Sai Vichaar For 29th October 2009

Sai Vichaar www.saibaba.org Thursday, Oct 29, 2009 :: Volume 12, Issue 25 (In its twelfth year of publication.) 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. Please do not reply to this email. All replies will be ignored. To contact us please see information at the bottom of this newsletter. 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: Kaivalyam To a spiritual aspirant, certain physical experiences are inexplicable. Certain people and places are capable of bringing out unseen joy and indescribable peace to a seeker. While this is a blessed experience for a seeker, skepticism may describe this as a fantastic imagination of the week-minded. Sure, science has several definitions for such a state of mind. As an example, let us examine what a Hypnotist could do his subject. In this exercise, the Hypnotist proceeds to hypnotize his subject whose only requirement is to be a subject to the order of the hypnotist without offering any resistance. Thus, the hypnotized subject can be happy or sad, ecstatic or gloomy, only until such time the hypnotist has the spell. One sign of the Perfect Master is to be able to possess all Maha Siddhis or Great Powers. One such power is known as "Kaivalyam", the ability to impart the state of bliss to the chosen. Shri B V Narasimha Swami ji wrote in "Life of Sai Baba, Part IV": When they reach Atman or Brahman, Yogis are said to have the power of imparting such a state of bliss to persons fit to receive it. G.S. Khaparde was a highly cultured Sanskrit scholar and had evidently read Yoga Sastra. He has referred to certain instances and experiences of his diary in the year 1911-12, while he stayed at Shirdi. Therein he repeatedly mentions that Baba cast yogic glances at certain persons who were immediately filled with a wave of bliss, which overpowered all their other mental activities and kept them immersed in bliss for hours without break. Baba had the power to completely blackout some lines of thought, e.g., that of returning home from Upasani's mind for eight days after his first visit to Baba. This

yogic power, which blacks out completely unwanted thoughts would evidently imply the power to give positive bliss to persons fit to receive it. If a person is comparatively free from sin and vice and could keep his mind sufficiently blank or sufficiently pure even for a while, any ordinary or sufficiently experienced hypnotist with a command could fill his mind with blissful thoughts over a considerable period. Baba's yoga sampoorna state enabled Him to keep several people in such happy state as they themselves have recorded in their experiences. CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: WILLING TO DIE FOR THE HAPPINESS OF THE BELOVED The faith of the disciple must always be securely grounded in his experience of the divinity of the Master. He must not be like a straw carried anywhere by the slightest breeze. He should be like a rock that remains unmoved in the severest of storms. The story of Kalyan brings out the meaning of a really sound faith in the Master. Kalyan was a disciple of Swami Ramdas Samarth, who was a Perfect Master at the time of Shivaji. A Master loves all disciples alike, but some might be particularly dear to him -- just as an individual loves all part of his body, though the eyes may be more dear to him than his fingers. Swami Ramdas Samarth had many disciples, but his favorite was Kalyan. The other disciples did not quite understand why Kalyan should be dearer to the Master than the others. One day Swami Ramdas tested the devotion of his disciples. He asked all his disciples to come to him and pretended to be so sick as to be on the point of death. He had placed a mango on the joint of his knee and bound it in a bandage so that it looked like a huge swelling. Swami Ramdas pointed to this swelling and told the disciples that it was a malignant tumor and that there was no chance of his living unless someone sucked the poison from the joint of his knee. At the same time, he made it clear to all that whoever sucked out the poison would die instantaneously. Then he asked whether any disciple was prepared to suck out the poison from the swelling at the cost of his own life. All the disciples hesitated except Kalyan, who arose immediately and began to suck from the swelling. To his surprise Kalyan found sweet mango juice and not poison, and Swami Ramdas praised his unswerving faith and self-denying love. To be willing to die for the happiness of the Beloved is true love. Such implicit faith, unfaltering love, and undivided loyalty as that of Kalyan can come to the disciple only through the Grace of the Master. (Source:Shri Meher Baba in "DISCOURSES", pp. 149-150) DEVOTEES SAY: Devotee I have posted an article few month back about my friends baby who was born premature, I was praying Baba to help the Baba and the parents and bless them to be

healthy and come out of all the complications they are going through. My friend's baby has been released from NICU healthy and now growing as a normal Baba. Koti Koti pranam to you Baba. May your grace always be with us Payal Sai baba I am very thankful to you for my sweet angel, next month she will be completing her 1year. Baba really gone through tough time after marriage, you know everything. Also I stopped to be in touch with u. I don't know what happened to me, and why my mother in law don't want me to worship u. Baba after all this I m once again back to you with all my bhakti, shardha and saburi. I beg you to please forgive my both family and me. Please bring my father in law back, let him continue to feed his family, they really need him. Also please bless my husband with sadhbudhi and good job so that he can feed us and we can give better life to our angel. Want to come back to you and lean on your feet. Please allow me. A Sai devotee Om Sai Ram, My father passed away Baba, in spite of praying you so much for his life, my Mother begged for his life, she has so much faith that nothing will happen to my father. But Doctors could not save him. We are all in a very miserable and sad situation; do not know what our future is going to be. How my mother would live rest of her life. Our father was our biggest pillar. Today I just opened this website to request you to get me this job which I had an interview last Thursday (Oct 22nd). I am in need of this job. Thanks, please give all our family members peace of life, good health, come out this depression. PRAYER CLUB: Sai devotee Humble Pranams to you Baba. Please bless my cousin who is craving for a child. Please bring light in the eyes of my sister and brother in law. Please see that there is baby's laughter in her house. Please let her enjoy the bliss of motherhood. Devotee Sairam, You are there for my family and me all the time. Please bless me to start my career and let me support my husband. I have been waiting for this from so many years with shraddha and saburi. Please Baba, help me. Priya Baba, I have been married for about 11 years now and you are yet to bless me with children. I cannot see the agony of my husband, parents and in-laws any more. I request you to please bless me with my children. Thank you Sai Baba. Shri Sachidananda Satguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai Suneetha SaiBaba, please bless me with a baby. Please show us some way to start for our GC processing. Baba you know our situation. Pleas help us Baba. Today we are here because of your blessing Baba. Please show us some way Baba. Baba please show your

kindness and blessing on us Baba. Padmini Baba, thank you very much for bringing back life to normalcy at home. Thanks for curing my parents from severe sickness. Please cure me from my disease, I can't bear the pain. Please bless me with a good life partner and good married life. Also, bless me to have your dharshan in Shiridi with my family members. Baba, I waited for more than a decade to get settled down in my personal life. I beg you to shower your blessings on me. Bless Zain and Partha with good job, let Noor and Stella have peace and harmony in their lives. Baba, take care of me in every minute of my life. Vijaya Baba, please help my brother to get a job. He has faced only hardships in life. Bless him with happiness. EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES: A devotee "OM SHRI SAINATHAYA NAMAHA" I have promised that I will post my experience in SAI VICHAR but due to some circumstances, I am posting one of my best experiences with my wife and me now. In the year 2007-2008, I was searching for a job for my wife in her Microbiology field. Here in the gulf it was difficult to get that job. My wife had nearly gone for several interviews in different companies for administration job. In January 2008 I had subscribed for a SAIBABA Calendar. In the same year was my daughters school admissions. Just imagine the miracle of SHRI SAIBABA, in April2008 my daughter got her admission in school in which we wanted and on April 10th that was on Thursday I received the Baba's Calendar and after half an hour my wife received a call from a reputed food company to join their company in 2 days as a Lab Tech and that too the job which my wife was dreaming of. We were so happy with tears in our eyes and prayed to SAIBABA for listening to our prayers. All the devotees have faith in SAIBABA and pray to him and he will surely answer you prayers. A Sai devotee Baba, I had told you that I would post my thanksgiving in this Newsletter if I clear my exam. Confident I was, that I would be doing so, because I know you were /are always with me. Thank you Baba for blessing this not so good daughter of yours. Also, I want to thank you for sending this newsletter in my mail today after 2 months. This really seemed like your blessing for me, since I just completed my parayana yesterday. Thank you everything Baba and please keep your peace-giving hand on my head always. Please bless my parents, sister & her family and my husband with your grace. Love you Sai QUOTATION OF THE WEEK: "The sandal-wood trees, grow on the Malaya mountains and ward off heat. The clouds, pour their rain-water and thereby, cool and refresh all the people. The flowers, blossom in the spring and, enable us to worship God, therewith. So the stories of Sai Baba come

forth, in order to give solace and comfort to the readers. Both, those, who tell; and those who hear the stories of Baba, are blessed and holy, as also the mouths of the former and the ears of the latter - Sri Sai Satcharita" QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Q: What can be learnt from the experiences of Sai devotee Sapatnekar in Sri Sai Satcharita? A. By Havovi Medora Mr Saptenaker was quick to mock and ridicule Mr Shevade who expressed his feelings and belief of Sai Baba and that is something we should all refrain from- One has the right to be comfortable in his/her belief and one has the right to choice of exaltation. Tolerance of religion and religious beliefs is extremely important especially in this day and age when there is so much unrest and discrimination in the world. The beauty of Sai Baba is that he never taught a religion and only came to say that there is one God so called by any name he is but one and we all bow down to him- but of course the human ego is such and human faith is such and we have to see what we believe we need proof cause of our inflated ego and state of mindness- this particular chapter is a learning experience in tolerance of another's belief and the power to forgive one for their action- At first Baba chides Mr Saptenaker for his behavior towards Mr Shevade and then his full extent of compassion flows for this man who is indeed troubled and anxious- Along with faith and patience Sai has always exemplified tolerance and forgiveness. as a wise man once said -"when there is belief there is no question of an explanation -and where there is no belief no explanation is possible!" SAI ACTIVITIES: Sri Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USA Sri 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 [email protected]. Sri Saibaba Mandir, Minneapolis, MN Sri Saibaba Mandir is located in Minneapolis, MN at 1835 Polk St NE, Minneapolis, MN 55418. The mandir is open 7 days a week in the evenings from 6:30 pm to 9:00 pm and during morning hours from 9 am to 12:30 pm, everyday. Satsangs are conducted every Sunday mornings, 9 am to 12:30 pm. Please call 612-789-7729 for more information on mandir activities, events and other information. 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. Shirdi Sai Temple of New England, Boston Area Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of New England is now operational. It is located at 1827 Bridge St # 8, Dracut, MA 01824. The temple is open four days from Thursday to Sunday. For temple hours and activities please visit their website. Shirdi Sai Center in Bay Area, CA Shirdi Sai Center is located 897-B East Kifer Rd, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. For more information please call 408-705-7904 or 408-564-6704. Shirdi Saibaba temple, Los Angeles, CA Devotees in Los Angeles area are informed about Sri Shirdi Saibaba temple in Los Angeles area. The temple is located at - 144 South 4th Street, Montebello, CA 90640. For more information please call Krishna Samantula at 949-679-9938. Saibaba Temple, Columbus, Ohio Devotees in Columbus and surrounding Ohio locations area are informed about Sri Shirdi Saibaba temple in Metro Columbus area. The temple is located in a leasing space at 6599 Dublin Center Drive, Dublin, OH 43017. Please attend daily Aaratis and Thursday bhajans. For more information please call 614-799-8411. Shirdi Sai bhajans every Thursday at Maitland, Florida Devotees are invited to participate in Sai study and bhajans on Thursdays between 7-8 pm at Meditation Gallery, 219 E Horatio Ave, Maitland, FL 32715. For more details please contact Bonnie at 407-830-1276. Sri Shirdi Sai Temple of Austin, TX Sri Shirdi Sai Temple of Austin, Texas opened at 601 E Whitestone Blvd (RM 1431), Cedar Park, TX. Daily 4 aarthis are performed to Sai Baba. As part of service to needy, a weekly sandwich seva is also conducted. Shirdi Sai Mandir, Dulles, VA Shirdi Sai Mandir is located at 43671 Trade Center Place #166 Dulles, VA 20166. The mandir is open through the week in the evenings from 6pm to 9 pm. Sri Satyanarayan pooja will be conducted every full moon day. Please call (703) 661-4724 for more information on activities, events and other information. Shirdi Sai Mandir, Toronto The Mandir is located at Unit 7 & 8 2721 Markham Road Toronto ON M1X 1L5 Canada. Daily services offered to Baba include abhishek and all aartis. For Mandir hours and activities, please call 647-444-4724. Shri Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan, Canada -Toronto

Devotees in Toronto, are invited to join in Sai Namavali, Satcharita reading, Bhajans, Aarti and Prasad every Thursday from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm. at GUR MANDIR 207 Queen's Plate Dr. Etobicoke - Hwy27 South of Finch for more info call (416) 294 4804 Sai Mandir, Baldwin New York Devotees in New York and surrounding locations are informed about Sri Sai Mandir in Baldwin NY. The temple is located at 1889 Grand Avenue, Baldwin, NY 11510. Please attend daily Aaratis and Thursday Panchamruta Abhishekam and bhajans. For more information please call at 516-867-8008. Shirdi Saibaba Temple, Iselin/Edison New Jersey Devotees in New Jersey and surrounding locations are informed about Sri Shirdi Saibaba temple in Iselin NJ. The temple is located at 465 Lincoln Highway (Route 27) Iselin, NJ 08830. Please attend daily Aaratis and Thursday Panchamruta Abhishekam and bhajans. For more information please call at 732-283-1800. Shirdi Saibaba Temple, Flushing New York This temple is located near the famous Ganesh Temple, Flushing, New york. All the day-to-day rituals at the temple are being conducted in a manner similar to that in Shirdi. The temple is located at 46-16 Robinson Street Flushing,NY,USA 11355. For more information please call 718-321-9243. Sri Sai Amruta Narayana Sarveswaraalaym, Richmond, VA The temple is open from 5.15 am to 9.00 pm, everyday (no lunch break etc). We have all 4 aarthis every day and Baba's paalki seva on every Thursday after Dhoop Aarthi. Further information can be obtained by calling the temple at 804-708-0867. Shirdi Sai Jalaram Mandir, Houston TX This temple was inaugurated on August 28th 2009 with idols of both the saints Shri Sant Jalaram and Shri Shirdi Sai Baba. The temple is open for darshan and arathis all day. It is located in Sugarland and more information can be obtained by calling 281433-4706. Shirdi Sai Baba Temple Detroit, MI Sri Shirdi Sai Baba temple, Livonia welcomes everyone to visit the temple and get Baba's blessings. The pran pratishtha will happen on Oct 31st 2009. For more information please call 248-471-6474 FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD: Please visit the Sai activities section for details of upcoming events. To post an event in your temple, please send details by email. We regret the inconvenience caused due to disruption of distribution of Sai Vichaar to some users. We are continually striving to upgrade our technical capabilities hope to complete the same soon. We thank you for your patience and support. Please check your email folders before deleting to make sure Sai Vichaar is not delivered into Spam mail. It will also help greatly if you send us email to update any changes in your email accounts as that will prevent us from

sending Sai Vichaar to closed or discontinued email accounts. In the true spirit of Sai devotion, contributors are requested to remember to suit the content, language, style, and presentation, appropriate to a worldwide readership. It should also be noted that when a section from any material other than their own is quoted or referred to, it is the authors' responsibility to acknowledge the source appropriately. "Question of the week" for this week is Q. What can be learnt from the experiences of Sai devotee Sapatnekar in Sri Sai Satcharita? Humbly Yours, The Editor ABOUT THIS EMAIL: This newsletter is not sent unsolicited. This newsletter is e-mailed to you because of at least one of the following reasons: 1. You have subscribed through our on-line subscribe page, 2. You have visited our web site and shown interest in the Sai topics and asked for information, or 3. You have been gifted a subscription by a friend or a relative. To Subscribe Sai Vichaar for receipt by Email please visit the URL http://www.saibaba.org/newsletter.html and select the subscribe option from the menu. If you are subscribing the newsletter for your friend or a relative, we request that the person concerned may be notified about receiving the newsletter and the willingness to receive the newsletter be confirmed. To Un-Subscribe receipt of Sai Vichaar, please visit the URL http://www.saibaba.org/newsletter.html and select the unsubscribe option from the menu. If you have problems accessing the web page due to network problems, please send an e-mail to [email protected] with the words "Unsubscribe Sai Vichaar" in the subject line. To make a contribution to any of the sections of Sai Vichaar, please visit the URL http://www.saibaba.org/newsletter.html and select the Submit Articles to Sai Vichaar option from the menu. Back copies of HTML version of Sai Vichaar can be accessed by visting the URL http://www.saibaba.org/whatsnew.html. For any questions or more information regarding this e-mail or our web site, please send an e-mail to [email protected] and your inquiries will be attended to

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Shirdi Sai Baba Web Site Shirdi Sai Baba Sanstha (A non-profit organization) Mail: 12N950 State Route 47 Hampshire, IL 60140, USA Email [email protected] Phone 847-931-4058 Fax 847-464-1567 © Copyright 1998-2009 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.