Sai Vichaar is a Weekly newsletter distributed every Thursday and is devoted to the life, philosophy and teachings of Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. Feel free to forward this newsletter to your interested associates in its original form.

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IN THIS ISSUE:

• FEATURE OF THE WEEK
• CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE
• DEVOTEES SAY
• PRAYER CLUB
• EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES
• QUOTATION OF THE WEEK
• QUESTION OF THE WEEK
• SAI ACTIVITIES
• FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD

FEATURE OF THE WEEK: Dussehra Message

When Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi was in His human embodiment at Shirdi, thousands of people of different regions, religions, languages and categories used to visit Him. The young and the old, married and unmarried, worldly people and spiritual seekers and many others representing the cross-section of society used to approach the Master, to get his help and blessings to satisfy their material needs and spiritual aspirations. In Shri Sai Satcharitra, one finds mention about these characters although there were many more about whom there is no record.

Sadgurus like Shri Shirdi Sai Baba, operate simultaneously at two levels of consciousness. Some of their activities are manifested and some are non-manifested in nature. Some examples of the manifested activities are: feeding the poor and the devotees, curing their physical and mental diseases, rendering temporal assistance in all their material needs and religious pursuits etc. The manner in which He gave relief was sometimes miraculous. Hundreds of families of Shirdi and outside used to depend on Him for relief and sustenance in their worldly existence. Sai Baba never refused to help any one who came to Him. He laboured day in and day out to solve the complex problems of His devotees. Once He told a devotee that He (Baba) could not sleep during the previous night thinking about that devotee. What would happen to my people, if I constantly do not keep an eye on them, He used to say. This was the role of a Provider and Protector.

However, the other role of Shri Sai was subtle and secret in nature, which created a permanent value in the lives of the people that approached Him. Shri Shirdi Sai Baba was a Perfect Master or a Sadguru. Being a Sadguru His divine charter of duties was to train the devotees with a view to evolve their mental and emotional qualities and ultimately to lead them towards emancipation. Such a process of evolution, when left to the disciple himself, is very slow and may take a number of lives to achieve. As ordained by the law of nature, every human being evolves during each life cycle while on the earth plane by experiencing an un-calculable number of events generating pleasure or pain. Without, the help of a Master or Sadguru who has traveled along and experienced the path of spiritual evolution, the seeker goes through a process of trials and errors and in the process his evolution slows down. However, if one accepts a Sadguru as his mentor, and strictly abides by His advice, his evolution becomes easier and faster. The Sadguru with His divine powers and qualities has immense capabilities to hasten the process of evolution of all beings that come in contact with Him. Therefore, He is called a Samarth (capable of giving God realisation) Sadguru. However, notwithstanding the ceaseless effort of the Masters all devotees do not progress spiritually at an equal pace. The pace of evolution of a devotee depends on a few Prime factors, like, acceptance of the Master-both intellectually and emotionally, as the sole guide and Protector in spiritual journey, complete faith in and adherence to the advice and commands of the Master and finally a lot of perseverance under all trying circumstances and over long periods of time to follow the Master's prescriptions in its true spirit.

FEATURE OF THE WEEK: continued.....

Usually Masters like Baba do not force disciples to follow their advice. They suggest the prescriptions directly (through words, actions and direct experiences etc.) and or indirectly (through dreams, anecdotes, hints and mediums etc.) to each disciple or some times to a group of disciples. Baba at times used to speak cryptic or broken sentences or utter a certain un-intelligible language. The devotees could understand its meaning only after a protracted mental deliberation over the issue. Baba could have given a direct solution but His method was to lead the devotee through a self-finding mental process. Many a times He would enquire from some devotees as to what they were talking about when they were together. He would then advise them on how to handle the compulsive negative thoughts of mind and to inculcate a habit of generating positive thoughts. The omniscient Sadguru used to keep a watch on the negative and positive thoughts of His disciples and there are hundreds of such examples. Baba used to create thought waves in the minds of devotees by His subtle powers thereby leading them to find a solution to their own problems. To many, He used to give direction in dreams as well. He used to render such help with a view to create a clearer and purer state of mind in the devotees, which is essentially required to tread along the path of spiritual evolution as per His (the Masters) scheme. The Sadgurus do not wish to keep Their disciples dependent on Them for all times to come with a view to get their service. What they desire is to evolve the disciples to the state of perfect human beings (Satpurush), with perfect noble qualities so that they can further carry on certain subtle and difficult tasks on this earth or elsewhere in accordance with the Divine Plan.

The Sadgurus not only give emancipation to the human-souls under Their care but also create a few spiritual workers from among the evolved devotees to assist Them in Their universal and subtle activities. The basic principle They follow is to light a number of candles from a single candle and They expect the process to continue for all times to come. If we analyse the different methods that Shri Sai adopted while dealing with different devotees, one of his prescriptions stands out prominently i.e. the qualitative evolution of mind. In whatever He did towards the training of His devotees, the moot idea of Baba was to evolve not only the mental qualities but also the thought process itself. For example, when Nana Saheb Chandorkar sitting near Baba at Dwarakamayee Masjid was attracted by the beauty of a woman, Baba never advised him not to look at women. What He advised was that while looking at any beautiful woman or beautiful object, one should think of 'beauty' as an aspect of God?s creation. He further emphasized on the internal beauty of the soul and not on the external beauty of the body. The lesson that Baba gave was that when the mind is attracted to anything, it is better to attach a higher value to the thought itself rather than to struggle with mind to avoid the object of attraction. No one can struggle with his own mind, as it is the most powerful force in human beings as ordained by nature. The moment one tries to struggle with mind in order to erase an evil thought or enforce a good thought sheerly by one's will, it is bound to create certain reactions and such reactions lead to further problems. This is the most difficult task for any human being to perform, living as he does in a complex world. Therefore, Baba used to keep a constant watch on the thoughts arising in the minds of His devotees and guide them promptly.

FEATURE OF THE WEEK: continued......

For example He asked Kaka Saheb Dixit to stay quietly (Uge-muge) in Dixit-Wada at Shirdi and not to mix with others. He told Dixit that he should be wary of thieves in the Wada lest they would take away everything, meaning thereby loss of his positive quality of mind and peace. Similarly Upasani Baba was asked to stay at Khandoba temple and not to meet any one. He was not even allowed to meet Baba sitting a few hundred yards away for a long time. By separating the genuine seekers from the rest of the world, Baba wanted them to maintain a purer and positive state of mind and not to get contaminated by the negative thoughts of others as usually happens in social interactions. Baba used to render advice in the same or similar line to different devotees e. g. to keep one?s promise always, to make adequate payment for the services received from any person, to tolerate and not to quarrel even if provoked, to avoid speaking ill of others, to avoid differentiating among human beings on the grounds of material or social differentiation etc. and finally to visualise the presence of God in every object, every thought and every feeling.

All religious rituals including Poojas, Aartis and Parayanas, etc. are methods of human evolution at the first stage. Evolution of the thought process of mind in itself is the inter-mediary stage and emancipation of the soul through realization of God is the third and final stage in the spiritual journey of the soul. Since the omniscient Baba could easily read through the thoughts of all His devotees, He could prescribe the methods of thought control and spiritual evolution to each devotee, specific to him.

History shows that it is the positive forces of human minds that had created mighty civilizations and it is the negative forces of human minds that had brought about the total destruction of their own civilization as had happened in Rome, Egypt, Peru etc. We see the world as our mind visualises it and our visualisation is limited and often distorted. We see the world with a fixed Kaleidoscope from a certain angle. If the Kaleidoscope is rotated, then different forms and patterns of life would appear. Since each individual sees life from a certain fixed angle, each experiences a specific pattern, the pattern of life experienced by him seems to be the only truth. Let alone the people with a predominantly evil nature, even people with the best of qualities suffer from this limitation of mental fixity. It is seen that at times the best qualities of an individual, become the greatest block in his evolution in certain situations. For example, there was a kind person who used to help every one. He had the expectation, as is usually the case with human beings that others would be equally kind to him and reciprocate, in his bad times. But when he was in distress every one did not render the required help in the manner and to the extent he had rendered to them. As a result, he started questioning the very plinth of kindness and decided not to help others as he used to do earlier. Now his proactive kindness turned to reactive narrow-mindedness. His evolved quality of natural benevolence was blocked and the evolution process of mind slowed down. No doubt as a worldly-wise person he went a step forward but in his spiritual evolution he had gone a step backward.

FEATURE OF THE WEEK: continued......

If he had the flexibility of mind to accept the imperfection in others without passing value judgement over the imperfect conduct of others, he would have been happier and more evolved. The lesson to learn is that howsoever perfect one claims to be, the universal nature (containing both so called perfect and imperfect aspects), does not give a license to any one condemn others, howsoever, imperfect. Therefore, the wise ones have proclaimed that one may hate sin but not the sinner. Baba unequivocally declared that when any one condemned any one else, his feelings were hurt.

Some psycho-analysts hold the view that inflexible perfectionists suffer psychological stress the most as they find it difficult to adjust with the imperfect traits in the character of others with whom they interact. Such persons are sometimes, highly creative because of their sense of perfection but nevertheless they suffer the most due to social maladjustment. This problem of human beings is not limited to this category alone. It is more or less with every one to some extent. The fundamental problem with the magnificent human being is that each person considers himself to be the centre of the Universe ? the little Universe he has created for himself. Therefore, he desires that every thing around him should fall in line with the requirements of that little Universe.

They are not prepared to visualise themselves as an infinitesimally small particle in the vast Universe with millions and millions of ever changing patterns. These millions of little Universes juxtaposed in the social fabric of our complex world try to clash with each other and to pull each other apart by the gravitational force of their atomic individualism or ego. The Sadgurus have always tried to give simple solutions to this complex problem.

If we follow the prescriptions of Baba, as contained in Shri Sai Satcharitra our thought process can go through a qualitative change and we can have a clearer picture of the world around us. It will not only do good to us but also to others around us. Therefore, when reading Shri Sai Satcharitra or other literature on Baba, our thought should always be focused on this aspect of conscious mental evolution that Baba repeatedly taught and exemplified through his own conduct.

Message by Shri C.B. Satpathy

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: Bayajabai -The Personification of Love

Sri Sai Baba was the human shape assumed by God. He was an example of how the power of God, which is infinite, can fit into the human casing made of the five elements and show divine power through the body. Of those devotees who served Baba when he was alive, over ninety-five per cent saw this divine power in him and became his devotees. As Sri Madhav Adkar sang in his arati, "Jayaa manee jaisaa bhaava, tayaa taisaa anubhava! Daavisee dayaaghanaa aisee tuzee hee maava!" (As is one's intent, such shall be our experience. As such, bestow thy grace upon each according to their conception of thee. Such is thy divine sport, oh compassionate one.) Baba's devotees saw Baba as a reflection of their own feelings for him. The remaining five per cent became his devotees not because of Baba's power, but because they loved him. They tied Baba to them with the silken fetters of love. It is on these, who loved Baba unconditionally, that Baba rained his grace so copiously. Looking at Baba through their loving eyes, Baba's divine shape appears to us a glorious rainbow of love and affection. Of all those devotees who danced happily, fully soaked in the gentle rain of Baba's love, the foremost was Sri Tatya Kote Patil. The love and devotion shown by his parents Sri Ganapati Kote and Smt. Bayajabai for Baba was the main reason behind the immense good fortune of Sri Tatya's attachment to Baba.

It was in Shirdi that Sri Sai Baba revealed himself to the world to save humankind. He accompanied Chandbhai Patil's marriage party to Shirdi and stayed on there. When Baba first came to Shirdi, he appeared to the locals as a mere mad fakir and a beggar. In those days, when he kept his divine powers hidden, only three or four villagers were attracted to him. They themselves could not say what attracted them to Baba. Mhalsapati, Kasiram Shimpi, Appa Jogle and Ganapati Kote Patil were the four devotees who served Sri Sai Baba with the utmost love and devotion at that time.

Of these four, Baba was very close and intimate with Ganapati Kote Patil. Baba looked upon Bayajabai, Ganapati Kote's wife, as his own sister and used to call her as such. Sri Sai Sarananand writes in his book about the first time Baba met Ganapati Kote Patil and Bayajabai as follows. "Perhaps the first person who introduced himself to Baba was Mahalsapati." After he talked to Baba, Mahalsapati felt that he was a saint and believed in him. From then on he would meet Baba without fail every day. He later introduced Baba to his friends, Kashiram Shimpi and Appa Jogle. These three would meet Baba every day and arrange for Baba's needs to be met. Ganapati Kote Patil heard about Baba from these three and went with his wife, Bayajabai, to meet Baba. Baba rose from his seat and welcomed them graciously, saying to Bayajibai, "Oh lady, you are really my sister!"

Bayajabai was enthralled by Baba. She was devoted to Him and vowed that she would not eat without first giving food to Baba. In those days, Baba would not stay in one place, He would be roaming about, sometimes in the village and sometimes in the fields outside the village and staying there. As Bayajabai had vowed not to eat unless she fed Baba first, she would search high and low for Him until she found Him. She would wait at home for Baba till noon every day in case He would come to beg for food. If He had not appeared by then, she would put the food in a basket and placing it on her head, start searching for Him in the fields and thickets outside the village. When she found Him she would make Him sit down and would feed Him with the utmost love and affection. After some time, as if to save Bayajabai the bother, Baba started staying at the mosque and having His food there.

(Contributed by continued.....)

CONTRIBUTED ARTICLE: continued.........

Sri Tatya Kote Patil writes about the itinerant, homeless Baba of those early days at Shirdi thus. "When Baba first came to Shirdi, he wore a green kufni (a long shirt-like garment extending down to the mid-calf) and a green headdress. After four months he changed the colour of his headdress to white. When Baba first came to Shirdi, he did not have a fixed abode. After a few months of wandering about, he stayed at the mosque for ten months. Later, he started living under the neem tree. Again after a while he moved to the mosque. He stayed there for two or three years and then shifted to the grove of trees between the Lendi and the Seera rivulets. Someone or other among the devotees would arrange for his food there. After staying for two-and-a-half years at the grove of trees, Baba finally moved back to the mosque, and stayed there till he entered samadhi." Baba would not go to all the houses in Shirdi to beg for his food. He would beg only at the houses of Patil Bua Waman Gondkar, Nandram Marwadi, Ganapati Kote Patil and Sakharam Shelke. He would hang a cloth around his left shoulder and carrying a tin in his right hand, go first to the house of Patil Bua Gondkar. He would stand in front of the house and shout with his carillon like voice, "Aango Radha, bhakar" (Radha, bring the roti). He would then go and stand in front of Nandram Marwadi's house and shout, "Nand de khore, bhakar lao" (Oh son of Nand, get the roti). After this came the turn of Ganapati Kote Patil (Bayajabai). He would stand in front of the house and shout "Abaade abaad, Bayajamami roti Lao" (Aunty Bayaja, get the roti). Baba would go these houses to beg food even two or three times a day. Two or three years after Baba came to Shirdi, famine was rampant and the people were suffering.

During the famine, Baba went only to the houses of the richer amongst these devotees, such as Nandram Marwadi and Ganapati Kote Patil. When Baba went to beg for food, He would stand in the forecourt beyond the doorway and take the offered food but never step into the house (to be continued).

(Contributed by Courtesy: Sai Patham, India)

DEVOTEES SAY:

Sravanthi
I am really happy today. I got a job. I have been trying for job since one year. It is because of the blessings of Sai Baba I got it. I was so depressed before and went into depression and couldn't even pray to God daily. Then when going through this website and by reading all the devotees prayers and the readings of Sai Baba, I did Saptaha for two weeks. I did not do Saptha for any materialized reason; I did it for my mental satisfaction, confidence (as I was in depression). I started acting cool memorizing Satcharitha and the name of Sai whenever I was tensed. After two weeks I was called for the interview and I came to know that I was selected. What I would like to say is: have faith and patience in Sai. He will definitely show you the way to the brighter side. Whatever you do have faith and devotion in Sai.

Alok
Just two days back I had a great fight with my business partner, I was so stuck in the business, he was so desperate that it was looking almost ending up with great loss to me. I was so tensed, I cried in front of Saibaba that despite of already so many problems how can I solve this, I couldn't take this. I don't know the next day I was feeling so positive and energetic, I just started my day and slowly things are becoming normal, I was praying to Sainath most of the time. He gave me the true path as I have already surrendered everything to Him.

Suresh
Baba, thank you very much for being with us all the time and as I promise I am writing my experience here, if I get my ID without any hassles. You proved me again that You are there for us.

Geeta
Thank you, Baba for ensuring that the blood test results of my daughter are clean. As promised, I am submitting this article in Sai Vichaar. Bless us all, Baba.

Kamala
I was trying to get my driving license for a long time. All the time, I was not feeling so confident but I kept praying to Baba to make me eligible to get a driving license. Today with Baba's Divine Grace, I was able to get my license. I understand from my experience that we should not get discouraged or loose faith in Baba. Baba grants us with whatever reasonable thing we may pray for at proper time.

Rajeswari
Sai Ram, I had prayed to the almighty Sai that if my brother gets a good job I would post in the Sai Vichaar. Thank you Baba for Your grace on us. Shower Your blessings always on us.

Sasi
Baba thank you for getting me a van. Help me to maintain and drive safely. Baba please help my husband to get paper and grant for his independent research work.

PRAYER CLUB:

Anbumozhi
Please help my wife and me and also be with us always. I pray to You to bless us with children immediately and forgive us if we have done any mistakes.

Preethi
I am 35 years old and married for 10 years now and childless till date. I am the only daughter and so I feel that I do not have anyone, I feel very lonely. I again request all of you to pray for me and next time I should write in this Sai Vichaar to say that I am pregnant. Oh Baba, please do not make me lonely.

A Sai devotee
Baba, please show me Your miracle and change my marriage and life. I am very depressed, please shower Your blessings.

Indru
Please help my daughter by showing her the right path to success so she can take care of her son and daughter. Baba please help her I have been Your devotee for almost for almost 45 years.

Vineetha
Baba, please forgive me, if I hurt my husband. I did not mean it. But at that time, I could not control. Please, please do the needful.

Sailaja
Please bless us with a healthy son. After the ultrasound I am even more scared and was disappointed but I want to believe in You. That's what my parents and friends have been telling also. I still have a desire and believe that You can change things over. Please bless me with a son. I request all Sai devotees to pray for us. Thanks.

Anita
Our life is a blessing with Your grace. Just cure me and us of this illness forever and keep us focused at Your feet. Keep Your blissful hand on our lives. Take care of my brother, Sai.

EXPERIENCE OF DEVOTEES:

Geeta
I would like to share my experience of Sai. Few years back I lost my dear husband at a most unexpected time. My only son was facing his board exams. I was totally shattered. It took many months for me to come back to almost normal. Meanwhile the utmost faith and total surrender which my son had, helped him to secure very good marks and entry into a very prestigious college. There are many times, when I thought I couldn't proceed further. But if not for our dear Sai, we would have been nowhere. Sai has helped my son to get good grades in his college. Now with the blessings of dear Sai my son is doing his Masters degree in USA. Whenever I open Sai Vichaar, I have found an answer to the problem of that hour. I have felt as if my dear Sai himself has shown me a way out. I am very sure that whoever holds His lotus feet with unshakable faith and total surrender will be taken care of. I pray dear Sai to bless all and to guide all, for Sai alone is our salvation.

Rammohan
I am a staunch devotee of Sai and I wanted to visit Shirdi. I was attending an office meeting in Mumbai and thought it would be easy for me to reach Shirdi from here. It was the month December and it was very cold and chilly. I went to Thane bus station to buy a ticket for the only bus available, which leaves at 11 pm. There was heavy rush at the counter and I thought it would be impossible for me to get a ticket. Still I stood in the queue thinking about Shirdi. My turn had come and I was at the counter and I asked a ticket for Shirdi. The boy who was at the counter said "Ek Hi ticket Hai" (only one ticket is left). I felt so overjoyed I told him to give. I went out had my dinner and waited for the bus. The bus came around 10.55 pm and there were many boys and girls hurriedly getting into the bus. I also got in and the bus started. It was very dark outside and all the windows were closed. I could hardly see anything from inside. Due to the strain I slowly fell asleep. It was around 2 pm suddenly I woke up to find that there was no passengers in the bus expect me and the bus was moving. I slowly got up and walked up to the drivers cabin. He had a muffler tied to his head and was seriously driving. I opened the cabin door and asked him "Bahisab bus ka sare passengers Kaha Hai" (Where are all the passengers?). The driver slowly turned his head and said "Sab Aap Akhele Shirdi tak Jare" (You are the lone passenger to Shirdi) "Bakee to bahut pahle hi utar gaye" (the remaining passengers got down much early). I was totally shaken.

continued....
"Hey, Sai, Kya leela Hai Aapka" Shirdi Sai has given me such an opportunity to visit Him. When the bus reached Shirdi the driver stopped the bus and told me to get down. I got down on the streets of Shirdi, it was pitch dark at 5 am, then one person approached me and said "Bhaisab Aap Mandir jana Hai Mere sath Aovo" ( you want to go to mandir, come with me). I went along with him. He provided me with a room and hot water and in almost 15 minutes I was in the Mandir right in front of Sai. It was a Thursday and I thought it would take a lot of time. But to my surprise there were very few devotees and I almost spent the whole day in the Mandir. During the evening when I wanted to leave the premises to return to Hyderabad, one person came to me and handed over a photograph of Sai and said please keep it with you all the time. It is an old photograph of Sai, it is still with me. I can never forget this experience of my visit to Shirdi.

QUOTATION OF THE WEEK:

Blessed is Sai's life. Blessed is His daily routine. His ways and actions are indescribable. Sometimes, he was intoxicated with Brahmanand (divine joy), and at other times content with self knowledge. While doing so many things sometimes, he was yet unconcerned with them. Though, he seemed at times quite actionless (doing nothing), He was not idle or dozing. He always abided in His own self. Though He looked calm and quite as the placid sea, He was deep and unfathomable. Who can describe His ineffable nature?-Sri Sai Satcharitha

QUESTION OF THE WEEK:

Q. Question of the week given below....

A. by SL Abhyankar

Q. Although He was the personification of Brahman then why did Baba say that Maya troubles even Him?

A. Troubles of His devotees were troubles for Baba. Maya does and did trouble His devotees. So, when Baba spoke of his troubles from Maya, he was actually speaking of troubles by Maya to His devotees. Sometimes He was also poetic and indirect. When He spoke of Raand of Haji Siddiqui Phalke would trouble Him, if Haji would be stopped from saying the Aayats too loud in his hoarse voice, that too in the odd hours of midnight, what Baba implied by Raand of Haji was again Maya making Haji go berserk. That would be trouble to Baba. So, what Baba meant by Maya was undulations of the minds of His devotees.

When he had reserved mangoes for Damuanna Kasar, He simply said, "Jyachey Tyaney Ghyavey. Ghya, Ani Mara Leko" He was always disgusted at what wishes people expected to be fulfilled by Him. All those wishes were different forms of Maya. He felt disgusted by that. That all was implicit in "Mara Leko!" He always said, people come to Him asking this and that. On His part He was leaving open the whole treasure of His Guru and held an open invitation for to loot that treasure. There was nobody, showing guts to take that offer! Because everybody was troubled by Maya.

In the seventh chapter in Geeta, four types of Bhaktas have been categorized. "Chaturvidha Bhajantey Maam Janaah Sukrutino-rjuna| Aarto Jidnyasu-rartharthee Dnyanee cha Bharatarshabha||" People get into devotion for four reasons - Aarta, those who are afflicted by some malady or other, physical (Bheemaji and so many) or mental (son of Pitale or Amdekar), Jidnyaasu, one curious to know, Artharthee, one having desires (Damuanna wanting to do business of forward trading or business in grains) or Dnyanee, the knowing. Maya is predominant among Aarta and Artharthee. Devotees must rise above that. That was Baba's urge. Devotees not realizing that urge of His pained Him. How deep and subtle was Baba's love for His devotees!!

SAI ACTIVITIES:

Shirdi Sai Temple of Chicago and Suburbs, Illinois, USA
Shirdi Sai temple is open daily from 7:00 a.m to 9:00 p.m (Summer hours). Daily program includes Kakad Arathi at 7 a.m. followed by Abhisek. Madhayana Arathi at 12 noon, Dhoop Arathi at 6 p.m. and Shej Arathi at 9 p.m. Archana, Homams, Sahasranama and sponsored poojas continue in between the Arathis. To request a pooja for yourselves, your friends and family, please call. Devotees can request water (Abhishek Jal) from the Holy bathing of Baba by sending us an email or by phone. Temple is located 25 minutes drive west of Schaumburg on intersection of IL Route 47 and Plank Road in Hampshire, IL. For more information please call 847-931-4058 or send email to maildrop@saibaba.org.

Shri Saibaba Mandir, Minneapolis, Minnesota
Saibaba activities in Minneapolis were conducted at Shirdi Saibaba Prayer center since the year 2002. Now, with the grace and blessings of Baba and the support of devotees, a new Saibaba Mandir has begun to function at 1835 Polk St NE, Minneapolis from July 11th 2006. Please visit www.hamaresai.org for all details.

Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas
Sri Shirdi Sai Baba Temple of DFW Metroplex is located at 2109 West Parker (Parker Plaza), Suite 212, Plano, TX 75023. For temple hours and activities please call the temple office at 469-467-3388 or visit the website www.shirdisaidallas.org.

Shirdi Sai Center in Bay Area, CA
By Baba's grace, Shirdi Sai Parivaar is pleased to announce the grand opening of Shirdi Sai Center in Bay Area. The opening ceremony will be held on October 8th (Sunday), 2006 from 5:30 am to 11:00 am. The center is located at 897-B East Kifer Road, Sunnyvale, CA 94086. For more information please call 408-564-6704 or 408-705-7904.

Saibaba Mahasamadhi Celebrations, Toronto, Canada
Shirdi Sai Baba Sansthan, Canada, cordially invites all to join in Mahasamadhi Maha Utsav on Sunday, October 8th 2006 from 7:00 am to 8:30 pm. Program highlights: all four Aartis, Maha Abhishek, Bhajan Sandhaya, Akhand Naam Jaap, Palki Procession and much more. To participate and volunteer please call 416-294-4804 or email: saileela99@shrishirdisaicanada.org or visit:www.shirdisainath.org

FROM THE EDITORS KEYBOARD:

Sai Vichaar thanks you for your support for the Question of the Week feature. This feature is intended to initiate useful discussion on topics related to Sai philosophy, His message, and Sai devotion. Please send your suggested topics for the same.

The "Question of the week" for this week is suggested by devotee Radhakrishna as follows,

Q. Baba being personification of Brahman said that Maya was bothering Him and that it was very difficult even for Him to get out of its clutches. Why did He say so?

Humbly Yours,
The Editor

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