SHIRDI SAIBABA TEMPLE :
Saibaba of shirdi also known as shirdi saibaba was an Indian spiritual master who was regarded by his devotees as an incarnation of god, saint, sathguru, according to their individual proclivitist and beliefs .He was revered by his both hindu and muslim devotees , and during , as well as after, his life it remained uncertain if he was a hindu or muslim .This however was of no consequence of saibaba .He stressed the surrender to the true sathguru , who, having trod the path to divine consciousness , will lead the discipline through the jungle of spiritual training .
Saibaba is known by people around the world. According to the accounts from his life, he preached the importance of realization of the self, and criticised love for perishable things. His teachings concentrate on a moral code of love, forgiveness, helping others, charity, contentment, inner peace, and devotion to God and guru. Sai Baba also condemned distinction based on religion or caste. Sai Baba's teaching combined elements of hinduism and islam .He gave the Hindu name Dwarakamayi to the mosque in which he lived, practised both Hindu and Muslim rituals, taught using words and figures that drew from both traditions, and was buried in shridu. One of his well known epigrams, "allahmalik"("God is King") and "Sabka Malik Ek" ("One God governs all"), is associated with hinduism and Islam He is also known to have said, "Listen to me and your prayer shall be answered".
PADMAPRIYA I
TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES:
ReplyDeleteSai Baba encouraged his devotees to pray, chant God's name, and read holy scriptures. He told Muslims to study the Qur'an and Hindus to study texts such as the Ramayana, Bhagavad Gita, and Yoga Vasistha. He was impressed by the philosophy of the Bhagavad Gita and encouraged people to follow it in their own lives. He advised his devotees and followers to lead a moral life, help others, love every living being without any discrimination, and develop two important features of character: devotion to the Guru (Sraddha) and waiting cheerfully with patience and love (Saburi). He criticised atheism.
In his teachings, Sai Baba emphasised the importance of performing one's duties without attachment to earthly matters and of being content regardless of the situation. In his personal practice, Sai Baba observed worship procedures belonging to Islam; he shunned any kind of regular rituals but allowed the practice of Salah, chanting of Al-Fatiha, and Qur'an readings at Muslim festival times. Occasionally reciting the Al-Fatiha, Baba enjoyed listening to mawlid and qawwali accompanied with the tabla and sarangi twice daily.
Sai Baba interpreted the religious texts of both Islam and Hinduism. He explained the meaning of the Hindu scriptures in the spirit of Advaita Vedanta. His philosophy also had numerous elements of bhakti. The three main Hindu spiritual paths — Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Karma Yoga — influenced his teachings.
Sai Baba encouraged charity and stressed the importance of sharing. He said: "Unless there is some relationship or connection, nobody goes anywhere. If any men or creatures come to you, do not discourteously drive them away, but receive them well and treat them with due respect. Shri Hari (God) will certainly be pleased if you give water to the thirsty, bread to the hungry, clothes to the naked, and your verandah to strangers for sitting and resting. If anybody wants any money from you and you are not inclined to give, do not give, but do not bark at him like a dog." J N Chandra Kala
Worship and devotees:Main article:
ReplyDeleteThe Shirdi Sai Baba movement began in the 19th century, while he was living in Shirdi. A local Khandoba priest, Mhalsapati Nagre, is believed to have been his first devotee. In the 19th century Sai Baba's followers were only a small group of Shirdi inhabitants and a few people from other parts of India.Because of Sai Baba, Shirdi has become a place of importance and is counted among the major Hindu places of pilgrimage.The first Sai Baba temple is situated at Kudal, Sindhudurg. This temple was built in 1922. It is believed that Sai Baba gave one Rupee to Dada Madye ji with which he built the temple in Kudal. The Sai Baba Mandir in Shirdi is visited by around 20,000 pilgrims a day and during religious festivals, this number can reach up to 100,000.Shirdi Sai Baba is especially revered and worshiped in the states of Maharashtra, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Gujarat. In August 2012, an unidentified devotee for the first time donated two costly diamonds valuing Rs 11.8 million at the Shirdi temple, Saibaba trust officials revealed.
The Shirdi Sai movement has now spread to the Caribbean and to countries such as the Nepal, Canada, United States, Australia, United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, United Kingdom,Germany, France and Singapore.
N.SAVITHA
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