Chapter Five

Prophets, down through the ages, have set down predictions of a "Great Coming", of a Messiah, a world Teacher, an Avatar, to herald in the New Age of Peace and Unity. The sources of these predictions and prophesies have been many, and can be found in the ancient texts of most cultures and religions, such as the Old and New Testaments, American Indian culture, Buddhists, Hindus, Muslims, Mormons, as well as by the great French visionary Nostrodamus.

The belief that God incarnates in human form can be found in many of the world's scriptures but no-where is it more prominent than in the Hindu faith. In the Bhagavad Gita it is said that the full complete Avatar is recognised by the expression of the Divine attributes of Omniscience (all knowing), Omnipotence (all powerful), and Omnipresence (being in all space and time). In the Mahabarata, the ancient Hindu testament, the Lord Vishnu, the Preserver and Protector of the Universe, foretold of a Kali Yuga, or age, corresponding to our present age which is marked by moral and spiritual decline, by political corruption, oppression, dishonesty, crime and the prevalence of falsehood. Lord Vishnu said "When evil is rampant upon the Earth, I will take birth in a family of a virtuous man and assume a human body to restore tranquility by the extermination of evil. In the coming Kali age of sin, I will assume a human form that is dark in colour and I will be born into a family in South India. This Avatar will possess great energy, great intelligence and great powers. Material objects needed for this Avatar's mission will be at His disposal as soon as He will think of them. He will restore order and peace in the world. This Avatar will inaugurate a new era of Truth (Sathya), and will be surrounded by spiritual people, the people of this Earth will imitate this Avatar's conduct and will bring prosperity and peace. Men will once again take on the practice of religious rites, educational centres for the cultivation of Brahmic Laws. Temples will re-appear again and everywhere ashrams will be filled with men of Truth. Rulers of the Earth will govern their kingdoms virtuously. The Avatar will have an illustrious reputation."

The Lord Buddha, the Light of Asia, went amongst the people teaching Peace, Love and Understanding, and said, "I am not the first Buddha who has come upon the Earth, nor shall I be the last, for in due time another Buddha will arise in the world, a Holy One, a supremely enlightened One, endowed with wisdom, auspiciousness and embracing the Universe, an incomparable leader of men, a ruler of angels and mortals. He will repeat to you the same eternal truths which I have taught you. He will establish His Law. He will proclaim a righteous life wholly perfect and pure, such as I now proclaim. His disciples will number many, many thousands, while mine number hundreds...

Within recent times, another prophesy was discovered in a Buddhist monastry in the Himalayas of Northern India, and one which people there believe would soon come true. "A new era will manifest itself," it says, "But first there would begin an unprecedented war of all nations, when brother will rise against brother, oceans of blood will flow and people will cease to understand one another. They will forget the meaning of the world Teacher. Just then a teacher appears, the Prophet of the New Age. One stone upon His finger is worth more than all the world's treasures. Even those who, by accident, receive the teachings of the Prophet, will receive in return a hundred-fold. Already, many warriors of the teachings of truth are re-born, only a few years shall elapse before one shall hear the mighty steps of the Lord of the New Era".

All religions have within them the same truth, the same emphasis on universal Human Values; the importance of prayer, the need for worship and what all are seeking, is the Grace of God.

The Prophet Mohammed prophecised the coming of a Great Teacher, giving a most detailed description of He whom he called the "Guided One". Seven hundred years ago his followers compiled his many discourses into twenty-five mighty volumes which are called "Heldi", or the Ocean of Light. Volume thirteen is of particular interest to us at this time, called the "Mahdi Mood", which in Arabic means "the Great Teacher that was promised". Mohammed is said to have given twenty seven attributes or signs, by which El Mahdi, or the Guided One, as he refers to Him, will be recognised, and a very clear physical description of Him. Mohammed was asked if he was the Guided One, he said that he was not, and furthermore, that no Prophet of God had ever come to the world who would come with the power which He, the Guided One, would come. He went on to say that, "No Prophet was like this Great Teacher because all the Prophets were put to death by the people, as their powers had not been sufficient to prevent their being killed. But, no power will be able to conquer or to kill the Guided One."

Mohammed continued, "Religious people will collect under a great tree, they will have a spot on their foreheads. His power will be profuse. His forehead will be large and concave. The nose will be small with a slight bump on the bridge. His front teeth will be spaced apart. He will have a mole on His left cheek. His clothing will be like a flame. The colour of His face will sometimes be like copper, sometimes yellow like gold, sometimes very dark and sometimes shining like the moon. His body will be small in size (Sai Baba is 5' 2" tall, and 108lbs). All teachings, of all religions of the world, from the beginning of time, will be in His head. All things which He will ask from God, He, the Guided One, will give to you. All treasures of the world are at His feet. He will give everyone gifts that are light in weight, (medallions, necklaces, watches, rings, etc.) and He will go amongst the devotees and touch their heads with His hands. Every eye which sees Him will be happy, not only humans but disembodied souls. He will be 96 years on earth, and in the last twenty years of His life, He will be king of the whole world. At that time only two-thirds of the people of the world will believe in Him. Muslims will only recognise Him nine years before His passing from the world. You could have stretched out your hands and been with Him but you missed Him".

Five hundred years ago a learned pundit inscribed the following on a palm leaf 36cm long by 2 1/2cm deep: "The person to whom this horoscope relates, 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 everyday of His whole lifetime for the establishment of Dharma (righteousness), which is His ideal and objective". It further mentions: "He will be an Avatar amongst the Avatars".

Another prophesy relating to the New Age Avatar, was written 5000 years ago by the sage Shuka Muni, son of Vyasa, in the Suka Nandi, on a rare palm leaf manuscript called, "Sai Charitamrutum".

It deals with the incarnation of the Lord Sai in the Kali Yuga (or Kali Age). The name Sai was referred to, the date of birth; month, year and even the day of the week, and noting the stars at the time of His birth. This manuscript also states that only 1/10th of His power will manifest until the end of the century, when His full powers will be known and demonstrated.

The North American Indian, Black Elk, was born into the free life of the Oglala Sioux plains people in 1863, before the coming of the white man to his land. When he was nine years old he had a vision which showed his people becoming sick of spirit, frightened, disunited and lost in a great storm, but he was given the promise that something beautiful was coming, as the darkness passed and a New Age be born. He saw a great star emerge from the East and a Sacred Being clothed in red, and as he looked closer he saw the trees and the stones dance with joy in the glorious light. His vision heralded a glorious message of love and understanding, bringing the entire human race into the sacred circle, in harmony with all living things. Later, in a second vision he was told that the message which was to awaken his people would come from the East, from a man who was neither a white man nor an Indian in appearance. The young Black Elk, who lived on the Pine Ridge reservation, saw that the people who received this new message would "be filled with the flames of fire," spreading into other people and those who did not accept the new message of peace and light, would be filled with darkness.

The renowned 16th century French visionary, Nostrodamus, perdicted that after the Battle of Arma-geddon, a new Saviour will appear to guide people in the way of Truth and Peace. He wrote: "He who has been awaited for such a long time, will not appear in Europe. He will appear in Asia...Thursday will be His Holy Day."
"The triplicity of waters will give birth to a Man who will choose Thursday as His holy day. His voice, reign and power will rise across land and sea, amid storms in the East."

Mankind today lives in an uncertain and precarious time, full of disasters such as wars, terrorism, and of natural disasters like earthquakes, floods, famines and global warming. Fear is the dominant emotion within mankind in this century, which seemingly, offers little hope for the future, and to the generations to come. But Sathya Sai Baba does offer hope for the future, and has stated so, "Love and peace will return to the earth and cleanse the horrors and excesses of the dark ages, which today pollute the very atmosphere". *

Commenting further on predicted disasters, Baba stated, "Know that you are saved. Many hesitate to believe that things will improve, that life will be happy for all and full of joy, and that the Golden Age will recur. Let me assure you that this divine body has not come in vain. It will succeed in averting the crisis that has come upon humanity."

He continues to reassure us that there is no reason for mankind to be distressed about the future, He says that the Golden Age of humanity is soon dawning, and that the Age of Truth commences from 1999 and continues through to His next advent as Prema Sai!

When asked about the possibility of a world war, He replied, "No. No world war!"

On another occasion He went on to reassure US devotee, Phyllis Krystal, that there would be no cataclysm in California, where she lives, as many sources of predictions had previously suggested. However, there would be many quakes to reduce the pressure which builds up deep in the earth. This is one of the reasons He has come at this time, and to prevent such calamities as nuclear war!

While Christians await the Second Coming of Christ, the Jews await the Messiah, the Muslim, the Mehdi; the Hindu, Lord Kalki; the Buddhist, the Lord Maitreya Buddha, and the American Indian, the Pale Prophet. All faiths await the Return of the Lord, -in physical form!

The similarities between all these prophecies cannot be denied, and all seers and prophets agree that there will be born, out of this calamitous period, a New Age of Love and Peace, based on Spiritual Values. Further, that all these changes will be brought about by the Advent of God on Earth.

When referring to Yugas, or ages, it is worth knowing that there are four phases or ages, which constitute world cycles of time, according to the Hindu belief. These are Krita (or Sathya) Yuga, the original Golden Age, with Virtue dominant. Treta Yuga, Dwapara (or Dvapara) Yuga, and Kali Yuga which is the present age of conflict, decline and dissolution, where Virtue is rare and vice is predominant. These four Yugas, together, make up a Mahayuga, of 12,000 years.

* "Sai Messages for You and Me", Lucas Ralli