A number of temples of Saibaba are being built around the world. These are not just temples but the branches of ever expanding wonderful tree of Sai devotion. These temples should not be limited to mere places of Sai worship and bhajans; but should branch into anchors that instrument the awakening and spreading of the unique Sai tradition. These temples should develop into the abode of invaluable spiritual principles that Saibaba stood for and not mere places of convenient ritualistic formalities. One should not indulge in wasteful deliberations such as whether the temple built should be a replica of Shirdi Mandir, if one should install Dhuni like in Shirdi or how to perform all aarthis like the way they are performed in Shirdi. Sai temples should imbibe the idealistic path of Saibaba and glorify the significance of sacred Sai tradition that made Shirdi into a place of pilgrimage. To accomplish this awareness requires Sai's grace and our efforts should be to earn the grace by knowing and imbibing the values Saibaba represents. There should be a strong sense of community and everyone should feel that the temple belongs to all. Everyone will have comforts and inconveniences when it comes to managing a Sai temple. However, if we get rid of the feelings of "ours' and "yours", most issues do not sprout into problems. Such a sacred, goodwill seeking, happy and fulfilling transformation is the result of Saibaba's grace and His grace alone. With that awareness, we have to pray to secure Sai grace that fulfills our wishes.

(Source: "Sai Bhakthi Saadhana Rahasyam" (The Secret of Sai Bhakthi Saadhana) in Telugu -- by Sri Sainathuni Sarathbabu ji)
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Contributed Article:Sri Sai Pancha Sooktam: Sooktam 3

GuNaatmakam NirguNaroopa Bhaasam
GaNaadhipam Saphaleekruta Kaaram
Sarveswaram Sadgururoopa Dhaarim
Sri-Saainaadham Sirasaa Namaami

Meaning:
GuNaatmakam NirguNaroopa Bhaasam - Oh! The one with form, and formless manifestations
GaNaadhipam Saphaleekruta Kaaram - Oh! the head of all GaNaas! you cause the efforts of your devotees to be successful
Sarveswaram -Sadgururoopa Dharim - The God of all - both animate and inanimate - You wore the form of Sadguru
Sri-Saainaadham Sirasaa Namaami - Oh Sainaadha! With all my thoughts (head) focused on you I offer my prayers!

(Contributed by Prasad V Nimmagadda)
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Experiences of Devotees

Ratnakar K
Our family is devotees of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba from 1981 onwards. From that time, we had several experiences in our life and Shri Sai has been blessing us always. We had our ups and downs as anyone in life but Sai was always there protecting us in one way or the other. The important point that I thought of mentioning is we are three brothers and no sisters. My mother always longed to have a daughter to herself and she never told anyone of this but, when we sons got married and settling into life she made her prayers to Sai that she should have grand daughters now at least. Unbelievably all three of us have daughters and all three of them are born on Thursday the dearest day for Shri Sai. My daughter was the first one to be born on January 9, 1997(Thursday) with Sai's blessings, my first brother was blessed in the same year with a daughter on July 3, 1997 and my last brother was blessed recently on April 10, 2003 with a daughter. All three Thursdays and it was actually as if they were waiting to be born on Thursday. It may be a mere coincidence who will not believe in all of this but for us, it is a blessing and message from Sai that he is there always to help us moving around in our homes in the form of our daughters. All three of us are in USA working in different areas. My mother is so happy to see all her grand daughters and says that it is Sai who blessed her and fulfilled her wish. We pray to Shri Sai to bless us always with happiness & prosperity and give a life filled with joy and bhakti.
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Devotees say...

Ashish Gode
Its long since the visit to Shirdi. But due to the blessings of Shri Sai His existence is felt all over. The cultural differences aren't a hindrance to the vast community, which believes in Shri Sai's existence. Hope that Shri Sai takes care of all the devotees as He does currently. I am feeling the importance of the Cue word Shraddha and Saburi, waiting long to visit the Holy place of Shirdi! Its nearly one year now!! Om Sai.

Sheeba
Thank you Baba for always giving us strength and helping us during the moments of crisis. As you know my brother went through a very bad time and I prayed you to help him get through his exams. He says it all went well beyond his expectations by your grace. I sincerely request you baba to get the results in his favor. I also humbly request you to get our green card quickly as possible as everything is getting delayed with out any reasons. I also beg you to give me suitable job Baba. Bless us all with good health and happiness always. Om Sai Ram!
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Prayer Club

Swathi
Om Sairam. Baba, please fulfill my wishes. Please give me one chance so that I can be of help to others. Forgive me for my sins and help my family to always go on a right path. Protect us always from evil. Guide us and keep us in your fold always.

Gayathri
Om Sai Jai Jai Sai! ! ! Baba, Thanks for giving everything & taking care of us all this while, Baba, please shower your blessings like this always & let us remain in your LOTUS FEET & keep chanting your name always. Baba, nothing is hidden from you, as you know for no fault of ours we have been implicated, please help us to come out of it immediately. Please Baba, help your children to come out of this anxiety.

Mallika V
Dear Sai baba, you know what my worry is, please fulfill my wish, please solve my heath problem, I don't have any body other than you, please help me to come out of this depression, please also help my friend who lost her husband with in one month of her marriage, please help her in settling down, please help all in need, please shower your blessings on all of us, please forgive all my mistakes, show me the right path in life. Om Sainadhaya namah. koti pranams to you.

Hemanth Naik
Om Shree Sai Baba, I bow down to you. Please enlighten me, why I have many misfortunes, one after the other. I never have a steady job. Whenever I get a job, it never lasts, don't know why. Whatever money I had, also tried my luck to invest it and get self employed, but as usual lost all the money and ended up closing the business. My wife and me are totally broken down. We have been your devotees since birth and always prey for your protection. I am presently unemployed and having real hard time, to focus in all aspects of life. Please help me out Sai Baba.Please I plead and bow to you, give us financial success, peace of mind and good health. These financial problem is having bad effect on our mind and health. Sai, Sai, Sai, Sai Baba......Om Sai Nathay Namah...Om Sai Ram

V Saradha
Baba Sarvantharayame I pray for my husbands job. He has been having problems regarding job for past year and half or so. Right now, he doesn't have any project on hand and due to recent tragedy of his younger brother, he has been very depressed. So please Baba help him in this regard and give hope and courage to plan and face the future.

Sai Devotee
Sai maharaj! At the outset, we wish to offer our prayers and request you to help us imbibe the habit of remembering you at all times. Only when we remember your invaluable preaching, we can gain total peace and happiness. Now that you have united us, we have left everything at your lotus feet. Please help us gain stability in all aspects and support us with good health and settle our lives. Make us mentally strong and keep us on the righteous path at all times.

Sujata
Om Sai Ram. Baba, I am really grateful to you for all that you have given to us. Thank you very much for curing my sister and husband. Please shower your blessings on us and give good health to all our family members. Kindly bless my daughter so that she becomes a good human being and achieves success and happiness in life. Kindly bless her. Om Sai Ram.
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Quotation of the Week
Whether good or bad, whatever belongs to you is with you and whatever belongs to others is with them-Sai Baba of Shirdi (Sai Satcharitra - Chapter 45)
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Question of the Week

Q. What do we learn from the experiences of Sai devotee Raghuvir Bhaskar Purandhare?

A. by Ravin Gnanasambandam, Minnesota

The following two episodes taken from Sai literature depict the diligence and sincerity of RB Purandhere towards Saibaba: The spiritual perfection of a Sadguru consists in realizing his essential identity with the one spirit of all existence, which is god. All the gods of the Hindu pantheon are its different aspects. Thus, the perfect Master is one who can demonstrate that he is all the gods, as Sai Baba did. Raghuvir Purandhare too had such an experience. About the year 1913, his mother was asking him repeatedly to take her to Pandharpur even when they were at Shirdi. Even before Purandhare broached the subject of going to Pandharpur with him, Sai Baba himself mentioned it by asking her when she proposed to "start for Pandhari". The same day, Purandhare and his mother got darshan of Baba as Vithal and Rukambai in the musjid itself! They were naturally, highly pleased with the experience and did hot wish to go to "Pandhari" any longer. Afterwards, Baba often asked purandhare's mother, in a jocular manner, when she proposed to go to Pandharpur and she always replied that her chosen deity was at Shirdi and so Shirdi was her Pandharpur.

(Source: Saibaba the Master by Acharya Ekkirala Bharadwaja)

R.B Purandhare was a Railway servant. Once he applied for leave, as he wanted to go to Shirdi with his family. The leave was sanctioned and Railway passes for free Rail Journey were given to him. A day previous to his departure the Railway workmen were reported to be planning a strike, so his superior officer requested Purandhare to adjourn his going to Shirdi for some time; but Purandhare was adamant; for Shirdi he had fixed, even though the office promised him, he would see that he gets his leave and also the Railway passes after the crisis had been tided over. Purandhare returned home and made all preparations for starting. That very night Baba appeared in his dream with a staff in his hand. He was very angry, strongly admonished him, and finally ordered him, "Don't come to Shirdi, why should you be coming to Shirdi over and over again?" So Purandhare dropped the idea of going to Shirdi and attended office the next day as usual. This pleased his superior; the little doubt that he had about Purandhare's complicity in the Railway men's strike at once vanished. So a month after he granted him his leave and reproduced Railway passes for him. When he went to Shirdi Baba said. "Don't go mad, we have as yet many responsibilities to discharge; so stay at home chanting my name." This clearly shows Baba's disapproval of His devotees' running down to Holy Saints shoving aside one's duties and responsibilities.

(Source: Shirdi Sai The Superman by Sri Sai Sharananand)
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Sai Activities

Shri Sai camp in Nashik Kumbh
Under the guidance of Guruji Shri C.B.Satpathyji, a camp of Shri Shirdi Sai Baba has been established during the period of the Kumbh Mela in Nashik. The Kumbh started on July 30th, 2003. During the camp days daily annadan, bhajans, Shri Sai satcharita parayan, palkhi procession among other activities will be conducted at Shri Saibaba Mandir, Panchvati, Nashik. For full coverage of the camp, please visit www.saibaba.org and follow "Shirdi Sai camp at Kumbh Mela 2003" link.

Saibaba Mahasamadhi Celebrations 2003, Minneapolis, MN
Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, Minnesota, invites you to join Saibaba Mahasamadhi Celebrations on October 11, 2003 at Geeta Ashram, Brooklyn Park. The program includes Sai abhishek, aarthis, devotees' experiences, parayan, kids program, bhajans and kirthans and Palki procession. Please visit www.hamaresai.org for more details.

Shirdi Sai Satsang, Houston, TX
Shirdi Sai Jalaram Mandir, Houston, Texas, USA cordially invites you for Thursday satsang at 6.30pm at 5645 Hillcroft, Suite #304, Houston, Texas, 77036. For more information call (713) 789 486, (832) 567 7861, (713) 992 1453 or send an email to: baba@babamandir.org.

Shirdi Sai Utsav 2003, Orlando, FL
A festival to reminisce, exalt and perpetuate the spiritual guidance and theism of Sadguru Sai Baba of Shirdi is being organized in Orlando, Florida, USA. The festival is scheduled to be held on the 4th and 5th of October 2003, commemorating the Mahasamadhi of Baba. For further details, please visit www.saisharan.org or send an email to shirdisaiutsav2003@yahoo.com or sathgurusai2002@yahoo.com or by phone at 407-310-7933.

Dusserah and Mahasamadhi celebrations at Sydney, Australia
Shree Shirdi Sai Sansthan Sydney invites you with family and friends to join the Dusserah and Mahasamadhi on 3rd, 4th & 5th October 2003 from 5pm onwards at Sai Mandir, 420 Liverpool Road (Cnr. Liverpool Road & Hill Streets), Strathfield South, NSW 2136. For details please call 0500 524 724 or visit http://www.omsrisai.com

Saibaba Mahasamadhi Celebrations, Toronto, Canada
Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan of Canada invites you all to join in to Celebrate Vijay Dashami and Baba's Maha Samadhi on Oct 4th 2003. For Further Details Please call the number below or refer to Community News. Due to certain limitations, we are moving the venue for Thursday Prayers from Durga Temple. For details on Chitra Yatra, Location of Satsang and Program information please call 905 887 1752 or email at saileela99@yahoo.com

Sai Bhajans to be held in Norwell, MA
Sai Bhajans will be held in Norwell, MA on Sept 27th from 11:00 am - 12:00 pm. Interested devotees please contact Jayshree at 781-826-7250.

Shirdi Sai Mahasamadhi and Dassera celebrations in Bay Area, CA
We invite all to join us for Shirdi Sai Mahasamadhi and Dassera celebrations on October 5th(Sunday) from 3:00 pm to 7:00 pm. Venue: Las Palmas Park Building, 850 Russet Drive, Sunnyvale, CA (Located off of Remington Drive and Spinosa Drive) For more details send an email to saibandhu@yahoo.com

Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra in USA
"Shri Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra(Pictorial Journey)", started in USA on Jan 01, 2002. With anchor points across USA concurrently participating from day one, this unique event is still continuing with great enthusiasm across many states in the country.

The journey which involves the ceremonial travel of Baba in the form of a portrait will stop at all Baba devotees homes who are interested in being a host to his protrait. The Yatra is open to one and all. There is no fees or charges involved to take part in this event. You may participate either as a host home or serve as an anchor point in your community.

Visit online at www.saibaba.org and follow link to yatra page for all the details and to register.

For questions, comments, suggestions or to get details on an Anchor home in your area, send us an email at maildrop@saibaba.org with the subject line of "Shri Sai Chitra Yatra".
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