There have been many theories and questions about whether Sai Baba is an avatar or not. While everyone is entitled to his or her own belief, perhaps a couple of things can be clarified based on prophecies that have been given over the ages, some pretty ancient.
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A very good website on Sathya Sai's advent as prophesised is:
To highlight some of these points, it is worth looking at the following texts:
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- Book of Revelations,
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- Nostradamus in his book Centuries,
- The Ocean of Light (an ancient Persian manuscript of the revelations of Prophet Mohammed)
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- Inscriptions, ancient palm leaf manuscripts
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- Aurobindo's declaration
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When the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of Truth, Who proceeds from the Father, He shall testify of Me, bear witness to me...
"When He, the Spirit of Truth (Sathya) comes, He will guide you into all Truth... and He will declare to you and show you the things that are to come. He will glorify Me for He will receive of Mine and declare it, show it to you. All that the Father has is Mine; therefore, I said that He will take of what is Mine and declare it, show it to you." (John 16:13-15).
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"The triplicity of waters will give birth to a man who will choose Thursday as his holy day. His voice, reign, and power will rise across land and sea, amid storms in the East." (Century 1)
"The earth and air will freeze so much water, when all will come to worship on Thursdays. What will be was never so beautiful before. From all parts of the world they will come to honor him."
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“Long awaited he will never return In Europe, he will appear in Asia: One of the league issued from the great Hermes, And he will grow over all the Kings of the East.” (Century 10)
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The quatrains specify about the triplicity of water.The triplicity of water very well matches with India as it is popularly known as Peninsular continent.That too south India where the Three water bodies (The triplicity of water) Bay of Bengal , Arabian Sea, Indian Ocean encircle the land.
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Bihar Al Anwar - The first is from the Bihar Al Anwar (Ocean of Light) a compilation of discourses by the Prophet Mohammed and some of the Shia Islam Imam's. It was compiled in the 17th century by Mohammed Baqir Majlisi, a famous early Shia scholar. One of the many volumes is concerned with sayings concerning the coming "Hazrat Mahdi," which is the Muslim messiah. One of these was from the Prophet, and it had the following information: Mohammed refers to him as "Master of the World," "Master of Time," "God's President," and "God speaking and advising." He says that he can be recognized by these signs: "His hair will be profuse. His forehead will be large and concave. His nose will be small, with a slight bump at the bridge. His front teeth will be spaced apart. He will have a mole on his cheek. He will not have a beard but will be clean shaven. His clothing will be like a flame. He will wear two robes, one an under robe. The color of his face will be sometimes yellow like gold, sometimes very dark and sometimes shining like the moon. His body will be small. His legs will be like those of a young girl.
All the teachings of all the religions of the world will be in his heart from birth. All the science and knowledge of the world from the beginning of time will be in his heart. All things which you ask from God, the Master of the World will give you.
All the treasures are under his feet. He will give gifts that are light in weight. He will go around among his devotees and touch their heads with his hand. Every eye that sees him will be happy, not only humans but disembodied spirits.
He will live 95 years. In the last 20 years of his life, he will be the King of the Whole World but at that time only two-thirds of the people of the world will believe in him. Muslims will recognize him only nine years before his passing from the world. He will make the world light and full of peace.
So as not to be deceived, you should know that the Master of the World will bring things out of his body through his mouth." The above physical description is highly accurate. Sai Baba used to produce lingams (elliptoidal objects symbolizing creation) in his body and bring them out of his mouth during the Mahashivaratri festival. He has said he will live to be 95 years of age (the year 2020).
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Nadi Inscriptions:
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One of the Naadi, named Brahma Naadi says that
"The avatar creating an illusion as though he is a human being, a denizen of Parti, Sathya Sai Narayana (Sai Baba's original name), the incarnation of Shakti-Shiva, the incarnation of Shirdi Baba (his previous incarnation), peace in person in the peaceful precincts of Parti on the banks of the River Chitravati.
Reincarnation of Sri Krishna, Sri Linga, Sri Rudra Kali, Sri Shakti, Sri Vishnu.
An embodiment of truth in the garb of a human, living as avatar in Maharashtra at Shirdi as Shirdi Baba, wearing tattered clothes, with the look of poverty and a life of simplicity, taking yet another avatar as Sathyanarayana with a serpent couch.
Like Dattatreya, an avatar conjoining the trinity (Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva) together.
The Supreme preceptor comes as a form of Shakti. Sathya Sai taking another avatar as Prema Sai (his next incarnation).
The day Thursday sanctified by the boy Sathya Sai."
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"He is the divine embodiment of grace" and "the father of the world."
It further states, "The Avatar Sathya Sai will be medical master of lightening efficiency.
He will form many educational institutions, produce literature on righteous conduct, preach throughout his life on spirituality.
He will leave home at a young age and launch upon the establishment of dharma (righteousness) as his life's mission. In the previous life, he was Sai Baba of Shirdi."
The Sukra Naadi states that ,
Through His Grace, Love and wisdom He will establish Nithyanandha – The Ever lasting Bliss, in this World
The Place where He lives will become a holy land of penance
He will always have pleasure and happiness by serving the mankind
He is an avathar amidst the avathars
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The Bruhu Samhita is a famous manuscript that predicts the future of everyone who will consult it.This Bruhu Samhitha written in the language Sanskrit , is famous especially in North India. People had found their name contained in it, along with the names of their parents, their life's history and something about their destiny.
Several people, who consulted the script have been told that they would visit Sai Baba, even though they didn't know who he was at the time.
One was told that he would be "seeing the avatar of God in human form at Prasanti Nilayam (Swami's ashram)."
Another was told that he would see a "direct vision of God (Prathyaksha Deva Dharshanam) on the 4th of November 1967." That was the day Baba came to his house.
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On November 24 th 1926, the next day to Swami’s incarnation at Puttaparthi , the disciples of the Sri Aurabindo Ashram were called asked assemble in the meditation place. Everyone was in meditation for about forty-five minutes. At the end of this Sri Aurabindo blessed every one of the devotees and made an open declaration that a higher -Super power has descended down to the earth. He said he had been working intensively for the past few years for this descent of Supreme Lord in human form. He declared this as a remarkable achievement in his life for which he had been working so long. The holy mother too approved the descend of the Lord in physical form and declared this day as the day of victory. The day was given an importance and declared as one of the four days of Sri Aurabindo’s Public dharshan.
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Hope that some of these points clarify Sai Baba's avatar status although I still maintain that his role is a very challenging one for most people who follow him. I am also keeping up to date with the numerous so-called 'yogis' claiming all sorts of things such as self-proclaimed Swami Vishwananda or Visham who is also being called something of an ''avatar'' which I can't help laughing at. Something worth noting on one of the blog pages about him among the comments section is also very relevant to this article:
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"I was musing over these anecdotes while cleaning the library one day when I found a book about Satya Sai Baba, the South Indian master so famous for materializing objects from the air. The book said that in 1963, before an audience of thousands, Sai Baba healed himself of a serious illness following an eight-day coma. He revealed that he was an incarnation of both Shiva and his consort Shakti, saying he'd been fulfilling an ancient prophecy that foretold the pair would reincarnate and undergo just such an eight-day illness. That night I mentally asked Babaji to clear up the issue -- just who was this Shiva anyway? The next day a young Englishman stopped by the ashram library where I was cleaning the books. He told me the story of the time he and a group of devotees had gone to Delhi, where Babaji had been asked to perform a purifying fire ceremony by the temple prophets of the Book of Bhrighu. This book, he said, was one of the wonders of India, a series of ancient book leaves in a barely translatable tongue that would tell the names and needs of any visitor who happened to come to the temple -- even up to the present day. It seems the Book had presented a spontaneous reading one day, recommending that a little-known saint from the village of Herakhan be called to perform a Vedic fire ritual. And when Babaji arrived, the Englishman said, the prophets found his name in the book and read the following: "Shiva has returned to us, manifest in three forms: Shiva alone, in that sadhu there," the priests indicated a white-bearded holy man watching them from the corner. "And Shiva and Shakti together in Satya Sai Baba, and as Nataraj, the dancing Shiva of destruction, in the form of this young guru, Herakhan Baba."
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I am usually critical of organisations, especially spiritual organisations which often operate inconsistently from region to region as well as between followers themselves. However every now and then one does hear of a few remarkable stories, usually from very ordinary people which is definitely worth taking note. Personally, I find the stories of every-day people more inspirational than those seeking miraculous experiences. A couple of examples are people like Isaac Tigrett (founder of the Hard Rock cafe), Michael Maccarthy or 'Mccarthy' (former Vietnam veteran, turned drug dealer, turned Sai devotee), and the ''miracle school'' in Zambia..
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Further information - Updated July 2008
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This website gives further information on the prophecies of Sai Baba including prophecies by Anandamayi Ma, Sri Karunamayi as well as some information from Yogananda to one of his followers.
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Interesting links are:
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.(Founder of the Hard Rock Cafe)
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(Victor Kanu)
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(Michael McCarthy)
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New blog:
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Update 2011
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The somewhat unexpected passing of Baba to those who have followed the path of Sathya Sai or even been interested in the Sai Avatars has its challenges although faith and the belief that Baba is as present as ever before will be of sustaining strength even though He may have left His physical form.
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Invariably there have been questions arising about Baba's age in terms of the prophecies mainly that He was said to live to 95 years. There is now enlightenment on the prediction as well as allowing for reflection that the 'ancient' seers are pretty certain to have used the Lunar calender ahead of the Solar which is a more Western trend post the birth of Christ. According to the Lunar calendar Baba would have been approximately 95 years old.
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May a sense of humour prevail to enusre peace and contentment!
NB: PLEASE SEE FACEBOOK PAGE - 'PROPHECIES ON SATHYA SAI BABA' - FOR SAI BABA'S OWN WORDS ABOUT HIS AGE TO A DEVOTEE REGARDING HIS PASSING!
FAMOUS PEOPLE WHO ARE SATHYA SAI FOLLOWERS ARE ISAAC TIGRETT, AISHWARYA RAI, STEVEN SEAGAL, SACHIN TENDULKAR AND SARAH FERGUSON.
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I am grateful that Sathya Sai Baba accepted my manuscript on the Violet Flame in August 2010.
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