Sai Vichaar for Thursday , September 13, 2007

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Sai Vichaarwww.saibaba.org Thursday , September 13, 2007 :: Volume 10, Issue 18 (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 WEEKCONTRIBUTED ARTICLEDEVOTEES SAYPRAYER CLUBEXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEESQUOTATION OF THE WEEKQUESTION OF THE WEEKSAI ACTIVITIESFROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARDFEATURE OF THE WEEK: Material Wealth"Ramathe Raam.. Aaaojee.. Aaaojee.. ..udiyaan ki goniyaan laaojee.."

(Oh Playful Rama.! .come on..and bring with you sacks of udi.) Baba used to sing merrily, whenever He was in a cheerful mood. The power and greatness of udi, the sacred ash, is well known. It is believed that udi confers upon the devotees, health, prosperity, freedom from anxiety, and many other worldly gains. One peculiarity of this Saint God is that He encouraged His followers to seek material wealth. There were several incidents where Sainath Himself brought about a particular longing of the devotees during casual conversation, and benefited them appropriately. One famous parable of Sai Baba goes as follows: "My coffers are always open.. Come and fill your sacks as much as you want.." Now, material wealth, non-attachment, self surrender, salvation...How can they be all together? Don't they seem contradicting each other? How can one ask for worldly riches yet at the same time develop non-attachment?Asking and receiving the material benefit confirms one's faith in Sadguru, the most important aspect of the spiritual journey. How can one know that he/she will get something unless he/she asks for it and gets it? Receiving benefits through His grace confirms and increases the faith in Him. This should be taken as a cognitive assurance from the Guru and logically, it must make one to pay careful and close attention to what the Guru says. Material and spiritual benefits are two separate entities and by separating them so, the need for each of them is well defined. Usually, it is a practice to justify one's wants based on the needs. However, a careful observation will reveal that there is no end for human needs and material wants are akin to a never-ending chain of temporary events perpetrated by the myth. Faith in Guru and His dispensation will also lead to the sense of contentment with the material wants. If one contemplates on Sadguru Sainath's coffers, it will be evident that the reference made was to something beyond material. Something that is perennial and something that results in everlasting happiness of His company.CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Devotion and Self-realizationSadguru is the substance of all scriptures and He is the wisdom that pervades eternity. The purpose of the seeker is to seek the depths of such an entity in order to quench the thirst; the blessing only mankind is bestowed with in nature. Known as sadhana, such a pursuit is the subject of discussions, arguments, speculations and postulations suited to the human convenience. True, religions and sects all talk about the same, yet we have many religions and sects. Let us not however forget that Baba refutes any argument in the name of God and he said without mincing words, "All are same", and "God is One". Baba's statement through Anantrao Patankar's episode in Sai Satcharitha that devotion is the most important qualification required to realize the supreme has most profound impression on His followers, then and now. Bhakthimaarg or the path of devotion is sure to lead one to God that exists in the self and elsewhere. Baba had stressed repeatedly the importance of realizing the self; the story of merchant seeking Brahma Gyan (the knowledge of the Supreme that exists within and out) in Sri Sai Satcharitha is an excellent example.How does devotion lead to the pursuit of the knowledge of the self? Even before we ask that question, one may wonder whether something known as "self realization" really exists. The surprising answer to the question is Yes! Mankind completely dwells in the realization of grosser perceptions; the abilities that define the self to its fullest beauty, " I realize, therefore, I am! However, the term self-realization in its spiritual context is completely subtle and difficult to comprehend. Baba said that His coffers are open and those who seek shall be given. In this context, the subtleties of realizing the self assumes enormous importance if one were to pay attention. Let us all on this beautiful Thursday spend a moment on seeking Sadguru's treasures that lead us to our own subtle nature, the material that is all pervading.(Contributed by Sai Vichaar team)DEVOTEES SAY: HemishaThank you thank you so much for your help to me. As I had posted few days back that I had lost my camera because of my carelessness but I had faith in You. This faith came true. I got my camera in only one day as we came to know that our servant had stolen the camera and had sold it to the photographer in our market. As the photographer was my Dad's friend's brother. He gave us back. Sai Baba I promise to be very careful and always nice to everyone. Love you Sai Baba. Om Sai!Sasi- SrilankaBaba koti koti pranam, I cant really imagine Your miracle. Yesterday my daughter's school admission was confirmed, and today my prayer is being published in Sai Vichaar. Baba please fulfill my appeals what I always plead and bless my family in every step of our life.

PRAYER CLUB: GeethaI moved to Canada two years before and I am still unable to settle with a good job. I have attended an interview and I request all Sai devotees to pray for me that I should get this job.Sai devoteePlease help my mother. She is with family but still finds herself very lonely. She needs your support and help from her own. Please clear out all her health problems, so that she can devote all her time to your feet.Sai devoteeBaba, Why all this is happening to me? Why my marriage matter is not solving. It has been more than 6 months but I am not seeing any door open from any side. Baba please open door for me and provide me happy married life. Baba I am depressed feeling like suiciding but having faith on You, feels everything will be solved soon. Don't check my patience Baba, show Your kirpa on me. Baba please make him understand and he come and take me along with him. Sai baba, I have only faith on You, do some kirpa on this child also.VijayenderDear Sai, please help my brother-in-law in getting a good job in his field of education. Please guide my jijaji to give up smoking forever. Kindly bless me so that I get rid of my writing problem along with the problem of tremors in my right hand.Sai devoteeMy dear father, koti koti pranam. You helped me and my family so many ways. For that I am very greatful to you. As you know all our family members are Your devotees. You know the present crisis in our family. Please Baba help me and my friend to come out of the crisis. Bless my daughter with a healthy child. Help my husband to solve his problems. We are in financial crisis. Please help us. I will keep my promise. Please be always with us and guide us. Thank you BabaSai devoteePlease pray for my sister-in-law who has had breast cancer on two different occasions resulting in two mastectomies. She has been cancer free for 1 year and now it is back. I beg my Sai devotees to please pray for her as she is very sick and in excruciating pain. Currently she is undergoing radiation. She does not deserve to be in such a situation as she is the kindest, most loving, giving person. Sai Baba, please take care of her.

SantoshBaba, I and my family are ever grateful for all the good things you have given us. Please fulfill our wishes regarding our ancestral property (please see that we get our rightful share). Please see that we improve our shares and build a good residential, commercial building and see that we make very good progress in our career and earnings. Please fulfill all our good wishes and give us the strength, the opportunity to come to Shirdi. Fulfill all our vows and offer our prayers to You.

EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES: SunandaThank you very much Baba for driving away my worries. My daughter suddenly fell ill with very high temperature and had to be hospitalized. I was afraid as I used to always get a chill in my spine at the feeling of hospitalization of children. The very thought of pricking tiny hands with needles and injections used to drive me mad and thus when the doctor advised hospitalization, I felt as if the world has fallen on me. It was only because of You that she recovered fast and we came back home on the fourth day. My husband, maid, sister, brother-in-law and my little baby were all very helpful because of Your blessings. Thank you dear Saibaba, thanks a heartful.SudhaGreat is the leela of our Sai Baba. I have lot of minor and major experiences in my life of which I am going to narrate one or two where Baba has helped me to sail through smoothly in life.

Everyone knows about the sky rocketing rents in Dubai, which has forced many families to either live separately or move into smaller places. We too faced this hurdle. I was constantly praying to Baba to somehow help us overcome this difficult situation. The increased rent had to be paid in May 2007. To everyone's surprise, in April 2007 the GM of my husband's company called and gave him an increment letter exactly to cover the total rent payable! Amazingly, this increment letter was only given to him in the whole company. Our prayers were heard by our ever-merciful Baba and we continued to stay happily together.

Another incidence was while my husband was driving back home from office. He suddenly started feeling very uneasy and giddy with eyes not able to focus on the road. He called home to tell me that he is going to be late. Further, that he may have to side-park and call for emergency service. Immediately I rushed to my savior Sai, prayed and put dakshina in the hundi kept at home. Then I called my husband to check his condition. To my amazement, he said that he was feeling better now and emergency had waned off! My Shradha did miracles again.

Difficulties whether big or small, always fall at Sai's feet for solutions and he will surly bail you out.QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: "The love for money is a deep eddy of pain, and he, who is desireless can alone cross this whirlpool ".-Shri Sai BabaQUESTION OF THE WEEK: Q. How to remove Fear and unwanted Sentiments?A. by VandanaAll Sai devotees should always have in mind that the two Mantras Faith and Confidence is "The Solution" for all our feelings, problems etc. "Why fear when I am here" is what Baba always tells His devotees. Therefore, if we have complete faith in Him we will not have any fear towards anything. Secondly, Unwanted Sentiments, unnecessarily make us worry. If we have no fear for anything, then these unwanted sentiments will never arise in our minds. So these two are interrelated. If we avoid one the other automatically disappears. Just follow faith and patience! We can feel wonders happening in every second of our life! Sai baba blesses us all.SAI ACTIVITIES: Shri Shirdi Saibaba Vigraha Pranapratishtapana, Minneapolis, MNShri Shirdi Saibaba Vigraha Pranapratishtapana and Samprokshana Mahotsav, the installation ceremony of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba idol and Consecration of new temple sanctum in Minneapolis will take place from September 13th to September 15th, 2007 at Sri Saibaba Mandir, 1835 Polk Street NE, Minneapolis, MN. We thank all Sai devotees for their enquiries and interest in participation in this ceremony. Please write to sai or visit www.hamaresai.org for more details. Sri Saibaba Mandir sincerely invites all Sai devotees to participate in this memorable occasion. 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 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: Sai Vichaar is an open forum for those interested to share their experiences, views and ideas on Sai devotion and their experiences with Saibaba of Shirdi. Readers are requested to note that Sai Vichaar is not responsible for the opinions expressed by individual contributors. The "Question of the week for this week is suggested by a Sai devotee as follows: Q. How to remove Fear and unwanted Sentiments? 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 1998-2006 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. 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