Sai Ram All,
As most of you are probably aware,
there hasn’t been any recent update to the newsletter. I apologise greatly for
this and with the exception of a very limited amount of festivals in May and
with being so behind, we have decided to combine April and May’s editions to
the newsletter. Anyone wishing to contribute to the next issue of the
newsletter, please feel free to send any relevant articles to me at shazer40@hotmail.com
Enjoy!
Sharan
In this
edition… How Swami came to me … Vaisakhi
… Ram Navmi … Easwaramma
… Baba’s Own Words …
Story of the Month
To
contribute, please write to shazer40@hotmail.com ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
How
Swami Came To Me
By James Sinclair
Mr. James D. Sinclair is a reputed
businessman, who has made a very big mark for himself in the field of mineral
prospecting. That apart, he is also a person who has been coming to Bhagavan
for spiritual guidance for several years for now. After having acquired his
degree from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business, Mr.
Sinclair, in the year 1975, set up the Sinclair group of companies for which he
became the President and the Chief Executive Officer. Thereafter, he
established, in the year 1981, the James D. Sinclair Financial Research
Institute, for which he became the Chairman and the Chief Executive Officer.
Later on his interest increased in the field of television and
telecommunications, wherein he became the founding partner of the company Cross
Country Cable TV. Presently, he is the Chairman and the Executive Officer of
the Tanzanian American Development Corporation. The manner in which James
Sinclair of America became a devotee of Sai makes a thrilling story. Sinclair
had never heard of Baba but he had a deep yearning for God in his heart; that
was enough. For the rest of the story, we turn to Sinclair himself:
"How is it possible", I used to wonder, "that I
was born at this time and age?" As a Christian, it
seemed so unfair that here I was in the 1950's, and Jesus was on this planet
two thousand years ago. I used to pray as I drove to New York City for business
work: "I know you are out there, but I can't find you, Dear Lord. Instead,
You must find me!" Those prayers were not wasted. They were heard and
answered in the positive.
I
will tell you of an event that at that time seemed shocking but would take
thirty years to become fully clear. It has to be kept in mind that neither I
nor my wife at that time had any understanding or inclination towards Eastern
tradition or philosophies. In 1964, just a short while after our marriage, my
wife and I accepted an invitation to stay at a friend's woodland cottage. As we
were going to sleep, I saw an old man standing over my bed in the moonlight. My
feeling was not one of fear but rather like one has while a mother is looking
at her son. The old man then turned and walked across the room and through the
wall! Just then, my wife said in a loud voice, "Jim, are you awake?"
She screamed since she was watching the old man as he walked through the wall.
Barbara had never seen anything like that in her life and was shaken by the
experience. Now let us leave this experience and move ahead to 1968.
Our
married life had produced our first daughter. Business was not going well. My
health was not so good. The IRS [Internal Revenue Service, which is the name
for the Income Tax Department in the U.S.] was looking for me. I had just sold
my car to pay the month's rent for our living quarters. I was frustrated about
the way things were going and my apparent inability to change the
circumstances. One day, it just became too much for me to bear. I went into my
cellar where I had a desk. I sat down and prayed:
I don't know who You are.
I don't know where You are.
I don't know what You are.
But this I do know: You are!
So, You have to take over,
Because I have made a mess of everything.
I
resolved not to leave the cellar till the Divine literally took over, whatever
that meant. All of a sudden, I looked to my right and saw what appeared to be a
little royal child dressed in gold and jewels. The child had long hair, so I
thought it must be a girl. Suddenly, all my fear was gone. I was totally at
ease. I got up and went upstairs. The fun was about to begin.
I
began to meditate twice a day. The environment slowly began to improve. I had
an interesting experience. My meditation was on the light from a candle. Every
time I started my meditation looking at the candle flame, I saw a little fellow
in the flame wearing an orange robe with a great shock of black hair. Then I
would transcend thought. I also began to have the same dream every single
night. It went on for years. I saw myself walking up a hill, led by three men
in the darkness of night. One was an old man in white. One looked somewhat like
Jesus Christ. The one in the middle had an orange robe. This dream occurred
night after night for years. At that time, I had no knowledge of Shirdi Sai
Baba or Sathya Sai Baba. For that matter I had no idea of any Avatar and did
not know what the word meant.
Now
we move ahead another eighteen years to 1984. I have been meditating now for
fifteen years. I am a vegetarian, and I keep a special room in my house for my
meditation. It is a tiny hut, completely private. My meditation has lost form
of any kind. A friend who then was a technical commodity market analyst knew my
interest in meditation. He suggested that I might like the tape he has. He told
me that he it played before and after his meditation. It gave him a great
spiritual feeling. I was most grateful and began the same practice for
relaxation before and after meditation. Wow! It was powerful.
Now
comes the spectacular story. Please understand that I don't feel special in any
way. In fact, I believe that someone had been knocking hard on my door for a
lifetime. I was too stupid to know. Therefore, this person had to blow a bugle
in my ear to get my attention. Well, the bugle blew in Connecticut, East Coast
USA, one winter evening.
I
was walking from the lavatory in the night. You know how you get a feeling someone
is there. I did. I turned around and there He was. I hadn't the slightest idea
who He was. This handsome figure dressed in a long orange robe, with a shock of
hair you wouldn't believe, was in my hallway, looking at me silently. I nearly
jumped out of my skin. As fast I had seen Him, He was gone. Well, it happened a
second time. Not too much later, I was in my meditation room, and this same
figure was standing when I came out of meditation. I rubbed my eyes. He was
still there. He motioned as if I was to do something with His Feet. I knelt
down and touched His Feet. As I looked up, He was no longer there. This time I
didn't feel scared, I felt out of my mind. I didn't know which I needed more,
spiritual or professional medical help! I was determined to find out who this
fellow was that visited me. I certainly wasn't going to tell my wife.
Off
I went to the fort of spiritual knowledge in New York City, Samuel Weiser's
bookstore. I approached the clerk. He asked if he could help me. I said, 'I
certainly hope so.' I described my visitor, of course without giving details of
the visit. I wanted to know if there was any book about someone who looked like
the description of my visitor. He said, 'One moment. I will be right back.' He
returned and handed a packet of whitish grey powder and a book titled Holy Man
and the Psychiatrist written by a doctor [this book is by Dr. Sandweiss]. The
salesman told me that he himself was a devotee of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Now I
knew that the name of the form was Sathya Sai Baba. Was I in for a surprise
when I recognised that the recurring dream had been of Shirdi Sai, Sathya Sai,
and Prema Sai walking up the hill night after night for many years? The figure
in the flame was also Him.
On
my first visit to Prashanti Nilayam, which is a story in itself, I was granted
an Interview with Baba. As I entered the room, He said, "All I
have given you, and you have never been happy one moment in your life. I CAME
TO YOU TWICE. Would you do something for Swami?" My answer was,
of course, yes.
Swami
went on, "BE HAPPY". I had told absolutely no one at
that time of the visit. In a 1994 Interview, Swami said to my wife and myself, "I
came to you thirty years ago". He said it right out of the blue.
1964 was the year when we had the experience in the woodland cabin with the
figure of the old man in white. That was indeed thirty years ago.
Who
was the royal little girl in my cellar when I was at my wits ends? I believe it
was Baba in the form of Baby Krishna, welcoming me as a spiritual baby onto His
path.
Thank
You, Swami!
Vaisakhi
Baisakhi,
also known as Vaisakhi, is one of the many important festivals in the Sikh
religion as it is the beginning of the New Year. It is celebrated on the 13th
of April according to the solar calendar. It is celebrated in North India,
particularly in Punjab and is known as the harvest festival. This is because it
is at the time of when the rabi crop is ready for harvesting.
On
this day, men and women tend to celebrate with great excitement, with plenty of
singing and dancing. Gudwaras are beautifully decorated and bright, exciting,
colourful clothes and traditional jewellery is worn. These festivities usually
take place on the river banks which have their sacred
import with myths and legends woven around their origin and names.
The festival is marked with Nagar Kirtan processions. This means
the singing of hymns from the Guru Grath Sahib (the Sikh holy book) are done on
the street marking an important park of the Sikh culture. Celebrations also
include music, singing and chanting scriptures and hymns. These processions are
led by traditionally dressed Panj Piaras and the Guru Grath is carried with
honour.
Vaisakhi has a very special meaning for Sikhs. On this day
in 1699, their tenth Guru Gobind Singh organized the order of the Khalsa Panth
in front of thousands at Anandpur Sahib. He chose Vaisakhi as the occasion to
transform the Sikhs into a family of soldier saints. During the Vaisakhi
festival appeared out of a tent carryin a sword. He challenged any Sikh daring
enough to give up their life to come into the tent. The Guru reappeared out of
the tent alone, with his sword covered in blood. He repeated this four times
until five men had disappeared into the tent. The crowd was then amazed to see
five mean returning wearing turbans along with the Guru. These five men became
known as the Panj Piare, also known as ‘Beloved Fire.’ The men were then
baptised into the Khalsa by the Guru who sprinkled them with Amrit (immortalising
nectar) and recited prayers. Many Sikhs choose Vaisakhi to be baptised into the
Khalsa brotherhood.
On this day also, Guru Arjan Das was martyred by the Muslim rulers
who, in barbaric cruelty, threw him alive into a cauldron of boiling oil.
Again, on this day in 1875, Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Arya Samaj—a
reformed sect of Hindus who are devoted to the Vedas for spiritual guidance and
have discarded idol worship. This day is once again of immense religious import
to the Buddhists because Gautama Buddha
attained enlightenment and Nirvana on this auspicious day.
On April 14th people take a ritual bath in the River
Ganga or a nearby river and design their entrances of their homes with rangoli
(a flowered pattern designed with a paste made from rice powder).
Ram Navmi
Lord Rama is the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He was born
in the month of April (Chaitra). Ram Navmi is celebrated as the anniversary of
his birth and starts at the beginning of the Hindu New Year.
Lord Rama was born to King Dasharath of Ayodhya and his wife
Kaushalya. The King was advised by his family Priest, Saint Vasishtha to do a
special form of worship called "Putra Kamaeshti Yagna"
in order to be blessed with a son. Soon after, His prayers were answered. Lord
Vishnu embodied himself and chose King Dasharath for His father.
People, who’s lives had been destroyed by Ravana’s (King of Lanka)
evilness, asked Lord Brahma for help, but, Ravana could not be killed by a God.
With that, Lord Brahma went to Vishnu for help. Vishnu took the avatar of Rama
and was able to killed Ravana, as the seventh form.
On the ninth lunar day, under the star Punarvasa, appeared on the
earth the almighty Shri Ram. All Sages and Saints were present on this
auspicious day and the city of Ayodhya became a place of happiness and an ocean
of prosperity. He was given the name Rama by the Saint Vashishtha because he
brought joy and happiness to all and was also said to help cross the ocean of
ignorance.
Shri Ram is said to have many divine qualities. An example of this
is the bending of the bow which won Him Sita as his wife. Many Kings and
Princes tried to raise the bow, but none were successful, it lay on the ground,
unmoved. When it came to Ram’s turn, not only did He manage to lift the bow, but
raise it above His head, and drew the bow with such a force that is snapped in
two. Alongside being Ram’s wife, Sita was also his supreme energy. Many people
think of Shri Ram in two different ways. Some think of Him as a divine
incarnation or as a man. Rama’s life is full of lessons for us all, and can be
read from the Ramayana. The teachings of the Ramayana have touched and inspired
the hearts and minds of millions of Hindus.
On Ram Navmi, temples are decorated beautifully with decorations
and images of Lord Rama are greatly adorned. The story of Lord Rama (Ramayana)
is recited or read. Vedic mantras are chanted to Lord Vishnu and devotees of
Lord Rama fast for nine days. A special, stricter fast, is usually taken up on
the last day.
Lord Rama’s birthday is said to bring peace of mind and plenty of happiness.
Easwaramma
Easwaramma was the chosen mother for our beloved Bhagawan Sri
Sathya Sai Baby. She was a poor, middle ages, tender hearted, rural housewife.
She had mothered seven children, three of whom survived into teenage and
beyond. As a mother to Sai he love was all protective and unconditional. She
was intelligent and vigilant, and had an innate sense of honour and virtue.
Easwaramma, as the closest devotee of Sai, was aided by him to uplift herself
to the heights marked out for the ideal woman.
Easwaramma conceived within two years of being married, this was a
great joy to her mother in-law. Her first child was a son and a daughter
arrived a few years later, then another daughter followed. Easwaramma and her
family were happy with their home filled with laughter, song and prayer. But
soon sorrow came behind. Easwaramma had four abortive pregnancies in a series.
The elders attributed it to black magic. They consulted exorcists and many a
talisman was worn. Pujas we arranged at the local temples and holy places, like
Kadiri. And when Easwaramma entered her eighth pregnancy her mother in-law
vowed a series of Sathyanarayana pujas in order to be blessed with a grandson.
Krishna was the eighth child of His parents.
Later on in her life, Easwaramma soon noticed that Swami was
showing a special interest in gathering children and mothers, students and
teachers into his presence. She was exhilarated at the encouragement that Swami
bestowed on intelligent and earnest boys and girls. She herself placed high
hopes on the children of some poor devotees who could not afford to give them
higher education and used, in confidence, to send a sum of money every month.
This shows how kind she really is.
In 1972, a month-long camp was planned at Brindavan, Whitefield,
for over 800 boys and girls, students selected from colleges situated in all
the vatious states of India. When Easwaramma learnt of this, she expressed a
wish to be there too at Brindavan for all those thirty days. Women devotees
from Prashanti Nilayam volunteered to help in the kitchen and stores and
Easwaramma took up residence on the ground floor of Swami’s bungalow.
On
the 11th or 12th day at the camp, Easwaramma had an
experience that reaffirmed her faith that Swami was God. She had a very high
fever for four days an Swami visited her enquiring about her health. When she
looked up at him she was amazed to see Sri Rama with is Crown and Bow. She
raised her folded hands and struggled, but in a few moments he became Swami
again. He gave her Vibhuti and assured her of recovery from her fever.
May 6th for Sai devotees is celebrated in
commemoration for Easwaramma. On this auspicious occasion Swami visit’s his
mothers Samadhi and pays tribute to her memory to set a model for others. In
the evening he gives a discourse highlighting the glory of motherhood. Mothers,
Bhagawan says, have the unique privilege of instilling the first seeds of
spirituality and human values in their children. Bhagawan lays equal emphasis
on children revering their mothers. He reminds them of Rama's words,
"Mother and motherland are greater than Heaven itself", and
"Parents are the visible embodiments of God."
Baba’s Own Words
“Today man is
putting his senses to misuse and as a result his body is becoming weaker day by
day. He shortens his life-span by his unsacred vision and by indulgence in
sensual pleasures. Lakhs of light rays in his eyes are being destroyed because
of his unsacred vision. That is the reason what man is developing eye
defects."
"Actually, one should never seek pardon for the mistake
committed. One should be prepared to undergo the punishment. Only then can one
be free from defects. When a person commits a serious offence, he is put in
jail. He is released only after he undergoes punishment for the required
period. Likewise, if you want redemption, you should atone for your sins and be
prepared to face punishment for your mistakes. You should exercise control over
the senses and see that you do not repeat your mistakes."
Story of the Month
http://laluni.helloyou.ws/exec/abstory.php
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editor sharan soni team divya soni, parag agarwal