Sathya Sai Baba: The ultimate union

Sathyanarayana Raju was the most adored child of the village for his gentle nature and compassion towards others. Whenever a beggar appeared at the door and raised his cry, Sathya used to abandon his play and rush in to force his sisters to dole out grains or food.

While others in the family relished non-vegetarian food, little Sathya would advise them to desist.

At the age of eight, Sathya was declared competent to take double promotion for Higher Elementary School at Bukkapatnam, about two and a half miles from Puttaparthi.  When he was about 10, he formed a ‘Pandhari Bhajan’ group in the village of about 16-18 boys.

When an epidemic of cholera swept across the district and wiped out entire families in the surrounding villages, Puttaparthi did not witness a single death. The villagers believed that the divine atmosphere generated by the Bhajan group was responsible for saving their lives.

Meanwhile, his father Venkama Raju was transferred to Uravakonda. Sathya and his elder brother  continued their studies at Uravakonda. The town would be witness to the grand and mysterious events that would mark the momentous transformation of the young child into a spiritual master. On March 8, 1940, the whole town was shocked to hear that a big black scorpion had stung Sathya. However, Sathya slept that night without any sign of pain.

I am Sai Baba
On May 23, 1940, Sathya rose from his bed and called his family. He gave them sugar candy and flowers pulled out from nowhere. Hearing this the neighbours too rushed in. He gave them each a ball of rice cooked in milk, flowers and sugar candy concretised by a mere slight of hand. However, Venkama Raju was incensed by what he thought was a trick, hiding things somewhere and producing them by sleight of hand.

He took a stick to beat his son and shouted, “Are you a God, a ghost or a madcap? Tell me!” Prompt came the reply, “I am Sai Baba.”

Venkama Raju was stunned into silence; the stick slid from his hands. He stood staring at Sathya trying to grasp the implications of that announcement. Sathya continued, “I belong to Apasthamba Sutra; I am of the Bharadwaja Gothra; I am Sai Baba; I have come to ward off your troubles; keep your houses clean and pure.”

The elder brother, Seshama Raju, went near him, and asked, “What do you mean by ‘Sai Baba’?” He said, “Your Venkavadhootha prayed that I be born in your family. So, I came.” The father felt that Sai Baba was a Muslim spirit speaking through the boy and so, he asked, “What are we to do with you?” He answered, “Worship Me!” “When?” “Every Thursday! Keep your minds and houses pure.”

One Thursday, someone asked Sathya, “If you are Sai Baba show us some proof!” Baba asked for some jasmine flowers. He threw them on the floor and said, “Look.” They saw that the flowers had formed ‘Sai Baba’ in Telugu.

Seshama Raju took Sathya to Hospet. They visited the temple of Lord Virupaksha, the patron deity of the Vijayanagara royal family. Sathya stood outside admiring the height and majesty of the Gopuram. When the priest waved the flame of camphor before the lingam of Lord Shiva they reportedly saw Sathya inside the shrine. He was standing in place of the lingam, smiling and accepting their salutations.

This incident confirmed Sathya’s divine manifestation. The story that he was seen as Virupaksha had spread in the town. The next day he is said to have cured a chronic tuberculosis patient by his touch and made him get up and walk a mile. He materialised a variety of articles for the devotees from Vibhuthi (holy ash) to rings and watches.

On October 20, 1940, the day after they all returned from Hampi, Sathya started for school as usual. However, within a few minutes, he returned. He cast aside the books and cried out, “I am no longer your Sathya. I am Sai.” His sister-in-law came from the kitchen. He said to her, “I am going; I don’t belong to you; maya (delusion) has gone. My Bhaktas (devotees) are calling me; I have my work; I can’t stay here any longer.”

He moved into the garden of excise inspector Anjaneyulu’s bungalow and sat on a rock in meditation. People started streaming in with flowers, fruits, incense and camphor to worship him.

As the number of devotees swelled, a temple was constructed in February 1947, where he began to live and grant darshan. On November 23, 1950, Prashanti Nilayam was inaugurated at Puttaparthi.