Teachings

4000 Years back when Prophet Moses came, he gave 10 commandments to his followers. For 2000 years his followers earnestly tried to follow them.

1. I am the LORD thy God
2. Thou shalt have no other gods
3. No graven images or likenesses
4. Not take the LORD's name in vain
5. Remember the sabbath day
6. Honour thy father and thy mother
7. Thou shalt not kill
8. Thou shalt not commit adultery
9. Thou shalt not steal
10. Thou shalt not bear false witness
11. Thou shalt not covet

As degradation set in and people started to slip on following the 10 principle in their life after 2000 Years, Jesus appeared and instructed to follow 3 principles/commandments

1. YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND, AND WITH ALL YOUR STRENGTH.' 
2. YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.
3. and One More

Also As prophet Mohammed gave the 5 instructions some 1300 years back.

1. Shahadah: declaring there is no god except God, and Muhammad is God's Messenger
2. Salat: ritual prayer five times a day
3. Sawm: fasting and self-control during the blessed month of Ramadan
4. Zakat: giving 2.5% of one’s savings to the poor and needy
5. Hajj: pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a lifetime^[5][6] if he/she is able to do^[7]

We cannot dare to say that no one is following the above principles today in their respective faiths, however in a general sense, a lot of degradation has set-in in the human mind and people are not able to follow even the simple principles ordained by the masters.

The idea to mention all the above is to reflect that as time passed, the teaching for common man by the saints has been simplified to encourage and help them sustain and follow at-least a minimum ethical code.

About 100 Years back Shirdi Sai had 11 sayings.

• No harm shall befall him who sets his foot on the soil of Shirdi.
• He who cometh to My Samadhi, his sorrow and suffering shall cease.
• Though I be no more in flesh and blood, I shall ever protect My devotees.
• Trust in Me and your prayer shall be answered.
• Know that My Spirit is immortal. Know this for yourself.
• Show unto Me he who sought refuge and been turned away.
• In whatever faith men worship Me, even so do I render to them.
• Not in vain is My Promise that I shall ever lighten your burden.
• Knock, and the door shall open. Ask and ye shall be granted.
• To him who surrenders unto Me totally I shall be ever indebted.
• Blessed is he who has become one with Me.

To summarize the above, Shirdi Sai, simply asked the seeker to take refuge in him and he offered to bear all the burden of the devotee. He did not impart any formal teaching or write any books or did any preaching.

It all finally boils to the fact that, upon finding a true master, as a seeker can we stick to him in full faith till we see our destination?

In our tradition, the same has been explained with the analogy of a Mango fruit first appearing as a flower. 90% of the flower falls down from the tree, the 10% remaining see a tender fruit, out of which again 90% of it will fall before the tender fruit turns to a ripe fruit stage.

The tree supplies all the required nutrition from flower to the ripe fruit stage. However, the flower/fruit has to stick to the tree till it ripens. This is the only responsibility of the fruit.

In PAAKALAPATI GURUVU GARI CHARITRA by Sri Ekkirala Bharadwaja, the same is explained by taking a tourist bus and passenger analogy. In Modern day, even this simple rule of sticking to the Master under all odds is so difficult. Shradda and Saburi, the two simplified principles of Sai.

Saburi - Patience, Patience, Patience under all circumstances.

I have rarely seen Swami speaking for more then 5/10 minutes. Whenever he did it predominantly used to be a summary of his experiences between 1950-1958.

Also, i never saw him address a group of people giving a sermon / lecture / instructions. In the presence of Swami, all i have seen is a 1-1 Master to Seeker relationship. All instructions are specific to the seeker, situation and time.

It is very difficult to summarize that so and so it the teaching of Swami, this is what as i have experienced in his presence. With Swami, everything is taught by waking the talk silently. One has to learn by watching the walk, reflecting and learn. We go to Darga, stay for 2-3 days, see how the day is conducted. We come back home and are unable to follow that schedule.

1. Wake up before sun rise.
2. Pray / Remember the lord 4 times a day. (Aarati)
3. Spend as much part of the day contemplation and prayer.
4. Be simple and frugal in all means of food, dress and other aspects of life.

                                              6 Eternal Relatives

SATYAM MATA PITA JNANAM DHARMO BHRATA DAYA SAKHA SANTIHM PATNI KSHAMA PUTRAH SADETE MAMA BANDHAVAH

సత్యం మాతా పితా జ్ఞనం  ధర్మో భ్రాతా దయా సఖా శంతిం పత్ని క్షమా పుత్రా షడయతె మమ బంధవాః

                                      

“Truth is my Mother, Knowledge is my father, Righteous is my brother, Kindness is my friend, tranquility is my wife, and forgiveness is my son.  These six are my family members.” 

I heard the above verse for the first time from Swami, many times it comes up in my mind and I contemplate on it.

When we start out as a child our parents take 100% responsibility and handle us with so much patience and forgiveness. It would be so difficult to comprehend this until we marry and have our own children.

By the time one marries and gets a spouse, the equation changes to 50%-50%. The spouse always expects us to take care of our responsibility. This is where one requires lot of tranquility. Also the transition of moving from the care of parents to spouse may be a little uneasy. As kids even if one loathed without taking any responsibility one could have escaped.

When one gets children and they start doing unpleasant things the responsibility becomes 0-100%. One just has to forgive all unpleasant acts of one’s children and raise them.

                                               Swami On Death

Swami recounted his experience on the departure of his beloved mother.

As a child and young man, swami was deeply associated to his mother. When she left the material world, swami became distressed and distraught. Swami filed a case against SAI in the court of Para Brahaman, as SAI was his sole refuge and did not help him in the moment of need.

Swami received a reply, "Every being in this world arrives with specified work on hand to be completed in the mortal world. Once the intended work is finished by him/her, he/she get to return back. This is the way/rule of the nature." Added "Neither you or your mother have requested me to stop/avoid her departure."

This experience satisfied Swami's mind convincingly. On other occasions also, with reference to himself, swami mentioned that he can go back satisfactorily if he can complete all the work intended for him is completed.

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Over the years, when i contemplate on this idea, i feel a lot of things are set to perspective when we look at our lives as an opportunity to carry out the work intended for us at the best we can.

Also, as all of us get to face in life, everyone close to us pass away at some time.  At such time, Can we understand that they have completed their work and are getting a chance to move on? Once the work intended for that person is completed successfully, Is there a reason to grieve when that person leaves? When Death arrives, i wish that we not be in a grieving situation rather be in a position to welcome him with hands wide open and embrace him.

Perhaps to face both the situations will require grace from the master to enable us to pass through them.

                         Respect Parents - Lesson of Ganesh Chathurdhi

One Day a few devotees were sitting around Swami. The topic turned to the Ganesh Chaturthi festival. Swami asked as to what the message of this festivals is?

After a few replies, Swami gave the answer that Just as Ganesha respected his parents by circumambulating them.  One needs to show his highest respect and care towards his parents. Also the episode shows the result of respecting ones parents.

Suddenly Swami turned towards Shankariah and asked him if he ever did a pradakshina to his parents? Shankariah answered in affirmative.

I was utterly surprised and did not expect this question coming. Till then i never did that. Though occasionally we bow down to our parents and seek their blessings, never did we make pradakshina to them, even at least once in a year.

All of us celebrate the festival, perform puja, read the Ganesha Story, year after year..and does it occurs to us that we need to follow what Ganesha has followed?

That was one of the most revealing moments to me.

On Shirdi Sai

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We all know that in this world many avatars and saints have come and gone in the past. Even Sri Rama and Sri Krishna have come, performed their role/duty and left.However one thing what makes SAI unique is that he demonstrated in his life that the pain and suffering felt by fellow beings (Human or Animal) is also experienced by him.

This was demonstrated not in speech but in experience and action, multiple times by BABA in his life time. Recollect the incident when BABA requested a House-Wife (Don't remember the name.) to fetch him food as he was feeling hungry. This house wife ardently prepares a meal and comes back to Dwarakamai quickly to offer them to SAI. SAI throws the meal to a near-by dog to the utter disappointment of this devotee. 

Upon expressing this, SAI asks her that "Is he not the same, expressed in the dog form?", there by demonstrating that all forms of living being are to be seen as one's own self. On another occasion, a devotee thrashes an animal badly. Later when he visits the Masjid, SAI shows the thrash marks on his back.

The above two are only a couple of many other to quickly recollect.

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These facts assure one that if one take refuge in SAI, who is very compassionate towards the pain and suffering of his fellow beings, one can definitely receive his grace and blessings.