Sathya sai baba, the living god

​

“Faith Moves Mountains. Sri Sathya Sai Baba passes away. Symbol of Love, compassion and humanity.”
This was the status message I wrote in Facebook yesterday after Sathya Sai Baba’s demise. It was very much unlike me, a non-believer of blind faith.
P.C. Sorcar, magician and Sathya Sai Baba detractor commented “Whether Sai Baba was a god or fraud is immaterial now. He is out of our physical world. He is now in heaven. And he is god for millions.”
Perhaps, he summed it up in the right perspective.
Everyone, cutting across political lines, sportsmen, film stars, business magnets, scientists, doctors, lawyers and people from all walks of life both inside and out of the country paid homage to their God Sai Baba.
The detractors of Sai Baba were always reminded of the philanthropic and public service activities of the Baba in a big way.
If you look at the trust of the Sathya Sai Baba, it is run by former IAS officers, former Chief Justice, Chartered Accountant and managing directors of leading private companies.
When such elite educated people believed in the Baba as their living God, it is no wonder that the poor hapless people sought solace in the Baba and are hopeful that Baba will take his next Avatar soon to alleviate their sufferings.
At least, no one will blame the poor for gullible Godmen. After all, Sathya Sai Baba is a God for another Cricketing God Sachin Tendulkar. What more divine sanctity do you need for this legendary Sai Baba.
There is a booming market for the Aastha and Sanskar channels and Godmen today.
Charity is not going to end with Sathya Sai Baba. Sometimes, when systems don’t work, those who take it upon themselves are viewed as Gods.
I am not claiming to be intelligent by not being a believer of such faith. Intelligence is a matter of perception. I too get superstitious while watching cricket matches or whenever I get stuck in difficult situations.
You cannot bottle up your emotions and act like sane, wise people. Only mad people can do so.
What I felt miraculous in Sathya Sai Baba is the journey of a humble boy Sathyanarayana Raju in a village called Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh to becoming a living God for millions.
Perhaps, it was in his destiny to become such a colossal figure to many. Otherwise, how could a boy stung by a scorpion lost his consciousness only to proclaim himself as reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi and actually lived as one. It was way back in 1944, that a temple for Sathya Sai Baba’s devotees was built near Puttapurthi. It was a time when India was under British rule, there was no internet, no media, no Tatas, no corporates, no Tendulkars, no Page 3 circuits. It could be the result of hallucinations on the part of the young Sai, which made people fall in devotion towards him. Such cases are fit to be shown to psychiatrists or counselors, but people deem them as acts of God. It can always be a case for debate whether many of the religions we follow today are a result of hallucinations by some mindless people and the blind faith of millions towards them.
It is quite human to find solace in despair. People are always in search of finding outlets for releasing their internal stress and attaining peace of mind. There can be no ready answers for this turmoil in the lives of each human being. We all believe in God, but have not seen him. We perceive God in whatever forms that we like and feel at ease with it. This gives rise to social order, each one moving towards the common goal of attaining God, attaining peace, but probably in different directions. Then we get fixated with our beliefs and even defend our way of life as superior to the others.
I wish, I had met the Baba personally to know more of him. What must have that young innocent boy Sathyanarayana Raju felt when he proclaimed himself as Sai Baba of Shirdi and was led by his followers into believing himself to be one. The temple premises kept on extending to accommodate his followers and his followers spread worldwide. The religious trust went on to indulge in philanthropic activities. With each benevolent mission of Sai Baba, his trust went on becoming richer and richer, with donations pouring in from the rich to the poor.
I have a feeling that Sathya Sai Baba must have been trapped by his own charisma and the coterie around him which focused on the wealth of the Trust which was running in several crores. The miracles were also to be kept going by the Baba to keep the faith intact in him. The incident where some intruders were shot dead by the Police in Sai Baba’s bedroom have always given rise to this suspicion that Baba may have become a pawn of some in the later stages of his life. They may not have been intruders at all and could also be the well wishers of Baba trying to alert him of the dangers lurking around him. With follower’s right from lawyers to Policemen around him, it comes as no surprise that the case was buried and nothing came out of it. This can all be a matter of speculation, as truth will never come out. Sathya Sai Baba lived till the age of 85, and though, he wished to live till the year 2022, Baba may have realised that everything lies in the hands of the Supreme Power, and we are mere mortals.
There may not be a possibility of a Baba of the stature of Sai Baba in an age where the actions of each individual is subject to intense scrutiny due to advanced communication and media. But there will never be an erosion of faith. Our perceptions of faith will differ from time to time. When I was young, I was taught to believe that Sadhus and sanyasis are those who renounce all their worldly pleasures and walk barefoot all over the country soothing the lives of each and every individual. Today, we get to read news of Sadhvi Pragya Thakur getting accused in bomb blast cases and creating Drama at Mumbai Central as she refused to board Awantika Express for Dewas in Madhya Pradesh. She demanded a first class AC Compartment seat, while the police had booked her in a second class compartment.
However, faith is such a thing that touches each one of our lives and is unavoidable. We need someone to listen to our problems and lift the burden out of our minds. A mere visit to a temple and a prayer to God works wonders to many. The devotees all around us come with their own set of problems and pray towards the common goal of inner peace. Such positive vibrations give us energy to think differently and do things even better than before. Science can never give us solutions in the matter of faith as it is a far wider medium which no man has been able to comprehend with for centuries. Baba may not be among us but the faith in him will endure forever.
​

 

thanks for your comments

cheers
suresh