What is Samratchana?

SAMRATCHANA is a Sanskrit word meaning ‘Total protection’. In Tamil Nadu villages, this word is informally used to mean ‘taking care’.

The first of Shirdi Sai Baba’s ten quotations is “whoever steps inside, I take care all his responsibilities”. This word ‘Samratchana’ reverberated within me in 1984 when I was in meditation. As I often quote, ‘I am not what I seem to be externally’. The lord ordains everything; He grants me the words.

It was in 1984 that the Samratchana logo as well as the phrase ‘Saranam, Abhayam, Aiswaryam’ appeared in my vision during meditation. So also did the form of the Poorana Brahmam idol that is now consecrated in our Kelambakkam temple. These come by intuition, by the Grace of God.

The symbol of Samratchana is the Lord’s Lotus Feet placed on a lotus blossom with eight petals – each petal representating the grace of each of the Ashta Lakshmis (Lakshmi : The Goddess of Wealth); if you have wealth but not valour, what is the use? That is why eight petals depicting the eight Lakshmis.

Why Lord’s feet? So many saints have sung the glory of the Lotus Feet that grant protection to those who seek them; God resides in the lotus hearts of yogis.

‘Saranam’ is surrender. Surrender to whom? To God. The Lord’s Feet are portrayed; surrender to them.

‘Abayam’ – I placed my hand there; my hands bear the marks of divine weapons of the dasavathaara (Ten prime incarnations of Lord Vishnu) - the divine conch, discus, bow and arrow, Muruga’s lance, Shiva’s deer and mazhu (a weapon). Once you surrender to the Lord’s Feet, He grants you protection though me as His instrument and gives you overall prosperity signified by the presence of the Ashta Lakshmis represented by the eight-petalled Lotus.

‘Aiswaryam’- When you have surrendered to the Lord, I will grant you protection, wealth, education and a mind detached from worldly afflications.

The Blue flame in the Logo represents salvation. Only when you attain this blue flame, will you be liberated from this human birth. Till then, you remain the physical form. If you are mellowed, I can grant you Moksha too. The sky is blue, so is the ocean, Krishna is blue; Science says that anything that is pure has a tinge of blue. Only when you attain that blue jyothi, can you attain Moksha, This is what Samratchana’s Logo signifies.

Even the Poorana Brahmam idol appeared to me in my vision ages ago, I augmented the strength of that power, the light within that idol with the power of my penance.

You can’t understand me; I am chanting the Lord’s name every second. I may be in casual conversation with you, yet inside, the chanting is on. I continuously chant Siva Sakthi mantra; I use Shadakshara mantra when I am blessing people. I have been chanting mantra for so many years now; it has become my very breath. This along with the power gained by doing charity is all set to grow to great proportions.

One of the speeches of Siddha Yogi Sri Siva Sankar Baba.

I came to speak of inner (Cosmic) transformation; society is interested in only cosmetic changes. These are two languages vastly different from each other. What people seek of me they assume is spirituality: promotion / increment, owning a house, getting married, having an affectionate family, and so on. This is their ambition. They do not know beyond that. They seek the external world. I want to give them inner world, the world of light. These are two different things. It is a waste of time trying to give you internal transformation till you have mellowed and are ready for it.

A rat came running to a saint asking for protection from a cat chasing it. The saint turned it into a cat, then into dog and then a tiger to protect it from those animals. Then the rat-tiger came running again saying it was scared of the eagle. The saint realized that though he had changed the rat gradually into a tiger, its basic instinct remained that of a rat only. That is why it was afraid of the eagle.

Similarly, a person comes to me seeking material benefits, I grant him those benefits. Then he will ask for something else. And this goes on. There is a succession of wants from marriage to affection between spouses, progeny, children’s education, vehicles, houses and so on. I want to grant you an inner transformation – help you realize that you are the tiger. But as long as you are a rat at heart, what you have undergone is external change only.

So, though I am God, I am saying I am not God. Though I can call myself a god-man; I am saying I am not a god-man. I may be a revolutionary, but society is not prepared to stand by me.

Someday, people will come to know and accept Siva Shankar Baba’s divinity and the social transformation that will result from it, which Baba has to achieve. There need not be any doubt about that. In the near future, the entire world will acknowledge baba’s state. Baba is all set to be a phenomenon in world History. But what is the use if I speak of it now? Take a note of these words I have spoken. When the time comes, you will realize that every word of mine is true. I know every step of mine. The result of every step is already in my vision.

Take this example. We started spiritual service in a small place in Mannady. Then we moved to Besant Nagar and from there to Neelankarai. Now we are working in Kelambakkam. I am growing. I faced many hurdles. Did anything affect me? Neelankarai ashram was reduced to ashes; I renovated it in just 10 days time! As I mentioned in a TV interview, “Vali in Ramayana epics acquired half the power of his opponent. But, I gain the full power of anyone who opposes me”.

My spiritual prowess will be recorded in world history; I do not live for myself. In fact, meditation and penance is more to my liking. Left to myself, I will wander to a forest and do meditation somewhere in a cave or by a stream. I will not feel hunger. My interest is meditating on God. But God is not letting me go. He likes my commitment to work and so gets me working 20 hours a day. And even then, I go about my task with a smiling face. Even if I have to retire to the forest, it is God who takes care of me. So how can I refuse any task he gives me? It is HE who granted me this Divine Bliss. So I have to do that which pleases Him. If I go away in the quest of something of my choice, he will take away this Divine bliss from me. So though I am put off by the fact that society is not yet ripe to realize this divinity within; the reason why I am doing this service to the presently thankless society is because God wills so.

Controlling the Negative thoughts

Tiruvalluvar says ' You should entertain only noble thoughts, Don't worry about consequences'.  So every time there is a conflict. Every time there is a confrontation between the good and bad in the mind.

That is the test. That is the fire test. There is nothing wrong in it. Owning up that you have these thoughts, by itself  is an achievement. But don't bother about results. Tell God daily morning, " Dear God! You are the one motivating all my thoughts, words and actions. Please accept responsibility for them", and then set out on your daily activities. Then you need not worry at all. God will catch tight in your prayers. But you should pray. And if that prayer is sincere enough, we will get positive thoughts. God watches whether you make that Sankalpa or not.