Media News - Daily Excelsior, November 23, 2003

11-24-2003, 10:38 AM

Source:
http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/03nov23/edit.htm#3

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Article published in: Daily Excelsior, India
Date: Sunday, November 23, 2003
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Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba's Birthday falling on 23-11-2003

Shiv-Shakti Avtar

By Purshotam Bargotra

"There is only one Nation, the Nation of Mankind,
There is only one Religion, the Religion of Love;
There is only one Language, the Language of Heart;
There is only one God and He is Omnipresent." --Baba

Several thousands of pairs of open eyes and folded pairs of hands
are found directed towards the entry gate from which Bhagwan Baba
appears for 'Darshan'. Every devotee stretches himself like a calf
to reach udder of its mother for nourishing sustenance. A total calm
prevails. The breath stills, body consciousness is lost one-ness of
souls is experienced. There is Divinity through and through. Bhagwan
showers His grace in abundance on concourse of His devotees.

Four hundred years intensive and incessant study of Vedas could not
help sage Bhardwaj's yearning for Supreme Knowledge. Recognizing the
saddened Sage's magnificent passion, Indra suggested him to
propitiate Mother Parvathi. The sage decided to hold a 'Yajna' and
reached the abode of Lord Siva to invite Divine Mother. He stood
still in the snow-clad Kailasa for 8 days witnessing Ishwara and His
Consort dancing in Ecstacy. Exhausted, the sage suffered paralytic
stroke and broke down. Immediately the Divine couple rushed to his
help. Lord Siva sprinkled Holy water on Him and cured. Bhardwaja was
also granted a boon that Lord Siva himself will incarnate in
Kaliyuga thrice. The First Shive Incarnation was born as a third
child to a pious couple Devagiriamma and Ganga Bhavida in Village
Patri near Manmad (Maharashtra) and He is Sri Baba of Shirdhi. The
Third Incarnation will be Prema Sai.

The Second Incarnation is Shiv-Shakti Avtar Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai
Baba who had chosen Himself Mother Easwaramma and Sri Pedda Venkama
Raju as parents of His physical body. Sathya was born as their
fourth child on 23rd Nov, 1926, in Ratnakar family in a tiny village
known as Puttaparthi (Distt Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh). The village
had then a few mud-huts infested with mush-roomed ant-hills and
barren land. The child was named Sathya or Raju in His childhood.
Beloved of every body in the village, handsome and loving Raju
brimmed with compassion and unbounded love. Strict vegetarian and
disciplinarian, He felt sad over bull-fights, bull-races, cock-
fights and other acts of cruelty to animals. A born scholar with
unbounded wisdom, He was proficient in composing and
singing 'Bhajans' and poetry. He excelled in dance and drama. Like
Yashoda to Krishna, Subamma was to Sathya. Subamma lived in the next
house and Sathya spent most of the time in her care. She showered
unlimited motherly affection on the child and served Baba till her
end. Baba was away when Subamma shed her mortal coils. Just before
her cremation, He returned to Puttaparthi and called the dead
Subamma! Subamma! and Lo! and Hail! she promptly responded the
Divine call, smilingly opened her eyes and feasted her eyes with
Baba's 'Darshan' to her fill. Baba poured the sacred water in her
mouth as promised and she shut her eyes slowly and peacefully
returned to her eternal home. This is how her last wish was
fulfilled.

Sathya made declaration of His Avtarhood on 23 May, 1940, saying "I
am Sai Baba", On 20th Oct, 1940, He threw His school-bag and as
Sathya Sai Baba started His Mission of Transformation of Mankind. It
is now over 63 years that His Divine Message and Mission have widely
spread in every nook and corner of the world.

Baba's Divine-plays are unique. He possesses unlimited powers. From
the Chitravathi River Dry-Beds, He would bring out idols of Gods and
Goddesses, sweets, brass vessels full of nector and many other
objects. Even in His childhood from His school-bag, He would
materialize and distribute to His school-mates pencils, note-books
and sugar-candies. He materialized all kinds of fruits, from the
same Tamarind tree, called it Kalpvriksha (wish -fulfilling tree)
and distributed these among His devotees. Baba's abode is Prasanthi
Nilayam (the Supreme peace-conferring place) to which millions of
devotees from more than 180 countries throng for Divine 'Darshan'.
Some of them are interviewed, heard patiently and given Divine
counselling. Heaps of mail is received daily from devotees from all
over the world. Besides, Baba also receives letters from devotees
sitting in the 'Darshan' lines. Prayers of devotees are answered and
Grace granted to seekers. He cures deadly diseases, removes pains
and sufferings, averts air crashes and fatal accidents. He drives
His devotees safely to their destinations who fall asleep at the
steering of their motor cars. He makes five elements of nature to
obey His command. He materializes chains, rings, pendants, necklaces
and idols for the deserving devotees.

Devotees have their own connections with Baba. They have their own
experiences. His Vibhuti coupled with unflinching faith in Him can
cure and any deadly disease, heal any grievous injury and ward off
any evils. Just over a week's time before First Test Match against
Australia was to begin, Sunil Gavaskar got his thigh-muscle torn.
Physiotherapists had declared that it would take him four weeks to
be fit to play. However, Baba's Vibhuti cured him within 3 days.
Baba's patting Sachin Tendulkar on the back assuring him that ''I am
with you'' worked wonders. Baba visits thousands houses all over the
world at any one point of time revealing His omnipresence through
Vibhuti, honey, dry fruits which appear before His images and
photographs.

The word Sai of three letters has great inner significance for S
stands for Service (work). A for Adoration (worship ) and I for
Illumination (widsom), that is, Seva or Karma, Bhakti, Gyan leading
to Ultimate Liberation. Sai also stands for Tansformation at
Spiritual Association and Individual Levels.

Sri Sathya Sai Sewa Organization have three wings, namely, Service
Wing, Spiritual Wing and Educational Wing operating throughout the
world. His message of manifestation of inherent Human Values,
namely, Truth, Right Eousness, Peace, Love and Non-Violence is
bringing Transformation all over the world. Love is the sustenance
for all the other four values.

Love as thought is Sathya,
Love as action is dharma,
Love as feeling is shanti, and
Love as understanding is Ahimsa.

Man is innately Divine and Bliss is his nature. Divinity is the
foundation and source of his existence. "Promote the religion of
Love", "Promote Morality" says Bhagwan Baba. He says Man of three
letters stands for Maya, Atma and Nirvana, Overcome MAYA, have the
vision of ATMA and attain NIRVANA. He calls ABC of life, Always Be
Careful or Avoid Bad Company. "Love All, Serve All". "Help Ever,
Hurt Never.' Hands that serve are Holier than the lips that pray".
Atma glows when ego goes."

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Sai Baba in the media:
http://www.saibabalinks.org/saibabainthemedia.htm