Mankind has achieved an immeasurable growth in the way it has molded its material life. As the most intelligent species in the universe, at least as evident at this point in time, human race has come a long way in looking at itself and its surroundings. Advances made in every category of rational knowledge have resulted in the manner our physical lives exist today. While people have responded to the science of physical nature for their material betterment, the same can not be said about the attempts to quench the yearning beyond our physical boundaries. Hard times lead one to question those factors beyond our reasoning, while good times do not have that quest as a priority.

The ingenuity of the scientists of physical world has bettered our lives and may be by doing so, has also distanced ourselves from the conscious within us. The quest to seek the conscious within for reasoning the unknown is like a dying fire that has to be fuelled. The fire is kept alive by appearance of realized souls from time to time, as if conforming to a plan unknown to humanity. Sadguru Sai Baba is one such soul that appeared as a spark at the dawn of last century. The spark has steadily grown into a beacon that shines light in the lives of innumerable people that has faith in Him. His Holiness Shri Narasimhaswamiji wrote in his "Glimpses of Sai Baba" that seers like Sainath of Shirdi are scientists of the soul. These Scientists in their own way kindle and re-kindle the quest to know the within and thus help realize the purpose life may have. The scientist of Shirdi is unique in His own way. He stood with everyone, stayed beyond the divisions of caste and religion. He stood out as the unifying force common to all, like the sky, moon, light, and water.
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Contributed Article: Sadguru, The Eternal One...

Pleasures and pains are part of life. It is believed that they come and go in cycles and are based on the laws of Karma. The only prolonged happiness one can feel is in the presence of a Sadguru and as long as the Sadguru's grace is with one. Can one fall from the grace of his Sadguru? Absolutely, when one can not or will not conform to the dictums of the Sadguru, what can the Sadguru do? Sadguru loves all HIS children equally, but when one is not listening or wants to traverse on a different path, the Sadguru is forced to let the laws of nature work on their own.

What is conformity to dictums of Sadguru? Does it mean we loose our independence or become a slave to one? Far from it, the very dictums of Sadguru are Universal that supports nature and enhancement of society as a whole. Sadguru out of his infinite compassion and love of Nature; provides insight to his devotees of the true nature of life itself and its purpose so that one can enhance their knowledge and differentiate between the real and unreal.

Sadguru's are like light houses guiding the ships to safety in the darkness. Sadguru's roles are diverse from providing and taking care of the needs of devotees in this life on earth to guiding the soul when it continues its journey beyond. Without any care for themselves, their entire time is spent in helping devotees in a variety of ways. Sadguru's possess the capacity and capability of coping with any situation that can be imagined by ordinary mortals. Their first and foremost task is to serve their devotees.

How does the Sadguru serve his devotees even after discarding the mortal body? That is a fair question asked by many. Since we can't perceive anything beyond our five senses it is unthinkable and unimaginable by us that some one out there can help us. It defeats our logic and hence such thoughts are discouraged and discarded. Saints, Peers and self-realized of all ages recognize that the soul is on its journey even after discarding the mortal body.

The Sadguru's influence continues to wield as that Soul never dies. The Sadguru is ever active and vigilant looking after the welfare of those who are destined to come to Him whether willingly or not. Sadguru provides ample proof of this by the ever-increasing number of beneficiaries who throng to His shrine. Only a visit to Shirdi can answer your questions and clear your doubts about our Sadguru Shri Sainath.

maildrop@saibaba.org
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Experiences of Devotees

Vijay Kumar
After visiting Shirdi last month, I have boarded flight to New Zealand on 23 I landed in NZ. My luggage did not come and I was told that it would come the next day. I have a bag with my documents and passport. A little money I carried with me from India. The same night there was burglary at home. I was sleeping with my friends in the first floor. The thief entered house from the rear door and emptied the house. He checked my bag and it was found near the rear door. I do not understand my purse; he did not touch gold watch and documents. The electronic goods in the house were stolen. The car in the garage was also stolen. My money in the almirah with my passport was also not touched. The next day the luggage came to New Zealand and was brought to my home safely by the authorities. People here say, the new people who come from outside are attacked. They bring in gold and money and imagine I lost only one new pair of pants, which I wore, from India to NZ. and I lost nothing. I was mentally disturbed because it happened the day when I came to NZ and felt my entry was a bad omen to my friends. They had to spend money for the repairs of the car, as it was not insured. All the other articles were insured and they have applied for insurance, which they get in few days. Should I say I was lucky to be left alone safely? Or was that Baba who helped me. Baba thank you very much for being with me. Help me and my family in settling down in this unknown world.
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Devotees say...

Robert Kirk, New York, USA
I wish to take the time to thank all those friends who were worried about my safety during the WTC crisis. I am humbled to witness the enormous overflowing of sympathy expressed worldwide. It was and is a very emotional time in New York. Everyone should be proud to know the enormous strength New Yorkers displayed during these very trying times. I witnessed the attacks personally, witnessed the enormous grief, witnessed the walls of tears, where the photos of lost loved ones were posted, witnessed the many candle lit poojas placed throughout the New York streets, as well as the emergency sites and the tireless volunteers. I listened to prayer services where the heads of all the major religions prayed together as one, in the many tongues of God.

My heart has an open wound that may never heal. New York City has always been the most extraordinarily diverse community in the world. We were all fully united each moment during these sad times. We mourn for our lost comrades. We will never forget them. I pray for all the innocents worldwide. I cry for the children. No scriptural composition can adequately display proper sentiment when the heart has been torn apart. Solace is never provided by intellectual assimilation during this kind of grief.

My father served in the military during the pre-dawn aftermath of war. Even after more than fifty years, he can hardly speak about his memories for more than a few sentences before changing the subject. The day after the WTC blast, we met, he looked at me in horror, and he asked, "What kind of people can take a plane filled with innocent civilians and perform such a horrible act of murder and destruction?" I thought for a moment and responded, "The same type of people that can run up a burning staircase in a building that is about to collapse."

Dear Sai bhaktas, think about this. Both are men of God, yet one commits murder and one sacrifices his or her life to save others. The difference is dharma. God embraces the righteous and condemns the deluded. There are those who say that all paths lead to the same goal. I believe that the truth contains more dimensions. There are those who say that it is better to remain silent than stand up for one's beliefs, if any words spoken appear hurtful. Silence is also a great weapon, which can cause unspeakable pain. All too often, it is used as a powerful tool to control and to conceal.

We learned again this past month, that there are those who feed the poor and uplift the downtrodden, who also conceal their ability to plot and to commit heinous crimes against the innocent. They even have the audacity to pose as holy men, even believe themselves to be spokesman for God while gathering their flocks. Men like this exist in all traditions, in all walks of life, in all levels of delusion, for all time. I do not ask you to judge them. God and society will do that for us. I do ask that you honestly judge your own belief structures. Always look within to find and conquer your own limitations. Always look within to discover your own Source and unite with your Beloved. I wish to end with two quotes. In the Siva Mahima Stotram, it is sung that people follow different paths, straight or crooked, according to their temperament, depending on what they consider best or most appropriate, and reach You (Siva) alone, just as rivers enter the ocean. These scriptural words have always been dear to me. The Siva aspect of Lord Sainath will judge the quality of the path taken. God protects us all.

Shirdi Sai Baba said, "Humility is good; however, not in all cases. If we meet sinful and wicked people, humility should be concealed while dealing with them, because when the wealthy become soft, evil forces begin to work. Our dealing with the wicked must be stern and severe; however, toward Sadhus and Saints, we should be humbler than straw before them." Sai Baba leaves the evolution of the discriminating spirit as our own lifelong learning experience, as our own individual service to God. Aum Sai Ram!

Amit Kochar
Sai Baba has given me great courage in last 4 years to fight problems as I live alone. I always feel Baba is with me. I would like to share with everyone one of the beautiful experience I had two months back. I fractured my wrist while playing in August. My hand was put in cast for 3 weeks. I went to doctor to take my cast off after 3 weeks and to get another X-ray to make sure my wrist is healing. I was very concerned, while waiting for doctor to examine my X-ray because wrist fracture is difficult to heal and was praying that X-ray should came fine. There was a voice that was coming from inside me and it said, "Do you believe in your Baba, then do not worry, your X-ray report will be alright". The doctor came and said your X-ray is fine and you hand has started to heal. I was overwhelmed by joy and its very difficult to explain here (all Sai Bhaktas can understand how I felt).

Havovi Medora, New Jersey, USA
I just wanted to say how much I enjoyed the article written by Mr. Rakesh Mishra of Phoenix Arizona. It was very well worded and so true. It is very heartening to read of Sai Baba devotees from all around the world and this is the proof of the power of the Incredible Sai Baba. He went nowhere just sat in that small dilapidated masjid in Shirdi a small dot on the map and today from all corners of the world you read of Sai Baba devotees. Just hang on tight to his lotus feet and you will always see happiness and success. He has never let anyone down. All other prophets and messengers moved from place to place to spread their word Sai Baba 's fame has been spread by his devotees people who had never heard of him yesterday are his staunch devotees today. Miracles occur in all our lives to show his presence and his omnipotent power. We are indeed a fortunate lot.
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Prayer Club

Vidya Bansal
Sai, please accept my prayers and bless me with a child. If I have done anything wrong knowingly or unknowingly, please forgive me. I am not sure if I am praying sincerely, but I am trying my best. I know, you expect two things from your devotees, trust, and patience. But Baba you know, what my parents and I would have to go through if I do not get pregnant soon. I am feeling very restless and I know you say that one must endure the fruits of its past actions, but with your blessings, the sufferings end. Please do the same for me Baba. JAI SAI RAM.

Geetika Pawan Sethi
Om Sai Ram! Baba, I have been waiting to come to you since 2years but you never called me. Now at last you have called me. I am so happy that I shall be coming to your darbar tomorrow with my husband and three children out of which my youngest son who is 2 years old will be coming for the first time. Please bless him and all of us.

Pooja Walia
Dear Sai Devotees, I humbly pray to Baba to help me and give me courage. I also would like to know from all you wonderful devotees if there is a Sai Mandir in the Dallas/Fortworth Area - Is there anywhere where they have Sai Aarti or bhajans? I would be forever grateful if you would let me know. I bow to SHRI SAI. SAI RAM.

A Sai devotee
Om Sri Sai Ram, my life has been a total mess at the moment we are depending on the help of our very close relatives without which we would have been stranded. We are Baba Devotees and have complete confidence one day everything shall be fine at the moment we are really going through a bad time everything seems to be going wrong. We kindly request everybody to pray for us. Om Sri Sai Ram

Krishna
Sairam, You know what is going on with our lives these days. Please help me get a good job as soon as possible. My job will be no more from next month onwards. I am very very much tensed about this. SAI, you can do anything. Please help him get a good posting now. SAIRAM, I have started and completed the Satcharita parayana twice. Please help us. I request all Sai devotees to pray in this matter. I would be ever grateful to all of you. After we came to know about this, we are very much tense. Dear SAI, please be with us and help us. Thank you

Shreeram B
Dear Sai Baba, I request all Sai devotees to pray for my mental and physical health. I am also a Sai devotee. I am very much depressed and feel as if somebody is doing bad (tantras) on me. I really do not have any peace of mind and all my family members; especially my aged parents are very much worried about me. I really need Sai Baba's divine grace to come out of these difficulties. I am not able to study or concentrate on any kind of job. I am hearing inner voices. Please help me. I came to Canada to continue my studies. But I just could not concentrate on anything. I am not even able to attend classes. Please help me. I am desperate. I wanted to come back to India. But it is quite expensive and everybody is suggesting me not to travel in the present situation (war condition). My family members are telling that I have a very good opportunity and I should not lose it. I know that also, but I could not do anything. I need Sai Baba's divine help in this. Please help me.
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Quotation of the Week

"I shall serve those who hear my stories and teachings and I will satisfy all their wishes. Even if my stories are merely listened to, all their diseases will be cured and I shall pull out my devotees from the jaws of impending dangers" - Shirdi Sai Baba

Question of the Week

Q. "What is death? Discuss death and immortality?"
A. Mala Gupta

Death is a journey home; it is a journey home to that oneness with God that you have craved your entire life. It is not say however, that oneness with God cannot be achieved without the experience of physical death, but it is a final letting go of who you thought yourself to be and remembering who you truly are. You, as your soul, are an integral part of God, the All That Is, exquisitely loved, cherished, and accepted. Your experiences upon earth are merely lessons, things that you have chosen to learn, for the soul seeks expansion and growth just as God seeks to know himself (herself) in all his manifestations. At the moment of death, a great sense of relief overcomes the outgoing soul. It is like a butterfly finally leaving its cocoon, or a small chick finally leaving the confines of the egg. For your soul, the physical body is heavy, and being in the physical creates veils that obscure the light of truth. As the soul leaves the body, it as if a great weight has been lifted of the shoulders. This is not only owing to the leaving behind of the physical body, but also owing to the release of emotions surrounding the physical life that has just been lead. All emotional and mental burdens are released and the soul, who still identifies itself with the personality self of the life just lead, moves on and upwards into the greater light, the light of the Universal Soul, that which you have called love. Each soul is a part of this light, each soul is a child of God, infinitely loved and cherished. Therefore, death is a homecoming, like the prodigal son and there is great celebration. You, the soul, have been on a journey of discovery, you have been on a journey into the physical, to know yourself as a physical being, and now you have returned home, to your true home, for rest and recuperation before you go on yet another journey of discovery.
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Sai Activities

Saidarbar- Hyderabad, India
Vijaya Dasami & BABA's MahaSamadhi Day (Punya Thidhi)
on 26-10-2001 in
Sri Shirdi SAIBABA Mandir, Maruthi Nagar,
JaiJavan Colony, Kapra, Secunderabad.
The program is as follows:
05:15 Kakada Aarathi
06:00 Abhishekam
07:00 Nutana Vastra Alankarana
09:00 Archana
12:00 Noon Aarathi
13:00 Annadhanam sponsored by Sri Kandasamy Rajah - Canada,
Sri Badari Narasimman U.S.A. & Sri Kandula BalaKrishna U.S.A.
17:00 Jammi Puja (VijayaDasami Greetings)
18:15 Dhoop Aarathi
19:00 SatSangh & Discourse by Sri Saibanisa - GopalaRao Ravada on SAI in Ramayana
20:30 Distribution of Sweets
21:30 Sej Aarathi

Sai Satsang, Columbus, OH, USA
I am a Shiridi SAI devotee for the past 7 years. Two and half years back we started a Bhajan Group doing bhajans on every Thursday. Now we are proposing to construct a temple for Ganesha, Shiridi Sai, and Maruti here in Columbus, Ohio. The incidents narrated below prompted us to go for the temple. I am having an intention to donate money for Shirdi Sai Murthi in India/US for a long time. Recently I had a dream where I was standing in Dwarakamai, asking Baba to fulfill my wish for Murthi Sthapan and I heard Baba telling me MANDIR, MANDIR. Immediately after this incident within one week, we met a woman named Bhanumati accidentally, who was visiting Columbus. She is a great devotee of Shirdi Sai and has enormous powers. Daily she does all the four Shirdi Sai Aratis at her son's apartment and we have seen Vibhuti and Honey on all the photos in the pooja mandir and apartment. Even we have seen vibhuti from the photos of Shirdi Sai Baba and Sathya Sai Baba, wherever she attended bhajans. She talks to Baba regularly and we have seen her taking pains of other people. She informed us that Baba predicted her a Maruti temple in near future in Columbus. We consider this as Lord Sai Nath's indication and stated working towards construction of the temple. No doubt, It is a big project and we welcome your suggestions and help for this project. SHIRI SADGURU SAINATH MAHARAJ KI JAI. SAIRAM. Varaha N. Appikatla

Navarathiri Celebration at BABA PRAYER CENTRE,
Baba Prayer Centre 6/1 Papani Apartment,
67th St. 11th Avenue Ashoknagar, Chennai 83, India
17-10-2001 Navarathri Function Begins at 6 PM - 6P.M Doopa Arathi;
6.45 P.M BABA Astothram
18-10-2001 6 P.M Doopa Arathi ; 6.30 P.M Mass Meditation
19.10.2001 6 P.M Doopa Arathi; 6.45 P.M Lalitha Sahasranamam
20.10.2001 6 P.M Doopa Arathi; 6.45 P.M Vishnu Sahasranamam
21.10.2001 TO
24.10.2001 6P.M Doopa arathi; 6.45 P.M BABA Astotram
25.10.2001 6 P.M Doopa Arathi; 6.45 P.M Baba Sahasranamam
26.10.2001 Mahasamadhi Day - 10 A.M Abhishegam;
10.30 A.M OMSAI SRISAI JAIJAISAI Chanting
12 Noon Annadhanam; 6 P.M Doopa Arathi

Mala Rajendran
If any of you want to join Thursday Aartis to Baba near Fremont, California, please contact Sunita at 510-796-6096 or myself at 510-797-6259. May Baba bless every soul.
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