The Golden Age (Sathya Yuga)
prophesied by Sathya Sai Baba to begin in the 20th century
Sai Baba Golden Age

Sathya Sai Baba proclaimed repeatedly that he was heralding in a new era 'The Golden Age' of truth, justice, peace, love and righteousness. According to Hindu legend, we are now in the dark Age of Kail (Kali Yuga - symbolised as the Iron Age) ruled by wars and universal moral decline. He proclaimed his mission (as Dharmasthapana or the restoration of righteousness on earth) and himself as the 'avatar' of the age' - or descent into human form of the eternal deity who formerly appeared as Vishnu, Rama, Krishna and others to reinstate goodness. He promised that the Sai Baba incarnation would save humanity from catastrophe.

Capitalizing on people’s uncertainty and longing for guarantees of security and succour, Sai Baba insisted that he alone knew the right timing for everything and acted accordingly. He also induced fear of world catastrophe by supposedly materialising maps and globes which showed vast continental changes. Nor did he stop the report that was circulated for years by devotees about his predictions to 18 students at Kodaikanal which prophesied fearful events (from which his ashrams would be exempt). Hysteria reached potentially damaging proportions for his name and credibility and had become 'counter-productive' so, when confronted by his office-bearers who were getting countless anxious communications from devotees around the world, Sai Baba denied the prophesies at Shivarathri in 1991

The claims that the predictions actually came from Sathya Sai Baba are reinforced by the fact of his other similar predictions in public, as noted above. These new 'warnings' also served to induce people to 'buy into' the ashrams where they assume they will be under divine protection from any such dangers (but get no property rights or guarantees whatever in return)

Sai Baba stated that his first priority was the spiritual and moral regeneration of India, which thereafter would set an example of of righteousness and prosperity which the entire world would follow. For example, around 1970 he told his foremost U.S. devotee, Dr. John Hislop, that the students at the colleges started under his name would be leaders of India within ten years (J.Hislop. Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. SSSBB&PT, India. Ch.XI, p.39) and further told Hislop in 1968, that his transforming influence would take effect in about 15 years, claiming that all this was clearly forecast in the Upanishads. (However, despite his claim, no such Upanishadic or other ancient source prophesying this has ever been located). He claims that, though his influence, India would be the leader of the world in all essential matters:-

"India will be the leader of the world in all respects - spiritually, culturally, socially, politically and economically. All her past glory, culture and traditions will be revived and she will shine forth as the leading nation of the world. This is how it was yugas (ages) ago and this is how it will be once more."

"Today is Krishna Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna. I am making a promise today that the people of all the countries, viz. Pakistan, China, Germany, Russia will be united[…]The goodness of Bharat will lead to this unity."Sanathana Sarathi journal, 11 August 2001 (Sathya Sai Baba 'Divine Discourse') (Sathya Sai Amrita Varshini, Page 34)

He also told Hislop in 1978: "In a few years, all will be peaceful" and "You will all live to see it. Even old men will live to see it" However, in 1980, he was virtually challenged by Hislop: "Swami, there is no evidence of a change for the better"
and Sai Baba replied as if he was uncertain about any change, saying: "If there is a change, it will be a universal change. Not local. It will occur every place."
(Dr. John Hislop. Conversations with Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. SSSBB&PT, India. Ch.XI, p.39) See full texts of the above interview conversations here

Two conflicting accounts of the timing of his special mission's realisation are seen here:-

Phyllis Krystal quote from 'The Ultimate Experience'

"When an airplane is about to take off, it must first approach the runway. When it reaches the runway, it must make a full turn in order to face the direction of takeoff. This turn is navigated slowly by the aircraft. After the turn has been completed, the airplane receives a signal from the tower and begins to accelerate rapidly for takeoff. When the craft has reached sufficient velocity, it leaves the ground. Swami's mission has made this turn to face the runway. The 70th birthday was the signal from the tower to accelerate. In the 75th birthday, the airplane will leave the ground." (Sri Sathya Sai Newsletter, USA, 31, Winter 1996-1997, 29)

The New Zealand devotees (‘VIP’s in Sai circles), Poppy and Arthur Hillcoat, were in Cherepovets (Russia) in May, 2005. Poppy reported that she met Sai VIPs Rita and Robert Bruce before leaving for Russia, and they told her Sai’s latest prediction to them:
At the conference Rita and Robert conducted a one-day workshop of ‘parenting school’ and a workshop on ‘family and marriage’. I don’t recall exact titles. And it was Rita Bruce whom Swami told about practically instant transformation of people’s consciousness after his 80th anniversary.

Translated report on the Russian Forum – see screen capture of original Russian text.

Sai Baba on saving humanity from a nuclear holocaust
Excerpt from 'God Lives in India' by R.J. Karanjia editor of Blitz Magazine

The Utopian beliefs in a Golden Age, and the literally incredible ‘spiritual’ world transformation by Sai Baba and his followers, is but a dream, no doubt highly desirable. Yet it is not easy to abandon such utopian longings, even when the fabric is irrevocably torn to bits by events (to those who are able to see through it to the disturbing evidence of the reality behind the dream). I write not only from personal experience but also from observing many other devotees I knew from my many years of leadership in the Norwegian Sathya Sai Organization.

See also Sai Baba - mankind to blame for every natural disaster
Sai Baba predicted pole shift and world airline stoppage which did not occur
Sathya Sai Baba promotes and thrives on rumours