Alas! The fateful day dawned. It was on Tuesday 15 October 1918, the festival of Dasara that Baba gave up his mortal coil. Baba asked His devotees to leave Him alone and in the meantime to have their lunch. The devotees obeyed Baba's order, but a few devotees namely Laxmi Bai, Bhagoji, Bala Shimpi and Nanasaheb Nimonkar stayed back with Baba. At about 2.30 p.m. before the devotees could finish their lunch, they received the heart -breaking news of Baba leaving his body. Devotees from various places rushed to Shirdi. What could they offer to merciful Lord except their tears of love and sorrow? The sorrowful cries of devotees- "Baba! Baba rent the skies. The body of Baba was kept for 72 hours and later as per the wishes of Baba, when he was living in the flesh, he was laid to rest in what is now called the Samadhi Mandir the present temple at Shirdi.

Baba continues to live on in the hearts of every devotee and therefore he is living. Just as He lived his mortal frame at Shirdi, so He remains, now and forever, as the formless, Immanent Force. To this day Baba continues to answer the heartfelt prayers of His devotees and showers His blessings on them. He comes to the rescue of those who earnestly appeal to Him for succor.

Baba met and fulfilled all the needs of His devotees and through his unlimited grace enabled them to tread the spiritual path. Baba used to say," My treasury is full and I can give whatever one needs, but before I give, I must test whether one deserves it or not." Baba used to bring out the defects in a person and correct them in such a way that the devotees themselves were made to realize their shortcomings and improve upon them. It was not that Baba merely insisted upon His devotees to cultivate qualities conductive to spiritual advancement .He emphasized the need for righteous thought and action, which are the first steps of salvation and as such gave paramount importance to purity of thought, word and deed.

Baba never tolerated indolence and carelessness on the part of His devotees. "I am the self seated in the hearts of all beings." As declared by Lord Krishna in the Srimad Bhagawad Geetha, Baba proclaimed that He was present in all beings and every creature on earth was one with him. Besides this, Baba also described that God is more concerned with the purity of mind, charitableness, brotherhood and kindness towards all creatures on earth than all the costly and vain offerings of the world.

Sai Baba's life was distinguished in being exemplary to all of mankind. His attire was simple. He wore a long, flowing gown called "kafni" and covered His forehead and hair with turban. With all these Baba radiated an indescribable glow that was altogether divine and captivating. God incarnates come in to this world with specific objective of "Protecting the innocent, destroying the wicked and re-establishing the righteousness." As soon as their mission is completed, they dispense with their mortal frame and leave this world, attaining "Maha samadhi". With the passing away of Sai Baba, one should not consider it the end of glorious chapter.

Contrarily, the blessed phase has just begun. Baba left behind us a legacy of priceless Possessions- the Illimitable Divine Treasure of His teachings, saturated with the nectar of Love, compassion and Humanness. He left His Divine footprints in the shifting sands of time, footprints that remain deeply embedded even as time passes relentlessly. His wonderful teachings are like precious jewels, set in the golden crown of Eternity, ever shining bright not withstanding the passage of time just as a freshly Diamond shines in all its maiden glory catching the brilliant light of the dazzling sun!

Since the last one and a quarter of a century, many seasons have come and gone, many years have passed by. The days have changed, man has changed, the world has changed, but the wonderful leelas of Sai Baba remain unaltered. The glory of Sai Baba lives on -unchanging, unceasing, and unfading!

(Contributed by Anitha Pandurangi)
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Contributed Article: Sri Sai Gurucharitra - Chapter II(continued from last week..)

"It is the vasanas which are the seed bed of the next birth. That is why, if one does not increase his infatuation with the own karma; one would gain immeasurably in the hereafter. One stays for a day or two in one choultry and then moves on towards his destination without forming my association or infatuation with it. In the same manner, one should look upon this world as a choultry and not form any attachments. Thus, one should continue to do one's duty and recognize and revere the almighty that is the form of satchidananda (existence, knowledge and bliss). He is the one who causes one's son and another's son to be born. But the responsibility of looking after one's son is one's own. It is necessary to earn money and keep it for the sake of looking after one's own. But one should never have the feeling, 'I am saving money, I am keeping it for them, I am looking after them'. One should do one's duty and present the result as well as the feeling of being the doer to the almighty and be untouched by it all. One should use ones knowledge to seek to know the good and bad about every thing. One should be able to accept the good and leave the bad. Try to do good works and complete them ably with determination. One should live in such a manner that one's fame lives on in this world even after one's death. One should perform one's duty without harboring the feeling 'I am the doer. This is purushartha. How much more can I tell you of this? The ego felt by the feeling 'I am the doer' should be offered to god. When one gets just reward for one's labors one should be humble. As long as one is alive, one should take care of the body. But it is a waste of time to think of or worry about death. This body is on loan to you from the panchabhutas (sky, wind, fire, water and earth). As life leaves it the body returns to panchabhutas. The air joins air. The energy joins the energy. The panchabhutas go where they came from.

The body is a part of the earth. It is futile to cry for it when it dies. In the same manner, it is futile to feel happy at birth. One should be content thinking that it is but the law of nature. The earth shelters the seed. The clouds rain water. The plants are born by sun's light. Does the earth, clouds, or sun dance with joy at the sight of the plants sprouting? Let the plant become a great tree or let it die as a sapling, the earth or clouds or the sun neither express happiness nor sadness. In the same way, the wise are beyond these feeling of happiness or sadness. We should also be like that. Where then, is the scope for happiness or sorrow? Oh, scion of the Chandorkar family! It is mukti or liberation to have equally neutral feelings about happiness or sorrow. I will tell you the rest of the story later. Now you continue to do your duty."

Nanasaheb Chandorkar heard the words of wisdom1 which fell pearl like from the lips of Baba. He prostrated at his feet and embraced them eagerly as the child does his mother. His eyes filled with tears, his body hair stood on end showing extreme passion of devotion. He said "Oh perfect one! You have saved me. By the rain of your teaching you have rid me of the dust of ignorance completely. How can I forget this good turn you have done me?" Nanasaheb Nimonkar was also by and enjoyed being immersed in the bliss of Baba's teaching. They both paid obeisance to Baba and returned home.

The devotees who daily read these sentences with devotion and faith will not suffer from the troubles of this world. The teachings contained in "Bhakta Leelamrit" are verily a rain of Sadguru's teachings. It is Dasganu's desire that all of you are drenched fully in that rain and gain full benefit from it.
Here completes the 32nd chapter of 'Bhakta leelamrit' written by Dasganu Maharaj.

Notes and references
Did Baba ever teach thus? It is natural to the readers of the 32nd and the 33rd chapters of 'Bhakta leelamrit' written by Dasganu Maharaj to have a doubt whether Baba ever made such longwinded speeches. Baba never made any such speeches about spirituality. It was his manner to seize the moment to teach in small sentences and words the wonderful truths of spirituality. Some of his teachings are available to us in the form of aphorisms. He never explained the spiritual truths in the style as was shown in these chapters. What about the teachings contained in these chapters? Dasganu gave the explanation himself on another occasion.

"The teachings I have attributed to Baba as having been told to Nanasaheb Chandorkar is not a verbatim transcription. Nana told me of some spiritual truths revealed to him by Baba. I used my imagination to enlarge and expound upon these matters. Baba had merely taught the essence."

It is therefore evident that the long passages attributed to Baba in Dasganu's books or in later histories of Baba are not verbatim transcripts of his teachings.
A detailed explanation of this aspect may be seen in the introduction to this book in page-----written by Pujyasri Sainathuni Sarat Babuji

(Contributed by Source: "Sri Sai Gurucharithra" originally by Santkavi Sri Dasganu Maharaj. Translated from Telugu version by Sri SVL)
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Experiences of Devotees:

Rajagopalan
Sairam Baba I do not want to write my humble prayer in detail. You know it all. Please bless us and give us a happy family reunion. It so happens that each time I send a mail for the prayer, the request is granted by Swami by the time the prayer comes in print. This has increased my faith tremendously, though this may sound very childish. I submit myself and my humble pranaams to Sai Maata. Jai Sairam.
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Devotees say...

Sai devotee
This is in response to the person whose brother is suffering from lung cancer. Please follow this procedure and I am sure it will help your brother. As you know Gayathri Manthram is very powerful. You can put a Gayathri Manthram Kavacham around your brother or anybody else and it will protect them from all problems. All you have to do is imagine your brother's picture in your mind. Keep reading Gayathri Manthram and imagine weaving a cocoon of the manthram around your brother. Recite the Gayathri Manthram in multiples of three like 9 times or 27 times. This should positively protect him and help him get better. Sai Ram

Preethi
Dear Sai, Please burn the sins that I have committed and bless me. I might have done something knowingly or unknowingly, which may have hurt others. I am sorry for everything. Please let me live in peace and take away from egoism. Let him stop drinking completely and lead a normal life with good health. Let my brother also become normal and do well in his life and take care of his family and let my mom improve her health and even my father and grandparents and friends also. I don't have anything against my inlaws, you know that I do not like egoism and cannot tolerate. Please give me strength and not get affected much by what is happening. Let it come to a full stop. Bless me with a good son and daughter.

Panneerselvam
Baba I don't know what to do. My life is a terrible challenge from birth up to now. What can I say that you are not aware of? All I can ask is when will there be peace, happiness and usefulness of my being on this earth. What is my role here and why have so many lives attached themselves to me to share in my miseries. Enough for now hope you will give me an answer somehow in a good way that I can understand and then I hope to pray more and get more guidance and answers hopefully.
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Prayer Club:

Prashant
Saibaba, my father is very sick. Please give him enough strength that he can attend my sister's marriage and perform his duties. Give him life.

Ranu
Please Lord Saibaba please give us our green card soon. You know that my brother died in June of this year and I haven't had any closure because I have not been able to go back home due to immigration issues. Please let my family have our green card soon and we can go to India to be there with my parents. Thanks lord

Kandukuri Koteswara Rao
Oh Lord! Kindly listen to my prayer. Allow me to stay with my family and provide me job in Boston - where my family is living. It has been a long gap. Please forgive me if I knowingly or unknowingly did any mistakes.

Reena
Dear Baba, please forgive me for my mistakes. I am lost without Baba. Baba I have very crucial exams this week. Please be with me during the exams and guide me. Without your help I am lost. Give me the confidence Baba. I offer you my humble prayers to you Baba.

Raj Ramabadran
Namaaste, Currently the stress level in my family for myself, my wife, my brother his family and older parents is very high. The situation is that as follows: 1. Our jobs are very stressfull and don't get much appreciation for the work we do and more over there is a constant fear. 2. My parents at this old age are constantly worried about the welfare of their kids and we are partly to blame for this. All I would like request Sri Sai Baba for peace, confidence and strength to face challenges that come our way.

Sai devotee
Please send Sai-vichaar regularly to my mail. Baba is the protector for my husband, my daughters and me. There are several occasions when I felt Baba's presence. We must put into practice Baba's teachings. Om Sai Ram be with us always and protect us from any evil eyes and save us from all kinds of calamities. Jai Sai Ram

Gulnaaz
Om Sai Ram, this year everything is going bad for me and my family, I dont even have to tell you you are Antaryami. Please Sai do get the things correct, show me the way to be nice and not bad, please give my husband a job before this project gets over. This is the third time we have tried for GC, help us get it. More than anything keep us again as a family doing good for others as well as for ourselves. Please show me a sign that you have forgiven me and listened to our prayers. I will always pray for you before anything. Om Sai Om Sai.
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Quotation of the Week:
"Satsang, i.e., moving with the good, is good. Dussang, i.e., moving with evil-minded people, is evil and must be avoided"-Saibaba of Shirdi
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Question of the Week:

Q. What is "rinanubandha"?

A by Murthy

We are born to our parents since we are indebted to each other during the cycle of our births and deaths, similarly our children and all other relationships. We have to exhaust all our indebtedness and escape from the chain of births and deaths that is salvation to return to source which is eternal, where our journey has begun.
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Sai Activities:

Diwali celebrations at Shirdi Sai Temple, Chicago Illinois
Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs invites you with friends and family to Diwali celebrations all day from 8am to 9pm on Thursday November 11th 2004. The program includes Kakad Arathi, Mahaabhishek, Vishnu Saharanama Alankar, Madhyana Arathi, Satcharita Parayan, Dhoop Arathi, Sri Sai Deva Paada Pooja, Sri Mahalaxmi pooja, Palkhi procession, Bhajans, Shej Arathi and individual or family sponsored poojas. Please call temple office at 847-931-4058 for sponsorship details or questions if any.

Shirdi Sai temple is open daily from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm. Daily program includes Kakad Arathi at 7am followed by Abhisek. Madhayana Arathi at 12 noon, Dhoop arathi at 6pm and Shej Arathi at 9pm. Archana, Homams, Sahasranama and sponsored poojas continue in between the Arathis. To request a pooja for yourselves, your friends and family, please call. Devotees can request water (Abhishek Jal) from the Holy bathing of Baba by sending us an email or by phone. Temple is located 25 minutes drive west of Schaumburg on intersection of IL Route 47 and Plank Road in Hampshire, IL. For more information please call 847-931-4058 or send email to maildrop@saibaba.org.

Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, Minnesota
Regular Sai activities in Minneapolis, St.Paul area 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 Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center at 952-938-2983, and to read the monthly newsletter Sai Sandesh, visit www.hamaresai.org.
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