2013

Sathya Sai Service Organisation

Republic of Ireland, Zone 9, Region 91

SATHYA SAI NEWSLETTER JAN-FEB 2013

Dear Devotees of Sathya Sai, love expresses itself in many ways. In a mental asylum there are people A Happy and Blessed New Year to with many kinds of delusions. In a you all! sense, the entire world may be considered as a mental asylum. There This is a new year, and hopefully not are many people in the world who are an extension of the last one, but a crazy about money. There are others year that will offer peace, happiness who have obsessions regarding their and a future filled with hope for health and sickness. Some others are everybody. crazy about power and position. In The year gone by will long be this manner, every individual is remembered for many reasons - the obsessed with some desire or the uncertain weather, economic woes, other. There are, again, some who are and so much tragedy in people’s obsessed with the idea of God. That is lives. Everybody is trying hard to see the only commendable obsession.” the light at the end of the tunnel, so On another occasion, Swami that they will be able to smile again referred to the present-day Seven as they enter 2014. However, the Deadly Sins, as follows: fault lies not within the stars, as they say, but within man himself and his “The nation today is affected by the greed for more of the good things of consequences of seven grievous sins. life which he can neither afford nor The first is business without morality; needs. Homes and livelihoods have the second is politics without been lost by this craving and suicide principle; the third, education figures have never been higher! without character; the fourth, worship without sacrifice, the fifth, We, Sai devotees are blessed to wealth without hard work; the sixth, know of Swami, and the love He has human exist without regard for showered upon us over the years, scriptures; the seventh, devotion and, indeed, continues to do so. without austerity. Regretfully, there are those who have never heard of Him, and even These are the Seven Deadly Sins that wonder at our devotion to such a are ravaging the nation. The country Glorious Being. So it must be will regain prosperity and peace only through our actions of service and when all these are banished and you love towards others that will have morality in business, principles impress them to learn more about in politics educated men who have the Avatar of this New Age - this character and work as the basis of Golden Age. wealth.”

Mankind is obsessed with all things These words were said many years material and his greed-list gets ago but are as pertinent today as longer and longer. Some years ago, when He first said them. Swami touched on this very subject, which I now quote: All this is food for thought. Ed. ______“There is no human being in the world without love. However, that

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I am the Sai Baba of Shirdi come me. I did not know how much time I again; then I was mostly engaged was standing there. I heard the call in preparing the meal; now I have of my mother and I knew I should come to free you all with rush back to avoid harsh words or strengthening, purifying repast. even a beating from my mother. During the few minutes when I was -Baba (age 14) standing, the water had been slowly ______rising. I did not notice it. But suddenly the mud below the rock SAVING HANDS UNDER had been washed off and the rock slipped into the rushing waters. THE FLOODED RIVER Faithfully, I have followed the rock as a companion. The rock had landed I thought Swami had come to my life nearby, but I was washed off along only in the year 1965, when I had the big waves of the river. Somebody the fortune of meeting Divinity for was shouting, calling for help, and the first time. But I was wrong. many rushed to see me mercilessly Swami later one day confirmed that I thrown up and down (in) the water. had been earmarked by Bhagavan for shaping my life, even before I had I was going down the water, unable met Him. to grasp my breath. I had already taken a lot of water into me and I Swami clarified that, “I know the could not breathe. Past, the Present and the Future of all My devotees very well. I know their It was at that critical moment that I destiny, and subtly interfere and help suddenly felt that somebody from them for the quickest evolution in down under the water was their spiritual pursuit”. supporting me! I could feel a pair of hands holding me and keeping me And as a confirmative assurance, aloft in the water for a distance of Swami asked me, “Do you remember few meters. I saw a branch of a huge those Hands that saved you from a tree almost touching the water and I flooded river, in your childhood had (the) presence of mind to hold days?” on to that branch. As I was holding In a flash I remembered the desperately to the branch, half unforgettable incident when I was a portion of my body was still in the young boy. On a fateful weekend, the water and the force of the water was river Harichandra was flowing threatening to pull me again into it. I fiercely, flooding the riverbeds too. was crying loudly and called my In my childhood days, not knowing mother. But no sound was coming the dangers, we were delighted to out from my throat. The fear of watch the unending stream of death in that tender age was floodwater. The roaring waves of the overwhelming me. But from that river seemed to invite us. I was instant I could not feel the standing on a rock kept on the side mysterious hands which were of the riverbed near our home. The supporting me till then. I thought sight of the river was mesmerising that somebody had tried to save me

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from the floods and then vanished Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram. when perhaps I seemed to be safe This state-of-the-art, fully automated holding to a tree branch. ELISA work station for its microbiology department was There was immense hue and cry bought at the cost of Rs. 35 lakh along the shore of the river, many (5,000 euro approx.). people running here and there. An old man climbed over the tree and With the new machine tests can be jumped into the water nearer me, performed in the hospital in a took hold of me and swam along the shorted span of time. Dr. Choudary shore for a small distance, before he D. Voleti said that this new machine could set his feet on earth. He then will bring the sample testing time put me on the floor face down, till I from 6 hours down to 2.5 hours, thus vomited all the water, which I had reducing the waiting time for consumed during those dreaded patients. period of uncertainty. “It is now possible to test 400 But all along, I was thinking of blood samples at a time,” he said. those mysterious Hands, which were “The procurement of the new ELISA supporting me from under the work station is in consonance with water. Who was He? I did not know. the principals of health care laid The elders in our house did not down by Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Baba’s believe the story of those two hands health institutes, therefore, give top supporting me from down the water. priority to patient-care and are always evolving ways to serve the As I had mentioned earlier, now I patients better,” Dr. Voleti said. firmly believe that our Lord Sai had been watching me even from my ______tender age, and Swami was in the act of resurrecting me from the jaws of The heart full of compassion is death. verily the temple of God.

- “Mumbai” Srinivasan - BABA ______Dust if you think, dust you are. The Next Sai Incarnation

God if you think, God you are. In the early 1990s, during a talk with - BABA students, Sathya Sai told them "that the father of his next incarnation, as ______Prema Sai, had been born in the southern Indian state of Karnataka. New ELISA Work-Station He also said that the body of Prema The very latest technology in the Sai was in the process of being field of diagnosing infections, like formed." "It is also said that Prof. Kasthuri will be the mother of Prema HIV (Aids), Hepatitis and dengue, among others, has been recently Sai," who is now already reborn. installed in SSS Institute of Higher

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The future incarnation of Sathya Sai “He will have plenty of work. Prema is to include the roles of being a Sai will elevate human consciousness husband and father. It is said, at a to divine heights. Not only will there certain time, Prema Sai will be be a lot of work but he will also need married, and be the father to one a lot of help.” James Sinclair, in 2005, boy. described a series of dreams that Prema Sai Baba is said to complete "went on for years”. I saw myself the mission of the Sai Avatar to end walking up a hill, led by three men in this age of darkness and to usher in the darkness of night. One was an the golden age of Mankind. Around old man in white. One looked 2105, the incarnation will finish as somewhat like Jesus Christ. The one Prema Sai Baba (then 86) will enter in the middle had an orange robe." into mahasamadhi. Fifteen years later, he describes finding a book about Sai Baba, and Professor G. Venkataraman relates seeing his appearance, "recognised a personal experience with Sathya that the recurring dream had been of Sai in which Prema Sai became the Shirdi Sai, Sathya Sai, and Prema Sai topic. A warden offered a peanut to walking up the hill night after night Swami who first refused but later for many years." popped one nut into his mouth. He then started giving us one nut at a ______time. Everyone put out his hand to My Name is not distinct from My receive the Prasadam from Swami and when my turn came I did the Form. The Name recalls the Form same. But what fell into my hand as soon as it is pronounced or was not a piece of groundnut but an enamel billet with some art work on heard. When the Form is seen, the it. I gave Swami a puzzled look and Name comes into the he said, “See what it is.” I tried to see what was on the billet but could not consciousness that very moment. see clearly since I did not have my So, when the Name is ever dancing glasses on. Swami then made some teasing remarks and said, “This billet on your tongue the Form too, has shows the Cosmic Form of the Lord. to be before you and beside you. Embedded in it are the forms of Shirdi Sai and Swami. I have left some space What need is there to mention for Prema Sai also. Shall I include this as a gift from Me? I have to Prema Sai also?” We remained silent, stunned by the experience. He then manifest the Form, whenever My smiled and said, “No, I shall not Name is remembered with faith include Prema Sai because you faithless fellows would desert me and and devotion. go after him!” We all laughed." In 2004, Professor Anantharaman - BABA talked about an experience with Sai Baba. "Howard then asked what ______work would Prema Sai do? Sai said

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BLACK & WHITE colours as these enhance the Third Eye perception and give them much Have you ever wondered why one healing energy). The Guru’s white wears white or light coloured clothes reflect the negative energy clothes at Prasanthi Nilayam? away. Black absorbs all that comes

The following article offers a unique to it, this also acts as a sponge, “give explanation for this. “Whilst every me your problems and I will absorb colour is God created, some colours them (black)”. Wear black in the attract and some colours repel sunlight and you will roast as the negative energies. Colours are heat vibrations absorb easily”. vibrations - all creation is vibration. Certain colours therefore retain “Hence black is the most absurd negative vibrations! When we colour for funerals and hospitals, it become over emotional or involved attracts all sorts of dark moods and in lust, greed, anger, ego, etc. this energies and influences, just when breaks down our outer protective you need extra protection, and sheath - our aura. We lose our retains all this. Black garments act as protection enabling negative entities a vacuum cleaner sucking bad to cling on to us. Many astral entities vibrations, holding them and passing (spirits) inhabit funeral parlours, them on to the wearer. This also hospitals, dark alcohol clubs, night applies to home furnishings; dark clubs and places of sin. These colours absorb and retain depressive entities attach themselves to energies”. persons having a weak aura due to losing their auric protection!” “Many women wear black from head to toe, this is not Satvic. I asked “Traditionally, Tibetans and Indians Babaji for more guidance on this in always wear white at funerals. One meditation. I was shown an example reason for wearing white is where a pregnant woman (because) negative/spirits do not completely enclosed in black clothes, like attaching to white clothing. It’s her child in the womb has very little now a fashion trend to wear black all chance of absorbing purity. Is it the time. It means one is enveloping surprising why many of them grow themselves in a barrier which up aggressive?” restricts goodness to come in.” “Since the colour black is tamasic “Think about this, white reflects in nature, it has maximum capacity away much negativity. White stands to attract and transmit negative and for purity and calmness. (It is not by distressing frequencies in the chance that hospital staff wears environment, i.e. to the extent of white). Imagine being in the 70%. This means, out of all the presence of a Guru (teacher) where possible negative vibrations (ghosts many devotees who come to him for included) that there can be in the help. They bring their problems with environment, the colour black can them. If the Guru wore black or dark attract up to 70% of them.” colours he would absorb all their ([email protected]) negativity and become ill in no time. (Gurus also tend to wear reddish Prior to coming upon this article, I

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was always surprised to see the prospects of internal and external number of young people, in peace, the occurrences of natural particular, who choose to wear calamities like floods, droughts, black. I once saw a young man at earthquakes, etc. But reading all this wedding wearing black shoes, black only increases your worries, your restlessness. Take things as and when socks, black suit, black shirt and they come. Do not try to peep too far black tie. His hair was ‘lacquered’ into the future with the help of black, and he had a pale complexion! astrologers. They are mostly wrong, He was like a walking shadow! and the data you supply them are I shall leave it to your imagination! mostly unreliable”. ______“Take care of the Panchangams (the five-limbed almanacs) within you; You come near for some time and that is more vital. The Panchangams within you are the five senses; stay away into distance. I don’t educate the mind to hold them in mean physical distance at all. You check - then you can have peace of mind, whatever the rise in the market may be physically far, but rates or the quantity of rain. Do not mentally by My side. I do not get panicky over what the almanac says about the combination of many measure distance in miles. I am planets, the Ashtagrahakoota. They with you, in you, beside you ever. exaggerate the consequences; nothing much will happen; the Pralaya Only you have to be aware of Me (destruction of the Universe) is more and make use of My Presence. in the frightened mind than in external nature. If you earn the - BABA Anugraha (blessing) of the Lord, no graha (planet) or combination of ______grahas can harm you. If you learn how to secure that Anugraha, you Fears of Destruction need not worry about the Panchangam”. Dispelling fears of destruction, Swami discoursed on March 17th. “Today, you are celebrating the 1961, exhorting humanity to revel in arrival of a New Year with a new His glory resorting to spiritual name, a name that you will use for practices, to win His anugraha, that twelve coming months. But would allay all unwarranted fears remember, it is not the year alone troubling human minds. that is new once in 365 days. Every day is new, every hour and minute, “Kasthuri has just now read from every second is new. Do not celebrate the Panchangam (almanac) for the only the New Year Day in joy; New Year, the predictions of the celebrate every second in joy”. astrologers about rainfall, the condition of the crops, the prices of “Start from today, not that today is articles in the markets, rise and fall in a New Year - there are so many New the rates of gold and silver, the

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Years celebrated as such by one or the distribution among the devotees other community that every day is a while in the midst of prayers or new year to some one set of people - discourses on the riverbed or but because it is today and the matter seashore. For example, on December brooks no delay, start from today a 21, 1958, during Baba's Kerala Tour, new chapter in your life, the chapter He went to the Kovalam Beach, of Japam (recitation of holy names) seven miles away from the town of and Dhyanam (meditation), Japa- sahitha Dhyaanam (recitation- Trivandrum accompanied by many oriented meditation) or Dhyaana- devotees. At a quiet spot on the sahitha Japam (meditation-oriented seashore, a mile away from the recitation). In the Thretha Yuga, the bathing area, Baba sat with the Name was Seetha Rama; in the devotees around Him, and sang a Dwapara Yuga, it was Radhe Shyama; few songs, which were followed by a in this Kali Yuga, it is Sarvanaama, prayer session. During the session that is to say, all Names of the Lord; Baba "took" from the sands a you can select any one that appeals to bewitching sandalwood image of you.” Lord Krishna playing the flute, and after a few minutes He "took" a gold ______ring with the Krishna motif embossed on it! Everyone expected The appeasement of the dog’s that Baba would distribute amrita, hunger is the same as Mine. The "nectar of immortality," "taken" by Him from nowhere. They were not dog has got a soul; the creatures disappointed, for even as the may be different, but the hunger devotees sang, the fragrance of the nectar was wafted in the still night of all is the same, though some air and no one knew from where! speak and others are dumb Baba's Palms became sticky, as if saturated with syrup, even while (mute). beating time for the songs. All knew that the fragrance was then Know for certain, that he, who emanating from those Palms. He feeds the hungry, really serves Me held His Palms together and pointed them at a silver vessel. Thick with food. Regard this as an ambrosial "honey" flowed into it axiomatic Truth. from His Hand! He distributed it Himself to all present, including - BABA some fishermen who had joined the group. The sweetness and scent of ______the nectar were incomparably strange and outside the experience Miracles On Vaikunta Ekadasi of everyone. “Sathyam Sivam Sundaram”. During the evening of the Heavenly Eleventh Day of the Moon, Swami, ______had for many years been regularly "taking" Divine Nectar for

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Close your mouths and open your The moment Krishna and I went through the door into the room and hearts. Then you will easily closed the door, Swami fell down. I experience the bliss of the Divine. was ready for it. Krishna and I both held hands, and Swami was lying - BABA across them. Then He (Swami) rose ______up into the air from our arms. He was as stiff as a board. He started Sri Ramana Maharshi’s Samadhi murmuring something about, ‘Maharshi has reached My lotus feet’. It is recorded that Sri Ramana And then the sole of Swami’s right Maharshi experienced, at the age of foot split open, and nearly two 16 years, Moksha (liberation) or kilograms of beautiful, well-scented enlightenment, and left home for the Vibhuti poured out from the sole of sacred mountain Arunchala, where His foot. I collected the Vibhuti while he lived in an ashram that grew He was still levitating in the air! around him. Then He came down and returned to His senses and asked what He had An interesting incident occurred in said. I said, “Swamiji, this is what Prasanthi Nilayam when he attained You said: ‘Ramana Maharshi has Samadhi. This is recorded in the passed away’. This is what came out book “Who Is Baba” by Shri R.D. of Your feet.” He said, “Put it into Alwe. packets and give it out as prasadam.” A Sai devotee named Varadu “A day or two after this incident, reported the following: - at the we learned from newspapers that moment of the death of Ramana Ramana Maharshi had died. It had Maharshi (one of the greatest Self- been at the time that Swami said, Realised masters of the last century), Maharshi merged in Baba’s feet!” an extraordinary event occurred in Baba’s ashram, giving us a clue both “Is it now therefore clear that Sai to Baba’s identity and His Baba is a full embodiment of the relationship with Ramana. A Sai Divine Self, the Supreme Atmic devotee named Varadu reported Reality that Ramana had realised at what happened. the age of 17. Sai Ram.” “The night when Ramana Maharshi ______passed away in Tiruvannamala -14th April 1950- I was with Swamiji (Sai Where is the need for you in this Baba), Krishna (another young world or any world to grow faith devotee) and myself were both there. That evening around 9 p.m. in others? Believe in yourself first. we continued whatever it was we Then believe in the Lord. were doing (I think we were doing a puja) when suddenly Swamiji looked - BABA at us. There was a particular way of looking he has which means that He ______wants to go to His room.

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Here is a small story about Mankind is so steeped in negativity, they have a problem The Power of Prasad identifying themselves from the Once a young man came to the negativity around, and become ashram of a master because he was puppets for the Demons. suffering from despair. It really God, through the Ten didn’t matter what he did, the Commandments and other despair continued to plague his life. scriptures laid down Laws of the Eventually he prayed for it to be Universe to be followed. taken away, but nothing happened and the despair and suffering it How many of us follow them? brought now intensified. In 2010, we opened our aircraft A woman devotee tried to comfort workshop one fine morning, when the lad, and having received some suddenly Sai Baba appeared, blessed food she broke it into pieces “Amarjit, chant some prayers and gave some to him. quickly.” I questioned Sai Baba, who repeated, “Do not waste time, pray He ate a small piece of the food with your staff quickly.” slowly and deliberately, when he had finished, he found to his We started chanting our Lord’s amazement the despair had prayers, “Sai Ram, Sai Ram, Sai Ram,” disappeared. He felt completely well. for some minutes. Suddenly, a terribly loud scream echoed from (S.S. Memories) the middle of our aircraft workshop. ______We were shocked to see a huge negative energy (Demon/Rakshas) Love is present not only in human materialise and run out screaming. beings but also in all creatures, birds or beasts; nor is that all. It Sai Baba spoke, “Amarjit, prayers is, in fact, all pervasive. Love protect your land and home from pervades everything in creation. negative energy. Negative energies Man’s humanness is vitiated when cannot live alongside areas of purity he fails to recognise this love. and prayers, remember this always. Treat your workshop as your worship - BABA. too. Always be in tune with the Lord wherever you are. God will always ______look after you, guide you and soften your karma”. Do Ghosts, Spirits and Demons Exist? (by Singhbam) “The war between good and evil continues. Mankind is steeped in lust, In the Sikh Bible, Babaji (Father) greed and other vices, which has talks of many dimensions, teeming made them loose their ability to sense with elemental and spirit creatures. or see negative energies because they Even our Holy Bible, Bhagavad Gita have absorbed these within”. and Scriptures, also state this. In this Kal Yug (Dark times), these energies “At one time mankind could see all are even more prevailing.

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these energies and take precautions; worry that a situation has not had the be pure always and your senses too desired outcome, you thus will become pure!” demonstrate that you do not believe in My love for you. You will prove that Saying this my Father, Sai Baba, you do not consider your life to be dematerialised and left me to, once under My control and that nothing again, ponder and think. escapes Me. We now carry out regular prayers Never think: How is this to end? in our workshop, and also keep prayers playing on a CD player non- ...What is going to happen? If you stop in our workshop at all times give into this temptation, you with Sai Baba’s guidance. demonstrate that you do not trust Me. Do you want Me to deal with it... yes ______or no? Then you must stop being You need not search for God. It is anxious about it! I shall guide you God, Who is searching for a real only if you completely surrender to devotee. Me and when I must lead you into a different path than the one that you - BABA expect, I carry you in My arms. ______What seriously upsets you is your reasoning, your worrying, your Prayer of Surrender obsession, your will to provide for yourselves at any price. I can do so Why get agitated? Let Me take care of many things when the being, as much all your business. I shall be the One in his material necessities as in his who will think about them. I am spiritual ones, turns to Me saying: waiting for nothing else than your “You think of it”, then he closes his surrender to Me, and then you do not eyes and rests quietly. You will receive have to worry any more about a lot but only when your prayer will anything. Say farewell to all fears and rely fully on Me. You pray to Me to discouragement. You demonstrate adjust your requests. that you do not trust Me. On the contrary, you must rely blindly on Me. Don’t behave like sick ones who ask a treatment to the doctor, all the time To surrender means: To turn your suggesting it to him. Do not do that; thoughts away from troubles, to turn but rather, even in sad circumstances, them away from difficulties you say: “Lord, I praise and thank You for encounter and from all your this problem, for this necessity. I pray problems. Leave everything into My You to arrange things as You please hands saying, “Lord, I thank You for for this terrestrial and temporal life. You have taken everything in Your You know very well what is best for hands, and You will resolve this for me. my highest good.” Sometimes you feel that disasters Remember that thinking of the increase instead of diminish. Do not consequences of a thing is contrary to get agitated. Close your eyes and tell surrender. That is to say, when you

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Me with faith: “Thy will be done. You Wherever you are, you are near think of it.” And when you speak thus, Me. I accomplish a miracle when necessary. I only think of it when you You cannot go beyond My reach. trust Me totally. I always think of - BABA you, but I can only help you ______completely when you rely fully on Me. Closeness to Baba - Sathya Sai Baba On one occasion, a programme of ______sports was organised in the Hill View Those who do not know this Stadium. Inaugurating the games, entire world as Consciousness, in Swami released two white pigeons. As the games were underway, reality see it as material and drift Swami, and other distinguished in the ocean of delusion. guests watched from the dais. After some time, they noticed the same (Vishnu Purana, 1.4.40) pigeons, earlier released, flying in the sky across the dais. Swami ______observed, “Look at those birds. They have been with us for a long time. Vibhuthi Saved Home Therefore they have become It was around 1945; the Second incapable of adjusting themselves to World War had not ended yet. the outside world, although they have Bhagavan Sri Sathya materialised been set free.” Himself in front of a house in No doubt Swami was then Bangkok. He called the lady of the referring only to those pigeons, but house, gave her some vibhuthi and what He said then applied to all His told her to sprinkle it all over the dear students and devotees. roof of her house, and disappeared. He spoke in her own language. She ______saw that the ‘powder’ He had given to her looked like white sand. You cannot see Me, but I am the Light you see by. She did not, however, disregard His words and sprinkled it all over the You cannot hear Me, but I am the roof of her house, and within a few sound you hear by. minutes, an air raid took place. All You cannot know Me, but I am the houses in the neighbourhood, except Truth you live by. hers, were destroyed with bombs, bombing all over! - BABA

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Whoever you are, you are Mine. I shall not give you up.

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“PEACE BE UPON HIM” infinitely better than its surroundings. In this struggle Swami’s prediction came true through we call environments, there recently, when a large contingent of will come a time when we shall find Islamists paid a devotional visit to that these environments were almost Prasanthi Nilayam. zero in comparison with the power of They were devotees from the the soul. It is only a question of time, Middle East and Gulf, comprising of and time is nothing in the infinite. It is countries from Bhahrain, United a drop in the ocean. We can afford to Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, wait and be calm. Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Iran and Syria. With Blessings, Sri Sathya Sai Hindus, Muslims and Christians Baba.” prayed together as they paid their ______respects to Sai Baba. Difficulties are created to increase The programme consisted of six the yearning and to sift the Arabic songs, followed by Bhajans sincere devotee from the rest. and all participants were blessed with clothes, and special prasadam - BABA of dried fruits and nuts. ______Swami did say that when Muslims finally recognise Him, they will come Baby Sathya Gita dies in droves! Puttaparthi woke up on Tuesday Praise be to Him. Peace be upon morning (22nd. Jan.) to the sad news Him! of the death of Swami’s pet elephant, Sai Gita’s junior - little Sathya Gita, ______who breathed her last, at 5 am, after three weeks of illness, in spite of “To see the world in a grain of sand many top veterinarians who did and heaven in a wild flower. their best to save her. Hold infinity in the palm of your Swami welcomed her, on July 21, hand and eternity in an hour.” 2007, to Puttaparthi. Ever since, - William Blake Sathya Gita was very joyful and was brought to darshan very often, apart ______from festive occasions.

Swami’s Letter to Students Let’s all pray for this blessed elephant which had a very short role - July 1977 to play in the Sathya Sai Avatara. Heartfelt condolences to Sri. Pedda My Dear, The time will come when the Reddy, her Mahout, who took such whole of this dream will vanish. To good care of her. everyone of us there must come a time when the whole universe will be ______found to have been a mere dream, when we shall find that the soul is

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How can I fail to remember one we understand our own very reality. This is because we are one with who always remembers Me? God.”

- BABA This was in response to a question ______posed by Juan Carlos Ponce de Leon, an ardent Sai devotee from Peru in Moses at the Burning Bush the course of an interview in January 2007. Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The Due to space, I am only able to God of your fathers has sent me to quote short passages from that you’, and they ask me, ‘What is His interview, but they are well worth name?’ then what shall I tell them? considering. Father Charles gave a talk at Christmas in the Divine God said to Moses, “I AM THAT I AM” - this is what you are to say to Presence of Sai Baba. the Israelites: I AM has sent Me to you.” How did he first hear of Swami, he was asked. “I have told you what “In fact, “I” is the first Name of God. happened to me when I was People address God by various names, seventeen years old... How the Voice for their satisfaction and happiness. said to me, “What would you want to However, “I AM” is the true Name of do with this life?’ The Voice filled my God.” - BABA. Soul and Heart with so much Love. I replied: ‘What else Father, but to ______give this life to You.’ From that very moment the external world became You are the Full, you are God. God meaningless to me. When you taste is you. Those who have the bliss of the Spirit, every other experienced this highest wisdom thing will become insipid to you. I can attain Oneness with the One, started thinking how to give this life here and now. to the Father.” - BABA Juan: How did He (Swami) come? ______Fr. C: First there was this priest, The Divine Reality Revealed named Rev. Father Raymond Arazu. He was to teach us a course in In an interview on Radio Sai’s comparative religion. During one programme, Heart2Heart, Rev. lecture he mentioned the name, Sai Father Charles Ogada CSSP (Holy Baba. Ghost Fathers & Brothers) stated, “If we do not understand the reality of J: Did he mention the name in a good Jesus it will be impossible to way? understand the reality of Sai Baba. F.C: Yes, in a good way. He was also a And how can we understand the devotee. reality of Jesus? We can only understand the reality of Jesus when J: There are many priests who are secret devotees. 14

F.C: Yes, many! They worship and you begin to write and preach it adore Swami in secret. Like openly, then they have evidence to Nicodemus in the Bible who goes to hold on you for excommunication or Jesus in the night. But this priest, other punitive measures. Father Arazu is no longer a secret devotee. Otherwise, I would not have J: Were you afraid to make the mentioned his name. In fact he now speech on Christmas Day 2006, conducts Satsangs in his residence before thousands of devotees where people come to learn about gathered around the Lotus Feet of Sai Baba and the universality of Swami? religion. Once, he told me, that he F.C: No. It was His Grace. It was has won his freedom because the Swami’s Love. If as a result of that Church does not know what to do Grace one goes into trouble, then it is with him. They just let him be. a good trouble. J: Do you think that the Vatican and { Love your enemies and do good the Church’s Hierarchy know that to those who hate you. Luke 6:27 } many priests are becoming devotees of Sai Baba? F.C: Jesus said, “Love your enemies.” This teaching is one of the greatest F.C: Yes, of course. The point is that spiritual revolutions in the history of as long as you do not come public in mankind. Love your enemies and do any form to express your faith and good to those who hate you. This is devotion in Swami, the Church can the primary teaching of Sai Baba: do little or nothing to you. For Love all, serve all. Swami has not example, look at the case of Father said; Love some, or only those with Don Mario Mazzoleni who was the same religious affiliation, or excommunicated. Until Mario wrote members of the family, or those who his book, ‘The Catholic Priest meets love you. This is restricted love. Sai Baba’, he was safe. Actually, it Swami says: Love is expansion. was the book that got him into Expand your heart to embrace all. ‘trouble’. The book became as it was, Love All! Not only human beings but evidence against him in the Church’s all creation, mountains, oceans, Court that he had gone against the birds, animals, trees, stars... all faith of the Church. There are so creation is a manifestation of many priests who come to Divinity. Love them as such and let Puttaparthi here secretly - and after your service emanate from the roots having Swami’s darshan, they return. of that divine love. J: So the Church allows priests to be (The interview continued with some devoted to Swami but not come out interesting questions and answers.) in the open? F.C: People often ask the question: F.C: It is not really allowed. It is not “Who is Sai Baba?” But this question official. However, faith is something is not right... Should you ask, “Who inside. It is beyond the reach of are you?” When the questioner does anyone. As long as that faith remains not know his own reality, how can within, you are safe from the hands he grasp the solution to the question of the Church’s Hierarchy. But when

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he has posed? First find out the Jesus identifies Himself as the “I AM” reality of the questioner. When you principle. Jesus is pure existence - find that out, then automatically you Satchitananda, the ‘I AM THAT I AM’. will know the reality of Sai Baba. Everything that says ‘I AM’ is Jesus. This is because Sai Baba is one with you. The promoter of the question is We limit Jesus to the form, son of the solution to the question. Know Joseph, son of Mary, born in time, yourself, then you will know that the confined to Israel’s culture. We limit Self in you is Sai Baba. Without this Jesus to the name ‘Jesus’. But the Self Knowledge till not it is a waste truth is Jesus is beyond the name of time trying to grasp the reality of ‘Jesus’. Jesus is not only for God. Christians. Jesus is not only for those who call Him ‘Jesus’. Jesus is the ‘I Why did the Jewish religious Hierarchy and aristocracy do away am’ principle. This ‘I am’ is the Life in with Jesus? Why did they kill Him? all, the existence in all, the Truth in Because they never understood who all. Everything which breaths ‘I am’ Jesus really is! And we are no better is calling the name ‘Jesus’. than them. After 2000 years, have Jesus means that, “God is the Way, still not understood the reality of the Truth and the Life. No one comes Jesus. That is the very reason for all to God except through God”. In other the divisions and fights not only words, God is the Goal and He is also within the Christian churches, but the Way to the Goal. We can only also between different religious reach God through God. We can only faiths. For example, Jesus once said: see the Sun through its rays. So what “I am the Way, the Truth and the Jesus said is by no means exclusive Life. No one can come to the to the Christians or to those who call Father except through Me.” Now God by the name ‘Jesus’. that has caused a lot of confusion in the Christian forum. (Finally), it is possible to realise Me only on the day you realise who you J: Yes. So many of my Christian are. friends come to me and tell me, “Jesus is the Only Lord. Why follow (The full transcript may be read on Sai Baba when Jesus said He is the Radio Sai Listeners’ Journal, Dec. Only Way to the Father?” 2007, “Heart2Heart”)

F.C: But who is Jesus? Who is that ______Way? Who is that Life? Is Jesus referring to His physical body or to Baba Becomes Bhagavan for Me the name ‘Jesus’? When Jesus said, ‘I Mr. Rajendran writes; With many am’, what exactly does He mean? other devotees, I was waiting for Now say, ‘I am’. I AM. ‘I am’ is also Baba to arrive for darshan. When He talking to you now. Who is that ‘I did so, He asked a devotee near me am’? It is God. Jesus does not see where he was from, “U.S.A.” came the Himself as the body. Jesus does not reply. In answer to Swami’s question see Himself as the Name. God has so re. what he earns, about Rs. 60,000/- many names. God is beyond name. every month.

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Baba advised, “Spend the money mention. This Divine Love is eternal. usefully. Don’t tell lies. Send money to There is no goldsmith to make it, no your parents also. Contribute your measurements were taken. It is ready- might for good causes. You should made. You will live with good health, never get bound by ego, and not prosperity!” lavish in wasting money. As you earn more and more, you should also At this very instant, Baba became become more and more humble. You Bhagavan for me, said Rajendran. are living alone in America, and do Sai Ram. not give up good habits.” Swami then produced a large spatika chain and **************************** placed it around his neck.

Swami asked him if he said prayers. “No.” Swami said, “Not like that. Whatever you do it should be done at the stipulated time. You should never miss the time. Suppose you feed a dog at 10.oo am, and if you do that for 3 days, from the fourth day onwards, the dog of its own comes exactly at 10.oo am. When a dog is coming like that will not even loving God also come? Definitely He will come and give His blessings. But God will not come if you call Him at any suitable time for you. It is very important that we should have stipulated time to call Bhagavan. We should not waste even a minute in our time. See the creation of the God. You will find that everything evolves time bound. You can easily know that God likes it.”

As Swami was speaking, he produced a sparkling diamond ring, and Rajendran wondered from where the ring had come. “These things appear on Divine Sankalpa. Those who believe in the power of Sankalpa can only understand this. The miracles that I perform are not that important. Are you able to realise My Love? It is My Love that had made it possible to achieve so many things which you

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