HE HAS COME - THE LORD SATHYA SAI BABA - IV

[Guest guest]

Om Sri Sai Ram

Om Sai Jai Sai Jai Jai Sai

 

HE HAS COME - THE LORD SATHYA SAI BABA - IV

 

By Patrick Gallivan,

 

 

CHAPTER SEVEN

 

Anyone who has the opportunity to visit Sathya Sai Baba, in

Puttaparthi or any of His ashrams, will not only be blessed, but

will experience a great spiritual change in their lives. It is a

truly spiritual experience!

 

My own pilgrimage to the Lotus Feet of Sathya Sai Baba, took twenty

one years, from the time I first heard His name in January 1974. Why

the delay I hear you ask?

 

I would think my journey was marked out at an early age. When I was

quite young, not yet into my teens, I heard a voice say, "You have a

destiny!". At least I think it was a voice or perhaps not a voice at

all, but a loud "knowing" within, but then again perhaps from some

source outside of myself. It was so quick and unexpected. Anyway,

when you are about 9 or 10 years of age, one cannot be expected to

go too deeply into analyzing the source of such a momentous

incident. What I can say is that for many years afterwards, I never

ceased to wonder if this or that, was my destiny. When I left my

home town of Killarney, Ireland, to take up a position in Dublin,

and later to London, I would invariably ask myself, "Is this my

destiny?", becoming, now, like a mantra over the years. I would

eventually reflect, "No, it doesn't seem that important to be a

destiny!"

 

Marrying, setting up home, starting my own business, none of these,

important in themselves, would never measure up, I thought to

myself, to such a fate as Destiny. So, I waited. Until I began to

forget that fateful voice.

 

I had always had an interest in the Spiritual, having been reared in

the Irish Catholic tradition. However, events such as deaths in the

family, sent the mind searching for some truth, some logic, to our

existence, eventually leading me to the Psycho/Spiritual study in

1973, and in turn, to the study and practice of Spiritual Healing, a

year later.

 

My wife, Geraldine, and I belonged to a group which met in our home

once a week, to talk about and practice healing and generally

enquiring into esoteric studies. Using the "in" phrases of the

psychic groups; charkas, Kundalini, vibrations, karma, -these flowed

so easily from our lips. It was at this time that someone from the

healing group, made reference to an Indian, asking, "Did you ever

hear of Sai Baba?" I had the unsavory image of a U.S. west coast,

Californian guru, highly popular back in the 1970's, and dismissed

any interest. However, when the questioner repeated the question,

some weeks later, adding, "He is a healer", naturally my curiosity

was awakened. This time a little more was offered, like the fact

that this Indian did healing, materialized objects, and was known to

have raised people from the dead! This was too much! I had to find

out more, but how? Where does one start? Find a book that was the

answer!

 

I managed to acquire a copy of Howard Murphet's book Sai Baba, Man

of Miracles, and obtained, ironically enough, further information

about Baba, from a Sai centre in California! (One of Swami's Leelas,

I'm inclined to think!) There and then I was hooked! I acquired a

list of books, audio tapes, (no video tapes, then!) and purchased

some delightful pictures of Sai Baba. Now events started to develop

quite quickly, and my interest in healing grew also, but it was as

if Swami sent me on a journey of change, smoothening out my orthodox

Catholic thinking, a process which helped to open a window in my

consciousness, allowing through a beam of radiant light, which

continued to grow brighter and more radiant during those years of

diligent study of other spiritual teachings.

 

My interest in spiritual healing laid the foundation for a spiritual

quest, my Holy Grail! So many changes were wrought in my thinking,

commencing with the understanding and acceptance of the long-

forgotten philosophy of Reincarnation. When I was able to embrace

this teaching, I give a public talk on the subject, at Stansted

Hall, outside London, in 1979, and I started to talk on Sathya Sai

Baba in 1985 to several groups in Dublin, including the Theosophical

Society, and would speak of Him at our regular healings evenings, in

our home. So much more opened up to me, rather like opening boxes

within boxes, each containing a truth which lead me to a further,

deeper discovery of my own long-lost Self. All this was in

preparation for deeper wisdom that Swami was later to present to me

through His discourses.

 

Interest in this "Spiritual Phenomenon", began to grow and I felt it

was time to establish a Sai Centre in Ireland, and in company with

other devotees, the Sathya Sai Organisation of Ireland, held the

Inaugural meeting with 40 people attending.

 

Although initially set up in the Republic of Ireland, it was later

enlarged into the all-Ireland fraternity that exists today. And in

early 1995, I was blessed to go to India, to visit the source of my

spiritual renewal.

 

Having read so many books and articles, seen umpteen videos, on the

most loving, powerful, yet gentle Being to walk upon this earth, to

actually see Him for the first time, was such a shock that I

actually hoped He would not stop and talk to me! This is totally

opposite to the hopes and wishes of thousands of others who visit

Him again and again, and dare to hope for private interviews. I

simply was not prepared for the enormity of this visit. As the

Americans would put it, "It was awesome!" Fortunately, I had a chit

which permitted me a front-line position, at Darshan, without

queuing. There were occasions when I felt it was not right for me to

have this privilege, then I would feel the strongest of impressions

from Swami, encouraging me to use that which He gave to me. Not to

be meek about it, but be courageous. "If you want to be meek," I

felt Him saying, "You can be meek. If you want to be a stone, be a

stone. But I want people of confidence and courage". He gave me so

much

during my stay there. No interview but lots of inner views, as they

say!

 

I was further graced by Him, to have the comparative comfort of an

apartment, offered to me by Jean and Lucas Ralli, long-time devotees

of Baba. Indeed, while Lucas was Coordinator of the UK. Sai

Organisation, he and Jean very kindly joined us for that first

official Sai Satsang (meeting) in Ireland. Later affiliating us to a

full Centre status. (I'm grateful to Lucas, also, for his assistance

in editing the early stages of this manuscript.)

 

In Baba's ashrams one has the distinct impression of being inside

His womb-like aura, and being in constant communication with Him.

Everything in the general area of this vast ashram is under His

control. He organises, unseen, everything in that vast ashram.

Seated in the Darshan line, waiting for Sai Baba's appearance, one

has time to think and, perhaps, meditate. Or just talk mentally to

Swami. He knows everything that happens, thought, or said, by those

present.

 

A sudden hush is the signal that He has appeared from His rooms, in

the distance. A flash of orange and you know He is coming. Slowly

stepping His way along the pathway between the lines of thousands of

seated people, accepting letters and raising His right hand in

blessing, or sprinkling them with His sacred Vibhutti. Hardly a

sound is to be heard, other than the caw of the crows and the

flapping of pigeon's wings, as He seems to float through the

congregation, patiently looking at the upturned smiling faces, with

their hands joined prayerfully.

 

On one occasion I raised up a bunch of letters from devotees back

home, with the words, "Letters from Ireland, Swami." He reached

towards me and with a scissors-like movement of His fingers, grabbed

the bundle and moved on.

 

As an example of His omnipresence, I saw, on another occasion, His

lotus feet being touched by eager devotees some distance from where

I was seated, in a painful cross-legs position, on my cushion, and I

thought how wonderful it would be if I too could touch the feet of

the Avatar (called Padnamaskar). No sooner had I thought this, than

He turned and came across and stood in front of me. I reached out

and touch the hem of His orange robe, receiving the feeling of being

ennobled. At another Darshan I had even greater good fortune when He

stood slightly to my left, I hesitated momentarily to touched His

feet, but He slowly extended a small brown foot towards me, as if to

say, "Go ahead, you may touch it!" These are prized and treasured

moments for the devotee. Explaining the importance of Padnamaskar,

Baba said to Dr. John Hislop, "God is positive, man is negative, If

contact is made, the Divine current flows from positive to negative.

For this reason the Indian tradition of touching a

Divine person. But without some form of discipline and limitation,

people would be touching face and body. Hence, the custom of

touching the lotus feet".

 

The enormous Poornachandra Hall, built in 1973, is 220feet long by

140feet wide, with a floor capacity to seat about 15,000 people. Its

unique feature is that it has no inside supporting columns in the

middle, and is the largest free-standing auditorium in Asia. What a

joy to be there on the most auspicious festival of the Hindu

calendar, Mahashivratri, the festival of the New Moon. About twelve

hours before, I collapsed with heat-stroke, and was delirious all

that night. I awoke during the night with the impression that it was

raining heavily, and I thought how awful it was going to be for

everybody, next day, with the rainwater turning the dust into mud.

When I finally woke at dawn and raised myself up in my bed to look

out of the window, I could see the usual dusty dry ground that I was

now familiar with. The "rain" sound I had heard was in fact the

overhead fan, swishing gently.

 

My Sai colleagues, Dr. Jal Fanibunda and his brother Dr. Eruch B.

Fanibunda, (author of Vision of the Divine), brought me an Indian

dish in a Tiffin, which had been flavored with ice cream. This did

the trick in reducing the fever! I was well enough to get up the

following day and attend the festival and was amazed that I could

sit without discomfort for over five hours. I am sure it was Swami's

wish that I did not miss this occasion.

 

That evening I had arrived rather late, but still in time for the

opening speakers. Presenting my chit, and my apology to a tall

Indian gentleman, in a well-cut cream suit, he seated me at one of

the openings, right under the steel roll-up shutters, open to allow

a good flow of fresh air into the auditorium. It was an excellent

position, giving me an clear view of the stage and Swami's chair.

However, a moment later, I felt a tap on my shoulder by my tall

Indian friend, who told me to get up and follow him. Taking my hand

and leading me, like a school-boy, into the main hall, I was graced

to be put sitting in a row by myself! -indeed, in front of the front

row! And directly in front of the stage where Swami sits listening

to talks by visiting speakers.

 

At the conclusion of the twenty four hour festival, the multitude

gathered there received Prasadam (blessed food) served by the young

male students, who handed the thousands of people present, a "plate"

made up of large green leaves stitched together by tiny twigs. On

this was ladled rice and vegetables, from enormous shiny urns. Not

being sure of the protocol, I hesitated to commence eating and also

wondered to myself what the vegetable dish was. At this point in my

reflections Baba arose from His chair on the stage above me, where

He oversaw everything, walked slowly down the side steps, and across

to where I was seated on my cushion, and said, "Sweet-and-sour! Eat

up. Eat up!", graciously answering both my thoughtful questions with

one sentence!

 

After Darshan one should sit quietly, no talking, as Baba

says; "Always find a quiet corner after My Darshan where you may

enter the stillness and receive the completion of My blessing. My

energy goes from Me as I pass you. If you proceed to talk

immediately, the precious energy is dissipated and returns to Me,

unused. Rest assured that whatever My eye sees becomes vitalized and

transmuted. You are being changed day by day. Never underestimate

what is being accomplished by the act of Darshan. My walking among

you is a gift yearned by gods of highest heavens, and here you are

daily receiving this Grace. Be grateful. These blessings you receive

will express themselves in their perfect time. But also remember,

that to whom much is given, much will be demanded."

 

So, it is advisable to find a quiet place to meditate, or sit

silently for a while in this glorious blessing. His grace, or

spiritual energy, stays with you and is a truly uplifting

experience. After all, that is why one goes to see Him, to be

changed!

 

Once you make contact with Sai Baba, whether it's through a book or

through personal contact, He will never let you go. He has

said, "You may leave Me, but I shall never leave you. You are Mine

forever!" What a glorious connection!

 

Despite the vast crowds in the ashram, particularly during religious

festivals commemorating those of all major religions, it is still

easy to find a quiet spot to sit and meditate, such as in the

gardens. Statues of the spiritual deities of all religions are there

to sit and pray silently before, to the sound of gurgling waters

from the tiny garden waterfall. It's a haven within a heaven.

 

On the occasion of the last Darshan of my stay in Prashanthi

Nilayam, I waited until the very last minute to see if I would be

granted the much valued interview. It was not to be. Most of the

devotees had left to get tea, etc. I stayed seated and turned around

to find an Indian gentleman and his young son still seated

immediately behind me. Without prompting they offered me Vibhutti

and said, "Swami will see you soon." This came as a surprised, and I

thought did they mean that very day, but when I turned around again

to ask them, they were no where to be see. It was now time for me to

move and catch the bus to the airport outside Puttaparthi. The bus

was about to leave so I tossed my apartment key into the desk and

boarded the packed bus. I had to sit on bags near the door and hoped

my baggage had been placed on board. Earlier I had taken them to the

bus terminal inside the ashram and was told to leave them by the

wall outside the small bank building.

 

On arrival at the airport I discovered my bags were nowhere to be

found. The baggage handler took me to the baggage trolly which was

parked on the runway, but there was no sign of them! I could only

conclude that they were not put on board the bus. The baggage

handler suggested returning with me to the ashram by taxi, and

collecting them. We sped through the gates and drove to where I had

previously placed the bags, to find them still there, untouched! All

this time I had no fear or worry as to their loss. I was perfectly

calm and absolutely certain everything would be alright. It was all

in Swami's hands. I felt certain it was Swami's Leela! We retrieved

the bags and return to the airport, when the flight that was to take

me to Bombay, had just landed. To this day I have no idea what

the "play" was about. Perhaps a test of my faith and trust in Swami.

However, I still hear the voices of those Indian devotees

saying, "Swami will see you soon". Let's hope it will be really

soon!

 

Returning home to Ireland, after three weeks at the Lotus Feet of

Sathya Sai Baba, I was sure then that this was my Destiny; to have

had contact with this Glorious Being, this Avatar of our time!

 

Darshan: To see a great spiritual Being and receiving His Blessing.

 

CHAPTER EIGHT

 

The two most prominent activities dear to Sathya Sai Baba's heart,

are health and education. In Andhra Pradesh, the poorest state in

India, Baba has established models for both, to be examples for the

rest of the country. He has said that the young boys and girls in

His schools and colleges, are the future politicians, business

leaders and professionals, for the New Age India. They are given

this education free, in the first, second and third level schools

and colleges, which teach not only the general educational subjects,

but also Human Values, which are essential to the character-

building of the students. Baba says, "Education must equip man to

live happily, without making others unhappy...Education can yield

peace and prosperity only when, along with technical skills and

objective information, students are equipped with moral ideals,

righteous living, and spiritual insight."

 

Sathya Sai Baba continues on the subject of education, "Students of

today must act. They must realise that the moral strength in them is

being sapped by Western culture and education. Western culture is

the culture of the metropolis, where the multiplication of

individual desires has led human beings to misery and unhappiness.

The present education system does little for enrichment and

spiritual unfoldment. It has merely brought society to the brink of

disaster. We therefore require today students with broad minds,

people of action capable of selfless service. Simple living and high

thinking should be the ideal, not high living and low thinking,

which seems to be the maxim of modern education."

 

In June 1966, Baba was at the High School for Girls, at Anantapur,

the biggest town in the District, and its capital, sixty miles from

Prashanthi Nilayam, at the invitation of the students there. The

plight of the girls, who wanted higher education, was required to

travel long distances, needing time and money. This affected Baba

and He resolved there and then to establish a Women's College at

Anantapur, as soon as possible. This would be the beginning of an

Educational Revolution, with long-term ramifications for future

students and families.

 

Sai Baba gives urgent priority for education of women. He has stated

in His book "Dharma Vahini", -"No nation can be built strong and

stable, except on the spiritual culture of its women. This

generation is full of unrighteousness and injustice, malevolence and

greed, falsehood and cruelty, because the mothers who brought it up

were not vigilant enough or intelligent enough, or because they were

not trusted enough by men with the responsibility of chastening and

fostering their children. What is past is past. To save at least the

next generation, women have to be educated in a well-planned manner

and endowed with the wisdom, fortitude and faith that can equip them

for greater responsibility that rests upon them."

 

The first College for Women was built and inaugurated by Sathya Sai

Baba in Anantapur, on July 22nd 1968. This gives young women in

India, the same educational opportunities, to qualify as doctors,

surgeons, business people, with equal status as their sisters in the

West. Few Colleges opened with the imposing array of equipment,

books, furniture, and a skilled and enthusiastic band of teachers.

 

The Minister in charge of Education in the Government of Andhra

Pradesh, presided over the public meeting, and stated that the

occasion was not only for the inauguration of just one College, but

the beginning of many to come; a new chapter in the annals of

Women's Education itself. He knew that Baba had announced the

establishment of one or two Colleges in every State of India, later

to be knit together into a University. Sai Baba stated, "The

prompting behind this College is not the search for reputation or

the desire to propagate a cult, or hope of monetary profit. Fame is

a fickle figment! Reputation rots quite soon. Profit, when it is

calculated in terms of cash, defiles. I have allowed this College to

rise because it will install into the minds of the students the

ideals of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi and Prema, -- ideals delineated in

the Vedas, described in the Sasthras, illustrated in the Epics,

practiced by countless generations and confirmed by experience, as

best suited for

individuals and social progress. Every child born in Bharat

(India), has the right to know and benefit by this precious

heritage. Agriculture is for living; Atma-culture is for success in

life. An educational system that keeps children away from God, -the

only Refuge, the only Kinsman, the only Guide and Guard, - is a

system where the blind are engaged in blinding those who long for

Light."

 

"Women are the bulwarks of spiritual culture. But, as is evident

from the attitude and behavior of educated women today, they are

fast succumbing to the flimsy attractions of froth and frippery,

cheap and shoddy literature and sensual films."

 

So the race is on to establish new Colleges, as Baba views this

project with a sense of urgency. For the consequences of starving

the spirit, when boys and girls are preparing for the struggle that

is life, are serious.

 

Addressing students, on one occasion, He said, "You may continue in

this College or leave and join some other one, returning home after

completing your studies, but wherever you are, I desire that you

should shine forth as recipients of the special attention we bestow

upon you. Do not enter the fray of political controversies. Politics

at present, and perhaps always, is a sordid game, where passions run

high, power is sought through devious ways and prejudices are fanned

into hatred. You must become a new type of leader. Shaped in the

crucible of Seva (service), march into the future with the Light of

the past, as one who appreciates the wisdom that has been garnered

through the ages."

 

He further stated in the Prospectus of the College, "Now that you

have earned the privilege of being students of this College, under

the direct guidance and fostering care of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai

Baba, make up your minds to be worthy students, remembering Baba's

exhortation, 'Education without character is a great danger'."

 

The day begins in the schools and colleges with Bhajans, meditation

and prayer, for which students and members of the staff, have to be

present. The boys and girls love Baba so much that they obey Him

implicitly. They are afraid of His neglecting or ignoring them, even

for a moment that they are constantly vigilant of discipline. The

result is that all students of the Colleges established by Baba,

revere qualities of goodness, heights of sympathy, depths of

learning and shining devotion which few would believe they possess.

 

Equal devotion and dedication, is dispensed by Baba for the health

of the nation. He enjoins all devotees to keep their houses clean,

being essential to healthy living, and free of disease. Diet also

contributes to the physical well-being of mankind; it is important

to be cautious of what we eat. He advocates the non-eating of meats,

indeed a total vegetarian diet. Equally, non-smoking and no alcohol.

In many ways we are all aware of the righteousness of these

restrictions, but find it difficult to come to terms with

the "giving-up", even when we accept the validity of the advice.

There need be no sacrifice in this effort, as a programme of gradual

withdrawal is recommended, should an immediate stop to the practices

be too harsh and difficult to attempt. However, the physical and

spiritual rewards are great!

 

One October day in 1957, a hospital was inaugurated on the hillside

behind the Nilayam, commanding a magnificent panoramic view of the

mountains sweeping down to the banks of the Chitravathi. It

consisted of six beds for female patients and six for men. It was

fully equipped for surgery and maternity needs, with even an x-ray

unit installed; rare indeed for a hospital of this size and at that

time.

 

Sai Baba chose the site, in spite of murmurings from the

construction engineers. Speaking at the opening, He said that there

were no unbelievers, only those who did not know nor had the

opportunity to experience the Lord. "Everyone, rich and poor, pious

or not pious, was subject to disease." He said, He planned the

hospital for those who had no hospital for miles around, and that

those who came to the hospital for their physical ills will

naturally turn to Prashanthi Nilayam for treatment and cure of their

spiritual ills.

 

At the Annual Day of the hospital, the Medical Officer in charge

spoke of the many miraculous recoveries that had happened through

the Blessings of Baba. Baba responded that it was more due to the

spirit of Love and Service with which every stone and brick of the

building was saturated. The great Teacher had now become the great

Healer!

 

Thirty five years on, the Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medicine,

known generally as the "Super-Specialty" hospital, consisting of

300,000 sq. ft., was built in record time on a 105 acre site, at

Prashanthi Gram, 8 kilometers from Prashanthi Nilayam, was

inaugurated on November 22nd 1991. It was twelve months to the day

since Sathya Sai Baba announced at His 65th birthday celebrations,

before more than a million devotees, including 10,000 from 98

countries, that a new unique hospital rose above the parched, dusty

plains of South India. It was an amazing feat by any standards of

the West, but an even greater one considering the limited resources

of that area. Today a pink and blue apparition, offering hope and

comfort to the poor of Andhra Pradesh, stands like a vast cathedral

in the shimmering sunshine. All treatment at the hospital is free to

all patients, be they local or foreign, regardless of race or

religion, rich or poor. Who could have dreamed that such a poor

South Indian

village of modest huts would boast a modern hi-tech hospital?

 

Work started immediately after Baba made His fateful announcement.

The finance for the project was forthcoming for the most part, from

the American millionaire and founder of the Hard Rock Cafe chain of

restaurants, Isaac Tigrett. The next person to join the team, on the

invitation of Tigrett, was the British architect Keith Critchlow, a

professor at the Royal College in London, as well as director of the

Prince of Wales' Institute of Architecture. Critchlow, and his team

of 15 architects, were presented with the daunting task of designing

a unique building which was to be completed and opened on Sai Baba's

birthday the following year! A mere twelve months! Several meetings

with Sai Baba ensued, whereupon initial designs were finally agreed

and Keith Critchlow's Triad Architects, working seventeen hours a

day, had complete working plans in an amazing five months!�leaving

the Indian construction company seven months to complete it! A

similar hospital complex would have taken seven

years to build, elsewhere in the world!

 

The challenge was also to construct a hospital which would have the

effect of welcoming and reassuring those who entered its portals.

The heart-shaped building is indicative of the care and love

dispensed with the medical care, and becoming a large tender heart-

shaped building, pointing back to the heavens with a flowered lotus

on top, and as Keith Critchlow said, "Itself a symbol of the

completed consciousness. Because the symbol of health is the symbol

of wholeness and unity, the central feature of the hospital should

be a symbol of unity. In the human body, the heart, which is shaped

like one's hand pointing downwards, corresponds to the physical

incarnate state. In the symbol of architecture, we turn the heart

around and point it back to God."

 

When the World Health Organisation learnt of the hospital project,

it said it was impossible, that it would not work, for several

reasons. The main objection was having a hospital in the middle of

an arid desert which would create problems of infection at the

possible rate of 20% to 30%, because operations required a totally

sterile environment. But the WHO had not reckoned on the Grace of

Sai Baba and the devotion and energy of the team involved. At one

time as many as 2,000 - 3,000 craftsmen and laborers were employed

on the scheme. A senior physician stated at a meeting convened by

the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, "This

institute was born in the lap of Divinity itself. It is therefore

permeated with the fervor and fragrance of spirituality. The

practice of medicine in this hospital has a spiritual dimension, a

breakthrough in the conceptual aspects of medicine." As Baba has

often stressed, "The doctor should think not only of the body, but

the mind and

conscience also."

 

Despite its magnificence, the hospital echoes the best in Indian

traditional architecture, and is equally functional and solid. "Even

the colonnaded end pavilions are designed to be used as sleeping

quarters for patients' relatives," Critchlow said, and continues to

point out that the hospital aims to make patients and their families

feel psychologically and spiritually, as well as physically

healed. "An example of this," he said, "is the placing of wards in

curved wings, doing away with the dreary hospital corridor.

Courtyards on either side of the wards bring air and sunlight into

the building, as well as keeping patients in touch with the natural

world."

 

Sai Baba boldly champions the full integration of Ayurveda - India's

ancient healing science, based on subtle remedies, when most Indian

medicine has totally abandoned Ayurveda in favour of western

allopathic medicine. He states, "It is necessary to understand the

difference between Ayurveda and allopathy. Though it is not bound by

time and space, Ayurveda is bound by mind, intellect and self.

Hence, mind, body and Self play a very important role in Ayurveda.

While allopathy is an external science, Ayurveda relates to the

inner feelings. Doctors have to integrate the essence of the two."

 

He continues to add that we have to observe more, the laws and the

soul of nature to ensure both a healthier body and planet. "The air

we breathe is not pure. The water we drink is not pure. The food we

eat is not pure. The sound we hear is not pure. All the five

elements of nature are polluted. This pollution has caused diseases

never heard of before. Any violation of the law of nature leads to

sickness. There is a teacher for nature. That teacher is God. We

should know the teacher of nature."

 

An interesting statistic on the hospital is the extremely low

mortality rate of 2% and an infection rate of under 1%, which speaks

highly of the caliber of the skilled and experienced specialists

employed at the hospital. The current capacity is 350 inpatients and

up to 600 daily outpatients, with plans to expand. There has been as

many as 17,000 heart, kidney and brain operations. Many western

doctors and specialists give their services free on vacation trips

to India, and others have taken early retirement, leaving home to

take up positions at this remarkable "Palace of Healing".

 

At a public discourse in the enormous Poornachandra Auditorium, on

July 14, 1992, Sathya Sai Baba said, "We have built the Super-

Specialty Hospital here.

 

Why did we start it? Many people suffer from many diseases. It is

difficult to expect everyone to develop Divine feelings of devotion

and surrender. Some people have faith in medicines, some in

operations and some others in doctors. Whether it is a verandah or a

choultry, it is enough if one sleeps. Similarly, here our purpose is

that people should get rid of their ailments, given good health and

live happily. Further, many experts like Dr. Venugopal and his team

from Delhi, and the team from Hyderabad are performing the

operations with great devotion and dedication. What is the reason

for all these people to come here and carry on the operations? Apart

from their faith and devotion, they have the good aspiration to give

joy to one and all. They do all this keeping Swami in view.

 

"Earlier, the heart operation was a very frightening thing and

people would shudder at the prospect of this operation. They would

be afraid of the consequences. The patients would cry and make their

kit and kin cry. But in Prasanthi Nilayam today, heart operation has

become an easy thing like removing the thorn from one's foot. None

has any fear. There is fearlessness! Even little children come to

our Hospital with a smile on their face. When Swami went to the

Hospital a little child in the cot who was operated, saluted Him

with a broad smile on her face. Neither her parents not relatives

were there but she was full of joy. What is the cause? It is because

of the environment. Their faith is mainly responsible for this. All

the things are going on very joyfully. Everyone thinks of God's

work. There is no trace of ego in those who work here.

 

"Faith is most important for success or failure. It is faith or lack

of faith which is responsible. Without this faith if you get into

argumentation in the name of devotion, it is only the effect of ego

and ostentation.

 

"If you want to understand Divinity, you should have firm faith that

Divinity is everywhere. There is no place or object without

Divinity. Gurupoornima (festival) means full moon without any defect

or lacuna. Moon is nothing but mind. When the mind is completely

perfect, it sheds light. Gurupoornima is not performed by circum-

ambulation and offerings to the Guru. What is the real offering? It

is the offering of one's love. To know that God exists everywhere is

circumambulation. If you understand these terms, everyday is

Gurupoornima. There is only one Guru, that is God, and there is no

other Guru. Contemplate on that Guru."

 

To facilitate patients coming to the Hospital from long distances,

Sathya Sai Baba had an airport constructed adjacent to it. This is

also a boon to travelers to the ashram in Puttaparthi, thus avoiding

the long bus or taxi journeys, in the heat, from Bangalore or

Madras. The plane journey between Mumbai (Bombay) and Puttaparthi,

takes about one and a half hours and is a great energy saver.

 

A planned innovation is a railway station constructed between

Penukonda and the village of Puttaparthi with the first train

expected in April 2000. On the 19th October 1999, the foundation

stone for the College of Music (International) was laid next to the

Prashanthi Nilayam Campus, and it will be ready on October 2000!

 

Referring to the Music University, Sai Baba stated that it will be a

synthesis of ancient and modern art forms. The building complex will

have the shape of several musical instruments such as the Mrudangam,

the Tampura, a conch in the middle, and a Sitar, etc. Just the mere

sight of the building will convey to the viewer that it is a centre

of musical excellence!

 

In the meantime, a generous offer was extended to Sai Baba, by state

officials, in handing Him the titles to 70 acres of land for the

construction of another Super- Specialty Hospital, this time in

Bangalore city, where they will supply water and electricity. Upon

hearing they plans, a wealthy American Sai devotee came forward and

offered the necessary funding for the project.

 

Another example of Sathya Sai Baba`s benevolence to the millions of

poor people in South India, was demonstrated when He announced the

immense task of constructing a free fresh water supply for the

drought prone area of Anantapur District. This was inaugurated on

the 70th Birthday of Sai Baba, on November 23rd. 1995, and the

President of India, Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma, started the flow of

drinking water with the words, "Today, we see before us testimony of

what can be achieved by commitment to service and dedication to the

people's welfare. A year ago Baba had referred to the acute water

shortage in Anantapur District, which is a chronically drought prone

area of the State. In providing relief, He was veritably giving a

gift of life, for without water, there can be no existence.

Quenching the thirst of a people is an act unsurpassed in its

nobility."

 

He continued, "The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, rose magnificently

to meet the challenge of Baba's call. With His blessings, a

monumental endeavor was undertaken to provide water to 802 villages

in a district covering more than 19,000 sq. kms. and a population of

3.5 million. The enormity of the task was only matched by the speed

and efficiency with which the Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Project

was executed. The entire Anantapur District now has access to

drinking water.

 

I congratulate all those who, inspired by Baba, have given their

time and effort to realise this dream."

 

To alleviate the severe hardship of acute water shortage and arsenic

poisoning of wells, the construction involved hundreds of miles of

pipe lines, summer storage tanks, reservoirs, canals, and

infiltration and collection wells. The total cost of the Project was

US $70 million!

 

CONTINUED

 

Jai Sai Ram

Swamy Mahadevan

Bow to Shri Sai-Peace be to all

Baba Bless you ever!!!