Aarti Sai Baba
आरती साईबाबा
Aarti Sai Baba is the Shirdi Sai Baba aarti that most devotees know. It was written in Marathi by his devotee Madhavrao Adkar around 1903. It has a refrain and seven short stanzas, and at Shirdi it is sung at the noon (Madhyan) and sunset (Dhoop) aartis. Families and Sai temples abroad sing it on Thursdays, the day the aarti itself names.
- 8 verses
- 5 min
- Madhavrao Vamanrao Adkar (1877–1955), who names himself in the last stanza
- Best on Thursday
Aarti Saibaba, Saukhya Datar Jivaआरती साईबाबा । सौख्यदातार जीवा ।
Charan Rajatali Dyava Dasa Visava, Bhakta Visavaचरणरजातळीं द्यावा दासां विसावा, भक्तां विसावा ॥
We offer the aarti to you, Sai Baba, giver of joy to every soul. In the dust beneath your feet, give your servants rest, give your devotees rest.
Visava means a resting place, the shade where a tired traveller sits down. The refrain is sung after every stanza.
Jaluniya Anang, Swaswarupi Rahe Dangजाळुनियां अनंग । स्वस्वरूपीं राहे दंग ।
Mumukshu Jana Davi, Nij Dola Shrirangमुमुक्षुजनां दावी । निज डोळां श्रीरंग ॥
Having burnt away desire, you stay absorbed in your own true Self. To those who long for liberation you show Shri Ranga, before their very eyes.
Anang, "the bodiless one", is Kama, god of desire, whose body Shiva burnt to ash. In singing, "dola Shrirang" is often repeated.
Aarti Saibaba, Saukhya Datar Jivaआरती साईबाबा । सौख्यदातार जीवा ।
Charan Rajatali Dyava Dasa Visava, Bhakta Visavaचरणरजातळीं द्यावा दासां विसावा, भक्तां विसावा ॥
Jaya Mani Jaisa Bhav, Taya Taisa Anubhavजया मनीं जैसा भाव । तया तैसा अनुभव ।
Davisi Dayaghana, Aisi Tujhi Hi Mavदाविसी दयाघना । ऐसी तुझी ही माव ॥
As is the feeling in someone's heart, so is the experience you give them. O cloud of compassion, this is your way.
Aarti Saibaba, Saukhya Datar Jivaआरती साईबाबा । सौख्यदातार जीवा ।
Charan Rajatali Dyava Dasa Visava, Bhakta Visavaचरणरजातळीं द्यावा दासां विसावा, भक्तां विसावा ॥
Tumache Nam Dhyata, Hare Sansruti Vyathaतुमचें नाम ध्यातां । हरे संसृतिव्यथा ।
Agadh Tav Karani, Marg Davisi Anathaअगाध तव करणी । मार्ग दाविसी अनाथा ॥
When we meditate on your name, the pain of worldly life goes away. Your deeds are past all measure; you show the way to those who have no one.
Aarti Saibaba, Saukhya Datar Jivaआरती साईबाबा । सौख्यदातार जीवा ।
Charan Rajatali Dyava Dasa Visava, Bhakta Visavaचरणरजातळीं द्यावा दासां विसावा, भक्तां विसावा ॥
Kaliyugi Avatar, Sagun Brahma Sacharकलियुगीं अवतार । सगुणब्रह्म साचार ।
Avatirna Jhalase, Swami Datta Digambarअवतीर्ण झालासे । स्वामी दत्त दिगंबर ॥
In this Kali age you have come as an avatar, truly Brahman in a form we can see. You have come down to us as Swami Datta Digambar.
Many devotees in Maharashtra see Sai Baba as a form of Dattatreya, the guru of gurus; Digambar, "clothed in the sky", is one of Datta's names. Some books and singers say "sagun Parabrahma" in the first line.
Aarti Saibaba, Saukhya Datar Jivaआरती साईबाबा । सौख्यदातार जीवा ।
Charan Rajatali Dyava Dasa Visava, Bhakta Visavaचरणरजातळीं द्यावा दासां विसावा, भक्तां विसावा ॥
Atha Divasa Guruvari, Bhakta Kariti Variआठां दिवसां गुरुवारीं । भक्त करिती वारी ।
Prabhupad Pahavaya, Bhavbhay Nivariप्रभुपद पहावया । भवभय निवारी ॥
Every week, on Thursday, devotees make the journey to see the Lord's feet. You take away their fear of this world.
"Atha divasa", literally "every eighth day", is the Marathi way of saying "once a week". Vari is the word for the walking pilgrimage to Pandharpur; here Shirdi takes its place.
Aarti Saibaba, Saukhya Datar Jivaआरती साईबाबा । सौख्यदातार जीवा ।
Charan Rajatali Dyava Dasa Visava, Bhakta Visavaचरणरजातळीं द्यावा दासां विसावा, भक्तां विसावा ॥
Majha Nijdravya Theva, Tav Charanraj Sevaमाझा निजद्रव्यठेवा । तव चरणरजसेवा ।
Magane Hechi Ata, Tumha Devadhidevaमागणें हेंचि आतां । तुम्हां देवाधिदेवा ॥
My one true treasure is service in the dust of your feet. This alone is what I ask of you now, O God of gods.
Aarti Saibaba, Saukhya Datar Jivaआरती साईबाबा । सौख्यदातार जीवा ।
Charan Rajatali Dyava Dasa Visava, Bhakta Visavaचरणरजातळीं द्यावा दासां विसावा, भक्तां विसावा ॥
Ichchhit Din Chatak, Nirmal Toy Nijsukhइच्छित दीन चातक । निर्मळ तोय निजसुख ।
Pajave Madhava Ya, Sambhal Apuli Bhakपाजावें माधवा या । सांभाळ आपुली भाक ॥
Like the humble chataka bird waiting for rain, I long for the clear water of true joy. Give it to this Madhava to drink, and keep the promise you made.
Poets say the chataka drinks only raindrops, so it is the picture of someone who waits for one thing alone. Madhava is the poet's own name, Madhavrao Adkar.
Aarti Saibaba, Saukhya Datar Jivaआरती साईबाबा । सौख्यदातार जीवा ।
Charan Rajatali Dyava Dasa Visava, Bhakta Visavaचरणरजातळीं द्यावा दासां विसावा, भक्तां विसावा ॥
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Questions
Who wrote Aarti Sai Baba?
Madhavrao Vamanrao Adkar (1877–1955), a devotee who often stayed in Shirdi. The Sansthan's Shri Sai Leela magazine says he wrote it there around 1903 or 1904. He signs it in the last line with his name, Madhava.
When is this aarti sung at Shirdi?
Twice a day. It is part of the Madhyan aarti at noon, and it opens the Dhoop aarti at sunset. The morning Kakad aarti and the night Shej aarti use other songs.
Can I do Sai aarti at home on Thursday?
Yes, and many families do. Light a diya or camphor in front of Baba's photo or murti, offer a flower or something sweet, and sing this aarti while you wave the lamp. Nothing more is needed. If your family has its own way of doing it, follow that.
Why does the aarti mention Thursday?
The fifth stanza says devotees come to see Baba "every eighth day, on Thursday", which is the Marathi way of saying every week. Thursday, Guruvar, is the guru's day, and it became Sai Baba's day. Sai temples abroad hold their biggest aarti on Thursday evenings.
Why is Sai Baba called Datta Digambar in the aarti?
Many devotees in Maharashtra see him as a form of Dattatreya, the guru of gurus. The fourth stanza says this plainly.
Source and review
Source: Marathi aarti by Madhavrao Vamanrao Adkar, as sung in the Shirdi Madhyan and Dhoop aartis. Devanagari collated from sites.google.com/site/vaibhavbirit (Madhyan aarti, word by word), aajtak.in (Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Dhoop Aarti) and marathi.webdunia.com (two pages), with bharatdiscovery.org; Roman checked against the aarti book of the Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Austin
Copyright: Adkar died on 18 November 1955 (saisaburi.org, saiamrithadhara.com), so the text is public domain in India. It was printed in the Shri Sainath Sagunopasana, the Shirdi aarti book (Khaparde's printings to 1922, Sansthan edition from 1923), so it was published before 1931. Composition date 1903–04 from the Sansthan's Shri Sai Leela magazine (2011, "Madhavrao Adkar"). Readings: where sources differ we follow the majority. Refrain: most sources and the Shirdi singing have "चरणरजातळीं द्यावा दासां विसावा"; one older print reads "चरणरजतळीं निज दासां विसावा". Stanza 4: "सगुणब्रह्म" (four Devanagari sources, and it fits the metre); some books and singers say "सगुण परब्रह्म". Stanza 6: "तव चरणरजसेवा" (one source has "तव चरणसेवा").
We checked the text line by line against the sources named here. The meanings are an AI-assisted draft. A scholar has not reviewed them yet.
The meanings are our own first draft. A scholar has not reviewed them yet. If you spot a mistake, please tell us.
Key facts
- Author
- Madhavrao Vamanrao Adkar (1877–1955), who names himself in the last stanza
- Verses
- 8
- Original language
- Marathi
- Source edition
- Marathi aarti by Madhavrao Vamanrao Adkar, as sung in the Shirdi Madhyan and Dhoop aartis. Devanagari collated from sites.google.com/site/vaibhavbirit (Madhyan aarti, word by word), aajtak.in (Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Dhoop Aarti) and marathi.webdunia.com (two pages), with bharatdiscovery.org; Roman checked against the aarti book of the Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Austin
- Last checked
- Review status
- Script verified
Cite this page
“Aarti Sai Baba”. Nitya, updated 2026-10-04. https://getnitya.com/en/sai-baba/aarti-sai-baba/