He who feeds the distressed in hunger really serves Me… Shirdi Sai’s sojourn on Earth was most incomprehensible for the normal ones, His ways being supra-mysterious. Baba, in fact, lived His life teaching His followers at every step, guiding them to higher levels of consciousness, evolution. How Bhagawan sent across the poignant, powerful message of the absolute need to see Madhava in every being? …an interesting story from the illustrious Sai Samartha Satcharita. One evening, Baba was sitting against the wall, leaning His chest against the banisters, engaged in lovable talk, when Lakshmi arrived there. Tatya Patil was nearby and there were others also. Lakshmi made her obeisance to Baba, when Baba said to her: “Lakshmi, I Am hungry.” “Baba, I will go and bring bhakri (a round flat unleavened bread often used in the cuisine, in Maharashtra, India). No sooner than I go that I shall return with it.” Saying this she left immediately. She baked some bhakris and returned without loss of time, along with some vegetables and chutney, and placed this snack before Baba. Baba picked up the plate and put it before the dog as it was. “Baba, what have You done?”, Lakshmi asked promptly. “In spite of my having gone so swiftly and baked the bhakris quickly, You offered them to the dog! What is this novel way of Yours! You said You were hungry. What kind of marvelous hunger is this? You have not even had one small morsel of it! You have unnecessarily troubled me.” Then Baba said to her: “Why do you fret unnecessarily? Satisfying the same hunger of this dog is the same as giving Me appeasement. Bear this in mind. Isn’t this dog a living creature? All beings experience the same hunger. Though it is dumb and I can speak, is there any difference in the hunger that both experience? “He who feeds those distressed by hunger really serves Me with food. Know this and regard it as an axiomatic truth.” II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

My ‘trip’ to Puttaparthi… Bhagawan at Shirdi would often repeat that, let His man be at any distance, a thousand koss (an Indian unit, measuring distance) away from Him, he will be drawn to Him like a sparrow, with a thread tied to its feet. When He wills, His Will turns into accomplishment… He chooses the right time for the right action. This is all the more true for a fledgling pilgrim who is about to reach Him. How William Hwehu Ansah, Accra, Ghana was drawn to Prasanthi Nilayam and how Bhagawan cleared him out of one last bit of skepticism…?!? …An interesting experience from December 1979 issue of Sanathana Sarathi. Towards November 1977, our centre invited names of devotees who would like to make a trip to Puttaparthi. It never occurred to me to immediately give my name since I considered it would be presumptuous for a penniless public servant to think of making such an expensive trip. Soon after this, I started seeing Swami in my dreams. The first night I woke up with a rather vague feeling that I should think of going to Puttaparthi. I discarded the thought immediately. The next dream was more detailed and lengthier. I was in a little village living in rooms with a lot of people some of whom were from my centre and with whom I ate together. Next I saw myself in front of a tall building which had protruding platforms on the first floor. Bhagawan was on the ground floor and I was doing Namaskara. At this time I didn’t know that to dream of Bhagawan was a privilege and not an ordinary occurrence and I again dismissed the dream as my silly imaginings. My third dream was a most peculiar experience. I saw only the face of Bhagawan for an instance or two; whereupon I was forced awake in the middle of the night in a sweat with a clear command that I should go to Puttaparthi! After giving so much trouble to Swami in my inexperience and innocence, I finally gave my name to the planning committee without an inkling of where the money for the trip was coming from. I need not have worried! Within the next few days I made three times my annual salary simply because a friend of mine, for no compelling reason, decided to sell a huge consignment of imported goods through me and give me a percentage of the profits. So the stage was set and need I say that all other arrangements and requirements went through without a hitch? Need I also say that those from the centre I travelled with were some of the faces I saw in my dream? So, we got to the village late on the 21st of November. The last thing on my mind was my dreams but a friend decided to take me round and as we made the turn to the back of the bhajan hall, I stopped dead in my tracks. My friend asked what the matter was and I muttered something incomprehensible to him but what had stopped me was the fact that my dream was staring me right in the face in all its details—the two protruding platforms and rather surprisingly, the architecture and colours of the structure which I remembered very well. My surprise was not too great then when my private interviews were granted in a room on the ground floor and I did my Namaskara exactly where I had dreamt it! (I went to one of the interviews with my fingers shorn of all rings having made the wish that Bhagawan would give me a ring. As the interview progressed, my wish crossed my mind and at that instant Bhagawan interrupted His discourse, turned to me and said “Tomorrow I will give you a talisman!”) But all these surprises were nothing compared to what I experienced when I was bidding farewell to Bhagawan. “When are you coming again?” He asked. I was not expecting the question as the thought of being lucky to come again was far from my mind. I was therefore flustered and in my delighted confusion I blustered out that I didn’t know and that this time I came because I had had a dream and… Bhagawan interrupted in a tone which seemed as if He was irritated. I was recounting something He already knew about. “I know, I know,” He said shortly and patted my back. I cracked up emotionally and stumbled out. I had to sit on the short wall to recollect myself. Poor human beings that we are, after all that I had seen and heard, I guess my mind had still entertained a little doubt about the omniscience of Bhagawan or whether indeed He sent those dreams to me. The last evidence shattered me out of that skepticism once and for all! II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

The Eternal Sphere Of Beloved Mother Sai Radiates – ‘God Is’ Formless Absolute Supreme descended in golden orange encapsulating Sathya Dharma Santhi Prema Ahima, paving the way for Cosmic Oneness…As the the beauty of His majestic orange continues to elude the blurred human vision, Prasanthi Nilayam, His chosen Abode is gradually meandering towards its rightful position on the world stage, as a beacon of hope, promising a United World. Reflecting on its glory and the grandeur of Bhagawan’s Avatarhood, commemorating the day He chose to move on from the physical terrain, Sri Jullie Chaudhuri writes, The Eternal Sphere Of Beloved Mother Sai Radiates  – ‘God Is’ reminding one and all that, the era of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai has precious more in store. Love is My form, Truth is My breath, Bliss is My food;My life is My message,Expansion is My life,No season for Love,No reason for Love;No Birth; No death…If anyone asks you to tell about Sai Baba, sing this song. It will convey the whole message. Tell them, Love is His form and His life is His message. Develop the feeling of brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God.” – Baba Prasanthi Nilayam, is gradually meandering towards its rightful position on the world stage – as the most sacrosanct place upon the globe – glowing, radiating and emitting that abundance of peace, love, harmony and oneness that is the atypical characteristic and timeless benediction in the eternal sphere of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Nestling in the arms of Puttaparthi, the conspicuously holy ‘Janma Bhoomi’ or birth place of Beloved Bhagawan, Prasanthi Nilayam is that rare jewel amongst several spiritual destinations that brings solace, succor and sanctity to millions. What exactly is it that sets Prasanthi Nilayam and Puttaparthi apart and makes it a blazing beacon, a veritable ‘all the time’ brilliantly lit lighthouse? To each soul a different perspective, a singular significance, an extraordinary pull, an unknown attraction, a ‘je ne sais quoi’, a tug at the heart-strings, a déjà vu, a deep knowing, an intense ‘I know You through lifetimes, I belong to You.” Is it the fact that not only did the Divine select this precious ground for an Advent, but that ethereal appeal and honour of rarity seldom bestowed upon any one place – He chose to live, to continue to spread His mission from the very region where He willed Himself to be born?Can we even begin to imagine how pure, potent and extremely revitalized Puttaparthi is? What a boon and a blessing for the blessed ones that do gather here – to tread the same earth, breathe in the same air as the source of all Avatars? So, what else sets Prasanthi Nilayam apart from other places of worship where thousands regularly assemble? Is it that amazing phenomenon – that the vast multitudes that do congregate and set foot upon these hallowed precincts, this one solitary place, at any given time, represent those countless souls that owe their allegiance to different faiths? Is it that distinct, diverse and exceptionally dynamic feature, an attribute exclusively pertaining to the domain of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai, for no other Avatar has made Himself so freely available to each and everyone…en masse – to the peasant; the lay person; the bourgeoisie; the business tycoons; the elite; men, women, children; the physically challenged; the mentally and emotionally wrecked; the lonely and despairing ones, the happy and the joyful too; the aggressive and the meek; the artist, the sportsperson, the politician, Kings, Maharanis, and Heads of States; sages, renunciates and seekers of truth; reptiles, birds and animals; plants, trees and insentient beings too…meting out the same loving treatment to all, sans barriers and boundaries of any kind, as would a Parent to a child? That remarkably pure, unsullied, boundless, limitlessly selfless love – noble and true; compassion, protection and guidance always within reach and experienced ‘simultaneously’ by different people in different places at different times! Perhaps it is the declaration that states -“All are One; be alike to everyone.”? Or is it the language that is propagated here by the Master – the language of the heart, the recognition of love as the only religion and the acceptance of humanity as the sole caste beyond any distinction?Or else, is it that unique feature that acts like a magnet, that goes further than the simple fulfilment of mere material desires and physical ailments to that which ails the soul, that search for the unanswered elusive truth, the individual purpose, role and goal?Or is it the axiomatic truth that Beloved Bhagawan’s unconditional love is that Mighty Ocean that caresses and effectuates the absolute attainment of the yearning of many a lonely shore; that Supreme River that quenches the spiritual thirst and resuscitates countless arid, acidic and acrid hearts, minds and tongues?Is it probably that evergreen message that His advent does perennially live out and proclaim – “I am in every heart, that is the temple where I dwell”; that goes on to gently yet firmly exhort one and all to put love into service and realize the goal of life? Simple yet profound words that over and over again exclaim – Love All, Serve All; Help Ever, Hurt Never, ensuring and setting an example with inestimable magnanimous acts of altruistic value, vis-a-vis institutions and projects that provide excellent health care, education and water supply, besides immeasurable other humane activities, at no cost. Where else can one find the presence of sincere selfless service, earnest love in action, noble endeavours…and the absence of cash counters?    The answer lies in each one of us as does that most elevated destiny.Since each individual being represents a temple within whom Bhagawan does reside, it is up to each one of us to create and sustain a Golden Prasanthi Nilayam wherever we may live or be; a harmonious co-existence, a cosmic brotherhood. We owe this to the Self within – to the Beloved One. After having seen that Most Dear form…do I want to set my eyes on anything else?After having heard that

Letter to Beloved Mother Sai… At a time when Beloved Bhagawan chose to enact a Divine Drama, by Himself spending 28 days at the SSSIHMS, before leaving His physical frame, the world around was engaged in incessant prayers, not to ignore the sentient world of animal, bird and creature kingdom…and many other world where humans eyes cannot pierce to grasp…How beautifully a human heart can perceive His Avataric Frame, taking it as a wholesome representation of the Cosmic Entity…His Created Universe…? Sri Jullie Chaudhuri wrote a beautiful letter, on 9 April 2011, addressing the Cosmic Creator, pleading Him to forgive on behalf of all of His children…Read on… Our life at Your treasured Lotus Feet… Maa…You know what You mean to us all…and so how can You say – pray with love and concern but not with anxiety… how can we not be anxious about what’s happening to our Mother…when all that ever mattered,  matters now and will ever matter is You…our dearly Beloved You… Maa, that is the Avataric frame…and you have always said it belongs to the devotees…Maa, You are not willing to use Your healing powers, with which You have cured millions, for Yourself…but that form is ours…bhakta’s property… We implore You to heal this PRECIOUS,  CHERISHED PROPERTY  ASAP…as soon as possible…please Maa…the devotees are in pain, distressed, anxious, devastated… Maa, You are ever concerned about Your children…so am sure You understand our prime concern is You…come Maa…come back to us…we are waiting for Your darshan… Everything is so still…because the heart is missing…life has meaning only because of You…do we want to live if You are not there…? Can there be rays of the sun without Lord Surya? Around what would Earth revolve, if there was no Sun? How can the waves remain if there is no Ocean? Beloved Maa…we appeal to You on behalf of the elements five, we beg You on behalf of Mother Earth, each petal of every flower, each blade of grass, all the birds and animals – winged, finned, four legged or two – have sent a petition to You…this letter is their emissary…it represents their pain…for we feel their pain…and we know that Beloved Sai Maa feels it too and knows this to be true… We also implore You, on behalf of the rivers and lakes, the seas and the oceans…every drop of water flows with Your name and is beseeching You through every ripple – Aao Maa…Tera intezaar hai… Maa, what are these machines put on Your glorious physical frame?  You have pampered them enough by fulfilling their longing to serve You…but now Sai Maa, we need You…leave those machines, they have been blessed enough and shower on Your other children the immense grace of the  darshan of Your magnificent form. You are our very breath, because of You, Vayudev has come into being Maa, and You need a machine to ‘assist’ You, Maa…? Please Maa, hear our plea…’Aao Maa, aakar darsh deekhao…’ Maa, toxins in the Divine Form, kidneys not functioning well, means we have disregarded and polluted Mother Earth and the water element – the rivers and seas and the oceans too; the lungs not working well reflects upon the gross misuse of the Air element and contamination here too; the heart of the Universe needing a pace maker shows we have driven out brotherhood, care, concern, compassion, love, mercy and forgiveness too…Maa, forgive us…we implore You…guide us to mend our ways… You are our Mother…and we want You ever with us…we need You…the elements five need You, Mother Nature needs You…the flora and fauna need You…the Universe needs You…Don’t punish them for humanity’s folly, beloved One…we pledge to reform and Your presence with us is the only way out…humankind needs You to learn how to be kind… to transform earth beings into ‘human’ beings, to understand the meaning of the word human…forgive us we beg You, our grave blunders, our gross neglect, sweet Mother…resume the supreme benediction of Your darshan, sparshan and sambhashan…we are not so deserving, Oh Maa, but You are our Mother and Your love is incomparable and Your forgiveness – an innate part of Your boundless, limitless love… Aao, Aao Maa, Aao Aao, Hum Mey Aakar Darsh Dikhao…Aana Hi Padhega Maa…Aana Hi Padhega…All our Love at your Lotus Feet…our hearts beat only because You reside in it… Beloved Sai Maa…this is a petition on behalf of all Your children, at the behest of creation, an earnest appeal  from the Cosmos to You – the Divine Mother…Come Maa, we await You at the gates of Prasanthi Nilayam…with tears of repentance and longing in our eyes and our arms open wide… Maa,  Tera Intezar Hai,Sai Maa,Terey Bin Ab Rahaa Nahi Jaaye…Dil Ki Aawaaz Tum Ho,Har Dadhkan Muskaan Tum Ho,Saason Ki Pehchan Tumho,Maa…Sub Kuch Tum Ho…With Love…To Love…From Love… II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

Greater Heaven’s GIFT called Sathya Sai Darshan What is the supreme significance of Sri Sathya Sai Darshan??? God descends every time to help ascend man to his original state of Godhood. …And the ‘Supreme-Most’ Avatar’s descend in the most crucial phase of human history, in the history of time, when the Kalipurusha waging a stormy-battle in royal raging fume, is not just another descend… His was (is) The Descend Of All Descends… and He Is The Avatar Of All Ages… and The Avatar Of All Avatars…He Is The Supreme One Who has come to vanquish the evil, the almost unstoppable barrage of wicked propensities of Kali, to restore His creation back in the track…. and That One can only be expressed with the best of all superlatives… One Who Is InCredible… InExplicable… InScrutable… Catching a ‘glimpse’ of His Own saying about the superlative significance of His Darshan will make us ponder over… over and over again…… He says: “My walking amongst you is a Gift yearned for by the Gods of the Highest Heaven and here you are receiving this grace. Be Grateful.” A Gift yearned for by Gods of the Highest Heaven…and here we are, the folks, who experienced His Divine Love in the minutest detail as well in the monumental designs… Having had Him in the midst, Who chose to be ‘One’ among us, were we disillusioned, believing that we almost had ‘cakewalked’ into Him??? He remained so close… closer than humanity could have ever expected… He moved amongst us, almost like one among… while Being in everyone of us. He did it in His own inimitable style, even excelling His preceding ‘Descends’. Deliberating on the Divine Descend, strolling down ‘historylane’, down to the ages, we are aware that, Lord Sri Rama’s descend in the Treta gifted mankind with the sacred ‘Ramayana’, a Sacred Lore That runs into eternity, encapsulating the summum bonum of Supreme Truth. …And Lord Sri Krishna’s descend in the Dwapara presented us with the sacred ‘Mahabharata’, again a glorious spiritual marvel encapsulating the Supreme Wisdom… and there born the Song Celestial Bhagavad Gita, The Divine Treatise for everyone in all the worlds. Human history is replete with Godly ‘advents’, advents full of Supreme Love, Supreme Compassion… packed with tales of Ultimate Wisdom… Every single act of Him, be it as Lord Rama… Lord Krishna or Sri Sathya Sai, bore indefinite significance… and thus definitely has His ‘final act’ of disappearance as well… Let’s leave it for Him alone to answer… for, human understanding is just a mere spark of His Almighty Effulgence Supreme… It is only when the Jeevatma makes an attempt to realise its irrefutable connection, irresistable bondage with the Paramatma, The Suprme Brahmam, that, perhaps the little ‘i’ will get a glimpse of that secret. Until then, when we tread the path towards ‘Prasanthi’, let’s remind ourselves yet again, of the most beautiful Divine act of Sathya Sai Darshan – The Beauty Beyond Compare… Oh! Lord, The thoughts that flit through the mind upon viewing Thy Beloved Form, makes me realize that Thou Art that vital shade that soothes and refreshes even as life represents scorching rays of the Sun…Yet, when no longer visible, can we fathom what we have lost or comprehend what we have received or gained…?” The time that was to follow, the unfolding of His Divine plan and what necessitated it, was and is known only to The Beloved One…the unreserved shock, utter anguish and deep pain felt as He chose to hitherto withdraw the Cherished Form, could be overcome only by the downpour and surge of love His very Name brings forth.  As Beloved Bhagawan gave that most loving, lingering, everlasting, decisive and significant erstwhile darshan as yet, He made all know – You are never alone but God’s very own. Come, join in, reminisce, recall, relive and seek an encore, of that ultimate public darshan thus far, of the Formless Supreme. Listen to your heart – envisage creatively and receive wholeheartedly. …and before we close let’s remind ourselves what He Himself taught us: The play is His, The role is His gift, The lines are written by Him… He directs, He decides the dress and decoration, the gesture and the tone, the entrance and the exit.  You have to act well to receive His approbation. When the curtain falls earn by your efficiency and enthusiasm, the right to play higher and higher roles…that is the meaning and purpose of life. II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

My Task Is This… 67 years ago, when Bhagawan was just over twenty years of age, He wrote a very revealing and inspiring reply to a devotee, who was perturbed by adverse talk by aimless tattered tongues, attempting to tarnish the Divine image. Pacifying the agitating mind Bhagawan responded, explaining His Task and His Divinity. The letter was dated 25th May 1947. 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.

For Bhagawan And The Brahmand… What better offering can a devotee make than to pray for His entire creation, by chanting most selflessly His Cosmic Chant, Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu…How humans should understand that they are channels of abundance, channels of peace and channels of light, to light up the whole of His creation…working most selflessly with a expansive heart.. On this epochal year of 90th Year Of His Advent, let’s continue with His mission, chanting Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu…an inspiring writing from Sri Jullie Chaudhuri. God illumines the entire universe as the Atma Tatwa immanent in all the living beings and objects. Even though God may appear to be involved in so many activities in the world, it is only for the pleasure of His devotees. He has no desire of His own. He has only one desire – Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu!  – Baba (Dussehra Discourse -2009)