Monday, February 21, 2011

Sai Krupa - Miracle of Mallapur Sai Kshetra - Umbrella Cloud - Miracle Series - 1


Different are the ways of baba in protecting his children. Words are less to describe them. Can a person count the stars in the sky? How foolish it is to measure the grace of Baba on his children. The less said about it, the better. But as the children of baba, is it not our responsibility to share his leelas. Definetly yes, in one form it is a way of Guru stuti and living upto the expectations of Baba. In what way? What does baba expect from a devotee. Is it money, gold, jewels, diamonds etc. Baba never gave importance to all these in his lifetime and considered them as hurdles in realsing the self, rather baba expects us to remember him and show our gratitude for what has been provided to us as his blessing.


So, in this small incident which appears as a coincident for non-believers, but definetly a miracle and grace of Baba for all those who believe and have faith in Baba- especially for me, this is a divine grace and shower of baba's blessings-. Since last june, when I came into touch with Mallapur Shirdi Sai temple, I have been frequently visiting that temple. It is a great temple with simple architecture replicating Shirdi. The people who have constructed this temple upon the instructions from Sri Sivensan Swamiji of Shirdi constructed it in a very much similar fashion to Dwarakamayi, Gurusthan, Chavadi present in Shirdi during the 90's, because this temple was constructed around 1991. There are so many incidents associated with the temple, which if collected can become another big ocean of sai miracles.


I strongly feel that visiting this place is almost like visiting shirdi and even to visit this place also, you need permission from baba. Just as somebody cant visit shirdi without the permission of baba, here also you cant visit this place without the permission of baba. I can say this with authority because, I have a personal experience about it. I have a close friend of mine who was in lot of troubles. He was facing financial problems, family problems etc and was totally clueless how he can come out of it. During one of the interactions, I suggested him to visit this temple and get the blessings of Baba, so that he can get rid of his troubles by offering a cocunut to dhuni and do the dhuni puja at this temple. There is a great significance of this dhuji puja, sri sivensan swamiji insisted this to be the utmost important thing and emphasised about it saying "Baba always made devotees whoever came to him to offer coconut to dhuni. When somebody asked Baba about it, He told them that through this He is burning away the bad karma of the devotees and releasing them from their sufferings. It is just like clearing our blocks which were acting as hurdles in our progress. Once those blocks are removed, the path is cleared and we can proceed further, here our bad karma is acting as a block and by offering the cocunut to dhuni Baba is removing our blocks and making the path clear for our progress with his blessings". Hence sivanesan swamiji emphasised on this very much.



We also offer the coconut to dhuni whenever we visit the temple and there are so many instances with our relatives and friends who got relieved of their problems after visiting this temple and offering coconut to this dhuni by the blessings and grace of baba. Coming back to my friend, listening about this temple, he said that the next day morning he will immediately go to this temple and seek the blessings of baba and asked me to accompany him. Everything was planned and he was supposed to come next day early morning, but till date he could not come and visit the temple. I only thought that maybe he doesnt have Baba's permission and when time comes Baba will only call him to his darbar.


About the actual incident, I started with my wife and two kids on my bike to this temple on this sunday morning. We planned to stay there itself till evening and then return back. From my home, there are two ways to go to this temple, one is from the old city and the second one is through the ring road. I preferred the ring road route because there is a longest flyover - in asia running through 11.4 kms- going along the ring road. I drove through the shade of this flyover  so that my kids wont face the heat of hot sunday sun. Everything was fine after reaching there and we spent our time under the neem tree of the gurusthan over there. Now there was an appointment with one of the friends and we planned to move early so that we can reach home by the time my friend comes.


So we started our return journey by 3.00 pm. It was very hot and my wife was insisting to sit for some more time till the sun sets so that the kids wont face the hot sun. As it was an important appointment, putting it on Baba, I proceeded further, then immediately by the grace of baba, there was a big cloud which covered the sun giving us a natural shade like an umbrella minimizing the heat of the sun. This continued till I reached the home. The cloud was always like a shield protecting us. Maybe somebody may think it as a coincident, but I felt it as a grace of Baba otherwise, my kids would have suffered a lot due to the red hot sun. Thanks baba for your wonderful grace on your children. Thought comes to mind that baba is saying "Why Fear, Whem I am with you". Will sai ever ignore protecting his children. Those who spend their time with Sai, He will only look after their welfare, protection and everything.



Significance of Shirdi

Shirdi

Shirdi, the holy land where Baba stayed physically for sixty years before finally he took mahasamadhi in 1918. Baba said "You cannot enter shirdi without my permission, it is me who draw you to shirdi". It has been proved number of times with devotees that if they plan a trip to shirdi, it is not a possible trip without a call from baba. There are number of instances where baba has not given permission and so many devotees got cancelled their shirdi trip in the last minute. As well there are so many instances where so many devotees unplanned also have been to shirdi to have the blissful darshan and seek the blessings of Baba.


Further Baba said "Once you put your feet onto shirdi , all your sufferings will come to an end". We can find many instances for this in the satcharitra as well as with experiences of various devotees. Its a real boon for those who are suffering with anything such as lack of wealth, lack of good health, lack of peace of mind, lack of children etc. Once they visit shirdi and pray whole heartedly to baba, he will definetly bless them with whatever they ask intially and at later stages without asking also, he will bestow them with what is good for them, such is the kindheart of Baba.



At another instance, Baba said to a devotee that "if you think that sai is only in shirdi with this 5 and half feet human body, you have not understood sai". Those who have realised sai, can feel that he is staying in their hearts only. He is present everywhere in all the forms. Just we need to have the realisation that he is there in all the forms. For this also Baba has given numerous instances that from a dog to a person at various levels with devotees it was He only who tried to save them. A classic example of Mrs.Tharkad, when she offered a roti to a hungry dog, Baba says that she has fed him to  heartful meal.  Another instance when Nana Chandorkar offers a sweet chapati to Baba, He just stares at it, and lot of house flies eat the sweet chapati. Finally Baba asks Chandorkar to take the remaining as His prasad, unable to realise that it was Baba only in the form of house-flies, who has eaten it, Nana gets annoyed , then Baba shows a particular asan which only Nana does and no one knows about it. Then Nana gets confidence that just like He knows everything about him by staying in his inner heart, he is there in all the forms and takes it as his prasad.


By all these we can conclude that Baba is not just limited to shirdi, but he present in everywhere in all the forms.

But the question arises, people are going to shirdi to visit baba, but what brought baba to shirdi? Many a times, Baba said that his gurusthan was there and he was staying in his guru sannidhi, for which he has lit the dhuni and throughout his lifetime, he paid his gratitude to his guru in the form of dhuni fire. Even at later stages those who have treated baba as their guru also stayed back at shirdi or have been called to shirdi by baba. One among them is sivanesan swamiji, who had been called to shirdi by baba and stayed all his lifetime rendering service to baba. Those who realised baba will see him in all and extend their service to him.


Our epics and puranas claim that where ever a mahatma stays for a few seconds, that place is considered to be a spiritually acclaimed place. It becomes a kshetra. People will throng to that place to seek the blessings of that great person. That place will have the positive vibrations of that great person. Who ever visits that place will be definetly blessed with good thoughts. In such circumstances , what can be said about Shirdi, where Baba stayed physically for sixty years. It is the greatest of the spiritual places, where people can get fulfill their desires and put an end to their sufferings with the blessings of Sai Baba.


Whoever is reading this by the grace of baba visit shirdi and get the blessings of baba.


Loka Samastha Sukhinobavanthu, Sarve Jana Sukhinobavanthu 
Om Santi Santi Santi.

Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Sai Prasadalaya

 
"Shri Sai Prasadalaya"
        Behind Shirdi Police Station,
  Nimgaon Shiv Road,
Nimgaon Korhale,
Shirdi.
The facility of  prasad bhojan of  the "SHRI SAI PRASADALAYA" which was earlier situated  next to the samdhi mandir, has been permanently shifted to a new building constructed by the  "SHRI SAIBABA SANSTHAN TRUST" ON 08th JAN`2009.

 Daily a bus regularly shuttles from  the "SAI PRASAD" Building No.2 (Near the car parking) to the newly built  "SHRI SAI PRASADALAYA" carrying devotees to & fro from the temple to the  PRASADALAYA free of charge.

Normal meal passes : On entering the  PRASADALAYA  and then going towards the left from the main gate, a waiting hall comes where the counter for the sale of normal meal pass is present.


 The charges for a normal meal pass is Rs.10/- for adults and Rs.4/- for children. The huge hall for normal meal pass holders is on the ground floor itself.

VIP MEAL PASSES: One can purchase the   VIP MEAL PASS from the PRASADALAYA'S Office which is situated right opposite the main gate of the PRASADALAYA. The charges for a  VIP MEAL PASS Is Rs.40/- Only per person. The Hall for VIP MEAL PASS holders is on the  First Floor  and for which an elevator is also present for those who cannot walk the stairs up.

TIMINGS:For Meal passes - 09:30 Am sharp to 09:30 Pm sharp. (after which no passes are issued)
Meal is served - 10:00 Am to 10:00 Pm.

The Worlds Largest Solar Panels installed here in the Prasadalaya are powered by a large array of concave mirrors  that collect sunlight to create hot water and steam for the cooking process. It even works in overcast monsoon conditions.

                                                            
Sometimes, a thought occurs why it is named prasadalaya instead of bhojanalaya. A feeling comes that we need to take the food as a token of prasad of baba.  Sai has also clearly shown instances during his lifetime by cooking himself and serving it to everyone. This clearly indicates the path we need to follow. We also should do the annadan. It is equivalent to serving baba. Baba feels more happy when we follow this path and do the annadan. One more thing which baba told us was that he is always within us. So we need to offer what ever we eat first to baba and then take the food as Baba's prasad. This practice of offering the food to baba and taking it as his prasad will definetly save us from all the subtle level sins connected with the food which we intake. There are different things done in the process of cooking, lighting the fire, cutting the vegetables, boiling the rice etc. The epics and puranas says that the food will have the gunas embedded into them basing on the thoughts of the persons cooking them. The same will embed into us if we directly intake them.  So we need to offer it to Baba first and then only take it as his prasad.

 In gita, Lord krishna has clearly told that the brahman exists in everything right from the food, the person who is preparing food and the person who is eating food and even after it goes inside the stomach it is He who digests it.

Brahmarpanam Brahma Havir
Brahmagnau Brahmana Hutam
Brahmaiva Tena Ghantavyam
Brahmakarma Samadhinaha
The act of offering is God, the oblation is God
By God it is offered into the Fire of God
God is That which is to be attained by him
      who sees God in all
Aham Vaishvanaro Bhutva
Praninaam Dehamaa Ashritaha
Prana Pana Samayuktah
Pachamyannam Chaturvidham
Becoming the life-fire in the bodies of living beings
mingling with the upward and downward breaths,
I digest the four kinds of food.


So it is apt to name it as  Sai Prasadalaya, the abode where thousands of people are taking the food as a token of sai prasad. Baba in his life time has always taught by the ways of real life acts rather than by mere words. He clearly showed the path, by giving utmost importance in recognising the hunger of everyone and seeing god in everyone. Thus satisying the hunger of everyone by doing annadan and there by showing that whoever does the same is indeed serving him.  A classic example of  Mrs.Tharkad, when she offers a roti to a hungry dog, Baba claims that she has indeed given food to him. Let us visit shirdi, have prasad of baba at Prasadalaya and seek the blessings of Baba.

whoever reading this, by the grace of baba implement this simple truth in their practical life and get the blessings of baba.

Appeal from Sansthan towards the Annadan Scheme
Shri Saibaba Sansthan's Prasadalaya is a place of faith for Sai devotees. They can relish the food / Prasad at a very nominal cost of Rs. 10/- per person and Rs. 5/- per child (up to 10 years of age) from 10.00 a.m. to 10.00 p.m. This Prasad is partaken by about 30,000-35,000 Sai devotees on a normal day, and by 70,000-80,000 during festivals / vacations. The Prasadalaya, with a big hall accommodating 3500 devotees at a time for food, serves a meal of rice, roti, dal, two vegetables, and barfi-sweet etc. This meal is not just food but 'Prasad' served with good faith by the Saibaba Sansthan at very low cost to the Sai devotees. Approx. 1 crore Sai devotees take the prasad-bhojan every year.

It has been certified as ISO 9001:2009. One of the biggest spiritual centers, the Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust is also known to use technology to help the environment. To promote the use of non-conventional energy sources, Sansthan has installed the Solar Heating Cooking System in this Prasadalaya. As per Ministry of Non- Conventional Energy Sources, New Delhi, this has been identified as the world's largest solar heating cooking system.

Donations are accepted for providing free meal (Prasad Bhojan) for a day to Sai Devotees. Name of the donor will be displayed at Prasadalaya on particular day. Amount will be accepted at Sai Prasadalaya Office / Sansthan Accounts Office at Shirdi and Sansthan's Mumbai office by Cash / D.D. only and online through internet. The amount of Donation is as follows for a particular day :

No. Free Prasad Meal donation Scheme Amount (Rs.)
1. During Festival Days 3,00,000/-
2. For Other Days 2,00,000/-

Loka Samastha Sukhinobavanthu, Sarve Jana Sukhinobavanthu
Om Santi Santi Santi

Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai