Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Baba and the Concept of Avatarhood

Why should the Lord incarnate?

In Bhagavad-Gita Lord Sri Krishna declares:

"Yada Yada Hi Dharmasya Glanirbhavathi Bharatha
Abhyudhanamadharmasya Thadathmanam Srujamyaham"
"Parithranaya Sadhunam Vinashayacha Dhushkrutham
Dharmasamsthapanarthaya Sambhavami Yuge Yuge"

Whenever there is decline of Righteousness and rise of evil, the Lord incarnates from time to time to uphold Righteousness, to protect the Virtuous and to uproot evil. The avatar appears whenever the world is passing through a spiritual and moral crisis. The avatar comes in order to uphold dharma and to reveal the next evolutionary step in creation. It is easy to see how the modern world, through its moral regress and decline of values, is ripe for avatars.

One may ask why should the Lord Himself Incarnate? Why should he not set about the task of restoring Dharma through the many minor gods that he has at His command? Akbar himself posed this question before the courtiers, for, he laughed at the Hindu idea of the Formless adopting Form and descending into the world, as an Avatar to save Dharma. Tansen asked for a week's time and got it granted by His imperial majesty. A few days later, when he was in the pleasure boat of the emperor, sailing across the lake with his family, Tansen threw overboard a doll made to look like the emperor's little son, crying at the same time, "O, the prince has fallen into the water!" Hearing this, the emperor jumped into the lake to rescue his son!

Tansen then disclosed that it was only a doll and that the son was safe. He allayed the anger of Akbar by explaining that he had perforce to enact this drama, in order to demonstrate the truth of the Hindu belief that God takes human form Himself, to save Dharma, without commissioning some other entity to carry out that task. Dharma is like the son, God loves it so dearly. Akbar could have ordered one among the many personnel he had on board, to jump in and rescue his son: but, his affection was so great and the urgency so acute that the emperor himself plunged into the lake, to pull out the "son". The decline in Dharma is so acute a tragedy, the intensity of affection that the Lord has for good men is so great, that He Himself comes.

Who is an Avatar?

Sage Suka gives a picture of Sri Krishna, such as would be painted by a good observer: "He treated the world as a puppet-show. He was always radiant with his smile. He never knows anxiety, disappointment or distress. He behaved some times as a common man, some times as an innocent child, at other times as a near Kinsman, or as an intimate friend, or as a masterful monarch. He had the capacity and cleverness to play all roles with a unique distinction." The impression that one finally has of an avatar is the unique blend of the human and the divine, - attributes that go to make up aishvarya or divinity and all those human qualities that make him so sweet and lovable, qualities that may be summed up as madhurya or sweetness.

Baba has been Subramanya, Sakti and all the Masters for many of his devotees. Each avatar is a manifestation of the Divine. And the Divine is all encompassing, for He is the substance of all the multifarious forms that He takes.

When Baba writes about Sri Krishna in Bhagavata Vahini we get to know what an avataric personality has to say about an Avatar. Baba makes Arjuna say, after the self-slaughter of the Yadavas, when he had to return alone tragically from Dwaraka: "We have failed to understand his play. With that deluding human form he moved with us, mixed with us, behaved with us as if he was our Kinsman and well-wisher, our friend and guide and saved us from many a calamity. We were carried away by pride that we had His Grace. We sought from him mere external victory and temporal benefits. We ignored the vast treasures with which we could have filled our hearts. We never contemplated His real reality."

Baba on Avatarhood:

"This avatar has no destructive weapon in His possession, like the Kodanda (bow) of Rama, or the Chakra(discus) of Sri Krishna. He relies on education, rather than elimination; instruction rather than destruction. The good are encouraged to become better, the better to enter the region of the best and the blessed. The bad are encouraged to shed the coil of cowardice, which keeps them in fear."

"The optical sense cannot visualise the truth. It gives only false and fogged information. For example, many observe my actions and start declaring that my nature is such and such. They are unable to gauge the sanctity, the majesty, and the eternal reality that is Me. The power of Sai is limitless; it manifests forever. All forms of 'power' are resident in this Sai palm."

"My power is immeasurable; My truth is inexplicable, unfathomable. I am announcing this about me, for the need has arisen. Let me tell you that emphatic declarations of the truth by Avatars were made so clearly and so unmistakably only by Krishna. In spite of the declaration, you will notice in the career of the same Krishna that he underwent apparent defeat in his efforts and endeavours, on a few occasions; you must also note that those defeats too were part of the drama that he had planned and that he himself directed. For example, when many kings pleaded with him to avert the war with the Kauravas, he confessed that His mission to the Kaurava Court for ensuring peace had 'failed'! But he had not willed that it should succeed! He had decided that war would be waged! His mission was intended to punish the greed and iniquity of the Kauravas and to condemn them before the whole world.

Now, I must tell you that, during this Sai Avatar, there is no place for even such 'drama' with scenes of failure and defeats! What I will, must take place, what I plan must succeed. I am Truth, and Truth has no need to hesitate, or fear, or bend."

"Since I move freely among them, talking and singing, even intellectuals are unable to grasp my truth, my power, my glory, or my real task as Avatar. I can solve any problem however knotty; I am beyond the reach of the most intensive enquiry and the most meticulous measurement. Only those who have recognised my love and experienced that love can assert that they have glimpsed my reality. For the path of Love is the royal road that leads mankind to me."

"Man extols God as omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent, but he ignores his Presence in himself. Of course, many venture to describe the attributes of God and proclaim Him such and such; but these are their own guesses and the reflections of their own predilections and preferences.

Who can affirm that God is this or that? Who can affirm that God is not of this form or with this attribute? Each one can acquire from the vast expanse of the ocean only as much as can be contained in the vessel he carries to its shore. From that quality, they can grasp but a little of that immensity. Each religion defines God within the limits it demarcates and then claims to have grasped Him. Like the six blind men who spoke of the elephant as a pillar, a fan, a rope or a wall, because they contacted but a part and could not comprehend the entire animal, so too, religions speak of a part and assert that its vision is full and total."

Source: http://www.srisathyasai.org.in/

This is the Story of the Lord come in human form, incarnated at a quite little village, Puttaparthi, in 1926. Born to a quiet, pious and contented couple, Sri Pedda Venkama Raju and Mother Easwaramma, and christened Sathyanarayana Raju. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is now worshipped as 'God Incarnate' and adored as 'Loving Divinity' by millions across the globe.

Signs of The Descent

Mysterious indications of the impending incarnation occurred in Pedda Venkama's house. For example, there was the twang of the tambura! Since the brothers and the father were all interested in the village operas, there was a substantially big tambura and a Maddala or drum. As the birth of the Son for whom Mother Easwaramma prayed, announced itself as imminent, the house was awakened at midnight, and sometimes even later, by the tambura twanging automatically, and the maddala beating rhythmically as if an expert Hand was handling it! One Sastri, whom Pedda Venkama Raju approached for an explanation, said that it was an auspicious occurrence: it meant the presence of a Shakthi, a beneficent Power, conferring Harmony, Melody, Order, Symmetry, Spiritual Elevation and Joy.

The Sun rises above the horizon!

On the 23rd day of November 1926, the son was born. It was the time of sunrise; and, the villagers were chanting the names of Shiva, remembering that the day was still Karthika Somavara, a Monday of the Holy Month of Karthika, devoted to the puja and worship of Shiva. That day was made even more auspicious for Shiva worship, because the ascendant star was Ardra and on such rare occasions when the month, the day and the star coincide, special pujas are performed in the temples of the Lord. The year was Akshaya, the Never-declining, the Ever-full.

The Mother had also just finished, in some hurry of course, her Sathya Narayana Puja in accordance with her vows, for, even while she was going through the final rituals, the pangs forewarned her. When Easwaramma announced the pangs, word was sent to the mother-in-law, Lakshamma, the pious lady of the house; but, it became known that she had gone to the house of the priest to perform the Puja of Sathya Narayana; the messenger discovered her there and urged her to return; but she was so confident of the Grace of Sathya Narayana, so steadfast in her devotion, so disciplined in her religious adherence, that she refused to be hustled! She sent word that she will bring with her to Easwaramma the sacred offerings after the Puja and that, on no account would she interrupt her prayers! She finished the entire ritual with full concentration, came home, gave her daughter-in-law the flowers and the sacred water Easwaramma partook of the blessings of the Lord. Next moment, the Lord was born; And the Sun rose above the horizon!

Sathyanarayana Raju

Indeed the village, which bears the name, Ant-hill Prosperity, gave the child an appropriate welcome! A snake was there lying in the room! The women did not notice it for long; but, when the baby, laid on a bed of clothes, was being moved up and down in a peculiar way by something underneath, they watched with bated breath and when at last they searched, they found a cobra below the bed! The snake was acting the role of Sesha to the Seshasai!

The baby was charming beyond description, and, no wonder! For, it had even in the cradle all the Yogic Siddhis, which Pathanjali says come along with birth itself. Baba has declared that He knew even prior to His Birth where He would be born; He has said that he was born with all the miraculous powers, which He is later out of His own will, manifesting one by one, as and when He feels each could be so announced. It must therefore follow that the baby had a halo of splendour around its head, that its smile had an other-worldly beauty and a heavenly power to captivate the heart.

The baby was named Sathyanarayana, since the relationship between the puja to that God and the realisation of her cherished desire seemed to the Mother to be very important. When the Namakaranam (Naming Ceremony) was performed and the name was whispered in the ear; it seems the baby smiled, for the suggestion to give that name must have emanated unobtrusively from Itself! How else can we explain the fact that the first requisite for spiritual advancement, now propounded by Baba, is Sathya itself? The embodiment and exponent of Truth could not give Himself a more appropriate name.

1) "SVARUUPA LAKSHANA" - Its true, inherent, Absolute Nature. The Upanishaths declare IT to be inexpressible by words and in fact unreachable by the Mind: APRAAPYA MANASA SAH.

2) THATASTHA LAKSHANA or its partial attributes and manifestations. When DIVINITY descends in human form, DHAIVAM MAANUSHA RUUPENA,

1) KAAMA AAKARSHANA or desire fulfilling power: Svaami - Himself free from all desires - is like the KAAMA DHENU or the proverbial Celestial Wish-fulfilling Cow, ever ready to fulfill the Wishes of God-loving, Sin-fearing devotees. Artha and Kaama wealth and desire fulfilment should be used in the development of the yearning for liberation from worldly attachments, i.e. attainment of MOKSHA. Moksha is MOHA KSHAYA - the destruction of all worldly infatuations, says Baba.

2) BUDDHYAAKARSHANA - the power to activate, stimulate and fulfil our intellectual capacities. He is the bestower of the power of reasoning, power of discrimination and power of renunciation of worldly attachments. He sets us on the path of inquiry KOHAM "Who am I?" Naham Dheham; Naaham Manah, I am not the mind or senses - I am not a mere body. SOHAM - I am the very Divinity.

3) the AHAMKAARA-AAKARSHANA transformation of our Ego sense. Svaami Himself free from the coils of the ego (Aham-Kaara Varjitha), He sometimes inflates our big ego before deflating it and destroying our false ego, which is the greatest obstacle to Spirituality

4) SHABDHA AAKARSHANA, the power of sound. Baba - primal power of pure sound consciousness - Shabdha-Brahma-Mayee. Shabda also connotes the Vedhas containing the most ancient but ever new or fresh eternal wisdom. Baba is therefore called Vedha Purusha, the embodiment of Vedhik Wisdom

5) SPARSHA AAKARSHANA - the power of divine touch; it is healing touch. His is a sin-erasing touch; It is a purifying sacred and holy touch. By our touching His lotus feet or His touching us with his open palm on the top of our head, there is a descent of divine energy or Shakthi Paatha. This is called Hastha Masthaka Samyogam by which the thousand petaled lotus blooms; His touch of the space between our eye brows awakens the Aajnaa Chakra; His touch of the heart centre (Anaahatha Chakra) provinces spiritual vibrations!

6) RUUPAAKARSHANA. Svaami's forms are splendrous and wondrous. His spiritual form has an aura of radiance! The formless Divine takes on a beautiful form on the earth, DHAIVAM MAANUSHARUUPENA –to liberate humanity from the shackles of ignorance and worldly illusion. The Divine assumes human form to:-

2. to rescue the suppressed, the oppressed, the depressed, the repressed and the compressed!

4. above all, to restore and manifest the power of Virtue and Right Conduct, Dharma which in this Kali-Yuga walks only on one of its "four legs".

Baba's form radiates an aura of beautiful light bluish colour, as was revealed in the Kirilian photographs taken by Dr Frank Baranowski. These spiritual vibrations purify the environment around Baba and spread truth, righteousness, LOVE and Peace all around.

7) RASAAKARSHANA - sweetness personified. His words are sweet; His bearing is sweet and grace filled; His gestures and movements exude LOVE and compassion. Baba is RASESHVARA - the Lord of Mellowed Ambrosia of supreme delight and inexpressible sweetness of inner Bliss.

8) CHITTHAAKARSHANA. Chittha is the store-house of our past & present memories; unfulfilled residual desires & impressions from our previous lives, called Vaasanas which haunt us in the present & will continue to affect our future. Baba, like Krishna can be called Chittha Chora - the stealer of all our dominating desires, thereby making us desire-free!

Baba relieves us from the burdens of our past lives; He wipes our dirty "state" clean and fills with Love of God, Dhaiva Preethi, fear of Sin, Paapa Bheethi and morality in Society, Sangha Neethi. These three constitute the corner stone of Baba's teachings which are quite appropriate to this age marked by disbelief in God, heinous crimes against persons and public property and an age characterised by immorality and corruption in all strata of society and walks of life.

9) GANDHAAKARSHANA - the power of His divine fragrance. He exudes a fragrance of Purity, Holiness and Loving Grace and Compassion. As the Upanishath states DUURAATH GANDHO VAATHI; Svaami's spiritual "fragrance" spreads far and wide purifying our polluted thoughts and our environment polluted with pride and prejudice, hatred and violence.The divine fragrance from His created Vibhuuthi removes our bad thoughts, evil propensities and harmful habits.

10) DHAIRYA-AKARSHANA - the power of overwhelming courage and self-confidence.

11) SMRITHYAAKARSHANA. Smrithi = powerful memory power. Svaami has phenomenal memory reaching far into our past and present and deep into our future too. Baba on occasions bestows good memory power to devotees & scholars.

12) NAAMAA KARSHANA, the power of His Sacred name. Chanting of His holy name with faith, works miracles of healing, ensures success in our undertakings, helps in overcoming accidents and above all in the removal of our elemental fears of death - all these effects have been testified and recorded by numerous devotees from all parts of the wide world.

13) BEEJAAKARSHANA SHAKTHI. Divinity exercises elemental or seed force and incorporates it in all beings. The Geetha says, "Beejam Maam Sarva Bhuuthaanaam.": Know Me to be the eternal seed power, the cause of germination of all Beings. All beings are born from the seed of Brahman, the Supreme Divinity. He is indeed the seed force of all Manthras or holy, thought-articulations in terms of seed syllables and words. These represent the basic energies of various deities presiding over the forces of Nature and Cosmos as a whole. These basic sound forces and seed Manthras or primal utterances of Divinity calling forth various manifestations of power. These are the seeds of supreme knowledge of reality (Brahma Vidhyaa), seeds of conscious speech (Vaak Beeja), seeds of illusory energy (Shakthi Beeja), seed of existence (Lakshmi Beeja), seed of desire (Kaama Beeja) and the seed of time & destruction (Kaalee Beeja). Baba activates these seed forces; Baba validates all Manthras & scriptures and scriptures validate the Sathya Sai Avathaar.

14) AATHMASAKARSHANA; Divinity attracts our inner Being, Antharaathma. It is called soul-power attraction; drawing the sense oriented Self towards the experience of the bliss of divinity.

15) AMRITHAAKARSHANA. Amritha is the elixir of life in divinity. Unbounded Love and immortality are the signs of Divine life. The individual self prays to the Supreme Divinity to bestow on a Life of LOVE, LIGHT and IMMORTALITY, in the following Upanishaahik words:-

Asatho Maa Sath-gamaya,
Thamaso Maa Jyothir gamaya,
Mrithyor-Maa Amritham-gamaya

Baba graces us with the nectar of DHARMA and BRAHMA: the attainment of Supreme Bliss consciousness in eternity through Righteousness, Selfless Service and Sacrifice. Baba frequently quotes the Upanishath; Thyaage Naike Amrithathvam Aanasuh: Immortality cannot be attained either through actions, progeny or wealth. Only by Sacrifice - sacrificing totally the possessive and the ego senses, is immortality possible.

16) SARVAAKARSHANA SHAKTHI. Baba's Integral, Holistic, Divine, Universal Personality exercises in totality all the fifteen powers mentioned above. He is the embodiment of all Divine Principles; He is omniscient, omnipotent, omnipresent, omni-named and omni-formed, the very Omni Self.