Book of the week - The Rose Fire of Heaven

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The Rose Fire of Heaven

By Krishna Nandan SinhaSterling Publishers (P) Ltd.; 1996182 pagesISBN: 81-207-1500-4

 

Krishna attained mahasamadhi on February 20, 3102 B.C., and Sathya Sai Baba was

born on November 23, 1926. Sri Aurobindo, who was working incessantly to bring

Krishna consciousness on earth, celebrated Victory Day on November 24, 1926, as

his goal was achieved with the advent of Sathya Sai Baba, a major and full

avatar with 16 kalas or phases. The advent of a poornavatar after bearly 5,000

years was the fulfilment of the promise and pledge given to sage Bharadwaja by

Lord Shiva way back in the Treta Yuga that Shiva and Shakti would incarnate in

the Bharadwaja lineage thrice in the Kali Yuga: Shiva alone as Sai Baba at

Shirdi; Shiva and Shakti together as Sathya Sai Baba at Puttaparthi and Shakti

alone as Prema Sai. Sathya Sai Baba, like Krishna in the Gita, announced his

Divinity on May 17, 1968 at the world conference of Sathya Sai Service

Organisation: This is a human form in which every Divine Entity,

every Divine Principle, that is, all names and forms ascribed by man to God, are

manifest.' Baba also made a startling declaration about the prophecy made by

Jesus Christ about his Second Coming. He said: "Christ's statement was simple.

'He who made me will come again. His name will be Truth. He will be short, with

a crown of hair. He will wear a red robe, a blood-red robe. The lamb is a symbol

of love and the voice Ba Ba." That Baba is Sai Baba, the short, curly-haired,

the red-robed Baba has come again.

 

This book is an objective, fully-documented, authentic and moving account of

Infinite, Immeasurable, Unique and Incomparable Sai Baba, who is the single

flame and multifoliate rose, the very quintessence of Divinity. Poets like

Dante end Eliot have visualised the Divine as the Fire and the Rose. Written by

a close devotee, who has served at Baba's lotus feet for quarter of a century,

this book is a testament of rare beauty, feeling and devotion.

 

Professor Krishna Nandan Sinha seemed destined to write this book as he was

inspired in mysterious and inexplicable ways to put it together. With a

doctorate in English literature from Arkansas University, USA, Professor Sinha

formerly headed the English department at University of Bihur Muzaffarpur and

Sri Satya Sai institute of Higher Learning at Prasanti Nilayam University in

Andhra Pradesh.

 

 

This is the 2nd book written by Mr. Sinha on Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the first one

being "Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Absolute Sole Lord of Life and Death". The author

has a doctorate in English literature from an American University and extensive

experience of working at different educational institutions including the last

one for over two decades at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. He has

presented Baba’s glory and message in an articulate style of writing. He has

also used suitable quotes of spiritually inspired poets like Dante and Eliot

extensively throughout the book. The book starts with a brief account of life

of both Shirdi Baba and Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He then describes some of the

major miraculous events that took place in the lives of well-known devotees of

Baba including himself and subsequent transformation that took place in their

lives. The author who was in the jaws of death due to a severe paralytic

stroke, high blood pressure and the loss of eyesight was answered his heartfelt

and intensive prayers by Sri Sathya Sai Baba and cured completely so that he

could continue to be His humble instrument. The author has also written at

length about Baba’s divine teachings including the programme of education in

human values with ample and authentic quotes from Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the

later chapters of this book.

 

— Review by Gopal Mehta

http://www.saibooks.org/newsletters/2002/jun02.htm

 

 

This is Mr. Krishna Nandan Sinha's second book. Quoting the author, the central

thrust of this book is to demonstrate and show beyond any shadow of doubt that

Sathya Sai Baba is the single flame, the one God, the formless God who

incarnates in the phenomenal world as Rama, Krishna, Buddha and Jesus Christ.

This he does whenever crisis threatens to engulf humanity, when the evil forces

dominate, subdue and annihilate the good, the virtuous and the pious.

 

Mr. Sinha, in his usual style, quotes many great poets, including Hymn to Saint

Teresa by Richard Crashaw. Mr. Sinha also refers to the celebrated essay on

Dante by Eliot to say that there cannot be a better or more masterly imagery

than that of light to express the unknown, inexpressible and unidentifiable.

 

Mr. Sinha has also quoted a few of Baba's miracles from the sea of experiences

of several aspirants, including one that describes the resurrection of a

devotee. There are other miracles described in this book notably the one, when

the governor of an Indian state and his wife were saved from a train fire.

There are comparisons made to similar resurrections performed by Christ and

other Avatars. The author explains why Bhagawan Baba bestows such miracles,

signs and wonders to only some of the aspirants. In the chapter of 'Four

Quartets Of Moral Virtues' it is very interesting to note the author’s

comparison of ‘The Ninth Symphony’ in ‘The Last Quarters' of Beethoven to

Baba's teachings. In the final analysis, this is a very good book on Bhagawan

Baba.

 

— Ken Narayan

http://saitowers.com/spi/magazine/julaug2001/review.htm

 

 

The book is available at:

 

Sri Sathya Sai Book and Information Centre, Toronto, Canada

http://www.saibooks.org/

 

Sai Towers Publishinghttp://puttaparthi.info/shopping/books/

 

Jai Sai Ram Books

http://www.jaisairambooks.com/JaiSaiRamBooks.html

 

Sathya Sai Publications, Auckland, NZ

http://www.saibooks.org/

 

Saujanya Books

http://www.saujanyabooks.com/

 

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