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| 'Shirdi Ke Saibaba' feature on Zee TV |
| 09.30.04 (3:44 pm) [edit] |
'Shirdi Ke Saibaba' feature on Zee TV
Indiantelevision.com Team
(30 September 2004 2:00 pm)
MUMBAI: Zee TV will air a new show Shirdi Ke Saibaba every Sunday at 9 pm starting from 3 October. The saint popularly known as Shirdi Ke Sai Baba, is portrayed in a serial, based on Saibaba's life and miracles.
Shirdis' movies trust and research center is based in Vrindavan is continuously updating its research center on the miracles and incidents involving Saibaba and his devotees.
Speaking on the show, Zee TV president Abhijeet Saxena said, "Zee TV has always focussed in showcasing complete entertainment to its viewers. Saibaba is one such God, who has devotees from all religions. This series of Saibaba will showcase truth and power of Saibaba compared to the thought followed by people in this generation."
The show has been jointly produced by Raidant Showbiz and Shirdi Saibaba movies trust and research center. This series has been directed by Shiv Dutt Sharma and Amol Surve and written by Vikas Kapoor and Amar Pal Singh.
The lead artists in the show are Sudhir Dalvi playing the character of Sai Baba, Asim Khetrapaul, Suresh Oberoi, Gajendra Chauhan, Ram Mohan, Subbiraaj, Divya Dutta, Tejal Shah amongst others.
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| Sai Baba and Jesus of Nazareth |
| 09.30.04 (11:24 am) [edit] |
SAI BABA AND JESUS OF NAZARETH
Sai Baba's closest parallel is Jesus of Nazareth, the son of God. Jesus, the Christ, is believed to be the only incarnation of the Holy Spirit, in human form who came to bring about the spiritual regeneration of mankind through the gospel of love, faith, charity and hope. He was subjected to endless suffering, pain and torture at the hands of the Philistines, and finally was put on the cross and embraced death so that mankind may live and attain the kingdom of heaven. Jesus Christ performed countless number of miracles, even the raising of the dead so that God may be glorified. The raising of Lazarus is indeed a classic example of his God-like power. Being the son of God, he could perform any miracle, such as multiplying the quantity of food and curing the sick and the diseased. In the pages of the Holy Bible, we read the numerous instances of the miraculous deeds of Christ, most of these being performed to glorify God and instill faith in the minds of the people. When he resurrected Lazarus four days after his corpse was decomposing in the tomb, he did so mainly because he wanted to show to the sisters of Lazarus and his friends the supreme glory of the Divine. Another reason for this interference with the laws of nature lay in his deep love and great compassion for Martha and Mary, the devoted sisters of Lazarus. Then there is the question of faith and total surrender to Almighty God. The resurrection of Lazarus demonstrates very clearly the fact that faith is a vital factor. Both Martha and Mary had expressed the view that had Jesus been there, their brother would not have died. So Jesus, when he came to know about the death of Lazarus, went to the place where the body had been buried in the tomb and he called out: 'Lazarus, come out.' And the miracle took place instantly. Lazarus came out of the grave. The fact remains that faith and God's power may interfere with the cosmic laws and even halt or prevent death from coming and invoke God's mercy to grant a fresh lease of life to a person. Faith, however, does not envisage that there will be no more deaths or that death will have no dominion. Though Lazarus was called back from the tomb, some years later he died. Similar is the case with the aged American, Walter Cowan, whom Sai Baba brought back to life. He also died a few years later. The temporary respite from death enables the person to apprehend the plans of the divine and gain some measure of spiritual illumination. However, according to Hindu religious thought, cessation of consciousness is a karmic event and falls in the pattern of the cycle of birth, death, rebirth. Sai Baba has said both in his previous and present incarnations that to cure a certain person, to save from death or to remove some inborn physical blemish would be to interfere unduly with a person's karma. And in such cases, it is better to leave the person concerned to bear the consequences of his karma. Howard Murphet has rightly said :
As mankind is today we cannot expect Sai Baba or any other God-powered man to dissolve the whole cloud of Man's kartnic sins, curing all diseases, making all the cripples walk, cleansing all the lepers, opening the eyes of millions of blind that exist in India alone. The most he can do is to lift a little of the karma here and there and point the way.
And speaking about the reality and significance of the miraculous, he further says:
A God-man, a living worker of miracles, will be able through global communications to travel the world and to make his message known to all the people during his lifetime ... Of old this could not happen and tiding of such amazing events reached the mass of mankind either through verbal reports or by accounts written long after the events took place. Now the sceptic, the doubting Thomas who cannot believe in the lesser or greater miracles can prove their reality to himself.
If keen enough, he can visit Prasanthi Nilayam to witness them; otherwise he can wait until Sai Baba comes to his part of the world. The miracles of Krishna and Christ must be taken on trust or faith; those of Sai Baba you can see for yourself.
Returning to the momentous and magnificent miracle, resurrection of the dead, one finds some concrete and easily verifiable incidents when Sai Baba, like Jesus Christ, has blessed his close devotees with special grace and has granted them a fresh lease of life. It seems, this miracle of resurrection has to do with the transfiguring power of love and works like the coming together of the negative and positive currents of electricity. Baba has emphasised this aspect time and again. In his interview with R.K. Karanjia, he says:
Q. You are believed to have performed miraculous cures to the extent of resurrecting the dead. There are cases where you reportedly have saved people from drowning and other accidents in distant places. Medical experts have attested to remote controlled surgical operations performed by you. How do you manage this?
Baba: By my own sankalpa that is divine will and power. As an Avatar, this power is intrinsic, inherent, total and natural to my will and decision. I need no mantras (mystical formula), no sadhana (spiritual practice) and no yantra (mechanism) to perform the so-called miracles, which are natural to my state. My powers are simply the _expression or assertion of the reality of Godliness, which merges me with everything everywhere, at all times and places. The miracles belong to the boundless power of God. Now coming to the main points of your question, this healing phenomenon has a dual aspect. I can cure, save even resurrect people provided they are in a spiritually receptive condition. It is like the positive and negative currents of electricity. My capacity to heal can be compared to the positive current. Your devotion to me is the negative current. Once the two come together, the devotion provides what is called the miracle of healing.
In the days of Christ, no one asked him the rationale of his amazing and unique miracles of healing. However, if asked, he too would have given a similar explanation because, in the ultimate analysis, it is faith and love that lie at the root of all miracles. Truly, miracles are wrought by faith and love. In the case of the official's daughter, when Jesus saw her sleeping, he said that she was sleeping; her sleep was not unto death. And he called her to wake up. And again, in the case of Lazarus, he said the same thing and asked Lazarus to come out of the tomb. He further said that he revived or resurrected him so that God, the Father, might be glorified by this act. On the other hand, Sai Baba of Shirdi always maintained that Allah was the universal master, the doer of all deeds and thinker of all thoughts, and that he was the servant of that Eternal Absolute. All he could do to remove the suffering of his devotees, who had surrendered to him and left everything to him, was to use his influence with Almighty Supreme God. And many a miraculous cure took place. Jesus Christ also used to directly address God, the Father: 'I know you listen to me and fulfill all my wishes and requests.' And it was on the basis of such direct intervention that Lazarus came out of the tomb. The point to note here is that the doer and the granter of the boons is none other than the Supreme transcendental power. But an Avatar has the power to operate on behalf of the one God whose attributes have been transferred to him as a substation from the vast power grid.
The event of the resurrection of two ardent and sincere devotees, Radhakrishna and Walter Cowan, is too well known to be described in detail. In Howard Murphet's Sai Baba: Man of Miracles and Samuel Sandweiss's Sai Baba: The Holy Man and the Psychiatrist, we find a full and adequate account of the resurrection story. Here it may be enough to describe the ultimate emotional reaction of Elsie Cowan the wife of Walter Cowan and that of Radhakrishna himself.
Mr. V. Radhakrishna of Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, paid o visit to Puttaparthi along with his wife., daughter Vijaya and K.S Hemchand, his son-in-law. They were staying in a room at the ashram. One evening, he was suddenly taken ill and soon went into a coma. His wife immediately rushed to Swami and informed him about the condition of her husband. Swami came to the room where the patient was lying on the bed. Swami did nothing and he returned saying: 'Don't worry, everything will be all right.' But the condition of the patient worsened through the next and subsequent two days. He lay unconscious with no signs of life, cold and lifeless. In sheer desperation and unable to withstand the pressure of the Ashramites for taking out the body that was beginning to stink, for the last rites, Mrs. Radhakrishna once again went to Swami's apartment and told him all. Swami laughed and assured her that she should have no fear and he promised to visit her room to see the patient. Mrs. Radhakrishna, Vijaya and Hemchand waited, desolate, tense and apprehensive, hoping for some unexpected miracle. Swami eventually came to the room and entered the patient's room and the others stayed out. Swami was alone in the room with the dead patient. He called others to the room after some time and as the close kins entered the room, they were amazed and wonder-struck to see Radhakrishna sitting on the bed, as though he had woken up after a deep slumber. Swami turned to the wife and said, 'I have given your husband back to you.' When questioned by Mr. Howard Murphet, Mr. Radhakrishna narrated his experience in the following words, 'When I became conscious again, I thought at first that it was the same day. Later they told me it had been three days I was unconscious, that I was dead and actually started to stink. But Swami can do anything he wishes. He is God.'
Mr. Radhakrishna is the fortunate one who has assumed the role of a modern Lazarus in order to remind a sceptical and faithless age of the power and potency of God Almighty. His story has been checked and verified and found to be correct and authentic. Mr. Howard Murphet has himself taken pains to get the irrefutable evidence from Vijaya, the daughter of Radhakrishna.
The resurrection story of Walter Cowan is far more exciting and unique for it illustrates what Divine love can do. It is an instance of the transfiguring and transcendent power of love and the deathless ardour of a devotee. This time the Lazarus in question is an American devotee, Walter Cowan of California who had lived a noble life of service and dedication to the highest human values, work and worship. The facts of the case are as follows:
Walter and his wife Elsie Cowan arrived in Madras on December 23, 1971. On the morning of the 25th of December word went round that an elderly American had passed away on account of a fatal heart attack. On hearing the news, John Hislop, an American devotee from Mexico, rushed to the hotel and met Elsie Cowan who confirmed the news. She narrated how Walter had suffered the attack and breathed his last in the arms of Elsie Cowan who had prayed to Swami during those moments of crisis and had got herself reconciled to the reality of death and felt that God's will will be done. However, with the help of Mrs. Roshan Lal, a devotee of Baba, she arranged to take Walter to the hospital where the attending physician pronounced him to be dead. In the meantime Elsie Cowan rushed to the place where Baba was attending a function. After some time when she went again to the hospital, she found to her dismay and pleasant wonder that Walter Cowan was very much alive. The matter was brought to the notice of the attending physician who had pronounced Walter to be dead and had sent the dead body to a room with his ears stuffed and a sheet over the body as he was absolutely certain that the patient was dead. Fortunately, the whole matter was investigated by Justice Damodar Rao and all evidence proved that Walter Cowan who was dead had come back to life. During the period between his death and reported resurrection, it came to everybody's knowledge that Sai Baba had himself visited the hospital in response to the prayer of Elsie Cowan. It is also on record that at the hospital during the course of subsequent days, Walter's condition fluctuated and he had several heart attacks. Elsie Cowan kept on praying to Swami, and finally Walter was declared to be perfectly all right, hale and hearty with no trace of his previous ailments. Discharged from the hospital, the Cowan couple proceeded to Bangalore and stayed in a hotel. Walter Cowan's Bangalore physician conducted his own laboratory tests and found that all tests were negative. Swami was at that time at Brindavanam, Whitefield and John Hislop, too, was there. Swami sent a message to the Cowans through John Hislop that Walter Cowan should visit Whitefield ashram in day time and return to the hotel to take proper rest. John Hislop comments:
The extraordinary thing seems to be that, when the total organism that was Walter Cowan died; the only entity that returned to life was Walter himself. Walter's various diseases died with him, but the diseases were not reborn; only Walter was reborn. A most marvellous and inscrutable event, is it not? All of the foregoing does not, of course, imply that Walter's physical body had become immortal. Of course he has had some bad days. At times, he has become overtired, and at times has suffered perhaps because of an injudious meal. After all, it is not a teen-aged body; it is an aged body, but nevertheless a great miracle really happened.
Walter is alive again, free of disease and filled with enthusiasm to tell people about the Divine presence of Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Further to celebrate the occasion of Walter Cowan's resurrection, the couple were blessed by Baba and united in wedding ceremony which is clear evidence of Baba's great love for the couple. To give further credence to this miraculous event Walter Cowan has himself related his unique experience. He says :
While in the Connemara hotel in Madras, two days after I arrived, I was taken very sick with pneumonia and was in bed. As I gasped for breath, suddenly the body's struggle was over and 1, died. I found myself very calm, in a state of wonderful bliss, and the Lord, Sai Baba, was by my side. Even though my body lay on the bed, dead, my mind kept working throughout until Baba brought me back. There was no anxiety or fear, but a tremendous sense of well being, for I had lost all fear of death. Baba took me to a large hall where there were hundreds of people milling round. it was a hall where all of the records of all my lives were kept. Baba and I stood before the court justice. The one in charge knew Baba very well and he asked for the records of all my lives. He was very nice and kind, and I had the feeling that whatever was decided would be the best for my soul. The records were brought into the hall armloads of scrolls and all of them seemed to be in different languages. As they were read, Baba interpreted them. In the beginning they told me of countries that have not existed for thousands of years, and I could not recall them. When they reached King David, the readings of my lives became more exciting. I could hardly believe how great I apparently was in each life that followed. As thev continued reading my lives, it seemed that what really counted was my motives and character, as I stood for outstanding peace and spirituality. I do not remember all the names, but I am included in almost all of the history books from the beginning of time. As I incarnated in different countries, I carried out my mission which was peace and spirituality.After about two hours, they finished reading the scrolls and the Lord, Sai Baba, said that I had not completed the work that I was born to do, and he asked the Judge that I be turned over to him to complete the mission of spreading Truth and he requested that my soul be returned to the body under Baba's Grace. The Judge said, 'So be it!' The case was dismissed and I left with Baba to return to my body. I hesitated to leave this wonderful bliss, but I knew it was best to complete my mission so that I could merge with the Lord, Sai Baba. I related the story to Elsie at once, and she recorded it. I also talked it over to Baba, and he said it was not my imagination it was a true experience. My life goes on now under the Grace of Sai Baba, whom I adore and to whom I owe my life.
Samuel Sandweiss, writes:
After Hislop had heard Walter give this account he asked Sai Baba whether Walter's experience was real or some sort of hallucination. Baba replied: 'The experience was a real experience, not an illusion. It was an experience occurring within Mr. Cowan's mind and I myself was there directing and clarifying the thoughts.' When asked if every person has similar experience with death, Baba said it is not necessarily so, some may have similar experiences, some not.
Baba is the dispenser of all boons, the Absolute sole Lord of life and death. It was chiefly on account of his love for the Cowan couple, their nobility and purity of heart and soul that he brought Walter Cowan back to life from the world of the dead. And actually, the resurrected Walter Cowan lived for some more time engaged in his mission to spread peace and spirituality, doing the work for Baba. And we have it on record that when Walter passed away a few years later that Baba sent word to Elsie Cowan: 'Walter has reached safely' which implied that Walter's yearning to merge with Sai Baba had been fulfilled.
Not only in the power of divinity to resurrect people from not only the brink of death, but also from actual death, the death of the body, there is a great deal of similarity between Sai Baba and Jesus of Nazareth. As for the outstanding and breath-taking miracles, instances are too many and can be cited both from the Bible and from the authentic biography of Baba and from the countless number of accounts given by close devotees of Sai Baba. The present author has witnessed and even experienced the working of such miracles and has been the recipient of the Grace of Sai Baba which has effected a sea-change in his life and has brought a new and sustaining vision of the divine essence incarnated in Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
Sai Baba, like Jesus Christ, is a Ray from the Supreme. Incarnations, like Krishna, Christ and Sai Baba, come after epochs. The event of their coming marks the end of the sad, waste time, the degeneration of moral and spiritual values and the beginning of a new age. Krishna, the full incarnation, lived five thousand years ago and directed humanity to the pathways of peace and love. Jesus Christ came two thousand years ago. He brought the kingdom of the heaven on earth both by his teachings and by his own example. Sai Baba has a more difficult and challenging task as he has come in an age of rank scepticism and eclipse of all moral and spiritual values. But he has declared, time and again, that the task for which he has come, will succeed and the golden age would dawn upon the earth. He says: 'My life is my message.'
Another striking similarity between Sai Baba and Jesus Christ has to do with the preaching of sermons. The commandments of Jesus Christ and his teachings, specially delivered in the Sermon on the Mount contain the series of illuminations, which are as sacred as Holy Writ. The teachings have reached vast millions of Christians all over the world and have made Christianity the most universal and effective of all religions. The central kernel of Christ's teaching is the emphasis on love, faith and charity. Not that there is something entirely new, original and revolutionary in his sermons; they consist of, and are the concentrated essence of the eternal verities contained in all world religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. One can find a close resemblance between teachings of the Vedas, Upanishads, Shastras and Purans and the gospel of Christ. It has been substantiated that Christ had visited India and was conversant fully with Indian thought and philosophy. Sai Baba has thrown an altogether new light on the life of Christ. And he has even gone on saying that there was a deep relationship between him and Jesus. The remaining portion of this chapter will deal with this aspect of the close affinity between the two, as between father and son. Sai Baba emphasizes the central unity of all religions. He says: There is only one caste, the caste of humanity. There is only one religion, the religion of love. There is only one God and he is omnipresent.
This essential unity of all religions is revealed by the logo seen at the Ashram. The symbols of the five major world religions appear in the logo. They are 'Aum of Hinduism', the 'Wheel of Buddhism', the 'Fire of Zoroastrianism', the 'Cross of Christianity' and the 'Crescent and Star of Islam'. The symbolic meanings of these symbols reveal and demonstrate the eternal verities of life and man's burden of the spiritual quest.
Listen to the primeval Hum resounding in your heart as well as in the heart of the universe; Remember the Wheel of Cause and Consequence, of deed and destiny and the Wheel of Dharma that fights them all; Offer all bitterness to the sacred Fire and emerge grand, great and Godly; Cut the 'I' feeling clean across and let your ego die on the Cross to endow on you eternity; Be like the Star which never wavers from the Crescent and is ever fixed in steady faith. The main thrust and purpose of all religions is to make present in man his intrinsic and innate humaneness and to take him to the heights of divinity. Religion, in the ultimate analysis, is to enable man to get over alienation from man, nature and God and to help him get over his loneliness.
It seems Sai Baba considers Jesus Christ to be very dear to him. The very fact that Christmas is celebrated at Prasanthi Nilayam is a clear pointer of his partiality towards the Christians. Although the devotees of Baba belong generally to all the major religions of the world, the single largest groups are the followers of Hinduism and Christianity. However, the followers of Islam are seen in microscopic minority although some of the sincere and resilient ones belong to that religion.
Returning to the theme of the title of this chapter, 'Sai Baba and Jesus of Nazareth'. In their beautiful and exciting book, Sai Baba: The Embodiment of Love, referring to Sai Baba's Christmas discourse of 1972, Ron Lang asked Sai Baba the following question in an interview given by Sai Baba in January 1980: 'Does this omission in the Bible mean it was you who sent Jesus of Nazareth into incarnation?' 'Yes', he replied. Ron Lang continues, 'My wife and I gasped, although I have no recollection of this. Followed my question: which lay at the very core of my soul: in that case, are you what Western Christians call the Cosmic Christ?' 'Yes', he replied.
In the words of Ron Lang,
As the reader can imagine, my wife and I came out of that interview in a daze. So Sathya Sai Baba was the one whom Jesus called the Father, the Christ indeed, the Cosmic Christ. The second coming had come, had lived for forty-four years on earth and perhaps only a handful of Christians were aware of it. At first, it was too stupendous to grasp. Yet I only know that I came to believe it, and I am reporting precisely what happened. In his Christmas day discourse in 1972 he had given some more valuable and revealing information about Jesus Christ. He said:
There is one point that I cannot but bring to your special notice today. At the moment when Jesus was emerging in the Supreme principle of Divinity, he communicated some news to his followers, which has been interpreted in a variety of ways by commentators, and those who relish the piling of writings on writings and meanings on meanings, until it all swells up into a huge mess.
The statement itself has been manipulated and tangled into a conundrum. The statement of Christ is simple: 'He who sent me among you will come again.' And he pointed to a lamb. The lamb is merely a symbol, a sign. It stands for the voice 'Baba' the announcement was of the advent of Baba. 'His name will be Truth,' Christ declared. Sathya means Truth. 'He will wear a robe of red, a blood red robe. (Here Baba pointed to the robe he was wearing.) He will be short, with a crown of hair.' The lamb is the sign and symbol of love. Christ did not declare that he will come again. He said, 'He who made me will come again. That Baba is this Baba and Sai, the short curly hair crowned red robed Baba, is come. He is not only in this form, but in everyone of you, as the dweller of the heart. He is there, short, with a robe of the colour of blood that fills it.'
Like Jesus of Nazareth, Sai Baba, too, is a Ray from the Supreme, a symbol perfected in love. In another discourse in1972, Baba said:
People talk of the sacrifice of Christ as evidenced by his crucifixion. But he was surrounded and bound, and crowned by the crowd who captured him with a crown of thorns and later nailed to the cross by his captors. A person bound and beaten by the police cannot say that he has sacrificed anything, for he is not a free man. Let us pay attention to the sacrifices that Jesus made while free out of his own volition. He sacrificed his happiness, his prosperity, comfort, safety and position. He braved the enmity of the powerful. He renounced the ego, which is the toughest thing to get rid of. Honour him for these. He willingly sacrificed the desires with which the body torments man, this is sacrifice greater than the sacrifice of the body under duress.
There cannot be any better and more revealing commentary on the supreme sacrifice made by Jesus, that is the renunciation of everything and the final embrace of death and martyrdom so that mankind could live and attain the kingdom of heaven. In this sense, the crucifixion of Christ may be regarded as a supreme act of love and self-surrender. Only the divine which is truly the embodiment of love could lay down his life for the good of mankind. Love is chief motivating force behind the actions of an Avatar. Sai Baba has not hitched his wagon to the stars; he has started his mission to bring all humanity together under evangel news of universal brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God. According to him God is love and Love is God. Thus, all the three major incarnations of God, Krishna, Christ and Sathya Sai Baba are truly symbols perfected in love.
Jesus Christ also centres his sermons and teachings on the sublimating and unifying principle of love. 'Love thy neighbour as thyself.' There is equal emphasis on charity, compassion, faith and forgiveness which are the central gems which Christianity is all about. Christ says: 'The kingdom of heaven is within you.' Baba also stresses the idea that there is the inner divinity in all of us and the whole purpose of the spiritual quest or sadhana is to merge oneself with parmatma, Being, Awareness and Bliss. A close look at Christ's Sermon on the Mount and Sai Baba's
People talk of the sacrifice of Christ as evidenced by his crucifixion. But he was surrounded and bound, and crowned by the crowd who captured him with a crown of thorns and later nailed to the cross by his captors. A person bound and beaten by the police cannot say that he has sacrificed anything, for he is not a free man. Let us pay attention to the sacrifices that Jesus made while free out of his own volition. He sacrificed his happiness, his prosperity, comfort, safety and position. He braved the enmity of the powerful. He renounced the ego, which is the toughest thing to get rid of. Honour him for these. He willingly sacrificed the desires with which the body torments man, this is sacrifice greater than the sacrifice of the body under duress.
There cannot be any better and more revealing commentary on the supreme sacrifice made by Jesus, that is the renunciation of everything and the final embrace of death and martyrdom so that mankind could live and attain the kingdom of heaven. In this sense, the crucifixion of Christ may be regarded as a supreme act of love and self-surrender. Only the divine which is truly the embodiment of love could lay down his life for the good of mankind. Love is chief motivating force behind the actions of an Avatar. Sai Baba has not hitched his wagon to the stars; he has started his mission to bring all humanity together under evangel news of universal brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God. According to him God is love and Love is God. Thus, all the three major incarnations of God, Krishna, Christ and Sathya Sai Baba are truly symbols perfected in love.
Jesus Christ also centres his sermons and teachings on the sublimating and unifying principle of love. 'Love thy neighbour as thyself! There is equal emphasis on charity, compassion, faith and forgiveness, which are the central gems, which Christianity is all about. Christ says: 'The kingdom of heaven is within you.' Baba also stresses the idea that there is the inner divinity in all of us and the whole purpose of the spiritual quest or sadhana is to merge oneself with parmatma, Being, Awareness and Bliss. A close look at Christ's Sermon on the Mount and Sai Baba's insistence on four quartets of moral values or the gems of golden ray serene as discussed in the next chapter, bear as close a resemblance, almost one to one correspondence between Baba and Jesus of Nazareth. However, it must be clearly borne in mind that neither Jesus in his time nor Sathya Sai Baba today has said anything very original or revolutionary. These are the eternal verities dear to all religions but in the life of Jesus of Nazareth and in that of Sri Sathya Sai Baba they acquire a particular power and intensity because they are sincerely believed in and arise out of the realized experiences of the Avatars. Sai Sathya Sai Baba has declared unequivocally that he had come to establish sanatana dharma the eternal religion and to repair the ancient highway to God. Both Jesus and Sai Baba have set their own examples. Jesus said, for example: 'I am the way, the truth and the life.' And further he said: 'I am the bread of life. I am the light of the world. I am the way, the truth and the life.' Sai Baba asks people to emulate Christ and follow the ideals dear to him. In his discourse on the Christmas of 1978, Baba said:
Jesus was a master born with a purpose. The mission of restoring Love, Charity and Compassion in the heart of man. He had no attachment to the self; he never paid heed to sorrow or pain; joy or gain; he had a heart that responded to the call of anguish, the cry for peace and Brotherhood. He went about the land preaching the lesson of love and poured out his life as a libation in the sacrifice to humanity... From the attitude of being a messenger of God he declared that he was the son of God, after returning from the East. For the old attitude meant duality, a master servant relationship. One had to carry out the duties laid down by the Master, and in the Scriptures of faith. This he found too irksome and felt he was the image, while God was the original. The bond of relationship increased: The 'I' was no longer in some distant light or entity, the light became a part of the '1'. Jesus could declare: 'I and my Father are one! Just as one states: I was in the Light, then, the Light was in me, and now, I am aware that I am the Light.
Thus, it becomes increasingly clear that Sri Sathya Sai Baba has clear conception of the life and message of Jesus Christ, as indeed he has of all other Avatars. This is so because he represents the same divine principle and is the same Divine and Ultimate essence, which is known as God Almighty. One is, therefore, not surprised that he has disclosed material and information about Jesus Christ not available in the Holy Bible. And he has also given a positive answer to the query of Ron Lang that it was He who had sent Jesus and that he was what the Western Christians called Cosmic Christ.
In reality, Sri Sathya Sai Baba believes in the unity of all religions, all faiths and beliefs and in the immanence of one God who is omnipresent. There are different facets of an Avatar. He comes with requisite powers to be able to accomplish the chosen task. This power is transcendental, all-pervasive and universal. This author firmly believes that the Avatar, may he be Krishna, Jesus Christ or Sathya Sai Baba, is a Ray Supreme from the eternal Absolute and he comes at the intersection point between Time and Eternity. He is at the spring and source of all knowledge and can pick up knowledge from the vast storehouse of knowledge by virtue of his universal omniscience. He knows the past, present and future of everyone and is perfectly capable of dispensing rewards and punishment, depending on the karma of the subject.
This author had the privilege of reading Ramkatha Rasvahini and has found material about the life of Rama not found in either Valmiki Ramayana or Ramcharit Manas written by Tulsidas. This author also recalls his presence at an informal meeting of teachers of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. It was a very enlightened and knowledgeable audience. One of the eminent devotees, a former Vice Chancellor of Benares Hindu University, requested Swami to give a discourse on the life of the great saint Tulsidas who wrote Ramcharit Manas, which has swayed millions of people through centuries and is also a devotional work par cxcellence. Swami gave a vivid and graphic description of the life and career of that immortal writer and a devotee of the highest-class calibre. That account was perfect and flawless as Swami knew all about his one-time great devotee. So, there is no wonder that the hidden facts about Christ's life and career, his actions and motivations were readily available to Swami. Time and space is of no consequence to him and he can know all in a flash. In this context, the author would relate yet another example. A visitor from the Ministry of Education, Government of India, who happened to be a specialist in the modern concept of preparing question banks for the overall benefit of the students in colleges and universities, came to discuss the idea of preparing question bank at the deemed university. He addressed the teachers and took them in confidence. This is what he said as a preamble to his address: "You will doubtless be surprised to know that I have had a personal interview with Swami this morning. He seemed to know the purpose of my visit and discussed the subject in detail. I said to myself 'He may be a great saint or a mystic, fully conversant with religious texts; what would he know about the modern reforms in education and the idea and necessity of having question banks! So, sceptically I listened to him, and was wonderstruck to find that not only he knew what was in my mind and thought, but all that had been written and spoken on the subject by the great specialists on the subject. Really and truly He is the speaker of all words, thinker of all thoughts, doer of all deeds."
I would like to close this chapter by relating yet another exciting aspect of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, namely, his materialization of an image of Jesus Christ on the Cross with the minutest details of his face and feeling, which might well be rated as the finest piece of sculpture. Swami has told John Hislop that there was some delay in the materialization as after a lapse of thousands of years it was a problem finding the wood on which Jesus Christ was nailed. This is how Dr. Samuel Sandweiss narrates the whole episode:
... There is the very unusual story told by Dr. John Hislopa close devotee of Baba. Breaking two twigs off a tree and placing them together in the form of a cross, he asked John what they looked like and John replied that they looked like a cross. Baba then placed the twigs in his hand, blew on them three times and opened his hand to reveal a wooden Cross-with a silver statue of Jesus on it. He said that the statue was not simply an artist's representation of Jesus but an exact likeness of how he actually looked on the Cross. The small crucifix, on which the silver statue was mounted, he said, was taken from Christ's actual Cross.
This is Dr. Hislop's account.
Baba, a large group of students from the Sathya Sai Arts and Science College at Brindavan and a few other people, including myself were walking down the bank of a road to a stretch of level sand of the dry Kekkanahalla riverbed. I was walking alongside Swami, and as we passed a bush, he reached over and pulled off a couple of twigs, and held them up like a Cross. Hislop, he said, what is this?
'Well, Swami, it is a Cross,' I answered. He put the twigs in his hand, closed it, and produced rather three slow breaths on it. Then he opened his hand and gave me a cross with figure of Christ on it. This is an image of Christ on the cross, he said not as artists have imagined him and as historians have told about him, but as he actually and truly was, with stomach pulled away in and ribs all showing because he had no food for eight days.
So, I said, 'Well the cross, Swami, tell me about that!
'The Cross-is a piece of wood from the original on which Christ was crucified. Then he said something very interesting: 'to find a piece of that wood after two thousand years presented a little difficulty! I suppose, that is why he breathed rather slowly three times. Usually, he gives one puff, and a ring or whatever does appear.
I noticed something odd and asked, 'Swami, what is that hole at the top of cross?'
He replied, 'That is the hole where they hung the cross on the standard! This is something we had not even heard of before. Pictures of Christ being crucified show the cross being planted on the ground; but according to Swami, it was hung on something, and you can actually see the hole in the wood. My wife and I were absolutely astounded. I am sure it is the greatest sculpture of Christ that has ever been made. You can see the blood flowing from his forehead. You can see the black and dust-caked saliva at the corner of his mouth. The _expression of agony, pain and suffering in his eyes and face will tear your heart, and show the beauty of the tiny figure of Christ. In my estimation, it is the most extraordinary object that Baba has ever produced. When Walter Woolf brought some enlargements of the photograph down to our house, we were standing around the table looking at the pictures and thinking of Christ and of Baba, when suddenly, from a perfectly clear sky there was a terrible crash of thunder. Then a very strong wind blew through the house, rattling the shutters, banging the doors and blowing the curtains. Next day, an article in San Diego Tribune reported that mysterious thunder and wind had come up unexpectedly from a perfectly clear sky, My wife reminded me that Christ died on the cross at five O'clock and that the Bible tells us of thunder and earthquake which arose suddenly. I can only conclude that there is a tremendous amount of power in that little cross.
So, the relationship between Sri Sathya Sai Baba and Jesus of Nazareth is deeper and more intrinsic and vital than we generally imagine. The fact that he materializes talismans like the picture and statue of Christ by the simple wave of the hand and offers them to his Christian devotees is common knowledge. Not only this, he generally exhorts the audiences to follow the teachings of Jesus Christ and live by them. And on that fateful Christmas day in 1972, he was pleased to say the last word on the subject, which has the sanction and weight of a revelation, as it were. As already testified by Ron Lang and Peggy Mason in their book, Sal' Baba: The Embodiment of Love: Christ said, 'He who has sent me will come again' and that Baba - the symbol of the voice of lamb is this Baba, short, hair-crowned, red robe Baba come again.
So, the implication of the Second Coming has been finally cleared and resolved by none else than Baba himself, and one feels that the vision of terror transmitted by William Butler Yeats in his well known poem, The Second Coming, suggesting the coming of a huge monster, struggling to be born at Bethleham, was just a delusion. Actually, at a time when the ceremony of innocence is drowned and the good lack all conviction and the worst are full of passionate intensity, the coming of the Avatar is the natural consequence. In that famous Christmas day discourse, Baba told the audience:
And the story says there was a star in the sky, which fell with a new light, and this led a few and others to the place where the saviour was born. This story is read and taken on trust by man, though stars do not fall or even slide down so suddenly. What the story signifies is this: There was a huge aura of splendour illumining the sky over the village where Christ was born. This meant that He who was to overcome the darkness of evil and ignorance had taken birth, that He would spread, the light of love in the heart of man and the councils of humanity. Appearances of splendour or of other signs are natural of the era that has dawned when incarnations happen on earth.
When questioned by an interviewer, Dr. Samuel Sandweiss, the renowned psychiatrist who acquired a new vision of reality and an insight into what truly matters in the spiritual quest and destiny of man, said:
Q.What is Baba's relationship with Christ?
A. This is a very interesting question. I have mentioned before he has said that he is all names and all forms, that he and Christ or any form or embodiment of God, are the same. But he has drawn the connection between Christ and himself in a number of very interesting ways.
And furthermore,
On April 20, 1972 while seated among a small group of devotees - American devotees Sai Baba reportedly performed a miracle which more than words could points out the connection between Christ, Shiva and himself. The devotees said that by a wave of his hand he materialized this small medallion picturing Jesus on its surface. The tiny medallion was passed from person to person through the group of devotees for everyone to examine. Taking it back into his hand, Baba blew on it twice transforming the image on the surface, according to those present, to that of Lord Shiva.
Thus it is clear that Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Christ and Lord Shiva represent the same divinity and that there is absolutely no difference between them. In fact, many devotees have had the experience of seeing their own favourite and chosen God when they have cast their glance on the frail, red-robed figure of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. This is not just a maya or Illusion. But when one is in the presence of an Avatar, he is face to face with God and our notion of reality undergoes a sea-change. However, the perceptions of the individual depend largely on his own personal and individual stage of development in the realm of the spirit. Many Christians have been drawn to the orbit of Baba's influence only after they have gone through authentic and convincing proofs. So we come to the end of this chapter with the positive and firm conclusion that there is only one God and that he is omnipresent. The followers of different religions see him in different names and forms though he is essentially the same Divine force and energy, the same blazing Light, the Ray Supreme. The sameness of different names and forms has to be discerned only by the advanced and discerning aspirant. Sri Sathya Sai Baba has rightly declared that he is Sarva-devata-swarup, the quintessence of all names and forms of God. He has further said:
I am not Sathya Sai Baba. It is only a name by which you know me today. All names are mine. I am the one God who answers the prayers that rise in human hearts in all languages from all countries addressed to all forms of deity.
Source: http://www.indiangyan.com/books/otherbooks/sai_ baba/sai_baba_and_jesus_o f_nazareth.shtml" title="http://www.indiangyan.com/books/otherbooks/sai_ baba/sai_baba_and_jesus_o f_nazareth.shtml" target="_blank"http://www.indiangyan.com/boo...
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| Thought for the Day |
| 09.30.04 (9:38 am) [edit] |
Thought for the Day
As written at Prasanthi Nilayam
September 2004
September 1, 2004
God is beyond all notions of good and bad, right and wrong. These are only earthly measures by which the temporary objects are weighed and judged. He has no Form, no dualities, no preferences, no prejudices and no predilections. To say that He is Sathyaswaroopa, Jnanaswaroopa or Anandaswaroopa (embodiment of Truth, Wisdom and Bliss) is also not correct. For He has no 'Swaroopa' (Form) or 'Swabhava' (characteristics). He is Sathya (Truth), Jnana (Wisdom) and Ananda (Bliss). That is the experience of those who have tasted Ananda.
September 2, 2004 - Guru Poornima
Man can be happy with much less than he seems to think essential. When some article is with you for some little time, you feel it is indispensable and you do not know how to live without it. Like the silkworm, you weave a cocoon for yourself, out of your fancy. Do not allow costly habits to grow, costly from the monetary as well as the spiritual point of view. Watch your likes and dislikes with a vigilant ye and discard anything that threatens to encumber your path.
September 3, 2004
Place the evil qualities lurking within you on the altar of your mind and sacrifice them as an offering to the deity installed therein. Though born as a human, man is burdened by animal instincts and impulses that have attached themselves to him during his previous lives as an animal. He has passed through many an animal existence and each has left its mark on his mental make-up, like a scar on the skin when a wound has healed.
September 4, 2004
Life is a pilgrimage to God. The road lies before you; but unless you take the first step forward and move further on, how can you reach your destination? Start with courage, faith, joy and steadiness. You are bound to succeed. The mind and the intellect are the two bullocks tied to the cart of the inner man. The bullocks are not used to the road of Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanti (Peace) and Prema (Love) and so they drag the cart along the road familiar to them, namely, falsehood, injustice, worry and hatred. You have to train them to take the better road so that they may not bring disaster upon themselves, the cart or the passengers travelling in it.
September 5, 2004
The Divine is omnipresent. The entire cosmos is permeated and sustained by this divine energy. Everyone should endeavour to experience the Divine. Man must make the effort and he is bound to realise the experience. The necessary sacrifice must be made. All the bad qualities have to be renounced the moment they invade the mind. True devotion means elimination of all the animal tendencies in man. Man should seek to realise the eternal Divine within him. That is the primary purpose of human life.
September 6, 2004
The message of the life of Lord Sri Krishna is the supremacy of the Love Principle. This message is all that the world needs. Krishna is the embodiment of love. This love can be understood only through love. It is strong, brilliant and unbreakable like a diamond. It is extremely precious. If you want to secure such divine love, your love for God must be equally strong. For, you can cut diamond only with diamond. Love begets love. Hatred can only beget hatred. Therefore, if you want to foster love, you have to get rid of hatred, jealousy and anger.
September 7, 2004
Divine Life is based on Sathwa Guna (quality of calm serenity), which must be cultivated. This guna can be built only upon Saathwik food (natural food that is moderate in flavour), which promotes health, strength, lightness of body and spirit, and earnestness of endeavour. There is no use distributing Adhyaatma rasa (nectar of spirituality) to underfed and weak people; give Anna rasa (food) first; make them strong enough to entertain right beliefs and high ideals; physical hunger must first be appeased by simple Saathwik food.
September 8, 2004
One does not have to search for God by travelling around the world. God is not outside oneself. If one thinks that God is separate from him, it may be so for him. But if one transcends all thoughts, one then becomes God oneself. All thoughts are illusions, so by giving them up, one becomes God. Therefore, give up thoughts. Come forward and enjoy the divinity that you really are.
September 9, 2004
Buddhi (intellect) revels in discussion and disputation; once you yield to the temptation of dialectics, it takes a long time for you to escape from its shackles and efface it and enjoy the bliss which comes from its nullification. You must all the while be aware of the limitation of reason. Logic and deduction must yield their place to devotion. Buddhi can help you along only some distance along the Godward path; the rest is illuminated by intuition.
September 10, 2004
We cannot describe God in words. We have to experience the bliss of realising Him as the core of our being. If we want Ananda (bliss), we must walk along the path of Atma (soul). When we work in the direction of Atma, the diversity is removed and equanimity is established. The world will vanish when we keep in mind the creator of the world.
September 11, 2004
The Vedas have held forth the message of people living in amity, striving together for common ends and sharing the fruits of their co-operative efforts. They have also proclaimed the omnipresence of the Divine. The cosmic form of the divine encompasses every being in the universe. Forgetting the truth - "Sarvam Vishnumayam Jagath", that the Divine is immanent in the Cosmos, people search for the Divine. Every human being is a spark of the Divine. Hence, there should be no ill-will towards anyone.
September 12, 2004
"Sathyam Brooyath, Priyam Brooyath, Na Brooyath Sathyam Apriyam". Speak the truth, speak what is pleasant and never speak what is true but not pleasing. Truth is of the highest importance whether we consider morality, worldly life or spiritual progress. From the ethical point of view, you have to speak the truth. In the context of worldly life, you have to speak what is pleasing. From the spiritual point of view, you have to avoid what is not pleasing even if it is true. One should not utter words that cause excitement, but speak the truth which is both pleasing and beneficial.
September 13, 2004
Love exists for love's sake and nothing else. It is spontaneous and spreads delight. Everything is permeated by love. Love can conquer anything. Selfless, pure, unalloyed love leads man to God. Selfish and constricted love binds man to the world. Unable to comprehend the pure and sacred nature of love, man today is a prey to endless worries because of his attachment to worldly objects. Man's primary duty is to understand the truth about the Love principle. Once he understands the nature of love, he will not go astray.
September 14, 2004
You must realise that the Divine current that flows and functions in every living being is the one Universal Entity. When you desire to enter the mansion of God, you are confronted by two closed doors - the desire to praise yourself and the desire to defame others. The doors are bolted by envy; and there is also the huge lock of egoism preventing entry; so if you are earnest, you have to resort to the key of Prema (Love) and open the locks of egoism, remove the bolt of envy and only then will the doors be thrown open to you.
September 15, 2004
The Bhagavad Gita advises 'Karmasanyaasa', that is to say, performance of action without attachment to the fruits thereof. There are karmas (actions) which have to be performed as one's duties, according to one's status in the society. And if these are done in the proper spirit, they will not bind one at all. Undertake all deeds as actors would in a play, keeping your identity separate and not attaching yourself too much to your role. Remember that the whole thing is just a play and the Lord has assigned to you a part; act out your part well; there your duty ends.
September 16, 2004
Your child gives you great joy by its play and prattle, but when it interferes with your work or teases you when you are otherwise engaged, you get very angry with it. It is a source of joy as well as grief. There is nothing which can give unmixed joy; even if there is, when it is lost, it brings about sorrow. This is in the very nature of things; so try to correct the very source of joy and sorrow - the mind; control it and train it to see the real nature of the objective world, which attracts and repels you by turns. That is the real fruit of education.
September 17, 2004
There were two parrots on a tree. A hunter trapped them and sold them. One to a low, cruel butcher and the other to a sage who was running an ashram (hermitage) to teach the Vedas. After a few years, he was surprised to find that one bird swore very foully, while the other recited the glory of the Lord in a sweet musical tone which captivated the listeners. Such is the effect of the environment; so always seek and secure Sathsang (company of good and holy people).
September 18, 2004
Man is bound by three tendencies. The first is Kama (the longing to possess). When that longing fails, Krodha (anger) raises its hood. When the desire is fulfilled, the third tendency Lobha (greed) overtakes him. Ganesha's vehicle is the mouse. The mouse is a creature that is led, even to the point of destruction, by Vaasana (the sense of smell). Men too, are victims of Vaasana (preferences and predilections stamped on our minds during the past lives). Ganesha smothers and suppresses these Vaasanas which misdirect man and lead him to misfortune. However, if one's desire is beneficial, the Divine will shower his Grace. His Grace is available for all who seek good and godly goals.
September 19, 2004
As long as you worship the Lord with form, you use certain flowers such as roses, marigolds and jasmine, although the body that performs the worship and the flowers which you use are all impermanent. But if you want to worship the formless God in your heart, then the flowers you use are different; they are the flowers of non-violence, of love and compassion, of charity and sacrifice. To elevate yourself to the formless principle, you will have to cultivate these flowers of the heart and use them in your worship. Then you will experience the ineffable and permanent joy of the spirit.
September 20, 2004
Man is consciousness incarnate. Man is the highest object in creation. Hence, he should not become a creature of instinct like animals. Man should progress from the human to the Divine. It is not the world that binds man. It has neither eyes to see nor hands to grasp. Man is a prisoner of his own thoughts and desires. In his attachment to the ephemeral and the perishable, man forgets his inherent Divinity and does not realize that everything in the universe has come from the Divine and cannot exist without the power of the Divine.
September 21, 2004
Human life is a journey from 'I' to 'We'. This journey is subtle and the goal is very near, but man takes many births to reach the destination. Just as you change your dress, so too you have to change your body one day or the other. That is why it is said, "Death is the dress of life". That which is responsible for birth is responsible for death too. This body is like a passing cloud. So long as there is life in the body, use it in the service of others. Engage yourself in service till the last breath. Service to man is service to God. Have control over your senses; without this discipline all your service will be futile.
September 22, 2004
Man extols God as omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent, but ignores His presence in himself. Many venture to describe the attributes of God and proclaim Him to be such and such, but these are mere guesses and a reflection of their own predilections and preferences. Who can affirm anything about God? Each one can acquire from the vast expanse of the ocean only as much as can be contained in the vessel he carries to its shore. From that quantity, they can grasp but little of that immensity.
September 23, 2004
People suffer because they have all kinds of unreasonable desires and they pine to fulfil them and they fail. They attach too much value to the objective world. It is only when attachment increases that you suffer pain and grief. If you look upon everything with the wisdom derived from the inner vision, then attachment will slide away and you will see everything with greater clarity and with a glory suffused with Divine splendour.
September 24, 2004
Men in their ignorance ask the question, "If God is omnipresent and all-pervasive, why is He not visible to us?" When the sun shines, clouds that are formed by the sun's heat hide the rays of the sun. When the sun is not visible because of the clouds, can you say that there is no sun? When a strong wind blows, the clouds are dispelled and the sun is visible again. Similarly, when the winds of love and faith blow, the clouds of doubt and egoism are scattered and God reveals Himself. Though God is omnipresent, man's lack of faith and his self-conceit prevent him from seeing God. To get rid of this disbelief and egoism, certain spiritual disciplines have to be observed.
September 25, 2004
In human society today, egoism is rampant. Ostentation is ubiquitous. Whatever one's scholarship or wealth, as long as there is egoism, God's grace will not flow. God's grace will be showered on those who have humility and discipline. Humility is essential for securing God's grace. Revere your elders. Be content with what you have. Develop goodwill towards all. Bear no ill will towards anyone. When you desire that all should love you, you should equally love all.
September 26, 2004
A true spiritual aspirant will have a reverential attitude towards the duty he is entrusted with. He will carry out every task assigned to him as an act of worship by which the Lord will be pleased. Duty is God, work is worship. Worship is not a uniform that is to be donned and doffed at stated hours of the day. Render every thought into a flower, worthy to be held in His fingers; render every deed into a fruit, full of the sweet juice of love, fit to be placed in His hand; render every tear holy and pure, fit to wash His Lotus Feet.
September 27, 2004
People aspire for Mukthi (liberation). They have no idea what constitutes liberation. Man seeks liberation from the maladies of the body, the senses, the mind, the intellect and the Antahkarana (internal motivator). All these are no doubt necessary, but liberation in the ultimate sense consists in liberation from the cycle of birth and death. This means that one should redeem one's present life so that one is free from rebirth.
September 28, 2004
The way in which one should benefit from the Avatar is to watch His every step, observe His actions and activities, follow the guiding principle of which His life is a demonstration. Imbibe His love, His compassion and His wisdom. Man has become artificial, crooked and twisted. He has left behind his natural ways and made his mind a lumber-room for worries, anxieties and fears. He can live on much less, with much greater joy for himself and others. If only he remembers that he is a spark of the divine, he will be more loving and helpful.
September 29, 2004
You are all one irrespective of the countries you belong to. Bulbs may vary, but the current is the same. Likewise, nationalities and personalities may vary, but the principle of the Atma is one and the same in all. Therefore, give up all differences based on caste, religion and nationality and spread the message of unity. Nations are many, but the earth is one. Jewels are many, but gold is one. Stars are many, but sky is one. Bodies are many, but breath is one. You can experience bliss only when you render service keeping in mind the unity of all beings.
September 30, 2004
As is your vision, so is the world. It is foolish to try to change the world. Shape yourself as the embodiment of peace. Correct your vision to see divinity everywhere, then that awareness will transmute every word, thought and deed of yours into a benediction. Cleanse the heart by listening to spiritual discourses, by seeking the company and comradeship of the righteous and by cultivating goodness of character and sweetness of disposition. Fill your hearts with the sweet, fragrant waters of Prema (love). Then every act and word of yours will be sweet and fragrant.
http://www.saibabalinks.org/tftd/2004/september.htm" title="http://www.saibabalinks.org/tftd/2004/september.htm" target="_blank"http://www.saibabalinks.org/t...
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| Streaming audio service of Radio Sai Global Harmony |
| 09.29.04 (5:25 pm) [edit] |
Streaming audio service of Radio Sai Global Harmony
Sairam Listeners.
Here is some good news.
We have introduced a streaming mp3 service for those of our listeners who are not covered by the WorldSpace satellite system.
Please note: You will need a player with streaming mp3 support.
Recommended players are:
WinAmp - free download available for Windows here
XMMS for Linux/Unix is available here
Also known to work are Sonique and Windows Media Player for Windows and iTunes for Mac and Win2K/XP.
RealOne Player also works, and is available for Windows, Mac and Unix/Linux.
MusicMatch Jukebox is another player for Windows.
With Windows Media Player on Windows, you have to copy and paste the following URL exactly as you see it into the File->Open URL menu item of the Media Player. Windows Media Player for the Mac doesn't play this stream, but iTunes for Mac does.
http://stream.radiosai.net" title="http://stream.radiosai.net" target="_blank"http://stream.radiosai.net:8000
If you have WinAmp or equivalent, click here to listen now.
The schedule for the Web service of Radio Sai Global Harmony closely parallels the AsiaStar service schedule. Click here to see today's playlist.
Tell all your family and friends!
Keep in touch!
http://www.radiosai.org/Pages/Bulletin.htm" title="http://www.radiosai.org/Pages/Bulletin.htm" target="_blank"http://www.radiosai.org/Pages...
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| Spiritual Materia Medica |
| 09.29.04 (4:32 pm) [edit] |
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Spiritual Materia Medica
By Sri Swami Sivananda of Rishikesh
Anger.—Generates poison in the blood and heat in the; blood, brain, liver and whole body; produces 'fever, depression etc.
Hatred.-- Causes nervous weakness, uneasiness, restlessness, cough; fever, loss of blood, indigestion etc. '
Fear,—Causes low blood pressure, weakness, destroys red blood,cells, makes the face pale, affects the heart liver and stomach produces indigestion, diarrhoea or constipation and impotency -
Renunciation.—Removes a host of ailments, such as dyspepsia, rheumatism, diabetes, disease of liver, intestines, blood-pressure, strengthens the heart, brain and nerves.
Pure 'Love—Produces joy, peace of mind, harmonious functions of the bodily organs, increases the blood qualitatively, and quantitatively and turns the mind towards God. It is the best antidote for hatred.
Truth.—Strengthens the heart and mind, brings peace of, mind, happiness, inner calmness and spiritual -strength and fearlessness. It is the best antidote for fear. It removes all diseases caused by fear.’
Meditation— Wonderful tonic, tones all the systems and organs, renovates the cells, enriches the cells of the blood, removes all diseases, checks the development of diseases, generates miraculous health-giving, energy-producing, soul-elevating, kundalini-awakening two principles-'Divinin ' and ' Puritin ' of marvellous potency, transforms man into divinity. ' Puritin' helps the meditator to enter into Savikalpa Samadhi. ' Divinin' aids him to attain Nirvikalpa Samadhi.
(Adopted from Sri Sai Sudha, November 1943)
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| Sathya Sai Education in Human Values National Day U.K. Makes an Impact |
| 09.29.04 (4:21 pm) [edit] |
Sathya Sai Education in Human Values National Day U.K. Makes an Impact
Around 100 people from all over the UK attended the annual SSEHV National Day in Stanmore, North West London, on September 11th. Heart warming speeches from SSEHV practitioners, educationalists and professional teachers from around the country, combined with uplifting live music, film and images, helped to inspire us all to work even harder in the months ahead to reach out to as many people as possible through SSEHV.
Speakers
- The day began with a powerful address from the guest of honour, the Worshipful the Mayor of Harrow, Councillor Lurline Champanie, who also lit the lamp to mark the opening of the proceedings. Councillor Champanie, herself a grandmother, spoke about the importance of human values in her own family, and her experience of the power of music to uplift and transform people. She spoke with feeling about how necessary programmes such as SSEHV are in today's society, and consequently how pleased she was to be able to lend her support to the programme.
- Carole Alderman, Principal of the British Institute of Sathya Sai Education, presented an update on recent activities and plans for the year ahead.
- Barbara Edmonson, Area Co-ordinator for the Manchester region, gave a moving account of the impact of the Values Alive Events she has been organising in Burnley and Oldham on the children that attend and on the communities over all.
- Secondary school teacher Bina Valsan spoke about teaching human values in the classroom across the curriculum.
- SSEHV teacher and trainer Cyrano Ugarow talked from his personal experience of the importance of teaching from the heart, teaching by example, and how the way we think and our state of mind effects everything we do.
- Selina Shah, an IT professional who was so inspired by SSEHV that she changed careers to become a primary school teacher, talked about values in ICT and PSHE lessons.
- James Lee, an educational advisor to BISSE who is currently completing doctoral research at Cambridge University in the area of School Ethos and Citizenship Education, spoke about the many components of school culture and how even an apparently small input can have a positive effect that can improve lives. James' talk was so interesting that he was invited to speak for a further 45 minutes after lunch, which he graciously agreed to do, much to the delight of the delegates.
Many people helped to make the day a success, including a large number who cooked and served a delicious lunch for all the delegates, and who worked behind the scenes to manage the technology and logistics of the event. We would like to thank everyone who helped, attended and contributed, particularly those who travelled long distances. The result of everyone's efforts was a truly uplifting and memorable National Day. As one delegate put it, "When one goes away from an event like this in good heart space and still absorbing some of the thoughts shared - this can only be a good thing."
If you would like to contact any of the speakers at the event, please write to feedback@ssehv.org.uk and we will forward your message.
http://www.sathyasaiehv.org.uk/Newsletters/Sept04/ema il.htm" title="http://www.sathyasaiehv.org.uk/Newsletters/Sept04/ema il.htm" target="_blank"http://www.sathyasaiehv.org.u...
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| Theosophist as Devotee - Howard Murphet |
| 09.29.04 (7:30 am) [edit] |
Theosophist as Devotee - Howard Murphet
In Search of his 'Star of Destiny'
Howard Murphet is well known to Sai Devotees world-wide. In the mission of the Sai Avatar, Howard was called forward, along with others (most notably, Jack Hislop) to chronicle his experiences seeking the spiritual path, discovering Sai Baba, deepening his store of wisdom (and finally, to his great joy, his store of prema) and sharing those experiences in print. Howard has a most frank manner of writing. His is the rare knack of involving his reader in his narrative and his questions, and the answers to the many questions he raised about Sathya Sai Baba. The result was a magnificent trilogy of Sai books, Sai Baba-Man of Miracles, Sai Baba-Avatar and Sai Baba-Invitation to Glory.
In a darkening era when the lights of humanity have been dimmed by planet-wide wars, the population explosion, and the gee-whiz electronics in home, hearth and workplace that divide the haves from the have-nots, Howard Murphet emerges as a beacon shining in the darkness, guiding those in travail to the safe shores of Sathya Sai Baba.
Howard has been to war. He evaluated the cause of war spiritually, before joining up. He knew there was a great spiritual goal in his life, amid the twists and turns he has observed in his ninety plus years. He is a modern Parsifal, a knight of the Round Table in search of the Holy Grail, which he called his “Star of Destiny” or his “Star of the East.” Howard Murphet’s quest was to discover that star and satisfy the restless yearning in his soul.
In this life time, Howard Murphet was born in Tasmania, the ‘apple isle’ of Australia, in 1906. His family came from a strong Christian background, and he was blessed with a mother of great faith, whom he names as his first guru. In his youth, he had a miracle after falling into a deep pond, and later on, had a vision of another world, perhaps Heaven:
“As I gazed upwards into the blue, absorbed in the beauty of this dome-like roof of the world, suddenly a window appeared in the roof. Beyond the window was a glorious scene that made me feel I was looking into Heaven. There was a radiant light shining on white or light-coloured buildings in the background. In the foreground were figures moving about as if in a street scene. Their robes were of rich colours with red and gold predominating. I could see some of their faces, which to me looked wise, benign and somehow noble. I remember too that there was a soft drift of heavenly music coming through the window and reaching my ears as I lay on my back among the silent oats. A wave of bliss flooded through me as time stood still. Then as suddenly as it had come, the window disappeared, leaving nothing but the clear blue of the sky. But I knew that the radiant, heavenly scene in the sky had been real while it lasted.... Was it really Heaven I had been looking into, I wondered... but I had not seen the golden throne of God, and the figures moving about did not have wings, as angels should, according to my mother.”
Many years’ pursuit of various forms of formal education and visits to war-torn Germany inspired Howard to be a spiritual seeker. In moments of heightened intuition he was always in tune with his real self.
Several years after participating in Yoga classes, Howard met Iris, his wife to be and companion in travels and spiritual seeking. Together they studied and travelled to Europe. Howard was to visit Germany again, and England. After visiting and attending a spiritual practice called Subud for a time, they sailed east to attend the School of Wisdom at the Theosophical Society’s Adyar Institute, on the river Adyar, Madras, in 1964.
The search had not ended. Howard had certainly found his Star of Destiny, his Star of the East that he had sought all his life. The Crown Prince of Venkatagiri shared his belief with Howard that Sathya Sai Baba was a full incarnation of God, an “avatar.” Howard departed from Puttaparthi, armed with books gifted by Sathya Sai Baba, and was determined to answer the question, “was He also an avatar, a descent of God to earth?”
Howard has written that he was probably the first from the western world to come to Sathya Sai Baba as a western sceptic and stay with Him or near Him for some six years in India. He did this in order to solve the problem of His Identity and why He was here in the world. “After returning to the west I have been back many times, pulled by the strong magnet of the Divine Love and fascination of One I decided was an Avatar of God. He taught me what an Avatar is, His relationship to ordinary human beings in the world and how His Purpose was to lead those who are ready, to their own inner Guru or the God within. I did not immediately accept Him as an Avatar, but after He taught me in a humble manner what an Avatar is and how we are all Avatars, descendants from God without being aware of it. As I stayed on, I became more and more certain that He was indeed an Avatar. This is not based on the fact that He materialises things.”
Howard has used the ancient vedantic method of learning in his evaluation of Sathya Sai. This is crucial today. Sai Baba himself says, “Well, making the questioner himself give out the answers is the Sanathana method of teaching. If those who question themselves give the answers, they would clearly understand the subject. The lecturing style is different. In olden days, all the Rishis enabled their disciples to understand Vedanta only by this method.”
Those who read Howard’s books must follow in his footsteps and ask their own questions. Someone else’s questions and answers do not lead to liberation. In this wise, Howard has been an exemplar who has adequately illuminated the path for others to walk. The task of the devotee is excavation of Truth.
Howard describes the greatest of Sai miracles to be the Divine Love by which He brings about a deep change in the nature of people, His followers. We are born of course with the embryo of the Divine Child within us. Swami gives us the initiation to begin to know the meaning of true Love and the feeling of oneness with our brother man.
In 1982, Howard was diagnosed as having an incurable disease He prayed very earnestly for healing. He was in a beautiful room in the Adelaide Hills “while Sai Baba in the body was of course at that time in India at His ashram. My prayer was so intense that after a sleep on a couch while the sun was shining through the windows I woke up to see Swami’s Hand and Arm as it circled over me and I knew that He had come, that this was a healing gesture. I saw it in that brief time between being asleep and fully awake when as you might have heard, everybody has a short period of clairvoyance. When that short period had passed His Hand and Body disappeared from my vision but He was still there in the room and I knew this by the unbelievably soul-moving sense of the luminous in the room. In fact, the room was filled by it and it penetrated the wall to where my wife was sitting in the breakfast room and then when Swami left, the luminous went too. This is what the ancient Romans called “sense of the Presence of the Divine” (the luminous or lumina). Well, I knew that I was cured of the disease and all tests afterwards proved that this was so.”
Howard writes, although blind: ‘Before I came into Sai Baba’s private interview, near the end of 1989, I had accepted unhappily the prospect of a silent rest from the labours of writing, which had been my life and joy for many years. As Swami knew, through retinal haemorrhages into both eyes, I was quite unable to read or write. All I had was minimal peripheral vision in one eye. But in a firm, commanding voice he said, “You must write the book that’s in there.” He patted my chest. “Go home and write it and bring it back to me in two years.” My wife and two friends who were present in the room looked startled at this royal command. “May he have a co-author to help him?” asked my wife. “No,” replied Swami. “He must write his own book. I will give him all the help he needs.” I knew that I must somehow carry out this task set me by my divine Master. But how? For many years, my writing had been born of a happy partnership between me and an old typewriter. The art of prose writing demanded that I work with words and phrases on the written page, polishing towards perfection or as near to it as attainable. To reach a satisfactory standard in prose expression through auditory means would be quite impossible for me. Yet, I must make the attempt.
‘Lord Sai’s help is often given through the hands of others. I saw the first signs of this when a Dictaphone and other equipment necessary almost fell into my lap. So began a new, unfamiliar road to creative writing.’ So, Where the Road Ends was written by its blind author. Howard’s days are not over, he resides quietly in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia, some two hours drive from Sydney.
Howard, through his light shows direction to others to make self evaluations in order to excavate the Truth. He does all an invaluable service in the gloom of Kali Yuga, and the wakening dawn of the Golden Age.
[He spread the glory of Bhagawan to the western world. Even today, many know Bhagawan through Sai Baba: Man of Miracles translated world-wide in various languages. For many years, Howard had been Baba’s constant travel companion. Both Iris and Howard had been with Baba to Madras, Ooty, Venkatagiri, Bangalore and other places throughout India. Howard, records these visits with love and reverence in his three books on Baba. Baba would play on the pronunciation of his name and ask, “Murphet, are you perfect?” A common joke but one impregnated with much deeper meaning. –Editor
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| Howard Murphet |
| 09.29.04 (7:27 am) [edit] |
Howard Murphet
Howard Murphet is well known to Sai Devotees world wide. In the mission of the Sai Avatara, Howard was called forward, along with others (most notably, Jack Hislop) and chronicled his experiences seeking the spiritual path, discovering Sai Baba, deepening his store of wisdom (and finally, to his great joy, his store of prema) and sharing those experiences in print. Howard has a most frank manner of writing. His is the rare knack of involving his reader in his narrative and his questions, and the answers to the many questions he raised about Sathya Sai Baba. The result was a magnificent trilogy of Sai books, Sai Baba-Man of Miracles, Sai Baba-Avatar, and Sai Baba-Invitation to Glory.
In a darkening era when the lights of humanity have been dimmed by planet-wide wars, governments economies of welfare, the population explosion, and the gee-whiz electronics in home, hearth and workplace that divide the haves from the have-nots, Howard Murphet emerges as a beacon shining in the darkness, guiding those in travail to the safe shores of Sathya Sai Baba.
Howard has been to war. He evaluated the cause of war spiritually, before joining up. He knew there was a great spiritual goal of his life, amid the twists and turns he has observed in his ninety plus years. He is a modern Parsifal, a knight of the Round Table in search of the Holy Grail which he called his "Star of Destiny" or his Star of the East". Howard Murphet's quest was to discover that star and satisfy the restless yearning in his soul.
This modern Knight-Errant of the pen, since his days as a school teacher in Tasmania, had always sought a deeper meaning in the affairs of humanity, and sought to improve humanity at large via the humble offering of his skill with eye, pen, learning, writings, and his finely honed discrimination. This is the true vidyartha, the true cumulative wealth of an education pursued beyond the classroom and which gives a great wealth to humanity. His labours with the pen and his spiritual seeking are an embodiment of that ancient prayer:
Asatoma sadgamaya
Tamasoma, jyotirgamaya
Mrithyorma, amritam gamaya
Amritam, gamaya
(From the Unreal, lead us to the real,
From Darkness, lead us to light
From Death lead us to immortality)
This time Howard Murphet was born in Tasmania, the 'apple isle' of Australia, in 1906. His family came from a strong Christian background, and he was blessed with a mother of great faith, whom he names as his first guru. In his youth, he had a miracle after falling into a deep pond, and later on, had a vision of another world, perhaps Heaven:
As I gazed upwards into the blue, absorbed in the beauty of this dome-like roof of the world, suddenly a window appeared in the roof. Beyond the window was a glorious scene that made me feel I was looking into Heaven. There was a radiant light shining on white or light-coloured buildings in the background. In the foreground were figures moving about as if in a street scene. Their robes were of rich colours with red and gold predominating. I could see some of their faces which to me looked wise, benign and somehow noble. I remember too that there was a soft drift of heavenly music coming through the window and reaching my ears as I lay on my back among the silent oats. A wave of bliss flooded through me as time stood still. Then as suddenly as it had come, the window disappeared, leaving nothing but the clear blue of the sky. But I knew that the radiant, heavenly scene in the sky had been real while it lasted....Was it really Heaven I had been looking into, I wondered... but I had not seen the golden throne of God, and the figures moving about did not have wings, as angels should, according to my mother.
Howard Murphet spent his childhood attending the local one-teacher school until the teacher married and left. Due to the required number of children in attendance falling below the necessary levels, the school did not reopen. Young Howard commenced working on his father's farm. When a new teacher arrived his talent was quickly spotted and a regime of attending school one hour earlier every day, to make up for lost ground was instituted for him. This was prepare for the state examination. Howard, like all bush children of his day, he had to get up even earlier again and milk the cows before going to school! He passed the examination and commenced attending classes at boarding school in Launceston. He was inclined, at one stage to enter the church and become a minister. He changed his mind, and entered teacher training college and the University of Tasmania, Hobart. He had great ideals about education in forming childrens minds in such a way to build character and integrity. He was to later become disillusioned:
"It was a terrible disillusionment to find myself caught up in the mechanics of a factory where knowledge was fed in at one end, called the classroom, and came out at the other, called the examination room. By the end of my first year as a teacher, I had realised the futility of my altruistic dream, my dream of laying the foundation stones for a new world in the classrooms of Tasmania. The idea was laughable and, thank God, I still had my sense of humour. I would have resigned then but I was bonded to teach for four years to pay for my training at the Teachers' College and University."
Howard left Tasmania for Melbourne where he had a brief sojourn in suburban newspapers. He had come to realise that there was an important knack to writing, finding the unusual, the unexpected facet of something amusing, something that revealed a quirk of human nature. The great depression had begun, and when the newspaper decided he and his stories were superfluous, so Howard joined thousands of other jobless men roaming the country. They were called 'bagmen'. Part of the financial mobility of men on the swag was begging, but in the vernacular slang, it was called the "bite". Howard explained:
"Generally the 'bagmen' seemed to think that the community owed them their food and were not averse to begging. But they never used the word 'beg'. It was always 'bite'. Perhaps they thought that this word made the act seem less demeaning. Though some great spiritual masters, such as Gautama the Buddha and Shirdi Sai Baba, carried their begging bowls as a religious ritual to give their fellow men the spiritual merit of giving, I myself had not reached this status with its accompanying humility to beg for food, even if it was called 'bite'. I always carried a small amount of money to buy the food I needed, though I was ashamed to let my fellow 'bagmen' know this. Once this led me into a trap. I had gone with a fellow traveller known as Bill the Bagman into the shopping area of a small town to 'bite' some food for breakfast and the rest of the day. He had un- concernedly gone into several shops and in each case came out laden with supplies. Announcing that we had all that we needed except butter. Bill said to me pointedly, "It's your turn now to 'bite' the butter." We were standing in front of a very modern-looking shop that would today be called a mini-supermarket. I went in and bought half a pound of butter. When I came out. Bill looked at me with approval and some admiration. 'That was a very good bite," he said, "in a shop like this." I was ashamed to tell him that I had actually bought it. After that I always did my shopping alone, instead of in the company of an experienced 'beggar' or 'biter'."
After gaining employment in Sydney and studying the art of copywriting, Howard decided he would better serve his cause overseas and sailed to the United Kingdom. He arrived in London on the eve of World War II. He had a deep conviction that the war was a just war and was determined to be involved. He joined the British Red Cross, under whose auspices he travelled to France. Soon after he was to enlist in the Horse Guards and trained as an officer. Attempting to catch his regiment and take up the theatre of war, he arrived in Jerusalem and spent three months waiting assignment. He took time to visit the Holy Land and various sacred places such as Nazareth, Bethany, the Garden of Gethsemane and the Mount of Olives. Thereafter he was assigned to the Eighth Army as an Escort Officer for War Correspondents. He served with the Eighth Army from El Alamein to Tunis, took part in the invasion of Sicily and Italy and later, with the British Second Army, the D-Day invasion of Normandy. Under instructions from the War Office ws to visit a Concentration Camp and make independent verifications of the horrors being reported. He also interviewed some inmates of the one concentration camp. His final task before being stood down from active service was the charge of the British Press Section at the Nuremburg War Crimes Trials.
After spending further time in post-war Germany (he felt a curious affinity to the German peoples), Howard returned to Australia. There, he began to attend Yoga classes and study Yoga. He had a bliss experience, and went out of his body whilst attending bhajans.
"I think it was during the chant 'Oh God Beautiful', which appealed to me greatly, that I was flooded with bliss. So much so, my consciousness disappeared. Nothing existed anywhere but the unutterable bliss of being. I came out of it, back to consciousness, as my body fell sideways, almost hitting the floor. This out-of-time experience of the Ananda that is part of our inner nature, taught me a number of things. A practical one was the reason for having a firm seat, preferably cross-legged on the floor, for meditation practice. The aim of meditation is to reach that state of samadhi of which I had tasted a little. With its coming, awareness of the world vanishes and, unless firmly seated in a stable position, the meditator is liable to fall to the floor, as I almost did. More importantly, however, the experience was a reaffirmation of the Reality I sought. Brief tastes of it, such as this, whet the appetite for the bottomless chalice of ambrosia, and to find it the pilgrim moves onward, ever onward."
Several years after participating in Yoga classes, Howard met Iris, his wife to be and companion in travels and spiritual seeking. Together they studied and travelled to Europe. Howard was to visit his beloved Germany again, and England. After visiting and attending a spiritual practice called Subud for a time, they sailed East to attend the School of Wisdom at theTheosophical Society's Adyar Institute, on the river Adyar, Madras, in 1964.
Howard and Iris settled in at Adyar and took up the School of Wisdom. Thereafter, they travelled North to visit some of the many ashrams in the Himalayas, first stopping at Dharmasala and calling on the Dalai Llama. Moving on to other ahsrams, they visited the Sivanandanagar Ashram, the newly-constructed ashram of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the ashrama of Charan Singh, and the Radha Soami colonies founded by Sahibi Maharaj. Shortly after returning to Adyar and Madras, Howard and Iris met Sathya Sai Baba for the first time. Later, Howard was to travel to Puttaparthi alone and attend the Shivarathri celebrations. Howard describes his arrival at Prasanthi Nilayam:
Listening to the sweet sacred music that floated trom the prayer hall, I could see that what Kasturi called the prayer hall was in the largest building, in the centre of the ashram. It was a white, two-storey building with a veranda and balcony in front. Near me was a line of single-storey terraces, out of which Kasturi had come. On the side over which the sun was now dipping, were more low buildings, and on the opposite side from where I sat were two large open sheds. Something inward must have happened to me as I sat there in the glorious peace coloured by the sunset and filled with sacred music. All I know is that there, sitting on my valise, I decided that Sai Baba was too great for just one chapter in the book I was proposing to write. The whole book must be about him. The haunting strains of Arati were sounding, though I did not know its name then, when Kasturi reappeared. My first words were, "I have decided to write a book on Sai Baba." I saw doubt written all over his face but he said politely, "Well, that will be nice if it happens." Perhaps his lack of faith in my statement came from the fact that others had made similar statements and promptly forgot about them. Kasturi's next words were "Swami has told me to put you in the Guest House".
The search had not ended. Howard had certainly found his Star of Destiny, his Star of the East that he had sought all his life. It was the Crown Prince of Venkatagiri who shared his belief with Howard that Sathya Sai Baba was a full incarnation of God, an "avatar". Howard departed Puttaparthi, armed with books gifted by Sathya Sai Baba, and was determined to answer the question, "was he also an avatar, a descent of God to earth?"
Howard, has written that he was "probably the first from the Western world to come to Sathya Sai Baba as a Western skeptic and stay with Him or near Him for some six years in India in order to solve the problem of His true Identity and why He was here in the world. After returning to the west I have been back many times, pulled by the strong magnet of the Divine Love and fascination of One I decided was an Avatar of God. He taught me what an Avatar is. His relationship to orqdinary human beings in the world and how His Purpose was to lead those who are ready, to their own inner Guru or the God within. I did not immediately accept Him as an Avatar, but after He taught me in a humble manner what an Avatar is and how we are all Avatars, descendants from God without being aware of it. As I stayed on I became more and more certain that He was indeed an Avatar. This is not based on the fact that He materialises things."
Howard has used the ancient vedantic method of learning in his evaluation of Sathya Sai. This is critical today. This is Howard's gift to devotees. Sai Baba himself says: Well. Making the questioner himself give out the answers Is the Sanathana method of teaching. If those who question, themselves give the answers, they would clearly understand the subject. The lecturing style Is different. In olden days, all the Rishis enabled their disciples to understand Vedanta only by this method.
Those who read Howard's books must follow in his footsteps and ask their own questions, or they will create their own version Sathya Sai and be filled with doubt instead of their own explored questions and answers. Someone else's questions and answers do not lead to liberation. In this wise, Howard has been an exemplar who has adequately illuminated the path for others to walk. The task of the devotee is excavation of Truth.
Howard describes greatest of the Sai miracles is the Divine Love by which He brings about a deep change in the nature of people, his followers. "I experienced this also in 1966 on the first occasion when I was alone with Sai Baba. I have described this inner change which might be called the birth of the Christ-child within one. We are born of course with the embryo of the Divine Child within us but this initiation that Swami gives things about the actual birth of the Christ within, then, it is that we begin to know the meaning of true Love and the feeling of oneness with our brother man. This comes about gradually through the years after what I have called the birth of the Christ-child or the initiation into the Divine Life. Many,many people throughout the years have been changed in this way, this deep rooted inner change that is really your first footstep on the path of the homeward journey. Then there is the great compassion of Sai Baba which requires miraculous action for its fulfilment."
In 1982 Howard was diagnosed as having an incurable disease He prayed very earnestly for healing. He was in a beautiful room in the Adelaide Hills "while Sai Baba in the body was of course at that time in India at His ashram. My prayer was so intense that after a sleep on a couch while the sun was shining through the windows I woke up to see Swami's Hand and Arm as it circled over me and I knew hat He had come, that this was a healing gesture. I saw it in that brief time between being asleep and fully awake when as you might have heard, everybody has a short period of clairvoyance. When that short period has passed His Hand and Body disappeared from my vision but He was still there in the room and I knew this by the unbelievably soul-moving sense of the luminous in the room, In fact the room was filled by it and it penetrated the wall to where my wife was sitting in the breakfast room and then when Swami left, the luminous went too. This is what the ancient Romans called "sense of the Presence of the Divine" (the luminous or lumina). Well, I knew that I was cured of the disease and all tests afterwards proved that this was so."
Howard writes, although blind: "Before I came into Sai Baba's private interview, near the end of 1989, I had accepted unhappily the prospect of a silent rest from the labours of writing, which had been my life and joy for many years. As Swami knew, through retinal haemorrhages into both eyes, I was quite unable to read or write. All I had was minimal peripheral vision in one eye. But in a firm, commanding voice he said, "You must write the book that's in there." He patted my chest. "Go home and write it and bring it back to me in two years." My wife and two friends who were present in the room looked startled at this royal command. "May he have a co-author to help him?" asked my wife. "No," replied Swami. "He must write his own book. I will give him all the help he needs." I knew that I must somehow carry out this task set me by my divine Master. But how? For many years my writing had been born of a happy partnership between me and an old typewriter. The art of prose writing demanded that I work with words and phrases on the written page, polishing towards perfection or as near to it as attain- able. To reach a satisfactory standard in prose expression through auditory means would be quite impossible for me. Yet I must make the attempt.
The Lord Sai's help is often given through the hands of others. I saw the first signs of this when a dictaphone and other equipment necessary almost fell into my lap. This was mainly through the help of some occupational therapists at Concord Hospital, Sydney. So began a new, unfamiliar road to creative writing. So Where the Road Ends was written by its blind author. Howard's days are not over, he resides quietly in the Blue Mountains area of New South Wales, Australia, some two hours drive from Sydney.
Insofar as Howard has
-discovered his light
-said why it is his light
-pointed others toward that light
-given those others a method by which too make their own evaluation and excavate the truth for themselves
-He does all an invaluable service in thhe gloom of Kali Yuga, and the wakening dawn of the Golden Age.
Howard once told me his favourite poem was "Brahma"
BRAHMA
If the red slayer think he slays,
Or if the slain think he is slain,
They know not well the subtle ways
I keep, and pass, and turn again.
Far or forgot to me is near;
Shadow and sunlight are the same;
The vanished gods to me appear;
And one to me are shame and fame.
They reckon ill who leave me out;
When me they fly, I am the wings;
I am the doubter and the doubt,
And I the hymn the Brahmin sings.
-
The strong gods pine for my abode,
And pine in vain the sacred Seven;
But thou, meek lover of the good!
Find me, and turn thy back on heaven.
Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1867
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| A Little Miracle |
| 09.28.04 (11:23 am) [edit] |
A LITTLE MIRACLE
A devotee was feeling very troubled by all the horrible rumours that have been circulating in recent months about Sai Baba. He felt that it was so sad that Divine energies were being denigrated by all the unproved stories being spread by the media. He was wondering how to reply to them when a friend phoned him and relayed to him the following story. The friend said that only last week the former vice chancellor of Sai Baba’s college was giving a talk to their Sai Baba group in Connecticut and he had related this story.
The vice chancellor said that recently he was sitting on Sai Baba’s veranda in the ashram in Puttaparthi next to a very important Indian politician. Sai Baba came by and called the politician by name and asked him to come into his private interview room. The man went inside and came out ten minutes later sobbing. Then the sobbing turned into deep uncontrolled crying. Sai Baba came by and said to the man “What’s wrong?”. Then Sai Baba waved his hand and made some vibhuti (sacred ash) and gave it to the man who took it and ate it. A short time afterwards when the man had regained his composure he turned to the vice chancellor and said “Because you have witnessed all of this, I will explain it to you.”
The politician explained that his wife had been very sick and she had told him that she wanted to go to see Sai Baba for one last look, for the very last time. However the politician had been very busy and while he was away his wife died. All this had happened ten days previously and the man was now coming to see Sai Baba after cremating his wife. When Sai Baba came into the interview room, the man said, Sai Baba had scolded him and had reminded him what a wonderful wife he had had, of how she took care of his every need, cooked his food, looked after the house, even to laying out his clothes etc. But when she had made her one last request to be taken to see Sai Baba, he had been too busy. Sai Baba then said “I went to her and I comforted her, and now she is with me. Here I will let you see her now.” At that moment the man’s wife emerged from inside Sai Baba and stood as a live being in front of him, no longer appearing thin and sickly. She smiled and took his hand and said “Do not be sad, do not grieve for me, I am happy, happy.” Then the man’s wife merged again inside Sai Baba.
I tell you this beautiful story, because it seemed to come as an answer, just when I was thinking how best to answer the question concerning all the bad rumours about Sai Baba that were circulating. It seemed to me that this was what I would call a synchronous wink from the Lord to help me have an answer to all these questions. I think the story speaks volumes.
http://www.ramalacentre.com/newsletter09_00_03.htm" title="http://www.ramalacentre.com/newsletter09_00_03.htm" target="_blank"http://www.ramalacentre.com/n...
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| Baba's Miracle |
| 09.28.04 (10:38 am) [edit] |
Baba's Miracle
AN INCREDIBLE MIRACLE OF BABA IMPELLING THE GOVT. OF INDIA TO MODIFY THEIR DECISION FOR THE SAKE OF HIS DEVOTEE
This pertains to my totally unexpected selection as an Ammunition Supervisior in the newly-formed Directorate o Naval Armament Inspection of the Royal Indian Navy in 1949 in the face of normally insurmountable obstacles. To begin with, I was already 43, an age, as a rule, a disqualification for fresh entrants to a brand - new Government department. Further, I had not touched ammunition even with a bargepole till then. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find my name topping the list of successful candidates. No doubt, it was in accordance with Baba's "aagna".
Presently, I came to know that we would be required to go to U.K. for training. My immediate reaction was against it for reasons of health. It was quite baffling to me why, in His Inscrutable wisdom, Baba had led me on to this job not withstanding my inability to go abroad of which, as 'Sarvantaryaami', He must be fully aware.
I was, however, sustained by a blind faith. IS NOT "FAITH TO BELIEVE WHAT YOU DO NOT SEE AND THE REWARD OF THAT FAITH IS TO SEE WHAT YOU BELIEVE", IN THE GOLDEN WORDS OF ST.AUGUSTINE. About two years passed thus. It chanced that the British Technical Assistant, one Mr. Mordy, was invalided and flown to the U.K. Usually, they call for a replacement from the Admiralty. To my surprise, I found myself as the defacto. Tech. Asst. and being tacitly accepted as such by my immediate boss, a dyed-in-the-wool Britisher named Smith.
Yet, I was not out of the Woods At long last, Maj. Priestly; of the Royal Marines, the Director, had managed to obtain the sanction of the Govt. of India to send the first batch of four candidates to the U.K. and one fine day, erelong my passport arrived. As Mr. Smith took and reached it across the table with congratulations, I involuntarily recoiled from it. I somehow managed to blurt out, "I am not touching it, Mr. Smith!" He was stunned. I added, "You see, the fact is I never wanted to go to the U.K. and am not going. I have been guilty of an act of dishonesty in not having confessed it at the beginning. It is high time you wrote and told the Director everything, come what may!" He looked bewildered. He seemed to think I was talking through may hat. So, in a gentle manner he told me, "Listen, don't say anything to me now. Take the car and go home. We shall talk over it tomorrow." "Look here Mr. Smith", I replied "This is not a sudden decision.
Only, I am two years late in announcing it." I felt greatly relieved, as if a heavy burden weighing me down had been taken off; but I felt more insecure about my position. Only the undercurrent of my faith in Baba sustained me. The next day when Mr.Smith saw me reiterating my refusal, he set about much against his will to write and explain the predicament to Maj. Priestly, rather going out of the way to safeguard my position. He wrote that I already knew the ropes and my not going to the U.K. should not be allowed to come in the way of may future prospects. I, no doubt, knew in my heart of hearts that Baba was behind all this, though nothing could yet be said how things would finally turn-out.
Maj. Priestly was wild with rage. He wrote a stinker addressed to me saying that "In spite of the uniformly glowing tribute to the brilliant record of your work in the department, I shall most regretfully, be obliged to downgrade you in view of your unwillingness to go to the U.K. for training. If you are not prepared for this, you may seek your future elsewhere." I felt overwhelmed.
After reaching home, as I went in still in a daze and my eyes fell upon Baba, I broke down and began sobbing out my heart to Him. My wife; Kamala, whose single-minded devotion to Him is like a steady flame in the face of all the winds that blow" came near and said, "what has happened that you are crying like this? My woman's instinct tells me that nothing untoward will be fall us. Why fear when Baba is with us?" I read out and explained the letter of Maj. Priestly to her. To my astonishment she stood her ground without being perturbed in the least by the letter nor by my gloomy forebodings of impending doom. Rather, she turned round and poohpoohed the very idea.
"Afterall, who is Priestly to make or mar us?" she demanded to know. "It is the prerogative of Baba only and Baba alone. Priestly has only held out a threat. How long will it take for Baba to make him change his mind? We know how the District Magistrate of Ahmednagar, an Englishman, not knowing he was acting under the inspiration of Baba whom he had never seen, scrapped his earlier judgement even without looking at the appeal memo and orally pronounced a fresh order acquitting the appellants falsely implicated at first. What Baba Himself has given, no power on earth can take away." These, indeed, were inspired words now being uttered by one by nature given to just a few mild words of assent and quite foreign to dialectics or harangue. They stirred my blood and revived my dying hope. Here I may add that I have had ample proof, since, as on so many previous occasions (as, for example, when he granted 'Saakshaatkaaraa' and revived my dead son, coming again the next day, being Thursday, conferring unique good fortune on my wife Kamala of serving a full to Him; similarly, upholding her firm faith when He made my dumb son speak in a split second) that He has always been specially gracious to her and, incidentally, to me, a doubting Thomas.
The next morning, I went to the office with a new-found courageous and poise. The moment I stepped in, the attendant told me that there was a telegram received a little while ago on the table. I casually opened it, and was taken aback to find it was from Maj. Priestly. It read, "Withdraw my letter to Mr. Ramaswami-personally coming by the first flight". I was both thrilled and stunned at the way things were happening. How correctly my wife had forecast it; When Mr. Smith arrived, I just handed him the telegram without a word. On reading it he was absolutely floored. However, in an impassioned manner, he told me" I know he is coming in person to persuade you. Do be a good lad and agree to go. Else, I shall be badly let down."
Soon Maj. Priestly came. Even as he was stepping in, he was asking with obvious impatience, "where is Mr. Ramaswami?" He was a tall, hefty, blue-eyed Scot with a noble mien, a truly imposing personality. I could see he was greatly upset. "I am here, sir," I managed to say, though highly tensed Maj. P. "Do you know why I have come Mr. Ramaswamy?" I "I don't actually know why you have come. Sir, but, I have my own guess why you must have come, You see, Sir..." Maj P. No, Mr. Ramaswami! he flared up. "YOU CAN'T. HOW CAN you guess when I
myself did not know that I was to come. Something MYSTERIOUS has happened! that is why I ave come".
The word "mysterious" made my bloodd tingle confirming beyond all doubt that BABA HAD TAKEN OVER COMMAND! "You know", he continued, it has taken me two long years to get the 'all clear' to send you chaps to the U.K. for training. But, you upset all my plans. HOWEVER, ALMOST IMMEDIATELY AFTER POSTING MY LETTER, SOME HIGHER-UPS IN THE FINANCE MINISTRY PHONED ME TO SAY THAT THE BUDGET FOR SENDING TRAINEES TO THE U.K. IS CUT DOWN BY 25% SO THAT I CAN SEND ONLY THREE NOW ALTHOUGH THE SANCTION FOR THE FOUR POSTS IS LEFT AS IT IS. THAT MEANS YOU ARE NOT TOUCHED. I CAN'T UNDERSTAND THIS AT ALL.
I could no longer contain myself. I cut in to say, "Sir, I beg you to let me speak. You say something MYSTERIOUS has happened. You know, Sir, it is exactly for some such thing to happen that my heart has been crying out to my God. And if it had not happened, it would be mysterious to me. Sir, may I say without any breach of decorum that you are not the arbiter of my destiny. There is SOMEONE to arbiter yours as well as mine." The words spontaneously gushed out. I now know that it was Baba prompting me. Striding up to my side of the big table around which we were all standing, Maj.
Priestly grabed my shoulder and, looking me straight in the face, exclaimed with some asperity, "You have the audacity and the courage to say that to my face, Mr. Ramaswami!" "It is neither, Sir", I replied calmly, returning his look. "For, devotion to Baba enables one to acquire the freedom from fear to stare the world in the face even if it should have blood-shot eyes/ It is a conviction born of faith transmitted to me in the blood from generation to generation and
crying for expression."
Still holding my shoulder he said, " You seem to challenge my faith in God, too!" "As a Britisher, you can't understand my faith, sir,” I said "You trust God and keep your powder dry!" mine enables me to be unarmed without any rear. It is not a half, way house but complete surrender with complete protection in return."
He suddenly softened. Relaxing his hold and pattinq me gently on my back he remarked, "AH right, all right. I can see you are sincere. Though for the time being your position appears to be safe, let me warm you it may not be so for long. I am going back by the return flight to see the Defence Minister and tell him that I must have four U.K. trained men to being with and the cut must be restored. If I succeed as I hope to, you will have to go down."
"I have no qualms about it now, sir," I said. "If you succeeded. I shall bear no ill-will against you. God bless you". "For a man in your predicament, it is, indeed, a grand thing to say. Good-bye", the great man concluded, kindling in me warm admiration and regards for his openness and magnanimity.
How wonderfully Baba solved the bristling problem without embarrassment to any one concerned will now be seen. As soon as Maj. Priestly reached Delhi, some mysterious, though not serious, illness overtook him, and he was air-lifted to the U.K. We were happy to know later that it did not take long for him to become all right, though he chose to terminate his contract to
settle down in England.
A committee Naval Armament Officers, satisfied with the standard of my performance, recommended to the Naval Headquarters about my competence to continue in the department without any need for further training. Thus, what threatened as a Himalayan avalanche, vanished in to time through Baba's grace like the morning mist before the rising Sun.
Glory be to Shri Shirdi Sai - Grace be to all
Courtesy: http://groups.msn.com/sabkamalikek" title="http://groups.msn.com/sabkamalikek" target="_blank"http://groups.msn.com/sabkama...
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| Peggy Mason |
| 09.27.04 (5:38 am) [edit] |
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Peggy Mason
Editor of quarterly magazine dedicated to Sai Baba
The late PEGGY MASON needs no introduction to readers of 'TWO WORLDS' magazine and 'PSYCHIC NEWS'. Born in 1909, she has written plays. filmscripts, a novel called "Cadenza". and two books on spiritual subjects 'TALES OF TWO WORLDS" (now reprinted for the 13th time) and 'NEW AGE COMPANION". Also "SAI BABA, THE EMBODIMENT OF LOVE'.one half written by her, one half by her husband Ron Laing.
She was also well-versed in various branches of metaphysics and has contributed hundreds of articles to appropriate publications in this country and abroad. Her life and writing had been devoted to the service of Sri Sathya Sai Baba since she first knew of him in 1977.Since 1983 she edited a quarterly magazine dedicated to Sai Baba, with subscribers in 40 countries. She and her late husband (whose pen name was Ron Laing) ran the Kent & Sussex Sai Baba Study Center at their home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent..
Peggy's husband, Ron Laing wrote extensively on Sri Sathya Sai Baba since 1978, and in 1981 was the first european to be appointed a member of the World Council of Sri Sathya Sai Organisations, serving on that body for three years, setting up a Central Council and a Trust in the U.K. He passed from this life on January 1st. 1994.
"I have come for the transformation of humanity, and I shall be most grateful to each child of mine who helps in my task. I am with you always, for your heart is my home" - BABA.
A CALL TO PROJECT LIGHT. 'Time' seems to be speeding up and the vibrations quickening at an alarming rate as we have reached the new millenium. Everyone is noticing this increase in tempo. There are some who feel the world is hastening towards an abyss, like the Gadarene swine, but Baba --who will be with us in his present Form for another 20 years --assures us that although certain changes or events may occur, we are not to fear. He DOES ask us, however, to project, in our meditations, powerful shafts of golden light penetrating and dispersing the dark clouds around the planet, and over certain countries in particular, and THIS IS IMPORTANT. One could call it the LIGHTNING of LOVE --but without the thunder. (taken from Sai Baba Quarterly)
BABA'S DIVINE 'PLAY'Many of you will know that vibhuti and other phenomena regularly appear at the home of Mr. G. Patel, in Wealdstone, Harrow, London. Indeed, there was a column about it in the Daily Telegraph of March 6th, 1992, when the reporter sat and actually witnessed the vibhuti forming on Baba's large picture and other objects, like 'Swami's chair'. (The vibhuti is regularly distributed for healing purposes).
In honour of the 70th Birthday, Mr. Patel carved a life-size wooden statue of Swami and placed it next to Baba's velvet chair. Immediately vibhuti began to form on the staue's hands, gown & feet. Mr Patel took a photograph of this - but when the film was developed, to his astonishment, it was not the statue but Swami Himself in the photograph! (taken from Sai Baba Quarterly)
BABA SAYS: When the Golden Age dawns there will be harmony throughout the world and Love will flow everywhere. All thoughts of hatred will disappear. Today you cannot visualise such a state because there is chaos everywhere, fighting, scheming, hatred, evil; all the negative emotions are in the ascendant. But eventually change will come.
The arrival of the Golden Age will be heralded by a new coming, as well as some upheavals, sufficient to uproot the evil that is so prevalent today. Although the Golden Age lies in the future, man can prepare himself by turning to God and living his life in complete harmony with the infinite. That is possible now, if you surrender your will to God and dedicate your life to Him. You will become His instrument and, in that capacity, you will find fulfilment through service to humanity
Life is change, and change is taking place all the time. Only God never changes as God is the foundation of the universe and he holds everything in His hand. When you become perfectly attuned to God, you become part of that divine foundation, then nothing can affect you. At that point the past, present and future merge into one, and that one-ness is the omnipresent God
"YOU ARE ME"
..Always remember that you are Me and I am you. There is no difference. When you remember that I am you, you must also remember the the powers of the Divine are also yours---powers normally attributed to God, of omnipresence, omniscience and omnipotence. You have to remember, 'I am God | |
