Love Is ‘COOL’ like Ice-cream… Ice cream can be compared with Nirguna Brahmam…and the melting Ice cream can be called Saguna Brahmam… Using the imagery of Ice cream, Bhagawan, in His inimitable style of punning, taught the tiny tots from the Primary School the profound spiritual lesson of the ‘sixth-element’ called L – O – V – E. … Prof Kasturi’s son, Late Dr MVN Murthy chronicled the beautiful incident on an enchanting Sunday morning in ‘heavenly’ Prasanthi Nilayam… It was a Sunday morning at Prasanthi Nilayam. After finishing the morning ‘interviews’, Baba went to the western side of the Mandir where the children from the Primary School were seated. Baba does not like anybody, and certainly not the sweet little ones, to sit in the hot sun! He made them all sit in the shade in the porch very near the ‘interview’ room. The children beamed as they troop­ed in and sat in an orderly fashion, follow­ed by Baba who came behind them, glow­ing with a big smile! He came to the first row and all of a sudden started sing­ing, ‘Love is My Form! …… ‘ He asked the children to join. All of us who were fortunate to be present had this unexpect­ed gift of Grace! (I have found that grace always comes unexpectedly!). Half way, He stopped and asked the children, “What is Love?’, with a teasing smile. The children were taken by surprise at this question and smiled, non-plussed! He ‘minused’ their bewilderment by oblig­ing the answer! “Love is Ice cream!” I heard Baba say. He allowed the children’s laughter and the adults’ surprise to die down, before He explained further. Baba, the ideal teacher, is Master of the technique of teaching. A startling question to evoke attention, provoke curiosity and secure interested listening is The Master’s method! All ears were now alert, awaiting Baba’s explanation! ‘Love is sweet, like Ice cream; love is joy, like Ice cream; love cool, like Ice cream and love is pure, like white Ice cream!’ Baba explained. Apparently meant for the children, it was a gift from Baba to all of us, this extra-ordinarily original definition of Love from Love Incarnate! Images are sketched by poets to make the abstract concrete. Baba, The Poet of poets, gives images which have great spiritual depths, and uses the most modern of them to make us understand what He wants to convey. In the Krishna Avatar, it was milk, curds and butter; Sai Krishna uses the imagery of Ice cream! Who will not understand that Love is sweet like Ice cream? Baba had also said, Love is joy like Ice cream. We understand this best when Baba gives us a taste of what Love really is. The kind of Love that we experience with Baba is sweetness itself. “Rasovai sah” ‘He is the very Essence of sweetness,” says the Upanishad. I remembered the imagery of a cup of water with a spoonful of sugar added to it, given by Baba on another occasion. Baba said: “There is sugar in the cup, but the water is insipid, for you have not stirred it well. There is God in the world, and by stirring the Divine well into every drop and atom thereof, you can make the world a sweet thing to live by.” Life becomes sweet and joyful by stirring the Divine, whose most potent expression is Love, into every action of ours. I also recollected another illustration of Baba, viz., sugar candy. Baba had used this imagery to explain the apparently paradoxical Upanishadic statement, “That is full; this is also full”. Just as even a small particle of sugar candy is sweet like the larger lump, every bit of the ice cream is as sweet as the whole block. The part is as sweet as the whole. The quality of sweetness is not any the less in a small portion! Love is also like that; every act of love is complete, pure, full, nothing held back. Every act of love is a total act; love cannot be graded! Baba said: ‘Love is ‘cool’ like ice-cream!” This is so very different from the commonly understood meaning attach­ed to the word love. We somehow think that love is ‘hot’. Our popular conception of ‘love’ is that of a heated passionate emotion. This is what happens when people ‘fall in love’! But Baba is talking of a kind of love which belongs to a higher realm, more lasting and sustained than the passion that fluctuates! Like the finely dispersed globules of butter fat in milk, we all have within us little globules of love which do not be­come obvious. Like natural milk in which the fat content varies from cow to cow or between cow and buffalo, we also vary in our love potential. This can also be increased by appropriate feed! In our case, the feed is in the form of opportunities for manifesting our love. Love must be practised, until it becomes a natural habit ! However, to get the best out of life, we must get the cream out of the ‘milk of human kindness’, to use a common expression. The natural process is slow, but we must also be centrifuged to help the separation of love! We need the centrifuging force of challenging opportunities, which we must seek. Then the minute acts of love, compassion and kindness oft-repeated come together and float on top, above the otherwise insipid water of life. Love globules also must be forced to accrete! Ice cream makes people who taste it allowing it melt slowly on the tongue joyful, happy. The solid block of Ice cream loses its form by melting and finally disappears, fulfilling itself. Pure love springs from self-sacrifice; pure love is fulfilment. It is in losing that one gains everything. Like Ice cream, God also melts when the heart of the devotee displays the warmth of Love towards Him. Sri Ramakrishna compared the inactive snake curled up, as Nirguna Brahman, while the same

Why Ladies’ Day? Ms Rita Bruce, author of four fast selling books on Bhagawan including the popular “Sathya Sai Parenting”, has been a long time devotee. She has travelled to 18 countries overseas as a great speaker at public meetings, conferences and seminars on the Philosophy and Teachings of Bhagawan, besides being a facilitator for the material contained in her writings, especially Sathya Sai Parenting and Love of Conscience. In 1995, Sri Sathya Sai Baba inaugurated Ladies Day on November 19. Since then He has declared that every month 19th should be honoured as ladies day. We can ask ourselves, why did Sathya Sai Baba inaugurate Ladies Day? What was the purpose of this momentous occasion? Many ideas can come to our reasoning mind searching for an answer. Could it be that Swami thought ladies should have special recognition or perhaps, to bring awareness to the lack of equality that exists? I’m sure there are obvious and not so obvious, known and unknown reasons that Swami has called attention to ladies by celebrating this event. If we, ladies, look at the inner significance of this special day, perhaps in the transformation of the role of feminine energy on this planet. We need to re-evaluate, re-examine, re-structure, restore and resurrect the role of ladies that has sometimes been dishonoured to less than human in society. Are we disregarding the virtues that are attributed and exhibited to the Divine Mother? They are being lost, forgotten, unseen in the world at large and unless the Sai Organisation takes the lead and make the necessary changes how can Sai expect women who do not have the benefit of knowing Him change? We must be role models for the world but instead we are role modelling the world. Women are the fabric of the home. When their roles dramatically change it creates problems in our family’s valued tradition. In my overseas travels, I have listened to many heartfelt problems from devotees. These are few examples: There was an old Indian couple that was living with their son and his family. The son told them to leave his home and they were living in a hotel. They did not know what to do. Then there was a woman who told me that her 22 year old son was sitting at his computer all night most of the day, locked himself in his room and would not allow her to enter. In one of our young adult sessions a young man said that he would live with a girl before marrying her, to make sure she was the right one, if not he would find someone else. Devotees living abroad have spoken to me about children doing drugs, alcohol, attempted suicides, divorces, spoiled and disobedient children, enormous stress, and children telling me their parents have no time for them. The list is endless. They are seeking help from the Sai Family and their needs are not being met. We must remember that women have a major responsibility for future generations of Sai Children. A great number of new devotees are coming from children being born into the Sai family. And what are we doing to prepare these parents to mould the character of their children? The problem of raising children with the strong outside influence lacking values is a world consciousness that has arrived in the land of Bharat, the country of God. In India today you are experiencing changes in your culture that I experienced in the 50’s and 60’s in America. The drastic changing role of women is one of the main causes for the deterioration of the family. Women are the pillars of the home, and when the pillar is removed the roof collapses. The western societies have lost many of their family values and the same media influence that caused this deterioration is happening to India today. Throughout the last fifty years we have modelled our behaviour after men, trying to succeed in the avenues of the business world. Are we asleep? Can we see the extreme changes being made in the role of women, wife and mother? The basic identity of women is being lost. Thus confused we do not have a clear vision of who we are as women, and even a lesser view of who we are as Sai Ladies, the feminine energy of the Divine Mother. It is time for the Sai Ladies to begin a movement that can spark a new change in the manner in which women behave. The virtuous character of women, their precious gem, purity has been replaced with fake, imitation glamour. Female glamour is commercialised in all the advertisements, films, magazines and newspaper articles. The word virtue seems to have vanished, struck off from the worldly vocabulary. We are told to shape up, dress-up, make-up, sell yourself, pamper yourself, indulge yourself, and do everything you can…to catch a highly educated man. When looking for a bride for his son, does a father ask the girl, “Will you stay-at-home and raise my son’s children?” If looking for a husband for your daughter, will you ask the boy, “Can my daughter stay-at-home to raise your children?” Sathya Sai Baba says, “Some parents while trying to fix up marriage alliance ask, ‘My daughter has completed her post graduation. She is good looking. What about your son? Has he completed post graduation? Is he handsome?’ In fact, beauty is related to character, not to the physical appearance. Beauty of character is what one should aspire for.” Ladies, do we need a wake up call? The multi-media community is selling our female character with damaging marketing techniques. Why are we allowing ourselves to be sold in the market place? Even more tragic, we are not only buying the products they sell but we are conforming to their hidden message. We are being programmed in a very radical manner, so subtle that many are not even aware. And yet we find ourselves acting sometimes in a manner that is

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

Truth of a Prophecy Muslims around the world believe the advent of a great leader and guide, known as Hazrat Mehdi. Amidst turbulent times engulfed by materialism, when religious practices take a beating in pursuit of greedy materialism, Prof. (Mrs.) Zeba Bashiruddin attempts to decipher the prophecies with the Advent of Her Master, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai. Extracted from Sanathana Sarathi, November 1990. O Mankind; there hath come To you a direction from your Lord And a healing for (the Disease) In your hearts, and for those Who believe, a Guidance And a Mercy.                               (The Quran: X‑57) This magnificent utterance not only relates to the immediate context in which it was said, but refers to a situation that may arise at anytime. Its wisdom, like all scriptural knowledge, comprehends infinity. It is with these thoughts that the writer of this article ventures to put in black and white that which the soul has received as a gift of Truth. When over a decade ago doubts assailed the mind, this author was led to the Fountain of Truth and the injunction reverberated clearly “You do not even know your own religion, how can you know ME?” With these words Baba guided me to an intense study of Sufism, the holy Quran and Islam. Therefore, what is conveyed through these words is undoubtedly His gift. It has come, like all other lessons in spirituality, in the form of a book. Later it has been checked and verified through inquiry from centres of Islamic Studies. Muslims all over the world believe in the advent of a great leader and a guide. They all know him as Mehdi (Master). The Prophet, Hazrat Mohammad, has in­dicated that Hazrat Mehdi will appear for the welfare of Muslims in the last decades of the fourteenth century Hijri (this cen­tury has just ended). It will be a time of trouble and materialism. The Quranic values and their practice will be ignored, and men’s hearts will turn to the worship of the world and its glamour, “the other Gods” of Quranic language. The prophecy goes on to postulate that Hazrat Mehdi will restore the Truth and “Islam” will be the religion of the entire world.  The Prophecy The signs regarding the time and the person of Hazrat Mehdi, more than 150 in number, were related by the holy Prophet to Hazrat Ali, the fourth Khalif and re­pository of Sufi secrets. These signs be­came a guarded treasure of the Imams, descendants of Hazrat Ali, and formed a part of the Shi’a tradition of the prophe­tic sayings. In the 17th century A.D., the well known scholar, Md. Baqir bin Md. Taqi‑Al Majlisi‑Al Isfahani (1627‑1698) collected them in his voluminous book, Bihar‑ul‑Anwar, written in Arabic. The two Persian translations that contained the Prophetic sayings about Hazrat Mehdi are Khas‑ul‑Anwar and Bihar‑ul‑Anwar (part Dwazdhum). A few of these selected sayings of the Prophet of Islam are listed here. It is left to the reader to recognise who the great Master is as seen by the holy Prophet in a vision, and described by him fourteen hundred years ago. The Master, commonly known as Hazrat Mehdi, will be seen by those who will search for Him. (page 240) (All subsequ­ent references in this article are to the Persian translation of Bihar‑ul‑Anwar). Imam Mohammad Baqir suggests that only “those who know the real meaning of `I’ will believe in Hazrat Mehdi.” The holy Prophet called Him as “Abu Abdullah”, (Father of the seekers of God). Much has been said about the name Father of Humanity in Bihar‑ul­-Anwar. He is also addressed as Saheb‑Asr (Master of Time), Walli‑Allah (Friend of God), Khalifat‑ullah (God’s Viceger­ent), “for surely He will follow the code of Moses, Joseph, Jesus and Mohammad.” (page 330). The Insignia of Hazrat Mehdi Other signs as stated in Mohammad Baqir’s work are: Many Mohammedans will not know about His advent for a long time. That Holy Spirit will wear two garments, one inner and the other outer (p. 239). The Robe, Orange in colour, will be of such a shape that the contours of His back will be seen clearly (p. 292, 777). His dress, Orange in colour, will spread Light among the people (p. 145). His dress will be of Light (229). His hair, thick and dark, will reach His shoulders (25). His eyebrows are joined in the centre (242). His other fea­tures are: Broad and clear forehead (263). Straight nose with a dip in the beginning; a mole on the cheek, reminding of Hazrat Moss, bright as a star; teeth with a part­ing in the two front ones (243); Black eyes (777); Average height, compared with the Jewish height (239). The colour of the face is described variously as shining like a gold‑bronze coin; so bright that it is impossible to recognize the real colour (263‑293). The general impression: full of compassion, dignified, exalted (239). Attributes and Qualities His attitude to everyone will be bro­therly, as if He knows them well (314). He will love all Prophets and Saints; and whatever He wants will be done. He will overcome all opposition (242). His devotees will find protection (342). People will find Him heavenly bliss per­sonified (341). He will be a shelter for the helpless and the rejected (235). He will distribute A’b‑e‑Tuhur Kausr (spirituality) to people in the morning and evening (343). (The reference is to Baba’s daily Darshans.) Divine Light will be manifested from Him (252). He will not bring a new religion (6). (Baba has stressed often that He is not preaching a new religion.) All knowledge and essence of all reli­gions will bloom in His heart like a new garden (238). He will fill the earth with peace. He will be a friend and an adviser (287). He will show the Straight Path (352).  The world scenario The world situation is summed up in a number of striking images, describing aptly the situation at present. The maj­ority of mankind will be like animals, devoid of discrimination (349). Evil, bad habits will be common order of the day. There will

Yes, I Am The Cosmic Christ Peggy Mason is a well known name in Sai circles…she was an actress in her young days, and a well-known writer later. During the second half of her life, she had been writing on spiritual and metaphysical themes, for renowned journals like Two Worlds. She and her husband Ron are spirit-minded and past seventy, they both came to India, to see Bhagawan in 1978. At the first private interview the Masons had, Baba materialized a rosary of 108 crystal beads and put it around Peggy’s neck. He also produced a Baba ring and put it to Ron’s finger. He let the aged couple to embrace Him, and spent almost a full hour with them, speaking kindly and enlightening them on many spiritual points. Man and wife were overwhelmed with His vast love. The realization that Baba was God they had been seeking for years gave them the ecstasy of spiritual joy. They were satisfied that their journey to India, so difficult at their age, had been more than fully rewarded. After that, they had many more private interviews with Baba, each one as thrilling as any other. How did the Masons come to merit such Grace? Some years ago, Peggy got ill. She felt great pain in her left leg, and was unable to walk more than a few yards at a time. Her doctor advised a major operation. He did not guarantee a cure by the operation; on the contrary, he told her frankly that, if it failed, her legs would have to be amputated. Peggy had a photograph of Baba, which she had cut out from an issue of Psychic News. It was always on the table by her bed. One night after the doctor’s advice, she sat contemplating on the photo. The photo suddenly jumped up an inch or so, to one side and back again. When it did so, a glimmer of light fell over the table with a strange iridescence. Peggy had the above experience on many following nights. Meantime, the pain in Peggy’s leg was getting worse. One night, when it became unbearable, she cried out: “Oh, Baba, I wish you could do something about my leg!” The next day, Peggy got a copy of the book, Sai Baba and the Psychiatrist. She was looking at the picture of Baba in it, when her telephone rang. A man’s voice came through: “I’m ringing on behalf of Swami Ganesha Ananda. She is very much interested in your writings, and would like to meet you.” Peggy told the caller that the Swami was welcome to her place any time. Three weeks later, Swami Ganesha Ananda came. She said she lived some fifteen miles away. She appeared to be a well-travelled person, and said that she had been to India and seen Sathya Sai Baba. And, quite simply, she gave Peggy a packet of Vibhuthi which she said would cure Peggy’s ailment. Peggy rubbed the Vibhuthi to the paining leg regularly every day, and prayed before Baba’s picture. In a few days, she was cured of the pain in her, leg, so well that she could dance all night at a ball. This established the Masons in their faith for Baba. They made a continuous study of Baba, reading all the available books on Him and questioning people who had seen Him. Before long, the desire which had been growing in their hearts to see Baba with their own eyes became uncontrollable and they had to come to Prasanthi Nilayam. The Masons knew that Jesus Christ had said: “I and my father are One. He will come.” At the last interview they had with Baba before leaving for their home, Ron asked Baba: “Are you the Cosmic Christ of Whom Jesus spoke?” Baba’s answer was instantaneous, and simple, “Yes.” The way He said it, the way He looked straight into Ron’s eyes while saying it, was enough to convince Ron, and Peggy too. They now say: “We are all very fortunate to have Him, the Cosmic Christ, with us, moving about like an ordinary man, giving us the chance to hear Him speak, sing and laugh. We are indeed blessed!” II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II

I Am The Air Raid Warden A tall claim! What does He mean by saving my life?… wondered Gogoi, perplexed, looking into Bhagawan’s Eyes…. and then He revealed… I Am The Air Raid Warden… an interesting episode from the life of Gogoi, from Prof N Kasturi’s book – Sathya Sai Baba – God In Action… There was a labour minister in England (at that time), who wanted to make India industrialised. He thought of collecting some young people from India, taking them over to England, putting them in some factories for training, developing in them a mechanical bent of mind, and then, sending them back to India. So, a few young people were taken over to England. One of them was Gogoi, a young man from Assam. They were all given scholarships and placed in different places for training. Then, the war against England started. German blitz every day. Every night, a series of planes came to blast London. Every night, sirens used to sound and the people had to rush to underground shelters. After the enemy planes left, sirens would be sounded again and people would come out of shelters. This young man from Assam, a poor fellow, could not pay a high rent and therefore, lived in an attic and cooked his food himself, because of his preference for vegetarian food. He was very earnest in his studies and was doing home work at night. Every night, when he was doing homework, sirens would be sounded and he would run to the shelter. He thought it was a nuisance and argued within himself, “Why should I run to a shelter, when the siren is sounded? After all, the German planes may not come at all and even if they come, they may not bomb this area, and even if they bomb this area, it may not fall on this building, and even if it falls on this building, I may not die!” and thought his chances of dying were remote. In India, we believe in karma, in destiny and if your karma is such, you cannot escape death. You may not die of a German bomb, but die because of a cat! …And this young man, Gogoi, stuck to karmic theory and decided, “Today, when the sirens sound, I will not go out!” There used to be air-raid wardens and when the sirens sounded, they would go round and see whether everyone had gone to the shelter, and whether lights in the houses had been switched off. On that day, when Gogoi had decided not to go to the shelter, the siren sounded as usual. He switched off the lights, pulled a rug over him, and lay silently, so that not even the sound of his breath could be heard outside! Soon, he heard the sound of boot steps of someone coming up the staircase. It was the air-raid warden! He banged the door and shouted, “Man! You in there! Come out. I know you are there! I am the air-raid warden, the police.” Gogoi was frightened. “Don’t wait to get dressed, come as you are, hurry!” shouted the air-raid warden again. Gogoi had to come out and ran to the shelter. He was the last person to go to the shelter. The air-raid warden followed him and stood at the entrance of the shelter, so that people inside may not come out, until the siren sounded again. When the siren sounded again, Gogoi came out of the shelter, went towards his building, and saw that it had been bombed and there was a heap of dust. He searched for the air-raid warden and didn’t find him anywhere. “Probably, he too has become dust,” he thought and was sad. Gogoi stayed in England for some time and then, returned to India. He got some job, but was not satisfied with it. He left it to join Mahatma Gandhi’s movement, specialised in co-operative institutions, became a senior officer in the co-operative department, and later, retired. Then, when he was in Bombay, he heard of Sathya Sai Baba and went to Dharmakshetra. He was one of the fifty thousand people there. Because he went late, he was seated somewhere on the edge of the gathering. Then, a volunteer came running towards him. Baba had sent him. He had told that volunteer, “Look here! Right behind that last line, there is a person so and so and of such and such description. Ask him to come and sit in the first line.” The volunteer brought him to the first line. Gogoi was surprised, “I just wanted to have a distant glimpse of Him out of sheer curiosity and He wants me to come and sit in the front line!” He was wondering what he was in for? Swami came and stood right in front of him, and said, “You must come and settle down in Prasanthi Nilayam. That is why I saved your life!” Gogoi thought, “What is it? A tall claim! What does He mean by saving my life? He Is seeing me for the first time!” Swami asked him, “Do you know the air-raid warden?” Gogoi answered, “Yes, I remember. He insisted on my going to the shelter. Otherwise, I would have died. He saved my life, but poor fellow, he died.” Swami said, “No. I Am The Air-Raid Warden!” II Samastha Lokah Sukhino Bhavantu II