FROM SHRI C.B. SATPATHY'S MESSAGE 

……“We must muse over our imperfections of yesterday and try to evolve towards a little more perfection. Knowing that no ordinary mortal is totally perfect, we try to find a model of perfection which is epitomized in a Sadguru or Perfect Master, and it is a truism in all times that the Perfect Master is at first a perfect man. Sri Sainath of Shirdi, the Perfect Master of the Age, standing as our model practiced and preached three things.
He taught us that by expansion of our love to other fellow beings and even the other species one can consolidate society.
He also taught that rigorous and technical methods need not be used for spiritual upliftment. All that is needed is to bring about a qualitative change in one's way of thinking and way of working in daily life.
He brought about a cohesive theme amidst the opposing themes of inter-cultural, inter-religious and inter-sectorial groups. This He achieved by allowing each group to have its own mode ofliving, religious practices and cultural. He succeeded in bringing out a way of life at Shirdi, which reflected a confluence of varied cultures and religions.”…..

FROM "LIFE OF SAI BABA" BY NARASIMHA SWAMI   

………..“Worship is not usually the result of logical discussion and analysis, but is at the initial stage usually the result of an intuitive impulse arising out of a fear, a need, or other impulse. Some terrible power confronts us. Then we bow down in fear. Some terrible calamity overwhelms us. Then we yearn and look out for some help from some powerful personage that can overcome the calamity. Some terrible and oppressive need arises, such as ravenous hunger or serious illness or discomfort. Then again we look to a higher power for relief. It is an intuitive impulse in all these cases that leads man to worship, which is an emotional act. Later, comes the reflective stage and religious conduct is based on reason. Then, the question arises ‘Why does man worship a higher power?’ The obvious answer is, it is the feeling that a higher Power can give and will be induced to give man what he needs and save him from trouble. This is true whether the Power is an invisible God or a visible man or image. There must be in the first place power and willingness to use the power in the object worshipped, and as a counterpart, there must be a need, a fear, or other stimulus operating upon the worshipper to make him believe in the power and willingness of that power to render help.”……..

It was in the year 1990, on June 4th, I was traveling on official duty from Hyderabad to Bombay. I was holding an RAC ticket in the second AC compartment on a holiday special train going from Hyderabad to Bombay. Since it was an RAC ticket I went to station around 8-30PM, well before the scheduled departure of the train. My ticket was confirmed; I just boarded the train, entered the coupe and got on to one berth. After sometime another gentleman also entered the same coupe. Incidentally I was sleeping on his berth. However he didn't mind it and he took the opposite berth, which was actually mine.

I had with me one suitcase containing my clothes, some office papers, money etc., I was also carrying one shoulder bag which contained a water bottle, a. napkin and Sai Satcharitra Book. During those days I was reading the book every now and then, more so starting on a Thursday and completing by next Thursday.

After getting on to the berth, I removed my foot wear, then removed my shirt and put it in the shoulder bag. I then hung the shoulder bag in the hanger hook provided in the compartment. The train started around 9.15 PM from Secunderabad. My brother saw me off at the station. Immediately af¬ter my ticket had been checked, I almost went off to sleep.

Soon I was awakened by a thunderous sound. I could see darkness all around and heard all sorts of cries. There was utter confusion. I tried to get up, but my legs wouldn't move, they were entangled in some windows cross bar. I realised that there was an accident. I some how freed myself and just jumped out of an opening that I saw before me. I fell on the ground and landed at the feet of some unknown person. He told me that there was a big accident and the first few compartments were totally crushed in a head-on collision, with a goods train coming in the opposite direction. The person at whose feet I fell was traveling in the 9th compartment had come to the front to see what happened. I was in a very bad shape with my clothes torn, several wounds including head injury and a lot of bleeding all over. The co-passenger at whose feet I was, took my brother's phone number at Hyderabad and asked me to relax. Suddenly I be¬came unconscious.

After about may be 3 or 4 hours, I just got up and the person was still by my side. I was shivering and he borrowed some blanket from another co-passenger and wrapped me in it. Since I was still lying near the track, I wanted to be moved somewhere so that I could stretch myself a little. With the help of the co-passenger I got up, when I found something heavy on my right shoulder. I lifted my head and I found the shoulder bag, which I hung on the hanger hook perfectly placed on my shoulder. Further the most surprising part was that the Sai Satcharitra Book was in the bag in perfect condition. I had lost my shirt, water bottle placed in the bag and my other luggage also.

It is a real miracle of Sai Baba that the bag which was on the hanger hook clinged onto my shoulder when I jumped out of the compartment and what more, only the Sai Satcharitra was there in it. At this juncture I was overwhelmed with tears and all of a sudden some extraordinary courage came into me and then I slept on the road itself.

After about couple of hours I woke up and the co-passenger at whose feet I fell was still by my side. By then, the Railway and Medical authorities had arrived and the co-passenger said that they would take me to the hospital. He was with me all along, informed my brother and only after my brother reached the hospital, the co-passenger left. Later on I got to know that I was the only survivor in the second AC compartment that I was traveling. God's grace has it that I was sleeping on somebody else's berth and not the original berth allotted to me. >From this it is clear that Sai Baba has given me a new life.

From that day onwards my faith and belief in Sai Baba increased manifold and from then onwards everyday after my bath I read one paragraph or at least a few sentences from Sai Satcharitra before I leave home for work, no matter how urgently I need to go. After this, there have been numerous incidents and ways in which Sai Baba has been helping and guiding our entire family in one way or the other. Every day our faith and devotion in Sai Baba is increasing and we have cast our burden on him and he is bearing it.

By S. Venkat Kumar
General Manager
Hays Document Company Ltd.
Chennai

Every page and word is mesmerizing. This is a real treasure - one should not miss a moment to cherish it.

This website a true blessing in disguise.

Dear All,

In April 2006, I visited Shri Sai Mandir in Shirdi, Maharashtra (India) and offered my sincere prayers during the grand occasion of Ramanavmi (birthday of Lord Rama). During my stay in Shirdi, I visited many other temples in and around Shirdi. The one that captured my special attention was the temple of Shri Khandoba (an incarnation of Lord Shankara), which is located at a very short distance from the main Sai mandir complex. The people of Tamilnadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra States in India regard the God Khandoba as their family God or Kuldevta. For those who are unfamiliar with the association of the God Khandoba’s temple and Shri Sai Baba’s life – it is the temple where the ‘young fakir’ stepped first when he came to Shirdi. The then priest of the temple, Shri Mhalsapati ji welcomed the ‘young fakir’ by addressing him as ‘Aao Sai’. Since then bearing the name ‘Sai Baba’, he lived in Shirdi till he attained samadhi.

As the God Khandoba’s temple does not come under the Shri Saibaba Sansthan, Shirdi, it is solely maintained by donations and offerings by devotees to this small temple. Shri Martand Mhalsapati Maharaj Trust of Shirdi manages the day-to-day work of the temple. The Trust is planning for the renovation of the existing temple and construction of a prayer hall and ancillary facilities for devotees by the end of this year. Hence, I (Shri Nikhil Joshi) on behalf of Shri Manohar Martand Nagare (Grandson of Late Shri Mhalsapati ji), President of Shri Martand Mhalsapati Maharaj Trust would like to make an appeal to you all to please donate generously for this noble cause so that our heritage is safeguarded for the coming generations to understand and value the true meaning of India’s rich and religious cultural traditions.

Please send donations to:

Shri Martand Mhalsapati Maharaj Trust (Reg. No. 234) Shirdi, Pin Code – 255 112 Taluka – Rahata, District – Ahmednagar Maharashtra, India.

Or you could also send donations through direct bank transfer to:

Shri Martand Mhalsapati Maharaj Trust (Reg. No. 234) Syndicate Bank, Branch – Shirdi Swift Code: 51002010000716

If you require any further information regarding this project, please do not hesitate to contact:

Shri Nikhil Joshi
41 Liverpool Grove
London SE17 2HW
United Kingdom
Tel: 0044 207 701 1851 (Home)
0044 207 553 681 (Work)
Mob: 0044 7906 746 622
Email: abhivyakti13@hotmail.com

Shri Manohar Martand Nagare (President)
Shri Martand Mhalsapati Maharaj Trust,
Shridi, India
Mob: 0091 9423 945 644
Tel: 0091 2423 258 455 (Temple)

Sai Ram,

Nikhil Joshi

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