Shravan Maas 2023

 

Shravan Maas, during which the “Shravana” lunar mansion rules the sky, is considered to be the most auspicious month of the Vedic year.

 

The full moon in this month happens in the nakshatra or lunar mansion called “Shravana” ... which means ‘to listen’ and is the first step in integrating knowledge into our lives — we listen, then we bring to our memory and the knowledge then becomes integrated into our life.

 

This year Shravan Maas extends for a total of 59 days (instead of its usual 30 days) as it includes the addition of an intercalary month called Adhik Maas (extra month), which helps maintain harmony with the solar year — and is the first time to have occurred in 19 years.

 

The Gregorian calendar adds a day to February every four years (leap year) to stay synchronized with the solar cycle. The Panchang (Luni-Solar calendar) incorporates an additional month, Adhik Maas, every third year to reconcile the 10-day difference between the solar (365.2 days) and lunar (354.3 days) calendars.

 

The month of Shravan is synonymous to festivals and events. It is the best time to conduct auspicious events as most of the days of the month are promising for new beginnings.

 

In this month, every Monday is celebrated as Shravan Somvar across Temples, with Dharanatra over the Shivling, bathing it with holy water and milk throughout the day and night.

 

Lord Shiva In Shravan Somvar

According to legend, in the conflict between the Devas and the Asuras, poison emerged from the water. Lord Shiva drank the poison to rescue the human race. This incidence took place in the Shravan month. Due to this, Lord Shiva’s body temperature rose considerably. Then Lord Shiva donned the moon on his head, which helped to lowered his temperature, and the Hindu gods poured Ganga water on Lord Shiva, which is also followed today by the devotees.

 

It is also said that Lord Indra wanted the temperature of Lord Shiva to drop, and hence the rains poured excessively. That soothed Lord Shiva and eased him. Since that time, Lord Shiva is honoured and water is poured over Him during the month, especially on Mondays.

 

The entire month is filled with Divine energy and bliss and it is best to turn our mind inward to experience the mystical vibrations of the cosmos.

Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi - The Omniscient World Teacher

[With thanks to Mr. K. Bharath Kumar for submission of this narrative]. 

Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi was a rare gem among the thousands of saints produced on Indian soil. He showed that God was indeed ever-present and that God was working His Leelas (divine plays) even then - when the country was subjugated by a host of foreign rulers. 

In those confused times when people had to digest both the culture changes from the Islamic period as well as changes brought by the then-ruling British system, Sri Sai Baba came as a beacon for the country - carrying within Him the power of almost all Indian Gods - be it Hindu or Mussalman or other religions - as well as providing the unifying powers to help Indians during this severe testing period in Indian history. His yogic powers appealed to people of all religions. Sai treated all people equally, regardless of their religion, creed, race or social status. To many, He appeared as an Avataar of Lord Shiva leading a simple, austere lifestyle distributing 'Vibhuti' (sacred ash) to His devotees and practisings advanced yoga to maintain His supernatural powers. As Lord Shiva, Sai demonstrated full influence over all five elements of nature. 

To Christians - He appeared as Jesus often taking the Karma of devotees and healing many children by taking their disease unto Himself. To Muslims, He was a very holy Avaalia Saint who dressed in Muslim dress and resided in a mosque. Thus, by manifesting the quintessence of the Gods of all religions, and solving all their problems, He showed to all, that God is beyond the labels of any specific religion and that there were many different paths leading to the same God - ('Allah Malik' was His favorite phrase - meaning 'God is Master'). 

Sai's infinite reservoir of love was His notable quality and what He expected from all His devotees to evolve into - and this noteworthy message to humanity He practised well even amidst the oppressive British regime. 

Sai expected only Faith (in God) and Patience (in God's timing for answering prayers) as the only two qualities He expected from devotees. He showed that human beings are psychologically similar despite ethnic and cultural differences prevalent everywhere. 

Original photo of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba

Sai Baba was the ultimate destination where all religions intersect commonly and harmoniously and showed the way to shed outward social differences. He allowed all religions to practise their rituals in His mosque, and encouraged celebrating many Hindu and Muslim festivals together at Shirdi for many years. 

Thus, He bonded the two communities together in preparation for the freedom movement later. He also advised freedom fighter Shri Lokamanya Tilak that patience and silent sacrificial service will yield desired results and requested him to adopt peaceful means to achieve freedom from British rule. 

Sai Baba accepted all offerings from all people but continued a penniless Fakir's style of life donating almost offerings to the deserving. Sai Baba advised devotees to be content with whatever Fate or God has blessed them with and work out their bad Karma putting complete faith on Him (Guru) and their favorite God. 

Despite His "pluralistic" religious identity, Sai Baba was against religious conversions of any sort and asked people to continue following ancestral deity worship and time-honoured rituals as they had done for centuries. Thus lakhs and lakhs of orthodox people grew from just mechanical ritual worship to God-realization - which was His real goal i.e., to solve devotees' temporal problems and elevate people towards spirituality. Shirdi in State of Maharashtra is today a revered holy pilgrimage spot where people from all walks of life visit and attain peace and often find their prayers answered. Sri Sai Baba's assurance to the world that He is ever alive for answering His devotees' calls has been tested and indeed had proved true for a multitude of followers around the world. 

Moving towards the future as a globalised nation, India facing challenges on many fronts - factionalism between states, frequent natural disasters, border tensions, decayed values and fallen Dharma, wanton violence, aggressive growth at the cost of nature degradation, and expected climate change complications. Sri Sai Baba's teachings of fleeting evanescence of human life, focusses on the true goals of our precious human birth. These goals are the practice of contentment, leading a simple lifestyle, brotherhood and charity – which are all crucial for the world and India. Particularly in these times where the world is caught in a vise-like grip of sense-gratification and desire attainment at all costs; decreased belief in the Divine Creator; materialistic success as the ultimate goal; disengagement of average person's human spirit from compassionate feelings for Nature, God and the poor; aggressive "dynasty-building" agendas at all levels from bottom to top of the social pyramid. 

Sai Baba was unique in that He did not take many formal disciples or successors, preach lectures or mantras, or change His meagre 'Fakir' (mendicant) ways - even after lakhs thronged to Shirdi for His blessings. His ever-living and all-encompassing spirit and physical tomb-presence will carry devotees forward to face each day bravely whatever challenge the country and world gets to meet daily. 

Aum Sairam.