Sai Vichaar for thursday Aug 16,2007

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Sai Vichaar

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Thursday , August 16, 2007 :: Volume 10, Issue 14

(In its nineth year of publication.)

Sai Vichaar is a Weekly newsletter distributed every Thursday and is

devoted to the life, philosophy and teachings of Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Feel

free to forward this 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: Sri Saibaba and Fasting

Sri Saibaba has given us the middle path to follow on the path of

emancipation. He did not advocate the over indulgence either in the senses or in

asceticism.

Let us see what Sri Saibaba had said about fasting on Thursdays or any other

holy days. M.W. Pradhan, a devotee of Sri Saibaba had organized the birthday

party of his son in Shama's house at Shirdi and invited all devotees of Sri

Saibaba to lunch. That day happened to be a Thursday. Bala Bhate apologized to

Pradhan that he was unable to eat on that day as he had a wow to fast on

Thursdays and went to the Masjid. As Baba saw Bhate he asked, " Have you gone

to Pradhan's party and had your food? "

Bhate: " Baba, today is a Thursday " .

Baba: " So what? "

Bhate: " I do not eat on Thursdays. It is my wow " .

Baba: " To please whom have you made this wow " ?

Bhate: " I have made this wow in your name for your grace " .

Baba: " I am telling you this myself. Leave off this fasting and go have your

food with Pradhan " . From the above it is clear that Baba did not agree to do

fasting to please him on Thursdays. Now, let us see what Sri Saibaba said about

fasting on holy days such as Ekadasi, Maha Sivaratri and such days. Tatya Kote

Patil was one of the closest and most intimate devotees of Sri Saibaba. He had

the great good fortune of sleeping along with Baba in the Masjid for fourteen

years. Those who had seen the love and intimacy between Baba and Tatya Kote

Patil felt that Baba loved Tatya more than his life even. Tatya in his

reminiscences says thus, " I used to fast regularly on Ekadasi, Maha Sivaratri

and other such holy days. Baba's opinion was that fasting had no usefulness in

either the mundane worldly life or the spiritual life. I would try my best to

fast on these holy days but Baba would some how or the other break my fast and

made me eat something. On one Sivaratri I said,

'Baba, please let me fast at least on this day. Please don't make me eat

anything.' Baba said, " Eat man, eat, what Sivaratri are you talking about? " Dada

Kelkar who by standing by also told me to do as Baba says and not to disobey

him. I did not raise any further objection to Baba and have never fasted on any

day since then. " (Source: From " Sai bhakthi Sadhana Rahasyam " by Sri

Sarathbabuji)

 

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Living Sadguru

When faith wavers, the mind goes after a tangible physical experience. It

becomes very necessary to long for His presence in our lives, His assurances for

our well-being. It is natural. It is important to rely on our patience at such

instances. " I shall speak from my tomb " , said Sadguru Sainath. There are also

certain type of followers who need a grander vision of the Lord. They prefer to

see Him in the most physical state. Having lost the patience to realize that

Sadguru is the embodiment of the spirit that can be realized anywhere, anytime,

they bring upon themselves unnecessary burdens. This is not a good sign of

spiritual progress. However, even great realized souls have gone through this

stage. But, just like any intense quest is answered, Guru leads such souls to

the answer in the most unseemingly way. Let us see one such experience

narrated by Acharya Bharadwaja in his, " Sree Guru Charitha " : Once I visited Sri

Ma Anandamayi at Naimisharanya during Bhagavat

Saptah. At one of the daily expositions of the holy text, the revered speaker

Sri Akhandananda Saraswathi remarked that only a living Sadguru could lead his

devotee to self-realization and that a Sadguru who had cast off his body,

however great he might be, can only fulfill prayers for one's material good. He

spoke in Hindi, which I could only understand but cannot speak, and so I could

not discuss with him. As Sai Baba was no longer available to me in flesh and

blood, I wondered what I should do, but had no chance to get the clarification.

After a few months, I visited Shirdi on a proposed stay of seven days. I wished

to obtain Sai Baba's guidance and clarification in this matter. On the second

day, I was very strongly impelled to visit my old student who was working in

Pune. It was quite unusual, as I never visited anyone of my friends or kinsfolk.

I had to yield to the impulse and I reached Pune. My friend was away at the

office. So I left my bag in his house and wet

out, wishing to spend the time in going round the city until my friend's

return. Quite accidentally, I enquired at a wayside florist whether there was

any great saint worth visiting in Pune. The shop-keeper directed me to visit

Sree Gulavani Maharaj, a direct disciple of Sree Vasudevananda Saraswathi. As

soon as I entered the Muth (monastery), the aged saint greeted me saying, " Oh!

The child of Sai Baba has come! " . I at once realized that I could get a reliable

clarification for my problem from him. He heard my question and said, " What that

learned speaker said is true of only those who attained enlightenment through

their efforts. But Sai Baba of Shirdi is not such one. He is the Avatar of Lord

Dattatreya. He manifests himself to his worthy devotees even today in his

physical form and guides them. You are on the right track. Go ahead " . At once I

realized that Sai Baba had blessed me with the solution to my question.

(Contributed by Sai Vichaar team)

 

DEVOTEES SAY:

Bhanubharathi

Sai, I wanted every now and then to contribute to this magazine but I could not

get praptam until now. Sai with your permission, I am sharing my experiences.

There are a number of incidents where Shri Sai showed miracles. Some examples

are: Once a Railway ticket was issued wrong due to the sensitive timing of

midnight 12 pm. Actually we are to travel on 20th but understanding as 21st, we

boarded train and TT alarmed the condition. At that moment, I prayed Lord Sai

like anything and with his grace, no squad entered the train and even TT

considered our condition and left us without charging anything. We felt happy

because it was not intentional and so we are saved by Shri Sai.

Subrata

There is no word that can be used for expressing my gratitude. Your Love is

immeasurable. A child does so many mistakes, and repeats them even after

parent's cautions. I commit mistakes over and over again. You are so forgiving

that I can even think of the depth of your love. You are more than my parents;

you are the reason for my very existence. Without your love and blessings, we

will not be who we are. Please bless your son who is on his way to see the light

and warmth of this world. He is your kripa-prasad. Bless him with faith, good

health and fortune.

Usha

I am doing my final year BSc. computer science. I am very much worried about my

family because my father had lost his job and court case is going on. My

mother's earning after deducting the loan is not enough for our family. So I am

unable to concentrate in my studies. Suddenly one IT company came for campus

interview. I have no hope that I will be selected. I prayed baba and he only

blessed me to get that job. Still I did not believe that I had been selected. It

was only by my dear Baba.Sairam bless me to get first class in the next two

semesters and medically fit certificate from that IT Company. Give me confidence

and positive thoughts.