Chapter One

"I have come to light the lamp of Love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added lustre. I have not come to speak on behalf of any exclusive religion. I have not come on any mission of publicity for any sect or creed or cause; nor have I come to collect followers for any doctrine. I have no plan to attract disciples or devotees into My fold or any fold. I have come to tell you of this unitary faith, this spiritual principle, this path of Love, this virtue of Love, this duty of Love, this obligation
to Love."

These are the words of a twentieth century phenomenon, an exceptional spiritual teacher, called Sri Sathya Sai Baba. There are those who may have heard of Him as an educator, healer, spiritual leader and social worker. Indeed He is all these, and more.

Those who follow Sai Baba are not members of a cult or sect, but people of all walks of life, all races, all cultures and religions, who thirst and wish to drink from a deeper spiritual pool. They seek the underlying path of Unity and Divinity, within themselves, in others, and in their everyday lives.
Sai Baba has said:

"There is only one religion, the religion of Love,
There is only one language, the language of the Heart,
There is only one caste, the caste of Humanity,
There is only one God, and He is Omnipresent".

Sathya Sai Baba was born on Tuesday, November 23rd, 1926 at 5.03 am, in the remote south Indian village of Puttaparthi, formally called Gollapalli, meaning the home of the cowherd, some 110 miles from Bangalore, on the banks of the Chithravathi river. The family name was Raju and His father, Venkappa (1885-1963) and His mother Easwaramma, (1890-1972) called their son, their fourth child, Sathya Naraya; Sathya meaning "Truth" and Narayana meaning "God who dwells in all beings". On the occasion of Sathya`s birth, it is recorded that all the musical instruments in their small home, played by themselves, as if heralding the coming of a great Spirit into the world. His father and mother were a pious couple, and content in their humble role in life. They had three children before Sathya was born; two daughters, Venka and Parvata and a son, Seshama, and later another son called Janaki Ramayya. The main recreation Venkappa allowed himself was taking part in epic roles in the village stage plays, like his father before him. Kondamma Raju, Sathya's grandfather, was a most pious soul, a master of music, actor and strict vegetarian. Being vegetarian must have accounted for his longevity, as he lived to be 110 years old!

Sathya Narayana, soon proved that He was uniquely Divine in His nature and attainments. At an early age He demonstrated compassion, and would distance Himself from places where animals were killed or tortured, or where fish were trapped or caught. He avoided kitchens or the vessels used for cooking flesh or fowl. Should a bird be selected for cooking, young Sathya would run to the bird and clasp it to Him and showered it with love in the hope the elders would spare the bird's life.

On occasions such as these He would run to a neighbour`s house, whom He knew to be devout people and vegetarians, and take food from them, instead of remaining at home where meat was consumed. Also, He was a pacifist by nature and would never retaliate or complain when playmates would mistreat Him. He never seemed to suffer pain or discomfiture at their hands and was always honest and truthful at His home or school. Even at the tender age of three He would rush to help a beggar at the door asking His mother or sisters to give Him grain or flour for the waiting begger. This, at times, caused understandable irritation in the home, especially at the endless procession of outstretched hands and cries for alms. The household elders, on occasions, would shout the beggars away before young Sathya could bring the requested relief aid. This would distress Him and He would cry long and hard until their hearts would melt with pity for Him, and they would call the dismissed beggars back. At times, however, His mother reproved Him for His "misplaced charity", and with scolding fingers would warn Him that He would go without His meals should He continue to feed the beggars. Undaunted by the warning, He fed the poor hungry wretch first at the door and would leave His meal untouched. Nothing would persuade young Sathya to return to His meal. On such occasions He never seemed hungry and looked as if He had already eaten! In answer to His parent's questions He replied that He had already been fed by "a mysterious old man", of whom nobody had seen nor heard, fed Him milk-rice. While Sathya was well-known in the village for His compassion to those in need, in later years would go to His grandfather's kitchen and assist in the preparation of the vegetarian meals; even at such an early age of six or seven, He was a very good cook!

When He was seven or eight, He was composing spiritual songs which were performed at local religious festivals. Upon starting school, He earned the price of His books, and other school items, by composing "advertising songs" for the local store-keeper and they were sung as He and His friends strolled through the village extolling the excellence of the store.

A year or two later He demonstrated His creative powers by materialising objects, out of thin air, for His school friends. Candy, pencils, rubbers, fruits, were just a few of the many items He produced, to the wonderment of all present. On one such occasion He asked His friends to pick any one of a variety of fruits, which they would like, from a nearby non-fruit producing tree. Even fruit that were not indigenous to India, or those out of season, would be found hanging from its branches. Whatever Sathya willed became a fact. Such "miracles" cannot be explained by science and transend physical laws.

At about the age of eight the young Sathya was accepted into the Higher Elementary School at Bukkapatnam, about two and a half miles from Puttaparthi, a distance he had to trudge in rain or sunshine, over stony ground and sometimes when the season dictated it, having to wade across water, neck-deep, with schoolbooks balanced on His head. One teacher recalled Sathya as being "very obedient and simple. He never spoke more than the minimum necessary." Proceeding to school earlier than most He would arrange an image or holy picture with flowers He had with Him, and would conduct Puja (worship) and Arathi (offering a flame to one's guru or deity), and also distributing Prasad (blessed food, or anything received with devotion to God). The boys would gather around Him excitedly to see Him "taking" things from His empty school bag. When asked about it, He said that a certain "Grama Saskthi" obeyed His will and gave Him whatever He wanted.

In early 1997 Sathya Sai Baba made reference to an occurence in His youth which He had not hitherto mentioned. He said; "I was eight years old at the time. I was in Puttaparthi. A lot of young boys of My age used to gather around Me. Some older boys also used to join us. I used to teach them reading and writing as well as singing. They were not in the habit of taking daily baths. I insisted that they should bathe and remain clean when they come for the classes. I used to take them to a pool in the vicinity of a Hanuman temple in the village. I advised them that after taking a bath and wearing clean clothes, they should go to the Hanuman temple with the image of Hanuman enshrined in their hearts and the name of Sri Rama on their lips. One day, the boys insisted that I should also go with them to the temple. I completed one round around the temple and stood still. The boys tried to pull Me for a second round. Despite their combined efforts I could not be moved from where I stood. The boys were puzzled. Then I told them: 'I am unable to move because Hanuman has come out of the temple and is holding Me, saying Sri Rama cannot go around Hanuman. Hanuman will go round Sri Rama. At that moment the boys had a vision of Hanuman standing in front of Sri Rama. Where Rama is, Hanuman stands by.'" ( Rama was one of Sai Baba's former incarnations.)

Sathya was studying at the High School for a year, and a few months into His second year class, when the call for which He was incarnated amongst mankind, could no longer be ignored by Him. It was becoming more and more difficult for Him to hide His majesty while at home or at school activities.

While on a picnic with His brother Seshama Raju, and friends amongst the ruins of the ancient Virupaksha at Hampi, one holy sage, who was seated outside the temple, said of Him, "This boy, believe me, is Divine." While the party went into the temple, Sathya remained outside, seeming more interested in the grandure and structure of the temple. Nobody pressed Him to join them as they entered and observed the priest doing Aarathi before the Lingam. As the priest waved the aarathi flame in a circular movement, the camphor flame of which lit up the interior, they were startled to see Sathya standing erect and smiling in the place of the Lingam! This was so startling and unexpected that His brother rushed outside to see if Sathya had indeed managed to enter without their seeing Him, only to find Him leaning against a wall, where they had left Him. This amazing incident seemed to preceed them to the town. The next day, Thursday, Sathya, now assuming the role of Sai Baba, cured a chronic tuberculosis patient by His touch and had him get up and walk a mile! (Up to the year 1977, on the annual festival of Mahashivaratri, -the darkest night of the year,- Sai Baba brought forth, through His mouth, a lingam, in the presence of hundreds of thousands of devotees. Ellipsoid in shape and denoted as the symbol of the Cosmos in its original abstract form: Spirit and matter of which the entire Universe is founded. He has said of the lingam: "It is the symbol of emergence of the five primordial elements. The lingam is the essence of all attributes and names. It is the formless with form, the nameless with name, the primal emergent from the Divine.")

On another occasion Sathya left His physical body to go in aid of a devotee who was in great distress. Those who were present misunderstood what had happened, assuming He had fainted, suffered a snake bite or a scorpion sting. Doctors, quacks and sorcerers, tried to diagnose and treat the condition which would happen again and again in the future, but remained totally puzzled.

On the fateful day of May 23rd, 1940, while Sathya was scattering gifts to the outstretched hands of those who came to Him, He declared, for the first time, that He was Sai Baba, the saint of Shirdi, come again, to save and uplift humanity from the calamity fast coming upon mankind. He also declared Thursday as His day for worship and asked all those close to Him to worship Him henceforth as Sathya Sai Baba.

He announced that He was, in fact, the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi the revered saint who was born in Pathri, in the Aurangabad district, on September 27th, 1838. He was called "Babu" at birth, and in 1872, He settled in the town of Shirdi, where He caused a stir by worshipping one night in a Muslim mosque, and crossing over to worship at the Hindu temple the following night. In doing this He was demonstrating to both communities the unity of all religions. Much has been written of this noble saint who displayed a strength and strictness in His teachings. On October 15th. 1918, at 3.30am. and aged 80 years, Shirdi Baba, by which He is known, attained Samadhi (merging with the Absolute), having been born on a Muslim holy day in Ramzan, and leaving His body on a Hindu holy day in Vijayadasami, with the words, "Allah is removing the lamp that He lighted. Bury Me and go!" Forty years after His demise, Baba is reported to have appeared to a Roman Catholic nun, who was leaving the convent, with the Pope's absolution. She was penniless and dispondent, when Shirdi Sai Baba appeared to her suddenly in her cloistered room, assuring her of a bright future in Calcutta! (The author has been unable to ascertain if the nun referred to was indeed Mother Teresa of Calcutta.)

Prior to His death He announced that He would reincarnate eight years later, in southern India, thus commencing the second of a triple incarnation, as Sathya Sai Baba.

It is now known that the third and final Sai incarnation, will be eight years after the present Sai departs His body in 2022, aged 96 years. He will then be called Prema Sai,
(Prema means Love), and will be born in the Mandya District, in the village of Gunaparthi, on the banks of the river Canvery, Karnataka.

Incidentally, many Sai devotees have wondered who would take over the running of the ashrams when Sathya Sai departs His body. The answer to this question goes all the way back to the great spiritual teacher of Advaita-Vedanta, Parahamsa Ramakrishna. One of his star pupils, by the name of Narendra, had been given the new name of Vivekananda by Ramakrishna. Vivekananda died at the age of 39, in 1902, and was reborn in Kuttipuram, Sri Lanka. In this new form he has visited Sathya Sai many times. Swami said to him, "I have been waiting for you for 85 years"; meaning while in His Shirdi Sai body. Baba asked him to take over the ashram when He departs in 2022.

"I am no longer your Sathya," He stated to a small gathering of His school friends outside the His brother Seshama's home, where He stayed while attending the school. "I am Sai," He said, casting aside His books. His sister-in-law, upon hearing excited voices, peered outside and was almost blinded by the light of a halo that surrounded Baba's head. She shrieked and covered her eyes. Addressing her Baba said, "I don`t belong to you; Maya (illusion) has gone; My bhakthas (devotees) are calling Me; I have My work; I can't stay any longer." Saying this He turned and left in spite of her pleadings. Baba's brother who was a teacher at the school, hurried home on being told what was happening, and Baba said to him, "Give up all your efforts to 'cure' Me; I am Sai; I do not consider Myself related to you." A neighbour also witnessed the blinding halo around Baba's head and fell at His feet

Baba's brother always felt a responsibility for Sathya, and was perplexed by this announcement from his fourteen year old brother, talking of Work, Maya, Bhakthas and the Philosophy of Beginning! Seshama insisted that Baba stay in the house until their parents arrived at Uravakonda, but Baba refused to re-enter the house, instead went and sat on a rock in the garden of a friend. Many people came from near and far with offerings of flowers and fruit, and singing together the bhajan (devotional song) that Sai Baba taught them. The first prayer He taught was the Call, which is still sung today by devotees around the world.

Maanasa bhajare gurucharanam
Dusthara bhavasaagara tharanam

"Meditate in thy mind on the Feet of the Guru; that can take you across the difficult sea of Samsara."

Baba was sadly missed by His school friends, who felt that their guru was now beyond them, thinking that His company was hereafter only for those He showers His Grace upon. Many came to the little garden to worship Him, others to learn and, sadly, even to laugh!

Three days of bhajan singing and worship passed, and a photographer arrived to photograph the young "phenomenon"; he wanted the young Baba to remove a large stone that was in front of Him. Baba payed him no heed, but when the photo was processed, the stone had became the image of Sai Baba of Shirdi!

One evening, while those gathered sang bhajans, Baba suddenly said, "O, Maya has come!", indicating the arrival of His mother from His home village of Puttaparthi. Easwaramma pleaded with Him to return home with her, and wept at His retort, "Who belongs to whom?" She failed to shake His resolve. "It is all Maya," He repeated over and over. Later He asked the mother to serve Him some food, which she duly did, and these dishes were rolled up into a number of balls. Handing Him three of these, and eating them, Baba stated, "Yes. Now Maya* has left. There is no need to worry." A few days later He left with His parents for home.

Sathya Sai Baba's father, Peddavenkapa Raju, remained doubtful of his Son's proclaimed Divinity, so the first thing Baba did was to give His parents a vision of Sai Baba of Shirdi. After that, miracles of various kinds were a daily occurrence, and devotees started pouring into the tiny village. A prayer hall was now needed to accommodate the visitors, and this was built in 1944 and became known as Paatha Mandir, the Old Temple, later to be converted into a memorial to Peddavenkapa Raju. So isolated was the village of Puttaparthi, that when the Recruting Officer came there in his jeep, for Baba's Dharshan, that it was the first time a self-propelled vehicle was seen by the villagers!