Sai Vichaar
|
|
Thursday , August 03, 2006 :: Volume 9, Issue 12
|
|
(In its nineth year of publication.)
|
Inspire Me | Pictures | Audio-Video | Wallpapers| Greeting-cards |SBOI-Group | Sai news
|
The
previous issue
Next issue |
|
|
FEATURE OF THE WEEK: Yoga Sampanna The yogic powers of Sadguru Sai Baba of Shirdi are well known. However, no one knows the depth and extent to which Sai Baba was versed with the powers. He seemed to possess all and He seemed to exhibit them whenever necessary without much ado. It is said that 'Siddhis' or the supernatural powers stand with folded hands at the door of those who established mastery over their senses, conquered his/her "prana", singularly devoted to the Lord and whose conscious is ever with oneself. Yoga-Sutras classify Siddhis into three categories depending on their magnanimity. There are altogether twenty three siddhis belonging to these three categories, great, medium, and minor. The eight great Siddhis include Anima (ability to reduce one's form to the level of an atom), Mahima (ability to make the body heavy), Laghima (ability to make the body light), Prapti (ability to acquire objects of sense pertaining to the respective organs), Prakashya (ability to see and know invisible things), Ishita (ability to stimulate other creatures and bodies), Vashita (ability to have supremacy over senses), and Yatkamastadavasyathi (the power to obtain joys of all the world by mere willing. This leads to the state of highest bliss through ending all desires). It is very rare that a great soul would possess all these eight siddhis. Sai Baba had all the above-mentioned siddhis and more.
Sometimes His actions were a combination of two or more siddhis that went
beyond the normal nomenclature provided in the Yoga literature. Sai Baba
used these powers only when necessary as if to conform to a higher cosmic
order that humans did not understand. Sometimes He manifested Himself at a
place to attend to the calls of His devotees while at other times He
exercised from a distance His will to control the happenings in the lives of
those who had faith in His supreme. Mrs. Manager, a Parsee devotee of Bombay
who had visited Sai Baba many times during 1910-1915 noted, "One noticeable
difference between Sri Sai Baba and other saints struck me. I have moved
with other notable saints also. I have seen them in high Samadhi or trance
condition merely forgetting their body and course effacing the narrow notion
of self confined to the body; and I have seen them later getting conscious
of their surroundings, knowing what is in our hearts and replying to us.
However, with Sai Baba, there was this peculiar feature. He had not to go
into trance to achieve anything or to reach any higher position or
knowledge. He was every moment exercising a double consciousness, one
actively utilizing the ego called Sri Sai Baba and dealing with other egos
in temporal and spiritual affairs, and the other entirely superseding all
egos and resting in the position of the Universal soul or ego. Other saints
would forget their body and surroundings and their return to it. But Sri Sai
Baba always was in and outside the material world. Others seemed to take
pains and by efforts to trace the contents of others' minds and read their
past history. But with Sai Baba this was not a matter of effort. He was in
the all-knowing state always". |
CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Living In God It is commonly assumed that man resorts to any kind of spiritual pursuit only during the latter part of life. Stages of life according to Hindu scriptures include balya (infancy), kaumarya (youth), grihastha (household), and vanaprastha (retirement). It is thought that vanaprastha is a stage where in, the man proceeds for a recluse in woods and spends time in search of fulfillment. Should this be the case? Shri B.V. Hanumantha Rao in Sai Anusaranamu writes, "Time is a valuable commodity. There should be no waiting to initiate any kind of attempt for liberation. It should be done when all our senses are in right order and we have the right physical and mental condition. It is a common practice for man to wait until the earthly life is settled, and it is his tendency to procrastinate until he will be ready for the spiritual journey. In reality, such a day may not come at all. Every stage of life brings with it, its own situations that may demand one's time and attention. It is very easy to be entangled in the trap of earthly comforts, joy, sorrow, fear, and a myriad of myth. Human life can be short and no one can predict when it will end. On the other hand, leaving everything, our thoughts, deeds, and their consequences at God's disposal will bring a renewed sense of well being, happiness and fulfillment that is only perennial. Cultivating the attitude of staying immune to the earthly uncertainty will bring one close to the Lord and assure him of a fruitful spiritual realization. Living dead in such instances will in fact amount to Living in God. (Contributed by Sai devotee) |
DEVOTEES SAY: Sita Vipul Mohan Krishnakumar Sai Devotee Sudha |
PRAYER CLUB: Kumbeswaran Upasana Pavan Rajeswari Savita Shilpa Sangita Sridhar Rama Krithika Sai devotee Praveen |
EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES: Nishit Sheeba |
QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:
|
QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Q. What does a devotee learn from Mr R B Purandhare's devotion and service to Baba? |
SAI ACTIVITIES: Shirdi Sai Temple Chicago Anniversary celebrations Aug
19th 2006 Live Sai bhajans by Pandit Ajitkumar Kadkade in North
America Shri Saibaba Mandir, Minneapolis, Minnesota Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Shirdi Sai Satsang, Bay Area, California Sai Satsang, New Jersey, USA Summer Sai activities for Children, Toronto, Canada Shirdi Sai Mandir, Scarborough, Canada Shirdi Sai parivar, Vancouver, Canada Sai Satsangs in Singapore Sri Shirdi Sai Akshaya Meditation, Malaysia |
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 send your suggested topics for the same. The "Question of the week" for this week is, Q. What does a Sai devotee learn from Shri R B Purandhare's devotion and service to Saibaba? Humbly Yours, |
From and Editor: | Shirdi Sai Baba Web Site |
Shirdi Sai Baba Sanstha | |
(A non-profit organization) | |
Mail: | 12N950 State Route 47 |
Hampshire, IL 60140, USA | |
maildrop@saibaba.org | |
Phone | 847-931-4058 |
Fax | 847-931-4066 |
© Copyright 1998-2006 saibaba.org, Shirdi Sai Baba Sanstha - Sai Vichaar Weekly may only be redistributed in its unedited form. Written permission must be obtained to reprint or cite the information contained within this newsletter. Sai Vichaar is devoted to the philosophy and teachings of Shri Sadguru Sai Baba of Shirdi, and will take every measure to avoid topics or themes contradicting the same. Sai Vichaar team or the Shirdi Sai Baba web site is not responsible for the opinions expressed by individual contributors. |