20 February 2007

Arunachala-Sai Baba


Sri Sathya Sai Baba's history and love of Arunachala is very well known amongst many that visit Him or study his works. In this respect the first spiritual teaching Sri Sathya Sai Baba is reputed to have given to the world was at the age of 14 years when he left his home and took a seat on a great boulder outside his Puttaparthi village. It was at the boulder (which would later mark one of the boundaries of Prashanti Nilayam; his vast desert Ashram), that Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai sang:




Manasa Bhajorey Guru Charanam
Dusthara Bhava Sagara Tharanam
Guru Maharaj Guru Jai Jai
Sai Natha Sad Guru Jai Jai
Om Namah Shivaya, Om Nama Shivaya,
Om Namah Shivaya, Shivaya Namah
Om Arunachala Shiva, Arunachala Shiva,
Arunachala Shiva Aruna Shiv
Om Omkaram Baba, Omkaram Baba,
Omkaram Baba,Om Namo Baba


'O mind, worship the Lotus Feet of your God and Supreme Teacher that will take you safely across the ocean of life and death. Victory to our Lord and supreme Teacher, Sai Nath!

Mind, also chant and worship; the Divine name of Lord Shiva and Arunachala mountain (which is no different to Shiva) and Baba whose form is OM.'

In the bhajan, Bhagavan exhorts devotees to worship the feet of the spiritual perceptor and explains that there is no difference between the Pranava Om (the sound which pervades the Universe), Arunachala and the Lord. Bowing to one is as bowing to all.

As well as his love of the Holy Place Arunachala, Sri Sathya Sai Baba often guides people (as did Ramana Maharshi) in the method of Self Enquiry. He has been reported to have said:-

"All agitation will cease the moment one enters on the enquiry. 'Who am I?' This was the sadhana that Ramana Maharshi achieved and taught to his disciples. This is also the easiest of all disciplines." [Sri Sathya Sai Baba]

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