Shiva Shakthi

Gurupurnima Day

6 July 1963, 6:30 PM
Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Editor’s Note

This discourse is historically significant for two reasons. First, Swami publicly demonstrated His divine power by curing Himself—within seconds and before thousands—of a severe stroke that He had borne for eight days, explaining the deeper purpose behind it. Second, for the first time, Swami revealed the advent of Prema Sai, His next incarnation.

This is not Swami’s illness; it is an illness that Swami has taken upon Himself in order to save someone else. Swami has no illnesses, nor will He ever become ill. You must all be happy; that alone will make Swami happy. If you grieve, Swami will not be happy. Your joy is Swami’s food.

(Then Baba signaled to Kasturi to speak. After his brief speech, Baba asked for the microphone. He tried to say something—“Vinapisthundaa!”—but His voice was indistinct, and no one could understand it, even after repeated attempts.)

He then gestured for water. When it was brought, He sprinkled a little with His trembling right hand on His stricken left hand and left leg. He stroked His left hand with His right. Immediately afterward, He used both hands to stroke His left leg. That single touch was enough. The disease vanished instantly. He began to speak again—in the same sweet, musical voice as before.

“For those who have no refuge, God is the refuge (Dikku lenivaniki devude gathi). That is exactly why I had to take upon Myself the disease that one helpless devotee was destined to suffer. He would have endured this terrible illness along with four heart attacks and would not have survived. Therefore, as part of My duty—bhakta samrakshana, the protection of devotees—I had to rescue him.

This is not the first time I have taken upon Myself the illness of those I wished to save. Even in My previous body at Shirdi, I bore this responsibility. The suffering you witnessed was far too intense for that devotee, so I went through it Myself. This is My play—My leela—My nature. It is part of the task for which I have come: shishya rakshana, the protection of those who surrender.”

People who were close to Me during the past week kept asking Me to reveal the name of the person who was saved. I refused, saying it would only make them angry—thinking that Swami had to endure so much pain for one individual. They replied that they would instead honor that person for the depth of devotion that compelled Swami to rush to his rescue.

Some even guessed names, pointing to people who had paralysis, especially on the left side. This is amusing. When I save someone, I save them completely. I do not wait for disease to strike, nor do I leave behind traces so someone may be identified later. All these guesses are mere imagination.

Even in Shirdi, devotees such as Dada Saheb, Nadaram, and Balawanth were saved in this manner. Balawanth was destined to suffer from plague; I took over the disease, and the boy was saved.

This was perhaps the longest period during which I allowed devotees to remain worried—because the heart attacks that were to come upon the devotee also had to be taken over and neutralized. There is another reason why the eight-day duration was essential.

Today, I must reveal something about Myself—something I have not disclosed for the last thirty-seven years. The time has come. This sacred day demands it.

You know that when I first declared My identity and mission, I said that I belong to the Apasthamba Sutra and the Bharadwaja lineage. Bharadwaja was a great sage who studied the Vedas for one hundred years. Realizing that the Vedas were infinite, he performed penance and received extensions of life from Indra—two centuries more. Even then, the Vedas could not be exhausted.

Indra showed him three vast mountain ranges and said, “What you have learned in three centuries is only three handfuls from these mountains of knowledge. Perform a sacred ritual instead; I shall teach it to you. That will grant you the full fruit of Vedic study.”

Bharadwaja prepared for the ritual and wished Shakti to preside over it. He went to Kailasa, but Shiva and Shakti were engaged in a divine dance. Eight days passed while Bharadwaja stood waiting in the cold. Shakti merely smiled and continued dancing. Misunderstanding the smile, the sage turned away—and was immediately struck by paralysis affecting his left side.

Shiva rushed to him, consoled him, and cured him by sprinkling water from His kamandalu. Both Shiva and Shakti granted Bharadwaja great boons and promised to attend his ritual.

Afterward, Shiva declared that They would be born in human form in Bharadwaja’s lineage three times:

• Shiva alone as Shirdi Sai Baba
• Shiva and Shakti together as Sathya Sai Baba at Puttaparthi
• Shakti alone later as Prema Sai

Shiva further said that as expiation for the eight days Bharadwaja was neglected at Kailasa, Shakti would endure a stroke for eight days during the Sathya Sai incarnation—and on the eighth day, Shiva would cure it by sprinkling water, just as before.

What you witnessed today is the fulfillment of that ancient assurance. The suffering of a devotee provided the occasion for its execution. Many purposes were fulfilled through this single incident: the devotee was saved, the promise was honored, the mystery was clarified, and the Divinity was proclaimed through a great miracle.

Let Me tell you clearly: Nothing can obstruct the work of an Avatar. Some foolish people said during these days that it was all over with Sai Baba. Some claimed I was in samadhi, others feared black magic. Nothing can affect Me.

The splendor of this Avatar will continue to increase. When the child Krishna lifted Govardhanagiri, the cowherds recognized His divinity. Now, not one mountain—but an entire range—will be lifted. Have patience. Have faith. Tomorrow morning, I shall give each of you the Namaskaram Blessing that you missed today.