Dubious Official Data about Sathya Baba

Dubious Official Data about Sathya Sai Baba

More factual errors and disinformation from the ashram.

Date: 06-07-03

By: Brian Steel

Email: ompukalani@hotmail.com

Home: http://bdsteel.tripod.com/More/index.html

Just found (June 2004): A THIRD CENTRAL OFFICIAL SSB WEBSITE (for the Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust, which publishes large quantities of books about SSB - www.sssbpt.org ).

On this website, there is evidence that this official website, like others, perpetuates unsubstantiated information about the early chronology of SSB's career.

According to volume 1 of Love is My Form' (LIMF) (published not by SSB critics but by the local Sai Towers publishing company of Puttaparthi in 2000), the dates offered by the Publications Trust (reproduced below) are incorrect. Add 3 years to conform to the dates offered and supported as the correct ones by the lengthy research of the Sai Towers team (as well as by other circumstantial evidence available). This research includes photostats published in LIMF of relevant School Registers from the four (not three) places where SSB attended school.

According to this official website (quoting another Sathya Sai Trust website [http://www.srisathyasai.org.in/pages/saisaga/saisaga1.htm]):

"1934-1937 Attended elementary school in Puttaparthi and Bukkapatnam. 1938-1940 Joined Uravakonda High School."
According to 'LIMF', this is quite incorrect. Between 1936 and 1942, SSB attended schools in Puttaparthi, Kamalapuram, and Bukkapatnam. He attended school in Uravakonda for a few months in the second half of 1943.

The Book Publishing website also states:
"08.03.1940 The 'Scorpion Bite'. The first transcorporeal journey to save a devotee."
(This suggestion that the alleged scorpion bite incident was to save a devotee seems to be a NOVELTY to be added to the SSB literature.)
If this took place, it was in early 1943.

And:
"23.05.1940 Announcement at Puttaparthi : "I am Saibaba." "No. A
ccording to most of the SSB literature it took place in Uravakonda (in 1940). But according to 'LIMF', it was in 1943.

And:
"20.10.1940 Proclamation at Uravakonda : "I am no longer your Sathya. I am Sai. My work is calling me." The first Bhajan Song, also a call to mankind : "Manasa Bhajare Guru Charanam " "
No. 'LIMF' places this in 1943.

Addendum: Since there is no reason to doubt the new information given by 'LIMF' in 2000, this is further proof that the official date for SSB's 'Declarations' is not 1940, as the SSO tells the world, but 1943.

If official SSB websites cannot be bothered to correct the record on such simple matters, why should they be taken seriously on other alleged biographical data about SSB.