Guest guest Posted April 12, 2007 Report Share Posted April 12, 2007 Sai Vichaar www.saibaba.org Thursday , April 12, 2007 :: Volume 9, Issue 49 (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: Bereavement It was a grim situation. Tatya Kote fell at the feet of Sainath and urged Him to revive Bayaja maa, his mother. Bayajabai, herself a devout devotee of Sainath, was on the deathbed waiting for the last word from the God she had known. How could God convince a grieving devotee who wants his mother to be alive? How can a guru explain his follower the irreversible course of nature? The temporariness of body, and the everlasting attribute of atman? Sainath lovingly coaxes Tatya and assures him that He would rejuvenate Bayajabai from death provided Tatya showed him one single household on earth, where there is no death! Is this possible? Cycle of events in human life seem to follow a predestined path that is hard to understand. Death seems to be one such event that reminds the mundane material man, the temporary nature of the human body and its attributes. The duty of Guru is to lead the disciple in the right path, in life and death. Sainath's guidance in this matter is quite clear. He has always guided the faithful in the right direction. A close examination of His message would reinforce the same thought. Several incidents depict the way Sainath helped His devotees by averting what could be termed as, a certain death. In some cases, He has blessed His children by providing a righteous demise, the examples of Megha, Vijayanand, Balaram Mankar and the Tiger to name a few (vide Chapter XXXI, Sai Satcharitha). Sainath Himself is believed to have given His physical body to protect ailing Ramachandra Patil, another devotee who was on the deathbed during the fateful Vijayadashami day in 1918. The question that why one should die may not be as important as how one should live or what is to be accomplished by human life or death. For one who believes in Saibaba, the "thrikaala gnaani" (one who is aware of the past, present, and the future), the fear of death should never be a matter of concern because His guidance will remove one's fear of life. Why does one want to fear death when he is not afraid of the life, the more dreaded karmic cobweb capable of multitude of myth and deceit; the tigers and wolves that Sainath referred to? Finally, what does one achieve from a Guru who fulfils small desires but appears to let the disciple suffer by not coming to rescue at times of larger calamities? The wisdom! The realization that the karmic cycle of joy and sorrow is superceded by bhakthi (devotion) and saadhana (perseverance). CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Surrender In Sai satcharita it is emphasized that to attain God in kaliyug the easiest method is devotion. Devotion or love of God develops in those who have Faith in the words of the Guru and the Scriptures. It is mentioned that the devotion should be of a nature of surrender to the Guru with love and humility. Surrender means to give away something of ours on compulsion or demand. If one looks carefully and thoughtfully at what is that we are surrendering in spiritual life, the answer is a big surprise. Spiritual life can either be a bhaktimarg or jnana marg. In bhakti marg the sincere devotee feels every thing belongs to God (tera tere arpan kya lage mera). So the question of surrender does not arise. In jnana marg the jnani feels that God is the absolute reality. (Ekam advitiyam brahma). If there is only one thing exists who is surrendering to who! So again the word surrender does not arise. So, the word surrender is used for those who believe that they are in the bondage of body, mind and intellect complex (ego). Surrender in the truest sense is the ultimate step for a devotee. Surrender removes the ego from the person. In the beginning stages of devotion the surrender to God or Guru may be due to one's own fears or desires etc. Usually the gates of surrender open when the ego feels helpless in answering the questions of life (Blessing in disguise)! The story of Sri Sathe in Sai Satcharita emphasizes this example. As one progresses in sadhana one realizes the limitations of ego and unlimited potential of God. It is like climbing the steps of a huge temple. Surrender to God due to any cause will uplift the person provided the person persuades the sadhana with honesty and sincerity. (To mention a few, Prahlada with knowledge, Dhruva with desire, Meera with love, Sugriva with fear surrendered to God) .As the surrender deepens, the body mind complex starts melting in the divine love. The feeling of "Let me become an instrument in the hands of God", evolves. Slowly, the feelings of me and mine get sublimated in the wake of knowledge. In this stage devotee will come to know that what appeared, as sadhana is also his Grace only. At this point the natural acceptance of divine will becomes the way of life without any internal disputes or dialogues. It is like when a jasmine blossoms it exudes the fragrance as a natural occurrence. This knowledge or divine love leads to live one's life obeying and following the teachings of Guru with the nature of peace which passeth all understanding. This total annihilation of ego makes one to know that God alone is. This experiential truth is nothing but the flow of the Grace of the God making the devotee to climb up the final rung in the ladder of surrender. Sri Sai aptly mentions this,"You Look To Me, I look To You." (Contributed by Sai devotee) DEVOTEES SAY: DeeptiFrom the year 2006, I was having many problems with my husband who was not getting his field job and he was tired of finding jobs. I prayed to Baba and tried reading Sai Satcharita and no wonder my husband got a consultant job and with good pay. Again I prayed to Baba as I wanted to get pregnant and I got pregnant. Dear devotees please keep faith in Baba and He will surely complete all wish. GiriCouple of days back my toddler was not able to keep his right foot and stand at all. Looks like he was hurt without our knowledge. I prayed Baba that there should not be any fracture and I quickly applied Udhi to his forehead. Next day we had unscheduled doctor visit and there also I prayed Baba that the doctor we believe in should see my son as we are not at all comfortable with the other doctor on duty. Baba quickly obliged my request and the pediatrician said every thing looks ok and suggested to take x-ray to rule out any fractures. We went to take an x-ray and every thing came fine with Baba's grace. The moment we came home my son was jumping as usual and I definitely want to share this experience with my fellow Sai devotees. SravankumarPreviously I used to believe Baba a lot. Two weeks back I made an argument with one of my friend who says that there is no God. I argued that God is there. I don't know what happened to my heart, but suddenly I started thinking whether God is there or not? So I lost peace and everything. Many problems came around me from that day. So I was totally depressed and asked Baba to show me only one proof that He is there within two days, but I didn't see anything. My heart was broken, because I love Baba a lot. Even while typing this I feel like crying, I don't know the reason. I asked Baba many times to once come in my dream, but never came. So if He wants me as His devotee, why can't Baba show me some proof and increase my faith in Him. I have studied that Baba; himself brings people to His feet, but what happened in my case? Sorry if I had asked anything wrong. NithyaDear friends, I have a serious doubt and my mind is not at peace. I had an idol of Baba that I wanted from a very long time. My aunt got it from Shard, and I had kept it near my bed so that I could open my eyes to Baba's face every morning. A couple of weeks ago, the idol fell and broke. This happened on a Thursday morning. I am feeling very troubled ever since. The following Tuesday, a mirror also broke. I asked all my near and dear ones what does it mean and nobody had an answer. Can somebody please clear my mind of this doubt? NeelamBaba, Pranam to you and from my kids side also. Thanks a lot for listening to our problems and solving it. Without You we cannot do anything. It is only and only Your blessing that I am able to get success in every work. Please Baba take care of your kids. You are the only father of my kids and myself. Please solve the remaining problems also. Baba I do not have the words to thank you. We need Your help in every step. Please make your son Veerat in studies strong and he should get a good percentage. Always keep on helping us Deva. There is no one to help us except You. Sai devoteeI would like to share my miracle with all Baba devotees. For more than 15 years I have been a firm believer of Baba. He has helped in every phase of my life and pulled me through the tough times of my life. Two years back I had to go through an abortion because of some medical conditions after that I was pretty scared to have another baby but by keeping my faith in Baba I got pregnant again.The whole duration of pregnancy I used to look upon Baba and believed in Shraddha and Saburi. I knew that Baba will take care of every thing and he did. On the auspicious day of Shivratri I was blessed with a beautiful and healthy baby girl. Thank you so much Baba for blessing us with a beautiful daughter. Please always bless my family and stay with us. Jai Sai Ram. PreetiThanks for sending me Sai Vichaar on every Thursday. I am going through a very tense phase of my professional career and today when I was tense in my offfice and reading Sai Vichaar, somebody gave me prasad and Sai photo from Shirdi. My faith in Sai got stronger that Baba appears for me when I need Him. Baba always be with me and guide me. Your presence is the divine light in my struggling days and I am hopeful You will sail me through this time. I want to live for my daughter and my husband who adores me. PRAYER CLUB: TannuBaba I got married five years back and I was suffering from thyroid. Because of that I was not able to plan for a child. Now I want to have a baby. Please Baba bless me with a baby. PrashantBaba, without Your help I cannot find the debit card of my son that I have misplaced. Baba, this may sound trivial but my son stands to loose all his savings if the card falls in the wrong hands. Please help me to find it. RaveenaMy mom is sick (her hemoglobin level is too low) and is under medication. I am getting worried. I have a small sister who is 3 years old. I pray to Baba to stay by my mom and take care of her. Be there with me and my family. Sai Ram. NeelimaBaba I am having a problem with the immigration issues here in the US. Please bless me with a green card soon. I want to work and study here in the US. I want to become a very good medical doctor and Baba please bless me with my dream. GayatriBaba you know I am on family leave. My health condition and mental condition is not good at present but in my office they are asking me to go for tour. Please help me Baba. Sai devoteeBaba I am feeling very dizzy and unstable for the past few days. I am much worried about my health. Baba I know that " Thy will be done". I am praying to You to give me strength to face this problem. Few years ago when I felt like this You walked with me every step helping me. So please let not the 'Fear' enter my mind. Only Your grace can protect me. SwethaMy uncle will be going through bypass surgery soon. Baba life and death are in Your hands and one day everybody should go through death. But I am praying for some happier, healthy and prosperous years of life for my uncle. Please help him go through it. Please give my cousin and other family members courage to go through this. Sai devoteeSainatha, please take care of my sister and please solve her problem and make her live happily with her husband. It is Your bhaaram to take care of my sister and her husband, change their mentalities and make them live together happily with a normal life. Thanks Baba. Sai devoteeKoti pranams to Shirdi Sai Baba. Please help our friends to find a good suitable match for their daughter. Please bless her with a happy and healthy future. Please also help our children to be focussed on their studies and careers and always keep them on the path of truth and righteousness. EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES: RimaThank you for giving me the correct job related to my field. Four years I struggled being jobless and I was praying constantly to You, and was ready to accept any job inspite of being so highly and professionally qualified, but in vain. I was even ready to go abroad to look for a job, but then You appeared in my dream and told me that I will be in Mumbai only and that I should not take a career turn and go to US. That time I was puzzled, was wondering when I am jobless, what career turn are You talking of, but now I realize what You meant and am really thankful and grateful to You. I prayed saying when I get the right job I will put it up in Sai Vichaar that's what I am doing now. KrishnaveniI would like to share my experience which happened in April of 2004. I was disappointed not having children after trying for 4 months. I went into depression after knowing I had developed fibroid, by thinking I should have planed to have children earlier as I was married in the year 2000. I started praying to Baba and those days from Sai Vichaar I came to know about 16 weeks pooja of lighting lamps, where every Thursday you light a lamp keep increasing the lamp by every week till it gets 16 on 16th Thursday. I started doing 16 weeks pooja and was praying to have healthy baby. After completing 16th week pooja in the evening I offered 16 lotuses into His tender feet and just after that I took pregnancy test and it was positive. I felt it was a miracle by Baba. Now my daughter is 14 months old. I don't have any words to express my thanks to Baba. I thank Baba for whatever I am today. RanganathanTwo years ago when my son was to enter Engineering College I had no money to pay donation to get a seat in a reputed college. I borrowed and paid Rs.10000 as part of fees in a relatively unknown college (hearing the news that a leading Academician had taken over that college). My wife and relatives blamed me for the same as all my son's friends got seats in leading colleges by paying donation. I prayed Baba to show me the way. It so happened the Chancellor (Academician) of the private University came to address a meeting and said to students that there are four seats vacant in his University and those who want can come. Immediately I rushed and my son got his seat without even paying additional fees which otherwise would have cost Rs. 4 Lakhs. What to say about Baba's blessing and all of us in the family can't believe even today. My son became a staunch devotee since then because some astrologer said that he wouldn't even become a graduate. We bask and bathe in the grace of Baba. ParminderI live in a city which is close to Shirdi and it takes around 5-6 hours drive to reach there. I usually carry my license and important documents in my purse. I have Baba embossed on a metal plate which I keep with the license. When my dad asked about it to me in Shirdi I said that it was safe in the car but the truth was I had lied in Shirdi. I drove all the way till Shirdi without my license because it wasn't in the purse! I was scared and went in Dwarkamai and was asking Baba to help because if my Dad knew about me driving without license, I would have got a solid bashing for being so careless all the time. I didn't speak about it when we drove back home and the license was in my room near Baba's feet! My God, Baba's leelas, so scary! But yes He takes care no matter what. QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: "This masjidmayi is very merciful. Once a person climbs into her lap, all their troubles will be over".-Shri Sai Baba QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Q. Does Baba get angry if we keep praying to Him to fulfill our desires? SAI ACTIVITIES: Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USAShirdi Sai temple is open daily from 7:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m (Summer hours). Daily program includes Kakad Arathi at 7 a.m. followed by Abhisek. Madhayana Arathi at 12 noon, Dhoop Arathi at 6 p.m. and Shej Arathi at 9 p.m. Archana, Homams, Sahasranama and sponsored poojas continue in between the Arathis. To request a pooja for yourselves, your friends and family, please call. Devotees can request water (Abhishek Jal) from the Holy bathing of Baba by sending us an email or by phone. Temple is located 25 minutes drive west of Schaumburg on intersection of IL Route 47 and Plank Road in Hampshire, IL. For more information please call 847-931-4058 or send email to maildrop. Shri Saibaba Mandir, Minneapolis, MinnesotaSaibaba activities in Minneapolis were conducted at Shirdi Saibaba Prayer center since the year 2002. Now, with the grace and blessings of Baba and the support of devotees, a new Saibaba Mandir has begun to function at 1835 Polk St NE, Minneapolis from July 11th 2006. Please visit www.hamaresai.org for all 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 Center in Bay Area, CAShirdi Sai Center is located 897-B East Kifer Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. For more information please call 408-705-7904 or 408-564-6704 or send email to saibandhu. You can also visit our website is www.Shirdisaiparivaar.org. Shirdi Saibaba temple, Los Angeles, CADevotees in Los Angeles area are informed about Sri Shirdi Saibaba temple in Los Angeles area. The temple is located at - 144 South 4th Street, Montebello, CA 90640. For more information please call Krishna Samantula at 949-679-9938 or visit www.shirdisaila.org. Saibaba Temple, Columbus, OhioDevotees in Columbus and surrounding Ohio locations area are informed about Sri Shirdi Saibaba temple in Metro Columbus area. The temple is located in a leasing space at 7674 Sawmill Rd, Dublin, OH 43016. Please attend daily Aaratis and Thursday bhajans. For more information please call Panditjee at 614-799-8411 or visit www.saibaba.cc. Shirdi Sai bhajans every Thursday at Maitland, FloridaDevotees are invited to participate in Sai study and bhajans on Thursdays between 7-8 pm at Meditation Gallery, 219 E Horatio Ave, Maitland, FL 32715. For more details please contact Bonnie at 407-830-1276. FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD: In recent days many devotees are using submission forms for their writings incorrectly. Please help Sai Vichaar by sending your contribution under appropriate topics. For example use Devotee Experiences page for sending your experiences only and use Prayer Club for prayer requests only. Also, Sai Vichaar requests the contributors of article to give their name or initials so that the source or author of the article is duly identified and acknowledged. This is fundamental precept for a publication in any manner. The Question of the week for this week is suggested by a Sai devotee as follows: Q. Is it right that we are always praying Baba to fulfill our desires? Does this make Him angry? Humbly Yours,The Editor ABOUT THIS EMAIL: This newsletter is not sent unsolicited. This newsletter is e-mailed to you because of at least one of the following reasons:1. You have d through our on-line page,2. You have visited our web site and shown interest in the Sai topics and asked for information, or3. You have been gifted a subscription by a friend or a relative. To Subscribe Sai Vichaar for receipt by Email please visit the URL http://www.saibaba.org/newsletter.html and select the option from the menu. If you are subscribing the newsletter for your friend or a relative, we request that the person concerned may be notified about receiving the newsletter and the willingness to receive the newsletter be confirmed. To Un-Subscribe receipt of Sai Vichaar, please visit the URL http://www.saibaba.org/newsletter.html and select the option from the menu. If you have problems accessing the web page due to network problems, please send an e-mail to support with the words "Un Sai Vichaar" in the subject line. To make a contribution to any of the sections of Sai Vichaar, please visit the URL http://www.saibaba.org/newsletter.html and select the Submit Articles to Sai Vichaar option from the menu. Back copies of HTML version of Sai Vichaar can be accessed by visting the URL http://www.saibaba.org/whatsnew.html. For any questions or more information regarding this e-mail or our web site, please send an e-mail to maildrop and your inquiries will be attended to promptly. Thank you,The webmaster From and Editor: Shirdi Sai Baba Web Site Shirdi Sai Baba Sanstha (A non-profit organization) Mail: 12N950 State Route 47 Hampshire, IL 60140, USA Email maildrop Phone 847-931-4058 Fax 847-931-4066 © Copyright 1998-2006 saibaba.org, Shirdi Sai Baba Sanstha - Sai Vichaar Weekly may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter. Sai Vichaar is devoted to the philosophy and teachings of Shri Sadguru Sai Baba of Shirdi, and will take every measure to avoid topics or themes contradicting the same. Sai Vichaar team or the Shirdi Sai Baba web site is not responsible for the opinions expressed by individual contributors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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