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FROM SHRI C.B. SATPATHY'S MESSAGE
……“In a way one can say
that a society will be what its teachers are. History lends
evidence that the best societies of the world had the best
teachers and the worst societies had the worst teachers or
Gurus. However, except the spiritual Guru, the job of the
other Gurus ends with the imparting of knowledge in certain
fields. The role of the spiritual Gurus or Sadgurus is much
more expansive and is much above the ordinary Gurus. A Sadguru
or Guru is a unique phenomenon of nature. The Kulgurus, Siksha
Gurus, the Mantragurus, etc. impart knowledge within their
limits. The Sadguru, on the other hand, can use his spiritual
powers to evolve the human souls by leading them through a
path of piety, discipline and conduct.
Not only this but by awakening
the inner spiritual potentialities of the pupils or devotees
through a method called ‘Shaktipaat’ they prepare
the devotees to become the instruments of God to serve others.
Whereas in the formal system of education, the teachers are
paid for the duties they perform, in the spiritual field these
highly evolved beings do not want any material returns. The
only thing they seek is evolution of the souls of the devotees
so that they became the agents to carry out God's will. When
they take care of any devotee, they give them training through
a series of direct experiences. Therefore, formal education,
when compared with the knowledge imparted by the Gurus is
very limited. It is basically meant for giving knowledge,
skill and an attitude (an exercise in the personality building
of the students). Such teachings are basically meant to carry
out a livelihood or to enhance their intellectual creativity
in a certain field.
The Sadgurus however,
give direct knowledge through a chain of experiences leading
to the purification of the souls. These Masters are themselves
evolved souls having gone through a process of evolution through
a series of births and deaths and therefore, are competent
enough to lead the devotees in the path of God realisation.
Some people have a wrong concept that these Gurus, who sometimes
do not adorn the garb of a modern man, are unintelligent and
emotional propagators of an imaginary concept of God. What
they fail to understand is that an evolved species of the
human race will not be governed by the rules of a society,
which they had left far behind in time. Further, their consciousness
is highly evolved to comprehend any issue on which their consciousness
is focused. Their powers of concentration and performance
are the highest and their brain capacity is immense. Every
human being not only wants to learn the biggest things of
life but also the smallest ones. To get the best results from
such teachings some factors are essentially required. They
are: the time spent both by the teacher and the pupil together,
the eagerness of both the student and the teacher to learn
and teach respectively, the emotional relationship between
the teacher and the pupil and most important of all, the capacity
of the pupil to receive the teachings.
When one wants to specialize
in only one out of the thousands streams of knowledge, one
spends a considerable number of years in different academic
institutions. From this one can imagine how much of time it
would take to learn and practice spiritualism and what quality
of relationship is required between the Guru and the disciple.
It is because of this reason that, in the early Hindu society,
the pupils (Sishyas) and the Gurus used to live together for
a number of years tied in an emotional bond. The outer forms
of societies may go on changing but the inner spiritual essence
of the human beings always remains the same. The real Spiritual
Masters of today are playing the same role but in different
forms, adapting to the existing societal ethos. All the creations
of God are changeable but the essence of divinity never changes.
Therefore, the vital and divine role of these Sadgurus, the
agents of knowledge and compassion will never change. Human
society will always need them.”…….
FROM "LIFE OF SAI BABA" BY NARASIMHA SWAMI
……“In another case, that
of Bhimaji, who had serious chest disease, asthma, tuberculosis,
etc., Baba first told Shama, ‘Shama, in bringing this
thief to me what a load of responsibility you are placing
on me!’ Baba meant that the tuberculosis, asthma, etc.,
from which Bhimaji suffered were the result of Bhiinaji’s
karma in a previous janma consisting of theft. Bhimaji felt
Baba’s declaration a blow. At once he surrendered himself
to Baba and said, ‘Helper of the helpless! I am helpless.
Pray show thy pity and grace to me’. Then Baba’s
tone changed. Baba told him, ‘The Fakir (God) is merciful,
and your disease will be cured’. He was suffering from
the results of karma, but that could be mitigated, and so
the man was sent to live and sleep in a wet verandah. Bhimaji
did so. There, he had two very dreadful dreams. In one dream,
he was mercilessly birched by a school master. For, in the
dream he fancied he was a boy and the master was birching
him. So, he felt the pain in the dream and he roared out.
In the second dream, it was even worse. He felt that some
one was placing a stone roller and rolling it over his breast.
He suffered all the horror of instant death approaching him.
All the pain of a hanging sentence and whipping sentence were
endured by this man in the course of one night. Baba thus
changed the punishments, which he had earned by his previous
karma, and told him that he was thus free from karmic effects.
He then recovered his health. The above instances go to show
that most of our conceptions about karma are nebulous and
ungrounded, and that the safest course for us to follow would
be to be guided by the dicta of Satpurushas like Sai Baba.”……
DEVOTEE EXPERIENCE
Today I read an inspirational
story at beliefnet and wanted to share with you all. It touched
my heart.
An Angel in Disguise
I have been a writer and a publisher of children's magazines
for a decade. At one time, during the initial years, things
were not so rosy. The bills were piling up, sales had stopped
due to some political problem of which we knew nothing, and
I was hard put to think of how to maintain my staff.
When I was absolutely
on my last leg, I gave my personal God, who had got me through
so many crises in my life, an ultimatum. "God,"
I said, "if you want to help me, this is just the time."
Later that day, I received a call from a construction agency.
My building had just sprung some leaks and I had been looking
for an expert to help me fix the problem. The caller said
that he would like to meet me that day. Pre-occupied as I
was, I felt a strange urge to ask him to come.
As soon as the elderly
gentleman arrived, he walked purposefully to the terrace,
looked at the problem, and promised to send in a price quote
for the repairs within a couple of hours. As we walked down
the staircase, he casually asked me about the company. I mentioned
the magazine and the fact that it was an educational effort,
meant to promote values among children. As we reached the
ground floor where my office was located, he asked, "May
I have a look at the magazine?"
I invited him in, picked
out a couple of back issues and handed them to him. He did
not seem to be the kind who would have young children, so
I thought he was just being polite to impress a prospective
client. Imagine my surprise when he said, "I am on the
board of directors of three schools. We are looking for books
like these to promote general knowledge among children. Could
I have a few?"
Suddenly getting interested,
I asked, "A few? You mean, a few dozen?" "No,"
he said, "a few thousand."
My mouth fell open and
my eyes must have popped out. I must have looked like a goldfish
gasping for breath. I told him to give me the exact number
he wanted.
Miracle of miracles! It
was exactly the number we still had in stock. Then he said,
"You can make the delivery within a week. Here is the
cheque amount. You can cash it right away."
I had tears in my eyes
as I accepted it from him. The amount covered the costs of
every bill I needed to pay, with even a little left over to
stash away. I made the delivery of the magazines within a
day.
But, you know something?
The man never ever sent the price quote for the repairs to
my roof. I wonder sometimes whether that was on his agenda
at all. Sometimes, I am convinced the Lord does come to us
in strange ways, in strange shapes. If only we knew how to
look.
Shipra Shukla, New Delhi
Share your
experience, articles poems etc.
POEM
Patience
Patience is a virtue
which I have little of,
but when I feel it slipping
I just call on God.
I’m trying hard to master it,
I really need it now.
The devil’s got
me cornered.
My life is full of thunder clouds.
He’s throwing every thing at me
trying to pull me down.
He’s not sure my faith is strong
enough for God to bring me out.
I’ve got news for him,
I never will give up.
My faith is stronger than he thinks
and God is with me now.
God knows I’m not
perfect
but He also knows my heart.
He knows I’m really trying
and we will never part.
He’s promised to be with me
and He’ll never let me down.
I haven’t earned His help,
it’s only through His grace.
He has a plan for me
which the devil can not change.
He’ll see me through to victory,
and take me home some day.
He’ll do the same for you,
just believe and trust Him too.
Share your
experience, articles poems etc.
TOPIC OF DISCUSSION
Denouncing Maya
Necessary or not
Denouncing Maya is not
at all necessary. Maya itself is the creation of God where
everybody is tested till the person gets purified in all senses.
Purified to understand God and HIS creation.
I would like to share
a story, which my Grandfather used to narrate whenever we
had spiritual discussions. Since the creation of this world,
God sent many of his children to Earth where according to
amuse and entertain everybody like at a picnic. He appointed
Maya or the Kaala as the monitor of all the beings on Earth.
Initially every being was happy but couldn't forget the ever-pervading
and blissful Father (God). They followed His teachings and
regularly returned back to their Father (God).
This caused Maya to think
about its future as this beautiful creation would end if all
the beings returned back. So, Maya requested some boons to
impose some restrictions and rules to have some control over
the beings visiting Earth. God in His kindness granted all
the impositions but He made it clear that whoever has infinite
devotion, everlasting faith in Him can return back and Maya
would not have the right to stop them. God also informed Maya
that many messengers of His shall visit from time to time
to teach and preach about Him and about the bliss every being
feels on returning back to the Fathers' abode. One such messenger
is our beloved "SHIRDI SAI BABA".
Maya agreed to this and
thus we the children of Father are here. Whenever we try to
concentrate and pray to our Father, Maya interrupts by sanctioning
and fulfilling our desires so that we forget our beloved Father.
So, in order to get rid of the Maya one should choose and
follow the Right Guru who can show us the right path and save
us from getting affected by the effects of Maya.
The Right Guru helps in
reaching our goal (Father’s Abode). I have total faith
in Sadguru Sainath that he can help us to reach our goal.
Kavuri Radha Krishna
Phani, Sharjah, UAE
Share
your views on Topic of Discussion- DAKSHINA AND SAI
DEVOTEES' FORUM
Sai Devotions take many forms...
• Read Sai Satcharita daily;
• Simply say “Sai, Sai" or “Om Sai”
or “Om Sai Ram” and so on as often as you can;
• Sit quietly facing Sai's picture and gaze at His Form
in the picture;
• Listen to Sai's chants or songs or bhajans with closed
eyes;
• Join in His Bhajan;
• Write “Om Sai, Om Sai" in a piece of paper;
• Collect some flowers; throw flower petals at His feet;
• Tell stories from Sat Charita to friends, children
and others;
• Prepare sweets and food items, show them to Sai, then
feed others, including animals;
• Visit any nearby Sai temple or Shirdi whenever possible;
• Buy Sai books and distribute free;
• Get Sai pictures, big and small, even post card size
pictures and give it free to all;
• Do ‘arati’ of His picture;
• Guide people or take people to His temple or Shirdi
with you;
• Offer His Udi to others;
• Feed people on certain days [your birthday, for instance]
after offering to Sai;
• Share books/magazines on Sai with others;
• Pray to Sai for the welfare of ALL---human and animals;
• Chant Vishnu Sahasranama---thousand names of Lord
Vishnu;
• Begin all work with a prayer to Sai.
N
K Srinivasan, Palo Alto, California, USA
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.
Shubhra, Delhi
Share your
feelings about Shirdi Sai in Devotees’ Forum
READER'S REFLECTION
This is the best magazine in the world. I love it very much.
Thanks for bringing our Beloved Baba's Messages through this
work. I live in Canada and wait eagerly to read the Sai Heritage
magazine as it gives me so many valuable insights and messages
from our Beloved Master Sai Baba. Thanks again to all that
make this possible.
Renuka Arun, Ontario,
Canada
I am very thankful for
receiving "Heritage of Shirdi Sai" magazine and
Sai Heritage E-Zine sent to me by some one who is so kind
and loving. By getting Heritage of Shirdi Sai I feel like
I am being blessed by Shri Sai Baba for showering his kind
divine mercy and love on me. I also would like to thank each
and everyone who is working so hard for this excellent web
site. Please keep up the good work and may Sai Baba’s
blessing be on you all in this world. I love Sai. He is everything
to me. Once again I want to thank Baba for helping me in my
father's operation. I am going give my experience in the next
article.
Kavitha, Bangalore
Share
Reader's Reflection
NEWS OF SHIRDI
SAI ACTIVITIES
SHIRDI SAI BABA SANSTHAN,
CANADA
Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan,
Canada holds Satsang on Thursdays and third Sunday of every
month at Gur Mandir, 207 Queen’s Plate, Toronto (Etobicoke).
For other Details call 416-294-4804 or visit http://www.shirdisainath.org/
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.
SHIRDI SAI PARIVAR
VANCOUVER
Shirdi Sai parivar in Vancouver
holds Satsang on Thursday (6.30-7.30pm)and Sai abhishek and
aarti first Sunday of every month at 8571, 118A St, Delta,
V4C 6L2. For further details contact (604) 592 4182 or email,
say.sai.sai@gmail.com.
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/
SHRI SHIRDI SAI
SAMAJ MALAYSIA
No.744-1, Tingkat 1, Jln.
Sentul Selatan, Sentul, 51000 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
This is a new Shirdi Baba center in malaysia. We conduct weekly
prayers/arathi at the following times:
Friday - 7pm - 10.30pm
Sunday - Noon - 2.30pm
Our official centre website
is http://saisamaj.blogspot.com/
For more information, please email mailto:hyperkinetix@gmail.com
PERSATUAN SHIRDI
SAI BABA SELANGOR, MALAYSIA
This is to inform all of
you that we have a Shirdi Sai Baba Temple in Malaysia. Here
we have daily prayers and special prayers on thursday mornings
9.00am and bhajans and satsang from 8 pm onwards. Also breakfast,
lunch and dinner, cooked by our seva-group is provided to
all devotees. other than that first thursday of the month
we have talk on spirituality, second thursday on health, third
thursday satsang on Sai Satcharitra, fourth thursday talk
on general topics, by experts in the respective fields. Lot
of charitable activities are conducted by our Centre,like
sponsoring immediate services to childrens\' homes, old-folks
homes, sick and needy, etc. etc.
If any devotee, from Malaysia
or Singapore likes to join our Centre, please contact Mr.SP
Kannan at Mobile -012-2739486; usha - 006122392911; Res: 03-33717540.
Our Centre address is : Persatuan Shirdi Sai Baba Selangor,
No.2574, Jalan Seruling 59, Taman Klang Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.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. The Shirdi Sai Baba Centre in Singapore is now
live with the 3rd floor function hall, Sri Vadapathira Kaliamman
temple, being secured and converted to a full fledged exclusive
Shirdi Sai worship centre. The Centre will be devoted to celebrating
the life & teachings of Shirdi Sai Baba only. For more
information visit our website http://www.saisansthan.com/
SHIRDI SAI BABA
SANSTHAN, AUCKLAND NEW ZEALAND
Bhajans Every Thursday
Venue Mt Roskill War Memorial Hall, 13 May Road, Mt Roskill,
Auckland
7.00 pm - 7.50 pm Sai Bhajans,
7.50 pm - 8.10 pm Pravachan and Sai Ashtotharam
8.10 pm - 8.30 pm Shej Aarthi
8.30 pm - 9.00 pm Prasad distribution.
For more details Contact us Amar Alluri(President) Mobile:
(+64) 27 230 5360 Email: President@shirdisaibaba.org.nz
or Sai Krishna Tridandapani (Secretary) Mobile: (+64) 21 239
7907 Email: Secretary@shirdisaibaba.org.nz
Address: Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan of NZ, P.O. Box: 16142,
Sandringham, Auckland, New Zealand. Visit our website http://heritageofshirdisai.org/newsletter/Desktop/www.shirdisaibaba.org.nz
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