DHUP ARATI*

The Tradition of Arati to Saibaba
A Brief Description of Aarathi

DHUP ARATI
(EVENING ARATI)
I. ABHANG
(Same as Psalm No. II of the Noon Arati)
II. ARATI
(Same as Psalm No. IV of the Noon Arati)
III. ARATI
(Same as Psalm No. V of the Noon Arati)
IV. NAMAN (Same as Psalm No. VI of the Noon Arati)
V. NAMASKARASTAK
(Same as Psalm No. VIII of the Noon Arati)
VI. PRARTHANA
(Same as Psalm No. IX of the Noon Arati)
VII. SRI SAINATHA MAHIMNA STOTRAM
(Same as Psalm No. X of the Noon Arati)
VIII. SRI GURUPRASADA YACHANAASTAKAM
(Composed by : Sri B. V. Dev alias Babanche Bal)
Ruso mama priyaambikaa majavaree pitahee ruso
Ruso mama priyanganaa priyasutaatmajaahee ruso Ruso
bhagini bandhuhee swasura saasubayee ruso
Na dattaguru Saayima majavaree kadheenhee ruso
Puso na sunabayee tyaa maja
na bhratrujaayaa puso
Puso na priya soyare priya sage na gnateen puso
Puso suhrida naa sakhaa
swajana naapta'bandhu puso
Paree na guru Saayima
majavaree kadheenhee ruso
Puso na aba/aa mulen tarun vriddhahee naa puso
Puso na guru dhakute maja na thor saane puso
Puso nacha bhale bure sujan sadhuheen naa puso
Paree na guru Saayima majavaree kadheenhee ruso
Ruso chatura tatwavit vibudha praanajnaanee ruso
Rushohi vidushee striyaa kushal panditaahee ruso
Ruso mahipatee yatee bhajak taapaseehee ruso
Na dattaguru Saayima majavaree kadheenhee ruso
Ruso kavi rishee munee anagha siddha yogee ruso
Ruso hi grihadevata ni kula graama devee ruso
Ruso khala pishaascahee malm dakineehee ruso
Na dattaguru Saayima majavari kadheenhee ruso
Ruso mriga khaga krimi akhila jeeva jantu ruso
Ruso vitap prastaraa achal aapagaabdhee ruso
Ruso kha pavan naagni vaar
avani panchatatwe ruso
Na dattaguru Saayima majavaree kadheenhee ruso
Ruso vimal kinnaraa amala yakshineehee ruso
Ruso shashi khagaadihee gagani taarakaahee ruso
Ruso amararaajahee ac/aya dharmaraa ruso
Na dattaguru Saayima majavari kadheenhee ruso
Ruso mana saraswatee chapa!a chitta tehee ruso
Ruso vapu dishaakhilaa kattina kaa! tohee ruso
Ruso sakal vishwahee mayi tu brahma golaa ruso
Na dattaguru Saayima majavaree kadheenhee ruso
Vimoodha hmanunee haso
majana matsaraahee daso
Padaabhi ruchi ulhasohjanan kardamee naa phaso
Na durga dhriticha ahaso ashivbhaav maage khaso
Prapanchi mana he ruso dridda virakti chittee ttaso
Kunaachihi grinaa naso na
cha sprihaa kashaachee aso
sadaiva hridyeen vaso manasi dhyani Sayee vaso
Padee pranaya varaso nikhila drishya baabaa diso
Na dattaguru Saayima upari yaachanelaa ruso

Translation

Let it be, even if my beloved mother and father, my darling wife and dear children,my sisters, brothers, mother-in-law and father-in-law are all cross with me. I care not!But, Oh my Motherly Sai the Datta Guru, pray never be cross with me!

Let it be, even if my daughter-in-law, sister-in-law, my near and dear relatives, kith and kin, well-wishers, and bosom friends forsake me in neglect, I never mind! But,Oh my Motherly Sai the Datta Guru, pray never be cross with me!

Even if women, boys, girls, aged, youngsters, elders, good, bad, pious and holy all neglect me. I mind not in the least! But, Oh Sai, my Motherly Guru, never be cross with me!

Even the wizards in philosophy, intelligent, clever, wise men, enlightened women, erudite scholars, kings, monks, mystics, all may be indignant with me. I do not bother! But, Oh Sai, Motherly Guru, never be cross with me! Poets, sages, saints, great godmen, yogis, tutelary gods, clan and village deities, evil spirits, malicious devils and grungy goblins, all may be piqued with me. I care not in the least! But, my Motherly Sai, the Datta Guru, never get displeased with me!
Animals, birds, insects, all the sentient beings, stones, mountains, rivers, oceans, earth and the five elements all may turn unfriendly against me, I care not! But, Oh my Motherly Sai, the Datta Guru, never be ungracious to me!

Even if pious Kinnaras, Yakshas, the moon, the sun, and the stars in the firmament, Indra the king of the gods, Yama Dharma Raja the implacable god of Death, all may turn ungraceful to me. I am least bothered! But Oh my Motherly Sai the Datta guru, never turn me down in displeasure!

My own body and mind, Saraswati the goddess of learning, Lakshmi the capricious goddess of wealth, the gods presiding over all the cardinal directions, the ruthless (god of) Time, the whole universe and the three spheres of creation may turn unfavourable to me. But, Oh Sai, the Datta Guru, do not look upon me with disfavour!
Even if the whole world laughs at me with ridicule or my own kith and kin gibe and jeer in my face taking me as a block headed dolt, make me undaunted with unswerving faith and devotion to thy feet. Let ignoble thoughts never enter my mind, and let me not get entangled in the mire of births and rebirths. Let strong emotions borne of dispassion towards worldly attachments be implanted deep in my heart, Oh Sainath!

Bless me, Oh Sai, that I cherish no ill will to anyone nor any yearning for anything. Pray, constantly dwell in my heart and make my mind constantly dwell upon thee. Inspire in me loving passion to thy even feet and bless me to look upon the whole world only as thy blessed form. Oh my Motherly Sai the Datta Guru, I beg thee to dole out the said boons upon me without getting irritated!

Commentary

This alluring piece of tuneful devotion is composed by Sri Balakrishna Vishwanath Dev, who served as a Mamaltadar at Dahanu. Sri Dev composed the psalm in 1940 and it was added to the Book of Shirdi Aratis about twenty two years after Baba's Maha Samadhi. Sri B. V. Dev rendered memorable services to Shri Sai Baba Sansthan as one of its founding members/trustees and, contributed a number of articles to Shri Sai Leela Masik (Marathi).

'Babanche Bal' is his chosen pen-name, which means, 'Baba's Child'. When Sri Annasaheb Dabholkar, the author of Sri Sai Satcharitra, passed away in 1929 leaving his magnum opus unfinished, the task of penning the finale was entrusted to Sri B. V. Dev, who then composed the concluding chapters (Chs. 52 and 53) of the book.

Even though the express motif of the psalm is an impassioned plea, nay, begging (=yachana) for the favour (=prasad) of the Guru to the exclusion of all other concerns and attachments in life, it hints and hits at the subtle clogs in our consciousness (ego) which hold us back from an all-out bid for an undaunted encounter with our essential Self. The lilting rhythm of the song aired with the cadence of euphonic alliterations and onomatopoeic diction leaves in the hearts of the singers and the listeners a lingering ring of rhapsodic ecstasy - even if one knows not the language!

Sri Satchidananada Sadguru Sainath Maharj Ki Jai
Surrender Shri Sai Completely,Stupendous Delectation and Deliverance be there!
(Shri Sai Leela Magazine from July-August 1996 to May-June 1997)
Courtesy:Sahasra Sai