What does it mean to serve at the Lord's feet? The Lord who lives in a rural hamlet, has only a kafni robe to cover his body, has no money, wealth, home or family. What is service to him and to what extent is one willing to serve this master? The real treasures open up based on contemplating this. Faith and Patience are not words to be merely spoken or preached. They should be put to practice too! Because, how much faith does one have in his master is tested on a continual basis. There are living examples of his sevaks (or Apostles) some very well known and some not too well known that have embarked on a journey with their master. How fulfilling and rewarding that life is cannot even be imagined by us. Before his Mahasamadhi, Baba himself entrusted different work to different people like Nana, Mahalsapahty, Ganu, Booty, Sathe, Hemadpant, Upasani Maharaj, Meher Baba, Narayan Guru, Abdul, Bade Baba, Laxmi Bai, Radhakrishna Ayi, Tatya, Shama, Shinde, Megha, Bayja to name a few. Likewise, those who shared and spread Sai glory after Baba attained Mahasamadhi are B.V.NarasimhaSwamy, Sai Sharananand, to present day Sai Narayan Baba of Panvel, Chandra Bhanu Satpathy of Chattarpur, Sri Sainathuni Sarathbabuji of Shirdi and many more that are carrying on his work silently. It is very hard to visualize how Baba carries on his work through his darbar. The king is resourceful beyond imagination! During his stay in Shirdi, he would get his work done sitting in the masjid by his influence on literally everything that one could imagine. There are stories in Sai Satcharita, which depict his influence on nature, the five elements, and even the mind of his Devotees! The same thing continues today. Baba as per his promise speaks and moves from his tomb! He continues to influence his sevaks and bhaktas according to their needs.

Can everyone become the Master's torchbearer? It is striking to note that since the time of BABA, he chose the one to whom he would entrust his work to be carried out and to be his sevak. It is a known fact that nobody can go to BABA unless he wills it. Similarly, only they on whom HE rests his grace, that makes capable of carrying out his work, can carry out Baba's work.

What is Baba's work (seva)? Can it be so easily done treating it as any other job? Far from being easy, Baba's work is very difficult to accomplish. One goes through an internal change of mindset, personality, and character before being able to embark on working for Baba's mission. Baba's grace starts making one realize and experience something that can only be felt and not expressed through any other medium.

Baba's work should not and cannot be taken lightly. Baba says "Never take up any work if one is not inclined to complete it. Do not do anything half heartedly." When something goes wrong, it is very easy to say "Baba does not want it to happen" instead of saying "We are not capable of accomplishing that task hence Baba is not giving the permission". It is very hard to accept that Baba works on all levels and at all times. It is often said, "Baba works on a spiritual level but still we have to do the mundane things". The very differentiation that we are different from BABA or that BABA is not directing all the actions is what makes the task to get accomplished difficult. We tend to forget that all our actions stem from our mind. How could Baba initiate an action and contradict the same? It is only our convenience, the mind set!

For even a simple task as moving our hand, first there is a mental thought, which translates into action. The thoughts are nothing more than a form of energy waves and the mind as radar or an antenna receives the impulses and churns out as a response, the thoughts. Depending on the frequency of the antenna, certain types of thoughts are received by the mind and the rest ignored just like the antenna of the TV selectively receives waves of the frequency it is programmed for! That does not mean that other waves do not exist in its environment. Similarly, as the mind is tuned under the grace of BABA, the personality changes and by following Baba's principles, one can work their way from being a bhaktha to a sevak. Yes, in a way, Seva IS Saadhana
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Contributed Article: Baba is accessible to everyone.

Sai is a very simple guru accessible to every one. He is such a great guru who takes the responsibility of his disciples until they reach their goal and destiny. He is a samartha guru, who is having hundred percent capacities to fulfill his devotees wills and pleasures. He knows better than all of us for satisfying our desires. He is a better judge what to give. His judgment is right and final as he is the only better judge in this world. We are just unable to find such a great guru now days as this materialistic world is just living for only materialistic things only. However, Baba is a great guru, satisfying his devotees first with their desires and will make them to streamline them in spiritual line. His mould is great and superb. So I humbly submit all the devotees to be under his shade and light. He is the savior, doctor, judge and great grand guru.

(Contributed by Ch. Ganesh babu)
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Experiences of Devotees:

Aparna Valluri
Dear devotees, I would like to share with you some of the wonderful experiences I had and the blessings I got from Baba. The day before my wedding there was a function in my house. I prayed to Baba that he must attend my wedding and bless me. The function began in the morning. As it proceeded for about half an hour three swamijis dressed in white and an old swamiji in saffron clothing with Satcharita and Baba's photo in his hand turned up and stood in the front door. My parents couldn't believe their eyes and they shouted from outside saying "Baba has come to the function". I saw the swamijis and the Satcharitha in the hands of one swamiji I immediately knew that Baba fulfilled my wish and moreover they tied an orange thread in my right hand and gave me udi and kumkum as prasad, chanted a few hymns and left immediately.

I am thankful to Baba for showing me a wonderful person as my husband and pray that his blessings are always there with us.

Manisha Patel
OM SAIRAM. I thank Baba for giving me an opportunity for sharing my experiences of Baba with all of you. Since last 7 years to until now have so many Shri Saibaba Miracles. In my Family there is problem of marriage life in my brother for 2 years after he has got marriage, it solve by Shri Saibaba only because it is very difficult to convey opposite party and that girl for come back to home from her home or for divorce during last 2 yrs. Through Shri Saibaba miracles she came herself last year in May and agreed to get a divorce without any meeting of members or requiring any money.

Another is a recent miracle. My father's leg was injured through bike on road that time on 26 Feb 2004. I was very upset and worried about my family. My sister and I went to the hospital in an auto. I really feel it was a very great and wonderful day. Until I was 26yrs I had never heard about Saibaba Songs in Autos, but that day we sat in auto and in that auto was playing a Shri Saibaba miracles Songs. We reached one signal on road and I saw Shri Saibaba picture and prayed that, please don't make a situation so that we have to borrow money from others for my father treatment. We reached the hospital. My father's friend and one client came within few minutes and the client put 5000/-Rs. on bed of my father in hospital .He gave work to my father, but my father was not do his work. I felt Sai Baba really heard my prayer. The Hospital charges on the discharge day were nearly 5000/-Rs. Another miracle that recently happened was when my sister's in laws had problems with her. On 16 April, which is a Thursday I prayed to Saibaba to solve it. Saibaba heard my prayer and once again, she is staying with jijaji and her in-laws. It is very difficult to convince jijaji, his brother and his mother, but Saibaba convinced them through my prayers. Saibaba is with us at each moment of life. Always keep our mind with him with a pure heart.
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Devotees say...

A Sai devotee
I want to share my good news with you and I also want you to pray for me. I recently got married to the kindest and generous guy ever, and I am so happy as he makes me so happy. When came back to work a month after my wedding I was called to attend an interview, at the interviews I went point blank in everything, I just couldn't remember the stuff they asked me about and I am working in the field that the questions revolved around. When I came out of the interview, I told my husband there is no chance in this world that I got that post. Two weeks later, I received a letter of appointment that I did actually get the post. We were so excited and I thank swami for this as it was his doings only. Then two weeks later I found out that I am pregnant, and this was greater news as my husband and I want to start a family as soon as possible. I am so happy but also scared at the same as I get a lot of pains sometimes. I ask all you devotees to pray together with me that I don't have any complications throughout my pregnancy and that I am still in my trimester period and I want to be healthy and strong enough for my baby. Dear sai devotees, I really do not want anything to happen to my baby so I ask for your prayers and with swamis blessings everything will go well.

Srinivas
Hi Shirdi Sai, my grandfather - I have been your disciple for so many years and you know for fact how much I believe in you and your things. Tattagaru, please take care of my things and you know about job tensions. Please see that my job remains and nothing will be disturbed. If I did anything wrong either to you or anyone, please forgive me. Whatever you do for me, my love, trust and faith will remain forever. Please bless me Baba. I need you this time tattagaru.
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Prayer Club:

Sitapati
Baba You are always there with my family and me. Please shower your blessings on us always. Please keep us at your lotus feet always. Baba please help me at my work and bless me to secure a position in the big project that is starting very soon. Please accept our Koti Pranaams. Baba please be with us and my family always. You are my father, mother and every thing to me. Without you I cant do anything. Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai.

Sai devotee
Dear Baba, please help me. I am having lot of problems in my married life. I feel as though I am doomed in marriage. Please help my husband to understand my needs and be honest to me. Make my in-laws less interfering in my life. Help me reconcile with my brother.

Hemamalini Balaji
I am staying in India. We are Saibaba's devotees. I request you to kindly pray Baba bless me with a baby, my husband's and all in our family good health, my husband's business improvement and my brother's marriage to be finalized soon.

G Srinivas Reddy
Dear Saibaba, please pass me in the MMD module; we have done best in the project. Please give me at least pass marks Baba, I do not want to waste another 6 months by failing the subject. Also, Please make my mother get visa to got to USA. We always trust in u Baba, OM SRIMATH SACHIDANADA SAMARDA SADGURU SAINATH MAHARAJ KI JAI.

Sharada
Please Sai Baba come to our rescue I am facing many problems. My second sister is not getting married. She is already old enough. Please do something about it. I wish all Sai devotees to pray for my sister and me. Jai Sai Maharaj.
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Quotation of the Week:
"You must unlearn everything. God is the end of all desire and knowledge"-Sri Nisargadatta
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Question of the Week:

Q. Why do humans need spiritual attainment? Man was without spiritual wisdom before

Q. How do we stay away from evil people when God wants us to stay together?

A. by Meera Kaura
There's no question of staying away from evil. The laws of nature teach us to be together with good and evil. And what to talk of external good or evil i.e. spirituality and maya when the good and evil both reside in us. No one can say that I have never committed a sin, never thought evil someday...it's the conflict between the head and the heart, between mind and soul...pleasures lead us to take different course than what we ought to have taken. For example, I know that chocolate isn't good for me but my tongue craves for it so there a conflict begins between satvic and tamasic in my mind, then it is my discretion what to chose of the two and normally we choose what gives us pleasure. Likewise, we always have two options in every situation, we've to chose one of them, and normally we are instinctive and choose what we want or desire. Now coming to the question as to how to stay away from the evil, as to make a choice, is to surrender mind, body, heart and soul to Baba. He'll make the right choice for you. This is for an internal evil. Now, if you deal with an external evil that is all the easier. See Baba in all beings. You'll never see evil in them. Let this distinction between good and bad evade from your mind and that would lead you to an ultimate truth of love for humanity and all creatures.

Q. How do we stay away from evil people when God wants us to stay together?

A. by Raghav Shukla
This is in answer to the question asked by Sree Sai devotee, about how to stay with the evil under the same roof.

I understand the sort of anxiety and frustration that arises when we have to stay with people who take pride and satisfaction in troubling others. Sree ji, but I must tell you one thing undoubtedly, I am not going to say any thing in favor of punishing the evil, or returning him what he/she did to you. Rather I would elucidate certain points.

1. Due to your past karma there may be certain resistances and liberties in your path.

2. Human being has limited potential in HIMSELF (the word self shows arrogance), and at the same time, atman (the word atman refers to connection with supreme source) has infinite potential.

3. If you consider yourself as "I". It means there is lot of ego inside you or feeling of self. While facing evil generally what is more troubling is our own ego, which constantly keeps hammering us with questions like " how dare he do it to me" this is ego or AHAM.. it forms a major portion of our problems. Another question which comes in our mind is " if the other person is doing wrong he should be punished, or god should, will punish him" such a feeling is basically complaining for differences i.e. DWESH or feeling of difference. And when due to others we loose something, we feel bad and loose control on our self.lose concentration in our day-to-day routine. it means we are attached to "the something" we have lost. and we are so much attached that it lose is a major jolt to our center of wisdom (vivek) we call this attachment RAAG. more over by carrying grudges for anyone we cut down his/her bad karmas and increase our own.

4. As told in point 2 that atman has infinite potential as it refers to connection with supreme potential. So accessing the atman will attach you to supreme potential and then you will never fear any evil! Rather you wont find evil in anything. This does not mean that you should become a saadhu or a sant. This is a wrong inference of "accessing the atman". Accessing the atman merely is demolishing of egoistic vision. About actual feeling of atman, I cannot comment because I had no such experience.

5. But what is the logical way of accessing the atman or feeling of demolishing ego? There is no logical way of demolishing ego.

6. Is there no way to demolish ego? Is it very difficult to demolish ego? Yes there is a way to demolish ego and its relatively easy if and only if you access SADGURU. I don't know how but the guru will demolish your ego? Pray for it. And you will get it. I say it with pride, authority, and confidence! The guru will do it if he/she doesn't then I shun this practice. OM SAI RAM

Baba, you have always blessed us and given us whatever we asked for. Please listen to my prayers and help me get over this stressful and difficult situation at work. I am sure if your blessing is with me, this will not be difficult. Jai Sai.
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Sai Activities:

Sai Baba Center in Toronto
Devotees in Toronto invite you all to join in our weekly Satsang every Thursday at the two Locations mentioned below. For more information please call Shammi Chopra 905 887 1752 or Roshan Dastoor Ph: 905 812 8290 or email us at saileela99@yahoo.com

Shirdi Saibaba Prayer center, Minnesota - Gurupoornima Celebrations
Shirdi Saibaba Prayer center, Minnesota celebrates Gurupoornima 2004 on July 3, 2004 at Geeta Ashram, Brooklyn Park, MN. Please watch for more details. Regular Sai activities in the Twin Cities, MN are being conducted at Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, 725 Lake St NE, Apt #139 Hopkins MN. For details, please contact hamaresai@yahoo.com. Or call the Prayer Center at 952-938-2983.
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