Sai Vichaar for Thursday , May 15, 2008

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Sai Vichaarwww.saibaba.org Thursday , May 15, 2008 :: Volume 11, Issue 1 (In its eleventh 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 WEEKCONTRIBUTED ARTICLEDEVOTEES SAYPRAYER CLUBEXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEESQUOTATION OF THE WEEKQUESTION OF THE WEEKSAI ACTIVITIESFROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARDFEATURE OF THE WEEK: What shall ye seek?Khuda apne waliyon se hotaa hain raazee Milegee ye dar se hamein sarfaraazi Yahan dil se maango Ye Sayee ali hain Khuda ki wali hain...Khuda hi khuda hain

God has the pact with His chosen few The abode of which is the source of our blessings Ask from the bottom of your heart Sayee, the messiah He is the God's messenger...the God Himself! Saibaba said, "I have to take care of my children day and night and give an account to God of every paise". The humble Lord of Shirdi also said that He is a servant of God. Are God and His servant one and the same? Let us question the Omniscience of God, we shall find the answers ourselves. The manifestation we see is in fact the Omnipresent conscious appearing closer to us lest our ignorance shall fail to grasp! No body can seek Saibaba unless he is destined to. The loving assurance of the Saint God that He is responsible to those who come to Him is yet another unique feature of Sai path. Baba said, "I draw to Me My man from far off, or even across the seven seas, like a sparrow with a string fastened to its feet." He also made it clear to him that if he be not Baba's man, he would not be attracted to Him and given a darshan. Once such a "rinanubandha", the Karmic Indebtedness is established and if one were to be the fortunate sparrow, what is his prerogative? Just to believe that Saibaba was a Saint, a realized soul who bestows material wealth? Or who by miracles make the impossible happen? Or more than the above? Saibaba laments that everyone wants to ask what he or she wanted but none wants to receive what he wanted to give. What could that be? How does one receive it? Is one capable of receiving it? Most important things do not come without asking and nothing is impossible in Baba's path.Seek Baba as Rama, Krishna, Dattatreya, or Jesus. See Baba in anyone and in anything at your convenience. If any of the above would seem to limit the magnificence of the Saint, for any reasons, see Baba as Baba! Top to toe, in and out. Neither is a need to institutionalize Baba nor radicalize! Read, write, talk and sing, dwell on the thoughts of the benevolent fakir and none else, day and night, day after day! See Baba in hunger and deprivation; see Baba in wealth and prosperity. See Baba in dirt and clean, in pain and anger. In captivity and freedom. In Sattwa or Tamas or beyond. Seek Baba in every attribute until the imagination exhausts itself. See Baba until you know that you are not capable of seeing anything else. In that surrender, in the sweet incapacity, perhaps lies dormant what Baba wanted to give you! Let the desire and fear vanish. Let the material die. Let the spirit be known.CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Bhakthi and AlwarsIndia is a spiritual land and great saints and realized souls are born in this country. While every part of India is unique for its spiritual splendor, South India probably has a significant special place for several reasons. It has devotees of Shiva who follow Advaita and proponents of Dwaita and Vishistadvaita also in south India. South India produced the founders of these three systems of philosophy or schools of thought - Sankara, Ramanuja and Mardhwa. We may add that worship of Krishna was also initiated by Vallabhacharya of South India. The history of various Saivite saints is described in Peria Puranam while the lives and works of Vaishnavite saints are embodied in Divya Prabandham. The saints of Vaishnavite group are called Alwars. The system of Vaishnava philosophy had no distinction of sex and caste. Andal is greatest devotee of Narayana and sang about her love and marriage to the Lord. Bhakthi and prapatti self surrender, was her life breath. Similarly, her father Periaalwar, Satagopa, and others are beacons of light that took devotees of Narayana to saloka, sameepya, and sayujya- to his abode, and to the merger with Him.Among the Alwars, Satagopa is embodiment of devotion to his guru. He considered his guru as God and sometimes considered him as greater than god. Madhura kavi spent all his time with his guru, and recorded the mystic experiences in melodious poetry. While Rama and Lakshmana were in the woods as per the command of their father, Shatrugna the youngest brother of Rama was devoted to Bharata and through him worshipped Rama. Similarly, Madhura kavi worshipped his guru surrendering his ego at the feet of his guru and through the guru he realized God. He had postulated the efficacy and potency of acharya Bhakthi by speaking the glory and greatness of guru and how the acharya, the guru, can redeem the soul of the devotee from samsara. He wrote eleven verses describing the grace and compassion of his guru and how through his blessings he obtained the grace of lord Narayana. He described in these poems how guru corrected him from errors and molded him into a true bhakta leading to liberation. May we pray to our guru Shri Shirdi Sai Maharaj to bless his devotees by correcting them and by his grace and love take us to divinity. As Bhagavad-Gita starts, starting with great desire for his grace, let us get interested in realizing Baba completely and finally merge into him. Om Sai Ram.(Contributed by Sai Vichaar team)DEVOTEES SAY: SeemaLast Thursday it was my engagement. I was going to my friends house alone by bus and I was late and it was almost 10:30 pm. Due to some misunderstanding bus dropped me in some unknown area 1 kms away from my stop. I was totally scared. The area was totally non residential with lots of trucks around. No riksha or auto was present. I lost all hopes but suddenly I saw an old security gaud. I asked him to drop me to my stop and he helped me to reach to my destination. I know he was none other than my Sai who saved my life. Baba I love you a lot. I know You are always there to help me.PallaviWe were impressed with the 2008 desktop quotes calendar sent to us by the Chicago Sai Baba temple. We are going to India and so wanted to take one for our family there. We made an online request and waited for some days and then informed the team in Chicago about our desire. The calendar reached us on Sunday, just in time to take home. Thanks Sai Baba for Your blessings and thanks Chicago team for your prompt and efficient assistance. May Baba bless us all today and always!KirtiMany thanks Baba, for helping my daughter and other team members win the trophy for their school. It would not have been possible without You!DeeptiLast year my husband lost his job, as he did not get visa. I prayed a lot to Sainath so at least he can work. This year he got his visa by the grace of Sainath.AshutoshDear Sainath Maharaj, as always with your blessings my wife's visit to the doctor was positive with reports of progress and improvement. Please take care of her.SheetalAfter two years break, I was not sure of getting a good job in a new field. I started reading Sai Satcharitra and in between I was just flipping the advertisement pages; and without realising my own act my attention was caught by an ad. I felt that it was guided by Baba. I followed it up and got the job in a global company and with Baba's blessing, I became one of the best newcomers based on my performance. Believe me, if you pray to Baba wholeheartedly, you will definitely achieve your goal. This is just one of the latest happenings in our (me and my husband) lives. We are indebted to Baba as he is always guiding us out of hard times. PRAYER CLUB: Sai devoteeBaba, Kooti kooti Pranam. Baba please help us to sell our house and show us good path for my daughter and my husband. Baba help us we are badly in need to sell the house. Sai DevoteeBaba koti prnam! You helped me and our family in several ways. I pray you for two things now- one, please cure the chronic disease of my daughter and bless her with a child. Second, please complete the long pending assessment of my teaching qualifications and give a job so that we need not depend on any other for our livelihood.

BhargaviDear Sai, You have put me into all different situations, You have been showing the true paths of life, but agian I am in a fixed situation Sai Baba. Please show me and help me for the wish I have asked you for. RaviAll along in my life I believe only You. I know I have committed many sins in past life. Whatever I have done in my life I had faced failures and severe money crisis and crunch. I want to live in Your shadow but now I am suffering without money. We migrated to Canada and I am studying in USA doing PhD in management. Because of this migration, my wife and my family are suffering in Canada without a job. I am in USA mentally pressurized and living in all stress. I cannot concentrate on my studies and now the situation is becoming very worse that I have no other choice but to drop out of my studies and take some job. Swami, I want to serve to this society with my knowledge and help students in getting knowledge and job. Am I not eligible for such work? When will success come to my life? I pray to You, swami please bless my wife with a good job in Toronto, Canada so that I can substantially run my family without any financial problem.RajanI pray to Almighty Sai to kindly come to our and my son's rescue, as we are undergoing this agony for no fault of ours. Maybe it is a bad phase we are going through. Please offer prayers to Lord on our behalf and blessings be showered on us, so that the police awakens to reality and we are not subjected to further humiliation.VijayamOm Sri Sairam. I had sent a prayer request to Baba, that my son's first author paper is not accepted for publication since a long time. Baba, by thy grace the same is accepted for publication by a medical journal. Baba, I once more pray for Your blessings for his completing the research successfully and be awarded with PhD.RenuJai Sai Ram, koti koti pranam, I am praying for my son and my huband for very happy life. Please listen to my prayers. Please look after them.

EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES: SrinivasanUncanny are the ways in which Baba shows His beneficence to His devotees. In a sequel to the incident I had recounted recently in Sai Vichaar after my visit to Shirdi for Ramanavami celebrations there, Baba answered the prayers of my office colleague who also joined me from Hyderabad. Baba has helped him with a much awaited job in LIC. He was assiduously making efforts to join LIC after both his parents died while in service with LIC 4 years ago. Both my colleague and I have visited Shirdi 3 times since last August. I advised him to have absolute faith in Baba and sincerely pray for his recruitment in LIC. After 4 years of disappointment and anxiety, his prayers were rewarded, after he turned to Baba.ShreeRecently, I had visited a restaurant and after paying the bill, I got distracted by my son and left my purse in the restaurant. This happened around noon. I had come back to my house, did my usual chores. I never realized that I lost my purse. And around 9:00 pm at night somebody rang the bell. I opened and there was this person standing with my purse and I was shocked. He was the restaurant manager and told me that they found the way to my house from my driver's license and handed over the purse. I was shocked for a little while. I always carry Sri Saibaba's picture in my purse and I believe it is only Baba who helped me that day. I thanked the restaurant manager and prayed to Baba to shower his blessings on them. There are many instances in my life where I have felt Baba's presence. One other incident was when my husband had to take an exam for his professional license and he took it on a Saturday and after the exam was over, he got a score, which was just one point below the passing score. We were shocked and my husband was so depressed. It was totally unexpected and so on Monday he called the exam board about rescheduling. To our astonishment, the person at the board reviewed my husband's information and said that there was a mistake in the scoring in the exam and my husband had actually scored a high score of 92. All this is Baba's grace. When difficulties strike, I hold on to Baba's advice Faith and Patience. He never leaves you. Just hold on to his hand and walk through the journey of life. Everything will be clear.NehaI really wanted to go to Shirdi since a long time. And I had a book wherein you ask any question with pure heart and think of a number and then you look for an answer in front of that particular number in the book. I looked for an answer in the book and the answer said, "Come to Shirdi and all your prayers shall be answered." Now I am the only believer of Baba in my family so I thought how would I go to Shirdi!!! To my surprise right after 2 days, one of my very close aunts calls me and asks me to make a plan to Shirdi. My happiness knew no bounds and thus started the plan of going to Shirdi. I have a very strong faith in Baba and I know that Baba can only take me out of the problem I am currently facing. So I was really excited to go...Then after a few days my mother also made a plan to go to Shirdi with me and my aunt and uncle. We took darshan of Baba on 3rd April 2008. As I left for Shirdi, I was just praying to Baba that after your darshan Baba, I really hope that my problem is solved and that I get to see Baba very closely and nicely. Such a coincidence it was, that my plan to go to Shirdi and my boyfriend's plan to go to Shirdi was made on the same dates, we went by the same flight and train, and had gone at the same time to take darshan of baba - 5:00 am in the morning for kakad aarti. My problem also was that Baba helps me in convincing my parents to say yes for our marriage. It was hard to control the smile on my face as soon as I saw Baba in the mandir. It was like Baba is looking at me and smiling. continued....As I was singing Om Jai Jagdish, kakad aarti with the crowd, my mother starting feeling nauseated and she sat down. My mind was now on my mother also to see if she was fine. Slowly her health started to worsen and I didn't know what to do. I took her at the back but from there I could not see Baba properly. I was praying inside that something happens and I get back to the front to see Baba. Then my mother said that she needs to go out to freshen a little. Obviously, I could not refuse her, so I went with her also. I got water for her as well. When I came back to the temple, I was made to stand at the back of the rows and now I was not at all able to see Baba. So tears started falling from my eyes and I told Baba that I had so much in mind when I came to see you and I was hoping for a miracle but here I cant see u only. The moment I started crying and I prayed, a lady right in front of me told me to go in the front and try to convince the security people to let u have the darshan of Baba. They said they'd look after my mother. So I went ahead and asked the security person to please let me go in the front. Then finally, he made me sit in the center of the two rows where generally the VVIP's or the pandits or the trustees sit. I could not have had a better darshan than this. With no one in front of my eyes, I saw Baba's abhishek. I really thank my Baba for listening to me. And the very next day my uncle called me and told me that he will help me in every way he can to convince my parents. So I got my wishes, a wonderful darshan and a step ahead to solve my problem.QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: "It is better for one to take only what he can digest and assimilate".-Shri Sai BabaQUESTION OF THE WEEK: Q. Question of the week is given below......A. by RavinQ. For a Sai devotee, is it appropriate to base decisions on practices such as Kundali or seek the advice of other Gurus?

A. It is said that Sadguru will tell what to do but not how to do it. This probably explains Sri Sai's expression when He sometimes simply uttered, "Allah malik" or "Allah bhala karega" to some of those who didn't quite pay attention to Baba's words. Some may suggest otherwise that Baba insisted on doing things His way. Such as when Mahalsapathy was prevented from receiving money from a rich gentleman, or instances where Kaka Dikshit was advised by Sri Sai to carryout certain tasks. But what and how those great children of Baba responded is a matter of good speculation. Writers and biographers wrote about these instances, as they understood it. Knowing about Mahalsapathy and Kaka Dikshit, it is unlikely that they had to be forced by Sri Sai to do what He wanted them to do. Rather, these two men would have lovingly carried out Baba's instructions. Let us not forget Mahalsapathy's diligence in guarding Sri Sai's body for those three days in late 1880s and patiently waiting for three days for Baba to come back to "life". There are countless examples for Sri Dikshit's implicit faith in Baba's words.Astrology, Palmistry, Tarot readings, Kundali, these are practices that can convincingly trick one into believing that these predictions are some sort of divine commands and not heeding to them will spell disaster. Some may even justify the above practices as indirect commands from Baba clearly ignoring that it is their own tendency to believe these practices for their convenience and that they are using Sri Sai as a justification or insulation against uncertainties without quite comprehending what Baba told about this. This was the case even with many people who were around Sri Sai during His physical presence in Shirdi. With careful observation of Sri Saibaba's biography, one would notice that Sri Sai disregarded these practices. As a matter of fact, He implored some not to heed to these practices but just have faith in Him. Those who followed His instructions benefited from the valuable experiences of Sri Sai's assurance and guardianship. For these people, discounting astrologers and such is not an intellectual assertion about pros and cons of these practices but a loving faith in Sadguru's disposition which only leads to the confidence and peace of mind that everything will be fine by Sri Sai's grace and blessings.Q. Question of the week is given below......A. by PranQ. For a Sai devotee, is it appropriate to base decisions on practices such as Kundali or seek the advice of other Gurus?

A. What matters is not whether a devotee goes by Kundali or somebody's advice but it is the faith of the devotee on his Sadguru. We are living in this material world and have to fulfill all worldly obligations i.e. if we are indisposed, we do have to go to a Doctor and take a medicine. Likewise we attend courts, police stations or tribunals for the solution of our mundane problems etc. But all along a true devotee shall have an unshakable faith that all so called materialistic worldly solutions are fake without the blessings of his Sadguru Sainath. So he knows that if he gets a relief from some misery, the doer is Sainath and not the planetary combination in the kundali, the Judge or the Doctor. Sainath is the real Judge, Doctor or Saint. We may do everything in this world that all people do, but we must have a constant faith on our Lord.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.Sri Saibaba Mandir, Minneapolis, MNSri Saibaba Mandir is located in Minneapolis, MN at 1835 Polk St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418. The mandir is open 7 days a week in the evenings from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm and during morning hours from 9 am to 12:30 pm, everyday. Satsangs are conducted every Sunday mornings, 9 am to 12:30 pm. Please visit the mandir website www.hamaresai.org or call 612-789-7729 for more information on mandir activities, events and other information.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 Temple of New England, Boston AreaSri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of New England is now operational. It is located at 1827 Bridge St # 8, Dracut, MA 01824. The temple is open every Thursday from 7.00 pm to 9.00 pm and Saturday's from 4.00 pm to 7.00 pm. For temple hours and activities please visit the website www.nessp.org or send mail to maildrop.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: Sai Vichaar wishes its readers and devotees a Special Thursday. Today is the beginning of the eleventh year on the web for Sai Vichaar. This is a special day of celebration of His love and glory. It would not be possible without Sri Sai's grace and the support of ever increasing number of readers and devotees across the globe.

Today, the feelings of the Sai Vichaar team remain the same as it has been ten years ago. Coconut's weight on a sparrow's head! Everything is possible with love and devotion! Let the love of Sri Sai be reflected in every sentence written, every word said. Let our love and devotion to Him be seen on this forum just like it has been elsewhere. Bow to Sri Sai Peace be to all.

Please note that Sai Vichaar is only yet another global platform on the electronic medium for sharing information on the life and message of Sadguru Sainath of Shirdi. Sai Vichaar does not profess to endorse any particular thought, nor will judge or reflect the opinions expressed by individual contributors.

A Sai devotee suggested the "Question of the week" for this week as follows: Q. All the faithful devotees mentioned in the Sai Satcharita during Sri Baba's time, are there references to what happened to them, their future generations?Humbly Yours,The EditorABOUT 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, or 3. 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 webmasterFrom and Editor:Shirdi Sai Baba Web SiteShirdi Sai Baba Sanstha(A non-profit organization)Mail:12N950 State Route 47 Hampshire, IL 60140, USAEmailmaildropPhone847-931-4058Fax847-931-4066© Copyright 1998-2008 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.