Who Is Sai??? Who on earth understands the Supreme Divine descended as Sri Sathya Sai??? Bhagawan Himself asserts that He Is beyond the reach of the most intensive inquiry and the most meticulous measurement… Yet, out of His infinite love, time and again Bhagawan has spoken about Himself, revealing interesting facets of His Supreme Avataric Mission. Excerpted from Bhagawan’s Divine discourse delivered on June 19, 1974. God Is inscrutable. He cannot be realised in the outer objective world; He is in the very heart of every being. Gemstones have to be sought deep underground; they do not float in midair. Seek God in the depths of your self, not in the tantalising, kaleidoscopic nature. The body is granted to you for this high purpose; but, you are now misusing it, like the person who cooked his daily food in the gem-studded gold vase that came into his hands as a heirloom. Man extols God as omnipresent, omniscient, and omnipotent, but, he ignores His Presence in himself! Of course, many venture to describe the attributes of God and proclaim Him to be such and such; but, these are but their own guesses and the reflections of their own predilections and preferences. Who can affirm that God is this or thus? Who can affirm that God is not of this form or with this attribute? Each one can acquire from the vast expanse of the ocean only as much as can be contained in the vessel he carries to its shore. From that quantity, they can grasp but little of that immensity. Each religion defines God within the limits it demarcates and then claims to have grasped Him. Like the seven blind men who spoke of the elephant as a pillar, a fan, a rope or a wall, because they contacted but a part and could not comprehend the entire animal, so too, religions speak of a part and assert that its vision is full and total. Each religion forgets that God is all Forms and all Names, all attributes and all assertions. The Religion of Humanity is the sum and substance of all these partial faiths; for, there is only one Religion and that is the Religion of Love. The various limbs of the elephant that seemed separate and distinct to the eyeless seekers of its truth were all fostered and activated by one single stream of blood; the various religions and faiths that feel separate and distinct are all fostered by single stream of Love. The optical sense cannot visualise the Truth. It gives only false and barren information. For example, there are many who observe My actions and start declaring that My nature is such and such. They are unable to gauge the sanctity, the majesty and the Eternal Reality That Is Me. The power of Sai is limitless; It manifests for ever. All forms of `power ‘ are resident in this Sai palm. But, those who profess to have understood Me, the scholars, the yogis, the pundits, the jnanis, all of them are aware only of the least important, the casual external manifestation of an infinitesimal part of that power, namely, the “miracles”! They have not desired to contact the Source of all Power and all Wisdom, that is available here at Brindavan, They are satisfied when they secure a chance to exhibit their book learning and parade their scholarship in vedic lore, not realising that the Person from Whom the Vedas emanated is in their midst, for their sake. This has been the case, in all ages. People may be very near (physically) to the Avatar, but, they live out their lives unaware of their fortune, but exaggerating the role of miracles, which are as trivial when compared to My glory and majesty, as a mosquito is in size and strength to the elephant upon which it squats. Therefore, when you speak about these ‘miracles’, I laugh within Myself out of pity, that you allow yourself so easily to lose the precious awareness of My reality. My Power is immeasurable; My Truth is inexplicable, unfathomable. I Am announcing this about Me, for, the need has arisen. But, what I Am doing now is only the gift of a `Visiting Card’! Let Me tell you that emphatic declarations of the Truth by Avatars were made so clearly and so unmistakably only by Krishna. In spite of the declaration, you will notice in the career of the same Krishna that He underwent defeat in His efforts and endeavours, on a few occasions, though you must also note that those defeats too were part of the drama which He had planned and which He Himself directed. When many Kings pleaded with Him to avert the war with the Kauravas, He confessed that His mission to the Kaurava Court for ensuring peace had ‘failed’! But, He had not willed that it should succeed. He had decided that the war would be waged. His mission was intended to publish the greed and iniquity of the Kauravas and to condemn them before the whole world. But, I must tell you, that during this Sai Avatar, there is no place for even such ‘drama’ with scenes of failures and defeats! What I Will, must take place; what I Plan must succeed. I Am Truth; and Truth has no need to hesitate, or fear, or bend. ’Willing’ is superfluous for Me. For, My grace is ever available to devotees who have steady Love and Faith. Since I move among them, talking and singing, even intellectuals are unable to grasp My Truth, My Power, My Glory, or My Real Task as Avatar. I can solve any problem however knotty. I Am beyond the reach of the most intensive inquiry and the most meticulous measurement. Only those who have recognised My Love and experienced that Love can assert that they have glimpsed My Reality, for, the Path of Love is the Royal Road that leads mankind to Me. Do not attempt to know Me through the

The Secret Prasanthi Nilayam, The Haven Of Peace, The Chosen Abode Of The Almighty Supreme, boasts of ultimate unparalleled blessings… and how fortunate it is to be a part of the chosen land that did penance to win His ultimate grace?… Let’s tune into Sathya Sai Speaks revealing the supreme significance of being in close proximity to HIM… from Peddabottu’s Autobiography. “Of what use is so much learning?Is it possible to erase the fate, written on your forehead?If evil feelings are harboured in the head,It blunts the mind and dries it up to a trickle!”! These sentences are proved in our Prasanthi Nilayam. “Ksheene Punya Marthya Lokam Vishanthi.” (When merits are reduced we are sent back from heaven to earth?” If the merits were increased then whatever merit was in store would not decrease. Because of previous merits one gets close to Swami. For those who makes efforts to receive His grace by staying in His proximity, this merit too will be added to their store of previous ones, and they will get closer to Him. As they do not do that, they will stay in My proximity only until the previous merit is finished. As soon as that is over, they go away. This is the prapthi (destiny) of people in Prasanthi Nilayam. At least now they can realise and act accordingly. There is no barrier. If you think and make amendments now, it is good. If you have no luck then there is nothing else left to do. How foolish people are, who ruin their lives.“You can fill an empty head easilyWhen there is nothing inside.You cannot fill a head full of all sundry things.Is it possible to empty the head,Full of all sorts of things of the Kali age?Is it possible to fill the head with holy feelings,Unless it is emptied completely?” “Like trees that do not bear fruit andCows that do not yield milkWhat is the use of being born and of dying?You are born to realise the resultIf you die without realising it,Then what is it that you have realised, andWhat is it that you have gained?These are heartbreaking deedsTo Sai Who knows all your hearts.”

My Task Is This… My Task Is This… To Bhaktas! My dear Boy. I received your letter and I noted the flow of the current of Prema and the echo of Bhakti in every word. It is impossible to see into the hearts of Jnanis and Yogis; nor is it possible to understand their ways. So, naturally, people talk about them, just as their fancy prompts them. No amount of fault-finding indulged in by these people can affect us, so long as we act truly and well, keep our purpose steadily in view and so long as we do not lose hold of the values dictated by Jnana. Don’t you know that only those trees get stoned, which have fruit on their branches? The tree with no fruits is not noticed by passers-by. Good and bad co-exist; they are companions for ever. That is in the very nature of the world. And, why, let me ask, should these people be blamed? Poor fellows! What do they know? What can they know? They are caught by every gust of greed, anger, envy and hate. So, they become intolerant and have no control of mind or tongue; they indulge in loose talk and slander. Those that know will never talk like that. It is not wise to take such ignorance seriously. Truth alone can win, believe Me. Un-truth must fail. It might appear to win for some little while, but, as soon as Truth appears on the scene, un-truth does flee. It is not the nature of Mahatmas to exult when worshipped or droop when they are neglected or cal­umnied. No Gita has laid down rules and regulations for the behaviour of Mahatmas; but, Sathpravarthana and Sadbuddhi are the fundamental traits …Beneficial Activity and Beneficial Thoughts. Provided these are there,  whatever is done over and above this for the benefit of the Bhaktas and for their welfare according to their deserts, we can afford to be free. You should pay no heed to the talk you men­tion. The Mahatmas do not owe their greatness to others who recognise them as such; nor do they lose their great­ness if some one fails to recognise them. Their stature is not heightened by praise or lowered by blame. Of course there are some “Yogis” who suffer from blame and they have every reason to fear. I shall tell you who they are. They quaff their full, they swallow pills Of opium, and chew the bhang—these ‘noble’ folk! They drink, they eat their fill Of low unwholesome food—these `famous’ men! “Tis wrong to state ’tis false to say That anything dies, they never die,” They swear while (!) cutting throats and eat The living things they like—these `teachers’ grand! They preach the lessons of love and peace But hate and fight, all on the sly—these `gurus’ great! They fret and fume and speak for long On dry as dust philosophy! This wondrous gang of Yogis false They surely dread a fall. It is only such that have to be afraid. You must have read, in the lives of Mahatmas, how they were as­sailed by small men in even worse ways. It is all part of the scheme,: don’t worry. How long can the poor dogs bark at the star? How can they produce any effect on the star? All this will continue just for a little time; our integrity is the means to victory. I shall not slacken My Task, My Activity, My Determination. For Me, Reputation, Fame, Blame, Calumny—all are equally insignificant. I am quite unconcerned with the whole lot. I speak and act, only to help the world and for the sake of the people. But, let Me tell you, I have no name, no place, no possession. By whatever name I am called, I respond! To whichever place I am called, I go and make My appearance. I have this as My very first, My vow, My self-imposed task. I have not spoken of this to anyone so far; I am not a part of this world; I am far far away from it. But yet, I engage Myself in the uplift of its inhabitants. My Shakti, My Power, My Mystery can never be understood, whoever studies it, howsoever intensely and well. You can yourself witness the glory that will be manifested hereafter. Bhaktas must learn patience and await events. Then, you will yourself realize the absurdity of your fears. I wrote this reply to you, because I felt you will be sad, unless I wrote. Otherwise, I would not have replied at all, for it is not in Me to pay heed to such things. Thus…..Your Baba.

“That is My job; I will do that” ”On September 29, 1961, Shankara and myself went to Puttaparthi. My mind was in turmoil. We had lost a case pertaining to some property in a prime location in Mysore city, in a lower court, which meant a huge financial loss to us. I rushed to my mother who had put up in the old mandir and apprised her of our predicament. Her reaction was predictably calm. With faith in Swami, which did not falter ever for a moment, she said, “We may be at an apparent loss, but Swami does everything for our good.” We waited near the Interview Room to have darshan. Bhajan was in progress. Many were in the verandah for the interview. After quite some time, Swami came out. Seeing us, Swami told all the old devotees, ‘Go and attend the bhajan. I will have to see the new comers now. You can do only Padanamaskar now.” We did Padanamaskar and went to the bhajans. On the next day, we waited near the Interview Room before commencement of bhajans. Swami called us. We went in. Both of us did Padanamaskar. He asked, “What happened?” I said, “Swami, we lost,” and gave Him the details. Swami asked us to appeal to the higher court. I said that it would cost more and we could not afford that much money. Swami placed His hand on my head and said, “Swami is there. He will look after everything.” Later, He recited a sloka and said, “Do you know what Lakshmana prayed Rama? He prayed, ‘Rama, just as You use Adisesha as Your bed in Your manifestation as Vishnu, please keep me in Your proximity forever. Did he lack anything – wealth, kingdom, parents and wife? Still he left all those things and asked for Rama’s proximity. Similarly, you must yearn for Him alone. You will somehow, be carried through all other tribulations.” I said, “Swami, always keep us in Your mind. Shall we try again, Swami? It either makes or mars our future security.” Swami advised us to appeal in the higher court. All of us did Padanamaskar and left. We appealed in the higher court and lost again. Out grief knew no bounds. Terribly shaken, we came to Puttaparthi again. The next day was Monday and we sat outside the Interview Room.  After calling a few persons, Swami called us. We had gone there only to do Padanamaskar, but had the good chance of talking to Him. Swami came towards me and said, “Money, money, worries about money. Do you know what you should worry about? You should worry that you have not yet realised God.” I said, “Swami, I too worry about it.” Swami said, “Then why worry about this so much? As long as the purse was with you, you had to worry about it. Now that you have given it to Me, it is My duty to look after you. Should you worry still?” I said, “We should not, Swami. We worry about repaying all the accumulated debts. We just do not see any way out.” Swami explained, “You are afraid because your faith in Me has reduced. If you had complete faith in Me, you would not have developed fear. Do you know what is atmarpana? Whatever may happen, you should relentlessly follow Him. He will do something or the other for you. He will somehow make everything all right. He (pointing Himself) can do anything. What did Ramadasa and others do? Only this much, isn’t it? Whatever punishment they underwent, they were relentlessly thinking of Rama.” I said, “Even Ramadasa and others found fault with You when they had to go through unbearable adversities. What of lesser mortals like us, Swami? You are aware of the huge loss we sustained in the court case which was decided against us.” Swami, hearing this laughed loudly. I asked, Swami, if You are really present in our hearts, how do we get such problems and worries?” He said, “Why? Didn’t Ramadasa and others face similar problems?” I said, “Swami, they could have committed some mistakes when You were not present in their hearts. We are sure we have not done anything wrong to deserve this fate.” Swami said, “When you take this human form, committing some mistakes is inevitable. But you should not think of those. Think of Him always.”

Try… Try To Change… Friends ask me why do I keep going to India? Is it to be recharged? Is it to be exposed to the cleansing fire of Swami’s leelas or is it to melt once again at His Feet and to feel the warmth of His all embracing Love? It is all these things and more. Each visit is a new experience and this one (in February 1989) was no exception. I suppose it is imagination but His Love appears to flow more sweetly each time. Being in the highly charged spiritual environment at Prasanthi Nilayam our senses and sensibilities seem to be bombarded relentlessly. We must continually look at our thoughts and our reactions to `happenings’ and say to ourselves `what have I to learn from this.’ One of the boards alongside the Mandir entrance proclaims: `Ask yourself every day, what have I come here for and am I achieving it?’ We all long for an interview and one day I had a very humbling experience. I rarely talk to people while we are assembling in the Darshan lines but this particular day, I spoke to three people about possible interviews. The first – an Australian – said that he didn’t need an interview as he had received two smiles from Swami and had touched His Feet. The second was a Canadian doctor whom I meet every year. I said to him, “I haven’t seen you go up for an interview this year.” He replied, “No, I haven’t had one for four years but I am happy just being here.” The third – a member of the U.K. group, who had taken a week to reach the Ashram. He wanted to take photographs from outside the Mandir of Swami walking around the darshan lines. I advised him against it as the group might be called in for an interview. “I don’t mind,” he said, “I’ve had so much grace already” … three lovely characters who love our Lord. Sometimes I feel I have so far to go that I haven’t yet started on the path but then during the interview He shows so much love by gentle taps on the cheek and shoulder. He knows that we are trying to practise His teachings and I feel that is the important thing, “to try” – try to change ourselves, our thoughts, our habits and our attitude to life. People’s experiences are always interesting to listen to but we must have them ourselves for the full meaning of His power and glory to register. Let us look forward to the day, hopefully soon, when the whole world will be at His Lotus Feet.

Be Exemplary Citizens… A group of Sai devotees once requested Bhagawan to inaugurate a new temple in their town. But Bhagawan refused to comply with their request on the ground that black market cement was used for constructing the temple. When the devotees pleaded not guilty, Bhagawan revealed to them that the so called Sai devotee who had donated some cement bags for the construction of the temple had illegally saved them from out of the cement allotted to him as a contractor for constructing a dam. Hence Bhagawan’s refusal. A Vedic scholar was asked by Bhagawan to get out of His presence when he was seated in the midst of some students and other devotees at Whitefield. When the Pundit showed signs of bewilderment as to why Bhagawan was so harsh to him, He admonished the latter, saying that it was a crime for a Vedic Pundit to profess to be a Sai devotee and at the same time to indulge in illegal malpractices by way of lending money to poor and illiterate villagers without proper licence from the Government, and that too, at exorbitant rates of interest. The third incident relates to a Commercial Tax Officer in Orissa, who once made use of his official jeep to take his family and a few neighbours to visit a cave temple of Shiva in the interior of a dense forest on a 3000 feet high mountain. On their way back the jeep got stuck in a hill stream and refused to budge an inch. The dark night was gathering fast. An hour’s struggle to extricate the jeep was in vain. The officer was terribly scared, because the jungle was known to be infested with wild animals as well as dacoits, and his party consisted mostly of women and children. As he happened to be a Sai devotee, he fervently prayed to Bhagawan in utter desperation. Lo and behold! There appeared on the spot four Sathya Sai Sevadal volunteers who rescued the party by pulling out the jeep, and then vanished in a second. Thus, by Bhagawan’s grace, the officer and the party reached home safely. However, Bhagawan taught him a lesson not to misuse the Government vehicle for private purposes, by immobilising his jeep and thereby creating panic in him and his party. About a decade ago, a recluse of forty-five summers by name Kalpagiri came to Prasanthi Nilayam. No one could guess that this so called “monk” was a wolf in the garb of a sheep. Four years earlier, he committed a ghastly murder and to escape from punishment by due process of law, he made good his escape by donning the saffron robe and wandering in the Himalayas and other places of pilgrimage. As soon as the Omniscient Baba saw Kalpagiri in the darshan line, He called him inside and told him during the interview: “My dear Kalpagiri! How can the saffron robe or visits to Rishikesh and other holy places rid you of the sin of murder? Enough of your roaming in the guise of a Sanyasi for the last four years. Go now to the Police station and surrender yourself there. Experience your Karma by receiving the punishment due to you according to the laws of the land. When the death sentence is declared, file your clemency petition to the President. I will save you. You will not be hanged. You have My protection to atone for your heinous sin, through devotion, in this very birth. Come on, this sacred saffron robe does not befit you. Take this white cloth.” Saying so in a tone that combined love and sternness, Bhagawan gave Kalpagiri a white dhoti. Accordingly, Kalpagiri surrendered himself to the Police. The case was taken up. Though he confessed his guilt, the judge awarded him the capital punishment, as the crime was of a heinous nature. In line with Bhagawan’s direction, a clemency petition was submitted to the President of the Indian Union. Eventually, Kalpagiri received the President’s pardon. Death sentence was commuted to life imprisonment and Kalpagiri became an ardent devotee of Bhagawan, spreading his beneficial influence on the other convicts too. In conclusion, it may be seen from what is stated above that where there is a will, there is a way either to scrupulously abide by the Governmental rules and regulations or to violate them for selfish reasons, in disregard of the common good for which such laws are made by Government.

Most Eligible Candidate… In Dwapara, during the Mahabharata War, Bhagawan Sri Krishna had one Arjuna, whom He used as His ‘right’ instrument in disseminating the Song Celestial Bhagavad Gita, for the emancipation of Arjunas of future… What made him most eligible, to become the chosen instrument in the Hands Of The Divine, Bhagawan Sri Krishna. An analysis based on an article by Brahmachari Bulusu Appanna Sastry, published in Sanathana Sarathi. The Bhagavad Gita, renowned the world over as the most universal and valuable of all the practical religious texts of the world, was taught by Sri Krishna to Arjuna, because Arjuna had all the excellences required by the sastras to receive the teaching regarding the Ultimate Truth of the Universe and of the individual. The sastras lay down 4 essential requisites in the candidate for the Highest Wisdom: Nithyanithya Vasthu Viveka(Discrimination of the eternal and the fleeting)Ihamuthrartha Phalabhoga Viraga(Renunciation of the fruits of this world and the next)The precious six: Sama, Dama, Uparathi, Thithiksha, Samadhana  and  Sraddha Mumukshuthwa(Yearning for Liberation) The very first chapter of the Gita, describing the reactions of Arjuna when he saw the armies of the Kauravas ranged before him, clearly shows that Arjuna had the discrimination to distinguish between the lasting and the not so lasting. His choice for Krishna, Who had refused to take up arms and wield any weapon, in preference to the Yadava legions shows this. He had studied the Vedas and the Sastras and derived full benefit therefrom. Arjuna says, “I desire no victory, neither kingdom nor pleasure. Of what avail is the kingdom for us, or enjoyments or even life? (1, 31) This is renunciation of happiness in this world, an utter disregard for the fruits of his legitimate activity here, in this world. Again, in 1, 35 Arjuna says that he does not desire to slay, even for the sake of the sovereignty of the Three Worlds what to say of the mere Earth. This shows that he does not care for even Heaven, the phalabhoga in the upper regions. The Sastras say, “Dwaavimoupurushou loke, Sooryamandala bhedinou, Parivraadyogayukthascha, rane cha abhimukho hathah”. Two persons break through the ring of Solar glory: the recluse who has mastered Yoga and the hero who dies fighting in the battlefield. Arjuna knows that victory is not the supreme goal; he discards preyas in favour of shreyas, good fortune in favour of Moksha. So, he has the Vairagya qualification, too. Now about the six virtues, Sama etc. His statement, Narake niyatham vaasah, destroyers of the family sink down into hell, shows that he was aware of the Atman as separate from the body. His question, Kim na rajyena? Of, what avail is the kingdom? Proves his Sama. His question, kim bhogaih? reveals Dama. “Yadyapyethe na pasyanthi…, he says, meaning, `They do not realise the guilt, for their minds are powered; by avarice’, thus demonstrating that he had no lobha or greed. His declaration, Than me kshematharam bhaveth, “If Dhritarashtra’s sons, weapons in hand, should in battle slay me weaponless and unresisting, that were happier for me”, reveals his Titiksha. In the second chapter, he gives clear proof of his mumukshuthwa. Sreyo bhokthum bhaikshyam, I shall live on alms, is what he says. He has realised in a flash the evanescence of worldly joy and grief and he is on the threshold of sanyasa; he has entered upon Dharmajijnasa, the discussion and study of Dharma, what exactly it is, how it has to be practised etc. And he is confused. He approaches Krishna as a sishya, a disciple, a pupil. No wonder, Krishna had in him a worthy pupil whom He could teach the great lesson of liberation.

Meditate Upon One Name and One Form… During His visit to Mysore in 1958, Bhagawan had blessed Smt. Karunamba’s home with His Divine visit. During the occasion, while revealing His Truth as The Ultimate, Bhagawan enlightened the assembly of the importance of worshipping singe God-form… From the book ‘Sri Sathya Sai Anandadayi – Journey with Sai’ by Smt Karunamba Ramamurthy. Honouring Bhagawan, worshipping Him, the assembled group of devotees asked… “Swami, You had told that I would stay for a day. Now You are hurrying up. We had nurtured the desire to know about a few spiritual aspects during Your visit.” Swami revealed. “I Am Brahman, I Am Brahman, Brahman Himself Has Come… Ask whatever you want. Obtain whatever you should.” I asked, “Swami, You have told that we can chant any name to enable us in remembering God during our last breath; use one name and form for dhyana. Instead of chanting all names, can’t Your Name alone be chanted perpetually?” Swami said, “Definitely. Is it not much more auspicious? In every act of Divine worship, does not japa constitute the core? Do like that. It is very good. But be sure to meditate upon one Name and one Form. If one practises to constantly contemplate on the Form or Name, one will remember Him when the end comes. Then the person will be freed from the cycle of birth and death.”

“…Yes, I Am The Director” Imagine, Baba came up to you, asking you to take up a noble responsibility in spreading His message, sidelining a family ‘trauma’ involving your beloved son… who is in prolonged coma… how would the mother in you respond to this Divine Command??? …an angelic mother from the US had this rare Divine Test, inside the interview room, only to come out obedient, accepting The Divine Command per se. Read on as Ms Berniece Mead explains the rarest Sai Test, in her book “Letters From “J”. (Ms Berniece had narrated this experience in the recently held SSE Conference in Prasanthi Nilayam.) Baba talked about my work as National Education Coordinator. When I started to say that I planned to go around the country leading teacher training , wondering inside if I should give up this plan, He stopped me right there and said, “Yes! You do that! Start doing!” He then told us that all this world of life is a big drama, and that we are all actors on this stage; we each have a role to play!” Then He sat back in His chair and exclaimed, “And I’m The Director!” I told Him that I was having a tough time getting the teacher’s manual finished because of needing to be with my brain-injured son. He said to me, “Why are you so attached to this son? How many sons have you had? Do you remember any of them?” I realized that He was referring to past lives, and of course I didn’t remember any of them, or any of the children I might have had in those lives.” He then told me to get the teacher’s manual finished, and I answered “I’m trying.” He commanded, firmly, “Don’t try, DO!” He placed His index finger on the middle of my forehead and said, “I’m blessing you; I’m directing you. Have confidence!” He told me not to worry, that things would get better very soon. He talked about Ron and Jay, and said, “Don’t worry; I’m taking care of everything.” Then He continued, “Nothing bad ever happens! You see, it is like this: tonight you eat fruit and think it’s good; tomorrow, it’s waste, and you think it’s bad. It’s all the same!” He was referring to karma (our actions and their results) being played out, and that just because we cannot see the whole picture, we judge things as “bad-things that in the larger scheme of events, the Divine drama as directed by the Divine Director- are not “bad” at all. We must learn to accept all of life’s ups and downs in a spirit of equanimity, trust, and faith. Easier said than done!

The Oneness Of Sathya Sai and Shirdi Sai… Madhav Dikshit was an accountant working for a firm in Mangalore and regularly had his lunch at the lodge. We often used to meet in this place and have interesting conversations about life in Shirdi and the final days of Shirdi Sai Baba. I told him about the valuable information that Shirdi Baba had given to his uncle before His ‘Maha Samadhi’, viz. I will leave My body soon and will come again as a boy of eight years of age. I further explained to him that Dabholkar wrote all these details in the Marathi version of the book Sri Sai Satcharita on the second page. Madhav Dikshit was fully aware of all these details, but what he did not know was that Shirdi Baba had already incarnated in the form of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. He could not believe it as he said that he was constantly in touch with the devotees in Shirdi and they were not aware of this fact! I requested him to accompany me to Puttaparthi and told him of my experience with Beloved Swami, which he listened with interest. On my next visit to Puttaparthi during my holidays, Dikshit and his wife as well as some other devotees came along, making a group of twelve. After travelling about eight hours via Bangalore, we arrived in Puttaparthi just as Baba was coming out of the interview room. As soon as He saw me, He asked: “Have you brought Dikshit with you? He stayed with Swami for eight years, is it not so?” Madhav Dikshit was surprised and replied, “Yes Swami, You are exactly right.” He took us into the interview room and materialised Vibhuti and distributed it to all. Everyone was very happy to receive this Divine Vibhuti and also to see it being materialised! Swami put some questions to Dikshit in front of us, which we were not aware of at the time: “Do you get any more headaches after I slapped you on your forehead at Shirdi?” Madhav Dikshit was stunned; tears streamed down his cheeks and he fell at Swami’s Feet – performing sashtang pranam at His most Divine Lotus Feet. Baba said: “This is not enough, further proof will be given during the personal interview!” In the personal interview with Madhav Dikshit, Swami gave all the details of the incidents that happened in Shirdi. But the most important revelation was about Kakasaheb Dikshit. Beloved Swami said: Kaka was a lazy fellow. Shirdi Baba did not say that He would appear as a boy of eight, but that He would come after eight years. Kaka did not record these details straightaway and did not remember the important facts correctly.  Swami revealed the minutest details about what happened with Madhav when he was in Shirdi, which convinced him beyond any doubt that Sathya Sai Baba is the incarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba.