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| Wednesday, 17 November 2004 |
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Sai Baba turns 78 on November 23 The great educator of human values by Nimal Sedera Sathya Sri Sai Baba is a world figure today. His mission of transformation of society to one with greater human values and his miraculous powers have contributed to his popularity. He turns 78 on 23, November. The message of Sathya Sai has spread to over one hundred nations and Sai centres are in all these countries including China and Russia. Sai Baba is considered as the poorna avathar of Krishna by the Hindus. Because of this very fact there are more than 15,000 Sai centres in India and world over. It is the Hindus who pay more attention to the message of Sai Baba. What attracts me mostly to Sai Baba is his great commitment to enhance
human values in society. There is no other person or any institution who
has contributed so much for this cause. He is a great teacher and a
communicator. I have listened to several discourses of Sai Baba and his
ability to drive a point so deep into the minds is unmatched. He quotes from the Vedas-the Bible-the Thripitaka-and from the Koran. He would give his own example. He would explain how the Buddha sacrificed so much for the betterment of mankind. He would refer to the sacrifice of Jesus. Thousands, sometimes millions, listen to him spellbound. The variation of his voice, his hand movements, the great sharp looks and his method of pausing to ask a question from the audience are great qualities in his speech. He mixes his deep philosophy with humour. He relates stories in his address. He does not fail to sing a bajan or two in every one of his address. Finally He is very sure to perform a miracle towards the end of the discourse. May be he would materialize vibhuthi-a gold chain-a ring with a diamond, may be a wristlet for a boy a pendant for a woman. I have seen him materialize all these items seated closer on the lines on the floor. Further I began collecting a list of names of Sri Lankans who have received such items from Swami. It exceeded 200 and stands very much incomplete for it has no names from the north and the east where most of the Sai devotees stay. Mission statement He explains his mission so clearly. He made his mission statement when he was only 14 years and performs on it to date." I have not come to this world to disturb any religious belief. I have come to confirm people in their own belief." "I have come to re-establish Dharma". To launch this mission he has set up an international organization and today it has an international chairman, regional chairmen, country coordinators, country regions and Sai centre heads with committees registered in the head quarters in India. He began schools for poor children around the Ashram. And this step is now expanded to setting up Sathiya Sai universities in the country. And the Indian education system has absorbed the methodology of the Sai human value teaching. Education in human values has begun in several countries of the world. The best of such schools are in Thailand. Every country has launched teacher training programmes on human value education and value parenting. Thus Sai Baba remains the greatest teacher of our time on human value education. The poor village where he was born-Puttapathy-has found a place in the world map with an airport and has reached the great position of the "beauty spot" of India. Presidents and politicians visit him. The mission he began in a hut 65 years ago has grown so vast. Today Puttapathy is a place where over 10,000 could have residential facilities with the type of food they wish and no doubt the greatest mix of people in the world live peacefully in this Ashram. Simple sayings he preached 65 years ago remain with him to date in all his discourses. "Love all-serve all-that is the way to God" "Begin the day with love-spend the day with love-end the day with love" remain his simple advice. He explains that the parents have to play a greater role in transforming society." The mother's lap is the school of every man". Here is a selection of his sayings: * For all the bad habits of children, who are naturally innocent and uninformed, parents are primarily responsible: * 'Parents perform the most honourable task of their life-of being role models for their children. * Perents should not only supplement the school, but also compliment the teacher's role: * Parents have to become living exponents of all the human values and practice them: * Those who are on a spiritual path and who have love for their mother can accomplish anything in the world: The above quotations from his speeches amply display his role in society as a divine person in human form. Sai Baba is someone who has faced all sorts of criticism in all his life. The greatest example for us to follow is that he has never ever spent time to reply any such criticism at any time. Nor has he allowed any one of his officials to reply them. It is easy for all of us to speak and spread a message, but it becomes difficult to live the message. Sathya Sai Baba is the only recent guru who has told the world that "My life is my message". **** Back **** |
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