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When you meet each other, do not shout hello or bye-bye, or some silly
chatter.
Let the moment of meeting be sanctified by the remembrance of God.Say, Ram Ram, or Om, or Hari Om, or Sai Ram.Sathya Sai Speaks X, Chap. 14
The quote from Swami (above) states in a nutshell why we greet someone
with "Sai Ram". It is a remembrance of God, the one God that IS the
other person and ourselves.
In Bavaria, southern Germany, many people greet each other with "Gruess
Gott", which means "Greet God". Same idea!
When greeting someone with "Sai Ram", try to think of greeting not only
the worldly body that you see but our SAI in that person. We could use
any name of God; it is the intent and feeling that counts. We have
happened to choose "Sai Ram" because of the universal appeal of that
name as a mantra. (Some devotees do repetition of the Name
--namasmarana-- with "Om Sri Sai Ram", repeating "Om Sri" on the inbreath and "Sai Ram" on the outbreath.)
The word "Sai" can be split into two: "Sa" and "Ai". We have been told
that "Sa" means universal father, while "Ai" stands for universal
mother. Sathya Sai Baba, our Sai, is our mother and father.
"Ram" can be viewed as a shortening of "Rama". One interpretation of
this word is that "Ra" is the Fire Principle, which burns all to ash,
while "ma" stands for maya or illusion, so together, they mean the
destruction of illusion.
Sai Baba has said also that "Rama" means "He who pleases, fills with
bliss, causes delight", that "Rama" means the joy that comes from love. |
