Sai Baba Aarti: Aarti Saibaba Saukhyadatara Jivaसाईं बाबा की आरती: आरती साईबाबा सौख्यदातारा जीवा

"Aarti Saibaba, saukhyadatara jiva" is the best-known aarti of Shirdi Sai Baba. It is sung in Marathi at the Madhyan (noon) aarti and the Dhoop (sunset) aarti in Shirdi, and it is the aarti most devotees sing at home on Thursdays, at the close of the Sai vrat puja. Its composition is attributed to the devotee Madhav Adkar, whose name appears in the last stanza.

This page gives the full Marathi aarti in Devanagari, a simple Roman transliteration and a stanza-by-stanza meaning. It also gives "Om Jai Sai Hare", a Hindi aarti sung in many North Indian homes, and a short guide to doing the aarti at home. Spellings vary a little between aarti books; the text here follows the common Shirdi version.

Aarti Saibaba: the Marathi text

Aarti Saibaba in English letters

Meaning of Aarti Saibaba, stanza by stanza

Refrain: Aarti Saibaba

We wave the lamp before you, Sai Baba, you who give happiness to every living being. Give your servants and devotees rest in the dust of your feet. "Dust of the feet" is a common image in Marathi devotion: to sit at the guru's feet is to find shelter.

Jaluniya anang

Having burnt away desire, you stay absorbed in your own true Self. To those who long for liberation you show the Lord, Shriranga, before their very eyes.

Jaya mani jaisa bhav

As a person feels in the heart, so is the experience you give. O ocean of mercy, such is your way. Devotees often quote this line to say that Baba answers each person according to their faith.

Tumche nam dhyata

Meditating on your name removes the pain of worldly life. Your deeds are beyond measure, and you show the way to those who have no one.

Kaliyugi avatar

In this age of Kali you have come as an incarnation, truly God with form. You have descended as Swami Datta Digambar. Many devotees in Maharashtra see Sai Baba in the line of Dattatreya, the divine guru, and the aarti expresses that belief.

Atha divasa Guruvari

Every eighth day, on Thursday, devotees make their pilgrimage to see the feet of the Lord, and he removes the fear of worldly existence. This stanza is one reason Thursday became the special day of Sai worship.

Majha nijadravyatheva

My true treasure is the service of the dust of your feet. This alone is what I ask of you now, God of gods.

Ichchhit din chatak

The humble chataka bird longs only for pure rain water, the joy of the Self. Give that water to this Madhav to drink, and keep your promise. The chataka is said in Indian poetry to drink only falling rain, so it stands for single-minded longing. "Madhav" is the signature of the poet; many devotees sing their own name in its place.

Om Jai Sai Hare: a Hindi aarti

This Hindi aarti is sung in many homes and small temples, especially in North India, in the same metre as the well-known "Om Jai Jagdish Hare". It is not part of the Shirdi temple aarti book. Its stanzas recall the Kakad aarti, the Chavadi, udi, the dhuni at Dwarkamai, the devotee Shama and Hemadpant, the author of the Shri Sai Satcharitra. Printed versions differ in a few words.

Transliteration

Meaning

Victory to you, Sai, Baba of Shirdi. For the sake of your devotees, to take away their troubles, you appeared in Shirdi. To ease the sorrows of the suffering, you came to live in Shirdi; a garland of flowers shines at your neck and your kafni robe and cloth look beautiful, and you fulfil the work of all.

Devotees sing the Kakad aarti at dawn, and the guru goes to the Chavadi to rest. Devotees believe that udi drives away every trouble, and the fakir guru is dear to us. Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians, Buddhists and Jains are all brothers; Baba protects those who take refuge in Dwarkamai, where the dhuni burns without a break. Among the devotees Shama is dear to him, and he had Hemadpant write his life story. When Thursday evening comes, Shiv (taken to be the poet's own name) sings Sai's verses and love flows from the eyes. The aarti closes with the cry of victory to Shri Sadguru Sainath Maharaj.

The line about udi expresses devotional faith. Udi is a blessing, not a medicine, and this is not a substitute for medical advice; please see a doctor when you are unwell.

How to do Sai Baba's aarti at home

The aarti is the last act of the Thursday puja, after the offering of flowers and prasad, the vrat katha and any chanting of the Sai Chalisa. A simple home practice is:

1. Prepare an aarti thali with a ghee lamp (one wick or five wicks are common) or a piece of camphor, a few flowers, a pinch of kumkum or chandan, and a little udi if you have it. Keep a bell nearby.
2. Stand before the picture or murti of Sai Baba, with family members beside or behind you.
3. Light the lamp and offer incense first if you like. Begin together with the refrain "Aarti Saibaba".
4. Wave the thali in slow clockwise circles before Baba while everyone sings. Many families circle four times at the feet, twice at the navel, once at the face and seven times over the whole form; follow your own family custom.
5. Ring the bell throughout, or let someone else ring it. Clapping along is common in Sai aartis.
6. After the last stanza, many devotees say "Shri Sachchidanand Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki Jai" together.
7. Take the thali to each person present. Each one passes the palms over the flame and touches them to the eyes and forehead.
8. Bow, ask forgiveness for any mistakes in the puja, and share the prasad.

On vrat Thursdays the aarti can be done in the morning or the evening, whichever time you keep for the puja. Short mantras for chanting before or after the aarti are on the Sai mantra page, and the hymns sung at the four temple aartis are described on the daily aartis page.

Frequently asked questions