Discrepancies in Sai Baba's Published Words
Life periods of Sai
Baba
Sai: "The course of an Avathar goes invariably
through the same stages. It is the same for every Avathar at all times. The
first 16 years are characterised by constant leelas, then leelas and teaching
up to age 45. From age 45 to 60 the emphasis is almost wholly on teaching. At
age 60 there is a very big change" .(J. Hislop. Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai
Baba, Sri Sathya Sai Baba Publications Trust, India, Ch. XXVIII, p. 91, edition after
1995)
"The first sixteen years of this Life have been, as I have often told you, the period when Bala leela (divine child sport) predominated and the next sixteen is being spent mostly in Mahimas (miracles) in order to give santosha (joy) to this generation. ... After the thirty-second year, you will see me active more and more in the task of Upadesa (spiritual instruction) - teaching erring humanity and in directing the world along the path of Sathya, Dharma, Shanti and Prema (Truth, Righteousness, Peace and Love.)" (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. I, 1:3 - Vijayadasami, 1953)
60'th birthday of Sathya Sai Baba
"H: Swami, people are thinking that after His 60th birthday, Bhagavan Baba will step away from contact with the world and that His devotees will no longer have access to Him.
Sai: "No, not at all. Sai is not separating from the world, nor will He separate from His devotees. The course of an Avathar goes invariably through the same stages. It is the same for every Avathar at all times. The first 16 years are characterised by constant leelas, then leelas and teaching up to age 45. From age 45 to 60 the emphasis is almost wholly on teaching. At age 60 there is a very big change."
(J.Hislop. Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, SSSB&PT, India, Ch. XXVIII, p. 91, edition after 1995)
"A misgiving has spread, and it is causing confusion in people’s minds, that after the sixtieth birthday, Swami will not be available and that there will occur a change in Swami. Mine is not a changing nature. I will never be distant from devotees. I will be available to devotees more and more from now. Sathya Sai is Sathya (Truth). How can Truth change? So, give up all such guesses and imaginations and engage yourselves in the service of your fellowmen." (23.11.1985. Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. XVIII, p. 167)
"In answer to their prayers, a son was born on September 28, 1835. Today is the anniversary of that day. That child was Sai Baba." (28.09.1990. Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. XXIII, p. 230)
"This day (the first day of Navarathri) has another special significance. Shirdi Sai Baba was born on September 27, 1838." (27.09.1992. Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. XXV, p. 326)
Connection between Shirdi and Sathya Sai
"When he was asked, in what form the next advent would take place, Shirdi Baba told Abdul Baba alone: "I will give darshan in the name of Sathya for upholding Truth." That is the present advent. The two bodies are different, but the Divinity is one." (28.09.1990. Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. XXIII, p. 244)
Interview to the newspaper "The Times of India".
Journalist:"How do you relate yourself to Sai Baba of Shirdi?"
Sai Baba:"This body has not seen him."
(The Times of India, 12 March 1999)
Sai: "In the school, there were two boys who sat with Swami in the same seat. It was for three. When Swami declared that He would no longer go to school, one boy committed suicide. The other boy went mad. He would call, ‘Raju, Raju,’ all the time. At length he died."
Hislop: It is very strange. A great mystery. But his death was a good death because his mind was fixed on Swami and constantly calling Swami’s name?
Sai: "He merged with me." (J. Hislop. Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, SSSB&PT, India, Ch. XXXVIII, p. 125, edition after 1995)
JH: Is degrading possible? Is there a rebirth back to the animal?
SAI: "The possibility is not denied, but it is only rarely that such a thing happens. The degrading of human life due to lack of virtue will normally result in rebirth as a lower grade human." (25.10.1978. J. Hislop. My Baba and I, p. 188)
"When I came to Puttaparthi, Ramesh and Suresh could not bear the separation from Me. One should not do like this, but Ramesh went on crying, "Raju, you have left us, you have left us, I cannot live without you," and fell into a well and died. The second boy went on repeating, "Raju, Raju, Raju..." and ultimately turned mad. He was taken to the hospital in Bangalore. His father came to Me and prayed, "Swami, he is Your classmate and my only son. Please come and give him Darshan at least once." I went to Bangalore, saw him in a mental hospital. The boy was continuously repeating "Raju, Raju..." and was not looking at anyone. I went up to him and said, "Suresh, I am Raju, I have come for you, look at Me." Hearing this, he lifted his head and saw Me and closed his eyes permanently.
The same Ramesh and Suresh were born as Jack and Jill. When I was in Paatha Mandir (Old Mandir), these two puppies were with Me. It was I who christened them. One used to sleep near My feet and the other near My head. They never used to sleep at night. They used to bark at any person at sight. They were always with me.
Next morning, the driver started the car, not knowing that Jack was sleeping under it. The wheel of the car ran over the back of Jack and its backbone broke. Jack dragged his body across the river, wailing all the while. <...> I came out. Jack came close to Me crying loudly, fell at My feet and breathed his last. After three days, Jill also died." (11.09.1998. Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 41, October 1998, p. 273)
(Sai Baba as a boy comforts Ramesh and Suresh during an examination)
"I told them , "I never let down those who have reposed their full faith in Me. There are a number of people who ruined themselves for want of faith. But there are none who got ruined with faith in God."" (11.09.1998. Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 41, October 1998, p. 273)
Time of lingam during Mahashivarathri
"Embodiments of Love! Today is a very holy day. The time at 6 o'clock is highly sacred. At that time, the Atma Lingam will be manifested. God is sometimes called the Hiranyagarbha. The golden Lingas emerge from Hiranyagarbha itself." ( 21.02.2001. www.eaisai.com/baba)
The version of the text published in Sanathana Sarathi is a little different.
"Embodiments of Love! Today is a very holy day. From six o’clock in the evening, the time is highly sacred when Linga will be manifested. God is called the Hiranyagarbha. The golden Lingas emerge from Hiranyagarbha itself. " ( 21.02.2001. Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 44, March 2001, p. 71)
"I used to bring Atma Lingams from this body on the occasion of Sivarathri in the earlier years ... There is a specific time for this. It may take place at any moment between 8 and 10 in the night. It takes place at the right time irrespective of the place I am in. It is bound to take place. It is natural in this Sivarathri night." (14.02.1999. Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 42, March 1999, p. 66)
"I do not ask anybody for any help. It is Sathya Sankalpa (Will of Truth); what I am doing is good. If one undertakes any good work, it is bound to fructify. It is My goodness that attracts all the help." ( 25.12.2000. Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 44, January 2001, p. 9)
"It is not possible to provide education to the children if they
are living in a different village. We wanted to keep them nearby and asked the
government to alllot a suitable piece of land. But they have not given this to
us and I have stopped asking them." ( 25.12.2000. Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 44, January 2001, p. 10)
Sai Baba - money and property
"At a meeting of the Central Trust yesterday, I told the members including Sri Indulal Shah, that I had no interest in property. Do not involve me in any connection with these properties. I do not wish to have any connection with money or property. My only concern is with my devotees. Telling them all this, I signed the papers." (1.01.1998, Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 41, January1998, p. 4)
"From that day onwards, I have taken up a firm resolve. Children should be fed properly and given proper education. So, I have made a scheme of fixed deposits of one lakh rupees for each family of such helpless mothers and their children. They will get an interest of more than one thousand rupees per month to fulfil their needs." ( 25.12.2000.Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 44, January 2001, p. 10)
"We have got our own orchard. I have decided to use that piece of land to construct houses for these poor families." ( 25.12.2000. Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 44, January 2001, p. 10)
"Some students get the homework done by their brothers or sisters. This amounts to cheating their teacher. This is not correct. Students should do the homework themselves. They should develop good qualities." (11.09.1998.Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 41, October 1998, p. 275)
(Sai Baba as a boy takes E.S.L.C. examinations with his classmates, Ramesh and Suresh) I completed My answer paper in just 5 minutes. Then I took some more papers from the invigilator and wrote the answers in Ramesh’s handwriting. After completing it, I took another set of papers and wrote the answers in Suresh’s handwriting. I also wrote their names on the answer sheets and kept them with Me. I had already told them not to get up, before I got up from My chair. At the end of two hours, when the final bell rang, the examiners started asking the students to surrender the answer sheets. All the students got up and I silently went and placed all the three answer papers on the table. All of us came out of the examination hall. Nobody raised any objection. (11.09.1998.Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 41, October 1998, p. 273)
Sathya Sai Baba and personal belongings
"Though 56 years have passed, I have not got even one shirt or gown stitched for Me. I am now wearing what is given by a student Radhakrishna of the Kingdom of Sathya Sai. " (23.11.1982. Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. XV, p. 312)
"The number of Sathya Sai organisations has grown in this country. I have to travel by car to visit these organisations and such journeys are not very convinient besides taking a lot of time. I therefore propose to dispose of the 3 or 4 cars I have and get a helicopter. " (letter of 27.05.1971, J. Hislop. My Baba and I. p. 244)
"This is not your Unit, your Organisation; it is Mine. In My institution, minds must mutually harmonise." (21(24).11.1969, Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. IX, p. 173)
"I wish that all of you conduct yourselves as elder and younger brothers and make the Sai Organisation as a model for the world. I have no connection whatsoever with the organisation. You have to work for yourselves." (24.11.1987,Sanathana Sarathi, December 1987, p. 324)
"That does not mean, in terms of the wordly nature of the being in whom one sees the Lord, that one condones or admires, or does not scold the misbehaviour of the wordly part of that person. Even though one sees and loves and really pays attention to God in that person, nevertheless, that person should be scolded, his attention called to his failures and misbehavings and failings and so on. " (J. Hislop. Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Ch. XIV, p. 51)
In Nine Points Code of Conduct given by Sai Baba to all members of his Organisation to abide point 8 reads:
"Speaking softly and lovingly with everyone with whom he comes into contact."
"Non-observance or violation of this Code of Conduct shall disqualify a member from holding any office or from being an active member in the Organisation."
(see the Charter of the Sathya Sai Organisation, p. 7)
H: Is it wrong to criticise a person?
Sai: It is not wrong to criticise a person if the evaluation has been arrived at slowly and carefully. (J. Hislop. Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, SSSB&PT, India, ch. XLIV, p. 145, ed. after 1995)
It is a great sin to criticise others. God is in everyone. So, criticising others amounts to criticising God Himself. Do not criticise or ridicule anyone. (14.04.1999. Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 42, May 1999, p. 125)
Sai Baba: "Swami never sleeps. At the middle of the night, he
turns off the light and rest in the bed because if light is on devotees
gather." (J. Hislop.
Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.
SSSB&P Trust. ed. after 1995, ch. XIX, p. 72)
"They wondered who the old lady could be. The key of the lift
was in their hands and there was no staircase leading to the apartment. How
did she manage to come here? When the boys asked this question, Swami woke up." (Sanathana Sarathi, Vol. 41, June 1998, ð.143)
