Spiritual Tourism - Heavens on Earth - Part I
Puttaparthi, the Abode of Universal Love
India is the land of many Masters, who follow the Path Celestial and bring their students also onto that Path. India is the land where the call of the Infinite is listened to with keenness, where men saturated with the Beyond, aware of the great Cosmic Game, sink deep into the Superconscious Mind to discover the ultimate formula of Self-Transmutation ! A land whose philosophy proclaims that all this is a projection of the Universal Mind & that the Absolute Self is the Sole Reality, that all this is Brahman seen through the veil of Maya ! Go and contact the Great Ones, says the mystic Upanishads, and know the Truth Universal ! For as difficult as the Razor's Edge is , so tedious & cumbersome is the path to Self_Actualisation !
I walk on the Razor's edge alone
The path is narrow, the Way Unknown !
Even though India has many Masters, bona fide Spiritual Gurus are rare. Here is one Illumined Master, Bhagawan Sri Satya Sai Baba, whom millions believe to be an incarnation of Love Immortal !
Fulfilling the great Aurobindo's prediction that the Overmind will descend onto Earth on November 23, this manifestation of Universal Love was born on 23 Nov 1926.
Resplendent with the Sixteeen Divine Graces
And resembling the orb of the Autumn Moon
The Sovereign of this Universe
Was born as Easwaramba's beloved Son
To the delight of the three worlds !
His principles are simple - Love All, Serve All, Help Ever, Hurt Never & Hate None !
The Five Principles of Truth, Righteousness, Peace, Universal Love & Non Violence are highlighted, paving the way for the Life Divine ! Over a million followers gather here on the occasion of this Prophet of Love's Birthday. The Ashram is characterised by immense Peace and the growth of such a spiritual Community in this once forgotten backward area is not a small miracle !
Here are some of His quotations, worth reading !I have come to light the lamp of love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added luster.
I have come not to disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith - so that the Christian becomes a better Christian, the Muslim, a better Muslim, and the Hindu, a better Hindu.
There is only one religion, the religion of Love;
There is only one language, the language of the Heart;
There is only one caste, the caste of Humanity;
There is only one law, the law of Karma;
There is only one God, He is Omnipresent.
Start the Day with Love;
Spend the Day with Love;
Fill the Day with Love;
End the Day with Love;
This is the way to God.
Love in thought is Truth;
Love in action is Right Conduct;
Love in understanding is Peace;
Love in feeling is Non-Violence.
Bear all and do nothing;
Hear all and say nothing;
Give all and take nothing;
Serve all and be nothing.
If there is righteousness in the heart,
There will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character,
There will be harmony in the home.
When there is harmony in the home,
There will be order in the nation.
When there is order in the nation,
There will be peace in the world.
Children of Immortality! Remember that You are created in My Image and Likeness. Perfect. Live up to this Image in all planes. Live like Masters! Walk this Earth with Your Heads held high, Your Spirits soaring, Your Hearts open to Love, and believe in Yourself and GOD with You. Then all will go well. See Me everywhere, talk to Me and Love Me who is in Each. Then from Each I will respond and bring You into Glory.
Prashanti Nilayam - The Abode of Peace, where He resides !
SSome books by his admirers
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 (first published in 1961), II, III, IV available online in Microsoft Word format
Krystal, Phyllis “The Ultimate Experience”
Mazzoleni Don Mario A Catholic Priest Encounters Sai Baba
Murphet, Howard Man of Miracles (1971) 0333-91770-7
Padmanaban, Ranganathan Love is My Form Sai Towers (2000)
Priddy, Robert “'Source of the Dream'” (1998)
"Pedals of Grace"
Sandweiss, Samuel H. The holy man ..... and the psychiatrist (1975)
Sandweiss, Samuel H “Spirit and the Mind” (1985)
Steel, Brian The Powers of Sathya Sai Baba (1999)
Steel, Brian The Satya Sai Baba Compendium: A Guide to the First Seventy Years (Paperback) Weiser Books (February, 1997) ISBN: 0877288844
Thomas, Joy “Life is a Game – Play it”
Schulman, Arnold Baba (1971) Out of print but available in some public library
Some of His books in English
Bhagavatha Vahini - The story of God and his Devotees
Ramakatha Rasavahini. Part 1 - The Rama story, Stream of Sacred Sweetness
Ramakatha Rasavahini. Part 2 - The Rama story, Stream of Sacred Sweetness
Gîtâ Vahini: The Divine Gospel
Dhyana Vahini: Practice of Meditation
Dharma Vahini: The Path of Virtue
Jnana Vahini: The Stream of Eternal Wisdom
Leela Kaivalya Vahini: The Cosmic Play of God
Vidya Vahini: Flow of Spiritual Education
Bhagavatha Vahini - The Story of God and His Devotees
Dharma Vahini - The Path of Virtue Translated from the Original Telugu Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust
Dhyana Vahini - Practice of Meditation Translated from the Original Telugu Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust
Geetha Vahini - The Divine Gospel Translated from the Original Telugu Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust
Jnana Vahini - The Stream of Eternal Wisdom
Leela Kaivalya Vahini - The Cosmic Play of God
Prashanthi Vahini - The Bliss of Supreme Peace
Prasnottara Vahini - Answers to Spiritual Questions
Prema Vahini - The Stream of Divine Love
Sai Renaissance - A good place to stay in Puttaparthi
Some Sai websites -
The Official Website of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, India
The Official Web Site of the International Sri Sathya Seva Organisations
The Official Website of Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam, India
The Official Website of Radio Sai Global Harmony - the digital radio channel from Prasanthi Nilayam, India
The Official Website of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed university), Prasanthi Nilayam, India
Puttaparthi - The Heavenly City
Location : 18 miles From Penukonda, Ananthapur District, Andhra Pradesh.
Nearby Tourist Attractions : Lepakshi, Gooty Fort, Rayadurg Fort, Hemavathi, Penukonda Fort. .
Best Time To Visit :
How to reach: The nearest airports are in Bangalore (250 km) and Tirupati (300km). The nearest rail head is at Dharmavaram. There is regular bus service from all major towns.
All Round The Year
Objectives & History of the Super Speciality Hospital in Puttaparthi
Modern medical institutions rose and the soaring costs of these institution made them inaccessible to the vast populace of India & this unfortunate situation prompted Sai to establish the Super Speciality Hospital near Puttaparthi, with the sole purpose of making available advanced techniques of diagnosis and medical care, totally free of charge, to all needy people, irrespective of religion, caste, creed, status or nationality.
"Medicine is a noble science and should not be sold as a commodity in the market. The duty of the Doctor is to serve humanity and the cost must be absorbed by society itself, as every citizen needs medical relief " said Sai.
Modern Medicine stops at the gross Physical level and never goes to Subtle levels of Self. The hospital with its beautiful architecture and serene rural setting, serves not only as a temple of healing for the body but also for the mind and the spirit.
The hospital was setup on 150 acres of lend near Sri Sathya Sai Airport, about five km. away from Prashanti Nilayam. While laying the foundation stone on 22nd November 1990. Bhagavan Baba declared that the hospital would be inaugurated on November 22, 1991. The construction was completed in a record time of six months and the hospital was operational on the target date.
The departments of cardiology and cardio thoracic surgery, along with all the ancillary and support services, were inaugurated by the then Prime Minister of India. Shri P. V. Narasimha Rao. The second phase was inaugurated a year later by the then President of India. Dr. Shenker Dayal Sharma, when the uro nephrology department started functioning. Subsequently, the hospital has also added the department of ophthalmology.
Teaching and Research activities:
The National Board of Examinations of India. a Central Government organisation, has approved the SSSIHMS, for Post Graduate DNB training in the specialties of cardiology, cardio thoracic surgery, urology, nephrology, ophthalmology and anaesthesiology.
Sai Gita-The Elephant
Sai Gita is Bhagavan's temple elephant. It is considered auspicious in India in temples to have a real elephant residing in the temple as a symbol for Ganesh-the remover of obstacles. Elephants also represent intelligence and intellect, as they are highly intelligent animals.
Sai Gita was born in 1965 and was given to Bhagavan as a gift from the Zoo in Madras, when she was merely a small baby. It is not known whether she was an orphaned wild elephant, or breed in the zoo. In any case, she was quite spoilt by Swami as a young one and he even had a small compound built for her next to the Mandir, which she used to stay in when she was not trailing after Bhagavan in and out of the Mandir.
Elephants usually live until they are about 70 years old. To ease the pain of separation, Sai Gita has a photo with her and Bhagavan hanging on the wall in her private compound next to the Planetarium.
Sathya Sai Nagar
This is a colony of 58 houses where the Harijans (outcasts) of the village have been provided shelter by Bhagavan after being displaced as a result of an unexpected flooding of the Chitravati River in 1975.
The houses (or huts) are located by the Gokulam, where all the cows are who provide milk for the schools and the ashram.
Gokulam
The ashram dairy is about half a kilometer from the Ashram, along the Main Road in Vidya Giri. All milk for the schools, the hospital canteen, and the ashram comes from the Gokulam. It is known amongst villagers that the Gokulam cows has the best milk; fresh and undiluted. The locals are quite proud if they have access to the 'Gokulam milk'! To avoid the spreading of infections of the animals, you are requested not to go around or enter the cowsheds. By the Gokulam is a most beautiful image of Sri Krishna at the entrance. The artitistic 'fill-ins' with paint and brush on Sri Krishna's face has been done by Bhagavan Himself years ago.
Sri Sathya Sai Hill View Stadium
Located behind the Higher Secondary School, opposite the hill, towering with statues of Hanuman, Krishna, Shiva, Buddha, Zoroaster, and Christ, it gives an imposing view.
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