Volume 3

January 15, 2006

Sai Mandir, USA

Nori Foundation, Inc.

Condensed from Shri Sai Satcharitra

Megha

Megha of Viramgaon was a simple and illiterate Brahmin cook of Rao Bahadur H. V. Sathe. He was a devotee of Shiva and always chanted the five syllabled mantra 'Namah Shivaya'. He did not know the Sandhya nor its chief mantra, the Gayatri. Rao Bahadur Sathe was interested in him, got him, and taught the Sandhya and the Gayatri. Sathe told him that Sai Baba of Shirdi was the embodied form of the God Shiva and made him start for Shirdi. At the Broach Railway station he learnt that Sai Baba was a Moslem and his simple and orthodox mind was much perturbed at the prospect of bowing to a Moslem, and he prayed to his master not to send him there. His master, however, insisted on his going there and gave him a letter of introduction to his (Sathe's) father-in-law, Ganesh Domodar, alias Dada Kelkar at Shirdi, to introduce him to Sai Baba. When he reached Shirdi and went to the Masjid, Baba was very indignant and would not allow him to enter. "Kick out the rascal" roared Baba, and then said to Megha - "You are a high caste Brahmin and I am a low Moslem; you will lose your caste by coming here. So get away." Hearing these words Megha began to tremble. He was wondering as to how Baba had come to know about what was passing in his mind. He stayed there for some days, serving Baba in his own way, but was not convinced. Then he went home. After that he went to Tryambak (Nasik District) and stayed there for a year and a half. Then again he returned to Shirdi. This time, at the intercession of Dada Kelkar, he was allowed to enter the Masjid and stay in Shirdi. Sai Baba's help to Megha was not through any oral instruction. He worked upon Megha internally (mentally) with the result that he was considerably changed and benefited. Then Megha began to look upon Sai Baba as an incarnation of Shiva. In order to worship Shiva, bela leaves are required and Megha used to go miles and miles every day to bring them and worship his Shiva (Baba). His practice was to worship all the Gods in the village and then come to the Masjid and after saluting Baba's gadi (asan) he worshipped Baba and after doing some service (shampooing His Legs) drank the washings (Tirth) of Baba's Feet. Once it so happened that he came to the Masjid without worshipping God Khandoba, as the door of the temple was closed. Baba did not accept his worship and sent him again, saying that the door was open then. Megha went, found the door open, worshipped the Deity, and then returned to Baba as usual.

Ganges-Bath

On one Makar-Sankranti day, Megha wanted to besmear the body of Baba with sandal-paste and bathe Him with Ganges water. Baba was first unwilling to undergo this operation, but at his repeated requests, He consented. Megha had to traverse a distance of eight koss (going and returning) to bring the sacred water from the Gomati river. He brought the water, made all preparations for the bath at noon and asked Baba to get ready for the same. Then Baba again asked him to be freed from his bath saying that, as a Fakir He had nothing to do (or gain) with Ganges water; but Megha did not listen. He knew that Shiva is pleased with a bath of Ganges water and that he must give his Shiva (Baba) that bath on that auspicious day. Baba then consented, came down and sat on a pat (wooden board) and protruding his head said - "Oh Megha, do at least this favour; head is the most important organ of the body, so pour the water over that only-it is equivalent to the full or whole bath." "Alright" said Megha and lifting the water pot up, began to pour it on the head but in doing this he was so much overwhelmed with love that he cried out 'Har Gange' and emptied the pot on the whole body. He kept the pot aside and began to look at Baba, but to his surprise and amazement he found that Baba's head was only drenched but the body quite dry.

Sankaranthi Titbits

Cherugu (Sugarcane) Muggu (Rangoli) Deepam (Lamp)

Sathya Sai Baba’s Divine Discourse on Sankaranthi: Jan 15, 1996

(Condensed Version)

Sankramana is the time when the inward journey towards a pure and unsullied heart is made. Just as the sun embarks on his northward journey, Sankranthi is the day on which the intellect should be turned towards the Atma for Self-realization.

In the movement of the sun from house to house in the Zodiac, the entry into Capricorn is most important. Capricorn is a sign of peace and contentment. According to the Gregorian calendar, Sankranthi begins on January 13 or 14. This confers a kind of mental and physical peace.

Few people understand the true significance of festivals like Sankranthi. Man cannot secure enduring bliss through physical pleasures. He has to discover that the source of this bliss is within himself. Sankranthi enables man to make this discovery, like a man who carrying his spectacles on his forehead searches for it everywhere and discovers to his joy that it has been with him all along.

The Divine is not anywhere else. It is enshrined in one's heart. Hence, the man who seeks the Divine within his heart redeems himself. He then attains liberation. All external spiritual exercises are of temporary value. They should be internalized to experience lasting bliss. All mental exercises also leave the heart unaffected. In the nine paths of devotion, beginning with listening to sacred things and ending with total surrender of the self (Aatma nivedanam), the last is the most important. After "Aatmanivedanam" (total surrender) there is no need for any other effort.

"Sankranthi" gives the call for this total surrender. Sankranthi is a kind of family festival. Yes. This is so. But the whole world is one family ("Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam"). The festival relates to the entire world. It is not confined to one's kith and kin. Sankranthi is related to the entire mankind. Whether people realize it or not, Sankranthi promotes in one and all a feeling of happiness.

Sankranthi promotes mental transformation. It illumines the minds of people. It induces the unfoldment of inner feelings. It brings about the manifestation of the invisible Atma within everyone. Sankraanthi is pregnant with such immense significance. It influences not only the mind but also the powers of nature. Nature is a projection of the mind. The world is rooted in the mind. (Manomoolam idam Jagath"). When the mind is turned towards the heart and the heart is filled with the Divine, the mind will cease to be a source of trouble. The mind is the master of the senses. When the senses are controlled the mind is under control. Only the master of the mind can attain Madhava (the Divine).

Community Spirit

Bharatnatyam - instruction by Mrs. Satya Pradeep Saturday 9.30 to

10.30 A.M. Children of all ages are welcome. To enroll, please call the

temple or contact Smt. Satya Pradeep directly at 516-783-1846.

Music Classes – instruction by Mrs. Savithri Ramanand. Saturday 10.30

To 11.30 A.M. To enroll, Please call the temple or contact Mrs. Savithri

Ramanand directly at 718-479-3192.

Sai Mandir conducts free Bal Vikas classes for children Age 5 and Up. For

more information, Please call the temple or call Mrs. Geeta Paranandi

at 516-565-9846

Food Drive. Every first Thursday of the Month. All fruits collected on this

day are given to the Homeless at Interfaith Nutrition Inn Network in

Hempstead. They need tooth Tooth Pastes and Shoes. Anybody who

wants to donate, please call the temple or Nutan Mallik at 516-992-2539

or Anu Mago at 516-223-1852.

We Care!

Sai Mandir congratulates Dr. Minsiha Israni for her generous

donation of 500 Toothbrushes to the above mentioned Homeless

Inn. May Baba’s blessings be with you and May you continue to do

this GOOD work..

We also congratulate Anu Mago for her efforts in collecting $350

through the Bal Vikas group. The money has been donated to

to St. Mary’s Hospital in Bayside. May Baba’s Blessings be with you

and May you continue to do this GOOD work..

SAT Classes are conducted by the SAI MANDIR on Sundays.

Please call Anu Mago for further information at 516-223-1852.

Hindi Classes by Anju and Avinash Jhawar and Alpana and Alok Jain. To

enroll, please call the temple or contact them directly at 516-623-3015 or 868-8356.

Our Past Events

Baba’s Punyatithi celebrations and Devi Navaratri celebrations were conducted from 3^rd to 12^th

October, 2005. Daily elaborate Rudra Abhishekams were performed with panchamrutham and

this was followed by Lalitha Sahasranama Kumkuma Archana. In the evening, there was rhythmic

and spine-tingling Garbha dance done to the rapturous traditional music. On October 9^th, Moola

Nakshataram, several Balvikas students took part in the special Saraswathi Pooja and

Aksharabyasam was conducted for the children who wanted to enter the world of learning. This

was followed by Samoohika Bhasma Archana.

October 12^th - A special Devi Bhajan was conducted and there was a rhythmic rendering of

Mahishasuramardhani Stothram. The exhilarating Bharathanatyam performance by the students of

Smt. Satya Pradeep and the mellifluous vocal music by the students of Smt. Savitri Ramanand

was a feast to the eyes and ears.

October 19^th, the day of Baba’s Samadhi, began with the special Ekadasa Abhishekam, in which

abhishekam with panchamrutham was performed 11 times. Exactly at 2.30 P.M., Baba’s Samadhi

time, a Special Arathi was given. A special samadhisthan was created to give the feel of Shirdi, the

created atmosphere transported the devotees to Shirdi for a few minutes. There was Samoohika

Vishnusahasranama Parayana. Dhuni pooja was also done. Sainama sankeerthanam from 6 p.m to 6

a.m and akhanda satcharitra parayana in Telugu and English were the activities in which scores of

devotees participated. All these devotional activities left the temple echoing with the religious

fervor. Several people took part in various activities throughout the day in spite of it being a

working day. Festivity and religious spirit marked the Dussera and Baba Punyatithi celebrations.

The colorful Diwali celebrations were conducted for 4 days, from 29^th Oct to 1^st Nov. There was an

attractive arrangement of lamps in floral designs. Baba looked exquisite amidst the array of stars.

Distribution of sweets added to the sweetness of the festive flavor. This was followed by a special

Garba dance, tapping to the symphonic Rajasthani music.

November 6th, a special Lakshmi pooja was performed by several balvikas students, the tiny tots

chanting the pooja mantras was a scene to cherish. November 15^th, Karthika Poornima, samoohika

Satyanarayana vratam was performed; this was attended by several families.

November 23^rd, Satya Sai Baba birthday celebrations were enthusiastically organized. Samoohika

Satya Sai Sahasranam was performed. The pictures of Satya Sai Baba and Shirdi Baba were

decorated with lights and special arathi was performed. A cake was cut in the name of Satya Sai

Baba. In the evening there was a special bhajan. On Thanksgiving Day there was a special

abhishekam and bhajan.

December 16^th, for Dattajayanthi, Rudra Abishekam Gurupuja and Dhuni puja were performed. In

the evening there was a special Bhajan.

The Balvikas children celebrated Christmas on December 18th and several children exhibited their

learning and talents. The presence of Santa Claus radiated happiness and joy illuminated the young

faces. For Christmas, December 25^th, Rudra abhishekam was performed.

On New Year’s Eve, there was an arresting rendering of divine music in the melodious voice of

Ramu Garikapati .There was a special bhajan followed by arathi at the stroke of 12, to seek

Baba’s blessing to mark the beginning of a New Year.

The New Year began with a Rudra abhishekam. Hundreds of devotees thronged the temple to take

Baba’s blessings for the New Year; the human stream came to a halt only in the late evening. There

was an echo of archanas throughout the day. In the evening there was magnificent offering of

devotional songs by Ramesh Bhist, which set the stage for the divine music to flow in the temple

for the rest of the year. Inauguration for a Raffle, with a ticket to Shirdi and Puttaparthi as

prizes, is a project to set the ball rolling for the exalted and imposing gopuram structure, to create

the arresting Shirdi elevation in Long Island, USA. (BY: Sharada Tadepalli)

Upcoming Events

February 12^th Talk by

Swamii Vidyadhishananda

February 26^th Mahashivarathri

March 29^th Ugadi

April 6^th Ramnavami

Dr. D. Nori and Dr. Subadhra Nori doing Abhishekam Pallaki Seva

Bal Vikas Children on Deepavali Day Bhagwan Sri Sri Sri Viswayogi Viswamji Maharaj

Deepavali Celebration at the Mandir Bal Vikas Group’s Grand X’Mas Celebration

Baba in His majestic Shrine Baba’s Pallaki

Photographs by Bala S. Nori