Saturday, October 31, 2015

At the Feet of Sai Baba - by Purushotham R. Avasthi

At the Feet of Sai Baba - by Purushotham R. Avasthi

 

We are pleased to publish a portion of the autobiographical sketch of Late Shri Purushotham Avasthi, an intimate devotee of Sai Baba. Sri Avasthi was a spiritually advanced person and had the benefit of being a devotee of our Master, introduced by Sri M.B. Rege Sahib. Further, the credit of bringing Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Rege Sahib together goes to Sri P.R. Avasthi – Editor

 

It was Christmas holidays of 1914. My friend M. B. Rege took me to Shirdi along with him to seek the blessings of Sai Baba. During the journey, I was wondering as to whether I have transgressed the advice of my Guru not to visit another saint. I was indeed in a repentant mood for having agreed to go to Shirdi and was beginning to feel that I have been led astray by the jugglery of the old fakir at Shirdi. I felt that I should overpower his sorcery by utterance of Shri Ram Nam. Rege called me 'Crazy'.

 

At Shirdi, we met Sai Baba in the Chavdi. My friend Rege went to him and prayed to him to rid of my fit of craziness. Baba looked at me and I was cured of my spell instantly on hearing Baba's melodious and devout tone 'Allah Malik Hai'. I apologized to him mentally to pardon my defects. I put my head at his Lotus feet. He blessed me by gently touching my head. Then onwards every creature that I happened to look on our way began to strike me as Sai Baba. In meeting Sai Baba, my quest for a Sadguru was over and Sai Baba was everything for me.

 

We went to the residence of Mother Radhakrishna Ayi. She appeared to me like the proto-type of my Guru Shanthi Devi. On seeing me Mother Radhakrishna Ayi narrated a few earlier incidents of my life. I was stunned but still did not accept her as a substitute for my Guru Shanthi Devi but as her sister.

 

Even as I was thinking on these lines, Mother Radhakrishna Ayi cried aloud 'I am dying' and fell flat on the ground. I ran up to her and putting her head on my lap loudly chanted one after the other five mantras based on the five letters of 'Shiv Panchakshari' which represented the five elements. I implored the deities to revive her in exchange for all the virtues I had acquired in 16 years of my spiritual sadhana. Mother Radhakrishna Ayi opened her eyes and I felt exceedingly grateful to God for this recovery.

 

I was in Shirdi for four days. Sai Baba passed me through various stages and phases of His miraculous powers and made me realize as to His being an avatar. This visit proved to be a turning point in my life as it weeded out the unholy thoughts about Him as a 'Muslim' and drove me towards Him to took upon Him not only as my Sadguru but as my God in whose quest I had been so long hankering after.

 

It was 'Ekadashi' – the last day of my visit. Sai Baba had returned to the mosque from Chavadi after the Kakad Arathi. He sent for my friend M.B. Rege and directed him to take me away. A cart-Tonga was got ready. As we started to go he came out of the mosque to go on for his morning round and we had the good fortune to salute him near the village gate and got his blessings at the time of our departure.

 

After this visit, I used to go to Shirdi at least twice or thrice a year and on every occasion I was fortunate to get His darshan and blessings. This continued for four years or so without a break.

 

In November 1917, in the early hours Sai Baba manifested in our residence at Ujjain. I got up from my bed and bowed to Him reverentially. He suddenly disappeared. At that very moment I heard the familiar voice of Abdul Bhai calling me by name from the garden. I opened the door and rushed out to find Abdul Bhai. But I found only a friend of mine plucking flowers who on enquiry told me that no one else had come and called me by name!

I was wondering about the significance of Sai Baba's visit to our house. On the third day of this incident, I received a letter from Sri Waman Rao Patil of Shirdi about the sad demise of Mother Radhakrishna Ayi in the early hours of the very day Sai Baba had visited our residence.

 

In May 1918, I visited Shirdi along with my sister and niece. They wanted to offer 'Naivedya' of pithala to Sai Baba and were preparing it in the very room that used to be formerly occupied by Mother Radhakrishna Ayi. The fuel was wet and smoke covered the entire room. Unable to bear the smoke, my sister thought of Mother Radhakrishna Ayi to come and help in kindling the fuel. At once they fancied that Mother had come downstairs and helped them in enkindling the wet fuel and then disappeared. While they felt the ethereal presence of the Mother amidst them, reality dawned that Mother had cast off her mortal coil in November 1917 itself. But they were inwardly happy for having her darshan.

 

Another incident I recall was in October 1918. At Ujjain, ladies in our household had inadvertently washed the husked rice grain twice or thrice and went into the kitchen. Soon they realized the mistake and were at their wit's end as to what is to be done. By chance, I happened to go there and when they told me about this, I casually asked them to prepare 'Sakhar Bath' as Sai Baba liked it (rice mixed with sugar and fried in ghee and a little quantity of saffron added to it). After we offered 'Naivedya' to Sai Baba and partook 'prasad', we got a letter from Shirdi conveying the saddest news of Sai Baba's 'Mahasamadhi'. The news was like a bolt from the blue and we became benumbed and overtaken with grief.

 

A friend of mine who was there remarked that on such occasions, sweet rice or Meeta Bath is generally prepared according to Muslim rites and Sai Baba, in His own inimitable manner had received 'Naivedya' through me. What a coincidence.

 

Sai Baba is blessing us forever. I am totally incapable of penning themadequately. Beyond the bounds of mind lies all comprehensive intelligence. Beyond the compass of the heart pervades all-embracing love infinite. This great cause of all causes the one truth – God, the Beloved of our heart, in us resides. He is the sweetest companion, giver of true solace, peace and joy Have Him and all your known and unknown Longings are fulfilled.

 

(Source Saipadananda Magazine October 1994)

Tirumantiram - TANTRA THREE Verses 825 - 844 of 883


Tirumantiram

English translation of the Tamil Spiritual Classic by Saint Tirumular

 

TANTRA THREE  Verses  825 - 844 of 883

 

19 PARIYANGA YOGA

 

825: Pleasures of Sex Union Will Abide If Breath Control is Properly Practiced

 

Anointing her body with unguents diverse

Bedecking her tresses with flowers fragrant

Do you enjoy the damsel in passion's union;

If you but know how to shoot

Prana breath through the Spinal Cavity

Your enjoyment never ceases.

 

 

826: If Breath is Controlled Delicious Enjoyment For Partners in Sex Union Results

 

When they seek enjoyment

The breath stands still;

The full breasted damsel and the goodly man

Stand in union exalted;

As liquid silver and gold

Their passion's emissions

In rapture commingles.

 

 

827: Duration of Enjoyment Lengthens If Breath is Controlled

 

In the copulatory yoga that is practised

By the hero and the heroine

Upward they drive the coach of breath

That has its wheels in regions right and left;

There they collect the waters of the heaven

And never the organs tiring know.

 

 

828: Restraint of Semen Flow Through Breath Control

 

This the meaning of that union;

When in the sex act semen flows

The yogi lets it not;

But checks it

And attains within;

And a Master he then becomes.

 

 

829: Effect of Restraint of Semen Flow

 

He becomes master of Jnana all

He becomes master of enjoyment all

He becomes master of himself

He becomes master of senses five.

 

 

830: Sex Union Through the Pariyanga Lasts Five Ghatikas and is Bliss

 

This is Pariyanga Yoga

That lasts five ghatikas;

Beyond in the sixth

The damsel sleeps in the arms of lover

In union blissful

That fills the heart

And passes description.

 

 

831: Successful Practitioners Alone Can Resort to Pariyanga Yoga

 

Unless it be,

He had in success practised

The Pariyanga yoga

Of five ghatika length

No yogi shall

A woman embrace.

 

 

832: Lord Siva Practised Pariyanga Yoga

 

Who may you ask,

Is He that achieved this audacious Yoga;

The lord is He that wears heavenly Ganga on His matted lock;

For ghatika* five

He embraced Sakti of speech ambrosial sweetness

Thinking and thinking not of the act performed.

*070a time span of 24 minutes or nazhi kai

 

 

833: The Age of the Couple for Pariyanga Yoga

 

For practise of this yoga,

Twenty the age apt for damsel

And thirty for lover;

Then does high rapture ensue;

The five senses of woman desert her,

Her mind exhausted becomes,

When she climax reaches;

But no weariness the man knows

Neither does his silvery emission flow.

 

 

834: Only Those Who Have Practised Kecari Can Resort to Pariyanga

 

Lest the silvery liquid into the golden flow,

The artful goldsmith (practitioner) covered it up with yogic breath

The sparks (Kundalini) that flew travelled up by the way of Spinal tube

There above,

He contained them with tongue's tip (Kecari).

 

 

835: Pariyanga Yogi is Exalted

 

The Yogi who is in ecstatic joy

Unexcited performs this yoga with woman

Becomes radiant like the sun,

An acknowledged master in directions ten,

And of Ganas of groups eighteen.

 

 

836: Pariyanga Yogi Practiced With Kecari Yoga Also

 

Espousing Wisdom that is denoted by Budha*, (Mercury)

Who stands middle of sun and saturn

The youthful Yogi who embraced the damsel

Knew joy infinite;

Lest the male silvery liquid flow not

Ahead of female golden one

He had his red mouth buried in the Mystic Moon.

(Note: This Budha spelling is the author's dub on Buddha)

 

 

837: Pariyanga Yoga is Yogic Wisdom That Retains the Semen

 

They who perfect wisdom

And embrace woman in wisdom's beauty

Will know grief none,

Though by woman's side he be;

The liquid silver remains unspent

And flows not into the vaginal bag of woman.

 

 

838: Freedom From Sexual Union is Attained by Pariyanga Yoga

 

This body that melts like wax over fire

(By sexual union)

Will no more indulge in it,

When wisdom dawns;

To those who have attained Wisdom of Void

The liquid silver no exit knows.

 

 

839: Vision of Void in Pariyanga Yoga

 

When You know the Void

And the light in that Void

Your mind shall be strong as a chistle of bronze;

After having tasted of the nectar

I saw the Void

With goodly Nandi guiding;

Beyond, I knew not.

 

 

840: Pariyanga Yoga was Expounded by Sadasiva to Sakti

 

Who are those that rank high above?

Mal, Brahma and Nandi (Rudra) art they;

In the Fourth is that Sadasiva,

Who to the slender-waisted Sakti

This expounded.

 

 

841: Immortality for Those Who Unite in Sivasakti in Cranium

 

If you can get to Sakti and Siva

Inside the Golden Circle within (Cranium)

And then join them in union,

You may live on earth

A million, trillion years.

 

 

842: Yogis Offered Themselves Entire to God

 

Inhaling, exhaling and retaining the breath inhaled

--None knows its technique of control

And those of skill who know it

Offered themselves to Lord entire.

 

 

843: Yoga Dispels Worldly Longings

 

Knowing the way of self-oblation,

If they get into the Mystic Circle

Of Siva and Sakti,

They reach the True Way;

And dark their hair turns

In youthfulness eternal,

And the One Sakti will inward abide;

In due accord

Dispelling worldly longings all.

 

 

844: Lotus Cranial

 

There is a lotus

That neither land nor water knows;

No stalk, no root, the lotus blossomed yet!

City there was none; yet Light there is one!

Neither above nor below is a flower, none had heard of.

 

Shri Sai Satcharitra Parayana - Chapter – 3 assigned for October 31, 2015,

Shri Sai Satcharitra Parayana,

Chapter – 3  assigned for October 31, 2015,

Direct Download Links for major Indian languages:

Shri Sai Satcharita in English Ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsN05NSy11cjJ5OVE/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharita in Hindi ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsTEx4Qmpzc1BfT28/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharita in Marathi Ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsVHFwZXVpRFVMMEk/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Tamil Ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsQk1xN3J1aUZTa00/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Telugu ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-Csb0FMMndTc21wUG8/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Malayalam ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsNTd4cjVaVWFTWEE/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Kannadam ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsZUhoZnhzaTZvQjQ/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Konkani ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsRDVqUzh6UE50RWs/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Bengali ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsM0RHXy1TcENnQVk/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Gujarati ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsbUxVVE44T1FvMkk/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Odia ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsTVEyQmxyYU9uTm8/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Punjabi ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsaXlORHlMNmZkU0U/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra Sindhi ch 03

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsTjJ1eGZwaDlWUnM/view?usp=sharing

 

Shri Sai Satcharitra in Foreign Languages

 

Shri Sai Satcharitra in Nepali

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B1bwnkVMR-Csb0Q4T0JfR3dlY2M&usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra in German

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B1bwnkVMR-CsRXd1TW5QSWhjN1U&usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra in French

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsY0JCdGdsYV9lWUE/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra in Spanish

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsOXJSaVBSZjN2ckU/view?usp=sharing

Shri Sai Satcharitra in Urdu

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B1bwnkVMR-CsclNCdlBjTlA3X1U/view?usp=sharing

  

Chapter III

Sai Baba's Sanction and Promise - Assignment of Work to Devotees - Baba's Stories as Beacon - Light - His Motherly Love - Rohilla's Story - His sweet and Nectar - like Words.

Sai Baba's Sanction and Promise

As described in the previous chapter, Sai Baba gave His complete assent to the writing of the Sat-Charita and said, "I fully agree with you regarding the writing of Sat Charita. You do your duty, don't be afraid in the least, steady your mind and have faith in My words. If My Leelas are written, the Avidya (nescience) will vanish and if they are attentively, and devoutly listened to, the consciousness of the worldly existence will abate, and strong waves of devotion, and love will rise up and if one dives deep into My Leelas, he would get precious jewels of knowledge."

Hearing this, author was much pleased, and he at once became fearless and confident, and thought that work was bound to be a success. Then turning to Shama (Madhavrao Deshpande) Sai Baba said.

"If a man utters My name with love, I shall fulfill all his wishes, increase his devotion. And if he sings earnestly My life and My deeds, him I shall beset in front and back and on all sides. Those devotees, who are attached to Me, heart and soul, will naturally feel happiness, when they hear these stories. Believe Me that if anybody sings My Leelas, I will give him infinite joy and everlasting contentment. It is My special characteristic to free any person, who surrenders completely to Me, and who does worship Me faithfully, and who remembers Me, and meditates on Me constantly. How can they be conscious of worldly objects and sensations, who utter My name, who worship Me, who think of My stories and My life and who thus always remember Me? I shall draw out My devotees from the jaws of Death. If My stories are listened to, all the diseases will be got rid of. So, hear My stories with respect; and think and meditate on them, assimilate them. This is the way of happiness and contentment. The pride and egoism of My devotees will vanish, the mind of the hearers will be set at rest; and if it has wholehearted and complete faith, it will be one with Supreme Consciousness. The simple remembrance of My name as 'Sai, Sai' will do away with sins of speech and hearing".

Different Works Assigned to Devotees

The Lord entrusts different works to different devotees. Some are given the work of building temples and maths, or ghats (flight of steps) on rivers; some are made to sing the glories of God; some are sent on pilgrimages; but to me was allotted the work of writing the Sat Charita. Being a jack-of-all-trades but master of none, I was quite unqualified for this job. Then why should I undertake such a difficult job? Who can describe the true life of Sai Baba? Sai Baba's grace alone can enable one to accomplish this difficult work. So, when I took up the pen in my hand, Sai Baba took away my egoism and wrote Himself His stories. The credit of relating these stories, therefore, goes to Him and not to me. Though Brahmin by birth, I lacked the two eyes. (i.e. the sight or vision) of Shruti and Smriti and therefore was not at all capable of writing the Sat-Charita, but the grace of the Lord makes a dumb man talk, enables a lame man to cross a mountain. He alone knows the knack of getting things done, as He likes. Neither the flute, nor the harmonium knows how the sounds are produced. This is the concern of the Player. The oozing of Chandrakant jewel and the surging of the sea are not due to the jewel and the sea but to the rise of the moon.

Baba's Stories as Beacon- Light

Light houses are constructed at various places in the sea, to enable the boatmen to avoid rocks and dangers, and make them sail safely. Sai Baba's stories serve a similar purpose in the ocean of worldly existence. They surpass nectar in sweetness, and make our worldly path smooth and easy to traverse. Blessed are the stories of the saints. When they enter our hearts through the ears, the body - consciousness or egoism and the sense of duality vanish; and when they are stored in the heart, doubts fly out to all sides, pride of the body will fall, and wisdom will be stored in abundance. The description of Baba's pure fame, and the hearing of the same, with love, will destroy the sins of the devotee and, therefore, this is the simple Sadhana for attaining salvation. The Sadhana for Krita Age was Shamadama (tranquillity of mind and body), for Treta Age, sacrifice, for Dwapara, worship, and for Kali (present) Age, it is singing of the name and glory of the Lord. This last Sadhana is open to all the people of the four varnas (Brahmins, etc.). The other Sadhanas, viz. Yoga, Yagya (sacrifice), Dhyana (meditation) and Dharana (concentration) are very difficult to practice, but singing and hearing the stories and the glory of the Lord (Sai Baba) is very easy. We have only to turn our attention towards them. The listening and singing of the stories will remove the attachment to the senses and their objects, and will make the devotees dispassionate, and will ultimately lead them to self-realization. With this end in view, Sai Baba made me or helped me to write His stories, Sat-Charitamrita. The devotees may now easily read and hear these stories of Sai Baba and while doing so, meditate on Him, His form and thus attain devotion to Guru and God (Sai Baba), get detachment and self-realization. In the preparation and writing of this work, Sat-Charitamrita, it is Sai Baba's grace which has accomplished everything, making use of Me as a mere instrument.

Motherly Love of Sai Baba

Everybody knows how a cow loves her infant calf. Her udder is always full and when the calf wants milk and dashes at the udder, out comes the milk in an unceasing flow. Similarly a human mother knows the wants of her child and feeds it, at her breast in time. In case of dressing and adorning the child, the mother takes particular care to see that this is well done. The child knows or cares nothing about this, but the mother's joy knows no bounds, when she sees her child beautifully dressed and adorned. The love of mother is peculiar, extraordinary and disinterested, and has no parallel. Sadgurus feel this motherly love towards their disciples. Sai Baba had this same love towards me, and I give an instance of it below: -

In 1916 A.D. I retired from Government Service. The pension that was settled in my case was not sufficient to maintain my family decently. On Guru-Pournima (15th of Ashadha) day of that year, I went to Shirdi with other devotees. There, Mr. Anna Chinchanikar, of his own accord, prayed to Baba for me as follows: - "Please look kindly on him, the pension he gets is quite insufficient, his family is growing. Give him some other appointment, remove his anxiety and make him happy." Baba replied - " He will get some other job, but now he should serve Me and be happy. His dishes will be ever full and never empty. He should turn all his attention towards Me and avoid the company of atheists, irreligious and wicked people. He should be meek and humble towards all and worship Me heart and soul. If he does this, he will get eternal happiness".

The question Who is this HE, Whose worship is advocated, is already answered in a note on "Who is Sai Baba" in the prologue, at the beginning of this work.

Rohilla's Story

The story of the Rohilla illustrates Sai Baba's all embracing love. One Rohilla, tall and well built, strong as a bull, came to Shirdi, wearing a long Kafni (robe) and was enamoured of Sai who stayed there. Day and night he used to recite in a loud and harsh tone Kalma (verses from Holy Koran) and shout "ALLAH HO AKBAR" (God is Great). Most people of Shirdi were working in their fields by day and when they returned to their homes at night, they were welcomed with the Rohilla's harsh cries and shouts. They could get no sleep and felt much trouble and inconvenience. They suffered in silence this nuisance for some days, and when they could stand it no longer, they approached Baba, and requested Him to check the Rohilla and stop the nuisance. Baba did not attend to their complaint. On the contrary, Baba took the villagers to task, and asked them to mind their own business, and not the Rohilla. He said to them that the Rohilla had got a very bad wife, a Zantippi, who tried to come in and trouble the Rohilla and Himself; but hearing the Rohilla's prayers, she dare not enter and they were at peace and happy. In fact, the Rohilla had no wife and by his wife Baba meant DURBUDDHI, i.e. bad thoughts. As Baba liked prayers and cries to God better than anything else, He took the side of the Rohilla, and asked the villagers to wait and suffer the nuisance, which would abate in due course.

Baba's Sweet and Nectar-like Words

One day at noon after the Arti, devotees were returning to their lodgings, when Baba gave the following beautiful advice:-

"Be wherever you like, do whatever you choose, remember this well that all what you do is known to Me. I am the Inner Ruler of all and seated in their hearts. I envelope all the creatures, the movable and immovable world. I am the Controller - the wirepuller of the show of this Universe. I am the mother - origin of all beings - the Harmony of three Gunas, the propeller of all senses, the Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. Nothing will harm him, who turns his attention towards Me, but Maya will lash or whip him who forgets Me. All the insects, ants, the visible, movable and immovable world, is My Body or Form".

Hearing these beautiful and precious words, I at once decided in my mind to serve no man henceforward, but my Guru only; but the reply of Baba to Anna Chinchanikar's query (which was really mine) that I would get some job began to revolve in my mind, and I began to think whether it would come to happen. As future events showed, Baba's words came true and I got a Government job, but that was of short duration. Then I became free and solely devoted my self to the service of my Guru-Sai Baba.

Before concluding this Chapter, I request the readers to leave out the various hindrances viz. indolence, sleep, wandering of mind, attachments to senses, etc. and turn their whole and undivided attention to these stories of Sai Baba. Let their love be natural, let them know the secret of devotion; let them not exhaust themselves by other Sadhanas, let them stick to this one simple remedy, i.e. listening to Sai Baba's stories. This will destroy their ignorance and will secure for them salvation. A miser may stay at various places; but he always thinks of his buried treasure. So let Sai Baba be enthroned in the hearts of all.

In the next chapter, I shall speak of Sai Baba's advent in Shirdi.

Bow to Shri Sai - Peace be to all