Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center Inc., Twin Cities
Minnesota, USA















Volume 2 Issue 11
November 2004


Contents


Monthly Feature

Sadguru's Reminders



Know Your Sai Satcharita

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.

Breakfast Service at Salvation Army
Sai devotees have taken part in the Poor/Homeless feeding program conducted by Salvation Army twice this month. If you are interested in taking part in this noble effort, please send a email to hamaresai @ yahoo.com with "Poor Feeding" as the subject and we will contact you. 
Following are the volunteers and Prayer Center thanks them for their support and prays for Baba's blessings to them and their families.
 
Oct 6 - Ranjith, Sreehari 
Oct 20 - Anil, Chandra, Chandana, Ravin, Sham, Sreekanth
 
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 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 November 6, 20.

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".

Monthly Feature

Monthly Feature:  The Origins of Guru Poornima in Shirdi

Baba would never allow anyone to worship him. He would not allow any devotee to even garland him. The great good fortune of being the first to formally worship fell to Sri Noolkar upon a Guru Poornima day. One day Sri Tatya Saheb Noolkar went to the masjid and saluted Baba. As he did so, Baba pointed to the pillar besides the dhuni and said "You worship that pillar tomorrow." Noolkar could not understand why Baba had said so. When he returned to the Wada he conveyed Baba's instructions to Shama and asked him as to what Baba's intentions were in ordering him thus. Even Shama could not fathom why Baba had asked them to worship the pillar next day. He went to the masjid to inquire of Baba but Baba merely reiterated his earlier instructions. Later Baba repeated the same instructions to Tatya Kote Patil and Dada Kelkar too. The next day happened to be a Saturday. As Noolkar awoke from sleep, he suddenly remembered that it was Guru Poornima. He conveyed this to Shama and the other devotees. They got the almanac to check and it was confirmed that it was indeed so. That day was Guru Poornima. They now understood the meaning of Baba's words when he told them to worship the pillar. They were all very happy that Baba had finally permitted them to worship him. They all went to the masjid and begged Baba to allow them to perform the worship of their guru. Baba merely told them again to worship the pillar. "Oh our God! Why should we worship the pillar when we have you, a God, in front of us? We will worship only you." Baba did not agree to be worshipped by the devotees. The devotees stuck firmly to their resolve. At last Baba had to acquiesce to the wishes of his devotees and allow them to worship him. Baba always surrenders to the feelings of love and faith of his devotee. He said, "All right" at last, and the happiness of his devotees knew no bounds.

They immediately started preparing for the worship of the Guru. They decided to worship Baba after he returned from his round of alms and informed him thus. Baba, with utmost kindness, not only agreed but also permitted them to worship him using the sixteen articles of formal worship. Baba sent word to Radhakrishna Ayi and Dada Kelkar. She sent the various ingredients used in worship to the masjid and Dada Kelkar also reached the masjid with the various articles used in worship. All the devotees present did congregational worship of Baba. Baba returned all the dakshina offered to him back to the devotees. Arati was offered after the worship. Thus the first Guru Poornima worship was performed at Shirdi. Later this worship became an enduring tradition and it was performed with great pomp every Guru Poornima day at Shirdi.

 

(From “Sri Sai Bhaktha Vijayam” by Sri Sainathuni Sarat Babuji)

 

Devotees Experiences

 

Sadguru's Reminders!

Ravin, Coon Rapids

 

Jahan karam chhuthaa hain punya ko
Aur dharam chhuthaa hain bhakthi ko
Sayee wahan tumhaara aashish hain
Sayee wahan tumhara aashish hain
- Guruji C.B. Satpathy ji

 

Oh, Sai! Let Your blessings be on us…As our deeds lead to noble consequences
In the path of devotion for that is our only righteous duty
Oh Sai! Let your blessings be on us!

 

Intense pursuit of at-one-ment with Sadguru leads a saadhaka to completely believe that it is the Sadguru that defines every deed and to him the consequences are credited to. His reminders of our spiritual duty in the path of devotion are perhaps the only cognizance a saadhaka should pay attention to. There is no need for any other form of discrimination. A diligent focus on this truth should eventually dismiss all other forms of discrimination. What is more futile than spend a life's time on the convenient facts, the concoctions of the intellect! Faith, patience, humility, love and compassion by any definition are indiscriminate expressions that Sadguru requires of a devotee. These expressions have only origin not a destination, just like the warmth of the sun and the comfort of a cool breeze. Indiscriminate!

 

  Know your Sai Satcharitha!

        

  1. Who was the devotee that drew a Tripundra, i.e. three horizontal lines similar to worshipping Lord Siva with sandal paste on Baba's forehead?
  2. “SadGuru only competent and Qualified to Explain” – In which context did Shri Hemadpanth meant the above statement
  3. Who were the devotees of Rahata that Baba used to visit?
  4. Baba didn’t physically travel beyond Rahata or Neemgaon near Shirdi. In which form did Baba attend the dinner at Shri Hemadpanth’s home in Bandra?
  5. Sri Tembe Swamy, a Yogi and a devotee of Lord Dattatreya once gave a coconut to Sri Pundalika Rao to be given to Saibaba. Where was Sri Tembe Swamy from?

 

Answers to Know your Sai Satcharitha! for Sai Sandesh October 2004

  1. Baba disapproved fasting and who did he make eat puran polis at Dada Kelkar’s office?
Mrs. Gokhale came to Shirdi with a determination to sit at Baba’s feet and observe a three days fast. Baba told her that there was no necessity of fasting and asked her to go to Dada Kelkar’s house, prepare puran polis, feed his children and herself at a time when Mrs. Kelkar was herself not in a position to cook and feed her family.

 

  1. In what context and to whom Baba said, “Now take care, you should not purge anymore”?

Baba said this to Bapusaheb Buti who was suffering from vomiting and was not able to go to masjid for Baba’s darshan. Vomiting stopped and Buti felt well.

 

  1. Who authored the Sloka, “Sada Nimbavrikshasya Moolaadhivaasaath…”?
Sri Kashinath Sastri, also known as Upasani Maharaj

 

  1. “How cunning the people are! They fall at the feet, offer Dakshina, but inwardly give abuses behind the back. Is not this wonderful?” On what occasion, Baba said the above.

Baba remarked thus referring to the pleader from Pandharpur who was reviled and criticized Mr. Noolkar and is faith in Saibaba.

 

  1. “Most devotees spoke and argued with Baba off and on, but these three devotees always kept silent. They were meek, modest, humble and goodnatured”. Who were they?

         Shri Bapusaheb Booty, Shri Dadasahaeb Khaparde and Shri Tatyasaheb Noolkar

Prayer Center Activities for November 2004

November 6 – Fortnightly Satsang  sponsored by devotees Radhika and Murali

November 11 - Feeding the Homeless at Salvation Army, St. Paul

November 13 – Diwali Celebrations

November 20 – Fortnightly Satsang sponsored by devotees

 

 

Please write to hamaresai@yahoo.com if you would like to know more about the above activities.

 

Quotation of the Month

“Spend money in charity; be generous and munificent but not extravagant” - Saibaba

 

Permanent Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center - Fund Raising

Dear Sai Bandhu:
Thanks for your continued support of the Shirdi Saibaba Prayer Center,
TwinCities, MN. Over the last two years we have grown and the current
premises are overflowing with devotees attendance. To facilitate the
growing Sai family, the Prayer Center is getting inspired to look for a
bigger, permanent place. To help realise this project, a humble request to
you, to help raise funds by taking part in one of the schemes.Please see
the attached flyer for detailed information. If you have any questions,
please send a email to hamaresai@yahoo.com or call 763 234 3401 or
651 353 6598.

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

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.





 


__________________________________________________________
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