Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Created | Updated Aug 13, 2007
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Satyanarayana Raju was born at Puttaparthi, a remote village in South India on 23rd November 1926 to Pedda Venkama Raju and Eswaramma. The baby boy was named so because of its mother’s vow to Lord Sathyanarayana, a deity of Hindus . Kondama Raju, father of Pedda Venkamma Raju, was pious and had dedicated a temple to Sathyabama, consort of Lord Krishna, in the village, as per a divine command in his dream. The family was quite religious and also used to take part in village plays and musicals.
Early Childhood
One day, it was noticed that the bed of clothes on which the baby was lying was being moved up and down in a peculiar way by something underneath. When the people around looked under the bed they found a cobra underneath! In India, Snakes are equally adored and worshiped as much as they are feared! This event was seen as majesty of the child and obeisance of the cobra. Hinduism believes in Multi-faceted Godhood. There seems to be a God for every occasion, festivity or an aspect of divinity.
The boy seemed to attract attention of villagers and was different and at times extra-ordinary in his gestures to poor and being a staunch proponent vegetarian food though his family relished non-vegetarian food.
The school days were also marked by instances of the boy teaching his teachers and village elders on topics ranging from spirituality and Godhood to good conduct and social obligation in daily life
I am Saibaba
On 23rd May 1940, Sathya rose from bed as usual, but after some time, He called the members of the household around Him, gave them sugar candy and flowers taken from nowhere. At this, the neighbours too rushed in. He gave them each a ball of rice cooked in milk, flowers and sugar candy concretized by a mere wave of the hand. Meanwhile, Sri Venkama Raju came and he was incensed by what he thought was a trick, hiding things somewhere and producing them by sleight of hand. He wanted the chapter to be closed before it lengthened into a tragedy.
So, arming himself with a stick, he accosted Sathya and asked, "Are you a God, a ghost or a madcap? Tell me!" Prompt came the answer, the Announcement, which had been held back so long, “I am Sai Baba."
One Thursday, someone challenged Sathyanarayana and asked Him, “If you are Sai Baba show us some proof, now!" Baba replied, “Yes, I shall" and asked for some jasmine flowers. With a quick gesture, He threw them on the floor and said, "Look." They saw that the flowers had formed, while falling, the Telugu letters, ‘Sa yi Ba ba’!
Mission Begins
On the 20th day of October 1940, the day after the return from Hampi, Sathyanarayana started for school as usual. However, within a few minutes, He returned to the house. Standing on the outer doorstep, He cast aside the books He was carrying and called out, “I am no longer your Sathya. I am Sai". The sister-in-law came from the kitchen, only to be blinded by the splendour of the halo around Baba's head! He addressed her, “I am going; I don't belong to you; Maya (delusion) has gone; My Bhaktas (devotees) are calling Me; I have My Work; I can't stay here any longer."
His first message for the devotees came forth as the song, “Manasa Bhajare Gurucharanam Dusthara Bhava Sagara Tharanam” (O Mind! Meditate on the Feet of the Guru, which will take you across the wearisome sea of Samsara or worldly existence.)
There was a time when Sathya Sai Baba was questioned “Are you GOD”? Pat came the reply, which stunned the questioner and made him think, “I am God. And you too are God. The only difference between you and Me is that while I am aware of it, you are completely unaware.”
In a letter He wrote to His brother Sri Seshama Raju way back in 1947, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba emphatically declared the grand purpose of His life.
I have a Task: To foster all mankind and ensure for all of them lives full of Ananda (Bliss).
- I have a Task: To foster all mankind and ensure for all of them lives full of Ananda (Bliss).
- I have a Vow: To lead all who stray away from the straight path, again into goodness and save them.
- I am attached to a Work that I love: To remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they lack.
Love
Bhagawan Baba’s principal message is love. He is the embodiment of selfless love and His life is a saga of selfless love for the humanity. Talking about the nature of Love, He says, "Love lives by giving and forgiving; self lives by getting and forgetting. Love can never entertain the idea of revenge, for it sees all others as oneself. When the teeth hurt the tongue, do you seek vengeance against the wrongdoer? No, for they both belong to you and are integral parts of your body. So too, when someone insults you or inflicts pain, allow your wisdom to guide you”. Selfless love is the source of happiness, truth, peace, sacrifice, endurance and all the higher values of life. There is no security and safety without 'Prema', the absolute, unalloyed form of love. Love is the most fundamental moral value.”
Service
Baba always places selfless service at the highest level in the hierarchy of spiritual disciplines. During the ‘Summer course in Indian Culture and Spirituality’ in 1979, He said, “Selfless service is a more exalted means of attaining spiritual progress than other means such as meditation, bhajan and yoga. This is so because when we undertake meditation, Japa (repetition of the name of God), or yoga, we do so exclusively for our own benefit and not for the good of others. These are aimed at fulfilling one’s individual desires and securing happiness for oneself. However, what we should aspire for is the attainment of the good of others without any desire for personal gain”.
The essence of the teachings leads to the best way to Love God, i.e. “Love all and Serve all”.
