Baba's ways are unique in bringing religious harmony and people must understand His directives for a peaceful life in this universe. I feel it is appropriate to give one such incident to our readers. It happened during the days of Baba living with physical body at Shirdi. At Bombay and in other places heads of idols were being broken and temples, mosques and houses were burnt down. At Shirdi, each of these groups built or lent a hand in building other's temples, mosques and houses. A Hindu Inspector gave Baba stones for the reconstruction of his mosque; and Baba gifted them all away for the reconstruction of the Hindu temple in the village. The Hindus later collected thousands of rupees and reconstructed his Mosque. A devotee of Saibaba, Sri Upasani Maharaj, put up at Sakori, 3 miles off Shirdi, a neat little Mosque, within twenty yards of the local Siva and Maruti temples without disturbing public or private peace. Hindus and Muslims have always joined together for processions and celebrations in honor of Sai Baba, and prayers at his tomb; and both partook of the vegetarian offerings brought by either to Baba, after due pronouncement of Namaz and fatiah. Sai Baba was the living emblem of Hindu Muslim unity. His life and teachings were the strongest and the most forcible exposition of the underlying unity of all communities and creeds of India. Baba professed no religion. There were elements of both; both were so closely intermixed.

When R. Tarkhad, Mir Jaman of Kandahar and others were sleeping by the side of Baba at the Chavadi. Mir Jaman woke up at midnight and spoke to Baba. Mir Jaman: Baba, the Hindus are spoiling you, and the Islamic faith. Give me leave; I will cut all their throats at once, with my sword. Baba: I am (pagal) mad; and the Hindus worshipping me are mad. I am responsible for their heterodoxy; not they for mine. If you want to cut any throat, cut mine. Mir Jaman kept quiet thereafter. The way Baba handled the situation is ensuring peace by suppressing the evil thoughts. It is a single incident in the ocean of Baba's philosophy. All people in this universe must understand His teachings and practice in good faith for the benefit and betterment of human beings.

Present day world is highly advanced in science and technology, but it remains to be products of Maya. And this maya is taking control on human lives and ultimately millions are going to be innocent victims, if a war broke out in the future. Situation in the border is worsening everyday, and the victory is not a win, as it would be celebrated over loss of innocent lives. The real victory is winning the minds of all people in the earth with love. Hence, it is primary duty of all Sai devotees to submit our sincere prayers to the Lotus Feet of our Lord to use His Power to cultivate the minds of warlords towards peace and ensure all people in this world under His Kingdom to preach His religion of Love. Bow to Shri Sai, Peace be to all.

(Contributed by N. Sivanandam, Coimbatore, India)
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Contributed Article: Guruji at Diamond Jubilee of All India Sai Samaj

On the 1st June 2002, Guruji Shri C.B.Satpathy visited Chennai for the All India Sai devotees convention held by the All India Sai Samaj.

As soon as he landed in Chennai he had a brief talk with a group of devotees gathered to see him. In the half an hour talk he had with them he gave the whole essence of life in a capsule form. He said man is the creator of his own sorrow and happiness. He said that we are caught in the field of pleasure and pain which is essentially the same and we never move from this field to a state of happiness and beingness which is really our true nature. He said that we could meet the events of life as they come along, then rest in a space in our hearts which is full of joy and happiness. Why judge and condemn the events of life as good and bad and create unnecessary sorrow for ourselves. What a beautiful way to describe the whole essence of the Gita in such few words to his loving devotees.

Addressing devotees at All India Sai devotees convention he said, Shri Sainath is an avatar, an incarnation and emphasised that an incarnation is never reincarnated again. He said one has to minimise the rituals and what is really important is bhav, as evolution of a person depends on this. He also said that a spiritual power is born once in every six hundred years. Starting from Moses in 1800BC, Jain, Buddha, Christ, Prophet and in 1800 he said it is Shri Sainath. He commended the efforts of All India Sai Samaj, Chennai and said that this is the second best Sai Institution next to Shirdi Sai Samsthan, Shirdi. Lot of devotees from several parts of the country participated in the two day convention.

During this visit, he also brought about a very major change in the way of thinking to the Sai family. At Saipuram Temple in Chennai when he entered the chavadi, he removed the restriction imposed on women entering a certain part of the chavadi area. This brought a lot of cheer and joy to the women devotees present. This change will really help in the evolution of women in India and abroad in the years to come. To a great degree he broke the laws of suppression imposed on women and has brought about liberation for all the women of the next generation. The impact of this move will be closely understood in the years to come and women will ever remain thankful to him for helping them to move more into themselves. The master continues his work of freeing souls from bondage and taking them to the place of pure joy and happiness of being. We love Sai. Sai is Love.

(Contributed by Mansha Bulchandani, Chennai )

Contributed Article: Another Chitrayatra Miracle

My younger brother staying in Chicago has been having some personal distress lately. Added to that he got an inquiry from the Immigration requiring "AUDITED" reports of the financials from his Company for the past three years. They specifically requested for "AUDITED" reports and put a hold on the green-card process.

His Employer is going through the effects of the down turn of the economy and has taken permission from IRS until September this year to file the taxes. His Employer said that they couldn't get the financials audited until September of 2002. My brother had to send a response back to INS by June 1st of 2002. The attorneys also mentioned that INS would not accept un-audited financials since they were very specific in the RFE. The law firm representing my brother was not going to fight the cause since there were no grounds to challenge INS in this situation. My brother didn't have any other alternatives and was expressing this to me. This happened two weeks back and I asked him to blindly leave it on "Sai" and send the un-audited papers and start reading the Satcharitha. I also started praying for him.

Last weekend we went to Chicago for a day and I took the A4 size picture of Sai. I didn't have the main picture for Chitra yatra to take with me, since Baba was visiting Rochester MN with a host family.

Here is the interesting situation: We actually planned to take the main picture of Baba to Chicago. All plans were made and I requested the host family to drop it off by Friday, 10th May 2002. I got a call from the host family on Friday noon that they would like to keep Baba for the weekend since a member of the host family was graduating last Monday and they had relatives visit them during the weekend. I explained the situation but being an Anchor home, gave away self-interest and family interests and obliged with the host family to keep Baba for the weekend also. Maybe HE desired to stay there. Who am I to change the karmic path? I was somewhat sad, but had to treat all Sai Devotees equally.

We left to Chicago on Friday night with the smaller picture of Baba, but with a greater heart to share Baba with others. We spent Saturday at my brother's place and returned on Sunday.

The host family was very thankful and returned Baba on Tuesday this week. A miracle happened Tuesday night: My brother casually checked the INS automated phone system for the status of the application. It was only a week since he mailed in the un-audited reports and other papers. It currently is taking 60 days minimum for any processing of RFE. There was no way that his application would have been handled so early. His chances for being approved were very bleak. What happened next!

His application was approved in 5 days! This was something unexpected that cannot be ruled out as coincidental. The essence is, we again felt HIS omniscience. Sharing Baba with the host family, we let go personal interests for good cause. It is not the size of the picture that matters most! It is the test he put us through and then still satisfied our humanely selfish motives.

Personally, I cannot rule it out as a sheer coincidence or give some rationale to the effects. This is not the first time it happened to me so I humbly bow to Sadguru for time and time giving more to his disciples and expecting nothing, not even a daily Arati from us. Blessed are we that these incidents put us back on a path that leads us to HIM.

(Contributed by a Sai devotee, USA)
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Experiences of Devotees

Vadlamani Srilakshmi
This incident happened some time back and it has proved that Baba doesn't take dakshina from everybody and he takes from people who owe it to him. In Satcharitha in chapter 40 we see how Mr.Dev is not able to recognize Baba as he went in the form of the sanyaasi and in chapter 36 we read about gentlemen from Goa who come to see Baba, though both come together, Baba asked only one of them for the dakshina. It is known that Baba reminds people to pay what they say they will give him.

There is a place called Koonawaram in near Bhadrachalam, Andhra Pradesh, where a lovely Sai temple has come up. Chief trustees of this temple are Mr.Prasad and Mrs.Sai. They both have taken lot of pain and interest in bringing this temple up. Now during the temple construction time, we had to contribute some money for the construction purposes. Those days my husband was not involved in all these matters. Therefore, I had decided to contribute Rs.1116 from my side. However, later it so happened that my husband agreed without any problem to donate a much bigger amount towards the construction of this temple. I was very happy and then I had this stupid thought. Since my husband anyway donated that amount, I told the trustees to accept the earlier amount of Rs.1116 in my brother's name and we took the receipts accordingly in the respective names.

Exactly a week later, two women came to our house. One of them was an elderly woman with no teeth but a very sweet smile. She was wearing a saffron colored sari and was not talking she was just signaling and the other woman was interpreting those signals. Although I was so mad a at my son who left the door open, when I saw this old women smiling at me I just forgot my anger. Other woman explained that they had just come straight from Shirdi there is a yagna going on there and that I must contribute, she said, though so many houses are there the old lady showed our house and came only to our house realizing that we were Sai devotees. The first thought that came to mind was that they could be frauds. Somehow, I did not want to believe that and told them to sit down and quietly sent my son upstairs to call my co-sister, as my brother in law and family live upstairs. Meanwhile I told this lady that I could give one days yagna cost (which incidentally was Rs.1116).

Then she saw my co-sister and asked her what was she suffering from. My co sister was shocked as she did not look sick or anything but suffered from severe leg pains. The old woman blessed her and told her not to worry. The moment they left, my son told me that he had seen her in the next colony so many times before and that they were not new to the place. I was shocked and asked my neighbors if they had seen them before in the area and they said no.

Half an hour later the neighbor called and me and told me that those two women were definitely not new to the place and they had been to her house just 20 days ago and spent about an hour in their house and during that time she herself. had served them lunch . I was shocked and so was my co sister. She thought that this old woman would be asking her also for some money. But she had not asked. Even in my case, she did not ask my co-sister but all she did was to bless her and give udi. I was also shocked because usually if any one comes for donations we pay a small amount but I had almost involuntarily gave the exact money, which I had thought of giving Baba. Baba is omnipresent. When he comes, He comes in such a way that we cannot recognize him easily. Anyway, I do feel blessed that Baba came to our place.
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Devotees say...

Krishna Alluri
Dear Sai devotees, I would be very grateful to anyone who could give me proper guidance for this condition. I am Baba's devotee for the last six years and Baba has always blessed my family in every situation. I have a 2 1/2 year old son who was playing one day and accidentally hit my Baba's mandir. I have Baba's murthi and I worship it everyday but that day the murthi fell down and the neck got broken. It was a terrible moment for me and my child was shaken too. I don't know if Baba is angry with us or testing us. I don't know what I should do in this condition. Any guidance at this moment will be a lifesaver.

Tina Grover
Dear Sai devotee, Manav, thank you for clearing my confusion. Can you please guide me where can I find Satcharitha? (You can find Satcharita online at http://www.saibaba.org/saipage2.html and can also request for a hard copy from the website.)

Mala Rajendran
Baba has been blessing me all my life. Without his blessings, I wouldn't be where I am today. But for past 2-3 years, I am facing many problems. Baba is always there to bless, but I am going thru lots of mental tension. Don't have peace of mind. Baba does not talk to me. With whom will I share my problems? I am finding that people (relatives, friends) find me as a bad person. There is something, which makes them feel that I am a bad person. I am very frank and do not intend to do what they feel. In addition, I know where with my MIL I went wrong, because of which most of my relatives in in-laws place don't like me, but I did not do it first. I was good, but it was the extend to which they took me for granted, they insulted me and over a period I turn rude and stuff. But why don't they understand that it is they who made me act that way. Why can't they realize the good part of me? When I am good to them, they irritate me to the core, which spoils my mind and makes me do some bad action like not talking, because I am hurt so badly. Baba never talks to me, to give me answer to all this. I am seeking some advise from Sai devotees. I will consider Baba is advising me. May be he prompted me to post it here and in this way he would communicate with me. Yes, this is a miracle. I am already feeling better. Hope I get to hear Sai's advice more.
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Prayer Club

Preeti
Dear Baba, Sadar Charansparsh. You know how my mother in-law is trying to hurt me. I have lived with her for so long yet she tries to make me guilty of wrongs I haven't done -You had been in my dreams and asked me never to hurt her but tell me who will heal my wounds? At times I feel so miserable-you know, even her own children don't treat her well - the way I do and what do I get in return? Please help me. Help my husband with his failing health & my brother to settle down very well in life. Help my old parents and give all of us peace, happiness and all your blessings.

Krishna Atluri
Dear Sai family I am going through so much now please pray for me for my peace of mind Sairam.

Satya
Baba, you know what's going on in our lives. Please save us. We completely believe in you and know that you are the only person who can help us now. Please bless us. Please save our baby and let them be healthy and happy. Please help my husband get a good job. I hear experiences of other devotees and think when will Sai bless us. Baba please bless us.

Shalini Agrawal
Your prayers and Sai Baba's blessings have always helped me. Although I am nothing and do not pray enough, please pray for my niece's good health. Please Sai Baba and devotees. Also, make our family your total devotee. Especially my husband. He has gotten very successful, never used to boast about himself, now he is. Make him your devotee Baba.

Chinnalu
I feel so much dejected. Please make me not to expect any thing from anybody except from you. I want to hear you, want to talk to you, want to be your beloved always.. Please make me have faith in you and believe you with all my heart. Why do I feel alone when I have you forever? Please make me strong and be involved in your prayer wholeheartedly. Please Baba I love you and let my love be strong always. Please make amma and kids happy always. Please take care of them.

Ajanta Dahanayake
OM SAI RAM. We are going through a very difficult situation and our family is falling apart. Please pray that my husband will find work in Holland and that we will be together again as a family. Please pray for us to get together and live peacefully as a family. It is very important for my husband to find work that gives him self-satisfaction and respect that makes him the provider of the family. Please pray that he will get the job he applied for in Holland this time. Sai Ram Please help us

Sharma
Dear Saibaba, I know that you are helping me through out my life. Whenever I am in trouble, you used to save from that. You know what to give your devotees, when to give and how to give. Therefore, BABA please helps me in getting the job for which I was attending the interview. I know that u will guide me in right way.

Sangeetha
Dear Sai, devotees please pray to Baba to fulfill a small wish of mine thank you.
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Quotation of the Week
History teaches us that no civilization based on materialism as such can survive for long and will collapse like a corroded structure. As money becomes the most dominating factor in society, it will accentuate the emotional, mental, and psychological problems of man and man will hunger for spiritual solace and guidance. Here Sai Baba's message and appeal is relevant. He is the people's saint. His spirit is more alive than ever before. And it can and will bring solace and comfort to the distressed humanity if it turns to him - V.B. Kher in "Sai Baba: His Divine Glimpses".
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Question of the Week

Q. In Shri Sai Satcharitha, what did Hemadpanth refer to by mentioning that it is fortunate to be born in a Brahmin family?

A. by Ravi Shankar
In chapter 8, Hemadpant says "it is good luck to get a human body, better luck to get birth in a Brahmin family, and best one, to get an opportunity to have recourse to Sai Baba's feet and surrender to him". This line occurs at the end of a paragraph, which emphasizes the importance of human birth, which is the only life in which self-realization is possible. The paragraph exhorts the reader not to waste this human birth but to strive for spiritual progress constantly. For spiritual progress and self-realization, it is of course crucial to have faith in and follow a Sadguru like Sai Baba. Thus, the main thrust of the last line is to highlight this. So it says, human birth is a great piece of luck, but the greatest piece of luck is to get the opportunity to serve Sai Baba. An intermediate stage of luck is listed in between, namely birth in a Brahmin family. Why is that? That reflects the social conditions of the time. One may even say it reflects the prejudice of Shri Dabholkar, since he would definitely be a product of his time. The fact is that at the turn of the century, a Brahmin would have obtained much better education and has access to other means both economic as well as religious to aid him in his spiritual progress. This would have been denied to "lower" castes.
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Sai Activities

Sai Vaani

Sai Vaani a one hour audio program dedicated to Shri Sadguru Sainath Maharaj will air on 89.3FM radio station in New Jersey, USA every Sunday from 8am to 9pm. The same program will also be aired for the first few weeks on Thusrdays evenings. For the broadcast timings listen to the promotion on 89.3FM radio in NJ.

The program will be available in real audio format on www.saibaba.org starting the weekend of June 9th. Log on to the web site to listen to the first volume.

Shree Shirdi SAI Sansthan, Sydney, Australia
It has been one year since Baba's holy Murthi graced Sydney. The Beautiful Murthi (Idol) of Baba was unveiled by Pujya Guruji, Shri Chandra Bhanu Satpathy jee on Queen's Birthday long weekend last year, coinciding with Sai Utsav 2001. To commemorate the occasion, Shree Shirdi Sai Sansthan Sydney invites you all with Family & Friends to attend and celebrate first Anniversary of Baba's Murthi Sthapana, and seek Shirdi Baba's Blessings.

Spreading Sai Consciousness, Philosophy and Spirituality, which was the principal objective of SAI Utsav 2001 has been achieved with the increasing and overwhelming support and patronage of Devotees since Baba's arrival in Sydney.

It is indeed miraculous as we witnessed the increase in the number of Devotees attending various activities of the Sansthan. Though the Year has passed very quickly, the memories of Sai Utsav 2001 and Baba's arrival are still fresh in every devotee's mind.

Please join us in reaffirming our commitment to sing the glories of Lord Shirdi SAI. This event will also include the release of a Musical CD by Avijeet Sarkar on Monday 10th June 2002 at 5pm.- " S h r a d d h a A u r S a b u r i " is a collection of Shirdi SAI Bhajans. ALL PROCEEDS from the CD sales being donated to the Shree Shirdi SAI Sansthan Sydney. Join Avijeet Sarkar in Bhajan concert on 10th June from 5pm.

Program
Venue: 420 Liverpool Road, Strathfield South, NSW 2136
Sunday 9th June 2002 - Temple open from 9:30am till 8pm for Darshan
9:30am: Kakad Aarati
10:15am: Baba's Abhishek
12:00 noon: Madhyan Aarati
12:30pm: Maha Prasad
4:30pm: Dhoop Aarati
5:00pm: Special Bhajans
6:30pm: Shej Aarati

Monday 10th June 2002 - BABA'S MURTHI STHAPANA DIVAS
Temple open from 9:30am till 8pm for Darshan
9:30am: Kakad Aarati
10:15am: Baba's Abhishek
12:00 noon: Madhyan Aarati
4:30pm: Dhoop Aarati
5:00pm Bhajans by Avijeet Sarkar and CD Launch
6:30pm: Shej Aarati
7:00pm: Maha Prasad

Any devotee wishing to contribute Prasad can make Annadanam Donation at the Temple, as Prasad will be prepared at the Mandir unlike in the past. For more information on Baba's Murthi Stapana Divas celebrations or Sansthan's activities, please see the Organizing Volunteers at the Mandir or call Sansthan's Infoline 0500 524724.

Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra and Sai Satsang, Twin Cities, MN
As a part of Shirdi Sai Baba Chithra Yatra by saibaba.org, the next Sai Satsang is to be held in Edina, MN on June 8, Saturday from 9am to 12:30pm, at 6400 Barrie Road,Apt #209, Edina,MN-55435. Contact Mala or Bhasker at 952 848 7569 for more details.

Akhanda Sainaama Jaap, United Arab Emirates
With the Blessings of Lord Sainath and Parama Pujya Shivanesan Swamiji, Akhanda Sainama Jaap (OM SAI SRISAI JAYA JAYA SAI) and Sai Bhajans are being held at Hotel Imperial Suites (8th Floor Hall), P.BOX 52444, Bur Dubai, UAE on the 6th, 7th and 8th of June 2002 by the devotees of New Delhi and Hyderabad. There will be Nama Jaap / Bhajans in devotees residences and other holy places at the invitation of devotees and Mandir Committees.

For details please contact: Shri D S Agarwal (adexport@vsnl.com); Shri Daulat (mpile@emirates.net.ae); Shri Sanjay Pal (Tel:0504941815); Shri D Sankaraiah (sainama@yahoo.com)

Shirdi Sai Baba Prayer Center, VA
Saibaba.org invites you to join in Shirdi Sai prayers, Bhajans, Kirtans, arathis, etc every sunday at Compton Village Community Center from 10am to 1pm starting Sunday, May 26th. For more details contact Padma Balusu at (703) 631-0972, Kumar Swami at (703) 352-6704 or email us at maildrop@saibaba.org

Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra 2002 in UK
Devotees may participate in Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra currently underway in UK. To invite Baba to your home and for further details please contact Manu Bajaj at bajaj_manu@yahoo.com or call at +44 7905 933 489 in Wembley, UK

Shirdi Sai Baba Prayer Center, NJ
Sai Devotees of New Jersey and saibaba.org invite you to join us for Sai bhajans, Sai leela, Saicharitra readings, aarti and prasad every sunday at VFW hall at Henderson Rd, Kendall Park, NJ from 3pm-6pm. For further details or directions contact Kumad Sachdev at (732) 257-1438, Shyam Addanki at (804) 967-0833, Prasanna Vadan at (510) 469-6973 or email us at maildrop@saibaba.org.

Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra, Toronto, Canada
Devotees in TORONTO, are invited to please join us in Satsang and bhajans as part of Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra at Durga Mandir 2691 Markham Rd. Unit #5 every Thursday from 6:30pm to 8:00pm. For any details and directions contact Shammi Chopra at 905 887 1752 or shchopra@trebnet.com or visit www.saibaba.org

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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