An Attempt to Know Sathya Sai Baba – Part One

An Attempt to Know Sathya Sai Baba – Part One
Sathya Sai Baba Is He Magician?
Sathya Sai Baba Is He Spiritual Leader?
Sathya Sai Baba Is He Saint?
Sathya Sai Baba Is He Cheat?

Real Name - Sathyanarayana Raju

Date of Birth 23 November 1926 (1926-11-23) (age 82)

Place of birth Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, and India


Sathya Sai Baba – Childhood

Sathyanarayana Raju was born to Eswaramma and Peddavenkama Raju (with the family name of "Ratnakaram")

Easwaramma described Sathyanarayana as being born of Immaculate Conception. She the mother of SSB, relates, "I had dreamt of Sathya Narayana Deva and she cautioned me that I should not be frightened if something happened to me through the Will of God.

That morning when I was at the well drawing water, a big ball of blue light came rolling towards me and I fainted and fell. I felt it glided into me". Sathya Sai Baba confirmed this in a 2003 birthday discourse.

A teacher of Sathyanarayna, Sri V.C. Kondappa, recalls his former student. "The boys, gathered around him for the things he 'took' out of his empty bag! When asked about it, he said that a certain 'Angel' obeyed his will and gave him whatever he wanted!" The empty bag often produced "delectable sweets, pencils, pieces of rubber, toys, flowers and fruits.
Becoming God -
"His special talents were for drama, music, poetry and acting.
On the twentieth day of October, 1940, he proclaimed himself to be a reincarnation of the fakir and saint Sai Baba of Shirdi and subsequently took the fakir's name, Sai Baba.

Family members and neighbors however were not convinced. They approached the young Sathya and said, "If you are Sai Baba, give us some proof." "Give me those jasmine flowers," said young Sathya. After receiving them, he threw them on the floor. The flowers, according to those present, "arranged themselves as the letters Sai Baba in Telugu."

"Sathyanarayana Raju was commonly known either as Bala Sai (Boy Sai) or Sathya Sai Baba, an appellation which he himself accepted."

In 1944, a mandir (temple) for Sathya Sai Baba's devotees was built near the village. It is now referred to as the old mandir.

The construction of Prashanthi Nilayam, the current ashram, was started in 1948. "Prasanthi Nilayam was inaugurated on the twenty-third of November, 1950, the twenty-fourth birthday of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. It took about two years to build."

Today, Puttaparthi has undergone enormous change. It has been transformed from a small village to a world pilgrimage center. Sathya Sai Baba's efforts have resulted in a deemed university with three campuses and two "super specialty" hospitals that cater to the needs of the poor free of charge.

In 1960, Sathya Sai Baba said that he would be in this mortal human form for another 59 years.

In 1963, Sathya Sai Baba suffered a stroke and four severe heart attacks.

During the Guru Poornima discourse, Sathya Sai Baba made statements declaring himself a reincarnation of Shiva and Shakti.

He also claimed that Sai Baba of Shirdi was an incarnation of Shiva and that his future reincarnation, Prema Sai Baba, would be a reincarnation of Shakti.

He publicly repeated the claim that he is the second of three incarnations in 1976.
Baba's biography states that Prema Sai Baba will be born in Mysore State.
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. Siva was born in the gothra of that sage as Sai Baba of Shirdi; Siva and Sakthi have incarnated as myself in his gothra now; Sakthi alone will incarnate as the third Sai (Prema Sai Baba) in the same gothra in Mysore State."


1976 interview with Blitz Magazine, Sathya Sai Baba was asked by Sri R.K. Karanjia (Senior Editor of Blitz Magazine), why he had incarnated. Sathya Sai Baba responded, "Because that is the only way to incarnate the God within man.; therefore, in my present Avathar, I have come armed with the fullness of the power of formless God to correct mankind, raise human consciousness and put people back on the right path of truth, righteousness, peace and love to divinity."

Sathya Sai Baba gives discourses on religious topics to devotees in his native language Telugu.
Sathya Sai Baba has said that his followers do not need to give up their original religion, saying "My objective is the establishment of sanathana dharma, which believes in one God as propitiated by the founders of all religions.

So none has to give up his religion or deity 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 a Hindu a better Hindu.

According to "Ocean of Love", a book published by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, "there is no new path that He is preaching, no new order that He has created. There is no new religion that He has come to add or a particular philosophy that He recommends ... His mission is unique and simple. His mission is that of love and compassion."

Puttaparthi, where Sathya Sai Baba was born and still lives, was originally a small remote South Indian village.

Now one can 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 former President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee have been official guests at the ashram in Puttaparthi.
On Sathya Sai Baba's 80th birthday celebration, it was reported that well over a million people attended, including 13,000 delegates from India and 180 other countries.

Sathya Sai Baba claims that his darshan has spiritual benefits.
Sathya Sai Baba supports free schools and other charitable works in 166 countries.
The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Puttaparthi is a 220 bed facility that provides free surgical and medical care and was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao on 22 November 1991.

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Bangalore is a 333 bed hospital meant to benefit the poor.

The hospital was inaugurated on 19 January 2001 by the then Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee.

The hospital has provided free medical care to over 250,000 patients.
The Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital was opened in Whitefield, Bangalore, in 1977 and provides complex surgeries, food and medicines free of cost. The hospital has treated over 2 million patients

On 23rd November 1999, the Department of Posts, Government of India, released a postage stamp and a postal cover in recognition of the pioneering service rendered by Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba in addressing the problem of providing safe drinking water to the rural masses.
Photo of Sathya Sai Stamp issued by Government of India


In devotees' houses in various parts of the world, there are claims from observers 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.

Sathya Sai Baba has explained the phenomenon of manifestation as being an act of divine creation, but refused to have his materializations investigated under experimental conditions.

In a 1974 discourse, he stated, "The optical sense cannot visualize the truth. It gives only false and fogged information.
Photo of Indian Political Leaders with SATHYA SAI BABA-


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 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 Patel (Member of Parliament, India; Formerly of the Lok Sabha & Union Minister) all signed a letter which stated as follows "We are deeply pained and anguished by the wild, reckless and concocted allegations made by certain vested interests and people against Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

We would normally expect that responsible media would ascertain the true facts before printing such calumny - especially when the person is revered globally as an embodiment of love and selfless service to humanity.
Since this professional ethic has not been observed by a section of the media, we have elected to go public with this signed statement."

Photo of Sunil Gavaskar worshipping Sathya Sai Baba –


Suggested Reading - Sathya Sai Baba and Cheating charges
Link -
http://realityviews.blogspot.com/2009/11/attempt-to-know-sathya-sai-baba-part_03.html