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Sai Vichaar 01.Feature of the Week: Only a few remain 02.Devotees Say 03.Prayer Club 04.Sai Activities 05.Experiences of Devotees 06.Question of the Week 07.From the Editor's Keyboard 08.Submit your article to Sai Vichaar 09.Subscribe to Sai Vichaar 10.Disclaimer From the Editor's Keyboard... Sai Vichaar wishes its readers and devotees a Special Thursday. Today is the beginning of the third year on the web for Sai Vichaar. A day of celebration of His love and glory. It would not be possible without Sainath's grace and the support of readers and devotees across the globe. The increasing number of mail from devotees and the ongoing changes to the material submission process to Sai Vichaar has caused slight delays in publishing your contributions. Please bear with us, as everything will be sorted out very shortly. Mean while, we request all contributors to use the contribution submission page for submitting the articles to Sai Vichaar. The contributors are required to provide an author ID and use it to access the contribution page. Using this means is extremely important and will greatly improve the efficiency of handling devotees' mail. Sai Vichaar humbly requests the cooperation of all readers and devotees in this matter in helping to expedite the processing of Sai Vichaar. The "Question of the week" for this week is, "How are Satsangs useful in one's spiritual pursuits?" 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.
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Feature of the Week: Only a few remain Damu Anna had a question in mind. There are so many crowding to Sai Baba. Do they all get benefit from Him?. Baba replied lovingly, " Look at the mango tree in blossom. If all the flowers brought fruit, what a splendid crop it would be. But, do they? Most fall off either as flowers or unripe fruits. Very few remain. Yes, only a very few remain. It is said that resorting to Guru is a big fortune. Those who are at least to a little extent drawn towards Guru must consider themselves very fortunate. However, spirituality when viewed as a pursuit of intangible rewards renders the material minded to yield to the gravity of the mundane riches. If Sai Baba is seen as only a source that does miracles and will help in crisis, the very foundation of spirituality is rattled. Understanding the karmic cycle and its effects on our lives must be an important aspect of spiritual growth. A true yearning must in fact make one realize that this cycle affects only the physical being and the soul is untouched by Karma. Baba said, "the body may disease, but the soul has to be kept clean". Even for those, who completely realize the above truth, the realization evades in the ups and falls of the real world, a myth. Is saadhana (spiritual pursuit) difficult? Perhaps not, if one realizes the natural tendency of the physical self and its orientation towards the sensual. Last week's focus was as a matter of fact, on those everyday monsters and everyone's monsters. Saadhana may not be that difficult if we realize what makes the most of the blossom wither away. Saadhana may not be that difficult if the taste of its fruits is felt, even remotely. Saadhana may not be that difficult if the loving Guru takes ten steps towards us, if we take a step towards Him. Our heads may be turned away now, but let our feet lead the way. Let us be the very few that remain.
Kishore Asthana, Muscat, Oman
Arun P Talpade
Ravin Gnanasambandam Mala Modgill, UAE A Sai devotee Kamal Hingorani, Vancouver, Canada Raj Nagarajan, Ithaca, NY, USA A.S. Vijayaraghavan, Chennai, India Sai Kiran Sri Dattatreya Sai Ashram Bhubaneshwar, Orissa, India Baba Prayer Center, Chennai, India Sai Darbar, Sai in Annadanam - 11 SHRI SAI SAMITI , NOIDA :
(a) Free medical aid to the poor by experienced doctors including diagnostic laboratory services. (b) Primary education to children from poor families that can not afford school costs. (c) Poor feeding. (d) Distress relief during natural calamities. (e) Free library and reading-room facility We invite global participation by Sai Devotees to make 'Sai Sansthan' at NOIDA achieve the goals. Financial donations will greatly help the sustenance and expansion of the above social programs.
Life Membership at Shri Sai Samithi NOIDA requires US $120 or an equivalent of Rs. 5100. Please send Checks/Bank drafts payable at New Delhi, made out to SHRI SAI SAMITI NOIDA.
Bindiya, USA On Friday, May 19 I had a dream. I saw an evil voodoo doll, something like you see in African black magic, in a store I was shopping at. As soon as I tried to get closer, it turned its ugly head and with a twisted smile threw me across the room. After a couple of electric shocks, I walked out scared and worried. Suddenly out of nowhere, I had Baba's moorti, a pure white Marble moorti in my hand. I drew strength from it and walked back into the store. This time I was scared as well, but nothing happened, then I knew Baba was shielding me, protecting me against all harm. I got up in sweat. I had been pretty tensed due to my son's admission in a good school. We are Sikhs. I wanted a school in which my son's turban will be totally accepted and he would not be subjected to any kind of teasing. But being in America, it seemed impossible. Already the subtle discrimination against him was getting to me. After a fruitless search for a year, we finally decided to cut his hair. I was desperate. No school yet selected and admissions to all schools were almost closing. We called lots of friends and relatives both clean-shaven and proper Sikhs. But the more we thought of difficulties in future, the stronger our determination became to save our beloved child from everything. Meanwhile things started going downhill, as soon as we decided that. I prayed, pleaded, asked Baba to show me the right way. Time was whizzing by. Still he was on a waiting list for a good private school, which was our first choice. My husband started facing trouble in his business. I lost my sleep at night. I kept awake till 3-4 at night trying to find a way out. Doing continuous Naamsmaran. Remembering Baba, deliberately trying to keep awake because I wanted to remember Baba. Doing that till I finally collapsed into exhausted sleep. Anyone who has a child will know how stressful it is to find the right school for your kid. And then I had this dream to worry about. On Saturday, I completed my Satcharita parayan, I was reading a chapter daily. Made Prasad, lay my head on his Moorti and cried. Cried for my son, for my husband, for my troubled sister, for Darshan's father, for Satyabhamaji's relative. On that very day I saw his photo on Zee TV which we get through satellite. I knew then he was listening. On Sunday when we had decided to take him to a Barber. Just before we were supposed to leave, I received a call from one of my friends. When they realized our intent, they immediately stopped us and told us that it was against our religion. I questioned back, what has hair got to do with religion? They had no logical answer. Just that it was rules, which I had to follow. The argument went back and forth for two hours. Suddenly in the middle of argument a light flashed in my mind. Rules... the word stuck. Why follow them if they make no sense? Something he said made me think. Totally shaken, I sat down. Baba has asked for unconditional faith. Total surrender. And what was I doing? Questioning him? I shook in horror. Baba has chosen this religion for me for a reason. Who am I to question its rules? If I do that, indirectly I would be questioning Baba. And that to me was even more blasphemous than my religion. He could have made life easier for me. Given me a religion in which none would have objected to his worship. Given me an easier choice for my son. He didn't. Instead I had to deal with opposition from in-laws, American atmosphere and a bad luck which was no fault of ours. In Satcharita, Baba scolds a man for changing his Father...his religion. Rules that don't make sense to me, are there, given by my Sai for a reason. And instead of surrendering to His will, I was doing the opposite. Totally wrung out, I went into my pooja room. There next to Guru Granth Sahib, lay Satcharita. Opened the book at random, and the story about the lost coin came up. The son got a new coin from Baba whom his mother told to worship with rituals as followed by ancestors. There and then I decided to keep his hair. And face the world. The phone rang again. My sister calling to say her situation has suddenly improved, she doesn't know what happened but suddenly it was much better. Next day my son sat for an entrance test to another school. He cleared that even though the test was tough, to say the least. As I was coming back I decided to say hello to a teacher in the school where he was on waiting list. I dropped in the office and they told me that a student had dropped out ten minutes ago. And I had the seat if I wanted it. Here I was deciding between two schools when yesterday, I wasn't even sure that he will get in even one! My husband comes back from work and says that the client is reconsidering, so things might just work out! It was as if Baba was showering me love from all sides. I feel totally empty, at peace right now after the emotional roller coaster I have been through. I have selected the school in which I know he will be respected . By the way, right now I am in the middle of the Saptah Parayan of Satcharita, which I started after the horrific dream I had on Friday. So here is to my Baba, may I pass all his tests. May he trample my ego and teach me total surrender again and again, till I get it. D. Sankaraiah, Hyderabad, India, sainama@yahoo.com Shri Keshav Ramachandra Pradhan, a native of Bhivapuri road near Mumbai was a noted atheist. Sai Maharaj in his own mysterious way pulled him to Shirdi and turned into a staunch believer as narrated below. He was pulled to Shirdi through his friend who was a regular visitor to Shirdi. Pradhan also used to go to Manmad, Kopergaon on official work. Once he had agreed to accompany his friend to Shirdi on that condition that he should not be forced to see Baba. They rented a room. Pradhan stayed back. At 12'0 clock noon Arati bells began to ring. This sound had magnetic effect on Pradhan by dragging him towards Dwarakamai. Pradhan went into trance after stepping into the place. After Arati all left except Pradhan. Baba called him near and asked for dakshina. He had an amount of rupees two thousand and five hundred rupees including money collected on behalf of his employer. In that trance he gave entire amount. He was at a loss as to do what after coming to normalcy from trance. He was short of cash for going to Bombay except a gold ring. He engaged a Tonga and gave gold ring for sale. A tall suited gentleman who observed this not only paid Tonga fare but also purchased ticket for Bombay. (Dear Readers who could be the gentleman?) On his return to Bhivanipuri he sent a letter to his employer stating he was unwell. The employer replied that he could attend the office later as he received double the amount. This news made the 'atheist' in Pradhan to disappear. The tiny seed of devotion sown at Shirdi has sprouted. Pradhan prayed "Oh! Baba I am a sinner. So far I remained away from you and did not yield to the request of my friend to come to your lotus feet but you have now favored me by your grace and I am sure all my sins must have now been wiped out." In one of Pradhan's visits to Shirdi in 1916 Baba handing him over a replica of himself said, "Go back to Bhivapuri, build a temple and place this replica there. Start all the functions there and do not come here." (Beloved readers this reveals that Baba had approved construction of temple for him. His replica is as powerful as himself and celebration of all functions also was approved by Baba. I feel it was the first Sai Mandir built during Baba's physical presence at Shirdi- If not, please enlighten us on this point) He did not comply with Baba's instructions and went to Shirdi. Baba questioned "when I have come to your house why have you come here? Bhivapuri is your Shirdi now? (Readers! Shirdi is the place wherever Baba rests. Baba rests where there is full devotion. It is confirmed Baba's dictum those who think I am at Shirdi have not understood me). This remark of Babaji awakened Pradhan a temple amidst good natural surroundings was built. Not only Pradhan but also his guests felt the presence of Baba in the mandir. People heard opening of the doors at 12 midnight and closing of the doors at 3 am. Pradhan built a beautiful shrine room, a spacious hall, a wide verandah and a guesthouse. Sai-intoxicated soul in Pradhan left this earth in 1939 leaving the responsibilities of upkeep of mandir to his sons, son-in-law. On account of heavy inflow of devotees it was planned for further expansion. The work was held up in the middle for want of funds. Sri Narayana Purohit resorted to the feet of Sai Baba through parayana of Sri Satcharita. After four days Saibaba appeared in the dream of Pradhan and asked, "Where is my dhuni? If there is no dhuni how can this be Shirdi? How will the temple be completed?" As this dream was repeated Sri Purohit informed the trustees who had erected dhuni which was inaugurated by the grand son of Shri Dhabolkar on 7-04-1949. Afterwards a devotee offered to pay all the expenditure of the roof and other structure. (Now we learn that dhuni is a must for Shirdi Sai temple. Secondly Sri Sai Satcharita parayana is a means to seek Sai's grace and instructions). Sailatha, Coimbatore, India "How are Satsangs useful in one's spiritual pursuits?"
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