"I shall consider you blessed when you will renounce all attachments, conquer lust and palate and getting rid of all impediments, serve God wholeheartedly and resort to the begging bowl".

The above is the reply given by Sai Baba to Bapusaheb Jog who asked him why even after serving Baba for so many years, his mind was not calm and composed and why he failed in his efforts for self-realization. Sai Baba always laid stress on controlling pleasures of the sense, especially those of sexual passion and tongue.

In our scriptures, great stress is laid on "non-violence" which means not to hurt anybody physically, mentally, or by speech. Sai Baba had realized that of all the above, harsh and scornful words hurt a person much more than physical or mental violence. Such cutting words are more easily forgotten and cannot be withdrawn. Consequently, they cause everlasting ill feeling. Sai Baba, therefore, not only advised his devotees, "Not to speak cuttingly to anyone so as to hurt him. He said, "Let anybody speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by giving a bitter reply. If you always tolerate such things, you will certainly be happy", and to make sure that they did follow his advice, he also said, " He who carps and cavils at others, pierces me in the heart and injures me but that suffers and endures, please me the most".

(From Shri Sai Baba's Teachings and Philosophy by Lt. Col. M.B. Nimbalkar)
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Contributed Article: Innocence and Bhakti is the way

Gyana is also way to God. But, there is a danger of becoming egoistic after going through all Vedas, Upanishads and Puranas. Simple and child like Bhakti marga is safe. Here, there is no place for ego, jealousy, logic and arguments. There is no place for maya between you and God. Just born baby may not know the mother, but recognizes the affectionate warmth and touch of her. Mother will be taking care of the child her child without any inconvenience.

We should become child like and offer ourselves to Baba. Then Baba will become our mother, father and Guru and will stay with us. All knowledgeable and mighty men like Ravana and Hiranyakasipu have missed to see God, even thou standing in front of their eyes due to their full blown ego. Small and simple children like Prahlada and Dhruva could in the lap of the God due to their Bhakti bhava. Pure child like innocence and bhakti should be in the mind and then Baba not only shows us the way but will lead us carrying our hand in His.
(Contributed by Varaprasad )
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Experiences of Devotees:

A Sai devotee
It was December 2003. I had been without a job for nearly 14 months in the preceding 3 years after having been doing very well and occupying a high position. I had quit in disgust without a thought for the future due to many unfortunate events, beyond my control at office. My son was still in engineering college, had a daughter to be married off, a house loan running. My monthly expenses were in the region of Rs.30000/- and whatever savings I had were vanishing fast. The future looked bleak and so uncertain. Then one day as I was sitting and brooding a close friend dropped by at my place inviting me to join him and his family and friends on a trip to Shirdi that he was going on the following day. I had been devoted to Sainath for 35 years already and with nothing on hands and without a second thought I set forth bidding goodbye to my wife and children. The moment we reached Shirdi, I had a call from a friend in Pune informing me that the head of a large private sector company was interested to hire me and that I should contact the person immediately. This happened within minutes of our arrival in Shirdi. After I returned home went through the process of selection. I was first taken as a consultant for 4 months and later absorbed in a senior position. However, this company was on a downslide and was planning to close the division I was employed in. And then happened the next miracle! I was on the look out for a particular person in our office for chasing up equipment supplies and called from my landline what I thought was his cell phone number. There was no response and I hung up. There was soon a call back from this person (normally people do not return calls to unfamiliar numbers) asking if I had called his number. I realized then that it was another person by the same name and who was well known to me that I had mistakenly contacted.

This person had been showing interest in me for a few months to take up a new assignment in his company but since it was a foreign company, and I was not in the least familiar with the nature of the assignment, I was feeling diffident to even send my c.v. As Sainath had perhaps willed, this friend forced me to at least send in my c.v. which I hesitantly did. I was so low on confidence that I was shying away from a golden opportunity. I was all the more worried that I had to go through a telephone interview by a panel from the U.S. on a certain day, which, however, went reasonably well. But I learnt that I was to be available to meet the C E O who was flying in from U.S. in January 2005 on one of his routine visits for a final round of interview. The date that was fixed happened to be clashing with an annual palki program of Baba and I was all along thinking that I would be missing the program at the expense of this interview. I was unwilling to miss the function at the same time was wondering how I could accomplish both. As Baba had willed, this gentleman had to suddenly postpone his trip by a day or two due to a bad stomach infection and instead landed towards end January 2005. The participation in Baba's utsav, a full day program, gave me immense satisfaction, as this was more important to me! The interview was good and I was selected to head their new initiative. I am still with the same company for 3 years now. And have fared well by Baba's grace and had opportunity to visit the U.S. a couple of times. My son fared well and his finished his engineering and is now abroad pursuing his Masters degree. The daughter's wedding, which was at least 2-3 years late, was performed with all pomp and glory. She is now happily settled by His grace. Where was I in 2003, so hopelessly adrift and where am I today? How did it all happen? The only answer I can find is in the feet of this great Guru God, our Sadguru Sainath.

He has been protecting and guiding our destinies in his own inscrutable ways. Can we dismiss everything as coincidence in life? How many coincidences does one need to recognize His powerful influence? As He has said, "I am a slave of my devotee. Stay by Me and keep quiet. I will do the rest". And that is what He did. There have been so many hair-raising experiences all through these 40 years I have remained devoted to Him. It is only the person who feels the pain and suffering and comes out of the crises that realizes that there is an unseen Hand busy protecting and guiding the faithful. Have total trust and patience as He has ordained. And He will take care of us till the end and beyond. May Sadguru Sainath bless us all.
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Devotees say...

Suganya
Baba, every time I read your Sai Vichaar, I get reply for the questions in my mind. Do I need to say that these are your miracles? I take all the messages to my heart and will follow that in my life. Thank you so much for all your messages and for the way you steer my life. Koti pranams to you Baba.

Usha
With your blessings my daughter finished her graduation with 84.4 percent even in the very bad time in our life. She joined in our company but she did not like the atmosphere. She wish to resign. I was very afraid. But with your blessings she resigned the job and within a day she joined a new job with Your blessings. Sairam please forgive my husband for any mistake he had done and bless him to join his job very soon. There is no one to look after us. Our family surrender at Your feet. Please save us Sairam.

Radha
At work, there was a huge problem and there was unnecessary finger pointing because of standing up for the truth and making the facts known. After a while, I could feel the dark clouds lifting from above my head and now Baba has given me the courage to stand up for the truth and to defend my position at all times.

Keshav
I would like to thank for listening all our prayers and solving our problems within in a requirement. I had sent a request for my niece's marriage proposal, which was not settling down with any one since long time and I prayed and made a request to Shri Sai Baba in December 2007 and accordingly within two weeks it happened. But, I am very sorry not sending this message to Shri Saibaba immidiately. Please help me and my family always. Without your support I can't survive at all. Since we have started praying Shri Sai Baba, our entire life style has changed like anything. Om Shri Sai Baba.

Raj
Oh Sainath! I do not find words to praise your grandeur. No words to thank You for the mercy You have shown. My mother who is an ardent devotee of our Sainath is been contracted with cancerous cells. She is having cancerous formation in her bones which in medical term can be treatable if not curable. But last week it was diagonised that the genesis of this cell was from stomach and it has spread to the bones which will result into an advance stage of cancer. We were all shattered. But the doctor asked her to go for an endoscopy in her stomach in order to substantiate the veracity of the report. I was in tears, my family along with me prayed with tears to our Sainath to save her from the jaws of death. Today Thursday, during Sai aarti, my thoughts were with my dear mother and was invoking Baba's blessings for her. Just as I reading Sai Vichaar's Quote of the week where our Sainath says "I shall draw out my devotees from the jaws of death", at that moment I recieved a call from my brother that they found no formation of cyst or cells in her stomach. Although diagonising is still under process but the major fear to some extent mitigated. What proof does one need that Sai is with them who call Him with love and devotion. I am sure that He will take care of my beloved mother.
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Prayer Club:

Pallavi
I am suffering with a health problem. It's been so many days and I am unable to bear the pain anymore. Baba please I plead you and beg you baba please show me the way to solve my problem.

Sushil
Through the Sai Vichaar I humbly request Baba to please forgive me and my family members for any mistakes and kindly bless my bhabhi jee to deliver the healthy baby child since all in my family are waiting for that moment for last five years. Furhter, please Sai Baba bless my entire family with good health and happiness.

Raghavan
Sai Baba, please arrange a stable and respectable job for me and my wife and also I am trying to get business, please help in closing one and more business for my present company . Oh my Sai baba sorry for all the bad I did knowingly and unknowingly I did in the last 4 years. As you are aware my wife does not trust and believe me even though I go in right truthfull path now. Please make her understand. Also bless our family with good health, happiness and child. Over and above please solve my wife's pain in her hand, I cannot see her suffering all the time. I hope you would consider my request Thanks a lot for all Your blessings and kindness. I bow to you Sai. Baba, koti koti pranam.

Puja
Jai Sai Ram, Sai please fulfil my hearts desire. I have suffered a lot physically and mentally. You are the saviour and I have full faith in you Sai. I have committed a lot of mistakes in the past and you have forgiven me. Please give me my heart's desire this time Sai.

Anup
My daughter and two nephews do not take good interest in studies even after repeated counseling. Baba, please do your miracle and and make them serious in studies since they are at the stage of initiation in direction of their career.

Srini
Sai baba, you know the difficulties and pain I am going through at this juncture, please bless me so I can get back to normalcy. If I have done any mistakes, please forgive and take care of me.

Meenakshi
Sairam, I want to cry in anybody's feet but nobody is there except Your feet. Sai in my office people are insulting and illtreating me like anything. But I did not do anything, for each and every action they are negleting me. Please Baba help me to solve this problem. I want to come up in life but I cannot compose any body. I surrender everything to You, help me to solve this and make me over come this.

Amrutha
Sai, you know everything in my life. You have been my guiding force and saviour in every walk of life. Baba, you have made me quite successful till date in my job and in taking care of my daughter, though I am not there with her. Sai, please take care of my husband, he is always suffering with some health problem and You know how weak and thin he is becoming by the day. He looks very different from what he was in the past, I pray and beg you to help me by helping him. Sai do some miracle and bring a change for the better in his health.
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Quotation of the Week:

"Work hard. Read scriptures. Utter God's name".-Shri Sai Baba
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Question of the Week:

Q. Anger burns oneself and others as well. How can we take control over this?
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Sai Activities:

Gurupournima at Shirdi Sai Temple, Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USA
Gurupoornima celebrations will be held in Shirdi Sai Temple, Chicago from Thursday, July 17th through Saturday, July 19th 2008. Program highlights: Maha Abhishek, Aarthis, Satcharita parayan, Sri Sai Satyanarayan Pooja, Sri Datta Moola Mantra Homam, Palaki procession and more. For program details please visit the temple website www.saibaba.us or contact the Temple office at 847-931-4058.

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 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@nessp.org.

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@yahoo.com. 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.
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