Feature of the week: Prayer

The power of prayer is manifold. Selfless prayers benefit those who pray by cleansing their soul of impure instincts and filling with the divine love and compassion. Prayer is a powerful tool when it is approached without any selfish motive. Thus, powerful prayers are those which are performed without any feeling of doership. Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandhi are remembered as powerful due to their piety of selfless prayers. Selfless prayers are focused entirely on those who are prayed for and such prayers never go unanswered. The world witnessed such a phenomenon recently when innocent victims are relieved from the jaws of death. Let us start this new Millennium with our humble prayers to Shirdi Sai Maharaj to bless us to eliminate the dross animal nature, and be a loving neighbor. Let us pray not for our own welfare but for loka kalyanam (Welfare of the world).

The following is said of Prayer:
1. All things, whatsoever you shall ask in prayer, believing, you shall receive.
2. Prayer should be the key to the morning and the lock of the night.
3. Early in the morning I first see the sun, I say a little prayer for the world, I hope my little children live a long long time, yes, every little boy and little girl.
4. If you feel distant from God, remember it is not God that moved.
5. Prayer for many is like a foreign land. When we go there, we go as tourists.
6. Silence is the finest of sounds. The only way you can have relationship with God is if you approach him willing to be a defeated human being. If you approach God with total arrogance as if you are in charge of the universe; I am every thing, I will never meet God. He never appears to people with capital I.
7. The essence of prayer is when you reach the right mode, when you are ready to exchange a glance for a fleeting second, between mortal man and the eternal.
8. The difference between prayer and prophecy is that in prophecy God initiates the contact, and in prayer, it is man that summons God, man initiates the contact.
9. In regular prayer, simply talk to God and ask on some level or another for his help; asking that he may correct our perceptions or show us what we need to see.
10. If more people would pray, more consistently, we could literally, through the power of prayers, lift the clouds of darkness that envelop the planet. It would wake us up to our essential nature and we would become our more noble selves.

(A Contribution by Sai devotee MRK, Phoenix, AZ, USA, Inspired by "Gems from purposeful prayers" by Larry King and others)
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Experiences of Devotees

Varaha Appikatla, Columbus, Ohio, USA
Sai Baba's miracles are endless. Thanks a lot to Veena Guptaji for sending her experiences every week. Sai Baba gave me the opportunity to conduct Bhajans at my residence for the past four weeks and last Thursday was the last of the Thursdays of the century. I am glad that eventually the next bhajan is also in my house, which will be the first Thursday of the next century. I request Veena Guptaji to tell me about the SAI AMRITVANI. I read Sai chalisa, but I never read Sai Amritvani. I would like to know about the book/tape and title of the same so that I can purchase one copy. Have faith in Him and he will take care of you. It happened to me so many times.

My recent experience goes like this; I joined in a University course and some how I was not able to concentrate fully on the studies, since I was preoccupied with my job. I did well in the 1st mid term, the second mid term was very bad, and the final exam was still worse. I was always praying Sai Baba for at least a 'C' grade, so that I can get reimbursement of $1200 towards the tuition fee from my company. The final exam was over on 15 December and I started reading Sai Charitra on 23rd. Before I completed the Sai Charitra, on Monday I got letter from University and when I opened the letter I found the letter 'C' below the grade column and tears rolled out from eyes. I put the letter at Sai Baba's feet that night. Sai Baba does all wonders. I was praying Baba for freeing the hostages at Khandahar and the passengers were freed, which is an unmatched gift to the nation on the eve of New Year. Happy New Year.
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Sai Activities

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Millenium Mahotsav
By Saimaa foundation New Jersey is being held on Jan 9th 2000 from 4pm to 7pm followed by Mahaprasad.
All are welcome.
Venue: Clinton Manor Banquet Hall
2735 route 22 West
Union, NJ 07083 :Tel. 908 6867214

For more info contact: Saidarbar,
818 Columbia Ave.
North Bergen,
NJ 07631 :Tel 201-6011287 (Mr. Jagatbhai Patel)

"Sai Mahima" in Hindi, Veena Gupta, New Delhi, India I have learnt that a feature film `Sai Mahima` is being made in Telugu. I felt it necessary to inform the Sai devotees about the feature film being made in Hindi also. Radiant Entertainment Ltd. has launched a film `Shirdi Key Satguru Sai Baba` with the recording of 11 commandments of Sai Baba. The mahurat was on 28th Oct. 1999 at Line In Studio, Khar (W) Mumbai. Incidentally, the famous film `Shirdi Ke Sai Baba` of Manoj Kumar was also launched on the same site, 23 years ago. The film is being directed by Deepak Balraj Vij with music and story by Pandurang Dixit. Screenplay is by Vikas Kapoor, Editing is done by Kuldeep Man, Cameraman is Sanjay Malvankar and the Publicity is by H.M.Communication. The role of Sai Baba is being played by Sudhir Dalvi (Manoj Kumar’s Shirdi Ke Saibaba fame) and Aushim Khetrapal as a NRI crusader who spreads the message of Sai Baba. Two songs of the film have already been recorded and if all goes well, including the finance, the film is likely to be completed by April 2000. The film will have various special effects and would be on Digital Dolby. It is likely to be shot in locales in India and abroad. Although many films have been made on Baba, this is for the first time that the film is being made on International Platform. The film is going to be a gift to the mankind. Various papers in India have published articles/news about this film. The movie is likely to cover in it the recent Sai Miracles also, which have been collected from various sources. Any person desirous of contributing solid Sai experience or for any information may write to ashok@dgsd.delhi.nic.in with a copy to guptaji@cyberspace.org Sai devotees are also requested to pray for the successful completion of the film.
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Devotees Say

Sheena Bhatia, CA, USA
Dear Sai devotees, wish you all a very happy and a prosperous New Year. Let us pray that Sai Babaji blesses us all and always stays together as our friend with whom we can all share our feelings and talk our heart out. I love you Babaji. Never leave us. Please bless my sister Baba who is getting married soon.
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Question of the Week

"How does a Sai devotee see religions?"

Alphanso
"Is there any such force at all?" "If so, can anyone see Him?" and "Can there be proof to demonstrate that He definitely exists?" are some of the questions being raised frequently by some even now when seekers have clearly answered them before. While such persons continue to harbor the doubts, in sharp contrast are those who firmly believe in His presence and admit that He is supreme. Their faith follows the paths chalked out by men of wisdom and also the incidents narrated in the scriptural works. Theirs is not a blind belief but a conviction of sages, who had left elaborate versions of God's presence and would have nothing to lie for. There is one unseen power who wipes out the sorrows of anyone and that is God. He is ever ready to listen to our genuine prayers. What a God-centered person should plead is to grant him the moral strength to withstand the impacts, face the ordeals bravely, and be successful.

Religion plays the big role in uniting people, providing them peace, enabling them to cultivate discipline and developing character. A Godly man will not commit sins in privacy or in darkness because he is aware of the Supreme Force who witnesses his acts. God is our "leader and guide" and Baba gives that option to a devotee to choose his God. He says God is one. Each religion is a path by itself to reach the Almighty. Each is a different route or road to reach the ultimate goal. Baba was and is God incarnated and will be ever alive for He transcends both life and death, but each individual in any form he likes should experience His presence. Religion is only a mean to the end and not the end itself. With Baba’s assurances that "I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body", we can have the confidence that we will attain oneness with God Himself.

The mind has a tendency to imitate and in the company of the ungodly, one might be tempted to slide back into immorality, licentiousness, sensuality, vanity and pride. On the other hand, association with the spiritually inclined and Baba’s divine presence we tend to promote virtues, devotion and single-mindedness. Even the toughest devotee is bound to be wearied in his journey; he may take a wrong turn, faint on the way and is often in need of refreshment. Doubts and temptations can assail him. Companionship is vital on such occasions if the pilgrim is to be revived, renewed and inspired to continue his onward journey and satsang (fellowship) with the like minded plays that vital role.

Psychologists maintain that it is preferable for everyone to have a close confidant in whom he/she could confide the deepest secrets, trials, hopes and fears in the interest of emotional and mental health. Take out a piece of red-hot coal from a burning oven and keep it separate for a while. It will gradually lose its heat and luster. Likewise a devotee too can grow cold if he remains isolated from the mainstream of faith and hence the significance of religion, devotion and fellowship. The positive aspect of interaction (be it in the temple or even the Sai Vichaar), is that it offers to us opportunities to spur one another to noble living and good works according to the convictions of a common faith. In the striving for fellowship with God is implied a horizontal relationship with His children, whatsoever the difference in faith and beliefs may be. May our Beloved Lord Sai give us the insight to tolerate and respect all religions even if there be a display of religious fanaticism by a few.

"How does a Sai devotee discuss religion vs. spirituality?"

Robert Kirk, New York NY, USA MoonSwan@aol.com
In 1950, I was born to a Jewish mother and a Catholic father. They decided that I would learn both religions, and when the time was ripe, I would choose my own path. To me, religion was simply another school that taught me stuff, and by the age of nine years, I already received the initiations from the Catholic church, usually only granted to children several years older than I. I remembered my Jewish grandfather's words,"You cannot find God in a temple or a church, unless you first find Him in your heart, and in your home." I never again entered a temple of worship during my childhood years, and instead, followed my grandfather's advice, and learned meditation and prayer. My grandfather opened the threshold to my spiritual evolution. By the time I was twenty years old, after an unsuccessful spiritual quest to India, I noticed, and purchased a book by Arthur Osborne about Sai Baba of Shirdi. I remember finishing the book, as I lay in bed in New York, wishing that I had the opportunity to meet someone like Sainath; but, feeling that it was not very likely. In 1974, I had a vision of a most celestial goddess seated upon a large boulder. When she asked why I was not with my Guru, I answered, "Because I am afraid of him." At this time, she handed me a telephone number, and told me that I will meet him tomorrow. I awoke, remembered the dream vision, and called the telephone number. The next day, on Diwali holiday, I privately met Swami Muktananda, a disciple of Bhagavan Nityananda, and an ardent devotee of Sai Baba of Shirdi. He told me, "I am very pleased with you. This is your place to rest." In 1976, while on the darshan line in Ganeshpuri, India, Swami Muktananda told me, "Go to Shirdi! The Father lives there. I told you this before. Write it down this time!" After my heart was jolted while reading the Sai Satcharita during the day in the ashram library, I departed to Shirdi, traveling inland during the night in a foreign land. In Shirdi, I met Shivanesan Swami who instructed me to enter Sainath's temple. Upon entering, I came face to face with God, and reached the fulfillment of my quest, uniting my inner spirituality and outer religion. Shortly before Muktananda's passing, he called me to him, and spoke these words, "Only Sai, only Sai, only Sai." Muktananda and Shivanesan are my parents. Bhagavan Nityananda is my grandfather. Sainath is my religion and my spirituality.

Krishna Alluri
Jai Sai Ram! Let us first pray and seek fellow devotees to join in praying for the welfare of all!

A number of Sai devotees have expressed their views related to this topic though may not have done so exactly in response to this particular question. Sai is unique and very different from Gurus or spiritual leaders. While most, if not all identify themselves with one or other religion, Sai remained Himself neutral to Hindu and Muslim religions. Thus many followers of Hindu and Muslim religions are devotees of Sai. Sai believed that sectarianism is the greatest bar to our spiritual progress. He was unaffected by either praise or disrespect towards Him. Sai treated the rich and poor, small and the great, those of any caste or creed, healthy or leper (Bhagoji Shinde) or any nationality (Captain Hate) equally. Also, Sai encouraged devotees to maintain their devotion to God of a form of their choice. So, as we have seen from messages to this forum, many from various different religions feel at ease to respect Sai Baba. Among various lessons that we, Sai devotees could learn from Sai Satcharita, it appears that we need to recognize the importance of:
- Saburi and Shradha in Guru or God
- The need to grind or control our impulses, desires, sins and ego
- Constantly remembering the Name and the Feet of Guru or God (Sai)
- Maintaining humility and being egoless
- Love, forgiveness, calmness, disinterestedness, charity, benevolence, control of mind and body
- Seeing Divinity and God in all living and non-living beings
- 'Da' (Dama, Dana, and Daya) - self-control, charity (Particularly, annadana) and compassion
- having control over weakness for women and wealth
- Viveka (discrimination between Real and Unreal) and Vairagya (non-attachment for Unreal)
- Udi that teaches discrimination and dakshina that teaches us non-attachment
- As God pervades in everything, whatever happens, it is divinely ordained and it is hence good for us
- Practicing different (9) forms of Bhakti or devotion
- Never to speak ill of others
- Not to run into debt and never to fast for attaining self-realization
- Body and soul are different
- Soul, God and the world are one
- Barring our name and form, there exists in all beings, a sense of Being or God (Sai) Consciousness
- He that endures suffering pleases Sai most
- Remembering and chanting Hari's and Guru's name confers salvation
- What (whether good or bad) is ours, is with us, and what is another's is with them
- One has to reap what one sows
- Completely surrendering and praising the Sadguru silently is the best way to meditate on Him
- We should not assume the sense of doership in doing either good or bad deeds, but should be entirely prideless and egoless in all things and dedicate our actions to God (Sai)

From the list of above, which is not complete, we as Sai devotees get a feel for how we should view religion and spirituality. In a nutshell, let us have the wisdom of focusing on spirituality - not religion. Devotees like Raghu Vissamraju sees Sai in Jesus, and his wife sees Jesus in Sai. Our family situation is also similar. How wonderful is Sai! Jai Sai Ram!
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Prayer Club

Sangeeta Rao, USA
I am a Sai devotee and would like to share my experiences. I am also going through a rough phase in my life, I am 7 months pregnant and my husband is looking for a job I would like to join the prayer club. My husband's interview is on the 10th of January 2000. All our hopes for the future and our child depend upon this job. I request Sai Devotees to please pray for us. I have been a Sai Devotee for the past 20years and have experienced many miracles. I am now settled in the US and I miss my Baba. We used to visit Shirdi very often, my father still visits Shirdi every month.

A Sai Devotee
I request all Sai's Devotee to Pray for my sister and her family. I cant write in details about her problems, but then I can't describe how sad I feel in my heart either. I would like all of you to please close your eyes for 5 seconds and Pray to Sai for my sister's happiness. Thank you very much for your time.
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