Some how Sai Vrat Pooja has become so popular and I accept it because its done by many New devotees of Saibaba. When they get the book, they get faith that Sai will fulfill their wishes and do it with devotion. So anything done with devotion has its own benefit.
I came back home and slept off hugging Sai Satcharitra.
I was blessed with a very strange dream…
Shirdi Sai Baba saved me in dream
I saw a dream in which my uncle and Father takes me to an ancient Shiva temple…there’s a door inside which my uncle enters and i go behind him..once i enter i see a huge hole like well instead of floor..there is just half feet of floor in the corner where we have to carefully walk and come around
I look down and realize the well is so deep and a huge shiva lingam is present there
I am about to fall down and shouting at my father to catch me and lift me up. I was really scared as I was about to fall down.So dad holds me and lifts me to safety
Then I go to the main temple where I saw a girl worshiping lord Shiva. She’s trying to open the grill gate in the main sannidhi.
Then I see myself out side the house where the sell sea shells..I understand that people get such sea shells and other sacred things from sea and sell to small shop keepers and big sea shells are giving to big shop keepers. It was like a sea shore temple. I feel that there’s life inside the valampuri sangu..
Am helping a lady and her husband to clean the things which came from sea.Then I see me and my parents going in train
finally after all this dream i hear the words
“All angel’s are capturing the Mumbai Market”
I woke up and opened Sai Satcharitra. It came to the leela where Sai saved a child from fire.
Baba’s All-pervasiveness and Mercy
In the year 1910 A.D., Baba was sitting near the Dhuni on Divali holiday and warming Himself. He was pushing fire-wood into the Dhuni, which was brightly burning. A little later, instead of pushing logs of woods, Baba pushed His arm into the Dhuni; the arm was scorched and burnt immediately.
This was noticed by the servant Madhava, and also by Madhavrao Deshpande (Shama). They at once ran to Baba and Madhavarao clasped Baba by His waist from behind and dragged Him forcible back ward and asked, “Deva, for what have You done this?” Then Baba came to His senses and replied,
“The wife of a blacksmith at some distant place, was working the bellows of a furnace;her husband called her. Forgetting that her child was on her waist, she ran hastily and the child slipped into the furnace. I immediately thrust My hand into the furnace and saved the child. I do not mind My arm being burnt, but I am glad that the life of the child is saved.”
I have repeatedly been writing about this Sai Leela and its very popular also. But when you read it, you feel home immensely sweet and merciful are Saints like shirdi saibaba. They hurt themselves but make sure you are safe.
I saw in dream that I was about to fall down in to the well and my father lifted me up. I realized Its the Sai in my father who has saved me. I never can understand the reason for such dreams but trust me Saints use dreams to wash away our karmic Bond.
I just wonder what Sai meant by words ” All angels are Capturing Mumbai Market”
May be because I keep reading about Entrepreneurs and Angel investors or probably something else.
Or probably because of the incident…
There was this aunty who’s daughter I liked but she said they are looking for someone in Mumbai. She asked me to pray for one of her relative who’s sick. So on Monday, I got udi from Nagasai mandhir and sent prasad by courier with little flowers to that Aunty and the girl !. I hope it will reach today.
She was really an Angel but the angel won’t come to Coimbatore. he he…. So may she be blessed with a good hubby as she desires.
I probably will run my life doing such things and never get married. I am loosing interest in it as I didn’t yet meet a girl with whom I can cherish for lifetime.
I just don’t know to answer my parents and the world.
I just know Sai loves me for what I am.
Love,
Venkat
Always in the holy feet of Shirdi Saibaba
