Aarti
You do not need a perfect voice. You need a sincere minute. Light a lamp if you have one. If not, the attention itself is the flame.
The simple mantra
Three words are enough. Whisper them while walking, while cooking, while falling asleep. Baba never demanded complicated worship — only a sincere remembering.
ॐ साई राम
Om Sai Ram
ॐ साई नाथाय नमः
Om Sai Nathaya Namah — I bow to Lord Sai.
The one Lord of all
Baba’s great sentence of unity. Hindus, Muslims, and every sincere seeker were welcome at his fire. Repeat it when the mind wants to divide the world into ours and theirs.
सबका मालिक एक
Sabka Malik Ek — the Master of all is One.
अल्लाह मालिक
Allah Malik — God is the true owner of all things.
A prayer of trust
When anxiety comes, do not argue with it. Sit, place a hand on the chest, and say the sentence Baba left in so many hearts.
क्यों डरना जब मैं हूँ यहाँ
Why fear when I am here.
मैं तुम्हारे साथ हूँ
I am with you.
Evening · Dhoop Aarti
The evening hymn
The most sung hymn in Shirdi. Below are opening verses in transliteration, with a plain-English sense of their meaning. Sing slowly. Meaning matters more than melody.
Aarti Sai Baba, saukhya daataara jeevaa Charana rajahitaakhilapara, dwandwa niree jaavaa
We wave the lamp before Sai Baba, giver of well-being to all lives. At his feet, the pairs of opposites — joy and sorrow, praise and blame — fall away.
Bhavaarana paranaaya, daavisi dasaa tano Nirakaara saakaara, Shirdi raahile dhyaano
He who ferries us across the ocean of becoming took a form and remained, in our contemplation, in Shirdi.
Shirdi maaje pandharapura, Saai maaze raamaa Yewuge bhakta, puravi aasha, kshamaapayaa aamhaa
Shirdi is my Pandharpur; Sai is my Rama. Devotees come — fulfill their longing, and forgive us.
Dawn
The dawn waking
Before sunrise, the temple is woken with Kakad Aarti — a gentle rousing of Baba, as one would wake a beloved elder. These lines are offered as a morning sitting.
Uthaa saadhu santa jan, kakad aarti saajani Baba jagale, mandir ujale
Rise, seekers and saints — the dawn aarti is prepared. Baba is awake; the temple fills with light.
Jai jai Sai, jai jai Sai Kaarunaa sindhu, deenaanaatha
Victory to Sai, ocean of compassion, lord of the humble.
In simple English
For anyone who does not know the old hymns. Speak it once, honestly, and then sit in silence for a minute. Silence is also aarti.
Baba, I place this day at your feet. Take the worry I cannot carry. Keep my speech clean, my hands useful, and my heart from closing. Let me see you in whoever comes. Sabka Malik Ek. Om Sai Ram.