The Organisation and Religion to Re-unite All Religions

Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba, an exceptional spiritual leader with millions of followers throughout the world, was born on November 23, 1926 in Puttaparthi, a small remote village in south-central India. As a child he demonstrated exceptional qualities of wisdom, compassion and generosity, and it was known in the village that he would take part of his meals out of the house to feed the beggars on the street. At the age of seven he began to compose spiritual songs which were performed at religious festivals. A year or two later he demonstrated his growing powers by materializing objects out of thin air for his playmates, usually candy. On other occasions he would pick a variety of fruits from the same non-fruit producing tree. During his fourteenth year the full power and glory of Sathya Sai Baba started to emerge. He announced to his parents and the villagers that his mission was to bring about the spiritual regeneration of humanity demonstrating and teaching the highest principles of truth, righteous conduct, peace and divine love. With the statement, "My devotees await me," he left his parent's home to live alone outside the village.

Since 1950, Sathya Sai Baba's residence and headquarters have been in Prasanthi Nilayam (the abode of perfect peace), a parcel of land adjacent to the village. His name spread quickly in India, and then he became known to people on every continent. For many years Prasanthi Nilayam has been a gathering site for millions of spiritual pilgrims, from all religions throughout the world.

To his followers, Sathya Sai Baba is accepted as the Avatar of this age; a Divine Being who has come to earth as a manifestation of Divine Will to fulfill a cosmic mission. He has stated, "For the protection of the virtuous, for the destruction of evildoers, and for establishing righteousnous on a firm footing I incarnate from age to age. When disharmony overwhelms the world the Lord will incarnate in human form to establish the modes of earning peace, and to reeducate the human community in the paths of peace."

The fame of Sathya Sai Baba was spread, in the beginning, by the stories of his "miracles", acts which cannot be explained by science and which transcend physical laws. His manifestation of material objects; the creation of sacred ash (vibhuti) on the palm and fingers of his hand, to be used for spiritual and physical aid; changing an object from one metal to another metal simply by blowing on it; all of these and many more, before hundreds of thousands of people, done "by an act of will." He is known to heal the sick and maimed and blind; he has protected from harm those who called for help, even though thousands of miles away; he has appeared in his physical form in two different places at the same time; and he has raised from the dead several persons, including a man from California. And yet, he states, "You have come to get from me tinsel and trash, the petty cures and promotions, worldly joys and comforts. Very few of you desire to get from me the things I have come to give you, namely, liberation itself." It has been said that his greatest miracles are the transformation of people who come to him, often with doubts and apprehensions, and who leave with love in their hearts, peace in their minds, and a resolve to live a more useful, spiritual life.

Government leaders and educators in India hold Sathya Sai Baba in high esteem because of his efforts to raise the national moral and spiritual levels, and to improve educational standards.

Sathya Sai Baba has stated, "Education must implant elevating ideals and kindle the lamp of wisdom. Character is the most precious gift of education." To bring mankind into an era of worldwide peace, security, happiness and devotion to God, he has established an educational programme which begins with kindergarten and progresses through university. This program is called Education in Human Values, and it teaches love and peace, the ideals of service to society, tolerance for people of different races, nationalities and religions, in addition to the usual university curriculum of science, commerce, and the arts. At the present time the Sathya Sai Baba organization has built and staffed six colleges, twenty technical schools, numerous grade schools, and over 2,000 centers for Education in Human Values. A number of Indian states are sending teachers to Sathya Sai Baba institutions to study and learn the teaching methods which have produced so many outstanding, disciplined scholars.

Selfless service to mankind is the highest spiritual discipline, Sathya Sai Baba teaches, and he exemplifies this ideal. His inspiration, guidance, and unceasing efforts have resulted in the formation of more than 10,000 service organizations all over the world. In India alone, two charitable hospitals and 250 charitable medical clinics have been established. These are staffed by followers of Sathya Sai Baba, on a volunteer basis. More than 50,000 volunteers are engaged in service-oriented activities worldwide, and individuals are encouraged to take up volunteer work in their communities on a regular basis. Sathya Sai Baba has said, "Efforts to serve must spring from agony at the suffering of others, and the service must be a genuine effort to remove their anguish.....do not worry about the results; help as much as you can, as efficiently as you can, as silently and lovingly a you can."

*Note from ORRAR Org.: Sathya Sai Baba died on April 24th 2011 even though he had forecast his death for 2020.

Sources and Credits:
Text taken from a leaflet for Sathya Sai Baba Organization dated from the 1990's
The Economist - May 14th 2011

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