Man is made up of a Sensory System - therefore, he indulges in Sensory Pleasures, that is his destiny, say some. However true this might be, man must attempt to rise above them if he is to discover the Divine hidden within. To overcome the difficulties in restraining the senses, our Shastras prescribed the practical methods of Daan - Charity or Almsgiving, Vrat or Fast, Tapas or Austerities and Dhyan or Meditation. 'Daanam' means the will to share one's wealth with others. But why should we give away anything? Because, it helps to purify the Self. Sharing wealth requires Purification of Mind, and Control of Senses.

Lord Krishna explains to Arjuna that as long as one identifies oneself with the body, all activities - be it eating, reading, thinking, worshipping or almsgiving - are covered under the three Gunas or characteristics: Saatvik, Rajasik and Tamasik.
1) When you give wholeheartedly to the deserving, without expecting returns, it is Saatvik. For, when one expects some service in return, it is a transaction, not charity.
2) Rajasik charity is when something is given with a view to receive in return, or when one expects good fruit of the action or when something is given reluctantly.
3) Tamasik charity is when the gift is given at the wrong place or time to unworthy persons, without respect or with disdain.

Give to a worthy person, says Lord Krishna, at the right time and place.

It is said in the Vedas that Puja of the Gods is not complete, unless a golden coin was offered. If a coin was necessary in the Puja of the Gods, why should it be not so in the Puja of the Saints also? Ultimately, the Shastras lay it down that, when one goes to see God, King, Saint or Guru, he should not go empty-handed. He should offer something, preferably coin or money. In this connection, we may notice the precepts recommended by the Upanishads.

The Brihadaranyak Upanishad says that the Lord Prajapati advised the Gods, Men and Demons by one letter "Da" and said, " Da is the mantra to give happiness in life ". The Gods understood by this letter that they should practice, (1)"Daman" i.e, Restraint of the senses; the men thought that they should practice, (2)"Dana" i.e, Charity; and the demons understood that they should practice, (3)"Daya" i.e, Compassion. To men Charity or Giving was recommended.

The teacher in the Taittiriya Upanishad exhorts his pupils to practice Charity and other virtues. All the householders in order to prepare food stuffs and meals, incur a lot of sin while going through the five processes, viz. (1) Pounding, (2) Grinding, (3) Washing pots, (4) Sweeping, cleaning and (5) Lighting hearths, which involve destruction of small insects and creatures. In order to atone for this sin, the Shastras prescribe five kinds of sacrifices, viz. (1) Brahma-Yajna, (2) Vedadhyayan - Offerings to Brahman or the study of the Vedas. (3) Pitra-Yajna - Offerings to the Ancestors, 4) Deva-Yajna - Offerings to the Gods, (5) Bhoota-Yajna - Offerings to the Beings and finally, (6) Manushya-Atithi-Yajna - Offerings to Men or Uninvited guests. If these sacrifices, enjoined by the Shastras are duly performed, the purification of their minds is effected and thus helps them to get Knowledge and Self-Realization. Baba, in going from house to house, reminded the inmates of their sacred duty.

Lord Sainath extracted Dakshina from His devotees only in order to teach them the Lesson of Charity and to remove their attachment to wealth and thus to purify their minds. Baba's main object in taking Dakshina was only to teach them of Renunciation and Purification. Sometimes, Baba wanted our six inner enemies (lust, anger, avarice etc.) to be surrendered to Him as Dakshina.

Charity also implies Sacrifice, which is the key for any Spiritual Sadhana. Definitely, as human beings, we can experience some situations in life where we are attracted towards pleasures, wealth etc. Unless one forgoes comforts, pleasures or enjoyment, only then, one can say he or she is on the road of Self Realization.

Daan is a practical process that gradually helps in eliminating one's attachment to Maya or illusion. When you think of God, be free of all attachments, think only of the Super Consciousness, the last destination. "While leaving the mortal body, one whose mind dwells in Me, comes to Me, have no doubt," assures Lord Krishna. Gita and Upanishads all exhort that Charity given in a Holy Place and to a Holy Personage, conduces to the Donors welfare to a great degree. What is more Holy than Shirdi and its Presiding Deity Shirdi Sainath?

(Contributed by Sai devotee Sai Eshwari)
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Contributed Article: Sri Sai Gurucharitra - Chapter VII(continued from last week)

Sri Sai Baba's leelas are wonderful and beautiful. He appears as Siva to the devotees of Siva, as Vishnu to the devotees of Vishnu and as Parvardhigar to the Muslim devotees. One the one hand he would look like the Panduranga Vittala standing on a brick and on the other he would look like Sai Baba. His love for his devotees was limitless.

Baba had with him an old well baked brick with him. He used to love that brick more than he did his life. He would use it every day as his pillow when he slept. Nanasaheb Chandorkar saw this and said, "Baba why do you use that brick as a pillow? I will have a nice pillow stitched for you. Please throw that brick away." Baba then replied, "Even if you bring a hundred thousand pillows they will not equal this brick. This was presented to me by my Guru. This is more valuable that the whole world to me. This is my meditation as well as the object of my meditation. Nobody can estimate its value. It is breaks; my life will depart this body. My guru's feet had touched this brick; that is why I have made it my pillow. He who keeps his head on the lotus like feet of his guru; his shadow is also holy. That is why I keep my head on this brick which touched my guru's lotus feet. By this I am becoming one who every day keeps his head on his Gurus feet. Nana! You all come and salute me in the mornings. I in turn present all your salutes to my guru. In the manner that the Godavari River takes all the water that joins it and consigns it to the sea, in the same way I consign your salutes to my guru. When I had put this brick at the feet of my guru, my guru who loved me as a mother did her child, laughed with pleasure at my devotion. He said, 'Well done. In the past Pundaleeka had presented Krishna a brick and asked him to stand on that. Now you are doing me same thing and asking me to put my feet on that. By the dint of the excellence of your devotion, I have to stand steadily on this brick forever.

What body is in samadhi, the same body will also be in this brick.' This is the truth. My Sadguru had commingled with Lord Sri Venkateswara and had become Venkateswara himself. He is now in the form of Lord Venkateswara. Sri Venkateswara's footprints are on this brick. That is why I call my guru Venkusa (Venkateswara Swamy). The power of this brick is beyond compare. Have you now seen what it is?" Nanasaheb Chandorkar and the other devotees heard Baba and prostrated at his feet in devotion. Chandorkar was an ardent devotee of Sri Sai Baba. He died in the holy Sravana month in 1923 at Poona and reached the holy feet of Sri Sai Baba. I prostrate before Chandorkar.

Ratanji saheb belonged to Nanded. Once he started for Shirdi along with his family for the darsan of Sri Sai Baba. Ratanji was a gentle, cultured soul and had great devotion towards Sai Baba. He was a Parsi. His happiness knew no bounds on the day that he was to start for Shirdi. On that day he called his friends for a tea party to his house at about four or five in the evening. Ratanji had many friends. The pride of wealth or arrogance was not present in the least in Ratanji. His friends are also not from a single caste or religion. Some were Brahmins, some Vaisyas, some were of the weaver class while some were of the warrior caste. Some were Parsis while some were Mohammedans. But in that group there is not a trace of hatred or bigotry based on caste or creed. That band of friends was a garden where jasmines and roses were flowering at the same time. Where the perfume of mutual respect and love was in abundance there is no place for the stench of fanaticism based on caste or creed. Not only this, by the mixture of the fragrances of the various castes and creeds meeting in an atmosphere of mutual love and affection; that meeting of good people (Satsangam) expressed a fragrance of its own which extended its influence outwards.

The earth is the place where all the various varieties of flowers bloom. That earth gives birth to and nourishes all varieties of flowers. In the same way the almighty gives birth to and nourishes all the various castes, creeds and nationalities. But the tragedy of today is that not only the various creeds are fighting with each other in hatred, but the split and splintered society of Hindus are also fighting with greater hatred between the various castes. They are not hesitating to destroy one another's wealth, woman or lives.

"The Kshatriya is lower than us. Even then he is trying in vain to equal us. Where will they get that intelligence or majesty from- they who are not Brahmin by birth?" question the Brahmins. The Kshtriyas reply, "To tell the truth, these Brahmins are the real low classes. One rishi was born to a Harijan woman. One rishi's mother was a mixed caste. Vyasa was the son of a prostitute. The fishermen Valya became Valmiki. Did not all these people have intelligence or scholarship? Later these Brahmins have written a false history, changing all the facts and fabricated our holy books. They hid their faults very carefully. They say that the Brahmins were born from the face of Brahma. Have your heard of any thing more foolish? Does any one take birth from the face? You yourself can judge the veracity of their statement! If they insist that they were indeed born from the face are they not equal to the disease inducing bacteria?

Because, only bacteria are ever born from the face, from the snot of the nose and the ulcers of the mouth. Why should we salute such people? Will the insect ever become a lion? Will it ever become God? They have written the majority of today's holy books. In those books they have shamelessly praised themselves. They claim themselves to be gurus and are holding court over the heads of the Kshatriyas. They have written the puranas and have put unnecessary sanctions and barriers on the Kshatriyas." (To be continued)

(Contributed by Source: "Sri Sai Gurucharithra" originally by Santkavi Sri Dasganu Maharaj. Translated from Telugu version by Sri SVL with an Introductory Preface by Sri Sainathuni Sarathbabuji)
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Experiences of Devotees:

Madhu Vulpala
This incident happened in December 2004. On a Friday night, we were going to San Jose downtown from Fremont, as our 2-month-old son was fussy. We thought a car ride would soothe him. Just before reaching (100 meters) the main intersection from our house in Fremont, we had an accident. We were going from north towards south and the other car was going from East to West. The other driver took a right turn at the intersection hit the median, came over to the other side, and hit our car. It was a head on collision, our car was completely damaged. By Sai Baba's grace, all the 5 of us including my in-laws escaped miraculously with minor cuts and bruises. Sai Baba saved my son. Baba, please be with my son and protect him always, do not ever leave him. We dedicate our son's life to you.

Mani Narayana Aluri
I Just want to share a miraculous experience we have had recently. Last 15 days back, we all were worried about some problem in our house. I was so frustrated that our pujas and prayers were not answered for the past so many months. My daughter was so angry at Baba and expressed her feelings loud. I just went out of my room and in the living room on the prayer mandir I was surprised to see a small packet of vibhuti and a small honey bottle on my prayer mandir. The doctor who prescribed the medicine for the problem was telling us that it would take 6 months to cure the problem. But my daughter who was so frustrated with the medicines did not touch it. Instead, she started applying that vibhuti and her problem started disappearing to our surprise. Yesterday, when we went to the doctor, he was surprised to see the improvement. We both were silently smiling at him, but did not tell him that it is not his medicine, because he is a foreigner and he will laugh at us. But this is a fact. Of course, my daughter is feeling better and more convinced about Baba's guidance and presence in our lives. I sincerely pray for one and all who are unhappy in their lives for something or the other to have blessings of Baba and get rid of their problems too. Love all, serve all and have purified hearts. This will definitely help one and all to be happy and make the world a beautiful world. I also thank all those who are indirectly involved in praying for our problems. Jai Sai Ram
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Devotees say...

Ramakrishna V
Pranam Sai Baba, we are very happy for your blessings on our newborn baby. All our prayers are accepted and we continue to remain in the path You have shown us forever. Please bless our family, friends, and relatives. Please keep the baby healthy and show us the right path in life.

A Sai devotee
Baba makes His presence felt in each of our lives in some way or the other. All of us resort to His feet during crisis and He helps us tide over the worst of situations. He has made so much of difference to my family and without his grace we could not have thought of being even close to what we are today. A series of mishaps in and the tunnel seemed to be never-ending. Baba came to the family in the form of a lady, who gave us the first copy of Satcharita. Three years now and Baba has given each one of us a meaning to live- a family that witnessed only depressing events, hosted a wedding by Baba's grace that amazed near and dear. Three weeks before the wedding, the resources for the wedding were held up and I wrote to SaiVichar, though I was always confident Baba would not let down a devotee. He showed me an alternative way in less than a week and the marriage happened under His blessings in a grand manner. The very thought of how Sai has brought us up from virtually nothing, giving the family a respectable status brings tears to my eyes. Sai, all I ask for is, continue to support us- we need Your grace. You know what next has to happen and I am confident You will ensure things happen smoothly. I have had time to read sapthaha only once. I have started so many times, but never ended it. But I have always chanted Sainama and I think it is the most powerful mantra that can guide people over the most challenging situations by the grace of Sai.
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Prayer Club:

Lakshmi
My daughter is very badly in need of a job. She has a first class career through out. She did M.Sc. (Ag) and stood as a gold medallist. Her bedridden husband who had underwent surgery for brain tumor is in a precarious condition. She has two young children and needs a job to thrive. The govt. of A.P.India is filling Agricultural officer's posts. Kindly shower your blessings on her to secure that post. She and our family are your ardent devotees. You have been helping us since a long time. Baba, please get her that job. I request all the members of the prayer club and sai devotees to pray my daughter to secure that job.

R Sivakumar
Dear Sai, please accept my humble pranams at your lotus feet. We thank you for this life. I have been a staunch devotee of yours for the last 18 years and will continue to remain so till the end of my life. With your blessings, I got married 4 years back and am still expecting a child. Please show us a way by removing all fears and apprehensions and bless us with a child very soon. Request all of you to please pray for us. Thank you.

Revathi Y
Baba Kindly solve my problems and help me achieve my goals. Remove my hurdles and I promise I will write my story in this magazine. Please be with me rather be in front of me and show me the way.

Ravindran
Sai Natha, please give my son the concentration and determination to excel in his studies and give me a satisfying job. Give my parents peace of mind at their old age.

Manocha
Baba please help me. This is a SOS mail. I am very desperate. Baba please remove all obstacles and sufferings from my life. Baba please give direction, purpose and light into my life, and bless me to fulfill that purpose. Always remain with us and protect us from evil. Give me strength to walk on your footsteps.

Ravi
Om Sai Ram, I am staying in Malaysia and I am a follower of Sai Baba for the past 5 years. Recently ( 4 weeks ago) after going through peoples experiences and their blessings received from Lord Sai Baba, I had prayed to the Lord to get my New Zealand residence papers moving. In fact it was stand still for nearly 4 months. That day I decided taht if I get the residence papers I shall forward my experience and blessing received to the Saibaba.org. I had meditated on the Lord and in 3 weeks time I heard the news from New Zealand High Commission that they started the processing. And now its in the last stage. My prayers are still continuing for the Lord till I become the resident sucessfully. Oh Lord where ever You are, when I pray whole heartedly You bless me in one form or the other. I can only say the Lord will listen to all devotees prayers and bless them. I hope even the last stage of my process would be completed peacefully.

Puja
Baba you have always stood beside me in all good and bad times like a mountain. I love You with all my heart. With your grace me and my husband are together again. You blessed me with a healthy baby even after going through the worst of the situations. I am very selfish and does not light a candle everyday in front of You due to my own busy schedule but You still take care of me. Your blessing cannot be explained. I pray to you that You take care of my family and I want to surrender to You completely. You know what my situation is. I know lot of people crave for the job You got me by your grace but you know that I want to be with my daughter but due to the present situation I cannot leave the job. Please show me the way where I can feel better and devote time to my family and still can do a fair amount of good job. The presure I feel in this job is really keeping me tense and I am unable to give my best as I don't feel like working. I am completely lost and feel I am getting lazy but I want to spend time at home. Please bless my husband with what he wishes so that I can start my own work and not have to go through what I do. Baba please show me the way and settle things for me with your grace. I am sorry that I did not complete the Sai Satcharitra. Please bless me to do so as without your wish nothing moves. Bless us all Baba and listen to all who have exteded their arms for your help.

Prabha
Koti Pranams to you Sai Deva. Thank you for giving us a nice darshan when my husband and I had come to Shirdi. Sai Deva, you know what all mental tensions we are undergoing. Please answer my daughter's prayers and lighten her burdens and bless her with a child. You know what all she underwent .Please let there not be another surgery for her. Sai Deva, in my family we all read your Sai Charita regularly. You have always been with us throughout, please do not let us forget you. Help my husband to come out of his health problems.Please help my other daughter have a safe delivery. Also we pray that mine and my husband's visa to be stamped and come soon. Our humble pranams to you Sai Maharaj, what more can I ask but your blessings on my family. Sai devotees please pray for my younger daughter to be blessed with a child soon. She is undergoing lot of mental depressions. Jai Sai Ram
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Quotation of the Week:
"If one devotes their entire time to me and rests in me, need fear nothing for body and soul"-Sai Baba
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Question of the Week:

Q. Sai Satcharitha says, "Debt and enmity has to be atoned for". Please comment?

A. by Ramaswamy, K.G.

Shirdi Sai Baba is saying is true if we go through our legends (Purana). When Mahabharatha war was going on the end of "Bishma Pithamah" happened due to the enmity prevailed from his previous connection. Bishma vowed not to fight with women and weak people. So Lord Krishna's plan was to keep"Shikandi" to fight with Bhishma. Lord Krishna fulfilled his boon given through another form "Skanda". Bhisma put down his arrows when He saw "Shikandi" in front of him to fight. It enabled Arjuna to kill Bhisma. If you go the epic "Shikandi is none other than Princess Amba who committed suicide after getting boon from "Lord Skanda" to Kill Bhisma in her next birth as "Shikandi" due to the vengeance happened when Bhisma snatched away the three Princess sisters Amba, Ambika and Ambalika. Actually, Mahabharata starts from here. It shows how the enmity is atoned as Shri Shirdi Baba said. Another story says about the debt. In order to repay the debt of his previous birth Raja Harichandra undergone severe difficulties by adhering truth. This proves the efficacy of scientific Law "that every action got equal & opposite reaction. "What we sow that we will reap. If it is good, we will return good or vice versa-- Om Sai Ram.

Q. What is the essence of Anandrao's vision regarding Kakasaheb's doubts about Bhakthi?

A. by Sai devotee

The appearance of Sri Sai in the dream of Anandrao and the passage of message to Madhavarao and Kakasaheb shows his divine Leelas in the lives of the devotees. What is the significance of his Leela; what is its essence to the devotees Sai alone knows.
The restless ness of Sri Kakasaheb's mind about the genuineness of his devotion shows how much burning desire he had for liberation. This quality represented by Sri Kakasaheb is the first and most important pre requisite in self-realization. It is known as Mumukshutvam. Sri Madhavarao tries to reassure Kakasaheb about the steadfast devotion they have towards Sri Sai. Sri Madhavarao was aptly compared to the post of Nandi in lord Siva's court. His Faith in Sri Sai is immovable. Madhavarao's comforting words were not able to drive away the frustration in Kakasaheb's mind. While doing spiritual sadhana, the mind feels desperation and becomes doubtful at some point of time due to no specific reason. At that time, seeing the sincerity of the seeker, the Guru tries to inspire the mind of the seeker through revealing his Grace.

Sri Sai, on seeing Kakasaheb's distress, came in the dream of Sri Anandrao. It displays the all-pervading compassionate nature of Sainath. Sai ensures to Anandrao that, all is well and to continue the devotion. This is an evidence to show Kakasaheb that nothing is there to be feared. Sai declared that Kakasaheb's way of worship is adequate for his spiritual progress. Sai's legs under water in the dream may indicate our confusion in following the Guru's teachings (amidst our doubts in the ocean of samsara). Sri Madhavarao's request to Sri Sai to take the legs out of the water depicts the role of Faith in our Guru bhakti. The faith brings a clear perspective on the confused situations. Our Guru knows our merits and demerits better than anyone else. Therefore, he gives teaching according to that. In Sai Satcharita, Sai allots different modes of worship to his devotees basing on their nature. To some, he made them to read pothi, to some, he send them to different places to do God's worship. Our duty is to surrender and to take refuge in the lotus feet of our Guru, and to make a firm resolution to worship them, irrespective of the trials and tribulations of life.
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Sai Activities:

Sri Ramanavami celebrations in Chicago, USA
Sri Ramanavami and Urs festival celebrations are the first major celebration of the year for Shirdi Sai devotees. The tradition started in 1910 and continues each year. Shirdi Sai temple, Chicago will be celebrating the event for three days starting from Friday evening April 15th to Sunday April 17th. The program comprises of Aartis, Maha Abhishek, Homam, Palki procession, Satcharitra parayan, bhajans and much more. For complete details please visit http://www.saibaba.us/index.html or call 847-931-4058.

Sri Ramanavami - Baba's Urs Celebrations in Minnesota
Shirdi Saibaba Prayer center, Minnesota invites Sai devotees to participate in the Sri Ramanavami-Urs celebrations on Saturday, April 16, 2005 at Geeta Ashram, Brooklyn Park, MN. The event includes, Sai aarthis, Devotees' experiences, Bhajans, Kirtans, Chandan Utsav and Palki Procession. Please write to hamaresai@yahoo.com. Regular Sai activities in the Twin Cities, MN are conducted at Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, 725 Lake St NE, Apt #139 Hopkins MN. For details, please visit www.hamaresai.org or write to hamaresai@yahoo.com. Or call Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center at 952-938-2983.

Florida Sai Mandir, Inverness, FL
Sai devotees are invited for the inauguration of Shirdi Sai temple in Inverness, Florida, USA. The program starts from March 25th till March 27th, 2005. For more information please call 352-860-2181 or send an email to shirdi@gowebco.com

Shirdi Sai Satsang, Canada
Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan of Canada invites all to join us for Satsang every Thursday 6:30PM at 147 Winston Castle Dr. Markham Ont. L6C 2N4. For details on other Activities and Services please call Shammi Chopra at 416-402-8089 or email us saileela99@yahoo.com

Shirdi Sai bhajans in Bay Area, CA
We would like to invite all Sai devotees in the Bay Area to attend Sai bhajans every Thursday. The prayer hall is located at "Odd Fellows Temple", 20589 Homestead Road, Cupertino, CA 95014. For more information please call 408-564-6704 or send an email to saibandhu@yahoo.com.
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