Sathya Sai Baba
Submitted by dank on Mon, 05/26/2008 - 22:55.Tags:
Biography
Sathyanarayana Raju Pundek was born to Peddavenkappa and Easwaramma Raju in a poor agrarian family in the remote village of Puttaparthi, located in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh. It is believed that instruments played on their own accord in his household. His mother found herself pregnant after dreaming of the Hindu Lord Sathyanarayana Swamy and after a huge sphere of blue light rolled in and made her faint.
The young Sathyanarayana was a vegetarian and was known for his aversion to animal cruelty and for his compassion for the poor, disabled and elderly. The young Sathya is reported to have composed bhajans spontaneously.
On March 8, 1940, he started behaving as if a scorpion had stung in his foot. He exhibited strange behavior after this and entered a coma state. After some time, he got up and his behavior worried his parents - he didn't want to eat, he would often keep silent for a long time, recited ancient shlokas or elaborated on holy Hindu scriptures. In May 1940, he proclaimed himself to be a reincarnation of the fakir and Saint Sai Baba of Shirdi (d. 1918) and subsequently took the fakir's name, Sai Baba.
On 20 October 1940 at the age of 14, Sai Baba threw away his books and announced, "My devotees are calling me. I have my work." He then spent the next three days under a tree in the garden of an excise inspector (government officer) and many people gathered around him. Sai Baba taught them bhajans. From then on Sai Baba claimed to be the avatar of the age, i.e. a divine incarnation of god sent to Earth to bring about spiritual renewal. He has consistently maintained this position ever since.
In 1963, during a discourse, Sai Baba made statements claiming to be a reincarnation of Shiva and Shakti. He also claimed that Sai Baba of Shirdi was an incarnation of Shiva and that his future reincarnation, Prema Sai Baba, would be a reincarnation of Shakti. He publicly repeated this claim in 1976. Sai Baba states that Prema Sai Baba will be born in Mysore State.
In the late 1960s Sathya Sai Baba began to gain popularity among Western spiritual seekers. He traveled only once outside India to visit North East Africa in 1968.
In 1960, Sathya Sai Baba said that he would be in this mortal Human form for another 59 years.
Teachings
Sathya Sai Baba advocates the following five basic human values: sathya (truth), dharma (right conduct, living in accordance with natural law), ahimsa (non-violence), prema (love for God and all his creatures) and shantih (peace).
Other primary teachings are:
* Service and charity (seva) to others.
* Love for all creatures and objects.
* Putting a ceiling (limit) on one's desires.
* Sadhana (Spiritual discipline).
* Celibacy after age of fifty.
* Everything that has been created is maya (illusion), only God is real.
* Every creature and object is God in form, though most do not experience this as their reality.
* Vegetarianism, moderate and sattvik diet.
* Abstinence from drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, and taking drugs.
* Detachment from the material world.
* Meditation, preferably at 3:00 or 4:00 A.M.
* Meditation (dhyan). Sai Baba teaches four techniques: repetition of the name of God, visualizing the form of God, sitting in silence, and jyoti (Flame/Light meditation).
* Inclusive acceptance of all religions as paths to realizing the One (God).
* Importance of bhakti (devotion) to God.
* Developing virtues (prashanti) and eschewing vices of character.
* Japa and other sadhana (spiritual exercise) to foster devotion.
* Reverence for parents, teachers and elders.
* Sense control
* Highly committed devotees use the phrase "Sai Ram" as a salutation.
* Women should strive to realize stri-dharma, the inherent virtues of womanhood.
* Altruism
Sathya Sai Baba's teachings are said to be realized by observing the following four principles:
* There is only one Caste, the Caste of Humanity;
* There is only one Religion, the Religion of Love;
* There is only one Language, the Language of the Heart;
* There is only One God and He is Omnipresent
Miracles & Healing
Sathya Sai Baba's followers report miracles and healings of various kinds tperformed by him. Sathya Sai Baba's devotees believe that he relieves his devotees by transfering their pain to himself. Daily, he is observed to manifest vibuthi (holy ash), and sometimes food and small objects such as rings, necklaces and watches.
In devotees' houses all around the world, there are claims from observers, journalists and devotees that vibuthi, kumkum, turmeric powder, holy water, Siva lingams, statues of deities (brass and gold), Sugar Candy, fruits, herbs, amrita (a fragrant, nectar-like honey), gems, colored string, writings in ash and various other substances spontaneously manifest and materialize on the walls, furniture, pictures and altars of Sathya Sai Baba.
Locations
Sathya Sai Baba has 3 ashrams in which he stays in diffrent times of the year. The main and biggest ashram is Prasanthi Nilayam Ashram located in Puttaparthy (he usually stays there between July and January), the other two are Brindavan Ashram located in Whitefield on the outskirts of Bangalore (he usually stays there between February and June) and in Kodai Kanal, a hill station in the south of India in which he usually stays for short visits during the hot season (April to June).
Check here right before you travel to his ashrams to see in which of theem he is currently.
Note that there is no much point in visiting an ashram of him when he is not there.
This is the main and biggest ashram of Sai Baba. It is located in Puttaparthy, the hometown of Sai Baba. Puttparthy is nowadays the Sai Baba town, everything in the town relates to and revolves around Sai Baba, all businesses have "Sai" in their names, people greet each other with "Sai Ram", Sai Baba's pictures are all around the town and dare you say something bad about Sai Baba aloud in town.
Poornachandra Hall,
Puttaparthi, Anantapur District, Andhra Pradesh 515134, India
About 125 kilometres northnortheast of Bangalore
The Ashram is merely a "city within a city" - the center core of this simple village (now a city) Puttaparthy.
Best major city to go from to Puttaparthy is Banglore, which is 120 KM from Puttaparthy. You can easily get to Banglore by air or by train from any other location in India.
From Banglore by Taxi -
A taxi from the Bangalore airport to Prasanthi Nilayam takes 3 to 3.5 hours. You can ask your travel agent to reserve a taxi ahead of time. However, it is possible to get a taxi at the airport itself, there are lots of taxi drivers waiting there. The cost is around 1000-1300 rupees.
From Banglore by Bus -
Buses leave the Bangalore main bus terminal to Puttaparthy regularly. To reach the terminal, take a taxi or a local bus from the airport. This is the most recommended and economic way to reach Puttaparthy.
From Banglore by Train -
Several regular trains connect Puttaparthy and Banglore. These include:
2429 Rajadhani Express Bangalore-Nizamuddin 9.10 PM 9.15 PM
2430 Rajadhani Express Nizamuddin-Bangalore 4.20 AM 4.25 AM
6529 Udyan Express Mumbai CST-Bangalore 4.40 AM 4.45 AM
6530 Udyan Express Bangalore-Mumbai CST 11.10 PM 11.15 PM
8564 Prasanthi Express Bangalore-Visakhapatnam 5.30 PM 5.35 PM
8563 Prasanthi Express Visakhapatnam-Bangalore 5.35 AM 5.40 AM
7604 Express Kacheguda-Prasanthi Nilayam 8.35 AM --
7605 Express Prasanthi Nilayam - Kacheguda -- 6.40 PM
434 Passenger Guntur - Bangalore 1.05 PM 1.10 PM
433 Passenger Bangalore - Guntur 12.10 PM 12.15 PM
Check in the train station for the one suitable for you and for the exact timing.
It is nowadays practically impossible to meet Sai Baba for a private interview, you need to be some celebrity or some other big VIP. During the ceremonies, expect to not be able to stand/sit close to Sai Baba but watch him from a long distance.
5.00.a.m. Temple bell rings 9 times
5.10.a.m. Temple bell rings 5 times
5.20.a.m. One temple bell
21 Aumkars, Suprabhatham
5.40.a.m. Veda chanting around the ashram, nagarSankirtan
Between 6.45.a.m. - 9:00.a.m. Morning darshan
darshan music being played
9.00.a.m. Bhajans
Around 9.30.a.m. Arati
Between 3.00.p.m. - 5:00.p.m. Evening darshan
Darshan music being played
5.30.p.m. Bhajans
Around 6.00.p.m. Arati
6.10.p.m - 6.20.p.m. Meditation for overseas devotees
Visit the ashram only when Sai Baba is there. While there is a lot of activity and liveliness in town and ashram when Sai baba is in town, Puttaparthy is turning into ghost town when he is not there.
Sai Baba is usually in Puttaparthy between July and January.
Check here right before you travel to make sure Sai Baba is in Puttaparthy.
Worthwhile to visit are the Sai Baba gigantic stadium and museum (located within the stadium). Not far from the stadium, on the same main road, are several institutes donated by Sai Baba including a hospital, music college and more.
Within the market tiny streets you will find the Samadhi area of Sai Baba's parents.
The ashram is a "city within a city" offering all necessary services in substantially discounted fares. These services include: dinning rooms, bank services, laundry, cantines, shops, bookstore and more.
You can find all types of services in Puttaparthy itself outside the boundaries of the ashram including a great variety of western food restaurants and coffee shops.
The ashram provides several options for very inexpensive accommodation. Main option is dormitories.
Outside the ashram compound, in town, are many guest houses, hotels and rented apartments options of different levels from basic to luxurious. Staying in town is much more recommended and convenient. The town is small and surrounded around the ashram so it takes no time to get from the guest houses and hotels to the ashram.
View Video
Books & Media
(Paperback)
India has always nurtured true yogins--those who have transcended the lower self, those in whom wonder-working powers of siddhis have flourished. These powers, or some of them, have been brought into the research laboratories of the para-psychologists who call them extra-sensory perception and psycho-kinesis. Others call them miracles. Whatever the terminology, such powers and their practitioners demand sensible attention. This account relates some of the achievements of one of the most impressive men of miracles to appear in centuries. Satya Sai Baba--his followers believe him to be a reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi who died in 1918--appears to have been born with phenomenal powers, which he used in childhood and has employed constantly and openly ever since. They include all the varieties of E.S.P. and P.K. known to psychic science and more besides. The author, a Westerner devoted to science and logic, spent many months with Satya Said Baba; he claims to have found that his \"unscientific,\" \"illogical\" miracles were, in fact, genuine yogic siddhis. He found, too, that along with Christ-like miraculous powers went a Christ-like love, compassion and the God-knowledge that opens the door to a new vision of life.
Modern Miracles: An Investigative Report on These Psychic Phenomena Associated With Sathya Sai Baba
(Paperback)
Describes paranormal phenomena of extraordinary variety and strength attributed to one of the most remarkable men of the century, Sathya Sai Baba, whose position is unique among India\'s holy men.
A Compendium of the Teachings of Sathya Sai Baba
(Hardcover)
A compilation of Sathya Sai Baba\'s significant statements on more than 1,100 different subjects, including many taken from His recent discourses. The source of each quote is documented. Sathya Sai Baba declared it was a \"Very Good Book!\"; then He signed and blessed the manuscript, and materialized a three diamond ring for the author.
The subjects are presented in an easy to read format, and arranged in alphabetical order, from Aarthi to Zoroastrianism, to facilitate accesability. An extensive Sanskrit-to-English Glossary/Dictionary is appended.
This is an invaluable resource book of Sathya Sai Baba\'s Teachings placed at the service of students, teachers, research scholars, study groups and casual readers.
Sathya Sai Baba: Man of Miracles
(DVD)
You are about to witness the apparently spontaneous manifestation of objects from thin air or perhaps another dimension.This particular phenomenon is only one among many attributed by his followers to a man of extraordinary mystical powers an Indian mystic and guru known throughout the world as Sathya Sai Baba.Some of the psychic powers reported by his followers are the ability to read minds and see into the future to cure disease by miraculous means to project his astral body anywhere in the world and to adopt other forms both human and animal.In this film you will witness events which may be unbelievable. However try to keep an open mind for some of this man\'s feats have been captured on film and you will see them now as they actually happened.System Requirements:Running Time: 50 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: DOCUMENTARIES/MISC. UPC: 185483905780 Manufacturer No: K578
Sri Sathya Sai Bhajanavali, Volume 13
(Audio CD)
13 tracks. 60 minutes. Tracks include: 1. Jai Jai Jai Jai Ganapathi Deva (6:00) \n2. Antaryami Sai Murali (7:31) \n3. Hey Kamala Vadana Sai Ranga (4:10) \n4. Jaya Jaya Ram Janaki Rama (4:29) \n5. Murali Krishna Mukunda Krishna (4:28) \n6. Bhaja Ramam Bhaja Ramam (3:39) \n7. Hey Vaikuntha Pate Narayana (3:51) \n8. Vande Sriguru Sadguru Charanam (3:45) \n9. Hara Hara Mahadeva Sai Ishwara (3:47) \n10. Manmohana Muralidhari (3:23) \n11. Vithala Jai Vithala (3:01) \n12. Prema Ishwara Hai (8:03) \n13. Aarthi (3:45)
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santthosh, i appreciate your
santthosh, i appreciate your opinion based on past comments so i wonder if you really appreciate sathya sai baba?
i will appreciate if you elaborate about your experience with him.
Frankly, i think philanthropy and sidhis are not enough and my impression in putaparthy and from reading some books was not that positive. Also there are these rumors about certain illegal activities.
When someone does good people try to defame him.
Same is the case with Shri Sathya Sai Baba.
He has some powers which he shows in His regular Life.
Many are not able to digest it and try their best to defame Him.
Their attempts have been far successful as Shri Satya Sai Baba shows no interest in answering them and why should He?
Its the role of the devotee to understand His Guru and His ways. No one ever try to study Him everyone just comments on Him. Rumors are a part of the attempts. I have been To puttaparthy and I in no way found any negativity as such. Everything was More positive than normal. A pessimist always finds the world negative. Some poeple talk about some illegal activities, I'll ask them to name some and throw clear light on them. Its not good to follow rumors try to study and experience and then comment. God Bless.