Book Review of the week - Sai Baba, Man of Miracles

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Book Review of the week

Wednesday, October 22, 2003

 

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Sai Baba, Man of Miracles

by Howard Murphet

Red Wheel/Weiser; December 1977 (March 1991)

224 pages - ISBN: 0877283354

 

Contents

 

Author's Note

Introduction

1 The Search

2 Satya Sai Baba

3 Abode of Peace and Many Wonders

4 0 World Invisible

5 Birth and Childhood

6 The Two Sais

7 Echoes from the Early Years

8 With Baba in the Hills

9 Return to Brindavanam

10 A Place Apart

11 Drift of Pinions

12 More Wonder Cures

13 The Question of Saving from Death

14 Eternal Here and Now

15 The Same, but Different

16 A Word from the West

17 Devotees

18 Reality and Significance of the Miraculous

19 Some Sai Teachings

20 Avatar

 

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Author's Note

 

This book is intended for three classes of readers; one, the many

for whom the mysterious, marvellous and miraculous of life hold

interest and appeal; two, the searchers after spiritual light who

have not yet found what they seek. Many in both of these classes,

especially the former, will not even have heard of Satya Sai Baba of

India, let alone seen his miracles and felt his great influence.

They will be more than inclined to doubt. Therefore I have tried to

present the facts as objectively as possible, keeping the devotional

content to a minimum. Other books, from time to time, have dealt in

such a way with the subject of miraculous phenomena. But I know of

none describing so many and varied events connected with a miracle-

saint, still living, and attested to by such an array of witnesses

whose real names are given. These witnesses are, in the main, well-

known in their professions and/or communities and can be contacted

by any doubters who would like confirmation of the fantastic

incredible experiences described.

 

Because the devotional element is minimal the third class of readers

for whom the book is intended, the Sai devotees, will perhaps feel

that the presentation is too cold for them. But I beg them to

remember that pure devotional literature is of interest only to

devotees, and here I am primarily concerned with a much wider field.

 

But I sincerely hope that even the most ardent and experienced Sai

devotee, to whom the extraordinary has become the commonplace, will

find in these pages something to interest him - perhaps some new

evidence, aspect or interpretation of the great Sai power. For it is

a fathomless ocean and no man can know more than a fraction of it.

In this volume, the fruit of long but highly-rewarding research,

investigation and experience, I would like to share with you the

inspiring fraction that I came to know.

 

And now I want to express some appreciation and gratitude. First and

foremost to Sri Satya Sai Baba himself for all that he has so

graciously shown and revealed to me personally. Words completely

fail, me here. So I will pass on swiftly to express my gratitude to

those people who so courteously supplied me with the facts about

their precious and marvellous experiences, and who also permitted me

to use their names in testimony to a truth that is stranger than

fiction.

 

Finally, further sincere thanks are due to my good friend, Mr, Alf

Tidemand-Johannessen, who provided some very timely secretarial

assistance in connection with the book, and to my wife who helped so

much in typing and checking the manuscript.

 

H.M.

 

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Back Cover

 

India has always nurtured true yogins – those who have transcended

the lower self, those in whom wonder-working powers or siddhis have

flourished. These powers, or some of them, have been brought into

the research laboratories of the parapsychologists who call them

extra-sensory perception and psycho-kinesis. Others call them

miracles. Whatever the terminology, such powers and their

practitioners demand sensible attention.

 

This account relates some of the achievements of one of the most

impressive men of miracles to appear for centuries. Satya Sai Baba –

his followers believe him to be a reincarnation of Sai Baba of

Shirdi who died in 1918 – appears to have been born with phenomenal

powers, which he used in childhood and has employed constantly and

openly ever since. They include all the varieties of E.S.P. and P.K.

known to psychic science and more besides. The author, a Westerner

devoted to science and logic, spent many months with Satya Sai Baba;

he claims to have found that his "unscientific,illogical"

miracles were, in fact, genuine yogic siddhis. He found, too, that

along with Christ-like miraculous powers went a Christ-like love,

compassion and the God-knowledge that opens the door to a new vision

of life.

 

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http://www.sathyasai.org/inform/desexp.htm

 

This is the book that first introduced Sai Baba to thousands of

westerners in the 1970's. And it continues to be one of the most

popular Swami books for newcomers around the world. Man of Miracles

is the exhilarating and fact-filled chronicle of an Australian's

remarkable encounters with Sathya Sai Baba in the late 1960's.

Throughout the book, dramatic eyewitness accounts detail

extraordinary Sai phenomena and numerous personal healings and

transformations, as well as stories of lives that have been changed

forever. Because it is written in the logical, objective tone of a

reporter, this book has had great impact on people who have little

acquaintance with the spiritual.

 

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The book is available at:

 

Sathya Sai Book Center Of America

http://www.sathyasai.org/inform/tustin.htm

 

Sri Sathya Sai Book and Information Center, Toronto Cananda

http://www.saibooks.org

 

Sathya Sai Book Centre, London UK

http://www.srisathyasaibooks.org.uk/

 

Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0877283354/002-3058416-

3999211?v=glance