Sairam friends,
Am listening to “Radha kaise na jale” now while starting to write this article and then started listening to Abirami Andhadhi. Today I went to Nagasai Mandhir, lit lamps and prayed Sai whole heartedly.
Sakthi Dham
Then I walked to Sakthi Dham temple. I love this temple so much as the Radhe Krishna statue in this temple is divine. The Priest in Hanuman sannidhi is like my friend for years. Since I used to offer my Hair to Lord Murugan often, even when hair is there on head he calls me “Motta”. Now a days since parents banned it , I can’t offer often…he he
I first bowed to Shiv Ling here, then went to the Sakthi in the form of Trishul. I bowed to the Goddess chanting the mantra my Mom taught me years back from Abirami Andhaadhi. Then I went back to the Priest in Hanuman mandhir. He usually gives me 3 spoons of sacred water and then applies kumkum on my forehead.
He was on phone call to someone and was worried that he has to pay his Son’s school fee 4500 Rs by tomorrow but someone who promised to give him money din’t gave. I was listening to him and thought I wanted to give him. I gave 500 Rs and told him, this is my Share. He refused to get it but I requested him saying Its OK.
Priest Abirami Battar told the King that its full moon day wrongly on a No moon day. He sung in praise of Abirami. The Goddess appeared before the Bhattar and threw one of her glittering earrings onto the skies, where it shimmered brightly as a Full Moon.
The above painting used with courtesy of a devotee. The story of how the priest in Thirukkadavoor was saved from the King as he wrongly mentioned that it was a Full Moon day when it was actually No Moon day. The King wanted to test his devotion. The priest sung 100 hyms in praise called Abirami Andhaadhi. While singing the 79th Mantra, the Goddess throw her earning to the sky which started to Glow like a Moon saving her ardent devotee.
The famous Mantra is as below..
தனம் தரும் கல்வி தரும் ஒரு நாளும் தளர்வு அறியா
மனம் தரும் தெய்வ வடிவும் தரும் நெஞ்சில் வஞ்சம் இல்லா
இனம் தரும் நல்லன எல்லாம் தரும் அன்பர் என்பவர்க்கே
கனம் தரும் பூங்குழலாள் அபிராமி கடைக்கண்களே !
“Wealth will be granted, as also will be knowledge, and a tireless
mind too. A divine body and countenance, and relatives with hearts that speak out
their true feelings. And every other virtue will be granted to the one, who loves the Mother and others,
as also fame, by the very glance of Abhiraami’s eyes, her locks adorned with fragrant blossoms.”
Anyway,I wrote about Abirami Andhaadhi as I was in temple of Sakthi Ma.
Coming back to my experience…
I got prasad from the Hanuman priest , sat for a while and was about to leave.
He said, the Aarti for Ma will be done now…So you wave the Chamer – The holy fan for Goddess.
I was surprised because I go to Sakthi Dham temple for many years. Since Its built by North Indians, Mostly during Aarti those devotees will be waving the holy fan and we all get prasad alone. Today only one family was there in temple and they too were about to start.
It was truly surprising that Ma wanted me to wave the holy fan for her. I felt truly blessed and went near the Trishool sanidhi of Sakthi and stood. In the whole temple myself and the other family alone were there. The priest gave me the Holy fan….Softa irukum…he he…its so soft that we wish to touch it with devotion.
I asked the Hanuman priest if I am holding it right and started waving while the priest showed Aarti for Ma. She was graceful and I felt very nice. I kept waving …
To the Goddess who gives us all the comfort,for first time in my life, I offered little comfort by waving the holy fan…
Then the priest went to Sanidhi of Ram, Lakshman, Sita and Hanuman…I kept chanting SaiRam..Sairam and waved …
The priest went to Radhe Krishna sannidhi…
I too moved to Radhe Krishna and waved the holy fan…when I was waving for Radhe Krishna, I kept staring at the divine beauty of Radhe and smiled at her. I could not control smiling and wonder why.. Then the priest went back to Ma and got back the chamer.
He gave Milk as prasad saying its its Hot ….I had it and started back to Nagasai Mandhir.
While I was waving holy fan for Ma, I was reciting the below Mantra.
Abirami’s ring shines as a fully grown Moon
The Mantra Mom taught me from Abiraami Andhaadhi
One of my Sai friend had said she knows all the 100 Mantra from Abirami Andhaadhi… I know only the below mantra friends..
வையம், துரகம், மதகரி, மா மகுடம், சிவிகை
பெய்யும் கனகம், பெருவிலை ஆரம்,–பிறை முடித்த
ஐயன் திருமனையாள் அடித் தாமரைக்கு அன்பு முன்பு
செய்யும் தவமுடையார்க்கு உளவாகிய சின்னங்களே.
“Vaiyyam Thuragam, Madhakari Maa Magudam,
Sivigai Peyyum Kanagam, Peru Vilai Aaram
Pirai Muditha Ayyan Thirumanaiyaal
Adi thaamaraiku Anbu Munbu Seyyum thavam udiyaarukku
ulavaagum sinnangale”
The translation could be
Land, Horses, Elephants, great crown of Kings, pallakku, Gold showering like rain, costly ornaments
are the identifications of those who are having the tapas
of the “earlier” love – Devotion shown to Goddess in previous their births to
the Louts feet of Nayaki (Queen) of the one who wears Chandra ( Shiva)
This Mantra is so powerful because it portrays the blessing one gets because of the devotion he/she had kept on Goddess Abirami in their previous birth. They are blessed by Goddess with Land, Horses, Elephants, Kings crowd, Prosperity comes to their life like rain of Gold .
Story of this Mantra:
My Amma had told me this story. There was a very poor brahmin in a village and he was fit for nothing. His mother was worried about him. I don’t remember the story clearly but think he did some favor to saint who asked him to continuously repeat above mantra while lighting lamps in temple. The Poor brahmin did as told my the saint.
After few days, the King came to have darshan in the temple and came across this Man who was very sincere and pure. Out of thousands of people who wanted to be a minister, the King choose him to be a Minister of his kingdom. Such is the power of this Mantra if recited while lighting lamps.
( I forgot this story…so please if anyone knows it, feel free to mail me)
By the time, I reached Nagasai mandhir, the Aarti was over. So i just went to Dwarakamai,had little prasad of Dhuni Baba and came back home. My parents had left without telling me to relatives home as dad’s elder sister was not well. I got irritated and sat in Varanda speaking to Sai in my mind. I had tears in eyes for some reason.
After few minutes parents came home and I had dinner. They feel I don’t talk to them these days and sitting near my computer as soon as I come home. Sai, I love them. Just that if I say something, the topic goes to getting married and start to argue that am doing everything accept getting married . So I try to be calm.
When I sleep near my parents, I look at them and feel blessed for having parents who let me do what I wish.
Years back, I used to come home cleaning Dhuni, Sacred fire of Sai . My shirt will be covered with ashes and my Mom used to worry a lot that am like this. Once she dragged me to the door and showed me a man who came to paint the house infront of ours. He washed his face, legs and hands, wore a new shirt and was starting back to his home.
My Mom told me, “See how a painter goes back home so clean. What people will think of you if you come like this?”‘.
I told her ” Its a blessing if you touch the ashes on my shirt because its all Sai’s Udi”
I never listened to her when she asked me to keep a separate shirt when I do Dhuni Seva. You see, I belong to Sai and my Mom is supposed to adjust and she did…She tolerated me for years until very recently I try to make sure my Shirt doesn’t get much of ashes. When It did, I run into my room silently so that she won’t notice it and I myself wash my shirt next morning.
She knows what I am doing !
She’s my Amma and obviously she knows…he he
Everyday Lakhs of devotees stand in Que to get a single packet of Udi in Shirdi. Some are lucky enough to get many Udi packets through someone they know. I feel blessed because, I stand over the ashes inside the Dhuni tank while wiping the hot ashes, the steam of dhuni baths me with Udi.
Sometimes, when I sit inside the Dhuni Tank, I write over the heap of Udi with my finger ” Sai”
In Hinduism we apply Viboodhi on forehead for two reasons
1. It has its own power – It brings us blessings of Gods
2. It conveys detachment from wordly desires. Our body is going to be like this ash someday. So one has to be detached.
Similarly, Shirdi Sai Baba also blessed devotees with Udi.
Anyway, If my parents din’t let me serve Sai for years as I wish, I would have not been what I am today. They gave me all the freedom I need to live life as I wish and do what ever I wish for Sai and it pains me when am not able to bring any happiness to them when they need it most.
Its going to be 1.10 at night now…I loved writing about Ma and My Amma ! So didn’t know how long I wrote without feeling sleepy.
Wish I speak to my parents as before Sai…but then, Don’t they know I love them even when I don’t talk much?
Sometimes, the best thing in life comes in silence.
Edit:
This morning my friend Prem called up as all my friends in Nagasai are going to do seva in a Newly built Shirdi Sai baba temple in Saravanampatti. Today is Kumbabishekam for temple. For past one year, few have invited me to this temple but didn’t felt like going there though its near my office.
He asked me to take leave and join them. I told him, Shall try to come in the afternoon if Sai wills. I don’t like to take leave for the Sai seva I do which is why i tried to control myself from going to Shirdi the past couple of years. It will be good if i can make it this afternoon as all my friends are there in the New temple…lets see…
Somehow my heart always is hooked to Nagasai Mandhir though Sai lives everywhere.
Love,
Venkat
