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Sai Vichaar 01.Feature of the Week: Guruji in Sai Utsav 2000 02.Devotees Say 03.Prayer Club 04.Sai Activities 05.Experiences of Devotees 06.Quotation of the Week 07.From the Editor's Keyboard 08.Submit your article to Sai Vichaar 09.Subscribe to Sai Vichaar 10.Disclaimer From the Editor's Keyboard... Sai Vichaar wishes readers a Happy and Peaceful Diwali. Readers are also requested to make a note of Baba’s prayer center at Sai Baba Prayer Center, 8 Santa Eulalia, Irvine, CA 92606. Those living in California closer to Irvine may contact Phone number 949-552-0070 for more details about Sai Baba Prayer Center. Sai Vichaar would also like to draw your attention to the activities of Saidarbar in Hyderabad, India. Please refer to Sai Activities for more information. Devotees willing to sponsor the poor feeding programs by Saidarbar may contact saibanisa@yahoo.com, and those willing to sponsor the activities of Baba Prayer Center, Chennai, India, may contact Sri Kumar Baba at babaprayercenter@usa.net. Sai Vichaar thanks you for your support for the Question of the Week feature. This feature is intended to initiate useful discussion on topics related to Sai philosophy, His message, and Sai devotion. Please send your suggested topics for the same by writing to the web site administrator. Responses for "Question of the week" have no time deadline. Readers and devotees are requested to send in their response whenever possible. They will be posted in Sai Vichaar appropriately. We also hope to see more use for the Sai activities section. This is a good opportunity to spread the word about various activities, celebrations and festivities of Sai centers across the world. Postings on Sai activities are very useful for new devotees visiting the web site and for those who would like to know more about Sai activities in their area. The "Question of the week" for this week is What is the social purpose of a spiritual ritual? Humbly yours, The Editor
Disclaimer Sai Vichaar is devoted to the philosophy and teachings of Shri Sadguru Sai Baba of Shirdi, and will take every measure to avoid topics or themes contradicting the same. Sai Vichaar team or the Shirdi Sai Baba web site organization is not responsible for the opinions expressed by individual contributors.
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Shri Chandrabhanu Satpathy ji, fondly regarded as "GuruJi", is the foremost among those who have dedicated themselves to the mission of spreading Sai message. Shri Satpathy ji now in his fiftees is very religious since his childhood. His inborn divine qualities nourished and blossomed under very pious and caring eyes of his father. As if Shri Sai himself as a father took care of him, Satpathyji found a friend a guide and a divine teacher in his father. At first it is difficult to believe that Shri Satpathy Ji has been a police officer all his life and was a recipient of the President's gold medal for bravery. But to the hundreds who flock to his house, his official rank is immaterial. To them, he is simply the man with the healing touch, they earnestly believe that he can look into the future and solve their problems. This is what brings them every Saturday to New Delhi’s Chatterpur Baba’s temple. Satpathyji's asset is no professional astrologer, it's his instinct in him which prompts his predictions. The number of people, who have come in contact with 'Guru Ji' to find solutions to their Materialistic, Psychological, Commercial & Health problems or for their Spiritual upliftment runs not in thousands but in millions. To some Shri Satpathyji is like a BROTHER. Some look towards him as a FATHER figure and very many see him as a Guide who helps them spiritually to understand and feel Shri Sai Baba - Thus they call him very aptly Guru ji. Guru ji treats everyone like a dear and beloved child of Shri Sai and addresses every lady very affectionately as 'Maa' (Mother). Shri Chandra Bhanu Satpathy has many incredible predictions to his credit. He had foreseen Sanjay Gandhi's death and when his prediction came true, the intelligence agencies were after him for a long time. Having thus burnt his fingers, he no longer predicts events in the lives of political personalities. In 1990 he predicted the downfall of dictatorial regimes, whether headed by individuals or military juntas. He was the only astrologer to correctly predict the return of Mikhail Gorbachev. His other predictions about the USSR have also been proved true. But Satpathyji is not merely an astrologer. "My aim is to help people", he says. An IPS officer, he has finished his tenure with the ministry of Civil Aviation and is now posted as Director Vigilance. His help comes in various ways. Known as Guruji, he is the last resort and very often the savior of those who have nowhere else to turn. To some he suggests simple remedies like charcoal into a river to propitiate the wrath of "Rahu", the usual advice of any other astrologer, but for some he cures chronic asthma, hypertension and insomnia. This is precisely what makes Satpathyji so special ; he has psychic reach that goes beyond mere astrology. Shri Satpathyji not only helps the needy one's with Shri Sai's blessed powers but also by living as a family man, sets an example in front of Sai devotees and other people at large that ONE CAN LIVE IN THIS MATERIALISTIC WORLD OF MONEY, RELATIONS & LINKED DUTIES AND STILL BE PIOUS AND BE A DETACHED 'SAINT' AT HEART. No wonder, Guru ji always guides Sai devotees to look towards Shri Sai Baba as their 'FATHER, BROTHER AND LOVED ONE'. Then only we would be able to REALISE SAI AND UNDERSTAND SAI AS GOD, with great ease. Guru ji teaches a lot by a mere look than verbal doctrines. His eyes emit power of LOVE AND AFFECTION that's why, we say he is blessed by Shri Sai. Shri Sai also used to cure many people just by his glance. Today with Guru ji's blessings, Shri Sai movement is spreading at a great pace throughout the world. Because RELIGION OF LOVE is Shri Sai and it knows no boundaries. Guru ji preaches that a single drop of tear from the eyes of a pious person can move - be it Shri Sai or Christ, in a fraction of a second. Thus Guru ji does not recommend the path of running away from the world in search of God but encourages and lends spiritual support to seekers, to become pious and find Shri Sai within us while fighting the materialistic battle. Sai Utsav 2000 is fortunate to have Guru ji, Shri Chandrabhanu Satpathy ji as a visiting Sai
apostle from India.
A Short note on Upanishads by Prof. Dr V.Srinivasan Upanishads come at the end of Vedas. Vidya (education) is two types- worldly and spiritual called para and apara vidya. Upanishads deal with para vidya. The word Upanishad means- upa=steadfast studying and sad= attaining ultimate reality. What is it by knowing which all else is known- that is para vidya. Essentials of para Bhakthi are abhyasa and vairagya (practice and detachment). One can attain liberation in his life time. This is called jeevan mukthi. Dhyana is important to achieve mukti-liberation. For proper dhyana, purity of consciousness, moral awareness and spiritual discrimination are important. Isavasyopanishad. This is called Mantropanishad. There are 18 verses only in this Upanishad. It says -Isavashyam edam sarvam, meaning all things are from and of God. If what you are is in all objects, the question of I -EGO- possessing another does not arise. Greed and covetousness will have to be given up. Universe and God are same. Karmas enjoined by shastras have to be performed. Atma does not undergo modifications. It is faster than mind. It is the smallest of the smallest and yet largest of largest. The first verse deals with gnana nishta. It mentions unattached meditation and renunciation- gnana nishta and vairagya. Second verse deals with Karmanishta. Through karma the mind is purified and slowly attains mukti. Finally he sees himself in all. He who sees all beings in self and sees in self all things attains mukti Taittereya Upanishad. The theme is Brahma vidya. Performance of karma enjoined by Vedas leads to better world, but it will not lead to liberation. Samsara -all the worldly activity- is in flux due to non-recognition of transitory nature of the world and immortal nature of the One called agnana. Action-karma can lead to heaven or hell Only the removal of agnana can cause liberation. Sravanam, mananam, nidhidhyasa, and meditation-listening to Vedas, rumination of what is heard, and concentration are the steps to liberation. Brahmam is satyam, gnanam and anantam. Om iti Brahmam. Om idam sarvam. We are not just bodies. It consists of annamaya, pranamaya, manomaya, vignanamaya and anandamaya kosas. They are five sheaths in us. They may be described as physical body, prana or breathing with variations , mind ,and two higher levels of very subtle stages known and enjoyed in deep pure meditation. Brahma is to be worshipped everywhere-in beasts, as light in the stars, as procreation, as everything in space. Brahma is everywhere and in everything. So Prahlada in Bhagavatam exclaims to his father Hiranyakasipu, 'DO NOT DOUBT HE IS NOT HERE OR THERE’. He is every where and embedded in everything. Meditate on Brahman as support. There by be supported. As one thinks, one becomes. Think of Brahma as exalted, you become exalted. As the Upanishads say 'Brahmavid brahmaiva bhavati - person who uninterruptedly and constantly think of Brahma, becomes Brahma. Om Shanti Shanti Shanti. MRK, Phoenix, AZ, USA
Renu, California
Divya
Sai Utsav 2000, New Jersey
Sai Utsav 2000, Atlanta
Sai Utsav 2000, Chicago
Sai Samsthan USA, Chicago, IL
Saidarbar, Hyderabad, India
Sai Mandir, Panvel, Maharashta, India
(Sri Bhagawati Sai Sansthan - Regd.)
Chinna Rao, USA
OM SRI SAI RAM. We are ardent devotees of Sri Shirdi Sai Baba for the last 45 years and Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for the last 36 years. We want to share with the readers of Sai Vichar hoping to inspire all Baba devotees our recent family’s experience of Baba’s divine leelas. It was a bleak evening on June 6, 2000 when all our friends attended for our regular Baba Bhajan on Sundays. After bhajan, one of my old friend of 15 years Mr. Navani came to me and said that his daughter who is a 17 year old has tumor in her pancreas, and the doctors advised to operate on her immediately and they are very much worried. I told him not to worry and have faith in Baba and have Reena his daughter write a letter to Baba and hand it over to me since I am going to India on June 10 and promised to deliver the letter to Baba personally in Puttaparthi. Accordingly Reena wrote a letter and I picked it up from her house before leaving to India. Before leaving I left a note to her as she was not home at that time along with three Vibhoothi packets that Baba gave during my interview with Baba, advising her to have faith in Baba and put a pinch of Vibhoothi in water, hold her hand over the glass of water say prayers and drink the water. As promised when I went to Puttaparthi and as Baba came close to me during his morning darshan and I gave Reena’s letter to Baba. While I was in India we got a message from my friend Navani that the Doctors have diagnosed Reena’s disease as cancer of the pancreas and it may have spread to stomach and liver etc and that they have to operate on her immediately and there is no known treatment for this disease. By that time I am already back from Puttaparthi and getting ready to leave to US. I told my wife to go back to Puttaparthi along with my mother and if they get a chance, talk to Baba about Reena’s case. Several days later my wife had the opportunity to talk to Baba and narrated the condition of Reena to Baba. During this time Reena was having surgery at Sloan Kettering Cancer Specialty Hospital in NJ. When my wife narrated the case of Reena to Baba, He held His hand on my wife’s head and said "don’t worry, Reena has this problem and is removed and that is it, and she will be OK here after". In US the operation was successful and also while operating they did not find any spread of the disease to any other part of the body and removed only 50% of the pancreas. The doctor who operated on her has left to LA for a week. The tests on biopsy etc were not known at that time. After the doctor came back from La, my friend met the doctor and asked for the prognosis on his daughter’s ailment. My friend tells me surprisingly that the doctor told my friend very similar words that Baba told my wife. Guess what !! Reena is now fine and her devotion to Baba has grown in leaps and bounds. I could not imagine how a 17 year old kid who is born and raised in US could become such a devotee. Reena went back to college last month. Such are the leelas of Baba. This is only one incident and we have witnessed many more of His leelas in our own family. My mother Smt. Anjali Devi (Cine Actress ester years, South India) took up a project to promote
Baba’s leelas to all Baba devotees of the World, produced a TV serial on Baba in July 1998 with
the title "Shirdi Sai Parthi Sai Divya Katha". With Bhagavan Sri Sathya Baba’s blessings
completed the project in July 1999 in Telugu and aired on Gemini TV in India for 30 consecutive
weeks. Now the same is dubbed in Hindi with English sub titles. We have made the entire thirty
episodes in two different media, a set of three video cassettes, and a set of three DVDs. We want
to make these available for all Baba devotees. The sale proceeds will be donated to "The Super
Specialty Hospital" in Puttaparthi. Those who are interested in getting a copy can contact Sai
Krupa International, Inc (SKI) at 732-329-4135 or 732-329-2588 (SKI is a non profit organization
and holds the overseas marketing rights for this TV serial in US and abroad )or send an e-mail to
"babadivinestory@bccusa.com" with the details of desired media, complete address for shipment and
telephone number for contact.
Purity and Love is the essence of Sai movement - Guru ji Chandrabhanu Satpathy ji
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