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Sai Vichaar 01.Feature of the Week 02.Contributed Article 03.Experiences of Devotees 04.Devotees Say 05.Sai Activities 06.Prayer Club 07.Quote of the Week 08.Question of the Week 09.Subscribe to Sai Vichaar 10.Email Newsletter to a friend 11.Submit Articles to Sai Vichaar 12.Un-Subscribe Sai Vichaar 13.From the Editor's Keyboard 14.Disclaimer From the Editor's Keyboard... Sai devotees and readers are invited to contribute to the "Feature of the week". In the true spirit of Sai devotion, contributors are requested to remember the global nature of Sai Vichaar readership. Therefore, the content, language, style and presentation, appropriate to a worldwide readership will be more rewarding and fulfilling. It should also be noted that when a section from any material other than their own is quoted or referred to, it is the authors' responsibility to acknowledge the source appropriately. The "Question of the week" for the week is, Q. Should one believe in astrological predictions? Humbly Yours, The Editor
Disclaimer Sai Vichaar is devoted to the philosophy and teachings of Shri Sadguru Sai Baba of Shirdi, and will take every measure to avoid topics or themes contradicting the same. Sai Vichaar team or saibaba.org is not responsible for the opinions expressed by individual contributors.
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Feature of the week:
Makara Sankranti Message
The Hindu's New Year according to the earliest accepted Hindu calendars starts from the 'Makara Sankranti' Day which this year falls on January 13th. It is also celebrated as 'Pongal' in South India. The day before the Sankranti day is celebrated as "Lodi" in some parts of North India. Thus this period is usually celebrated with religious fervor and celebrations. Astronomically, it is the day of the "Uttarayana Gati" or 'Northerly declination of the earth'. This period is considered auspicious by the Hindus. All religious and pious activities undertaken during this period of six months beginning 13th Jan., 2005, gives beneficial results known as punya to the performer. This has also been the prescription in many religious books and by many spiritual personalities. Therefore, Sai devotees may like to start their parayana of Shri Sai Satcharitra and other religious books, give 'Annadana' to the poor and any other such charitable activities in order to start the year with the right thought and spirit. Such activities can be done in India or abroad as per local conditions. May Shri Sai Bless you all. (Shri C. B. Satpathy)
Contributed Article: Sri Sai Gurucharitra - Chapter VI
All hail to Sri Ganesa! Supreme of the universe! Thou endless one! Thou Brahman! Thou almighty! Thou who art greater than the maya which humbles all lesser gods! Thou Panduranga! All hail to you! All sastras are singing about you who is the master of the universe. Oh Thou ancient one! There is nothing in this world, which is impossible for you. The Vedas hail you as the Brahman. The Mohammedans hail you as Allah-i-llahi. The Jains pray to you as 'Arihant'. But Thou art all these. Thou whose mission is the salvation of all worlds! Thou Master of the universe! Thou hast assumed form for the sake of thy devotees and stood on a brick in Pandaripur. I surrender to the divine feet of that Pandarinatha and beg him to protect me. Oh Thou provider of succor to the pious! Thou, the friend of the meek and the weak, save us always from the vicissitudes of life.
I beg you dear listeners, to now listen to a new ballad. Whose name; the mere hearing of which, burns away all our sins; whose name, the mere hearing of which, will turn our minds away from the worldly to the spiritual- I will now tell you the stories of that mahatma; the incomparable Sai Baba. The histories of mahatmas are of the utmost purity and of the utmost power. They act as the steps to lead us to Vaikuntha, the abode of that master of the universe, Sri Vishnu. The mere hearing of the name of the mahatmas will still our minds and turn it to the virtuous path. A great mahatma had come to Shirdi. Was he born in that village? Did he come from elsewhere? What are his antecedents? I will give a detailed answer to all these questions in this chapter.
Sri Sai Baba was a great mahatma as were Suka, Vasista and Jaimini. Obeying his Guru's order, he left Selu and journeyed westwards. He journeyed on in stages and reached the Aurangabad area. There he found a place in the forest, which was to his liking and stopped there.
That land was earlier governed by the Yadava kings. It was near Daulatabad (Devgiri) where Janardhana swamy, the Guru of Eknath Maharaj, had once lived. Sri Sai Baba was living alone with a feeling of utter dispassion. He was immersed day and night in the enjoyment of the incomparable bliss of constant communion with the Brahman.
While this was so, one day, a Moslem called Chandbhai came to the forest searching for his horse, which was lost. He was startled to see Sri Sai Baba, who is as the mother to orphaned children, staying all-alone under the shade of a tree in that thick forest. He felt in his mind, "This is certainly not a man. He must be a celestial being, or a demon or a devil or worse. Why else will he be staying happily alone, unconcerned, in this thick forest where no man treads and indeed men fear to venture about, unless propelled by dire need? I am able to see him very clearly. What should I do now? Shall I run away? Or shall I search for my horse? What should I do?" All these thoughts flashed through his mind. He thought that discretion was the better part of valor and turned to run. Baba's voice stopped him. "My brother! I am not a devil or a demon nor a celestial being. I am just a poor fakir who lives here in this forest. Do not fear. Have no apprehensions in your mind. Come here and have a puff of this chilim," said Baba.
Chandbhai's mind quietened on hearing Baba speak. He slowly drew near Baba and sat. Baba was readying the chilim for smoking. Chandbhai took the chilim from him and after powdering the tobacco leaf, packed it firmly into the chilim. He said, "Oh Sai! I have filled and readied the chilim. But there is no fire. I have left my flints at home. What are we to do now?" Baba laughed on hearing Chandbhai. He said, "Chandbhai, your eyes and brain are struggling breathlessly entangled in the worldly. Fire is the basis and foundation of the entire world. It is spread all over the universe.
Why are you lamenting that there is no fire?" Baba took his satka (stick) which was constantly with him and smote the ground. Instantly the fire was visible on the ground. Baba placed a twig on the fire and lit the chilim with the burning twig. He threw the twig away after the chilim was well lit and drawing satisfactorily. Chandbhai was stunned by this display of Baba's power. He immediately placed his head on Baba's feet in devotion and respect. He said, "Maharaj, your power is great. You are none other than the Paigambar (god). It is the accumulated merit of my past lives which has given me the great good fortune of your darsan. I have been searching without food for the last four days for my horse which was lost. It was a valuable, pedigreed horse from Turkey. It has an excellent gait. It had gone for feeding and lost its way. After I lost that excellent horse I have lost all taste for food. I have searched the whole forest many times but I have not been able to trace it. Even this chilim will not be to my taste, If I cannot find the horse." Sai Baba said, "Why do you worry so for such a small thing? Go and see beside that thicket. You will see your horse feeding on grass there. Do not worry so about the horse. This is manner of all those who constantly think only of the worldly. If the child is missing, they search all over for him weeping and wailing. If the wife leaves them and goes away, they hold their heads, sob, and weep. If the house is burgled, if the house catches fire they beat their breasts and wail saying that they are the most unfortunate beings in this world. What is the use of crying over spilt milk? Oh you madman! Look at the maya which is every where. Keep remembering the Allah-I-llahi who protects and nourishes all of us. He is the foundation and basis for the world. He is the repository of all happiness. He is the truth. If you do not seek to find him, pleasure, pain, and profit and loss are inevitable to you.
In any case without pain there is no value for pleasure. The idea of rain will be sweet as nectar to the man burning in the heat of midsummer. So, even pain is essential to us to really appreciate pleasure. You are worrying and beating your breast about a mere horse but are not even thinking of the almighty god. Reflect on your conduct a little. How abhorrent it is that you give so little value to god and so much to a horse? Chandbhai heard these words of Sri Sai Baba and hung his head in shame. "Oh able one! You are the embodied form of all the knowledge of the world. How is it possible for me, a poor unlearned man, to know all this?" He saw the horse and ran to catch it. As the husband is happy on hearing of his wife's arrival after a long absence; Chandbhai was ecstatic with happiness seeing his horse again after a long time. He caught the horse with one hand and neared Sri Sai Baba. He said, "Baba! Please sit in my cart and come to my house. My household and I will be blessed by your arrival." Baba smiled, "What am I, a poor fakir, to do with a horse and a cart, my son? I cannot come today to your house in any case. Let us see, I may come either tomorrow or the day after. Do not unnecessarily force me to come today." Chandbai saluted Baba's feet and riding his horse went home elated at finding his horse again. All his intimate friends were very happy seeing that he had found his horse. They all questioned him as to how he could find the horse again. Chandbhai replied, "I found a great aulia (Moslem saint) in the forest. He has great powers. It is by his kind grace that I could find the horse. He beat the ground with a stick and brought out fire. That mahatma of great merit has promised to come to our house tomorrow. It is by the kindness of Allah that I could have the darsan of that most excellent one!" (To be continued)
(Contributed by Source: "Sri Sai Gurucharithra" originally by Santkavi Sri Dasganu Maharaj. Translated from Telugu version by Sri SVL)
Chithralekha Nambiar My brother is working in a private firm and my father has 2 years to retire in school. We were staying at rented house. It was our dream to have our own roof, which Baba fulfilled last year. We finally approached a Nationalized bank with very less hope, and I was continuously chanting Baba's name while speaking to the manager. You won't believe, the manager did not enquire too much about my brother's or father's job. He just asked what is the net income of your family and the loan of three lakh rupees was sanctioned in my brother and father's name. Remaining amount, my brother and I contributed through our savings and finally brought a lovely home named 'Sai Krupa'. We had been to Shirdi the first time in the year 2002 and after 3 months we had our loan sanctioned. My parents were looking for grooms for me since last 5 years and since I am past 27 years, my parents were much tensed. We went to Shirdi twice this year and within 6 months, my marriage has been finalized. The alliance and his family are very nice people and I am getting married next year on May 05 (Thursday). Baba, please take care of your devotees and us always. So long as you are with us, no sorrows can dishearten us deva. We love you. Jai Sai Maharaj. God bless all. Sai devotee Nainesh Patel Sai devotee Swati Sai Devotee, San Jose, California Padmaavthy Devotee Sai devotee Sai devotee
Quotation of the Week:
Q. Should one believe in astrological predictions?
Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USA Upcoming Events: Samuhika Satyanarayan Pooja on Poornima (Tuesday), January 25th and Monthly Pooja ( 2nd Sunday of every month) on Sunday February 13th. Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, Minnesota Dattaguru Bhandara Trust, Hyderabad, India
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