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v t e

Sathya Sai Baba (born Sathyanarayana Raju; 23 November 1926 – 24 April 2011) was an Indian guru and philanthropist. At the age of fourteen he claimed that he was the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, and left his home in order to serve the society and be an example to his followers.

Sathya Sai Baba's materialisations of vibhuti (holy ash) and other small objects such as rings, necklaces, and watches were a source of controversy for the agnostics and non believers. Some have analyzed them as being mere sleights of hand, while his followers have considered them as signs of his divinity. Reports of faith healings have been attributed to Sathya Sai Baba by his followers.

The Sathya Sai Organisation, founded by Sathya Sai Baba "to enable its members to undertake service activities as a means to spiritual advancement", has over 1,200 Sathya Sai Centres (branches) in 126 countries. Through this organisation, Sathya Sai Baba established a network of free super speciality and general hospitals, clinics, drinking water projects, a university, auditoriums, ashrams and schools.

Biography

Early life

Almost everything known about Sathya Sai Baba's early life stems from the hagiography that grew around him, narratives that hold special meaning to his devotees and are considered by them to be evidence of his divine nature. According to these sources, Sathya Narayana Raju was born to Meesaraganda Easwaramma and Peddavenkama Raju Ratnakaram in the village of Puttaparthi, to a Bhatraju family, a community of religious musicians and balladeers, in what was the Madras Presidency of British India. His birth was alleged by his mother Easwaramma to be of a miraculous conception.

Sathya Sai Baba's siblings included elder brother Ratnakaram Seshama Raju (1911–1985), sisters Venkamma (1918–1993) and Parvathamma (1920–1998), and younger brother Janakiramaiah (1931–2003).

As a child, he was described as "unusually intelligent" and charitable, though not necessarily academically inclined, as his interests were of a more spiritual nature. He was uncommonly talented in devotional music, dance and drama. From a young age, he has been alleged to have been capable of materialising objects such as food, sweets, holy ash (vibhuti), etc. out of thin air.

To read more about Baba's early life, click here.

Proclamation

"When the Divine comes down as Avatar―whether it be as Rama or as Krishna, Matsya (fish), Varaha (boar) or Vamana (dwarf―it is only for one purpose. You recognise only the momentary results of the advent. But you should note that the Divine comes as Avatar only to teach mankind the truth about love….. Love alone is the fruit of love.  Love is its own witness.  There is no trace of self-interest in it. Because love exists for its own sake, it has no fear. It is to teach humanity the way of love that Avatars come in the world.  The world displays the diversity that has emanated from the One. The Divine demonstrates the unity that subsumes the diversity.  Recognition of this unity in diversity can be learnt only from the Divine." - Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. 21 Ch. 25, September 3, 1988

On 8 March 1940, while living with his elder brother Seshama Raju in Uravakonda, a small town near Puttaparthi, 14 year old Sathya was apparently stung by a scorpion. He lost consciousness for several hours and in the next few days underwent a noticeable change in behaviour. There were "symptoms of laughing and weeping, eloquence and silence." It is claimed that then "he began to sing Sanskrit verses, a language of which it is alleged he had no prior knowledge." Doctors concluded his behaviour to be hysteria. Concerned, his parents brought Sathya back home to Puttaparthi and took him to many priests, doctors and exorcists. One of the exorcists at Kadiri, a town near Puttaparthi, went to the extent of torturing him with the aim of curing him; Sathya seemingly kept calm throughout the torture.

On 23 May 1940, Sathya called household members and reportedly materialised sugar candy (prasad) and flowers for them. His father became furious at seeing this, thinking his son was bewitched. He took a stick and threatened to beat him if Sathya did not reveal who he really was, the young Sathya responded calmly and firmly "I am Sai Baba", a reference to Sai Baba of Shirdi. This was the first time he proclaimed himself to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi—a saint who became famous in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Maharashtra and had died eight years before Sathya was born.

To read more about the historic Proclamation of Avatarhood made by Sri Sathya Sai Baba at the age of 14, click here.

First mandir and development of Puttaparthi

In 1944, a mandir for Sai Baba's devotees was built near the village of Puttaparthi. It is now referred to as the "old mandir". The construction of Prashanthi Nilayam, the current ashram, began in 1948 and was completed in 1950. In 1954, Sai Baba established a small free general hospital in the village of Puttaparthi. He won fame for his reputed mystical powers and ability to heal. In 1957 Sai Baba went on a North Indian temple tour.

Stroke, prediction of reincarnation and sole foreign tour

In 1963, it was asserted that Sai Baba suffered a stroke and four severe heart attacks, which left him paralysed on one side. These events culminated in an event where he apparently healed himself in front of the thousands of people gathered in Prashanthi Nilayam who were then praying for his recovery.

On recovering, Sai Baba announced that he would one day next be reborn as an incarnation named Prema Sai Baba in the neighbouring state of Karnataka. He stated, "I am Shiva-Sakthi, born in the gotra (lineage) of Bharadwaja, according to a boon won by that sage from Siva and Sakthi. Siva was born in the gotra of that sage as Sai Baba of Shirdi; Shiva and Sakthi have incarnated as Myself in his gotra now; Sakthi alone will incarnate as the third Sai (Prema Sai Baba) in the same gotra in Mandya district of Karnataka State." He stated he would be born again eight years after his death at the age of 96, but died at the age of 84.

On 29 June 1968, Sai Baba made his only overseas trip, to Kenya and Uganda.

Later years

In 1968, he established Dharmakshetra or the Sathyam Mandir in Mumbai. In 1973, he established the Shivam Mandir in Hyderabad. On 19 January 1981, in Chennai, he inaugurated the Sundaram Mandir.

In a 1993 incident, four intruders armed with knives entered his bedroom, either as an assassination attempt or as part of a power struggle between his followers. Sai Baba was unharmed. During the scuffle and the police response, the intruders and two of Sai Baba's attendants were killed. The official investigation left questions unanswered.

In March 1995, Sai Baba started a project to provide drinking water to 1.2 million people in the drought-prone Rayalaseema region in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh. In April 1999 he inaugurated the Ananda Nilayam Mandir in Madurai, Tamil Nadu.

In 2001 he established another free super-speciality hospital in Bangalore to benefit the poor.

Old age, illness and death

In 2003, Sai Baba suffered a fractured hip when a student standing on an iron stool slipped and the boy and stool both fell on him. After that he gave darshana from a car or his porte chair. After 2004, Sai Baba used a wheelchair and began to make fewer public appearances.

On 28 March 2011, Sai Baba was admitted to the Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital at Prashantigram at Puttaparthi, following respiration-related problems. After nearly a month of hospitalisation, during which his condition progressively deteriorated, Sai Baba died on Sunday, 24 April at 7:40 IST, aged 84.

Sai Baba had predicted that he would die at age 96 and would remain healthy until then. After he died, some devotees suggested that he was referring to that many lunar years, as counted by Telugu-speaking Hindus, rather than solar years, and using the Indian way of accounting for age, which counts the year to come as part of the person's life. Other devotees have spoken of his anticipated resurrection, reincarnation or awakening.

Funeral and mourning

His body lay in state for two days and was buried with full state honours on 27 April 2011. An estimated 500,000 people attended the burial. Political leaders and prominent figures attending included Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi (who later became Prime Minister of India), cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and Union Ministers S. M. Krishna and Ambika Soni.

Political leaders who offered their condolences included the then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Dalai Lama. Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, whose birthday was that day, cancelled his birthday celebrations. The Hindu newspaper reported that "Sri Sathya Sai Baba's propagation of spiritualism and preaching of Hindu philosophy never came in the way of his commitment to secular beliefs."

The Government of Karnataka declared 25 and 26 April as days of mourning and Andhra Pradesh declared 25, 26, and 27 April as days of mourning.

The Divine Plan, Vision and the Glorious Mission of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Main Article : Who is Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba?

To a spiritual aspirant, He is the divine master par excellence; to a rationalist, He is the greatest humanitarian on earth; to thousands of modern youth, He is the leader with a dynamic vision and a colossus of inspiration; to a devotee, He is simply divinity in human form; and to everyone who has had the opportunity to behold Him, He is Pure Love Walking on Two Feet.

His Divine Message

If one would ask him, "Swami, are you God?"

He would say : “Yes, I am God and so are you. The only difference between you and I is that while I am aware of this fact, you are not.”

And this is no casual remark. Indeed, inherent in this small, but extremely significant statement, is the fundamental truth of humanity’s divine nature - its true reality; and revivifying the heart of every human being to this salient truth is the mission and message of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Very aptly, Baba begins His every discourse, addressing the gathering as, “Embodiments of the Divine Atma”.

All who listen to Him, experience His unconditional love, benefit from His caring counsel and witness His supernormal supremacy over mind and matter, get a real glimpse of the glory and majesty of God, and therefore, of the infinity that each human potentially and inherently is.

The Intent of His Advent

Today, millions from all over the world, professing various faiths and hailing from all walks of life, worship Bhagavan Baba as an ‘Avatar’, and the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi. Thousands gather every day at Prasanthi Nilayam, His spiritual headquarters established beside the village of Puttaparthi, for His darshan (the act of beholding His sacred form), when He moves among devotees, blessing them and uplifting them by providing spiritual succour and solace.

Revealing the purpose of His advent, Sai Baba has said that He has come to re-establish the rhythm of righteousness in the world and repair the ancient highway to God, which over the years has systematically deteriorated. In His own words:

“This Sai has come in order to achieve the supreme task of uniting the entire mankind as one family through the bond of brotherhood, of affirming and illuminating the Atmic Reality (Atma – The Divine Self) of each being, to reveal the Divine which is the basis on which the entire cosmos rests, and of instructing all to recognise the common Divine Heritage that binds man to man, so that man can rid himself of the animal and rise up to the Divine, which is the goal.

To read more about what Baba has said of Himself, His mission and His manifestations, click here.

His Vision

On 25th May 1947, Sri Sathya Sai Baba in a comprehensive letter to His brother Seshama Raju, outlined His Mission and Purpose of His Advent. A pertinent excerpt reads as follows (free translation from Telugu original).

I have a task: To foster all mankind and ensure for all of them lives full of bliss.

I have a vow: To lead all who stray away from the straight path again into goodness and save them.

I am attached to the work that I love: To remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they lack.

I have a reason to be proud, for I rescue all who worship and adore me.

I will not give up my mission, nor my determination.

I know I will carry them out.

His Glorious Mission

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is an integral manifestation who combines two very significant roles.

Firstly, He is a great spiritual Master, famed for His simple and sweet exposition of the greatest and most intricate of spiritual truths, which form the fundamental teachings of all the religions of the world. Elucidating on His mission, Bhagavan declares:

“I have come not to disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith, so that the Christian becomes a better Christian; the Muslim, a better Muslim; and the Hindu, a better Hindu.”

His formula for humanity to lead a meaningful life is the five-fold path of:

Sathya (Truth),

Dharma (Righteousness),

Shanthi (Peace),

Prema (Love), and

Ahimsa (Non-Violence).

He said, "Sathya is my Prachar, Dharma is my Aachar, Shanti is my Swabhav, Prema is my Swaroop." In means, "Sathya is what I Teach, Dharma is what I Do, Shanti is what I Am, Prema is My Self." He further said, "Follow any one of these four. YOU ARE MINE and I AM YOURS."

“Love for God, fear of sin and morality in society” – these are His prescriptions for our ailing world.

Secondly, He is an inexhaustible reservoir of pure love. His numerous service projects, be it free hospitals, free schools and colleges, free drinking water supply projects, or free housing projects, all stand testimony to His selfless love and compassion for the needy and less privileged. True to His declaration, “My Life is My Message”, He has inspired and continues to inspire millions of His devotees worldwide by His personal example to live the ideal that “service to man is service to God.”

The Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organization today has a presence in hundreds of nations in the world, and its members undertake any number of service activities that benefit their immediate community. And they do it selflessly and spontaneously.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has thus emerged as a beacon of hope in a world that is desperately seeking an end to the unrest and sorrow prevalent today. His message of “Love All Serve All – Help Ever Hurt Never” is a spiritual salve that will lead mankind from the pain of darkness and ignorance and to the light and bliss of immortality.

Indeed, once in a millennium does such a Divine Being walk the earth. For you and I, and all humanity, in spite of the dark clouds hovering on the world’s horizon today, there is a silver lining - nay, a golden one. If we seize this rarest of rare opportunities, world peace and harmony, along with our individual emancipation, will no longer be a utopia. It will become as real and universal as the morning Sun.

Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas

Website : Balvikas | Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations India

Bal Vikas is a Movement launched by Sri Sathya Sai Baba to blossom the today’s children to citizens and leaders of tomorrow. This movement was founded in the year 1969 and has grown into an international movement under the auspices of Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations. It trains children from the age of 5 to the age of 15. In infacts complements the school education emphasizing on the five cardinal human values, viz., Sathya, Dharma, Shanti, Prema and Ahimsa.

Bhagawan had introduced 'Education in Human Values' programme as early as the seventies. He felt that it has to begin right from the early childhood days when boys and girls are of impressionable age. They could be introduced in slow and gradual manner to Indian ethical and spiritual thought through the study of stories of our great seers and sages and through some of the facets of world scriptures. This gave shape to the Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas Movement - Child Development programme in the country. There are thousands of such centres where the programme is going on systematically.

Natural corollary of this programme was "Education in Human Values" at the school stage. Instead of listing a large of values - which may be more of sub-values, attitudes and habits an attempt was made to find out the summation of some important human values. The major human values were crystallised under five broad heads, namely Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Love and Non-violence.

Besides giving the conceptual frame-work of the approximation of these values to the five broad aspects of human personality, namely Truth corresponding with intellectual, Righteous Conduct with physical, Peace with emotional, Love with psychic and Non-Violence with spiritual, operational modalities were also worked out and learning through co-curricular activities were designed. For the last 7 to 8 years the programme of Education in Human Values is being implemented in schools run and managed by different States, Corporations, and Industrial Undertakings with commendable success. In many overseas centres, this programme has expanded.

Lakhs and lakhs of children have been blossomed into youth of character through this Movement over the years and there are thousands of teachers, known as Bal Vikas gurus guiding these young aspiring minds to a better tomorrow following the divine teachings and guidelines of Bhagawan.

Divine Message to Bal Vikas Gurus :

Objective of Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas

Sri Sathya Sai Bal Vikas classes are conducted with the main objective of initiating the child into a course of character building by developing self-discipline, providing healthy association, inculcating such habits of reading, listening, studying, and reciting, as it will sublimate the child’s growing mind. This course commences with small children (Group I) between 6 and 9 years of age for creating interest in the child’s mind, for the collective discipline and instruction that is to follow when the child moves on to Group II between the age 9 and 12 years. During 5-6 years of this training, the child is expected to have derived the following benefits:

1. Having due respect for parents and other elders at home
2. Pay due attention to school studies and proper respect to the school teachers
3. Show good physical orderliness in respect of dress, behavior in school, society etc.
4. Develop self-confidence
5. Develop good manners, humility, speaking obligingly
6. Develop good moral character
7. Make good use of time by planning it in a balanced way between play, study, prayers etc.
8. Have spirit of service for those who need his/her help
9. Have love for God who expects us to be truthful, honest, good, loving, kind and helpful to all fellow beings.

After completing this course, the student is considered fit for the Group III, conducted for the children between 12 and15 years. At this stage the student, besides getting a firmer grounding in theoretical and practical syllabus, receives further training (Unity of faiths, Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man, Project work) which will widen his/her outlook on life, inculcate higher and nobler values of life.

A pre Sevadal activity and training course is conducted for children between 15 and 18 years of age. At the end of this, the student is considered fit to undergo training programs as a BalVikas Guru or Sevadal which will equip him/her to serve according to his/her aptitude, abilities and aspiration in Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organizations.

The BalVikas classes are conducted on every Sunday in Sri Sathya Sai Mandirs/Schools/Devotee Houses for 1 Hr 30 minutes only, through the use of five teaching techniques – Silent sitting/ guided visualization, Story-telling, Prayers, Group singing, Group Activities.

Bal Vikas Gurus are well trained as per the guidelines issued by the All India President, Sri Sathya Sai Organizations, India.

The main stakeholders of this beautiful program are 1) BV Children, 2) BV Gurus, and 3) Parents.

Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations

Website : Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations | Transforming Self to Transform the World

The Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation was founded in the year of 1960 by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba to enable its members to undertake service activities as a means to spiritual advancement. Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation derives inspiration, guidance and strength from Bhagawan Baba’s mission and message of propagating the truth of man’s inherent divinity, which is proclaimed and preached by all religions of the world. In consonance with this truth, the Organisation has as its main objective,selfless love and service without any distinction of religion, nationality, race, socio – economic status, either for those who work in the Organisation or for those who are served by them. Thus, it transcends all barriers, leading humanity towards the ideal of ‘Fatherhood of God and Brotherhood of Man’. In fact, this spiritual basis enables everyone in the Organisation to pursue his own religion better by putting its teachings into practice by way of love and service to the God who dwells in all hearts.

Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, is one that accepts the equality of all the religions across the world and promotes the unity of mankind across the globe. The Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation, India has undertaken several nationwide initiatives and programmes under the different wings of the organisation which has touched the lives of innumerable people across India in a positive way. With the sole aim of “Transforming Self to Transform the World”, the ever growing Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisation in India with its thousands of Seva Samithis and Bhajan Mandalis (centres) established all across the length and breadth of the country, is creating a platform to embark upon this divine transformational  journey for both, the individual and the society at large.

The Sathya Sai Organisation reports that there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centres in 114 countries. However, the number of active Sai Baba followers is hard to determine. Estimates vary from 6 million up to nearly 100 million. In 2002, he claimed to have followers in 178 countries.

Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust

Website : SSSCT

Avatars are engaged in selfless service (seva); that is why Avatars happen. Offering service to mankind pleases Avatars. ... I am active and busy twenty-four hours a day. ... I have never craved a minute's rest or sleep or relief. --Sathya Sai Baba, in Sathya Sai Speaks X, Chap. 19, 123; VII, Chap. 59, 350; VI, Chap. 58, 288 (old edition)

The vision declared at a young age of 21 years, began materializing in the year 1956 when Sri Sathya Sai Baba started a general hospital for the villages around Puttaparthi, where poor villagers had no access to pure drinking water or basic medical amenities. It took another decade for a college for Women in the district capital of Anantapur to be built in the year 1968, in recognition of the importance of educating women who are the backbone of nation-building and a college for men in the outskirts of the city of Bangalore in the following year to answer the emergent call for an urgent shift in education paradigm. As Baba's work constantly grew in response to needs of the poor and distraught, the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust was founded by Him in the year 1972. Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust is a Public Charitable Trust registered under Section 12A of the Income Tax Act, 1961 for carrying out activities in the areas of:

1. Relief to the Poor

2. Medical Relief

3. Education

4. Other objects of General Public Utility

The Trust has been granted recognition under Section 10(23C)(iv) of the IT Act and Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, 2010. Contributions to the Trust enjoy exemption under Section 80G of the IT Act.

Brief History of the Trust

Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust was founded by Sri Sathya Sai Baba on 2nd September, 1972. The Trust was founded and nurtured by Baba. In the year 2010, five trustees were appointed by Baba who were given the responsibility of its various tasks.

Under Baba’s guidance, the Trust has been undertaking a number of welfare activities such as providing free education at school and university levels, delivering state-of-the-art medical care at primary, secondary and tertiary levels coupled with healthcare initiatives, completely free of charge, supply of pure drinking water in various regions of the state of Andhra Pradesh and the metropolitan city of Chennai.

During times of natural disasters, the Trust has been working to provide immediate as well as sustained relief measures to the affected along with the Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organisations (an independent body started by Sri Sathya Sai Baba for rendering organised service initiatives across various states in India). The Gujarat earthquake relief, tsunami relief in Tamilnadu, Odisha housing project and more recently Kerala floods are a few noteworthy mentions.

The Trust is environmentally conscious and has commissioned 6 MW solar power plant to run all its institutions and ashrams. Other activities of the Trust include preservation and propagation of the rich culture and heritage of India through construction of museums, convention centres, community halls etc.

Thus, the Trust has been Baba’s instrument, translating into action His message of selfless love, touching the lives of millions. It has actively initiated the economic, moral and spiritual regeneration of society and today stands as a paragon of service worthy of emulation.

Projects undertaken by Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the Trust

Sri Sathya Sai Drinking Water Supply Project

Water is the source of life. In South India, people suffer from acute water shortage. Since decades, governments have not been able to solve the problems. But Sathya Sai Baba did it without much fuss and fanfare.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba's Water Supply project, begun in 1994, which brought water to more than 700 villages in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (where Prashanthi Nilayam is located). This project was directed by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust and carried out by Larsen & Toubro Limited, with the collaboration of the Government of Andhra Pradesh. The project cost over U.S. $63 million, which was donated to the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust without any kind of solicitation.

For the moment, here are some statistics on the project.

Project highlights

Construction highlights

Details of villages

All this was done free of cost to anyone who received the water.

The costs behind this project is estimated to be between 300 - 400 crore rupees.

With uttermost dedication, determination and divine blessings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the whole project was completed in just 1 and a half years.

Sri Sathya Sai Baba, for undertaking this project pending since centuries, apart from spending Trust assets, had even mortgaged his Ashrams at Mumbai (Dharmakshetra) and Whitefield, Bengaluru (Brindavan), and his residence in Whitefield (Trayee Brindavan)despite having the capacity to raise money easily through donations. He was even determined to sell Prashanti Nilayam if gmrequired. However, he did not ask for a single penny from everyone. This was a Message to everyone, a Divine Message : We should always be ready to sacrifice everything we have, for the welfare of the World, for the service of the Mankind.

Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital

This hospital was Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s first initiative in healthcare. Inaugurated on October 4th 1956, it was then, the only hospital in a 30 kilometre radius. Initially a primary care institution, it now offers both primary and secondary care. Every knid of treatment is free of cost , including post-surgical checkups and other follow-up consultations. The infrastructure includes:

• 94 beds.
• 2 Operation Theatres.
• 8 Wards (Pre and Post-operative).
• 7 Departments – General Medicine, General Surgery,
• Paediatrics, ENT, Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Obstetrics and Gynaecology.
• Laboratory facilities.
• Complement of Utility services.

In the past fifty years over 4 million patients have benefited from free healthcare services at this hospital.

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prashantigram, Puttaparthi

"When any educational or medical institution is established, the sole aim is to make a business of it. There are few who are ready to set up institutions to provide free facilities for the poor. Therefore, from the start we decided to set up a hundred-crore hospital near Prashanthi Nilayam. Even as higher education is free here, 'higher medicine' also will be free. People spend some lakhs to get heart surgery done in the U.S. What is the plight of the poor? Who looks after them? If they go to the cities, they will not get even basic medicine. Recognizing this fact, we have launched this big hospital project. Whether it is heart bypass operation, a kidney transplant, a lung operation, brain surgery or eye surgery, everything will be done free. This has been decided upon from the very start of the project. The hospital will be opened on November 22, 1991."

---Sathya Sai Baba

Declaration on establishing the Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, 23 November 1990.

"Puttaparthy has become the cynosure of all eyes in the world. Above, all, you should enquire why a highly sophisticated and most modern hospital, which should be located in a well-developed metropolis, has been set up in this rural area. The wealthy can go anywhere and get medical relief with their abundant resources. But the rural poor cannot go far from their villages for treatment. It is for the sake of such poor folk that this hospital has been established. This is a gigantic project. It is intended to benefit people for thousand years. This hospital has been set up to provide relief to villagers suffering from ailments. No distinction is made, however, between villages and cities. Diseases do not afflict only villagers. Sickness makes no territorial distinctions. Likewise, there will be no differentiation in providing relief. Our intention is to provide relief to all who come, without any charges whatsoever." ---Sathya Sai Baba, 23 November 1991.

File:Entry hosp.jpg

File:Sperspc.jpg

This Superspeciality Hospital was inaugurated by Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the then Prime Minister of India, P. V. Narasimha Rao, on 23rd November, 1991, on the birthday of Sathya Sai Baba. The construction took only 7 months. Complete Medical Care is provided free of cost, including consultation, diagnosis, comprehensive treatment and follow – up and diet at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels to all patients free of all charges irrespective of his caste, creed, religion or economic status. This hospital has no cash-counter.

This 300 bed hospital resembles a huge temple from outside. It has been rightly been given the name of Temple of Healing.

This Hospital specialises in the following:-

• Cardiology
• CTVS
• Urology
• Plastic Surgery
• Orthopedics
• Gastroenterology
• Opthalmology

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Whitefield, Bengaluru

Mission

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Whitefield, aims to provide free medical care to the sick and ailing with the dedication, commitment, love and the best of skills, so that they will be cured in body, mind and spirit.

The Mission is to provide high quality medical care free of charge to all, irrespective of caste, creed, religion, and financial status in an atmosphere of love and care.

Overview of the Hospital

This Superspeciality Hospital was started by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in the year 2001. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Whitefield, is 4th such venture of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, to provide best of the best, high quality medical and surgical care to the poorest of the poor patient, free of cost, without any discrimination based on caste, creed or nationality.

It is a 333-bedded tertiary care hospital inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India, Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, it is located in the picturesque suburbs of Whitefield in the garden city of Bangalore, Karnataka, India.

Shaped in the form of letter K, the Hospital stands for Karuna or compassion and has been successful in healing thousands of diseased hearts and brains and returning to the society a healthy and grateful individual touched by spirit of sacrifice and transformed to make a difference to the fellow human beings.

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences is equipped with state- of-art diagnostic and treatment facilities, highly skilled medical, nursing and paramedical professionals delivering care with love and compassion, in a clean, aesthetic and spiritual environment ensuring that healing happens in body, mind and spirit.

Infrastructure wise, Hospital has state of the art 1.5 Tesla Siemens MagnetomAera MRI Scanner, 128 slice HD 750 GE CT Scanner, Siemens Artis Zee Biplane Cath Lab, Philips Monoplane Cathlab, Medtronic S7 Neuro-navigation system, 8 fully equipped operation theaters, automated biochemistry and microbiology analyzers, high end diagnostic Cardiology equipment, full blown Hospital Information System eHIS from Computer Science Corporation and Fuji Synapse PACS system.

Between 2001 and 2016, the Hospital has been successful in performing over 21,000 Neurosurgeries, 17,000 cardiac surgeries, over 46,000 diagnostic and interventional cardiac catheterizations and more than 10,40,000 outpatients have received outpatient consultations.

This Superspeciality Hospital specialises in the following:-

• Cardiology & Cardiac Surgery
• Neurology & Neuro-surgery
• Anesthiology
• Radiology
• Physiotherapy
• Telemedicine
• Counselling
• HMIS

Apart from patient care, Hospital is also active creating next generation of doctors, nurses and technologists. Hospital has a very active post-graduate and post-doctoral programs affiliated to National Board of Examinations providing DNB in Cardiac Surgery, Neurosurgery, Cardiology, Anesthesiology and Radiology. Additionally Hospital also has post doctoral fellowships in Interventional Cardiology, Cardiac Anesthesia and Critical Care Anesthesia. In the paramedical field, Hospital provides B. Sc Nursing, BSc Imaging Technology, BSc Perfusion Technology, BSc Anesthesia Technology, BSc Cardiac Technology and BSc Medical Laboratory Technology.

Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam is perhaps the only charitable trust in INDIA to offer complete medical care including consultation, diagnosis, comprehensive treatment and follow – up and diet at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels to all patients free of all charges irrespective of his caste, creed, religion or economic status.

The founder, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba has established the Trust with the motto of Service to man is service to GOD and with the mission of providing free and quality health care to all patients.

Summary

Sathya Sai Baba founded a large number of schools and colleges, hospitals, and other charitable institutions in India and abroad, the net financial capital of which is usually estimated at Rs. 400 billion (US$9 billion). However, estimates as high as 1.4 trillion rupees (about US$31.5bn) have also been made.

After Sri Sathya Sai Baba's Demise

After his death, questions about the manner in which the finances of the organisation were going to be managed led to speculations of impropriety, with some reports suggesting that suitcases containing cash and/or gold had been removed from his personal lodgings.

On 17 June 2011, officials from the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust opened his private residence in the presence of government, bank and tax department officials. In the private residence, which had been sealed since his death, they inventoried 98 kg of gold ornaments, approximate value Rs 21 crores (US$4.7m), 307 kg of silver ornaments, approximate value Rs 16 million (US$0.36m), and Rs 116 million (US$2.6m) in cash. The cash was deposited into the Sai Trust's account at the State Bank of India with payment of government taxes (thus transferring them from religious gifts to Trust assets.) The gold and other items were inventoried, assessed, and placed in secure storage. In July, district authorities inventoried an additional Rs 7.7 million (US$0.17m) in valuables in another 4 rooms. The total value of these items is believed to exceed 7.8 million US dollars. Also inventoried at Yajurmandir were thousands of pure silk sarees, dhotis, shirts, 500 pairs of shoes, dozens of bottles of perfume and hairspray, watches, a large number of silver and gold "mangala sutrams", and precious stones such as diamonds. There were also 750 saffron and white robes of the type Sai Baba wore. In July 2011, a similar opening of his Bangalore-area ashram tallied 6 kg of gold coins and jewellery, 245 kg of silver articles and Rs 8 million in cash. These items and goods were donated over the years by Sathya Sai Baba's devotees from all over the world as religious gifts.

Recognition

On 23 November 1999, the Department of Posts, Government of India, released a postage stamp and a postal cover in recognition of the service rendered by Sai Baba in addressing the problem of providing safe drinking water to the rural masses. Another commemorative stamp was released on the occasion of what would have been his 88th birthday during November 2013.

In January 2007, an event was held in Chennai Nehru Stadium organised by the Chennai Citizens' Conclave to thank Sai Baba for the 2 billion water project which brought water from the River Krishna in Andhra Pradesh to Chennai city. Four chief ministers attended the function.

Puttaparthi - Then & Now

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Puttaparthi, where Sai Baba was born and lived, was originally a small, remote South Indian village in Andhra Pradesh. This village was termed as an under-developed region by the British-Indian Government. No healthcare facility, no secondary education speciality. Being a part of the drought-stricken Rayalseema region of South India, there was no water available. There are stories of village women being forced to wash utensils and clothes in water-puddles formed after monsoon rains, due to lack of water. In order to fetch drinking water, villagers would have to walk several miles everyday. Once, the United Nations had concluded that the Rayalseema region would transform into a desert within the next 100 years.

Today, there is no shortage of drinking water in and around the Rayalseema region. There is an extensive university complex, primary and secondary schools, a general and a superspeciality hospital, and two museums: the Sanathana Samskruti or Eternal Heritage Museum, sometimes called the Museum of All Religions, and the Chaitanya Jyoti, devoted exclusively to the life and teachings of Sai Baba; the latter has won several international awards for its architectural design. There is also a planetarium, a railway station, a hill-view stadium, an administrative building, an airport, an indoor sports stadium and many more. With the efforts of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Puttaparthi in the present-day is a self-dependent, fully developed township. Millions of people visit Puttaparthi every year, either to visit Sri Sathya Sai Baba's ashram, or for receiving quality and holistic healthcare, or for high-quality education. High-ranking Indian politicians such as the former president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Andhra Pradesh former chief minister Konijeti Rosaiah and Karnataka chief minister B. S. Yeddyurappa have been official guests at the ashram in Puttaparthi. It was reported that well over a million people attended Sai Baba's 80th birthday celebration, including 13,000 delegates from India and 180 other countries.

Sai Baba resided much of the time in his main ashram, Prashanthi Nilayam (Abode of Highest Peace), at Puttaparthi. In the summer he often left for his other ashram, Brindavan, in Kadugodi, Whitefield, a town on the outskirts of Bangalore. Occasionally he visited his Sai Shruti ashram in Kodaikanal.

In order to find out more about the city of Puttaparthi, click here.

In order to experience a virtual tour of Puttaparthi in the form of a video produced by Radio Sai Global Harmony, click here.

Ashrams of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Prashanti Nilayam, Puttaparthi

"The time is coming fast when the whole world will gather here."

--Sathya Sai Baba, 11 January 1968

"Here in the Prashanti Nilayam, no invitation has ever been printed and distributed on any occasion, asking people to come. No one has been specially requested to take part. It is Love, the invitations of the Heart to the heart, that has brought you in tens of thousands to this place. The validity and value of Love are proved by you; Love is the most potent of My powers." --Sathya Sai Baba, 22 November 1970

What is Prashanti Nilayam?

Prasanthi Nilayam, literally “The Abode of Supreme Peace”, is the birthplace and the headquarter of the sacred mission of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. For His devotees, it is what Rome is to the Catholics and Mecca to the Muslims. For others, who step into this township out of curiousity or general interest, it is a seat of inner growth and learning that visitors describe as awe-inspiring. Its draw lies in its power to nourish the soul and calm the mind.

This sacred township welcomes thousands of spiritual seekers from every faith, and all corners of the globe each day, as they arrive to behold the sacred presence of Sai Baba.

True to its name, anyone who steps in this holy precinct and breathes its air, vouches to experiencing the highest peace seep in their soul.

Inaugurated in 1950, what was then a humble settlement comprising of a cluster of modest concrete roofs and a shrine with no approach road worth the mention, has today emerged as the international spiritual lighthouse of the world.

Where is Prashanti Nilayam?

The tiny township of Prasanthi Nilayam is located in Puttaparthi, the hamlet where Sathya Sai Baba was born. This area is part of the Anantapur district in the state of Andhra Pradesh, in South India.

Today, the village of Puttaparthi is no longer a rural setting. It has emerged as the centre for spiritually-driven secular learning, with hospitals combining holistic healing with cutting-edge technology, and is well-connected through road, rail and air.

History of Prashanti Nilayam

At the age of seventeen, Sathya Sai Baba told one devotee, "The Sai Pravesh (the advent of Sai) will transform that region into Prasanthi Pradesh (a region of highest peace). There will rise a bhavan (mansion)! Lakhs of people from all over India, why only India, from all over the world, will come and wait there for Sai darshan!"

In 1944 a mandir was built to facilitate the growing number of Sai Baba devotees. It is now commonly referred to as the "old mandir." Prasanti Nilayam was inaugurated on 23 November 1950, the 24th birthday of Sathya Sai Baba and its construction lasted about two years "Sathya Sai Baba can be said to be the architect and engineer who directed the entire work for construction", says Narayana Kasturi. Sathya Sai Baba supervised the construction, acquiring of equipment, and watched over the devotees who constructed the ashram." Heavy girders for the central prayer hall was transported from Tiruchirapalli by train to Penukonda and then had to be brought over the district road, sixteen miles long." The mandir was painted blue, yellow, and pink "communicating the message of the harmony of spirit, intellect, and heart respectively; for blue stands for spirit, yellow for intellect, and pink for heart (love). The rich harmony of the three does result in santhi (peace) and Prasanthi (supreme peace); and that really is the message of the Prasanthi mandir." In October 1957 a hospital was inaugurated on the hill behind the ashram."

Poornachandra Auditorium was built in 1973 where cultural programmes, conferences and yagnas during Dasara take place." It can seat around 15,000 people in the 60 x 40-metre area. Sathya Sai Baba's living quarters are upstairs above the stage."

The Sarva Dharma Stupa, a 50 ft high pillar celebrating the unity of all religions, was built in November 1975 to mark the advent of the Avatar." Sai Kulwant Hall with a seating capacity of about 20,000 is where daily darshan took place. Sai Kulwant Hall is between Sathya Sai Baba's residence (Yajur Mandir) and the Prasanti Mandir. The carved icons of Rama, Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman were installed by Sathya Sai Baba on 30 September 1999. Sathya Sai Music College, Prasanthi Nilayam The Prasanti Nilayam ashram hosts many mandirs including a Ganesha Mandir, Subramanya Mandir, Gayatri Mandir, a meditation tree planted by Sai Baba in 1950, an eternal heritage museum, Chaitanya Jyothi museum), multiple canteens, cricket ground, indoor sports stadium, super specialty hospital, educational institutions, shopping complex, administration buildings, devotee quarters, accommodation rooms and halls. There is a branch office of the State Bank of India in Prasanthi Nilayam."

Characteristics, beliefs and practices of devotees

Reliable sources often describe Sai Baba's following as a "movement". A study by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) states "A worldwide mass religious movement is growing around the Indian holy man and miracle worker, Sathya Sai Baba." Later noting, "The Sai Baba movement is likely to eventually become another worldwide religion." Among scholars, we find it referred to often as either a "New Religious Movement" (NRM) or as a cult, it appears it is not immune to what Robbins and Zablocki, two social science researchers, call "the divisive polarization, which, at least until recently, has plagued the academic study of religious movements." referencing a wide divide of two camps within academia, each preferring one term over the other (i.e. NRM or cult) for such groups'; It's been noted by Eugene Gallagher, that in more modern times "'New Religious movement', on the other hand, is a classification preferred by most academics, who see 'cult' as a pejorative term and intend to replace it with a more neutral label." It is regarded by most scholars to be of Hindu persuasion.

Sai Baba claimed to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi, and his followers considered him to be the Avatar of Shiva. Sai Baba of Shirdi was known to combine Islamic and Hindu teachings; still Charles S. J. White, of The American University at Washington D.C., noted of Sathya Sai Baba in 1972, that "there is no discernible Muslim influence." Stephanie Tallings, in The Harvard international Review, noted Sai Baba's following is drawn from people of all religions, ethnicities, and social classes. Lawrence A. Babb, of the Amherst College in Massachusetts, labelled Sai Baba movement as a cult in the 1980s, calling it "deeply and authentically Hindu..." and noted, "The most striking feature of this cult, however, is the extremely strong emphasis given to the miraculous." However, a scholarly review claims Babb misapplies the word “cult”, responding, "the so-called 'cult' of Satya Sai Baba seems to possess all such characteristics which are, according to the author, central to a religious movement." Deborah A. Swallow, of the University of Cambridge, referred to it as a cult and said that the "ritual and theology, then, unlike Sai Baba 's, is distinctly Hindu in form and content." But John D. Kelly, a professor of anthropology at the University of Chicago, wrote about Hindu missions in Fiji that the Sathya Sai Organization (which is part of the movement) rejected the label Hindu. According to Kelly, they see their founder as the "living synthesis of the world's religious traditions" and prefer to be classified as an interfaith movement. But he observed that Sai Baba mission is a Hindu mission as active as Christian or Muslim missions. In a 2001 scholarly book Tulasi Srinivas, notes, "The Sathya Sai global civil religious movement incorporates Hindu and Muslim practices, Buddhist, Christian, and Zoroastrian influences, and "New Age"-style rituals and beliefs.’ And in the appendix of the book (p. 349) lists 10 scholarly authors/researchers in both Europe and America who all refer to it as a New Religious Movement (NRM).

Sai Baba was known for his quote "Love All, Serve All. Help Ever, Hurt Never." Internationally, his devotees gather daily, or weekly on Sundays or Thursdays or both, for devotional songs, prayer, spiritual meditation, service to the community (Seva), and to participate in "Education in Human Values" (SSEHV) known as "Bal Vikas" (Blossoming of the Child).

Followers believed in seeking the spiritual benefit of Sai Baba's darshan, scheduled for morning and afternoon each day. Sai Baba would interact with people, accept letters, materialise and distribute vibhuti (sacred ash) or call groups or individuals for interviews. Devotees considered it a great privilege to have an interview and sometimes a single person, group or family was invited for a private interview for answers to spiritual questions and general guidance.

The Vancouver Sun in 2001 reported that Sai Baba told his adherents not to browse the internet.The fact is, he asked his followers to use the Internet for the welfare of the people and for self-development. He asked them not to use internet to indulge in activities that have a negative impact on the lives of people.

Criticism

Accusations

Accusations against Sai Baba by his critics over the years have included sleight of hand, sexual abuse, money laundering, fraud in the performance of service projects, and murder.

In 1972 Abraham Kovoor made the first public criticism of Sai Baba when he looked into a claim publicly narrated by one devotee that Sai Baba had created a new model of a Seiko watch, and found the claim to be untrue.

In April 1976, Hossur Narasimhaiah, a physicist, rationalist and then vice-chancellor of Bangalore University, founded and chaired a committee "to rationally and scientifically investigate miracles and other verifiable superstitions". Narasimhaiah wrote Sai Baba three widely publicised letters challenging him to perform his miracles under controlled conditions. The letters were ignored. Sai Baba said that he ignored Narasimhaiah's challenge because he felt that a scientific approach to spiritual issues was improper, adding that "Science must confine its inquiry only to things belonging to the human senses, while spiritualism transcends the senses. If you want to understand the nature of spiritual power you can do so only through the path of spirituality and not science. What science has been able to unravel is merely a fraction of the cosmic phenomena ..." Narasimhaiah's committee was dissolved in August 1977. Narasimhaiah held the fact that Sai Baba ignored his letters to be an indication that his miracles were fraudulent. As a result of this episode, a public debate raged for several months in Indian newspapers.

Indian rationalist Basava Premanand, who began campaigning against Sai Baba in 1976, unsuccessfully attempted to sue him in 1986 for violations of the Gold Control Act, citing Sai Baba's purported materialisations of gold objects. When the case was dismissed, Premanand unsuccessfully appealed on the grounds that claimed spiritual power is not a defence recognised in law.

A 1995 TV documentary Guru Busters, produced by filmmaker Robert Eagle for the UK's Channel 4, accused Sai Baba of faking his materialisations. The clip from the film was mentioned in the Deccan Chronicle, on 23 November 1992, in a front-page headline "DD Tape Unveils Baba Magic".

In 1998, British journalist Mick Brown stated in his book The Spiritual Tourist that in his opinion claims of Sai Baba resurrecting American devotee Walter Cowan in 1971 were probably untrue (it depends only on faith). His opinion was based on letters from the attending doctors presented in the magazine Indian Skeptic, published by Basava Premanand. Brown also related, in the same book, his experiences with manifestations of vibuthi from Sai Baba's pictures in houses in London, which he felt were not fraudulent or the result of trickery. Brown wrote with regards to Sai Baba's claims of omniscience, that "sceptics have produced documentation clearly showing discrepancies between Baba's reading of historical events and biblical prophecies, and the established accounts."

Allegations of abuse

In January 2002, a documentary produced by Denmark's national television and radio broadcast company, Danmarks Radio (DR), called Seduced By Sai Baba, analysed videos of public manifestations of Sai Baba and suggested that they could be explained as sleight of hand. The documentary also presented interviews with Alaya Rahm, former devotee of Sathya Sai Baba, where he alleged abuse by Sathya Sai Baba. As a result, in 2002 the parliament of the United Kingdom discussed the possible danger to male children of British families intending to visit the ashram of Sathya Sai Baba in case of individual audiences with the guru.

In 2004, the BBC produced a documentary titled The Secret Swami as part of its series "The World Uncovered". One central theme of the BBC documentary was again Alaya Rahm's sexual abuse allegations against Sathya Sai Baba. This documentary interviewed him together with Mark Roche, who had spent 25 years of his life since 1969 in the movement and alleged abuse by Sai Baba. The show also featured allegations from Sai Baba critic Basava Premanand. Premanand stated in the documentary that, in his opinion, Sai Baba faked his materialisations.

Responses

Sathya Sai Baba and his followers reject any allegations of misconduct. Devotee Bill Aitken was quoted by The Week as saying that Sathya Sai Baba's reputation had not been harmed by the negative stories published about him. He said that the more detractors railed against Sathya Sai Baba, the more new devotees went to see him.

In the article Divine Downfall, published in the Daily Telegraph, Anil Kumar, the ex-principal of the Sathya Sai Educational Institute, said that he believed that the controversy was part of Sathya Sai Baba's divine plan and that all great religious teachers had to face criticism during their lives. Anil Kumar also said that allegations had been levelled at Sathya Sai Baba since childhood, but with every criticism he had become more and more triumphant.

In the book Redemptive Encounters: Three Modern Styles in the Hindu Tradition, Lawrence A. Babb wrote of Sathya Sai Baba, "Whoever he is, he is certainly more than the mere parlour magician many of his critics claim that he is."

Sathya Sai Baba publicly responded to the allegations on 25 December 2000:

Some people out of their mean-mindedness are trying to tarnish the image of Sai Baba. I am not after name and fame. So, I do not lose anything by their false allegations. My glory will go on increasing day by day. It will never diminish even a bit if they were to publicise their false allegations in the whole world in bold letters. Some devotees seem to be perturbed over these false statements. They are not true devotees at all. Having known the mighty power of Sai, why should they be afraid of the 'cawing of crows'? One should not get carried away by all that is written on walls, said in political meetings or the vulgar tales carried by the print media.

The Times of India on 26 December 2000 quoted Sathya Sai Baba as saying:

Jesus Christ underwent many hardships, and was put to the cross because of jealousy. Many around him could not bear the good work he did and the large number of followers he gathered. One of his disciples, Judas, betrayed him. In those days there was one Judas, but today there are thousands. Just as that Judas was tempted to betray Jesus, the Judases of today, too, are bought out to lie. Jealousy was the motive behind the allegations levelled at him.

In an official letter made public in December 2001, Atal Bihari Vajpayee (then Prime Minister of India and a devotee of Sai Baba), P.N. Bhagwati (Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India), Ranganath Misra (Chair Person, National Human Rights Commissioner of India and Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India), Najma Heptulla (President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union; UNDP Distinguished Human Development Ambassador) and Shivraj Patil (Member of Parliament, India; Formerly of the Lok Sabha & Union Minister) all signed the following statement:

We are deeply pained and anguished by the wild, reckless and concocted allegations made by certain vested interests and people against Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. We would normally expect that responsible media would ascertain the true facts before printing such a calumny – especially when the person is revered globally as an embodiment of love and selfless service to humanity.

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41. Mohammed Shafeeq. However it was soon clearly shown that the lunar reckoning does not work. Post. Durban: 27 April 2011. pg. 4
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115. Clooney, Francis X. (2011). "Death of a God-man? Sai Baba Dies at 85". America Magazine.
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117. Pereira, Shane N. (2008). "A New Religious Movement in Singapore: Syncretism and Variation in the Sathya Sai Baba Movement". Asian Journal of Social Science. 36 (2): 250–270. doi:10.1163/156853108X298699. JSTOR 23677933.
118. Ekacha, Sanitsuda (2001). "Keeping the Faith: Thai Buddhism at the Crossroads". Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions. 9 (2): 126–128. doi:10.1525/nr.2005.9.2.126.
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120. Robbins & Zablocki (2001). Misunderstanding Cults: Searching for Objectivity in a Controversial Field. University of Toronto Press. pp. 3–5. ISBN 978-0-8020-4373-3.
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122. Babb, L. A. (1987). "Sathya Sai Baba's Saintly Play". In Hawley, J.S. (ed.). Saints and Virtues. London (UK): University of California Press. pp. 168–186. ISBN 978-0-520-06163-7.
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125. Nagel, Alexandra (note: Nagel is a critical former follower) "De Sai Paradox: Tegenstrijdigheden van en rondom Sathya Sai Baba"/"The Sai Paradox contradictions of and surrounding Sathya Sai Baba" from the magazine "Religieuze Bewegingen in Nederland, 'Sekten' "/"Religious movements in the Netherlands, 'Cults/Sects' ", 1994, nr. 29. published by the Free University of Amsterdam press, (1994) ISBN 90-5383-341-2
     Dutch original: "Ofschoon Sai Baba gezegd heeft mensen van allerlei religieuze gezindten te helpen terug te gaan naar oude waarden en normen, en ofschoon zijn logo de symbolen van de andere grote godsdiensten bevat, is de sfeer rondom Sai Baba duidelijk hindoeïstisch gekleurd. Alle moslim-elementen bijv. waarvan verondersteld zou kunnen worden dat hij die zou hebben meegenomen uit zijn leven als Sai Baba van Shirdi, heeft hij laten vallen. Het enig echt herkenbare wat hij van Shirdi Baba nog heeft, is het veelvuldig gebruik van as, – wat hij dan niet uit een dhuni haalt zoals Shirdi Baba deed, maar materialiseert (of tevoorschijn goochelt)"
126. Chryssides, George D. (2012). Historical dictionary of new religious movements. Rowman & Littlefield. ISBN 9780810861947.
127. White, Charles S. J. (1972). "The Sai Baba Movement: Approaches to the Study of India Saints". The Journal of Asian Studies. 31 (4): 863–878. doi:10.2307/2052105. JSTOR 2052105.
128. Tallings, Stephanies (Summer 2000). "Avatar of Stability: Sai Baba's Teachings". Harvard International Review. 22 (2): 14–15.
129. Handoo, Jawaharlal (1989). "Reviewed Work: Redemptive Encounters. Three Modern Styles in the Hindu Tradition by Lawrence A. Babb" (PDF). Asian Folklore Studies. 48 (2): 327.
130. Swallow, D. A. (2008). "Ashes and Powers: Myth, Rite and Miracle in an Indian God-Man's Cult". Modern Asian Studies. 16 (1): 123–158. doi:10.1017/S0026749X0000072X. JSTOR 312277.
131. Kelly, J.D. (1995). "Bhakti and Postcolonial Politics: Hindu Missions to Fiji". In van der Veer, P. (ed.). Nation and Migration: The Politics of Space in the South Asian Diaspora. Philadelphia (US): University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 43–72. ISBN 978-0-8122-1537-3.
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159. Sathya Sai Speaks Vol.33, pg.389
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Further reading

• Samuel H. Sandweiss (1975). Sai Baba the Holy Man and the Psychiatrist. p. 240. ISBN 978-0-960-09581-0.
• John S. Hislop (1985). My Baba and I. ISBN 978-0-960-09588-9.
• Phyllis Krystal (1994). Sai Baba: The Ultimate Experience. p. 260. ISBN 978-0-877-28794-0.
• Don Mario Mazzoleni (1994). A Catholic Priest Meets Sai Baba. p. 285. ISBN 978-0-962-98351-1.
• Erlendur Haraldsson (1997). Modern Miracles: An Investigative Report on These Psychic Phenomena Associated With Sathya Sai Baba. p. 315. ISBN 978-0-803-89384-9.
• Vladimir Antonov (2008). Sathya Sai Baba – The Christ of Our Days. p. 38. ISBN 978-1-438-25276-6.
• Tommy S. W. Wong (2009). How Sai Baba Attracts Without Direct Contact. p. 108. ISBN 978-1-448-60416-6.
• Tulasi Srinivas (2010). Winged Faith: Rethinking Globalization and Religious Pluralism Through the Sathya Sai Movement. Columbia University Press. p. 430. ISBN 978-0-231-14933-4.
• David Smith (2016). "Hinduism" Religions in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformations. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-415-85880-9.

External links

• International Sai Organization
• Template:Curlie
• Works by or about Sathya Sai Baba at the Internet Archive
• Template:Worldcat id

• Sathya Sai Baba
• 1926 births
• 2011 deaths
• Indian spiritual teachers
• People from Anantapur district
• People from Rayalaseema
• People considered avatars by their followers
• Puttaparthi
• Psychokineticists
• Religious pluralism
• Self-declared messiahs
• State funerals in India
• Tantra
• Indian philanthropists
• Tantric practices
• Telugu people
• Burials in India