71 NASSTA NEWSLETTER OM SAI RAM Issue # 18 NASSTA NEWSLETTER Om Sai Ram 18th Issue August 2014 OM SAI RAM IN THIS ISSUE This is our eighteenth NAASTA newsletter with the list of upcoming events, temple pictures, stories and future temple projects. With our devotee s participation, we would like to publish more monthly newsletters. QUOTE OF THE MONTH If formless meditation is difficult, then think of my form just as you see it here. With such meditation, the difference between subject and object is lost and the mind dissolves in unity. ARATI TIME - EVERYDAY Kakad Arati 6:00 am Abhishekham - 6:30 am Madhyana Arathi 12:00 pm Dhoop Arati 6 pm Shej Arati 8:30 pm UPCOMING EVENTS AT NASSTA Health Fair, Saturday August 2 nd, 2014 from 9:00 AM and 2:00 PM Saraswathi Pooja, Sunday August 3 rd, 2014 10 AM and 4:00 PM NASSTA is scheduling Saraswathi pooja at 10 AM & 4 PM on Sunday, August 3rd, for the start of the academic year. Sponsorship is $31 per child. Everyone is cordially invited Varalakshmi Vrath, Friday, August 8 th, 2014 at 7:00 PM NASSTA is scheduling Varalakshmi Vrath on Friday August 8that 7:00 PM. Sponsorship is. Sponsors need to bring their own Kalasam. Sai Vrath, Saturday, August 9 th, 2014 at 3:00 PM Sai Vrath will be performed by NASSTA at 3PM on Saturday August 9th, 2014. Sponsorship is $51 per couple. Everyone is cordially invited Rig/Yajur Upakarma(Sravana Poornima) RAKSHA BANDHAN, Sunday, August 10 th, 2014 at 7:30 AM NASSTA is scheduling Upakarma on Sunday August August 10th, 2014 at 7:30 AM. Sponsorship is $31 per person Satyanarayan Vrath, Sunday, August 10 th, 2014 at 3 PM Sponsorship is $51 per couple.
NASSTA NEWSLETTER OM SAI RAM Issue # 18 2 Krishnaashtami, Sunday August 17th, 2014 6.30 AM : Sri Sainatha Abhishekam 8.00 AM : Sri Krishna Moola Mantra Homam 9.30 AM : Sri Krishna Abhishekam 9.30 AM : Sri Krishna Archana $21.00 11.00 AM : Vishnu Sahasranama Sthothra Parayanam (by 108 devotees) 4.00-5.45 PM: Bhajan $116.00 6:00 PM : Dhoop Aarati 7:15 PM : Palaki Seva 7.30 PM : Kalahandi 8.30 PM : Shej Aarati ALL DAY SPONSORSHIP (Except Bhajan) $ 151.00 Samaveda Upakarma, Thursday, August 28 th, 2014 at 8 AM NASSTA is scheduling Samaveda Upakarma on Thursday August 28th, at 8.00 AM. Sponsorship is $31 per person. Lord Ganesh Making Idol with clay, Saturday, August 23 rd from 10:00 AM -6:00 PM Nominal fee of $5, open for all kids Ganesh Chaturdi, Friday August 29, 2014 NASSTA is celebrating Ganesh Chaturdi on Friday August 29th, 2014 6:30 AM Sri Saintha Abhishekham 8:30 AM Sri Mahaganapathi Homam 10:00 AM Sri Ganapathi Abhishekam 11:00 AM Atharva Seersha Parayanam & Sri Ganapathi Sahasranama Archana $31.00 6:45 PM Palki Seva 7:00 PM Sri Sai Ganapathi Vratham All Day Pooja Sponsorship $116.00 Everyone is cordially invited SAI ELEVEN ASSURANCES 1. Whoever puts his feet on Shirdi soil, his sufferings would come to an end. 2. The wretched and miserable will rise to joy and happiness as soon as they climb the steps of the mosque 3. I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body. 4. My tomb shall bless and speak to the needs of my devotees. 5. I shall be active and vigorous even from my tomb. 6. My mortal remains will speak from my tomb. 7. I am ever living to help and guide all who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me. 8. If you look to me, I look to you. 9. If you cast your burden on me, I shall surely bear it 10. If you seek my advice and help, it shall be given to you at once. 11. There shall be no want in the house of my devotee
North America Shirdi Sai Temple of Atlanta 700 James Burgess Rd, Suwanee, GA 30024 (678)455-7200 : www.atlantasaitemple.org Shirdi Sai Health Fair 2014 Saturday July 26, 2014-7:30AM - 1.30PM Blood drawing and other Tests - ONLY No specialists will be available. Screening for cardiovascular risk factors like diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol. Screening for anemia, thyroid and male prostate conditions. EKG for patients with cardiovascular risk factors. Complete Blood Profile: Includes, complete Blood Count, Sugar, Kidney & Liver function, electrolytes, Cholesterol & Thyroid function panel. PSA included for males above 40 years. Complete Blood Profile Testing. $25 charge for the lab tests. Please do not eat after midnight, for blood test Continental & Indian Breakfast provided Saturday Aug 2, 2014-9:00AM - 2:00PM Consultation with following Specialists Cardiologist Internal Medicine Gastroenterologist Nephrologist Pediatrician Pulmonologist Ayurveda Ecdocrinologist Family Practice Dentists Dieticians Ophthalmologists Orthopedic Homeopathic Contact Information: Sohini Ayinala - 678 361 7574 Sai Temple - 678 455 7200 This event is made possible by North America Shirdi Sai Temple of Atlanta (NASSTA), Physicians, Dentists with the support of devotees and volunteers of NASSTA
NASSTA NEWSLETTER OM SAI RAM Issue # 18 3 Joyous Celebrations of Guru Purnima Thousands of devotees thronged to the Shirdi Sai Temple of Atlanta in Suwanee, Georgia to offer their prayers and seek Sai Baba s blessings at the joyous and spiritually suffused Guru Purnima Celebrations on Saturday, July 12, 2014. Guru Purnima is celebrated on the auspicious full moon day in the month of Ashada. Guru Purnima or Vyas Purnima is celebrated in reverence of the universal teacher. Temple priests Srinidhi Kadambi and Amol Kulkarni, in the presence of hundreds of devotees who had turned out for an early darshan of Sainath. After the puja rituals to the kalasas, the priests performed the havan in the name of Lord Sainath, Ram Parivar and Shiv Parivar. This year, the priests had chosen a theme to replicate the Guru Sthan present in Shirdi, India. Guru Sthan represents the place under the neem tree in Shirdi where Saibaba meditated. Volunteers had worked tirelessly for the past few days to create a replica of Guru sthan which was later assembled in the sanctum. While the decorations were going on, bhajan singers engaged the audience with their uplifting bhajans. Shirdi Sai Temple of Atlanta celebrated much revered Guru Purnima Day with daylong celebrations. The celebrations began at 5:45 am with Kakad Aarati, the ceremonial awakening of the Lord. Following this, the Nava (9) Kalasa sthapana was performed invoking the lord in the form of energy into the 9 kalasas (pots). The ritual was performed by the learned and experienced Around 9 am, the priests performed abhishek (ceremonial bath) to the larger than life and blissful main deity of Shirdi Sai Baba along with the utsav murthy and the padukas. The hour long ceremony with Vedic chants energized the whole sanctum and the devotees present. The stage was set for the decoration of the main sanctum. Around 11 am, the priests performed abhishek to Lord Dattatreya. Shirdi Saibaba is considered an avatar in the lineage of Lord Dattatreya. Upon completion of the ceremonial rituals and decorations, the noon Aarati was performed at 12 PM. Devotees were pouring in and by about 1 pm, approximately 1000 people had already made Sai Baba s darshan.
NASSTA NEWSLETTER OM SAI RAM Issue # 18 4 Around 3 pm, more than 100 families participated in the community sai vrat. Sai vrat is similar to satyanarayan vrat where the 9 governing planets, ashta dikpalakas (rulers of the 8 corners) and the five presiding deities are invoked along with Lord Sainath. As an added feature this year, the 52 week sainath paduka puja was also performed as part of this sai vrat. The dhoop aarati at 6 pm was followed with Palki Seva at 6.30 PM. Devotees enthusiastically sang and danced to the loud beat of the drums throughout the palki procession around the temple while dazzling firecrackers lit up the sky overhead. The significant part of the elaborate rituals of Guru Purnima is Guru Pranam the act of submitting oneself to a guru and touching his feet in respect. Chapter 22 of Sai Satcharitra says How to meditate on Baba? No one has been able to fathom the nature or the form of the Almighty. Even the Vedas and the thousand-tongued Shesha are not able to describe it fully; but the devotees cannot but know and look at the form of the Lord, for they know that His Feet are the only means of their happiness. They know no other method of attaining the supreme goal in life, except meditating on the Holy Feet. The devotees lined up in the sanctum by 7:15 PM to take the opportunity of reaching out to the Baba, touching his feet and receiving his blessings. The queue started inside the sanctum and the long line stretched out into the plaza and tent area. Priests chanted Vishnu Sahasranama and Lalita Sahasranama as the devotees went up to touch the feet of the Lord. Later, volunteers continued chanting Om Sai Namo Namaha, Sri Sai Namo Namaha, Jai Jai Sai Namo Namaha, Sadguru Sai Namo Namaha till 10 pm. More than 2,500 people visited the temple between 7.30 and 10 pm. All were accommodated to do Guru Pranam. The Temple had courteously arranged for a separate lane for convenience of senior citizens, pregnant women and families with infants. The Temple kitchen served delicious Maha Prasadam to all the attendees from 11 am to 11 pm. The dedicated volunteers efficiently and cheerfully managed the parking lot throughout the day. More than 100 volunteers worked ceaselessly to help in the sanctum, kitchen and parking areas to ensure that devotees had a smooth and safe darshan. The joyous celebrations concluded with community archana on behalf of the entire local community, followed with Shej aarati at 10.30 PM. With the blessings of Lord Sai Baba, dedication, commitment and hard work of the Temple Officers, priests and volunteers, the mammoth and spectacular Guru Purnima Celebrations were truly memorable. Mahadev Desai
71 NASSTA NEWSLETTER OM SAI RAM Issue # 18 Parking Lot Expansion - Thursday Evening Parking - Special Instructions As you all are aware, expansion of the temple parking lot is underway. We apologize for the inconvenience caused during this period while we work on expanding the parking lot. Please note additional parking for temple is at Settles Bridge Elementary school which is about half a mile up the street (going towards Hwy 20). Volunteers are running shuttles from the parking lot to the temple and back. Kindly avail the Settles Bridge parking lot and avoid parking on the side of the road for your safety and safety of those around you. Thank you in advance for your cooperation. https://plus.google.com/photos/104271913878809142113/albums/6037974797363284321?authkey=cmdcsixcju7d9ae NASSTA ADDRESS 700 James Burgess Road Suwanee GA 30024 (678)455-7200 http://www.atlantasaitemple.org TEMPLE HOURS SUGGESTIONS http://www.atlantasaitemple.org/suggest/feedback.aspx NEWSLETTER COMMUNICATION Kindly email us your newsletter communications to newsletter@templeofpeace.org Mon, Tue, Wed 5:45 AM to 8:00 AM, 11:45 AM to 1:00 PM, 4:00 PM to 9:00 PM Thu 5.45 AM to 9:30 PM Fri, Sat, Sun 5:45 AM to 9:00 PM