Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center Inc., Twin Cities
Minnesota, USA
Volume 1 Issue 9
September 2003


Contents
Sai Temples

Testing Guru

SAI Quiz

Devotee Experiences

Sai Sandesh

Quotation of the month

Did You know?

Receipts fro contributions

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 Satsanghs 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

Maha Samadhi Celebrations

Om Sai!
Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center under the blessings & guidance of Sadguru Sainath, with the devotees' help will be celebrating Sadguru Saibaba's Maha Samadhi in October. Please watch for more details.

Meals on Wheels
 Shirdi Sai devotees are volunteering for the Meals -On-Wheels, in various locations in the Twin Cities. 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.

The following volunteers participated in Meals on Wheels

  • Abdul Rahiman Shaikh
  • Rama Krishna Gandham
  • Ravin Gnanasambandam
  • Satyamohan Chelluri
  • Srihari Posani
If you would like to join in this program please send us email

FortnightlySatsanghs

 Shirdi Saibaba Prayer centerconducts 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 Sept 13th and 27th.


Monthly Feature
Sai Temples

Ravin Gnanasambandam, Coon Rapids, MN

A number of temples of Saibaba are being built around the world. These are not just temples but the branches of ever expanding wonderful tree of Sai devotion. These temples should not be limited to mere places of Sai worship and bhajans; but should develop into anchors that instrument the awakening and spreading of the unique Sai tradition. These temples should develop into the abode of invaluable spiritual principles that Saibaba stood for and not mere places of convenient ritualistic formalities. One should not indulge in wasteful deliberations such as whether the temple built should be a replica of Shirdi Mandir, if one should install Dhuni like in Shirdi or how to perform all aarthis like the way they are performed in Shirdi. Sai temples should imbibe the idealistic path of Saibaba and glorify the significance of sacred Sai tradition that made Shirdi into a place of pilgrimage. To accomplish this awareness requires Sai’s grace and our efforts should be to earn the grace by knowing and imbibing the values Saibaba represents. There should be a strong sense of community and everyone should feel that the temple belongs to all. Everyone will have comforts and inconveniences when it comes to managing a Sai temple. However, if we get rid of the feelings of “ours’ and “yours”, most issues do not sprout into problems. Such a sacred, goodwill seeking, happy and fulfilling transformation is the result of Saibaba’s grace and His grace alone. With that awareness, we have to pray to secure Sai grace that fulfills our wishes.

(Source: “Sai Bhakthi Saadhana Rahasyam” (The Secret of Sai Bhakthi Saadhana) in Telugu –– by Sri Sainathuni Sarathbabu ji)

Devotee Contributions
One should not try to test the Guru or to make fun of Him under any circumstances.

Bhuva Valluri, Eagan, MN
The guru is equal to God. Our elders say that guru is God. That is why we should give the utmost respect to the instructions of our guru and our elders and follow them with sincerity of purpose. One should not try to test the guru or to make fun of him under any circumstances. It is the height of foolishness to seek to test the power of the guru. Once Shama wanted to test the omniscience of Sai Baba. He awaited the right moment and opportunity to test Baba. Once when Baba was away from the mosque on his daily round, a money order of two rupees came in Baba's name. Shama took the money from the postman. He thought, "Baba is not here now. Let me test Baba to see whether he knows that a money order of two rupees has come for him or not." He dug up a place in the front portion of the mosque unobserved by anyone else and buried the money in that hole.

Baba returned to the mosque. He did not say anything to Shama. Evening came and the next day also dawned. Baba still did not ask Shama about the money. Shama thought that if Baba was really omniscient he should have known of the money which had arrived. Days passed and gradually even Shama forgot about the money order. About six months after this incident, thieves broke in to Shama's house one night and stole a lot of his household goods. Shama came crying to Baba early next day and lamented his loss. Baba smiled and replied placidly, "You have at least me to complain to, if thieves break into your house and steal your stuff. But two rupees have been stolen from me six months ago. To whom should I complain?" Shama was struck speechless with wonder. He realised that Baba knew all along about the two rupees hidden by him and had kept silent about it. He cried, "Baba! I have done a mistake in my ignorance. Do you have to punish me with such a great loss for the sake of those two rupees?" Baba laughed and said, " Shama! You are an employee with good salary, while I am but a poor fakir. Two rupees are to me what two hundred rupees are to you." What more could Shama say? He thought that he was taught a good lesson by Baba for his impertinence in trying to test him. He decided never to repeat this sort of foolish mistake again. See dear ones! How much Shama lost in his foolish attempt to test his guru. Those who trust in the divinity of their guru and have rock-like faith and devotion to him will always succeed in life.

    Source Saipatham Magazine 2002 (http://www.saipatham.com/pages/saimag.html)

Match the following

Ravin Gnanasambandam, Coon Rapids, MN

  1. Jamner miracle
  2. Saibaba’s Mahasamadhi
  3. The year Megha passed away
  4. Mahalsapathi
  5. The Tailor
  6. Suffered from asthma
  7. Baba’s garden
  8. All India Sai Samaj
  9. Shri Sai Satcharita
  1. Kashinath
  2. 1912
  3. 1918
  4. Mainatai
  5. Lendi
  6. “Aaoo Sayee”
  7. Hemadpant
  8. Balaram Durandhar
  9. Sri BV Narasimhaswami ji
(See "Sai Sandesh" October 2003 Issue for the Answers)

Devotees Experiences

 -Ranjit Kulangaroth, St. Paul, MN
Dear Saibandhus,

I have a personal experience to relate which I believe is a small example of how Baba takes care of his devotees in their everyday lives. My wife and I had been searching for a house for the past two months. We had seen about 30 houses and most of them were not fitting either our needs or our budget. We were beginning to think that we were out of luck and were praying to Baba for guidance. We finally shortlisted two houses that fit what we were looking for but both were way beyond our budget. We were resigned to waiting and hoping that the prices would come down to a point where we would be able to afford them. As it so happened, one Saturday morning, I felt a sudden urge to call my real estate agent and request a second showing on one of the two houses. I tried to put the thought out of my head but it kept recurring. It seemed as if something or somebody was compelling me to pick up the phone and call my agent. Finally, to satisfy myself, I did call my agent and request another showing of the home. He contacted the sellers and got back to me that the house was available for showing. When we went over there we found that the house had been marked down to just below what we were willing to pay for it!!. It turned out that we were the first buyers to see the reduced price. We put in the bid and it got accepted. The sellers were relocating and were anxious to sell. We moved in last weekend. A skeptical person may dismiss this as mere coincidence but dear saibandhus --- we all know that this is simply Baba living up to his eternal promise –“ Trust in me and your prayer shall be answered”. HE works in mysterious ways and it is not up to us to question them. If HE had not compelled me to make that call, quite possibly the house would have gone to another bidder.
-Padma Beravole, Farmington, MN
As from past few weeks due to some work or other we are unable to go to the Prayer Center. So, I'm convincing myself that as soon as I complete reading Satcharita, I should go to Prayer Center and attend Dhoop Aarati. Last Friday, Sep 5th 2003, I have completed my Parayan and so decided to make it to the Prayer Center. After coming back from work and preparing food, we headed towards Hopkins by 06:00pm. Due to heavy traffic it took so long that we reached the Prayer Center at 06:50pm. In my mind I was so worried and restless as we are unable to reach on time. As usually they start Aarati at 06:30pm and will be completing by 06:50pm. We called the Prayer Center but no one is picking up so I thought everyone is involved in Aarati and couldn't hear the ring. I was hoping atleast someone could open it up so that I could atleast attend last few minutes of the Aarati. Luckily some resident was passing by and opened the doors for us. We were about to open the doors and TO OUR SURPRISE THE DOOR WAS LOCKED. My heart was thrilled my body was shivering with joy. We rushed to Srihari ji's house, took the keys, opened the door and started everything and performed Dhoop Aarati to our utmost satisfaction. It might look simple but the way Baba garu arranges everything to fulfill our desires is Marvelous. There are no words to explain His way of doing things. I just have a desire to attend Aarati, but He made me to do everything right from unlocking the doors. If we have a strong desire towards Him, He will definitely make it by any means. Baba, please continue to shower your blessings on us and protect us always.

To add up to the above, I just opened Satcharita and got Chapter 10 which says : "The Sadguru looks to the intense feeling and devotion of his devotees, endows them with knowledge and eternal bliss." Which is exactly I'm trying share with you all today.

Bow to Sri Sai, Peace Be to All.
Quotation of the Month


Did you know?

Dadasaheb (Shri G.S. Khaparde), who was able to expound Panchadashi (A well-known Sanskrit treatise on the Adwaita Philosophy by the famous Vidyaranya) to others, said nothing or uttered no word when he came to the Masjid before Baba. Really a man, however learned he may be even in Vedas, fades away before one, who was realized Brahman and become one with it. Learning cannot shine before Self-realization.
      – Shri Sai Satcharita Chapter XXVII.


Receipts for contributions between Jan 03-Jun 03

Devotees are kindly requested to pick up receipts acknowledging the contributions to prayer center between Jan'03/June'03. They are kept at prayer center in sealed envelopes. Receipts for the contributions made after June will be acknowledged in the 1st quarter of 2004. For any questions please send a mail to hamaresai@yahoo.com marking in the subject Attn:Receipts.

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.