|
Sai Vichaar 1.Feature of the Week: The Kitten and the Baby Monkey 2.Devotees Say 3.Prayer Club 4.Sai Activities 5.Devotee's Experiences 6.Question of the Week 7.From the Editor's Keyboard 8.Subscribe to Sai Vichaar 9.Disclaimer From the Editor's Keyboard... Sai Vichaar and Shirdi Sai Baba web site organization wishes all a Happy Ugadi and a prosperous year ahead. Please note that the location of Ram Navmi celebrations by Sai Maa Foundation (USA) Inc, is Clinton Manor Banquet Hall in Union New Jersey, and NOT Sai Darbar as published in Sai Vichaar last week. Sai Vichaar regrets the inadvertent error. Please refer to Sai Activities section for more details on the program by Sai Maa Foundation Inc. as well as Sai Samsthan USA regarding various Sai Activities. As Rama Navami approaches, its time for every Sai devotee to remember with love and devotion the way Sainath arranged both Rama Navami and Urs to be celebrated at the same time. The profound message Sainath wanted to give to His children is hidden in this incident. Baba had His unique way of imparting spiritual experiences to His devotees, some clear, some quizzical. However, it came without any mincing of words from the Saint God of Shirdi that all religions are one and Hindu and Muslim reflect the same divine light. He further stressed the importance of universal brotherhood, love and peace for all. What has happened during the decades since then is open for all to see. Ruminating on those important aspects of religion, society, and living, let us as Sai devotees reflect for a moment the current state of happenings in this regard. Let us ask ourselves, the question for this week, "What could a Sai devotee do to reflect Sainath’s teachings on religious harmony? Humbly yours, The Editor
Disclaimer Sai Vichaar is devoted to the philosophy and teachings of Shri Sadguru Sai Baba of Shirdi, and will take every measure to avoid topics or themes contradicting the same. Sai Vichaar team or the Shirdi Sai Baba web site organization is not responsible for the opinions expressed by individual contributors.
|
Feature of the Week: The Kitten and the Baby Monkey There are two interesting species that care for their young in different ways. One is the cat and the other the monkey. The kittens don’t move by themselves even an inch. It just goes on meowing and it is the mother cat, who with gentle love and affection lifts the kitten by holding its neck with its teeth (not hurting it at all) and goes from place to place and deposits the kitten wherever it wants. The monkey presents an interesting contrast. The baby monkey holds firm to the underside of the belly of its mother and the mother moves from place to place sometimes even jumping from branch to branch of trees at great height. The baby monkey just holds firm its mother and doesn't let go even when the mother jumps at great heights from tree branch to tree branch. Even if the baby is bruised in the process, it doesn't let go since instinct tells it that death is certain if it relaxes its grip. Thus in both cases, the mother carries the baby. But what a contrast? In the case of the monkey, it is the baby, which is responsible for holding on. In the case of the kitten it is the mother cat which takes the responsibility to hold its baby. These two are usually used as illustrations to represent the relationship between the devotee and the God. (In Sanskrit, they are known as Marjala Kishora Nyaya and Markata Kishora Nyaya). In the case of the devotee who is not fully free of ego, it is his responsibility to hold on to his Ishta Devata in spite of any troubles (which are to test his steadfast devotion). But once he makes contact with his God and starts getting benefit, and his ego dissolves, the devotee becomes like a kitten and it now becomes the responsibility of God like the mother cat to take care of the devotee. Thus while both the baby monkey and the kitten are good models for devotees to follow, the kitten represents the true Saranagati, i.e. a devotee who has totally surrendered himself to God. So let us all become kittens or if that much change is difficult, let us start by being baby monkeys and hold on firmly to God. Om Sai Sri Sai Jai Jai Sai. (A Contribution by Sai devotee S.V. Swamy, Hyderabad, India)
Roselene, Redwood Shores, CA, USA
A Sai devotee
Manjunath Reddi
A Sai devotee
Anupama Padmaraju
Sai Samsthan USA, Warrenville, IL, Sri Rama Navami, April 12, 2000
SHRI SHIRDI SAI BABAMANDIR 2nd Anniversary Celebrations, April 29-30 2000
April 30,Sunday,Monthly Puja
For more information Contact:
Sai Maa Foundation (USA) Inc. celebrates Sri Ram Navmi at Clinton Manor Banquet Hall, 2735 Route 22 West, Union, NJ 07083 Phone: 908-686-7214.
For more information please contact
MRK, Phoenix, AZ, USA
How does a Sai devotee define patience? Alphanso D’Souza To develop a photograph, the film must first be taken into a darkroom. It is only after the chemicals have done their work in the dark is it safe to expose the negatives to the light and produce that final print. The light, which would have destroyed the film, now brings out its beauty. Sai Baba takes us through the "darkroom" experiences to develop our spiritual character. As we pass through trial, sorrow, frustration and disappointment His image can be produced in and through us. Then we are ready to be displayed in the light. Too often we blame our past karma, people, or circumstances for our darkroom tunnels of despair or frustration. Although they may be a secondary cause, we need to realize that His hand momentarily shades the light from our pathway. He graciously takes us through such experiences because He wants to provide us with the benefits of even the "darkness" for Baba assures us "If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it". In effect Sai is saying - Do what’s right and have faith in me. Have the PATIENCE and ASSURANCE regardless of how badly you may seem to be losing, just do my will and leave the outcome to me and I will make sure that eventually you will be the winner. So when we go through the "darkroom" experience we must remember not to get back in the light too soon for His timing is never too far away. He is always active and vigorously working in each of our lives to imprint His love and affection on the film of our lives so that WE BECOME ONE WITH HIM. We can look at the circumstances of our life and live in misery or we can look to our Lord and the hope He gives and find ourselves continually encouraged. We can look to the future and the Lord’s plan for us. See the end, and not the trials of the journey. See where the Lord is taking us, and keep our mind focused on that, and not on the disappointments or hardships we have for that will only make the journey longer. We must have the confidence of Baba’s presence and power and trust Him in these darkest hours. If we have this PATIENCE, we will see Sai Baba fulfilling all our desires. There’s never a moment you can’t ask Sai for help and there is no trial you need to go through without His assistance. Once you have placed your faith in Him, you can confidently say, "He is always there for me. His blessing and guiding shall follow me for I have surrendered myself to Him and laid it all at His divine feet". All what He asks of us is Faith and Patience! "Lord Sai, the assurance that you shall ever protect me though you are no more in flesh and blood is all so good, -- why should I ever be in doubt? But yet, LORD SAI, the truth is that I am often afraid. I confess it. All the weight of your assurances seems sometimes to be only a feather, and the weight of my fears like lead. Reverse that, Lord, I pray. Give me the healthy faith and confidence that will make light of all my anxiety, for walking in holy, revered fear, trusting you with my future is attaining absolute Self-realization itself, knowing that you cannot turn away anyone who has sought refuge in you. I BOW TO YOU MY LORD SAI with my entire mind, body and soul.
|
© 1996-1998 by Shirdi Sai Baba web site Organization, all rights reserved.
