Sairam friends,
I don’t believe in doing specific ritual for Shirdi Saibaba. I have created few rituals myself for the benefit of devotees but I myself tell everyone not to be too ritualistic when it comes to Sai devotion.
For example: Some devotees do Sai vrat pooja for 9 weeks. I appreciate that but not all can do fasting and I myself don’t recommend fasting for Sai devotees.
Some devotees say that they are in a group in which the members reads Sai Satcharita assigning each chapters for different members. I am really not comfortable with such group parayan or group chanting using cloud messaging apps as connection. The problem is, I personally feel one’s privacy is very important.
Secondly, devotion should be personal. So I always encourage devotees to keep all their effort to connect with Saibaba based on their own comfort.
In 2005, I was very ritualistic. Few years back, my Mom felt sad that I am always doing pooja and not taking care of my Career and life seriously. Even today, I love lighting lamps and encourage Sai devotees to light 108 lamps when they find time.
Does that mean those who don’t like 108 lamps won’t get blessings of Sai? They will. So, basically, rituals should be done based on our own comfort to express our love on Saibaba.
You can do any pooja exactly as its described or simply follow what you could manage to follow. Basically, Saibaba likes your devotion and pure thought process. He’s not keen about how perfectly you did any ritual.
I can give myself as an example.
Many of you will be very good as singing Saibaba’s Aarti. But I never know to sing Sai’s Aarti. I mean, I simply love to sit in Dwarakamai or do any physical work in temple.
Very rarely I have done Sai Satcharita Parayan. I remember Saibaba often by chanting his holy name. I speak about his leela to friends. I would like to be honest that Sai Satcharita parayan is very powerful but I have done it very few times.
Sai knew my taste and what I love to do. So he has blessed me irrespective of how irresponsible I am as a Sai devotee. I never lost anything in life just because I have not participated in any group parayan for which I have to send updates on some cloud messaging platform.
The below experience of a devotee is beautiful. She has written Om Sai Ram for 108 times every Thursday. She came to know about Sai vrat Pooja which is done for 9 weeks but She was happy with her own way of writing Sai’s holy name. After 9th week, her desire got fulfilled.
Read her experience below.
Om Sai,
Good day to all, like you people, I am also a Sai baba devotee for the past few month.Here is my blessings and experience,
I conceived soon after my marriage, but after 2 months I got aborted due to some infections.
While I was spotting and bleeding before abortion my friend who is devotee of sai baba prayed and made fasting for me, but nothing worked since Saibaba wants me to connect with him I don’t his plan.
She felt sad for me and asked me to pray baba, I never thought he didn’t help me why should I worship him?
After my abortion, I prayed Sai like anything as if I have been a Sai devotee for 10 years. I myself don’t know suddenly how I got that much trust on him all his plans.
At that time, I don’t about 9 weeks pooja, but I started writing his name 108 times every thursday, I don’t trust in taking fasting since baba also don’t like devotee’s taking fast.So each month, I was expecting baby asking baba why this was not happening but I never lost hope. I kept on writing his name 108 times all Thursday’s.
One Thursday as usual I did pooja and took my note for writing when I realized, each time I write Saibaba’s name, I wrote 1st week, 2nd week,3rd week on top, but really don’t why I wrote that.
Earlier, I never knew about 9 weeks pooja then I came to know about 9 weeks pooja but din’t show interest in that. The following Thursday I was taking my note and I saw I already completed 9 weeks which was almost 3 months. So I just went and told baba,
“Baba I heard everyone are saying about 9 weeks pooja. Even without fasting, I was writing your name and doing pooja for 9 weeks. I’m closing my book now you have to answer my prayer.”
Thankfully, Saibaba answered my prayers today. I tested positive and hence writing my experience since Baba wants me to share this.
Thank you all
OM SAI RAM
Ammu
Did you see how this devotee realized that her own way of worshiping Sai by writing 108 names is enough and she need not jump to a ritual she discovered?
I mean, she trusted Saibaba will do good to her for what she had done. You should have such a strong trust and belief in Saibaba.
I would have written few rituals in StarSai but that doesn’t mean, you should be specific about doing it. Do any pooja or rituals based on what makes you happy. It’s between you and your Saibaba. I am nobody when Saibaba is the one who’s going to do miracles in your life.
My intention is not to discourage anyone doing group parayan of Sai Satcharita. It’s auspicious but it’s not for all. If someone asks you to read Sai Satcharita, by all means read it. Read it individually. I just can’t accept the concept of dividing chapters and reading it.
Now a days, I frequently receive mails asking doubts about such group parayan of Sai Satcharita and also some devotees claim since everyone were benefited by that, its very good and they force others to be a part of it.
Some of my Sai friend’s has told me that their friends are forcing them to follow such group parayan. Please don’t do it.
I certainly feel one should not loose their privacy by being a part of any Sai devotee’s group on Whatsapp. Well, that’s my personal opinion though.
