|  FROM SHRI C.B. SATPATHY'S
MESSAGE
"In
the path of spiritualism "Seema Ullanghan" does not mean only a state of physical
change but it means ‘transcendence’. Transcendence of what? Transcendence of the
fetters of body and mind. This can only be achieved by controlling the compulsions
of body like hunger, lust, and the men compulsions of mind like greed, jealousy,
anger, hatred etc. (the six limitations). When one by one the mental fetters fall
off, two elements of mind like ‘desire’ and ‘feelings’ pertaining to those compulsions
also vanish. The soul slowly but imperceptibly then enters into a state of pure
consciousness. At this stage he goes beyond all bodily fetters, including birth
and death. He also crosses the barrier of time and space. The progress in the
path of spirituality is the march of the divine consciousness from its primordial
state to the original divine self."
FROM "LIFE OF SAI BABA" BY NARASIMHA
SWAMI ....."Need
for a Guru. The question whether Guru is needed is often times debated by
people with great warmth, some holding that there is need and others holding that
there is no need. These debates are usually in fructuous and they excite and result
in loss of peace. A good example is Hemadpant alias Anna Saheb Dabolkar’s case
on his first visit to Shirdi. He hotly contested for one hour or so and, contended
that a Guru was an unnecessary fetter and quoted the Gita, in his support. Bala
Saheb Bhate took the opposite view and maintained that destiny was supreme and
that a Guru was had by all. The discussion made Anna Dabolkar less fit to
approach the great Guru Sai Baba by reason of restlessness. But Baba by graciously
revealing his Antarjnana of all that passed during the discussion made Anna Dabolkar
feel humble and contrite, and he felt that Baba was a wondrous Supreme Power before
whom he and his weak powers should bend and give up his “reason” and supposed
independence. And thus he became the shishya of Baba by the latter’s grace and
found that destiny had fixed him up, though his reasoning might indicate independence
was his proper course. The Sastras, for example, Srimad Bhagavata, Bhagavata Gita,
Guru Gita, Katha, Mundaka, Taittiriya, Maha Narayanopanishad say clearly that
without a Guru Brahmanjnana and Moksha cannot be attained." .......
DEVOTEE'S EXPERIENCE
Following
is the reproduction of a letter sent to Heritage of Shirdi Sai by a devotee. Sai
becomes an indelible and physical part of His devotee’s lives and manifests His
presence in many ways. We attempt to share some such experiences with other readers
who are welcome to send us their contributions.
Dear
Mrs. Satpathy I
am relating to you an amazing incident that Dr. K.B. Gawankar, an allopathic medical
practitioner who practised on Kurla
Ghatkopar Road in Kurla Mumbai, during the Sixties,
told me personally. At .hat time he was about 60 years old. He
said that in 1913 or so (I do not remember the exact year he mentioned) when he
was very young, a child of about 10 or 12, he fell sick due to lung abscess. In
those days there were no antibiotics and his condition was not good. It was during
this time that his uncle visited him and seeing that his condition was serious,
he vowed that he would offer 5 kgs. of ‘pedas'’ if Sai Baba saved his nephew.
Next day the abscess burst and he was on the road to recovery. By six months or
so, he was alright. Of
course his uncle remembered his vow and as promised he took his child along with
5 kgs. of 'pedas' after about 5 years to Sai Baba in Shirdi. On seeing them Sai
Baba demanded his 'pedas' saying he was very hungry and had waited for 5 years
for them. He at once started eating leaving only a few pedas in the hand of the
child, asking him to make a gesture of giving, by bringing all his fingers together
and putting them on the palm of Sai Baba who closed His hand and put it in His
pocket. With the same hand He touched head and blessed him and said that He (Sai
Baba) would always be with him wherever he goes. It
was this very child who grew up to be Dr. Gawankar, a happy contented person,
exalted to the position of being the Head of Shirdi Sai Baba Trust. Soon he became
unhappy with the working of the Trust and prayed to Sai Baba to help him. It is
true that he resigned from the post when at one stage of his life he saw Sai Baba
(who had given up His mortal remains by then) in his dream. He seemed to tell
him to give up the position of being the Head. This happened before the government
took over. All this was related to me by Dr. Gawankar himself. Dr.
Gawankar had shown me Sai Baba's Kaftan, pipe and also a photograph. It seemed
a photographer who claimed to be perfect, wanted to take the photograph of Sai
Baba but the Holy Man did not want it, saying that He could photograph His feet
only. When the camera clicked, it turned out that only His feet, body and umbrella
were clear but His face was hazy. Behind the hazy face also saw a hazy wall. Dr.
Gawankar said he was present when the photograph was taken. My
first visit to Shirdi was in the company of Dr. Gawankar. In Bombay, during Dussehera festival,
this devotee used to arrange a function where classical singers of repute gave
wonderful performances. My wife and I attended these functions regularly till
the day we were transferred to Delhi in 1975. I
met Dr. Gawankar again in Delhi in 1980
and he related many incidents in which Sai Baba, even after He left His mortal
remains, helped him. However,
it is true that Sai Baba comes to the rescue of His many followers who are in
dire need of His help and have witnessed His miracles. Yet this divine power of
being able to help, as once mentioned by Him, comes by dint of hard work, prayer,
mediation, trials, tribulations and austere life. It is God Almighty who bestows
this divine power. It is said that Sai Baba once said that no one has asked Him
how He gained Sidhi (Divine power) and how can they get it? There are people who
ask for mundane things of life, for example lucky lottery tickets or names of
winning horses during the horse race season, while others want redress for genuine
sorrow and tragedies of life, but no one to this day knows and neither has any
one asked Him how He achieved this divine grace. All are anxious to get what they
are in dire need of, such is human nature. God
Almighty sends His chosen ones to the Earth rarely. These holy men lead humanity
to the righteous path and perhaps to salvation. So far there is no successor to
Shirdi Sai Baba, even though thousands visit the place every day, as was predicted
by Sai Baba that many would do so. Who knows Mr. Satpathy may be chosen by the
Almighty to help his fellowmen in life here on Earth. Your’s
Sincerely,
Dr. G. H. Gidwani READER'S
REFLECTION Heritage
Of Shirdi Sai is one magazine which reaches the hearts of millions those far &
near & thus enlightens its readers knowledge. Thus for those who know or have
heard just the name of Shri Shirdi Sai and are curious to know Who's Shri SAI
? This magazine has been a boon to such curious Sai Devoties. Therefore I would
like to thank Shri Shirdi Sai Heritage Foundation Trust to give this wonderful
gift in the form of magazine and website of "Heritage of Shirdi Sai" to those
near & far.
Jai
Shri Sai
Sachin
NEWS
OF SHIRDI SAI ACTIVITIES
Shirdi
Sai Baba Sansthan of Canada
Events:: Guru Poornima Celebrations will be held
in Toronto, Sunday July 16th starting with Bhupali and Kakad Aarti at 7:00a.m.
till 8:00p.m.
Program highlights:
Maha Abhishek, Aarthis – Kakad,
Madhyaan, Dhoop, Shej, Satcharita parayan, Bhajan Sandhayaa, Sri Sai Satya Vratha
Puja, Palaki procession and more. For program details please visit the website
www.shirdisainath.org/ email:
saileela99@yahoo.com or call 416-402-8089/416-895-7905
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