How Sai became Atlanta Swami

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Dear All,

 

How Sai became Atlanta's Swami

pixelHeight">ATLANTA DIARY | Meeta Chaitanya BhatnagarJune 7, 2005

 

 

 

 

 

When you are ready, Swami, or the teacher appears - this is a maxim that has as

many sources of origin as it has interpretations.

Atlanta was ready for the appearance of (or as close to it as one could muster)

Sri Sathya Sai Baba - Swami, Baba, Sai Ram to his followers and a humanitarian

to all those who know about his life and works.

The Atlanta chapter of 'The Sri Sathya Sai Organization', a non-profit, global,

spiritual organisation devoted to practising the message of Sathya Sai,

organised a public meeting on his exemplary life, teachings, and social

endeavours in the fields of education, medicine and public service on Saturday,

June 04, 2005 at the prestigious Cobb Galleria.

The programme that was open to all and that specifically refrained from monetary

solicitation of any kind was enthusiastically welcomed by the followers of

Sathya Sai here in Atlanta as also others who espoused avid interest in

learning more about this visionary leader and relentless 'servant of all

humanity' as he calls himself.

The two-hour long event included messages from two eminent speakers - Dr Samuel

Sandweiss and Dr Philip Gosselin, and screening of a film which focuses on the

humanitarian projects of Sathya Sai Baba in Andhra Pradesh.

Dr Philip Gosselin, a psychologist in private practice and former Director of

Behavioural Medicine at Franklin Medical Centre, MA, has been a member of the

Sathya Sai Baba Central Council of the United States since its inception in

1975. He currently serves as its President.

Gosselin, who spent two years in Sathya Sai's Ashram in the early 1970s, spoke

about the compelling need of Sai's devotees to spread his message of universal

love. He spoke about the amazing grace of his Swami as he calls Sai, in

encouraging people to become better individuals following the faith they choose

to follow. He said, "Swami asks Christians to be better Christians, Hindus to be

better Hindus...The only religion he says, is that of Love."

Dr Samuel Sandweiss, the second speaker, is an assistant clinical professor in

the Department of Psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego School

of Medicine and has been a practicing psychiatrist for 35 years. Sandweiss is

on the Sathya Sai Baba Council since 1975 as well. He is also the author of the

book 'Sai Baba: The Holy Man and the Psychiatrist'.

Sandweiss spoke of his own personal metamorphosis from an enquirer into a

devotee and of the tangible, external works that have been conceived and

overseen by the holy leader.

His talk was followed by the screening of the film, 'His Work'. The meeting was

organised with the precision and humility that comes from truly believing in

what one does. Even though it was a quasi-spiritual gathering, it remained

imbued with subtle dignity due to the conscientious lack of overt campaigning

or canvassing. For the Diaspora, many of whom do believe in the saintliness of

Sai, the meeting was indicative of honour bestowed upon an Indian teacher,

leader, and guru if you will 10,000 miles away from home, by people who are not

Indian by birth but by choice.

The meeting was more than a spiritual platform for the preaching of the faith

fostered by the pious leader from Puttaparthy and even the most stoic of

listeners was moved by the sheer simplicity and simultaneous poignancy of the

message of this Swami (or teacher) - for that is the aspect that stands out

most significantly about him - the fact that he can inspire millions of people

across the world to the most fundamental of all positive human actions -

service to all - without any didactic pretentiousness.

Many of us look for an elusive, complex, utterly fascinating and decidedly

esoteric answer to the puzzle that life is. We look towards scriptures and

sects, religion and ritual, Sanskrit and the Delphi for answers to questions

that are beyond the physics of ordinary comprehension. Whether or not we find

them in our own faith or lack of it - this man, who is all but 5-feet tall and

who hails from a rudimentary village hundred miles off the outsourcing capital

of the world has not only found his own centre but has also drawn many

relentless believers in the creed of humanity towards and beyond himself.

In an age of prudential scientific questioning and enduring practicality, some

say it is hard enough to find God - the omnipresent. To be smitten by a man -

albeit an extraordinary man - is therefore perplexing and fascinating at once.

Whether or not he is God incarnate is indeed debatable, but that he is godly is

beyond question. To question as we do is human, to do what he does is divine -

even for humans

 

http://www.hindustantimes.com/news/7752_1391312,004100180001.htm