Monday is a Day to pray Shiva. Then why do they worship a stone (shivlinga) & Why not Murti or Photo of Shiva himself?

Aum Sai Ram.

Well & Wish to hear the same from you. A Small Writeup on a Doubt most of the Devotees get especially when worshiping shiva during the Auspicious Month of Shravan. Monday is a Day to pray Shiva. Then why do they worship a stone (shivlinga) & Why not Murti or Photo of Shiva himself?

Q. Guru ji, its shravan's 1st Monday. Day of all devotees to pray Shiva. Then why do they worship a stone (shivlinga) Why not murti or photo of Shiva himself?

A: That's the speciality of our ancestors. They were Master in Spiritual Science. Shiva was never born. Shiva is not a body. Shiva is energy, Shiva Tatva which commands whole creation. His body is just imagination made out of knowledge of his energy. And its secret.

The 7 secrets about Shiva :

#1 Why Snake?
Snakes are a symbol of awareness.
You can't be asleep with a snake around your neck!

#2 Why Ashes?
To remind you of the impermanence of life; knowing that we live life fully.

#3 Is the Moon an Ornament?
The moon and the mind are connected. To be happy in all phases of life, you have to have a say over the mind.

#4 Why Damru?
It has the same shape as the symbol of infinity. Shiva is the unbound infinite consciousness!

#5 Trishul - A Weapon?
Shiva rules over the three gunas represented in the trishul. Yet he encourages everyone to do their dharma - to act and stand up for truth.

#6 Blue Bodied
The sky is limitless and so is Shiva.
The sky is blue and Shiva is blue too.

#7 Why Ganga?
Ganga represents gyan (knowledge). Wisdom dawns naturally when you are established in the Shiva.

The cave is called Kedareshwar. The four pillars represent four yugas - satya yuga, tretha yuga, dwapara yuga and Kali yuga. It is believed that when a yuga ends, one pillar breaks down. The only pillar remaining is Kali yuga.

The water around the linga is oozing from the cave rock and is in sub zero temperature even though the surroundings are not that cold. The only time when there is no water around linga is, surprisingly during the rainy season. But u cannot reach the cave during that time since a huge stream will cover the path!

For details on Kedareshwar visit: Kedareshwar Cave Temple

With Sai's Luv & Best Wishes.
God Bless you All.

Sai Devotee Nanavali

Nanavali ( Shankar Narayan Vaidya )

(In this pic wearing black shawl left side)

An ardent devotee of Baba was misunderstood by many persons in Shirdi. Nanavali was an Avadhoota and would do strange acts that annoyed the devotees. He would keep scorpions in his mouth or drink water from the gutter. Sometimes he would slap a devotee on his cheek and at other times he would pick fights with the visiting devotees.

Baba would gently rebuke him saying, If you behave like this devotees will stop coming to Shirdi. Sometimes he would smear his body with dirt, this amused the children of Shirdi. He along with a group of children would go to the Dwarakamai and create a raucous scene. There were two factions. One faction respected him while the other one thought that he was a trouble maker.

Nanavali addressed Baba as Kaka (paternal uncle) as Baba loved him a lot. When Nanavali first came to Shirdi, Baba said, Nanavali I have put on the lock and the key is with you. Do not betray me and I will not betray you. These words of Baba convey the deep bondage that existed between the two.

He took keen interest in keeping order in Dwarakamai and would see to it that every devotee got darshan.
Once Nanavali came to Baba and holding his hand made him get up his Gaddi. Baba got up and Nanavali sat there for a little while, then with a great deal of respect he made Baba sit on it again. Then he prostrated before him and said Oh Lord only you can occupy this seat, as it benefit your divinity. My place is at your feet.

Nanavali was devastated by Baba's Mahasamadhi. He felt it was futile to live any longer, as life withoutBaba was worthless. On the 13th day of Baba's Mahasamadhi he cried Kaka Kaka and left his mortal body. His Samadhi is built over his body and us next to Abdul Baba's Samadhi on the way to Lendi Bagh.

Guru Pournima & its Origin & Way to celebrate effectively at our Place of Worship & get the Complete Grace of our Guru Sri Shirdi Sai Baba.

Aum Sai Ram.

Guru Pournima is fast approaching & it will be celebrated on satuday 12th July 2014. It is a very Important day for Sai Devotees like us to Celebrate Guru Pournima is a Simple but yet a very Spiritual Way. Let us here know something about the importance of the Guru Pournima Celebrations, Its Origin & Way to celebrate effectively at our Place of Worship & get the Complete Grace of our Guru Sri Shirdi Sai Baba.

Q: What is Guru Pournima?
A: It is the Occasion to show respect to ones Guru in the form of Shradha & Saburi. Guru Pournima is to respect one & all guru. Not just sai baba. it is actually called Vyasa Pournima.

Q: How to Arrange or prepare our self to welcome our Guru?
A: Clean the Home you are staying. Make sure No Durt or Dust is there in the house. Place a Chair or Sofa in the Living Area & cover the furniture with Silk or Cotton Cloth. Even if it is used/old cloth, there is no problem. But wash the Cloth & Cover the Furniture. Place a glass of water with 1 pepper, 1 elaichi preferably in copper vessel. Light some incense sticks or loban to keep the environment fresh.

Q: How to Perform Guru Pournima?
A:  On Guru Pournima day if the Devotee has a statue of Baba or any Guru at Home, perform Sheerabishekam/ Milk Abhishekam & Rose Water Abhishekam. After abhishek put a New or washed Dress & perform Alankar to Guru.

Light 5 Headed Diya with 2 strands of Cotton in each head & use gingelly oil along with one spoon of ghee to light the Diya. Apply Chandan, Kumkum, Akshatha to Guru’s Fore head & to Diya. Perform Sankalpam of Family members & Friend & then perform  Ashtotharam. During Ashtotharam, put 1 flower for every name chanted or alteast put some Akshatha [Rice mixed with Turmeric powder] for every chanting. Preserve this akshata separately & put it on forehead daily till it gets completed as blessings from the guru after the daily puja ritual.

If this is Not Possible, visit a temple & perform Abhishek, Archana etc.

Q: what to Keep for Naivaithyam?
A:  Cook some Rice, Dhall, Prepare some sweet with Jaggery.  keep a fruit or some Dry fruits like Banana, Orange, Apple, cashewnut, Dry Dates, Raisin etc.

Keep full meals in a silver plate or new steel plate which is never used for eating purposes. If this is not readily available keep Naivaithyam Prasad in Plaintain Leaf or Paper plate. Also keep a Glass ful of water along with the Naivaithyam.

After Naivaithyam is performed Keep 1 Full serving of Prasad in terrace or balcony for the Guru to eat it in the form of crow or sparrow etc.  Pour some water & clean the place before keeping the serving. Remaining food should be split among Family Members & Guest & consumed.

Q: what Spiritual Activities can be performed apart from the Puja Ritual?
A:  Read at least 1 chapter from sai satcharita or some other spiritual book. Listen or perform bhajan or do a satsang. Perform Group chanting of Vishnu Sahasranam, Lalitha Sahasranam & other spiritual verses. Speak Less & perform meditation or Nama Japa on your Guru to get his Grace.

Invite atleast 1, 5, 9, 11 or 21 Sumangali at home. Give Turmeric Sticks & Tambulam with dakshina of 2Rs,  5Rs or 10Rs.

Q: What Charitable Activities can be performed in a simple Manner?
A:  Donate some food to a needy. Either cooked Food or Raw Rice of at least 1.16 cups, Dhall, & Jaggery. Anna danam to needy is the only Charitable activity which has no comparision to any other form of charity.

If you can spend more, buy a cloth or a saree or give some money to the really needy in the society.

Q: What is that 1.16 cup rice?
Q: We usually give 1.16 Anna’s those days. so that is the symbolic way of giving a Donation. Previously, the money was divided into 64 parts & not 100 paise as of today.

So 1.25 times is 1.16 anna. So Baba always asked that only as Dakshina from the very poorest of the devotee to take his bad omens etc.

So 1.16 is the standard. Even while keeping kalas, we keep this 1.16 calculations.

Q: Now how will you calculate this 1.16 in nahe paise?
A: 1.16 in new count is 1 Rupee 25 paise. But, as 25 paise is not in existence any more. To solve this calculation problem we multiply it into 4 times & it becomes 5 rupees or multiply it into 8 times it becomes 10 rupees.

So you can Donate 5 or 10 Rupees to the really needy perform in life.

Hope I’ve clarified the Doubts of Majority of the Sai Devotees who are preparing them self for the Guru Pournima Celebrations. Have the best time with your Guru & get his grace in the form of Gud Health, Sufficient wealth & Enormous Success in your Future Endeavour.

With Sai’s Luv & Best Wishes.
Om Sai Ram.

Article Courtesy:
Raghav N for Sri Naga Sayee Foundations.
Email: saiinc@ymail.com