Media News - Daily Excelsior, November 23, 2003

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Source:

http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/web1/03nov23/edit.htm#3

 

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Article published in: Daily Excelsior, India

Sunday, November 23, 2003

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Bhagwan Sri Satya Sai Baba's Birthday falling on 23-11-2003

 

Shiv-Shakti Avtar

 

By Purshotam Bargotra

 

"There is only one Nation, the Nation of Mankind,

There is only one Religion, the Religion of Love;

There is only one Language, the Language of Heart;

There is only one God and He is Omnipresent." --Baba

 

Several thousands of pairs of open eyes and folded pairs of hands

are found directed towards the entry gate from which Bhagwan Baba

appears for 'Darshan'. Every devotee stretches himself like a calf

to reach udder of its mother for nourishing sustenance. A total calm

prevails. The breath stills, body consciousness is lost one-ness of

souls is experienced. There is Divinity through and through. Bhagwan

showers His grace in abundance on concourse of His devotees.

 

Four hundred years intensive and incessant study of Vedas could not

help sage Bhardwaj's yearning for Supreme Knowledge. Recognizing the

saddened Sage's magnificent passion, Indra suggested him to

propitiate Mother Parvathi. The sage decided to hold a 'Yajna' and

reached the abode of Lord Siva to invite Divine Mother. He stood

still in the snow-clad Kailasa for 8 days witnessing Ishwara and His

Consort dancing in Ecstacy. Exhausted, the sage suffered paralytic

stroke and broke down. Immediately the Divine couple rushed to his

help. Lord Siva sprinkled Holy water on Him and cured. Bhardwaja was

also granted a boon that Lord Siva himself will incarnate in

Kaliyuga thrice. The First Shive Incarnation was born as a third

child to a pious couple Devagiriamma and Ganga Bhavida in Village

Patri near Manmad (Maharashtra) and He is Sri Baba of Shirdhi. The

Third Incarnation will be Prema Sai.

 

The Second Incarnation is Shiv-Shakti Avtar Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai

Baba who had chosen Himself Mother Easwaramma and Sri Pedda Venkama

Raju as parents of His physical body. Sathya was born as their

fourth child on 23rd Nov, 1926, in Ratnakar family in a tiny village

known as Puttaparthi (Distt Anantpur in Andhra Pradesh). The village

had then a few mud-huts infested with mush-roomed ant-hills and

barren land. The child was named Sathya or Raju in His childhood.

Beloved of every body in the village, handsome and loving Raju

brimmed with compassion and unbounded love. Strict vegetarian and

disciplinarian, He felt sad over bull-fights, bull-races, cock-

fights and other acts of cruelty to animals. A born scholar with

unbounded wisdom, He was proficient in composing and

singing 'Bhajans' and poetry. He excelled in dance and drama. Like

Yashoda to Krishna, Subamma was to Sathya. Subamma lived in the next

house and Sathya spent most of the time in her care. She showered

unlimited motherly affection on the child and served Baba till her

end. Baba was away when Subamma shed her mortal coils. Just before

her cremation, He returned to Puttaparthi and called the dead

Subamma! Subamma! and Lo! and Hail! she promptly responded the

Divine call, smilingly opened her eyes and feasted her eyes with

Baba's 'Darshan' to her fill. Baba poured the sacred water in her

mouth as promised and she shut her eyes slowly and peacefully

returned to her eternal home. This is how her last wish was

fulfilled.

 

Sathya made declaration of His Avtarhood on 23 May, 1940, saying "I

am Sai Baba", On 20th Oct, 1940, He threw His school-bag and as

Sathya Sai Baba started His Mission of Transformation of Mankind. It

is now over 63 years that His Divine Message and Mission have widely

spread in every nook and corner of the world.

 

Baba's Divine-plays are unique. He possesses unlimited powers. From

the Chitravathi River Dry-Beds, He would bring out idols of Gods and

Goddesses, sweets, brass vessels full of nector and many other

objects. Even in His childhood from His school-bag, He would

materialize and distribute to His school-mates pencils, note-books

and sugar-candies. He materialized all kinds of fruits, from the

same Tamarind tree, called it Kalpvriksha (wish -fulfilling tree)

and distributed these among His devotees. Baba's abode is Prasanthi

Nilayam (the Supreme peace-conferring place) to which millions of

devotees from more than 180 countries throng for Divine 'Darshan'.

Some of them are interviewed, heard patiently and given Divine

counselling. Heaps of mail is received daily from devotees from all

over the world. Besides, Baba also receives letters from devotees

sitting in the 'Darshan' lines. Prayers of devotees are answered and

Grace granted to seekers. He cures deadly diseases, removes pains

and sufferings, averts air crashes and fatal accidents. He drives

His devotees safely to their destinations who fall asleep at the

steering of their motor cars. He makes five elements of nature to

obey His command. He materializes chains, rings, pendants, necklaces

and idols for the deserving devotees.

 

Devotees have their own connections with Baba. They have their own

experiences. His Vibhuti coupled with unflinching faith in Him can

cure and any deadly disease, heal any grievous injury and ward off

any evils. Just over a week's time before First Test Match against

Australia was to begin, Sunil Gavaskar got his thigh-muscle torn.

Physiotherapists had declared that it would take him four weeks to

be fit to play. However, Baba's Vibhuti cured him within 3 days.

Baba's patting Sachin Tendulkar on the back assuring him that ''I am

with you'' worked wonders. Baba visits thousands houses all over the

world at any one point of time revealing His omnipresence through

Vibhuti, honey, dry fruits which appear before His images and

photographs.

 

The word Sai of three letters has great inner significance for S

stands for Service (work). A for Adoration (worship ) and I for

Illumination (widsom), that is, Seva or Karma, Bhakti, Gyan leading

to Ultimate Liberation. Sai also stands for Tansformation at

Spiritual Association and Individual Levels.

 

Sri Sathya Sai Sewa Organization have three wings, namely, Service

Wing, Spiritual Wing and Educational Wing operating throughout the

world. His message of manifestation of inherent Human Values,

namely, Truth, Right Eousness, Peace, Love and Non-Violence is

bringing Transformation all over the world. Love is the sustenance

for all the other four values.

 

Love as thought is Sathya,

Love as action is dharma,

Love as feeling is shanti, and

Love as understanding is Ahimsa.

 

Man is innately Divine and Bliss is his nature. Divinity is the

foundation and source of his existence. "Promote the religion of

Love", "Promote Morality" says Bhagwan Baba. He says Man of three

letters stands for Maya, Atma and Nirvana, Overcome MAYA, have the

vision of ATMA and attain NIRVANA. He calls ABC of life, Always Be

Careful or Avoid Bad Company. "Love All, Serve All". "Help Ever,

Hurt Never.' Hands that serve are Holier than the lips that pray".

Atma glows when ego goes."

 

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Sai Baba in the media:

http://www.saibabalinks.org/saibabainthemedia.htm