Sai Baba Images With Father’s Day Messages
As Father’s Day approaches on June 18th, we proudly remember our fatherly leader, our Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. We also want to introduce the legendary Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar, who lived 2000 years ago in Tamil Nadu and composed the renowned Thirukkural. Under Modi ji’s leadership for the past nine years, we have learned the importance of a leader being like a father to the nation. It’s no wonder that he has a fatherly affection for us, and we feel the same way towards him. Modi ji greatly appreciates the wisdom and knowledge found in the couplets of the Thirukkural, and he often quotes them in his speeches. These couplets hold timeless wisdom that we can still relate to today. In the spirit of following his example, we share a couplet from the Sangam Literature that beautifully expresses a father’s love & responsibility for his children.
தந்தை மகற்காற்று நன்றி அவையத்து
— Thirukural Chapter 7, Verses 7 (song 67) – The Boon of Children
முந்தி இருப்பச் செயல்
Translation: The benefit which a father should confer on his children is to give them precedence in the assembly of the learned.
Our Interpretation: The statement suggests that a father should provide his child with the advantage of being recognized and respected within the community of intellectuals or knowledgeable individuals. It implies that a father should strive to elevate his child’s status and reputation among learned individuals or scholars by guiding them with the right knowledge.
We firmly believe that Sai Baba extends this special care to each of His devotees. He ensures that His devotees are recognized for the wisdom He imparts, specifically the wisdom that leads one to self-realization, leading them to earn respect in all aspects of life. His endeavors aim to provide transformative experiences that elevate us to the pinnacle of spiritual growth. No doubt He provides immense guidance and support in every walk of life. Throughout history and even today, numerous devotees have experienced this profound fatherly love from Sai Baba. This brings to mind a story from Sai Satcharitra featuring Chenbassapa and Veerbhadrappa. In this story, Sai Baba’s affectionate and nurturing nature is beautifully portrayed, showcasing His role as a caring father to His devotees. This story serves as a reminder of the boundless love and guidance Sai Baba offers, inspiring us to deepen our connection with Him and embrace His teachings in our lives. You can find Chapter 47 of “Sai Satcharitra” by following this link.
There are first-hand experiences about devotees seeing Sai Baba as a father in this modern era as well. A heartfelt experience shared on our blog exemplifies Sai Baba’s unwavering love, which resembles that of a compassionate father. To truly appreciate the depth of this devotee’s journey and the profound impact of Baba’s interventions, we encourage you to read the detailed experience.
Sai Baba is Parampita
A father’s role is to bring a child into this world, but the Supreme Father (Parampita) grants liberation, putting an end to the cycle of birth and death. As devotees, we are nurtured by Parampita, receiving essential guidance, wisdom, and understanding to recognize the importance of liberation and the reasons why we should strive for it. While a father supports his children to become better individuals, Parampita ensures that our souls reach their ultimate destination. Understanding Baba’s purpose for descending upon Earth is crucial. His intention was to alleviate suffering and facilitate the evolution of souls towards their highest potential, ultimately attaining the ultimate goal. By comprehending the significance of His avatar, we should embrace and live according to Sai Baba’s teachings. Reflecting His teachings through the lessons bestowed upon us in Sai Satcharitra, we align ourselves with His divine purpose. Just as we have witnessed our fathers working for our utmost benefit, Sai Baba also knows what is best for us. Therefore, we should remain receptive to His grace, remaining vigilant as we hold our father’s hand while walking on the path of life. And as referred before, our Sai Baba conferring His children (devotees) is to give them precedence in the assembly of the learned as stated in the Thirukkural.
We began the post by discussing a father’s responsibility, and we conclude by highlighting the responsibility of children, with a meaningful quote from Srimad Bhagavatam.
त्वम् एकः सर्वभूतानः
— Srimad-Bhagavatam, Chapter 13, Verse 7
जन्म-कृद् वृत्तिदाः पिता
तथापि नः प्रजानां ते
शुश्रूषा केन वा भवेत्
Transliteration: tvam ekaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ
janma-kṛd vṛttidaḥ pitā
tathāpi naḥ prajānāṁ te
śuśrūṣā kena vā bhavet
Word by Word Translation: tvam—you; ekaḥ—one; sarva—all; bhūtānām—living entities; janma-kṛt—progenitor; vṛtti-daḥ—source of subsistence; pitā—the father; tathā api—yet; naḥ—ourselves; prajānām—of all who are born; te—of you; śuśrūṣā—service; kena—how; vā—either; bhavet—may be possible.
Translation: You are the father of all living entities and the source of their subsistence because they are all born of you. Please order us how we may be able to render service unto you.
Meaning: A child’s duty is not only to make the father the source of supply for all his needs, but also, when he is grown up, to render service unto him. That is the law of creation beginning from the time of Brahmā. A father’s duty is to bring up his children until he is grown, and when the children are grown up, it is their duty to render service unto the father.
Our Interpretation: On Father’s Day, we want to emphasize the message of our duty towards Sai Baba, our Parampita. He has taken the responsibility of guiding us towards the ultimate goal of self-realization. As His children (devotees), it is our responsibility to demonstrate our love by following His teachings and achieving the liberation He desires for us.
© Shirdi Sai Baba Life Teachings and Stories – Member of SaiYugNetwork.com
