The Sathya Sai Baba movement is a

new religious movement A new religious movement (NRM), also known as alternative spirituality or a new religion, is a religious or Spirituality, spiritual group that has modern origins and is peripheral to its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in ...

inspired by

South India South India, also known as Dakshina Bharata or Peninsular India, consists of the peninsular southern part of India. It encompasses the Indian states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana, as well as the union terr ...

n Neo-Hindu

guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

Sathya Sai Baba Sathya Sai Baba (born Ratnakaram Sathyanarayana Raju; 23 November 192624 April 2011) was an Indian guru. At the age of fourteen he claimed that he was the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba, and left his home to serve his devotees. Sai Baba's ...

who taught the unity of all religions. Kasturi, Narayana, ''"Sathyam Sivam Sundaram"'' Volume I, Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust,
Available online
/ref> Some of his followers have

faith Faith, derived from Latin ''fides'' and Old French ''feid'', is confidence or trust in a person, thing, or In the context of religion, one can define faith as "belief in God or in the doctrines or teachings of religion". Religious people ofte ...

in his claim to be a ''purna

Avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appear ...

'' (full divine incarnation) of

Shiva Shiva (; sa, शिव, lit=The Auspicious One, Śiva ), also known as Mahadeva (; Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐ, or Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the Supreme Being in Shaivism, one o ...

and

Shakti In Hinduism, especially Shaktism (a theological tradition of Hinduism), Shakti (Devanagari: शक्ति, IAST: Śakti; lit. "Energy, ability, strength, effort, power, capability") is the primordial cosmic energy, female in aspect, and r ...

,Shiva Shakthi
/ref> who is believed to have been predicted in the

Bhagavad Gita The Bhagavad Gita (; sa, श्रीमद्भगवद्गीता, lit=The Song by God, translit=śrīmadbhagavadgītā;), often referred to as the Gita (), is a 700- verse Hindu scripture that is part of the epic ''Mahabharata'' ( ...

. This means that some of his followers see him as a

God In monotheistic thought, God is usually viewed as the supreme being, creator, and principal object of faith. Swinburne, R.G. "God" in Honderich, Ted. (ed)''The Oxford Companion to Philosophy'', Oxford University Press, 1995. God is typically ...

. Devotees engage in singing devotional songs called "

bhajan Bhajan refers to any devotional song with a religious theme or spiritual ideas, specifically among Indian religions, in any language. The term bhajanam ( Sanskrit: भजनम्) means ''reverence'' and originates from the root word ''bhaj'' ...

s" and selfless service (seva). Its official organization is the Sathya Sai Organization. However the Sathya Sai Baba movement extends beyond the organization. An important aspect of the faith of adherents is the

miracle A miracle is an event that is inexplicable by natural or scientific lawsOne dictionary define"Miracle"as: "A surprising and welcome event that is not explicable by natural or scientific laws and is therefore considered to be the work of a divi ...

s attributed to Sathya Sai Baba. The number of adherents is estimated between 6 and 100 million.

Official life story of Sathya Sai Baba and history of the movement

The official biography of Sathya Sai Baba was written by

Narayana Kasturi Narayana Kasturi (25 December 1897 – 14 August 1987) ( kn, ನಾರಾಯಣ ಕಸ್ತೂರಿ; ta, நாராயண கஸ்தூரி; ml, നാരായണ കസ്തൂരി; te, నారాయణ కస్తూరి) ...

. Additional sources for the official life story are Sathya Sai Baba's discourses.http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss2000/ss2000-14.pdf Sathya Sai Baba was born on 23 November 1926. His birth name was Sathyanarayana Raju. Sathya (as Sai Baba referred to himself in those days) "was known to be very lively," and composed many plays, poems and songs for school and friends. He also taught the local children and villagers how to read and write. "He was called by the neighbors Brahmajnani, a "Realized Soul."" In sixth standard, Sathya left

Puttaparthi Puttaparthi (IAST: ''Puṭṭaparthy'') is a municipality and district headquarters of Sri Sathya Sai district of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. It is located in Puttaparthi mandal of Puttaparthi revenue division. The original name of Put ...

to live with his elder brother, Seshama and his wife in Kamalapuram. About a year later, "holidays came and Seshama Raju took Sathya to

Hampi Hampi or Hampe, also referred to as the Group of Monuments at Hampi, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in Hampi town, Vijayanagara district, east-central Karnataka, India. Hampi was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire in the 14th&n ...

." A municipal chairman witnessed Sathya being both inside a Siva temple and outside (looking after his brothers luggage) simultaneously. Afterwards, he presented the boy with "a collar pin made of gold." During a discourse in 2000, Sathya Sai Baba related the events that transpired a few days after, "He (Sathya) left the house and went about ten feet when the collar pin fell and could not be found... The collar pin symbolised worldly attachment, and when it was lost, it was symbolic of the end of the 'Raju phase' and attachments implied by it. Declaring that He had no worldly relationship with anyone, he ran to the house of one Anjaneyulu... In front of his house there was a small rock. Swami (Sathya Sai Baba) went and sat on that stone." Narayana Kasturi's biography states Sathya Sai Baba performed many

s (healings, levitation, materialization of fruit, sweets, pencils, pictures etc. and clairvoyance). At approximately age 14, Sathya Sai Baba made a claim that he was the

reincarnation Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrectio ...

of the

fakir Fakir ( ar, فقیر, translit=faḳīr or ''faqīr'') is an Islamic term traditionally used for Sufi Muslim ascetics who renounce their worldly possessions and dedicate their lives to the worship of God. They do not necessarily renounce al ...

, Sai Baba of Shirdi. To validate his claim it is alleged that jasmine flowers were dropped onto the ground and that they miraculously arranged themselves into the words "Sai Baba" in

Telugu Telugu may refer to: * Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India *Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India * Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language ** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode ...

. At that time, he began his spiritual mission. The first volume of ''Sathya Sai Speaks'' covers discourses given during the years 1953 to 1960. In this volume can be read the many early claims of

divinity Divinity or the divine are things that are either related to, devoted to, or proceeding from a deity.divine< ...

made by Sathya Sai Baba, including those of

omnipotence Omnipotence is the quality of having unlimited power. Monotheistic religions generally attribute omnipotence only to the deity of their faith. In the monotheistic religious philosophy of Abrahamic religions, omnipotence is often listed as one ...

and

omniscience Omniscience () is the capacity to know everything. In Hinduism, Sikhism and the Abrahamic religions, this is an attribute of God. In Jainism, omniscience is an attribute that any individual can eventually attain. In Buddhism, there are dif ...

. During the month of June 1963, Sathya Sai Baba suffered a stroke and 4 heart attacks. His left side was paralysed, and the sight in his left eye and speech were badly affected. After sprinkling water on his left hand and leg, he made a full recovery and delivered a

Guru Poornima Guru Purnima (Poornima) is a tradition dedicated to all the spiritual and academic Gurus, who are evolved or enlightened humans, ready to share their wisdom, based on Karma Yoga. It is celebrated as a festival in India, Nepal and Bhutan by Hi ...

discourse. During the discourse he said, "Shiva said that they (Shiva and Shakti) would take human form and be born in the Bharadwaja lineage, thrice: Shiva alone as Shirdi Sai Baba, Shiva and Shakthi together at

as Sathya Sai Baba, and Shakthi alone as Prema Sai, later." In a 1976 interview he repeated his claim to be a full divine

, saying "I have come armed with the fullness of the power of formless

to correct mankind, raise human consciousness and put people back on the right path of

truth Truth is the property of being in accord with fact or reality.Merriam-Webster's Online Dictionarytruth 2005 In everyday language, truth is typically ascribed to things that aim to represent reality or otherwise correspond to it, such as belief ...

, righteousness,

peace Peace is a concept of societal friendship and harmony in the absence of hostility and violence. In a social sense, peace is commonly used to mean a lack of conflict (such as war) and freedom from fear of violence between individuals or groups. ...

and

love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

to divinity." Between 1988 and 2006, Sathya Sai Baba suffered three accidents, the second of which left him with a fractured hip and a broken femur. He later moved among devotees in his car or Porte Chair. It is claimed that he performed a number of miracles including: levitation (both indoors and outdoors), bilocation, physical disappearances, changing granite into sugar candy, changing water into another drink, changing water into gasoline, producing objects on demand, changing the color of his gown while wearing it, multiplying food, healing acute and chronic diseases, appearing in visions and dreams, making different fruits appear on any tree hanging from actual stems, controlling the weather, physically transforming into various deities and physically emitting brilliant light. Sathya Sai Baba gained followers in India from the 1930s.Kent, 71 Outside of India, he became popular from the 1960s and 1970s. During the period from 1970 to 1983, the number of Sathya Sai Baba centres in the United Kingdom grew from 2 to 51.

Beliefs and practices of devotees

Sathya Sai Baba gave discourses on religious topics to devotees in his native language

. Twice daily, some devotees engage in worship of Sathya Sai Baba by conducting rituals such as

aarti ''Arti'' (Sanskrit: Ārātrika, Hindi: Ārtī) is a Hindu ritual employed in worship, often part of '' puja'', in which light (usually from a flame) is offered to one or more deities. ''Arti(s)'' also refers to the songs sung in praise of the ...

and singing devotional songs in front of his picture. Sathya Sai Baba has said that his followers do not need to give up their original religion,"Suicide, sex and the guru", Dominic Kennedy, ''The Times'' (UK), 27 August 2001 saying "My objective is the establishment of Sanathana Dharma, which believes in one God as propitiated by the founders of all religions. So none has to give up his religion or deity ... I have come not to disturb or destroy any Faith, but to confirm each in his own Faith, so that the

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

becomes a better

, the

Muslim Muslims ( ar, المسلمون, , ) are people who adhere to Islam, a monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God of Abrah ...

a better

and a

Hindu Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...

a better

." According to "Ocean of Love", a book published by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, "there is no new path that He is preaching, no new order that He has created. There is no new religion that He has come to add or a particular philosophy that He recommends ... His mission is unique and simple. His mission is that of love and compassion." On 24 November 1926, Sri

Aurobindo Ghosh Sri Aurobindo (born Aurobindo Ghose; 15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950) was an Indian philosopher, yogi, maharishi, poet, and Indian nationalist. He was also a journalist, editing newspapers such as ''Vande Mataram''. He joined the ...

came out of his trance and announced that

Krishna Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is on ...

("overmind Godhead"Article of the week – Evidences for Baba's Avatarhood
/ref>) "descended into the physical".
/ref> On the day before this announcement, 23 November 1926, was the birth date of Sathya Sai Baba Many felt that Sri

Aurobindo Sri Aurobindo (born Aurobindo Ghose; 15 August 1872 – 5 December 1950) was an Indian philosopher, yogi, maharishi, poet, and Indian nationalist. He was also a journalist, editing newspapers such as ''Vande Mataram''. He joined th ...

's announcement heralded the Sathya Sai

. Sathya Sai Baba devotees gather on Thursdays in the US and on weekends in other regions of the world for group devotional singing (

s), prayer, spiritual meditation, service to the community (Seva),The Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre of Toronto – York
/ref> and to participate in "Education in Human Values" (SSEHV), also known as Sai Spiritual Education (SSE) and (in India) Balvikas. (Sai Sunday School) The Australian Sai organization states, "we come together as spiritual seekers to sing our devotion to God, singing to many different names and forms that God is worshipped by." Sathya Sai baba himself says of

s, "I do not need songs glorifying God which like gramophone records, reproduce songs and strings of Gods names without any feeling or yearning while singing. Hours of shouting do not count, a moment of concentrated prayer from the heart is enough." Seva (selfless service) activities, being "at the heart of Sathya Sai Baba's teachings," strives to take an active role to serve the needs of the community.The Sri Sathya Sai Baba Centre of Toronto – York
/ref> Center Seva activities and projects include *Arranging food bank drives and donations *Visiting nursing homes *Greening (tree planting and park cleanup)http://www.saiaustralia.org.au/download/act-september-08.pdf *Medical camps *Donating blood (giving liquid love) *Serving food to the homeless *Collecting old and used spectacle frames for distribution to disadvantaged people in various parts of the world Other Sai Center activities include study of the teachings of Sathya Sai Baba and the sacred literature of all religions, Sai Spiritual Education (SSE), dynamic value parenting programs, and study circles (taking a point and each person discussing what it means to them). Through center activities, the hope is to achieve the practical spirituality of incorporating the universal human values in all aspects of life and during every conscious moment. Sathya Sai Baba advocates reverence, adoration and gratitude to the

Mother ] A mother is the female parent of a child. A woman may be considered a mother by virtue of having given birth, by raising a child who may or may not be her biological offspring, or by supplying her ovum for fertilisation in the case of ...

(and parents) as being

, and the first (and foremost) teacher and

.Easwaramma Day 2004 Discourse, 6 May 2004
/ref>http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume32/sss32p2-13.pdf Sai Baba often cites well known figures (

Abraham Lincoln Abraham Lincoln ( ; February 12, 1809 – April 15, 1865) was an American lawyer, politician, and statesman who served as the 16th president of the United States from 1861 until his assassination in 1865. Lincoln led the nation throu ...

Gandhi Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi (; ; 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948), popularly known as Mahatma Gandhi, was an Indian lawyer, anti-colonial nationalist Quote: "... marks Gandhi as a hybrid cosmopolitan figure who transformed ... anti- ...

Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar CIE ( bn, ঈশ্বর চন্দ্র বিদ্যাসাগর; 26 September 1820 – 29 July 1891), born Ishwar Chandra Bandyopadhyay, was an Indian educator and social reformer of the nineteenth century ...

) who have attained their good character, humility and morality due to listening to the advice of their mother. Sai Baba has said, "There is nothing greater than mother's love. Mother's words are always sweet." Additionally, Sai Baba has repeatedly stated "Rama, Krishna, Shivaji and Gandhi became what they were because of their mothers. Same way, I am Sathya Sai today because of Easwaramma (his mother)!" Sathya Sai Baba has written several articles on religious topics, later collected by the trust in the form of books, titled "''Vahinis''" (vehicles).Vahini.org: The Vahinis – The 'Streams of Supreme Love' of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba
/ref> There are fifteen vahinis, comprising sixteen books (the Ramakatha Rasavahini having two parts). Sathya Sai Baba's discourses are presented in the Sathya Sai Speaks series. Sathya Sai Baba recommends

meditation Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique – such as mindfulness, or focusing the mind on a particular object, thought, or activity – to train attention and awareness, and achieve a mentally clear and emotionally calm ...

(dhyan) for acquiring one-pointed attention on the Lord. Having written a vahini on the subject of

(dhyan), Baba suggests four techniques: repetition of one's own favourite 'name of God' (

Rama Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular '' avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Bei ...

, Sai,

Allah Allah (; ar, الله, translit=Allāh, ) is the common Arabic word for God. In the English language, the word generally refers to God in Islam. The word is thought to be derived by contraction from '' al- ilāh'', which means "the god", a ...

, Aum etc. ...), visualizing the form of God (i.e.

Guru Guru ( sa, गुरु, IAST: ''guru;'' Pali'': garu'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan- Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: traditionally, the guru is a reverential ...

Buddha Siddhartha Gautama, most commonly referred to as the Buddha, was a wandering ascetic and religious teacher who lived in South Asia during the 6th or 5th century BCE and founded Buddhism. According to Buddhist tradition, he was born in L ...

Jesus Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label= Hebrew/ Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and relig ...

, Sai Baba, etc. ...), sitting in silence, and ''jyoti'' (Flame/Light meditation). The Sai organization promotes and advocates five human values: '' Sathya'' (truth), ''

Dharma Dharma (; sa, धर्म, dharma, ; pi, dhamma, italic=yes) is a key concept with multiple meanings in Indian religions, such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism and others. Although there is no direct single-word translation for '' ...

'' (Sanskrit word translated as "right conduct"), ''

Ahimsa Ahimsa (, IAST: ''ahiṃsā'', ) is the ancient Indian principle of nonviolence which applies to all living beings. It is a key virtue in most Indian religions: Jainism, Buddhism, and Hinduism.Bajpai, Shiva (2011). The History of India � ...

'' (non-violence), ''

Prema Prema may refer to: Films: * ''Prema'' (1952 film), a Telugu film * ''Prema'' (1989 film), a Telugu film starring Venkatesh and Revathi * ''Prema'' (2002 film), a 2002 Kannada film *''Tholi Prema (1998 film)'', a 1998 Telugu film starring Pawan Ka ...

'' (love for God and all his creatures)''The Baker Pocket Guide to New Religions'', by Nigel Scotland, 2006, and '' Shanti'' (peace). Other teachings are: *

Non-dualism Nondualism, also called nonduality and nondual awareness, is a fuzzy concept originating in Indian philosophy and religion for which many definitions can be found, including: nondual awareness, the nonduality of seer and seen or nondiffe ...

Adwaita Adwaita (meaning "one and only" in Sanskrit) (c. 1750 – 22 March 2006), also spelled Addwaita, was a male Aldabra giant tortoise that lived in the Alipore Zoological Gardens of Kolkata, India. At the time of his death in 2006, Adwaita was b ...

m which implies Oneness of existence. * "Love all, Serve all",

Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

for all creatures and objects. * Putting a ceiling on one's desires. * "Help ever, Hurt never" *

Celibacy Celibacy (from Latin ''caelibatus'') is the state of voluntarily being unmarried, sexually abstinent, or both, usually for religious reasons. It is often in association with the role of a religious official or devotee. In its narrow sense, th ...

after the age of fifty. *

Vegetarianism Vegetarianism is the practice of abstaining from the consumption of meat (red meat, poultry, seafood, insects, and the flesh of any other animal). It may also include abstaining from eating all by-products of animal slaughter. Vegetarianis ...

, moderate and sattvik diet (pure with regard to ingredients, utensils, manner of preparation, and mental attitude). * Abstinence from drinking

alcohol Alcohol most commonly refers to: * Alcohol (chemistry), an organic compound in which a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom * Alcohol (drug), an intoxicant found in alcoholic drinks Alcohol may also refer to: Chemicals * Ethanol, one of sev ...

, smoking

cigarettes A cigarette is a narrow cylinder containing a combustible material, typically tobacco, that is rolled into thin paper for smoking. The cigarette is ignited at one end, causing it to smolder; the resulting smoke is orally inhaled via the opp ...

, and drug use. * Importance of

bhakti ''Bhakti'' ( sa, भक्ति) literally means "attachment, participation, fondness for, homage, faith, love, devotion, worship, purity".See Monier-Williams, ''Sanskrit Dictionary'', 1899. It was originally used in Hinduism, referring to d ...

(devotion) to God. * Developing "prashanti" (translates to "Highest Peace") and eschewing vices of character. *

Japa ''Japa'' ( sa, जप) is the meditative repetition of a mantra or a divine name. It is a practice found in Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism, with parallels found in other religions. ''Japa'' may be performed while sitting in a medit ...

(ritual chanting of Baba's name), thinking of God always, and other sadhana (spiritual exercise) to foster devotion. * Highly committed devotees use the phrase ''"Sai Ram"'' as a salutation. * Conducting pooja or

(a form of ritual worship) twice daily in front of Baba photos. * "Yagnas" (or ritual worship, involving ritual offerings of fruits, vegetables and

ghee Ghee is a type of clarified butter, originating from India. It is commonly used in India for cooking, as a traditional medicine, and for religious rituals. Description Ghee is typically prepared by simmering butter, which is churned from ...

to a pyre) are frequently conducted at the ashram. *The propagation of peace around the world and avoidance of conflict. Non-violence towards all sentient life and avoidance of elective abortion. *Man seeks the Truth; he seeks to know the reality because his very nature is derived from God who is Truth. He seeks Love, to give it and share it, for his nature is God and God is Love.

Practices in the ashrams and the person of Sathya Sai Baba

The popularity and the donations by followers enabled Sathya Sai Baba and his organizations to build an ever-increasing

ashram An ashram ( sa, आश्रम, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Indian religions. Etymology The Sanskrit noun is a thematic nominal derivative from the root 'toil' (<

Prashanthi Nilayam near the once poor and isolated village of Puttaparthi.

An important practice in his ashram in

was the '' darshan'' (spiritual sight) that Sathya Sai Baba gave. During ''darshan'' Sathya Sai Baba walked among his followers. He may have listened to a few chosen persons, accepted letters, or materialized and distributed ''

vibhuti In Hinduism, ''vibhuti'' ( sa, विभूति, vibhūti), also called ''bhasma'' or ''thiruneeru'', is sacred ash made of burnt dried wood, burnt cow dung and/or cremated bodies used in Agamic rituals. Hindu devotees apply ''vibhuti'' tradi ...

'' (sacred ash). He said that his '' darshan'' has spiritual benefits for those who attended it. Usually people waited hours to get a good place for ''darshan''. Sathya Sai Baba sometimes invited people for a group interview with him in a room in the ''

ashram An ashram ( sa, आश्रम, ) is a spiritual hermitage or a monastery in Indian religions. Etymology The Sanskrit noun is a thematic nominal derivative from the root 'toil' (<

mandir A Hindu temple, or ''mandir'' or ''koil'' in Indian languages, is a house, seat and body of divinity for Hindus. It is a structure designed to bring human beings and gods together through worship, sacrifice, and devotion.; Quote: "The Hin ...

'' (Hindu temple). Followers considered it a great privilege to get such an interview. Sometimes a person from this group was invited for a private interview. Sathya Sai Baba's manifestations of

vibuthi In Hinduism, ''vibhuti'' ( sa, विभूति, vibhūti), also called ''bhasma'' or ''thiruneeru'', is sacred ash made of burnt dried wood, burnt cow dung and/or cremated bodies used in Agamic rituals. Hindu devotees apply ''vibhuti'' tradi ...

emphasized his claim to be a reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba who used to take ash, called ''udhi'', from an ever-burning fire, called a

dhuni A dhuni is (according to the Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, etc.) a sacred site represented as a cleft in the ground. This cleft is emblematic of the yoni or female vulva and generative organ. A dhuni therefore represents ...

. Vibuthi is an ancient Hindu symbol, among others associated with Shiva. Sathya Sai Baba resided much of the time in his main ''ashram'' Prashanthi Nilayam ("Abode of Highest Peace") at Puttaparthi. During the hot summer the guru left for his other ashram called ''Brindavan'' in Whitefield, India (sometimes called Kadugodi), a town on the outskirts of

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

. He has left India only once for a visit to

Eastern Africa East Africa, Eastern Africa, or East of Africa, is the eastern subregion of the African continent. In the United Nations Statistics Division scheme of geographic regions, 10-11-(16*) territories make up Eastern Africa: Due to the historica ...

in 1968. He was a prolific

orator An orator, or oratist, is a public speaker, especially one who is eloquent or skilled. Etymology Recorded in English c. 1374, with a meaning of "one who pleads or argues for a cause", from Anglo-French ''oratour'', Old French ''orateur'' (14th ...

in his native language of

, and also spoke

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia ** Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, na ...

. He claimed to be the ''

Kali Yuga ''Kali Yuga'', in Hinduism, is the fourth and worst of the four ''yugas'' (world ages) in a '' Yuga Cycle'', preceded by '' Dvapara Yuga'' and followed by the next cycle's '' Krita (Satya) Yuga''. It is believed to be the present age, which i ...

'' ''purna

'' (full divine incarnation of this era) of Lord Shiva and Shakti. He said that he is omniscient,

omnipotent Omnipotence is the quality of having unlimited power. Monotheistic religions generally attribute omnipotence only to the deity of their faith. In the monotheistic religious philosophy of Abrahamic religions, omnipotence is often listed as one ...

and

omnipresent Omnipresence or ubiquity is the property of being present anywhere and everywhere. The term omnipresence is most often used in a religious context as an attribute of a deity or supreme being, while the term ubiquity is generally used to descri ...

and could create matter from mere thought.Interview given by Sathya Sai Baba to R. K. Karanjia of Blitz News Magazine in September 197
Available online
/ref> He also stressed he was free from desires, and that this was the state that one should aim to attain, consistent with the Vedic teachings. He played down his claims about being an incarnation of God by saying that everybody is God but that only he realizes and experiences this fully. In correspondence with his perceived divinity, followers often capitalize references to him in their writings ("He", "Him", etc.). Sathya Sai Baba prophesied that he would

reincarnate Reincarnation, also known as rebirth or transmigration, is the philosophical or religious concept that the non-physical essence of a living being begins a new life in a different physical form or body after biological death. Resurrection is a ...

again in the 21st century as Prema Sai Baba to finish the spiritual transformation of the world, starting with India, where his previous and current incarnations have begun. Sathya Sai Baba has stated that his three incarnations will help to usher in the

Golden Age The term Golden Age comes from Greek mythology, particularly the '' Works and Days'' of Hesiod, and is part of the description of temporal decline of the state of peoples through five Ages, Gold being the first and the one during which the G ...

of mankind that will come soon. He said he would die at the age of 96. After he died, some devotees suggested that he might have been referring to that many

lunar year A lunar calendar is a calendar based on the monthly cycles of the Moon's phases ( synodic months, lunations), in contrast to solar calendars, whose annual cycles are based only directly on the solar year. The most commonly used calendar, the Gr ...

s, rather than solar years, and using the Indian way of accounting for age, which counts the year to come as part of the person's life. Sathya Sai Baba has said that he performs miracles to attract people and then to transform them spiritually, telling his followers ''not'' to focus on his miracles. He could be seen in person to perform these miracles in the form of materializations of small objects, for example jewelry such as bracelets, rings, watches and especially ''

'' (holy ash). He said in a 1976 interview that these trinkets have symbolic value, and offer the owners protection by reminding them of his protecting powers when in danger. Occasionally, at

Maha Shivaratri Maha Shivaratri (IAST: Mahāśivarātri) is a Hindu festival celebrated annually in honour of the god Shiva. The name also refers to the night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance called Tandava. In every month of the luni-solar Hindu c ...

, he publicly produced

lingam A lingam ( sa, लिङ्ग , lit. "sign, symbol or mark"), sometimes referred to as linga or Shiva linga, is an abstract or aniconic representation of the Hindu god Shiva in Shaivism. It is typically the primary '' murti'' or devoti ...

s that came out of his mouth that devotees claim materialize in his body. He said that he can heal the diseases of his devotees by either his spiritual power or by taking on the disease himself. There is

anecdotal evidence Anecdotal evidence is evidence based only on personal observation, collected in a casual or non-systematic manner. The term is sometimes used in a legal context to describe certain kinds of testimony which are uncorroborated by objective, indepen ...

that supports this claim. Babb wrote in a 1983 article that "the miraculous are absolutely central to this religious movement" and that the plausibility of these miracles "seems to pull people into convictions ostensibly at odds with what their own subculture deems to be common sense and considered judgment". He wrote in that article that his observations are based on his contact with the local following of Sathya Sai Baba in Delhi that according to Babb included a sophisticated and cosmopolitan elite. Babb further wrote in that article that the energy of Sathya Sai Baba's "magic" can have "life-transforming effects on devotees."Babb, Lawrence A. ''Sathya Sai Baba's Magic'' in Anthropological Quarterly, Vol. 56, No. 3 (Jul., 1983), pp. 116-124 Sathya Sai Baba has said that all of his acts have meaning and significance. So many followers interpret the acts and sayings of the guru as teachings, sometimes even as personal teachings. Some followers, especially in the ashram, attribute coincidences to Baba's will and try to find a sometimes hidden meaning in them. Babb wrote in a 1986 book that some devotees tend attribute every event to Sathya Sai Baba's will and tend to see the world as an enchanted garden. He says that when a person dreams about him then this is because of his will and this is a form of his communication with people. Followers report dreams that contain messages from the guru to them. Some people became devotees after having such a dream.

Teachings

The Sathya Sai Baba movement advocates the unity of all religions. Sathya Sai Baba says that all religions lead to God and that followers should continue to follow their original religions. He says that those who follow his teachings will find themselves exampling their own original faith more fully, i.e. that will make

Christians Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρ� ...

become better Christians and Hindus better Hindus, et cetera. The five basic human values that he advocates are: Truth (

Satya ''Satya'' (Sanskrit: सत्य; IAST: ''satya)'' is a Sanskrit word loosely translated as truth, essence. A. A. Macdonell, ''Sanskrit English Dictionary'', Asian Educational Services, , pp. 330–331 It also refers to a virtue in Indian relig ...

), Right Conduct (

), Peace ( Shanti), Love for God and all creatures (

), and Non-violence (

). He teaches a rather traditional but

eclectic Eclectic may refer to: Music * ''Eclectic'' (Eric Johnson and Mike Stern album), 2014 * ''Eclectic'' (Big Country album), 1996 * Eclectic Method, name of an audio-visual remix act * Eclecticism in music, the conscious use of styles alien to th ...

form of

Hinduism Hinduism () is an Indian religion or '' dharma'', a religious and universal order or way of life by which followers abide. As a religion, it is the world's third-largest, with over 1.2–1.35 billion followers, or 15–16% of the global p ...

that come from many

sect A sect is a subgroup of a religious, political, or philosophical belief system, usually an offshoot of a larger group. Although the term was originally a classification for religious separated groups, it can now refer to any organization that ...

s and movements including ''advaita'', occasionally drawing from other religions like

Buddhism Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...

, Sikhism, and Christianity. He says that he has come to restore

in, and the practice of, the

Vedas upright=1.2, The Vedas are ancient Sanskrit texts of Hinduism. Above: A page from the '' Atharvaveda''. The Vedas (, , ) are a large body of religious texts originating in ancient India. Composed in Vedic Sanskrit, the texts constitute th ...

. He says that a very important way a person can emancipate oneself is through self-less service to one's fellow man (seva). Sathya Sai Baba has repeatedly stressed the importance of '' sadhana'' (Hindu spiritual exercises) for example by meditation. He asserts that sadhana is important for achieving ''

moksha ''Moksha'' (; sa, मोक्ष, '), also called ''vimoksha'', ''vimukti'' and ''mukti'', is a term in Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism for various forms of emancipation, enlightenment, liberation, and release. In its soteriologic ...

'' or kaivalyam (liberation from ignorance and from the endless re-births due to

karmic Karma (; sa, कर्म}, ; pi, kamma, italic=yes) in Sanskrit means an action, work, or deed, and its effect or consequences. In Indian religions, the term more specifically refers to a principle of cause and effect, often descriptivel ...

consequences). Sathya Sai Baba teaches the importance of ''

Bhakti yoga Bhakti yoga ( sa, भक्ति योग), also called Bhakti marga (, literally the path of ''Bhakti''), is a spiritual path or spiritual practice within Hinduism focused on loving devotion towards any personal deity.Karen Pechelis (2014 ...

'' (Hindu devotion to God). He preaches a strict morality with regards to sensual desires (including food, sex, meat, alcohol). Some of his exhortations are to put a ceiling on desires. By this, he seems to mean that followers should not waste time and money. He teaches that the world is just ''

maya Maya may refer to: Civilizations * Maya peoples, of southern Mexico and northern Central America ** Maya civilization, the historical civilization of the Maya peoples ** Maya language, the languages of the Maya peoples * Maya (Ethiopia), a popul ...

'', that only God is real and that the seeming diversity of all life is another illusion. All life is one, he says. The meaning of life is to experience this oneness with God and other living beings. Followers attribute many miracles to him which they witness in his presence and in their own countries, like spontaneous

manifestations on the pictures of the guru in their homes, and

bilocation Bilocation, or sometimes multilocation, is an alleged psychic or miraculous ability wherein an individual or object is located (or appears to be located) in two distinct places at the same time. Reports of bilocational phenomena have been made i ...

, the appearance of Sai Baba in their own presence while he is also in another place. They also report that he has materialized out-of-season fruit several times. He says he performs these miracles to attract people and then to transform them spiritually. Sathya Sai Baba said that he does not speak through other people in a discourse in 1962. In spite of this, the British author Lucas Ralli claimed that he received messages from Sathya Sai Baba and wrote in his books that his claim was endorsed by Sathya Sai Baba in an interview. His books with messages from Sathya Sai Baba are sold by the Sathya Sai Book Center of America. The anthropologist Lawrence Babb wrote that he considered the teachings of secondary importance in the

cult In modern English, ''cult'' is usually a pejorative term for a social group that is defined by its unusual religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs and rituals, or its common interest in a particular personality, object, or goal. Thi ...

when compared to the emphasis on the miraculous. Babb further wrote about the Sai doctrine that " ..there is little relatively to dwell upon, or at least nothing very distinctive. His philosophical views are simplistic, eclectic, and essentially unoriginal." The anthropologist Alexandra Kent notes that this lack of originality is in correspondence with Sathya Sai Baba's claim to revive old truths. The main objective of the Sathya Sai Organization, as Sathya Sai Baba himself says, "is to help you recognize the divinity inherent in you. So, your duty is to emphasize the One, to experience the One in all you do or speak. Do not give importance to differences of religion, sect, status, or color. Have the feeling of one-ness permeate all your acts. Only those who do so have a place in this Organization; the rest can withdraw."Sri Sathya Sai Baba Organization in Canada – Home Page
/ref>

Activities in local Sathya Sai Baba groups

Globally, local Sathya Sai Baba groups assemble to sing ''

s'' (devotional songs). Baba says that concentration on the name of God with the help of ''bhajans'' will easily lead to concentration on God and to higher devotion. ''Bhajans'' are sung at nearly every meeting. Bhajans are simple verses.Kent, 48 One line is sung by a lead singer and is then repeated by the rest of the group. In those bhajans the name of traditional Hindu deities have sometimes been replaced by the names of Sathya Sai Baba. In addition they study Sathya Sai Baba's teachings and the holy books of the various world religions. They also perform community service, which they call ''seva''. The greeting ''Sai Ram'' is used by followers.

Organizations

There are both independently founded Sai Study Groups worldwide, and also local ''Sai Samithis'' (Sathya Sai Baba groups) are part of a hierarchical structure called the Sathya Sai Organization. As of 2007, the chairman of the organization is the American Michael Goldstein. The logo of the Sathya Sai organization is a stylized lotus flower with the text of the five human values written in each petal. These are Love, Truth, Peace, Righteousness and Non-violence. This text version has replaced the old logo with the symbols of the main 5 or 6 world religions in the petals. The charter of the Sai Organization says that every member should undertake sadhana (spiritual discipline) as an integral part of daily life and abide by the following nine-points code of conduct. :1. Daily meditation and prayer. :2. Devotional singing/prayer with family members once per week. :3. Participation in the educational programmes conducted by the Organization for children. :4. Attendance at least once per month at group devotional programmes conducted by the Organization. :5. Participation in community service and other programmes of the Organization. :6. Regular study of Sai literature. :7. Putting into practice the principles of "ceiling on desires", utilising any savings thereby generated for the service of mankind. :8. Speaking softly and lovingly with everyone with whom one comes into contact. :9. Avoiding talking ill of others, especially in their absence. Sathya Sai Baba is the figurehead to a number of free educational institutions, charitable organizations and service projects that are spread over 10,000 centers in 166 countries around the world.''The Times of India'', ''"Sathya Sai Baba Trust to set up second superspecialty hospital at Bangalore"'', 29 May 2000 The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in Prashanti Nilayam is the only college in India to have received an "A++" rating by the

National Assessment and Accreditation Council The National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) is a government organisation in India that assesses and accredits Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). It is an autonomous body funded by the University Grants Commission and headquarte ...

(an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission).The Hindu: City colleges cheer NAAC rating, 8 June 2006, .Draft Report of the Peer Team on Institutional Accreditation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed University) Vidyagiri, Prashanthi Nilayam – 515 134 (A.P) Visit Dates: 2 – 4 December 200
Available online: DOC File
Besides this institute, there is also an Institute of Music and an Institute of Higher Learning in Anantapur, which is a women's college.Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur Campus, from an Official Sathya Sai site

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Puttaparthi (also known as the Super Specialty Hospital) is a 220-bed facility providing advanced surgical and medical care free of cost to the public. It is situated 6 kilometers from the guru's ashram and was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao on 22 November 1991 and was designed by the Prince of Wales's architectural adviser, Keith Critchlow The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in

is a 333-bed facility with advanced operation theatres, ICUs and CCUs meant to benefit the poor.Deccan Harald: ''"Where service comes first "'' by Aruna Chandaraju, 17 January 200
Available online
The hospital was inaugurated on 19 January 2001 by the then Prime Minister

Atal Behari Vajpayee Atal Bihari Vajpayee (; 25 December 1924 – 16 August 2018) was an Indian politician who served three terms as the 10th prime minister of India, first for a term of 13 days in 1996, then for a period of 13 months fr ...

. Other eminent participants were

Abdul Kalam Avul Pakir Jainulabdeen Abdul Kalam (; 15 October 193127 July 2015) was an Indian aerospace scientist and statesman who served as the 11th President of India from 2002 to 2007. He was born and raised in Rameswaram, Tamil Nadu and studied ...

, Michael Nobel (distant relative of Alfred Nobel), and Anji Reddy. The hospital has served 250,000 patients, free of cost, from January 2001 to April 2004.The Times of India: Super-Specialty hospital touches 2.5 lakh cases by Manu Rao
Available online
/ref> The Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital was opened in Whitefield, Bangalore, in 1977 by Sathya Sai Baba to provide free care to poor local villagers. Since that time, the general hospital has grown to a building that provides complex surgeries, food and medicines free of cost. The hospital has, since its inception, treated over 2 million cases.''"Sai Baba hospital: A refuge to millions"'', 1 May 2001
Available online
/ref> The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust runs several general hospitals, two super specialty hospitals, dispensaries, eye hospitals and mobile dispensaries and conducts medical camps in rural and slum areas in India. It was in the year 2000-2001 the largest recipient of foreign donations. The Trust has also funded several major drinking water projects. The first drinking water project, completed in 1996, supplies water to 1.2 million people in 730-800 villages in the drought-prone

Anantapur district Anantapur district officially: Anantapuramu district is one of the eight districts in the Rayalaseema region of the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh. The district headquarters is located at Anantapur city. It is one of the driest places in So ...

Andhra Pradesh Andhra Pradesh (, abbr. AP) is a state in the south-eastern coastal region of India. It is the seventh-largest state by area covering an area of and tenth-most populous state with 49,386,799 inhabitants. It is bordered by Telangana to the ...

.The Week: Showers of Grace by Hiramalini Seshadri, 26 May 200
Available online
The Hindu: Water projects: CM all praise for Satya Sai Trust by Our Staff Reporter, 13 February 2004,

/ref> The second drinking water project, completed in 2004, supplies water to

Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

(formerly known as

Madras Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...

) through a rebuilt waterway named "Sathya Sai Ganga Canal".The Hindu: Chennai benefits from Sai Baba's initiative by Our Special Correspondent, 1 December 2004
Available online
/ref>The Hindu: Project Water by Hiramalini Seshadri, 25 June 2003, The

water drinking project was praised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi. Karunanidhi said that although he is an

atheist Atheism, in the broadest sense, is an absence of belief in the existence of deities. Less broadly, atheism is a rejection of the belief that any deities exist. In an even narrower sense, atheism is specifically the position that there no ...

, he differentiated between good spiritual leaders like Sathya Sai Baba and fake godmen.IBN: Karunanidhi shares dais with Sai Baba, 21 January 2007
Available online
/ref> The third drinking water project, expected to be completed in April 2006, would supply water from the

Godavari River The Godavari (IAST: ''Godāvarī'' �od̪aːʋəɾiː is India's second longest river after the Ganga river and drains into the third largest basin in India, covering about 10% of India's total geographical area. Its source is in Trimbakeshwa ...

to half a million people living in five hundred villages in

East East or Orient is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from west and is the direction from which the Sun rises on the Earth. Etymology As in other languages, the word is formed from the fac ...

and West Godavari Districts. Other completed water projects include the

Medak Medak is a town in Medak district of the Indian state of Telangana. It is a municipality and the headquarters of Medak mandal in Medak revenue division. And There is a river named srujan which is big in length. Etymology and History Medak wa ...

District Project benefiting 450,000 people in 179 villages and the

Mahbubnagar Mahabubnagar is a city in Mahabubnagar District of the Indian state of Telangana named after the 6th Nizam, Mahboob Ali Khan. It is the headquarters of Mahabubnagar mandal in Mahabubnagar revenue division. The city is also the largest in the ...

District Project benefitting 350,000 people in 141 villages. In January 2007, the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust revealed that it would undertake another drinking water project in

Latur Latur(लातूर) is a city in Indian state of Maharashtra, and is one of the largest cities of the Marathwada region. It is the administrative headquarters of Latur district and Latur Taluka. The city is a tourist hub surrounded by ma ...

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...

. His Educare (formerly called Education in Human Values) program seeks to found schools in all countries with the explicit goal to educate children in the five human values and spirituality. The Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust is the official publisher of the '' Sathya Sai Organization''. It publishes the international monthly magazine called ''Sanathana Sarathi'' in English and Telugu. According to their website, they shelve over a thousand books and provide Sai-related literature in 40 languages. The book trust also supplies CDs, DVDs and audio tapes. In various nations, similar publication trusts are maintained in their own native language. On 23 November 2001, the digital radio network "Radio Sai Global Harmony" was launched through the World Space Organization, USA. Dr. Michael Nobel (distant relative of Alfred Nobel, and one of the patrons for the radio network) said that the radio network would spread Sathya Sai Baba's message of global harmony and peace.The Hindu, ''"Saibaba Gospel Goes on Air"'', 24 November 2001, In 2020, Sri Satya Sai Central Trust was granted Special Consultative status by

United Nations Economic and Social Council The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC; french: links=no, Conseil économique et social des Nations unies, ) is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations, responsible for coordinating the economic and social fields ...

Celebrations and commemorations

The most important celebrations and commemorations are *

the great night of Shiva, date is based on the

Hindu calendar The Hindu calendar, Panchanga () or Panjika is one of various lunisolar calendars that are traditionally used in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia, with further regional variations for social and Hindu religious purposes. They adopt ...

. *''Easwaramma'' day on 6 May Celebration and commemoration of Sathya Sai Baba's mother *Sathya Sai Baba's Birthday 23 November *

Guru Purnima Guru Purnima (Poornima) is a tradition dedicated to all the spiritual and academic Gurus, who are evolved or enlightened humans, ready to share their wisdom, based on Karma Yoga. It is celebrated as a festival in India, Nepal and Bhutan by Hi ...

date is based on the Hindu calendar. Gratitude and devotion to the guru is shown. *

Janmastami Krishna Janmashtami , also known simply as Krishnashtami, Janmashtami, or Gokulashtami, is an annual Hindu festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. According to the Hindu lunisolar calendar, it is observed ...

Christmas Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A feast central to the Christian liturgical year ...

Conversion and mission

John D. Kelly, as of 2006 a professor of

anthropology Anthropology is the scientific study of humanity, concerned with human behavior, human biology, cultures, societies, and linguistics, in both the present and past, including past human species. Social anthropology studies patterns of be ...

at the

University of Chicago The University of Chicago (UChicago, Chicago, U of C, or UChi) is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois. Its main campus is located in Chicago's Hyde Park neighborhood. The University of Chicago is consistently ranked among the b ...

wrote in an article about Hindu mission in

Fiji Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consis ...

that the Sai Baba movement was missionary. In contrast, Dr. Kim Knott who worked as of 1997 at the department of theology and religious studies of the

University of Leeds , mottoeng = And knowledge will be increased , established = 1831 – Leeds School of Medicine1874 – Yorkshire College of Science1884 - Yorkshire College1887 – affiliated to the federal Victoria University1904 – University of Leeds , ...

untagged in a table the "Sathya Sai Baba Fellowship" as

missionary A missionary is a member of a Religious denomination, religious group which is sent into an area in order to promote its faith or provide services to people, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care, and economic development.Tho ...

.Knott, page 766 Sathya Sai Baba has discouraged publicity and

proselytism Proselytism () is the policy of attempting to convert people's religious or political beliefs. Proselytism is illegal in some countries. Some draw distinctions between ''evangelism'' or '' Da‘wah'' and proselytism regarding proselytism as invol ...

for him in a public discourse (23 November 1968).

Characterizations and classifications

Scholarly sources generally describe the Sathya Sai Baba movement as that of Hindu.Nagel, Alexandra (note: Nagel is a critical former follower) "De Sai Paradox: Tegenstrijdigheden van en rondom Sathya Sai Baba"/"The Sai Paradox contradictions of and surrounding Sathya Sai Baba" from the magazine "Religieuze Bewegingen in Nederland, 'Sekten' "/"Religious movements in the Netherlands, 'Cults/Sects' ", 1994, nr. 29. published by the

Free University of Amsterdam The Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (abbreviated as ''VU Amsterdam'' or simply ''VU'' when in context) is a public research university in Amsterdam, Netherlands, being founded in 1880. The VU Amsterdam is one of two large, publicly funded research ...

press, (1994)
Dutch original: "Ofschoon Sai Baba gezegd heeft mensen van allerlei religieuze gezindten te helpen terug te gaan naar oude waarden en normen, en ofschoon zijn logo de symbolen van de andere grote godsdiensten bevat, is de sfeer rondom Sai Baba duidelijk hindoeïstisch gekleurd. Alle moslim-elementen bijv. waarvan verondersteld zou kunnen worden dat hij die zou hebben meegenomen uit zijn leven als Sai Baba van Shirdi, heeft hij laten vallen. Het enig echt herkenbare wat hij van Shirdi Baba nog heeft, is het veelvuldig gebruik van as, – wat hij dan niet uit een dhuni haalt zoals Shirdi Baba deed, maar materialiseert (of tevoorschijn goochelt)" Sai Baba's followers considered him to be the

avatar Avatar (, ; ), is a concept within Hinduism that in Sanskrit literally means "descent". It signifies the material appearance or incarnation of a powerful deity, goddess or spirit on Earth. The relative verb to "alight, to make one's appear ...

and

Kalki Kalki ( sa, कल्कि), also called Kalkin or Karki, is the prophesied tenth and final incarnation of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is described to appear in order to end the Kali Yuga, one of the four periods in the endless cycle of exist ...

, while he himself claimed to be a reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdhi. Charles S. J. White, of The American University at Washington D.C., said, "Apart from his name, there is no discernible Muslim influence in the Sathya Sai Baba cult." He said that Sai Baba's style is mostly similar to Medieval Hindu practice called ''nathpanthis''. Lawrence A. Babb, of the Amherst College in Massachusetts, also labelled Sai Baba movement as a cult, which is "deeply and authentically Hindu." He states that the devotees "rarely dwell on matters of doctrine, which is not surprising, for in fact there is relatively little to dwell upon, or at least nothing very distinctive. His philosophical views are simplistic, eclectic, and essentially unorigin... The most striking feature of this cult, however, is the extremely strong emphasis given to the miraculous." Babb sees as its highly individualized focus on miracles instead of a focus on a

world view A worldview or world-view or ''Weltanschauung'' is the fundamental cognitive orientation of an individual or society encompassing the whole of the individual's or society's knowledge, culture, and point of view. A worldview can include natural ...

. Deborah A. Swallow, of the University of Cambridge, also agreed to the cult description. She compared Sathya Sai Baba with his (alleged) predecessor Sai Baba of Shirdi, who was associated with both Hindu and Islam. She concluded that Sathya Sai Baba's connection to Islam was vague, and that his "ritual and theology, then, unlike Sai Baba f Shirdis, is distinctly Hindu in form and content." The wide range of devotees including Muslims, Sikhs, Parsees, Jews and Christians is "the composite symbol of his cult." According to Alexandra Kent, at the Gothenburg University in Sweden, Sai Baba movement "differs from the other movements in its concerted efforts to transcend ethnic and religious divisions" in order to promote universal religion. But at its core it teaches "the eternal Hindu truth." She called it the "Hindu Revitalization movement." This is essential for Indian people living in different countries to maintain their inherently Hindu culture. Knott tagged in a table the "Sathya Sai Baba Fellowship" as devotional,

charismatic authority Charismatic authority is a concept of leadership developed by the German sociologist Max Weber. It involves a type of organization or a type of leadership in which authority derives from the charisma of the leader. This stands in contrast to two o ...

reformist Reformism is a political doctrine advocating the reform of an existing system or institution instead of its abolition and replacement. Within the socialist movement, reformism is the view that gradual changes through existing institutions can ...

, and including non-Asian membership. Untagged were revivalist,

, and

caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultur ...

-related. Kelly wrote that the Sathya Sai Organizations reject the label Hindu although they were clearly Hindu mission. According to Kelly, they saw its founder as the "living synthesis of the world's religious traditions" and prefers to be classified as an interfaith movement. He noted that "They instruct their children to fill out methodically the prayer, school, and chore daily schedules that rival the ones devised by Benjamin Franklin, the ones that so impressed Max Webber." Kelly further wrote when comparing

ISKCON The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON), known colloquially as the Hare Krishna movement or Hare Krishnas, is a Gaudiya Vaishnava Hindu religious organization. ISKCON was founded in 1966 in New York City by A. C. Bhaktiv ...

with the

Sai Baba Sai Baba or Saibaba ( hi, साईं , "Swami", and , " Baba") is an honorific term for ascetics in India. It may refer in particular to: People * Sai Baba of Shirdi (–1918), Indian guru * Sathya Sai Baba (1926–2011), born Sathya Narayana Ra ...

mission (he does not write which

mission he means) that the Sai Baba efforts in Fiji are ambiguous where ISKCON is dogmatic and structured, proliferating where ISKCON is planned and controlled, self-contradictory where ISKCON is clear, gentle where ISKCON is stern, and to put it most broadly, open where ISKCON is closed. Kelly further stated that the Sai organization in Fiji does not ask its members to undergo initiation or to commit themselves to obey particular leaders. Former followers Nagel asserts that the atmosphere surrounding Sathya Sai Baba is clearly Hindu, in spite of Sathya Sai Baba's claim to foster and unite a number of different religions and that he dropped all Muslim elements that Shirdi Sai Baba practiced.

Educational institutions, charitable organizations, hospitals and service projects

Sathya Sai Baba supports free schools and other charitable works in 166 countries. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning in Prashanti Nilayam is the only college in India to have received an "A++" rating by the

(an autonomous body established by the University Grants Commission). His charity supports the Institute of Music and the Institute of Higher Learning in Anantapur, which is a women's college. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in Puttaparthi is a 220-bed facility that provides free surgical and medical care and was inaugurated by the then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao on 22 November 1991. The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences in

is a 333-bed hospital meant to benefit the poor. The hospital was inaugurated on 19 January 2001 by the then Prime Minister

. The hospital has provided free medical care to over 250,000 patients. The Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital was opened in Whitefield, Bangalore, in 1977 and provides complex surgeries, food and medicines free of cost. The hospital has treated over 2 million patients. The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust runs several general hospitals, two specialty hospitals, eye hospitals and mobile dispensaries and conducts medical camps in rural and slum areas in India. The Trust has also funded several major drinking water projects. One project completed in 1996 supplies water to 1.2 million people in about 750 villages in the drought-prone

. The second drinking water project, completed in 2004, supplies water to

through a rebuilt waterway named "Sathya Sai Ganga Canal". Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

M. Karunanidhi Muthuvel Karunanidhi (3 June 1924 – 7 August 2018) was an Indian writer and politician who served as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for almost two decades over five terms between 1969 and 2011. He was popularly referred to as Kalaignar (Art ...

praised the Chennai water project and Sai Baba's involvement. Other completed water projects include the

District Project benefiting 450,000 people in 179 villages and the

District Project benefitting 350,000 people in 141 villages. In January 2007, the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust said it would start a drinking water project in

.The Hindu: Saibaba Trust to undertake drinking water project in Latur, 17 January 200
Available online
/ref> Sai Baba's ''Educare'' program seeks to found schools throughout the world with the goal of educating children in the five human values. According to the Sai Educare site, schools have been founded in 33 countries. The Times of Zambia states, "The positive influence of Sathya Sai is unprecedented in the annals of education in Zambia. Sai Baba’s education ideals as embodied in his human values-based approach in education are an eye opener to educationists in Zambia." On 23 November 2001, the digital radio network "Radio Sai Global Harmony" was launched through the World Space Organization, USA. Dr. Michael Oleinikof Nobel (distant relative to

Alfred Nobel Alfred Bernhard Nobel ( , ; 21 October 1833 – 10 December 1896) was a Swedish chemist, engineer, inventor, businessman, and philanthropist. He is best known for having bequeathed his fortune to establish the Nobel Prize, though he al ...

and one of the patrons for the radio network) said that the radio network would spread Sathya Sai Baba's message of global harmony and peace. In January 2007 the Baba was given a big felicitation in Chennai Nehru stadium organised by the Chennai Citizens Conclave for thanking him for the 200 crore water project which brought water from the River Krishna in Andhra Pradesh to Chennai city. Four chief ministers attended the function. The notable news about this event was that Sai Baba was sharing the same dais with Karunanidhi (Chief Minister of Chennai) who is a very well known hardcore atheist against Hindu gurus / godman and that Karunanidhi was felicitating Sai Baba. This was covered in all newspapers.Felicitation for Water Project, Indian Expres
Available Online
/ref> Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital panorama

Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital panorama

Demographics

According to the Sathya Sai Organization, there are an estimated 1,200 Sathya Sai Baba Centers in 130 countries worldwide. The number of adherents is estimated between 6 million and 100 million, predominantly people of Indian ethnic origin. Simon Weightmann who worked as of 1997 at the department for the study of religions at the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degr ...

wrote that Sathya Sai Baba is one of the most popular gurus, both in India and in the Hindu diaspora and that as a consequence of his inclusivist stance he has a large following among the urban middle class. Professor

Harold Coward Harold Coward (born 1936) is a Canadian scholar of bioethics and religious studies. A Bachelor in Divinity (Christian Theology), he earned a doctoral degree in Philosophy in 1973 from the McMaster University. He was a professor at University of ...

who worked as of 1997 as a professor for the centre of religious studies at the

University of Victoria The University of Victoria (UVic or Victoria) is a public research university located in the municipalities of Oak Bay and Saanich, British Columbia, Canada. The university traces its roots to Victoria College, the first post-secondary insti ...

wrote that Sathya Sai Baba, together with several other modern Indian gurus, has attracted more occidental than South Asian Canadians. A significant fraction of the movement in

Malaysia Malaysia ( ; ) is a country in Southeast Asia. The federal constitutional monarchy consists of thirteen states and three federal territories, separated by the South China Sea into two regions: Peninsular Malaysia and Borneo's East Mal ...

is of Chinese extraction, though the majority there is of

British East India The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...

n Hindu origin. In 2000 there were widespread defections in the West due to publications about sexual abuse by

.''Divine Downfall'' By Brown, Mick, From The Daily Telegraph Saturday Magazine, 27 October 2000, "There has been a rash of defections from Sai Baba groups throughout the West. In Sweden the central group has closed down, and so too has a school based on the Human Education Values programme devised by educationalists at the Puttaparthi college."

Notes

References

*Babb, Lawrence A. ''Sathya Sai Baba's Magic'' in Anthropological Quarterly, Vol. 56, No. 3 (Jul., 1983), pp. 116–124 *Babb, Lawrence, A., ''Redemptive Encounters'', (University of California Press, 1986) *Bowen, David ''The Sathya Sai Baba Community in Bradford: Its origins and development, religious beliefs and practices''. Leeds: University Press. (1988) *Chandaraju, Aruna ''"Where service comes first "'' in the

Deccan Herald ''Deccan Herald'' is an Indian English language daily newspaper published from the Indian state of Karnataka. It was founded by K. N. Guruswamy, a liquor businessman from Ballari and was launched on 17 June 1948. It is published by The Print ...

17 January 200
Available online
* Coward, Harold ''South Asian Religions in Canada'' in the ''Handbook of Living Religions'' edited by John R. Hinnels (1997), second edition, *Draft Report of the Peer Team on Institutional Accreditation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed University) Vidyagiri, Prashanthi Nilayam – 515 134 (A.P) Visit Dates: 2 – 4 December 200
Available online: DOC File
*Exon, Bob (1995). Self-accounting for Conversion by Western Devotees of Modern Hindu Religious Movements. 74–82. DISKUS WebEdition The on-disk journal of international Religious Studies Editor ISSN 0967-8948 Vol. 3 No. 2

*Handoo, Jawaharlal in ''Asian Folklore Studies'', Vol. 48, No. 2 (1989), pp. 326–32 reviewing Lawrence A. Babb's book ''Redemptive Encounters. Three Modern Styles in the Hindu Tradition'
first page
*

The Hindu ''The Hindu'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper owned by The Hindu Group, headquartered in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It began as a weekly in 1878 and became a daily in 1889. It is one of the Indian newspapers of record and the sec ...

, ''"Saibaba Gospel Goes on Air"'', 24 November 2001, *

''Saibaba Trust to undertake drinking water project in Latur'', 17 January 2007
Available online
*

''Chennai benefits from Sai Baba's initiative'' by Our Special Correspondent, 1 December 2004
Available online
*

, ''Water, the Elixir of life'', November 200
Available online
*

''Healing with Love and Compassion'', 23 November 2005
Available online
*

''Water projects: CM all praise for Satya Sai Trust'' by Our Staff Reporter, 13 February 2004
Available online
*

''City colleges cheer NAAC rating'', 8 June 2006, * Hummel, Reinhart, German article published in Materialdienst der EZW, 47 Jahrgang, 1 February 1984, Translation by Linda W. Duddy and is reprinted by their permission
Available online
on the website of the

Dialog Center The Dialog Center International (DCI) is a Christian counter-cult organization founded in 1973 by a Danish professor of missiology and ecumenical theology, Dr. Johannes Aagaard (1928–2007). Considered Christian apologetic and missionary minded, ...

, a Christian Anti-Cult Site *Jayaram, A. ''Vajpayee hits out at high cost of medicare'' in

20 January 2001 * Karanjia, R.K. Interview with Sathya Sai Baba as published in the Blitz News Magazine in September 1976 * Kasturi, Narayana ''Sathyam Shivam Sundaram: The Life of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba'' Volume II
available online
*Kelly, John D. Dr. ''Bhakti and Postcolonial Politics: Hindu Missions to Fiji in Nation and Migration'' in ''The Politics of Space in the South Asian Diaspora'' Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press 1995, edited by Peter van der Veer ' * Kasturi, Narayana, ''"Sathyam Sivam Sundaram"'' Volume I, Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust,
Available online
*Kasturi, Narayana ''Sathyam Sivam Sundaram Part I'

*Kennedy, Dominic

The Times ''The Times'' is a British daily national newspaper based in London. It began in 1785 under the title ''The Daily Universal Register'', adopting its current name on 1 January 1788. ''The Times'' and its sister paper '' The Sunday Times'' ( ...

(England), 27 August 2001 "Suicide, sex and the guru
Available online
*Kent, Alexandra. ''Divinity and Diversity: a Hindu revitalization movement in Malaysia'', Copenhagen Nias Press, first published in 2005, * *Knott, Kim Dr. ''South Asian Religions in Britain'' in the ''Handbook of Living Religions'' edited by John R. Hinnels (1997), second edition, *Milner, Murray Jr. ''Hindu Eschatology and the Indian Caste System: An Example of Structural Reversal'' in The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 52, No. 2 (May, 1993), pp. 298–319 *Nagel, Alexandra (note: Nagel is a critical former follower) "De Sai Paradox: Tegenstrijdigheden van en rondom Sathya Sai Baba"/"The Sai Paradox contradictions of and surrounding Sathya Sai Baba" from the magazine "Religieuze Bewegingen in Nederland, 'Sekten' "/"Religious movements in the Netherlands, 'Cults/Sects' ", nr. 29. published by the Free University Amsterdam press, (1994) *Nagel, Alexandra (note: Nagel is a critical former follower) ''Een mysterieuze ontmoeting... :Sai Baba en mentalist Wolf Messing'' published in Tijdschrift voor Parapsychologie 368, vol. 72 nr 4, December 2005, pp. 14–17 (Dutch language) *Padmanaban, R. ''Love is My Form'' * rediff.com ''Sathya Sai Trust gets most foreign donations'' in

rediff Rediff.com (stylized as ''rediff.com'') is an Indian news, information, entertainment and shopping web portal. It was founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and New York City. , it had more than 300 e ...

16 August 200
available online
retrieved 12 February 2007 *Patel, Niranjan, Madhu Patel, Claire S. Scott, Ajay N. Patel; ''Sai Bhajana Mala''; International Edition, Published by M. Patel and N. Patel; Whitefield, Bangalore; copyrighted by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust, 1993. *Ralli, Lucas ''Sai Messages for You and Me'', Vol. 1 *Rao, Manu Super-Specialty hospital touches 2.5 lakh case
Available online
in the

Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest se ...

*Sathya Sai Baba on 4 March 1962 ''Spend your Days with Shiva'' (also copied in the book by Samuel Sandweis ''Sai Baba The Holy Man ... and the Psychiatrist'') *https://archive.today/19970327184726/http://www.sathyasai.org/inform/tustin.htm website of the American book center retrieved March 2006 *Sathya Sai Org: Numbers to Sai Centers and Names of Countries *Sathya Sai Baba/Sathya Sai Organisation (6 July 1963) http://www.sathyasai.org/discour/1963/d630706.htm *Seshadri, Hiramalini in

: ''Project Water'', 25 June 2003, *Seshadri, Hiramalini in

The Week ''The Week'' is a weekly news magazine with editions in the United Kingdom and United States. The British publication was founded in 1995 and the American edition in 2001. An Australian edition was published from 2008 to 2012. A children's edi ...

''Showers of Grace'', 26 May 200
Available online
*Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur Campus, from an Official Sathya Sai site

*Steel, Brian ''The Satya Sai Baba Compendium: A Guide to the First Seventy Years'' (1997) published by Samuel Weiser, Inc. York Beach Maine. *Taylor, Donald. "Charismatic authority in the Sathya Sai Baba movement" in Richard Burghart (ed.), "Hinduism in Great Britain: The perpetuation of religion in an alien cultural milieu", (1987) London/New York: Tavistock Publications, *

, ''"Sai hospital to host health meet on Saturday"'', 14 January 200
Available online
*

"Sai Baba hospital: A refuge to millions", 1 May 2001
Available online
*

, ''"Sathya Sai Baba Trust to set up second superspecialty hospital at Bangalore"'', 29 May 2000 *Velde, Koert van der ''De ondergang van een goeroe, Sai Baba''/''The downfall of a guru, Sai Baba'' in the Dutch newspaper Trouw 6 September 2000 *Weightmann, Simon ''Hinduism'' in the ''Handbook of Living Religions'' edited by John R. Hinnels (1997), second edition,

Bibliography

*Brown, Mick ''The Spiritual Tourist'' (1998) Bloomsbury Publishing *Goldthwait, John "Purifying the Heart" (2002) *Guillemin, Madeleine "Who is in the Driving Seat?" (2000) *Hislop, John ''My Baba and I'' *Kasturi, Narayana ''Sathyam Sivam Sundaran Part I, II, III & IV'
available online in Microsoft Word format
*Klass, Morton ''Singing with Sai Baba: The Politics of Revitalization in Trinidad'', (1991), Boulder WestView Press *Krystal, Phyllis "The Ultimate Experience" *Murphet, Howard ''Man of Miracles'' (1971) 0333-91770-7 *Sandweiss, Samuel H. ''The holy man ..... and the psychiatrist'' (1975) *Padmanaban, R. ''Love is My Form'' Sai Towers (October 2000) * Sharma, Arvind ''New Religious Movements in India'' in ''New Religious Movements and Rapid Social Change'' edited by

James A. Beckford James Arthur Beckford (1 December 1942 – 10 May 2022) was a British sociologist of religion.Swatos, William H.; Kivisto, Peter''Encyclopedia of Religion and Society'' Rowman Altamira 1998, p. 44, . Retrieved 20 June 2010. He was professor emer ...

, pages 228–231, 233 *Sandweiss, Samuel H "Spirit and the Mind" (1985) *Thomas, Joy "Life is a Game – Play it" *Haraldsson, Erlendur PhD ''Miracles are my visiting cards – An investigative inquiry on Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian mystic with the gift of foresight believed to perform modern miracles'' (1997 revised and updated edition) *Sandweiss, Samuel H. ''The holy man ..... and the psychiatrist'' (1975) * Sathya Sai Bab
Many online books
* Sathya Sai Baba ''Gita vahini''

* Sathya Sai Baba ''Rama Katha Rasavahini'', translated into English by Narayana Kastur

* Sathya Sai Baba ''Sathya Sai Speaks'', Volumes I-. Many of these public discourses have been published on the interne

* Schulman, Arnold ''Baba'' (1971)

Viking Press Viking Press (formally Viking Penguin, also listed as Viking Books) is an American publishing company owned by Penguin Random House. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim and then acquir ...

, New York, (Out of print but available in some public libraries)

External links

;Official Sathya Sai websites
Sathya Sai Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sathya Sai Baba Movement Religious organisations based in India Hindu new religious movements Puttaparthi pl:Sathya Sai Baba#Nauki