More Thoughts on Sai ...

[drkalaga]

(Copy of a personal post elsewhere)  

Dear Devotees,

One of the things that seperates Sai from others is the way He tests His devotee's faith to see how strong it is. We humans have been traditionally fickle- minded when it comes to 'shraddha'. We get angry with Him when things don't go our way. We even abandon our beliefs when things get bad and difficulties pile up. But that is where our faith is tested. There was a TV show today on Christmas and someone says 'Faith is what you have without demanding Proof'. It applies to us too. Please read Guru Charitra if you have time. You will see why Sai emphasized the concept of unshaken 'shraddha'.

For those who are enduring very bitter times inlife, I say this: You are not alone in your fight with Reality, my friends. I myself once got so angry with Him that I threw away my SSC book into the trash dumpster and vowed never to say Sai again. What I did not realize is that my problems are because of my own karma and prarabdha; Sai has nothing to be blamed for. Yes, I endured several traumas which tested my faith in Him to the hilt. I was even afraid that I will not be able to sustain the belief... But I did. Life is sometimes too hard to accept as it is; but it is there we must use our 'buddhi' to be calm and resourceful. Whenever I feel tensed, stressed, afraid and fearful of reality, I just ask Lord Dattatreya (Sai) to grant me the strength to bear the times and the wisdom to understand why things are happening like this.

Do you know what every single disciple of Sripada Srivallabha and Sri Nrusimha Saraswati asked of their Gurudev? They asked for constant association with Gurudev's name and nothing but that! Because if there is one singular thing that characterizes Kaliyuga it is this:

Salvation in Kaliyuga can only come through the Grace of a Sadguru.

No argument. That is why even Lord Krishna asked Arjuna to seek the blessings of a Tattvadarshi (Sadguru) for obtaining Jnana. What was granted by total renunciation, ascetism, severe penance and rituals in Kruta, Treta and Dwapara Yugas is easily obtainable in Kaliyuga through a Sadguru! It is so simple and all it asks us is Strong Faith (shraddha). One half of the two paise that Sai always asked!
Om Sai Ram!! Jai Gurudeva Datta!

= Sriram


Dr. Sriram Kalaga
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
e-mail: drkalaga@aol.com

[Astrid]

Jai Sai Ram

My dearest Ramu Annayya, your post brought tears to my eyes and I dearly wish you could see and feel how closely Lord Datta/SAI is guarding and guiding you and how much HE loves you. Cast away any fantasies and imaginations of bad karma of the past (and the present in case you should have any) and turn to see the radiant divine being full of heavenly love you truly are!

And for everything you said about the importance of a Sadguru, let me wholeheartedly join in to your praise:
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI

OM SRI SAI RAM GURUDEVA DATTA
OM SRI SAI RAM GURUDEVA DATTA
OM SRI SAI RAM GURUDEVA DATTA

Astrid


Restless was my heart till it found rest in THEE

[rajtiruthani]

Dearest Brother Ramu,

When I wanted to reply to this post,I wanted to talk of lot of my experiences through the thick and thin of the life,but I do not know why I am short of words.I would like to complement to what you   and Sister Astrid said

Faith is doing your action part with the belief on the unseen.Our job is always the action part and accept the results unconditionally.

I have been through the similar situation as you had been ,and with baba's blessings and love and prayers of all brothers and sisters have grown through every challenge and come back in life with multiplied faith.I understood only one thing that Baba gives us challenges and wants us to  become stronger and stronger so that we can set the right example of the belief on the unseen. Maybe he chooses people who he thinks can withstand this and grow. Even if we could inculcate this faith in at least one person's life,I think that our purpose of coming into this world is fulfilled.

I now pray our Baba Sai, that he blesses us all in this endeavour.

Raj

OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI

quote:Originally posted by Astrid

Jai Sai Ram

My dearest Ramu Annayya, your post brought tears to my eyes and I dearly wish you could see and feel how closely Lord Datta/SAI is guarding and guiding you and how much HE loves you. Cast away any fantasies and imaginations of bad karma of the past (and the present in case you should have any) and turn to see the radiant divine being full of heavenly love you truly are!

And for everything you said about the importance of a Sadguru, let me wholeheartedly join in to your praise:
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SRI SAI JAYA JAYA SAI

OM SRI SAI RAM GURUDEVA DATTA
OM SRI SAI RAM GURUDEVA DATTA
OM SRI SAI RAM GURUDEVA DATTA

Astrid


Restless was my heart till it found rest in THEE

[drkalaga]

Thanks, my dear Astrid and Raj, for your warm thoughts.
Raj, your words echoed the Karma Yoga that Lord Krishna specified for those who cannot be yogis or bhaktas. He asked us to go about our mortal duties and obligations but leave the fruits of our actions to Him. That is, doing our work without worrying about the results. This is VERY hard to practice in reality what with the hundreds of forces acting on us (job, family, money, security, illness). Remember the Bhagavadgita shloka:

"Ananyaa Chinta Yantomaam, Yojana Paryupasathey
Tesham Nityabhi Yuktanaam, Yogakshemam Vahamyaham"

(If one can think of Me without other worries, I will personally look after the daily welfare of those people)

One can implement this in practice if one can understand the concept of Sarvasya Sharanagati. If you can keep in mind that the True Doer (wire puller) of all things is Sai, then performing your ordained Karmas becomes easier. Right?

= Sriram

Dr. Sriram Kalaga
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
e-mail: drkalaga@aol.com

[Astrid]

quote:Originally posted by drkalaga
One can implement this in practice if one can understand the concept of Sarvasya Sharanagati. If you can keep in mind that the True Doer (wire puller) of all things is Sai, then performing your ordained Karmas becomes easier. Right?

= Sriram [/font=Times New Roman][/size=3][/maroon]

Dr. Sriram Kalaga
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
e-mail: drkalaga@aol.com

Very, very right, dearest Ramu Annayya [][] and it conserves a lot of energy, too, we would otherwise have spent on worries and can now put to much better use -- to praise Lord Datta/SAI for instance or spread a little serenity [][]
This brings to mind what my dancing teacher said recently: To worry about the future is like paying interest for a loan you've not yet taken.

OM SAI RAM

Astrid

Restless was my heart till it found rest in THEE

[rajtiruthani]

Dear Brother Ramu,

I will just add  few lines to your thoughts.

You are right about the karma yoga.My interpretation is that when we do something, we do it definetely with expectations of results what we want.Nothing wrong about having expectations.Now the results could be either of the following

As per our expectations

Opposite to our expectations

Totally different from our expectations

Now whatever is the result ,if we learn to accept as God's Prasad is Karma Yoga.

This does not stop us from trying again or adopting a different approach. Worrying about results will take us nowhere

This is not so difficult to practice once when we understand that in life everything does not always happen to our expectations and we should be willing to learn and  adopt to change and persist.Then I think, we can achieve our expectations.But all this,putting God in front of us.

With God, we are always a majority

Raj

OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI
OM SAI SREE SAI JAYA JAYA SAI

quote:Originally posted by drkalaga

Thanks, my dear Astrid and Raj, for your warm thoughts.
Raj, your words echoed the Karma Yoga that Lord Krishna specified for those who cannot be yogis or bhaktas. He asked us to go about our mortal duties and obligations but leave the fruits of our actions to Him. That is, doing our work without worrying about the results. This is VERY hard to practice in reality what with the hundreds of forces acting on us (job, family, money, security, illness). Remember the Bhagavadgita shloka:

"Ananyaa Chinta Yantomaam, Yojana Paryupasathey
Tesham Nityabhi Yuktanaam, Yogakshemam Vahamyaham"

(If one can think of Me without other worries, I will personally look after the daily welfare of those people)

One can implement this in practice if one can understand the concept of Sarvasya Sharanagati. If you can keep in mind that the True Doer (wire puller) of all things is Sai, then performing your ordained Karmas becomes easier. Right?

= Sriram

Dr. Sriram Kalaga
Jacksonville, Florida, USA
e-mail: drkalaga@aol.com