Shankaracharya vs Sai Baba row is escalating as the seer is still refusing to withdraw his controversial statements and to worsen the situation he has now raised questions on the miracles by the 20th century saint. Shankaracharya has said that Sai Baba is not a symbol of unity and that many babas make claims of performing miracles.
“Sai Baba is not a symbol of unity. Not only Shirdi Sai Baba but many fakeers have been claiming to perform chamatkars (miracles) since ages. Nirmal Baba too has claimed to be a Chamatkari Baba. God punishes people for their bad deeds, but Sai Baba never punished such people, he blessed each and every one,” Shankaracharya has said.
Shankaracharya had sparked controversy across the country as he had said that Sai Baba was not a God and hence people should not worship him.
Sai devotees condemn Shankaracharya statement
Saibaba devotees have condemned the statement of Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati, the Shankarachayra of Dwarka Peeth, calling upon people not to worship the Sai. Calling the 19th century saint as someone whose chamatkar (magic) they had seen in their own life, they said the Shankaracharya’s statement was “wrong and not required”.
The Shankaracharya had recently stated that Saibaba was no God and that his photographs and idols be removed from temples. He even stated that the Sai should not be given the same place as that of some of the Hindu gods.
“It was a very wrong statement made by him. Since my childhood, I have only heard of the magical powers of Saibaba and have witnessed them in my personal life too. In fact, I have propagated them among people through messages. He is God to me and I follow him,” said Pandit Rohit Kumar Dubey.
A household name of sorts in the entire state of Maharashtra, he is as omnipresent as Ganesha during the Ganpati festival. In fact, in most temples his idols can be seen. “Saibaba never claimed or felt like he was from a particular caste. No one even questioned it. He was a dev and a fakir. He had many followers and people are his devotees even today,” said Jayant Sasane, who once was the president of Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi.
Whether somebody should be treated as God is a matter of personal feelings, said devotees. “He may have said whatever he has, but that is not correct. It is about feelings. I feel he is God. Why would people follow someone who cannot do anything to them or for them,” asked Dr PL Tiwari, a medical practitioner at the Bombay Hospital.
Sai Baba devotees decide to pay no heed Shankaracharya’s words
On July 3, 2014, Thursday, residents of Shirdi held a rasta roko agitation at gate no 1 near the temple of Sai Baba to once again protest against the repeated statements of Shankaracharya Swaroopanand of Hardiwar, against Sai Baba and the temple in Shirdi and resolved to neglect such statements.
After the agitation the mob that had gathered held a meeting and decided not to pay attention to the statements made by the Shankaracharya.
“We as residents of Shirdi have decided not to blow any air into the fire so that it will die down on its own”, stated Ashok Khambekar, a resident of Shirdi and a former trustee of the temple trust.
“The best way is to neglect what the Shankaracharya is saying as it is evident that devotees of Baba will not deter from their faith. This can be seen from the cash collection donated in the box in the temple. The collection over three days when it was counted two days ago was Rs2.13 crores and gold and silver and other valuables worth another Rs50 lakh. The collection speaks of the high number of devotees visiting the temple inspite of the fact that it is the June end, a time when people are busy with schools and colleges reopening. People have deep faith in Sai Baba and that will not change”, Khambekar added.
Another resident said, “It appears that other seers seem to have lost their popularity and feel insecure and so this unnecessary issue over Sai Baba”.
The residents once again urged Shankaracharya to stop making statements against Sai Baba and misleading the people. Shirdi a small town in Ahemednagar district lives and works largely around the temple. Since devotees to the temple have started increasing, the economy in Shirdi revolves around them.
This Shankaracharya is going against the veda’s which states there exist god in each and every individual. Leave apart sai did miracles or not but when people started worshiping him god might have taken his form to reach out to the devotees.
Sincere Saints with exemplary social conduct are always respected and worshipped like God, Bhagavadgita also says (1) “Yada yada hi dharnasya glaanir bhavati bhaarata| Abhuttaanam adharmasya tadaatmaanaam srujaamyaham” -meaning whenever people falter in the path of Dharma – (i.e. path of righteous) I create Saints to guide them in the righteous path;Those Gurus are worshipped as God.. As the Hindu Guru Stotra says ‘Guru Brahma, Gurur Vishnu Guru devo Maheswarah Guru saakshaat Para Brahma tasmai Shri Gurve Namah”. Geeta further says (2) “yo yo yaam taam tanum Bhakta shraddhaya-architu michhati| tasya tasya achalaam shraddhaa taameva vidadhamyaham’ – meaning whosoever devotees worships whomsoever, I myself will make their devotion stronger in them. (3) “satayaa shraddhayaa yuktastasyaaraadhana meehate|labhate cha tatah kaamaan mayaiva vihitaan hi taan – meanining With that stronger devotion (instilled by Me) they worship me| and I will fulfill their desires through that worship only; (4) “Ye yathaa maam prapadyante taamstataiva bhajaamyaham| mama vartmanuvartante manushyaa paartha sarvashah” – meaning whosoever surrenders to me in whichever manner I bless them in them through them only, and in every manner they worship me only.
But Sai Baba is not one of the incarnations of God,as He is not mentioned Puranaas as God.But only in the life History of Shri Nrusimha Saraswat (i.e. one of the incarnations of Lord Dattatreya, it is mentioned that Hanumans was told to take birth in Muslim community instants hanuman uttered ‘Allah Maalik’. He may be perhaps shri Shiradi Sai Baba.
People uttering Shri Sai Mantra is composed by Devotees perhaps. Only Mantra Drushtaaraas (i.e. Rishis only, authorised to compose Mantras. Mantra shaastra gives Guru Mantra as (1) Guru devaaya vidmahe, param gurubhyo dheemahe tanno guruh prachoodayaat (2) Hamsa Hamsaaya vidmahe parama hamsaaya dheemahi tanno Hamsah prachoodayaat (3) Hamso Ganesha Vidhireva Hamso Hamso Harih Hamsamayashcha Shambhu Hamsashca Jeevo Guru deva Hamsah Hamsohamaatma Paramaatma Hamsah| Om namah Shree Guruve devaaya Parama purusha | Sarva-abheeshta pradaayakaaya| sarvaarishta vinaashakaaya| Sarva mantra chadanaaya\ Trailookyam vashamaanaya| Om Gurum OM OM OM Swaahaa|
One of the reasons put forth by Shankaracharya is that Baba was a meat eater hence a Muslim – Has he bothered to check how many of his followers eat meat and are due to this reason Muslims – and that further if such ‘Muslims’ are his followers – how is he then a Hindu leader – Is he not a Muslim leader too…
How many miracles has he been able to perform compared to that of the Sai – to my knowledge ZERO – that being the case, I would strongly recommend that either the Shankaracharya be dismissed and a new incumbent placed in his post or he be asked for forgiveness.
In our marathi Great Saint Tukaram Maharaj Says that Saint are the form of God only. (Dev te Sant Dev te Sant) There is no difference between Saint and God. Shri Sai Baba is great Saint and believed to be alive and solving the problems of their follower. He had given 11 promises to his follower we can locate it when when we visit the Shirdi. The word “‘SAI” itself explain that he is the God. Sai mean God. We also called him Sainath and Natha means the owner of this universe.
This Swami Swaroopanand Shankarachayra does not know what he is talking about. Sai Baba was a great Avatar and all Hindus should worship him. Anyway, Sai Baba did not eat meat, he only ate fish and many brahmins eat fish
with great reverence and prostrations to Sri Shirdi Sai Baba, all gurus and saints I humbly submit that respected religious Pontiffs should refrain from such statements because Avadooths belong to an entirely different spiritual category. They are in direct communion with God and are beyond religion!! In any case spiritual progress is entirely different from religious cnsiderations; the former unites the latter has the potential to divide if not understood properly!! JAI SADGURU SAI NATH.
God is all Pervading. HE lives in all creatures. When people go to temples and worship…their Calls/Prayers are answered because the faith in the devotee brings CHAITANYA in the Idol. Muslims pray in mosque and Christians in churches…where nothing is found except an enclosure with four walls. But their prayers are answered. It indicates GOD is all PERVADING. HE HAS NO FORM …HE IS CHARACTERISED WITH ALL 8 SIDHIS viz. ANIMA…GARIMA..LAGHIMA..MAHIMA.ISHITVA….VASHITVA…PRAKAMYA..&PRAPTHI.
Today there is urgent need of MUTUAL LOVE. Due to its decline atrocities are occurring in the society. To remove this SAINATH MAHARAJ appeared amidst the society.
I am a POORNABHISHIKT in SRIVIDYA. I perform SRICHAKRA MAHAPOOJA called NAVAVARANA ARCHANA. I perform Ganapathy…Chandi Homam on regular basis. Our forefathers were great VEDIC scholars. Despite all these as a human being we have our own limitations…but Saints do not have limitations. They are standing at a level where the entire knowledge lies at their feet.
We should respect not only every religion ..very saint…but every person.
Because…HE IS THE INNER DWELLER OF ALL BEINGS.
REGARDS
I went thro’ the miracles performed by Sri Ragavedra Swamy and they are backed by impechable evidence.So also the divine grace of Sri Sai Baba has conferred benefits to lot of devotees.As the divine composer sri Thyagarajar has said” ENTARO MAHANUBHAVULU ANTHARIKI VANDHANAM” Bakthas are always protected by Siddha Purushas.V