The Navaratri of 1961 when Sri Sathya Sai declared the Commencement of His Organisation...

Wednesday, October 11, 1961 to 
Wednesday, October 25, 1961

This Dasera was marked by speeches by eminent Vedic scholars like Sri Jonnalagadda Sathya Narayana Murthy, Sri Dupati Tirumalacharlu and Koochi Veerabhadra Sarma. It was indeed a festival of grace; a feast of bliss, for, Swami divulged rare glimpses into His truth and His childhood Leelas in His Discourses. Swami also gave the devotees guidelines as to how they should forge their relationship with Him. 

On 21st October, He announced that the Mission of the revival of Dharma, the main reason for His descent, had begun. He also said, “I am launching a Seva Samiti. The persons who become members of this Samiti and perform selfless service will be liberated from the cycles of birth and death; not just them, but also their children, grand children and great grand children. However, the test will be severe. I will bear witness to the number of people who withstand the test and emerge victorious.”

Monday, October 23, 1961

It was 23rd October, 1961, Vijaya Dasami Day. Speaking on that occasion Swami said, “This Divine Power left the previous body in the year 1918. At that time I told devotees that I would come back again after 8 years. While putting down on paper what I had stated, Kakasahib Dikshit recorded in his diary that I promised to come back, ‘as an eight year old boy’. This mistake occurred because Kakasahib Dikshit did not note down immediately on listening to Me, but took quite a while to do so, that too, after a long time, and then relied solely on his memory.”

Sri Sathya Sai at the Prasanthi Nilayam Mandir in the 1960s

An ardent devotee of Sri Shirdi Sai, Sri M. S. Dikshit heard that His Lord had reincarnated as Sathya Sai. He proceeded to Puttaparthi along with some of his friends. At the Shivaratri celebrations (1962) he witnessed the Maha Abhishekam and thought to himself, ‘Shirdi Baba was an unassuming saint. How could this (Sathya Sai) be the same Baba? He wears silk clothes and sports a strange hairdo. He seems more like a cine actor to me.’ In the course of the evening Swami said in His Discourse, “Some persons present here think it is quite odd that I should wear silk clothes, and sports a peculiar hairdo.” Dikshit was startled! Subsequently, Swami summoned him into the interview room and said to him seeing the photograph he carried along, “This is the picture of your uncle Sri H. S. Dikshit. He was my devotee when I was in Shirdi”. 

All the doubts clouding Dikshit’s mind vanished. Swami also fulfilled a desire he had cherished in the inner most recesses of his heart, to serve Shirdi Baba as a door keeper. Dikshit was appointed by Swami to take charge of His door while at Whitefield. Dikshit served Swami thus for 8 years.

Monday, October 23, 1961

Sathya Mata: 
The True Mother

In 1961, there appeared an endearing picture in the Navaratri issue of the periodical Sanathana Sarathi. The photo was a poem of Prema Swami lavishing His love on a couple of babies. Casting this as the front-piece in the issue synchronised with the Navaratri festival of the Divine Mother. The Editor Sri Kasturi captioned it: ‘Sathya Sai Mata’. Before giving the print order, he showed it to Mother Sai. Looking at it, Swami spoke in a voice pregnant with motherliness, “Sai? Why Sai here? Sathya Mata (The True Mother) will be adequate. The mothers who bear and rear babies are all unreal. I am alone the eternal, real, true Mother - Sathya Mata.”

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (1926 to 1985)