As Aradhana Day on April 24 approaches, memories of my beloved Guru Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s Mahasamadhi are rekindled. It is difficult to explain the sadness of losing him, who was more than his mother, father, and guru. After his initial loss and grief, I slowly began to accept the void created by his physical absence. I began to understand his words. “I’m in you, with you, around you, under you, above you…I’m always with you!”
Kabirji said, “Guru Govind dono khade, khake lagoon pay?
Balihari guru aapki, jin gobind diyo milaye! (Both God and my guru are standing before me, so to whom should I bow first? “Let me bow to my guru Because he brought me to meet the Lord!
For me Baba is my Guru and God. All my greetings and prayers are directed to him. When God becomes incarnate, not everyone is lucky enough to know that God is God in human form. All who experienced the divinity of Sai while he walked the earth were certainly blessed. He taught us to live with God in mind. This requires acting, speaking, walking, speaking, and working with the awareness that God is watching you every moment. When this feeling permeates consciousness, a person becomes wary of doing something bad. As humans, we are susceptible to vices such as anger, greed, jealousy, laziness, and falsehood. Baba emphasized on self-improvement. Each person is a sample of society. If each individual improves themselves, society will definitely improve.
Baba said, “Righteousness in the heart creates beauty in the personality. Beauty in the character creates harmony in the family. Harmony in the family creates order in the nation. When there is order in the country, there will be peace in the world.”Therefore, for world peace, each individual must be righteous.
Baba once said, “My life is my message.” His life was a lesson for everyone. He poured out endless love to everyone. His gaze seemed to receive the love of a thousand mothers. His gaze was so powerful and penetrating that it felt like he could see through many past lives as well as this one.
Out of pure love and compassion, he provided tap drinking water to more than 750 villages in Rayalaseema region of Andhra Pradesh. His two super specialty hospitals in Puttaparthi and Bangalore provide free treatment to people who cannot afford medical care.
Sathya Sai Universities, Colleges and Schools provide free education. They focus on the overall development and personality development of students. My sons studied there in 11th and 12th grade. It made men out of them! I, along with her 1,500+ volunteers, offer seva at Sri Sathya Sai Vidyavahini. We upload free value-based educational content on PM’s Diksha portal.
Lord Rama said, “Janani janmabmishcha swargadapi galiyashi (Mother and motherland are better than heaven.)” Based on values aimed at developing men and women of good character. By offering seva to create educational content, I have had the opportunity to serve both Saima. And my homeland.
A few years before Baba left his body, he began telling his devotees, “Your life is my message.” This indicated that anyone claiming to be his follower would have to adjust their personal behavior and lifestyle to match his.
I strive every day to be worthy of His devotion. It is a great comfort to be the Lord’s. Having someone to take care of all your problems. It’s wonderful to surrender to Him and say, “I love you. Are you thinking that! Twelve years have passed since Baba merged his form into the formless. But I can feel Him in me, around me, with me…exactly as He promised!
(The author is a freelance contributor based in Chandigarh. The views expressed are personal.)
