"I have come not to disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith - so that the Christian becomes a better Christian, the Muslim, a better Muslim, and the Hindu, a better Hindu." ---Sathya Sai Baba said while disclosing the intention of His Advent.
On 23rd November 1926, Sathya Sai Baba was born in the remote village of Puttaparthi, located in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh to Peddavenkappa Raju and Easwaramma, a poor agrarian family. Sathya Sai Baba had two sisters and one elder brother.
The birth of Sathya Sai Baba is again laced with myths and miracle. Professor Narayana Kasturi, in his official four-volume hagiography (study of saints), wrote about Sathya Sai Baba`s mother that after dreaming of the Hindu god Sathyanarayana, a huge sphere of blue light rolled towards her, merged into her which made her faint, she found out she was pregnant. Even as a child, His spiritual disposition and ruminative nature set Him apart from other children of His age.
According to the Australian journalist and follower Howard Murphet, Sathya Sai Baba attended the Higher Elementary School at a nearby village, called Bukkapatnam at his 8th year. According to Kasturi`s biography, Sai Baba joined the high school at Uravakonda. Kasturi wrote that on 8th March 1940, around evening in Uravakonda (means "Serpent -hill" known for serpents and scorpions), Sathya Sai Baba started behaving as if a black scorpion had bitten his foot. Withal, nobody found the scorpion. As the story continues, after this strange event, one night Sai Baba entered a state similar to coma.
 This state is the state of "leaving his body" to His devotees. After the state, His behavior worried his parents. He started reciting ancient shlokas or elaborated on holy Hindu scriptures, didn`t want to eat, would often keep silent for a long time. Among His peers and others in the village, He was known as `Guru` and "Brahmajnani` (knower of Brahman or Godhead).
On 20th October1940 in His 14th year, he proclaimed himself to be a reincarnation of the `fakir` and saint Shirdi Sai Baba (circa 1838-1918) and later on took the fakir`s name. Sai Baba exacted to be the avatar sent for the betterment of this world. Throwing away his school books, Sai Baba announced that he was leaving. "My devotees are calling me. I have my work" are the words of His. Today, He is worshiped as and `Avatar` by millions of devotees from all over the world, who are professing various faiths, and heralding from various walks of life.
Sathya Sai Baba at His young age was a vegetarian and was known for his antipathy to animal cruelty and sympathy for the poor, disabled and elderly. At the very young age of 8, Sathya started composing bhajans spontaneously. In 1960 Sathya Sai Baba said that for 59 years more, he would be in this mortal human form. Sathya Sai Baba said that "In this body I will not become old or infirm as in my old body", according to a 1984 book. In the year 1963, he claimed to be a reincarnation of Shiva and Shakti in a discourse. He also claimed that his future reincarnation - Prema Sai Baba - would be a reincarnation of Shakti and Prema Sai Baba will be born in Mysore state.
This integral demonstration, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is a combination of two very noteworthy roles. Firstly, He is regarded as a great spiritual Master, renowned for His simple and sweet exhibition of the greatest and most complex of spiritual truths that form the first harmonic teachings of all the religions of the world. In His own words, "This Sai has come in order to achieve the supreme task of uniting the entire mankind as one family through the bond of brotherhood, of affirming and illuminating the Atmic Reality (Atma - The Self) of each being, to reveal the Divine which is the basis on which the entire cosmos rests, and of instructing all to recognize the common Divine Heritage that binds man to man, so that man can rid himself of the animal and rise up to the Divine, which is the goal." In order to lead meaningful life, He has formulated the five-fold path of Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Righteousness), Shanthi (Peace), Prema (Love) and Ahimsa (Non-Violence). His prescriptions for our ailing world are - Love for God, fear of sin and morality in society.
Secondly, He is conceived as an infinite source of pure love. His many service projects, like free hospitals, free schools and colleges, free drinking water supply or free housing projects, all stand as the testimony to His selfless love and heartstrings for the needy and less privileged.
This prolific verbaliser always stresses that humans should always be free from desires and states that desires bring mental pain like depression, anger, jealousy etc. the main mission of this Advent is to spread love and to unify all world religions and avows that people do not need to give up their original religion who follow him. His followers view his teachings as syncretic (uniting all religions). Sathya Sai Baba always places exceptional emphasis on the role of women (especially mothers) in society as mothers build society, apart from teaching the unity and equality. Sathya Sai Baba`s teachings are said to be accomplished abiding by the four principles.
There is only one Caste, the Caste of Humanity;
There is only one Religion, the Religion of Love;
There is only one Language, the Language of the Heart;
There is only One God and He is Omnipresent
Other than basic five human values there are another primary teachings like:
Service and charity (seva) to others.
Love for all creatures and objects.
Putting a ceiling (limit) on one`s desires Sadhana (Spiritual discipline).
Celibacy after age of fifty.
Everything that has been created is maya (illusion), only God is real.
Every creature and object is God in form, though most do not experience this as their reality.
Vegetarianism, moderate and sattvik diet.
Abstinence from drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and taking drugs.
Detachment from the material world.
Meditation, preferably at 3:00 or 4:00 A.M.
Meditation (dhyan). Baba teaches four techniques: repetition of the name of God, visualizing the form of God, sitting in silence, and jyoti (Flame/Light meditation).
Inclusive acceptance of all religions as paths to realizing the One (God).
Importance of bhakti (devotion) to God.
Developing virtues (prashanti) and eschewing vices of character.
Japa and other sadhana (spiritual exercise) to foster devotion.
Reverence for parents, teachers and elders.
Sense control
Highly committed devotees use the phrase "Sai Ram" as a salutation.
Women should strive to realize stri-dharma, the inherent virtues of womanhood.
Altruism
 Sathya Sai Baba`s main ashram called `Prashanthi Nilayam` (abode of highest peace) at Puttaparthi, where He resides much of the time. Puttaparthi is a small village where Sathya Sai Baba was born and still lives. Sathya Sai Baba established three primary mandirs in India ("Dharmakshetra" or "Sathyam" in Mumbai, "Shivam" in Hyderabad, "Sundaram" in Chennai). With the chanting of om and a morning prayer, the daily program at Sathya Sai Baba`s ashrams normally begins. Veda Parayan (chanting of the Vedas), nagasankirtan (morning devotional songs) and twice daily bhajans and darshan(a vision of Sai Baba) are followed by. The darshans during October (the Dasara holidays and November (the month of Sai Baba`s birth) are especially important. Sathya Sai Baba walks among his followers and interact with people during `darshan`. It is considered to be a great privilege by the followers.
The Sri Sathya Sai Organizations are there in over 167 countries in the world. Some of the organizations namely are: The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in Prashanti Nilayam, The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Puttaparthi known as the Super Specialty Hospital, The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Bangalore is a hospital meant for the benefit of the Poor.
Several general hospitals, two super specialty hospitals, dispensaries, eye hospitals and mobile dispensaries are run by The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust and also conducts medical camps in rural and slum areas in India. Several major drinking water projects are also funded by The Trust, like "Sathya Sai Ganga Canal", water project in the Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh, on the Godavari River for the five hundred villages in East and West Godavari Districts, the Medak District Project, the Mahbubnagar District Project and another project in Latur, Maharashtra would be undertaken.
Sai Baba was given a big felicitation in Chennai in January 2007 for the 200 crore water project which brought water from the River Krishna in Andhra Pradesh to Chennai city. The ceremony was organised by the Chennai Citizens Conclave. There are several local `Sai Samithis` (Sathya Sai Baba groups), which are part of a hierarchical structure that is called the Sathya Sai Organization. `Sanathana Sarathi` in English and Telugu is the international monthly magazine published by the Trust. Through the World Space Organization, USA, the digital radio network "Radio Sai Global Harmony" was launched on 23rd November 2001.
In a world, which dreadfully seeks an end to the unrest and sorrow, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba came as an inspiration of hope in that world. His message "Brotherhood of Man and the Fatherhood of God" is an unearthly relieve. This relieve will lead humanity from the `darkness of ignorance` to the `light of immortality`.
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