Sai Vichaar for Thursday, March 02, 2006

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newsletter to your interested associates in its original form. IN THIS

ISSUE: FEATURE OF THE WEEK CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE DEVOTEES SAY PRAYER CLUB

EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES QUOTATION OF THE WEEK QUESTION OF THE WEEK SAI

ACTIVITIES FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD FEATURE OF THE WEEK: The mystique

of Sai's teachings Sri Sai teachings are the beautiful, ever fresh flowers

filled with the divine nectar. The divine fragrance

of his teachings quietly draws the people towards them. The teachings are

mystical in the sense that they are with a divine meaning beyond human

understanding. The truth is one and it is expressed in different ways. (Ekam

sat vipra bahudha vadanti). It is a fact that with one's limited mind and

intellect it is difficult to understand the Guru in totality. No concepts can

be built that will truly understand the Guru. We need the blessings of the

Sadguru who gives us the necessary intelligence to understand his teachings.

This could be seen with Sri Hemad pant seeking the grace of Baba to write the

Satcharita. Guru is that infinite energy source that brings the realization in

us to our higher, true nature. The actions of Sri Sai go by the name Saileela.

Leela means the divine play of the Lord. Sri Sai is the perfect teacher who

knows the needs and talents of the students. He gave advice to every one based

on their inner spiritual growth. This can be seen in Sri Sai

satcharita in various occasions. Baba's mode of teaching is simple and yet

profound. In Saisatcharita, one can clearly see the way Baba interacted with

the people on day-to-day basis. He did not teach too intellectually to those

who just want to learn how to get through the day. At the same time, he did not

forsake basic teachings of love, kindness, charity, etc. However, for those

capable of hearing the profound truths of the scriptures, he did not hold back.

He perceived the inner essence of every one as the same. If we read Sri Sai's

life regularly, we will find the teachings come to our mind at appropriate

times. Baba's teachings start to come into our life in our every day

experience. Slowly, we will learn how to apply the teachings on the spot in the

situations we face in our lives. When times are tough, doing parayana or

listening to the teachings of the Guru can help one to stay sane. They connect

us with the universal goodness and energize us with the universal energy. By

understanding the teachings of the teacher, one can always stay in touch with

the essential and true healthy mind present in each one of us. CONTRIBUTED

ARTICLE: Can you help, Sir? Is it necessary to go searching everyone for help

when keeping faith that "Baba will provide" is all that is required? Belittling

unsolicited help or suspecting situations favorable during the hour of need is

perhaps limiting Baba' omniscience because Baba manifests himself in several

ways and in several situations to help the distressed. At the same time,

raising unnecessary outcry over every hurdle big and small is not a hallmark of

a faithful Sai devotee. Let us examine the following incident in the life of

eminent Sai devotee Kakasaheb Dixit, as narrated by Pujya Sri B.V.

Narasimhaswami ji. As for Dixit's own financial position, there was, for a long

time, a period of depression, but there was

no positive distress. Contentment was ingrained in Dixit', and he was always

saying to himself, "Tevile Anante, Tase Rahave", which is the same as "Alla

Rakhega Vysa Rahena", "Maula Rakhega Vysa Rahena". This means, 'We must be

content with the lot assigned to us by God.' So, he was generally contented and

retained his mental peace in the midst of lack of funds and income. However,

special occasions arose and his faith in Baba was tested and confirmed. Some

time after Baba passed away, Kaka had to meet a heavy obligation of Rs. 30,000

to be paid to a Marwadi. The day for payment was drawing near, and Kaka could

not see how to get funds for meeting this large demand. One night, as he was

sleeping, he had a dream, and in his dream, his creditor was pressing him for

payment. In the dream, he assured the creditor, "Oh, don't you fear. I have my

friend Sir Chunnilal, Sir Chimanlal etc., all of them knights, and they will

provide the money". Suddenly, he woke up and

remembering the dream, he bitterly repented his stupid folly in relying upon

'Sir' this and 'Sir' that who are just persons who will fail to help at the

crucial moment. He felt that the only person on whom he could rely for getting

help was Baba, and cursed his folly in relying upon such useless human help. He

resolved not to think of these 'Sirs' at all, and to rely confidently and boldly

upon Sai Baba alone to furnish him with funds and that too in time. He sat up in

his office room on a chair and was waiting and waiting until the actual date of

payment came. Until the last moment, no money was forthcoming. However, at the

last moment, a young man, the son of a rich friend of his, came asking for his

advice. He said that after his father's death, he was managing his property,

and had to find an investment for his money. He said, just then he had brought

with him Rs. 30,000/- and wanted to know from Dixit what would be best

investment. Kaka, after explaining the

pros and cons of other investments, finally told him that he was in urgent need

of Rs. 30,000/- and he would be glad to have it on any reasonable terms, but

that it was his duty to explain to the lender that his practice had gone down,

that his income was very low, though his properties in the shape of bungalows

were there, and that it was his duty to point out the danger and disadvantage

of lending to such person. The young man, however, made up his mind to lend the

money to him on account of his being his father's friend, and thus the creditor

of Dixit was paid in time. (Contributed by Saibaba.org Team) DEVOTEES SAY:

KaajalI was visiting the site and just read the question that do we have to ask

Sai my answer would be no, when we totally surrender then he knows what we want

and what we should get at what time and in which way. We like good kids have to

do

what he is making us do. We just have to be like that small child who gives his

hands in his parents hands and is not bothered where he is taken or how he will

he reach. SumaSai thanks for healing my niece's allergies. She should grow into

a healthy kid. Please bless her with good health. RajeshDear devotees, I used

to have swelling near my eyes since last two years and every time it has to be

operated. I again had a swelling near my left eyes about 4-5 months back and I

prayed to our Sai mother to make it all right without operation. Earlier I was

not hopeful that it will go by itself but now I am seeing that it has subsided

a lot by itself and there is no need for any operation. It all due to the mercy

of our SAI that protect us at each step. May Sai be with us all every time.

SheelaBaba, thank you very much for all the blessings you gave us. I prayed you

for my

husband's job and you gave it to us, I am very happy for this. Please stay with

us and guide us in our daily lives. I take your name every minute and I also

call my son as Baba all the time. A devoteeSai Baba, I am seen so many miracle

of you in my life, here is the latest one as I promised to post. I am working

for a big company and they have two offices, the office I work is 15 minutes

drive from my house, the other one is a 1 hour drive. Recently the management

dismantled the group I was working on. I was moved to the group in the other

building which is 1 hour drive that also I don't have any experience on the

field the new group working on. I prayed to Baba saying that I will post my

experience if they let me stay here. To my surprise, my boss was trying to keep

me here and sent the other person in my place. Finally it happened and our move

date was set to Wednesday, but the Secretary forgot to put the request for

moving the computers, so

they have to move us on Thursday, as I was hoping. VisaalakshiBaba, thank you

for helping me pass my third exam in flying colors. Though I thought, I had

failed in the exam, You showed Your Infinite Daya and Kripa on me. Please bless

and help me to do my final and fourth exam well and pass that too in first shot.

SrinivasThank you very much Baba. Today with your kind blessings, we were

blessed with a beautiful and healthy baby boy. We are very happy Baba. We named

our son Saideep. As promised to Baba earlier we are posting this news in Sai

Vichaar. PRAYER CLUB: BalajiOh Sai Maharaj, there is no peace in the

house; there are differences between my wife and mother. Please help us and

take care of our family. I only pray that let the peace prevail always in our

house. Also in the job I am joining

please help me that I join with out any problem and also in the existing company

I get relieved smoothly. RamanathanI pray to you sincerely, please be with my

brother always and get him back to us. I know how much pain my mother and my

family members will be going through, Please bring him back to us.

SujeebavanSaibaba, please cure my mom who is diagnosed with myeloid leukemia

and the treatments she's been showing no results. So please cure and bless my

mom. SwapnaPlease help baby Ashish with his Bone Marrow. Please help him and

his parents. MayaPlease save my husband from the harassment he is facing at

office and bestow him with what you think is good for him. Please make him also

your bhaktha. Please also shower your blessings on my daughter who is studying

for her board exams. MiniDear Saibaba, my elder son is 6 years old but his

mental state is just as that of a 6 month old. He is unaware of his

surroundings and is unable to talk. Bestow your grace upon him Saibaba and make

him see and feel this world and be like a normal child of his age. I know

nothing is beyond your powers. Sai DevoteeDear Sai, You know what type of

problems I am facing. Please look into this and save me from all my problems.

Thanks for getting the pass results and first class, please guide him to study

well for getting marks above the distinction. SanjaySai Baba, make my sonu

alright, make my wife smile, bless my family. AmitDear Baba, I hope that this

message reaches You as You have always been by my side. Despite my misgivings

You have never left me. I have one desire that You keep my family well and for

my loved one a hope that You

will bless us as one. AdilDear Baba, please help us to get a home loan

sanctioned for us. I have been trying for past three years now. Whenever things

trying to come to an end there is always something or the other crops up and

loan does not get sanctioned. Dear Baba, You can do anything in this world and

everything. Please help us. We need to vacate the house by next month and have

no idea where to go and what to do, please help me. ArunaDear Baba, You know my

faith in You then why all this restlessness in my mind. You are always here for

me or else how could I have survived. Now I am so worried about my brother.

Please guide him and give him sucess and happiness. Bring them both back

together soon. Please let him get married to his fiance soon. I trust You.

EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES: RohitThe

15th September, happened to be my birthday, morning 5.30 am, the telephone rings

and when I pick up, a voice tells me "Rohitbhai, your factory has caught fire".

The earth under my feet is shaken. The first words that come out of my mouth,

"Baba please save me, what wrong have I done? Please don't punish me like this.

I shall be ruined. When we reach there, black smoke was coming out from all

ventilators and window gaps of my factory on the first floor; which I could see

from under the building. I just collapse, still chanting Baba, Baba and started

crying profusely, as it was apparent that my garment manufacturing factory,

which I had made with lot of hard work and with blessings of Baba in fifteen

years, was gutted. I opened one shutter of the main entrance and went up. It

was too Smokey and I couldn't stay there for long. The fire brigade van came.

They went up my main entrance but could not understand the source of fire. So

they broke open the other shutter and there a fierce

fire was burning in the middle of the unit on the ground floor. In minutes, the

fire brigade took control of the fire. It most obviously looked to be a fire in

my factory on first floor from all angles; whereas at the end of it all, not

even a spark had reached my premises. It so happened that the fire took in the

ground unit and the smoke found its way through the other entrance of my

factory. That day my entire career or fifteen years in garment manufacturing

industry would have finished, as my entire premises of 4000 sq.ft. Area was

fully packed with festive season's finished and unfinished goods worth much

more (4 times more) than my insurance. I realized the existence of Baba with

me!!! It was Him and only Him, who stood in front of the fire and my factory

that morning. A Sai devoteeI thank you from the core of heart for spreading

Sai's teachings throughout the world by this Newsletter and by Heritage of

Shirdi Sai Magazine. Om Shri Sai

Ram. I don't know how to write but still I want to share my experiences with

everyone. I have been a Sai devotee since 2003. I have myself experienced Sai's

grace in a number of ways. My older son does not work and younger son has some

skin problem. I always pray to Baba and asks, why this happened and please

shower grace on both of them. In the early morning of Thursday I saw Baba

standing by side of pool. I touched Baba's feet and He blessed me. Exactly next

Thursday my younger son went for an interview and he got the Job. Thank you Baba

so much. I don't have words to say thanks. These are the ways of Sai. Have faith

in Baba I am sure He will fulfill desires of everyone. Please Baba show my older

son the right direction, so that he will finish his degree and get a job and set

in his life. Please shower grace on everyone who believes in You. QUOTATION

OF THE WEEK: "Let all the

senses and mind be ever devoted to the worship of the Lord, Let there be no

attraction for any other thing; fix the mind in remembering Me always so that

it will not wonder else where, towards body, wealth and home and then it will

be calm peaceful and care free."-Sai Baba QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Q. Comment

on what Baba said - given below A. by Pratyusha Q. Baba said, "I give my people

what they want until they will begin to ask me what I want to give them ".

Comment? A. It is natural for people to ask favors from Baba in the times of

difficulties, as you cannot concentrate on anything spiritual until the hard

times have passed by. Baba once told regarding fasting that we can practice

devotion and other sadhanas to attain God only when the soul has been appeased.

In the same way people have the tendency to ask Baba for favors in the

beginning and as Baba fulfills their wishes they are contended and then start to

think about spirituality and what Baba actually wants to give them to attain

salvation from materialistic things. Q. Comment on what Baba said - given

below A. by Badri Q. Baba said, "I give my people what they want until they

will begin to ask me what I want to give them ". Comment? A. It was beautifully

commented by Saibandhu Maddipatla Ramaa Prasad and Saibandhu Sadashiv

Kavthankar, in previous issue of this Sai Vichaar Newsletter. What He wants to

give us, is a permanent bliss. His mere grace and glance takes care of all our

needs and us. A devotee must be able to discriminate the temporal and permanent

needs. All temporal needs will only satisfy our living in this world, until this

body exists. But what needs to be done in this beautiful lifetime is to

recognize and obtain Guru's grace, attain Self Knowledge and reach the

ultimate reality. Getting a Human body is because of some past good karmas and

attaining the Self Knowledge and Realization is only possible through this

body. Realize that after so many births, the soul attained Human Body and if

this opportunity is missed, then who knows, when would be the next such

opportunity will come. SAI ACTIVITIES: Sri Ramanavami celebrations in

Chicago, USASri Ramanavami and Urs festival celebrations are the first major

celebration of the year for Shirdi Sai devotees. The tradition started in 1910

and continues each year. Shirdi Sai temple, Chicago will be celebrating the

event for three days starting from Thursday April 6th to Saturday April 8th.

The program comprises of Aartis, Maha Abhishek, Homam, Palki procession,

Satcharitra parayan, bhajans and much more. For complete details please visit

http://www.saibaba.us/index.html or call

847-931-4058. Sri Ramanavami-Urs celebrations, MinnesotaShirdi Saibaba Prayer

Center invites all to Sri Ramanavami-Urs celebrations on April 8, 2006 from 3

pm to 9 pm at Geeta Ashram, Brooklyn Park, MN. The event includes Sai abhishek,

Sai aarathis, parayan, naam jap and bhajans, palki procession and chandan utsav.

Please visit www.hamaresai.org for more details. Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of

Dallas/Fort Worth, TexasSri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of DFW Metroplex is located

at 2109 West Parker (Parker Plaza), Suite 212, Plano, TX 75023. For temple

hours and activities please call the temple office at 469-467-3388 or visit the

website www.shirdisaidallas.org. Shirdi Sai Satsang, Bay Area, CaliforniaShirdi

Sai Parivaar invites all to join us for Satsang every Thursday 7:30 pm at Odd

Fellows Temple, 20589 Homestead Road, Cupertino, CA 95014. For details please

call

408-564-6704 or send email to saibandhu or visit

www.ShradhaSaburi.org. Sai Satsang, New Jersey, USAShirdi Sai Dham, Inc

regularly conducts Sai bhajans followed by Aarti and Parsad on every 1st

Saturday of each month at Durga Mandir, Kendall Park, New Jersey from 3 pm to 5

pm (Winter Hours). All are requested to kindly come and receive Baba's

blessings. For more information, please call us at 609-275-1334 or visit

www.shirdisaidham.org or email us at shirdisaidham (AT) hotmail (DOT) com Shirdi Sai

Satsang, Toronto, CanadaShirdi Saibaba Sansthan invites all to join for

satsangs every Thursday 7:00 pm at Sai Dwarkamai, 147 Winston Castle Dr.

Markham, Ontario, L6C 2N4, phone 416-402-8089 or email: saileela99 .

To request a pooja for yourselves, your friends and family for any occasion at

your residence, please call. Devotees can request udi or Holy water (Abhishek

Jal) from the Holy bathing of Baba

by sending us an email or by phone. Shirdi Sai Mandir, Scarborough, CanadaThe

Shirdi Sai Mandir located at 2721 Markham Road, Scarborough, Ontario, M1X 1L5

(Intersection of Markham and Nashdene) is open Monday to Friday from 6:30 p.m

to 8:30 p.m. and Saturday to Sunday from 10:30 a.m to 8:30 p.m. Dhoop Aarti is

at 7:30 p.m. everyday. Bhajans are on Saturday from 5:00 p.m. onwards. For

other temple activities and information please call 647-444-4724 or send an

email to info (AT) theshirdisaimandir (DOT) com. Shirdi Sai Satsang in Vancouver, BC,

CanadaShirdi Sai parivar in Vancouver invites you for bhajans, every Thursday

(6:30pm - 7:30 pm) at 8571, 118A Street, Delta, V4C 6L2. For further details

contact Ritu (604)592 4182 or email at sai_ish (AT) hotmail (DOT) com. Sai Satsang,

SingaporeTo all Shirdi Sai Baba devotees in Singapore, Sai Sansthan, Singapore

is organizing Shirdi Sai Baba

prayer session every Saturday between 18:30 hrs to 20:30 hrs at 2nd floor

function hall, Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman temple, (opp. to Sinda), 555,

Serangoon Road, Singapore-218174. We invite you all to participate and seek

Baba's blessings. For further details, please visit www.saisansthan.com. Sai

Baba Satsang in Auckland, New ZealandSai Baba Satsang ( Bhajans, Provochan, Sai

Ashotottram and Shej Arathi ) is held every Thursday from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm at

MT Roskill War Memorial Hall, May Road , Mt Roskill, Auckland, NZ. For more

detials visit our website http://www.shirdisaibaba.org.nz or mail to

info (AT) shirdisaibaba (DOT) org.nz. FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD: Please refer to Sai

Activities section to know more about Sai activities in various locations

across the world. Sai Vichaar has served as a useful platform for sharing about

your activities with other Sai

devotees. Please write to maildrop (AT) saibaba (DOT) org if you would like to publish

about Sai activities in your area. Sai Vichaar thanks you for your support for

the Question of the Week feature. This feature is intended to initiate useful

discussion on topics related to Sai philosophy, His message, and Sai devotion.

Please send your suggested topics for the same. The "Question of the week" for

the week is, Q. Baba said, "I give my people what they want until they will

begin to ask me what I want to give them ". Comment? Humbly Yours,The Editor

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