From Bhaktha to Sevak...

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Many of us go to Baba as a bhaktha and approach him as an elder, father, mother,

brother, friend, family member, or one of the many descriptions that any earthly

language permits us. The relationship between Baba and every one of his bhaktas

(devotees) is unique and different. Every one is treated differently based on

their stage of life. Once someone starts getting closer to Baba, His great and

unique personality starts showing its true color a little bit at a time. We

joke with Baba, we test him, and we pray to him. For what? For his grace, his

love and his companionship. What does one expect to get from the love and

companionship of a mad fakir? Materialists tend to ask for wealth, progeny,

prosperity, name, fame, and riches. On the spiritual note, one asks to serve at

his feet and become his sevak (servant).

What does it mean to serve at the Lord's feet? The Lord who lives in a rural

hamlet, has only a kafni robe to cover his body, has no money, wealth, home or

family. What is his service and to what extent is one willing to serve his

master? The real treasures open up based on contemplating this. Faith and

Patience are not words to be merely spoken or preached. They should be put to

practice too! Because, how much faith does one have in his master is tested on

a continual basis.

There are living examples of his sevaks (or Apostles) some very well known and

some not too well known that have embarked on a journey with their master. How

fulfilling and rewarding that life is cannot even be imagined by us. Before his

Mahasamadhi, Baba himself entrusted different work to different people like

Nana, Mahalsapahty, Ganu, Booty, Sathe, Hemadpant, Upasani Maharaj, Meher Baba,

Narayan Guru, Abdul, Bade Baba, Laxmi Bai, Radhakrishna Ayi, Tatya, Shama,

Shinde, Megha, Bayja to name a few. Some of the very famous Sai sevaks who were

entrusted his work after Baba attained Mahasamadhi are B.V.NarasimhaSwamy, Sai

Sharananand, to current day sai sevaks Sai Narayan Baba of Panvel, Chandra

Bhanu Satpathy of Chattarpur and many more that are carrying on his work

silently. It is very hard to visualize how Baba carries on his work through his

darbar. The king is resourceful beyond imagination! During his stay in Shirdi,

he would get his work done

sitting in the masjid by his influence on literally everything that one could

imagine. There are stories in Sai Satcharita, which depict his influence on

nature, the five elements, and even the mind of his Devotees! The same thing

continues today. Baba as per his promise speaks and moves from his tomb! He

continues to influence his sevaks and bhaktas according to their needs.

Can everyone become the Master's torchbearer (Sevak)? It is striking to note

that since the time of BABA, he chose the one to whom he would entrust his work

to be carried out and to be his sevak. It is a known fact that nobody can go to

BABA unless he wills it. Similarly, only they on whom HE rests his grace, that

makes capable of carrying out his work, can carry out Baba's work.

What is Baba's work (seva)? Can it be so easily done treating it as any other

job? Far from being easy, Baba's work is very difficult to accomplish. One goes

through an internal change of mindset, personality, and character before being

able to embark on working for Baba's mission. Baba's grace starts making one

realize and experience something that can only be felt and not expressed

through any other medium.

Baba's work should not and can not be taken lightly. Baba says "Never take up

any work if one is not inclined to complete it. Do not do anything half

heartedly." When something goes wrong, it is very easy to say "Baba does not

want it to happen" instead of saying "We are not capable of accomplishing that

task hence Baba is not giving the permission". It is very hard to accept that

Baba works on all levels and at all times. It is often said that "Baba works on

a spiritual level but still we have to do the mundane things". The very

differentiation that we are different from BABA or that BABA is not directing

all the actions is what makes the task to get accomplished difficult. We tend

to forget that all our actions stem from our mind. How could Baba initiate an

action and contradict the same? It is only our convenience, the mind set!

For even a simple task as moving our hand, first there is a mental thought,

which translates into action. The thoughts are nothing more than a form of

energy waves and the mind as a radar or an antenna receives the impulses and

churns out as a response, the thoughts. Depending on the frequency of the

antenna, certain types of thoughts are received by the mind and the rest

ignored just like the antenna of the TV selectively receives waves of the

frequency it is programmed for! That does not mean that other waves do not

exist in its environment. Similarly as the mind is tuned under the grace of

BABA, the personality changes and by following Baba's principles, one can work

their way from being a bhaktha to a sevak. Yes, in a way, Seva IS Saadhana.

Source:saibaba.org

Arun Reddy Nukala

+447946595063

http://groups.msn.com/

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