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Volume 2 Issue 5
May 2004
Contents
Shri Sivanesan Swami ji
Birds of Providence
Why Fear? I'm Here!
Sai Sandesh
Quotation of the month
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@yahoo.com. 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@yahoo.com for more
details.
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@yahoo.com with subject 'Daily Service Signup' or you can signup the calender at the
prayer center.
Fortnightly SatsangsShirdi 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 May 22, June 5.
These Satsangs are sponsored by
devotees. If you would like to sign-up for sponsorship, please send a email to hamaresai@yahoo.com with subject as "Satsang
Sponsorship".
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Monthly Feature: Sai Baba's Devotees
(In this section we will read about one of the devotees who served and benefited from Sai
Baba.)
Sai Apostle Shri Sivanesan Swamiji
Sivanesan Swami ji was born on 12th April 1927 at Nayakkan Palayam in Coimbatore District of Tamilnadu. As a child, he showed
early signs of withdrawing from mundane world. He was aloof, quiet, calm and meditative, retreating into solitary places –
often forgetting about his food, which he ate alone, as he often not present at mealtimes, to join the family. His formal
education was only up to the eighth standard as he was not interested in the pursuit of bookish knowledge.
Sivanesan Swamiji worked in his youth as a Record Room Assistant at the High Court of Madras, and after several jobs and the
death of his mother, he left his home never to return, due to his spiritual leaning. He reached Bombay, after his wanderings,
1944, at a tender age of seventeen.
The friendships he struck up in Bombay were only with those who showed interest in the pursuit of the Self. In Sree Muthaiah
Swami, who hailed from Vallanadu Village of Coimbatore District, he met his mentor and made spiritual progress under him,
learning much about the Self, Meditation, Vedanta etc., Bombay was not to be Sivanesan Swamiji’s home for a long time. Again
he wandered, spending some time in the ‘math’ of Sree Nityanand Swamiji at Vajreshwari. Roaming various places, He put his
feet on the sacred soil of Shirdi in 1953, around Sree Ramnavami time, to be with the Jagathguru Sainath Maharaj, the
Divinity since his early years and his Master.
Shirdi was home. After reaching Shirdi, he never crossed the borders of Shirdi, except on some special occasions. In his last
days, he refused to be treated at Bombay for cancer, as he could not think of leaving Shirdi.
In Shirdi, he learnt to live with nature. Sai Baba responded his prayer to somehow provide him with the wherewithal for one
square meal daily. The few books that he had brought with him were his most precious belongings. He spent his time in ‘seva’
or selfless service, wherever or whenever he could be it in the Kanifnath Mandir, or the Maruti Mandir, the Ganapati – Shani
– Shankar temples, the Ashta Mahalaxmi Temple, or at the Dwarakamayi, Chavadi and Lendi Baugh. The rest of his time he spent
in long and austere meditation, from which it was difficult to arouse him, even by mischievous children’s pranks.
Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan was under the control of the Court Receiver for some years. Swamiji performed all his tasks to the
utmost satisfaction of the Receiver. He undertook the cleaning of Dwarakamayi, Gurusthan and even the Nanda Deep and Dutta
Mandir in the Lendi Baugh. The sandalwood ‘tilak’ was applied by him on Baba’s photos and many deities before the aratis and
the evening lamps were lit in various places. When it was learnt that he knew several languages, including English, Marathi
and many South Indian languages, Swami was entrusted with the work of writing names and addresses on the envelopes used for
sending UDI as ‘prasad’ to the devotees who sent money orders. As the surge of devotees increased, Swamiji fulfilled their
needs and guided them so that they could take full spiritual advantage of their visit to Shirdi. He bought books in different
languages and presented them to the devotees. That is how he used a large proportion of the ‘Dakshina’ that was offered to
him, if any. By setting an example himself, he taught the importance of ‘seva’ to all – especially to the sick, the lepers
and the needy. He encouraged devotees to set up Sai Baba temples in their own towns and villages in India and abroad. A sine
qua of Sai Baba Temples had to be ‘Akhand Deep’ and ‘Akhand Dhuni’ – perpetual light and fire.
He began to have a vast following because of his innate humanity, good nature, sense of humour, patience and deep knowledge
of Shirdi lore. He encouraged devotees to write about Sai Baba, providing them with rich material, and encouraged devotees to
undertake translations from Marathi into English, Hindi, Kanada, Tamil, Malayalam, so that Sai Baba would be known in every
corner of India and all parts of the world. When devotees left Shirdi, Swamiji invariably presented them with some spiritual
book, or book of bhajans or photos of Baba. There were no empty hands and no empty hearts. Just a sense of fulfillment and
ecstasy!
The practice of doing Akand Nama Japa of Tarak Mantra “Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai”, by groups of devotees started with his
benediction. ‘Pradakshina’ was favorite activity of his – round the Gurusthan, and round the Nanda Deep and the Dutta Mandir
in the Lendi Baugh. The speed with which he did the ‘Pradakshina’ (circumambulation) was phenomenal and dizzying.
His life was simple. His clothes consisted of cotton towel wrapped round his waist (like mundu); a ‘kopri’ or Maharashrian
vest, with a pocket and half sleeves; and an uparna or smaller towel wrapped round his head to cover his long hair, in an
unique turban.
During the four and a half decades, approximately that Swamiji spent in Shirdi he became the best apostle of Sai Baba. His
‘seva’ to Baba and Baba’s devotees was sincere, whole-hearted and selfless. He served ‘Baba Malik’ and his life was an
example to all. He breathed his last at 0.10 hrs on Monday, 12th February 1996, at Shirdi and merged in to the Divine Light
of Sai Baba. Swami ji’s Mahasamadhi has been built in Shirdi, off Pimpalwadi Road, two and a half kilometers away from the
Sansthan’s Prasadalaya, by his devotees on the land of Meher Dhun Endowment.
(Courtesy: Sai devotee and writer Zarine)
Devotees' Contributions
Birds of Providence
Ravin, Coon Rapids, MN
Landing on the porch of Sadguru
Search for the directions standing right on the destination
Oh! The birds of providence!
How’s and when’s, Ifs and whethers
Spend and expend every possession that they think they own
The birds of providence!
Do I? Or Don’t I? Shall I and Should I? Bitter sour, dos and don’ts
On their way to sweet surrender to the serene smile of Sadguru
The birds of providence!
Some strangers in their own backyard, and
Others decked like brides and grooms at someone else’s wedding!
To the tunes and dances of the procession of perpetuity
The birds of providence!
Devotees Experiences
Why fear? I'm Here!
Satya Bajjuri, Plymouth, MN
Shri Ganeshaya Namaha!
Shri SaiNathaya Namaha!
I BOW TO THE LOTUS FEET OF SRI SADGURU SAINATH MAHARAJ and pray for His blessings to share the following, His merciful
protection. So far, we read many experiences about Baba as "Piliste palike Daivam” (Responds to His devotees' call), but this
story is to narrate about “Pilavakunna, Palike Daivam – our Baba” (means Baba is there to protect us even when we forget to
pray). This happened on Nov-18-2003. That day roads were in a slippery condition due to the snowfall on the previous days. I
dropped my wife at her work (Minnetonka) and back to Plymouth to drop my daughter at her school by 8am, and drove back to
pickup my carpool mate. The main roads were in a better drivable condition but the neighborhood was in bad condition. They
were slippery.
For some reason, I was irritated in that morning, and was driving a bit fast. After a while, I noticed my speed and
applied brake to slow down. Shockingly, my car all the way skidded to leftmost part of the road and I could not control. A
few seconds later I saw a van coming opposite to me, and my car was going straight to hit the opposite van. I could see the
question marks in opposite van’s driver. No matter how much I turn my steering, car would not move an inch from its
direction and is going straight to hit the van. The scene was something like in a movie. I was so scared and can’t do
anything but just waiting for the “bang!”. I was so shocked that I was not even praying. Baba, as we know, He is omnipresent
and He is our protector, Savior. Baba is always there to protect His children from crashes, illnesses and all kinds of
obstacles. He played His miracle once again. At the very last fraction of second, the driver turned her van away and I
escaped from hitting her van. I was so relieved. This entire incident took place in less than 10 seconds. The notable thing
is I was so shocked I could not get a chance to pray for His aid, but we know Baba is always there to protect
us. He is so merciful that He will not even wait for our prayers but He comes running to protect us. Dorakuna Ituvanti
Daivam! (Can we find such a merciful god? How blessed are we!).
I drafted my above experience on Mar 12 ’04 for “Devotees Experience” column of Sai Sandesh. While I was drafting the above
experience I had a question in my mind. For some reason I was thinking the above incident, it was miraculous but again it was
not life threatening. So, I was thinking, should I share the above story to Sai Sandesh Devotees column? Or should I share
some other sweet leela instead? On that night, I went to one of my friend’s place in Burnsville and I was returning at around
11:50 PM. As I was merging from I-35 W to 494 west, I was thinking about above story and Baba’s leelas and do not know why,
but for a moment I slowed down. The very next second a big inter-state truck (may be 30-40 feet long) just passed away with
high-speed. My body was totally chilled, got goose-bumps all over the body, could not come out from shock for few seconds. I
felt I am so blessed and lucky. Whenever one saved from such life-threatening incidents, one will realize the Importance of
Life and How blessed is He! That sparks thoughts of attitude, it brings lots of behavioral changes in attitude and the love
to the family and friends, and next few days my anger went down and love/respect went up towards my spouse, kids and friends.
How fortunate are we that we are blessed with such merciful Guru-god, who is our Mother, Father, Guru and Protector. This is
what Baba said in 3rd chapter of Satcharitra, “If you could take guide, (which is meant Guru here), he will take you straight
to your destination, avoiding wolves, tigers and ditches etc., on the way”. If we have guru with us, he will protect us from
falling into any kinds of accidents in mundane life or spiritual life. Bowing to the Lotus feet of Samartha Sadguru Sainath
Maharaj who is our protector, our savior, our guru, our God, I say this prayer. "Oh Baba! Our beloved and merciful God,
please continue protect us all the time from accidents, from bad actions, from bad thoughts. Continue to help us improve our
attitude, guide us throughout our lives and hold our hands to walk us thru spiritual path".
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? |
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Baba's footprints had "Matsya" on one foot and "Dhanushya" on the other.
-Source: As told by Somanth Shankar Deshpande - S/O Nana Saheb Nimonkar in Devotees' Experiences - II, By
Sri B.V. Narasimha Swami ji
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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@yahoo.com. Please forward this to all who will
be interested. |
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__________________________________________________________
Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center, Inc.,Twin Cities - MN
(A Non-profit, Non-sectarian, Spiritual Learning Center, Tax ID 03-0473843)
Donations to Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center are Tax-Deductible.
725 Lake ST NE, Apt #139, Hopkins MN * Tel: (952) 938 2983 Fax: (810)452 6141
Web: http://www.hamaresai.org * Email: hamaresai@yahoo.com
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