THE GREAT SATHYA SAI BABA :ADMIRED WORLD AROUND

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Sacred Past - 26     Sacred Past main Index   "The Unique International Purifier"

The Unique International Purifier Puttaparti, a village full of serpents till 1926 & a name never heard has become a centre of unbelievable surprises in the last 20 years: This area which is a part Rayalaseema, an area known in the past for shortages of every kind, stands converted to !!Ratnalaseelna, thanks to the many special projects implemented by Sri Sathya Sat Baba, who has emerged on the Indian soil as the Master of Yoga, the seer, the proponent of Vedanta, a monumental Spiritual reformer & the Unique International Purifier. Puttaparthi, a small village of barely 30 acres, is now on the map of the world, & has full fledged educational campus under the aegis of Sri Sathya Sal University, Super Specialty Hospital, Indoor Gymnasia, Space Theatre, Airport, World Class Cricket Stadium, Eternal Heritage Museum, Stupendous Water Project, each completed in a record time of 11 months & a Railway line. All these have happened during the life time of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, which is unprecedented in the history of mankind Money comes spontaneously whenever any project is taken up out of Pure & selfless will of the Divinity, says Sri Sathya Sai Baba, while speaking to the members of the group from the leading media houses from the city of Mumbai, India -Year 1998.   Questioner: Have you seen Sai Baba of Shirdi? Swami: This body has not seen him. Questioner: Indians are increasingly turning to godmen and godwomen. Is this a sign of growing insecurity within them? Or is it something else? Swami: This is basically a search for God. The Divine is there within each person. The search is for this divinity. God realisation cannot be seen as a sign of insecurity. It is a positive aspiration to be one with God. It is a good sign. Questioner: Even as mankind is relentlessly searching for God, he finds himself engulfed by more and more misery. What is the reason for this state of affairs? Swami: Attachment to the body is the root cause of all suffering and misery. Once this attachment ends, then one can experience divine Bliss. There is no doubt about that. Since God does not have any bodily attachment, he does not attach any importance to the suffering of His body. Questioner: What is the best way to serve God? Swami: Serve the poor, the weak, the downtrodden and the underprivileged. There is divinity in each of us, hence love and serve fellow human beings selflessly. Give those around you pure love. Religion can be best pursued through the axiom, "Dil mein Ram, Haath mein Kaam." There is only one religion - the religion of love; one caste - the caste of humanity; one language - the language of the heart; one law - the law of Karma; and there is only one God - He is omnipresent.  All of us should remember these simple yet profound truths. These truths lead us to God.    Questioner: Is there no escape from human misery? Swami: It is all Karma. The need is to adopt the path of righteousness. One should surrender oneself to the Almighty. Questioner: Why do you perform miracles like materialising a ring, a medallion, a necklace, vibhuti and other objects? What are you trying to prove by performing these miracles? Swami: Chamatkaar or miracle is a cheap word for what I do. A magician performs his tricks to earn a livelihood and worldly fame. But, I materialize these talismans as my visiting cards, as evidence that divinity can transform earth into the sky and vice versa. To doubt this is to betray an inability to grasp the grandeur of the universe. I get lot of satisfaction while gifting these talismans to my devotees. Questioner: The suffering millions flock to you. They want to pass on their problems and suffering to you. How much of these suffering can you take on? Swami: I am only performing a Divine mission. Questioner: How do you spend your day? Swami: My day begins with granting darshan to my devotees, interviews to people, bhajans, attending to all projects taken up for human welfare. Same cycle is repeated from post noon till evening. Although I know the contents of all letters which I receive, I read all of them for the Trupti or satisfaction of my devotees. I avoid milk, green fruits, dry fruits, sweets, ghee, butter, tea, coffee, etc. I take a skimpy meal of ragi and green grams. For the past 60 years my weight has remained unchanged at 108 pounds. When the world sleeps, I go to my devotees, give them my vision, comfort them, console them and solve their problems. I willingly take on the sufferings of my devotees on myself. Questioner: Have you gone abroad any time? Swami: Yes, only once - to East Africa, that too because of the pure love of a devotee, who is no more now. I did not go at the invitation of the government. Questioner: Do you have any plans to visit foreign nations and spread your message? Swami: No. Where there is sugar, the ants come there; the sugar does not go chasing after the ants. My first task is to clean up our own country first, then go to other countries. Questioner: You wield enormous influence over the top politicians of the country. Why don't you impress on them the need to inculcate values in public life? If this is done, India will be a much better place. Swami: Politicians have a choice to pursue good or bad governance; they do covet power with a frenzy. But I tell them that: Politics without principles, Science without humanity, Education without character, And commerce without morality, Are not only useless, But can prove to be positively dangerous And harm people at large. Questioner: Do you read newspapers? Swami: I never read them. Even though I do not read any newspaper, I am aware about everything that is happening round the globe. What is necessary today is that the newspapers should be more careful and responsible in their reporting. Publishing of sensational and baseless news must be avoided. No negative and baseless reporting, specially of those at the helm of affairs of the country, should be done since it has lot of repercussions abroad. If there are any doubts, then they should be cleared after free and frank discussions with the persons concerned. Truth should not be compromised under any circumstance. Questioner: You are the chancellor of the Sathya Sai University and you attach tremendous importance to education. Why do you think that education in India has now become a mechanical exercise? Swami: This is because that education has been divorced from values. Education bereft of values is meaningless. The need is to restore values to education. Questioner: What are your views on different political parties in India? Swami: All parties do good work as well as bad; the problem lies with ourselves. We should insist on principles. Questioner: Who will lead the Sathya Sai movement after you? Swami: My devotees. God will continue to guide them. Questioner: There are so many in India, who sully the image of God what is your view ? Swami: It is their choice what they do or say; I do not think about this. Freedom of speech exists. Questioner: What is future of India? Swami: The time is good from the year 2000. Questioner: How do you generate funds for a multi crore rupees projects that various trusts of yours take up from time to time? Swami: Whenever intentions are pure determination (sankalp) is strong the money comes on its own. I've never thought of money in my Iife. Money comes & goes, Morality comes & grows. Questioner: How to eliminate desire ? Swami: It is rather most difficult to develop the desire. It is very easy to cut down the desire Just decide - if you have two pens - what is the necessity of a third ? Questioner: How to get rid of ego ? Swami: Earth is a small planet in the universe. Countries are rooms in the earth. City is one of the rooms in the country. Locality is one room in the city, building is one room in the locality. Floor is one room in the Building. Flat is a room in the floor. Drawing Room is one of the rooms in the flat & in that you are. Just think this. In this vast universe. how small you are? This the way to get rid of ego. Questioner: What is your role on earth? Swami: You will witness this Puttaparthi becoming Mathura Nagari & a time will come when whole world will stand converted into Sathya Sai Organisation. No one can stop this development or delay it I wilt not give you up. nor can any of you give me up. Even if you lose faith you will repent & come to this refuge very soon, clamouring for admission... your lives are intervened with my earthly career. Act always in accordance with that great privilege. LOVE ALL... SERVE ALL... HELP EVER... HURT Never

Loving Sairam to all! It was the dawn of the morning of Tuesday, August 11, 1998; when Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai, out of HIS INFINITE DIVINE GRACE, called upon a group led by Shri Ramesh and Smt.Devi Narayan from Canco Advertising Pvt.Ltd., Mumbai, Shri Sudhir Joshi from Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations, Mumbai & Editors and Chiefs of Bureaus from the most leading media houses from Mumbai viz. The Times of India, The Indian Express, Blitz, The Observer of Business and Politics, Mumbai Samachar (Gujarati), Loksatta (Marathi), Maharashtra Times (Marathi) and Navbharat Times (Hindi), inside an Interview Room at Prashanti Nilayam. This was the first ever private interview given to the press after an only interview that Bhagavan had granted to Shri Rusi Karanjia, the then editor of Blitz and the author of a book “The God lives in India”. Amidst the lots of curiosity, Bhagavan had approved this visit. The group had left Mumbai by direct flight to Puttaparti on Monday, August 10, 2006. On this day, the first function after reopening of college in Prashanti Nilayam campus of Sri Sathya Sai University was scheduled in the morning. Since our flight was to land at Puttaparti around 12.30 p.m; Bhagavan rescheduled this function in the afternoon. Immediately after landing at Puttaparti Airport, our group was taken to Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in order to have the first hand information and interactions with the senior officials. The Media Officials were amazed to see such an institute. Later, all of us attended the University function during which Shri S V Giri, former Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Government of India took formal charge as the new Vice Chancellor of Sri Sathya Sai University from the then Vice Chancellor Dr.G Venkatraman. The faculty and the students of the institute created a deep impression in the minds of media personnel. In the late evening, the group had an excellent time during visits at various places inside the Prashanti Nilayam ashram campus. It was so fascinating to note that neither the media officials nor Bhagavan had any specific item in the agenda during the interview session. The 75 minutes interview session started with Bhagavan asking everyone to introduce oneself and later requesting them to ask any question, they wished. The transcription of the conversations during the interview session can be read above click here.  Each and every individual was fortunate to have a photograph with Bhagavan besides Vibhuti Prasadam from His own Hands. SAIRAM…! Loka Samasta Sukhino Bhavantu…!

Source: SBOI with kind cooperation of Sudhir Joshi