It was tuesday morning 23rd november 2011. My parents are in U.S taking care of my sisters child katya as my sister is busy with her research work. Here in coimbatore, i am alone going to office for the small job sai gave me in a IT concern.

The day before, I was interested in making  a blog for Health care IT as i want to learn a lot. At office i was doing a web research about a new technology which involves sensors to give alert when a elderly person alone at home falls down. I did a complete research about various alert systems but i never sent the mail to anyone.

Everyday sai quotes mail from Srivaidheki :

That night one of my sai friend Srivaidheki who used to take one of the picture of shirdi saibaba and send a newsletter kind of mail to sai devotee friend of hers. The mail looks as below.

To my surprise this purticular mail featured saibaba of my house , sai wearing violet dress my dad stitched in 2007.

If a devotee is about to fall, I stretch out my hands to support him or her – Shri Shirdi SaiBaba

After i come from office, i try to reply mails from Sai devotees and spend very little time to watch srivaidekis mail. This time i stared at it for long because it was a coincidence that i was learning about new technology in healthcare that gives an alert when elderly people fall down and same night i see a quotes of sai with above picture. This happened on 22nd.

Cooking for someone old:

Next day i woke up at 6.30, hurried to keep cooker, rice for dhotappa the old man around 82 years who cleans vessels in our house and sweeps and keeps house clean. Amma asks me to make sure i give something for him to eat. So when parents went to U.S i atleast learnt to make coffee( to match standards of dhottapas taste) , rice and rasam.

My cousin and i used to joke that one day Dhottapa will write  a letter saying i am fed up having your rice and rasam. Honestly, i am cooking for myself but i can have in office canteen or hotel but old people needs home food. So though my taste not good, i make sure i wake up early to cook for dhotapa.

Chitappas stay in our house:

My dads younger brother, as we call in Tamil- Chitappa had come home as guest.

The day before he did not have food as his stomach was upset. He is a diabetic patient.On 23rd morning also he made Idly for dhotapa and myself. I did my usuall pooja and played sai kakad aarti in P.C and also skandha sashti kavasam.

Chitappa fainting due to low sugar:

I was about to start to office. It was over 8.15 and just about to move out. Suddenly for some reason i came back again near the wash basin and saw my chitappa walking towards bed and he is walking zig zag as if he cant balance. I ran towards him ..By that time, chitapa fell down , his forehead hit the cart and i was right behind him to hold him as he bounced back by the pain.

I started yelling “Sairam…Sairam…Sairam” still holding my chittapa…

I have done the same to my father in past and this time i do it for my fathers brother.

He said clearly 3 times

Sairam

Sairam

Sairam

After that his body weight was as if hes gone , It was very painful for me to accept it. His neck fell down and he started breathing heaving. There was no one inside home but i kept shouting and yelling sairam…chitappa you have to live for your daughters to see their children…

He kept going down…i mean his pulse as i know his facial expressions. I don’t want this to happen in my home. A guest in Sai’s house can never face a difficulty.

I told him

“I don’t want this to happen in my house”

When i say this hope you understand what i meant…and what was the extrimity of the situation. Probably there was a plan by sai even in the position i holded my chitapa, the Refrigerator was very close to me. I had no difficulty opening it, took out water and made him drink. Then too no growth !

Lord Murugan – Karthikeya – Sai Murugan

What ever way way i call him,i know he has followed me and my family for generations togather as Murugan is our kula deivam.

3 weeks back my cousin Ram had gone to Palani Murugan hill temple and bought Panchamrutham ( sacred prasad of Murugan) in a tin. His parents took it for me 1 week back and used to have a little of panchamrutham every night.

I realized my chitappa is not able to come to conciousness because of low sugar. I can’t drop him to take sugar from kitchen. So i took the panchamrutham which has lots of sugar content and fed him in his mouth.

It did work friends but i had to wait a minute.In that one minute when he was going down more, i realized its over !

I dragged my chittapa saying sairam..sairam sairam….and took him 4-5 feet near hall. Suddenly i realized the panchamrutham has worked and chitappa is starting to come back to conciousness.

“I will save my devotees from the jaws of death”

some where in Sai satcharitra you find this assurance from sai and many times sai has proved it to me friends. I know Sai and Lord Murugan has proved how powerful is Panchamrutham. It gave life back to my chitappa.

The words i yelled Sairam sairam sairam is the mantra and the panchamrutham is the medicine that saved my chitappa.

I called fathers friend Sivasubramaniam uncle who was too kind, took chitappa to doctor and doctor said if sugar is 316 then its due to panchamrutham( venkat smiles) and he is safe now and medicines are not necessary. Well, He is a good doctor and knows what he is doing. Adviced my chitappa not to skip food anymore.

we reached home…chitappa said he had mental stress due to which he fainted…

I opened the sacred book Sree pada sree vallabha charitramrutham – a 13th century incarnation of Lord Dattatreaya. It speaks about the Greatness of Adumbara tree. In tamil Athi maram.

“When the time of death approaches, i will make my devotee face lots of mental agony and put him to shame.  I will provide the life force from adumbara tree during the devotees worst time and once their bad time is gone, their actual life force is restored. “

I changed above assurance in my own words as i don’t want to copy the content exactly. Please buy this sacred book from pithapuram – sri pada sree vallabha sanathan.

True to above assurace, my chittapa had fight with the person building the house of his daughter who keeps asking too much money and he had lots of stress.

Offering lunch to sai and lord Dattatreya – Sree pada Sreevallabha and Lord Murugan:

I wanted to thank all 33 crore gods for saving us and our family..so offered a bannana leaf in my prayer room..kept rice,sambar etc and then had some for myself and some for crow.

My chitappa had tears in his eyes thinking about how kind was sai to save him.

After lunch, i showed him the mail from Srivaideki with the assurance…

If a devotee is about to fall, I stretch out my hands to support him or her – Shri Shirdi SaiBaba

He really felt happy that Sai only has saved him.Its sai who made me come back into house when i already was about move out to office. I noticed chitapa about to fall down and ran to hold him from his back or he would have had fallen and hit back of his head also on floor. Atleast the cart had soft cloths on it friends.

How can i thank saibaba of shirdi for this leela..

Is there something i can do to thank Murugan for sending us the panchamrutham and making me get idea to feed it in chitapas mouth in that moment we never know what to do next.

How can i thank Sree PadhaSree Vallabha who am sure sent the life force from his sacred Adumbara tree to save my chittapa.

My usual seva in Nagasai mandhir – offering garland to Sai on top of temple:

As usual i went to Nagasai mandhir , climbed on top of the temple and offered garland to all 5 big baba. I called chitapa from terrace near Gopuram and enquired if hes safe as i left him alone in home. He said hes fine and happy to hear from me.

I plucked few Neem tree leaves as usual…4-5 leaves and came home !

(In temple i also met a old man who has personally met Narasimha swamiji in 1950s in mylapore saibaba temple, chennai and today he had finished parayan of sai satcharitra, so gave him a big sai photography i did as gift..he was sooooo happy)

Sai has also saved my sister !

In temple i was telling my sai friends…sai is doing leela but we people have so much desires, we want sai to perform many leela on same day. we are so cunning and never satisfied.

My parents called up from U.S and i told them everything. Asked my parents to take care of their health as its winter and only sai has to keep them safe. My parents said , the day before, my sister Indra also worked day and night for her Research work and fainted in Lab itself.

One of her friend has found her in same position for long and shocked to see her almost unconcious state. So took her home safely. Indra had neck pain and works day and night. Sai really has saved Indra also friends.

So thats 2 Sai leela friends…

In India…..i helped my chittapa by sai grace…thousands of miles away in America some girl has helped my sister to reach home safe.

Moral of the story !

The good deed you do some day some where,reaches you or your family living somewhere,some day or the same day, the same moment!

My parents were worried but they also believed its Sai who protected us..

Coming back to the new technology in medicine, healthcare, IT to help elderly people and sick people.

I agree Doctors are doing their best and we need them…Scientists ..research scholars like my sister and Brother in law are doing their best too and the people in Healthcare Tech too are doing their best but

beyond all this,

We need path of Love and Path of Devotion.

The path Saibaba of Shirdi showed me friends.

Imagine how great it will be if every son, daughter decides to keep their parents safe in their old age and watches every move they make carefully.will there be so many cases of elderly people falling down?

Doctors, Technology and scientists are a must but if we have love, that alone will work wonders.

Secondly, the path of devotion – Guru bhakti is essential ..

Atleast in old age, try to remember any favourite God you love. Honestly i can’t say ‘Any” Guru because modern saints/gurus can’t be trusted. My guru is sweet and i know my Saibaba of shirdi can be the greatest Guru for every life on earth but its your own wish to cage him in your heart or move to modern Gurus.

My chitappa was busy with his government work all his life but atleast these few days i spent with him , i reliazed he developed his love for sainath and sai gave him the best gift he and his daughters could ask for.

His LIFE.

Something i wish to share from bottom of my heart friends.

I never thanked Sai the way i must have because his leela is taken for granted or i din’t realize  how hard it is for saints to do such leela- Miracles.

When i was in saibaba temple this evening, i  would have shed tears and thanked him , saayeeeeeeeeeeee…you did this ! but I din’t.

Thats why i sat back late night and started writing all that happened friends because i know when i write. I shed tears.

I know i have thanked Shirdi Saibaba, the way he should be.

With my tears !

I have nothing to give you Sai and i am always receiving from you and millions of shirdi saibaba devotees are, If only they know what you mean when you say

“If a devotee is about to fall, I stretch out my hands to support him or her”

Be it a relationship problem or health issues or problem in studies and career or any pains that you are facing now,Friends, always remember Shirdi saibaba with love.

simply chant “Sairam sairam sairam” in mind when ever you feel like…

You will realize Sai will never let you fall and if you do, he will stretch out his hands to support you.

Sai. Hold me tight ! I love You !

Venkat

always in the holy feets of shirdi saibaba

23/11/2011

*In South india they call her Saraswathi and in north India, Saraswati, so i have used both the names.

Saraswathi Pooja for this Navrathri festival

Story about how i managed to continue our tradition of keeping Golu with a simple idea sai blessed me with .

Just one beautiful, graceful saraswathi did it all !

Goddess Saraswathi shining gloriously with 6 ghee lamps along with Shirdi Saibaba

My love for Goddess Saraswathi :

The days i was coming around for 4 to 5 hours everyday in dhuni( sacred fire) of shirdi saibaba in Nagasai mandhir in 2005, i used to remember Goddess Saraswathi whole heartedly and even went to Koothanur Saraswathi temple which i wrote in this article below

Koothanur Maha Saraswathi amman temple

Later after few years, in 2007, i was motivated by Shirdi Sai baba to create SaiSaraswathi.com to spread the Glory and greatness of Goddess Saraswati worship.

Saraswathi for Navarathri Golu in our house:

Every year during Navrathri days, my parents and i arrange the big Gods/Goddess statues kept inside the boxes for the whole year and keep them on steps like structure for these 9 holy days. We invite neighbours, friends and sing glory of Parvathi,Mahalakshmi and Saraswathi. This year -2011, since my parents are at my Sisters house in U.S,  i don’t want to take out the old statues. I want to make it simple by keeping a New Statue of Goddess alone.

saraswathi with veena blessings for good education and 64 kind of arts

How Goddess Saraswathi came home:

Exactly a day before Navrathri started, i went very late from office to Nagasai mandhir and told my friend prem , Ramanujam and vengadesh that i wish to get Goddess Saraswathi from any shop near by. It was already 9.15, so Udayakumar took me to the kannan departmental store and we started searching for good statues of Gods and Goddess.

I spotted this Goddess Saraswathi sitting beautifully over White Lotus , Holding a veena and i can’t believe even these days statues are made with such graceful facial expression. I was hooked by the beauty and the smile of Goddess Saraswathi in this statue.

We then went to Nagasai mandhir and i took the bus home.

Saraswathi and Shirdi Saibaba :

I placed Saraswathi over a small table just 2 inch high and want to keep my Dwarakamai Shirdi Saibaba statue near her. Next day morning , i din’t had time for sundal and other foods amma makes as offering. I just kept a small vessel with milk and sugar , lit lamp and how graceful friends..I can’t believe it …when i kept many little flowers ( nandhiyavettai) around saraswati she was truly amazing.

Lord Ganesha, Saint shirdi saibaba with Goddess of Learning Saraswati

Amma asked me to keep Lord Ganesha also near Saraswathi:

Next day my Amma called up from U.S, and said she also kept few small braze statues which i sent as Gift to my sister. She asked me to keep Ganesha statue along with Saraswathi. So i kept  a Ganesha murti made of white wood, which i got i thirumananjeri temple near kumbakonam, tamilnadu, india 2 years back.

Lighting 6 Ghee lamp for Goddess Saraswathi:

It was sunday october 2nd 2011,I wanted to do pooja for Shirdi Saibaba, Saraswathi and Lord Dattatreya. So cleaned all place, did abishekam for Sai, Datta and Saraswathi too.

Then i lit 6 ghee lamps to Goddess Saraswathi, decorated her with flowers especially for doing photography. I was taking all these saraswathi and shirdi saibaba photos for over half an hour. My chitti, chittapa, murugan mama and athai had come home to visit me with their home food. Mean while i happily took these photos especially to share it with StarSai family and rest of the world as Saraswathi Pooja is fast approaching * october 5th 2011.

I sincerely pray Goddess Saraswathi to bless all sai children with good mind, pure thoughts, Good education and Career. I am sure who ever chants whole heartedly any mantra of Goddess Saraswathi or simply chant in mind for few minutes everyday…

“Sai Saraswathi, Sai Saraswathi, Sai Saraswathi”

( or try to learn any small mantra of Goddess Saraswathi)

and light lamps regularly at home( in safe place) they will certainly feel the greatness of this wonderful Goddess Saraswathi who is the Mother of all Arts and Learning .

May Goddess Saraswathi bless all who read this with good education, peace and prosperity. Kindly remember that its not in the rituals you do or the flowers you offer, what matters for Mother Saraswathi is your pure thoughts and good deeds.

I especially like the below photography of Sarwasthi…Look at the way she smiles and her palm on veena, Oh my God, friends, i feel touching..shes speaking to me …so graceful, so sweet and she’s filling my heart with devotion.

Saraswathi with a sweet beautiful smile - she fills my heart with pure thoughts and love

Goddess Saraswathi is all about mercy, when you keep on concentrating on your studies and work remembering her, you will realize her greatness.

May your heart blossom and remain pure as milk.

Aum sri sainathaya namaha

To add more beauty to Saraswathi , today in Shirdi Saibaba temple in my place, I got a Lord Murugan statue this evening and added to my simple and sweet Navrathri festival. You don’t have to wait untill Saraswathi Pooja every year to worship Goddess Saraswathi.

When ever you read this article, please worship saraswathi whole heartedly by

1.chanting her holy name,

2. Reciting any little mantra of Goddess Saraswati

3. Reading the holy book Guru Charitra – life of Saint Narasimha saraswati who lived in 13th century

4.Lighting lamps at home and in temple remembering Goddess Saraswathi

5. Help someone of our friends/relatives or any one who needs help in education. Do little you can afford. Even showing someone the right course/education/career with out expecting any returns will make saraswathi happy.

6. Gift your friends kids, relatives kids and poor children with books, pens, help them learn something.

7. Curtail all bad habits and promise yourself to do good deeds especially pure thoughts is the first step towards getting a place in the heart of Goddess Saraswathi . If Saraswathi Keeps us in her heart, what else do we need!

C.Venkatraman

Little servant of Shirdi Sai baba

october 2nd 2011.

Sometimes i experience a blissful state.Mostly some kind of love for sai emerging from my chest ..i dont know if this is what people call as blissful or if something else…its like we feel the presence of sai in ourself or somewhere near us.

Today while sitting in Nagasai mandhir,  i remembered the tamil saintly women who has seen saibaba in 1917 “sivamma thaayee” and has her samadhi in outskirts of Bangalore .Then i kept chanting sairam sairam sairam and did meditation sitting in corner of varanda where we friends usually sit. I had a vision as if i see a deep well and inside there a shiva lingam.

Then i helped vijaykumar in cleaning sacred Dhuni.He did most of the work while i was speaking to prem about our life.A poor women came and i asked her if she wants to have Tamarind rice which i kept for Vijay. She took it happily …So vijay dint had prasad.Vijaykumar was hungry so we had dosa in road side shop. Now lets come to what i wanted to express …

I came home and hurt by few people spreading messages that they saw saibaba in temple or other places in real and claiming sai’s presence can be felt there. Ofcourse sai might show his form but not necessarily . Why should he ? Is he not present in our mother , father, wife and sister, brother. Is sai not present in our dear friends atma and in ourself too ?

Are you going to consider it as a miracle only when you see the old saint with turban on head appear before you ?

We all wish to see Shirdi Saibaba in real human form and consider it as Miracle :

To millions of Shirdi Saibaba devotee, its not enough if they see Saibaba in painting, picture or Sai in the beautiful Shirdi Saibaba statue. We want to see him in real….in human form as how he lived in the village shirdi for over 60 years untill his maha samadhi in 1918.

What made me write this article is my own feeling that sai has never ever shown me any consideration to come in real as human form and bless me.  Sometimes i wish , i do meditation sitting in corner of sai mandhir and the sweet fakir appears infront of me and blesses me .

Vow…exciting but lets do a flash back.

Its not easy to get Shirdi Saibaba’s darshan even during his lifetime in shirdi :

The story of the Old Muslim man who had pride that he had been to Mecca was not allowed inside dwarakamai by sai is well known from the holy book Sri Sai Satcharitra by Hamadpant. You know friends, for many months the old man waited that one day sai will allow him to have his darshan.

I believe after 9-13 months sai realized he waited too long and tested him if he became ego less. Then allowed him to enter the masjid and gave his ashirwad.So even when sai lived in human form it was not easy for one to get his darshan unless he wills.

Samadhi state of saints merges their atman ( soul ) with every atom of universe :

Once while sitting in Dwarakamai Sai has told his close devotee

“You have not seen even one fourth of my powers but soon you will see”

Few weeks after this sai had his Maha samadhi ( october 15th 1918 ) . The devotee understood that sai has said that his atman will merge with every atom of this universe and he will be present in every life as conciousness. When ever we do good deeds and even think Good, Sai verily is present in us .

Secondly for devotees who have this silly desire to see Shirdi Saibaba in real human form, let me confirm , the form is there just for memory , for our satisfaction that such a saint lived but once he took his Mahasamadhi he has become one with all. Where is the form for the Saint who did this below leela

“Once Sai asked Mrs. Tarkad for bakri ..She also went to her hut, made it and when she came out of hut, a Dog was barking. So she gave a bakri to the dog and then proceeded to Dwarakamai. Sai din’t want any food from her and she told him

“Baba, you only said you were hungry and i prepared this tasty food for you”

Sai told Mrs.Tarkad,

“Mother , you gave the food to the Dog who was hungry before coming to me. I am one with the Dog and my hunger is appeased by your kind offering. Ever behave like this”

How beautiful were Sai’s words that it made Mrs. Tarkad to realize the omnipresence of Sainath.

According to me , Myself and crores of Shirdi Saibaba devotees are all ignorant to see the “SAI” roaming in the form of animal, Bird , Mother, Father, husband, wife , friend and relative , Stranger etc.

Lets learn to Sai in our Mother , Father and all good people around us :

Sometimes when i sleep and my father comes inside my room to do pooja, he asks me to continue sleeping very affectionately. I see saibaba there in his words. When ever my Amma asks if i want food or anything to drink , i see sai there. When even my friends tell me “venkatrama , ne nalla irupa , wait pannu” ..”Venkat , you will be fine..wait sai will bless you with good life “…i see sai here too.

When i was studying for my MBA exams sitting in corner of Nagasai mandhir a old man who regularly comes to temple who is 77 came near me and said ” sai will write exam on your behalf ” i know its sai speaking to me…assuring me.

is this not considered as miracle friends ?

Did we fail to see sai in a stranger giving us a quick advice, guidance to take proper decision ?

Example , we may wait for a train in wrong platform and suddenly a stranger might guide us to right place if not which we would have missed the train. Sometimes we might be guided by someone unknown to study a proper course or apply for right job etc.

Did we fail to see Sai in these strangers ?

Well… Sai is every where . Even if our fate took us to a  island where theres no picture or statue of sai ,   if we remember “Sai Sai Sai” whole heartedly surely we can see him . He will  come as the captain of the ship and take us home, to our family.

Now count how many times ” Sai Leela ” happened in your life . Do you still consider only Sai’s real human form appearing infront of you as Miracle ?

Now  i feel the blissful feeling raisen from my chest to my eyes…I feel tears in my eyes remembering Sainath maharaj of Shirdi. We are lucky to get such a Guru who needs no conveyance , road,  air or sea to come to us. He is  omni present .

Temple or any holy places are not his only residence. Where ever theres pure love, Sai comes there .Humble devotion alone is enough and sai will come to you in some form.

Like the Sun shines every where from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, our Shirdi Saibaba is present every where. We need eyes to see him. Forms may vary but atman ( soul ) is that of Sai.

Next time you get food, coffee  and a timely guidance , advice or help from Mother, Father, friends, relatives and strangers . Believe my words . You have seen Sai – in Human form.

C.Venkatraman

Little servant of sainath

july 4th 2011

Note : This article does not deny shirdi saibaba leela where he does really appear in flesh to some devotees. Sometimes in real and mostly in dream.  we can speak about it happily but thats really not necessary when Sai lives in every single life in this universe. Lets learn to see sai beyond his form.

Its been years that i don’t have a good career which makes my parents worry too much. Irrespective of my love for shirdi saibaba , i honestly get upset at times asking to sai when i do so much to you why should i suffer like this and how am i going to make my parents happy. After my MBA i realized my unhappiness towards saibaba and i generally became too depressed and sad. I am getting old  and sai alone knows whats good for me.

Saibaba Photo courtesy – The photos in this article is contributed by devotees who don’t wish their name be published . May sai bless their family for these amazing work. Sai will be happy when we give respect to people who help us with inspiration. These beautiful saibaba photos inspired me to write this article. Its the saibaba mandhir of Dev baba from Ambarnath who lived between 1930′s to 1994 probably after saibabas samadhi .

shirdi saibaba in saat dhatu murti - Idol made from 7 metals in Dev baba mandhir , Ambarnath

One reason i write about my problems is to make millions of sai devotee realize

Not all wishes are fulfilled by Shirdi Saibaba , Lets  Love Sai beyond our needs  :

In 2009 i received a mail from a Sai devotee that i am wrong in requesting sai devotees to do Shradha Saburi pooja which i created to simplify sai pooja and make sure sai devotees spend atleast 10 minutes for remembering sai in thier busy life.

Honestly i agree i am wrong because Saibaba never ever requested to do any purticular way of pooja,ritual or devotion . ( i have explained why i still ask devotees to do such pooja somewhere below in this  article )

Sai knows every single devotee will be different.

Sai loves devotion – Pure bhakti shown in any form of Nava vidha bhakti – 9 forms of bhakti

Some like to sing bhajans, some like to just listen to Saibaba aarti, Some likes to read ( parayan of Sai satcharitra ), Some like just physical work ( seva in temple …example…everyday in Nagasai mandhir i never get exited to attend aarti, instead i get the dhuni keys, open the door and clean the dhuni while aarti is going on. The fire, sacred ashes, getting down dhuni tank and wiping the hot pieces of wood …All this satisfies me though sometimes i get burnt in hand, eyes pain due to heat and my mother scolds me as i reach home with dirty shirt and hair will be full of ashes.  I run into my room before as soon as i reach home..he he

shirdi saibaba mandhir in Ambarnath by dev baba

Coming back to help sai devotees accept the fact that not all wishes are fulfilled by saibaba , I wonder how the Sai nav guruwar vrat – 9 thursday vrat alone is so popular that people learn it by word of mouth from friends and believe once its done, then their wish will be fulfilled.  Infact i also have guided many to do nav guruvar vrat , shradha saburi pooja, lighting lamps, etc. All these pooja , rituals and any kind of bhakti like reciting a mantra, singing aarti , reading Sai Satcharitra does have a great effect on our welfare. Sai does help us but it depends on person to person , their own past karma and the intense of their faith which determines their wish will be fulfilled or not.

Many sai children write to me with desperate need

A mother who wants to have child and waiting for years

A mother whos waiting over 2 years for her daughters admission for  a purticular course and wonders if sai really is there ( She writes me, i did this pooja but sai din’t helped me . I am loosing faith )

A husband / Wife who wants to unite with their seperated partner

Men and women who look for true love from friends and relatives

and many young guys and girls who are in relationship pain facing obstacles in getting married.

Everyone of us go to Sai to get our wish fulfilled, To learn what we choose to learn,  to earn a living and to marry the one whom we desire and have child , earn more, Be in good health , get more love and care …

I know like me, many sai devotees are jobless for years . I used to ask my friend Kanna , what i would have done in my previous birth

1. Probably i was a jamindar of village in 18th century and paid too less to thousands of farmers after getting their hardwork

2. Probably i stole hard earned money of someone innocent

3. probably i was cursed by a saint or women ….

( The sacred Hindu book  “Garuda Puranam” might  have some answers about sins and its effects in next birth . It must be read in temple not in house )

Saibaba alone knows what sin i did to be like this but the advantage is if i had been successful before 10 years , i would have gone to saibaba temple and worshipped him every week but certainly not created StarSai. StarSai gives more meaning to my life than the success i would have got over the years. As sai says

“What man gives is worthless compared to what God gives ” and God gave me StarSai.

I have to explain why i still encourage people to do sai nav guruvar vrat, Shradha saburi pooja, light lamps , do parayan of sai satcharitra etc.  Its because its one way of decipline. We have to develop a culture in our devotion to Saints and Gods. It will pass on from one generation to another. Like how during saibabas life time , in Tarkad family, Grandfather, father and son , all loves Sai in their own way…

When we regularly offer naivaidhya ( food,water ) , light lamps , offer flowers, sing aarti or any mantra, it brings in us and our family auspiciousness , Divinity and blessings of all devars.

shirdi saibaba portrait in ambarnath saibaba temple

Now the question is How are we going to cope up when our wishes are not fulfilled :

We read in Sai Satcharitra the coversation between Hamadpant and Saibaba. Hamadpant asks ,

Sai , so many people come to you. Does everyone gets what they want ? Are their desires fulfilled ?

and Sai replies looking at the Mango tree.

Look at the Mango tree with many flowers on it. If all the flowers becomes fruit how nice it would be but do they ? Many fall off due to wind and other reasons.

Similarly, we see shirdi is welcoming lakhs of devotees, we see millions visit saibaba temple and worship saibaba mentally everyday but many of them get dejected when their wishes are not fulfilled.

There are devotees who write me like this…

I am not worshipping Shirdi Saibaba any more because i was insulted in my office and sai could have saved me …Some women stop coming to saibaba temple just because their wish is not fulfilled.

Some even abuse saibaba harshly and i feel why such a thing happened to them.

The only safe thing i believe is

You have all rights to get upset with Saibaba and also be angry with him for sometime

Saibaba cares for his  ardant devotees and when he cant help things happen, Sai accepts your harsh reaction, your anger and your feelings. Like a mother accepting a Childs anger on her, Sai accepts yours .

The worser case is

Loosing faith on Shirdi saibaba completely and ignoring him for life time. This is total selfishness but even for such people sai does care as before through out their life time and they will realize it someday.

Anyway,

I wrote this article because its 2011 and people have complicated problems. Their wishes, their way of living and their way of going to Saibaba for materialistic reasons alone has increased. Sai is seen as a Machine offering what we need at one point. Just because we do pooja, is it easy for Sai to wash away all our sins and grant what we need.

Yes Saibaba does say in Sai Satcharitra that your intense pure faith can help saibaba wash away sins but there are saintly ways to do it.

Any True saint will not break the law of Nature and Karma :

When H.H. Narasimha swamiji started All india Sai samaj in 1930′s and wrote articles in The Hindu newspaper about Shirdi Saibaba to spread his fame, Some thought his miracles , leelas were like a jaglaur, Magician but only few who worshipped saibaba whole heartedly realized his powers.

The ways of Sai – Sai alone knows :

To some devotees Sai never gives advices . He says

“Why you need a guru. Everything is in yourself. You do good you get good. You sow a bad seed, you will see a poisonous plant”

It means the bad karma in past birth or our ancestors bad deeds will grow as a poisonous tree and ruin our life. The intense love and devotion we show on saibaba will help for sure but may be in many cases Saibabas help on us in totally invisibe.

To some devotees , Sai gives a failure in career to safeguard his/her married life.

I mean some may get married to a wrong person if he/she is earning well. So sai might make them loose job so that they get rid of greedy life partner.

So here, sai has to do something we dont want to avoid something thats much worser.

( Note – this is just a imaginary example. Don’t always relate it to your life )

and yes about washing away karma and doing good to you. Ask yourself was your devotion and faith on Saibaba so intense…So deeeeeeeep ?

To some devotees Sai makes them experience the evils of their bad karma in dream so that it wont happen in reality. To some devotees sai burns their bad karma in his sacred dhuni. Yes. It happens but it takes years of patience. Even people who clean dhuni for years are suffering. You know whom i am talking about.

This is not a negative article . It helps Sai devotees accept and love Sai beyond their needs :

Saibaba of Shirdi is today more popular than any other saints. I can’t believe how many cars and vehicles carry his name, stickers even in indian villages. There are thousands of people who start business in the name “SAI” . Does all of them get success ?

How many men and women suffer with out being able to pay back their loan in bank ?

How many suffer as their children are not interested in studies and get bad habits ?

How many parents worry as their children are not geting married ?

At a point of time, they feel is Shirdi Saibaba really there ?

The most usual mail i get is this…

“Saibaba has many devotees. Saibaba helps only rich people who build temples etc and Saibaba doesn’t loose anything if i don’t worship him . So saibaba din’t help me ”

This article basically has two moral for every shirdi saibaba devotee

1. Shirdi Saibaba is alive and cares for you irrespective of your wishes getting fulfilled

His assurance is beautiful friends

he said

“After my Samadhi, my bones will be speaking and discussing your welfare”

to another devotee he says

“Bai, you have not seen even one fourth of my power all these days. After my Samadhi, you will realize my powers to safeguard my devotees”

2. We must learn to surrender totally in the holy feets of Shirdi Sai baba

Many Sai devotees misunderstand that i am close to saibaba or i am true devotee of saibaba. In reality i am also on my way towards moulding myself to devote myself to sainath. I am able to write this for hours because i am one with you all. I have my own set of mistakes and realize i myself have to change .

Lets togather learn to accept what ever happens in our life is for Good. Sai is taking care of us beyond our dreams and expectations. Sai is one with us friends. Lets love him for what he has done for us.

Total surrender is not saying Sai will help me. Its accepting Sai, when Sai din’t help you.

I write it with tears friends. He is beyond what we experience in our life. His love is beyond his ability to change your life for good. His love is beyond the seven seas of desires of mankind. His love for his devotees cannot be judged by their success , wealth , health and happiness.

Saibaba at one state tells to one of his devotee

“In this world everyone has someone but there is no one for me”

How true is this friends ? Like how much we need Sai, Sai also needs us . Its just this divine friendship we must learn to develop between us and Sainath Maharaj.

i sincerely pray shirdi saibaba to bless you with peaceful life, good health , good job, good married life , child, education and hapiness and harmony in family.

It happens for thousands of years to come amoung Shirdi saibaba devotees…

“Some get upset with Sai, Some loose faith and very few surrender to Shirdi Saibaba”

Atleast if we can cope up with our failures, disappointments in our life and believe My Shirdi Saibaba is with me. He cares for me no matter what happens, this maturity is enough for us.

During Saibaba’s life time in shirdi, He tells to a devotee

“Fear not even if heavens ( thunder ) fall on your head. Believe me whole heartedly and i am always with you ”

Aum sri sainathaya namaha

C.Venkatraman

Little servant of Shirdi Saibaba

15 : 6 :2011

You can also read one of my old article

Reasons for sufferings in life

I am forced to write this article because it hurts me when ever our Shirdi Saibaba is compared with other saints who calim to be his incarnation or what ever….

The worst part is when it comes to few such false gurus, VIPS from around the country nod their head to this false claim which hurts many millions of shirdi saibaba devotees like me. Its a sin to speak and belive whats untruth when it comes to spirituality. The command of Sainath makes me express my innermost feelings today.

I really dont want to carry this article in StarSai.com but to me its a duty to be truthful to my sainath as his humble servant and devotee, i have to do it….

I am in a democratic nation where freedom of information gives me all rights to represent and express the feelings of my sweet shirdi sai devotees.

For Millions of Shirdi Saibaba devotees “SAI” Means saibaba of Shirdi :

For Millions and Millions of Shirdi Saibaba devotees around the world “Sai” means only Saibaba of shirdi and there can never be any other saint or man who can match his sacredness, his simplicity, his care for devotees and his unconditional love for each and every one of his devotees.

Fourth Incarnation of Lord Dattatreya – Sai Baba of Shirdi

Guru of all Gurus as he is called “Lord Dattatreya” incarnated on earth for welfare of mankind to take them in the spiritual path and also satisfy their materialistic needs.

His first incarnation was in 13 th century in Andhra state near Vishakapatnam in a village called Pithapur

sri pada sri vallabha first incarnation of Lord Dattatreya in 13th century

1. Shree Paadha Shree Vallabha

lived for 30 years in 13th century – Pithapur – AP

He choosed a small island called Kuruvapur to meditate and did many divine leelas . This incarnation sowed seed for other Datta incarnation in future. He has mentioned about Sri Ragavendra swamy, Gajanan Maharaj , Sainath , Swami Samartha, Narasimha Saraswati etc

The sacred book shree paadha shree vallabha charitramrutam has many spiritual secrets about all datta incarnation.

Narasimha Saraswati born in Narasobwadi and came to Ganagapur

2. Narasimha Saraswathi -

13th century incarnation – 2nd avatar of Dattatreya born as a child who could not speak for brahmin parents. Uttered sacred mantra on his 11th birthday and took sanyas. Born in Narasobwadi – Maharastra state, india and had his samadhi in Ganagapur. Even today you can have darshan of his Paadhukas and if you read Guru charitra with devotion , surely you will be blessed with his grace.The book Guru charitra with 53 chapters is wonderful life story of Saint Narasimha saraswati.

swami samarth maharaj of akalkot 18th century- 3rd avatar of dattatreya

3. Swami Samartha -

3rd avatar of Lord Dattatreya lived between 1856 to 1878 in Akalkot near solapur. Known to be more than 300 years old but was seen in akalkot only for 22 years. One of the most powerful incarnation of Dattatreya with numerous leelas. Cummon i am speaking about True leelas and not like those done by modern gurus of today.

Sai baba of Shirdi - 4th avatar of Dattatreya - Original photo 1916 - See his simplicity. Thats real sianthood

4. Sai Baba of Shirdi

4th and the final avatar of lord Dattatreya . The most popular saint of all Datta incarnation. Came as a young lad of 16 years to shirdi village, disappeared and again came to shirdi with a marriage party and stayed in a old masjid for over 60 years untill his samadhi in 1918.

Please do not play with Lord Dattatreya and is incarnation with your false claims. We shirdi saibaba devotees know whats truth and we never bother some crazy stories. Shirdi Saibaba is the final incarnation of Dattatreya and is a great “Samardha Sadguru incarnation”  . As the river’s origin can’t be traced , a true saints past life before they started their work of the incarnation cant be traced.

The imaginative stories said by other saints about childhood of shirdi saibaba is completely false and the only noted and true record of Shirdi Saibaba is Hamadpants Sri Sai Satcharitra. Other books by Narasimha Swamiji can also be used to learn about life of Shirdi saibaba.

This article is the answer to VIPS , Media including newspapers, Magazines and TV news mentioning that our shirdi saibaba had another incarnation etc etc. Pleaseeeeeeeee do what ever you want but leave us shirdi saibaba devotees alone. We don’t want to be part of any of your incarnation saga.

The real true Sadguru – The saint – the poor fakir who lived as simple as a ordinary man in the village of shirdi. The old man with turban on head wearing torn cloths. The Shirdi Saibaba who ran to keep his hand inside the fire to safeguard a black smiths child being burnt in fire can never be compared to any other false modern saints ever to come on earth.

I also have never said bad about any one here or mentioned their name but its responsibility of every Shirdi Saibaba devotees to safeguard our Gurus name from being misused or mis interpreted. In future Shirdi Saibaba devotees must unite to make sure no such false gurus are encouraged ..Atleast not using the sacred name “SAI”.  The name affectionaly kept by Mahalsapathi to our sweet fakir when he reached shirdi infront of Kandoba mandhir in shirdi Village approximately in 1856.

We all know the beautiful assurance of shirdi saibaba friends…

its

” I am ever living and guiding all who come to me , surrender to me and seek refuge in me”

Another assurace which is 110 % true

” I will be active from my samadhi (in shirdi ) , My bones will be speaking and dicussing about my devotees welfare “

Sai is alive . He is antaryami . Then how can he reincarnate. Simply some where these people found the words i will reincarnate as 8 year old boy and using that to build crazy stories. Every single shirdi saibaba devotee has a sai living in them as antaryami – The one who lives in ourself and every life has sai in it as conciousness.  And the best part is there are enough proof that only people who surrender to Datta knew that Dattatreya incarnation ends with shirdi saibaba.

I never took this topic untill this 7 years but past 2 days am getting few mails from Shirdi saibaba devotees that they are concerned that shirdi saibaba is connected to others by media and if he really had another incarnation.NO is the answer. Do not believe in stories.

Please show your support by spreading the message to SHIRDI SAIBABA DEVOTEES ALONE !!!. I dont want to hurt other innocent devotees feeling but its also our duty to safe guard purity of the name “Sai” . To me and to millions of Shirdi saibaba devotees …

Sai means Saibaba of “Shirdi”

C.Venkatraman

little servant of shirdi saibaba

26th april 2011

Closed  Comment to this article

as i dont wish to specify names of false gurus . Even shirdi sai devotees were requested to comment generally and not specify names of false gurus.  This article is only to help true shirdi saibaba devotees go in right path but never to create any controversy. Our duty is to say truth and really dont have interest in argument.

The reason is there is not one but many cheating innocent shirdi saibaba devotees. Some build temples for baba and sit there as Guru, they do some programmes from town to town for shirdi sai , they have a leader or lets say a guru who acts as if he can help shirdi sai devotees . Soon they claim to have millions of followers .

It really irritates me and many sai devotees that such false organization are only mis leading sai devotees through their speeches, books and programmes. anyway, Shirdi Saibaba is watching …i am afterall a onlooker and cant do much but express my feelings through starsai.

Please read another beautiful article i wrote in the link below

Its sometime before 1918 and you are now in shirdi with Sai Baba

We were using a old ceiling fan which was given by one of my fathers elder sister after her house caught fire years back. The fan worked well so we din’t mind using it.

Few months back the fan din’t work and i pleaded my father lets change the fan. My father was interested only in repairing it and fixing back. When he repaired , he also got a local brand Regulator since good brands were not avilable for the old model fans.

2 months back the fan still din’t work well. so i never used it, switch was off and i only used  a table fan.

Shirdi saibaba samadhi mandhir photo near switch board after my father removed the old fan regulator

A dream this night was strange :

Today i had a dream as if i am hospitalized and suffering from Asthma. I woke and thought its due to the road construction in coimbatore – mettupalayam which stirs all the dust and also because i dig the Dhuni and get in to dhuni tank in saibaba temple with out wearing cloth over nose. My friend Vijaykumar keep telling me to be careful and wear a cloth over nose . I woke up..it was 3.30 in morning .

Something crossed my mind that may be i get breathing problem because of the small fan which is directly spreading all the dust to my face. so soon i must change the old ceiling fan.

Fire on the Regulator of fan near the wall where the Samadhi mandhir photo of saibaba hangs :

It was around 6 in the morning…I din’t hear any sound as i was in deep sleep but suddenly woke up. To my shock , i saw the regulator was burning as if 5 candles kept togather are glowing…The out side plastic box has burnt completely and now i can see the coil friends. Sai woke me up in the right time as the inside parts are now visible and i din’t panic much and also din;t shout. I could hear my amma also woke up and in the kitchen.

Samadhi Mandhir photo of Shirdi Sai baba helped me blow the fire off :

The samadhi mandhir photo of shirdi saibaba in beautiful pink dress was hanging just close to the switch board in my room. I took it in my hands, used it like a hand fan to put off the fire . Since , its electricity, i must not cover with cloth or pour water. So i firmly believe its saibaba who gave me idea to use his own big laminated photo as a hand fan to put off the fire.

Mean while hearing the sound of me fanning, my amma ran inside the room as she also smelt something. She was running towards main to switch it off …since i thought she must not do  it wrongly, i dropped a small plastic which was still burning over the washing machine and ran to varandah.

I switched off the Main and also the UPS. Then we were arguing with each other saying i asked to change the fan and its fathers mistake using a local brand regulator etc. My father slowly woke up and made sure its safe only. Just that the regulator coil has burnt. Not even a inch of wire has caught fire friends. This is really saibabas protection.

Then i told my parents that i only used saibaba photo to put of the fire. My amma said atleast i did the right thing without using other wrong was to put off fire.

My amma thanked saibaba whole heartedly friends.

I also whole heartedly believe saibaba saved our house from fire by waking me up on time and using his own beautiful samadhi mandhir photo to blow wind and put off fire.

My father fixed the wires, taped it and we listed to saibaba aarti.

While starting to write this article, i opened the sai satcharitra,

How beautiful is our sai friends, i got the below page…

Balasaheb Mirikar – Sai leela from Sai satcharitra chapter 22 :

Balasaheb Mirikar, son of Sirdar Kakasaheb Mirikar was Mamlatdar of Kopergaon. He was going on tour to Chitali. On the way he came to Shirdi to see Sai Baba. When he went to the Masjid and prostrated himself before Baba, usual conversation regarding health and other matters commenced, when Baba sounded a note of warning as follows:-”Do you know our Dwarakamayi?” As Balasaheb did not understand he kept quiet,

Baba continued -

“This is our Dwarakamayi, where you are sitting. She wards off all dangers and anxieties of the children, who sit on her lap.”

This Masjidmayi (its presiding Deity) is very merciful, she is the mother of the simple devotees, whom she will save in calamities. Once a person sits on her lap, all his troubles are over. He, who rests in her shade, gets Bliss”. Then Baba gave him Udi, and placed His protecting hand on his head.

When Balasaheb was about to depart, He again said- “Do you know the “Lamba Bava” (long gentleman), Viz. serpent?” And then closing the left arm like fist He brought it near the right elbow, and moving His left arm like the hood of a serpent, He said- “He is so terrible, but what can he do to the children of Dwarakamayi: When the Dwarakamayi (its presiding deity) protects, what can the serpent do?”

All who were present there, were curious to know the meaning of all this and its reference to Mirikar, but none had the courage to ask Baba about this. Then Balasaheb saluted Baba and left the Masjid with Shama. Baba called Shama back and asked him to accompany Balasaheb, and enjoy the Chitali trip. Shama came to Balasaheb, and told him that he would go with him according to Baba’s wish.

Balasaheb replied that he need not come as it would be inconvenient. Sharma returned to Baba and told Him what Balasaheb said to him.

Baba said, “Alright, do not go. We should mean well and do well. Whatever is destined to happen, will happen”.

In the meanwhile Balasaheb thought over again, and calling Shama asked him to accompany him. Then Shama going again to Baba and taking His leave started with Balasaheb in the tanga. They reached Chitali at 9 P.M. and encamped in the Maruti temple. The office-people had not come; so they sat quiet in the temple, talking and chitchating. Balasaheb was sitting on a mat reading a newspaper.

His Uparani (upper dhotar) was spread across his waist and on a part of it a snake was sitting unobserved. It began to move with a rustling sound which was heard by the peon. He brought a lantern, saw the snake and raised an alarm- ‘serpent, serpent’. Balasaheb was frightened and began to quiver. Shama was also amazed. Then he and others moved noiselessly and took sticks and clubs in their hands. The snake got down slowly from the waist and it moved away from Balasaheb; it was immediately done to death.

Thus this calamity, which was prophesied by Baba, was averted and Balasaheb’s love for Baba was deeply confirmed.

shirdi saibaba samadhi mandir in beautiful pink dress

What a beautiful sai leela friends and how it suits the situation in our house today.

For over 3-4 years i always make sure standing near the lamps tray in Nagasai mandhir on thursdays . Thousands of devotees keeps the candles and lamps. So me and one or two of my friends like vengadesh, Vivek, kunnimalayan used to be there and make sure the devotees don’t get fire on their hair when bending to light lamps. We keep warning and helping the devotees , keep away the empty lamps and also take care of dhuni.

These days i feel something hurting in my eyes when ever i look at fire and clean dhuni. I told saibaba you take all the work from me even to the extent that it hurts my eye but not showing a way for my career and life .Sai takes work from us but also blesses us with his leela on time friends.

I realized when a devotee worships sai with heart and soul, his house itself becomes home to sai, His Dwarakamai. how beautifully sai assures friends

“This is our Dwarakamayi, where you are sitting. She wards off all dangers and anxieties of the children, who sit on her lap.”

I believe sai has warded off this danger from his own dwarakamai ! My room where i worship sai and chant his name day and night lighting lamps for years…

There can be many Sai leela friends and this one is special because i used Sai baba’s Samadhi mandhir photo itself to blow the fire off .

I feel saibaba is Hanuman – Vaayu puthra who woke me up on time, Made my amma also to hear something and wake up and his own wind to blow of the fire.

Crores of thanks to you Sai !

Moral of the story :

1.  Be careful in electric issues…Use good branded parts or better don’t use it.

2. Never think sai is not helping you friends, Keep chanting his holy name, Keep singing aarti, I have wrote many times that a Shirdi saibaba photo is equal to sai himself in real with flesh and blood and today Sai proved it 100 % true.

Sai ki jai

Thanks to Agni deva with who shows mercy on me and my friends who cleans dhuni for years.

Venkat – 14 :2:2011

If you have patience to read how the Samadhi mandhir photo was hung in the present place near switch board, heres another leela which happened on October 28th 2009.

It was a time when one of my sai friend Vidhya went to shirdi with her family…Heres how i described her trip and my dream that morning..

Sairam friends,

When vidhya was in shirdi, that morning i also got a beautiful dream like this…

My parents has not been to shirdi so far and i wish to take them someday.
I see 2 saints and one of them gives me a instruction….he was wearing a saffron color dhoti.

Having darshan of shirdi sai baba samadhi mandhir as dream continues :

Me and my parents were standing in Que to have darshan of saibaba in samadhi mandhir. I somehow miss my parents to go front n then catch them moving the crowd aside.

The samadhi mandhir was different in dream. The saibaba statue and samadhi was in the same level as floor . It was so crowded. I see a evil person was near statue , police comes n catches him n goes.

I was distracted by this incident..then i turn to saibaba statue of samadhi mandhir….to the surprise of all devotees, saibaba statue gets sai as he is in flesh … i can see saibaba twinkling his eyes beautifully …all devotees crowd around saibaba and especially one Girl goes to saibaba and hugs him tight and kiss him.

Then i see all devotees crowding around saibaba in surprise. I kneel down near saibaba and say “Baba bless my amma,appa, indra,kamesh and katya” ..on saying this Sai turns to me and pats my shoulder.

I am deeply moved by this gesture of sai .That too the statue of sai beautifully coming to living, twinkling eyes and turning to me to pat me….At this time i feel someone entering their palm in my pocket. I doubt if they are going to steal my mobile.

They actually keep lots of Mittaai…one purticular mittaaai which my amma likes to eat..its sour and sweet mittaai and available in petti shop called Orange Mittaai.

I really felt happy and took it as saibaba’s gift to me.

I had a samadhi mandhir photo of saibaba which i dint care much. I hung the samadhi mandhir photo in which saibaba was wearing Pink and yellow dress , applied kumkum and showed arti

Saibaba bless all starsai children

I really loved this dream friends as saibaba was so cute and lovely as he came alive and i also understood the greatness of Samadhi mandhir sai

The above dream was shared on 28th october 2009, Sai himself says , i am just a witness to events, when something good happens people call it a leela but i inturn thank the God for his kindness towards my devotees. Probably Sai knows on 14th feb 2011 , there will be a fire on the switch board and he prefered hanging near it, so that he will give me idea to use the photo as fan and thus save from big danger. Have we missed even half an hour….but sai works on Time friends.

Today is my sister Indra’s birthday. I pray sainath to protect my sister , her baby and her husband too and bring the good health, peace and prosperity.

Om sri sai ram

C.Venkatraman

14 : 2 :2011

It was 2004 november when i got a vision that something bad is going to happen to the world..I was depressed not able to have food easily for a weeks time.

I thought to myself may be since i am jobless am imagining myself.

Those days me and my friend Kanna used to go to Kamakshi amman and Annapurani temple on fridays …Thandu maari amman temple on saturdays and then to Nagasai mandhir..

We also go to a ancient shiva temple called kotai eswaran temple in coimbatore….i used to donate cement bags almost every week when ever i can for this temple renovation as i was earning well through Google in 2004.

It was november 19th 2004…

The priest in the kotai easwaran shiva temple asked us to bring pure sandal wood paste to do alankaram to Lord Murugan – Arumuga subramanian .

The pure sandal paste is made in Perur pateeswaran shiva temple…so me and kanna went to perur..had good darshan , got pure sandal wood paste ..gave annadhan to few sadhus and came to kotai easwaran temple for murugans alankaram with sandal wood paste…chandanam.

then we came home in afternoon started again in evening to Annapurani temple…we both came back home ..it was around 8 and a karthigai day when we lit lamps around house.

The screen in hall was lifted up ..so i could see the hall from gate…as soon as i got down the bike i saw  asmall girl little girl wearing white dress ..like a frock running into my room from hall…

i was happy thinking some little girl has come home ..may be a friend or relative….once i entered house and came into my room i saw no body…even amma had gone to her friends house.

i was shocked but dint bother it.

That night i got scared thinking who this little girl wearing white frock was….ran to ammas room and slept with parents.

Next evening i told amma that i saw a small girl running with white frock into my room …so got scared ..i told her it was not scary and the girl was like a blessing.

Amma said that may be goddess Maari amman has come home as i am not offering lemon garlands now  adays….i offered lemon garland to thandu maari amman that evening…

Even today i think that little girl as Goddess Parvathi herself….may be she knows i will get scared if she came as big lady and so came as small child.

Thats it….

now thats first god sensation in my life…

secondly my previous thought that something bad will happen in world made me think …i realized may be its happening because adharma ( unrighteousness has increased ) . I thought may be we must spread the message of Giving and helping others.

I wanted people to open up their heart and hence was wondering what to do.

From 2003 when ever i travel to Nagasai mandhir i used to imagine that theres a star and in every intersection of the star theres a saibaba and in the centre of star theres a lamp.

I used to do various imaginations relating to star and named that sai as

“Ashta Sairam”

as there were 8 sai in my imagination

…

I decided to make a website to spread the message of humanity and was wondering how to name it…

I was also searching for a good printer to print affordable posters with the following caption

‘Give food to the hunger,

Water to the thirsty and

Clothes to the naked , then God will be pleased “

- Shirdi Saibaba

Somehow i came across a printer who was ready to print 1000 small post cards with sai photo and above caption for 1200 rupees. Vow that itself was a sai leela to me. The printer said it will be delivered on 25th december 2004.

Then i came home and registered the name already choosed

StarSai.com

It was mid night 22nd december 2004 in india and so it shows 23rd december 2004.

StarSai was born on 23rd december 2004 …

I wrote what it is said in Bhagavat Gita, Bible and Quaran about “Art of Giving” …About dharma…

http://www.starsai.com/bhagavad-gita-chapter-giving/

On 25th december 2004 i got the posters and decided the next day onwards i am going to come around holy dhuni in Nagasai mandhir and distribute it to sai devotees who come to temple as gift.

26th morning at 8 Am was worst thing that happened to world…Tsunami….

I realized the intuision Sai gave me was true and was encouraged to spread the message of humanity…

The post card really surprised many sai devotees….

‘Give food to the hunger,

Water to the thirsty and

Clothes to the naked , then God will be pleased “

- Shirdi Saibaba

All these were necessary for those effected by Tsunami…

This was second God sensation for me.

In january 2005 i continued to have visions as if theres a crack from Pune to Tirupati and the sea enters the mid land india spliting it in two halves..i was scared to core and ran to my parents room..I din’t know what to do.

That day i decided i will come around Holy fire of sai…sacred Dhuni in Nagasai mandhir for 4 to 5 hours every evening and dedicate my prayers to Goddess of Nature.

I did that…i told my mom am going to do it for a week…then for a month finally it went on for 2 years…

Many used to like my devotion but few did hurt me…few insult me saying ‘Dont you have any work than coming around dhuni for hours “…some ask me why are you doing it but i hardly answer as people only consider me as fool.

I remember a aunty scolding me since i gave her saibabas photo again and again thinking am behind her daughter….It was rama navami april 2005 when the watchman told me, There are many complaints against you.
The Management asked you not to come around dhuni any more…

I cried a lot that day to sai…

next day i gave a lamp to the watchman and said

“I did good following saibabas commands internally but you asked me not to do it….i dont want you to take that sin…so keep this brass lamp in home and light it everyday”

i told him few other things about sai and he started having tears in his eyes…

Next day when i went to Nagasai mandhir in the evening , the watchman came to me and said “You continue to come around dhuni as you like”

Its december 23rd 2010…

Its Birthday for StarSai friends !

We are entering 7th year…Today i climbed on terrace of temple and offered garland to all big saibaba statues….i did namaskaram on the floor of terrace and prayed for all children in starsai family.

I feel my life will be good only if i marry a girl who loves to serve sai or atleast encourage me to do it….Sometimes i feel everyother thing in world is untrue and what i do for Sai alone is truth.

My dedication in serving sai has reduced a lot in 2010 as i am 32 and feel responsible to make parents happy that their son has  a good career and will get married to a good girl.

Probably i failed to do both..i neither served sai properly nor fulfilled my parents wish apart from cleaning the dhuni,filtering udi and some physical work in Nagasai mandhir…

I wish sai shows me the right path….a balance between sai seva and successful wordly life.

Sai alone is truth…i am too soft hearted for this world and sai alone can make me someone.

Happy Birthday StarSai !

C.Venkatraman

23 :12:2010

The fact that i created StarSai and untill today StarSai being my only wealth makes me feel this is the best Shirdi Sai baba leela in my life. Many think that its website but the years to come will give shape to what really sai wanted me to do for StarSai.

sairam friends,

My family God is Lord Murugan and i love Venkateswara of Tirupati also as i was named after the lord. A week back i had a dream where someone gives me a gift over which a Hindi poem was written and i say “Venki Irukaan” meaning ” Venki is there ” … My friends at times say “i am going to see Venki” when they start to Tirupati. We planned to go Tirupati but was not able to. One of my Sai friend Kamala said shes going to Tirupati and told me she will offer prayers to Lord Venkateswara.

A beautiful dream this morning :

Lord Murugan and Venkateswara Darshan :

The dream of as if i am standing with my friends in que in a temple. While we are outside the temple , we can see the Gods statue inside. First i can clearly see Lord Murugan ..I look again and its Lord Venkateswara with Goddess Mahalakshmi on his chest.

Going near the God’s statue and surprised to see a Real Saint :

We move inside the temple and when we get closer we only see a real saint sitting there.  It was as if Lord Murugan and Venkateswara has changed into this saint. The saint was dark skinned and not facing directly towards the devotees. Some securities were making us go in line. When i reach near the saint i just want to confirm if its really our sai baba of shirdi.

I peep towards the face of saint and saw his glorious face. It was our shirdi saibaba. His eyes were so beautiful and powerful that i was wondering how come sai has a jada mudi – the thick hairs like saints have over their head. A small boy near me finds that many little sparrows were living inside the hair of the saint. He touches the sparrows..the sparrows were so tiny friends.

Then i also was surprised to see the Think saintly hair of saibaba is like a nest for many small sparrows and desire to touch them. I saw sai smiling to all of us …i touched the sparrows with my fingers…

There are other devotees behind us in the que to see the saint and securities were hurrying.

Now Sai was speaking to us

“Go Go….”

I saw my friend vengadesh was actually like the small boy and i tell baba ” see he has got his mobile phone inside the mandhir “….Sai smiles to us, i lift the boy and come out.

When i woke up i heared the name of one of my friend

Thats it

i felt happy for this dream friends

C.Venkatraman

15 :12 :2010

Its 10 :12 :2010 – 101 years since shirdi sai baba’s chavadi procession has started in Shirdi.  I have something to say …i hope it helps sai servants around the world in the years to come.

Its truly the most frustrating thing in life when a human being has faced set backs all his life in his career and lots more personal issues. He chooses to atleast serve sai baba with the little he knows to do.

Its been 6 years..from 2004 i have been doing all i can for sai devotees through StarSai.com and the little service i do in saibaba temple in my hometown cleaning dwarakamai, taking care of dhuni etc.

It was sometime in 2007 that i decided to sell photos of shirdi sai baba and did photography with lots of effort …My sai friends and parents helped me in doing this project. Few of these sai baba photos can be seen in starsai.com

My heart din’t let me sell shirdi sai baba photos to earn a living :

Everytime i wanted to sell sai photos to earn a living, i feel sai will surely show me a better way to earn .It was my habit between 2005 to 2007 to print around 1000 to 2000 photos of shirdi saibaba and give it as a gift to sai devotees … I used to have good quotes of our sai in it. I feel really happy when a devotee feels good to have a sai photo as a surprise.

So when i had no way to earn and decided to sell saibaba photos , i did try it in january 2010. Thank God it din’t work out..I had the site live for a month and then turned it off….i felt may be surly saibaba will show me a better way to earn.

People spend for everything but forget to respect hardwork of sai sevants :

Lets take for example you are planning a trip to Shirdi.

You have to Pay for Bus ticket , flights or Train. Now that a new airport is coming to shirdi, we understand sai devotees are going to spend thousands of rupees for travel expenses alone.

And you go to the shops in shirdi, do you get anything for FREE ?

Leave the other commercial shops, even the prasadalaya of shirdi saibaba sansthan charges 10 rupees or less or more ( am not sure ) for a meal. Only when some devotee sponsors for that day , you are provided free meal which means someone has payed on behalf of you.

A luxury bus charges 450 Rs just to take you from Mumbai to Shirdi. People are ready to spend for all this because its real. So many shops around the world sells shirdi sai baba books, pens, photos and calenders and people are ready to pay for it.

But why is it that everything “Sai” and “Religious” is expected for FREE :

When it comes to internet, things are different.

FREE…FREE….FREE….

Cummon, there is a real human being working to do what ever you see and learn from here….You don’t have to pay us but please don’t hurt us asking things easily.

Most importantly some sai devotees who build temples, who are running commercial business and give free sai gifts etc …these people expect every thing “Sai” for “FREE”.

When i am myself going through hardships and struggles in life people cooly come with such a mail…

‘Sai Ram Venkat,

Our organization gives saibaba calenders every year as gift . Can i get original file of your saibaba photos ”

( i told them i dont want to give pictures for calender as this year sai wil be happy and next year who knows what will happen to sai in the calender. Someof the pictures took a entire days time to photograph ..i used to travel all the way to flower market in hot sun , get flowers, my parents help me decorate them and i do photography… Is it not hardwork ? )

and here goes another mail

” Sairam Venkat,

We are making a magazine for sai baba, Is it ok to use your baba’s photos ”

Din’t these people clearly see what i wrote in the homepage of starsai. All photos are copyright protected. Then why should you hurt me more and more…ya its for personal use…the devotees whom sai wish to come to starsai , will come here, see him , find peace and if they wish save in their computer.  Thats all i need.

And let me ask one thing…why don’t people understand i am here sacrificing my life …my only happiness is doing the little things i can for sai through starsai and yes ofcourse i want it to be safe in starsai …Its my sweat, my blood.

People enjoy comforts of big life, good career and come to my website, simply ask me, can i use this…fine, you can ask but where is the message of sainath…

What does Sai Satcharitra teach you :

Remuneration for Labour

One day at noon, Baba came near Radha-Krishna-Mai’s house and said – “Bring Me a ladder.” Some men brought it and set it against a house as directed by Baba. He climbed up on the roof of Vaman Gondkar’s house, passed the roof of Radha-Krishna-Mai’s house and then got down from the other corner. What object Baba had, none could know.

Radha-Krishna-Mai was, at that time, shivering with Malaria. It may be to drive off that fever, that He may have gone there. Immediately after getting down, Baba paid Rupees two to the persons who brought the ladder. Somebody asked Baba, why he paid so much for this. He replied that nobody should take the labour of others, in vain. The worker should be paid, his dues promptly and liberally.

Sai Satcharitra is not to read for desires to get fulfilled, Its a pearl thrown in ocean :

Every single word  in the holy book sai satcharitra has a pearl in it…but its hard to find when you read it just to get your desires fulfilled. Try to realize how beautifully saibaba has helped poor people like us .

Everyday i come home cleaning Dhuni with a shirt thats covered with dark ashes…my feet get burnt, my palm get swollen and i love doing what i do. My mother once showed me the shirt i wore on the way home n shout at me saying “even a labour will wear cleaner shirts”

with all the hardships i come home, write articles in starsai , i also have desires for my career and for my personal life…I know sai will show me a way sometime in my life.

Meanwhile when i am struggling , please understand do not hurt me more by asking cooly ” Can i use this …can i use that…the worst word to add is “Is it OK to use ”

well its not OK.

At 32 , can these people handle the set backs i have gone through…i am not able to make my old parents happy

Can these people come and see what it means to sit inside the hot dhuni tank while cleaning dhuni in darkness over heap of sacred udi and shedding tears to saibaba hoping sai will show me a way atleast today ?

I am not saying i alone can do this. There are so many sai devotees who are serving sai in thousands of ways  in temples and some through their websites. You don’t have to pay us but please atleast respect our emotions.

Most importantly , this message is not for regular sai devotees. Only people who are associated with some sai seva take others for granted. As theres another incident in Sri Sai Satcharitra where saibaba don’t like one devotee intervening in others seva, please you do your seva in your way to few sai children and let me do seva as i wish …

Our goal is one and Guru is One.

Let us understand each others emotions, hardships and respect everyones hardwork.

This message is not only for sai sevaks but also for everyone involved in any religious work, please give some respect to them. What worth is your money. Give some value to the work done.

I respect the men and women sweeping temple, the labour who makes garland for  Gods/Goddess, the people who clean bathroom and toilet in temples ( The temple i go regularly does not have water pipe in 2 of the toilets…so everyday evening i am pouring water and cleaning it before i enter temple… i don’t feel ashamed for it when devotees see me doing it. ) ,

The people who do cooking for annadhan , people who take care of water and electricity in temple…everyone are there to make the temple feel peaceful …Its not just the God but the people who work for God matters too to make your life good.

I am hurt and i wrote it…

Aum sri sainathaya namaha

C.Venkatraman

This is not really a article about shirdi sai baba but inspired by a dream i got this morning. It was like this..

I see me with my friend kanna and we both are going to a place where he is supposed to get some big amount in cash. He is supposed to show identification card to get the money. Since he dint have any ids , i offer to show mine, sign the documents and give the money to him. He goes to his home and me to mine.

somehow theifs think the money is with me and try to enter our house but i catch them, tie them with rope and advice them. Ha ha….His companion is telling ,see because of this greediness we are now in bad state. The police then takes them out ..while walking i say to myself, i would have not signed the documents.

( Though its little thing, i told all my friends not to sign any documents/be careful in money issues )

Thats the dream…

Now i dint saw sai in dream . Some may feel this dream very stupid but trust me , there are many innocent sai devotees who will be ready to do anything for their friends, relatives and co wokers in office or even strangers.

May be sai wants me to tell this message to be careful in money issues :

Always keep this policy – Give what you can afford . If someone asks a big amount as loan and if you are not willing to give, dont hurt them but give little you can afford. Meaning even if the amount is not returned by your friend, you must not feel burden. This way you also get satisfaction that you helped someone in need .

“Do not sign any documents unless its your whole responsibility to do so and never trust even close friends in money issues. I keep requesting to help the poor and needy which includes your friends and relatives too. But at the same time you must also be careful that you wont carry the burden on yourself and your family”

Sai devotees have tendency to help which is being misused :

There are numerous shirdi sai baba devotees who with a helping heart , do good to their friends and relatives only to face hurdles in the end. At the same time i wish to say a leela of sai baba.

A sweet Sai leela during his life time in shirdi :

I forgot the name of the devotee but it goes like this…A devotee keeps telling baba ,

” Sai, i gave 1200 rupees to my relative years back, he stays in village . Untill now he has not taken any steps to give the money back nor the interest”

Sai always consoles him saying “Be calm and sit , the money will come to your door step”

The devotee says “Baba , even when i go to his house, he wont bother, how will he come on his own to return money”

Baba keeps asking him to be calm and the money will come to his door step.

Sai’s words come true :

To his surprise the relative comes to shirdi and requests him to take the money borrowed around 1200 rs. The devotee was greedy and asks him to give the sum along with interest. Finally the matter was considered to be solved by saibabas guidance.

Sai asks the devotee to be humble and accept the money with out interest i.e 1200 rs and be happy with it.

Thus the matter was solved by sai grace.

This story asks us not to be greedy and also don’t jump and hurt yourself too much giving huge amount ( 1200 rs those days is equal to lakhs today ) and then asking saibaba to help you. Be precautious …Think how much you can afford to help and do that alone.

Note : At times we are indebted to do big favours for others which can’t be avoided. Bear it. Probably you are supposed to loose money and you did. Now focus on Sai bhakti and be happy.

I pray sainath to guide all sai children with good heart to be broadminded, help others but the helping heart must never bear burden.

Aum sri sai ram

C.Venkatraman

20 :11 :2010