One takes shelter behind the shell of ignorance and refuse to allow the light of knowledge penetrate into our being. In fact, we fail to acknowledge that ignorance is the root cause of all the troubles and pain inflicted on us by the world. Given a situation a number of self-prophesied pundits, learned folks, social workers arise who are determined to take the ignorant and down trodden in the correct path of god realization. While doing the work entrusted by god on us, one never stops for a minute to think if they are free from ignorance. Ignorance is bewitching and enticing damsel affecting everyone, learned and illiterate alike. It is Maya as described by BABA, from the clutches of which nobody can be spared. Only the sharp sword of a Guru who is the repository of all virtues and wisdom destroys this damsel.

Ignorance is defined as "unawareness" or "lack of knowledge" in the Thesaurus. In the path of spirituality ignorance appears to have a different meaning. A beautiful exposition of ignorance is given in Chapter 39 of Sai Satcharita by Hemadpant translated by Indira Kher. The meaning of ignorance is revealed when Nana's pride was pricked by BABA during a debate on Bhagavat Geeta. Various forms of ignorance that a sadhak expresses in the path of spirituality are as follows:
1) A Fond outward display of righteousness but with a mind full of doubts within and without the capacity to bear insult even for a moment
2) Inwardly a keen desire for honor and reputation with an outward show of meditation, while anger, lust smolder within
3) In reality, full of wicked deeds, without a place for righteous deeds or good thoughts, but flaunting a knowledge of Brahman outwardly

Few followers of Shirdi Sai carrying out his work have some form of pride in the work that is being carried out, or entrusted to them by BABA. They seek recognition for their work or consider themselves out of league of the common folks, because of the exceptional service they render to the community. Some people who have read Vedas and Vedanta's and spiritual literature make a show of their learnedness. Followers of Shirdi Sai are aware that one must not expect any favors out of service rendered to people in the name of god yet there is expectation. There are also people who take on the drudgery of the household on their heads only to enable their spouses to concentrate on the works of god. Alas!! A man who cannot take the household responsibilities how can such a person take the responsibility of community or world. Service to god starts from house. One must remember that in the path of spirituality there is no room for red tape, nepotism, pompousness and conceitedness. One who considers himself more learned and pious than others has fallen into the pit of unending darkness and cannot be called a sadhak. Path towards god should not be touched by the evils of the world as one might get entangled in it and forget BABA. Guruji Satpathyji said "in compound of your house always keep the path going up to Shri Sai free, so that whenever you are troubled by the problems of life, you can find way to him". All sadhaks are aware of the dos and don'ts while serving god, but unfortunately, are overcome by Maya and repeatedly commit sins. Even Adi Shankaracharya was trapped by this powerful Maya of ignorance and it had to be knocked off by an untouchable.

The mere thought of "I have mastered this", "I do not need a guru", "I can achieve moksha by reading books and need not have a guru" are obstacles in spiritual path and the thought itself is the main obstacle in following BABA. BV Narasimha Swamiji, in his book "life of Sai BABA - Volume II" has given a detailed account of biographies of the great devotees of BABA. In that Swamiji describes that one must have a child like faith and behavior to attain salvation. BABA told Radhabai Deshmukh "I know one thing, the truth taught to me by my Guru. It is not the various Sadhanas and books that are necessary. A study of the shastras is not necessary, what is necessary is absolute surrender to and love for the Guru." One must remember that God does not live there where there is ego or conceit. One should make a conscious effort in curbing the thoughts of ignorance and remember always that what one is now, and what one is doing in the name of God is all but the grace of guru. If God gives one wealth, name and fame, then He can also take it away in a fraction of a second. All the actions are originated from him and will merge in him too. Let us destroy the Teli, wall separating us from BABA. The greatest wealth that a sadhak can accumulate in lifetime is humbleness and humility - and this can be achieved by grace of guru coupled with conscious effort.

(Contributed by Anitha Kandukuri, Canberra, Australia)
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Contributed Article:Sri Sai Pancha Sooktam: Sooktam 3

Mandasmitam Sundararoopa Haasam
Brundaarakam Chandana Charchitaangam
Nandaatmajam Pandariroopa Dhaarim
Sri-Sainaadham Sirasaa Namaami

Meaning:
Mandasmitam Sundararoopa Haasam - Oh! The one with a subtle smile and a beautiful, attractive form and joy
Brundaarakam Chandana Charchitaangam - You attract crowds of followers around you Your body is perfumed with chandan/sandal
Nandaatmajam Pandariroopa Dhaarim - Oh! the son of Nanda - Sri Krishna- Oh! The Pandharpur Pandu Ranga
Sri-saainaadham - Sirasaa Namaami - Oh Sainaadha! With all my thoughts (head) focused on you I offer prayers

(Contributed by Prasad V Nimmagadda)
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Experiences of Devotees

A Sai Devotee
I lost my mom recently, which was the most saddest and shocking thing that happened to me forever. Mother is the precious and the valuable thing in the world. Sai has mentioned that he used to take care of his mother and did lot of service in one of his previous lives. 'Mother's heart is like a open rose, always want to offer love and affection'. I want to share this with you SAI and all of the devotees that would make me feel better being not alone. My mom has been a chronic Asthma patient and after all the years of prayers and the faith in Sai, the severity and the attacks reduced and she was doing good recently. I was able to bring her to USA for a few months and I saved those most memorable moments with me forever. I'm the only son to her and she has done a lot of sacrifice in her life by herself (my father passed away 12 years ago) to put me in this position. With Sai's blessings and her hard work, I was able to come to the United States and make my life better and was able to financially help her too. The only thing that was lacking and my heart always asked Sai was to take care of her. She was living by herself but got my only one younger sister to look after her in the same town.
I even prayed Sai to take some years of life from my total life (ayashhu) and give it to her, but I asked Sai to make her healthy and alive for me. She was 61 when she died due to heart attack. Initially, I thought Sai didn't help me or listen to me and I didn't want to talk with him at all. I started Sai parayanam on that Thursday morning here in USA and I got the news that she is no more on the same evening. She died in just 3 minutes without any pain or suffering on Thu midnight in India. She died on a Thursday, 'Sravana masam ekadasi', that was an auspicious day. I hated Sai for a few days. Later I realized that he has taken her because of her kind heart and as a good mother, she was not in bed making her life hard or troubling others, who can get that kind of easy death, only Sai devotees. Except that I miss her a lot, she had a quiet death and reached SAI. He knows what to do for her and he has taken her. I was able to mix her asthikalu in Godavari Puskharalu. I also mixed them in the rivers Penna and Krishna. I got 103-degree fever during the nitya karma 13 days ceremony, and with my prayers to SAI and my mother, I recovered back quickly and was able to perform the rest of the ceremony. She was lucky to reach Sai and go to heaven and I pray sai to give peace to her soul and give moksham to her. OM SRI SAI RAM.
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Devotees say...

Mita
Sadguru is God Supreme. HE resides in all beings and all beings are a part of him. HE cannot be seen but we can see him in all beings. Though we cannot hear HIM, His voice is the voice of all beings. SAIBABA is a Sadguru and Satpurush. While HE was physically alive, HE showed the path of supreme bliss to whoever HE came in contact with. He begged food so that others could eat. HE was not attached to physical world and material pleasures. All HE taught was "Shraddha and Saburi" i.e. "FAITH and PATIENCE". Nobody left empty handed from Dawaraka Mai. SAI BABA has always fulfilled the dreams of those who have firm faith in HIM. OM SAI NAMO NAMO.

Shiv
Om Sai, Sastang Pranams with love and devotion, you have shown the world, the human beings, living creatures how to live happily. I have an wonderful experience recently, I have been reading 'Sai Sat Charitra' on a regular basis at least two chapters, the beginning and the end happens to be mostly on Thursday, but this time it came on a Monday. The relief, solace, purity, love, live a life you have shown in all your Leeelas. Day in-and out we remember you. We were going on a turbulent situation regarding our Son's MBA admission in Mumbai. It is purely a miracle the day I was reading the quality of Sadguru, a long chapter was a clear indication that some good thing is happening on this day. And, yes the call came from the Institution, pl pay your fees immediately. Within 4 hours the complete restless was over and we were relieved from our tension. After getting the admission for MBA in a good institution. Baba, You are the Master, everything is under your umbrella, we are just drop of water in your ocean of love and affection. We pray at your lotus feet to give us strength to work for the community and give our best of our service.

A Devotee
As you go along in life you gradually realize the main thing in this world is love. A realization that will lead to Baba. Baba please love me and my family be with us through ages.
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Prayer Club

Marcel Bischoff
AUM Shri Sai Bhakthaavana Samarthaaya Namaha!!! OH Sri Sai! Nobody but You know how intense my suffering was chiefly in the last ten years. I really don't know how much longer I can take this. I came from one misfortune to another and now I haven't a job since 2 years and my body and mind are very sick. You know that it wasn't my fault that I don't have my old job anymore. Please help me to get a new bearable job. Besides I beg You to make possible that I could improve my relations to other people because I am out of the society. I know that you are able to grant favors to Your devotees. Oh Sainath! You are my only true friend in this world and the master of the universe. For your mighty grace nothing is impossible. I beg You humble to help me out of this hopeless situation in which I am captured. AUM Sai Baba! You are the most powerful lord. The mercy of You is infinite. AUM Sai Baba! AUM Sai Baba! AUM Sai Baba!

A Sai devotee
Dear Baba, Koti Koti Naman in your PAAWAN LOTUS feet. Please help my family get over all the problems. Please Baba help my brother getting the solution for his married life. Give some sadbudhhi to his wife to think straight and come back with good thoughts. Baba please forgive me if I have done any sins and help my father to get well soon. Baba we are very helpless, please show us the correct path and let everything be normal soon. We really need your kind blessings Baba. Shri Samartha Sadguru Sainaath Maharaj ki Jai

Mohana
SaiRam, BABA I do not have a job now and am seeking your blessings to provide me with a job where the employer will recognize and appreciate me for my services. It's so very difficult without having any money in hand. I have realized BABA, that when I am in problems, the so-called good friend does not know me anymore. She thinks that the problems I incurred at my work place were all my wrong doings and that I accepted bribes from my customers. BABA you know very well that I did not do such a thing.
I DID NOT RECEIVE ANY BRIBE for the loans that were approved while I was employed in the Bank. The Branch Manager approved all the loans; my work was only to process and to recommend to him for approval. Its not only my friend who does not respect anymore, my family members also don't seem to understand me anymore. Because of all my financial problems, I have lost my job and now am seeking forgiveness for all my sins and beg of you to help me to sort out all my problems, i.e. my work as well as my financial problems. I beg of you to please shine some light into my life.....please. SAIRAM! SAIRAM! SAIRAM! SAIRAM! SAIRAM

Anu
Sai Baba you know what's going on in my life. My husband and I love each other so much. Sai Baba then why we are fighting each n every moment. I am trying to change according to him but I am not successful. Sai Baba please help me. I can't bear if he doesn't talk to me. Please make him understand that. Please don't allow us to get separated beg u baba. Baba please bless my son.

S Sreedevi
OM SAIRAM, Baba, Please let me remain in your lotus feet & bless me to be good to all, keep me on the right path & help people in need always. Baba, you know everything, Please fulfill my wishes. I am tired; please bring stability, peace & happiness in my life. Without your blessings I can't achieve anything in life. Please give me strength & patience to deal with all problems in life. Please shower your blessings & protect all in my family always from all troubles. Om Sai Ram.

Subramanyan
Sai Maharaj, My parents are in deep trouble. They never had a happy life. My mother invites trouble for her; others also give her mental torture. Please be with her to give her peace in her life. My father never takes care of my mother. He unnecessarily speaks harsh words towards others and gets isolated. He says that he is now living like a mad. At the age of 73, he says that they would go separate. God, am a timid and am helpless and not able to do anything other than crying within me and cursing me. Please stay with my father and change his mind and life style. I beg you, please make both my father and mother understand each other, support each other. Please let all their sons and daughter and their family respect them. Please bless them with a peaceful and healthy life.
Here am suffering at office without a proper job allocation for the past 6 months. I feel very insecure and very depressed. Besides, I started searching for a new job. Please decide my career and guide me for betterment in my career. Whether I continue in the current organization or switch to another, please bless me to work with confidence with good skills comfortably, work hard and get good recognition. I should not feel inferior about me. Please help me to come out of this low feeling. Please be my master Lord Sai. Forgive me for my sins and mistakes and bless my wife, my daughter and me. Without your blessings and guidance and support we cannot live. Please be with us Sai and protect us. I request all Sai devotees to spare to a few minutes to pray for us. Thank you all. Thank you Sai Maharaj

A Devotee
Baba, koti pranamamulu. I don't know where to start baba, you know all the problems we are facing at home. Baba please see that my brother gets married soon and settles with his family. Please see that there is no financial problems. Please see that there are no tensions in the family and there is always peace. Baba please show mercy on us. Baba we are solely dependent on you baba....sai ram

A Devotee
Sai Ram I want to thank swami for all that he has done thus far for the preparations for my wedding. Without him, I don't think my family and myself would have coped. I pray that he continues to bless me and my family and be there with us, be there with me and my fiancé on your wedding and shower us with his blessings. I pray to swami that all must be right for my wedding as we had such a difficult and sad year on both my fiancé and my sides. I pray to swami to always be there for us and help us to make my wedding as special as it should be. I also pray that swami will decrease the pain my mother and my future mother-in-law are having with their health. I love you swami.

A Devotee
Jai Sai Ram, Jai Sai Krishna, Baba bless us with children. Our minds are very distrubed. We can't concentrate in any work. Baba please fulfil our wishes. Baba do not put us under test. Baba please bless us to have children.

A Devotee
I am an unfortunate being on this earth. Please ask Saimaharaj to bless me and have his blessings on me, please I need them immediately
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Quotation of the Week
"Tell him to be fearless. Why should he suffer for ten births? In ten days he can work out the sufferings and consequences of his past Karma. While I am here to give him temporal and spiritual welfare, why should he pray for death?"-Saibaba - Sri Sai Satchaitra Ch. 34.
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Question of the Week

Q. What is Sadguru's love compared with?

A. by KR Bose

In Sai Sacharitra, Hemadpant describes Sadguru's love towards his disciples (in Chapter 3) as follows: We are aware how a cow loves its calf. The cow is always ready to feed the calf. Similarly, a mother also knows when to give milk to her child. And, every mother takes utmost care and derives utmost pleasure in giving good clothes and doing all that is necessary to make the child look pretty. Mother's love is unique, selfless and cannot be compared with anything else in the world. Sadguru's love towards his disciples is also unique and selfless as mother's love to her child.
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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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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, MN. The program includes Sai shodasapochara pooja, aarthis, devotees' experiences, parayan, kids program, bhajans and kirthans and Palki procession. Please visit www.hamaresai.org for more details.

Sri Shirdi Saibaba Mandir, Columbus OH
Sri Saibaba Temple Society of Ohio are celebrating Mahasamadhi/Dasara starting from Sep 26 - Oct 5. For details, visit http://www.srishirdisaibabamandir.org or email sssb_temple@yahoo.com.

Shirdi Sai Mandir, Baldwin, NY
Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Punyathithi and Dussera celebration begin on September 27th and will go on until October 6th 2003. For further information please call 516-867-8008 or visit www.saimandirusa.org. or Sai Mandir USA, Nori Foundation Inc., 1889 Grand Ave, Baldwin, NY 11510. Telephone: 516-867-8008. Free Municipal parking available right across, behind Grand Avenue on St.Lukes place.

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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