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For the benefit of those of us readers who are not familiar with the worship of Sai Baba, I would like to add a small note. The word ‘Sai’ means saint and ‘Baba’ means ‘loved father’. Many devotees consider Baba to be an incarnation of Shiva, Vishnu and Jagadamba and Baba has often appeared to them as their ‘ishta deiva’. To some, Baba is a Sadguru and to others He is a saint. Beliefs differ, but what remains constant is that firm devotion in Baba imparts the meaning and the way of living life, in a spirit of religious tolerance. Though I have not been fortunate enough to experience even in the slightest measure, the countless miracles of Baba, there has grown within me over the years a deep sense of reverence, that has made me aware of His grace in some inexplicable way. In the following poem, this belief in Baba appears to be inextricably entwined with my faith in the Divine Mother.
Praise be to Thee, O Gracious Baba
The Lord of Shirdi, the Lord of Parthi,
The Lord with the gift of Faith!
Thy dwelling place, the hearts of the poor
Thy Lotus feet, my world secure.
A world bereft of dark distress,
Of the frightful phantoms; Greed and Lust,
Of Anger and Heartburning, the dreadful devils,
Of Intolerance and Ego; the painful evils.
‘Twas one day, in the years gone past
When Baba’s mercy touched my heart
And fanned the embers of faith and trust,
A true talisman in moments of doubt.
When the heart is wrenched with troubles and sorrow
And the mind is clouded by things, petty and hollow
I beseech my Baba for a glimmer of light
A flame of hope that would set me right!
When the sun shines bright and the stars spill light,
When Nature and Providence dance in delight;
When happiness is a reality not merely a dream
I see Baba’s blessing…a never-ending stream!
When spirits are low and the soul cries in sadness
Helplessly tossed in the ocean of ignorance
When I yearn for Baba in humble surrender
I feel a firm hand that lifts me from under!
As a child I asked for little much,
Simple pleasures and bubbles to touch.
You gave me more than what I did ask
You made my life a carefree task!
School was fun but sometimes sad
When tests and exams were just too bad
Frightened and lost I turned to you
You gave me strength, like a friend would do!
In adolescence, the difficult years,
When life was tedious, often with tears,
When reason was lost and moods ruled the roost,
When the ‘teen child’ needed your loving boost.
You were there by her side as the Lord and the Mother,
With your arms full of love and your heart so tender
Her moods were to you, the hurts of an infant,
You soothed them away and wiped out her torment!
In the prime of youth, when life was a song,
When courage and confidence, hope and aplomb
Prepared the ground for my role in the future
A role determined by the grace of the Maker!
Of wishes and aspirations of these I had many,
Of more education; a great job and tons of money.
But my Lord and the Master and the generous Mother
My destiny, they wrote that was truly superior!
Of family and offspring, of duties and more,
A life of commitment, like never before
When Time flew on wings, with my life on its back
‘Twas the Lord who stood guardian and kept me ‘on track’
When setbacks to health and equanimity of mind
Caused tensions and tempers to get out of hand
When Sanity stood threatened by life’s vicissitudes
‘Twas Baba as Mother, who gave firm, fortitude!
On the right side of forty or fifty and more
When priorities change, under Time’s eagle eye
When the nest is left empty and our hearts are left sore
It is Baba alone, who can grant us a cure.
Our young ones are His young ones, much more than they’re ours
Their joy and their success are truly His own
When the Lord is the shepherd why should we bleed?
For He cares for His flock, much beyond our need!
When the soul’s earthly refuge weakens with age,
And falls easy prey to the harshness of Fate
To disease and anger; to senility and grief
It is Baba, alone, who can grant it relief!
My heart pleads with Baba, to save us sad souls
With His immeasurable mercy; and compassion tenfold.
To ignite our hearts with the capacity to behold
That warm shining light, that doth us enfold,
The light with the magic to heal and assure
It is the Lord, with His aura so pristine and pure!
With the power to cleanse the most tainted of souls
And unite us with the Creator, our ONLY ABODE!!!
Whether I am made king of the entire world,
Or doomed to the dungeons of the nether world
I shall continue to cling on to Baba’s feet
For the Lord and the Mother, are my only retreats!
A life of good health, of devotion and simplicity,
A will to help others and do well, my duty
The urge to be free of the 6 vicious demons
It’s all that I ask of Baba and a place in His haven!
Sainath……Sairam……Saiamba….
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