Shri Saibaba Sansthan,Shirdi                                                                         Shri Saileela Main Page

“There is really no difference between Saguna and Nirguna aspects of Brahman, according to the Vedas, Puranas and the opinions of the sages and scholars. That which was first Unmanifest, unborn, void of form and attribute, later became Saguna due to the devotion of the bhaktas.” Again, Tulsidas says : “One who is omnipresent, unborn, beyond any form or name, the same Lord for the sake of the devotees, takes many roles and performs countless, extraordinary feats.”

“As Brahman is formless, the Vedas cannot describe it. By manifesting it in human forms  on earth, the saints have abashed the Nirakar,” as Das Ganu Maharaj says. (Shree Sainath Stavanamanjari, verse 94)

Man’s concept of God largely determines his manner of worship. Those who regard God as wholly or largely Unmanifest, worship Him by means of meditation, study of scriptures, practice of austerities and other spiritual disciplines.

Those who acknowledge the Manifest, worship Him in the form of an image, symbol, holy book, prophet or saint. Some, who believe that God is both Manifest and Unmanifest use all available modes of worship, lovingly and selflessly serve Him through His creatures, and spend their whole lives thus adoring Him.

“As long as the worshipper has a form, then it is essential that the Guru also has a bodily form. Unless and until one worships the bodily form, true devotion does not spring forth; and, till there is no such devotion, full of love, the inner mind does not blossom.” This is what Govind Raghunath Dabholkar alias Hemadpant, says in the Shree Sai Satcharita, Chap. XI, ovis 10 and 11.

     The objects of the Saguna Worship are said to be seven – the image of God, sacrificial altar, fire, supreme light, sun, water, and Brahmin (those wearing the sacred thread). “But Gururaj is even greater than all the seven... let us single-mindedly worship Him,” advocated Hemadpant. “The devotees of the Guru experience, on resorting to His Feet with full faith, that not only Guru but Parabrahma is moved. Such is the marvel of Guru Pooja !’’ (ovi 9). Hemadpant also reconciled the Nirguna and Saguna.

 He says : “That which has attributes (sattva, rajas and tamas) is with form; that which has no attributes is without form. Both are not different from each other. The formless and the one with the form are one.” (ovi 13) “The concrete and the abstract are one and the same – the abstract is spread in the form of the universe. Whomsoever one can feast one’s eyes on; on whose Feet one can rest one’s head; on whom one can meditate suitably – love develops there. In whose company one can chat lovingly and who can be worshipped with sandalwood paste and rice coloured with turmeric and kumkum – for that a form is a necessity. It is really easy to understand the nature of a bodily form rather than the formless. Once love for the Saguna increases, it becomes the awakening for the formless. Baba would evolve various means to enable the devotees to experience the abstract.” (ovis 14-18). Further, “This manifold perceivable world is the manifestation of the unknown (or invisible). It has taken shape or form from the invisible. This universe which has evolved from Brahma, with each part having the same divine essence as the whole, will be assimilated with the invisible from where it has taken birth.” (ovis 22 and 23)

Pooja can be external  or outward or gross; and internal or inward or subtle. The ‘Agamas’ (one of the six orthodox heads of Sanskrit literature) mention sixteen acts for the performance of the pooja : (1) Asana (offering of seat to the Deity or image), (2) Svagata (welcoming the Lord or Devata), (3) Padya (water for washing the Feet), (4) Arghya (water offering made in the vessel), (5) Achamana (water for sipping), (6) Madhuparka (honey, ghee, milk and curd), (7) Snanama (bath), (8) Vastra (cloth or garments), (9) Bhushana (ornaments and jewels), (10) Gandha (perfume), (11) Pushpa (flower offering), (12) Dhupa (incense), (13) Deepaka (light), (14) Naivedya (food and fruit), (15) Tambulam (betel leaf, nuts, etc.), (16) Vandana (prostrations and prayers).