Isa - Sai - Iswara

[Guest guest]

ISA — SAI — ISWARA

by Professor Anil Kumar

 

I was kneeling down and praying. It was about seven o’clock in the evening. Ours is a traditional Catholic family. I bolted the door from inside so that no one could disturb me. I felt as though someone placed his hand on my shoulder. Slowly I opened my eyes and looked back. I noticed Sri Sathya Sai Baba clad in His orange-red robe lovingly looking at me with a smile on His face.

 

This most certainly is the second advent of Christ. He is indeed the cosmic Christ born again to fulfill His promise to humanity. I am a reputed cardiac surgeon from Italy. I have won a lot of honours and recognition. My church may think of me what it pleases, but my conviction does not change. I affirm that Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Christ are one and the same.

Those words are still ringing in my ears. As I recollect these words of the eminent and experienced cardiologist, I can vividly picture the excitement and reverberating applause in the meeting hall where he spoke them. This foreign expert was sharing his experiences with fellow participants at an International Seminar on Cardiothoracic Surgery, and these were his concluding remarks. Bhagavan was presiding over the meeting. Because of my thirty-odd years of close association and teaching experience in the Andhra Christian College, the Italian surgeon’s words left me stunned. This was the first time I had heard a Catholic, and a distinguished doctor at that, make such a statement.

It gradually began to dawn on me that thousands of Catholics from all over the world hold the same firm belief as this surgeon. What Dr. Frank G. Baronowski, of Arizona University, once said at a Summer Spiritual Training Course at the Brindavan campus near Bangalore, still lingers in my mind. This happened some thirty years ago, I think. Those were the days when Kirlian photography was a novelty, with the excitement of ascertaining an individual’s personality by means of a photograph of the aura round his head. Kirlian photography made it possible to clearly identify not only traits such as jealousy, hatred, and enmity, but also serenity, patience, and love in an individual.

Dr. Baronowski had taken Kirlian photos of many great saints in India. Finally he had the good fortune of taking a photograph of Bhagavan Baba. His words on this occasion had a lasting impression on the audience. As Sri Kasturi records,

 

Towards the end of the course, on the eighth day, the trainees had the singular good fortune of listening to a talk given by Dr. Frank G. Baronowski of Arizona University, on the uniqueness of Bhagavan's aura. This speech equipped them with faith in the divinity of Baba — a precious possession that would fortify them throughout their lives. Dr. Baronowski said, "I was not brought up in any belief, though I am a Christian by birth and a Roman Catholic. The scientific community in my country finds it difficult to accept God. 'It is not scientific,' they assert. The aura that Swami projects is 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, far beyond the building, right up to the horizon! I am risking my reputation when I make this statement. Two days ago, right outside this hall, I looked into His eyes. They had a glow in them. It was clear to me that I had looked into the face of Divinity. If ever I can use the phrase, 'I have seen Love walking on two feet,' it is here."

Spiritual aspirants realise through personal experience that in whatever form or by whatever name one may pray to God, that prayer goes directly to our Swami. God is One. He is the bestower of all boons; He is the embodiment of all Gods in all forms. He is Sri Sathya Sai. For this reason, it is said:

 

"Allah," chant the Mohammedans, "Jehovah," the Christians,

"Lotus-eyed Lord," chant the Vaishnavaites; "Sambho," the Saivaites.

Know that the Supreme Spirit alone thus worshipped wholeheartedly,

Bestows on all the boons of long life, health, and wealth.

Christ is the shepherd, Baba the cowherd. Both were born in humble, rustic households. At Christ’s birth, a star shone bright in the firmament; guided by the star, wise men carrying precious gifts came from the four directions for the darśan of the child Christ, knelt before Him, and extolled His glory. Christ is also known as Yesu. The name Yesu signifies the oneness of Divinity; more specifically, experiencing the one Divine spirit present in everyone. The birth of Christ, Baba says, hailed the birth of love in our hearts -- that alone is true Christmas. Offering our grateful adoration steeped in devotion, diligence, and humility is the inner key to the observance of Christmas.

 

The wise ones experienced first the Light emanating from the child Christ, and later Christ in the Light, and finally they realised the Light as the Lord God. Lord Yesu was born to Virgin Mary. As the Gospel of Matthew says:

 

Behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us (Matthew: 1:19-23).

That is why our saviour, protector of the world Bhagavan Baba, is Jesus Himself. He is verily the Emmanuel, our companion and refuge from the woes of the world. In answer to the prayers of Venkavadhuta, Baba incarnated to uplift dharma and moves about as the companion of devotees, watching over them even “as the eyelid does the eye.†Baba is the embodiment of the Divinity which chose to incarnate by means of “entry†into the womb of Holy Mother Easwaramma: When someone

asked Him, “Swami! Is Your birth the result of delivery or entry?" Baba replied, “Assuredly entry.†He later remarked, “Garbhaduhkha mokintayu kÄncakundÌ£a puţţucundÌ£u svÄ“cchagÄ pudÌ£ami sÄyi," (meaning "Without even an iota of pain during birth, Sai incarnates on Earth of His own will,â€) underscoring His Divine entrance into this world.

 

At a very tender age Baba declared, “My devotees are waiting for me.†So, too, had Jesus: “From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand†(Matthew, 4:17). After the declaration of His Avatarhood, Baba’s fame began spreading far and wide. Many began arriving from neighbouring districts, seeking remedies for disease, relief from worry and distress, and release from possession by evil spirits and insanity; they prayed to Him, were rid of their suffering, and became happy. And so had Jesus ministered

to the sick and the afflicted:

 

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people. And his fame went throughout all Syria: and they brought unto him all sick people that were taken with diverse diseases and torments, and those which were possessed with devils, and those which were lunatic, and those that had the palsy; and he healed them. And there followed him great multitudes of people from Galilee, and from Decapolis, and from Jerusalem, and from Judaea, and from beyond Jordan (Matthew, 4:23-25).

Jesus and Bhagavan Baba also share the same unsurpassable and uncompromising standards for leadership. Jesus counsels: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven†(Matthew, 4:16). Baba says, “The tree is known by the fruit.†The simplicity, humility, and obedience of Sai devotees proclaim the greatness of Baba; and so both sets of followers extol the Supreme Lord.

 

The purpose of Bhagavan Baba’s Avatar is the revival of Veda and dharma, not the establishment of a new religion. Our scriptures are manuals for practice, and should not end by becoming stale artifacts in a library or in one's memory. Sai is for dharma, not for a religion. Likewise, Christ observes: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil†(Matthew, 5:17).

 

We should turn to a fact within the direct experience of a number of people. Hadn’t we noticed during the Dasara celebrations, a period when multitudes of devotees gather, that they suffered no inconvenience at all, that there was no rain in the Nilayam, while it was pouring in Puttaparthi and the surrounding villages? Why should we be anxious when we have our Swami who can command Varuna, the rain God? And many will certainly remember the miracle that took place during the very recent Ati Rudra Mahayagnam: They say that a gentle shower at the time of Purnahuti, the concluding day of a yagna, is an auspicious sign of Divine blessing;

and indeed, during the Mahayagnam, despite brilliantly sunny skies, it rained that day. Indeed even the five elements of nature must conduct themselves according to Swami’s will. When the monsoon clouds were menacingly dark and threatened to interrupt the construction of His elder sister Venkama's house, the child Baba assured her that the rains wouldn’t come. The clouds suddenly scattered. Control over the elements was noted too, in Jesus's time:

 

Once when Jesus was travelling in a boat along with some people, the sea grew turbulent, and the surging waves threatened to engulf them. Then Jesus calmed the waters, and rid them of their terror. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him! (Matthew, 8:27)

More than fifty years ago, when Bhagavan Baba used to tour the East Godavari district, the Godavari River overflowed, and a horrifying flood surged up. Swami apparently promised to a high-ranking official with jursidiction over three states named Seashagiri Rao, that He would attend his housewarming ceremony across the Godavari River. But the river had been rising fast and overflowed right up to the bridge, and the Collector even issued

orders banning all travel across it. Seshagiri Rao was desparate. But his wife was a very ardent devotee of Swami, and she was absolutely certain that Swami would come. Ever true to His word, Swami too prepared for the journey. Meanwhile, the Chief Engineer approached Him and said, “Swami! Crossing the Godavari is extremely dangerous. We must give an undertaking to the collector stating that whatever may happen, we alone are responsible.†Swami replied, “Go, give it.†The engineer said, “Pardon me, Swami! I am a government servant and am forbidden from giving such an undertaking.†It seems Swami immediately said, “Go and state there, ‘Nothing will

happen,’ and bring it here.†So he did, and indeed, they passed safely. When Swami reached Mittipadu at the appointed hour, the housewife was ready with coconuts and the hÄrati plate. The Controller of Creation is none other than the Creator Himself.

 

Professor Banerjee from Calcutta University was once travelling with his family by train to Parthi for Baba’s darÅ›an. As he sat next to the window, at one railway station, the iron window shutter slipped and fell on his finger. The finger was crushed. He reached Parthi in excruciating pain. Just then Bhagavan set out for granting darÅ›an and was passing before the row where Banerjee sat down. In spite of his yearning for pÄdanamaskÄr, to reverentially touch Baba’s feet, he could not so much as stretch his hand. Baba was almost walking past him. Unable to restrain himself any longer, summoning all his courage, the professor stretched his hands. He could touch only Swami’s robe. Imagine what happened next! The pain vanished and he suffered no more. The mere

touch of Swami’s robe has such miraculous powers. And so, with Jesus:

 

And Jesus arose, and followed him, and so did his disciples. And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour (Matthew, 9:19-22).

It seems any garment from Baba may transmit such healing powers. I have a friend, Murthy, a lecturer. Through a Sai devotee he got hold of a kerchief of Swami's and kept it safely, and whenever time permitted, he used to press it reverentially to his eyes. One day he had unbearable stomach-ache. Suddenly, as though prompted by Bhagavan, he remembered the handkerchief. Placing it on his stomach, he began chanting the name, “Sai Ram.†The pain disappeared completely.

 

I recently saw again a devotee from Prakasam District, one lady whose memory has remained distinct in my mind over the years because of her impressive experience with Baba. One of her hands had been weak and quite a bit shorter than the other, normal, hand. Some years ago when she came to Parthi for Bhagavan’s darÅ›an, her good fortune was such that Baba stood right in front of her. Yearning to touch both the feet and deeply grieving over her handicap, she somehow managed to hold on to one foot. How are we to gauge Baba’s compassion? Without any effort on her part, the weak, shrivelled hand began to stretch on its own until she could offer namaskÄr with both the hands. That is the wondrous impact of touching the Divine feet.

That year Easwaramma Day was celebrated in Kodaikanal. Arrangements were made for Narayanaseva and the gift of clothing. I had some doubts about the venue. The thought flashed in my mind, “Ah! How many will be able to come all this distance and to the top of the hill?†Food was cooked and ready. After Baba gave His permission, they began serving food. Hundreds of people turned up! When I walked into the kitchen, a student there whispered into my ear, “Sir! The food is exhausted. Please bring this to the kind attention of Bhagavan.†Picking up some courage, I approached Swami slowly and said in a low tone, “All the food is exhausted, Swami.†Looking at me sternly, Baba said, “What did you say? None can utter the word exhausted. Go, bring the food and serve.†What could I say? So we went into the kitchen, and the large vessel which had been empty was filled with ready-cooked food. I myself am the direct witness. Serving was resumed for the people sitting there row after row. Baba then remarked, “What! You said, ‘Food is exhausted.’ ‘No’ and ‘not’ should not arise. You should say, ‘enough,’ but never ‘exhausted.’"

I should relate some miracles witnessed and shared with me by the eminent English and Telegu writer and speaker, Dr. Amarendra:

 

This happened in the Brindavan campus, near Bangalore about 1972, I think. Baba conducted group Upanayanams. It was a grand affair. Baba himself performed BrahmÅpadÄ“Å›am, gave with His own hands yajñÅpavÄ«tam to each of the bachelors, and blessed the parents seated on either side. He gave an excellent discourse on the Gayatri mantra. The pavilion was very crowded, and many had to remain outside. I watched the proceedings from the sidelines, peeping through some corner. At the close of the function, a festive lunch was arranged for the bachelors and the parents. . . After the programme of group Upanayanams was

over, Baba was coming towards the meeting hall, and said to me, "Amarendra! Have you noticed this? They expected a thousand people will come, but two thousand turned up here. They cooked food for a thousand. From where, do you suppose, had the food come! From above I passed on basket after basket of food."

Bhagavan’s hand is indeed nectarine, the bestower of boons! The food appeared on the scene mysteriously. The parallel with Jesus’s feeding the multitudes is indeed very striking:

 

And they departed into a desert place by ship privately. And the people saw them departing, and many knew him, and ran afoot thither out of all cities, and outwent them, and came together unto him. And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things. And when the day was now far spent, his disciples came unto him, and said, This is a desert place, and now the time is far passed: Send them away, that they may go into the country round about, and into the villages, and buy themselves bread: for they have nothing to eat. He answered and said unto them, Give ye them to eat. And they say unto him, Shall we go and buy two hundred pennyworth of bread, and give them to eat? He saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? go

and see. And when they knew, they say, Five, and two fishes. And he commanded them to make all sit down by companies upon the green grass. And they sat down in ranks, by hundreds, and by fifties. And when he had taken the five loaves and the two fishes, he looked up to heaven, and blessed, and brake the loaves, and gave them to his disciples to set before them; and the two fishes divided he among them all. And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes. And they that did eat of the loaves were about five thousand men. (Mark, 6:32-44)

I happened to participate in the Birthday celebrations of Baba in the estate of Venkatagiri, Nellore district. This must have taken place some thirty or thirty five years ago. (I should narrate this because it is my personal experience.) There I met a revenue official. His name, I believe, was Rajagopal. He reported this story to me with a good deal of enthusiasm: Many years ago, Swami had promised to pay a visit to his home and accordingly, Swami came in a car with the Raja of Venkatagiri. Asking the Raja

to remain in the car, He proceeded by foot to Rajagopal’s house. Swami sat down in a chair. Rajagopal's infant son, a mere few months old, was stricken with the skin disease, sobhi. Swami touched the baby, picked him up, and took him into His lap. That is all. On top of it, the baby dirtied Bhagavan’s robe! But Swami’s touch cured the terrible skin disease. When the father of the baby visited Puttaparthi some twenty years later, Swami remarked to him, “Though you have forgotten Me, Swami has not. Your boy is working in a bank, isn’t he?â€

Speaking of Swami is never a minor undertaking; certainly there are scores of experiences like these! As he is a close friend of mine, I will describe an incident in Krishna Rao's life, occurring some forty years ago when he was the manager of the Sai Baba Fancy Shop in Guntur. For many years, Rao had been suffering from migraines. Once when he came to Puttaparthi, he saw Swami going in a car towards Gokulam, and began running after it.

Swami apparently got down and touched his face. He never had a migraine again. The suffering of so many years disappeared in an instant.

Here is an account of one of the miraculous cures which Christ brought about:

 

And it came to pass, as he went to Jerusalem, that he passed through the midst of Samaria and Galilee. And as he entered into a certain village, there met him ten men that were lepers, which stood afar off: And they lifted up their voices, and said, Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them, he said unto them, Go shew yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass, that, as they went, they were cleansed. And one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, and with a loud voice glorified God, And fell down on his face at his feet, giving him thanks: and he was a Samaritan. (Luke, 17:11-16)

Nandivelugu is a village in the Guntur District. In that village there lived an old blind merchant, a devotee of Baba. He came to Puttaparthi along with his family and his sister. Swami gave them an interview and offered spiritual instruction. He advised the young son to look after his father and cautioned him to keep away from politics. Finally, Swami placed His Divine hands on the two eyes of the old man. Immediately he regained eyesight. The old man looked all around the interview room and expressed his gratitude to Bhagavan with the eyes shedding copious tears. He could enjoy at once both eyesight and Baba’s compassionate glance too.

 

Here is an account of how Christ granted eyesight to a blind man:

 

And they came to Jericho: and as he went out of Jericho with his disciples and a great number of people, blind Bartimaeus, the son of Timaeus, sat by the highway side begging. And when he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to cry out, and say, Jesus, thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And many charged him that he should hold his peace: but he cried the more a great deal, Thou Son of David, have mercy on me. And Jesus stood still, and commanded him to be called. And they call the blind man, saying unto him, Be of good comfort, rise; he calleth thee. And he, casting away his garment, rose, and came to Jesus. And Jesus answered and said unto him, What wilt thou that I should do unto thee? The blind man said unto him, Lord, that I might receive my sight. And Jesus said unto him, Go thy way; thy faith hath made thee whole. And

immediately he received his sight, and followed Jesus in the way. (Mark, 10:46-52)

Walter Cowan was an eminent devotee of Bhagavan Baba. Together with his wife, Elsie, he started a library and bookstall of Sathya Sai literature in Tustin, California, and rendered pioneering service to the cause of disseminating Sai literature. This may well be called the biggest of Sai Centres in the West. Devotees are familiar with how the Cowans attended the International Sathya Sai Conference and how Walter died of a heart attack. Subsequently, Walter Cowan wrote and published an account of his experiences after death. This account has become immensely popular. He mentioned in that article the details of his death, of his entry into a hall with his subtle body, and of his earlier lives

read out by some auditor-like official, like the Chitragupta in the Indian tradition. He understood that he had had gone through several lofty births. Cowan reported in the article that Baba entered the hall in the meanwhile and ordered his release, he re-entered the physical body and became alive once again. It seems Baba subsequently remarked, “I should send back those who have come to attend my Birthday celebrations very happy, should I not? Cowan has still to attend to some other business. That is why he had to be brought back to life.â€

 

Everyone knows how Kuppam Radhakrishnaiah was similarly brought back to life. After Radhakrishnaiah was pronounced dead, the people in the ashram began preparations to move the dead body. We know how Baba stopped them and brought him back to life. Similarly Brigadier Bose died in the Poornachandra Hall, and Swami brought him back to life. Thousands of people gathered there during the Dasara celebrations witnessed this amazing miracle with their own eyes. You would have heard about how after the doctors ran towards Brigadier Bose, examined him, and pronounced him dead, Swami poured life into him.

 

In the Holy Bible, there is an account of Christ’s bringing Lazarus back to life. When word of Lazarus’s illness reached Jesus, he responds,

 

This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God might be glorified thereby. . . . Then when Jesus came, he found that he had lain in the grave four days already. . . . And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. (John 11:1-4, 17, 43, 44).

The miracles of Christ and the marvels of Baba are so designed as to exhibit the nature of divinity and to offer ample proofs of the nature of divine Love. “Jesus sacrificed his life, shed his blood, and filled the hearts of men with pity and compassion.†Jesus is the very image of Absolute Love. Stopping the cruel sacrifice of animals and birds in the temple He had noticed in the temple in Jerusalem, He became the enemy of priests and publicans. Utterly devoid of selfishness, giving up all earthly comforts, Jesus granted us His teachings through His life, and Himself bore the cross for the sake of humanity. The birth of Jesus Christ is a holy day for the entire world. In the wholly spiritual environment of Prasanthi

Nilayam, Christmas is indeed the festival celebrating Divine Love. The gigantic statue of Christ in the Hillview Stadium and the full-length image of Christ the shepherd in the Poornachandra Auditorium cast a spell on us and immerse us in the contemplation of God.

Long long ago Yesu was also called Isa. Notice how continuous repetition of this name produces the sound Sai. We need to understand that the Iswaratva, the principle of Lordship, present in both Isa and Sai is one and the same. Jesus prayed, “Abba, Father all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt (Mark, 14:36). Again, with constant repetition, Abba sounds like Baba.

 

In his comparison between Sai Baba and Jesus, Reverend Peter Phipps says that in the verses, “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth†(John 17:17), and “The lip of truth shall be established for ever" (Proverbs, 12:19), the meaning of Baba’s name, Sathya (Truth), is highlighted (Sathya Sai Baba and Christianity, p. 294). He further stresses that in the oneness of Jesus, the Son of God, and the Father in Heaven, God points

to Sathya Sai Baba Himself (Sathya Sai and Jesus). Rev. Phipps says that as a result of intense prayer and the worship of Christ over several years, he could obtain the darśan of Sathya Sai.

Ron Laing contributed articles on Christianity to spiritual journals in England. In his writings, Baba figures as cosmic Christ. The Native American visionary Lame Deer seems to refer obliquely to Baba in prophesying, “There is a Light Man coming, bringing a new light. It will happen before this century is over. The man who has the power will do good things, too—stop all atomic power, stop wars."

 

Some explain the reference to Jesus as Isa as follows: I stands for Mother, Sa for Divinity. Thus, Jesus is viewed also as the Divine Mother. In the very name of the holy city of Jerusalem, jeru means place, and salem, peace. According to others, this Jerusalem will flourish in the Golden Age as the international spiritual centre, wherein the reign of God will be established, and the hopes and aspirations of prophets will be fulfilled. That Jerusalem, the City of

Abiding Peace, is our Prasanthi Nilayam. The protector of this world and the Lord of the Universe is Sri Sathya Sai.

 

Lord Yesu started as the Messenger of God, exhibiting the mode of dvaita, became known as the Son of God, that of viÅ›ishÅ£Ädvaita, until finally He revealed Himself declaring, “I and my Father are one†(John, 10:30), that of advaita, revealing the essence of aham brahmÄsmi. Besides the progression from dvaita to advaita through viÅ›ishÅ£Ädvaita, the symbolism of the cross is notable, with the vertical line standing for the ego, and the horizontal for its cancellation or negation. All of these thoughts are derived from Bhagavan Baba. We must note the vastness of the synthesis involved.

 

The Divine sayings of Jesus and Sai, full of charming comparisons and apt illustrations, are accessible to every man. Jesus proclaimed, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth in me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father“ (John, 10:12). The Father announced by Jesus is the present incarnation of Sri Sathya Sai. Peter Phipps continues, “Even as John announced the coming of Jesus as Christ, in the same way Jesus too announced the future Avatar, Sathya Sai: 'Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake' (John, 14:11).“ The identity of Christ and God is obvious. The word Father figures 26 times in the Gospel of John. Thus, there is the emergence of the concept of that Father as the Parabrahma, the Supreme Spirit, Sri Sathya Sai.

 

Christmas is a festival that illuminates the entire world. Let us hope and pray for Peace in that illumination. Baba once questioned, “If only the mind is righteous, which religion can be called evil?†and added, “Names and forms may differ, but Narayana is One.†Let us extol Christ, worship Sai, and achieve salvation. Christmas, the festival which unites people of all faiths and countries in the spirit of friendship and goodwill, is celebrated in Prasanthi Nilayam with love, devotion, and faith. Nowhere have I enjoyed the enchanting melodies of Christmas carols more than in Puttaparthi, with the band of the students of Sri Sathya Sai University playing multitudinous instruments.

Sai devotees believe in the unity of all faiths. The well educated need to conduct research in the field of Comparative Religion, and illustrate the oneness of all faiths in the Sai path through apt references to Sai’s sayings. May the dissemination of such knowledge promote the understanding of the uniqueness of the Sai Avatar, its glory and message of Peace. Praying to Sai on this auspicious Christmas for His blessings, I offer my salutations to the Compassionate Sai. Sai Ram!

—Translated from the original by Padma and Ramesh Dutta Thippavajjala

 

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