The peculiar behavior of Sai Baba has earned Him titles ranging from a "mad fakir" to a "beggar". A visitor from the west dubbed Him, "Crazy God of Shirdi". Sure, Sainath had His peculiar ways during His stay in Shirdi. While some of the actions were quite explicable, most of the things Sai Baba did were perplexing and quirky. His ways are still the same in the lives of His children. The unseen wire-pulling of events in devotees’ lives stand testimonials to this. Sri R. Parthasarathy in his book, "God who walked on earth" narrates an interesting ritual of Sainath as follows:
After lunch Baba spent sometime alone. Devotees did not disturb Him at that moment as He was believed to be in mystic meditation. However, some devotees who managed to enter the mosque at that hour noticed that Baba was engaged in a strange mystic rite. Writing about this Das Ganu Maharaj said: "Baba was occasionally doing something strange between 1 and 2 PM at the mosque with a cloth screen in front of Him and when He was alone. He would take out of a pouch 10 or 15 old coins. They were of various denominations, three paise, one anna, two, four and eight annas, and one rupee. He would rub His finger on them constantly, yet gently, (whether with or without mantra, I can not say). The surface of the coins had all become worn out and were smooth. He would say as He rubbed his finger against the coins: ‘This is Nana’s, this is ‘Kaka’s, etc.’ If anyone approached Him he would gather the coins, put them back in the pouch and hide them."
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Experiences of Devotees

Badari Vadlamani, USA
DEAR SAI BHAKTA
SAIRAM SAIRAM SAIRAM..........
I reached USA on Feb 11th to get job with SAIMAATA BLESSINGS. I am going to narrate how SAIMAATA had pulled me towards him like a sparrow. After coming to USA , I got very strong feeling to visit SAI temple. In that context I happened to see an address of a SAI CENTER located in NEWJERSEY from SAIVICHAR. It's address is as below. SHIRIDI SAI CENTER,818 COLUMBIA AVENUE,NORTH BERGEN NJ-0747-1636, PH: 201-601-1287. As per SAIMAATA blessing I planned to visit my employer on Ugadi Thursday 18th. I prayed SAIMAATA to give me darshan at North Bergen NJ. This was my first priority. I wanted to go to North Bergen after I completed the work with my employer. According to the information I had, it is far off and I could not get proper information to reach there. Hence, I proceeded to my cousin's place at Edison NJ. I started back to Newyork City the next day. I bought the ticket upto New York Penn station. I was thinking about how to reach North Bergen. I decided to enquire after I reach Newyork Penn station. Train driver gave announcement about each station's arrival. Suddenly I listened announcement about the arrival of Penn station. Then immediately I got down from the train. To my surprise it is NEWARK PENN STATION located in NEW JERSEY state. I enquired at the information counter for New York City train. They told me that I will have to catch a train in Track 'A' which will cost me $2.5. When reached the track A people are boarding a train by paying $1 at the vending machine. Without thinking I paid the money and entered the train. I asked the co passenger whether train goes to New York City. Initially he told me it would go. Then he told me to get down at 33rd street stop and catch another train. To my surprise it is a local train in NJ state.

Then I started thinking about complete episode and realized that Baba wanted me to come to North Bergen. I asked the same gentleman about how to reach North Bergen. He asked me "where you want to go? you want get down at New York or North Bergen?" I told him first I want to go to SAI temple at North Bergen then from there I want to go to New York city. Then he told me to get down at Jersey City stop along with him and catch bus no 84 to North Bergen. I got down at Jersey City station, enquired some of the people how to reach Columbia Ave, North Bergen. Someone suggested me to board 83 bus. When I approached the bus, the driver he told me that Columbia avenue was not in his route. I called up SAI center and talked to Mr. Jagat Patel and in turn he told me to get down at 10th street of 83 bus route. I boarded the 83 bus and requested the bus driver to inform me about the 10th street stop. After travelling some distance, Mr. Jagat Patel chased our bus and requested me come along with him to SAI center. I FELT SO HAPPY WHEN I TOUCHED THE LOTUS FEET OF SAI MAATA .THE FEEELINGS I EXPERIENCED CAN NOT BE EXPLAINED IN WORDS. SAI center is maintained presently in the house of Mr. Jagat Patel. SAI temple is to be constructed in near future. The main active Sai devotee in construction of temple is from Hyderabad. I am giving his details for reference. Dr Achurao Das, Shirdi Saibaba Samsthan, Ramnath Pur, Hyderanad-500 013, India.
Mr. Jagat Patel requested me to do the prayer to Saimaatha for speedy construction of temple. I request one and all to pray for the early construction of the temple. I am giving his e-mail id for your information. hpatel2@hotmail.com jagatkumar@hotmail.com The complete episode increased my faith towards SAIMAATA.
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Devotees say...

Anoo
May I offer my hearty wishes for the Sai Vichaar Newsletter team and organizers of the site for the wonderful service you are doing to the community. My special thanks to Sri. Sundaresan for sharing this wonderful Article on 'How to Act' with us. I think it is marvelous and simple way of explaining things to a lay person. I completely Identified myself with the subject matter, especially with the man walking on the mountains and slipped. I believe in God, but have the doubt to leave everything on HIM and keep looking for assistance from beyond HIM. The article simply brought tears to my eyes and touched my heart, and is an eye opener. I hope with HIS grace I can be a better person and take this article as a guide. I have stuck John F Kennedy's Quote on wall at work. To remind me of my goal. Thanks once again for the service.

Lokesh Khosla, Shrewsbury MA, USA.
For Rashmi Rao who wrote a small paragraph in Sai Vichaar mail dated Mar 311999.
Rashmi Ji, Sai Ram, My name is Lokesh Khosla. I want to know if Satpathy Ji is the same person who is or was in Aviation. If yes I and my wife would like to meet him and take his blessings. Could you kindly let me know how can I get in touch with him .I will appreciate all your help. Sai Ram

Shankari
I would like to congratulate Indrani for becoming a proud mother of baby girl. You are truly blessed Indrani, for the child was born during Navratri. I pray to Baba to keep you & your daughter healthy. See, after all Baba said "Why fear when I am here?" HE will always bless you.

Prasuna, USA
IMPORTANT HEALTH NOTICE!
OM SAI RAM. This is a message we received from the CEO of our company and I thought all of us could use it.

"For your information, a couple of weeks ago, in a Dallas movie theater, a person sat on something sharp in one of the seats. When she stood up to see what it was, a needle was found poking through the seat with an attached note saying, "you have been infected with HIV". The Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta reports similar events have taken place in several other cities recently. All of the needles tested HAVE been positive for HIV. The CDC also reports that needles have been found in the coin return areas of pay phones and soda machines. Everyone is asked to use extreme caution when confronted with these types of situations. All public chairs should be thoroughly but safely inspected prior to any use. A thorough visual inspection is considered the bare minimum. Furthermore, they ask that everyone notify their family members and friends of the potential dangers as well." Please Pass on this message to as many friends as possible!
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Article: How to Act

A contribution by Sri. Sundaresan... conclusion

Next is Karma yoga. Karma yoga gives a lot of advice for people in all walks of life like professionals, politicians, students and even housewives.

Baba says, Good karma will lead to good Dharma. We have seen earlier that Gyana yoga is like a first class journey and that of Bakthi is a second class journey. Now the path of karma is like a third class with less comforts. It is just like how a child cannot join the post graduation in the beginning itself. First it has to go through the basics of schooling, then graduation and then only higher level of post graduation. So too in the spiritual path one has to go through the Karma yoga, Bhakti yoga and GYana yoga. Convert our karma into Bhakthi and then allow that Bhakthi to blossom into GYana which is the supreme state.

Action may not always bring happiness. But there is no happiness without action. Once born as a human being right from the womb to tomb a person's life is full of actions. Birth was not our choice and definitely death is not in our hands. But the way we lead the life is a choice given by the Lord.

Bhagawan Baba says,

"The past is History. The future is Mystery. But the present is the gift in your hands. Therefore the ideal way to act is,

" karmanye vaadhikaaraste maa phaleshu kadaacana
maa karma phala hetur bhuur maa te sangostva karmani"

Which means " Perform your duty without expectation of results and do not refrain from action at any cost"

No one dies because of hard work. But it is the expectation of the results which gives us heartbreak. It does not mean physically we can remain inactive. On the contrary, one cannot also reach God by abstaining from action and mentally craving for sense objects.

Once there was a swamiji and with one of his disciples went to take in a bath in a river. After taking bath while they were about to return, a Lady slipped and fell into the river. The disciple immediately rushed and carried her in his arms and saved her.

Then both the swamiji and the disciple returned to their ashram. After some time the swamiji asked the disciple, "Why did you touch and save the lady? As a brahmachari you should not have done that" Then the disciple replied, " Swamiji, I had left her in the river bank itself but you have brought her here."

So mental dissipation is more dangerous than the physical indulgence.

Then how to perform actions?
"yajnaarthaat karmanon yatra lokoyam karma bandanah" If we do actions as Yagna without any attachments we will not be bound by such actions. But when man accepts the fruits of his actions as God's grace, he is relieved from his karma.

Baba explains, how a man should act?

"Do all karmas as actors in a play, keeping your identity separate. Remember that the whole thing is just a play and the Lord has assigned you a part. Act your part well; your duty ends there". The same concept has also been said by Shakespeare sarcastically in the following lines :

"all the world is a stage
and all the men are players
The life is a tale told by an idiot
Full of sound and fury, signifying nothing"

We are just like clothes kept for drying for a short period and we dance as per the wind not realizing that our life is futile and ephemeral. It does not mean that we discard actions. What is needed is only the change of attitude. i.e. not the renunciation of action but the renunciation in action.

Baba says, " You cannot be a Nayak without being a Sevak " People follow the footsteps of the great leaders. i.e.

" yad yadaa carati shresthas tatta devetaro janah
sa yat pramaanam kurute lokas tadanu vartate "

Baba is doing a yeomen service to humanity through water projects, super specialty hospital etc. These massive projects are undertaken by Him only with the intention of emancipation of the human society and not for His personal name or fame. So the Lord Himself acts even though He is not bound to act. His actions are a guide to us and we should follow His footsteps in whatever way we can without getting attached to our actions.

We are continuously hearing day in and day out that we should leave our attachments. Even the emails are not spared from attachments. What is this attachment?

Attachment to action is like poison and action without attachment is the antidote. What is the cause of attachment? The ego, sense of doership, clinging on to the fruits of actions are the causes which are so deep rooted in us. A pole-vaulter renounces the pole before crossing the vault, so too man should perform actions renouncing his passions to the fruits of actions.

" mayi sarvaani karmaani sannyasyaadyaatma chetasaa
niraashir nirmamo bhuutva yudhyasva vigatajvarah "

This sloka gives the blue print of an ideal action. One should do his duty in a perfect manner, devoid of past worry, present anxiety and the future excitement. Do the best and leave the rest to Him. Surrender all actions to the Lord, renounce all heterogeneous attachments like ego, hope and selfishness, and target for the homogeneous Lord. This is the cardinal principle of Karma Yoga.

Then what prevents the right action?

The heart / atman is clouded by desires. Desire is like a virus which goes deep into the system, corrupts the mind and crashes the intellect. It is insatiable like fire and stands between Man and God. Baba says, " Man minus desire is God." Our desires are also endless. We desire any thing and every thing in the world from meagre to mighty.

How to over come these impediments or obstacles?

Moha has to be minimized to attain Moksha. Desires have to be nipped in the bud itself. The only method by which the delusion of desire can be destroyed is to dedicate all activities to the Lord. If we do so, we can transform ourselves from the plane of man-consciousness to the plane of God-consciousness. The ultimate security is the realization of Supreme Reality.

I am reminded of a poem which brings out the synthesis of Karma yoga, Bhakthi yoga and GYana yoga. This poem "DAFFODILS" as written by Wordsworth goes like this.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

I wandered lonely as a cloud
That floats on high over vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

That floats on high over vales and hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,
A host, of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

In this stanza the poet talks about Karma yoga and Bhakthi yoga.

I wandered lonely as a cloud

The lonely wanderer refers to the desireless detached stage. The cloud refers to selfless service as it gives rain without expecting anything in return.

That floats on high over vales and hills

This line refers to the ups and downs of the life. Pleasure and Pain i.e. Suka and Duka visit everyone. But a person engaged in Karma yoga is unaffected or unperturbed.

A host, of golden daffodils,
Beside the lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

These lines describe that the wanderer is intoxicated with pure love for nature. This is nothing but Bhakthi yoga as he is totally filled with universal love.

In the last stanza the poet says,

In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude,
And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils.

These lines refer to the GYana yoga i.e. single pointed meditation upon the supreme reality which gives infinite peace and bliss i.e. sat-chit-ananda.

Finally when the poet says,

And then my heart with pleasure fills
And dances with the daffodils

He becomes one with the nature. His individuality merges with the totality.

To put it in a nut shell,

From karma yoga we learn to act without expecting the results.

From Bhakthi yoga we infer to surrender ourselves with unconditional and selfless love.

From GYana yoga we realize to see the divinity in everyone.

This is how the kurukshetra which is going on in our minds continuously can be converted into Karmakshetra and Dharmakhetra.
Jai Sai Ram.
Sri Krishnaarpanamastu.
Sundaresan
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Prayer Club

A Sai devotee
I request to pray for a baby girl, not even six months old, undergoing spinal cord surgery on April 7th. She is my collogues daughter. Doctors say she has tumor in the spinal cord and this has already damaged her. This major operation is not deterministic to cure her, but *may* stop further damage. I humbly request all devotees to pray to our Sai Baba for the baby and the family, to relieve them from this pain and anxiety. I strongly know from my past experiences, he will answer our prayers!!! I am just waiting patiently for him.....

Jayanti
Sri Baba, Please help in saving Prakash's friend son.
Melissa Rosario

Shirdi Sai Baba, Bless our " Krishna International" & let it prosper. Bless this company from all adversity, and as we humbly bow before you Shirdi Sai Baba with all our hearts, graciously defend us, in thy mercy . Shirdi Sai Baba , please bless me and help me to visit Shirdi at the earliest. With your blessings today I am a happy and satisfied person. Thank you and continue to shower your blessings on me.

Ashna Rameshur, Durban, South Africa
Swami I am unable to send you a letter because our computer at work is not working and we are unable to access it. Swami, you helped me before to get the loan now Swami I need your help to get the increase. Swami I can't contact Christopher Beatty, the only option I have is to try and give him the letter tomorrow. Swami, please make that possible.
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Question of the Week

"How is Sri Sai Satcharitha Parayan performed"?

A Sai devotee from Sydney, Australia

It was interesting to read the views on the reading of the SatCharitra. I would like to share my experiences, regarding the SatCharitra Parayana, with my fellow devotees. It is my humble belief that no rigid rules need be followed for the reading of the Satcharitra. It is more important that devotees read the holy book on a regular basis and with concentration, and faith, trying to grasp the hidden message from our Lord Sai. If the devotees can, they should read a chapter a day but I feel even a paragraph or two is better than not reading at all. This I have learnt from personal experience. When I first started reading Satcharitra I tried to read a full chapter a day. I would get stressed if I could not find time to do so. Quite a few times I would find myself rushing through the pages without understanding. Eventually I stopped it completely. Thus missing out on the spiritual benefits in my life. After a few months I decided to start reading according to my convenience, regarding the amount I covered each day and the time of the day when I could read with concentration and regularity. Ever since that I have been reading it regularly and am a much happier person. This was reconfirmed a few months ago. I had requested a friend of ours to start the book. After a few weeks when I checked with him I was told that he had not done any reading. The reason, we discovered, was the restrictions placed on him by his wife regarding the method of reading to be adopted. He was asked to take a bath and then sit in the temple area in front of Baba's photo and then read. He, being a busy professional, could not find the time to do so. I quietly suggested my method to him and sure enough he is now managing to do some reading. Hopefully, Baba will induce him to become more regular. He is certainly finding a lot of peace of mind since he has started reading the book. Another point I would like to stress is that it is a pure mind and not a pure body that is essential to conduct a parayana. The essence of Baba's teachings is the freedom to take his name in any state or manner. The important thing is to remember him. Each devotee has the freedom, according to his/her devotion and convenience, to follow whatever ritual he/she believes is important towards achieving Baba's love and grace.

There should be no hard and fast rules. For instance, I find it most convenient to read his book early in the morning before I have even taken a bath. Due to my daily morning chores I cannot follow the conventional method of bathing before I do so. I have no hesitation and I firmly disagree with this tradition. Believe me, I feel stronger and more capable of dealing with life with this kick-start.

Amit, USA

1)After bathing in the sacred Godaavari and after taking the darshan of the Samadhi in the Samadhi-Mandir in Shirdi , you should read/hear the Satcharita.

2) Casually think about stories of Sai , give out to others , you will get an ever-new flavour of them and save the hearers from feature misery.

3) If anybody after bathing, reads this with love and faith , and completes it within a week.

4) With concentrated mind, if you read a chapter daily , it will give you unbounded happiness, one who has his own welfare at heart , should study it carefully and then he will remember Sai gratefully and joyfully in birth after birth.

5) This should be read at home specially on Guru Pournima , Gokul-Ashtami, Rama Navami and Dasera.
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