Shri Shirdi Sai Speaks-5th April/ Continuation of our journey to the sacred shivlings around the holy Narmada River |
| Posted: 04 Apr 2012 11:11 PM PDT Om Sai Ram ! Om Namaha Shivaya! If for some reason you are not able to see the below pictures or You wish to have access to all the previous Shirdi Sai speaks mails - go to http://debu7370.blogspot.com/ .And if any of you would like to receive these messages directly to your mailbox everyday-- For everything else related to Shri Shirdi Saibaba - Click Here  The Narmada happens to be one of the most sacred of the five holy rivers of India; the other four being Ganges, Yamuna, Godavari and Kaveri. It is believed that a dip in any of these five rivers washes one's sins away. According to a legend, the river Ganges is polluted by millions of people bathing in it. To cleanse herself, Ganges acquires the form of a black cow and comes to the Narmada to bathe in its holy waters. Legends also claim that the Narmada River is older than the river Ganges.  There are many fables about the origin of the Narmada. According to one of them, once Lord Shiva, the Destroyer of the Universe, meditated so hard that he started perspiring. Shiva's sweat accumulated in a tank and started flowing in the form of a river – the Narmada. Another legend has it that two teardrops that fell from the eyes of Lord Brahma, the Creator of the Universe, yielded two rivers – the Narmada and the Son  Legends also say that for Lord Shiva, the Hindu God, the river is especially sacred on account of its origin, and it is often called Shankari, i.e., daughter of Shankar (Lord Shiva). All the pebbles rolling on its bed are said to take the shape of his emblem with the saying, "Narmada Ke Kanker utte Sankar" (a popular saying in the Hindi belt of India), which means that 'pebble stones of Narmada get a personified form of Shiva'. These lingam shaped stones (cryptocrytalline quartz), called Banalinga also called (Banashivalingas) are much sought after for daily worship by the Hindus.  The Narmada River is also worshipped as mother goddess by Narmadeeya Brahmins. The importance of the Narmada River as sacred is testified by the fact that the pilgrims perform a holy pilgrimage of a Parikrama or Circumambulation of the river. The Narmada Parikrama, as it is called, is considered to be a meritorious act that a pilgrim can undertake. Many sadhus (saints) and pilgrims walk on foot from the Arabian Sea at Bharuch in Gujarat, along the river, to the source in Maikal Mountains (Amarkantak hills) in Madhya Pradesh and back along the opposite bank of the river. It is a 2,600-kilometre (1,600 mi) walk.  My Humble pranams to this holy river which is known as Narmada and to all the sacred Shivlings on the banks of the Narmada Ghat  May the Holy Naramada river wash our sins and show us the light with in our soul where our creator lives.  Quote of BABA: If a man utters My name with love, I shall fulfill all his wishes.  |
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