Sainath said humbly, "I am a servant of the lord". "Allah Maalik" or God is great. Sai Baba also said that He is in everyone and those who know Him that way will accomplish the benefits of spiritual realization. Is Sainath what we see He is? Just three cubits length of a mendicant who roamed the hamlet of Shirdi several years ago?

Let us read what Shri B.V. Narasimhaswami ji says,
"Gurow manushyata buddhih
sishyaya yadi jaayate
nahi tasya bhavet siddhih
kalpa koti scatair api"

"That means that if you treat a Guru as a mere man, your sadhana will be a failure perpetually. Faith in the Guru is specially needed for God realization. The Guru who has himself realized his soul as identical with Para Brahman (a truth expressed as "Main Allah Hum" by Baba) works at the soul of his disciple (sishya), and after seeing that it is duly prepared, and at the right moment, utter a word or uses a gesture or makes other effort, and the effect is instantaneous. The sishya is drawn into the same state of Satchitananda resulting from the experience of Jiva-Brahma Aikya. This is done in one minute or half a minute, as the Guru Gita says - ‘Nimishena Nimishardhena’. That is, "In a moment or half a moment the Guru and his disciple are in that realized state as a result of the Guru’s action and sishya’s faith. This involves, no doubt, a previous preparation under the Guru’s care of the sishya’s soul for a very long time. But the final effect takes no time. It is instantaneous".
(from "Life of Saibaba" Part I, by H.H. Narasimha Swamiji, Founder President, All India Sai Samaj)
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Experiences of Devotees

Prabodh Telang Chicago IL USA
HARI OM TATSAT, SHREE SAINATH MAHARAJ KI JAI....
I am a SAI-BHAKTA right from my child hood (with the blessings of my parents and my Satguru Param pujya Shree Bhaktaraj Maharaj from Indore MP India). Just like me now my son Jay (3.5 Yr.) is also proceeding on the same steps. He too loves Sai-Baba and worships him every day. As far as my experiences are concerned, I have countless experiences related to BABA and many of them have been just out of the world kind. I would be glad to share them with any body.

Anyway, this particular experience is one of the simplest kinds. It was very recent when we had a bad snowstorm in Chicago (Jan 99). It was a worst of its kind as we had over 18 inches of snow in just one day. Due to some unavoidable reasons I had to go out in my car and my son was also with me. While our return, my car got stuck in the heavily accumulated snow just close to my residence. I tried by all means to pull my car out, but without a success. Just after that my son who was quietly sitting in his car seat, told me that " Hey Dad, BABA just now talked to me and told me not to worry, he said I'll come to help you". He was pointing to Sai-Baba’s photo on my car's dashboard. After that I carried my son home, leaving my car in the same condition. When I returned, I was very much surprised to see an American gentleman parking his huge 4x4 truck, just at the back of my car. Without saying a word he took out a rope to tie my car to his truck (this is very unusual in the US, some body carrying a rope and then doing this without being asked). Within few minuets he pulled my car out. I duly thanked him and in return he just said, "I enjoyed it!" He was gone within no time. I was left thinking, how could he come from just no where. That too in the middle of such a bad storm??? But then I realized, what BABA had told Jay. BABA actually came to help us in this form. SAI YOU ARE GREAT. YOU ARE OMNI PRESENT...

Pankaj
(Originally posted on March 7, 1999)
Only recently, due to certain circumstances I turned to Saibaba, I promised him by saying that show me your strength for those who turn to you and I will do all I can to learn more about you. By the grace of Saibaba events turned out well for me and I embarked upon a journey to fulfil my promise. I was reading a book on Shirdi Saibaba and a particular chapter in the book stated that those who read this book with heartfelt devotion will receive 'Sai-darshan' in 'some' form. That night when I got home from work a friend had sent me a Sai calendar for 1999 through another party. I had not asked for this calendar, my friend did not know I was reading this book, moreover, the person who brought the calendar to me did not know I was reading the book. I believe this to be the 'Sai-darshan' the book mentioned. I would also say to all 'new' Sai devotees that have faith and you will be welcomed and blessed as I have been. Sai-Ram to all.
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Devotees say...

Indrani
Dearest brothers and sisters, thank you so much for praying for me. It is your unselfish prayer which made me better. I went to the hospital this Tuesday and to my amazement I was told that I don't have anything wrong with my liver. I thank all of you for your love and kindness. I will definitely take every one's advice and I will let you know when the baby arrives. I have a friend who is suffering from asthma please can you pray for her so that she gets better. Thank you. My love and Pranams to you all. A thousand pranams at your lotus feet dearest Lord.

Mukesh
Sai Ram. I thank you for inserting these prayers for my Sister in Sai Vichaar. May SAI bless all

Deepak S Agarwal
I received a chain letter asking me to forward 31 copies to persons I know if I do it I shall be rewarded by Sai Baba or if I ignore I shall be penalized. I feel it is not right to send such letters as it in fact invites adverse response to the holy status of Baba. I am sure Baba will do no harm to any one as HE only provides solace to people in need. I urge people through this letter to desist from this practice of chain letters which only does disservice to the cause and name of BABA. JAI SAI RAM !
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Sai Activities

Hindu festivals Ugadi (NewYear celebrations of those following certain Hindu calenders) and Shri Rama Navami (the birth celebration of Lord Rama) are celebrated in the month of March. Sai centers are requested to share information on the activities planned in connection with the celebration of these festivals. Please send all particulars of the festivities to Shirdi Sai Baba Web site administrator for featuring them in Sai Vichaar.
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Prayer Club

Poonam, Dubai, UAE
I am sending this mail from Dubai. My son who is just eight years old has developed some problem in his brain, told by doctors as arachnoidal cyst which indicates increased CSF fluid. Because of this, he suffers from terrible headache, giddiness and vomiting and for which there is no treatment. Today, I am suffering a lot inside and was remembering Sai baba. Due to his blessings I had given birth to my wonderful son and had taken him to Shirdi for Sai Baba’s darshan but today that child is suffering. I am praying Sai Baba day and night and do have faith in him but sometimes I get very scared thinking of his future that I get very disturbed. Can somebody help me and pray for me or tell me what shall I do. I am writing this letter to Sai Vichaar so that somebody could guide me. Thank You.

Kumar, Botswana
I am a devotee of Baba, and hitherto I am following the directions of Baba to me. I require Baba blessings to one Mrs. Kailasm who is at present suffering from spondilitis and she could not lift her hand. she is a devotee of Baba and doing yeomen services here. another request from Baba is that he must bless with his vibuti so that this can be taken to all hospitals and sick people and to those in need and also bring Baba's glory. I do not want to take it as a pat on my back that I am getting Baba's blessings but his vibuti will be shared by one and all . lastly I want Baba's continued blessing and cure my spinal disk problem. I require devotees prayer.

Sreemathi
Namaskarams to Baba. Kindly bestow upon my second son the grace of marriage. His marriage is getting delayed. Kindly bestow a good girl of repute and love and understanding at the earliest, dear lord. My grand son, Saikumar should have a good and healthy and long life with your grace all the time. Please take care of the child Baba. Baba please be with us always.
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Question of the Week

"What may be the purpose of Idol worship?"

Amit, CA, USA
In Chapter XI of Sai-Satcharita there is beautiful comparison given between two aspects of God or Brahman.
1) Unmanifisted (Nirgun)- formless.
2) Manifested (Sagun) -with form . worship is easier, as man has got body, senses it is natural and easy to worship the God with form. Our love and devotion do no develop unless we worship Sagun Brahman for a certain period of time and as we advance, it leads to worship (meditation) of the Nirgun Brahman. Though Baba looked like embodied (as having a form) he was really dis-embodied, emotionless, unattached and internally free. Lord Krishna said that Saint is my soul , my living image , I am He and He is My pure form (Being) . Though Baba looked liked living in Shirdi, He was present everywhere ,This all pervasiveness of His daily was daily experienced by his devotes(us) .Our humble prostration to this all-pervasive Sad-guru. There is beautiful saying...
IF YOU LOOK AT ME , I LOOK AT YOU.
Bow to Shree Sai Baba, Peace be to all.

Rebecca, Vermont, USA
In reply to the idol worship question. Idols are a very sensitive question in Christianity as there are many warnings against them in the Bible. In Hinduism it is felt that God, as the unknowable, non dualistic, can take any form required by the devotee', even that of an idol, in order to relate to him in this world of duality. My grandfather, who was an Episcopalian minister, said that one should be careful what one took to be the voice of God, and to be very sure it is really God's voice and not something else, and I think this must be true for idols and images, too.

But to change the subject, I keep thinking of that person who wrote in whose father had died and seemed to be having a crisis of faith. Nobody replied to him, but still we keep getting letters about Baba helping in this or that. Would some devotees care to comment on the question of unanswered prayer. It is something I certainly wonder about.
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