Om Sri Sai Sadhakaanugraha Vata Vriksha Pratishtaapakaaya Namah

The Supreme Sage of Puttaparthi, the Banyan Tree planted by the Ultimate Divine Hands turns 55 on 29 June 2014. Counting on the profundity of the mysterious mystic touch of the supreme-most Avatar, one remains dazed wondering, watching this most tranquil ‘avatar’ of Parthi, conferring meditative bliss to seekers-earnest at the behest of Master Of All Masters, God Of All Gods, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai, acting as His potent tool. Paying rich tributes to this meditative wonder of Parthi, as Sri Jullie Chaudhuri sings paens of praise to this Little Master, let’s all join drowsing into the legend of this meditative wonder of God’s Ultimate Earthly Abode.

The Holy Tree…Turns Fifty Five…

Om Sri Sai Sadhakaanugraha Vata Vriksha Pratishtaapakaaya Namah

Salutations to the One Who planted a sacred Banyan tree for the benefit of spiritual seekers…

So much to learn from the life of a tree,

How to give, give, give,

And to live,

Oh! So selflessly,

All trees are extremely special, you see,

This much I do affirm,

Firmly believe and know,

Yet, this particular one at the Prasanti Tapovanam,

Was blessed with spiritual powers to be above all, more so…

Perhaps in keeping with the flow,

It wouldn’t be out of context to state,

Oft some did ponder and contemplate,

As to which illumined beings did this place frequent,

With a complete focus on the soul’s ascent,

Sages and Masters and illumined beings,

Those who choose to remain unseen,

Not visible to the human eye,

Yet being channelled and guided by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai…

 

Through the chronicles of history,

If we but peak,

We will know this ‘Vriksha’ to be,

Ever so unique,

Blessed indeed was this tree,

To receive that touch of immense grace,

Its origin if at all one does attempt to trace,

Going on to stumble upon a remarkable discovery,

That the Lord personally,

Gave it a firm base,

Surely this fact does volumes bespeak,

This mighty Banyan was planted by Beloved Bhagawan,

To enhance the concentration,

Of all those,

Who did and do…a deeper meaning to life seek…

 

Let us stroll down the lanes of times gone by,

Transport ourselves to the banks of the sacred Chitravathi,

Soak in that enchanting mid-summer evening wondrously,

With great awe upon the sandy banks espy,

Chance upon a young and enigmatic Sathya Sai,

Talking animatedly to a gathering of many a devotee,

Declaring the date to be,

As auspicious as auspicious can be,

The day of Vaisakha Purnima,

Celebrating birth, nirvana and pari-nirvana,

Descent, enlightenment,

And an emancipation from the ‘samsara’,

An extinction from all that relates to the worldly,

Truly a sacro-sanct memoir,

A triple anniversary,

Of the Awakened One – Gautama Buddha…

 

‘But, why did Buddha have to go so far,

To that particular ‘Bodhi’…this ancient fig tree?’

Asked someone from the gathering earnestly,

The Beloved One did give a reply,

That swept any and every doubt away,

Let us hear just what He did say,

Sage words that did flow and convey -

There are certain mystic yanthras,

Over which such trees do grow,

While keeping evil forces at bay,

They stimulate spiritual impulses,

And aid concentration in a marvellous way,

The mind thus well defined then loses its inclination to stray…

 

Knowing that spiritual aspirants were distressed,

For want of just such a place,

The Compassionate Master in an act of incredible grace,

From the shimmering sands did create,

A shining copper plate,

Embossed with mystical syllables and divine inscriptions,

Esoteric and eternal,

Completely beyond description,

A mantra most exalted,

Come what may, it could never be faulted,

Nor its energy, vigour and force ever be halted…

 

Then, stating further, Lord Sai did communicate to all,

That in Tapovanam, He would this plate install,

Hands most divine, sacred and holy,

Went on to plant a sapling, you see,

That now, oh, so wide-spread banyan tree,

Was planted by Dearest Swami personally…

 

It would augment concentration and meditation too,

The power of the yantra,

Would give all earnest seekers their due,

Engravings cryptic, imperceivable and inscrutable,

That would lead an aspirant to a domain transcendental,

And as for those Yogis and renunciates,

Who have reached a pinnacle of spiritual practice,

They would be drawn to this tree to further their bliss,

To this Tapovanam they will hurry,

Intuitively aware that they would benefit immensely,

From this tree’s mystical potency…

 

So it is, dear sisters and brothers,

That our Beloved One is thus adored, you see,

And hailed as -

Aum Sri Sai Sadhakaanugraha Vata Vriksha Prathistaapakaaya Namah,

He Who is Pratishtapaka -

The Person Who planted firmly,

The Vata Vriksha – the banyan tree of Shiva as Dakshinamurthy,

As an Anugraha – a boon to many a Sadhaka…

When Bhagawan did enact the role of Sri Rama,

In the era of Treta,

He was known as Sadhakamaarga Kalpatharu -

The wish fulfilling tree for sadhakas,

Now, in this age of Kali too,

The self-same Rama as Lord Sathya Sai,

Is once again satisfying the pure desires of all aspirants,

For they all do on His grace rely,

For a sanctified spot from whence they can with ease,

Their inner-self please,

In peace and quiet going on to experience the Whole,

The oh, so holy Banyan tree,

That turns fifty five,

For decades has played a most significant role,

To help heighten, advance and assist,

Those who persevere and aspire to attain their goal,

For it is so blessed by the Lord’s Intent, Will and Supreme Energy,

After all for just such a purpose,

It has been planted so by our Beloved Swami…

II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II