Spiritual Sadhana

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Spiritual Sadhana

 

A husband and wife lived in a small village. They were earning enough money to have four meals a day. Every day, a beggar used to come to their doorstep for food. The beggar was very stubborn in nature. He would never go away until food was given. The wife and husband felt very uncomfortable about the beggar's stubbornness. Therefore, they devised a plan to send the beggar away. When the beggar came to their doorstep for food, both the wife and husband started fighting with each other. They started shouting loudly on each other. The beggar observed this and went away. Once the beggar was out of sight, both of them congratulated each other for their best show of false pretence. The husband told the wife that, "I shouted at you as if it was real." The wife replied to the husband, "I cried so much as if it was real." The beggar came back and told them, "I had also gone away as if it was real, and now, I am back again."

This story shows the power of Maya in one's life. It can come back at any time like the beggar in the story. In Sai Satcharitha, Sri Sai talks about the power of Maya. (Ch. 13). Sri Sai says, "It is the Adi Maya of Sri Hari who distracted even Brahma and other Gods. Without ceaseless Hari-bhajan, there is no release from this Maya. Follow your goal, consistent with what has gone before, and what is to follow; always act in compliance with what has been ordained. Forever be content and never leave any place because of worry or anxiety." As long as one is living in the world, one should not abandon studying or listening to the Scriptures and contemplating the meanings-Sastra sravana (Sri Sai advised the devotees to read jnaneswari, Gurucharitra), Devotion to the Guru-Guru bhajana (Guru Gholap darshan to Mule ji), and Worship of one's own chosen Deity - Devatarchana (worship of Lord Siva by Megha). At the same time, one should not turn the

sadhana into another ego booster. Sincere and Genuine spiritual sadhana makes the person to become humble by showing the vastness and greatness of the infinite. The spiritual practice should be done with a understanding that,"Thy will be done." Shraddha (devotion and faith in Guru and his teachings) and Saburi (forbearance to the different situations in life with a feeling of surrender to the lotus feet of the Guru) are necessary to make the spiritual practice fruitful.