Guru is the unmanifested form of Vishnu who gives siddhi and annihilates all our sins. Such is the significance of guru in our life. BABA also stressed the necessity of guru in satcharita he insisted that treading the path of devotion along with a guide/guru one can achieve the objective of god realization easily; without guru a sadhak is lost in the spiritual world and roams aimlessly. God reaches his children in the form of guru. Guru is a person who has himself realized the godliness and has immense love without discrimination towards the wide universe. BABA in satcharita has clearly demonstrated how one should serve guru selflessly. In chapter 5 of Satcharita, BABA with all humility and humbleness served the self-professed pseudo guru "Javhar Ali". BABA new the defects and limitations of this pseudo guru, yet to set out an example to the world about the type and kind of service that one gives to guru, HE selflessly served Javhar Ali in all aspects and humbleness as possible. By this baba wanted people to realize that what ever be the defects of the guru, one must serve the guru relentlessly with single-minded devotion and humility and humbleness. Service towards guru should not involve judgment and weighing the worth or value of the guru.

The story of Ekalavya in Mahabharat shows the importance of guru, and the value that a student has towards the name of the word "guru", when Drona acharya refused to teach Ekalavya archery for the fear that Ekalavya would surpass Arjuna, Drona's favorite pupil in the skill. Ekalavya, knew he could not achieve or master skill without guru, so he built a statue of Drona Acharya and practiced archary and excelled in the skill. Drona in his selfish love towards his favorite disciple Arjuna, asked Ekalavya to give his thumb as guru dakshina.

Ekalavya knew that any request of guru needs to be fulfilled immediately gladly gave his skill in the form of severing his thumb to Drona. This is the highest form of guru dakshina that a student offered for using the service of image of guru. Ekalavya being a perfect disciple fulfilled his role as that of a disciple. This enumerates the equal importance to the name, image or physical presence of guru in our life.

Sai followers, worldwide are fortunate to have BABA as our helmsman, who is nirgun aakar, parabramha as our perfect guru. It is our Sadguru, who has sought us out hence we have the seeds of sai love sown in our hearts. Unless guru seeks us out and blesses us we cannot have love or devotion towards HIM. Our guru has taken the first step towards His devotees and cultivated in us the seeds of bhakthi. Let us on this gurupoornima thank our guru and MASTER for the love He has showered on us. Let us accept all the happenings of good and bad that befall us as the prasad of our Guru. Our Master knows our limitations, and He would never subject us to the tests that are beyond our scope of bearing the burden. Our guru seeks love, shraddha and saburi as guru dakshina. So simple is our guru. He does not show any discrimination towards His children, he treats good and evil people alike. He is compassionate and is love embodiment. To such Sadguru who is the king of all the saints let us offer our obeisance and embrace him and lodge Him in our heart and pledge our undying love and loyalty and offer the two pice of dakshina namely "Shraddha and Saburi" which He fervently seeks only for the welfare of His children. Such is the greatness our of Sadguru. Let us offer HIm all our senses, mind and body and think of HIM with gratitude on this holy guru poornima. This is a first step towards worship of our guru. May the grace of guru always shower abundantly on all of us.

(Contributed by Anitha Kandukuri, Canberra, Australia)
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Contributed Article:Bhaja Govindam Sloka 28

Sukhatah Kriyate Raamaabhogah
Paschaaddhanta Sareere Rogah
Yadyapi Loke Maranam Saranam
Tadapi Na Munchati Paapaacharanam
Bhaja Govindam, Bhaja Govindam.....

Meaning:
Sukhatah - For the sake of happiness, Kriyate - (is done) one indulges in, Raamaabhogah - carnal pleasures, Paschaat - later on, Hanta - alas, Sareere - in the body, Rogah - disease (comes), Yadyapi - even though, Loke - in the world, Maranam - death, Sarnam - (is) the ultimate end, Tadapi - even then, Na - (he) does not, Munchati - leaves, Paapaacharanam (Aacharanam Paap) - sinful behavior.

Substance:
One indulges in carnal pleasures first and later on becomes prey to diseases (of the body). Though the death ends everything, man does not leave his sinful behavior.

Commentary:
The lust is the greatest undoing for both male and female sadhakas. This momentary impulse is like fire, which can be used for good and bad. It will serve or destroy one completely. Although the force and urge of attraction between male and female is a natural phenomenon, if controlled, it is good for the home and the society at large, if not, it will burn many lives, as fire burns everything that it touches. One has to consciously make efforts to keep away all thoughts related to sex, being a member of the civilized society. Then only one can transform such thoughts into action; otherwise, there will be chaos in the society.

As one enjoys the company of mother, sister, daughter, father, brother, son and other such relations of opposite sex, the same way one should move with other in the society, killing animal thoughts and learning to seek delight in a cultured manner. First, one has to sincerely practice the art of forgetting the sex of other person. Then only one can turn away the mind from the impulses of body-consciousness. One has to make every effort not to allow the mind to stray even for a little while into forbidden grounds; otherwise, it will overpower and drag one into the depths of shame.

Implicitly obeying to the wretched body-consciousness is universally very easy for any one, as the body wants such sensory pleasures or gratification and no practice is necessary for that, but to fight against its own low instincts and come to win the divine mastery over the flesh is very difficult. Not only that, such tendencies will lead to physical suffering and disabilities as the faculties start decaying slowly and surely. Unfortunately, even the staring death into one's own face will not stop the human being from getting over such a shameful desire. The Maya of lust is so strong that in spite of realizing that the ultimate destination is death, one finds it difficult to overcome this temptation. So, one has to be very and very careful so that one does not get into the iron grip of Maya.

(Contributed by Paritala Gopi Krishna, New Delhi, India)
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Experiences of Devotees

Sameer Sharma, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
I want to share my experience regarding the blessings of Saibaba on me. While I was in Geneva in 2001, suddenly I got the news of my father having suffered with a heart stroke. It was very severe. I was very far and helpless. I prayed Baba for the well being of my father and when I returned India, Baba saved my father and now he is fine with his grace. Another occasion was when I wanted to change my job from India to abroad, I prayed Baba for his help. Baba listened my prayers and now I am blessed by Baba and happily working here. Now I pray for His blessings for a child. May Baba bless us. Jai Sairam.
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Devotees say...

Jay
There was a question about the right way of reading the satcharitra in a newsletter about two weeks ago. I have been eagerly waiting for someone to guide me as to how I should proceed. I know that you have to finish reading the book in a week and then do the arathi. Is there anything else that I should be aware of? Also what happens if you start reading the book and then it is the wrong time of the month and you have to stop, can you continue or should you stop and start from the beginning again.

S Roy
SAIRAM to all readers of Sai Vichaar. I am an avid reader of Sai Vichaar, found it very interesting, and reinforce my faith in Sai Baba as well. I like to put forward a question to all devotees. I will be glad to get reply from you. I resorted to the method of casting lot in order to seek an answer to one of my burning issues. I prepared chits containing all the probable answers to that very issue. Then one Thursday morning, placing all the chits in front of Baba's picture and mentally bowing to Him to provide me with the correct answer, I picked up one of the chits. I got a reply. Now my question is how far is this method of casting lot to seek an answer to a specific query from Baba reliable? Should one proceed depending on the reply obtained thus? Please give your opinion.

Jayanth Varma
Sadguru Sai is himself a master in him and in the whole. The spell of Venkusa from Baba is that he is the guru for me at that situation, it doesn't mean that the guru can be changed for each and every situation, here the changes can appear in his relations with you and your life time and also to the infinite, he is the mother, father, friend, god, guru, and it is up the devotees wish. Here the main thing is Baba doings are not supposed to understand very easily and they are not as easy to understand in a very short time .to say the real relation among the guru and sishya he spelled Venkusa is my guru. The real thing is Baba himself is guru for him. But he wished to explain the necessity and importance of guru to his beloved is the main reason, manual mind is as dirty as clean, it is restricted to the pleasure and happy, for that it is found so many ways but any where it is not fulfilled except when it is in the sannidhi of guru. The things done by the guru are to be fallowed by his sishyas.in the same manner Sadguru Sai said the importance of guru to make fallowed by us in a practical manner why because he is the creator he is universal, Jai Sadguru Sai.
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Prayer Club

A Sai devotee
Please help my friend's problem Baba. They are suffering with a lot of tension, as they need to move to a different place, which they don't like. There are so many constraints on deciding if they need to leave the place or not. Please help them baba and let them stay. You showed so many miracles and helping me every day in my life. Please show them your miracle to stay in the current place. Thank you Baba for everything you did to me. Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai.

Sai Devotee
Sai baba, I am very lonely and sad, I wish I could become a child and rest in my mothers arms. No place is as comforting as a mothers embrace .I wish I could be close to my mother, but neither am I close to her nor can I confide in her. Baba I am sure you understand what I am going through. I need your help and I need you to give me a sign to restore my faith in life. My state of mind is negatively affecting my husband and son and I feel guilty of putting them through something they don't deserve. Help me God, I need you. Mother always says Sai Baba will always come to help if a devotee calls upon him. Baba I may not be a very great devotee of yours meaning I don't pray so regularly but I believe in you and tie rakhi on your wrist, consider you my brother, please help your sister Baba.

Meena
My dear Sai Baba Ji paripona. Please bless our family, please forgive our sins and mistake, please look after my children. Get my daughter married soon, help her find a suitable match. Please keep our family at your feet, always look after us. Hari om jai Sai om.
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Quotation of the Week
"Many take the name of god after receiving blows in life. But he who can offer His mind like a flower at the feet of the lord right up from childhood is indeed blessed"-Holy mother Sri Sarada Devi
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Question of the Week

Q. What is meant by "TRUTH"?

A. by A Sai Devotee

Jai Sai Ram! The ultimate truth is the reality of Oneness or the non-dual nature of God, the world and all its creatures. By the Grace of God or Guru who are the same, humans could realize such Truth. Shri Hemadpant in Sai Satcharita highlights how devotees could seek the Grace of Sai and learn the ultimate truth by cultivating various traits, including:

Devotion (Parable of Nine Balls of Stool - nine forms of devotion. Anantrao Patankar who could not attain peace of mind in spite of reading a lot learnt from Sai Baba the importance of practicing devotion as the best means to attain peace of mind)

Charity (a rich gentleman who was full of avarice and greed sought Jnana or Self-Realization from Sai. He taught him the importance of being charitable and share his wealth in order to attain Jnana and elaborated other traits that are necessary)

Faith and Patience (when Mrs. Radhabai Deshmukh was fasting to seek mantras from Sai, He advised that there were no mantras and all that are needed is to cultivate complete Faith and Patience in Guru/God)

Contentment with one's own lot (when Das Ganu was struggling to understand the full meaning of Ishavasya Upanishad, Sai sent Das Ganu to Kaka's illiterate maid-servant to clear his doubts. Das Ganu learnt a great lesson from the maid that God pervades every thing and that one ought to enjoy whatever God bestows on him/her in the firm belief that as He pervades everything, whatever is bestowed on him/her by God must be good. Upanishad forbids us from coveting another man's property and teaches us a lesson of contentment with one's own lot in the belief that whatever happens, it is divinely ordained and it is hence good for us)

Baba Pervading All Creatures (Baba through a simple and practical manner taught that He pervades all creatures to Mrs. Tarkhad and to Laxmibai Shinde. Sai Baba highlighted the importance of feeding the hungry dog or other creatures as a simple way to serve Sai with food.)
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Sai Activities

Shirdi Sai Satsang, Houston, TX
Shirdi Sai Jalaram Mandir, Houston, Texas, USA cordially invites you for Thursday satsang at the following location: 5645 Hillcroft, Suite #304, Houston, Texas, 77036 between 6.30pm to 8.30pm. For more information call (713) 789 486, or send an email to: saibabahouston@yahoo.com

Shirdi Sai Bhajans in Boston, MA
We want to hold Shirdi Sai Bhajans in Boston, MA - the location will be Norwell, MA and will be held once every month. Interested devotees may please contact Jayshree at (781) 821-9916. Sai Ram

Sai bhajans in Orlando, FL, USA
For information on Shri Sai Bhajans at Orlando, Florida, please call 407 445 2520 for more details.

Shirdi Sai Baba Chitra Yatra And Weekly Satsang, Canada
Devotees in Toronto, are invited to please join us in Sai bhajans, Sai Namavali, Satcharitra readings Aarti and Prasad every Thursday from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. Devotees can participate in Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra currently underway in Toronto and Calgary. To invite Baba to your home and for further details contact Shammi Chopra at (416) 402 8089 or saileela99@yahoo.com.

Sai bhajans in Tampa, FL, USA
Sai bhajans and Satsangs will take place at 311 East Palm Ave, Tampa. FL. 33602. Please contact 407 445 2520 or 407 458 6459 for more details.

Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra 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 still continuing with great enthusiasm across many states in the country.

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 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.

Visit online at www.saibaba.org and follow link to 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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