SHRI SAI-STAVAN MANJARI IN ENGLISH

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SHRI SAINATH-STAVAN MANJARI (A HUMBLE

TRIBUTE OF PRAISE SHRI SAINATH) DAS GANU Translated from the marathi by Smt.Zarine

Taraporevala andEdited by Dr. Smt.Indira Kher, A HUMBLE TRIBUTE OF PRAISE

TO SHRI SAINATHI bow down to Shri GANESH.Oh,MAYURESHWARA ,You are the one on whom we depend,Oh,son of GAURI, the all-knowing.Oh,You inconceivable one.You with an immeasurable belly.Protect me,oh,Shri

GANAPATI ….1 You are the first and foremost of all the Ganas'and of all the deities;Therefore, you are called "GANESH"2You are acknowledged by all the

"SHASTRAS" [sacred books]You of sacred countenance, oh,

BHALACHANDRA! .2 1. A term for certain

troops of inteniror deities considered as Shiva's attandants,and under the

especial superintendence of GANESH.2. A name formed by

the combination of JU and B©e i.e. Lord.Oh, SHARADA,Goddess of Speech !You are the mistress of the realm of words;Because of your existence,All wordily transactions are carried

on.

….3 You are the deity revered by all authore;You are eternally the pride of this nation;Your infinite power prevails everywhere.I bow to you, JAGADAMBE.

….4 You are the Supreme Spirit and beloved of the saints !incarnation in human form of PANDHARIRAYAYou are the ocean of kindness and infinite compassion;Oh Pandurang Narahari

!

….5 You, who control the world like a puppeteer with his strings,You are omnipresent.All the sciences and scared books are still delvingTo plumb the essence of your

nature.

….6 Those who are pedagogues,To them, you are not revealed, Oh CHAKRAPANI ;All those foolish peopleOnly indulge in the jugglery of

words.

….7 Only the saints understand youOthers remain baffled.To you, My obeisance.Respectful and with my whole bodyprostrate in veneration before you

….8 Oh, you five - headed SHANKRA,Oh, you wearer of garland of skulls,Oh, you blue - throated DIGAMBARA,Oh, you BRAHAMRUPA PASHUPATI !

….9 One who recites your name all the time,His worldly adversities are immediately dissolvedSuch is, oh DHURJATI,The power of your

name.

….10 With obeisance at your feet,I am writing this paean of praise;Help me always to complete this mission,Oh, you NILAKNTHA - the blue - throated

one!

….11 Now, let me bow to the son of Arti (DATTATREYA),To the family deity of Indira (VISHNU)To Tukaram and all other saints;So, also, to all the devotees.

…..12 Hail, hail to you, Sainath,Redeemer of sinners and merciful one !I lay my head down at your feet;Now give me your protection

….13 You are the whole world, the abode of bliss:You, yourself , are Vishnu, the paragon among men;One whose wife is Uma !You are also that enemy of Cupid3

….143. i.e. You are also

Shankar You are God in human form !You are the sun in the sky of knowledge!You are the ocean of kindness!You are the anti - dote for worldly maladies!

….15 You are the CHINTAMANI of the poor and the down - trodden !You are the divine purifer (Ganges river ) for your devotees!You are a raft for those drowing in worldlinees!You are the refuge of the

timid.

….16 You are the very cause of this creation!That which is pure CHIATANYA !You are that Oh, very treasure of compassion,The universe is only one of your

LEELAS.

….17 You are not born!Death also does not affect you!This is the final conclusionWhich one arrives at, after a thoughtful

search.

….18 Birth and death,These concepts are born of ignorance!From both you are freeOh, Lord of

course!

….19 If water appears as a spring,Does it imply that its source is there?It existed already, full and flush,Merely sprang up from within the

earth. ….20 Water that springs up in a hallowIs ,therefore, so described or named;A "spring becomes its proper nameWithout the water, it is only a

hallow.

….21 To spring up and to dry up and disappear,This is not the nature of water:Because the water of the springHas no importance for the hallow it

fills. .....22 It is only the hallow that is mistakenly proudOf itself, rather than the water that filled it.Therefore, when the water dries upThe hollow becomes

impoverished.

.....23 The human body is really like the hallow water bed;The spirit (pure energy) is like the pure clean water of the

spring; Although there are innumerable such hallowsThe essence is the same in

everyone. ....24 Therefore, you, who are without a beginning,I say to you, merciful one,To destroy the mountain of ignorancePlease become the thunderbolt of

Indra

.....25 Until now, such hollows (beings)Have existed in large numbers, on this earth.Many more exist even now,And, in the future, as the goes by, many more will

come ...26 Each such hollow (being)Is given a separate and different name and appearance;That is how in this world, They are identified.

....27 Therefore, to distinguish that spiritIn terms of "you and me" is not proper;Because. as there is no dualityThat itself is most surely,

the Spirit

….28 And, since the SpiritTruly encompasses the whole world,Then, the "you and me" the duality concept,How can it possibly be

entertained?

.....29 Water latent in the cloudsIs all the same;But when it descends upon the earth,It assumes different

forms4

….304.Examples brooks river

springs, lakes etc. That which falls in the Godavari bedIs known as the (sacred) River Godavari;That which falls into a wellDoes not have the same worthiness of

prestige.

….31 Saints are the river Godavari,And, you are the water in itWe are the puddles , wells and lakes;That is the difference between us.

….32 For the fulfillments of our livesWe must surrender to you,Always, with folded hands,Because you are the embodiments of

piety.

…33 It is due to its water -bedThat the waters of Godavari have become holy;Considered merly as water,I's the same everywhere

everywhere.

….34 The bed of GodavariThat is considered as truly sacred,Owes all its sanctityTo the quality of the land through which it flows

….35 The water latent in the cloudsDoes not alter that part of the earth on which it falls;Yet, that very part of the earthIs called Godavari (or pure) by the scholarsof the scared books.

….36 Where the water has fallen elsewhere,It has acquired the qualities of the soil of those places;Contaminated, bitter salty it becomesThough. originally sweet

….37 Same is the case with you, oh, GURURAYA,In whom there is no impurity of the six - vices5To that holy formThis title, "Saint " is

befitting.

….385.

These are lust, anger, greed, desire, ego, envy. Therefore, saints are Godavariso full of grace:Amongst all the beingsYour place is the

highest!

….39

From the beginning of creationGodavari has been in existence;It has been full of waterAnd it has never lacked it till

today.

….40 Look, the enemy of RAVAN6Came to the banks of the GodavariBut it's water has flowedAnd the water at present is not the same as old water.

….41 The bed alone remains the same.The waters have flowed into the ocean,The sanctity is eternalOf the river - bed, to this

day.

….42 6.

i.e. Rama Each year,The old waters go and the newFlow into the river bed;It's the law, as you

know.

….43 A century is like a yearThe sages of that centuryAre like the flowing watersWhile the great souls are like the waves on the water.

….44 Of these saints who are like Godari,In the early centuries,There was a great floodOf SANAT - SANAK - SANANDAN.7

….457.

Three sons of Bramadev who were born of his own mental conception. Followed by NARADA and TUMBER8DHRUVA, PRAHLD, powerful king BALI,SHABARI,9ANGAD, 10 VAYUKUMAR11,VIDUR 12, GOPE -

GOPIKA13

….46 Thus ,many came the present timeIn each of the centuries in the past,The floods came repeatedly,which I am unable to

recount.

….47 In this present century,The sacred GodavariHas for certain flooded this landIn your form, Oh ,

Sainath!

….48 Therefore at your divine feetI make obeisance;Maharaj, of my faultsTake no notice, I

plead.

….49 8. A devotee of God

with the face of a horse.9. A Bhil woman , a

devotee of Shri. Rama. 10. Son of Vali 11.

Hanuman 12. Pandavas' Uncle.13. The dairy lads

and maids, companions of Shrikrishna. I am a poor, wretched, ignorant man,The greatest of sinners;Ridden with vices,But do not cast me off!

….50 The inherent defects of ironAre ignored by "parisa"14The small streams of the village, Lendi and oholAre not rejected by the Godavari.

….51 I am full of vices within.By your mrercitful glance.Do, do quickly destroy them.This, only, is the plea of

"DAS"

….52 It after coming in contact with the the 'parisa"!The iron"s inherent defectsDo not change GURUVARA,Then, it is to the discredit of the

"parisa"!

….53 14.

Imaginary stone that turns iron into goldDon't let me be a sinnerDon't belittle yourself;Look ,you are 'parisa',I am the iron;My discharge is your concern too.A child always commits

mistakes,

….54 But a mother does not scold;Remembering this,Grant me your

grace.

….55 Oh,Sadguru Sainath,You are my "KALPATURU"!15You are the means for crossing this worldly ocean,You alone are so -

undoubtedly.

….56 You are "KAMDHENU"!16You are "CHINTAMANI"!17 You are the sun in the sky of knowledge.You are great mine of virtues !Oh,you are the ladder to heaven

!

….57 15. Wish -

fulfilling tree. 16. Cow yielding all desires.17. Gem giving

whatever is desired. Oh, pious, purest one,Oh, embodiment of peace and bliss,Oh the supreme self,Oh the non-dual one, the ocean of

knowledge;

….58 Oh, incarnation of the supreme wisdom, the best among men,Oh, abode of forgiveness and peace,Oh, refuge of devotees,Bless me, bless me

!

….59 You are the Sadguru MACHINDER18You are the Mathama JALANDER19You are NIVRATINATH, DNYANESHWAR,KABIR, SHEIKH MOHAMMED, EKNATH you

are.

….60 You are BODHLA 20 You are

SAVATAMALI,You are truly RAMDASYou are TUKARAM Sainath,You are SAKHA 21 You are MANIKPARABHU22

….61 18. The great

founder of nath Panth. 20. Mankogi Bodhale of Dhamangaon.21. SAKHaram

Maharaj of Loni. 22. Saint from Humanabad. Your present manifestation,And your manifold natureare really difficult to understand !The knowledge about your caste and creedYou do not reveal to

anybody.

….62 Some say you are a Muslim,Some say you are Brahmin.Thus like Krushana,You too, are

inscrutable!

….63 Having observed SHREE KRUSHNA,Different people called him by various names.Some call him 'YADU BUSHAN'Some call him a

cowherd.

….64 YASHODA23called him a darlingKANSA 24called him the great evil.UDDHAV 25called him beloved,ARJUN called him

Omniscient.

….65 23. Shrikrishna's foster

mother. 24. Krishna's uncle.25. krishna's devotee. Thus oh GURUVARA ,To youAccording to each person's conclusionBased on his mental attitude,Names are give ,by

them.

….66 The masjid being your dewelling,And your ears not being pierced.Nothing your offering the 'FATEHA'To call you a Muslim is logical.26

….67 26.

The above conclusion of Das Ganu is not based on facts.In the thirteenth verse of seventh Canto of

Shri Sai - Charitra,Hemadpant says:- "His ears were

piecred, so how can be called a Yavana?Circumcision he approved, so how can he be

called a Hindu?"He is neither Hindu nor Muslim,Sai is the holy incarnation.Sai is the holy incarnation."The late Swami Sai- Sharn - Anand has

rendered this work of Das Ganu into Gujrati In the footnote to his translation

of the sixty - seventh verse thereof , he observes, "Das Ganu does not appear to have

observed Baba's ears carefully. As per the translator's own knowledge and

observations. Similarly , considering the worship of fire,As done by you, Lord of mercy,My own conclusion isThat you are a Hindu

!

….68 But these superficial differencesWould interest only pedagogues;But for those devotees desirous of knowledgeThey are of no

consequence.

….69 You are BRAHMA Itself !Caste and greed have no relevance to you ;You are the Guru Supreme !You are the creator of this world !

.....70 If

any prasad were brought at a time other the afternoon Naivedya and if Bade

Baba or other Muslims were present, Baba would order the first "Sura"

of Koran to be recited and would himself join in. But in the absence of

Muslims, this practice was never follow. There was Hindu - Muslim rivalry;Therefore , to bring about unity and amity.The masjid and the fire worship were embraced by you,To show your "leela" to the

devotees.

….71 You are beyond caste and greed,You are Brahman, the essence to Truth;You are That, verily,You are beyond human conception

!

….72 Giving free rein to surmises and conjectures,Arguments have flourished about you.There, my insignificantWords, how will they

prevail?

….73 But when I behold you,I cannot remain silent;Because for encomium, wordsAre normally the only

means.

….74 Therfore, by means of words,Whatever description is possible,That I will always proffer,With your

grace.

….75 Saints, I reckonHigher than gods;For distinctions such as mine and thinefind not a place in their

proximity.

….76 HIRANYAKASHAPU and RAVANA27Were killed because of their hatred of god;Such a deed has never been done by

saints.

….77 GOPICHAND, In the heap of garbage,Buried JALANDARA ;But that sageHad no rancour for that

act.

….78 27.The

two demons killed by Lord Vishnu and Shri Rama respectively. On the contrary, the king was deliveredfrom the material worldAnd was immortalised ;Such is the prowess of the saints,It is indescribable

!

….79 Saints are the Sun,Their grace is illuminating ;Saints are as pleasing as the moon,Their benign ness is as gentle as

moonligt.

….80 Saints, are the soothing musk,Their blessing are like it's fragrance,Saints are the juicy sugarcane,Their blessings are like its

sweetness.

….81 Saints, towards the good and the bad,Are the same, definitely.On the contrary, their love for the sinnersIs

immeasurable.

….82 In the waters of the Godavari,Only the soiled clothes come to be cleansed ;The clean ones, in a trunk,Remain far from the Godavari

banks.

….83 Even that which remained in the trunk,came once,To be cleansed thoroughlyOn the Godavari

banks.

….84 The trunk is the eternal abode ;You are the Godavari, unshakable faith is the ghat;All beings are the garmentsFull of the impurities comprising six

vices.

….85 The "DARSHAN " of your feetIs like a bath in the Godavari ;Wash away my sins.Oh, Samarth, and purify me !

….86 We worldly peopleGather layers of impurities again and again ;Therefore, we are the right peoplefor the "DARSHAN " of

saints.

….87 In the abundant waters of the GodavariComes the wash 28, to be cleansed at the GHATS :If it is really left unattended,Then, it is a discredit to the Godavari

!

….88 You are the cool, shady tree, with abundant foliage ;We are the travellers, really,Suffering from the scorching sun - raysOf the three - fold 29 calamities of

Life.

….89 From that blazing heat, oh compassionate one,Protect us, Oh GURURAYA.The benign grace of your cool shadeIs extraordinary

!

….90 28.

The dirty clothes. 29. These arise out of spiritual conditions, physical

conditions or due to fate. Sitting under a treeIf one feels the heat of the sun,Then, who will call that treeThe shade-giving tree

?

….91 Lock, without your graceNothing can be right in the world ;SHESHAYEE 30 befrieneded ARJUNA,To uphold the

right.

….92 Due to the kindness of SUGRIV, BIBHISHANACame in contact with King RAM,It is due to the saints,That Shri Hari is thus

glorified.

….93 BRAHMAN, being formless,VEDAS cannot describe it.Be endowing it with forms,The saints have reduced the importance of the

formless ! ….94 30. Vishnu VAIKUNTHAPATI, husband of RUKMINI,was made a "Mahra " by DAMAJI ;TO PICK UP

CORPSES OF

BUFFALOESCHOKHAMELA made JAGAD - ATMA (God)

slog.

….95 Knowing the prowess of saints,Jagjivan laboured by carring water.Saints have truly lordedOver God Himself, who is Eternal Truth- Knowledge -

Bliss.

….96 There is no need to speak more.You are our mother and our father,Oh, Sadguru Sainath,Dweller of Shirdi village.

….97 Baba, your "LEELAS"No one can truly comprehend ;Then, my plebain speechHow can it do justice, tell me

? .....98To save the sinners,You came to

Shirdi;Pouring water into earthen lamps,You made them

burn,

….99 The wooden plank of absurdly small measuresYou turned into your bed, truly;Thereby displaying to the devoteesYour amazing yogic powers

!

…100 The barrenness of many womenYou have completely dispelled ;The diseases of manyYou have cured with the " Udi "

!

…101 To ward off worldly difficultiesIs not impossible for you.The weight of an ant,Does the elephant consider as a

burden?

…102 So be it, GURURAYA,Have mercy on the humble one.I surrender at your feet,Do not turn me

away.

…103 You are the king of kings,You are richer than KUBER himself,You are the Heater par excellence.No one is superior to you

!

…104 for the worship of other deities.The ritual is as prescribed.But, for your worship,There is nothing worthy of you

!

…105 Look, in the realm of the sun,The festival of DEEPAVALI has come ;But to celebrate it ,What shall be the means

?

…106 To quench the ocean'sThirst, adequate water cannot be found on earth;To warm the fireFrom where will the heat be found

? …107 All articles needed for the worshipAre filled with your essence;from the beginning, they are part of you,Oh, SHREESAMARTHA GURURAYA

!

…108 All my talk is a philosophical statement,for I have not experienced its truth.I have spoken with out experience,A meangingless maze of

words.

…109 If ritualistic worshipOf you, is to be performed by me,To do that I have no wherewithal’s,My SAMARATHA GURURAYA

!

…110 Mostly, with the help of my imagination onlyWill I worship you.That worship itself, oh compassionate one,Do accept from this

slave.

…111 Now with my tearsI bathe your feet;The sandalwood of true devotionI make into paste and

apply.

…112 The long tunic ("KAFNI") of these ornamental wordsI place on you, sincerely ;This garland of adoration,I place round your

neck.

…113 The incense of vilenessI burn before you, truly ;Through it is of impure compositionEven then, there will be no foul-odour from

it.

…114 Elsewhere than before the Sadguru,If incense is burntWhat happens to that incenseIs like

this

…115 When the incense is put on the fire,The moment it actually touches itThe fragrance from the incenseLeaves it

instantly.

…116 Before you, it's the contrarythe impurities burn away in the fire,The good remains for everFor the world to

see.

…117 Once the vileness of the mind is burnt away,The mind will become purer ;Once the Ganga's impurity is gone,Then it is holy,

naturnally.

…118 The light of temptationsI kindle most truly,From which, may the lustre of asceticismBe granted to me, oh GURUVARA

!

…119 The throne of pure faithI offer you as a seat ;On receiving itAccept the offering ("naiyvedya") of

devotion.

…120 You partake the offerings of devotion,Give me the essence ;Because I am your childI have a claim on your

milk.

…121 My mind is my monetary offering ("DAKSHINA")That I offer to you ;Therefore, the credit or discredit of any actionwill no longer be

mine.

…122 Now, most

humbly and devotedlyI do obeisance to you ;Please accept it,Oh divine Sainath

!

…123 EIGHTFOLD PRAYER Possessing peaceful mind, and wisdom supreme,Sainath, the compassionate,You are ocean of kindess, truth incarnate ,And destroyer of the darkness of ignorance

!

...1-124The sage, beyond caste and greed you are.Beyond comprehension compassion incarnate;Protect me, protect me,Oh, Sainath of Shirdi

!

....2-125 You are the sun of Divine Knowledgethe bestower of choicest blessings ;Oh, fabled HAMSA of the minds of the devotees,Protector you are of those who surrender to you.

..3-126 You are BRAHMADEV, creator of the world;You the sustainer of the world VISHNU ;The destroyer of the three worlds,You are that very RUDRA

!

..4-127 There is no place on this earth,Where you are notOmniscient, oh you Sainath,You dwell in all our

hearts.

..5-128 Forgive us all our sinsI implore you !And those weaves of doubts and delusions,Repel

instantly.

....6-129 You are cow, I the calf,You are moon, I the stone melted by It's light;At your feet, which are like the Ganges,Respectfully the slave (DAS) bows down

! ...7-130 Place on my headYour hand and bless me, oh Lord!Wars off my sorrow and worryFor this GANU is your

servant.

..8-131 With this eight-fold prayerI prostrate myself before ;My sins (demerits) suffering and povertyWard off

immediately.

…132 You are the cow and I the calf ;You are the mother and I the child ;Do not harbourAny harsh feelings towards

me.

…133 You are the sandalwood from Malaygiri31I'm a thorny shrub.You are the life-giving waters of Godawari,I, the greatest of

sinners.

…134 31.

Mountain in mysore famous fot its Sandalwood forests. If after having your "DARSHAN"The impurities of my wicked mind remainUnchanged GURURAYA,Who will then call you sandalwood

?

…135 The proximity of musk ("KAASTURI")makes even the dust more valuable;The fragrance of flowers is transmittedTo the thread which ties the

garlands.

…136 This is the way of the great.Whosoever they come in touch with,To him they impartA part of their

greatness.

…137 Sacred ashes, join cloth and the bull,SHIVA made symbolic parts of himself;Therefore, these objectsAre praised in all

quarters.

…138 For the amusement of the cowherds,At Vrindavan, on the banks of the Yamuna,The lord of the World played "DAHI-KALA"That too has earned recognition from wise

men,

…139 Similarly , I am a sinner,But, I am under your protection;Will you not redeem me, Oh, GURURAYAFrom my sinful

state?

…140 Worldly or spiritual,In whatever objects I seek satisfaction,I have no doubt, O GURURAYA,That you will grant me

these.

…141 With your grace,Control my mind ;If the oceans are sweetenedThere is no fear of their being

salty.

…142 To make the oceans sweetTruly you have the powers.Therefore, this supplication of Dasganu,Please

concede.

…143 Whatever be my shortcomings,They are all yours !You are the foremost among the spiritual masters,So do not stint while

giving.

…144 Now, why should I speak more ?You are my only refuge.The child held in the mother's arms,Is naturally with out

fear.

…145 So be it. This hymn of praise,Whosoever read with love,Their desiresFulfil , O

Lord.

…146 Your blessing for this hymnI entreat.May the difficulties of he who receites this sincerely.Be warded off within a

Year.

…147 After performing all ablutions,Should this hymn, be recited regularly,With a pure and sincere feelingIn your

heart.

…148 If this be not possible,Then, every Thursday.Meditating on the Sadguru in your mind.This hymn should be

recited.

…149 If even this be not possibleThen on every "ekadasi"32This hymn should be readTo realize the beneficial

effect.

…150 32.

The elevanth day of the month accoding to Marathi calander. One who recites this with faithWill ultimately progress spiritually by the Grace of GURU.Who will satiate the material desires readily.And thereby deliver him from their

bondage.

…151 With repeated recitations of this hymn.Dull wits will be sharpened.And, If perchance, someone's life is short,Then, by recitation, he will live

upto a hundred years!

…152 Where wealth is wanting.KUBER, the Lord of wealth himself will come to stay.Oh reading this hymn.This is the Truth and so it shall

be.

…153 To the childless children will be bornOn reciting this hymn.And the ailments of one who recites this hymnWill be dispelled in all

directions.

…154 Fear and worry will disappear,Prestige will increase.He will realise the imperishable BRAHMANWith the regular recitation of this

hymn.

…155 Regarding this hymn, oh wise ones,Have faith in your heartsAbout the efficacy of this hymn;And give no placeTo doubts and

misconceptions.

…156 Go on pilgrimage to Shirdi,Concentrate on the lotus feet of Baba,Who is the succour of the poor and the meek,The wish- fulfilling tree for the devotees

!

…157 It was because of the inspiration received from HimThat this hymn has been composed.How else could an insignificant ignorant one, like me,Have written it

?

…158 In Shake 331840In the bright half of the BHADRAPAD month,On GANESH-CHATURTHI day,Monday, in the second 'PARHAR' 34

…159 This humble tribute of praise to Shri Sainath,Was completed at Maheshwara35By the sacred bank of the NarmadaNear Shri Ahilya Devi's

SAMADHI.

…160 At Maheshwara , the famous TIRTHA,The hymn was completed.Shri Sai Nath made me utter every wordBy becoming part of my

mind.

…161 The disciple DamodarBecame the scribe truly,I Das, Ganu, am only an obedient servant.Of all the saints and

sages.

…162 33.

i.e. A.D. 1918 34. i.e. three houres after sunrise.35. Near Indore. Peace be with you ! May this humble tributeof praise to Shri SainathHelp you cross the worldly ocean.This is the prayer, with faith and respectOf Das Ganu, to Shri

Panduranga.

…163 Let this be offered to Shri hari-Hara!Bless us, O Lord !PUNDALIK VARDA (fulfiller of wishes) HARI-VITHAL !I recall Sitakanta ! Hail Hail RamaParvati-pate Har-Har Mahadev !Hail to Shri Sadguru Sainath Maharaj

!Shri Sadguru Sainath, I offer this to youBless us, O Lord!. " Knowledge Stored & Not Shared,Is Like A Donkey Carrying Books On His Head"Contribute & Distribute - Rohit Behal

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