"A CRITICAL SITE ABOUT SAI BABA"

 

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In this page you find a series of various quotations from Sai Baba, taken here and there, with comment. Have "fun"...

Sathya Sai Baba, the Faithful and the True...?

As we've seen in the page related to the Revelation of St. John, SB is considered as the one who into the Revelation is defined  "the Faithful and the true". The same SB's name, Sathya, means Truth, ed and he consider himslef and is considered, among the many various things, as the embodiement of Truth and Righteousness. There's an interesting anecdote from Tal Brooke's book "Lord of the air":

"[Two american girls devotees of SB, India and Marsha, had a serious problem dating back to before meeting him. They had lost their passports, and had to justify themselves before indian authorities for six months of staying in India without a visa; besides they were considered persona non grata because they frequented an hasish smuggler. With great surprise to eveybody, Sai Baba shows a letter and states that he pleaded their cause in front of the authorities, and that he had someway vouched for them, saying that he had always been with the girls, that was obviously false.] Baba then proceeded to read the letter in Telugu as Nanda faithfully translated every word [...] In the background were enthusiastic outbursts that sounded like "... aw gee Baba, that's incredible." Which it was! It was a white lie to protect them, and a risk on the part of Baba. A few lines later, Gill [...] interrupted Baba midway in a sentence. "Baba, that's a lie". It hurt him to say it, and his tone, wounded and bewildered, seemed to say, "Aw, why do you have to make me say this. I don't like it, but I haven't any choice".

[Then there are moments of silence and very strong tension, Baba is about to rebate.] As keenly as I was now watching for it, and as much as I hated to admit, Baba appeared to manifest a human reaction when I had anticipated a trascendental leap into divine equanimity as being most logical. The scroll in Baba's hands was shuddering visibly, as Baba wound and unwound it "nervously". His face seemed to twitch, and although he continued to smile compassionately, there seemed to be a contradictory surge of emotion beneath this.

His voice quavered just a bit as he spoke rapid English. "Not a lie," Baba replied, awed that Gill would say such a thing. "Not a lie! Your mistake, your misunderstanding".

"But Baba, the fact is that India and Marsha were not with you in Whitefield all that time they were in Darjeeling and lost their passports. Couldn't ya have done it another way?"

"Small mind, not understanding. God is everywhere, I am everywhere, I brought them to me. Everywhere is in me. Darjeeling . Whitefield. Prashanti Nilayam, is all with me."

"I know, I know that Baba, but [...] the fact remains that you told a lie... India and Marsha were not with you in Whitefield."

"I wrote this letter out of pure love, divine love. Not a lie, sir. [...] Your misunderstanding, unable to see divine love because of jealousy - you want a letter, so when I give extra grace to make a special letter, you are jealous."

"Now Baba, that isn't so. I'm not jealous... I had to say it, and if the situation repeated itself a thousand times over, I'd still do the same thing." [Gill poi continua] "And Baba... the food in the canteen. You've told us for months that we must eat satwic food, pure food without spices. Yet the food in the canteen is so hot... I mean full of peppers this big...," indicating with his fingers, "...that it physically torments me to eat it."

Baba explained, "For Indian peoples, there is a special nourishment in pepper, source of special energy, vitamins and minerals. You Americans not understanding. Pepper diet the same, all over India."

"But then Baba, why do you tell us to avoid spicy food [...]? Isn't it the same for everybody?"

"For Indians, it's all right, but for Americans, it causes wrong desires and wrong thoughts."

That ended the subject. Gill continued staring at the floor puzzled as Baba laughed understandingly at his ignorance. [...] Gill's outburst turned what was to be a sweet grace-filled interview into something so strident that almost nobody could swallow the ill feeling. And though things had blown over, the memory of the jarring attack hadn't blown away one iota, nor the tiny imperfections in Baba's explanations."

(from Tal Brooke's "Lord of the air")

Notice: obviously Gill was right. Sai Baba didn't answer him and, by saying that spicy food is good for indians but not for americans, he implicitly said that Gill was right, but he didn't answer the question and he ridiculized him in front of all. Quite a suitable behaviour for an "omniscent God"... here is something on food from Sai Baba:

"As the food, so the mind; as the mind, so the thought; as the thought, so the act. Food is an important factor [...] The scriptures classify food as sathwic, rajasic and thamasic and relate these three types to the three mental modes (gunas) of the same names. [...] Man boils, fries, melts, mixes and adopts various methods of cooking in order to satisfy the cravings of the tongue, the eye and the nose. As a consequence, the food value of these articles is either reduced or destroyed. [...] Food having too much salt or pepper is rajasic and should be avoided; so also too much fat and starch, which are thamasic in their effects on the body."

(Source: Sanatana Sarathi, 1979. Discourse given on Hospital Day, 21 September 1979)

It so happens that Gill was quite referring to those too much boiled (thus void of any nourishment) and spicy soups he was obliged to eat at Sai Baba's ashram refectory; also the author Tal Brooke in that book complained about it. It is exactly the kind of food that SB recommends to avoid. Thus SB was wrong, and Gill's question was quite legitimate, but SB hushed up the dissent by ridiculizing and putting in difficulties the one who was questioning him. Is this a way of acting suitable to "God"?

The end of the episode sees Gill expelled from Prashanti Nilayam, forced to leave Sai Baba's village. Obviously, as it always happens, no devotees will no longer remember the "tiny imperfections" in SB's words. It doesn't matter if he has been contradictory, hysterical, arrogant, illiberal. It doesn't matter if he has not answered even just a single question, or if he has said foolishnesses; if he had attacked and ridiculized ad personam who was contradicting him. These are behaviours which "normali" human beings strive to avoid as possible, in civilized discussions. This we've seen, seems not to be the suited behaviour to "God" Sai Baba, who defines himself as:

More generally, is this the behaviour we could expect from a divine "master", or rather, from the Supreme God in person? Yet, at Prashanti Nilayam this kind of things is ordinary. And all seem to be happy and delighted of that, even when they are "beaten" by their own guru.

Does Sai Baba is really able to help anybody?

We learn this dramatic episode from the "Indian Skeptic":

"The Managing Director of a semi government industrial corporation in Kerala and his wife had implicit faith in Sai Baba and his words, "Why fear when I am here". The cause of their belief was their problematic son. Sai Baba consoled them that he would be alright after marriage and in fact found a girl for him, the daughter of the leader of Sai Baba Samithi in Thodupuzha. On the evening previous to the marriage the bridegroom went to Alwaye to receive some of his friends. He got fully drunk and hit a stationary truck loaded with long iron rods which pierced him and he died instantly. His parents could not take the shock and dis-illusioned of the powers of the godman. They gifted all the presents and materials purchased for the marriage to Sai Baba. The father died of a massive heart attack as all his beliefs had shattered. Next year on the death anniversary of her son, the mother who could not come out of the grief committed suicide at Guruvayur temple. Instead of keeping faith in Satya Sai Baba and praying, if they had tried to find out the cause of the problem of their son and solved it they would have been still living."

(source: B. Premanand, "The Indian Skeptic", Vol. 2, N. 5, September 1989)

I feel any comment to be superfluous. But it's sad that still many people wait for some help and relief from Sai Baba, which will never come. And they will keep on waiting uselessly.

Again on science and scientists

When Sai Baba occupies himself with science and scientists, he shaves the ridicolous and grazes the pathetic, and we've seen many examples until now. It's pathetic to see him striving in the attempt to assemble himself some credibility, coming from the same science which he continuously despise, by quoting randomly and wrongly some name and notion. What is worse, is that for many people all they would know of science are the absurdities that SB tells them. Let's read:

"[...] today, just like once, there are men of science able to understand the basic synthesis between «Science» by one side and «Spirituality» or ancient Wisdom by the other side. Newton gave a scientifical interpretation to Earth's force of gravity, but he also had the wisdom to say that such force has forever existed and that behind it there is God's supreme hand.

Einstein was a pilaster of science who deeply investigated the misteries of nature and he discovered, at the end, that the idea of spirituality existed behind any phenomena of material life. Moreover he understood that at the purpose of making best use of nature knowledges, it was necessary to be in company with the good and virtuous ones (Sath - Sanga) because only this way the heart and the mind could purify and cleanse. He expressed this concept by saying: «Tell me who do you frequent and I'll tell you who you are!» In such simple statement there is the deep truth, that the kind of society in which we live is a reflection of our nature.

Another great personality of science, Heisenberg, contributed in a substantial way to the foundation of modern scientifical thinking. He discovered the deep link between «matter» and «spirit» into the scriptures on «yoga» and summarized his experience in these few words: «Control the mind, become a master of the mind!».

Another scientists, Schroedinger, wanted to discover hydrogen's nature and in that process he became aware of the link between «spirituality» and «science», i. e. that the first is the basis for the latter. He understood as well that if one increases desires and wantings, he tends to praise oneself and one's own innate skills. Thus he concluded: «More desires, more pains!»

Another great scientists, Dirac, searched for the One, the entity who lives in all living creatures and at the end he concluded: «Love ever, hurt never!» This statement is nothing but an echo of what the ancient Sages gave to the humanity as quintessence of all «Puranas» (epic sacred scriptures): «Never hurt anybody, love everybody!».

In the West there's another personage in science's field, Fritjof Capra, who revealed the link between matter and spirit in the vibratory nature of atom."

(from a speech of 22 november 1985, personal translation)

A remark: the scientists mentioned in this passage, reveal SB's knowledge of science to be very ordinary and at the divulgative level. He doesn't put in act any supeior or divine knowledge here, yet he doesn't so in no place...! These names of scientists are to be found in any divulgative book, even low-profiled, which treats of modern physics, and SB quotes them roughly and without entering upon the discoveries for which they are famous. Rather he uses them to put in their mouths thing they've never said or done in their life of scientists: if you try to consult the biographies of scientists mentioned by Sai Baba, you'll find that NOTHING of what he makes them to say is true; for example:

Blindness according to Sai Baba

"[...] The sun has the characteristic of going away from the «ungrateful». Infact, its splendour and its radiant power which are present in the eye of every man, goes away from who is ungrateful and is by this way that man becomes blind."

(from a speech of 23 november 1985, personal translation)

Impeccable. Whether SB was talking about physical or spiritual blindness, this is quite a smooth piece of reasoning.

Happiness and will...

"Everybody would have to be happy. Loka Samasta Sukino Bhavantu. Nobody would have to be troubled, nobody would have to feel sorrow and pain. This is My Will (sankalpa)."

(from a speech of 18 october 1999, personal translation)

Why all these "would have"? It isn't right to grant that peace, that Sai Baba "has come" in the world? Anyway I agree with him, also in my opinion everybody would have to be happy, would have not to be troubled, etc... me too I wish this. But I don't claim to be God, thus I know that this will of mine could go unfulfilled. Sai Baba instead says to be the Supreme God incarnated, and from 60 years he tells us that His Will is to bring peace and prosperity in the world, and he also told us that:

What Sai resolves must take place. You have to understand this. (23 november 1985)

What I will, must take place; what I plan must succeed. (1991)

It's a pity, indeed it's a pity that during these 60 years the world hasn't seen any effective demonstration of "His Will".

More from Sai Baba on Christmas

Recently (Christmas 1999), Sai Baba has given a speech where he talks about the meaning of Christmas, according to his own vision. The speech in truth is not focused on Christmas, but on a celebration of the "Glory of Womanhood" (it's the title of the speech); that is curious for Sai Baba, whose organization is strongly male-based. The Sathya Sai Organization has mainly male officers and managers. It's also curious that, on a sacred day for Christians, SB gives a speech totally based on Hindu scriptures, myths and philosophy; he also talks about the "Messengers of Sathya Sai", a student association, and even if Christmas is Jesus' birthday, SB talks about his own 75th birthday (23 November 2000), and then he goes on with more Hindu arguments. Even the womanhood's celebration, which is done on Christmas day, is performed using only the figures of Hindu mythological women, while he could have been using, along with Hindu ones, many others from the Bible or from the Gospels alone. But SB's intentions are clear... this is the only passage where he speaks about Christmas:

"Allah, Jesus, Zoarashtra all these are names for the same divinity. Today (Christmas) is mainly celebrated by Christians, but do not make the mistake that it is only for Christians. It is a holy and happy occasion to be celebrated by the entire mankind. Get rid of religious and philosophical differences and enlarge your mind. [...] There is only one religion in the universe and that is divine love (Prema). The one without this principle of love in his heart is not a Christian, Muslim nor a Sikh and is no better than a demon. This principle of complete unity of all religions is now manifested only in Prasanthi Nilayam. Imagine what a phenomenon it is that Christians from so many countries in this world have joined together here to celebrate Christmas. There are people from sixty-four countries assembled here. They are all of one heart. This is true devotion. Swami reiterates it is not a celebration for Christians only but is a holy occasion for the entire humanity. It is the desire of Swami that such differences are completely eradicated."

(from the speech of Christmas 1999)

What an effort... considering that he talks on Christmas day! Notice that, apart from the opening mention, during the whole speech SB never talks about Jesus, but only about himself. And again, we can see the clear intention to totally spoil the meaning of Christmas at the eyes of Christians and Westerners, and to reconduct all meanings to himself and to Hinduism. In fact, he never does this with any Hindu sacred day or personage, as we can notice in the above passage, where he puts under discussion only the other religions, but not his own one. Then, SB states that he himself is the only authentic manifestation of the true One Religion.

Thus, SB's intention is not to unify all religions under the "Religion of Love", but rather to flatten all religions and doctrines of the world under the flag of Hinduism, the only one which is true and dear to him. He says "It is the desire of Swami that such differences are completely eradicated", that practically means "spoil and leave your own native culture and beliefs, and replace them with my teachings", which are Hindu ortodoxes teachings. And this is what really happens: SB's western devotees become Hindu, without being aware of it: they sing Hindu songs, pray Hindu prayers, respect Hindu holy days, start considering their previous culture and beliefs as despicable, and they come to view and know their own native culture only through Sai Baba's words, which they take for granted without any verification.

These are nothing but the acts and words of a nationalist and religious fondamentalist man; and though he seem to be using gentle and persuading methods instead of violence, he's making nothing but proselytism. All this despite his claiming to be the "Universal Avatar of the Age", for all people of all countries and religions. Yes, it's all true, you have only to leave your own habits and cultures, and become Hindu. There's nothing bad in it, Hinduism is as respectable as the other doctrines, but the question is that Sai Baba deceives people, saying them that they won't have to leave their own religion and beliefs... but strangely, most of them sooner or later do so.

This is most likely to Orwell's "1984", the "Big Brother" in action, in the spiritual field...

"Amazing" phenomenons

"Every Avatar is an amazing phenomenon. Not to recognize the Avatar is equally a matter for amazement. Even more astonishing is the incapacity to experience the presence of the Avatar. Most astonishing of all is to be in the presence of the Lord and feel miserable. To be in the proximity of the Avatar, to move about with the Avatar, to sing and sport with the Avatar and yet fail to understand the truth of the Avatar is indeed a remarkable phenomenon! When the Avatar principle is understood, you experience real bliss."

(from a talk given on 14 August 1990)

When Sai Baba talks that way, he's almost funny... in my opinion this kind of statements is an implicit admission of his own failure, or a demonstration of the fact that until now he has said nothing but big absurdities. Let's begin from the fact that SB has often said about himself:

Now, if all this would be true, SB neither would have to be "amazed" that so many people doesn't understand and follow him (and notice: the very most part of humanity doesn't follow, know, or care about him), nor he would have to be cheap ironic about that.

Instead, since he proclaim himself to be omniscent, he would have had known from the very beginning of his "mission", that many wouldn't have been able to understand the "Avatar principle", to "experience the presence", to "understand his truth".

And as a lasting point, since SB proclaims himself to be "Lord", i. e. the first and last principle, creator and destroyer of the universe (as such he regards himself, and as such his devotees regard him), he is also the creator of the human being; and if the latter is not able to understand the Avatar, the responsibility for that would be exclusively of Sai Baba, since he would have created us the way we are.

And even worse, under another hindu philosophical point of view, human beings (and all creatures, and the whole Universe) are nothing but an incarnated manifestation of God, who separated and manifested himself in order to experience himself: then in this case, SB would be God being amazed of himself because he's not able to understand himself. (!!!)

Thus: Sai Baba, the "Supreme Lord incarnated", omnipotent and omniscent, seems to be unable to foresee the implications of his own plans, but he's not willing to assume the responsibilities deriving from the powers which he has ascribed to himself. The fact that people doesn't understand the Avatar, is only and exclusively a problem of the Avatar himself...  for SB it would be enough, from the heights of his own omnipotence, to make himself more comprehensible to everybody... and explain to everybody in an understandable way the "Avatar principle", whatever it could be.

There's obviously a more simple, logical and fitting explanation: Sai Baba is not "Lord", he's not "Avatar", he has no powers and there's no hidden "principle" to understand; there only are only his cheap irony and his empty words, with the purpose to make his audience to feel in subjection, and to gain power over those following him. And in an absolutely normal and natural way, many don't follow and understand him, since there's nothing more to understand, apart from what it could be seen.

 

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