Total surrender to one’s Sadguru is manifested by several ways. Least of it is to completely obey Guru’s orders and carry out the tasks as asked to, without questioning. Shri Hemadpanth in Sai Satcharitha refers to such devotees as the First type of devotees. Let us see how one such devotee of Sadguru Sainath responded to the Master’s orders.

S.B. Dhumal was one of the earliest devotees of Shirdi Sai Maharaj. He met Baba in 1907 and was interviewed by Sri Narasimhaswamiji between 12th to 26th October 1936. Sri Dhumal by then was a well-known lawyer at Nasik. He said that Baba is protecting us all twenty-four hours of the day. He did not go anywhere after Mahasamadhi. He is always present in all places. Baba is showering his grace thousand times more after Mahasamadhi. Baba's blessings can be obtained at any time with bhakthi and shraddha at any time. Baba's love to his devotees is immeasurable. One day Baba called him, and told him that he could not sleep for long time in the night as he was thinking of Dhumal. Dhumal flowed with gratitude for Baba's compassion. Dhumal always took Baba's permission before he did any thing and always acted according to his directions. After Mahasamadhi, he used to put chits before Baba's picture, pray and act according to the chit. At one stage, Dhumal wanted to go to England to become bar-at law, considered as the highest attainment for a lawyer. On Baba indicating that his spiritual inclinations will be fulfilled better in India, he gave up his attempts to go to England. Dhumal was offered public prosecutor considered as a prized post for a lawyer. On Baba's showing against it, he declined the post. At one time, there was plague in Nasik. Dhumal in his ancestral house found dead rats. Rats propagate plague, the deadly disease. Taking Baba's permission, he shifted to another house. There also there were dead rats in drinking water. He sent word for Baba's permission, and expecting favorable nod, he moved back to his ancestral house. Just before entering, he got a letter from Shirdi, that he need not change the place. Immediately he returned to the old house and had no problems except that he had to arrange to get water from the river Godavari. Implicitly obeying Guru's directions gives the devotee fullest happiness. Baba's power is omnipotent, as he is the God. Due to party politics in the village of Shirdi, one Raghu a devotee of Baba along with others were placed before criminal court and were convicted. Tatya approached judge Kaparde and Sathe for filing appeal. They opined that there was no chance. Tatya approached Baba who directed him to go to Dhumal. On looking into the papers, Dhumal also felt that there was no case. However, as per directions of Baba, he prepared grounds of appeal and approached the district magistrate at his house. The district magistrate told Dhumal that there was no case for appeal, but still asked Dhumal for his opinion. Dhumal mentioned that the case was the result of village magistrate passed orders of acquittal without posting for hearing. That is the power of Gurumaharaj Sai. The magistrate also enquired Dhumal of Sai. He asked him whether Sai was a Hindu or a Muslim and what he preaches. Dhumal replied that Baba is neither Hindu nor Muslim and he is above religions, and to know more, he should go to Shirdi and meet Baba in person. Dhumal received Rs 300/- from the released devotees but Baba collected it as Daskhina.

Dhumal obtained a picture of Baba from Radhakrishna Mai. Baba took the picture, saw it from all angles, and kept it back in his hand for considerable time. He told Dhumal to keep it in his custody safely. As Dhumal desired the picture, which had Baba in deep meditation, he was immensely pleased and kept it with him all times wherever he went. Dhumal performed puja to it when Baba was alive and after Mahasamadhi. It gave him immense peace and happiness. Baba used to take dakshina various times and Dhumal was very happy to give them. Baba sometimes used to take, until Dhumal had nothing left. Dhumal knew that this was being done to reduce his ego and pride that he was a rich man. Dhumal, to practice humility, used to go and beg for food and used to take that food alone, after Baba's Mahasamadhi. Baba thus eradicated Dhumal's desires and pride.

(A Contribution by Ramakrishna Madhavapeddi, Phoenix, AZ, USA)
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Experiences of Devotees

Dharmendar Rathore
The incident that I am going to narrate happened to me very recently. I am currently working in Bethesda, Maryland and wanted to visit India to receive an award. As I had recently visited India for a month so I was sure that I would not get leave to visit again. I requested Baba for help and decided to show the fax intimating me about the award to my boss. I couldn't believe my ears when my boss not only sanctioned my leave but also even sponsored my trip to India. So with Baba's grace, I was able to visit India and as I live in Delhi, I got the opportunity to visit the Baba's temple on Lodhi Road in New Delhi. I started my return journey on 2nd of November from Delhi. On my way to the airport, I realized that before starting from my home I forgot to do a naman in front of Baba’s picture in my house. At that moment, I just wished that I could get a chance to see Baba’s picture. I reached airport and after all the paperwork as I moved for the final security clearance I was asked to wait, as Security clearance for Air India has not been announced. I decided to sit in the waiting area and the moment I reached there, I heard OM SAI SAI SAI, BABA SAI SAI SAI and I saw Baba's picture on TV. It was an advertisement for Om Sai Ram a tape of Bhajans sung by Lata Mangeshkar. Tears started to flow from my eyes as Baba has fulfilled my wish. As human mind is always greedy, so after few minutes I just wished that I could see His picture one more time and with this wish, I boarded my flight. Once seated, I just picked up Namaskaar the in-flight magazine of Air India. To my surprise it had a picture of Sai Baba in an article on Maharashtra. I thoroughly went through the article but it had no mention of Baba or Shirdi but His picture was very much there. After seeing his picture, I was overwhelmed. On this trip, my wife had also accompanied me but she had her ticket on a different Air India flight that goes via London. Her flight had started at 7 in the morning on the same day while my flight started for Paris at 930 in the morning. Once I reached here I showed her the magazine and told her the whole incident. To my surprise, she got the November issue current of the in-flight magazine on her flight while I had the October issue. I all of a sudden remembered stories mentioned in Sai Satcharitra where Baba gave darshan to his devotees outside Shirdi in the form of his picture. I have put this picture in my house and everytime I look at it gives me a feeling of contentment that is indescribable.
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Sai Activities

Saibaba Mandir, Officers Colony, Sainikpuri, Secunderabed, AP, India
The colony residents at Sri Saibaba Officers Colony, Sainikpuri, Secunderabad, AP, India have constructed a Shirdi Saibaba Mandir two years back with meager funds in a area of 240 sq. yds. The statue was donated by a devotee. We have to complete many works such as sidewalls, main entrance doors, Dhuni, etc, We are appealing to all donors for contributions. Donors donating above Rs.2000 may please send their contributions to the address given below with their choice date to perform Asthottara pooja on their selected person to send Prsadam to them. Donors opting to get daily pooja done can send Rs.50/- giving their name and gotra per month. We plan to perform collective Sahsranamarchana on every Thursday to complete a target of one lakh namarchana. We also propose to install the idol of Sri Dattatreya in this year if funds are adequately mobilized. We seek blessings from all well wishers and contributions for the temple development to promote spiritual culture among all. Donations could be sent to Secretary, Sri Saibaba Mandir Committee, Sri Saibaba Officers Colony, Sainikpuri Secunderabad- 500 094. More information could be obtained from NSS Prasad at: prasadns@hd2.dot.net.in

Shirdi Sai Center, Inc., New York
Shirdi Sai Center, Inc., New York is holding a Naam Saptah (Seven days of name chanting from Monday Nov. 22 to Sunday Nov. 28, the name chanting will be held everyday during these seven days from 8.30 a.m. to 8.30 p.m. This is the first time that we are organizing a saptah and devotees are requested to participate in huge numbers to make this event a success. Those devotees who cannot physically make it for the saptah are requested to join us mentally by chanting "Om Sai Sri Sai Jai Jai Sai" during the saptah. The Venue for the Saptah is as under:

Shirdi Sai Center, Inc.
46-16 Robinson Street
Flushing, NY 11355

For further information please contact Dr. Gangadhar Rao at: Tel. 718 321 9243
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Prayer Club

A Sai devotee
I am a Sai devotee...lately my family and me are undergoing stress and abuse at the hands of my wife. Our marriage was not working and there was no other option but to go for a divorce. My wife and her family in order to take revenge on us went and filed false complaint with the police that we took dowry from the girl's side and we used to torture her...Sai is a witness. Dear Sai followers, my deepest and sincere request is to please pray from my family that we get out of this problem and also give peace and understanding to my wife and her family. Jai Sai ram

Kadhir, India
Dear Sai devotees, I am a Sai devotee for over three years now. I have huge problem in my house. My father is retired person and he is having many debts to pay off. It has to be cleared out soon. This is creating a big problem in my family. I sincerely believe in Bhagawan Sai. He will help us. I don t know how should I express my problems. I request the Satsang and Sai devotees to pray for me. SaiRam.

Sri.Pinnamaneni
I live in US with my Husband and my son who was born in june'99.I have been Sai devotee from almost 10 years now. I am a software engineer and used to work before marriage. After marriage I got pregnant immediately and was advised complete bed rest. Its been almost a year and a half now that I did not work. I tried many ways but am not succeding in any. I am very desperate now and feel depressed, that I am worth nothing. Please pray for me that I get a good job and my family for health, strength and every thing that will keep us together and always happy, especially baba's grace. Please pray for us to make our dreams a reality and I very strongly believe that with my Lord's grace on me any thing could be possible.
May Baba shower his blessings on all of us.
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Devotees Say

Ammashiv
By good fortune, I have been led to your website. May Lord Sai be praised. Many pranams at his lotus feet and many thanks for your wonderful efforts. My wife and I visited Shirdi in 1985,and of course, we have copies of Sai Satcharita and several other books telling of the glory of Shirdi Sai Baba. May he remain forever in our memories and heartfelt prayers.

Chandra Sekhar Kasarabada
It all started some time back in August last year. I was facing a problem with my employer, I was all alone, new to this country. Suddenly I had a mail from a friend of mine and he has suggested me to this Website. Until then I always Visited Baba's temple back home But I never had the chance to listen to His leelas or read the Sai Satcharitra. Now I have become a better believer than before. From then onwards, I feel I have Baba always with me. It's his Grace and affection; I am able to lead this happy life. I had many experiences. Let me tell you the best recent experience. I had stopped having sugar in my milk or coffee until I visit Shiridi. Later when I got a puja done at this Temple in IL, they sent me Prasad containing Sugar in it. I was happy the way Hemadpant describes his feelings or the feelings of devotees when they experience any blissful situation. Right yesterday when I was reading the daily part of my Sat charitra reading, I started with this paragraph in Chapter 9 in devotees Experiences "Devotee's Experiences now to return to the other more interesting subject. Lord Krishna has said in the Bhagawadgeeta (9-26) "Whosoever devoutly offers to me a leaf, a flower, or a fruit or water, of that pure-hearted man, I accept that pious offering." In the case of Sai Baba, if a devotee really longed to offer anything to Sai Baba, and if he afterwards forgot to offer the same, Baba reminded him, or his friend about the offering, and made him present it to Him, and then accepted it and blessed the devotee. . " After this, I was reminded of the vow I made that I would send some money to this temple if I get Bonus. However, I forgot it, then when I was reminded I decided to give that in India, as it would be more money. Yesterday evening my car was towed I was then reminded of the vow and this paragraph. I have never been towed previously before, I have been parking in the same place from 3 months. Guess what my car tag name is (SHRIDHI).Found that the towing fee amounted to the same amount I vowed to send him. By these experiences I was telling my Fiancé' who is also a staunch Baba devotee that these experiences Baba wants to make us feel that He the almighty is always with you like your shadow. We have his saying, You need not search for me anywhere I am there in you inner self. Om Sai Sri Sai Jai Jai Sai. Just these words make a lot of Difference.

Etzion Becker, Meher Baba Center, Jerusalem, Israel
Dear friends, I just received your newsletter. Thank you. Being a follower of Avatar Meher Baba, I know the spiritual magnitude of Sai Baba. I was impressed by your quoting Meher Baba. How then do you relate to Meher Baba as devotees of Sai? We usually regard Sai with great reverence and display their pictures together.
(Meher Baba is regarded as an Avatar. On his quest to know the spiritual fortitude, it was Sadguru Sainath that Meher Baba met in Shirdi and it was Sai Baba who guided Meher Baba to Upasani Maharaj. Humility is one of the biggest virtues stressed by both Sai Baba and Meher Baba. It is still a practice for Sai devotees to keep the pictures of Meher Baba, and regard and revere him as a realized soul - Sai Vichaar)
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Question of the Week

"What is the best form of Guru Bhakthi (devotion to Guru)?
Raji Gopi, Brampton, Ontario, Canada We can grow spiritually only if we see the guru as the manifestation of God. Once we choose our guru, we should surrender completely to him. Only then will spiritual development be possible. Devotion to the guru means total surrender to him. Self-Realization is not possible for anyone without the blessings of a guru. Think of the guru as the manifestation of God in this world. Take even the most insignificant word of the guru as an order and obey it. That is the real service to the guru. There is no greater austerity. The guru's blessings flow automatically to any obedient disciple. THAT IS THE REAL GURUSEVA OR SERVICE TO THE GURU. When there is selfless love for the guru, we will be able to see him not only in his body but in every living and non-living thing in his world, learn to see everything as the guru's body, and to serve them accordingly. The disciple must have the same love and attachment for the guru that a child has for its mother. We should disclose everything to our guru and hold back no secret from him. Then only we can have spiritual growth. ASHRAMS and the GURUKULAS ARE THE PILLARS OF SPIRITUAL CULTURE. If we perform sadhana according to the guru's advice, we need not go anywhere else. We will get whatever we need from the guru. ONCE AGAIN DEVOTION TO GURU MEANS TOTAL SURRENDER TO OUR GURU.

"What is the best form of Charity?"

A Sai devotee, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Jai Sai Ram! Let us first pray, particularly for those who have sought Sai's support through our prayers. "Charity" is an act of love and kindness to aid the needy or suffering, and is a virtue, for which Sai Baba attached very high importance. During my childhood days my Mom, and my elder sister and brother, as a routine practiced setting aside some food in their plate, before they started to eat. Interestingly, it is only after reading Sai Satcharita that I realized the significance of such a practice. Sai, in His humorous way, teased Shri Hemadpant that he was eating without sharing his food with others. When Shri Hemadpant denied such a habit, then Sai said that it is true that Shri Hemadpant shared food with others when any were around, but Sai asked if he also remembered Him when no one was around. Sai then explained the importance of remembering Him before our senses, mind and intellect enjoyed their objects. Starting with a simple action of regularly setting aside food before eating and remembering Sai, one can engrain such a habit prior to performing any actions. For example, one either can gradually develop the habit of always remembering Sai before senses experience pleasant events or get succumbed to anger, anxiety, fear, hatred, faultfinding, jealousy etc. That way, Sai will guide if it is appropriate to act that way or rather control oneself and instead express Sai's virtues such as love, forgiveness, calmness, egolessness, charity, benevolence etc. That is what happened to me the last time when I almost lost my control and was about to slap my son as he wasted his allowance on unnecessary things and wanted more money. My son instead of saying sorry kept arguing, which made me nearly lose my control. Fortunately, I remembered Sai and then I went inside and resorted to dropping chits on Sai's feet. The chits included 'punish', 'seriously warn', 'ignore', 'forgive' 'show love' and many other permutations and combinations. Among all of them, the chit that was touching Sai's feet said 'Be charitable'. With great difficulty, I followed Sai's instructions. Amazingly, my son calmed down, apologized for his behavior, and promised that he will manage with less allowance from the following month. Sai is wonderful.

Shri Hemadpant, under 'Baba's Handi" in Chapter XXXVIII, clarifies that of all the charities, giving food is the best one. As an example from Taittiriya Upanishad, he says that "Food is Brahma: from food all the creatures are born and having born, by food they live, and having departed, into food again they enter". While other forms of charity e.g. giving away wealth, property, etc. require some discrimination, but in the matter of food, no such consideration is necessary. Again, in offering food, it should be for the disabled and poor ones first and the able-bodied and our close ones afterwards. One principle behind charity is for us to realize the Oneness of all forms of life and see Sai (God) in all things. The other day, I went to pick up my daughter and was not carrying my wallet. While I was waiting, a beggar asked for bus fare. I told him that if he is still around when my daughter returns I will borrow from her and give him some money. That is what I did. Believe me, the next day I found $5.00 in front of our house on the street and the following day for the first time my friend with whom I share costs for lottery ticket won $150.00. It is amazing that an act of giving always results in receiving not just in arithmetically equal, but often in logarithmic proportions! In ChapterXIV, Shri Hemadpant indicating that when one goes to see God, king, Saint or Guru, one should not go empty handed, suggests that one should preferably, take coins or money. In expounding further from the Brihadaranyak Upanishad, says that the Lord Prajaapti advised the Gods, men and demons by one letter "DA". From that letter "DA", Gods understood it as 'Dama' (self-control), men as 'Dana' (Charity) and the demons as 'Daya' (Compassion). The teacher in the taittiriya Upanishad regarding charity says, "Give with faith, or even without it; give with magnanimity, i.e. liberality, give with modesty, with awe and with sympathy.

Dakshina is one form of charity. Sai Baba asked dakshina to enable His devotees to fulfill their promises and to remove their attachment to money and thus purify their minds, which again is a necessary virtue towards attaining self-realization. The famous actor, Mr. Ganapatrao Bodas, from whom Baba often pressed often for dakshina and emptied his moneybag, in later life never lacked money and it came abundantly to Bodas. Sai Himself was most charitable. He did not accumulate the collection from the dakshina from His devotees. Instead, He spent a small amount for His meager needs for firewood, oil for lamps etc. and He freely distributed the rest of the collection. Similarly, while He depended on begging for His food, yet He allowed humans, cats, birds, and insects to freely share that food. Thus, Sai, in His characteristic way, demonstrated as to how even a beggar could practice charity. Charity denotes love, sharing, control over greed and senses, non-attachment, all of which lead towards self-realization. Jai Sai Ram. Let us be charitable!
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