Sai Baba EXPOSED!

As if things couldn't get any worse (or better), my attention has been drawn to a letter posted by a Sai devotee in The Post, a South African daily.

Smack dab in the middle of an ostentatious glorification of Sai Baba, I spotted this little tidbit:

On Sai's request, the Super Speciality Hospital, which serves the entire nation free of charge, has not been entered in the Guiness Book of Records, since this state-of-the-art hospital was built and running within five months, some 15 years ago.

Yeah right. This is too easy, does anybody else want to comment on this? :-)

MOST people know India is the land of gods but not many know eight million of them are alive and walking around there. This is the estimated number of holy men and women - mainly men - who claim everything from divine powers to the grandiose title of God on Earth. These living practitioners of the holy path vary from street market swamis who bamboozle the credulous with cheap tricks to multi-million religious corporate heads with wealthy communities attracting millions of followers in India and abroad.

Now this bastion of light, or superstition, depending on your view, has been formally challenged for the first time. The government of the most populous state in India, Maharashtra, which includes Mumbai, have adopted a bill to outlaw superstition and black magic and those who practice it.

The secular Congress-led Democratic Front, which includes the Communists, passed the legislation but already the sub-continent's nationalist parties, including the BJP, who have gained from the rabble rousing Hindu nationalism many 'gurus' often promote, are lining up in opposition to the purge of India's living god community. At the apex of this holy pyramid are self-styled godmen including Chandsraswami, Sai Baba, Kalki and Premananda who have all generated vast fortunes from their holy antics and preaching.

Baba is seen by his numerous followers as a full-on living god. One witness account by a reporter from Asiaweek Magazine of his divine entrance at his Ashram in Puttuparthi describes the scene thus:

"..the music begins, soft Carnatic rhythms issuing from the loudspeakers. A waifish man with Afro hair appears. Satay Sri Sai Baba has arrived to demonstrate his morning miracle.

"The Baba moves slowly and the seated devotees hold up envelopes containing petitions, requesting favours of themselves or their loves ones.....the Baba speaks a phrase or two, turns his palms down and traces circles in the air. Thumb and middle finger join and gray ash appears to flow from their tips. The ecstatic devotee received the gift with cupped hands and the Baba continues down the line proffering the....holy ash."

Such an exalted person could not, of course, have had a normal birth. His was a steer on the Christ birth legend. Baba's mother was fetching water when a blue ball of fire emerged from the village well and entered her stomach, she fainted, woke-up and found herself pregnant. The result was Baba born 23, November 1926.

The little lad has come a long way since then. His cult has made the Puttuparthi ashram a sizeable market town with hotels and an airstrip. Baba lives in a large house with a balcony like a prop from a kitchy Bollywood film. He runs a BMW sedan and a Mercedes-Benz limo. Part of the power of these top gurus is that they are frequently sought out by politicians. Politics in India is often an uncertain profession but often the door to great wealth. To be seen paying homage to these figures is good for gaining support especially in the gurus home state.

But there is a dark side - Baba's kingdom has now been tarnished with accusations of corruption and homosexual child abuse. Worldwide many of his centres are shutting down.

At the other end of the scale are the street and market tricksters. Organisation like the All-Indian Committee to Eradicate Superstition and Blind Faith are campaigning to open the eyes of these people to the charlatans. The Society puts on its own demonstrations.

Said magician Anand Tayade, who is helping: "It's simple. If you want people to bow down to you then you perform a trick. There's no such things as performing miracles on this earth." In a demonstration of trickery held before a hushed crowd of 100 village people a man in saffron robes seems to sit suspended in mid air without any support but for hand on a pole. A superstition-busting activist tell the hushed crowd ....that the long garment actually hides a wooden seat fixed to the pole.

Some are even more gullible like the female doctor who asked, for help over her husband from two self-styled godmen who set up shop in a Hyderabad market. They asked her how old her husband was and being informed 40 told the woman to bring 40 gold coins in a box. They held the box for four days doing their 'magic' and then handed it back to her instructing the woman not to open it until she got home. Needless to say the box was empty and the holymen fled. In Mumbai the police, prompted by the anti-superstition campaign, have arrested 25 fake godmen.

"These godmen are unlike saints who renounce worldly life, give sermons and induce a feeling of positive energy, They are out to catch gullible people to make money," says Mr Tayade.

The campaign has even spread to the UK.

Asian News has already reported several times on prominent Imams denouncing the so-called Muslim healers and saints. Now the Asian Rationalist Society of Britain are challenging the charlatans and occult practitioners. They have offered a prize of £2,000 to any person who can prove he has magical powers - no-one has come forward and the society intend to increate the reward to £10,000 - any takers?

It's becoming more and more obvious that the exposures of Sai Baba's homosexual paedophilia, involvement in murders, and so on, are finally begin to enter the mainstream public consciousness. The other day I walked into my local library and picked up an Asian newspaper to find an article about the recent Swami Ramdev controversy.

The interesting thing is that it mentioned Sathya Sai Baba's sexual abuses in passing! The attitude was, "just as Osho is well known for his Rolls-Royce collection and just as Sathya Sai Baba is alleged to abuse children, this [Ramdev] affair is the latest guru scandal to hit the headlines."

I nearly choked. Suddenly I became disinterested in whether Swami Ramdev really does include human or animal bones in his magic medicines, as I was much more interested to ponder the effect of the passing reference to Sai Baba! Had it become such that the Baba's crimes are so well-publicised that it is now simply enough to mention them in passing, as if it were fact? Although the publication was careful to mention "alleged" sexual abuses, so as to avoid possible legal action, for me it just showed just how much success the Sai Baba Exposé has earned through years of hard work.

As if to support this I've just now noticed a comment about Sai Baba on another blog, again making casual reference to his crimes. 'Tis an amazing thing to read, if only to see the picture there:

That rip-off artist/child molester, Sai Baba, is catching heat from the All-Indian Committee to Eradicate Superstition, Blind Faith, and the Asian Rationalist Society of Britain. Thank goodness. This guy has been abusing so many people for such a long time.

Things can only get better. :-)

Following in the steps of the CNN Special on Hare Krishna abuse, I spotted another interview transcript that follows similar lines. I was stunned by how similar elements were present in the testimonies of those who claim they were sexually abused by Sai Baba.

The elements of brainwashing, special treatment and so on are all there. This is especially pertinent since Sai Baba reportedly tells his intimate (school student) sexual partners that he is Krishna and they are the reincarnations of the Gopi maidens, and therefore sexual relations between them are natural and permissible.

Bishop Earl Paulk is pastor of Chapel Hill Harvester Church in Atlanta, Georgia. He is a Word-Faith teacher, and is known for his promotion of the heretical doctrines - including Kingdom Now Theology.


ZAHN: I want to warn you now that you may not want the kids in the room for this next story. It deals with some disturbing allegations of sex, trust and betrayal. The central figures in the story, a major church in a big city, its respected leader, and a young woman who turned there for spiritual comfort after a crisis.

Here is David Mattingly with tonight's "Eye Opener."

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MONA BREWER, FORMER CHAPEL HILL HARVESTER CHURCH MEMBER: And she died when she was 18 in a car accident suddenly. And I really had a real experience with God at that time.

DAVID MATTINGLY, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Twenty years ago and just a teenager, a young Mona Brewer was reeling from the death of her sister and turned to God. She found comfort in the welcoming arms of the Chapel Hill Harvester Church near Atlanta. At the time, it was one of the nation's growing charismatic mega- churches, with thousands of members led by the influential Bishop Earl Paulk.

BISHOP EARL PAULK, CHAPEL HILL HARVESTER CHURCH: I want you to praise God with us today.

BREWER: He had a -- a fresh word from God every time he came to the pulpit, which was several times a week. And it was amazing, you know, that God spoke to him such -- on such a frequency. And we were taught that spiritual authority was -- your level of spiritual authority was according to, you know, your revelation from God, or the things that God revealed to a person. And he was -- we were taught he was a prophet and an apostle in the church.

MATTINGLY: Mona says she came to view Paulk, a married father and grandfather, as a holy messenger of the lord selected by God to speak for the almighty. And, over time, Bishop Paulk's church became her life. Mona became a teacher in the church school, a soloist in the church choir. And, at age 27, she even married an associate church pastor, a union blessed by Paulk himself, a man she believed so close to God that his words could never be questioned.

BREWER: There were signs on the walls at the church. They didn't put scriptures on the wall. They put his sayings, his quotations. And one of them was, "The kingdom of God is built in trust." And we were taught that we were to trust our spiritual authority, and we were taught not to question it.

MATTINGLY: And so it went for years, Mona says, until, one day, Paulk asked for a meeting with her. It was a request that left her both elated and curious.

BREWER: I was just overwhelmed, because that was such a great opportunity. Nobody got to do that. I mean, he was awesome. I mean, everybody wanted to talk to him. And he just invited me to his office to talk to him for a few minutes. And that was really incredible.

(MUSIC)

MATTINGLY: She says this man she respected so much, it turns out, had been moved by her singing and wanted to take her to a higher level of ministry.

BREWER: And, at the end of the chat, he said, well what is it you want for me? And I thought to myself at the time, well, I didn't -- I didn't ask to come here. You asked me to come. But I couldn't say that, because that would sound verbose. And I couldn't say that. So, I just said, well, I guess I need a father, because that's what everybody was -- said. And I thought -- and I did. I thought, you know, well, that's a good thing to say. So...

MATTINGLY: But Mona was about to get something she never expected. She says, in her next few meetings with Paulk, his plans for her became shockingly clear.

BREWER: He said, well, I guess you will just have to take your clothes off, because I'm going to have to love you. Whoa. And I thought, oh, God. You know, I didn't want to do it, but what choice did I have? I mean, I have been taught for all these years not to question him. And I had this word from God. I mean, God obviously wanted me to do this.

And it was so foreign to me, but I -- I didn't know what else to do. I was on the spot. So, I took off my clothes, and we did it.

MATTINGLY: The tryst, she says, went against all she had been taught about marriage, sin and adultery. Then age 29 and a member of Paulk's church for 10 years, she was left confused, conflicted, and questioning what she knew about her faith.

(on camera): And, according to Mona Brewer, it was just the beginning. The liaisons continued, she says, and became frequent. She says that Paulk used the scriptures to justify the seemingly unholy behavior, claiming that God had elevated him above the sin of adultery.

BREWER: Because he said, you know, the adultery issue was for the little ones. It was for the -- the people, the, you know, commoners. It wasn't for people who God elevated and trusted with special things like this, relationships like this. And that's the way he explained it to me.

MATTINGLY: And now you were elevate as well?

BREWER: Oh, yes. God trusted me with this relationship. And that was major.

MATTINGLY: And how long did this go on?

BREWER: Fourteen years.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Fourteen years of alleged silence, secrets and sin, now spelled out in a stack of legal documents in a lawsuit filed in 2005 by Mona Brewer and her husband, Bobby, against Paulk, other church leaders, and the church itself.

The couple accuses Paulk of abusing his confidential relationship with Mona as her spiritual adviser and, through manipulation, coercion and deception, caused her to believe her only route to salvation was to engage in sexual acts, at the request of Bishop Earl Paulk.

But Paulk responded, denying all allegations, including that he coerced or manipulated Mona into having sex. Paulk and the others filed a countersuit seeking damages for libel and slander.

Mona claims, however, that Paulk's request didn't just involve having sex with him. She claims Paulk arranged for her to have sex with a member of his family and, once, with a visiting minister.

BREWER: Paulk brought him into Atlanta, had him stay in his own home, in the basement bedroom, where we always had sex. He wanted me to go downstairs and have sex with him, and then come upstairs and have sex with himself, and tell him all about it.

MATTINGLY: And the list of alleged encounters would not end here.

Mona Brewer claims there were times that, unknown to her, Paulk had others watching while they had sex.

Still, for years, she never denied him. All the while, she says, thinking her salvation depended on it. But eventually she says there was one Paulk perversion that even God couldn't make her do.

BREWER: The whole time I'm laying there praying, praying, God, you know, I will do anything for you. You know, I've proven that. But please don't make me do that. I don't want to do that.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: So what does Mona Brewer say her pastor actually wanted? And what do other women of the church have to say? David Mattingly's report continues in just a minute, we'll be right back.

(COMMERCIAL BREAK)

ZAHN: Can't tell from the picture, but a nice, crisp night out there tonight in New York City. We continue the story now of Mona Brewer. She says the influential pastor of her church abused his power and then pressured her into an affair that lasted more than a decade. And it grew more and more bizarre as time went on. Again, here is David Mattingly.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) MATTINGLY (voice-over): From the outside, Chapel Hill Harvester (ph) appears much more than a church. A campus of rolling hills gives way to schools and offices and a massive multi-million dollar cathedral. All of it built under the charismatic leadership of Bishop Earl Paulk, who is now named in a lawsuit by a devout former church employee, Mona Brewer, alleging acts of sexual coercion.

BREWER: I mean, it certain wasn't consensual in the way that you would -- say you were in the office working with someone and you were attracted to each other even though you had spouses, and then you just went ahead and -- that's consensual to me. This situation, I was brainwashed. And I was taught that he was infallible and I had to do whatever he said, not knowing it would lead to something like that.

MATTINGLY: What it led to was an alleged 14-year sexual relationship between Paulk and Brewer, in which Paulk is accused of also manipulating her into having sex with a member of his family and a visiting leader of another church.

Believing all the while, she says, that she was acting in the service of God. Mona, however, reached a critical moment when she says Paulk had the idea for her to pick up strangers in bars, have sex with them, then return and tell him all about it.

BREWER: The whole time I'm laying there just praying. I'm praying, God, you know, I will do anything for you. You know, I've proven that. But please don't make me do that. I don't want to do that.

MATTINGLY: Fortunately Mona says Paulk never asked her to go through with it. And eventually she says she found the strength to break away, reject what Paulk was telling her and leave the church that had become her entire life.

(on camera): People are going to see this interview and hear how you were doing this and talked into doing this and how you were manipulated. Sure, I can believe it once. OK, maybe twice, but for years?

BREWER: Well that's how much I believed it. But anyone who's ever been in a cult or known someone in a cult will immediately recognize it and understand. But if you've never been in anything like that, or related to it in any way, it does seem so bizarre, doesn't it?

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Brewer's reference to a cult is her way to describe the pressure she felt to comply with Paulk's wishes and her lawsuit does not allege that the church itself is a cult. Paulk's attorney describes Chapel Hill Harvester as a non-denominational, full gospel, charismatic church.

And in a statement to CNN, he writes, "It would be interesting to see what percentage of viewers would buy into this beautiful 40-year- old woman's preposterous sex fantasy."

The attorney claims it was Mona who seduced Paulk and only on one or two occasions. He says Paulk has openly confessed this to his congregation and he suggests that the Brewer's lawsuit is driven by money.

(on camera): Now almost 80-years-old, Paulk, according to his attorney, is recovering from recent cancer surgery and remains in very poor health. He has not commented publicly outside of church about the lawsuit. And Mona Brewer is not alone in her accusations.

Mona was talking about that she -- there was a time when someone was watching. That was you.

CINDY HALL, FORMER CHURCH MEMBER: Yes.

MATTINGLY: Did she know it at the time?

HALL: No. She did not know it at the time.

MATTINGLY: What did he get out of it? Did he have you come talk about what you saw?

HALL: Yes, well, he was turned on by the fact that I was watching while he was having sex with another woman.

MATTINGLY: And when she would leave, what would it then be your turn?

HALL: Yes.

MATTINGLY (voice-over): Cindy Hall is also a married former member of the Chapel Hill Harvester Church, who claims to have also been manipulated by Paulk for 10 years into performing sometimes twice daily sexual acts with him and occasionally other men and women.

Now, a friend of Mona Brewer, Hall has provided a deposition for the lawsuit. And like Mona, she says she was made to believe she was serving God and was compelled by her faith to obey.

(on camera): After these episodes, did he ever pray with you?

HALL: Oh, yes. There were several occasions that he prayed with me.

MATTINGLY: Right there in the bedroom?

HALL: Oh, yes. Oh, yes.

MATTINGLY: What would he say?

HALL: Oh he'd pray with me during sex sometimes. He'd pray for me and, yes, during sex.

MATTINGLY: Pray for you?

HALL: Pray for -- pray for the relationship. Pray for -- yes, he would pray during -- sometimes during sex, yes. When I say pray over me, that's kind of hard to describe. MATTINGLY (voice-over): And hard to believe, according to Paulk's attorney, who writes "Cindy Hall's story is even more ludicrous and unbelievable that Mona's. All of it categorically denied by Bishop Paulk."

But through the years there have been other lawsuits and accusations. In 2001, there was another lawsuit by a woman claiming Paulk molested her as a child. That case ended with a confidential settlement. In 1992, seven women held a press conference to publicly accuse church members of sexual misconduct, one of those women accused Earl Paulk. They were sued by the church for libel and slander, but that libel case was later dropped.

(on camera): By coming forward, what do you hope to accomplish?

HALL: My goal is to help stop it and whatever I can do to expose, this type of behavior, you know, I'm willing to do that. And I'm willing to come forward and talk about my situation. Maybe somebody that sees this, that has been through a similar situation, maybe it will help them.

(voice-over): Cindy Hall says she is now in counseling. She and her husband left the church and have stayed together. But the experience with Bishop Earl Paulk, she says, has shaken her faith. For a time, Mona Brewer says, she was suicidal.

BREWER: And I thought of ways to do it. And every time I would think, "What if the kids think it's their fault?" And I couldn't deal with that, so that kept me, you know, going every day. Just putting one foot in front of the other.

MATTINGLY: For Mona Brewer, the final break came in March of 2004. She told her husband Bobby of the 14-year affair and the couple invited Paulk and his brother Don to their homes. These photographs reveal the result. The meeting ended when Bobby punched both of them in the face.

Mona says because her husband has stayed by her side, it has given her the strength to pursue their lawsuit. She is also thankful that her faith in God remains in tact.

BREWER: And I know there's a God up there that loves me in spite of everything and I know he forgives mistakes and I know that he will vindicate the righteous.

MATTINGLY: David Mattingly, CNN, Atlanta.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

ZAHN: And Mona Brewer and Cindy Hall say they hope that by telling their stories, others will come forward from the church. The church, meanwhile, continues to hold regular services and no court date has yet been set.

I couldn't help but chuckle when I caught this story in the Pittsburgh Valley News Dispatch, telling about an upcoming party this weekend to celebrate the release of Chaibaba's new CD. I had to blink twice and recheck my 'Sai Baba' spelling, but no, just see the extracts for yourselves:

As for that intriguing moniker, Lopreiato says the band was not laboring to find a serious name. But someone mentioned "Chaibaba," and initially they laughed because it rhymed with a spiritual leader in southern India named Sai Baba.

"We later decided it was unique," Lopreiato says.

Chai is an Indian beverage containing black tea leaves boiled with milk and fresh spices. Baba has several meanings, such as "father," "incarnation" or as a term of respect for a holy man.

Well yes, this is funny. Think about it; an 80-year-old man in South India who pretends to be God for a career and finally getting (bad) publicity in his twilight years for his alleged homosexual paedophilia, involvement in several murders, financial irregularities, and the only thing that might be responsible for indirectly getting his name into the mainstream is nothing but a cup of tea.

Not ordinary tea though, mind you, but spicy tea. Sai Baba's Holy Tea is surely not complete without a bud of cardamom or two. And if you're feeling dangerous, add a few strands of saffron.

In any case, Chaibaba happily report success in their musical endeavours:

The latest issue of the Prashanthi Bulletin (14th Jan 06) reveals what I think is the height of denial that Sai Baba seems to be wallowing in. Some extracts from his discourse:

"Human life is very sacred. Whenever God descends on earth, He takes a human form only. There is no separate God other than a human being. The human body is made up of five elements. Atma is the totality – formless. We must prove our human nature through our behaviour and conduct ... When God descends on earth, He behaves like an ordinary human being so that all humans can understand Him clearly."

Not only is it saddening to see Sai Baba continuing to make statements of this sort, it is even saddening to see how he continues to rape the sacred and holy philosophy of Vedic Sanathana-dharma that he claims to have come to uphold. These sorts of statements are actually symptoms of a much larger philosophical problem that I intend to deal with eventually, but for now it appears that Sai Baba says such things simply to justify his own very real human foibles.

That is, if you can call them foibles. Homosexual paedophilia, implication in several murders, financial irregularities, cheating the public - Sai Baba stands accused of all of these and so much more! Such things can only be referred to as mere "quirks" when referring to psychopathic serial killers. Although, without exaggerating, we can safely say that he seeks to justify his own behaviour by this merciless twisting of spiritual philosophy. He reveals as much in his own statement, given at the conclusion of his discourse:

"Though My physical body is weak, I am attending to all My duties."

Yes, this is the same physical body that he assured decades ago would be free from all illnesses and sickness, except when it became convenient to take on a dedicated devotee's disease. The same physical body that he recently said was suffering a real illness and not a devotee's, thus contradicting himself yet again. I wonder what Sai Baba himself is thinking when he foolishly continues to perpetuate his unending fraud. It is beyond me.

Looks like it's all very well and good claiming to be an avatar unless something goes wrong.

The Guruphiliac comments on another guru, Sri Bhagavan Kalki (aka 'Kracki'), and I noticed how eerily similar it is to Sai Baba's own messages:

Spooky. We've all seen those Sai baba letters stating similar emotions and sentiments. Most notably, we've seen how Sai Baba's Golden Age never happened despite the inattention of devotees to this plain fact and how they refuse to acknowledge it. I guess some people just don't like the way the cookie crumbles.

"One has seen the spartan life of Buddha, Kabir, Nanak and Gandhi. Budhha in fact renounced his palace to take to jungle and merge with all and sundry in their deprivations. The many from the current genre, which in fact is a blot on the humane traditions of saints, are also close to centers of power, Dhirendra Brahmachari, Satya Sai Baba, Chandraswami and Jayendra Saraswati being some notorious examples."

Hot news from NewIndPress:

Meanwhile, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapakse said his wife Siranthi was a Buddhist by religion and an ardent devotee of Sree Satya Sai Baba.

How cute. The newly-elected Sri Lankan President's wife is a Sai devotee, which is hardly surprising since a lot of former and current Sri Lankan politicians are ardent Sai devotees who regularly visit his ashrams to seek political advice.

It's no wonder that Sai Baba's life was threatened by the LTTE (Tamil Tigers) not so long ago, as they regard his influence as an unnecessary interference in Sri Lankan politics. When I was in Sri Lanka lately, there was a newspaper article about how the former President's brother had been to see Sai Baba and how he had reportedly said that the war in Sri Lanka would end soon. As is typical of the Baba he said it in a confoundingly cryptic way, which made the politicans guess as to his exact meaning. This was reported in the article too. If only I had the presence of mind to bring that back with me..

Critics have asked for my opinion of Sai Baba and his mysterious morphing genitals. Apparently, a few young males who were sexually molested by the Baba claim that he 'miraculously' switched his "normal" penis and testicles into a vagina in an exhibition of his powers. The molestees felt that they could tell the difference by feeling Sai Baba's genital area on his request.

Personally speaking, I have no official view on this as regards Sai Baba because I consider it a biological impossibility for normal people. However, I wonder why Sai Baba's devotees find it hard to believe this yet easily swallow the stories of his other "fantastic" miracles?

According to some testimonies, Sai Baba once arranged it so that an Australian devotee could walk through the wall of his private interview room and miraculously appear outside his home in Australia to attend to his sick wife. Another story relates to the infamous murder shooting incident of June 1993; close devotees testified that the bullets shot against him miraculously changed into butterflies. Considering that devotees believe all of these cartoon stories, is it really so surprising that he might actually be able to morph his genitals into that of the opposite sex? Funnily enough, he claims to be a dual incarnation of Shiva and Shakti, so there is no ontological reason why he wouldn't be able to manipulate his gender at will. This reason may also account for his effeminate behaviour that occurs on occasion.

As I mentioned strange remarks by Shirdi Sai Baba in a previous blog, I noticed something strange in today's reading. 'Shri Sai Baba's Charter's & Sayings' is a book authored by B.V. Narasimha Swamiji and is an accepted record of Shirdi Sai Baba's words on a variety of subjects. Narasimha Swamiji groups these sayings categorically and the following statement appears under 'Baba's Reminiscences Of His Past Lives', even though nothing in the actual statement indicates anything about it occurring in a previous life. We may thus take it that it happened early in the life of Shirdi Sai Baba:

"When I was young I went out one morning and suddenly became a girl and continued to be so for some time thereafter." - ref. no. 495 [emphasis as contained in book]

Hmm. Is it possible that even Shirdi Sai Baba's biographers were engaged in a cover-up to disguise the sayings of their master? Grouping it in a 'previous life' category seems suspiciously indicative of this.

This is with reference to the article ‘Sigh! Baba’ (January 10, 2006). The re- incarnation issue which has piqued the Shirdi Baba followers should be viewed more objectively.

Let us look at it this way: Satya Sai Baba may or may not be an avatar of Shirdi Sai Baba, but he has spread Shirdi Baba’s message far and wide, when very few people had heard of the saint. Again, at every congregation in every part of the world, where Satya Sai Baba’s devotees assemble, Shirdi Sai Baba’s image is always present and his glory is sung. His concept of universality of all religions is stressed.

What must be appreciated is that Satya Sai Baba has taken up Shirdi Baba's mission from where he had left off. The goal of both the Babas is identical — to alleviate human misery, ignorance and intolerance of faith in religions other than one's own.

As far as the subject of incarnation goes, Hindus themselves are divided on the matter even today. The Shaivites can never see eye to eye with the Vaishnavites. The Dwaita proponents ridicule the followers of Adwaita. Actually, God is one, like the source of a river. The tributaries are many, all of which flow towards the ocean. And, again return as cloud and rain to the source. So, whichever God you worship, the prayers are bound to reach the same source God.

AS Das, Mumbai

The incarnation theory of various gurus has been part of Hindu culture. So, there is no point in breaking our head over this. One should see the long list of devotes of Satya Sai Baba, not only in India but in other countries as well. Through them a lot of good work is being done. One should appreciated the work rather than talk about their doubts about the re-incarnation theory.

V. Gopal, Chembur

What devotees have to understand is that when a legal claim is made, it follows the due process of law and is heard in a court. As such, I seriously doubt that magistrates and judges are particularly interested in whether Sathya Sai really is a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai, nor would they care much about the former's humanitarian works. AS Das argues that such disagreements are philosophical whereas V. Gopal advises us not to "break our heads" and to consider Sathya Sai's good works as having more importance.

How do these arguments relate to the unarguable fact that the Sathya Sai Organisation have been engaging in systematic propaganda for decades via their published material. According to the Andhra Herald, it was none other than Sathya Sai who gave the green light for this, not to mention the fact that he has openly broadcast that he is the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai in his speeches. As far as I have read this promotional material all the evidences given to support Sathya Sai's claim are, legally considering, based on speculation, emotion and sentiment. There is no way that Sathya Sai can legally prove that he is the reincarnation, that even a blind man without a cane knows.

In all of this hoo-ha in defence of Sathya Sai, it appears that a complete lack of sensitivity has been shown to the followers of the Shirdi saint. After having to put up with decades of irritating exaggerations about the Puttaparthi fool, what appears to be the final straw came when a charitable organisation suggested clubbing together the birthday celebrations of both the Sais and published pamphlet describing their reincarnatory connections. Is it any wonder that Shirdi devotees would blow their top at this?

A 'Cease and Desist' order to halt the reincarnation claptrap is perfectly justified, but you wouldn't expect the followers of Sathya Sai to agree and/or comply. They should not complain and squeal about their guru's "good works" when having to face up to decades of belligerent promotion of the connection with impunity, nor do they have the right to discount the Shirdi devotees' efforts as "all rubbish".

The petition brought forward is a legal case and, as such, needs to follow legal reasonings for a proper judicial conclusion to be reached. No amount of caterwauling from the opposite camp can change anything.

Looks like yet another (online) publication has carried the story of the Shirdi court case. The interesting thing is that this story reports the following:

There are several books that repeat the reincarnation theme, and the Puttaparthi seer had given assent to several authors to write books to that effect.

We should remind ourselves that the court case will be heard later today. :-) I have speculated elsewhere about the possible effects of this case should it prove successful; what does this mean for the Sri Sathya Sai Organisation, or more specifically, the Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust? Will this mean that all current publications that deal with this theme at length have to be withdrawn?

What about those composite pictures (sold inside and outside Prashanti Nilayam ashram) of Shirdi Sai next to Sathya Sai, will they have to be withdrawn from sale too? How about the fact that the PN temple room has a life-size painting of Shirdi Sai, a marble idol to the left of the altar and a silver idol in the centre? Will they have to be removed? This is the consequence of spreading objectionable propaganda with impunity. And for decades, at that!

In any case, how ironic that today (January 14th) is the day of Uttarayana, or Makara Sankranthi, a festival that supposedly bodes goodwill and auspiciousness. :-)

On the other hand, it wouldn't be out of place for Sai Baba to pull some strings with his hot-shot political, governmental or judicial connections. It would be just typical of him to try and wangle his way out of this mess.

Interesting, I've never seen this before. An apparent guru-buster fiercely criticises a plethora of gurus, and of course including our own dear Sai Baby. I just love the reference to Sai Baby's "Spider-Man-like beginnings," what a hot little nugget!

And then we get to all the sexual stuff. His final line is one to die for:

And end up agreeing with our position! How refreshing to read an original critique of Sai Baba that is based on personal experience:


I found the commentary enjoyable to read with original insights into the Sai Baba problem. This is true and proper blogging at it's best. The gullibility of Westerners (no offence to my Western friends!) is also briefly discussed in terms of need, which is also something I've been rather concerned about lately.

It makes me wonder who is worse; Sai Baba or his copycats? All of those slinky felines over there have sizeable followings of their own, Westerners included. You could argue that Sathya Sai is something of an original model whereas the others are cheap imitations, literally. At least three of them claim connections with lingams, whereas another proceeds to be theatrical with his replica of the "Vibhuti Abhishekham" miracle. The whole thing becomes especially laughable when you consider that the copycats are mere mime artists whereas Sathya Sai - the original model - is nothing but a pathetic clown.

In any case, it's good to see that there are intelligent people out there who don't fall for the cheap tricks and the homosexual frolicking that go on in the name of spirituality, despite the cheap defences that are offered in response. As an afterthought, what a pity that "Baba bhakts" fail to respond to arguments about Sai Baba and instead concentrate on irrelevant ad-hominem attacks and tomfoolery just as they always do.

Cybernoon.com (official website of the Afternoon Despatch & Courier) carries more on the legal dispute faced by Sathya Sai devotees:

Thursday, January 12, 2006 11:25:50 IST

Good Lord, pray tell us what the truth is!

Satya Sai Baba’s devotees believe he is a reincarnation; the others beg to differ..

At his age of 80, Shree Satya Sai Baba is thus far to be identified. He is now being pulled into a controversy with his followers claiming that he is a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba.

Shirdi Sai Baba’s followers have filed a case against Satya Sai Baba’s followers in court at Rahata in Ahmednagar district to desist them from calling Satya Sai as a rebirth of Shirdi Sai Baba. Followers of Shirdi Sai Baba and Shree Satya Sai Baba have different versions of the records about Shirdi Sai Baba. And it is this difference in records that has resulted in this controversy.

Shirdi Sai Baba’s Organisation in the city has the following version about Shirdi Sai Baba. The records with this group has no clue about his birth. Long time ago, at the beginning of the eighteenth century a young bearded man with sparkling eyes took shelter in a mosque in Shirdi village. Nobody knew from where this stranger had come who hardly spoke a word and stayed there. He led his life by helping the helpless and he strongly believed in uniformity of religion. He never discriminated against anyone on the basis of caste, creed or religion.

As all good things have to end, ultimately Baba also left his body on his own will on October 15, 1918. His body was laid in the Samadhi Mandir called “Booty”, which he had asked his disciple to build before his death.

Dada Krishnan, a staff from Shirdi Sai Baba Trust in Dadar said, “Putaparthi Sai Baba is not a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba. We have the records saying that Shirdi Sai Baba specifically mentioned that what remains in his tomb is the last. He will not take rebirth. There is no relation at all between Satya Sai and Shirdi Sai Baba.”

Meanwhile, Shree Satya Sai Baba’s oragnisation about Shirdi Sai Baba is different. It believes that Sai Baba of Shirdi was born in a remote village called Pathri in Maharashtra on September 28, 1835 to the couple, Gangabhavadiya and Devagiriamma. Gangabhavadiya, overcome with a feeling of intense renunciation immediately after the child’s birth, decided to retire into a forest. With Devagiriamma religiously following her husband, the newborn was left to nature’s care.

A religious Muslim and his wife took care of the abandoned child till he was four years of age. Then they handed him over to a spiritual master by name Gopalrao Deshmukh (also known as Venkusa). For 12 years, till 1851, Baba stayed in Sri Venkusa’s ashram. One night in 1851, for the first time, Baba came to Shirdi. However, he left after a two-month stay.

He returned to Shirdi again in 1858 and stayed there for 60 long years.

Just prior to his shedding the mortal coil in 1918, Shirdi Baba told some of his devotees that he would reappear in the Madras Presidency in eight years’ time. Sri Sathya Sai Baba, born in 1926, declared that he was Shirdi Baba come again. So Satya Sai Baba’s followers believe that he has come back.

When asked about the case filed against Satya Sai’s followers to refrain them from calling him a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, an office barer, from Shree Satya Sai Baba’s Trust at Vashi said, “It is all rubbish. There are lakhs and lakhs of devotees from all over the world. Everybody has witnessed the miracles happening. All of us believe that Shree Satya Sai Baba is a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba and definitely he is.”

With regards to the latest article about Sathya Sai followers being sued by Shirdi Sai followers, I found this to be particularly interesting:

The devotees of the Southern guru say Sai Baba had said that he will be reborn eight years after his Samadhi and meet his followers to solve their problems.

The main problem with this is that five of Shirdi Sai's famous Eleven Sayings go as follows:

• I shall be ever active and vigorous even after leaving this earthly body.
• My tomb shall bless and speak the needs of my devotees.
• I shall be active and vigorous even from my tomb.
• My mortal remains would speak from my tomb.
• I am Ever living to help and guide all, who come to me, who surrender to me and who seek refuge in me.

There is the issue of Hari Sitaram Dikshit, a prominent devotee at Shirdi, who went on the record to tell of how Shirdi Sai personally told him that he (Shirdi Baba) would appear again as an eight-year-old boy. This is indeed puzzling, and has been recorded in the book 'Shri Sai Baba's Charters & Sayings' by B.V. Narasimhaswami. But if you look carefully at that particular section of the book, you'll see Shirdi Baba saying a lot of other strange things that aren't taken very seriously by his devotees. Why, then, should this "eight year old boy" comment be taken seriously given the famous sayings as listed above?

Sathya Sai contends that Dikshit forgot what Shirdi Baba had told him, and that Shirdi Baba had actually stated that he would be born again - as a boy - eight years later. According to Sathya Sai, Dikshit had irregularly recorded Shirdi Baba's statement from memory at a later date.

Given that this explanation is central to his claim of being the reincarnation, isn't it far too convenient?

Comments:

Name : Dhiraj Bhatia

It is truly abusrd to see one godman claiming to be a god himself. For Sai devotees Shirdi Sai Baba is the true god. Sudhir Joshi Follower of the Godman claims that there are facts about the evidences of incarnation. Those are just the fictitous facts made up.

Name : shrikrishna Dhale

Email ID : shrikrishna_dhale@nospam.rediffmail.com

Worshiping False God India is becoming a fertile land for all those so-called Baba's, Maharshi's, Amma's and self proclaimed GOD. Considering the illiteracy of India it's very easy to have lot of followers too. In every nook and corner of city you will find such Baba's flaring up like mushrooms. All such people calls himself/herself the reincarnation of some or the other God. Why does Sathya Sai Baba of Puttaparthi need to call himself reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi. If he has some Devine power that will prove him. The logic of being born after eight years later after Sai Baba's death, on November 23, 1926 does not qualify him to be called so. Other wise every person born that year will call himself the reincarnation of Sai Baba. I think we need to emulate Buddha who never called himself God and still he has lot of followers across India and world.

Name : Ganesh Shilimkar

Email ID : shakkyguy@nospam.yahoo.com

This is ridiculous to call himself that he is reincarnation of Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi. How is this possible? If you are reincarnation of Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi, then just prove it. Show some Chamkar or your power in front of the world & media. Just saying that I am reincarnation of Shri Sai Baba of Shirdi does not make any sense. I think everyone should do needful things, so that no one can take misuse of any GOD's name.

Name : Bombay Srinivasan

Email ID : vsvasan99@nospam.yahoo.com

Sai Ram. I am proud to call myself as a devotee of both Shiridi Sai and also Puttaparthi Sai. In the spiritual world it is not nice to analysis the belief of the devotees. We never question the reincarnation of Lord Rama as Lord Krishna. We accept anything which we read. But we are unable to believe the TRUTH when it is available in your own life time. For many people who make such comments of criticism, May I ask one simple question. "Have anyone of you seen or worshipped when Baba was alive in Shiridi?" Or " Have anyone of you cared to visit Sri Sathya Sai baba or taken any efforts to know about the present Avatar?"

Name : Mihir

Email ID : mihirddesai@nospam.yahoo.com

Why ? Why is it so difficult to follow a simple principles in life ? "Live and let Live". Let people believe whatever they want to believe in. Instead of cross-examining Godmen, why don't you see how much sin you people have committed so far ? Narrow-minded jerks Name : Nutan Rathin Das Email ID : nutan_rathin@nospam.yahoo.com The Editor, Mumbai Mirror. (Page 14 - Your corner) Could we humans use our intelligence to its fullest potential,to allow ourselves experience whether Sri Sathya Sai Baba's statement made almost over 6 decades ago, in a then remote village at Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, holds any truth or not? A calm mind with a sincere prayer offered to Sri Shirdi Saibaba or Sri Sathya Saibaba will itself give the answer to doubting minds. (A lesson a 3 year old devotee of Sri Shirdi Sai taught me 14 years ago). Do we have to prove to our children we are their parents or would we have to be dragged to a court of law to prove our status? Let us imbibe values and knowledge from the teachings of these two great Saints, and try to fulfil our mission on this earth as human beings, rather than dwell and debate on matters as vast and deep as the ocean and space and which are certainly not within our reach! Incidentally, it is the intelligent and fortunate who are drawn to such Saints to be able to realise all this. A simple test put to onself (as explained above), would prove ones faith or lack of it and would indeed help settle many unsettled minds and sighing hearts Sai Sai!!! Mrs. Nutan Das

Sai Baba Exposed says:

This is actually tame stuff from Sathya Sai Baba, who has also claimed to be the combined form of every God that is. In short, he claims to be the incarnation of Krishna, Rama, Vishnu, Brahma, Devi, Shiva, Ganesh, Hanuman, Jesus, Buddha, etc etc etc.

If you don't believe me, just see what he said on the 17th May, 1968:

Feel free to read the whole speech.

Follow-up Articles:

The Shirdi Inheritance

Sai Baba Legal Dispute - More Reportage

Shirdi Sai vs. Satya Sai

Sai Devotees - Still Missing The (Legal) Point

Shirdi Sansthan Nullifies Reincarnation Claims