Aum Sri Sai Ram!
The Editor of this Newsletter is saying farewell this month to retire to warmer climes, and so is passing on the torch. It is almost five years ago since we started the Canadian Sai Bookcentre Newsletter, when some of us felt that there was a need to describe more specifically the contents of each of the new books, to potential customers. Many new books had ‘Sai Baba’ in the title, and it was becoming increasingly difficult to tell, to which group of people a particular book would appeal. – newcomers, serious students of spirituality, youth, teenagers and children etc. We felt at the time, that this was essential information which people needed to know before committing to buying a book. Thus, we sought out knowledgeable individuals to review books and some we did ourselves. So, the monthly Newsletter was born, which we said would be mailed out free every two months (to save postage), and set up a mailing list. All this was voluntary work, which has been maintained for 5 years. Its format was one sheet of coloured legal size paper folded into four – a different colour each month. Soon after we initiated all this, the Internet became the hot medium, so we initiated a web page www.saibooks.org and made our Catalogue available, and it was a natural step that the Newsletter should also go on it each month. Our e-mail address list is now much longer than our snail mail list, and Kajen, our computer wiz, sends it out every month on the e-mail. Others just pick it up from the web page, which they have book-marked. So now our modest Newsletter travels and is read around the world! The present Editor and staff wish all the best for the future to the new Editor (as yet unnamed).
NEW SHIPMENTS JUST RECEIVED FROM INDIA
We have now received many of the Books, which both we and many of our
customers have been anxiously waiting for. Some of them are:
Anyatha Saranam Nasti – Other Than You, Refuge there is None – Smt.Vijayakumari
Universal & Practical Teachings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
- Anil Kumar
Sai Baba, the Holy Man and the Psychiatrist - Samuel Sandweiss
My Baba and I – John Hislop
A Compendium of the Teachings of Sathya Sai Baba - compiled by Charlene
Leslie-Chaden
Sri Sai Satcharita – Original translation by Gunaji
You are God – M.N. Rao
Who is Baba? – Margaret Tuttle Smith
Prema Dhaara – Swami’s letters to his students
Christ in Kashmir – Aziz Kashmiri
Source of a Dream (NEW Indian printing) – Robert Priddy
We regret that although ordered - Summer Showers 1995 on the Bhagavatam, did NOT arrive with the shipment for unknown reasons, not did Sathya Sai Speaks Volume 30. We will order them once again! Another two books urgently awaited, which did not come are Inner Experiences and Pearls from the Divine Ocean. We are very sorry but there is nothing we can do if they are out of stock in India. Sometimes a limited number of a book is published, and once those are gone it either never gets re-published or it can be months or even years before a second edition comes out.
LIGHTSTORM’S ‘10 STEPS TO KESAVA’
Book Review by Dr. James Shepherd, New Zealand
Ten Steps to Kesava is a work that has come to light at a time when
the world deeply needs to hear its Truths! It is the wonderful true
story of the musical group called Lightstorm, with the Avatar known as
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and it reads like a mystical adventure. I laughed
and cried with tears of joy reading their sweet interactions with Sai Baba
from 1968 into the early seventies. It is so unpretentious and direct
and real love oozes out of the pages. The book literally made my Spirit
soar and practically lifted me out of my body. When I read the startling
clear insights that the ‘Step’ parts of the book reflected, I found myself
instantly dwelling with deep contemplation on the real meaning and message.
The uplifting, interspersed poetry and song lyrics fascinated me, and always
kept my thoughts aligned with the reality of who we really are. This
book helped me to discover how to achieve my own inner harmony with body,
mind, and soul. I can honestly say that Ten Steps to Kesava has actually
raised my consciousness. I recommend this book strongly to anyone
interested in looking for Spiritual understanding in this time of world
turmoil and uncertainty. I absolutely loved it and can't wait for Lightstorm’s
next book. $10.95 (US $7.65)
Ed Note: We also have Lightstorm’s Sai Baba’s Songbird in stock. This is a book of the group’s personal experiences with Sai Baba, and the reader will be spellbound and riveted by the simple yet profound understanding that is expressed, as each ‘Life Lesson’ is learned and revealed.. $4.95 (US $3.45) Lightstorm’s book for children is called ‘A Fairy Tale of Sai Baba’s Teachings in the adventure of ALEX the DOLPHIN’. This book embraces all the ideals and timeless values that are Sai Baba’s message to us all! This book not only inspires and educates but is also entertaining. It also has some delightful drawings of dolphins, octopus, seals, turtles etc. that kids would love $4.50 (US $3.15)
IN QUEST OF GOD – A SPIRITUAL SEEKER’S JOURNEY
By P.P. Arya
Review by Gopal Mehta
[Ed. Note: We reviewed P. P. Arya’s recent book ‘Sai Baba and Moksa’
in our May issue, and, as promised, here is a review of another of his
recent books.]
This book is recommended for those serious seekers of truth and spirituality who want to know the in-depth view of spiritual practices and who want to go beyond rituals for advancement. The author has described important issues facing aspirants like the trinity aspect of God, relationship between atma and Paramatma, the different levels of body, journey of the soul to other lokas (worlds) beyond the physical world and life beyond death. He stresses the great importance of yoga and meditation on the pranava (Om) for attaining self-realization and liberation. Yoga is a combination of disciplines at the physical and mental levels which are necessary on the spiritual path. This reviewer is particularly impressed with the last chapter (7) called Life Beyond Death, which contains information which is not easily found elsewhere. The contents of the book will positively help the aspirants in their efforts to control the mind and put it in the right direction to realize divinity from within. Mr. Arya emphasizes the need for transcending from the state of mind to no-mind, by going into detail on the process of meditation and realizing the effectiveness of the chanting of the Lord’s Name and the chanting of the Gayatri mantra, for enlightenment. Throughout the book, he gives quotes from Sai Baba, Christ, Buddha, Kabir and Guru Nanak, on different subjects of spirituality, at the appropriate places. He also shares some of his spiritual experiences revealing Sri Sai Baba’s grace and assistance to him on his spiritual journey, through dreams, direct talks through the telephone, listening to the divine sounds of Om during meditation and astral journeys. He has also briefly described how through the grace of one’s Guru, disciples’ efforts in sadhana can be speeded up, by narrating incidents from the lives of Paramahamsa Yogananda and Swami Vivekananda. The author offers this book as his sincere wish to help others by providing the true knowledge about God and how to reach Him. $7.95 (US $5.55)
NEW SUNDARAM CD VOLUME 6
We have just received Volume 6 of the excellent CDs being put out by
the Madras Sundaram Bhajan Group. They are very professionally musically
arranged, sung and recorded. These are among the best bhajan tapes
to use as learning tapes, which include a mixture of the newer bhajans
– such as Sundara Mukha Sri Gajana, as well as the older well-loved bhajans
– like Bolo Bolo Sab Mil Bolo. Listening quietly to this CD is like
being at satsang, and it has a selection of 16 bhajans:
1. Sundara Mukha Sri Gajana. 2. Deva Devottama.
3. Rum Jhum Nacho Nanda Dular. 4. Sita Ram Bolo
Bolo. 5. Yadu Nandana Yashoda Bala.
6. Aao Prabhu Aao Sai Bhagavan. 7. Bolo Bolo Sab
Mil Bolo. 8. Bhajo Radhe Govinda Bhajo. 9. Deena Bandhava
Sri Sai Deva. 10. Ramachandra Prabhu. 11. Shirdi
Sai Dwarakamayi. 12. Muralidhara Murahara. 13.
Hey Deena Dayala Hare. 14. Dehi Sharanam Simha Vahini. 15.
Namah Parvati Pataye. 16. Radhe Radhe Govinda.
All the words to the bhajans are given on the inside cover.
CAN $12.00 (US $8.40) each volume
NEW BOOK OF WORDS FOR SUNDARAM BHAJAN TAPES
This handy little book, just 4”x5.5”, contains all the bhajan words
for the audio cassettes issued by the Sundaram Sai Service in Chennai (Madras)
– Volumes 1- 49 and 6 CDs. The first edition came out in 1990 and
this is the ‘hot off the press’ 9th edition 2000. The words are in
the order of the Bhajan cassette tapes, so they are easy to look up, and
it also provides a Guide to pronunciation. It also contains the Stotras,
108 Names, 1008 Names, Sarva Dharma Prayer – Om Tat Sat, Mangala Arati,
Universal Prayer (a little different from the one sung in Canada), Vibhuti
song - Paramam Pavitram etc. and the Brahmapanam – prayer from the Gita
sung before partaking of food, as well as other less familiar prayers and
invocations. $5.00 (US $3.50)
UNDERSTANDING HINDUISM – NEW BOOKS IN STOCK
Often, in order to understand certain references in Swami’s discourses,
it is helpful to consult books on aspects of Hinduism. In addition to those
listed in our Catalogue, Sect 14 Indian Culture, Texts & Miscellaneous:-
Understanding Your Puja Better – by Basdeo Dwarka $5.95
(US $4.15)
Bhaja Govindam – with commentary by Swami Chinmayananda – $5.95
(US $4.15)
Gitanjali by Rabindranath Tagore $4.25 (US $3.00)
Sri Vishn Sahasranama 1000 Names of Vishnu – $2.00 (US $
1.40)
The Bhagavad-Gita – trans Annie Besant – pkt-size $3.95 (US
$2.75)
The Bhagavad-Gita – Sanskrit & English pkt-size
$2.50 (US $1.75)
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan large books on Srimad Bhagavatam, Ramayanam
and Mahabharata ed. by Kamala Subramaniam – each book $27.50 (US
$19.25)
The Siva Linga – by Dr R Ramnarine - from UK $6.95
(US $4.85)
Maha Calisa Samgram – An Anthology of Calisas and Aratis forming
part of the Hindu Religious Poetry and Public Worship – by Dr, R.C. Prasad
- $11.50 (US $8.05)
Ganesha - Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. $34.95 (US $25.00) (see
Feb 00 review of Dancing with Siva)
Ganesha – small book giving the essential story and facts - $5.50
(US $3.85)
Jai Sai Ram!