Devotees seek Baba in anger and in peace. Sadguru is sought during times of distress as well as at times of festivities. The compassionate father also reveals Himself to the devotee full of love and compassion. The demands put forth in front of the wish-fulfilling tree are fulfilled. Everything asked shall be received sooner or later. For a devotee who understands faith, patience should be a natural process.

The peace experienced at Sadguru's feet is always challenged. The pursuit of Sadguru does not make one immune to the perils of Karma. Baba said, "If you have not done anything wrong in this life, you probably did some actions in your past life and you are bearing the consequences now". Several stories in Sai Satcharitha and other works on Baba refer to the incidents in which a faithful devotee is fully tested and stressed to the extreme before being brought back to normal by Baba, the "Karma Dwamsi", the destroyer of Karma. Such episodes reinforce faith in Sadguru and in the process, the state of contentment is experienced. A complete understanding of the role of Sadguru in karmic cycle should naturally lead one to the state of contentment. Is there anything beyond the state of contentment that one experiences in Baba's path? Yes! Equanimity, the stone-like immunity to happiness and sorrow, the true ability to take anything as it comes with the self pegged strong in Sadguru.

True contentment should transform itself into equanimity, the active state that constantly stands up to the lure of pleasures and the fear of pain. If it does not, then the contentment experienced in Sadguru's fold is probably just an imagination, far from realization. The difference between contentment and equanimity is subtle yet significant. Contentment is the result of faith and patience while equanimity is accomplished through Sadhana, the active pursuit, by Sadguru's grace!
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Contributed Article:Faith and Patience

The faith and patience are the corner stone of Baba's spiritual teaching to his devotees. Chapter 18/19 gives an account of the unique way of Baba's expression of the importance of faith and patience. Mrs. Radha Bai Deshmukh, an old woman comes to Shirdi from Sangamner. Her faith on Baba was total. She wanted to make Baba her guru and take Guru mantra from him. She decided to take fast and started fasting in the place of her stay until Baba accepts to be her Guru. Baba devotees in Shirdi were afraid of the condition of Radha Bai. They were worried that if something happens to Radha Bai, Baba will be held responsible for it. They therefore requested Baba to take care of Radha Bai Deshmukh. Baba knowing the unflinching determination of Radha Bai called her and wanted to transform her mind. Baba said to her, "Mother Why do you want give trouble to your body and invite death? Be kind to me and listen attentively to what I say. I will tell you my own story, if you listen it carefully, you will get everlasting peace. My Guru was a siddha, a very kind and compassionate person. I was serving him for a long time but he did not give any mantra to me. As you are interested to get mantra from me, I also wanted to get Guru mantra from him by any means. But his ways were different; he asked me to do Mundan and demanded two paise as Daksina. You may ask that if he was selfless, why should he ask me two paise as Daksina? He never cared for wealth even in his dream. The meaning of his two paise as Dakshina is a) Faith b) Patience.

When I gave these two things to my Guru as Dakshina, my guru was overwhelmed with joy. I served his lotus feet for twelve long years. He gave me food, clothing and lodging. He was an incarnation of love. An image of love. His love towards me is indescribable. My Guru is not comparable. Day and Night, I always find him meditating. When I used to stare at him, we both experienced and enjoyed paramananda. I felt neither hungry nor thirsty, even when I stared at him all days and all nights. I used to be disturbed when I could not have his Darshana. I was always meditating him. This is what is meant by faith. Patience is another virtue of spiritual aspirant. I was serving Guru for many years with patience. Patience is the virtue, which can make you cross the seven seas. All sins and attachments can be destroyed with the help of patience. Patience is the virtue through which we can reach Paramartha".

(Contributed by Pradip Koirala)
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Experiences of Devotees

EV Reddy
First of all, I would like to thank Saibaba.org for providing me an opportunity to share my experiences with all the Sai devotes. I used to visit Saibaba's temple with one of my friend when I was kid. At that time, I don't know much about Saibaba's mahima, but some how I felt like visiting Saibaba every day. After I started visiting him my life changed entirely. Saibaba gave me every thing that I asked him whole-heartedly, he gave me even the things that I haven't even dreamed.

I got very less marks in my engineering entrance test and I joined B.Sc. as it was impossible to get an engineering seat with the marks I got. After few months all of sudden I received an interview call letter from engineering seat counseling office. They offered me a last engineering seat in that year in my own city, in a premier engineering college and in an engineering branch that I dream everyday. Until today, I can't imagine how I got into engineering college and how I completed. All this happened with Saibaba's grace otherwise it would have never possible. He blessed me with a nice job few months after I finished my engineering. Few days before I got that job I went to give my resume at the same company, by looking at the crowd I thought I would never get that job and it's waste of time to give my resume there. When Sai is with us nothing is impossible. After few months, he brought me to US. When I landed in US, it was recession time and there were no jobs. But with Sai's blessing, I survived one and half years.

Devotees say...

Vasanthi
I would like to say to the dear devotee who wrote she has been going through fertility treatments for 10 yrs but has not got pregnant and to others in similar state, Please adopt a child. Motherhood is very wonderful, and you can become a mother not just by conceiving, going through labor and delivering. God has chosen you to become a mom in a different way. Why spend the money and energy in going through the treatment and still get disappointed when you can gladly go pick a child who is waiting for you. Don't let one small problem (of not conceiving) deny you the entire pleasure of motherhood. Give unconditional love to an orphan child and you will be blessed.

SV Swamy
Dear Jyotsna, Sai Ram. Sai will definitely give them a child, if they really want it and need it. You say they never show their pain. So, may be they don't have any pain and for the IVF, they are doing it as part of their dharma. Still, since you have so nobly asked for a child, Sai will bless that couple. Sai Ram. Please do a Parayana of Sai Satcharitra with this sole aim. Sai Ram.

A Sai Devotee
To a Sai devotee in the Prayer Club, Sai Ram. Please decide whether you want your husband or the money. And if you are not sure of your husband's affections, and if you can't share him with the other woman, leave him. He is asking for your help now only to see how far he can push you. Sai Ram. Once you get a child from him, it becomes that much more difficult for you to leave him. You will be at his mercy. So, be practical, be clear and decide. If you can't decide logically, please do a parayana of Sai Satcharitra and then He will give you the message in either a dream or some other means.

A Sai Devotee
Dear Rachna, my prayers to Sai to help you. Sai Ram

A Sai Devotee
Dear devotee, the first requirement for divine help is Sraddha. Don't challenge Sai. Please pray to Him. Sai Ram

Prayer Club

R Subbamma
Please pray for the health of my grand daughter Bondi Harshita eighteen months old baby, as she is getting recurring Bronchitis. Om Sai

Usha
Sri Sai Mahadeva for so many years I have been devoted to you. For the past few years I am devoting more time in prayers, reading your stories and about spirituality. I have lost interest in material life and just discharging my duties to the family. My husband blames me as fanatic. But I know myself, I changed a lot and am happy to be this way. Please guide me always and protect my family always. Koti namaskarams Sairam.

Mrs V Anand
Om Sai Shri Sai Jai Jai Sai I am married for the last 10 years. I have one daughter 9 years old. I am sorry I don't know how to express my feelings but my life is full of tensions. I know in this life I have not done anything wrong to anyone. I don't know of my last births. I want to know what wrong I have done that I can't be happy. If I am happy for 2 days then I get tension for 10 days. I am afraid to be happy. Whenever I am happy, there is a dar in my heart that now I have to cry for unlimited period. Why this is happening to me only while everybody is enjoying. Those who do wrong to others enjoy their life without any tensions. If these persons can enjoy then what wrong have I done then I can't be happy for even one day. I have full faith in Baba and since birth, I took each and every mishap in my life as positive. Before marriage, I have seen how my parents fight with each other. Can you imagine the position of a girl who is studying tuition in one room and in another room her parents are fighting? I took this also like a blessing that what is happening in my life I would never let it happen in my children's life. After marriage, I tried to keep my husband happy in best possible way but he is never happy. I don't know what wrong have I done that I have only tensions in my life. When will Baba give me happiness? I know what Baba does is for good but I being a human being, I am tired of life full of worries and tensions. I also want to be happy. Om Sai Shri Sai Jai jai Sai

Krishnaveni Penumaka
Baba you are antaryami and you know what I'm going through. I'm writing to this prayer club for the third time, but my prayer has as never been published. Baba why are you taking so much pareeksha of me? Baba please don't disown me. I don't have anyone else apart from you. So please Baba get me a good job so that my financial worries are over and please bless me with another chance to visit Shirdi. Baba bless all!

A Sai devotee
My daughter got into a head on collision and came out with muscle pain only. An angle was watching her. I read somewhere, " Angels are God's perfect messengers, they spread God's word". It is true! True for my whole family. Baba is the only one for us. Please guide us always!

Sai Devotee K
Om Sai, My family and myself are your devotees. Currently I am far away from my home. I am in a difficult situation, which is frustrating to me a lot. I have no fault but it is not in my hand to solve the problem. In my life, I always tried to attempt difficult and easy things on my own. For the things that are out of my hand I cannot control, I just leave it on to you. Sai, this time if something goes bad not only my career will be ruined, but also I will lose the charm and faith from life and truth. Please take me out of this frustration and pain.

Sanjay Batra
My Sai, I have had faith and patience for 18 months. My work has been taken away, my child is gone, my Father passed away and my new business has losses. Baba I am a human being and all I have is you. Come back into my life and help your child Baba. OM SAI RAM.

Sushma
Dear Baba, Sashtanga namaskaras. There is nothing hidden from you. Thanks for protecting me all these days. As you very well know right from my birth there has been so much of financial problems. Now that I am married I am still facing a lot of financial crisis. I have complete faith in you, please take care of everything and allow me to lead a peaceful life. My entire burden is on you. There is no one to take care of me other than you. Please grant me your blessings. Believing in you, your devotee.

A Sai Devotee
Please Baba, help me with the following needs. I am so frustrated and depressed. That my husband must get a lot of job assignments at the udi the Police and the courts. He must be called to come to work very often. That Indrakumar must not work as an interpreter nor translator but only as a banker. That my husband must stop helping my in-laws financially.

Keshab
Om Sairam. We were desperately waiting for the admission result of our son in school and now the dream came true just because of your warm blessing. We are so pleased and felt so lucky. Thank you for your help.

Prasad
Sai Baba! Please help me through the tough times I am having at this time at work, as I have tremendous pressure in the office. Please help me in this regard and show me a way to come out from this problem.

Quotation of the Week
"What do we lose by another's good fortunes? Let us celebrate their success, or strive to emulate them. That should be our desire and determination" -- Saibaba
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Question of the Week

Q. "What is Baba's message in dreams in Chennai Bhajani incident. (SS Ch. XXIX Eng)

Q. What is the spiritual significance of a Living Sadguru?

A. by Jayanth Varma
I am here when you are here; I will be here when you will be not here. Regarding living, I am the beginning and I am the ending, but my beginning is from the infinite and my ending is up to the infinite. Sadguru is sathyam, the known reality from the beginning, it is not supposed to change because it is the real one. Sadguru is the real one he is the sathyam it is the spiritual sense, which the unknown can know some thing, here no one is having the known knowledge from the beginning, so that one reality can teach us about each and every thing which can satisfy us completely is Sadguru Sainath Maharaj.

Sai Activities

All India Sai Devotees Convention to be held at Hubli
As ordained by Shirdi Sai Baba, Shirdi Sai Aradhana Charitable Trust, Hubli in Co-operation with SHIRDI SAI TRUST, Krishnan Karanai, Pattipulam (PO); Akhanda Sai Seva Trust, Bangalore; SAI MAHAMANDAL, Shirdi Nagar, Hubli and Shirdi Sai Sad Bhaktha Mandali, Hubli will be conducting "ALL INDIA SAI DEVOTEES CONVENTION" at Hubli, SHIRDI SAI MANDIR, SHIRDI NAGAR, on 13th and 14th March 2004. Vth ALL INDIA DEVOTEES CONVENTION was held at Hubli-Dharwad in April 1951, under the able leadership, guidance, inspiration and direction of H.H. Narasimha Swamiji & Sri Sai Padananda Radhakrishnaswamiji. Voluntary contributions / donations are accepted with great reverence against paid receipts.
For more details, please contact: Tel : 0836-2252015, 044-22261670, 080 - 23492434

Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra in USA
"Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra(Pictorial Journey)", started in USA on Jan 01, 2002. With anchor points across USA concurrently participating from day one, this unique event is still continuing with great enthusiasm across many states in the country.

The journey which involves the ceremonial travel of Baba in the form of a portrait will stop at all Baba devotees homes who are interested in being a host to his protrait. The Yatra is open to one and all. There is no fees or charges involved to take part in this event. You may participate either as a host home or serve as an anchor point in your community.

Visit online at www.saibaba.org and follow link to yatra page for all the details and to register.

For questions, comments, suggestions or to get details on an Anchor home in your area, send us an email at maildrop@saibaba.org with the subject line of "Shri Sai Chitra Yatra".
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