One step closer to Brahma Gyan

A 'devotee' goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to the Temple . 'I've gone for 30 years now, he wrote, and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 mantras. But for the life of me, I can't remember a single one of them. So, I think I'm wasting my time and the Gurus are wasting theirs by giving services at all. This started a real controversy in the 'Letters to the Editor' column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: I've been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals. But I do know this... They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to the Temple for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today! When you are DOWN to nothing.... God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment! ------------------------------ So easy to beat yourself up over mistakes you've made. So many amongst us live in the past rather than loving the present and building a brilliant future. Some people stay stuck for years over something they did or a failure they've experienced. Sad. A life is a terrible thing to waste. But let me ask you a question: "is there really such a thing as a mistake?" First of all, no one tries to fail or mess things up. Every one of us wakes up in the morning, walks out into the world and does the best we can do based on what we know and the skills we have. But even more importantly, every so-called "mistake' is actually a rich source of learning. An opportunity to build more awareness and understanding and gain precious experience. Experience that will help us do, feel and be even better. So, just maybe, there are no mistakes. Just maybe what we could call failures are actually growth lessons in wolf's clothing. And just maybe the person who experiences the most wins. ---------------------- A sick man turned to his doctor as he was preparing to Leave the examination room and said, 'Doctor, I am afraid to die. Tell me what lies on the other side.' Very quietly, the doctor said, 'I don't know.' 'You don't know? You, a Christian man, Do not know what is on the other side?' The doctor was holding the handle of the door; On the other side came a sound of scratching and whining, And as he opened the door, a dog sprang into the room And leaped on him with an eager show of gladness. Turning to the patient, the doctor said, 'Did you notice my dog? He's never been in this room before. He didn't know what was inside. He knew nothing except that his master was here, And when the door opened, he sprang in without fear. I know little of what is on the other side of death, But I do know one thing... I know my Master is there and that is enough.' ------------------------------- A boy and a girl were playing together. The boy had a collection of marbles. The girl had some sweets with her. The boy told the girl that he will give her all his marbles in exchange for her sweets. The girl agreed. The boy kept the biggest and the most beautiful marble aside and gave the rest to the girl. The girl gave him all her sweets as she had promised. That night, the girl slept peacefully. But the boy couldn't sleep as he kept wondering if the girl had hidden some sweets from him the way he had hidden his best marble. Moral of the story: If you don't give your hundred percent in a relationship, you'll always keep doubting if the other person has given his/her hundred percent.. This is applicable for any relationship like love, employer-employee relationship, friendship etc., Give your hundred percent to everything you do and sleep peacefully ---------------------- The tragedy of life is not death,but what we let die inside us while we live.When u were born,the world rejoiced while u cried,-live ur life in such a way that when you die,-the world cries while u rejoice.. -------------------------------- Your days are your life in miniature. As you live your days, so you craft your life. What you do today is actually creating your future. The words you speak, the thoughts you think, the food you eat and the actions you take are defining your destiny รข€“ shaping who you are becoming and what your life will stand for. There's no such thing as an unimportant day. Each of us is called to greatness. Each of us has an exquisite power within us. But for this power to grow, we need to use it. The more you exercise it each day, the stronger it gets. The more this power gets tapped, the more confident you grow. The best among us are not more gifted than the rest. They just take small steps each day as they march towards their biggest life. And the days slip into weeks, the weeks into months and before they know it, they arrive at a place called Extraordinary. ----------------------------- If you can not respect , love , care about ,stand by or be honest with your own parents ,-who gave birth to you and were the very first people who fell in love with you -- then whether you accept this or not but you do not love anyone else in this world either with all your heart and soul ....and time will show that none of your children will stand by you either- when you will need them the most.. ----------------------------------- If you sit with a person who is smoking, even without ur knowledge- You will end up inhaling second hand smoke.In the same way, if you be in the company of saints who constantly preach about the importance of doing good karma-, automatically even without ur knowledge- u will end up doing a lot of positive and humble deeds. If you be in the company of a person who keeps saying bad words and abusing others then then obviously whether u like it or not -- u will end up being the same kind of person sooner or later. And if u constantly listen to Gods name, his praises, his bhajans-even without you being aware of it - the words that will come out of your mouth will be nothing but the nectar of love and bliss. So be in the company of God and even without your knowledge-You will find him seated in your heart - talking to you and finding solutions to ur problems and worries.You just need to take one step towards Him and He will take 100 steps towards you.. By Deepa H inspired by Sai -------------------------------------------- Always tell someone that you love them because you never know what day Will be their last, or your own. Always seek to resolve your problems or disagreements with loved ones Because if either of you should pass on before, the one who is left alive will have the rest of their life to ponder those unresolved feelings but will never find closure. And closure usually brings Peace... ....Very fortunate is the one who has learned to admire, but not to envy................ Pin all your hopes in god, and then you will not be pinned down by man................. The wealth of a rich man can be stolen or burnt, but the happiness & wisdom of the wise remain................ Life may be struggling, but is very good............ When in doubt, just take a positive step......... Life is too short, but we all have to go long way....... Your work would not take care of your health, but your Prayer to Baba,who is your father, mother & friend, will answer it............ Never be anxious to win every argument. Listen to others also................. Smiling is more healing than crying alone. Never get angry, Baba knows, when & how to take care of you............... Save for retirement starting with your first pay cheque. Make peace with your past & don't screw up the present. Never compare your life with others to make yourself miserable............... Never make any relationship a secret............... Everything can change in the blink of an eye. Have Shraddha & Saburi inBaba.............. Take a deep breath to calm the mind........... Be resourceful to acquire what you love in life....... Burn the candles to enlighten others. Don't save it for a specialoccasion. Today is special............ No one is in charge of your happiness but you. Be selective & choosey.............. Forgive & Forget to make others happy. Time heals all the wounds. Have patience. Good or bad is never permanent, welcome a change. God loves you because you are one of His creations. Come out & adopt positive attitude to witness miraculous ways of Baba........... Envy is a waste of time............ The best in you is knocking your door. Look in to feel His presence........... Never get into any arguments; feel fresh, get up, dress up & show upwith a smile................... Life isn't tied with a bow, but still is a gift showered by GodAlmighty................... If I keep the weaknesses of others in my mind, they soon become a part of me................... The ego is the poison of the soul...drink in the bliss and spit out the poison............... To be free from negative thoughts is to be free from punishment.................. In the long run the most difficult thing is to search for an easy way out............... If I enjoy praise, it means I can be easily hurt by defamation.................. Try to conquer greed now because “while man becomes old, his greed becomes youthful........... The end of birth is death. The end of death is birth........ The stronger your attachment the greater the power of the Maya (the illusion : Her creation) over you..... "I put firm faith in the words of my Guru, considering them more valuable than all the shastras put together." ........... Don't poison your soul, mind, heart and body with negativity....bathe in Divine positive love............ Your Soul is always trying to be heard above the noise of your mind, when you quiet your mind your Soul takes command!.................... Pin all your hopes in god, then you will not be pinned down by man................. Remember that you are very special. NO ONE can play your role better than you.................. If someone defames you or insults you, shower him with flowers, smiles and good wishes............ When you get angry, you lose more than your temper When all your attachments are with the one God, then your achievements are many............... When people cannot stand you because they do not understand you, God will stand by you........... To give happiness to others is a great act of charity. A slip of the foot we many recover, but a slip of the tongue leaves a deep imprint............ Life is like a drama. If I understand the plot, there is great happiness........... To smile in the face of disaster is the result of a stable mind............ If God answers ur prayer,He is increasing ur faith. If He delays,He is increasing ur patience. If he doesn’t answer,He knows u can handle........... You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree............... Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present............... Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about............ If a relationship has to be a secret,you shouldn't be in it........... However good or bad a situation is, it will change Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."......... How many times should I forgive, I am tired of forgiving? – Forgive as many times as you would wish God to forgive you!................ Never do anything which you would not wish to do during the last hour of your life.............. Ego-based desire is the root cause of all suffering......... Contentment is the destroyer of all three - desires, anger and greed......... Knowledge leads to freedom, but pride of knowledge leads one to hell.......... A single act of selflessness can turn hell into heaven. The habit of giving rather than asking is the tool for an enduring relationship........... Silence is the best language.......... Only the joy that comes from right conduct is true happiness- Other pleasures are really sources of pain and causes of shame.......... A god-fearing person can never be religious, because if you fear God you cannot love him............. The most beautiful thing is to see a person's simling face.And even more beautiful is, knowing that u r the reason behind it..................................................................................With lots of good wishes and regards to all from Deepa H and family [ debu7366@yahoo.com ] ...............May Sai always give us peace of mind and May he always make us feel His presence where ever we go.... Saibhakt, Deepa H [You can always contact me at debu7366@yahoo.com ]...................................... ........................................................And do not miss the daily Shri Shirdi Sai Speaks messages at http://debu7370.blogspot.com .With lots of warm regards and good wishes to all from Deepa H and family [ debu7366@yahoo.com ] ......

Shirdi temple gives away 53% earnings, Siddhivinayak 13%

Sunday 12th May, 2013
The Shirdi shrine, administered by the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, spent Rs 540.49 crore of its cash collection on charity while the Siddhivinayak temple in Mumbai spent Rs 27.02 crore.

Saibaba temple earned Rs 1,441 crore in last five years

Updated: Wednesday, May 15, 2013, 16:19
Shirdi: Saibaba Sansthan trust has recorded Rs 1,441 crore income in the last five years, with 22 per cent higher donations received every year, Sansthan's executive officer Kishor More said on Wednesday.
The trust has spent Rs 828 crore on various beneficial works for devotees, including Rs 160 crore on hospital, 'prasadalaya' and funds allotted in the form of donations to various charity trusts, More said, quoting the figures recorded after the Sansthan's audit conducted recently by a government recognised agency.
Five years back, about 20,000 devotees used to visit the Saibaba's shrine daily, but presently figures show that around 60,000 people come to visit the temple everyday and the number goes up to about one lakh on weekends.
During special festivals at least two to three lakh devotees visit the famous shrine, More said, adding that the daily income now was around Rs 45 lakh, as compared to Rs 20 lakh per day five years back.
The trust has contributed funds on building super-speciality hospital, Shirdi's roads, water arrangements, various developmental works including Chief Minister's Relief fund and Shirdi's airport, he said.
The audited report of the Sansthan will be tabled in the state Assembly during the winter session for grant, he said.
When asked about 'hidden donations' in boxes like gold ornaments, cash and foreign currency, More said the trust has not a separate machinery to check such things because when devotees come to seek blessings of Saibaba they donate money, but from where they get it is difficult to know.
Instead of counting donated money once in a week in practice five years back, now it is being counted twice a week and an officer from charity commissioner's office and Sansthan's officials remains present at the time of opening and closing of donation boxes, a video recording of which is also done, More added

Set up new panel for Shirdi trust: Bombay HC

Updated: Sunday, May 05, 2013, 10:58
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court has directed the Maharashtra government to constitute a new committee to govern the affairs of the Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust in Shirdi in accordance with the new rules framed by it.
"Considering the magnitude of the administration of the trust, a committee of deserving and competent persons is required to be constituted, which would administer the affairs of the trust efficiently and sincerely," Justice A V Nirgude and Justice Naresh Patil said while hearing two PILs.
"The state would certainly be conscious of the fact that sentiments of millions of people around the globe are very closely attached with the shrine of Shri Sai Baba in Shirdi," the judges noted in their order on May 2.
The bench further observed that the ad hoc committee, appointed by the court on March 30, 2011, shall continue to operate for two weeks from the date of the order.
In case, the state constitutes a new committee after a period of two weeks from May 2, the ad hoc committee would cease to operate from the date of coming into existence of the state-appointed committee, the bench noted.
The court, however, directed the ad hoc committee not to take any major financial decision till the new committee is constituted. The ad hoc committee was asked to observe the restrictions put up by the court earlier in this regard.
The judges, while disposing of the PILs, said the observations made in respect of submissions made regarding the statutory rules shall be construed as prima facie in nature and shall not affect the rights of contesting parties if they resort to challenge the rules independently.
By an order dated March 30, 2012, the High Court had appointed an ad?hoc committee comprising Principal Judge of Ahmednagar district, the Collector of Ahmednagar and the Chief Executive Officer of Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, Shirdi, to manage the affairs of Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust. Since then, this committee is governing the trust.

Bag containing ganja found at Shirdi shrine

 Updated: Sunday, April 21, 2013, 22:44
Shirdi: An unattended bag lying at the main entrance of Sai Bhakta Niwas, a residential facility for devotees on the temple premises at Shirdi, was found to contain ganja.
Panic gripped people in the premises this afternoon when an employee of the Shirdi Saibaba Trust spotted the suitcase, following which the Bomb Detection Squad was summoned, police said.
The bag had 10 kgs ganja, valued at Rs one lakh, they said.Shirdi shrine is teeming with devotees following the Ram Navmi celebrations on April 18 and extended weekend.
Local police are investigating the matter further.

Infant stolen outside Shirdi's Saibaba temple

Updated: Friday, April 19, 2013, 11:32
Shirdi: A seven-month-old boy was allegedly stolen outside the Saibaba temple here, amid heavy rush of devotees for 'Ram Navmi', police said on Friday.
Sangita Jagdish Rathod (35) lodged a complaint with the Shirdi police late last night that her son, Virat, was stolen by an unknown person when they were sleeping in an open place near a 'laddoo' selling counter outside the temple, they said.
Somebody allegedly stole the infant amid heavy rush at the temple as lakhs of devotees have arrived on the occasion of 'Ram Navmi', police said.
Sangita's husband, a truck driver, had dropped her along with her father and sister to offer prayers at the Saibaba temple from Bijalpur in Indore on Wednesday and had left for Sangli.She also has three daughters. A search was on to trace the infant and the culprit, police said.
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Latest Update about the above news
We have witnessed another miracle by SAI BABA.
A seven-month boy which was stolen from Shirdi on 18 April 2013 was found at same place from where he was stolen.
Boy was wearing new clothes when he was found. Police are still investigating and not sure who did this and where was he taken for 5 days.
Police said seven month-old Miraj was sleeping on 18 April next to his mother Sangita Jagdish Rathod (35) from Madhya Pradesh. When the mother awoke, she saw the boy missing and registered a complaint.

Mega Sai Ashram inaugurated in Shirdi

Updated: Thursday, April 11, 2013, 18:11
Shirdi: Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan today inaugurated the Shri Saibaba Sansthan's Rs 165-crore housing complex here on the occasion of Gudi Padwa.
The complex, Sai Ashram, can accomodate atleast 8,000 devotees. Speaking to reporters after the opening ceremony Chavan said that the temple town and nearby areas will developed on the lines of Nanded ahead of the Saibaba Samadhi centenary year in 2018. He said the government will appoint a Steering Committee and will seek co-operation from Centre in this regard.
On completion of Nilwande Dam, the CM assured farmers that work on the dam canals, which came to a halt due to lack of funds will be finished taking loans and assistance from Shirdi Sansthan. Jayant Kulkarni, District judge of Ahmednagar, who is also Chairperson of the Sansthan Trust handed over a cheque of Rs 25 crore on behalf of sansthan to the Chavan for drought-affected people in Maharashtra.

Gold 'chillum' donated to Saibaba temple at Shirdi

Updated: Sunday, February 03, 2013, 23:01
Shirdi: A Mumbai-based devotee has donated a gold 'chillum' worth Rs 12.5 lakh to the famous Saibaba temple here.The donor, who wanted to remain anonymous, told PTI yesterday that it weighs 475 grams. "I have been coming here for the past 35 years," he said.
Every Thursday, a procession of Saibaba's 'Palkhi' is taken out, during which a silver chillum filled with tobacco is lighted. Now, this gold chillum would replace it, he said.The temple has received, since the start of the year, a gold 'arati' lamp, and a gold tumbler ('lota'), weighing half a kg and one kg respectively.Gold `chillum` donated to Saibaba temple at Shirdi .In all, the temple has received four kg of gold items this year, worth Rs 1.2 crore, temple management sources said.

Coins worth Rs. 1.5 lakh pulled out of Shirdi well

Updated: April 06, 2013 16:24 IST
Shirdi: Coins worth Rs. 1.5 lakh and other items offered by devotees were found in a defunct well which was said to be once used by revered saint Sai Baba, whose temple in Shirdi in western Maharashtra attracts a large number of people from India and also abroad.
The coins and other offerings were recovered during cleaning of the well in Lendi Baug area. Shri Sai Baba Sansthan Trust, which manages the temple's affairs, had undertaken the task of removing sediments to make the well fit for drawing water and overcome the shortage.
It is believed that Sai Baba himself used to fetch water from the well over 100 years ago.
During the cleaning operation, coins of Re 1, Rs. 2 and 5 denominations, thrown by devotees in the well, were recovered by workers. The value of the coins is around Rs. 1.5 lakh, Sansthan sources said today.
The Sansthan is currently facing severe water shortage as the pond supplying water to the temple has dried up. Also, supply from Nashik's Darna dam is often irregular, leading to shortage of drinking water for the devotees.
Besides coins, small idols of Saibaba and coconuts were also pulled out, the sources added.

Three children die in Shirdi after their hutment catches fire

Updated: February 19, 2013 01:03 IST   
Shirdi, Maharashtra: Three siblings were charred to death when their hutment caught fire at a village at Shirdi on Monday, police said.
The blaze erupted in the hutment of Dadasaheb Tukaram Vidhate at Nandurkhi village near Shirdi town of Maharashtra at around 1.30 AM in which his three children were charred to death, Shirdi police inspector Datta Pawar said.
The deceased were identified as - Akash (14), Manisha (12) and Vikas (10).
Dadasaheb also sustained burns while trying to douse the flames and has been admitted to hospital.
The blaze apparently broke out through an earthen lamp which was kept lit in the hut during the night, police said.

Pot made entirely of gold donated to Saibaba temple

 Updated: January 24, 2013 15:05 IST
Shirdi: A devotee on Thursday donated a pot made of one kg gold at the Saibaba temple in Shirdi, Shri Saibaba Sansthan trust sources said.
The devotee, who had come from New Delhi, donated the one kg gold pot worth Rs. 32 lakh before the shrine during the morning 'aarti' on Thursday, they said.
Earlier this month, a Mumbai-based devotee had donated an 'aarti' lamp made of half kg gold at the temple, they added.