SAAYEESHVARA

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SAAYEESHVARA The Revelation of Swami's True Form By G.V. Subba Rao This is the story of an extraordinary materialization by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba of an unusual picture signifying the true form of Shree Sathya Sai. On one Shankara Jayanthi day Swami asked my late revered father, Sri Ghandikota Subrahmanya Shasthri, to address a large gathering of devotees in the spacious Poornachandra Auditorium. My father, a master of Vedhic learning and practice, dwelt at length on the divine qualities and powers of Swami. He compared the divine glory of Baba with several Vedhic divinities e.g. Gayathree, Datthaathreya, Vishnu. By a slip of memory, my father forgot to mention the Shiva

aspect of Baba, although Shiva happened to be his Ishta Devatha or favorite form of Divinity. All through the rest of the day he regretted this omission. BABA's TRUE FORM The next morning, after the regular bhajan was over, Baba called us inside and graced us with a memorable interview. The discussion centered on the triple Vedhic paths of, Karma, Bhakthi and Jnaana (Work, Worship, and Wisdom) and the triple divinities: Brahma, Vishnu, and Rudhra. At the end, Baba led us into the Bhajan Hall and showed us around the new decorative installations in the Bhajan Mandir. Baba then stopped in front of the Shiridi Baba painting and lovingly materialized an unusual color picture (shown below), declaring to my father: "Idhi naa nija svaroopam " (This is My True Form). This electrified my revered father and also astounded me. SAI LINGESHVARA The first astounding feature of this created picture is that Baba's bust image is at the heart of the Linga form of Maheshvara. Saayeeshvara is thus Lingeshvara, the force pervading the universe. Sadhashiva Linga represents the ever auspicious Aatma beyond all duality. The Lingam is the symbol of creation and the Godhead. Baba used to produce on Mahashivaraathri night Lingas from inside Him and He has materialized innumerable Lingas from His Divine Palm. Baba stated: "Having witnessed the emergence of the Linga form (on Mahaashivaraathri) I assure you that you are released from the bondage of birth-death cycles". Baba once created for my father a Linga with Swami inside. A second time, He created a Neela Khanteshvara Linga - a blue-throated Linga symbolizing the control of poisonous substances and advised us that the water offerings poured over the Linga should be drunk for better health and vitality. SAI AS SHIVA AVATHAAR It was my father's faith that SAI represented the Shiva Avathaar. He reached this conclusion by systematically applying Vedhic criteria for comparisons of the two divine entities, Shiva and Sai, through analogies, similarities, and congruencies in such matters as their names , meanings of names, physical features, outstanding qualities and powers (gracing, veiling, and liberating powers), and teaching of Supreme Knowledge of Truth. The book SRI SATHYA SAI AVATHAARA VAIBHAVAM in Telugu contains a number of articles and Sanskrith poetic compositions attesting to his faith in SAI as the contemporary Avathaar or Incarnation of Shiva-Shakthi, Dhaivic (divine) power. Lingas and Vibhuthi creations are the two chief hallmarks of the two divine entities, Shiva and Sai. SAI AS VIBHUTHESHVARA Secondly, the materialized Linga

picture with Baba's bust inside is prominently marked on its forehead by three horizontal thick lines of Vibhuthi, the sacred Ash, the most precious and potent object for spiritual elevation as well as for prosperity, health, and healing properties. Baba used to materialize for my father copious quantities of holy Ash frequently during his last days at Prasanthinilayam. Once, on my father's ninety-second birthday, Baba poured a fistful of Vibhuthi on his head, putting some of it on his tongue! On another occasion, Baba materialized for my father a Vibhuthi and wet sandal paste-smeared silver medal lion with Saamba-Shiva picture on one side and the Shiva Manthra - OM NAMASSHIVAAYA on the other side saying that Baba's angelic messengers brought it from Kailash after Shiva Pooja there! Hail to Shiva Sai MahaA dheva! The three horizontal ash lines are called Thripundraka. As mentioned in the BRIHAJJAABAALOPANISHATH, the three lines

represent the trinity, the three fires, and the three worlds. As Baba says, Vibhuthi as the mark of Shiva is applied by Him to our brow to remind us that we too are Divine. Shiva smeared Himself with Vibhuthi after He reduced Manmatha or Kaama, the demi-God of desire to ashes. Therefore Vibhuthi,as Baba says, signifies triumph over tantalizing desires. Vibhuthi or sacred Ash is symbolic of the ultimate reality which remains when the dross of ego is burnt away by the fire of illumination. Ash or dust is the final unchangeable condition of things and as such it is a symbol of Divinity and Cosmic Dissolution. Vibhuthi given by Baba constitutes a warning lesson to the receiver to give up all desires and to burn all passions, desires, attachment, and temptations, and make one pure, holy and sacred and hence eligible for liberation. SAI AS OMKAARESHVARA Thirdly, the materialized picture of Shiva-Sai is encircled by OMKAAR, the primordial and eternal symbol of Brahman - Om Ithi Ekaaksharam Brahmaa - the Universal Absolute. It is the signature tune of God. Om - AUM - is the sum of all teachings of the Vedhas about Godhead and the systems of adoring. It represents the OM THATH SATH principle: "That is the Truth", "I am the Truth", and the "Truth is One". SOHAM is the unstruck, spontaneous sound emanating from the process of inhalation and exhalation of our life or vital breath. Soham transmutes itself into Om when the distinction between He and I has dissolved in Yogic trance or Samaadhi. The enveloping OMKAAR in the picture bespeaks of Shiva-Sai as OMKAARESHVAR. SAI AS NAAGALINGESHVARA Fourth, the materialized picture of Shiva-Sai portrays at the back the raised hoods of the seven-headed Sesha Naaga or the primordial Divine Serpent

of worldly Maaya or illusory divine energy hovering as an umbrella over the Shiva-Sai Linga. The seven heads represent the seven worlds created by Maheshvara. The hydra-headed cobra is charmed and fascinated by the Divine Snake-charmer's flute music, as it were. So long as Nature or man subserves and adores Supreme Divinity, it is freed from its deadly poisonous desires and attachments to evanescent worldly attractions, and then by its absorption in Divinity gains power which enables it to support the seven worlds on its heads. In another sense, the raised seven hooded serpent represents the upward flow of Kundalini energy breaking through the six energy centers (Shat-Chakras) and eventually reaching the seventh center of Sahasrara, the thousand petaled lotus overflowing with the nectar of immortality. The raised hooded serpent is also symbolic of the totality of both inner and outer energy in dedication to Shiva-Sai Linga. The Linga

picture materialized by Baba adorned by Sesha Naaga portrays the Naaga Lingeshvara aspect of Saayeeshvara. THRAYEE SAAYEESHVARA The fifth feature of the Shiva-Sai Linga picture is the portrayal of the three Sai figures - Shirdi Sai, Sathya Sai, and forthcoming Prema Sai. The past and future Sai figures are shown in the upper left and right hand corners of the pictures while Sathya Sai figure is in the center of the Linga. The three Shiva Sais - Shirdi Sai representing austere Shirdi Sai aspect, Sathya Sai symbolizing the energetic Shiva-Shakthi aspect, and the forthcoming Divine loving mother Shiva aspect is Prema Sai. These three Shiva Avathaars straddle the three centuries, 19th, 20th and 21st, when unprecedented violence on a global scale and regional wars require divine loving pacification of the demonic forces within man! The triple Sai principle exemplified in the

picture represents Sadhaa Shiva or Parabrahman. SAI AS GANGESHVARA The sixth feature of the materialized "Saayeeshvara" picture is the stream of water flowing out of the mortar like platform on which rests the Shiva Linga. It is symbolic of the sanctified GANGAAJAL emerging from KAILAAS, abode of Shiva. It represents the controlled outpouring of life-supportive holy waters for the benefit of all creatures. SAI AS MRITHYUNJAYESHVARA Shiva Sai is ever auspicious, ever beneficent (Shankara) and ever munificent and therefore worthy of adoration, worship and meditation. The garland of flowers adorning the Shivalinga represents a devotional offering to the lord of life and death as well as liberation. He is worshipped therefore as MRITHYUNJAYESHVARA, the conqueror of death; He bestows the Supreme Knowledge

enabling the devotee to end the vicious cycle of birth-disease-death and rebirth. SAI MEDITATION This remarkable Saayeeshvara picture materialized more than three decades ago lends itself admirably to both Saguna (with name and form as Shiva-Shakthi Sathya Sai) and Nirguna (or transcendental inner illuminating LINGA and OMKAAR) meditations. The purport of the Sathya Sai Gaayathree Manthra is: "We realize through scriptural criteria, through selfless preceptors and above all by our own direct experiences of Sai's miracles of divine love, creations, miracles of healing of our physical and mental ills, miracles of omniscient knowledge and teachings, and also miracles of His loving service activities that Sathya Sai is Divinity Incarnate. We meditate with all our heart and on this God of Truth with firm faith and trust. We

earnestly pray to that All-in-All Divinity that He, in His infinite mercy and compassion inspire us, guide us, direct us, and lead us in our pursuit of the liberating path of Truth, Right Action, Peace, Love, Non-Violence, and Selfless Service or Sacrifice." Send free SMS to your Friends on Mobile from your Messenger. Download Now! http://messenger./download.php