Sri Sathya Sai Speaks

The person who reads this book about Baba and the two preceding parts in the series is sure to experience an impact which will not allow him to be the same again. He will have to take up the challenge and prove it or disprove it to himself for his own satisfaction, if he is in earnest about the view of life presented in this book. Baba can dismiss a cancerous growth by saying. "The cancer is cancelled." He can extinguish forest fires around the Kuchuma Mount on Mexican border by a declaration made at His ashram in India, "No more fires!". He can create a jar of sacred ash which can never be exhausted by use, and the gift of spiritual ecstasy by a simple touch. He knows each one's past and future. [Gîtâ 7.26] He says that we are the same as He is. It is simply our delusion that we feel we are different.

The Publishers Weekly wrote about Arnold Schulman's book, 'Baba': "Sri Sathya Sai Baba calls Himself an Avatâr, an Incarnation of God, His followers who number over six millions, come to His ashram at Puttaparthi in Southern India to sit at His feet, sing their prayers and ask for miracles. Baba answers their prayers: He cures the incurable, materializes objects and holy ashes, sustains the faithful and convinces the doubtful."

We may frequently fall into the error of deeming Baba to be a mortal like ourselves, forgetting the fact that He is the very Divine Essence that has willed itself into each mortal body. Baba has said that He as well as the Sai Baba of Shirdi have been emanations of the same Essence. Baba is one with all the Avatârs that have descended so far and those that will come hereafter.

There is no inner circle or outer with regard to Baba's devotees. All mankind is His fold. Numberless persons have been drawn by Him, away from low desires and passions, from fanatical and cynical attitudes. The Name 'Sai ' will soon be embellished in every heart.

Prasanthi Nilayam is His Ashram at Puttaparthi, the village which He has immortalized by deciding to be born there. As He always says, "My residence is in your hearts. My Prasanthi Nilayam is in you. "

Baba's Bhajans have penetrated into numberless homes and led to the itinerant singing in cities, waking up the hearts of men to the glory of God. Baba can be adored in all forms, and addressed by all the names that God bears.

One sees in Him the power that works as the effulgence of the transcendent ray that beams beyond cosmic laws. He calls us near and wipes our tears of sorrow in spite of our faults and failures. He declared in 1962 that the Chinese menace would not be there at the time of the Birthday Celebrations on November 23. It is a fact that the Chinese retreated beyond the Himalayas on the night of the 22nd November. In 1965, when every one thought that the Dasara celebrations should be postponed in view of the Pakistan invasion, Baba declared that the Dassara celebrations should be postponed in view of the Pakistan invasion, Baba declared that the Dasara celebrations should be held as usual. As a matter of a fact, a cease-fire was ordered and accepted three days earlier than Dasara. The Fifth All India Conference of the Sathya Sai Seva Samithis had been fixed in Madras to take place on 22nd and 23rd December, 1971. There were frantic telegrams whether the Conference was postponed, for Pakistan bombed Indian airfields on 3rd December. The events that followed seemed to predict that there might soon be a global war. Baba said that there would be no war and that the Conference should be held as planned. The war came to an end of the 17th December,1971.

Baba is the indweller in each human heart. He gathers people around Him day after day and deals with them in love and compassion. Physical illness, mental worry, psychic disorder, economic want, family discord, intellectual deficiency, professional setback; He handles each problem as it comes with unfailing skill.

He gives holy ashes because that is the ultimate form that things take - Alexanders, Napoleons, Hitlers their ambitions and their empires. That is how He teaches us the lesson of detachment. He cures us of greed and hatred by reminding us of the ultimate fate that awaits all earthly pomp and glory.

That He is all knowing, even a sceptic like Schulman was compelled to admit when Baba mentioned to Schulman his visit to Japan to study Zen Buddhism and other details. Schulman thought that Baba was parading information that He had collected from Dr. Gokak about him. Sensing this the very minute, Baba told Schulman that Gokak had given Him no information. He proceeded to refer to a certain ailment of his wife which no one else had known. He told him that it was Baba who had brought about the disappearance of this ailment a week before he boarded the plane for India so that he could come to India in time. Baba is an open book for all to read. He is the Guide as well as the Goal.