Why Worship Sai Baba?

[Guest guest]

Why Worship Sai Baba?

By M. Rama Rao

 

What Kids Need From Their Fathers

1. Someone who shows his love for them

2. Someone who will spend time with them

3. Someone who can see the world through a child's eye

4. Someone who will set limits

5. Someone whom they feel proud to imitate.

 

Despite all that mothers can provide, children feel safe and protected with

their fathers.

Nothing can change the need for a dad.

 

I attended the ‘Guru Poonima’ celebrations at Sai Spiritual Centre on 12th

July 1995 and on our return trip home, my grand-daughter asked me : "Why so

elaborate pooja and rituals? Sai Baba has stated simple remembrance of My

name as 'Sai' 'Sai' will do away all the sins of speech and hearing'. I

pondered for a while and told her that she will have a convincing reply from

Sai Baba Himself by that evening.

 

When we went home, we had a guest who had just returned from Africa. He was

describing African sanctuaries and other places he visited there. He showed

us several photographs taken in Africa.

 

I had almost forgotten the morning's incident. In the evening, my grand

daughter said that Sai Baba is ever living to help and guide all and she

herself had a unique experience in this connection when she asked me in the

morning - Why worship Sai Baba?

 

Her experience is something, which is a direct reply of Sai Baba Himself.

Sai Baba anticipated the psychological difficulties of His devotees who have

been worshipping their family Gods through traditional forms of worship by

insisting that they continue to worship their family Gods with undiminished

reverence. She told me that the very fact of a guest coming to our house

and narrating his experiences of African sanctuaries is a Sai-miracle. Sai

Baba has made her learn that in the African sanctuaries where wild life is

protected, there are guide posts and shelters where lost tourists may take

shelter and procure information about correct routes and directions. Our

temples, churches, mosques etc., are like these guideposts set in the

wildlife sanctuary for the guidance and protection of toast tourists. Sai

Baba is that facet of the Supreme who out of irrepressible love and

compassion is such a guide always on the look out for the lost tourists and

waiting eagerly with open arms to welcome them. That is why it is easier for

all of us to take shelter in Sai Baba from the terrors lurking in the

forests of this 'samsara.'

 

Regarding the elaborate rituals in worshipping Veda Vyasa, Krishna,

Shankaracharya and the lineage of Gurus upto Sai Baba, Sri Narasimha Swamiji

and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji at Sri Sai Spiritual Centre, she understood

that the Supreme Being containing all Gods, avatars, prophets and Gurus like

the 'Viswaroopa' revealed in the 11th chapter of Bhagavad-Gita. Sai Baba

repeatedly stressed on 'Allah malik' and thereby tunes the minds of His

devotees to the Supreme Being. She concluded that Sai Baba insisted on

continuing traditional methods of worship.

Sai Baba - the ‘Antaryami’ seated in my heart - in His own inimitable manner

had convinced my granddaughter in less than ten hours of her argument with

me. This transformation itself is a Sai Leela par Excellence.

 

Saipadananda Magazine July 1995

Source: http://www.saileelas.org/magazines/saipadananda/oct95.htm