Sai Ram All,

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL THE READERS. Hope Swami makes 2005 all you expect it to be.

Jai Sai Ram to you all.

Sharan

To contribute, please write to shazer40@hotmail.com ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

A Well of Water

By Dr David Lingiah

‘Thousands have lived without love, not one without water.’
W.H. Auden (1907-1973) American Poet

The Tsunami of last December that brought flood disaster to many parts of the world got me thinking of the concept of water, the water of life and death. It reminds me of the biblical great flood and how some were saved while others were not. Again, I remember the biblical event where Jesus was at Jacob’s well in Samaria. He asked a woman for a drink from the well. This is described in John 4:13-14. One of the attractive elements of John's account of this meeting is that it takes the woman a while even to glimpse what Jesus means by the water 'of life', or 'living' water (verse 11). Even so, she is fascinated ‘ not only by the stranger himself, but also by his message’ and this makes her listen. Jesus said to her  ‘whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst; the water that I shall give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life’.  This is more powerful than the Tsunami water; it is the healing water of wisdom that can bring nations together to build up and repair any damage caused by all sorts of catastrophes. This water unites all humanity as one powerful force to bring relief and assistance to far away places to meet the needs of the hungry, the thirsty, the devastated souls and their families.

The Director-General of UNESCO, K. Matsuura, spoke of the well of wisdom in his message of the World Water day 2002 thus:

‘The challenge we face, as we mark World Water Day 2002, is to set in motion a dynamic that will make this the century of world water security. Water has long been too low on the public policy agenda or presented only in terms of disasters, scarcity, and pollution or as a potential source of conflict. We need to take a constructive approach to water: it is an essential, shared resource; it should be treated as a foremost priority in every community from the local to the global. There is a fundamental truth that I would like to emphasize on this occasion: the water supply does not run dry when it is drawn from the well of human wisdom.

Water stress creates such vulnerability in communities that the crisis reference will always be there. But let us not lose sight of the fact that water is the source of life: the real problems are usually those of inadequate political, technical and social responses, those of unequal distribution of wealth and knowledge. We do not need to wait for a water crisis to remedy these problems. We can tackle them today.’

The Tsunami flood disaster brought a different set of problems. Not water shortage but water out of control that caused death and destruction to property. Still, the world governments and NGOs and other volunteers rose to the occasion to bring relief to the victims of this wanton cataclysm. The World Water Day 2005 will have a lot to deal with.

Everything biochemical happens in water.  You can think of a cell as a tiny bag of salt water, DNA and proteins.  All of those components work in solution -- that is, they swim around in a liquid environment. If there's a shortage of water, everything becomes too concentrated to work right.  If there's too high a salt concentration, all the machinery that makes DNA, makes and folds proteins, and regenerates energy to power the cell stops working.

Everybody needs water. People can live for two months without food, but will die in less than a week without water. Our own bodies are two thirds water, and our brains are at least 85% water! Billions of gallons of clean, life-saving water lie deep below the earth.  Meanwhile, millions of people suffer needlessly from deadly waterborne diseases.  This is the reality of life in many impoverished places around the world. It is horrible to think that every 8 seconds a person dies of a disease caused by the consumption of unclean water.  Safe, clean drinkable water is one of the world's greatest needs and the answer is literally right beneath their feet. 

In a Foreword to WATER FOR PEOPLE ‘ WATER FOR LIFE, Kofi A. Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations wrote: ‘The world's freshwater resources are coming under growing pressure through such environmental hazards as human waste, urbanization, industrialization, and pesticides. The problems are exacerbated through drought in many parts of the world. The improvement of the water quality itself and access to it have been major concerns for politicians and development agencies for over a decade.’

The United Nations General Assembly adopted resolution A/RES/47/193 of 22 December 1992 by which 22 March of each year was declared World Day for Water, to be observed starting in 1993, in conformity with the recommendations of the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.World Water Day 2005 on 22 March focuses on the theme: Water for Life. It will be the starting day for the International Decade for Action, "Water for Life" 2005 - 2015, proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly.

Objectives

World Day for Water  is pivotal to focusing attention on the need, among others, to:

Strategies

The following are suggested actions and activities that can be carried out at country level to develop awareness campaigns in countries by government and their partners. The partnership between governments, private sector, NGOs and professional organisations can be enhanced through their participation and collaboration in these events.

Water at the core of women’s traditional tasks

The woman of Samaria stands for all the women of the world; they know the importance of water to quench one’s physical and spiritual thirst. The Samarian lady having listened to the deep wisdom of Jesus concerning the living water was not slow to realise the situation.

In many societies, water is at the core of women’s traditional responsibilities: collecting and storing water, caring for children, cooking, cleaning, and maintaining sanitation. These tasks often represent a whole day of work; in some regions, women spend up to five hours a day collecting fuel wood and water and up to four hours preparing food. In Africa, 90% of the work of gathering water and wood, for the household and for food preparation, is done by women. Providing access to clean water close to the home can dramatically reduce women’s workloads, and free up time for other economic activities. For their daughters, this time can be used to attend school.

Better sanitary conditions are of greatest importance for women, providing ‘greater privacy, convenience, safety and dignity and safe hygiene practices in the family’, according to the Gender and Water Alliance.

First celebrated in 1911 by a few countries, International Women’s Day is now rallying women from all over the world, coordinating efforts to expand women’s rights and encourage their participation in the political and economic process. The celebration of this day is the occasion to highlight the extreme importance of women’s role in water education and management.

 Women play a key role in educating children to water. Their interest in water awareness is major, since it is they who look after the household, and whose children diseases, often fall sick due to contaminated water or lack of hygiene: each year, nearly two million children die from diarrhoeal diseases. Yet educating children always to wash their hands after using the toilet and before preparing food is a very simple and effective means of preventing such illnesses.

The role of women in agriculture and food security

Women are the world’s principal food producers and providers and are assuming an increasing role in agriculture, partly because of the rural-to-urban migration of men. But they often remain underestimated in development strategies. The division of agricultural labour between women and men tends to confine women’s role in the household production: unpaid, and unrecorded in the statistics, there is little recognition of women’s labour in agriculture. Yet women have proved to be good farmers, often obtaining better results thanks to their conscientious labour inputs and attention to detailed management. But all too often, they are not given the means to produce as much as men ‘ many studies agree to say that national economies could largely improve if policies enabled women to contribute in a larger proportion to its agricultural production.

Water and Religion

John Bunyah’s discourse, THE WATER OF LIFE, 1688, is worth studying on its own. He quoted Revelation 22:17 : "And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely’. In every religion and beliefs of the world water occupies a central role. Source of life, it represents (re) birth. Water cleans the body, and by extension purifies it, and these two main qualities confer a highly symbolic ‘ even sacred - status to water. Water is therefore a key element in ceremonies and religious rites.

The sacrament has its roots in the Gospel, wherein it is written that Jesus was baptised by John the Baptist in the River Jordan. In baptism, water symbolizes purification, the rejection of original sin. In the New Testament, the 'living water' or 'water of life' represents the spirit of God, that is, eternal life. Water is imbued with powers of spiritual purification for Hindus, for whom morning cleansing with water is an everyday obligation. All temples are located near a water source, and followers must bathe before entering the temple. Many pilgrimage sites are found on riverbanks; sites where two, or even three, rivers converge are considered particularly sacred.

There are seven sacred rivers: the Ganges, and the Godavari, Kaveri, Narmada, Sarasvati, Sindhu and Yamuna Rivers. According to Hindu beliefs, those who bathe in the Ganges or who leave part of themselves (hair, bones of the dead) on the left bank of the river will reach Svarga, the paradise of Indra, storm god.

Funeral rites are always held near rivers; the son of the deceased pours water on the burning funeral pyre so that the soul cannot escape and return to Earth as a ghost. When the fire reaches the deceased’s skull, the mourners bathe and then go home. The ashes are collected three days after cremation, and several days later, are thrown into a holy river. The myth of the Great Flood is contained in some Hindu scriptures, and tells the tale of how Manu, the first man, was rescued from the flood by a fish (the god Brahma), who lead him to the Himalayas until the waters receded.(Ref: water & religion).

The American poet, W.H. Auden’s  remark that  ‘Thousands have lived without love, not one without water’ is not necessarily correct when put in the context of the Tsunami. It was out of love and compassion for human life that the world nations, rich and poor alike woke up to bring aid and life construction to all those victims of the furious floodwater. In this case, the uncontrolled power of water came to wreak havoc; while world of Love went to the rescue of the victims; they in fact even used machines to turn the very infected water into safe drinking water. That very water became ‘the water of life’ which was distributed freely.

***

The Great Train Rescue

I got this article from another newsletter called Sai Pranam April 2002 Volume 3.  It totally blew me away.  This incident proves that God is always with his devotees and comes to their rescue unasked.  What is needed is total faith and surrender.

By Madhusudhan Noori 

I want to share my recent experience. My wife, my recently married elder daughter of ours and I were to travel by train to New Delhi. The purpose was to for see off our elder daughter on her much awaited journey to US to join her husband and start the new phase of their lives. Unluckily my father-in-law fell ill and was hospitalised, resulting in my wife cancelling her journey. On the day of journey, my daughter with all her baggage and myself boarded the 2 tier AC compartment of the train at Hyderabad. 

   

As our berths were not together, I got down from the compartment seeking the Supervisor for exchange of berth, whereas my wife remained inside spending her last moments with our daughter before her departure. We didn't realise that time for departure of the train had come, the train started moving slowly, I looked and saw that my wife was not on the platform, ran towards the compartment and saw that my wife being scared of getting off from moving train sat on the steps. In my anxiety that she should get down and I should get in, I told her to hold on to me and pulled her on to the platform. We both fell down, I was closer to the platform edge and my legs from knees downwards entered the space between the platform and moving train. I froze realising that any movement may result in very serious injury. In that state of shock I did not even call out to GOD or any one else for help. In the meanwhile our daughter attempted to stop the train by pulling chain but without any success. Now a miracle occurred.

   

It was not possible for me to even shake my limbs - My wife was watching me stuck with awe and not knowing what to do and what is going to happen the next millisecond… there was a small crowd gathering to see what is happening or rather how I am going to go to the next state… a great moment of suspense was waiting for them! No one could approach even near me out of the fear of getting pulled in to the moving train. I can not explain it further, other than saying that I cannot stay in that condition for just a second more, I cannot pull myself out on my own nor there was anyone to help me ….it was a just second in all to the end!  

   

I felt a pair of hands on my legs - gently trying to take out my legs from the small gap between the speed gaining train and the platform…the hands were so gentle on my limbs but strong enough to sustain the speed of the wind caused by the huge momentum of the train and with out those hands getting pulled in inside, with all the courage and willingness to help me. 

   

And it could not have happened better! My legs were taken out by those hands and I was swiftly lifted up on my legs and I don't know how I gained the strength back to run and catch the same running train! I did not see or rather could not see the person who gave me life again. I did not realize him to appear from the gathered crowd, nor did he walk back after saving me. 

   

Then I realized that, Sathya Sai Baba, whom I firmly believe to be incarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, in the form of an unknown person, appeared in no time and pulled me back simultaneously lifting my legs from the gap between the platform and moving train thus saving not only my life but also ensuring that I was not injured. I got up immediately and shakily jumped into the compartment passing in front of me where safe hands of Railway staff caught hold of me. 

   

When I reached my compartment I found my daughter crying not knowing how her parents were. Luckily my wife had the presence of mind to take an autorickshaw and come to Secunderabad station. Our daughter calmed down after seeing both of us uninjured and safe. My wife narrated that she saw an old man taking me out of the end of my life. But she could not trace him just after the next moment; she searched him on the platform to thank him but he had vanished! 

       

Love your religion, so that you may practice it with greater faith.

Cling to me against all evils and I will protect you.

 

 

I have come to light the lamp of lamp in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added lustre.  I have not come on any mission or publicity for any sect or creed or cause nor have I come to collect followers for any doctrine.  I have no plans to attract disciples or devotees into my fold or any fold.  I have come to tell you of the Universal Unitary Faith, this path of love, this duty of love, this obligation of love.

- 4th July 1968 Baba

Fly With Baba

By Peggy Mason

In 1985 a passenger plane was flying over the coast of South America when the engine suddenly failed. The pilot knew that a Venezuelan stewardess on board was a devotee of Sai Baba and shouted, "Pray to your guru to save us from disaster!" No sooner had the stewardess shouted for Baba than He appeared in the sky outside the cockpit. Meanwhile the engine began to function. Baba’s image remained in the sky outside for about 20 minutes, during which time the stewardess took this photograph of Him.

Sai Baba Raising the Dead

(Adapted from the book ‘Man of Miracles’ by Howard Murphet)

Sri Sathya Sai Baba raised Mr V Radhakrisna from the dead in 1953 after he had had been dead for about two days. He went to Puttaparthi with his wife, daughter Vijaya and his son in law Mr K S Hemchand. He was suffering from gastric ulcers, was very ill at the time of the visit and this was one of the reasons for visiting the ashram. He was given a room in the same building the Swami lived and spent most of his time in bed and was visited by Baba before he went to a coma and died. On the third day after his death when the corpse was stinking Baba came to his room and asked his wife, daughter and son in law to wait outside and closed the door. After few minutes he opened the door and on the bed Mr Radhakrisna was looking up at them and smiling. Baba asked the wife to give him a hot drink and waited for another half and hour in the room. Family stayed at Prashanthi Nilayam for few more days and returned to their home in Kuppam. His gastric ulcers had vanished for ever and he continued to live for many more years afterwards.

***

Useful Links for the Month

http://www.freewebs.com/sathwicfood

http://www.saibabaforbeginner

http://www.saiaustralia.org.au/Selfless_Bhajan.pdf 

http://www.journeywithsai.com

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

editor sharan soni team divya soni, parag agarwal