Here's a small story articulating the moral "What ever happens is for our eventual benefit". In other words, there is a silver lining to everything.

Once Akbar the mughal emperor and Birbal, his minister were having a chat. While cutting a fruit, Akbar cut his finger slightly and was upset about it. Birbal said "Jahapana, whatever happens is for your good. Do not worry". This irked Akbar and he wanted to score it even with Birbal. He takes him for hunting trip at the end of the day they are tired. Akbar asks Birbal to get down into an abandoned well and fetch water. After Birbal got down, Akbar pulled the rope up, said, "Birbal stay there, what ever happens is for your own good", and left him there. Wandering in the Jungle, Akbar lost his way back and was captured by the Tribes, who decided to offer him as a sacrifice to Goddess Kali. Just before chopping his head off, one of them sees the cut on his finger, asserted that he was not perfect, and hence cannot be offered as "Bali" and they released him. Akbar realized Birbal's words and repented for leaving him in the well and went back to get him. When Akbar explains what happened and apologizes to Birbal for his act, Birbal says "Jahapana, good that you left me, else they would have killed and offered me to kali instead of you".

It's a story, still the moral is priceless. We all know that thinking positively through tough times is not easy. It's hard to practice, easier said than done. Nevertheless, they are great support under difficult circumstances.
Back to Menu

Contributed Article: Jnana Yoga Vs. Bhakti Yoga

In the July 12, 2001 issue of Sai Vichaar, a lead article appeared titled, 'Non-discrimination'. The composition was very well written; however, after looking carefully at the revelations of the author, I sense contradictions. I wish I had the time to dissect these words, image-by-image, brick-by-brick, to reveal the strength and weaknesses of its foundation.
The author writes, "After all, even bhakti is a state of emotion! Double edged as it may appear; senses are to be used to identify that state of being, which is beyond our perceptible senses. However, a natural mind trained to relate to everything in physical dimensions, soon realizes the limited returns of such a pursuit." The author then describes the state of true knowledge acquired through viveka and vairagya, which moves one toward the goal of eternal happiness. He gives the state of happiness a title, 'Attributeless Self'. The author states that enormous effort must be endured to control the mind, the body, and one's speech in order to accomplish this state of awareness.

These are very insightful words that I do not necessarily disagree with; however, I believe that this form of Jnana is also a state of emotion. I believe that it reveals analytical mind trappings, and it is an attempt to describe a state, which may be beyond the author's experience. The greatest error committed, which became the incentive required for me to compose this piece, is the patronizing false representation of the state of Bhakti yoga. Love through attachment to the world of sense objects is not Bhakti. Bhakti is love generated from the inner Self to an object of worship. Every true Shirdi Sai devotee knows that the evolutionary development of Bhakti is a science of various stages. It is also the quickest and the surest means to reach the goal of Self-realization.

One chooses the path of Jnana yoga or Bhakti yoga according to one's temperament. For those blessed by Sadguru's grace, these two paths are simply other sides of the same coin. I cherish the sacred writings left by those who walked before me; however, words pale into insignificance when attempting to describe the path to, and/or the experience of Atman. I agree that meditation is very important. Just sitting on the inner shores to watch the dawn of Self-awareness, lifts one into the most extraordinary state of love. Nothing can compare to, or words describe, the exalted depth of universal love and rapture upon merging in the state of Atman. Any learned knowledge then becomes bondage, binding psychic knots, which shackles one's consciousness to physical reality. When one returns from this state of Self-absorption, the mind, the body and speech, becomes purified of it's own accord in the fires of Guru worship. If the final state is love, what value is Jnana yoga compared to the purity of Bhakti yoga? In my opinion, the thought that one can achieve Self-awareness through the processes of the analytical mind is futile. In essence, there is very little disagreement between the author of 'Non-discrimination' and the author of this composition. It is simply a matter of approach and, with all humility, perhaps experience, and bhakti.

Recently I had the good fortune to witness an interview with a world leader in Genome research. I sat spell bound as this seemingly normal man described his work uncovering and charting the fabric of life. What impressed me most about his words was that with all the greatness of his endeavors and accomplishments improving the future for mankind, he said that the more he uncovered and learned, the more vast was the unknown. He remarked that what he learned made him humble. He continued by stating that all people were essentially the same in genetic make up. We also share genetic makeup with all we see around us. Essentially, we are connected with this world, which is made up of shared building blocks of life. We are part of everything. Everything is part of us.

Isn't this, what Sri Sai has been trying to teach us through his connections with everyone and with everything? Shirdi Sai Baba: "My method is quite unique. Remember my words. They will be very useful. To attain Self-realization, meditation is necessary. If you practice it continuously, the vrittis (waves of thoughts) will be pacified. Become desireless. Meditate on the Lord residing in all creatures. When your mind becomes concentrated, your goal will be achieved." Aum Sai Ram!

(Contributed by Robert Kirk, New York from Sai Vichaar 2001, 4:10)
Back to Menu

Experiences of Devotees

Vamsi
I want to share my first experience of Baba, which happened to my family and me when we went to Shirdi last week. Actually from the first newsletter, every time I will be thinking, when can I experience such real happenings of Baba. And Baba gave me such wonderful experience to me at Shirdi. It was happened in this way, my marriage is a love marriage and at first, both parents didn't agree for our marriage, but we both believe in Baba and went out and get married now both families joined us and now we are happy. At our marriage we both have prayed Baba to allow us both for every marriage day to Shirdi and as April15th is my marriage day. We both went to Shirdi on April10th and we went to darshan on 11th for morning arathi, Now starts my experience with Baba after arathi and darshan we all (family members) went to tea canteen in Shirdi temple and there we saw one person just looking like Baba we all have stunned and we keep looking over that person and surprisingly 2 of my family members suddenly said he is Baba and one of my family person seat beside Baba and we took photo after that Baba smiled at himself and just kept his hand on his heart after taking photo and we too did the same. And after that 10mins we left and again we came back to see him but he was not there. And this is my first experience of Baba and I love Baba very much. In this way, Baba showed his love towards his sons like this. So I ask every one to keep faith in Baba and experience such wonderful happenings of Baba in life, which help us to go to heaven.

Gauri, Nepal
It's been more than 20 years that Baba being very kind to me and helping to solve every obstacle I am facing. This is a recent incident that I am very much thankful with Baba's power. I am voluntary involve with one of women organization and we planed to organized fund raising event (12th April 2004) and which money will goes for one of the Health Post in Eastern Nepal for maternity ward. Event was coming near and near but we couldn't able to sale tickets and nobody was showing any interest. I was getting very nervous and thinking even we couldn't able to cover our cost. But suddenly, Baba came to in my dream (on day of event12th April 2004) and that made me like- Daughter don't worry, your event will be success. By the blessings of Baba, we had many door sales and not only we covered our cost but also made the money for Health post as we promised.
Back to Menu

Devotees say...

Natasha
I want to thank Saibaba for his love and support, for answering my prayers, and for giving me such a splendid wedding. I new that swami was with me every minute of the wedding. I think back of that day and wish it could come over and over again, as I really enjoyed my wedding. Thank you Baba for blessing my husband and me and I pray to you that you will always be there and guide us no matter what.

Sasi Lakshmi
I am writing about my experience and feeling. I try to remember Sai's words and follow but as rightly said my devotion and intensity are not of the same quality. This is my lack of concentration and faith. The Shraddha or as its called faith are not available readily. As earnestly said by Bharadwaja Master, it can be developed like plants in a garden. In our hridaya Kshetra there is immense feeling to know about atma jnana but it is covered by maaya and moha. By sincere prayers and continuous satgrandha parayana, satsangthya, swadhya we should develop the concentration. that can be compared to planting a plant. This should be like a flow of a river i.e. niranthara sadhana. Then plant blooms flowers with fragrance, which is nothing but blessings of Sai Natha. In our day to day life we need to fulfill some desires and wants for living if our bhakti is not sincerely to see and experience Baba's divine presence it is felt at peak at some times and lowest when our desires are not fulfilled. To get unaltered faith only way to follow is Shraddha and saboori. That is surrender to Him and follow HIS PATH.

Smitha
Sai Ram! This is in continuation of what I had written last week. I love my husband very much and can't think of living without him. Somehow, things haven't been working well for us..As a result, we have been away from each other since the last one year. In the meantime, really hurting statements and acts have occurred from both of us...I even said I wanted to separate from him for life...but through the last one year...Baba has made me realize one thing...We are made for each other.and Cant live without each other. I love him more than anything else in the world..and Baba you know this ...Please Baba...pardon my behavior of even thinking about Divorce..and unite us again Baba...Please shower your mercy on us....Sri Satchidananda Sadguru Sainath Maharaj ki Jai.

Sujatha
Thank you very much BABA for showing this miracle and blessing me with a child. I have been waiting for this from long long time. Words cannot explain how thankful I am. Thank you very much SAI BABA for being there for us and taking care of us. Please bless us SAI BABA. Jai Sai Ram.
Back to Menu

Prayer Club

Subhadra
My only wish is that you should continue to give support in all the endeavors and guide all our family members.

Sai devotee
Dear Baba, I am undergoing deep agony. Baba please help me. My husband and I are living separately for the past few years on account of misunderstandings and black magic created by my in - laws. Every time my husband and I try to patch up his relatives interfere and spoil everything. I pray to Baba so that my husband has the good sense and comes to meet me and please unite us both soon. I am reading Sai Satcharitra daily. Please Baba shower your blessings on us and reunite us soon.

A devotee
Hari Om jai Sai ram ji, I am so happy that Sai gave me his darshan .I requested baba to give me his darshan and with in a month I was able to go to India and have his darshan. Sai baba thanks for giving me your darshan, please listen to my prayers and get my children settle down soon, help my children find suitable match and get married soon. Baba keep on calling me for your darshan.

Sailatha
You know what all happened in my life. My Husband's death is a blow to me. However he might have been, I wanted him to live long. I have to go back to India. Life is a vacuum for me. Please make me engage in some useful activity as my head aches even if I sit for 5 minutes. I realized the true color of my sisters. Past is terrible. What karma did I do in past? I have no one in life. Nor am I able to concentrate on God. I have become a widow now.
Back to Menu

Quotation of the Week
"Without my grace, not even a leaf can move"-Saibaba of Shirdi
Back to Menu

Question of the Week

Q. How to differentiate between love and attachment?

A. by Ravin, Minnesota, USA

Attachment is the tangible positive relationship between two entities based on an expectation, particular need, necessity or situation. There is nothing wrong with that. This expectation sometimes is subtle enough to fool one into thinking that feeling or thought as love. Attachment is usually short-lived. It transpires through thin air once the necessity is fulfilled or the situation surpassed. It is that temporary.

How can one define love? It is a feeling, thought, a response solicited or unsolicited, and most of the times love is referred to one of its several manifestations. Thus, we easily relate to the feelings of compassion, service, forgiveness, and selflessness. Love is the source of all the above manifestations and many more - felt but undescribed, measurable yet unquantified.

How does a devotee describe his or her relationship with Baba? Is it attachment or love? Do we love Baba just the way He loves us? It might help to see if one can define the love that Baba has for His children.

Sadguru's love is often compared to that of mother's love to her child. This is probably the closest thing that comes to one's mind. Mother's love is unselfish and spells only the best for her children. Every mother and every creature that has a mother will attest to this. However, there is still a sense of attachment, a mother loves her children, is that love same with children not her own? That is the difference between mother's love and Mother Teresa's love. In the animal world, there is a condition called Infantophagia where a mother after giving birth to her offspring, consumes one of its own litter. What kind of helpless condition is this when a mother devours its own offspring? With such inherent natural limitations, even the mother's love the noblest of feelings in the world yet comes a little short of Sadguru's love.

This is said with humble offerings at the feet of every mother. Sadguru's love manifested as his care, protection, guidance, assurance, compassion, forgiveness, and many other unknown is beyond human comprehension. Nothing in nature really compares with the magnitude of Sadguru's love or its manifestations. It can only be remotely felt by Sadguru's grace and to a small extent understood by Saadhana.

Love is spiritual and there is nothing selfish about love. Love lets everything happen. Love has neither needs nor expectations and has incomprehensible manifestations. Love is indiscriminate. Love is the background to everything positive the humanity is accomplished in its entire history.

Finally, do we really love Baba? Or is it an attachment based on a need, either material or even spiritual. Only a yearning contemplation on Complete Surrender to Sadguru will answer this question. That is a beautiful path and destination in itself worth every moment of our lives.

Q. "Quality of Devotion: Why can't it be the same at all times?"

A. by Surya

At mundane level, whatever mind feels, we call it devotion, passion, liking, dislike, warmth, sadness etc. So, human mind has varied feelings or it can exist in different states, like ecstasy, brooding, hopelessness, thoughtlessness etc. This is the reason for the quality of devotion...if you may call it... differs on time scale. But, the truth, the eternal truth, the unending truth, unfathomable truth about YOU, if realized as prescribed by our beloved Saibaba, would fix you in him and YOU, because YOU ARE THAT!
Back to Menu

Sai Activities

Shirdi Sai Utsav, Orlando, FL, USA
Sai Sharan Inc a Non -Profit Organization registered under 501© (3) is conducting Shirdi Sai Utsav on 24 April 2004 to celebrate the existence and invaluable company of Shirdi Sai Baba in this life and in our journey in the quest to realize the eternal truth. Let us all gather to spend time with our Samartha Sadguru, thank him for his immense love, care and protection towards us. Let us purify our thoughts in his gracious presence, recall his assurances and make a sincere effort to understand and implement his suggestions and philosophy. Venue: Casselberry Temple, 1994,lake Drive, Casselberry, Florida-32708. Contact: Sai Sharan Inc.5230 Cona reef Court, Orlando, FL-32810-4075. Phone No: Sai Sharan Inc- (407) 445-2520 -Orlando) Sai Sridhar- (407)-458-6459/ 310 7933 -Sai Sharan Inc, Orlando) Sai Manisha- (033)-24390501-Sai Sharan, India) Sai Devesh Bhatia- (407)-310 6428 Sai Ranga Reddy- (815) 621-4955 www.shirdisaisharan.org Sathgurusai2002@yahoo.com babasaiesha@yahoo.com

Global Sai Naam Jap(~Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai~)
This is about Global Sai Naam Jap in offering 1 Billion Flowers in the form of Sai Naam Jap("Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai") at Sai's Lotus feet and anyone can do at anytime at anyplace whether you are in the kitchen or taking bath or walking in the streets or doing any physical work. Japa must be done with intense Love and devotion for God (Sai). Friends, constant remembrance of Sai is possible only thru' Nama Japa as there are no restrictions. Let us do maximum by involving more like-minded Devotee and fulfill the sankalp of 1 billion. If one concentrated mentally does the Nama smaran one can do 30 times per minute. For 5 minutes, it is 150 times. But one can take 120 times for 5 minutes. Please register yourself in www.shirdisasharan.org/jaap.htm and be part of 1 Billion Global Sai Naam Jaap and contribute your japa count.

This is just a drop of water into Sai's Naam Jap ocean. We can collectively work to complete this Divine sankalp successfully. More details can be seen on the web http://www.shirdisaisharan.org under Naam Jap. The glory of the Divine Nam lies beyond the scope of Human intelligence and arguments so friends chant the Divine name and merge with the Lord who is our Savior and without whose WILL nothing moves.

Sai Baba Center in Toronto
Devotees in Toronto invite you all to join in our weekly Satsang every Thursday at the two Locations mentioned below. For more information please call Shammi Chopra 905 887 1752 or Roshan Dastoor Ph: 905 812 8290 or email us at saileela99@yahoo.com

Shirdi Sai Satsang, Minnesota
By the grace of Sadguru Sainath Maharaj, Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center is established in Minneapolis-St.Paul, of Minnesota. 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 contact hamaresai@yahoo.com. or call the Prayer Center at 952-938-2983.

All India Sai Devotees Convention
All India Sai Devotees Convention will be held on May 28 2004 at Shirdi Kalyana Mantapam, Shirdi Sai Nagar, Hubli. Sai Devotees Are requested to participate in the convention and receive the blessings of Shirdi sai Baba.Sri R.Radha Krishna, Convenor/President, 4/2, Bhavani Nagar, Hubli-580023, Karnataka, India
Back to Menu

You may subscribe to receive the newsletter by e-mail.

Fill out your e-mail address and hit the subscribe button: