Feature of the Week: Artists in Sai Utsav 2000
Anup Jalota

"Sumar manuva...Sumar manuva... Sumar re Panch tatva suvichaar..."

Who can forget the melodious voice behind this beautiful song? The golden voice of Shri Anup Jalota is very familiar to the household of every Sai devotee in the world. Son of well known classical singer Shri Purushottam Jalota, Shri Anup Jalota has mesmerized everyone with his enthralling voice for over two decades. Known as "Bhajan Samrat", due to his unending string of hit Bhajan albums Shri Anup Jalota has spearheaded a mini cultural renaissance in India by popularizing the divine beauty of spiritual music in the form of Bhajans.

Anup Jalota, the Maestro, constantly engages himself in exploring and expressing the immense musical value of Indian culture as relevant to devotion. As if to stress the universal nature of devotion as a path to reach God, Shri Jalota has rendered soul warming bhajans in several languages, suited to every path and denomination. In a given day, one can listen to Shri Jalota's renderings on Shri Durga and Shri Hanuman, Shri Krishna and Shri Saibaba.

" Sai bhar de jholee hamaree...Sai bhar de jholi hamaree...
thoo hain daatha sab ke maalik..main hoon ek bikaaree.."

Sai bhajans definitely appear to be one of Shri Jalota's favorites. The songs sung by devotion and reverence have been having a magical effect on the listeners and may Sai bless Shri Jalota for his service. Sai Utsav 2000 is honored and blessed to have an artiste of Shri Anup Jalota's caliber amongst the fortunate devotees during Sai Utsav in November, 2000. Please visit http://www.saibaba.org/saiutsav.html and guarantee your presence for this eventful evening during the Thanksgiving.
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Devotees Say

Rajsekhar
Omsai Srisai Jaisai. Saibaba or for that matter any avatar has not given any mantra to his devotees as his name itself has the effect of mahamantra. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna hare hare is the maha mantra as it is avatar's name.

The difference between avatar and God is that God has no shape, as He is nirguna, Nirankar, Niranjana. From there He became saguna, Saakara, Sat chit Ananda swarupa. From Satchidananada Swarupa, He descends (avatar) on earth with a body by choice (not by karma) . Once He takes body, the body has to perish (like Krishna, Rama avatars had an end). However the God's name will remain. That name becomes mahamantra with all power of God. So for God, the name and He are same. Similarly, for Shirdi Saibaba, he and his photos are same. There are so many stories proving that. Coming back to avatar, His word will become action (as their sankalpa is so divine). Shirdi Saibaba once addressed rain, "stop". It stopped. Also once he told poison of a snake." stop raising" The poison stopped at the level of calf. As I see God's names , I think they signify one particular person believing one quality of human value. God is all perfect and personified of all qualities. But in one avatar one quality comes prominently. Then we cling to that name of God as we like that quality.

1. Rama - Dharma, maryada or duty,
2. Krishna - Karma( action) and detachment.
3. Parasurama- Righteousness or law enforcement.
4. Saibaba- Sradha ( devotion) and Saburi( patience)
5. Datta guru- Following Veda karmas, Sarvasya saranagathi (Datta)

One can add more. But we have to be cautious and confirm the same after lot of contemplation and prayer. While other great people like Harischandra followed Truth, Sibi chakravarti believed in kindness, Dhruva famous for determination (Dhruva nischayam), Sidhardha for non-violence, Avatars have showed the world a quality which is required during that age. Like Jesus showed compassion which was dire need in Middle East and west at that time.

I believe now the requirement is Love. Hence Satya Saibaba came. And you see so many great people propagating love. We can take the name we like, the name we believe , the name which is nearer to the human quality we like the most. All paths lead to the same God, what ever name we call.

D. Chakravarthy, Florida, USA
I shall appreciate very much if the address of the GURUJI (referred to as Sri Chandrabhanu Satpathy) that you have talked about in this newsletter is please published in the next newsletter or given to me personally. My father in India is unwell and I am planning to ask my father to see Guruji mainly for recovery of his health.

(Guru ji will be visiting Chicago for Sai Utsav from November 23-25, 2000. In India, Guru ji can be reached at New Delhi's Chatterpur's Shirdi Sai Mandir or please visit www.saibabaofshirdi.net for more details).

Madhusudhan Kuruvada
Dear SAI Devotees, recently I came across a site called WWW.saibabofshirdi.org. In that site, it is posted that Sai Baba's temple construction is in trouble. The temple is in Texas. The full address as given by one of the members of the Board is as follows:
SAI BABA, USA, 3214 TULAROSA,
EL PASO, TX 79903 USA
915-351-8388

It is said that many of the checks donated bounced and the contractor went to court. I sincerely request all the devotees to visit the site and get more information. I think if all Sai devotees can contribute, we can very easily help solve the problem. I know no one of us wants our beloved Sai's temple to be in this situation. So, please visit the site, get more information. Happy Diwali to all!!!
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Prayer Club

Sai Utsav 2000
We pray to Lord Sainath to bless the event SAI UTSAV and make it a grand success.

A Sai devotee
I am 24 years and am in a lot of pain. I am having severe misunderstandings with my in-laws. I am not a bad person at all. I have never wanted to hurt people I just wanted to be loving and friendly and never differentiated between my parents and in-laws. I have learnt a very bitter lesson. I always thought I was the one lucky person who will never be on hard terms and never have in-law problems. Sai Baba knows everything about me, He knows how much of love I have in my heart, he knows that my heart it just like His - "softer then wax" then why is He not making all this go away. I know we all have to suffer our sins in this lifetime and Baba will take care of us in the next life. Sai Baba why cant this be burnt and disappear in your presence. Please be with me, I really need you. I cannot turn to anyone else. I have surrendered myself to you. Baba even they are your children only and your children are in this pool of hatred and misunderstanding. Please Baba, I never wanted to ask you anything because I know you will give me what is good for me. This life is killing me Baba. I cant live and I can't die. Please Baba do something for me. If I have to live with this state of mind please take me away. yours you know.

Minoo Bhatia
DEAR, Baba I have just become a devotee of yours about a year ago. I am trying very hard to live my life happily. But, only you know what is missing. My husband and I have been married for nine years now, and desperately want a child. We have been to many doctors and have been told that there is no medical reason why we are not able to have a child. Baba, only you can make miracles happen. Please help us and bless us with a child. Dear, SAI devotees, please pray that Baba blesses us with a child soon. Baba is our only hope. Baba please take care of all of us. We are waiting to be blessed by you.
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Sai Activities

Sai Utsav 2000, Chicago, USA
(For the attention of devotees from New Jersey, New York and adjoining areas)
New Jersey Sai Baba Devotees Group is organizing a charter bus yatra to Chicago. Please contact Bharat S. Tel#732-309-3327; EMail:forbharat@hotmail.com for further details.

(For the attention of devotees from Atlanta and adjoining areas)
Atlanta Sai Baba Devotees Group is organizing a charter bus yatra to Chicago to participate in Sai Utsav in Chicago. Please contact Dr. Julu Kothapa by email at Jprof1@aol.com for further details.

Registrations are now open for Sai Utsav. Please visit Sai Utsav Page for further details and registration forms. Please register early to avoid disappointment.

All India Sai Samaj, Mylapore, Chennai.600 004 India:

(reported by K.Ramaswamy, President, All India Sai Samaj, Chennai, India)
Deepavali day was celebrated in All India Sai Samaj on 26th October 2000. Being Thursday, large number of devotees visited the temple to obtain the Blessings of Lord Sainath. There was a special abhisekam with large quantity of honey, milk and Ganges water in the morning around 5.15 a.m. All the devotees were permitted to perform abhisekam to Lord Sainath and have the satisfaction of participating. The temple was kept open throughout the day till midnight in the night to enable devotees to have nice dharsan and obtain the blessings of Lord Sainath.

We pray Lord Sainath for world peace and Blessings to all on this happy occasion of Deepavali 2000.

Sri Sai Baba Sanmarg Sangh(Reg.), Ramnagar Colony, Alwal, R R Dist., Secunderabad 500 010 Andhra Pradesh, India:
This temple was constructed on the land and resources provided by Sri M.R.Krishna former Union Minister (Defence & Industries) of Govt. Of India. At the site at Alwal, a place once popular with BALAJI TEMPLE which was like Tirupathi for the people of Hyderabad and as the Holiday Home of SIR KRISHNA PRASAD, then Hindu Prime Minister of the Muslim Ruler the Nizam of Hyderabad. This temple was inaugurated in the year 1994 by Hon'ble Krishna Kant, former Governor of A P and the present Vice President of India. Foundation stone for another important institution SARVA MATHA SHANTHI NILAYAM (ALL FAITHS UNITY CENTRE) was laid by Dr.Karan Singh, former ruler of Jammu & Kashmir. This center will serve for a larger number of areas and people as a meditation center, Library, place for marriages for poor couples, place for permanent hostel for destitute women and shelter for aged. Some more activities and expansion of Siddhartha Vinayaga Vidya Niketan and Training program for employment for the unemployed youth are the immediate plans of the Board of Trustees. Sri Bhim Rao Ambedkar,V R Charitable Trust has helped very much

A LIFE SIZE PURE MARBLE STATUE OF SRI SAI BABA Will be installed on the auspicious occasion of Karthika Poornima and Guru Nanak Birthday on the 11th November 2000. Eminent Sai devotees like Ammula Sambasiva Rao, Swami Pragya-nandji, sri Mahabhashyam Rangacharya, Sri D.Sankariah, Sri K.Ramaswamy, President, All India Sai Samaj,Chennai and many others are likely to participate.
For further particulars please contact by email mrkrishna2K@yahoo.com
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Experiences of Devotees

Meenakshi Dixit
Om Sainathaya Namaha

I am Sai Baba's devotee since 1988. After my marriage I went to Shirdi with my husband in January 1990. Since then we had a number of miracles happen to us of which I am going to share with you one. It was during my second son's pregnancy in the 5th or 6th month when I found that we had no stock of the Sacred Udi at our home. I was concerned as I had a feeling that this delivery will be complicated and Udi will help me in the delivery. My husband suggested that he would visit Shirdi to get the Udi but gave up on my persistence and also he did not find it right to go to Sai Baba all by himself. But then he assured me that if I sincerely desired the Udi from Sai Baba then he would send it. A few days later my husband's former student came to our house. He used to stay close to our house. When he came that afternoon we still had the idea that he is staying in the same place. When my husband enquired about it he said that he was coming from Kerala as he had got a job there and had come to Hyderabad from where he was going to Shirdi and then to his native place near Hyderabad. This was the first time he visited us and never came to our house when he stayed so close! Our joy knew no bounds as true to our wishes and belief we were getting the Udi. Then my husband asked him to get the Sacred Udi from Dwarakamai for me and told him all that had transpired between me and him(my husband). His student brought the Udi after a week. Before going into the labor room I drank the Udi mixed with water and remembered Sai Baba. I delivered a boy who we named Sai. The delivery had complications but the Udi came to my aid and everything passed off smoothly. We felt that Baba himself came to our aid. Satchidananda Sadguru Shri Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai!
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Question of the Week

"How can Sai devotees reflect Baba's humility in their daily lives?"
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Quotation of the Week

"Sai Baba of Shirdi is a phenomenon. In all of India's history, there has never been another like him. He is not a conventional saint. He wrote no critique of Bhagavad Gita or the Upanishads or any other holy work. He made no pretensions to scholarship yet he had a profound insight into both Hindu and Islamic scriptures. He founded no ashram or peetham, wrote no tome, initiated no disciple to take over him. He performed miracles but in no manner of means to impress anyone, devotee or otherwise. Sai Baba in every way remains unique." - from Sai Baba of Shirdi a Unique Saint, by MV Kamath and VB Kher
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