Quadruple Avathaars: A Seven-Fold Comparison Of Raama, Krishna, Buddha And Sathya Sai Baba

Quadruple Avathaars: A Seven-Fold Comparison Of Raama, Krishna, Buddha And Sathya Sai Baba

Rama Avatar

Krishna Avatar

Buddha Avatar

Sri Sathya Sai Avatar

In the history of Bhaarath, there have been four great Avathaars. These are Raama, Krishna, Buddha and now Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. A seven-fold comparative analysis of their characteristics in terms of their powers, purposes, principles, pursuits, preachings, precepts and philosophies, is detailed below:

1. Divine Form

RAMAA shines by His commitment to Truth in Thought, Word and Deed. A man of one word, one wife and one arrow, He kept his vow or word, wedded only one wife, and wielded one weapon, a bow and arrow, a perfect marksman. That is why He is called SATHYA SUNDHAR, Truth filled Beauty.

KRISHNA shines by His most attractive loving, personality. That is why He is called SHYAAM SUNDHAR, the enchantingly dark, beautiful form.

BUDDHA shines by his deep meditational beauty with half closed eyes in peace, silence and serenity. He can be called therefore as DHYAANA SUNDHAR.

SATHYA SAI BABA shines by His wondrous, splendorous, miracles of Love with His endless materializations of Vibhuuthi and other articles. That is why we call Him VIBHUUTHI SUNDHAR the Vibhuuthi-filled Divine form.

2. Divine Hands

RAAMA is pictured in His hands by a drawn bow and arrow ever ready for the punishment of the demonic in order to protect the holy and the noble. That is why He is called KODHANDA PAANI.

KRISHNA is pictured with a whirling discus in His hand used for the punishment of the wicked, protection of the virtuous and safeguarding Dharma. That is why He is called CHAKRA PAANI.

BUDDHA sits in a lotus posture with his right index finger of his upward pointed right hand touching the tip of the right thumb, symbolizing the union of the individual Self with the universal Self. Therefore, he can be called as JNAANA or ADHVAYA MUDHRA PAANI (non dual-supreme-wisdom-handed).

SATHYA SAI BABA by his mere hand gestures performs, on a daily basis over a period of seventy years, (i) magnetic miracles of universal loving attraction; (ii) mighty materialization miracles consisting of articles of spiritual significance; (iii) mind boggling medical miracles; (iv) magnificent metaphysical miracles (of preachings, teachings and reachings); (v) micro and macro management miracles; (vi) miracles of magnum and mega public service projects and above all; (vii) man-making or transformation miracles. He can be rightly called the MAHAA MAHIMAA MUDHRA PAANI (the divine personality with extraordinarily miraculous and powerful hand gestures).

3. Divine Roles

RAAMA concealed His divinity under the cover of Maaya. He was play-acting a powerful role model, Aadharsha Purusha, of an ideal son, disciple, brother, friend, opponent, ruler and father; He is therefore called a PAATHRADHAARI.

KRISHNA on the other hand was the SUUTHRA DHAARI, the king maker and puppeteer who pulls all wires on the great stage of MAHAA BHAARATHA.

BUDDHA is known as BUDDHA the Compassionate. Therefore he can be called the DHAYAA DHAARI (the Wearer of the mantle of compassion).

SATHYA SAI BABA can be rightly called PREMA DHAARI. He wears the garment of Love and comes to the rescue of devotees in different lands.

4. Divine Guide

RAAMA is called the charioteer of Righteousness, DHARMA SAARATHI.

KRISHNA is rightly called VIJAYA SAARATHI, the charioteer of the Victory of the Paandavas, the Dhaarmik line of devotees.

BUDDHA emphasized and taught eight fold disciplines for individual and social transformation (Samskaranas). These are right vision, aspiration, speech, conduct, work, livelihood, effort, mindfulness and contemplation. So, he can be termed as SAMSKARANA SAARATHI, the charioteer on the path of virtuous transformation.

SATHYA SAI BABA can be justly called SANAATHANA SAARATHI, the charioteer of the ancient but also ever new eternal and universal path of Sanaathana Dharma.

5. Divine Values

RAAMA destroyed the demons representing the inner six-fold enemies of arishadvarga: kaama, krodha, lobha, moha, madha and maathsarya (Anger, Lust, Greed, Infatuation, Pride and Jealousy), called the ARISHADVARGA.

KRISHNA stands for the HARISHADVARGA the six-fold divine qualities of spiritual Wisdom, supreme detachment, great valour, forgiveness, righteousness and incomparable fame.

BUDDHA practiced and expounded the six paramount virtues, Paaramithas, of alms-giving (Dhaanam), morality (Neethi), forbearance (Kshema), zeal (Shraddha), meditation (Dhyaana) and wisdom (Viveka). Therefore, he can be called PAARAMITHAA SHADVARGA DHARSHAKA.

SATHYA SAI BABA stands for SAI SHADVARGA, the six-fold human values of Sathya, Dharma, Shaanthi, Prema, Ahimsa and Thyaaga i.e. Truth, Right Conduct, Peace, Love, Non-violence and selfless loving Service and Sacrifice.

6. Divine Mission

RAAMA was an ideal and just ruler wholly dedicated to the public interest and welfare. As RAAJA RAAM he did not compromise on the virtuous code of conduct and integrity. He is therefore called a Buddha RAAJA-DHARMA-NIRMAATHA or builder of a System of Government of Law, Justice, Equity based on Vedhik principles.

KRISHNA was a people’s leader all through, although He never aspired to rule. He organised a grand coalition of democratic forces and destroyed any ruler who was anti-Dhaarmik and anti-people. He was a propagator of people’s rights as well as duties. He can be called truly a PRAJAA-DHARMA-NIRMAATHA. He was the champion of the poor and the oppressed sections of society. Sathya Sai Baba called Him the first ever builder of an egalitarian order of Society, SAMA SAMAAJA NIRMATHA.

BUDDHA is hailed by Aadhi Shankara as the Prabuddha, the perfectly awakened one. He was also the cause of enlightenment of fellow humans through the practice of deep meditation, Dhyaana Yoga. He can be therefore called DHYAANA DHARMA PRAVARTHAKA.

SATHYA SAI BABA is the protector, active promoter and practitioner of Human Values. That is why He can be called MAANAVATHAA-DHARMA-NIRMAATHA. He is SARVA DHARMA PRAVARTHAKA, the Champion of all faiths, the Promoter of all genuine spiritual paths on the basis of Universality and Love.

7. Divine Essence

RAAMA was called even by His mortal demonic enemy Raavana as the embodiment of all virtues – RAAMO VIGRAHAVAAN DHARMAH.

KRISHNA was termed, by the great cosmic sage, historian and poet Maharashi Vedha-Vyaasa, as the fullest Divine Personality: KRISHNASTHU BHAGAVAAN SVAYAM.

BUDDHA was called by Aadhi Shankara as the emperor of yogis in Kali Yuga (KALAU YOGINAAM CHAKRAVARTHI).

SATHYA SAI BABA is indeed, as thrice emphatically asserted by the great doyen of Vedhik learning, Ghandikota Subrahmanya Shasthry (the Seer of Sathya Sai Gaayathree), the embodiment of all Divine principles, SAAYINASTHU SARVA DHEVATHAA SVARUUPAH. ITHI SATHYAM! ITHI SATHYAM! ITHI SATHYAM!

Conclusion

RAAMA is called MAAYAA MAANUSHA MANGALA MUURTHI or the Sacred Personality, who concealed His divinity under the guise of a human being. He is called a MAAYA AVATHAAR.

KRISHNA is called LEELAA MAANUSHA MANGALA MUURTHI – the playful Auspicious Divinity, in its fullest sense. He is rightly called a LEELA AVATHAAR.

BUDDHA is truly a JNAANAA MAANUSHA MANGALA MUURTHI, the Auspicious Personality of Supreme Wisdom, a Mahaa Maanava, the most exalted human being. He can be called a JNAANA AVATHAAR.

SATHYA SAI BABA can be rightly called MAHAA MAHIMAA MAANUSHA MANGALA MUURTHI: The holy Man of mighty, mega, magnum, majestic miracles of Love, Compassion and Grace on a universal scale. That is why He is the quintessential prototype of a VIBUUTHI AVATHAAR.

LOVE ALL AND SERVE ALL is Sathya Sai Baba’s Message for the Millennium.

G. V. Subba Rao, Prasanthi Nilayam