Guru madhye Sthitham Vishwam
Vishwa madhye sthitho Guruhu
Gurur-Vishwan Nacha-anyosthi
Thasmai Shree Gurave Namah
The Universe has its being within the Guru; the Guru abides within the universe as its essence; the Guru is the universe; nothing exists besides him. Salutations to such a Guru - Shri Guru Gita

Some have this question. Is Guru different from God? If Guru helps in realizing God, then must Guru be different from God? One physical analogy that easily comes to a logical mind is the concept of the Teacher, the Taught, and the Subject. There may be a tendency to differentiate between the subject and the teacher not knowing that Teacher is the representation of the subject and none else; thus is as venerable.

Similar concept is explained in the Bible as the God of trinity; the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Bible says that the Father is not the same person as the Son; the Son is not the same person as the Holy Spirit; and the Holy Spirit is not the same person as Father. They are distinct persons; yet, they are all one God. They are in absolute perfect harmony consisting of one substance. They are coeternal, coequal, and copowerful. If any one of the three were removed, there would be no God.

Restriction of God to the grander of visions; the One with brilliance, radiance, power and might does less to help realize the Supreme that exists beyond the adjectives. Krishna, the brave prodigal son of Yadavas, the brilliant statesman that skillfully led the righteousness to its ultimate glory comes as an example of the Grand God. It is easy to sense such a mighty God by seemingly powerless human. It is the same tendency that might render one to see the Saint of Shirdi as just a fakir albeit with some powers. Once in his fold, what the fakir represents becomes very clear. The God that is difficult to comprehend is in fact the most mercifully bestowing. The material that God is made of also includes the simplest of the Nature, the entity within and outside, dormant yet powerful, the weak and the unnoticed!

Distinction between Sadguru and God is very superficial and exists for a simple reason. Sadguru is the closest that anyone can easily relate to God!
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Contributed Article: Bhakthi and Alwars

India is a spiritual land and great saints and realized souls are born in this country. While every part of India is unique for its spiritual splendor, South India probably has a significant special place for several reasons. It has devotees of Shiva who follow Advaita and proponents of Dwaita and Vishistadvaita also in south India. South India produced the founders of these three systems of philosophy or schools of thought - Sankara, Ramanuja and Mardhwa. We may add that worship of Krishna was also initiated by Vallabhacharya of South India.

The history of various Saivite saints is described in Peria Puranam while the lives and works of Vaishnavite saints are embodied in Divya Prabandham. The saints of Vaishnavite group are called ALWARS. The system of Vaishnava philosophy had no distinction of sex and caste. Andal is greatest devotee of Narayana and sang about her love and marriage to the Lord. Bhakthi and prapatti self surrender, was her life breath. Similarly, her father Periaalwar, Satagopa, and others are beacons of light that took devotees of Narayana to saloka, sameepya, and sayujya- to his abode, and to the merger with Him.

Among the Alwars, Satagopa is embodiment of devotion to his guru. He considered his guru as God and sometimes considered him as greater than god. Madhura kavi spent all his time with his guru, and recorded the mystic experiences in melodious poetry. While Rama and Lakshmana were in the woods as per the command of their father, Shatrugna the youngest brother of Rama was devoted to Bharata and through him worshipped Rama. Simalarly, Madhura kavi worshipped his guru surrendering his ego at the feet of his guru and through the guru he realized God. He had postulated the efficacy and potency of acharya Bhakthi by speaking the glory and greatness of guru and how the acharya, the guru, can redeem the soul of the devotee from samsara. He wrote eleven verses describing the grace and compassion of his guru and how through his blessings he obtained the grace of lord Narayana. He described in these poems how guru corrected him from errors and molded him into a true bhakta leading to liberation. May we pray to our guru Shri Shirdi SAI Maharaj to bless his devotees by correcting them and by his grace and love take us to divinity. As Bhagavad-Gita starts, starting with great desire for his grace, let us get interested in realizing Baba completely and finally merge into him. OMSAI RAM.

This article first appeared in Sai Vichaar dated June 7th 2001.

(Contributed by MRK, Phoenix, AZ)
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Experiences of Devotees:

Padmaja
This is the miracle happened to me today. I would like to tell everybody about this. My Mother-in-law came last Saturday from India. We planned to go to Canada to see Niagara Falls. So, sent the papers for Visa on last Monday by speed post. It reached the consulate on last Tuesday. Last Thursday we thought of going to Baba temple. But we thought its cold and didn't go. One week passed and we did not get back my Mother-in-Law's passport from Canadian Consulate. Monday we were expecting the papers back. Our flight is booked for this Thursday. So Tuesday my husband said lets drive to LA to get the papers Back. But that is 5 hours drive each day and next day again flight, it's so close. Then we all realized that we didn't go to Baba temple on last Thursday. Then I have a small photo in my office. I said Oh, baba do something otherwise we all will be in tension...then myself and my husband looking for some numbers to call the consulate. My husband somehow called the person who took that mail (we posted the papers by expressed mail). So, it will be signed by one person. And my husband talked to that person. He said "sorry for the delay it took long time to process application because of lot of applications, this one got delayed. No need to come this far. You will get it by tomorrow". Then my husband called me and said its coming tomorrow. Then I felt very happy that I couldn't express in my words. Today we are going to Baba temple to thank Baba and to take his blessings. SO, WITH MY EXPERIENCE I WILL SAY THAT BABA IS THERE FOR US. OM SAI SRI SAI JAI JAI SAI.
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Devotees say...

Anshul
All through my life you have been so kind enough. You showered immeasurable love on me, which is even greater then love of a mother for her child. I must have been the most inept person to be in this position, but your grace has turned every mountain into pebbles. Baba, why is that after reaching here suddenly I find myself so incompetent. Despite you conforming every now and then that you are here for me, but Baba still I feel so lost in this labyrinth. Everything feels so illusive, I want to get out of it. I cannot belong to this place because now I know that I do not deserve any of these things but Baba then what is the way out. Please help me out.

Sai devotee
I am a frequent reader of this newsletter & believe in saibaba a lot. There might be many miracles that would have taken place, but I would have not noticed them. Just that now I am facing few problems which I will disclose very soon, please friends guide me what to do -pray for me that everything goes smooth without any disturbance or hassle.

Binaifer
Whilst reading your Sai Devotee section, as I read the Canadian sadhakas experience, I was engulfed with a hot, warm blissful sentiment...the sure feeling that Sai was there...and here...and everywhere. Which brings me to my story of five years ago...perhaps I have posted this on your site before, but when my little miniature pincher dog was a few months old.... six or seven, she escaped off her lead.... and was bounding to the entrance of the building after which comes a busy motor road. There was no way I could reach her and calling out to her made little difference. At which time I said to Sai.... you brought her to me.... you keep her safe. And I said the Sai Mantra which I repeat often mentally and also used to do jaap with "OM SHRI SAI NATHAYAH NAMAHA". An invisible hand PUSHED her towards the side of the building where she was all crouched up...and I ran to take her into my trembling embrace. How Honey my dog came to me and my dog Sasha.... all the way from Switzerland with some chance encounters in Geneva...is another wonderful Sai story as the so many other I shall start to share. Please open your hearts to the love, the power and the bliss of our beloved...SAI.
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Prayer Club:

Mahesh Kumar
Hai Sai when my problems will be over, when is my sister marriage take place, when you are going to provide a permanent job to my brother. All these tension giving a big problem to me Sai. Nobody is there for us expect You. Sai do some thing special and favor to my sister and my brother so that they can settle in their life. We don't want any thing expect your blessing Sai.

Shenoy
I pray for the good health peace and prosperity of my entire family, and a special prayer for my brother, daughter and a dear son. Om Sairam.

Sai devotee
I have firm belief in Baba have had the privilege of visiting Shirdi early this year with his blessings and earned his grace. I am 100 percent confident despite all the difficulties that my Company is going through, with Baba's grace my unit will have no problems whatsoever.

Ram
Oh Sai Nath, My Guru, Mentor and God. My son is ill and hospitalized. Please visit him and console him in this predicament. Let him recover and become normal, with your divine Grace. I am in deep distress because of my only son. Please help me, Baba. Please help my daughter to pass her MCA exams in flying color. Baba
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Quotation of the Week:
"I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body."-Sai Baba of Shirdi
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Question of the Week:

Q. Why do we humans need spiritual attainment? Was not early man lived without spiritual wisdom?

A. by Meera Kaura

Human beings were never without any spiritual belief. It's wrong to say that early men never had any deity or faith in God. They used to worship the Sun, Fire, Wind etc. that is all the natural elements. We should not forget that the ever-burning Dhuni is the manifestation of the same. Baba gave us an example that we should not forget to light and sacrifice nau-ratna (food grains etc.) in the dhuni and add logan to it and keep it burning. The aim of our life is spiritual attainment and this we can see from ages. Right from the rules given to Sun God by the Lord Himself which were passed on to the first man Manu and further to his race or Laws taught to Adam. They knew that obedience to God and surrender unto Him is necessary. This long followed trend still continues. Man was never without spiritual wisdom. Rather I would point out that man was more spiritual than what he is now. The rishi munis that used to perform Sadhna in the Himalayas used to practice kundalini for 100-1000 years and more and could live in their non-material form. They were free from their bodies. They'd realized that they are souls and not just body.

Now the important thing is why does a man need spiritual attainment. I would advise you to go through the Bible or Holy Quran for that matter. We were given paradise to live in, which we commonly refer to as Heaven. Eve, the first woman, created out of the rib of Adam (the first man), couldn't resist the temptation and ate the fruit from the tree of knowledge and hence we all became mortals from an immortal life. Since then the aim of all humanity is to resist the temptations of sin, greed, anger,lust,attachment,ego,pride etc. We have to take many births to get out of these sins. Maya always lays its traps. We have to get freed of these to realize that we are Atman and not just this body. Pain or pleasure can only be experienced by the body. It has no impressions whatsoever on the soul. We have to try and attempt to bring out our soul which is clean and pure and follow what it guides- the way to spiritual wisdom and go back from where we came- the eternal abode of Sai.
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Sai Activities:

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.

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
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