Baba's Punya tithi

The day October 18, 1918 (lunar tithi - Vijaya Dasami – Dasara) is marked in

golden letters for all Sai devotees. Shri Shirdi Sai , our Father, Mother, and

God, has left His mortal coil on the soil of Shirdi. Baba left behind a rich heri-

tage of human values, showed us the path of love, be loved and to live harmoni-

ously in a diverse community.

Sai always tells His devotees : "Be wherever your like, do whatever you choose,

remember this well that all what you do is known to Me. I am the inner ruler of

all and seated in their hearts. I envelop all creatures, and am the origin of all

beings. Nothing will harm him , who turns his attention towards me. All the

insects, ants, the visible, movable and immovable, are my body or form".

It is always clear that Shirdi Sai is One with All Gods and Gurus and part of the

Nirgun Para Brahma. But certain questions always arise in the minds of people

like, "Why did Sai take birth and why did He live in Shirdi for more than 60

years and why did He suffer from asthma, cough, and pass away after suffering

from fever for a few days?". The answer to this question is : Since the Nirgun

form of God is difficult to be meditated upon, the Guru takes the Sagun form as

a human being and goes through the motions of eating, suffering and all aspects

of life attached to a mortal body like us. Though it is not possible for us to see

Baba's form now, still in our thoughts we shall find His beautiful life-like por-

trait which also adorns the Masjid. Though Baba has no mortal body now, He

lives everywhere, and will effect the welfare of the devotees even now as He

was doing before He was embodied.

Saints like Shri Sai never die. Though they look like human, They are in reality

God Himself, and They always exist in our minds and spirits. In any instance

remember that Sarvam Sri Sainatharpanamastu ( everything is offered to

Shri Sai) and be blessed immensely from our Sadguru.

FROM THE SATSANGS OF SAIBANISA JI

The Glory of Shirdi SaiThe Glory of Shirdi Sai

2 1 - O C T O B E R - 2 0 1 0 Y E A R 2 0 1 0 — I S S U E 2 1

गुरुब्रह्मा गुरुर्विष्णु: गुरुरे्दवो महेश्वर: |

गुरु: शाऺात परब्रह्म तस्मै श्रीगुरवे नमः:||

CONTENT

Satsangs of SaiBaNisaji

Time Machine

Navavidha Bhakti

Shri Sainath Stavan

Manjari

The Dreams Train

Devotees Corner

Children Section

Spiritual Gems From Sai

Satcharita

JAI SAI RAM

श्रद्धा सबुरी

Eighth Year of Publication - Published as Bi-Weekly

www.saidarbarusa.org ~ an affiliate of www.saidarbar.org

P A G E 2

Why Fear When

I am here..

-- Shirdi Sai Baba

NAVAVIDHA BHAKTI (Source: Sai Leela Magazine July-Aug 2004)

Seventh Step – Dasya Bhakti

Balaji Patil Nevaskar

Balaji Patil Nevaskar was a great devotee. He rendered excellent and disinterested

service and wore away his body for Baba. Nevaskar’s regular task was to sweep all

the passages and streets in Shirdi through which Baba passed in His daily routine,

including the round to the Lendi. That Patil (Nevaskar) was very fortunate. Though

he lived in the world, he was not attached to it. How unselfish he was ! Listen to that

part of the story. After harvesting, He brought all the grain to the Masjid and making

a pile of it in the open space, he offered it at Baba’s feet. Firmly believing that Baba

was the owner of everything, he lived on whatever Baba gave to him out of it, taking

that much only back home. Bala drank only the water that came from the channel

after Maharaj had his bath or washed His hands and feet.

Balaram Mankar

A householder, named Balaram Mankar, was a great devotee of Baba. But, later, his

wife died and there was an interruption in the performance of his duties as a house-

holder. He lost peace of mind; but he progressed towards the highest bliss. Because

of the accumulation of good deeds in the previous births, he got attached to Sai’s

feet. He developed unfailing faith there and was completely detached from his

worldly ties. Breaking all his ties with hopes, desires, children and family, Mankar

due to his uncommon fate, left the worldly existence. The main obstacle in entering

the gate of spirituality is the desire to earn a livelihood and care for others. He placed

this burden on his son and locked himself away from worldly concerns (and went to

Shirdi). The devotee Balakaramaji stayed in Shirdi, buzzing around the dust parti-

cles at the lotus feet of Sai, constantly humming the name of Sai.

Will be continued….

T H E G L O R Y O F S H I R D I S A I

SAI’S NEWS FROM TIME MACHINE Shri Sai has given us many incidents during his human form that He is not limited to

His physical body.

In 1910 A.D, Baba was sitting near Dhuni and warming Himself, when suddenly He

pushed His arm into the Dhuni, and the arm was scorched and burnt immediately. He

did this to save the child of the blacksmith from the furnace at a distant place.

In Chapter 9 ( ShriSai Satcharita) we have a beautiful incident with

Mrs.Tarkhad, where Baba tells her: "The dog, which you saw before meals and to

which you gave the piece of bread, is, one with me, so also other creatures (cats,

pigs, flies, cows etc.) are one with me. I am roaming in their forms. He, who sees me

in all these creatures, is my beloved. So abandon the sense of duality and distinction,

and serve me, as you did today."

SHRI SAI NATH STAVAN MANJARI

P A G E 3 Y E A R 2 0 1 0 — I S S U E 2 1

(A Humble Tribute of praise by Dasganu Maharaj)

(Translated from the marathi by Smt.Zarine Taraporevala and edited by Dr. Smt.Indira Kher, Ex.Executive Editor,

Shri Sai Leela Magazine)

A HUMBLE TRIBUTE OF PRAISE TO SHRI SAINATH

Only the saints understand you

Others remain baffled.

To you, My obeisance.

Respectful and with my whole body

prostrate in veneration before you 8

Oh, you five - headed SHANKRA,

Oh, you wearer of garland of skulls,

Oh, you blue - throated DIGAMBARA,

Oh, you BRAHAMRUPA PASHUPATI ! 9

One who recites your name all the time,

His worldly adversities are immediately dissolved

Such is, oh DHURJATI,

The power of your name. 10

With obeisance at your feet,

I am writing this paean of praise;

Help me always to complete this mission,

Oh, you NILAKNTHA - the blue - throated one! 11

Now, let me bow to the son of Arti (DATTATREYA),

To the family deity of Indira (VISHNU)

To Tukaram and all other saints;

So, also, to all the devotees. 12

Hail, hail to you, Sainath,

Redeemer of sinners and mereciful one !

I lay my head down at your feet;

Now give me your protection 13

You are the whole world, the abode of bliss:

You, yourself , are Vishnu, the paragaon among men;

One whose wife is Uma !

You are also that enemy of Cupid* 14

* i.e. You are also Shankar

Will be continued......

P A G E 4

If one sees me and

me alone and

listens to my

Leelas and is

devoted to me

alone, they will

reach God.

~Baba

T H E G L O R Y O F S H I R D I S A I

DEVOTEES EXPERIENCE

DEVOTEES CORNER

Dear Sai Friends,

I want to share with you a story of how Baba helped me in my times of utter

need. I went overseas on a trip and forgot some important documents at

home. I could not finish my assignment and return without having the docu-

ments called and had my family search my study for the documents. They

kept saying that they could not find it. I was thousands of miles away and

after all the money spent and travel time, I just fell stupid and useless. How

was I going to face my peers How was I going to face my Boss I sat down in

the Hotel room, prayed to Shri Sai Baba and started reading the Sai

Satcharita Book which I had taken along with me. The next day I called

home again and had no luck. This happened the next day too. By that time,

with nothing else to do, I had almost finished 3/4 of the book. Finally, resign-

ing to the situation, I resolved to finish the book and prayed to BaBa again.

The fourth day the miracle happened. No sooner that I had finished reading

the last page of the book, I got a phone call from my family saying they

found the documents and were sending it to me by courier. My joy knew no

bounds and my eyes were filled with tears. The documents reached me in a

day and I finished my assignment and returned back with great success. As it

turned out that while packing my bags, I had put the documents in the inside

Please tune in and

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THE DREAMS TRAIN

(Dreams Of Saibanisa after Undergoing Bypass Surgery on 17-5-1996)

Compiled by Saibandhu Raghu Raman Satulury

12-12-1996:

I prayed on Sai to show me a way to lead happy and peaceful life. Sai has

shown me the following visuals:

1. Do not turn greedy to earn money more than your entitlement.

2. Do not try gaining sympathy for the lost love, as it will cause more rest-

lessness than good. Remember that lost love is like small quantity of po-

table water getting merged into Sea.

3. Never attempt two works simultaneously.

4. Instead of thinking about the distant relatives, try spending more time in

satsanghs with like-minded people in the near vicinity.

Never remain static in life that should keep going on.

P A G E 5 Y E A R 2 0 1 0 — I S S U E 2 1

cover of the portfolio, which I was not supposed to carry. On the third day, my uncle got a dream at 3

a.m. that the only place he had not checked was the portfolio cover and he woke up to see if the documents

were there. This was the same time while I was about to finish the Sai Satcharita thousands of miles away.

I do not know what else to say except that I bow and pray to Shri Sai. Strange are his ways to get things

done. May peace be with you.

Sai Ram

Ashok

A Devotee

P A G E 6

BABA'S MIRACLE - 10: AN INCREDIBLE MIRACLE OF BABA IMPELLING THE

GOVT. OF INDIA TO MODIFY THEIR DECISION FOR THE SAKE OF HIS DEVO-

TEE ~ (A RECORD OF THRILLING EXPERIENCES OF (LATE) DR.P.S.RAMASWAMI ~ (AN ARDENT DEVOTEE OF

SHRI SHIRDI SAI BABA)

Continuation from last issue…..

The next morning, I went to the office with a new-found courageous and poise. The mo-

ment I stepped in, the attendant told me that there was a telegram received a little while ago

on the table. I casually opened it, and was taken aback to find it was from Maj. Priestly. It

read, "Withdraw my letter to Mr. Ramaswami personally coming by the first flight". I was

both thrilled and stunned at the way things were happening. How correctly my wife had

forecast it; When Mr. Smith arrived, I just handed him the telegram without a word. On

reading it he was absolutely floored. However, in an impassioned manner, he told me" I

know he is coming in person to persuade you. Do be a good lad and agree to go. Else, I

shall be badly let down." Soon Maj. Priestly came. Even as he was stepping in, he was ask-

ing with obvious impatience, "where is Mr. Ramaswami?" He was a tall, hefty, blue-eyed

Scot with a noble mien, a truly imposing personality. I could see he was greatly upset. "I

am here, sir," I managed to say, though highly tensed

Maj. P. "Do you know why I have come Mr. Ramaswamy?"

“I don't know why you have come. Sir, but, I have my own guess why you must have

come, You see, Sir..."

Maj P. No, Mr. Ramaswami! he flared up. "YOU CAN'T. HOW CAN you guess when I

myself did not know that I was to come. Something MYSTERIOUS has happened! that is

why I have come".

The word "mysterious" made my blood tingle confirming beyond all doubt that BABA

HAD TAKEN OVER COMMAND! "You know", he continued, it has taken me two long

years to get the 'all clear' to send you chaps to the U.K. for training. But, you upset all my

plans. HOWEVER, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER POSTING MY LETTER, SOME

HIGHER-UPS IN THE FINANCE MINISTRY PHONED ME TO SAY THAT THE

BUDGET FOR SENDING TRAINEES TO THE U.K. IS CUT DOWN BY 25% SO

THAT I CAN SEND ONLY THREE NOW ALTHOUGH THE SANCTION FOR THE

FOUR POSTS IS LEFT AS IT IS. THAT MEANS YOU ARE NOT TOUCHED. I CAN'T

UNDERSTAND THIS AT ALL.

I could no longer contain myself. I cut in to say, "Sir, I beg you to let me speak. You say

something MYSTERIOUS has happened. You know, Sir, it is exactly for some such thing

to happen that my heart has been crying out to my God. And if it had not happened, it

would be mysterious to me. Sir, may I say without any breach of decorum that you are not

T H E G L O R Y O F S H I R D I S A I

If you make

me the sole

object of

your

thoughts and

aims, you

will gain the

supreme

goal.

~ Baba

ARTICLES FROM DEVOTEES

P A G E 7 Y E A R 2 0 1 0 — I S S U E 2 1

the arbiter of my destiny. There is SOMEONE to arbiter yours as well as mine." The words spontaneously gushed

out. I now know that it was Baba prompting me. Striding up to my side of the big table around which we were all

standing, Maj. Priestly grabed my shoulder and, looking me straight in the face, exclaimed with some asperity, "You

have the audacity and the courage to say that to my face, Mr. Ramaswami!"

"It is neither, Sir", I replied calmly, returning his look. "For, devotion to Baba enables one to acquire the freedom

from fear to stare the world in the face even if it should have blood-shot eyes/ It is a conviction born of faith trans-

mitted to me in the blood from generation to generation and crying for expression."

Still holding my shoulder he said, " You seem to challenge my faith in God, too!"

"As a British, you can't understand my faith, sir,” I said "You trust God and keep your powder dry!" mine enables

me to be unarmed without any rear. It is not a half, way house but complete surrender with complete protection in

return."

He suddenly softened. Relaxing his hold and pattinq me gently on my back he remarked, "AH right, all right. I can

see you are sincere. Though for the time being your position appears to be safe, let me warm you it may not be so for

long. I am going back by the return flight to see the Defence Minister and tell him that I must have four U.K. trained

men to being with and the cut must be restored. If I succeed as I hope to, you will have to go down."

"I have no qualms about it now, sir," I said. "If you succeeded. I shall bear no ill-will against you. God bless you".

"For a man in your predicament, it is, indeed, a grand thing to say. Good-bye", the great man concluded, kindling in

me warm admiration and regards for his openness and magnanimity.

How wonderfully Baba solved the bristling problem without embarrassment to any one concerned will now be seen.

As soon as Maj. Priestly reached Delhi, some mysterious, though not serious, illness overtook him, and he was air-

lifted to the U.K. We were happy to know later that it did not take long for him to become all right, though he chose

to terminate his contract to settle down in England. A committee Naval Armament Officers, satisfied with the stan-

dard of my performance, recommended to the Naval Headquarters about my competence to continue in the depart-

ment without any need for further training. Thus, what threatened as a Himalayan avalanche, vanished in to time

through Baba's grace like the morning mist before the rising Sun.

Glory be to Shri Shirdi Sai - Grace be to all

Sai Temple, Downingtown, PA. (http://www.saitemplepa.com/.) Temple is open on Thursdays and Sundays after 2:00 pm.

Please contact Mr. Raj Singh at 610-656-1396 or Sai Temple at 610-269-1112 for more details about the temple activities. For

more event info please visit http://www.saitemplepa.com/.

For all SaiDarbarUSA activities in Greater Philadelphia, please visit www.saidarbarusa.org.

सत्सङ्गत्वे ननस्स्ङ्गत्व ं ननस्सङ्गत्वे ननमोहत्वम ्| ननमोहत्वे ननश्चलतत्त्व ंननश्चलतत्त्वे जीवन्मकु्तः ||

Story for this Week: “ Out of the Royal Gate”

Participate

Learn and

Participate

Learn and Children Section

In ancient time there was king called Sathyavratha. He was name so, because truth was

his way of life, his goal and his guide. He derived great joy through the strict adher-

ence to truth. One day a few hours before dawn, during brahmamuhurtha(the time

dedicated for meditation on God), he proceeded alone through the Lion Gate of his fort

in order to have a holy dip in the sea. The Day was a holy one marked out in the cal-

endar as a sacred for such ceremonial baths. While he was passing through the gate,

he saw a fair maiden with halo of splendor going out.

Curious to know who she was and why she was making her exit at that early hour, he

accosted her. She replied that she was the Goddess of Riches, Dhanalakshmi. She

said, “I have been here for long; now I desire a change. I do not stay in a place for

long.” Sathyavratha told her, “Go! Go! I do not object or obstruct.” Presently, a

charming masculine figure was seen quietly going out through the Lion Gate. The

king asked him who he was and what errand he was leaving. He replied, “I am Char-

ity. When Dhanalakshmi has left, what do I stay here for?” The king allowed him to

leave and he moved on. Within a few moments, another charming person was going

through. The king found out that he was Sadachara, representing Goodness in his so-

cial behavior. “How can good social relations be sustained without riches and the

quality of generosity?” he asked. “I am leaving because those two are no more here,”

he explained. The king agreed; and he moved on.

So too, the next emigrate, Fame, lamented on the departure of the other three and he

also wanted to go. He said, “How can Fame survive the absence of Riches, Charity,

and Happy Social Life?” and the king felt he was right. The king let him go. Mean-

while, a person with overwhelming splendor came to the gate of the fort, with the in-

tention to leave the city. When asked who he was, he said, “I am Truth.” At this, the

king pleaded with him to stay in the city, the kingdom, the palace, and the homes of

the people. He said that if he leaves, the loss would be irreparable, and life would not

T H E G L O R Y O F S H I R D I S A I

Question for you ….

What makes you proud to be a Hindu ?

share your thoughts with

your other friends

Send it to

editor@saidarbarusa.org

With a subject line: Children

Section

be worthwhile. At this Truth decided to stay. And, Fame returned to the Fort in a

trice for Truth is enough basis for Fame to flourish. And, Sadachara returned and

grew. So too Charity and Riches came back and established themselves in the King-

dom. All the others were delighted to share the Glory of Satya(Truth).

Moral: Truth is the noblest of all virtues.

What Makes me proud to be a Hindu?

Hinduism is one of the oldest religion man has known. I am proud to be a Hindu because it is the “Sanathana Dharma” (an eternal religion). This is one religion that believes in Idol worship, rebirth, superstitions etc. I’ve a strong faith in these things. Our Rishis and saints who lived to lead us on a path towards realization of Gods. This religion has taught us many great things, respecting par-ents, teachers, respecting Vidya (knowledge), Anna (food). It also teaches me to put “Others” before “Self”. I like the various festivals we celebrate and the various

forms of Gods we worship. We have a special day to pay re-

spect to Guru’s (GuruPoornima), a day to show our love to

brothers/sisters (Rakshabandan), Knowledge (Saraswati

pooja). Also find it really interesting to note the same festi-

val being celebrated in different ways across India. Most of

all it keeps me connected to my country and culture al-

though I live far away from my country.

~Siddesh Kumar

RES PONSE FRO M JUNIORS

NEW

P A G E 1 0

I am the

slave of my

devotee …

~ Baba

T H E G L O R Y O F S H I R D I S A I

SPIRITUAL GEMS FROM SATCHARITA ~ CHAPTER 40 Contributed by: swamy@saimail.com

Stories of Baba

(1) Attending Mrs.Deo's Udyapan Ceremony as a Sannyasi with two Others (Trio) and - (2)

Hemadpant's House in the Form of His Picture.

In this chapter we give two stories; (1) How Baba attended the Udyapan ceremony of

Mr.B.V.Deo's mother at his house at Dahanu and (2) How Baba attended the Shimga dinner

-party in Hemadpant's house at Bandra.

Preliminary Blessed is Shri Sai Samartha who gives instructions in both temporal and spiritual matters to

His devotees and makes them happy by enabling them to achieve the goal of their life, - Sai,

He who when places His hand on their heads transfers His powers to them and thus destroy-

ing the sense of differentiation, makes them attain the Unattainable Thing. - He who em-

braces the Bhaktas who prostrate themselves before Him with no sense of duality or differ-

ence. He becomes one with the Bhaktas as the sea with the rivers when they meet it in the

rainy season and gives them His power and position. It follows from this that he who sings

the Leelas of God's Bhaktas is equally or more dear to Him than one who sangs the Leelas

of God only. Now to revert to the stories of this chapter.

Mrs.Deo's Udyapan Ceremony Mr.B.V.Deo was a Mamlatdar at Dahanu (Thana District). His mother had observed 25 or

30 different vows and a Udyapan (concluding) ceremony in connection therewith was to be

performed. This ceremony included the feeding of 100 or 200 Brahmins. Mr.Deo fixed a

date for the ceremony and wrote a letter to Bapusaheb Jog asking him to request Sai Baba

on his behalf to attend the dinner of the ceremony, as without His attendance the ceremony

would not be duly completed. Bapusaheb Jog read out the letter to Baba. Baba noted care-

fully the pure-hearted invitation and said - "I always think of him who remembers Me. I re-

quire no conveyance, carriage, tanga, nor train nor aeroplane. I run and manifest myself to

him who lovingly calls me. Write to him a pleasing reply that three of us (the trio), Myself,

yourself and a third will go and attend it." Mr.Jog informed Mr.Deo of what Baba said. The

latter was much pleased, but he knew that Baba never went to any place except Rahata, Rui

and Nimgaon in person. He also thought that nothing was impossible to Baba as He was all-

pervading and that He might suddenly come, in any form He likes and fulfill His words.

A few days before this, a Sannyasi with Bengali dress and professing to work for the cause

of the protection of the cows, came to the station-master at Dahanu to collect subscriptions.

The latter told him to go into the town and see the Mamlatdar (Mr.Deo) and with his help

collect funds. Just then the Mamlatdar happened to come there. The station-master then in-

troduced the Sannyasi to him. Both sat talking on the platform. Mr.Deo told him that a sub-

scription-list for some other charitable cause had already been opened by the leading citizen

Rao Saheb Narottam Shetti and so it was not good to start another subscription-list and that

it would be better if he would visit the place after 2 or 4 months. Hearing this, the Sannyasi

left the place.

Will be continued….

From the Editor’s Desk

One who meditates, all his knots of his heart, the bondages are opened; all the doubts are eliminated and one becomes gradually free from the fetters of action with ego.

~Mundaka Upanishad 2:2:8

Sai devotees may continue to write about their Sai-related activities, essays, articles or poetry and

send to the email id editor@saidarbarusa.org. We shall put in our best efforts to include them in the

upcoming newsletter. Unless the author of the articles explicitly instructs not to publish his/her

email id, we will publish them as a matter of routine practice.

JAI SAI RAM

Disclaimer:

The editor does not accept any responsibility for the views expressed in the articles published. This

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Shirdi Sai Literature and Sanatana Dharma.

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Publisher and Editor: Badri Narasimhan

Editorial Team: Radhika Nistala, Kanchana Kumar, Sumathi VijayBhaskaran, Sneha Narasimhan

Email: editor@saidarbarusa.org

BOW TO SHRI SAI ~ PEACE BE TO ALL