A FORGOTTEN ANNIVERSARY?

[Guest guest]

A FORGOTTEN ANNIVERSARY?

 

Sai Ram and greetings from Prashantinilayam.

 

Friday, 25th May, 2007 was the sixtieth anniversary on an important

event. We wonder how many remembered this Golden Jubilee. For the

benefit of those who might wonder what we are talking about, let us

take you back to the year 1947. It was the month of May, and the

British were still ruling India – Independence was a few months away.

But God in human form had already declared Himself free from all the

trappings of apparent bondage seven years earlier. We are referring

of course to Swami's declaration of His Avatarhood on 20 th October

in 1940, when He walked out of the house of His elder brother Seshama

Raju, then serving as a teacher in a school in Uravakonda and under

whose physical care Swami was studying.

 

Seshama Raju was devastated by this " walk out " , and he could never

come to terms with the fact that his younger " brother " Sathya was in

fact the Lord of the Universe. To be fair, achieving that recognition

is not easy, even for us today when we " know " so many things about

what Swami has done since then. The entire Raju family and Seshamma

in particular was pinning its hope on Sathya, who they thought would

become a Government Officer, rise to the very highest position and

not only do them all proud but end their seemingly eternal poverty.

But all that was not to be; their dear Sathya became Sri Sathya Sai

to the entire world and promptly started serving humanity.

 

Many were attracted by the Divine Magnet even in those far off days,

and included in this crowd of devotees were Maharajahs and members of

the landed gentry. Besides, the Press also began take notice. Elder

brother Seshama Raju, not yet fully aware of Baba's Divinity, began

to worry about the impact of the attention that his younger brother

was receiving. He wrote to Swami giving expression to his

apprehensions and on 25 th May, 1947 Swami wrote a reply. Though the

letter was intended for Seshama Raju, it was in fact addressed

to `all who are devoted to Me'. That letter is a powerful declaration

of the purpose of the Sai Avatar. In that letter, Bhagavan Baba wrote:

 

 

My dear One! I received all the communications that you sent. I found

in it the surging floods of your devotion and affection, with the

undercurrents of doubts and anxiety.

 

Let Me tell you that it is impossible to plumb the hearts and

discover the nature of Jnanis , Yogis, ascetics, saints, sages, and

the like. People are endowed with a variety of characteristics and

mental attitudes; so, each one judges according his own angle, talks

and argues in the light of his own nature.

 

As the proverb says, it is only the fruit-laden tree that receives

the shower of stone from the passers by. The good always provoke the

bad into calumny; the bad always provoke the good into doing more

good; this is the nature of the world. One must be surprised if such

things do not happen.

 

People too have to be pitied rather than condemned. They do not know.

They have no patience to judge right. They are too full of lust,

anger, and conceit to see clearly and know fully. So, they write all

sorts of things. If only they know, they would refrain from writing

or talking like that. We too should not attach any value to such

comments and take them to heart, as you seem to do. Truth will

certainly triumph some day. Untruth can never win. Untruth might

appear to over-power Truth, but its victory would fade away and Truth

would establish itself.

 

I have a Task: To foster all mankind, and ensure for all people lives

full of Ananda.

 

I have a Vow: To lead all who stray away from the straight path,

again into goodness and save them.

 

I am attached to a `Work' that I love: To remove the suffering of the

poor and grant them what they lack.

 

 

When I am thus engaged in My beneficial task, how can My Name be ever

tarnished, as you apprehend? I would advise you not to heed to such

absurd talk. Mahatmas do not acquire greatness through someone

calling them so; they do not become small just because some calls

them small. Authenticity will soon win.

 

 

No one can comprehend My Glory, whosoever it may be, whatever be the

method of enquiry, and no matter how long the attempt.

 

You will yourself see the full Glory unfolding in the coming years.

Devotees must have patience and forbearance.

 

I am not concerned, nor am I anxious that these facts should be made

known. I have no need to write these words. I wrote them because I

felt that you will be pained if I do not reply.

 

Thus, yours, Baba.

 

Well, sixty years have passed since then and we do not really have to

tell you what has happened in that period, do we? Even if you have

missed the anniversary referred to, please take a couple of minutes

off to reflect on what Swami has been doing since He wrote that

letter and how He has fulfilled all that He promised He would do.

 

The big question is: " Are we taking notice? If so, are we doing our

bit to take further the Divine Mission? "

 

Think about it! All the best.

 

Jai Sai Ram. H2H Team.