Sai Baba Aarti
आरती साईबाबा (सौख्यदातार जीवा)
What is the Sai Baba Aarti (Saukhyadatar Jeeva)?
Aarti Sai Baba The Sai Baba Aarti, opening 'Aarti Sai Baba, Saukhyadatar Jeeva', is a Marathi devotional song by Madhavrao Adkar praising Shirdi Sai Baba as the giver of peace and liberation.
The Sai Baba Aarti that begins ‘Aarti Sai Baba, Saukhyadatar Jeeva’ is the opening hymn sung in the daily worship at Shirdi. Written in Marathi by the devotee Madhavrao Adkar around 1903, it addresses Sai Baba as the one who gives happiness to every soul and asks only for a place at his feet.
Sai Baba Aarti Lyrics (English)
Roman transliteration for easy chanting. Tap “Meaning” under any verse for the English translation.
Refrain
Aarti Sai Baba, saukhyadaataara jeeva
Charanarajaatalee dyaava daasaan visaawa, bhaktaa visaawa
Jaaluniyaan aananga, swaswaroopee raahe danga
Mumukshu janaan daavee, nija dolaan Sreeranga, dolaan Sreeranga
Meaning
Having burned away desire itself, Baba remains absorbed in his own true Self. To those who seek release he shows the inner divine right before their eyes.
Jayaa manee jaisaa bhaava, tayaa taisaa anubhava
Daavisee dayaaghanaa, aisee tujhee hee maava, tujhee hee maava
Meaning
Every devotee experiences you according to the faith they hold in their heart. Cloud of compassion, this is your play, meeting each soul in the form it longs for.
Tumache naama dhyaataa, hare samsRuti vyathaa
Agaadha tava karanee, maarga daavisee anaathaa, daavisee anaathaa
Meaning
Meditating on your name lifts the sorrow of worldly life. Your works are beyond measure, and you show the path to those who have no other shelter.
Kaliyugee avataara, saguna parabrahma saachaara
Avateerna zaalaase, swaamee Datta Digambara, Datta Digambara
Meaning
In this age of Kali you are the living, visible form of the Supreme. You have descended as Lord Dattatreya, the sky-clad master himself.
Aathaan divasaan guruvaaree, bhakta kareeti vaaree
Prabhupada pahaavayaa, bhavabhaya nivaaree, bhaya nivaaree
Meaning
Every eighth day, on Thursday, devotees make their pilgrimage to you. They come to behold your feet, and that sight ends the fear of birth and death.
Maajhaa nijadravya thevaa, tava charanaraja sevaa
Maagane henchi aataa, tumhaan Devaadhidevaa, Devaadhidevaa
Meaning
My one true treasure is to serve the dust of your feet. This alone is what I ask of you now, God of all gods.
Icchita deena chaataka, nirmala toya nijasukha
Paajaave Maadhavaa yaa, saambhaala aapulee bhaaka, aapulee bhaaka
Meaning
Like the chatak bird that longs only for pure rain, this humble one thirsts for the pure bliss that is you. Give Madhav that water, and keep the promise you made to your own.
Meaning & Significance
The aarti works as a short map of the whole Shirdi devotion. It opens by calling Sai Baba the giver of happiness to every living being and asks for nothing more than rest at his feet. From there each verse touches a different reason to turn to him: he has conquered desire, he answers every devotee in the exact form of their faith, his name removes worldly grief, and he guides those who feel they have no one else.
Two verses set Baba in a larger tradition. One names him a living form of the Supreme in the age of Kali and identifies him with Lord Dattatreya, tying Shirdi practice to the older Datta lineage. Another marks Thursday as his day, when devotees still gather for darshan. The closing verse carries the poet’s own name, Madhav, folded into a plea that Baba honour his word to those who trust him.
How Do You Perform the Aarti?
- Face Baba's image or padukas. — Set up a lit lamp or oil diya on a small plate, ideally on a Thursday or during morning worship, and sit facing Sai Baba's photograph, murti, or feet.
- Begin with the refrain. — Start by singing 'Aarti Sai Baba, Saukhyadatar Jeeva', then move through the seven verses in order, returning to the refrain line between them.
- Circle the lamp gently. — Hold the aarti plate and move it slowly in a clockwise circle before the image while you sing, keeping the flame steady.
- Close with a bow and prasad. — End with the final 'Saukhyadatar Jeeva' line, bow with folded hands, and share any prasad or udi offered.
What Are the Benefits of Singing This Aarti?
Devotees sing it daily for a settled mind and closeness to Baba, and it opens each of the four daily aartis at Shirdi.
- Calms the mind: The refrain names Baba as the giver of peace, and singing it is a simple way to steady thought before the day begins or ends.
- Focus on surrender: Its verses ask only for a place at Baba's feet, which keeps the practice centred on trust rather than requests for material things.
- Sense of guidance: By recalling that Baba shows the path to those with no other shelter, the aarti offers reassurance in difficult or uncertain times.
- Connection to Shirdi: Since this is the opening hymn of the temple aartis, singing it at home links a personal routine to the worship carried out at Shirdi.
Who Wrote This Aarti?
The aarti was composed in Marathi by Madhavrao Vamanrao Adkar, an early devotee of Sai Baba, around 1903 to 1904, while Baba was still living at Shirdi. Adkar signed his work in the last verse with the word ‘Madhav’, a common device poets used to leave their mark. It was later placed at the head of the daily aarti sequence at Shirdi and remains the first hymn sung in the morning, noon, evening, and night worship.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Sai Baba Aarti 'Saukhyadatar Jeeva'?
It is a Marathi devotional song written by Madhavrao Adkar around 1903 that praises Shirdi Sai Baba as the giver of happiness to every soul and asks for a place at his feet. It opens the daily aarti worship at Shirdi.
Who wrote the 'Aarti Sai Baba' hymn?
The devotee Madhavrao Vamanrao Adkar composed it in Marathi. He wove his own name, Madhav, into the closing verse as his signature.
When is this Sai Baba Aarti sung?
It is the opening hymn of all four daily aartis at Shirdi (morning, noon, evening, and night). Devotees also sing it at home, especially on Thursdays, which the aarti itself names as Baba's day.
What language is the Sai Baba Aarti in?
The original is in Marathi, written in the Devanagari script. It is widely sung with Roman transliteration so devotees of every background can follow the words.
Is this the same as the Sai Baba noon aarti?
No. 'Saukhyadatar Jeeva' is the shared opening hymn of every daily aarti. The Madhyan or noon aarti is a separate, longer sequence of songs sung specifically at midday.
॥ आरती साईबाबा ॥