Anonymous Devotee says: Sairam Hetalji, I would like to share this picture which I did (some) edit using paint to keep as my desktop wallpaper at the office; please could you upload the same photo while posting my experience with our Sai deva.
Baba has called me again. I am going to Shirdi for the Ramnavmi celebrations.
It was a long wait and desire to share with all His devotees an experience with my beloved Sai (my father). I lost my father when I was four years old. I got to know about Sai Baba in mid of 2003. I became very close to Him and started treating Him like my father from 2006. Since then I have always shared everything (joys and sorrow) with my Sai deva. Even if I buy earrings, bindi, nail polish or whatever little things, firstly I will place in front of Him and tell Him to see and mentally say that I have brought this earring for me, is it nice? I would like to share with all, that, in my mind and soul He is my father and my grandparents (because I don’t have any of them).
This is my recent experience with my Saideva which happened on December 29th 2010.
Firstly I would like to tell you that initially, I was very much scared to share this experience with others; because my intention is not to hurt anybody’s feelings or thoughts. So I humbly kneel down in front of my Saideva and pray to Him to bless me in sharing His grace and experience I have felt. My humble request to you is that if you find this experience may hurt any of the devotee’s feelings please do not post this in your blog.
I strongly feel that this is Saideva’s wish and grace that encouraged me to share with you this experience of His fatherly treatment towards me (who believe Him as my father and everything).
I had been to Shirdi in November 2010; before leaving Shirdi, I went to Dwarakamai and prayed to Him to call me as soon as possible, because I was not willing to go back from my father Saideva’s Dwarkamai (tears were rolling from my eyes). Then I consoled myself telling him I will come on Ramnavmi in April.
It so happened, on December 28th, 2010 around 6:30 PM in the evening on my way back home from the office, suddenly my close friend had called me and started sharing about her father’s heart surgery that happened last week and about his health issues. She wanted to go to Shirdi to pray for her father’s healing. Then suddenly something struck my mind and I told her I would accompany her to Shirdi. She was also feeling good and I was nowhere here already preparing to go to Shirdi. But since our plan was sudden; and it was the last week of December month wherein it’s totally difficult to get the tickets for next day journey itself.
My mind and heart didn’t care about this; I was already prepared to go to Shirdi and I knew my Baba is there He will take us to Shirdi. It was around 8:30 PM in the night, I reached home and I took my mother’s permission. After she agreed, I told my brother to checkout for tickets; but it was too difficult to get tickets for the next day’s journey.
By Saideva’s grace & miracle we got departure tickets, but return tickets were not at all available. But still, we all believed in Him to take care of everything. The next day we started from Bangalore to Shirdi. For two years, I have had the practice of taking some eatable fruits or homemade sweets made especially for Baba to offer Him at Dwarkamai. This time I took orange to offer Him.
In the eagerness to see my Baba I didn’t think about my menstruation date, which was on 29th itself. I prayed to Baba to take care of posting that also. I didn’t share this with my mother and my friend because I thought if I tell to them they won’t allow me to go to Shirdi as this is against the custom. I didn’t understand what made me so determined and confident to go to Shirdi in such a situation. I believed that it’s all His wish and grace on us, which makes us go to Shirdi whenever He calls us.
We all know going to Shirdi or leaving from Shirdi is according to Baba’s wish and will. Then I suffered a menstruation period on 29th itself while traveling by bus. I was traveling by bus and was so scared that what if my friend comes to know about this; I was scared that if I tell this to her she will definitely agree to come with me in this situation. I started praying to Baba to look after everything until our return to Bangalore. Also gained peace of mind because it was His wish only or else we were not getting tickets in so short span of time immediately. I was feeling so happy that I treated Him as my father; He also showed the same fatherly feelings towards me. After all, Saideva will never let his child go in any situation irrespective of any customs or any such kind.
Finally, we reached Shirdi and stayed there till 1st January 2011 i.e. celebrated New Year with my father Sai deva. In these three days of my stay at Shirdi, I experienced His fatherly treatment so often in every little thing. He took care of our stay at Shirdi because due to the New Year rush at Shirdi it was so difficult to get rooms and arrange things.
I had prayed to Him that it is against the custom to enter the temple for women during the menstruation period; but as You are my father, you only guide me which all places I can step in; accordingly, I visited Dwarkamai, Samadhi Mandir, Chavadi. Apart from these places, I didn’t get any wish or mind to go anywhere (like Hanuman Mandir, Ganesh, Shiva, Shani, Khandhoba Mandir, Gurusthan).
It was all as per His wish and grace who guided me; I strongly felt like He gave me His permission to enter His home Dwarkamai, His abode Samadhi Mandir and treated me like His own kid-welcoming me. It so happened that I was too scared to enter Dwarkamai with lots of fear in my mind. As soon as I step near the Dwarkamai entrance, one devotee came towards me and gave peda prasad; this made me feel relaxed and felt His fatherly treatment. For me, it was a sign of accepting me to enter His place without any fear and clearing all the doubts running in my mind. We attended Baba’s Palkhi procession, Kakada Arthi. On the 1st morning i.e. on New Year we had darshan at 5 AM in the morning and saw Baba being decorated with gold necklaces for New Year’s eve. My long wish is to see Him wearing a crown; this wish was also fulfilled on the 31st Friday morning after Kakada Arthi. I offered Him orange, which I brought for Him; this time He took the offering in Samadhi Mandir itself, the pujari took and kept on Baba’s Samadhi. I was so happy because it was a sign from Saideva showing that He won’t look for outer purity of being.
It was a miracle that we were arranged with a return ticket to Bangalore even. After our return from Shirdi, my friend’s father got healed very soon. I got a team excellence award at my workplace (I got this job by his blessings only). Thanks a lot to Saideva my father.
I would like to conclude by saying our Sai deva is our father and mother. He will protect and treat you in the same manner as you keep feelings towards Him. Even our mother or father would have not accepted us to go to a temple in such a situation for the sake of Custom, but our father Saideva is beyond everything, He won’t let us go away from Him in any situation. Let His grace and blessings be on all of us.
My request to you is not to post my name. Also if you do not wish to post this in your blog for the above reason, please do reply to me. I will be happy to see your reply.
Jai Sainath
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Very nice experience, thanks for sharing. I also went through something similar but I often questions myself if this was right. Even though I know it can't be wrong since it is written in baba's satcharitra that he himself condemned such beliefs and always insisted on the purity of mind not body.
Thank you so much for helping me to get rid of confusion in my mind.felt like Baba answered my question.om Sai Ram…
Dear Guru bandhu, Tears rolled of when I was reading your experience. The only thing we need to have is complete and strong faith in BABA. No need to worry about customs. He is our father,mother,brother,guru,relative and GOD. If you remember even in SaiSatcharitra there is an incident where (I forgot the name of the devotee) a woman during her menstrual cycle sends already offered cova sweet to BABA when her son/relative is visiting shirdi. He eagerly asks for the offering and eats it. Only thing we need to have is love and faith towards BABA.
JAI SAIRAM,
Very Nice Experience.
I Love You Baba.
hello Sai Devotee,
I was touched reading your experience. Even i have the same feelings that one should have a pure mind and heart rather than outer purity.
I have touched Gods idol many a time and do say my prayers of course outside pooja room during those forbidden days.I have always been blessed by the almighty ,so one should not worry about these customs and rituals rather we should share oneness with the God we love.
om sai rama
sharadha
Wow! Shri Sainath Maharaj ki Jai. Thanks to hetalji and that devotee to be an eye-opener to the hestitated minds of many devotees like us on such customs. Please pass on our gratitude to that devotee who increased faith & devotion to many sai devotees like us by her sincere devotion with affection to saibaba. om sai sri sai jai jai sai
Today is my 2ND day of menses. Everytime I had lot of confusion in my mind should I read or not the sai leela on website? Today also I was thinking in the same line .But see This experience came on my mail_id and My Sai babaji cleared all my confusion . Because I know if I cannot live without him even for one day My Sai baba ji also cannot live without his devotee. I felt very incomplete myself if I did not think or read about him.Usually I too can not control myself to read about him except sai charitra even in those 3-4 days.
Wonderful Story.Om Sai Ram,Om Sai Ram,Om Sai Ram,Om Sai Ram,Om Sai Ram
jai sai ram…….. thank u soo much 4 this post…. evn i go to sai mandir during menes,, n by blessg always specifically gt sai chunni on all this days or special parshad but i didnt tell this to my mother… tht 1% doubt i had vanished by your post…
Dear devotees
Even in satcharitha, baba instructs a lady devotee to break the fast & go to kelkar's house to do puran polis & eat for herself & by this to give to kelkar's children as the mother is with menses which means he also acknowledges such customs. He made a devotee's son resume performing rites for ancestors in his father's footsteps which is again a custom. When there is a word of about how to live a life,to perform sandhya & gayathri mantra is a must for family heads as described in satcharitha which is again a custom acknowledged by baba.
In Shirdi temple priests (gents) are following a dress code which also mean every temple's priest (we mean even in the case of gents) has a dress code to perform poojas to deities. All of them have a method to do neivedya, poojas etc. they cannot change to their situation. Only in cold regions these priests are allowed to wear sweater/kullas. Cold region is the criteria to change the dress code like baba allowed this writer-devotee.
We feel saibaba's permission to such customs are to that individual bound by situation. All should not take this for granted and break the rule for the sake of their own comfort. These things to be taken into account according to an individual's need of the hour that pressures to break the rule for any crisis or cause with sincere faith & devotion.
In this case the devotee forgot her time & by the time she reached shirdi & having gone there it is not right to disclose this to her friend that may turn against her for her friend may observe these things. But understanding the devotees hour of crisis baba permitted in her case as he know her true intentions is our humble view.
Otherwise under normal situations we feel these things to be better considered and for Sai Vrat says if menses.., leave that thursday & take next thursday. So it should be situational bound with pure intention than ignoring with an attitude, oh sai never bothers these, so lets tresspass.
Then even at normal situations in a way, we will find ourselves go on discounting most of such things to our convenience & forget our sense of devotion in a pure approach to these Gods. Ofcourse Saibaba permits us to raise this view on a positive stride. We feel when we can observe these customs as far as possible it is better. Whats your say? hetalji & devotees? Jai Jai Sai Ram
SHIRDIVAASA THUNAI!
I totally disagree with your concept saying so called custom which do not allow a menstruating lady to visit Shirdivaasa should be followed unless we are one of those chosen by Shirdivaasa to do so.Im suprised…You are trying to say…we women are not allowed to visit our own father during menses? Wake up…customs are man made!Shirdivaasa is beyond all that.
It's very sad that you choose to think so my dear fellow devotee. One's purity is determined by his or her heart and mind. If you had read the Satcharitra carefully enough, you will remember that Shri Sai baba himself used to meditate without taking a bath at times. It is up to oneself to decide how one want to worship. Be religious, not spiritual! Om Sai Ram 🙂
Dear Divotee, I guess at that time socity was not so open minded and they follow these types of things at Baba's time. I agree baba sens that lady to cook at Mrs Kelkar's home because at that time people used to follow those traditions willingly.
I had noticed one more thing while reading Shri Sai Satchchritra, that Baba blessed each couple with a son only, but not a daughter. Why this? I guess bacause at that time girls were not considered equal to boys and just beacuse of this mind set of society Baba blessed them with Son only.
Long time ago women were rectricted to cook food also. But at that time, peopel used to live in joint families, so there will be more than one woman in house, who can handle those household core. But how you can manage this thing in today's world where only husband and wife are living away from home? What if husband is out for work and woman's child is crying for food. Shoundn't she enter the kitchen for her baby? So we need to come out of this taboo.
So all this depends on the mind set only. God does not discriminate anyone. Purity of mind and heart is must.
Om sai ram,
I strongly believe that purity in our mind is important, not outter things. After I read one article which states this same fact (From Ramana maharishi – Thiruvennamalai), I started doing regular pooja at home in those forbidden days. I feel very happy and peace. Most of all, I feel god's presence even on those days. These are all man made customs. If you have realy love in god, you can do prayers any time.
I am really happy that you have posted this experience. I am sure it gives some courage to all the lady devotees to do pooja on those days.
Baba is everything for me.
Om sai ram.
rilly loved to see baba's grace… even i also share everything wid him.. hez everythng to me.. frm a best frnd to my grand pa.. his one look only makes me forget everything… love u sai baba a lotttt… 🙂 🙂
@Anonymous ji,
Sai Ramji,
I agree to what you have written in your comment. Yes certain rules have to be followed but then can be mended at the hour of emergency in which Lord Sai Babaji may excuse us.
Even i do not do pooja or touch Shri Sai Satcharitra or go to temple or prepare food for naivedya during those days. If situation demands with no other choice i try to adjust as it demands.
Thus Lord Sai Baba has laid importance to such rules on one hand and on the other He gives liberty sometimes.
Jai Sai Ramji
Sai Ki Deewani
Hetal Patil Rawat
Dear devotee,
As BABA called you to Shirdi you have been to Shirdi, because unless BABA calls none can visit Shirdi.May be as a devotee you were eager to visit Shirdi to take HIS darshan, and due to this BABA might have pulled you to Shirdi.
But we should follow certain customs and traditions laid down by our ancestors. We women when we plan to visit a sacred place first of all we think of our forbidden days and keeping these days in our mind we plan.If it is not possible we as well postpone or forgo the trip. During forbidden days we never touch the prasad and how can we enter a sacred place, If it is untimely and unexpected, definitely it is accepted.
Better we follow our priciples rather than making our worship in a westernized manner. We get satisfaction in respecting our traditions and customs.
OM SAi Ram
Shirdi Baba is beyond such 'man'made norms. When a devotee thinks of HIM as her/his father/mother/grandpa/friend, then these considerations do NOT come into account.
If we say that these are mentioned in the scriptures and have been upheld since aeons, even Sati was also done aeons ago. So, why don't we follow that these days? That is not a western tradition. Our 'elders' forbade women to recite the Gayatri mantra. But that is never quoted in the scriptures, per se. Untouchabiity, discrimination, social evils were followed by our 'elders' quoting the fact that they have been followed since eternity. But just because something wrong has been done since eternity does not mean you have to do it.
Think what Shirdi Baba, Akkalkot Maharaj and the Datta avatars did. They never followed/ gave acceptance for these evils in the form of rituals. Akkalkot Maharaj once said that 5 Brahmins would be coming to test HIM and when they came and started discussing amongst themselves in Kannada and Sanskrit, Maharaj told them that you folks think that I dine with all inspite of their caste etc. And he taught them a lesson by showing HIS omniscience. Shirdi Baba was found eating stale Bhakri and onion – a taboo in scriptures. Of course He is not a sadhaka like us, but being a GURU HE did eat onions/ meat. So, quoting scriptures, we should NOT follow HIM, is it? Didn't Baba put paid to the rules put forth by the panchas (when some epidemic was in prevelance) when HE wanted the firewood for HIS Dhuni? There is a devotee called Kannappa Nayanar who being a tribal used to offer meat (pork) to the Shiva Linga. He used to offer water by filling his mouth with the water from the nearby river and pouring water from his mouth on the Linga. On the contrary, the brahmin priest who used to do pooja used to do it in the strictest ritualistic sense. When a quake/landslide hit the hill (the Linga was on the top of the Hill), everybody ran away from the spot. Kannappa hugged the Linga so that the stones would not 'hurt' the Linga. He went one step ahead and even offered his eyes when he thought that the eyes on the Linga were bleeding and this could be stopped by his offering his eyes. What do you think Lord Shiva was impressed by? The love shown by Kannappa or the strict pooja/rituals (w/o feeling) followed by the priests?
Our scriptures have been plainly misinterpted by selfish forces. Why shouldn't women chant Gayatri mantra? After all the mantra is addressed to a female deity, isn't it?
I'd humbly request the devotee to not take the criticism to heart. Baba/ God/Guru is never looking out for any mistake to punish people. Talk with Baba. HE might even overrule the customs depending on the love for the devotees to HIM. For Him, all that count are LOVE, Faith and devotion. Of course, if the devotee is planning to break the rules just for the heck of it, then that is NOT correct. A related incident was when Shri Dixit( I think) was reciting the Sanskrit mantra thinking Baba didn't know Sanskrit and Baba pricked his bubble by giving a word-for-word explanation. How does this relate to this incident? Well, there is a word pariprashan. When Baba asks Dixit (I think) what prashan means, he says questioning. So, He asks what does the pari mean? Dixit says the same. To which Baba says, if they mean the same, do you think Vyasa was out of his mind to put in an extra letter. And then goes onto say that prashna must NOT be with an intention to trick the guru but must be for a genuine cause. It must not be for the sake of raising a question. Similarly if someone is going to break some rule like this for the sake of doing so, maybe then it is not correct.
Thanks for reading this long post.
One feels as per her thinking.Some may feel that during these forbidden days women can do any vrath or can enter any temple may be she is correct in her own way and ofcourse she should not feel guilty for having done so.But others think that it is not proper to do vrath or enter a temple. As long as we do not feel guilty we can do any type of worship.But, can we do Satyanarayana Swami vrath or Jai Santoshi maa vrath on these forbidden days or can we enter the holy sanctity of tirumala?
Whether it is proper to enter a sacred temple or not during the forbidden days, depends on the mentality of the person to enter.It is true that we need not follow our traditions blindly, but atleast let us respect the sacred temples and their worship.It is not only our Hindu religion have their traditons, but muslims and christians have their own traditions and they protect them more than their life. Then why not we.Why should we forgo our customs of worship.
Very nice experience….i had tears while reading your experience….thanks a lot for sharing with us…OM SAIRAM….LOVE YOU A LOT SAIMA….:):)
OM SAI RAM !!
🙂 om shri sai ram om shri sai ram om shri sai ram….
Sairam..i beg u sai ur my father u created me in ts world..i am sufering due to illusion prblms wit my frnds..i trust a boy he make me love 3yrs and went away frm me by teling mad reasons..i cnt bear it sai..i am unable to forgot him..he s spoiling other grls life also..baba pls show hm a value of my tears..sai i want to get a good frnds..i want to get clear my arrear exam this result decides my future..i trust u saii pls make me to get clear in ts subject..i shld get a gd news..though every1 wil look aftr me and tease me..pls remove and save me from unnecesary words and make me improvement in my education..pls enlgt my future wit ur blesings save me away frm bad thoughts and bad cmpanies..my parents want to live a healthy peaceful life pls recovr us frm money prblms…my bro want to get a gd job..i want to get clear my exam…ts tme..i fl depresd baba i fl lonely pls change me sai…let them knw value of me they teasd me a lot…sai make me a cncentration,memory power,purity..i shld nt show enemity towards other pls make me away frm enemity…make my life peace sai sai sai i beg u baba pls dnt leave me lonely i nd a frnds and i want to clear my xam..my parents,frnds,relatvs wants to be safe and good..pls change my life wit new1 who makes me hapy in my life sairam
is everything okay now?. Did Baba give you the life you wanted?
Thanks a Ton Hetalji and all others for sharing your wonderful experiences. I came across this blog on d very first google search that can I visit shirdi during menses. I would b going around 14-15 of this month and would be almost in my 2-3 days. Now it is an eye opener that Baba is far beyond our man made norms of d society. And yes for me BABA has always been a hand over my head in every single step of my life be it be professionally or personally. I heard about Sai Baba when I was undergoin my engg. Course in year 2008. And since then he is everythng to me. I lost my mom in 2004 in a road acc. N after dat till I met Sai Baba I had no one to give that replacement. Bt when I came to knw about him from one of my friends , its veen likes ages as if I hd known him since d day I ws born.
I would like to share a short story and yes a real thing which happened. Now this was way back when Once I hd cum to Delhi fr my vacations and one fine afternoon while we al were having lunch , d door bell rang and as a common thing a baba had come n said "Beti, aapko baba bula rahe hai darshan k lie" n since we were in mid of lunch n usually didn't like to interact wid such Baba's specially in Delhi, Standing behind the net door I said "nai baba theek abhi koi nahi hai". Then My dad enquired who ws dere, to which I replied casually " papa Sai Baba Bula rahe hai hame kahin, chalte hai". That ws in a casual manner as I ws nt aware of Baba before. Then the next yr in d college only I hd some hostel issues etc to which I ws very depressed, then this frnd of mine took me to Sai Temple fr d evenin arti near my hostel and said just pray n share ur feelings and everythng will b fine. That day and till date Baba has always been a saviour for me in whichever form he can be. I nvr treat him as a god bt a mentor who guides me thru d ups and downs of my life.
Jai Sai Nath
Hello Devotees,
Its my first day of chums, on thursday ,where in usually I fast. But just like anyone else , stating the reason as custom , I dint fast today, but felt like listening to the shej arti that I always listen to. Totally apprehensive if it should be done or not , came across this page, meanwhile humming the arti :). The reason why I felt like sharing here is , I have starting worshipping baba around 2 years back,and since then the serenity that I have in my mind is inexplicable. I do sometimes feel bad that may be I just burden him with my worries , and prayers.But I have noticed, that the confidence that, yes , my prayers will be answered actually instills confidence in me to work towards my prayers , and ofcourse god helps them who help themselves gets proved.I don't take the credits , because there are pure miracles that happens just because of him. That trust and devotion gives me a faith , that just because you have hummed his arti and remembered him during your chums , is not going to make him disown you, but against humanity will. As he says help the poor , and have noble thoughts , life will be content.
Hello devotess i went to shirdi on 10 of june this year for two days i have done btech in 2011 and from den i am unemployed i prayed to many Gods bt nothing was happening in march in got married my husbnd is very kind hearted caring loving but my in laws are not that good bt lyf was goin well as we husbnd wife living in mumbai me in laws were having a ticket of 15th of june for mumbai so we planned 12 returning from shirdi we startd the journey from bus in d night around 12 as soon as a stepped in the bus suddenly my stomach started paining and aftr sometimes the pain got worst i suffered whole nyt wid the pain then in the morning we reached to shirdi now pain is okk we went to saibabas mandir we prayed well i havw only one wish that is the job and dat to very desperstly i prayed baba fr my this wish and returned to hotel suddenly my husbnd got call from his cousin and he said that my mother in law is having cancer earlier everythng was okk bt she was having stone in her kidnye so she went to the doctor nd aftr some test doc daignosed about this disease my husbnd became very worried we both became tensed though our mood was not gud bt still nxt dae we went to shani mndir nd on same day i.e 12 th we returned at nyt then on 15th as sheduled my in laws came as i told u earlier their behaviour is not gud wid me i became obsolete everydae dere is something happening in my life which feels wrst though doc said about mother in laws disease but she is all perfect bt i am detoriating day by day as it is become impossibl to live wid them operation went well now doc advised about chemo therapy nd all this i guess gonna take huge tym my marriage is arrange we dint yet got much tym to live together living here wid them is suffocating neider i got job yet nor my marriage life is well anymore i dnt know y all dis happened wid me suddenly dnt know wat fault i had done that baba is not listning to me
I feel the same way as you feel . I feel his presence in every thing and evry work wat i do . I do remember him . My relative was lost somewhere. She has no mental stability and doesnt know anything and very elder to me. Im praying for him to bring back my mother in law as soon as possible .i hope baba will bring back her . Please showeryour blessings on my mother in law and make her come home . And shower your blessings on us to find our mother in law. Please baba . Pleasedo pray for me. Love you baba. Waiting for your mirracle to be happened father .
Thankyou for this post..Such a lovely experience…I was asking him for the same.I feel he made me read this and answer is here with me now.We are lucky to have him with us.������☺️
Namasthe Hetal ji. Thanks for the blog. Tears roll out of my eyes when I read such experiences. How to do saptah parayan during hostel stay?
Baba please with us with a healthy child soon
Wow .This made me cry tears of joy. Thank you for sharing this . This is yet another confirmation that Baba loves us irrespective of our gender and the bodily changes we undergo. All there is needed is purity in the heart and mind. Aum Sai Ram.
Baba is pure love. Baba would never discriminate and put a question mark over the existence of women. (Periods is a part of women's existence after all ). Thank you for sharing this. I needed this. 🙏🙏
Thanks for sharing such experience
Om Sai Ram