Sai Baba's Birthday Celebrations - An Exposition

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Sri Sathya Sai Baba Speaks About His Own Birthday Celebrations

"As I was coming to the (Sai Kulwant) Hall, many devotees greeted me with the

words, 'Happy Birthday!' They should wish 'happy birthdays' for those who are

not happy. I do not need your birthday greetings. The Divine is perennially in

bliss (Nitya-Ananadam). The Divine is ever blissful; confers supreme happiness

on others; is the ever embodiment of the highest wisdom; has transcended the

opposites; is as vast as space; cloud-like in complexion; with perfect

features. Like the lightning in the heart of a cloud, wisdom should illumine

your hearts. That wisdom will reveal, the Divine in you." Sai Baba, SS. 12/97,

p. 312

"You are celebrating this day as being the birthday of Swami and deriving Ananda

(joy) through various programmes here, carried on with enthusiasm by you. But in

fact, I have no wish to consider this as a special day because it is the

birthday and celebrate it as much. I have come on a purpose to reveal to man

the mystery of his reality and the goal of his life. I have not come to set

them with the task of celebrating the birthday or to get arranged any pompous

and personal festivals. I have no desire, at any time, in this or any other

sojourn. On what day do I celebrate My birthday? On that day when all of you

experience genuine Ananda (joy), in your hearts. Now, when your hearts are

surging with manifold fears and anxieties, and torn by miseries and losses,

riven asunder by grief, declaring this day as My birthday seems to be barren of

meaning." Sai Baba, SSS, Vol. IX. p. 155

"This year (1975) you have named My birthday the' Golden Jubilee' of the Avatar,

and gathered in vast numbers from all parts of the world. I am sure you have

benefited by the Satsang. I do not accost one particular date in the calendar

as My birthday, for I consider the day when Divinity blossoms in your heart as

My birthday in you. Therefore:, each of you should individually celebrate such

a day as My birthday. The day when you resolve to practise My advice, to follow

My directives, to translate My message into acts of service, and to engage in

Sadhana - that day is My birthday for you. The 23d day of, November, which you

now honour as the day on which I was born, is only like any other day if you

celebrate in a routine, ritual fashion. Adore man; the adoration reaches Me.)

Neglect man; you neglect Me. Of what avail is it to worship the Lord and to

suppress | man. His counterpart? Love for God must be manifested as love for

man, and love must express itself as service." Sai Baba, SSS, Vol. X, pp. 41 &

42

"Swami does not rejoice in the celebration of birthdays. Since all of you have

come for this celebration, I am obliged to give you satisfaction. I have no

wants. Whatever I do, is for your sake. Recognise this truth." Sai Baba. SS,

12/97, p. 315

"I do not relish the celebration of My birthday or pompous decorations for the

purpose. Such ostentation is not good for anyone. Adopt a practical attitude

towards the spiritual life. With the holy thoughts in you on this auspicious

day, you must go out into the world and spread your sacred feelings among

others. Do not confine your feelings to yourselves or retain them only during

your stay here (at Prasanthi Nilayam)."Sai Baba. SS, 12/97, p. 315.

"Embodiments of love! You are experiencing great joy in feeling that you are

celebrating today as My birthday. For Me, there is no birthday to be

celebrated. It is for your happiness, for your sake and to fulfill your wishes

that I have agreed to take part in various programmes arranged for today (23

November 1980. Prasanthi Nilayam). If one has no birth, there is no death. If

there is death, then one must have been born. Birth and death are action and

reaction. I am beyond both." Sai Baba, SSS, Vol. XI. p. 62

"Have Ananda (joy) in your heart. Ananda comes from pure sight, pure hearing,

pure speech and pure actions. The day you establish yourselves in this Ananda,

that day will be My Birthday for joy. I must tell you another fact. Swami's

Birthday is being celebrated at Puttaparthi because so many thousands come here

from far-off places, in spite of me huge expense and great difficulty during me

journey. Do not be under impression that because it is Swami's Birthday,

therefore, you must come. I have no desire to have My Birthday celebrated. Such

trivial thoughts can never enter Me. My only desire is to share my Ananda with

you, to encourage you to lead lives full of Ananda. My Birthday is when you get

Ananda." Sai Baba. SSS, Vol. X. p. 229

"Bairagi Shastri said that this is an auspicious day for you because this is My

Birthday. But let Me tell you, I have many birthdays like this. The auspicious

day for you, is the day on which your mind is cleansed and not the day on which

I took this Human Form. I am ever new and ever ancient." Sai Baba, SSS, Vol. II,

p. 11

"Since this morning many people have greeted Me ''Happy Birthday!" No need wish

happiness for Me, since I am always happy, everywhere. For Ananda-Swarupa

(embodiment of bliss/ happiness), why talk of happy birthday? You too. must be

ever happy and not wait for the birthday to recur every year to accumulate

Ananda." Sai Baba, SSS, Vol. X, p. 229

"Many of the devotees from foreign lands wish Me 'happy Birthday'. I tell them

'I am always happy. Wish happiness for those who are unhappy.' There is no need

to wish that I may have Ananda or happiness. I am happy at all time?. Cultivate

faith in God and love toward all beings. Always follow the directives I have

been emphasizing." Sai Baba. SSS, Vol. XI, p. 208

"Realise that true happiness consists in union with God- You need not wish

'Happy Birthday'-1 am always happy. I am a tank of happiness. Draw from it as

much as you wish. Drink that water and sanctify your life. It was the thirst

for Divine bliss that drew you here. Drink deep and experience that bliss." Sai

Baba, SS, 1/96. p. 28

"Of what use is it to honour the Avatar and hold the day when the Avatar took

human form as sacred? The message of the Avatar must be born, must become

alive, must grow in you, your heart; that is the birthday, you have to

celebrate. Celebrate the birthday in your own village. You need not travel long

distance to where I am physically present. Plant the seeds of-love in your

hearts. Let them grow into trees of service and shower the sweet fruits of

Ananda. Share the Ananda with all. That is the proper way to celebrate the

Birthday." Sai Baba. SSS, Vol. VIII . p. 124

"All who come embodied are Avatars, that is to say, advents of the Divine,

Manifestations of God. What, then, is the special feature of Rama, Krishna,

Buddha, Christ? Why do you celebrate their Birthdays with such reverential

enthusiasm? The specialty is this: they are aware; you are unaware of the Atma

(soul) which is the Truth. Awareness confers grace, glory, majesty, might,

splendour. Awareness confers liberation." Sai Baba, SSS, Vol. VIII, pp. 123 &

124

"Embodiment of Love! The Divine has no special day, earmarked as (His) birthday

" The day when you cultivate holy thoughts, attitudes and modes of behaviour in

your hearts, the day when you decide upon some activity of pure unselfish

service, that is the Day of Birth of the Divine for you. From this day, you can

celebrate the birthday as a festival" Sai Baba. SSS. Vol. XI. p. 221

"Although all Avatars have been preaching only good things, men today are

content to observe their birthdays without following their precepts." Sai Baba,

SS, 6/97. p. 146

"Men today celebrate the, birthdays of great holy men but they do not follow the

teachings of the masters. There is nothing great about the celebration of

birthdays. People must resolve to uphold their ideals and act up to their

teachings." 5a; Baba, SS, 1/97, p. 2

Please read online for the full texts at: http://www.sairam.ar.cx or http://web1.mtnl.net.in/~sairam

Yours in Sai's seva

Deepak Bharwani