SAI satsangh in 3 centers-week ending 16 March

[Guest guest]

Sai-Satsang in 3 centers continued

(week ending 16th March, Friday)

 

Sairam to all Children, Sisters and Sai Brothers

in all 3 Sai SatSanghs in Jubail, Dammam and Riyadh.

 

We continue with the sixth posting of the activities

of all 3 centers.

 

My apologies for missing last week posting, I was out

of the country.

 

Summary:

 

1) Study circle attendance in 2 centers at a new high.

 

2) Bhajans now being held more punctually in all 3

centers.

 

Details:

 

In Dammam the weekly satsang was held on the evening

of Wednesday 14th March, at the residence of Bro Prem.

The attendance was by about 30 members. It started

punctually at 7.30 pm and it was over by 9.15 pm.

Aarti was taken by Bro Jayaraman. Study circle session

was held on the same day after a small break for

Prasad. Next Bhajan will be held at the residence of

Bro Kaladeepan who has just returned from the

vacation.

 

The study circle in Dammam was this time attended by

all the members who came for the Bhajan. This is a

very healthy practice. Bro. Vinod is the study circle

co-coordinator. The presence of Uncle R.S. Mani

(father in law of Bro Varada) and a new lady member

Gayatri helped in discussions of the topics in Chapter

4 & 5: Faith- Source of Knowledge.

 

Jubail center held the weekly Satsang on the Thursday

15th March at 7.30 pm that was attended by about 25

members at Bro Swamy Mahadevan’s residence. Aarthi was

taken by Bro Shiva. Study circle in Jubail will be

held once a month. The next one is scheduled on 20th

March Tuesday.

 

For the benefit of members in Dammam and Jubail who

attend the study circles, I invite them to send me any

questions they may have on either Sai organization or

study circle or other related SAI-philosophical

matters (email: rajanpbv) Often when one

starts new, some basic doubts arise which is only

natural. For lack of time or due to shyness, one may

not raise this query in the satsangh when it meets for

study circle. I will summarize such queries, get

answers after consulting with senior members in Riyadh

(because this activity is going on here for last few

years) and post answers without disclosing the name of

the enquirer, to encourage members to ask even basic

doubts.

 

Riyadh group held the weekly Bhajan on Friday 16th

March from 9.00 pm. till about 10.30 pm. It was a

full house with about 50 members. The aarthi was

performed by Bro Sampath. After the break for Prasad,

there was study session which was attended by 17

members. The Chapter 14: “Fundamental question” was

discussed and concluded. The study circle coordinator

is Bro Ravi Chandran (SABIC). The spiritual

coordinator in Riyadh is Bro Kham.

 

To summarize the session, the fundamental question is

“Is God abstract and formless OR does he/she have many

forms (as per Hindu practices)”. As per our SAI Baba,

both paths are true depending on the approach we have

towards spiritual matters. Those who are ready to put

in the effort of self-enquiry “Whom am I”, will

eventually find God as formless. However this is not a

short exercise and needs both time and effort and more

importantly renunciation of the world.

 

Those who are more into worldly life or Grahasthas

like us could benefit by the path of “devotion-

Bakhthi” which is facilitated if a form is assumed.

However the form is only a sign post for surrendering

the ego of the self and this is the key aspect. When

there is full surrender of ego, it will merge with the

ultimate, described as SAT-CHIT-ANANDA in our

scriptures.

 

For sake of record, I would like to mention that

Hindus are not the only ones praying to a form or many

forms. I was in Athens (Greece) archeological museum

last week and saw that the Greek culture and

subsequent Roman cultures also worshipped many Gods

and Goddesses who were often depicted as beautiful

marble statues. The Greek practice lasted for about

500 years before Christ (2,500 years back) and the

Roman practice lasted for another 500 years till about

400 AD when Europe got converted to Christianity.

Again it was not Christians who broke up the statues

of Greek and Roman gods but a group called “vandals”

who were basically “terrorist raiders” who broke up

the Roman empire, in a way that happened to India also

around 1100 AD (thousand years back). Greece was also

occupied by Turkish Muslims in 1450 AD and it took

them over 400 years to get rid of them. However in

those 400 years, Muslims destroyed many of Greek old

temples including the world famous “Acropolis” which

is being renovated now. I am writing this to show that

what happened in India (destruction of our old culture

and temples) by many invading foreign terrorists also

happened in many other places in the world and so

there is basically nothing wrong with just us.

 

All over the world, there is greater appreciation of

some basic Hindu practices as Yoga and mediation and

Hindus are considered good spiritual people. This is

why Swami often says that “Your life is my message”.

Other people will evaluate us in the way we behave in

public (without supervision).

 

Sairam and Pranams to all.

P.B.V.Rajan rajanpbv

 

 

 

 

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