Feature of the week: Fear and Sai Devotion

In nature, when two individuals meet, either they are attracted to or repelled by each other, i.e., they meet as friends or foes. Their respective strength, position, powers; sympathies and attitude towards external objects will determine the question of friendship or enmity. In the case of divine beings, the attributes in question include superior power, vast strength and protection or help to all creatures. So, normally, fear and awe are the first responses to be aroused when such a creature encounters the divine. These responses are followed by gratitude and service, and the creature may subsequently rise to or be risen to the level of being in friendship and love with the divine. This is accompanied by the spirit of perfect unreserved surrender ending in merger.

Sri Narasimha Swami ji wrote that the above ladder of salvation begins with fear and humility and ends with transmutation of the fearing and separate individual self into the supreme self. Fear, like many other emotions, is seen to be a transient phase. Fear, though natural at first or early stages of contact must pass or be changed into higher emotions and sentiments. Fear of God is the beginning of wisdom. However, it cannot even in the lowest forms, remain unalloyed fear. In higher cultures especially, it is seen to be soon transformed to awe. Awe, which recognizes the sublimity of Divine power, marks a distinct cultural advance. Even awe must be transient. If not, one would contemplate their life’s time on witnessing God’s miracles and stay at distance from God. It is unhealthy for one to remain longer in this stage of spiritual ladder.

As fear is the most common, almost normal beginning of devotion, it is held to be a virtue. However, it is a virtue only at one stage. Fear is the teething ring or a rattle that has to be shunned away at one point in order to see the higher states of bliss.

(Inspired by "Glimpses of Sai Baba" by H.H. Sri Narasimha Swami ji, published by All India Sai Samaj, Mylapore, Chennai, India - 600 004)
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Experiences of Devotees

MRK, Phoenix, AZ, USA
SURRENDER-absolute surrender to Guru will cause both material and spiritual benefits Bhau-Raghuvira Bhaskara Purandhare was interviewed by pujya B.V.Narasimha Swami ji on May 4, 1936 at Pune. Bhau was earning Rs. 35.00 per month in Bombay. He used to look after his mother and brother apart from his wife and children. Having heard of Baba through Dasganu maharaj, he struggled to see Baba, He somehow collected money to go to Shirdi in 1909. At that time his six months old baby was having fever and his mother objected to his trip. Bhau persisted and left to Shirdi with full faith in Baba. The baby's fever vanished the moment, he set foot on Shirdi. His mother prayed to Baba to protect Bhau as he was a junior clerk. Baba told her that he knew Bhau for over seven hundred years and he was protecting him from his childhood and he will not take food without feeding him first. Bhau got angry easily and Baba implanted love in the place of Bhau's anger. Because Bhau was suffering from staying in rented places, Baba directed him to buy a site and build a house. Bhau kept quiet as it was economically impossible for him. After repeated visits of Bhau, Baba told Bade Baba to question Bhau as to why he was not following his directions. After ascertaining his financial situation, Badebaba sent him to Rich Chandorkar and Kaka Dikshit. After hearing his economic plight from Bhau, Chandorkar met Baba that they would build a house and give it to Bhau. Baba told him that there was no need for anybody to help him. Bhau has enormous funds in his durbar and that he was the only person competent to bless his devotee. In Bandra where Bhau was staying, house sites became available at cheap rates. Without a document or interest, Bhau's friend gave him the required money and Bhau purchased the land and went to Shirdi, on Sri Rama Navami and looking after the control of the devotee crowds. Baba shouted that Bhau was not giving him any peace. Baba's anger that Bhau did not build the house before he went to Shirdi. Then he had a terrific headache. Some devotee told to Baba Bhau's condition. Baba kept quiet. Bhau understood that Baba is angry for his not building the house. So he came back with the headache, borrowed from his office at cheap rates and built a house. Immediately the headache vanished. He went to Shirdi but was feeling that the house was far away from office and he was leaving his family alone there. Baba told him that he personally will guard his family and need not worry on that count. This is how Shirdi Maharaj looks after devotees who completely surrender to him.

Veena Gupta, New Delhi, India,
So far I have sent you my three write-ups and I am glad that you have printer one, but that is 2nd. It seems that you have not received my first write-up. I am sending it again. I am not a matured writer but think that a link will be there if published in sequence order. Thanks and Sai Ram.
(Sai Vichaar apologizes for the mix-up. This could have happened because emails received for Sai Vichaar are usually processed in the order they are received and the emails sent were probably not received in the same order, due to the high volume of mails received. Please continue to contribute your experiences. It would be helpful if the Subject area reflects the Write-up number or date so that the email will be processed for Sai Vichaar in the appropriate order - Editor)

Write up No.1 Dated : 19-11-1999. I have been receiving Sai Vichaar news letter for the last few months, which and the requests of my fellow devotees have forced me to pen down my present and past experiences with Baba. Baba I mean the Sai Baba who used to live in Shirdi and is now present in the Universe just a call away. I am a Sai devotee since 1977 or so and have experienced numerous miracles of Baba that I do not remember them all. These miracles have almost become a part of my life now. On almost every Thursdays, on festivals and on the important days to my family and me Baba shows His presence in our house. On these days `Udi', the sacred ashes come from the photos of Baba. One photo is in the glass frame. Udi comes from the hand of Baba. In a day about 5-6 spoon full of udi comes and forms some holy figure. Udi also come from the right foot of bronze statue of Baba in our small temple (worship place) in the kitchen. Occasionally Udi also comes from other photos kept in the temple or on the walls in the house. This is happening for the last 7-8 years. Earlier it was not so regular feature but now the Udi comes almost regularly. On every Thursday, we recite Sai Baba Amrit Vani from 11 to 12 noon. we recite Amrit Vani along with an audiocassette and distribute Prasad at the end. We put the prasad on the table and find the Prasad sprinkled with Udi all over at the end of the Amrit Vani. One can only imagine our anxiety and words cannot describe them. I have two sons and both are married now and doing well. My elder daughter-in-law is on the family way and we were planning to have the `Gode Bharai' (the ninth month) ceremony on 18th Nov. after the Amrit Vani. My elder son is posted at Chennai these days and was not present and we were feeling his absence on this day. My younger son and his wife are also at Ahmedabad. I was feeling very lonely on this day. It was Thursday and as usual, Baba was present in the house since morning as the udi was coming out from 3-4 photos/statue. We placed the Prasad and started the Amrit Vani with the cassette. It was halfway and we changed the side of the cassette. Suddenly me and a very close friend of mine, who is also a very strong Sai devotee felt that Baba has move from Samadhi and sat along with us. He put His hand on the head of my daughter-in-law. We felt that Baba is saying that He is here, and we should not feel lonely. The sound of the cassette also changed. The normal sound of Amrit Vani was suppressed with some other voices. At first we though that Baba may be trying to see how much sincerely we do the Amrit Vani and so we tried to ignore the other voice. we increased our voice and so the volume of other voice also increased as if in a competition. We were chanting our Amri Vani and the cassette was giving some other sermons. At the end when we were discussing about it, we had different feelings, some heard the male voice as if coming from Guru Dwara as the voices seemed to be Guruvani. Some had the feeling like voice coming from mosque as it was verses of Quran. My self had the feeling of words `Guru Bharamha- Guru-Vishnu'. We heard the pesto language as if Baba is saying some thing. Then we repented that we could not understand Baba and have not listened to Him. Thus, we had the `Gode Bharai' ceremony of my daughter-in-law in the presence and blessings of Baba. Throughout the day, we discussed the Amrit Vani experience. Devotees who could not attend the Amrit Vani on that day were upset as they could not witness this miracle of Baba. Baba blesses those who have true faith in Him. We replayed the cassette many times after wards that day and every time it played normally without any extra or other voices. This has happened earlier once also but that time the other voices were not so strong. I will narrate my more experiences in my subsequent write-ups, if Baba permits me to do so.
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Sai Activities

Venkat Duvvuri, Shirdi Sai Baba Project, Bridgewater, NJ, USA
This message is for Seema (and any other Sai Devotees)interested in knowing the status of Shirdi Sai Baba project at Bridgewater, NJ. Please visit our website at www.shirdisamsthan.org and send an email to the addresses mentioned therein for further information.

Shirdi Sai Sansthan, Sydney, Australia
Shirdi Sai Sansthan Sydney is happy to announce that there will be SAI NAAM JAAP (continuous Naam Jaap) to welcome the New Year and the Millenium on the 2nd Jan from 4:00 -6:00 PM at our temple 416-417 Liverpool Road South Strathfield, Sydney, Australia.

Monthly Pooja, Shirdi Sai Samsthan USA, Warrenville, IL
Shirdi Sai Samsthan USA has scheduled its monthly pooja on December 26, 1999 at Shirdi Sai Baba Mandir, Warrenville, IL. The Program is as follows:

9.00 AM Kakada Arti
9.30 AM Abhishek, Ashtothra Pooja, Bhajans and Kirtans
12.00 PM Madhyahna Arti
12.30 PM Maha Prasad

Shri Shirdi Saibaba Mandir, Warrenville, IL, is located at 27W 321 Butterfield Road, Warrenville, IL, 60555. The Telephone number for the Mandir is 630-653-4444. For directions and more information please contact one of the following:
Umapathi Cattamanchi - 708-448-3016
Nagabhushanam Koneru - 847-346-0641
Ananth Sonti - 630-858-2643
Manju Panjwani - 847-677-6654
Jitendra Shelke - 773-465-5605
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Devotees Say

Badari Prasad
My dear fellow devotees Pranams. I have a simple and a small doubt. Did Saibaba ever observe fasting during the Holy month of Ramadan? I would appreciate a response through the weekly mail.

Baba’s Reality by Kishore Asthana, Muscat, Oman

Mere mandir sari moorat, Sai ki hi rakhi
Dekho kaisi sundar la'agey, Sai Baba sakhi

Koi dekhey Kishan chabi, koi dekhey Hanuman
Aur bhagat Tulsidas, Sita, Ram mahan

Par bheetar dekhe dhyan se jo, ja'aney ye natak, pyarey
In sab ki daivi aankho(n) say, Baba hi niharey

Moorat sari gahney ja'an, Sai Baba sona
Sub roop ye pahney ja'an idhar udhar na khona

Baba ha'ath ashish taley, tootey(n) bandhan sa'arey
Baba dev, Baba asur, Baba manthan sa'arey
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Question of the Week

How does Sai devotee view religions?

Havovi Medhora, New Jersey, USA
I am a Parsi Zoroastrian. Ours being such an ancient faith, it has been a great attempt at survival over the centuries. As you know we do not believe in conversions, which I heartily agree with. I simply can't understand when we hear of people being of one faith on Monday and another by Sunday!

Though I was not very religious, I always believed in God. When I heard about Sai Baba, I was very curious. I knew a man who had had one on one encounter with Sai. As far back as I remember, we always had photos of Baba in the house and it was my paternal grandmother who really brought him into our hearts. I started worshipping Baba, which resulted from many miracles he did for me. I slowly began to realize what a powerful effect he had on me. I felt a great change in myself I became more tolerant, giving, and definitely more humble. Baba respected all religions and why I was so drawn to him was because I could worship him without giving up my own faith. As we all know Sai formed no religion new or old he did not want any thing from us. We all know the reason for that Sai Baba is God Incarnate. As time began and man walked the earth, he was to be given a sense of identity and belonging. Religion , is your identity. You see little did God know what man would do to religion. When you turn the pages of time, you are horrified to read of the atrocities man has perpetrated in the name of religion. So Baba finally came down himself to tell us that whether we are Muslims, Catholics, Hindus etc there is only one God for all of us and he is called upon by different names by the different religions, e.g. Hindus call him Ram and Muslims called him Rahim. He is but the same. So today I am a Sai Baba devotee to be a Zoroastrian is my identity but my whole faith and trust is in this Incredible being who took the form of a man and came to me to teach me humility, faith and patience thus making me a better person and I know that I am finally on the path I have to take to reach my salvation. We are all very fortunate indeed to have the love of Sai Baba.
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