My First Visit To Shirdi - Experience By Buvi Raj.

Sairam
Happy Baba's day to all
As the title of the post indicates,todays experience is related to Sai blessed trip of Buvi Raj to Shirdi ,where the devotee experiences Baba's presence throughtout the darshan and beautifully narates the experience felt in Baba's darbar.It is worth mentioning that devotee has also beautifully shared thoughts on how one should follow Baba's teaching in day to day life.Jai Sai Ram .

Dear Sai Devotees,
My name is Buvi Raj and I reside in Atlanta, GA (USA). I would like to share with you all the miraculous experience which Baba gave me during my first visit to Shiridi.

To All Sai Devotees - Please hold on to Baba no matter what. Please don’t take owner ship for anything “GOOD OR BAD” that happens in your life. It is for the same reason in my below experience I purposely mentioned I/We/He and then (Sorry …Baba ), in many places , because we often think that we did or we achieved, No.. it is baba who controls everything. All we have to do from our end is have firm Faith and Patience (Shraddha and Saburi) on Baba, think of him and meditate on him all the time.

The mind is designed to think of something, it cannot be without thinking even for a minute. So we (only through Baba’s grace), should deviate from our other thoughts and move towards Baba. Thinking of Baba’s stories and chanting his name is the best way to get Baba’s company and purify our thoughts.

The happenings in our life are the results of our past karma and we should take life as it comes and leave the rest in Baba’s hand, by complete surrender to him. The ability to take both “Pleasure and Pain” in the same way (just what baba used to do) comes with constant practice. Always think, whatever is bestowed on us at the present moment is only for our good and be content with life, as it is.

When we have firm faith in Baba we should not have any fear or anxiety, no matter what happens. The more closer we get to Baba the better we will realize this. Praying to baba on behalf of everyone for the same. Baba, bless you all. Jai Sai Ram.

Dear Manisha,
Thank you so much for playing a great role in spreading Baba’s fame. Truly appreciate your work. Praying to Baba to inspire more people similar to you. Baba, bless you and be with you always. (You can disclose my name)

Sai Ram
Baba picked a beautiful day for me to draft “My First visit to Shiridi - Experience “, yes today is Krishna Janmashtami –Aug 9th 2012. Baba had called me to Shiridi for the first time back in December 2011.

Ever since, I wanted to share that experience with other Sai devotees and I guess I was blessed by Baba on an auspicious day as Krishna Jayanthi/ Gokul Ashtami (one of the special day’s for baba) to compose the same. Also 9 stands for the nine types of devotion suggested by Baba and it is a Thursday as well. Thank You, Baba.

“He who calls for the visit makes all the arrangements for the visit “, was very true in our case. My hometown is Chennai and after marriage came to Atlanta, GA (USA). We were planning to visit Chennai, India in 2011, and at that time did not have the slightest thought of visiting Shiridi. But sometime around October of 2011 after finishing the rituals for Baba’s Punyathithi in our local Sai Temple here in Suwanee, GA , it was Baba who had invited me to Shiridi, when a thought about visiting Shiridi arose within me.

 Immediately he started to make the arrangements, we made bookings with a local tourist company (Vasantkamal Tours), since Baba made the arrangements needless to say we got a very comfortable /all inclusive package which took care of our travel, stay, meals, anytime transportation from hotel to temple for darshan etc. Baba made sure that even our slightest desires where fulfilled, thanks to the motherly care and affection of our dear Sai.

Before I start explaining the actual miracles I experienced in my Shiridi Trip. I would like to share how Baba came into my life. Baba already plans everything for us well ahead, but we ignorant souls realize his leelas only later.

Most of my childhood days (before Kindergarden) was spent with my Grand Parents. I was attached with my Grandparents especially to my Granddad and used to spend more time with him. It looks like during those days, he has taken me to one the followers of Shiridi Sai Baba, (who was a saint as well) and he bit an apple and gave it to me for eating as prasad. My Granddad used to remind me about the same, atleast once every time he sees me.

He will say the only reason you are excelling in your studies is because Baba’s follower gave you that apple and you ate it. So you are blessed and he will assure me that I will have a good future because I have Baba’s blessings and grace. I used to take it very lightly and only used to make fun of my Granddad saying that he has been repeating the same thing several times.

Nevertheless my Granddad did not cease from reminding me about Baba. My granddad just passed away recently, right during the time of Baba’s PunyaThithi. He was constantly reading Baba’s bhajans and prayers even during his last days. Baba, be with him always and may his Soul rest in peace and unite with Baba.

In late 2009 through some of my friends I went to Baba bhajans and temple here in GA. I used to get lower back pain after my first delivery and used to suffer a lot every month. Once I was in that condition and went to Baba temple and looked at Baba and asked if he can bring a solution to this problem and ever since my sufferings ended, even if I get it these days it is very occasional and mild. This is the first seed of “Faith” Baba planted in me and it has only grown deeper ever since.

 My life has completely changed for good since 2009. I used to visit Baba temple occasionally, after this incident I started going every month, and gradually baba drew me to a point where monthly visits transformed to semi - monthly and then into weekly, since 2011. Baba calls me now every week and I spend minimum 2-3 hours in meditation and joining in Baba’s Arathi, enjoying Baba’s presence, the experience I get every week is divine, by Baba’s grace.

During special holiday times I try to spend a day with Baba in the temple, a simple way to thank Baba for his kindness. Also the most important gift Baba gave me in 2009 is the “Sai Charitra”. Again, my progress started slowly it took me months to finish my first reading, and then I realized that my soul is attached to that book. Through Baba’s grace I started doing continuous reading after that and since 2009 up until now finished it 18 times and started my 19th reading, last month. I made it (Sorry …..Baba made it a point to make me) cover a chapter during work days and during weekends and holidays more chapters so I can cover more.

Baba helps me to meditate on the stories from the charitra and stay connected with him through the same. As per his advice I continue with my worldly duties but give my heart to Baba’s stories and chanting his name.

Complete surrender to the Sadhguru and singing his glory and assimilating his stories in the heart where he stays is the best dakshina for him and is the easiest way to cross this mundane existence of human life, peacefully.

I should say Baba has been very generous with his grace in making such a rapid spiritual progress in my life and drawing me much closer to him within a short span of time, not only me he has drawn my family members as well.

I also completed the 9 weeks Sai Vrath beginning of this year , I had been putting it off for quite some time and again baba himself made it happen. Once I was about to begin my meditation in the temple, I noticed someone had placed a copy of the Sai Vrath story in front of Baba’s photo. Something within me kept reminding about the same and I could not concentrate on the meditation. I thought baba was trying to tell me something, I followed Kakasaheb Dixit’s policy of casting lots in front of Baba, when in doubt.

One note had “Start now”, one note had “Start later /After 6 months”, when I picked one, the “Start now” note came. As per Baba’s wish I completed the Vrat. Since feeding the poor is very important for Baba, I was thinking how to execute the same.

One day while I was in the temple, I came to know that they were going to conduct some upcoming “Feed the Hungry”, charity programs and wanted volunteers to help the program. I was glad to accept the same and coordinated couple of charity food events, again through Baba’s grace. I saw Baba, through the happiness and contentment in the eyes of those poor people when we provided them with a nice, hot meal.

There are countless miracles that I am experiencing since my attachment to Baba. Baba has used me as an instrument to share my experience with my family members, friends and relatives and has drawn them all closer to him as well. I am really honored and thankful to baba to be a part of it.

Coming back to my Shiridi Experience:

Our stay was for three days in Shiridi. We took an early morning flight from Chennai to Pune and reached Shiridi in the afternoon. My husband and son wanted to take rest (jet lag due to travel from Atlanta to Chennai –just the previous week). I was tired too but I could not wait to take the first darshan of Baba. So I left them in the room and went alone (I did not fear about going alone as Baba is there with me), everything went smooth, transportation was there from hotel to the temple (which was only a short distance), I purchased all pooja items and shawl for Baba and stood in line for darshan. Since it was holiday season in December, the temple was crowded.

I was a bit overwhelmed with the crowd pushing back and forth. Suddenly as I was stepping into the Samadhi Mandhir I noticed a middle aged man dressed in white behind me, he was so nice to me and for reason unknown he was escorting me and asking others not to push throughout the darshan. I remember, he was talking in Hindi and was very cheerful.

He said looking at the golden pillars before Baba “Dekho Didi, Poora Sona hai” (Look Sister – This is fully made of gold) and he said “Look how beautiful Baba looks”. It seemed as though Baba came in his form and was gladly making my first visit/darshan a great experience.

Usually Baba’s Samadhi in front of Baba’s statue will be closed with glass gates, only very few times it is open, when we can touch the Samadhi and do namaskar. Baba allowed me to touch his Samadhi as it was my first visit, not only touch I requested the priest to keep the pooja items and not to take them out quickly and so and he kept all my pooja items in his Samadhi until I finished my namsakar.

I bent down and did namaskar. As soon as I bent down and placed my head on Baba’s Samadhi , tears of joy started rolling down my eyes and I started to cry , the priest seeing my condition did not ask to me to go, he (Sorry…Baba), allowed me to stay for sometime, even though it was highly crowded. Blessed are those precious moments! Once again thank you Baba and for the everlasting blissful memory of your first darshan.

The important part comes now. Before our Shiridi trip we had gone to visit one of our relatives and they (again by Baba’s grace) informed that for NRI’s they give darshan pass in PRO office if we provide passport and we don’t have to stand in long queue.

 So the next day (Wednesday) when I took my husband and son they gave the pass and we had good darshan and in fact we were allowed for Noon Arathi. Initially the PRO personnel objected to send us for Arathi they said only darshan pass, but since I requested they gave Arathi pass reluctantly. At that time I also told them that tomorrow being Thursday (Special day for Baba) I mainly wanted to go for Kakad (Morning) Arathi and wanted pass for the same.

They asked me to come in the evening and will surely give, as they only issue passes few hours before the Arathi. So I went in the evening as per their advice and requested for the Morning Arathi pass, they said being Christmas holiday time, they are expecting a huge turnaround and they have special VIP reservations as well and so they will not be able to issue any passes for the whole day on Thursday and that their offices is going to be closed.

 I felt very sad, they mentioned if needed I can talk to their manager. So as a last resort I spoke to their manager. I was literally in tears and explained that I am a NRI and I will not get this opportunity often and to kindly help me, tomorrow being a special day for baba I want to go for atleast one Arathi it can be either Morning, Afternoon or Evening, but he said he could not do much. So I came back to the hotel and went to sleep feeling unhappy. I did not plan much for the next day and hence did not even set a wakeup call.

Baba’s miracle begins here. Will he let his child leave Shiridi unhappy? Certainly, not. As I mentioned earlier my son and husband were still having their jet lag and so they were not having a regular sleep routine. So, my son wakes me up around 2.30 am. He usually puts me in his lap and makes me go to sleep and pretends to be the mommy, so he did the same thing and I felt someone gently tapping my head. (In other words Baba (My Mom, Dad and Guru) was waking me up through my son.

I still did not feel like waking up, with closed eyes I asked my husband what time it was, he said 2.30 am.Something within me told that Baba is calling me. So I immediately woke up, I thought I will take a chance by standing in line and going for Morning Arathi. So I just called the hotel folks to arrange for transportation to the temple, they said the driver will be ready shortly and even without me asking they sent hot water upstairs for bath (as the heater system works in the hotel only during regular hours). I got ready quickly and the driver dropped me at the temple.

I was heading towards the darshan queue for Morning Arathi. Even if we stand in line, there is no guarantee that we will be allowed for the morning Arathi but I thought I will atleast try. Suddenly, a boy whom I had seen the previous day, he was standing by one of the shops and was talking to me when I was buying the pooja items the previous day.

He came to me and said that one of his friends can help me with the pass for morning Arathi. I asked him if he can really help, otherwise I can atleast stand in line and take a chance. He said he can surely help, he sent me with another family who possibly can get the VIP pass through some earlier reservation. Even before few minutes before the Arathi can begin I was not sure if the family was going to get the pass, their name was called at the very end and the pass was given.

There were lot of people behind us who had similar reservations but were not allowed. My joy knew no bounds when I went inside because we got the spot very close to Baba, right in the front. Even if I got the NRI pass I was not sure if I would have been that close. I should say that this pass was specially arranged by Baba for me.

Again with tears of joy throughout the Arathi, I thanked baba to my heart’s content, for his kind and generous invitation/arrangement. The same day (Thursday), I thought I will try again for afternoon Arathi in the PRO office since I had my husband and son joining me. It is again through Baba’s miracle , inspite of all the resistance shown the previous day, they gave the Arathi pass. Usually the NRI devotees who are going for Arathi are seated separately and about 10-15 minutes before Arathi time they are allowed to go inside.

 Since it was around 11.40 am and I did not see any devotees being seated separately for noon Arathi , I thought they are already allowing the devotees inside for Arathi .When we gave the pass to the security guard, not sure whether he noticed that it was Arathi pass , he sent us for darshan and he also kept the pass with him, when we went inside they said it was only darshan and they asked us to leave, I again told the security guard inside that the PRO office had given us the Arathi pass, but they wanted to see a copy of the pass, then I realized that the security guard did not give the pass back to me.

They said I have to talk to the PRO office again, there was only 15 minutes left for the Arathi, I quickly ran to the RPO office and it was closed already. I went back to the security guard and told him to check the pass I gave him, but he was not willing to listen or allow us. I prayed to Baba again ,there was another officer whom I had spoken to earlier the previous day for doing Baba Pooja, he was at a different office where they issue Abhishekam/Pooja tickets. I went and requested him to talk to the security guard, he was dressed in white and white that day and even though he was busy attending to other devotees , he looked at me in my eyes for a minute, it seemed as though Baba was looking at me.

Not sure what went in his mind to my surprise he left his counter/office and came straight to the security guard and asked him to allow us inside for Arathi. This is how Baba helped us again , we went on time and joined the afternoon Arathi as well.

Since it was our last day and we were leaving the next day, I had got some more Prasad for family and f riends and wanted to offer the same to Baba first. So I went around 3 PM again for darshan, had good darshan and offered the Prasad (Peda Sweets) and since it was not peak time, I was able to stand for a while and then sit in the space in front of Baba (the pathway in between the two lines for darshan). While I was standing and taking darshan with the Peda Sweets offered to baba in my hand, an old man and his daughter were also standing next to me.

The old man looked at the sweets and asked me with a nice smile, if he can taste some. I thought that Baba himself came in his form, I gladly gave him some. He enjoyed eating it, right there in front of Baba in the Mandhir. Usually the security guards are at the back of the devotees asking to exit quickly, but none of them came to us while all this was going on. The old man then came to me and asked me where I was coming from, he also said the sweet was very good and asked me where I got it from, I gave him some more and he happily accepted and went.

For evening Arathi I thought I will try my luck again , since I was the only person attending. So I went to the PRO office again, by now all the people working there knew me well since I have taken turns in getting the passes from all the officers . The counter which was free when my turn came again was the same officer who issued the afternoon Arathi pass for me. He asked me “Didn’t you get the afternoon Arathi pass already, if all the passes are given to you how about others?”. I know I was being selfish here but since it was my last day, travelling all the way from US, not sure when Baba will call me again, so I requested him just for one evening arathi pass only, no doubts he was mad at me, he gave me the pass and told this will be the final one. It was very crowded that evening, I could hardly breathe, but baba again allowed me and I got a spot pretty close, right in the front. When I was walking back to my hotel room, I was thinking, how baba changed everything for good.

I was thinking based on what the PRO office manager said the previous day, that seeing Arathi is going to be very difficult on Thursday. But, Baba was very generous and gave me a pleasant surprise by allowing me for all three Arathi’s on the very same day. It is certainly a special and memorable day in my life and Baba left me speechless by his grace.

The next day Friday we were vacating our room, I thought since I already got all the Arathi passes , I was sure the PRO office will not give us any more passes for Arathi on Friday, so I had no plans of going to the temple and since we had to go on time to board our flight , I was not sure if we will have time to stand in line for darshan, but suddenly a thought arose , how about getting darshan pass?, I remember them mentioning that they can give darshan pass without any issue.

So, Baba wanted me to come again and looks like he had a parting gift for me. (Baba is always with me/us, there is no parting from him internally, probably I should say parting gift for me physically leaving Shiridi). So we got the darshan pass, after the darshan, I had no heart to physically leave the mandhir and Baba. So, with heavy heart I was just stepping out when the priest called me and gave me an “Eclairs Chocolate” in my hand. It looked like Baba was asking me to go happily.

I recollected the saying in Sai Charitra “Everything about Baba is sweet, his life, teachings etc”. So, it looked like he wanted to pass on the same sweetness to me as a parting gift. Thank you Babaji, for all that you have showered on me. Love you so much!
Sairam .

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