Feature of the Week: Sai Apostle - Late Sri Sangamesan

Chennai-earlier Madras-was and is a center of industrial activity, apart from being the capitol of southern state Tamilnadu. In addition to producing wealth, Chennai is equally a fulcrum for spirituality and music. A frail thin short black skinned accountant was one of those who inspired every one with his utter devotion and surrender to Shirdi Saibaba. His name is Shri U.Sangamesam. He weighed about eighty-five pounds and worked as a Junior Accountant for "The Hindu", one of the well-known Newspapers of India. When I first knew him, he was staying in a small garage type of room, two houses from Sri Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, former President of India and great philosopher. His neighbor, my classmate and friend Sri Bommakanti Subbarao introduced me to him. He lived in that small room with his wife and two children, half is dedicated to the sanctum sanctorum- Shirdi Sai Baba's puja room. The moment he woke up till he went to his office and from time he came home and slept, he spent his time in doing puja of Baba and also help any devotees who came to him with tales of suffering and distress. Not a cent was collected even for puja material apart his accepting any money though he was quite poor.

A Sai devotee shares his experience with Sri Sangamesan that happened several years ago, "My eldest son got a seat in I.I.T.Madras and at the same time, it came about in an X-ray that he had aortic valve leakage. The head of Cardiology in Royapettah hospital told my wife and me that he has only a few more months to live. We were completely down with utmost worry and anxiety. At that stage, I met Sri Sangamesan. He immediately gave us all sympathy and went on doing puja to Shirdi Sai by doing Sahasranamam and told me after meditating some time that Baba told him that there need be no worry and every thing will be okay. Every time any body went ,he did the same. In his meditation, Baba used to give him messages, which would appear to him, and he will note them down and tell us when we visit. We used to visit regularly and he used to give all other devotees and us messages of Baba. Till his death, he did this seva (service) to others. Later he built his house near Vijaya hospital and stayed ,but never failed to help other devotees, in their problems. At one time he told us that we need not worry about our dying later and my son will look after our deaths. I may mention that my son with Baba's blessings, is quite fine in health and is now a vice-president of a big company in U.S.A. and looking after his parents’ welfare as predicted by Sri Sangamesam. May such devotees doing unselfish seva flourish".

(Contribution by Sai devotee MRK, Phoenix, AZ, USA)
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Devotees Say

Arun P Talpade
Through the columns of your esteemed Sai Vichaar, I wish to humbly draw Sai Devotees' attention to my webpage at the following URL where on the occasion of the Ramnavmi I have added a new attraction: PICTORIAL LIFESTORY of Shree Sai Baba. I have tried to unfold the story in pictures with brief narrative. Some of the pictures may not be suitable to the narrative point but then I could not lay my hands on such relevant pictures in all cases. For instance, in case of various miracles and cures,there were no pictures to illustrate them graphically. I would also have liked to put some animation into the pictures but I am not a professional and do not have the equipment to do such tricks. It is hoped Sai Devotees would like my humble attempt and let me have feedback for improvement. URL of Webpage http://www.geocities.com/neetarun

A Sai devotee, Australia
This is in response to the SAI Devotee who expressed a question in the April 5th Sai Vichaar. In the past I had a similar dilemma and question and it was answered instantly. I have been unhappy in my last job and was desperate to get out. I was suffering from physical and mental stress. Last December a new job opportunity with more money opened up and every sign seem to suggest that there were Baba's blessings on it as I met a new recruitment agent on Thursday and somehow all my interviews happened on Thursday I felt that Baba had blessed me. Well for some reason the whole thing dragged on for months and finally I didn't get the job I was really confused and wondered why Baba was playing games with me. I was so desperately unhappy that I decided to resign my job and go on a short holiday with my mother to the USA and UK to clear my mind. We set our itinerary and set the dates for our return exactly four weeks. Suddenly a question arose in my mind and I felt that maybe we should extend our trip as were travelling all the way to the states and UK and God knows whether I would get the opportunity to travel again. My mother however was hesitant so she decided to ask Baba (cast chits) the no response came up. I started doubting him again and wondered whether it was prudent to finalize our itinerary by casting chits but because the NO response had come up I could not disobey it and I thought perhaps I should cast the chits it was unbelievable but the same response came up for me. I was stubborn and decided to ask Baba if he would mind if I delayed my trip by a two days and he said yes. I tried re-booking my trip but funnily enough all planes were full! Anyway I reconciled to it and went on my trip and when I came back I had the one grudge against Baba. Oh Baba why play with your devotees I have nothing for me here I am unemployed and to me the future looked bleak at least you should have let me enjoy my holiday. I arrived back on the 29th which was a Friday the weekend passed on Tuesday (2nd of April) I got a call from the office of the same recruitment agent (who I came into contact with last December on a Thursday) the job he outlined seemed fantastic too good to be true. Suddenly I found myself attending three interviews within one week and I got the job offered to me. Then I understood why Baba had insisted that I come back. You see last year I had interpreted the signs that Baba had been behind the job, which he had been. The fact that I hadn't gotten it meant nothing; that was just a experience (it was a medium I was meant to actually make acquaintance with a new recruitment agent) who would ultimately provide me with a better job and all after I took a holiday to help my relieve my stress. So I fully agree we must have faith and patience in Baba his ways are strange and sometimes the intellect tries to understand and even argue oh Baba why is this happening. But if we pray to him and repose our trust to him he will always protect us regardless of whether we deserve it or not. OH Baba I only pray that you give us the strength and knowledge and forgive us when we doubt your ways. SAI RAM SAI DEVOTEE, AUSTRALIA

Saieesha
Sairam to everyone. Can anyone please tell me the significance of BABA coming in our dreams? It is a very nice experience but till now I could not figure it out.

Gopikrishna Paritala, New Delhi, India
With a hope that you all understand Hindi, I am sending this article. It was an excellent piece and a promise from God that be like so and so, I will do for you so and so. In a way, it asks us to be a good human beings and slowly graduate to god-hood. Let us try.

Bhagavan Ki Pratijna
Sri Giri Ma, Kailash Ashram, Rohtak, India
Mere maarg par pair rakhkar tho dekh there sab maarg na khol doon tho kahnaa
Mere liye kharch karke tho dekh kuber ke bhandaar na khol doon tho kahnaa
Mere liye kadve vachan sunkar tho dekh kripaa na barse tho kahnaa
Meri tharaf aake tho dekh theraa dhyaan na rakhoon tho kahnaa

Meri baathain logon se karke tho dekh thujhe moolyavaan na banaa doon tho kahnaa.
Mere charithron kaa manan karke tho dekh jnaan ke mothi thujhe na bhar doon tho kahnaa
Mujhe apnaa madadgaar banaa ke tho dekh thumhe sabkee julamee se na chchoodaa doon tho kahnaa
Mere liye aansoo bahaa ke tho dekh there jeevan main aanand ke saagar na bahaa doon tho kahnaa

Mere liye kuch ban ke tho dekh thujhe keemthee na banaa doon tho kahnaa
Mere maarg par nikal ke tho dekh thujhe shanthidooth na banaa doon tho kahnaa
Swayam ko nyachchaavar karke tho dekh thujhjhe mashhoor na karaa doon tho kahnaa
Meraa keerthan kar ke tho dekh jagath kaa vismaran na karaa doon tho kahnaa
Thoo meraa ban ke tho dekh har ek ko theraa na banaa doon tho kahnaa.
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Prayer Club

Mala Rajendran
To all sai devotees.I am married for past 1 yr and 5 months and want to have a baby. I have all faith in My Father Baba. I request all the sai devotees to pray to baba to bless us with a child. He can do miracles and He is the one who makes the things happen. Baba I know that you will never let your children go empty handed, Baba pls bless me and always be with me, also help me get the right job and get through the interview which I am going to attend today.

Randy Kemp
I am a devotee of Sai Baba and need prayer for work. The full circumstances are explained below. I need to clarify my work situation. In the twenty years I have worked as a regular employee and consultant, I have gotten outstanding reviews. When I was laid off in 1999, I was an independent consultant and thousands of their own employees were laid off also. When I took a network job, it was completely different then anything I ever done. I was one of three: one mainframe, one Unix and I was supposed to be the person living in both worlds. I learned the Unix part well and my consulting boss is very happy with me. He was also asked to leave. The training program provided at the new and at the old company is night and day difference. My old company has a real training program. If all the job duties are not spelled out and the current staff does not want to field questions, then am I entirely to blame? Even the new manager has respect for my technical skills. The problem I run into is that no one wants to hire those with just mainframe skills and I am too light in the new areas. As far as spiritual areas go, I am friends with medicine men and women and participate in their ceremonies. I am also friends with various Hindu saints. I have also come a long way. I went from years of psychosis and physical ailments, living with a dysfunctional family, to where I am now. Please pray for me.

Sumandria, Indonesia
I am an Indonesian Chinese male. My name is Sumandria and I am 29 years old. Right now I am suffering through a very bad illness which I believe is because I have been attacked by people using black magic. Sounds incredible but it's true. I went to a witch doctor / paranormal and they told me that I have been attacked by people with using black magic. Also, from the top of my finger they took out three pieces of needles. People who attacked me by using black magic, were even brave enough to let me know that they want to use me in their experiment.

One day, I read in a newspaper that LORD SAINATH (SAI BABA) is a spiritual teacher from India and he posses a very high curative power. He had saved many people from suffering / illness. No matter what is your disease, he will be able to eliminate it and help you to get your healthy back again. I also heard all about the LORD SAINATH ( SAI BABA ) from my friends. And I found your message in the SAI VICHAAR weekly newsletter which I receive every week.

I would like to request to all of the SAI DEVOTEES to pray for me. Please pray for my speedy recovery. Please pray for me and all of my family to overcome our financial difficulties and debts we are suffering. Please pray for me that I can succeed in my business venture. Please also pray for the speedy recovery of my oldest sister living in North Sumatra and who is presently suffering from Hepatitis.
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Sai Activities

Sai Darbar, Hyderabad, India
SAI IN ANNADANAM-7.
Reported for http://www.saidarbar.com by Srinivasa Rao Kasturi, Hyderabad India.
Date: 14/4/2000. Time: 17:00 Hrs (IST) Venue: Sri Venkateshwara swami temple, Old Alwal, Secunderabad, AP, INDIA. The seventh one in the series was also organized in connection with Sri Ramanavami festival in Co-ordination with Sri Sitarama Samkirtana Samaj in Old Alwal Temple of Lord Sri Venkateshwara Swami. Volunteers from Both participants have worked together and made it a success due to the blessings of Sai and divine grace of the almighty. It was around 18:00 Hrs. Poor people numbering about 400 assembled at the temple and had their food in the temple premises. The happiness and expressions in their faces reminded Sainath's saying which goes as "annam parabrahma swaroopam". Saibanisa GOPALA RAO RAVADA has lectured on the occasion about Sai's greatness and importance of his preaching. Our memories were drawn back to the bygone days during which Sai himself organized community dinners on the festive day of Srirama navami. Saidarbar team prays Lord Sainath to bless all those Sai devotees who have come forward with their financial contributions - Suvarna Thota, Narasimha Rao Kota, Suresh, Narasimha Rao Bolisetty from USA.

Sai Samsthan USA
April 29th & 30th
2nd Anniversary Celebration with 24 Hrs Akhand Sai Naam Japam
Sai Samsthan USA, Warrenville IL 60055
Phone 630-653-4444
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Question of the Week

"Which anecdote of Sai do you like most? Why?"

Robert Kirk
Like all Sai bhaktas, I also consider this a difficult question, because the wealth of anecdotes of our Guruji is as abundant as a healthy mango tree ready for harvest; however when I first read the question of the week in Sai Vichaar, my mind immediately focused upon one theme. I believe that the reason my mind rested there is because of the awesome Grace it takes to lift the sufferings and pain of a human being into oneself, and heal their miseries.

I am a firm believer in miracles, and watch it take form constantly in nature. I am somewhat skeptic when miracles that could be explained by the natural Graces are attributed to religious personages, and I get jittery when I hear or listen to stories gushing with devotion, even though I know that these personages are nothing but the mind's embodiment of the Formless Creator. I humbly bow my head with the understanding that God with Form and God in its Formless attribute are the flip sides of the same coin of Hinduism, and it is from this approach that I relate the following story of a evening in the life of the Supreme Avatar Spirit, Sainath of Shirdi.

I believe this story originally comes from the writings of Hemadpant; however, I will tell it as it is written in a manuscript I composed in the private chambers of my Guru, who was a staunch devotee of Sai Baba of Shirdi.
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The Master was very concerned about everyone's well being. If someone became ill and had no one to care for them, Baba visited their home and tenderly nursed them. Sri Sai suffered great pains in order to benefit those who took refuge in Him.
Mrs. Khaparde of Amraoti came to Shirdi with her young son, Balwant. During their stay, her boy contracted a high fever, which developed into bubonic plague. She became terribly frightened.
Not knowing what to do, she approached Baba while he was taking his evening walk. Trembling, she told him how her son contracted the plague. Sai looked deep into her eyes and soothed her with his sweet voice.
"The sky is filled with clouds, but they will melt and pass away. After awhile, the sky will become clear.", Baba assured her. Then Sri Sai lifted up his kafni (robe) and revealed four huge fully developed plague abscesses along the inner side of his thigh. As His devotees stared with wonderment, they noticed clouds forming in His eyes. Tenderly, the merciful Master spoke, "See how I suffer for my children. Their difficulties are mine." The hearts of Baba's devotees melted. Some days passed. The child recovered completely. copyright 1980: reprinted by the author for Sai Vichaar.

In my mind, this is not the result of the Graces of nature. This is a miracle of God's direct intervention through the Lord of Shirdi. Could you imagine the horror Mrs. Khaparde felt as she brought her plight to the merciful Lord strolling along the paths? Even today, devotees bring their burdens to Sainath and he heals them; but remember, see Sai in all beings and also seek His help in qualified physicians who are the embodiment of Sai as well. Do not allow your body to suffer any longer than He deems necessary. Love the Master with all your heart in the same way He loves you. Aum SaiRam!
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