Sayee shaan mein raagi ban
Saath saath bairaagi ban
Har peedh mei har tanhaayi mein
Sayee se pehle Jai Sayee!

Be passionate about singing the glory of Baba
Let only such a passion bring about the dispassion
In every pain and every longing
Glory be unto you Sai even before I take they holy name!

What does one have to renounce to receive Sai's blessings? His assurances of temporal and everlasting goodies? Did Baba ever ask those who came to him to renounce everything and take up to the forests? Sri Sarathbabuji exhorts that if one has to leave up everything I order to obtain Sadguru's grace then where is the greatness of Sadguru? Where is Baba's mercy? A clear understanding of this begins the process of knowing that it is Baba's blessings and blessings alone that sustains everything.

Once we begin to realize the fact that Baba's blessings alone sustain our existence we inevitably resort to the constant remembrance of His opulence. The outcome of this leads one to chant Sai's divine name everywhere, anywhere and every minute, in every pain and I every longing. Sing His glory in every form and exalt Sai's greatness with all the passion our hearts are capable of. Such a lively and joyful passion alone can obscure passions about everything else. Isn't that a life well lived!
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Contributed Article: My experiences with Saibaba

I was about 25-26 years when my father and my mother ran into some health problems and also were cheated to huge sums of my father's hard earned savings deposited in one of the well established finance company and mother was robbed of our gold mangal sutra in the bus. My parents were fully broken and with no one to console them. My father was looking fearless and was appearing with full patience. It is my mother who told about their feelings in their heart and then suddenly I said to her that if Gods are there and you parents were worshipping, then things should go in your favor. Then my mother pointed to a small photo which was behind the saligramam box and said "My Kizhavan" (meaning old person) will always save and protect me and my family at all times. I did not understand, my father's eyes were tearing, then myself with anger asked who is that Kizhavan, then my mother in front of my father narrated her experience of her travel to Shirdi when she was a small girl along with her father. Then I realised that Kizhavan means Shirdi Sai Baba. Above all, I want to tell you here is that we got back most of the money my father lost and besides the most of the pieces of gold chain snatched. Anyhow, from that day I was eager to visit Shirdi in my life. I was a regular smoker and used to go to wine bars to drink whisky almost three or four days a week for the last many years. I moved with my family to Mumbai and one day after few years of my stay in Mumbai, in one of the bars I saw a big photo displayed in front of me of Shirdi Sai Baba. I was drinking too much without my knowledge by simply watching the photograph of Baba, after a while I realized that I drank too much but somehow managed to reach my home at 12.30 pm and then suddenly I told my wife and two children that I wish to go to Shirdi now.

They promptly packed up things and we moved out of the house within minutes and reached Andheri Railway station. There the depot manager informed that we are too late as the last bus to Shirdi has left. We tried with Private bus operator, there again the same reply and one person who happened to be a bus conductor in his uniform appeared in front of us and told us to try at Dadar bus Terminal. Immediately we got into the local train, reached Dadar Railway station and took a taxi and finally surprised to find the bus just moving for Shirdi. We got into the buss and reached Shirdi in the morning and had the darshan of Baba. I wept severely even in the queue, to convey that it is Baba who saved my family and me. Now I do not smoke and drink, I do my pujas and visit all temples many times on routine basis.

(Contributed by Mukundan, Mumbai)
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Experiences of Devotees:

Rama
I would love to share this experience with all of you, which happened just a week back. We were going on a cruise vacation last week and this was my first cruise experience ever. Just before going to the trip, I was talking to my colleagues in office, and we all started talking about the different accidents that happened with cruises in the past and about the cyclones in the Ocean etc..Even though I knew weather was going to be just fine and there was nothing to be concerned of, back of my mind, I always had a little bit of fear of unknown. "What might happen to us" fear used to drag me to all the undesirable thoughts. I started to get worried. It was last Thursday. After we had finished that little chat of ours, I returned to my desk to find Sai Vichaar newsletter. And then most unbelievable thing happened, the Feature of the week: Shake the Fear! There was Baba telling me not to be afraid of anything. Following is a piece of that article: "Fear is one of the qualities that could drive a person to the level of insanity. Fear manifests in different ways and forms and may lead to other vicissitudes such as anger, greed, lust, etc. Freeing oneself of the fear that lies deep within becoming the cause of various unwanted traits is necessary for any serious spiritual seeker. Fear of the unknown is the biggest cause of misery. People make their lives miserable because of fear. Fear can be fought with Faith and Patience. With Faith that all that will happen will be for one's own good and patience that it will happen when the time comes for the event to happen will go a long way to lessen the agony and pain that one harbors in their lives. There was Baba telling me not to be afraid of anything etc.." I was so moved and astonished to see how Baba told me not be afraid, and I was not afraid or scared after reading this article. My family and me had a very safe and very enjoyable vacation. I thank Baba with bottom of my heart for giving his blessings to me.

Ramya
I was desperately trying for a job for two months with no luck. I used to read Satcharitha every night before going to bed. Then my husband suggested that I should do Satcharitha parayan in a week's time. So I started reading Sai Satcharitha with total devotion on November 3rd 2005 and completed it on November 10th 2005. From the minute I started the parayan, I started attending interviews and on 10th morning I completed reading the Sai Satcharita's last chapter. I prayed to Sai from the bottom of my heart and guess what I got a job offer that very morning. What more can I say about Sai and His Leelas. Dear devotees please have faith in Him. He is with us at all times.
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Devotees say...

Sai devotee
I also sincerely request you to publish more on the sayings and the stories of Sai Baba which would purify the mind of Sai Baba's devotees and help us to walk in the spiritual path rather than the experiences of some devotees dealing with petty visa issues. My only fear is that people who are reading such articles will resort to Baba more for such things rather than seeking His blessings for self-realization. So in a way you have a huge responsibility of choosing which ones to publish to enhance the Bhakti and Devotion of the devotees to Sai Baba.

Krishna
I have not been able to sleep for three days due to some worry but once I started doing Baba's naama japa I felt much better and slept well at night.

Sudhir
I am employed in Dubai and my story is almost matching what Mr. Jaidev Singh has narrated and published in your Sai Vichar. From the time I have come to Dubai, life here is very mechanical and the company which I have joined was not doing too well and therefore was unable to pay my salary and am just living on food expense with a housing. Since I don't blame the company I have been recruited and am compromising on what they give. I started reading the Sai Satcharitra and the leela's of Sai Baba and it's amazing, I have changed a lot. Earlier I was too violent with my family and maybe others too. I don,t know how many people I have hurt unknowingly, now I would like to repent by doing good deeds, helping others in need, reading and spreading the message of the living Sadguru. Sadguru has opened my eyes and made me realise on what I have done and now I want to change, get back my lost friends who loved me so much. A good sign. To add the spice in my life now I have got a job offer in a good company with a good salary and am waiting for the one year minimum period to change the employment. My current employer too has agreed to give me an NOC to get the visa transfered with the new employer. I am now waiting and looking forward to get transferd to my the new employement without any hindrance or obstacles from anywhere. Helps are pouring in and am sure this would have not happened with the blessings of the Sadguru. I have completed reading the Sai Satcharitra once and have started the second time. I cant stop it as I want to keep reading it whenever I get time. Such is the Sai Satcharitra which is a real gem one should read it. My suggestion to all the Sai devotees to spread the message of Sai Baba and his leela's and do not forget to attach the Sai Satcharitra along with your message. I fully surrender to Sadguru Sai Maharaj of Shirdi and pray to guide me, my family and all my friends and devitees to guide us in the right direction till the end.
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Prayer Club:

Chitra
You know what I am going through. I feel me and my husband has gone through many difficulties and please bless us with a child. You can only do the wonder. I feel we have gone through all the treatment and we have lost our hope on treatments. Only you can make the miracle happen.

Sridhar
You know every thing about my problem. Please Baba give me strength and courage. Definitely this time I want to win this game of job hunt, because my entire faith is on You. Baba, please forgive me for my past mistakes and bless me with your Divine eyes.

Arun
I beg you Baba to get me out of this financial crisis I am going through and live a peaceful life in your devotion. Please help my parents, my wife, brother and sister as entire family is undergoing hardship and financial crisis.

Shalini
Please pray for my brothers' good health and recovery with all your heart.

Hitendar
Saibaba, I have heard about you long ago but it was only after my marriage when my wife and I visited Shirdi. Even after that I did not always remember You. Baba, forgive me for this selfishness. Please help me to give shape to my career. I have become aimless, lazy and do not know what to do.

Sandeep
My career, my interest and every other aspect of my life have been affected. Baba, it is only you who can show me the right path.

Sai devotee
Om Sai, bless me and my sister with a decent job soon enough. We both have been trying for quite a while but in vain. We have lost hope now. Plese Baba listen to our prayers and please bless my sister with a beautiful and a healthy baby.

Gajendra
Most Respected Sainath, please, release us from all our worries and misfortunes. We are ever debted to You. We have nobody to turn to and tell our stories of sufferings. Please Baba accept us as your children.

Divya
Baba please give me peace of mind, I am really confused in my life and don't know what to do. Actually now I am pregnant and I don't have peace and I cry everyday. I am worried about my baby, which is going to be born with all this tensions, what will happen. Please forgive me for all the mistakes in life and protect my baby without any problem and give me peace of life. I really have faith in You that You will take care of us. Also please somehow make me to come to your temple every week. Thanks for the prayer club.
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Quotation of the Week:
"Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings would come to an end".-Sai Baba
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Question of the Week:

Q. What is contentment?

A. by Kandappa

Contentment is not something that could be said or described. Contentment should be felt and experienced. People are wanting more and more and there seems to be no limit. There should be a limit to the 'Wants'. When one is satisfied and happy with what he has and do not want anymore then that is contentment. for example: One may be happy and contended with a salary of $ 2000 per month, where as another one is not at all happy with an annual income of $ 100,000. It is all in the mind. Sai Ram.
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Sai Activities:

Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USA
Shirdi Sai temple is open daily from 8:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m (Winter hours). Daily program includes Kakad Arathi at 8 a.m followed by Abhisek. Madhayana Arathi at 12 noon, Dhoop Arathi at 6 p.m and Shej Arathi at 9 p.m. Archana, Homams, Sahasranama and sponsored poojas continue in between the Arathis. To request a pooja for yourselves, your friends and family, please call. Devotees can request water (Abhishek Jal) from the Holy bathing of Baba by sending us an email or by phone. Temple is located 25 minutes drive west of Schaumburg on intersection of IL Route 47 and Plank Road in Hampshire, IL. For more information please call 847-931-4058 or send email to maildrop@saibaba.org.

Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, Minnesota
Regular Sai activities in Minneapolis, St.Paul area 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 Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center at 952-938-2983, and to read the monthly newsletter Sai Sandesh, visit www.hamaresai.org.

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of DFW Metroplex is located at 2109 West Parker (Parker Plaza), Suite 212, Plano, TX 75023. For temple hours and activities please call the temple office at 469-467-3388 or visit the website www.shirdisaidallas.org.

Shirdi Sai Satsang, Bay Area, California
Shirdi Sai Parivaar invites all to join us for Satsang every Thursday 7:30 pm at Odd Fellows Temple, 20589 Homestead Road, Cupertino, CA 95014. For details please call 408-564-6704 or send email to saibandhu@yahoo.com or visit www.ShradhaSaburi.org.

Shirdi Sai Satsang, Ontario, Canada
Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan of Canada invites all to join us for Satsang every Thursday 6:30PM at 147 Winston Castle Dr. Markham, Ont. L6C 2N4. For details on other activities and services please call Shammi Chopra at 416-402-8089 or email us saileela99@yahoo.com.

Diwali Annakut Celebrations by Shri Sai Pariwar, NJ
Devotees are invited to participate in Diwali Annakut celebrations on November 19th at Colonia Elks Lodge # 2282, 855 Middlesex Turnpike, Colonia, New Jersey from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm. For directions and other information please call 732-539-0631.

Shirdi Sai Satsang in Vancouver, BC, Canada
Shirdi Sai parivar in Vancouver invites you for bhajans, every Thursday (6:30pm - 7:30 pm) at 8571, 118A Street, Delta, V4C 6L2. For further details contact Ritu (604)592 4182 or email at sai_ish@hotmail.com.

Sri Shirdi Sai Mandir, Scarborough, Canada
The Shirdi Sai Mandir located at 2721 Markham Road, Scarborough, ON M1X 1L5 (Intersection of Markham and Nashdene) is open Monday to Friday from 6.30 p.m to 8.30 p.m and Saturday to Sunday from 10.30 a.m to 8.30 p.m. For temple activities and infornmation please call 647-444-4724 or send an email to info@theshirdisaimandir.com
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