In 1940, Sathya was barely fourteen years old. Yet, such was the
faith of the masses in His Divinity that people flocked, young and
old, rich and poor. Included in this crowd of devotees were
Maharajahs and members of the landed gentry. Besides, the Press
also began take notice. Elder brother Seshama Raju, not yet fully
aware of Baba's Divinity, began to worry about the impact of the
attention that his younger brother was receiving. Would this
adoration go to the head of young Sathya? Would He fall a victim
to various temptations? Seshama Raju conveyed his anxiety to Baba,
who sent a reply on 25th May, 1947. Though the letter was intended
for Seshama Raju, it was in fact addressed to 'all who are devoted
to Me'. That letter is a powerful declaration of the purpose of
the Sai Avatar. In that letter, Baba wrote:
My
dear One! I received all the communication that you sent. I found
in it the surging floods of your devotion and affection, with the
undercurrents of doubts and anxiety. Let Me tell you that it is
impossible to plumb the hearts and discover the nature of Jnanis
[Wise men], Yogis, ascetics, saints, sages, and the like. People
are endowed with a variety of characteristics and mental
attitudes; so, each one judges according his own angle, talks and
argues in the light of his own nature. But we have to stick to our
own path, our own wisdom, and our own resolution, without getting
affected by popular appraisal. As the proverb says, it is only the
fruit-laden tree that receives the shower of stone from the
passersby. The good always provoke the bad into calumny; the bad
always provoke the good into doing more good; this is the nature
of the world. One must be surprised if such things do not happen.
People too have to be pitied
rather than condemned. They do not know. They have no patience to
judge right. They are too full of lust, anger, and conceit to see
clearly and know fully. So, they write all sorts of things. If
only they know, they would refrain from writing or talking like
that. We too should not attach any value to such comments and take
them to heart, as you seem to do. Truth will certainly triumph
some day. Untruth can never win. Untruth might appear to
over-power Truth, but its victory would fade away and Truth would
establish itself.
It is not the way of the
great to swell when people offer worship and shrink when people
cool off. As a matter of fact, no sacred text lays down rules to
regulate the lives of the great, prescribing habits and attitudes
they must adopt. They themselves know the path they must take.
Their wisdom regulates and makes their acts holy. Self-reliance
and beneficial activity - these two are their special marks. They
may also be engaged in the promotion of the welfare of devotees
and in giving them the fruits of their actions. Why should you be
affected by doubt and worry, so long as I am adhering to these
two? After all, praise and blame do not touch the Atma; they can
touch only the outer frame.
I have a Task: To foster all
mankind, and ensure for all people lives full of Ananda.
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 suffering of the poor and grant them
what they lack.
I have a 'reason to be
proud': for, I rescue all who worship and adore me.
I have a definition of
'devotion': I expect that those devoted to Me treat joy and grief,
gain and loss, with equal fortitude.
I will never give up those
who attach themselves to Me. When I am thus engaged in My
beneficial task, how can My Name be ever tarnished, as you
apprehend? I would advise you not to heed to such absurd talk.
Mahatmas do not acquire greatness through someone calling them so;
they do not become small just because some calls them small. Only
those low ones who revel in opium but claim to be unexcelled
Yogis, only those who quote scriptural texts to justify their
gourmandry and pride, only those who are dry-as-dust scholars
exulting in their argumentative skill, are moved by praise and
blame.
You must have read the
life-stories of Saints and Divine personages. In those books, you
must have read also of horrible falsehood and heinous imputations
cast against them. This is the lot of mahatmas, everywhere, and at
all times. Why then do you take these things so much to heart?
Have you not heard of dogs that howl at the stars? How long can
they go on? Authenticity will soon win.
I
will not give up My Mission nor My determination. I SHALL
carry them out. I treat with equanimity, the honour or dishonour
that may result. Internally, I am totally unconcerned. I act, but
solely in the outer world. If I talk and move about, it is
entirely for the sake of the outer world, and for making the
people realise the advent of Divinity. Other than this, I have no
concern with anything.
I do not belong to any
place. I am not attached to any name. I have no 'Mine' or 'Thine'.
I respond to whatever name you might use. I go wherever I am
needed or called.
For Me, the world is
something afar and apart. I act and move only for the sake of
Mankind.
No one can comprehend My
Glory, whosoever it may be, whatever be the method of enquiry, and
no matter how long the attempt.
You will yourself see the
full Glory unfolding in the coming years. Devotees must have
patience and forbearance.
I am not concerned, nor am I
anxious that these facts should be made known. I have no need to
write these words. I wrote them because I felt that you will be
pained if I do not reply.
Thus, yours, Baba.
Source: Radio Sai E-Magazine