Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba says, "God
is the Life Breath Of Every Soul". But the author
proclaims, "BABA IS THE LIFE BREATH OF EVERY SOUL" which
is basis for the title of this book. Has the author
declared this out of his own imagination? Or has he
done this, for the sake of his love, adoration and
devotion for Bhagavan Baba? Or is he announcing this to
enhance the name, fame and glory of Bhagavan Sri Sathya
Sai Baba ? No, the author is fully convinced about the
advent of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, as the POORNA
AVATAR, descended from heaven and taking this human form
for the sake of protecting DHARMA. He is the Omniscient,
Omnipotent and Omnipresent God. The author never needed
any further corroboration in this regard, having himself
realised and experienced the above truth. He is now
eager to convince others - through this book. Hence the
above title - the most appropriate for this book.
The proof of the pudding lies in its eating. The
truth often in spiritual matters is beyond proof through sensory
perception but can certainly be realised and experienced. Although
butter is always present in milk, we cannot see it and need a
certain churning process for it to appear. My sole purpose of
writing this book is not only to make people realise and
experience this truth, but to also make them see with their
own eyes, that God is truly amongst us to talk, love, console,
care and act, like any other human being on Earth. Swami please
bless me, so that Your own declaration that, "God lives in
Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, India", can be conveyed to the people
of the entire world through this book, which You have motivated me
to write. I am only an instrument, playing this small role, as
assigned to me by Your Will, in this great grand drama of life.
Swami, 'Thy Will Be Done'.
I will now move step by step to prove and convince
the readers about the Divinity of Bhagavan Baba and the purpose of
His Incarnation. First of all to start with, let me quote what
Bhagavan Baba has been saying about Himself, in His various
discourses, rendered at various places:-
n
"There are four types of persons : the 'dead', who deny the Lord
and declare that they alone exist, independent and self-directed :
the 'sick', who call upon the Lord when some calamity befalls them
or when they feel temporarily deserted by the unusual source of
succor : the 'dull', who know that God is the eternal companion
and watchman, but who remember it only off and on when the idea is
potent and powerful : and lastly the 'healthy', who have steady
belief in the Lord and who live in His Comforting Creative
Presence always".
(Prasanthi Nilayam, Vijaya Dasami, 1953)
n
"Note this also. In this Avatar, the wicked will not be destroyed,
they will be corrected, reformed and educated and led back to the
path from which they have strayed. The white ant infested tree
will not be cut : it will be saved. Again this Avathar will not
select some place other than the place where the nativity took
place for the centre of Its Leelas, Mahimas, and Upadesa. This
tree shall not be transplanted : it will grow where it rose from
the Earth. Another speciality is this : the Avatar has no affinity
or attachments in Its Career to members of the family wherein It
appeared. Unlike the appearance as Rama, Krishna etc., where the
life was played out mostly among and for the family members, this
Avatar is for the Bhaktas, the Aspirants, the Sadhus and Sadhkas
only. It has no Japa, Dhyana or Yoga : It knows no worship : It
will not pray to anything, for It is the Highest. It only teaches
you to worship and pray.
To a wordly man, a God-intoxicated person will
appear mad and he will laugh at him, But to the God-intoxicated
man, the wordly appear insane, foolish, misled, blind. Of all the
insanities that harass man, God-madness is the least harmful, the
most beneficial . The world has suffered untold damage due to its
"mad" guides : but nothing but harmony, peace, brotherliness and
love has come out of the 'God-madness' of man."
(Prasanthi Nilayam, Maha Shivarathri, 1955).
n
"The Lord too has to come in human form and moves about among men,
so that He could be listened to, contacted, loved, revered and
obeyed. He has to speak the language of men and behave like human
beings, as the member of the species. Otherwise, He would be
either negated and neglected or feared and avoided". (Peddapuram,
03/09/1958).
n
"Until about an hour ago, the organisers of this function were
nervous that I may not come. They had reconciled themselves to the
disappointment in store and they were feverishly engaged in making
alternative arrangements, for they had heard that the Godavari was
in high floods and that I was at Rajahamundry. So they feared that
I may not be able to cross the floods and come south in time for
this engagement. From the fact that I had permitted them to
announce My arrival for the function, they could well have
inferred that the floods would subside and that I would be in
their midst, for, once My word goes forth, it must happen
accordingly. Do not doubt it. The furious waves calmed before
Rama, the floods went down in time for Me.
Nothing can hold Me up or agitate Me or cast a
shadow on Me, come in this Human form : be certain of that. Not
even a hair can be touched by forces of calumny or distrust or
ignorance, My sankalpa must prevail. My task must be accomplished.
My mission will succeed. I have come to illumine the human heart
with the Light of Divine and to rid man of the delusion that drags
him away from the path of Shanti, the perfect equanimity born of
realisation". (Venkatagiri Town 09/09/1958)
n
"That is My path, the path of Prema, along which I shall take you.
This I offer as my visiting card to everyone of you when you come
to Me. I know your name, your degrees, your profession, your
status and your history. But you do not know Mine. I have no need
to know all about you from perusal of your cards: but I want you
to know something of My glory : and so I give you a glimpse of it,
as a Mahima. But I also give you enough of My Prema so that you
can mix a little of it with whatever you do or feel or think and
make it sweet and palatable". (Venkatagiri, Adyantic conference,
12/04/1959).
n
"The Lord had announced that He would come down for the
restoration of Dharma and that He would assume human form so that
all might gather around Him and feel the thrill of his
companionship and conversation. And the Lord has come as
announced" (Markandeya Sanskrit College, Aukiri Palli,
22/01/1960).
n
"I must tell you that you are luckier than men of previous
genarations. The accumulated merits of many previous births must
have granted you this luck. You have got Me and it is your duty to
develop this relationship that you have achieved by sheer good
fortune. In four or five years time, you will see Yogis and
Maharishis and Munis crowding here and you may not have such
chances of asking Me questions and getting the answers, or
approaching Me and directly speaking to Me". (Prasanthi Nilayam,
27/09/1960).
n
"As a matter of fact, Puttaparthi is a name revered and remembered
with gratitude by millions today and it will be treasured in
history as an immortal name. There have been many occasions on
which Bhaktas have pleaded with Me to move out of this miasma and
settle down in Bangalore or Madras or some such town, or if I
preferred, some other quiet rural spot. But let Me tell you here
and now : this tree has to grow at the very spot where it
sprouted: it will not be transplanted : I shall not give up this
place, no, not I. This place will be transformed into Tirupati and
those who are little boys and girls today will surely see it in
all its magnificence". (Puttaparthi, 23/11/1960)
n
"Can Paramatma assume human form ? Well, man can derive Ananda
only through the human form: we can receive instruction,
inspiration, illumination only through human language and human
communication". (Prasanthi Nilayam, Birthday Festival,
23/11/1960).
n
"You all are waiting to hear from Me about the journey to Badri
and what happened there. These people went to Badri and returned
Bhadram (safe). That is the story in a nutshell.
For danger lurked all the time from fire, water,
wind, sky and Earth - all the five elements in fact. Every moment
these people felt the Lord's grace : 150 persons, mostly old men
with indifferent health, to accomplish this Yatra without a single
moment of even headache was due to Swami. Swami also went to Badri
because the Netralingam which is the central source of Holiness
there had to be revived with spiritual efficiency. Sankaracharya
brought five lingams from Kailas and installed one each at
Dwaraka, Sringeri, Badri and Puri and the fifth he placed at
Chidambaram. Of these, the one at Badri has the Narayan-amsam and
that had to be consecrated afresh. That was My task and these
people who came with Me saw Me doing it.
The Netralingam laid by Sankaracharya underneath
the idol there, was "taken" out by Me and Abhisheka was done with
Gangotri water which I fetched by the wave of My hand. It was
worshipped with golden Bilva leaves and Thumbe flowers, both
created by Me on the spot, and sent back to its original place."
(Prasanthi Nilayam, 04/07/1961).
n
"Rama, Krishna and Sai Baba appear different because of the dress
each has donned. But it is the Self-same Entity, believe Me. Do
not be misled into error and loss. The time will soon come when
this huge building or even vaster ones will be too small for the
gathering of those who are called to this place. The sky itself
will have to be the roof of the auditorium of the future : I will
have to forego the car and even the aeroplane when I move from
place to place, for the crowds pressing around them will be too
huge: I will have to move across the sky: yes, that too will
happen, believe Me.
You will witness this Puttaparthi becoming Mathura
Nagara. No one can stop this development or delay it. I will not
give you up, nor can anyone of you give Me up. Even if you loose
faith, you will repent and come to this refuge very soon,
clamouring for admission. I shall be in this body for 58 more
years: I have assured of this already. Your lives are intertwined
with My Earthly Career. Act always in accordance with that great
privilege". (Prasanthi Nilayam, 21/10/61).
n
(Baba was brought down the winding stairs into the private room on
the ground floor, because he insisted on giving Darshan to the
thousands of devotees who had come on that auspicious day. He had
an attack of Cerebral thrombosis (or tubercular meningitis ?) and
was in bed for eight days from the morning of Saturday, 29th
June, to the evening of 6th July. His left hand, leg
and eye were affected : His right hand was also slightly palsy;
the tongue was indistinct and the face was twitching. He was
placed on the silver chair in the prayer hall and His hand and leg
were kept in proper position. As soon as He was seated, He
communicated the following message which was interpreted and
announced: )
"This is not Swami's illness : this is an illness
which Swami has taken on, in order to save someone. Swami has no
illness, nor will He get it at any time. You must all be happy :
that alone will make Swami happy; if you grieve, Swami will not be
happy. Your joy is Swami's food".
(Then Baba signaled Kasturi to speak, and after
his short speech was over, Baba wanted the mike to be held before
Him. He asked through it, "Vinipisthundaa". But, though he asked
again and again, the voice was so indistinct that no one could
make out what it meant.
He then signaled for water and when it was
brought, He sprinkled a little with His shaking right hand on His
left leg. He stroked his left hand with the right. Immediately, He
used both hands to stroke His left leg: that touch was enough to
cure it. He doffed the disease in a trice: He started to speak :
it was the same musical voice.)
"Dikkulenivaniki devude gathi:" for those who have
no refuge, God is the refuge. That is exactly the reason why I had
to take on the disease that one helpless Bhakta was to get. He has
to suffer this dire illness, as well as the four heart attacks
that accompanied it. So according to My Dharma of
Bhakthasamrakshana, I had to rescue him. Of course this is not the
first time that I have taken on the illness of persons who I
wanted to save. Even in the previous body at Shirdi, I had this
responsibility. The suffering that you saw was too much for this
particular devotee and so, I had to save him, by Myself going
through it. This is My Leela: My Nature. It is part of the task
for which I have come. Sishyarakshana.
This is perhaps the longest period when I kept the
devotees wondering and worried. That was because of the heart
attacks which had to come later on to the Bhakta from which also
he had to be saved. Then, there is another reason too, why the 8 -
day period had to be observed. Well : I shall tell you why. That
means I must tell you about Myself, about something I have not
disclosed so far, something which I was keeping within Myself, for
the last 37 years. The time has come to announce it. This is a
sacred day and I shall tell you.
You know I declared on the very day when I decided
to disclose My Identity, My Mission and My Advent that I belonged
to the Apasthamba Suthra and the Bharadwaj Gothra. This Bharadwaja
was a great sage, who studied the Vedas for full one hundred
years: but finding that Vedas were Anantha (endless) he did Thapas
for prolonging life, and from Indra he got two extensions of a
century each. Even then, the Vedas could not be completed, so, he
asked Indra again for another hundred years. Indra showed him 3
huge mountain ranges and said, "What you have learnt in 3
centuries are only three handfuls from out of the 3 ranges, which
the Vedas are. So, give up the attempt to exhaust the Vedas. Do a
Yaga , instead, which I shall teach you: that will give you the
fruit of Vedic study, full and complete.
Bharadwaja decided on performing the Yaga : Indra
taught him how to do it: all preparations were completed. The sage
wanted that Sakti must preside and bless the Yaga. So he went to
Kailasa but, the time was not opportune for presenting his
petition. Siva and Sakti were engaged in a competitive dance,
trying to find out who could dance longer. Eight days passed thus.
Before Sakti noticed Bharadwaja standing in the cold. She just
cast a smile at him and danced along as before: The sage mistook
the smile as a cynical refusal to notice him: he turned his back
on Kailasa and started to descend. To his dismay, he found his
left leg, hand and eye put out of action by a stroke. Siva saw him
fall: He came up to him and consoled him; Bharadwaja was told that
Sakti had indeed blessed him and his Yaga. Then Siva revived him
and cured him, sprinkling water from the Kamandalu. Both Siva and
Sakti granted the Rishi boons: They would both attend the Yaga,
they said.
After the Yaga was over, they were so pleased that
they conferred even more boons on the sage. Siva said they would
take Human Form and be born in the Bharadwaja lineage or Gothra
thrice: Siva alone as Shirdi Sai Baba, Siva and Sakti together at
Puttaparthi as Sathya Sai Baba, and Sakti alone as Prema Sai,
later. Then Siva remembered the illness that had suddenly come
upon Bharadwaja at Kailasa on the eighth day of his waiting in the
cold, on the ice. He gave another assurance, "As expiation for the
neglect which Sakti showed you at Kailasa for 8 days, this Sakti
will suffer the stroke for 8 days, when we both take birth as
Sathya Sai Baba and, on the 8th day, I shall relieve
her from all signs of the disease by sprinkling water, just as I
did at Kailasa to cure your illness."
It was the working out of this assurance that you
witnessed today, just now. This had to happen. This stroke and the
cure. The assurance given in the Thretha Yuga had to be honoured.
Let me tell you one more thing: Nothing can impede
or halt the work of this Avatara. When I was upstairs all these
days, some people foolishly went out saying, "It is all over about
Sai Baba" and they turned back many who were coming to
Puttaparthi: Some said I was in Samadhi, as if I am a Sadhaka:
Some feared I was the victim of black magic, as if anything can
affect Me: The splendour of this Avatara will go on increasing,
day by day. Formerly when the Govardhanangiri was raised aloft by
the little boy, the Gopis and Gopakas realised that Krishna was
the Lord. Now it is not one Govardhanagiri, a whole range will be
lifted, you will see: Have patience, have faith".
(Guru poornima day, 06/07/1963 ).
n
"You might ask Me to speak about My own mystery. It is not easy
to understand it. When you have the chance, gather all the joy
that you can. There is no use bolting the door when the thieves
have robbed and fled. Seize the chance and do not repent later
that you have missed the opportunity. Remember, you have to come
to Me, if not in this birth, at least within ten more births :
strive to acquire Grace: Grace is the reward for Sadhana: the
highest Sadhana is to follow the instructions of the Master".
(Prasanthi Nilayam, 12/02/1964).
n
"The Lord comes as Avatar when He is anxiously awaited by saints
and sages. Sadhus prayed - and I have come. My tasks are three, or
rather two, Dharmarakshana and Vedarakshana both practically the
same. The two are therefore : Vedarakshana and Bhaktarakshana :
fostering of the Vedas and fostering of Bhaktas. Now what is
Bhakti? Who are Bhaktas? It is faith, steadiness, virtue,
fearlessness, surrender, absence of egoism. Puja done however
elaborately and pompously, is sheer waste of time and energy. Why
pluck flowers and hasten their death ? Some of you go round this
Nilayam and satisfy yourselves that you have done so many
pradakshinas, but they can be called so only when your mind
circles this place along with your feet. I notice that while your
feet are taking you round by force of habit, your tongue blabbers
about the faults of others, or the price of the vegetables, or the
dish you propose to cook for lunch. Before you start on your
rounds which you call Pradakshina, give your mind a dakshina
(thanksgiving offering) to the Resident of the Temple, the Lord.
That is the first thing to do, and perhaps, the only thing to do.
Pradakshina is not to be taken for loosening the limbs or giving
them some exercise.
Be confident that you will be liberated. Know that
you are saved. Go and tell all that you had gone to Puttaparthi
and got there the secret of liberation".
(Prasanthi Nilayam, 25/01/1963).
n
"It was declared that Rama was born of the payasam which was
brought by the Diety from out of the sacrificial fire. No Avathar
is born flesh and blood, including this Avatar. The body of the
Avatar is chit substance: it is not jada like other materials. The
embryo of ordinary mortals is encased in 'Jalodakasayi' enveloped
in watery stuff; the embryo of the Avatar is encased in 'Kshirodakasayi', the pure white milk of holiness. That is why in
the make up of the Avatar, there is no blemish, there is no trace
of Guna. Dasaratha wept, for he had no sons to offer ritual food
when he moved out into the next world. When all are of the form of
God and of the substance of God, who is son and who is father, who
is to offer food to whom, when that high stage of wisdom is
reached ? Kshama is the father, Santham is the mother,
renunciation is the wife, and the Lord is the son, the male issue
to save him from perdition. This desire brought his spirit before
Rama, when Sita was about to enter the fire in Lanka.
Ravana was killed and Rama asked Sugriva and
Lakshmana to crown Vibhishana as Emperor of Lanka; he pleaded that
Rama Himself should bless him on that auspicious occasion, but
Rama insisted that His vow of hermithood prevented Him from
entering an inhabited city. Rama sent Hanuman and requested him to
bring Sita to the camp in a palanquin. Vibhishana had not thought
of that; he was too immersed in other affairs. Hanuman bowed
before Sita and got a vision of Lakshmi rising out of the waves of
the ocean of milk. He felt that that vision was enough
compensation for all the births he had to undergo. While the
palanquin neared the camp, there spread everywhere a sublime
splendour from it, which astonished the varana hordes. Rama sent
word that Sita may alight and walk the remaining distance, so that
they may fill their eyes with her glory. This is not mentioned
in the books.
When Sita was about ten yards away, Rama, who is
butter when He melts and steel when He hardens, said, "Stop, I can
accept you only after you pass through Fire". Lakshmana swooned at
this thunderbolt; the monkeys who had to bring the fuel for the
Fire bent under the weight of seven twigs. The Fire ordeal served
two purposes: to scorch the slanderous tongues, which haunt the
tracks of Avatars at all times: and, to retrieve from the Fire the
real Sita who had entered into it, prior to abduction by Ravana".
(Prasanthi Nilayam, 04/02/1963).
n
"The aeroplane has to land at certain places in order to take in
those who have won the right to fly, by the tickets they have
purchased. So too, the Lord has to come down so that those who
have won the right to be liberated may be saved; incidentally,
others too will know of the Lord, of His grace and ways of winning
it, the joy of liberation. There are some who deny even today the
possibility of air travel; they curse the contrivance; they cavil
it. Similarly, there are many who cavil at the Avatara that has
come to save".
(Prasanthi Nilayam, 05/02/1963).
n
"You can call me on the phone, but I will not be available for all
those who do not have the sincere and steady yearning for the
Lord. For those who say "No, you are not my Lord," I say 'No' for
those who say 'yes'. I too echo 'Yes'. If I am available in your
heart, I will be available over the phone, but, remember, I have
my own special postal and telephone systems. They operate from
the heart straight to the heart. There are rules and regulations
for the operations of that system, which the Sastras declare. You
can find them there". (Prasanthi Nilayam, 29/07/1964).
n
"Krishna-Avatara is a Sampurna Avatara, the Lord appearing with
all the 16 Kalas; Rama shared the Kalas with other brothers. Rama
appeared as if He was associated with gunas or qualities, or as
having qualitative behaviour, whereas Krishna was above and beyond
such. Krishna never prayed, not even in the direst crisis: But
Rama does so, to Aditya, for instance; the intent of that Avatar
was different. Krishna was unaffected by gunas, His relationship
with the Gopis was pure. A person like Dharmaraja selected Him
above all the sages and saints of the day for special worship at
the Rajasuya sacrifice".
(Prasanthi Nilayam, 26/11/1964).
n
"Some of you may imagine that it is source of joy for the Lord to
take a human form. If you are in this state, you will not feel so.
I am always aware of the future, the past as well as the present
of everyone of you. So, I am not moved so much by pity. Not that I
am hard-hearted, or that I have no pity or daya. If you bolt the
door fast, how can the rays of My grace be available to you?
"Swami", you cry, I have no eyes, I am yearning to see you. Won't
your heart melt at your plight? Of course, his pitiable condition
melts your heart; will it not melt Mine ? But since I know the
past, the background, My reaction is different. If only you knew,
you too will react differently. It is the consequences of the
evil, deliberately done in the previous births, and so I have to
allow the suffering to continue, modified often by some little
compensation. I do not cause either joy or grief; you are the
designer of both the chains".
(Prasanthi Nilayam, 26/11/1964).
n
"When people forget the One and run after the many, Dharma
declines; for, there can be no love, no sacrifice, no detachment
in human affairs then. So, the Lord takes the human form and comes
amongst men to restore his sense of values. You may ask, why
should the Lord Himself incarnate? Why can he not set about the
task of restoring Dharma through the many minor Gods He has at His
command? This question was posed before the courtiers by Akbar
himself, for, he laughed at the Hindu idea of the Formless
adopting Form, the descending into the world as an Avatar to save
Dharma. Birbal asked for a week's time to furnish the answer and
got it granted by his Imperial Majesty. A few days later, when he
was in the pleasure boat of the Emperor sailing across the lake
with his family, Birbal cleverly threw overboard a doll made to
look like the Emperor's little son, crying at the same time. "O,
the prince has fallen into the water:" Hearing this, the Emperor
jumped into the lake to rescue his son:
Birbal then disclosed that it was only a doll and
that the son was safe. He allayed the anger of Akbar by explaining
that he had perforce to enact this drama in order to demonstrate
the truth of the Hindu belief why God takes human form Himself,
to save Dharma, without commissioning some other entity to carry
out the task. Dharma is as the son, God loves it so dearly. Akbar
could have ordered one among the many personnel he had on board to
jump in and rescue his son; but his affection was so great and the
urgency so acute that the Emperor himself plunged into the lake to
pull out the "son". The decline of Dharma is so acute a tragedy;
the intensity of affection that the Lord has for good men
is so great that He Himself comes. The Lord is love itself. He
comes in human form so that you can talk to Him, adore Him, move
with Him, serve Him and achieve Him, so that you can recognise
your kinship with Him."
(Venkatagiri Prasanthi Vidwanmahasabha,
13/12/1964).
n
"The newspapers have a great role to play; but they are content
to cater to the vulgar tastes and become waste papers soon. I was,
during the last month, in Maharashtra state, in Bombay, where
lakhs and lakhs of people satisfied their thirst for Darshan and
while I was discoursing to the several thousands on the
fundamentals of the Vedas and Sastras and directing the members of
the Prasanthi Vidwanmahasabha (Maharashtra Branch) to resuscitate
the glorious value culture of our land. I was discussing with
ministers, judges, business magnates, doctors, lawyers, editors
and others belonging to Maharashtra, Saurashtra and Delhi about
the programme of Dharmasthapana. And here, in this part of India,
certain newspapers were wallowing in the lies that they invented
and circulated about what had happened to Me. They print without
any shame their despicable inventions displaying malice and envy
of the lowest order. Of course, such calumny is quite an ancient
experience for the eminent, this is My experience in previous
Yugas also. The successors of Sisupala cannot remain idle;
consider to what low level human weakness has descended. I do not
care either for praise or blame; I only pity these people who, in
order to scrap together a few paise from the poor, resort to such
venial tricks. For all who are pained by these subhuman antics I
declare, "Even if all the fourteen worlds unite together, the work
for which I have come will not suffer a bit; even if Earth and
Heaven combine. My truth can never be fully grasped".
(Anantpur High School for Girls, School day.,
S.S.S,Vol.V)
n
"It is only in Sanathan Dharma that the importance of Karma in
shaping the destiny of man, the fact of the individual undergoing
many births in his progress towards birthlessness and mighty grace
of God's coming as man among men to gather them around Him in Holy
companionship for saving them and saving the world through them,
is so strongly and clearly laid down. If you doubt any of these
great truths, you are to suffer and grieve. Every one of you must
be saved, sooner or later, by the grace of the All-Merciful. Make
it sooner than later. Keep the goal clear before the eye and march
on".
(Dassara, 1966. 17/10/1966).
n
"I am also the target of such comments: people do not understand
the way of God. How can they know why particular event takes place
at a particular time in a particular manner? He alone can know.
But people try to sit in judgment and talk ill, when for example
one dies of illness at this place: how can anyone escape death?
Even Avatars cast off the physical form when the task for which
they have come is over. It is the height of foolishness to loose
faith in God when someone you care for dies. The sentence that he
earned is over and he is released. No one is born and allowed to
live for the sake of another. Each has his own burden to carry and
lay down. Do not therefore allow any circumstances to affect your
faith in God, who is your strength and solace." (Mahashivrathri,
Prasanthi Nilayam, 09/03/1967).
n
"You must have noticed that I do not speak about Sai in My
Discourses, nor do I sing of Sai during the Bhajan with which I
usually conclude My discourses. And you must have wondered why.
Let me tell you the reason. I do not want the impression to gain
ground that I desire this name and this Form to be publicised. I
have not come to set a new cult. I do not want the people to be
misled on this point. I affirm that this Sai form is the Form of
all the Various Names that man uses for the adoration of the
Divine. So, I am teaching that no distinction should be made
between the names Rama, Krishna, Iswara, Sai?, for they are all My
Names".
(World conference of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Seva
Organisation, Bombay, 17/05/1968) .
n
"Since at this place, those who have devotion have gathered and
people of all nations have come, I cannot but tell you one fact.
World conferences dedicated to religion or spiritual problems
have, no doubt, been held before; also, Conference of Followers of
Spiritual Faiths. But these have been held only after the demise
of the founders and divine inspirers. This is the very first time
that a world conference is held of the persons devoted, while the
Incarnation is present before every one, with the Body assumed for
the purpose, bearing the Name that is chosen for it by itself. I
must tell you this fact, because ninety nine persons out of
hundred among you do not know my Reality. You have come here drawn
by various needs, a taste for spiritual matters, eagerness to
develop the institution to which you are attached, admiration or
affection, love or reverence or spurt of enthusiasm to join others
and share with others your own exultations.
In truth, you cannot understand the nature of My
Reality either today, or even a thousand years of steady austerity
or ardent enquiry even if all the mankind joins in that effort.
But, in a short time, you will become cognisant of the Bliss
showered by the Divine Principle, which has taken upon Himself
its Sacred Body and this sacred Name. Your good fortune which will
provide you this chance is greater than what was available for
Anchorites, monks, sages, saints and even personalities embodying
facets of Divine Glory.
Since I move about with you, eat like you, and
talk with you, you are deluded in the belief that this is but an
instance of common humanity. Be warned against this mistake. I am
also deluding you by My singing with you, talking with you, and
engaging Myself in activities with you. But, any movement, My
Divinity may be revealed to you; you have to be ready, prepared
for that moment. Since Divinity is enveloped by humanness you must
endeavour to overcome the Maya (delusion) that hides it from your
eyes.
This is a human form in which every Divine Entity,
every Divine Principle, that is to say, all the names and forms
ascribed by man to God, are manifest. (Sarvadaivathwa
Sarvaroopaalanu dharinchina maanavaakaarame ee aakaaram). Do not
allow doubt to distract you; if you only instal , in the altar of
your heart, steady Faith in My Divinity, you can win My vision of
My Reality. Instead, if you swing like a pendulum of a clock, one
moment devotion, other moment disbelief, you can never succeed in
comprehending the Truth and win the Bliss. You are very fortunate
that you have a chance to experience the Bliss of the Vision of
the Sarvadaivathwa swaroopam (The Form which is the all Forms of
all God) now in this life itself.
Let me draw your attention to another fact. On
previous occasion when God incarnated on Earth the Bliss of
recognising Him in the incarnation was vouchsafed only after the
physical Embodiment had left the world, despite plenty of patent
evidences of His Grace. And the loyalty and devotion they
commanded from men arose through fear and awe, at the superhuman
powers and skills, or at the imperial and panel authority. But,
ponder a moment on this Sathya Sai Manifestation; in this age of
rampant materialism, aggressive disbelief and irreverence, what is
it that brings to it the adoration of millions from all over the
world? You will be convinced that the basic reason for this is the
fact that this is the supra-worldly Divinity in Human Form.
Again, how fortunate you are that you can witness
all the countries of the world paying homage to Bharat; you can
hear adoration to Sathya Sai's Name reverberating throughout the
world, even while this body is existing - not at some future date,
but when it is with you, before you. And again, you can witness
very soon the restoration of Sanathana Dharma to its genuine and
natural status, the Dharma laid down in Vedas for the good of all
the people of the world. The revival of Vedic Dharma is the Sai
Sankalpa (the resolve that Sai has) not only drawing people
towards Me, attracting them by the manifestation of My Sakti
(Power) and Samartya (capability). This is not a Bhramatatwam
(phenomenon of delusion). This phenomenon (thatwam) will sustain
truth, it will uproot untruth, and in that victory may all of you
exult in ecstasy. This is the Sai Sankalpam".
(World Conference of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Seva
Organisation, Bombay, 17/05/1968).
n
"Then we have this programme of Nagarsankirthana. It is nothing
new, for Jayadeva, Gouranga, Tukaram and Kabir used this type of
Namasmarana as a means of self- improvement and mass spiritual
awakening. Gather in the early hours before dawn, say about 4.30
A.M or 5.00 A.M., and proceed slowly along the streets, singing
Bhajan songs glorifying God. Carry the name of God to every door:
wake the sleeping with it, purify the atmosphere of the streets,
rendered unclean by angry shouts of hate or greed, faction or
fight. Let the day dawn for you and others with thought of the
Almighty, the Compassionate, the Omnipresent self-knowing God.
What greater service can you do to yourself and others? This will
give you health and happiness. Your egoism will be shattered when
you sing in the streets in full view of your neighbours. You will
forget in your enthusiasm all pride and self-esteem. Thus, this
Nagarsankirthana is a great Sadhana, a great piece of social
service.
Another point too was raised yesterday, a small
one about Prasadam (the edible that is usually offered to the Lord
after Bhajan and distributed as consecrated food for the
participants). Well, the edible offering is to be avoided; the
Name itself is the best consecrated offering to be shared. You can
give Vibhuti as Prasadam; that is enough. That is the most
precious and effective Prasad.)".
(World conference of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai
Organisation, Bombay evening of 18/05/1968).
n
"Another point; you desire that I should come to your houses : you
pray to Me to do so, you grieve when I do not come, you start
reviling yourself that you are poorer than others, that you are
spiritually underdeveloped perhaps, and so on. Now, all this is
irrelevant. I have no place in My heart for such distinctions and
differences. You may believe this or disbelieve. But, I must
reveal the real response of My heart. I have no enthusiasm to
visit the houses of the people; nor have I any disinclination to
do the same. I do not care for the brick and mortar structures in
which you live; I care to visit and reside in your hearts. This
Prasanthi Nilayam is not My residence. When your hearts are
transformed as Prasanthi Nilayams, they are My residence. When you
pray that I should visit your village, I think of the facilities
it has - not for Me. I need only standing space - for the sake of
thousand, the tens of thousands, the hundreds of thousands that
gather to have My Darshan. How can I tolerate the slightest
inconvenience to them, the women, the children, the sick, the
aged, the blind, the decrepit, that come for counsel, consolation,
courage and cure?
Let me tell you another point also. Do not delay
any more; take hold of this unique chance, even while you can.
Ask me about the Sadhana you should adopt about your liberation;
begin practicing from this day. Later it may be difficult to
approach Me and ask Me. For, people are coming towards Me in full
unending streams, and you may have to take Darshan of Me from
miles away: This is bound to grow into a Viswa-vriksha, a
World-tree that sheds shade and shelter on all. This has come down
in this Form with that very purpose. It knows no halting, no
hesitation. My name is Sathya (Truth). My teaching is Truth; My
path is Truth; I am Truth.
In each yuga, the Divine has incorporated itself
as an Avatar for some particular task. This Incarnation is
different in that it had to deal with the crisis which is
Worldwide and World-shaking. Intellectual conceit has grown so
wild that men have become foolish enough to ask, "What and where
is God?" Immortality has put of the garb of mortality and is
enticing man into the morass of sin. Truth is condemned as a trap;
justice is jeered at; saints are harassed as social enemies. Hence
this Incarnation has come to uphold the Truth and suppress the
False. I behave like you, moving, singing, laughing, journeying,
but watch out for the blow I inflict all of a sudden, to chastise
and to warn. I shall scorch the wrong doer for his wrong and
soothe the virtuous for his righteousness. Justice shall be meted
out to all".
(Prasanthi Nilayam, 18/08/1968)
n
"I shall not change my course even by a hair's breadth, as a
result of what people may say about Me. I am not afraid of any one
or thing. Truth has no fear; untruth shivers at every shadow. This
body of Mine is named Truth (Sathya); the principle that is in
this body is also Truth. Truth enclosed in Truth has been rendered
the Truth of Truths (Sathyasaya Sathyam). This form has been
assumed, in order to lead mankind from untruth to truth.
I eat as you do, move about as you do, talk in
your language, and behave as you can recognise and understand, for
YOUR sake - not for My sake:. I turn you towards Divine, winning
your confidence, your love, your submission, by being among you,
as one of yourselves, one whom you can see, listen to, speak to,
touch and treat with reverence and devotion. My plan is to
transmute you into seekers of Truth (Sathya-anveshakas). I am
present everywhere at all times; My will must prevail over every
obstacle; I am aware of the past, present and future, of your
innermost thoughts and carefully guarded secrets. I am
Sarvaantharyami, sarva Saktha and Sarvajna. Nevertheless I do not
manifest these powers in any capricious manner or merely for
display. For, I am an example and as inspiration, whatever I do or
omit to do. My life is a commentary on my message.
For example, you must have noticed that I never
call a woman alone for interview. I call women only into group of
ten or fifteen. I want that you should note this and infer that
one has to be extremely cautious in dealing with the other sex,
for, though I am above and beyond, the Gunas, since this body is
obviously masculine, I want to teach both men and women how they
have to regulate their social behavior and be above the slightest
tinge of suspicion, or of small talk.
Again, I am active and busy all the twenty-four
hours of the day. Everyday, the mail brings the thousands of
letters, and you hand over to Me personally hundreds more. Yet, I
do not take the help of anyone else, even to open the envelopes.
For, you write to me intimate details of your personal problems,
believing that I alone will read them and having implicit
confidence in Me. You write, each one only a single letter, that
makes for Me a huge bundle a day; and I have to go through all of
them. You may ask how I manage it? Well I do not waste a single
moment.
And, all this I do, not for personal gain, but only
because I have come for your sake. I never seek another's help,
never receive it. My hand always gives; it never takes. Conclude
from this that this must be Divine, not human power.
Some of you may be wondering, 'How does Swami
arrange these elaborate festivals and functions? Who does He
charge with the various items of work?' I do not allot work to
this person or that, or consult anyone for ideas and suggestions.
All this is done by the Divine Will, operating through the force
of love. For example, though there are thousands gathered here,
absolute silence prevails. Under what compulsion? Only the
compulsion of love. In other places, where a hundred people
collect, a hundred and fifty constables are present to keep them
quiet: Here there is no need for any one to see that silence is
maintained. For, here God is the Master, and Creation dances in
joy. There is no third entity here. Only Purusha and Prakriti are
here. A glance from the corner of the eye is enough to get things
done towards successful conclusion. Love activates, love fulfils.
When the Giver of Grace is here, you run after
persons who claim that they got this or the other article from Me
or were blessed with this gift from Me: When you have Kamadhenu
here, why seek to know and secure a cow? Kamadhenu can give you
all that you need. When you have Kalpataru here, why bother about
fruits on a tree? Kalpataru can give you all that you ask. When
you have the mountain of gold and silver, Meru, why cringe for
silver and gold from persons who are themselves beggars? When you
have God come amongst you to support and sustain you, why grovel
through crude vulgar entities? Avoid places where they bargain in
terms of gifts, donations, for Spiritual guidance and
Transmission".
(Dassara, Prasanthi Nilayam, 11/10/1970).
n
"Once Hislop asked me a question whether inanimate things too had
emotions and feelings of disappointment and despair? The occasion
was at Dharmakshetra: I asked that about a hundred sarees he
bought, so that I could select some, for distribution to the women
workers at Anantpur who are helping to build a Sathya Sai College
there: I selected 96 and asked them to return 4 to the shop. I
kept the 4 aside and the 96 were placed in my room. Later, when I
passed the table on which the four discarded sarees were kept
(Hislop was standing by the side of the table), it was noticed
that the card board box which contained the four was dripping
tears: The sarees were weeping; that they could not get
appreciation from Me and were declared unfit. Yes: They had shed
tears. You may ask whether this is ever possible. I answer, there
is nothing in this world which has no heart, which is incapable of
feeling joy or grief: Only you must have the eye to see, the ear
to listen, the heart to respond".
(Prasanthi Nilayam, 14/01/1971).
n
"But those who profess to have understood me, the Scholars, the
Yogis, the Pundits, the Jnanis, all of them are aware only of the
least important the casual external manifestation part of that
power, namely the "Miracles" : they have not desired to contact
the source of all Power and all Wisdom, that is available here at
Brindavan. They are satisfied when they secure a chance to exhibit
their book learning and parade their scholarship in Vedic lore,
not realising that the person from whom the Vedas emanated is in
the midst, for their sake. They even ask, in their pride, for a
few more chances.
This has been the case, in all ages. People may be
very near (physically) to the Avatar, but, they live out their
lives unaware of their fortune: they exaggerate the role of
miracles, which are trivial, when compared to My Glory and
Majesty, as a mosquito is in size and strength to the elephant
upon whom it squats. Therefore, when you speak about these
miracles, I laugh within Myself out of pity, that you allow
yourself so easily to loose the precious awareness of My Reality.
My power is immeasurable; My Truth is
inexplicable, unfathomable. I am announcing this about Me, for,
the need has arisen. But, what I am doing now is only a gift of a
visiting card: Let Me tell you that emphatic declarations of the
truth by Avatars were made so clearly and so unmistakably only by
Krishna. In spite of the declarations, you will notice in the
career of the same Krishna that He underwent defeat in His efforts
or endeavours, on a few occasions you must have also noted that
those defeats too, were part of the drama which He had planned and
He Himself directed. For example, when many kings pleaded with Him
to avert the war with the Kauravas, He confessed that His mission
to the Kaurava court for ensuring peace had failed: But He had
willed that it should not succeed : He had decided that the war
would be waged: His mission was intended to publicise the greed
and envy of the Kauravas and to condemn them before the whole
world.
Now, I must tell you that during this Sai Avatar,
there is no place for even such 'drama' with scenes of failure and
defeats: What I Will must take place; what I plan must succeed. I
am Truth; and Truth has no need to hesitate, or fear or bend.
'Willing' is superfluous for Me. For grace is ever
available to devotees who have steady love and faith. Since I move
freely with them, talking and singing, even intellectuals are
unable to grasp My Truth, My power, My glory or My real task as
Avatar. I can solve any problem however knotty; I am beyond the
reach of the most intensive enquiry and the most meticulous
measurement. Only those who have recognised My love and
experienced My love can assert that they have glimpsed My reality.
For, the path of love is the royal road that leads mankind to Me.
Do not attempt to know Me through the external
eyes. When you go to a temple and stand before the image of the
God, you pray with closed eyes, don't you? Why? Because you feel
that the inner eye of wisdom can alone reveal Him to you.
Therefore, do not crave for from Me trivial material objects; but,
crave for Me. And you will be rewarded. Not that you should not
receive whatever object I give as sign of grace out of fulness of
love.
I shall tell you why I give these things,
talismans, rosaries etc., it is to signalise the bond between Me
and to those whom they are given. When calamity befalls them, that
articles come to Me in a flash and return in flash taking from Me
the remedial Grace of protection. The Grace is available to all
who call on Me in any name or form, not merely to those who wear
these gifts. Love is the bond that wins that Grace.
Consider the meaning of my name, Sai Baba. Sa
means 'Divine'; aye means 'mother' and Baba means 'father', just
as Sambasiva, which also means the divine mother and father. Your
physical parents exhibit love with a dose of selfishness; but
this Sai ' Mother and Father' showers affection or reprimands only
for leading you towards victory in the struggle for
self-realisation.
For, this Sai has come in order to achieve the
supreme task of uniting the entire mankind as one family, through
the bond of brotherhood, of affirming and illumining the Atmic
Reality of each being in order to reveal the Divine, which is the
basis on which the entire cosmos rests, and of instructing all to
recognise the common Divine Heritage that binds man to man, so
that man can rid himself of the animal, and rise into the Divine
which is his goal.
I am the embodiment of Love; Love is my instrument.
There is no creature without Love; the lowest loves itself, at
least. And its self is God. So, there are no atheists, though some
might dislike Him or refuse Him, as malaria patients dislike
sweets or diabetic patients refuse to have anything to do with
sweets: those who present themselves as atheists will one day,
when their illness is gone, relish God and revere Him.
I had to tell you so much about my truth, for, I
desire that you should contemplate on this and derive joy and
reform so that you may be inspired to observe the disciplines laid
down by Me and progress towards the Goal of Self-realisation, the
Realisation of the Sai that shines in your heart".
(Brindavan, 19/06/1974).
n
Swami declared, "Why is it that so many lakhs of people have
gathered here today? There must be some compelling reason for it.
You must be seeking something which you have not found in your
native place. Here there is Divine Love, It is this powerful
magnet of Divine Love that has been attracting all the iron
filings in the form of human beings. Not a single invitation was
sent to anyone. No one was asked to come. What has drawn all the
people here is power of Divine Love, the bond uniting hearts. At
the root of all this is purity. Where there is purity there love
grows. When purity and love come together, there is bliss
(Ananda). Whatever work we do, whatever sacrifices we perform,
they are not of much use in the absence of love.
NEW HOSPITAL PROJECT : With this object in view
(Providing free medical facilities), we decided to establish a big
hospital here. Many persons appealed to Me to set up the hospital
in an urban centre. There are many medical institutions run as
business in several cities. When any educational or medical
institution is established, the sole aim is to make a business out
of it. There are only a few who are ready to set up such
institutions to provide free facilities for the poor. Therefore
from the start we decided to set up a hundred crore hospital near
Prasanthi Nilayam itself. Even as higher education is free here
'higher medicine' also is free. People spend some lakhs to get
heart surgery done in the U.S. What is the plight of the poor? Who
looks after them? If they go to the cities, they will not get even
coloured water (Mixture). Recognising this fact, we have launched
this big hospital project, whether it is heart by-pass operation,
or a kidney transplant, or a lung operation or brain surgery,
everything will be free here. THE HOSPITAL WILL BE OPENED ON
NOVEMBER 22,1991. No one can understand Sai Sankalpa (working of
the mind) Thought and action are simultaneous, like the light and
sound that come out when a gun is fired. Hence it is not easy for
every one to understand Sai's resolve.
In the case of earlier Avatars their fame grew
only after their passing. In the case of the present Avatar, in
His own life time a UNIVERSITY, BIG HOSPITAL, AN AERODROME, AND
MANY OTHER THINGS, have been established, for the benefit of the
villagers, and many more will follow in the years ahead. Many
persons have doubts as to how all these things are being
accomplished. The ADVENT (OF THIS AVATAR) took place 64 years ago.
All these years this hand has not been stretched, at any time, to
seek anything from anyone. I will never ask anyone and there will
never be an occasion for it. How then are these things happening?
For any good work, there is not any impediment in Bharat. When you
want to do any good work whole-heartedly, money flows in torrents.
The narrow-minded who undertake any work will
never be satisfied. They cannot understand the actions of those
who are large hearted and broad-minded."
(65th Birthday Celebrations, Hill View
Stadium, 23/11/1990)
n
"Today I have just made a beginning with the exposition of
Vedanta. Every Mantra in the Vedanta is pregnant with meaning. I
shall take up every day one Mantra and explain its meaning in
simple and easily intelligible terms. The essence of the Vedanta
can be compressed in a small message, but that small message is
composed of 15000 Mantras. I shall reveal to you the meaning of
these Mantras. This cannot be done by anyone except the Divine.
You have not known even a fragment of My reality.
The full nature of this reality can never be understood by
anyone. I am a man amongst men, when they see Me, I appear as a
man. Amongst woman, I am a woman. Amongst children I am a child.
When alone, I am God. This is the truth about Me. The reason is I
have to act towards each section at their level.
You must realise that all this is coming to you
because of your extreme good fortune. This kind of blessing has
not been given to anyone by any previous Avatar.
Your good fortune will fructify immensely if you
make good use of this opportunity to learn and benefit from
Swami's teachings.
You will see in the due course that even the blind
declare, "Swami is God".
In the human condition, occasionally Maya enters
and subjects people to various tests. Do not submit to Maya in any
way.
Succeed in all tests. Then you will become tasty
for Bhagavan. Immerse yourself in the love principle. Its true
nature is beyond description.
Give up all bad qualities in you, banish the ego
and develop the spirit of surrender. You will then experience
Bliss.
(Sai Kulwant Hall, 31/07/1996).
After reading all this about Baba's declarations
about Himself that He is an Avatar (God descended in human form),
the readers must have been hopefully, fully convinced, discarding
any doubt that may have lingered in their mind. Nevertheless there
may still be a few doubting Thomases and so-called rationalists
who need some more authentic proofs, before they are able to
accept this truth in all its totality. Hence in the next chapter,
the author would like to delve upon the characteristics of an
Avatar, and the prophesies made about an Avatar, particularly in
context to the present Avatar Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.