Anand Vilas – A New Divine Abode In Shimla

Sathya Sai Baba

Anand Vilas – A New Divine Abode In Shimla

Thirty five years since He made His last visit, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is set to set His Feet yet again on the Shimla soil. The tourist destination that is known for its pine forests and apple orchards, crisp, clean air and breathtaking views is now going to earn a permanent place in His Story, in the history of the Avatar of Age, when He Himself set His Feet yet again sanctifying His Divine Abode, Anand Vilas, which is verily an exquisite architectural marvel!

With the last minute preparations on for receiving Bhagawan, for Anand Vilas, it has been a long journey. The building that took six long years to complete, starting at 2002 to complete in 2008, the Abode, that was christened by Bhagawan Himself has been awaiting for the chosen moment, The Divine Time to arrive to embrace the Divinity.

The Divine Residence that is built in six floors has a spacious bhajan hall with a capacity of almost 300 with a balcony on top wherefrom Bhagawan could view the entire proceedings. The rest of the four floors consist of His residential complex, interview room etc.

Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation of Himachal Pradesh has also set up Sri Sathya Sai School for Children, a residential school in Shimla, to impart value-based education to children. With the Divine blessings of Bhagawan, the school began functioning from 2007 onwards and the classes had started on 21st May 2007. Beginning the school, admissions were open from class 1 to 5 with each class having 30 students. There are separate sections for boys and girls. The school would provide free education as per the ideals set forth by Bhagawan and also would put into practice the system of integral education as given by Bhagawan and strive to develop the character of the students along with academic excellence.

The school is situated amidst lush green verdant hills in a serene and calm environment. Meandering rivulets add natural beauty to the campus. The campus comprises a four-storeyed majestic school building and a four-storeyed hostel with all modern amenities. The school and the hostel are located on adjoining hills, and are interconnected through a glazed corridor which will help the students to go to the school without any inconvenience in inclement weather.

Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai BAba is expected to sanctify the school and hostel building along with a Ganesh Temple and Saraswathi Temple and an auditorium, during His stay in Shimla.

While 15th April 2010 would appear on the gold embossed plaque at the Divine Abode, a peep into His last two visits in the seventies, in 1973 and 1975 would be interesting serving as a refresher while anticipating the magical moments yet again.

Bhagawan’s maiden visit to Shimla was in March 1973 during His 22-day tour of Northern India. It was on 17th March 1973, Bhagawan left Moga for Shimla by car to reach the hill station in the afternoon. Upon His arrival, Bhagawan granted Darshan to a huge concourse of devotees on the Ridge.

On the morning of 18th March, there was Darshan, Bhajan followed by Divine Discourse at the Ridge where every inch of space was occupied by the surge of devotees, and still there were thousands who sat on the surrounding hills to hear Bhagawan and have His Divine Darshan. There was another public meeting on the morning of 18th March 1973 where Bhagawan showered His blessings on lakhs of devotees. Thousands had Darshan in the lawns of Woodville Palace, the residence of Bhagawan during His stay at Shimla. Bhagawan also visited the nearby hill stations of Kufri and Phagu both on the morning of 17th and 18th March 1973 along with a selected group of devotees. After sowing the seeds of love, devotion and spirituality in the hearts of millions of people of the sacred land of Himachal Pradesh, Bhagawan left Shimla for Delhi on the morning of 20th March 1973 by car.

The next and latest visit of Bhagawan to Shimla happened in 1975. It was on the 30th March 1975, that Bhagawan left Bangalore on a ten day visit to Delhi, Amritsar, Shimla and Jaipur.

After completing His engagements in Amritsar and Chandigarh, on 2nd April Sathya Sai Baba along with His entourage comprising 20 cars motored to Shimla. Upon reaching, Bhagawan granted Darshan to thousands awaiting Him at the Ridge. Next two days, on 3rd and 4th April, there were programmes of Darshan and Bhajan on the Ridge Maidan, where Bhagavan sang a few Bhajans also filling thousands of hearts with joy and devotion. On the morning of 4th April 1975, Bhagawan gave a nectarine Discourse which was etched in the hearts of simple hill people of this Himalayan region. On the afternoon of 5th April 1975, Satya Sai Baba left for Delhi by car, stopping at Solan on the way for one hour where He gave a Discourse, sang a few Bhajans and blessed the huge gathering assembled there.

SSSBPT Reference (With Pictures)

Puttaparthi to get total makeover

Puttaparthi to get total makeover
Express News Service
First Published : 26 Feb 2010 05:10:00 AM IST

HYDERABAD: Puttaparthi will get a new makeover as the State Government is gearing up to take up works worth about Rs 5 crore before commencement of the 85th birthday celebrations of Sri Sathya Sai Baba on November 23. Chief Minister K Rosaiah today directed various departments to speed up works pertaining to roads, drainages, drinking water supply and other beautification works at the earliest in coordination with the Puttaparthi Urban Development Authority.

The works to be taken up include repair and maintenance of roads worth Rs 3 crore by the Roads and Buildings Department, completion of Rs 1.64 crore worth road works by the Panchayat Raj Department and completion of the drinking water supply scheme at a cost of Rs 75 lakh by the Rural Water Supply Department. The Tourism Department will take up beautification of bunds around the Chitravati river and other works. All these works will be completed before the 85th birthday celebration of Sri Satya Sai Baba on November 23, keeping in view of large number of devotees including foreigners visiting Puttaparthi on the occasion.

Tourism and Information Minister J Geetha Reddy, Roads and Buildings Minister Galla Aruna, Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister Anam R a m n a r ay a n Re d d y, Panchayat Raj Minister Botsa Satyanarayana and other officials were present.

Express Buzz Reference

Baba’s birthday a low-key affair

Baba’s birthday a low-key affair
Express News Service
First Published : 24 Nov 2009 03:48:00 AM IST
Last Updated : 24 Nov 2009 11:08:59 AM IST

PUTTAPARTHI: The 84th birthday celebrations of Sri Satya Sai Baba were held at Sai Kulwant Hall in Prashanti Nilayam in Puttaparthi. Saibaba has formally cut the cake to mark his birthday in the presence of several dignitaries and thousands of devotees who thronged to witness the celebrations.

This time around, Sathya Sai Baba did not speak nor give any message.

The entire celebrations were a low-key affair. Malgudi brothers entertained the audience with their bhajans.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan attended the function with his family members.

Tourism Minister J Geeta Reddy, Puttaparthi MLA Palle Raghunatha Reddy, former Supreme Court Justice PN Bhagawati, TTD chairman DK Audikesavulu Naidu. Additional DGP Sivanarayana, former DGP HJ Dora, former cricketer EAS Prasanna, TVS Group head Srinivasan, Mallika Srinivasan, noted Sitar player Pandit Ravishankar, District Collector B Janardhan Reddy, Anantapur Range DIG BL Sujatha Rao, SP MK Singh, actresses Anjali Devi, Krishnakumari, Janaki, Jamuna, playback singer Suseela and a host of other celebrities participated.

There were less number of foreign devotees this year for the birthday celebrations may be due to economic recession and the recent floods. NT Chowdary and Dr Damoder arranged for free food for the devotees.

The district SP made elaborate police bandobast in Puttaparthi.

Express Buzz Reference

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An enchanting evening of ragas and talas
TNN 24 November 2009, 05:13am IST

BANGALORE: The Goddesses of Carnatic music and dance left audience hooked to their seats at Ambedkar Bhavan. The musical evening, part of the ‘Bangalore Festival’ had the audience swaying to ragas and talas.

Monday saw mesmerizing performances from Carnatic music singer Sudha Raghunathan and Bharatanatyam dancer, choreographer, and accomplished actress, Shobhana.

It was Sudha who set the pace for the evening. She began with preludes in Sanskrit, seeking the blessings of lord Ganesha and Krishna. The ragas she sang left listeners lost in a melodious world.

When she picked the high note, the packed audience echoed with applause. She also rendered a bhajan to Sathya Sai Baba, as it was his birthday on Monday.

After one hour of pure bliss, Padma Shri Shobhana took centrestage. She began with a varnam and she also danced to a bhajan from one of her Hindi movies. Her troupe, which performed a ballet, regaled the rasikas as well. A music lover and dancer herself, Vani Ganapathy kept on clapping and encouraging both her contemporaries. She expressed delight in attending the cultural festival. At the end of the programme, music and dance lovers went home craving for more.

Times Of India Reference

Also see:
– Sudha Raghunathan And Sathya Sai Baba

Two Divine Answers By Baba

Sathya Sai Baba

Two Divine Answers By Baba

Question: Sometimes people ask us that if Swamiji is God, then why does He not remove all the sufferings?

Sathya Sai Baba: It is not that Swami has no ‘desire’ (ichcha) to remove the suffering, but how is it possible for Swami to accept part-time devotion and give full-time payment? Swami has a great ‘desire’ to give happiness to all mankind, but mankind itself is responsible for the good and the bad it experiences. God’s grace can change your destiny, if you so desire.

All the good and all the bad, are merely reflections of the various activities in this world indulged in by mankind. The world is not constituted of earth and mud only. There are people in it as well and the earth and the people are inseparably bound with each other. They cannot be separated.

For every act of man, there is Reaction, Resound and Reflection.

Question: Does Swamiji suffer sorrow or happiness?

Sathya Sai Baba: You see Sorrow and happiness only because of your dual nature. God only sees One, not many. Of course, the seed of activity (Karma) is there and that brings forth your destiny.

You reap whatever you have planted. God sees only One. There is a tree with its roots, trunk, branches, leaves, flowers and fruits.. It is a manifestation of many forms and attributes, which have all come from the One seed. Take the example of soil or earth. There is sweetness in sugarcane and various fruits. The sweetness is really contained in the One earth just as the tree is in the One seed.

Similarly for all the names, forms and attributes, the One Divinity is the basis. Because I know the Truth fully, that all are Divine; that everything is Divine and that there is no Jiva (individuality) other than Divinity, there is no time or occasion when Swami has suffered pain, or pleasure, or sorrow. At no time does Swami suffer any of these things.

When someone comes to Me and says that he is suffering great pain or sorrow, I very much want to feel and see what pain is like or what sorrow is like. But it has not been possible for me to experience either pain or sorrow. Since such people have not understood this aspect of Mine, I pretend and look sorrowful or as if I am suffering. I pretend, so that I may correct them, put them on the proper path and make them understand me. I am telling you these things through truthful personal experience and these are not some imaginary statements.

In Me there is no such thing as sinking at some worldly sorrows or being elated at some worldly achievements. “My Life Is My Message” has been said in this context and if you try to follow Me, you will also have an enormous amount of peace and bliss.

Source : QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS WITH SATHYA SAI BABA By Eruch B.Fanibunda – 1976

Happy! Happy!

Sathya Sai Baba Happy

Happy! Happy!

Last summer, Pete, my husband, told me of a scientific meeting in New Delhi in February. He had submitted a paper! It was accepted! Now we faced the problem of funding. We knew we would have difficulty paying two fares. Pete applied for grants from several institutions here in the U.S. No money was available. We had almost given up hope. The meetings were a month away. I was sitting meditating, one Sunday, when Sathya Sai Baba appeared to me. I was so overjoyed. He had not come to me for almost four years. Three days later we got a cable from India. Money was being sent for my husband’s fare! We had only three weeks to prepare! Many obstacles appeared and disappeared through Sathya Sai Baba’s Grace.

At last we were off! Or so we thought. Our flight out of Los Angeles was fogged in and we missed our connecting flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong. Luckily, we got an almost empty flight (the other flight was full) to Tokyo. After a day there we were booked on a late night flight to Hong Kong. It was the beginning of Chinese New Year and many people were going to Hong Kong. We had to wait a long time in the crowded airport. My “jet lag” was becoming extreme. I felt so tired and off balance. My stomach was in a knot. I felt worried about the children who were all ill when we left. In particular, I was worried about Jesse, our nine year old boy, who because of allergies, always gets severe croup when he gets ill. He had croup the day we left.

We continued on to Hong Kong and then on to New Delhi. As we were getting closer and closer to Delhi, I felt my heart soar. Mother India! I felt the tremendous blessings of the Rishis and Saints. Tears of joy ran down my cheeks. Soon I would see my Beloved.

When we arrived in Bangalore we telephoned our friend, who was the mother of my husband’s former secretary in N.Y., who was a Baba devotee. Yes! They had received our letter and were expecting us. In fact, they said, we were very lucky as Swami had just arrived at Whitefield the day before.

Can you imagine my extreme joy to step on the sacred earth of Brindavan? I had kissed that earth in my dreams because I know His Feet had walked on it. I look the dust on my heart and head. It was all exactly as in my dreams; the trees, the pandal, the beautiful red earth, the crowd of people. We took our places in the Darshan line. After about five minutes, some one came out of Swami’s house and mentioned for us to go in! I was so dumbfounded, my heart, I felt, would stop beating! My husband sat down in the foyer with the other men and I and my two lady companions sat opposite. We were looking toward the center door, expecting Swami to come through there. Instead, I felt a rush and turned, He had come through a side door right next to us!

He was like the sun. So radiant. Words cannot describe the sweetness of this precious moment, beholding Him for the first time. Smiling, He came straight to me and in His golden voice, softly, said, “Where is your husband?” I gave Him a garland of flowers and touched His precious feet and then pointed Pete out to Sathya Sai Baba. Swami went over to Pete, and as he touched Swami’s Feet, Swami gently patted him on the shoulder several times and said “So happy. So happy. Good man. Good man.” Then He told Pete to “sit, sit,” and that He would be back in a minute.

When He returned, He came to me and called Pete over to us. He then related very personal details about us, clearly showing He is with us every moment. He assured us about several personal matters. Then I showed Him a photo of our children. He said, “Yes. Yes. I know.” I told him how Jesse was sick often with allergies. Swami then said, “Don’t worry. I will take care.” Then He said, “I give Prasad” And with a gesture I was to see many times in the next two weeks, He materialized Vibhuti into my hands, my husband’s and the women we were with. “Eat! Eat!” He said, and we licked it off our fingers like small children lick cookie batter from their hands!

Then Sathya Sai Baba brought out a red basket filled with Vibhuti packets and filled our hands till it was overflowing! Swami then signed a book for Pete and one for me. As He was signing my book, I knelt down and kissed the Precious Foot of my Lord. Six years had passed since the moment I knew He would stand before me. My heart’s desire had been fulfilled. Swami said several times, “So happy, So happy,” to us and “Good man! Good man!” to my husband. Then He said, “be happy,” to both of us and turned and went out to give Darshan.

Pete had to see people in Bangalore the next day, who want him to work with them (Swami’s Grace again) and so he missed Darshan that day. The following day he had to return to Delhi to begin his teaching. He was planning to go to morning Darshan before he left, but found out the airlines had listed his flight time incorrectly. His flight left before morning Darshan.

So, you see, Sathya Sai Baba knew Pete only had that one chance to see Him. I stayed on for two weeks and came to Whitefield every day. Just the sight of Swami coming through the gate was enough. To have Him so near, to have Him walk right by us, to see His Precious Form; to see the Beloved Feet and Hand, to hear His sublime, sweet voice brought such joy. How grateful we are to have had this most precious experience. I pray to see Swami in every being I meet and in every thing I see. How blessed we are to have Swami’s precious teaching of Divine Love before us.

– Mrs. Pete Engel, California

Sanathana Sarathi, August 1979

Reference

A Garland For Sathya Sai Baba From The Children

Sri Sathya Sai Baba

A Garland For Sathya Sai Baba From The Children

Knowing that Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has advised against offering of garlands to Him, children of the Vidya Vihar at Ooty hit upon an acceptable method of presenting Swami with a “garland” in the entertainment programme they got up during Bhagawan’s stay there in April.

The “flowers” in the garland consisted of pearls from the Divine lips. Before making the offering, one child came forward and said to Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba: “We, the little children of our Beloved Lord Sai, have picked up a few pearls that fell from our Lord’s lips. We have made a Garland out of them. Now we pray for our Lord’s gracious permission to place them around His Lotus Feet.”

After that, one child after another came forward to recite the allotted piece and take his or her place in the semi circle in front of Sathya Sai Baba, which became a garland for Swami. The following “pearls” glittered in the garland:

“Lord, you have told us that by cultivating devotion, that is Love for God, from childhood, we can reach Him, who is the treasure of all Ananda. You have also told us that how much we think we are, and not more, are we and so help us to learn more and more and then become better and better.”

“We also know that Sathya, Dharma, Santhi, Prema and Ahimsa are the chief noble qualities that we have to cultivate from our childhood and continue it throughout our lives. Because, Swami has said, Life is a search, explore it; Life is a challenge, meet it; Life is a game, play it; Life is a dream, realise it; and Life is Love, enjoy it.”

“So, for this we have to start early, drive slowly and reach safely. But we have to remember, ‘less luggage more comfort’, and we should always remember Love is God and God is Love and so we have to live in Love. If we do so, we will enjoy our lives.”

“In order to enjoy life, we must put a ceiling or limit on our desires. We must put a limit on our expenditure of our money. We must not talk too much thus wasting our time and energy. We must not waste food, because food is God, and when time is wasted, it is equal to life being wasted.”

“So, we have to remember that one of the best ways to spend time is, by doing good service to others, because doing seva to humanity is doing seva to divinity, that means serving God and helping God’s creation is the same thing. When we please man, we please God.”

“We have also to do our duty in life with discipline and devotion. For that, we must start the day with love, spend the day with love, fill the day with love, live the day with love and end the day with love and remember love lives by giving and forgiving and self lives by getting and forgetting.”

“And when we talk, we must remember to talk soft, talk sweet and talk the truth. We must watch our words, watch our actions, watch our thoughts, watch our character and watch our heart and we must also avoid backbiting, falsehood and harsh words.”

“Also we must remember that one must not only do the work one likes, but like the work one has to do. We cannot always oblige but can always speak obligingly. Swami has said, we are all caskets of divine love and so we must share it, spread it and express that love in thoughts of compassion, words of sympathy and acts of service.”

“Not only that, we must practice Ahimsa and Brahmacharya. We must cultivate humility, fearlessness and develop a sense of sacrifice and renunciation. Also we should eradicate ego, lust, anger, breed, envy and jealousy and practice selflessness, generosity and tolerance and thus make ourselves better persons.”

“For this, what we have to do is to ‘See Good, Be Good and Do Good, because that is the way to God.’ The past is beyond recovery. The future is uncertain. The given moment is now and here. So sanctify it with holy thoughts, words and deeds and thus make life a rose that speaks silently in the language of fragrance. Remove desire, attachment, and cultivate patience, fearlessness, control tossing of mind and temper; Love God, Trust God and Surrender to God.”

“So, for making us better persons, we must take a dose of Japam and Dhyanam for breakfast; have Satchintanam, Sat sang and Satparana for lunch; do pooja and archana for Tea; consider an hour of bhajan as Dinner; and do Manana, as a cup of milk at bedtime. This diet is enough to make our being happy and healthy.”

“And so we pray to our Lord to accept this little garland of pearls. We also pray to our Lord to help us to ‘Follow the master, Face the devil, Fight to the end, and Finish the game’ and when we become big, to be considered by YOU as Your fit instruments to carry out YOUR Message to Your complete satisfaction. Lord! Bless us all for that.”

Reference

Concerning The Avatar

Sathya Sai Baba

Concerning The Avatar

Loving Sai Ram and greetings from Prashanti Nilayam.

This Sunday, we thought we would put together many of the things Swami has said at various times about Avatars in general and about the Sri Sathya Sai Avatar also.

Krishna has no doubt explained in a few crisp Slokas in the Gita why God comes down to earth as an Avatar. Krishna says that God comes down as man to give humans an important lesson and adds that since man forgets that lesson, God has to incarnate repeatedly. But Sathya Sai Baba has added many crucial footnotes such as this one:

To elevate man to the level of Consciousness, God has to incarnate as man. He has to speak to them in their own styles and languages. He has to teach them the methods that they can adopt and practice. Birds and beasts need no Divine incarnation to guide them for they have no inclination to stray away from Dharma. Man alone ignores the goal of life.

And Sathya Sai Baba goes on to explain what precisely the word Avatar means:

The word Avatar means descent. It is not coming down from the peak of a mountain or the top story of a building. It is a descent from the state of the Atma to the state of the body. The descent of the Avatar means the Divine coming down to the level of the human. No blemish attaches to the Divine as a result of the descent. There is no diminution in His puissance. Here is the example of a child playing on the ground. If the mother feels it is beneath her dignity to bend and calls upon the child to leap in her arms, the child cannot do so. But out of love for her child, the mother stoops to pick up the baby. Likewise, the Avatar descends to the level of the human to bless and rescue those who cannot rise to the level of the Divine. It is an act of benediction.

Humans are used to thinking of God as being supremely powerful, who can do all sorts of things. And yet, when they see God in human form, many doubts assail them such as, “Is the Avatar really as powerful as the unseen God?” Sathya Sai Baba gives the answer:

The attributes and the powers of the Divine remain unaltered in their pristine amplitude. The Divine manifests His powers according to the needs, the circumstances and the conditions prevailing at a particular time or place. Take, for example, the case of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. He has the power to protect and to punish. These powers can be exercised when he sits in the judicial chair. The same Chief Justice, when he is at home, confers joy on his grandson by letting him ride on his back. By allowing the grandchild to play in this manner, does he forfeit his powers as a Chief Justice? Similarly, the Avatar does not forego any of His supreme powers merely because He lives and moves among human beings as a man. An Avatar is capable of all things at all times. Yet the Avatar will not undertake to demonstrate His powers at all times. An Avatar will undertake to such powers when exceptional circumstances demand it and will shed His Grace on deserving persons only.

It is common for humans to accept that God knows everything; however, when it comes to the Avatar, there are all sorts of doubts. For example, we frequently find devotees wondering whether Swami would be aware of the good deeds they have done, etc. Such doubts are a reflection of the duality inherent in Creation. While at their core, all humans ARE Divine, yet their perception is mostly dictated by their senses. In other words, humans function mainly through “human Consciousness” whereas the Avatar exhibits both the Divine as well as human Consciousness as the Divine Drama dictates. This is how Sathya Sai Baba comments on this:

Because the Lord takes the human form, we find that He exhibits human consciousness along with Divine Consciousness. Ordinary people cannot grasp the Divine aspects of an Avatar. God appears to be an ordinary human being to the limited intelligence of lay people because of the co-existence of the Divine and human consciousness in the Avatar. Human comprehension is restricted by the limits of human consciousness. But the sages who were divine human beings were able to comprehend Divinity. They recognised the Formless God in the visible form, because they had imbued themselves with Divine Consciousness. Thus, according to their levels, different people regard the Avatar as a mere human being or Cosmic Reality.

Turning now to Krishna’s declaration about the decline of Dharma, the appearance of the Lord in human form, etc., Sathya Sai Baba has this to say:

Avatars never come to re-establish Dharma. Dharma was never destroyed but the practice of Dharma periodically goes into decline. It is to rekindle the practice of Dharma that God appears on earth as man.

A common doubt: Rama fought with many demons and annihilated them. Krishna in His own way, helped to eliminate many of the bad guys. Right now, the world is full of these bad guys who would make the earlier ones look like saints. Why on earth then, is the Avatar not slaying them? Why has He come without any weapon? A popular question and here is the answer:

In this Kali Age, the wicked have to be reformed and reconstructed through Love and Compassion. That is why this Avatar has come unarmed. It has come with the Message of Love.

Coming to think of it, it is a bit surprising that when humans who are talking about eliminating weapons of mass destruction, want the Avatar slay the wicked, without realising that if the Avatar were to do so, there would be a HUGE blood bath! Then there is the question, favourite with overseas devotees: “Why does God have to incarnate only in the sub-continent? What about Europe, America, Japan, New Zealand, etc? Are they not good enough for Him?” This is what Sathya Sai Baba told Dr. Hislop:

Where gold is found, there gather the geologists, engineers and miners. The gold is mined there and then it is taken all over the world.

Satya Sai Baba constantly emphasises the human aspect of the Avatar, as the following quotes illustrate. In this context, we strongly urge devotees to read carefully the book Summer Roses on the Blue Mountain, which contain the discourses Swami delivered during the Summer Course conducted in 1976.

The essential quality of an Avatar is to teach you to make good and proper use of your thought, word and deed. Depending on the conditions in the country and the environment, the Avatar comes to teach you and show you the right use of all your organs.

This is the reason why Krishna came in human form, created a bodily relationship with Arjuna and others, and pretended as if He was the brother-in-law of Arjuna…. Krishna wanted to deal with Arjuna in a manner in which a human being will deal with another human being.

If we regard Krishna as God, we will never be able to understand the inner significance of the Mahabharatha. It is only when we pay attention to the human aspect of Krishna and look at the whole story from the angle of Krishna in the human form, that we will be able to understand His greatness.

Every Avatar has His detractors and this Avatar is no exception; in fact, this is a part of the Divine Drama! What does Swami have to say about that? Just read this.

In an Avatar, there will never be a situation in which you can find fault with Him. The individual who accuses an Avatar will be hurting himself in his eyes with his own fingers.

People think that just because the Avatar has come, He will “fix it all”. No way! He has come to “fix our minds” because that is where the problems all start – the human mind! So, it is OUR business to use the opportunity to get transformed and then go about fixing the problems we humans have created in such abundance. This is what Sathya Sai Baba has to say on this matter:

The best that a guidepost can do is to tell you that if you travel that way, you will reach such and such a destination and if you travel another path, you will reach another destination. But the actual ups and downs along a particular path will be understood only by people who undertake the journey.

Decade after decade, Sathya Sai Baba has been tirelessly teaching us, but most of us seem more preoccupied with wanting to see miracles or getting fixes for our own particular problems. And when sometimes there is disappointment , then doubts also set in. All this is because of a lack of understanding of the nature of the Avatar and the purpose of incarnation.

With regard to Sai, some people draw conclusions based only on external appearances. They are not making any effort to recognise the basic truth, the unchanging qualities such as Sathya, Dharma and Prema that are in Sai. All powers are in the control of Sai….

There is no limitation to My power. Infinite powers and infinite Grace are present in My hands. To state these things with regard to Myself becomes necessary at times.

Because I am like an ordinary individual when I am talking with you and playing with you, many people do not understand My true nature. Even people with great strength of mind cannot recognise the difference between the external appearance and the internal aspect.

Sai knows everything. That people are in doubt is due to the Maya of the Avatar.

Since you see Me in close proximity, you are not able to assess Me properly. Familiarity has deceived you to the point of delusion. Swami’s Form is BIG, VAST, ………. INFINITE!

Commenting on the uniqueness of the Sai Avatar, Swami says:

During the lifetime of Shirdi Baba, not much attention was paid to Him. Recognition of Him as an Avatar, and interest in His life developed only after His “death”.

This Sai Avatar is the only such where His Divinity is known to people of all religions. Never has there been that before. With Krishna, only the Gopis were aware of Him as God; but they were Rishis reborn.

Sri Krishna Avatar

This Avatar is obviously different, with people being aware of His Divinity in real time, all across the globe, as Sathya Sai Baba pointed out to Dr. Hislop. Is Swami partial? He may appear so to some but He really is not.

The name Sai Baba means Divine Mother and Father. Like mother, I will be tender and soft and like father I will punish you. If an individual who has good qualities comes close to Me, I am sweet to him. On the other hand, I am harsh to one who has bad qualities and I do not let him come close to Me. It is not that I like one more than the other but I give medicine to cure bad qualities when they are present.

So what do we do when the Avatar is around? Any work for us? Sure!

There is considerable change in human outlook that I have to bring about. No one can stop Me or deter Me from fulfilling the task for which I have come, namely the establishment of the one unchanging Truth. In this task, you have a part to play…

Once again, an Avatar is an Avatar – God in human form. No merit in trying to argue which one is “better”.

Rama, Krishna and Sai Baba appear different because of the dress each has donned, but it is the self same Entity, believe Me!

If there is one word that describes Sathya Sai Baba fully, that is LOVE!

Divine Love is associated with Immortality. It is to teach mankind the truth about this Divine Love that Love itself incarnates on earth in human form.

With Love and Regards,
“Heart2Heart” Team

Robert Priddy’s Disgusting Lie About Joy Thomas

Robert Priddy’s Disgusting Lie About Joy Thomas

Robert Priddy (a caustic critic and defamer of Sathya Sai Baba and others) blatantly lied about Joy Thomas and viciously and erroneously claimed she was “left to bleed to death in a Sai Hospital by a prominent Sai doctor”. See the following screen-cap taken from Robert Priddy’s Anti-Sai website:

Robert Priddy - First Time Lie About Joy Thomas

Needless to say, this is a malicious lie, one of many spread by Robert Priddy on his error-filled Anti-Baba websites and blogs. Notice how Robert Priddy did not divulge the name of the “prominent Sai doctor”? As a matter of fact, a common theme among Robert Priddy’s writings are his reference to unnamed people. Robert Priddy does not know the names of the people he references because the stories he attributes to them are fraudulent (just as in this case with Joy Thomas).

Moreno personally knew Joy Thomas and was at Sathya Sai Baba’s Ashram in Puttaparthi when she moved out of her round-house flat and returned to the USA. The following comment was posted on Joy Thomas’ former official website: “In Loving Memory: Our beloved Joy peacefully merged with Baba at 12:50 p.m. Saturday, April 17th, 1999 at Hemet, California.” (Reference).

Joy Thomas Died In The USA

Joy Thomas died in her home in the USA. She was not “left to bleed to death in a Sai Hospital” as Robert Priddy erroneously and maliciously contended. Robert Priddy adamantly refuses to correct this bold-faced and shameless lie on his defamatory and error-filled Anti-Sai website.

November 23rd 2007 – Joy Thomas Update:
Even though this article was originally released on May 25th 2006, Robert Priddy wrote another blogged article on September 18th 2007 (sixteen months later) and still repeated his brazen lie about Joy Thomas being left to die in a Sai Hospital by a prominent Sai Doctor. The only difference is that Robert Priddy claimed the prominent Sai Doctor was “reportedly some Dr. Singh”.

Robert Priddy - Second Time Lie About Joy Thomas

Even though the facts are staring Robert Priddy in the face, he purposely ignores them because he is a tabloid-like leech who feeds off of the sleaze and slime in Anti-Sai gutters. Ex-Devotees adamantly refuse to correct their errors because they wish to inflict emotional trauma on unsuspecting Sai Devotees by deceiving them with fraudulent information obtained through rumors, gossips and unnamed sources.

Abounding Love And Compassion

Sathya Sai Baba

Abounding Love And Compassion

Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s abounding Love is indeed the cause and the effect is His creation, and there are myriad ways for Him to express His bounteous Love to His creation. Every word, every gesture, every look of His is suffused with His Love and compassion. Every devotee knows that He cannot endure the pain of suffering of others that He pours out His heart in sympathy with the distressed, the weak, the downtrodden and the afflicted and that, it is this overwhelming Love of His that binds all to Him, in silken bond of affection.

It was Dasara at Puttaparthi, long ago, the fourth day, at about 9 P.M. Bhagawan sent word to a band of young men that they must assemble in the hall for some urgent work, and within a few minutes, there were double the number, eagerly awaiting His orders. Everyone wondered what that could be! Well, Baba came and explained that the buntings and flags with which the Nilayam and the garden were decorated since the first day of Dasara had faded slightly and become dull in colour and so they had to be replaced by fresh ones, to be prepared and fixed during the night! The work engaged everyone till the smaller hours of the night and Baba was with the party all the time, attending to every details. Some one dared asking Him the reason for the extra attention upon the 5th day of Dasara and the reply he got was this: “Don’t you know that tomorrow your Bandhus come for the feast?” and this everyone knew! For, the next day was the day the poor, the Daridranarayanas were coming to the Nilayam to receive Prasadam and Vastram (clothes) from His Hands! But, who could imagine that His Love was so great, so deep, so all embracing as to celebrate the arrival of the poor by this ‘de novo’ decoration? When some one told Him that the feeding of thousands of people and the distribution of hundreds of saris and dhotis should be published in the news papers, He turned towards him and asked “What! Do you publish in papers the news that your friends and relatives came to your house?”! We have, everyone of us, to learn the lesson of those flags.

Verily, it has been truly sung, “Karuna (compassion) indeed is He; He is indeed Karuna”. In the Viveka Chudamani, the Guru is described as Ahethukadayasindhu; His Grace is showered on all without interruption and without cause! Such is our Master, our Beloved Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Truly His Love is all conquering and His Grace is overwhelming that bind us in silken bond of affection.

Source: Sanathana Sarathi
Reference

Christmas 2008 At Prashanti Nilayam

Christmas 2008 At Prashanti Nilayam

Curtesy Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust
– Christmas Celebrations, 24-25 Dec 2008, Images

Curtesty Radiosai

Friday, December 26, 2008
This evening, children from overseas presented songs and a musical play on the works of Jesus. After His darshan round at 4.30 pm, Swami came to the stage from the interview room at 5.10. and began the programme. Half an hour of songs were followed by the half-hour musical play. As they concluded, Bhagawan came down from the stage and blessed the participants with clothes and a group photograph. He then gifted photo-frames to the children who sang. The conductor and accompanists were also blessed with clothes. Swami interacted with the group for nearly half an hour before He went back onstage to accept Arati. Before He returned to His residence at 6.50, He blessed Mr. John Behner, the Christmas co-ordinator, also with clothes and raised both His hands in blessing all the devotees.

Thursday, December 25, 2008
This Christmas morning, the devotees from overseas gathered in the Sai Kulwant Hall and carolled after Nagarsankirtan as scenes from early morning darshans from Christmases past were projected on two screens atop the Mandir. Later, Bhagawan arrived in Sai Kulwant Hall at 8.35 in a white robe seated on His golden chair led by a procession of children from overseas dressed as the characters in the Nativity. When He reached the verandah, He blessed the cakes arrayed there and came onstage to begin the programme. The University brass band was the first to perform. After 10 minutes of Christmas-themed music from them, the violins of the Primary School took over. As the young boys finished their performance with ‘Jingle Bells’, young ‘Santa’s came up to Swami to get their gift bags blessed. Swami threw a few toffees to the boys nearby, and the Santas completed the job, running around the hall. Christmas songs by the students began next. The 40 minute song bouquet was interspersed with a commentary in the form of a dialogue between two of Christ’s apostles and a young boy. Two more ‘Santa’s arrived to throw toffees, and more traditional prasadam was distributed too. After Arati at 10 o’clock, Swami blessed students who came up with pictures of the Senior Students Hostel, Christmas day being the Hostel anniversary day too. More students with cards and birthday trays were blessed too before Swami left for His residence 10 minutes later.

In the evening, Bhagawan arrived at 4.40 pm. The programme got underway once He came onstage with an introduction and thanksgiving by Mr. John Behner from Latin America. Two overseas speakers were blessed to present talks – Ms. Gisele Sebastian from Germany and Mr. Ted Henry from the USA. Following their moving talks, Bhagawan delivered His Divine Discourse at 5.45 pm. After His Discourse, Swami asked the students to sing a couple of Bhajans, following which He accepted Arati and returned to His residence at 7 pm.

Wednesday, December 24, 2008
This evening, the Christmas eve celebrations began with Bhagawan arriving at 4.30 pm in His chair. After a full round of the Sai Kulwant Hall, Swami came onstage after a brief visit to the interview room. The conductor of the Western choir came up to Bhagawan for blessings, and their hour-long programme began. When they finished all the songs in their printed schedule, Swami asked them to sing more songs, so they sang some traditional carols like ‘Silent Night’ and then began an encore of selected songs from their programme. Prasadam was distributed and Swami called up the conductor to bless her with a chain before accepting Arati. He then asked the students to sing bhajans. After the first couple of bhajans, He asked them to sing ‘Sarva Dharma Priya Deva’. A couple of multi-religious bhajans followed before Swami accepted Arati once again and returned to His residence in the car after spending more than 2 hours in Sai Kulwant Hall.

Curtesty Spirit Reflections

Christmas afternoon in Prashanti Nilayam;

Hmm, I decided to enter the darshan hall by the top gate, and I was going to wander down to the back of the hall; an old Seva Dal pointed to me to go and sit somewhere at the front; I said, “No, I am going down the back” , and he said “No, you go and sit there only”.  

Well, I went and found the foreigners sitting and went and sat in an open space, about three rows from front line. Some people told me it was the space for the canteen volunteers and a seva dal told me to move. And another seva dal told me to go back and sit down. So I did, three rows from the front, closest I have been to the front on the men’s side. 

The atmosphere and energy in the darshan hall was gay, in the original sense of the word; it was joyful, it was happy, there was a humdrum of conversation, and we were waiting for Sai Baba to come. Happy devotees from every country, I had people from Scotland and South America around me, and children everywhere. Apparently I was sitting nearby the Children’s Choir. 

Swami arrived around 4.30pm; there were about five people walking behind Swami, and he stopped and spoke to members of the Ladies Choir; also stopped and spoke to some men, immediately he arrived on the mens’s side, and took letters. Swami: I was close, how to describe? 

Well, that chair moves slowly, and Swami looks left and right; his hair is just so; his robe shows the ironing creases, he sits and looks right across the men as he passes; hands go up in pranams; did our eyes meet? I think so, but I was three rows back. A sere smile on his face, hands raised in blessing as he passes by. Yes, Swami looked very happy as he passed us by. At the top of the walkway before he turns right to go across the front of the Mandir, he paused and spoke to some of the old students, who were seated there; Swami was talking for quite some time before he moved across and around to the other side of the Mandir, where he pauses for a long time in front of the primary school children; quite some conversation there. Then Swami came to the front of the porch and there was silence. John Behner kneels beside Swami and gives him details of the afternoon program. 

John Behner, Coordinator from Latin America, introduced the afternoon’s proceedings.  He spoke of the teams who had prepared the Darshan Hall, the devotees from South California, Nevada, and so on. The group of 200 Indonesians, who prepared the prasadum, the 160 ladies involved in sewing and decorations, the containers from China, the planning for the Christmas decorations. All planning had been submitted to Swami, and Swami had personally seen and approved all the decorations. The canteen and their work, decorations and the Christmas meal; the choir and their 9 days of preparation.   Last, but not least, the men who did the dirty work were acknowledged.  Big round of applause. 

FIrst speaker is Mrs Geesje Sebastian of Germany, a Human Values teacher, Regional Coordinator, SSE Teacher. Mrs Sebastian spoke in slow, careful English and told the story of her coming to Swami, how she did not know who or where this Sai Baba was, and how he entered her life and saved her eyesight. Mrs Sebastian finished with a beautiful song. 

Second speaker was Ted Henry, a retired TV Broadcaster from Cleveland OHIO, and Ted has been interviewing people for many years, and making videos. Ted told that the fruit of all this was not the change in the people he was interviewing, nor the change he had hoped for in those who might view his interviews on Radio Sai Global Harmony; no, the real changes came in Ted himself, it was his heart that was pierced with Love. Ted is a great speaker. 

Then silence. John Behner went to Swami, knelt and spoke and then got up and went back to his place. We all looked at Swami. Swami turned his head, and looked around, then an imperceptible nod; there was going to be a divine discourse, and a great round of applause burst out. 

I have never seen Swami sit and give a discourse before, but, you know, it was really no different; Anil Kumar was beside Swami, always turning his head to Swami and waiting for him to finish before looking up and translating. AK took the microphone from the stand and held it in his hand (he gave up writing, as usual).

Swami spoke in English a lot. He never said Sathyam, Sathya, shanti, he spoke in English a lot. Swami told (in my inaccurate recall) (these are the English bits)

• The body is a container, we have to look after it
• Truth is God; Truth is Love, Truth is the basis of the Universe
• God is above you, below you, around you, in you (all in English)
• Hurt Never, Help Ever
• Love is everything, give love, only love
• You are three people, the one you think you are, the one others think you are, and the One God sees
• I,I,I, don’t say I am this, I am that, say I am God
• People ask “Who are you, don’t say I am the body, don’t give body-name, say I am God, and tell them YOU ARE GOD TOO, (all in English) (tremendous applause)
• Swami spoke about Jesus on the Cross, and Mother Mary at the foot of the Cross, weeping, crying; Jesus told Mother Mary not to weep, all this was fore-ordained
• Swami spoke about the mind, he never said manas or tapas, he kept on speaking in English, Mind is a bundle of thoughts, master the mind, do not think you are the mind, do not think you are the body. Swami really spoke a lot about the body and how it has to be taken care of so we can do service. 

And that is about all I can recall now. Then Swami sang Prema Muditha Manasa Kaho (Chant the name of the Lord with Love) … then he began Bhajana bina sukha shanti nahi .. it was really funny, we all sang the first line with Swami with both of those bhajans, just the first line, it was a teriffic feeling to be singing that so softly and sweetly with Swami …

After singing, Swami spoke again and lauded the singing of the Choir, and said something like their effort was blessed and pure and of wondrous quality.  He really praised the Choir and we all gave them a round of applause. 

It was dark, now, around 6.50pm, and a magnificent singer sang some strophes, and then into two bhajans, they were marvellous, Swami blessed the prasad and students ran out to collect and distribute; then the pujari stood and gave arathi, and I could see Dorothy of the UTurn school waving the arati flame along with one or two other ladies, on the ladies side. 

It was dark now, and Swami left in his car, a most blessed Christmas in Prashanti Nilayam.

Prashanti Nilayam – Christmas 2008 Childrens Christmas
Prashanti Nilayam Add commentsIt was the time for the Children’s presentations in the darshan hall; they had been waiting in there for many hours. First, it was the choir, and their first song was magnificent; the words are still going around in my head. so high was their energy. They also sang a very fast version of “Take me away oh won’t you carry me” with few verses I had not heard before. Also, their rendition of Why Fear When I am here was magnificent; their refrain was “So says Baba, Sai Baba and Jesus, Why fear when I am here”. Marvellous.

I still haven’t got the new Samasta Loka right in my head, and when it comes at the end of Bhajans, I am slightly non-plussed for a few moments, then I catch on; the children’s choir integrated this into “May the Love we’re sharing spread its wings” and came in with Samasta Loka sukhino Bhavantu, Bhavantu, and the second bhavantu is really high with emphasis and volume; it sounded really good.

I had to laugh at one stage. Something caught my attention during the Childrens Play, I saw snow falling onto the choir in the darshan hall. The adult choir members were sitting near the walkway and some heads were covered with snow, and I could see waves and waves of snow falling all over the choir… then I looked up to the roof and there were two “snow boxes” up there, and snow was just billowing out from them. People were reaching up and brushing the snow off their heads and shoulders; there really was a lot of it.

Lovely energy with the Children, the Lord Jesus had a thick mop of black hair and a fulsome black beard, there was a boat, and nets, and Peter went out and walked on the water with Jesus. The diction and delivery of the lines was excellent, it was rich and full of energy.

The darshan hall was chock full of children from everywhere, overseas and local children; it was a wonderful, graceful and joyful atmosphere in the hall this evening. Swami sitting up on the front of the porch, following the play very attentively, reading the program, and holding the HUGE RED ROSE presented to him by the Producer of the Childrens’s presentation. The Childrens Choir sang sacred songs during the scene changes in the play, and the whole presentation was very inspiring and edifying; it very nearly brought me to tears several times, so sweet was their energy.

Puttaparthi is dark, the wind is blowing, and buses are leaving. And more buses arriving.

Lovingly shared by a Sai Devotee