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 FROM
SHRI C.B. SATPATHY'S MESSAGE
……“These great souls are
called the Sadgurus or Perfect Masters or Qutubs or Adepts.
Shirdi Sai Baba was not only the Param Sadguru of His time
but is the incarnation of this Age. That is why even after
departure from the physical existence His influence is spreading
allover the globe. Highly self-motivated devotees are doing
yeoman job to propagate His preaching. Sai is as He was. Today
under His benefic influence, the Sai Age has dawned and this
is what every devotee has to understand.
The role of the incarnation is more expansive
and spreads over thousands of years. We should celebrate Guru
Purnima as a token of love for these great souls who made
total sacrifice of themselves for the evolution of mankind,
and ameliorating the sufferings of crores of human beings
that come in direct or indirect contact with them. The least
one can do to these infinitely merciful entities is to remember
them, pray to them and follow them.”…….
FROM
"LIFE OF SAI BABA" BY NARASIMHA SWAMI
……“He was once
asked by a Prarthana Samajist, 'Shall I ask you a question?
'Yes', said Baba. The Prarthana Samajist asked, 'Do you look
upon all people equally?' Then Baba said, 'Yes, I look upon
all equally'. It requires some sense to ask a question. The
point is that Baba had several persons to whom he showed great
consideration, for example Nana Chandorkar, Tatya Patil, M.B.
Rege and others just as Sri Krishna showed special affection
for Arjuna. Baba distinctly stated that he was anxious to
help Chandorkar, Patil and Rege, and did actually help them.
Yet, Baba has said that he is impartial and does not prefer
one to another. What is the explanation? The same as in Sri
Krishna’s case. If anyone has previously been loving Baba
and getting attached to him with repeated efforts, the natural
law of psychology and of ethics makes Baba respond to him
more vigorously and constantly than to others. Thus he seems
to favour those persons who have been constantly drawn to
him in the past. Nana Chandorkar had been his sishya for four
janmas, and the affection of four janmas cannot go for nothing.
That is why he sends for Chandorkar when he has not sent for
any one else in the world. Similarly he takes the naivedya
of Mrs. Khaparde first without touching any of the previously
offered ones, because for several janmas, one after another,
she has been anxiously and lovingly taking up naivedyas and
giving milk and food to him. Baba said, the food she gives
me is sweet, with her love. Similarly towards Tatya Patil,
Baba showed considerable concern, and helped him to get a
large income on which income-tax was levied. He was well known
to be the pet of Baba. The reason was what Baba himself gave
out and what everybody knew. Tatya Patil’s parents were greatly
attached to Baba from the very beginning of Baba’s visit to
Shirdi when he had made no name and exhibited no powers. Tatya
Patil’s mother would run into the jungles taking food in her
hand to feed Baba, a self-forgetful fakir, who did not care
for his food. She was looking after Baba with so much love
even in this janma. Baba’s nature like Bhisma’s nature had
gratitude as its bedrock, and he could never forget such ardent
and loving service. He also explained that Tatya’s mother
was his sister in several previous janmas, and she was always
feeding him. Therefore, Tatya, being a son of his sister of
so many janmas, was expressly called by Baba his nephew, and
Tatya always called Baba his Mama, that is, maternal uncle.
The effects of so many janmas cannot be forgotten or brushed
aside, and that is why Baba paid so much attention to Tatya.
Tatya’s own conduct towards Baba was also one of great surrender
and attachment. Tatya used to sleep in the Mosque along with
Baba and Mahlsapathy for many years, that is as long as he
was a bachelor, and Baba used to attend to his body and soul.
Baba would massage his legs, make passes over his head and
see that he did not come to grief. Tatya was a person of no
education, and would ordinarily get easily ruined in the countryside.
But Baba’s company kept him up to a pretty high mark of culture
and morality, and thus saved him from spiritual and moral
shipwreck. There were also factions in the village, and bickerings
of various sorts were common. Baba occasionally helped Tatya
even in those bickerings where he had sufficient reason. He
would help him even with chamatkars, that is super normal
powers. Some men of Tatya’s faction like Raghu were charged
before the Kopergaon Magistrate for outraging the modesty
of a Marwadi woman. On the evidence of six eye witnesses,
Raghu and his set were all sentenced to imprisonment. This
was the result of faction. The case was not true. When Raghu
was crying in the Ahmednagar Jail, Baba appeared to him in
a dream and told him that he would be released quickly. Tatya
took up the appeal papers first to some lawyers in Ahmednagar
who thought that the case was too strong to have any success
in appeal. But when the papers were taken to Baba, Baba ordered
the papers to be taken to Bhav, S.B. Dhumal, Pleader of Nasik,
to be presented by him with an appeal memo before the Ahmednagar
District Magistrate. Baba by a wonderful chamatkar gripped
the mind of the District Magistrate and made him acquit Tatya’s
whole set of men, Raghu and others without sending for the
papers or reading the judgment or the appeal memo, or issuing
notice to the respondent. This might be considered to be a
very strong piece of evidence showing Baba’s love of Tatya
leading to the disregard of Law. That is true. But still,
if Baba secured justice without caring for and observing the
formalities in a special case, there seems to be nothing wrong
in it, for in the annals of civilian trials, there may be
several extraordinary instances showing disregard of laws
of evidence and procedure. Coming back to the question of
Baba's love for his devotees, his love for Rege was the return
of a powerful love by the young Rege to him. In Rege’s vision,
Sri Narayana appeared and pointed out the figure of Baba to
him as his Guru. In a vision Baba had told Rege that he was
bound to him and that he Rege, need now bow to Him. On the
first day of Rege’s visit at Shirdi, Baba appeared to give
Rege a rebuff, but told him in the afternoon that Rege was
his child, and embraced him. He loved Rege and encouraged
Rege, because Rege's bhava was Putra, that is, the child of
Baba. Baba offered to give any promotion that Rege wanted
or anything else that he wanted. But Rege wanted only that
janma after janma, Baba should be with him. He cared for nothing
else. That is the proof of his strong affection. Allam bhakta
Paradenah that is, I am subjugated by the love of my devotee
is a statement not merely of Narayana but also of Sai.
Baba also said, If one
ever dwells on me in his mind and will not even taste food
before offering it to me, I am his slave. So also if he hungers
and thirsts after me, and treats all else as unimportant.
I am bhaktaparadheena the bond slave of my devotee. I love
devotion.”……
TOPIC OF DISCUSSION
SPIRITUALISM IN
DAILY LIFE
Man is fortunate to have choices
in life, using sense of discrimination he can evolve and by
making a right choice. Unlike in olden times man has the freedom
to choose his religion as well. With his ability to rationalize
and be informed about the values and practices and ideology
of a particular religion; he chooses to move away from the
religion he is born into.
The main aim of choosing religion
is to follow and attain spiritual progress and be at peace.
Often one mistakes religion and spirituality to be one and
the same and uses these words interchangeably. There is a
subtle difference between both terms. Religion is a set of
practices, rituals and beliefs that one conforms to either
in a institutionalized setting or at home. On the other hand
spirituality is the understanding and following the religious
values in life, conforming more to innate spirit of an individual
unlike the temporal practices of Religion.
A man initially follows a religion
aiming at progression towards spiritual evolution. His spiritual
progress is ascertained only when he is able to internalize
the values governing that religion and apply it in day to
day life. The basis of every religion is simple and it comprises
being pure in thought and behaviour, love for all beings,
compassion to fellow beings and being content with what one
has and being charitable. These values are easier said than
practiced. Living and being entangled in the materialistic
world it is hard to be filled with pure thoughts and behaviour
when the fight is for survival of the fittest.
For one who wants to progress in
spiritual life, he has to constantly remind himself that in
order to progress at the spiritual level one has to imbibe
the values and live by them in one’s daily routine. One step
at a time and one conscientious act of kindness with humility,
love and generosity is required to tame our wild and erratic
mind. For practicing these virtues and progressing in spirituality
one need not be isolated from the world. All it needs is adapting
these values in our daily routine. Hoarding is result of greediness
and it pulls man to the lowest levels of behaviour. In order
to get rid of his attachment to the materialism, charity is
prescribed in scriptures. It is easy to love our relatives,
but He who loves one who hurts him is the true devotee of
God. It is difficult to accept one who does harms us, but
the greatness lies in forgiving such a person and winning
him over with love.
A man who makes such a
conscious effort to live a simple life by accepting everything
as the will of God and follows values as laid out in the religious
scriptures, such a man progresses faster spiritually. Of course
one needs Guru’s blessings to overcome obstacles and also
to persist in the efforts to follow these spiritual values
in daily life. O Master!
Give us your blessings
to practice spiritualism in daily life.
Anitha Kandukuri,
Australia
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your views on Topic of Discussion- Sai's Message to the
Children
DEVOTEE'S EXPERIENCE
It had been a long time since my
parents could leave me all by myself. After a period of prolonged
illness, I had been totally drained of my mental and physical
strength. There was time in my life when I could do things
all by myself. Once upon a time, I savoured the joys of a
solitary existence, wallowing in the warmth of my being. But
those were things of the past. Solitude was now terrifying.
It was as if life was mocking at me. But there comes a moment,
a moment of epiphany in life, which heralds the coming of
good times. Miracles happen, however tiny. You have to believe
in them.
That evening in June, my parents
had to leave me behind. I had managed to put a brave front
and had calmly agreed to stay by myself. I had decided not
to let my fears get the better of me. Because they had been
invited to attend a wedding ceremony and were going to be
late, I had asked a friend of mine to give me company for
a few hours. My parents left. And I waited for my friend to
arrive. She had called to confirm that she would reach me
in half an hour’s time. Gradually the afternoon melted into
picturesque summer dusk. The sky was splattered with myriad
hues. I stood on the verandah, looking at the scene outside.
Children were playing happily. A cool breeze was cheerfully
blowing. My parents kept calling me to ensure everything was
fine. As the blissful dusk transformed into the darkness of
the evening, I felt the shadows of fear slowly creeping into
my heart. My friend had still not arrived…..
I sat watching the T. V. with empty
eyes, to distract myself. Suddenly the doorbell rang. I was
relieved; maybe my friend had arrived at last. I opened the
door, and who should be standing before me? It was my aunt,
a cousin of my mother’s. What was she doing here, when she
should have been at the wedding? I asked her to come in. But
she was in a hurry. She was on her way to the ceremony, and
decided to stop by and deliver a little packet on the spur
of the moment. I took the packet and she left. By then, it
was already dark outside. It was quiet and eerie. The street
lamps had flickered to life, trying their best to cheer up
the murky lanes and alleys and my miserable self.
I stared at the packet for a long
time. It was from a friend of my mother's. Curiosity got the
better of me and I opened it. To my surprise and delight,
out came a little framed picture of Sai Baba, with a little
packet of holy vibhuti and prasad. And it had come all the
way from Shirdi! My mother’s friend had been to Shirdi and
had sent it for her. But for me it was a divine moment. My
friend had arrived. Baba was my friend and he had come to
ease the mental and physical agony that I was going through.
I felt lonely no longer. I realized a friend was there for
me, to help me in times of distress, to talk to me when there
was nobody around. It was as if the colours of the sky had
filled my bleak world with richness. The picture of Baba came
as a blessing. I began to feel a lot better. I spent the evening,
doing my work.
Soon, my parents returned.
And with each passing day I began to regain my strength. I
started enjoying the pleasures of solitude; I had learnt to
do things on my own. Although it took me several months to
become my usual self, I remained undeterred and kept fighting
to get back my lost state of health. Every time the dark clouds
of depressive bouts shrouded me, I looked into Baba’s eyes
and they vanished within a second. Miracles do not happen,
they have to be sensed. Miracles do not announce themselves
with a flash of lightening or a peal of thunder. It is the
spark within, that whispers quietly into your heart that a
blessing has been granted to you and that things will be all
right...Thank you Baba, for being there for me and with me.
Amrita Satpathy
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articles poems etc.
DEVOTEES' FORUM
PATIENCE
He who has faith has... an inward reservoir of courage,
hope, confidence, calmness, and assuring trust that all will
come out well - even though to the world it may appear to
come out most badly.
Learn the
art of patience. Apply discipline to your thoughts when they
become anxious over the outcome of a goal. Impatience breeds
anxiety, fear, discouragement and failure. Patience creates
confidence, decisiveness and a rational outlook, which eventually
leads to success.
Shreya, Delhi
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Devotees’ Forum
READER'S REFLECTION
The message in the Guru Purnima issue 2006 of Heritage of
Shirdi Sai is very nice. I liked it. More on the same lines
would be great reading--- I am told that Satpathyji has written
some few odd thousand verses (in poetry format) in Oriya language.
How about getting the same translated in English? Why not
share it with all? It would be a delight to read, I am sure.
Yagyasaini Kakkra, Delhi
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Reader's Reflection
NEWS
OF SHIRDI SAI ACTIVITIES
SHIRDI SAI BABA
SANSTHAN, CANADA
RAM NAVAMI CELEBRATION
Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan,
Canada (Toronto) Cordially Invites all to Join in Celebrating
Ram Navami Festival on Saturday March 31 2007 program starting
with Kakad Aarti at 8:00am to Shej Aarti at 7:30pm – Maha
Abhishek& Alankar - Bhajan Sandhaya - Naam Jaap – Paalki
Procession – Preeti Bhoj (lunch & dinner with refreshments)
at 207 Queen’s Plate Dr. Etobicoke M9W 6Z7(Highway27 &
Rexdale just south of Humber College Blvd ). For further details
please visit http://www.shirdisainath.org/ or call 416-294-4804
THE RESOURCE CENTRE
Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan,
Canada is pleased to announce the establishment of it's first
Resource Centre in Woodbridge, Toronto. All visits are by
appointment only. Shri Sai Satcharita is available in all
languages. The Resource Centre is open Monday to Friday between
10:00 am - 5:00 pm. Location: Maple Crest Private School -
28 Roytech Rd. Woodbridge, On L4L 8E4 Ph: 905 - 652-6666.
For other Details call 416-294-4804 or visit http://www.shirdisainath.org/
SHIRDI SAI MANDIR, TORONTO, CANADA
The Shirdi Sai Mandir located at 2721 Markham Road, Toronto,
Ontario, M1X 1L5 (Intersection of Markham and Nashdene) is
open through out the day on Saturday, Sunday and holidays
and in the morning and evenings on all weekdays. Baba's Kakad
Aarti, Abhishek Puja, Madhyan Aarti, Dhoop Aarti, Satcharita
Reading and Shej Aarti are performed every day. Bhajans and
Sai Naam Sankirtan in the evening on Thursday and Saturday.
For information regarding the daily schedule, temple activities
and events please visit Mandir's website: http://www.theshirdisaimandir.com/
or send an email to info@theshirdisaimandir.com
or call 647-444-4724.
PERSATUAN SHIRDI SAI BABA SELANGOR, MALAYSIA
I belong to the Shirdi Sai Group (registered as Persatuan
Shirdi Sai Baba, Selangor), Malaysia. Sai Ram everybody. This
to inform Baba’s devotees in Malaysia and Singapore that every
Thursday we conduct prayers in the morning at 9.00 am and
bhajans and satsang in the evenings from 7.30 pm onwards.
Anyone who is interested in joining us may please contact
SP Kannan at 012-2739486; or Usha at 012-2392911; or Res:
03-33717540. Also if you come across any Malaysian devotees,
please direct them to us. Thank you and Sai Ram.
SHIRDI SAI TEMPLE
SINGAPORE
The dream of having a
full fledged exclusive Shirdi Sai Temple in Singapore, will
soon come true. Thanks to the efforts of a Sai devotee in
making this happen.
Here is a golden opportunity for all of us to be part of this
initiative.
We are planning to collect the Mantra 'Om Sai Nathayah Namaha',
1 crore times (10 million). To participate you need to write
the Sai Mantra 'Om Sai Nathayah Namaha' in a language of your
choice minimum of 500 times. Please mention the number of
mantras on the front page on the top right hand corner. There
is no restriction on the maximum number of mantras.
All devotees are requested to try their best to hand-write
the mantras/prayers.
Please ensure that the mantras/prayers reach one of the following
addresses by 15th April 2007.
Mr. Uganthar Reddy
Block 601, #06-03
Senja Road
Singapore - 670601
Mr. Prabhakar Chettiar
Block 927, #15-77
Hougang Street 91
Singapore - 530927
Please forward this message
to all your friends and relatives around the world.
SHRI SHIRDI SAI
SANSTHAN LOS ANGELES
By the grace of our Shirdi
Sai we are happy to announce the inauguration of Shri Shirdi
Sai Temple in LA region in the city of Montebello. We need
the support of all Sai Devotees. For more information please
email krishna@shirdisaila.org
SHIRDI SAI CENTER,
BAY AREA, CALIFORNIA
Location: 897-B E. Kifer
Rd, Sunnyvale, CA - 94086
Daily timings and activities:
Weekdays:
6:15 am – 7:40 am: Abhishekam and Kakad Arathi at 6:30 am
11.45 am – 12:30 pm: Madhyan Arathi at 12:00 pm
6:00 pm – 9:30 pm: Dhoop Arathi at 6:30 pm and Shej Arathi
at 8:30 pm
Weekends:
6:15 am – 7:40 am: Kakad Arathi at 6:30 am
11:00 am – 9:30 pm: Madhyan Arathi at 12:00 pm, Dhoop Arathi
at 6:30 pm and Shej Arathi at 8:30 pm
Every Thursday:
7:30 pm – 8:30 pm: Shirdi Sai Bhajans
For more information please
call 408-705-7904 / 408-564-6704 or send email to saibandhu@yahoo.com
or visit our website at http://www.Shirdisaiparivaar.org
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