Who is God or who is the Sadguru? This is a question on which people generally ponder, particularly the devotees of Baba. Through the medium of books, mantras, temple priests, Pundits and Saints, they try to get the answer. Hinduism proclaims that through Karmayoga, Gyanyoga, Bhaktiyoga and Raja Yoga, God can be realised and be understood through a process of spiritual evolution. More the pain and misery in society, more the people seek for divine compassion. Some people approach the Mantrics, Tantrics and Astrologers to understand their future. Taking the advantage of this situation some people are offering new pseudo-religious solutions and giving wide publicity to attract simpletons. Some have gone on advertisements to say that they can rouse the 'Kundalini' Shakti of anyone immediately. Others are selling various items which they proclaim can solve the intended human problems and ensure spiritual evolution rather easily. Without the least understanding about the lofty, difficult and sadhana-based path of Hindu yoga Sastras, some people are deceiving the people with self-created concepts some of which are adopted from Indian and Western Occult vocabulary. All the great saints had always waned people to be careful about such characters. Those who come under the influence of such people waste a lot of precious time and money.

Even when such knowledge about God had not been evolved in mind, human beings did exist in the Gods creation. They were experiencing God at the level of their consciousness and experience, even though human language had not been created to codify these. Surely the men of the Stone Age must have experienced God in them as much as the man of the Iron Age. The people of Mohenzodaro must have experienced God in a certain way as the Aryans who tried to experience Him through Yagnays and rituals. Even today simple human beings are experiencing God at the level of their perception, even though they do-not have the language to describe their divine experiences. All this indicates just one thing that God is what each person experiences. When we evolve tomorrow, we will perceive and experience Him differently. Anyone who has achieved some supernatural powers through Yoga practices will experience Him in yet another form. All other knowledge on God gained through here-say, or reading of books etc., can be termed as 'relative knowledge'. because it is not experienced. Since 'relative knowledge' is not the real knowledge, it is not of that much benefit till "direct knowledge is gained. The lives of the saints like Kabir, Shri Sainath and Nanak etc., became simple and pure because they had direct experience of God. It is true that all rivers taking different paths, straight or crooked will ultimately meet the Sea. Similarly all the paths that human beings adopt will ultimately lead to God. But will a traveler moving through a crooked, difficult and long journey reach the destiny easily and safely, when moving with a group of thugs and cheaters? There is every possibility that he will be waylaid and yet more dangerous are the chances of his being robbed by the thugs both of his money and time. Since such people know the act of attracting the travelers, there is a great chance that spiritual evolution will be impeded. Hence a true guide is needed.

We worship our Sadguru Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi because even after leaving His human form, this great divine soul gives us some kinds of divine experience and bliss. He came only to give and nothing to take. If we closely study the life history of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, during his stay at Shirdi for nearly sixty years it will become evident that he continues to give the benefits on his devotees just as he used to do when in Shirdi in a physical form. Devotees of Baba when constructing temples or doing any work in his cause or name should not be proud of their doer-ship as the faith and strength to carry on such activities are given by Baba only. The relation of the Sadguru with His devotees is not limited to one life but does spread over a number of lives. When a human being gets attracted towards the Sadguru, one thing is sure that he must have accumulated lots of merits in his previous lives. The most important role of the Sadguru lies in his great vision to change the whole world into a family on this earth. Experience has shown that those people who render maximum possible help to others and who have created Sai organisations, are the best recipients of Baba's blessings, if they have done so without seeking any returns.

Shri Dasganu Maharaj spread the name of Shri Sai in the nooks and corners of India. Kaka Saheb Dixit contributed his best in forming the Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan as it is known today and brought harmony among people through the Sai Leela Magazine which he started. Shyama used to take part in functions arranged by many organizations/individuals on behalf of Baba, Mahalsapathy and Tatya Kote Patil rendered immense service to Baba being with Him always, and Shri Anna Saheb Dabolkar, spread the name of Baba through out the globe through his magnificent creation called "Shri Sai Satcharitra", The Sai devotees take the names of these people today, notwithstanding the fact that some of them did not have any formal education or degree. But those unfortunate souls who even when working in Baba's temple and getting the blessings of Baba are not able to clear the mental cobwebs of negative thinking. Surely this creates differences among the devotees and disturbs the pious vibration in the temples. Some of them are more demonstrative in their Bhakti to improve others while nourishing ill feelings towards others. They will get inner happiness only if they correctly follow the path of Baba as reflected in "Shri Sai Satcharitra".

I may advice that people should focus their thoughts on Baba and His sayings as depicted in "Shri Sai Satcharitra", instead of running around here and there in search of God or for the evolution of their soul. Under all conditions of happiness and unhappiness they should always remember and depend on Baba as advised by Him. If they continue to do so with faith and concentration slowly the deeper inner knowledge about Baba will be revealed and they will receive the divine experiences. Only then their contribution to the human welfare will be distinctive and others will learn from them. A candle will light many other candles.
(Contributed by Guruji Shri C.B.Satpathyji, India)
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Contributed Article: The Personality Within

Personality and its development are generally considered only in the light of realizing some material goal, such as increasing one's business or social opportunities. The real nature of personality is rarely analyzed.

What, essentially is personality? It is the ego consciousness; not ego in the sense of inflated pride, but as the consciousness of existence. Each one of us knows: "I exist."

Further, we are conscious of existing in a certain way, as a man or a woman, and with certain characteristic qualities. We think about ourselves in terms of our individual background, experiences, and environment. A housekeeper thinks of herself as a housekeeper, a lecturer thinks of himself as a lecturer, a scientist thinks of himself as a scientist. Yet when they are asleep they forget their daytime activities. In sleep the consciousness of existence remains, though the egoistic concept of the wakeful personality may fade away temporarily. But as soon as one awakens he remembers and becomes re-associated with his environmental identity. Therefore the personality a man displays in his wakeful hours is merely a cultivated and partial individuality.

The consciousness of existence is fundamentally a universal, unlimited state; but it becomes more or less bound by the personality traits that we hold to from day to day. Eventually we forget that our individual qualities can be expanded or contracted, according to our behavior.

Whence does our true personality derive? It comes from God. He is Absolute Consciousness, Absolute Existence, and Absolute Bliss. The Creator knows that He exists; He also knows that His existence is eternal, and that His nature is ever new Bliss, in other words, he is Shirdi Sai Samarth himself!

With the human mind we cannot know the Infinite Mind or perceive what ineffable Spirit is; but through the superconsciousness of the soul we can taste the Divine Presence as Bliss. The joy we receive from any experience flows from God, even though it may have been roused by some outward circumstance.

By concentrating within, you can directly feel the divine bliss of your soul within and also without. If you can stabilize yourself in that consciousness, your outer personality will develop and become attractive to all beings. The soul is made in God's image, and when we become established in soul awareness, our personality begins to reflect His goodness and beauty. This is your real personality. Any other characteristics you display are more or less a graft-they are not the real "you." The divine man living in the cosmic consciousness of God can assume any kind of outer personality he wishes.

When I am conscious of my human personality I have limitations, but as soon as I change my consciousness to the soul sphere I see everything just as if it were a motion picture. A person concentrating on the beam by which images are shown on a movie screen can see that all those figures are scintillating by the current of light emanating from the projector. In the same way, I see the world and all its creatures solely as projected thoughts of God. Concentrate on Matter and you see everything in terms of matter. But as soon as you lift up your consciousness to the stat of divine awareness, you see the oceanic current of God's light flowing behind all matter. You see everything in terms of spirit.

Though the unity of God is reflected in everything it appears diversified in cosmic nature. His creative life flows throughout the earth; put a seed in the ground and it begins to grow. Metals express a certain power and beauty of God. In the vegetable kingdom He changes His personality again; the active expression of life is more visible implants. Still, a study of creation revels that every metal, every plant, every animal has a distinctive personality; and in man we find an even more expanded individuality, for man knows that he is a loving conscious being. But all these different personalities have been borrowed from God, He is the only Life. "O Arjuna! I am the Self in the heart of all creatures; I am their origin, Existence, and Finality." Thus the Lord describes Himself in the Gita. (Bhagavad-Gita X: 20) And in the Bible we read this declaration: "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty." (Revelation 1:8)
(Contributed by Shivprakash Iyer)
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Experiences of Devotees

Raja
Dear SAI BABA, thank you for every thing. You are with me always and supporting my family and me in innumerable ways.

Dear friends and Sai devotees let me share my first experience as Sai devotee with you. Before that I want to thank Saibaba.org and their weekly newsletter for bringing such nice devotee's experiences to various Sai devotees around the world and encouraging and motivating them in innumerable ways. Keep continue this work our best wishes are always with you.

I am a Sai devotee. My devotion towards Baba started way back in 1990,when I was in my 3'rd year Engineering. Before that, I don't know whom Shiridi Sai Baba was and how he looks's like. Though in 1990 I came to know Baba, but that year was a big blow to me, as I lost my father in that year. After my father demise, our family financial condition was in doldrums (as he was the only source of income for us) and we had very tough time in dealing with all financial matters (we were young at the time and we were not exposed to these things).

After my father demise, the only source of income left for us to meet the daily expenditures was his pension. Though, We filled all the necessary documents for the pension, for some reason we are not getting his pension and it was taking its own time. We were anxiously waiting for this.

Even though, I am the Eldest in the family, I was in helpless situation as I was away for home (Hyderabad) and staying in hostel and pursing my engineering in Nagpur, India. Every day I was worried and brooding over this matter. I really don't know-how to over come this situation.

Seeing my condition, My roommate, Shyam, One day came to me with a book and asked my to read with in one week. I asked him what was this book about and how it will help me in solving my problems and worries. My friend told me that "don't put question to me, just read it" .I followed his advice and read that book with in one week (stated on Thursday and completed on Wednesday). After completing the book (I think in the afternoon I have completed my reading), my friend came with letter for my home (Generally we used to get letters in the afternoon every day). When I opened and read the letter, tears ran from my eyes. My dear friends and Sai devotees, we got pension approval and we received all dues and along with pension checks.

My dear Sai devotee, the book is Sai Satcharitra. I immediately hug the book and thanked my friend (for all the help) and asked him where I can get this book.

Dear friends, after that, SAI was the only guiding force for every step in my life and helped me in getting jobs here, in U.S. Recently Sai blessed me with a son and got job for my brother. Baba you are great and you are true god. Please always help me and help other Sai devotees.
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Devotees say...

Shalini Agarwal
By Baba's grace my husband is bestowed upon the highest honor at work. Baba only you can keep our family balanced. Only your bhakts prayer and your aashirwaad made it possible. Please give us the mental balance always Baba. Please make all four us your permanent devotee Baba. With all our regards to Baba and Baba bhakts

Sai Devotee
Om Sri Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai. Dear readers, Baba always said that we should have a guru and that Guru's word is the final for all of us, does this mean we should follow any Guru? and if we do follow, should we not pray to Our Baba? I am confused, I don't want to stop thinking or praying to my beloved Sai Baba, or for that mater not considering him to be the all-pervading master. Please help me in this Dilemma; I am so scared of that idea. Please help me. I remain at Baba's lotus feet.
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Prayer Club

Navin Pathuru
OM SAI RAM, Dear SAI bandhus, Please publish my prayer in SAI VICHAAR. My pet Micky is not feeling well. Its liver and Kidneys are not working properly. Please pray to SAI to release it from its pain. A prayer can move the mountains. Please spare a moment for this kind soul. SAI RAM Sai Ram

Jaya Sree
I have subscribed to Sai Vichaar and without fail Ireceive these newsletter every Thursday. Lately my husband has been going through a bad time. In 1997 our car was stolen. We made a police report and we waited for the police to get back to us. Last week both of us went to open a joint bank account. As the officer was processing our account, the computer highlighted a court summons on my husband's name. The bank officer told us that we will not be able to open this account till we produce a release letter. My husband was really shaken-up. With his friend's help we managed to hire a lawyer. The second hand car dealer whom he bought the car had stolen the car and managed to forge his signature and messed up all the transaction. This second-hand car dealer's wife used to work in the same office with my husband. He used to pay the car installment to his wife and kept on asking her for the official receipts and the hire purchase agreement which was never received. He had the car for 2 weeks and one Monday morning in 1997 he went in to do his payments at a Bank. When he came out the car is not there anymore. I pray to Baba that my husband's name will be cleared from this mess done by the Car dealer during the court case. To all Sai devotees, please pray for us that this matter is solved as soon as possible. Thank you. Sai Ram

Gopalan & Malathi (Parents)
Want to pray to Sai Baba for the well being of our sons Balaji and Ganesh: We pray to Sai Baba requesting Him to help our son Balaji get a job and do well in all spheres of life. He should be free of anger and stop using abusive languages and develop himself as a good human being. We pray to Sai Baba requesting Him to help our son Ganesh do well in all spheres of life. He should be free of anger and stop using abusive languages and develop himself as a good human being.

Ganga Tripathy
Om Sai Ram. We are one amongst the unfortunate childless couples of this world. I appeal and implore all Sai devotees to spare a moment of prayer to help us obtain Sai blessings and be blessed with a child soon. Om Sai Ram.

Sai Devotee
Dear Baba, I am very confused about the way things are going on for me. Please Baba, guide me and tell me something. Please come in my dream and tell me what I need to do. Please help my husband also. He is also struggling a lot. Please give him concentration and make him go in the path, which you have set for him. Baba please bless me with a job. I am in a state where I am not able to decide which way to go. Please help me and tell me which way to go. I am getting old and I have not settled in my life. Please Baba, direct guide and me me and I really would like to work with a good job. Please, help all my family members

Usha Sastry
Sairam. Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai. Baba I am again and again asking you to shower your blessings on my son. Baba I am also praying for my sister, who is sick. Please give her good health and protect our family.

Mahathi Venkataramani
Dear Sai Baba,
Can you help my dad stop smoking and help him get a job he likes? I mean he likes the he is at but he wants one that is a good company. And he really wants to stop smoking but he can't without your help. He is a good man.

Can you help my mom get a 9am to 5pm job? She really wants one so that she can help people with things such as taxes. She has wanted one for a long time.

Can you help Bob Bayes wife Gwen Bayes have a good life while she is alive? And also can you let Bob Bayes (deceased) into heaven? He was a good man.

Vatsalya Rao
Baba, I have done lots of mistakes all these days and I even had...and today I lied regarding u thrice please save me Baba and forgive me. Can you make me to sit near your feet forever please? Please guide me and don't guide me towards him if that's bad for me. If that's bad, please see that I don't even get bad ideas. Hope u will be with me and show a right way. If he is bad for me please make us separate with out any quarrels or any bad consequences. If we are really bad match to each other bless him with peace if you snatch me away from him. Hope you will understand my situation. Don't make me to starve for money and make me to go for him again. Hope you will show me a right way and make me to follow that at least from this year.

A Sai devotee
Dear Baba, I got married recently by your grace. I posted a prayer once that I get a girl who is your devotee and it happened to be true. I thank you a lot my Sai. But now I have another problem. My married life is not going good. Please bless us with a happy married life. Love and bow to you always. Sai Ram.

Ritu Raju
Baba, please help us, I have made numerous calls to You, but You are yet to respond. Please help us; please do not forsake us in this hour of need.
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Quotation of the Week
"If you use your mind to study reality, you won't understand either your mind or reality. If you study reality without using your mind, you'll understand both. The mind and the world are opposites, and vision arises where they meet. When your mind doesn't stir inside, the world doesn't arise outside. When the world and the mind are both transparent, this is true vision. And such understanding is true understanding" - Quotes from Bodhidharma
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Question of the Week

Q. "How are Satsangs useful in one's spiritual pursuits"?

A. by Shyamala Hari
In Pancha Tantra, it is said that on the tree of worldly life all fruits are full of poison except for only two, which are like Amrita (the immortality liquid). The two fruits are Satsang (company of good people like saints or devotees) and reading good books (such as Gita, Bhagavat). Good company encourages one to put into practise good thoughts. Good people tend to see the good in others and appreciate it. This appreciation reinforces cultivation of good thoughts and results in more good practices. On the other hand, bad company encourages one to justify oneself for yielding to temptations. Peer pressure gets one into bad habits. In Satcharitha Baba said, "If one turns all his attention towards Me and worships Me heart and soul, is meek and humble, avoids the company of atheists, irreligious and wicked people, he will get eternal happiness." So, it is important to avoid bad company. It is also important to be in the company of saints, sages, devotees, and sanyasis although some spiritual practices like meditation have to be done in solitude. By being in such company, conversations that take place would be over spiritual matters, about God, is He Nirguna or Saguna? What is doing one's duty, what does is it mean to leave the ownership to Him? And so on. Therefore mind is occupied with holy thoughts. By sharing spiritual experiences with one another, faith in God increases and some questions lingering in the mind may be answered. If one is lucky enough to be in the company of saints like Baba, he/she may even receive power from Him like Mrs. Kharpade did.
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Sai Activities

Shirdi Sai Utsav 2002 in Africa
Sai Devotees of Africa and saibaba.org invite you to "Shirdi Sai Utsav 2002" at Gandhi Hall in Lanesia, Johannesburg, South Africa on the weekend of April 28, 2002 and at Sanatana Dharma Sanstha(SSD) Hall in Nairobi, Kenya on the weekend of May 4th, 2002.

The full day event will include four tradional arathis and Pooja by priest visiting from Shirdi, discourse by Guruji Shri Chandra Bhanu Satpathy, video presentations on Shirdi, Bhajans, etc.

Please contact Neelam Kapur in Johannesburg at neelam_kapur@hotmail.com, Jitubhai in Nairobi at 0733548632 or send an email to maildrop@saibaba.org for hour wise events, directions or more details.

Inauguration of Shirdi Sai Temple in Gudgaon, Haryana
Sai Prakash Spiritual and Charitable trust, New Delhi invites you to the inauguration of Dwarkamayi in Shirdi Sai Baba Temple at Gudgaon which is on the outskirts of New Delhi on Sunday April 21, 2002 by Guruji Shri C.B.Satpathy. For directions, detailed program and further details contact Kum Kum Bhatia at 981000889.

Ramnavami Festival at Shirdi
Members of the Board of Management, Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi, cordially invite you all to join them in celebrating the 'Shri Ram Navami Festival' from Saturday, 20th April, 2002 to Monday, 22nd April, 2002 at Shirdi. For more details contact the Executive Officer, Shri Sai Baba Sansthan, Shirdi 423109, Maharashtra, India.

Ramnavami Celebrations at New Jersey
Saibaba.org and Sai devotees of New Jersey invite you to join us for 'Shri Ram Navami' celebrations at VFW Hall, Kendall Park, NJ on Sunday April 21, 2002 from 3pm to 6pm. For further details or directions contact Mr. Kumad Sachdev at (732) 257-1438 or Mr. Shyam Addanki at (804) 967-0833 or email us at maildrop@saibaba.org.

Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra and Ramnavami Festival at Toronto, Canada
Shri Saibaba Sansthan of Toronto and Saibaba.org cordially invite you all to join them in celebrating the 'SHRI RAM NAVAMI FESTIVAL' on the 21st April 2002 at 4pm to 8pm at 2691 Markham Rd. Unit #5 For more information please contact Shammi Chopra at 416 402 8089 or The Temple at 416 754 2983 or by email at maildrop@saibaba.org

Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra, Pleasonton, CA
Dear Sai devotees Happy & prosperous New Year to all of you on Ugadi. Please contact a_wusirika@hotmail.com to participate in Saichitra yatra 2002 in CA - Pleasanton

Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra, London, UK
Devotees in UK, especially in and around London, are invited to please join us in Satsang and bhajans as part of Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra at Wembley, Middlesex on Sunday April 21 from 3pm onwards. Please contact Manu Bajaj at manu_bajaj@yahoo.com for full program details and directions.

Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra and Ramnavami at Woodbury, Minnesota
We would like to celebrate Baba's favourite festival with all of you on Sunday April 21 from 9am. For further details, directions please contact Satya and Reena by email at schelluri@mmm.com

Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra 2002 in USA
"Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra(Pictorial Journey)", started in USA on Jan 01, 2002. With anchor points across USA concurrently participating from day one, this unique event is off to a great start.

The journey which involves the ceremonial travel of Baba in the form of a portrait will stop at all Baba devotees homes who are interested in being a host to his protrait. The Yatra which will run till fall of this year, is open to one and all. There is no fees or charges involved to take part in this event. You may participate either as a host home or serve as an anchor point in your community.

Vist online at yatra page for all the details and to register.

For questions, comments, suggestions or to get details on an Anchor home in your area, send us an email at maildrop@saibaba.org with the subject line of "Shri Sai Chitra Yatra".
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