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Publisher'sNote
DearReader
The AscendingSun
Attention:World at Prayer
TheAwakening Continent
Example andPrecept
"Sign andSignature"
The Festival ofLight
White Man'sBurden
The ShirdiFeet
Delta ofDelight
The All, InAll
Unearthingthe Light
Filling theEmptiness
So Kind! SoKind!
Miraculous Appendix
Live inLove
Beacon ofBliss
The Names WeKnow &
One WordMore
Sathyam Sivam Sundaram is acontinuation of the life story of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, theAbsolute Divinity wearing the robes ofhumanity in order to inspire and goad humanity towards Divinity. Hisimage will vividly gleam in the pure hearts of seekers of truth tilleternity. The view of wisdom is always available to the lovers ofwisdom. It is, however, fashionable to disbelieve anything which isbeyond the scope of verification of the physical sciences which dealwith the external aspects of creation. Although the Unmanifested,like the Manifested, is verifiable by methods which transcendscience; and for this very reason the spiritual means and ends areconsidered worthless by the sceptics for practical purposes.Divinity, however, can be indirectly (intellectually) comprehendedand also can be directly apprehended (experienced) by those who wishto uncover the Real from the smoke-screen of Mayawhich either veils the Real or projects upon the unreal an appearanceof the Real. A conclusive proof, if it be needed, pertaining to thevalidity of the philosophy of Vedanta,is found in the glistening and golden history of the presentIncarnation. In order to experience His Divinity all you are calledupon to do is to surrender, not your belongings, but your ego.Implement His directions implicitly to experience Blissexplicitly.
The tyranny of the body-mind complex revolvesman around the world of relativity. The highest pinnacle ofachievement can be reached either by merging individuality inuniversality or by burning the ego-sense in the fire of illumination.The imagined iis in fact nothing apart from the real I.Therefore when the imaginedi is not imagined: then what remainsis a witness witnessing the witness - the pure consciousness - Lightunto Light.
Publisher's note.
(A direct reprinting of thetext as written and printed in India)
"From where the words of menreturn, foiled in their urge to fathom; which even Imagination findsunattainable," whom the Upanishads denote only by negations anddenials - that is Baba, the subject of this book. He declares that Heis in each of us and that we are all in Him. He proclaims that it isfutile to gauge His Reality.
"I am neither man, nor god,nor archangel nor angel. I am not to be known by the name of any ofthe four castes or of the four stages of human life. Know me as theTeacher of Truth, Sathyam Sivam Sundaram", said Baba once. Thepicture in its first stage is in the negative; when it is 'developed'it becomes clear and true.
Baba has made it clear andtrue. He says He is Sathyam, Sivam, Sundaram. These are the threemanifestations of the Prema that He is, the Love which He embodies.Love as thought is Truth; Love as Action is Goodness; Love as Feelingis Beauty.
How can the amazing story ofthe multifaceted, transforming and indelible impact of Baba bedelineated by any pen, however pious and profound?
But the authentic ecstasy oneis immersed in, when one is blessed by the slightest or shortestcontact with Baba's Love, presses upon the feeblest pen to call onall, to come and share it, however illegible the call.
Baba has come in answer tomankind. He says, "Good men and their own inefficiencies, sighed fora Savior to guide them and lead them; and I haveresponded."
Therefore, it is the right ofall men everywhere to listen to a narrative - however halting andhazy - of the Divine Play of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, of HisGuidance and Leadership.
The first part of this Bookappeared in 1960; the second was placed in your hands in 1968; thethird, is now most humbly offered for your deep, delightful perusal;I am grateful that Baba blessed my hand that it may string therecords of His Leelas and Mahimas into a Garland to be placed at HisFeet.
N. Kasturi
Brindavan, Bangalore.
16 March 1972
Sathyanarayana Raju, aged 14,student, fourth form, Uravakonda High School, threw off his bag ofbooks one evening, saying, "My followers are calling me; I have Mywork to do. I do not belong to you any more," [see: The SerpentHill] and walking out of his brother's home, he sat under aBanyan tree and sang a song he wanted the gathering to sing with him:"Those who desire to liberate themselves from the chain of birth,struggle, success, failure, ease and disease, and death, Come! Adorethe Feet of the Master!" That was the announcement of the amazingadvent.
The good news spread: "The Sai Baba of Shirdiin Maharashtra has come again as promised." Streams of pilgrims boundfor Shirdi turned to Puttaparthi where He was born and spent Hisboyhood in song and dance, music and mystery. The maimed, the ill,the distressed, the distracted - they came in hundreds from far andnear. Baba consoled, and cured; He revealed their past which shapedthe present, and the present that would determine the future of thosewho sought His guidance. He showered love beyond measure on theunhappy, rich and poor alike; He manifested suprahuman Powertranscending the Laws of Nature: His wisdom surpassed that of thegreatest of sages. Those who came to examine remained to extol; thosewho extolled desired that others too should share the thrill; thusthe triumph of the Master spread from region to region. That was thePloughing of the Field, the Preparation.
Fresh from His beneficent tour of India fromKanyakumari to Kilanmarg, Baba, in His 32nd year, resolved to furtherHis Dharmasthapana, the revival and re-establishment of the moralorder in human affairs, in a wider and more persistent manner. Heinaugurated the Sanathana Sarathi, the monthly magazine in elevenlanguages, Telugu, English, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi,Gujarathi, Bengali, Hindi, Assamese and Nepali: the clarion for Hiscall, the conch that awakens and arouses, the banner for humanity'scampaign against its inner foes, lust, anger, greed, attachment,pride and hate. Baba also exhorted people to sing in chorus the gloryof God and encourage each other to march towards Him. He himselfmoved over the land like a rain-cloud, [see also: TheRaincloud] showering courage and conviction on hearts parched bythe cruel rays of doubt, disappointment, disputation and dilemma.This was the sowing of the seeds, seeds of Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi,and Prema, seeds reinforced with the authority of the ageless Vedasand the indisputable experience of the sages and seers of all lands.Many were touched by the Light of Love and many were aroused intospurts of Sadhana and tenacious efforts to serve, through Hisdiscourses that inspired them to search within for the realityinstead of seeking without for its shadow. And many were helped totap the springs of ecstatic communion with the Divine through thediscipline of Bhajan. These were called into the Presence [seealso: The Constant Presence], at Madras, for the First All IndiaConference of Sathya Sai Seva Groups, where everyone was armed with anew vision and a new vitality to render social service and winself-realization. The seeds, thus, sprouted fast, fed by the warmingrays of the Sai Sun.
The first two volumes of this book "SathyamSivam Sundaram" have chronicled these events. Let me now resume theBhagavatha, the story of the Lord, bringing Heaven into human heartsand liberating man from the prison he has sentenced himselfinto!
On 12th May, 1968, the 'Dharmakshetra,' anarchitectural jewel built on an elevated spot commanding a panoramicview of the environs of Bombay as the International Center of the SaiFamily, was inaugurated by Him. This Palace of God is also intendedto serve as the residence of Bhagavan while at Bombay.
'Dharmakshetra' is the first word in thefirst Sloka of the Bhagavad Gîtâ; it is used there as anadjective to describe the battlefield where the Kaurava might waspulverized by the Lord and His Grace showered on the Pandava'righteousness'. The field was known as Kurukshetra, but, theintervention of God to succor the cause of Truth, Justice, Peace andLove transmuted it into Dharmakshetra. The word summaries the historyof the two clans who were in mortal combat on that field: itsymbolizes the beginningless conflict between good and bad in thehuman heart, a conflict that ends in the triumph of the good when, asthe Pandava did, we accept and install in our heart God as thecharioteer; and, now, it elaborates the role of Baba in human historyone step further, for, He had already declared Himself as SanathanaSarathi, the Person at the Wheel of Life (since Time began and Spacerolled out) for every Being that Became!
We see before our mind's eye Sri Krishnaholding the reins, while Arjuna listens and learns. We see the Lord,as Baba is seen by us today, guiding and guarding, assuaging andasserting, reminding and reprimanding, revealing and reviving thewayward and the wavering! Dharmakshetra evokes in our memories asurging gratitude for all those who discovered and delved into thepellucid streams of Dharma, for all who adored Dharma by living itand demonstrating how it can confer joy and peace, and for all thosewho sacrificed their all for it in all lands, in all ages.
Baba named that building so, not justarbitrarily; He declares that no word of His is devoid of spiritualpotency; it is a call, an intimate invitation to you, to give ear tothe Gita; He whispers from your own heart to cure you of your brandof delusion, to sublimate your inner battlefield into a playground ofspiritual endeavor; it is a spell, a benediction, a blessing; it isan Announcement that the Lord has come, that His mission has begun.His charioteering is available for all who seek, now and here, onthis sad stupid struggling earth which He has adopted as HisDharmakshetra, for, this is the place where Dharma can be learned,and practiced and harvested. "Engage in Karma as regulated by Dharma.Practice Dharma with the awareness that all is Brahman. March alongthe path of Karma to Dharmakshetra, where Brahman-realizationawaits," Baba says.
Thousands from all parts of India and evenoverseas witnessed the Inauguration. From far-flung lands they came,wafted by winds of grace. More than fifty thousand eager soulsgathered that evening at the Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan Campus atVersova, Bombay, to express their joy at the momentous occasion. Themagnificent structure was completed in 108 days after the firsttrowel of concrete was laid, the number 9 being the theme of the holystructure, of the 18 petals of the lotus which encloses theapartments where Bhagavan would stay, of the pillars, steps andtrellis squares, all in multiples of 9, the BrahmanNumber.
Sri P. K. Sawant reminded the audience thatBaba blessed Maharashtra while in His previous body at Shirdi and itis Maharashtra's good fortune again that His Dharmakshetra isestablished here itself. Baba said that everyone is living, moving,acting and accumulating merit or demerit as a consequence, inKurukshetra, for, 'Kuru' means 'to do'. In this process, if thecurrent of Dharma illumines every moment of life, then theKurukshetra becomes Dharmakshetra. This, He said, is the lesson thatDharmakshetra will radiate round the world.
Baba took up residence at Sathya Deep, thebig rotunda with the lotus and a moat filled with water all around;the place immediately became a hive of spiritual activity, a prolificpurveyor of sweetness and light. There, children brought together inSathya Sai Bala Vihars, boys and girls of the Seva Dal, adult workersin the Bhajan Mandalis and Seva Samithis, all receive Love and learnreverence. Baba speaks to seekers and social workers who gather inthe Prayer Hall; and they return with a deeper understanding and awider outlook.
Meanwhile, scores of omnibuses spilling overwith the Sai devotees sped into Bombay from distant towns, theoccupants singing Bhajans at the top of their voices, making thepedestrians believe that Prasanthi Nilayam was passing by! Everytrain that drew up at the Victoria Terminus, Bombay Central or Dadarbrought special coaches from Madras, Trivandrum, Bangalore,Vijayawada, Nagpur, Navasari, Delhi, Calcutta, Lucknow and Dehra Dunand the villages around, coaches packed with men, women and childrenhappy beyond measure, racing against time to have Darshan of theBhagavan they adore. The journey was strenuous and irksome, but thetedium vanished as the vitamin 'G' released by the Bhajans acted faston both body and mind. And not just by land! The sea and air toohelped in transporting the joyous lot who came into Bombay by shipand plane from Ceylon, Singapore, Djakarta, Manila, Kuwait, Dubai,Casablanca, Mombasa, Nairobi, Kampala, Arusha and Malta, fromHongkong, Fiji, Teheran and Tokyo, the Pacific and Atlantic coasts ofAmerica, the islands of the West Indies, Peru and Brazil.
For, the First World Conference of those whochose to accept Baba as their Master and Preceptor was to beinaugurated on 16th May, at Bombay, in the Bharatiya Vidya BhavanCampus. Baba declared that this was the first time in the history ofthe world that a World Conference of the devotees of an Avatar wasbeing held, in the immediate physical presence and under the directsupervision and observation of the Avatar Himself! No wonder theyflew India-wards in flocks, like birds on the ocean's open roof,winging towards the sheltering mast!
As the delegates streamed into the Hall thatday at sunrise, they found a friendly fragrance beyond all memory, awarmth of welcome seldom known before. Behind the dais, on the wall,were two murals, one depicting Chaitanya lost in the ecstasy ofSankirtan, and the other, Thyagaraja, the saint who sang from thedepth of his heart of the Compassion, the Majesty and the Might ofthe Rama Form of God he had ever before his eyes! Behind the chairthat Baba was to grace was a mural of the Lamp: the Flame of Lightand Love, straight and bright, which no wind could shake or dim! At 9a.m. Baba came in, showering the fresh petals of His gracious smileon all present. The sight of Him emitting Light and Love thrilled anddelighted every one of them. Soon, the heavenly echoes of Vedicchants tingled in the ear; then, after certain preliminaries, Babacalled upon the delegates from each State to speak on theorganizational aspect of Sadhana in their respective regions. Inresponse, judges, vice-chancellors, scientists, doctors, poets,administrators and businessmen rose and presented reports of theactivities of the Seva Samithis, Study Circles and Bhajan Groupsengaged in Sadhana prompted by devotion in their States.
Howard Murphet from Australia said,"Australia needs Your Love, Your Light." Tideman Johanessan fromNorway confessed, "Your Teachings, Your guidance are urgently neededin Scandinavia, where dogma has very nearly suppressed genuinespiritual yearning." Dr. Nallainathan from Ceylon pleaded, "We arechildren groping in the dark. Make us see!" Dr. C.G. Patel fromKampala prayed, "Africa needs You most." Indira Devi from Tecate,Mexico, said, "When I speak about Bhagavan to the students of SantaBarbara, Berkeley, Chicago, and other Colleges, they refuse todisperse after the talk unless I promise that I would bring Baba toAmerica; they are hungry for Him." Charles Penn from Los Angelesasserted, "We look to India for spiritual guidance; we pray that Babawill come to us. When He is with us, He will be with everyone elsetoo!"
The Public Meeting at the Campus held laterin the evening was attended by over a hundred thousand, and Sai couldbe seen seated firmly in the hearts of every one of them. The DeputyPrime Minister of India, Sri Morarji Desai, the most puritan of thelieutenants of Mahatma Gandhi, presided over the meeting. He hadearlier met Baba at Dharmakshetra and sensed His Divine Compassionfor world struggling in the deepening bog of hate and greed. He wasvisibly moved when he saw before him, squares upon squares of thicklypacked aspirants, women on the right and men on the left, silent,expectant, full of ardour and adoration, from all over the world,from the steps of the temple, the mosque and the church, theGurudwaras and other shrines, feasting their eyes on the charmingface of Baba. Sri Morarji Desai said that the best teacher of man wasthe Gita, since it exhorted him to work for the betterment of theworld to his utmost capacity, and at the same time to be unconcernedwith success or failure, for God, to whom all work is dedicated,knows best how it should be rewarded.
Baba began His address in Sanskrit! He haddirected me to translate His speech into English and I stood behind amike at the other end of the dais. But, as 'the language of the Gods'flowed so mellifluously from those Divine Lips, I was almost struckdumb with admiration and apprehension. How, I wondered, am I tocanalize this surging Ganga into the Thames? Soon, Baba continued inTelugu: "The body is theshrine in which the 'I' is installed; the country is the temple ofthe 'We,' the collective will; the world is the temple of the 'He,'the sum total of the 'I' and 'We'.
"This is a gathering ofpeople of all faiths and so it is fitting that I assert here thatevery faith is but an endeavor to cleanse the impulses and emotions,as part of the process of discovering the Truth, both seen andunseen. The search is for the same Treasure; The Summit is one; only,the tracks are many. The guides too are many, clamoring and competingfor pelf and prestige," Babasaid.
"Even those who swear thatthey did not find any trace of God in the depths of space, or whoaver that God is dead, or that even if alive, He has outlived His usefor man, that He has ever been a handicap and a costly nuisance forman, these too have to admit that there is something inscrutablebeyond the reach of reason, something which pervades the world andreveals itself in Love, Renunciation and Service. That something isGod," Baba declared, in the course of arousing discourse on the Divinity inherent in theUniverse.
Appreciating the efforts of the BharatiyaVidya Bhavan to resuscitate the ideals and practices of SanathanaDharma, Baba said, "ThisConference is the Confluence of three holy streams - the Atmavidyawhich the delegates and visitors held primal for successful living,the Satsang provided by the aspirants from all races and religions,and the basic principles of Bharathiya Culture which the Bhavanhelped them to remember."
Seven Subcommittees, which were discussingthe topics allotted to them, presented their recommendations andsuggestions to the Open Conference at noon on the 17th. They dealtwith:
1. Bhajan, Namasmaran and Nagarasankirthana,
2. Vedic and Sanskrit Education,
3. Moral Instruction in Schools and Colleges,
4. Enrollment and Training in Seva Dals,
5. Establishment and Working of Mahila Vibhags,
6. Coordination of the Units of the Organizations at all levels, and
7. Relations between the Indian and Overseas units of the Sathya Sai Organization.
Dr. V. K. Gokak [see also: Cities Aflame,for a song by Dr. Gokak and Facets of Truth] then addressed thegathering on the Avatarhood of Baba. "We have met here with thecommon purpose of affirming the supremacy of consciousness overmatter, subject over object, seer over the seen, charioteer over thechariot, and the transcendental over the trivial; so, we will not bebaffled, as others are bound to be, by the phenomenon of the HumanForm which the Formless Absolute has donned," heexplained.
As He Himself announced the previous evening,Baba spoke on the grandeur and glory of the Name of God, be it anyname, and the steady influence for good its repetition generates inthe individual.
"In this age of materialism," Baba said, "the constant repetition of the name of God is the one hope which man has, to rise up to him or to bring Him near. Repeating the Name brings down Grace; Meera quaffed the cup of poison with the name on her tongue; it turned into nectar. Sanctify every minute of your day and night with the unbroken recollection of the Name. I do not want you to think that I desire this Name and this Form to be publicized. I have not come to set afoot a new cult. Know that this Sai Form is the Form of all the various Names that man has used, and uses now, to identify and adore the One Divine. So, I teach that no distinction should be made between the Name - Rama, Krishna, Iswara, Sai - for, they are, all of them, My Names. Of what avail is it if you worship My Name and Form without attempting to cultivate My Samathva (Equal love for all), My Santhi (Unruffled equanimity), My Prema (Love), My Sahana (Forbearance), and My Ananda (Perpetual state of supreme bliss)? Many of you plead for a Message from Me! Well, My Life is My Message. You will be adhering to My Message if you so live that your lives become evidences of dispassion, courage and confidence, revealing eagerness to serve those who are in distress."
As Bhagavan cast His Grace-filled eyes on thethirsty faces before Him eager to drink in the Truth He wasvouchsafing to pour into their hearts, suddenly His eyes softened incompassion. His voice rose, the speed of His words doubled andtrebled. Everyone present sensed, almost, instinctively, that a greatmoment in their life had come; in ecstatic thrill they preparedthemselves to listen to a great Revelation, to a Benediction that theworld can hope to receive but rarely in its history. Hesaid,
"Gathered here today are people who have devotion, people from all sections of society; I must tell you about My Reality because ninety nine out of every hundred among you do not know. You have come here drawn by diverse needs or interests, by a taste for spiritual matters, by eagerness to develop the institution to which you are attached, by admiration or affection, by love or reverence or loyalty, or just in a spurt of enthusiasm to join others in their exultation or to share with them your own.""In truth, you cannot understand the nature of My Reality, either today or even after thousands of years of steady austerity or ardent inquiry, even if all mankind were to join in that effort. But, shortly, you will become cognizant of the Bliss showered by the Divine Principle which has taken upon itself this sacred Body and this sacred Name. Your good fortune in having this chance is greater than what was available to the anchorites, monks, sages, and saints and even to personalities, that embodied facets of the Divine Glory!"
"Since I move with you, eat like you, and talk to you, you are deluded into the belief that this is but a human phenomenon. Be warned against this mistake. I am also deluding you by singing and playing with you and engaging Myself in activities with you. But, any moment My Divinity may be revealed to you; you have to be ready, prepared for that moment. Since Divinity is enveloped by humanness, you must endeavor to overcome the Maya (delusion) that hides it from your eyes."
"This Human Form is one in which every Divine Entity, every Divine Principle, that is to say, all the Names and Forms ascribed by man to God, are manifest. (The statement in Telugu was: Sarvadaivathwaswaroopalanu Dharinchina Manavaakarame Ee Aakaramu. Do not allow doubt to distract you. If you only install in the altar of your heart steady faith in My Divinity, you can win a vision of My Reality. Instead, if you swing like the pendulum of a clock, one moment of faith, another of doubt, you can never succeed in comprehending My Truth and win that Bliss. Fortunate are you, that now, in this very life, you have a chance to experience the Bliss of the Sarvadaivathwa Swaroopam (the Form of God in all Forms)."
"Let me also draw your attention to another fact. In the past, on the occasions when God incarnated on earth, the Bliss of recognizing Him in the Incarnation was vouchsafed only after the physical embodiment had left the world, despite plenteous evidences of His Grace. Moreover, the loyalty and devotion which those Incarnations commanded while in the physical embodiment, arose through fear or awe at their superhuman powers and skills or at their imperial and penal authority. But ponder for a moment on this Sathya Sai Manifestation. In this age of rampant materialism, aggressive disbelief and irreverence, what is it that brings to It the adoration of millions from all over the world? You will be convinced that the basic reason for this is the fact that this is Divinity in Human Form."
"Again, how fortunate you are that you can witness all the countries of the world paying homage to Bharat; that you can hear, even while this body is existing, adoration to the Name of Sathya Sai reverberating from even the nooks and corners of the world, when this Form is amidst you, with you, before you!"
This thrilling declaration stunned thedelegates; and as they left the hall and reached their rooms, eachone found inches added to his height, for each felt blessed with aUnique Vision. Often had Baba spoken of His being the Incarnation ofGod, of being God Himself in human form, but this time, He hademphatically identified Himself with all Names and all Forms of Godthat man ever moulded in his mind in the course of his history onearth!
The next day, in the morning hours, thereports of the subcommittees were considered by a meeting of all thedelegates, and a few more delegates addressed the gathering. Babasummarized the conclusions, and spoke on the basic approach toservice through the Sai Organization. In these days when the world issafe only for hypocrisy, Baba's directives had to be straight andsharp.
"It is wrong," He clarified, "to believe that all have equal rights and duties and obligations and responsibilities. You cannot say that all cows are equal and purchase them by the dozen. Some may be dry, some may clamor for more feed, some yield less milk, some are young, some decrepit, some tame and some wild. Nor are all men equal. The code of conduct, for each and towards each, is decided by changing factors, like age, profession, status, authority, scholarship and sex, and considerations as to whether the person is a teacher or pupil, master or servant, father or son, sick or healthy, etc. As far as I am concerned, there is only one rule that binds Me: Love. That Love will quieten you, it will comfort you, it will inspire you to merge with Me."
When the Conference met for the eveningsession, speeches in Sanskrit were delivered by four Pundits of theAll India Prasanthi Vidwanmahasabha founded by Baba. Mrs. Osborneaddressed the gathering in English. She was introduced as the wife ofthe author of the book 'Incredible Sai Baba' written about theprevious incarnation of the Inexplicable Sai Baba now withus!
Baba offered to sum up the suggestions forspiritual uplift that emerged from the deliberations among thedelegates, as also the gist of His talks with representatives fromthe various States. He spoke about Bhajans, Dhyana Sittings, StudyCircles, and particularly about Nagarsankirtan which receivedattention as a very important activity of the Units. "This was how",Baba said, "Jeyadeva, Gouranga, Tukaram, Kabir and Purandara Das ledGod into every heart. Gather together in the hours before dawn, andwalk slowly along the streets, singing Bhajans glorifying God. Carrythe Name to every doorstep. Wake up the sleeping. Purify the airpolluted by day-long angry shouts of hate and greed, faction andfear. What greater service can you render than this - beginning theday with the Name of God and helping others to rememberHim?"
The Valedictory Meeting of the Conference washeld at 10 a.m. on the 19th. Baba wanted that all those who had comefrom far and near be informed of the major decisions of theConference, which were rare directives aimed at the spiritualupliftment of the common man. Dr. Gokak in his address found himselfsaying, "Sai is the gateway to all the greatness, all the effulgenceof the spirit," for, he was too overwhelmed to be silent. "Sai is noblinding word; Sai is no binding word; Sai is no limiting word," hesaid. "It is a word that contains the meaning of every other word. Inthe beginning was the Word! That word is He." Mr. Bharde, Speaker ofthe Maharashtra Legislative Assembly said that Baba was fasttransforming Bombay from a Bhoganagari into a Yoganagari (from theCity Sensuous, to the City Divine). It could well be said that thisprocess of transmutation is on, not just in Bombay, but the worldover! Baba too spoke of the urgent need for man to be aware of hisimmortality and to draw courage there from as Arjuna did, whenovercome by despondency.
Dharmakshetra, where Baba stayed during theConference, was the venue every day, for a number of gatherings whereBaba was busy explaining, elaborating, elucidating and emphasizingthe fundamentals of spiritual discipline and wisdom, regardless oftime and unmindful of the exhaustion His physical body was likely toget. Besides this, Baba was guiding there a Prasanthi Youth Camp ofover 65 University alumni. There was held a special gathering of theLions of Bombay City who sought from Him guidance regarding the basicattitudes that will help their activities and the philosophy that cansustain them. It was noticed that Baba granted audience to theoverseas delegates more often. It was because they had fewer chancesof personal contact with Him, and they were eager to be as near Himfor as long as He permitted.
Among those whom Baba drew to Himself duringthe Conference was the veteran Gandhian, the scholarly statesman, thepatriotic writer, the practical administrator, the devoted student ofBharathiya Culture, Kulapathi Dr. K.M. Munshi. He had realized, morethan most of the doughty warriors led by Gandhiji in the struggle forSwaraj, that India had to be independent so that she can gainself-respect and adore her own culture and thereby make herinvaluable contribution to the progress of humanity through heradherence to the ideals embedded in that culture. The Bharatiya VidyaBhavan is the institution through which Munshi sought to achieve therevival of Indian culture, and so implant in the hearts of the IndianYouth a genuine appetite for living their lives as true sons ofBharatha Mata, as legitimate inheritors of the peerless wisdomgathered by the sages of this land. Baba agreed to have theConference in the Bhavan Campus, a fertile field wherefrom a richharvest of Vedic and Upanishadic culture was to be reaped in the nearfuture. This fact Baba mentioned with appreciation. So Dr. Munshivisited Dharmakshetra as well as the Conference Hall, and he said,"All my life I have taken a keen interest in personalities to whomsupernatural powers are attributed; I have tried to understand theirways how they project their personality and release streams of faithand transform their followers into dedicated persons."
When Dr. Munshi met Baba for the first timein Dharmakshetra, hope met fulfilment; aspiration met achievement andprayer met the boon desired; for, Baba has come. Come, He has, toinstall Bharathiya Vidya, that is to say, Atma Vidya, on the throneof Science, to reinstate India as the Guru of humanity, to helpIndians to win the fruits of India's independence, teaching them theway to master the self, and through Indians, the rest of theworld.
Baba observed that Dr. Munshi's right handwas trembling slightly on account of chronic Parkinson's disease.Then, in Dr. Munshi's words, "Baba rose from His seat, took myfingers and covered them with His own, and rubbed them with sacredashes which came out of His hand. Then He waved with a sweepinggesture and caught a ring He had materialized; He slipped it on thelittle finger of my right hand. I immediately perceived the stiffnessof my fingers almost gone; so had the trembling in the right arm andleg." It needs to be mentioned here that the cure was permanent andnot a passing phase, for as the science of medicine says, Parkinson'sdisease (Paralysis Agitans) is one of the least tractable ofmaladies, even as regards the relief from its symptoms!
More than this miraculous relief from aphysical handicap which he was stoically tolerating, Baba removed thehandicaps which stood in the way of the septuagenarian savantaccepting Baba as the Guru he was seeking. Baba visited Munshi'shome, and all the members of the family found themselves confiding inHim. He assured them that He was with them through all the turbidyears of torture and sacrifice, martyrdom and power, disillusionmentand determination, revival and recuperation. He told Munshi's sonthat He was with him, years ago, when he had to take refuge with awayside station master while traveling by train! He took upon Himselfthe burden of bringing health and happiness upon his kith and kin,for, none is there beyond the pale of His Love. Dr. Munshi writes,"He has the capacity to plant seeds of faith in men - seeds, which,when they sprout, will liberate them from greed, hate andfear."
No wonder, then, that all the mentalreservations, with which Munshi approached Baba, whom he had taken tobe just another in the array of Babas he had encountered during hischequered career, disappeared the moment he recognized the Reality,and he did not hesitate to declare this in the pages of the Bhavan'sJournal, one of the leading Indian Periodicals commanding acirculation of 50.000 copies. Describing his campaign in Britain,Julius Caesar said in a historic phrase, "Veni Vedi Vici," "I came, Isaw, I conquered"; here, "I went, I saw, I was conquered!" This isthe experience not only of Dr. Munshi. Every one who goes to Baba andsees Him through eyes that are clear and keen, wins the sameexperience.
On the 18th, at the special request of IndraDevi who had planned a "Crusade for Light in Darkness" aimed atillumining the hate-ridden hell within the human heart, Baba lit aPerpetual Lamp at Dharmakshetra. That Lamp and other lamps lit fromthat scared flame, will serve to shed the Light of Love on all whomeditate on them.
The rising of the Sai Sun made certain vestedinterests feel ill at ease. Bewildered at the millions millingtowards wherever Baba was, calculating practitioners who traded inreligion feared that the traditional tithes and offerings would soondry up, threatening their very sustenance. Little did they know thatBaba has come to water every plant in the Garden of Faith, that Hewas no sower of schism but the Great Harmonizer, the Mountain Peakthat appeared to some as Siva, to some others as Vishnu, to some asChrist, to some others as Allah, or as Buddha, according to the anglefrom which they viewed. The yellow section of the Press yielded tothe temptation of blasphemy and scandal mongering; the moreresponsible periodicals tried to probe and understand. They requestedthat their representatives meet Baba and try to measure the depth ofthe rare Phenomenon in their midst. About 30 special correspondentsrepresenting leading English and Indian Language Newspapers came toDharmakshetra on 21st May. The questions they asked were naturallyprompted by curiosity; they wanted to know the purpose and modusoperandi of the "miracles" performed by Baba. In reply Baba declaredthat these were evidences rather than demonstrations of the Divine."It is Love that prompts Me to give and when I want to give, thething is ready," He said. "I can, by My Sankalpa, change the earthinto sky and the sky into earth, but that is not the only sign ofDivine Might. It is the Love, the Compassion, the supreme Patience todeal with all this frailty and fanaticism, it is the Resolve to curethem all - that is the Unique Sign," Baba explained.
Those who came to probe were prompted to sitand learn. He advised the newspapers to stress the unity of Indianculture, to emphasize the values of the Indian way of Life, insteadof playing up the differences and defects. He wanted them to indulgeneither in flattery nor in mudslinging; He asked them not to inflameor burn incense, but portray and highlight all examples of serviceand sacrifice.
On the 24th, Baba left by car towardsGujarat, where a large number of Study Circles and Bhajan Mandalis,and the miracles emanating from His will, had soaked the people inSai Devotion. He visited Navasari and Surat on His way to Barodawhere he spent a day, meeting devotees from the area around, likeNadiad, etc. Baba then returned to Bombay and left for Poona. TheAndhra Association of Poona welcomed Baba at the premises of theirAssociation (but it was not owing to any linguistic or regionallabel, for, which geographic region can claim to contain Him morethan another? He belongs to all humanity). Baba spoke of the problemsthat afflict mankind, and of the valid and valuable solutionsthereto, discovered by sages millennia ago. The people of Poona feltblessed at the chance to have the Darshan and imbibe the nectar ofHis Discourse. On His way to Hyderabad, Baba halted at Sholapur,where He urged the people to investigate into their own innerresources and learn to develop them. "Developunshakeable faith in yourself, in your capacity to live well andlong, in your capability to be of use to others,"He exhorted. At Hyderabad, too, His message was a tonic to thewayward and the vacillating:
"Be cheerful and sprightly. Cultivate faith in God, keep virtuous company, nourish discipline and cherish lofty ideals of service. Control the senses; avoid seeing evil, hearing evil, relishing evil thoughts and sights, words and news. Go straight, not along a crooked path. Do not read trash, or see foul films. Discipline the wavering mind by means of Bhajan, Nagarasankirtana and Namasmarana," Baba directed.
On the 10th of June, Baba returned toPrasanthi Nilayam.
This chapter may well be closed with anextract from a letter from Charles Penn, on his return to America,after being exhilarated by his first physical Darshan of Baba, havinghis faith and devotion enriched by the experiences at Dharmakshetraand the World Conference at Bombay - especially Baba's Revelation ofHis being the One Divine Principle come in Human Form.
Baba appeared before him at his US residenceand said,
"You, Charles, saw at Bombay the tens of thousands of seekers of Liberation, striving to catch at least a glimpse of Me. These numbers are but a drop in the ocean, compared to the countless unseen souls who try to reach Me from beyond mortal bounds. To all I give My Light and Love, and help each forward, towards Liberation.""All who come to me in their concrete form have fortunately reached the stage when they are beginning to 'see' the reality. Those who cry for the chance to see Me in the concrete form have their prayers answered; to each I give every opportunity for Darshan, for they deserve and receive My Love."
"Then, Charles, there are those who may never see Me in the concrete form. They have, all the same, reached Me through a friend, a book or a photograph. To each of these, if they yearn deeply, I give My Darshan inwardly. These too I love as deeply for they have begun to see themselves, as being beyond their body, as Divine Souls. This is true advancement towards self-realization. Liberation and Peace can be theirs through loving the Lord in meditation. All who meditate upon Me as the One with many Names and Forms will have Santhi."
"I have resolved to enfold the people of the world in the fostering care of Universal Love as laid down in the Vedas. For the world is My mansion and the Continents are the halls therein. I have come to inscribe a golden chapter in the history of humanity, wherein falsehood will fail, truth will triumph, and virtue will reign. Character will confer power then, not knowledge or inventive skill or wealth. Wisdom will be enthroned in the Councils of Nations.""Do not be misled. It is not my purpose to strike men dumb by the display of miraculous might! I have come to confer the boon of blessedness, the benediction of bliss, as the reward for genuine spiritual endeavor, and to lead mankind into Liberty, Light and Love."
With those words, Baba concluded Hisrevelation of Himself and His Mission on Earth, which thrilled the1700 delegates privileged to listen to Him.
On the last day of June, barely fifty daysafter this announcement, Baba emplaned the Boeing leaving for EastAfrica from Bombay. This was His first voyage beyond the confines ofIndia, that is to say, accomplished physically, announced in advance,and undertaken with members of His entourage.
He was going to the infant Republics of acontinent that was just emerging into the dawn. He was to confercourage and consolation, to knit hearts and quicken the circulationof Love! Baba always rushes to where aspiration calls, or anxietygasps.
The citizens of Bombay at a mammoth publicmeeting convened at Dharmakshetra bade Him farewell on the 29th ofJune. Later, at the airport, crowds spilled over the terrace, pushedthrough to the tarmac area in thousands and used every atom ofenthusiasm to cheer Him as the plane took off!
Flying at 590 miles an hour at altitudes ofover 35.000 feet, Baba was busy in the Boeing, granting thepassengers, (many of whom had boarded the flight on purpose) signs ofGrace, such as autographing a book or photograph, materializing ahandful of curative ash, or furnishing illuminating answers to solvepersonal problems of every kind.
Bob Raymer of Los Angeles, a member of theparty, saw Baba keep both His feet pressed on the slanting back ofthe empty seat just ahead of Him; he did not miss the chance; heclicked twice and got two pictures of the Lotus Feet, which millionsadore. At this Baba pulled out one of the cards from the pocketbehind His seat and wrote an affectionate admonition, sending it to"Bob, Boeing 707!" Bob responded with apology cum adoration, throughanother picture card; "The sky is blue, the ocean too; our wish hascome true, we are flying with You!"
In fact, the sky was not always blue. It wasmostly murky, what with the huge concourse of slow-moving monsoonclouds on their way to India. The sea mirrored the sky; there was anoccasional zigzag of silver ripple upon its surface. One felt as ifthe plane hung in mid-air, while sea and land were pulled away fromunderneath by an unseen hand. Soon, gleaming streaks of rocks andboulders and blotches of greenery were visible as far as the eyecould see. But fluffs of cloud soon hid the ground. Mount Kenya wasannounced! We saw only its jagged crown of blue, over the sea ofmilk.
In a moment, that sea was over us! Below us,scintillating in, and reflecting the sun, was a quilt of red andbrown roofs, Nairobi! The clock showed four minutes to twelve, whileour watches insisted it was already 2.24 p.m.
Baba at the door was greeted -"Nandalala! YaduNandalala!" spontaneously from the yearning hearts ofthousands perched on all available vantage points. While we of theparty waded past the counters and through the corridors, fillingforms, and having certificates stamped and signed, climbing over theroutine hurdles, Baba was whisked away in floral automobile by Dr. C.G. Patel into the gathering from which the welcoming Bhajan hademanated.
"It was a feast for the eye and ear - thescene where they showered flowers, and waved lights, when they sangmelodiously and from the depths of their hearts," Baba said, "I wasreminded of the days when Jayadeva and Gouranga sang the Glory," Hewrote.
We had to proceed to Kampala, the capitalcity of Uganda - the State known as the 'Pearl of Africa.' The roadwas 407 miles long. The cars sped on, encouraged by the fineunbending road through miles of delightful scenery.
The motto of the State of Kenya (throughwhich we passed until night enveloped us), is 'Marambee': "Let's pulltogether," and this spirit was evidenced all along the route inwheat-fields, cattle plantations and groups of village-folk on theway side, brimming with vitality. They were merrily dancing alongwith leafy boughs in their grasp, which they shook vigorously at thesky.
The tedium of dreary hours of travel was madeless monotonous by the beautiful avenues of trees through which wepassed. Their restful green together with the coolness of air as weclimbed higher and higher, was comforting. The rains that come uponthis land all the months of the year have mothered a succession ofgurgling streams and fresh water lakes.
We had a glimpse of the Rift Valley aboutwhich I had read when teaching Anthropology in my college at Mysore.Two thousand feet below us it gaped, with sheer escarpments for itsbanks! We saw the soda lake, Nakuru, and the town bearing its name. Asizeable gathering of eager Africans and Indians awaited Baba there;they were rewarded with Darsan. Baba moved among them, anddiscovering a few who needed Vibhuti, He created it and blessedthem.
From Malaba, on the border of Uganda, animpressive pilot car preceded the car of Baba, as a sign and symbolof His being welcomed by the rulers of that State. The cars drove onto Jinja, where the Nile emerges out of the womb of Lake Victoria,and, channeled through turbines, flows on the North to fulfill itsvow of a 3500-mile pilgrimage to the Mediterranean Sea.
Kampala was reached at 1-30 a.m., hardly thehour for a hearty welcome by a cheering throng. But Baba is acategory by Himself. Wildly waving banners of silken welcomestretched across the streets; every few yards a floral arch (someoneof the party counted exactly 108) beamed with lights as Baba passedthrough. Outside Dr. Patel's bungalow, 2000 people continued theirBhajan, singing with unabated ardor in the hope that Baba would givethem the coveted Darsan. And Baba did not disappoint them. Alighting,He walked slowly amidst them, feasting the eye and delighting theheart. Their restraint and reverence were exemplary.
Never had Kampala yearned so excruciatinglyfor daybreak as on that night! For the city knew that Baba hadarrived and would be granting Darsan when the sun rose. Baba came outearly next morning; He stood facing the unprecedented massivegathering. He moved, lithe and lovely, along the passage between thebarricaded blocks of people, showering upon everyone His supremecompassion.
When He saw a sad face, or heard a groan ofdistress, He stood for a moment, waved His hand gently, and createdfor the person the Divine Cure. He went up to the lines of standingAfricans on the margins of the assembly; He held many by the hand andbrought them Himself into the shade among the others so that they maysit in comfort, listening to the community singing of the Bhajans. Wefelt that those were the devotees who prevailed upon Baba to flyacross the sea and give health and happiness by personalministration.
"I have no need to seeplaces. I am everywhere, always!" Babatold us. "You may drivearound. I have my work, work for which I havecome." But Dr. Patel persuaded Him tovisit the Hindu temple, the Bahai House of Worship and the televisiontower hill. While driving down, He summoned the six-foot policeconstable acting as motorcycle escort, and created for him a charminglocket with the picture of Christ, to be worn around the neck. Heknew the man was a Christian.
Baba has come to fulfill, not to destroy orto disturb, man's faith in God. His love brooks no barriers, noboundaries, no walls separating 'ism from ism.' During the Bhajans,He selected the sick and the disabled, the deaf and the dumb, theblind and the maimed, and, taking them into the bungalow, He spoke toeach one with love and tenderness. He spoke in Swahili, in English orHindi, and gave each some token of Grace - holy ash, talismans,lockets with His own portrait or the picture of Christ or some sacreddesign. Everyone who came out of the room had a smile on the face, atwinkle in the eye, a ray of sunshine in the heart, and firmness inthe step. A person who was stone deaf when he went in, came outwonder-struck at the amazing world of sound. A polio-affected boycame prancing outside; a patient who was wheeled into the 'Room ofHope' walked out, his hands on the shoulders of his companions, whilea volunteer pushed the empty chair out of the gate.
The third day of July was a memorable one.First, the flight to Ngorongoro Crater. It is the largestconcentration of wild life in Africa. Reaching the EntebbeInternational Airport by car, Baba, with some members of the partyboarded a twin-engined aircraft at 9 a.m., while three of us havingfull faith in Him, brushed aside the fear aroused by overzealousfriends who warned that a single engine plane was not the craft thatone would choose to fly over a jungle, teeming with wildlife!
We followed Baba in that frail super-wagon,piloted by a veteran Britisher who oozed confidence all the time. Foran hour and a half we flew over the immense inland sea of fresh water- Lake Victoria - which the Nile attempts in vain to drain. We couldsee hundreds of gazelles, zebras, and wild beasts while our vehicleflew slowly over the Serengeti National Park. The Crater is a hugecircular plain, over 127 square miles of grassland, bush and forest,sheltering large masses of wild life. A few Masai Manyattas, stockfull of fat cattle were to be found in this fantasticmilieu.
As we drove from the airstrip, to the CraterLodge, a family of wild elephants received us with the gentleflapping of broad ears and an array of ivory tusks gleaming in thepre-noon sun. Landrovers took us into thick shoals of wild buffaloes,zebras and gnus. Soon we entered the haunts of the Simba (lion). Fromwithin the safety of the cars we admired a heavyweight male yawningon a mound, and very nearly ran over a pair of fat females havingtheir siesta amidst the grass! We came upon more such families, andsoon they endeared themselves to us. Baba had come to bless them, wefelt. Rising up almost from nowhere, a stately dowager lioness walkedmajestically towards a group of sleek giraffes. This onset of dangerwas communicated to the long-necked fraternity by some birds, andthey, in their turn, alerted the buffalo, zebra and gnu! In a fewseconds, they disappeared into the distance and the distinguishedlady stood, sniffing the empty air!
Baba drew our attention to this demonstrationof mutual service. He said man is highlighting the advantages ofcompetition and the struggle for survival, but the beast is teachinghim cooperation and service as the ideal means forsurvival.
We took off from the Crater at four o'clockin the afternoon, and when we neared Lake Natron, the planes flewperilously over a newly formed volcano, emitting incense to the Godof Fire! Our 'mini' wagon hovered a while, awaiting a signal from theairport over the Nairobi National Park giving us a bird's eye-view ofgiraffes and ostriches, before landing at Embakasi.
Baba's car crawled through the crowded roadsof Nairobi to the park where He was to address His first publicmeeting in Africa. The rush of listeners was without parallel in theannals of Kenya, for no visitor until now had such universal appeal.People loyal to a single faith, or to all faiths, skeptics andSadhaks, scientists and spiritualists, men, and women from all walksof life were there, filled with eagerness to see Him and hear Him,and if possible, to be accepted by Him. Baba builds His shrine inevery heart with the brick of Truth and the mortar ofLove.
His discourse stressed that each human being,in fact each being, was "a spark of the Divine Effulgence, a wave ofthe Divine Glory." He advised all to see beneath the skin, within thephysical, mental, and even intellectual encasements."This habitation of fleshand bone, of fear and feeling, of doubt and desire, is the residenceof the One Indivisible, All-pervading God."Baba knows that this vision is the strongest basis and the surestmeans for ensuring racial and regional harmony.
Baba returned to His residence and blessedthe enormous gathering that surged around it. Later, He sat beforethe television set which some members of His Party were seeing forthe first time. The programme that was then on led to a discourse byBaba on the evil sown by that medium. Baba said that it blunted thehigher impulses and activated the lower. "Theaim of the sponsors is to bring more and more people before thereceivers; so standards get more and more vulgarized and thisvaluable instrument of education is reduced into televisham(tele-poison!)," He said. Baba is arelentless opponent of films, comic strips, and horror serials thatsow the seeds of sensualism, anarchy, greed and bloodthirstiness invirgin minds.
Nairobi is the only City in the world whichhas a suburb owned and inhabited by Lions! It awakens every day tothe full and free roar of these regal cats. On the 5th of July, earlyin the day, we went into the National Park and proceeded to the HippoPool. There was a busy school of these monsters, and also a fewcrocodiles basking quite near. This led Baba to point out to us howthe beast is wiser than man in the art of living. "Weslaughter our own kind, for the greater glory of ourselves!"He said.
While driving back from the pool, we saw twomagnificently maned lions, and three well-groomed lionesses baskingindolently in the sun. They did not wince at all when a dozen camerasclicked. Instead, they preened themselves like stars surrounded byfans! We also watched many ostriches, and giraffes hurrying inuncouth haste to some mysterious rendezvous.
After lunch, Dr. Patel took Baba and theparty in cars to Nanyuki, 6400 feet above sea level - a town where,if you have the poetry in you, you can experience the thrill ofhaving one foot in the Southern Hemisphere, and the other in theNorthern, for the Equator passes through the place! In fact, a hotelhere boasts that the Line passes through its veranda.
The road to Nanyuki showed us coffee andsisal plantations; thatched huts of the Kikuyu peeped furtively atour cars. In Secret Valley, we stayed at 'Tree Tops,' built on highstilts, from where at night, under an artificial moon, we could seeleopards mauling meat, bisons licking salt, and elephants, gazellesand other beasts showing themselves off and generally enjoyingthemselves.
It was Thursday; so, Baba turned us away fromelephantine fantasies, and the antics of animals. He took us,instead, into the jungle of our own minds and described how the wildbeasts sheltering there could be trapped. He told us about thediscipline that can quieten and domesticate them. Suddenly, with acircular gesture, He created a jewel with the imprint of Hisportrait, and placed it in the hands of the person sitting by Hisside. Here! Wear it! For many years you have longed for this. Thenturning to us He said, "Oh, each of you wants something, don't you?"And the hand waved again. There was a golden vessel in His Hand now.When He unscrewed the lid, it was full to the brim - Divine Ambrosia!Fragrant beyond imagination - thick, sweet liquid Grace!
Next morning, on the road back to Nairobi,Baba alighted at Nanyuki and many other towns and villages, wherecrowds were waiting for Him. He wondered, "Who has informed thesepeople that I would be passing this way?" They must have sensed itthrough His compassion; that was the only explanation we could offer.About noon, Baba and others boarded the waiting aircraft, and flyingover the Rift Valley, the famous Kenya Highlands, and the inland Portof Kisumu on Lake Victoria, reached Entebbe.
Baba's Presence at Kampala was utilized bymany for receiving blessings and counsel. The High Commissioner ofIndia, Shri K.P.R. Singh, the Chief of Staff of the Uganda Army,General Idi Amin, the Minister of Defense, Mr. Onama, the Ministerfor Information and Broadcasting, Mr. Ojira, the Minister of InternalAffairs, Mr. Bataringaya, the Inspector of Police, Mr. Oryema, andother African leaders met Him at Dr. Patel's residence and obtained aglimpse of the Glory of Baba. During His stay He addressed gatheringsof lions and rotarians, doctors, businessmen, and members and workersof service organizations. He replied with His natural gentleness,sweetness and sense of humor, even intimate personal questions fromthose who participated. Towards the close of each of the meetings, Hemoved among the participants creating and distributing to thosearound Him portraits in enamel or gold, of Christ for the Christians,Guru Nanak for the Sikhs, Zarathustra for the Parsis, and of Himselffor those who yearned for them. He spoke lovingly and for long to agroup of students from Makrere University and stood amidst them, whenthey wanted a photograph with Him.
During the group meetings, a variety ofquestions were asked. "Ifthere is a God, why cannot we see Him?"Baba replied, "Why shouldyou seek to see God? You are God. There is nothing that is not He.Experience Him that way." "How can we be happyalways?" Baba said, "Derivejoy from within. You are the Atma, the eternal spring of Ananda. Loveall; no one will then hate you or envy you."He said to the doctors: "Jealousyis the professional disease of doctors and lawyers! Be glad whenanother doctor earns a good reputation or remuneration; honor theaffirmations you made at the Convocation where you took yourdegree."
On the 7th, Baba addressed the first publicmeeting at Kampala. He told the multiracial, multi-credal gathering,"Just as the samebloodstream circulates in all the limbs of the one body, the OneDivine Principle activates the entire Universe. Do not get tooinvolved in the turmoil of living and ignore the kinship in God thatyou have with all beings around you. Do not overemphasize individualvariations, but fix your attention on the universal kinship. Ignorethe beads, contemplate upon the unifying eternal ever-presentthread." This was a heartening message,and it was received with enthusiastic approval by Muslims,Christians, Bahais, Hindus and Parsis alike.
On the 8th of July, Baba addressed anothervast gathering at Kampala. He said, "Here in Kampala, I shallpinpoint the basic requisites for a good, contented and happy life."He elaborated the discipline essential for it, likeDhyanaand Prema,meditationand love."Love is Power; Love is Bliss; Love is Light; Love is God," Babasaid.
These discourses bound Baba close to thehearts of the Africans. People recognized in Him a friend, a guide, aleader and a light. But word had spread that Baba was leaving on the10th for India, since that was the day of GuruPoornima. So that evening when Babamoved among the thousands, seated in the Pandal, rows of Africansknelt, handing notes and letters to Him, some with tearful pleas.Looking through a window of Dr. Patel's bungalow at the faces filledwith adoration, I could not suppress my tears. I was overcome by adelightful sense of gratitude for the opportunity Baba gave me towitness this spontaneous surge of devotion in a new continent. I wasawakened from my reverie a by light tap on my back from Baba whoenquired, "Why the tears?" The notes and letters were filled withsorrow, for the Africans had learnt that Baba planned to leave forBombay on the 10th. "Father, do not leave us so soon!" was the plaintin every prayer.
India was informed by cable that the returnwas postponed.
The full moon day, when spiritual aspirantsdedicate themselves anew at the Feet of the Master, was on the 10th.Baba had told Bombay that He would reach that city by plane at 9-45p.m. leaving Kampala at 11 a.m., so that both Africa and Asia wouldhave the thrill of His Darsan on the same day! But, yielding to theyearning of the Africans, He decided to spend the whole day atKampala, granting devotees in other continents other evidences of HisOmnipresence.
More than 25,000 persons gathered thatmorning for the Bhajan. The Africans joined the chorus led by aTanzanian, Mr. Zoodoo. For over two hours, Baba walked slowly amongthe lines of lonely, love-seeking eager hearts, giving each person ahandful of sweets and a packet of Vibhuti. To the amazement of therecipients, most of them discovered inside the packet, lyingensconced in the midst of the holy ash, enamel or metal portraits ofChrist, the Cross, Krishna or Sai Baba Himself. The "Uganda Argus"published an article, announcing that Baba had brought the message ofUnity and Service, to the peoples of that continent. Baba'sdiscourses as well as activities were also televised and broadcast,so that the entire population could share the inspiration of theGospel.
On the evening of the tenth day of July, Babatalked to about 200 young men and women, who served as volunteers atthe Bhajan gatherings and at public meetings. The constables on dutyas well as the chauffeur of the pilot car were also rewarded by HisGrace. Baba appreciated the spirit of service and the intelligence ofthe youth of Kampala. He spoke about them later at Bombay on Hisreturn. "They had no previous experience in controlling and guidingsuch vast congregations; they had no training; they were their ownguides, but they behaved with exemplary patience and alertness. Theyworked tirelessly, round the clock, with smart team work," Hesaid.
On the 11th, besides the Bhajan sessions, forwhich, as days passed, more and more people from far and near flowedinto the capital, Baba met groups of Sadhakas and active workers inservice organizations, from the far flung States of Kenya, Tanzaniaand Uganda. Later, Baba visited Dr. Patel's clinic and also theresidences of many ardent devotees. Wherever he went, throngs ofpeople, eager to win one more glimpse of the Radiance, rushed in andstood at the gates or on the pavements for hours.
On the 12th, Baba proceeded to the MurchisonFalls National Park, one of the most beautiful and fauna-stockedregions of East Africa. The straight road, leaping over the shouldersof a series of hills, tempted the person who was at the wheel of ourcar to race and overtake every car that moved in front. We werecatapulting so fast, that a sudden turn of the road found the carrolling madly over and over, finally coming to rest on its jammedwheels in agonized silence.
Baba's car had gone on beyond Masindi whichwas some 30 miles distant. He said to the people in His car, "Thesecond car has trouble. They will resume their journey in ataxi!"
We four were thrown against roof and floor,receiving knocks, bumps, hits and cuts, we did not know where! Theman at the wheel fell out; the friend on his left struggled to openthe stuck door with his uninjured left arm. The cushion from the backseat was on my head, wedged between it and the caved-in top! I foundmyself sitting astride on the chest of my companion, with bloodtrickling on his shirt from a long gash upon my forehead, caused bymy glasses getting broken there when I knocked myself against I donot know what!
The third car came up in utter bewilderment,and friends gently pulled us out. There was a hospital right wherethe car had presented us with this surprise item - "Kasturi Falls" -not included in the original programme! I went in there on my own,despite the bleeding gash, the black eye, the cut on the left leg,the huge lump on the right! I was the man who was worst hit, thankBaba! The entry, as made by the African doctor on the hospital O. P.Form (which I still have, though it is clearly printed thereon 'ThisForm is the property of the Hospital') is dated 12-7-1968.Name: Kasturi. O.P. No. 11112/68. Diagnosis: Minor cuts. (Baba'sGrace!) Treatment: Surgical Toilet. Inj. Anti-Toxoid1500."
I lived to laugh at myself for so helplesslybouncing inside a speed-intoxicated car, and landing on my neighbor'schest! Speed goeth before a fall! Baba always advises,"Start early; driveslowly; reach safely!"
The fatal corner in front of that hospital Ishall remember until memory lapses. The name of the place is aspotent as a charm; its charisma is remarkable. Repeating that namemight avert future automobile misadventures for me. Nakkasongola!That is the word for the place. It is a thaumaturgical polysyllable!I wish some day to plant a stone on that spot inscribed - "Here fourmen called out Sairam! They were saved."
We packed ourselves thick in the third carand reached Masindi. From there, we hired a taxi and moved on towardsBaba. When we neared the Park, we saw the welcome poster: "Elephantshave the right of way!" It meant that we could see some herds duringthe day.
We found a pair of gigantic bisons eyeing usrather wickedly, munching roadside grass. Our cars were ferriedacross the wide green Nile, and passing between two live Tembos(Swahili, for elephant) with sharp white tusks about five feet long,we rushed into Pra Safari Lodge; Baba came forward to pat us and petus, while listening to our description of the accident of which Healready knew.
Oh! it was worth all the panic andpandemonium inside the car! No mortal mother could have been morecompassionate towards her injured child. The curative Vibhuti wasready. He applied it Himself on the cuts. He used His ownhandkerchief as a bandage for my eyes. He created ointments andtablets out of nowhere. He pressed, or rubbed the spots of paingently. He drew us near with affectionate consolation. He gave us thestrength to dismiss the picture from our minds. I thankedNakkasongola and the person who drove our car, for this unique giftof Divine Tenderness.
Within minutes we went for a motorboat rideup the Nile, for over fifteen miles, towards the Murchison Falls, andback. The boat passed through 'schools' of hippos lying closetogether, showing just their eyes, ear tips and occasionally theirnoses, above the water! Some of them were on land, with red,barrel-like hippolets behind them peeping through the thick papyrusreeds. There were crocodiles too, with open jaws, but the vicioustail and voracious jaw did not frighten the juicy Hippos in theleast.
We saw crocodiles in the water and hundredson the shore, perhaps even thousands, for the shore seemed alive withcrocodiles from one end to the other. Winston Churchill, who hadplodded, through these jungles and boated along this stretch of theNile in his youth, fired a shot from his gun at one of the sleepingsaurians. "At the sound of the shot," wrote Churchill, "the whole ofthe bank of the river, which before was a long brown line of mud,rushed madly into the Nile. At least a thousand of these crocodileshad been awakened and astonished by that single shot." Baba noticedmany plovers hopping about the crocodile area, a few daring even toperch inside the horrible teethy traps! He said, "Look at the mutualservice that bird and beast are rendering to each other!" Yes, theplovers are the only species of the birds that are tolerated and evenwelcomed by the crocodiles; they eat the parasites off their scalesand pick the decaying bits of food from between those deadlyteeth!
Returning to Pra Safari, and re-crossing theNile, our cars took us through elephant-land to the Nile above thefalls. Herds of thirty or forty elephants looked from a distance likeflocks of sheep grazing on the downs, but when we neared them, thesight filled us with awe and amazement. A bull stood a few yards awayfrom the car wherein Baba was, and to give him a good Darsan, Babastood on the footboard! It appeared as if he was highly grateful,for, he stood there gazing a few minutes, filling his little eyeswith the loveliness, then turning back, quickly joined theherd.
We could hear the loud incessant hum of thefalls at many a turn of the road; as we neared, it became athunderous roar, and suddenly - there were the falls! Small groups ofAfricans were dancing on the river bank in wild ecstasy. The Africansare seldom still. They trip it as they go to the tune of somelilt.
The Murchison Falls are furious andfascinating. The Nile comes foaming and rapid, down a continuousstairway until the bed contracts suddenly into a gap in the rock,barely six yards wide; through this strangling portal the tremendousriver is shot in one single jet, down a depth of 160 feet, into achasm of terror and beauty. Baba was happy that we could see thesublime scene. Bob Raymer got a series of lovely pictures of Bababefore these waters. Returning to Masindi through a road renderedslushy with a thick shower of rain, we had to slacken speed to avoidskidding. Elephants crossing the highway were another cause ofdelay.
From Masindi we proceeded to Kikondo, 80miles away, where a Bhajan Mandir, in authentic Afro-architecturalstyle built by a devotee, was to be inaugurated. It was a largeestate, growing paddy, sugarcane and bananas. The Mandir was full ofsquatting African laborers, who venerated Baba as the God-man fromthe East. Baba sat on the special seat arranged for Him, but soon Hewas among the Kisans, creating and distributing sweets andcuratives.
He told the gathering of Africans and Indiansthat man alone among the animals had strayed from his allotted tasks;the rest struck to their Dharma, whatever the obstacle. The tigerwill never stop to eating grass; the elephant can never be tempted tohave a meal of fish or flesh. But man, the crown of creation, isgroveling in the mire of bestiality and, withal, proud ofit.
Kampala was reached at 1 p.m. The lateness ofthe hour only whetted the appetite for Darsan of the thousands whowere waiting there, busy with Bhajans, Baba gave them the muchcoveted gift, walking among them and standing on the decorated daislong enough to satisfy them.
The 13th of July was a day of growing gloom,though everyone had the chance of Darsan,Sparsan, Sambhashana (seeing,touching the holy feet, and listening). From Mwaza, Daressalam,Mombasa and Eldoret people came to persuade Baba to visit theirplaces. The Mayor of Kampala pleaded for a short extension of thestay. Baba is always everywhere. He reveals His Presence to all whocall on Him, or even to many who are unaware that God is amidst themfor their sake. So, for Baba there is no going or coming, no arrivingor leaving. Still, the physical presence wins such indelible loyaltythat one feels an orphan without it.
On the 14th, hours before dawn, half ofKampala was at Dr. Patel's door. Streams of cars and planes, broughtpeople from Jinja, Mbale, Kakira, Kabale, Ikaye, and Kapila whereSathya Sai Seva Samithis and Bhajan Mandalis were active."I have no desire to stunor shock people into submission or adulation; I have come to installTruth and Love in human hearts," Babadeclared. Therefore, thousands prayed that He should stay on, or ifthat was not possible, at least come again very soon.
When He got into the car, even the heftyconstables on duty, keeping back the surging rows of citizens, wipedthe tears streaming from their eyes! Baba patted their backs, butthat only sharpened the pang! The road to Entebbe was choked withcars, trucks, scooters and cycles. The East African Airways Planewhich was to take Baba to Nairobi (where the Air India InternationalBoeing was waiting) developed a small trouble while moving on therunway; so Kampala got a bonus of two more hours with Baba on itssoil! The motto of the State of Uganda is "For God, and my country."And Baba blessed the people who bore it.
Nairobi was reached at 2.30 p.m. and thethousands who acclaimed the plane were rewarded by a quick Darsan,since the delay prompted the airport officers to set the Boeing onits way immediately. We flew over Ethiopia and Somaliland, ferriedacross the Red Sea at a height of over two miles and a half, andlanded at Aden at 5.15 p.m. Bombay was 1910 miles away and two hoursand forty minutes ahead!
Though Baba did not disembark and though thedate of the flight had been postponed while at Kampala, we weresurprised to find a long line of devotees and admirers (Indians andArabs) filing into the aircraft and touching the Lotus Feet. Babaspoke to them with sweet affection; He created holy healing Ash fortheir sake.
At 12.45 a.m., Indian Standard Time, theplane, which had the unique good fortune of carrying the mostprecious cargo that the world offers in this age, touched ground atSanta Cruz, starting off a chorus of Jais from over ten thousandquickly pounding hearts.
On the 15th, Baba addressed a mammothgathering at Dharmakshetra which was presided over by Dr. K.M.Munshi. Dr. Munshi could not suppress his tears of joy and gratitude,when he said, "I was pained to see around me the quick decline offaith in God and earnestness in religion, and I was on the brink ofdespair when I contemplated the future of this ancient land. But, asI look upon Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and witness thetransformation He is effecting in the hearts of millions, I amheartened and happy." Baba declared that racial conflicts andanimosities spring from sheer ignorance of the basic brotherhood ofman.
He related the heart-rending story ofKarna, the eldest of the Pandavas. His mother cast herfirst-born into the Ganges; it floated downstream and was rescued bya charioteer who fostered the child as his own. He took him to thecourt of the Kaurava cousins, who had vowed eternal vengeance on thePandavas. Karna grew up as the very right hand of the Kaurava group.The Pandavas hated him and fought him, determined to destroy him, nomatter what the cost. They succeeded at last. It was only then thatthey learnt that Karna was their eldest brother born of the samewomb! O how they lamented, repented and cursed themselves!
All men are brothers; they owe love, serviceand reverence to one another; but they are not aware of this Truth,and so they hate, they fight, they kill, they poison themselves byrevenge. "Triumph over another is only another name forself-humiliation," Baba said.
"It was this Truth, thisUnity, often misunderstood as diversity when seen through egoglasses, that was propagated by Me in East Africa," declared Baba."The people whom I met there and those who listened to my discoursesand talks had a glimpse of the Reality upon which the waves of joyand grief, of gain and loss, of travail and triumph, alternately riseand fall."
"Many of them told me thatthe vision of the Indian Sages alone can save them and fill the heartwith Peace. The splendor of the genuine culture of India will spreadin this manner from continent to continent, from country to country,from community to community, continuously in the days to come. Thatis my Task. That is my Will," He said.
Months later, a Muganda teacher wrote fromAfrica, "Baba! redeem me, deliver me from grief! One of my bestfriends was fortunate to touch the hem of your robe, while you walkednear him. He directed me to pray to You and to save myself fromsorrow." An aspirant from Mukono wrote, "O Lord! Give me the strengthto forgive those who harm me; make me forget the injury I receivefrom them." A Roman Catholic from Sierra Leone writes, "Many of Hissayings I have inscribed in a little notebook and I often refer to itwhen I am in need of consolation or guidance. Some day, if it is Hiswill, I may have the good fortune to come to Prasanthi Nilayam. Orperhaps it may never be - but I shall continue, in my own way to tryto cultivate an ever-increasing awareness of God."
These are intimations of the wonderfultransmutation of urges, the sublimation of impulses, inclinations andattitudes, the touch of His Robe, or the touching of His Feet - achance perusal of a book by Him, or about Him - a word or two fromHim, or the grateful acceptance of a glance from His Eye can bringabout in man.
May the Light of His Love illumine our heartstoo, and may the whole world shine in that eternaleffulgence.
Baba hurried from East Africa to Bombay andfrom Bombay to Anantapur, en route to Bangalore, since a great stepin the campaign of Dharmasthapana for which He has come, had to beinitiated on the 22nd of June 1968. Baba was establishing a collegefor Women at Anantapur!
Aurobindo has said, "A new center of thoughtimplies a new center of education." This avatar has no destructiveweapon in His possession, like the Kodanda (bow) of Rama, or theChakra (discus) of Krishna. He relies on education, rather thanelimination; instruction rather than destruction. The good areencouraged to become better, the better to enter the region of thebest and the blest. The bad are encouraged to shed the coil ofcowardice, which keeps them in fear and induces them to cause fear inself-defense.
Baba is therefore the premier educator of theage. Every word of His is a Mantra, every speech an Upanishad, everyexhortation a Geeta, every song that He sings a pilgrimage into theholiest core of one's being; a revelation of one's destiny and Divineglory. Baba instructs the incorrigible, the intransigent, the infideland the infant in spiritual Sadhana. He takes all into His fold. InHis presence one cannot say, "The hungry sheep look up and are notfed." They may be sheep or goats; they may not look up at all; theymay not realize that they are hungry; they may not recognize goodfood from bad; they may not be aware of where food is available inplenty! But Baba fondles them and feeds them with food that ensureshealth and happiness beyond measure, beyond the ravages of time andthe erosion of doubt!
Baba often writes letters to those whom Hewants to correct or console, or to conduct into the fortunate groupof the illumined. He showers love, guides with sweet companionship,warns sternly and leads Sadhakas by the hand. The books He haswritten - Prema Vahini (The Stream of Divine Love), Jnana Vahini (TheStream of Eternal Wisdom), Prasanthi Vahini (The Bliss of SupremePeace), Dhyana Vahini (Practice of Meditation), Dharma Vahini (ThePath of Virtue), Sandeha Nivarini (Clearance of Spiritual Doubts),the Gita Vahini (The Divine Gospel) and the Bhagavatha Vahini (TheStory of God and His Devotees) - are treasures that shed light onintricate problems of spiritual discipline. Passing down the corridorof time, the epics and Puranas have accumulated interpolations fromimaginative enthusiasts, which mar the grandeur of the originals anddisgust seekers of Divine Nectar. Baba has edited the Bhagavatha andthe Ramayana (The Rama story, Stream of Sacred Sweetness) in a mannerwhich makes them invaluable guides for aspirants to liberation.Baba's discourses which attract gathering of tens of thousands evenin the most secluded village, herald a new era in the lives of allwho hear them, even if they do not understand the language which Heuses; for, as Baba says, when heart communicates with heart in Love,language is an impediment, rather than an instrument!
Baba as Educator does not spare even thehours of sleep of those whom he intends to teach. When He struckSwami Abhedananda on the heart while He was lying in bed at SriRamanasram in Thiruvannamalai, the aged Swami sat up, and wonderedwho, what and why! Baba gave him the Darsan of the late Sri RamanaMaharshi and of Himself, separately and as an upsurge of light inwhich both merged. This was to reveal to him that He and his Guruwere the same. Then, he spoke to him in Telugu about the ways inwhich he had to modify his meditation, to enable him to get rid ofthe doubts and deviations that haunted him.
Baba appears to some Sadhakas during what canonly be described as 'dreams' and favors them with timely advice,such as, "Concentrate on the Visuddhi Chakra." The Sadhaka whoreceived this advice asked me what and where the said Chakra issituated. It was found that this Chakra is the Center of nourishmentfor the body, which at the time was just the problem confronting theSadhaka. Or, "Read the Mahanyasa also." He advised another Sannyasiwho was ceremonially reading the Devi Bhagavatham. Baba also teachesduring Dhyana (meditation), as He does with Mr. Penn in California,whenever the latter has a spiritual dilemma or knot to unravel. Ishall give here two extracts of what He once said to a Sadhaka in adream, which the Sadhaka recorded in his notebook as soon as heawoke.
"You must have freedom not only from fear, but freedom from hope and expectation. Trust in My wisdom: I do not make mistakes. Love my uncertainty! For it is not a mistake. It is My Intent and Will. Remember, nothing happens without My Will. Be still. Do not want to understand; do not ask to understand. Relinquish understanding. Relinquish the imperative that demands understanding.""Meditate upon the feeling between waking and sleeping, know how immediate, how close, how deeply compatible it is. There is the feeling of really giving up; the body is limp. Awareness too is limp. Let the feeling of God overcome you like sleep."
Appearing to devotees in dreams, Baba hastaught them new Bhajan songs, sitting in front of them as musicteachers do, with instructions to sing them during the Dasarafestival at Puttaparthi. Later, when they arrived at Puttaparthi theywere prompted by him to sing them! A devotee was once so involved incivil suits at court that he was nearly bankrupt. Appearing to himwhile he was asleep Baba told him plainly, "Properties, my dearfellow, are not proper ties!" Baba as an educator and as theincarnation that has come in order to educate, is engaged in thattask, all over the world at all times.
His opening words at every discourse are"Divyatma Swarupulara!"Embodiments of the Divine Atma! That isthe sum and substance of all His teachings. Man has to realize thathe is the Atma,unconquerable, indestructible, unlimited, theExistence-Knowledge-Bliss-wave of the ocean that is God. Theawareness of this truth is Bhakti,'Swaswaropa-anusandhanam-Bhakthirithi-abhidheyathe' saysSankara.
Baba insists upon every one being told thistruth about himself, every one being given a glimpse of himself inthe mirror so that he may live in strength, faith, courage and peace.He says that the tree of life, the Asvattha (a banyan tree), has itsroots in the Atma.If that faith is absent we dry up and are wafted hither and thitherby every wind of fortune - wayward whiffs of transience! The trunkand the branches, the leaves and twigs of the tree of life are theramifications of our contacts and commitments with the outer world,the kith and kin, the I and mine, the plus and minus into which lifeproliferates. The flowers of the tree are words, thoughts and deedsof Love; and the Anandaderived is the fruit. But, Baba says the sweetness in the fruit isVirtue, Seela, good godly character. Without Seela which makes thefruit worthwhile, and the Atmic root which sustains the tree, life isa mere ploughing of sands, the body is but fuel, fodder forvermin.
In order to imprint upon man the truth ofthis Atmic core, Baba has a continuous chain of organizations whichare supervised and managed by devotees soaked in His teachings andguided by Him. Toddlers are gathered by affectionate arms into BalVikas classes; they were called Bal Vihars, but the name has beenmade more purposive and significant. They are taught Bhajans, theyenact plays on themes selected from the Upanishads, Epics, Puranasand the lives of Saints, many of them written by BabaHimself.
They are trained to revere parents andelders, to observe the rules of the road, to draw and make models ofscenes and shrines reminiscent of the higher values of life. Theygreet each other reverentially with "Om," which is as it should be.In short the Bal Vikas child discards the A for apple and adopts theA for Arjuna stage. It does not repeat "Baa Baa Black Sheep, Have youany Wool?" or talk of Robin Redbreast and Santa Claus. It repeats'Raghupate Raghava RajaRam' or 'Subrahmanyam,Subrahmanyam, Shanmukhanatha Subrahmanyam'!
Then the boys and girls enter the Junior SevaDal, where they learn selected verses from the Bhagavad Gita, andsongs sung by Saints in adoration of God. They attend first aidclasses, practice meditation, develop artistic talents through plays,paintings and floral decoration and speak before gatherings on Babaand His Teachings, reproducing the illustrative stories and parablesthat Baba uses.
When they reach the age of eighteen, they areinducted into the regular Seva Dals and given a sound spiritualtraining to withstand the hard realities of Seva. They organizeBhajans in Jails, Remand Homes, Leprosoria Hospitals, Slums, Schoolsand Hostels. They help in keeping their town or village clean andhealthy, donate blood to the blood-banks, study the scriptures andenact moral plays. Every opportunity is used by them to developskills and place themselves at the disposal of the distressed and thedeprived.
The older people have the Seva Samithis,which organize Bhajan Mandalis, Nagarasankirtan, study circles andthe celebration of holy days to commemorate the greatness of saintsand sages. The Mahila Vibhags of these Samithis extend Seva amongwomen and conduct Bal Vikas classes guiding the children, along thepath to truth. Thus, under Baba's continuous and consistentinspiration and guidance, a fertilizing flood of higher education andspiritual transmutation is sweeping over the earth.
Baba has declared that He has come toestablish truth, uproot untruth and revitalize the moral ideal in theaffairs of mankind. The Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization hasbecome the new center of education for the new center of Sai thought,in this Sai Era. Baba says, "This organization is intended to broadenservice. It has not been devised to parade devotion, or collectdevotees or canvass support for some newfangled creed. It isdedicated to the great task of progressively aiding people to realizetheir reality and merge in it."
"Vidya dadathi vinayam," Education must endowman with humility. The wise are humble that they know no more; thefool is proud that he knows so much. Humility and reverence are thegenuine fruits of education. Instead, reverence is the first casualtyin schools and colleges today. Baba repeats a Geeta dictum: PandithahSamadarsinah, Scholars visualise Unity. They do not promote factions,they do not encourage hatred. They seek the One; if known, all elsein known! They seek harmony and not conflict. But nowadays, scholarshave envy, malice and conflict as their professional malady. Babafinds that the task of Dharmasthapana, the re-establishment ofmorality and righteousness, has to be undertaken in the educationalinstitutions also, for every year they pump into the stream ofnational life the perfidious poison of irreverence, indiscipline,inefficiency and rootless culture.
Jesussaid: 'The scripture says, Man cannotlive on bread alone, but needs every word that God speaks'.
Babasays: 'Man does not live by breadalone. He lives by the Atma. Devotion and surrender - and not greedand deceit - should form the basis for man's life and lead to theblossoming of spiritual wisdom in his heart'.
The Upanishadic student was advised by theGuru before every lesson that education was a shared experience, andthat the slightest tinge of anger and misunderstanding between theteacher and the taught contaminates the gift, the giver and thereceiver - all three. Students of today terrorize the teacher;teachers calculate their monetary rewards and evade their fundamentalduty to teach. They do not examine their right to claim reverence.The Upanishadic Guru sent the student home, after he had completedhis studies, with the exhortation: Sathyamvada, dharmam chara, mathr devo bhava, pithr devo bhava, and acharyadevo bhava! Utter Truth. Walk in the path of righteousness. Reverethe mother as God, revere the Teacher as God! But,parents are now treated as obstructions, troubling the young from theother bank of the generation gap. The mother is a bundle of old-worldsuperstitions and the teacher is a person who can be bribed orfrightened into granting certificates and marks to pass examinationand get degrees!
Therefore, Baba felt that youth has to bequickly led back onto the road they have missed. They must be warnedof the calamity that awaits them, and through them, the country, notonly in India but in all lands. The student unrest that is spreadingover the world is but the external rumbling of an internalmaladjustment. The atmosphere in which they grow up, and the roleswhich they are being prepared for by parents, elders and rulers, arereeking with hypocrisy and pettiness, triviality andtitillation.
Example is better than precept, the sayinggoes; but the example that the older generation is holding forthbefore the young now is more pernicious than their precept! Baba haslaid the blame squarely on the shoulders of parents, teachers andsociety, for bringing up the rising generation in dull, drab, dismalschools, with God kept out and idealism negated. Baba holds thatthere is no authority which has laid down that an Avatar can do thisor cannot do this. Krishna planned to drive a chariot, for this wasthe best and speediest way for the task which He had come toaccomplish. Rama went hunting a golden deer though He knew that itwas only a clever decoy, for, it was necessary that He should be awayso that Ravana could kidnap Sita by a stratagem, a fell crime forwhich death was the legitimate reward! So Baba asked,"What prevents me fromstarting colleges? No one can prevent a flower from imparting itsfragrance to the air! It is my Nature to educate, to draw forth intothe light the Divinity that is inherent in man. I use all means forthat consummation. You have been praying - Thamaso Ma Jyotir Gamaya -lead us from darkness into Light! This is one of theanswers."
Baba thought of correcting the education ofwomen, in the first instance, for, as He has written in "DharmaVahini" - "No nation canbe built strong and stable, except on the spiritual culture of itswomen. This generation is full of unrighteousness and injustice,malevolence and greed, falsehood and cruelty, because the mothers whobrought it up were not vigilant enough or intelligent enough, orbecause they were not trusted enough by men with the responsibilityof chastening and fostering their children. What is past is past. Tosave at least the next generation, women have to be educated in awell-planned manner and endowed with the wisdom, fortitude and faiththat can equip them for the great responsibility that rests uponthem."
In June 1996, Baba was at Anantapur, thebiggest town of the District and its official capital, 60 miles fromPrasanthi Nilayam, at the invitation of the High School for Girls.The plight of the girls who had to go to distant places for highereducation and also the kind of education for which they were spendingmuch time and money, affected Him. He resolved upon another step inHis task of Dharmasthapana; for women have been the custodians ofDharma since millennia; the cradle is the first school for thechildren of man. He announced that there would be a Women's Collegeat Anantapur soon. He resolved upon making Anantapur the focal pointof the Educational Revolution that will consummate the Revival ofSanathana Dharma, for the lasting benefit of the humanfamily.
The Women's College was inaugurated on the22nd of July, 1968. Very few colleges are inaugurated under suchdistinguished auspices or with the promise of such triumphant careersfor the alumni. Few have on the opening day itself such an imposingarray of equipment, furniture, books and above all, a band ofteachers with such enthusiasm and academic efficiency.
The Minister in charge of Education in theGovernment of Andhra Pradesh who presided over the Public Meetingsaid that what was being inaugurated was not just one college amongso many, but a New Chapter in the History of Women's Educationitself. He knew that the College was to be the precursor of many moresuch colleges all over the country, for Baba announced that He wasplanning a college or two in every State of India, all to be knittogether later into a University, as an instrument forged for HisTask.
Baba said, "The prompting behind this College is not the search for reputation or the desire to propagate a cult, or the 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 in the minds of the students, the ideals of Sathya (truth), Dharma (righteousness), Santhi (peace) and Prema (love) - ideals delineated in the Vedas, described in the Sastras, illustrated in the Epics, practiced by countless generations and confirmed by experience, as best suited for individual and social progress. Every child born in Bharat 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."
"Every child has five mothers, and owes its loyalty to these five; they fill its life with meaning and purpose:
* the Dehamatha - the mother who gave birth to its body,
* the Gomatha - the cow that gives it milk and the bullock that is the partner in growing its food throughout life,
* the Bhoomatha - land, that in return for seeds offers grain a hundred-fold,
* the Desa-Matha - the region inhabited by the society it is born into that stamps on it its way of living, lines of thinking and ideals and goals, and
* Vedamatha - the heritage of spiritual treasure.
The first Mother has to reveal to the child the glories of all the other four and so, her status is crucial, her responsibility is pivotal. That is the reason why I have resolved to start a women's college in the first instance, in order to preserve and promote Dharma - the Universal Sanathana Dharma I have come to vitalize and lead to victory."
"Atmavidya(Self-knowledge) alone can fix the mind in Dharma," Baba declared.The Sathya Sai Vedasastra Pathashala at Prasanthi Nilayam ispreparing a number of young men, acquainted with the terrain of thespirit as explored by the adventurous pioneers of ancient India. Theyalso imbibe the message of Prasanthi Nilayam, practicing thediscipline of silence (not the negative silence when the temptationto speak aloud and to express emotion and passion are resisted) butthe positive silence that springs from freedom, holiness andawareness of the Omnipresence of Baba.
There is also the All India Prasanthi VidwanMaha-Sabha with its galaxy of Vedic Pandits and Sanskrit Savants, whohave been commissioned by Baba to share their scholarship and theirwealth of Prasanthi (unruffled mental peace) with the uninitiated andthe struggling, so that they too may get a glimpse of the Glory andmove forward. But, Baba says, Atmavidyashould no longer be the monopoly of Pathashalas and Pundits; it isthe right of every human being, endowed with Viveka,Vairagya,and Vichakshana:(Discrimination, Detachment and Reason), whether they are aware of itor not, to imbibe, and earn joy and peace.
Water is cheaper than milk. Water isessential for the process of living. Milk is essential for health andstrength, to resist the onslaught of disease. Now, secular education(water) which teaches skills and transmits information is beingsupplied in schools and colleges. Atmavidya(milk) is stored by Pathashalas and Ashrams. Water becomes costly anda high price is paid for it, when mixed with milk. Then, it toobecomes nourishing! Therefore, Atmavidyahas to be communicated to youth in the colleges along with skill andinformation, so that they can boldly face the dilemmas oflife.
Baba says, "We have heard of the seven year's war, the thirty year's war, the hundred year's war. The war between man and mind, between the Jivi and Maya, the individual and the objective world, is coterminous (same as) with Time. The earliest men were entangled in it; the last man will have to fight it. Unless, like Arjuna, you choose the Lord as your Charioteer and surrender the senses, the mind, the intellect, the desires, the means and the ends to Him, the war shall not end in your victory. That is the lesson that Atmavidya teaches; that is the lesson that the children of men have the right to imbibe."
Apart from the curriculum and the attentionpaid to its demands, the College insists upon the students attendingprayer sessions, and meditation classes. A course of lectures on thecultural heritage of India is given during the year. The importanceof Yoga and mental poise for physical well-being is emphasized andpractical lessons arranged. Students are trained to keep away fromthe contaminating influence of films and horror comics. They areencouraged to be simple in dress and avoid elaborate hairstyles whichattract attention by their outlandishness. They are advised toemulate the great women of ancient India, celebrated in the epics andthe Upanishads, as well as in history.
The atmosphere of the College charged withthe blessings of Baba, is itself conducive to the development ofSathwic qualities. Baba visits the College often and advises thestudents Himself. Occasionally, He brings with Him eminenteducationalists filled with Sai inspiration to speak to them. Aboveall, Baba knows every one of the staff and students. He isimmediately aware of whatever happens in each one's mind and so, allare ever alert that the limits set by Him for conduct are notinfringed. Dr. Gokak has said that many others have emphasized theideals of Sathya, Dharma, Santhi and Prema. But it is only Baba whohas shown them in practice so clearly and so uncompromisingly."If you yearn for Santhi,learn it from Baba. If you aspire to find Prema, approach Baba and beinspired by Him. But, there is one more superb excellence - anexcellence that is unique, in Baba, and that is Power. He has thepower to change circumstances, to shape the course of events, toredirect help forward, transmute and terminate whatever He feelsneeds such treatment. So, when He starts a College and dedicates itfor a purpose, it is bound to move along the lines He has laid down.He has the Power. Its students have the fortune of being forged asinstruments for transforming the world into the Heaven He has plannedit to become."
"Make Me your Charioteer!"Baba tells us. "Take hold of the unique chance. Ask Me about theSadhana which can grant you Liberation. For later, it will bedifficult for you to approach Me. Flood streams of people are comingto Me from all quarters. This Divine Phenomenon is bound to grow intoa Viswa Vriksha (a World-tree that provides shade and shelter for allhumanity). This has come down in this Form for that very purpose. Itknows no hesitation, no halting. My Name is Sathya (Truth); MyTeaching is Truth; My Path is Truth; I am Truth."
Baba, luckily, is the Charioteer of theCollege, and so the students will grow into straight, brave, honest,pilgrims. They will grow into good daughters, efficient citizens,faithful wives, affectionate mothers and expert teachers. The motherbrings up the child; she also teaches the child to revere the father.She has to do it because nature does not bind the father to the childas intimately as it binds the mother.
"Baba has come to teach!", declares CharlesPenn. "Let us all avail ourselves of Him. Know that we have beendrawn to Him, to learn! We must not only bathe in the momentary blissof His being, but learn to carry this security, this inner Peace withus to our homes. When we arrive home, we must remember that distancehas no power to prevent Baba's teachings to flow to us. We mustremember to ask Him to solve each of our problems and then, beconstantly aware of each succeeding moment for His guiding answer.The answer will be clear and correct, and the interpretation will beeasy, if only we pray." Every student of Baba's college is privilegedto have such a Teacher! This is indeed a great goodfortune!
Baba has a sense of urgency when He speakseducational reconstruction, for the consequences of starving thespirit at a time when boys and girls are preparing for the battle oflife, are serious. So the Anantapur College was started in borrowedrooms and halls and hurriedly erected sheds, so as to avoid anyfurther delay while the buildings came up, according to the plans Hehad drawn and designed. So, too, when He resolved upon a boy'sCollege at Bangalore, He graciously allowed the College to encroachinto the garden at Brindavan itself, so that temporary structurescould be erected there in order to commence the college instantly."Colleges are notcomposed of brick or mortar; nor are they to be evaluated by themagnitude of the buildings which house the classes. They are to beevaluated by the character and usefulness of the students who fillthe classrooms, their behavior in the playgrounds and outside, theirattitudes towards their parents, elders and teachers, and the idealsthey follow in their later lives." Baba says.
Baba Himself supervised at every stage theerection of the buildings for the laboratories, the library and theclasses. He guided the fulfillment of all the contingent requirementsand so on the Inauguration Day, the college looked spick and span - arare example of a college completely equipped and furnished on thevery day when it began receiving the first batch ofpupils!
On the 9th of June 1969, the College wasinaugurated by the Chief Minister of Mysore State, Sri VeerendraPatil. He said, "Baba has come to resuscitate Dharma, which is thefoundation for the welfare of humanity. Dharma insists on thesupremacy of ethical and spiritual values, and a College fostered byBaba is bound to promote these values among the youth." Dr. V.K.Gokak, the Vice-chancellor of the University of Bangalore, to whichthe College is affiliated, welcomed the new addition as a "gem in thejewel crown of the Bangalore University." "It will set the patternfor the College education, not only in the academic field, but alsoin the ethical and spiritual fields. This is a college conceived,devised and completed by Baba's Love, Grace and Wisdom. Brick bybrick, plank by plank, He attended to every detail. It is a lessonfor all who seek to do sincere loving service. Here teachers andstudents have the unique chance of learning the art of achievingharmony and gaining peace, apart from the intellectual attainmentswhich the curriculum enjoins."
Baba drew the attention of the largegathering of rural folk who had evinced enormous enthusiasm that aCollege had been established in their village. He said that villagersstill preserve and promote traces of mutual cooperation and brotherlylove, faith in God and reverence to elders. He exhorted them touphold those ideals, so that their children might grow into happycitizens, unaffected by the damaging distractions of citylife.
"This College will payattention to providing for its alumni a complete education, namelyKarmamarga, Dharmamarga, and Brahmamarga, all the three - theprinciples of right action, right social behavior and spiritualadvancement," He said.
Addressing the students Hesaid, "You may continue in this college or leave and join some otherone, returning home after completing your studies, but wherever youare, I desire that you should shine forth as recipients of thespecial attention we bestow upon you. Do not enter the fray ofpolitical controversies. Politics at present, and perhaps always, isa sordid game, where passions run high, power is sought throughdevious ways and prejudices are fanned into hatred. You must become anew type of leader. Shaped in the crucible of Seva, march into thefuture with the Light of the past, as one who appreciates the wisdomthat has been garnered through the ages."
In a message, Baba gave to beprinted in the Prospectus of the College, He stated, "This is adivine and blessed land. The tradition of this land is spiritual, butninety-nine percent of the people are either ignorant or scornful ofanything that bears the label of spirituality. The people havethemselves devalued their culture. Correct your own faults and do notsearch for faults in others. Be respectful and loving to your nearand dear ones, and to your fellow beings; serve the country and prayfor the welfare of the world."
The College emblem selected by Him iseloquent about the ideals that are being translated into action inthe College. It has a five-petalled lotus within a circle. The petalsrepresent the five major religions of the world. Om standing forSanathana Dharma, the Cross for Christianity, the Chakra forBuddhism, the Crescent for Islam and Flames of Fire forZoroastrianism. The Lotus is the ancient Aryan symbol, untouched bythe mud where it is born, and unsoiled by the water through which itemerges and upon which it floats. It is a symbol of beauty, peace,and auspiciousness. Inside the Lotus is the Flame of Illumination,without which knowledge is a burden and life an arid encounter withthe flimsy urges of the senses. Overarching the circular emblem, is asemicircular border along which is printed the College motto,'Dharmo rakshathirakshithah; Sathya annasti paradharmah,'embodying the very core of Vedic Teaching. Dharma, it says, guardsthose who adhere to it, and there is no Dharma higher than Truth.When Dharma ceases to inspire and transform individuals, the worldwill inevitably be afflicted by agony and fear.
Among the rules for students that are givenin the Prospectus, we find this sentence: "Now that you have earnedthe privilege of being students of this College, under the directguidance and fostering care of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, make upyour minds to be worthy students, remembering Baba's exhortation,"Education without character is a great danger." No. 10A of the Rulesreads: "Students are particularly advised to cultivate courtesy,helpfulness and tolerance. Baba's fivefold message of conduct -Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa (Truth, Right conduct,Peace, Love and Nonviolence) , should inspire every one working andlearning in this College." No. 11 reads: "The College attaches greatimportance to studies." Weekly and monthly tests, quarterlyexaminations etc. are laid down, and progress reports are sent to theparents periodically.
Here too, Bhajan, meditation, and prayer atthe beginning of the day's work, for which students and members ofthe staff have to be present, are insisted upon. Above all, Babaevinces maternal affection upon every student, however large thenumber in the College. He loves the boys so much that they obey Himimplicitly. They are so afraid of His neglecting them or ignoringthem even for a minute if they misbehave or break any of the taboos,that they are ever vigilant in discipline.
Baba always advises them to avoid fivedelinquencies: The eyes should not wander towards sights that inflamethe senses, or arouse ideas conflicting with morality or the dutytowards parents, elders and the culture of our country. Words thatemanate from the mouth should not hurt the self-respect of others, orutter lies simply because they are pleasant; they should not smack ofscandal or spite. The hand should not be raised in anger againstanyone, nor should it be used to wreak vengeance, or steal another'sproperty. The ears should not exult in salacious stories, scandal ordeleterious lilts. The mind should not be fouled by attachment to badhabits, bad impulses and plans to achieve the conspiracies of thesenses. These five 'Doshas'are anathema [devoted to evil] in the opinion of Baba, andevery student is made to remember this by constant warnings fromHim.
There is no activity of the College in whichBaba does not evince interest, for He knows that it is the atmospherein which education is imparted and imbibed that really counts. Sincethe College and Hostel are situated within the compound, Baba walksin during the prayer session, presides over the moral instructionlectures and Himself supplements the instructor. He writes anddirects plays for the College Dramatic Society. Often He pats a goodstudent on the back, pulls up a lecturer who saunters into thelecture hall a few minutes after the bell, inquires from a sluggardthe percentage of marks he secured at the monthly test, creates afountain pen or a watch for some diligent well-behaved boy about whomthe principal gives a report that confirms His own opinion, advisesthe librarian about classification, peeps into the dissection room ofthe budding zoologists and generally moves about as the GuardianDeity of the Institution.
As a result, the students of the Collegesestablished by Baba reveal qualities of goodness, levels of sympathy,depths of learning and veins of golden devotion that few wouldbelieve they have.
When Baba called, "Rollup your bed and follow Me", veryfew realized that the call was for Nagarasankirtan! At the WorldConference, Baba advised His devotees to wake up at 4 or 4.30 in themorning (the Brahmamuhurta as it is called), and move along thestreets singing the Glory of God, awakening people into the awarenessof the Divine. Sankirtan of this type was a common feature of villagelife in the past, but due to apathy and ridicule, the habit is fastdisappearing. After Baba's command, people who had never seen thesunrise, since they arose from their beds only when it was high up inthe heavens, have started moving out into the cool, refreshing air tojoin their brothers and sisters in rendering the new day a happyevent to themselves and to others. When Baba said,"FollowMe", it was clear that He meant He, inany one of the Infinite Forms that God assumes, and with any one ofthe Infinite Names that God can be remembered. As a matter of fact,Baba has announced that hymns on a variety of these Forms and Nameshave to be sung, and that no portrait of either Himself or of anyother Forms of Divinity be carried when the Bhajan party moves on."FollowGod", that is His call.
The intricate mysteries of metaphysics arebeyond the ken of the common man; even those who can delve into them,do it for the pleasure of disputation or dialectic gymnastics; theydo not intend to practice even an iota of the principles of lifeunderlying them. The abstruse labyrinth of rituals, with its armouryof do's and don'ts, create only apprehension in him. MereJnana,(knowledge) can make you a good logician or a debater capable ofindulging in hair-splitting sophistry. But if it is lived through, orin other words, implemented, then you become a Jnani(a wise man). Sadhana or practice helps you to achieve the goal oflife. Baba has restored faith in the Name and the efficacy of theName "Call on Mein your distress; it is your right to invoke My Grace."
Dr. D.J. Gadhia, of the H.H. Agha KhanDispensary, Arusha, Tanzania, writes: "In May 1971, Mr. Jamnadas M.Patel became seriously ill. When this poor soul was called to attendon him, there was no breathing; the heart-sounds had completelystopped. The pulse could not be felt. The heart was massaged withsacred Vibhuti,with sincere prayers. He recovered miraculously. When Mr. Jamnadasvisited Puttaparthi, Baba told him, "Igave you new life, as your doctor called Me at the righttime." Devotees of Baba know theunfailing power of the Name to bring forth the Grace of Baba. Theyneed no elaborate argument to convince them that Sankirtan is theshortest and the sweetest means of winning His Grace.
But, there were some who had their fears!Will people get up so early? What about the rich, the officers whowield authority over the area? Will the neighbours permit singing inthe early dawn? Will the police keep quiet? What about dogs, willthey not bark us out or even inflict a bite? Many who felt theyshould not be seen singing in the streets, but who wanted to observeBaba's command, started at 3 a.m. when the streets were empty and allwere sleeping soundly, and came home quickly before they could bediscovered! But soon the atmosphere changed. A wave of wholeheartedenthusiasm swept over the land from one end to another. Neighbourswelcomed the melodious tonic! The police themselves joined, to imbibedelight! The dogs were no problem at all. From one day in the weekthe Kirtan was increased in frequency to two or three, and in someplaces every day in the week. The distances covered increased, thenumber in each group multiplied. Soon each section of the town orcity had its own Nagarasankirtan party. They usually met in a templeand proceeding from there, ended up in another temple.
In Sathyavada, it was found that somemysterious person knocked at the doors of sleeping members and askedthem to wake up and join the party. In Chembur, Bombay, they notedthat on no day, even during the most furious monsoon days, was theNagarasankirtan party disturbed or bothered by even a drizzle. AtGauhati, Assam, Sri Dutt Gupta moved on along the usual route at theusual time, with the name of God on his lips and the group behindhim. A cyclonic wind was raging and roaring, bringing "cats and dogs"with it; on the way, the chaprasis and watchmen of the State Treasurywarned them to take shelter from the oncoming calamity, but they sangand stepped as slowly as usual, to the place where they generally endthe Bhajan and perform Arati before they disperse. The rain did notfall upon the road, the drizzle did not wet their clothes, the winddid not disturb their hair! People unable to walk without a stickhave, after attending a few of these matinal Bhajans, thrown off thestick and walked majestically along. I know of an invalid inChannarayapatna, Mysore, who earned Grace in this manner. Baba hassaid that the Nagarasankirtana is Bhagavatha in practice. When thesenses are still dormant after the night's sleep, before they get tooloudly involved in the pursuits of the busy day, you should movealong the quiet streets in the cool, thrilling pre-dawn silence,bringing God into every ear, radiating the fragrance of the DivineName through every open door and window. This is self-help as well associal service of the highest order. It is a tonic to the body and ashake-up to the mind. Every song cuts the knot of laziness that isinfecting someone. You remind your neighbours to offer thanks to Godfor the gift of another day; it is a mission of love. It is apurificatory Yajna, for it disinfects the air fouled by slogans ofanger and cries of pain and pride. It helps to remove inner and outerpollution.
Several such groups operating in differentparts of Hyderabad converged towards the Lotus Feet of Bhagavan. Thesight and sound of Bhajanwas a feast for the eye and ear; Baba blessed the participants andgranted them further impetus to continue their Sadhana.
An Akhand Bhajan (singing the Names of Godcontinuously for 12 or 24 hours) was arranged on 25th July by theBhajan Mandalis of Bangalore at the famous Lal Baug gardens in theglass house. The inscription at its entrance "The garden of flowersis the temple of God" appeared so apt during the singing of Bhajan inthe Divine Presence of Baba. Baba lit the lamp to mark theinauguration of the Bhajan, and when it came to an end, He sprinkledon the heads of the thousands attending, the water sanctified by theholy hymns. In the evening when Baba arrived to give His discourse itwas raining. Baba does not like anyone suffering in sun or rain. Hisheart is moved with irrepressible compassion. He moved amongst thepeople, made them sit inside the building, lifted an iron chair forHimself from behind the table on the dais and placed it in a positionfrom where all could have Darsan,and thereafter commenced His Discourse.
Krishna Jayanti, 1968 was celebrated atPrasanthi Nilayam for 3 days. Many Samithis call it Sai KrishnaJayanti; they have converted it into a children's festival, whenchildren are given new clothes, trained to enact small plays and singBhajans. At Prasanthi Nilayam Bhagavan gave three discourses onKrishna and the significance of the Leelas.Dwelling on the value and validity of the Name, He said that the rootof the Name Krishna implies power to attract, to enchant. Krishna isthe personification of the Divine principle that is born in theumbilical region of the body (Mathura),which is conveyed to the mouth (Gokulam),and there fostered by the tongue (Yasoda),who alone knows the sweetness. "FosterKrishna on your tongue", He advised."Just as the poison fromthe hoods of the serpent Kalinga [See Bhagavatha Vahini,Chapter 40] was ejected when Krishna danced upon them, badthoughts from your system will evaporate if you recite the name ofKrishna," He said.
His interpretation of Krishna-Avatar as aconsummation of Yogamarga reveals that this Avatar has come tocoordinate and collate the apparently differing paths to God. Thethree systems of philosophy - the dualist promulgated byMadhawacharya, the qualified non-dualist promulgated byRamanujacharya and the non-dualist promulgated by Shankaracharya -are all emphasised by Him as adjusted to the needs and capabilitiesof seekers and listeners.
An Avatar appears from age to age wheneverDharmais on the decline so as to reaffirm faith in right conduct. [SeeThe Gita - Fourth Chapter, verses 7&8] Chitha-shudhileads to Jnana-Sidhi, that is, goodness leads toGodliness. The Avatar will guard andguide and fill with Divine bliss, all those who have Sathvic purevirtues. This declaration is addressed to a dualist. From the"qualified non-dualist" point of view, Jiva and Devaare the two rails, along which the engine, Manas,is dragging the coaches of VishayaVasana. Each coach contains items ofluggage viz., Buddhi,senses etc. Atma is the driver of the engine; if the coupling withthe engine is not well tightened, the coaches will be left loose onthe line. Bhakthiand Sraddhaare the coupling, they should be tightly fixed. It is 'absolutenon-dualist' philosophy when the seen (Drsya)world is superimposed on the undivided, indivisible Brahman. It canonly be as real as the turrets and bastions of a city among theclouds. Can anyone build castles in the air and live therein? Theturrets and bastions are fantasies and creations of your own fancy,ephemeral and meaningless. So too, in this Akash-like Parabrahma,this Jagat is superimposed; it is baseless and false. Everything isonly the Chaithanya of the non-dual, unequalled, bliss-pervadedParabrahma. According to Bhagavan, what others think you are is thedualist view; what you think you are is the qualified non-dualistview; what you really are is the non-dualist Truth!
Dasara 1968! It was remarkable for morereasons than one. Baba made it clear that He is the Sanathana Sarathias well as Parthasarathi ('the charioteer of the earth'), whileaddressing the volunteers.
"I too have certain vows to fulfill, they have been mentioned in the Bhagavad Gita. I have to uphold the supremacy of Dharma; I have to bear the Yogakshema (acquisition and maintenance of welfare) of those who are immersed in thoughts of Me alone. The best way to please Me is to see Me in all beings and serve them, just as you yearn to serve Me."
Elaborating a declaration about Himself thatHe had made in the Gita, Baba said,
"I have none to compel Me to work, nor do I profit by work. Still, I work without intermission, in order to guide and teach and set things that are awry. If I remain inactive, how can the wheels of the world revolve? I have no manager, secretary, aide or assistant. I attend even to the minutest detail, here and everywhere. I do everything Myself. I need no other food than the Ananda of beings. I am Anandaswarupa, My nature is Ananda; Ananda is My sign and signature."
On another day, Heannounced,
"Shall I tell you exactly when I feel restful, relieved and content? When I know that you are having Ananda, through the cultivation of detachment and the spiritual discipline of Seva. I am ever engaged in some activity or other for your benefit. There is none to question Me if I do not act; there is nothing I would lose, or could gain. Although I have no urge to be active, yet you see Me ever active! The reason is, I must be doing something all the time in order to inspire and instruct you or to set an example for you. I am engaged in activity, so that you may learn to transmute every minute into a golden chance to elevate yourselves into Godhood."
Clarifying another statement made in theGîtâ, Baba said in one of the Discourses,
"When the Gîtâ directs you to give up all Dharma, it does not ask you to give up all Karma! For you cannot escape that obligation. But, when you do Karma for God, through God, and knowing that He is the doer, not you, every Karma becomes Dharma, leading to Grace. No Karma can then be tainted by sin or sacrilege. The Gita assurance is therefore not an invitation to licentiousness, sloth or inactivity, it is a call for the surrender of the ego and dedication to God of all that it 'is' and 'does'."
Dharma is the inner voice of God, in theindividual and community. It is the voice of history; the consciencethat has shaped itself like a cocoon, to protect the caterpillar sothat it may take wings and fly into the Bliss that is its heritage.And on the last day of the seven-day long Yajna, when the ValedictoryOffering of silk, gold, sandalwood and 'the precious gems He createsfor the oblation' were placed ceremonially in the significance ofthat act, He said,
"You have to pour into the flames that rise up to destroy, (for they are the flames of revelation, purification, discrimination) the limited vision, that sees nature as different from the divine. The divine created all this through the divine and with the divine substance.""Sarvam Brahma Mayam": All this is Brahman. The offering is Brahman, the fire is Brahman, the offerer is Brahman, the goal is Brahman. Transmute every trifle into God; everything in the objective world is the divine, appearing to the limited, the myopic, the ignorant vision as different. In a silver idol, the crown is silver, the clothes are silver, the pedestal is silver, the flesh is silver, the face is silver, the eye is silver. Know the silver and declare: "Sarvam Brahma Mayam"
In another discourse, Baba integrated thethree paths of Karma, Bhakthi and Jnana, in a very illuminatingmanner, so that the world could follow them with properunderstanding.
"When someone asks your name, you do not give your real name; you fob him off with the name by which your body is identified as separate from other bodies in this life. You do not give the name that has been with you life after life, that has survived many deaths and births, namely, Atma! That name is ignored by you, since it is overlaid by three veils - Mala, Vikshepa and Avarana; Mala is the dirt of vice, wickedness and looseness. This is removed by Karmamarga, the observance of selfless activity dedicated to high purpose, and with no tinge of pride or pomp or sense of ownership so far as the fruits of that activity are concerned. The second veil is Vikshepa - ignorance which hides the truth, befogs the intellect, confounds reason, and clothes falsehood with the tinsel that attracts. This is removed by Bhakthimarga, steadily worshipping the source and sustenance of all, Him, the True, the Good, the Beautiful, the Embodiment of Love, Peace and Joy, in all, as all, for all, through all.""The third veil is Avarana, the superimposition on the eternal of the temporary, on the rope of the snake, on the noonday desert of the gleaming lake, on the mother-of-pearl of silver, on the Sarvam-Brahma Mayam (Brahman that is the real Reality of the Universe) of the multiform, multicolored, distracting, changing world. This veil is removed by Jnanamarga, which reveals the Atma as all-pervading, all-inclusive, all-sustaining. When the illumination of Jnana is gained, the reality is experienced and man is free. He merges with the truth from which he broke off aeons ago, on a long and arduous adventure into the dark night of individuality."
Dasara is a Festival of Victory, of Power(Sakthi), adored and celebrated in three forms, for three days each -Mahakali (the facet of Power as anger, vengeance, adventure,audacity, the Thamasic nature), Mahalakshmi (the facet of Power aswealth, authority, imperium, prosperity, the Rajasic nature), andMahasaraswathi (Power as self-control, vision, value, validity,knowledge, keenness, discipline, justice, aspiration, adoration, theSathwic nature). Dasara at Prasanthi Nilayam is for everyone whoinvests himself in it for initiation, instruction and inspiration.Kindred souls come from all over the world, and so one is bathed inthe glory of Sai which each one brings in his heart, treasured withloving care. Each person has a golden book of experiences of Baba'sGrace written in tears of gratitude. The scholars whom Babaencourages to delve into the intricacies of philosophical speculationso that they may ultimately gain the philosopher's stone whichtransmutes distinctions into the One Divine, speak in his Presence ofthe unfathomable mystery, and later Baba unravels the same andrenders it understandable by His sweet simple comments. As thesupreme educator of the Age, He leads us through song, drama anddiscourse, through glance, gesture of gift, through word, wit orrebuke, into the path which leads through Love unto Light.
The Yajna which is performed for seven of thenine days is a lesson in spiritual science, for we experience, whileit is witnessed, the whole gamut of bliss. The bliss of contemplatingthe formless, attributeless, cosmic principle described in theUpanishads; the thrill of conceiving and adoring the solar orb as thesource of Light and Life; the joy of installing in our hearts theauthor of this amazing adventure of Creation (Brahma) - Continuance(Vishnu) - Destruction (Shiva) as emerging from the formless intoform, or as merging from the form into the formless (as the Linga orSpheroid) symbol which is worshipped as part of the Yajna; theexhilaration one is filled with when the Sakthi is consecrated,praised and propitiated through an image into which she is invitedritually to contain herself, the recalling to memory of the sweetnessof Vedic hymns, and the ecstasy of epic poetry - Baba uses everymedium of expression to convey to us the message of self-control tosilence the clamour of the senses and the mind.
Every Dasara He writes a play in which thechildren of the Vedasastra Patsala, whom He trains for the purpose,pronounce spiritual truths. This Dasara, the play was on Dhruva, theprincely lad of five who went into forest to win by austerity theGrace of God, so that he might be restored to the love of his father.But, as the austerities cleansed his mind and sublimated his nature,the wounded pride was healed and he prayed for the boon of mergencewith God. "People come to Me to get a chronic illness cured, but whenthey get to know Me more, they clamour for more substantial boonswhich I am ready to grant," says Narayana in the play, an echo of theexperience of most of the pilgrims to Baba's presence!
Twenty thousand heavy hearts left PrasanthiNilayam after the Dasara Celebrations, with these words of Babaringing in their ears and booming in the cavity of theirhearts:
"Ponder over the ameliorate and curative advice I have given you out of the fullness of My Love; try to cleanse your minds through repentance of wrongs committed or contemplated; resolve with unshakable firmness to shape your lives anew, rid it of deep-rooted deleterious habits of speech, thought and action, and lead it in conformity with the divine plan, by which each will blossom into the fully Divine."
When Baba started on 20th October fromAnantapur towards Dharwar, from where He was scheduled to begin Hisweeklong tour of the Districts of North Mysore, someone asked Him,"This is sure to be a memorable tour; what shall we call it?" Babaimmediately replied, "AmarapuriyaAnanda-yatre!" (Heavenly Tour ofBliss). Yes, He had decided on it; He was directing it; He was thehost and guest, everywhere; He was the goal and the guide! No wonderit brought heavenly bliss to millions of people. When His car, andthe others that followed it, passed Bellary, the first town in MysoreState, the good news spread around gladdening the hearts of all whoheard it, and they in turn communicated it to their near and dearones. The news flashed with lightning speed in every direction. Itwas the eve of Deepavali, the Festival of Lights, and the news lit alamp in every heart; the light spread from doorstep to doorstepthroughout the region.
At Gadag, there were many who had receivedsigns of His Grace and who were gratefully adoring His Name and Form.They inspired many others and thus, a sizeable gathering with flowersin their hands assembled at the entrance of the town so as not tomiss the chance of Darsan. Passing through Hulkoti and Annageri,where devotees stood on both sides of the road, singing Bhajans inthe hope that Baba would stop and perhaps alight for a moment, Babareached the outskirts of the busy city of Hubli, where the mayor ofthe corporation and about 3000 citizens acclaimed His arrival. TheMayor prayed for His blessings, so that Hubli could be "happy,healthy and prosperous."
Dharwar was only twelve miles away. Whileentering the city, principal Dharwadkar and the erudite population ofVidyagiri, (Hill of Culture), a complex of many colleges and traininginstitutes, cheered Him at the gates. Baba reached the Universityarea and the Vice Chancellor's Bungalow at 9.30 p.m.
Dr. Appa Saheb Adke B.E., Ph.D., theVice-chancellor, and organizer of the tour, had been ill ever sincehis visit to Australia in connection with University work. "I thoughtit was a simple affair, drafting the programme of His tour! But therewas such a sincere pressure from all the corners of the region that Ibecame perplexed. Realizing this quandary, Baba came to my rescue; Hesaid that He will settle it Himself at Dharwar," Dr. Adke told me. "Iwas very ill when Baba came to Dharwar, but His arrival charged mewith vitality; I am more vigorous than usual since that moment," hedeclared. He could hardly contain himself; no one could restrain himand remind him to be careful of his health.
Baba gave Darsan to the thousands that hadassembled from far and near, that night as well as next morning, inthe spacious lawns of the bungalow. He met the office bearers of theSeva Samithis at 4 p.m., and quickly decided on the dates and theroutes which He would use for the tour. That evening, there was ahuge gathering, of at least 20.000 to listen to His Discourse. Dr.Adke welcomed Baba to Karnataka and said, "This University has todaygained glory from this precious gift of grace. We deal here withmaterials and measurements, things that change, originate anddegenerate; we are concerned with collection and codification, theintellectual process of analysis and synthesis; but alas we do notearn or confer wisdom! Our hearts are petrified; our brains havebecome books. Sri Rama awakened the stone that Ahalya[RRV:7b] had become through her craving for the trivial andtemporary; when His Foot touched that stone, she was restored tolife, beauty, and goodness. We too deserve that Divine Touch. Awakenus, Baba, and restore us to the life of truth, beauty and goodness,of Sathyam, Sivam and Sundaram!"
Dr. Gokak, who has had years of intimateassociation with the city of Dharwar and the Karnataka University,called upon his compatriots to offer to Baba the multifariousanxieties, worries and weaknesses, defects and disabilities that werethen weighing heavily on their hearts, and receive from Him inexchange, assurance of the Grace, which grants instant relief andconstant joy.
Baba began His Discourse in the Kannadalanguage! It was an unexpected thing of compassion; it aroused anapplause from each man, women and child when they realized thatBaba's immeasurable Prema towards them has persuaded Him to speak forthe first time in the language that they could comprehend, whichechoed and re-echoed from the hills around! "Kasturi is not here! Ihave to speak to you without an interpreter. I have contacts with theKannada region since twenty five years, but this is the first time Iam addressing a gathering in Kannada. You praise your language,extolling it as Kasturi! (fragrant as musk) I hope I will not injurethat reputation," Baba said.
His Prema is so overpowering that He takesthe words out of our mouths so that He can convey His message to usin ways we can receive with welcoming enthusiasm. His first ventureinto Kannada lasted for over an hour and a half, the diction and theexposition being as sweet and savory as the Telugu, which is Hisusual vehicle. The people of Dharwar were thrilled. "Oh, the delightthat He imparted!" "Oh, the illumination that He granted!" "How fastwas the flow of His Ganga" - these were the exclamations that filledthe University atmosphere.
After the discourse, Baba sang a few Bhajansongs, which the vast assembly sang after Him in chorus. The songswere in praise of God in a variety of Names and Forms as visualizedby saints: Shiva, Rama, Sakthi, Krishna, Subrahmanya, Vishnu. Thesacred songs sung by Baba in His flute-like voice filled everyonewith such supreme elation that there was genuine response.
Many in the gathering were staunch andstalwart followers of creeds which stick only to one Name and Form;ordinarily they would have felt it a sacrilege to pronounce inreverence, much less sing in adoration, another Name and Form. Thoughthe scriptures they follow declare that "The One God had many Names","Ekam sad Vipraah bahudha vadanthi", they grow in a social atmospherethat insists on concentration on one name only, so that their faithmay be fractionalized and enfeebled. Therefore, the Bhajans of Babacame as a refreshing breeze, cleansing the hearts of fanaticconformity, and sweeping out the cobwebs of fear! "Only Baba canoverpower the habit of years and evoke in our hearts this spring ofexpansive joy", they exclaimed. Baba taps the very fountain of thereligious urge, whether a personbe a man or woman, young or old, Hindu, Buddhist, Parsi, Christian,Jain or Muslim, or even Agnostic, Nihilist, or Anarchist.
From that day, the schedule laid down for thetour was rigorously gone through. Baba addressed a huge gathering atVidyagiri, in the quadrangle of the Arts College. He planted a treeto keep His visit green in the memory of generations of students; Hecreated a sapphire ring and gave it to Principal Dharwadkar. Then hespoke about the development of discipline and the earning ofcharacter.
"My Message is this: Be embodiments of Prema (Love); Do not hate anyone or fear anyone. Develop Love towards all; understand the grief, and the joy of others; be happy when others are happy; don't exult when others are in misery." "Learn, even while you are learning good attitudes and habits, the art of silence and meditation, for example. These will help you to succeed in the School of Living. This is the most precious lesson available from Sanathan Dharma, which, let Me assure you, will be re-established in all its glory throughout the world, so that the world might have peace and prosperity. That is the mission upon which I have come."
From Vidyagiri, Baba motored to Hubli, wherea mammoth assembly was spilling over the Karnatak medical collegebuildings yearning to have His Darsan, and to listen to HisDiscourse. The good tidings that Baba was speaking in Kannada hadspread to Hubli and beyond, and all ears were alert to catch thespeech and treasure it.
"Today is Deepavali, when you consume sweets, but, the component that sweetens every dish is sugar. So too, the article that bestows the characteristics of Existence (It is), Knowledge (It can be known), and Ananda (it confers joy), on every 'thing' and 'being' is the Atma, which, when Name-bound and Form-bound, is God."
He advised the students not to give way togusts of anger or resentment, but to use reason, a unique asset ofman, to discriminate between alternative remedies! "The word mantracan be applied to slogans also; the mantra has to be subjected toManana,deep reflection. So too, every slogan has to be weighed in the scaleof Reason." Since there were many students of the Medical Collegebefore Him, Baba asked,
"For a four-lettered degree, you spend the best part of your life; for attaining the Degree of Degrees, namely Grace, can you not spend at least five minutes a day, contemplating silently on the mystery and majesty of God, which is evident in the construction, the functioning, and the disintegration of every atom and cell?"
On the 23rd, Baba proceeded along the SirsiRoad to the West Coast. Leaving Dharwar at 9 a.m., Baba neared thevillage of Mundagod forty-five minutes later. The highway passes onlythrough a few villages, for in this part of the country houses aresituated not on streets, but they peep furtively in twos and threesfrom between huge bushes and trees in plantations or forests; sopeople from as far as twenty to twenty five miles away from the roadhad trekked to Mundagod for the coveted Darsan of theAvatar of theAge.
More than 4.000 simple peasants andplantation laborers were there. Their eyes got a glint of joy whenBaba moved among them and granted the curative Vibhuti created on thespot to three broken minds which He espied in their midst. Baba spokea few words to them about Namasmaran and Bhajan; He sang threeBhajans so that they could feel the exhilaration that Bhajan couldgive, and the gathering did their best to repeat the lines in tunewith His entrancing melody.
From then on, the road was sanctified everyfew hundred yards by song and dance! At Malagi, Ekkambi, Isalur, andGowdalli, the sincerity of the villagers was appreciated by Baba somuch that He alighted from the car and stood facing the disciplinedthrong for a few minutes, so that they may imprint His form on theirhearts, just as they had already inscribed His Name on their tongues.Dr. Adke writes, "Whenever He noticed a gathering on the roadside,Baba used to stand on the foot board of the car, with the door open.People pressed upon the door, in their frantic attempts to get asnear Him as possible and touch His Feet. But, wonder of wonders, thedoor did not move even an inch! Hundreds pushed themselves forward onthe door that was well ajar, but it stood firm, without even ashiver!"
At the stroke of eleven, Baba entered thepremises of the Sathya Sai Seva Samithi, at the Gopalkrishna Templeat Sirsi. He had said casually on the 21st that He would be reachingSirsi at 11 a.m. People wondered how the clock had obeyed Him someticulously! Just outside the town, tens of thousands had gatheredto welcome Him. Dr. Adke writes,"He would not bear the suffering of people waiting in the hot sun. Hetold the gathering that if they start Bhajan, clouds will gatheroverhead, to provide cool shade." Andthe clouds did! He quoted profusely from the Vachanas of Basavannaand other Veerasaiva poets and mystics, and captured the heart of thevast assembly. "Loveis God; Live in Love; Start the day with Love; Fill the day withLove; End the day with Love. You have attached yourselves with Me, bybonds of Love. I am in all beings. So, have the same Love forall," He reminded them. Babasaid,
"See the effect of the singing of the Name. If a few minutes of Namasmaran could confer this much of Grace, how much more can you gain by constant uninterrupted Namasmaran! The yearning which you cultivated in your minds for My Darsan has fructified today. I am happy to share My Love. May this give-and-take become a continuous process!"
When Baba descended from the dais, there wasnot a dry eye among the 40.000 before Him; tears of gratitude andecstasy were visible. Baba returned to the Gopalkrishna Temple, andlooked at the exhibition of photographs of Himself and Hisactivities. He moved from thence, without even the rest that manypleaded with Him to take, on the next leg of the tour - towardsKarwar, on the Arabian sea!
The road was walled on both sides by thickmasses of pilgrims, standing in eager expectation. One could read thename-board of villages - Nilekani, Hanumanthi, Marugara, Amminahalli,Janmane, Kasage, Kathagala, Hiregutti. In many places, yielding tothe silent importunity, Baba alighted for a minute or two, to blessthe crowd with a smile that was immediately reflected on every face.At Ankola, the importunity became a little too boisterous and so Babamoved on, with just a wave of His hand, which itself, was to them acomforting gesture of Blessing!
The small village of Aversa presented a cleanfestive appearance, with festoons and banners, arches and greenery,across the road. The assembly of over 5.000 persons was a model ofdisciplined devotion. Baba spent a long time walking along the lanes,between men and women, and seeking out for succor the sick and thedistressed. Winning the affectionate loyalty of all by this gestureof compassion, Baba ascended the rostrum and spoke about the Truth ofIdentity, that is now ridden by the Falsehood ofDiversity.
"The Truth shall make you fearless, for where there is only One, how can fear arise?" He asked. "The Name for that One is God; remind yourself of the One, when you rise from bed; recollect that One during the vocations of the day; establish the faith in the One, in the heart when you go to sleep, so that when the senses, the intellect, and the imagination are inactive, the One might fill you and favor you with the bliss of its realization," He advised.
The Aversans were not disappointed; theyfeared that Baba might not sing Bhajans, since they discovered signsof hurry among the entourage. Karwar was waiting, miles away, sinceabout noon! But, Baba sang and filled the cup of joy to the verybrim.
"This vast expanse ofwater on one side, this vast expanse of humanity on the other andthis vast expanse of Grace in between!" -that was how Baba described the scene on the Marina that day."That is the Ganga; thisthe Yamuna; and My Grace which is silently gurgling within yourhearts is the Saraswathi," Baba declared,sending the 25.000 devotees assembled there into the seventh heavenof bliss!
"This meeting should have begun hours earlier; but the serried ranks of devotees standing on the road shared that time with you; I gave it to them on your behalf; for, they too are Atmaswaroop, having the same Atma illumining and inspiring them, instructing and guiding them towards the Paramatma." "Their gratitude is your gain," Baba announced.
The waves whispered into the ears ofseashells how happy they were that they could be silent when Babasang Bhajans for Karwar to echo in full-throatedexhilaration.
Night was spent in the bungalow of thecollector, from where one could see the wave-crests shimmering instarling. Next morning, Baba went into the Sitarameshwar Temple,which is to Karwar, as heart to the body, and from there He drove tothe suburban settlement of Kodibag, where deft and devoted hands haderected a temple for the Previous Body and carved a statue forinstallation. The joy of the settlement dwellers knew no bounds; itwas indeed a revealing ceremony, the Installation by Baba and thehomage from them to the Sai, actually present before them. FromKodibag, Baba went along the coastal road to where the motor launchwas to take the party, cars and all, across the tongue of sea that isyet to be bridged.
The Kali river joins the sea at this point,and so the tongue tastes no salinity. Baba drew the attention of Dr.Adke, his son Manohar and others in the launch, to the pearlyaquamarine which the sea was, a furlong away! Baba remarked,"Crossing the Sea ofSamsar, be confident of victory, since the Master is with you." "Whyfear when I am near!"
Retrieving the cars from the launch, thejourney was resumed fast and when the State of Goa was entered, itwas about ten. About half an hour later they reached Marga, where,too, aspirants for Grace were ready in their thousands. It wasdifficult to restrain them from their yearning to touch the LotusFeet, and so Baba found it rather hard to reach the platform soon.His abounding Love overcame the resentment that mortals might havefelt under similar circumstances; He walked coolly among the excitedgathering: He recognized a sick person and materialized a portrait ofChrist for him, for He knew, though it was not evident for others,that he was a Christian. He created Vibhuti and placed it in thehands of another person whom they guessed was a Hindu, though thecurative wonder can well be given to followers of all creeds. Babaspoke for about twenty minutes on the three Gunas, the dull, thepassionate and the balanced, and how man can liberate himself fromthe apathy of Thamas and reach the enthusiasm of Rajas and finallyattain the equipoise of Sathwa Guna.
Then, Baba moved on to the capital city ofGoa, Panaji. The Samithi at Panaji had arranged a public meetingwhich Baba was to address in the "Vivekananda Hall" on the upperfloor of the Secretariat Buildings! No hall on earth can accommodatein comfort the audience that Baba draws to Himself in any town! Hehas said often, that the sky shall be the roof of the Shamiana forthe assemblies He addressed! Therefore, the inevitable happened. Avery large section was denied the chance of Darsan. Baba spoke forsome time and sang Bhajans, which delighted those in the hall. Thosewho heard the discourse and melody from outside said, "Better luck,next time!" "Thanks at least for this much"; this was the consolationof the thousands who could not get into the hall.
Dr. Adke writes, "When we were nearing Goa,the springs of the Fiat car were damaged. But when I suggestedgetting another car for the onward journey, Baba told me, 'We shalldrive in this car only!' The road from Goa to Belgaum runs throughthick forests and ghats, and was also breached by rains. We startedfrom Goa late in the evening and reached Belgaum at nine. How wereached the destination without a breakdown is a mystery that Babaalone can explain. We knew that it was Baba's Grace that brought theparty safe."
At Belgaum, Baba went straight into theenormous gathering of about 70.000 persons waiting for Darsan.Belgaum is a big city and Baba is the Supreme Savior. The Sathya SaiSeva Samithi had taken elaborate precautions against any stampede;they had put up barricades of tough bamboo to sectionalize thegathering and provide vacant paths in between, for Baba to walk alongand confer Darsan from within a few feet for all. When intimation wasreceived that Baba had come, they rose in haste and rushed towardswhere they sensed He was! The home guards, the volunteers (men andwomen), the boy scouts, and members of the Samithi sprang into actionand curbed the excited crowds as best as they could.
Meanwhile, Baba had come on the dais; Hisgolden voice floated in ever-widening circles far and wide. Everyonestood where he was and drank the ambrosia. Each man turned towardsthe place from where the call had come. Sri Narke, an engineer whowas of the party says, "Bhagavan raised His Hand! Every man was fixedto the spot where he stood! Bhagavan's Hand came down; they satsilently, wherever they were."
"I couldn't leave Goa in time. There were eager groups of devotees waiting at every village, whether we passed through jungle or bald fallow wastes. How can I ignore their tremendous thirst?" Baba said. "I borrowed a little time from you and gave it to them," He confessed.The gathering became gentle and calm.
"Having joined this uplifting a gathering of thousands of seekers of light, eager to cleanse themselves and become worthy of their divine destiny, you have a responsibility: Try to realize that you are fundamentally divine; practice meditation for a few minutes every day to instill this faith into yourself," He advised. "The boulder on the hill is turned into an idol for the temple. Hammer and chisel have made it a thing of beauty and a joy forever, a perpetual source of inspiration to render life wholesome and holy! You too must subject yourselves to the hammer of discipline and the chisel of pleasure-pain, so that you emerge from the boulder into an authentic Image of God!" He exhorted. "I have been touring Karnataka since five days; I wish to emphasize one point now. Thousands of people are attending such meetings; thousands more are waiting along the roads. In the heart of every one of them, I know, sincere adoration is welling up towards God. But adoration must be regulated through discipline. It should not be wild and untended. You rush forward to touch My feet or to prostrate before Me, regardless of any consideration for women, children, the aged and the sick. You fall upon them when you press forward toward Me. Do not injure the Sai in those people, when you rush towards this Sai, to demonstrate your devotion! The merit and all the austerity you undergo to see and hear this Sai is well nigh cancelled, when you inflict pain on the Sai who resides in them," He said. Many bowed their heads in repentance and shame. "Cultivate love, tolerance and reverence towards the weak, the handicapped, the distressed and the diseased. Give them your compassion and sympathy. Serve them, sensing the divine bond of kinship," Baba directed.
Baba resumed the tour next morning, takingthe road to Bijapur, the Headquarters of another District in NorthKarnataka. Within miles He alighted at Bali-Hongal where devotedhearts prayed for the triple gifts of Darsan, Sparsan and Sambhashan:seeing Him, touching Him and listening to Him. He conferred on themthe first and the last of these only, for there were thousands soearly in the day! Baba spoke to them of inner purification and theawareness of the constant presence of God as the means to ensureit.
Throughout the day, miles after mile, it wasBhajan and Kirtan all along the road to Bijapur. The villagerswaited, watching the cars that passed along, for hours at a stretch,doing Bhajan. They halted every scooter and truck, to find outwhether Baba had started, and was on the way. Some villages got readya folk welcome with traditional drums and dances; some brought outlong brass horns which they blew loud and long to awaken thecountryside into the glorious day. Some paraded the temple umbrellaand persuaded temple priests to stand across the road, withceremonial pots of holy water in their hands and Vedic chants ontheir tongues! There were police cars before and behind the cars ofthe party; while the officers tried to regulate the enthusiasm of thevillage gatherings, they themselves were not above the temptation toseize as many chances as they could, to touch His Feet!
Baba halted for about an hour at Gokak atnoon, and proceeded apace to Bijapur, the journey being interruptedevery few miles by yearning on one side and compassion on the other.For those who were with Baba in the same car, it was a boon ofunstinted ecstasy. Baba sang many songs, asked all else to singBhajans, prompted one or two to compose poems on the spot about theepic, unfolding before their eyes; thus as the road rolled away,fast, from underneath the car, they lost all sense of time andspace.
"At Bijapur, the gathering was packed thickfor miles," writes Dr. Adke. "I made bold to suggest to Baba, "Thismeeting has to be cancelled! It is impossible to go through this itemof the tour! Let us go to the next place." Baba said, "No." At least75.000 persons were surging impatiently over the roads and openspaces. Dr. Adke writes, "Baba went right into that sea of agitatedconfusion. Everyone was nervous about the situation. But soon we sawHim safe on the dais under the blaring lights and before themicrophone. As soon as Baba started singing the usual introductoryverse, every man, woman and child was enchanted; the waves werestilled, quiet prevailed, and we were relieved."
"For what purpose were you born? What has been your achievement in the years that you have spent as men among men? What are you intending to leave behind when you die?" Baba asked the vast gathering.
Vineetha Ramachandra Rao, who was of theparty, writes, "We have heard that when Krishna played on the Flute,even the thousand-hooded snake lay low; when Baba spoke in thatcaptivating voice even though His opening sentences were sochallenging to their self-complacence and indolence, the seventy fivethousand-hooded snake lay calm, plunged in self-examination. Babaadvised each one to cultivate Love, for "Loveis the motivator of the Universe, Love is God and Love alone can winthe Grace of God and merge man in God."When Baba spoke of the efficacy of Bhajan and sang a few songs, theassembly yielded without reservation to the magic of His Flute! Allthe higher tendencies sprouted, foliated, put forth buds andblossomed in the heart; everyone felt a thrill, the thrill of CosmicAwareness."
Spending the night at the circuit house, Babarose early and was ready to fulfill the engagements He had plannedfor the day. A score of minutes ticked away as they drove forward;they were surprised to see across the road, a pandal of green andyellow creepers and festoons, flags and garlands, and on the ground,about a hundred persons singing Prasanthi Nilayam Bhajans!
Let us listen to Dr. Adke describing whathappened: "They beseeched Baba to drive into their village which wasonly two miles off; they said they had repaired the road and made itcar-worthy; they promised they would be quiet and disciplined; theyannounced that the villagers were longing for His visit. I wasanxious about the correct execution of the busy timetable alreadylaid down for the day. But Baba said, "Well, we shall go and be withthem for five minutes."
The cars turned, traversed the clean dustlessroad which had been sprinkled thick with water, into the village. Asthe cars passed, lamps waved, women scattered flowers on the car. Themen blew horns and beat big drums. Bells on the necks of cattletinkled as they stood on the sides, with red paint on their horns.Baba was happy to see the villagers sitting with the surge of joylending luster to their eyes. He sang a few Bhajans, encouraging theassembly to sing them after Him, without hesitation and fear. Babadrove back to the main road only after spending about forty minutesthere.
It was one continuous flood of devotion,fertilizing the entire area, entering into every home, every heart,arousing man, woman and child: Baba could not bear to see the peoplesitting or standing in the sun. Nor could He allow them to be glumand cheerless. While moving from Bijapur to Bagalkot, Baba sang alarge number of songs in Kannada to the delight of theVice-chancellor, his son, and others.
He sang songs composed by the famous medievalKannada saints, Purandara Das and Kanaka Das; He described the storyof Kanaka Das at Udipi, where the idol of Krishna installed byMadhawacharya turned around in order to give the shepherd saintKanaka Das the Darsan he longed for. For Kanaka Das was not admittedinto the temple since he was a person of inferior caste! Baba alsosang some songs composed by Him on the spot in Kannada. It was aglorious hour for lovers of that language and seekers longing for theDivine.
Passing through places like Kerur, wheredevotees fed their eyes on Him, Baba reached Nargund, and saw abouttwelve thousand people gathered there from all the villages around,and even from Hubli and Dharwar, which were hours away by car. Hetold them of the immanence of God in the universe, and said that onlya perfected, pure intelligence can recognize that fact; just as onlythe one tongue among all the limbs and organs of the body canrecognize the salt dissolved in water.
Passing through wavy fields of grass andgrain, fondled by the soft caresses of stray breezes, Baba reachedNavilgund in the evening. A sea of faces sat before Him indisciplined silence and Baba spoke to them and sang for them inplentiful compassion. "The objective world is ever changeful; it isfitful and flickering, but the Atma is eternal, adamant, unaffectedby time, space and causation, which are only modifications it issupposed to undergo!
Ekam eva adwithiyam Brahma: One only, without a second, is Brahma. To become aware of the One, which has no second, you must practice the five disciplines of Mantra, Namasmaran, Yoga, Dhyana and Samadhi. Just as the music and the musician immanent in the ether, as waves projected by the broadcasting station are caught and made manifest by the receiver and its many contrivances, God who is present but unmanifest to the eye or mind, can be realized and recognized, through these contrivances," Baba explained.
The sun must have traveled slower than usualthat day, for Baba was able to reach Hulkoti at 6 p.m., after a haltat Annigeri on the way to receive flowers and shower blessings on ahuge gathering on the roadside. There was a record crowd of eagerdevotees at Kulkoti and Baba gave them Darsan as well as theassurance of His continuing Grace.
He then left for Gadag, a city famous sincecenturies for the Veera Narayana temple, immortalized in Kannadapoetry and at present a great center of commerce and industry. Gadagastounded everyone by the enormity of the number of people whoassembled there to revere Baba. There were over a hundredthousand!
Sri K.H. Patil, who welcomed Baba said, "Thedoors of heaven have opened this day before Gadag! The Light of theSpirit is resplendent once again, in this ancient city." Baba spokeof the Vedic Prayer, which summarizes the aspiration of man, sincethe beginning of his history on earth:
Asatho Ma Sad Gamaya (From the unreal, lead me to the Real!)
Thamaso Ma Jyothir Gamaya (From darkness, lead me to the Light)
Mrthyor Ma Amrtham Gamaya (From death, lead me to Immortality!).
He said that distinction is unreal, egoism isdarkness, and desire is death!
So, man must become aware of the One of whichHe is a spark, of the One which is all this and more, the One whichfills and fulfils all." The Bhajans thatBaba sang and which the voices repeated, cleared the sky of thevibrations of multiplicity and filled it with the "is-ness" of theOne. Rama, Krishna, Sakthi, Siva, Vishnu, all were integrated in themelody of that music of the masses, offered at the Feet of Sai at Hisbidding, and in tune with His cosmic voice.
When Dharwar was reached, lights in most ofthe houses had been extinguished, and cows were dozing on the roads,chewing the day's fast-eaten food!
When the sun rose next day over the horizon,the calendar showed October 27, as the date. And Baba was as fresh asthe Sun who shows no tinge of tiresomeness, however long the journey,however monotonous the route, however fulsome the acclamation offeredto Him in however many languages, however gladly He is welcomed inhowever many lands by however many billions! He was as aware of HisMission and as unassuming in its performance as the Sun!
But, others of the party, who were mere men,aroused His pity. He persuaded Dr. Adke, his son and others to takerest, in spite of their disinclination. As for Himself, He spent theday visiting the homes of devotees at Hubli and Dharwar, for, as Babahas often said, "YourAnanda is what sustains Me" (Mee Anandame naaAahaaram). When Baba visits a home,however short the stay, He leaves it a Heaven of Peace and Love.Often He goes alone into the house in order that 'the devotee may notbe distracted by the need to attend to the companions!' He persuadesthe devotee not to indulge in pompous receptions and invest inexhibitionistic decorations, exotic garlands, expensive feasts orquick publicity among kinsmen and friends. He comes as our nearestand dearest kinsman, arriving after a long absence, to bless, toheal, to enrich, to elevate, to alleviate, to console and correct, toconfer courage and conviction and confirm the consummation ofspiritual aspiration. He fondles the children, recognizes even slightgestures of homage, remembers the names of everyone in the family,relates incidents unknown or forgotten, promises relief, and leaveseveryone grateful. Where gloom hung thick, He installs joy; where themusty air of sickness was repelling, He brings the fresh fragrance ofhealth and hilarity. His visit to a home closes the chapter ofdisease, despair, distress and doubt and opens another, tingling withjoy and cheer, peace and goodwill, vigor and vibrantharmony.
Monday, the 28th! He was to reach Brindavanthat evening, and so, He drove along the Hubli-Davangere Road,lighting the faces and lightening the hearts of the residents ofthose villages and towns, adjacent to that road. Kundgol was thefirst place where a gathering had collected, under the auspices ofthe Sathya Sai Seva Samithi. And what a gathering! The wide expanseof a football field packed thick! At least 25.000 in number! Babaspoke of Indian culture, of the word 'Bharath,' of the syllable'Bha', which He interpreted as Light, the Light of SpiritualRealization, the light that reveals the identity of all as God. Hesaid that His heart was filled with joy at the Love that had inducedthem to wait for His Darsan for hours since early dawn."Extend this Love towardsall, for I am in all," He suggested."Devotion to Me is to beexpressed through service, love and cooperation and by refrainingfrom scandal mongering, faultfinding and hatred,"He emphasized. When He sang a few Bhajans towards the close, harmonyreigned and distraction disappeared from the inner and outeratmosphere.
Karjigi was the next place where Baba blessedthe people. Then Baba visited the holy village of Agadi, renowned asthe hermitage of the late Saint Seshaachala Swami. Saints and sagesare the sappers and miners, the road-makers, surveyors, the bridgebuilders who prepare for the Avatar. Baba was received at theentrance to the shrine by women waving lamps, and Vedic Scholarschanting hymns of prayer and supplication. He moved among the vastcongregation which was engaged in Bhajan, and later spoke to them ofthe efficacy of the Name and the discipline of constant repetition ofthe Name.
The stream of cars bringing redemption andrelief was delayed a while at Haveri. Baba went to the Grama SevaMantap (Home for Village Reconstruction) and addressed the gathering,composed of students of the Agriculture and other colleges of theplace. He drew their attention to the setting of natural beauty andgrandeur where they had met and said that it was a heritage which allcan share. "You haveanother heritage which all can share and that is, the Grace ofGod," He said. He advised them to learnwell at college, and also learn the art of being at peace withthemselves and others, through Namasmaran and Bhajan. When Baba sangBhajans, about a dozen sleek cows of the Mantap were seen listeningwith a glint in the eye and a tingle in the ear. There was anenceinte (pregnant) cow in the group; the calf hurried out into theworld in its eagerness to listen to the voice of Brindavan. At RaneBennur, Baba laid the foundation stone of the Arts and ScienceCollege and proceeded to the Cotton Market, where 25.000 devotedpersons were awaiting Darsan. "Letyour words be charged with Truth; let your deeds be charged withSincerity - Sathyam Vada; Dharmam Chara - Talk in Truth, walk inRighteousness; that is the way to reach the goal and findit," Baba advised. The vast gathering gotand hour of bliss, through word and song, that day.
Baba motored from Rane Bennur through linesof devotees that thronged the roads to Harihar (where He alightedfrom the car and gave Darsan for a few minutes) and at Davangere,Chitaldrug, Sira and Tumkur to Brindavan, carrying with Him the Loveand rapturous devotion of the millions His Grace hadcaptivated.
Dr. Adke writes, "I had the good fortune ofbeing with Baba and witnessing the grateful joy of people everywhereand the happiness of Baba at their sincerity and simplicity. I wasable to go as far as Whitefield, near Bangalore, where Brindavan is,and take leave of Baba from there. When I left, Baba said, 'Do notthink you are going back alone! I am with you! Let us both gotogether!' That is the measure of His Love, His Omnipresence, HisOmnipotence, His Divinity!"
The adoration offered to Baba and theattention with which huge gatherings at every place, whether it be ahamlet or village, a city of colleges or of factories, a historicspot or a place of pilgrimage, treasured His words of hope andpromise, are eye-openers to those who plan for the future. Theyreveal that people are eminently responsive to the call of the spirittowards the higher life, that the fascination for short cuts andartificial props to happiness cannot withstand the charm of theDivine Directive of Baba.
Baba began this tour on Deepavali, the Daywhen India celebrates the Festival of Lights. Sri Aurobindo writes in'the Synthesis of Yoga', "The Guru should awaken the Divine Light andset working the Divine Force." Baba awakened the Divine light; inevery heart, He lit the lamps, He, the Divine, aroused the DivineForce.
"At this supremely dangerous moment in humanhistory, the only way of salvation for mankind is the Indian way,"says Arnold Toynbee, well nigh the wisest of modern historians. Thisis the age of frustration, fear, fixation and fantasy. Thesociological diseases - crime, delinquency, divorce, suicide,gambling and drug-addiction - are in the ascendant everywhere. Thepolitical diseases of turncoatism, hypocrisy, faction, corruption andjingoism are spreading from one nation to another. The economicdiseases of poverty and luxury, exploitation and excessivism are alsobecoming world-wide. The root cause for all this chronic morbidityis, according to Baba, man's lack of faith in himself."Man has lost faith inhimself, he has put on the cloak of weakness and vacillation, doubtand dissatisfaction, and hidden from his own cognition, the vastpotentiality for goodness, beauty, strength and content, lyingdormant in his nature."
Ayn Rand says, "In order to live, man mustact; in order to act, he must make choices; in order to make choices,he must define a code of values in order to define a code ofvalues, he must know what he is and where he is - that is, he needsmetaphysics, epistemology and ethics, which means, philosophy." And,Toynbee declares, "Indian Philosophy." For, in India, philosophy hasnever been entombed in tombs; it has ever been the current coin ofthe business of living, the very bloodstream of family, society,community and nation. It is even termed as SathyaDarshan, that is, experience ofwisdom. In other words, it is more a way of life than a view of life.It tends to emphasize Dharma- moral conduct, based uponunchanging Sathya-Metaphysics.
No wonder, then, that Baba has become thesolace and strength of a multitude of forlornseekers-after-peace-and-bliss, arriving in His Presence from landsbeyond the seas like the United States, Great Britain and othercountries, suffering from the glut of glitter and gadgets. Baba tolda group of 'foreigners' (to Baba it is a misnomer to call them so;instead, He calls them 'for-nears', because they have come forsomebody and something they can clasp as 'near' and 'dear')."You would not have cometo Me unless I called you; I know the past and the future of everyone of you, what you are yearning for at present, and how and whenyour yearning will be fulfilled."
John Hislop writes, "Most of us hear of SaiBaba from someone else. One starts to learn who Baba is, hearingsomeone tell about Him. The first wave of information here inCalifornia, came from Bob Raymer and his friends. The second wavecame from Indra Devi and her associates. Indra Devi heard from Mr.Murphet in Madras. Mr. Murphet first heard from Bob Raymer. Bob heardfrom a friend of his who later became his wife! She, in turn, hadheard about Baba from a friend. But the first original link in thischain is Baba Himself!"
Listen how Elsie Cowan first contacted Baba:"Myself and my husband have been searchers of truth during our manyyears of marital life. We followed one belief after another; eachstep gave some little wisdom, but no security, no actual knowing howto reach the goal. Like all truth-students, we were also told thatChrist is within us, and so on. At last, when we heard of a Guru whocould help us, we followed him and his teachings. The truth He taughtus was the same that all the Great Masters have taught. We learnedmeditation and silence. But the spiritual revolt was still going onwithin us.
Why can't we know God? If we must haveself-realization, why don't we? We asked. He had no answer. We feltdiscouraged. We talked it over and made an important decision: prayloud and sincerely for the Highest Living Master to come and take usto our goal.
And the Highest Living Master knew our plightand answered our cry, for He has come for such as we. The second day,a friend came to our house and gave us a book. It was a book on thelife of Sathya Sai Baba! We read it, from cover to cover; a greatserene peace filled us. We knew our prayers were answered!
Further steps in Baba's 'Operation Salvage'followed fast. We contacted the friend who had brought the book andwe found other books by Baba; we read them and lost ourselves in Hissimple truths. The following Sunday, we went to the temple where weworship. A friend we hadn't seen for weeks came and sat by us. Shetook from her purse a little folder paper; we watched her unfold it;we were surprised that it contained some ashes! She said, a friendbrought them from Sai Baba (Baba's Grace!) and she said she had sucha compelling desire to give them to us (Baba's Infinite Mercy!), andshe had to seek us out for the purpose. She said (Baba's words) thatwe were to put some on our tongue each night. This was the start ofthe Blessings and Miracles that began to happen in our lives;although we were unable to see Him with our eyes, He made Himselfknown to us in various ways. Then, one day, we suddenly had a desireto see Him physically, and we journeyed to PrasanthiNilayam.
John Hislop's wife Magdalena was drawntowards Sai Baba quite early in her life. Baba had to appear inHavana, Cuba, years ago, concretely before her, to imprint on theimmaculate mind of the child, just a year old, the shining splendor.She was just learning to walk, says Hislop, when she saw the Sai Babaof Shirdi (Baba assumes that form too to bless and confer grace)standing in the corner of the garden! She started to toddle towardsHim, saying, 'Dada! Dada!'; then, confused, she stopped. For her realdaddy was standing at the entrance to the house. "Wonder of Wonders,"Hislop writes, "last year while we were in India, Baba confirmed toMagdalena her experience was a fact; He described the costume He worethen and how He was standing in the corner of that garden, 35 yearsago!"
Indra Devi, 'the First Lady of Yoga inAmerica', is a Russian born American citizen, with an Indian name,having her Yoga Institute astride the boundary between the UnitedStates and Mexico. She learnt Yoga in Mysore (India) and taught it inShanghai, London and Moscow. She was in Bombay, within an eye's throwfrom the Gwalior Palace where Baba was surrounded by tens ofthousands of adoring aspirants for grace, for over a week in 1966.She missed seeing Him then, but she encountered the traffic jams inthe vicinity which the Bhajan sessions and Baba's discourses broughtabout, while she was hurrying to fulfill her engagements in the city! Later, when she was on her way to Saigon (You can never takeSai as gone I told her; it is always 'Sai won') she peeped in at theTheosophical Society Headquarters at Madras to meet a friend, and raninto the Murphets. Mr. Murphet and his wife were bubbling over withthe exhilarating news of Baba and his love, His power and His wisdom.She came back from Saigon, for, the call was clear and convincing. Onher way to the tiny village that has been immortalized by the advent,she met the Hon'ble Dr. Triguna Sen, Minister in the Government ofIndia, who was returning from the holy place, after a long inspiringconversation with Baba. Dr. Sen warned her that she might stay on atPrasanthi Nilayam itself, feeling that she had reached thedestination. That was what practically happened, for, her heart isinvested in Baba as a life deposit, while she is breathing Sai,talking Sai, dreaming Sai, and resting in Sai, wherever she maywander!
Hilda Charlton of New York spent many yearsin Ceylon, and later moved on to Delhi, where she was initiated inthe worship of the Mother and in meditating on Her. She chanced tovisit Shirdi, where she heard that Baba was living and available, 500miles off, at Puttaparthi!
Another 'for-near' who was drawn by Baba fromShirdi, the arena of His previous life, is Alf Tideman Johanessan ofOslo, Norway. Head of a prosperous company doing business at Bombayharbor as shipping agents, His rivals attempted to ruin hisreputation and income, by every foul means that could be devised,including black magic! Some friends of his and a Parsi priest tookhim to (of all places!) the shrine of Shirdi, to invoke grace to wardoff the calamity.
During one of his visits, in February 1966,while Alf was sitting disconsolate before the tomb of the 'PreviousBody', the present body took over his problems in His inimitable way!A short man in a blue shirt patted him on the back and asked, "Haveyou ever met Sathya Sai Baba?" Alf had not heard the name before. Theshort man whispered in his ear, "If God ever came upon the earth,this is He," and placed in his hand a small locket studded with anenameled oval piece containing a portrait of a person wearing a robeand having a mop of hair. "This is Sathya Sai Baba," the short mansaid, "You can see Him at Bombay on March 14th," and thenleft.
Alf asked all those he knew for more detailsabout this 'God on Earth', but none of them had heard about Him, nordid they know where He could be found on March 14th. In fact, as hecame to know later, it was only a week after the short man in blueshirt announced the date at Shirdi did the Sathya Sai Seva Samithi ofBombay receive information about the date of Baba's arrival withdirections to look for and engage a suitable place in any easilyaccessible part of the city with plenty of open space around fordevotees to gather.
Let it be said that Baba reached Bombay inthe small hours of the night on 13th March, and gave Alf the smile ofrecognition on the 14th, during the Bhajan session in the morning atGwalior Palace! In the very first interview that Alf gained,consequent on this divinely arranged contact, Baba said to him, "Doyou remember the black magician? I helped you then." Relating to himhis triumphs and trials, both in his business and in his efforts atbridging the gap between despair and delight in the realm of thespirit, Baba told him, "From now on, I shall be your guide, in allmatters."
Arnold Schulman, a screenwriter andplaywright of repute, favorite of Hollywood and New York, met Babaonce at Whitefield and returned to America. "One-day," he says, "forno reason I could discover, I realized that I had somehow developed acompulsion of my own, which I could not suppress or shake off orovercome or rationalize; I wanted to write a book about Baba!" Later,when he came to India and Baba called him into His room, He told him,"When the time comes, I call all those who need Me, to Me. It was Iwho told you to write the book, because I wanted you. Understand! Iwanted you, not the book."
Thus they come, from all the quarters! Manylike Hislop have to their credit long years of Sadhana guided byadepts in their own countries, in Japan (Zenteachers), in Burma(Buddhistmonasteries), in Nepal(SaiviteGurus), in Ceylon(Vihars),and in India (Yogaadepts). In many cases, theirappetite for spiritual achievement had been whetted through contactswith the RamakrishnaMission, the Self-RealizationFellowship, the Hare-KrishnaMovement, the Kriya-YogaConference, and various otherinducements for self-examination, self-mastery, and self-realization.Others who feel the thirst for Light come to Baba, mauled and maimedby quacks and crooks who promise quick results against tidy rewards.And some others come desperate and sick of catering to pride andgreed and the hardy brood of impulses, in search of a way out, insearch of peace. And many have arrived, dazed and confused by theconflicting dialectics of those whose eloquence served at best toveil their vanity and vapidity; now, at last, to hear the Truth instraight and simple words, to see the Truth in its unadorned beauty,and to know it from Him who knows All.
"Not all the buds on a tree blossom," saysBaba, "Nor do all the blossoms turn into fruit, or later ripen andenrich the world with sweetness." The shallow, the supine, thescholastic, the supercilious - these fall off from the race. Thereare different levels of readiness among those who come for theprecious gifts that Baba grants. But whatever their level, none canescape from or deny the profoundly purifying effect the heartreceives from the contact.
Dr. Judith M. Tyberg of the East WestCultural Centre, Los Angeles, writes, "It is now almost three yearsthat I was in Puttaparthi, and had the Divine Blessings of Sri SathyaSai Baba. His help to me on all planes of being is still evident, andI am very grateful." Jack Hakimzadeh of Teheran writes, "When myheart was quite heavy, and retrievement of equipoise was well nighimpossible, I did see Baba. As a result, my life is no longer thesame." Jnani Greene who has been at Prasanthi Nilayam since tenmonths, writes, "Baba has instructed me, 'No more doctors, no moremedicine; let go; give up; let Me be your doctor!" And he has provenHis efficiency and readiness many times since. One day, my foot wasbroken, caught in a narrow ditch in the dark. I was carried to myroom in excruciating pain. Two hours passed and, suddenly, sensationwent dead; I attended Bhajans at Whitefield, sitting in aperambulator! Then, I noticed absent-mindedly that my foot seemedrather warm; I put it on the ground; it was entirely repaired! Therepercussion on me was even more dramatic. For, it gradually dawnedon me to turn to Him for every form of pain, for all sense oflimitation, mental and physical alike; I discovered that His recipeworked equally well for everything. I am a slow student, and I stillforget to ask! But, in His boundless compassion, He keeps remindingme."
Many seekers have found solace and strength,help and guidance, from the books written by Baba, from theDiscourses given by Him, from the Bhajans sung by Him, and from thepictures and photographs of Him which they use for worship ormeditation. John Eversole writes to me from Santa Barbara on thePacific Coast of America, "Thank you for attracting my attention toHim, so that His pictures might grace the wall in my home, that thetaste of His Vibhuti might remain, for ever sweet, in my being; thatmy family might have their feet set on the Path of Truth that is Him;that my tears of joy might wash His Feet from the other side of theearth."
Hilda Charlton wrote to a student of hers whocame over to India to be with Baba for some months. "Baba wants usall to harmonize, for, to be out of love for anyone is to be out oflove with Him. Of what use is it to love Him, if we can't be kind andconsiderate with His many aspects in the world? The best way toovercome reaction to people and things is to think that Baba isgiving you a test, when someone is not properly adjusted to you. Inyour travels you will find many who cry 'Baba', and yet do not dowhat He says and wants of them. Baba knows the inner thoughts andfeelings of all. Yes, Baba is God, incarnate upon earth."
Hilda wrote to me, once, "Baba's Presence isalways felt in our meditation classes. One new boy saw Baba fillingthe room; a student experienced Him as the Infinite. Some of themcannot contain the Ananda; they laugh with supreme joy during themeditation. Baba comes to them in visions and dreams, He cures manyof their illnesses. The young kids are turning away from drugs, andrecovering sanity and strength." In another letter she wrote, "I lookback on those glorious days at Prasanthi Nilayam when I was in Hispersonal Presence, as days of opportunity. Yet I now realize, moreand more, since I returned to the west, that He is omnipresent. Ihave concrete proofs of this, over and over again. When I leftPrasanthi Nilayam Baba told me, "Beyond Name! BeyondForm!"
Diane Marquier of France saw someone having aportrait of Baba in her room. Underneath the portrait were the words"Why Fear When I am Here?" Her reaction was an "Umph! What? Who doeshe think he is ?" she exclaimed. But when she heard more about Him,she developed curiosity, which turned into inquiry, discovery anddevotion. She writes, "One day, I asked my husband for 300 dollars,and when he pleaded inability, I ventured to say, having faith inBaba, 'If you give me the 300, Baba will give you ten times more!' Igot the 300. That very evening, for the first time after a year, inthe Restaurant where we are still, he made 3000 dollars, to thesurprise of everyone except me."
Murial J. Engle of Santa Barbara, writes,'Never have I stood so close to God. Will you believe me if I tellyou this Man is Christ? He knows what we are at a glance, and why weare seeking Him, without a word from us; but in His great kindness,He forbears from embarrassing us by not revealing all He sees andknows!"
Howard Murphet quotes a 'woman of Germany', adevout and earnest seeker on the path, telling him, "Baba is theincarnation of Purity and Love." She wrote to him, "I get more andmore convinced from within that Jesus has come again, in the fullnessof Christ, as Sathya Sai Baba."
June Schuyler writes, "How can one who haslived 41 years with a good share of frustration describe the joy offinding the Lord in human form - utterly good, absolute Love itself?I had experienced a great deal of love in my life through all thenormal human relationships - parents, child, friends, marriage.Nothing could compare to the purity of the Love which Baba gave andevoked. This was Holy Love!"
"For 17 years before I met Baba, life'sproblems had been so intense that I had come to feel barren inside.In Baba's Presence, the dry inner desert was flooded with life-givingwater. In His Presence, the fragile tenderness which seemed totallydehydrated, became fertile."
"On 9th December, 1970, Annalisa Rajagopal,Indra Devi and I went under His direction into the magnificentCatholic Cathedral of Pom Jesus, the burial place of St. FrancisXavier, at Goa, India. As usual, in a place where Jesus isworshipped, He touched me with His Love. I knelt before His statuewith mixed emotions. Here I was a devout Christian unmistakablyguided for years by Jesus the Christ - now, with my heart utterlycaptured by Sathya Sai Baba."
"Jesus! What is this?" - I suddenly asked."Am I trying to serve two masters? You told us this cannot be done.Baba too says the same. You know I love you; yet, my heart is full ofBaba. I am absolutely determined to accept and follow His guidance.Please, please help me!"
"In a flash I remembered the day when Babawas speaking to a group of overseas seekers. He used an interpreterthat day, although He very often speaks directly in excellentEnglish! When Baba referred to Jesus during the lesson, theinterpreter started, "Your Jesus..." "No," Baba came down upon him,and lovingly added, "Our Jesus," emphasizing the word "Our"! Thethought flowed into my heart that it was Jesus who had guided me toBaba. I felt that, although I was too blind to see, Baba and Jesusweren't two Masters, but One. Baba was teaching us the love, thehumility, the reverence, the charity, the soul's exaltation thatemanates from the breath of all faiths. Intellectually I had agreed;the understanding was slowly taking roots in my heart."
"During some of my earlier experiences withBaba my mind tried to raise, at times, storms of doubt; but, in eachsuch mental turmoil, a deep inner Peace asserted itself. I had longago learnt to know and trust this inflow of peace. It was the Godwithin saying, "All is well."
"Kneeling, that day, before the statue ofJesus, I realized that all is well. I am so richly blest. I left theCathedral feeling loved and loving."
Howard Murphet, too, speaks of a similarrevealing experience. Writing in his book, "Sai Baba - Man ofMiracles," he says, "Sai Baba has many similarities to Christ, notonly in the miracles, but in the style of presentation of theteaching. Baba is far beyond the measure of man. Apart from themiracles, which show His command of Nature, His power to be anywhereand know what His devotees are thinking and doing ("I am a radio, andcan tune in your wave," Baba says), and His ability to bringprotection and help - apart from all these superhuman qualities,there is the pure egoless Love. This, above all, stands as a sign ofChrist-like Divinity."
I remember a few evenings I spent with agroup of seven 'foreigners' when they read between the lines of the"Revelation of St. John the Divine." Some of them had the intuitiveperception of importance to interpret and understand the Advent ofBaba; this was reinforced by their study of Edgar Cayce's remarkableadventures into Biblical realms. They read the description therein,of New Jerusalem as a place where "Isaw no temple therein, for the Lord God Almighty was the temple init. And they shall bring the glory and honor of the nations into it.They shall in no way enter into it anything that defileth, neitherwhatsoever that bringeth abomination. Let him that is athirst come,and whosoever will, let him drink the water of lifefree." They read this and wondered atthe aptness. Then they read of the Advent of the Master on a whitehorse (Kalki?) with eyes like a flame of fire, clothed in a robe ofred, as if soaked in blood, with the name 'King of Kings, Lord ofLords' woven in it. (Baba wears red silken gowns: in one, goldenletters are woven indicating He is Sai Baba, that is Lord-Father).His name is Truth, they noted with surprise, as they read the text,for Sathya means Truth! Christian seekers who come to Baba find manysuch parallels in the signs and signals of Divinity, and they aregrateful.
"Many of you come to Me because you have notknown a mother's love," said Baba one day, addressing the Americanswith Him. One of them had written a song which was in His hands atthat time. "Awaken us, to our oneness with You! Dear Mother! Lead ushome, into You!" Of course, all who grope for the meaning of life,for principles, ideals, values, self-understanding andself-expression, are children, and whosoever raises them up in lovingsympathy, and guides them through the faltering steps, the stutteringtongues, the wondering eyes, the wavering minds, is verily theMother. A great Andhra Poet, septuagenarian scholar, yogi and mystic,Velury Sivarama Sastry, who spent years with Baba, wrote, "Weigh onone scale the quantity of love that all the mothers of the worldoffer to their children, and on the other, place the Love that Babashowers on fearsome, forlorn, feeble beings; you will find that thescale with the weight of Baba's Love will sinklower!"Christ said, "Allowthe children to come up to Me." Baba moves amongst the childrenof all ages, for, He alone can give each the Love they are piningfor.
The love of Christ is so overpowering that Hetook upon Himself the sins of others. Baba, in His Love, takes uponHimself the illness of others. On Christmas Day, 1970, referring tothe travail that He passed through gladly to relieve the pain of ahelpless devotee who could not survive the agony of an inflamedappendix, Baba spoke to a huge gathering at Bombay,thus,
"To take upon Myself the sufferings of those who have surrendered to Me is My duty. I have no suffering and you have no reason to suffer too when I do this duty of Mine. The entire give-and-take is the Play of Love. It is taken over by Me in Love; so how can I suffer? Christ sacrificed His life for the sake of those who put their faith in Him. He propagated the truth that service is God, sacrifice is God."
When asked by someone why hedined with sinners, Christ said, "It is the sinner for whom I havecome; it is not the healthy that need a physician!" Baba has comefor the erring child, the pilgrims gone astray. He says, "To saythat you have to be pure in order to win My grace, is as foolish asto say that you have to be healthy to receive the ministrations of adoctor! The pure do not need a Master! The tough do not need adoctor." Christ said to his Apostles, "As lambs I send youforth among wild beasts, but the sacred name of God shall be yourbuckler and your shield, and the air was filled with song and everyliving creature seemed to say, Praise God! Amen!" Baba calls uponHis devotees to act thus: "Tell every one what you haveexperienced here. Tell them that you have found that source andspring of joy and peace. Tell them that not one will be left out; allwill be saved."
When M. Trudeau, the brother of the PrimeMinister of Canada, along with his wife, came to Puttaparthi with theHigh Commissioner of Canada in India, Baba gave him a cross with thefigure of Christ on it, materialized on the spot. At Ngorongoro inTanzania, He materialized for the British pilot of the plane in whichHe went there, a lovely little cross, but finding the recipient notquite pleased, He asked him, "Why? Do you want My portrait?" and,with another wave of the hand, the portrait was created and given.Baba does not divert or dilute the faith which provides sustenancealready. He does not insist that people must revere His present Namealone, or adore His present Form alone, No! Be true, be just, beaware, be alert, be pure, be full of love, that is enough 'religion',He declares.
John Moffitt from New York (a member of theRamakrishna Monastic Order for over twenty years) sought out Baba atPrasanthi Nilayam. After meeting Baba, he wrote to me from Bangalore,'I can never forget that talk - infinitely profound, infinitelyplayful, infinitely simple. I was reminded of what it must have beenlike to sit at Sri Ramakrishna's Feet... I just drank in His sweet,loving, playful Self. When I asked for His Blessings so that I couldcome there again, He said spiritedly, "Why here? There's no need. Iam always with you. I will be in your heart." If ever there was proofthat Christ is working outside Christianity, it is in Babaji, and,before Him, Sri Ramakrishna. My mind is clear now; my doubts areresolved; I want to do His Will.'
Baba knows how deeply each aspirant who comesto Him has striven, whom he has served and adored, what he hasimbibed from each, and when and by which path he will ultimately winhis escape from this absurd but attractive maze. To a young Americanwho was boasting too demonstratively of his loyalty to Him, Baba saidone day, "Your Guru is in Bangalore. Go!" The exuberant admirer wasflabbergasted. He protested, "No! He is right here!" but Babainsisted that He was right, and then light dawned in the youth'shead. He had taken initiation in Transcendental Meditation from therenowned Mahesh Yogi, and Baba was telling him that the Yogi had thencome to Bangalore. Baba knew that the old roots were green and couldbe vitalized, with no extra effort.
"Sai Baba, Sai Baba; so kind, so kind! Youare father, mother, sister, brother, every one" is the refrain of asong on Him composed by a group of 'foreign' devotees, and sung inchorus many times at Prasanthi Nilayam and other places. Baba is themultifaceted Avatar- Rama, Krishna,Christ, Buddha, Sankara, Gauranga,Ramakrishna,Zarathustra - all in one.
Coming to Puttaparthi presents its ownproblems, especially to those who are accustomed to comfort andconveniences; yet, they brave vagaries of the weather, theidiosyncrasies of food, the absence of apartments to stay in, theconfusion and complication of communication and various otherdiscomforts, and cling on, snatching every chance to see Him, hearHim, meet Him and stay with Him, as long as they can, for Hispresence is so enchanting, so near, so intimate, that discomforts andlack of facilities recede beyond cognition.
Mrs. Michael Schultz says, "What merit havewe won, that You call all of us so lovingly and sweetly?" Eddie Fleurwrites, "I have prayed, and do pray long each day to have pure lovefor Him, and total surrender to His Will. Also to be with Him, asHanuman with Ram." Gabriella Steyer writes, "His Love removed fromour minds all the disruptions and discomforts of the place, all theunwelcome austerities forced upon one by Nature." "I am a bubble;make me the sea," is the prayer of Georgiana. Michele Melvin says,"Here is a consciousness where love feels no bounds; there is a spacefree from narrow measurements. There is a truth beyond this delusionwhere Myself is known. I pray to the Divine Mother, Baba, May I comeHome." For, according to another of these earnest seekers, Baba hascome to take His children home!
Another Sadhaka, who has named himself asRaman and wiped off his past from attention, writes, "Most of us havecome hoping to accomplish something definite in the way ofself-improving, to take at least a few steps up the spiritual pathwaywith Baba's help. Baba helps us to progress in Sadhana by means oftests of which we alone are cognizant! One of His ways is to ignoreus completely! Yes! For weeks on end. He will act as if He wastotally unaware of our existence. He would smile at the person on ourleft, and give a pat on the head of the person on our right! Hisglance will pass high over you, and He will behave as if he iscompletely oblivious of your existence. As a result, your ego shrinksto the size of a pea! When you are just about the right size, Hewould all of a sudden give you one of His looks and a big smile - andall is well again, and even better."
"You have had a shot in the arm that shouldkeep you high for several weeks. When He gives you one of thoselook-cum-smiles, you feel the eternally close bond; tears fill youreyes; you are left high up in the clouds. You know in a flash that Hehad been aware of you all the time, that He has known every word youhad whispered to yourself in your despair, every thought you had,everything you have done or left undone, and best of all, that Heunderstands all your weaknesses, and has forgiven them already!"Raman adds, "If I ever reach the desireless state, I'm sure thedesire to be on the receiving end of one of Babaji's looks-and-smileswill be the very last one to go."
For Westerners, the first chance usually tobe close to Baba, says John Hislop, is when He calls them together,either at Prasanthi Nilayam or at Whitefield:
"He sits on the floor with usand invites us to express our spiritual doubts. Then we see before uswhat appears to be an Indian man (Baba told Arnold Schulman: "I amnot a man, I am not a woman, I am not old, I am not young; I am allof these."), of dark brown skin (Rama and Krishna are described inthe epics as having dark (brown) skins), slight in build, with a massof brown hair with golden highlights framing His face. We are,naturally, as observant as possible when we meet this extraordinarybeing; all our senses are alert. Our mind and intelligence are wideawake. We note that His features are sensitive, and reflect at onceall changes of mood and thought. He has a sweet and loving smile,like that of an innocent and affectionate child. His eyes are darkbrown, soft and melting, and sparkle with intelligence and humor. Hisvoice is sweet and tender, like that of a mother, sometimes gay withlaughter and lilting wit like that of a companion, at other timesstern and serious like the voice of a father. The movement of Hisbody, as He sits, arises and walks, is graceful, flowing andextremely light. His hands are expressive. There is a faint perfumein the air, which Magdalena says is jasmine! On our way home fromIndia in March, I awoke in Honolulu to that same perfume which lastedsome 10 or 12 seconds. Another time, in Bombay, at Dharmakshetrawhile Baba was narrating a story to illustrate a point, I was amazedto find a circular blaze of halo around His head. Baba noticed mywondering eyes and explained that I was indeed fortunate to have thatvision!"
Let us listen to more ofHislop's intimate description of how Baba presents Himself to thosewho seek him:
"As we sit close to Him, wequickly realize that He is far more than an elegant and charmingIndian man! Our perception deepens beyond the senses; we become awareof a subtle yet total beauty that has quietly filled the room. Atthat subtle level where we have awakened, we feel a current ofCompassion, Love and Light, and we know that the source isBaba. Suddenlyour mind is at peace and we sense an upflow of happiness in theheart! All care drops away; our ordinary world has fallen out ofsight into the past."
Arnold Schulman describes thefeelings which came upon him thus: "In less than a minute, I hadbecome a displaced person!" "Only our happy blissful state with Himin the present is real." This experience is so genuine that tearsfill the eyes and some find themselves crying.
This ecstasy felt in Baba'sPresence is heightened when He answers questions and speaks onspiritual matters. The delight and depth of His words of wisdom carrysuch a thrill of truth that it almost seems that one cannot bear thejoy that fills the hearts.
Baba gathers people from farand near and speaks to them, in stories and parables, on the age-oldremedies for the disease of desire and distress, which He has comeagain to re-install in the estimation of the human community. Hislopwrites,
"Let me glean a few sheavesfrom the harvest stored in the memories of these brothers andsisters: Don't waste time moaning over the past, dwelling on thenegative, injurious, tragic, morbid experiences. Every fleetingmoment of time can be a lifetime for the spirit! Discardtrivialities. Be steady as the stars. Be on the lookout to discovernew ways to express your love to all. Do not talk too much, to toomany, your real Friend and Companion is God. Act as you perceive:when you see distinction between rich and poor, healthy and sickly,act accordingly; help the poor and the sickly. Ridding the mind ofimpurities, delusions, egotisms, vices, sensual impressions, karmicimprints, is the same, in effect, as "Die-mind"; but, the more you doit, the brighter and clearer becomes the effulgence of what remains;it is like the diamond; you have to cut off bits and flakes to makeit really precious. "Baba" means the Super-Soul which isExistence-Knowledge-Bliss, Sath Chith Ananda. 'B' is Being Sath; 'A'is Awareness - Chith; 'B' is Bliss - Ananda; and the final 'A' isAtma - inner core of Reality. You can also become Me when you throwoff the coils of delusion and desire."
Baba declares that His Lifeis His Message. So, being in His presence, observing His compassion,His simplicity, His earnestness, His insight, His love, is itself avaluable opportunity for the aspirant to gain fullness and freedom.Every word of His is fraught with significance to the person Headdresses. And He deals with each one as a separate, special problem.He does not vend cheap panaceas for the multifarious deficiencies ofman; the goal is within you; the cure is in your hands; where theillness is, there the remedy is provided. To achieve the goal is toopen the eye, to awake, to light a lamp, to deny a nightmare. It isall so simple; seeing the truth is as simple as speaking it, He says.Why make the road long and then earn gratitude by recommendingshortcuts? "The darkness of centuries will disappear when a lamp islit; you need no gun to shoot it off, no book to argue it off, notears to wash it off, no pugilistic prowess to push it off," Hesays.
For each, Baba has the remedymost suited, in an easily portable form, and He dispenses it withaffection and sympathy. "Baba makes each one realize," says Hislop"that he is a reflection of His Reality. It is our Dharma, our dutyto reflect and express His Nature, which is Truth and Love, for, thatis our real nature also. And it is our primary duty to free ourselvesfrom the illusion of separateness from God, to merge into God, justas the droplets of spray flung into the air by wind and storm fallback and are no longer separate from the sea."
Hilda Charlton, in a letterto her pupils, delineates the modus operandi for meditation in herown way, thus: "In the heart center, visualize a still lake of water.See a lotus arising. See a flame in the lotus. See Sai Baba in theflame. Install Sai Baba in the heart. With each breath, feel you arebreathing in Baba's Divine Love through the heart center. Let thisLove spread to all parts of the body and overflow all around into allbeings." In another letter she advises, "You ask, how can I merge inBaba? Well, just keep loving Him. Think of Him as the whole world anduniverse. His hair the sky, His body the earth, and all of us littleatoms in it. Baba is God and God is in everything and in every one;we have to be atone with all in our heart, and then we are atone withBaba." And a pupil replied after a few months, "I feel like talkingto the trees and leaves, and the sands, for He is in all these." Babasometimes transfers spiritual power by a touch or an exercise of HisWill, to aspirants who deserve it. One young Sadhaka wrote to me,"...And then, before I knew it, the Master reached over and pinchedme right between the eyes, in the region of the 'third eye,' and Ifelt something nearing Bliss, and immense ecstasy, that lasted nearlyfive hours."
Other Sadhakas were guidedthrough dreams, which, to them, were as real as lessons granted faceto face. One Sadhaka in bed with intestinal illness, came to measking what Visuddhi meant! It seems Baba had told him in adream to concentrate there! I had to give him a long lesson onChakras. I found that Visuddhichakra has profoundcurative influences!
I have glanced through thenotes taken of 'dreams' such as these, and found the directionsconcise and precise, consistent with what Baba gives to others in thewakeful stage. Look at this, for example: Freedom or liberation isnot gained by the perfection of the small self, but by indifference(Upeksha) to both perfection and imperfection. If you are notready to relinquish the relative limited identity, then, spend yourenergy well in perfecting it; that way time will be best utilized.But that is not the ultimate. In God, perfection or imperfection donot exist. Vibhakthi or division, divergence, confrontation ofopposites, is not Bhakthi (Union, Atonement). Again, let us listen tothis: "Do not want to understand. Do not ask to understand.Relinquish the imperative that demands understanding. Silence is nota matter of resolve! It is always there. Silence is the endless flowof pure God into you, into the world."
This type of instruction,clear before the eye and resonant in the ear, is given by Baba tomany all over the world. For, Baba is ever eager to solve doubts andplant the seed of faith in the furrow of inquiry. To get His lessons,across the oceans, around the world, you don't have to be someonespecial, or an expert in some unusual Sadhana taken from aprestigious textbook. Cherish the doubt sincerely. Pray intensely.Call out from the heart for the Supreme Preceptor; that is enough.Baba once asked Charles Penn, "How many times, Charles, have youcalled! And have I not answered, every time?"
One day, Charles Penn inDhyana (meditation) sank into the silent depths of Baba's Vahini(Stream), asking Baba, "East is East, and West is West, and Never thetwain shall meet! Why twain, Baba? If this saying be true, then, whydo I yearn for You, who are in the East? What of the wall that standsbetween the West and the East - is it unscalable?"
And Babaanswered,
"From early childhood, the mind is filled with half-truth (like, for example, this misconception), seemingly sound ideas and even deliberate fabrications. Babies are sometimes isolated from the adults, to avoid contact with adult suffering from contagious diseases; I wish they were isolated from the adults, for My sake, that they may get to know Me better! The sun knows no East or West. Tyrants prefer not to let the hot coals in man's mind cool down; they fan them white-hot and create easts and wests and put them against each other for pride and profit. Everyone must fight such truthlessness with truthfulness, fight misconception with the factual, hate with love, temper with understanding. Man must fight with these things in himself. When anger arises, quieten down; when in fear and doubt, pray to Me. Tune in to My mighty Power which, compared to the power of the sun which I have placed in the heavens, is what a baby's breathing is to a typhoon. Tune in, Charles, to this soothing, gentle breeze you are enjoying now!"
The urge within the seekerswho come to Baba for guidance and grace is an agonizing thirst,arising when they traverse the waste land with an incipientawareness, and not just blindly, as most people do. As Norman Mailerwrites, "They suffer from that corrosive sensation in the chest andthe gut, so much of the time, that they sense the body going emptywithin, the sensation of psyche pierced by a wound whose dimensionskeep opening, that unendurable conviction that one is hollow,displaced, without a single identity at one's center."
One of the Westernersdescribed a few of his compatriots to me thus: "Kerry has spent ayear of exile in the Canadian woods, and another in a little islandin the Aegean Sea. Janet has been a clairvoyant, telepathic to agreat extent, but consistently keeping it a secret under everyconceivable circumstance - which is an amazing thing indeed! Whenthey saw Baba, Janet cried, "He is God; I know it." Her sister gotsick of the civilization of the West, and has come over. MartinStamp, this boy here in his teens, denied Himself both Oxford andCambridge, although representatives from both tried to bag him, foreven while he was in the preparatory school, he proved a precociousmathematician; he is hankering after God so that he may immersehimself in Him. Raman was a teacher of Yoga, carrying the message ofthe East into the prisons of America. He receives letters from his'pupils' behind the walls."
Like Indra Devi, whose YogaClasses always center around the teaching and glories of Baba, Ramantoo has given Baba to these temporary misfits, along with his lessonson Yoga. One of them, Steve Win, writes from Lomfoc in gratitude,"The vibrations here seem to be strongly negative. Without a strongpositive guide to help me and the others along, we just sort of flowalong and pray for the best. When I do get out, I am going todiscipline myself more rigorously and work towards self-awareness. Itseems to me that Sri Sai Baba is laughing at the cosmic joke we areall seriously living, and He is patiently waiting to guide us. I amreally hoping and praying that, very soon, I shall be able to meetBaba and learn of life at His blessed Feet! I am convinced, He willtake me through the hazy veils of worldly thoughts, to the pure lightof Samadhi and Brahma-Consciousness. I am spending hours, looking atSai Baba's picture, so that I may be released from the realimprisonment I suffer, at the hands of worldly thoughts, desires andsenses."
Baba is announcing His Adventthrough signs and wonders all over the world. When Penn was high upin the sky encountering inexplicable problems in the petrol tank ofhis plane, Baba appeared by his side in the cockpit and directed himto the defect spot with instructions for the repair! When terribleforest fires broke out in the Chunchuma Ranch, Tecate (Mexico) whereIndra Devi has her Yoga Institute and a place of retreat called 'SaiNilayam,' Baba responded to her prayer and turned the flamingconflagration back, right on itself, in a trice and saved the men andproperty! The Cowans were disappointed because they could not get,while in India, a copy of a particular photograph of His. It had onit the impression of the symbolic clock at Dharmakshetra, the 'hands'moving from one spiritual discipline to another until "12" isindicated by "Total Surrender" at the Lotus Feet. When a photographercasually clicked, he got the picture of Baba, with the picture ofthis clock, as if He wore a badge. When asked the meaning of theappearance of this impression, Baba said, it meant that "I shallpress on My Heart in Love the Sadhaka who accomplishes the stepsindicated on this clock!" Moved by their genuine disappointment, Babaplaced one under the clock in their room at Santa Ana California,behind the chest of drawers. As the Cowans didn't notice it, theclock in their room banged itself on the wall to draw their attentionto His gift, lying below it unclaimed: They prayed that Vibhuti mightappear from His picture in their shrine; instead a Star Sapphire witheight rays formed itself on the picture, looking as if Baba waswearing a necklace with the gem at His throat center! To Indra Devi,He created a rosary of pearls, with the assurance that she can heal,in extreme cases, the sickness of sufferers by prayers, with itshelp. He has given her also a jar of Vibhuti which could be given asa curative for sick people and the jar has been blessed by Him sothat it will never be rendered empty. And thus, the cures, thehealings, the cleansing of hearts, the refining of character, theamelioration of habits, the rescue from drug-addiction, the winningof internal peace through the discipline of Japa and Dhyana, andother Acts of Divine Grace go on, minute after minute, from theminute to the manifold; for Baba is determined to lift up allSadhakas, into the Supreme Bliss.
I shall conclude this arrayof outpourings of the heart, with the first fruits of that teachingand guidance as garnered by Jerry, one of the many sharers of HisGrace: "I have been with Sai Baba for one year now. During this time,I have seen many with little faith, much disease and discomfort, cometo Him. By the time they leave, they have more faith, ease andcomfort and peace of mind. For me, Baba has worked His miracles. As Istay longer and longer, I face, as in a mirror, all my Samskars. Theystrike me as intangible and unreal. The mental impressions fade intopowerlessness, first the more recent ones, and then gradually thosethat stretch back to early childhood. Then as they tend to finish,there are increasingly long periods of entering into the EternalBliss of living in the Present! Baba burns the ego, with itsinnumerable potencies for mischief. Being in the Presence, thepresent is experienced by me as living in the Bliss of Love, when themind is at complete rest, free from all thoughts of the past andfuture. The only impressions coming across the screen of the mind arethe overtones of God, or the outpourings of Love and Peace to all.With some efforts, we can still the mind and empty our cups, so thatBaba may pour into them the nectar of His Grace!"
The Bhajan continued constantly duringMahasivarathri, the Divine Night. The next morning Baba spoke on thesignificance of the vigil of the fast, and on the value andauspiciousness of Bhajan. Then, He Himself distributed theconsecrated food with which the fast is to be broken. The morningmarks the close of the celebrations. But the crowd of over 25.000persons does not depart so soon, as they wait for the chance to touchthe Lotus Feet and to get a share of the Holy Ash, which had beenmiraculously created for Abhisheka (surprise gift) on theSacred Day.
So, Baba goes through the meandering lines ofsquatting men and women, slowly and smilingly, giving each one apacket or two of the curative ash! He autographs a portrait of Hishere and there when some ardent seeker stands up to get that sign ofGrace; He touches at the big packets of Vibhuti which devoteesdesire to take home, charged with curative potency by that contact;He pronounces the welcome word, 'Santhosham' or 'Accha' or 'VeryHappy', so that they could move away, satisfied that they have hadDarsan, Sparsan and Sambhashana (seeing Him, touching Him andlistening to His Voice).
Many have traveled in crowded trains, fromlong distances into a State which speaks a different language, andundergone huge expenses, and gone through physical strain. But these,as well as the sun and the cold, the open sheds and the tree shadeswhere they had to spend the days at Puttaparthi, were forgotten of oreven welcomed, when Baba looked at them or smiled at them or pattedthem or gave them the precious lump of food or the coveted pinch ofVibhuti.
Others stay on, hoping that Baba will callthem for a private talk! They spend the whole day, sitting in frontof the Nilayam, in lines facing each other, for the off-chance thatBaba might come any moment and call them in for a privateinterview.
Baba is considerate. He spends more hoursthan usual in a task of ministration. He selects at first thepatently ill - the paralytics, the polio-affected, the arthritispatients who sit on chairs, the wheelchair occupants, those withcrutches, artificial limbs, plasters and bandages, and thosesuffering from chronic illness. He also selects the old, the blind,the defective and the feeble minded. This takes at least two or threedays, and so, one evening, Baba usually announces that those who haveurgent work in their own places either in offices or factories orcommercial establishments or farms need not wait for His formalpermission to go, but can take the announcement itself as permissionwith blessings. Since He is traveling home with each of them andremaining with each of them and working with each of them in farm orfactory, they need not feel that they are going away or that Baba isnot by their side.
This announcement persuades a large number toleave; but many wait on! "They are all my people; My Kith and Kin,come for Me," Baba acknowledges. From early dawn till deep intonight, Baba is busy for more than ten or twelve days, curing,consoling and counseling, either individually or as families or ingroups from each town or state, so that the gathering gradually meltsand leaves in high spirits, light, full of courage and joy, with aconfident gait and a firmer step.
The number of visitors gets lessened in abouta week, and after bestowing His blessings upon them all, Baba leavesfor Brindavan, Whitefield, 12 miles away from Bangalore.
The summer months of March and April Hespends there, so that devotees may not suffer the piercing sun atPuttaparthi. Brindavan is a cool comforting garden, with an imposingbungalow situated at one end, within an inner gate. Devotees gatherhere too, and engage themselves in Bhajan under a vast shady tree.Baba comes out of the bungalow - a beam of charming sunshine -whenever He realizes that people have been waiting too long, andslowly moves among the lines of adoring, anxious, avid aspirants forGrace. He sheds benediction and joy on all. From dawn to dusk, heretoo, Baba gives His time and energy to those who seek health,happiness, and wholesome spiritual guidance from Him.
Dharmakshetra was established in Bombay, onMay 12th, 1968 [see also: Attention world at prayer]. It isthe center where Sanathana Dharma, as well as its offshoots andprogeny, Buddha-Dharma,Jaina-Dharma,Islam-Dharma,Zoroaster-Dharmaand Christ-Dharmaare respected, and their followers find friendship and fellow-feelingamongst each other. It has also proved to be a source of joy to thedevotees in Bombay as Baba visits Bombay during the second week ofMay every year, when the City celebrates its epochal event,conferring the boon of further spiritual advice.
Baba arrived in Bombay on the 8th May, anduntil the 12th, He was the cynosure of all eyes, the Figure on whomall affixed their minds, the subject of conversation in thousands ofhomes. The Bhajan Sessions at Dharmakshetra were thrillingexperiences for tens of thousands of eager participants, both in themorning and evening hours. Baba met sizeable groups of teachers andprincipals one evening, Rotarians and Lions another day, and Sadhakasanother evening.
To the Sadhakas, He spoke of such matters ashow to hold and roll the rosary, the significance of the number 108,the chanting of Soham as a continuous psychic discipline, and theverity inherent in variety. To the Rotarians, He spokeof the utter ridiculousness of imitating the culture of America, amalady that is fast spreading its maleficence in India, rich in herown invaluable traditions. "Somepeople hear through American ears, see through American eyes, andthink through the American brains that they have transplanted intothemselves," Hesaid. History, climate, vegetation,language, neighbouring cultures, alien influences and foes - allshape and mould the cultural trends of a people. Indiscriminateadoration and imitation tend to destroy individual and social peace,He warned. To the teachers, He spoke of the spacious mansion ofreligion erected by the sages to provide peace, prosperity andcontentment. He exhorted them to study the basic principles ofreligion and apply them in their own lives. "Ateacher must be an example of happiness and joy chiseled byattachment to God and detachment from worldly greed. Then alone canhe be a person worthy of his job," Hesaid.
Dharmakshetra is a Jnanavahini ('stream ofspiritual wisdom'; for further reading, see Jnana Vahini), inbrick and mortar! The entrance door of the Sathyadeep, the PrayerHall, has embossed on it in polished brass, the symbols sacred toevery religion: the Pranava(OHM), the Cross,the Crescent andStar, the Conch,the Wheel,the Flame,the mystic letter Sriand the Chalice.It proclaims, "Everyreligion is a lamp that illuminates the path of truth; every religiontraverses the region (Kshetra) of Dharma(Righteousness);" that is the messagewith which man is greeted here. As you enter, there shines facingyou, the lamp, in answer to man's eternal prayer: Thamasomaa Jyothirgamaya: From darkness, lead me untoLight. And on both sides of the lamp,held aloft by the hands of devotion drawn as a fresco on the wall, wehave symbols of the Five elements, the components of the Universe,the primordial substance of Brahman.
* Prithvi,Earth, cognizable through all fivesenses, having smell, taste, form, touch, and sound;
* Ap,Water,cognizable through four senses, having no inherent smell;
* Tejas,Fire,cognizable through three senses, having no taste;
* Vayu,Atmosphere,cognizable through two senses, having no form; and
*Akash, Etheror Sky,cognizable only through one sense, having onlysound.
On the other side, we have symbols ofSathya,Dharma,Santhi,Premaand Ahimsa,resp. the Jnana-mudra,the OilLamp, the Lotus,the Moonand the Palms foldedin Prayer. In the Prayer Hall, halfway up the ridge, Baba has got painted the ÂtmâRamâyana [for further reading on the Ramâyana, seethe Ramakatha Rasavahini] and the ÂtmâMahâbhâratha, reinterpreting the great epics into lessonson the fundamental steps in the Sadhana forself-realization.
His discourse, therefore, on the Anniversaryof the Inauguration Day was on the message that the Building trumpetsforth: "The human bodyis the Kshetra: it has to be transmuted into the Dharmakshetra! Whenthe owner of the body discards desire, passion, injurious impulse,and pernicious propulsions, then the body isDharmakshetra."
On the 15th, Baba flew to Ahmedabad, thebiggest city in the Gujarat State; the chief justice of the HighCourt, Gujarat State, had arranged a reception, at which thegovernor, the chief minister and other ministers had come; they got achance to know Baba's universal outlook, and His emphasis on thefundamental unity of all faiths. In the evening Baba addressed amammoth gathering for over an hour.
"Yoga and Thyaga are two chief instruments of spiritual progress. By Thyaga (detachment) you escape from pathetic entanglement with the objective world; by Yoga (self-control) you attach yourself to the Divine Principle that is immanent in the universe, in truth, beauty and goodness wherever found," He said."I bless you that you succeed in the Sadhana in which you are engaged; if you are not practicing any now, I advise you to take up the simple preliminary step of Namasmarana, reciting or singing the Name. Also, reverence towards parents, teachers, elders and service to the poor, the sick, the deserted, the distressed, the defectives. See in every one, God, in that disguise, come, to accept the offering of Love you place at their Feet," Baba declared.
Gujarat, already resounding with thesweetness and purity of Sai Bhajan in every village and town,received a great big spurt by this visit.
On the 14th of June, during a meeting at theresidence of the Minister for Agriculture, Sri P.K. Sawant, when themembers of the Maharashtra Branch of the Prasanthi Vidwanmahasabhahad gathered to solve from Baba many dilemmas encountered duringSadhana and study, the Editor of 'Nava Kaal', a Gujarati newspaper,was also present. His paper was then running a series of articles on'Miracles' and he desired to ask Baba about them and publish Hisanswers. Baba graciously permitted him even encouraged him by Hisreplies. "I know thebackground of your questions," Hesaid, with a smile, in order to put him at ease.
We must be thankful to the Editor, as well asto Sri P.K. Sawant, Sri T.S. Bharde, speaker of the MaharashtraLegislative Assembly, and others at that meeting who prodded Babathrough appropriate questions, so that we have from Baba an authenticanalysis of the meaning and significance of these 'miracles.' Manyamateur Sadhakas and half-baked monks declare that miracles aresacrileges on God and they provoke divine anger and invoke divinepunishment. One such person, when asked specifically about the'miracles' of Baba replied in writing, "I do abhor the performance ofmiracles, be it Christ, Krishna or Sai Baba." "This opinion is sharedby all the sensitive beings," he wrote, implying that those who donot share his abhorrence, like Suka, for example, are not 'great'Rishis. He continues his purblind pronouncement: "An integrated humanbeing has a lot of power over the cosmic happenings, but, tointerfere with the law of the divine is a sin."
Dr. S. Bhagavantham, D.Sc., F.N.I.,Scientific Adviser to the Ministry of Defence, spoke of this'interference with the law', at a meeting in Madras, in April, 1967.He said, "Professor Gokak read a poem before you at yesterday'ssession wherein he described Baba and His activities: He 'comes likea storm,' He 'pours kindness like a shower of rain.' [See:'Facets of Truth' and 'Cities Aflame' to read more about Gokak]All that was very nice; I liked them. But, towards the end, hetrespassed upon my field. He said, 'Baba defies the laws of physicsand chemistry.'
"Having learnt physics and chemistry for manyyears during my youth and having practiced physics and chemistry formany years later and taught them and learnt them while teaching, fora number of decades, I cannot understand any individual like you andme, or even like the best of men on this planet defying the laws ofphysics and chemistry and getting away with it!"
Perhaps, it is this line of argument thatmade the person who 'abhorred miracles,' to write further, "There arehistorical moments when we have to interfere with the divine law, andfor this, according to the law of the cosmos, the individualsuffers." 'You cannot get away with it,' as Dr. Bhagavanthamsaid!
The man who abhors miracles is a popularexponent of Krishna's teachings. But, that does not hinder him fromwriting. "Krishna died of an arrow wound and Christ died in greatagony on the Cross." So, the author seems to say, "Sathya Sai Baba!Beware!"
Let us now listen to what Dr. Bhagavanthamhas to say. Does he accuse Baba of 'interfering' and warn Him of'dire punishment,' as the arrow killed Krishna in vengeance for theGovardhangiri miracle and the Cross, for the loaves and fish, or thecures and visions? No. He is wiser than the monk.
Dr. Bhagavantham says, "Baba went on breakingone law after another! I have asked His permission to tell you one ortwo of these happenings, for they are essential to establish my bonafides. I was an eye witness to a surgical operation which Heperformed. When it was over, He turned to my son who was present, andasked, "Have you got a length of bandage?" as if He who produced fromnowhere the knife and the needle could not produce the bandage cloth!My son replied, "Yes! Father is the head of this Institute ofScience; there is a dispensary here; I can telephone to the doctor,and get a bandage strip in two minutes." Bhagavan replied, "Oh! Twominutes is too long! Don't worry." Then, He waved His hand, and thebandage was ready for use!
With due respect to the expertise ofProfessor Gokak in the use of the English language, I would havepreferred him to say, instead of 'He defies the laws of physics andchemistry,' 'He transcends the laws of physics and chemistry'. Now,arguing further, with my training in the laboratory, and in logic, Icannot accept that He is like you and me and yet, He is transcendingthe laws of physics and chemistry. No, how can it be? The fact is, Heis a Phenomenon... He is Transcendental... He is Divine."
"This is a well-known feature of science.Science develops from stage to stage. Skeletons of discarded theoriesmark the road along which science progresses. A law is enunciated toexplain known phenomena; when something comes up, inexplicable byknown laws, the scientist takes that experience too; and that becomesanother law. Since what I have seen of Baba, and what I am seeing,and what I no doubt will see, does not come under the known laws ofscience, I simply enunciate the law, "Bhagavan transcends the laws ofscience," and this becomes another law of science."
Baba Himself has referred in some of Hisdiscourses to the alleged 'sin' of breaking the laws of science.Addressing the All-India Conference of the office bearers of theunits of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization, Babasaid,
"Some elders try to confuse you. Krishna showed many wonders, with an amazing disregard of the laws of nature and so, according to them, He had to meet death from the arrow of a hunter! Jesus, they say suffered crucifixion, for, He too manifested many miracles! Their argument is that, since I am defying the laws of nature, I too will suffer likewise! They hope to create panic and spread alarm. But, these are the prattlings of weakness, ignorance and envy. They cannot understand this Glory, nor do they desire to tolerate it!"
On Christmas Day, 1970, He declared atBombay,
"There are many who cannot bear to tolerate the splendour that emanates from Me, the Divinity expressed in and through every act of Mine. These people label them as acts of mesmerism, miracles or feats of magic! Their vocabulary is small. Their experience is limited. They hope by these words to cast a slur. Let Me tell you this: "Mine is no mesmerism, miracle or magic! Mine is genuine divine power. Small minds and limited intellects cannot comprehend them. They have no strength or stamina to grasp the magnificence and the majesty. God can do anything. He has all power in the palm of His hand. My body, like all other bodies, is a temporary habitation but My power is eternal, all-pervasive, ever-dominant."
Sri Bharde who was in the group present whenthe Editor of 'Nava Kaal' interviewed Baba on this subject ofmiracles, had himself written a few weeks earlier in the same paper,"I have not so far seen any person who does miracles as naturally, asspontaneously as Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He stood before the idol ofRukmini at the famous shrine of Pandharpur, and waved His Handsaying, "The most important jewel is not found on the idol!" as Hesaid so, a necklace of gold, the auspicious jewel, appearedconcretized! That jewel which He then placed round the neck of theidol is still there!
Sri Bharde asked Baba that day,"Is your power to createthings, inexhaustible?" Baba answered,"It is limitless. Itis as the ocean, inexhaustible. Every one wherever he is, whoever itbe, can take from it whatever he needs, to his heart'scontent." At this, Hon'ble P.K.Sawant was emboldened to put in a query. "Ifit is inexhaustible, and limitless, why is it not used to cure thepoverty and misery of mankind?"
At this, Baba laughed outright, records the'Nava Kaal': "Youequate poverty and misery with the non-possession of things!Sovereigns can command all things that confer happiness and joy; but,are they content? Are they having mental peace? My task is to confermental equanimity. I do not give things to people in order to makethem richer: I give, in order to foster devotion and faith inthem."
Yes! A very rich business man told me, whileshowing a diamond ring created by Baba and placed by Him on his ringfinger, (it fits exactly) "Mr. Kasturi whenever my eyes fall uponthis ring and this big-sized diamond, I am reminded of the pregnantwords with which Baba put it on my finger"."This is not a diamond; this is an Upadesh, a constant warning foryou: Die Mind! Let the mind with all its likes and dislikesdisappear, leaving you in peace."
Baba told Sawant, "Asick person comes to Me. I give him something I create, Vibhuthi orsome other article. He becomes conscious of divine power. He acquiresmental peace, that cures, that comforts, that consummates his wish.It is not that I give these things only to those devoted to Me; Igive, whenever it is necessary to turn the afflicted towardsGod."
The Editor asked, "Whatis the power which works these miracles?"Baba answered, "It iswrong to call them miracles or Chamatkars or to say that Chamatkarsare done in order to earn Namaskars! It is only Nidarsan (evidence)not Pradarsan (exhibition). It is just like a play, sport - Mynatural behaviour. It is a sign which helps to turn into faith,devotion, inquiry and realization of their own Atma. As the intentionor the will arises in the mind, the thing is made! It is ready when Iwant it. The moment it is willed, the thing comes to hand or happenswhere I will it to happen."
The Editor asked, "Itis said that by miracles, things that are already somewhere aretransported. Are they transported or created?"
This is a question that many have longed toask. Dr. K.M. Munshi, the founder of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, afamous lawyer, statesman, and writer says, "Baba happened toperceive that my right hand was slightly trembling, as it always didon account of Parkinsonism. He rose from His seat, held my fingers,covered them with his own fingers, and rubbed them with sacred ashes,which came out of His hand. Then, He waved His hand with a sweepinggesture and materialized a ring, which He slipped on to the littlefinger of my right hand. I immediately perceived that the stiffnessof the fingers had considerably disappeared; so had the slighttrembling in the right arm and leg! When we bade Him goodbye, Heagain created sacred ashes and rubbed them over the right hand.Bringing a ring by apport did not surprise me; however, the sacredash applied and produced by Baba must have weighed a pound a day, andcould not have been stored somewhere else. If so, it is not apport,but something more."
Dr. Munshi did not know that theVibhuti created is more than a pound a day on busy days whengrace flows profusely; it is also of many grades of smoothness, ofmany colours from white to dark brown, of many tastes, sucrose tobitter, and of many smells from rose to camphor and iodine! Youcannot have all these varieties stored in such quantity, somewhere,and produced when willed!
And, what exactly is apport? It is a wordthat only means, 'mysterious'. By using it, one can feel content thatthe miracle has been explained and understood! Howard Murphet, in hisbook, "Sai Baba, the Man of Miracles," writes, "The theorybehind apports is that the object which is already in existencesomewhere is dematerialized and brought in that state by psychicforce to the place where it is rematerialized!" Very facile, indeed!As if that explanation is clear and convincing enough!
I believe it is easier to produce a thingab initio, rather than go to the botheration ofdematerializing, transporting through long distance by psychic forceexercised upon the dematerialized substance and again, rematerializeit! All in a trice, quicker than the speed of light!
Therefore, Baba answered the question of theEditor thus:
"They are all created newly. Transporting means, they should come from somewhere else, isn't it? That would be deceit. Things are created at the very moment I will them. I give also things that are found nowhere. This Power it is impossible to comprehend."
I know many occasions when He created suchnew materials, like Sri Ramakrishna's portrait with Baba's ownpicture at the four corners and in the center; the miniature portraitof the Guru of the father and grandfather of Dr. Gokak, a Pantji ofNorth Karnatak, created for him as soon as Baba saw his photograph inthe shrine room of Dr. Gokak.
The Editor asked further questions too."From when have you begunto give these signs of divine power?" Theanswer was, "Fromchildhood." "At school, I used to create chocolates, marbles, andother articles for the children around me."To make things clear, the Editor ventured to ask, "Atwhat age did you acquire this divine Power?"Baba said, "From Myvery Birth," And, after a pause, Headded with emphasis, "Frombefore that," for, was He not atShirdi as Sai Baba in the years before He incarnated in theRaju family at Puttaparthi? And was He not Krishna long beforethat?
Naturally, the Editor was struck with wonder.He exclaimed, "That is tosay...?" And Babacontinued:
"That is to say, I resolved upon My Birth. I decided who should be My Mother. Mere humans can choose only who is to be wife or husband: the Mother was chosen by the Son in the Rama incarnation and in the Krishna incarnation. Then too, the task for which the birth was decided upon was, conferring Prema (Love) on all, and through that Prema, foster righteous living.""My acts are evidences of Divine Sakthi, signs and signals of Divinity. I am granting things out of Prema. My Prema will never diminish. I have no desire of any kind. I talk of Love, I guide you along the Path of Love, I am Love."
Returning to Bangalore and Brindavan(Whitefield), Baba was busy with the Arts and Science Collegeaffiliated to the Bangalore University. The College was inauguratedon the 9th day of June, 1969. On the 18th, a gathering of poets metat Brindavan from all parts of Mysore, men who had attained renown asinspirers and interpreters of the Kannada-speaking region. Dr. D.R.Bendre, a fiery mystic emitting more light than heat, echoing inverse the tears and tragedies that soften the hearts of man, wasthere. He translated White-field as Panduranga, Pandu meaning Whiteand Ranga meaning Field! That line sent a thrill among the thousandswho heard him. Dr. V.K. Gokak who stands in the front rank of Kannadapoets, and is a great name in English poetry too, was persuaded toread his poems. There were Dr. R.S. Mugali, a doyen of classicalstudies and romantic poetry; Professor G. P. Rajarathnam, an ardentstudent of Buddhism and Jainism, a popular poet delineating thefeelings and aspirations of the common man; Professor R.G. Kulkarni,saturated with Aurobindo's Integral Yoga, Dr. G.S. Sivarudrappa,mystic and Sadhak, following the footsteps of the medieval saints ofKarnatak but, nevertheless in touch with the heartbeats ofTagore and Gandhiji and Sri K.L. Sivappa, a warbler ofthe woods, free and bold, sweet and strong.
When they had finished reading their poems,Baba sang a beautiful poem composed by Him on the ThandavaDance of Siva. It had all the rhythm, power and cosmicsublimity that words can limn, about that sempiternal Lila whichswings worlds in space. Baba is the 'Kavimkaveenaam,' the Poetof Poets, an appellation ascribed to God in theVedas.
In the last week of June, Baba visitedMadras. Devotees in their thousands flocked wherever He went anddrank in the nectar of His discourses. Baba in His teens hadmysteriously appeared at the bedside of a certain Loganatha Mudaliarin Madras and cured him of a brain malady brought about by blackmagic. "You are God," he said, holding on to the Feet of Baba.He decided to build a temple for Baba on his land at Guindy, a suburbof Madras, but, he had a dream wherein he was instructed to install,instead, the idol of Shirdi Sai Baba, the previous Body ofBaba, therein. Baba too wrote to him, confirming the dream. So, thetemple was built and in 1948 Baba Himself installed the idol! HowardMurphet, who visited the temple and saw the idol in 1968, writes,"Like Michelangelo's marble Moses in a little church in Rome, it gaveme personally the immediate impression that It was alive."
On the day of installation, the Mudaliars hadthe unique privilege and pleasure of washing the Feet of Baba andplacing flowers upon them. They prayed that they may be given animpression of the soles on a piece of silk, that they had brought forthe purpose. Baba agreed and they applied sandal paste mixed withturmeric powder on the soles, and asked that he stand upon the silkcloth. Baba said, "Why My Feet? This day, I have installed here theOld Baba. I shall give you the Feet of the Old Baba Himself!"... and,then He stood on the silk cloth. When He stepped aside, theimpression left was not of the slender, soft, rather teenage Feet ofBaba, but, the long heavy ponderous Feet that walked the lanes ofShirdi, 32 years ago!
Baba visited that temple, and addressed alarge gathering of people there. "This is a temple," He said, "whereI have installed twenty one years ago, the idol of My Shirdi Form.The word Vishnu is used for God, since it means , 'present everywhereat all times'. When people are told about an Idol of God, who isVishnu, they laugh and condemn it as a foolish superstition. But,when it is desired to drink the ambrosia that is God, don't yourequire a spoon, a cup, or glass? The idol is a contrivance by whichyou can consume the Bliss. The cup can be of any shape or size ordesign; it is just a container of the Joy "Raso vai sah" -God is Ambrosia. He is sweet, sustaining, strength-giving. Youcan imbibe Him through a cup designed as Nataraja, orDurga, or Krishna, or Ganesa, or Linga,or Christ or Sai Baba. Many of you yearn for a cupshaped like this idol, designed as Sai Baba; so, I allowed you tohave this idol, here. This is the Sai Form, which sat and taught atDwarakamayi Mosque at Shirdi."
On the Guru Purnima, 29th July, Baba sent amessage to the Samithis all over India and to devotees overseas whereHe quoted the prayer of Prahlâda as an example to beadopted. "Grant me, OLord, the adoration of Thy Lotus Feet, the comradeship of those whoadore Thy Lotus Feet, and give me Compassion, deep, vast, unlimitedtowards all beings in all the world." [For further readingabout Prahlâda: Srîmad Bhâgavatam, Canto 7, Chapter9]
"Start the day with Love, live the day with Love, fill the day with Love, spend the day with Love, end the day with Love, this is the way to God," He wrote.
During the discourse that He gave thatevening at the Prasanthi Nilayam, He warned againstinstitutionalizing religion, and compartmentalizing society.'It is good to be bornin a church, but it is not good to die in it,'He declared. "One musttravel beyond the limits set by mind and reason and reach theboundless expanse of the Absolute and the EternalAtma," He advises.
The birthday of Sri Krishna wascelebrated in the presence of 'Sai' Krishna, at the PrasanthiNilayam. Baba has incarnated in order to revitalize Dharma,and this is done through a variety of means and methods. As a matterof fact, every minute of Baba is being spent in correcting somemisconception or other that has led man astray or curing some opticaldefect which dulls or diverts the vision of man away from theTruth.
Krishna is the most misunderstood ofthe Avatars of God, thanks to the innate lasciviousness ofordinary man and the acrobatics of erotic poets, who have disregardedeven patent facts in order to paint the luridness they coveted. Babatakes hold of every chance to inject sense into pundit, poet andsadhak, so that the mind of modern man may become as pure and assaturated in the Divine, as the simple cowherd maids of Gokul,"Krishna is inyou" He said, "Heis 'Sarvabhutha Anthar Atma', the Inner Core of all beings. IfHe is not in you, how can you exist as anentity?" Baba asked.
"He is in you as power, strength, love, happiness, enthusiasm, passion and compassion. Go into the deeper esoteric meaning of all the parables and metaphors. Brindavan is the jungle of Life; individual beings are the 'go', the cattle He tended, Go-kula is the herd of Jivis, Krishna is the Divine Principle that shines in every being, craving for the purity that is churned in the full of good thoughts and feelings. He guides and goads, He blesses and showers benedictions."
The Vedas describe the Divine as the streakof lightning, flashing through the thick blue clouds! In Telugustreak is known as 'Geetha'. That Githa activates, illumines,and spreads splendour and wisdom. Since Baba has declared often thatHe is the indweller in all, listeners saw before them the KrishnaPrinciple Itself embodied in the Sai Form, and bearing the Sai Name.It was an exhilarating realization.
Hilda Charlton of New York expresses it asfollows:
From out Thy lips doth blow the mighty winds
That sway the trees in dancing rhythms
And yet again Thou art the very trees
Whose swaying boughs whisper the ancient Om.Thou art the beginning and the end of all
And, even before the beginning, Thou wert
Thou art the ever-ending ever-beginning life
Thou art the Light, the Love
And, I am Thine Own, Thyself!
Lucky are the seekers of love and light, whoget the privilege of seeing Baba, the perfect embodiment of being,awareness, bliss, Atma; witnessing His divinity, hearing Histeachings of universal love and on pursuit of absolute truth. Luckierstill amongst them are those who implement His advice and ever remainin the consciousness of the divinity pervading the entiremanifestation. They consider His advent as a chance for their ownadventure into heaven. They celebrate His Birthday as their own.Charles Penn exclaimed, "Our Lord's Birthday! 1965 was the year of mybirth, for I came to know Baba that year. Now I am only three yearsof age," he wrote in 1968.
The 43rd Birthday (1969) was celebrated allover by groups of devotees in rejoicing and in thankfulness, with avariety of programmes dear to Baba. In Kakinada they had Bhajans for42 days prior to the auspicious day. In other places, thecelebrations included Bhajans in hospitals, jails, homes for disabledand defectives, mass feeding and giving of clothes, plays andentertainment items for children, discourses, musical recitals,special worship, processions, Gîtâ recitation contestsand a number of other spiritual items. Vedic schools, Sanskritclasses, Telugu lessons, libraries, service homes, eye treatmentcamps, Seva Dals, and study circles were inaugurated that day. Babablessed them in their own places, by various signs of His Presenceand sometimes, by appearing in His Own Form for all tosee!
At Prasanthi Nilayam, the Conference of theOffice Bearers of the Sathya Sai Organization of Andhra Pradesh meton 21st and 22nd November, and so, the atmosphere was full ofconsecrated faith.
"Every one," He told the delegates, "has three sources of power: as an individual, as a shrine where God is installed, and as the Atma which is God Himself. Hanuman once told his Master, Rama, 'When I feel I am this body you are my Lord; when I feel I am a Jiva among many, impelled by the Grace of God, I am the reflection and You are the Original; when I know I am the Atma, I am You and You are I.' God walks along the road of truth; Man, His shadow, if he holds on to His Feet, can safely traverse fire and water, dirt, hollow and hill, and reach Truth."
He told them that the Organization wasintended as an arena where they learn the value of cleansing themind.
"Whether it is meditation that you are encouraging, Bhajan you are organizing, a discourse you are announcing or clothes you are offering, or worship that you are conducting, the object to the achieved is cleansing the mind of the tarnish of egoism, greed, hatred, malice, lust and envy. In place of all these, fill the mind with Love. That is the sign of the Sai Devotee."
During the discourse that Baba gave, prior tohoisting the flag on His birthday, Baba spoke about devotees whodevelop and demonstrate fanaticism when speaking about Him or adoringHim.
"I have no wish to draw people towards Me, away from the worship of My other Names and Forms. Perhaps you guess from what you call the 'Miracles,' that I am attracting and trying to attach you to Me and Me alone. They are not designed to demonstrate or publicize; they are spontaneous and confirmatory proofs of the Divine, which can change the sky to earth and earth to sky. I am yours whether you like Me or not; you are Mine, even if you hate Me and keep away from Me. Therefore, what need is there for impressing and attracting, exhibiting My Love or compassion to win your adoration? I am in You, You are in Me. There is no distance or distinction." He declared, "you have come to your own home. This is your home, not Mine! My home is your heart!"
The Birthday Celebrations, which beganvirtually with the Conference on the 21st, continued until the27th.
Dr. Vinayak Krishna Gokaksaid, "Ifwe want to see truth with a capital T, where can we see it andrealize it, except in Him? If we want to experience and realizebeauty with a capital B, where else can we have it except in Him andthrough Him? He is goodness incarnate, showering succor on humanityand healing it in distress. He is Love incarnate, Love that fostersand protects even those who have not visualized His Divinity andPower! He has come to transform the rampant disorder of the Presentinto a New World Order. For our guidance and benefaction, He has puton the robes of mortality. He bears on His Atlantean shoulders theburden of Humanity."
A dramatic instance of the succor and healingthat Baba showers was noticed by over 20.000 people on the 23rd, atthe huge Auditorium, during the morning session.
Baba was taken in procession from the Nilayamto the Auditorium by devotees; there were students of the VedicSchool reciting the invocatory hymns; there were Bhajan parties;there was the beautifully caparisoned elephant, Sai Gita,intelligent, sensitive and even, one can venture to say, 'devoted'.Above all, there was the Mother of Baba, revered Easwaramma,by His side, for this was a Day to commemorate the Day of HisIncarnation.
At the Auditorium, on the dais, Baba seatedHimself on the silver chair, amidst the acclamation of the immensegathering. Then, Baba graciously allowed some devotees to place a fewdrops of consecrated oil on His Head: they touched His Feet andplaced flowers on them. The mother who has won the gratitude of theworld for ages, placed the oil, first. Then, a few others followed:Begum Tahira Sayeed, a Persian and Urdu poetess; M.S. Dixit, arevered old devotee who had served Baba even in His previous body,while He was at Shirdi; the Rajmata of Jamnagar; the Rajmata ofSirohi, Dr. Gokak and Indra Devi.
While Indra Devi was placing a few drops ofoil on His Hair with a flower dipped in the cup I was holding, Babasaw a certain Mrs. Anderson who had come from the United States. Shewas a chronic invalid, unable to walk or use her lower limbs, beinghelped around by her husband in a wheeled chair. As soon as she cameto Prasanthi Nilayam, she was admitted to the Hospital so that shecould be nursed there by professional hands. Baba presented her, andall other ladies from beyond the seas, saris on the 22nd, so thatthey could wear them on His Birthday; He deputed some ladies to helpthis one to wrap it around her. On the 23rd, she was brought downfrom the Hospital hill and allowed to watch the function from the farend of the dais, where she sat on her inevitable wheel chair, whichhad become more or less a part of her anatomy!
Baba turned to me and said, "That lady in thewheelchair will be happy if you take the cup to her, and get a flowerdipped by her in the oil, which can later be placed on My Head." Iwas thrilled by His compassion but, there was more tofollow.
Before I could turn to the left and proceedtowards her (the distance from the silver chair of Baba to herwheelchair was over 40 feet), Baba stopped me and said, "Wait! Ishall Myself go to her!" People were astonished when they saw Babadescend from the chair and proceed towards the invalid lady, with meholding the oil cup. Baba bent His Head before her, so that she couldplace a few drops of oil on His halo of glorious hair! The gatheringwas overwhelmed with grateful joy, when they saw this spontaneousflood of Divine Mercy, and the happy glow of ecstasy on the pale faceof a foreign invalid! She applied the flower three times. The thirdtime Baba held her hand, saying, "Stand Up" ... and shestood!
The gathering was amazed with delight! "Comewith me!" Baba said. And she walked the forty feet, towards thesilver chair, keeping pace with Baba! I was so overcome with joy thatI ran towards the mike and announced to the entranced gathering thatMrs. Anderson, who had not walked for years, was cured of herillness, and that she has risen from her wheeled chair at the biddingof Baba and got her limbs back in perfect condition. Every one wasthrilled by this miracle of healing. "Normal feet" was the BirthdayGift she received from Baba.
Speaking on His Birthday, Baba said thatchildren are born for five ordinary unnoticed reasons. There areNyasaputhras, born in order to realize the value of somedeposit that they had made with you in the previous life which youhad misappropriated and misused. There are Runaputhras, thoseborn in order to recover undischarged loans given by them to the manwho has now come as the father. There are Suputhras, thoseborn as a consequence of the blessings of God, and there areUpekhaputhras; these are the Avatars, with no sense ofattachment towards the parents, kith or kin, with no sense ofobligation of them, with love and compassion for all. This was arevelation of Baba's attitude towards the parents, which has puzzledmany, as different from the attitude of even Rama andKrishna.
On December 4th, Baba left PrasanthiNilayam for Bangalore where He spent about a month, with devoteesfrom America and other places, helping them in their spiritualexercises. He was in contact personally with the arrangements to opena Boys' College in the premises of Brindavan, where Hestayed.
On Christmas Day, He blessed the Christiandevotees with gifts and on Vaikunta Ekadasi which came five dayslater; He created Amrita(Ambrosia) which He Himself distributed to about 4.000 people who hadgathered for Bhajan. On New Year Day, he gave a discourse on "TheSpiritual Resolutions" one must make for the New Year, and thepractices and attitudes one has to ring out with the old! January 13saw Him back at Prasanthi Nilayam, for Makara Sankranthi, the day ofthe tropic of Capricorn, when the divine half of the year begins,with the northward movement of the sun in the northern hemisphere.Baba said
"The Sun journeys north from today. But, be concerned more with your own journey from birth to death and then again to birth from death, until you set yourselves free working out your sentence, through good behaviour."
On the 16th January, '69, Baba was atRajahmundry, on the Godavari River, a river dear to Him since Shirdidays, on the first lap of a whirlwind tour of the coastal districtsof Andhra Pradesh. The Godavari flows near Shirdi; and it hassaturated itself with the glory of the Previous Body of Baba andlearnt to love the Name. Every one who went to be blessed by Babawhile in His previous abode at Dwarakamayi in Shirdi used totake a bath in the Godavari. Now, too, by some trick of divinedispensation, the east and west Godavari districts are studded thickwith Bhajan Mandalis and Seva Samithis heralding the new Sai era ofdevotion and dedication. Some one from the east Godavari districtwrote to Baba that, "thereis no house here without Your picture in the altar; there is no housethat does not resound to the chanting of songs on Yourglory!" and Baba replied tohim:
"Reserve your joy forsomething grander! My Name and Form will soon be found gettingestablished everywhere. They will occupy every inch of theworld."
On the 17th and the 18th, mammoth gatheringsassembled at Rajahmundry to hear the discourses of Baba, Sri V.K.Rao, I.C.S. and Swami Karunyananda of the Gouthami JeevakarunyaSangham, spoke on the great good fortune of the present generation inbeing contemporaries of Baba. Baba spoke on the conquest of the Mindas necessary for liberation from the world ofchange.
"Know the One; attention must be concentrated on the One. Alternations of acceptance and rejection, affirmation and negation, are but appearances on the One. Let nothing move you; be still, be detached, be but a witness. The world is but a play enacted and directed by Him. Let your love and longing, desire and search be directed towards God."
He asked them to give up inflammatoryassertions, malicious talk and angry negations.
"With the twenty six letters of the English alphabet, all English books in existence are written, composed and printed. The letters themselves are without attributes, they are neither good nor evil, but out of their combinations in various ways, are made either dull, insipid, trashy books or books with cosmic revelations of the highest order. So too the operations of the same mind can make or mar the career of man here or hereafter."
On the 18th, Baba visited the Andhra PaperMills and gave a discourse to the staff and labour, in which Heemphasized the sacred partnership and the mutual love and respectthat must govern all dealings between them. That evening, Babainaugurated a school named after Him and run as per His message andteachings. Baba felt great pity, such as God feels at rare intervals,when He sat facing the children. He said,
"The spacious mansion called Sanathana Dharma erected with great toil and travail by the sages of the past of enable succeeding generations to live in peace and prosperity is, alas, being condemned today as uninhabitable and fit only to be given up as dilapidated! The peace which those sages had envisaged is noticeable in the faces of these children, having no envy, no greed, and no hatred in their hearts. When they grow up, the joy is turned into grief and the peace peters out into anxiety and fear. The elders have lost the art of regaining, retaining or transmitting peace and joy.""Children must grow up in the atmosphere or reverence, devotion, mutual service and cooperation. Now they learn only copybook maxims, devoid of any sincere urge to put them into practice. Parents drink, gamble, scandalize others and utter blatant lies in full hearing of these tender flowers! Do not sow hatred or contempt of any caste or class, faith or cult in the virgin minds of these fresh blossoms. Parents first, teachers next, playmates and companions later and the leaders who command the allegiance of community or region last, have to be on the alert, constantly examining themselves whether they are fit examples for the children of the land. This school bears My name; so, it has a high responsibility; it should inspire all schools in this region, to treat little children with love and care and fill the atmosphere with the fragrance of Divinity."
Words that announced the advent of the newera of Truth, Virtue, Peace and Love!
For five days from the 20th, Baba moved on amerciful mission of Love along the road of the delta and a fewbeyond, showering grace on nearly a million souls gasping anxiouslyto secure it; the visit to more than a hundred villages and a scoreof towns has transformed the viewpoints of everyone whom He rewardedwith a smile or a glance, a pat or a word, a gift of holy ash or aprecious memento. Like the many canals that emanate from theDhowaliswaram Anicut and take the waters of the Godavari into amillion fields to confer life and vigour to the crops, Baba wentalong the roads on the banks of these same canals, taking with Himthe infinitely more sustaining waters from Heaven itself to grantimmortality and infinite Bliss.
The Godavari of Grace consisting of acaravan of over twenty cars moved out of Rajahmundry very early inthe day; tidings carried delight and exaltation throughout the Delta;for, the Darsan of Baba, listening to His enthrallingdiscourse and perhaps getting the rare chance of touching His Feetare benedictions for which even the remotest villagers were pining.Every yard of road was lined on both sides with men, women andchildren in their best clothes; the roads were swept clean; milesahead of every village designs were drawn with rice flour by devotedwomen; inside the village, decorated sheds were put up, so that Babamay ascend the dais underneath them and give Darsan to thevast concourses that sat there, doing Bhajan for hours, inexpectation of the golden moment. Festoons, flags, lines of greenleaves were hung across the main roads; hearts were beating fasterthis day in the hope of Divine Darsan. Sometimes, elaborate and evencostly arches of welcome were erected on the roads that lay throughthe towns or that led into them, the townsmen spending hours on endto make the arch a picture of exquisite charm.
Baba's car led the way. At Kesavaram, Babadirected the other cars to stay on the main road itself, while Hedrove into the hamlet, for, as He said, there was not enough parkingspace there. The deltaic region utilizes every square foot of landfor cultivation and so, open spaces are hard to find. Baba wasreceived by most of the villages with the piping of primitiveinstruments, the blowing of long brass horns and the vigorous beat ofdrums, expressing folk delight!
Baba moved slowly up the passage between themen and women, and ascending the dais, spoke a few words onNamasmarana, the efficacy of Bhajan and the necessity of continuingit sincerely, with deeper faith. Then, the cars moved on toPalathodu, a bigger place where all the cars could find space todrive in and halt. Here too Baba emphasized in a short speech theneed for Bhakthi and Sraddha, the two wings of the bird Jnana, whichflies towards Realization of the Reality.
On the 21st the caravan took another road andevery human habitation accessible by that road and its tributariesthrobbed with delight, for He had chosen to bless them that day! Theentire population of the countryside seemed to be ranged as anever-ending guard of honour for Baba; they shouted 'Jai' when theyespied the cars; Baba slowed down His car, so that they may haveDarsan. His Hand could be seen waving to them, long after He hadpassed the place where they were standing. Halts were made often andBaba condescended to open the door and stand on the footboard, sothat the surging masses could have better Darsan, for, only then theycould imprint that portrait on their hearts for worship in thesilence of their altars.
The Delta is acclaimed as the granary ofAndhra Pradesh. And it is full to the brim with populous villages,barely a mile or two apart. Baba alighted at most of these on theway, and even a little afar - Gummileru, Pinapalle, Gangavaram,Pamarru, Narasapur, Rapurpeta, Rajupalem, Anaparthi, Kuthukulur,Someswaram and finally Sampara tobacco barns, rice mills, locks andpump houses were the landmarks that raised their heads over the levelgreen. At Sampara, the entire village was in the mood of Gokulawelcoming Gopala back home! As a matter of fact, this village haslived on the Bhagavatha [ see also: Bhagavatha Vahini] formany years, since a great exponent of that ancient text on Bhakthi,Sri Kadiyala Seetharama Sastry kept the village conscious of itsteachings and message for years, through his heart-touchingexpositions. Baba stayed there for some hours and discoursed on thepractice of the constant presence of God. He also sang a few Bhajans,to arouse in them the ardour to glorify God. Then the party returnedto Rajahmundry itself.
On the 22nd, the road led towards Thamrada,and Peddapuram. At Peddapuram, Baba went to Challa Appa Rao, adevotee since many years, and there happened a miracle restoring himto health. He was bedridden since three years; his condition hadworsened eight months back, "but," says, Dr. G. Kesava Rao, "herelied solely on Baba and refused to take any medicine. He had acuteanaemia, due to bleeding piles. His body was swollen. The haemoglobinpercentage had gone down to as low as 30; urination was affected.Many doctors and I advised blood transfusion, and warned that hischances of survival without it were one hundred percent nil! Whensome anxious friends approached Bhagavan to persuade him toresort to medicine, Bhagavan retorted, "Why?Do they not die, the people who take medicine?"
When He visited Peddapuram, Baba went to hishouse and sat by his bedside. Baba created a Linga while seatedthere. He directed that it be bathed in water ceremonially, withappropriate rites. The Thirtha or consecrated water was to begiven internally to the patient daily. "Wonder of Wonders!" writesDr. G. Kesava Rao, "the patient was transformed the very next momentinto health. The swelling oedema completely disappeared. Evacuationand urination became normal. Bleeding stopped dramatically.Exhaustion was overcome. Within a month, he was quite refreshed,shining with new youthfulness." Appa Rao described the blessing thus:"Before the visit of Baba, I was a corpse; after the visit, I was thevictor over death."
After addressing a public gathering, Babalaid the foundation for a Center for the Sathya Sai Seva Samithi atthe village. He then moved on to Kotapadu, and Medapadu, where Heinaugurated a Sathya Sai Mandir. Reaching Vadlamuru He laid thefoundation for a Sathya Sai Mandir, and proceeded to Kothpeta where amammoth gathering engaged in Bhajan was waiting since hours forDarsan. The college campus was full of people who had trekked mileson foot or by cart or cycle or omnibus or country boat. Baba turnedaside a mile and a half from the highway to bless devotees atPalivela. He reached Ambajipeta, where too, a big gatheringbrightened when He gave Darsan and spoke a few words of advice andexhortation.
Emerging into the main road, the flood ofDivine Compassion moved on towards Bandaralanka, a famous center ofweaving as a cottage industry. Here, the community of weavers, withgreat enthusiasm, heralded the arrival of Baba. They had put animposing reception structure with arches and greeneries and flowers,adjacent to the road itself. Baba alighted from the car to bless themand spoke a few words of encouragement so that they may earn peace,and understand the purpose of life.
Then, Baba motored to Amalapuram, wherenearly fifty thousand people had gathered to hear Him and fill theireyes with His Charm. Baba chided the person who made the welcomespeech! Really, this conventional item on the programme of publicmeetings has no bearing, for, how can Baba who is present everywhereat all times be either welcomed or taken leave of? And, the welcomespeech was in the English language! Baba said that the region withAmalapuram as the focal point was known geographically as Konasima(Delta), but, lovers of Bharathiya Culture knew it asVedasima, the region which was the nursery of Vedicscholars and the Academy where Vedic Science and VedicResearch were pursued with avidity by generations of scholars. "Whythrust down the ears of these simple people and the pundits learnedin ancient lore, a language they do not know?" He queried.
On the 24th, Baba left Amalapuram very earlyfor Manepalli. After visiting an aged devotee on his sickbed atTatipaka, He moved on to Razole, where elaborate arrangements weremade for a public address, and a sizeable gathering had assembled.After satisfying their thirst, Baba proceeded along the main roadtowards the next destination. While driving fast, Baba noticed aninsignificant token of adoration hung across the road, near a villagewhich is barely mentioned in maps, Poathumatla. It was a thin festoonof a dozen mango leaves, strung from one coconut tree to another witha piece of paper pinned in the centre waving in the wind, with theword 'Welcome' inscribed on it by a hesitant hand. The car had goneon about fifty yards when He wanted it to stop, and turn back towhere that paper 'Welcome' called Him. There were two old womenstanding there with garlands in their wrinkled hands. Baba opened thedoor, so that they could touch His Feet, leaned forward so that theycould put the garlands round His neck. He invited them to do sowithout fear. "Here isyour Swami! Quite near you! Come on, garlandMe!" That was the happiest moment oftheir lives, and Baba too appeared equally happy! One lady extendedher hand and asked, "Prasadam, Swami?" She wanted something totreasure from the Divine Hands. Baba plucked some petals from theflowers of the garlands they had offered and placed them in the handsof both and moved on.
While driving on, Baba noticed two very oldwomen tottering forward with the help of sticks held in their shakyhands. His Divine Pity flowed towards them. He asked the car to stopnear them. When the car pulled up, He inquired, where they were goingto. They said in quaking voices, "tosee Sai Baba". Baba laughed and said,"I am Sai Baba, don'tyou know!" They thought some one wasridiculing them and they walked forward. The others in the car gotdown and persuaded them to retrace the few steps they had taken, andhave a good look. Baba created Vibhuti for them, filled theirhands with fruits, and told them to return home.
Lakkavaram was reached soon, and after a mileor two, Baba turned into a sandy fair-weather road, a road that wasrambling wildly across the fallow wastes into what appeared to be noman's land; the party wondered where Baba was leading them, but Babatold the nervous interrogators that there was a devotee in thevillage Kaththi Manda that lay a mile ahead. His wife had died and hehad married again. She lost a number of children when they were quitelittle babies, a tragedy which superstitious villagers ascribed tothe machinations of the deceased wife's ghost! Baba allowed the nextchild to be born in the seventh month of pregnancy at the Sathya SaiHospital, Puttaparthi, so that she may be rid of the fear that washaunting her... and the son had grown now into a chubby boy of three!Baba was going to that place in order to bless that boy and hisparents!
Returning to the main road, Baba proceeded toKadali, a small village set in the midst of coconut trees. They haderected a dais and decorated it with sincere artistry. Baba addressedthe peasants who had come in large numbers. He visited the house ofthe Principal of the Veda Sastra Patasala, Prasanthi Nilayam, anunrivalled reciter of the Vedic hymns, a master of thecomplicated styles of rendering the Vedic syllables in theorthodox complex of permutations and combinations, who recognized theDivinity of Baba, the day he first officiated at a Yajna hewas asked to supervise at Prasanthi Nilayam.
Baba sent all the cars that were trailingbehind Him to move on and wait at the canal bank, a few miles off andHe went to Sakhinetipalli, to the home of Sri Ramalingaraju, Ministerfor Religious Endowments, in the Government of Andhra Pradesh. Thecars waited for full four hours, exiled from His presence, with earsattuned to the horn of Baba's car so that they may catch the signs ofHis arrival to restore joy in their hearts! At midnight, Baba's carwas spotted proceeding towards them. The caravan then returned toRajahmundry on the Godavari.
The 25th day of January, was a Day of Delightfor the devotees of Rajahmundry. Towards evening, about three hundredof them boarded three motor launches, and went over the Godavari withBaba to the sand dunes on one of the islands formed by the Godavariwhen its waters subsided after the monsoon floods, which make theriver one vast roar of raging waters. Baba sat on the sandssurrounded by Bhaktas. Bhajan was sung; stars listened intently fromabove. Then, Baba answered a few questions on Sadhana put by someSadhakas, and while elaborating the directions He gave while quotingfrom the Bhagavatha, He drew forth from the heap of sand before Him agolden idol of Krishna, crawling as a child, with a ball ofbutter in his Hand.
Baba was at that time speaking of the innermeaning of butter; the purity of intention attained after thechurning of Sadhana and of the theft of such butter committedby Krishna.
The questions then turned towards Sivaand the Linga symbol, with ramifications of conversation intothe various types of Lingas, the Earth Principle Linga, the WaterPrinciple Linga, the Fire Principle Linga, the Wind Principle Lingaand the Sky Principle Linga.
Then He spoke of the places sanctified by theinstallation of these Lingas and referring to the Akasa Linga in atemple, He explained that the Linga there hangs in mid-air with nosupport! Devotees stared in awe for they could not understand howthis could happen, and continue to happen. Baba explained that theLinga is of some ferrous material and that two magnets, one on top,on the underside of the roof and another fixed on the floor, exerciseequal and opposite pulls on the Linga, so that it remains in thecenter, in mid-air, without support. Then, He asked, "O! Do youdesire to see it? I can dislodge it from the pulls and bring ithere!" Saying so, He waved His Hand and Lo! The egg-shaped ferrousball was in the Hand. It was passed from one person to another untilall had the feel of it and the thrill. Then Baba wrapped it in akerchief and gave it to a young man to be kept with him. The entiregroup of three hundred sat for dinner on the sands, with Baba intheir midst, joking and keeping every one in the best of spirits. Itwas about eleven at night when the launches returned to Rajahmundry.The young man was shocked to find the ferrous Lingam gone!
On the 26th, Baba addressed the LionsClub.
"You are members of a Club that bears a great name, the Lion. The Lion and the Elephant are natural enemies according to poetic convention. There is a great lesson latent in this fact. The elephant wanders free and furious in the thick entanglements of the jungle; it is the symbol of the mind which rambles, goaded by whim and appetite. But, it surrenders before the superior skill and sinew of the lion. The lion is the intellect; the elephant is the mind; the intellect distinguishes between the real and the unreal, the transient and the eternal. When this winnowing is neglected, man moves from one illusion to another. If the intellect is sharpened and sublimated, peace and harmony will reveal the one basic reality, behind all the apparent contradictions and confusions. So mere compassion and the passion to do service are not enough; they may even be dangerous, if no enquiry is made into the causes of suffering, and into the safest and surest means of alleviating the suffering," Baba advised. "It must be understood that the root cause of suffering is due to the lack of wisdom which enables you to realize the indwelling unity amongst apparent diversity, and the safest and surest means of uprooting this sufferance is by removing ignorance, resulting in the Realization of the Real."
Baba then left the Godavari, and began Hisreturn journey, with a halt at Eluru, where the office bearers of thevarious units of the Sathya Sai Seva Organizations met Him andreceived His guidance and blessings. Leaving Eluru, He reachedGudivada and addressed a gathering there. Resuming, He went toVijayawada, into which city trains and buses, cars, scooters andcycles had brought thousands of people. On the 27th, He went on ashort visit to Aukiripalle, near Vijayawada, and from there, He leftfor Madras, after a hectic week of beneficence andbenediction.
Howard Murphet, an Australian Sadhakand writer exults in this strain: "Howinexplicable fortunate are we - the few - who have found here inphysical form one who can say as Christ said long ago, 'I am theWay.' This statement soon becomes a self-evident truth for thosewho can accept it. We see in Him qualities we have always associatedwith the idea of Divinity. Love and compassion flow from the heartwhich hitherto had been no more than a dream. When in His company, weare elevated to a golden world where the atmosphere vibrates withinner joy and all mundane things are forgotten, or, at least taketheir correct place well down the scale of values."
"Only India through ages pasthas been able to provide a suitable land for the birth of Avataras,such as Rama, Krishna and Sathya Sai Baba. It isonly in India that Buddha can be born, to attainNirvana. The spiritual heart of India is the heart of theworld. It is my spiritual heart, as an American, for were it notthere, surely life would be a living death, of ashes and despair,"writes JohnHislop.
One fact is interesting and may be mentionedhere, since it has provoked many into a very profitable line ofthought. I shall quote the letter written by one such inquirer, R.Ganapathi of the 'Kalki'. "Sri Aurobindo, who by the power of hisintegral Yoga delved into the Cosmic Mind was suddenly absorbed in anintense awareness of the Supramental Light's descent into theearth-consciousness. On page 208, of the book, 'Sri Aurobindo onHimself and the Mother' (1953 Edition), it is said, '24th November,1926, was the descent of Krishna into the physical.' 'A powerinfallible shall lead the thought, in earthly hearts kindle theImmortal's Fire, even the Multitude shall hear the Voice!' It isalmost certain that the Descent noted by Sri Aurobindo was theIncarnation the previous day, November 23, 1926, of Sri Sathya SaiBaba."
John Hislop, on Sivarathri Day priorto the hoisting of the Prasanthi Flag by Baba, said,"What an amazing thinghas come to happen! This slender body walking so gracefully amongstus, the charming personality exhibiting all the qualities of God,omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, with boundless power tocreate, maintain and destroy." Hislop'swords meant more than he anticipated! For, that evening, the uniqueLingodbhava acquired a still more unique importance; it was beyondthe power of words to describe!
Sivarathri, as Baba expounded thatmorning, means that man must transform by Sadhana the'Rathri' into 'Sivam', the night of darkness and fear,doubt and delusion, into the day of wisdom, courage, the certainty offaith and realization. Rathri means night; Sivam meansauspiciousness, victory, triumph. The vigil that is prescribed forthe festival and the fast, relate not to the eye or the stomach, butto the senses which have to be starved and the intelligence that hasto be alerted against complaisance and the tactics of casuists(experts)
The atmosphere of Prasanthi Nilayambecomes vibrant with the flag carrying the symbol of the ascendantSadhak who has overcome lust, anger and hatred, who has broadened hislove and universalized it, who has established himself in Yogaand ascended through the various stages of Sadhana, resultingin the blossoming of the Lotus in his heart, and thereby attainedPra-kanthi, higher illumination, Prasanthi, highesttranquillity and Param-jyothi, the higher splendor ofrealization, merging his 'imagined self' into the Universal Self;conquering sleep, sloth, Thamas, and the clamorous demands ofthe senses, Rajas, winning the unshakeable equipoise of thewise, Sathva.
The Vedic recital, the procession from theMandir to the Auditorium, the astonishing emanation of Vibhutifrom an empty pot to consecrate the silver idol of Shirdi Baba andfill the area with fragrance and ecstasy and the evening gathering of25.000 people facing the Santhi Vedika where Baba sat on theDais, while Bhajan was sung by devoted souls - these incredibleexperiences injected the atmosphere with vibrations of supremepurity. [See: 'the Wave of the Hand']
The Lingam that had been growing inBaba's stomach since some days was to emerge in a few minutes.'Lingam' means that in which all things merge and out of which allthings emerge. The Absolute, the Ultimate Reality, Brahman or God hasno opposites, no polarities, no contradictions, so, it is representedby the most perfect mathematical symbol, the sphere. When the basicdesire, Ekoham Bahusyam, 'I am One, let me become many,'disturbs the perfect balance of the One, the sphere divides itselfinto two, we get the ellipsoid. The Lingam is ellipsoid. The OneBrahman has become Siva-Sakthi, the primary polarity principle of thepositive and negative.
Cars and buses were speeding up fromBangalore, Madras, Bombay, Hyderabad and other places to reachPrasanthi Nilayam in time for witnessing the emergence of theLingam from the Brahman. And, Baba was with each ofthem, for, it was due to His Grace that they were present in thatsanctified atmosphere. "We yearned long to witness theSivarathri Festival," says Dr. A. Ranga Rao, the renownedophthalmic physician and surgeon of Madras, he came in a car thatgave continuous trouble! The engine got too hot every ten miles! Whenthe flag hoisting took place, they were at Ranipet, 250 miles off;when Vibhuti Abhishekam took place he was at the border ofMysore, 180 miles off! 60 miles away from Puttaparthi, the car cameto a dead halt! While the chauffeur was tinkering with its entrails,says Dr. Ranga Rao, "To our utter consternation, petrol got ignited!Big tongues of flames shot up. The poor fellow jumped off in the nickof time and saved himself. His clothes were on fire; he managed toscotch the flames. I threw some handfuls of sand from the road on thefire, calling out Sai Ram, Sai Ram! And the miracle happened!The fire became extinct, the car was saved, though the tank was threequarters full and it was petrol! I went back to Chikballapur, by bus,(12 miles) and got a mechanic from that town. At 3.30 p.m. we werestill at the place of the mysterious fire. Cars coming from Bangalorestopped and sympathized and some even offered lifts. But, I said,"No, we will be there to witness the Lingodbhava, you can moveon; Baba will bring us to Him." At 5.30 p.m. we were 50 miles off,with that rickety car! I sat at the wheel, the mechanic sat in the'dickie', shaking the pump whenever it struck work! We raced andrushed. When we stood gasping at the Lotus Circle in front of thePrasanthi Nilayam, Baba was slowly proceeding from the Nilayam to theSanthi Vedika!
While passing, Baba, smiled at us and said,"O, you have come! Santhosham! Santhosham (happy, veryhappy)." With tears of gratitude welling from my eyes, I said withinmyself, "Lord! While thousands of devotees were adoring you here, youheard our anguish! You quenched the fire and drove the car safe, tobring us in time to witness your Glory. Here is my heart; my life, myhopes, my everything, at your Feet!"
Dr. S. Bhagavantham and Dr. K. BhaskaranNair, both Doctors of Science, one in Physics and the other inZoology, one the Vice-chancellor of two Universities and the otherthe Director of Collegiate Education of a State studded with colleges(Kerala) spoke of the gathering on the Avatar of the Age. Dr.Bhagavantham spoke on the implications of Baba's statement "MyLife is My Message". "It has astounded me to see that, though Hehas no wants, nor is He ever in need, He is so busy at PrasanthiNilayam or elsewhere, at all times with a multitude of problemsconcerning the devotees! Not only does He expound NishkamaKarma, but He also practices it Himself, setting the bestexample," Dr. Bhaskaran Nair confessed, "My life has acquired arichness and a validity as a result of my surrendering to Baba'sLotus Feet. I still continue to be a student of science. I know wherescience has to walk warily and where it can walk in confidence. Icherish the culture of this land which bowed to the spirit andhonored sages and saints, more than men of might. Sivaji placed hisEmpire at the feet of his guru Ramadas; the Kerala Monarch, MarthandaVarma dedicated the entire kingdom at the altar of the God installedat Trivandrum, (Thiru-ananthapuram). Asoka renounced war when hisconscience was torn into shreds as he witnessed the blood, the fury,the falsehood and the agony that war caused! And, he ruled more thantwenty years over a peaceful prosperous empire, even after publishingthe fact of his having renounced the use of the army, publishing iton pillar and rock, all over the land, from the Himalayas to theKaveri, from Kandahar to Kamarup! Today when values are beinglowered, and the infection of wild excitement and depressing drugs isattacking youth in all countries, the traditional values ofSanathana Dharma have to be asserted, for they have perennialvalue. The advent of Bhagavan is positively significant in thehistory of the world."
Baba spoke for about forty minutes on themind and its manifold tactics to confuse and confound, and how manhas to discover the strategy by which it can be controlled and madesubservient to the intellect, thereby leading to the realization ofthe Atmic reality. Suddenly the gushing stream of superb eloquenceand supreme guidance was interrupted by gasps and gutterings -premonitions of the emergence of the Lingam - which Babaendeavored to put down, a little while; then, He signaled forBhajan to start and Himself sat on the chair, behind thetable. No one heard the Bhajan, though they were mechanicallyuttering the words in the tune allotted to them. For, the crucialmoment was fast approaching and no one in the gathering wanted tomiss it. All senses were now concentrating their efficiency on theeye, so as not to miss the Divine Event!
Baba was under the flood lights, squirming,turning, twisting, sitting forward and leaning backward, sippingwater and showing signs of exhaustion, all parts of the amazing Dramathat He was now allowing these thousands to witness, so that they maystand witness in their own lives to the glory of beingcontemporaneous with the Avatar! Fifty thousand eyes were focused onthat serene Mouth - for over fifteen long laborious minutes! "Ah! Ithas emerged, in one leap; a blue shaft of light, was it? No it wasthe blue Lingam oval shaped, oval sized gem, celebrated in theSastras as specially sacred, on account of the color and the size."It has fallen from His mouth into the cupped palm of Baba. He heldthe Wonder in his Hand, high in the light, to be seen better by thevast gathering, now in the height of Bliss.
Baba continued sitting in the chair. Hewould, usually, descend from the Dais on the Santhi Vedika andmove into the Nilayam; but, He sat in the chair and remainedmotionless. We thought that another Lingam may emerge after a littlewhile. But, no! He was getting stiffer, and motionless. The righthand was lying flat on the table. The left was erect, the elbow fixedon the table, fingers near the eye, the head was slightly inclined tothe left, the thumb held apart, the ring finger and the little fingerfolded, and the other two straight up - the breathing was slow; itbecame slower.
Who dare touch Him? Who had the courage todraw His attention away from the place or mission on which He hadgone? I was sitting on the left of the chair and Dr. Bhagavantham andDr. Bhaskaran Nair on the right. Five minutes sped by - I expectedHim to return from wherever He had gone. For, this is specialoccasion, where anxious souls were getting alarmed. At no timeprevious had He left His Body on a transcorporeal journey when somany were looking on!
But, his Compassion knows no limitations offestival or gatherings. When the devotee calls out in agony He rushesto his side, whoever may be with Him or whatever the work he isengaged in, at that time. On other occasions, He has fallen on to thefloor, but this unusual posture amazed everyone; anxiety wasimprinted upon each face.
After twenty minutes, I could restrain myselfno more. I leaned towards Him on my knees and, in a subdued voicecalled 'Swami! Swami!', as if He would come back when we call, fromwhere He had gone in response to the sincere yearning of some one inpain. His mission of Bhaktharakshana knows no bounds of class,creed or nationality. He blesses, whatever be the name by which He iscalled.
Thirty minutes ... all eyes were now watchingthe face for the slightest sign of any movement; they prayed as neverbefore ... The fortitude of the devotees was being transformed intonervousness ... the hand was stiff, upright, the finger did not jerkor come together... the angle of the head was the same since the pastfifty minutes.
One or two from the Bhajan party came on tothe dais ... a few began to weep, here and there ... courage falteredbefore the onslaught of concern!
Fifty five ... Ah ... a slight movement ofthe fingers ... of the left hand! The hand came down ... I broke intotears ... His eyes opened ... He saw! He smiled!
Fear and doubt vanished shamefacedly from thegathering. Baba rose ... the fateful minutes were over!
Baba went into the Nilayam, and when some ofus, including Dr. Bhagavantham followed Him, He said that He had goneon a Manasa-sanchara,round the World!
He went in order to give signs in every homeor hall where Sivarathri was celebrated that hour, that theLord is here, that His Grace is available in plenty for all who needit, and pray for it, with pure and sincere faith. He showers mercy;and they become humble, wise, victorious.
What we were privileged to see that night wasthe sight of Baba journeying far and wide to confer peace, to fosterthe erring brood of willful, peevish, half-blind children, into waysof justice, peace, love and righteousness. He was converting theRathri of Rajas and Thamas that was darkeningthe horizon of man into the Sivam, the splendor of love andjoy. We saw two Udbhavas (oncomings) that day - theLingodbhava and the Premodbhava (bhava: being,becoming).
Can this be true, the sceptic may ask! I canonly give the answer which Baba gave to another such question put toHim by a celebrated sceptic, hailed by many as a redoubtable doubter.Baba told him, "Howcan you understand Me? Can a fish know the sky? It may see thereflection in the water of the lightning flash; it may hear the echoof the rumbling thunder - but what can it know of the mysteries ofthe ethereal region, being sunk in an element from which it cannotescape and survive". We are bound byMaya; how can we gauge the glory of One, who controlsMaya?
Ayn Rand, Editor of the magazine'Objectivist', writes: "Conventional morality does not teach or showthe child what kind of man he ought to become and why. It is onlyconcerned with imposing a set of rules upon him - arbitrary,bewildering, contradictory, and more often than not,incomprehensible. The child grows up with nothing but resentment andfear, for any concept of morality. Ethics appears to him only as aphantom scarecrow demanding the drab performance of dry duty. Theexamples set by adults are not meaningful enough to point the properyardsticks of behavior." No wonder the children are attracted towardsBaba who bestows pure love upon those who seek it."The Americans come toMe since they do not know a mother's love"said Baba one day.
"Baba is Sivaand Sakthi,Father and Mother." Velury Sivarama Sastry states thus: "No one canunderstand, but everyone can benefit from Him. Science cannot define,logic dealing with cause and effect cannot grasp. Its pristine gloryis unique. It overshadows the fleeting shadows. Only the wise and thepure in heart can abide in it. Matter seems less material, mind lessmental, only Atmaprevails. Each one sees an aspect of its innumerable facets. Enough,if we know a little but we never have enough. This is so near us andyet so far away. The love that Sai manifests pales intoinsignificance the love of every mother in the universe, gatheredtogether." Sivarama Sastry is no ordinary observer; at the age of 16,he rose to fame, as a prodigy, a poet of dazzling merit. He was oneof the few prodigies that have blossomed. He was an outstandingscholar, critic, and teacher, versed in the intricacies ofYoga,Tantraand Vedanta.He wrote bold and brilliant treatises on the Adhyasa Conception ofSankaracharyaand the Integral Yoga of Aurobindo.Universities competed with each other in honoring themselves byincluding his name on the Boards of Studies in Sanskrit. At the ripeage of 75, he came to Baba, enjoying close contact for more than 6years, before he dropped, like a ripe fruit from the Tree of Life.Sastry attained renown as a writer who weighs every word of his inthe super-'selectronic' balance of Truth. So, when he says that theLove of Baba as a Mother supersedes the love of all mothers, he mustbe speaking with genuine sincerity.
Therefore, the mother festival, orDasarawhen it is celebrated in the immediate presence of Baba, is supremelysanctifying. During this nine day festival of the Mother, the firstthree days are devoted to worshiping the mother as Guardian, the nextthree days Mother is worshiped as Provider and, during the last threedays Mother is worshiped as Teacher. Victoria Mills addressed Babasignificantly. "This is your Dream, Mother! A dream of purple flowersand blue skies; a dream of pleasure, a dream of pain, a dream ofbodies moving in the passing hours, a dream of minds churning desires- in Thy Love, let us live again."
Dasara[see also 'The Task'] is the occasion when the Mother asBaba, or Baba as the Mother provides us various inducements toprogress spiritually. SanathanaDharma of course, has the entirearmory required to conquer the foes on the path, and help us marchtowards the final triumph. One day is spent in celebrating the AnnualDay of the Hospital, so that the vehicle of the soul may be kept trimand efficient, to enable it to cross the ocean of duality and mergeinto the One. On another day the distressed and the destitute aregiven clothes and feasted. Baba has assigned to each one of us a roleto play, designed and directed by Him, on the stage of life. On somedays the compositions of the great singers of India are sung grantingto the listeners a state of unclouded exaltation. On other days weget a chance to witness plays based on age-old tales of gods andgoddesses full of ecstatic incidents enacted by little children, andso they can taste innocence flowing from innocent lips. These playsare written by Baba Himself, and so they convey to us the lessons Heprescribes for the cure of our mental ills. We are inspired topreserve, despite odds, the moral ideals in the confusing conflictsof our lives. On the stage and the screen away from theNilayam,we only see crime, perversion and pollution dramatized, whereas inthe Abode ofPeace everything is designed toelevate, sublimate and save. There are musical recitations, andexpositions of philosophical parables and mystery tales. Discourseson Vedaand Vedantaare given by pundits, who had believed that they had comprehendedwhat is beyond comprehension, until they met Baba!
On the Mantapor sacrificial enclosure at one end of the Auditorium, the adorationof Vedapurusha,the Deity extolled in the Vedas continues for seven days withoutbreak. The fire is adored as sacred, for it ignites and illumines; itdestroys and purifies; it burns and burnishes; it spreads and shines.It moves fast from one victim to another. So, it is praised and fedwith hymns of praise. The Sun is the giver of life and energy; itnips a day off from our allotted span of life, with every sunset; so,it is worshiped by continuous prostration, repeating each time hymnsof extolment. Others can visualize God in the expansive Banyan Tree,timeless, self-propelling through roots dropped from every branch,providing shade and shelter for bird and beast and conferring beautyand health to the entire region. Hymns are also uttered to the spiritof trees.
Some of us prefer as the symbol of God,neither Fire, nor Sun, nor the Living Laborious Brother called BanyanTree, but the Linga. During Dasara,a pundit can be seen on the altar at the Auditorium shaping 1000Lingas every day, and after worshiping them with utmost devotionrolling the black clay back into a ball, for use the next day! Thepermanent static base, pure existence, is Shiva.Its projection as dynamic energy is Sakthi.Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi used to write an 'O' at the beginning of theletter he sent to people, says Yogi Shuddhananda Bharathi. Maharshiexplained it as the Lingam,the symbol of the ultimate principle which is beyond the tripleentities of life, world and God!
Others might be thrilled by more elaboraterepresentations of the might, majesty and magnificence of God. Forthem Baba arranges Puja for Durga, Lakshmi and Saraswathi withflowers, incense, camphor, sandal paste, silk and gold. A few mightbe elated by the recital of the most mystic sound Om,with all its undertones and hidden possibilities. This joy persuadesus to take the first step in spiritual endeavor (Sadhana)facilitating our pursuit till the goal is reached.(picture:Saraswathi)
Baba Himself announced, on the opening day ofDasara, "To celebrate Dasaraat PrasanthiNilayam is indeed a rare chance,replete with wonder and joy, ensuring peace by the extinction of thesix inner enemies." His Mission is to put mankind again on the railsof peace and joy. So, when the Hon'ble Minister for transport, AndhraPradesh, announced that he would shortly initiate steps to improvethe road to Prasanthi Nilayam and make it a tarred high way, Babasaid
"The body looks forward to a smooth drive over a tarred road, but the heart prefers the road of tranquility and humility, so that it may reach the goal, God, and merge in that ocean of glory. I am more interested in that Road. I am not enthusiastic about tarring the road, for, that would make even the little discipline of "slow and careful driving" superfluous for people coming here! Life is not all smooth sailing. It is full of ups and downs, sharp turns and sudden diversions. India has always taught the first lesson in safe travel, here and hereafter: "Start early; drive slowly; reach safely!"
Since thousands of devotees had to sleepunder the sky, piling their belongings around their beds, the rainsthat poured during three nights caused a great deal of discomfort anddislocation. Referring to these, Baba said,
"Some people came running to Me saying, 'Swami! Stop the rains!' Well, getting a little wet is a trivial bother, when compared to the benefits of timely rains. The Vedapurusha Yajna is celebrated to persuade the Gods to shower rain, that is its raison d'Ítre as the Vedas assert. While the rite is on, the rains have come: it demonstrates that the Pundits did the Yajna on strict Vedic lines. The rains will ensure a good harvest and prosperity for the countryside."
On the 20th of October, 1969, the valedictoryRite of the Yajnawas performed. Baba created a nine-gemmed necklace for the chiefpriest who officiated; he was a scholar in Vedantaand Vedicgrammar. During the Abhishekaor ritual bath of the image of the previous incarnation, theSai Baba ofShirdi, Baba created a sparklingeight-starred jewel of gold and placed it on the forehead of thesilver idol; it stuck! Dr. S. Bhagavantham and Mr. Tideman Johanessenwho were among the audience wondered at this: How could gold stick onsilver, without adhesive? Baba knew their thoughts. He told them afew hours later, without their asking Him or anyone tellingHim,
"If I can create the jewel, can I not make it stick, too? When you doubt one incident, you start doubting all. Accept Me for what I am. Then, no doubt can interfere with your faith.""You complain that God is hardhearted; that He does not respond to prayer, or give signs from His portraits, or speak from 'nowhere' to assuage or assure; but let Me tell you, God is Love, Love is God. When there is no response you have to infer that the cry from your heart is insincere, it is mere play-acting. It is set to a pattern, addressed to someone alien to you, someone accepted by you as a far away tyrant or a taskmaster. Know that God is your nearest and dearest kin."
On the 21st, when Baba was on the floralJhoola, a number of poets recited the poems that He 'painted' intheir hearts - Deepala Pichayya Sastry, Begum Tahira Sayeed, thewriter, Vidwan Rama Sarma, Vidwan Seshama Raju, and others. They werein a multitude of languages, English, Urdu, Kannada, Sanskrit. Babaadvised them to see the handiwork of God, the greatest Poet of all,in every grain of dust, every twinkle of light, every drop of rain,every whiff of air.
"Great poems deal with the eternal thirst of man for God; they are rich in the ambrosia that quenches that thirst. They satisfy and build up strength to laugh at life's fortunes. Without spiritual Sadhana, the expansion of the consciousness, the broadening of sympathy, the sharpening of vision, the deepening of contacts with the springs of wisdom within oneself and within others, poetry is but a purposeless, pallid pastime."
The 7th of November will be remembered as alandmark in the history of the Women's College at Anantapur for onthat day amidst colorful scenes of grace and glory the Vice-presidentof India laid the foundation for a magnificent building. Dr. S.Bhagavantham welcomed the Vice-president Sri G. S. Pathak, as well asthe Governor of Andhra Pradesh Sri Khandubhai Desai who laid theFoundation Stone for the college hostel, and said, "I haveconsiderable experience in raising colleges, all over the country; Iam wonder struck when I consider how within a year and a half, thiscollege has gone ahead, with 300 students and the full complement ofa library, laboratories, ancillaries and a gas plant too!" Baba saysthat no task on which He sets his Heart can fail. His will issupreme.
Dr. V.K. Gokak said, "Ata time when disorder has become the order of the day, this collegewill transmit, under the guidance of the Master, the lesson ofOrder." The Vice-chancellor of theVenkateswara University said, "The Sathya Sri Trust managing thiscollege has a symbol which reveals the core of Indian culture, thekinship and closeness of manifold philosophies, religions andideologies formed by the aspiring mind of man." Sri KhandubhaiDesai also appreciated the symbol, as a sign of genuine secularism,"Secularism does not mean irreligion; it means real religion. Andreal religion recognizes all faiths as facets of theTruth."
The Vice-president said that the Day was aDay of Devotion and Delight for him. "I am happy to find that theTrust has taken note of the need of the nation. The next generationhas to be shaped straight and strong, so that it efficiently bearsthe burden of this vast country. We want disciplined, enlightenedpeople to assume national and international responsibilities." Babaspoke of His Resolve to establish such Colleges in every State ofIndia, "My Sankalpa, plan of action, is to provide youth witheducation, which, while cultivating the intelligence, will purify theimpulses and emotions, and equip them with the physical and mentaldisciplines which can awaken the springs of calmness and joy in theirhearts. Their higher nature has to be fostered and encouraged toblossom by means of study, prayer, Sadhana, contacts with sages,saints and spiritual heroes and heroines of their land; they have tobe led on, to the path of self-confidence, self-satisfaction,self-sacrifice and self-knowledge." Baba blessed the College withthese words, "May this College educate generations of noble motherswho will live Dharma, raise heroes surcharged with dedication to Godand Devotion to Truth."
November 23 is the Birthday of Baba. But, asBaba told Penn in one of His transoceanic lessons,"It is not My Birthdaythat you celebrate. It is your own."And again,
"My mission is to raise the consciousness of man to a level at which he neither rejoices nor mourns over anything. In that supreme state, one is going through rebirth and re-death each moment, for these acts are one and the same, emerging from the formless into form, merging from the form into the formless. Then, there is no success or adversity, no joy or pain. When the devotee attains this Oneness, his journey towards Me ceases for he will be with Me endlessly."
The 1969 Birthday was marked by anotherevent, namely, the 3rd All-India conference of the office bearers ofthe units of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organizations. The delegateswere happy that the conference was to be at the Nilayam, in the verycenter of Prasanthi (Higher Peace) and the Host was no less a Personthan Bhagavan Himself. At Madras during the first conference Baba hadallowed the delegates to share His gracious presence during mosthours of the day. At Bombay, during the World Conference, Baba movedaround the hostels where the delegates were accommodated and waspresent at the dining halls on most of the days. Besides Baba hadinvited them to Dharmakshetraand He took groups of them round the building explaining to them thesignificance of the numbers of steps, pillars, concrete wind-cups,etc., to the happy edification of the uninitiated. The number wasnine, multiples of nine, adding up to nine, as was necessary in abuilding that symbolized Sathya - Truth, orBrahman- the ultimate Truth, whose numerical symbol is 9. Now, the thirdconference was being held in the lap of PrasanthiNilayam, under the loving andwatchful eye of Baba Himself.
The conference began on 20th November, withmore than 2.000 delegates from all the states of India, and alsorepresentatives from Ceylon, Australia, Fiji, America, Europe, andAfrica. The presidents of the organizations of each state gave shortsummaries of the various lines of activity in their area. It was aheartening and instructive recital, for each state could contributesome fruitful ideas of service and Sadhanato the rest.
Baba explained that the Sai Organization isunique in more respects than one. It does not seek donations andpatrons. It works under a Master who is present everywhere at alltimes, and so the Organization is only a name for a group of peoplewho carry on work that would win His grace, in a spirit of worship.There is no scope here for malingering or personal rivalry or thevirus of vanity or envy. Baba said, "These are associations ofaspirants. Pay attention to your duties and responsibilities; do notinfect yourselves with caste affiliations, or personal prejudices orpolitical predilections. I can see you through and through, whereveryou are! Do not carry your head high and taunt people. Stoop, so thatyou can lift the burden on to your shoulders; serve, so that you maybe an example and an inspiration. Follow, so that you can leadseekers into the heart of God. Be humble, be cordial, with all.Devotion should not be publicized. It does not end with theacquisition of a badge which decorates that shirt. It is a secretgain, a precious boon."
While the Conference was considering therecommendations of the four subcommittees which dealt withOrganizational matters, Spiritual activities, Publication of SaiLiterature, Mahilavibhag (Women's section) and service activities,Baba counseled that devotees should not seek concession andexemptions from participation in the activities set out by theSamithis, but, on the contrary, look forward to the chance providedby the Sai Organizations for Sathsang. It was resolved that membersmust attend at least sixty percent of such meetings. It was alsoemphasized that there must be unanimity in the choice of OfficeBearers. The Office Bearers should behave as Torch Bearers,reflecting in their behavior the light of His Wisdom. "The SaiOrganizations should try to reduce and remove the hurdles andhandicaps in the way of spiritual progress, its members should beennobled by tolerance, truth speaking and compassion, and saturatedwith love for all. Whoever neglects his parents and allows them tolanguish in poverty or sorrow does not deserve to be a member. Carrythe message of self-realization through the Sadhana of service, amongthe women, the youth and the children. Encourage the formation ofactive groups of women, who will take up the teaching of children,develop Seva Dals."
Addressing the Valedictory Session of theConference on the 22nd of November, Baba said,
"Let Me end on this note: Do not doubt your destiny: it is to merge in the Highest Wisdom, Power and Love. Do not waver or stay away. At every step, inquire, discriminate, search for Truth. Be self-reliant, bold and free. Know that you are the instruments of God in a Divine Task and so there is no justification for weakness or vacillation. Be an example to others in humility and devotion. Do not scatter advice, without the authority of practical experience. Love, co-operate, serve. Your Office is a call for spiritual exercise, a reminder of your being under My care and direction."
The Conference was a baptism of faith for theparticipants; it revealed to them the Divine Love of which Baba isthe embodiment. He was the Person on whom all eyes rested, all earswere focused, all minds dwelt and all hearts poured adoration. He satamong the members of the subcommittees during their deliberations andshed light and laughter on suggestions pompously placed andassiduously argued upon. He moved among the delegates, scatteringGrace; He met the representatives, State-wise, for hours at astretch, and amidst roars of laughter, and brilliant banter, Hesmoothened rivalry, suppressed factionalism, softened fanaticism, andsweetened bitterness. In spite of being concerned with every detailof diet, agenda, seating, and discussion, He was the very picture offreshness and light. To see Him was to learn the lesson of selflessactivity, to hear Him was to yearn for Grace and for the chance toshare His Task: to touch His Feet was to change oneself with strengthand courage to face the world and its challenges.
The delegates stayed on for the birthdaycelebration on 23rd and 24th November. "TheDay I am born in you as Love, that Day is My Birthday foryou." Baba announced on the 23rd. Hereminded the 15.000 people who sat before the Nilayam to witness thehoisting of the Flag, that "Hereis the Siva Sakthi, born in human form to lead mankind towardsHim." When Baba declared that eachindividual is a flower in the garden of God, drawing strength fromthe earth and beauty from the sun, one was reminded of the poem sungby Sri Das Ganu Maharaj while expounding the life and teachings ofthe 'previous body' of Baba:
"The Bakul, Lotus, Chamelee, Dawan, Marwa, Panch - such a variety of flowering plants bloom together in a garden and make it grand. All flowers spring from the earth and return to the earth from which they sprang, and after they re-enter, there is no more distinction!"
"Religion is a perpetualencounter of the individual with the Universal, a persistentinvitation which insists on acceptance,"said Baba. Those who have tasted the sweetness of that Invitationfrom Baba know that He is the Lord who as He Himself sang in theintroductory verse of His birthday discourse, "commandsthe sun to illumine, the stars to lend brilliance to the sky, thewind to blow and bolster life, the rivers to meander murmuringly on,the fire to reduce everything to irreducible ash, and the millionspecies of living things to populate the earth and sea, proclaimingthe might and majesty of the Lord."We have heard of gifts being given to a person on his birthday, but,to the Lord who is amidst us, what can we give? Therefore, Baba givesgifts to us, on the 23rd November. We sit in long lines all over thegrounds of Prasanthi Nilayam, and he gives each one a packet ofsweets, with a loving word or a charming smile as a keepsakeforever.
During these festivals, after every discourseHe sings a few Bhajan songs, with which He activates devotion andfaith among the thousands. His songs are genuine Muraligana,that is to say, replicas of the magic music which flowed from theFlute of Krishnaon the banks of the Yamuna.The water of the Yamuna forgot to flow and halted in ecstasy, whenthe Flute conveyed the breath of the Lord to them. It is in thenature of water to flow! So, the Chithravathiat Prasanthi Nilayam has freed itself of water so that it can listento Baba's voice, without the bother of halting and holdingstill!
A devotee writes, "In the blissful joy oflistening to His melodious voice extolling the glory and majesty ofdivinity one forgets all the cares and distractions of living; one isreleased from the prison of time and space."
On 31st December, 1969, Baba was in the midstof delegates from all the Units of the Sathya Sai Seva Organizationsin Mysore, and called them lovingly as instruments of His DivineMission of Dharmasthapana.While the Presidents from each district were presenting theirreports, Baba was standing at the farther end of the Shamiana,instead of sitting on the chair placed for Him on the Dais. Inexplanation He said,
"My place is among you, with you and wherever work lies! Do not believe that I am on a special seat, apart, distant on a pedestal. I am part of you, partner and partaker, inspiring, instructing, when you ask Me or need Me for inspiration and instruction." "Do not exude pride," He advised the workers. "Spiritual pride is the most poisonous variety of pride: it is the highest of hypocrisy. Fear too is spiritual poison, for, when you have in your heart the Person who declares that you need not fear, why should you fear? If you do, your lips belie your heart. An uneasy conscience is a torment.""If there is righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character,"
"If there is beauty in character, there will be harmony in the home;
when there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the nation;
when there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the world... "
said Baba.
"So, be righteous in speech, thought, and action. Avoid all prejudices on the basis of caste, creed, color, status or degree of scholarship or affluence." That was the directive with which the delegates returned to their place of work."
Within a few days, Baba inaugurated a MahilaSathsang, under the auspices of the Organization, and the advice Hethen vouchsafed to the women workers has far reaching implications.Baba has come to clarify Dharma,mark out the bounds of behavior, prescribe laws and limits ofconduct, so that vagaries may be controlled and sublimated. He said,"Let the Sathsang start with your homes! Let your homes be happy,harmonious, with no friction or faction or frills, fanfare orfanaticism. Let the different generations, living in the home withvarying levels of intelligence, experience growth and attainments,earnings, tastes, or prejudices, learn to live together in mutualcooperation, tolerance and loving kindness. Each one of you must doyour part in ensuring that your home has the fragrance of aSathsang, charged with the Sai atmosphere. Learn to put upwith different opinions, different temperaments. Develop the desireto understand others, be sympathetic towards them, be happy whenothers are happy, be compassionate when others are sorrowing. Engageyourselves in Seva- go into the slums, the hospitals and the jails, the remand homeswhere delinquent children are housed. Seva is better than evenDhyanaas a Sadhana.'Dill me Ram, hath mekam,' Perform your duty, with Godinstalled in your heart."
Mahashivarathri, 1970! A flood of devoteesflowed into PrasanthiNilayam. There was tremendous rush,but, absolute silence. Baba told the young men and women of the SevaDals, selected by the Sathya Sai Seva Samithis from the differentStates of India,
"You yearn to do some Seva in My Name, don't you? Well I have a thousand heads, eyes and feet! The Vedas proclaim that God is 'Sahasra Seershaa Purushah,' 'He has a thousand heads!' The thousands who have come here, the aged, the children, the diseased, the afflicted - they are all Me. Serve them, you serve Me!"
Baba hoisted the flag on the Nilayam, andsaid that loyalty to higher truths has to be built up from childhood,even through the lessons learnt while in the mother's lap. At noonthe creation of the huge stream of Vibhuticaused wonder and amazement, even to those who know that it was partof the SivarathriFestival. In the evening, Sri Nakul Sen, I.C.S., Lt. Governor of Goa,Dr. Gokak, and Dr. D. Venkatavadhanlu, Professor of Telugu, OsmaniaUniversity, addressed the gathering.
Baba's compassion led Him to begin Hisdiscourse with a Sanskrit verse, meaning,
"I am not a human being nor a god or a superman. I am neither a Brahmin, nor a Ksatriya, nor a Vaisya nor a Sudra! Then you may ask Me who I am. Well, I am the Teacher of Truth; I am Truth, Goodness, and Beauty!"
During the discourse the Lingathat was growing in the stomach of Baba since about a week announceditself as ready to emerge, and so Baba sat on the chair. The hugegathering sensed the cosmic undertones of the movement and sang witheager excitement a song in praise of Shiva,the God represented by the Linga,for whom Sivarathriwas dedicated.
Fifteen minutes later, a heavy ovalLingaof a substance akin to an opal came up and out; the enormousgathering shouted Jai in adoration and uncontrollable bliss, whenBaba held it in His hand for all to see. Throughout the night, theBhajan continued, the divine offspring was placed in full view ofall, so that it may inspire them in their vigil and fast.[See also 'The Call' & 'Cities Aflame'concerning Lingams]
The next day when the Bhajan ended, BabaHimself gave consecrated food to the devotees. He spoke of the Geetaand its Message. He said that the song celestial recommended action,Karma,first; then, in subsequent chapters, it wanted that theKarmamust become untainted by any desire for fruits. Later, it recommendedrighteousness, Dharma;a few chapters later, it advised that Dharmahas to be given up, so that liberation, Moksha,can be attained. Finally it recommends that the Mokshadesire has to be given up, for even that is bound. It declares thatone is free, all the time, even when he imagined he was bound."Awake from ignorance;you know that your bondage was unreal; it was a dream, which wasdenied when you woke. You are always free, liberated. You are alwaysthe Atma that can never change orsuffer."
Baba left for Brindavan after a few days, sothat He could expedite from there the construction of the college Hehad planned.
Early in the afternoon on 9th May, 1970, Babaleft Brindavan for Bombay. Three cars formed the 'Caravan' the lastone being a carefully reconditioned one, brought by two members ofthe Seva Samithi, who had come to escort Baba and his party. I was inthat car and I was a victim of the poor quality of thatreconditioning process! Baba had questioned the Samithi members, atmore then usual length, on the details of the repairs done, and thetwo had assured Him that all was well.
When about 30 miles had been traversed,something from the car fell on the road with a thud: the vigilantchauffeur stopped the car, retrieved the part and quietly put itunder his feet, as if it was a superfluous gadget! Fifty miles off,he heard a squeak; he stopped and lifted the bonnet to peep insideand assured himself that all was well. A few miles off, he stoppedagain and sniffed a little. He got out of the car and went around it,and with an expression of audacious courage, hopped in again andstarted off! The friends from Bombay who were with me wereunconcerned. But, my nervousness increased with everyinterruption.
Very near the seventy-fourth mile, he stoppedagain! The bonnet was lifted for another casual examination and Icould see the man recovering a 'something' that had got loose andquietly putting it under his foot inside the car! My fears mounted. Alittle distance away luckily for me, we found Baba parked at a lonelyspot by the side of the road, awaiting us. I ran forward and pleadedwith Him that I may be shifted to another car, for, the car carryingme seemed to be fast disintegrating. Baba replied with a chuckle ofamusement. He described an item given by the clowns in circuses whereas they go round and round the ring in a car, the parts fall off oneby one until they find themselves squatting happily on theground!
I looked pathetically at Him so that He mighttake pity on me; but, the only remedy He proposed was: "Don't worry!If you fall out, we shall ensure that some one picks you up and putsyou in!" We reached Dharwar, 250 miles further off, at 1 a.m. The carbehaved well. We drove merrily through the evening hours into thehours of dusk and darkness, between avenues of trees until midnightcame, when we found the trees relaxed and rested, in profoundsilence.
At the bungalow of vice-chancellor Adke, Babaasked me, "After you reported to Me, was there any trouble?" Ianswered, "How could there be, Swami!" Thereafter we proceeded in thesame car to Poona and thence to Bombay, without a squeak or a spasm!At Bombay, when it was sent to the workshop for servicing, themechanic asked the chauffeur, "How did those who came in this carreach Bombay alive? The spring plates of the front wheels arecracked!" While relating this miracle to Baba, the owner Java said,"The driver is a devotee," and I added, "The occupants are alsodevotees, Swami!" But Baba said, "Not you; the car is the devotee, agreat devotee!"
That car had a personality and it prayed forGrace and got it! In fact, every artifact has human feelings Babaannounced so. He affirms, what Jagadish Chandra Bose discovered, thatmachines get tired. He goes further and asserts that mountains weep.And that 'Saris' weep! At Bombay, later, he asked some one to bringfor His selection and purchase, some saris to be given as gifts tothe women laborers, who helped build the Sathya Sai College atAnantapur. He selected 96 and rejected four! He kept the rejectedones apart, so that they could be returned!
When Baba returned an hour later, to thetable on which they were kept, he found signs of tears. Calling ourattention to this He said, "Poor things! They are sorry I kept themaside! All right. I shall take them also to Anantapur with Me."Months later, He repeated this incident at a meeting at PrasanthiNilayam, when He was describing the Puranic story of Govardhana Hill.When Rama decided to build a bridge over the sea towards Lanka,[see: Ramkatha Rasavahini, Chapter 7] the Divine monkeys inHis army pulled huge mountain peaks up by their roots and passed themalong the conveyor belt from shoulder to shoulder, until they werefinally dropped into the sea. After the construction of the bridge,the mountains were not required any more. At this, each monkey keptaside whatever peak it had with it, and hurried to the bridge head,with the result that one mountain that had been plucked from itsnative spot and brought pretty far, started weeping!
Rama heard its wail and consoled it, saying,"Stay! I shall use you when I incarnate next, and hold you as anumbrella to save the Yadavas from the anger of God Indra." "The hillthat wept was Govardhan," Baba announced.
At Dharwar, Baba expressed concern that alarge number of persons were waiting until the small hours of thenext day to have His Darsan. He moved among them, and quenched theirthirst with a gentle glance, an affectionate pat, a word scarcelyheard or a look of recognition, a questioning brow, and sometimes, apinch of ash created on the spot for a person found ill; or theacceptance of a bow, or letter, a flower or prayer.
That night people slept on ground that hadbeen consecrated by His Feet. Dawn found them at Bhajan or withrosaries. Baba spoke to the office bearers of the Seva Samithi Unitsabout the immense significance of Nagara Sankirtan. I felt that thischoir movement was really more profound than the Dandi march to thesea, for, the imperialism of the six passions that rule over men ismuch more insidious than the imperialism that the Salt Satyagraha wasdesigned to destroy. This movement where good men march into thenooks of hate and greed in every village with the name of God ontheir lips, along every lane polluted by anger and avarice, was thethin end of the wedge, destined to put a stop to the decline ofDharma among mankind.
Baba was present at the dais in the Shamianafor some time during the noon Bhajan, and, started off towards Poona,soon after lunch. Passing through Belgaum and Satara, where devoteeshad Darsan, the cars sped on, Baba keeping every one fresh and happy!Baba stayed at Jamnagar House, on the outskirts of the city of Poona,but that did not discourage those who had tasted the sweetness of theSai Name. The lawn of the house was dotted with devoted groupssitting in meditation during the early hours of the next day, and byabout 7, it was no longer lawn! It was a multicolored flower-bed ofbright eyes, looking up in ardent plaint, towards a room on the firstfloor, where they knew Baba was. Baba went down among them andrewarded them for their earnestness.
Dr. Adke and his son Manohar, an engineer atBhadravati, accompanied Him to Poona. Baba was conferring on the son,signs of His Grace at Bhadravati itself for, Vibhuti was showeringfrom the portrait of Baba which he worshipped at home! While fatherand son were taking leave of Baba, Manohar held before Him the ringHe had materialized for him, months back, at the end of theunforgettable Karnataka tour. Its yellow gem was a little chipped inone corner. "Do you require me to repair it? O, you want My Form onit, is that it?" He said, taking it in His hands. "No! You are anengineer. Your hands are ever busy handling machinery, or ought tobe. If I give you My Form on it , it will get scarred, and grated.Poor fellow, you will have no peace then. I shall give you My Form onthe ring when you go for higher studies overseas." With that, He heldthe ring between the thumb and forefinger, high for all to see andblew on it once, a little hard. "You are lucky." Babasaid.
Yes, indeed! His ring had disappeared. In itsplace shining in Baba's hand was a brilliant ring of burnished gold,with no gem, but with the letter M embossed most charmingly, by someskilled artist. "You get more gold now." Baba said, putting it on hisfinger, "And it is not Morarji gold." That is to say, it is not 14carat, as Morarji Desai wanted all ornaments of gold to be, when hewas Finance Minister of the Government of India! It was 22 caratgold! Baba left Poona at about 10.30 a.m.
Dharmakshetra was called over the phone, andinformed that Baba would be arriving only at about 1 p.m. and thehuge gathering there was advised to go home, since they had beenwaiting for Baba from 10 in the morning. He had stayed on at Poona,and did not want them to stay hungry. But no one stirred! No car outof the hundreds parked in the broiling sun budged! A Parsi gentleman,who had been waiting since 8, seated in the front row near the dais,was asked by his wife whether he intended to leave, for she hadpersuaded him to come after Herculean efforts, to take the Darsan ofBaba. He did not want to miss a chance of witnessing this strangephenomenon that fascinated millions in the world. So, he decided tostay, though the sun was burning the top of his head and the groundunderneath him was hot. He was thankful that he had worn two pairs ofsocks for, he was warned early that shoes had to be removed at thegate itself!
At ten minutes past one, Baba came. His carstopped at the gate, and Baba walked slowly up the grueling hotpathway rising sharply when it neared the dais! The Parsi gentlemancast a look at Him, his first, and tears gushed and hid the nextlook. Baba was barefooted! Yes! Baba's feet, soft and tender, sweet,silken and small, were moving over the hot sandstrewn pathwaysbetween the squatting thousands! He could have driven on straight tothe apartment on the first floor of Sathyadeep at Dharmakshetra! ButHe demonstrated the truth that he who seeks to lead, must share thetravail with those whom he calls to follow! He blazes the trail,goading others to aspire. The gentleman went home and came back soon,to attend the evening Bhajan after which he hoped Baba would give HisDiscourse!
The teachers of the Sathya Sai Bala Vihars ofBombay City had arranged an exhibition of children's art, and Babawent into the hall where it was held. The exhibits revealed thelispings of the new age in education, which is being inspired allover the country, the child being oriented towards God to discoverthe mystery of existence. The answers discovered so far by sages arenot being understood today because those questions are not beingasked. Now Baba is offering a synthesis of those answers of theancient seers.
The children knew that trees blossomedbecause Krishna leaned against the trunk! Cows were happy, sinceKrishna patted them. A boat was worth drawing, because Rama and Sitaand Lakshmana used it to cross the Ganga [see: RamkathaRasavahini, Chapter 14]. A horse is a good subject for paintingsince it carried Siddhartha from palace to forest, on his historicjourney to discover the remedy for human grief. Many tried to makemodels of Prasanthi Nilayam, which they had enshrined in their heartsas the abode of God. Others took delight in drawing Baba, as He wasat Shirdi or as He is now. Reverence and care were evident in everyline; they are enough credentials for receiving Grace. There weremodels and drawings of Dwarakamayi, Dakshineswar, Govardhan, St.Peters, Juma Masjid, and other places associated with man's undyingyearning for God. That night the children enacted a play in theDivine Presence. Toddlers of six and seven expressed emotions ofpoignancy, surprise, resentment, triumph, pity and pride so clearlyand genuinely that the play gripped attention and won appreciation.There was not a dry eye in the hall when two children enacted thescene where Lakshmana, under orders from his elder brother Rama, tookSita, unsuspectingly, into the thick forest and deserted her there,leaving her to the care of the sylvan deities. [See: RamkathaRasavahini, Chapter 3]. The scene where Lakshmana retraces hissteps to the capital and Sita discovers that she is left alone to thetender mercies of the forest and his denizens pulled the heartstringsof every one in the audience until they nearly broke. Baba, whosepresence inspired the children beyond measure, caressed them andblessed them, and appreciated the teachers who had trained them anddirected the play. He wanted that the play be enacted during Dasaraat Prasanthi Nilayam, a great occasion, when thousands from all overthe world could be thrilled by their innocence and charm.
12th May was the day when Baba inauguratedDharmakshetra in 1968; it is a red letter day in the calendar ofBombay and in the chronology of the Sai Era. No wonder therefore thatthe city celebrates the day with "Thanks giving." The multi-lingual,multi-credal, multi-state population of Bombay gathered in massivenumbers and chanted Bhajans continuously for ten hours, as theiroffering of adoration. When newspapers were carrying banner headlineson the Bhiwandi riots fanned by fanaticism and fed by fear andfalsehood, this celebration was an assurance, a promise, an oasis offaith and strength.
Baba referred to the surgent of communalriots and the sudden emergence of faith in violence as a solution forthe problems of life.
"Look at a tree! The roots, the trunk, the branches, the twigs, the bark, the timber, the pith, the sap, the leaf, the bud, blossom and fruit, the seed - each has a distinct taste, color, feel, smell and shine; but, you do not deny that they are all from the same seed. Each has its separate use and function. All have been fostered by earth and sun. 'Bîjam mâm sarva-bhûtânâm', [BG - Ch.7:10] says the Lord in the Gîtâ: I am the seed of all Creation! It is a pity that man is indulging in the arts of slander and faction, mudslinging and character-assassination, hatred and war so that his ego might be satisfied. Love is the best balm to quieten anger."
It gave the listeners good cheer and anArmour against fear.
Sri M.M. Pinge, State President ofMaharashtra for Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organizations is the founder andadministrator of a very efficient chain of institutes known asPinge's Classes which prepare thousands of students from offices,factories, fields and homes for various technical and otherexaminations, helping them to improve their skills and abilities. Thesilver jubilee of this vast network of schools was celebrated at theRang Bhavan Auditorium, on the 13th May in the Divine Presence ofBhagavan. The cream of Bombay's intellectual and artistic elite werethere, as well as a large number of students and teachers from manycolleges.
When He was led to the dais where a specialchair had been placed for Him, Baba quietly turned towards theaudience. He moved among the people, with his heart-warming smile,and the loving look of one's dearest kinsman and friend. While theInvocatory Verses adoring Him were being sung, He was busy with Hismission of showering Ananda (bliss) on parched eyes.
Later, He ascended the dais and stood for afew minutes leaning forward on the back of a chair. Then He sat onthe carpet, a picture of Divine Charm, to the delight and amazementof the spellbound gathering. When Dr. Gokak, Sri Bharde and SriSawant and other distinguished guests came upon the dais, Baba roseand occupied the special chair, and bade the proceedings to begin.Dr. V. K. Gokak, a clear and forthright thinker on educational andallied problems, who had been principal for many years and who wasthe vice-chancellor of the Bangalore University, addressing thegathering said, "I shall only draw upon the educational ideals putbefore us by Bhagavan, for, they alone can save us from the sad stateinto which the system has landed itself. Baba has laid down thecardinal principles that should be the very basis of education -unquestioning loyalty to truth, faith in righteous activity,cultivation of serenity and the spontaneous upsurge of Love. Baba hasput Atma Vidya (learning of the inner reality) in the very core ofthe system, for where the centre does not hold, where there is nosoul-sight, things are bound to fall apart. Baba has emphasized thateducation must impart knowledge, develop skill, confer balance andimplant insight. The student must become a useful member of society,earning not only his bread, but bread for others in the community.Destructive attitudes are prolific in the soil of imbalance; thevibrant energy of youth must be given constructive outlets, so thatthe balance is set right. Their emotions have to be chastened, not byreading moral texts, but by means of contact with men of matureminds, integrated personalities, impartial but beneficent servants ofmankind."
Baba in His Discourse referred to the fourcardinal principles, knowledge, skill, balance, and insight aboutwhich Gokak had spoken, and said that knowledge is gained through thesenses, inference, and observation. At some unfortunate periods ofhistory this knowledge is used not for integration but for thedisintegration, not for the well-being of man but for the skilfuldestruction of man. So the skill gained through knowledge turns outto 'Kill,' consequently disturbing the balance; hence 'insight' turnsinto 'outsight,' the pursuit of sensual pleasure in the outerworld.
Continuing, Baba observed,
"Sri Rama paying heed to flippant scandals, respecting public opinion, sent His Queen to exile (see: Ramkatha Rasavahini, Chapter 13). Socialism was observed in practice considering that the peasants and workers were honored during the age of Rama and Krishna." "Krishna tended cattle; his elder brother, Balarama (an Incarnation in his own right) had as his constant companion, a plough. They both declared that agriculture and cattle-rearing were consecrated occupations."
Therefore Baba exhorted all to plan andestablish a new educational system "which will instill discipline,canalize passions, control emotions and equip youth for mutualco-operation, compassion and comradeship, calm deliberation andconstructive service. At present, education equips youth only with abegging bowl, entitling them to clamor for jobs!" Baba said that Hewould establish a college in Bombay City if "you first preparestudents worthy of entering its portals." "Teachthem spiritual truths and the discipline that promotes theirtranslation into daily life. Intellect without integrity isinfructuous and injurious. Politics without principles, educationwithout character, science without morality are positivelypoisonous."
On the 14th, Baba blessed hundreds ofchildren, who are being prepared with devout care to enter theportals of His Grace, through Bala Vihar classes all over Bombay.Later during the day Baba proceeded to Jamnagar in Gujarat, by aspecially chartered plane. The scorching heat was unbearable; thetarmac was a trail of fire. And yet, thousands greeted the plane andrushed to have the coveted Darsan. At this, Baba willed shade andbreeze, and as He stepped out of the plane, the change in weather wasmiraculously sudden and satisfying. Every one felt a thrill of joyfrom head to foot at this sign of Grace. The Rajamata of Nawanagarwas the happiest of all.
At 'Amar Vilas' Palace, Baba was received, bya guard of honor provided by the home guards (men and women) with thePolice band in attendance. In the evening more than ten thousandpeople had the long-awaited chance to listen to Baba's discourse andthe enchanting Bhajans which He sings, in order to initiate man intothe path of faith. Baba said that congregational singing of the Gloryof the Lord will fill the atmosphere, internal and external, withLove.
On the 15th Baba left for Dwaraka, 150miles away, with the Rajamata and members of His party. All along theroute, in the busy squares of cities on quiet suburban roads or inthe midst of flat treeless wastes, clusters of families had gatheredto catch a glimpse; they had inscribed Baba in their hearts and takenHis pictures into their shrines. As we drove along, the pages of theBhagavatha unfolded before our eyes: Lord Krishna was re-entering Hisancient homeland, we felt.
The people of Dwaraka, and Saidevotees from other towns had filled the wide corridors of theKrishna Temple, long before Baba arrived, while He could gosmoothly in, through the thick mass, we were pushed, jostled andpressed; so seeing our plight, Baba came out of the temple to drawthose Gopas and Gopies into a wider space. When we were inching ourway to have a Darsan of 'Krishna,' the inhabitants ofKrishna's City were swarming around the Sai Krishna.They feasted their eyes on Baba, and congratulated eachother.
Baba left for Mithapur, where the employeesof the chemical and allied factories established by Tatas were havinga Bhajan Mandali for years. On the way to Mithapur, Baba inquiredfrom a devotee accompanying Him, if he would like to go back and seethe Shrine of Dwaraka and have a Darsan of the idol ofKrishna installed there; the devotee affectionately prayedthat he may not be sent back to Dwaraka, as he was very happyto be in the presence of Sai Krishna. A continuous stream ofmen, women and children flowed on to the lawns around the GuestHouse. Baba moved among them showering compassion andcharm.
While returning to Jamnagar in the evening,Baba was full of sympathy with us for the confusion and congestioninside the temple which deprived us of Darsan of the Lord ofDwaraka, Krishna, as installed in the temple. SuddenlyHe said, "O! the sea is here!" and the cars stopped. We came upon awide patch of sandy shore, with a temple on a heap of rocks at oneend. The place was called, we learnt later, Kuranga, meaning'the deer'. The sea and the wave always elicit the playfulnessinherent in Baba. For His play was first evinced when a tinytitillating wave appeared on the deep calmness of Fullness. He walkedalong the watery edge, gleefully daring the mischievous cohorts ofwaves. He laughed when others were drenched with saline stuff. Hepicked shells and searched for more, and sat on the sands at last, asKrishna must have sat, some fifty centuries ago.
He heaped the soft sand to the height of acubit in front of Him, putting us all into a state of extremeexpectancy. He flattened the heap and drew on it with His finger athree-slanted line. He drew a rough circle on top; he added a smalltriangle over it. He drew a short line across a circle. "It isready," He said, wiping the sand from His palms.
We were unable to guess what exactly wasready, though the line must have been for the "Thri-bhangi body," thecircle the head; the small triangle, the peacock feather and the lineacross, the Flute! 'It is ready,' He said and digging His hands deepinto the pile, He drew forth a bright golden image about 15 incheshigh of Lord Krishna playing the flute, the very acme of thegoldsmith's art and craftsmanship. "You did not get Darsan ofKrishna in the temple; have it, now," He invited us. It was amoment of 'supreme' ecstasy.
The image was iconographically perfect; wecould see a captivating smile playing around the golden lips. We donot know how long we sat contemplating the majestic beauty of theKrishna before us. It was Baba who awakened us. "Come, let usgo." The chauffeur of the Jamnagar Palace was the first to rise: Babanoticed his wonder-filled eyes. He asked him, "Which is your favoriteGod-form?" He replied, "Amba-Bhavani" (Lord Shiva's consort) The divine Hand went through the circular wave twice and a floatround gold plate with the figure of Amba-Bhavani embossed on it wasready for him.
Reaching Jamnagar at 9 a.m., Baba sawthousands still engaged in Bhajan, hoping that He would approach themand move along the lanes they had set apart. They were notdisappointed. A few were even lucky to receive Vibhuti createdto alleviate their particular ailments.
On the 16th, Baba drove to theAyurvedic University, established and endowed by the NawanagarRoyal Family, the only one in India devoted to the teaching of thatancient science of healing. It lays great emphasis on the hiddensprings of strength in man and the vast reservoirs of well-beingwhich can be tapped through Yoga and mantra,meditation and detachment.
"Ayur Veda or the Scripture ofLiving." To promote research, to unravel the intricacies ofAyurvedic texts and discover the ancient remedies for modernillnesses, the University has a band of devoted experts. Baba blessedeach of them in his own laboratory and worktable. He passed throughthe entire complex of the University, bringing cheer with every wordand look of His.
Thence, He drove to a bungalow calledIndraprastha where members of the Sathya Sai Seva Dal were receivingadvanced training in "Service as Spiritual Sadhana." He spoketo them of faith and fidelity, obedience and surrender, love,renunciation and service. "Remainalways ready to receive the rays of the sun, imparting illumination,health and joy." "Religion springs not from the intellect but fromthe will to love."
In the evening, Baba addressed the rotariansof Jamnagar at the town hall. He warned them against the futility ofspeeches and dinners. He told them about the fatal consequences ofresorting to artificial methods of birth control. Contraceptives willlead to mental disorders, to increased irreverence andirresponsibility, and deterioration of the moral standards upheld byIndian culture. "Spiritualdiscipline, intensification of Japa,Dhyana, Seva and Sankirtan - these can achieve the same end, withoutlanding the human community in the morass ofanimality," Baba said.
Well! The Sea prayed for Baba's Presenceagain! About 9 at night, Baba drove to Balachchdi seashore, near theSainik school. The staff of the Sainik school joined the party atBhajan. Baba sat on the soft sands by the side of murmuring waves. Inthe midst of the Bhajans, Baba inquired from Dr. V. K. Gokak theimplication of the letters V and K; and when he started telling "Vfor Vinayaka," Baba created out of the sand, a "silver" idolof Vinayaka and handed it over to him.
He related the story of the birth ofVinayaka and explained the meaning of Vinayaka, as thegreat leader or as the One without a bigger leader whom he has tofollow. Then, he asked those around Him: "Ask for anything you wantfrom Me now." Most of us asked for Grace only, but He insisted weshould ask for some concrete article He would create. While brainswere busy formulating the needs, He created a picture ofVinayaka, an exquisite calligraphic marvel, each line, big orsmall, being an Om - the ear, the mouth, the eye, in fact, the entirepicture was a composition of a 100 OM's, drawn with skill and care,to represent Vinayaka, the elephant-headed God. One personwanted a ring and he got it - made of gold with Baba's portrait inenamel. Another asked for a rosary and she got it, 108 Rudrakshibeads, encased in gold. The principal of the Sainik school - blessedbe his name - prayed for some auspicious gift for his school!Unhesitatingly, Baba played with the sand, pouring it through Hisfingers and, there was in His hand for all to see, a beautifulfive-inch 'silver' idol of Annapoorna, the Goddess of Plenty,who confers food on all Her children. "Keep this in the dining hall.The boys will eat with relish, and flourish amazingly," Babaannounced. "Anna, the food, which she gives. Poorna, to the full, isnot only for the Body; Anna means 'in take,' through the mouth, thesenses, the brain, the nerves. So, this Goddess will grant sustenancefor the body, the mind and the spirit, of the teachers and the taughtin your school," He blessed. Two hours of mystery, suspense anddivine delight were spent there.
The 17th was an epoch-making day. Baba'charged the Somanath Shrine' that day with Divine potency. He alsofulfilled the prayers of the late Jamsahed of Nawanagar, the personprimarily responsible for the renovation of that historic temple, byvisiting the place and allowing His Name to be associated with astructure that is a limb of that complex. The Rajamata succeeded inpersuading Baba to inaugurate the imposing architectural gem calledDig Vijaya Dwar (after Sri Digvijaya Singh, the late Jamsaheb), theGateway of Victory.
This temple is situated on a spot celebratedin the Vedas and Epics. The shrine is of Shiva, asSauma, with Uma, as Shiva-Sakthi. Baba has come asShiva-Sakthi in human form to charge the ancient shrine withDivine potency. The Shivayogis who specialized in Soma Vidyaand the followers of the Pasupatha cult founded by sageLakulisa about 200 AD, spread the fame of this temple from seato sea. They established Somanaths with Somesvara Shrines all overthe land, in Ratnagiri, E. Godavari, Purnea, Jodhpur, Mysore, andSouth Kanara Districts.
Somanath was one of the richesttemples of India. When the Muslims conquered and ruled over thePunjab and Sindh, it attracted the plunderers. Depredation,desecration, destruction, reconstruction and rededication becamerecurring chapters of its long history. The infamous raid by Mahmudof Ghazni in 1026 AD was the third in the long list of catastrophes.The fifth temple too met with a similar fate, at the hands of therulers of Delhi.
On Diwali Day, 1947, when the IndianArmy entered Nawabdom of Junagadh and liberated the patheticallydilapidated pile of stone recognized by many as Somanath, it wasrescued from those who could not appreciate the value and validity ofidols, images and symbols of the Unknown and the Unknowable. SardarVallabhbhai Patel announced that day, amidst the joyous roar of thewaves of human and saline seas, "We have decided that Somanath shouldbe reconstructed. This is a holy task in which all shouldparticipate."
The new temple (named Mahameru Prasad, likethe previous ones) was planned closely on the basis of the earliertemples and now, the Gopuram, the main gateway through which seekerswould enter into the portals of Jyothirlinga, was to be inauguratedby Someswara, come in human form: Shiva-Sakthi, come as SathyaSai!
Baba declared that He would reveal, that daythe genuine Somanath! This declaration filled us with wonder andenthusiastic exuberance. So all roads converging from Jamnagar toSomanath were shouting Jais in exhilaration. Baba was received at thedecorated Shamiana in front of the Digvijayadwar by the trustees ofthe Somanath temple, as well as by the high officers of the Districtand States. Amidst strains of temple music, He walked on the redcarpet laid on the steps, and opened the lock on the artisticallycarved and silver-embossed door with a silver key. Then, He proceededalong the festooned pathway, between rows of fresh banana trees, tothe main shrine of Someshwar, the focal point of the faith ofmillions for millennia!
He entered the holy of holies; BrahminPandits were reciting Vedic Hymns which reverberated from the archedand conical roof, from the finial 150 feet above the ground! Hedirected that a plate be brought. He spread the fingers of His righthand and shook it over the plate, 108 silver Bilvaleaves and 108 golden flowers fell from His hand in a clinkingshower. They were reverentially touched by devotees 'for it is ontheir behalf and for their sake that the process of 'charging the 3feet high Lingam' was being undertaken by Him. This Lingam had beenrecently installed, when Babu Rajendra Prasad, President of India,inaugurated the Temple. He poured the leaves of silver and flowers ofgold on the Linga, as He had done at Srisailam when He was set onrevitalizing the Linga there. It was like Ganga water poured into thestream of the Ganga.
Within seconds, He waved that Divine hand! Loand behold, a ball of brilliant light manifested in His palm. I wasat that time reciting within myself the Dwadasa-Jyothirlinga-Stotram,the verses in praise of the twelve "Lingas of Light" which everyHindu is exhorted to remember reverentially. The twelve includeViswesa or Varanasi, Kedarnath in the Himalayas, Rameswaram in theextreme south, Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh, Mahakala at Ujjaini andTryambaka in Nasik. But the very first in the list is "SowrashtraSomanatha," Somanath of Sowrashtra. The Somanatha Linga is the onlyone of the twelve which is adored as Jyothirmayam, "Imbued with thesplendor of light." And, Baba had the "Linga of Light" right now inHis grasp! What a great moment was this, I wondered.
Then I remembered Baba's announcement: "Ishall show you the genuine Somesvara Linga today!" so, this was It,the Genuine One, installed, as legend says, by Brahma Himself, andworshiped by the Moon-God, the God who presides over the mind ofman.
In a pamphlet issued by the touristdepartment, it is said that Skanda Purana mentioned thousandsof years ago that "the Sparsa Linga of Somanath is a'Swayam-Bhu' (self-originated) Linga, of great prowess, asbright as the sun, of the size of an egg of a hen, which is situatedunderground." It is a characteristic of Vayu, air. These arethe other Lingas representing the other four elements: Akash,Tejas, water and earth.
So the oval ball of light in His hand was theauthentic Somesvara He had resolved to bring up from its undergroundniche, kept away since many centuries from depredation anddesecration. The Sparsa (touch) Lingam was nestling forcenturies under the Linga in the Shrine. This information was givento us by Baba, as well as by the priests and trustees. Baba waved Hishand again and created a silver stand on which it could be placed. Hegave it to the chief priest, "Letit be in the full light of day hereafter! Let pious eyes admire itsbrilliance and imprint its glory on their hearts. There is no needany more to keep it away. The avatar has come to remove allfear," Baba declared.
To make the triumphant emergence ofSomesvara, Baba unfurled the flag on the towering finial over thecentral shrine. Thousands acclaimed 'Jai Bhagwan' as He gaveDarsan on the temple steps. Baba left for Rajendra Bhavan atVeeraval and at 2 p.m. He motored to Keshod aerodrome from where Heenplaned for Bombay. Over 30.000 devotees were awaiting the arrivalof Baba at Dharmakshetra, Bombay.
Dr. Gokak gave them an intimate account ofHis Leelas and Mahimas, (signs of Divinity) atJamnagar, Dwaraka and Somanath. Baba also spoke to them of theimmanence of God in every being and the need to practiceSadhana and Seva.
"You try to discover God, probing and peeping into every particle of the universe. Of course, if you have eyes to see, you can see Him there, too; for the universe is the Body of God. You are a spark of the Divine, so are all; so is everything!" He announced. "Before you experience the Divine in every being, in every cell and atom, you have to experience it as a totality of your being, that is, in your words, thoughts and deeds," He advised.
Baba left Bombay for Brindavan on the 20th.While conferring His blessings on the 25th at the Inauguration of theBharath Engineering Workshop, He spoke of the employer-employee bondas a loving partnership for mutual strength and joy. On the first dayof June, He visited the village of Kalkunte, hidden away behind abelt of trees, accessible only by a tortuous country road twelvemiles long. Each hamlet on the hallowed road had erected a Pandal,where young and old were waiting with flowers to welcome Baba as hedrove along. The villagers gathered at Kalkunte noticed a radiance onthe distant hill; as Baba's car came nearer, the radiance around itwas fringed with amber and gold.
Baba alighted from the car and was precededby priests chanting hymns from the ancient scriptures, followed by aband of temple musicians with pipe, drum and cymbal, and groups ofpeasants singing in chorus the glory of God. He walked about twofurlongs towards the Sri Ranganatha Temple, where the form of Godinstalled shows the Deity reclining in ease and directing unconcernedthe Cosmic Play of Emergence, Sustenance and Mergence!
There Baba laid the foundation stone for abuilding to house the village school. During His discourse, He said,"Make yourselvesmoving temples. Become aware of the God that resides in you. It is Hewho protects you, provides for you, prevents you from falling prey topernicious propensities." Andreferring to the school which was to move into the new building, Hesaid, "I have enteredthe field of education and established colleges for the new era forboth boys and girls in different states, for, these are temples ofSaraswathi, the Goddess of Learning. Liberation can be achievedthrough the Awareness of Truth, by learning the Unity that underliesDiversity. Now, teachers and parents, comrades and elders tarnish theimmaculate tendencies of children by setting wrong precepts. If theygrow in an atmosphere of sacrifice and service, truth and justice,love and light, they will grow into pure, good, brave and activecitizens. Now they are a perpetual problem to themselves and to thenation. If they are allowed to soak themselves in godliness, they aresure to be invaluable assets to themselves and toothers."
That evening, the Bangalore Centre of theBharatiya Vidya Bhavan had invited Baba at its premises and offeredgrateful homage, Sri R.R. Diwakar, a keen student and interpreter ofUpanishadic and Post-Upanishadic mysticism and a Gandhian Sadhakhonored by the country for his high-souled patriotism, welcomed Babaon behalf of all those assembled there. He spoke of Baba as thegreatest and the most effective moral force in the world today. Babapointed out that
"It is the responsibility of the Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan and kindred institutions to uphold the validity Bharatiya Vidaya or Atma Vidya and to demonstrate by precept and example, the lasting benefits it can bestow upon the individual and society. Churn the sacred scriptures and the text books on Yoga and other paths for self-realization and collect the nutritious butter and share it as the sustenance of mankind which is starving in the midst of pseudo-prosperity. Every worker at the Bhavan must shape himself into a perfect picture of the munificence of Bharatiya Vidya - that is to say, he must be tolerant of all faiths, patient in the face of odds, reverent towards the old, the sacred and the historic, and humble in spite of the insidious urge to demonstrate and display."
On 5th June, Baba reached PrasanthiNilayam.
Addressing a huge gathering in Kampala, theheart of Africa, Baba said, on the 8th of July,1968,
"Embodiments of Love, cultivate love undimmed by selfish motives, and live up to your name and heritage. Learn the international language of the heart, and spell it out in action. Your neighbors too pray to the same God in anguish, for favours. They may be speaking in different languages, their pose at the hour of worship may vary as well; but their physical needs are the same as yours, and they are satisfied by the same type of food and drink. Try and sympathize with them when they are in great difficulty and feel happy when they are joyous. Share their joy; sharing transforms joy into bliss - Ananda. Let your love expand towards entire creation. Stagnant water becomes foul; so, let in flow. Love is joy, love is power, love is light, love is God."
"My life is My Message," Baba says. BeingHimself the embodiment of love, He teaches us to love allunselfishly, and declares that each one of us can become God,Madhava,through love. He often says that "If you want to label Me, then callMe, Premaswarup."
It is through pure love thatBaba transforms us from selfishness to unselfishness, fromcontraction to expansion. "I am so happy that I am able to be ofservice to the Lord. It is my joy to be acting as secretary for theBook Centre. Since learning about Baba, our entire lives have beenchanged. We never knew such happiness before. It is such a joy to beserving Him even in a small way." On Christmas Eve, Gary andSharon held a Bhajan meeting in their home. The most wonderful thinghappened to them while they were preparing for the meeting. Sharonwas packing small packets of Vibhuti,and all of a sudden she saw something odd - sort of hard - in theVibhuti. It was a tiny medal with Baba's picture on it. Gary wasso happy and so was Sharon. They were so happy that Babagave them this blessing on Christmas Eve! We were so happy for them.
"Actually His miracles thatare really wonderful are the ones He performs in the consciousnessand lives of His devotees. He changes you so gently and graduallythat you do not even realize that anything is happening until onemorning you really take a good look at yourself and see that you havechanged. This is the real miracle. One day you realize that you aremuch happier than usual and you have lost some of your bad habits andgained a few good ones," writes Dorris Babb, Secretary of SriSathya Sai Book Centre of America, Tustin, California.
Swami Karunyanandaji is thefounder President of a vast organization for Sevathat has grown on the banks of the Godavariat Rajahmundry.This Organization, established 45 years back, has set up a LeprosyHospital anda Home for the destitute and the disabled.
One morning the Swami came outof his residence and found a young woman in extreme distress; she hadbeen escorted by an unknown sympathizer from Palasa by train. She hada two-year-old daughter in her arms. He got her admitted intohospital and took the child to the hostel, entrusting its care to thewomen inmates. Her condition improved rapidly for she was due to givebirth to a child within a week. There was a portrait of Baba hung onthe wall of the hospital, in which He is playfully leaning against acoconut tree. In this picture Baba appears more asSakthi. This pose was known asthe Sadhuvamma Pose, meaningSaintly Woman. It was perhapsjust the right picture for the patient, whose recovery and herimpending confinement was being looked after by Baba from thatpicture.
One evening, those in charge ofthe clinic, went to see a movie, and when they returned they foundthat the woman had given birth to a son. The baby was washed andwrapped in white towels and kept in a cradle. The mother had receiveddue attention. They were filled with surprise and on asking her whohad come, she replied pointing to the picture, "She had taken careof me at the critical moment. She has gone to attend to anotherpatient and will be back soon." That is the measure of His love.To help the helpless is the only way to please, follow and reach Him.
In February, 1969, four triballeaders from the villages, of Rumgong, Panya, Disi and Jining, inNEFA, along with Sri Boken Ette, Political Assistant, an Architect,and a Deputy Secretary of Nefa came toPrasanthi Nilayam. Later in theafternoon they were selected for an interview along with someforeigners and some persons from Goa. The party remained with Babafor about two hours. Baba spoke to them on spiritual matters andthereafter each one was granted a private interview through whichthey found solace, and were encouraged to re-plan their future lives.The deputy secretary writes, "As we sat on the floor, Baba Himselfsat amongst us, and not on the chair kept for Him. The room was hotbecause the fan did not work due to the failure of electricity. Whenthe wife of the chief secretary of Goa attemptedto fan Him with her folding fan, He said that it was not right to doso when others were suffering that heat. The room was too small toaccommodate 22 persons. So Baba drew us nearer and we found theatmosphere conducive and homely. In the august presence of Baba,language is not a barrier in understanding the international languagewhich flows from the loving heart of Baba. His spiritual declarationswere grasped by each one of us directly and personally, correspondingto the color of our minds. When an English lady said that she wasunable to concentrate, Baba promptly materialized a red heart shapedarticle by a wave of His hand saying, "This represents your heart,it will help you to concentrate." He also created a diamond ringfor the wife of the chief secretary saying that she would be able tosee Him in it. He said, "This is die-mind(!) not diamond. Meditation on God results in the elimination of thedesires that now make up the mind and its sport." This wasfine spiritual Upadesh indeed! Hecreated a talisman to cure the illness of another woman from Goa,and a handful of sweet Prasad forall of us. He poured the sacred ash, which He created, into the palmof a tribal leader and asked him to apply it on the foreheads ofeveryone of us. Another wave produced eight pictures of Him which Hegave to each one of us.
Thereafter He took each one ofus aside for a private interview. We were amazed to find that He knewall our problems and ailments, and also prescribed remedies for them.Sri Boken Ette sought His blessings and advice for the constructionof a Sun and MoonTemple intheir tribal area in response to the wishes of the people there. Babatold him that opinions differed amongst the people as to what shouldbe installed in the proposed temple. As we were standing, He with avigorous sidewise circular motion of His two hands materialized adisc on the spot with the Sun and the Moon embossed onit. It was a sheet of alloy of five metals, gold, silver, copper,brass and iron, the Panchaloha, out of which temple idols haveto be made. "This disc should be installedin the temple and should be worshipped on every Sunday as well as onevery full-moon day. Light a perpetual oil lamp at thealtar." He suggested. "Animalsacrifice does not propitiate God; subdue animality, sublimating itwith the reason endowed to man by God. If you must perform theliteral ritual, then do so outside the temple," He said.Advising on the plan for the temple, Baba drew an outline, drawing acircle in front of the central shrine for the tribal dances. Thearchitect in the party was pleasantly surprised."
After a private interview oneis left with a feeling that Baba is certainly with you. BeingAll-Knowing, Baba told Sri Boken Ette that he had halted at Calcuttato get himself medically examinedby eminent specialists and seek their help for the cure of a maladythat had defied the doctors of Dibrugarh. He gave him some packets ofcurative Vibhuti which relievedhim with the intake of the first packet. Since then there had been norelapse. The tribal leaders were recipients of the love of God."Love asked, and Love given."Baba says: "When father gives gifts to us,he does not give with pride or in the hope of requital."
It is this everflowing streamof love that fertilizes our desert heart with faith, hope and charityand culminates in the experience of Bliss. Dr. B. Janakirama Raowrote to me about an instance of Infinite Love. "At 2 a.m. Dr.K. Bhaskara Rao and I were with a patient whose pulse could not befelt, blood pressure could not be recorded, and therefore we feltthat he was sinking fast. At this the patient was removed from thegeneral ward to a room. An injection of coramine was given to him andwe slipped some Vibhuti into hismouth, out of the packets Baba had given us for him.
Next morning at 8a.m. we found that hispulse was normal. The patient told us that at night he had beenhelped by someone! Who could it be? The nurse and attendant did notknow anything about it, nor had they helped the patient. What aninexplicable incident at the hospital! We wondered... Needless toadd, the patient recovered soon and went home hale and happy. Dr. A.Ranga Rao while driving from MadrastoPrasanthi Nilayam, noticed sparksof fire emanating from his petrol. He cried; "Sai Ram" and threwhands full of dust. The flames subsided, and he drove merrily to theNilayam. Colonel Raja told me that a huge bamboo cluster near hisbungalow at Tezpur, Nefa, had caught fire. The flames were ascendingyards high. His wife ran out in fear that some huts nearby, whereNepalese lived, might be burnt down. She shouted, "Sathya Sai Baba,Sathya Sai Baba," and to quote the Colonel, "The fire gotextinguished in five seconds; even a dozen fire engines would nothave succeeded in doing so." Another revelation of the fountain headof Divinity which is ever present, everywhere.
"My brother had fractured histhigh bone six months ago. When Baba was due to visit my house atTrichinopoly, I brought my brother and made him sit on a chair in therear hall. When Baba came, the Bhajan was on in the main hall. But,He quietly went towards my brother knowing that he was still ailing.Baba materialized Vibhuti andasked him to swallow it, applying a fraction of it on his forehead.Then He walked into the hall and came near me and said,"I have set right your brother'sleg." Within three days my brother began moving about inthe house and in a week he ventured into the garden without help, andbefore the month was over he resumed his daily constitutional walk."This letter is from Sri S. N. K. Sundaram, Founder and Director ofthe Pandyan Bank.
Dr. M.S. Ramakrishna Rao, atalented Opthalmic surgeon writes about the miraculous effect ofVibhuti, concretized by Baba'slove. This doctor was treating a friend for conjunctivitis in theroutine way. He found in the course of his treatment that his patienthad the much dreaded dendritic ulcer in his right eye, which iscaused by a virus. IDU manufactured in America wasthe only drug which can cure this virus. But unfortunately it was notavailable in India. In afew days the other eye also got infected, which was rather unusual."Efforts were being made to get the IDU, but in its absence all thatI could do was to pray to Sathya Sai Baba, and doing so I put HisVibhuti into both eyes of thepatient and bandaged them. That very night, my Professor Dr. R.Suryaprasada Rao was able to procure the precious drug. I felt happythat Baba had responded to my prayers. Next day when the patient cameto me I opened the bandage, anxious to apply the IDU. But to my utterastonishment and joy I found that there was no ulcer in either eye! Iexamined the eyes under the corneal microscope, but no trace of thedisease or even a scar was visible."
John Hislop, a highly educatedbusiness executive in America, who could normally be expected todismiss abruptly any talk about a livingAvatar, has developed anirretrievable faith in the Avatar. He says, "I am, as a young son inthe household of a wise father and a loving mother, in whom I haveunreserved trust. The almost incredible personal experiences ofSwami's devotees draw the portrait of an unique and beautiful humanbeing, with attributes extending beyond anything we have everconceived as belonging to man."
In order to awaken man fromsloth and slumber, Baba often employs some supernatural or suprahumanmethods. Sri Bhagavandas from Unai writes. "I have seen scented ashappearing on a photo of Baba in my neighborís home. We werethrilled by it, and are very eager to haveDarsan of Baba." This is one ofthe innumerable ways in which Baba introduces Himself, and manifestsHis Presence, announcing the advent of His Divinity. In Nefa, a faroff region, where the sanctity of Vibhutiis not generally understood, sweet thick nectar or honey,or at times butter, rice grains or precious stones emerge from theholy photos forming a decorative pattern, or thePranava symbol.
Such Grace is available even tothose who have not seen, heard or met Baba. Sri J. Gogoi fromShillong writes, "When flowers are offered at the feet of the photo,Amrith appears! What a SaiLeela!" Sri P. Tshering fromCalcutta writes,"While my wife was busy cleaning all photographs of Baba for worshipshe suddenly saw Amrith comingout of the picture of Baba, all over the body." Dipendra Dass ofBhubaneswar writes, "Sincethe last few days, from the photo ofBhagavanSri Sathya Sai Baba somewatermarks seem to be appearing. In order to be more confident, Iwiped out all those watermarks. To my utmost surprise, two lines ofstreaming water came down from the knees of the Lord."
Dr. J. Vighnesam of Berhampurwrites, "I have not informed any one thatVibhuti comes from the picture ofBaba in my house, but, please tell me what I have to do? How am I toworship the picture hereafter? What are the rules of ceremonialpurity to be observed? Food, drink, smoking etc.?" From Delhi,a telegram arrives, "Honey dropping from Thy Lotus Picture atresidence. Pray continue Thy Grace to evoke devotion. H.P. Misra!" AtSonapur Tea Estate where aSathsang or friendly rally of theSai devotees was held. As soon as the party returned fromNagarasankirtan, whenArati was done,Vibhuti andAmrith appeared on the picture ofBaba. "We were all thrilled when we realized that Baba was presentamidst us," writes Dr. Barua. "This day, two devotees of LordVenkateshwara joined us in theBhajan. WhenArati was performed, somethingfell from the picture of Baba. It was found to beSripadarenu, given to devotees atThirupathi, after the worship offered to LordVenkateshwara there!" writes SriMuralidharan, the station director of All India Radio, Kohima.
Any sign of Grace,corresponding to individual temperament or to the peculiarpredicament, creating the desired impact, in awakening a seeker orarousing others towards Sadhana,is useful. "Not very long ago, I was almost dead," wrote Marie to herteacher Hilda Charlton at New York. "Dead, both internally andexternally, for I was deeply involved with drugs, mostly heroin. WhenI managed to give this up, I developed hepatitis, and was sick withthis disease for quite a while. Then Marc Schles sent me some ofBaba's Holy Ash from India whichhelped to cure me. I was sunk in despair, without a home, andseemingly without a future. But, thanks to Sai Baba, I am reallyhappy now, for I am living at home with my mother and making plans toreturn to college. Three of my dear friends who were involved withdrugs have stopped too. I shudder to think how close to death I was,through overdoses of drugs; I would like to express my gratitude toBaba."
Pedagottapalem Janakiramiah hadheard of Baba, but was not drawn to Him, as he thought of Him asmerely another addition to those large bands ofSadhus with which this countryabounds. His God was the idol installed in a temple five milesfrom his village. This was aShivalinga that had beenworshipped for centuries by his forefathers.Shivarathri was drawing nearerand the temple celebration was to be held on 15th February. But whilehe was busy with the preparations, diphtheria affected him. He hadhigh fever and great pain. There were no facilities forhospitalization; he could neither swallow food nor drink. Somekitchen remedies were tried, a few quacks tried their hand, but allwas of no avail. On the night of the 13th, he remembered a plaster ofParis bust of Sathya Sai Baba that a relative had brought to thehouse. He had been told of His miraculous powers. Why not pray toHim? Keeping the little bust by his bed, he gazed at it for long, andgradually fell asleep. In a dream, Baba asked him to drink somewater, but Janakiramiah protested that he could not. Babahowever insisted and in the dream his wife appeared with a jug fullof water, which he drank down to the last drop. With the last gulp,he awoke; it was 11 p.m. Thefever had gone and so had the diphtheria! By the 15th he was able tocarry out all his chores at the temple! With a heart full ofgratitude he wrote to me requesting directions for the journey to theNilayam. "He is Shiva; I mustfall at His Feet," he wrote.
"It was my third bout ofpneumothorax" says Eruch K. Wadia of Madras. "I was advised toconsult the doctors of the VictoriaHospital, Bangalore, since I hadexhausted all other lines of treatment. But before implementing thatadvice, I went to PrasanthiNilayam for Baba'sDarsan. I prayed to Him from adistance, and then had to come away, to consult the doctors. Afterthe consultation was over the doctor said, "Who told you, you hadpneumothorax?" I was sent for a further check-up to the SDSSanatorium, there I was told, "Your right lung, the affected one, asyou say, is better and stronger than the left. Nothing need be done."Wadia says, "His Blessings cured me completely;Darsan is enough."
Holtander Nicholas had adifferent type of experience. "Even before I ever saw Babapersonally, I had a deep affection for Him; I was working on Hisportraits; by the time they were completed, I knew I simply had to goto India andsee Him. I came to India, reachedPuttaparthi three days before theDasara Festival. The Festivalitself was full of experience, but I will not dilate on them. Rightafter the festival I had a cold which grew steadily worse, togetherwith such a high fever that I could not even think straight! Thedoctor from the hospital, while giving me medicine, exclaimed,"Sai Ram! Only You can make him healthy!" I heard these wordsand prayed, "Baba, give me the chance to do my duty in Europe, Ishould not die here, for I can now see clearly that there is work todo. Suddenly, I saw Baba's eyes - and then the hair around His head;these kept coming and going, something akin to the lights I often seein meditation. At the same time I heard theAUM vibrating all around me. Inthe morning I was much better, and one of the Westerners, a stranger,came into my room and said, "Baba was talking of you. He asked me,"Do you know Nick? (Nick! So He knew my name) the old man who swaysduring the Bhajans? Tell him that he had a serious heart-attack lastnight, but he is now quite safe, for I was with him all night!" Myeyes were opened. I understood the vision. All doubts were resolved.Now I know that Baba will come to us, if we really need Him."
Baba makes His presence felt ina thousand different ways to those in distress. When Dr. Ramakrishnanof the Institute of Science,Bangalore, was atPrasanthi Nilayam, he wassummoned by a phone call from Hyderabadat 9.30 p.m. and told that hismother had been removed to hospital in a precarious condition due tocerebral thrombosis. Hemanaged to communicate this to Baba, even though He had retired forthe night. Baba sent the messenger back, "Iwas at the hospital; she is all right now; let him have a goodnight's rest." Meanwhileat Hyderabad, about 9 p.m.his father saw her open her eyesand exhibit an interest in her surrounding; so he anxiously enquiredif it was necessary to summon her two sons to her bedside. But thelady replied, "There is no need; Baba was here just now; and whilegiving Prasad, He assured me thatI would be quite well." She returned home, quite well, within thenext few days!
Baba may indicate His Grace,His Love, in some other manner. Sri K. Dutt Gupta writes. "At Rangia,30 miles from here, Principal Biren Bardoloi has two smallphotographs of Baba under the glass of his dressing table. Baba hascaused to appear on one of them, in his own handwriting, the words"Blessing - Sri Sathya Sai Baba."Sometimes, outlined in Vibhuti Heleaves a footprint or two - an indication that He had come, or ispresent.
The mystic, Meister Eckhartwrites, "The Lord told the people, I stand at the door and knockand wait. If any man lets me in, I will sup with him." You neednot look either here or there. He is always near, make Him dear tosee Him vividly in your pure heart. He is the Reality of your being;you exist, so long as He inheres in you. Baba is ever ready torespond to your sincere prayers.
Baba asked the Sitaramans from Londonwhy they had retired for the nightleaving the gas flame alight with a container of oil upon the stove."What would have happened if I had notturned the gas off?" He asked. R.G. Gholap writing fromNandurbar, Maharashtra,"At about 4.15 a.m. I heard a voice asking me to wake up. I heard itthrice, but, I said to myself, what will I do getting up so early? Amoment later I heard, "At least open youreyes and see!" Most unwillingly I opened them, and whatdid I see? - A thief! As soon as I raised alarm, he ran away! Who hadaroused me, I wondered. Then I saw a trail ofVibhuti from my room to theoutside veranda. I knew it was Baba."
From Coorg, C. M. Appiahwrites, "The electric current had failed; so it was a dark fortnightin August. Kumar finished his frugal supper and went to bed; he wasliving in a dilapidated building. Lighting a candle and a stick ofAgarbathi (incense) he placed them near Baba's picture while singingsome Bhajan songs. Then, heslept. The wind howled and the rain fell in torrents. Suddenly therewas a whisper in his ear, 'Kumar run!' Opening the door he ran out inthe dark. As soon as he reached the road, he heard a loud thud. Thehouse had collapsed! In the morning he found the only undamaged itemamid the ruins was the picture of Baba framed in glass!"
One day Sethumadhavan Nairreceived a letter written in blood, with the skull and crossboneswhich the Naxalities parade on their note paper. The letter said,"Stop the Bhajans, for you areonly cheating and bluffing people. If you do not stop within sevendays of the receipt of this warning your head will be chopped off."The devotee knew of only one armor against such threats - the name ofBaba! Without any fear, he continued theBhajans during the next sevendays and nights. Enraged by this, the letter writer was nowdetermined to carry through his dastardly plot and so at dawn on theeighth day, he stealthily approached the house and peeped through anopen window. Nair was quietly washing his hands at the bathroom tap.Filled with hate and violence the writer aimed, swung, and threw aheavy chopper at the unsuspecting victim! But Baba is ever-present,everywhere. All Nair could say later was that asudden whirlwind of orange-red flashedbefore him, while a gentle hand held and pushed him into a corner ofthe room. He heard the weapon clatter to the floor and thesound of fast running footsteps, as the Naxalite made good hisescape. Hearing the noise,Nair's wife and a family friend who had been repeating OMrushed into the room to find itfilled with a strange fragrance, and Nair covered withVibhuti. He was unable to speakimmediately, but they knew it was the Naxalite chopper and theOmnipresent Saviour.
On another occasion groupcaptain Bose, driving with his wife and father-in-law from Ambala toGauhati in a high powered car with low clearance was unable to moveon the slushy road near Hariharganj. The entire area was dangerouslyflooded by serpentine heavy rains; the road was a lake. The backwheels of the car sank completely into the mud, while up front, onewheel was stuck in a ditch! At that late hour of 11.30 p.m. no helpwas available, nor would it have been of much avail since all effortsto free her only succeeded in making her sink deeper. Theoccupants were able to procure shelter in a nearby school, and slepton bare benches at night. Mrs. Bose felt that Baba had spared them along and hazardous journey, driving through the night, but herhusband was determined to reach Gauhati where he had to preside overa Court Martial. "Duty is God. Work is Worship," he quotedBaba.
When dawn broke, no passing caror truck would agree to help, nor would the small crowd of amusedvillagers lift a finger! Their enjoyment of the pitiable spectacleonly fanned the flames of despair. Unfortunately Mr. Bose had alittle bit of ego left in him; he decided to rely on horse powerrather than Sai Power! Ropes were procured, but the car would notmove; the engine was restarted, but she only sank further into theslush. Eventually, an exhausted Bose flopped to the ground, saying,"The Lotus Feet of Baba is our only refuge." Almostimmediately a gentle looking man with a strong physique came towardsthem. No one seemed to recognize him, nor could they guess hiswhereabouts. Handing his umbrella to Mrs. Bose, he became master ofthe situation. Bose was asked to get into the car and take the wheel- a sweet fragrance flooded the interior, but before the engine couldbe switched on, or the gaping crowd could offer assistance, Mrs. Bosesaw the man 'put his right hand under the bumper, and with one lift,he placed the car forward upon hard ground, all wheels safe out ofthe awful mire.' Then all the occupants were requested to get intothe car! Puzzled, they tried to thank him and to ask who, and what hewas, "Oh, I am a Chowkidar(watchman)," he said, and walked away. Disengaging itself from thenow vociferous crowd, the car moved away, and soon caught up with theman, walking briskly down the road. Bose begged the man to acceptsomething but he refused. Then He spoke one sentence,"Why did you not call for me last nightitself?" The Lotus Feet had indeed come to them!
This incident illustratesclearly how necessary it is to devalue the'ego' the little personal'i', and to recognize that theGod of our prayers, our aspirations, and highest hopes is embodied inthis 'Tiny' human frame of Baba. What after all constitutes a true'man'? Only he who looks up to God and submits completely, giving upall he has including the little personal ego, who is perfectlydetached, who knows the mystery of God as Man, and Man as God! On twooccasions, forest fires raged around the farm of Indra Devi atTecate, on the Mexican Border. In the first instance they roaredaround the Sai Nilayam whereSadhakas have a retreat,consuming trucks and tents, coating the walls with soot, but theinmates ran up a hill; the shrine room itself was left sweet andfresh as ever. On the second occasion Indra Devi was at home and raninto the prayer room, trusting Baba. The flames rolled back! Whennext she was in India, Baba gave her as an expression of HisCompassion, a figurine, saying 'No more fires!'
Muralidharan, station directorof All India Radio, was with Baba during his tour of Kerala and taperecorded His speeches and Bhajans, without omitting a syllable or anote. From these tapes a newsreel programme was prepared depictingthe ceremony when Baba laid the foundation stone for the Hospital forchildren, in my native villageof Trippunittura,when the Health Minister, Wellington,presided. He played thatreel and felt happy, remembering that Baba, in his speech at the TownHall, Ernakulam, had promised to tour Kerala again afterSivarathri. He had assured themthat He would tour from Cannanore to Trivandrumand stay longer in each place. When a friend came to his office aweek later, Muralidharan chanced to communicate to him the good news.Muralidharan said that if Baba would not fulfill his assurance, hewould take the tape containing His promise to Puttaparthi, play itback to Baba, and 'challenge' Him. Thefriend was thrilled by the confident tone of Muralidharan; he wantedto hear the assurance in Baba's own voice, and so the tape wasreplayed for his benefit. Wonder of wonders: those sentences were notrecorded on that tape! The Telugu sentences spoken by Baba and thesimultaneous Malayalam translations of the assurance spoken by mewere not there! And to make the miracle complete, there was no gapeither!
It was Basant Panchami, but thepeople concerned did not know this was so. They motored to Lakshimpurto catch a plane to Gauhati, then on to Calcutta,Madras andBangalore -and finally by car to Baba's Feet! Their hearts were burdened by asorrow which only He could lighten. While at the airport theyreceived a phone message from home. It was a Minister of theGovernment of Nagaland that was speaking. "What have you done to thepicture of Baba in our room?" "Why, nothing at all! What hashappened?" "You have pasted some red thread and a tassel on to theplace where His left wrist is." "What? I never did anything of thesort! Leave it as it is" "It has grown on the glass and it must havesome meaning - He won't do anything without some significance, anyhowI shall..." "The thread is on the picture, not on the glass -underneath the glass - do you understand?" "Ah! I shall keep that inmind." It was his wife, who said it.
"Myhands and feet are everywhere." He says in theGîtâ, when He hasdecided to confer joy, then nothing can stop Him.
Beethoven has written in hisown hand on a piece of paper preserved in the Royal College of Music,London, some seminal ideas of his; it includes the following aboutGod. When we think about Baba, these lines strike us as singularlyappropriate: "From what we are able toperceive in His works, we conclude that He is eternal, Almighty,Omniscient, and Omnipresent."
Baba wrote in a letter to amember of the governing body of a College,"Sai Sankalpa is Vajrasankalpa."(The Will of Sai is irresistible like the thunderbolt. It can nevermiss aim). It is irrevocable, inexpungeable, infallible."There is nothing I desire for myself; Istrive, I desire, I work, only for ensuring and developing thewelfare of humanity."
Sri Laksh Kumar has had abrilliant academic career, having taken his Master's Degree in threesubjects! He is at present the divisional inspector of schools, inthe north east frontier agency, now named Arunachal Pradesh. One daythe mail brought him three books concerning Baba; "The Life of Baba,""A Lecture given by Him to the Students," and "A Collection of HisSayings." He had heard about Baba, and read an article published inthe Illustrated Weekly of India, Bombay,but was not impressed by the portrait which appeared alongside. Hefelt the article was not worth reading. Nevertheless he kept thebooks among the Sanskrit volumes on his shelf.
While at college Laksh Kumardeveloped the habit of rising at midnightto read a favorite book untilabout 3 or 4 a.m.,before turning in for another bout of sleep. But why of all books washe now trying to master the ancient Sanskrit grammar, theAshtadhyayi (Eight Chapters) ofPanini? "Panini is," he said, "an absorbing and fascinating writer."Feeling his works to be the most celebrated on linguistics, he wouldsit far into the night, in the quiet of his Nefa bungalow absorbed inthis scholastic work. One night, struck by an un-negotiable corner inthe grammatical maze he closed his eyes in order to concentrate.When he opened them, Baba was sitting in the chair next to him, ina red flowing garment with an enchanting smile!
"I did not feel fear orsurprise, as must happen under such circumstances when a strangersuddenly appears at dead of night while you are poring silently overa book! I felt at ease and very much assured. Before I could ask Himwho He was, I heard His sweet low voice speaking reassuringly,"Do not be afraid that I am withyou." He repeated the statement twice, but the questionstill remained. "Who was He?" Before I could speak, He said,"I sent you some books."
"Now I knew it was Baba." Ireplied, "Yes, I have received some books ..." and would havecontinued but He cut me short and said,"Read them!" I said: "There isnothing in them; they are trash. There is nothing in them for me."But Baba persisted, and He spoke with sweet persuasiveness, as afriend, with no trace of bitterness, "Still,there will be something worthwhile! At least read themonce!" He smiled a smile that I can never forger."
Look at the depth of Baba'slove sending books, pursuing the process of transformation of therecipient by going Himself, and despite his callous cynicism urginghim not lose the chance of saving himself.
In a recorded interview withDr. M.V.N. Murthy, Ph.D., Kumar continues, "Then I felt it was wrongon my part to damn them as trash, before the very person who had sentthem, without a proper reading. I said, "I shall read them," andgetting up, went into the inner room to fetch them. When I returned,He was gone. I always try to keep my promises, so though this promisewas made to a strange visitor who came to me in strangecircumstances, I felt it my duty to read the books, I was, till then,interested only in philosophy, Eastern and Western, and not in ritualor in the lives of religious leaders as such; but I found those booksexplaining all the great truths of theUpanishads and otherphilosophical tenets of East and West in a very simple, sublimemanner. Whereas I found in other philosophical books mere words,Baba's books and utterances touched me because they sprang from aneternal experience of the soul and encouraged me to reach thoseheights myself."
"Ten days later when I was upagainst another passage in Panini, at about the same hour of night,and had closed my eyes to concentrate, Baba came again! He sat in thesame chair quite close to me. "I know youhave read those books," He declared. I said, echoing Him:"Yes, I have read the books." "I am quitesure you have liked them, I knew you would like them," Hesaid in a voice of assurance. "If you readthem, you will surely like them." He repeated.
"His voice was full of love andbenediction. I must confess that I have never heard such a sweetvoice. Then Baba said, "Now why do you nottranslate them?" I said, "That would be very difficult."Baba repeated the statement, "Yes, it willbe difficult, but I am sure you will do it." So, I roseand went into the inner room to fetch the books and some paper.Again, He had left by the time I returned. Translate? I did not askHim, into which language - Hindi or Adi? I was sure He must havemeant Adi, the language of the tribal area. So I started to work,without intermission."
"Two weeks later whilestruggling for a proper word in Adi for an abstract idea found in thebook, Adi being not a language to suit the exposition of abstractideas - and while absorbed in weighing one term against a few others,Baba came again. This was around midnight.It was the same blissful voice which I loved to hear. He spoke to mefrom the chair beside mine. "You havestarted translating them?"
"I raised my head and saw Himin His full glory. I replied, "I cannot do it; I am not satisfied; itis very difficult." But Baba said, "You cando it very well. Why should you shirk? Anything that is worth doingwill of course be difficult. You can do it, you have doneit." Then - He disappeared.
I was much encouraged by this;I finished the translation, and I decided that I should read it tosome Adi speaking friends and villagers, in order to find out whetherit was worthwhile. Meanwhile I found that Baba's three visits and HisDarsana andSambhashana had transformed me.My attitude towards my work and my subordinates changed. Formerly Iused to get angry and punished people. Now I appreciate thedifficulties of other people and try to help and sympathize withthem. I have become meek; the'i' in me does not assertas much as it used to do. So I can now declare that while I translatethe books of Baba, Baba succeeded in bringing out the best in me."
Grammar is as much Baba'sprovince as any other discipline. You can reach God, the perfectGrammarian through Grammar. As Laksh Kumar pointed out, his study ofPanini's works and the translations were both blessed by Baba whobecame his Guru. Kumar was gently guided through all the eight stagesthat make up the study of Panini by Baba whenever he called upon Him;all the complicated passages were expounded. "I can explain anySutra from any section of thebook in all the eight forms, and so can my three children ranging inage from thirteen to seven!" Says Laksh Kumar, now!
Baba is Love and it is His Lovethat prompts Him to select instruments, so that they may feel a senseof participation in the fulfillments of His Mission.
Mr. Tidemann from Norwaywas told,"You need not look for a Guru any more; fromnow on I will guide you." A disciple of Indra Devi spoketo Baba about the "waves of ecstasy" he experienced during meditationat Prasanthi Nilayam. Baba toldhim they were "sampleexperiences" granted by Him, to make him proceed withconfidence. Baba imparts courage, confidence, counsel and consolationto all who yearn.
"Becareful what you ask of Me for I grant what you seek!"Why stand under the heavenly Kalpavriksha (wish-fulfillingtree) and ask for the gift of a paltry petty article? He knows whatis good for us. Therefore, He of His own accord gives whatever weneed or desire. So it is best for us not to try to interfere with Hisplan of our destiny.
Mr. Bhatia had three daughters;Baba said, "You will have a sonsoon," and so it came to pass, although the pregnancydragged on well beyond the normal range of nine months leading toconsiderable anxiety on the part of the doctors and the anxiousfather. Baba had declared that the child would be born on the day Hearrived in Bombay - leavingeveryone more confused than ever! But during the 13th month, a sonwas born, and Bhatia hurried to the home of the Hon'ble P.K. Sawant,where he was told that he had gone to receive Baba at the MunicipalLimits of Greater Bombay!
His will always prevails.Recently a sapphire ring was given to Arnold Schulman, the author ofthe book "Sai Baba". He was reluctant to accept it as he thought thatsuch a valuable ring might cause trouble with the customs at SanFrancisco; Baba said, "I shall look toit," The official proclaimed it as "worthless" uponexamination. Yet appraisers later valued it at 125 dollars!
Containers ofVibhuti given with the assurancethat they will refill as quickly as they are emptied, refillthemselves with alacrity! A DivineLeela - usually called a miracleis supposed to point out that all that we see is nothing else but anobject-portion of Consciousness(Atma). It is not an exhibitionbut is always fraught with a profound significance calculated to bearwitness to the advent of the Divinity in the human frame of Baba. Itarouses awe and reverence, deepens loyalty, serves as an eye-opener,removing the fog of pride. The so-called sophisticated civilizationhas polluted the mind of man completely, helped him to cultivate alust for power and possessions, deluding him in the belief thathappiness lies in their attainment, and thereby leading him to moraland physical degradation.
He has come to disinfect andcorrect, instilling faith and fearlessness among the wise and thediscriminating, so that He may have sappers and miners for Hiscampaign against evil. As Murphet writes, "They build our faith,and help us to work with new zeal towards the production of a divineedition of themselves. And this is accomplished, not only through thegreat inspiration of the living examples before us, but also throughthe silent transforming ray that emanates from the Divine One."
OneLeela, for example, has all thevalue for the person privileged to witness, like theViswarupadarsana (witnessingKrishna as All) vouchsafed byLord Krishna in the battlefieldto Arjuna [See: BG Ch.11]. One day at PrasanthiNilayam, while walking with Dr. Y.J. Rao, M.Sc., Ph.D., aProfessor of Geology, Baba picked up a piece of broken granite, thesize of a fist, and turning to the doctor asked him what itcontained. Happy that he could reel off his pet technical jargon, hegave the right petrological answers. But, Baba persisted and wantedthat he should go deeper into its composition. He was prepared forthat question too, and he spoke of atoms, chemical formulae,electrons, protons, mesons and the rest of the scientificabracadabra. Baba stopped him. He said, "No, deeper still!" Rao wasat the end of the technical tether! So Baba took the rock from thehands of the geologist and blew on it. It became a beautiful idol ofLord Krishna playing the flute.The color was slightly bluish; the structure had undergone slightmodifications, to suit the curves of stance."See! God is in the rock! You geologistshave to be conscious of that; nothing exists without God, apart fromGod."
EveryLeela of Baba is a lesson inspiritual discipline and science. He chides and the chiding strikes ahidden spring of awareness and adoration.
There was a person whoworshipped Baba at home reciting the 108Names (Sathya Sai Ashtottarashata Nama Ratnamala), and onThursdays the 1008 Names, at theend of the rite, he fell flat on the ground in front of the picture,imagining that he was clasping with both hands the Lotus Feet of Babastanding before him. There was a gap between his palms, where heimagined the Feet to be! Tears would well up in his eyes while heenjoyed the thrill of that fancy. Later when he came toPrasanthi Nilayam, Baba grantedhim a private interview. "Just look at MyFeet as I stand before you! Take note of the width of space I requireto place both feet comfortably on the ground. Your palms do not openwide enough; so I have to keep my feet cramped between them everytime you want me. Keep them a bit wider!"
There is no prayer that He doesnot hear, no sign that is not recorded in His heart, no tear that Hedismisses as unworthy of attention. He is the nearest kinsman, theclosest friend, the wisest guide, the fondest mother, the very breathof our being.
He is present in this verymoment on all the roads, behind every fast moving vehicle, or oftenwith it, ready with His warning and loving Hand to avert calamity."Driving from Colchesterto London onthe afternoon of the 22nd September, my son asked me to lower hisseat as he wished to recline. This I did, and a truck stopped stillin front of the car almost suddenly, and we ran into it. The steeringwheel was completely bent, and the car extensively damaged in thefront! Neither my son nor I received a scratch. Baba had asked him torecline! We had the sacredVibhuti with us, and werereciting the Lord's name. We bow down to our beloved Lord whointervened," writes Shri V. Krishnamurthi.
Professor G.B. Pillai gives anaccount of some interest of his journey from Trivandrum toMadras, with his son. The familyhad known about Baba since 1961, and had become ardent devotees.While proceeding towards Maduraion 23rdDecember, 1969, atremendous downpour of rain mercilessly lashed the train. Alarmingreports of the Pamban Bridgehaving been washed away reachedup, so the train was halted at Maduraifor three hours, but eventually itwas decided that it should proceed. By then it was 9.30 p.m. and thePillais, together with Dr. C.K. Gopi who was in the same compartment,decided to retire for the night.
Suddenly the lights went out,and there was a loud explosion. The coach itself started to tumbleinto an abyss, while the debris of the compartment fell upon theunfortunate occupants. Professor Pillai was dropped into the roaringriver waters below, pinned down by the debris - he felt himselfgradually suffocating. "Where was my son? I thought of my wife anddaughters, and cried out, 'Baba, Baba, save me - save my child!" Soit happened. Suddenly the waters seemed to recede, and the debriswere washed away. "I could feel the ground under my feet. My head wasreeling, my voice was hoarse, my clothes were washed away. I calledout to my son, and he answered!"
"Baba had watched over us!" Dr.Gopi, who was also saved rendered medical aid, for sand and mud hadalmost choked the Professor. Later he had to fight for his lifeagainst an attack of pneumonia, but Baba's Grace helped him torecover completely.
Most letters to the authorstart saying; "Another miracle has happened!" "Susan, who wasmiraculously saved by Baba from suicide, had a son, Kevin, whosurvived brain surgery as a child, but was left totally blind in oneeye. Each night Susan used to place a littleVibhuti in his eye. Finally whenthe child's eye was examined it was found that sight had returned toit - "even if he were to lose the sight in his good eye, he could seeobjects and get around with the vision in his blind eye." This isfrom a letter from SantaBarbara, on the pacific coast of America.
Nearly twenty years ago,arriving one morning at the Nilayam I found a group of young men froma Bangalore college praying to Baba to take them to the top of thehill on the left bank of the Chitravathi river. They hoped that oncethere, Baba would take from the famous tamarind tree, fruits ofdifferent species. I too joined in the appeal, but Baba wasdeterminedly silent for a while, then said sharply,"Do I require that particular tree? Any treecan do." We were filled with hope. He would give us fruitfrom another tree and make that immortal! But He said,"Why do you think I want a tree? Sand isgood enough." That meant He would give us something fromthe river bed! We were soon disillusioned!"Do I need the sands of a riverbed? Is notany sand equally good?"
Since the building work was inprogress at the Nilayam, truck loads of sand had been heaped to oneside. "We shall sit on this heap itself, Swami!" I said."Do you think that the creation of somethingout of sand is the only miracle? Is sand so essential?" Wedid not know what to say - we had to be satisfied by the miracle,creation of Vibhuti by the merewave of a hand. "Should I create somethingso that you can see a miracle? Is not your existence itself a miracleof Mine?" He asked. Then He rose and walked away leavingus aghast at the revelation of His being the Trinity, of His beingthe Incarnation of the One Universal God.
Every miracle of Baba is a giftof Grace. It may be a pinch of sacred ash, a piece of candy, apicture created before us; it may be a shower of ash, or theemergence of Kumkum or fragrantsandal or nectarine honey, on a picture, anOm in ash on the floor, acontinuous flow of scented oil orAmrith from aLinga or locket. It may also be aseries of paper slips on which counsel or warnings are written in thelanguage you understand, that come from His hands in the portraitsyou worship. It may be given to you while you are awake, asleep ordreaming - or come to you as a book or as a parcel through the post,in reply for an order that you may not have placed. It may be avision of Himself, subtle, substantial, momentary or more lasting,but, always, it is a sign of His Love and Majesty.
The more you want, the more Hegives; the more He gives, the more you grow; the nearer you approachHim, the closer do you approximate to Him.
"Comewith empty hands," Baba says. Throw away all the thingsthat you hold in the grasp of your hand; cast away the toys withwhich you have been playing the game of gaining and losing, gatheringand scattering. Baba delights in giving. He does not relish beingadored or admired because our praise does not add anything to HisGlory, and criticism cannot minus it either. He delights in fillingempty hands with lasting sweetness; empty hearts with lasting joy;empty lives with salutary substance; empty reeds with His melodiousbreath.
Each gift prepares us afresh toreceive yet another, for nothing is given without significance - itis to facilitate us to go forward in our search for Truth. He is notrendered less by giving; our capacity for receiving is boundless too.So Manava (Man) negates andneeds, hungers and receives, and thus becomes ultimatelyMadhava, God, Himself.
While addressing an audience ofSai devotees, Dr. Bhagavantham recently said that about a decade backgood photos of Bhagawan in color were not available. Therefore hisson prayed to Baba for a picture. His son's prayers werespontaneously answered as Bhagawan materialized aLingam and gave it. This is apointer revealing the inner core of the Reality or the Real.
Once a few devotees weresitting with Baba at the foot of a mountain and Baba held a fewpebbles in His hand and threw them towards a devotee, convertingthese into sugar candy. At this the devotee enquired from Baba thatif He could instantly convert those stones into sugar candy, could Henot transform the entire mountain in front of them into sugar candy?Baba replied, "It can be done, but whyunnecessarily interfere with its nature?"
In fact, no material ormovement is necessary to materialize anything for Him. His Will(Sankalpa) is supreme. On oneoccasion, Baba was talking on spiritual matters to a devotee, and allof a sudden the devotee found on his lap a red apple. The devotee wasastonished, and Baba told him, "Didn't yousay, earlier on, that you did not have any breakfast?Eat it now, for you will be having yourlunch only after a couple of hours." This was accomplishedwithout any transformation of any material or without any wave of thehand.
"Get detached from the transitory pleasure; boldly attach yourself with the One, peerless and perennial, remaining in a serene state of Blissful Awareness," says Baba.
Two conferences were held in PrasanthiNilayam, during 1970 - the Seva DalConference in October during the Dasara celebrations, and the AllIndia conference of Office Bearers of the Units of the Sathya SaiSeva Organizations in November, during the Birthday celebrations.Both contributed much to stabilize and spread the Mission and Messageof Baba. Just as all rivers automatically incline towards the ocean,likewise all individuals for their self-improvement, shouldvoluntarily cooperate with each other, breaking the shackles ofindividuality and reaching the goal of spiritual unity: this is theplan of action designed by Baba for the individual to merge in theUniversal. He considers the lone seeker, avoiding fellowmen andinvolvement in society, as a poor Sadhaka.A single drop of water gets evaporated soon. It cannot reach the seafrom which it was raised by the rays of the sun, unless it moves withits kith and kin, joining a rivulet, entering a stream, falling intoa river, and flowing on. Baba says, "Donot consider society a trap or a trick or a tantalizing contraption.Premayoga, Path of Love insists upon service to fellow-beings as thebest Sadhana."
Service is the natural expression of a personwho has realized that I and He are One, that there is no distinctionbetween That and This, Creator and Creation, Energy and Matter. ThisUnity of all in the One, is the philosophical basis for the GoldenRule, "Do unto othersas you would be done by."
"Prema, Love is My distinctive mark, not the creation of material objects, or the granting of health and happiness by exercise of Will. You consider what you label 'Miracles' as the sign of the Divine. But, the Prema that welcomes you all, that rushes Me to the presence of those who seek God, of those who suffer from handicaps on the pilgrim route, where they are, is the real Sign, fill every act with Love. Let no one suffer the slightest pain, as a result of your thought, word or deed. Let this be your Sadhana, for, you are all; you injure yourself when you injure another. You are Sai and all others too are Sai. How can the hand pluck out the eye of the body to which it belongs? I have come to light the Lamp of Love in your hearts so that you can, with that Light, see Sai in everyone."
Inaugurating the Conference of the All IndiaSri Sathya Sai Seva Dal, Baba said:
"Feel that everyone is Thryambakam, three-eyed, manifesting as Will-Work-Wisdom, Doer-Duty-Deed, Strength-Sweetness-Light. Feel the God in them, and offer whatever service you can, with discriminating skill, with no fear of compulsion and no thought of compensation. You need wear no uniform, nor parade a badge. A person in distress need not plead for help. Since it is your nature to give and forgive, look into his eyes with compassion and lend him the hand of a brother. Love is borne in the womb of Seva; Love grows through Seva; God is Love: Love is God. This is the truth I have come to teach. Scatter the seeds of Love in dreary hearts and these will sprout into blossoms of Love, which will fill the air with fragrance; when drops of Love are rained, river of Love will murmur ecstatically through the vales; and, every child, bird, beast and pebble will sing the song of Love."
The 700 young men and women who heard Himthat day were spellbound by the Love-charged message ofBaba.
An American Sadhaka summarizing the mooddeclared, "Let us become dedicated workers imbued with the SaiSpirit. Let us become practitioners of Yoga,the union of the Individual with the Divine." Reports were readbefore the Conference of the work being done by the Service Units invarious districts, and the Convenors of Subcommittees placed theirrecommendations for consideration. Sri Nakul Sen, I.C.S., remindedthe Dals of the spiritual ideal of Seva.
Baba insisted that every Seva Dal member musthave a good grounding in Dhyana and an unquenchable avidityfor Japam."Without being atpeace with yourselves, you can not be at peace with others. And, isnot peace the greatest of gifts, the most precious ofpossessions?" He asked. Baba saidthat the Subcommittees have listed a variety of items of servicewhich the Dal can take up - the donation of blood, literacy classes,slum clearings, cleaning the premises of temples, Bhajans in jails,classes in remand homes, visits to inpatient wards in hospitals,first-aid, fire fighting, assisting passengers alighting from trainsin pilgrim centres, etc. "Eachsuch activity must be undertaken with the conviction that you areserving Sai in all Forms."
Perhaps, at this stage, it is best to quotefrom a letter written by Hilda Charlton, "Baba told me - walk thisearth, with your head held high, your spirits soaring, your heartopen to Love. Believe in yourself and in God within you. Then allwill go well. Wherever you look, I am there. Wherever you walk, I amthere. Whomsoever you contact, I am in that person. I am in each.From each, I will respond. You cannot see Me in one place, and missMe in another! For, I fill all space. You cannot escape Me, or doanything in secret, for there are no secrets with Me or from Me. Livein perfect accordance with My laws, and wonders will ensue!" Thiswas the clarion that echoed in every young heart, during theConference.
The 700 stayed on for Dasara and so had a practical courseof instruction from the Master Himself. During the eveninggatherings, He spoke about the Self, its Unity, the Identity of allSelves.
"Today, every school boy knows about the sun, the moon, the stars and even the outermost regions of space. But not even the most encyclopaedic scholar knows the answer to the very elementary query: "Who or what am I? I is the most frequently used word, it recurs many times in conversation, I saw, I went, I heard, I have a cold, I am a pilot, I am angry, I hate it, I am tall - who is this I that has these attributes, these possessions? The Upanishads declare that the I is not the personalized individual; it is not limited to the body which it inhabits or operates. It is the most universal of categories, the eternal absolute, the Paramatma, It is the Omnipresent Universal Consciousness, the Sath-Chith-Ananda."Baba spoke another day in great detail about Sath-Chith-Ananda.
"There are three desires or urges which every 'I' has to fulfil:
1. I must live. This is the prompting from the core Immortality, Sath.
2. I must know. This is the reminiscence of the omniscience of which the 'I' is a spark.
3. I must be happy. This is the evidence of the Ananda which is innate in the individual."
The day after Vijayadasami, when thedevotees were leaving, Baba told them:
"I eat as you do, move about as you do, I talk in your language, and behave as you can understand, for your sake, not for My sake. I direct you towards the Divine, winning your confidence, your love, your loyalty, by being among you, as one of you. My aim is to transmute you into spiritual aspirants so as to enable you to know your true being, becoming aware of the Truth of the Universe, which is but a projection of your own Truth. I am the inner spring in all that moves and exists. I am the energy, the power that propels and impels. I am the knower, the known and the knowledge. But, I do not display capriciously or confound you. I am an example, and inspiration, an instruction. My Life is a commentary on this message."
Birthday Celebrations, 1970! Baba directedthe Office Bearers of the Sai Seva Organizations to assist devoteesorganize efficiently Bala Vikas, Seva Dal, Mahila Vibhag, Study circles,Bhajan groups andNagarsankirtan.
Baba said:
"This Organization has spread far and wide. About 3.000 persons participated in the Conference, although only the Presidents and the Secretaries were invited, and no proxy attendance was permitted. Select your path after mature deliberation, then adhere to it to reach the goal. The Sathya Sai Organization is established to translate the principles of Love and Non-Violence into daily practice. It also promotes inquiry into four basic problems!
The Body, what is it? Deham. (The Body)
Am I it? Naham. (No)
Then, who am I? (Koham)
And finally, Is This That? Are This and That separate and distinct?
The correct answer given by the sages is Soham. (That is I) I am That.
Instead of identifying yourself with the perishable body and the fleeting mind, know yourself to be a witness of the passing show."
All religions recommend Love andNon-Violence, and encourage this inquiry. The Sai Organization has towork with persons of all faiths.
"If you have love in you, you will be welcomed by all men everywhere. I have come for ensuring Lokasangraha - (promotion of the Welfare and Happiness of the entire world) and so, when you live in concord, then there will be no discord, and your activity will certainly please Me."
On the final day of the Conference, Baba hadwith Him a list of questions from the delegates. He spent about twohours elaborating the answers. What is the nature of the mind? Howdid creation come into being? How can service to others becomeSadhana?What name is best for Japam?Which Yoga can take us quickest to God? Areclasses in meditation necessary? How far can a Muslim Office-Bearershare in Bhajans?Baba said that no person should act against his conviction; thatwould be hypocrisy, which is a sin against God.
Premayogawould lead man Godwards. No one can train another in meditation, orclaim so to train! It is a function of the mind. God is one, withouta second. He does not change, He is not affected, when the Name bywhich you adore Him is changed. Service removes the veil of theillusion of manifoldness. Sleep causes dreams; Maya, thedeluding power of the Divine, causes the apparent multiplicity. Themind is a bundle of desires that has formed itself around the ego.Resolve to achieve success in the Sadhana of Japam and Dhyanam,Bhajan and service. Be an example toothers in these matters, that is the way to inspire andlead.
With a rambling, rampant ego, you have tokeep your mind balanced. You should not yield to emotion or passion.The attachment to the senses and the sensory world must be transmutedinto attachment to the Lord, so that the sweetness of Bliss may fillthe heart.
"The conviction that I am everyone and watching everything must keep you on the straight path of Sadhana through service and study. I would like every active member of these Organizations to bubble with joy at the work already achieved and with enthusiasm for the work ahead. Love, respect, tolerance, mutual cooperation, forbearance - these must flow from the hearts of all towards all. You are all limbs of one body - the Sai Body."
No wonder the devotees from across the seaswere caught in the mood of divine adoration, and sang in chorusduring the Dasara Festival:
Sai Baba! Sai Baba! So kind! So kind!
He is our mother, sister and brother
All in One!
He is the Earth, Air and Water
Moon and Sun
Sai Baba, Sai Baba
So kind, So kind!
He is the all we shall ever be
That we have ever been
We are here today and tomorrow
So that He can help us see!
Sai Baba! Sai Baba! So kind! So Kind!!
Sadhana,according to Baba, helps to discover the Inner Reality of our being;which appears to be encased in subtle and gross elements. Although weare under the spell of these elements, the Avatar is beyond them and controlsthem. Our descent commences when we identify ourselves with theseelements, and believe in the obvious frivolity of difference. Theseelements have to be pierced, through Viveka (discrimination),Vairagya (detachment), andVichara (enquiry) in order to liftourselves from the plane of animality. Sometimes this process landsus into the most deep-rooted falsehood, the Ego (theAhamkara)which is the last hurdle keeping us away from the awareness of God.With a mind withdrawn from without, and steadied in silence, it canbe conquered.
Soon after the birthday festival was over,Baba went to Bangalore, and stayed at Brindavan. What happened in themonth of December is an epic in itself.
"Dear Sri Kasturi! Your telegram cancelingyour promised visit to Ceylon has helped to render our faith in Babafirmer than before!" This was not a particularly polite reply toreceive from a Secretary of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Samithi. Baba hadpermitted me to accept an invitation to visit Ceylon, on a Saipilgrimage, meeting devotees in villages and towns, to shareexperience and delight. My passage was booked by rail and plane; sowith my bag and portmanteau I went to Whitefield to take leave ofBaba and to receive His blessings. The mail train of Madras, fromwhere I had to emplane was leaving Bangalore within an hour. When Itouched the Lotus Feet, Baba asked me, "Where are you going?" I saidthat I was on my way to Ceylon. He said, "Why Ceylon? Send them atelegram canceling your visit and come with Me to Goatomorrow."
That was the telegram which placed the faithof Sai devotees in Ceylon upon an unshakeable basis! Later, SriThyagarajiah, the Secretary, set my mind at rest, explaining thecryptic comment. Dr. Nallainathan, the President of the Samithi, hadread out my first letter accepting the ten-day schedule, before alarge gathering of devotees and when he finished, he did a veryun-Nallainathan-like thing. He heard himself say, "Of course, Mr.Kasturi has very kindly agreed to come and be with us for ten days.But listen, he may not come at all! There is many a slip betwixt thecup and the lip. At the very last moment, we may get a telegram,canceling his visit." Six days later the telegram arrived! And Ceylonknew that it was Baba who had persuaded Dr. Nallainathan to utterthose words that day, for He shapes the future, recasting Hisprojected plan. When we cannot predict about our own selves, how canwe predict about Baba? He says that no one knows what He is going todo in the next five minutes; therefore we must learn to remaincontent, witnessing the Divine play.
At noon the next day, I accompanied Baba on acircuitous journey to Goa. The three cars moved towards Jog Falls.The party included three lady devotees from the United States, JuneSchuyler, who describes herself as a simple, middle-aged teacher ofyoung children; Indra Devi, celebrated as the 'First Lady of Yoga inAmerica,' and Mrs. Rajagopalan, an Italian living in the UnitedStates with her Indian husband. As usual, while leaving Brindavan,devotees lined up on both sides of the road, anxious to get a glimpseof Baba and to see the Hand that waves out of the window, until aturn makes it impossible to fill the eye with it.
The afternoon was quiet and bright. "As thecars entered the tranquility of the vast countryside," writes June,"my mind was jumbled with a feeling of incredulousness! For manyyears, peace of any kind seemed an unlikely prospect for me. God wasmy only hope; and now, wonder of wonders, I was happy, with the Lordlifting my burdens off my mind."
On the way Baba signaled the cars to turntowards a lane off the main road, so that we could drink coffee andconsume some snacks. He Himself opened the tins and cans, containersand flasks, and served snacks and coffee to all. The chauffeurs too,joined the party and they were also served snacks and coffee to all.A few tillers of the soil who had taken up positions to stand andstare received extra attention from the Master.
When we resumed the journey, Baba's carseemed to grumble a bit, but it was persuaded by mild and gentlepushing to take to the road. It had to be persuaded again thriceduring the next fifteen miles: Jog falls were still a hundred milesaway! At 8.00 p.m. the car stopped and refused to budge, despiteinducements or threats. It had, indeed, to be led back in Tiptur forattention at a local workshop. Then Baba decided to go back toBrindavan. Baba was quite unconcerned, He did not speak about it withany feeling of disappointment. Among the eight attributes ofDivinity, Vairagyam,absence of attachment, is one.
June writes, "A star fell; Baba who missesnothing saw it fall. He commented on it. I was grateful that I toohad seen that bright thing falling where the Lord had come. While inthe car, His glorious voice filled the night, for He was singing,drawing stars down to earth! Dinner was ready at midnight when wereached Brindavan. Baba's affection made Him appear anxious about ourhunger. He took particular care to see that all were fed and sent tosleep, before He retired for the night. We felt that we were tiringHim even more, drawing His attention upon ourselves. Is that preciousBody sustained purely by the Love It showers? We wondered." Junewrites, "I lay down with a feeling of anxiety. I feared that Babamight go now ahead of us, by plane to Goa. I was anxious not to missthe happy sojourn. I was sorry we had to return as a result of thebreakdown of the car. Many things were battling in my brain thatSunday morning when I awoke, I pondered over them. Why had the Lord,Who produces all manner of things by the exercise of His Will, notrepaired His car? He could have anticipated and never allowed it tohappen! The question had great importance to me, since I wasconvinced that spiritual power has the mastery over matter. PerhapsBaba had willed the breakdown and the return, in order to provokethis question in me, so that I might seek answer. Every word, everyact of Baba is a lesson. Here was a lesson - I wasn't sure forwhom.
We knew even before we started that Baba wasnot keen on JogFalls. He had ridiculed the name as'JokeFalls' and even as'JokeFalse'! He said, the route, if JogFalls is included in the tour, will be lengthened too far. He willhave to pass through many villages on the road, after nightfall. Thevillagers, would, He argued, be very sad when they learn that Babahad passed that way without their getting Darsan.Someone told us that Baba had questioned the driver who hadsupervised the 'servicing' of the 'historic car' about the qualityand extent of the servicing. "He must have known that it will give apoor performance," he said.
Of course, if He had willed it, the car wouldhave gone on to Jog; He willed a Joke instead! A daylater we all left in two cars for Goa. On the way Baba spoke long onspiritual matters. Alighting en route for breakfast, He gave ussweet, ripe, wild berries plucked by Him from the trees aroundsaying, "Berries, suchas I used to eat and pick with My comrades at Gokul on the banks ofthe Yamuna!"
The cars cooperated wonderfully, and wereached the grounds of the Karnatak University at Dharwar, andentered the bungalow of the Vice-chancellor, Dr. Adke at 2 p.m. Therewe found about 500 people singing Bhajansunder a shamiana. They had learnt about the arrival of the Lord!After lunch, Baba sat among them, silent, for a few joy-filledminutes!
June writes, "Those University Deans and Donslooking at Baba with devout childlike expressions, twanged the chordsof my heart." Suddenly someone asked a question and broke thesilence. For an hour thereafter, Baba related to them parables andtales from legends and folklore.
"God is ever to respond, whenever there is a call for help. Yes, you seek the Grace of God, but can you get it, when you do not respond to the call of the distressed?... God waits on the doorstep, like sunlight, eager to slip through the narrowest slit, and spread light where there was darkness, warmth, where there was biting cold. So too, you must wait for the chance to brighten and lighten the lives of others, deprived of cheer and charity... Awaken the people to the Glory of the Creator through Nagar Sankirtan," He said.
June writes, on the occasional bursts oflaughter which shook the room. "I felt, this is no dull sober God.When I think of Baba, I picture Jesus, with the same sense of humor.Baba was speaking in an Indian language which I do not understand;yet in some mysterious way I too was receivingillumination."
It was a Fiat 1500 in which Baba, Mr. N.D.M.Appah, Chairman, Mysore State Electricity Board, and myself weretraveling. The road was stony and rough, so the drive was full ofjerks and bumps - this caused Baba to reprimand the driver for notbeing circumspect enough. "Youdo not know how much pain I get in the abdomen when itbumps," He said. We wondered why Babawho withstood worse roads better, was insisting on slow driving thatday.
The last rays of sunshine cast long andslanting streaks through the tall heavily crowned trees of thewestern ghats, which we were climbing. When we were on top, the sunwent down into the sea! There is a certain grandeur, albeit pathetic,in this daily drama - the inevitability of a sunset; itsnoiselessness and the panic it creates when you foolishly fear thatit may not come up again. The forces of darkness quickly overwhelmingthe earth sometimes give one an eerie sensation of despair. But, wesoon remember that the wise earth manages to keep one half of her litand warm; and so, we sleep in hope and happy dreams!
When the cars reached Goa, it was night. Thestars came forth; they came with us, every yard of the road, keepingpace. When the border of Goa State was reached, Lt. Governor, SriNakul Sen, the host, received Baba and let us into a rest house,where china gleamed in the shelves by the wall and geraniumsglistened on the window sills. We had coffee; from then on Baba satin the state car, with the head of the state.
Hurrying around the rambling roads, towardsPanjim Town, the cars finally arrived at Coba Raj Nivas, the Palaceof the Governors-general of the "Portuguese Possessions in India andthe Far East" for many centuries, but now, the official residence ofthe Lt. Governor. The time was 9.15 p.m. We had motored 385 miles,since morning, over good and bad roads, but Baba looked lithe andlily-like when He hastened up the red-carpeted flight of steps, 28 inall, to the flower-decked apartments, set aside for His stay. Verysoon, Baba presided over the dining table to which we were led by theLt. Governor. He watched with amusement the contingent of waiters,and the beautiful chinaware, which the Portuguese had brought fromMacao.
Though Mrs. Sen made bold to remind Him ofHis duty to Himself, He did not eat anything. He appeared to beanxious to send every one to bed. "Go, go! You are all very muchexhausted," He insisted. I protested that traveling with Him cannever exhaust anyone, but He repeated that I was really in immediateneed of rest. When we rose Mrs. Sen was informed by Baba that coffeeneed be ready for Him only at 8 a.m. the next day! She knew that at PrasanthiNilayam, He had His coffee at 6 or6.30 p.m. but despite appeals for revising the order, Baba gaveinstructions that it was to be brought only at 8 o' clock.
Baba was alone in the suite reserved for Him.Nakul Sen pleaded for permission to be within call, but Baba sent Himaway to his own room. We from Bangalore were in rooms on the groundfloor.
About what occurred that night, Baba wrotelater to Dr. S. Bhagavantham, in a letter I carried to him on the12th, "On the night of the seventh, strange events happened. I couldnot lie in bed, I could not sit upon it, nor turn, from one side toanother. Nor could I speak or call. I did not like to cause anxietyor trouble to anyone. So I kept silent, pretending that all was wellwith me!
Next morning when the Sens grew aware of thetruth it became clear, why He had abstained from dinner, andpostponed the coffee hour, wanting only to hurry away to bed! I knewwhy He had come away from Dharwar, and why He had taken the driver totask. Obviously, He had been 'ill' when He started out fromDharwar!
Mrs. Sen felt that Cabo Raj Nivas was an'unlucky' place since He had fallen 'ill' there, but Baba immediatelycorrected her. "No, it is a house of good luck! I brought the'illness' with Me to Cabo, so that I could get rid of ithere."
By daybreak on the 8th, Baba appeared to bein great pain and Nakul Sen called in doctors from the MedicalCollege at Goa, and some leading physicians of the City. Soon animposing medical team surrounded the sick bed; their report read asfollows, "History of pain, right lower quadrant of the abdomen since3 p.m. on the 7th December. To begin with, the pain was all over theabdomen, progressive in intensity; towards the night, it localized inthe umbilical region, and the right lower quadrant. Had difficulty inextending the right lower limb. Pain is exaggerated by movement. 8thDecember morning, had nausea and fever." No one could be definiteabout the illness; there were too many experts and Baba was amused atthe clash of their conclusions.
The American ladies were sent to visit theancient Churches of Goa, redolent with history, and vibrant withspiritual power. The Sens were aghast at the turn of events for,among other reasons, the local Sathya Sai Seva Samithi had announced,that He would deliver a discourse at the large Maidan in the heart ofthe city, at 5 p.m. that evening.
June Schuyler writes, "Back at Cabo, we atelunch, without Baba. It was a gloomy affair. Each person waswondering why He did not come; I did not know that some among themknew, and were too full of distress to speak. It is very strange forBaba not to come out of His room; at PrasanthiNilayam, or wherever He is, He givesof Himself, plentifully at all times, from early morning till lateevening. I knew that Baba was scheduled to go out into the city toaddress a public meeting. We had passed the very Maidan on our way toa Church, and noticed people streaming in, hours before the timeannounced for its commencement. I took heart because we would see Himthen. Perhaps we would go with Him to the meeting! At ten minutes tofive we gathered on the porch, dressed in our very best; my heartbeat loud and rapid, as a clock ticked on, for the time was drawingnear when we would see Him for the first time that day... My thoughtswent back to the time when I first heard about Baba. A friend urgedme to revere Him. I replied, "How can I, belonging to Jesus? I amsure about Jesus. If Baba is one with Jesus,it is to Him I pray. If He is not I won't have anything to do withHim." And, I added, "If Baba is all that you feel He is, I am sure Hewon't hold this against me!" The electrifying moment when I beheldHim for the first time came to my mind. I remembered the flood of aweand joy that overwhelmed me. His first comment when He saw me,assured me that He knew, and approved of my feelings aboutJesus...that He was, certainly One with Him. My mind returned to the present;I watched Baba's door, intently."
Meanwhile, pain, nausea and fever kept Babain bed all day. Information came that 20.000 people crowded theMaidan, awaiting Baba; and half the number had come from far offvillages. Baba endeavored to rise and don fresh clothes to keep theappointment, and not disappoint thousands of people. But Cabo RajNivas had no lift; for reaching the Maidan, Baba would have had toget down 28 steps and walk up some distance in order to giveDarsanto the people. And then, climb the 28th steps up!
Baba directed me to tell the assembly todisperse quietly, and to assure them that He will be addressing themin a few days at the same place. I was to tell them that He had takenover the illness of a devotee, for I had witnessed such instances ofhealing and saving, in the past years.
June writes, "Baba's door opened!... Mr.Kasturi came out! Why Mr. Kasturi? Why not Baba? We sat sadly,watching a large blood-red sun sinking into the IndianOcean."
The gathering heard my announcement withamazement and admiration, for they had heard many stories of Baba andHis miracles, but this mystery of taking on an illness and saving adevotee from its consequences was something they had never heard, norimagined as possible. Could such compassion exist? How does Babaassume the illness, and how does He rid Himself of it? How has Hedone it in the past? Many came up behind me to find the answers, andI could tell them of the great Guru Pournima Miracle, when Baba tookupon Himself the cerebral thrombosis and heart attacks of a devotee[see 'This Sivasakthi'], and after undergoing them for eightlong days, rejected them before 4.000 people, becoming in a moment,His fresh, free and full Self. I could tell them that rescuing thegood was as much the mission of the Avatar as chastisement ofthe wicked. He atones for the Karmic debt of the devotees when theyplead sincerely for grace, I said. That is the measure of His DivineCompassion.
At 8 o'clock that night, the doctorsreported, "Lying supine in bed, with legs drawn up. On examination,the right side of the abdomen not moving with respiration; abdomentender on the right side, and the lower flank..., point of maximumtenderness in lower flank..., no rebound tenderness... guardingpresent over right lower quadrant, with rigidity of flank.Temperature 100o F; pulse 100 M; respiration 16m. Totalblood count 22.000; neutrophils 88%. A diagnosis of acute paracolicappendicitis was made. Unwillingness for surgicalintervention."
Pressmen approached the doctors, anxious toreport the reason for the postponement of the announced publicmeeting, alarmed at the news of the illness of the world-renownedPersonality. The doctors told them that Baba was suffering from anacute attack of appendicitis. This news was flashed all over Indiaand spread through the early morning editions and the papers issuedfrom Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore and Madurai.Telegrams and telephone calls poured in from all over the country,praying and pleading, and denying - disbelieving, hoping, weeping andwailing. There were many offers to accept the 'illness' from Baba;some devotees said they would fast until Baba was free from theillness. Devotees having firm faith in His Divinity were convincedthat just as the illness had been taken on miraculously, it will bethrown off miraculously, too.
The doctors told us Baba must be sufferingexcruciating pain, but He said, "If I have to acknowledge that it is paining Me, how would I havetaken it on Myself? I have taken it on with Love and Love knows nopain!" June writes, "Mrs. Senconfided in me that she has been praying all day to Baba asking thatshe be allowed to share the pain. We all caught this idea and troopedinto Baba's room with the same request. He sent us back, saying, "I do not feel anypain, and even if I do, I am never in the habit of distributing painas Prasadam."
Indra Devi had with her a container with anidol of Ganesha on the lid given to her by Baba. It hadVibhuti in it, and Baba had declaredwhilst placing it in her hand, "Givethis to people who suffer; it will alleviate the misery. The Vibhutiwill never be exhausted. "She nowoffered some of it to Baba; He sent her away, saying,"That would beselfish. I want only your Love. The gift of Love, not the thing Igave you for the sake of others," "OBaba!" June implored silently, "You are so sweet, so completely good.The rest of us deserve this pain, but You, do not, please take thiscondition away from your precious Body."
June writes, "Finally, hesitantly, I prayedto Jesus, "If Baba will not heal Himself, won't You heal Him?" but Irealized that this prayer was one without an answer, for Jesus andBaba were One! I fell back on metaphysics. Recognition of the Truthmight cast out the illness. It was easy to behold the Christ in theChrist Himself! "Baba! You are the Light, and in the Light there isno darkness." I said this silently over and over again. I knew thisstatement was absolutely true, but, I also knew that, on the physicalplane, Baba had allowed Maya free play for the sake ofsomeone who had surrendered to Him. He would not let my feeblemetaphysical falterings influence a step that He had determined upon.I was afraid my approach was quite wrong."
The doctors filed in and out of Baba's room.Indra Devi sat in the Cabo Shrine applying the curativeVibhuti Baba had given her, on theright flank of the Abdomen of a large sized picture of Baba, prayingthat He may soon heal Himself! Mrs. Sen alternated between confidenceand concern.
June writes, "Mr. Kasturi oozed quietconfidence. He was certain that this was another miracle of miracles;that Baba was suffering for the sake of another; that He wouldconcentrate into a few hours the suffering that the devotee wasdestined to suffer for weeks; that we would soon behold the end ofanother Divine Leela.We warmed ourselves often, in the warmth of His optimism. Mr. Sen toowas certain that Baba would confront the doctors with anotherastounding and confounding miracle!
Suddenly it flashed on me that Mr. Kasturiwas asked to cancel his engagements in Ceylon and join us on ourjourney to Goa, precisely for this reason. To spread assurance,whenever doubt raised its fearful hood! His role was to laugh theserpent off, and to restore courage. Tell us about the time when Babatook on the paralytic stroke [see: 'This Sivasakthi'], webegged, and Mr. Kasturi with genuine enthusiasm, plunged into thatstory of the eight appalling days and nights, the sudden doffing ofthe fell symptoms, the final triumph! The infinite compassion - theinfinite power!"
The devotees came out of Baba's room. Theylooked solemn and serious, as if weighed by an insoluble problem.June writes, "I had once asked Baba a question, and I remembered Hisanswer. 'Baba, why did Jesus allow Himself to be crucified?'"Because the GreatOnes never use spiritual power for themselves."Ah! Baba had not set the car right on Saturday night because it wasnot imperative for the good of some one other than Baba." "Baba!Baba!," I exclaimed, "I adore you; I utterly love you. Imperfect as Iam, I give my heart to you completely!"
Precisely at this very moment I became awarethat Mr. Nakul Sen was motioning to Mrs. Rajagopalan, Indra Devi andmyself to step inside the doorway of Baba's room. I could not believeit was true. We crossed the threshold half expectant, fixing our eyeson the bedstead where the Master was suffering for His dear devotee.He was not there! He was standing before us, feeble and frail, witheyes full of love and mercy - charming in spite of it all.
He drew back the orange robe, and permittedus to touch those precious feet. The lovely feet were warm because ofthe fever. The beloved face was pale and etched with pain. The cheekshad been hollowed for want of sleep and refreshment. But He stoodthere for our sake. "Donot worry," He said tenderly, in a soft, soothing voice, "It is alittle upset, that is all,"indicating the right side of the body.
"Swami! accept what the doctors prescribe,"We prayed. "What dothe doctors know? What can they prescribe? I only want yourLove," He said, quietly, almostwishfully. He stepped out of the room into the adjacent drawing roomwhere several others anxiously waited. He stood for a few minutes,looking languidly, lovingly, at them all, reassuring the timid andcharging them with courage. Then He returned to the bed. None of usknew that the appendix was very near bursting point, and the doctorshad said that He must not rise from his bed at any cost."
Later in Bombay, on Christmas Day, Babareferred to the "illness He had taken on at Goa" and the suffering itcaused to many.
"The other day, a serious illness came upon this body in Goa. Many who are devoted to Me were plunged into anxiety and despair when they learnt of it. Illness can never afflict this Body. It cannot even approach it! If it should come sometime - believe this - it belongs to someone; not Myself. And it goes just as it came, of My free Will. I have no contact with it; I am not affected by it."
The fact is that when a devotee prays forrelief, Baba bestows upon him His Grace directly or indirectly. Attimes, the devotee is unable to apprehend an impending illness. TheAll-knowing Baba at that stage intercedes between the devotee and theillness, as Lord Shivadid in the case of Markandeya.
On 9th December, the doctors decided to puttubes down the nose to relieve the hiccough which was complicatingmatters, for taking the gas out of the stomach. They talked also ofthe urgent need that had arisen to puncture the lump and syringe offthe pus from the abscess. It must indeed have given a terrible gashof pain for Baba, every time the hiccough pulled the muscle tight andaffected the lump round the inflamed appendix! But eventually thedoctors left Cabo Raj Nivas with their tubes and bottles, as Babarefused to accept their proposals.
On the 10th, a Bhajan meeting had been announced atGovernment House, and word had gone round indicating that Baba wouldattend the meeting! Baba too said "Yes! Arrange it." The doctorscould not believe their ears. They did not foresee any possibility ofa public appearance that day. There was doubt, wonder and amazementin the minds of various people, a few of them believing that whateverHe says will come to pass. At tea time Mrs. Sen looked ratherserious, as time was running out and already people were streamingtowards the meeting place. Goa which had been previously shocked bythe news of the agonizing illness was now jolted by the impact ofsuch good news.
Baba's condition may be described in His ownwords:
"The doctors were unanimous that an immediate operation was necessary, or they would not be held responsible for what might happen. They said the inflamed appendix had burst, and the pus had entered the blood - a situation that is fatal for all mortals!"
Baba had to move across His own room, acrossthe drawing room, walk along the veranda, ascend a low step, getacross to the doorstep of the hall which He had selected forBhajan,traverse its length, reach the dais, climb two low steps - andfinally sit upon the chair placed there. A total distance of 200feet! A floral carpet stretched all this length.
Sri Nakul Sen spoke later during theBhajan sessions. "The doctors becamepanicky, and I could feel that they were absolutely against whatBhagawan had said to me. My sixth sense somehow assured me thatBhagawan was showing one of His Leelas in Goa and that through HisSankalpa He would get rid of thistrouble as quickly as He had assumed it."
Dr. Varma, the chief of team of doctors cameat about 4 p.m. and finding a floral carpet covering a distance of200 feet, protested that it was too long a walk. He suggested someshort cuts through other doors and passages making the journey adistance of only 40 feet. He said, "The dais itself will have to go;let the chair be on the floor, for He cannot get up the steps howeverlow they may be - and please, have the dais on the near side, not atthe farthermost end of the hall."
At 5 p.m. Baba was led into the bathroom, andtwenty minutes later He came out of it, clean shaven, wearing a newrobe! Fresh as a new blossomed rose.
When the doctors examined Him again, theycould not locate any abscess, nor could they find any trace of biglump of flesh near it. The whole area of the appendix was as soft andas normal as it could be.
"Lo and behold," said Nakul Sen, in thespeech he delivered as soon as Baba sat on the dais at 6 p.m.,"Bhagawan walked from His bedroom to the dais, a distance of about200 feet without any aid. He sat down erect on an officechair."
June writes about that historic moment ofecstasy: "Bhajanbegan, and my heart was pounding a joyous tune of expectancy. Lovefor Baba filled the hall. Ah! There He was, moving majestically downthe hall, although He had required the assistance of two men all day.He now moved as if nothing had ever happened. His steps were as sureand graceful as ever. The cheeks which had been hollow when I lastsaw them were completely filled out. His Love flooded the hall. Itwas overpowering. He swung into the room, and when He saw someoneleaning against the wall, with a sick child the Hand began thefamiliar circular motion to create the cure.
Baba's eyes which plumb the depths, His eyeswhich pour out love and compassion, His eyes which flash when hespeaks of cruelty, falsehood, hypocrisy and injustice, eyes which canbe full of quips, were as eloquent as ever. He took His place on thedivan in front of the gathering and began keeping rhythm with theBhajan being sung, with His head andhand. Mrs. Rajagopal whispered in my ear, "Look! Those eyes are morebeautiful than ever. There is an ethereal expression, not of thisworld in them; a look of radiant joy and adoration."
"Baba's eyes caressed the gathering, whichwas watching Him without even a wink, apprehensive that the cure Hehad effected on Himself, might be only partial ortemporary."
Mr. Nakul Sen was full of gratitude andwonder! While wellcoming Baba, and introducing the gathering to Himas convention demanded, he said, "Bhagawan lives in the innerrecesses of the hearts of His devotees; there is nothing He would notdo for them. He has simultaneously appeared in this Form at differentplaces, to help His devotees in distress, or to save them fromimpending calamities, of which He alone has the precognition! ThroughHis Sankalpa or Will, He has assumed theillness of His devotees and suffered it from them, because they wouldhave succumbed to it, if left alone."
We have witnessed this now, aLeela which has greatly perplexed themedical experts of Goa. It leaves no doubt in our minds that there isnothing on this earth which is beyond Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. HisLeela is Adbhut - unprecedented;it is RomanchaKari - exhilarating;it is Madhumaya - sweet in memory; Mangalamayi - promoting the happiness and welfare of mankind;Manoharini - overpowering the mind and turning it to truth, beauty andgoodness. It givesAnanda!"
The governor also spoke in some detail aboutGoa and associations it had with Râma[see RamkathaRasavahini] and Krishna [see BhagavathaVahini] and their careers on earth. He spoke of the legends thatenrich the holiness of the two rivers, Mandavi and Aghanasini that enter the sea rightin front of Cabo Raj Nivas.
Nakul Sen concluded his descriptions of theancient glories of Goa and its sacred contacts withShiva,Râma, Krishna,and Parasurâma, the DivineAvatars,with these words: "No wonder the Lord decided to visit this ancientand sacred land again, in the form which He has assumed now, with thename of Sathya SaiBaba; He has loved Goa in Hisprevious incarnations and Goa continues to be dear to Him evennow."
Baba spoke for over forty minutes with Hisusual emphasis and elan. The gathering listened spellbound, for itwas a message of triumph, benevolence, and benediction.
The illness that had vanished an hour ago wasstill uppermost in the minds of all, and so, Baba spoke of thesignificance of its 'entrance and exit' and its place in the schemeof the Avatar'sActivities.
"There are many who doubt the existence of God or deny Him, or dismiss the idea of God as a silly outworn superstition. To make them discard their conceit, the Divine, out of Its Innate Grace, reveals Its superhuman glory. The doubters receive the reply without asking, the door is opened without even a knock; for those who deny will not knock at all. The 'superstition' will be illumined into divine status by a concrete experience, an indisputable fact. The human body generates diseases as a result of faulty food or frivolous habits, or foolish rashness or fanatic emotions. The illness that was witnessed by you during the last two days was quite different. That was an illness taken over by Me, voluntarily put on, in order to save a victim who could not have survived it! His continued existence, in good health is desirable for the task dear to Me. Pouring Grace on the devout is one of the functions of the Avatar. The appendix was inflamed, it turned into an abscess which the doctors could cure only by removal... He could not have survived it, I know. I have come with this Body in order to save 'other bodies' from pain. This Body is ever free from pain. Disease can never affect it.I had to go to the rescue of a person who had surrendered to Me - even his judgment. I took over his illness and went through it. It shall not recur again in him. You refer to this incident as a miracle, but remember, each one is a miracle! Every breath is a proof of the Providence of God. Each event is the consequence of Divine Omnipotence. Wherever you find truth, beauty, goodness, justice, wisdom, compassion - God is present, and active. An atheist denies God, with the very breath that God has given him! He closes the eyes that God has opened in Him, and declares that there he could see no God. Therefore, such amazing events have to be accomplished and made known to man everywhere, so that mankind can be saved from over-fond involvement with the world, and lovingly drawn towards the Master of the World."
For us, who adore Baba, and for all mankindwho are deriving the benefit of this Advent (whether they acknowledgeit or not) it was a great day, the 10th December. Baba was here withHis majesty, magnificence and munificence, not only unimpaired, butenhanced, as a result of the world becoming aware of the deeperaspects of His mission.
Baba sang a few Bhajans and returned to His room. Thecompleteness of the restoration can be gauged from one interestingincident. Baba had asked two young men from Brindavan to join Him atBombay. We telephoned them on the 9th asking them to come to Goaitself, they rang back a few hours later to tell us that the IndianAirlines strike had spread to Bangalore as well. So they were told toproceed to Goa by car. They reached Goa at 6.30 p.m. on the 10th!Hearing Baba's voice over the loudspeaker, they entered the garden ofCabo Raj Nivas, ran up the steps and entered the hall. They heardBaba saying, "Now I shall tell you about the illness which agitatedthe whole country and caused great anxiety in the minds of millions,for they feared I was hospitalized and operated upon!" That was thefirst intimation to them of the illness that had come andgone.
Thereafter Baba was surrounded by us, theSens and the doctors in His room. The doctors asked Him somespiritual complexities, and He clarified them. While talking ofDattatreya, the God who represents the Trinity, the Trimurti soimposingly sculptured at Elephanta, Baba waved His palm, as Heannounced that He was Dattatreya, and lo, there was in His hand apicture of the three-headed God, the Trinity in Unity but, wonder ofwonders, the picture Baba created showed the same head thrice, on theright, center and left, Baba Himself, as Brahma,Vishnu and Shiva!It was a picture which we were privileged to see, for the first timein our lives!
On the 11th, Baba called the doctors to Hispresence, created gifts of Grace for them and blessed them. Each onereceived a momento of the event. Every evening thereafterBhajan sessions were held at the RajNivas, attended by devotees who came from long distances. Thepromised meeting in the heart of the city was arranged on the 18thevening; the gathering was twice the size of the one that was sentaway disappointed on the 8th; for there were many thousands whowanted to take the Darsan of a Baba who could take onand throw off illness, in order to save a devotee. Sri Nakul Senpresided; he spoke of the wide range of tasks on which the FormlessDivine Principle had come 'with Form' as Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Babaspoke about Yoga,and all activity as Ud-Yoga,that is to say, the higher Yoga of putting Yoga into practice.
The devotees in Bombay were getting restless,awaiting Baba's arrival. The strike of the pilots and the groundstaff of the Airlines rendered them desperate; attempts to persuadeBaba to sail by steamer failed, as it meant, spending long hourscooped up in the vessel! At last a privately owned plane waschartered to transport Baba and a few of us from Goa to Bombay, on21st December.
"Some wear a provocative twinkle of a skilleddialectician, or have a raised brow of pedantry. They are too keen todecry others advertising themselves. They are like vultures flyinghigh only to seek carrion over a wider circle," writes an aspirantwho went around India seeking a Guru. Paul Brunton was advised topray every day to God so that he may be led to the Man in whom God isat present incarnated. The Incarnation comes down through Love, andso, the mark of the Incarnation is above all, Love.
Try and see yourself in all, then you willnot love one person more and another less, realizing that they areboth yourself. When love is shared peace reigns. All worldlyrelationships are based on the principle of give and take. Thehighest form of love is expressed between a devotee and God, thedevotee being intent on merging with Divinity. Thereupon love flowstowards everything and every being. According to Baba, God is Love;the lover is the individual, and the beloved, is nature. Knowingfully well that nature is under the complete control of God, why beunder its spell? Realizing God's prevalence everywhere let us learnto love the Creator, since creation is nothing but His manifestation.Baba says that we should direct all our thoughts towards God. But wecannot do so until our minds are under control. It is only throughprotracted practice that we can succeed in living in God, that is, inLove through His Grace. Almost everything that goes wrong in therelationship of man with man, goes wrong because the self-impulsesoutweigh the altruistic impulses, or because we overvalue thesatisfaction of appetite and undervalue the satiation of ourspiritual hunger. True happiness for human beings is possible only tothose who develop their Godlike potentialities to theutmost.
This is the way to God, known as the path ofLove. In the Gîtâ, [BG : 9-34] the Lord said,"The Lord, O Arjuna,is seated in the hearts of all beings; fix your mind on Me, bedevoted to Me, sacrifice to Me, prostrate before Me, so shall youcome to Me." You have no reason tofear God, for love transcends doubt and fear. Love God as acompanion, and respect Him, as a devotee must. Baba becomes childlikein the company of children, a scholar among scholars, a doctor amongdoctors, out of His Love, for He wants to put everyone atease.
Feeding the poor, service to those in jails,visiting the deaf and the dumb, the blind, leprosariums, mentalhospitals, these have been laid down by Him as the highest Sadhana."When you sit forJapam or Dhyana, if you hear one groan, rise and investigate. Helpingthe person to get rid of the pain gives you more spiritual merit thanthe Dhyana you miss."
Baba's love for his devotees is expressed inmany ways. Once at Dharmakshetra there was a gathering of teachers ofthe Bal Vikas in Sathyadeep. After the meeting commenced, theBhajanparty from below the hill was also invited to join. Hurrying up thesteep incline many were short of breath, but one elderly lady seemedto suffer a great deal. Baba made her sit down leaning against thewall, under a fan. Then He disappeared for a moment, only to reappearwith a glass of water which He gave the lady to drink. He cannottolerate any one standing in the sun waiting for Darsan and isbothered when, due to rain, devotees are drenched. During the hotsummer months, Baba allows the Prayer Hall at the Nilayamto be used by old or sick women to sleep in. It is Love that promptsHim to distribute sweets to each individual Himself, though there bethousands present, and to eat ever simple food, so that even thepoorest person may offer Him hospitality.
The practical application of Love is clearlyseen also as Baba walks gracefully between lines of people, who waitpatiently, to be selected, for a private interview. Ailing childrenare picked out for a special blessing; they are spoken to or givenVibhuti!The sick, the aged, the socially spurned and economically backwardare all dearly loved by Him and cared for. He uses a Telugu proverbto assure you that however far you may sit, or however many thenumber of people around you, He will spot and bless, provided yourprayer is sincere. He says, "Youare of the Sai Body - be happy that you are a limb - do not complainthat you are only the foot, or be proud that you are the head, for itis the same blood stream of Love that circulates and sustainsboth!" When people come to Him,pathetically crippled, unable to bend and touch His Feet, He raises aFoot so that it can confer the healing balm of peace!"I always anticipatethe prayer, the moment of calamity for my Bhakthas, and I intercedein time to help them or save them,"He says.
He has spoken of the Seed of Love planted inthe heart of men, sprouting in the family, spreading over kith andkin, the village, the community and finally bringing under its shadethe whole of mankind. When teaching meditation, He directs theconcentration on the flame or candle or lamp as thebest.
"Imagine the flame in the middle of the brow, imagine the light entering the cave of the heart and illuminating it. Let this Light destroy all hate, greed and ego, and let it flood your entire being. Then let it emanate from you and take into its fold wider and wider circles, embracing all mankind - all beings you regard as friendly, and even those you have set aside as unfriendly."
Years ago Baba stayed for a few days atHorsley Hills, which is 3800 ft. above sea level. Twice a day Hewould take us to some beauty spot where we could peacefully learnfrom Him spiritual matters. Our little camp situated as it was amidthe hills was inaccessible except by jeep; so our food and water fordrinking had to be hauled up by the villagers from the small hamletat the foot of the hills; for other purposes a buffalo at thebungalow helped to transport water from a well, in skin bags slungacross its back! This quiet sylvan beauty was enjoyed by all, and wewere privileged to share it with Baba. Then came the day when we hadto break camp and return. Baba proposed that we walk down together.He suggested that we try and see who could run down the fastest! Babainterrupted, saying, "Wait, I will be back in a minute," and wentinto the garden. Some of us quietly followed Him, and found Himtaking leave of the buffalo! He patted it affectionately saying,"You have done Me goodservice, Bangaroo," (a term of greataffection, meaning Gold)
Baba is kind to all who serve Him in andthrough all, even in the littlest way. In the village of Bikkatti inthe Nilgiri Hills lived a lame dog called Kuttan,meaning 'the lameone'. He was a very old loving dog,yet alert where strangers were concerned. Baba on visiting thevillage in 1962, walked down the carpets laid out for Him.Kuttanstrained at the leash by which he was held lest he bounce on Baba!But Baba stopped and patted him and asked that he be let loosesaying, "Bangaroo! Leave him alone, he is a pure atma."So Kuttan followed Baba up the dais, sat and listened to theBhajans,and later followed Him into the kitchen where Baba, after blessingthe food, asked that Kuttanbe fed first! When he finished his meal he walked up the decorateddais and stood beside Baba's chair, watching the long lines ofvillagers having their food. After a while Kuttanplaced his head upon 'Baba's footstool' and, within a few minutesbreathed his last.
Everyone felt that he was a pure soul; he wasburied near the dais, in a flower-shroud. Baba has had many pets -dogs, rabbits, peacocks, and now the elephant SaiGita who adores her Master so muchthat, should He be away for long, she sheds tears! If stray dogs areled away from the Nilayam so that the silence of the place may not bedisturbed by their barking, instructions are issued that they betaken to a place where food is available.
He asks, "Ofwhat avail is it to simply worship My Name and My Form, withoutattempting to cultivate My Samathwa - equal love towards all, Santhi- unruffled equanimity, Prema - love, Sahana - patience andfortitude, and Ananda - blissful nature! I sing Bhajans after everydiscourse for your sake, not Mine, so as to enable you to becomeaware of the sweetness of the Name, which cleanses the mind, by whichyou can realize that God is ever with you in your physical andspiritual being."
God has, it is said, two types of deludingpowers, Avidyamaya and Vidyamaya. Sometimes HisMayamakes us feel that He is a mere human, and we partake of acts whichinflate the ego, making us feel important and all powerful. The fogof pride hides the Reality. This is Avidya.When we submit to His Will, He shows signs and wonders that make useager to follow the right path. This is Vidyamaya,from which we learn that it is in Him we live and move and have ourbeing. 'He' and 'we' are one. Only thus do we cleanse and purify ourattitudes, habits and judgements, and discover God in His trueManifestation, that is, as living in all things created. Therecognition that we and others are mere puppets in His hands will beimprinted on our consciousness through the meaningful recitation ofHis Name; then we start dwelling in Him, through Him, and forHim.
People from all parts of the world who havehad the privilege of being near His Lotus Feet try to remodel theirlives, change their world view, and their sense of values. Thissilent psychological revolution affecting lakhsof people illustrates the Gift of Grace. The real Sadhana,according to Baba, is to rake up the field of our heart and tocultivate in it the most valuable crop we can. The heart is thefield, and in that field we have overgrown valueless weeds. Keepwaters of love for the seeds. Then plough it with Sadhana. Thoseseeds will grow up and give us the crop of Jnana.
Confusing and confounding stories depictingthe illness of Baba, and details of the operation that was notperformed, generating distressing news that He would not be able tomake a public appearance for months, filled the drooping hearts ofdevotees in Bombay with fear and anxiety. These uncalled for fears,the progeny of rumour and hallucination were allayed by Baba'sPresence at Dharmakshetra on Christmas Day. The gathering heard along discourse, followed by many Bhajan songs, from Baba. They heardthe authentic version of the assumption of the illness and itsequally sudden dismissal. Illness had appeared to affect that holyBody, but in fact it cannot afflict it. It had been a passing phase,belonging to someone it came and went like a passing cloud."But, I have no contact with it; many people,however have the courage to suggest to Me ways and means of dealingwith such situations!" According to them the Swami should not allowthe illness of another to come upon Him, causing sufferance to lakhsof people. Baba told the gathering that it is His duty to take uponHimself the suffering of those who surround Him. Likewise it is theduty of His devotees too to suffer on that account.But the truth is,there is no suffering, and as such no reason to get anxious. Christsacrificed His life for the sake of those who put their faith in Him.Service is God, Sacrifice is God - that was His declaration. Thewhole world can derive joy from that Divine assurance. "Do notgrieve, the Savior who will take on your grief, hascome."
On the first day of the new year, theKamanis, the famous industrialists had the privilege of welcomingBaba at Kurla. Their community hall, which is really a Prayer Hall,was declared open that day. Even though entrance to the commodiousauditorium was restricted by passes only, there was not an inch ofspace even to change one's sitting posture. The auditorium consistedof workers and their families. The area was tastefully decorated withsimple unostentatious dignity, television sets provided the entiregathering with the thrill of Darsan.
Commenting on this, the Bhavan's journalwrote: "When a sage brings down his mind from the higher realms ofbeatitude to dwell on a mundane matter like employer-employeerelations, the subject is bound to acquire a new dimension and afresh sparkle of spirituality. The wordsof wisdom contained in the discourse delivered on January 1, 1971 bySri Sathya Sai Baba at the premises of a massive industrialestablishment in Bombay have great relevance to modernIndia".
While exhorting the employees to develop theenthusiasm to earn rights by fulfilling obligations, Baba alsoexhorted the employers to take care of the employees and provideamenities to their children to develop a strong and virtuouscharacter. To put it in the words of the DivineMaster:
"Happiness and peace are mental conditions which grow in the soil of love, and not of power, affluence or skill.
The tree of life yields as its most precious fruit, the quality of Love, sweet fruits have bitter rinds. This fruit too is encased in a thick bitter six-fold rind, composed of lust, anger, greed, attachment, pride and hate. If these are negated and the rind removed, the nectarine sweetness of Love can be tasted and taken into the system. Those who make effort to explore into that treasure of Love within, they alone can have the Peace and Bliss. Sadhana is the name of process by which man discovers the Spring of Universal Love within him, by which he is privileged to share it with all beings.
Riches of various kinds, possessions and power, name and fame - these are not of much worth; the precious possession called Love, is the very breath of Life for man. A heart devoid of Love is an altar plunged in darkness. Bats of evil passions will make it their home. They will render it in a dirty sinking seat of chaos. Only the Light of Love can illumine the heart and drive away these vicious inhabitants.We have here, gathered in thousands, the employees of the Kamani factories. The industrial, agricultural, mercantile, political and administrative fields are as five vital airs to the human community. They have to be healthy and harmonious, so that mankind can live in peace and prosperity. If these five are aware of their interrelationship and interdependence and if they lovingly cooperate in common endeavor, this country, and the world too, can celebrate each day as a festival day, can festoon each door-sill in green.
But, at the present time, the bond of love and mutual cooperation is absent. There are factions in each of these fields, each producing its own share of confusion; so, the country is heading every moment into deeper and deeper anxiety. People are moving about in fear, grasping their lives in the palm of the hand, doubtful what the next moment holds for them. This is not a proper state of things to be welcomed.
Emotions and passions have a way of suddenly rising into devastating floods. Really speaking, every worker has to earn the authority, before standing forth as a part of the organization, of which he is a limb. Emotion and passion have to arise out of earned authority; now, they surge forward from persons who do not carry out the duties undertaken by them. Authority and influence have to emerge from the discharge of one's duties. Then only will they be effective. We must be convinced that rights are deserved only by the discharge of obligations.
But today, agitation is only for rights; there is no enthusiasm to earn right, by fulfilling obligations. Every one must work with the consciousness that Duty is God and that Work is Worship. If devotion to duty is developed and all work is done as sincerely and as correctly as acts of worship, then each one can be happy, and society will be free from discontent and misery.
The Kamanis are fabricating transmission towers in their factories. Every person who is engaged in the fabrication and erection has to carry out his work correctly and sincerely, so that the towers may be strong and secure. Who among them does the more important item of work? It will be impossible to discriminate. Each item is important, and each worker earns his right by discharging well his particular share of the total obligation. There should not be any attempt to compare and claim superiority or confer inferiority. Such attempts will only promote ill feeling, and obstruct the flow of love and tolerance.
Let me illustrate this by an example. There was a man going along a country road whose eyes saw ripe fruits on a wayside tree. The eyes told him that they were desirable and would provide him a feast. So the mind got attached to them, the feet took him nearer the tree, the body was bent by the muscles of the back, the hand moved down to the ground, the fingers picked up a stone and clasped it, the shoulders gave the needed thrust when the hand threw the stone on to the tree in the direction of the fruits. That made one fruit fall on the ground. But, more items of work still remained to be done by the limbs of the body. The fingers have to pick it up, the hand has to offer it to the mouth, the tongue has to place it between the teeth, the teeth have to chew it and the gullet has to swallow it and send it to the stomach. Now, which among these items are more important and which less? Which limb had done more and which less? Each limb has done its duty exactly when needed to the best of its ability and so, the fruit on the tree reached the stomach of the hungry person. We must respect each worker as the contributor of a valuable share of the common task. Feel that all are divine, all are equally to be loved; that is the Sadhana that will bestow Ananda on both the individual and society.
Doing the duty that has fallen to one's lot is the best way to make life worthwhile and to contribute the skill and intelligence one is endowed with for the common good. This is the debt one has to discharge for having come into this world embodied as a human being. We have not come into this world for the sake of eating and drinking; we eat and drink in order to live; we do not live in order to eat and drink, we have to reach the far higher goal - the Presence of God, through the Path of Love. That is the higher duty, the most elevated item of work we are engaged in the Factory (the Body) where we are. All our energies and skill have to be fully directed towards this effort. Or else, we may waste our lives in the chaos of emotional impulses.
Of course, the question may be asked: Who is God? Where can we find Him? Who has seen Him? I can tell you a story to elucidate this. A sanyasi (monk) wearing a gerua robe entered, during his pilgrimage, a village, renowned for its godlessness. Seeing his robe which indicated a person who had dedicated his life to God, a crowd gathered around him and started heckling him, on the existence of God. "Can you show Him to us?" they asked and the monk said, "I can." However he called for some milk, evidently to overcome exhaustion. When the milk was brought, he stared into the cup for a long time in the silence. The group of villagers lost patience and clamoured that God be shown to them, as promised. They asked him why he was staring at the milk so long. He replied that he had heard that milk had butter in it and so, he was trying to see the butter! They laughed; they called him a fool and a simpleton. "Don't you know that milk has to be boiled and cooled, curdled and churned before the butter can be seen as such, clear and distinct? Now it is there in the milk, in every drop." The monk said, "There, you have the answer to your question. God is in everything and being, in the Universe. If you want to see him clear and distinct, you have to go through various processes called Sadhana. You can see Him thereafter, not now, by merely asking me."
The essential ingredient of this Sadhana is Love. Sadhana without Love (Prema) towards all creation, will reveal only Satan.
I shall explain this a little more. Around us now here, we have the radio waves carrying music from the broadcasting station Bombay. We have the radio waves from Delhi also; in fact we have, here and now, the radio waves from stations all over the world, though we are not able to see them or listen to the 'programmes' they carry. When we have with us a Yantra, called receiver, and when we adjust the wavelength to the station that transmits the programme and tune the receiver correctly, then we can hear the music or the news. God who is also here, now all around, can be cognised clearly by means of a Mantra (meditation on a meaningful mystic formula). Have the Mantra, concentrate on it (i.e. the adjustment to the wavelength), with Love (i.e. the tuning in) and you become aware of God (i.e. listening to the omnipresent programme). If the tuning-in is not accurate, you run the risk of listening to the nuisance, not to the news! So too, unless love is poured out in profusion without any idea of Self, you run the risk of cognising Devil, not God! And if you do not develop concentration, your mind will wander in many directions at once, causing confusion.
Therefore, Love is the best instrument to win Grace. Draw everyone near, as you draw your own brother and sister, and resolve to bear your responsibility with the utmost care and skill you are capable of. In fact, life as a worker is most valuable and fundamental. Work, worship and wisdom are three stages on the Godward path; work is the base - work that is dedicated, work that is done righteously and in reverence to others. The employer and the employees are bound close to each other, as close as the heart and the body. The master is the heart and the men are the body. There can be no heart without a body and no body without a heart; both are essential for each other. The employer-employee relationship is as the bond between a father and his children. It is only when such affection and regard prevail, when the atmosphere of brotherhood is recognized among workers, that mutual help and service can flourish. Under such conditions, each can fulfil his duty gladly and peacefully.
When the employees have any problem that worries them, they can place them before the employer and both can discuss them calmly and sweetly, without unnecessary passion, without arousing hatred or malice and spreading unrest among others. Above all, each person must be conscious always of his obligations as well as of his rights. That is the basic requisite.
The community centre has been inaugurated by Me just now. I suggest that you gather in the place once a month, or more frequently, once a fortnight or once a week, for Satsang, where you can have Bhajans, spiritual discourses or other programmes which will turn the mind towards the contemplation of the glory of God or the spiritual treasures in your own selves. I desire also that the children of the labourers be provided with schools where they will be initiated into Bhajans, instructed in spiritual discipline and theistic beliefs and inspired to develop strong virtuous character.
Discipline is the most essential equipment for man; the acquisition of discipline should be the primary goal of all endeavor. Life is rendered worthwhile and valid, only when it is lived out in disciplined ways. It is a great source of Ananda for me to be with you. Let the new year bring you new opportunities to establish joy and peace in your hearts."
The beginning of 1971 was conspicuous becauseof its auspiciousness for devotees in Bombay who had the benefit ofBaba's immediate presence there. In the evening of the first day ofJanuary, Baba addressed a public meeting in the compound ofDharmakshetra; the sea of humanity seemed to overrun itsprecincts. John Hislop is inseparable from paper and pen, whenever heis in the August Presence; he jots down notes of what he hearson spiritual matters from Baba. On this occasion Hislop posed twoquestions, viz.:
"What does Baba mean to me, as a person born and educated in a foreign country?
And what does Baba mean to the subtler aspect of me which has no nationality?"
These questions were answered byhimself when he went on to state,
"He is the Lord of the heart. He has removed from my heart the hardness accumulated during the years and made it fresh, new and joyous."
The second question he answered,saying:
"Baba's Divinity is an overwhelming and incomprehensible mystery. He is the Supreme Teacher, He guides us to liberation."
Blessing the devotees, Baba told them to prayfor peace and concord amongst communities and nations. Mankind mustlearn to live happily as one human family.
During Baba's stay in Bombay the childrenattending Bala Vihar classes enacted plays, recited poems, sangBhajans, and repeated stories selected from the Epics andPuranas. There were occasions when they felt so deeply theimpact of Baba that they broke down in tears, in sympathy with thecharacters they were portraying. One boy concluding his account ofBhagavad Gîtâ with a direct appeal to the SaiKrishna who was standing beside him, sobbed in uncontrollablejoy. No wonder Baba considered those children thePrahlâdas of the present age. [See also SrîmadBhâgavatam, Canto 7, for the story about Prahlâdaetc.]
Talking to the members of the ServiceOrganization, Baba emphasized the role of Sadhana which leadsman to Self-realization, implying that all are waves of the vastocean called the Higher Self - Paramatma. Warning them againstany display, pomp and publicity, he advised them to link themselveswith God by the chain of love, through the recitation of namessaturated with His loveable qualities. His Name uttered in sloth orslight, in resentment or rancour, will constitute a weak link and thechain will not bind.
The 7th January was Vaikunta Ekadasi,the day on which "the Gates of Heaven are opened." Babaobserves these festivals in order to restore their significance. Atthe conclusion of the Akhanda Bhajans on that day, Babarevealed the real meaning of Ekadasi - the eleventh: when theten senses are coordinated and turned towards God, then the doors ofHeaven will certainly open, welcoming you into the presence of theEleventh, that is God.
Before leaving Bombay, Baba addressed membersof the Seva Dal. He said,
"Discipline comes to your rescue when the world storms around you with the dark flood of hate or derision, or when those in whom you put trust shun contact and shy afar. Crucify the ego on the cross of compassion, preparing yourself by all means for serving others with your specialized skills. When you are engrossed in such work, remove the Ego with Namasmaran, Japam, Dhyana and Study."
Baba exhorted them to leadsimple lives, not to wear gaudy and outlandish dress and manners, forthey keep the common folk away from them. Test every gesture, andmannerism, every habit, and every whim of yours on this touchstone:will Baba approve of this?
During Baba's stay at Bombay, a unique bookwas dedicated to Him by the members of the Maharashtra Branch of theAll India Prasanthi Vidwanmahasabha, founded and directed by Baba.The President of the Sabha, Sri P.K. Sawant declared that the bookwill 'Light a path to the Almighty'. Sri V.S. Page, the Chairman ofthe Maharashtra State Legislative Council, said, while offering thebook, at a public meeting at Dharmakshetra: "I sat at the Feet of SriSathya Sai Baba and started questioning Him on many secrets ofspiritual progress. He was kind enough to give His Grace freely.Others of the Sabha participated in the process of questioning andlearning. This is a faithful record of such Divine Dialogues, "whichconfers illumination to those who struggle in the darkness ofconfusion." Baba explained that there seemed to be three stages inthe life of a Bhaktha:
Dhyanialso has three phases of his life:
Giving directions about Dhyana, Babamentioned a method which He has elaborated often.
"Are we not at peace, when one thought ceases and another does not rise? You have to watch that moment, be one with that moment and get fixed in that, so that, there is ceaseless continuous peace; thoughts arise and die as ripples on water; you have to look at the water, rather than the ripples. Neglect the waves, watching the water. "
Page pursued the subject and asked, "That isNirvikalpa Samadhi. Nirvikalpa is like water withoutwaves or ripples. Can we watch the water, even when there are wavesand ripples? For us to have deep peace in the mind, should we nothave experienced Nirvikalpa sometime or other?" Babaanswered,
"Yes. The person who takes up the process of meditation lands into a state of Nirvikalpa some time or other though it is a very difficult state to attain. Even a Karmayogi or a Bhaktha touches this stage time and again in the most natural way, and knows fully what it is. Therefore, he can remember it and bring it back into experience, and feel the joy of continuous communion with God."
Page writes, "This was a complete answer tomy question, and I was very much satisfied with it. I could not getthis answer, from my reading of the scriptures, but, as Sri SathyaSai Baba was kind enough to give it, I hope it would be useful to anumber of aspirants, including myself."
Another very interesting point clarified byBaba was about Neti, Neti (Not this, not this). He said,"Brahman is like a balloon that bulges; it never bursts! So,Neti refers to the comprehension of Brahman, not Brahmanitself? Neti does not mean, 'No, it is not this,' it means:'No, it is not thus.' 'No, this is not all.' 'No there is much moreto Brahman than this or thus.' " [See also SrîmadBhâgavatam, Canto 7, Chapter 7 (What Prahlâda learned inthe womb) verse 23]
Page mentions that Baba distinguished betweenego and Self. Baba said: " 'I'pure and simple is God; 'I'identified with the body, the subtle body and the body imagined indream life is the ego." Then Page asked, "God is said to be One.Is there one 'I' pure and simple for all of us?" Baba replied,"The different egos are but reflections of one and the same Selfor God." Page asked, "Is the mind a material, just like our body?Can it be objectified?" Baba replied, "Yes. Mind is matter. Only,it is very subtle, we cannot point out its breadth, length, thicknessor weight. It can be objectified. Sankalpa can do that." Pageasked about the miracles too. He says, "Sri Sathya Sai Baba explainedthese miraculous powers in a very frank manner and we accepted thesame without any reservation." Baba said that the miracle was theNidarsan (Witness, Evidence), of God having created the worldout of His Will.
The festival of Mahasivarathri in 1971was celebrated on 23rd February. Though Prasanthi Nilayam getsovercrowded during that time, the peace of that Abode is maintained,due to the holy rays emanating from that holiest of places. Speakingfrom Santhivedika, Baba raised a very interesting question andanswered it Himself. "Why does Swami produce the Linga fromHimself this day? Let me tell you that it is impossible to understandthe attributes of the Divine. You cannot measure Its potentialities,nor gauge the significance of Its Mahima; it isAgamya:unreachable, Agochara:un-understandable. Because of these, you get an example of Divineattributes. In order to bear witness to this Divinity that is amidstyou, for your benefit and benediction, the Linga emerges. If eventhese glimpses are denied, faith in the Supreme will vanish and anatmosphere of greed, hatred, cruelty, violence and irreverence willoverwhelm the good, the humble and the pious."
The Linga is an illustration of thelimitless, formless, beginningless, Divine Principle. Baba stayed atPrasanthi Nilayam to assuage a large number of persons who hadcome long distances to fill their eyes and minds with the sanctityand elation that the Lingodbhava gives, and to touch His LotusFeet. After showering Grace on them, Baba left for Brindavan, for Hehad willed that the Women's college at Anantapur must be shifted fromtemporary sheds and rooms to its own magnificent home, with thebeginning of the academic year.
The Sathya Sai Seva Samithi, Bombay, hadorganized the first All India Bala Vihar Teachers Conference on 11thand 12th May. So Baba in response to the prayers of the devotees ofBombay visited that city for a few days, to bless the teachers. 404teachers, crusaders of the new Sai Era of Education attended, andwere benefited by Bhagavan's counsel. Baba interpreted the usualinvocatory verse on the Guru, recited by a pupil and made it the textof His Discourse. The Guru is Brahma, because, He said,teaching is a creative activity; he is Vishnu because theteacher has to foster the child, guide him and guard him: he isMaheswara, since he has to weed out deleterious components andundesirable traits and habits. The verse, which has been all alongtaken to mean conventional praise and glorification of the Teacherthus assumed the role of a clarion call to the entire professionitself. That is the significance of Sai Touch! "TheGuru is praised as Parabrahma, the genuine supra-soul, for He revealsto the pupil the Reality that makes him free."He said, "Recognize the vast potential lying dormant in the child;help it to express itself."
For this reason, Baba suggested that the nameof the classes for children should be changed from BalaVihars; for more than play and recreation, what has to be done isto encourage the good, the true, the beautiful in the child toblossom, to express and expand. "Bala Vikas," Baba said, "isthe more correct name." He wanted that the little children must betrained and encouraged to speak before gatherings of devotees andeven others, so that elders might learn from the lips of childrenwhat they refuse now to learn from those entitled to advise them. Heappreciated the short speech given by a little pupil on 'Filmposters, and the horrors they inflict.' It was an eye-opener to theelders who are tolerating such insults on the innocence and purity ofhome life.
All over the country now, the tiny tots ofthe Bala Vikas sing Bhajans, draw pictures, paint,write stories and relate them, about heroes of the spirit, and thegreat mothers of the land, and enact plays depicting elevatingincidents from the Upanishads, Ithihasas andPuranas, as well as the religious literature of all faiths. Abig revolution in thought, and in social relations, is fast cominginto fruition. The Maharashtra State Conference and the Gujarat StateConference of the Organization were held in May. Baba was present inBombay for the Maharashtra Conference, He sent a message of Blessingsto Dwaraka for the Gujarat Conference. "Iam watching the entire proceedings; do not deplore that I am notpresent with you. I am present as the EternalWitness," He wrote.
While returning from Bombay, Baba presidedover the Mysore State Conference at Dharwar, on the 14th. About 200office-bearers of the Units all from parts of Mysore were chargedwith steadier faith and deeper devotion for the workahead.
"The College at Anantapur," wrote Dr. S.Bhagavantham, D.Sc., "is a concrete manifestation of somethingsuperhuman. At an enormous cost of four million rupees, within arecord time of ten months, Baba has reared a structure, which is goodenough for a University! Who did all this work? Where have the fundscome from? If you want to see Divinity in action, you can findconcrete evidence at Anantapur! It is something beyond the pale ofhuman reason, and mortal prowess!"
The College was to be inaugurated on the 8thof July, 1971 by the President of India, although there seemed to beno sign or hope of completing the building by the stipulated date!Everyone swore that it was an impossible task. A big industrialistwho had visited Anantapur a week before the inauguration said, "If Ihad applied all my energies with my entire organizational machine, Iwould have thought that it would take another six months forcompletion of the work."
The College building is the architecturalarchetype for Sai Era in education for individual and social uplift.Baba has the Sai Emblem depicting the many faceted adventure of manto realize the Divinity inherent in him as his very breath, hoistedon the central tower as the symbol of hope and victory. The collegebuilding is a full circle of charm and dignity. It symbolizes thefulfilment of the search, called religion. It is Brahman, thebeginningless and endless, which a circle alone can represent. It isredolent with the fragrance of the cultural heritage of India. It isresonant with the echoes of Sanathana Dharma. It carriessky-high the Lotus Flower, (the Hrdaya-kamala) which blossomsat the first touch of the rays of the rising sun (Intelligence,Reason).
Baba has installed a clock on the tower, sothat Time the Divine Watchman, can waken, hasten and warn the processof teaching and learning, shaping and strengthening, that happens inthe College. Architects sat with Baba to translate His ideas onpaper, but, the supreme Architect had it all in His Will, and thatwas enough. The Anantapur College looks like a prayer rising up fromthe heart, a poem of praise for the Giver of all Good. The buildingis a miracle in marble, brick and stone, colour and light.
On the day of the Inauguration aninternational gathering saw a constellation of great personalities.The President of India, Sri V.V. Giri, the wife of the President,Srimathi Saraswathi Giri, the Governor of Mysore State, Sri DharmaVira, the Lt. Governor of Goa State, Sri Nakul Sen, the ChiefMinister of Andhra Pradesh, Sri P.V. Narasimha Rao, theVice-chancellor of the Venkateswara University, Dr. Jagannath Reddy,Sri G.C. Venkanna and Sri M.N. Lakshminarasiah, Ministers of theGovernment of Andhra Pradesh - it was a bouquet of talent, authority,sacrifice and patriotism.
Above all, there was Baba, fresh as a flower,beaming with a benignant smile, with no trace on His Divine Face ofthe exhaustion, worry or anxiety that He had removed from the facesof even the most busy workers around Him. The bright morning wasrendered doubly bright by the Light of Love that shone on thatface.
Dr. Gokak, Director of the Institute ofAdvanced Studies, Simla, welcomed the distinguished guests. Hecommunicated to every one an awareness of the epochal character ofthe moment. "This college and the others that Baba has planned toestablish in every state in India will inculcate Indian culture inits essence and purity; they will develop not only knowledge andskill, but balance and insight, and faith in the unity of allreligions, and in the Reality of Oneself." Dr. Bhagavantham, formerlyVice-chancellor of the Andhra and Osmania Universities said, "Historyhas few parallels of a college that is so well equipped on the dateof its Inauguration!" Dr. Jagannath Reddy, spoke of the phenomenalgrowth of the college in the short span of 3 years. The Minister foreducation said, "When Baba establishes a college for women we can becertain that it will not be just one among many. It will be a beacon,a lesson for others, a model, a pioneer." Sri Brahmananda Reddygreeted the day as a festival for Andhra Pradesh and for BharathiyaCulture itself. Sri Dharma Vira felt that the college for women willbe of lasting benefit for the whole country, since educating a womanis educating a whole family. The President declared that it was agood augury for India that Baba is not only conferring spiritualenlightenment to millions, but granting the proper type of educationto the youth of the land.
The 8th July, 1971 was Guru Pournima, theFull Moon Festival, dedicated to the Primal Spiritual Preceptor,Vyâsa, and also to the adoration of Spiritual Preceptor,by aspirants. It is the Day when millions seek to have Darsanof Baba. It was Baba's Will that the College in which theGuru-Sishya relationship of Ancient India was to be revived,should be inaugurated that Day itself.
Baba pointed out that, as lava fromsubterranean fire, a huge upsurge of low desires is smothering man,though his chief desire should be the visualizing of the God in him,and the cultivation of peace, beauty, truth and love that are themarks of that Divinity. "Manhas in him a fountain of joy, peace, love and courage. Cultivatethese by precept, example and exercise. Then, the educated men andwomen will have security and sweetness as long as theylive."
"India is being forged into a Bhogabhoomi - land of luxury - a land of skyscrapers, tinned foods, air-conditioning and television. Indians are being shaped into an imitative, insurgent, ill-disciplined mass. They are being transplanted on other soils and encouraged to grow, without roots. This is an insult to our past and a dangerous defiance of history. It is a sacrilege on the sanctity of time, on the holy purpose of the human body. That is the reason, I have decided that this college has to be inaugurated on Guru-Poornima Day on Guruvar - Thursday - as a Gurukula - the hermitage school of ancient India in which the highest ideals of life were instilled by personal example and guidance by the Guru to the pupils eager to imbibe." [See also: Bhagavatha Vahini, Chapter 41: The Divine Students]
Baba concluded with the Blessing:"The seed has beenplanted; it will sprout and spread, heavy with fruits, providingshade, security and sustenance to all."
The educational institutions started with theBlessing of Baba will not imitate nor help to forge out ofcompetitive or compulsive society. They look forward with hope andenvisage a society built on love and cooperation, blossoming thehuman spirit, and the human community.
TheNames We Know & One Word More
"Bhagavân Srî Sathya SaiBaba" is how Baba is referred to by the millions that adore Him. Heannounced Himself as Sai Baba when He spoke of his identity at theage of 14, on 23rd May, 1940, when his father insisted on being toldwhat Baba meant by saying that He had His disciples to look after andHis unfinished work to be completed [see for this story 'Theserpent hill']. "Sathya Nârâyana" wasHis Name and Raju was the family appellation. This was shortened intoSathya,the name by which Baba was known at home, village and school. To thename announced by Baba Himself - SaiBaba - was added the word'Sathya.'Five or six years later after the announcement, the devotee whodesired to distinguish Him from Sai Baba as He had manifested Himselfat Shirdi,realized that Baba Himself was the Shirdi manifestation. But they didnot wish to confuse the minds of those who loved to cling to thememory of Shirdi 'Baba'. Babais the word used in Marathi and in Hindi to refer to saints. It means'Father'. 'Sai' is the name by which Baba had been spoken toby the priest of the Khandoba temple near Shirdi, when He arrivedthere as a youth. 'Sai'means 'Master'. It is a derivate of the Sanskrit wordSwami.The word 'Sai' has also been traced to the Persian word Shah, Shahi,Sahi, Sai.
'Srî'is an honorific prefixed to the names of deities, sacred texts andeminent persons. It is an auspicious word indicating good fortune.The word also came to be used as an honorific for each individual,universalizing or democratizing good fortune as it were. Thisdemocratization has itself led to another outburst of snobbery on thepart of the disciples of the heads of Maths or monasteries. Forexample, the prefix - Srî108, meaning that - spiritualeminence is indicated by the fact that the name is to be preceded bya string of 108 Srî's.
The word 'Bhagavân'means 'one endowedwith Bhaga'; Bhagameans according to ancient Sanskrit lexicographers:
Baba's Aiswaryaor authority derived from power is self-evident. Masters of specialbranches of study like doctors, lawyers, engineers and artistsacknowledge Him as their master in their respective fields. For Hecan correct them and give them invaluable help. Fame and prosperityfollow Him wherever He goes, though He has never cared for either. Asfor bravery, wisdom and detachment, thousands who have known Him,know Him as the embodiment of these qualities.
Baba declared at the World Conference held inBombay in 1968, "Theloyalty and devotion that the previous Incarnations commanded arosepartly through fear and awe, and partly from superhuman power. TheSathya Sai manifestation has none of these appendages. Neverthelessit commands the adoration of millions in this age of rampantgodlessness, materialism, cynical disregard of higher values andaggressive irreverence." This isbecause He carries His message of love to the very vortex ofdisbelief and nihilism, like light penetrating into the very heart ofdarkness. Himself an unfailing reservoir of health, happiness andwisdom, He is, at the same time, profoundly unattached, acceptingdevotion and derision with equal unconcern. He wrote to his elderbrother even as a boy of twenty [see SSS-II - Resume] that Hehad no particular name or native place and that all names and placeswere His. A supreme example of desirelessness, He has only onedesire: the desire which made Him descend from the all-pervadingDivine consciousness - the desire to save the world from theconsequences of ignorance. [Photo:Sai Baba World Conference in Bombay, May 1968]
It is laid down in the Sastrasthat only those who have mastered the six primary mysteries can bereferred to as 'Bhagavân'.
Utpattincha Vinasamcha
Bhuthanam Agathim Gathim
Vetti Vidyam Avidyam cha
Sa Vachya Bhagawan iti"He who knows the mystery of the origin and dissolution of created beings,
the mystery of their doom and their redemption and of their ignorance and wisdom, is alone to be spoken of as Bhagavân."
It is crystal clear that this is what Babastands for. As He told Arnold Schulman, "I know your past, I knowyour future. So I know why you suffer and how you can escapesuffering and when you finally will. I know everything that hashappened to everybody in the past, everything that is happening andeverything that will happen in the future. I know why a person has tosuffer in this life and what will happen to him the next time he isborn because of that suffering this time."
In His speech to an enormous crowd at thePatel Stadium in Bombay, He said,
"I know all that happens to all because I am in everyone. This current is in every bulb. I illumine every consciousness. I am the inner Motivator in each one of you."
He declared at Anantapur,
"Even if the fourteen worlds in the upper and nether regions of the universe unite in order to delay or disrupt the work for which I have come in this Body, it will not suffer or falter."
He said at a meeting in PrasanthiNilayam in 1965,
"No Avatâr has done like this before - going among the masses in the villages, seeking out the distressed, waking up the sleeping, quickening the dull, showering grace on millions and counselling, consoling, guiding, uplifting them along the path of Sathya (truth), Dharma (eternal principals), Santhi (peace) and Prema (love). I am neither Guru nor God. I am you! You are me! That is the Truth and you will realize it when you reach the goal. You are the waves and I am the Ocean."
On Christmas Day, 1970, at Dharmakshetra,Baba said,
"There is no mesmerism, miracle or magic in what I do! Mine is genuine Divine power. Small minds and limited intellects are too weak to perceive the Divine. The Divine magnificence is too much, and too overwhelming for their maya-filled eyes. And so they ridicule it and call it the result of Yoga Siddhi, mesmerism or magic. But the Divine can do anything. He has all the power in the palm of His Hand. His powers are not such as would abide for a time and then fade away."
He had said already on the occasion of Dasarain 1963,
"The man who dies prays to Me to receive him. The relations who lament the loss pray to Me to prolong his life! I know both sides of the picture, the past and present, the crime and the punishment, the achievement and the reward. And so I am just, modifying the sentence now and then with Grace. I am not affected in the least by the birth of this one or the death of the other. My nature is unalloyed Bliss."
The word 'Bhagavân' also means'blissful'. The Vishnu Purana says that the syllable'Bha' means 'the cherisher and supporter of theuniverse,' 'Ga' means 'the leader, the impeller or theguide' and 'Va' means 'that elemental spirit in whichall beings exist and which exists in all beings'. This'Va' is also to be found in the name of Vâsudevawhich was the name that Baba said was His own, when He was at Shirdi.Gunaji says in his biography of 'Shirdi Baba', page 103: "Baba saidthat He was omnipresent - occupying light, air, water, world, landand heaven - and that He was not limited. He said,'I always liveeverywhere. I have no form. I require no door toenter.' - page 155.
In his present incarnation too, Baba enteredSwami Abhedananda's room in Ramanashram even when the door was boltedin order to assure and illumine the monk and accept him as adisciple. He also entered an operation theatre in a surgical home inBangalore in spite of bolted doors, for blessing the patient when aprostrate gland operation was going on.
Sanskrit classical text also give otherdefinitions of 'Bhagavân.' The Saranagathi Gadya says,"Bhagavân is He who is boundless Bliss, Bliss that rewardsevery being in the universe. The Gadya goes on to say that aBhagavân must have an extraordinary knowledge of all themysteries of the world, dominion over all the forces of nature,power, splendour, gracious manners, affection as of a mother,softness and compassion, rectitude and uprightness, comradeship,impartiality, mercy, nobility, generosity, skilfulness in strategy,heroism, dash and enthusiasm, steadiness in truth, and all other goodqualities. Dr. Gokak [see SSS-II - 'Cities Aflame']is never tired of pointing out that Baba is,more than anyone else, power, dominion, majesty and splendor. It isthis element of power that, among other things, distinguishes anincarnation from a saint. Baba's scholarship is overwhelming. Withhardly any formal education, He has on the tip of His tongue, atomicformulae, Vedic hymns, medical recipes, and Tantric mantras. SriAurobindo has said, "Each incarnation holds before men His ownexample and declares of Himself that He is the way and the gate: hedeclares too the oneness of His humanity with the DivineBeing."
Man, after all, is nothing but the Divine,bound by the three chains of time, space and causation. This is whyBaba says,
"You become Bhagavân as soon as you express the Atma principle. Each one of you can become Bhagavân by merging your separate individual Jiva or self in the ocean of universal Atma."
The word Avatâr means 'descent,coming down, alighting'. This is the limitation that the limitlessimposes on itself, in order to lead mankind. In a discourse onShivarathri a few years ago, Baba recited a verse, such as He is usedto composing and reciting at the commencement of a discourse, inwhich He recounted the aims and purposes of His ownAvatâr at Puttaparthi.
"Vâsudeva, who lives in all has come in this body at Puttaparthi to show to the Kali age the path of truth; to eliminate hate and greed; to save the good and humble from pain and shame; to reveal the significance that lies obscured in ancient texts; to destroy the pomp and pride of little men; and to redeem the pledge of Grace given to mankind."
He has declared that He is the Divine Essencethat is known and worshipped in many Names and Forms all over theworld.
In his 'Essays on the Gîtâ,' SriAurobindo has analyzed the role of an Avatâr; "TheAvatâr comes as the manifestation of the Divine nature in thehuman nature, the apocalypse of its Christhood, Krishnahood,Buddhahood, in order that human nature may, by moulding its thought,feelings and action, on the lines of that Christhood, Krishnahood,Buddhahood, transfigure itself into the Divine. The Avatâr isalways a dual phenomenon of Divinity and humanity. The Divine takesupon Himself human nature with all its outward limitations... Theobject of the Avatâr's descent is to show that human birth,with all its limitations, can be made a means and an instrument ofthe Divine birth and Divine Works."
One has to remember in this context what Babasaid to Schulman,
"If I had come as Nârâyana with four arms, they would have put me in a circus, charging money for people to see Me. If I had come only as man, like any other man, who would listen to Me? So I had to come in this human form but with more than the human power and wisdom."
Baba also explained the mystery ofAvatârhood in a simple way when he said on His BirthdayFestival, 1971:
"Everyone of you is an Avatâr. You are the Divine, encased like Me in human flesh and bone! Only you are unaware of it! You have come into this prison of incarnation through the errors of many lives. But I have put on this mortal body out of My own free Will. You are bound to the body with the ropes of the three Gunas, I am free, untouched by them, for the Gunas are but My playthings. I am not bound by them, I use them to bind you. You are moved this way and that by desire. I have no desire except the one to make you desireless."
Baba's call to suffering humanity stands outin its directness and simplicity: "Whyfear when I am here? Come unto Me all ye whosuffer!" Baba assures us, if we takeone step towards Him, He takes ten towards us. He hears us when wecry out in anguish. As the Gîtâ declares, "thehand and the feet, the eyes and the ears, and the head and tongue ofthe Divine are everywhere to help us and save us and lead us to theDivine, when we have a sincere desire to ascend to theDivine."
The Avatâr, as Baba hasdeclared, shares the possession of the five senses with the world ofanimals and human beings. He shares with mankind the four attributesof mind, reason, emotion and Ahamkara or the ego. But theAvatâr possesses seven characteristics which are unique.Four of these can be enumerated as follows:
The three remaining attributes are such thatonly a full fledged Avatâr has them:
As an example of a concrete presence wherethe Name and Form are remembered I may quote from a letter written bythe Cowans of Orange Country, U.S.A: "In our home, we have a smallroom filled with the pictures of our great Lord Sathya Sai Baba. Itis here we meditate before retiring. Many times, people of the Saifamily drop in, and pray. Each night, we watch for Vibhuti tomanifest, but so far, none has appeared. It was about a month agosome friends who are devotees of Sathya Sai Baba came to meditatewith us in His room. I wish to say that the fragrance of this roomhas a beautiful odor, as if hundreds of flowers were giving forththeir blooms to us. This is one of the gifts the great Swami bestowson us. Our friends were amazed at the sweetness of theroom."
"We all sat down around the small altar andgave admiration to the picture! And, behold! Upon a large coloredpicture of Bhagavân Srî Sathya Sai Baba a sapphire starhad appeared, with eight rays, manifesting from it, as if it was anecklace, with a gem, at His throat centre! The word travelled fastand many of the Sai family have come to see the miracle of theLord."
In many thousands of homes and public prayerhalls in India, Africa, Ceylon and other countries, Baba has willedthe devotees to get the sacred curative Vibhuti from theportraits hung on the walls. There was Vibhuti at the shrinein the home of the Cowans too. Here is an account given by a scepticof his visit to the shrine in the home of Cowans. The visitor's nameis Joel Riordon, a hollywood writer of film scripts: "My wifementioned to me that a picture in the house of the Cowans wasproducing ashes! She immediately walked away. Now, she did it...dangled a bit of curiosity in my path, curiosity that I couldn'tresist. Sunday morning I was ready for the challenge... When wearrived at the meeting after following Mr. and Mrs. Hislop's car forover one hour, I thought there is a church three miles from my house,and I won't even take the time to go there. What am I doing here?...At the meeting, voices rang out, as they were clapping to the rhythmof a chant: there was a speech by Jack Hislop about a letter hereceived by mail from Sai Baba and the mystery - how it arrivedwithout a stamp! 'So the stamp dropped off in the mail man's bag,' Ithought. I am certain there was more to the story, but my mind was onthe picture. Where is it? Why can't I see it now?... Finally, themoment came; we were allowed to go into another room where a shrinehad been set up, with Sai Baba's picture - and it was producingashes!"
"I tried not to be conspicuous, but I musthave been because as I approached the picture, looking at it from allangles, from the front, top and back, (I even pretended to tie myshoes, to see under the table; to see if I could find out what trickcaused this ash-flow), I saw the hostess talking to two young boys,and as the three of them stared at me, I had the feeling they wereexpecting me to steal the picture, or something in the house. Iimmediately departed with a guilty look."
There are certain remarkable ancientastrological texts called Nadis in South India and BhrguSamhithas in Northern India. They contain details of the lives ofnumerous persons, even of people who lived beyond the seas. Thehereditary custodians of these manuscripts read out the relevantportions of the life of the person that comes to consult them. Thelate Dr. K.M. Munshi wrote some years ago in the Bhavan's Journalthat the details recorded regarding his life in some of thesemanuscripts astounded him. The record mentions the exact time andplace where he was to propose to Smt. Leelavathi Munshi, his futurewife. Sri Sharma, a former Chief Minister of Haryana State, statesthat the predictions recorded about him in Bhrgu Samhithasshowed that he would meet God in His human incarnation atPrasanthi Nilayam. Sri Sharma says that it was a job for himto find out where Prasanthi Nilayam was. Baba received himgraciously and created for him a Nataraja image which he couldwear on his person all the time. Whenever there is a reference inthese texts to Baba, He is referred to as 'the Father of all worlds,the supreme physician who cures at lightning speed and founder ofPatasalas, institutions of higher learning andhospitals.
Sri J.P. Maroo writes, "I have a familyastrologer who belongs to Nepal. He remembers and can recite andquote from the 15.000 verses of the ancient astrological cyclopedia,called Bhrgu Samhitha! Last October, that is to say, in 1967he came to see me before returning to Nepal, and I requested him forinformation about some outstanding event that may occur in the nearfuture. He consulted the Samhitha and recited a verse, whichsaid that on 4th November, 1947, I will have Pratyaksha DevaDarsana! (the Darsana of God in concrete Form!) And, it happenedas forecasted! Baba came to Usha Kiran, to my home, and accepted myworship on 4th November, 1967."
Speaking to a group of seekers from SanFrancisco in the USA and from Ceylon in June 1970, at Brindavan,Whitefield, Baba said that the Divine is as eager to be one withindividual soul as the individual is eager to merge with the Divine.He said that this was a gradual process, very much like what happensto stalactites and stalagmites in limestone caves. One of these isformed in the roof pointing downwards and the other on the floorpointing upwards. The formation on the floor is due to the deposit ofsomething like one drop in a thousand years from the stalactite inthe roof pointing downwards. Baba was demonstrating how this happenswith the use of His fingers. He was a little dissatisfied with thisdemonstration Himself. He then waved His hand in a very long, flatand circular motion and materialized a round black stone, the weightof which made His hand vibrate like a tuning-fork. The stone wasround in shape, slightly flat at the top and bottom and it bore nomarks on it. It was smooth and shiny. Baba lifted it, held it a fewinches away from His mouth and blew a hole into it, with sovereignease and grace. This hole appeared like two intersecting circles. Theplace of intersection was wide open and the two circles were touchingeach other with concentric rings that bore in towards the centre, andwere trying to merge into each other. Baba used this stone toillustrate His point and then gave it to a sadhak in thegroup, named Gill. About a year later Gill happened to show it tosome Indian friends in Juhu, Bombay. They told him, to his utterastonishment, that the stone, with the imprint blown on it was afossil called Saligram and that it was used by Hindus forworship. Howard Melvin, a member who happened to be one of this grouptold me about this interesting incident.
Another fact that sets us wondering regardingBaba, is the many-facetedness of His personality. One sees in Him aparagon upon which each one models himself. The manager of a mightymanufacturing concern sees in Him an ideal organizer and manager. Adoctor sees in Him the perfect master of diagnostic and medicalskill. An engineer or architect finds in Him the master who humblestheir pride with a blue pencil and fills their heads with ideas anddesigns, any one of which can make a fortune for them through itsbeauty and practicability. A musician finds in Baba the primal sourceof melody and harmony. When someone praised Baba for his musicaltalent and compared Him favourably with Thyagaraja, Baba asked him."And who do you thinktaught Thyagaraja music?" Baba is thepoet of poets. Not only is He Himself an inspiring theme; Hisconversation and charm release in the poet springs of inspirationhidden away for a long time. A philosopher can learn from Baba theart of laying bare enigmatic thought-processes in a simple andstraightforward manner. A painter of genius meets his challenge inthe ever-varying expressiveness of His face and eyes. An actor learnsfrom Him those subtle inflections and intonations of the voice thatbest express the soul. A trained teacher finds a master of profoundlynew methods in Baba. As the Gîtâ says, "The Divine isthe best, the mightiest, the most charming, the wisest, the highestand the most intricate Being; an incarnation of the Divine bears thisstamp on its personality." Baba asked Schulman; "How can a fishunderstand the sky?" He also remarked elsewhere, "Iam all deities in one. You may endeavor your best for thousands ofyears and have all mankind with you in your search, but you cannotunderstand My Reality."
In his book entitled, 'Krishna, a study inthe theory of the Avatârs,' Bhagawandas speaks of thecircumstances that bring about the advent of an Avatâr."When false teachers arise and elevate flesh above spirit, when thelower passions and the six inner enemies or seven deadly sins havemankind in their grip, when ruthless ambition, selfishness and evilsway the world, then it is that the Avatâr appears. Eachone of these three sets of circumstances may bring about the adventof an Avatâr. The predominance of false teachers bringsdown the Avatâr who re-illumines the science of spirit.When wrong emotions prevail, there is the advent of theAvatâr who is full of love-compelling purity andself-effacement. When evil rules the world, there is the advent ofthe Avatâr who rights widespread wrongs and is theadjuster of natural Karma."
We find in Baba the integral manifestationthat combines these three roles. He is the great teacher, far-famedfor His simple and sweet exposition of Vedantatoday. He is the great dispenser of love or Prema.Finally, He is the great restorer of the essence of spirituality tomankind. We may say of Baba what Prof. P. Shankaranarayanam says inhis book 'Srî Râmacandra': "For man to receive God'sstimulus and to make the responses, God must become a person in fleshand blood, Human in His Divinity, and yet Divine in His Humanity. Toinfinitise man, God has to finitise Himself."
The person who reads this book about Baba andthe two preceding parts in the series is sure to experience an impactwhich will not allow him to be the same again. He will have to takeup the challenge and prove it or disprove it to himself for his ownsatisfaction, if he is in earnest about the view of life presented inthis book. Baba can dismiss a cancerous growth by saying. "The canceris cancelled." He can extinguish forest fires around the KuchumaMount on Mexican border by a declaration made at His ashram in India,"No more fires!". He can create a jar of sacred ash which can neverbe exhausted by use, and the gift of spiritual ecstasy by a simpletouch. He knows each one's past and future. [Gîtâ7.26] He says that we are the same as He is. It is simply ourdelusion that we feel we are different.
The Publishers Weekly wrote about ArnoldSchulman's book, 'Baba': "Sathya Sai Baba calls Himself anAvatâr, an Incarnation of God, His followers who numberover six millions, come to His ashram at Puttaparthi in SouthernIndia to sit at His feet, sing their prayers and ask for miracles.Baba answers their prayers: He cures the incurable, materializesobjects and holy ashes, sustains the faithful and convinces thedoubtful."
We may frequently fall into the error ofdeeming Baba to be a mortal like ourselves, forgetting the fact thatHe is the very Divine Essence that has willed itself into each mortalbody. Baba has said that He as well as the Sai Baba of Shirdi havebeen emanations of the same Essence. Baba is one with all theAvatârs that have descended so far and those that willcome hereafter.
There is no inner circle or outer with regardto Baba's devotees. All mankind is His fold. Numberless persons havebeen drawn by Him, away from low desires and passions, from fanaticaland cynical attitudes. The Name 'Sai'will soon be embellished in every heart.
Prasanthi Nilayam is His Ashram atPuttaparthi, the village which He has immortalized by deciding to beborn there. As He always says, "Myresidence is in your hearts. My Prasanthi Nilayam is inyou."
Baba's Bhajans have penetrated intonumberless homes and led to the itinerant singing in cities, wakingup the hearts of men to the glory of God. Baba can be adored in allforms, and addressed by all the names that God bears.
One sees in Him the power that works as theeffulgence of the transcendent ray that beams beyond cosmic laws. Hecalls us near and wipes our tears of sorrow in spite of our faultsand failures. He declared in 1962 that the Chinese menace would notbe there at the time of the Birthday Celebrations on November 23. Itis a fact that the Chinese retreated beyond the Himalayas on thenight of the 22nd November. In 1965, when every one thought that theDasara celebrations should be postponed in view of the Pakistaninvasion, Baba declared that the Dassara celebrations should bepostponed in view of the Pakistan invasion, Baba declared that theDasara celebrations should be held as usual. As a matter of a fact, acease-fire was ordered and accepted three days earlier than Dasara.The Fifth All India Conference of the Sathya Sai Seva Samithis hadbeen fixed in Madras to take place on 22nd and 23rd December, 1971.There were frantic telegrams whether the Conference was postponed,for Pakistan bombed Indian airfields on 3rd December. The events thatfollowed seemed to predict that there might soon be a global war.Baba said that there would be no war and that the Conference shouldbe held as planned. The war came to an end of the 17thDecember,1971.
Baba is the indweller in each human heart. Hegathers people around Him day after day and deals with them in loveand compassion. Physical illness, mental worry, psychic disorder,economic want, family discord, intellectual deficiency, professionalsetback; He handles each problem as it comes with unfailingskill.
He gives holy ashes because that is theultimate form that things take - Alexanders, Napoleons, Hitlers theirambitions and their empires. That is how He teaches us the lesson ofdetachment. He cures us of greed and hatred by reminding us of theultimate fate that awaits all earthly pomp and glory.
That He is all knowing, even a sceptic likeSchulman was compelled to admit when Baba mentioned to Schulman hisvisit to Japan to study Zen Buddhism and other details. Schulmanthought that Baba was parading information that He had collected fromDr. Gokak about him. Sensing this the very minute, Baba told Schulmanthat Gokak had given Him no information. He proceeded to refer to acertain ailment of his wife which no one else had known. He told himthat it was Baba who had brought about the disappearance of thisailment a week before he boarded the plane for India so that he couldcome to India in time. Baba is an open book for all to read. He isthe Guide as well as the Goal.
