Shiv-Shakti Avtar

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Daily Excelsior, India

23 November 2003

 

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