4. THE DIVINE PROCLAMATION

 

On 20th October 1940, Shri Anjaneyulu (the local Excise Inspector), Sathya's sister-in-law and Pandit Narayana Shastri witnessed a celestial event. They beheld a Halo of supra earthly light around the face of Sathya. As mere humans they found this brilliance difficult to withstand, none-the-less they were encharmed. The young lad proclaimed vociferously, "I am no longer your Sathya. I am Sai Baba. I am going. I don't belong to you, Maya has gone: My bhaktas are calling Me. I have My work waiting; I can't stay any longer". Saying this, Sathya left the place.

 

This fact deserves special attention on the part of dear readers that a boy of mere 14 years of age, in whose family and entire ancestry no one ever knew anything of Sai Baba, not even His name. The very same boy calls Himself 'Sai Baba' and makes a Divine declaration "I am Sai Baba". Not only this but also from the fact that he should have talked of his bhaktas, the work of his life (clearly refers to his previous incar­nation), the philosophy of Maya and attachments, the readers can gauge and judge for themselves, the reality of circumstances under which this could be possible. It is even more important to realise that at that time in South India and that too in a secluded village in a remote corner of Andhra Pradesh, no villager had ever heard of Shirdi Sai.