On 1st February 1912, Shri G.S. Khaparde, an intimate devotee of Sai Baba wrote, "Today evening when we assembled at the musjid before Sayin Baba started on his stroll, Sayin Baba told Mr. Dixit to give two hundred rupees to my wife who was then shampooing the legs of Sayin Saheb. This order was unaccountable. Has it come to this that I have to be maintained by charity!!! I prefer death to this. Sayin Saheb I think wished to curb and finally destroy my pride so he is getting me used to poverty and the charity of others".

To understand the true feeling of Shri Kharpade, a little background is necessary. At that time, he was the chairman of the reception committee of the All India Congress and was working very closely with Shri Lokmanya Tilak. Shri Khaparde was a distinguished attorney, a prominent freedom fighter, an eloquent speaker and an intellectual. He practiced law in Amraoti. The household of Dadasaheb Khaparde was a large one and at one time it consisted of fifty people including his family, his three children and their families, three families who were given shelter, about 12-15 students pursuing their studies, servants, cooks, chauffeurs and three guest families on an average. In short, HE was a royalty! However, Shri Khaparde was one of the humblest devotees of Sainath. It is said, Noolkar, Booty and Khaparde were the only devotees who never spoke a word in Baba’s presence and they were always meek and humble.

Subsequently in 1924, when this was published in the Sai Leela magazine, Shri Kharpade reflects on this entry in his diary and offers the following clarification: " I turned up the diary for 1st February, 1912 and read the passage indicated by you. It correctly represents my feelings. Our Sadguru Sayin Maharaj gave the order. Being omniscient, he knew everything including all my innermost thoughts and never insisted on the order being carried out. Now that my attention has been drawn to the matter it appears to me that my wife then did not like the life of labor and poverty. Kakasaheb Dixit had accepted the (such a) life and was happy. So Sain Maharaj asked him to give two hundred rupees i.e. poverty and patience to my wife."

Mrs. Khaparde was a devout person who had a strong faith in Baba and spent time, serving Baba with love and devotion (Shri Sai Satcharitha, Chapter 27 in the English version by Nagesh Vasudev Gunaji). Yet, as Shri Khaparde noted, Mrs. Khaparde needed the right message on the virtues of humility and patience. This incident shows how Sainath benefits His devotees not only by guiding them but also by showing the right path to the people associated with them.
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Experiences of Devotees

Gadi Hari BapiRaju, Virginia, USA, wrote to us of his experiences: I want to share my experience. But for Saibaba, I would not have been able to pursue my education in united states. When I was studying my undergraduate in India, there was a Sai temple near my room (I used to stay alone in a rented room). So I occasionally used to visit the temple, whenever I used to feel lonely or depressed. I used to get peace of mind and motivation. With Baba's grace, I secured first rank in my undergraduate. In this way, I became a follower of Sairam.

My ambition was to do a Master's, degree, but financially we could not afford that. So we had to take a loan from bank. I did not try for a loan until I got Visa(Even though I was sure of getting visa since I visited Shirdi before I went to the embassy). Once I got visa I had only fifteen days to try for a loan. I did not know what to do, I just used to pray to Sainath. I needed to take Life insurance policy and get all the documents ready. The insurance company was on a strike at that time, so there was no way I could get that. I just approached the bank manager and told my problems. With divine grace, the bank manager was also a ardent follower of Sainath, took my signatures on the forms, so that my father can apply for the insurance at a later late.

Also I was supposed to submit some security to the bank. We were supposed to take signatures of the local government officials. This proved to be a difficult task due to the corrupt nature of the one of the officers. However, the bank officer approved the loan although the documents were not completely satisfactory as required by the loan issuing authority. I was able to accomplish all the necessary tasks in two weeks’ time only due to the grace of Sai Baba. Now I am doing my masters in Virginia and will be finishing by Fall 1998.
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Devotees say...

1. Dear Sai Vichaar Team,
Thank you so much for your ongoing work to provide this lovely web site. Until a few months ago, I had never heard of Sai Baba. A person whom I respect suggested that I might enjoy reading some of Sai Baba's teachings. Through an internet search on Sai Baba, I came across your site. As I began to read the stories you provide, I felt a strong sense of peace and wisdom emanating from your site in quite a physical as well as spiritual way. Sai Baba is amazing! I immediately subscribed to your weekly newsletter and I am enjoying it immensely. Many thanks to you all!

Elizabeth Dolman, Calgary, Alberta, Canada

2. Om Sai Ram.
My name is Akash Srikewal. My family and I are Shirdi Sai Devotees. I must say that I am extremely thrilled with receiving the informative and inspiring E-mail every week. It is so wonderful to be finally able to read and learn more about Baba over the internet. Out here in Durban, South Africa, it is quite difficult to learn more about Shridi Baba. As you might know, there is quite a good following of Shridi Sai Baba in S. A. , however there is no real 'umbrella' organization to encompass the beauty of the philosophies, that is Baba's.

I must again thank you for the wonderful service that you are providing on the internet. I would appreciate it if you would also send more articles on the life history of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba and on his fundamental mission. Thank you.

Akash Srikewal, Dublin, South Africa

3. I have seen Manish's letter (Sai Vichaar, Volume 1, Number 14). He is still in doubt and feels that Baba should have been more sympathetic to him. His also feels that the theory of Karma needs some explanation as it appears illogical that someone who does not remember his past life has to suffer for it in this life.

I have also seen Sarika's note from Belize and agree with her that Manish should be thankful that his father did not suffer. Three years back my mother died of cancer. The last few days she suffered a lot, and we suffered with her. When she shed this body, the predominant feeling in the house was one of relief. All of us loved her very much but to wish immortality, or even a longer life for her, was not in our minds. She was also a very devout person and all of us prayed to whatever gods and deities we had faith in, including Sai Baba, to end her suffering. After death she had a blissful smile on her face and looked years younger and completely at peace. It made us smile, too.

Most of us are attracted towards Bhakti Marg. Thus we show our faith in Sai Baba and depend upon him to do things for us. And he obliges us in this. However, we forget that Bhakti has two aspects. One is what we ask and the other is what Sai Baba asks. In our demands we lose sight of what Sai Baba himself wants. Let me quote a few of His sayings :

"Why grieve for loss of a son. Everyone has to die one day. In this mortal world, death is inevitable. Whatever may happen, one should remain steadfast and watch everything with detachment"
"I have now grown weary of people's request for wealth, wife, child. No one wants the treasure I have"

The treasure Sai Baba has, is enlightenment. He tells us how this is to be achieved :

"Always inquire : Who am I?"

"I am in you and you are in Me. Meditate on the self with the question, who am I?"

"The idea that we are the body is a great illusion, and attachment to this idea is the cause of bondage. Leave this idea and, therefore the attachment, if you want to reach the goal of self-realization.

"We must have shraddha and saburi."

"None dies; see with your inner eyes. Then you will realize that you are God and not different from Him. Like worn out garment the body is cast away"

We must show our faith in Sai Baba and rise above just asking him for things. While we he has always looked after his devotees wants, we should also give some consideration to what he wants.

We should strive to look inwards, inquiring who we really are. Till such time that we embark on this path, we will continue to have the false notion that we are the body and the mind, and that we have a soul.

Such notions make us see this life for real and our suffering a consequence of our past Karma. However, when we consider that we are the Soul and have a body and mind, the matter is seen in a different perspective. The life we live is seen as a learning exercise and temporary in nature. The Soul remembers all lives and selects new lives based on the learning it requires. Life is thus a drama in which we take part, knowingly selecting whatever role will enable us to learn more. Our deeds in the past lives are the basis of such selection, but not in the way of reward and punishment.

I urge Manish to heed the desire of Sai Baba and try to find the truth in the way Sai Baba wanted, with faith and patience. Is it wise to always keep telling Sai Baba "I want, I want" without heeding what he would like us to do?

Manish feels that one who does not has faith nor belief is always happy because he is unaware of sorrow or joy he treats both the same way. If he was to examine his statement carefully he will find that it is not correct. Do the faithless never have sorrow? Of course they do. In fact, when they are unhappy, they do not even have faith to sustain them.

Faith and belief are not two 'culprits' as Manish says. He must try to cultivate saburi - the patience which Sai Baba repeatedly counseled and faith - true Shraddha, which says Sai Baba is always right and will look after us, regardless of how heartless he may appear in the depth of our current sorrow. If he does not have these two, and still keeps asking Sai Baba for things, he should remember that Sai Baba has said that he will give in the same manner something is asked for.

Kishore Asthana, Muscat, Oman
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Sai Activities

Suresh K Lal wrote to us from Japan informing about the new Sai temple in Ajmer, Rajasthan, India. Suresh Lal mentions that a new Sai temple is being built in Ajmer, Rajasthan and the opening ceremony is tentatively scheduled for sometime during December 1998 or the earlier part of January 1999. Devotees planning to visit the opening ceremony are requested to contact Suresh K Lal for more information. If an advance notice is sent, necessary arrangements for accommodation will be taken care of by Suresh Lal ji. Please forward your inquiries, comments, questions and other suggestions on Sai temple, Ajmer, India, to Suresh K Lal at the following address:
Suresh K. Lal, Port P.O. Box 311, Kobe, Japan.
E-Mail Address: 240853@msn.com or 5813051@msn.com
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