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Sathya Sai Baba

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Sathya Sai Baba
EraModern era
RegionSouth India
SchoolAdvaita Vedanta
Main interestsreligions, ethics, morality, society, theism, epistemology
Notable ideasinterfaith dialogue, love for all beings, religious syncretism, ahimsa

Sathya Sai Baba (born Sathya Narayana Raju on November 23 1926 or later than 1927 — with the family name of "Ratnakaram") is a South Indian guru, religious leader, orator and philosopher often described as a Godman and a miracle worker. According to the Sathya Sai Organization, there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centers in 130 countries world-wide. The number of Sathya Sai Baba adherents is estimated between 6 million to 100 million.

History and origins

It has been suggested that this article be merged with The Sathya Sai Baba movement. (Discuss) Proposed since January 2007.

Sathya Sai Baba was born Sathyanarayana Raju to Peddavenkappa Raju and Easwaramma, a poor agrarian family in the remote village of Puttaparthi, located in Anantapur district, Andhra Pradesh. Since he was born after the Sri Sathyanarayana puja, he was named after the deity. It was said that instruments played on their own accord in his household when he was born . Template:SathyaSaiBaba An official biography in several volumes was written by professor Narayana Kasturi. The British Daily Telegraph called the biography a hagiography.Cite error: A <ref> tag is missing the closing </ref> (see the help page). Easwaramma claimed that she found out she was pregnant after dreaming of the Hindu God Sathyanarayana and after a huge sphere of blue light rolled towards her, merged into her and made her faint.

The Australian journalist and follower Howard Murphet wrote in his 1971 book that Sathya Sai Baba attended the Higher Elementary School at Bukkapatnam during his 8th year. He had special talents for drama, music, poetry and acting, wrote songs for the village opera at the age of eight. After that Sai Baba joined the high school at Uravakonda, according to Kasturi's biography. Kasturi further wrote in his biography on March 8, 1940 in Uravakonda around evening, Sathya Sai Baba started behaving as if a black scorpion had stung his foot. Uravakonda means "serpent-hill" and the place was known for serpents and scorpions. However, nobody found the scorpion, according to Kasturi. One night, Kasturi continues, after this strange event Sai Baba entered a state similar to coma, which his devotees call the state of "leaving his body". Kasturi further wrote that after he got out of this state he started behaving in a way that worried his parents - he didn't want to eat, he would often keep silent for a long time, recite ancient Shlokas or elaborate on holy Hindu scriptures. Due to his family's pressure Sai Baba went back to Uravakonda High school in June. According to Kasturi, on October 20th 1940, in his 14th year Sai Baba threw away his books, and announced that he was leaving. His words were "My devotees are calling me. I have my work,". Then he spent the next three days mostly under a tree in the garden of an excise inspector and many people gathered around him. He taught them bhajans. According to Kasturi, in his 15th year, he was visited by the Rani of Chincholi. Her late husband, the Raja, had been a very ardent devotee of Shirdi Baba. Sathya Sai Baba is listed in the 1942 school record of the nearby village Bukkapatnam.In 1944, because of increasing followers, the "old Mandir" was built on the edge of the village.

Kasturi's biography mentions several miracles by and signs of divinity of the young Sathya. Howard Murphet writes in his 1971 book that the young Sathya was a vegetarian and was known for his aversion to animal cruelty and compassion for the poor, disabled and elderly.According to Kasturi and to Sathya Sai Baba himself, the young Sathya composed bhajans spontaneously (even as young as 8 years of age) and was talented in drama, dance, music and poetry.

In a discourse in 1963 he claimed to be a reincarnation of Shiva and Shakti.In the same discourse Sathya Sai Baba said that Shirdi Sai Baba was an incarnation of Shiva and that his future reincarnation Prema Sai Baba would be a reincarnation of Shakti and repeated this claim in 1976. In contrast, Kasturi’s biography or hagiography of Sathya Sai Baba stated that Shirdi Sai Baba was Shakti incarnated and that Prema Sai Baba was to be an incarnation of Shiva. The biography further states that Prema Sai Baba will be born in Mysore state According to Donald Taylor in a 1987 article titled "Charismatic authority in the Sathya Sai Baba movement”, Sathya Sai Baba's 1963 declaration that he would be reincarnated as Prema Sai Baba was Sathya Sai Baba's strategy to defuse the problem about his succession and thus continue to have all the authority in his hand.

File:Saibaba2.jpg
Sathya Sai Baba

In the late 1960s he attracted Western spiritual seekers and became increasingly popular. One of those spiritual seekers was the Hollywood screenwriter Arnold Schulman, who wrote in his 1971 book called Baba that "For any episode of Baba's childhood, there are countless contrasting versions and, at this point, the author discovered that it was no longer possible to separate the facts from the legend." According to Schulman, contrasting versions about Baba's childhood may be due to the fact that he needed interpreters to interpret other interpreters (as in the case of his interview with Baba's sister). Schulman concluded that what the translators said may well have been quite different from what was actually said.

Sathya Sai Baba had several sisters, one older brother, the late Seshama Raju, and one younger brother, the late R. V. Janaki Ramaiah.

In 2003 Sathya Sai Baba had an accident that injured his hip, according to the official of the Sathya Sai Organization, Michael Goldstein. As of 2005, Sathya Sai Baba sometimes uses a wheelchair.

In 1960 Sathya Sai Baba said that he would be in this mortal human form for 59 years more.. In contrast, he told the American follower John S. Hislop, according to Hislop's 1978 book, that "This body will live to age 96, and will remain young." According to a 1984 book, Sathya Sai Baba said that "In this body I will not become old or infirm as in my old body."

Sai Baba keeps a female elephant called Sai Geetha.

Beliefs and practices

It has been suggested that Sathya Sai Baba movement be merged into this article. (Discuss) Proposed since September 2006.
Main article: Sathya Sai Baba movement

Ashrams and mandirs

Puttaparthi, where Sathya Sai Baba was born and still lives, was originally a small village where one can now find an extensive University complex, Chaitanya Jyoti (a World-Religions Museum that has won several international awards for design ), a spiritual museum, a Planetarium, a railway station, a hill-view stadium, an administrative building, an airport, an indoor sports stadium and more . High ranking Indian politicians, like the current President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Former Prime minister) have been official guests at the ashram in Puttaparthi . On Sathya Sai Baba's 80th birthday celebrations it was reported that well over a million people attended, as well as 13,000 delegates from India and 180 countries abroad.

Sathya Sai Baba resides much of the time in his main ashram called Prashanthi Nilayam (abode of highest peace) at Puttaparthi. In the hot summer Baba leaves for his other ashram called Brindavan in Kadugodi, Whitefield, a town on the outskirts of Bangalore. Occasionally, he visits his Sai Shruti ashram in Kodaikanal . He left India only once for a visit to North East Africa in 1968 .

Sathya Sai Baba established three primary mandirs in India. The first center, established in Mumbai, is referred to as either "Dharmakshetra" or "Sathyam". The second center, established in Hyderabad, is referred to as "Shivam". The third center, established in Chennai, is referred to as "Sundaram".

The daily program at Sathya Sai Baba's ashrams usually begins with the chanting of om and a morning prayer. This is followed by Veda Parayan (chanting of the Vedas), nagasankirtan (morning devotional songs) and twice daily bhajans and darshan. During darshan Sathya Sai Baba walks among his followers and may interact with people, accept letters, materialize and distribute vibhuti (sacred ash) or call groups or individuals for interviews. Interviews are chosen solely by the guru's discretion. Followers consider it a great privilege to get an interview and sometimes a single person, group or family will be invited for a private interview. Sathya Sai Baba claims that his darshan has spiritual benefits, which is a common belief among Hindus regarding saints and gurus.

Miracles

File:Vibhuti materialise.jpg
Sathya Sai Baba materialising vibuthi

In some books, magazines, filmed interviews and articles, Sathya Sai Baba's followers report incredible miracles and healings of various kinds that they attribute to him. Sathya Sai Baba is said to sometimes take on the illnesses of devotees on himself. Daily, he is observed to allegedly manifest vibuthi (holy ash), food and small objects such as rings, necklaces and watches.

In devotee's houses all around the world, there are international 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.

It has also been reported that Frank Baranowski, who specialized in kirlian photography, analyzed Sathya Sai Baba's aura and concluded that Baba was not a human being but a divine personality because his aura was unlike anyone he had seen before using a kirlian camera. Whereas auras normally emanate about 6 inches from the body, Baranowski claimed that Sathya Sai Baba's aura was so extensive, it appeared to extend beyond the horizon and contained silver and gold bands that he had not observed before.

The Icelandic psychology professor Erlendur Haraldsson wrote that although he did not get Sathya Sai Baba's permission to study him under controlled circumstances, he investigated and documented the guru's alleged miracles and manifestations through first-hand interviews with devotees and ex-devotees. Haraldsson's research yielded many extraordinary testimonies. Some of the miracles attributed to Sathya Sai Baba included levitation (both indoors and outdoors), bilocation, physical disappearances, changing granite into sugar candy, changing water into another drink, changing water into gasoline, producing objects on demand, changing the color of his gown into a different color while wearing it, multiplying food, healings, visions, dreams, making different fruits appear on any tree hanging from actual stems, controlling the weather, physically transforming into various deities and physically emitting brilliant light.

These devotees and ex-devotees also claimed that they witnessed Sathya Sai Baba materialize many substances from his hand such as vibuthi, lost objects, statues, photographs, Indian pastries (both hot and cold), food (hot, cold, solid and fluid), out of season fruits, new banknotes, pendants, necklaces, watches and rings. Haraldsson wrote that the largest materialized object that he saw was a mangalsutra necklace, 32 inches long, 16 inches long on each side. Haraldsson wrote that some miracles attributed or performed by the Baba resemble the ones described in the New Testament, but also with some differences. According to Haraldsson, although healings certainly figure into Sai Baba's reputation, his impression is that healings do not play a prominent role in Sathya Sai Baba's activities as in those of Jesus.

Sathya Sai Baba explained the phenomenon of manifestation as an act of divine creation, but refused to have his materializations investigated under experimental conditions. Critics claim that these materializations are done by sleight of hand and question his claims to perform miracles and other paranormal feats. In April 1976, Dr. H. 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". Haraldsson stated that Narasimhiah wrote Sathya Sai Baba a polite letter and two subsequent letters that were widely publicized in which he publicly challenged Baba to perform his miracles under controlled conditions. Sathya Sai Baba said he ignored Narasimhiah's challenge because he felt his approach was improper. In a Blitz interview, the journalist Karanjia asked Sai Baba if he would like to comment on The Narasimhiah Committee controversy to which Sai Baba replied, "How can science which is bound to a physical and materialist outlook investigate transcendental phenomena beyond its scope, reach or comprehension? This is a fallacy on the face of it. One belongs to the material and the other to a spiritual plane. 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; it tends, however, to exaggerate its contribution." According to Erlendur Haraldsson, the formal challenge from the committee came to a dead end because the negative attitude of the committee was obvious and perhaps because of all the fanfare involved. Narasimhaiah stated that he considered the fact that Sathya Sai Baba ignored his letters as one among several indications that his miracles are fraudulent. As a result of this episode, a public debate raged for several months in Indian newspapers. Narasimhaiah's committee was dissolved in August of 1977.

According to a 1994 article written by Alexandra Nagel, a critic of the guru, the 1992 work of the Canadian skeptic, Dale Beyerstein convincingly negated supernatural stories of all kinds circulating about Sathya Sai Baba.In the 1995 TV documentary "Guru Busters", by UK's Channel 4, Sathya Sai Baba was accused of faking his materializations and a videotape was supplied alleging fraud. The same videotape was mentioned in the Deccan Chronicle, on November 23 1992, on a front page headline "DD Tape Unveils Baba Magic". Erlendur Haraldsson stated that he and his associates carried out a careful analysis of the videotape shown in the "Guru Busters" documentary and mentioned by the Deccan Chronicle. Haraldsson stated that the videotape's quality and resolution left much to be desired and limited the inferences that could be drawn from it. Haraldsson claimed that Dr. Wiseman took the video to a company that specialized in corporate fraud, and which possessed some of the world's best equipment designed to enhance poor quality videotapes. According to Haraldsson, after the videotape was enhanced using a three-fold process, the resulting tape contained no firm evidence of fraud. The same company analyzed several still frames from the videotape, enhanced and enlarged them and the images still did not reveal any further information. The "Guru Busters" documentary also reported that Sathya Sai Baba's followers comprise much of India's intellectual elite, including T.N. Seshan and that professors from national research institutions who are experts in engineering, aeronautics and geology gather to worship a man they believe has supernatural powers.

The magazine India Today published in December 2000 a cover story about the Baba and the allegations of fake miracles quoting the magician P. C. Sorcar, Jr. who considered the Baba a fraud. Basava Premanand, a skeptic and amateur magician, asserted that he has been investigating Sathya Sai Baba since 1968 and believes the guru to be a cheater and charlatan. Premanand also displayed, in the 2004 BBC documentary Secret Swami, that he could duplicate some of the same acts that Sathya Sai Baba presents as miracles; such as materializations by sleight of hand and the production of a lingam from his mouth. The BBC documentary reported that even some of Sathya Sai Baba's critics believe that he has genuine paranormal powers.

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

Teachings

Sathya Sai Baba is a prolific orator about religious topics in his native language Telugu and he is regarded by some as an excellent speaker. He asserted that he is an Avatar of God in whom all names and forms ascribed by man to God are manifest . He also says that everybody else is God and that the difference is that he is aware of this and others have yet to realize it. . He further claims to be that he is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, and able to create matter from mere thought . He also stresses he and humans should always free from desires and states that desires bring mental pain (depression, anger jealousy etc).

Sathya Sai Baba preaches love and the unity of all world religions and asserts that people who follow him do not need to give up their original religion. His followers view his teachings as syncretic (uniting all religions), but one scholar has said that his message remains fundamentally Hindu. He teaches among others a rather traditional form of Hinduism that has come from many sects and movements including advaita, occasionally drawing from other religions like Buddhism, Sikhism, Islam and Christianity. One of the Christian influences can be felt in the institution of regular Sunday School sessions for devotees. He says that he has come to restore faith in, and encourage the practice of the teachings in the Vedas. Several books and discourses by him, such as the book Ramakatha Rasavahini teach the literal interpretation of Hindu mythology and advocate the practice of Hindu Dharma.

Apart from teaching the unity and equality of all the religions Sathya Sai Baba places particular emphasis on the role of women (especially mothers) in society. He has stated that mothers build society. That is why he teaches respect for parents, especially for the mother. He also said that the level of a nation depends on their respect for women.

Across the globe local Sathya Sai Baba groups assemble to sing bhajans (Hindu devotional songs), study Sathya Sai Baba's teachings, do collective community service (called seva), and teach Education in Human Values (Sai Sunday School). Baba's movement is not missionary and Baba discouraged publicity for him in a public discourse in 1968. Bhajans are sung at nearly every meeting with the names of the traditional Hindu deities as well as saints and prophets of other religions occasionally replaced by Baba's name.

Based on Sathya Sai Baba's teachings, his organization advocates the five basic human values. These values are sathya (truth), dharma (right conduct, living in accord 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
  • Put a ceiling (limit) on one's desires.
  • 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
  • Detachment from the material world
  • Meditation - Baba teaches four techniques, repetition of the name of God, visualizing the form of God, sitting in silence and jyoti (Light meditation).
  • Inclusive acceptance of all religions as paths to realizing the One (God).
  • Importance of bhakti (devotion) to God
  • Developing virtues and eschewing vices of character
  • japa and other sadhana (spiritual exercise) to foster devotion.
  • Reverence for parents, teachers and elders

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

Prominent Indian newspapers regularly cite Sathya Sai Baba's teachings and publish segments to his discourses .

Organizations

File:Baba hospital puttaparthi.jpg
Sai Baba's hospital in Puttaparthi

Sathya Sai Baba is the figurehead to a number of free educational institutions, charitable organizations and service projects that are spread over 10,000 centers in 166 countries around the world .

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in Prashanti Nilayam is the only college in India to have received an "A++" rating by the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission) . Besides this institute, there is also an Institute of Music and an Institute of Higher Learning in Anantapur, which is a women's college .

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Puttaparthi (also known as the Super Specialty Hospital) is a 220 bed facility providing advanced surgical and medical care free of cost to the public. It is situated 6 kilometers from the guru's ashram and was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao on November 22 1991 and was designed by the Prince of Wales's architectural adviser, Keith Critchlow The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Bangalore is a 333 bed facility with advanced operation theatres, ICUs and CCUs meant to benefit the poor. The hospital was inaugurated on January 19 2001 by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee . Other eminent participants were Abdul Kalam, Michael Nobel (son of Alfred Nobel), Noah Samara and Anji Reddy . The hospital has served 250,000 patients, free of cost, from January 2001 to April 2004 .

The Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital was opened in Whitefield, Bangalore, in 1977 by Sathya Sai Baba to provide free care to poor local villagers. Since that time, the general hospital has grown to a 35,000 sq ft building that provides complex surgeries, food and medicines free of cost. The hospital has, since its inception, treated over 2 million cases .

The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust runs several general hospitals, two super specialty hospitals, dispensaries, eye hospitals and mobile dispensaries and conducts medical camps in rural and slum areas in India . The Trust has also funded several major drinking water projects. The first drinking water project, completed in 1996, supplies water to 1.2 million people in 730-800 villages in the drought-prone Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh . The second drinking water project, completed in 2004, supplies water to Chennai (formerly known as Madras) through a rebuilt waterway named "Sathya Sai Ganga Canal" . The third drinking water project, expected to be completed in April 2006, would supply water from the Godavari River to half a million people living in five hundred villages in East and West Godavari Districts . Other completed water projects include the Medak District Project benefiting 450,000 people in 179 villages and the Mahbubnagar District Project benefitting 350,000 people in 141 villages .

His Educare (formerly called Education in Human Values) program seeks to found schools in all countries with the explicit goal to educate children in the five human values and spirituality. According to the Sai Educare site (authorized by the Sathya Sai Organization), schools have been founded in 33 countries world-wide .

All the local Sai Samithis (Sathya Sai Baba groups) are part of a hierarchical structure called the Sathya Sai Organization. The chairman of the organization is Michael Goldstein of the U.S. The logo of the Sathya Sai organization is a stylized lotus flower with the text of the five human values, highly influenced by not only Hinduism but also Jainism and Buddhism, in its petals. This text version has replaced the old logo with the symbols of the 5 or 6 world religions in the petals.

The Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust is the official publisher of the Sathya Sai Organization. It publishes the international monthly magazine called Sanathana Sarathi in English and Telugu. According to their website, they shelve over a thousand books and provide Sai-related literature in 40 languages. The book trust also supplies CDs, DVDs and audio tapes. In various nations, similar publication trusts are maintained in their own native language.

On November 23 2001, the digital radio network "Radio Sai Global Harmony" was launched through the World Space Organization, USA. Dr. Michael Nobel (son of Alfred Nobel and one of the patrons for the radio network) said that the radio network would spread Sathya Sai Baba's message of global harmony and peace .

Criticism

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On June 6, 1993 four people who were armed with knives were killed after they had intruded in Sai Baba's bedroom. The intruders had killed two aides of Sai Baba. The incident was widely published in the Indian press. SSB claimed in his 1993 Guru Poornima discourse on July 3 that jealousy among his followers was behind the incident, without giving a detailed explanation of the events. The former Secretary of the Home Minister of Andhra Pradesh, V.P.B. Nair who came from of a police background expressed in the BBC documentary his opinion that the four assailants in 1993 had unnecessarily and illegally been shot by the police. Both Premanand and Nair wanted the case to be re-opened and believed that it had been silenced to prevent revelations about illegal practices by Sathya Sai Baba and his organizations.

The debates about Sathya Sai Baba were fueled by a document published in 2000 called "The Findings", written by David and Faye Bailey (former followers who together wrote three books on Sathya Sai Baba ), in which they described their disillusionment with the guru. According to an article in Salon.com in the year 2001, a great part of the Findings contains testimonies of sexual harassment and sexual abuse. Apart from that, Faye wrote, in The Findings, that an unnamed college student requested David's help to stop SSB from sexually abusing other students. The Findings contain allegations of fakery, claims that SSB does not heal sick people and allegations of financial irregularities with charity projects, such as the Super Specialty Hospital and water project. David Bailey previously wrote, in his two books about SSB, that he personally witnessed manifestations, healings, miracles and was saved from a car accident by Sathya Sai Baba.

The Daily Telegraph stated that Sathya Sai Baba rubbed oil on the genitals of a young male devotee. The testimonies of sexual abuse of young men were shown in TV documentaries, including "Seduced by Sai Baba" by Denmark's national television, and documentary film "Secret Swami" by BBC. The TV documentary "Seduced By Sai Baba", produced by Denmark's national television and radio broadcaster Danish radio aired in Denmark, Australia and Norway.

Al Rahm, a father of one of the young men who claimed to have been sexually abused by Sathya Sai Baba, said in 2004 that he had spoken with the Dr. Michael Goldstein, the highest leader in the USA about the alleged sexual abuse. According to Rahm, Dr. Goldstein responded by saying that he hated the idea of having wasted 25 years of his life and that he accepted SSB's statement "Swami is pure" as the truth. Dr. Goldstein further stated that he did not support an investigation of the sexual abuse allegations, although he felt that Sathya Sai Baba was not above the law. He said that it was against his "heart and conscience" to believe the allegations because he had personally observed Baba interact with students very frequently, in very informal circumstances, and he had never seen anything inappropriate, ominous or anything indicative of fear or apprehension. Isaac Tigrett, a prominent follower and co-founder of the Hard Rock Café, stated in the BBC documentary that his admiration for the Baba will not change even if the charges of pedophilia and murder were proved beyond all doubt.. In this same documentary, Khushwant Singh stated that Sathya Sai Baba's popularity could not be ascribed to any type of publicity campaign. Singh compared Sathya Sai Baba to Mahatma Gandhi, in that Gandhi never had any publicity but became nationally known through word of mouth According to the BBC reporter Tanya Datta, a lot of sexual abuse victims have undergone a genital oiling by Sathya Sai Baba that they believe is part of Hinduism. Singh reacted to this by saying that this genital oiling is not part of Indian tradition.

According to the journalist Michelle Goldberg of Salon.com the fact that the Baba has high ranking Indian politicians as his supporters and the charity works done by the various organizations associated with the Baba help to explain why he has not been brought into a court of law in India. The Indian consulate website states that crime victims must file charges with the police. In an article that was published in the India Today magazine in December 2000, it was stated that no complaints had been filed against Sathya Sai Baba by any alleged victim, in India. The magazine stated they are in possession of an affidavit signed by Jens Sethi (an ex-devotee) and reported that he filed a complaint with the police in Munich.

The Times further reported in August 2001 that three men had died after placing hope in Sathya Sai Baba. . According to the Times articles, Michael Pender, an HIV infected man who overdosed on drugs more than once, complained to a friend that he had been repeatedly sexually molested by the guru. Pender apparently committed suicide in a hostel for the homeless in North London. Aran Edwards, a British national, was described as "quite an ill person, mentally unstable and needed orthodox help", by David Bailey. Edwards was encouraged to write letters to the guru to help solve his "psychological problems". Edwards had never traveled to see the guru firsthand. David Bailey said that he eventually told Edwards, "Wake up. He doesn't even read these letters." Edwards was so distraught about the situation, he decided to commit suicide. Edwards was found hanging from a staircase in his home in Cardiff, London. Andrew Richardson, another British national, hurled himself off a bank building in Bangalore, India. Two letters were found on his body in which he said he was in a deep depression. He expressed a desire to see Sai Baba and Mother Teresa.

Sathya Sai Baba did not give a detailed public rebuttal to the accusations of sexual abuse. In his Christmas 2000 discourse SSB said that people disseminate false negative stories about him because they have been bribed. Koert van der Velde, a reporter for Dutch newspaper Trouw, claimed in a critical article that Sathya Sai Baba forbade people to look at the internet . In the years 1999 and 2000 SSB has repeatedly belittled the internet and discouraged its use.

The Guardian and DNA stated that, although Sathya Sai Baba has not been charged over old allegations of sexual abuse, a travel warning was issued by the US State Department about reports of "unconfirmed inappropriate sexual behavior by a prominent local religious leader", which officials later confirmed was a reference to Sai Baba. The Guardian further expressed concerns over a contingent of 200 youths travelling to the Baba's ashram in order to gain their Duke of Edinburgh Awards.

According to The Telegraph, Glen Meloy (an ex-devotee) organized a campaign that concentrated on "e-bombing" allegations against Sathya Sai Baba to various agencies and officials. The Telegraph stated that the most conspicuous success of Meloy's campaign came when, in September 2000, UNESCO withdrew its participation in an educational conference at Puttaparthi, expressing "deep concern" about the allegations of sexual abuse. The Telegraph also stated that despite all the allegations made against Sathya Sai Baba over the years, he has never been charged with any crime, sexual or otherwise .

Stances by devotees and proponents

In an official letter released to the general public, in December 2001, A.B. Vajpayee (then Prime Minister of India), P.N. Bhagawati (Former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India), Ranganath Mishra (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 V. Patil (Member of Parliament, India; Formerly of the Lok Sabda & Union Minister) all signed a letter that called the allegations against Sathya Sai Baba "wild, reckless and concocted allegations made by certain vested interests" and that they "unequivocally condemned" the allegations as "baseless and malicious".

Bill Aitken (a Sai Devotee, described in his own words in an article in The Week as an expert in comparative religion and author of the book "Sri Sathya Sai Baba: A life") stated that Sathya Sai Baba's reputation has only increased despite negative stories being published against the Guru, by rationalists, critics and skeptics, for at least a generation. Aitken contended that critics are so distemperate in their dislike that their vituperation comes across as near comical. Aitken also expressed the opinion that the BBC is ultimately governed by the Anglican establishment and does not criticize public icons like the Queen, who happens to be the head of the Anglican church. Aitken felt that the Church of England can have no objection to programs that weaken perceived threats, such as the Sai Movement. Aitken also expressed the opinion that the more detractors rail against Sathya Sai Baba, it seems even greater numbers of people flock to see him .

In an interview with an Asian Voice correspondent, Mr Ashok Bhagani, a trustee of the Sai Organization in the UK, said that he believed the allegations in the Secret Swami BBC documentary were completely without facts, baseless and have never been proved. Mr Bhagani also stated that when devotees are selected by Baba for a private interview, there is always someone else present in the room, and this is especially the case when women and children meet him. Navin Patel, a biochemistry student at the Sathya Sai Arts College in Bangalore during the 1970s, told Asian Voice that he visited Baba's ashram many times and studied at Baba's college long enough to know the allegations are untrue. Patel claimed the Secret Swami BBC documentary was very misleading and was based on only two westerners who had their own monetary agendas. Patel expressed the opinion that western journalists were bashing Baba collectively.

The secretary of the Puttaparthi ashram, K. Chakravarthi, refused to comment on the accusations. Anil Kumar, Sathya Sai Baba's principal translator, believes that the controversy is part of Baba's divine plan and said that every great religious teacher has had to face criticism in his/her lifetime. Kumar said that allegations have been leveled at Sai Baba since childhood, but with every criticism Baba becomes more and more triumphant.

Thorbjørn Meyer, in a letter to the DR, called the allegations undocumented and untrue. In the Seduced documentary, Peter Pruzan stated that he believed Sathya Sai Baba is not a pedophile nor does he perform conjuring tricks. Pruzan claimed that he personally experienced Sathya Sai Baba's "wholly extraordinary powers" both in Baba's presence as well as in Denmark.

Sathya Sai Baba in popular culture

Sathya Sai Baba's name is mentioned on a popular fragrance brand made by Shrinivas Sugandhalaya Co. The Satya Sai Baba Nag Champa fragrance has been used in agarbatti incense, soap, oils, candles, sachets and perfumes.

See also

Notes and references

  1. Kasturi, Narayana, "Sathyam Sivam Sundaram" Volume I, Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, ISBN 81-7208-127-8, Available online
  2. Nagel, Alexandra (note: Nagel is a critical former follower) Een mysterieuze ontmoeting... :Sai Baba en mentalist Wolf Messing published in Tijdschrift voor Parapsychologie 368, vol. 72 nr 4, December 2005, pp. 14-17 (Dutch language)
  3. ^ Haraldsson, Erlendur, Miracles are my visiting cards - An investigative inquiry on Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian mystic with the gift of foresight believed to perform modern miracles (1997 revised and updated edition published by Sai Towers, Prashanti Nilayam, India) ISBN 81-86822-32-1
  4. India Today, "A God Accused", December 04, 2000 Available online
  5. Woodhead, Linda & Fletcher Paul, Religion in the Modern World: Traditions and Transformation. Routledge (UK), ISBN 0-415-21784-9
  6. Lochtefeld, James G., The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Vol. I ISBN 0-8239-3179-X, New York Rosen 2002, entry “Godman”
  7. Hummel, Reinhart, German article published in Materialdienst der EZW, 47 Jahrgang, 1 February 1984, Translation by Linda W. Duddy and is reprinted by their permission, Available online on the website of the Dialog Center, a Christian Anti-Cult Site
  8. Sathya Sai Org: Numbers to Sai Centers and Names of Countries
  9. Adherents
  10. ^ Brown, Mick,Divine Downfall, The Telegraph, October 282000, Available online
  11. ^ 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 Amsterdam press, (1994) ISBN 90-5383-341-2
  12. Chennai Online, "Sri Sathya Sai Baba: A living Legend" by Ramakrishnan R, Available online
  13. Narayana Kasturi, Easwaramma - The Chosen Mother of Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publication Trust, ISBN 81-7208-066-2
  14. Murphet, Howard Man of Miracles first published in 1971, Published in June 1977 by Weiser Books ISBN 0877283354
  15. Padmanaban, R. Love is my form, Vol. 1, The Advent (1926-1950), Bangalore: Sai Towers Publishing, 2000: pages 68, 132-133, 147.
  16. Howard Murphet - Man of Miracles, first published in 1971, Published in June 1977 by Weiser Books ISBN 0877283354 (Chapter V), Available Online
  17. Murphet, Howard Sai Baba Man of Miracles, originally published in 1971, published in June 1977 by Weiser books ISBN 0877283354
  18. Available online Shiva Shakthi, Gurupournima Day, 6 July 1963, (Sathya Sai Baba, Sathya Sai Speaks III 5, 19.)
  19. ^ Interview given by Sathya Sai Baba to R.K. Karanjia of Blitz News Magazine in September of 1976, Available online Cite error: The named reference "blitz" was defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
  20. ^ Kasturi, Narayana M.A., B.L. Sathyam Sivam Sundaram - Part II: The Life of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba 1973:88-89 Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, ISBN 81-7208-127-8
    "He said, "I have been keeping back from you all these years one secret about Me; the time has come when I can reveal it to you. This is a sacred day. I am Siva-Sakthi," He declared, "born in the gothra of Bharadwaja, according to a boon won by that sage from Siva and Sakthi. Sakthi Herself was born in the gothra of that sage as Sai Baba of Shirdi; Siva and Sakthi have incarnated as Myself in his gothra now; Siva alone will incarnate as the third Sai (Prema Sai Baba) in the same gothra in Mysore State."
  21. Taylor, Donald "Charismatic authority in the Sathya Sai Baba movement" in Richard Burghart (ed.), Hinduism in Great Britain, (1987) London/New York: Tavistock Publications, pp. 130-131.
  22. Schulman, Arnold Baba 1971, pp. 122-124, ISBN 0-670-14343-X.
  23. Sathya Sai Baba's younger brother dies article on 18 October. 2003 in The Times of India retrieved March 2006
  24. Sathya Sai Baba's brother dies article on 18 October 2003 in The Hindu retrieved March 2006
  25. SSB in wheelchair
  26. Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. I, 31:198; Prashanthi Nilayam (29-9-1960) Sathya Sai Geetha iii Available online (pdf file)
  27. John S. Hislop Conversations with Sathya Sai Baba San Diego Birth Day Publishing 1978, page 82. ISBN 0-9600958-5-3
  28. Shakuntala Balu "Living Divinity" London Sawbridge 1984 page 40, ISBN 0-907555-00-4
  29. The Star, "Enlightening experience in India", by M. Krishnamoorthy Available online
  30. Places to see at Puttaparthi. Referenced from official Sathya Sai Organization website, Available online
  31. The Hindu, "A 5-point recipe for happiness", by Our Staff Reporter, November 24 2006 Available online
  32. The Hindu, "Warm welcome to PM at Puttaparthi", by Our Staff Reporter, February 12 2004 Available online
  33. Deccan Herald: "Sathya Sai's birthday celebrations on" by Terry Kennedy, November 23 2005, Available online
  34. The ashrams of Sathya Sai Baba. Referenced from the official Sathya Sai Organization website, Available online
  35. Kasturi, Narayana, "Sathyam, Shivam, Sundaram", ISBN 1-57836-077-3
  36. Sathyam, Shivam and Sundaram Mandirs On Offical radiosai.org website Available online
  37. Public discourse by Sathya Sai Baba on 29 June 1963
  38. Nair, Yogas, "Raisins, ash raise eyebrows", The Post April 19 2006, Available online
  39. Brown Mick, The Spiritual Tourist, Ch: The Miracle In North London, pp. 29-30, 1998 ISBN 1-58234-034-X
  40. March 17 2004 in the newspaper Post South Africa Available online
  41. "House of Miracles", Sunday 24 March 2002, Durban news, Sunday Times Available online
  42. India Express, "Sai Baba in a DDA flat?" by Rekha Bakshi, Available online
  43. Island Lanka Newspaper, "The Aura of Sri Sathya Sai Baba" by by Dr. Gamini Karunanayake M.B.B.S. (Cey.) D.I.H. R.C.P. (Lond). R.C.S. (Eng), Available online
  44. Haraldsson, op. cit, pp. 43
  45. Haraldsson, op. cit., pp 231, 239-241
  46. Haraldson, op. cit, pp 204-205
  47. Haraldsson, pp 209
  48. Haraldsson, op. cit., pp. 206
  49. Haraldsson, op. cit., pp. 295-301
  50. India Today, "A God Accused", December 04, 2000 Available online
  51. ^ Secret Swami BBC TV documentary, June 2004, Transcript available online
  52. Brown, Mick The Spiritual Tourist 1998 Bloomsbury publishing ISBN 1-58234-034-X Chapter In the House of God pp. 73 - 74
  53. Hislop, John S. My Baba and I 1985 published by Birth Day Publishing Company, San Diego, California ISBN 0-960-0958-8-8 chapter The Resurrection of Walter Cowan pages 28-31 available online
  54. Narayna Kasturi “Sathyam Sivam Sundaram” Volume I 1961 “Chapter “Moves in His Game”
    ”He brought Walter Cowan back from the region beyond death because, as He said, "he has not completed the work he has to do." Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, ISBN 81-7208-127-8 “available online
  55. Brown, Mick The Spiritual Tourist 1998 Bloomsbury publishing ISBN 1-58234-034-XChapter In the House of God pp. 73 - 74
  56. Brown Mick, The Spiritual Tourist, Ch: The Miracle In North London, pp. 29-30, 1998 ISBN 1-58234-034-X See Miracles, Claims and Ashrams section.
  57. Brown, Mick The Spiritual Tourist 1998 Bloomsbury publishing ISBN 158234034 Chapter In the House of God pp. 73
  58. Babb, Lawrence Redemptive Encounters: Three Modern Styles in the Hindu Tradition. Berkeley University of California Press, 1986 (also published by Waveland press, 2000 ISBN 1577661532 ) pages 198-199
    "Sathya Sai Baba is, among other things, a teacher. He is a frequent giver of discourses, now compiled in several volumes. He usually speaks in Telugu, and before a Hindi-speaking audience an interpreter is required. One of his most characteristic rhetorical devices is the ad hoc (and often false) etymology. For example, he has stated that Hindu means `one who is nonviolent' by the combination of hinsa (violence) and dur (distant)."
  59. "The Revelation", Sathya Sai Speaks VI, 210-213, 17 May 1968 Available online
  60. The Hindu, "Day of introspection at Puttaparthi" by Chitra Mahesh, January 4th 2002, Available online.
  61. Knott, Kim Dr. South Asian Religions in Britain page 766, Table 22.1 Principal Sectarian movements in Britain and their primary characteristics in the Handbook of Living Religions edited by John R. Hinnels (1997), second edition, ISBN 0-14-051480-5
  62. Public discourse by Sathya Sai Baba on November 23 1968 (also published in Samuel Sandweiss 1972 book Sai Baba: The Holy man and the psychiatrist Part II Coming Home) Available online on the website of the Sathya Sai organization
  63. See: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
  64. ^ Times Of India, "Sathya Sai Baba Trust to set up second superspecialty hospital at Bangalore", May 29 2000
  65. The Hindu: City colleges cheer NAAC rating, June 8 2006, Available online.
  66. Draft Report of the Peer Team on Institutional Accreditation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed University) Vidyagiri, Prashanthi Nilayam – 515 134 (A.P) Visit Dates: December 2 – 4, 2002 Available online: DOC File.
  67. Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur Campus, from an Official Sathya Sai site, Available online
  68. The Hindu: Healing with Love and Compassion, November 23 2005, Available online
  69. Deccan Harald: "Where service comes first " by Aruna Chandaraju, January 17 2006 Available online
  70. The Hindu: Vajpayee hits out at high cost of medicare by A. Jayaram, January 20, 2001 Available online
  71. Times Of India, "Sai hospital to host health meet on Saturday", January 14 2002Available online
  72. The Times Of India: Super-Specialty hospital touches 2.5 lakh cases by Manu Rao, Available online
  73. "Sai Baba hospital: A refuge to millions", May 1 2001, Available online
  74. The Week: Showers of Grace by Hiramalini Seshadri, May 26 2002 Available online.
  75. ^ The Hindu: Water projects: CM all praise for Satya Sai Trust by Our Staff Reporter, February 13 2004, Available online
  76. The Hindu: Chennai benefits from Sai Baba's initiative by Our Special Correspondent, December 1 2004, Available online
  77. The Hindu: Project Water by Hiramalini Seshadri, June 25 2003, Available online.
  78. The Hindu, Water, the Elixir of life, November 2005 Available online.
  79. Sai Educare Website, authorized by the Sathya Sai Organization, Available online.
  80. The Hindu, "Saibaba Gospel Goes On Air", November 24 2001, Available online
  81. Guru Purnima Discourse, July 3 1993, Keep Truth as Your Aim: Available online
  82. ^ Goldberg, Michelle Untouchable 25 July 2001 in salon.com
  83. "Bailey, David, A Journey To Love, 1996 ISBN 81-86822-04-6
    Bailey, David, A Journey To Love Book 2: Love and Marriage, 1988 ISBN 81-86822-60-7
    Bailey, Faye, Another Journey To Love: Experiences with Sathya Sai Baba, 1998 ISBN 81-86822-40-2"
  84. David Bailey: A Journey to Love
  85. India Today, "A God Accused", December 04, 2000 Available online
  86. Kennedy, Dominic The Times (England), 27 August 2001 ”Suicide, sex and the guru” Available online
  87. Dominic Kennedy, The Times British News, I sought peace and couldn't find it Available online & 'Three die after putting faith in guru' Available online
  88. Discourse by SSB on 25 December 2000 Available online (pdf file)
  89. Velde, Koert van der "The Downfall of a guru, Sai Baba" 6 September 2000 in the Dutch tabloid newspaper Trouw
  90. Discourse by SSB on October 15 1999, Available online
  91. Discourse by SSB on September 26 2000, Available online
  92. Paul Lewis, The Guardian, The Indian living god, the paedophilia claims and the Duke of Edinburgh awards', November 4 2006, page 3, Available online '
  93. Ginnie Mahajan/Brajesh Kumar, DNA World, A holy furore rages in Britain, Available online
  94. Sri Sathya Sai Baba - A Living Legend - An Embodiment Of Love For All Mankind, Letter from A.B. Vajpayee (the then Prime Minister of India), Available online
  95. Aitken, Bill, Miracle of Welfare (November 27 2005) Available online
  96. ^ New Allegations Of Abuse Against Sai Baba by Payal Nair, Asian Voice, June 26 2004: Available online
  97. "Seduced" TV documentary produced by Danish Radio broadcasted on January 30 2002 at 8:05 pm. transcript Available online

Further reading

Books by Sathya Sai Baba

Other

  • Antonov, Vladimir PhD "Sathya Sai — the Christ of Our Days", 'Zolotoy Vek', Saint Petersburg, 1997
  • Baskin, Diana "Divine Memories of Sathya Sai Baba" (1990) ISBN 1-878599-00-3
  • Beyerstein, Dale "Sai Baba's miracles: an overview", Published by Basava Premanand, Podanur, India, (1994)
  • Brooke, Tal "Lord of the Air", first published in 1976 with a revised edition was released in 1990. Revised and renamed "Avatar of the Night" (1999) ISBN 1-930045-00-X
  • Brooke, Tal "Riders of the Cosmic Circuit" (1986) ISBN 0-7459-1217-6
  • Brown, Mick "The Spiritual Tourist" Bloomsbury Publishing (1998) ISBN 1-58234-034-X
  • Goldthwait, John "Purifying the Heart" (2002) ISBN 81-7208-339-4
  • Guillemin, Madeleine "Who Is In The Driving Seat?" (2000) ISBN 0-9583617-0-3
  • Haraldsson, Erlendur PhD "Miracles are my visiting cards - An investigative inquiry on Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian mystic with the gift of foresight believed to perform modern miracles" (first published in 1987, 1997 revised and updated edition) ISBN 81-86822-32-1
  • Hislop, John "My Baba And I" ISBN 81-7208-050-6
  • Kasturi, Narayana "Sathyam Sivam Sundaram" Volume I (first published in 1961) Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, ISBN 81-7208-127-8, II, III, IV Available online (zip file, 787 kb)
  • Krystal, Phyllis "The Ultimate Experience" ISBN 81-7208-038-7
  • Mazzoleni Don Mario "A Catholic Priest Encounters Sai Baba" (1994)ISBN 0-9629835-1-9
  • Murphet, Howard "Man of Miracles" (1971) ISBN 0-333-91770-7
  • Padmanaban, Ranganathan "Love Is My Form" Sai Towers (2000) ISBN 81-86822-76-3
  • Premanand, Basava "The Murders in Sai Baba's bedroom" (2001)
  • Priddy, Robert "The End of the Dream", published and edited by Basava Premanand, Podanur, India, (2004)
  • Priddy, Robert "Source of the Dream" Weiser Books (1998) ISBN 1-57863-028-2
  • Sandweiss, Samuel H "Spirit And The Mind" (1985) ISBN 81-7208-056-5
  • Sandweiss, Samuel H. "The Holy Man ... And The Psychiatrist" (1975) ISBN 0-9600958-1-0
  • Schulman, Arnold "Baba" (1971) Out of print. ISBN 0-670-14343-X.
  • Shepherd, Kevin R.D. "Investigating the Sai Baba Movement: A Clarification of Misrepresented Saints and Opportunism" (2005) ISBN 0-9525089-3-1
  • Steel, Brian The Powers of Sathya Sai Baba (1999) ISBN 81-7646-080-X
  • Steel, Brian The Satya Sai Baba Compendium: A Guide to the First Seventy Years (Paperback) Weiser Books (February, 1997) ISBN 0-87728-884-4
  • Thomas, Joy "Life is a Game – Play it" ISBN 81-7208-175-8

External links

Official Sathya Sai Baba websites

Other websites

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