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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 Vichaar and Shirdi Saibaba Sanstha wish devotees and readers a Happy, Peaceful, and Prosperous 2006. May Lord Sai's bounteous blessings be on all of us in the New Year and years to come. Sai devotees from Singapore or those visiting that country please refer to Sai Activities section for details on Sai satsang in Singapore. Sai Vichaar thanks you for your support for the Question of the Week feature. This feature is intended to initiate useful discussion on topics related to Sai philosophy, His message, and Sai devotion. Please send your suggested topics for the same. Sai devotee Meenakshi suggests the following "Question of the week" Q. What is the significance of the story of "The Quest" in Sai Satcharita? 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:
New Year Message
Shirdi Sai Baba of the past has become a phenomena of today. This can safely be stated on the basis of the un-expected and amazing number of activities happening around in India and the world towards the propagation of the path He had shown. It is seen that in the last few years the Shirdi Sai Sansthan at Shirdi has expanded its activities multi-fold. This is somewhat expected given the fact that an average of about 40 to 50 thousand devotees visit Shirdi everyday. On important days it is a few lakhs. What is amazing is the construction and opening of hundreds and hundreds of Shirdi Sai Baba temples and other related institutions in India and abroad through the self-motivation of the devotees. Would one historically examine the way in which temples have been created by devotees following other paths, it would became clear that usually the main trust (like the Shirdi Sai Sansthan at Shirdi) opens its branches at other places on the first step. Then the main trust and the branches take up temple construction projects which includes planning, financing, constructing and supervising etc. But in name of Shri Sainath Maharaj, self-motivated devotees and groups are themselves creating resources, constructing temples and carrying-out a number of other religious and charitable activities. No doubt such self-motivation is a result of the existing spirit of Shri Sai. Most of Baba's devotees are emotively linked with Him and are prepared to undergo any amount of hardship and sacrifice to do a task in His name. The rate at which the number of His devotees and institutions are multiplying is simply astounding. There are a large number of publications about Baba in various languages in the form of books, journals, magazines, book-lets and the number runs to thousands. Devotees are ever evid to know more and more details about the past of Baba as also the happenings of today relating to Him. There are a large number of web-sites on Baba in the inter-net. Not withstanding these multi faced activities, one important aspect which is necessary to spread the name of Shri Sai Baba is prominently lacking. That is, serious research on Baba, using the modern research methodology is much below the desired standards. Some scholars from India and abroad, independently or through research institutions, have made substantial contribution in research and some books and research findings in the form of articles have been published. However, a study of these volumes would indicated that the researchers/authors have not had access to many of the important documents published during Baba's time and there-after. This is because initially most of the books and articles written on Baba were in Marathi language and later English versions or original writings in English came to market. There is hardly any library that has a comprehensive collections of literature on Baba. To undertake serious research, a good library maintaining the required documents like books, journals, news paper items, manuscripts hand-written notings, photographs, paintings, sketches, maps, research papers and well maintained bibliography is a must. Unfortunately no such library is existence, to enable the researches on Baba to undertake serious study. Some devotees, particularly the writers, are in possession of some of the important documents but what is needed is to create a single forum or body to possesses and maintains prosperity. It should be the endeavor of each devotee to collect all such records of the past and maintain them properly for use by future researchers. That would be a great contribution for Babas cause. Let us resolve to work towards this end in the New Year to come. Message by Guruji Shri C. B. Satpathy
Contributed Article: Is faith beyond belief?
Most of us use the words Faith and Belief quite often in our conversations in our day-to-day life. The intensity of each of these words however differs so much that we hardly make any notice of it. Before we read on further - Just ask your self: What does Faith mean to you and What is Belief? You can keep the answers to yourself and see how beautifully Sage Narada and Lord Vishnu have depicted the feelings and meanings of Faith and Belief.
Once, when Sage Narada was on his way to the abode of Lord Vishnu he happened to meet a Brahmin, this brahmin was reputedly spiritually advanced, he requested to find out what Lord Vishnu did for recreation or pastime as we call it. Further, on his way Narada met a poor cobbler working under a banyan tree, who also made the same request. Now, Sage Narada got more anxious. Those two disciples had asked the same question and quickly went to Lord Vishnu and presented the query of the brahmin and cobbler. Lord Vishnu told Narada to tell them that as a pastime, He, Lord Vishnu sits on His throne and passes a big fat elephant through the eye of a needle. He told Narada to tell the brahmin and the cobbler exactly what he told him. Narada transcends and first meets the brahmin. When this answer was given to the brahmin, he ridiculed and laughed at Narada saying, how could anyone pass an elephant big or small through the eye of a needle? However, as instructed by his Lord he conveys the message to the brahmin and does Narayana-Narayana on his path to convey the message to the cobbler. Narada told the cobbler exactly what he told the brahmin. The cobbler jumped up and started to dance and sing Lord Narayana's praises saying only Krishna Bhagwan or Lord Vishnu can have such interesting hobbies and pastimes.
Narada was wonderstruck and asked the cobbler how could he possibly believe that anyone could pass an elephant through the needle's eye. The cobbler picked up a fruit of the banyan tree and pointing one of its tiny seeds, reasoned if the Lord can put such a huge banyan tree in such a tiny seed, Why can't He pass an elephant through the eye of a needle. His faith in his Lord was that - anything was possible by Him. Rather, there is nothing impossible that our Guru cannot do. Well, such was this poor cobbler's Faith in His Lord Vishnu. Though the cobbler was poor and uneducated, then the so called educated and erudite brahmin - his faith in his Sadguru was more then being a doubting Thomas - ridiculing the capacity of the Guru. Now do you agree that Faith is beyond Belief?
Dear friends, it high time we realize this soon that our faith in either God or devil is reflected in our thinking, our behavior, our activities and our goals. Faith is beyond belief because belief is superficial and can be easily shaken. My faith in my Sadguru is beyond belief. Belief is superficial and can be easily shaken; faith is firm and takes one steadfast. Lack of faith makes one weak and timid. He always has doubts in his mind and there is no happiness in his life. Our faith in our Sadguru is a source of great strength and hope. Only our true faith in our Sadguru compels Him to personally come running to the aid of His devotees. "Sadguru siva ya na duza upay" - There is no better solution than resorting to the feet of our Sadguru.
(Contributed by Bellala Nagadeep)
Janaki Venkat Neelima Swapna Sampa Usha Arya Suresh Suman Ramalingam Tanaz Seema Phani Ananthashayanam Sai devotee Sai devotee
Quotation of the Week:
Q. Should Sai devotees believe in Astrology and Palmistry? A. by Prakash Why one has to fear about future? We do not know even the present properly. Take care of the present, and future will take care of itself! Bow and surrender to Shirdi Sai and He will take care of you. Q. Should Sai devotees believe in Astrology and Palmistry? A. by by Kandappa The nine planets including Raghu and Ketu in accordance with the 'karmic law', which cannot be changed except under very special circumstances by the Lord himself, control the actions of humans. It may therefore be possible for a person to beg the Lord and the Planet concerned to show some mercy and reduce the suffering. The person engages in prayer, during that period he will be occupied and may not fully get the effect of the Planet, as most of the suffering is mental. If one surrenders fully to the Lord he need not believe or worry about Astrology or Palmistry. Q. Should Sai devotees believe in Astrology and Palmistry? A. by Sakshi Doubts and difficulties surround us just to move us and confirm our faith. When we are going through tough phase of our life, when nothing is happening according to our will, we run for astrological and palmistry solutions, but I strongly believe that the disciple of Sai Baba will not go for it. What all Baba asked from his children is Shraddha and Saburi. If we are not able to trust Baba how could one consider himself or herself his disciple? There is one experience mentioned in Sai Satcharitha, Chapter 29 about Tendulkar family - their son Babu Tendulkar was studying hard and wanted to appear for the medical examination. He consulted some astrologers. Examining his horoscope, they told him that the stars were not favorable that year and that he should appear for the examination next year. This cast a gloom over him and made him restless. A few days afterwards his mother went to Shirdi and mentioned the gloomy and morose condition of her son. Hearing this Baba said to her, "Tell your son to believe in Me, to throw aside horoscopes and predictions of astrologers and palmists and go on with his studies. Let him appear for the examination with a calm mind, he is sure to pass this year. Ask him to trust in Me and not to get disappointed". He got through the examination that year successfully by Baba's grace, though the stars were against him. If we only hold on steadily to Baba with full faith and continue our endeavors, our efforts will be ultimately crowned with success. Whatever is happening with us, is with Baba's consent and because of our previous and present karmas, we are blessed to be in fold of Baba and his blessings are with us to make our life trouble-free.
Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USA Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, Minnesota Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Shirdi Sai Satsang, Bay Area, California Sai Sasang, New Jersey, USA Shirdi Sai Satsang, Toronto, Canada Sri Shirdi Sai Mandir, Scarborough, Canada Shirdi Sai Satsang in Vancouver, BC, Canada Sai Satsang, Singapore
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