Chapter Two

Nothing could have prepared the people of little Puttaparthi for all that was now to happen. The next fifty years would see a glorious expansion of this village, not just a physical one but also a spiritual explosion.

This was now the beginning of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's mission.
A mission that has never before been equalled in the annals of history. This event parallels a similar event that occurred, in the middle east, two-thousand years ago, involving another young man, who also proclaimed a mission of universal importance. His name was Jesus. Both young men being born into humble households in unknown villages. Whereas Sai Baba is presently widely known through the world, aided by books, and the media in general, Jesus' mission, which lasted only three years, was known only within the East Mediterranean area. However, both taught the same Divine principals; Peace, Love, Unity. The worshipping of the one God; love your neighbour as yourself; the equality of all religions; reminding man of his Divine origin,-are some of the similar teachings of both these men of God.

Within six years the Mandir would be outgrown with the large number of devotees converging on Puttaparthi each day, making it inadequate for its purpose. A beautiful new Mandir was inaugurated, by Sathya Sai Baba, on the fringe of the village, which was named Prasanthi Nilayam - the Abode of Supreme Peace!

This Abode gradually drew to itself, like a magnet, people of all nations, and religions. Baba's fame not only spread throughout India, but eventually far beyond its shores. His teachings touched a chord in the hearts of spiritual seekers everywhere, and His miracles of materialisations and healings, attracted the attention of the curious. To the latter He would invite with the words, "Come, test, enquire, taste, experience."

Sathya Sai Baba teaches that the basic nature of mankind is Divine, and that the purpose of life is to realise that Divinity within us. This is achieved through leading a moral life, rendering selfless service to those in need and developing love and respect for all forms of life. He encourages us to practise the fundamental principles that form the basis of all the world's major religions: TRUTH, RIGHT CONDUCT, PEACE, LOVE, and NON-VIOLENCE. These are human qualities which should be practised in our daily lives, inspiring others with our example.

Sai Baba has stated that He has not come to establish a new religion, or cult, or to direct people towards any particular religion. Indeed, He encourages those attracted to His teachings "to continue worshipping along lines already familiar to you". He further states, "Let the different faiths exist, let them flourish, and let the glory of God be sung in all languages and in a variety of tunes. That should be the ideal. Respect the differences between the faiths and recognise them as valid as long as they do not extinguish the flame of unity. If each person lives the ideals propounded by the founders of his religion, unaffected by greed or hate, then the world will be a happy and peaceful habitation for man." He also stated, "All religions are facets of the same Truth."

At the commencement of His mission, Baba said that in His life, the first 16 years would be marked by leelas (play), the next 16 years, by miracles. The rest of His earthly life by Upadesam, (imparting spiritual knowledge). That is not to say that the first two would by absent in the latter stage.

This combination of merriment and miracles was well illustrated with an incident that took place on a journey He took with a party of devotees, by bullock carts, to Uravakonda. While He occasionally left His followers for moments of solitude in the hills and dales, He was prone to practical jokes and fun from time to time. Baba Himself recounts this particular event, even today, with great humour. It was night, and Baba and a group of young men were walking behind the bullock carts in the moonlight. Unnoticed, He moved a few yards away from the group, hastening to the cart in the lead position. There He appeared as a young girl of sixteen, tearfully requesting a lift because her feet were sore, and that she was travelling to visit her husband, an in-patient, at the Dharmavaram Hospital. The ladies in the cart took pity on the unfortunate "girl" and allowed her onboard. After about a mile or so, Baba's absence was discovered, and the convoy of carts were brought to a halt, while a search ensued. They found Him just a few yards ahead of the leading cart. Some of the older men dared to rebuke Him for His playfulness, in a strange place in the dark of night! Resuming their journey only to discover that the "girl" was now missing. Where had "she" gone? Perhaps, being anxious to be at "her" husband`s bedside, "she" ran ahead when the carts stopped. Some of the younger men ran to search the road ahead, only to report that the road was empty for at least two miles. Believing Baba would know the whereabouts of any missing person, they asked Him. Not realising then, that the "girl" stood before them on the form of the Great Actor, Sai Baba!

The early devotees of Sai Baba, were blessed indeed. They witnessed so many wonderful miracles, they cannot contain themselves today in describing those earlier miracles they were previleged to witness. Be it materialising golden idols from the sandy banks of the Chithravathi river, to challenging His followers to a race to the top of the nearby hill, only for them to discover Him calling to them from the top, before they had started! Or looking up from the sands, and seeing a huge form of Shirdi Sai Baba, illuminated by a mysterious effulgence; some saw Baba's face inside the full-moon; or the great ball of fire, like a sun, piercing the New Moon disc, making it impossible to keep the eyes open. Some devotees fainted with shock.

From the time of His birth, Sai Baba has manifested a Divine Light, or aura, around Himself, especially around the head. This would be similar to those rays of light depicted by artists around the head of Jesus, and other saintly beings. These rays of light have been seen in a variety of colours, by those present at Darshan. One expert in the science of biomagnetic field radiation, -the science that studies the aura phenomenon, Dr. Frank G. Baranowski, of the University of Arizona, has given over 9,000 lectures on the subject around the world. His is aided with the use of Kirlian photography, which records auric emanations being given off by human and inanimate objects. Dr. Baranowski has suggested that scientists have photographed five different types of auras; physical, psychical, moral, spiritual and intellectual, and all are effected by the various emotional states of a person, turning into various hues as the emotions change. While not a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba he did travel to see Him in India, and while he has seen many auras of saintly people, as well as those of Queens, and Presidents, he said that he never seen such an aura that emanated from Baba. To quote him, "The aura that Swami (Baba) projected was not that of a man! The white was more than twice the size of any man's; the blue was practically limitless; and then there were gold and silver bands beyond even these, right up to the horizon. There is no scientific explanation for this phenomenon…I am a Christian, born a Roman Catholic. The scientific community in my country finds it difficult to accept a god. It is not scientific, they assert. I am risking my reputation when I make this statement: two days ago…I looked into His Eyes. They have a glow inside them. It was clear to me that I had looked into the Face of Divinity!"

Referring to His healing powers, Baba said, "The miracles belong to the boundless power of God…As an Avatar, this power is intrinsic, inherent, total and natural to My Will and Decision…This healing phenomenon has a dual aspect. I can cure, save, even resurrect people, provided they are in a spiritually receptive condition. It is like the positive and negative currents of electricity. My capacity to heal can be compared to the current. Your devotion to Me is the negative current. Once the two come together, the devotion provides what is called the miracle of healing."

The reference to Avatars (which means an incarnation of God into physical form, or God in man), requires some explanation and how they differ from sages, saints, etc.

The key difference between a saint and an Avatar, is that the Avatar is born with the innate knowledge of His Divinity and the full powers He brings with Him, while the saint, sage or yogi must undergo various spiritual disciplines to attain the "siddhis" or spiritual powers. There have been only one Poorna (total) Avatars, before Sathya Sai Baba; the Lord Krishna, 5,000 years ago. Also, the Poorna Avatar is recognised by the full compliments of sixteen attributes, or Divine facets, while Rama, who lived 11,000 years ago, had only twelve but acquired three during His lifetime.This is not intended to down-grade great spiritual Beings like Jesus Christ, or any of the many spiritual Teachers throughout the ages.

Saints and sages, as stated, acquire certain powers by the practice of a type of Yoga, called siddhis, requiring rigorous discipline and spiritual exercises over many years. These "gifts" are acquired as a by-product of their sincere God-ward quests, which are psychic powers like clairvoyance, healing, tele-portation, and so forth.

Being fully aware of our past, present and future, Sai Baba is conscious of the Karmic Debts from past lives, and may postpone a healing to allow the individual to learn the necessary lessons to bring balance back into his/her life before healing can take place. As He explains. "I have to calculate the potentialities, the retribution they deserve the use or misuse they will make of additional faculties and capabilities…You might say that the Karma of previous births has to be consumed in this life, and that no amount of Grace can save you from that. Evidently, someone has taught you to believe so. But I assure you, you need not suffer from Karma like that…Grace is like the morphine; the pain is not felt though you go through it."

Sathya Sai Baba concludes by saying, "My miracles are My calling cards, I give the people what they want so that they will give Me what I want; their love of God." So there is a purpose behind His miraculous acts; that they will stay and listen to His teachings.

It was in the early 1980's that Sathya Sai Baba called a small group of devotees together. They were special devotees. Highly evolved individuals who had been seeking to go deeper into their spiritual quests.

Baba instructed them to go to the sacred Himalayan mountains near the Holy Shrine of Badrinath, to worship and "practice the highest form of meditation that leads to trance and connects you with the Atmic Principle."

Most of the group of eleven were in their 30's and had come from exceedingly wealthy backgrounds. They were totally into the spiritual life, and as per Baba's instructions, they made arrangements for their family and heirs, as they were giving up all worldly possessions and attachments. Two who had been called to this new state, were already advanced in age and in their spirituality.

Sathya Sai Baba gave them a gift of a large urn, or vessel, called the "Akshaya Patra", which means the "never-declining, and ever-full" vessel. (Swami was born in the Hindu year called "Akshaya", and He too is "never-declining, and ever-full.") The urn was so-called because it spontaneously manifested all manner of food, fruits, milk, Prasad, etc., to sustain His chosen eleven! As Jesus said, "Seek ye first the Kingdom of Heaven, and all things will be added unto you!"

Upon giving them the vessel, Swami told them, "Whenever I notice that you are hungry, the necessary food required by you will automatically appear in the container under My Divine Will."

Sai Baba has appeared physically to them, initially every month, to give them personal Guidance and Direction. He now visits about every six months or so, and all His visits are clear examples of His Omnipresence; being seen by His devotees in the south of India, while also being in the Gufa Cave in northern India! It has been, after all, prophesised that the Avatar of this Age will "roam all over the Earth, adored by spiritual people."

It is said that these Cave devotees, are frequently visited by saints and sages who live their lives roaming through the Himalayas. Some are reportedly hundreds of years old, while at least one is close to 1000 years old! They come to partake of the vessel's Prasad and all have made reference to the great blessings this group of eleven have with Swami's personal spiritual guidance whenever they need it, while these sages bemoan the fact that they themselves are not permitted close proximity to Swami.

As one sage said, "Those who have the good luck of having Darshan of God Incarnate, receiving His Grace and getting their daily food from the Prasad Patra given by Him, are really fortunate. So far as we (the sages) are concerned, the Avatar does not allow us even His (physical) proximity."

Another sage has said, also, "Yes, Lord Shiva has descended on Earth in the form of Sai Baba, but what is surprising is that the Avatar is not allowing us, -the Siddhas (God-realised souls), anywhere near Him."

How fortunate some of His devotees are to be able to have His Darshan, and have private interviews, while saints and sages are kept at a distance!

Finally, when Devaraha Baba, who is reportedly 450 years old, was asked about Sai Baba, he replied, "He is Parabraham Incarnate, (the Universal Absolute: God)… It is not proper to tell such things unless they are specially asked for. There has to be a real seeker first. Besides, there is another important reason. The Lord Incarnate has strictly forbidden the Siddhas to mention this fact to anyone. As such we cannot even discuss this matter amongst ourselves. This mystery about the Incarnation of Bhagavan Sainath (meaning 'Blessed Lord Sai'), can be discussed briefly only in the company of the highly realised Sadhakas (saints), who are really inquisitive…The time is not far off when seers, sages and saints, from all over the country, will assemble in Puttaparthi to receive the blessings of the Lord Incarnate."
Of this, Sai Baba has said, "The time has not yet come."

Sathya Sai Baba's fame was beginning to spread far and wide, by the stories of His miracles, acts which science cannot explain and which transcend physical laws. Thousands are wonderstruck upon seeing Him materialising objects, and the creation of Vibhuti, the sacred ash. With the circular movement of His hand Baba produces an ash, grey in colour and scented, which is considered sacred. This flows from His palm or from between His fingers and is a spiritual and physical aid for those to whom He presents it. It is a healing agent. Or changing the forms of objects like rings and medallions, from one metal into another, by simply blowing on it! All these are done, He says, "By an act of will." He is known to have healed the sick, of all serious condidions. He has protected from harm those who have called for His help, no matter how distant they may be from Him. He has appeared in physical form in several places at the same time, even to those who had never heard of Him at the time, only to be told of the incidents by Him, many years later. There are, also, many documented cases of Him raising people from the dead.

However, He has said, "You have come to get from Me tinsel and trash, the petty cures and promotions, worldly joys and comforts. Very few of you desire to get from Me the thing I have come to give you, namely Liberation itself!"

It can surely be said that His greatest miracles are the transformation of people who come to Him, with doubts and apprehensions, and who leave with love in their hearts, peace in their minds, and a resolve to lead a more useful and spiritual life.

Sai Baba recently related the story of a Muslim classmate who sadly fell into evil ways as the result of becoming a morphia addict. He underwent a tremendous transformation as a result of his faith in Sai. This young Muslim boy was fond of Sai Baba and would call Him 'Raju', like the other classmates. When Baba left school, the boy continued his studies and later worked in an insurance company. But his wife died, and he slipped into depression, turning to morphia injections to ease the pain of his loss. In time, he had to sell his property to help feed his addiction and the whole family became utterly destitute. It was at this lowest point that a miracle occurred. He happened to be passing a house where a Sai group of devotees were singing bhajans, and it brought back the memory of his boyhood friend Raju. He thought that perhaps Sathya Sai would deliver him from utter ruin, and pledged to Baba to abstain from injections for three days, with faith and hope that Sai would rid him of his addiction. He struggled for two days in extreme agony and on the third fell into a deep sleep at midnight. He awoke in the morning to acclaim that Baba had visited him and that he felt good and released from his ailments, both mental and physical. "My God has saved me. Sai Baba is my God." From that moment his life changed. His circumstances improved, and this muslim openly proclaimed: "I see my Allah in Sai. He is my omnipotent God."

Baba has, however, cautioned people against placing too much importance to miracles, when He stated, "Do not give importance to miracles. Do not exaggerate their significance. The greatness of My power does not reside in these miracles, it consists only in My Love. It is true, I can change heaven into earth, and earth into heaven. But Divine Power does not fritter itself thus to reveal itself. It is only for the sake of love that Divinity descends as an Avatar. All the ostensible miracles are only droplets of that Ocean of Love. Do not be dazzled by the droplets. Recognise the ocean and come to dip yourselves therein."

On another occasion Baba said, "It is foolish for people to think that I am just a man of miracles and no more. The kind of feeling which an elephant gets when a mosquito lands on its body is exactly like what miracles are for Me. These miracles have an insignificant place in my totality. Sometimes I feel like laughing at the ignorance of people when they attach importance to My miracles. People talk of only such small things and forget the much bigger aspects in Me."

St. Thomas Aquinas said, "Only God can perform miracles," underlining the Divine origin of miracles, equally Jesus did not attribute much importance to His "signs."

Baba has demonstrated His power over the natural forces on many occasions. Heavy rain miraculously dispersed, over a darshan gathering of several thousand people, allowing the sun to shine upon them, while rain continued its downpour outside the ashram area. This was Swami's way of caring for His flock. On another occasion producing a vertical rainbow for a unbelieving American! And retreating the flood waters of the Chitravathi river, which threatened to flood the village of Puttaparthi, and countless other delightful miracles documented over the years by His biographers.

These extraordinary incidences occur with regularity, and are witnessed daily by many thousands of devotees present at the gatherings. The writer witnessed two healings while staying in Prasanthi Nilayam, and materialisations. Anybody may see and verify such incidents, for themselves, by direct observation.

Possession of a materialised gift from Baba, be it a ring, necklace, watch, or any precious object He might present one with, it acts as a talisman and can speed up rescue in the event of an accident, although, He states, this is not necessarily so.

"One does not have to have a feeling that Swami will protect and bestow His grace only through such talisman," Baba said. "That is not correct, either. The meaning is that if the wearer of this talisman is in difficulties or danger, then this talisman immediately flashes and in one flash brings the news to Me. Similarly in a split second it flashes My grace back to the wearer, which will avert the danger or disaster to the wearer. There is a Divine Secret which exists in the talisman and that is the reason for wearing them."

Before a large gathering, at a Christmas Day discourse in 1996, Sai Baba spoke of Jesus and His mission two thousand years ago. "Scholars started investigating the validity of the statement made by Jesus Christ, 'I and My Father are One.' They collected all knowledge that existed prior to 1,530 years. All that was compiled in one book in England. Russians made it into a small tiny book. This is that book. "With that He materialised a small leather-bound book with threads as page markers, and held it between His thumb and forefinger, for the congregation to see. "This is the book, the Bible. These are the pages in it. You find the cross there on the book. This also proved the procedure to establish synthesis of all religions. Some of the details of Christ's life found here are not recorded in the Bible. This is the true story of Jesus. It is not given to everybody to know His divinity. To know His divinity we should develop divine thoughts. Here you find the book mark thread. Every thread marks the text of a particular religion.
The most important Sloka of Bhagawat Gita is present here in this book mark. The essence of all religions is one. Surrender is the main duty of everyone. Surrender means the feeling of oneness, 'I and God are One.' Why? The reason is, who that is present in you is present in me. Only bodies are different. Bulbs are different in wattage and colours. But the current is one. This book contains that important dictum of oneness that runs through all religions."

When those present wanted to inspect the tiny Bible close-up, they found it had been teleported back from whence it came, only a few moments earlier, to its hiding place in Southern Russia.