HE HAS COME - THE LORD SATHYA SAI BABA I

[Guest guest]

[Tue, 29 Jun 2004

18:45:17]

"Patrick Gallivan" <gallivan (AT) eircom (DOT) net>

Sai Ram. I wish to congratulate you on your excellent website. I find it

informative and uplifting in the midst of so much negative sites that there

are. Continue your good work. I commend you to my site on

www.geocities.com/gallivanpatrick where I have my book, "He Has Come".

Patrick Gallivan, Chair. Sathya Sai Org. Ireland

NOTE: This is another beautiful and divinely fragrant flower in the garland of

‘Sai literatures’ on the life and messages of our most beloved Divine Lord Sai

– our dearest Swami. Several things which are not known to many also can be

found in this book. – ‘'

HE HAS COME - THE LORD SATHYA SAI BABA I

By Patrick Gallivan,

This book is dedicated with love, gratitude and thanks, at the Lotus Feet of Our

Lord Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Who has so graciously blessed this book.

"Above all, whatever anyone may say or do, you should not give up your devotion

to God. Without the love of God, this cosmos is an empty void. Love is God, God

is Love. Develop this Divine Love. Cherish it in your hearts at all times and in

all situations. Do not give it up whatever troubles or difficulties you may be

faced with. That love will be with you, in you and beside you and protect you.

Do not blame God if difficulties confront you. Regard even these difficulties

as gifts from God intended for your good. Life is a succession of good and bad.

If you take in your stride these ups and downs of life with firm faith in God,

the Divine will take good care of you. Always remember the Lord's name."

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

INTRODUCTION

This book is about God, and the regular appearances He makes amongst us,

whenever there is discord upon the Earth; He comes to help and uplift mankind.

God manifests in a human form so that we may identify with Him, and relate to

His teachings. In the past He manifested as Rama, as Krishna, as Buddha,

Zoroastra, Jesus, Mohammad, and many others. Indeed, as all the great deities

revered by the major religions today.

Now, we have Him with us once again upon the Earth, this time in the triple

incarnations of Sai. Let me tell you about Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

CHAPTER ONE

"I have come to light the lamp of Love in your hearts, to see that it shines day

by day with added lustre. I have not come to speak on behalf of any exclusive

religion. I have not come on any mission of publicity for any sect or creed or

cause; nor have I come to collect followers for any doctrine. I have no plan to

attract disciples or devotees into My fold or any fold. I have come to tell you

of this unitary faith, this spiritual principle, this path of Love, this virtue

of Love, this duty of Love, this obligation to Love."

These are the words of a twentieth century phenomenon, an exceptional spiritual

teacher, called Sri Sathya Sai Baba. There are those who may have heard of Him

as an educator, healer, spiritual leader and social worker. Indeed He is all

these, and more.

Those who follow Sai Baba are not members of a cult or sect, but people of all

walks of life, all races, all cultures and religions, who thirst and wish to

drink from a deeper spiritual pool. They seek the underlying path of Unity and

Divinity, within themselves, in others, and in their everyday lives.

Sai Baba has said:

"There is only one religion, the religion of Love,There is only one language,

the language of the Heart, There is only one caste, the caste of Humanity,

There is only one God, and He is Omnipresent".

Sathya Sai Baba was born on Tuesday, November 23rd, 1926 at 5.03 am, in the

remote south Indian village of Puttaparthi, formally called Gollapalli, meaning

the home of the cowherd, some 110 miles from

10pt">Bangalore, on the banks of the Chitravathi River. The family name was Raju

and His father, Venkappa (1885-1963) and His mother Eswaramma, (1890-1972)

called their son, their fourth child, Sathyanarayan; Sathya meaning "Truth" and

Narayana meaning "God who dwells in all beings". On the occasion of Sathya`s

birth, it is recorded that all the musical instruments in their small home,

played by themselves, as if heralding the coming of a great Spirit into the

world. His father and mother were a pious couple, and content in their humble

role in life. They had three children before Sathya was born; two daughters,

Venka and

Parvata and a son, Seshama, and later another son called Janakiramayya. The main

recreation Venkappa allowed himself was taking part in epic roles in the village

stage plays, like his father before him. Kondamma Raju, Sathya's grandfather,

was a most pious soul, a master of music, actor and strict vegetarian. Being

vegetarian must have accounted for his longevity, as he lived to be 110 years

old!

Sathyanarayana, soon proved that He was uniquely Divine in His nature and

attainments. At an early age He demonstrated compassion, and would distance

Himself from places where animals were killed or tortured, or where fish were

trapped or caught. He avoided kitchens or the vessels used for cooking flesh or

fowl. Should a bird be selected for cooking, young Sathya would run to the bird

and clasp it to Him and showered it with love in the hope the elders would

spare the bird's life.

On occasions such as these He would run to a neighbor’s house, whom He knew to

be devout people and vegetarians, and take food from them, instead of remaining

at home where meat was consumed. Also, He was a pacifist by nature and would

never retaliate or complain when playmates would mistreat Him. He never seemed

to suffer pain or discomfiture at their hands and was always honest and

truthful at His home or school. Even at the tender age of three He would rush

to help a beggar at the door asking His mother or sisters to give Him grain or

flour for the waiting beggar. This, at times, caused understandable irritation

in the home, especially at the endless procession of outstretched hands and

cries for alms. The household elders, on occasions, would shout the beggars

away before young Sathya could bring the requested relief aid. This would

distress

Him and He would cry long and hard until their hearts would melt with pity for

Him, and they would call the dismissed beggars back. At times, however, His

mother reproved Him for His "misplaced charity", and with scolding fingers

would warn Him that He would go without His meals should He continue to feed

the beggars. Undaunted by the warning, He fed the poor hungry wretch first at

the door and would leave His meal untouched. Nothing would persuade young

Sathya to return to His meal. On such occasions He never seemed hungry and

looked as if He had already eaten! In answer to His parent's questions He

replied that He had already been fed by "a mysterious old man", of whom nobody

had seen nor heard, fed Him milk-rice. While Sathya was well-known in the

village for His compassion to those in need, in later years would go to His

grandfather's kitchen and assist in the preparation of the vegetarian meals;

even at such an early age of six or seven, He was a very good

cook!

When He was seven or eight, He was composing spiritual songs which were

performed at local religious festivals. Upon starting school, He earned the

price of His books, and other school items, by composing "advertising songs"

for the local store-keeper and they were sung as He and His friends strolled

through the village extolling the excellence of the store.

A year or two later He demonstrated His creative powers by materializing

objects, out of thin air, for His school friends. Candy, pencils, rubbers,

fruits, were just a few of the many items He produced, to the wonderment of all

present. On one such occasion He asked His friends to pick any one of a variety

of fruits, which they would like, from a nearby non-fruit producing tree. Even

fruit that were not indigenous to India, or those out of season, would be found

hanging from its branches. Whatever Sathya willed became a fact. Such "miracles"

cannot be explained by science and transcend physical laws.

At about the age of eight the young Sathya was accepted into the Higher

Elementary School at Bukkapatnam, about two and a half miles from Puttaparthi,

a distance he had to trudge in rain or sunshine, over stony ground and

sometimes when the season dictated it, having to wade across water, neck-deep,

with schoolbooks balanced on His head. One teacher recalled Sathya as being

"very obedient and simple. He never spoke more than the minimum necessary."

Proceeding to school earlier than most He would arrange an image or holy

picture with flowers He had with Him, and

would conduct Pooja (worship) and Aarathi (offering a flame to one's guru or

deity), and also distributing Prasadam (blessed food, or anything received with

devotion to God). The boys would gather around Him excitedly to see Him "taking"

things from His empty school bag. When asked about it, He said that a certain

"Grama Saskthi" obeyed His will and gave Him whatever He wanted.

In early 1997 Sathya Sai Baba made reference to an occurrence in His youth which

He had not hitherto mentioned. He said; "I was eight years old at the time. I

was in Puttaparthi. A lot of young boys of My age used to gather around Me.

Some older boys also used to join us. I used to teach them reading and writing

as well as singing. They were not in the habit of taking daily baths. I

insisted that they should bathe and remain clean when they come for the

classes. I used to take them to a pool in the vicinity of a Hanuman temple in

the village. I advised them that after taking a bath and wearing clean clothes,

they should go to the Hanuman temple with the image of Hanuman enshrined in

their hearts and the name of Sri Rama

on their lips. One day, the boys insisted that I should also go with them to the

temple. I completed one round around the temple and stood still. The boys tried

to pull Me for a second round. Despite their combined efforts I could not be

moved from where I stood. The boys were puzzled. Then I told them: 'I am unable

to move because Hanuman has come out of the temple and is holding Me, saying Sri

Rama cannot go around Hanuman. Hanuman will go round Sri Rama. At that moment

the boys had a vision of Hanuman standing in front of Sri Rama. Where Rama is,

Hanuman stands by.

Sathya was studying at the High School for a year, and a few months into His

second year class, when the call for which He was incarnated amongst mankind,

could no longer be ignored by Him. It was becoming more and more difficult for

Him to hide His majesty while at home or at school activities.

While on a picnic with His brother Seshama Raju, and friends amongst the ruins

of the ancient Viruupaaksha at Hampi, one holy sage, who was seated outside the

temple, said of Him, "This boy, believe me, is Divine." While the party went

into the temple, Sathya remained outside, seeming more interested in the

grandeur and structure of the temple. Nobody pressed Him to join them as they

entered and observed the priest doing Aarathi before the Lingam. As the priest

waved the Aarathi flame in a circular movement, the camphor flame of which lit

up the interior, they were startled to see Sathya standing erect and smiling in

the place

of the Lingam! This was so startling and unexpected that His brother rushed

outside to see if Sathya had indeed managed to enter without their seeing Him,

only to find Him leaning against a wall, where they had left Him. This amazing

incident seemed to proceed them to the town. The next day, Thursday, Sathya,

now assuming the role of Sai Baba, cured a chronic tuberculosis patient by His

touch and had him get up and walk a mile! (Up to the year 1977, on the annual

festival of Mahashivaratri, -the darkest night of the year,- Sai Baba brought

forth, through His mouth, a lingam, in the presence of hundreds of thousands of

devotees. Ellipsoid in shape and denoted as the symbol of the Cosmos in its

original abstract form: Spirit and matter of which the entire Universe is

founded. He has said of the lingam: "It is the symbol of emergence of the five

primordial elements. The lingam is the essence of all attributes and names. It

is the formless with form, the nameless with name, the

primal emergent from the Divine.")

On another occasion Sathya left His physical body to go in aid of a devotee who

was in great distress. Those who were present misunderstood what had happened,

assuming He had fainted, suffered a snake bite or a scorpion sting. Doctors,

quacks and sorcerers, tried to diagnose and treat the condition which would

happen again and again in the future, but remained totally puzzled.

On the fateful day of May 23rd, 1940, while Sathya was scattering gifts to the

outstretched hands of those who came to Him, He declared, for the first time,

that He was Sai Baba, the saint of Shirdi, come again, to save and uplift

humanity from the calamity fast coming upon mankind. He also declared Thursday

as His day for worship and asked all those close to Him to worship Him

henceforth as Sathya Sai Baba.

He announced that He was, in fact, the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi the

revered saint who was born in Pathri, in the Aurangabad district, on September

27th, 1838. He was called "Babu" at birth, and in 1872, He settled in the town

of Shirdi, where He caused a stir by worshipping one night in a Muslim mosque,

and crossing over to worship at the Hindu temple the following night. In doing

this He was

demonstrating to both communities the unity of all religions. Much has been

written of this noble saint who displayed a strength and strictness in His

teachings. On October 15th. 1918, at 3.30am. and aged 80 years, Shirdi Baba, by

which He is known, attained Samadhi (merging with the Absolute), having been

born on a Muslim holy day in Ramzan, and leaving His body on a Hindu holy day

in Vijayadasami, with the words, "Allah is removing the lamp that He lighted.

Bury Me and go!" Forty years after His demise, Baba is reported to have

appeared to a Roman Catholic nun, who was leaving the convent, with the Pope's

absolution. She was penniless and despondent, when Shirdi Sai Baba appeared to

her suddenly in her cloistered room, assuring her of a bright future in

10pt">Calcutta! (The author has been unable to ascertain if the nun referred to

was indeed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.)

Prior to His death He announced that He would reincarnate eight years later, in

southern India, thus commencing the second of a triple incarnation, as Sathya

Sai Baba.

It is now known that the third and final Sai incarnation, will be eight years

after the present Sai departs His body in 2022, aged 96 years. He will then be

called Prema Sai,

(Prema means Love), and will be born in the Mandya District, in the village of

Gunaparthi, on the banks of the river Cauvery, Karnataka.

Incidentally, many Sai devotees have wondered who would take over the running of

the ashrams when Sathya Sai departs His body. The answer to this question goes

all the way back to the great spiritual teacher of Adwaita-Vedanta, Parahamsa

Ramakrishna. One of his star pupils, by the name of Narendra, had been given

the new name of Vivekananda by Ramakrishna. Vivekananda died at the age of 39,

in 1902, and was reborn in Kuttipuram, Sri Lanka. In this new form he has

visited Sathya Sai many times. Swami said to him, "I have been waiting for you

for 85 years";

meaning while in His Shirdi Sai body. Baba asked him to take over the ashram

when He departs in 2022.

"I am no longer your Sathya," He stated to a small gathering of His school

friends outside the His brother Seshama's home, where He stayed while attending

the school. "I am Sai," He said, casting aside His books. His sister-in-law,

upon hearing excited voices, peered outside and was almost blinded by the light

of a halo that surrounded Baba's head. She shrieked and covered her eyes.

Addressing her Baba said, "I don’t belong to you; Maya (illusion) has gone; My

Bhaktas (devotees) are calling Me; I have My work; I can't stay any longer."

Saying this He turned and left in spite of her pleadings. Baba's

brother who was a teacher at the school, hurried home on being told what was

happening, and Baba said to him, "Give up all your efforts to 'cure' Me; I am

Sai; I do not consider Myself related to you." A neighbor also witnessed the

blinding halo around Baba's head and fell at His feet

Baba's brother always felt a responsibility for Sathya, and was perplexed by

this announcement from his fourteen year old brother, talking of Work, Maya,

Bhaktas and the Philosophy of Beginning! Seshama insisted that Baba stay in the

house until their parents arrived at Uravakonda, but Baba refused to re-enter

the house, instead went and sat on a rock in the garden of a friend. Many

people came from near and far with offerings of flowers and fruit, and singing

together the bhajan (devotional song) that Sai Baba taught them. The first

prayer He taught was the Call, which is still sung today by devotees around the

world.

Maanasa bhajare gurucharanam

Dusthara bhavasaagara tharanam

"Meditate in thy mind on the Feet of the Guru; that can take you across the

difficult sea of Samsara."

Baba was sadly missed by His school friends, who felt that their guru was now

beyond them, thinking that His company was hereafter only for those He showers

His Grace upon. Many came to the little garden to worship Him, others to learn

and, sadly, even to laugh!

Three days of Bhajan singing and worship passed, and a photographer arrived to

photograph the young "phenomenon"; he wanted the young Baba to remove a large

stone that was in front of Him. Baba paid him no heed, but when the photo was

processed, the stone had become the image of Sai Baba of Shirdi!

One evening, while those gathered sang Bhajans, Baba suddenly said, "O, Maya has

come!", indicating the arrival of His mother from His home village of

Puttaparthi. Eswaramma pleaded with Him to return home with her, and wept at

His retort, "Who belongs to whom?" She failed to shake His resolve. "It is all

Maya," He repeated over and over. Later He asked the mother to serve Him some

food, which she duly did, and these dishes were rolled up into a number of

balls. Handing Him three of these, and eating them, Baba stated, "Yes. Now

Maya* has

left. There is no need to worry." A few days later He left with His parents for home.

Sathya Sai Baba's father, Peddavenkapa Raju, remained doubtful of his Son's

proclaimed Divinity, so the first thing Baba did was to give His parents a

vision of Sai Baba of Shirdi. After that, miracles of various kinds were a

daily occurrence, and devotees started pouring into the tiny village. A prayer

hall was now needed to accommodate the visitors, and this was built in 1944 and

became known as Paatha Mandir, the Old Temple, later to be converted into a

memorial to Peddavenkapa Raju. So isolated was the village of Puttaparthi, that

when the Recruiting Officer

came there in his jeep, for Baba's Darshan, that it was the first time a

self-propelled vehicle was seen by the villagers!

CHAPTER TWO

Nothing could have prepared the people of little Puttaparthi for all that was

now to happen. The next fifty years would see a glorious expansion of this

village, not just a physical one but also a spiritual explosion.

This was now the beginning of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's mission.

A mission that has never before been equaled in the annals of history. This

event parallels a similar event that occurred, in the Middle East, two-thousand

years ago, involving another young man, who also proclaimed a mission of

universal importance. His name was Jesus. Both young men being born into humble

households in unknown villages. Whereas Sai Baba is presently widely known

through the world, aided by books, and the media in general, Jesus' mission,

which lasted only three years, was known only within the East Mediterranean

area. However, both taught the same Divine principals; Peace, Love, Unity. The

worshipping of the one God; love your neighbor as yourself; the equality of all

religions; reminding man of his Divine origin,-are some of the similar

teachings of both these men of God.

Within six years the Mandir would be outgrown with the large number of devotees

converging on Puttaparthi each day, making it inadequate for its purpose. A

beautiful new Mandir was inaugurated, by Sathya Sai Baba, on the fringe of the

village, which was named Prashanthi Nilayam - the Abode of Supreme Peace!

This Abode gradually drew to itself, like a magnet, people of all nations, and

religions. Baba's fame not only spread throughout India, but eventually far

beyond its shores. His teachings touched a chord in the hearts of spiritual

seekers everywhere, and His miracles of materializations and healings,

attracted the attention of the curious. To the latter He would invite with the

words, "Come, test, enquire, taste, experience."

Sathya Sai Baba teaches that the basic nature of mankind is Divine, and that the

purpose of life is to realise that Divinity within us. This is achieved through

leading a moral life, rendering selfless service to those in need and

developing love and respect for all forms of life. He encourages us to practice

the fundamental principles that form the basis of all the world's major

religions: TRUTH, RIGHT CONDUCT, PEACE, LOVE, and NON-VIOLENCE. These are human

qualities which should be practiced in our daily lives, inspiring others with

our example.

Sai Baba has stated that He has not come to establish a new religion, or cult,

or to direct people towards any particular religion. Indeed, He encourages

those attracted to His teachings "to continue worshipping along lines already

familiar to you". He further states, "Let the different faiths exist, let them

flourish, and let the glory of God be sung in all languages and in a variety of

tunes. That should be the ideal. Respect the differences between the faiths and

recognise them as valid as long as they do not extinguish the flame of unity.

If each person lives the ideals propounded by the founders of his religion,

unaffected by greed or hate, then the world will be a happy and peaceful

habitation for man." He also stated, "All religions are facets of the same

Truth."

At the commencement of His mission, Baba said that in His life, the first 16

years would be marked by Leelas (play), the next 16 years, by miracles. The

rest of His earthly life by Upadesam, (imparting spiritual knowledge). That is

not to say that the first two would by absent in the latter stage.

This combination of merriment and miracles was well illustrated with an incident

that took place on a journey He took with a party of devotees, by bullock carts,

to Uravakonda. While He occasionally left His followers for moments of solitude

in the hills and dales, He was prone to practical jokes and fun from time to

time. Baba Himself recounts this particular event, even today, with great

humour. It was night, and Baba and a group of young men were walking behind the

bullock carts in the moonlight. Unnoticed, He moved a few yards away from the

group, hastening to the cart in the lead position. There He appeared as a young

girl of sixteen, tearfully requesting a lift because her feet were sore, and

that she was traveling to visit her husband, an in-patient, at the Dharmavaram

Hospital. The ladies in the cart took pity on the unfortunate "girl" and

allowed her onboard. After about a mile or so, Baba's absence was discovered,

and the convoy of carts were brought to a halt, while a search ensued. They

found Him just a few yards ahead of the leading cart. Some of the older men

dared to rebuke Him for His playfulness, in a strange place in the dark of

night! Resuming their journey only to discover that the "girl" was now missing.

Where had "she" gone? Perhaps, being anxious to be at "her" husband’s bedside,

"she" ran ahead when the carts stopped. Some of

the younger men ran to search the road ahead, only to report that the road was

empty for at least two miles. Believing Baba would know the whereabouts of any

missing person, they asked Him. Not realizing then, that the "girl" stood

before them on the form of the Great Actor, Sai Baba!

The early devotees of Sai Baba were blessed indeed. They witnessed so many

wonderful miracles; they cannot contain themselves today in describing those

earlier miracles they were privileged to witness. Be it materializing golden

idols from the sandy banks of the Chitravathi river, to challenging His

followers to a race to the top of the nearby hill, only for them to discover

Him calling to them from the top, before they had started! Or looking up from

the sands, and seeing a huge form of Shirdi Sai Baba, illuminated by a

mysterious effulgence; some saw Baba's face inside the full-moon; or the great

ball of fire, like a sun, piercing the New Moon disc, making it impossible to

keep the eyes open. Some devotees fainted with shock.

>From the time of His birth, Sai Baba has manifested a Divine Light, or aura,

around Himself, especially around the head. This would be similar to those rays

of light depicted by artists around the head of Jesus, and other saintly beings.

These rays of light have been seen in a variety of colors, by those present at

Darshan. One expert in the science of biomagnetic field radiation, -the science

that studies the aura phenomenon, Dr. Frank G. Baranowski, of the University of

Arizona, has given over 9,000 lectures on the subject around the world. His is

aided with the use of Kirlian photography, which records auric emanations being

given off by human and inanimate objects. Dr. Baranowski has suggested that

scientists have photographed five different types of auras; physical,

psychical, moral, spiritual and

intellectual, and all are affected by the various emotional states of a person,

turning into various hues as the emotions change. While not a devotee of Sathya

Sai Baba he did travel to see Him in India, and while he has seen many auras of

saintly people, as well as those of Queens, and Presidents, he said that he

never seen such an aura that emanated from Baba. To quote him, "The aura that

Swami (Baba) projected was not that of a man! The white was more than twice the

size of any man's; the blue was practically limitless; and then there were

gold and silver bands beyond even these, right up to the horizon. There is no

scientific explanation for this phenomenon…I am a Christian, born a Roman

Catholic. The scientific community in my country finds it difficult to accept a

god. It is not scientific, they assert. I am risking my reputation when I make

this statement: two days ago…I looked into His Eyes. They have a glow inside

them. It was clear to me that I had looked into the Face of Divinity!"

Referring to His healing powers, Baba said, "The miracles belong to the

boundless power of God…As an Avatar, this power is intrinsic, inherent, total

and natural to My Will and Decision…This healing phenomenon has a dual aspect.

I can cure, save, even resurrect people, provided they are in a spiritually

receptive condition. It is like the positive and negative currents of

electricity. My capacity to heal can be compared to the current. Your devotion

to Me is the negative current. Once the two come together, the devotion

provides what is called the miracle of healing."

The reference to Avatars (which means an incarnation of God into physical form,

or God in man), requires some explanation and how they differ from sages,

saints, etc.

The key difference between a saint and an Avatar is that the Avatar is born with

the innate knowledge of His Divinity and the full powers He brings with Him,

while the saint, sage or yogi must undergo various spiritual disciplines to

attain the "siddhis" or spiritual powers. There have been only one Poorna

(total) Avatars, before Sathya Sai Baba; the Lord Krishna, 5,000 years ago.

Also, the Poorna Avatar is recognised by the full compliments of sixteen

attributes, or Divine facets, while Rama, who lived 11,000 years ago, had only

twelve but acquired three during His lifetime. This is not intended to

down-grade great spiritual Beings like Jesus Christ, or any of the many

spiritual Teachers throughout the ages.

Saints and sages, as stated, acquire certain powers by the practice of a type of

Yoga, called siddhis, requiring rigorous discipline and spiritual exercises over

many years. These "gifts" are acquired as a by-product of their sincere God-ward

quests, which are psychic powers like clairvoyance, healing, teleportation, and

so forth.

Being fully aware of our past, present and future, Sai Baba is conscious of the

Karmic Debts from past lives, and may postpone a healing to allow the

individual to learn the necessary lessons to bring balance back into his/her

life before healing can take place. As He explains. "I have to calculate the

potentialities, the retribution they deserve the use or misuse they will make

of additional faculties and capabilities…You might say that the Karma of

previous births has to be consumed in this life, and that no amount of Grace

can save you from that. Evidently, someone has taught you to believe so. But I

assure you, you need not suffer from Karma like that…Grace is like the

morphine; the pain is not felt though you go through it."

Sathya Sai Baba concludes by saying, "My miracles are My calling cards, I give

the people what they want so that they will give Me what I want; their love of

God." So there is a purpose behind His miraculous acts; that they will stay and

listen to His teachings.

It was in the early 1980's that Sathya Sai Baba called a small group of devotees

together. They were special devotees. Highly evolved individuals who had been

seeking to go deeper into their spiritual quests.

Baba instructed them to go to the sacred Himalayan Mountains near the Holy

Shrine of Badrinath, to worship and "practice the highest form of meditation

that leads to trance and connects you with the Atmic Principle."

Most of the group of eleven were in their 30's and had come from exceedingly

wealthy backgrounds. They were totally into the spiritual life, and as per

Baba's instructions, they made arrangements for their family and heirs, as they

were giving up all worldly possessions and attachments. Two who had been called

to this new state, were already advanced in age and in their spirituality.

Sathya Sai Baba gave them a gift of a large urn, or vessel, called the "Akshaya

Patra", which means the "never-declining, and ever-full" vessel. (Swami was

born in the Hindu year called "Akshaya", and He too is "never-declining and

ever-full.") The urn was so-called because it spontaneously manifested all

manner of food, fruits, milk, Prasadam, etc., to sustain His chosen eleven! As

Jesus said, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of

10pt">Heaven, and all things will be added unto you!"

Upon giving them the vessel, Swami told them, "Whenever I notice that you are

hungry, the necessary food required by you will automatically appear in the

container under My Divine Will."

Sai Baba has appeared physically to them, initially every month, to give them

personal Guidance and Direction. He now visits about every six months or so,

and all His visits are clear examples of His Omnipresence; being seen by His

devotees in the south of India, while also being in the Gufa Cave in northern

India! It has been, after all, prophesied that the Avatar of this Age will

"roam all over the Earth, adored by spiritual people."

It is said that these Cave devotees, are frequently visited by saints and sages

who live their lives roaming through the Himalayas. Some are reportedly

hundreds of years old, while at least one is close to 1000 years old! They come

to partake of the vessel's Prasadam and all have made reference to the great

blessings this group of eleven have with Swami's personal spiritual guidance

whenever they need it, while these sages bemoan the fact that they themselves

are not permitted close proximity to Swami.

As one sage said, "Those who have the good luck of having Darshan of God

Incarnate, receiving His Grace and getting their daily food from the Prasadam

Patra given by Him, are really fortunate. So far as we (the sages) are

concerned, the Avatar does not allow us even His (physical) proximity."

Another sage has said, also, "Yes, Lord Shiva has descended on Earth in the form

of Sai Baba, but what is surprising is that the Avatar is not allowing us, -the

Siddhas (God-realised souls), anywhere near Him."

How fortunate some of His devotees are to be able to have His Darshan, and have

private interviews, while saints and sages are kept at a distance!

Finally, when Devaraha Baba, who is reportedly 450 years old, was asked about

Sai Baba, he replied, "He is Parabraham Incarnate, (the Universal Absolute:

God)… It is not proper to tell such things unless they are specially asked for.

There has to be a real seeker first. Besides, there is another important reason.

The Lord Incarnate has strictly forbidden the Siddhas to mention this fact to

anyone. As such we cannot even discuss this matter amongst ourselves. This

mystery about the Incarnation of Bhagawan Sainath (meaning 'Blessed Lord Sai'),

can be discussed briefly only in the company of the highly realised Sadhaks

(saints), who are really inquisitive…The time is not far off when seers, sages

and saints, from all over the country, will assemble in Puttaparthi to receive

the blessings of the Lord Incarnate."

Of this, Sai Baba has said, "The time has not yet come."

Sathya Sai Baba's fame was beginning to spread far and wide, by the stories of

His miracles, acts which science cannot explain and which transcend physical

laws. Thousands are wonderstruck upon seeing Him materializing objects, and the

creation of Vibhutti, the sacred ash. With the circular movement of His hand

Baba produces an ash, grey in colour and scented, which is considered sacred.

This flows from His palm or from between His fingers and is a spiritual and

physical aid for those to whom He presents it. It is a healing agent. Or

changing the forms of objects like rings and medallions, from one metal into

another, by simply blowing on it! All these are done, He says, "By an act of

will." He is known to have healed the sick, of all serious conditions. He has

protected from harm those who have called for His

help, no matter how distant they may be from Him. He has appeared in physical

form in several places at the same time, even to those who had never heard of

Him at the time, only to be told of the incidents by Him, many years later.

There are, also, many documented cases of Him raising people from the dead.

However, He has said, "You have come to get from Me tinsel and trash, the petty

cures and promotions, worldly joys and comforts. Very few of you desire to get

from Me the thing I have come to give you, namely Liberation itself!"

It can surely be said that His greatest miracles are the transformation of

people who come to Him, with doubts and apprehensions, and who leave with love

in their hearts, peace in their minds, and a resolve to lead a more useful and

spiritual life.

Sai Baba recently related the story of a Muslim classmate who sadly fell into

evil ways as the result of becoming a morphia addict. He underwent a tremendous

transformation as a result of his faith in Sai. This young Muslim boy was fond

of Sai Baba and would call Him 'Raju', like the other classmates. When Baba

left school, the boy continued his studies and later worked in an insurance

company. But his wife died, and he slipped into depression, turning to morphia

injections to ease the pain of his loss. In time, he had to sell his property

to help feed his addiction and the whole family became utterly destitute. It

was at this lowest point that a miracle occurred. He happened to be passing a

house where a Sai group of devotees were singing Bhajans, and it brought back

the memory of his boyhood friend Raju. He

thought that perhaps Sathya Sai would deliver him from utter ruin, and pledged

to Baba to abstain from injections for three days, with faith and hope that Sai

would rid him of his addiction. He struggled for two days in extreme agony and

on the third fell into a deep sleep at midnight. He awoke in the morning to

acclaim that Baba had visited him and that he felt good and released from his

ailments, both mental and physical. "My God has saved me. Sai Baba is my God."

>From that moment his life changed. His circumstances improved, and this Muslim

openly proclaimed: "I see my Allah in Sai. He is my omnipotent God."

Baba has, however, cautioned people against placing too much importance to

miracles, when He stated, "Do not give importance to miracles. Do not

exaggerate their significance. The greatness of My power does not reside in

these miracles, it consists only in My Love. It is true, I can change heaven

into earth, and earth into heaven. But Divine Power does not fritter itself

thus to reveal itself. It is only for the sake of love that Divinity descends

as an Avatar. All the ostensible miracles are only droplets of that Ocean of

Love. Do not be dazzled by the droplets. Recognise the ocean and come to dip

yourselves therein."

On another occasion Baba said, "It is foolish for people to think that I am just

a man of miracles and no more. The kind of feeling which an elephant gets when a

mosquito lands on its body is exactly like what miracles are for Me. These

miracles have an insignificant place in my totality. Sometimes I feel like

laughing at the ignorance of people when they attach importance to My miracles.

People talk of only such small things and forget the much bigger aspects in Me."

St. Thomas Aquinas said, "Only God can perform miracles," underlining the Divine

origin of miracles, equally Jesus did not attribute much importance to His

"signs."

Baba has demonstrated His power over the natural forces on many occasions. Heavy

rain miraculously dispersed, over a Darshan gathering of several thousand

people, allowing the sun to shine upon them, while rain continued its downpour

outside the ashram area. This was Swami's way of caring for His flock. On

another occasion producing a vertical rainbow for a unbelieving American! And

retreating the flood waters of the Chitravathi river, which threatened to flood

the village of

10pt">Puttaparthi, and countless other delightful miracles documented over the

years by His biographers.

These extraordinary incidences occur with regularity, and are witnessed daily by

many thousands of devotees present at the gatherings. The writer witnessed two

healings while staying in Prashanthi Nilayam, and materializations. Anybody may

see and verify such incidents, for themselves, by direct observation.

Possession of a materialized gift from Baba, be it a ring, necklace, watch, or

any precious object He might present one with, it acts as a talisman and can

speed up rescue in the event of an accident, although, He states, this is not

necessarily so.

"One does not have to have a feeling that Swami will protect and bestow His

grace only through such talisman," Baba said. "That is not correct, either. The

meaning is that if the wearer of this talisman is in difficulties or danger,

then this talisman immediately flashes and in one flash brings the news to Me.

Similarly in a split second it flashes My grace back to the wearer, which will

avert the danger or disaster to the wearer. There is a Divine Secret which

exists in the talisman and that is the reason for wearing them."

Before a large gathering, at a Christmas Day discourse in 1996, Sai Baba spoke

of Jesus and His mission two thousand years ago. "Scholars started

investigating the validity of the statement made by Jesus Christ, 'I and My

Father are One.' They collected all knowledge that existed prior to 1,530

years. All that was compiled in one book in England. Russians made it into a

small tiny book. This is that book. "With that He materialized a small

leather-bound book with threads as page markers, and held it

between His thumb and forefinger, for the congregation to see. "This is the

book, the Bible. These are the pages in it. You find the cross there on the

book. This also proved the procedure to establish synthesis of all religions.

Some of the details of Christ's life found here are not recorded in the Bible.

This is the true story of Jesus. It is not given to everybody to know His

divinity. To know His divinity we should develop divine thoughts. Here you find

the book mark thread. Every thread marks the text of a particular religion.The

most important Sloka of Bhagawat Gita is present here in this book mark. The

essence of all religions is one. Surrender is the main duty of everyone.

Surrender means the feeling of oneness, 'I and God are One.' Why? The reason

is, who that is present in you is present in me. Only bodies are different.

Bulbs are different in wattage and colours. But the current is one. This book

contains that important dictum of oneness that runs through all

religions."

When those present wanted to inspect the tiny Bible close-up, they found it had

been teleported back from whence it came, only a few moments earlier, to its

hiding place in Southern Russia.

CONTINUED …

With Sai love from Sai brother M. Palaniswamy

/

Courtesy and Source: www.geocities.com/gallivanpatrick