Sathya Sai Baba. Supernatural Experiences and Divine Transformation. Book One

34. The student from Iran was a Muslim, but this did not prevent him from studying Vedic philosophy and Sanskrit

For many years I have been practicing Sanskrit mantras and Christian prayers at the same time. Some of the prayers I repeated were from church prayer books, and some I received from the elders. I felt the practice of Christian prayer has amazing energy power. In parallel with this, I have always liked Sanskrit mantras.

At some point, I began to think about how to properly combine the practice of Christian prayer with mantras. I was filled with doubts about whether it was even possible to combine two such different practices.

At that time, I was living in Puttaparthi, and I learned about another interesting Sanskrit hymn called Narayana Upanishad. I began to carefully read this sacred text; it made a great impression on me, both in content and in the beauty of its sound.

Among the many Vedic texts, Sathya Sai Baba singled out Narayana Upanishad in particular, so all the students at his university carefully studied it and even learned it by heart.

The Narayana Upanishad is a small scripture, profound in its philosophical content, amazing in its rhythm and poetic style. I came into contact with this text at the very time when I was thinking about how I could combine Christian prayer with mantra practices.

I came to the mandir, and as usual the evening program began when Sathya Sai Baba came out and sat down in his chair. One of the lecturers at the university began the lecture. At this time Sathya Sai Baba was attentively looking into the hall and closely scrutinizing all those present.

At some point Sathya Sai Baba looked at me. There were quite a lot of people in the mandir, and I was sitting close to the center, and if Sathya Sai Baba looked at me, it could be easily noticed. It began to seem to me that he was reading my thoughts, and subsequent events confirmed I was not mistaken.

Suddenly, Sathya Sai Baba interrupted the lecture and invited a college student to come to the middle of the temple; everyone present was silent in anticipation. A microphone was placed in front of the student, and the boy sang the Narayana Upanishad as a memento. This event literally shocked me because I was sitting and thinking about Narayana Upanishad.

After that, the teacher came out to the microphone and said it was no coincidence that Sathya Sai Baba asked this student to sing the Narayana Upanishad. The teacher said, “there is one important detail, it is that this boy is not a Hindu.” Outwardly, he looked quite like a Hindu; in fact, he was an Iranian, was born in a Muslim family, and together with his family he moved to India a long time ago.

Being an Iranian and a Muslim, this student practiced the prayers of the Islamic religion every day, performed Namaz, however, this did not prevent him from studying Sanskrit and Vedic philosophy, as well as chanting the Narayana Upanishad daily. For me it was a complete revelation, it was a clear and exhaustive answer to my doubts.

Sathya Sai Baba had the colossal ability to literally scan the minds of the thousands of people who sat before him. Every action, every gesture he made was always a response to the thoughts, doubts, and questions of someone present.

35. The statue of the deity disappeared, and Sathya Sai Baba appeared instead

In the late ‘90s I returned to Whitefield, the ashram of Sathya Sai Baba, which was located on the outskirts of Bangalore. Literally a few days after my arrival, several buses drove up to the ashram, from which a large number of Hindus, dressed in festive attire, got off. They solemnly entered the ashram, and it was clear from their appearance they all belonged to the Brahmin caste. In their hands were gifts and offerings. This caught my attention and I decided to find out what happened.

I managed to discover that all these people came from the ancient city of Tirupati, which is located on the east coast of India. Tirupati is the largest temple complex in India, in the center of which is the majestic statue of Lord Venkateswara.

There is a curious version about the history of Venkateswara. According to legend, the statue of this deity is actually not stone, but alive. Allegedly, several centuries ago, a spacecraft landed on earth, on which an alien flew in and settled in this city. The alien entered a deep meditative state and remained standing in this place. A huge temple of Lord Venkateswara appeared around the alien. Over time, the alien was covered with special robes so parishioners could not notice that it was a living being and not a statue. I will not argue that this version is true, but the fact that the statue in this temple does not look like an ordinary stone statue is remarkable.

In the late ‘90s, an amazing miracle happened at the Venkateswara temple. Vedic tradition dictates that the main worship services be performed at sunrise. In India, sunrise, both in winter and summer, occurs around six in the morning, therefore, worship services always begin at the same time.

One morning, the priests of the temple were worshipping the statue of the deity with everything going on as usual. The many hours of ritual action included washing the statue, offering flowers, incense, and various oils while the priests sang mantras and made symbolic offerings to the statue of the deity.

When the priests began to wash the statue, they felt the feet of the statue were alive. All those present saw very real, living, human feet at the statue of the deity. Instinctively, the priests raised their heads to see what was happening to the statue itself. The head of the statue disappeared and the head of Sathya Sai Baba appeared instead. A little later the statue itself disappeared and Sathya Sai Baba himself stood in its place. This miracle was seen by a large number of clergy and pilgrims who came that morning to worship.

A huge number of people witnessed this unique miracle, the statue of Venkateshwara simply dematerialized, and instead of it, Sathya Sai Baba, who could be seen and even touched, appeared for some time. Then Sathya Sai Baba disappeared, and instead of him, the statue of Venkateswara, which was familiar to everyone, appeared.

This event made such an awe-inspiring impression on all those present that the priests who performed the service immediately informed their families about this miracle. On the same day, they decided to go immediately to the ashram of Sathya Sai Baba in order to thank him for such a miracle and blessing.

36. Catholic nuns came to Puttaparthi to talk to Sathya Sai Baba and receive his blessing

One day, I saw several large buses pull up to the ashram from which Catholic Nuns and a huge number of children got off. They entered the ashram gate, and I became curious, so I decided to get to know them. We talked for just a few minutes, as they had to settle the children and lead them into the dining room. These few minutes were enough for me to find out who they were and why they had come.

The Nuns said their Catholic monastery was located in the south of India in the state of Tamil Nadu. They said they have a school and an orphanage and the children they brought were students from their school. They came to Puttaparthi for a few days to talk to Sathya Sai Baba and receive his blessings.

Surprised, I said, “you are Christians, how do you feel about the fact that this is a Hindu ashram?”

They smiled and said, “Sathya Sai Baba is a great saint who is beyond dogmas and conventions, he blesses everyone. God is one, he just appears in different religions under different names.”

It was very pleasant to hear these simple and wonderful words from the lips of Catholic Nuns. It seemed the most ordinary case well showed the open atmosphere of Puttaparthi.

37. Once I met a priest from the Vatican in Puttaparthi, he told me that Sathya Sai Baba is the "Papa of the Pope"

Indian cuisine is famous for its original taste and spiciness, so it was not familiar to most foreigners. People who came to the ashram from America and Europe could hardly eat such spicy food. Therefore, a dining room with European cuisine was created in the ashram. There were few full-time employees in the ashram, most of the functions were performed by people who performed voluntary free service.

Prices for living in the ashram had always been affordable; accommodation, food and shopping were so cheap that many wondered, how is this possible? One of the reasons for such low prices was that a large number of people served in the ashram for free. Some worked in the garden or in the museum, and sometimes in the dining room.

I often worked in the canteen, serving food, or cutting vegetables in the kitchen. By doing this service, I felt I was helping the life of the ashram. People of various nationalities worked in the dining room: Italians and Greeks, Russians and French, Americans and Chinese, Japanese and Argentines. Very often, when we were cutting vegetables or sweeping in the kitchen, we sang traditional chants together dedicated to Krishna or Ganesha. The work environment was relaxed and fun.

While working in the canteen, I met an elderly Italian man, who, like me, worked daily in the canteen. Gradually, I found out he was an employee of the Vatican and belonged to the Franciscan order. I prefer not to give his name because that was his wish.

One day I asked my Italian friend why he comes to Sathya Sai Baba? He answered me with a rather funny phrase, which I could not even understand from the very beginning. He said that Sathya Sai Baba is "Papa of the Papa." At first, I did not understand what he meant. He laughed and repeated his thought once more. The idea was simple – if the head of the Catholics is the Pope, then the "Pope of the Pope," in this person's mind, was Sathya Sai Baba.

I asked him why he worked modestly in the dining room, despite the fact he held a high position in the Vatican, and that people with high social status lived in the ashram in special apartments with the opportunity to take better seats in the front row during the program. After listening to my question, he was silent for a while, and then reminded me of the epistles of the holy Apostle Paul, which says Christians are people who live in love and service.

All people are children of God, there are no masters or servants, but in the Lord, all are brothers and sisters. This man lived very modestly in the ashram, and almost no one suspected he held an important position in the Vatican. Such amazing meetings truly change lives and fill the soul with wisdom. Gradually, you begin to understand that all life is a single spiritual process and there is nothing unimportant.

Everything in life is essential, even the smallest actions, because the divine will is manifested in everything, and the divine presence is felt everywhere. Sathya Sai Baba often said: "The hands that help people are more sacred than the lips that say a prayer." Truly golden words.

38. My acquaintance with two priests

In the 1990s, I was twice lucky to meet Orthodox priests from Russia and Ukraine in Puttaparthi. The Vatican takes a more flexible position in relation to various Indian, Tibetan, and Chinese religious and philosophical trends. For example, I know several cases when in Catholic seminaries in Europe and America, Buddhist teachers from Tibet and Thailand taught meditation practices to seminarians.

Unfortunately, Orthodox churches, both Russian and Greek, are more closed. However, there is a big difference between the position of church leaders and what Christians themselves think and feel. Among Orthodox priests there are quite a lot of spiritually seeking and free-thinking people.

Twice in the ‘90s, I met Orthodox priests in Puttaparthi. It was interesting and symbolic that one of these priests was from the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra. When I saw this man, I immediately understood from his appearance that he was a Christian priest. Getting to know him better, I learned that he really was a priest from the Kiev Lavra.

I was pleased to meet this priest, because the Kiev-Pechersk Lavra is the mother of all Russian Christian monasteries. It's great that a priest from the greatest Orthodox Lavra came to Sathya Sai Baba.

It is sad, but the leadership of the church, and the Lavra itself, are quite cautious and negative about contacts with other traditions. I cannot give his name because it might cause problems for him. This priest learned about Sathya Sai Baba from his friends and immediately wanted to come to Puttaparthi in order to see the famous Indian teacher who preaches universal values, love, and compassion for all living beings.

The priest wanted to see everything with his own eyes, and then draw conclusions about the truth of Sathya Sai Baba's teachings based on his own experience. Subsequently, my friends from Kiev met with him, he cordially received them at his Lavra. He continued to serve as a Christian Orthodox priest, but of course he could not openly declare to his church authorities that he had visited Sathya Sai Baba.

I met the second Orthodox priest in the ashram a couple of years later, it was already in the late ‘90s, and he was from the Trinity-Sergius Lavra. This is very symbolic, since the Sergius Lavra is also one of the most important shrines of Christian Russia.

This priest came twice with great interest to see Sathya Sai Baba. I do not know how his fate developed in the future, whether he remained within the framework of the Orthodox Church or not. For me, these stories are important because even if they are thin threads, they still connected the Kiev-Pechersk and Trinity-Sergius Lavra with Sathya Sai Baba.

39. The Dalai Lama and Karmapa wished Sathya Sai Baba long life and success in his worldwide divine mission

Buddhism is one of the largest world religions. In countries such as China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, Tibet and Mongolia, Buddhism is the main religious tradition. Buddhism is also one of the traditional religions of Russia, along with Christianity, Islam, and Judaism. For many centuries Buddhism has been practiced in the Russian regions of Kalmykia and Buryatia.

Buddhism is a unique religion based on wisdom and compassion. The most important method of the spiritual path of Buddhism is contemplation and meditation. Every year on the full moon in May, Buddha's birthday is celebrated. On this day the most prominent Buddhist teachers, such as the Dalai Lama and the Karmapa, send large delegations to Sathya Sai Baba's ashram.

In Tibetan culture, it is customary to congratulate on the holiday in the form of wishes for a long life and the successful implementation of a spiritual mission. On the birthday of the Buddha in the central temple of the ashram, traditional Buddhist rituals are performed, the content of which are wishes of long life to Sathya Sai Baba and the success of his worldwide divine mission.

I remember how on the birthday of the Buddha, about one hundred Tibetan Lamas gathered in the ashram of Sathya Sai Baba and sang with inspiration: “Om Mani Padme Hum Sai Baba!” It is important not just to talk about unity, it is important to show it in real actions. Sathya Sai Baba was open to all traditions and many traditions were open to him. The greatest Buddhist teachers of our time deeply revered Sathya Sai Baba and considered him the spiritual guide of all mankind. It is very important when spiritual leaders show mutual understanding and unity by example.

40. Sathya Sai Baba Healed My Australian Friend Instantly.

On one of my visits to Puttaparthi, I met an Australian of Lebanese origin, his name was Ron. He was a very interesting person with a unique destiny and a subtle inner world. He played the flute superbly and was well versed in Islamic and Vedic philosophy. At some point of his stay, an insect bit Ron in the left armpit, of which he accidentally tore off the wound, causing an infection. In the Indian climate, such wounds are very dangerous because they do not heal well.

After a few days passed, he began to grow an abscess that looked like a large ball under his armpit. We all began to seriously worry about Ron's health, because if an infection got into the wound in such a hot climate the consequences would be deplorable. Ron went to the hospital every day for procedures, and he was prescribed medicines and ointments. Local doctors advised Ron to go home to Australia as soon as possible, because in a familiar climate it would be much easier to recover. The wound eventually swelled to a large size, about the size of a fist. It was already difficult for him to keep his arm straight, because the sore had already become so large and very painful.

On the day Ron made up his mind to urgently return home to Australia, I met him on the street. We entered the ashram together and decided to go through a small passage that was next to the mandir. During the daytime, the mandir was usually empty, but to our surprise that day, in the very middle of the mandir, we noticed Sathya Sai Baba sitting with a small group of students around him. We stopped and watched Sathya Sai Baba interact with the students.

Suddenly, Sathya Sai Baba turned sharply and looked at us intently, then turned away and continued to communicate with the students. Then, Sathya Sai Baba again looked attentively in our direction. It was clear he was staring at my Australian friend, as there was no one else around except us.

Finally, Sathya Sai Baba turned once more and looked at the Australian, raised his hand in blessing, and then continued to communicate with the students. I knew immediately something unusual had happened. The Australian looked at me and said in a trembling voice that his sore had disappeared. He instantly felt healed.

We stepped aside and Ron took off his shirt. We examined his armpit and realized there were no signs of a wound. Sathya Sai Baba had dematerialized a purulent swollen wound in one second.

41. Several banknotes appeared in Sathya Sai Baba's hand, and he presented them to an astonished American

There were cases when during personal meetings Sathya Sai Baba materialized money. This happened if he believed that the person really needed it. On one of my visits to the ashram, I met a young American of Armenian origin, his name was Michael. He traveled extensively in India and eventually came to Sathya Sai Baba.

In an interview, Sathya Sai Baba said he was well aware Michael had almost run out of money. Michael replied it was true, and that he would like to travel a little more in India, and the money was running out. Sathya Sai Baba smiled and said he would give him some money. This was followed by the characteristic circular movements of Sathya Sai Baba’s right hand, into which several banknotes appeared. He then handed them to the astonished American.

After the interview, I approached Michael and asked him how much Sathya Sai Baba had materialized for him – it was several hundred pounds. Of course, this was not a great amount, but in the ‘90s it was enough to live modestly in India for a couple more months.

Subsequently, a year later, Michael wrote to me from America, in which he told me he had successfully traveled through India and visited several interesting ashrams in the Himalayas. He also wrote that, sadly, he now regretted spending the money given to him by Sathya Sai Baba, because it would have been better to keep as a souvenir, or a talisman.

It's hard to say if what happened to Michael was best. The money was spent, but in return he did receive a unique experience of an interesting journey, which greatly enriched his inner world.

42. What is important is not that a miracle happened, but how this miracle transformed the consciousness of people

Another story I witnessed happened shortly before Sathya Sai Baba's passing away. At the ashram I met two brothers who came from Uzbekistan. They were very gentle and deeply religious Muslims. They came to the ashram for the first time, when the older brother was a very sick man.

In fact, they came to be blessed and healed. They knew almost nothing about Sathya Sai Baba; they only knew he was a great miracle worker who could help the elder brother. After living at the ashram for three weeks, they began to feel disappointed, because they could not get the opportunity of direct communication with Sathya Sai Baba due to the fact that in those years the ashram was very popular with many travelers staying there.

In those days, it was a tradition in the main temple after the completion of the program to distribute fruits or sweet rice to everyone present. On that day, sweet rice was distributed in small bowls made from dried leaves. The two brothers were sitting next to me, and we also received a plate of treats. I ate my portion and saw that the two brothers continued to sit, looking at each other in surprise. Everyone around us had already eaten and people got up and slowly went out into the street, yet for some reason these two continued to sit.

I stepped closer to find out what was going on. They turned to me and said they could not believe their eyes, but the food in their plates did not end. I decided to watch them as they continued to eat, scooping rice with their big hands. As soon as they scooped, the food appeared again, they ate again, and the plates kept refilling. From excitement, the brothers could not utter a word, they silently ate with tears in their eyes. After some time, they got up and left the temple with filled plates.

The next day we met again, they had already come to their senses and told me they had experienced the deepest spiritual shock. At the moment of this miracle, they felt tremendous divine love and realized they had received an answer to their prayers. At that time there were many people in Puttaparthi, so it was almost impossible to talk to Sathya Sai Baba in person, but after this experience they didn't need to anymore, because they felt the answer was already in their hearts.

A week later, they left for their homeland in Uzbekistan with a feeling of deepest satisfaction and the feeling that, although there was no physical conversation with Sathya Sai Baba, an internal connection with him was established. I do not know their further fate; it is difficult for me to say whether the elder brother received healing, but they left with the full feeling that their prayer had been heard, and with the belief that everything would be fine.

Many miracles happened around Sathya Sai Baba, so many that at some point I stopped perceiving such situations as something special. What is important is not that a supernatural event occurred, what is important is that this miracle turned the minds of both brothers. A colossal inner change took place, not only because they saw with their own eyes the miracle of the materialization of food, but because at that moment the strongest energy descended. I looked into their eyes and understood that inside each of them there was a sacrament of spiritual transformation.