Sathya Sai Baba
The Divine Master

1. The Descent Of Divine Sakthi On The Earth

The famous Rishi and Mahayogi of India, Sri Aurobindo Ghosh had nurtured a dream of evolving the human into a new being. This was an astonishing idea. His vision of evolving the human form was indeed unique and unprecedented was that proverbial step ahead, which could take man to the highest level of consciousness and being. Sri Aurobindo, who by the power of his integral Yoga, delved into the Cosmic Mind, and en­gaged himself for three years from 1923 to 192B in an intensive, unparallel and heroic sadhana for achieving the Supermind into this earth.

SUPERMIND is the Truth consciousness, the true power of knowledge, the self-luminous and self-­realising. It is the Real Idea which is the vast self­-extension of Brahman and that which contains and upholds multiplicity and maintains unity in utmost diversity and stability in utmost mutability. Accord­ing to Sri Aurobindo that descent of the Supermind when achieved by the efforts of man is capable of promoting man into a higher phase in evolution. On 15th August 1926, on his fifty-fourth birth­ in a brief but important discourse Sri Aurobindo : "The object to our yoga is to bring down a Consciousness, a Power, a Light, a Reality that is other than consciousness which satisfies the ordinary being on the earth a Consciousness, a Power and a Light of Truth, a Divine Reality which is destined to raise the earth-consciousness and transform everything here" ………”We have to call down this greater Con­sciousness directly into the vital being and the physical being, so that the Supreme calm and univer­sality may be there in all its fullness from top to bottom. If this cannot be done then the first condition of transformation is not fulfilled."

On the 24th day of November 1926, Sri Aurobindo in ultimate finality realised a distinct and definite conviction of descent of the Divine supra­mental sakthi on this earth. He declared this day to be celebrated as the 'Victory Day' in his ashram at Pondicherry. Sri Aurobindo has written about that day on page 208 of the book "Sri Aurobindo on Him­self and the Mother" (1953 edition), "24th November l926, was the descent of Krishna into the physical".. "A power infallible shall lead the thought, in earthly hearts kindle the Immortal's Fire. Even the Multitude shall hear the Voice."

It appeared from Sri Aurobindo's amazed and thoughtful expression, that he himself, had not yet attained that stage of preparedness in which he could experience this unmatched phenomenal occurence. All present there experienced a state of supreme Divine Bliss.

On that day, in Pondicherry ashram, a heavenly atmosphere had prevailed and the Mother announced celebration of festivities in the ashram. The atmosphere was pervaded with a wave of extreme happiness and blissful joy. There flow an endless stream of Ananda and rejoicing, the ocean of effulgence had descended to permeate the entire surroundings with profound brightness and light. Every ashramite experienced a peculiar  pressure _ higher force on his head. Towards the evening a novel festive function was organised in an atmosphere of infinite peace. A rostrum was erected with a back­ground of a dark curtain on which were embroidered with gold, three Chinese dragons, symbolising the warding off evils. Sri Aurobindo and the Mother adorned beautifully decorated chairs. In this envi­ronment of uninterrupted silence, the ashramites filed past one by one and received individually, special blessings from both. All 24 ashramites (a number of Occult Value) without exception experienced, that the Divinity had descended upon the earth in a human form. They felt that, that divine and blessed moment was an event of utmost importance for the entire universe. At that moment, the ashramites un­doubtedly realised that Sri Aurobindo and Mother's faces and bodies were illumined, with inner divine light and beautiful heavenly effulgence and bliss. They had a perceptible glow of divinity and light radiating from them. Kumari Hudson Dutt in ecstatic delight proclaimed loudly, “Today has the Divine descended on the earth." That Supreme Divine Sakthi which had descended is the Almighty Sarva Daivathwa-Swaroopam. (The Form. in which All Forms of All Gods), Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, who was born on 23rd November 1926.

2. Same Time In Three Forms

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The Tapovan at Puttaparthi was inaugurated on the 29th of June 1957. On that occasion two close disciples of the Saint Swami Sivananda Saraswathi of Rishikesh, were also present. One of them was Swami Satchidananda who was then the working Secretary of the branches of the Divine Life Society. The other was, his co-disciple Swami Sadananda who is the author of the beautiful books 'Satmarga Deepam’ and 'Maha Sakthi' and has also written a commentary on Patanjali's 'Yoga-Darsana'. A few days before this function; both the personalities had the extreme good fortune of having stayed for full six weeks in the Divine Presence and company of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba at Kodaikanal. They were the recipients of His infinite Grace and Com­passion and had enjoyed the Supreme Bliss, that the close proximity of the physical form of Divinity

In his speech on this occasion Swami Satchida­nanda said, "From my personal experience I am convinced without doubt and also from my extreme good fortune of recent close association with Baba I am fully satisfied that Baba is Super-Consciousness itself, Omniscient, Omnipresent and Inner Resident of all beings sarva bhoothantharathma). It is absolute­ly essential to explain how I have eome to this un­questionable faith in my heart and mind." Then he went on to say, "Once I was sitting with Baba in His room at a bungalow at Kodaikanal. At that time Baba was reclining on His bed. All of a sudden Baba stood up with a jerk and shouted in Telugu “DO NOT SHOOT” and then fell; unconscious on His bed.

To describe correctly, it can be said that Baba had gone on an 'out of the body' or transcorporeal journey. His body then became stiff. At that very moment of His shouting 'do not shoot' Baba was con­tinuously thumping at the door of a military officer at Bhopal. However, at that moment of time and space He was not in Sri Sathya Sai form. Instead, He appeared in three different forms. Having created three different human bodies, Baba had entered into them _ one in the form of an old college friend, second as his wife and third as a peon, who was carry­ing their baggage on his head. In this way Baba presented to the officer a fully natural picture which was commensurate with and perfect in all minute details of divinity.

This military officer, had performed well in the Second World War and had risen to a high rank in the government service. During the re-organisation of the States, however, he had been unfairly superseded. This he had taken to heart. The unfortunate chain of circumstances, had left him completely shattered and a demoralised fatalist, prompting him to end his life. At that time there was no one to share his burden of sorrows nor anyone to console him. His wife, who was a staunch devotee of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. was away with her parents in their native village. Hearing the loud bang on his door, the officer ran to his bedroom, kept his revolver on his bed and after covering it with a sheet, readjusted his dress, regained his composure and opened the door. At that stage Baba entered the house in three different forms and superbly performed the three roles. For three-­fourths of an hour thereafter Baba kept on displaying the humourous nature and boisterous behaviour of his college-mate, thus dispelling from the officer's mind all thoughts of depression, gloom and also the ugly intention of suicide. On learning that the officer's wife was not at home, his friend (Baba) did not con­sider it proper to stay at that house. Instead he decided to stay at a well-known hotel at Bhopal. After the departure of the three, the officer discovered that the revolver was missing. He searched infructuously in the whole house and thereafter ran to the hotel where his friend and his family were to stay. There was no booking in his friend's name and also there was no trace of his friend and his family. The officer realised, that it could be Baba, who had come as his old friend to rescue him from the jaws of death. It was Baba alone, who had retrieved him from that critical situation and saved his life and had given him a new lease. Just at that moment, there was another knock on the door, bringing him a telegram which read "DO NOT WORRY THE INSTRUMENT IS WITH ME BABA."

Swami Satchidananda reported, that when Baba was lying unconsciously at Kodaikanal, He showed His infinite 'Leela-Sakthi' by the flow of a stream of o 'vibhuti' (Holy Ash) from His toes, thus comforting them. Baba soon resumed His normnl frame and had the above telegram sent.

On exactly the fourth day Baba received a letter; from that officer in which he had described all the | events. In that letter, it clearly stated that Baba is Omnipresent, Omniscient, Almighty, The Savour who guards all His devotees from every difficulty. He is the beloved Lord, who saved Draupadi from ignominy, Ahalva from petrification, the elephant, Gajendra, from the jaws of a crocodile and Bhaktha Prahlada from torture by the wicked King Hrinyakashyapa. It has been described in the Puranas (the ancient Hindu scriptures) that the Atma when dlsembodied, can enter into an existing body. This phenomenon is known as ‘Parakaya-pravesam'. However, this inci­dent is even more profound than that. It has been neither heard of, nor seen nor written about. The simultaneous appearance in three different forms at the same place is called 'Kaya-Srishti' Body Crea­tion). This means appearing at one’s will in three different forms, adopting full details of their physical appearance and exhibiting identical behaviour in per­forming their roles in perfect exactitude.

From the circumstances just narrated it will be seen that meticulous attention was given to the minu­test details, the correct physical appearance, the identical behaviour and mannerisms in their every aspect, the exactly similar gait and gestures while talking and repeating even the same phrases and idioms, they had used in their college days. A carbon copy of his friend was actually created before the officer. Quite apart from this the happenings of those days, conversations held at that time, even the mimi­cry of other contemporaries and tales of decades ago, were enacted in their completeness. This could have been accomplished, only by an Incarnation of God.

3. The Dattatreya Form !

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Every year on Sivaratri day, in the presence of a huge concourse of devotees and amidst the singing of bhajans, a Siva-lingam forms within Baba. This precious and marvellous creation is then ejected from His mouth signifying the origin of the creation from f the Creator. In 1977, when I was present there on 4 this wonderful festival in Prasanthi Nilayam, Baba l made a divine declaration, “henceforth this great I festival of Sivaratri will not be celebrated at Putta­parthi in the manner that it was being done." In March 1978, Baba was at Ooty and accompanied by some of His college students and Seva-dal volunteers went to Madhumalai, a hill-resort at the foothills of Nilgiri ranges near Bandipur forest. There, from the sands, He created a 'lingam' in the shape of the moon with all its details and gave a divine discourse about the moon. "The moon has a deep influence on the mind as the deity of mind is the moon. If man con­tinues his spiritual sadhana (efforts) then with the waning of the moon, the vagaries and fickleness of the mind also get gradually diminished. On this day of Siva-ratri (the moonless night) if man keeps awake and meditates and prays to Lord Siva, singing His glories, surrenders himself, then all the ill effects of bad influences on his mind get dispelled and erased completely; thus man can conquer his mind."

At this stage one student, though listening very attentively to Bhagavan, was still doubting the Divinity of Baba. Turning towards that student Baba

said, "You are still doubting as to who actually I am. The student nodded in the affirmative. Then Baba if told him, "You have a Polaroid camera, you can take my photograph. I shall prove to you my true reality and my real form." The student clicked. Lo! Behold! A Divine Miracle. In the photograph, in­stead of Baba, there appeared the TRINITY of BRAHMA, VISHNU and MAHESH in the most beautiful form of Lord Dattatreya.

Accompanying that charming form, four cows (four Vedas) and a dog symbolising faith and loyal­ty) had appeared in the picture; just as they have been depicted always accompanying the Dattatreya form.

4. The Embodiment of Selfless Love

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Dr. Frank G. Baronowski, who is a clinical hypnotist, an interface psychologist and also a lecturer of international repute, has delivered over nine thou­sand lectures in various universities, colleges and conferences all over the world. In 1978, Dr. Baronowski had come to Bangalore, to attend the Peace Conference under the auspices of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. There he saw an aura around Baba (which can also be expressed as an emanation of a band of electro-magnetic vibrations from around the body). He was wonder-struck on seeing this. In his speeches, delivered at Brindavan and subsequently published articles on this experience, he has expressed, "This aura extends from three to five feet around all ordinary human being. As the individual's emotional, physical and mental states change, the colour pattern of these auras also change. Ordinarily white aura denotes energy. When the aura is composed of blue colour it signifies deep spiritualism, green colour depicts healing power, yellow shows the development of thought-power and intellect. Anger and disappoint­ment are seen as red aura. With a camera for Kir­lian Photography (biomagnetic field radiation photography) the aura of man could be photographed an~ one could know whether or when a person feels love extends love and showers love. Pink colour which is rarely seen, denotes a person capable of selfless love.2 This very pink colour was visible all around Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. The aura of Baba was seen spreading beyond the walls of the building where He stood. This energy field reached thirty or forty feet in all directions. I am very pleased to say that I have not only had the occasion to examine the auras of prominent personalities like ex-President Gerald Ford of U.S.A., Queen Juliana of Netherlands, Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, Pope John Paul II, but also witnessed the auras of tens of thousands of others. I say this not as a certificate or testimonial but with, an intention of proving the fact. I feel it imperative to state that not one person I have ever seen who has an aura of that intensity and magnitude and also pink colour which can be seen around Bhagavan Sri Satya Sai Baba."

5. A Personal Experience

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On 13th May I979, I was sitting on the sacred land of Dharamakshetra, for Babats darshans, eagerly awaiting His arrival. At that time by the Divine Leela of all powerful Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, a Sai devotee from Ghatkopar came straight to me and told me about an important phenomenon, which I narrate as follows: He said that during the dar­shans at Nagar-Sankirtan that morning, many Sai devotees had seen different forms of light and efful­gence emanating from Baba.

As if to impress upon me the importance of such a vision many others also
came and told me the same fact. The next morning as the Nagar-Sankirtan approached Sathya-Deep, I found myself quite in the rear. Suddenly a latent force from behind seemed to propel me forward and ultimately it brought me, just next to the person per­forming the Arti in the first row. At that time the kind compassionate Sadguru showed me all the Divine Leelas of the auras described earlier. Sometimes the light formed a tall crown over His hair, at others a peculiar halo of light seemed to form around His face and yet again an urn of light seemed to form above Baba and still more, fast revolving circles of light seemed to form above Him ascending to great heights. With Baba's merciful Grace I could even see the pink colour surrounding Him.

6. The Homage By The Sea Lord

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Baba was staying at Raj Bhavan on 22nd December 1958 with Shri Ramakrishna Rao, the then Governor of Kerala. One evening with hundred or more devotees Baba went for a stroll towards Kanya Kumari, where one can see a confluence of three oceans. Standing about forty feet away from the sea water, Baba addressed the Sea Lord Varuna, "Well you_ have called Me up to this place. But what do you_ want actually?" Up to this time the ocean was absolutely calm and quite. No sooner than Baba spoke these words, a wonderful Divine miracle took place in which only that small portion of the seashore be­came stormy with waves rising high and the sea rushed to touch Baba's Lotus Feet to pay homage and respects to the Lord. A few moments later as the water receded after washing Bhagavan's Feet, a beautiful and priceless necklace of pearls was left behind by Varuna at the Lotus Feet. It appeared as if the Sea Lord had come jumping and leaping to kiss t Lord's Feet and offer this gift. The price of the necklace was estimated to be in millions. That is why the sea is also known as the RATNAKAR (the one that gives gems or ratans). Many Sindhis worship Varuna-Devta as their deity and sing the glories of JHULELAL.

7. Baba in the Moon

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Robert De Silva, who is an Attorney-at-Law in U.S.A., has written an article about seeing Baba's reflection in the moon. He has written in Sanathan Sarathi, "In 1975, I and my wife were taking a walk along the sea-shore one evening, I perchance happened to look towards the moon and I was wonderstruck with what I saw. It appeared that Baba was looking at me from the moon. At first I couldn't believe that this is a fact in reality. So I rubbed my eyes. This wonderful astonishing vision made me almost fain Immediately controlling myself, I signalled to my wife to look at the moon. She looked up and exclaimed reassuringly 'Oh my God!’

We are very fortunate that from that day of exquisite vision of the full moon night, we were able, to see the beautiful form of Baba, on all the days o~ the waxing and waning of the moon. On the full moon night the beloved Lord can be seen in His full majestic divine glory and exquisite effulgence.

8. The Divine Rainbow

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Joel Reardon, Hollywood film producer, writer and director, has narrated yet another novel episode, providing a panoramic glimpse of Divinity that is Baba. Joel's wife Diana, herself a Sai devotee, car­ried a good number of Baba's pictures with her on returning home from her second trip to Puttaparthi. She displayed these pictures in their house with full-love and devotion for Bhagavan Baba. This brought about a vociferous protest from her husband, who even went to the extent of referring to Baba as "THIS CHARACTER".

Joel, decided to come to India and expose what_ he called "THIS CHARACTER". He had planned and accordingly told his friends Gould and S. J., be­fore leaving U.S.A., "I will ask him for a rainbow over India, something which only God can give. _ am not a great believer in God and I certainly do not believe in the Voodoo type of Indian Characters.

On reaching Puttaparthi and after settling in a room there, they went atop the hillock for a cigarette, smoking is an absolute taboo in the Prasanthi Nilayam. As soon as they reached the top, Joel witnessed a magnificent spectacle in utter bewilderment. He saw a bright rainbow starting from just behind Diana and ascending vertically with amazing rapidity. In split seconds the rainbow reached a great height. Joel could not believe what he saw and shouted, "Diana, look over your right shoulder." She turned and on

And on seeing the rainbow exclaimed ‘My God’.

At this stage Diana informed Pamela, a girl from Bangalore, who was also sitting there, "Joel was going to ask Baba, if He is God, give him a rainbow. And look, Baba gave Joel what he wanted even be­fore he could express it."

Joel's eyes were filled with tears when he said, "Look the sun is shining, the sky is cloudless and very clear. How can that be ?" He was wondering

whether "THIS CHARACTER" (as he called Baba) had heard his words right across from U. S. A. Concurrently the rainbow disappeared from below upwards.

That evening as Joel sat for Baba's darshan. Baba came straight to him and putting His Hand on Joel's shoulder said in a gentle voice, "How are you ? Character!" Joel was stunned. "Character!" the very word he had often used to ridicule Baba.

Next morning the family had an interview in which Baba asked Joel, ~'Well, Character! how did you like the rainbow ?" Then addressing the group Baba told them that Joel wanted only a rainbow. This clearly signifies that the creation of a rainbow was after all insignificant manifestation of the Divine Powers.

Joel was impressed by the rainbow which only God could create. Despite that, he was planning in his mind to test Baba further by asking him to pro­duce an out of the season fruit there in the interview room. Knowing these thoughts concomitantly Baba waved His Hand before Joel and produced a FIG.

In their group was another American couple who were planning to go back as the wife had not got cured of her ailment despite having stayed at Puttaparthi for a reasonably long time. Baba turned towards the husband and spoke, "Why go home ? Am I not your Mother, Father and a Doctor ?” Then Baba gave half of the fig to her and asked her to eat it. She did so and was cured of a long-standing ail­ment. The other half of the fig was given by Baba to Joel's little daughter Christiana who in turn got cured of her illness.

Later on ,Joel learnt that the fig was totally unseasonal and not even grown in that part of the country. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba often says,

I shall give you what you want so that you may want what I have come to give you."

Mentioning about this episode in Sanathana Sarathi. Joel has concluded, "Thank you for the seed. It is up to me, to prove worthy. The seed requires the water of faith. I must cherish the seed (God) with love and nurture it with faith."

9. The Resurrection - Why and when !

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The raisings from the dead by Christ are very_ well known, The 'Cosmic Christ' (Baba), has shown to the world spectacular resurrections which are fully documented. The Cowans from Santa Ana, U.S.A., received a telegram from Baba which read. "COME IMMEDIATELY TO MADRAS BABA."

They were taken by complete surprise and left soon thereafter for India., reaching Madras on 23rd December 1971. On the day of their arrivaI they had the coveted darshans in the evening. Baba had come to them and had rubbed Walter Cowan's back and chest, and told them that He would see them later.

On the Christmas eve Mr. Cowan who had been ailing for quite some time, took a sudden turn for the worst and expired in the hotel room around midnight. The doctors declared him dead. In the early hours of the morning, the body was taken to the hospital where after examination, another doctor certified him as 'Brought in Dead.' At about 10 A.M. Mrs. Cowan accompanied by a lady devotee, arrived at the hospital. They learnt that Baba had just been there and had left barely a few minutes earlier. At the hospitaI they found Walter Cowan alive, sitting and talking.

Subsequently during an interview at Prasanthi Nilayam, Baba told two American scientists from~ New York, "At Madras Cowan had three instances of heart failure, full and fatal. But I gave him life all the three times, for I wished to save Mrs. Cowan, the pain and bother of taking her husband back home dead. Besides, it would make America sit up and think of the message of the East, which is My Mess­age with greater reverence."

Shri Radhakrishna died of gastric ulcers while at Puttaparthi. His wife persistently pleaded with Baba to revive him but at that stage Baba did not seem to oblige. However, He assured her, "Why fear when I am here." On the third day Baba raised Radhakrishna from the dead even though rigor-mortis

had set in. Later Baba said, 'I brought him back to life so that he might write his will and complete other legal formalities about succession to his pro­perties."

Even more astounding than the above two in­stances, is the story of Shri Bhagwandas Daswani. He had a severe heart attack in May 1977 and lay dying in a hospital in Hong Kong. At about 4.10 A.M. on the 25th May that year, he saw Bhagavan walk­ing through the wall into his room. Baba came and sat down on his bed and showered vibhuti all over him. Shri Daswani felt strength grow in his body. At first he thought, he was having a hallucination and inquired of Baba whether He was actually there."

Baba assured him that it was a fact and inquired of Daswani what he would like Baba to do for him. Shri Daswani requested Baba to put him on the couch in the room. Baba lifted him up, like a feather, even though he weighed 170 lbs., and with all the infusions and drips remaining as they were, laid him gently on the couch. After that Baba left just as He had come. Soon a number of nurses entered the room. They were aghast to see him on the couch. They ask­ed him, how he had got there and what was all that

dust' over his bed and body. They also wanted to know as to who had been there. Knowing fully well that they will not comprehend and believe what had just happened, Daswani simply told them, "I walked to the couch." He then requested to collect the dust (vibhuti) for him in some paper. It is stated that the vibhuti weighed about one and half kilo­grams. He, however, divulged the entire story to an Indian doctor who happened to see him a few days later.

A day before this happening in Hong Kong, Baba had advised Daswani's son Deepak, a student at Whitefield, to proceed to Hong Kong as his father was about to have a heart-attack. This episode is but an infinitesimal fraction of His Glory. The story of Shri Daswani has been narrated to me by his close friends and relatives who stay at Bangalore and Hong Kong.

10. The Lord of Time and Space

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The embodiment of Divinity as the Lord of Time and Space gets quite established, with verifiable validity from the following two instances.

Dr. John S. Hislop is a distinguished academi­cian, businessman, administrator and philosopher who is presently the Chairman of the Central Council of the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation in America and a member of World Council of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations. He and four others left Brindavan for Puttaparthi by a taxi at about 8 P.M. in the month of February 19173. Some distance away, the driver negotiated the taxi to overtake a bus. During the process they were caught in a precarious situation. They confronted a speeding car coming towards them from the opposite direction. The other side of the road was under repairs, leaving not an inch of space on their right. A head-on collision between the on­coming car and their taxi was therefore imminent within a few seconds of time and space. The bright head-lights of the on-rushing car had reduced the visibility to almost nil for the driver and the occu­pants of the taxi. They were terrified and began tensely awaiting the inevitable. In a split second they saw the car behind them. Both the vehicles had escaped a devastating crash and were now speeding in their original directions.

Next morning during the darshans, Hislop thanked Baba for saving their lives the previous night. Bhagavan Baba, smiled and said, "Yes, that was a close one. You were so shocked that not one of you called for Me. But Baba saved you anyway.

Dr. Bapi Raju of Vishakhapatnam writes about another instance, demonstrating Baba's complete control over time and space. One day he was going in his car. His son was driving and he was sitting by his side. As they were passing an unmanned railway crossing the car was hit by a railway engine coming from their right. Dr. Raju was thrown out of the car. To their utter amazement, they saw, that both the car and the rail engine had instantaneously stop­ped dead. The engine driver seemed quite astonished when he said that he did not know how his engine had halted although he had not made any attempt to stop it. The impact though of a crushing magnitude had created only a small dent on the right side of the car. Dr. Raju and his son escaped unscathed. A few days later during darshans at Puttaparthi, Baba spoke to DT. Raju and said, "In a sudden calamity or happiness always think of God first. At the time of the accident to you, I had to stop the rail engine and the car and I had to throw you on your left, otherwise you would have fallen on the railway lines in front and received fatal injuries.”

11. The Jyothiswarupa Sai

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Dr. S. Bhagwantham, M.Sc., Ph D., D.Sc., former scientific adviser to the Ministry of Defence, Government of India, and also the Director of the All India Institute of Science, Congress Association is a Physicist of international repute. He used to be a sceptic and a severe critic of Baba. During his first meeting with Baba in 1969, Baba took him and few others for a walk on the sandy banks of the river Chithravathi. Baba then made him select a spot on which they all sat. During the course of their con­versation, Dr. Bhagwantham stated that a very eminent scientist, Opphen Heimer, had quoted a sloka from the 'Bhagavad Gita' in describing the bril­liance of the first ever atomic explosion. He had said that the infinite flash of light could only be described in the words of Arjuna, when he had the 'Vishwa Virat Swaroop' darshan before him. Arjuna had described the effulgence as comparable with the splendour of a thousand suns shining simultaneously in the sky, which is called the JYOTHISWARUPA.

On this Baba asked him, "So you believe in the 'Bhagavad Gita'. Would you read it if I give you one straight away ?" Dr. Bhagwantham happily consen­ted. Baba then asked him to stretch out his hand and picking up some sand poured it on the outstret­ched palm. The sand particles changed into a copy of the 'Bhagavad Gita'. The scientist was not an adept in Sanskrit and though he had not mentioned this fact before Baba, yet the all-knowing Baba had known about it and therefore He had materialised a Telugu copy of the epic. The scientific mind of Dr. Bhagwantham gave vent to an expression of doubt on his face about the publishers. Baba cleared the doubt and said, "This Gita has been printed in the Sai Press.”

The scientist has also seen myriads of miracles from the Divine Hands. Dr. Bhagwantham stood in mute amazement seeing Baba successfully perform an elaborate surgical operation on his mentally retarded son, using on spot created instruments and dressings Once he saw Baba materialise a 'shankha' from which subsequently emanated an incessant flow of 'amrita'. Baba poured a spoonful of nectar on the tongue of everyone present.

On another occasion Baba took a handful of set water and in the presence of the scientist and many others converted it into a beautiful diamond neck­lace. This and many other instances left not an iota of doubt in Dr. Bhagwantham's mind about the Absolute Divinity of Baba. It, however, took him three years of closely watching, examining and weighing the Sai's words and deeds before he could fully accept Him as an Avatar, who is beyond any human understanding, comprehension and scientific explanation.

12. A Tryst with Destiny

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'Bhrigu Samhita' is a well-known authentic hook of predictions. which is said to have been writ­ten 7000 years ago. Smt. Indira Devi (Mataji) of the Sai Yoga Centre of Tecate (Mexico) was born in Russia, learnt yoga in India, U.S.A. acclaimed her as "the First Lady of Yoga," is the author of many books on yoga and also "Sai Baba and Sai Yoga." She had her life reading done from this famous book by Chayasastri, Shri Kantilal Pandya, in March 1972,while she was passing through Bombay.

It mentioned correctly all the details about her life. One of the lines read as: "During 1966-67 you came into contact with a Maha Purusha due to merits of past lives. You are still under His influence." The astrologer explained to her that 'Maha Purusha' meant God. Smt. Indira Devi has written in an article in "The News Chronicle" of Ludhiana, that the reading of the past happenings were accurate. She had first met Bhagavan in 1966 when she was 66 years of age, and had returned to Puttaparthi next year when she was 67. From this she concludes that "if the book of Bhrigu written in several milleniums ago was right in giving her age at the time when she had met Bhagavan then it also should be right in referring to Him as Maha Purusha."

The Bhrigu Samhita had also predicted that Indira Devi's husband, Dr. Sigfrid Knauer, M.D., a famous consulting physician, would come under the influence of the same Maha Purusha. She could not believe this because she knew that her husband was a staunch Christian and an Anthroposophist. Later Dr. Sigfrid Knauer travelled against medical advice to India to meet Bhagavan Baba and seek cure of an intractable illness. Baba welcomed him with His compassionate love and cured him. Speaking about this experience to a San Diego audience, the doctor narrated how Baba treated him by materialising thirty three pills (symbolising 313 vertebrae) and also by massaging his back with a sweet and fragrant oil that exuded from Baba's palm. He went on to say, "In gratitude I wanted to touch His feet, but, He did_ not let me do so." Indira Devi, who was present during this entire episode was utterly bewildered to see the transformation that had come about in her husband who at that moment was so desperately try­ing to touch 'The Lotus Feet.'

The Summing Up

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The constraint of the premium of space has limited the narrative to only twelve concomitant proofs of Divine Majesty from the Infinite numbers that establish The Reality. The estimation of Divinity is beyond human ken. What could be more apt and complete description of such a Divine phenomenon than the blessed words of Bhagavan Baba Himself "The Cowherd Boy, the son of Nanda, has come again among you as embodied 'ANANDA' so that He may collect His playmates; the same Rama has come again, with a great deal of 'Aaram' (without any haste), since now there is no burden of imperium, no dynastic res­ponsibilitv. He has come to give again the chance of service to His erstwhile followers; the same Sai has come to you from Shirdi as embodied Lord, to again be in the midst of His erstwhile companions and com­rades. Once again, the same All-comprehensive, Omnipresent Principle known as “Maha-Vishnu” has come in this comprehensible, cognisable human form as the “Maha-Vishnu” earth limited Lord so that you may benefit therefrom. He has come without His instruments and weapons, for He has willed to forge them here itself."

A Humble Request

Whosoever has the good fortune and the Sai­Kripa of receiving this small though invaluable and beautiful gift (booklet), is humbly requested not to fold it, to keep it always in good shape and perfect order and read it with love and devotion When loaned to others it may please be recovered and kept reverentially, as recently Divine Miracles have been associated with Sai books. Who knows in what form, when, where and with whom Sai-Kripa may manifest itself.

Let us all sing His Glory and merge the LIGHT that He is. Glory be unto Him

AUM SAI RAM !

Pearls From Bhagavan Baba !

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