AN OPINION

Some people are inherently great while others have greatness thrust on them. Truly great people continue to live even after they leave this world physically. The American poet Henry Wordsworth Longfellow in his poem quoted below beautifully describes the quality of great persons:

Lives of great men all remind us

We can make our lives sublime

And, departing, leave behind us

Footprints on the sands of time

Footprints, that perhaps another

Sailing o'er life's solemn main

A forlorn and shipwrecked brother

Seeing, shall take heart again

India with its long list of thinkers and saints and philosophers gave the world yet another shining star and an intellectual colossus in the form of SAI BABA of Shirdi.A reservoir of compassion, love, and patience. As a Guru he was awesome repository of knowledge.

Though many books have been written on BABA's life and teachings strangely very little is known about his early life like his place of birth, his parents etc. He was first seen in Shiridi as 16 - year old lad during the year1854, sometimes seated in a meditating posture under a tree or wandering in the surroundings of Shirdi showing no interest in worldly affairs. He was not seen later for almost three years. He returned to Shirdi in the year 1858 and stayed on in Shirdi for the next 60 years. It was in the year 1918, he attained'Mahasamadhi.SAI BABA never moved out of Shirdi yet he reached out to people far out in India and countries abroad. The following of BABA is ever increasing. He brought succor and happiness to the oppressed, depressed and the needy with his famous words SHRADHA (Devotion) and SABURI (patience). He emphasized the path of SPIRITUALISM to attain peace and happiness. No man in this world is totally free of sorrow and fears. BABA always explained things in terms of anecdotes and parables. BABA wanted each and every member of humanity to receive the cake of his Philosophy.BABA's message even today is as relevant (if not more) as it was during the time he was physically present.

To propagate BABA's philosophy people have written books about him, constructed BABA's temples, held discourses. However to reach out to maximum number of people and expose them to BABA's teachings the best option available today is the INTERNET which became the choice of BABA's desciple"SAIBANISA". It is said that all attempts made by any one to meet BABA fail until he himself invites. BABA assured, "My tomb will speak”. One such fortunate person to receive the clarion call from the tomb was SAIBANISA (Gopala Rao Ravada in real life). BABA appeared in his dreams and showered his grace on him by choosing Saibanisa to propagate "SAI DHARMA”. In March 2000, Gopala Rao Ravada took voluntary retirement from his senior position in Govt.of India Service in Hyderabad and devoted his entire energies for the task assigned.

Starting with meager resources at his disposal, Saibanisa established the Website "www.saidarbar.org ". Today it has grown and has its presence in USA, UK, Australia and Africa.

Saibanisa is a blessed devotee of BABA.He does not wear saffron clothes and does not have an Ashram or disciples yet he is in constant communication with BABA in Meditation and Dreams.Saibanisa meditates early in the morning at 4.30 am (BRAHMA MUHURTAM). The communications he received from BABA both during meditations and dreams have been consolidated in the present book. The book is titled as per the message of BABA: "SAI A BEACON FOR HUMANITY". I, a devotee of SAI BABA since the year 1990 have come to know about SAIDARBAR and Saibanisa through my daughter and son in law, residents of New Zealand, in October 2000.My interaction with Saibanisa prompted me to offer whatever little help that was possible from my side in his effort to complete the book. Saibanisa magnanimously agreed to my request. The help rendered by me in rearranging, formatting and going through the manuscripts may not amount to much. I however have the tremendous satisfaction of learning more about SAI BABA, Sai Philosophy and Saidarbar.I am very happy to be associated with the noble project. I am grateful to Saibanisa for the opportunity given to me.

I am sure; the contents of this book either in the present form or on the Internet would provide the much-needed guidance to attain peace and happiness to one and all in this troubled world.

I wish Saibanisa every success in completing the task assigned to him

by SAI BABA.

Om Sri Sairam.

Prof.P.Sadasiva Rao

Secunderabad-500061


Sai Banisa's Mission:
"To help Sri Shirdi Sai devotees in realising that Sai lives in their Heart."