Sairam friends,
Since my Sister Indra and Niece are planning to come to India this December for 2 weeks, we did some painting work at home. While doing so, I came across a lot of stuff. The old Sai pictures I printed to gift to devotees, old photographs I had taken of my parents and my trip to Shirdi etc. One of those trip to Shirdi years back is memorable.
In Shirdi, I love visiting Sivanesan Swamiji Samadhi. It’s in Pimpalwadi road, 3 Kms from Mahalakshmi temple. I honestly have no idea hows this place now but 10 years back, I loved it. I had a friend called Kashyap who’s originally from a village 30 Kms away from Varanasi but spent his life working in Shirdi.
Back then, Kashyapji was a caretaker in Sivanesan Swamiji Samadhi.
I still enjoy his calls from his village near Varanasi or from where he works in Shirdi. Since I work from home all day, I am fascinated by people calling me from distance. Once I requested him to show around his house. He showed the trees and plants out side his house which made me happy.
Now, here’s the issue. In 2007, when my Sister’s Daughter was born, my Shirdi trip is memorable. I met Kashyapji’s son who was in School. He had come to Shirdi during vacation. Let me not name his son due to privacy reasons.
We were always in touch though I hardly visited Shirdi.
2 Years back, Kashyapji called me and said his Son got married and now is in Mumbai. Seems, he did not passed 10th grade and hence doing a labore job with low income and finding it hard to manage. I was upset to learn this. This is when I thought why Kashyapji never once told me that his Son has discontinued schooling. During my trip to Shirdi in 2016, I met Kashyapji but he said that his son is doing some work. I never had an idea that his Son discontinued schooling.
Sometimes, when I am driving to Saibaba temple here in Coimbatore, I ask myself what’s the purpose Guru? Why Saibaba did not gave buddhi to Kashyapji or to his son to complete his school. What happened to them. Why he never communicated this to me so that I might have tried to do whatever I could to make the boy continue his schooling.
Why didn’t Saibaba do something about helping this boy continue his education?
Well, It’s parents responsibility and not that of Shirdi Saibaba?
It’s one’s own responsibility and not that of Shirdi Saibaba.
Nowadays, Sai devotees assume Saibaba is going to change their life by doing some miracle. Yes he will. But in a few aspect, we have to take efforts. Of course, there are millions who are graduated with out a good career. That’s another issue altogether. For these people too, Sai might do a miracle but every individual has a free-will to take efforts to change their life for good. When such effect is taken, Saibaba shows them the path.
Being religious and worshipping Shirdi Saibaba can certainly be a blessing. But when you see life in birds eye view, an individual and his family plays an important role in shaping his or her life.
Saibaba will bless us the moment we take the right decision and work on our goal.
Instead, just believing Saibaba will do some miracle may not work for all.
What if Kashyap’s son had someone to motivate him to complete his education?
Now, think about your life.
Is there something you have been praying Shirdi Saibaba for long but nothing happened. If it is relationship issues, you cannot do much. But if it is your education, career and your business, you can certainly do somnething about it.
We have to take some initiatives and work for our life for Sai to do miracles.
I was little depressed when I came back from Saibaba temple this evening. After having dinner, Amma and me sat in varanda and asked the street Dog Pasi either to sleep inside compound or go out. But it kept doing all the drama until some other dogs barked after an hour and it ran away. It’s raining out now. I went outside twice to see if Pasi is safe.
I could not see her.
I felt like writing this today as I feel as a society we should do good to others. If we know someone, we should constantly ask what their Children are doing. We should do little we could to change others life.
For our own life, Sai may not always be able to work for us. Saibaba may not be able to do a few things on our behalf. We have to take one step ahead and Saibaba will take 100 steps for us to get things accomplished.
Take care and Sairam
Venkat
