Sathyam Sivam Sundaram - Part I (Sl# 36)

May 11, 2006

SaiRam

Sai Baba Again (Continued..)

The Dasara Festival soon became an event par excellence at Puttaparthi. Even if Baba had to journey to Madras or Trichinopoly or Masulipatam for other festivals, He was invariably at Puttaparthi for Dasara. Sakamma and other devotees were privileged for many years to make arrangements for this "Festival of the Mother." Baba is the Supreme Mother, manifesting Herself as the Goddess of Wisdom, Saraswati, the Goddess of Wealth, Lakshmi, Goddess of Spring, Sarada, Goddess of Growing Food, Annapurna, and even Goddess of Powerful Inner Purification, Kali. Baba has said that Sanatana Dharma, the Eternal Wisdom, is the Divine Mother of Humanity. As the Divine Charioteer, He brings His Message of Truth, Divine Law of Righteousness, Peace, and Love, the four cardinal principles of spiritual culture. His devotees feel that He is their Mother more than all others, and so there is a special appropriateness in Dasara being the outstanding festival at Puttaparthi. Many among

His devotees have been blessed with Visions of Him as the Mother. In fact, one of them insists on addressing Him as Siva, the Mother - a name reminiscent of the sublime conception of God as Father-Mother, masculine-feminine, and Siva-Sakti.

He enjoys the company of children, and even the most recalcitrant is brought round by Him through an inexhaustible repertoire of tricks and games and ventriloquial achievements. He makes shadow figures and gives them presents of sweets, materialized by a Wave of the Hand. He twists and turns His Fingers, and when the shadow falls on the wall opposite, the children are astonished to find snakes, eagles, horses, stags, dogs, peacocks, crows, cats, and buffaloes jumping about in great glee. He offers the child a ball of sand; it reluctantly extends its tiny hand to receive the Laddu - the delicacy children relish most. The sand actually becomes sweet fragrant Laddu the moment it reaches the palm of the child. He says that children are indeed lucky, since they have the good fortune of Baba's Darshan (experiencing His Presence) much earlier than the adults, and they are privileged to have Baba as their Teacher, Protector, Guide and Guardian for many decades to come.

When Sai Baba agrees to name the children of His devotees, the names He gives them are redolent with His Grace and His Mercy. He also initiates the little ones in the alphabet. He holds their tiny fingers in His Hand and scribbles the letters along with them in honey or milk or rice.

Akshara means also "the imperishable," and Baba, when He inaugurates the Aksharabhyasa, the study of the alphabet, also initiates the children into the Imperishable. Each one must pronounce Mahamantra (the great Formula of Power) ; Om Namo Narayana - "Honor to the God in Man!"; Om Namasivaja - "Honor to the God Siva"; or Om Srinivasaya - "Honor to the abode of Sri, the Goddess of Fortune," or any mantra that is suited to the traditions of the child's family, thus giving the child the key to ultimate spiritual victory. There is a song sung in Tamil about Sai Baba which refers to Him as the Sayimata, the Mother who suckles Her children on the milk of Wisdom. The study of the alphabet is the occasion on which the fortunate child gets the chance of receiving Divine Wisdom. During Dasara Baba shines forth as the patron of Music and Letters and as the Giver of Food and Sustenance, so that Dasara has become a memorable festival since the very beginning of His

manifestation. The devotees delight in discourses, musical performances, dramas, and sumptuous feasts. Every evening there are processions along the narrow roads of the village with Baba being carried on a flower-bedecked vehicle. Decorated differently on each day, the palanquin is carried on the shoulders by eager relays of devotees. During the progress of the procession, the author has seen Baba plucking from the garlands around Him odd flowers and, with a palm full of petals, scattering them among the crowd. They all fall with a jingle, for each petal has become a small medallion with Baba's portrait on one side and Sai Baba of Shirdi's portrait on the other! Or it has often happened that the petals were turned into peppermints, which rained among the crowds around the palanquin! While on the palanquin, Sai Baba's Forehead has often been covered with Vibhuti, the Sacred Ash that emanates from within. Devotees have seen on Sai Baba this as well as Kumkum dots that

emerged.

(Sai Baba Again To be continued..)

SaiRam