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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 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. The "Question of the week" for this week is, What is the attitude of Sai devotees towards raising their children? 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:
He belonged to All!
Saibaba wanted to belong to all and be shared by all. He apparently found himself at ease in this paradoxical situation. When pressed on whether he was Hindu or Muslim, he would often get very angry and abuse people. Once he told a devotes:" You have been with me for eighteen years now. Does Sai mean for you only these three and a half cubits of height? Certainly, Saibaba never encouraged his own worship, though in the last years he gave up resistance and accepted the cult which the Hindus tribute to him, often in a quite ostentatious form. Saibaba was able to avoid clashes between two communities and succeeded in unifying them in an atmosphere of general harmony. At this early period, Hindu worship of Baba was purely individual. A devotee would bring flowers, bow to him, and ask for a blessing and leave. Mhalsapati was apparently the only one who honored him with a sandal paste puja. Baba would often talk about Hindu gods, quoting from sacred texts and commenting upon passages of Bhagavadgita, the Isha Upanishad and so forth. The names of Krishna and Rama seem to have been particularly dear to him. With Muslim followers, Baba would always talk of Allah and Koran, often quoting Persian verses. Apparently one of his favorite expressions were Allah rakhega vaisa rahena, that is, Let us be content with what we have and submit our will to Allah. On several occasions, Sai reassured his listeners by saying that he, like them, was but a devotee of Allah, a humble faqir with two arms and two legs. In later years, Parsis and even a few Christians would come to Shirdi. Saibaba respected all creeds, true to his conviction that all religions are but particular paths leading to one ineffable goal. All had free access to the Masjid: outcasters, lepers, dogs, birds and so on. Baba particularly enjoyed the company of untouchables and the ill. One Bhagoji Shinde, a leper, came to be one of Sai's closest devotees. This was the reason why the Masjid came to be known by the Hindu name of Dvarakamai, the many-gated mother. From the young faqir, most asked for blessings of a material kind, progeny, jobs, cures from illness etc. very few requested spiritual guidance. (Source: "The Life and Teachings of Saibaba of Shirdi" by Antonio Rigopuolos)
Contributed Article: Importance of Purification
All great men have emphasized that the body, mind, intellect, and ego have to be purified first for the success of all saadhana. This is because we are unclean due to the effects of past karma. Moreover, we are being taught everyday about the lure and desirability of money, fame, power, and enjoyment. This produces lasting impression on the subtle body which is beyond mind and intellect and which survives physical existence. We have to think in different directions and live a different way of life to smudge the impact of these unwholesome effects. This different way of thought, action and life is called Saadhana.
The body is purified on account of selfless service and benevolent acts. This helps in obliterating the impressions of past karmas on mind. When the mind is sublimated, the seeds of devotion can be sown and nurtured within it. The barren and soil of selfish thoughts and deeds is not fit for sowing of seeds of intense love of God. This must be properly understood by the aspirants. Selfishness is a road leading in altogether opposite direction than the road to God or liberation. A man approaches God step by step, when he removes the pains of others, assists men in distress and knows the God inherent in others minds.
Similarly, it is essential to install the memory and the idol of God in the heart by incessant recitation of name and meditation on the form. This enables the subtle body (that outlives physical death) to wipe off the imprint of selfishness and to replace it by the image of God.
Devotee I was on a two week trip to India and I planned for Shirdi visit during those two weeks. I was supposed to take a train to Hyderabad (on my way to Shirdi) from my hometown. The train was at eleven thirty in the night. I reached station about forty five minutes earlier. I was waiting on the platform and without my knowledge I fell into sleep as I was feeling very tired. The train came on to platform and about to leave in few minutes. (Obviously I was unaware of this as I was in sleep). Somebody woke me up in my dream reminding me about the train arrival and I could catch the train. I hired a taxi from Bombay to Shirdi. On reaching Shirdi, I was surprised to know that they are not giving lodges to people who are single. I tried in a few good hotels and they refused to give me accommodation, as I was alone. I was feeling very sad, as I want to have the darshan of my master. Then the taxi driver came to my help. He told me that he also wants to have darshan of Baba, as he is also a devotee. He asked me whether I mind sharing room with him. I gladly accepted the offer and we had a very good darshan of Baba. I am sure in both the occasions its Sri Sai who came to help me and time and again he proved his existence to me. I am grateful to him for what all he has given me and I am offering my Pranams to his lotus feet.
Devotee Devotee Sai Devotee Sai Devotee Sai Devotee Sairanga Sai devotee Devotee Sai Devotee Meena
Quotation of the Week:
"Allah rakhega vaisa rahena", (Let us be content with what we have and submit our will to Allah).-Sri Sai Baba
Q. What is the attitude of Sai devotees towards raising their children?
Sri Ramanavami Celebrations at 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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