Dwaraka Mayi

[Guest guest]

AUM SAI RAM

"Masidi Ayi, that is Dwaraka Mayi, is Sai (Mother). As the Dwaraka Mayi of Ranchod is Krishna. So Dwaraka Mayi is here Shirdi. You need not go far out to see Dwaraka, if you place your entire faith in mother 'Masidi Ayi'. All your troubles will be over and you will attain bliss!" – Shirdi Sai Baba.

On Thursday last, we rounded up our dominical 'bhajans session' with the song- 'Shirdi Sai Dwaraka Mayi Prasanti Vasa Sai Ram!' As I was leaving the centre, one lady (I can't recall her name, so we will give her the name Yasodah) came up to me and asked me the meaning of 'Dwaraka Mayi' in the song which we sang and which gave her goose pimples.

'The vibes were so intense!' she exclaimed.

When I patiently explained to her that Sri Shirdi Sai Baba told his devotees that he is also the goddess 'Mahaluxmee', the divine mother, she insisted to relate to me her experience of the Shirdi Sai Dwaraka Mayi (dear readers, possible she was psychic and she knew that I was going to write to you about it!) -

'A few years ago, I went to India to visit my son who was studying at University in Delhi. Before I returned to Mauritius, I thought I would go to Shirdi to offer prayers to Baba. So I went to Shirdi and offered prayers to Baba. But my heart was still heavy with grief. My children who were all grown-ups were always fighting and the mother's heart could not bear this. Each time I thought of them, I would cry. There, in Shirdi, my mind was with them and I wiped the tears from my eyes. My steps had unconsciously taken me in a garden. There, I saw an old man sitting on a bench. I thought he was sleeping but he was not. He talked to me when I passed by his side:

'What are you looking for?' he addressed me in Hindi.

'A place to pray!' I replied.

'Pray here! This is Dwaraka Mayi! Buy a diyya, light it and offer your prayers!'

I bought an earthen lamp. It was selling only at three rupees, lighted it and offered it with prayers to Dwaraka Mayi. I wondered why there was no lighted diyya there, except mine. Strange! When I turned round to look at the old man, who had been standing behind me all the time, I realized that he was gone. I saw him again sitting at the same place and on the same bench when I walked back in the garden. I plunged my hand in my handbag, removed some money to give to him in charity. He raised his eyes to look at my face and he said:

'Tu Baba ko paisa dhete ho?' (Are you giving money to Baba?)

He pointed to some people who were asking for alms:

'Give it to them!'

I gave them the money. Then I heard a small voice 'inside' my ears:

'Boukhon ko khilade, Maa!' (Mother, feed the poor!) This voice is still lingering in my ears.'

While I stood there stunned by her story, she bid me good-bye and placed a one hundred rupee note in my right hand.

'A dakshina!' she said.

"The best way to receive is to give. The giving of 'dakshina' leads to detachment, to devotion and to knowledge. Wealth should be used to earn 'dharma'. If it is used for personal enjoyment it is wasted. Unless you gave in charity before, you cannot get it now" SHIRDI SAI BABA

At the Lotus Feet of SAI

Anita