Sai Vichaar for Thursday , January 24, 2008

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Sai Vichaar

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Thursday , January 24, 2008 :: Volume 10, Issue 37

(In its tenth 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: Key to Happiness

Is there a way to quantify faith? What constitutes a successful dose of

patience? Some endure a hardship for several years, yet call themselves

fortunate. Some seem to have a short stint with time and profess to have waited

patiently! Wisdom, whether through Bhakthi or Jnana should impart the ability to

discriminate. Discrimination between things of transient nature and that are

permanent should lead to detachment. Spirituality may not be about quantifiable

material gains and losses that one accomplishes with the help of Sadguru. It may

also not be about extending the benefits that are only perishable. On the other

hand, it may be about a total personal transformation that should take place

every minute, while at sleep or awake. The effort has to come from within

oneself and the external factors may be the means to accomplish them. On

several occasions, Baba said out of love for His devotees - " What (whether good

or bad) is ours, is with us, and what is another's is

with him. " - Ch. XLV, Shri Sai Satcharitra. Some of the simplest expressions of

Baba seem to have the message of greatest importance. A moment of contemplation

on such comments might have the most profound effects on what we perceive as

pain or pleasure. By the above statement, Sadguru Sainath has endorsed the

thought that our actions precede our fruits, the consequences. He also several

times advised that one have to endure the consequences of his past Karma.

Devotees also have seen how Sainath comes to their rescue if the faith is

earnest and the patience is complete. The patience is complete if the faith is

earnest. He is the helmsman and His boundless coffers are open.

 

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Sri Saibaba and Speech

I shall consider you blessed, when you will renounce all attachments, conquer

lust and palate; and getting rid of all impediments, serve God wholeheartedly

and resort to the begging bowl (accept sannyas). " (Ch. 44, P. 239) The above is

the reply given by Sai Baba to Bapusaheb Jog, who asked Him as to why even after

serving Baba so many years, his mind was not calm and composed and why was he

not succeeding in his efforts for self-realization. Sai Baba in His teachings,

always laid stress on controlling pleasures of senses, especially those of

sexual organ and the tongue. About pleasures of sexual organ, we will discuss

the subject in a later article. The tongue, however, has two functions - to

taste the food and to speak. About tasting the food we have already discussed it

in the previous article and now in this article let us see what Baba's teaching

was about speech. In our scriptures great stress is laid on 'Non-violence',

which means not to hurt anybody, physically,

mentally or by speech. Sai Baba had realized that of all the above, harsh and

scornful words hurt a person much more than physical or mental violence. Such

cutting words are not easily forgotten and cannot be withdrawn also.

Consequently they cause ever-lasting enmity. Sai Baba, therefore, not only

advised His devotees " not to speak cuttingly to anyone so as to hurt him to the

quick " (Ch. 19, P. 104), but on the contrary, off and on, said: " Let anybody

speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by giving any bitter reply.

If you always tolerate such things, you will certainly be happy " (Ch. 19, P.

101-102) and in addition to make sure that they did follow His advice, used to

say: " He who carps and cavils at others, pierces Me in the heart and injures Me,

but he that suffers and endures, pleases Me most. " (Ch. 44, P. 237) Regarding

tongue another advice of Sai Baba was lo avoid arguments or hot discussions on

any subject with others. Arguments spring from egoism.

Arguments lead to quarrels and spread enmity. We remember, how in Ch. 2,

Annasaheb Dabholkar on the very first day of his visit to Shirdi, had hot

discussion with Balasaheb Bhate regarding the necessity of a Guru (a spiritual

teacher or preceptor) and how Baba checked Dabholkar's this argumentative habit

permanently by addressing him as 'Hemadpant' (corrupted form of Hemadripant, a

well-known and learned minister of the Yadav kings Mahadev and Ramdev in 13th

century). Sai Baba advised His devotees not to indulge in scandal or slander

of others. For this, He had His own methods of correcting the defaulters. He,

being omniscient, knew, when and where the devotees had committed the fault, and

so, he could correct them effectively by taunting them also. In Ch. 19, Sai Baba

pointed out to such a defaulter, a pig that was eating filth near a fence and

said to him, " Behold how with what relish it is gorging dung. Your conduct is

similar. You go on reviling own brethren to your

heart's content. " Needless to say that the devotee was ashamed and took the

lesson to his heart forever. Similarly, in Ch. 21, having known that a pleader

from Pandharpur, had unnecessarily taken part in a discussion in the bar room

regarding the sub-judge Noolkar's coming and staying at Shirdi for cure of his

ill-health, Sai Baba, when the pleader himself arrived at Shirdi, started

saying, " How cunning people are! They fall at the feet, offer Dakshina, but

inwardly give abuses behind the back. Is not this wonderful? " The pleader

understood that the remark was aimed at himself and being convinced, later said

to Kakasaheb Dixit, " This is not a rebuke to me, but a favor and advice, that I

should not indulge in any scandal or slander of others and not to interfere

unnecessarily in others' affairs. " (to be continued....) (Contributed by

Source: Shri Sai Leela Magazine, 1993)

 

DEVOTEES SAY:

Ritu

Jai Sainath! Every week I read the Sai Vichaar newsletter and today I decided to

post something. My husband, I and our family are going through a difficult time.

Losing a baby within 3 months when you are pregnant for the first time is

devastating. I was angry and sad but I know Baba if you had let this happen you

knew something. I have no answers but all I know my whole family has faith in

You and we will keep our faith alive. Please give strength to my parents and my

in-laws to overcome. Please be with all of us and all those who need You. There

are so many people with much grave situations and problems, please be with them.

Jai Sai Baba.

Preeti

I prayed to Sai for my well settling in this country. I am grateful to Him, as

he has made things very easy for me. I am still waiting to get a job but I know

that with my Baba's grace it will happen soon.

Archana

I would heartily and humbly like to thank the saibaba.org people for sending me

the beautiful 2008 calendar having Saibaba's photos. I live in UK and though I

was sincerely hoping to receive the calendar, was not sure whether they would

send it to people living outside US. I am just thrilled. It's a real pleasure

and treasure for me. It contains 2-3 some very rare photos of Baba, which I had

never seen before. Thank you all, thank you very much. May Baba's blessings be

showered on all of us always and may He always guide us through our thick and

thin. Koti koti pranam Baba! We love you.

Rajeev

You answered the prayers from all our friends and relatives and ensured that my

mom is back from Hospital/ICU with good health. I cannot forget this event in my

whole life and I am so thankful to You for re-instating health back for my

mother.

Rajani

I had four wishes and you have fulfilled them. Even though it took sometime (5

years), but I am very happy now. Please protect my newborn baby all the time. He

is the gift given by you to me Baba.

Nikila

Thank you for answering our prayers and giving our daughter an interview call

for medical college entry. Please continue looking after her and guiding her.

Abhishek

I just wanted to say Thank You, Sai Deva and please forgive me for any mistakes

I have committed. Thank You.

Sai devotee

Om Sairam! I would like to express my gratitude for having listen to my prayers

and request and having healed my grand daughter and discharged her from the

hospital quickly. As promised I am posting this in Sai Vichaar. Om Shri

Satchidanand Satguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai.

 

PRAYER CLUB:

Deborshi

Baba please help, you know very well the conditions I am going through. I know

that in my past I have done so many mistakes but I have repented what else will

a man do with so little intelligence like me? Please help Baba.

Sirisha

Sai my daughter who is new to USA and 5 years old is facing problems in school.

I don't know why, who otherwise is very friendly is not finding any friends in

school. Please help her.

Shipra

Please help me and make him understand that I value his friendship a lot, why

doesn't he understand it. Baba everything is in Your hands, even a leaf can't

move with out your permission, why this pain for me, please I want a solution.

Sai devotee

Pranam Baba, please bless my brother to get married soon and please bless him

with good health. Kindly be with my brother on every moment and shower Your

blessings.

Lakshmi

I sincerely ask Your grace to fix and arrange my marriage.

Farah

Om Sai Ram, my friend is going through a lot of problems in her married life.

There are some misunderstandings between her and her husband and things are

going out of hand. She is a dear friend and my heart aches to know that she is

unhappy specially since I have been a witness to their courtship and know that

they love each other immensely. Please don't let this misunderstanding break

apart a beautiful relationship. Please Sairam, you know everything. I pray to

You to solve their problems and restore the love and togetherness in their

family.