THE MULTI-BILLION DOLLAR QUESTION (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8)
Date: 09-27-02
By: Robert Priddy
From the website: Sathya Sai Baba - Extensive Information and ViewpointsPart 8 - Concluding remarks!
The multi-billion dollar question is not really so much how SB has generated so much wealth - this is after all not so uncommon with Indian swamis and temples. Reputedly the fabulously richest of all temples in Tirupathi, and not far behind it the Jagannath Temple in Puri may perhaps compete for No. 1 spot with SB still. Self-styled 'Baghwan' Sri Rajneesh was the of similar undeclared riches before he was indicted on so many charges in the USA (and sold off his 84 Rolls Royces in Texas in one cheap lot to a dealer, but remained super-rich even after that). The Maharishi Mahesh Yogi sect is also rich beyond reckoning, apparently having virtually the economy of a small African country.
No, the priceless question remains why SB, who so disdains money and property, through the trust he rules over should be one of the richest persons and biggest property owners in that land of such poverty's and sufferings? That he claims to own nothing is a way to disarm gullible believers in him, but is merely a technicality of bookkeeping. Even so, it is all beyond public inspection. One asks whether the money has been truly well-employed, or wasted on too great a scale to build yet more temples and to erect other white elephants, mostly to enhance the fame of SB himself. Questions about the misuse of huge funds expended in building an isolated Super-Specialty Hospital is cogently discussed in Serguei Badaev's overview of the SB Super Specialty Hospitals' wastefulness. If this had not been so, the answer would have been clear and acceptable. Yet the putative fact remains, SB's wealth is used for gaining influence and political power, without any visible beneficial effects on politics or politicians, and rather to the contrary if the current decline of political honesty at all levels in India is considered. It seems unavoidable to conclude that those who think they 'know' the answer - that SB has divinely good plans that no one can fathom - are foundering in flight from the facts, falsehoods and foolishly placed faith.
This concludes this series. A subsequent series will deal with the question of health, healing, depression, and suicide etc. at SB ashrams.