Journal O Ram

A day with Shirdi Sai Baba.

Friday 18th July, 2008 is Guru Pournami and I am glad I have spent my entire day in worshiping Shirdi Sai Baba.


Song of the day is Ghana shyama sundara... from Shirdi Sai Baba's morning aarathi. It is a very soothing and a reflection of true morning pleasantness.

My day started at 5AM with a wake up call from Swapna. I kept on snoozing the the alarm 4am till 5am. Then I woke up with a call from Swapna. B 5.30am I started Seja Aarathi. I was not sure what to offer in the morning for Prasadam to Sai Baba. I opened the fridge and probably it opened my mind. It struck me that I should be offering to God, what I will be having myself. So, I offered morning milk with cereals as prasadam. I liked the idea and felt happy for it. It is very self-satisfying. I lighted two lamps for the morning Aarthi.

Swapna told me one very good thing, which I think I know but never followed. May be I never thought it was so important. She told me to light the lamps only after washing and cleaning the lamps which were lighted the previous day. So, I made it a habit to light the lamps only after washing and cleaning them. It is a nice fresh feeling which is good.

Kakda Aarathi
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7607750608382043911&q=&hl=en

Then I chatted to India and was on some phone calls. Listened to the album on Shirdi Sai Mahima on the website telugu.

http://www.telugufm.com/modules/music/MovieDetail.aspx?mid=10475

I snoozed it from 12noon to 12.30 in the afternoon for half an hour. I was thinking what should be offered for lunch as prasadam to Sai Baba. Then, the lines from Shirdi Sai SatCharitra suddenly struck my mind. In Sai Charitra, Sai used to go to fetch "bhikshannam" daily. Then he used to mix all the "bikshannam" and then have it as food. Baba never used to care of the taste of food and he left taste itself. Whereas, when he cooks food and offers it to his devotees, he always cooked and served very tasty food. Keeping this in mind, I offered Roti, rice, rasam, tomato capsicum curry and curd in one plate. Then I started the Madhyana Aarthi. I have lit one lamp for the Madhyana Aarthi.

Madhyana Aarthi
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-7607750608382043911&q=&hl=en

After the Madhyana Aarthi, I have taken the Sai Baba's prasadam. Keeping in mind Sai Satcharitra, I decided to mix all the items roti, rice, capsicum tomato curry, rasam and curd all together and eat it. First the feeling was not so comfortable and I was not sure if I will like it or will I be able to have it. Thinking of this, I mixed all the items as one, and then had the first "muddha". It was not at all bad like the way I imagined. Then from the second "muddha" I started liking it. And by the time I realized, the plate is empty. I at all the food within no time and with no other thought. I enjoyed it and it really was a great self-satisfaction.

After lunch, I started reading Shirid Sai Baba Parayanam book. This book is a weekly parayanam book comprising of chapters for each day from Thursday to Wednesday. So, I started and finished four chapters from for the days Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 2pm to 6pm. By then my mobile alarm started ringing for the Dhooop Aarthi.

During the pooja and Aarathi time today I am wearing a traditional red kurta, cream colored dhoti from FabIndia and Sri Venkateswara Swamy Uttariyam for the day. I was wearing it on and off as I wanted to wear it during the Pooja time only, so that it is fresh and clean.

The lamps were washed and then lighted the two lamps freshly for Dhoop Haarthi. The chakly snack was offered to Baba for evening as Prasadam. I am not sure if it is right or wrong. I know it is a heartfelt offering with no second thoughts.

Dhoop Aarthi
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3388136045302108037&q=&hl=en

After completing the Dhoop Aarthi, I completed the remaining three chapters for Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday before 9.30 PM. So, I refreshed myself, got into the traditional clothes. Five lamps were lighted in the pancha aarathi lamp. Offered five varities of fruits. Cherries, Grapes, Apples, Plums and Avocado fruits and Seja Aarathi started. Seja Aarathi is my favourite aarathi because I am so used to offering the Aarathi to Shirdi Sai Baba that every week, I used to go to Padmarao Nagar Shirdi Sai Baba temple in Hyderabad on Thursdays specially for seja aarathi. It was a very unforgettable experience. I used to drive almost 10 to 12 kms to attend this Aarathi from 9.30pm to 9.45pm. By attending it regularly, I also am benefited to recite the Aarthi without seeing the book. It is truly a divine experience to attend Shirdi Sai Seja Aarathi.

Seja Aarthi
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3749351276537734134&q=&hl=en

Then I talked to home and felt good about the whole day. Upon reflection of Sai Satcharitra, I felt that I should be doing some of the things which, Baba advised to His Devotees. Some things like reading Guru Charitra 108 times, Esyavasya Upanishad, Rajaram mantra, Srirama Vijayam and the like. I plan to make a list of all Baba's advices to His devotees and try to execute them one by one.

I talked to Krishnaji and Deepthi Vadhina. They told me that they plan to have a Bhajan at their home on Saturday evening 19th July 2008. So, I requested him to offer Laddu to Sri Sacchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj. He gladly accepted and said that he will offer it to the Lord and distribute it to the Bhakta's when they visit. I wish to attend the Bhajan. I like and I enjoy Bhajans a lot. I used to attend to a lot of Satya Sai Baba bhajans at Vizag Mandiram, Sundaram in Chennai, Shivam in Hyderabad. I have to visit Satyam in Mumbai. I love to attend these Bhajans. They take me to a very personal and eternal world where I really feel I am floating or flying in divinity. It is an experience in itself.

Srimaye told me so many cute little golden words like "Naanaa bagunnara...", 'tiffin tinnara...", " dosa tintaara...", "teeskostaanu...", "neenu raagi tineshanu..." etc etc. Srimaye is adorable. Mom went from Bhimavaram to Vizag. Swapna received mom at the station and I am very happy for that. Mom stayed with Srimaye and Swapna at Swapna's place and the the following day they all went along with Ajay et al.., to paapi kondalu a pilgrimage place to which they go by a boat across river Godavari. This is also show in the movie Godavari. It is wonderful locale and I am sure they all will enjoy it.