The Glory of Shirdi Sai Tenth Year of Publication - Published as Bi-Weekly www.saidarbarusa.org ~ an affiliate of www.saidarbar.org
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गुरुॄह्मा गुरुिवर्ंणु: गुरुदेर् वो महे श्वर: | गुरु: शाक्षात परॄह्म तःमै ौीगुरवे नमः:||
सबुरी
CONTENT Satsangs of SaiBaNisaji Time Machine Shirdi Dairy Sri Sainatha Mananam The Dreams Train Devotees Corner Baba’s close devotees Children Section Spiritual Gems From Sai Satcharita Aditya Hridayam
Guru…..Always Depend on HIM I hope this past week everybody had blessed time with the Guru Poornima festivity. Always depend on Guru for all the questions and concerns and He is the only one who can guide us in our life. Sometimes we tend to be confused with destiny and fate. The only difference between the two is that in fate you have no choice, and in destiny you have a choice. You can choose to use God given talent or to walk away and give up. Also time is a major factor in our lives. Time is an entity that human life has no control over. We are so bound by time, and we have commitments to complete in a timely fashion which we call a BUSY lifestyle. The only help we can get in this situation is our GURU. If you just surrender to HIM, he will be able to free us from any trouble and problem associated with time. When we obey his teachings and guidance completely, He will always save us from the time bound life which we are worried about. In this present generation, it is really difficult to find a perfect Guru, to teach us. But we are so blessed to have a Sadguru like Sai. Focus all your attention towards within yourself, and see the formless soul inside yourself, and the soul is HIM. Bow to Shri Sai ~ Peace be to All
JAI SAI RAM
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Sai always tells his devotees that, the simple remembrances of His name as "Sai Sai" will do away with sins of speech & hearings. Guru Purnima was the only festival which Baba asked His devotees to celebrate. Guru can be a good guide but sadguru is an experience. His life shows us the true and great path which can lead us to destiny. So on this auspicious day we need to remember this and make our path of life based on the teachings of our Sadguru Shri Sai.
Hrudaya Granthi Bedakaaya pradaaya Namah
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1912, 2 January Tuesday, Shirdi I got up very early in the morning. Upasani’s brother who came yesterday went away before day break. After I finished my prayer Kaka Mahajani, Atré & others went. More went later on. C.V. Vaidya went after midday Arti, with three other gentlemen Nanasaheb Chandorkar held a Dhanurmas, and all were invited. After meals it was that C.V.Vaidya went. Mankar, Mamledar of Kopargaon & Deva, Mamledar of Dahanu, also went then. Later on after sunset Nanasaheb Chandorkhar went with all his family. So the wada, which during these few days used to look full & very pleasant is comparatively empty now & we miss company. We saw Sayin Maharaj when he came out for a stroll, & again at Sheja -Arti. My son Baba & Gopalrao Dole came this morning to take me to Amravati. I said my departure depended on the permission of Sayin Maharaj. They saw Sayin Maharaj & said there was no difficulty about the permission. Bhishma is not well today So there was no Bhajan. Ram Maruti wished to go away today but Sayin Baba detained him. There was Ramayan & Bhagavat read at night. GLORY
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Pujyasri B.V.Narasimhaswamiji, who visited Shirdi in the year 1936, collected authentic information about Lord Sainath from persons lived with Sai and wrote many books on Lord Sainath. All his works are authentic . One such book is SRI SAINATHA MANANAM. This book was published as early as in the year 1942 and the fourth edition came in the year 1945.
Those who bow up to the never-failing (Achyuta) Sayeesa, shining like the lotus. his (kupni) toga knows no fear.
He indeed is the Lord, who is fearless and who protects those around him that Are plunged in fears. He is the one. If there are more, there is a mutual fear. He esteems nothing more than remaining as the Self.
O Sai Kirshna, Thou art merciful. Thou art the support of the support-less. O Purushothama, you are the Saviour of men sunk in perpetual sorrows.
Little minds consider some as their own and others as strangers. To lofty souls, the entire world is their little family.
What merit is there in returning or doing good to those that are or do good to us? The ( Sants) good, call him good (Sadhu) who does good to his enemies.
Sadhus, i.e.,the good are often suffering sympathetic pain at the pain of others. This indeed is the best woship of God who is the soul in all creatures.
Sai that ever lives near is easily accessible to the devotee. He is indeed the slave of his devotees. If he is pleased, everything is attained.
This worship of Sai is the thornless path or unafflicted way. He who rushes or runs with blind folded eyes here will neither fall nor stumble.
Most proper it is! This path pursued by (Sadhus) good people with noble nature making. Sainatha their highest goal is safe and free from fear of any sort.
And clad in
Will continue
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05-09-1997: Sai appeared as a Schoolteacher and said knowledge lies in your ability to realize: 1.You may avoid face to face with the person harmed you in the past and may even fly without coming in contact with anybody. Greatness lies in passing a gentle smile on facing a person harmed you while maintaining distance.
2.Only a Doctor can decide whether the medicine taken by you is genuine or not. It is therefore necessary to keep faith in the Doctor. 3.Do not forget that just as you indulge in talking good and bad about a person, the other person can also do the same. 4.You end up paying tip to the bearer in a hotel serving food with all the care while leaving the venue. It will be in your own interest to clear all the ‘VRUNA’ (debts) towards your wife, children, kith, and relatives before exiting the World.
Karma Dwamsine
5.Just as you pray God to give you food for the sake of energy, you must pray your Guru to grant spiritual energy for seeking food for the soul.
Namaha
6.It will be miserly to repent for loosing money after having entered the gambling dens. Worst of all worst would be a person on the spiritual path craving for more wealth. Everything happening to you is pre-determined and as destined.
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INTRODUCING SHRI SHIRDI SAI BABA (Late) Dr. RS.R. Swami BABA'S MIRACLE - 3
Why fear when I am here? Throw your burdens upon me and I will bear them" - Baba
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My wife was an expectant mother in '43. We were then at Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam Dt., and though I had medical friends, we did not think it necessary to seek advice except for just one visit of the health visitor who said it was all O.K. We felt assured that Baba who is ever watchful and solicitous about the welfare of his devotees would provide the necessary help as and when required. Towards the end of August, my wife developed labour pains. These continued in an increasing measure from day to day for 4 to 5 days. Yet, it did not strike either of us to seek medical advice. Only when delivery seemed imminent did I call a midwife. It took more than three hours of excruciating labour for a male child to be delivered. While feeling thankful for the redress at long last, the midwife threw a bomb-shell that there was another child in the womb. This was my wife's fourth confinement, we had not dreamt of the possibility of twins, there being no precedence on either side. We were flabber-gasted. The health visitor had not said anything about twins. My wife who was still crying and feeling exhausted with pain became desperate and said she would not survive another delivery. The midwife after attending to the new-born child was preparing to go saying it would not be for another six or seven hours that thesecond child would be born. I was completely non-Plussed. There was no other help in the house except for the neighbours. Then my wife called me and asked for Baba's Udhi What a fool I was, I had not thought of it, though it was I who had narrated to her about Baba's leela, in case of Nana Saheb Chandarkar's daughter, how He had sent Bapu Gir with Udhi to the young woman in the throes of labour quite far away from Shirdi, which enabled her to deliver her child promptly and with ease. With resurgent hope and courage, I forth with gave a little Udhi to the midwife to be put in my wife's mouth as well as to be applied over the region of her womb. It was accordingly done, when lo! and behold! almost in a trice, as though gently propelled by unseen hands the second of the twins was born. What more proof could one need to demonstrate the ever loving care and immanence of Baba? Glory be to Shri Shirdi Sai - Grace be to all
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Baba’s Close Devotees
Santaram Balwant Nachne Dahanukar, Thana, 13th September, 1936 : Courtesy: http://blessedones.saibaba.com/ A cashier in an office was in trouble last year about Rs.3,500 which was not accounted for. A friend advised him to go to me and he came. That cashier disliked Baba, as Baba was 'Mohamedan'. But when he came to me, I told him that his sole sanctuary was the Sai Mandir at Shirdi, and that he should go there and make a heartfelt apology and appeal for help. He went there, got a photo of Baba and with the help of Sagun Naik placed it at the Samadhi, prayed there and came back with the photo. Things then began to brighten up. He was allowed eight days time to pay up the Rs.3,500. He went up, got money and paid it. The matter was closed. There was neither dismissal nor prosecution. Similar help was rendered by Baba in another case. Mr.V.C. Chitnis after his dismissal from service came to me. I told him to cast his burden on Sai Baba and make an appeal at the Shirdi Mandir for help. He went to Shirdi and later he was reinstated in service.
Shuddha Satvastitaya Namaha
I shall mention what help Baba gave to members of my family, for Sadgati, i.e., at or after death. My parents were devotees of Sai Baba. My mother was aged seventy in 1926 when she died. She kept Sai Baba's photo to the last in front of her. As the end was nearing, she asked me to read Vishnu Sahasranama aloud by her side, and I did. Then with "Ram Ram" on her lips, she passed away. My second wife passed away in 1929 and I was anxious to do everything necessary to secure Sadgati for her soul. So I wished to take her bones and ashes to Nasik and dispose of them there with proper ceremonies. But I was beset with difficulties. My father was ill. I had, amidst my feeling of bitter loss at her departure, to make sure of the funds needed and the steps necessary, of which I had no idea. I took a sum of Rs.80 and leaving a child of three years at home, started by train for Nasik. At Victoria Terminus, I found I had a fellow passenger who took enormous trouble for me and extended his sympathy and help even before the train started. Will Continue
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Devotees Experience: Om Sai Rama, I would like to share my personal experience with all of Sai Rama followers. I am a simple (the so called "saadharan" as mentioned in Sai Satcharitra) bhakt of Shiri Sai Baba, and pray to him daily. I had a beautiful stone statue of Sai Baba, which I used to pray and purposely look at this feets to get some "spiritual darshan"- Adhyatmik darshan. One day unfortunately, my one year son went inside the mandir and pulled down the staute of Baba. When I came back from office I saw that the statue is broken, but to my surprise only Baba's right leg is broken and rest all is good as before. I was really sad and thought how will I see Baba's feet now?. How will I have the spiritual darshan?. I was really quite sad and was wondering what Baba wants to say to us? Did he want me to bring new statue or what else??? Now the main incident begins.. After 6-7 days,on 1st sept 2009, all of a sudden, I observed black patches in my right eye !!. I could not see and almost 70% of the vision was not there. I immediately rushed to the doctor, which referred me to hospital for emergency. There the doctors asked me to do various tests,and looked at the condition of the eye. The problem was big as I had some bacteria in the eye and was spreading. (I wondered that was it this that Baba wanted me to tell?) The doctors also said that I have TB symptoms and the condition of eye is serious and the vision could be lost. The news was a big shock to me as I could not believe at all, that I have TB symptoms. Unfortunately all the TB tests, one after the other, were coming positive, making it confirm that I have developed active TB. In the mean time I kept praying to Baba, but I and my family were in such condition that there was tension in the house, because with active TB there is risk that the family members can also get it too, especially infants. "I kept drinking some Udi with water in these days". Before the last test result I offered two coconuts to Baba and prayed for my eye recovery and I should not get TB at all. When I went to the doctor, he told me that your last test result has come and it has turned out to be positive and thus "confirmed" that I have active TB. I was like heart broken, that Baba also left me when I needed him the most. He did not listened to my prayers and was really angry, upset with Baba, and it was Thursday that day and I did not lit any lamp in front of him. next day also no prayers. I had no clue why,and how it happened to me and no help from Baba also. I had been put on very strong medications, called steroids (which I never wanted to swallow)for treatment but with no improvement. and then new prescription with other strong side effects medicines for 5 weeks, which showed little improvement. As a routine eye checkup I had to see the doctor every week, so on my last visit, few days back, he said that you Don't have TB !!. I said how come, on which he replied that full report for your last TB test has come now and its some other bacteria and not TB. I was surprised as to what is this. It was again Thursday that day and I could not stop smiling as wondering on Baba's Leela. Very amazing. Now my family is also safe as I don't have any TB and my medication was also cut down to easy and simple ones.There is lot of improvement in my eye now and I have full faith that it will be cured permanently with the grace and Blessing of Sai Baba. I thank Baba totally from bottom of my heart for helping me in tough times and I pray that I can worship him more passionately and lovingly, and give me "Shraddha and Saburi" for which I need his blessings. I also ask Baba to bless all his followers and help them. Jai Sai Naath. Baba Aapko koti koti pranaam. - Sai Devotee (courtesy: www.babasaiofshirdi.org))
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n o i t c e S s ’ Children
Lear arn Le n an andd Parti rtici cippa atte e Pa
Stories for this Week: “THE HARE ON THE MOON” You know very well that what we see on the moon are those big empty spaces, called "seas." However, centuries ago all that was not known, and in different lands there were very different legends of how the moon got its spots. Here is an old one from India, where, unlike you and me, they see not a man-in-the-moon, but a rabbit! In India he is called a hare. The hare in our story was a great soul in disguise: he was none other than that one who would one day be born as the Buddha. Living in the woods with his friends, Monkey, Jackal and Otter, Hare seemed to know about his future life, since he lived and preached good behavior, self-sacrifice and all sorts of righteousness. He observed days of fasting, too, when he ate no grasses at all. Now one day when Monkey was out climbing trees for mangoes, and Otter was diving for fish and Jackal looking for meat, Hare was on a fast day. He got to thinking, "Well, if any beggar comes by, he must certainly be fed and not scorned; that is the rule. And today, if any beggar comes, I cannot give him grass and I have nothing else. So what to do? Let me sacrifice my own body for him." As you have read in other stories, when any wonderful vow like this is heard on earth, it rises to the heavens and the king of the gods gets a hot seat. His throne becomes quite hot and uncomfortable. (He is afraid of being replaced.) So THE
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now, the king of the gods learning what the hare had vowed to do, decided to test this fellow. He came down to earth and took the form of a man who was begging. First he went to Otter and asked for food. Otter offered him a fresh fish. Next he saw Jackal who had just found some meat and offered that. Of course when he came to Monkey, a mango was held out to him. The begger refused them all, and said he would return the next day. Then he approached Hare, who without a murmur told the beggar to gather some wood and build a fire, and promised him he would soon have a freshly cooked delicious meal. This the "beggar" did. As soon as the fire became live coals, moved by pity for the beggar's hunger, Hare, hopping to the place, sprang into the fire. Strange to say, the fire did not burn him -it was as cold as the air above the clouds. Hare was astounded, and stared, questioning, at the beggar. "What does this mean?" he exclaimed. His guest then revealed that he was no beggar, not human; he had come from heaven to test his sincerity and virtue. "You have wasted your time," said Hare, "I would give my body for the need of any creature who asked me." Then the king of the gods replied: "Such a spirit of self-sacrifice as yours is not found anywhere; people must be reminded of it till the end of time. I will draw your profile on the moon, so that no one will forget it." And so he did. Can you find Hare in the moon??
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Chapter 48 Contributed by: swamy@saimail.com
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Signs of Sad-guru Continued from last issue…. Mrs.Saptnekar
One year elapsed. Still Mr.Sapatnekar's mind was not at peace. He went to Gangapur, where he felt more restless. Then he went to Madhegaon for rest and finally decided to go to Kashi. Two days before starting, his wife got a vision. In her dream she was going with a pitcher to Lakadsha's well. There a fakir with a piece of cloth round his head, who was sitting at the foot of the Neem tree, came close to her and said - "My dear lassie, why get exhausted for nothing? I get your pitcher filled with pure water." She was afraid of the fakir and hastened back with the empty pitcher. The fakir followed her. At this she was awakened and opened her eyes. She told this vision to her husband. They thought that this was an auspicious sign and they both left for Shirdi.
Guna theetha Gunatmane Namaha
When the Sapatnekars reached the Masjid, Baba was absent. He had gone to Lendi. They waited till His return. When He returned, she was surprised to see that the fakir she saw in her vision, resembled exactly Baba. She reverentially prostrated herself before Baba and sat looking at him. Seeing her humility Baba was much pleased and began to tell a story in his peculiar characteristic fashion to a third party. He said - "My arms, abdomen and waist are paining for a long time. I took many medicines, the pains did not abate. I got sick of the medicines as they gave me no relief, but I am surprised to see now that all the pains have disappeared at once." Though no name was mentioned it was the story of Mrs.Sapatnekar herself. Her pains, as described by Baba, left her soon and she was happy. Will continue… Bow to Shri Sai ~ Peace be to All
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Source: http://devotionalonly.com/aditya-hridayam-stotram/ Continued from last issue... सवर्देवात्मको ह्येष तेजःवी रिँमभावनः।
एष दे वासुरगणाँल्लोकान ् पाित गभिःतिभः॥ ७॥ 7. Sarva devaatmako hyesha tejasvee rashmi bhaavanah Esha devaasura ganaan lokaan paati gabhastibhih || Sarva devaatma eko Tejasvi Esah Gabhastibhih Devasuraganan pati
= Being the embodiment of all gods; = Having the immense illumination that subdues the light of all others; = This person; = With the rays; = The groups of Devas and Rakshasas; = protects.
Indeed he is the embodiment of all Gods. He is Self luminous, and is the sustainer of all the worlds as well as the host of Gods and demons by his Rays (which nourish and energize). Will continue….
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From the Editor’s Desk
The material universe that you perceive through your mind, speech, eyes, ears and other senses is an illusory creation that one imagines to be real due to the influence of maya (illusion). In fact, you should know that all of the objects of the material senses are temporary.
~Uddhava Gita Dear Sai Devotees, We encourage you to continue writing about your Sai-related activities and experiences in essay, article, or poetry form and email it to us at editor@saidarbarusa.org. We will put in our best efforts to include as many of your submissions as possible in the upcoming newsletters. As previously done, we will publish the author’s email id with the respective entry. If you would like to stay anonymous, please explicity state this request in your submission email. JAI SAI RAM Publisher and Editor: Badri Narasimhan Editorial Team: Radhika Nistala, Kanchana Kumar, Sumathi VijayBhaskaran, Kalyan Koduri Email: editor@saidarbarusa.org
BOW TO SHRI SAI ~ PEACE BE TO ALL