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
Positive thinking Always positive thoughts keep us motivated and interested in leading this worldly existence. The more positive you are in thought will certainly help living a contented life. Negative thinking can make anybody believe they are not worthy enough. To keep our mind healthy and focused on Sadguru, we have to attract positive thinking towards us and our thoughts. To attain this, do not focus on how to stop negative thoughts, that enhances the thought of them. You focus on how to plant good thougths. We can easily make this habit a daily practice by appreciating everything you have and get everyday, health, home, family, friends, work, food,……everything you go through. Also practice complimenting and thanking our Guru for all his blessings on us. As you practice this without even knowing you always have good thoughts and automatically the negative thoughts get out. Once we get this habit ascertained in our system we will have a peaceful life. On this Thursday with the blessing of Shirdi Sai May we all achieve this target of good and positive thoughts in life. Bow to Shri Sai ~ Peace be to All
JAI SAI RAM
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There was a devotee by name Radhabai. Hearing Baba's fame, she came to Shirdi. She took Baba's darshan and was much satisfied. She loved Baba intimately and resolved in her mind, that she should accept Baba as her Guru, and take some Upadesh from Him. She determined to fast herself unto death, so long as Baba did not accept her, and give her any Upadesh or Mantra. On seeing her determination, Baba sent for her, changed the turn of her mind by addressing her his positive thoughts. "My Guru never expected any other thing from Me. He never neglected Me, but protected Me at all times. I lived with him, and was sometimes away from him; still I never felt the want or absence of his love. Oh mother, My Guru never taught Me any Mantra, then how shall I blow any Mantra in your ears? Do not try to get Mantra or Upadesh from anybody. Make Me the sole object of your thoughts and actions; and you will, no doubt, attain Paramartha (the spiritual goal of life). Look at Me wholeheartedly, and I in turn look at you similarly. Sitting in this Masjid, I speak the truth, nothing but the truth. No Sadhanas, nor proficiency in the six Shastras, are necessary. Have faith and confidence in your Guru. Believe fully, that Guru is the sole Actor or Doer. Blessed is he who knows the greatness of his Guru and thinks him to be Hari, Hara and Brahma (Trimurti) Incarnate.” Instructed in this way, the old lady was convinced; she bowed to Baba and gave up her fast.
Ananta Kalyana Gunaaya Namah
1912 3 January Wednesday, Shirdi In the morning I got up early, attended the Kakad Arti and finished my prayer. My son Baba & Gopalrao Dole went to Sayin Maharaj & asked for permission to return to Amravati. Sayin Maharaj replied that all my return. So my son Baba & Gopalrao Dole returned in great joy. They told me So I went with Madhavarao Deshpande & Sayin Maharaj confirmed the permission but as we were returning he overtook us near the Khind Khind & said that we may start tomorrow. I saw him when he was going out & again after he returned to the Masjid. Madhavarao started the subject about my departure & Sayin Maharaj replied that I had my houses both here & at Amravati & I may stay where I like and I may never return to Amravati. That settled the matter, so it appeared to me & I told my son Baba & Gopalrao Dole to return to Amravati. So they made ready & went to say “goodbye ” & receive the blessing of Sayin Maharaj when the latter told them to go tomorrow. In the afternoon he said he would give all of my family, permission to return tomorrow. Megha fed some Brahmans today in completion of his Anushtana of Gayatri Purashchamena. We had our meals with him. The meal was served in Sathe’s Wada. In the afternoon I saw Sayin Maharaj, both at the Masjid & when he came out for his usual stroll. He was in a very pleased mood and laughed & abused in one & the same breath. At night there was the Bhajan of Bhishma & Dixit ’s Ramayan of which two chapters were read .Tatya Patel ’s father died in the evening.
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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.
Namaskara
I bow to Sainatha, to whom all women are mothers, all men are kinsmen and all wealth is but clods of earth.
I bow unto you the teachersof the universe, Siva and the giver of the good, Yogindra amongst yogindras, and Guru of all Gurus.
I bow to the Lotus feet of Sai Guru. I do thy excellent puja. I utter the Sai's auspicious and immaculate name. Oh Baba ! I think of thy imperishable truth.
Prostrations again and again to Sayeesa of Satchidananda form, who has left his body at Shirdi and is showering blessings of his devotees.
I bow unto you Sainatha with triple form being Brahma,the creator, Vishnu that bestows all boons and Rudra the conqueror of death.
Again and again I bow unto you Sayeesa the beloved of the world who gives relief in all perils and distresses and who bestows all wealth.
The Guru is Brahma. The Guru is Vishnu. The Guru alone is Maheswara. The Guru is visibly Parabrahma itself. To that Sree Guru I bow.
The Guru is the father and Guru is mother. And the Guru alone is Supreme God Siva. If God is angry the Guru intercedes and saves us. If the Guru is angry, none can protect us.
I bow to that Shree Guru who removes the cataract ajnana darkening the eye of the devotee, with his forceps Jnana. Will continue
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06-09-1997: Sai appeared as a hermit and said: All the hurdles and happiness in our life are caused due to an invisible power. Generally we pray God to relieve us from the difficulties and to be with us in our good times. Divine thoughts prevailing then and coming to realize the presence of a supreme power is Religion.
Pious ness pleases the God most
Amita Parakramaya
INTRODUCING SHRI SHIRDI SAI BABA (Late) Dr. RS.R. Swami BABA'S MIRACLE - 4 ~ " When truth is stranger than fiction"- The Upanishads
Namaha
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DEVOTEES EXPERIENCE AND ARTICLES
Yes, I saw Him, The re-incarnation of Baba (Twenty-six years after His Mahaa samadhi)-This occurred in March, 1944 at Vizianagaram, A.P, 26 years after Baba attained Mahaa Samadhi in October, 1918. Mukam karothi uachalam Mrutha mujj'wa yatyapi - The Upanishads Behold, it came to pass that the dumb spoke and the dead came back to life. The Bible Yes, there He stood at the gate, with His serene indulgent face and benevolent eyes, clothed in 'Kupni' with the cloth over the head falling loosely over the shoulders, the 'Biksha Patra' held in the right hand with the left folded and resting over the right shoulder exactly as in the portrait facing P112 of the Satcharita (Eng.edn. by Sri N.V. Gunaji). I was stunned with amazement. It was INCREDIBLE. Only a moment before, in my frenzied despair at the passing away of my first-born son aged 10 years, I had denied Him His Divinty and His omnipresence testified again and again by His devotees' experiences both before and after His 'Mahasamaadhi' I had declared Him to be a false deity and beseeched my wife to throw His portrait on the dung hill. But, here He stood to prove the TRUTH OF HIS ETERNAL EXISTENCE.
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You see, the medicine I poured into the mouth of my semiconcious son remained there. I shouted to him to swallow it, but the mouth remained open. I became frantic and tried to close it. No, the jaws had become rigid. I checked pulse. It too had stopped. It was then that called out my wife from the kitchen and spoke those blasphemons words. She just sat by the bed, head bent and tears trickling down, as much hurt by my profanity, no doubt, as by the bereavement. I had come to the end of my tether spiritually, I was not myself for the nonce. Thus i had the brutal impudence to ask my grieving wife whether she had cooked, adding, 'He has anyway gone. I don't want to die, too. I shall go and eat." Imagine the father, however forlorn, to be so devoid of all feelings as to put such an inhuman question to the mother just bereaved. There is no limit to which human nature can sink through, thank God, it can also soar to Elysian heights. Here I must say that my wife’s faith, unlike mine, has throughout been unflickering, standing 'four-square to all the winds that blow'. Whenever my mind harks back to that scene, I can not help wondering how I escaped her righteous indignation for my frenzied out-burst. Where else, except, except in this land hallowed by Sita and Savithri, Damayanthi and Mandodhari, Nalaayini and Renuka Devi, can one meet with such phenomenal forbearance and fortitude? It is not far-fetched to say that it is for such paragons of virtue that the Sun shines, it rains, and Mother Earth continues to yield her bounty. It has been said that 'the greatness of a man does not consist in never falling but rising everytime he falls'. Indeed, it is by the magnetic charm of their devotion that 'homo sapiens' is not completely debased. In her own gentle manner, she said. ' i just finished cooking for the children. Pray, serve yourself for this once", and lapsed into, what I know now in retrospect to have been, prayer to Baba. You see, there were four younger children, two of them twins hardly six months old. But my mind and heart had become dry, no thought or feeling for any one, not even Baba! So I betook myself to the kitchen to eat! I sat with a Thali' before me and mechanically served myself some rice. Before I could bring myself to eat, while sitting and staring at the rice vacantly, I became schizophrenic, as it were, one part of me questioning the other, "Look, what are you trying to do? there lies your first-born son dead and you are going to gorge yourself". This shocked me into realising how perfectly horrid of me it was. I turned to look in the direction of the bed in the front room which was in line with the kitchen. It was then that my eyes beheld the wonderful form of Baba. Was it a mere vision, a figment of my imagination? I shouted to my wife with head still bent, "Kamu, look out and see who has come". Reacting to the frantic urgency in my voice, she looked up and glanced at the gate. At once, as if touched by a live wire, she sprang up; and, as if that was the consummation, she was devoutly praying for she exclaimed "Amma Nayana/ Baba Vachcheru!" (Oh! at long last Baba has come!). Actually, neither of us had seen the Satcharita portrait of Baba by then. Our puja portrait showed Him sitting crossed. However, in His inscrutable Wisdom, He had led us intoo buying at a 'me/a' a few months earlier, a woodcut portraying Him in five different poses, including this one, we were able to recognise Him at once. Now I felt sure it was He. I was back in my senses. My heart was full of gratitude to Him for coming in the nick of time, and saving the situation. Else, in my forsaken condition, with no thought of Him or for Him, I might have polluted the food before me. In this new found happiness, I reverentially took the thali up to Him and put the rice in the lifted 'biksha-paatra', He received it with His beatific face and went away. No word was spoken. Indeed, there was no need for any. My heart was too full for it, too. There was 'peace that passeth understanding'. As I stepped into the house, my son opened his eyes and said "Father, I am thirsty. Give me some water." The humanly impossible had come to pass! 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/ He: Where are you going? I: Nasik He: Why do you carry no bed? The nights are chill. I: I find no necessity. I am in no mood to mind these things. It is eight days since my wife died leaving a threeyear old son to be taken care of by me. He asked me to wait. He called out a friend and got a blanket and a bedsheet for me. I: How can you get these things so quickly? He: Our quarters are very near. It is the Bombay Arts School. Have this Cigar please. I: (accepting the cigar) What is your name? May I know
Jayine Namaha
who you are? He: I am a peon in that school. My name is Ganapathy Shankar - you may go to sleep now. Have no anxiety. I am also going to Nasik. I shall wake you up when we reach. I: What takes you to Nasik? G.S: Simply to see Nasik. My Saheb is gone to Simla and I get this chance of seeing Nasik. Then I lay down. G.S.: "Do take good care of your money; or if you like, I will keep it for you, if you give it to me, in this steel trunk of mine. Then I handed over my 80 rupees to him and went to sleep. At Ghoti Station, near Nasik, he woke me up. We washed ourselves and took tea. He paid for me also. At Nasik Road Station, we got into the bus. Then. G.S: Do not go to Bhatji, i.e., a priest yourself. I will settle everything for you. Do not trouble yourself. Then he attended on me and attended to everything as a peon would do, till the end of the twelfth day ceremony. Throughout the proceedings he showed his special knowledge of the ceremonies, i.e., he told the priest to take pinda first toRamkund. He told me to retain in my grip the bones I brought, immersed in the waters of the Godavari at Ramkund till the close of the ceremony. The bones should be left in a
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particular hollow there and kept in position by pressure of the hand to prevent their being washed away by force of the current. My surprise was that even as I kept them they were quickly dissolving as though they were sugarcandy. On the twelfth day, he got a wire requiring his presence back at Bombay. He accounted to me for every pie he had received from me. He took me to the chief temples at Nasik. A Sanyasi teacher at one of the temples recognized him and to him he showed the wire. My priest said the G.S. was a man of extraordinary cleverness, e.g. when the priest started ceremonies without the worship of Ganesha (considering it unnecessary for inauspicious ceremonies), G.S. interposed and bade him start it and when the priest still entertained doubts, made him refer the matter to a learned authority who agreed with G.S. He parted from me at Nasik that day and promised to call at my place, i.e., Andheri. He gave me his name and address. After my return home, seeing that my beneficient friend did not turn up I went to the address given viz., "G.S., peon, Bombay Art School" and made inquiries and asked his fellow peon about him. They all said there was no such person at all known to them. The principal (the "Saheb") also said the same. Who was this 'man' that took such enormous pains (without any remuneration or prospect of it) and gave me such splendid help in securing Sadgati for my wife at Nasik by proper performance of all the ceremonies? Who can it be but Sai Baba? Will Continue
Devotees Experience: Sairam I would like to narrate to you the experience when I was first blessed with the love of Sai Baba. After a lot of struggle, I got a job in Shaw Wallace and Company. It was a fantastic job with lots of perks and other benefits. I was thrilled as this was my first job and that too in such a big company. But when I received my appointment letter, to my utter dismay I found that I was posted to Guwahati. Being a resident of Calcutta, I could not move out at that time as my father was suffering from cancer and being the only child I had to stay by his side. We had a Mandir of Baba in our locality. In the evening that day out of sheer depression, I went to the Mandir and told Baba about my unpleasant situation. The next day I went to the company to tell that I was not ready for the job but I was astonished to find a revised appointment letter posting me back to Calcutta. I could not believe this, but this was a reality. Later I heard that the General Manager was so impressed with my interview that he wanted me to work with him in Calcutta, otherwise he threatened to resign. This was the first incidence I had with Baba and I continued to receive His blessings till now. -Sai Devotee
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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: “A PAIR OF PEARS” There was a king who had a daughter who was very ill. The doctors couldn’t find anything wrong with her. She just seemed miserable and cried often. One night the princess dreamed that if she ate a pair of very special pears she would get well. In order to learn what would make the pears so special, she would have to meet with each person who brought pears to her. Her mother the queen, decreed that whoever brought in the very special pears that healed the princess, would have the opportunity to marry the princess, if she wanted to marry him. Hundreds of young men brought baskets of pears to the princess. She talked for a long time to each of the young men, and ate their pears, but none of them made her feel better. One farmer who had very sweet and juicy pears as well as three sons told his eldest son, the most handsome of the three, to take a basket of pears to the princess. On the way to the princess the handsome son met a dwarf who related how hungry he was. The dwarf saw the basket and said, “You must be taking pears to heal the princess. Please give me a few pears so I will not starve.” The handsome son didn’t want to give away even one pear, especially to a dwarf. He was afraid that any pear given away might turn out to be the special one of the pair that would heal the princess. Then he would lose the chance to marry her. So he said to the hungry man, “The only pears I have in this basket are pairs of pig’s feet.” The hungry man, who was really Lord in disguise, replied, “Amen! So shall it be.” Then he walked away. When the handsome son was brought to the princess, he opened his basket to show her his pears, and it was filled with pairs of THE
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pig’s feet. The princess fainted. The king ordered the eldest son to be thrown out into the street. When the handsome son returned home he didn’t want to tell anybody what had happened so he just said that the pears didn’t work. The farmer then decided to send his middle son, the one who was tall, strong and had lovely blond hair, to bring the farmer’s best pears to the princess. On the road to the castle the tall blond son also met Lord, who was disguised this time as a poor beggar who was deaf in one ear. The blond son also didn’t want to help the beggar, even though he seemed very hungry. The tall blond son said, “I can’t help you. The only pears I have in this basket are pairs of pig’s ears.” “Amen!” said the Lord, “so shall it be.” When the tall blond son was brought to the princess he opened his basket and it was filled to the top with pairs of pig’s ears. The princess became nauseous and threw up. The king had the blond son thrown out the window into the street. When the middle son returned home he also didn’t tell anybody what happened. The youngest son wasn’t very handsome, and he wasn’t tall or blond, but he was very kind and considerate. He begged his father to let him go because he wanted to help the princess, although he didn’t think she would want to marry him. On the road to the princess he also met Lord disguised as a beggar with ugly sores and scabs all over his face and arms. He felt sorry for the ugly beggar, and even before the beggar asked, he offered half of the pears in the basket to the man saying, “I pray these pears are good for you.” Lord took them and replied, “Amen! So shall it be good for you.” When the youngest son opened his basket before the princess she asked why it was only half filled with pears. He told her about offering half the basket of pears to the beggar who was covered with sores and scabs. The princess began to cry. The youngest son apologized for making her cry, but to his surprise she suddenly hugged him. They spent the whole day talking and the princess felt better and better. By the next day she was feeling great. A month later she told the youngest son she wanted to marry him, and that is what she did. Love and being kind to other will always reap best results
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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
Then Mr.Sapatnekar went ahead to take darshan. He was again welcomed with the former "Get out." This time he was more penitent and persevering. He said that Baba's displeasure was due to his past deeds and resolved to make amends for the same. He determined to see Baba alone and ask his pardon for his past actions. This he did. He placed his head on Baba's feet and Baba placed His hand on it and Sapatnekar sat stroking Baba's leg. Then a shepherdess came and sat massaging Baba's waist. Baba in his characteristic way began to tell the story of a bania. He related the various vicissitudes of all his life, including the death of his only son. Sapatnekar was surprised to see that the story which Baba related was his own, and he wondered how Baba knew every detail of it.
Durdarsha Kshobaya Namaha
Baba in his characteristic way began to tell the story of a bania. He related the various vicissitudes of all his life, including the death of his only son. Sapatnekar was surprised to see that the story which Baba related was his own, and he wondered how Baba knew every detail of it. He came to know that He was omniscient and knew the hearts of all. When this thought crossed his mind, Baba still addressing the shepherdess and pointing to Sapatnekar said - "This fellow blames Me and charges Me with killing his son. Do I kill people's children? Why does this fellow come to the Masjid and cry? Now I will do this - I will again bring that very child back in his wife'swomb." With these words He placed His blessing hand on his head and comforted him saying - "These feet are old and holy, you are care-free now; place entire faith in Me and you will soon get your object." Sapatnekar was much moved with emotion, he bathed Baba's feet with his tears and then returned to his residence. 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… एष ॄह्मा च िवंणुश्च िशवः ःकन्दः ूजापितः। महे न्िो धनदः कालो यमः सोमो ह्यपां पितः॥ ८॥ 8. Esha brahmaa cha vishnuscha shivah skandah prajaapatih Mahendro dhanadah kaalo yamassomo hyapaam patih || Esha Vishnushcva Shivah Skandah Praajapatih Mahendro Dhanadah Kaalo Yamah Somo patih
= He; Brahmaa cha = The creator; = God of permeater; = The destroyer; = God of secretion (Kumara Svami); = The lord of creation; = Devendra, god of Devas; = Kubera (the lord of wealth); = In charge of time (Kala purusa) = Yama (God of death); = Chandra (Moon); hyapaam = Varuna (Rain God)
In deed he is Brahma (the creator), Vishnu (the Sustainer), Siva (the destroyer) Skanda – (the son of Lord Siva, Prajaapati, the lord of creation, the mighty Indra, the king of Gods, Kubera, the god of wealth, Kaala, the lord of time, Yama, the Lord of death, Soma, the moon, God that nourishes and Varuna, the lord of waters. Will continue…
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From the= Editor’s Desk
Because of absorption in sense gratification, one cannot recognize himself or others. Living uselessly in ignorance like a tree, one is merely breathing just like a bellows. ~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