Who is Sathya Sai Baba One of the greatest Saints of this century was a woman named Anandamoyi Ma. (The name translates as ‘Bliss-permeated Mother.’ There’s a photo of her, standing next to Paramahansa Yogananda, in Autobiography of a Yogi.) She was so pure and filled with God that she was widely considered to be a Divine Incarnation herself: there seemed to be nothing in her but God, and her words were Truth itself.  According to one of her closest Western devotees, over the years she had often been asked, “Who is this Sathya Sai Baba we keep hearing about?”  But for many years she never gave an answer.  In the last year of her life, however, the question came up again, and this time she gave the following response: “This body will speak on this question only once; don’t ask again.  Sathya Sai Baba is the most powerful incarnation of God ever to come to the Earth.  And there won’t be another at His level for another sixty centuries. That amazing testimony was recently strengthened for me when I went to one of Anandamoyi Ma’s ashrams in the Himalayas.  When I shared the preceding quote with a Swami there7, he said that Anandamoyi Ma had then added, “It’s no wonder you keep hearing about Sai Baba.  He is the Avatar of this Yuga!”  (Avatar means Incarnation of God; a Yuga is an era lasting many thousands of years.) Other Saints have given similar testimony.  Shortly before he left his physical body behind, Paramahansa Yogananda was approached by one of his close American disciples, a woman.  “Master,” she said, “I know you are planning on leaving your body.  You must take me with you!  You are my God!”  “Nonsense,” replied Yogananda. “God is God; I am your Guru.”  “But Master, if you leave without me, I will commit suicide!”  “Enough of that foolishness!  God Himself is now incarnate on Earth, in South India. His name is Sai Baba.  When I leave you are going to live with Him.”  (His prediction proved correct; after Yogananda’s death, that devotee spent the rest of her life at Sai Baba’s ashram.)8 Mata Amritanandamayi (also known as Ammachi), Herself considered to be an incarnation of the Divine Mother, was once asked, “Who is Sai Baba?”  She replied, “Avatar.  Perfect from birth On the day after Sai Baba’s birth (November 23, 1926), Sri Aurobindo, another great Saint of this century, broke a long period of silence to announce, “Twenty-fourth November, 1926, was the descent of Krishna into the physical.  A power infallible shall lead the thought, in earthly hearts kindle the Immortal’s Fire, even the multitude shall hear the voice!”10 It seems obvious at this point that his announcement of Krishna’s physical re-embodiment was referring to the birth of Sathya Sai Baba.  Mother Krishnabai, the Self-Realized disciple of Swami Ramdas (the great Saint from Kerala), told her devotees, “Sai Baba is an Avatar, a full incarnation of Krishna.  He is Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva together in one form!” She recommended they spend as much time in His presence as possible.11 Swami Satchidananda, the Enlightened sage who currently runs Anandashram in Kerala, was recently asked about the allegations against Sai Baba.  He replied, “Forget about it.  He is God!”12 Karunamayi (also known as Vijayeshwari Devi, considered by many to be a living incarnation of the Goddess Sarasvati) recently told one of her close devotees, “Sai Baba and Amma [meaning herself] are both watching over you.”  Apparently she also knows who Baba is! Yogi Ramsuratkumar made it clear on numerous occasions that Sai Baba is an incarnation of God.  He often asked visitors from Baba’s ashram, “You’ve left God to see this beggar?”13  (Of course, that “beggar” was himself merged in the all-pervading Consciousness; the beauty of his attainment was matched only by his humility.) Shiva Balayogi, another of the great Gurus of the last century, was once asked about Sai Baba.  He replied, “Sathya Sai Baba is an Avatar.”14 Master El Moya and Master Kuthumi, two of the great Ascended Masters behind the founding of the Theosophical Movement, also declared Sai Baba to be an Avatar. According to author Howard Murphet, in the book “The Light Will Set You Free” these Masters have stated, “Avatar Sai Baba is carrying the Divine consciousness in the world today.”15 Maitreya, the mysterious Master who has been miraculously appearing before people in various places around the globe throughout the last two decades, has said (through his spokesman, Benjamin Creme) that He (Maitreya) is the planetary Avatar, while Sai Baba is the Universal Avatar.16 Testimony from Gopalakrishna Baba,  Devi Amma, “Little Heart” and Vasantha Sai appears later in the website. 

The Aura of Selfless Love shoneIt was about five o’clock in the morning, and the followers had been singing their devotions and chanting during a parade around the compound at Whitefield. When Sathya Sai Baba came out of his ashram, his silhouette shined against the stern facade of the building. I have always been able to see the human aura, that is, the energy pattern which surrounds a person. The auras around average people extend as much as three to five feet. Auras are composed of every imaginable colour and these colours change as a person’s emotional, physical and mental states change. In general, whenever the colour blue is evident in a person’ s aura, it is an indication of deep spirituality; green is a healing color; yellow indicates high intelligence; and red means anger or frustration. The colour pink, which is rarely seen, typifies a person capable of self-less love. This was the colour that Sathya Sai Baba had around him. The aura around Sathya Sai Baba went beyond the building against which he stood; this energy field reached thirty or forty feet in all directions. Never having seen any aura like this before, my first reaction was to look for fluorescent lights, which may have been shining on him. But as I watched, the beautiful pink energy pattern moved as he moved. There was no doubt, this was his aura. Entranced by this remarkable sight, I barely heard the devotional songs that were being sung, and before I knew it, Sathya Sai Baba had gone. The crowd settled in the now-familiar cross-legged positions and prepared themselves to wait until Sathya Sai Baba’s next appearance, four hours later.The heat was remarkable; the humidity hung like a wet cloth over the gathering. Amid chanting, a few anxious eyes watched the threatening skies. Dark clouds gave foreboding signs of torrential storms, but all around me devotees were assuring each other . Sathya Sai Baba won’t allow it to rain.Then, there he was again, I felt my heartbeat quicken as he turned in my direction. Soon he stepped beside me. He looked upon me, and then made a quick motion to the man seated beside me. Suddenly crushed lilies began to appear in the palms of his hands, and as they poured forth, the petals filled the cupped hands of the seated man. But the flower petals did not stop coming; they went on to fill the waiting hands of a second, a third and then a fourth person! As this great man turned away, he glanced in my direction to say. ‘Have you noticed what I have just done?’ I couldn’t help but have seen what had happened. To answer possible arguments, Sathya Sai Baba’s sleeves reached his elbows, so it was not by magic tricks that these petals appeared. And I was not hypnotized into believing I was them, for I am a licensed hypnotist myself and am very difficult to hypnotize. Within my limited understanding, it was difficult to believe I had just witnessed this miraculous demonstration. I sat there, in that same position, for a very long time, dumbfounded by what I had seen.The very next morning I felt myself drawn back to the very same compound, sitting in the habitual lotus position and waiting for Sathya Sai Baba . I have had the pleasure of meeting such personalities as ex-president Gerald Ford, Queen Juliana of the Netherlands, and Pope John Paul II, and I have studied their auras as well as tens of thousands of others. I say this not as a testimonial but as a fact; not one person I have ever seen has an aura to compare to the size and colour of Sathya Sai Baba’s aura.

Swami’s letters to Devotees and Students AN ELDERLY WOMAN An elderly woman grieving her husband’s passing received a surprise letter of comfort from Bhagawan, expressing: Wedding binds two persons together as husband and wife. What were they to each other minutes before? The one would not have worried for the other if the wedding had not happened! Where were the son, and the brother before they were conceived and born? Life is an interlude between what was and what will be. This interlude should be used not to lament over what cannot be helped or set right, but to seek God, see Him and take refuge in Him. Your husband lived such a life in the light of Truth he had glimpsed. He did no wrong to anyone; he loved and served the suffering and the illiterate. He salvaged many families from penury and infamy. He helped many young people to go through college. Many sick persons were saved by his timely donations. He was ever cheerful and spread cheer wherever he went. And, at last, God willed that he cast away the body that limited him. Of what profit is it now to calculate what might have happened, had he not gone to Madras that day? Your duty from now on is to sustain the fame he earned, to follow the ideals he had placed before himself. Your husband is here, in MY presence now, and he will be there forever as he had wished to be when alive. Swami will not allow him to be separated from the Presence. He is now free from bonds and boundaries. You are indeed fortunate that destiny drew you to him and gave you so many years of loving companionship with such a fine person. His thoughts were pure; there was no blemish of envy, hatred, or greed in him. So his place is with Me, forever. I am writing this letter to you in order to shower on you the cool rain of love. That rain will scotch the flames of grief that are now raging in you. Your husband is at Prasanthi Nilayam, in the presence of Sairam, having attained that climax by his spiritual attainments. Baba LOVE HAS NO DISTANCE During Bhagawan’s absence from Prasanthi Nilayam in earlier years, He used to send letters to be read out loud for all the residents; to bring them joy and make them aware that He was thinking of them, and knew of their whereabouts—no matter the distance between: Blessings to all at the Mandir! Tell them to fulfill the duties assigned and carry out the responsibilities fixed. The daily schedule of Pooja, Dhyana, Bhajan, Sankeertan and study should be followed punctually and with faithful devotion. People should move along with others with love and reverence. Of what benefit is Sadhana if it is done without controlling jealousy, envy, pride, anger, and malice? However long you may live in the Ashram, these vices will yet undermine whatever merit you acquire. The proof of the rain is the wetness of the ground. The proof of Sadhana is the subjugation of the senses. Give up irrelevant and impertinent talks and activity; cultivate self-examination, self-discovery; develop the inner eye, the inner discipline. Make the best of this chance acquired as a result of the good done many previous lives. Of course, Swami’s Sadhana Baba

Shirdi Sai and Sathya Sai Connection That Baba knows our thoughts – indeed our past as well as future, has been repeatedly attested to by a large number of devotees. Just one such example from this writer’s own experience is recounted here. For many years, I developed a deep yearning to visit Shirdi. I made several attempts to pay my respects at Shirdi Sai shrine at Shirdi itself but to no avail. The closest I could come to the point of realizing this dream was in 1983, when I planned on my home-leave trip from New York to India to visit Shirdi after our landing in Bombay. Unfortunately, the whole family developed a stomach virus after our first meal in India at a Santa Cruz airport five-star hotel – precluding any extensive surface travel all the way to Shirdi. It was once again a great disappointment. I was thinking of this escapade while intensely gazing at Shirdi Sai’s shining silver idol and his giant size picture in the background of the Prashanti Mandir Bhajan hall, and also wondering about the connection of Shirdi Baba with Parthi Baba, about which I found numerous references in the Sai Literature. I closed my eyes, with Shirdi Baba in my mind, when to my utter amazement Parthi Baba stood right in front of me while I continued in my reverie. Swami waited till I fully opened my eyes, when with a burst of bliss I clasped His soft lotus feet and hung on to them like a child. Swami beckoned me inside the interview room and materialized a rather large silver ring with an inlaid multi-colored enamel picture of Shirdi Sai – saying that ‘I am He’. I was stunned and electrified and I blurted out that at long last my long-cherished desire was fulfilled now! The shining large Shirdi ring on my finger used to attract the attention of my diplomatic acquaintances during my frequent elevator rides in the forty-story UN headquarters building in New York, leading to many inquisitive queries on the strange-looking personality on the ring-face. One thing led to another and before long I found myself presenting Sathya Sai literature to the UN Secretary General in his office! Sri Sathya Sai Study Circle at the UN Sensing the growing interest in the story of the glory of Baba, we had founded, with Baba’s blessings, a Study Circle at the United Nations headquarters, with regular Thursday gatherings in delegates’ meeting rooms situated right underneath the UN General Assembly Hall, and sometimes under the Security Council Chamber. Before long, Sai Bhajans began to reverberate in the after-office hours in the United Nations! The annual celebrations of the Study Circle attracted a large number of UN staff members and country delegates. I remember the occasion when the president of the International Court of Justice came rushing along with a couple of delegates seeking Sai Vibhuthi (sacred ash). He proudly showed me a picture of Baba in his wallet! Shirdi Ring replaced by Sathya Sai Ring A few years after Baba gave me the Shirdi Baba ring, Swami called me again for a brief interview, and suddenly inquired of me whether I still wanted the old man or was now ready for the younger man! I then replied that having lived with the old man till then, I would welcome the change into company of the younger man! Swami graciously took out the somewhat worn-out big Shirdi ring which then disappeared right in front of my eyes and, then and there, materialized a well-fitting similar silver enameled ring with a picture of Swami showing His Abhaya Hastham – a raised palm assuring protection. This creative gesture and gift signified to me my spiritual (mental) journey from Shirdi to Parthi guided by Bhagavan Sathya Sai Himself. As a result, I found myself and family settling at Baba’s Lotus Feet in Prashanthi Nilayam – indeed the very abode of peace.

Shirdi Fruits – Sai Experience Soon after the Divine declaration of His identity with Shirdi Sai, Sathya Sai, one day, miraculously produced some fruit which had never been tested or even seen by anybody in that area. His aunty (Father’s sister) enquired about the fruit as to what it was and from where had it come? Baba smiled and replied, “I have called it from Shirdi”. All present they received from the aunt a Shirdi fruit each. The basket could contain only about 40 such fruits, since Baba had touched it with His Divine hands, the fruits poured forth a plenty from the receptacle. Conceding the ardent request of the blessed aunt, Baba gave her also the Divine Darshan of His previous body. She describes it: “Baba took me to the inner room. At that time He had placed His palms on my closed eyes. Lifting His hands from my eyes, Baba pointed His finger towards the corner, directing me to see there. Aha’ I saw Shirdi Sai right there sitting in His characteristic posture. His eyes were closed and there were clear signs of vibhuti on His forehead and arms, smoke arising from incense sticks, placed before Him. His body radiating wonderful effulgence, a Divine brilliance and splendour. This held me spellbound. A mild delicate and sweet fragrance percolated the atmosphere all round”. In a few minutes Baba asked her, “Have you seen everything?” The fortunate lady replied, “Oh what a wonderful Divine Miracle!”. An attribute, namely, remembering the details of a ‘Poorva-janama (previous birth)’, is possessed singularly by Divinity alone. For us common humans, even to remember broad high­lights and headlines of our lives, a few months or days prior, is often not possible. The sweet stream of Shirdi Life that issued forth from its Source (the Young Sai) could only be possible through the phenomenon of reincarnation. In His early teens, Baba composed and sang ‘Nama-Sankirtana’- the sole remedy for the current Kali age-thus initiating the ‘Namasmarna Movement’, which comprises singing in congregation the glories of it God. During this period from His lips issued forth several enchanting Bhajans on Shirdi Sai, nay even earlier in the prankful days of early child­ hood the Bala Sai had sung similar melodies with His tiny-tot companions who repeated the same after Him with gusto. These melodies contained a flavor of precise details of Shirdi, Dwarkamayi, Booty-temple, Samadhi Mandir, Neem tree and bove all the ‘Udi’. The local populace of course wondered as to who this Muslim Fakir was and what and where was Shirdi.

Shirdi Calendar The Shirdi Sai Avatar is extra-ordinary and also enigmatic in many respects. Though this incarnation belongs to recent history, myth and mystery continue to surround the story of this Avatar. However, thanks to the enlightenment provided at various times by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, one is now in a position to place many of the unknown aspects of the Shirdi Avatar in a proper perspective. This calendar offers a summary of the life and philosophy of Shirdi Baba through a series of specially commissioned paintings. The summary is wrapped up with sketches of Shirdi landmarks, as they appeared at various points of time. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has declared that the Shirdi Avatar was the first of a trilogy of Sai Avatars. The second of course is the current Sathya Sai Avatar, and the last would be the Prema Sai Avatar. Of the three, the Shirdi Avatar is the Prologue and the Prema Sai Avatar is the Epilogue to the Sri Sathya Sai Poorna Avatar. It has further been revealed that Shirdi Sai was an aspect of Shiva, Sathya Sai an aspect of both Shiva and Shakthi, while the yet-to-come Prema Sai would be an aspect of Shakti alone. JANUARY 2003 Bhagavan Baba has revealed that Shirdi Baba was born in early nineteenth century to a pious Brahmin couple in the village of Pathri in the erstwhile Nizam State. The Divine child was born following a boon granted by Lord Shiva and Parvathi to the mother, in appreciation of her deep devotion to God. Shortly before Baba took birth, the father left home for the forest to lead the life of a recluse. The lady followed her husband but could not keep pace, due to the advanced state of her pregnancy. Finally, she had to halt in order to deliver the baby. Once the baby was born, she reluctantly placed it under a tree and went in search of her husband. Soon there came near that tree a Muslim couple who picked up the child and brought it up. In 1842, the adopted father died and the adopted mother handed over charge of the young boy to one Gopal Rao, a rural chieftain. Gopal Rao is said to have placed Baba for some time under the care of a Guru known as Venkusa. Later Gopal Rao passed away, and Baba was now on His own. He wandered for some time and eventually made Shirdi His home. FEBRUARY 2003 It is said that Baba came to Shirdi when He was about sixteen years of age. He wore a Kafni, the dress of a Muslim Fakir. He had no home of His own, and spent most of His time under a Neem tree that has since become a pilgrim spot known as Gurusthan. No one knew who this young man was, where He came from, and where He got His food. But this much every one knew: This mysterious young man definitely had a Divine Aura about Him, and was always most compassionate. Indeed, throughout His life, Baba’s devotees knew very little about His early history. In the Sai Sat Charita, for example, one finds the remark: “Nobody knew the parents, details of the birth or the birth-place of Sai Baba. Many enquiries were made, many questions were put to Baba and others regarding these items, but no satisfactory answer or information has yet been obtained. Practically, we know nothing about these matters.” Indeed, but for the enlightenment provided by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, this mystery would never have been cleared. Divinity often shrouds itself in mystery, and the mystery is removed only when the time and the circumstances are appropriate. MARCH 2003 There lived in the village of Dhoop in Aurangabad District of Nizam State, a Muslim named Chand Patil. He was an officer of the Nizam State. Once while making a trip to Aurangabad, Chand Patil lost his mare that he loved very much. He searched for the mare for two long months, but could not find it. When returning from the fruitless search, Patil found a stranger under a tree, preparing to smoke a Chilim or native pipe. On seeing Patil go that way, this stranger accosted the tired merchant, invited him to share a smoke, and rest for a while. A conversation began and Chand Patil told the stranger who was none other than Baba, about the loss of his favourite mare. Baba asked Patil to look in a ravine nearby. Patil did so, and lo and behold, there was his lost mare! Amazed, Patil returned to Baba. Meanwhile, Baba wanted fire to light the Chilim and some water to wet the pipe, both of which Baba produced most casually with a miracle. Patil now believed that Baba was a saint and persuaded Him to go with him to Dhoop. Some years later, Patil came back Shirdi to celebrate a marriage in his family, and Baba returned with Patil. Thereafter Baba never left Shirdi. APRIL 2003 When Baba first came to Shirdi, people there out of respect, started calling Him Sai. When Chand Patil’s marriage party arrived in Shirdi, the party alighted in the area near the Khandoba [Shiva] Temple there. The priest Mhalsapathi, recognised Baba and welcomed Him with the words Ya Sai, meaning “Welcome Saint!” When the wedding was over Chand Patil and his party returned to Dhoop but Baba settled down in Shirdi, choosing a dilapidated Mosque as His residence. Later, this Masjid as it was then known, became the famous Dwaraka Mai. In due course, Mhalsapathi became a close companion of Baba. For many years, Baba slept in the Masjid together with Mhalsapathi and another devotee named Tatya Kote Patil. They slept with their heads pointing towards the East, West and the North but feet touching together! If Tatya snored, as he did sometimes, Baba along with Mhalsapathi would turn Tatya over, rub his back and press his legs! Devotees wanting to worship Baba would offer sandal paste