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Sri Sathya Sai
Mission-International and National
Greetings to the organizers of the
Second World Hindu Conference. We thank the organizers of this
conference for giving the Sathya Sai Organization of Sri Lanka a
chance to place before the participants some basic information
about the Sathya Sai Organization.
Some will want to know who is Sathya
Sai Baba. We believe that he is an Avatar of God. Some of you may
not accept the concept of Avatar hood. We fully believe in that
concept and that is why we are in the Organization. Some people
believe that the Sathya Sai Organization is a new religion and
that the Organization is busy enrolling members to the
Organization. This is definitely an ignorant conception. Bhagawan
Baba has come to help all religions to flourish, a Buddhist to
become a better Buddhist, a Hindu a better Hindu, a Christian a
better Christian and a Muslim to become a better Muslim. A person
who criticizes another religion does not know the basic principles
of his own religion. Bhagawan say’s that there is only one
religion, the religion of love; there is only one language, the
language of the heart; there is only one caste, the caste of
humanity; and there is only one God and he is omnipresent.
The purpose of the Sai Mission is to
help all people to realize the divinity latent In every one.
Bhagawan has defined a Sathya Sai Centre as a place where devotees
following the tenets of their respective religions, assemble
periodically to perform joint Sadhana and to undertake service to
fellow human beings. Of course the cultural background of the
location of the Centre is given some measure of importance. In Sri
Lanka, for example in the Northern part of Sri Lanka you will find
the Hindu Cultural background clearly predominant. Similarly in
the central areas the Buddhist Cultural background prevails.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, whom
we call an Avatar is the second in a trinity of Avatars. The first
one is Shiridi Sai Baba who lived in Maharastra, India. The
present Avatar has assured that he would live up to 96 years of
age. His present age is 77. He will be followed by a third Avatar
called Prema Sai, who will be born in the Mysore State of india.
The first Avatar laid the foundation, the second Avatar does the
structure and the third one will lay the pinnacle. It has been
guaranteed to us that the divine mission will be achieved. No
doubt like all leaders of religions in history, there will be many
detractors — Sri Rama, Sri Krishna, Lord Buddha, Jesus Christ all
had their quota.
Another question often asked is, If
Sai Baba Is God in human form, why is there so much disturbances
in the whole World? Baba himself has answered this question. He
has come purely because there is so much disturbance, and his
mission is to re-establish spiritual and moral principles. If
there is trouble in a particular location the IGP sends the Sub
inspector to restore order. If the Si fails the inspector goes. If
the inspector fails the Superintendent of Police goes and so on.
Finally the IGP has to go. The world has gone into such a chaotic
situation that the IGP himself has to come.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sal Baba was
born on the 23 of November 1926. At the age of 14 he proclaimed
to the world his mission and separated himself from his family. He
was born in a village called Puttaparthy In the State of Andhra
Pradesh in South India—a poor and backward village that has now
assumed the importance of the leading spiritual centre with an
airport, railway station, etc.
The place where Swami resides is
called Prasanthi Nilayam. Thousands of devotees assemble here
daily. Multitudes gather for special events like Maha Sivarathri,
Dhasara, New Year, Christmas, Buddha Poornima, His Birth day, etc.
Residential facilites, hotels and canteens, have come up around
Prasanthi Nilayam.In Prasanthi Nilayam itself there are
residential facilities, Super Market, bookstalls, Health
facilities, pipe borne water supply. and other facilities one
expects in a modern town. The main focus of Bhagawan’s activities
is Service. There is an ultra modern Super Speciality Hospital
built at a cost of 5000 million rupees. There is a similar
hospital at Bangalore in the Karnataka State. There is a
full-fledged University with branches at Bangalore and Anantapur.
There are several secondary and high schools managed by various
units of the SathyaSai Organisation. A whole district called
Rayalaseema in.
Andhra Pradesh was subject to severe
drought every year with the result the poor villagers had to walk
2—3 kilometres to fetch water. To thousands of families Baba has
given water on tap. This has been acclaimed as a miracle by the
whole world. He is now in the process of providing the same
facility to certain areas close to Chennai in the State of Tamil
Nadu.
With no proper Schooling in the
normal terms, Bhagawan Baba is an authority in the ancient
scriptures. He has even corrected certain inaccuracies in the
Ramayana and Mahabaratha. His advent in this world has been
prophesised by very eminent astrologers, saints and sages. One of
the foremost Seers of our times, Sri Aurabindo of Pondichery,
called his followers on November 24, 1926,the day following the
birth of Sai Baba, and declared that Krishna Consciousness has now
descended upon earth in physical form.
Baba’s directives to the devotees in
the Sai Organisation can be put in a few words easy to understand-
Transform yourself, Help ever, Hurt never — which be says is the
essence of the 18 Purarnas.; Think good, speak good, act góód,
hear good, see good, which is similar to Lord Buddha’s teachings.
It must be made very clear that
Bhagawan Baba is not the Head of the Sal Organisation. Devotees
have formed the organisation and run it themselves, of course with
His divine guidance. There is an International Chairman, Zonal
Chairmen and Central Co-ordinators for the various regions that
have been formed. There is a Charter for the running of the
organisation.
No subscription is levied for
membership in the organisation. What is required is the promise to
follow the essential principles of the organisation, which are
based on the Human values, Sathyam Dharmam, Shanthi, Prema, and
Ahimsa. For easy guidance He has given a nine points code of
conduct which in fact comprises the Karma yoga, Bakthi Yoga, and
.Gnana Yoga. There are also ten basic commandments, which help us
to be better citizens of the world. In a larger concept we have
divided ourselves into various wings of the
organisation—the spiritual wing, service wing, youth wing, and
educational wing and the women’s wing.
Twice an year World Conferences are
held at Prasanthi Nilayam, attended by delegates from all parts of
the world, where plans are prepared for execution by the Centres
spread all over the world. At present the organisation has spread
to 175 countries-with 2200 centres in foreign countries and over
8000 Centres in India itself. The first Centre formed in Sri Lanka
was in Colombo in the year 1966. Now there are 120 Centres spread
throughout the Island.
The organisation will be actively
engaged in the coming years in the promotion of education in Human
Values. The basic concepts have been given by Baba himself and
people, who have fully understood the scheme, have called it
‘Educare’ the Veda of the 21 Century. Sathya Sai Educare is a
System of education based on Spirituality and the five human
values - Sathyam, Dharmam, Shanthi, Prema and Ahimsa. It had the
beginnings as Bal Vihar in 1968 and was changed to Bal Vikas
programme in 1971. The objective of the Bal Vikas programme was to
blossom truth, beauty and virtue in the child. It was meant for
children of the devotees of Sathya Sai Baba.
Later this programme was extended
and adapted to meet the education of non devotees, and was called
Sathya Sai Education in Human Values (SSEHV) In 1985. This was for
public schools, teachers, parents and others.
With the guidance of Sai Baba the
SSEHV developed into a system called Educare. It has a holistic
approach to the development of Character, which Baba says is the
end of education. Educate aims at the harmonious relationship of
the five elements of the universe and the five senses of the human
body. For handling the five senses properly we need the five human
values and the correct use of them is the starting point of
Educare.
This system of education is being
used in several countries including Sri Lanka.
Bhagawan Baba is also a great Patron
of Music and Arts. There is an Academy of Music established in
Prasanthi Nilayam.
A group of over 100 scientists
assembled in Bombay when Baba visited there. They had met to
consider what India should do in the event of a nuclear war.
Bhagawan Baba’s simple reply was why are you afraid when you have
the mightiest bomb — Sanathana Dharma. Hundreds of books have been
published, which include Swami’s discourses, His special lectures
on various subjects His writings and His biographical and various
expositions by others. The publications are in several languages
of the world. The organisation itself publishes a well known
magazine under the title Sanathana Sarathi in English, Telugu,
Tamil, Hindi, and other Indian languages. In Sri Lanka too we have
a quarterly magazine in English, Sinhala and Tamil under the title
Sai Marga.
As this is a Hindu Conference, it is
relevant to remember that the basic teachings of Bhagawan Baba are
based on the Vedanta. But He often quotes the relevant sculptures
of the other religions. The main goal is humanisation of the
animal within and divinisation of the human.
We fully believe in the
omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence of Bhagawan Sri Sathya
Sai Baba. Devotees all over the world bear witness to this. Some
may call this faculty an aspect of Siddhi. Bhagawan Baba has shown
to us his control Over the elements, which no Siddhapurusha can.
His miracles cannot be compared with any act of Siddhi. Learned
scholars have written volumes on this. He has brought back to life
persons declared dead. However, the most important miracle is the
transformation he has brought about in thousands of people all
over the world.
S Sivagnanam,
National Advisor,
Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, & Former Central Co-ordinator,
Sri Lanka.
Source:
http://www.pathcom.com/~mahend/sai/sai_mission.htm
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