Sri Sathya Sai International Organization

Download December 2024 (English)

Editorial

Divine Miracles And Message of Lord Jesus Christ and Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba

When spiritual seekers read the Bible and hear about the miracles of Jesus, they might wonder if they are true and wish they were contemporaries of Jesus to experience His love and grace. But for some fortunate Christians, this yearning has been answered by experiencing the divine love and grace of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. 

Baba says that the best way to know an Avatar and understand His ways, is to know one’s own Self and nature, which is divine love. Another easy way is to study the life of another Avatar and, in that light, understand His life and message. Many Christians who have seen and experienced Baba feel that they have become better Christians and can better appreciate the life, the miracles, and the message of the Lord Jesus. Occasionally, Swami revealed that He is the same Christ, as well as the Father of Christ, come again. 

In the November issue of the Eternal Companion, we narrated the beautiful and touching story of young Walter Bravo Jr., who had a very serious blood disease. The mother prayed to Lord Jesus to help her son. That was when they were ‘called’ to Puttaparthi, and Swami granted them an interview saying, “You prayed to me, and I have responded.” Later, copious amounts of vibhuti (sacred ash) manifested from the picture of Jesus Christ at their home in Lima, Peru, and for her, that was sufficient confirmation that the two are one and the same.  

The Special Crucifix 

Similarly, Dr. John Hislop experienced this unity during the festival of Maha Shivaratri when Swami presented him with the sacred cross manifested from the original cross of Jesus. This event is well-documented in Hislop’s book, “My Baba and I,” where he shares further details of this beautiful miracle. 

The night before Maha Shivaratri in 1973, Baba informed a small group, including Hislop, to prepare for an early morning trip without disclosing the destination. The group later discovered that their journey would take them to the Bandipur Game Sanctuary in Mysore State. 

Baba led them to a dry riverbed. By dusk, the group descended into the sandy riverbed. Baba, walking beside Hislop, broke off two twigs from a bush and, holding them together, asked, “Hislop, what is this?” Hislop responded, “It is a cross, Swami.” Baba then covered the twigs with His hand, blew three breaths slowly into His fist, and revealed a crucifix, complete with a lifelike figure of Christ on the cross. Handing it to Hislop, Baba explained, “This shows Jesus Christ as He really was when He left His body, not as imagined by artists or historians. He was in an emaciated state, with His stomach pulled in and His ribs showing, as He had no food for eight days.” Baba also revealed that the cross was made from wood sourced from the original cross of Christ, reconstituted 2,000 years later at His divine command.

The beautiful story of the crucifix continued when Hislop returned to Mexico with the sacred artifact. Upon photographing and enlarging the crucifix, Hislop and his wife marveled at the extraordinary details, deeming it a masterpiece of divine artistry. One evening, when the crucifix was displayed, a sudden and violent storm arose, accompanied by thunder, lightning, and gusting winds. It echoed the biblical account of conditions at the time of Christ’s crucifixion. Hislop’s wife identified the phenomenon as a reenactment of the events surrounding Christ’s death. This mysterious storm was later confirmed by local newspaper reports as a sudden, inexplicable, and unique weather event.

Connected with Sai in Connecticut

The story of Mr. James Sinclair, an ardent devotee and a successful businessman who was ‘visited’ by Baba in Connecticut, USA, is simply amazing. In the 1950s, Sinclair, a devout Christian, often lamented, “How is it possible that I was born at this time and age, missing the opportunity of a lifetime? Jesus walked the Earth two thousand years ago, and here I am now.” This sense of spiritual longing fueled his heartfelt prayers as he drove to work. “I know You are out there, but I can’t find You, dear Lord. Instead, You must find me!”

His earnest prayers bore fruit in extraordinary ways. In 1964, shortly after his marriage, Sinclair and his wife stayed in a wood cabin. One night, as they were preparing to retire to bed, Sinclair saw an elderly man standing over him in the moonlight, gazing down with maternal tenderness. Without a word, the figure turned and went through the wall, leaving Sinclair in awe. Amazingly, his wife, too, had witnessed the same vision, affirming the experience they shared. Though deeply impactful, the meaning of this visitation would remain a mystery to them for decades.

Fast forward to 1984. Now a seasoned meditator, Sinclair began practicing relaxation, following a taped recording recommended by a friend. One winter night in Connecticut, while walking down the hallway, he felt a presence. Turning around, he saw a majestic figure in a long orange robe with voluminous hair. The figure disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared. Later, during meditation, the same figure reappeared and gestured for Sinclair to touch His feet. Overwhelmed and unsure of the identity of this divine visitor, Sinclair sought answers.

In a New York bookstore, he described the mysterious figure to a clerk, who promptly handed him a book titled ‘Holy Man and the Psychiatrist’ by Dr. Samuel Sandweiss and a packet of vibhuti. The clerk, a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba, explained that the description matched Baba. As Sinclair read the book, the pieces fell into place. The dreams, the candle flame visions, and the visitations all pointed to Sathya Sai Baba. The realization was life-changing.

When Sinclair finally visited Prasanthi Nilayam, Baba blessed him with an interview. As Sinclair entered, Baba lovingly chided him, “For all I have given you, you have never been happy one moment in your life. I came to you twice. Would you do something for Swami?” Sinclair, moved to tears, readily agreed. Baba then gave him the profound instruction, “Be happy.” In 1994, during another interview, Baba referenced the 1964 cabin visitation, confirming He had appeared to Sinclair thirty years earlier. 

The True Form of Jesus

Then, there is also the experience of Mr. Sergio Espindola, a senior leader in the SSSIO of South America from Brazil. He was an active member of a Catholic youth group. One day, in the late 1980s, while praying on his knees at his church, he expressed to Jesus his deep yearning. He wished that he had been born during the time of Christ so he could have been with Him, directly hearing His divine words of love and compassion. This prayer, filled with earnest desire, reflected his yearning for a personal connection with the divine.

Authentic picture of Jesus Christ created by Swami

To Mr. Espindola’s astonishment, only six months after this heartfelt prayer, a friend shared with him the remarkable news that God had indeed incarnated in India. Initially, he was skeptical, thinking his friend had lost his mind. However, as his friend began to share the inspiring teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Mr. Espindola felt an overwhelming connection to them. Swami’s words on love, compassion, charity, tolerance, and faith were the very same virtues that had always been central to his Christian beliefs. 

An incident that deeply strengthened his faith occurred early in his spiritual journey. Mr. Espindola’s elder brother, a devout Christian, was skeptical of Baba and did not believe in His divinity. Before leaving for his second trip to Prasanthi Nilayam, Mr. Espindola asked his brother what he would like from Swami. His brother’s request was simple, yet powerful: “Ask Him for an authentic picture of Jesus Christ.” With confidence in Baba’s divine power, Mr. Espindola agreed to make this request on his brother’s behalf.

During his 15-day stay at the Ashram, Mr. Espindola became deeply engrossed in the spiritual atmosphere and completely forgot about his brother’s request. Before returning to Brazil, he visited a longtime devotee of Swami in Canada. As he was preparing to leave for Brazil, he noticed a small picture of Jesus Christ on the devotee’s altar and, intrigued, asked about it. The devotee shared a remarkable story:

He had brought a color picture of Jesus Christ to Prasanthi Nilayam, hoping Swami would bless it. One day, as Swami passed him during darshan, the devotee extended the picture to Swami to get it blessed. Baba stopped before him, looked at the picture, and asked, “Who is this person?” When the devotee replied, “Jesus Christ,” Baba responded, “Jesus did not look anything like that.” Astonished, the devotee asked Swami what Jesus really looked like. Swami ran His hand over the color picture, transforming it into a black-and-white image of Jesus, whose appearance significantly differed from the original picture. 

The devotee then gave the picture to Mr. Espindola to present to his brother. Hearing this narration, Mr. Espindola felt a deep sense of awe and reverence. It was a powerful confirmation of Baba’s omniscience and omnipotence.

Going Beyond Miracles

These incidents form the proverbial tip of the iceberg of experiences that reflect the oneness of Swami and Christ. And naturally so because both Baba and Jesus are divine incarnations of pristine, unconditional love, and their message is the same–selfless service and love for love’s sake. For instance, the divine discourse Swami delivered on Christmas Day in 1981, included in this issue, is all about supreme love. This issue also contains the personal experiences of Mr. Eric Wing from the USA which also highlights the miracles of Baba’s pure love. Experiencing the mind-boggling miracles of Baba in modern times leaves no doubt in our minds about the authenticity of similar, astounding miracles of Lord Jesus two thousand years ago. 

Both Baba and Jesus emphasize love and service as the foundation of spirituality and the purpose of human life. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is to ‘Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.’ Baba says that Love is the source, Love is the path, and Love is the goal of life. He often exhorts that the way to God is to start the day with love, and fill, spend, and end the day with love. He defines love as selflessness and self as lovelessness. Thus, both make it clear that to develop pure love for God is the ultimate goal of human life.

That is why Jesus says, “Seek Ye the kingdom of God, and everything will be added unto you.” Baba says that God is the hero or the numeral ‘1’ that lends value to everything else, which are mere zeroes. Our wealth, family, influence, power, position, name, and fame are all zeroes. They get value only when God is added in front of them. Once there is God, every zero added after it brings increased value. 

Jesus and Swami both said we should expand our love for God to all humanity, animals, plants, and creation. In the gospel of Mathew 22:37-39, in the New Testament, Jesus says, “Love thy neighbor as thyself,” illustrating that loving others is the path to loving God. Swami emphasizes the summary of all spiritual practices is to “love all and serve all.” In the Gospel of Matthew 25:35-40, Jesus speaks about the importance of serving others as a way of serving Him, saying, “For I was hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me something to drink. I was a stranger, and you invited me in. I needed clothes, and you clothed me. I was sick, and you looked after me. I was in prison, and you came to visit me.” 

When His disciples questioned Jesus about when they had rendered such services to Him, Jesus responded, “Truly, I say to you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.” Swami puts this succinctly, “Service to Man is Service to God.” 

Beyond Apathy, to Sympathy, to Divine Empathy

The ideal devotee is one who feels the happiness and pain of others as one’s own. When we love anyone, we love God. When we reject anyone, we truly reject God. From their very early childhood, both Baba and Jesus have shown how to love and serve all. They have shown how to sacrifice for others. Their lives are replete with many such examples of love and compassion. 

For instance, during Passover, Jesus entered the temple in Jerusalem and found that it had become a marketplace permeated by greed. Merchants were selling animals and birds for sacrifices, and money changers were conducting business. Outraged by this desecration of a holy place, Jesus overturned the tables of the money changers and drove out the merchants.

Baba, too, would melt at the sight of animals being tortured or sacrificed. He would constantly speak and act to protect these voiceless and helpless creatures. In public discourses, He has made it clear that one of the best Birthday gifts He seeks from His devotees is giving up eating meat. 

The missionaries of Christ have done yeoman work in spreading Jesus’ message of love and service by setting up educational and medical institutions around the world. Baba, during His lifetime, also initiated many humanitarian projects, providing food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, and education and tertiary medical care free of cost to the needy. Following His footsteps, His followers and the SSSIO organize and conduct service projects and humanitarian relief in around 110 countries. 

Baba emphasizes that selfless service is important for our own spiritual growth and emancipation. Selfless service is the best way to overcome our ego and attachment and purify our hearts. This purity is itself enlightenment. Jesus also emphasizes the same point, saying, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” 

Overcoming the ego is the key challenge for any spiritual aspirant. Swami says that is the true meaning of the Christian cross. We have included in this issue an article on how Swami helped Mrs. Elaine Hausman ‘eclipse the ego’ with divine love. 

When we love others, we sacrifice for them and forgive them. Baba declares, “Love is giving and forgiving. Self is getting and forgetting.” When Jesus was asked how many times one has to forgive the wrongdoer, He replied, “Seven times seventy,” meaning countless times! He also advocated loving one’s enemies and turning the other cheek when slapped on one cheek. 

The greatest example of His sacrifice and forgiveness happened when Jesus was on the cross. Despite unimaginable suffering due to the crucifixion, He said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34). Baba also says that forgiveness and forbearance are the noblest of all virtues. He is an exemplar of these very virtues right from His childhood, even when He was put to terrible suffering and torture. Without the least complaint, he bore all and said nothing. A lady even tried to poison Him through food. Being divine, He was not affected but He used the opportunity to teach the devotees a lesson on how to forgive. He even gave shelter and refuge to the woman who tried to poison Him. 

To develop divine love, Swami says that it is important not to criticize others. Swami says that when one points one finger at others, four fingers point toward oneself. This means that first, we need to correct our own faults. Jesus says one should not look for a speck in someone else’s eye but, “Look at the beam in your own eye.” For a spiritual seeker, judging others is the greatest obstacle to spiritual progress. 

Baba and Jesus
The Same Eternal Divine Principle

The miracles of Jesus Christ and Sathya Sai Baba are astounding, mind-boggling, and awe-inspiring. Both made the lame walk, the blind see and cured incurable diseases. Jesus made the paralyzed walk and cured the lepers. Similarly, Baba made the wheelchair-bound get up and walk again. He granted vision to the blind, made the mute speak, and cured those with terminal illnesses, including cancer. People on the verge of death were given a new lease of life. Probably, the greatest among such miracles is raising the dead. There are three instances in the life of Jesus when He performed such miracles. The most well-known among them is Jesus’ resurrecting Lazarus after being in the tomb for four days (John 11:1), much to the delight and gratitude of his sisters, Mary and Martha. Another recorded instance is when He resurrected the son of a widow in the village of Nain when the dead body was being carried in a coffin in the funeral procession. (Luke 7.11) The third instance occurred when He resurrected the daughter of Jairus, the leader of a synagogue (Mark 5:35), asking her to ‘wake up’ just as the funeral rites were being held. 

Baba also raised the dead on many occasions. A modern-day ‘raising from the dead’ happened when Mr. Walter Cowan, an American devotee, was resurrected by Baba in Madras (Chennai today) during the Christmas of 1971. That beautiful and thrilling episode, which remains etched in the annals of divine miracles, has been detailed in this issue. Swami also resurrected Sri Radhakrishna of Kuppam in India in 1953; Brigadier S.K. Bose in the Poornachandra Auditorium in 1988; and the famous singer Smt. Sudha Raghunathan in 1958, which is well documented and recorded in Sai history. 

Another interesting miracle of Jesus Christ was the multiplication of food. When 5,000 people had gathered to listen to His sermon, He asked for five loaves of bread and two fish and ensured that everyone was well-fed with just these food items. After everyone had been sumptuously fed, twelve baskets of food remained, symbolizing abundance and His providence. Baba has also multiplied food on many occasions by His mere touch, blessings, and sprinkling sacred vibuthi over a meager amount of food. In fact, Baba’s miracles of multiplying food continue to happen in many parts of the world even today when His devotees serve food in His name. There is never a shortage of food, and everyone is always well-fed.  

These miracles are not mere displays of divine power but expressions of His unconditional, supreme love. Miracles reinforce faith in the devotees and give them glimpses of God. As Baba says, miracles are merely His visiting cards that ‘introduce’ us to God. They instill faith, which leads to transformation of the heart which, in turn, leads people to do selfless service and realize God. This is the four-fold path of Chamatkar (miracles), leading to Samskar (transformation), leading to Paropakar (selfless service), and leading finally to Sakshatkar (God-realization). 

All these miracles and messages show that the Christ consciousness and the Sai principle are both eternal and founded on the same unconditional, supreme love. When we see these remarkable similarities between Lord Jesus Christ and Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba through their miracles and teachings, Swami’s declaration, “There is only one God who is omnipresent,” gets further reinforced. Swami also states emphatically that there is only one caste, that of humanity; only one language, that of the heart; and only one religion, that of love. In this issue, we included such a personal message from Baba to Dr. Hislop, titled “One Family Of Humanity.” All these, in turn, reinforce our faith and encourage us to practice the five fundamental human values–Sathya (Truth), Dharma (Right Conduct), Shanti (Peace), Prema (Love), and Ahimsa (Nonviolence), the underlying current being Love.

Both masters present their lives as living testimonies to their message, and their universal message can be practiced by anyone, irrespective of race, religion, country, culture, language, gender, faith, and age. Let us pray on this auspicious occasion of holy Christmas that we dive deep into the teachings of Lord Jesus Christ and Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba and sanctify our lives. 

Jai Sai Ram.