There are two aspects of God or Brahman: (1) the Unmanifested (Nirgun) and (2) the Manifested (Sagun). The Nirgun is formless, while the Sagun is with form, though both denote the same Brahman. The Vedas describe God as being Nirguna (free of qualities) and Niranjana (free of blemish). The Advaita philosophy founded by Adi Sankara explains this concept:" God or Brahman does not have any gunas or qualities ". However, Ramanuja of the Vishishtadvaita philosophy explains that Nirguna does not mean that God has no qualities; it only means that God has no bad gunas or qualities. The entire principle of Vishishtadvaita veers around Sharanagati or Total Surrender to God.

God is all-powerful. Yet, He is generous and forgives those who seek forgiveness and surrender to Him, which ultimately leads to their salvation. The Lord's compassion is limitless. No wonder, then, He is also known as Karunasagar or the Ocean of Compassion. In Bhagavad Purana, when Hiranyakashipu asks Prahalad, his son, what is the best thing that he has learnt, Prahalad enumerates nine ways of reaching God and one of them is Atma Samarpan or Total Surrender to God. In Bhagavad Gita, Lord Krishna says " Leave everything and surrender to me, I will absolve you of all sins and lead you to salvation ". God does not differentiate between friend and foe, man and animal, caste and creed. He comes to the rescue of all those who surrender to Him with full faith and belief in Him. Various incidents in Hindu Mythology and our Puranas and Epics illustrate the concept of God as the One who always comes to the rescue of the helpless who care to remember Him.

The following incidents from the Mahabharatha and Ramayana encapsulate wonderfully the principle of total surrender to the Lord: During the Vastrapaharan, when Draupadi's honor was at stake, as long as she tried to protect her honor with her hands, the Lord did not come to her rescue. The moment she raised both her hands in despair and called out to Krishna indicating that she believed Him to be the only savior; the Lord came to her rescue and saved her honor. Vibhishana, Ravana's brother came to surrender to the Lord and fight on the side of Rama. The entire army of Sugriva was against this, but Lord Rama accepted Vibhishana on his side and said that even if Ravana seeks forgiveness, he will pardon him. Lord Sainath said that He was Omnipresent, occupying land, air, country, world, light and heaven, and that He was not limited. To remove the misunderstanding of those, who thought that Baba was only His body - three cubits and a half in length, He incarnated Himself in this form and if any devotee meditated on Him day and night with complete Self-Surrender, he experienced complete union (without any difference) with Him like sweetness and sugar, waves and sea, eye and its luster.

Baba asked many to remember His name and to surrender to Him. One who always engages himself in good actions, does his duties and surrender himself, heart and soul to Him, he need not then be afraid of anything. He who trusts Him entirely, hears and expounds His Leelas and does not think of anything else, is sure to attain Self-Realization. (Chapter xvii & xix Sri Sai Satcharitra ). Surrendering Unconditionally to the Almighty is one way of expressing our confidence in the Divine, for faith works wonders. Jai Sri Sai Samarth!

(Contributed by Sai Eshwari)
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Contributed Article: Patience

Patience is a divine virtue. Unfortunately, not only are we badly wanting in this divine virtue, but also we neglect it most foolishly.

Q. What is patience?

It is an inner assurance of Baba's unreserved love and unconditional guidance. Patience is Baba's power hidden in us to weather the teeming storms of life. Our fondest dreams will be transformed into fruitful realities if we just know the secret of growing the patience-tree in our heart. Patience is our sincere surrender to Baba's Will. This surrender is by no means the effacement of the finite self, which we now are, but the total transformation of your finite existence into the infinite Self.

Patience can never be imposed on us from outside. It is our own inner wealth, wisdom, peace and victory. Patience will never tell us that something is a hopeless task. Patience will only tell us either that we are not ready or that the time is not ripe. We may have the feeling that we are ready, but we have to know that our integral being, our whole being is not ready.

We have to feel that patience is not something passive. On the contrary, it is something dynamic. In patience, we develop our inner strength, our inner will power. It is true that if we have will power we can easily acquire patience. But it is equally true that when we have patience, our inner will power develops itself in a special way.

(Contributed by Guruji Shri C. B. Satpathy ji, source - May I Answer)
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Experiences of Devotees:

Mithun Boda
On a Thursday, as usual I was praying to him. Suddenly I felt that what if Baba's Vibuthi is finished and then what do I apply to my fore head after bath. I was getting panicky, then suddenly I got a thought (I feel Baba has given me that idea), that I will burn a agarbathi in front of Baba's picture on every Thursday and the ash which comes I will mix it with Baba's vibuthi. I felt this was a very good idea as live in a small town in US and near by city for me is Dallas, which will is 1 hour from my place, for me to get agarbathi, I have to get it from Dallas. And to go to Dallas I have to go by car and I was wondering how to get agarbathis, then on Friday my roommate was going to Dallas, he asked whether he should get anything for me .I said if he could bring agarbathi packet for which I will pay. He returned on Monday morning, when I was about to finish my puja, he called me, he said he has bought agarbathi packet for me he removed it from his bag and gave it to me, I thanked him for it and took it from him and after coming in to my room I looked at agarbathi packet. Then I was overwhelmed to see Baba's picture on the agarbathi packet, the name of agrbathis is Baba's agarbathi. I could not believe my eyes. Also, something was written on the packet, "Baba when he went to Rahata, he grew a garden there and he loved that fragrance from the flower of that garden. The agarbathi gave the same fragrance as those flower". I could not believe my eyes and started thanking about Baba as tears ran out from my eyes; I thanked Baba for the wonderful leela of his. I seek his blessing for and pray to him that to protect me and bless me ever. I pray to baba also see that every body is fine in this world and also see that India receives nice rain fall especially Andhra Pradesh, which needs rains. Baba I love you a lot. Thanks for being there for me always. I know I can't repay you.
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Devotees say...

Ajay Rana
Hari Om Sai Ram...
Apne dukh mein rone wale, muskurana seekh le...
Dusaro ke dard mein, aassoon bahana seekh le...
jo kihale mein mazza hai, aap khane mein nahin...
jindagi mein tu kisi ke, kaam aana seekh le...

Learn to smile, when in pain!
Learn to sympathize, when someone in grief!
It is much more full-filling to feed other then to eat by self!
In this gifted life learn to be of some of others!

Sethumadhavan, Delhi, India
Om Shri Sai Baba, Koti Namaskarams. Thanks for your blessing all time to me and family. You have always answered my prayers. I am worried about my both sons education. I request you to guide them correctly to get good education and discipline. Please see that everything is well with them. Please fulfill our proposed business plan. During our first and recent visit at Shirdi on July 5th, 2004, we had a smooth darshan at the Samadhi Mandir. I feel that I am blessed and very happy for a smooth Darshan. Looking forward to meet You in March 2005 along with my family, please fulfill our plan. Thank you Sri Sainath for strengthening our faith on you.
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Prayer Club:

Sarada
Sainath Maharaj! I've been your devotee for nearly two decades. With your grace, everything was going well for my family and me until two years ago. But for the last two years, I have been mentally and financially stressed over lack of job for my husband and my daughter's professional education. Though positive signals appear, I still have doubts whether we can cope up with the change. So I pray for your grace so that my husband gets a good and steady job to financially support my daughter's education for which we have high plans. Please give us good health and prosperity. Thank you and Pranam.

TVLN Murthy
To my beloved Baba, please help my daughters. It is nearly 3 years since she completed her studies. They did not get a good alliance either. Now my whole family worried so much. We are all in a very confused state, not knowing what to do next. Help her get married to a person who will be so caring and lovable to her. Please show us a clear path Swami

Padmaja
Baba...help this child to survive ..and be healthy..this little one needs you.

A Sai devotee
Sai Baba I know you are with me through out my life. You saved me in all the difficult situations. Please save me now also Sai Baba. Please see that everything should go well.

Devotee in DC
Dear Baba, I don't have many complaints in my life right now because, despite all the problems and obstacles, I believe that you will make everything right. That is why when I pray, I usually don't ask for anything specific but just ask that you do what you think is right for me. Baba, my bar exams are next week. I have worked very hard to study for it and I just ask that you help me and my friends and all those who are taking the exams get through the exams successfully. And I ask that all your devotees keep me and my friends in their prayers as we take our exams next week. The rest I leave up to you.

Sai devotee
OM SRI SAI MAHARAJ KI JAY . I am blessed by SAI for my prayer appeared today. After sending the mail I am regularly studying the SHRI SAI SATCHARITRA. Though this has to be completed with in 7 days, I am not able to do so because of restlessness. I seek pardon from SAI and pray SAI to bless my son. My previous visits to Shirdi help me to understand things narrated in the above book My total surrender to HIM

Devotee
Om Sai and naman koti pranam. Baba, I know you since I was 15 years old. From that day I have collected so many experiences so far. Today am here because of you and still my faith hasn't gone down. But since I am now abroad you know all my conditions that am facing now. Please swami, show me the right path, what am I doing is right or not?? Here there is no Sai temple and I have to go to church and masjid to pray in peace. Well someone doesn't agree with these kinds of things. What should I do prabhu. Show me the true path. What should I do to bring in this path?
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Quotation of the Week:
"Surrender completely to God"-Sai Baba
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Question of the Week:

Q. How does a Sai devotee approach social evil such as Caste discrimination?

A. by Sai devotee

We can definitely approach the social evil in today's world like caste discrimination. First, we would like to add that its Baba's teaching to us, which implies that we cannot discriminate any person by, cast creed or color. God has created a man and other facilities, which will be used by human beings. But man owing to his ego has left all these good. creature for his own use, it may be change of environment setting for the betterment of themselves. But of course, we should be aware that God is there (sarvavyapi) he will be there in all the souls whether it could be human being, animals or environment.

As Baba provided his prasad to each and every person who come to contact him including animals as well. We should also try to get a soft corner for all other people who are poor. We can also help them by providing money we can help them or else if we have enough resources may be by giving the job or any such kind of benefits and most important aspect of life is we should be good at heart with everybody. Not to be angry with anyone because anger would destroy the sense of activity and this would be a proof if we could open the history as well. If we help the needy person God will help us. Everyone has to pay in mischief in this life only God does not have any system to have pending work for us, if we did wrong we have to bear that. Hence, at the end we can say that all creatures made by God, we do not have any right to change or make our goal as per ourself to change the world or environment.

Q. Your comments on the practice of casting and drawing chits in front of Baba?

A. by Satya Chelluri, Woodbury, MN

Om Sai! With inspiration from Satcharitra, the following is what comes to my mind regarding this question. Baba says Trust in me and I'll carry you across this worldly burdens. Like one of the Sai Bandhu wrote, a young adult is fighting to make a choice between one faculty and the other. Maybe there was not enough support for that person to make a choice. It is but natural, in that state one prays to BABA for guidance. For some a dream, for others a friendly advice could do the help, but not all have the same ability. So for some, drawing inspiration from Satcharitra, where a prominent devotee Kaka Saheb, himself resorted to this way of getting help, is the one way of receiving His grace. Of course, in life, there is no one right way. We all know and believe all of our paths lead to BABA. So, whatever is your way of seeking BABA's guidance is yours. In Satcharitra, we have seen BABA sending one to Macchindragad, one He kept away from Masjid, One he sent to Kaka Saheb [to listen to His servant Maid], so only HE knows how to settle our minds and lead us on. For some dreams, for some Satcharitra Parayan, for some drawing Chits. All we can do is just watch and realize His leelas.
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Sai Activities:

Shirdi Sai Temple Inaugration and Pran Pratishta, Greater Chicagoland, Illinois
Shirdi Saibaba Sanstha invites you to join in Inaugration and Pran Pratishta of Shirdi Sai temple by Guruji Shri C. B. Satpathyji on Thursday, August 19th 2004. For program details please call 847-931-4058 or send an email to maildrop@saibaba.org.

Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan of Canada
Shirdi Saibaba Sansthan of Canada is pleased to announce the visit of GURUJI SHRI C.B.SATPATHYJI to Toronto on August 21st and 22nd. For program details please contact Shammi Chopra at 905-887-1752 or send an e-mail to saileela99@yahoo.com.

Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, 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, visit www.hamaresai.org Or call Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center at 952-938-2983.

Sai Aashish by Sai Swar
Sudhir Dalvi eminent film artiste who is known worldwide for his portrayal as Shri Saibaba Of Shirdi in Manoj Kumar's movie "Shirdi ke Saibaba" and later in Deepak Balraj Vij's "Saibaba" has formed "Sai Ashish" a stage performance group consisting of Suhas Dalvi, Tushar Parte, and Suchitra Parte. Sai Aashish is a stage performance troupe ideally suited for occasions and festivities. For more details, please visit www.saiswar.com
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