Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center Inc., Twin Cities
Minnesota, USA
Volume 1 Issue 6
June 2003


Contents
Baba's Upadesh

Geet jaisa hoon main

My path to spirituality

Devotee Experiences

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@yahoo.com. If you want 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 "Adapt a Family" programs. Please visit the Prayer Center and participate in its activities.  Please write to hamaresai@yahoo.com for more details.

Activities

Guru Poornima Celebrations

 Om Sai!
Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center under the blessings & guidance of Sadguru Sainath, with the devotees' help will be celebrating Guru Poornima on July 12 at Geeta Ashram. Please visit our website for more details or send email to hamaresai@yahoo.com if you want to volunteer for event.
 

Meals on Wheels
Shirdi Sai devotees are volunteering for the Meals -On-Wheels, in various locations in the TwinCities. Volunteers pick up packed meals and deliver them to the needy as per the list given by the organizers. The volunteers have given a very positive feedback about the good feeling one gets for having done something to reach out to the elderly and needy. If you would like to join in this program please send us email

Fortnightly Satsanghs
Shirdi Saibaba Prayer center conducts fortnightly satsanghs from 5pm onwards and the program includes Abhishek to Baba, Dhoop Arti, Bhajan/Kirtans, Naam Jap, Shej Arti and Maha Prasad. The next 2 satsanghs are scheduled on June 21 & July 5.


SHIRDI SAIBABA PRAYER CENTER WILL CELEBRATE GURUPOORNIMA 2003 ON SATURDAY JULY 12, 2003 AT GEETA ASHRAM, BROOKLYN PARK, MN. PLEASE WATCH FOR MORE DETAILS.

Monthly Feature
Baba's Upadesh


As for upadesa, Baba gave no upadesa mantra but every word, act, and omission of Baba was full of instruction and inspiration. For 10 years, i.e., 1909 – 1918, Dixit studied every word, every act, and every deed of Baba. This study itself was Satsangh, apart from the personal contact, which Dixit had with Baba.



Santapasci sada jave tyanche javali baisave

Upades to na deti Tari Aikavya tya goshti

Techi upadesa hoti tyachi Kashta nashta hoti

Vasudeva hmane santa sange Kariti Pasanta



This means, Let us go to saints and stay by their side, if they do not give any upadesa, let us listen to whatever falls from their lips. Every such word is upadesa. By their force, all our troubles vanish. Vasudeva (the author) says, "Bliss comes from Satsangh". This was the experience of Kaka Dixit and of every devout person that went to Shirdi to see Baba.



(Courtesy: HH Pujyasri B. V. Narasimha Swamiji in “Life of Sai Baba”)
 

Geet jaisa hoon main

Guruji C.B. Satpathy Ji

Devotee Contributions
My path to spirituality

Kiran Buddi, Shakopee, MN

I never thought that I will be a devotee of Shirdi SaiBaba, but it is purely by "Runanubhanda" that Baba has pulled me to his path. He sent his disciple and has shown me the path to spiritualism. I have always seen my wife reading Satcharita of Baba and praying every Thursdays to him but not until I attended one Satsangh in Twin Cities, that changed my entire life. I am always indebted to that family who has shown me the path to SAI.

My belief in Baba is not all off a sudden, like any other devotee, I had put Baba lot of tests only then I realized the power of "Perfect Master". My quest is not ending here and every day I learn lot of new things at the Prayer Center. Blessed I am to have such a good company of SAI devotees. I remember a quote from a devotee saying "Baba knowing that we are far from him has decided to come here ..". Now it is not possible to imagine my life without SAI.

After I started reading Satcharita there are lot of references to other masters, Avatar Meher Baba became my source of attraction, as one of my friends is a good devotee of Meher Baba. At first I was confused whether it is good to read about Meher Baba, when I just started to know about Shirdi Sai, but this confusion was over when I read a book from Meher Baba. "Stick to one guru only then you will get your fruits, otherwise it is similar to digging at several places and you will not get water to quench your thirst". This does not mean that we can't read about other Guru's but it means stick to your Guru and he will show the path.

Avatar Meher Baba also quotes the first path to spirituality "Remember that the first step in spirituality is not to speak ill of others. All human beings have weaknesses and faults. Yet they are all God in their being. Until they become realized, they have their imperfections. Therefore, before trying to find faults in others and speaking ill of them, try to find your own weaknesses and correct those" - Lord Meher.

After reading the above quote, I realize I have long way to go "to start my spiritual path", and only Sadguru can make it happen.

Bow to lotus feet of sadguru shri Sainath maharaj!

Devotees Experiences

 Padma Beravole, Farmington, MN

This happened during last year summer. In downtown Minneapolis, Farmer's Market opens up every Thursday. When I used to work at Target on Nicollet Mall, I used to buy flowers for Baba every Thursday. One day after getting down the bus, I saw nice Cream-colored Roses and decided to buy in the evening. I'm almost so close to my bus time, and couldn't go far enough to see flowers. There was one guy next to the bus stop, but he didn't have small bunches. The Roses he had was $15.00 bunch for 25 roses. I really want to buy, but I thought its little bit expensive and so looked for six roses bunch. But there weren't any. I can't go to a different person as I'm running late. I was so disappointed but took some other nice flowers. After reaching the bus stop, I'm still thinking 'oh...I should have brought those Roses, as I desperately want to offer Baba'. I was kind of panic to go and get those again, but at the same time little bit of hesitation. Then finally I decided to go and buy. At that time a couple walked buy and distributing nice roses to everybody. They came to me, put a bunch in front of me, offered to take a flower, and said 'WE JUST WANTED SHOW HOW GOD LOVES US IN THE SAME WAY WE LOVE HIM'.

Surprisingly there were many Red Roses, BUT ONE CREAM COLORED ROSE. I immediately took the Cream Rose and didn't go back for the flowers again. My heart was thrilled with joy and I ran short of words and didn't even say thanks as I'm kind of in a shock. I'm running short of words to explain my feelings at that time. I know that it was Baba who sent them. As otherwise, during these last 5 summers, I have never ever seen a couple distributing flowers. We always know that Baba loves us and He can hear our thoughts. Baba please continue to shower your blessings on us all the time.
 


Quotation of the Month

“I am God. I am Mahalaxmi. I speak the truth sitting as I do in the mosque. I am Vithoba. I am Ganapathy. All offerings made to Ganapathy have reached me. I am Dattatreya. I am Laxmi Narayan. Why go to Ganga elsewhere. Hold your palm at my feet -- here flows Ganga. I am Maruti”  
                                                           - Saibaba of Shirdi           

Did you know?

Once there was a huge downpour in Shirdi. The dilapidated masjid was not a suitable place for Baba to stay and devotees urged Baba to move to Chavadi to spend the night. Baba refused to move from the masjid. One devotee by name Narayan Theli made bold, lifted Baba onto his shoulders and carried Him to Chavadi. Baba spent that night in Chavadi and thus the practice of Baba sleeping in Chavadi on alternate days started.
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.