Om Sri Sai Ram

LORD KRISHNA made a most emphatic declaration at Kurukshetra (in the epic, Mahabharatha), while he was preaching Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna, asserting, “Whenever Dharma is overpowered by Adharma, I will reincarnate from age to age”. BHAGAVAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA confirms the above and openly declares and says, “I am the same LORD KRISHNA, come down in this human body, as Lord of Puttaparthi”. Bhagavan Baba further confirms by saying:



“There was no one to know, who I am, Until I created the world, At My pleasure, with one word, Immediately mountains rose up, Oceans, seas, lands and watershades, Sun, Moon and desert sands, Sprang out of nowhere, To prove My Existence. Then came all forms of beings, Men, Beasts and Birds, Speaking, hearing, flying, All powers were bestowed upon them, Under my orders. The first place was granted, To mankind. And my knowledge was placed, In man’s mind”.

The author, here; Would like to apprise the readers that as per the above declaration, the Avatars come, once in a Yuga. They are known as descending Avatars. The present Poorna Avatar has come after 5000 years, in Kali Yuga. The descending Avatars take the human form, out of their own Will (Sankalpa), for protecting Dharma and in response to the yearning of their devotees. The descending Avatars even choose their own parents and the place of birth in advance as per their own Will. They have a Divine symbol, like Chakra or Shank etc., on their body or feet. They are not born like mortals. They enter the body through Pravesh, taking birth as per their own Will. Their embryo is encased in pure white milk of holiness and not like ordinary mortals enveloped in watery environment. Some extraordinary things take place as the time of their birth which are not ordinary phenomena but Divine occurrences that substantiate the advent of an Avatar. They are born with supernatural powers, innate to them and not acquired by them by any Siddhis during their life time. They have full control over all the five elements of which the entire Universe is composed of. They are the Masters of the entire cosmos. Whatever they Will takes place instantly. Though they take a human body, they are not restricted by the physical body but are instead the Masters of the body and can leave the body (extra-corporeal activities) any time at their Will or Command. Again, there are ascending Avatars also. But they are born through copulation. They have taken the present body, due to their Karmic effect. And they have ascended and elevated themselves to Brahma Gyanis, due to their constant austerities and “Tapas” done during their life time, and partly due to merits acquired in their many past lives. They die a normal and natural death. They acquire some Siddhis, due to their Tapas and Sadhana, which grant them certain powers, over the five elements and the Universe. “Now again, amongst the descending Avatars, there are POORNA AVATARS. Poorna Avatars are the Masters of the sixteen Kalas. The fifteen Kalas are : The five Karma Indriyas or working organs which have to do with talking, taking, walking, rejecting (exertion) and eating. The five Gyan Indriyas or sense organs: hearing, touch, sight, taste, smell, and Panch Mahabhootas or the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, space. The 16th Kala: the all - knowing Paramatma (the Omniscient, Omnipotent and Omnipresent aspect)”. (These are Swami’s words, quoted in ‘Conversation With Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’ by J.S.Hislop).

So far there have been only two POORNA AVATARS, LORD KRISHNA, some 5000 years ago, and now BHAGAVAN SRI SATHYA SAI BABA, endowed with all the 16 Kalas. PROPHESIES (a) Sri Maha Vishnu’s tenth incarnation is that of Kalki. He will be born towards the end of the Kali age, the age replete with all kind of vice and godlessness. Dharma will limp only on one foot. Even that will gradually vanish. At this time Sri Maha Vishnu will incarnate in the world as Kalki Deva, assuming black complexion. The wicked will perish and Dharma will regain its supremacy ushering in a new age. (Predicted by Sri Pandrimalai Swamigal : taken from the book Dasavatara, by Shri S. Ramakrishna, Bharathi Vidya Bhavan).

(b) Dr. E.V.Sastri, a prominent member of the Indian Astro Occult Research Association, New Delhi, during the course of his research, found out ‘Nandi Grantham’ available in Tamil Nadu, which had all the indications about Sathya Sai Baba’s horoscope written by a famous erudite Pundit, some five hundred years ago. It was written on a piece of palm leaf of the size 36 centimeters long and 2 ½ cms broad. It reads : ‘The person to whom this horoscope relates and whose name is Sathyanarayana Raju will renounce the world in his boyhood, will start schools and hospitals, will publish books for the upliftment of the World, will spend every day of his whole lifetime for the establishment of Dharma, which is his ideal and objective’. It is further mentioned that, “He will be an Avatar amongst the Avatars”. (Taken from the book ‘The Grace of Sai’ by R.Lowenberg).

(c) The advent of this Avatar Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba was uniquely prophesied not only in some ancient books of Indian origin but also in books of other lands and religions. It is found that Baba’s horoscope has been extolled in the Indian palmyra “Nadi” scrolls of hundreds of years antiquity, containing prophesies by celebrated sages like Agastha, Brahma, Bhrigu, Buddha, Shuka and Shukra. Since there is said to be remarkable accord amongst the different Nadis interpreted by different and independent readers, we can confidently ascribe genuineness and credibility to those Nadi predictions. The following are the highlights of the prophesies contained in the Nadi scrolls as mentioned in Sai literature by various authors: He will be a great incarnation of the Godhead Vishnu, Shirdi Sai and several other Gods and Goddesses and will have all powers of God. He will be born for protecting and propagating Dharma (righteousness) and he will have a mission to fulfil.

He will have healing powers and the power to cure himself by sprinkling water. He will use his healing powers not only for the people of this world, but also for the beings of the other worlds and on the higher planes of existence.(Devas, i.e. celestial gods and goddesses). At times He will take on the illness of the others.

He will have power to extend the life of deserving persons. When the Kali yuga influence grows even more intense, people will see His true might and will acknowledge that He is the Supreme Power. Then mankind will bow to him as a great Emperor and He will be revered as the greatest living being, MAHAPURUSHA, in the world.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba will perform great miracles.

He will also retain youthful look, age notwithstanding.

He will be Brahmachari. He will establish Ashrams, educational and medical institutions.

He will have equal attitude towards all men and women. His glory will spread and many people will get near him. But all cannot have His grace due to past sins.

He will be PREMASWAROOPA, ANANDASWAROOPA, AND JNANASWAROOPA. (Personification of Love, Bliss and Wisdom)

He will show Himself in many places simultaneously, though He will actually be in one place and there will be many divine acts and manifestations.

He will have the power to die whenever He wants.

(d) In an ancient Arabic book by name “Mehdi Moud” in which the prophesies made by Prophet Mohammed were recorded many centuries ago, it was mentioned that God Himself would descend on earth in human form with the following signs by which He could be recognised: “His hair will be profuse. His front teeth will be spaced apart. He will have a mole on His cheek. He will not have beard but will be clean shaven. His clothing will be like flame. He will wear two robes. The colour of His face will sometimes be like copper, sometimes yellow like gold and sometimes like the moon. His legs will be those of a young girl. All the teachings of all the religions of the world will be in His heart from birth. All the science and knowledge of the world from the beginning of time will be in His head. He will give gifts that are light in weight, His devotees will crane their necks to see Him. He will live for 95 years on earth. In the last twenty years of His life time He will be the king of the whole world but at that time (A.D. 2000) only two-thirds of the world will believe Him. Muslims will only recognise Him nine years before His passing away from the world”.

(e) According to the world famous prophecy-maker Nostradamus who recorded his prophecies in his book “Centuries”, some 400 years ago, a very great leader would be born in South India (land surrounded by the three seas) He would have unlimited wisdom and power, and He would be an immortal ruler. With His efforts, world war would be over, and India’s spiritual message to humanity would spread far and wide. He would observe Thursday as the Holy Day.

(f) Sri Aurobindo, the great seer of modern India, who was in total penance for the descent of the Supernatural Power upon this Earth for the uplift of humanity, terminated his outside activities and went into complete solitude on 24th November, 1926. His reason for the withdrawal was that the embodiment of the Overmental Delight Consciousness, Lord Krishna, had once again come down to the terrestrial sphere. Suffice it to note that the advent of the Lord of our narrative had occurred just on the preceding day.


(Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is born on 23rd November, 1926)

(g) Bhagavan Baba has also overwhelmed the Christian world by declaring that it was He who sent Christ to the world, and that His incarnation had, indeed been prophesied by Christ and recorded in the Bible over 1,900 years ago. The extract of that startling revelation made by Sri Sathya Sai Baba before a group of Christians on the Christmas Day in 1975 is given below: “There is one point that I cannot but bring to your special notice today. At the time when Jesus was merging in the supreme principle of divinity, he communicated some news to his followers which has been interpreted in a variety of ways by commentators and those who relish the writings on writings and meaning upon meaning, until it is all swelled up into a huge mess. The statement itself has been manipulated and tangled in a conundrum. The statement is simple : “He who sent me among you, will come again”, and he pointed to a lamb. The lamb is, merely a symbol, a sign. It stands for the voice ‘Ba-Ba’; the announcement was of the advent of Baba. ‘His name will be truth’. Christ declared. ‘Sathya means Truth’. ‘He wears a robe of red, a blood red robe’. (Here Baba pointed to the robe He was wearing). ‘He will be short, with crown (of hair)’. The lamb is the sign and symbol of love. Christ did not declare that He would come again, He said ‘He who sent me will come again’. That Ba-Ba is this Baba’. ( pointing to Himself)”.

(The matter contained in paras from (c ) to (g) is taken from the book ‘Uniqueness of Swami And His Teachings’ by Dr. A.Adivi Reddy.)

(h) In the Bible Revelation 19 speaks of the God incarnate having come on a white horse which coincidentally is also the description of the Kalki Avatara predicted by the Hindu scriptures several thousands years ago. “ Its rider is called Faithful and True.” Sathya, the first name of Baba means Truth. “His eyes were like a flame of fire”. Baba’s eyes have such an intensity, are so full of life and seem to indicate with dazzling glow. “He wore many crowns on his head”. Baba’s Afro style hair gives it the appearance of a crown. “The robe he wore was covered with blood”, alludes to ochre robe that Baba wears. “His name is the word of God” is incidentally the meaning of Bhagavan. (i) An article published in the November, 1985 issue of “Expans” magazine reported thus: Among the various prophesies made in ancient scriptures of world, and those by sages and seers as contained in palm leaf volumes carefully preserved by Sanskrit Scholars, none appears to be so amazing as the detailed account of the advent of Sai Baba, as an incarnation of God in 20th century as reported to have been given by Prophet Mohammed. According to the article published in “Two Worlds” magazine of London, an Iranian writer, browsing, in a book stall in Teheran, was irresistibly drawn to a huge volume. It was the 14th edition of the discourses of Mohammed, in 25 volumes “The Ocean Of Light” . It is claimed that these discourses were collected together some seven hundred years after the prophet’s death. Volume 13 of these discourses is called “ Mehdi Moud” in Arabic, which means “The Great Teacher that was promised”. The teacher is also referred to as “Master of the World”, “Master of Time” ..etc., Mohammed is quoted by Peggy Mason as having indicated a large number of signs by which the great teacher could be recognised. Prominent amongst these hallmarks, which remarkably tally with Sai Baba, are as follows: All things you will ask from God, He will give you. All the treasures of the world are under His feet. He will give gifts that are light in weight. His devotees will collect under a great tree ( the huge Banyan tree, that has been since removed in Brindavan campus). Many of them will have a spot on their forehead (the Hindu Kumkum dot). He will go around amongst the devotees and touch their heads with His hand. Every eye that sees Him will be happy, not only humans but disembodied souls. His devotees will crane their necks to see Him. He will live for 95 years. He will live at hill (Prasanthi Nilayam is on a hill). His house will be square. He will make the world light and full of peace. So as not to be deceived, you should know that the Master of the World will bring things out of His body and through His mouth.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba has assured us that there is no reason for mankind to be extremely worried about the future, for the golden age of humanity is soon dawning. He has assured that Satya Yuga shall start from 1999 and during the days of His next Avatar as Prema Sai which will be from 2030 onwards, the world will see the best period of human civilisation. However, Baba says from now till 1999 there will be many natural calamities, but He will exercise His powers and influence as Avatar to prevent Nuclear War. He has told His devotees not to get out of the umbrella of His Divine Protective Grace lest they be subjected to harm at the hands of nature’s fury which will indeed be raging till 1999. (The matter contained in paras (h) and (I) above, has been taken from the book “Pralaya 1999”, by M. R. Narendra). The author has mentioned in the beginning of this chapter about the characteristics (Signs) of an Avatar.

Let us delve more on this: The story of Sri Krishna, universally accepted as Poorna Avatar - the Total Advent - is the clearest proof of the immaculate conception of the Divine Child. As the Bhagavatha narrates, the agony of Mother Earth compels the compassion of the Omniwill into the resolve to incarnate as Sustainer, Solace and Saviour of mankind. Brahma hears the voice of the all pervasive God Vishnu that conveys the blessing and the boon to the suffering supplicants who have come before Him. He announces: “The Bhagavan Himself, the Almighty Resident in All, moved by His own Will , takes birth in the house of Vasudeva” (Vasudeva “Griha”). After Devaki, the consort of Vasudeva, had given birth to seven children and had offered each one of them to her brother as she had promised, the Will decided that it was time for the Advent to take place. The Bhagavatha says : “The Lord who is the Sovereign of the Universe desired to enter the mind of Vasudeva as a facet of Himself in order to confer fearlessness on good and Godly”. ‘Amsa’ , the Sanskrit word used in the text rendered here as ‘facet’, is usually interpreted as meaning ‘part’. But the Universal Absolute cannot be partitioned; the ancient commentator Anandagiri elucidates the word as ‘Svechha nirmithena maayaamayena Swaroopena’ (with a body moulded by His own Will and capable of deluding the World into the belief that it is human). “Then, that indestructible Divine principle which was destined to establish peace and prosperity in the World, was accepted into her mind, as the Eastern sky accepts the moon or as the pupil receives the illuminating mantra from the guru” . The emphasis on the ‘Mana (mind) of both the father and the mother announces to us that the Avatar’s advent occurs in ultra-physical ways. The mother serves as the inaugural Vessel to contain the Cosmic Essence and allows it to unfold as its Will dictates. The incarnation of the Buddha too was equally marvellous.

The following lines are from the epic poem ‘Light of Asia’ by Edwin Arnold: ‘The Devas knew the signs and said, “Buddha will go again to help the World”. “ Yes” spoke He. “Now I go to help the World. I will go down among the Sakyas under the Southward snows of Himalaya where pious people live and a just king”. That night the wife of king Sudhodana, Maya, the Queen, asleep beside her Lord dreamt a strange dream, “that a star from Heaven, splendid, six-rayed, in colour rosy-pearl, whereof the token was an Elephant, six tusked and white as milk of Kamadhenu, shot through the void and, shining into her entered her womb upon the right”. The Buddha formed the body for Himself within that maternal niche, conferring the status of father on Sudhodana, and Maya meditated on the Sidhartha moon, in the sky of her womb until the time when all could witness the glory of the child in the cradle.

Mary, the mother of Jesus, was similarly blessed. “The Angel Gabriel was sent from God to Virgin spoused to a man whose name was Joseph of the House of David, and the Virgin’s name was Mary. And the angel said unto her, “Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in the womb and bring forth a son and shall call his name Jesus”…. Then said Mary unto the angel, “How shall this be, seeing I know not of a man?” And Angel answered unto her, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also the holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. And so it did come to pass as the World knows.” Swami has often declared that this Sai Avatar descended because the Saints and Sadhus of all the lands prayed for His arrival.

“I chose the mother who was to experience My closeness during gestation. The Avatar alone has this freedom of choice. In other cases Karma determines the time and space, the group and the grade. Years later as Swami sat one day surrounded by his devotees, there was an abrupt interruption. A Pundit well versed in the holy Puranas felt a sudden urge to ask a question. “Swami; was your Incarnation a Pravesa (an entrance) or a Prasava (Enciente) ?” Shri N.Kasturi could not quite understand the relevance of the interruption that jolted everybody away from the jocular mood of the talk, but Swami knew the reason. Turning to Easwaramma seated in front, He said, “Tell Rama Sarma what happened that day near the well after your mother-in-law had warned you”. Mother said, “She had dreamed of Satyanarayan Deva and she cautioned me that I should not be frightened if something happens to me through the Will of God. That morning when I was at the well drawing water, a big ball of the blue light came rolling towards me and I fainted and fell. I felt, it glided into me”. Swami turned to Rama Sarma with a smile. “There you have the answer; I was not begotten. It was Pravesa, not Prasava”. (Thus a divine incarnation takes place by a process of impregnation which occurs by the Divine Will itself and not by the natural and normal human process) To get back to the period when Easwaramma was pregnant.

Kondama Raju had dreams of Venka Avadhootha in which he was instructing him to be prepared - but for what he was not told. And Pedda Venkapa Raju, the father, was awakened at night by sweet musical notes emanating from the string and percussion instruments kept in the ‘rehearsal room’. Angels, Gandharvas, Kinnaras? Musical Ancestors? He knocked at the doors of astrologers. Telling them about his attempts to know what these meant, he described his tension at the time and the comforting explanation of an astrologer at Bukkapatnam was, “Is the music sweet and soothing?” he asked. “The notes and beats were thrilling,” Pedda Venkapa Raju answered. “Is there a pregnant woman in the house?” When told “Yes”, he predicted that the Gods were playing music to charm the baby in the womb. He recited a verse in Sanskrit from a book on horoscopes to please the bewildered father. It had come at last, that moment chosen by the Lord to appear on Earth in His incarnated form. It was the month of Karthika. Monday.

The day of worship for Siva, was about to glide into Tuesday, the day dedicated to Ganesh. It was 5.06 A.M. I.S.T. on 23rd November,1926, and the reigning star was Ardra. From 4 O’clock that morning Lakshamma, the mother-in-law was at the Satyanarayana Pooja at the home of the priest. She was called back home more than once as the delivery neared but she was determined not to return until she could bring back the deity’s Prasad for Easwaramma which she could procure only at the conclusion of the ceremony. At last she came, she gave. It was accepted and relished. And the son was born. A mat covered with a thick bedspread had been readied in the corner of the room, when the labour had begun and now the baby was placed on it, by the grandmother. All of a sudden, they found the bedspread rising up and falling down, on either side of the baby. She grasped the child and held it close. A serpent was coiled beneath : of course snakes there were in plenty at Puttaparthi, creeping through crevices, crawling along the walls and hiding in the holes. But the serpent in the living room pretending to be in bed! - it was the role of Adisesha for Vishnu who rested on its coil; this was the Incarnation’s first miracle. When Easwaramma was asked about this epic event, she confessed that she had been so filled with joy at the birth of a son that she had never even noticed the agitation all around. The child was named Satyanarayana. The association and affiliation of the human and divine were made plain by the Name. It announces that the child being Narayana was Sathya (Truth). God as Satyanarayana had entered the minds of the mother and grandmother and filled the house of the Ratnakara Raju with Divine Melody and Fragrance. Narayana coming as Sathya was the consummation for which the world had long yearned. (The entire matter is taken from the book ‘Easwaramma, the chosen Mother’, by N.Kasturi, Ex- Editor, “Sanathana Sarathi”).

As regards the birth-marks on the body of the Avatar, a few persons, including some students, who live very close to Swami, have noticed the eagle-shaped birthmark on the chest of Swami. Another strong evidence of the Divinity of Sai Baba comes from an altogether different source, Frank Baranowski, a Professor at the University of Arizona in the United States. He has the distinction of being an undisputed expert in the study of the halo that surrounds each person. According to him the aura surrounding the face of a person speaks volumes about his personality and character. The aura around the faces of ordinary mortals is nondescript and often null and void. But in the case of a person who is superhuman and embodiment of love, the aura is expansive and its luster extends to the sky which is limitless. Frank Baranowski was bewildered and enthralled to see the aura surrounding the face of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. According to him, it was a white and pink aura, the colour of love. The aura became golden like the Sun and turned into the blue colour of love when the Bhajans were sung. This aura signified the boundless energy of love. The eyes shone with diamond like brilliance. Professor Baranowski had no hesitation in affirming that the aura-wise Sri Sathya Sai Baba is God. During his long career, he had the occasion to see the aura of many famous and illustrious persons. But never before had he witnessed the white, pink and blue aura stretching upon the azure sky above, spreading the golden hues of Sun and the diamond-like brilliance transmitting the tremendous energy of love.