Lakhs of years have passed since the human origin this earth, yet we do not know our real Self. The entire creation has divine origin and the creator is SAI. He willed "I am alone, let me be many" and the creation manifested by His will. The present Human population of the world is around 650 crores but the principle of SAI is the same in everyone. There is awareness in our physical body and that awareness is true wisdom. The Vedas term this as "Constant Integrated Awareness", which makes the body, mind and intellect function. All that we find outside is nothing but the reflection, the reaction and resound of our inner feelings. We may think that we are separate from SAI but in fact, SAI and we are not separate. We are in SAI and SAI is in us. We have all come from SAI.

Some argue that they do not believe in SAI, as He is not visible. How can we say the air does not exist because it is not seen? Our SAI is present everywhere at all times. None can decide that He is here and not there. He is everywhere. He is Omnipresent, Omnipotent and Omniscient.

Only through Love can one have the vision of SAI. Love is the fundamental force. In a heart filled with Love, there is no place for evil qualities like jealousy, lust, anger, hatred and ego. Once we develop Love within, we will never hate anybody. Only through Love and equanimity of mind the vision of SAI can be attained. We think that going to Church/Temple/Mosque or singing devotional songs and performing rituals is sufficient proof of our devotion to the LORD. It is not so, there is only one proof for showing our Love & devotion for SAI - by Loving our fellow human beings. Love is the most powerful force in the whole Universe. It is in fact God, for God is Love and Love is God. It manifests as the energy and is the power of attraction that controls everything from the sub-atomic particles to the planets, stars and galaxies. It is the gel that holds everything together. The world cannot exist without Love; Love is the cement that bonds it together. All are embodiments of Love and God resides as Love in the hearts of all. The one and the only thing that can bind us is Love.

Once Swami Vivekananda asked Shri Ramakrishna Paramahans whether He has seen God, to which Shri Ramakrishna replied, "Yes, I have seen God just as you are seeing me and I am seeing you. "Then how is that I do not see him" asked Vivekananda. Shri Ramakrishna answered "you weep for your family, you suffer for your business and wealth, but do you ever weep for GOD or yearn for a vision for God? Do that and you will certainly see God! All the time I am pining only for the vision of God, hence God is visible to me at all times in every human being".

The Purpose of our birth should be achieved by the sacrifice of everything to SAI. Sacrifice alone ensures immortality. We look for shortcuts in everything, even in spirituality. But surprisingly, spirituality does have a shortcut. There is no need to wander here and there in search of SAI. SAI is residing in our heart. If we turn our vision inward and see through the torch of LOVE we can see Him instantly. This is the easiest path.

(Contributed by S Krishnaswamy)
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Contributed Poem: Mission of Saints and Miracles

'Miracle' is a Divine Act or a supernatural occurrence. Generally, a miracle is whatever the miracle witness says it is. Usually, it's an event that the witness believes could not have occurred through human effort and is beyond probabilities that natural forces would have caused it. The assumption, then, is that the event must have resulted from Divine intervention. Miracles happen at the desire of great saints. Here is an extract from " Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi " authored by M.W.Pradhan is reproduced for the benefit of readers. Yashwant Janardhan Galvankar (9th Oct 1945) in his Preface to the book mentioned thus.... " Some Vedantis think that all miracles are brought about by the use of Sidhdhis and the Sidhdhis being obstacles on the path of Self knowledge they express disappropriation regarding such Siddhis and to some extent are even afraid of them."

It is no doubt true that Siddhis are obstacles on the spiritual path, but we must distinguish between different kinds of Siddhis. The Sidhdhis acquired by the practice of Hatha Yoga by Chang Dev are quite different from the Atma Siddhis of Sri Dnyana Deva. The miracles happened at the desire of Sri Sai Baba were the Siddhis of the later sort. By such divine powers, many persons were first attracted to Sai Baba to secure only temporal gains but ultimately He made His devotees aspire to secure spiritual happiness and attainment of Self Realization, which is the Real Mission of Saints. Sri Sai Baba fulfilled this mission to the entire satisfaction of many devotees who came to Him. Say Victory to the Immortal Saint Of Shirdi..!!

(Contributed by Sai Eshwari)
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Experiences of Devotees

Achuta Ramaiah, Hyderabad, India
I really want to share a physical experience of Baba in real life. I had gone to Shirdi last year after my US trip visiting my daughter Asha. We three I, my wife Ramani and my sister in law Kalpakam went to Shirdi from Hyderabad in an overnight bus. My wife was not that well, more so with the tiresome trip. We went to the mandir and found a big serpentine queue waiting. My wife was not well so I decided to use my Ex serviceman's privilege, but soon I realized I did not have my Identity card. Still taking cue from Baba I approached the authorities but they insisted some document to prove my identity. Luckily, I showed my British Library card wherein my rank was and mentioned. The gentleman seeing my wife's condition agreed to help me out. He authorized my entry! We quickly saw Baba without any further effort. As we neared the Samadhi our eyes were full of tears and we stood for a long time. The Pujari on duty gave me a wonderful rose from his garland and blessed us.

We later proceeded to Dwarkamai and due to the rush; we could not see all the relevant Baba's items there. We had a good lunch and strolled near the bazaar when I suddenly discovered the loss of my spectacles and my black leather pouch. I was greatly perturbed. Seeing our plight an old man in a white dhoti shouted at me to go and look for the same in Dwarkamai. My wife and sister in law forced me further. I went to Dwarkamai reluctantly and as the public was pushing me, I nearly fell near the chakkis (Grinding Stone), which Baba used for grinding flour. As I got up and dusted myself, I saw that a leather case was kept intact in a small enclosure above the grinding chakkis. I quickly retrieved them and saw that it was my leather case with spectacles put neatly inside. The spectacles were very costly and had been presented to me so lovingly by my son in law. I am sure my daughter would not have spoken to me gain if she were told about the loss. It was indeed a lucky find! I breathed a sigh of relief and wanted to thank the old man. The old man was not there at all and I did not see him again!! Then to my surprise, I bought Baba's photograph and suddenly realized the close resemblance. I felt a sudden thrill because I had been asking Baba to reveal himself several times and he did so! So truly Baba blessed me that day and even now I can feel the thrill. Jai Baba
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Devotees say...

Sudamsu Koirala
I had similar thoughts as the devotee who wrote last week run thru my mind when I started reading Satcharitha. I could not relate to my parents experiences; then I finished sai Satcharitha and received udi from Sansthan in my mailbox as soon as I finished reading my first parayan; I knew I was blessed. Whenever I read it, I get a sense of satisfaction .I know faith and patience are pillars to achieve sai and I will try to stick to his message. You do that and you will realize it. May Baba bless us both.

Suguna, Singapore
I have a lot of faith in Sai Baba and I went thru a lot of article about him and I have feels the power, I duly respect and believe in all deities, the power and the happiness is within us. Humans life is fluctuating in order to maintain our life condition to be stable we have to believe in spiritual and to follow everyday without fail. Many people always ask from the "God I want this I want that", pray for the person whom are suffering, it could be your friend, siblings, unknown person etc.this way you benefits even faster. Set a goal and don't give up. Be consistent with your prays your prayer will be answered.
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Prayer Club

Sreevatsava Y
Baba you always be with us. Baba, we are appearing for entrance Examinations. Bless us Baba. You are guru for all of us. Whether they are sorrows or joy full times we share with us. Baba with you always a joyful experience. Bless that at home every one should be happy. Baba you saved us many times from sorrows. You saved my father from problems. You saved me from scorpion bite. Your udhi heal many diseases. My brother is also appearing for exams. With blessings of you, he may get Good results &get seat in good institution. With your blessings, my mother recovered soon.

Rachna
I have been praying to sai to help me out and make things at least bearable since last year, financially. But sai you are taking too long to answer my prayers. I would request all to pray for me & with me for praying in unity I will be bestowed with his blessings. For it is very tough and I know, he will answer eventually.

A Sai devotee
Baba, I am helpless now. I am going down or becoming lazy and away from the world in my own world of hopes and dreams, which are broken as soon as I get up from the sleep. I am unable to face any body with confidence no body there to support me and if they are their I am running away from them as I cannot come up to their expectations. I am seriously out of this race of the world. I don't have anything to be a part of this community everywhere a feel that I am out of place and out of this world. Baba I am going to the utmost negative. Please save me from this. Please do change me in a way that I am able to achieve the good dreams of my life.

A Sai devotee
Dear Baba, I got married with Your grace two and a half years ago and my husband is not in the least bit committed to our marriage and this has been causing me a lot of mental tension and considerable mental strain in my family. Please help me. Om Sairam.

A Sai devotee
Sai Maha Prabho. With you grace, I came to Shirdi. Every night I go to sleep with your nama smaranam. Still I want you to come in my dreams. I do not know why I got this wish. Baba please bring some change in my husband, so that he will have intention to go and visit his sick mother. Baba please also help my son to get internship this year. Koti namaskarams to you sairam.
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Quotation of the Week
"I think of my people day and night. I say their names over and over".-Saibaba of Shirdi
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Question of the Week

Q. "Describe in detail Baba's Handi and express your thoughts about it." A. Sai Devotee

Sai Baba used two handis for cooking. The bigger one catered for 100 people, the smaller one served for around 50 people. He took care of every thing needed for cooking. He bought groceries, after careful bargaining, from the local merchants. Both vegetarian and non-vegetarian dishes were cooked in the handy. The handi was used frequently until 1910.After that, once Shirdi became famous, devotees used to bring lot of dishes for prasad. More details about the handi are given in Saisatcharit.

Let us see the significance of Baba's Handi in relation to our daily living. Baba used to be very frugal in buying the groceries from the shop. He did all the cooking by himself without expecting any help from others. At the same time, every detail of the cooking had been taken care of. Baba's life strikingly demonstrates the idea of, "Simple living: High thinking". He showed us clearly that, self-help is the best help.

Baba quietly demonstrated the importance of annadan in our lives. According to Upanishads food is Brahman. All the living beings subsist on food grains, again at the end they become one with food. In the Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna told us that,

Yyajna-sistasinah santo
mucyante sarva-kilbisaih bhunjate te tv agham papa
ye pacanty atma-karanat

(Karma yoga verse 13)

(One will be liberated from all the sins if they eat the food, which is offered to the God first.) Sai Baba taught us to see God in every living being. Manava Seva is Madhava Seva. Besides, eligibility of the receiver is not needed for Annadan, unlike other charities. It is the duty of every one to help the hungry within their limits. Further, Baba told Smt. Tarkad that, feeding the hungry is feeding Baba itself. He also told us that, even if we do not want to give, we could refuse it politely instead of telling it in a harsh way. All said and done, whatever we infer from saints' lives is compared to the efforts of a small bird trying to drink the entire ocean itself. Our only duty is, to try to bring at least one teaching into practice in our daily living.
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Sai Activities

Sri Rama Navami Celebations, Toronto, Canada
SHIRDI SAI BABA SANSTHAN OF CANADA, requests your benign presence on the auspicious occasion of Ram Navami Celebrations on April 3 2004 and our weekly Thursday Prayers to receive Baba's blessings. For more Details please send us an email: saileela99@yahoo.com or call us at 905 887 1752

Sri Ramanavami/Urs Celebrations, Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, Minnesota
Shirdi Saibaba Prayer center, Minnesota invites Sai devotees to participate in the Sri Ramanavami/Urs celebrations on Saturday, April 3, 2004 at Geeta Ashram, Brooklyn Park, MN. The event includes, Sai aarthis, Devotees' experiences, Bhajans, Kirtans, Chandan Utsav and Palki Procession. Please write to hamaresai@yahoo.com. Regular Sai activities in the Twin Cities, MN are being conducted at Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, 725 Lake St NE, Apt #139 Hopkins MN. For details, please visit www.hamaresai.org or write to hamaresai@yahoo.com. Or call Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center at 952-938-2983.

Shri Ramnavami Festival 2004 at Shri Saibaba Sansthan, Shirdi
Please visit the following link to know more about Shirdi Sai Sansthan's Ramanavami festival celebrations: http://www.shrisaibabasansthan.org/shirdi/ustav04/ramnavmi2004.asp

Akhanda Sainama Japam, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
Akhanda Sainaama Japam will be conducted from 01-04-2004 (Thursday) 12-noon to 04-04-2004 (Sunday) 12 noon (72 Hours) at SRI KUMARAN MAHAL, Alamelumagapuram, Vellore 632009 , Vellore District, Tamil Nadu. Devotees are requested to participate in sacred Japam and obtain the blessings of our samartha Sadguru Saibaba of Shirdi.

Akhanda Sai Nama japa yagna by International Shirdi sai foundation & Sri Shathashrunga Vidya Samsthe
Dear Sai Bhandus, as ordained by Shirdi Sai Baba, It is proposed to conduct "NIRANTHARA AKHANDA SAI NAMA JAPA YAGNA" Non Stop Chanting of Baba's Tharaka Mantra. "OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI" FROM 22-03-2004. Devotees are requested to participate and receive the blessings of Shirdi Sai Baba. SHIRDI SAI MANDIR, Near Old KHB Check Post, Magadi Main Road, Bangalore-560079. Phone: 56685879
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