Why Sri Sathya Sai delayed the publication of His Biography?

Saturday, November 29, 1958

On the 29th November 1958, Swami addressed Professor Kasturi ‘Nannaya Bhatta’. This appellation was a year prior to the publication of ‘Sathyam Shivam Sundaram’, Swami’s biography. Swami’s was the invisible hand that held Kasturi’s pen as he crafted this masterpiece. Though Kasturi was blessed as early as 1948 to author this pearl, it was not until 1959 that it became available to devotees. Swami had not allowed the book to be printed as He waited patiently for the world to prepare itself for the book. “If you publish a book about Me now, people will not believe it. They will deem it a fairy-tale. Wait till the world is made ready to receive it” He said.

Professor Kasturi with Sri Sathya Sai

It is interesting to note that Swami called Kasturi ‘Nannayya Bhatta’, because Bhatta is considered the Adi Kavi of Andhra Pradesh. He is one of the three poetical giants who compiled the famous Andhra Mahabharatam. This appellation is very similar to the way Swami, in His previour Avatar, accosted yet another biographer devotee of his. The devotee who used by Baba to author the ‘Sai Satcharitra’ Govind Dabholkar was named ‘Hemadpant’ by Shirdi Baba.

Source: Sri Sathya Sai Digvijayam (1926-1985)

Sai Baba: Love on Two Feet - By Aditya Seshamani

Swami has said on a number of occasions that if we take one step towards Him, He takes a hundred steps towards us. This has undoubtedly been my experience throughout my life. The Lord’s mercy and compassion know no limits. In fact, He says that He loves us with the love of more than a thousand mothers. If we cannot fathom the love our parents have for us, how could we fathom the love that Mother Sai has for us? It would be a futile task to even think of measuring it. My family was very keen to admit me into the Primary school at Prasanthi Nilayam when I was small. However, I was very much attached to my home and family, and the thought of leaving and staying far away used to bring tears to my eyes. I used to tell my family when the subject came up, that I found Puttaparthi boring, that there was nothing to do over there and that I like Delhi and my friends. Even knowing that Swami would be there was not enough to convince me. I was not willing to take that first step towards Him and I resisted the thought of such a drastic change. But this never stopped Him from showering on me His love and grace. He would regularly inquire about my well-being; constantly give advice and endless reassurances to my family that He would be taking care of me always. 

When I was in my seventh standard in New Delhi, I came to Puttaparthi for our yearly summer vacation. During this holiday I read some books on Swami in the afternoons and evenings after Darshan. One such book I happened to read was ‘My Baba and I’ by Dr. John Hislop. The book made me long and pine more for Swami. I decided to write Him a letter explaining to Him all my desires and wishes, and that He must bless me, and that I would not take no for an answer! When I look back at the letter I wrote, I cannot help but laugh at how silly I was, asking for mundane things. But of course, nothing is very trivial or very big for Him. We need not feel embarrassed. With whom we can be truly free, other than Bhagavan, who is everything for us? It is our duty to speak to Him as if He and we are one. This letter was different from the other letters that Swami had taken from me before. In this letter, I had written about my favourite rock stars and movie actors; I mentioned their names and told Swami how I wanted Him to bless all of them for making such good music and movies that I enjoy. 

I spoke of all my friends in school at Delhi, as well as the people with whom I was not very friendly and requested Swami to take care and bless all of them. I spoke of lofty ambitions such as achieving Moksha and oneness with Him! I wrote about things of which I had absolutely no idea whatsoever! In fact, I was bold enough to say that If Swami would take this letter, I would take it for granted that He would fulfil all these wishes and not disappoint me! I wrote that I had wanted Him to take the letter from my hand though I knew Swami knows everything, even the contents of the letter.

Days went by and I sat with this letter every day. I increased my efforts and determination by going and sitting in the token lines at 4.30 am and in the afternoons at 2.30 pm. Every day I would be a part of the last few lines to enter the Mandir. 

I started slowly losing hope. The letter had become wrinkled and dirty, the ink on the cover which read, “To Swami”, started to smudge and become blur out. Plus, I was too small to even get a glimpse of Him over the hundreds of people who sat in front of me. So I decided to make the best of the situation and started carrying a folding seat with two or three cushions to give me good height. I thought this would enable me to reach over and flash this silly letter at the Lord if I got the chance. A few days passed like this. Every day I was sitting a number of inches above the ground thanks to my elaborate seating arrangement, but it was of no use. I was still too far to even see Swami clearly. I remember sleeping one night, feeling extremely disheartened, knowing that the holidays were coming to a close and I had made no progress. 

That same night Swami appeared in my dream. He was an incandescent figure. He looked very young and very thin. He was surrounded by elders in white who were much taller than Him. But this was not all – they were all having a hearty laugh at me and Swami was also laughing the most! When I started feeling sad and cowered away from the group with Swami right in front of me, He bent down and picked up what seemed to be my folding seat, and tossed it aside, which seemed to be an entire mountain of such seats! He then instantly dropped it to the ground and said, “Why do you need all this, sit straight… Like this!” Then Swami immediately dropped to the ground, cross legged, with His arms outstretched to His knees, His fingers in Chinmudra (meditative posture) and His back absolutely straight. The dream then ended abruptly and I woke up with the sound of my alarm. I quickly had a bath and got ready to rush for the token lines. While leaving, I took the letter in my hand, then stopped for a second and looked at the folding seat. I decided to follow what Swami told me in my dream and believed that it was not my imagination. So I left the folding seat right there on the shelf in our room and left.

When I finally sat for what would be my second last Darshan that summer, I took my place in the token lines and sat at the end of the last line to be formed. A few moments later after the tokens were out of the bag, I happened to hear the person in front of me telling someone to his right in the other line that we had got the third token! My joy knew no bounds; I could not believe my luck. When I entered the Mandir it was literally empty! I had never seen it so empty before and I rushed to the front and sat in the second row. When the music began my heart was racing. I kept praying in my mind to Swami to kindly take the letter or simply to look at me at least. However, I also remember that I had a feeling that He would take the letter this time. He had acknowledged my efforts in the dream. He gave me instructions which I followed obediently. This was His love and grace to give me a chance to listen to Him. So I felt confident that there was no need to ask Him further. But I still kept on praying to Him. Every moment Swami would approach closer, sometimes changing sides, sometimes stopping to talk to someone, or materialize Vibhuti. As He neared a few feet from me, my eyes were fixed completely on Him and my mind was now blank. The next thing that dawned on me was, Swami had swiveled around and was standing right in front of me. Through all the arms and hands that were reaching out to Him, holding something waiting to be blessed or offered, He looked at me with a loving smile that I can never forget. He began pulling the letter out of my hand and His hand brushed the tip of my fingers. All this happened in a flash. I was so happy that it took a long time for the experience to sink in. I walked back to our room in the Ashram and with a big smile, told my family that Swami had finally accepted my letter. My parents were extremely happy as well. The Lord had answered my prayers. I became at last a Sai student.

Little Aditya with his mother in the first row of Darshan at Prasanthi Nilayam

I read once that Swami had declared, “When man turns away from the sun, he gives his shadow attention, but no matter how much he chases the shadow, he can never catch it. When He turns away from the shadow towards the sun, giving it constant attention, the shadow will be chasing Him”. If we only follow our heart and run after Him, we need not run after anything else. Everything we need will run after us.

However low and lost one might think one is, one should know that one is never away from the Lord’s constant and powerful gaze. His gaze falls everywhere. There is no place on this earth which can hide us from Him. I used to feel scared knowing this once upon a time but now I feel happy and confident realizing that I am always under His watch. I understood that the reason that I was never truly or consistently happy was because I lacked firm resolve. I looked for sustainable and constant happiness but I could not find it. I never realised that I was the happiest when I stopped searching. And indeed, it was the greatest blessing to realise this. I can only thank the Lord for taking me into His fold. I pray to Bhagavan to shower His choicest blessings in the form of love, peace and joy upon every being. I pray to Him that I remain ever attached to Him; that I always make Him happy and proud, by growing, strong, steady and straight.

- Aditya Seshamani

Student (2012-2014), Department of Management Studies

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning

Source: Sai Nandana (90th Birthday Offering)

Sri Sathya Sai On: Diwali's Spiritual Message for Humanity

The Navaratri is celebrated in commemoration of the victory of Daivatwam (Divinity) over Daanavatvam (Satanity) through the intercession of the Maha Shakti as Chandi, Durga and Kaali; this day is Deepavali, commemorating the victory of heavenly over hellish influences, of virtue over vice, as symbolised by the victory of Krishna-Satyabhama over Narakasura, of the upward pull into Heaven and the drag down into Hell. Man's career in this world is a perpetual struggle with the down-dragging impulses and the raising impulses. It is Dharmakshetra, where the Kurukshetra battle is being waged, from birth to death. Life is a game with fire; one has to derive the warmth without getting burnt. One has to use the senses and the intellect wisely, for liberation rather than get entangled in their wiles.

The joy one has lost has to be recovered from the inner consciousness which has been covered by the darkness of ignorance. How can the bangle, lost in the field where Dal (lentil) was grown, be recovered from the vessel in which the Dal is being boiled? Search for the joy in the inner vision; set it right and you can discover it there.

The Narakasura in man can be destroyed by the constant dwelling of the mind on Krishna who slew him, as the Bhagavata relates. The Smarana has to be constant. If you rub a bit of iron on a hard surface, it develops heat; continue to rub it vigorously; then it can be made red-hot: If you do so with long intervals, the iron bit will become cold and all the effort up till then is a waste. The work has to be repeated over again. There are some who set a limit of ten thousand or twenty thousand repetitions of the Nama everyday and when that number is reached, they are content; they resume the Smarana (remembrance of God's name) only when another day dawns. The mind, meanwhile, like a sheet of water from the top of which floating moss has been pushed aside with great care, resumes its cover of moss very soon. The task has to be repeated.

Hold the Feet of God wherever you are

Smarana must be the unseen spring of every activity of man, every minute of his waking life; then it will become the spring even during dream and will help the 'I' during deep sleep to merge in the 'He', for ever. Like the mother whose attention and anxiety are centered on the baby in the cradle, whether she is near the well or in the cow-shed, in the kitchen or the temple, man too has to keep his mind at the Feet of God, wherever his body may be.

This state of constant remembrance can come only through long practice; it will not be acquired suddenly. So, strive for it steadily. With Vishweshwara (Lord of the Universe) in your heart, you can wander over the entire Vishwa (world). A priest who was employed in a Shiva temple had to go to some village some day and so he asked his son to do the Puja (ritual worship) and perform Arati. The son was a novice; while doing Arati, he has to wave in a circle the lighted camphor cube with his right hand and at the same time ring a bell vigorously with his left hand. But both his hands automatically made the same movements; both waved round, or both shook vigorously.

A little practice is wanted to succeed in coordinating the two different movements. So, too, a little practice will teach you to hold fast to the Feet of God, while roaming about in the world doing all duties and carrying all responsibilities as dedicated to Him. Develop Shakti (physical health and mental alertness) and Yukti (cleverness in discovering the way to lasting happiness); then you will have Rakti (attachment, which if turned to God becomes Bhakti (devotion) which promotes Virakti (detachment from all that distracts the mind away from God) and leads to Mukti (liberation).

World must be charming when it moves away

Lakshmi (wealth) and Jyeshtaadevi (poverty), Her elder sister quarrelled as to who was superior in status; they approached the three Gods - Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva - to decide it for them; but they could not assume the responsibility for the decision! They excused themselves with the plea that they had no time. When Narada was approached next, he recommended that they should abide by the judgement of a certain famous merchant of Varanasi. They proceeded to his presence; he was caught in a dilemma, for if Lakshmi the Goddess of Wealth was displeased by his pronouncement, he would suffer; nor did he want to be blessed by Her elder sister, for she was the Goddess of Poverty! So he pleased both by his reply. The elder sister is welcome, charming and beneficent, when she moves away; the younger is welcome, charming and beneficent, when she moves towards. Both were satisfied that they were declared equally charming, beneficent and welcome. The world must be charming to the seeker, when it moves away from him; that is all that there is in it. We now consider the atom as all-important and the Atma as insignificant. This is a tragic reversal of values. 

That sense of real value must influence every choice that you make. The Lakshya (goal) is God-realisation, the realisation of the reality over which all this is but appearance. That should not be allowed to fade. So long as you act with an eye to benefit by it for yourself, you will have to undergo the consequence and suffer either joy or grief, being born to bear them both. A person being transferred from one jail to another will have two constables who will escort him; the Punya and Paapa (good consequences and bad consequences of actions) are the constables who lead man from one birth to another'. If you must escape from their attention and avoid migration from one jail to another, act-but do not calculate the consequences. That is to say, do not worry about the consequences; leave it to God who prompted the act and made it possible. Dedicate the act, the will, the wish, all to God.

The process of learning lasts until death

Samartha Ramadas, while a boy, was going through the bazaar reading books. Some one reprimanded him for reading while walking. He said that Ramadas could read when he reached school. But Ramadas replied, For me, the entire world appears as a school, which I must attend throughout life. I do not see any difference between the school where I learn some lessons and the world where I learn other lessons. The household is the school for women; the office or factory or the field is the school for men. The process of learning lasts until death and is resumed at birth. Samsara (worldly life) is the Saara (the essence) of all Anubhavas (experiences). Of course, you must exercise your own intelligence and pin you faith on the Name and Form you like.

Samarth Ramdas (1608-1681)

You know how the father and son who purchased a donkey and brought it home were forced by others' suggestions to carry it and when crossing a bridge, lost the donkey as it fell in the river. They first wanted the son to ride it; then some one chided him for forcing the older man to walk along; when they both sat on it, others chided them again and suggested that they both should carry it home, and when they acted upon that suggestion, the frightened animal jumped over and fell into the river, because they were then passing over a bridge. If you listen to all and sundry and surrender your judgement, this is what happens. Have one Name-Form for Japam, Dhyanam and Smaranam. Then only can concentration take root.

The way to build up Sai Fraternity

Reference was made to the bond of Prema which binds you to this place. Your Prema towards Me and My Vatsalya (affection of mother to the child), these two are the bonds. I have no desire to keep you here at the Prasanthi Nilayam; I know you have duties and obligations to individuals and institutions who depend on your service. They are also Mine. I also want to give you the experience of My being everywhere, not restricted by time or space, or causation.

An artist's impression of the killing of Narakasura by Krishna and Satyabhama

When Narakasura was destroyed, that is to say, when the six inner foes of man, which drag him towards a fall are overpowered-then the flame of wisdom can shine clear and bright. It is in order to demonstrate this that on this Day, Deepas or lamps are lit and ranged on every house, dispelling darkness, which is the home of evil and vice. Satya or Truth will defeat the forces of falsehood. That is the meaning of Satyabhama being the instrument which the Lord used to destroy Narakasura. I need not tell you in detail about the legends which have grown round Deepavali. Cultivate Sad Gunas (good qualifies), engage yourselves in Satkarmas (good deeds), be always in Sad Goshti (good company) - that is the way to build up the Sai Samaj (Sai fraternity).

Source: Discourse on Deepavali Day, November 11, 1966