Swami tells us "Who is Sathya Sai?"

Who is Sathya Sai?

"The purpose for which I have come is not to fulfil small desires or attend to the small incidents like what you have now heard about. There are great Truths that I have to establish. There is a considerable change in human outlook that I have to bring about. No one can stop Me or deter Me from fulfilling tasks for which I have come, namely the establishment of the unchanging Truth. You have a part to play in the fulfilment of the Sai mission that remains ahead of us. Establishment of Dharma is the task to which we have to attend immediately and I hope that you will all play your part, however small it may be in completing the Sai work. Everything depends on Truth and such Truth is not something that has to yield (something) to anyone. Untruth has to sub-ordinate itself to almost everyone with whom it comes into contact. Truth will never sub-ordinate itself to anyone. This form is the form of Sathya Sai or the Embodiment of Truth."

- May-June 1974

"The optical sense cannot visualise the Truth. It gives only false and fogged information. For example, there are many who observe My actions and start declaring that My nature is such and such. They are unable to gauge the sanctity, the majesty and the eternal reality that is Me. The power of Sai is limitless; it manifests forever. All forms of ‘power’ are resident in this Sai palm. But, those who profess to have understood Me, the scholars, the Yogis (spiritually advanced persons), the Pandits (scholars), the Jnanis (liberated persons), all of them are aware only of the least important, the casual, external manifestation of an infinitesimal part of that power, namely, the ‘miracles’! They have not desired to contact the source of all power and all wisdom that is available here at Brindavan. They are satisfied when they secure a chance to exhibit their book-learning and parade their scholarship in Vedic Lore, not realising that the Person from whom the Vedas (sacred scriptures of the Hindus) emanated is in the midst, for their sake. They even ask, in their pride, for a few more chances! This has been the case, in all ages. People may be very near (physically) to the Avatar (Divine incarnation), but, they live out their lives unaware of their fortune; they exaggerate the role of miracles, which are as trivial, when compared to My glory and majesty, as a mosquito is in size and strength to the elephant upon which it squats. Therefore, when you speak about these ‘miracles,’ I laugh within myself out of pity, that you allow yourself so easily to lose the precious awareness of My Reality."

- June 19, 1974, Brindavan

"You must see, hear, study, observe, experience, reflect; then only can you understand Me. You will learn then that I am Prema itself; that I give only one thing, Ananda, through the Prema. My task is to distribute solace, courage and Shanti. That is to say, My characteristics are the ancient authentic ones; only the Manifested Form is new. My desire – if I can put it in so many words – is this: More and more should yearn for Me. The desire could be realised only if I assume this Form and come among you. Those among you who have been following the unfolding of My story will have discovered this by now; though even to the best of you only a fraction of the mystery is revealed. My purpose can be understood in a general way only by sitting through the entire film, watching earnestly and vigilantly and trying to get at the meaning of every word and act with patient attention.

A wooden elephant, however artistically perfect and lifelike, is but a toy; it cannot create the awareness of the genuine elephant. A library stacked with books is incapable of impaling the authentic touch of the living guru; you may trek to ten temples and then, at last, arrive here, believing this to be the eleventh. That is as fruitless as wandering from the tenth library to an eleventh. You must see, hear, study, observe, experience, reflect; then only can you understand Me. You will learn then that I am Prema itself; that I give only one thing, Ananda, through the Prema. My task is to distribute solace, courage and Shanti. That is to say, My characteristics are the ancient authentic ones; only the Manifested Form is new. My desire – if I can put it in so many words – is this: More and more should yearn for Me. The desire could be realised only if I assume this Form and come among you. 

Those among you who have been following the unfolding of My story will have discovered this by now; though even to the best of you only a fraction of the mystery is revealed. You are like a Telugu audience sitting through a Tamil picture, or vice versa. The nuances, the subtler significances, the deeper meanings are all beyond the grasp. My language, My role, My career, My purpose can be understood in a general way only by sitting through the entire film, watching earnestly and vigilantly and trying to get at the meaning of every word and act with patient attention."

- March 4, 1962

"This Sathya Narayana moves among people, cuts jokes, talks to them and makes them happy. The Lakshmi-Narayana reclines on Adisesha, the serpent. This Sathya Narayana too was rocked under the bed, by a serpent when he was just a new-born baby. Sathya Narayana looks like any other ordinary human being. But, He possesses extraordinary and superhuman powers. They are indescribable. He looks very innocent. Yet, Satya (truth) is the most important quality He looks for in the people. Wherever He goes, He teaches truth only; for, from truth emerges righteousness. Satyannasti Paro Dharma (There is no Dharma greater than adherence to truth). In fact, Sathya Narayana is the embodiment of truth and righteousness! It is for propagating these two human values that Lord Sathya Narayana has incarnated in human form as Sathya Narayana Raju. 

Sathya Narayana is an unique Avatar, though He appears to be an ordinary human being. People often commit the mistake of taking Him to be an ordinary human, since He very closely interacts with them at the human level. Whatever He speaks is truth, truth and nothing but truth! Truth is often times construed as giving expression to one’s own thoughts. It is not as simple as that, it is much more – putting them into action. Truth is one with perfect accord between one’s thought, word and deed. 

People do not follow My words properly. They take My words lightly thinking them to be just a joke or fun. Whatever I speak, even if it is a joke or for fun, it is Truth, Truth and Truth only! Unfortunately, people do not recognise this truth, even those who move very closely with Swami. They therefore take it lightly. They just listen and forget about it. But, surely the result of their apathy would be apparent sooner than later. Only those who are unable to visualise the future will be taking my words lightly. 

Though Swami is moving in front of them, giving them Darshan, talking to them now and then and performing several gigantic tasks right in front of their eyes, people are unable to recognise His true nature and get convinced by His words. How strange it is! It is nearing 83 years since this body was born. I have not forgotten a single incident in this earthly sojourn. But people say, “Swami forgets things”. No, there is no truth at all in this statement. Forgetfulness is not in My dictionary. The principle of Sathya Sai is the principle of Soham Mantra, which never comes under the veil of forgetfulness in the waking, dream and deep sleep states."

- October 9, 2008

Source: Chapter 8, Sathya Sai Baba, Sai Vani: Avatar on Avatar Purushas