SATHYA Sai Baba is one of the most revered spiritual teachers in the world.
He is also known as Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Sai Baba, Swami and Bhagavan or simply as Bhagavan to millions of people.
His followers come from all faiths and races and meet regularly for devotional singing, to study his teachings and to engage in service activities to practice his divine message “Love All, Serve All” and “Help Ever, Hurt Never”, that are one through the brotherhood of man and fatherhood of God.
Sathya Sai Baba was born as Sathyanarayana Raju on November 23, 1926, in the village of Puttaparthi in the state of Andhra Pradesh, South India.
Even as a child, his spiritual inclination, contemplative nature and miracles set him apart from other children of his age.
On October 20, 1940, he made the historic declaration of his avatarhood (avatar - divinity incarnate) and the world at large learnt of this divine phenomenon.
He proclaimed his message “to bring about the spiritual regeneration of humanity by demonstrating and teaching the highest principles of truth, right conduct, peace, Love, and non-violence”.
With that announcement, he left his childhood home and began his mission.
HIS MESSAGE - LOVE ALL SERVE ALL
Love is God, God is Love. Where there is love, there, God is certainly evident.
Love more and more people; love them more and more intensely; transform the love into service; transform the service into worship that is the highest sadhana (spiritual practice).
There is no living being without that spark of love, even a mad man loves something or somebody intensely.
You must recognise this love as but a reflection of the Premaswaroopa that is your reality, of the God who is residing in your heart.
Without that spring of love that bubbles in your heart, you will not be prompted to love at all.
Sathya Sai Baba teaches that man’s basic nature is divine and that the purpose of life is the realisation of this divinity.
This will occur, he says, by leading a moral life, by rendering selfless service to those in needs, by engaging in devotional practices and by developing love, respect and compassion for all life.
As one strives to transform his or her worldly life of self-centred desires and attachments into a higher spiritual life of selflessness and devotion, the foundation is built for receiving God’s grace.
It is this grace, which will reveal our true nature to each of us.
He reminds us that mankind is unique among all of God’s creations; human being are capable of recognising that they emanate from God.
We have the capacity to commune with God by turning inward.
Ultimately, it is our destiny to merge with God.
Sathya Sai Baba teaches us that all religions are the expressions of these same universal principles.
Sathya Sai Baba does not recommend that we become ascetics and retreat from the world.
Instead, he teaches us that the world is our school, the five human values (truth, right conduct, peace, love and non-violence) are our curriculum and the realisation of the unity of Godliness in the diversity of creation is our ultimate lesson.
HIS MISSION - SERVE ALL
“You can observe me and my activities; and note how I adhere to righteousness, moral order, truth and universal compassion. That is what I desire you to learn from me - my life is my message.”
By personal example, Sathya Sai Baba has inspired and continues to inspire millions of followers throughout the world to the ideal that service to man is service to God.
His numerous service projects, be it free hospitals, free schools and colleges, free drinking water supply projects, free housing projects or disaster relief operations all stand testimony to his selfless love and compassion especially for the needy and less privileged.
The legacy of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba exists in his programmes through EduCare (education with love), mediCare (medical treatment with love) and SocioCare (seva with love).
Medical clinics exist rendering free treatment and South Africa has two fixed clinics (Estcourt and Phoenix) and a makeshift monthly clinic (Kenville) and 2 quarterly clinics in Ambo Village on KZN’s South Coast and Malagazi.
The organisation has services at the RK Khan Hospital and has now launched a mobile clinic.
The organisation remains the largest assistance to the South African National Blood Service providing close to 8 000 pints of blood, treats close to 4 000 patients free and provides school uniforms and stationary to children in rural areas.
The organisation has three schools in the country (Chatsworth, Newcastle and Lenasia South) providing education in human values almost free of charge.
Earlier this month, the organisation hosted the Global Akhanda Bhajans (global bhajans for peace 24 hours continuously) and thousands of devotees turned out in numbers to pray for world peace.
In Prashanti Nilayam Ashram an appearance of Bhagavan was shown on a photograph taken.
Miracles continue to happen throughout the world and in some homes and temple in South Africa we have ash forming in Westville and oThongathi (Tongaat) in Durban and Randburg in Johannesburg and elsewhere.
Ravi Thaver, the national devotional co-ordinator of the Sathya Sai International Organisation of South Africa, reflects on Sai Baba’s teachings and the community work undertaken by devotees in SA.