"I shall consider you blessed when you will renounce all attachments, conquer lust and palate and getting rid of all impediments, serve God wholeheartedly and resort to the begging bowl".

The above is the reply given by Sai Baba to Bapusaheb Jog who asked him why even after serving Baba for so many years, his mind was not calm and composed and why he failed in his efforts for self-realization. Sai Baba always laid stress on controlling pleasures of the sense, especially those of sexual passion and tongue.

In our scriptures, great stress is laid on "non-violence" which means not to hurt anybody physically, mentally, or by speech. Sai Baba had realized that of all the above, harsh and scornful words hurt a person much more than physical or mental violence. Such cutting words are more easily forgotten and cannot be withdrawn. Consequently, they cause everlasting ill feeling. Sai Baba, therefore, not only advised his devotees, "Not to speak cuttingly to anyone so as to hurt him. He said, "let anybody speak hundreds of things against you, do not resent by giving a bitter reply. If you always tolerate such things, you will certainly be happy", and to make sure that they did follow his advice, he also said, " He who carps and cavils at others, pierces me in the heart and injures me but that suffers and endures, please me the most".

(From Shri Sai Baba's Teachings and Philosophy by Lt. Col. M.B. Nimbalkar available from this website)
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Contributed Article: Experiences with Sai

When I was twelve years old, one day my father brought home a photo of Shirdi Sai Baba. From that day, we started worshiping Shirdi Baba. My father died suddenly during 1970 at the age of forty-seven. This is the beginning of our bad time. During 1971, my mother performed my marriage. After three months I have conceived but unfortunately along with the baby, an ovarian tumor also developed in the ovaries. So the doctor first removed the fetus then after three months again they operated and removed the tumor. Therefore, within six months after marriage I underwent two operations. During 1974, I under went a Caesarian operation to deliver a female baby. After two years, the tumor again showed its presence during a regular checkup.

On 2 August 1981 around 800 in the morning, suddenly I could not breath and my pulse too gone down. My husband was in factory and my daughter went to school. I had a feeling that I am going to dye. I was praying Sai. Just then my servant came home and I asked her to telephone to my husband at Factory. He rushed from the factory and took me to our factory hospital. While leaving to the hospital I looked at the Baba's photo and told him "since ten years I am suffering and I can no longer bear this physical and mental agony, so please kill me. If you still want me to be alive then please make me useful to others. Though I suffered hell during this ten years, I never lost faith in God. That night my sister Radha at Hyderabad too got a dream. In the dream, she saw my dead body being carried for performing the last rites. However, Baba watching all this and told the people who were carrying my body "How can you take her I will see"... So Baba gave me the life. The doctors rushed me to the Operation Theater and performed an operation to drain out all the fluids collected due to the bursting of tumor inside. They also suggested removing the uterus. This time I was fed up with these operations and mentally depressed.

BABA IN DREAMS

Baba sent message through dreams. In one dream I was holding my mother's hand and wanted to go away to a safer place. Baba appeared and asked us to go to nearby Musjid and stay peacefully. So with Baba's grace, my operation went on well and they removed uterus. In another dream, "I saw Baba's Samadhi. From samadhi, Baba told me "you are a good girl". Then I asked him to bless me so that I can be a good girl. Immediately he blessed me with his big hand coming out from Samadhi".

Kasi Viswanath appeared as Baba Some time later in an another dream I was hugging Kasi Viswanath but that image gradually changed to Sai Baba. So Baba demonstrated that HE is Shiva.

He showed me Kedarnath One day again in a dream he showed me the holy Kedarnath jyothirlingam. Next day morning I told my husband about the dream, and asked him to take me to kedarnath. But he told that he does not have enough money to undertake such a pilgrimage. I scolded Baba for the financial problems and the whole day I was crying. That night Baba came into my dream again and with an angry face he told me " you are always crying for financial problems How much money you want He showed his hand with full of money is this enoughis this enough Take this and do not blame me". Then on wards we never faced any financial problem. After six months, really we were fortunate to go to Kedarnath and my dream came true.

He showed Shaktiswarupini Jogulamba One day I saw in a dream Jogulamba Ashta sakti in a temple located near a Musjid. I saw that deity and Lingam and the surrounding areas in my dream. After one year we attended the ceremonial function of my grand mother in my uncles house at a place called Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh, India, where I really saw the Sakti swarupini Jogulamba. The temple was the same as I saw in my dreams.

Baba in Srichakram Before going to Kanchi, Baba has given me the darshan in Sri chakram indicating to me that he is Sakti swarupini. Like this so many ways, Baba showed his love on this little creature. One day he scolded me making his eyes red for not taking medicine for the infection I was suffering with. He advised me to perform Satyanarayana vratam once a month, parayana of Ramayanam daily and pooja for Sri Chakram for wellbeing of my husband. What more evidences are needed to convince myself that he is ever kind to me and protecting my family and me at every stage?

(Contributed by Padma Sastry)
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Experiences of Devotees

Vishwanath Venketaraman
I am a strong devotee of Shirdi Sai, ever since I was a child. I did not know any thing about Sai Baba; nevertheless, I had immense faith in him. After my doctorate, I traveled to Italy on a fellowship, I was in Italy for a year, and during this trip, I had taken an idol of Sai Baba along with me. A secretary in that department (an Italian) mentioned to me, in one of her conversations about her faith in Sai Baba and I immediately gave the idol to her. Since then, I did not have Sai Baba's idol. After my fellowship in Italy, I had moved to US where I am presently living. Last year in May, I just returned to US, from my vacation in India. When I called home to talk to my parents, I got very shocking news that my grand mother is not well and is hospitalized. My grand mother brought me up and she really means a lot to me. She was in a private hospital and doctors who attended to my grand mother were my mentors and were competent. However, they could not do much. I was totally shattered and broken. I prayed continuously to Baba to save her. I did not sleep the whole night. I was doing nothing but praying to Baba. The next day when I called home, my mother told me that my grandmother is recovering from her illness. My grand mother has completely recovered now, and she is fine. Such a miracle! What a great relief to me! I have not visited Sai temple at Shirdi and I am eagerly looking forward to visit Shirdi during my next trip to India. I lack words to explain the supremacy and divine power of the almighty Sai.

N Ramakrishna
I first visited Shirdi in 1969 when I was around 10 years old and was taken by my Maternal Aunt Smt.Sarasu, a very noble woman. She was the root cause for my education and putting me to Sai's feet since I was a posthumous child. I used to perform pooja in my younger days to Sri Baba due to pressure from this woman, however, during those young days I never knew about the leela of Sri Sai Baba. Later it became a habit that whenever I used to see Baba's photos or idols; I used to prostrate before Him. Later, I came to realize that Baba was pulling me out of trouble each time I was caught into. My faith grew and my worship (by his Grace) grew day by day. There are fascinating incidents, which I would like to share with you, one by one, since it takes lot of time to put everything in one shot. But the cream of events I would like to write to you so that if it helps even one person who reads my experiences to believe Sri Sadguru, my mission in life is successful.

I would like to share a very recent experience since I have evidence to that effect at my residence today. It follows this way:

One month back, one very great Devotee of Sri Sai Baba, her name is Smt. Shantamma, came to my house on request and we were doing satsang at home (first time). Within a couple of minutes, she held out her hand and said to my mother, take this, Baba has given it to you. To our surprise, when she opened her hand we saw two lovely silver Padukas (sacred feet) of the lord had come and we are doing Aarati and pooja from that day onwards. Later, Baba has given us five Rudrakshis and one silver idol of Lard Dattatreya. One Rudrakshi I am wearing since I have started meditating on Sri Baba. I am arranging to take photograph of all these and if possible I will send the same for the circulation through the net itself. I also understand from another devotee Sri Krishnamurthy that when the Padukas (Sacred Feet) have arrived, it means that Sri Baba himself has come to stay in that place, and if this is true, then I would not ask for more from Baba and request that let every person be happy and prosperous.
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Devotees say...

Gopala Rao Ravada, Hyderabad, India
Poojya Mahabhashyam RanagaChariji, 92 years of age, the great SAI devotee attained the Lotus feet of Lord Datta Sai on 7th August, 2001 at 2P.M. in his residence in Hyderabad. Author of Sri Datta Vaibhavam, his devotion to Sai was exemplary. He has been blessed with the divine vision of Datta Sai, many a time, the last hours on this earthly sojourn was spent in intense spiritual ecstasy and divine bliss. He is survived by his wife, three sons, and two daughters.

Bindu Saju
We are going to Scarborough, Toronto, Canada in September 1st week. Can anyone tell me is there any Shirdi SaiBaba Temples in this place.

Rama Nagpal
THANK YOU SO MUCH BABAJI.I would never have got this job without your grace. THANK YOU SO MUCH. Please help me to work with loyalty and please help me to attain my targets. BABAJI THANK YOU SO MUCH.I LOVE YOU.

Dimple Gheewala
I would like to know if there is any Sai temple in Oregon-Portland-Hillsboro area. Any information about Sai activities will also be appreciated.

RK
Jai Sai Ram. By Baba's grace, we got everything. We are thankful to him for all the things he gave us. As we are human, we are getting more and more desires. Baba please bless us with kids and good relations with the other family members.

Pravin Parmar
Thanks to you all that you have prepared web site on Shri Saibaba and we can listen to bhajan and artis, because we are in USA, eleven thousand miles from Shirdi.
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Prayer Club

Jyothirmayi Ryali
Dear Sai Devotee, Please Pray for me. I am so helpless at present only Baba can help me. I have been married for only one year. My husband is a very good person himself. He married with our mutual liking and the married life has been splendid, until about 3 months my husband is touch with a woman whom he wanted to marry before, but could not get married to. That woman is also married and has a child. Now my husband wants to bring her to US along with baby and marry her. I have been praying to Baba so fervently to guide me how to handle this situation and how to restore my marriage. My prayers have not been heard yet. I always thought my marriage is the blessing of Sri Baba. I am waiting patiently. Always followed Baba's preaching Faith and Patience. Now my husband is sending divorce lawyers to my home and asking me to sign the papers. I thought I am all alone here physically, but I always have Baba in my mind and always with me during this traumatic time. I have been suffering all these days silently. I am losing hope day by day. Baba please share my grief and show me your love. I cast my burden onto you, why do not you bear them? Please give me your solution to this stalemate. Please bless me again with the happy marriage once I had. Please change my husband's mind from all the evil thoughts. Baba only you can do it. Nobody else could. I always stopped myself not to send this prayer to Sai Vichaar, thinking that it is very selfish on my part to ask the devotees to pray for me. But now, I do not have enough strength to pray all by myself, Dear Sai Devotee, please give me your support and share my agony. I surrender to you Dear Baba and to your lotus feet and please do not desert me. OM SAI RAM.

Mayurikankati
We were very depressed since 3 months, as my husband's project was finished. I always pray God to help me, finally Baba showed his grace and helped me, and now my husband has new project by Baba's grace. God is always with u and if u remember Him he always help u when you are in need. If you help someone who is in need then Baba will help you when you are in need. You helped us and showed your presence. I always remember you and never forget u. please forgive me if I do any mistake.

Usha Sastry
Baba at last you showered your love & blessings on us. My husband got job, which will help us to lead simple life. Bless him to prosper in his job. You gave me what I have asked you. Please give us strength to face the tests you create for us. Please also look after my son in his efforts to secure seat in a good University. Sai bhajana bina sukha santhi nahi.

Sai Rama
My parents have been devotees of Sai Baba from our childhood. My sister got married by Sai Baba's grace and is now facing many problems in marriage. Her husband is troubling her for no fault of hers. She is being patient with him and trusting in Baba to save her marriage. Please pray to Sai Baba that her efforts should succeed and that they should have a good marital life. Thanks to all of you

Arun Kumar Dhulipala
I have done your one week reading of Satcharitra to help my brother get a job. Presently he has mostly completed his MS in computer sciences and he is trying his level best to get a job. However, he has not been successful until yet. If any of Baba's devotees know the whereabouts of any job related to computer sciences kindly please and please find sometime to email my brother at kiran_dhulipala@hotmail.com or kiran_dhulipala@operamail.com I will be indebted to them in my life. This is my hearts request to all my devotees reading this newsletter. Sri Sachidanand Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai!!!

Tapas Kumar Chaudhuri
Om Sai Ram! I have been looking for a job abroad for the last two years without any success. I pray to Saibaba that please help me to get a job abroad and complete my flat. I also pray for Saibaba's blessings to my wife and my two sons.

Saiprabhu Kaza
Thank you for Sai Vichar, I love to read every week without fail. Please help me to pray my business, until April I am doing good all of sudden falling part every thing is holding some the customers owe money since 8months.i have lot of stress I have health problem, I do not what will happen I believe prayers please help pray get back my business and my health. Thank you very much.

Jyotsna
SaiRam...You showed me a Guru after I completed satcharita parayana and he cured my health issues. I believe that you are only trying to help me in the form of Guruvu garu. We are planning to have a baby; please shower your blessings on us. I request all Sai devotees to pray for me. Thank you very much,

Bonnie Welch
Hello, I would please like to request a prayer for myself at this time. I have recently been drawn to Sai Baba and want to make him a real part of my life, but I am not quite sure how to do this. I am going through great transitions in my life on a spiritual level and really need some support at this time in my life. I am asking for some help with my life and my needs and am truly grateful for any assistance that I can receive in this area. Thank you so much for your prayers.

Sangeetha
Dear Sai devotees I am going to give a test by the grace of Baba and I really want to pass as it means a lot to me. Please pray for me that I should pass

Archana
I am in deep trouble; I have been separated from my husband and unemployed for last three and half months. I have 16-year-old boy that I still need to support and need a job desperately. I am only a Sai Devotee, all my life I worshipped Shree Sai Baba, now it seems like He is not listening to me either. I am very depressed and close to death. Please help me.

Chandrababu, K.S.
I came to know that my brother-in-law is undergoing series of test for Cancer. I beg all SAI Bandhus to pray to SAI BABA for him and for the test results to prove that he does not have Cancer or anything like that. I am very confident that BABA will help our family in the tough times.
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Quotation of the Week

"He who abandons lying, having been false, will have a castle built for him just within Paradise. He who abandons disputing, having been speaking the truth, will have one built for him in the middle of Paradise. He whose character is good will have one built for him in the highest part of it" - Mohammad, the Prophet.

Question of the Week

Q. What are the most difficult demands of the "Easy God"? A. by Syamasundar, Saibaba temple, Houston
As detailed by Sai devotee MRK, humility is one of the greatest virtues Baba taught us. Baba Himself is the personification of humility. Let us dive a bit deeper and enquire what Baba further said! Living up to the philosophy of Advaita (to see the same light of God in one and all) as advocated by Baba is one of the toughest ways to implement for any serious student of Baba. Baba asked us the same what Lord Krishna taught Arjuna in Bhagavad-Gita (V:18). " Sages look with an equal eye upon a Brahmana endowed with learning and humility, on a cow, on an elephant , and even on a dog and an out caste."

Baba identified Himself with a dog, a horse, a destitute, and an orphan and with every living and nonliving being applying the true spirit of Gita to His life itself. He asked us to see God in everyone and talk lovingly with whom so ever we come across in our life. In this stage of life, we meet with each other because of some unknown divine bond of previous times. If some one approaches us we should not ignore and neglect them, if helping them is beyond our means better talk kindly and pleasantly and express our inability.

This teaching of Baba has very practical implication in our day-to-day life, as our life in the society is nothing but a relation with each other that we come across. For any one, it is easier to love and care one's family, near ones, dear ones, and those from whom they get some help. All this indirectly revolves around caring the self only. But as things go beyond the circle of the self-interest there arises the actual problem. Here one easily becomes a prey to Dwaitha (differentiating the self and the others). This feeling of separation is the thing that Baba wished us to transcend. There will not be any love, communication, or understanding in separation or isolation. If one can see Baba or God in each other then the world totally would be a different one. In such a state, there will not be conflict with any body, any community, any society, any faith, or any country. Then establishes a society with no boundaries of separation. That is what the universal love Baba preached us or demanded from us. As soldiers of Saideva let us experiment on this noble challenge!
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Sai Activities

Shirdi Sai Utsav in Middlesex, UK - August 27-28, 2001
Shirdi Sai Utsav will be celebrated at Shree Kutch Leva Patel, Sports & Community Centre West End Road, Northolt, Middlesex UB5 6RE United Kingdom, on 26th and 27th of August 2001. For further details, please contact Pravin Unadkat on +44 7967 443 250 or visit http://www.shiridisaiutsav.org.

SHIRDI SAI MAHOTSAV in Chicago, USA - September 1-2, 2001
SAI SAMSTHAN USA, Chicago
The details for the upcoming "SHIRDI SAI MAHOTSAV - September 1-2, 2001" are now available on-line at (http://www.saisamsthanusa.org)

Saidarbar, Canberra, Australia
Saidarbar Canberra is holding Shirdi Sai Bhajan
Date: 1st SEPTEMBER 2001 SATURDAY, Time: 5:00 PM
Venue: Mawson Temple, Crn of Ainsworth St and Mawson Drive, Mawson.
Program: Omkaaram, Ganapathi Stotram, Bhajans, followed by Aarthi and reading of Chapter 15 from Sai Satcharita by Sri NV Gunaji.

Swamy Prajnananda visits Saibaba temple, Houston, Texas.
Sri Swamy Prajnananda visited our Saibaba temple on 10th and 11th of August. Swamiji installed the murti of Sadguru Saibaba in the temple on Gurupoornima day 4 years ago. That day Baba's arrival in Houston was unexpected and surprising. In the dream of Mataji (Smt Lakshmibai Thakkar), the owner of the temple, Baba instructed her to bring Him to Houston from her Bombay residence where she herself worshipped Him for about 20 years and after that her entire family moved to US 25 years ago (during this period some relatives of her, worshipped Baba in her residence). After the instruction, Mataji waited for no time in getting Baba to Houston. In Houston, the custom's authorities levied a duty of $ 3000 for clearing Baba's murti, ignoring the plea of Mataji that He was the God of millions of people. Baba showed His first miracle as the authorities returned the amount the next day with due respect. It was Baba's wish that on that day Sri Swami Prajnanandaji was in Houston and the day was Guru poornima.

Currently Swamiji is running the Saketh Saibaba temple in New Delhi. He performed the rarest Rajasuya yagna involving a huge amount of 5 million rupees and Himalayan effort. His current plans involve the bringing up of a huge medical center with other public facilities in Jabalpur (Madhya Pradesh, India) with an estimated amount of one billion dollars with the aid of world bank and other sponsors from through out the world. Swamiji was a Hindi professor in the Jabalpur University before he came to the fold of Sadguru Sainath in the year 1969. He remained a life long saint.

On 10 and 11th Swamiji addressed the devotees in the temple. He mainly emphasized on the regular meditation in the morning and evening for 10 minutes each time. Swamiji advised to do Gayatri and Sai Gayatri mantra in the meditation and he assured the positive results and Baba's blessings. "Unrest prevails as the soul starves and meditation is the food for the soul. Gayatri and Sai Gayatri impart wisdom to all the practitioners with out fail. Out of his countless experiences, Swamiji narrated two miracles of Sri Shiridi Baba where two dead persons were brought to life, one in Haridwar and one in Delhi. Swamiji emphasized the need to protect Dharma as Dharma is the only protector of the society. Any imbalance in the spiritual strength of a society leads to social anarchy and natural calamities" maintained Swamiji. " Let us light the lamp of faith (in Baba) in our hearts and protect it from the winds of doubt and disbelief and wait patiently and ultimately Baba will be ours" assured Swami. Baba always guides and follows swamiji. He never carries money but all his needs are attended to. The importance of meditation and the meditation technique will appear in future articles For Sai devotee Shwetha's information the following is our temple address. 5645 Hillcroft, (Indian market area) Houston, TX 77036 For further information one can contact 832-251-7862, 832-251-3613, or 713-383-6501.

Sai in Vidyadaanam, Saidarbar, Hyderabad, India
The fourth Vidyadanam program was conducted at 10.00 am on Monday, August20, 2001 at Mandal Parishad government Primary School, at Rampally, a remote village in Keesar Mandal, R.R.Dist. Andhra Pradesh. Eight students were selected for the award based on merit and their very poor financial status were each given a school dress and a school bag (Reported by Dr.P.Sadasiva Rao, Hyderabad,India)
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