Devotion Of Shree Maharaj To His Preceptor Sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj
Shree Maharaj, personally, used to look after the hospitality of all the devotees who used to come to the temple-shrine to pay obeisance to Sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj. During the festival, Shree Maharaj used to supervise the works, such as, cooking of meals, serving the food to devotees, winding up and cleaning the place afterwards and also maintaining the cleanliness of the compound as well as the sanctity of the temple-shrine etc. and if necessity arises, Shree Maharaj used to carry out all the above jobs personally. A number of devotees are still available, who have actually witnessed the all round development, prosperity and expansion of the temple-shrine alongwith its associated surroundings, during thirty to thirty two years right from the date 18th August 1956 onwards.
First of all, the temple – shrine was erected. Then the stone compound enclosing the plot 937-D was constructed. Then above the main gate an arch inscribed with name of Shree Baba Maharaj was erected. Thereafter a residential building was constructed for accommodating devotes coming from outside Pune. Then a flag hoisting pillar and a fountains were constructed. Then a big kitchen with adequate capacity was made ready. The place for serving food to the devotees was specially treated with cowdung as per Hindu customs. One the plots 937-B and 937-C, vegetables flowers plants fruits trees are grown so that fresh vegetables flowers and fruits are readily available for worship as well as for offering food to deities. Plot no. 937-B, leveled with stone-slabs was made ready for resting purpose of male devotees. Arrangement was also made for washing hands and feet of the devotees who come to the temple-shrine by constructing eight water tanks.
Trees and plants of coconut, betal nut, jack-fruit, pineapple, cashew nut, jambul fruit, lemon, citrus fruit, grapes, guava fruit, pomegranate fruit, chikoo fruit, bananas, mango fruit, mulberry fruit, ramphal fruit (like a large red custard apple-sitaphal) custard apple, papaya , spices like cinnamon and creeping plants like passion fruit (edible fruit of some species of passion flower), black pepper etc are being maintained very carefully.
Due to this careful maintenance, the trees, plants and creeping plants started blossoming with fruits in abundance and as a result of which the trees and plants started bending down due to the excess weight. This made the provision of fresh fruits for the daily worship as well as for the offering of food to the deities in the temple-shrine. The creeping plants of watermelon as well as that of a fruit resembling musk-melon also started giving abundant crop. The bhokaru trees also started blossoming. Trees like devdaru (a species of pine tree), suba bhool, Australian goldmohur, shireesh ( a delicate fragrant flower), Ashoka ( a small evergreen tree with scarlet and orange flowers), cypress (coniferous tree with dark foliage) , apata, chita, may flower etc. alongwith creeping plant like brahmi used to keep the surroundings very cool always.
Great care and attention was being given to the maintenance at Pune and Dervan by Shree Maharaj, for, the fragrant flowers like a small open sheds with climbing plants or creeping plants of a variety of fragrant jasmine flowers (jai, juei, mogra, bat mogra etc.), shrubs of jaswandi flowers of different colours, white colour ananta flowers, fully blossomed parijat flowers, blue, purple and white colour, very delicate kanchana flowers, Agastya flowers, shevanti flowers, sadafuli flowers, and also flowers like sayampushpi, nishigandha, kardali, tagar, gondya, zendu, terada, bhu chafa, lily son chafa, kavatichafa, bangalore chafa, kailas chafa, different types of rose flowers, asuter, sunflowers, holy hawk, bhendi gulab, jerbera, vherbina, jeraneum, and also purple, blue, rd and yellow colour ghaneri gandhari flowers. The garland of bakul flowers used to give joy by its mild fragrance. The brahma kamal (lotus) flower is being used for worship of God during monsoon (shravan). Even mandar flowers are being used in preparing garland. The flowers used in the daily worship like mandar, audumbar, shami, bel, tulsi (holy basil), vada (banyan), pimpal (fig), palas, curry leaves, payar and sacred grass etc. are being made available in plenty. The shatavari is being planted in the earthen pots. Different types of gladiala flowers are being used to bring elegance to the surroundings of the Temple-shrine. On the whole, different varieties of fragrant and beautiful flowers required for the daily worship are being readily made available in abundance. Even the flowers like rose, champak, and sontakka are made available basked full. (round basked made of split bamboo sticks) on daily basis. A minimum of one basked full of flowers used to be distributed daily to the devotees who come to the temple shrine.
Vegetables, like palak, math, rajgira, salad, chuka, chakwat, ambadi, coriander etc. are being grown all the twelve months of the year. Vegetables like beans, french beans, double beans, long seed pods (shenga), drum stick flowers (shevagachya shenga) etc. are being grown in plenty and the excess vegetables after the usage in the tenoke-shrine are being distributed to the devotees for taking me.
The small open sheds of creeping plants growing vegetables fruits like snake gourds, shirali, ghosali, bottle-gourds, tondali, bitter gourds used to bend down due to the weight of the excess growth of vegetable fruits. Vegetables like small and big brinjals, pumpkins, ladys fingers, cabbage, navalkol , cauliflower, chillies, gavar are being grown in a big measure. The sugar cane is being grown in a small but sufficient quantity to serve the juice to the devotees in the festivals. After the usage for serving juice to the devotees, the excess is also being distributed to the devotees like fruits and vegetables.
In the temple-shrine, the plants of bael fruits, holi basil, and sacred grass have been tended with great care and attention as these are essential in the daily worship. Every day morning the panchgavya (the mixture of five things derived from the cow viz. Milk, curd, clarified butter, urine and dung) is being prepared. For this purpose, cows are being reared up in the temple-shrine. The maize is being grown in the temple-shrine for use as a food for parrots, grey parrots and cows. Plants and creeping plants of clove, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, black pepper, five-in-one turmeric, ambe-halad ( ), ginger, aloo ( ) , kanagar ( ) , panphuti ( ), lajari ( ), aghada ( ) laxmana ( ) bamboo etc. have been maintained with great care and attention in the temple – shrine. In Shree Kshetra Dervan, when the cows and bullocks of the temple-shrine go for the grazing in the morning, one can observe that these animals are all very sturdy, healthy and strong. In the temple-shrine of Dervan, even parrots and peacocks have been brought up. The devotees who come to the Temple-shrine at Pune, after paying obeisances to Shree Baba Maharaj , they take the blessing of Shree Maharaj, then take prasadam. (food offered to the Deity) and go home. Shree Maharaj used to personally talk with sincerity to every devotees about their familites. He used to give the devotees, the flowers, fruits and whatever else possible. He also used to give grounds (peanuts) as prasadam and for outside devotees he used to give angara (sacred ashes of incense burnt before a deity) and sunthwada (ginger candy). Shree Maharaj, personally, used to talk the group of Brahmins who daily come to the Temple-shrine for performing rituals as well as other devotees, individually and each devotee in turn used to discuss even ones private family problems with open mind and full confidence with Shree Maharaj. When Shree Maharaj used to be with children, he would behave like a child. Even he used to make them to sit on his shoulder or his lap and allow them to play. Hhe used to clap and play with them by doing mimicry and he used to say “These children are, in fact, God only. They are like a Monarch, They are like a king. They are pure, clean and free from all attachments”. Some of these children used to address Shree Maharaj by different names, like Ajoba, Baba or Daneajoba etc. Accordingly, Shree Maharaj used to talk to each child separately, remembering the names by which he was being addressed by that child.
Shree Maharaj always remembered the individual Devotee’s choice like taking tea, coffee, milk or syrup of the devotees, even when the devotees come to the Temple-Shrine after one month or even after five years. Break fast time used to be at 9.00 A.M. in the morning. Before the breakfast, there used to be Arati (waving of a lamp before a deity by singing a religious song), in the Temple shrine. Then, in the evening also at 6.00 P.M. there used to be Arati. Till the Arati is over, the main gate used to be closed both times. This custom is still being followed. The important thing is that each and every devotee, who comes to the Temple-shine is being treated with great affection, hospitality and also sincere enquiry is being made about ones family. While giving an affectionate good-bye to each devotees, Shree Maharaj used to say ” You are coming every Monday. Now we will meet again on next Monday. Please come regularly to the Temple-shrine. Your regular visit to the Temple-shrine develops a smooth relationship and increased affection, nearness and devotion towards God. It also increase the purity of the mind.”
Shree Maharaj started the daily religious ceremonials (rituals in the Temple shrine. Everyday morning before 5.30 A.M., the bedding of Shree Baba Maharaj in the Temple-shrine, used to be taken out by wearing a silk dhotee. After this, the entire Temple-Shrine used to be cleaned by removing all the refuse, and at 6.00 A.M., the Namsmaran (repetition of the name of God or Sadguru) of the sacred hymn “Shree Swami Samarth Jaya Jaya Swam Samarth” used to be carried out for fifteen minutes. After this, the shodshopachar (sixteen ways of doing homage to a deity or sadguru) of the silver padukas (silver model of the feet) of Shree Baba Maharaj used to be carried out. Various daily rituals like Laghurudra, recitation of Atharvasheersha, repetition of Shree Sookta and oblation into the fire, the reading of Saptashati, Shree Guru Leelamrut, Shree Guru Charitra, Shree Mad Bhagwat, repetition of the sacred hymn Gayatri and Chaturdash Pranavi the reading of Dashgranth, and also the hospitality of Vedic Brahmins and preparing Dashgranthi Brahmins, by giving scholarships etc. used to be carried out under the personal supervision of Shree Maharaj.
Shree Maharaj started celebrating all the important festivals pertaining to the Temple-Shrine of Shree Baba Maharaj and the same custom is being continued till today. The festivals like birth anniversaries as well as death anniversaries of important saints, Sadgurus, and incarnation of deities are being celebrated in the temple- shrine. The festival starts after the Panchsookta Pawaman, Laghurudra and food offering to the deities are being completed. Normally, the festivals start after Gudipadwa festival (New Year festival celebrated on the first day of the month chaitra as per Hindu calender and during March or April as per English Calendar). After this, festivals like Ramnavami, Shree Hanuman Jayanti (The anniversary festival of the Lord Hanuman) and other important festivals are being celebrated.
In the month of Magh (January or February month) the birth of Shree Ganesh (Lord Ganesh) and in the month of Bhadrapad (month August or September) the Shree Ganesh festival for one and half days are being celebrated every year. In the same way in the month of Ashwin (October or November month) the Navratri (the festival of nine days and nights) and the birthday of Sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj on the Ashtami Day (the eight lunar day of the fortnight) are being celebrated. On this day of the birthday of Shree Baba Maharaj, Saptashati Parayan (A thorough reading of the religious book of 700 stanzas) and Hawan (an oblation into the fire) are being carried out. After this,on the Dasara festival day (the tenth day of the first fortnight of Ashwin month). The worship of the weapons and plundering of gold (leaves of a particular tree are plundered instead of actual gold) are being carried out.
For important festivals, all devotees are being invited. Only during the birthday anniversary festivals of Shree Baba Maharaj, Lord Dattatreya Shree Swami Samarth, and Gurupratiprada etc. The ceremonies are being performed by using palanquin are also being performed during the birthday anniversary and death anniversary of Shree Maharaj . During such ceremonies, devotees from different provinces and states used to attend.
The anniversary festival of the birthday of Sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj is being celebrated in such a glorious and majestic way, ever overflowing with, the spirit of devotion, purity of divine love, sweetness, joy, inspiration and great delight, year after year in the temple-shrine that it will become the envy of even Gods. Devotees, young and old, ladies and gents, are being observed to move about in an overpowered emotional state.
The presence of Shree Maharaj is being felt in all activities right from the main gate, to the residential building, temple-shrine, new building and the temporary shed erected for the festival season, in the form of affection, happiness and joy. It is being send that the face of each and every devotee brightens with rare pleasure and satisfaction by the participation of Shree Maharaj in any programme like, Namasmaran (continuous repetition of the name of God or Sadguru) or Parayan (thorough reading) of religious books, or Pravachan (lecture on any religious topic) or Kirtan (narration of a topic punctuated by devotional songs) or refreshment time or tea time or service mahaprasad (serving food offered to deity) or even palakshi sohala (festive ceremony of palanquin).
During the festivals, the melodious tune from the musical instruments clarion and kettledrums used to fill the air in the, surroundings of the temple-shrine. In the upper story above the main gate, there is an arrangement to keep the musical instruments like kettle drums, clarions etc. (nagarkhana) and in the melodious tune from these musical instruments singing of devotional songs as well as the religious hymns in the praise of God are being done. The gates of temple-shrine are being decorated with banana plants on both sides (toran). Before the starting of the programme, the photographs of all the deities as well as saints and Sadgurus are being garlanded and worshipped. The wooden shrine or apartment (devhara) for placing the idol of Sadguru for worshiping purpose is being polished. The wooden devhara (apartment shrine) is being decorated and lighted from all sides by small electric bulbs of different colours on one side of this devhara (wooden apartment shrine) letter Shree and on the other side the letter ohm are being inscribed and lighted by electric bulbs of different colours which give a lustrous appearance. The metal idol of Sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj fixed on wooden is being placed in the centre of wooden devhara (apartment shrine) and the metal idols fixed on wooden stands of Shree Swami Samarth and Sadguru Shree Beedkar Maharaj are being on either side of the idol of Sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj. These metals idols fixed on wooden stands are being placed on Velvet Carpet. All the three idols are being decorated with artistically made beautiful crowns. The ears of all the idols are being decorated with earrings with the shape of a fish.
Further, the decoration with gold chains around the neck, the silken garments with gold border thread works on both shoulders alongwith the scented flower garlands, used to give added beauty to all these three idols. By seeing all these three beautifully decorated idols the devotees, unconsciously fold their hands used to and pay obeisance in pure devotion with fairness and uprightness. Behind these idols, the full size photograph in colour, was being placed. The wooden devhara (compartment –shrine) with these three idols used to be placed in a palanquin and taken in a procession by singing religious hymns in the praise of God (Bhajan) inside the compound of the temple-shrine. In the palanquin festive ceremony the slow measured beatings of the small cymbal (tal) by Shree Maharaj and the pause in the musical beats produced from the cymbals (tal) as well as mrudang (a kind of musical tabor) by the devotees used to decrease or increase in tune accordingly and this indirectly used to give more inspiration and activity to the devotees while dancing as well as singing of Bhajan (repetition of religious hymns in the praise of God or Sadguru) and acclaiming loudly the name of Sadguru.
In the palanquin festival ceremony the devotees remain fully absorbed in the for one hour to one and half hours, in the religious subjects being narrated by Shree Maharaj. In short, each and every devotee who comes to the Temple-Shrine completely forgets about ones daily routines, family responsibility, service and business problems etc. “I” and “Mine” these words are being forgotten by every devotee participating in the palanquin festive ceremony and gets fully absorbed in the ceremony alongwith other devotees, and enjoying the feeling of divine presence. Devotees also fully enjoy the singing of Bhajan (singing of religious hymns in the praise of God) as well as abhang as (singing of religious hymns in praise of God or Sadguru) in sweet and pleasant notes in tune with turnes and the beats produced by the musical instruments the lute (a guitar – like musical instrument with pear-shaped body) , the cymbals and mrudang ( a kind of musical tabor).
Shree Maharaj had specially got prepared one hundred pairs of cymbals, each pair weighing about 800-850 grams, and also a beautiful lute from Ahmednagar. He also got specially prepared one pair of horse-shoe. If one wants to see the majestic glory of God, one should witness the same by remaining present in the palanquin festive ceremony of the temple-shrine at Pune. Even at Shree Kshetra Dervan, similar ceremony is being performed. Shree Maharaj desired that the devotees who come for the festival should not go out of the temple-shrine till the festival is over, as during the festival, the devotees are in the divine proximity, and by going out, they might get involved in external temptations. Hence he made all the arrangements for accommodation, refreshment and meals for the devotees who come, from outside Pune as well as Pune City.
In plot no.937-B, a new residential building and one shed with slabs has been constructed and the gents are being accommodated in the open shed and the ladies are being accommodated inside the new residential building. All facilities like bathroom and toilets for ladies have been provided inside the building and for gents two bathrooms and three toilets have been provided outside the residential building. There is a separate kitchen meant for festive occasion and all types of vessels required for cooking are made of either bras or copper and have been provided at Pune as well as Shree Kshetra Dervan.
Initially, the food was being served in patraval (a plate made of leaves tacked together) and drone (a hollow saucer made by stitching leaves) but now the same has been replaced by steel plates and vati (a saucer shaped vessel). For serving tea and coffee in hot condition thermos-flasks have be arranged. Tea is being served at fixed time and the breakfast is being served at 9.30 A.M. to all during festivals. Since the anniversary birthday festival of Shree Sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj is being celebrated during Kartik month (November or December month) there used to be severe winter in Pune. To meet the severe cold, Shree Maharaj had made arrangements for additional bedding, cover lets, pillows, carpets etc. depending upon the day to day increase in the growth of devotees visiting the temple shrine.
Shree Maharaj used to pay personal attention to see that no inconvenience is caused to any of the devotees coming to the Temple-shrine during the festival. AT night, Shree Maharaj used to personally see that all the devotees are being provided with essential items like bedding coverlet, carpet etc. and after getting convinced only thee he used to go to sleep at about two to two thirty A.M. and would get up four to four-thirty A.M. The devotees also used to get up early in the morning for participating in the ceremony. Special arrangements were being made by Shree Maharaj to provide hot tea to these devotees who used to get up in the shivering morning cold. For taking bath in the severe morning cold, arrangements were also being made by lighting the Special Containers for bathwater. Though the different works were assigned to different male servants it always required supervision by somebody and this supervision work Shree Maharaj used to personally do.
Shree Maharaj used to confirm personally, the morning works like, brooming the compound of the temple-shrine clean, by removing the refuse, cleaning the paved floor of the temple-shrine by wet cloth after brooming and filling up all the water tanks in the compound. After the male servant start their work, some people used to sent to vegetable market to get fresh vegetables and then Shree Maharaj used to take bath, finish the morning prayers and then be present in the temple shrine of Shree Baba Maharaj much before the pre-determined time. By sunrise, the flag is being hoisted and prayers offered to the flag and prayers alongwith (roll of betal veeda leaves) being offered in the temple shrine, to Shree Baba Maharaj aw ewll as Guruparampara (the regular succession tradition of Sadgurus) and then only, the festival begins.
In the temporary shed of the temple-shrine, for devotees, wooden seats (pat) for their worship as well as religious meditation. Shree Maharaj used to explain in short the importance of religious meditation to the devotees. Then the devotees used to carry on the meditation (chintan), reflection (manan, careful thinking) contemplation (dhyan-dharana) for a short period. In the temple-shrine, Laghurudra (ceremonial ablutionof Load Shiva with sacred hymns) and Abhishek (ceremonial ablution) used to be in progress of theat time.
For devotees, programmes like, lectures on religious topics (Pravachan) reading of religisou books continuous repetition of the name of God or Sadguru (Namasmaran) and Kirtan (Narration of a religious topic punctuated by music and religious songs) used to be arranged. In the temple-shrine, religious programmes as well as rituals and continuous Namasmaran for 72 hours (continue repetition of the name of God or Sadguru) or 12 hours or 24 hours or 36 hours depending upon the fetival are being arranged. The devotees used to volunteer their names for this Namasmaran willingly. In the earlier period, the incantation (sacred hymn) “Ohm Namah Shivay” (praying Lord Shiva – the third deity of the Hindu Trinity, the other two being BRAHMA AND VISHNU) was being repeated. After some years, the Namasmaran was being done with incancation of “Shree Swami Samarth Jay Jay Swami Samarth”.
Due to the whole day programmes, there was no spare time for anyone. Inspite of this busy schedule the enthusiasm of the devotees used to increse. In the evening, after the Aarti(waving a lamp while singing a religious sone before a deity or sadguru) the palanquin ceremony used to start. There used to be the palanquin used to make three rounds of circumambulation of the Temple shrine(Pradakshina) of Shree Baba Maharaj and this ceremony used to go for four to five hours.
During the first round of circumambulation, Shree Maharaj used to narrate on the religious hymns in praise of sadguru in the poetic form with full Divine inspiration. In the palanquin ceremony, abhang, bhojan and gaulani(singing of religious hymns in praise of God or Sadguru) are being sung. Devotees also dance and sing accordingly with full enthusisam. After this palanquin ceremony, all devotees are being served with dinner and after the dinner, Shree Maharaj used to start his kirtan(narration of a religious topic punctuated by music and songs). This kirtan used to be over by 3 am in the night.
Thus everlasting respectful ever faethfull devotional service was being rendered by Shree Maharaj to his Sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj . Inspite of the busy schedule with the ceremony Shree Maharaj never used to make any relaxation in his daily routines kike offering prayers after bath in morning and evening, worship of god, aarti( waving of a lamp before a deity by singing a religious song) and completing the pradakshina(circumambulation) around the temple shrine of Shree Baba Maharaj . All these daily routines Shree Maharaj used to carry out without any shortcoming. On the third day of the festival after the palanquin ceremony is over, Shree Maharaj used to start Lalit Kirtan( narration of a religious topic punctuated by music and songs) which was to continue throughout night till morning. After this is over, Shree Maharaj used to personally distribute coconut, roll of betal leaves(Veeda) sweetmeats(battasa) and the flowers offered at the feet of Shree Baba Maharaj (shevanti flower) to each and every devotee. This used to be the only opportunity for all the devotees who come to the temple-shrine, to offer salutation to Shree Maharaj. Otherwise, Shree Maharaj never liked anybody offering him salutation in the presence of his sadguru Shree Baba Maharaj.
(To be continued)