Sai Vichaar for Thursday , January 03, 2008

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Sai Vichaar

 

 

www.saibaba.org

 

 

 

 

Thursday , January 03,

2008 :: Volume 10, Issue 34

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(In its tenth 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 WEEK

CONTRIBUTED

ARTICLE

DEVOTEES SAY

PRAYER CLUB

EXPERIENCE OF

DEVOTEES

QUOTATION OF

THE WEEK

QUESTION OF

THE WEEK

SAI

ACTIVITIES

FROM THE

EDITORS KEYBOARD

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FEATURE

OF THE WEEK: New Year Message

The

religious and spiritual works of Hinduism have produced an unimaginable body

of books, treatise, scriptures and other similar texts. Carried away from the

distant past are the most profound religious scriptures like the Vedas,

Brahamanas, Puranas, Samhitas, Upanishads, Shrimad Bhagwata Mahapurana (which

contains the 'Gita' etc.) and many more too numerous to be listed here. A

study of these works, written primarily in Sanskrit or in other vernaculars,

leads one to experience a sense of expansion in one's knowledge, imagination

and consciousness.

From an

academic point of view, these valuable texts teach spiritual philosophies,

spiritual theories and spiritual sciences. These in their quintessence

propound certain vital aspects of the spiritual realms. Understanding

philosophy and theory is the first step for a spiritual practitioner.

However, it needs to be clearly understood that a mere study of spiritual and

philosophical discourses is not enough. Any knowledge, which is not put into

practice, shall not be of much use as the path of spiritual progress calls

for direct experience and knowledge. So it is necessary for the spiritual

practitioners to graduate to practicing the applied aspect of spiritual

science. Raja Yoga, Karma Yoga, Gyana Yoga, Laya Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Hatha

Yoga and tantras etc. are the applied principles.

How does

one achieve spirituality? As mentioned before, merely by reading spiritual or

religious texts one cannot spiritualise oneself. In its generic sense, the

word 'spirit' means an indestructible divine energy form whose continued and

unlimited play, sets into motion a series of changes in all forms of

existence including human beings, starting before his birth and going beyond

his death. Different people understand the word 'spirit' differently. Some

term it as 'jiva' (living entity), some term it as 'prana' (life force in the

living being), some call it as 'chetna' (divine consciousness) or 'atma' (a

part of the ultimate reality called God or Brahama). These four words, jiva,

prana, atma and chetna are intrinsically related. However, 'atma' is

primordial causative factor, of chetna, jiva or prana. In a way it can be

said that, a continued consciousness beyond time and space is the very nature

of the 'atman'.

'Atma' and

'paramatma' are the essence of the divine creation, 'ultimate realities'

beyond time and space. The cosmos is nothing but the external manifestation

of the 'paramatma'. Therefore, each created object contains a subtle and

small part of the 'paramatma' termed as the 'atma'. Since 'atma' is a part of

'paramatma' it contains all the attributes of the 'paramatma'. It is

omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent in an unfathomable time continnum.

FEATURE

OF THE WEEK: New Year Message (continued.....)

So then

what is God realization? The word 'atma sakshatakara' (God realization)

means, realisation of one's own 'atma' or consciousness. Even though these

particles of 'paramatma' called 'atma' may be functioning in a 'Jiva' it is

never separate from its root, that is 'paramatama'. Therefore, the

realization of God is not the understanding of the material manifestation of

'atma', which includes all the living and non-living, visible and non visible

things and forces of the Universe. Even if one can travel to all the

Universes in space and gain knowledge about it he cannot have said to have

realized God.

Consciousness

in its various forms seen on the earth emanates from 'atma' or soul or

'paramatma'. All forms of energy in the Universe emanate from consciousness,

and all forms of materials emanate from those energies. Thus, consciousness

is superior to energy forms and materials of the Universe. Whereas

consciousness can explain and control all energy forms and materials,

however, the reverse cannot be true. Therefore, all religious worships of all

deities in any form may not necessarily spiritualise a man. Any experiment in

the spiritual science, means expansion of his own limited consciousness to

the State of Universal

Consciousness. That science by which consciousness

can thus be evolved is called 'vigyana maya jagata' or spiritual science. To

achieve this he has to introspect (dhyana) on his own conduct and thought

processes continuously. Idol worship, mantras and rituals are prescribed

procedures at the beginning to purify oneself. Once the mind is purified

through the control of senses the consciousness slowly starts expanding.

There is no short-cut to this.

If one

studies Sri Sai Satcharitra, one would find that the actions of Sri Shirdi

Sai Baba reflected this Universal Consciousness. To evolve spiritually, we

should therefore try to follow his precepts and conduct in letter and spirit.

Om Sri Sai

Message by

Shri C B Satpathy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONTRIBUTED

ARTICLE: A higher level of faith and perception

Is Sai

Baba God or could that be He was just a man with a few unique powers and

peculiarities? This was also a question raised about two thousand years ago

with Christ, was Jesus Christ a man or a magician? Discussions on - the

father, the son and the Holy Spirit' is still a popular topic at churches all

over. Where does the answer lie to the question whether Sai Baba was an

ordinary man with a few powers or the manifestation of the supreme conscious

that eludes common rationale? Let us see a passage from " Glimpses of Sai

Baba " by His Holiness Shri Narasimhaswami ji:

" As to how Sri Sai Baba is to be regarded, there is wide divergence of

views, not merely among religions, sects and people, but also within one's

stage of the spiritual growth. Many regard Him as both God and man, just as

Tennyson did in case of Jesus Christ.

Thou seemest human and divine

The highest holiest manhood thou.

Our wills are ours, we know not how

Our wills are ours, to make them thine

There are

many who are hovering about this level, in their view of Sai Baba-now,

disposed to submit and surrender, and pray to Him as God, again disposed to

regard Him as a highly developed personality acting as their guardian angel

or at least as a benevolent but more gifted man, with human frailties and

other human peculiarities. Some devotees, if they analyze their perception

from time to time, might discover that they can not fix themselves to one

particular view of Sai Baba always, but are involuntarily moved from one to

the other viewpoints mentioned above and even to pass beyond these, even to

the extent of doubting whether Sai Baba is or is not good and powerful. Such

is human weakness that one need not be ashamed to discover his own position

in the last named class. But commonsense, and higher impulses naturally drive

us to quit such a useless, nay, pernicious state and strive to reach higher

levels of faith and perception.

(Contributed

by Sai Vichaar team)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DEVOTEES

SAY:

Meena

Om Sai Ram, The other day when I had my first scan, I knew that you were

present in that room. I know only because of your blessing the baby was fine.

Please take care of the baby for the rest of the seven months. Please bless

me with a healthy baby. Please give me the strength to go through this

pregnancy. I am constantly worried. Baba please take care of me.

Ashutosh

I had an MRI done for the head, as pain was constant and for quite some time,

needless to mention with the blessings of Sri Sai Baba, the MRI was normal.

Please bless us forever and may we be devoted to your lotus feet forever.

Sangeeta

Jai Sai Ram, Baba last year my dad had a bypass surgery and I said that I

will write in Sai Vichaar but I forgot. Baba, I am sorry about that please

forgive me. With Your grace everything went fine with his surgery and this

year my mom also had a surgery and again with Your grace everything went

fine. I am now getting down to writing this thank you to You. Baba thank you

very much for taking care of my parents through their hard time. It is only

with Your grace that they are doing well today. Please always take care of

them and keep Your blessings with them. Om

Sai Ram.

Jaya

If I am alive, normal and talking to everybody and doing my work is You in me

doing. I was in despair after losing my husband; You were, are and will be my

savior always. I am thankful to you for guiding my daughters, completing

their studies and getting them a good job in US. I have full faith they will

be married in a very good family and will always be under your protection. I

could have never dreamt of all this, it is all due to Your grace showered on

me, not for me alone but to all my people when they ask me to pray for them,

asking teasingly " ask your Sai to do this for us " . Thank you so

much I always prayed that I should be able to submit an article to thank you

Sai.

Sai devotee

Baba, thank you very much for giving me a good job. You arranged my sister's

marriage and also you cleared my friend's mind. Baba sorry for the delay to

publish this in Sai Vichaar .Thank you.

Harshana

Thankyou Baba for curing my husband. As soon as I started writing the prayer

he started feeling better and now he is completely cured. Do look after his

and my family's health always. I hope I am taking the right decision

regarding my job this time. Let me leave this job without any hurdles. Baba

please guide me and be with us .

Mukesh

We were dealing with a tough home builder/seller for our new home. After

initial discussion with the seller, we dropped all hopes of getting that

home. I prayed to Baba and started Shri Sai Satcharita parayan (to finish the

book within one week). On the third day of parayan, I got a call from the

seller and agreed to price value, which we had thought, was appropriate. The

seller wanted to complete closing within 3-4 weeks(it takes about 2 to 3 months

in normal case). With the blessings of Baba, we completed the purchase of our

home in four weeks. This would not have happened without His divine grace

towards us and all of His devotees. Sashtang Pranam to our Sai.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

PRAYER

CLUB:

Pallavi

Baba, You and Your ways are totally beyond my comprehension. I am praying

earnestly to You to bless my husband who is jobless for the last 7 to 8

months but You seem to be preoccupied with something else. Baba, You know our

financial condition, the loans that are mounting, etc. Please save us Baba.

Please bless my husband with a job good soon. You are the wirepuller, please

Baba bless us now. Thank You Baba.

Jagadish

Baba, my brother need a good job very desperately help him out Baba. You know

everything what is happening help him out Baba as early as possible. By your

blessings I'm doing good in my job. Thank you Baba.

Sairamoo

Baba, thank you very much for all arrangements, assistance, blessings,

guidance, protections. What is my life purpose or destiny? Make me your

instrument to spread goodwill, love, tolerance and to do your work. From

here, where do I go? It was a wonderful experience in Shirdi in 1972, 1980

and 2003. I very much would love to be in Shirdi once again. Maybe on my

return from London.

Baba, kindly fulfill my immediate wants/desires/requests. Thank you very

much, Baba.

Sai devotee

Dear Sairam, you know my husband is waiting for his promotion for long time.

Please help him to get it. Please bless my family with good health and

happiness. Jai Sai Ram.

Anup

Jai Sai Ram! Baba why are You so angry with me and not listening to my

request and blessing me. You listen to my smallest request, help me but in

case of appropriate job opportunity You are not helping giving all offers

which take me away from my family. Please show your miracle and give me job

in Delhi so I

do not go away from my family.

Mahesh

I can't bear this pain, Lord why you are not responding to my prayers. Every

day I am sending my prayers to You. I lose my hope now, I lost everything.

Please help me.

Sai devotee

I want all Sai devotees to pray for me that I am badly in need of a job. I

have finished my Masters in Australia.

Baba answer my prayers.

Chandra

Dear Sai Baba, thank you so much for all your blessings that You have given

us. There is a request I would like to ask, please bless me so that I can

build a house in my father?s native place and be happy with all my family

members.

Manisha

Sai Baba, kindly be with my sister and brother-in-law on every moment and

shower Your powerful blessing so that my brother-in-law can get the award for

which he has been chosen and all the hindrances coming in the way can get set

a side so that they can get relief from monetary problem which they are

facing now-a-days.

Bala

I sincerely believe in Baba and my wife and daughter and son also pray to

Baba. I am unable to concentrate fully in my prayers to Baba because of the

problems we face in our day to day life. Sri Sai Satcharitha was given as a

gift by one of my relatives who visited Shirdi. I want to do sapthaha but I

am unable to do that. Please guide me and pray for us. Last evening only I

visited the Dwarakamai temple here. Jai Sai Ram.

Sunil

I am going through a financially bad phase due to my own doing. I pray to our

Sainath to have mercy on this sishya and give his blessings to clear the dues

immediately. I have prayed that I shall read Sai Satcharitra within 5 days.

With His blessings I hope to finish the same within 5 days. And I also pray

for His blessings for my wife's job and for my son's good education. I know

He is there with us all through thick and thin. I thank him for all the

things he has provided us till now. Pranams at his lotus feet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EXPERIENCE

OF DEVOTEES:

Calvin

One year back my company merged with two other companies. The merger was

disaster right from day 1 as my fellow partners were always driven by greed

and ego. In spite of knowing the same I kept on working day and night with

utmost sincerity and loyalty to the entity. The day merger took place I got a

feeling of Sai telling me you have one year to make most of the merger hence

I spent my entire year working hard, learning from my partner companies new

systems and procedures and studying all their good points. Exactly after one

year the merger fell off and each of the companies separated. There was a

legal battle. I kept on praying to Saibaba to take care of my company and

more so my team of 8 staff who were from poor families. For the demerger

other partners got best of their Lawyers and the Chartered Accountants but I

went for the meeting only with picture of Saibaba in my pocket. The De Merger

proceedings were very stressful for my other partners and they fought

bitterly amongst themselves. But in my case I got my company back my profits

and office for my team members for which the other company had to pay rent in

future as compensation without even fighting for it. Sai guided me through

the entire ordeal and took care of my company, my team and me. If not for Sai

Baba I would have lost everything. As they say have blind faith in Sai Baba

and he will never let you down. Om Sai Ram.

Yogesh

I had been reading Sai Satcharita quite regularly. In one of the chapters I

read that like you need a guide to go to a jungle or mountain, you need a

Guru to cross the difficult journey of life. As I never had any Guru before I

accepted Sainath as my Guru in my heart. I was living abroad and had a great

desire to go to Shirdi came back to India and my wife and me despite having

keen interest in going to Shirdi for one or another reason could not make it.

I was getting very frustrated about it. I was not able to finalize any plans

to Shirdi at all. There was someone who was supposed to meet me but because

that person could not finalize his program to meet me, we were not able to

finalize our journey to Shirdi. Suddenly one day the person I was supposed to

meet wrote an email that he is not coming for at least one week. My wife and

I immediately planned to leave for Shirdi that evening. All the arrangements

got done in minutes. When we reached Shirdi I came to know that it was guru

poornima and also sainath was sitting on a gold throne given by one of his

devotee. It was like he only had made me wait and finally accepted me to be

one of his crores shishya and Gave me Darshan on Guru Poornima day. My wife

and me were so glad to take his darshan and for me it was a miracle. His

words of Saburi came to my mind immediately. We are too small to know Sai

Leela but just need Shraddha and Saburi and miracles do happen. My wife and

me were very happy also because that day was our wedding Anniversary.

Deepak

During my visit to Shirdi from 24th, 25th December 2007, I saw a unique photo

of Baba, in one of the shop. This photo was unique because it was not

available at any other shop. I wanted to take the photo of this. But the

shopkeeper was against my taking the picture of this. I had a heated argument

with him and finally I was not able to take the photograph. The photo was of

Sai Baba standing with his arms open as inviting his devotees to come to him

and forget their sorrows. As I was unable to take the picture, I was

disappointed and also upset. We had taken the darsan of Sai Baba in the morning,

but my wife wanted to visit again in the evening. I told her she may go and

take the darshan and I waited outside. She took a packet of parsad and a

bunch of rose flowers and went for darshan. She came back after the darshan

and on 26th 2007 we drove back to our place. Same evening she handed me the

packet of the parsad and asked me to keep at the pooja place in our house.

When I saw the parsad I was surprised as the card of Baba kept in the parsad

was the same whose picture/photo I wanted to take. This shows that Baba knows

what his devotees want. My belief in Baba has increased many fold and I

request all devotees also to have faith in him. Bow to Shri Sai. Peace be to

all. Jai Sai Ram.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QUOTATION

OF THE WEEK:

 

" You

must find your own way. Unless you find it yourself, it will not be your own

way and will take you nowhere. Earnestly live your truth as you have found

it, act on the little you have understood. It is earnestness that will take

you through, not cleverness - your own or another's. " -Sri Nisargadatta

Maharaj

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

QUESTION

OF THE WEEK:

Q. In Satcharita, what lessons can one derive from the episode of

Madrasi Sanyasi?

A. by

Kavthankar

Wealth and

Prosperity are transient; the body is subject to decay and death. While

knowing this, do your duty, leaving all attachment to the things of this

world and next. He, who does this and surrenders himself to the feet of Hari

(Lord) , will get free from all troubles and attain bliss. The Lord runs and

helps him, who remembers and meditates on him, with love and affection. The

last wish or thought, what a man has at the hour of death, determines his

future course. All saints, therefore recommend us to remember God and chant

his name always, so that we may not be puzzled, when the time for departure

comes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAI

ACTIVITIES:

Shirdi Sai

Temple of Chicago

and Suburbs, Illinois, USA

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, except Mondays. 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, 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 or visit

the website www.shirdisaidallas.org.

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 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, 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 or send email to

saibandhu. You can also visit our website is

www.Shirdisaiparivaar.org.

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 or visit www.shirdisaila.org.

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 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, 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.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

FROM

THE EDITORS KEYBOARD:

Sai

Vichaar and Saibaba.org wishes all devotees and readers a Happy, Prosperous,

and Peaceful New Year.

Question

of the week for this week as follows:

Q. In Sri Sai Satcharitha, what lessons can one derive from the

episode of Madrasi Sannyasi Vijayanand?

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

 

 

 

 

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