Sai Vichaar for Thursday Jan 21, 2010

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Sai Vichaar

www.saibaba.org

 

 

Thursday, Jan 21, 2010 :: Volume 12, Issue 37

 

 

 

 

(In its twelfth 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. This is a post-it email only, any replies to this email will be ignored. To contact us please see information at the bottom of this newsletter.

 

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

Tip of the Week:

 

"Love Sai, Live with Sai, Experience Sai" --A Devotee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURE OF THE WEEK: Sadhguru - God Saibaba!

 

 

Agnaani main janmon se Sayee.... Eswar ko naheen jaan paatha Tere karuna ki ek jhalak se... Khudaa ko maine pahli baar dekhaa "Being ignorant since many births, Oh Sai, I haven't known God!

By the flash of your mercy, I see the God for the first time!" What is the most important thing one could get from Sadguru Sainath? He Himself said that although He is willing to give from His open coffers, most are not inclined to seek it. After every desire is answered and the truce between needs and wants established, Sadguru begins His work on the chosen ones. The most competent Sainath has innumerable ways that he chooses according to the nature of the devotee. God vision, the realization of the supreme, the purpose to any quest, realization of the self, knowledge of the absolute, these are some of the descriptors of the dormant quest one might have in the spiritual path. The satsang with Sadguru is never passive! It is not a choice! Is Saibaba a mere Guru or God himself? This is a stale question as any reader of books on Saibaba can say that Baba appears to those in whatever form they chose. Stories abound where Saibaba appeared as Vitthal, Shiva, Dattatreya, Jesus and other forms of divinity. In spite of this, is there a question whether Saibaba is just a siddha purusha, someone who acquired supernatural powers due to saadhana or He the absolute beyond all siddhis? Is He the God? What is God? What are God's attributes? None is able to describe this. Hence, even the question whether Baba is God or not, is not completely legitimate and at the best can only be a relative rhetoric! To make this simple, if one would choose any form of God within one's confine, describe the attributes of such a form, Rama, Shiva, Jesus, Krishna, Vishnu, Allah or Buddha, all those attributes can be found in the perfect master of Shirdi. If God is defined as an object of faith, the faith will reveal God's form.

 

 

 

 

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: We devotees of Sai?

 

We devotees of Sai should be the ambassadors of true religion and we should live by example. Sai preached simplicity of thoughts and humbleness in behavior. Humility, the most basic way of life, is the toughest attribute to cultivate. Our social status, achievements, and other material possessions often times become our identity and makes life complicated. But the truth remains that these are tangible things and it is weakness in our faith and knowledge that keeps us from rising above these superficial identities.

Often times we make handsome donations to holy shrines and perform rituals to show our spiritual believes. Does donating to holy shrines and performing ritualistic poojas reflect spirituality? A person pursuing the path of spirituality needs to find God in every person and thus bow to all. Sharing our wealth for maintenance of holy places is not condemned but this should not be counted as our only responsibility. Sai has made the path of spirituality easy and practical for us. Perform our duties/ jobs with loyalty and dedication devoid of all politics and unhealthy competition and progress is inevitable. In the short run it may seem unworthy but in the long run we will triumph. Make profits and earn wealth but not by cheating or conniving others. Wealth gained in this manner will always have Baba's blessing and bring happiness to us. Sharing this wealth with people in need will only increase our future gains. Never let our social status and material worth shadow our decisions. Let His teaching and philosophy lead our way this will bring us real peace and happiness and success will always be ours.

Jai Sairam!

(Contributed by Manisha)

 

 

 

DEVOTEES SAY:

 

A Sai Devotee

Baba, Thanks for resolving my H1 visa issue. I was worried when the US immigration issued an RFE on my case status and when the lawyer told me I had to go back to India and wait there until my visa gets approved. Thanks for resolving this without me having to leave the US.

Sripad

Thank you very much Baba for showering your blessings on our family and helping my wife to get a Job and save her visa status. We are really grateful to you. Please continue to shower your blessings on us.

A Bhaskar

Baba, many thanks for answering my prayer for my husband job and family your grace is always on us Baba thanks for loving us and for making us your blue eyed children thanks for helping us in toughest times pl let me have an unshakable faith on you always shower your blessings on us.

 

 

 

 

 

PRAYER CLUB:

 

 

Sai devotee

Baba, My in-laws are being cruel and hurtful. They have been like that always, but now things have become even worse. They took all our savings and put us in many difficulties. You know everything that is happening and everything I have endured. You are the only witness. Please give me justice. Give us peace.

Sai devotee

Baba!! Please help my mother overcome her illness she has been suffering since last year. YOU have helped our family and me in infinite ways. We are performing every walk of our lives because of your kripa. We look forward to your grace and blessings. Rajeev

Om Sai Ram, Sai Baba please help my parents to arrange my sister's marriage and bless my sister for her future.

Ameet

I need you by my side and help me in this unclear situation and guide me through a way, which I can achieve the noble things that I planned to do for others.

Anita

Baba I pray at your lotus feet for good health for myself n my family. Baba bless this sinner that my husband from his heart shall love me the most like I love him the most.

 

 

 

 

EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES:

 

A Sai Devotee

I don't know how to thank Baba for showing me how he is with me in every moment of life. I want to share my today's experience...we were set to get our visa extension and today we found an article saying there's some important papers we have to send in addition to the ones we sent...and my husband and I had a discussion that we might have to lose hopes for our extension...after this I went near Baba's picture and asked him to help me and give the extension because that was very crucial and we had a very unpeaceful yr last yr and that i need peace this year. And within an hour after I prayed to Baba ...we received an email stating that we got an extension for 3 yrs...This is a live example to show that Baba is always with me....pls Baba be there with me n my family like this in every moment of life...pls pls be with us in each n every second of our lives and let us lead a peaceful life.

 

 

A Sai Devotee

Sairam, you blessed me with my second pregnancy when I was desperate for a female child, but now I realize it's a male child and my heart is just not accepting it. I understand it is more important for it to be healthy and grow up to be a good person but at the same time I really long for a female child and even now I am expecting your miracle when I deliver. If that's not going to happen, I humbly request you to please help me accept this child wholeheartedly and love him just as much and pls give me the strength to bring him up to be as wonderful as my first son, your divine blessing again. He is really your child in the truest sense of the word and I am the luckiest mother alive due to your blessings. I request you to pls now give me a healthy, happy baby who'll be a great support to us and his brother all his life and please I humbly request you to bless our family to never regret this decision and to always have peace of mind and good health. I

request you to keep the brothers together and happy at all times, as we have nobody but you to turn to. The 4 of us really have only each other to depend on, apart from you. I know you wont let me down about my family and you'll please forgive all my mistakes and make me a better human being everyday. I thank you with all my heart for giving me this baby and hope I'll get some peace of mind and contentment with your divine help. I hope to get a second lease of life with this baby and find the peace and happiness I've never had so far. I want to turn to your prayers and devotion but I am not getting enough motivation and I hope you'll forgive me for that and make me better too.

 

 

 

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

 

 

"If we always remember the feet of the Sad-guru, our troubles come to an end, death loses its sting and the misery of this mundane existence is obliterated. Therefore those who care for their welfare should carefully listen to these stories of Sai Samarth, which will purify their minds" - Sri Sai Satcharitha

 

 

 

 

 

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

 

Q: How should Sai devotees react when their wishes are not fulfilled?

A. Your answer can go here

 

 

 

 

SAI ACTIVITIES:

 

Sri Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USA

Sri Shirdi Sai temple is open daily from 8:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m.(Winter hours). Daily program includes Kakad Arathi at 8 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, MN

Sri 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 call 612-789-7729 for more information on mandir activities, events and other information. Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

Sri 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.

Shirdi Sai Temple of New England, Boston Area

Sri 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 four days from Thursday to Sunday. For temple hours and activities please visit their website.

Shirdi Sai Center in Bay Area, CA

Shirdi Sai Center is located 897-B East Kifer Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. For more information please call 408-705-7904 or 408-564-6704. Shirdi Saibaba temple, Los Angeles, CA

Devotees 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.

Saibaba Temple, Columbus, Ohio

Devotees 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 6599 Dublin Center Drive, Dublin, OH 43017. Please attend daily Aaratis and Thursday bhajans. For more information please call 614-799-8411.

Shirdi Sai bhajans every Thursday at Maitland, Florida

Devotees 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.

Sri Shirdi Sai Temple of Austin, TX

Sri Shirdi Sai Temple of Austin, Texas opened at 601 E Whitestone Blvd (RM 1431), Cedar Park, TX. Daily 4 aarthis are performed to Sai Baba. As part of service to needy, a weekly sandwich seva is also conducted. Shirdi Sai Mandir, Dulles, VA

Shirdi Sai Mandir is located at 43671 Trade Center Place #166 Dulles, VA 20166. The mandir is open through the week in the evenings from 6pm to 9 pm. Sri Satyanarayan pooja will be conducted every full moon day. Please call (703) 661-4724 for more information on activities, events and other information.

Shirdi Sai Mandir, Toronto

The Mandir is located at Unit 7 & 8 2721 Markham Road Toronto ON M1X 1L5 Canada. Daily services offered to Baba include abhishek and all aartis. For Mandir hours and activities, please call 647-444-4724.

Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan, Canada -Toronto

Devotees in Toronto, are invited to join in Sai Namavali, Satcharita reading, Bhajans, Aarti and Prasad every Thursday from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. at GUR MANDIR 207 Queen's Plate Dr. Etobicoke - Hwy27 South of Finch for more info call (416) 294 4804.

Sai Mandir, Baldwin New York

Devotees in New York and surrounding locations are informed about Sri Sai Mandir in Baldwin NY. The temple is located at 1889 Grand Avenue, Baldwin, NY 11510. Please attend daily Aaratis and Thursday Panchamruta Abhishekam and bhajans. For more information please call at 516-867-8008.

Shirdi Saibaba Temple, Iselin/Edison New Jersey

Devotees in New Jersey and surrounding locations are informed about Sri Shirdi Saibaba temple in Iselin NJ. The temple is located at 465 Lincoln Highway (Route 27) Iselin, NJ 08830. Please attend daily Aaratis and Thursday Panchamruta Abhishekam and bhajans. For more information please call at 732-283-1800. Shirdi Saibaba Temple, Flushing New York

This temple is located near the famous Ganesh Temple, Flushing, New york. All the day-to-day rituals at the temple are being conducted in a manner similar to that in Shirdi. The temple is located at 46-16 Robinson Street Flushing,NY,USA 11355. For more information please call 718-321-9243.

Sri Sai Amruta Narayana Sarveswaraalaym, Richmond, VA

The temple is open from 5.15 am to 9.00 pm, everyday (no lunch break etc). We have all 4 aarthis every day and Baba's paalki seva on every Thursday after Dhoop Aarthi. Further information can be obtained by calling the temple at 804-708-0867.

Shirdi Sai Jalaram Mandir, Houston TX

This temple was inaugurated on August 28th 2009 with idols of both the saints Shri Sant Jalaram and Shri Shirdi Sai Baba. The temple is open for darshan and arathis all day. It is located in Sugarland and more information can be obtained by calling 281-433-4706.

Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Detroit, MI

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba temple, Livonia welcomes everyone to visit the temple and get Baba's blessings. The temple is open for darshan and arathis. For more information please call 248-471-6474.

 

 

 

FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD:

 

 

 

Sai devotees are requested to write their submissions in English only. Some devotees use other languages in English script. Kindly note that such contributions cannot be published. Thanks for your support.

 

 

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"Question of the week" for this week is

Q. How should Sai devotees react when their wishes are not fulfilled?

Humbly Yours,

The Editor

 

 

 

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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

847-464-1567

 

 

 

 

 

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