I bow down to Shri GANESH

Oh, MAYURESHWARA, you are the one on whom we depend,

Oh, son of GAURI, the all- knowing,

Oh, You inconceivable one,

You with an immeasurable belly,

Protect me, oh, Shri GANAPATI …1

You are the first and foremost of all the Ganas

and of all the deities;

Therefore, you are called "GANESH"

You are acknowledged by all the "SHASTRAS" [sacred books];

You of sacred countenance, oh, BHALACHANDRA! …2

Oh, SHARADA, Goddess of Speech!

You are the mistress of the realm of words;

Because of your existence,

All worldly transactions are carried on …3

You are the deity revered by all authors;

You are eternally the pride of this nation;

Your infinite power prevails everywhere

I bow to you, JAGADAMBE …4

You are the Supreme Spirit and beloved of the saints!

Incarnation in human form of PANDARIRAYA

You are the ocean of kindness and infinite compassion;

Oh PANDURANGA NARAHARI! …5

You, who control the world like a puppeteer with his strings,

You are omnipresent;

All the sciences and sacred books are still delving

To plumb the essence of your nature …6

Those who are pedagogues,

To them, you are not revealed, oh CHAKRAPANI;

All those foolish people

Only indulge in the jugglery of words …7

Only the saints understand you

Others remain baffled.

To you, my obeisance

Respectful and with my whole body

prostrate in veneration before you …8

Oh, you, five – headed SHANKARA,

Oh, you wearer of garland of skulls,

Oh, you, blue – throated DIGAMBARA

Oh, you, BRAHMARUPA PASHUPATI! …9

One who recites your name all the time,

His worldly adversities are immediately dissolved

Such is, Oh DHURJATI,

The power of your name …10

With obeisance at your feet,

I am writing this paean of praise;

Help me always to complete this mission,

Oh, you, NILAKANTA – the blue – throated one! …11

Now, let me bow to the son of ATHRI [ DATTATREYA]

To the family deity of Indira (VISHNU)

To TUKARAM and all other saints;

So, also, to all the devotees …12

Hail, Hail to you Sainath,

Redeemer of sinners and merciful one!

I, lay my head down at your feet;

Now give me your protection …13

You are the whole world, the abode of bliss;

You, yourself, are VISHNU, the paragon among men;

You are SHANKARA, One whose wife is Uma!

You are also that enemy of Cupid …14

You are God in human form!

You are the sun in the sky of knowledge!

You are the ocean of kindness!

You are the anti – dote for worldly maladies …15

You are the CHINTAMANI of the poor and the down – trodden!

You are the divine purifier (Ganges River) for your devotees!

You are a raft for those drowning in worldliness!

You are the refuge of the timid …16

You are the very cause of this creation!

That, which is POORNA CHAITANYA!

You are that Oh, very treasure of compassion

The universe is only one of your LEELAS …17

You are not born!

Death also does not affect you!

This is the final conclusion

Which one arrives at, after a thoughtful search …18

Birth and death,

These concepts are born of ignorance!

From both you are free

Oh, Lord, of course! …19

If water appears as a spring,

Does it imply that its source is there?

It existed already, full and flush,

Merely sprang up from within the earth. …20

Water those springs up in a hollow

Is, therefore, so described or named;

A "spring" becomes its proper name

Without the water, it is only a hallow …21

To spring up and dry up and disappear

This is not the nature of water;

Because the water of the spring

Has no importance for the hallow it fills …22

It is only the hallow that is mistakenly proud

Of itself, rather than the water that filled it

Therefore, when the water dries up

The hollow becomes impoverished …23

The human body is really like the hallow water bed;

The spirit (pure energy) is like the pure clean water of the spring;

Although there are innumerable such hallows

The essences is the same in everyone …24

Therefore, you, who are without a beginning,

I say to you, merciful one,

To destroy the mountain of ignorance

Please become the thunderbolt of INDRA! ...25

Until now, such hollows (beings)

Have existed in large numbers, on this earth.

Many more exist even now,

And, in the future, as time goes by, many more will come …26

Each such hollow (being)

Is given a separate and different name and appearance

That is how, in this world,

They are identified …27

Therefore, to distinguish that spirit

In terms of "you and me" is not proper;

Because, as there is no duality

That itself is most surely, the Spirit …28

And, since the Spirit

Truly encompasses the whole world,

Then, the "you and me" the duality concept,

How can it possibly be entertained? …29

Water latent in the clouds

Is all the same;

But when it descends upon the earth,

It assumes different forms …30

That which falls in the Godavari bed

Is known as the sacred River Godavari;

That which falls into a well

Does not have the same worthiness or prestige …31

Saints are the river Godavari,

And, you are the water in it

We are the puddles, wells and lakes

That is the difference between us. …32

For the fulfillment’s of our lives

We must surrender to you

Always, with folded hands,

Because you are the embodiment of piety. ...33

It is due to its waterbed

That the waters of Godavari have become holy;

Considered merely as water

Is the same everywhere …34

The bed of Godavari

That is considered as truly sacred,

Owes ail its sanctity

To the quality of the land through which it flows …35

The water latent in the clouds

Does not alter that part of the earth on which it falls;

Yet, that very part of the earth

Is called Godavari (or pure) by the scholars

of the sacred books …36

Where the water has fallen elsewhere,

It has acquired the qualities of the soil of those places;

Contaminated, bitter, salty it becomes

Though originally sweet …37

Same is the case with you, oh, GURURAYA,

In whom there is no impurity of the six vices;

To that holy form

This title, "Saint" is befitting …38

Therefore, saints are Godavari

So full of grace;

Amongst all the beings

Your place is the highest! …39

From the beginning of creation

Godavari has been in existence;

It has been full of water

And it has never lacked it till today …40

Look, the enemy of RAVAN

Came to the banks of the Godavari

But it’s water has flowed

And the water at present is not the same as old water …41

The bed alone remains the same,

The waters have flowed into the ocean,

The sanctity is eternal

Of the riverbed, to this day …42

Each year,

The old waters go and the new

Flow into the riverbed;

It’s the law, as you know …43

A century is like a year

The sages of that century

Are like the flowing waters

While the great souls are like the waves on the water. …44

Of these saints who are like Godavari,

In the early centuries,

There was a great flood

Of SANAT- SANAK- SANANDAN-SANATKUMAR. …45

DHRUVA, PRAHLAD, powerful king BALI,

Thus, many came the present time

In each of the centuries in the past;

The floods came repeatedly,

Which I am unable to recount …47

In this present century.

The sacred Godavari

Has for certain flooded this land

In your form, Oh, Sainath! …48

Therefore at your divine feet

I make obeisance;

Maharaj, of my faults

Take no notice, I plead. …49

I am a poor, wretched, ignorant man,

The greatest of sinners;

Ridden with vices,

But do not cast me off! …50

The inherent defects of iron

Are ignored by "parisa"

The small streams of the village, Lendi and ohol

Are not rejected by the Godavari …51

I am full of vices within

By your merciful glance,

Do, do quickly destroy them

This, only, is the plea of "DAS" …52

If after coming in contact with the "parisa"!

The iron’s inherent defects

Do not change, GURUVARA,

Then, it is to the discredit of the "parisa"! …53

Don’t let me be a sinner

Don’t belittle yourself,

Look, you are "parisa", I am the iron;

My discharge is your concern too …54

A child always commits mistakes

But a mother does not scold;

Remembering this

Grant me your Grace …55

Oh, Sadguru Sainath,

You are the means for crossing this worldly ocean,

You alone are so – undoubtedly …56

You are the sun in the sky of knowledge,

You are great mine of virtues!

Oh, you are the ladder to heaven! …57

Oh, pious, purest one,

Oh, embodiment of peace and bliss,

Oh, the Supreme Self,

Oh, the non-dual one, the ocean of knowledge; …58

Oh, incarnation of the Supreme wisdom, the best among men,

Oh, abode of forgiveness and peace,

Oh, refuge of devotees,

Bless me, Bless me! …59

You are NIVRATINATH, DNYANESHWAR,

KABIR, SHEIKH MOHAMMED, EKNATH, you are …60

You are SAVATAMALI, You are truly RAMDAS,

You are TUKARAM, Sainath,

Your present manifestation,

And your manifold nature

are really difficult to understand!

The knowledge about your caste and creed

You do not reveal to anybody …62

Some say you are a Muslim,

Some say you are Brahmin

Thus like Krushna,

You too, are inscrutable! …63

Having observed SHRI KRUSHNA,

Different people called him by various names.

Some call him "YADU BHUSHAN"

Some call him a cowherd …64

ARJUN called him Omniscient …65

Thus, oh GURUVARA, to you

According to each person’s conclusion

Based on his mental attitude,

Names are five, by them …66

The masjid being your dwelling,

And your ears not being pierced,

Nothing your offering the "FATEHA"

To call you a Muslim is logical …67

In the thirteenth verse of seventh canto of Shri Sai Charita- Hemadpant says:-

"His ears were pierced, so how can be called a yavana?

Circumcision he approved, so how can he be called a Hindu?

He is neither Hindu nor Muslim

Sai is the holy incarnation"

The late swami Sai-Sharn-Anand has rendered this work of Das Ganu into

Gujarati. In the footnote to his translation of the sixty-seventh verse thereof, he

observes, "Das Ganu does not appear to have observed Baba’s ears carefully.

As per the translator’s own knowledge and observations ]

Similarly, considering the worship of fire,

As done by you, Lord of mercy,

My own conclusion is

That you are a Hindu! …68

But these superficial differences

Would interest only pedagogues;

But for those devotees desirous of knowledge

They are of no consequence …69

You are BRAHMA Itself!

Caste and greed have no relevance to you;

You are the Guru Supreme!

You are the creator of this world!

were brought at a time other than afternoon Naivedya and if Bade Baba or other Muslims

were present, Baba would order the first "Sura" of Koran to be recited and would him self

There was Hindu – Muslim rivalry;

Therefore, to bring about unity and amity,

The masjid and the fire worship were embraced by you,

To show your "leela" to the devotees …70

You are beyond caste and greed,

You are Brahman, the essence of Truth;

You are That, verily,

You are beyond human conception! …71

Giving free rein to surmises and conjectures,

Arguments have flourished about you

There, my insignificant

Words, how will they prevail? …72

But when I behold you,

I cannot remain silent;

Because, for encomium, words

Are normally the only means …73

Therefore, by means of words,

Whatever description is possible,

That I will always proffer,

With your grace …74

Saints, I reckon

Higher than gods;

For distinctions such as mine and thine

Find not a place in their proximity …75

HIRANYAKASHAPU and RAVANA

were killed because of their hatred of god

Such a deed has never been done by saints …76

GOPICHAND, In the heap of garbage,

Buried JALANDAR

But that sage

Had no rancor for that act …77

On the contrary, the king was delivered

from the material world

And was immortalised;

Such is the prowess of the saints,

It is indescribable! …78

Saints are the Sun,

Their grace is illuminating;

Saints are as pleasing as the moon,

Their benignness is as gentle as moonlight …79

Saints, are the soothing musk,

Their blessing are like it’s fragrance,

Saints are the juicy sugarcane,

Their blessings are like its sweetness …80

Saints, towards the good and the bad,

Are the same, definitely.

On the contrary, their love for the sinners

Is immeasurable …81

In the waters of the Godavari,

Only the soiled clothes come to be cleansed;

The clean ones, in a trunk,

Remain far from the Godavari banks …82

Even that which remained in the trunk,

came once,

To be cleansed thoroughly

On the Godavari banks …83

The trunk is the eternal abode;

You are the Godavari, unshakable faith is the ghat;

All beings are the garments

Full of the impurities comprising six vices …84

The "DARSHAN" of your feet

Is like a bath in the Godavari;

Wash away my sins

Oh, Samarth, and purify me! …85

We worldly people

Gather layers of impurities again and again;

Therefore, we are the right people

For the "DARSHAN" of saints …86

In the abundant waters of the Godavari

Comes the wash, to be cleansed at the GHATS;

If, it is really left unattached

Then, it is a discredit to the Godavari! …87

You are the cool, shady tree, with abundant foliage;

We are the travelers, really,

Suffering from the scorching sun- rays

From that blazing heat, Oh compassionate one,

Protect us, Oh GURURAYA

The benign grace of your cool shade

Is extraordinary! …89

Sitting under a tree,

If one feels the heat of the sun,

Then, who will call that tree

The shade-giving tree? …90

Look, without your grace

Nothing can be right in the world;

SHESHSAYEE befriended ARJUNA,

To uphold the right …91

Due to the kindness of SUGRIV, BIBHISHANA

Came in contact with king RAM,

It is due to the saints,

That Shri Hari is thus glorified …92

BRAHMAN, being formless,

VEDAS alone not describe it

Be endowing it with forms,

The saints have reduced the importance of the formless! …93

VAIKUNTAPATI, husband of RUKMINI,

was made a "mahar" by DAMAJI;

TO PICK UP CORPSES OF BUFFALOES

CHOKHAMELA made JAGAD-ATMA (God) slog. …94

Knowing the prowess of saints,

Jagjivan labored by carrying water

Saints have truly lorded

Over God Himself, who is Eternal Truth

- Knowledge – Bliss ...95

There is no need to speak more

You are our mother and our father,

Oh, Sadguru Sainath,

Dweller of Shiridi village …96

Baba, your "LEELAS"

No one can truly comprehend;

Then, my plebian speech

How can it do justice, tell me? …97

To save the sinners,

You came to Shiridi;

Pouring water into earthen lamps,

You made them burn …98

The wooden plank of absurdly small measures

You turned into your bed, truly;

Thereby displaying to the devotees

Your amazing yogic powers! …99

The barrenness of many women

You have completely dispelled;

The diseases of many

You have cured with the "UDI"! …100

Toward off worldly difficulties

Is not impossible for you

The weight of an ant,

Does the elephant consider as a burden? …101

So be it, GIRURAYA,

Have mercy on the humble one.

I surrender at your feet,

Do not turn me away …102

You are the king of kings,

You are richer than KUBER himself,

You are the Heater par excellence

No one is superior to you! …103

For the worship of other deities

The ritual is as prescribed

But, for your worship

There is nothing worthy of you …104

Look, in the realm of the sun,

The festival of DEEPAVALI has come;

But to celebrate it

What shall be the means? …105

To quench the ocean’s

Thirst, adequate water cannot be found on earth;

To warm the fire

From where will the heat be found? …106

All articles needed for the worship

Are filled with your essence;

From the beginning, they are part of you,

Oh, SHREE SAMARTHA GURURAYA! …107

All my talk is a philosophical statement,

For I have not experienced its truth

I have spoken without experience,

A meaningless maze of words …108

If ritualistic worship

Of You, is to be performed by me,

To do that, I have no wherewithal’s

My SAMARTHA GURURAYA! …109

Mostly, with the help of my imagination only

Will I worship you

That worship itself, Oh, compassionate one,

Do accept from this slave …110

Now with my tears

I bathe your feet;

The sandalwood of true devotion

I make into paste and apply …111

The long tunic ("KAFNI") of these ornamental words

I, place on you, sincerely;

This garland of adoration,

I place round your neck …112

The incense of vileness

I burn before you, truly;

Though it is of impure composition

Even then, there will be no foul-odour from it. …113

Elsewhere, than before the Sadguru,

If incense is burnt,

What happens to that incense

Is like this …114

When the incense is put on the fire,

The moment it actually touches it

The fragrance from the incense

Leaves it instantly …115

Before you, it’s contrary;

The impurities burn away in the fire,

The good remains forever

For the world to see …116

Once the vileness of the mind is burnt away,

The mind will become purer;

Once the Ganga’s impurity is gone

Then it is holy, naturally …117

The light of temptations

I kindle, most truly

From which, may the luster of asceticism

Be granted to me, Oh GURURAYA! …118

The throne of pure faith

I offer you as a seat;

On receiving it

Accept the offering ("NAIYVEDYA") of devotion …119

You partake the offerings of devotion,

Give me the essence;

Because I am your child

I have a claim on your milk …120

My mind is my monetary offering ("DAKSHINA")

That I offer to you;

Therefore, the credit or discredit of any action

Will no longer be mine …121

Now, most humbly and devotedly

I do obeisance to you;

Please accept it,

Oh divine Sainath! …122

EIGHTFOLD PRAYER

Possessing peaceful mind, and wisdom supreme,

Sainath, the compassionate,

You are ocean of kindness, truth incarnate,

And destroyer of the darkness of ignorance! 1-123

The sage, beyond caste and greed you are,

Beyond comprehension, compassion incarnate;

Protect me, protect me,

Oh, Sainath of Shiridi! 2-124

You are the sun of Divine Knowledge

the bestower of choicest blessings;

Oh, fabled HAMSA of the minds of the devotees,

Protector you are of those who surrender to you 3-125

You are BRAHMADEV, creator of the world;

You, the sustainer of the world, VISHNU;

The destroyer of the three worlds,

You are that very RUDRA! 4-126

There is no place on this earth,

Where you are not

Omniscient, Oh you Sainath,

You dwell in all our hearts 5-127

Forgive us all our sins

I implore you!

And those weaves of doubts and delusions,

Repel instantly 6-128

You are cow, I the calf,

You are moon, I the stone melted by it’s light;

At your feet, which are like the Ganges,

Respectfully the slave ("DAS") bows down! 7-129

Place on my head

Your hand and bless me, Oh Lord!

Wars off my sorrow and worry

For this GANU is your servant 8-130

With this eight-fold prayer

I prostrate myself before;

My sins (demerits), suffering and poverty

Ward off immediately …131

You are the cow and I the calf;

You are the mother and I the child;

Do not harbour

Any harsh feelings towards me …132

You are the sandalwood from Malaygiri

I’m a thorny shrub

You are the life-giving waters of Godavari,

I, the greatest of sinners …133

If after having your "DARSHAN"

The impurities of my wicked mind remain

Unchanged, GURURAYA,

Who will then call you sandalwood? …134

The proximity of musk ("KASTURI")

makes even the dust more valuable;

The fragrance of flowers is transmitted

To the thread which ties the garlands …135

This is the way of the great

Whosoever they come in touch with,

To him they impart

A part of their greatness …136

Sacred ashes, join cloth and the bull,

SHIVA made symbolic parts of himself;

Therefore, these objects

Are praised in all quarters …137

For the amusement of the cowherds,

At Vrindavan, on the banks of the Yamuna,

The lord of the World played "DAHI-KALA"

That too has earned recognition from wise men …138

Similarly, I am a sinner,

But, I am under your protection;

Will you not redeem me, Oh, GURURAYA,

From my sinful state? …139

Worldly or spiritual.

In whatever objects I seek satisfaction

I have no doubt, Oh, GURURAYA,

That you will grant me these …140

With your grace

Control my mind;

If the oceans are sweetened

There is no fear of their being salty …141

To make the oceans sweet

Truly you have the powers

Therefore, this supplication of Dasganu,

Please concede …142

Whatever be my shortcomings,

They are all yours!

You are the foremost among the spiritual masters,

So do not stint while giving …143

Now, why should I speak more?

You are my only refuge

The child held in the mother’s arms

Is naturally without fear …144

So be it, This hymn of praise,

Whosoever read with love,

Their desires

Fulfil, O Lord …145

Your blessing for this hymn

I entreat

May the difficulties if he who recites this sincerely,

Be warded off within a Year …146

After performing all ablutions

Should this hymn, be recited regularly,

With a pure and sincere feeling

In your heart …147

If this be not possible

Then, every Thursday

Meditating on the Sadguru in your mind,

This hymn should be recited …148

If even this be not possible

Then on every "ekadasi"

This hymn should be read

To realise the beneficial effect …149

On who recites this with faith

Will ultimately progress spiritually by the Grace of GURU,

Who will satiate the material desires readily,

And thereby deliver him from their bondage …150

With repeated recitations of this hymn,

Dull wits will be sharpened

And, if perchance, someone’s life is short,

Then, by recitation, he will live up to a hundred years! …151

Where wealth is wanting,

KUBER, the Lord of wealth himself will come to stay,

Oh reading this hymn,

This is the Truth, and so it shall be …152

To the childless, children will be born

On reciting this hymn

And the ailments of one who recites this hymn

Will be dispelled in all directions …153

Fear and worry will disappear,

Prestige will increase

He will realise the imperishable BRAHMAN

With the regular recitation of this hymn …154

Regarding this hymn, Oh wise ones,

Have faith in your hearts

About the efficacy of this hymn;

And give no place

To doubts and misconceptions …155

Go on pilgrimage to Shiridi,

Concentrate on the lotus feet of Baba,

Who is the succor of the poor and the meek,

The wish-fulfilling tree for the devotees! …156

It was because of the inspiration received from Him

That this hymn has been composed

How else could an insignificant ignorant one, like me,

Have written it? …157

In the bright half of the BHADRAPAD month,

On GANESH-CHATURTHI day

This humble tribute of praise to Shri Sainath,

Was completed at "Maheshwara"

By the sacred bank of the Narmada

Near Shri Ahilya Devi’s Samadhi …159

At Maheshwara, the famous TITTHA

The hymn was completed

Shri Sai Nath made me utter every word

By becoming part of my mind …160

The disciple Damodar

Became the scribe truly,

I Das, Ganu, am only an obedient servant

Of all the saints and sages …161

Peace be with you! May this humble tribute

of praise to Shri Sainath

Help you cross the worldly ocean

This is the prayer, with faith and respect

Of Das Ganu, to Shri Panduranga …162

Let this be offered to Shri Hari–Hara!

Bless us, O Lord!

PUNDALIK VARDA (fulfiller of wishes) HARI-VITHAL!

I recall Sitakanta! Hail Hail Rama

Parvati-pate Har-Har Mahadev!

Hail to Shri Sadguru Sainath Maharaj!

Shri Sadguru Sainath, I offer this to you

Bless us, O Lord!

BOLO SHRI SAMARTH SACHIDANANDA SADGURU SAINATH MAHARAJ

KI JAI!!!

Mangalam Kausalendraya Mahaniya Gunatmanea

Chakravarthi Tanujaya Saarvabhoumaya mangalam

sudhasai@hotmail.com