Being Thankful Life is made up of so many items or bits of thought, faith, emotion, tension, etc., and as we lead this worldly life we get caught up in many different parts of it. Sometimes we completely forget to appreciate the good things that happen in life and we tend to be merged in ourselves.

We need to be thankful to our Sai every single day of our life for blessing us. Some of us still exist with a thought that so long as God gives us what we want, God is good, kind and loving, God is wise and there is none like Him. But the moment He refuses to oblige, He becomes unjust and unkind. Certain times we doubt his very existence. We do not want to do God's Will. We want Him to do our will. The more we strive for our will to be done, the more restless do we become, and con-sequently, the more unhappy and miserable. It is only His will that can re-store harmony and order. Until we learn to submit ourselves to Him, we will continue to wander from restlessness to restlessness. Just submit yourself to Shri Sai and He will bring to you thrills of joy. Love Him with all your heart and soul in the midst of your daily work, turn to Him, again and again. Just keep submitting your best prayers to the Sad-guru. On this Thursday trust in our Guru, even in hard times and surrender to Him and submit yourself to Him and He will take care of you.

***

The Glory of Shirdi SaiThe Glory of Shirdi Sai

1 7 - N O V E M B E R - 2 0 1 1 Y E A R 2 0 1 1 — I S S U E 2 3

गरुुॄह्मा गरुुिवरं् ण:ु गरुुदेर्वो महेश्वर: | गरुु: शाक्षात परॄह्म तःम ैौीगरुवे नमः:||

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   Quintessence

ौद्धा सबुरी

Ninth Year of Publication - Published as Bi-Weekly www.saidarbarusa.org ~ an affiliate of www.saidarbar.org

JAI SAI RAM

P A G E 2

Discipline is the mark of intelligent living.

1911: 16 December Saturday, Shirdi I find I have got a severe cold. I could not get up in time for the Kakad Arti. I got up at 3 am & then overslept myself. After prayer I sat talking with Durveshasaheb Falke whom they call Hajisaheb & Hajarat indiscriminately. He is a Karma Margi as we should call him in Hinduism, & has numerous anecdotes to tell. I saw Sayin Maharaj go out & later on after he returned to the Masjid. He was in a very pleasant mood & sat talking & joking. After Arti I returned to our lodging & had food and lay down a while, but could not sleep. From Amravati they sent me, besides the Amrit Bazar Patrika, two numbers of the Bombay Advocate. So there was a good deal to read. There was also a telegram offering a Sessions ’ case. Three days ago there was a telegram offering the case at Wardha. I declined it as Sayin Maharaj did not grant permission to return. About todays telegram, the result was the same. Madhavarao Deshpande asked for permission for me & Sayin Maharaj said I might go the day after or a month hence. So the matter is settled. I saluted him as usual in front of the Chavadhi & after Arti in the Wada sat listening to Bhishma’s Bhajan. My wife went to a neighbouring village Rahata in the morning for renewing the bangles on her wrist. Among the new arrivals today is Mr Hate who has appeared for LM&S. He is a very nice young man. His father was judge at Avireli & later on Divar of Palitonia. I think I knew he uncle. He is a goldsmith what they call Daivajna Brahman. I am feeling unwell.

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

Once Sai Baba sitting in the Dwarakamai. There were too many people in Dwarkamai and outside seeking His grace, blessings and boon. Plentiful of dishes with variety of food were placed before Baba. Baba told Shama that His Aayi was waiting outside and could not come in due to the crowd near Him. Shama piercing the gathered crowd goes where Sai Baba had pointed. He saw and old lady, too tired in ragged clothes. He respectfully guided and helped her in Dwarkamai in front of Baba. Baba was too pleased to see her. He asked the lady about what she was hiding in her ragged, dirty clothes. The lady reluctantly handed her Lord the chappatis she had. Baba leaving aside all the other dishes, relished the chapatis, as tears of gratitude fell from the old lady’s eyes. Nobody can describe the joy her heart felt. Nobody can describe the love of Baba she felt.

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.

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

A house well-equipped and laden with abundant supply of all goods and wealth, if it has not Padatirtha of Sai (i.e. has no Sai worship) is but a well laden (fruit) tree that is ever infested by snakes.

The wicked and virtuous alike, without any difference must always serve and worship the Sadguru

Sai for attaining all that they desire. The Sun, the Moon and other planets go and return. But there is no return (to Samsara) for those who

lose themselves in the contemplation of Sai's feet. Even if one lacks ceremonial purity while taking Sai's name, all sins fly away (from one) just as other

beasts fly when they hear the lion's roar (dropping, what they tried to seize with their mouths). If one utters the auspicious name Sai, masses of even the most heinous sins of his are burnt up and de-

stroyed. Even the sins of the vicious that think of him, Sai will remove. The fire will burn (and do naughtelse)

though touched unwittingly. Just so long as the name of Sai, which is a lion's roar is not heard, sins reside in the body like young

elephants (which will run away when they hear lion's roar). The name Sai is a wish yielding gem (chintamani); it is one mass of Consiousness (Chaitanya) and

Bliss (Rasa). Sai is always pure and wholly free. There is no difference (in God) between the name and that which is named (i.e.God).

So long as one does not make (Sai Kirtan) repetition of the name of Sai which destroys all the evils of

the Kali Age, one remains with a body ( i.e. undergoes Samsara or rebirths). And there is fear in this (samsara).

...will continue.....

P A G E 4

A man’s well being depends upon his degree of contentment

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

DEVOTEES EXPERIENCE AND ARTICLES Dear Saibhaktas, I would like to share this experience of our beloved Sai with all of you. Baba has blessed me on this Gurupurnima day. In the afternoon at around 3:30pm there was someone at my door, he rang the doorbell and knocked also, as I opened I saw an elderly man wearing a white dress which resembled Sai's kafni. He wore a white cloth on his head, immediately on seeing me he gave me two frames in my hand which had verses of Holy Quran. On seeing this some thought came to me saying "Arrey your Sai has come." He told me to pay Dhs.55/- and he shall get the Quran read in the mosque in my name, or pay Dhs.110/- for two or whatever your desire. In the meantime, my son also came in to see who had come and what was the conversation about. He told me to pay him Dhs.25/-, when I went to bring the money a thought came to me "if he is Baba, he should ask for something to eat or drink. I gave him Dhs.25/- which he opened and counted. Then he said, "Bus itna", to which I replied that you said whatever you wish so this is it, to which he said at least you pay Dhs.55/- for one Quran. My son told me to give the rest of the bal-ance amount, then he asked "Ek glass paani milega", on hearing these words,

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(Dreams Of Saibanisa after Undergoing Bypass Surgery on 17-5-1996) Compiled by Saibandhu Raghu Raman Satulury 10-04-1997: Sai appeared as one of my elderly colleague working along with me and said: 1.Just as you excrete the bad matter everyday, one day you must leave the physical body. Why bother and enter into arguments as to how the body will be disposed off? 2.At the most you can advise people not to commit same mistakes again. It will be futile to argue with self-obsessed people. Arguments lead nowhere.

P A G E 5 Y E A R 2 0 1 1 — I S S U E 2 3

there was sheer joy, it was "Sai", when he requested for Dhs.55/- I told him "I'm not a Muslim and don't know about Quran, I'm a Hindu", he replied "So what all are same, even Christians are paying for Quran." I gave him biscuits with water, which he pocketed and gave a loving smile (I still remember it) and drank the water, I asked him if he needed more, and he replied "No." We gave him the 55/- and he left saying "Allah Malik". Sai had come in this roop and blessed us, I have been a member of the Sabkamalikek group on yahoo and after joining this group my faith and love in Baba has grown. Baba blessed our sabka-malikek family and will be with all his bhaktas always as he is in his nirakar roop (Formless). The same morning I had read Chapt.16&17 SS All the time I was trying to figure out the significance of 55, then I realized, "For seeing Brahman one has to give five things, i.e. surrender five things viz. (1) Five Pranas (Vital forces), (2) Five senses (Five of action and five of perception), (3) mind, (4) intellect and (5) ego", it could also mean something else I'm a mere bhakta trying to reason. Sai knows what is best for us and has shown his presence. Sainath Maharaj Ki Jai, Om Sai Sri Sai Jai Jai Sai Sunita Madnani

**** I would like to share this experience of Baba, on July.19th I had gone to Dwarkamai, Sharjah to offer Ma-sala Tea to Baba. Smt.P.Anasuyammaji and her family welcomed us with so much love, and gave us Baba's prasad and when I was leaving her son gave me a key chain of Sai at the time the significance of the key chain was not known to me. On Sunday Jul.28th.02 I went to see a new car and confirmed pur-chasing it. Something was all the time running in my head saying "Baba have I done the correct thing", I signed all the purchase papers since it was through finance for 2-4 years. I was getting worried Sai, "You have given me enough but still am I looking for more is this greed, Baba please answer me". And on Thursday Aug.1st Baba answered me through Saivichar newsletter, when I was reading and came to the experience of Binduji's experience regarding her purchase of car, I was astonished and happy as well that Baba had answered me, so now I'm not worried that I've done something wrong and Sai had given previ-ous indication to me through the key chain which was given to me at Sharjah, Dwarkamai. Baba is always there with us and guiding us through this worldly ocean. Pranam Baba and bless your children always, Om Sai Sri Sai Jai Jai Sai. Fatima E, UAE (Courtesy: http://www.saibabaofindia.com)

He who cometh to My Samadhi,

his sorrow and suffering shall cease ~ Baba

P A G E 6

Baba’s Close Devotees G. G. Narke

Professor Of Geology & Chemistry In College Of Engineering, Deccan Gym-khana, Age 53, Brahmin, Poona.

Continued from last issue...

Baba's Guru Of his guru, hardly anything is known. I have heard him say i.e., 'my Guru is a Brahmin.' Baba held real Brahmins in high esteem. He has said "Brahmins earn much 'Pica', (i.e., Punya, Apurva or merit) by their ways". A disciple is very different

from a devotee. The Guru is connected by a close and intimate tie with and has every responsibility for the disciple. He has no such close tie with a devotee and is not bound to bear all his sins and sorrows. Sai Baba had no disciple. The disciple must serve his master to carry out all his wishes strictly and to the letter. As Sai said, "I would tremble to come into the presence of my Guru". There was no one prepared to serve him in that way at Shirdi. It seems he asked, "Who dares to call himself my disciple? Who can serve me adequately and satisfactorily?" Hut, of devotees, Sai Baba had a large number. These he looked after, encouraged and pro-tected and gave by example and occasional gestures, directions etc., some instruc-tion. Sai Baba's method of teaching or rather improving the devotee who came to him was not oral instruction. His moral tales and a few directions, occasionally given were, no doubt, leaching through the ear. But these were exceptional and their effect was very little compared with his main traditional method. According to Sai Baba's traditions, the disciple or devotee that comes to the feet of the Guru in complete self-surrender has to be no doubt pure, chaste and virtuous. But he need not necessarily to go on with any active practice of Japa or meditation. On the other hand, Japa, meditation or any other intellectual process which carries with it the consciousness and assertion, "I am doing this", is a handicap. All sense of the devo-tees' or disciples' Ahankara, Ego or little self has to be wiped out, swept out of the memory and mind - as it is an obstruction to the Guru's task. The Guru does not teach. He radiates influence. That influence is poured in and absorbed with full benefit by the soul which has completely surrendered itself, blotting out the self, but is obstructed by the exercise of intelligence by reliance on self-exertion and by every species of self-consciousness and self-assertion.

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

When calamity approaches, discrimation departs.

P A G E 7 Y E A R 2 0 1 1 — I S S U E 2 3

So the duty of a devotee or an aspirant is only (1) to keep himself fit for his Guru's grace i.e., chaste, pure, simple and virtuous, and (2) to look trustfully and sincerely and to raise him to various experiences, higher and higher in range, till at last he is taken to the distant goal whatever that might be. "One step enough for me" is the proper attitude now. He need not take trouble to decide complicated, metaphysical and philosophical problems about ultimate destiny. He is yet ill prepared to solve them. The Guru will lift him, endow him with higher powers, vaster knowledge and increasing realisation of truth. And the end is safe in the Guru's hands. All this was not uttered by Sai Baba, at one breath to me or within my hearing. But the various hints I got from his example and dealings with many and his occasional words when put together amount to this. And commonsense points in the same direction. In my opinion, mere talk of Viveka and Vairagya without power of knowing what there is to experience or enjoy and what the things are that one is to renounce is childish and leads to self-delusion and deluding others. It is bookish wisdom and not real, not one that can stand the strain of actual life. People talking merely of these, without power to be really filled with them prove hypocrites. When Baba said, 'I am in each dog, pig and cat', he was feeling himself to be inside the cats etc., in question and could state what they felt and what treatment they got. But others say it because it is found in the Gita, etc., and they believe it to be true. But in point of feeling and realisation, they say what they do not feel. This leads to hypocrisy.

Will be continued....

Stories for this Week: “The Visit of the Swan”

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Once there lived a swan by the side of a big lake. The lake was situated in the middle of a dense forest. The swan was passing his days happily, until one day,  an owl  came  there. He drank the  water  of  the  lake  and  started  living  there.  

"This is an isolated place," said the swan to the owl. "Besides, the lake goes dry during the summer season. It is better that you go to some other place to live in."  But the owl stayed on there saying that he  loved calm and quiet places; more‐over, he liked the company of the swan.  "All  right,"  replied  the  swan.  "I  too  like  your  company.  At  least,  there  will  be someone to talk to."  So, the owl lived happily in his company for months together. But, when  the  summer  arrived  in  all  its  vigor  and  the  lake really went dry  in due course,  the owl thought of returning home. He  thanked  the  swan  for  the nice  company given by him and said with a heavy heart, "Dear friend,  I am leaving this place now,  since  the  lake has gone dry and  there  is no 

water available here. I would like you  too  to  come  along  with  me; because you too can't live without water."  "Thanks,"  said  the  swan, "in  fact  there  is  a  small  river  that  flows  half  a mile away  from here;  I  shall go and stay  there. When the river also goes dry, I shall come and join you and once again  we  will  be  enjoying  each  other's  loving  com‐pany." "All right," said the owl, "there  is a big river, a few miles away from here. And on its bank there is a big banyan tree; I live in it." 

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

 And then, once again, thanking the swan for his nice company and hospitality, the owl flew away.  The swan shifted to the small river and began living there.  After many  days, when  the  small  river  also went  dry and  the  swan  felt  lonely, he decided  to meet  the owl. One  evening  the  swan  flew  and  reached  the  banyan tree, the home of the owl. The owl was glad to receive the swan. He served tasty food and fresh water to his honored guest.  The swan was tired because of his long journey. He took his meals and went to sleep  early.  The  owl  perched  itself  on  the  same  branch,  a  little  away  from where the swan slept.  

Just then a few travelers came to rest under the tree. The sun had set.  It was near dark all around. The half moon shone in the sky. Seeing the travelers the owl hooted sharply. The trav‐elers took it as a bad omen. One of the travelers shot an arrow at the owl. As the owl could see in the dark, he ducked the ar‐row and flitted away.  

The  arrow,  instead,  pierced  the  swan  that  was  fast  asleep  at  that  time.  The swan dropped dead on the ground.  

P A G E 1 0

The beauty of life depends upon our good thoughts and habits.

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

Chapter 45 Contributed by: swamy@saimail.com ..

Kakasaheb's Doubt and Anandrao's Vision (Continued) In compliance with Baba's order, Mr.Pakhade brought the dhotar and requested Kakasaheb to hand it over to Madhavarao; but the latter refused to accept it, say-ing that unless Baba gave a hint or suggestion for acceptance, he would not ac-cept it. Then after some discussion Kakasaheb decided to cast lots. It was the invariable practice of Kakasaheb to cast lots in all dubious matters and to abide by the decision as shown by the picked up chit or lot. In this particular case two chits, on one of which was written 'To accept' and on another 'To reject', were placed at the feet of Baba's picture and an infant was asked to pick one of them. The 'To accept' chit was picked up and the dhotar was handed over to, and ac-cepted by, Madhavarao. In this way both Anandrao and Madhavarao were satis-fied and Kakasaheb's difficulty was solved. This story exhorts us to give respect to the words of other saints, but at the same time asks us to have full faith in our Mother, i.e., the Guru, and abide by His in-structions: for he knows our welfare better than any other person. Carve out on your heart, the following words of Baba - "There are innumerable saints in this world, but 'Our father' (Guru) is the Father (Real Guru). Others might say many good things, but we should never forget our Guru's words. In short, love your Guru whole-heartedly, surrender to Him completely and prostrate yourselves be-fore Him reverentially and then you will see that there is no sea of the mundane existence before you to cross, there is no darkness before the sun." Sai Ram. The story, no, the incident reported above so beautifully says what ever needs to be said. There is no need to add any thing, but read it many times and enjoy it. Sai Ram.

Will be continued...

P A G E 1 1

(By Late Sri Bharam UmamaheswaraRao) ~ Contribution by "Shashank"crazydiode@gmail.com, Mrs and Mr Anand

Chapter 36: The Value of Human Birth

Continued from the previous issue… The Soul is a fragment of God but having assumed its affinity for the body, senses, mind and breath etc appears to forget God. But actually soul has no real affinity for all these things. We must know that we ourselves are God. But we will act according to caste, creed and order of life. But our soil is a permanent reality. Under wrong notion we are under the impression that the mind, senses, intellect, body, riches, property as our own; but they are never so and they belong to the creator of the Universe. Our mind, intellect, senses and body are changing while we grow from childhood. Worldly objects are not lasting companions. When we hold ‘I am God’, it means that we are absorbed in God. The embodied soul is of God. God has never abandoned it nor had a disinclination for it. The soul can also not renounce us, if we don’t misuse it.

Will be continued...

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

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****

From the Editor’s Desk

"It is indeed the mind that is the cause of men’s bondage and lib-eration. The mind that is attached to sense-objects leads to bond-age, while dissociated from sense-objects it tends to lead to libera-tion.”

~ Amrita-Bindu Upanishad 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 newslet-ter. 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

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