Sai Spoke Thus Pray thus: Let my thoughts, pure and holy, arise, O Lord, as incense to Thee. Let my Heart—Thy shrine—beat in rapture, O Lord, for Thee. Let my hands bestow radiant acts of service, Lord, to Thee. Let my feet, in joyful cadence dance along the lighted path with Thee. Say thus: Sai and i do the dance of life; I live in His Cosmic Form; Never were we ever apart; never was I born; Within His galaxies of Space, I’ve lost myself in His shining face. Soaring, blending, pure and free, … … I am He; He is me. Before you close the door to someone’s need before you turn aside before you retreat into selfish solitude Ask yourself … … what would Sai Baba Do? What door does He close? When does He turn aside? To where does He retreat? What solitude does He seek? The reply you get is “Never, nowhere, none.” See Sai in every pair of eyes; Hear Sai in every sound; Breathe in Sai with every breath; Recline in Sai as a planet reclines in spate. Be Sai to everyone you are involved with. Love and lift. That is My message and My work. ~Denise EversoleSource: Sanathana Sarathi, July 1974

I ask Myself Am I a real Sai Devotee?Am I striving always to deserve the grace of Sai?Am I true in word, thought, and deed?Have I read and understood the instructions for a good life that Sai gives?Do I engage myself in the manana [contemplation] on these instructions?Do I believe in silence, where I can hear the voice of Sai?Have I learnt humility? Have I suppressed the ego?Can I forget and forgive the harm done by others? Do I love them never‑the‑less?Do I feel the urge to help and serve the weak, the distressed, and the disabled?Do I lose faith in Sai when something goes wrong?Do I review my conduct off and on and correct myself if I have strayed?Do I feel frustrated and broke when my plans do not fructify?Have I grown lukewarm toward bhajan, nagarsankirtan, etc?Do I get the thrill and joy out of these?Do I fear to indulge in scandal or vengeance? Am I gluttonous or greedy?Am I clear about the goal I should strive for and the sadhana that will take me to success?Do I seek the company of the good and the God‑fearing? And, do I benefit by their simplicity, sincerity and steady devotion to Sai, who is manifesting as all names and forms of God? ~Muktinath BardoloiiSource: Sanathana Sarathi, July 1974

Of Whom All Scriptures Speak With fiery tremor, my heart sighs His Name.Silent, scarcely with breath, in profound rapture,He appears …All the sweetness of the worldin one tiny Form!Graceful as a dancer, He approaches. No. My Lord!Look not into my eyesfor, I am unpreparedfor such beatitude.Today,I’m too full.You’ve filled my being,with your Divine presence. Ah! But, near me, He stands, He­—around whom my very Soul revolves.His feet press the rose petals strewnin tribute along His path.Tears of joy trace rivuletsdown my cheeks;suppressed sobsknock at my lungs.I gazeat His face;every caress of my gazea fervent prayer“Sathya Sai Baba”“Sathya Sai Baba.”What prayer, more sublime, could I utter? Small is His form,yet, mighty in manner is thisunassuming Lord.Serenely He walks,among the adoring, the doubtful,the sincere, the skeptic, bestowingHis grace, like sunlight, on all. Upturned faces—demanding, imploring, weeping, expectant,complacent, desperate,from all directions, they come,across the globe, to see, to earn, to learn.What?Most do not know; some think they know;who knows? This Radiant Font of Goodness and Beautyis God in human form.This is He, surely, of whom all scriptures speak.He moves among the people; tender as a mother’s is that face,He pinches the chubby cheek of a child; He holds an old man’s hand,sacred ashes appear in His palm to heal the old woman there.Each heart is known to HimEvery wish finds its answer through Him.In Him, all journeys end; all destinations merge!And, peace is known. ~Denise Eversole, Santa BarbaraSource: Sanathana Sarathi, Feb. 1974

The Sarathi The Sarathi calls on every heart Offering His equestrian art; He will curb the fiery steeds Of tongue, the eye, and ear; He will overwhelm your wily foe With His will, though He holds the whip. He will teach you all the stratagems To foil the furious fate; He will warn and wake, alert, advise And prompt, each movement from within! When the fog of fear, the ego cloud, The dust of ‘mine’, ‘my kith and kin’ Does clog the eye and smog the mind, When pseudo-wisdom prattles on the tongue, He cures, consoles, conferring courage, faith! He sings the song that opens wide The gates of light! He is the ancient Sarathi Who leads all beings in the fray, Seat Him on your heart, Let Him lead you where He will You sure can win the victory— ‘Tis your due, soon or late. ~TarakadasSource: Sanathana Sarathi, March 1969

The Holy See Those days, those daysin Prasanthi, not a care in the worldwaiting for the Lord of the Universe Rainbow sequined saris flutter likecolorful prayer flagsin the sultry, warm breezes Women devotees, buzzing honeybees,breathlessly squeeze into granite window openingsoutside the mandirstraining to see, hoping their adoring eyeswill be blessed by the nectarine vision of Sai Avatar Seva Dal angels in vivid orange and yellow scarvesmanage to bridle the swooning, burgeoning, euphoriccrowds with spirited “Sairam, Sairams“ O Babawhat we wouldn’t give for a chance to once moresee your airborne Lotus feet floating toward uson the golden sands of Puttaparthi Reverently, I press my fingertips to my eyelidstaking padnamaskarthese orbs, these orbsonce gazed upon the holy sight ofBhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba ~Sonya Ki Tomlinson

Easwaramma⎯An Homage The Lord said In the Gita:In every age when this EarthIs dominated by sinAnd evil prevails,I descend on EarthTo redeem humanity.However, while descendingEven the Lord has to followHis own laws;Even He has to decideWho should act as His parents.Imagine!How fortunate the couple.How lucky the homeWhere the Lord takes His birth. True, a mother is a mother,Holy beyond words for all timeEven if the son goes astray.But among them allThe one who begets Hari, the Lord,Is the holiest of all.Who has earned this honorAs the guerdonFor her relentless penance.Who can reckon the amount of punyaKaushalya could garnerIn her previous birthsBefore Rama chose herAs His mother?And who can gaugeThe depth of sufferingWhich Devaki must have undergoneTo receive Krishna? But O Easwaramma!Unparalleled is the sacrificeYou madeTo set an exampleFor women in every ageOf what motherhood is.Let’s open our heartsFor you to tread gently.O Mother Divine! It’s not everyoneWho can fathom your love,Your agony and your philosophy.Imagine the moment when Sathya,The darling of your heartStood confronting you and said,‘Maya Maya, it’s all Maya,’And you the mother stood confounded!The lips quivered.The tearful eyes betokenedAn ocean of surging love,But you restrained their flowNot allowing a drop to fall. Tell us O world tell usIf there’s a mother to compare with?—A mother, whose lotus feetMake you bow downA thousand times.“Kaushalya?” You say.You are surely mistaken.Kaushalya’s ordeal was limitedTo barely fourteen summers:And time flies—Years turn into months,Months into daysAnd days into minutes and seconds,And hope persists. ‘What? Devaki?’Devaki’s was no agony at allFor who’s that motherThat wouldn’t preferTo live away from her sonAnd see him happyThan to keep him with herAnd lose him?And did she not knowThat He whom she deliveredWas the Lord Himself, Easwaramma’s agony was unique.It’s the agony of a fishLiving in water and yet thirsty!The Lord said,“I belong to the bhaktas.They need me,How can l leave themAnd belong to you?If you need Me,Come and join the congregationAnd forget the worldly bondsOf mother and son.” The mother listened and listenedTo these heart‑rending words,But she neither shrieked nor cried,Rather looked straightAt her dear little SathyaShedding affection from her moistened eyes. Mother!The holiest of the holy ones,The Lord demanded your devotion;But what is devotion;If not the acme of Love—Pure and selfless Love—Which never gets dimEv’n in the darkest hour?Who could claim better devotionThan you? O Gentleness incarnate!You dived deepInto the agony of LoveAnd had it in full measure.Your decision was clear,“Let bhakti go to the bhaktasI need my son.Let those who aspire forDeliverance, get it;But the thirst of a motherShouldn’t go unquenched.”“If God is Love and Love is God,And all else on earthTransient,Then let Love prevail.”And it did prevail.The words of the LordWere rendered trueBy none else than the Lord’s Mother. In BrindavanWhen the elements wanted toDisintegrate,And you knew your time was come,You called, “Swami! Swami.”“Coming!” said theLord and rushed;But you outpaced Him.When He reachedThe nest was empty,The winged‑one had goneAs if to tell Him,“Here lies the Maya dead,”And the Mother merged with the Son;For Love is eternal,Steadfast and immortal,Whereas Maya assumesNew forms every dayAnd the wheel of life and death moves on. ~Bhagwat Prasad MisraPrasanthi Nilayam

Here He Is God’s World of Happiness,Is on the Verge of Tears;For all His Love and Workmanship,Has been devalued through the years. So now the time has come,For God to come on Earth,To save His dying creation,From the devil’s wretched curse. Here He is before youIn brilliant orange robes,To save ALL mankind,In many different roles. His face is full of beauty.His eyes are full of Love.His voice is soft and sweetLike the grace of a dove. We bow to His Lotus Feet,And pray to Him everydayThat He will save our Hearts and SoulsFor He is almighty God in the Human Way. ~Anita Saxena, California, Age 11 yearsSource: Sanathana Sarathi, Sept. 1978

A Bouquet for Beloved Sai I start this Prayer to Sri Ganesha, whokeeps us from all harm and sin:Dear Ganesha, Sri Ganesha, bless thisjourney we begin.Sweet Ganesha, Sai Ganesha, lead usto Lord Sai our King.…. To Sathya Sai our Divine King. Om to Earth and Heaven above, Om tothe dawning Sun within.Sai has come to Light our Heart,Illu­mine Love and Peace therein.Om to Earth and Heaven above, toSathya Sai, our Lord, we sing.His Light and Goodness fills our Heart,Illumines Love and Peace therein.O God Beautiful, O God Beautiful,Thank you for each perfect day.Thank You for Your gracious gifts,You care for us in every way.Dearest Lord, we feel Your Presence inour heart where You reside.May all our words, and all our deeds,and all our thoughts on You abide. At Your Lotus Feet we pray that neverwe from dharma stray.Help us, Lord, to see Your Form inevery creature that is born.You’re our Beacon, You’re our Shelter,You’re our Hope, we bow to You.Show us how to serve all mankind,Love all, seeing only You. Lord, we want no wealth or fame,Just give us strength to sing Your Name.When we search our heart, our mind,Beloved Sai, You’re all we find.You’re our Mother, You’re our Father,You’re our Brother, Sister too.You’re our Friend, and You’re our guru,You’re our God, we worship You. Brothers, Sisters, near and far,Come listen to the Avatar.When we share the love we feel,His Golden Age He’ll soon reveal.Start the Day, Spend the Day,End the Day with Love, Sweet Love.That’s the Way to come to Baba,merge with Him who’s purely Love.Start the Day, Fill the Day, End theDay with Love, Sweet Love.That’s the Way to reach Lord Sai, mergewith Him who’s purely Love. Praise God, remember God,Rejoice in God, be One with God.Let every breath be filled with God,within us is the Loving God.… Sri Sathya Sai our Living God.Lord, we want You. Lord, we need You.Lord, we give our lives to You.Lord, our Hearts are filled with prema.Lord, our Eyes see only You. Asatoma Tamasoma, from theDarkness lead us Home.Always shine Your light upon us,Give us Peace, Lord Hari Om.We open wide our Temple door,Let voice and heart to Heaven soar:Glory to the Blessed One,Whose Love is deep within our core.…. We have His Love forevermore. Joyfully we sing God’s Name,Proclaim God’s Truth, extol His Fame.Our Hearts receive the Aarti Flame,and taste the sweetness of His Name.We’re happy that on Earth He came.We’re ever grateful that He came.…. Dear Lord Sai, we’re glad You Came.OM ‑ Shanti ‑ Shanti ‑ Shanti. ~A. N. DruckerSource: Sanathana Sarathi, Sept. 1981

The Lazarus of Sai Baba O Christmas Season of recent past—Blessed by a drama that Baba directed:As Lazarus was raised, after breathing `his last’,Walter Cowan was thrice `resurrected’. When spirit left the body’s braceSai appeared at Walter’s side;O to look upon that Effulgent FaceIn life, and when one’s died! (His promise is our Treasure Grand:He will never desert a devotee—And through Death’s Portals holds our hand;We are never parted from Thee!) King David sang with steadfast faithTo the Shepherd of Human Flock:“No evil shall I fear, when throughThe Valley of Death I walk.” Walter’s experience proved this PsalmTo be a prayer of Truth—Swami is there, with the BalmWhen Yama smites without ruth. To the Hall of Judgement Baba ledThis man now serene, released;They met the Accountant of the Dead;Walter felt, not dismay, but Peace. Chitragupta, kindly and wise,Scrolls in hand, proclaimed,“Your works and character are here, column‑wise,From ages forgotten, un‑named.” Two hours of reading brought to lightThe good lives of our friend;His Soul felt Bliss of heavenly might—Though, on earth, grief had, no salt. Sai Baba announced at this crucial time,“He yet has My Work to do;His soul must now reverse its climbFor a mission of mercy and truth”. The Lord got custody of this ManFor return with Him to Earth!The Judge had to change the karmic planAnd say, “So be it. A re-birth.” Only God’s Love could eclipse Death’s MightAnd bring with It, he that Death’s borne;Soul returns to flesh, with new-won Sight,Much to the joy of those who mourn Walter’s wife, at the body, dressed rose-hue,Saw breath moving him that was ‘sleeping’.Walter whispered, “In pink! So lovely are you!”And she fell into sanctified tearful thanking. To have this Fortune, unique, to talkWith one who has died in the Lord,Erases our fear of the unknown walkAll must take through Transition’s Door. Generations will hear of this StoryThat beckons to all human‑kind:“Feast upon Sai’s Arch‑Glory!Marvel at His Love Divine!” —Karen ShultzSource: Sanathana Sarathi, June 1973

The Garden of my Heart I’ve laid out a garden in my heartRemoving all nettles, rocks and bushesSuch as anger, desire and pride upstartTo grow the rarest flowers fresh from blemishes. I water the plants with my pellucid tears;I tend the sacred plants with utmost care.They produce blossoms that last for yearsAs they are of the heavenly beauty rare. They are plucked for the special worship of Baba;They are of various kinds and colors loved of Baba;They are the white sweet-smelling ‘ahimsa’,The pale soft-perfumed ‘Indriya–nigraha’. ‘Sarva bhutha daya’ is another variety;‘Kshama’ is the red and glorious variety.‘Shanti’ is the flower, yellow in color;‘Tapah’ is the flower, violet in color. ‘Dhyana’ is the flower, orange in hue;‘Satyam’ is the flower, green in hue;All these eight varieties never fadeAs they are of immortality made! ~VaidyanathanSource: Sanathana Sarathi, Dec. 1959