Sai Vichaar is a Weekly newsletter distributed every Thursday and is devoted to the life, philosophy and teachings of Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Feel free to forward this newsletter to your interested associates in its original form.

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IN THIS ISSUE:

• FEATURE OF THE WEEK
• CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE
• DEVOTEES SAY
• PRAYER CLUB
• EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES
• QUOTATION OF THE WEEK
• QUESTION OF THE WEEK
• SAI ACTIVITIES
• FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD

FEATURE OF THE WEEK: The story of Baba's help with household responsibilities

How a man seeking to escape the discharge of his worldly duties by running away for good from it on the excuse of going on a pilgrimage, was persuaded by Baba to return home and to shoulder his responsibilities like a man, is best seen in the life of one Janardan Moreshwer Fanse alias Haribhau Fanse. Wearied with carrying on the burden of his worldly cares, informing his mother Haribhau left his home for Rameshwar; however as Shirdi was on the way to Rameshwar, with a view to have the blessings of the far famed Shri Baba he came to Shirdi and felt so much attracted by Baba,. That he stayed at Shirdi for a week. When thereafter he asked Baba's permission to go to Rameshwar. He ordered him to go home, saying his mother had abstained from food since the day he had left home and if he failed to return home she might die. The mother was very much pleased t see her son back at home and was convinced that Baba was omniscient.

In the meanwhile a person of his village being attacked with Cholera approached him; he administered to him Shri Baba's holy ashes and he was cured. This led the people to believe that he was a physician. The holy ashes were however soon exhausted and so Haribhau was embarrassed as to how he should deal with another Cholera case, if he got one. But luckily for him Cholera left his village since that day. Thereafter he happened to go to a nearby village and casually met some Marwadi merchant known to him. The merchant seeing that a simple devotee had come to meet him, told Haribhau," Look here, my brother is seriously ill, all physicians, doctors have tried their utmost to cure him but they have all failed; now since you are Shri Sai Baba's devotee, if your Sai Baba is really a saint, He must cure my brother through you." Haribhau saw the patient found the case to be serious, was therefore anxious to slip away but as it was night, he could not leave for home.

At night when Haribhau's Bhajan (prayer) time became due, the patient himself made the necessary preparations for Bhajan and throughout the Bhajan sat concentration on Baba's Photo. This surprised all and the Marwadi now said," Whether the patient dies or survives I will have his medicine form none but you." To shirk the responsibility Haribhau purposely quoted his fees in excess of those of the Civil Surgeon, at Rs.200/-. The Marwadi agreed to that. That night Baba appeared in Haribhau's dream and told him what the disease was and the medicine to be prescribed for it. Haribhau prescribed the said medicine and the patient started taking this medicine; the patient full recovered after a time and so the Marwadi offered Rs.200/- the stipulated fees to Haribhau, but Haribhau would not accept it stating he had done nothing, it was his Guru's work. Marwadi could not rest satisfied till he requited Haribhau's labor in some form or other so he bought a scarf worth Rs.200/- and going to Haribhau's house when he was out, left it there. Haribhau could not now refuse the acceptance but he felt that the price-amount of the scarf should be sent to Baba.

However as he was penniless and Baba had also left off His body in the meanwhile, while offering his usual night prayers, tears rolled down his eyes. That very night Baba appeared to him in his dream and said, "There is famine all round at present, so sell off the scarf and purchase rice from this amount of Rs.200/-, sell it at under price for the present; carry on this rice business till this amount of Rs.200/- runs out. Then sell rice at profit and you will be able to make a living." Following these instructions Haribhau prospered, became happy and then never thought of deserting home.

FEATURE OF THE WEEK: continued.......

Baba did not and does not even today want that His devotees should starve; of course He discouraged greed but He wanted that His devotees should have a proper living and so He helped most of them up to a job or provided them with facilities for business.

(Source: "Shri Sai the Superman" by Swami Sai Sharan Anand)

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Kabir - The devotee of the Lord

In the 14th century there lived a great saint by name Swami Ramananda. Drawing inspiration from the message of universal love preached by Sri Ramanuja-AcArya three centuries earlier, he changed the face of spiritual India by turning it in the direction of simple bhakti, away from ritual and caste-ridden rigidity. His most outstanding disciple was Kabir (1398 - 1518), India's greatest symbol of Hindu-Muslim unity. Kabir accompanied Ramananda on pilgrimages throughout India and in the process imbibed the revolutionary spirit of the master. Kabir's lucid lyrics of devotion, for the first time composed in the local language, Hindi, rather than in elitist Sanskrit, reached the remotest villages throughout the country. He was a rebel against everything unspiritual and against all ritualistic norms in both Hinduism and Islam. He strongly advocated respect for, and the oneness of, all religions. Nobody knew of his parentage because he was picked up as a baby by his foster parent, a weaver by profession and a Muslim by faith. He preached the greatness of the name Ram, still remaining a Muslim. He taught nirguNa bhakti, i.e., the devotion of the Transcendental Absolute, without form, without attributes. His knowledge was not the outcome of any study of the scriptures, unlettered as he was, but it all arose from his own personal experience. He preached against all exclusiveness, privileges and priestcraft. He strongly condemned caste, circumcision and idolatry but simultaneously believed in rebirth and release from samsAra. He emphasized on God's Grace as most essential for Illumination. As an experimenter with truth, he spent much of his time in prayer and contemplation. And when he spoke he spoke out his mind fearlessly. His songs reverberate with his spiritual experiences and visions. Most of his sayings were expressed in brief form and have the appearance of proverbs or folk wisdom, rather than deliberate compositions.

For instance, to make the point that God is all-pervading, he asks: Tell me my friend, 'Is the heart in the beloved or the beloved in the heart?'. Kabir's teachings may be summarized, if at all they can be, by saying that apart from God there is nothing animate or inanimate with a separate existence. Every insignificant creature has its share of the Existence of the Absolute in itself. Man does not realize this because of his elusive nature and the deception (mAyA) caused by appearances. Once he frees himself from this mAyA he realizes that he is in all and all are in him and there is nothing else but he. But this identity cannot be established by reasoning. One has to take recourse to sahaj and transcend the coarse mental process. The word sahaj means the state of diverting the senses from its morbidities to God. In the lake of sahaj, there are only waves of love. The soul then sports with the Lord in that lake. 'The lock of error shuts the gate, open it with the key of Love' says Kabir. With his tremendous popularity he could have easily established a sect himself, but he did not, (though his followers did, after his death) nor did he accept any sectarian thinking.

(Contributed by Courtesy: "Devotees of the Lord" by Prof V. Krishnamurthy)

DEVOTEES SAY:

Shweta
I am really thankful to Shri Sai Baba. With His grace I got my passport two days back which had been pending for over a year. After contacting the passport office many times there was no hope of it coming any time soon but with Baba's aashirwad it came without any hurdles. May His blessings always be on everybody and us.

Yogesh
Today, a pratima-pratisthapan (installation of an idol) of Saibaba in our temple at home. And I wept like a child, in total submission, total "samarpan" to God Almighty, our very own beloved, Sai Baba. My heartfelt and tearful thanks to our Respected Guruji and my new-found spiritual friends who took special care to come to my little home and do everything for us. Without the blessings, inspiration and guidance of our Respected Guruji nothing would have been possible. My head also bows in reverence to Didi, Uncle and my better half. Without whose blessings I could not have seen this day, for ages. For the very first time I could realize the exact meaning of each and every line of the Sacred Aarti (Om Jai Jagdeesh Hare ..). I felt like such a little and helpless being before His powers. I am now beginning to realize how vain are the attempts to even try surviving the onslaught of Maya, the worldly forces, every moment of the day. Sai Baba, please keep your name etched across my heart, mind and soul and guide me through the dark lanes of this world.

Payal
I am very grateful to my Baba, as He is always there to help me in my hard time. This happened a week before; one courier packet was lying on my table from one week. I had not opened it. On 11-18-06 I came to know from my boss that the parcel contains a check. I was very afraid that my boss would fire me. I prayed to Baba to solve this matter without any problems and save me from the punishment for my mistake. And to my surprise Baba saved me. I didn't have to listen a word for it. I was so happy and as promised to Baba I am posting this experience on the site. My Baba saved me as he always does. Baba please always keep me in your heart and always be in my father. Bless me as your daughter. As you know I have lost my father, know you have to look after my family and me.

Geeta
Baba, thanks much for helping Kannan solve the problem at work. Bless him for success in all his work.

Soundarya
It was a great experience to me. Suddenly I realized I lost my engagement ring. I was searching the entire house. Finally I prayed to Sai that I should get it by Thursday evening I will write my experience I the newsletter. With in a few seconds I saw it was lying next my computer table. I felt very happy that Baba is always with me.

PRAYER CLUB:

Padma
Baba, today someone at my work is saying that I have not been truthful. They are questioning the credibility of my work. Please help me resolve the issue so that my manager will be able to support me against this person.

Gautam
Baba, I am going through a very tough time at work. Please show me the way. I pray to you.

Nandini
Baba for the past few years our life has been full of worries and mishaps, there is no peace in our lives. Both my brothers have not got a good marital relation and due to this they are suffering in their careers. My mother, old and diseased has no peace. Baba please absolve us from any sin committed by us knowingly or unknowingly.

Chandra
Baba, I am going to attend the last and final test as fresher into software industry on 10th December, I know what ever mistakes I have done in the past, Please forgive all my previous mistakes and make me to succeed.

Prasuna
I beg you for forgiveness for any of my previous sins, but please show me some light thru the darkness. I feel so hopeless that I cry myself to sleep every night.

Vijayalakshmi
Please bless me with promotion in my Job I have been working so hard for this without any result. I am totally upset. Please give me peace of mind.

Shreepriya
Baba, you know how desperately we're trying to sell the house for over a year now. Please help us.

Mamtha
Due to your grace, my marriage has been finalized with a family who also believes in you and worships you. Please be with us and help us lead life the right way.

Sailaja
Baba, please bless us with a baby boy. Please bless us. I request all Sai devotees to kindly pray for us.

Mala
Baba the MRI results have come positive. Please guide us thru this difficult time and do a miracle.

Virendra
Baba, this is my 10th year since I got married. We don't have any baby. Please give me one baby and make my home full of bhakti and joy. Baba I am writing this to You because every thing is possible in Your durbar.

EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES:

Rao Maganti
Few years ago, I was bedridden with chronic backache and became totally immobile. It was diagnosed as backbone degeneration that could paralyze my legs or affect my kidneys any moment and pose a threat to my life on a permanent basis. When the pain worsened, the famous surgeon who examined me had advised that I should undergo a surgery within hours to keep my two legs functioning. He also issued an admit slip into his hospital and made arrangements for surgery the next morning. I was very reluctant for the surgery and hence sent an email to my family doctor (who was then away in the US) seeking his advice on whether I can skip the operation for some more time. I slept off under tranquilizers and sunk into a long dream throughout the night. A red-sand desert in a dark night. Spread over thousands of square miles. No living being in the vicinity. I ran desperately until I found a tall palace-like structure, which was also in red-stone. I crawled on the wall like a lizard and reached the porch. I was trying to cross the parapet wall from there to jump on to the terrace but could not succeed as my back was paining intolerably. I groaned in pain and suddenly there comes the hand to pull me up. It was none other than the Baba. He pulled me on to the terrace, placed me on the floor, sat in front of me and fed me with his own hands few morsels of white rice soaked in buttermilk from an old German silver bowl. Then I was flat on the floor in an upside down posture and the Baba was massaging my aching back like a stalwart physiotherapist. The next morning, my family doctor sent an email reply to me suggesting that I should certainly undergo the surgery but can postpone it for a while through physiotherapy. He gave the address of a physiotherapist also.

continued....
When we reached the physio's residence, we were almost in tears as the name engraved on the wall of the house read as "Sri Datta Kripa" and Sri Shirdi Sai Baba's pictures were hanging on the interior walls of the physio's consulting room. I had undergone physiotherapy there for about a month and my chronic back pain has vanished. Several years have passed after that and I am living more than normal. I have not undergone any surgery or even physiotherapy again and Baba made me a puzzle for doctors with my backbone degeneration, which still visible in its severity in my scan reports but not affecting me anyway. Baba, who initiated the physiotherapy in the dream, has done this miracle for me. As we touch the feet of Baba in our minds as many times as possible each day, my family members and I witness numerous miracles of this kind on a regular basis. If we are not able to do good to everyone around, then let us not do anything bad to anyone surrounding us. Baba will be communicating with us, protecting us and 'physically' be with us if we follow his path with a sterilized mind.

John
On a recent visit to Southern Africa, I was stranded when all contacts' phones turned out to be inaccessible. I had about $10 on me for the return journey of over 4000 km. I prayed to Sai Baba and was miraculously guided through the journey; learning a great mystery about how God works his wonders, step by step and not thousands of things at a go, as the ordinary human wishes! As a proof of Sai Baba's help, at one time I prayed to see two giant antelopes when practically through the game parks- sure enough when I had said to myself, "well, may be some time." I saw them. Thanks Sai Baba for the help and the great lesson. Now I believe I shall attain another life desire of mine- to set up a string of Internet cafes.

A Sai devotee
My husband had been suffering with eye inflammation for the last few weeks. Normally it goes away after a few days but it was persistent this time. The doctor said he would give it a few more days and then prescribe steroids at the next check up. Neither my husband nor I were keen on this strong medicines. So I suggested to my husband that he should put Baba's udi that we received from Shirdi recently. He has been doing that for a week and the doctor didn't prescribe any strong medicines at the last check up. My husband's eye is getting better. I also recently had a health concern that I was very much worried about. But only by Baba's grace, every thing turned out to be ok. May Baba bless us and make us sing his glory with joy and gratitude for the rest of our lives!

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

"If one devotes his entire mind to me and rests in me, he need fear nothing for body and soul"-Shri Sai Baba

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

Q. Baba said, "What is our duty? To behave properly. That's enough!" Comment?

A. by Ramaa Prasad

By suggesting that our duty is to behave properly, Paramguru Sai Baba said volumes about ideal human conduct without being verbose or preachy. Sainath used to communicate the essence and spirit of His messages without giving long lectures. His divine message used to be cryptic in few words and the devotee concerned always imbibed it readily. So powerful were His words. The above instruction of Sainath viz., "our duty is to behave properly" embodies the essence of divine Sai Doctrine of "Shraddha"(faith and dedication) plus "Saburi" (patience tempered with courage) that leads a devotee to a perfect human conduct. In this context He also said, "Live as God wants you to live." In my opinion that is "Living with Sai" or "Living in Sai-tattwa".

Human nature, in general, is to crave for some thing extra, which he or she does not possess momentarily. This is the cause for not being satisfied with what God has bestowed upon him / her. In other words, human being goes on accumulating desires under the influence of his / her senses, forgetting what God has already given him /her. This leads to greed to possess things, which makes him / her a person devoid of discrimination or "vivek" At the earthly plane, the influence of caste, creed, false sense of prestige and ego dominate in absence of "vivek" or sense of discrimination, making man to forget the purpose for which he is created. Thus man goes on struggling to obtain so called fame, social prestige, wealth and power that are ephemeral. In order to succeed in this struggle, many times he / she ignores ethics and basic tenets of human behavior under the influence of "vaasanas" and accumulates "dushkarma", at the same time trying to convince the society that he / she is the wisest. This leads to what is called "self deception" or ignoring "Self". The so-called happiness that he craves for becomes only a mirage, as he forgets that happiness / satisfaction lies Within the "Self", but not Without the "Self".

On the other hand if he uses his sense of discrimination or "vivek" acquired through "Saadhana", he would cultivate "Shraddha" plus "Saburi". Thus man understands the Doctrine of Karma and lays the foundation by himself for ethical tenets of behavior. So he treads the path of "Nishkaama Karma", not bothering for fruits of action.

If man wants to live as God expects him to live, he has to acquire simplicity with the knowledge that the facades of caste, creed, religion, social status and wealth are artificial and man made, which lead him into illusion and taking him far away from Truth/God/Sadguru. With this understanding man realizes that he is not the mortal body, but an embodied "Aatman". He also understands that body is only an instrument, which he or "Aatman" should use judiciously. This realization moulds his behavior towards others, as he appreciates that "Aatman" runs through all "jeevas". The essence of the Sanskrit verse "Aatma vat sarva bhootaani" will become a reality to him, leading to the development of compassion, love and generosity for all. So, such a person lives in Sai-tattwa. Sainath has demonstrated this by His own living thereby setting an example par excellence in this context. If man can emulate Him, it is indeed enough as Parmaguru Sainath put it.

SAI ACTIVITIES:

Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USA
Shirdi Sai temple is open daily from 8:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m (Winter hours). Daily program includes Kakad Arathi at 8 a.m. followed by Abhisek. Madhayana Arathi at 12 noon, Dhoop Arathi at 6 p.m. and Shej Arathi at 9 p.m. Archana, Homams, Sahasranama and sponsored poojas continue in between the Arathis. To request a pooja for yourselves, your friends and family, please call. Devotees can request water (Abhishek Jal) from the Holy bathing of Baba by sending us an email or by phone. Temple is located 25 minutes drive west of Schaumburg on intersection of IL Route 47 and Plank Road in Hampshire, IL. For more information please call 847-931-4058 or send email to maildrop@saibaba.org.

Shri Saibaba Mandir, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Saibaba activities in Minneapolis were conducted at Shirdi Saibaba Prayer center since the year 2002. Now, with the grace and blessings of Baba and the support of devotees, a new Saibaba Mandir has begun to function at 1835 Polk St NE, Minneapolis from July 11th 2006. Please visit www.hamaresai.org for all details.

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of DFW Metroplex is located at 2109 West Parker (Parker Plaza), Suite 212, Plano, TX 75023. For temple hours and activities please call the temple office at 469-467-3388 or visit the website www.shirdisaidallas.org.

Shirdi Sai Center in Bay Area, CA
By Baba's grace, Shirdi Sai Parivaar is pleased to announce the opening of Shirdi Sai Center in Bay Area. The center is located at 897-B East Kifer Road, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. For more information please call 408-564-6704 or 408-705-7904.

Sai naama Saptah, Gangapur
Dattaguru Bhandara Trust, Gangapur is going to organize an ecstatic Akhanda Sainama Sapthaham ("Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai") at Jaipur from Nov 28 to Dec 5 followed by Anna Santharpana. For more details please contact the Trust office at (040) 27225895. www.dattagurubhandara.org.

FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD:

Sai Vichaar thanks you for your support for the Question of the Week feature. This feature is intended to initiate useful discussion on topics related to Sai philosophy, His message, and Sai devotion. Please participate by sending your contributions as well as suggested topics for the same.

The "Question of the week" for this week is,

Q. Baba said, "What is our duty? To behave properly. That's enough!" Comment?

Humbly Yours,
The Editor

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