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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... Please note that Sai Vichaar is only yet another global platform on the electronic medium for sharing information on the life and message of Sadguru Sainath of Shirdi. Sai Vichaar does not profess to endorse any particular thought, nor will judge or reflect the opinions expressed by individual contributors. The "Question of the week" for this week is Q. Sri Sai said, "Come what may, leave not, but stick to your Bolster (support, i.e. Guru) and ever remain steady, always at-one-ment (in union) with him." How does a Sai devotee live by the above words from Baba? 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:
Why do we suffer?
God or His Name is the sole strength in living against all odds and uncertainties. If one is not at cross purposes with Him, one finds His manifestation in every happening. But, one has to bear with patience the onrush of the forces one has let loose. Yoke yourself unto Him and He will bear the brunt. Take refuge in none but Him. Dependence on Him makes one fearless. Human beings will enjoy three-fourths of life and one-fourth they will suffer. But, we lose our patience and do not accept even that one-fourth of sorrows given by Him. Do not be obsessed with any wish. Shake off sadness. Unhappiness is part of the ego. Beyond it, no such thing exists. That you have forgotten Truth (that God is within) is the root cause of your misery. A painful blow becomes bearable to a great extent by His remembrance. As He inflicts blows on you, so also He gives you the capacity for bearing the suffering. As one tolerates unbearable situations with patience, a time comes when He resolves all problems. Whenever you have tumults in mind, try to remember this very often. You can do this. The key is with Him. Truth wins. He is your shield. Destiny still comes but He eases the suffering. When you have the shelter of Satyanarayan (God within), He will test you in various ways. Your duty is not to get agitated when these sorts of events hurt you. There is a saying of Baba, "You look to Me, I look to you. Even then, if they do not leave Me and still seek Me, I then become their humble servant." < p class="txt">The smiles and frowns of life are His tokens of love. Bear them with loving patience, you have to forsake nothing. Neither indulge, nor restrain. If you have devotion, you need fear nothing. Devotion is never devoid of strength. So many varied problems and hindrances must come, otherwise people will not understand and realize how and why He is the best of all friends and companions. He is the Dearest One, who keeps us protected in all calamities and adversities, which are unpredictable. People falter in life and suffer by discarding Him. But, they can't do anything without Him. Have faith in Him, unflinching faith. Love Him. Hazards take care of themselves. Remembering and depending on Him make one fearless in life, whatever may happen. He gives us jolts so that we can be ready to taste real happiness with Him, to make us free of maya, or mind and attachments. We do not know His Will, so we grieve over all He does, but He always does everything for the best. Do not worry. Never try to understand. Only accept as a gift whatever He gives, take it as His blessing. When one feels, "I am helpless, my strength fails" He comes to hold the rudder. Being always in the midst of people with their selfishness, jealousy and hatred, the mind is afflicted with pain. These afflictions are shaken off like dust through devotion and remembrance of God's Name within. He, the Almighty, by His wish and touch takes away the worldly attractions gradually to bring one to a blissful, peaceful state. A person cannot realize this state on his or her own due to the intensity of illusory worldly desire. You do everything, see everything, listen to everything, but do not get so deeply involved as to invite sufferings through them. Of course, He will ensure this, you don't have to make any effort for it. Just keep Him in your remembrance.
Contributed Article: What is your caste?
This incident happened a few weeks ago. We live in a North American city and my son is a teenager attending his freshman in High School. As a part of his world culture class, his teacher wanted to have a class demonstration of marriage system in India. My son along with another girl student participated in the class room demo and my son returned from the school that day and narrated his experience to me. He asked me what caste did he belong to and what his religion was.
The classroom demo apparently went like this: What happened after the above conversation is beyond the context of this write-up. It was a happy revelation for me that as the one who "goes" to Baba, I have done something good without my knowledge. That is, not to teach my children their caste and religion in the name of their heritage. I observed that in the name of our culture and heritage, there is a tendency to instill our identity as one belonging to a certain caste or a religion, belonging to a certain region or speaking a certain language. As Sai children what is more fulfilling than having Baba has one's own and only identity. Only with that identity, one would be able to achieve the harmony so needed for our times and our children's.
Anirud Two years later we wished to have another child - a sibling for our daughter and prayed to Baba. However I wanted to work too and was looking for a job and time was running. I wanted to get engaged either with a job or with a child. I was patient and left it with prayer saying "Baba, please bless me with whatever is good". It so happened that I got a temporary job and I became pregnant too. Since it was temporary I took up the job, and later they liked my work and gave me a permanent offer. Baba satisfied both my desires. Even his birth is a miracle for me. My doctor during my thirty seventh week appointment suggested that after thirty nine weeks if I do not go into labor pain than I can plan for the birth and get admitted and induced. However I preferred to go into natural labor rather than choosing a date, also I did not want to wait too long and go into C-section. Finally during my thirty ninth week, I told her that in the case of induction I would prefer a Thursday. Until Wednesday I did some serious walking but there were no signs of labor pain though. It was decided that I would get admitted at 5am the next morning. On Thursdays my husband I do prayers to Baba, so we planned to wake up around 3am do the worship and then get admitted. Around 1 am or so I was little uneasy and could not sleep and I noticed that I was getting contractions. I thought in any case I need to go to Hospital at 5am so why not wake up from bed, get bathed, worship and be ready. So I continued with the routine tasks without waking up other members, with the passage of time my contractions were getting stronger and closer. I never thought that it would be so quick. Somehow I finished reading a chapter from Satcharita and did the 9 Thursday vrath, as soon as I finished I woke up my husband and told him that I was in severe labor pain and need to rush to the hospital. Within few hours our baby boy was born. No doubt it was painful, but kept praying to BABA and when I look back I am amazed and feel that Baba was with us throughout and made things easier and manageable and blessed us with our desires. I have no words to express his miracles. I want to keep on writing. I thank him by sharing his leelas with his devotees. His two teachings of "Shradha and Saburi" is the key to our happiness. Our Faith and Patience is growing by the days.
Zenobia Puja B.K.Chhetri Sukanya Devotee Devotee Devotee Devotee Devotee
Quotation of the Week:
"Sai Baba is always full of mercy. What is wanted on our part is whole-hearted devotion to Him. When a devotee has got firm faith and devotion, his wishes are soon fulfilled."-Sri Sai Satcharitha
Q. Sri Sai said, "Come what may, leave not, but stick to your Bolster (support, i.e. Guru) and ever remain steady, always at-one-ment (in union) with him." How does a Sai devotee live by the above words from Baba?
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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