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Sai Vichaar 01.Feature of the Week 02.Contributed Article 03.Experiences of Devotees 04.Devotees Say 05.Sai Activities 06.Prayer Club 07.Quote of the Week 08.Question of the Week 09.Subscribe to Sai Vichaar 10.Email Newsletter to a friend 11.Submit Articles to Sai Vichaar 12.Un-Subscribe Sai Vichaar 13.From the Editor's Keyboard 14.Disclaimer From the Editor's Keyboard... In the true spirit of Sai devotion, contributors are requested to remember the global nature of Sai Vichaar readership. Therefore, the content, language, style and presentation, appropriate to a worldwide readership will be more rewarding and fulfilling. 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. The "Question of the week" for this week is Sri Saibaba said, "Purification of mind is absolute necessity for the spiritual growth, without this all sadhanas are of no use" - Comment? Humbly Yours, The Editor
Disclaimer Sai Vichaar is devoted to the philosophy and teachings of Shri Sadhguru Sai Baba of Shirdi, and will take every measure to avoid topics or themes contradicting the same. Sai Vichaar team or saibaba.org is not responsible for the opinions expressed by individual contributors.
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Feature of the week:
How Long It Takes
Sainath said humbly, "I am a servant of the Lord". "Allah Maalik" or God is great. Sai Baba also said that He is in everyone and those who know Him that way will accomplish the benefits of spiritual realization. Is Sainath what we see He is? Just three cubits length of a mendicant who roamed the hamlet of Shirdi several years ago? Let us read what Shri B.V. Narasimhaswami ji says, "Gurow manushyata buddhih "That means that if you treat a Guru as a mere man, your sadhana will be a failure perpetually. Faith in the Guru is specially needed for God realization. The Guru who has himself realized his soul as identical with Para Brahman (a truth expressed as "Main Allah Hum" by Baba) works at the soul of his disciple (sishya), and after seeing that it is duly prepared, and at the right moment, utter a word or uses a gesture or makes other effort, and the effect is instantaneous. The sishya is drawn into the same state of Satchitananda resulting from the experience of Jiva-Brahma Aikya. This is done in one minute or half a minute, as the Guru Gita says - 'Nimishena Nimishardhena'. That is, "In a moment or half a moment the Guru and his disciple are in that realized state as a result of the Guru's action and sishya's faith. This involves, no doubt, a previous preparation under the Guru's care of the sishya's soul for a very long time. But the final effect takes no time. It is instantaneous".
Contributed Article: Vishayananda - The happiness from external objects
The Brihadaranyaka Upanishad says that this happiness is only a particle of the bliss of Brahman (Br. Up. 4.3.32). Mental modifications (vrittis) are of three kinds-calm (sattvic), agitated (rajasic) and dull (tamasic). The sattvic modifications are detachment, forbearance and generosity. The rajasic modifications are craving, attachment, greed, and the like. The tamasic modifications are delusion, fear, etc. The consciousness aspect of Brahman is reflected in modifications of all kinds, but the bliss aspect is reflected only in sattvic modifications.
The same supreme Self dwells in all bodies. Though it is only one, it appears as many, like the reflections of the moon in different vessels of water. The reflection of the moon is clear if the water is pure and faint if the water is muddy. Similarly, Brahman appears differently in different bodies, depending on the nature of the mental modification.
Brahman is Existence-Consciousness-Bliss. The existence aspect alone is manifested in inanimate objects, but not consciousness and bliss. This is because inanimate objects have no subtle body which alone can reflect consciousness and bliss. The consciousness aspect is manifested in all animate beings, even when the mind is agitated, for we see that even a person who is unhappy is conscious. But the bliss aspect is manifested only when the mind is calm. A doubt arises as to why, when Brahman has both the aspects of consciousness and bliss, only one of them, consciousness, is reflected in an agitated mind. When you look at the reflection of your face in a mirror, you find that the face in its entirety is reflected and not only some aspects of it. This doubt is answered by giving two examples. When water is in contact with fire, only the heat aspect of fire is absorbed by the water and not the light of fire. But when a log of wood comes into contact with fire, it absorbs both the heat and the light aspects.
Similarly, only the consciousness aspect of Brahman is reflected in an agitated mind, but both the consciousness and the bliss aspects are reflected when the mind is calm.
When there is some desire in the mind there is anxiety about whether the desired object will be attained or not. In such a condition there can be no happiness. But as soon as the desired object is attained, the mind becomes calm. The bliss of Brahman is then reflected in the mind. The happiness experienced then is wrongly attributed to the attainment of the desired object, while it is really due to the mind becoming calm. This happiness continues only till another desire arises and agitates the mind. When a person has attained complete detachment towards worldly pleasures and is free from desires, his mind is absolutely calm and then supreme bliss is experienced.
Brahman is existence, consciousness and bliss. In inanimate objects such as stones, only the existence aspect is manifest, because they have no subtle body, which alone can reflect consciousness. In all living beings both existence and consciousness are manifest. All the three aspects of Brahman are manifest in a mind that is predominantly sattvic.
Brahman is in reality devoid of all attributes. The multifarious names and forms in the world are superimposed on Brahman by Maya. For those who are incapable of meditating on the attributeless Brahman meditation on Brahman with attributes is prescribed in the scriptures.
When the non-dual, self-luminous, attributeless Brahman is known, there is no triad of knower, knowing and known. Then there is infinite bliss.
May the Lord who is both Hari and Hara protect all those who, with a pure mind, surrender themselves to Him.
Dvotee Suzie I must mention that it has been nothing short of mental hell these past six and a half years, and there were innumerable times when we were so emotionally and mentally bogged down. It seemed as if there was just no God and no hope. But I must mention that during this hell, SaiBaba never once abandoned us. Even though there were times when like the footprints in the sand we saw only one set and thought we were walking through the valley of fear alone, Baba cradled us in His arms. What I mean to say is that, He provided all our needs, never once were we alone, there were family and friends and even strangers who comforted us and stood by us, we always had a roof over our heads, food on the table. Whatever our need Baba met it through someone or the other. He has kept every promise and true to His words, He has stood by His devotee through thick and thin. Due to all this anguish and turmoil, Dad's health suffered intensly and he was admitted in the ICU, for a very serious ulcer as well as other complications like diabetes, blood pressure but again Baba healed all that and Dad's as fit as a fiddle. I think it's very important for us to share the greatness of Baba as it never fails to lift someone's spirits. A few weeks before Sai Vichaar feature was very apt where Baba performs miracles by working through people. This testament I am sure will give solace and comfort to people in similar situations. Please believe and trust even though it may seem as if Baba has suddenly gone on an extended vacation that He is with us and has taken responsibility for us. He will see us through till the end where He will remove all our sufferings. Six and a half years may not seem very long but to us it seemed a lifetime! But looking back, it's very easy to trace Baba's hand in everything and our eyes are opened to His greatness and love for us. Thank you Sai Baba! Forgive me for all those times when I said hateful things to you and doubted you. Like a loving parent you treated me exactly as you would a child! And now that the ordeal is over, you have shown me step by step how at every junction you have held our hands.
Sai Devotee Sai Devotee Sai Devotee Sai Devotee Sai Devotee Sai Devotee Shri Saibaba, please shower your blessings on them and with your divine grace they should happily play with their granddaughter. Please Shri Saibaba,Please accept my humble request and sincere prayer and bless us. Sai Devotee Sai Devotee Sai Devotee Vidya Sai Devotee Sai Devotee
Quotation of the Week:
"Sai knows fully the desire of His devotees and fulfills the same. Hence they get what they want and are grateful. So we invoke Him and prostrate ourselves before Him. Forgetting all our faults let Him free us from all anxieties. He who being overcome with calamities remembers and prays Sai thus, will get his mind calmed and pacified through His grace"-Sri Sai Satcharitha
Q. Sri Saibaba said, "Purification of mind is absolute necessity for the spiritual growth, without this all sadhanas are of no use" - Comment? A. by K.V.Murarji
Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USA Sri Saibaba Mandir, Minneapolis, MN Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas Shirdi Sai Temple of New England, Boston Area Shirdi Sai Center in Bay Area, CA Shirdi Saibaba temple, Los Angeles, CA Saibaba Temple, Columbus, Ohio Shirdi Sai bhajans every Thursday at Maitland, Florida Sri Shirdi Sai Temple of Austin, TX Shirdi Sai Mandir, Dulles, VA Shirdi Sai Mandir, Toronto
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