PRAYER{At Dwaraka}

May the wicked turn good;

May the good attain peace;

May the peaceful be freed from all bondage, and

May the liberated redeem others.

May everybody be happy.

May everybody be free from disease;

May everybody have good luck;

May none fall on evil days.

May everybody surmount difficulties?

May everybody have good fortune?

May everybody realize his ambitions?

May everybody rejoice every where.

- Sri Saipadananda Radhaknshna Swamiji

SAIPADANANDA

A Thought

It is said that good cometh out of evil. This is perfectly true. Every circumstance in life,

when viewed from the right angle, proves to be for good. We appreciate the true value of

life only when we have tasted the bitterness of the experience that beset it.

-SRI RADHAKRISHNA SWAMIJI

Editor R. SESHADRI

SRI SAI SPIRITUAL CENTRE

SAI BABA MANDIR ROAD, THYAGARAJANAGAR BANGALORE - 560 028

Phone: 603922

PRICE : Rs. 5/-Annual Subscription (By post) Rs. 30/-Life:Rs.201/-

(Tenth year of Publication)

CONTENTS

1. New Year Hopes

2. Sai Baba's help in Marriages

3. Gita Jayanthi Message

4. Gospel of Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji

5. 'Phalashruthi' within Sahasra Nama

6. Power of Guru

7. Sai Rescues Devotee from Distress

8. Wonderful Sai Leelas

9. Dedicated work on miraculous Saint of Shirdi

10. Baba's Mahasamadhi Celebrations

11. A Tribute to Sri O.K. Varada Rao

Editorial

New Year Hopes

Our Hearty New Year Greetings to our readers, contributors, reviewers, advertisers and

well-wishers. Also to the many unknown who benefiting from this magazine have shared

its thoughts with acquaintances, thus enriching each other's life and helping in Sai -

Prachar. We will be brining out a special number commemorating our magazine's

successful completion of one decade of purposeful service. This will be coinciding with

the 92nd Jayanthi of H.H. Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji in April 1997.

Talking about inspiration from Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji, it is right that having

weathered another stormy year we now calmly consider his message of Renunciation and

service. This will clear our sights and attitudes before we begin yet another year of hard

work and hopes. One of the hopes certainly is that the year will be better. So it may well

turn out to be, provided our motivations and outlook are clean and firm. This is like a

farmer's repairing and strengthening his fence before commencing a fresh round of

cultivation. Troublesome animals and people capable of damaging the crops have never

been totally eliminated. But the protection against them is a sturdy fence. Similarly, the

world outside can never be made perfect for us; the forces likely to thwart our struggles

to harvest peace, co-operation and development may never get permanently neutralized.

We can only try and keep trying to bolster our defenses. And for human beings the

primary, easily available and most potent protection is right attitude or motivation. That

is to say, a proper view of life and a practical way of applying that to life.

Against this, however, wrong attitudes are our worst foes. Cyclones, earthquakes and

hardened wicked people are formidable powers against us, no doubt. But many times

more devastating are distorted mental attitudes like greed, prejudice, jealousy and

excessive preoccupation with food and sex. If it is caste vs. caste inhumanity here,

elsewhere it is colour and nativity problems; bride-burning for dowry here, matched in

the west by divorce. Undernourished and unemployment in one part of the world are

equated by affluence elsewhere.

Too long a New Year blacklisting? Perhaps, please bear it, for it is merely meant to prove

our point. Unraveled to their core these ailments are all results of skewed attitudes.

Without finding ways to treat such attitudes, country after country has tried its utmost to

mitigate the ills of its citizens and failed. Not one succeeded in making them safer or

happier. The few successes are limited to economic and technological fields. On the

whole, the majority are acutely feeling the breakdown of community, loss of life's

meaning, and lack of supporting social norms.

Are things going to get better, or worse? Better, doubtlessly, and we are not suffering

from utopianism. Our optimism is drawn from Sai Baba's life and mission. We foresee,

notwithstanding the bleak events referred to above, that the follies of the past decades,

which are the bad fruits of limited prospective is gradually changing. The number of

visitors to Sri Spiritual Centre in tens and thousands is a direct indicator of this. Devotion

to Sai Baba, Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji definitely alters the

individual roles and family and social relationship. Add to this, the growing number of

beneficiaries of those devotees who have taken up recitation of "Vishnu Sahasra Nama"

as directed by Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji.

Add again one more line of thought of 'Sradda' and Saburi - the two Paise 'Dakshina'

demanded by Sai Baba. Practice of faith and tolerance in our day-to-day life alters the

whole life style. Life is too complex, and 'humanity', 'world', 'universe', 'future etc are

matters so vast for ordinary human minds to fathom. Nevertheless, a qualitative change in

human motivations and activities appears inevitable. A change which in essence could be

put as an enlighten concept of the self; perception of life as sacred; and expression of

these two in mutual concern and help.

Sai Baba's life and mission make us feel optimistic. Baba did not preach a new physics or

a new theology bearing on economics or politics. He simply practiced and taught

universal love, compassion, and negation of the ordinary petty selfhood. In simple stories

he told his devotees his discoveries about the Self, individuality planning our lives,

thoughts and conduct in the perspective of the whole of life, nature of existence and so

on. These have ushered peace and prosperity in Sai-devotees.

So, isn't there reason enough to feel elated that we are about to begin moving closer by

another year to the Centenary of Sai Baba's Mahasamadhi? His apostles - Sri Narasimha

Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji - taught the insignificance of the ordinary self

and individualism, the divinity of the higher Self of all beings, and the sanctity of all

existence and also the necessity of expressing these through universal love and active

concern for others. In substance, these constitute Sai Baba's message of Renunciation and

Service. As with Lord Sainath's advent and the quiet influence of his teachings on

society, so it seems gradually changing the direction of prevalent thought-currents.

Thus, in the light of all that is happening at the subtler levels and almost simultaneously

in so many fields, who would firmly brush aside the possibility of humanity's developing

novel and edifying outlooks in the coming decades. Let us, therefore, begin the New Year

by further filling our minds with these thoughts of 'Sradda', 'Saburi', love and compassion

and the divinity of individuality, and Renunciation and Service. Let us avoid excessive

concern with body and materialistic ways of life and by rendering service without caste,

colour, religion or gender. Let us enter the New Year with a renewed commitment to the

mission of Sai Baba, Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji.

Sai Baba's help in Marriages

By Sri Narasimha Swamiji

What is True Knowledge?

1. Absence of pride, freedom from hypocrisy, harmlessness, forgiveness,

straightforwardness, service of the preceptor, purity of mind and body, steadfastness,

control over mind and body.

2. Aversion to all objects of enjoyment (of this world and of the next), absence of

egoism, constant revolving of mind in the pain suffering involved in birth, death, old age,

and disease.

3. Absence of attachment, absence of identification with son, wife, home etc., constant

balance of mind both in favorable and unfavorable circumstances.

4. Devotion to Me (God) through exclusive attachment of mind, living in secluded and

sacred places, absence of pleasure in the company of men.

5. Constant fixity in Self-knowledge, observing everywhere the essential Truth (God), -

all this is declared to be knowledge (wisdom), and what is contrary to this is ignorance.

(Gita XIII. 7-11)

People know that the greatest difficulty for a family is to procure a suitable bridegroom

for a girl. But equally, some houses amongst Hindus and much more amongst Muslims

felt difficulty in getting a boy married. Help in discovering a proper match for a girl or

boy is therefore a veritable boon.

G.D. Pandit of Colaba (Mumbai) was greatly troubled for inability to discover a good

bridegroom for his daughter. He made a vow that if he should secure a groom in fifteen

days, he would make a trip to Shirdi. Then, from distant Hyderabad, a young man came

of his own accord to Pandit's house, took a fancy for his daughter and married her within

fifteen days.

Ganesh Keshav Rege, an amin and a staunch devotee of Baba, in poor circumstances, had

the misfortune, as he called it, of having many daughters. He had succeeded in getting

three daughters married. For the fourth one he was running from pillar to post and could

not find any suitable husband. Sometimes success seemed to be within reach but fate

scattered his hopes at the crucial moment. In deep despair he sat in front of Baba's

photograph. Suddenly he heard a voice - 'Go to Jirapur'. The words were loud and clear,

but there was no person visible who could have uttered them. This, he thought was Baba's

'Ashirvad' for his benefit. But how could he visit Jirapur. He knew none at Jirapur. When

he was in this confusion, the Government sent him an order of transfer to Jirapur. This

was Baba's gift. So he went and reported for duty at Jirapur. Then he made enquiries

about the matrimonial possibilities of that new place. He found an eligible person soon.

Within a month his daughter's marriage was settled.

Ganesh Vaidya had a daughter to be married. Repeated efforts to find a groom were

failures. He was much worried. One day Baba appeared in his dream and said: "Why are

you anxious? Keshav Dixit has a son". Baba showed him the figure of that boy. Then he

got up. He had never heard of Keshav Dixit nor seen a boy like the one shown in the

dream. When he mentioned this dream vision to his son, the latter told him that in his

office there was a Dixit, son of Keshav, and the boy had the very features described by

his father. They made enquiries and soon the marriage was settled.

The cases of Baba's intervention after his Mahasamadhi are similar to those of his

intervention and benefit before his Mahasamadhi.

A poor orphan girl had innumerable obstacles in finding a match for herself. She was

advised to make a 'Parayan' of Sai Satcharitra. She sat before Baba's picture and started

the study. The next day someone came and saw her at the 'Parayan', took interest in her,

made the necessary enquiries, and married her within a week.

Ethirajammal was living just behind All India Sai Samaj at Madras. She had difficulty in

finding a match for her grown-up daughter. She prayed to Baba. Luckily a groom agreed

to marry her daughter and a Contractor visiting Sai Samaj offered his help to lend a sum

of Rs. 1700/-. As the program was fixed and just a few days before the D-day, suddenly

the contractor backed out of his promise. The girl came with her parents to All India Sai

Samaj thoroughly disconsolate. It was a Thursday bhajan and she sang in heart rending

tones the well known Tamil bhajan song -"What Baba', Are you testing us still?" Next

morning another Contractor came to the Samaj and learning about the pitiable condition,

wrote out a cheque for Rs. 2000/- and placed it in my hand and asked me to give to the

girl. The marriage was celebrated in the Sai Mandir.

Gopal Ganesh Shriyan entered into a gentleman's agreement in 1924 with a friend that his

daughter should wed the latter's son after some years. But as years passed, the boy's

collegiate education raised his value, and his father resided from the agreement and was

arranging a match elsewhere that would bring him more dowries. When Shriyan heard

this, he went and wept in front of Baba's picture. Sai gave him a definite assurance: "Do

not worry your self. I will get you the same boy for your son-in-law in two years' time".

Sometime thereafter the new arrangement by the boy's father fell through. As days passed

the conscience of the educated youth (evidently spurred by Sai Baba within) became so

assertive that he impressed his parents the extreme impropriety in breaking the

gentleman's agreement. At last the friend confirmed the original pact and celebrated the

marriage within the time fixed by Baba.

In 1923, a certain gentleman had expressed himself about marrying Moreswar Chowhan's

sister. He had promised to write a formal letter of acceptance. Even after six months the

letter did not come and Chowhan's mother felt desolate. She prayed to Baba and said:

"Baba, you give experience of your miraculous powers to all. Why not give it to us. I am

greatly worried about my daughter. If you have any power I must get a reply approving

the match by tomorrow. This was a challenge to Baba to act within twenty four hours.

That night she dreamed that the next morning as she sat by her son's side, the postman

delivered a letter containing the final acceptance. In point of fact at 9 am next day she sat

by her son and began to narrate the dream. The postman peeped in and dropped a letter.

That was from the long hesitating party and containing the acceptance she had so long

waited for. Baba stood the assay. He is sterling gold.

Seven Mistakes

1. There are seven mistakes of life that many of us make:

2. The delusion that individual advancement is made by crushing others down.

3. The tendency to worry about things that cannot be changed or corrected.

4. Insisting that a thing is impossible because we ourselves cannot accomplish it.

5. Refusing to set aside trivial preferences, in order that important things may be

accomplished.

6. Neglecting development and refinement of the mind and not acquiring the habit of

reading and study.

7. Attempting to complete other persons to believe and live as we do.

8. The failure to establish the habit of saving money

Gita Jayanthi Message

By Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji

"In whatever form people surrender to Me, in that very same form, I serve them.

Everyone following his own form of worship is really following My worship". God can

be approached under any name and in any manner and Mahasapathy though sticking to

the idea that Khandoba was his God, derived the advantage of getting all his other needs

safeguarded and provided for as far as possible by Sri Sai Baba acting as his Providence.

Other bhaktas also who have their own particular forms who however note the need or

importance of food, shelter, and other things for themselves and their families being

provided by Baba, would be thus encouraged by Mahlsapathy's example to seek Baba and

place themselves under his protection. Baba never interfered with anybody's orthodoxy or

religious worship and the orthodox now in various places need not have any fears about

the loss of their existing spiritual position by contacting Baba. All the while they would

get unconscious expansion and refinement of their idea of God and Gods and became

ready for reaching the "Ekam Sat".

The Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita constitute the trinity of

Vedantha-'PrasthanaTraya'. The Upanishads are final authority in the realm of

spirituality. The Brahma Sutras systematize the Upanishadic philosophy in a set of

aphorisms which are short and full of meaning. The Gita contains the essence of the

Upanishads and the Brahma sutras in a concrete and easy way to be understood by all

people.

Every chapter in the Gita ends with a citation that it is the Upanishad sung by the Lord

and it is 'Brahma vidya'. The popularity and importance of Gita has enhanced not only in

our country but everywhere in the world.

The grand philosophy, the high ideals and the true solutions to the various problems of

life contained in the Gita have a universal appeal. Lord Krishna had declared - "However

men approach Me, even so do I welcome them, for the path men take from every side is

Mine". There is hope of salvation offered to everyone. Gita is the universal Mother-she

turns away nobody. Her door is wide open to anyone who knocks at it.

The Gita teaches unity in diversity - much needed these days. It is a scripture which

means becoming one with the Divine life. We gain equilibrium when Self joining the

Eternal Self shall not be affected by pleasure or pain, desire or aversion. Moderation is

the key-note of the Gita. The devotee has to attune himself, with the one Supreme Self. In

the midst of turmoil, he must surrender to the Lord, discharging his duties, not for the

results, but as a divine duty.

The Gita emphasizes the problems of good and evil, i.e., the Law of Karma. It shows the

way of doing things without getting entangled in 'Samsara' through 'Nishkama Karma'. A

Karma Yogi should have calm and poise even in the midst of universal disaster. Gita

says: "He attains peace to whom all desires flow as rivers flow into the ocean, which is

filled with water, but remains unmoved."

The Gita uplifts the aspirant from lower levels to loftier heights where desires are dead,

and where the yogi dwells in calm and ceaseless contemplation, while body and mind are

discharging his duties. The aspirant need not be a recluse but union with the divine can be

maintained in the midst of worldly affairs.

The last stanza of the Gita is a message of eternal hope to people of ails ages and

countries and leads us to prosperity, victory and happiness.

Gospel of Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji

Prof. R. N. lyengar

10.6.1974

Tomorrow Swamiji has the program of going to Mysore. We are discussing this, "I don't

know what to do. Mani is getting married here day after tomorrow. This afternoon they

came here to invite me to the marriage. I can't miss this. But you have also wired that we

are going to Mysore.... Well, we can do like this. Let us first go to Srirangapatna in the

morning. After lunch at the house of Raghu's aunt, we shall reach your house in Mysore

by four o'clock in the afternoon. Let us stay overnight there and start back at six in the

morning to arrive here by ten. The muhurtam is at eleven o' clock."

"As you wish Swamiji, but you do only palahara in the evening and that means you

won't have even dinner with us." "Come on let us chant Vishnu Shasra once and then

decide". After the chanting Swamiji is talking:

"You tell me, what we shall do. Shall we postpone our Mysore visit; already once having

agreed to visit, I had to go away to Madras. It would have been a disappointment to your

sister." "That is true Swamiji, but if your program gets too crammed, will it not be

tiresome for you?" "What to do, my boy! What for is this body given, if it is not for the

help of others. You need not worry on that count. They would also be expecting me. All

right let us do like this only. Let us start tomorrow at six o' clock in the morning." In the

evening Swamiji went to the venue of the Radhakaiyana function, held yesterday. He

returned to the Ashram by 8.30 p.m.

On 1.6.1974 Swamiji has started for Mysore by about 6.45 a.m. Krishnamurthy is

driving. Raguprasad is also with us. Within a short while Ganapati mantra has been

started. "Om Ganananam tvaa ganapatigm havamahe, kavim kavinam..."after about forty

chantings Swamiji is repeating Vishnu Sahasranama. After several repetitions Swamiji is

talking casually. Swamiji appears to be happy with the journey. He is enjoying the natural

beauty of the fields outside. "Krishnamurthy, if we can build a small ashram somewhere

here and stay, it would be nice. (Jokingly) What man, are you also coming?" DVK is

laughing; "How is that possible Swamiji, I am a family man. Perhaps the time is not yet

ripe for me to come away!" Indicating a hillock, Swamiji is telling, "See that, it looks like

an elephant, some one seems to be sitting on the top of that." Like this, the conversation

is proceeding in a very friendly and light manner. In between Swamiji is chiding DVK

"hey, drive properly you dummy; don't overtake other vehicles in curves." Now and then,

he squeezes the ear, but the next moment he affectionately puts his hand over the

shoulder of DVK. Where to eat the 'Idlis', is being discussed humorously. Swamiji said

"find a quiet place without houses nearby, stop under the shadow of a tree."

Krishnamurthy is answering at tangent "let me stop where water is available." We are

finding the conversation funny and comical. Swamiji is laughing "what are you talking;

we have brought water along with us in the car, why should you worry about it. You are

funny; it is like the proverb that the lady should deliver the baby where ginger is

available!" Somehow a suitable place was found and we had our breakfast. Swamiji ate

only one idly. From somewhere arrived a dog, and had its share. Swamiji also gave an

idly to a village boy walking along the road.

We have reached Srirangapatna by about 9.15a.m. Swamiji has arrived in the house of

Satyavati, an aunt of Raghuprasad. The family is well known to Swamiji since many

years. The hostess received Swamiji with great reverence and affection. Within a short

while Swamiji has started for the Ranganatha Swamy temple. Even as we are nearing the

beautiful temple, his mood seems to be changing. As the sanctum sanctorum is

approaching Swamiji's facial expression has become distinctly emotional exuding a fine

tenderness. At a distance from the garbhagriha a barricade has been erected for the

devotees to stop.

But after the rush of the devotees has decreased, we have been, specially allowed to go

further inside. Swamiji has started Vishnu Sahasranama. Meanwhile, DVK and Raghu

have gone out on some errand. Even as the Sahasranama chanting is continuing the priest

called us inside. The priest started archana at the feet of the Lord. Swamiji reciting

Vishnu Sahasranama sat on the floor. Immediately, the priest objected loudly "no, none

can sit there like that". Swamiji with great humility apologized: oh, I didn’t know that".

We are standing near the face of the long reclining idol, but the attention has been at the

feet. After the archana, the priest is doing arathi near the face of the Lord, but Swamiji is

concentrating on the feet. The priest is almost ordering "look here, look this way...." With

all these disturbances, Swamiji is still the personification of equilibrium. Silently he

offered a rupee coin in the plate and came out of the inner precincts. "Well, I was

meditating on the feet, and thus did not notice the arathi at the other end."

After going clockwise to the shrine of the Mother now Swamiji has come to the outer

courtyard. In between, in alt the small shrines also he very reverently bowed and took

thirtha-prasad, and offered money also. DVK and Raghu are delayed and hence we have

to wait for them. Swamiji, rejecting all the vacant halls available in the big temple, has

chosen the floor inside the main entry for his seat. Immediately outside the stone sill,

beggars are sitting in large numbers. There is every likelihood of us being mistaken for

beggars! Indeed, an elderly lady wanted to offer alms to Swamiji, which he politely

warded off, by telling "amma. go inside!"

Back in the house of the devotees, Swamiji made us repeat Sri Sukta and other hymns.

Inside, preparations are going on for the lunch. Satyavati is coming out of the kitchen

often to enquire Swamiji whether he needs anything. It is very apparent that Swamiji has

come here for her only. It seems that when she was young, Swamiji had cured her of her

swelling in the legs. Swamiji himself narrated the incident. Her son is not at home; he has

gone to his school. Swamiji is mentioning this as though he is quite disappointed at the

absence of the boy. "Had the child been here, it would have been nice. I could have met

him also. Oh, how tiring it should be for him. You say that he goes all the way to Mysore

daily for his school. All right, I will go to his school in Mysore and meet him!"

This unconditional love of Swamiji is quite astonishing. Satyavati is in tears, unable to

answer properly she is stammering "Yes, Swamiji, if you had seen him at least once, I

would have been immensely happy." After a sumptuous lunch and rest we have started

for Mysore by 3 p.m. Again the meeting with the boy is being discussed. Swamiji is

promising that he would meet him in Mysore, otherwise he will meet him tomorrow

morning on his way back to Bangalore. Satyavati is being dissuaded from coming to

Mysore to show her son.

Swamiji has arrived at the Royal English School, Mysore to meet Gurudutt. The boy is

studying in the Fifth Standard. Raghu has fetched the boy from his class to meet Swamiji

waiting outside in the car. The boy appears to be quite perplexed by this unexpected

event. Swamiji is talking to the boy sweetly. He is peeling the bananas to feed the boy

also. After the boy bowed reverentially and returned to his classes, Swamiji has started

further to reach our house on Devaparthiva Road by about 4 p.m. Within a few minutes

of his arrival he has started chanting Vishnu Sahasranama. After several repetitions,

Swamiji went round the house and is presently casually chatting in the sitting room with

some visitors. "Nama japa is sufficient, nothing else is necessary. This it self will lift us

up. However learned a person may be, he will have to do japa. Otherwise, the vasanas

will not leave him. Namajapa is very easy. Let us pick up the name of a deity we like

most. .As japa progresses and one gains concentration, one gets the vision of that deity.

What is the use of just reading books, without first hand personal experience? For this to

happen Sadhana is very essential. As we practice, if we compare our experiences with

those mentioned in the Upanishads and other texts, we gain a lot of confidence to proceed

on the path we have chosen for ourselves. All kinds of personal ego should get erased,

then and then only can we have the final realization. Even the so called satvikahamkara

that 'I am a shastri, oh, I have studied and understood all the holy texts; I know the truth'

well should go."

Swamiji has started for a visit to the Chamundi Hills. It is slightly drizzling outside. As

usual Sahasranama is being repeated in the car. Even as the hill is being sighted, Swamiji

has become happier. "I have come here several times" Swamiji is saying, "In 1924, I had

accompanied the previous Maharaja of Mysore to the hills. We came to the temple

climbing the steps. At that time the Maharaja told the priest to give the Prasad first to me,

and then to him. Oh! What a king he was! Surely it is difficult to find a person like him

now a day."

We had good darshan of the Goddess. Everyone there seems to realize the holiness

apparent in Swamiji. The priests are receiving us inside with great respect and regard.

Now, Swamiji has started going outside the temple in a clockwise direction. It is still not

clear whether he will go to the car or to the other nearby temples. Casually strolling

along, Swamiji has arrived in the Shiva temple. The priest there explained that the deity

is in fact a Swayambhu Linga but has been covered by a shield. While circumambulating

in the temple Swamiji came in front of the Dakshinamurthy idol. For a minute he stood

motionless and prayed "Gurave sarvalokanam bhishaje bhavaroginam; Nidhye sarva

vidyanam Dakshinamurthaye namaha". After this Swamiji entered the Satyanarayana

temple also. Before reaching the car, Swamiji saw a convenient stone wall to sit rest and

enjoy the sun set.

Swamiji is recounting the visits to the various temples and is immensely happy. The

setting sun is glorious in its crimson hues; the natural phenomenon is a treat to watch at

the height, overlooking the city down below. Swamiji with his flowing silvery beard

juxtaposed with the calm and cool sunset is attracting considerable attention from the

crowd also.

Upon his return to our house, by about 7 p.m. he has again started Sahasranama chanting.

After four repetitions Swamiji started talking. Seeing the tape recorder, "oh, my dear boy.

Why all this, please remove it" he is mildly protesting. "No Swamiji" I am pleading, "you

had agreed to record a message for me. Now as a remembrance of your visit to our house

you must please say a few words." Swamiji, kindness personified, spoke in chaste Tamil

for about twenty minutes.

(to be continued)

A Thought

Sri Sai Baba says, 'If one ever meditates on Me, repeats My name, sings My deeds, and is

thus transformed into Me, one's karma is destroyed. I stand by his side always! It was

Baba's lookout to see that His nature and attitude towards his devotees should be

thoroughly well impressed upon Nana's mind (i.e., any devotee). Baba was watching over

not merely Nana but numerous others and looking after their welfare.

Sai Baba's work (like most divine work) is subtle (sukshma), unseen, easily forgotten and

not properly interpreted. See Ken. Upa. 9,14-26, where gods fail to see God's working

through them to attain victory or to make out God's manifestation in a particular form.

Note how few realized God in Rama Avatar during his life-time. So Baba had to repeat

his efforts to ensure the thorough fixing of these valuable truths and impressions in

Chandorkar's mind. The most common and trifling things one would suppose in the list of

ordinary man's needs are water to drink and food to eat. Vet at times, these assume

extraordinary importance, and provision of drink or food under extremely difficult

circumstances becomes clearly a kind act of Divine Providence. Baba provided these for

Nana.

A dip in Vishnu Sahasra Namam - 24

'Phalashruthi' within Sahasra Nama

By Dr. H. Janardana Acharya

As for upadesa, Baba gave no upadesa mantra, but every word, act, and omission of

Baba, was full of instruction and an inspiration. For ten years (1909 to 1918), Dixit

studied every word, every act, and every deed of Baba. This study itself was Satsang,

apart from the personal contact which Dixit had with Baba.

Let us go to saints and stay by their side; if they do not give any upadesa, let us listen to

whatever falls from their lips. Every such word is upadesa. By their force, all our troubles

vanish. Vasudeva says, 'Bliss comes from Satsang'. This was the experience of Kaka

Dixit and of every devotee that went to Shirdi to see Sai Baba.

This bliss let us continue to have everyday. Worship with all your heart, with full faith

and Saburi, the Shirdi God Sri Sai Baba at your place and in your own heart.

- Narasimha Swamiji

The Sahasra Nama stands on its own and it is complete by itself. An appending

'Phalashruthi' is superfluous. A consolidated 'Phalashruthi' begins from the world

'shabdathiga' and ends at 'Rakshana' (911 to 929). The word 'Shabdathiga' says that He is

beyond the catch of words, keeping to the Vedic saying 'Yato Vacho Nivarthanthe'. The

Sahasra Nama being a string of words, the 'Shabdathiga' completely negatives itself. So

the Sahasra Nama hastens to say immediately 'Shabdasaha'. He is with words. Further, it

says 'Shishira' - dew like, comforting and pleasing.

The ruling words in the 'Phalashruthi' are 'Khaminankara' and 'Rakshana'. Now we shall

give some attention to the word 'Rakshana'- the protector. You can know a person, if you

would know his associates. Now 'Veera' who leads one to the right path, is the immediate

associate of 'Rakshana'. But this Veera' is a free mixer and is a member of many a club

and a long chain of friends, namely Bhugarbha', 'Madhava Madhusudana', 'Bhaktavatsala'

and 'Vishama'. When such a 'Rakshana' with eight other companions are ranged in the

'Phalashruthi' is to protect the Sahasra Nama Upasaka, what more the 'Upasaka' could

aspire for?

Finally the 'Rakshana' the protector has been described as 'Santah Jeevanah

Paryavasthitah'. He is described as a pious one (Sadhu) who has always crossed the ocean

of 'Samsara' (Jeevanah Paryavasthitah).

It looks as though a boatman comes to the Upasaka of Sahasra Nama, a pious boat man

who is plying his bark across the ocean of life. There is no need for the Upasaka neither

to wade through the deep waters of life nor to swim over. He has only to board the boat

and he will have a smooth sail across the stormy water. This is the type of 'Rakshana' that

the Vishnu Sahasra Nama provides for its devotee.

'Anantha Rupah Ananthashri' - these two words coming next to 'Jeevan Paryavasthitah)

are significant. They are vista opened yonder the ocean of life. It is the port where the

boat will have its final anchorage. They give the perspective of peace (Shanthi) the

'Jeevana Paryavasthitah who has passed through all the tangles of life. They show the

mental level in which a devotee ever lives. He will be visualizing and realizing

'Anantharupa' and 'Ananthashri' everywhere and in everything and at all times. That is the

Promised Land where the Vishnu Sahasra Nama Upasaka lives (Sthanadah Dhruvah)

finally.

That is why Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji instructed his devotees at Sri Sai Spiritual Centre,

Bangalore, not to recite the 'Phalashruthi' after the Sahasra Nama is over. This was earlier

being done by Sri Narasimha Swamiji at Madras during the forties.

The Power of Grace

We get from God the eternal and everlasting life if only we offer at His feet the transitory

life that we are leading. So in exchange for the transitory, we get from Him the eternal.

But we don't want Him. We want to struggle for so many things of the world, and depend

upon them for happiness and peace, while God who is infinite joy and peace ever resides

in us. What we have to offer Him is only the perishable in order to get in exchange the

imperishable. God says, "Offer your self to Me. I will give you eternal joy and peace"

This dedication of our selves to Him and doing things in His name can be possible only

by His grace.

Then, naturally, the question arises why we should have to strive for anything at all. Why

should we make any effort, when grace is everything? We have to strive in order to know

that by striving we do not get anything, but only by His grace. There are many who are

practicing severe austerities, fasts, and so on. But they find they have not got Him. This is

because His grace has not come to them. Only if you put down your pride and ego-sense

persists, there is no hope. Let the ego struggle until it becomes helpless and surrenders

itself to the will of God. Then His power and glory will be revealed to you. So God's help

comes when we surrender ourselves entirely to Him. His grace alone can transform us.

His grace alone can change the course of our life and make us struggle to achieve Him.

- Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji

Power of Guru

(From the glorious life of Mahan Seshadri Swamigal Narration by A. R. Natarajan,

Mountain Path 4/90)

THE SEER

Without going out of my door

I can know all things on earth.

Without looking out of my window

I can know the ways of heaven.

For the farther one travels

The less one knows.

The sage, therefore,

Arrives without traveling

Sees all without looking

Does all without doing.

It was Friday the 4th of January 1929. Ramana stood watching the elaborate rituals

connected with interring of the sacred body of 'Mahan Seshadri' who had attained

Mahasamadhi on that day. Practically the whole of Tiruvannamalai was there in

mourning. Seshadri arrived in Tiruvannamalai in 1890, its citizens were witnesses to his

'siddhis', powers, his child-like nature, and above an extra-ordinary spiritual stature. Yet

few could claim to know much about him for his God-intoxication made him a puzzle Sri

"Narasimha Swamiji wanted to do Seshadri's biography. He made every attempt to

observe and study the saint. But he would literally shy away and give him no opportunity

to get close to him. Yet, can such Mahatmas really succeed in hiding their greatness,

however much they might try?

Seshadri was born on Saturday, the 22nd of January 1870. His parents Varadaraja and

Marakadam were a pious Brahmin couple of Vazhur in North Arcot District of Tamil

Nadu. He was a precious child who inherited flair of music from his mother. When he

was four years old he and his mother went for a festival in the Varadaraja temple at

Kancheepuram. Attracted by the boy's sweetness a vendor gifted to him a small image of

Lord Krishna. That person was able to sell his entire stock that day. Later he could not

resist kissing the baby hands of Seshadri, saying again and again "My golden hands, my

golden hands". This reputation has stuck and for good reason. In his years in

Tiruvannamalai, shopkeepers would be eager that he should enter their shops for they

would be assured of a roaring trade.

He seemed to be growing up like any other normal child except that he was extremely

gifted. The death of his father when he was barely ten years old and later that of his

mother somehow changed completely the even tenor of his life. The flood tide of 'bhakti'

simply devoured him. All times became Sadhana time. To somehow have the vision of

the Divine Mother and cut the bonds of karma was his single-minded goal. Since his

uncle and aunt could not understand this passion, this desire for solitude, he would

quietly go to the cremation ground. Fearless and steadfast of purpose he was looking for

an excuse to leave home. He got this excuse when his guardians locked him up. He

managed to slip away.

The lure of Arunachala was strong. A couple of years earlier he had himself drawn a

picture of Arunachala and given it the pride of place in his pooja room. Often he would

be heard shouting 'Arunachala, Shonadrinatha' is not Arunachala waiting and beckoning

the spiritual heroes? He reached Tiruvannamalai in 1890, and stayed there till his

Mahasamadhi. Seshadri would not accept money. Totally dependent as he was on what

God chose to provide, what need did he have for worldly things? He used to say: 'you

cannot eat money'. It is said that the truly great ones defy any attempt of classification.

This was more so in the case of Seshadri. For he discarded all rules and would roam

about the streets of Tiruvannamalai, half-shaven, with dirty clothes, eating stale food, and

even sharing food with dogs. He was a law unto himself. But all this could not prevent

one's perception of the brilliance of his eyes, the handsomeness of his face and above all

his utter God-mindedness. People flocked to him as a Siddha Purusha, as a powerful one

who could grant their boons. But his title to greatness does not rest on this.

His was a truly inward life and he was Self-Realized. He used to cover up his true state

by putting on a 'cloak of madness'. He would talk at length about the meaning of 'Maha

Vakyas', I am Brahman', Tat Tvam Asi' with wondrous richness of detail and fullness of

'illustration'. He told once 'After one rejects all objects one after another as transient and

unreal that which remains is the Self. When taunted by a relative for his forgetfulness,

Seshadri told him: 'Mine is the forgetfulness of the illusions of the world and not the Real

Brahman. When a devotee was despondent he encouraged him by saying: The Self is not

discovered in the caves or near holy rivers but is there all along with you as your own

consciousnesses. But one fact remains irrefutable. He was what he told J.V. lyer. Truly he

was the third linga' of Tiruvannamalai - the other two being Arunachala and Ramana.

Eternal Life

No renunciation but understanding of the source from which all have come forth is the

answer to the life problem. Human or animal outlook is false. Dispel separation or

illusion, all thoughts and feelings, then function as before, but infused with the light of

the Divine.

The Divine alone exits. There is none other than the Divine. To be aware of this is true

knowledge, and not to be aware is gross ignorance. While the latter creates a sense of

separation and diversity, the former makes for a consciousness of unity and oneness. The

first is Truth, the second untruth.

To wear beads on the body, to besmear ashes on the forehead, or to dress in colored

clothes, mean nothing. The hallucination that you are separate from your fellow being

must go. In and as the Supreme Spirit, all are one. Live always in this your natural

consciousness. They you are really happy and free.

Rend the veil of illusion that has distorted your vision, and behold yourself everywhere.

Yourself and God are one. Know this and give up all sorrow and fear. You go to temples

and bathe in rivers. You travel for this far and wide. All the while. He, whom you seek,

the Being of bliss and peace, is within you. Your heart is His temple. Your self, which is

God, is dwelling therein. Let the river of your devotion flow. Bathe in such a river and

realize Him, within and without. He is yourself.

- Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji

Sai Rescues Devotee from DistressBy Puttanna

I know a Sai devotee for eight years, who is a frequent visitor to Sri Sai Spiritual Centre.

He had met me many times to talk about Sri Sai. Although we were meeting often, may

be after 1993, I did not see him for quite some time. When I did meet him on the road, I

enquired about his health as he looked very pale and run down. He told me that he had

been suspended by his office a year back on some false allegations and no enquiry had

been conducted so far. He also added that he had a 88-year old mother, wife and a

daughter of marriageable age and that he was struggling for existence.

No Sai or God was coming to his rescue in spite of his daily prayers. I told him "Have

patience. Sai is always with you to help you. He is more concerned about you than you

are about your family. Have firm faith in Him." He did not appear to be convinced and

continued to look dejected. Meanwhile, in spite of his repeated representations, his office

never cared to conduct an enquiry even after two years. I had thought he might not meet

me again. Surprisingly, he turned up one day to convey the information that he was able

to get his daughter married with his brother's help. However, Sai was not helpful, he

remarked in his reinstatement.

I told him that it was only by Sai's grace that he could get his daughter married in the

midst of his hardships and in the same way his other problem would be solved by Baba.

Only he should wait patiently for His help. He countered by saying that he had no faith in

God and it had become a hand-to-mouth existence for him and that he had decided to end

his life. I told him it was unwise to take such a sinful decision, and reminded him about

Sai's words that by suicide one's problems will not get solved as one had to be reborn

again to suffer hardships. I asked him to stand before Sai, pray and cry for His mercy.

"He is Sabka Malik and bound to help His devotees". I also gave him Sai Udhi,

suggesting his chanting Sri Sai Ashtothra daily after bath, taking a little udhi mixed in

water as Sai theertha'.

Meanwhile, I came to know that his benefactor, his brother, suddenly passed away.

In July, 1966, a miracle happened. The devotee came to tell me that through a well-

wisher, he had approached an M.R who, after listening to his pathetic condition,

promised to take up his case with the Minister concerned. Within a week, he came back

again to inform me that the M.R had asked him to meet the Minister personally. But he

could meet the Minister after an unsuccessful attempt, a week later. When he met the

Minister, the latter told him that he had studied his case file and as he had no time to

spare, he should answer 'yes' or 'no' the following questions :

A: Have you misappropriated Government money?

b: Have you ever misbehaved with your superiors?

c: Have you stolen anything from the office?

The devotee answered 'no' to the queries. When the Minister asked him how he could

believe him. The devotee answered politely : "Sir, on my honor, in the name of my Guru,

Shirdi Sai Baba, I can swear that I am telling you the truth only, I am undergoing great

hardships. Sir, believe me, my wife and aged mother have no food to eat and I am almost

begging from my well-wishers. However, permit me to say that I cannot satisfy human

beings, but, if you take me to Shirdi, my Gurusthan, there I will swear at the Samadhi of

my Sadguru that I am speaking the truth only and nothing but the truth. Believe me Sir, I

have sent back my pregnant daughter to her in-laws, as I cannot attend to her in my

present plight."

After the narration, he told me: "Puttanna, I was not myself when I was talking to the

Minister. I could see the Minister's eyes welling up with tears. Nay, I was seeing Baba

Himself in the guise of the Minister, showering His grace on His down-trodden devotee."

On hearing me, the Minister without any further words, noted on the case file: "Reinstate

and report at once."

Within a week, he got a letter from his office asking him to report for duty immediately.

Later, he came to convey the joyous news, but was unable as he was overwhelmed by

emotion. With tears rolling down his cheeks, he prostrated before Sai Baba's photo and

then getting up slowly cried out loudly: Sai, Sai, Sai... for a while. Regaining his

composure, he whispered to me: "Through Sai's ever-merciful grace, I have reported for

duty yesterday. Sai is really great."

This narration is a very recent saga of a humble devotee, who in his own way reposed

faith in the Loka Guru, Sai, who under any conditions, will not let down his devotees.

Say Sai jaikar to Sri Sai thousand times and in thousand ways. He is ever with us. Only

when we look at Him, He will look at us. To get at Him, as Sai Himself has said, no

elaborate worship is required. Simply uttering His sweet name "Sai" or chanting "Om Sai

Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai", one is sure to cross the ocean of samsara and reunite with Him. So,

wherever you may be, in whatever condition you are, remember Sai, Sai and Sai alone

and be happy.

DESIRE LESS PERSONA Thought

Lord Krishna said: "When actions such as sacrifices are performed according to the

scriptures, one should not take any pride in being the doer. If anyone goes on a

pilgrimage at another's expense, he cannot claim any merit of the pilgrimage. A chieftain

under a powerful King, defeating an adjoining ruler and bringing him as a captive before

his King cannot consider himself a victor. How can a person, crossing the river with the

help of a swimmer, boast of swimming across the river? Can a family priest, who does

tile sacrifice and distributes gifts on behalf of the sacrifice, take credit for being the

donor? Likewise, the obligatory duties that are done from time to time should be done

without feeling proud that one has done them. The doer should not crave for the fruit

resulting from his actions. His actions should be done in a selfless manner just as a

mother suckles the child of another woman. Nobody waters a fig tree expecting fruit from

it. Similarly, one should perform one's actions with indifference to the results. Just as a

cowherd looks after the cows of the village without longing for their milk, a person

should be indifferent to the results of his own actions. If one does actions like this, one

can attain the knowledge of the Self. Therefore, My message to all is that they should

perform all actions renouncing all desire for its fruit, that is, all physical attachment to it.

- Sri Radkakrisbna Swamiii

Wonderful Sai Leelas

By. R. Radhakrishnan

Shirdi Sai Baba's ways are mysterious, inscrutable inconceivable, incredible and beyond

the reach of our mind and thought.

Once a devotee comes under the fold, Baba strengthens his devotion by giving him such

experiences {Leelas) and he ultimately realizes that Baba is no other than God (Para

Brahma) and has manifested in this world as an 'Avathara Purusha' (Divine incarnation)

to elevate mankind by removing their ignorance (Avidya) and bestowing knowledge in

them to realize the truth (Self Realization).

Now, I shall relate a recent experience (Baba's miracle) for the benefit of devotees. On

8th Oct. 1996 (Tuesday) early morning, while I was still in bed, in the home of a Sai

bandhu at Benson Town, Bangalore, I heard a distinct voice," I will come along with you

for 'biksha' (food) today". I immediately woke up and to my surprise; there was none in

the room. I was reminded of a similar instance in Sai Satcharitra Chapter 40, in which

Baba told Hemad Pant (Anna Saheb Dablokar) that he would go to his house for meals on

the Full Moon day morning in 1917.

I did not reveal this to anybody. Whenever I go to Bangalore, it is my usual practice to

visit Sri Sai Spiritual Centre at Thyagraja Nagar, to pay my obeisance to Lord Sai and

His apostles Poojya Narasimha Swamiji and Poojya Radhakrishna Swamiji (Trinity),

whose idols are installed in the Sai Mandir.

I attended the noon Arathi (Sung on Shirdi lines) and took Prasada and was about to go to

the Sai Bandhu's home at Banashankari for lunch as prearranged. Meanwhile, Sri D.V.

Krishnamurthy, staunch devotee of Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji and Chief Priest at Sri Sai

Mandir, told me: "You are Sai Blessed today. Sai devotees have been invited by a great

Sai devotee at N. R. Colony to do Vishnu Sahasranama parayana and arathi to Baba and

to have prasada in his house. We are now five available and one devotee has sent word

that he cannot come. Please join us. So saying, Sri Krishnamurthy took me to the

devotee's house. We did Vishnu Sahasranama Parayana followed by chanting of Baba's

Taraka Mantra "OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI" for half an hour in the Sindhi

gentleman's house. The hostess narrated to us Sai miracles, how Baba got back their lost

business account book {credit book) in which lakhs of rupees due from creditors had

been recorded.

I always carry Baba's photos with me and Baba prompted me to give the same to them.

When I took Baba's photo from my bag to present it to the pious lady, it turned out to be

Baba's photo in Bikshadana (begging) form came in my hand and I was overwhelmed

with Sai joy and tears gushed out of my eyes. Then I remembered Baba's dream that

morning at Benson Town, in which he had told me "I will come along with you for

Biksha (food) today."

"Let us always chant Baba's Taraka Mantra "OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI"

constantly and enjoy SAI BLISS for ever.

The Living God

He who is in you and outside you

Who works through all hands

Who walks on all feet,

Whose bodies are all ye,

Him worship, and break all other idols!...

You fool! Who neglect the living God,

And his infinite reflections with which the world is full,

While you run after imaginary shadows,

That leads alone to fights and quarrels,

Him worship the only visible!

Break all other idols!

Mysticism

God is an artist par excellence. He has painted the picturesque universe on the screen of

His own immutable and glowing spirit. So He is at once the painter and the painted. In

the ultimate analysis, God and His lover, God and His devotee and servant are He. The

unmanifest which is beyond all duality - has become both, this secret few know.

Discrimination, which is the power granted by my God to distinguish the real from the

unreal, awoke me. This is the Grace that worked from within. Then the Grace came from

without the Grace from the Guru-which completed the circuit as it were. Sadhana done to

bring about this contact resulted in a flood of illumination. Now the aspirant is lost in

God-in divine rapture and peace.

God is love, knowledge and power. He made me realize Him first as love, then as

knowledge and last as Power. Now my life entire is fulfilled in Him so much so that my

life has become His life and being. I am conscious that I am one with Him and all the

world, beings and things, because He is all and all in all.

We speak too much about God, remaining in the plane of duality. Let us identity with

Him in spirit be the basis for all that we say and do. We cannot have full satisfaction in

mere dualism - as two entities, God and I are Twones in play is all right.

- Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji

Dedicated work on miraculous Saint of Shirdi

Sri Sai Baba of Shirdi was a walking God, talking God, and personification of the Lord

himself. As a devotee of Sai Bhagwan of Shirdi from 1937 when I was 8 years old, I can

personally vouchsafe to the great powers of this unique saint. His life itself is a

mysterious one and we do not know much about his early child hood. But his devotees

have carefully preserved details of this later life.

I have gone round the world quite a few times and I have visited all the States in India.

Wherever I go, whether it is London or Manchester, or New York or Rome or Seoul or

Melbourne, Kashmir or Kanyakumari, I had always seen beloved SAI BABA being

worshipped by his devotees there. Sai Baba is a house word throughout the globe.

Millions have crossed insurmountable hurdles chanting His name. His teachings have

become very popular. Even in my house we have the following sayings of Baba

inscribed:

"Why should you have any fear When I am here?"

"Cast all your burdens on me, and I will bear them".

"If you fail everywhere think of Sai.

These Taraka Mantras of the inimitable Walking God of Shirdi have been the Motive

Force behind the progress of millions of his devotees. Rangaswami Parthasarathy, the

noted journalist of the 'Hindu' tradition, is a gifted writer. His biography of The Hindu,

entitled "Hundred years of The Hindu", was a monumental work of the highest order.

Drawn into the perennial stream of the Baba by Sri Radhakrishnaswami and Sri

Narasimha Swami, it is our fortune R. Parthasarathy took upon himself the sacred task of

writing about the God who walked on earth.

My own father the late Revered Sri. V. Krishna swami lyer, a Sanskrit scholar of merit,

was a personal friend of Sri. B.V. Narasimha Swamiji and naturally the Great Baba

entered our house sixty years ago. Hence I felt extremely happy to go through this

magnificent biography of the Shirdi Bhagwan, I considered it a great blessing of my

GURU.

Rangaswami Parthasarathy has based this well documented biography largely on Sri

Narasimha Swami's writings and on Sai Satcharitra of Hemad Pant apart from several

other sources. The book makes very fascinating reading. As Swami Harshananda says

very aptly in his foreword, this book helps "the mortals to take one more step towards

immortality."

The author begins the search for Sai Baba with these Words:

In the line of great prophets came one towards the end of the 19th century who founded

no religion, who had no credentials to be recognized as a prophet, whose appearance and

dress and nomadic ways of living provoked people to call him a mad fakir. He appeared

as a fakir all right but he was not surely mad. He was a highly self-realized soul, whose

parentage, antecedents, caste or religion nobody knew, nor would he reveal. He had no

name either and he carried all his life the name given to him by his devotees.

He had extraordinary powers, which he was reluctant to exhibit but was compelled to

exercise them by a mean act of some petty traders who played a prank on him by denying

him oil to light the mud lamps in the dilapidated mosque where he lived. This was a

turning point in this life and from a mad fakir he became a living God to the simple folk

of Shirdi, an obscure village of Maharashtra near Nasik. They worshipped him as they

did their own personal deities (Ishta devatha) and he became a living god to them. They

did not have to wart for answer to their prayers as they had to, in their pooja rooms or in

temples but this man-God granted them on the spot.

He was their protector and guarantor of their safety, security and well-being. His message

to them was: "Don't be afraid. I shall take care of you." The only thing he wanted from

them was nishta and saburi (faith and patience). And this he got from them in abundance

and those who surrendered to him including intellectuals, scholars and government

officials of status and high position, never regretted and found fulfillment of their desires

and aspirations. One of these intellectuals said: "He symbolized my conception of God.

"The author carefully traces Sri. Narasimha Swami's voyage| of Discovery of the God

incarnate on discovering the personification I of the Trinity. He took upon himself the

mission of propagating the Sai faith. The closing years of the 19th Century saw the Fakir

entering Shirdi a small hamlet of Maharashtra not far away from Godavari. Like the pied

piper of Hamlin Sai Baba drew devotees from far and near to Shirdi.

The Sai Baba worship is based on the principle that the GURU is God for any one who

surrenders to him totally; then nothing else is required for salvation. He need not be a

literate even, he may be poor but once he surrenders to the Guru, He takes full care of the

Bhakta.

The author humorously says that Baba was a Great TC Collector. He asked for

"Dakshina" from every one but kept nothing to himself. He fed every body and he had

only just sixteen rupee; in his pocket when He attained Siddhi for the funeral expenses,

Baba had utter disregard for money but his love for his devotees was immense.

Baba used to say:" It is not these coins that I want. I want nishta (faith) and saburi

(patience). Give me these." Baba never got angry or showed displeasure if anyone did not

pay Dakshina. He never showed any special favor to those who gave dakshnia or

donations. He gave his love and attention to all. He refused to establish a mutt or ashram

or be the head of any institution or estate or property or even recognize anyone as his

disciple to succeed him. He left no estate for anyone to succeed to it.

The author has carefully gathered details that give us a deep insight into the sacred

personality of Sai Baba. In Chapter VI "A day with Sai Baba" we get fuller details of His

personality.

Sai Baba was about five feet six inches tall, neither stout nor lean. His complexion was

golden yellow, his eyes bluish, which shone bright mysteriously in darkness. Indeed, his

eyes were the object of wonder to devotees. His nostrils were prominent. At the time

when Sai Shardanandaji, who has given the above description of Baba, saw him, Baba

had some of his teeth missing and the rest were not pure white.

He never brushed his teeth but only rinsed his mouth with a little water every morning.

He did not drink coffee or tea but did not ask his devotees to abstain from them. He never

told anyone how he got into the habit of smoking a pipe. He always used the same clay

pipe although devotees offered him many pipes which he did not use but stocked in a

hollow of the masjid wall.

The piece of cloth tied round his head was very rarely changed and never washed. When

he decided to change his kufni he sent for the tailor and said: "Get me a kufni". When it

was given to him he always paid the tailor more than its worth. Left to him self Baba

spoke very little. Mostly he was calm and quiet, speaking only when absolutely

necessary. He never laughed loudly but smiled

Most of the time he sat with his eyes closed. When a devotee approached him for darshan

he glanced at him. Sometimes he did not even do that. He was always playful in the

presence of children. He never sat leaning against the wall in the mosque. Even when he

sat with his legs outstretched he always sat a few feet away from the wall. He did not lie

down during the day. He seldom visited any temple in Shirdi.

This great Fakir who called his abode a Hindu mosque, treated every one alike and He

had stated that he had four arms to save the devotees. Thus, He was a real personification

of the Divinity as proved by the countless miracles catalogued by the author. Chapter 7

deals with the 10 apostles of Baba and every line bears evidence to the author's great

attention to details.

Baba was above all religions. He was God and God is beyond religion. Baba preached no

cult. He was not the founder of any sect. He did not set up any spiritual hierarchy; he

showed a way of life. In a subtle but very effective way he chiseled into men's hearts the

truth that the supreme mission of life is to sense God, see God, live in the proximity of

God, grow like unto God and become one with God.

Baba held all religions in reverence. He pronounced the Fatiya and listened to the Quran

from Muslims and uttered Rama mantra to the Hindus and taught them the Bhagavad

Gita. He discouraged conversions and asked his devotees to stick to their faith. His

mosque contained the nimbar towards which Muslims turn for prayer, a fire which

Hindus and Parses worshipped and the sacred Tulsi brindavan was there for the Hindus.

He called the mosque Dwarakamayi (Hindu Mosque). A devotee has said: 'The eminence

of Baba as a saint is not in his striking out a new line of thought or expounding a new

philosophy or religious system. His greatness consists in drawing to himself men without

any faith or adequate faith in their own ancient systems". These lines of the author bring

Baba alive before us. Chapter 9 is devoted to the sayings of Baba and Chapter Ten lists

the wonderful Leelas of the Sai. Chapter XI Farewell: "My Tomb Will Speak" brings

tears to our eyes. The recorded history of Baba leaving his body once for three days and

coming back to life similar to resurrection of Lord Christ touches our heart. Finally on

October 15, 1918 Baba breathed his last at Dwarakamayi in Shirdi. The Broken Brick

episode so carefully detailed by the author moves the reader. The fact that Baba leaned on

the shoulders of Bagoji Shinde, his leper devotee when He attained siddhi speaks

volumes of Baba's compassion to the poor and down trodden and for the blossoms in the

dust.

The following para gives us a real account of the prowess of Baba. "My Tomb will

speak". Yes! He speaks from the tomb and takes all our burden on Himself.

Rangaswamy Parthasarathy has done yeoman service to the human race in general and

especially to the billions of Sai devotees around the globe, by his devoted and dedicated

work on the miraculous saint of Shirdi. R. Parthasarthy writes about hundreds of miracles

of the Saint of Shirdi and his last chapter "Shirdi - Today", is a valuable guide to any one

who wants to visit Shirdi. But to visit Shirdi you must be drawn there by Baba Himself as

He had stated.

This is a fascinating biography of one of the Greatest Avatars of our times by a sincere

devotee who has found real joy in painting the portrait of his Master in diverse hues with

a rare sense of humility and dedication. We should place on record the pains taken by the

author in gathering so many facts carefully. We should congratulate the Sterling paper

backs also for publishing this magnum opus in such a an excellent form with remarkable

photos also.

I should strongly recommend that this book is a "must" in every home, school and

college. In fine, when we complete a reading of the book we feel the presence of the

"GREAT MASTER".

Baba's Mahasamadhi Celebrations

Sri Sai Baba's 78th Mahasamadhi Day and H.H. Sri Narasimha Swamiji's 40th Aradhana

Celebrations were conducted from 17th October 1996 to 27th October 1996 with great

religious fervor and enthusiasm. The celebrations included besides the usual

abhishekams, Poojas and Homas cultured events like discourses and music recitals. The

celebrations were inaugurated by Poojya Sri Brahmanandhaji, President, Chinmaya

Mission, Bangalore, on 17th October by lighting the lamp and Anugrahabashana. Swami

Poorna Pragnananda also spoke on the occasion about the significance of Baba's Avatar.

On October 18th, Vidhushi Gomathi Balasubramaniam, accompanied by Sri R. K.

Prasanna Kumar on the Mridangam and Sri. Sivasailam on the Ghatam gave a melodious

veena recital on 19th October Vidhushi Meenakshi Ravi accompanies by Kum. Sunitha

on the Violin and Vidhwan N.G. Ravi on the Mridangam impressively rendered

devotional songs.

On 20th October a large number of devotees participated in the Samuhika Abhisheka to

Sri Sai Baba and Swamijis. In the evening a devout group of Sri. Ramakrishna

Yogashrama, Girinagar, Bangalore, conducted a fine Bhajan programme. On

Vijayadashami day (21 October) after Abhisheka to Baba and Swamiji's, Vishnu

Sahasranama Parayana and Taraka Mantra chanting "Om Sai Sri Sai Jaya Jaya Sai" were

conducted. Baba's Mahasamadhi Day was celebrated on 22nd October. In the morning

Shatha Rudrabhiskeka was performed for Baba and Swamijis. There was a long queue of

devotees to participate in the Samuhika Abhisheka.

In the evening the famous cine playback and Sugam Sangeeth artist Sri Sashidhar Kote,

enthralled the audience with his emotional Bhakti songs on Baba and other saints. The

devotees were so moved that they joined him in the rendition of a few of bhajans.

The renowned Saxophone artist, Vidwan Kadri Gopalnath and party gave a delightful

recital on 23rd October. Vidwan Konanur Srikantan and party entertained the devotees

with a Hirakata on "Dhurvasa Athithya" on 24th October. On 25th October a large

number of tady devotees performed Lalitha Sahasranama and Sri. Vishnu Sahasra Nama

Laksharchana. In the evening, there was an interesting discourse on "Sri Dattatreya

Darshana" by Srimathi Vijaya Bharathi.

The 40th Aradhana of H.H. Sri. Narasimha Swamiji was conducted with great fervor on

26th October. Samuhika Abhisheka was performed by devotees to Baba and the

Swamiji's followed by Bhajans. In the evening, Sri Sathyanarayana Pooja was perfomed

by Sri. D.V. Krishnamurthy. Sri D.V.L.N. Murthy, Secretary of Sri Sai Spiritual Centre

Trust, spoke on the life and noble Sai Prachar work by H.H. Sri Narasimha Swamiji. The

celebrations concluded on 27th October with Sri. Vishnu Sahasra Nama Homa conducted

by Veda Brahma Sri Srinivas.

After Maha Mangalarathi and Poornahuti, the large numbers of devotees were served

with prasada. In the evening there was a grand procession of the portraits of Baba and

Swamiji's in a well decorated Ratham. Vedagosha, bhajans and Nadaswaram music

formed part of the procession in which a large number of devotees participated.

-Air Cmdr. T.M.M. Raghavan

A Tribute to Sri O.K. Varada Rao

By Dr. G. R. Vijayakumar

On 9th September 1996, Sri O.K. Varada Rao- O.K.V. uncle to all of us - went gently

into the night. He did not 'rage against the ending of light’. Why should he? It was the

end of the shadow, not the light. His Sadguru, Sri Narasimha Swamiji had shown him

that the Self, one's own true being, is eternal light. So he went gently, after spending

seventy-five beautiful years on this earth.

Born on 14th April 1921 in a conservative Nanda Vaidika Brahmin family, Sri Varda

Rao was one of the earliest devotees of Sri Narasimha Swamiji. He served as the First

Hon. Secretary of All India Sai Samaj and put his life and soul in Sai Prachar. Sri

Narasimha Swamiji affectionately called him 'O.K.Vee'. Sri Rao had a great role to play

in the formative stages of All India Sai Samaj. While Sri Varada Rao helped Sri

Narasimha Swamiji, his wife, Smt. Sharada (daughter of Late Justice Somaiah of Madras

High Court) with great devotion worked as Swamiji's Secretary in doing the office work

of All India Sai Samaj.

At All India Sai Samaj, both Sri Rao and Smt. Sharada got an excellent guide. Sri K.

Radhakrishna - who later on became Sri Saipadananda Radhakrishna Swamiji - was well

read in English, Tamil and Sanskrit and had a deep understanding of Sri Sai Baba's life

and mission and Sri Narasimha Swamiji's zeal for Sai Prachar. Affectionately called

'Radhakrishna' by Sri Narasimha Swamiji, he was held in esteem by everyone at All India

Sai Samaj. Sri Varada Rao found in Sri Radhakrishna a match for his Teutonic diligence

and thoroughness.

Sri Varada Rao served in the Bank of Baroda and retired as a Regional Manager and

settled down at Hyderabad. He looked upon my wife Smt. Seetha as his foster-daughter

and used to write to me affectionately: "My dear Alludu... (Alludu in Telegu means son-

in-law). He insisted on his children to call on us at Hosur even though it meant a journey

of back-breaking 40 km from Bangalore. He has shared with me many personal

experiences he had with Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji. He had a

word of pat for all my writings in Sai Magazines.

When Sai Spiritual Centre decided to install a marble idol of Sri Narasimha Swamiji in

1990, he was overjoyed and was the first person to send a token contribution of Rs. 116/-

This maiden donation of Sri Rao became the nucleus for our fund for installing Sri

Narasimha Swamiji's idol. Sri Rao took to writing or rather was called to that vocation.

Those were the days when serious writers could just manage to keep the wolf from the

door. "I was always poor" said Sri Varada Rao once. But that was “Sadhana” in a rich

sense. Did he not in later years become a, very articulate, highly polished writer,

producing such well received articles on Sai Baba and Sri Narasimha Swamiji. Sri

Varada Rao was a great devotee of his family deity - Mother Chowdeswari. For the

mother's original seat at Nandyal in Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh, Sri Varada Rao

collected funds for the re-construction of Rajagopuram, which had collapsed in a

cyclonic storm. He was an eternal guide to those temple trustees.

The letter he wrote to me was in May 1996: "Thank you for everything, my dear son-in-

law. You are taking leave of me and I am taking leave of every body soon. I bless you."

Along with this, he had sent me a card in which he had pasted his photograph after Sai

Baba, Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji and mentioned "Tiny sparks

from O.K.V. to G.R.V." This card finds the pride of place on my office-table.

He went gently, happily. It was into the great Light that he went. Goethe, in his last

moments, muttered: light, more Light'. To Sri Varada Rao great Light was never in

doubt, ever since he realized the truth of Sri Narasimha Swamiji's teaching the Self is

Light. Sri Varada Rao had taken part in many All India Sai Devotees conventions and in

almost all the souvenirs he had contributed his articles on Sai Baba. He was a great Sai-

Prachar and will be greatly missed by his numerous admirers and devotees. He and his

wife, Smt. Sharada, were an affectionate pair and cherished great regards for Sri

Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji.

We offer our sincere condolences to his beloved wife, Smt. Sharada, his son, Sridhar Rao

and daughters, and numerous grandchildren and a host of relatives.

Although we know the magical smile of OKV will greet us no more, he continues to live

in our heart and in the hearts of all whom he has touched. His presence merged in Sai

Baba, Sri Narasimha Swamiji and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji, and his tapas at AH India

Sai Samaj remains on, living and pulsating, for all Sai devotees to draw from.

Dr. Jayalakshmi

Dr. Jayalakshmi, .a staunch devotee of Sri Sai Baba and Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji,

passed away on October 10. She was a doctor in the Air Force Civil Service and later in

the I.T.I. Dr. Jayalakshmi was a frequent visitor to Sri Sai Spiritual Centre. May Sai Baba

grant her 'sadgathi'.

God and the Human Body

God reveals Himself in the human body in all His power and glory. Tit is the suitable

vehicle worthy through which He works daily for redeeming the worldly from hate, strife

and pain completely. May God Sai pour His grace on all of us equally Love, harmony

and divinity Prevail everywhere constantly And everybody live cheerfully.

- Sai Kinkar

Sai's Supreme Love

Whenever I meditate on Sadgudu Sai, never there is limit to my inner joy, He binds me

with Motherly Love, as a calf attached to a cow, milk of wisdom and bhakti, He pours on

me as Antarsaksakshi, Antaryami, He holds the spiritual key Sure. He steers me to the

pure Path, some times by feigning and displaying His wrath Tan, Man, Oh!, I surrender

to Him in bhakthi, Which is supreme stage of love and inner sakthi Baba's love for

devotees has no bounds and barriers And helps heal one's physical and psychic wounds.

- Sai Ananda

The Pathless Path

A Thought

There are various cults, creeds, sects and institutions in the world which presume to lead

the struggling soul to the haven of spiritual liberation and peace. Innumerable also are the

ways, methods and disciplines prescribed for purifying and elevating the Spirit so that it

may reach the goal of divine perfection. Aspirants are everywhere engaged in practicing

these methods and endeavoring to attain their object. They feel that they are caught in the

grip of one or the other discipline and after some trial find that their progress is not

satisfactory. Their hearts remain as impure as ever and their minds continue to be restless.

If for a moment they gain some peace, again the spirit gets into a whirl and there is a

feeling of frustration and despair. Some of the aspirants are tremendously earnest in their

quest of immortality and peace. There are others whose aspiration is not so strong and

steady. There are still others who make a show of religiosity. But all of them are dwelling

in a state of uncertainty and confusion. They feel as if they are moving in the dark

groping for the real way that takes them to light and freedom. They delude themselves

into the belief that they will be able to fulfill their quest in the near future.

It is true that all the experiences, however bitter they may be, through which the soul

passes are necessary for its upward growth and evolution.

- Sri Radhakrishna Swamiji