Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center Inc., Twin Cities
Minnesota, USA
Volume 2 Issue 4
April 2004


Contents
Damodar Sawalram Rasane

Karthika Masa Abhishekams - II

Vi-Chitra Yatra

Sai Sandesh

Quotation of the month

Did You know?

About Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center

Sai Sandesh

Sai Sandesh is a Monthly Newsletter dedicated to the Life and message of Saibaba of Shirdi. Please send your contributions to hamaresai@y.... If you would like to receive this newsletter please click here. Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, Twin Cities, MN is not responsible for the opinions expressed by the individual contributors.

About Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center.

Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, Inc., Twin Cities, MN is registered as a Non-profit corporation in the state of Minnesota. The organization is funded by the voluntary contributions of Sai devotees. The Prayer Center is currently located at 725 NE Lake St. Apt. 139, Hopkins, MN, where regular Sai Satsangs are conducted and occasions of importance to Saibaba of Shirdi are celebrated. In addition to the Prayer Center activities, the organization is also involved with community service including "Meals on Wheels" and "Adopt a Family" programs. Please visit the Prayer Center and participate in its activities. Please write to hamaresai@y... for more details.

Activities

Sri Rama Navami / Baba's Urs -2004

Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, by Baba's grace and devotees' support will be celebrating Sri Rama Navami / Baba's Urs on April 3rd from 3pm, at Geeta Ashram in Brooklyn Park, MN. Program includes Abhishek to Baba, Astottra Namavali pooja, Dhoop & Shej Artis, Sandal Procession, Palki Utsav, Bhajans & Kirtans, Maha Prasad.

Schedule:
3:00 Sai Abhishek with Devotees Participation
4:30 Devotees Experience Sharing
5:30 Dhoop Arti
6:00 Childrens Bhajans
6:30 Bhajans/Naam Jap
8:00 Chandan Utsav/Flag Procession
8:15 Palki Utsav
8:45 Shej Arti
9:00 Maha Prasad


Saibaba Archana $ 11.00 - Interested devotees, please make checks payable to Shirdi Saibaba Bldg Fund. ALL proceeds go to permanent Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center fund -Thank You.

If you would like to share your experience / sing bhajans, please send a email to us at hamaresai@y... with SriRamaNavami/Urs as the subject.

For directions to the venue click here.

Daily Services

Please note that the Prayer center is open all days of the week. Sunday-Friday prayer center is open from 6:30pm to 9pm and on Saturdays 5:00pm - 9:00pm.

If you would like to volunteer for any weekday service [for a month], please send us a email at hamaresai@y... with subject 'Daily Service Signup' or you can signup the calender at the prayer center.

Fortnightly Satsangs

Shirdi Saibaba Prayer center conducts fortnightly satsangs from 5pm onwards and the program includes Abhishek to Baba, Dhoop Arti, Bhajan/Kirtans, Naam Jap, Shej Arti and Maha Prasad. The next 2 satsangs are scheduled on April 10, 24.

These Satsangs are sponsored by devotees. If you would like to sign-up for sponsorship, please send a email to hamaresai@y... with subject as "Satsang Sponsorship".

Monthly Feature - Sai Baba's Devotees

(In this section we will read about one of the devotees who served and benefited from Sai Baba.)

Damodar Sawalram Rasane

Damu Anna, as Sai Satcharita readers know him, is one of the active participants in the Sri Rama Navami Utsav at Shirdi, by supplying a standard [flag] for the procession from the Masjid. The following is an excerpt of Damu Anna's interview, from Devotees Experiences by Sri B.V. Narasimhaswami ji:

What my son [Daulat Shah, alias Nanasaheb Rasane] said is true about his birth. When I went to Baba, desirous of issue, he was kind enough to remember me and gave me His blessings. When I was still on my way to Shirdi, passing through Kopergaon station, He mentioned at Shirdi that I was coming and reserved mango fruits for me. He gave me those fruits with the blessing that I should give them to my junior wife and that she would bring forth two sons first. She ate the fruit and gave birth to two sons, one fifteen months after my visit and other years later and He gave names [Daulat Shah and Thana Shah] to both in advance.

I always took Baba's advice and acted up to it and the results were always satisfactory. Once I had an appeal in the High Court, and the lawyer has written to me to go to Bombay. Then Baba detained me and prevented me from going. Yet the result of the appeal was in my favor.

I remembered always Baba's treatment to low creatures and men of low position, as His equals or as Himself. Once when I went to Baba and knowing that He would not care to go, to my lodgings and have his dinner there, requested that He might send Bala Patel, to be my guest. Bala Patel was of a low caste. So Baba in granting my request said "Don’t cry Dhut Dhut at him", i.e. don’t humiliate the guest by giving him place far away from your own place of eating. I agreed. When I had prepared sumptuous meals, I spread one plate for Baba and filled it with all eatables and then called out "Baba, come!” A black dog came and ate from the plate. I waited reverently till it finished its meal and then gave meals to others and took my own. I gave Bala a plate and made him sit near me and not outside the house.

I went to Baba for the first time about 1895. In the year after I went, Rama Navami Utsav celebration began. And for these forty years. I've provided one ornamental standard for that occasion every year. That was before Nana was born.

I never started any transaction without getting sanction from Baba. When he was in the flesh, I went to Shirdi and asked him mentally. After 1918, I still consult Him, by chits etc.., and He guides me still.

--Source: Devotees Experiences by Sri B.V. Narasimha Swami ji.

Devotees Experiences
Karthika Masa Abhishekams - II

 Satya Bajjuri, Plymouth, MN

Shri Ganeshaya Namaha!
Shri SaiNathaya Namaha!

I bow to the lotus feet of Sadguru Shri Sainath Maharaj and will continue the Sai Leela describing "SAI blessed me to perform Karthika abhishekams to Lord Shiva and Sai" and how He made me to do it.

In the last issue, by Baba's grace, I've shared with you, how in 2002, I got to do Karthika Abhishekams at the Prayer Center. Now let me write about how Baba made me to continue it next year, 2003, also and His Blessings I received for the service.

In 2003 October, Srihari (active volunteer at Prayer Center and resident of Ramsgate Apts) asked me if I am planning on doing Karthika Abhisekhams that year also. He was leaving to India on 3rd during Dassera. I have not thought about it till that time (of doing Karthika Masa abhisekhams in 2003 year also). As I was not sure of doing it, and since Sreehari was scheduled to return from India on Diwali Sunday, I told him that we can plan on doing it on Monday, a week after his arrival. Having told him that we will start on Nov-3-03, I knew the first Kartika Monday I am going to miss, as I need at least one more volunteer to perform the service. Baba, being omnipresent, knows what I am thinking. One week in advance to Diwali, Sivaram Kurra (also active volunteer at Prayer Center) asked me if I could help him to perform Kartika Masa Abhisekhams at his home on the first Monday of Karthika Masa (he specifically asked me First Monday and not later Mondays), as it was his desire from long time. Since my schedule was hectic during those two weeks, I politely and half-heartedly postponed the event at his residence. We know our Baba is sarva-antaryami, he evidently knew the question I had in my mind when initially I had conversation with Sreehari that I will be missing the performing of abhisekham on first Kartika Monday. Hence he arranged to do it at Sivaram's home which I politely escaped. As we read Satcharitra, Baba would never leave his devotees until one does what he is supposed to. Next day my wife asked me "what is the problem in doing Abhisekham at Sivaram's home?". This is third time, hence I decided that I cannot escape and I have to do it and we happily and performed the event at Siva's place. And on next Saturday I received Sai's blessings, wonder of Wonders!

This is how it happened. One of my another friend Tej asked me to update him whenever I am performing abhisekhams at Prayer Center. Tej participated last year abhisekhams at Prayer Center all Mondays. On Saturday (Nov-1 or Nov-8 03) at 8:00pm, I came home from shopping. As soon as I came home, I was rewinding one of the video cassettes I brought "Vasantam" movie from Indian stores, while I was dialing to Tej to update him about the upcoming event on Monday, the Abhisekahm to Sai Siva. As I started to talk to him cassette rewinding is done. I played the cassette while telling Tej about the Siva Sai abhisekham next Monday and I looked at TV and what do I see? I see Sai's picture. I just got surprised, my heart filled with joy! How this happened, can't believe in myself and was overly joyous!! I was inviting Tej, over phone to Prayer Center to take part in SAI SIVA abhisekhams and at the very moment I see the Sai's blessing picture on TV screen! Wonder of Wonders!! Think of him, Talk of Him and you see His Blessings in some form. The movie Vasantham was produced by Sai Deva Pictures [Indian movies always display their deity in the beginning of movie with a slokam].

For some, it may just look like coincidence. But surely not! Otherwise why would I pick that cassette among the two that I brought that day and play that cassette over the other, and why would I call Tej at the same time, etc... etc.. . It’s just a perfect screenplay directed by our beloved Sai. We know Our Baba is the wirepuller of this universe. Are there any words that are enough to praise His Leelas? No matter how much we describe, it’s not enough to praise His sweet leelas. His leeelas are sweeter are than honey! Our job is to just sit and watch His leelas, learn more to improve our devotion towards Him, whenever get time take His name on our lips. What can we do more than this? Can we pay him back for the love that He is showering on us? It’s the Rinanubandha! Oh Sai, please bless us and our families showering more and more of your honey-nectar filled Leelas, so that we can swim in the ocean of your sweet leelas and by remembering your sweet leelas every day make our Life joyful! Oh Sai! Merciful Protector, please keep us in your path, bless us to strictly follow your teachings in our day-to-day life, bless us to improve our Shradda and Saburi. Oh Sai! our beloved God! Continue showering your blessings on all of us; continue protecting us with your loving guidance.



Shri Sadguru Sainath maharaj ki Jai.

Vi-Chitra Yatra

Satya Chelluri, Woodbury, MN

Invoking Baba's name and with His grace, would like to share, the blessings that we have received from Shri Saibaba. In the year 2001, I read in Sai Vichaar, a newsletter by Saibaba.org, that they are planning "Shirdi Sai Chitra Yatra", a symbolic journey of Baba's photos througout the USA, by the participant devotees in each state. At this time I was returning to India, as my assignment was over. During subsequent weeks, when reading the newsletter, I used to think, "Baba will I get to be part of this chitra yatra? Please make me be a part, somehow".

During that time, the IT spending was on the decline and there were less of opportunities to comeback to US for an onsite assignment. Around Dec '01/Jan 02 an offer came by, where I was to go for a project in LA, for a new client initiation. I felt happy that I'm getting a good professional opportunity and also the benefit of realizing my wish to be part of the Sai Chitra Yatra. Later I was told that it will be a short term assignment and at the end I had to relocate a different city for continuing the project. This was an inconvenient proposition as my wife was pregnant and this transition between USA, and a new city within India would have been very tiring. Fortunately, Baba avoided this assignment, despite the proposal having gone into advanced stage.

Though on one end it looked great that this trouble passed off, the thought of having missed the opportunity to be part of "Sai Chitra Yatra" was making my heart sad, and was hoping some other opportunity would come my way. And it sure came!! On Feb 9th I've landed in Minneapolis for my new assignment!!! One of the first things that I did was to mail the organizers about the contacts for the local anchor homes in the Twin Cities. I received the email with three anchor home contacts and as Baba would have it, I choose Ravin Gnanasambandam one of the anchors.

He was in touch with me and invited me for the Chitra Yatra satsang at his home and in fact requested one devotee Prasad, to give us a ride. Just then as I had already bought a car, I said, "Give me directions, I'll make it myself!". He gave me the directions and I went on the appointed day. I drove all the way there and missed one direction!!! We were disappointed and couldn't be part of that Satsang. We got one more invite but my spouse's health prevented us from joining the same. As we missed two opportunities, we were wondering, what Baba's intention was? And it became very clear soon.

The next invite came for the "Ugadi" Satsang. This time, we could reach and attend the Satsang. The bliss felt when seeing Baba's picture in the basement of Ravin ji's house and the warmth in the Sai bandhus affection is only to be experienced. Baba not only permitted us to visit Him at this Satsang, but accepted our invite and came to our apartment on that auspicious New Year day, blessing us and our little one on the way.

Not only Baba came to our home on that Ugadi day, but also gave us the privilege to host a satsang on the Rama Navami day that year. This way Baba heard my request to make me part of the Sai Chitra Yatra. He did not stop there, but gave us many blessings. With His grace and permission, I will share more in the coming issues.

I would like to end this with a prayer to Baba on all of our behalf. Baba, we your children would like to Thank You for the constant love that You shower on us by taking care of us, whether we remember You or not. As a humble way to Thank You for all that You keep giving us, please grace us, yes Baba, we are always asking, the privilege to take Your name at least once a day.

Bow to Sri SAI, Peace be to ALL !!!!

Quotation of the Month

"My eye is ever on those who love me, Whatever you do, wherever you may be, ever bear this in mind, that I am always aware of everything you do."
- Saibaba of Shirdi


Did you know?

Once during those 8 days, I saw a strange sight. Hari Sitaram Dixit had returned, after conducting some big case and with a trunk full of solid silver rupees which were his fees- it may be Rs.1000. He placed the trunk before Sai Baba as an offering to Sai Baba. Baba dipped both His palms into the silver heap and gave away palmful after palmful of rupees from the trunk to fakirs and others who were gathering there in crowds waiting for such windfalls. The entire money was in a few minutes thus gifted away. H.s. Dixit felt in no way disconcerted at the disappearance of his hard-earned cash.
-- As told by Kashinath Kanderao Garde in Devotees Experiences - Part III.


Notice - Receipts for contributions
The receipts for devotees' monetary contributions shall be mailed to the devotee address that is printed on the check. Devotees are humbly requested to make sure the correct address appears on the check. If you have moved to a new address please strike the old address and print correct address. Please retain your receipts for tax benefits under section 501(c)(3) of IRS code.

Om Sai! Please send your comments, suggestions, contributions in the form of features, quotations and experiences to hamaresai@y.... Please forward this to all who will be interested.