Shri Sai Satcharitra Questionnaire

September 1, 2003

Hari Om

Dear Friends,

Sai Satcharitra is a becon light to one and all in the process of achievement of

Dharma, Artha, Kama & finally Moksha (Union of the self with the Paramathma

through Bhakti). We wish to receive a feedback from you all regarding the Holy

Granth Sai Satcharitra of Shri Hemadpant through these following questions.

Wishing to receive your replies on or before 5th September 2003.

God Bless You and be with you always,

Radhika

Survey of Shri Sai Devotees - 2003

{In dedication to Late Smt.Meenatai Dabholkar}

Name:

Date

Place of Residence:

Important : All devotees please at the minimum complete questions 1 thru 3, and

after that please follow directions within each question. Please also note that

information is for understanding and furthering Shri Sai’s teachings and will

not be used for commercial purposes of any kind. - Thank You.

1) How did you come to know of Shri Sai? What were your experiences leading to

you becoming a Shri Sai Devotee? (Please describe in detail - if needed please

add sheets)

2) Have you been to Shridi?

a. Yes

b. No (Please see end of page for information sources - Bookmark1)

3) Do you know about the Holy Book on Shri Sai’s life - Shri Sai Sat Charita

a. Yes

b. No (Please see end of page for information sources - Bookmark2)

4) Have you read the Holy Book - Shri Sai Sat Charita

a. Yes (If you answered Yes Please proceed to next question 5 and on )

b. No ( Please see end of the page where you can get one - Bookmark3)

5) Do you regularly read Shri Sai Sat Charita (Check all that apply)

a. Daily

b. Weekly

c. Perform Saptaha on important days like Ram Navami, Guru Pournima,

Gokulashatami, Shri Sai’s Mahasamadhi-Vijaya Dashami

d. Ad Hoc (Read it in times of distress / or for Manokamnian)

6) How would do judge your reading?

a. Know the overview of the Holy Book

b. Know each chapter thoroughly

c. Have understood Shri Sai’s teachings and am trying to practise the same

in life

7) Are you aware that an exam is conducted on Shri Sai Sat Charita (Also called

Panchsheel Exam)?

a. Yes (Please proceed to questions 8 and on)

b. No (Please see end of page for information sources - Bookmark4)

8) Do you plan on taking the exam?

a. have already given exams

b. will take the next exam (Please see end of page for information -

Bookmark5)

c. I am still unsure

9) What language did you give your exam in ?

a.

10) How many exams have you taken?

a. Prathama (Please complete survey with questions 11 A , 11

B, 11 C)

b. Dwitiya (Please answer questions 11 A, 11 C & 12)

c. Thrithiya (Please answer questions 11 A, 11 C & 12)

d. Chaturthi (Please answer questions 11 A, 11 C & 12)

e. Bhaktisheel (Please answer questions 11 A, 11 C & 12)

11 - A ) What was your experience before and after the first exam? (Please

consider the following to describe your feelings - willingness, thoughts on

usefullness of this exercise, preparation for the exam, devotion to Shri Sai

Baba, Your own perception of Shri Sai Sat Charita Amrut - Please add additional

sheet if required)

11 B) What is your feeling towards the next exam (Question only for Prathama)

a. I am eager for Dwitiya and started preparations

b. I want to write Dwitiya but not started preparations (may not appear for

next sitting)

c. I am not sure (may quit)

11 C) Will you tell your near and dear including friends about this exam and

request them to take this exam?

a. Definitely Yes

b. Maybe

12) What was different between the first and the next exams? (Please consider

the following to describe your feelings & experiences - nervousness,

fearlessness, joy in writing, the approach to the questions itself, your

preparation and Your own perception of Shri Sat Charita Amrit)

BOOKMARK1 - How to get to Shirdi?

Before we get to how to - All devotees need to remember Shri Sai’s (Gyara) 11

Vachan. One of them is that anyone who steps into My (Sai’s) Mahasamadhi will

attain peace, health, contentment, happiness and prosperity.

Shirdi is approximately 8 hours by road from Mumbai, erstwhile called as Bombay,

in the Maharashtra State in India. There are regular state and private buses

through out the day departing from Mumbai Central and other parts of Mumbai.

Mumbai has an international airport, domestic airport, sea ports, rail lines.

There are regular shared taxi-cabs from Mumabi to Nasik and Nasik to Shirdi is

less than 3 hours by road. Major trains / rail road halt at Manmad which is a

major junction. South ound trains halt at Daund from where links to Manmad can

be obatined. The nearest railway station for Shirdi is Kopergaon. However

travel by road may be preferred due to availability. Please be careful on the

road or any mode of transport at all times.

Please check official website http://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org/

BOOKMARK2 - What is Shri Sai Sat Charita?

Shri Sai Charita is the Holy book describing the life, teachings and experiences

of devotees of the great Saint Who lived in Shirdi, Maharashtra State, India.

The book has been read by several 100s of thousands of devotees. It is a well

know fact that devotees have got divine guidance in answering deep questions

around their life. It is recommended that at least one copy be in home of every

devotee - regardless of religion nationality, race, language. Devotees have made

painstaking efforts to translate into every language. Apart from being availble

in major Indian Languages it is also available in English version. An

electronic copy can be found for perusal at http://www.saibaba.org

Also please check official website http://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org/

BOOKMARK3 - Where to get Shri Sai Sat Charita?

Officially copy are printed and administered by Shri Sai Baba Sansthan of

Shirdi. They also have office in Dadar, Mumbai (Close to TT circle - towards

Sion)

Copies are also distributed as a service and may be ordered at

http://www.saibaba.org; This is also available to residents in the US, Canada.

While the cost of the book is free there is a shipping cost.

BOOKMARK4 - Details of Shri Sai Sat Charita Exam

Shri Sai Sat Charita exam is conducted by Shri Sai Vidnyan Prabodhini Trust of

Mumbai. The cost for appearing for the exam is free. Apart from being

administered in Mumbai and Coimbatore, it is also written by mail and recently

e-mails by several 100s of thousands of devotees in India, in the Middle East

(Dubai, Oman), in USA and several other places. It is a well known fact that

besides the literal meaning of the words in Shri Sai Sat Charita there is deep

spiritual meaning in the incidents, experience etc., narrated in the Shri Sai

Sat Charita, in so much so that it can be called the Science of Living itself.

This exam series is meant to spur the devotee to explore for themselves the

deeper inner meaning Shri Sai is communicating to each Bhakta. There are 5

stages of this exam and for the ease of explanation it can be said that 1st 10

chapters are for the 1st exam and so

on.

The evaluation is more of a self appraisal and the following analogy would be

apt - Consider a A large vessel with quarter full of water, 1 glass with half

full water and a small spoon filled with water. Now considering all three

containers it can be stated without debate that the spoon though small in size

has managed to utilize it full capacity. This can be compared to human too.

Everyone has different abilities and capacities for different things. It is the

deployment of its fullest capacity that is wanted in Shri Sai’s devotion. In

this regard the word exam is a real injustice to this exercise, although being

used for lack of anyother word. But once devotees embark the word in such

headings become petty because the focus shifts to exploring oneself in the

wonderland of Shri Sai’s teachings.

The exam is held in August and February of each year.

Please see below for contact details for taking this exam.

BOOKMARK5 g_radhika

A final note - A humble salutation to each Shri Sai Devotee who took time to

complete this survey. May Shri Sai Blessings be always on you, your near and

beloved ones.

Late Smt.Meenatai Dabholkar is the wife of the Great Grandson of Shri Hemadpant.

Smt Meenatai was a great devotee of Shri.Sai. When the exam were first announced

she undertook it herself and went through all 5 stages. She loving urged every

Sai devotee to give this exam and assured them success. In authoring this

survey the first thought that came to my mind is of her and how she influenced

me through the people I love most. Hence it is fitting that this 1st survey of

Shri Sai Devotees be dedicated to her loving memory.

September 1, 2003

Radhika G <g_radhika >

02/09/2003 00:15

Please respond to

To

, i_Parivaar,

saileela99, ,

shirdibabasaisharan, shirdimayi,

ShriSaiSatcharitra

cc

Subject

Shri Sai Satcharitra Questionnaire

Hari Om<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

Dear Friends,

Sai Satcharitra is a becon light to one and all in the process of achievement of

Dharma, Artha, Kama & finally Moksha (Union of the self with the Paramathma

through Bhakti). We wish to receive a feedback from you all regarding the Holy

Granth Sai Satcharitra of Shri Hemadpant through these following questions.

Wishing to receive your replies on or before 5th September 2003.

God Bless You and be with you always,

Radhika

Survey of Shri Sai Devotees - 2003

{In dedication to Late Smt.Meenatai Dabholkar}

Name: R. V. N. Raghuram

Date - 02-09-2003

Place of Residence:

Important : All devotees please at the minimum complete questions 1 thru 3, and

after that please follow directions within each question. Please also note that

information is for understanding and furthering Shri Sai's teachings and will

not be used for commercial purposes of any kind. - Thank You.

1) How did you come to know of Shri Sai? What were your experiences leading to

you becoming a Shri Sai Devotee? (Please describe in detail - if needed please

add sheets)

In Childhood. some family of sai devotees introduced me to baba. Then i married

a girl who was a sai bhakta.

2) Have you been to Shridi? a - yes

a. Yes

b. No (Please see end of page for information sources - Bookmark1)

3) Do you know about the Holy Book on Shri Sai's life - Shri Sai Sat Charita a- yes

a. Yes

b. No (Please see end of page for information sources - Bookmark2)

4) Have you read the Holy Book - Shri Sai Sat Charita a -yes

a. Yes (If you answered Yes Please proceed to next question 5 and on )

b. No ( Please see end of the page where you can get one - Bookmark3)

5) Do you regularly read Shri Sai Sat Charita (Check all that apply) a.

a. Daily

b. Weekly

c. Perform Saptaha on important days like Ram Navami, Guru Pournima,

Gokulashatami, Shri Sai's Mahasamadhi-Vijaya Dashami

d. Ad Hoc (Read it in times of distress / or for Manokamnian)

6) How would do judge your reading? a.

a. Know the overview of the Holy Book

b. Know each chapter thoroughly

c. Have understood Shri Sai's teachings and am trying to practise the same

in life

7) Are you aware that an exam is conducted on Shri Sai Sat Charita (Also called

Panchsheel Exam)? yes

a. Yes (Please proceed to questions 8 and on)

b. No (Please see end of page for information sources - Bookmark4)

8) Do you plan on taking the exam? c

a. have already given exams

b. will take the next exam (Please see end of page for information - Bookmark5)

c. I am still unsure

9) What language did you give your exam in ?

a.

10) How many exams have you taken?

a. Prathama (Please complete survey with questions 11 A , 11

B, 11 C)

b. Dwitiya (Please answer questions 11 A, 11 C & 12)

c. Thrithiya (Please answer questions 11 A, 11 C & 12)

d. Chaturthi (Please answer questions 11 A, 11 C & 12)

e. Bhaktisheel (Please answer questions 11 A, 11 C & 12)

11 - A ) What was your experience before and after the first exam? (Please

consider the following to describe your feelings - willingness, thoughts on

usefullness of this exercise, preparation for the exam, devotion to Shri Sai

Baba, Your own perception of Shri Sai Sat Charita Amrut - Please add additional

sheet if required)

11 B) What is your feeling towards the next exam (Question only for Prathama)

a. I am eager for Dwitiya and started preparations

b. I want to write Dwitiya but not started preparations (may not appear for

next sitting)

c. I am not sure (may quit)

11 C) Will you tell your near and dear including friends about this exam and

request them to take this exam?

a. Definitely Yes

b. Maybe

12) What was different between the first and the next exams? (Please consider

the following to describe your feelings & experiences - nervousness,

fearlessness, joy in writing, the approach to the questions itself, your

preparation and Your own perception of Shri Sat Charita Amrit)

BOOKMARK1 - How to get to Shirdi?

Before we get to how to - All devotees need to remember Shri Sai's (Gyara) 11

Vachan. One of them is that anyone who steps into My (Sai's) Mahasamadhi will