Sai Vichaar for Thursday, April 19, 2007

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Sai Vichaar www.saibaba.org Thursday , April 19, 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: As close as it gets! Is Sai Baba just a saint and none more? Is he just Guru, a sadhu, a mendicant that lived a

century ago in Shirdi? People then, and now, have the confounded perception that Baba was just an ordinary mortal that perhaps was a saadhaka and none more. Is Sai Baba like Lord Krishna or Rama? Grandiose vision of God as explicitly described in religions does in fact confound the man from seeing God in simple things. Such as the begging fakir that roamed in the streets of Shirdi. With a little bit of faith and devotion, it is possible to see right through the Saint, the Universe that the Saint Himself represents! Shri Sai Satcharithaamritha depicts such events. Somdev had to eat the humble pie, the greedy Ramdasi, and even Dasganu maharaj who thought Pandharpur is several koss away, while Sainath made the poet momentarily realize that all pilgrimage is at His feet! Acharya E Bharadwaja eloquently describes one aspect of God in his great work, "Sai Baba the Master" as follows: "Everything is God's creation, and God's own. Yet He possesses nothing and

covets nothing. On the other hand He lavishes all that is His on His creatures, though only a few can receive what he gives. Others have eyes but do not see; they have ears but do not hear; they have understanding yet do not consider. The greatness of a saint or prophet depends on how near he is to this aspect of God. And such God-men arise amidst us only to tell us to be perfect "even as the Father in heaven is perfect". CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Unseen miracles! Behind every prayer and parayan (reading of holy books) there lies a desire, the quest for a miracle. Nice are those experiences where the seeker gets what he desires. It is the experiences of several devotees to receive the good news, from seemingly no where, beyond the logic, at the end of a sincere prayer. What of those who do not see the light at the end of the tunnel? Did Sai not hear them? Are those prayers not sincere? A prayer is always sincere. The mere thought of surrendering our ego, even for a moment, at the feet of Sadguru and invoking His grace to the betterment of our existence is a significant step. However, not being able to receive the expected or wanted may not construe as a failure. Sai spoke about this in Sri Sai Satcharitha. Why do not all the flowers blossom? Karmic role in our lives aside, it does help one to know why the prayers aren't answered always. Why is that Sai withholds His miracles, seemingly to a few "unfortunate" ones? A careful analysis may help our little minds to some extent. Next time, if our prayers are unanswered, let us remember those occasions carefully and move on. Let our faith be doubled and let our love to Sainath is unchanged. It will be revealed later, that the prayers that were "unanswered" were a part of a much bigger plan. It will be known that, what happened is in our best interests. It will also be known that it may not be a

dealing between Sai and the self, but a part of a grander revelation. "Seek my treasure. My coffers are open", said Sai. The best miracles are the ones that are unseen. (Contributed by Sai devotee) DEVOTEES SAY: Sai devotee15 yrs ago I went through the same dilemma that you went through a couple of weeks ago. I too challenged Baba that if He wants me as a devotee then He should show me a sign. Well, I saw no sign, no dream and I was disheartened and soon lost my faith. I lost Baba's grace. And you won't believe the problems I went through. It took me many years to come out of those problems and I couldn't have done it without Baba. Dear Sravankumar, this is Kalyug, the Dark Age, and you will find more people, like your so-called friend, who will try and break your faith. Pay no heed to such people and remain steadfast in your devotion. Can you

recall your birth? Do you remember when you were born? Was it day or night? What was the day and date? Obviously you don't now can you challenge your mother to prove that she gave birth to you? We all have a mother, a birth giver. Just because we don't remember, it doesn't mean that we don't have a source. Sai Baba is the same source, Divine Mother, who came here to take care of His children, you and me. Don't challenge the proven. That is futile. Read Shri Sai Satcharitra. Soon Baba will appear in your dreams when you need Him to uplift you on your spiritual path. He works very subtly, and you will lose Him if you allow your ego to question His very Existence! Shri Satchidanand Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki Jai! GeetaSairama, thank you for blessing my daughter with Your Grace. Her eye test went off well without any major problems. Please bless and protect her always, Sainatha AtulDear Nithya -

Baba always discouraged his devotees to indulge in superstition. He advised people to keep complete faith in Him and not in unfounded believes. I believe nothing happens without Baba's will. So even the breaking of the idol and the mirror happened because of His will. However, maybe this occurred to test your faith in Him. Baba resides in you and all around you and not merely in the idol. Maybe He wants you to realize this and strengthen your faith. So consider this as a sign that Baba wants you to pray to his 'nirakar' (non-physical) form and not just a physical object. That way you shall be able to keep Him in your heart wherever you go. DeepaliI am writing in reference to the question asked by devotee Sravankumar in the April 12th newsletter. I identify with the feeling. I many times wonder why Sai appears in dreams and fulfills the prayers of so many devotees but not mine. During the worst times of my life I believed in Him but

suddenly I am overcome by the feeling that Baba is not fulfilling my wishes as he does of so many others. Have I done something to displease him? Does he not care about fulfilling my wishes as per his promise to devotees? It disturbs me and fills me with a sense of hopelessness to feel like this, since my faith has been the mainstay of my life. Spiritual books advise the devotee to have patience (Saburi) but how long does this test of patience last? How long does one console oneself that God is only testing me? I do not mean to doubt anyone's beliefs or faith .In fact Sai devotion brings me to this newletter. But I would appreciate any insight on my dilemma.Thank you. MaitreyiSwami, you are with me all the time. I completed my degree successfully with your blessings. I got in to a job soon after graduating. My work visa got approved and visa stamping went smooth with your blessings. All this was possible only because of you, now I am

entering in to new life keeping full faith in you. I strongly believe that you will lead me always in every path in my life. Please bless us good health and thoughts. ArchanaGreetings all Saibandhus, I have been unfailingly reading this newsletter week after week for a few years now. This has provided me with immense joy, solace and courage. I would like to tell all the saibandhus that whatever may be the situation, keep faith in our Sai, for He will never let us down. We have to do our duties correctly and have unconditional love and faith in our Sai. My daughter was down with chicken pox and her exams were due, I had prayed to our Sai maa that if she becomes completely fine and does the exams well I would post a thank you prayer here. Thank you Baba for being with me and my family always. I sincerely pray to you to bless all your devotees world over and help use keep our love and faith in you. Jai Sai ram. ManishI am posting this to thank Sai Baba for helping me out to handle the mental pressure situation at my job during the time when things were not going in right direction for me. He helped me in keeping me calm and to take wise decisions. Today the project and activities on which I am working is very good and I am again enjoying my work. This is all because of Your blessings Baba. Baba please continue to bless me and my family and show me right directions during the difficult time. Thank you Baba . MangeshSai Baba has always been with his devotees, in bad as well as good days. With the grace and blessings of Sri Sainath, I am leading a satisfactory, trouble-free life. I have always experienced that whenever there has been any possibility of a crisis in my life, there has always been Sai's blessings on me and I have been able to face the situation very easily. These situations have increased my faith each

and everytime. PreetiSainath for months of stress finally I got relief, not that the tension is relieved but I am able to change my viewpoint and thinking on the situation affecting me. After this my belief in Baba has strengthen as Baba himself gave me a way to cool myself and face the situation. Baba, thanks a lot for showing me the way, You have always blessed me with your Kripa. Baba, give me patience to live in this world. PRAYER CLUB: SuchitraI am feeling very uncomfortable with lot of things happening. Please bless us and show the best path to lead. I am experiencing different things which I never felt before. You know all, so please guide us if we are wrong. HemantBaba by your blessings and love You have solved all my problems by gracing me a good job Baba bless us with the

baby now. GayathriI am facing some problems in office. Some people trying to put me in trouble. Please solve all problems and when I take in charge. MichelleSai ma please let him confess his love for me, please make me realize how much he loves me and let all that he said to be forgotten by both of us and live a happy married life. HarithaYou know we are trying for a baby, please bless us with a healthy baby. I will be ever grateful of You. I am frustrated with the situation and You are our only hope. SailajaYesterday I had my first test and it came positive. Today I am going to doctor, for confirmation. Please Baba help me so to have me delivery without any problems. You are the only hope I have. Once again thanks Baba. ChandrasekharNow I am applying for renewal of EAD's and

Advanced paroles. Please bless us to have as soon as possible. ShobhanaBaba, my son has appeared for 12th board exam and is now studying for his entrance for engineering. Baba, please take care of him I pray for him to get his admission is good engineering college. ThripurasundariBaba, please help my brother in law who has been going through very tough time in his professional career for the past four and half years. Please forgive his past karma and help him regain the confidence in himself and in You. He has come to a level of dejection. JagadishBaba, I colud not meet my expected target that I was expecting this month. I don't know what went worng with me, with Your grace I was always in number one place every month. Sainatha please help me to meet my targets and always want to be number one, please shower me with Your ashirwad and always be with me and

my family. Om Sainatha. GayathriBaba, please give the Visa for my parents this time as You know what the constraints or problems are if a situation like applying again comes. Please Baba, its your bhaaram to get the Visa for my parents this time itself. EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES: SridharanI know about the Sri Saibaba, but not experienced or taken Him seriously. One day I was standing on the terrace of my house in the evening time and wondered when I saw the eastern sky, it was a clear blue sky but then the saffron color of clouds came and formed like some Saint who was sitting on the chair and blessing me, his pure white beard was heeling in the air. What a wonder it was. Then I showed that to my friend who was standing next to me and told him that a Saint was blessing us, maybe he looks like Saibaba. After that I did not take

it seriously. After 20 days my father got seriously ill. I was shocked. The treatment was going on from 8th January 2007 but there was no improvement. On 18th January 2007 my neighbours were going to a Sai mandhir and I also joined them. For the first time I was in the Sai mandhir, I don't know how to pray, what to take or what to ask. Just I bowed my head and asked Him to cure my dad as soon as possible and make me to believe Him with full heart. Then I returned home with some of my burden gone out of my mind. Then I applied Udi that I got from the mandhir on my father's forehead and in his ear I wispered three times, Sri Sai will take care of you. Within two days he slowly started to improve. After that every Thursday I started going to Sri Sai mandhir. Now my father's health has improved very well and slowly he is getting back his strength. I believe it's because of Sri Sai. I bow my head to his golden feet. I believe Him. Sai only takes our burden and purifies this

soul. One day I will visit Shirdi with His blessings. PrabhaI would like to share my faith and experience in Sai Vichaar as I thought, I would do once my daughter got a seat in the Internship Program. She is in her last year of Food and Nutrition and she wanted to become a Registered Dietician. It is very competitive to get into the Internship Program. One day, we went to Sai's Temple and that day the chapter read in the Temple was about a boy who was not willing to give his medical exam as an astrologer told him his Grahas were bad and he would not succeed, but Baba said that have faith in me and give your exam and you will succeed. The boy has given the medical exam and succeeded. Then, I told my daughter, you keep faith in Sai and He will help you out, believe and trust me. Time passed away, but she was not called for any interview, the dead line was over and she lost her hope. I kept on praying to Baba to help my daughter and

restore her faith. One fine morning, she was called for an interview in the second round. It was a miracle from Baba. This is the first year where they had to conducted second round of interviews and my daughter attended the interview and did well. With Baba's blessings my daughter got admission in the Internship Program. AnushaDear Baba, thank you for helping me to pass the license test. I got it nearly after 5 attempts. I wrote in the prayer club and got Baba's prasadam and took it to the exam with Baba photo. That day due to snowfall my driving test got postponed and had written test only, before giving the written test paper I put Baba's vibhuti on that and gave. To my surprise I got 14/16 and passed and on the driving test day, I got a very nice inspector and he told me to do reverse parking and u turn two times and I did it and I passed and I could feel that Baba came in the form of the driving inspector for me. Thanks a lot,

please bless me and be with me always and with my family. I had been suffering without a drivers license for the past 7 years and I got it with Your grace. As I prayed, I am writing for Sai Vichaar. QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: "For traversing this path, the help of a good guide (Guru) is absolutely necessary. However learned a man may be, or however deep his study of Vedas and Vedangas (sacred literature) may be, he cannot go to his destination safely. If the guide be there to help him and show him the right way, he would avoid the pitfalls and the wild beasts on the journey, and everything will be smooth-sailing".-Sri Sai Satcharitha QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Q. Does Baba get angry if we keep praying to Him to fulfill our desires? A. by Rajaram Baba is a form of Saburi, then where is the question of anger. Desires arises from mind, due to sensory stimulation which all are controlled by Baba the biggest wirepuller. Refer to the story of Pundalikarao and Coconut episode in Sai Satcharita for example. Ask for desires and dream big dreams, whatever is appropriate for us will be judged by Him and awarded. There should be no regrets. Sai Ram. 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. Why is Thursday important for Baba? 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,

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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.