THE TEACHING OF SHRI SAI BABA

Sai Baba of Shirdi in simple but superior in the hearts of Sai devotees. He is humble but have a high place in the life of Sai devotees. Sai Baba is the epitome of reverence a guiding force who generates supreme faith and confidence among his devotees looking for salvation and quest of coming out of the drudgery of living. As a drive mother he is saturated with love for those who seek him. With his mission of making people about the drive consciousness and transcending the limits of mortal body, his teaching are guiding his devotee to the path of salvation. Among the teaching of Sai Baba of Shirdi there are the cardinal principles of Sai path called 'Shraddha' and 'Saburi'. Sai Baba looks for these two qualities in the devotees. Here are the teaching and philosophies of Sai Baba of Shirdi.

SHRADDHA
'Shraddha' is a Sanskriti word, which roughly means faith with love. Such faith or trust is generated out of conviction, which may not be the result of any rational belief or intellectual wisdom, but a spiritual inspiration. According to Sai Baba of Shirdi, steadfast love in god is the gateway to eternity. Baba's teaching, both direct and indirect explicate the significance of 'Shraddha'. Baba reiterates the spiritual. Guidance of Shri Krishna to Arjun-“whosoever offer to me with love or devotion, a leaf, a flower, a fruit or water, that offering of pure love is readily accepted by me'.

SABURI
'Saburi; means patience and perseverance. Saburi is a quality needed throughout the path to reach the goal. This quality must be ingrained in a seeker from day one, l east he looses his stride and leaves the path half way.
PURITY
For Sai Baba it was not the purity of the body but inner purity that mattered. No amount of physical and external cleansing would serve any purpose if the man remained impure in mind and heart. Therefore, Baba cautioned his devotees not to make austerity as an end itself. Lest they should indulge in physical mortification. We should be clear at heart not to hurt other by doing evil. Party of mind gives the strength to do good deeds

COMPASSION
Sai Baba himself was an epitome of compassion and love and he taught compassion among his disciples. Baba often told his devotees, 'never turn away “. He asked for complete surrender to the 'guru'.

COMPLETE SURRENDER TO THE GURU
Sai Baba put guru on a high pedestal of reverence. For him guru was the profound base of the path of devotion. Pointing to his physical frame, “This body is my house. I am not here my guru (master) has taken me away “. He asked for complete surrender to the 'guru'. Udi or the sacred ash was produced from the perpetual fire called 'Dhuni' lit by Sai Baba in Dwarkamai at Shirdi. Explaining the meaning of life he would refer to Udi and taught that like Udi all the visible phenomena in the world are transient. Through this example Sai Baba wished to maker his devotees understand the sense of discrimination between the unreal and the real. Udi taught the devotees discrimination or Vivek.

TEACHING THROUGH 'DAKSHINA'
Sai Baba would demand 'Dakshina' or alms from those who visited him. This explained the sense of non-attachment to worldly things. Hence Dakshina taught the devotees non- attachment or vairagya.

TEACHING THROUGH 'UDI'
Udi or the sacred ash was produced from the perpetual fire called 'Dhuni' lit by Sai Baba in Dwarkamai at Shirdi. Explaining the meaning of life he would refer to Udi and taught that like Udi all the visible phenomena in the world are transient. Through this example Sai Baba wished to maker his devotees understand the sense of discrimination between the unreal and the real. Udi taught the devotees discrimination or Vivek.

SHIRDI-DARSHAN IMPORTANT TIPS TO SAI DEVOTEES

1. For proper guidance and assistance to the devotees, Reception centre has been opened opposite the S. T. Bus stand.
2. On arrival at Shirdi, devotees should immediately get in touch with the above-mentioned Reception centre of the Sansthan and should thereafter proceed to the Enquiry office for booking their accommodation, which is made available after registration of name and other particulars.
3. Occupied room/s should be locked before going out.
4. If the accommodation provided is in the common hall, luggage should always be left in charge of a member of the party to safeguard it from antisocial elements.
5. A locker is available at nominal charge and against a deposit, which may be booked at the Enquiry office, and used for keeping luggage or any other valuables.
6. Care should be taken not to leave any belongings behind in the toilets and the bathrooms.
7. As the Samadhi Mandir is overcrowded at the time of Aarati, devotees should safeguard their ornaments and purses from pickpocket and mind their children.
8. Devotees should note that all religious functions and Pooja's in the Sansthan premises are to be arranged and performed through the office of the Sansthan. Necessary payments for these are to be made at the office against a receipt. Boxes have been provided by the Sansthan in the Mandir itself to receive the devotees' offerings by way of Dakshina and Hundis.
9. Offering to Shri Sai Baba in cash or kind should always be made at the office against a receipt.
10. Devotees should bear in mind that Baba left no heirs or disciples and should guard themselves against such deception practised by impostors.
11. As all the necessary assistance and guidance is readily available to the devotees at the Reception centre of the Sansthan, assistance from unauthorised guides at the S. T. stand, if taken by the devotees, will be at their own risk.
 12. Literature about Shri Sai Baba containing authentic information in various languages has been published by the Sansthan at reasonable prices and is readily available at its Bookshops near the Samadhi Mandir.
13. A complaint/suggestion book is always kept in the office for the use by the devotees, in which they are requested to write clearly their complaints/suggestions along with their full names and addresses. The Sansthan authorities take due note of such complaints/suggestions.
14. Donations should always be sent by Money Orders, Postal Orders, Crossed and A/c. Payee Cheques or Drafts to ensure safe delivery of the same. Do not send cash or currency notes in postal envelopes.
15. As the various dealers and vendors of Pooja articles are not connected with the Sansthan, devotees should first fix the price before buying these articles to avoid any trouble thereafter.
16. All donations for oil for the Nanda-deep and for firewood for Dhuni in the Dwarkamai are to be given in the Accounts office only. Further details regarding these can be obtained from the Temple- in-charge.
17. Devotees desirous of feeding the poor can arrange to do so against cash payments to be made to the Prasadalaya itself or the Account office. Coupons are not accepted for this purpose.
18. Devotees desirous of distributing alms to beggars can do so only in the beggars' shed, near Prasadalaya with the help of the Securityofficer.
19. Devotees making correspondence should give their complete and correct addresses.
20. Devotees are requested to avail of the facilities at the Tea canteen and Prasadalaya run by the Sansthan where tea and meals are served at subsidised rates.
21. Medical facilities are available at the well-equipped 'Shri Sainath Hospital' run by the Shirdi Sansthan.
22. The Sansthan has not appointed any representative for the purpose of collecting donations in cash or otherwise. Devotees are informed that no donations either in cash or otherwise should be given to anybody personally. This is to avoid deceit as well as to prevent devotees from being cheated by unscruplous elements.

PRASADALAYA FOR SAI DEVOTEES

    Shri Saibaba Sansthan's prasadalaya is a place for the Sai Devotees. On an average 15 to 20 thousand devotees take their lunch daily. The number increases to around 35 to 50 thousand during a holiday or festival. Lunch includes 2 vegetables, chapattis, daal, and basmati rice & coconut burfee. The prasadalaya operates from 10.00a.m to 10.00 p.m. Adults are charged Rs.5/- while children are charged Rs.2/- for the lunch. Considering the day-to-day increase devotees flocking to Shirdi, the Sansthan constructed a bigger prasadalaya, which can accommodate around 6,000 devotees at time. This is the biggest religious prasadalaya in the country. The Sansthan has constructed this huge single storeyed building on 7-acre land at a cost of Rs.20 crores. It has a large hall admeasuring 44,567 sq.feet, which can accommodate around 3,500 devotees at a time. Latest equipments are used and facilities provided here. The solar system is also in use for cooking the food. The kitchen and a big hall have been constructed separately for making laddoos and drying them. Besides an office and storage hall have also been provided here. This pradadalaya has been constructed by R.V.R.C.L. INFRESTUCTURE & PROJECT LTD. OF Hyderabad. It was inaugurated by honourable Rashtrapati  Smt. Pratibha Patil.

LODGING, PRASAD, BHOJAN & OTHER FACILITIES
A New Bhakti Niwas has been built up for the lodging of Sai Devotee coming for Sai Baba Samadhi's Darshan. This Bhakti Niwas is situated about 1 km. away from Samadhi Mandir on the Nagpur-Manmad highway. The bus facility has been provided round the clock free of charge by the Sansthan to-and-fro Samadhi Mandir and New Bhakti Niwas 525 rooms have been provided for the devotees in this building. A twenty-four hours enquiry counter is working at the very entrance of the Bhakti Niwas. The rooms are allotted to the Sai devotees by computerized system and the application forms for the rooms are made available here.

SAI PRASAD BHAKT NIWAS
One more lodging premises is available near PRASADALAYA, having 165 rooms. The charges are 100/- per head for 24 hours.

DHARMASHALA
The Dharmashala building is located behind the Sansthan's Shri Sainath Hospital within 5 minutes walking distance. Lodging arrangement is also available here for the Sai devotees.

THE MEDICAL SERVICE AND ASSISTANCE BY SHRI SAINATH HOSPITAL
Every one of us is aware of how Shri Saibaba served the sick people. To fullfill Sai Baba's wishes, the Sansthan has established ‘Sainath hospital’ in Shirdi. The hospital has become a source of help for the needy and poor patients in and around Shirdi. Nearly 1000 patients take the medical treatment everyday. About 200 patient ailing from various diseases are admitted here for treatment. Sainath hospital provides all the medical treatment to various patients at reasonable rates. There are specialist doctors for various types of human ailments. Hospital also has modern machinery needed by the doctor to check different ailments of the patients. Taking into consideration in the increase of needs of hospital, the board of management has taken care that modern service is extended. Dialysis machine, Artificial respirations, Radiant heat warmer, therapy unit, baby incubators for paediatric department etc. have been installed for complete service of the patient. Overall, all the hospital has been provide with modern gadgets. Every year, the Sainath hospital organize various social camps like “Jaipur foot distribution camps “and” eye check-up and surgery“etc. The Sansthan has also opened a bank, where poor patient can avail benefits. This bank provides blood bags at cheaper rates. The hospital extends the latest modern facilities to the patients. It is well-equipped with various medical departments like I.C.C.U., X-ray dept., check-up dept., Gynaec Dept., Ayurvedic Dept., Orthopeadic dept., Homeopathic Dept., Dental Dept., Paediatrics Dept., Pathological Laboratory. In order to provide medicines to the pediatrics dept., pathological laboratory, medicines to the patients, the Sansthan has installed an independent medical store. One can get medicines of all types. The hospital also provides two free meals to all the patients. The Sansthan has also arranged a mobile medical van, to go around the villages of Shirdi on every Tuesday and Thursday. They said van can provide medicine to the patient free of cost and the team of the van checks if the patient requires further check-up, then such patient is brought to the hospital in ambulance Hospital has 4 ambulance for the service of the patients, which is provided to them immediately whenever required, at reasonable rates.

CANTEEN DEPT.
The canteen dept. is situated in Sai prasad building. The devotees are provided Tea, Coffee and Milk on subsidized rates Canteen is open for the devotees round the clock. The Laddoo Prasad and snack packets are provided by the canteen for the devotees.

SHRI SAIBABA (super specialty) HOSPITAL
Considering the needs of people of rural area, the Sai Baba Sansthan trust started this hospital at a cost of Rs. 40 crores with a capacity of 206 beds, which has super special facilities. It has almost all the latest modern medical equipments & facilities like  heart diseases related cardiology, cardio-therapy surgery, Dialysis for kidney ailment, Cataract surgery for eye-related ailments, Pheochoimslifire surgery (for Cataract) additional facility for orthopedic, physiotherapy neuro surgery, cancer surgery, C.T.scan, latest sonography like color
Doppler, stress test, auto analyzer. The patients are operated with the help of such-state- of-the art machinery. The hospital also has the facilities of M.R.I. test. Initially the lab dept. was commenced here. The patient need not go for Angioplasty. Till now thousands of patients have availed the facility of Anglography, B.M.V. and complicated bypass surgery. Recently dental dept. and cancer dept. have also commenced in this hospital. Latest and modern dental chair, X-ray machine, intra-oral camera have been provided for the dental dept., of this specialty hospital. Besides, computerized medical check-up, medical history of patient-data are also preserved and the patient are guided and treated according by Further, broken jaws due to accident, operation of wisdom-tooth, setting of teeth canal of the teeth etc. facilities are also available here. The public health dept of Maharashtra govt. has its letter no. Jeeaayo /2607 /35/ pra/ kra/1 7/ aarogya-3, Mantralaya, Mumbai 400032 dated 19th April accorded this hospital grade of life saving unit. Hence, patients from the low-income group get concession for the heart accorded this hospital grade of life saving unit. Hence, patients from the low-income group get concession for the operation. This super specialty hospital has attained new life.

FINANCIAL HELP TO THE NEEDY PATIENTS
The Sansthan extends financial help to the poor and needy persons for the treatment of incurable and expensive ailments related to cancer and kidney. The Sansthan also helps patient from lower income group who are taking treatment from NGOs, private or GOVT. hospitals. Such help from the Sansthan is accepted as “Sai prasad”. And hence innumerable applications are received by the Sansthan for the help. Either 15%or an amount of 20.000/- whichever is less, it is re-imbursed, but not handed over to the patient, given directly by way of a demand draft in the name of the hospital, where the patient is treated.
EDUCATIONAL SERVICES-
Shri Saibaba Sansthan started its first industrial training institute in 1984 followed by Shri Saibaba English medium school in 1990 and then Shri Saibaba Marathi Kanya Mandir in 1993, with an aim to extend good education to the poor students of this area. The I.T.I. provide technical course in 10 trades and 20 division thereof. The result of this organization has always been praiseworthy due to all the facilities provided as per Govt. rules, latest laboratory and trained employees. Due to these reasons, I.T.I. has been given 'A' grade by the administration. As far as the quality is concerned, this Sansthan is on the TOP. The Sansthan provides food on concessional rates to the students. Considering the need of the day, and with an aim to provide education in English to the village students, Shri Sai Baba English medium school has been founded in this complex. Presently 1109 students are taking education here. Whereas Shri Saibaba (Marathi) Kanya Vidya Mandir has 1286 girl on its roll. These girls are  provided education absolutely free. Junior arts, commerce and Science College have also come up in the year 2005.

SAI BABA PREACHED HUMANISM AND UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD

    The divine role of Sai Baba of Shirdi through his physical presence covered a period of about 64 years between 1854, when he made his first appearance in Shirdi, and 1918 when he left his body. However, his sixty years of stay at Shirdi on his second appearance between 1858 and 1918 manifested the depth and expansiveness of his unique role. India was in a cross - road of cultural and religious mix. Religious and cultural intolerance were on a rampant growth. It could not have been possible for any one to bring about harmony among the divergent religious, cultural groups in such a situation. It was only a God in human form who could accomplish the task of bringing unity between the different religious and social groups. Sai Baba was really the God who descended on earth, and had large number of Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Parsee, and Muslim devotees spread all over the world. He treated all alike. Under his cover, both the Hindus and Muslims happily took part in each other's religious festivals. He had introduced the tradition of group worship, group prayer and group dinning for all and would share his 'chillum' (tobacco pipe) with all. He even showed highest compassion for animals and birds, and encouraged his devotees to feed and take care of them.
    Sai Baba founded no religion or sect, developed no trademark, started no movement, initiated not a single disciple, and left behind no apostles. He simply practiced and preached humanism and universal brotherhood, and established the superiority of love and compassion above egoism. He taught simplicity of livelihood and excellence of human virtue reflected in day-to-day conduct. Significantly, the Shirdi phenomenon defies easy explanation. It perhaps owes itself to the will of Baba himself, Who is considered an Avatar of no less than the Almighty.
    Today, the mundane world is looking ahead for a magical solution to its problems of cultural, racial, national and religious differentiation. All intellectual exercises to bring about peace in the world and happiness to mankind have failed for these efforts are not based on humanism, universalism and love as taught by Sai Baba. With his captivating teachings he rules the heart of millions of his devotees, whose number is ever growing with each passing day. The ever growing number of Sai temples and devotees of Baba in India and abroad establishes the ever- increasing relevance of his preaching today. What Baba preached was actually quite simple. According to him, real sorrow is the cycle of birth and death and the real happiness is liberation. He suggested: -

 Accept your lot cheerfully. If you acquire wealth, become humble the way a tree laden with fruit bows down. Money is a necessity, but don't get obsessed with it. Yet, don't be a miser, be generous.
    Perform your duty conscientiously and with detachment, not regarding yourself as the doer. Surrender the fruit of action to God, so that action does not bind you. It is ties of indebtedness from previous births, which bring human and other beings together. Give reins to the negative states (avariciousness, anger, hatred, pride, etc.) only as much as is essential to go through the Karma earmarked for this physical existence. To steady the mind, idol worship is a way, even though the idol is not God. If you do Pooja with devotion and emotion, you can concentrate better.
     Herculean effort is necessary for God-realization. There are four elements in Sadhana: Discrimination between the eternal and the ephemeral : that Brahman alone is true, the world is not. Next, renouncing all desire about this life or the thereafter. The third is to inculcate these qualities: control of the mind, bearing without anguish the fated pain and sorrow, remaining ensnared by Maya, knowing that money, wife, children and relatives are all ephemeral. The fourth is an intense desire for liberation.
    Though Sai as a human embodiment is gone, His spirit remains. Although his body cannot be seen, yet the magnetic pull of his Divine Soul is felt by all those who merely think of him and particularly, those who visit his Samadhi (Tomb) at Shirdi. Baba had promised that whosoever would put his feet on the soil of Shirdi, his miseries would end.
    All devotees of Baba find his promise come true, even after he left his mortal coil. Baba used to call his devotees as children, and like the true father, kept them busy day-in and day-out for their temporal as well as spiritual enlistment. In today's world his children, torn asunder by religious, social and sectarian strife, should run to him to experience that love which can only unite them. The lesson has been preached him. It is for us to practice to make the world a paradise to live.

THE VANITY IS APPARENT BLOCK FOR SPIRITUAL PROGRESS

    We human live in vanity. There is vanity lurking in different form. This vanity is an apparent block for spiritual progress of one's being.
    Vanity in non spiritual subjects is often seen and discussed about, however vanity for a spiritual seeker, or a religious mind, or a devotee has to be given up for healthy spiritual growth.
    Sai Baba often discouraged vanity, for those who left the vanity were lucky enough to get the divine love and help of Sai Baba. Those who did not left with their vanity with them. This reminds of a statement of Sai Baba. He once said in symbolic statement, as He most often did, that people come to the one who gives water in abundant, but most of them come with the pots upside down and leave without the water.
    The water being the divine love and grace. Mouth down of the pots being the vanity absence of humbleness. One classic example of this is of Haji Siddik Falke. Haji Siddik Falke had done the pilgrimage of Mecca. The spiritual dream of every Muslim. Haji Siddik had interest in spirituality, but had this vanity of being a Haji (one who has done the pilgrimage of Holy Mecca).
    He had a deep desire of being close to Sai Baba and be in His divine grace and love. He visited Shirdi but was not allowed to climb the stairs of holy Dwarkamai. Although there was vanity he had one great quality that Sai Baba always asks from His devotees Saburi (patience) along with SHARDHA (Faith). Sai Baba's denial did not deter his Faith and he had perseverance. He lived in Northward facing Chavadi and waited for 9 months. Those nine months for a lover of divine must have been really long as time is relative. When one is away from something one loves, it is really long. For nine long months he would try different ways to enter the Masjid (Mosque) but Sai Baba would not even give a glance on him.
    He tried to get the entrance in Sai Baba's Durbar through SHAMA “Madhavrao Deshpande” Shama was one devotee whose requests were seldom neglected by Sai Baba. For reasons known to Sai Baba, Shama shared a rarest and close relationship with Sai Baba. Those who wanted to have a quiet undisturbed conversation with Sai Baba would always take Shama with them initially. He would then introduce the topics in soft devotional tone to Sai Baba as to who had come and the topic that would be liked to discuss.
    Accordingly on suitable moment Shama entered the Masjid and brought about the topic rather slowly and cautiously, 'Baba, that old man is so sad, so distressed! Oh why don't you oblige him? That Haji has been to Mecca-Madina and now has come to Shirdi for your darshan. How can you not feel compasion for him? Oh, please allow him to come to the mosque! Countless people come, take darshan in the mosque, returning instantaneously. Why then is he singled out and waste away on languor? Do be kind and compassionate to him, at last, and let him come to the mosque. Then he will be able to say to You what he wishes and go away immediately. Sai Baba responded, "Shama, you are new born infant, as yet.! Unless Allah favours him what can I do? Can anyone step up to this mosque without being Allahmiya's debtor? Inscrutable are the ways of this Fakir here. Over Him, I have no control. All the same go and ask him clearly if he is willing to carefully walk up the narrow path which, goes straight, beyond the well Baravi.
    This again might be the symbolic language that the perfect Sufi Master, the gracious Sai Baba used. The path of spirituality is narrow. Mind should not be allowed to dwell on other subjects, if it has to get soaked in divine spiritual love.
    Haji's reply was appropriate, 'However difficult it may be, I shall carefully tread the path. Then he asks for the most important and essential for the spiritual progress. He continued, 'But give me personal audience, O Sai: let me sit at your feet.’
    Listening to the answer Sai Baba sent Shama with another query, "Ask him further, 'Will you give me 40 thousand Rupees in 4 installments?'”
    Again Sai Baba obviously was not asking for money in currency. He was asking if Haji was ready to do whatever He asked for to progress on spiritual path. Forty thousand Rupees was a huge amount in those days and indicated that much would be required, in installments. This also reminds of Sai Baba's indicating words to another seeker of truth or divinity. Sai Baba while eating Bhakhar (Indian bread) said that One cannot eat whole bhakhar one at a time, it has to be eaten morsel after morsel. This was the response from Sai Baba as the question had arosed in the devotee's mind of when he will achieve the ultimate goal of merging in the divine.
    Haji said to Madhavrao who conveyed this message, 'Oh, Will I not give forty Lakhs (4,00,000) when asked? What then of thousands!”
    Haji indicated that he was ready to pay any amount of dedication. On hearing this from Shama, Sai Baba sent a further query, "We intend to kill a goat in the Majid today. Ask him which part of the meat does he wants." Does he want the meat-covered bones, or is his heart set on having sex organs? Go ask the old fellow what it is that he definitely wants.
    This query indicated, what worldly pleasure he was looking for or his heart was set on. Madhavrao again conveyed the message to Haji. Haji replied categorically, ' I want none of it.' If He wishes to give me something, then i have only one wish -- that even I get a morsel from that earthen vessel of food, I shall be blessed.’
    Haji indicated that all he wanted was the divine and gracious presence of Sai Baba fills him up. Madhavrao duly conveyed this message to the Sadguru Sri Sai Baba. As Sai Baba herd this he flew into rage. He himself picked up the earthen vessel of food and the pitchers of water and flung them out of the door ( Inscrutable are the ways of this Fakir here.). Catching His kafni with both His hands, He lifted it up in front of Haji and said, "Who do you think you are that you boast vainly in my presence? You are flaunting the wisdom of your old age! Is this how you read your Quran -- that a pilgrimage of to Mecca has made you so proud and haughty? But do you know me yet!”
    Sai Baba seemed to work against the vanity of scholarship, and the pride of the pilgrimage to Mecca.
    He reviled him thus, hurled at him unutterable abuses! The old Haji was absolutely stunned! Sai Baba then went back.
    As Sai Baba entered the courtyard of Masjid, He bought entire baskets of mangoes from farmwomen selling mangoes, and sent them all to the Haji. At once He turned back and went to Haji, took his hand and taking out coins from His pocket counted them one by one on the palm of Haji until it was 55.
    The divine relation between the guru and shishya (the master and the disciple) started thereafter. Haji mind was absorbed in divine love and experienced pure joy.
    Later Haji left Shirdi only to return back. The affection and attachment Sai Baba, the divine, that frees one from every attachments grew stronger.

Make Your Life Meaningful With Shraddha And Saburi

    The Sage of Shirdi, the Sai Baba, emphasized two virtues for well-being: faith or Shraddha and patience or Saburi. The two virtues are complementary.
    Each of it is both, the cause as well as the effect of the other; and both are the means as well as the end of the other. Between them they contain a complete code of conduct for life. Shraddha is devotion. It is faith that helps one accept all happenings  the good and bad  with equanimity. Faith is what makes a disciple trust his guru and a child, its parent. Saburi or patience is not just the ability to overcome the urge for instant gratification. Patience is not the art of ad hoc management of mental restlessness. Patience is the intuition that inspires you to just be and wait for the will of God to unfold and work itself out. Patience helps you to live uncomplainingly, and so you are able to accept without anger what you know cannot be changed.  Patience is what enables a tree to let all its leaves fall without demur. The tree stands denuded, without a sense of shame, despondency or heartbreak. It stands as comfortably as ever. It lets the sun, the air, the rain and the season to work their magic. They denude it; they later laden it. The tree surrenders to them, not out of helplessness but out of natural design. When the season turns, tender new leaves dress it with flowers and fruits in due course. Patience is not to stoically brave winter in the hope of spring; rather, it is to accept spring and winter alike. It is to surrender with a joyous heart to the will of God as represented by the current moment and condition. Faith is the insight that tells you that patience and surrender to the will of God is the best course your life can take. Wisdom is in understanding and valuing both faith and patience. Patience is born of faith and in due course it serves to strengthen faith. If patience and faith are so intricately woven, why did the sage emphasize these as two virtues? Why did he not advocate either this one or that? If faith is exclusively emphasized, it can promote blind belief. On the other hand, if patience is singularly emphasized, it can lead to the shirking of responsibility and indolence. Patience without faith can become sloth. Faith minus patience can turn banal. Either way, the result will be counterproductive. In tandem, the two virtues uplift. If both patience and faith are required, which among these comes first? Where does one begin? Asking which came first, patience or faith, is very similar to asking which came first, the egg or the chicken? It perhaps depends on an individual's spiritual configuration as to which path suits his psyche best: faith or patience. Whichever route one may begin with, the two paths keep twinning and finally the two converge towards a common goal. Does patience of the tree-type not kill enterprise? Surely not! Otherwise the tree would never grow and bring forth its wonderful flowers and fruits! Yet, yes: patience and faith, as they mature and begin to lodge in one's mind, kill such enterprise as is inspired by sheer greed for material gain, unrelated to honest need.
Greed is contra life and nature. Is there any religion anywhere in the world that has upheld greedy enterprise and glorified it? No tree competes with its neighbors to double its output just to outperform the other. The supreme enterprise in life is self-realization. Patience and faith proactively support this enterprise.

No doubt, human history is full of good and bad deeds. After reading history & we will conclude that it is only because of our greed, our ego, our disbelief, and our impatience that we have had so much bloodshed. We created religion according to our belief but question is this does any of the religion teach us to fight, quarrel or harm anyone? Do these religions teach us that we have to satisfy an individual's ego? Have any of the humans who has caused bloodshed or for that matter harmed others, succeeded? They have failed miserably.

But Sai Baba Mantra of SHRADHA and SABURI gives us the power to face all the ups and downs of life. To start with never forget to offer your prayers every morning and evening to SAI BABA. You can pray as per your own way or method. There is no prescribed format for prayer to be done for SAI BABA. In Baba's words, he likes your faith in him more rather than the method of prayer. Always make it a point to meditate after your prayer or any time found suitable. While meditating, it is necessary that you see the world becoming idyllic. See peace and love flowing like waterfall from Baba's lotus hands and feet, see it and feel it everywhere around you and in you.

Shri Guru Nanak Dev ji Apostle of peace & communal harmony

`    Sri Guru Nanak Dev ji was born on 15th April 1469 in Talwandi, a village in the Sheikhupura district, 65 kms. West of Lahore. His father Mehta Kalu was a village official in the local revenue administration. Guru Nanak's mother was Tripta and his elder sister's name was Bibi Nanki.
    As a boy, Guru Nanak learnt, besides the regional languages, Persian and Arabic. When Guru Nanak Dev was 12 years old his father gave him twenty rupees and asked him to do a business, apparently to teach him business. Guru Nanak Dev bought food for all the money and distributed among Saints, and poor. When his father asked him what happened to business? He replied that he had done a "True business". Later on at the place where Guru Nanak Dev had fed the poor persons Gurdwara was made and named Sacha Sauda.
    At one time he preferred to dine at the place of a low caste artisan Bhai Lallo, instead of accepting the invitation of a high caste rich landlord Malik Bhago, because the latter lived by exploitation of the poor and the former earned his bread by the sweat of his brow. This incident has been depicted by a symbolic representation of the reason for his preference. Sri Guru Nanak pressed in one hand the coarse loaf of bread from Lallo's hut and in the other the food from Bhago's house. Milk gushed forth from the loaf of Lallo's and blood from the delicacies of Bhago. This prescription for honest work and living and the condemnation of exploitation, coupled with the Guru's dictum that "riches cannot be gathered without sin and evil means," have, from the very beginning, continued to be the basic moral tenet with the Sikh mystics and the Sikh society.
    During his tours, he visited numerous places of Hindu and Muslim worship. He explained and exposed through his preaching the incongruities and fruitlessness of ritualistic and ascetic practices. At Haridwar, when he found people throwing Ganges water towards the sun in the East as oblations to their ancestors in heaven, he started, as a measure of correction, throwing the water towards the West, in the direction of his fields in the Punjab. When ridiculed about his folly, he replied, "If Ganges water will reach your ancestors in heaven, why should the water I throw up not reach my fields in the Punjab, which are far less distant?"
    One thing is very evident. Guru Nanak had a distinct sense of his prophet hood and that his mission was God-ordained. Guru Nanak refers to God as his Enlightener and Teacher. His statements clearly show his belief that God had commanded him to preach an entirely new religion. During a dialogue with the Yogis, he stated that his mission was to help everyone. He came to be called a Guru in his lifetime. In Punjabi, the word Guru means both God and an enlightener or a prophet. During his life his disciples were formed and came to be recognized as a separate community. He was accepted as a new religious prophet. His followers adopted a separate way of greeting each other with the words Sat Kartar (God is true).
    According to the Guru, moral life was the sole medium of spiritual progress. In those times, caste, religious and social distinctions, and the idea of pollution were major problems. Unfortunately, these distinctions had received religious sanction. The problem of poverty and food was another moral challenge. The institution of 'langar' had a twin purpose. As every one sat and ate at the same place and shared the same food, it cut at the root of the evil of caste, class and religious distinctions. Besides, it demolished the idea of pollution of food by the mere presence of an untouchable. Secondly it provided food to the needy. The Guru among all his followers started this institution of langar and pangat wherever they had been organized. It became an integral part of the moral life of the Sikhs.
    Considering that a large number of his followers were of low caste and poor members of society, he, from the very start made it clear that persons who wanted to maintain caste and class distinctions had no place in his system. In fact, the twin duties of sharing one's income with the poor and doing away with social distinctions were the two obligations which every Sikh had to discharge. On this score, he left no option to anyone, since he started his mission with Mardana, a low caste Muslim, as his life long companion. 
    While Guru Nanak was catholic in his criticism of other religions, he was unsparing where he felt it necessary to clarify an issue or to keep his flock away from a wrong practice or prejudice. He categorically attacked all the evil institutions of his time including oppression and barbarity in the political field, corruption among the officials and hypocrisy and greed in the priestly class. He deprecated the degrading practices of inequality in the social field. He criticized and repudiated the scriptures that sanctioned such practices. After having denounced all of them, he took tangible steps to create a society that accepted the religious responsibility of eliminating these evils from the new institutions created by him and of attacking the evil practices and institutions in the social and political fields. It was a fundamental institutional change with the largest dimensions and implications for the future of the community and the country. The very fact that originally poorer classes were attracted to the Gurus, fold shows that they found there a society and a place where they could breathe freely and live with a sense of equality and dignity.
    Dr H.R. Gupta, the well-known historian, writes, "Nanak's religion was above the limits of caste, creed and country”. He gave his love to all, Hindus, Muslims, Indians and foreigners alike.
    The life of Guru Nanak shows that the only interpretation of his thesis and doctrines could be the one, which we have accepted. He expressed his doctrines through the medium of activities. He himself laid the firm foundations of institutions and trends, which flowered and fructified later on. As we do not find a trace of those ideas and institutions in the religious milieu of his time or the religious history of the country, the entirely original and new character of his spiritual system could have only been mystically and prophetically inspired. Apart from the continuation,consolidation and expansion of Guru Nanak's mission, the account that follows seeks to present the major contributions made by the remaining Gurus.
    Guru Nanak's teachings can be found in the Sikh scripture “Shri Guru Granth Sahib”, a vast collection of revelatory verses recorded in Gurmukhi. Through popular tradition, Guru Nanak's teaching is understood to be practiced in three ways:
Naam Japa: Chanting the Holy Name and thus remembering God at all times. (ceaseless devotion to God)
Kirat Karo: Earning/making a living honestly, without exploitation or fraud.
Vand Chakko: Sharing with others, helping those with less who are in need.
So it is not wrong if anyone says that Guru Nanak was an appostle of peace and communal  harmony.
                                   

SAI IS OMNIPRESENT

    The most important question that may arise in our mind, after hearing and realising Baba's Leelas in mind whether He is still alive and guarding the destiny of His devotees or His Leelas are just due to coincidence of circumstances and time that makes us realise and cherish the same as the evidence of His OMNIPRESENCE, OMNIPOTENCE AND OMNISCIENCE.
    The answer is simple, The truth remains that He is very much alive and much more active, vigilant and limitless in His Power to-day than He was in human body before taking His ---MAHASAMADHl on the 15th of October 1918.
    Since we all know that a 'SIDDHA PURUSH' never dies, the question of Baba dying does not arise, because He was 'GOD INCARNATE'. He took birth only with a mind to spread the gospel of love, sense of Brotherhood and equality among His devotees In His Darbar rich and poor both had their access and were treated without any difference in status. To look after their welfare was the sole responsibility of Baba, irrespective of which school of thought a devotee belonged to. Therefore He is very much on this planet and ruling over the universe and thus guarding over the destiny of His devotees.
    To cite one of the sermons which Baba had imparted to Mr. Cholkar on his vow of not taking sugar in the tea since he wanted to save the cost of sugar and made many other economies to save enough money in order to take Baba's darshan which reads as follows:-
If you spread your palm with devotion before Me, I am immediately with you day and night. Though I am here bodily, still I know what you do beyond seven seas. My abode is in your heart and I am within you. Worship Me always, who is seated in your heart as well as in the hearts of all beings  SAI SATCHARITRA Chapter XV.
    Further if we go through the Charters and Saying of Baba on which Principles even today He stands, then we would find that His Leelas are the result of His Limitless Powers and being the Guardian of the destiny of His devotees. The Sayings of the Charters read as follows:-
 My eye (of vigilant supervision) is ever on those who love Me. Whatever you do, whatever you may be, ever bear this in mind that I am always aware of everything you do.
 If one ever meditates on Me, repeats My name, sings My deeds and is thus transformed into Me, His 'Karma' is destroyed. I always stand by his side.
It was 26th April 1974, the date of my departure from Baba's blessed Darbar after staying for ten days with Him. I was feeling very sad with the very thoughts that today I would be leaving His darbar, though in the morning only Baba was kind enough to bless me with 'Tulsi Leaves' as His Prasad, which is very sacred and holy.
    At   10-30 A.M. I was being suggested by Mr. Gangwal, Proprietor of SAI Prasad Grab, that it would be better if I go to Baba with a coconut to seek His Blessings and thus take His permission to leave since it is a ritual to go to the Sadguru with the coconut to take His permission.
    Accordingly at 12-40 P. M. no sooner Noon Arti of Baba was performed at His Samadhi Mandir, I made my way to 'Dwarka Mayee' with a cocoanut in hand. On reaching Dwarka Mayee I prostrated on the lotus feet of the Master and kept the cocoanut on the collection box, with a mind to worship Baba first.
    No sooner I lighted the incense sticks and was about to place them in front of Baba, to my surprise and to the surprise of all present at Dwarka Mayee at that time I noticed that the two bulbs, which are fitted before His portrait, started flickering. The flickering of those two bulbs was so fast that it took no time for me to understand that something had gone wrong somewhere and Prabhu is trying to point out through His Omnipresent personality to rectify the same. Since no lights other than those two bulbs were flickering, it was a phenomenon worth watching.
    The sooner I turned my head towards the cash box, I found that the cocoanut was missing. Immediately I shouted in order to find out who had taken away the cocoanut from the cash box.
    My shouting and the stopping of the flickering of those two bulbs were simultaneous. On seeing this wonderful Leela of Baba everyone present at that time at Dwarka Mayee was spellbound. The gentleman who had taken away that cocoanut immediately returned it to me with a word of apology.
    Had Baba not pointed out the missing of the cocoanut at the very time through His Omnipresence, I would have certainly lost that cocoanut which would have been a matter of great regret. In other words it was a lesson to me from my Guide and Benefactor to be watchful at all times.
    The above-mentioned Leela of Baba is an authentic proof of His Omnipresence and Omnipotence and thus true to His words that "My eyes (of vigilant supervision) are 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".
    Secondly the flickering of those two powerful bulbs was not due to defect in the electrical lines or loose contact in the switch board, because other bulbs had no effect, as stated earlier. Therefore it is ample proof of Baba's Omniscience since He is the controller of elements as well and needs no switchboard or electrical device to control the light.
    Thirdly had His mercy not been timely, I would have been the subject of talk of the devotees present at that time at Dwarka Mayee, and I would have been feeling bad in my heart of hearts for the loss of that sacred cocoanut.

THE IMPORTANCE OF PRASAD AND CHARANAMRT IN SPRITUAL LIFE

The word prasad means that which gives peace. During any form of worship, ritual or ceremony, Hindus offer some items of food to the Lord. Puja is done with Bael leaves, flowers, Tulsi (Basil plant), Vibhuti and these are given as Prasad from the Lord.
    Prasad is that which gives peace. Prasad is the sacred food offering of the Lord. During Kirtans (Singing hymns), worship, Puja, Havan and Arati, the devotee offers sweet rice, fruits, jaggery, milk, coconut, plantain and such other articles to the Lord, according to his ability. After offering them to the Lord, they are shared between the members of the house or the Bhaktas (devotees) in a temple. Water, flowers, rice, etc., are offered to the Lord in worship. This denotes that the Lord is pleased with even the smallest offering. What is wanted is the heart of the devotee. The Lord says in the Gita :
“Patram Pushpam Phalam Toyam Yo Me Bhaktya Prayacchati, Tadaham Bhaktyupahritamasanami Prayatatmanah"
    Whoever offers a leaf, a flower, a fruit or even water with devotion, that I accept, offered as it is with a loving heart".
    It is not necessary that one should offer gold, silver and costly dress to the Lord. The devotee offers these according to his ability and position in life, thereby denoting that the whole wealth of the world belongs to the Lord. A rich man offers costly things to the Lord. He feeds the poor and serves the sick, seeing the Lord in his fellow-beings.
    The mental Bhava (attitude) of the devotee offering Bhog to the Lord has very great effect. If an ardent devotee of the Lord offers anything to the Lord, that Prasada, if taken, would bring very great change even in the minds of atheists. The Grace of the Lord descends through Prasada. Go through the life of Narada. You will realise the greatness of the sacred leavings of the Lord as well as those of advanced Sadhakas and saints.
    Namadeva offered rice etc., to Panduranga Vitthala and He ate the food and shared it with Namadeva as well. If the food is offered with an yearning heart, sometimes, the Lord takes that food assuming a physical form. In other cases, the Lord enjoys the subtle essence of the food offered, and the food remains as it is in the shape of Prasada. While feeding Mahatmas and the poor people, that which is left behind is taken as Prasada. When a sacrifice is performed, the participants share the Prasada which bestows the blessings of the gods. When Dasaratha performed Putrakameshti (a sacrifice performed wishing for a son), he got a vessel full of sweetened rice that he gave to his queens, by taking which they became pregnant.
    A special form of prasad is the Charanamrit, which is the water or milk used to wash the feet of the idol, or of a holy saint. The Charanamrit has tremendous powers. It can change the outlook of a devotee entirely. It has the power to cure diseases. There are cases where it brought back life to the dead. Charanamrit is a tonic or medicine for misery, pain and anxiety. Intense faith is the all-important necessity for taking it. Without faith it brings very little benefit. The benefits of Prasada and Charanamrita are beyond description. They have the power to change entirely the outlook of a mans life. There have been ever so many instances in the past in this holy land of ours (India) which bears witness to the potency and efficacy of Prasada. Prasada destroys all pains and sins. It is an antidote for misery, pain and anxiety. Faith is the important factor in testing the accuracy of this statement. For faithless persons, it brings very little effect.
        Those who are brought up in modern education and culture have forgotten all about the glory of Prasada. Many Western educated persons do not attach any importance to Prasada when they get it from Mahatmas. This is a serious mistake. Prasada is a great purifier. As they are brought up in the Western style of living, they have imbibed the spirit of Westerners and forgotten the spirit of true children of Indian Rishis of yore. Live for a week in Vrindavan or Ayodhya or Varanasi or Pandharpur. You will realize the glory and the miraculous effects of Prasada. Many incurable diseases are cured. Many sincere aspirants get wonderful spiritual experiences from mere Prasada alone. Prasada is a panacea. Prasada is a spiritual elixir. Prasada is the Grace of the Lord. Prasada is a cure-all and an ideal pick-me-up. Prasada is an embodiment of Sakti. Prasada is Divinity in manifestation. Prasada energizes, vivifies, invigorates and infuses devotion. It should be taken with great faith. The prasad of the Lord is very sacred and purifying. If it is taken with faith and devotion, it brings miraculous results to the devotee. The Lord enjoys the subtle essence of the food offered. The food is then eaten as prasad by the devotees.
    While feeding Mahatmas, Sannyasins and the poor, that which is left over is also taken as prasad, because in feeding them, we feel that we are feeding God Himself. When a ceremony is performed all the devotees should share the prasad and thus receive the blessings of the Deities. Prasad is extremely sacred. There is no restriction of any kind in taking prasad. Time, place or condition does not affect one. Prasad is all purifying... Prasada is the most sacred object for a devotee. One should consider himself lucky to take the Prasada, and there is no restriction of any kind in taking Prasada. Prasada is all purifying.   

SAI BABA THE BEACON OF LIGHT

Light-houses are constructed at various places in the sea[, to enable the boatmen to avoid rocks and dangers, and make, them sail safely. Sai Baba's stories serve a similar purpose in the ocean of worldly existence. They surpass nectar in sweetness, and make our worldly path smooth and easy to traverse. Blessed are the stories of the saints. When they enter our hearts through the ears, the body-consciousness or egoism and the sense of duality vanish; and when they are stored in the heart, doubts will dissipate, pride of the body will fall, and wisdom will be stored in abundance. The description of Baba's pure fame, and the hearing of the same with love, will destroy the sins of the devotee and, therefore, this is the simple sadhana for attaining salvation.
Long time ago, at the beginning of eighteenth century a young bearded man with sparkling eyes took shelter in a mosque, in Shirdi Village (of Maharshtra State, In India). Nobody knew from where this stranger had come who hardly spoke a word and stayed there. Gradually the curious villagers started offering food to the man, but he never asked anything from them. Sometimes he shared his food with the animals. Soon the young fakir, as he was started to be addressed, started expressing his view points with few elderly villagers. His simple language of expression and his special power of solving the problems of poor needy and destitute soon made this less known fakir, known as Shri Sai Baba. As the days passed, devotees started streaming into Shirdi in ever growing numbers. The village was fast becoming a centre of pilgrimage. As gifts and presentations flowed in, the pomp and ceremony of Sai worship were evolving. Everyday Sai Baba would be a pauper having distributed all among the needy and the poor. But Sai Baba's life of a Fakir remained calm, undisturbed, unaltered and therein is the saint's Spiritual glory.
People also realized that this “Baba” was no ordinary person but a person with extraordinary godly powers. Such powers are not known or present in normal human beings. Baba preached his principle of love and faith in humanity to all his disciples. He always felt anguished over the fact that all those who came to him were more for their own personal problems and not for attaining the ultimate goal of reaching God which he felt could be attained only by true servicing of humanity. Sai baba strongly believed in uniformity of religion and he never distinguished anyone on the basis of caste, creed or religion. He always made it a point not to return empty handed those who had come to him in their hour of need and grief. He performed miracles to alleviate the suffering of poor people. On one occasion he restored the eyes of a blind elderly and in another occasion he lighted a lantern with water when there was no oil to burn it. All good things have to end ultimately “Baba” also left his body on his own will on 15th Oct. 1918, leaving his millions of believers and followers crying. His body was laid in the Samadhi Mandir called “Booty”, which he had asked his disciple to built before his death.
Sai Baba was Unique, in that, he lived his message through the Essence of his Being. His life and relationship with the common man was his teaching. The immense Energy that was manifest in the body of Sai was moving and is still moving in a mysterious way, creating and recreating itself everywhere, beyond the comprehension of time and space.Yet, he lived with the common folk as a penniless fakir, wearing a torn kafni, sleeping over a mat while resting his head on a brick, begging for his food. He radiated a mysterious smile and a deep inward look, of a peace that passed all understanding. He was always and ever aware of what transpired within the hearts and minds of everyone, whether they be, His devotees or not. This Omnipresent and Omniscient Sri Sai Baba who left his mortal body in 1918, is the living spiritual force that is drawing people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, into his fold, today.Sri Sai Baba lived, acted and behaved as only a “God descended on Earth” can. He came to serve mankind, to free them from the clutches of fear.
His most concise message for one and all alike was “Why fear when I am here”. To take refuge in Sai, is to enter into a journey to reach the Divine Oasis of Love and drink deep from the Fountain of Life, the source of all Spiritual Energy. Wherever the devotee is, Baba makes him recognize within himself his highest aspirations and goal and at one stroke, his conduct and the attitude to fellow beings is touched with the awareness of love, understanding, patience and faith. This is the promise that Sri Sai Baba holds out to all who come to Him. Sri Sai Baba was beyond the limitations of Time and Space and thus caste, creed, position dogmas and doctrines were fundamentally unimportant to him. Nobody really knew his parentage, where he came from or which religion he practiced. He claimed no possessions nor accepted any disciples or gave any specific teaching.
This anonymity lent a strange facet to his interaction with the people who came to him for guidance. To the Hindus he was an orthodox Brahmin, with a sacred fire, enjoining the worship of many gods and the devout study of various Hindu scriptures. He lived in a mosque but always referred to it as “Dwarkamay!” (Lord Krishna's birth place is Dwaraka). To the Moslems he was a fakir living in a mosque observing the disciplines of Islam, uttering “Allah Malik” (God is the master) guiding Muslim seekers along the lines of their own religion. To the Parses he was the sacred rare worshipper. His life was a living manifestation of the Sermon of the Christ and of the Eight-fold path of the Buddha.
Sai Baba's attraction and appeal lie in this fact that he was a perfect model of the harmony of all religions, for whom this world – with all its sectarian and religious antagonism, had been waiting. Sai Baba lived to awaken and lead mankind to the verities of spiritual life. He set in motion a wave of spirituality, which is now spreading all over the globe. All his life's activities constituted the upliftment of mankind. By first conferring temporal benefits, he drew unto himself countless souls caught up in ignorance (darkness) and opened their eyes to the true meaning of life. The miracles which manifested through Sai Baba were just such as were needed to create faith in the people and to make his devotees ethically and spiritually better evolved. Baba did not purposefully perform miracles to show his powers. The very strength of his perfect realisation, in its interaction with nature, caused “the miracle” to take place. Thus he drew people from their deluded pursuits after earthly objects of a transitory nature and induced and inspired them to strive for self-realisation. He continued this glorious work until the last moment of his human embodiment in Shirdi.
Amazingly, there are a phenomenally large number of Instances in which Sai Baba has been literally physically appearing before his devotees, even decades after his passing out of the physical body.Sai Baba is constantly and simultaneously proving that he Is alive in spirit and responds to our sincere prayers. He Is the One Spirit of all existence. which is God in all the forms of God, in all the saints, in all the men and in all the creatures.All those who sincerely take to a life of inner development, Sai Baba lifts him to a higher level. Every one derives benefit according to the ripeness o f his soul and in accordance with his inner yearning.Baba assured his devotees by his saying “I am at Shirdi and everywhere. Whatever you do, wherever you may be, ever bear this in mind, that I am always aware of everything”. Sai Baba does not belong to any single tradition but to all mankind on the path of goodness, love and understanding.

IN THE LIGHT OF SHRI SAI SATCHARITRA

An in-depth analysis of the Path shown by Baba leads to certain obvious pointers essentially required for spiritual evolution of human beings. Baba, during His interaction with a very large number of devotees of different religions and paths had repeatedly brought out certain common emotional, psychological and physical parameters to be followed by the devotees. Although specific instructions were given directly or indirectly to most of the devotees to solve their immediate or mundane problems, yet the general parameters for ethical living and spiritual evolution were more profound and long term. After Baba left His human form, those who followed the parameters and advice for the rest of their lives benefited immensely. Others, who deviated, in the absence of interaction with a Sadguru with a human body, did not evolve much. This is the conclusion one is bound to draw when lives of the prominent devotees of Baba are examined as a whole.
    These general parameters for a contented and evolved life have been brought to the fore extensively in Shri Sai Satcharitra when it narrates real-life happenings at Shirdi, anecdotes and interpretations. Most of the other books written on Baba have also tried to bring out these parameters in different ways. Thus for a good disciple the examples from the life of Baba and his percepts, as codified in Shri Sai Satcharitra and other published materials should work as the best reference points of guidance for their ethical conduct and spiritual progress. This is why I always prescribe reading of Shri Sai Satcharitra in particular and other related materials to the devotees and others following any path or religion. Whenever in doubt about his thoughts and actions a devotee should try to relate with the information on similar situations provided in Shri Sai Satcharitra. He should always judge to find out as to how far he is able to progress with reference to these parameters as the permanent principles of an ethical existence.

Baba has spoken about these greatest principles in the simplest way, when exemplifying these principles through his own conduct as well. For example let us take the case of a man who spoke ill of another devotee to Baba. Baba told him that pigs will only eat dirt even when given the best of food. The meaning of this sentence is too obvious to be explained. Or when, while giving two rupees to a person who had helped Baba with a step ladder in going up and coming down the home of Radhakrishnamayi, announced that one must pay for the labour of another. In fact the entire gamut of all his advice reiterates the principles of ethical conduct reflected in Shrimad Bhagavata Gita.

The problem with some of the devotees is that they read Shri Sai Satcharitra more intensely for its miracle stories rather than for understanding the applied principles of an ethical living. Further while carrying on their mundane deeds or misdeeds they often forget Babas advice at that moment. Therefore, they are prone to ask the same questions on various issues again and again over the years when ever in trouble. What Baba wanted the followers to do is more to practice these principles than to read. As Babas intentions reveal, the question is not as to how many times one has failed while trying but as to whether he is determined and remembers these principles while doing any act, good or bad. Each devotee needs to ask this question to himself and find the answer in the light of Shri Sai Satcharitra.

YOU CAN CLOSE TO SAI BABA WITH SHARDDHA AND SABURI

    Shraddha or devotional faith is the most difficult state of mind to achieve. If one has absolute faith in his Guru then sooner or later he will even look like the Guru with all His attributes. However, the seed of faith takes a lot of time to generate and to grow. It may take years or even a few lives. Full faith in Baba does not come, as quickly as one desires it to be like Shravan, Kirtan, Poojan, Dhyana, etc. The Navadha Bhakti i.e. the multifold type of bhakti is not bhakti per se. They are either methods of bhakti or reflections of bhakti or both. Further, externality of devotion may not necessarily indicate the internality of devotion.
    Some people, at times say that only if Baba desires then bhakti will grow in their hearts. By saying so they make Baba responsible for generating bhakti in them. In the ultimate analysis it is true that Baba generates bhakti in a devotees heart. But, if the person so desiring conducts himself in a manner that Baba desires, then the type of bhakti he seeks will certainly be generated by Him. If one starts praying to Baba for bhakti and yet continues to conduct himself in an unethical manner forbidden by Baba, then how do we expect Baba to generate bhakti in his mind? To this some people say that even bad conduct is created by God and unless He desires this cant be controlled. This time also the burden is squarely on Baba or God and the devotee does not want to take any responsibility even for his own conduct. Even under these circumstances Baba can control his conduct and generate bhakti in him, provided he leaves all other aspects of his life on Him and awaits patiently for Him to guide his destiny. Faith or surrender means leaving everything on Baba body, mind and soul. But partial surrender will lead to partial bhakti, and its partial results only. If one is sincere enough and fully surrenders to Baba then He will control his desires and conduct. Under these circumstances neither he should work nor seek anything himself but leave everything to Baba in totality. Then, if he is prepared to bear the consequence of this state of utter inaction then Baba will certainly control his conduct and give him the type of Shraddha he seeks. There are many examples of many devotees in Shirdi, at the time of Baba, who had left everything on Sai including all their material and spiritual needs, and Baba did provide these to them. If one cannot come to this state of utter inaction then, he should go by the normal path of Navadha Bhakti and should be responsible for his own conduct to start with. God has given enough intelligence to human beings in comparison to animals, to discriminate between good and evil. Such practice will slowly but definitely grow devotion in him imperceptibly.
    However, this slow growth means waiting patiently under all circumstances on the mercy of Baba, which is nothing but Saburi. Saburi is, therefore, an essential factor for the generation, sustenance and growth of devotion. Both faith and patience are complementary to each other. Faith without patience will bring loss of faith at frequent intervals of time and will not allow its growth. Similarly, only patience, without actual faith, is an exercise in futility. A balance in both will bring about even growth of both in a person.
    Faith again means trying to do what we have been asked to do by Baba and resist from doing what has been forbidden by Him. Even if we fail a number of times it does not matter, the main point is whether we are using our God given faculties to their maximum limits. When we want to use our faculties, time and energy for getting close to Baba we have to cut down on many other activities. Therefore, the person who wants closeness with Baba should always try to reduce the non-productive, capricious and non-essential activities like late night parties, addiction of any type, uncontrolled thought, speech or action, etc. Such improvements will not only gradually control the mind but will also save time and energy for more purposive and creative activities, like study on Sri Sainath, meditation on Baba and His worship in any form. The devotees should always try to improve their inner qualities of patience, faith, tolerance, egolessness, and gradually, closeness with Baba will increase. But, the most important two qualities which are fundamental, as often said by Baba, are "Shraddha and Saburi.

SHRI SAIBABA'S MAHIMA AT WORLD LEVEL

Shri Saibaba was telling his devotees during his life time that 'my bones will speak through my Samadhi after shuffling off mortal coils (dehtyag)…, there will be the queue of the devotees like ants… and today, it is being experienced. Saibaba's Samadhi place has become the center of giving spiritual energy to lakhs of devotees. There are thousands of temple of Shri Sai baba alone in Andhara Pradesh (AP). It is on the top position in the country for spreading and campaigning the Philosophy of Shri Saibaba, Similarly, there are many temples of Shri Saibaba at Delhi, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka, Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, in other states. Thus, Saibaba's MAHIMA is increasing in the whole country with a rapid pace.

In addition to this, the spreading of Philosophy of Shri Saibaba at international level is also increasing at very fast rate. In America itself, there are 22 temples of Shri Saibaba. The philosophy of Shri Saibaba is vastly spreading in America which is assumed to be Super Power in the world. On every Thursday, about 500 to 600 devotees use to come together and perform the Pooja of Shri Saibaba's portrait/ photo in America. There are such more than 100 prayer centers and later on such prayers  centers lead to the construction of huge Sai Temples.At the one corener of 120 year old church, the Saibaba 's idol is installed in Hyamshayar (Chicago) where all four Aarti are sung every day . The first temple of Shri Saibaba was established in 1982 in New York City of America. The devotees' crowd in Arora Temple is appreciable on every Thursday and Sunday. All festivals being celebrated by Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi are also celebrated in this temple. The idol of Shri Saibaba's installed in this temple was made by  Mumbai idol maker Raju Tamil.This idol was installed after religious pooja in 1998.In addition to this, Saibaba's temple at Sloshing and Waldvin in New York are also constructed. Thus, the life working of Shri Saibaba is vastly growing in the whole world. Dr. karlin Macklane and Mery Robert from America have selected the biography and preaching of Shri Saibaba for their PH.D. this is both female candidates were in Shirdi for eight days and took the information of Shri  Saibaba, Prasadalaya, Hospitals, Bhakt Niwas, etc. Dr. Macklane is the professor of religion department in Bakhhil University of Pennsylvania university of America. Mery Roberts is the professor in foreign culture department of Califorina University of los Angils. They have been sponsored by American universities for their research work.
There are five Temples of Shri Saibaba in Australia. Maximum crowd of devotees is found in the Sydney temple. In Canada, there are two temples in Tornoto and one in Vancouver. In addition to this, Saibaba's temples are also in Singapore, Keniya, Indonesia, Malaysia. Mauritius, Newzealand, Tanzania, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, South Africa, Kuwait, Sri Lanka, Zambia, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Netherlands, Spain, Fiji, Bermuda, Norway , West Indies, etc. countries. It has proved the teaching of Shri Saibaba regarding all religions and creeds are one has been reached to all corner of the world. Most of the idols of the Gods and Goddesses are prepared at Jaipur in Rajasthan. Many idol makers are also the devotees of Shri  Saibaba. They always tell that we are making the Saibaba's idol and are sending to all corner of the country. But Saibaba's idol has huge demand amongst all. The number of Saibaba's temple in the country is increasing with very rapid pace. However, there are maximum Temple in Andhra Pradesh. Now, the new construction of Sai temple in Andhra Pradesh at Nigeria, 35 Km away from Tirupati on Madras – Tirupati road is in progress. It is on hilly portion, and on 400 feet a height from the ground level. This is the biggest project of Shri Saibaba in the Indian on 10 acre land.The estimates cost of this the construction is about Rs.10 crores.
No body turns up till we get some miracle in this era. In his live time of Shri Saibaba, he lighted the lamps by using water instead of using the oil. Today also, the large number of devotees is getting satisfaction as baba is solving their problems. In his live time, Dadasaheb Khaparde, Nanasaheb Chandorkar, Bapusaheb Butti, Kakasaheb Dixit, such highly devotees were coming to Shirdi for Saibaba's darshan.at present also, the number of highly Qualified Sai devotees is appreciable. The noted software engineer and donor Sh. K.V. Ramani, Chandrabhanu Satpati (Retired I.P.S officer), etc. Sai devotees are working days and night for the Saibaba's teaching.all devotees whom so ever are coming to Shirdi become overwhelmed .
Shri Saibaba Sansthan Trust,Shirdi celebrates  Shri Ramnavami , Shri Gurupournima and to Shri Punyatithi with religious fervour every year.Hundreds of Palanquins comes to Shirdi from the state as well as from out of state to participated in the festivals. About 100 palanquins accompanied by 75,000 devotees come to Shirdi at the time of Shri Ramnavami festival every year. They all use to come to Shirdi by chanting the name of Shri Saibaba. The number of young  Sai Devotees is also increasing day by day.
Now 92 years have been completed after Saibaba's Mahanirvan. The Saibaba's publicity in the whole world is not noteworthy. Many devotees are experiencing the miracles at Samadhi place in shirdi.
The Philosophy and teaching of Shri  Saibaba have reached to maximum houses of Mumbai, Delhi , Bangalore, Kolkatta, Hyderabad, etc.Shri Saibaba's photo/portraits placed in various shops, offices definitely calls our attention. The waves of Saibaba's teaching and miracles are covering the mankind.
The number of Sai devotees is increasing day by day as the devotees are getting their returns from their devotion and faith towards Shri Saibaba. Daily about 50,000 devotees take the Darshan of Shri Saibaba. This number of one lakh devotes is increased on Saturday and  Sunday . Considering the increased inflow of devotees, Chairman of Shri SAI BABA Santhan Trust  Sh. Jayant Sasane, Vice Chairman Shankarrao Khole, Minister for law and Judiciary Radhakrishna Vikhe Patil and Board of Trustees have completed the projects like the huge Prasadalaya, Shri Saibaba Super Specialty Hospital, Dwarawati Bahaktni , etc in addition to the previous facilities. The big project 'Sai Ashram ' from the Rs.100 crores donation by Sh. K.V. Ramani will be completed within  four months. Sanathan Trust is planning for a concrete action plan as 100 years will be completed for Saibab's Samadhi in the year 2018.

NOBLE THOUGHTS

• Forget each kindness that you do as soon as you have done it,
• Forget the praise that falls to you the moment you have won it,
• Forget the slanders you hear before you can repeat it,
• Forget each slight, each spite, each sneer where ever you meet it.
• Keep us O'Lord from pettiness. Let us be large in thought, in Word and deed.
• Build your house upon a rock was the advice of centuries ago. There is no stronger rock than true love.
• It is good to have money and the things that money can buy. But it's good, too, to check up once a while and make sure that you have not lost "THE THINGS" that money cannot buy.
• The real value of any incident or any thing depends on view point.
• A good reputation, a clear conscience, appreciation of nature, a peaceful heart, the knowledge of having given happiness to others, a trained and well filled mind. satisfaction from duty well done, faith in the outcome of right, contentment and well adjusted social relationships, make true happiness.
• One thing at a time and that done well is wisdoms proven rule.
• Even a smile can grow and accomplish much.
• How far that little candle throws its beams. so shines a good deed in a naughty world.
• Never was a kind word wasted. Never was one said in vain.

“’ONE HAS TO REAP WHAT ONE SOWS’-”SAYS SAI BABA

The theory of karma (our deeds) is difficult to comprehend; we can recall scientific principal of 'Action and Reaction'. The theory of karma is of similar type. We have to bear consequences of our deeds whether immediately or later, but there is no escape to it, if we touch fire, our hand will burn immediately, on the other hand if we smoke our body will diminish slowly. Following same principal, whatever outcome of our good or bad action performed in last birth has to experience in following birth to come. There is no way out of it.
“one has to reap what one sows and there is no escape unless one suffers and square up one's old debts and dealing other.” Chapter 47 of sacred text Sai Satcharitra.
While doing any good deed, it must not be done because some other person is doing it. It must be according to one's physical, financial and spiritual capacity. This was put into action by Sai Baba when he rejected offer for another wooden plank to be hanged on celling for Mahlasapati by Kakasaheb Dixit in chapter 45 of scared text- Sai Satcharitra.
In the same chapter, we have seen what Baba has said about running around and trying advice of various Gurus, “There are innumerable saints in the world, but our father (Guru). Other might say many good things, but we should never forget our Guru's advice, because he knows what is best for us.”
Sai Baba adviced his devotees to shun of atheists, irreligious and wicked person's altogether. Instead, he used to ask his devotees to seek company of saint, “The importance of the company of saint is very great. It removes our body – consciousness and egoism, destroys completely the chain of our birth and death, cuts assured al the knots of the heart and takes us to God, who is pure consciousness . it certainly increase our non-attachment to sense- objects, and makes us quite indifferent to pleasures and pains , and lead us on the spiritual path. If you have no other source, such as uttering God's name, worship or devotion ect. But if you take refuge in theme (Saints) whole – heartedly, they will carry you off safely the ocean of worldly existence. It is for this reason that the saint manifests them in this world. Even sacred rivers such as the Ganges, Godavari, Krishna and Kaveri etc. which wash away the sins of the world, desire that the saints should come to them, for a bath and purify them. Such is the grandeur of the Saints “.
 Even hearing the stories of saints or reading the Books, written by them, Is in a way keeping their company.
It may happen that even is a person wishes to do good acts walk on the path of teaching prescribed in scriptures, he is not able to do which lead him to evil path. What can be reason behind this? It is because of deeds in past life and his nature framed accordingly.
Also sometime it also happens that it is difficult in deciding to perform a good act. Some other person of evil nature may advice not to proceed with a good act. Thus this time is testing for the good person as he has to distinguish between good and bad deed. Being firm to his decision and taking action accordingly, he can certainly reach his goal avoiding evil advice.
Devotees were often helped by Sai Baba encourage thought of hemadpant to sing unceasingly Rama's name during one Thursday, by arranging coincidence of making Dabholkar listen to a song sung by one Aurangabadkar on Rama. It was a regret of Baba that very few devotees come to him for spiritual upliftment. He says in chapter 32, “ MY Sircar's treasure (spiritual wealth ) is full, it is overflowing. Dig out and take away this wealth in cartloads, the blessed son of a true mother should fill himself with this wealth. The skill of my Fakir, the leela of my Bhagwan, the aptitude of my Sircar is quit unique. What about me? Body (earth) will with earth, breath with air. This time won't come again.”
This is very well explained by Sai Baba in chapter 50 by the following story. On Shri Vasundevanand Saraswati, know as Shri Tembye Swami encamped, at Rajamahendri (Andhra Country ), on the bank of Godavari. One mr. pundalikrao, pleader of Nanded (Nizam State) went to see him, with some friends. While they were talking with him, the names of Shirdi and Sai Baba were casually mentioned. Hearing Baba's name, the Swami bowed with his hands; and taking a coconut gave it to pundalikrao, and said to him, “offer this to my brother Sai, with my pranam and others left for Shirdi with the coconut. Unfortunately the fruit broke that was entrusted to pundalikrao. Fearing and trembling, he came to Shirdi and saw Baba. Baba had already received a wireless message, regarding the coconut, from the Tembye Swami, as he himself asked Pundalikraofirst to give the things sent by his brother. He held fast Baba's Feet, confessed his guilt and negligence, repented and asked for Baba's for giveness. He offered to give another fruit as a substitute, but Baba refused to accept it saying that the worth of that coconut was by far, many times more, than an ordinary one and that it could not be replaced by another one. Baba also added- “now you need not worry yourself any more about the matter. It was on account of my wish that the coconut was entrusted to you, and ultimately broken on the way; why should you take the responsibility of the action on you? Do not entertain the sense of doership in doing good, as well as for bad deeds; be entirely prideless and egoless in all things and thus your spiritual progress will be rapid.”                                         

SAI VANDANA GIVES US LIGHT AND PEACE

A soul has to take on a body made up of five element to come to this earth. It is said that soul has to take birth to learn and to experience each and every aspect of human   emotion without forgetting its original state I.e, purity, love and bilss. It is through this human life that a soul can finally merge with the holy divine Supreme from which it was separated million of year ago. In every birth, the soul strive to reach the perfection so that it can get enlightened and become aware of the truth about oneness of the universe i.e, ALL IS ONE . All soul are the tiny part of that supreme Divine Power thereby implying that all soul have that tiny spark of Supreme Spirit within. However, after taking human birth, in ignorance, the soul cannot recall its original state, get entangled in the earthly enjoyment and forgets its mission of self realization and subsequently the God realization.
In its human form the soul cannot sit idle. It performs various karmas to get on with the life, becomes attached to materialism over and above spiritualism. Whether the karma is 'good' or 'bad' it is immaterial. The universal law takes note of all the actions a soul perform to carry out its earthly existence. It is said that all such karmas accumulate and become Sanchit Karma (Accumulated Karma). It is said that all our Karma are recorded and stored in our Akashic records. A soul cannot merge with the spirit unless it has worked out the cause and effect of its Karma because universal law funcation flawlessly and impartially. When the soul is reborn again, it brings with it portion of karma is called prarabdh. It is said that seventy five percent life of soul is preordained and soul has no say in it. Soul has to bear it whether it bring wordly happiness or wordly sadness. For the balance twenty five percent life the soul can use its God given freewill which creates Kriyaman Karma (Active Karma). These Kriyaman karma also result in accumulating more sanchit karma.
Outcome of prarabdh are those happenings in the souls earthly life which happen without any or little effort . soul feels happy when it gains materialistic comforts, pleasures and position in life but it get totally baffled when it loses the very same possession unexpectatedly, without any explainable reason. Soul does not realize that this is the fruit or effect of cause of its prarabdh in this lifetime. For example,we find a good human being doing all the best for the world but yet suffering from a deadly disease,a selfish person getting success in almost any activity it undertakes. All this is happening due to prarabdh of these souls.
Imagine how it could be when different souls come together in alifetime and form a family.each soul has its own prarabdh and its own individual journey.but universal law is perfect.it arrange the soul group so affectively that one soul's prarabdh matches with the parabdh of other souls. Thus souls living in a family life not only performs their respective earthly duties but also work out their prarabdh together. This way they keep cpming back on earth again and again,learn their lessons and help each other to work out their balance karmas till their last earthly desire has been fulfilled.the soul discards its human body once its prarabdh of current lifetime is worked out completely.however,maya plays such a strong role that it takes age foran ignorant soul towork outall its karma and realize the Supreme Divine Power is nowhere else but within.
The biggest question is how can the effect of karmas be effaced ? man's action or karmas are the manifestations of his thoughts.karma is any action, thought, feeling, emotion generation by mind of Man.the mid ,by projecting thoughts to sence-organs, enjoys pleasures. It, more or less identifies itself with these thoughts and pleasure. At that time, it does not think of thing else. In actual, the earthly thpughts and impulses should be converted into the zeal for securing internal bilss and happiness after attaining a perfect balance between materialism and spiritualism. In simple terms, soul must perform duties required to be performed in its earthly lifetime with a sense of detachment i.e, without feeling sad about lossed and without feeling elated about gain. But then it easier said that done .
Meditation is one way for the soul to connect to the higher self. Shirdi sai baba advice mankind to look inwards. The soul should find a quiet place, close eye and meditate . the purpose is to withdrawn all five sence inwards, make them inactive because these sence have been given to soul to see, hear taste, touch and enjoy the ecternal wordly only . the practice of meditation in solitude consists in reverting anf raising internal spark of the soul to try to reach the high self. It is said that the seat of that spark is at midpoint behind the eye called Third Eye  or Krishna / Christ Consciousness. When such a condition being to supervene to some extent , as a result of performing the meditation practices , the working of karmas, both internally and witnessing the love, grace mercy of the Supreme being, the meditatiors' mind is, of itself, detached from the world and its pleasure. The pleasure of the world become insipid. The situation is the same , however, its effect on the meditators mind changes. The soul finds peace in all the situations it finds itself in whether good or bad, it doesnot matter anymore.
After this, the loning for progress in meditation, and higher bliss, goes on increasing. Worldly desires are curtailed. The soul always gives priority to the will, grace and mercy of the Supreme Being in whatever he does . it subordinates its desire to the will of the Supreme Being. Thus the soul is entangled in Kriyaman (active) karmas very little or not at all . this cuts short the chain of its karmas.
Our prarabdh krama's unfold much mitigates by the grace and mercy of the Divine Spirit. This way the soul is able to withdraw from the eye, it goes on getting detached from the body and the world. In the wakeful satate, the seat of the spirit is behind the eye. it is here that pain and pleasure are felt and karmas are performed. Therefore, as the spark of soul is withdran from here with the help spiritual exercise, pain and pleasure cease to be felt. In this way, the effect of parabdh karmas is lightened.as to the sanchit karmas, that are stored in Akashic records (mind – sky / collective universal consciousness) in the form of seed- impressions. They will fructify in a future life. As the soul penetrates these records in its ascent to higher regions, the sanchit karmas appear in the form of thoughts and impulses. They come into play for a short while only  and are obliterated and finally the sanchit karma are also cleared off.
If one has the grace of Sadguru (special messengers of God like Jesus or Saibaba), it will not take long for a soul to achieve the desires result. With Guru /God 's grace , the soul realize that meditator, object of meditation all are ONE.
As per Sai Satcharita (book containing life and teaching of Shirdi Sai Baba) taking the road of devotion (towards any one particular God of your choice) is the easiest way to get free from the karmas. A mind cannot sit idle but if we give it some wise thought , say, chanting 'Sai Sai' (you can substitute this with name of God you believe in) always, get rid of feeling of doership and surrender all our action, thoughts and ourselves to our God, we have taken our first step toward working out our karma fast. Saibaba (God) will internally and remind the soul of its purpose of taking human birth. This doesnot mean that the soul will not have to work out the prarabdh. Saibaba(God) will not come in the functioning of the universal law but will make the soul strong enough that it will not feel the effect of prarabdh i.e, soul will not be ecstatic when it gain and will not feel depressed when it suffers.

SAI BABA NEVER DESIGNATATED A CHOSEN SUCCESSOR.

    Due to the growing popularity of Sai Baba, the crowds at the Samadhi Mandir are an exercise in management. This, however, is no excuse for over-zealous security guards to treat the pilgrims roughly. What would Shirdi be without pilgrims? wonder many who suffer the security staff. On the whole, the entire staff is rather authoritarian. They must realise that without pilgrims there would be nothing to manage and thus they may have no jobs! Sai Baba provides them with their livelihood. Since September 1, 2004, the Maharashtra government has taken over the management and running of the Shirdi temple complex.
    The adjacent Dwarkamai is a house of peace and love, which is where Baba lived and stayed. The humble hall, with its ever-glowing sacred fire from which the holy udi is derived, remains the fulcrum of pilgrims' focus. Here the weary, the bleary, the tired and the tried devotee can "talk" to Baba, touch the objects he touched, and generally feel Baba's presence. Dwarkamai is a restful place; although sometimes too many devotees crowd in, Sai Baba makes room for all. Here one can see the window which Baba looked out of, or the grinding stone Sai Baba used, or theshila (stone) he manifested to sit upon. The story about the stone is interesting because although his associates desired to fetch it from nearby hills, Sai Baba said there was no need to go so far and he just manifested a stone right there, saving them the effort of carting it from some distance. This stone rests near the exit. Sai Baba is strongly present here and the entire atmosphere is soothing, including the attendants and security. A tulsi-plant and a painted-clay tiger decorate the space and Baba's benign presence and blessings are for all to savour.
    Coming out of Dwarkamai, as one proceeds ahead towards left, is the Chavadi, where Baba went on alternate days and where he conversed with his "guru" Venkusa. The section where Baba conversed with Venkusa, on the right side, is closed to ladies. As the guru was of paramount importance to Sai, his followers made Thursday Cguruvaar) his day, and on this day devotees assemble and sing songs and perform bhajans. A ceremonial procession is also taken out from Dwarkamai to the Chavadi, every thursday evening. Behind the Chavadi is the ancient Hanuman temple.
    Opposite the Chavadi is a green-coloured house that belonged to Abdul Baba. The main room exhibits photos of Baba with Abdul, Swami Chinmayanand with Baba, and many more rare articles. His great grandson, A. Ganibhai Ajij Pathan, sits and serves the memory of his great ancestors, whose mere seva (service) to Sai Baba has assured them a permanent place in Shirdi Sai's lore.
    Behind Abdul Baba's house, the alley leads one to important homes like Laxmibai Shinde's, whom Baba gifted nine coins, denoting the nine types of bhakti (see chapter 6). The coins are framed and can be seen even today. The alley also leads to the house of Marthand (Shama's grandson), where Baba installed a Ganesha statue. On the way to these houses one can see the ruins in which the house of the village vaid, Kulkarni, lies. He had conspired against Baba when Baba first settled in Shirdi and he had told the oil-merchants not to give him alms of oil to burn his lamps in the Dwarkamai.
    The Shani temple (dedicated to Saturn) at Singnapur, some sixty-five km and one hour away, is an often visited site. If one cannot go that far for the blessings of Shani, three smaller temples within the Samadhi complex, one each for Ganesha, Shiva and Shani, ensure devotees a quick and easy darshan. The Nandadeep and Gurusthan form the opening or closing part of the entire pilgrimage, which can also include a visit to Lendi Bagh. The samadhis of Baba's main attendants and servitors like Abdul Baba, Nanavali, Tatya and Bhau Maharaj are in this complex.
    Flower-sellers, rose-water sellers, beads and pictures of Baba abound with small children playing the part of smiling salesmen, when not in school. Remember to ask the children selling pictures and small statues if they go to school or not, for inadvertently you may be contributing to their greed of making a few rupees at the cost of a brighter future through an education. Their parents may be innocent villagers happy at their child earning some extra money, but an educated visitor should not encourage this. Over-zealous women accost pilgrims outside Hanuman temple and the Chavadi, selling milk for dogs or pav (bread) to feed the poor. If one insists on personally feeding, often the dogs are not to be found and the poor have already collected enough pav in their sacks for the day. While alms should be given to deserving poor, many beggars dress up as Baba look-alikes to arouse affection and generous donations. It is up to an individual what path to follow.
    Eateries abound in the bylanes of Shirdi and one may wonder which state of India one is in, since cuisine from as far afield as Punjab is available. Gujarati, Tamil and Telugu food dominates with easy snacks and soft drinks.
    Buses to and from Shirdi are rarely punctual and most agents and touts act and shout as though it will be the last bus you will get on planet earth! There are plenty of choices, so don't worry, just be sure the company is trustworthy. Even Volvo-type buses start an hour or two later than promised. Rail-links are more dependable and soon a station will come up at Shirdi-Puntamba. Presently, Kopergaon, the nearest railhead, just nineteen kilometers away, provides easy train connections to most directions. At Kopergaon, autos await eagerly to ferry pilgrims to Shirdi.
    The Sansthan complex runs a computerized rail reservation office, adjacent to the canteen. Books on Baba and prasad in the form of ladoos are available in this complex. Donations for the various charitable activities of the Sansthan can be made in designated rooms, although one is also free to donate in the huge hundis (collection boxes) provided for the pilgrims.
    After Tirumala-Tirupati, Shirdi is the most visited pilgrim place in India today. From a small hamlet, just a little over a hundred years ago, it has grown to a huge centre of pilgrimage. Baba attracted a variety of followers and devotees, but he had no disciples. It is important to understand that Baba has no incarnation, no dogma, no disciples, no ashram, no sect, no order. He did not wish for any of this and did not encourage it. True, several served him and many more desired to be with him and came from far for his darshan, grace or blessing, but on his own Baba never made any claims to teaching or preaching anything in particular.
    This is why there is no structured siddhant, or course, on Baba's teachings and faith. More and more people are attracted to him because of the very simplicity of his faith. He desires nothing and demands nothing; he tells no one to offer any particular form of worship; and has left his followers without any head or order. His philosophy is above mantras, vratas, poojas and rituals. All he desires is that we offer our hearts, mind and ego to him. Then the five senses will lose their power over us and we will be able to progress spiritually and away from world's miseries. Shirdi is a pure bhoomi where God, in the form of Sai Baba, manifested himself, stayed and showed his leelas. Sai Baba has no incarnation and never designated a chosen successor. Sai Baba is thus unique.

Guru gobind singh fosterd the spirit of service and sacrifice

    The tenth and last guru of the Sikh faith, Guru Gobind Singh was born on December 22,1666 in Patna. He was born as Gobind Rai Sodhi to the ninth Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur and his wife Mata Gujri. Guru Gobind Singh was a great warrior, a poet and a prophet. According to a legend, the birth of Gobind Rai was prophesized by Pir Bhikan shah, a fakir from thaksa village, which is now situated in Karnal district of Haryana. One day Bhikanshah. , traveled to Patna with a group of his followers to see the child. He placed two bowls of sweets before the newborn; one bowl was purchased from a Hindu's shop, and the second from a Muslim's shop, thus signifying the two major contemporary religions in India. The baby placed his hands on both the bowls, thus indicating that both Hindus and Muslims will be treated equally by him.
    Gobind Rai spent the first five years of his life in Patna. As a child, he used to play war games with other children, leading mock battles.When Guru Tegh Bahadur had founded the city of Anandpur Sahib in the year 1665, on the land purchased from the ruler of Bilaspur,he asked his family to come to Anandpur. Gobind Rai reached Anandpur (then known as Chakk Nanaki), on the foothills of the Sivalik Hills, in March 1672.
    Gobind Rai's early education included study of Punjabi, Braj, Sanskrit, Persian and Arabic languages, and training as a soldier. He had started studying Hindi and Sanskrit while at  Patna. In Anandpur, he started studying Punjabi under Sahib Chand, and Persian under Qazi Pir Mohammad. A Rajput warrior was employed to train him in military skills and horse riding.
    Once Early in 1675, a group of Kashmiri Brahmins, driven to desperation by the religious fanaticism of the Mughal general Iftikar khan, visited Anandpur to seek guru Tegh Bahadur's intercession. As the guru sat reflecting what to do, young Gobind Rai, arriving there in company with his playmates and remarked in his, innocent manner,” None could be worthier than yourself to make such a sacrifice,”
    Then Guru Tegh Bahadur proceeded to the Mughal capital Delhi, to discuss the emperor Aurangzeb's policty towards the non-Muslims. However, he was beheaded on 11 November 1675 at Chandani Chowk, after refusing to convert to Islam. His head was put on the public square to deter the public from objecting to Aurangzeb's policies. The beheading of Guru Teg Bahadur frightened many of his disciples, some of whom even refused to acknowledge themselves as his followers, in order to avoid  persecution. A disciple called Bhai Jaita (later Bhai Jivan Singh) brought Guru Tegh Bahadur's head to Anandpur, and narrated the story of fear among the Guru's followers in Delhi.
    After hearing of what had happened in Delhi,Gobind Rai decided to inculcate the martial spirit among his followers. Because Guru Tegh Bahadur had ordained his son as the next guru, before his departure to Delhi.So Gobind Rai was formally installed as the Guru on the Baisakhi, on 11 November 1675. In 1699, the Guru sent hukmanamas (letters of authority) to his followers, requesting them to congregate at Anandpur on the day of Baisakhi,The guru thus established direct relationship with his Sikhs and addressed them as his khalsa, Persian term used for crown-land as distinguished from feudal chiefs. The institution of the khalsa was given concrete from on 30 march 1699 when Sikh appeared before the assembly dramatically on that day with a naked sword in hand and, to quote Koer Singh, Gurbilas Patshahi 10, spoke: “Is there present a true Sikh who would offer his head to the guru as a sacrifice?” At the third call Daya Ram, a Sobti Khatri of Lahore, arose and humbly walked behind the guru to a tent near by. The guru returned with his sword dripping blood and asked for another head. At this Daram Das, a Jatt from Hastinapur came forward and was taken inside the enclosure. Guru Gobind Singh made three more calls. Muhkam Chand, a Washerman from Dvarka, Himmat, a water-carrier from Jagannathpur, and sahib Chand, a barber from Bidar (Karnataka) responded one after another and advanced to offer their heads. All the five were led back from the tent dressed alike in saffron-coloured raiment topped over with neatly tied tubans similarly dyed, with swords dangling by their sides. Guru Gobind Singh then introduced Khande Di Pahul, i.e. initiation by sweetened water churned with a double-edged broadsword (Khanda). Those five Sikhs were the first to be initiated. Guru Gobind Singh called them Panj Piare, the five devoted spirits beloved of guru. These five, formed the nucleus of the self-abnegating, martial and casteless fellowship of the Khalsa, all of them surnamed Singh, meaning lion, were required to
wear in future the five symbols of the Khalsa, all beginning with the letter K-the Kesh to keep it tidy as against the recluses who kept it matted in taken
of their having renounced the world, Kara, a steel bracelet, Kachah, short breeches, and Kirpan, a sword. They were enjoined to succor the helpless and fight the oppressor, to have faith in one god and to consider all human being equal, irrespective of caste and creed.
    Guru Gobind Singh then himself received initiatory rites from five disciples, now invested with authority as Khalsa, and had his name changed from Gobind Rai to Gobind Singh.Further injuctions were laid down for the Sikhs. They must never cut or trim their hair and beards, nor smoke Tobacco. A Sikh must not have sexual relation outside the martial bond, nor eat the flesh of an animal killed slowly in the Muslim way.
    These development alarmed the caste ridden Rajput chiefs of the Sivalik hills. They rallied under the leadership of the raja of Bilaspur, in whose territory lay Anandpur, to forcibly evict Guru Gobind Singh from his hilly citadel. They at last petitioned Emperor Aurangzeb for help. In concert with contingents sent under imperial order by the governor of Lahore and those of the faujdar of Sirhind, they marched upon Anandpur and laid a siege to the fort in May 1705. Over the months, the guru and his Sikh firmly withstood their successive assaults despite dire scarcity of food resulting from the prolonged blockade. While the besieged were reduced to desperate straits, the Besiegers too were chagrined at the tenacity with which Sikh held out. At this stagy the besiegers offered, on solemn oaths of Quran, safe exit to the Sikh if they quit Anandpur.
    At last, the town was evaluated during the night of 5-6 December 1705. But soon, as the guru and his Sikh came out the hill monarchs and their Mughal allies set upon them in full fury. in the ensuring confusion many Sikhs were killed and all of the guru's baggage, including most of the precious manuscripts, was lost. The guru himself was able to make his way to Chamkaur, 40 km southwest of Anandpur, with barley 40 Sikh and his two elder sons, Ajit Singh (b. 1687) and Jujhar Singh (b. 1691) and all but five of the Sikhs fell in the action that took place on 7 December 1705. The five surviving Sikhs babe the guru to save himself in order to reconsolidate the Khalsa. Guru Gobind Singh with three of his Sikhs. Escaped into the wilderness of the Malva, two of his Muslim devotees, Ganj Kahn and Nabi Kahn, helping him at great personal risk. Guru Gobind Singh's two younger sons, Zorawar Singh and Fateh Singh, and his mother, Mata Gujari, were after the evacuation of Anandpur betrayed by their old servant and escort, Gangu, to the Faujdar of Sirhind, who had the young children executed on 13 December 1705. Grandmother died the same day. Befriended by another Muslim admirer, Rai kalha of Raikot, Guru Gobind Singh reached Dina in the heart warriors of the Brar clan, and also composed his famous letter, Zafarnamah or the Epistle of Victory, in Persian verse, addressed to emperor Aurangzeb. The letter was a server indictment of the emperor and his commanders who had perjured their oath and treacherously attached him once he was outside the safety of his fortification at Anandpur. It emphatically reiterated the sovereignty of morality in the affairs of state as much as in the conduct of human beings and held the means as important as the end.
    In response to the Guru's zafarnamah, Aurangazeb expressed his wish for a personal meeting with the Guru. The Guru left for Deccan in October 1706 to meet Aurangzeb. He passed through what is now Rajasthan. On his way to Ahemdnagar, where the Emperor was encamped. He received the news of Aurangzeb's death in March 1707, and decided to return to Punjab, via shahjahanabad.
    After the emperor's death, a war of succession broke out between his sons. The third son. Mohammad (later Emperor Bahadur shah) set out from Peshawar to claim the throne. The Guru's follower Bhai Nand Lal (who had earlier served in the Muazzam's court) brought him a letter written by Muazzam. Muazzam had sought Guru's help in securing the throne, and promises to pursue a policy of religion tolerance towards the non-Muslim. The Guru sent a band of his followers under the command of Bhai Dharma Singh, to help Muazzam. Mauzzam's force defeated Azam shah's forces in the battle of Jajau on 12 June 1707.Muazzam ascended the throne as Bahadur shah. He invited Guru Gobind singh for meeting, which took place at Agra on 23 July 1707. The Guru was received with honour and was given the title of 'Hind Ka Pir'. Nawab Wazir khan of Sirhind had felt concerned at the Emperor's conciliatory treatment of Guru Gobind singh. Their marching together to the south made him jealous, and he charged two of his trusted men with murdering the Guru before his increasing friendship with Emperor resulting in any harm to him. These two pathans Jamshed khan and wasil beg are the names given in the Guru Kian Sakhian pursued the Guru secretly and overtook him at Nanded, where, according to Sri Gur Sobha by Senapati, a contemporary writer, one of them stabbed the Guru in the left side below the heart as he lay one evening in his chamber resting after the Rahras prayer. Before he could deal another blow, Guru Gobind singh struck him down with his sword, while his fleeing companion fell under the sword of Sikhs who rushed in on hearing the noise. As the news reached Bahadur shah's camp, he sent expert surgeons, including an Englishman, Cole by name, to attend on the Guru. The wound was stitched and appeared to have healed quickly but, as the Guru one day applied strength to pull a stiff bow, it broke out again and bled profusely. This weakened the Guru beyond cure and he passed away on 7th October 1708.
    It was only Guru Gobind Singh who declared the Guru Granth Sahib as his successor. Today all the Sikh and non-Sikh Indians, bow their head, in obeisance at the consecration of Guru Granth Sahibji Maharaj as the last guru of the community. In short, Guru Gobind Singh launched a crusade against injustice. Oppression, intolerance, communalism, casteism, and declared the profundity of the Fundamental Truth, which was to see the lord's benediction in all things. He fostered the sprit of service, sacrifice, character building and moral virtues. He preached strict conjugal fidelity and he built a whole nation in India that knew not any conclusion other than VICTORY, were fearless and undaunted and morally strong and quietly courageous.