Feature of the Week: Sai Utsav 2000

Sai message embodies the eternal truth in the simplest possible terms. Just like the glow of the Sun cannot be contained nor the waters of the oceans be dried, the eternal truth shall always be open to those who seek. The enormous interest in Sai philosophy and the phenomenal increase in Sai activities around the world in the past couple of decades stand testimony to this.

Shirdi Sai movement in the New World is not new. Seekers from the west who heard of the "Walking and Talking God of Shirdi", brought with them the gold mine of Sai message to the Americas several decades ago. The growth since then has been steady and compounded by Information Technology explosion. Shirdi Sai Baba Web Site Organization has been one such medium through which Sai glory is shared and spread.

Sai's grace, the very force that was instrumental in the functioning of Shirdi Sai Baba Web Site Organization, has once again inspired His children to organize Sai Utsav 2000 during thanksgiving weekend November 23-25, 2000, . This is a unique spiritual event involving Sai devotees from around the world. By Baba's blessings, and collectively organizing with Sai Samsthan,USA Chicago, this event, first of its kind, is coming to reality. Two thousand devotees are anticpated to attend Sai Utsav.

Shri Guruji Chandra Bhanu Sathpathy, Shri Guruji Ammula Sambasiva Rao and Shri Guruji Rama Rao Swamy, Sai Apostles from India have blessed this event and have kindly consented to grace the occasion. Special bhajan malas would be performed by Shri Anoop Jalota and Shri Manhar Udhas. Shri Sudhir Dalvi (artist who donned the role of Sai Baba in Manoj Kumar’s movie "Shirdi Ke Sai Baba") and Shri Bandi Koteshwar Rao (popular artist)are also attending the event.

The three-day event includes Sai Pooja (Arthis, Abhishek, Sai Sathyanarayan Pooja) Sai Mahima recital, Sri Vishnu Sahasranama recital, Sai Satcharitha Parayan, Sai Naam Japa, Sai satsangs, Bhajans, Kirtans and discourses by Sai apostles.

The venue for this event is BAPS-Shree Swaminarayan Mandir, Bartlett, a northwest suburb of Chicago, IL. The event is free and open to all. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and refreshments are served free during the event to registered attendees. Special rates for hotel accomodations are being worked out.

Registrations will start on Thursday September 7th, 2000. Free registrations can be done via this web site or by procuring registration forms from coordinating centers, a list of which will be available on the web site by September 7th.

Chicago has been blessed earlier by several spiritual retreats and it is happening yet again. Voluntary donations towards this great cause especially Annadanam(food distribution) are humbly solicited.

We invite your gracious presence along with family and friends to make Sai Utsav a grand success. Let us come together and sing the glory of the Lord Sainath. Bow to Sadguru Sainath Maharaj and peace be to all.
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Devotees Say

Shailaja Divakarla, Australia
This is in response to Manohar Adusimilli's experience in the last Sai Vichaar about him trying to wake up to do the Kakad aarti. I just felt I was reading my own experience ! I too have been trying so hard but each time I find it impossible to wake up early in the morning. Last night I prayed to Baba to help me as I really love the Kakad aarti. I got a dream last night (Wednesday) - that there was an idol of Devi and some prasadam was kept in a bowl in front of Her. I was standing there and I could not believe my eyes to see the bowl rising up and the prasadam actually disappearing into the Mother's mouth. I felt it was Baba, the Loving Mother, who gave His blessings. I got up easily with the first alarm bell and felt very happy, and thankful to Baba, that I could do the Kakad aarti today on Thursday. I pray to Baba to help me continue this.

Sumandria, Indonesia
This is in response to the message of Mr. BALASUBRAMANIAM from Malaysia about the vibuthi which came out from SAI BABA's photo. I would be very grateful if Mr. Balasubramaniam or anyone will kindly to send me some of the vibuthi which came out from SAI Baba’s photo. Sumandria Tjanoto ; Add : Jl. Letda Sujono, Blok E. No : 107. Medan, 20371 - North Sumatera - Indonesia. My e-mail address is: sunny_co@mailcity.com. May God bless all of us.

Pinky Garg
I really enjoy the Leelas of Shirdi Baba that I have not read or hear before. Thanks to the Sai Devotee who shared last week Mahalasapati's story. I request Sai Vichaar to give these stories often. This story was just a nectar of Baba's compassion, His teachings and His love for His devotees. I am attaching a file hoping this article will help a lot of devotees to understand where the violence starts and how it effects the self.

Vissamraju
Sai Ram, As our brother from Vancouver, Canada talked about the 10 qualities very essential for every human. I wish I could follow and maintain those qualities with the grace of Sairam.
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Prayer Club

Sailatha Coimbatore, India
SaiRam. I request everybody to pray for my husband's health. Some doctors have diagnosed that he has early symptoms of Parkinson syndrome. Even though he has abused me mentally and physically, I request Baba to forgive him and restore him back to normal. I am not able to see him suffer. Please Baba, relieve us from this test. If anyone knows more about Parkinson syndrome, please email to my daughter at priya_39@hotmail.com. Sairam.

Vasudha D
I request all Sai devotees to pray for me. I am passing through a very bad phase in life. I get very depressed due to a strained relation with my husband. Things are not improving as days are passing by. I pray to Sai that he may guide us to the right path and help us to take the right decisions and also to resolve our differences. OM SAI RAM.

Subramanyam V Mekala
By the grace of the Sai, I have everything more than what I really deserve. We have been planning for kids for a year, and unfortunately we are not blessed so far. Kindly pray for us.

JayaShree, Malaysia
I have written to SAI VICHAAR a month ago regarding my uncle who has a brain tumor. Now I would like to request all devotees to pray for my uncle because he is now is a coma. I hope Sai Baba will take care of him. OM SAI RAM.
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Sai Activities

Shirdi Sai Center, Flushing, NY
With Baba's blessings, the palki yatra organized by the centre as part of the India Day Parade was a success. Many devotees participated in the same and had the opportunity to carry Baba's palki through the streets of New York. Fortunate are those who had an opportunity to see Baba's Palki. Pictures of Baba, numbering over 3000 were distributed among the crowds who had assembled for the parade.

Janmashtami celebrations at the centre included Special Bhajans from 9 PM to 12 midnight. Many devotees came and participated in the same.

For a list of the regular activities at the mandir, please visit the mandir's web site at www.dwarakamaishirdi.org. You can also email the mandir at saimandir@netzero.net or saipatrika@homemail.com.

Saidarbar, Hyderabad, India
Pranam to all Saibandhus. The month of July 2000 has set up a new landmark in the history of Sai darbar. Inauguration of 'Viswa Saidarbar' has taken place on the auspicious occasion of Gurupurnima (july17,2000).This could happen with the blessings of our beloved Guru-Lord Sainath. The timely presence of Shri. Suresh Vaghela from London(UK)for the occasion has made the function more lively and a memorable one for all of us.

http://www.viswasaidarbar.com will make it's appearance shortly under the stewardship of Shri.Suresh Vaghela. The important events of the month are as follows:

1. Thirty one Annadana Programs (Poor feeding) have taken place so far.

2. Sai with children-Happy Birthday (July 8, 2000)of Master Adhitya from USA was celebrated in the company of children from an orphanage in Hyderabad. 3.Leppers are to be treated with Love and compassion. In line with this thinking Annadana Programs followed by Vastradhanam (free distribution of clothing) was conducted in a lepers colony in Balkampet, Hyderabad as desired by Shri.Satish Achanta from USA. This particular program was graced by Lord Sainath and was a thrilling experience. Please visit www.saidarbar.com for more details.
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Experiences of Devotees

Mahesh, Connecticut, USA
Salutations to the great Master! (Shree Sainath Maharaj). I read Sai Vichar every Thursday and a miracle happened to me last weekend which was August 20th and it will be a shame if I do not share it with others so here is my story. I came to the US on a F1 visa, completed Masters in Computer Science with Sai's Grace, got a good job changed my visa status to H. After about 2 years, I started the Green Card process which as some might know is very time consuming and involves a lot of paper work.

On August 19, 2000, me and my wife we both went for a medical examination in Stamford, Connecticut and from there to Jackson Heights, NY to do some groceries. I had with me a bag with a file ( 3 ring binder) with my passport, my wife's passport, original H1 and H4 documents , original I-20 which the college had issued me, my social security card, I-94 which was stapled to the passport and every other document that was my record here in the United States of America. Before leaving Stamford I put this bag in my car trunk and parked the car at Jackson Heights and went to do groceries. When I got back after about 2 hours, I opened my trunk to put the groceries and didn't find my bag. At first I thought I did not keep it in the trunk and opened the front door and the rear door to check if I had left it there but didn't find my bag. At that point, I heard someone saying "Excuse Me! Excuse Me! ", from 2nd floor of the building in front of which I had parked my car. There was a little girl about 5 or 6 six years of age and she said that 2 guys had forced opened the driver side door, opened the trunk from inside and had stolen the bag! You can imagine what went through me at this point, all the original documents, passports, everything, I had lost in the middle of the Green Card process. I complained to the Police and after that me and my wife were wandering the streets just hoping that the guys must have gone through my bag and must have just thrown the documents on the road or in a trash can as they are not of any value to them. We actually looked through some trash cans! I could not believe that I had lost the documents and I was not even sure what to do next. So we finally went home in a lot of pain and all along I was asking Baba why did this have to happen to us?

I narrated the entire story to my mother, father, brother and sister-in-law and they couldn't believe it and were trying to pacify us that everything will work out. That night I could not sleep and was up early the next morning trying to see what photocopies of the documents I had with me. I put everything together and every time I passed this small temple that I have in my home, I prayed Sai to give all my documents back, I literally had tears in my eyes. That afternoon after lunch was asleep and the phone rang at about 4:30 PM. It was the Police officer from New York City. He asked me if I had lost my documents. I immediately said yes and then he told me that they had found the bag with all the documents. I did not believe what I was hearing and there is a picture of Sainath Maharaj on my table. I looked at him and thanked him from the bottom of my heart, I asked the officer if I could pick up my documents and then he gave me the address of the police station in New York. I went to New York and got all my documents back. That was on Sunday whereas I was thinking how to get the copies of all the documents on Monday! How did my documents got there? The same guys broke open the car door of a Canadian Indian Woman in New York City, stole everything from her car and left my bag there, the woman called the cops who found my bag, can you believe this MIRACLE!!! Its almost one week now but I am still getting over the "jolt" that I got why I do not know may be I did something or said something to someone, but then Sai came to my rescue and helped me out. May Sai bless all of us!! - Shree Sacchidanand Sadguru Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai!!!!!!
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Question of the Week

"How does Sai philosophy differ from organized religions? "

Shanmugha Priya, Omaha, NE, USA
SaiRam. Religions differ based on principles, way of life, festivals, method of worship and so on. Sai philosophy is beyond religions. In fact it brings all the religions together. Baba specifies the nine qualities namely: 1)Absence of egoism (2) Absence of jealousy (3) Untiring service (4) Absence of worldly desires (5) Complete faith in Guru (6) Peaceful nature (7) Desire to know the truth (8) Absence of envy, and (9) Absence of self-boasting and finding faults in others. These qualities are not specific to any religion. Also the greatness of Sai Baba is that he brought (and still brings) people of all religions together. Today people of all religions can visit his mandir. Sai philosophy requests all of us to mention the name of GOD. Baba never insisted that his devotees should only worship him. The greatness of Baba was that he did not create a new religion. Through his teachings, he made sure that people followed their religious practices and that they understood the purpose of religion. Baba also tried to convince people not to distinguish one another by religion. A good example is the celebrating of the Ramanavami and Urs festival at the same time. Religion is a path to God. Baba's teachings are also a path to God. SaiRam.
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