Sai Baba the Master - By E.Bhardawaj

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APPENDIX - IV

A Note on Devotion to Guru

We have noted in the Introduction that association with a great saint is

of paramount importance to spiritual life. Sai Baba’s account of his

devotion to his guru and his saying “Look to me and I look to you”

corroborates it. It is relevant to consider a few suggestions for shaping

our devotion to Sri Sai Baba along these lines.

 

Firstly, a life-like picture of Sri Baba is an invaluable asset. To a keen

student of Baba’s life history, the form of Baba is a powerful reminder of

the supreme value of unfaltering meditation on the guru and the picture

conveys this attitude of Baba. The spiritual greatness of the saint which

the picture recalls us will act as a powerful force to motivate us to

aspire and strive for that goal. At one stroke, it places all other aspects

of our life in their places, giving them, no more value than they deserver.

Our attitude to things and persons we encounter in normal life, if so

seasoned, is what is implied by viveka (insight or understanding) and

vairagya (absence of thoughtless fascination for things.) fascination for

things.) The sight of Baba’s picture thus evokes these two potent forces of

sadhana in us. And he personified these two forces in his form and life.

 

Secondly (i) a regular and devoted study of the account of Baba’s

life-history will draw our heart towards the goal spiritual. (ii) The

experience of the devotees will inspire love, reverence and wonder for the

saint and when these attitudes are clearly impressed on us, they keep all

our thoughts and feelings hovering about our love for Baba. sadhana becomes

incessant. It becomes our very life. (iii) Usually the manifold objects and

creatures of the world and our attitude to them are the most powerful

constituents of mundane life which thwart us in our attempts to keep our

life tuned to the Spiritual Reality. To a diligent student of Baba’s life,

the very obstacle gets transmuted into an aid. The miracles that

demonstrate his identity with all creatures, deities and his picture are

the aids. After reading these accounts repeatedly, we find that every

object and person gets associated with Baba’s leelas in our mind and so

will act as a reminder of Baba. The very things of the world will be the

agents for tuning us to Baba.(iv) The mysterious experiences such a student

usually has will further strengthen these forces. (v) Thus the emotional

currents of worldly life and of spiritual life get harmoniously synthesized

so that we are never out of tune with Baba and yet never out of tune with

the world. (vi) This further sharpens our viveka and vairagya by making us

realize the triviality of mad sensuality of all types. The innumerable

fruits of these adjustments in our psychic life can only be experienced and

never enumerated in toto.

 

 

(Source : http://www.saibharadwaja.org)