Robert Priddy’s Unconscionable Lie About Joy Thomas

Robert Priddy (a caustic critic and defamer of Sathya Sai Baba and others) blatantly lied about Joy Thomas (a Sai Devotee to her death) and viciously and erroneously claimed that Joy Thomas was “left to bleed to death in a Sai Hospital by a prominent Sai doctor”. See the following screen-cap taken from Priddy’s Anti-Sai website (click to enlarge):

Robert Priddy Bold Faced Lie About Joy Thomas

Gerald Joe Moreno personally knew Joy Thomas and was at Sathya Sai Baba’s Ashram when she moved out of her round-house flat to return to the USA. The following comment was posted on Joy Thomas’ former official website (click to enlarge):

Joy Thomas Died Peacefully At Her Home In California USA

“In Loving Memory: Our beloved Joy peacefully merged with Baba at 12:50 p.m. Saturday, April 17th, 1999 at Hemet, California.”

Joy Thomas died in her home in the USA. She was not “left to bleed to death in a Sai Hospital” as Robert Priddy maliciously and erroneously contended. Robert Priddy adamantly refuses to correct this bold-faced and shameless lie on his defamatory and error-filled Anti-Sai websites and Anti-Sai blog.

Nov 23rd 2007 Update: Robert Priddy Repeats His Joy Thomas Lie

Even though the article above was originally written on May 25th 2006, Robert Priddy wrote a blogged article on September 18th 2007 (sixteen months later) still repeating his bold-faced lie about Joy Thomas being left to die in a Sai Hospital by a prominent Sai Doctor. The only difference is that Robert Priddy claimed the prominent Sai Doctor was “reportedly some Dr. Singh”.

Why doesn’s Robert Priddy divulge his sources and tell us where he is getting his so-called “facts”?

Even though the irrefutable facts are staring Robert Priddy in the face, he purposely ignores them because he is a tabloid-like bottom-feeder who thrives off of sleaze, slime and disinformation.

Robert Priddy and Ex-Devotees adamantly refuse to correct their errors because they wish to inflict emotional trauma on unsuspecting Sai Devotees by deceiving them with fraudulent information obtained through rumors, gossip, prevarication and unnamed sources.

Concluding Statement: Robert Priddy The Con Artist

Needless to say, Robert Priddy has a long and established history of distortions, lies, defamations and libels.

• Robert C. Priddy is a laughable pervert who had the audacity to fabricate sexual molestation claims against Gerald Joe Moreno.
• Robert C. Priddy is a laughable con-artist who published fraudulent screencaps against Gerald Joe Moreno and adamantly refuses to vindicate his claims by publishing full screencaps to Moreno’s vishvarupa.com domain.
• Robert C. Priddy is a laughable stooge who attributed his own computer’s IP to Gerald Joe Moreno.
• Robert C. Priddy is in perpetual denial and publicly defends his laughable SheilaWaring Lie even though other critics have distanced themselves from that controversy.
• Robert Priddy is a laughable LSD Advocate who even cited a Pro-Drug Forum intended for Drug Users to defend his LSD-induced hallucinations.
• Senile Robert Priddy stated that Moreno claimed he was sexually abused under his Joe Apodaca SaiPetition.net Submission even though Moreno never made such a claim.
• Robert Priddy is a Pseudo-Moralist Clown who loves to attack others for composite images while endorsing and publishing composite images himself!
• Robert Priddy delusionally claimed that Sathya Sai Baba Personally Invited Him To India.
• Robert Priddy formerly Worshipped & Kissed Sathya Sai Baba’s feet.
• Robert Priddy Maliciously Lied About Joy Thomas and refuses to retract his bold-faced lies.
• Robert Priddy claimed he had a Telepathic Connection To Sathya Sai Baba.
• Robert Priddy documented a Homoerotic Dream With His Former Guru that involved the guru sucking up and swallowing a substance associated with his sex chakra!
• The list goes on and on.

Of course, none of these things are surprising considering that Robert Priddy is an LSD Advocate who is thoroughly obsessed with genital oilings and who relishes projecting his homoerotic fantasies onto Moreno. Robert Priddy is allied with Bisexual & Psychic Trance Medium Conny Larsson and Child Porn Purveyor RFJ Sandt. Robert Priddy is also a staunch promoter of New Age Advocate & Reincarnator Alan Kazlev and Guru & UFO Promoter Timothy Conway (who actually believes that Sathya Sai Baba may have molested alleged victims like aliens are alleged to do through abductions!).

The only people guilty of running “massive disinformation and cover-up campaigns” are Robert Priddy and Ex-Devotees who have attacked hundreds of Sai Devotees & Non-Devotees alike and who have created hundreds of webpages to defame, libel and smear Gerald Joe Moreno. What more can one do but laugh at loud at Robert Priddy and his hypocritical finger-pointing?

Brian Steel – Internet Propagandist Extraordinaire

Brian Steel published the following information on his official domain against Gerald Joe Moreno (a Pro-Sai Activist):

Brian Steel:
2. A list of Gerald ‘Joe’Moreno’s 16 known activist sites vigorously dedicated to discrediting and disparaging all critics of Sathya Sai Baba (2003-2008).

The beginning of the campaign
http://vishvarupa.com (c2003)
www.vishvarupa.com (pre-2004)
http://vishvarupa.com/SathyaSaiBaba/
(Miscellaneous pro-SSB blogs from ?2003 or 2004)

A marked increase in activity and ferocity followed www.saisathyasai.com (?2006-) His major network of denunciations and disparagement of at least 16 writers and critics

www.sai-fi.net Also a major site, with links to main official and unofficial Sathya Sai Organisation sites.

His growing labyrinth of denunciatory (free) blogs against individual critics

http://sanjaydadlaniexposed.blogspot.com
http://sanjay-dadlani-references.blogspot.com
http:// sanjaydadlaniexposed.blogspot.com
http://dadlaninanda.blogspot.com
(Those four sites are directed at a single critic)

The other major targets so far have been:
http://barry-pittard-exposed.blogspot.com
http://robert-priddy-exposed.blogspot.com
http://martinalankazlev-exposed.blogspot.com
http://tony-oclery-exposed.blogspot.com
http://om-sathya-sai-baba.blogspot.com (Especially about Dr Timothy Conway)
http://morenojoegerald.blogspot.com
and yet another general all-purpose blog at http://sathyasaibaba.wordpress.com

(Screencap Reference)

Brian Steel - Typical Propaganda Trash

1. http://vishvarupa.com & www.vishvarupa.com & http://vishvarupa.com/sathyasaibaba are the exact same domain and are not different domains that were created at different times. Since Brian Steel is a deficient researcher (who even attacked Moreno’s webpage about him without having read it), he is unaware of these basic facts. Read about the WWW extension on Wikipedia. Brian Steel attempted to deceive readers into believing that Moreno’s one vishvarupa.com domain was somehow three different websites / blogs. The “sathyasaibaba” extension on Moreno’s vishvarupa domain is simply a folder that contains a blog script. The “sathyasaibaba” folder was created in 2008, not “?2003 or 2004” as falsely presumed by Brian Steel. Moreno’s first webpage pertaining to the Sai Controversy was first created in October 2004, not “c 2003, pre-2004, ?2003” as imagined by Brian Steel.
2. Brian Steel implied something sinister because Moreno provided links to official & non-official Sai-related websites on his sai-fi.net domain. Since Moreno’s websites are specific to Sathya Sai Baba and the Sai Controversy, of course they are going to provide links to official & non-official Sai-related websites.
3. About Moreno’s alleged “four” blogs attacking Sanjay Dadlani, it is to be noted that Brian Steel duplicated the sanjaydadlaniexposed.blogspot.com link twice. Consequently, there are three blogs about Sanjay Dadlani, not “four” as falsely alleged by Brian Steel (who apparently can’s proof-read his sloppy “research”). Despite Brian Steel’s cry-baby whining about Moreno’s three blogs about Sanjay Dadlani, Brian Steel purposely suppressed the fact that Sanjay Dadlani created three blogs attacking Moreno:
   • morenojoe.blogspot.com
   • geraldmoreno.blogspot.com
   • wikimoreno.blogspot.com

   Sanjay Dadlani also attacked Moreno on two of his other blogs and on two Yahoo groups (one of which Sanjay took over):

   • saibabaexposed.blogspot.com
   • saibabatribune.blogspot.com
   • sathyasaibabadiscussionclub (Yahoo Group)
   • sathyasaibaba2 (Yahoo Group)

   Why doesn’s Brian Steel complaint about Sanjay Dadlani’s attack blogs against Moreno? If multiple blogs are indicative of “discrediting and disparaging” others, then Ex-Devotee’s are just as guilty as Moreno.

4. Brian Steel left out the following blogs by Moreno:
   • Conny Larsson Exposed
   • Kevin Shepherd Exposed
   • RFJ Sandt Exposed
   • Timothy Conway Exposed

Gerald Joe Moreno was forced to defend himself against Ex-Devotee’s hundreds of attack webpages against him. Ex-Devotees have similarly attacked hundreds of Sai Devotees & Non-Devotees alike. Therefore, it is easy to see why Moreno created multiple blogs defending himself. Afterall, Ex-Devotees are many whereas Moreno is one. Brian Steel failed to mention how Ex-Devotees attacked Sathya Sai Baba on hundreds of websites, domains and blogs (in multiple languages). Despite these facts, Brian Steel rather snivel about Moreno’s websites and blogs while omitting all relevant details about Ex-Devotee’s pervasive smear & gutter campaigns against Sathya Sai Baba and others. What more to expect from the Australian Spanish translator and internet propagandist Brian Steel?

Sathya Sai Baba

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! What is wisdom?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Wisdom is not textual information. Wisdom is not scholarship. Wisdom is not preaching. Wisdom is not verbal or vocal. Wisdom is not an academic Master’s degree or Doctorate. Wisdom is practical experience. Wisdom cannot be stuffed into the head. Wisdom is what enables you to identify your own mistakes, faults, and defects, corrects them and leads you towards not repeating any errors of the past

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! In the big human body, where is the source of life located?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: You think it is the heart. No. Don’t you know that today surgeons can do heart transplants also? Even while it is done, the patient doesn’t die. Then where is the life principle that keeps you living? In the spinal column between the 9th and 12th vertebrae, there is the life principle that acts as the main switch.

In the mantrapus pam it is clearly indicated: vidyullekheva bhasvara, a lightning or electric current acts as the life centre.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! What are the main principles of life?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: A newborn baby cries, but a grownup man should part from this world smiling. Do you know why the baby cries? It cries because of the misfortune that lies ahead of it, a long, troublesome and problematic life. In the words of Adi Sankara, punarapi jananam punarapi maranam, punarapi janani jathare sayanam.

Everyone is born again and again, life after life. So, the infant cries. But at its birth, its parents, its relatives and elders celebrate, smile and distribute sweets don’t they? Life begins with a question, koham, who am I? But, it should find an answer soham, I am He, I am God, before it ends. We get the answer, through sadhana, spiritual practice or exercise. There is no point in going through the question paper again and again without finding the answer.

We can in one way divide life into three phases morning, midday and night. Morning is the stage of an infant, the four legged one crawling on the ground on both hands and both legs. Midday is the stage of a youth, the two legged, walking with two legs. Night is the stage of an old man, the three legged with a walking stick as an aid to the two weakened legs.

Brahmacarya, celibacy is the foundation over which a three-storied building, with the first floor, the stage of a householder, the second floor that of a recluse, and the top floor that of a renunciant is built. Thus, for the mansion, celibacy is the foundation. By the time a person becomes fifty years old, he should have full control over his five organs of action, karmendriyas by the time he is sixty he should have conquered all the six weaknesses, kama, desire, krodha, anger, lobha, greed, moha, infatuation mada, pride, and matsarya, jealousy.

At the age of seventy, after overcoming the weaknesses, he is revered as one of the seven sages, saptarisis, like the seven notes of music, saptasvaras, and the seven seas, saptasamudra. At the age of eighty, having followed the eight paths of yoga astanga yoga, he shines like the eight lords of the directions as tadikpalakas. At the age of ninety, life shines like nine precious gems, navaratnas having followed the nine paths of devotion. At the age of hundred, he is master of the five organs of perception, and the five organs of action, and is divine having experienced divinity in depth, brahmavid brahmaiva bhavati.

You should also know another point. Whatever you do, it is for your own satisfaction and not for others. In other words, it is for your self-satisfaction. You put on new clothes. For whom do you wear them? It is for your satisfaction that you wear a new dress. You construct a new house. For whom? It is for you only, isn’t it? You eat an apple not for the benefit of the apple, it is for your own satisfaction.

Understand that Self is God. You have to play well your role in the drama of your life. Swami is Sutradhari, the director while you are the actor, patradhari. Consider this an opportunity. Lead your life in an ideal way and get a good name in society. God should say that you are good. This is what is said in the Gita, manman a bhava madbhakto madyaji mam namaskuru. Don’t pray for the fulfilment of desires. Pray to be with Him and Him alone. Then everything else will be added unto you. Be always humble and respectful.

In South India, food is served on plantain leaves When all the items are served, the leaf on account of its weight, remains without being blown off by the wind: When it is empty, it is blown off because of its lightness. In other words, empty vessels make much noise. A tree loaded with fruits is always bent because of the weight of the fruits. Similarly, a true scholar is humble and modest. A cloudl-ike mass of air goes up higher and higher, while a cloud of vapour comes down. A person with ego ruins himself.

There are four main principles you should know and follow in life. The first principle is tyaja durjana samsargam, run away from bad company. The second principle is bhaja sadhu samagamam, be always in good company. If necessary, you better lose or pay money if you must in order to avoid bad company. You should never be separated from good, pious and noble people.

The third principle is smara nityamanityatam, bear in mind always what is impermanent or transitory. In other words, distinguish that which is divine from the one that is temporal. You are gifted with intellect for discrimination and judgment. Discriminate between what is transient, perishable and dual and what is eternal; immortal and nondual.

The fourth principle is kuru punyamahoratram, do meritorious deeds day and night. The body is meant for serving others. Paropakararthamidam sariram.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! We hear two terms veryoften used by pandits: prakrti and purusa. Please explain these two terms?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Prakti and purusa are matter and energy. You can also take them as the positive and the negative. Even if there is a bulb, you don’t get light unless there is power supply. Likewise, the power supply remains useless, if there is no bulb either. Therefore, both power and light bulb are required. Similarly, this entire creation is a combination of prakrti and purusa. These two are interdependent and interrelated.

Prakrti is viewed as feminine. God is the only male.

In a College for Women, girls play all the different roles in a drama. So also, at thelevel of the body, there are differences. But, the indweller, atma, is one and the same. The body is a bundle of bones. It is like a water bubble, it is ephemeral. It is afflicted by many diseases. After all, it is full of urine, blood, muscles, bones and faecal matter. It emits only bad odour and not the fragrance of flowers and perfumes. The body is prakrti and undergoes change periodically. But, the eternal, changeless, immortal truth is purusa or God. It is only the purusa that is valued. Prakrti is accepted and cherished so long as purusa is there.

Sugar mixed with cream of wheat makes a sweet by name ravva laddu. Sugar in combination with dal makes a laddu. The same sugar can be mixed with any type of flour pistdi gudasampart. Similarly, purusa functions through prakrti assuming different forms and names. But, purusa remains a witness, who is transcendental, beyond time and space; nondual, eternal, blissful and is a personification of wisdom. It is purusa, who created prakrti the universe. Purusa is the object while prakrti is his reflection. Therefore, these twin terms are used by Sanskrit scholars to indicate purusa and prakrti: loka lksvara, visva visvsvara, jagat jagad i svara , sarvam sarv svara, prapanca paramv svara , etc. Supposing there are containers made of gold, silver, copper and clay and they are filled with water. Although the containers differ in metal and value, the reflection ofthe sun in all these containers is one and the same. So, the Sun is purusa while the containers represent prakrti. Matter + Energy = God.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! Some worship Vishnu, while some others worship Siva. They don’t see eye to eye with one another. There seems to be constant rivalry between these two groups, the Vaishnavites and the Saivites. Kindly tell us how these two groups of devotees of God can be united.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: This is utter ignorance and foolishness. The scripture says, ‘ekamevadvitiyam brahma,’ which means God is one without a second. It also says, ‘advaitadars’anam jnanam,’ true wisdom is nondual. Every seeker of truth or spiritual aspirant should know the essential unity in diversity. You should experience unity in divinity. The worshippers of Lord Vishnu address the Lord of the seven hills of Tirupati as Venkata Ramana while the worshippers of Siva call him Venkatesvara. But, you know both are the same.

Once a king convened a conference of scholars of both these groups to deliberate, discuss and finally decide as to who was the greater of the two, Vishnu or Siva. Both the contending groups presented their viewpoints convincingly. The king, therefore, wanted his Chief Minister to consider all the points of the scholars and then give his verdict on the issue. The latter got up and said, “Oh King! I do not think if either of these two groups has ever experienced reality. Those who argued in favour of Vaishnavism saying that Vishnu isgreater than Siva knew little of Vishnu. Had they been genuinely devoted to Him, they would have seen Siva in Vishnu also. Similarly, those who held that Siva was superior to Vishnu would see Vishnu in Siva also”.

There is another episode to illustrate this fact. One day Lord Sri Rama was passing by and on the way He saw a stone. Hanuman observed it and wanted to pick it upand throw it away. He used all his strength, but could not lift it. That very stone was the Siva linga installed by Sri Rama in Ramesvaram, a pilgrim centre in Tamilnadu. Rama, being Vishnu Himself, proved that He and Siva are basically one and the same by installing a Sivalinga. Isn’t it so? Know that all names are His and all forms are His. He is the only one who responds to our prayers.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! You repeatedly mention ‘love’ in your discourses. Why? Don’t we have prema, love, within us? If not, how are we to develop it? What is the difference between prema, love and moha, attachment?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: You think you have prema, love. It is a mistake. You have only abhimana, attachment. There is a lot of difference between the two. You have misdirected love and allowed it to flow in different ways and ultimately got it steeped inattachment. You have forgotten real prema.

The love you have towards your children is vatsalya, ‘affection’. Your love towards your wife is anuraga, ‘attachment’ and your love towards worldly objects is mamakara, ‘possessiveness’. Your love towards your equals is maitri, ‘friendship’. Like this, love flows in many different directions. All this is not love in the true sense of the term. This is all physical, worldly, ever changing and temporary. This may give you prapancikananda, worldly pleasure, bhautikananda, mundane pleasure, indriyananda, sensual pleasure, and manasikananda desire-oriented love. They give you only pleasure.

Today you may be happy with one thing and tomorrow you may not be with the same thing. In winter, you are happy wearing a woollen coat but in summer, you will be unhappy if you wear the same woollen coat. Therefore, time, position, space and states of mind bind happiness. This is the type of happiness you get out of abhimana, attachment. Dasaratha, the king of Ayodhya in the Ramayana, died of his attachment to Rama as he couldn’t bear separation from him. It is again, the attachment of Kaikeyi that led to the attempt to crown Bharata and the exile of Rama.

You observe the contrast between Rama and Dasaratha. The father, Dasaratha, due to his attachment to Kaikeyi, had to be separated from Rama by granting her the boon she had promised. But, his son, Rama, left his consort Sita to her fate in a forest, when a washerman spoke ill of her as she had spent eight long months in Lanka under the control of Ravana. What supreme detachment! He had no attachment to the kingdom either. So, he simply obeyed his father’s command and left for the forest.

In the Mahabharata, you know how king Dhritarashtra remained silent due to attachment when his sons were committing atrocities against their cousins, the Pandavas, which ultimately led to the death of all his progeny. Isn’t it so?

Don’t you know that Yasoda couldn’t fully comprehend the divinity of Krishna because she considered him always only her son and never as God, due to her vatsalya, attachment? Had Buddha been attached to his wife, Yasodhara and his son, Rahul, would it have been possible for him to leave them? Krishna, once he left Repalle, a place where he had spent his boyhood, never stepped in there again. He was not attached to the place. But, his connection with the Gopis continued, as it was only love to love relationship, which was divine. The love of the Pandavas suffered no decrease or loss in spite of the terrible sufferings they had gone through.

Love is changeless. Love is steady and unshakeable. Love is nondual. Love is not carried away by praise nor does it vanish with blame. Love is selfless and unconditional. Love is spiritual and essentially divine. It was the love of Jesus for humanity that made him pray for those who had persecuted him while he was on the cross. Isn’t that a climax of love?

Attachment is confined to getting and forgetting, while love always gives and forgives. Love is God. God is love. Live in love. Attachment is bondage leading to misery. Attachment is narrow and utterly selfish.

A child is full of love and bliss. As he grows up, he starts loving toys; thereafter he loves to play and slowly starts loving friends. On becoming a youth, he loves a life partner, then his family, and gradually he develops love for possessions, position and properties. Thus, love is allowed to flow in different directions, and as such, it becomes diluted and finally reduced to attachment.

Your love for God is devotion, and helps you to cultivate virtues like humility and obedience and makes your life blissful. It helps you to attain mukti, liberation. What you need today is the expansion of love.

First of all, you start with loving your family, extend your love to your relations and slowly to your community and your country as a whole and ultimately to the entire universe. You can realise and experience God only by and through Love, as God is the embodiment of Love. You may find people in want of one thing or another. But, you find none lacking in love. You have to channel it. Love is the natural quality which is God’s gift to man.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! What are brahma, and bhrama?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: To realise and experience unity in diversity is ‘brahma’, divinity. But, viewing one as many is ‘bhrama’, illusion. That which is bound by name and form is bhrama. Brahma transcends time and space, and is eternal and unsullied. You know many sweets such as gulabjamun, laddu, jilabi, basundi etc. These sweets have their names and forms. This is bhrama. But, they are made of sugar, which is one and the same. This is brahma.

Another example. You see cloth which is made of yarn closely interwoven. This is bhrama. Though the yarn is apparently different from the cloth, it is after all made of the same cotton only. This approach is Brahma. So bhrama illusion, is multiplicity, plurality, diversity and has different names and forms, while brahma, divinity is unity, the fundamental primordial principle.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! Some say that God has no form. But, we see devotees praying to idols in temples. The Concept of Avatar, incarnation of God, is of special significance in our land of Sanatan Dharma. But followers of other paths argue that God has no form. We pray to you to clarify this point.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: When you see a doctor, you will be reminded of your physical complaints. When you meet a lawyer, you think of litigation and court cases, don’t you? Likewise, when you see a gopuram, temple tower, you will be reminded of God. As I often say, love may not have a form, but a loving mother has. Water may not have form, but the tumbler with water has a form; air may not have a form, but the balloon into which it is pumped has a form. In the same manner, the formless divine has its form or forms. The formless expresses itself through a form.

A simple example. You know the screen in a theatre. You find pictures projected on the screen. In every picture, there is the screen. Without the screen, you can’t see the picture. Pictures come and pass. Not even one remains permanent. This screen may be described in spiritual parlance as ’sat and asat’. Sat is existence asat is non-existence. Like this, these two coexist, sakara one with form and nirakara the formless.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! We hear of cellular phones and remote controls everywhere. All the necessities of our worldly existence seem to be from Electronics and Computers, drawing the attention of everyone. How does the subject of Spirituality come into the picture here? Where is the time for it? As if this is not enough, we hear of nuclear tests also. How are we to coordinate and integrate these diverse aspects? Kindly show us the way.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Men are more valuable than all the wealth of the world. Having been born as human beings, you should strive to attain moksha. Science and Technology can provide you many comforts and conveniences. They can’t confer on you peace and bliss. What is Science? What is Spirituality? What is the difference between the two? Science is below the senses. Spirituality is abovethe senses. Spirituality speaks of tat, that, and Science speaks of tvam, you, so as to make you learn tattvamasi, That thou art. This is nature, world, or prakrti. That is purusa or God.

Spirituality is like the letter ‘O’ which is full and complete, whereas Science is like the letter ‘C’ which is incomplete with a hollow space within, starting at one point and ending else where. Spirituality begins where Science ends and it takes you from the world to God. Spirituality makes you feel and experience divinity in this world. This is the way to integrate Science and Spirituality. Spirituality is the unseen principle behind the apparent electronic or scientific gadgets and equipment.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! Are Science and Spirituality contradictory to each other? We are eager to know Swami’s views on this subject.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Science operates below the senses, while Spirituality functions above the senses. Science speaks of ‘this’, ‘tvam’, world, while Spirituality thinks of ‘that’, ‘tat’, divine. Science refers to tvamidam, ‘near’ while Spirituality concentrates on ‘far’ param, beyond. Science is meant for the padartha, ‘material’ and Spirituality is for the ultimate paramartha. Science deals with the jada, inert, and spirituality, with caitanya, awareness. Spirituality aims at the adhara, base and Science experiments on the adheya, superstructure.

Science is the ’split of love’ while Spirituality is the ’spirit of love’. Science deals in pravrtti marga, the external world, and Spirituality in the intuitive nivrtti marga. Science can visualise the vyakta, apparent, while Spirituality dives into the avyakta, hidden. You can learn Science with your carmacaksus, physical eye, but the understanding of Spirituality needs the jnanacaksus, ‘eye of wisdom’. Science is the collection of facts, which are stuffed in your ‘head’. Spirituality is metaphysical, and touches your ‘heart’. Science is incomplete like the letter ‘C’ which begins at one point and ends somewhere else. Spirituality is purnam, full like the letter ‘O’.

Science supplies implements. Spirituality tells you how to use them. For example, a knife with which you can cut vegetables, fruits and so on can be used to cut throats. Science shows what you see, like your photo or picture. But, Spirituality is an xray film. Science is ‘negative’ while Spirituality is ‘positive’.

Creation is ‘negative’ while the Creator is ‘positive’. Fill your heart with positive spirituality as you fill the tank with water. Senses are the taps through which you draw the water of love. Science states facts, but Spirituality symbolises unchangeable truth.

Upanishad means the “inner” or “mystic teaching”. The term Upanishad is derived from “upa” (near), “ni” (down) and “shad” (to sit), i.e., sitting down near. Groups of pupils sit near the teacher to learn from him/her the secret doctrine. In the quietude of the forest hermitages the Upanishadic thinkers pondered on the problems of deepest concerns and communicated their knowledge to fit pupils near them. The most well known Upanishads are: Aitareya, Brihadaranyaka, Taittiriya, Chandogya, Kena, Isa, Svetasvatara, Katha, Mundaka, Mandukya, Prasna, Kausitaki, Maitrayani, Muktika and Shakta. The Satyopanishad is the Upanishad of Truth (Sathya) but more specifically the Truth as revealed by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Anil Kumar questions the illustrious Guru and provides us with Sathya Sai Baba’s answers to ponder, ruminate and derive ananda.

The Next Buddha? Buddha Boy Tapaswi Palden Dorje – Ram Bahadur Bomjan
By J Ocean Dennie

J Ocean Dennie Pictures Of Ram Bahadur Bomjan aka Buddha Boy

Bomjon was dubbed ‘Buddha Boy’ by the international media back in 2005 after reports surfaced that during the course of several months of deep meditation, he neither ate nor drank. After ten months of intense media frenzy and public scrutiny, Bomjon disappeared into the jungle in March 2006, reappearing briefly later that month to announce plans to meditate in solitude for the next six years. Members of the local community and followers of Bomjon were already referring to him as the next incarnation of Buddha, something that was prophesied by Shakyamuni Buddha. In a message to devotees, however, Bomjon was quite clear that he had not yet attained Buddhahood but was simply a ‘meditator on truth’. He did suggest, however, that he was a reincarnated Tibetan rinpoche. To reflect this, the moniker Palden Dorje was adopted.

Like many others, I had first heard of ‘Buddha Boy’ during his initial period of meditation and was instantly fascinated with the story, but following this, only tidbits of news trickled out from Nepal. I thought of eventually searching for the recluse and perhaps writing an account of my adventures, imagining myself trampling through the jungle chasing whims and mirages.

I was in Bangkok when news of his public appearance suddenly broke in early November of last year. Reports at that time had indicated he would be offering darshan (a public blessing) for only a few more days. I had to act quickly, so I booked a seat on the next available flight to Kathmandu with hardly a second thought.

The list of apparent miracles associated with Palden Dorje is intriguing. In addition to his astounding feats living without sustenance or sleep, it is claimed two venomous serpents bit him with no detrimental effect. Devotees once reported seeing his head illuminated similar to the aureoles surrounding saints. On another occasion, the ground in front of him was said to have suddenly combusted into flames but he remained unscathed. He has also been spotted conversing with wildlife.

In an attempt to separate fact from legend, I planned to set out for the district of Bara, and a site near the town of Nijgadh, approximately 160 kilometers from Kathmandu.

I arrived in Simra, a convenient hub, at four in the morning after a numbing ten-hour bus ride from the capital city. I quickly checked into one of a handful of hotels in the small town known more for its choking steel factories than anything holy. After only an hour or two of rest, I hopped on a local bus, repeating to the ticket-taker, ‘Bomjon, Bomjon’. I was dropped off at the side of the highway, facing a dirt road leading into the jungle. Several hundred people were streaming down the road. As I made my way along, Nepalis and Indians passed on bicycles and tractors, in rickshaws, vans, and even crammed buses.

I eventually met up with three Nepali teens skipping school in order to receive darshan. Nirazin, was the only one of the trio to have previously seen Palden Dorje. When Nirazin first heard of him, he thought it was a joke, but after observing the young meditator up close, he realized he had made a mistake. “He is meditating for peace. He is meditating for us. I think he is the next Buddha, even though I am aware that he did not identify himself in that way”.

After a six kilometer hike to our destination, I was astonished with the sheer numbers assembled. The lineup into the gated area followed a parched river bed and extended for at least a kilometer. At the tail-end of the line were countless vendors selling fried food, religious trinkets, beads, even photos and DVD’s of Palden Dorje. Those selling traditional Tibetan kata scarves were making a killing. Nearby, there was even a hand-operated Ferris wheel. The atmosphere was festive and chaotic.
By the sheer fact I was the only visibly obvious foreigner in line, I was ushered to the front almost without delay. Entrants were forbidden to carry in cigarettes or lighters. Shoes and belts were also to be left behind. Those of us passing through the entrance were purified with water sprayed from a sprig of cedar.

We proceeded down a cordoned trail, leading back into dense jungle. Prayer flags were strewn along the path. Quickly, an ethereal serenity overtook us, accompanied by a welcome silence in contrast to the uproar of the crowds waiting in line. Everyone spoke in hushed tones, some chanted mantras, mothers shushed babies. An occasional bird song punctuated the stillness. There were butterflies everywhere.

The trail led into an arbor adorned with even more prayer flags radiating out from an imposing whitewashed stupa, about ten meters tall. In the heart of the arbor, a massive bodhi tree towered over the stupa. And there, on a pedestal at the base of the tree, sat Palden Dorje touching each kata held up to him and then dabbing the crown of the person’s head using a miniature dorje. The line was briskly moved along by a cadre of Tibetan monks and volunteer attendants.

When my turn came, I lowered my head with my arms outstretched holding the kata and walked toward him. Instead of the usual blessing, Palden Dorje grabbed the kata and slung it around my neck. I instantly felt hands on me, leading me away, but not before I had a moment to look up into his face and to gaze into his dark eyes that seemed to reflect a depth I have rarely encountered. Following this, I sat off to the side and meditated upon the scene for the rest of the morning and well into the afternoon.

I was quite taken with Palden Dorje’s appearance. For someone who had been meditating in the jungle continuously for months on end, he looked surprisingly fit and fresh. He was not emaciated in any way and I noticed he continued to maintain a fair bit of muscle tone in his arms. The messy tussled hair of earlier photos was now replaced with long curly locks well beyond shoulder length. He was donning a white robe that wrapped over his left shoulder. All in all, Palden Dorje looked comfortable and content. He remained silent save for an occasional whisper to a nearby attendant.

As the sun commenced its descent, I spoke with Romee, a Brit, and one of only a handful of foreigners present. Throughout the day, he had stood practically motionless near Palden Dorje, acting almost like a sentry, armed with poise and serenity.
Romee believed that Palden Dorje is engaged in a very high meditation that has not been publicly undertaken for centuries, if not millennia. Romee was led here through astral communications he received from the young guru. He mused that Palden Dorje will likely remain in this spot now for the rest of his life.

On my hike out back to the highway that evening, I followed the river bed which was a slightly shorter, if not dustier route. I met Moon Kim, a spry 74-year-old Korean-Canadian. “He’s a god, he’s a Buddha, whatever you want to call it,” claimed Moon. “Nobody knows how he is surviving without food or water, but it’s not a big deal for him. The way I look at it, when you go to heaven and spend a day there, a century passes here on earth, so three and a half earth years for a divine being isn’t even an hour up there.”

I returned early the next morning to receive darshan again and to continue to sit off to the side and watch the assembly line of devotees approach him for a blessing. It conjured up parallels with Amma, the famous hugging saint of southern India. It even reminded me of the solemnity of parishioners lining up to receive the sacrament of Holy Communion.

On the following morning, I was met with delirium at the gate since it was believed to be the final day of the darshan. The armed police that were present the day before were replaced on this day with boy scouts and girl scouts clearly not up to the task of crowd control. Several of the volunteers were now locked hand in hand, forming a human chain against the riotous throngs attempting to break the queue. I had to holler and wave my arms at one of them, Uman, whom I had spoken to the day before in order to gain his attention and hopefully a free pass back into the arbor. It eventually proved successful.
Before entering, I asked Uman why Palden Dorje suddenly decided to break his six-year meditation. His answer seemed to imply that conditions were ripe for a public appearance again. Uman noted how even more chaotic the situation had been at the previous site in nearby Ratanpuri. “There was just no management of the crowds back then. Now that we have been able to set up a basic system here, it makes things a lot easier for everyone.” In spite of his assurance, I noted the infancy of the infrastructure, unlike the more sprawling operation in Puttaparti, home to India’s super-celebrity guru Sathya Sai Baba.

There is definitely a pervasive rock star adoration toward Palden Dorje. One young Nepali girl I met, after asking her why she was attracted to him, said, “He’s very beautiful.” When I asked if she thought of him romantically, she blushed and said emphatically, “No, no, that would be like having God as a boyfriend.”

After parting ways with Uman, I received darshan once again and assumed my position off to the side. At some point while meditating later in the morning, an inexplicably dazzling emerald luminescence flooded my headspace for a sustained period of time before finally dissolving. There was also a period of ‘whiteness’, similar to when a camera lens is on a high exposure. Following this, throughout the afternoon, I kept sensing in my peripheral vision monks sitting beside me in meditation. When I turned my head slightly to get a better look, there was never anyone there.

As I was leaving that day, I was informed that Palden Dorje, had suddenly decided to add three more days to the darshan since people just kept coming. It looked like I would be sticking around for a little longer then.

The next day, however, threw me for another loop. This time, as I made my way down the dusty river bed, I noticed there was an almost complete absence of people heading in. There was no line-up and the arbor was even more exceptionally quiet than usual. Palden Dorje’s countenance displayed a hint of bewilderment with the trickle of people.

In spite of this, he continued undeterred. On two separate occasions, thunder struck from a completely cloudless sky. Palden Dorje looked up quickly and scanned the skies both times as if in search of some sign. Apparently, Palden Dorje had mentioned in the past that the gods would be present during his tenure and would manifest as thunder.

As each day passed, my meditations grew progressively stronger. On the fifth day, there was a robust serenity in both body and mind despite the onset of a head cold. (I had been sneezing viciously before entering the arbor). There was very little bodily discomfort, however, as I ventured deeper into Void.

The final day of the darshan saw a return to chaos. The gigantic crowd was in turmoil again and some people were seething with anger due to the constant stream of queue jumpers. Once again, thankfully, I was plucked out of the line by a boy scout who took some interest in me. He accompanied me to the area near the gate, which was sealed at that time and surrounded by monks.
When we were finally allowed in, I wondered: could this really be a scam? Could all these monks and nuns and volunteers and serious devotees, committed to the pursuit of truth, be mistaken? If the local community was trying to reap financial benefits from the Buddha Boy phenomenon as some suggested, why restrict his public appearances? If the skeptics were to be believed, then where was the incontrovertible proof of wrongdoing? So far, I had seen nothing convincing to tarnish a reputation.

I was led to a section reserved for journalists very close to where Palden Dorje sat on his pedestal, boxed in by cloth erected to act as a visual barrier. At least half a dozen news network cameras from Nepal or India were arranged in front with a barrage of microphones. A single female Western journalist scribbled notes onto a pad. Monks and nuns were seated opposite us in a section reserved exclusively for them. The public then sat in a wide circle around the tree.

As the minutes passed, the restlessness escalated into a madhouse mania. Though it seemed quite comical and silly, there was a tinge of sadness when I realized how we contort such a thing of virtue into a media-exploited extravaganza. I am just as much to blame. I worry that a simple purity will be devoured by the obsessive sophistications of our society. A boy meditating in the jungle is not enough for us. World tours, bestsellers and talk show interviews would be the new standard.

Palden Dorje stood up to the microphones and held the attention of the restless crowd for the ten minutes or so that he spoke in Nepali. Strangely, he concluded halfway between a sentence, trailing off, letting the words, both spoken and unspoken, hang in the air. The brief spell of serenity quickly degenerated into a frenzy again as Palden Dorje returned to his pedestal and people began lining up to receive darshan. The young man suddenly shifted gears into overdrive, ludicrously blessing with a pace so quick he was practically bonking people on the head with the dorje as they passed.

In the midst of the pushing and shoving nearby, I was led into a profound meditation, insulated from the riot but still acutely aware of it. I remained motionless in body and mind for over an hour. When I opened my eyes, I noticed I was the only one in the midst of thousands who had bothered to do such a thing. At least Palden Dorje was smiling. It was all quite surreal. Instead of trying to line up, I left quietly, bowing inconspicuously, brimming with a wondrous delight.

Since Palden Dorje was not about to indulge me with an exclusive interview, I wanted to speak to a fellow by the name of Jas Waiba. As a member of the steering committee that liaises with Palden Dorje, I figured he would be a reliable authority. When I arrived at the site the next day, I was not surprised to see the place practically deserted – all the vendors had disappeared while only a handful of monks and nuns remained, packing up in preparation to head out. Plastic bags tossed about silently on a slight breeze. The gate was barricaded and a single monk sat in the shade to guard against any unauthorized entry. The whole thing had the feel of the day following the conclusion of an outdoor music festival. Palden Dorje was on his own again.

I eventually caught up to Jas on his way home. Jas has been a committee member for over a year now. The committee is comprised of members mostly from local communities. It was formed as a response to the crowds and problems that swelled as news of the boy spread like wildfire. Jas told me the committee can do nothing without the consent of Palden Dorje. Typically, the committee is summoned when a signal is received from Palden Dorje, a signal only one or two individuals have knowledge of.
“Before,” Jas exclaimed, “Palden Dorje was in deep meditation. Now, he is conducting special esoteric exercises and holding conversations with gods.” I asked him if he himself had been privy to any miracles. With a slightly ominous tone, Jas said, “sometimes, we hear explosions and trees cracking, and when we go to investigate, there is no sign of any damage.”

Over lunch, Jas is quite straightforward in his assessment of Palden Dorje. “He is a bodhisattva. In the future, he will be Maitreya, the next Buddha. This is a certainty. I am confident in this because I have witnessed how he mixes peace with power. He can destroy and he can create. I cannot give you all the details at this time because I have been sworn to secrecy with respect to some matters.” He later hinted, however, toward some esoteric power that could possibly render the weapons of the world completely useless.

Jas is unconcerned with the naysayers. “There is no way to dispute them. Everyone has a right to be skeptical. It is not my job to convince them. I know what I know. Truth comes through illumination not attempts at convincing someone.”

Palden Dorje could very well be the one the world has waited for, but how can someone ever know for sure. He is markedly different from other gurus I have encountered. No matter what his status, he is an inspiration.

Although I can certainly say that Palden Dorje embodies a very powerful essence, what else had I actually discovered about him? It all seemed so ephemeral. I felt like I had failed to clearly ascertain the truth behind this Nepali teen but, on the other hand, I realized there is some value in what remains mysterious.

So perhaps it is best to leave it as such. Better yet, when he is ready for visitors again, why not book a flight to Nepal and experience the phenomenon for yourself?

This opinion article was written by an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not necessarily intended to reflect those of DigitalJournal.com

Digital Journal Reference

Sathya Sai Baba

In the December of 1970, Bhagawan travelled to Panaji, the capital city of Goa stopping enroute in the town of Dharwar in Karnataka. In Panaji, a strange and mysterious turn of events took place, which afforded His devotees another glimpse into His Divine nature. In fact, just prior to this incident, Prof. N. Kasturi, Bhagawan’s biographer, was to start for Sri Lanka, as Swami had blessed him earlier to address the Sai Centres there. But, all of a sudden, Bhagawan commanded him to cancel his visit and accompany Him to Goa instead. For what happened next is told in the most wonderful manner by Prof. Kasturi:

At noon the next day, I accompanied Baba on a circuitous journey to Goa. The three cars moved towards Jog Falls. As usual, while leaving Brindavan, devotees lined up on both sides of the road, anxious to get a glimpse of Baba and to see the Hand waving to them.

It was a Fiat 1500 in which Baba, Mr. N.D.M. Appah, Chairman, Mysore State Electricity Board, and myself were traveling. The road was stony and rough, so the drive was full of jerks and bumps – this caused Baba to reprimand the driver for not being circumspect enough. “You do not know how much pain I get in the abdomen when it bumps,” He said. We wondered why Baba who withstood worse roads better, was insisting on slow driving that day….

When the cars reached Goa, it was night. The stars came forth; they came with us, every yard of the road, keeping pace. When the border of Goa was reached, the Lt. Governor of Goa, Sri Nakul Sen, received Baba and let us into a rest house, where china gleamed in the shelves by the wall and geraniums glistened on the window sills. We had coffee; from then on Baba sat in the state car, with the head of the state.

Hurrying around the rambling roads, towards Panaji (the capital of Goa), the cars finally arrived at Raj Nivas, the Palace of the Governors-General of the “Portuguese Possessions in India and the Far East” for many centuries, but now, the official residence of the Lt. Governor. The time was 9.15 p.m. We had motored 385 miles, since morning, over good and bad roads, but Baba as fresh as a lily when He hastened up the red-carpeted flight of steps to the flower-decked apartments, set aside for His stay. Very soon, Baba presided over the dining table to which we were led by the Lt. Governor. He watched with amusement the contingent of waiters, and the beautiful chinaware, which the Portuguese had brought from Macao.

Though Mrs. Sen made bold to remind Him of His duty to Himself, He did not eat anything. He appeared to be anxious to send every one to bed. “Go, go! You are all very much exhausted,” He insisted. I protested that traveling with Him can never exhaust anyone, but He repeated that I was really in immediate need of rest. When we rose Mrs. Sen was informed by Baba that coffee be made ready for Him only at 8 a.m the next day! She knew that at Prasanthi Nilayam, He had His coffee at around 6 a.m., but despite appeals for revising the order, Baba gave instructions that it was to be brought only at 8 o’ clock.
Baba was alone in the suite reserved for Him. Nakul Sen pleaded for permission to be within call, but Baba sent Him away to his own room. We from Bangalore were in rooms on the ground floor.

About what occurred that night, Baba wrote later to Dr. S. Bhagavantham, in a letter I carried to him on the 12th December, “On the night of the 7th, strange events happened. I could not lie in bed, I could not sit upon it, nor turn, from one side to another. Nor could I speak or call. I did not like to cause anxiety or trouble to anyone. So I kept silent, pretending that all was well with Me!”

Next morning when the Sens grew aware of the truth it became clear, why He had abstained from dinner, and postponed the coffee hour, wanting only to hurry away to bed! I too began to understand why He had come away from Dharwar, and why He had taken the driver to task. Obviously, He had been ‘ill’ when He started out from Dharwar!

Mrs. Sen felt that Raj Nivas was an ‘unlucky’ place since He had fallen ‘ill’ there, but Baba immediately corrected her. “No, it is a house of good luck! I brought the ‘illness’ with Me to Cabo, so that I could get rid of it here.”

By daybreak on the 8th, Baba appeared to be in great pain and Nakul Sen called in doctors from the Medical College at Goa, and some leading physicians of the City. Soon an imposing medical team surrounded the sick bed; their report read as follows, “history of pain in right lower quadrant of the abdomen since 3 p.m. on the 7th December. To begin with, the pain was all over the abdomen, progressive in intensity; towards the night, it localized in the umbilical region, and the right lower quadrant. Had difficulty in extending the right lower limb. Pain is exaggerated by movement. 8th December morning, had nausea and fever.” No one could be definite about the illness; there were too many experts and Baba was amused at the clash of their conclusions. The Sens were aghast at the turn of events for, among other reasons, the local Sathya Sai Seva Samithi had announced, that He would deliver a discourse at the large Maidan in the heart of the city, at 5 p.m. that evening.

Meanwhile, pain, nausea and fever kept Baba in bed all day. Information came that 20,000 people crowded the Maidan, awaiting Baba; and half the number had come from far off villages. Baba endeavoured to rise and don fresh clothes to keep the appointment, and not disappoint thousands of people. But Cabo Raj Nivas had no lift; for reaching the Maidan, Baba would have had to get down 28 steps and walk up some distance in order to give Darshan to the people. And then, climb the 28th steps back to His room!

Baba directed me to tell the assembly to disperse quietly, and to assure them that He will be addressing them in a few days at the same place. I was to tell them that He had taken over the illness of a devotee, for I had witnessed such instances of healing and saving in the past years.

At 8 o’clock that night, the doctors reported, “Lying supine in bed, with legs drawn up. On examination, the right side of the abdomen not moving with respiration; abdomen tender on the right side, and the lower flank…, point of maximum tenderness in lower flank…, no rebound tenderness.. . guarding present over right lower quadrant, with rigidity of flank. Temperature 100 F; pulse 100 /m; respiration 16/m. Total blood count 22,000; neutrophils 88%. A diagnosis of acute paracolic appendicitis was made. Unwillingness for surgical intervention.”

Pressmen approached the doctors, anxious to report the reason for the postponement of the announced public meeting, alarmed at the news of the illness of the world-renowned personality. The doctors told them that Baba was suffering from an acute attack of appendicitis. This news was flashed all over India and spread through the early morning editions and the papers issued from Bombay, Delhi, Calcutta, Madras, Bangalore and Madurai.

Telegrams and telephone calls poured in from all over the country, praying and pleading, and denying – disbelieving, hoping, weeping and wailing. There were many offers to accept the ‘illness’ from Baba; some devotees said they would fast until Baba was free from the illness. Devotees having firm faith in His Divinity were convinced that just as the illness had been taken on miraculously, it would be thrown off miraculously, too.

The doctors told us Baba must be suffering excruciating pain, but He said, “I have taken it on upon Myself with Love and Love knows no pain!”

Ms. June Schuyler, a school teacher who was accompanying the party writes: “I had once asked Baba a question, and I now remembered His answer. ‘Baba, why did Jesus allow Himself to be crucified?’ ‘Because the Great Ones never use spiritual power for themselves.” Ah! Baba had not set the car right on Saturday night because it was not imperative for the good of someone other than Baba. “Baba! Baba!,” I exclaimed, “I adore you; I utterly love you. Imperfect as I am, I give my heart to you completely!”

Precisely at this very moment I became aware that Mr. Nakul Sen was motioning to Mrs. Rajagopalan, Indra Devi and myself to step inside the doorway of Baba’s room. I could not believe it was true. We crossed the threshold half expectant, fixing our eyes on the bedstead where the Master was suffering for His dear devotee. He was not there! He was standing before us, feeble and frail, with eyes full of love and mercy – charming in spite of it all.

He drew back the orange robe, and permitted us to touch those precious feet. The lovely feet were warm because of the fever. The beloved face was pale and etched with pain. The cheeks had been hollowed for want of sleep and refreshment. But He stood there for our sake. ‘Do not worry’, He said tenderly, in a soft, soothing voice, ‘It is a little upset, that is all,’ indicating the right side of the body.

‘Swami! accept what the doctors prescribe,’ we prayed. ‘What do the doctors know? What can they prescribe? I only want your Love’, He said, quietly, almost wistfully. He stepped out of the room into the adjacent drawing room where several others anxiously waited. He stood for a few minutes, looking languidly, lovingly, at them all, reassuring the timid and charging them with courage. Then He returned to the bed. None of us knew that the appendix was very near bursting point, and the doctors had said that He must not rise from his bed at any cost.

Later in Bombay, on Christmas Day, Baba referred to the “illness He had taken on at Goa” and the suffering it caused to many…

“The other day, a serious illness came upon this body in Goa. Many who are devoted to Me were plunged into anxiety and despair when they learnt of it. Illness can never afflict this Body. It cannot even approach it! If it should come sometime – believe this – it belongs to someone; not Myself. And it goes just as it came, of My free Will. I have no contact with it; I am not affected by it.”

On 9th December, the doctors decided to put tubes down the nose to relieve the hiccough, which was complicating matters, for taking the gas out of the stomach. They talked also of the urgent need that had arisen to puncture the lump and syringe off the pus from the abscess. It must indeed have given a terrible gash of pain for Baba, every time the hiccough pulled the muscle tight and affected the lump round the inflamed appendix! But eventually the doctors left the Raj Nivas with their tubes and bottles, as Baba refused to accept their proposals.

On the 10th, a Bhajan meeting had been announced at Government House, and word had gone round indicating that Baba would attend the meeting! Baba too said “Yes! Arrange it.” The doctors could not believe their ears. They did not foresee any possibility of a public appearance that day. There was doubt, wonder and amazement in the minds of various people, but a few of them were convinced that whatever He says will come to pass.

At tea time Mrs. Sen looked rather serious, as time was running out and already people were streaming towards the meeting place. Goa, which had been previously shocked by the news of the agonizing illness, was now jolted by the impact of such good news.

Baba’s condition may be described in His own words: “The doctors were unanimous that an immediate operation was necessary, or they would not be held responsible for what might happen. They said the inflamed appendix had burst, and the pus had entered the blood – a situation that is fatal for all mortals!”

Baba had to move across His own room, across the drawing room, walk along the veranda, ascend a low step, get across to the doorstep of the hall which He had selected for Bhajan, traverse its length, reach the dais, climb two low steps – and finally sit upon the chair placed there. A total distance of 200 feet! A floral carpet stretched all this length.

Sri Nakul Sen spoke later during the Bhajan sessions. “The doctors became panicky, and I could feel that they were absolutely against what Bhagawan had said to me. My sixth sense somehow assured me that Bhagawan was showing one of His Leelas in Goa and that through His Sankalpa (will) He would get rid of this trouble as quickly as He had assumed it.”

Dr. Varma, the chief of team of doctors came at about 4 p.m and finding a floral carpet covering a distance of 200 feet, protested that it was too long a walk. He suggested some short cuts through other doors and passages making the journey a distance of only 40 feet. He said, “The dais itself will have to go; let the chair be on the floor, for He cannot get up the steps however low they may be – and please, have the dais on the near side, not at the farthermost end of the hall.”

At 5 p.m. Baba was led into the bathroom, and twenty minutes later He came out of it, clean shaven, wearing a new robe! Fresh as a new blossomed rose.

When the doctors examined Him again, they could not locate any abscess, nor could they find any trace of big lump of flesh near it. The whole area of the appendix was as soft and as normal as it could be.

“Lo and behold!,” said Nakul Sen, in the speech he delivered as soon as Baba sat on the dais at 6 p.m., “Bhagawan walked from His bedroom to the dais, a distance of about 200 feet without any aid. He sat down erect on an office chair.”

Ms. June writes about that historic moment of ecstasy: “Bhajan began, and my heart was pounding a joyous tune of expectancy. Love for Baba filled the hall. Ah! There He was, moving majestically down the hall, although He had required the assistance of two men all day. He now moved as if nothing had ever happened. His steps were as sure and graceful as ever. The cheeks which had been hollow when I last saw them were completely filled out. His Love flooded the hall. It was overpowering. He swung into the room, and when He saw someone leaning against the wall with a sick child beside him, the Hand began the familiar circular motion to create the cure.

Baba’s eyes which plumb the depths, His eyes which pour out love and compassion, His eyes which flash when he speaks of cruelty, falsehood, hypocrisy and injustice, eyes which can be full of quips, were as eloquent as ever. He took His place on the divan in front of the gathering and began keeping rhythm with the Bhajan being sung, with His head and hand. Mrs. Rajagopal whispered in my ear, “Look! Those eyes are more beautiful than ever. There is an ethereal expression, not of this world in them; a look of radiant joy and adoration.”

Baba’s eyes caressed the gathering, which was watching Him without even a wink, apprehensive that the cure He had effected on Himself, might be only partial or temporary.

Sri Nakul Sen was full of gratitude and wonder! While welcoming Baba, and introducing the gathering to Him as convention demanded, he said, “Bhagawan lives in the inner recesses of the hearts of His devotees; there is nothing He would not do for them. He has simultaneously appeared in this Form at different places, to help His devotees in distress, or to save them from impending calamities, of which He alone has the precognition! Through His Sankalpa or Will, He has assumed the illness of His devotees and suffered it from them, because they would have succumbed to it, if left alone.

We have witnessed this now, a Leela which has greatly perplexed the medical experts of Goa. It leaves no doubt in our minds that there is nothing on this earth which is beyond Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. His Leela is Adbhut – unprecedented; it is Romancha Kari – exhilarating; it is Madhumaya – sweet in memory; Mangalamayi – promoting the happiness and welfare of mankind; Manoharini – overpowering the mind and turning it to truth, beauty and goodness. It gives Ananda – bliss!…”

Nakul Sen concluded his descriptions of the ancient glories of Goa and its sacred contacts with Shiva, Rama, Krishna, and Parasurama, the Divine Avatars, with these words: “No wonder the Lord decided to visit this ancient and sacred land again, in the form which He has assumed now, with the name of Sathya Sai Baba; He has loved Goa in His previous incarnations and Goa continues to be dear to Him even now.”

Baba spoke for over forty minutes with His usual emphasis and élan. The gathering listened spellbound, for it was a message of triumph, benevolence, and benediction.

The illness that had vanished an hour ago was still uppermost in the minds of all, and so, Baba spoke of the significance of its ‘entrance and exit’ and its place in the scheme of the Avatar’s activities.

“There are many who doubt the existence of God or deny Him, or dismiss the idea of God as a silly outworn superstition. To make them discard their conceit, the Divine, out of Its Innate Grace, reveals its superhuman glory. The doubters receive the reply without asking, the door is opened without even a knock; for those who deny will not knock at all. The ’superstition’ will be illumined into divine status by a concrete experience, an indisputable fact.

Wherever you find truth, beauty, goodness, justice, wisdom, compassion – God is present, and active. An atheist denies God, with the very breath that God has given him! He closes the eyes that God has opened in Him, and declares that there he could see no God. Therefore, such amazing events have to be accomplished and made known to man everywhere, so that mankind can be saved from over-fond involvement with the world, and lovingly drawn towards the Master of the World.”

Reference: “Sathyam Shivam Sundaram” Vol – III by Prof. N Kasturi. Page: 227-246. Published by Sri Sathya Sai Books and Publications Trust, Prasanthi Nilayam.

Merry Christmas From The SathyaSaiBaba Blog

Merry Sai Christmas

The three stages of Jesus’ life
Jesus was kaarana-janma, a Master born with a purpose, the mission of restoring love, charity and compassion in the heart of man. He had no attachment to the self, nor paid any heed to joy or sorrow, loss or gain. He had a heart that responded to the call of anguish, and he went about the land preaching the lesson of love. His life was a libation for the upliftment of humanity.

Like most seekers, he first searched for the Divine · in the objective world. But he soon realised that the world is a kaleidoscopic picture created by one’s own imagination, and sought to find God within himself. His stay in the Himaalayan monasteries in Kashmir and in other centres of eastern asceticism and philosophical inquiry, gave him greater awareness. From the attitude of being a Messenger of God, he could now call himself the Son of Clod. The bond of relationship increased: the ‘I’ was no more some distant light or entity; the light became a part of the “I.” With the body-consciousness predominant, he was a messenger. With the heart-consciousness in the ascendant, he-felt a greater nearness and dearness, and so the son-father bond seems natural at this stage.

Later as the Aathman-consciousness was established, Jesus could declare, “I and My Father are One.” The three stages may be described as: “I was in the Light,” “The Light was in me,” and “I am the light,” and may be compared to the Dhwaitha (dualism), Visishtaadhwaitha (qualified non-dualism) and Adhwaitha (non-dualism) stages as described in Vedhic philosophy. The final stage is the one when all duality has been shed. This is the essence of all religious disciplines and teachings.

Jesus’ original name was Isa
Jesus was honoured by the populace as Christ, for they found in his thoughts, words and deeds, no trace of ego. He had no envy or hatred, and was full of love and charity, humility and sympathy. Jesus’ original name was Isa which, when repeated, is Sai. Isa and Sai, both mean Ishwara (God), the Eternal Absolute, the Sath-Chith-Aanandha (Being-Awareness-Bliss). In the Tibetan manuscript, at the monastery where Isa spent some years, his name is written as Isha, which means the Lord of all living beings.

When Jesus proclaimed that he was the Messenger of God, he wanted to emphasise that every one is a messenger of God and has to speak, act and think like one. This is the true Karma- Kaanda (branch dealing with action and its reaction) of the Vedhas: saadhana (discipline) of karma (work), japa (prayer), seva (service) and dhyaana (meditation). When progress is furthered, Jesus asserted, each one can recognise all as Sons of God, Children of God, brothers and sisters of oneself, and so, deserving of worship. The Upaasana Kaanda (branch of Vedhas dealing with contemplation) is the scripture in Sanaathana Dharma (Eternal Universal Religion) for this stage. Finally, knowledge ripens into wisdom and’ the goal of Jnaana Kaanda (branch of Vedhas dealing with spiritual wisdom) is reached, when each one realises, “I and my Father are One.”

Kevin R D Shepherd Fails Notability Criterion On Wikipedia

On December 22nd 2009, Wikipedia gave vanity self-publisher and pseudo-philosopher Kevin R. D. Shepherd a firm slap on the face and deemed him wholly non-notable despite the fanatic and desperate blathering of:

1. Alex Jamieson (an anonymous account who admitted having direct contact and affiliation with Kevin R. D. Shepherd and to whom Kevin R. D. Shepherd freely gave his picture’s copyrights).
2. Simon Kidd (sockpuppet “The Communicator” and a relentless Kevin R. D. Shepherd propagandizer who tag-teamed with “Alex Jamieson” on Shepherd-related Wikipedia pages, discussions and issues).
3. Ombudswiki (aka Brian Steel, a Sathya Sai Baba critic and vocal advocate of Kevin R. D. Shepherd). On Brian Steel’s official websites, he openly solicits, endorses and references Kevin R. D. Shepherd. Also, Kevin R. D. Shepherd cited Brian Steel as a reference in his self-published book Pointed Observations.
4. ProEdits (aka Robert Priddy, a Sathya Sai Baba critic and vocal advocate, associate and co-conspirator with Kevin R. D. Shepherd). On Robert Priddy’s official websites and blogs, he openly solicits, endorses and references Kevin R. D. Shepherd. Also, Kevin R. D. Shepherd cited Robert Priddy as a reference in his self-published book Investigating the Sai Baba Movement.

See: Wikipedia: Articles for deletion / Kevin R. D. Shepherd.

Numerous Problems With The Kevin R D Shepherd Wikipedia Article

Kevin R D Shepherd Wikipedia Article Deleted

DEC 23rd 2009 UPDATE: Simon Kidd (obviously sipping too much cuckoo juice) actually had the temerity to claim (like a conspiracist or a person afflicted with paranoia) that because this webpage was promply published when Kevin R. D. Shepherd’s Wikipedia article was deleted, this MUST mean that Wikipedia editors involved with the AFD were in “collusion” with Moreno (Refs: 01 – 02)! This is going to come as a surprise to Smartse, Dazedbythebell, Goethean, JN466, Atama, Polargeo, DGG, Fences&Windows, Collect, AEK and Kevin. None of these editors are known to Moreno and none of these editors had any sort of contact with Moreno when the AFD was filed. About Moreno, Simon Kidd said, “It seems to me that the horse is still whinnying!” If Wikipedia editors don’t know what “whinnying” sounds like, after reading Simon Kidd’s garrulous posts – they probably now have a good idea!

Relevant Comments About Kevin R. D. Shepherd’s Non-Notability

The entire article is based on primary sources. I can’t find any secondary sources to demonstrate that this person meets Wikipedia:ACADEMIC#Criteria. Smartse (talk) 00:25, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

All the books listed as bibliography are self-published. The publishers listed only publish books by Kevin Shepherd. Kevin_Shepherd#Bibliography Alex Jamieson appears to be Kevin Shepherd. Note he not only created and maintains the article about Kevin Shepherd but provided the self-made photo. [1] See his contribution history also: [2] There is a huge circularity going that appears to be self-promotion using Wikipedia. If not, then notability needs to be established in some neutral way. Dazedbythebell (talk) 16:34, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

This information about Kevin Shepherd found here is probelematic to say the least. I quote from it below.

Secondly, there are absolutely no online references about Kevin R.D. Shepherd’s qualifications, notability, personal information, credentials or schooling. There are also no media articles or University references to Kevin Shepherd although his books have been published as far back as 1983. The reason for this is probably because all of Kevin R.D. Shepherd’s books are self-published. Kevin Shepherd’s books were published by the publisher “Citizen Initiative” (Dorchester, Dorset, United Kingdom), which is not listed on booktrust’s UK publishers. The only books published by “Citizen Initiative” (utilizing an advanced search on Google for “citizen initiative” + “publisher(s)” / “publishing” / “publication(s)”) are those belonging to Shepherd, Kevin. No other books have been published by “Citizen Initiative”. I contacted the University of Sheffield UK (regarding “Citizen Initiative” and Kevin Shepherd) by email and Mrs. Barringer said: “Sorry – have never heard of them and can find no trace in any lists of publishers.”

Finally, if you examine the references in the Shepherd article carefully there don’t appear to be any quotes by Kevin Shepherd from any book other than books given in the Bibliography by Kevin Shepherd. This is also true of any statement about Shepherd. Not one statement about Shepherd is quoted from a non-Shepherd third party source. Numbered references appear to be sources to consult to see the the origin of concepts explained by the Wikipedia author. Dazedbythebell (talk) 17:20, 15 December 2009 (UTC) Dazedbythebell (talk) 17:20, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

Comment: The consensus when the COI was discussed at the COIN was that Simon Kidd and Alex jamieson do not have a COI. In this discussion it is not important whether or not anyone has a COI, we are trying to determine whether on not there has been enough significant independent coverage of this author to justify their presence on Wikipedia. As of yet no such sources have been provided. I’d never heard of Meher Baba or Sathya Sai Baba before this, but it doesn’t really matter – we are just here to discuss this article. It seems worth noting that recruiting people to vote elsewhere in AfDs is forbidden, please do not do so. Blog’s aren’t considered reliable so whatever it says doesn’t matter here. Alex, if you can provide sources to demonstrate notability then please do, I’ve looked myself but can’t find anything. Smartse (talk) 19:12, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

Comment: He sounds like a bit of a crank, sending letters to people and taking their lack of response as evidence that they are untrustworthy: [3] David Lorimer did not reply to the Letter of Complaint. Over sixty SMN members were named in the CC. lists, but only one of these responded. Professor Kurt Dressler of Switzerland promptly sent a courteous acknowledgement dated 13/05/06. With that sole and honourable exception, it is evident that a detailed complaint, complete with bibliography, has no chance of evoking due consideration from the Scientific and Medical Network. I am accordingly very sceptical of their agenda…The Letter of Complaint proved [via the non-response] that the SMN has marked limits in a worldview catering for in-crowd names and subscribers, a fair number of whom are said to be Grof-oriented…

(Text in brackets is in the original.) The logic is less than compelling. I may have a slight conflict of interest, having edited articles about people that he criticizes, but it seems like he criticizes a LOT of different people. — goethean ॐ 21:13, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

Above, Simon Kidd writes: *Some secondary sources have been cited – see notes 9, 10 and 11. However, it isn’t clear what these citations are suppose to be citations for. For example, the statement in the article, According to Shepherd, Meher Baba, an Iranian Liberal (1988) is a non-sectarian work. sends us to note 9 which reads, A book not recognized by the leading Meher Baba Centres in the UK and USA; however, scholars were not sectarian in outlook and the book has been cited in, for example: Chryssides, G., Historical Dictionary of New Religious Movements, Scarecrow Press (2001); Srinivas, S., In the Presence of Sai Baba: Body, City, and Memory in a Global Religious Movement, Brill (2008). Which of the two books is the source and what is it a source for? What the editor seems to be saying is that the authors of these books were non-sectarian, as exemplified by their citation of Shepherd’s book. This seems to misunderstand what a citation is. Citations are meant as published sources for checking the accuracy of a fact stated in the article. What fact in the article do these two books mentioned in the note verify? Dazedbythebell (talk) 22:41, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

I agree, this does not constitute significant secondary coverage, ideally we need an article in a magazine or newspaper to show this. Smartse (talk) 22:33, 15 December 2009 (UTC)

Sorry about that, it shouldn’t take long to demonstrate notability if he is indeed notable, as I said above a link to a magazine/newspaper article that had sinifigicant coverage would suffice. Smartse (talk) 22:28, 19 December 2009 (UTC)

Since the COI thread and the GA delist, little or nothing of the material cited to Mr Shepherd’s own publications has been deleted. In terms of demonstrating notability, some citations of Mr Shepherd’s books have indeed been added to the article: [4]. However, evidence that an author is cited by other scholars, while it reflects a certain amount of acceptance in the scholarly world, is not by itself sufficient to satisfy WP:N, which asks for sources that “address the subject directly in detail”. There are many quite eminent and widely cited scholars who do not have Wikipedia biographies devoted to them; even if Mr Shepherd were more widely cited, he would be in august company in not having a Wikipedia biography. In conclusion, and with regret, I have to say delete, unless multiple other sources can be found that cover this author “directly in detail”. –JN466 23:40, 19 December 2009 (UTC)

Delete – The walls o’ text above seems to really turn the signal-to-noise ratio into the negative territory. I don’t much care who has a COI with what here. The article doesn’t seem to meet our inclusion guidelines, either the general guideline or for academics. My suggestion to Alex and Simon: keep it brief and to the point if you want to sway anyone in this discussion. — Atama頭 23:35, 20 December 2009 (UTC)

Delete – Not notable. His work seems generally self published and searchs through google scholar clearly show that he has had very little impact so fails Wikipedia:Notability (academics) I admit to not having read the vast text above so I am not rating this with any COI in mind but on a straight forward assessment of the article. Polargeo (talk) 12:21, 21 December 2009 (UTC)

Notability is established by one thing only: the presence of reliably published sources out there, writing about the article subject. Everything else is a red herring. Without sources discussing the article subject, we cannot write an article that complies with Wikipedia policies and guidelines. That is the problem that is evident in the article (a problem which, it was promised well over a month ago, would be fixed). The article is still based on Shepherd’s own books and the original research of the editors who have written it. It is not based on any reliably published third-party sources discussing Shepherd. If such sources existed, they would have been produced by now. –JN466 19:08, 21 December 2009 (UTC)

Delete with respect to WP:PROF. He has 13 books in WorldCat. There are 80 WorldCat libraries holdings Psychology in science 63 for Meaning in anthropos: anthropography as an interdisciplinary science of culture and after that 45, 36, 35, 33, 32, 37, 30, 13,… .WorldCat Identities Some of them are on quite obscure topics, where only a few holdings would be expected, but the two I mentioned and some of the others are in fields where I would expect hundreds of holdings for any important book. The very close similarity in counts for some of the books is because they are vols. of his series Intercultural research series of anthropography published by Anthropographia, a publisher that has published nothing else except Shepherd’s works. I think it would be fair to call him a self-published author. In Google Scholar I find only 6 citations of his work other than by himself. Even on the web, he seems to be known only through his own postings as a critic of Ken Wilber and, separately, of Sathya Sai Baba–there are are responses to the last part–it seems from a quick look that the discussion is so unpleasant that there can be expected to be some strong opinions here. And as far as I can see, he doesn’t meet the GNG either, or WP:CREATIVE. DGG ( talk ) 21:43, 21 December 2009 (UTC)

I would certainly expect his own books to reflect his views–especially when he is his own reviewer and editor! I don’t see how that makes for WP:N. Yes, it has happened that self-published authors have become notable, but it is so extremely rare that it’ll take very good evidence from reviews and citations of them by other people. I think in the last 3 years here there have been one or two–as I recall, they were very popular fiction writers. DGG ( talk ) 22:14, 21 December 2009 (UTC)

Please note. I have raised this discussion at the admin’s noticeboard here. Fences&Windows 02:27, 22 December 2009 (UTC)

Userfy As the article currently fails to give reasonable grounds to make me believe he is notable (I am one who tries his best to find notability, by the way), in the hope that possibly the user may be able to find additional reliable sources which really establish notability beyond doubt. I also suggest that the massive discussions above do little to influence the actual discussion as to deletion. Collect (talk) 02:31, 22 December 2009 (UTC)

Delete – two issues. The first is the lack of notability, which has been discussed to death in the WP:TLDR verbiage above. The second is a lack of verifiability – even his supporters cannot supply one independent source that discusses his ideas. Either of these issues is enough to induce a vote of delete; together they would seem insurmountable. — ækTalk 02:33, 22 December 2009 (UTC)

COI etc. at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Kevin R. D. Shepherd
I just tried to close the discussion at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Kevin R. D. Shepherd, and ended up having to relist after spending an hour on it. I believe more uninvolved eyes are needed on this AfD and its participants (I don’t mean Smartse, the nominator).

Kevin R.D. Shepherd is an apparently self-taught British scholar who writes self-published books on philosophy, including criticising certain groups, gurus and sects, e.g. Sathya Sai Baba. There seem to be issues with COI on both sides: some editors supporting deletion may be associated with the sects he criticises, and some editors opposing deletion may be closely associated with Shepherd or otherwise be opposed to this sect. Note that there has been arbitration in this area before: Wikipedia:Requests for arbitration/Sathya Sai Baba and Wikipedia:Requests for arbitration/Sathya Sai Baba 2.

If this was a simple judgement of the WP:GNG, WP:PROF, or WP:CREATIVE, Shepherd would undoubtedly fail. The only coverage I can find is in a book by Marianne Warren, excerpted here. His work has been cited a handful of times over the decades, certainly not enough to say he has had an impact on his field. But it is not that simple. Editors are supporting inclusion despite the apparent failure to meet notability guidelines. The arguments to keep are lengthy but weak: appeals to OTHERSTUFF, JUSTNOTABLE, IKNOWIT, GOOGLEHITS, COMMONSENSE etc. DGG’s deletion argument is a good barometer – if he agrees with deletion, there’s usually no hope for an article. And yet, I am wary of closing as delete and having this explode in my face. Maybe I should grow a pair, but here I am.

User:Dazedbythebell has linked to a blog that is critical of Shepherd, there appear to be two or three such attack blogs against Shepherd that chronicle the activities on Wikipedia to do with him, so I am concerned about off-wiki goings on. Just Google ‘kevin shepherd wikipedia’ to get an idea of the material out there. There seems to be a vendetta between Shepherd and someone called Gerald Joe Moreno.

User:Simon Kidd and User:Alex jamieson are new SPAs that wrote this bio, though Simon Kidd says they have previously used another account (which they say has been disclosed in ArbCom). Alex wrote it and Simon gave it a Good Article Review three days after his first edit. Both deny being the subject of the article. Alex jamieson took the photo of Shepherd, so must know him. Being suspicious, I note that there are behavioural similarities between these two accounts, in particular their lengthy style of writing, and I wonder whether checkuser should be used? There’s at least some tag teaming going on with the GAR.

I was perplexed by the keep ! votes from User:Ombudswiki and User:ProEdits, but ProEdits has frequently added criticism to Sathya Sai Baba, and that article was one of the first that Ombudswiki edited in 2006, so neither are neutral in this area.

Thoughts? Advice? Fences&Windows 02:19, 22 December 2009 (UTC) (Reference)

COI etc. at Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Kevin R. D. Shepherd
Resolved. AFD was closed as delete: “The result was delete. I’m deliberately closing this soon after a relist, as I see little hope of gaining a clearer consensus than already exists. The arguments for deletion are well grounded in that reliable coverage of either Shepherd or his work must have been the subject of independent, reliably published material. This has been clearly articulated, particularly by DGG, and the lack of such coverage has not been refuted. The extremely lengthy arguments to keep provide some interesting commentary, but no substantive argument that Shepherd passes any of the notability criteria. Kevin (talk) 02:38, 22 December 2009 (UTC)” –Coffee // have a cup // ark // 09:39, 22 December 2009 (UTC) (Reference)

Moreno’s Argument About Shepherd’s Non-Notability Is Vindicated

Kevin Shepherd wailed considerably about Joe Moreno’s objection on Wikipedia to the inclusion of a quote from Shepherd’s self-published book, “Investigating the Sai Baba Movement: A Clarification of Misrepresented Saints and Opportunism”.

Andries Krugers Dagneaux (an ex-devotee and critic of Sathya Sai Baba) was the only person supporting the inclusion of the Kevin Shepherd citation in the Sathya Sai Baba Wikipedia Article. Jossie, Alecmconroy (a non-involved party who answered Andries Request For Comment) and Moreno (SSS108) all disagreed with Andries Krugers Dagneaux.

Wikipedia generally does not allow self-published material to be used as sources in Biographies of Living People (Refs: Self Published Sources – Verifiable Sources – BLP – Reliable Sources). Even more so when the self-published material in question makes derogatory and highly questionable hearsay allegations that have never been referenced in reliable or reputable sources (Ref: Reliable Sources). Kevin R. D. Shepherd’s book and citation fell into this category of self-published and non-notable material.

When Andries Krugers Dagneaux realized that Kevin Shepherd’s book was self-published and the citation did not comply with Wikipedia policy, Andries Krugers Dagneaux no longer sought its inclusion (Reference). Kevin R. D. Shepherd purposely ignored these facts and deflected from the issue by resorting to spin, paranoia and “cult” & “sectarian” accusations.

Moreno’s past argument about Kevin R. D. Shepherd’s non-notability has now been vindicated by multiple & independent Wikipedia editors who neutrally investigated the matter thoroughly. Simon Kidd, Alex Jamieson, Brian Steel (aka Ombudswiki) and Robert Priddy (aka ProEdits) banded together and attempted to deceive various Wikipedia editors by resorting to circumlocution and rhetoric. Needless to say, it didn’t work.

Kevin R. D. Shepherd Wasted No Time Linking To His Wikipedia Profile

Kevin R. D. Shepherd was so enamored with the idea of having a Wikipedia profile, he actually provided a picture of himself for the page and gave permission to Alex Jamieson to write about him! Almost immediately Kevin R. D. Shepherd linked to his Wikipedia profile on three of his official domains. See for yourself:

Kevin Shepherd Wasted No Time Soliciting His Wikipedia Profile

Kevin R. D. Shepherd’s Non-Notability – In Conclusion

In conclusion, the self-described “philosopher” Kevin R. D. Shepherd (who admitted he is not an academic) has been shown to be nothing more than a vanity self publisher. To Date: There have been no reliably sourced, third-party media references to Kevin R. D. Shepherd. This is an irrefutable fact that no amount of deflections, distortions or ad hominem attacks is going to change. It is Moreno’s personal opinion that Kevin R. D. Shepherd’s moralistic, puritanical, self-promoting, self-centered, self-serving, bigoted, narrow-minded, dogmatic and poorly researched views will keep him out of the Wikipedia spotlight for years to come.

Alleged Sexual Molestation Victim Of Sai Baba Comes Forward With A Shocking Revelation

Ex-Devotee’s of Sathya Sai Baba, (particularly Robert Priddy, Barry Pittard, Brian Steel, Conny Larsson, Timothy Conway, Alan Kazlez and Sanjay Dadlani) are in complete denial about the allegations against Sathya Sai Baba and continue to babble incessently about “sexual abuse” despite the fact that no one has yet to file a basic police complaint, court case or public grievance in India against Sathya Sai Baba. Despite these irrefutable facts Ex-Devotees continually demand legal investigations be made against the Sathya Sai Organization although no legal complaints have ever been filed against the Sathya Sai Organization by any alleged “victim” or by any alleged “victim’s” mother or father!

Ex-Devotees laughable and ridiculous legal demands are akin to accusing a person of theft based on internet complaints, demanding that the thief be punished although there are no basic police complaints or court cases alleging theft! If anyone should have legal investigations brought against them, the legal investigations should be brought against the mothers and fathers of alleged victims who have all (without exception) ignored and dismissed the alleged molestations of their children! When parents have not sought legal action against the Sathya Sai Organization, who do Ex-Devotee’s think they are to be demanding legal action?

Alleged ‘Sexual Molestation’ Victim Claims He Was NOT Molested!

Robert C. Priddy (a caustic critic and defamer of Sathya Sai Baba and others) is a pathological liar of the worst order who cannot be trusted to tell the truth. The same holds true for Ex-Devotees who adamantly refuse to disassociate themselves from Robert Priddy’s malicious defamation campaigns. Robert Priddy has openly libeled Gerald Joe Moreno as being “molested sexually” by Sathya Sai Baba.

Gerald Joe Moreno (one of the alleged and so-called “sexual molestation victims” of Sathya Sai Baba) has courageously come forward and PUBLICLY DENIED that he was “molested sexually” by the Guru. At no time did Moreno ever imply or suggest that he was “molested sexually” by Sathya Sai Baba. When Ex-Devotees lie about and libel Gerald Moreno as being “molested sexually” by Sathya Sai Baba, what does this say about Ex-Devotee”s self-professed “integrity” and “crediblity”? Ex-Devotees are obviously a small and vocal group of fanatics in pathological denial who thrive on self-imagined, self-created and homoerotic conspiracy theories not rooted in fact.

The Failed Court Case Against The Sathya Sai Baba Society Of America

It is amusing to note that Robert Priddy said the following on his Anti-Baba blog:

Robert Priddy: If such a trial were to occur, the full facts and testimonials – and affidavits which are still held – would come to light, and witnesses claiming they were abused by him could then stand forth under foreign ambassadorial protection. Of course, he would have to try to prosecute those who testified against him in their own countries, which would give him and his organization media coverage they evidently cannot risk and also considerable legal difficulties.

Needless to say, such a trail was set to go to court in California in the USA via Alaya Rahm vs the Sathya Sai Baba Society of America. The end result?

• Alaya Rahm self dismissed his own lawsuit with prejudice.
• Not even one alleged victim was named as a witness on behalf of Alaya Rahm.
• Not even one deposition was taken on behalf of Alaya Rahm.
• Not even one “affidavit” was submitted into evidence on behalf of Alaya Rahm.
• Not even one “testimonial” was submitted into evidence on behalf of Alaya Rham.

In “Response To Form Interrogatories” in Alaya Rahm’s self-dismissed lawsuit against the Sathya Sai Baba Society (Form Interrogatory No. 6.3, Set One) Alaya Rahm fully admitted that he had been a daily user of illegal street drugs and alcohol from 1995 – 2005. Consequently, during Alaya Rahm’s “Divine Downfall” and India Today Anti-Sai interviews and during the filming of the BBC Documentary “Secret Swami” and the “Seduced By Sai Baba” Danish Documentary, Alaya Rahm was under the influence of illegal street drugs and alcohol while relating his alleged sexual encounters with Sathya Sai Baba. This crucial information wholly undermines Alaya Rahm’s credibility and irreparably compromises the integrity of his claims. Needless to say, Alaya Rahm’s alcoholism and drug addiction have been purposely suppressed from the general public by Anti-Sai Activists, the Rahm Family and the media (Ref).

Supporting Alaya Rahm’s involvement with illegal street drugs and drug addicts is a secondary court case in November 2007 where Alaya Rahm testified on behalf of his friend Valdez T Woods who was arrested and convicted for possession of crack cocaine and marijuana with the intent to deliver (PDF Reference). As a matter of fact, Valdez T Woods was arrested within a mile of Alaya Rahm’s then current residence (as revealed in official court records). Alaya Rahm was identified as a “friend and associate” of drug dealer and drug addict Valdez T Woods.

These are irrefutable facts supported by official court records. Robert Priddy, on the other hand, cannot source his arguments to any official court records or to any legal documentation whatsoever. Robert C. Priddy not only acts as a proxy spokesperson for alleged victims, he also acts as a “proxy guardian” because alleged victim’s mothers and fathers have all (without exception) failed in their moral, ethical and legal duties by ignoring the alleged molestations of their children. The reason why Robert C. Priddy does not shut up is because if he did, the silence would be deafening because no one else besides critics are making all the fuss.

Robert C. Priddy and Ex-Devotees need to shut up and let the alleged victims and their mothers and fathers talk for themselves. The fact that alleged victims and their mothers and fathers are not talking strongly suggests that Sathya Sai Baba did nothing wrong. Robert C. Priddy and Ex-Devotees should take their gripes to the parents of alleged victims and should be castigating them for ignoring their children’s alleged molestations.

Concluding Statement: Robert Priddy The Con Artist

Needless to say, Robert Priddy has a long and established history of distortions, lies, defamations and libels.

• Robert C. Priddy is a laughable pervert who had the audacity to fabricate sexual molestation claims against Gerald Joe Moreno.
• Robert C. Priddy is a laughable con-artist who published fraudulent screencaps against Gerald Joe Moreno and adamantly refuses to vindicate his claims by publishing full screencaps to Moreno’s vishvarupa.com domain.
• Robert C. Priddy is a laughable stooge who attributed his own computer’s IP to Gerald Joe Moreno.
• Robert C. Priddy is in perpetual denial and publicly defends his laughable SheilaWaring Lie even though other critics have distanced themselves from that controversy.
• Robert Priddy is a laughable LSD Advocate who even cited a Pro-Drug Forum intended for Drug Users to defend his LSD-induced hallucinations.
• Senile Robert Priddy stated that Moreno claimed he was sexually abused under his Joe Apodaca SaiPetition.net Submission even though Moreno never made such a claim.
• Robert Priddy is a Pseudo-Moralist Clown who loves to attack others for composite images while endorsing and publishing composite images himself!
• Robert Priddy delusionally claimed that Sathya Sai Baba Personally Invited Him To India.
• Robert Priddy formerly Worshipped & Kissed Sathya Sai Baba’s feet.
• Robert Priddy Maliciously Lied About Joy Thomas and refuses to retract his bold-faced lies.
• Robert Priddy claimed he had a Telepathic Connection To Sathya Sai Baba.
• Robert Priddy documented a Homoerotic Dream With His Former Guru that involved the guru sucking up and swallowing a substance associated with his sex chakra!
• The list goes on and on.

Of course, none of these things are surprising considering that Robert Priddy is an LSD Advocate who is thoroughly obsessed with genital oilings and who relishes projecting his homoerotic fantasies onto Moreno. Robert Priddy is allied with Bisexual & Psychic Trance Medium Conny Larsson and Child Porn Purveyor RFJ Sandt. Robert Priddy is also a staunch promoter of New Age Advocate & Reincarnator Alan Kazlev and Guru & UFO Promoter Timothy Conway (who actually believes that Sathya Sai Baba may have molested alleged victims like aliens are alleged to do through abductions!).

The only people guilty of running “massive disinformation and cover-up campaigns” are Robert Priddy and Ex-Devotees who have attacked hundreds of Sai Devotees & Non-Devotees alike and who have created hundreds of webpages to defame, libel and smear Gerald Joe Moreno. What more can one do but laugh at loud at Robert Priddy and his hypocritical finger-pointing?

Sexual abuse complaints with impunity against Sathya Sai Baba Why Sai Baba dare not go to court to repel accusations and clear his name… and the original letters of Mrs. Payne (Diana Scott) to the US Sathya Sai Organization

Sathya Sai Organization’s abuse cover-up & unaccountability The infamous letters by John Hislop, Chairman of the USA Sathya Sai Organization, which he told recipients to destroy.

Powerful sex abuse testimony against Sathya Sai Baba The testimony of a German ex-follower, whose affidavit was made toi the hamburg police (and is in safe keeping)

Isaac Tigrett – deluded lunatic fringe exponent with a bogus crystal skull, his own ashram and more The former Hard Rock cafe owner having hard times…

The bizarre Isaac Tigrett and his horse at Prashanthi Nilayam Account by a former friend of Tigrett on the horse that died

Revealing letters on sexual abuse claims by Dr. John Hislop Summary of the Hislop letters issue by Timothy Conway, former leader of the San Francisco Sathya Sai Centre.

Letter by John Hislop to Sathya Sai Organization leaders The first letter which is aimed at the cover-up of sex abuse claims against Sathya Sai Baba by the mother of a US boy at his college.

The Hislop letters – part one [Timothy Conway on Gerald Moreno] Sound refutation of bogus claims by Moreno on the authenticity of the Hislop letters.

‘The Secret Swami’ & U.S. State Department Warning against Sai Baba Refutation of bogus claims about withdrawal of a warning by the US State Department’s directly naming of Sathya Sai Baba as engaging in “inappropriate sexual behaviour”, including Video clip of BBC confirming this.

Major contradictions about ‘Divinity’ and more Sai Baba has claimed both that there is a spark of divinity in every being, that there is no such spark in those who criticize him… and other confusing and contradictory claims about divinity.

Gerald Moreno, master of two-bit triviality Moreno makes more false statements about Priddy who never hailed Sai Baba as Allah who sent Muhammed, or as the Father who sent Jesus. He only reported SB’s own claims about Jesus. Moreno takes a tiny typo which he – with his humourless spite – finds funny, making himself ridiculous again.

Sundararupaya – Old Rare Pictures Of Baba VI

Old Gold Photo Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: I am not attracted by learning or scholarship, which does not lead anywhere except towards egoism and pride. I am drawn only by devotion. Bring to Me whatever troubles you have. I shall take them on and give you Ananda. I am drawn by the love which brings you from long distances through great difficulties which makes you happy in spite of the want of comforts to which you are accustomed.

Old Gold Picture Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: After losing the chance, do not repent later that you have missed the opportunity. Remember, you have to come to Me, if not in this birth, at least within ten more births! Strive to acquire Grace. Grace is the reward for Sadhana: The highest Sadhana is to follow the instruction of the Master.

Old Gold Image Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: You might ask Me to speak about My own Mystery. It is not easy to understand it. When you have the chances, gather all the joy you can. There is no use of bolting the door after the thieves have robbed and fled from the house.

Rare Image Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: I will demand good conduct, good habits, good thoughts, good company wherever you go.

Rare Photo Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: The distance from Me and you is the same as the distance from you and Me, is it not? But, you complain that I am for far from you, through you are approaching nearer. How can that be? I am as near you as you are near Me.

Rare Picture Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: Upadhi (attachment) must disappear. That inferior status of manhood that now satisfies must give place to the status of Madhavathwam which is the genuine status. That is the task for which Sai is calling. That is the work for which I have come.

Rare Pic Of Sathya Sai Baba

Sathya Sai Baba: The sense of values has to be restored and faith in the Divinity of Man has to be restored. That is the task for which I have come.

- Visit The Sathya Sai Baba Official Website

Also see:
- Sundararupaya – Old Rare Pictures Of Baba V
- Sundararupaya – Old Rare Pictures Of Baba IV
- Sundararupaya – Old Rare Pictures Of Baba III
- Sundararupaya – Old Rare Pictures Of Baba II
- Sundararupaya – Old Rare Pictures Of Baba I

Terry Lee Scott & Diana Scott : Are They Credible?

Terry Lee Scott and Diana Scott’s names figure prominiently in the Sai Controversy, especially in relation to the alleged Hislop Letters (which Ex-Devotees have widely propagandized through the internet).

The questions naturally arise:

1. Who are Terry Lee Scott and Diana Scott and what role do they have in the Sai Controversy?
2. What makes Terry Lee Scott and Diana Scott’s claims credible?

Terry Lee Scott

Terry Lee Scott is an American who studied at Sathya Sai Baba’s educational center in South India when his parents (Terrence Payne and Diana Scott Payne) were Sai Baba devotees.

For reasons unknown and yet to be explained, Terry Lee Scott was “expelled in disgrace” from Sathya Sai Baba’s educational center. Shortly thereafter, Terry Lee Scott made allegations against the Guru (the specifics of which have never been revealed). It has yet to be established whether Terry Lee Scott was actually sexually molested or whether he vindicitively repeated gossipy rumors against the Guru (which can be traced to fundamentalist Christian Tal Brooke).

The fact that Terry Lee Scott made his dubious allegations just after being “expelled in disgrace” from the hostel, strongly suggests an agenda of vindictiveness and retaliation.

Terry Lee Scott has never himself spoke out against Sai Baba. Rather, Terry Lee Scott’s allegations are propagandized by Ex-Devotee’s who never met or spoke to him. It is also peculiar that Terrence Payne (the father) did not believe Terry Lee’s allegations against Sathya Sai Baba, which resulted in a divorce between him and Diane. Terrence Payne would have known intimate details about Terry Lee Scott’s allegations and Terrence Payne was not convinced!

Diana Scott – Diane Scott

Diana Scott (formerly “Diana Payne” who officially spells her name as “Diane Scott”) is an Art Historian and Certified Ecstatic Trance teacher who is partnered with Jack Satkoski in Idaho (Ref). Diane Scott earned degrees from the University of California in both Art History and Art Studio. Diane Scott is involved with various New Age practices and has taught classes on “shamanic trance postures” as a certified instructor at the Cuyamungue Institute, just north of Santa Fe in New Mexico.

Although Ex-Devotees have strongly implied that Terry Lee Scott was sexually molested in some manner, Diana Scott never attempted to file a basic police complaint, court case or public grievance against Sathya Sai Baba in India for any alleged impropriety. Rather, Diana Scott simply wrote complaint letters to various people in the Sai Organisation. What kind of mother would simply write complaint letters regarding her son’s alleged abuse?

Another very disturbing fact about Diana Scott is that she allowed Ex-Devotees to use her former name of “Diane Payne” to promote their dishonest and factually inaccurate response pertaining to Alaya Rahm’s failed and self-dismissed lawsuit against the Sathya Sai Baba Society Of America.

Although Gerald Joe Moreno personally emailed Diane Scott regarding her alleged involvement in Alaya Rahm’s lawsuit, she adamantly refused to respond.

About Diane Scott (aka “Diane Payne”) Ex-Devotees said:

Among others ready to testify to the court was the former Mrs Diane Payne – USA. Hislop mentioned her in the letters he wanted kept secret that describe her having written to him alleging Sai Baba’s sexual abuse of her then teenage son in the 1970’s. Her child was then a student at Sai Baba’s College at Whitefield, near Bangalore.

Needless to say, Diane Scott (aka “Diane Payne”) was never mentioned in official court records and no deposition was taken from her.

Ex-Devotees similarly claimed that Timothy Conway was “another strong witness standing by” to testify in Alaya Rahm’s case. When Gerald Joe Moreno directly questioned Timothy Conway about Ex-Devotee’s dubious claim, Conway replied:

Timothy Conway: NO, i was never called as a witness, and was never asked to submit a deposition on his behalf…In any case, Al never asked me for any help in this matter. (Ref)

Since Diane Scott’s name was never mentioned in official court records, Ex-Devotee’s use of her name is dishonest and fraudulent. Diane Scott has indirectly allowed and supported Ex-Devotee’s dishonesty and fraudulence by refusing to disassociate herself from their propaganda.

Terry Lee Scott & Diane Scott – In Conclusion

Therefore, it is Moreno’s personal opinion that Terry Lee Scott & Diane Scott’s allegations against Sathya Sai Baba are heavily mottled with dishonesty, vindictiveness and deceit. Since Ex-Devotee’s have widely and pervasively used the names of Terry Lee Scott and Diane Scott to support their smear campaigns against Sathya Sai Baba, Moreno believes it is only fair that the former and current names of Diana Scott (aka Diane Scott aka Diana Payne aka Diane Payne) be revealed. After all, Ex-Devotee’s can often be seen gnashing their teeth about using real names (although many of them used anonymous intenet nics).

Sathya Sai Baba

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! It is often said and felt that none escapes maya or illusion. Everyone falls a victim to the influence of maya. So, man is prone to delusion. Then Swami, a person who has known what maya is and has been out of maya, how is it that he gets into the trap again?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Think of this situation. When it is dark what happens to light? Where does it go? Similarly, when there is light, where does the darkness that was present till the light came, go? Absence of light is darkness. Darkness does not flow or run away. Because of the light, it is not noticed. Once the light is put off, it will be dark as before. Here light is wisdom, darkness is ignorance or maya or delusion or avidya. To dispel the darkness the only thing to do is light a candle.

Your question is, how the darkness of ignorance comes back again having been dispelled once already by the light of wisdom. A simple example. Many travel by bus. As the bus speeds forward along the rugged roads, we find the dust rising behind the bus so long as it is on a continuous run. But, the moment the bus stops the whole lot of dust collects inside. All of it just blows into the bus. Similarly, human life is a bus. So long as it is on the move of sadhana, the dust of illusion stays behind. But, if the bus of life stops or halts sadhana, the dust of delusion will get into life. So, it is sadhana that keeps you unaffected by delusion. If you stop sadhana you will again become a victim of maya. Therefore, you can never take it for granted that you are rid of maya in your lifetime. It is your constant sadhana that helps you.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! Illusion is a nonatmic feeling or worldly approach. To identify myself with that which I am not is illusion. Truly speaking, the “I” we often speak of is in reality only atma. Nothing else. How is one to know this truth, to recognise and experience this truth? Kindly tell us about this Swami!

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Actually, ‘I’ is only atma or brahman. A sincere attempt to know this truth is called ‘enquiry’. Self-enquiry is most essential in the spiritual path. Puja, namasmarana , dhyana, tapas, yajna, yaga, and such rituals are not truly spiritual. They are good activities to attain purity of heart. True spirituality indeed is self-enquiry. I do not mean that you should give up all rituals and sacred actions. Self-enquiry is the most important in my view. Since you do not have people properly experienced in this field of knowledge to teach you, you find it tough and difficult to move in the right direction.

If this question, “Who are you?” is put to a group of people you get different answers. One says in reply, “I am an Indian”. This is not correct, because you may shift to America and then you become an American. If you go to Russia, you are a Russian and so on. India is the country where you are born. But you are not the country. So to say, “I am an Indian” is wrong. To the same question “Who or you”? Another would say, “I am an engineer”. This is not correct, because you are an engineer by virtue of your profession. You are not the profession you are in. Some answer in a different way, saying, “I am so and so …I am Ram, I am Syam.” It is a name given to you by your parents. You are not born with that name nor did you come to this world with a signboard on your forehead. You are not the name as you may change it according to your taste at any time.

One may prefer to answer the question “Who are you?” in another way saying, “I am a young man”, “I am an aged person”, “I am a boy” and so on. This is also wrong. Why? Boyhood, youth, and old age are the different stages that you pass through in your life. But you remain one and the same person all along. At one time, you were a boy. Then, a man. Later a father and finally a grandfather. But you have been the same person throughout. Then, how can you identify yourself with your age which does not remain the same? Another person may feel like saying, “I am a tall person”, “I am a handsome man”, “I am a lean man”. These are again the replies related to the nature of the body. This is not correct, you are not the body, which is merely an instrument, because while you are in deep sleep your body is passive and static, and you are not aware of its existence. You are not the mind also.

If you think you are the mind you lead the life of ego and pride. Even the mind does not exist in susupti, deep sleep. You are not the intellect either. You may be intelligent but you are not the intellect. Intellect is God’s gift for you to discriminate, judge, decide and thus to be discreet. But, when it turns selfish, it is called “individual discrimination”. But, what is expected is “fundamental discrimination”, which is universal, and is good to everybody. You will also know that buddhi, intellect, does not exist in deep sleep. So, definitely you are not the intellect which is only an instrument like the body and the mind.

So, what is the correct answer to this question, “Who are you”? It is “I am atma”. This atma is the eternal witness and is the experiencer of all. This exists in all the three states of consciousness, jagrata waking state, svapna, dreaming state, and susupti, deep sleep. You may be named in any way, you may belong to any country, you may be of any age group or profession, etc., but as a matter of fact, you are the ‘Eternal Atma’ only. This is the correct answer you get in the path of self-enquiry. This is true spirituality.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! What is Vedanta?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: The Veda is dualism. Vedanta is nondualism. There is nothing beyond Vedanta. Milk on curdling becomes curds. You get butter when you churn curds. When you heat butter, you get ghee. Ghee is the final stage of milk. Even if you heat further it remains the same. So, milk after passing through changes becomes ghee. Milk represents dualism and ghee represents nondualism.

Question) Swami, do you view that the three schools of Vedanta philosophy like dualism, dvaita, qualified nondualism visistadvaita and nondualism advaita as contradictory to one another? Does one school advocate just the opposite of what the other says?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: This is how it is usually understood and practiced by many. But, truly speaking it is not so. In fact; these three are integrated. You find one as being the continuation of the other. You will notice that one leads to the other.

Take for example, sugarcane. You find juice in the sugarcane. Here, there is pulp and juice. This is the state of dualism. Now, you can extract juice separating the pulp from the sugarcane. The juice, though very important and the very essence drawn out of the sugarcane, does not stay long or cannot be preserved for long. This state of obtaining the juice, separating the pulp from the sugarcane is the state of qualified nondualism. This juice is purified, refined and processed into sugar and sugar remains the same forever. This is the state of nondualism. You can make use of sugar in anyway you like.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! One cannot escape from the effects of fate or destiny. Things are preordained, and accordingly events happen in our life. This being inevitable, we suffer and face difficulties. Would you please tell us the way out of this?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Everything in life is nothing but a reflection of your own thought and deed of your earlier life or lives. You pretend happily to think that none can notice you. But God within you knows full well all your thoughts, feelings and deeds. God is everywhere. You cannot hide anything from Him. One day or other you must face the consequences of your actions. This is the supreme truth.

You think and blame someone else, holding him responsible for your troubles. You are thoroughly mistaken here. Your actions are responsible for both the good and the bad you experience in this life. God is an eternal witness of all human activities. He created this world and gave it to man for his enjoyment, but on one condition that he must face the consequences of his own actions. God is like a postman. He is least bothered about the contents of the letters that he hands over to people. It is all a matter of relationship that exists between you and the one who writes you a letter. God is not concerned in any other way about the matter. Well, you receive a wedding card, you don’t pay complements to the postman, do you? If you receive a threatening letter from someone, you don’t blame the postman either. The postman is merely an instrument in the process of delivering letters. But prayer does help you to withstand tensions and problems with courage. Intense prayer, deep devotion, strong faith, sincere repentance, constant yearning and supreme love for God can alter the sequence of events in life. They can make even God reverse His own will. Take for example, the life of Markandeya. Fate granted him only sixteen years of life. But his devotion to Lord Siva was so intense that He made him immortal. God had to review and revise His own master plan in response to the prayers of Markandeya.

Take another example. There is a prisoner punished according to the laws of the penal code. During the period of imprisonment, if the character and conduct of the prisoner are found to be good and if he follows all the rules, regulations, and code of discipline imposed by the jail authorities, there is scope for the reduction of his jail term. There is another point you should note. Suppose the appeal of a person in a criminal case is lost in all the courts from the district level to the High Court even the Supreme Court, and when punishment like death sentence or life imprisonment becomes imminent and inevitable, the President of India can still order his release from jail on grounds of mercy and for special reasons. Similarly, though you are bound to suffer and destined to face difficulties as a result of your past actions, God in response to your sincere prayer and repentance will change the course of your life and save you from your suffering. God confers special grace on you being pleased with your single-minded devotion to Him.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! Bhagavadgita wants us to give up the fruits of our actions, karmaphalaparityaga, both good and bad. Since we do good rarely, there is very little or none to offer you as the fruits of our good actions. We feel that it is not proper to offer evil or bad to you. What is to be done?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: You have to surrender both good and bad to God. Never get yourself attached to the results of your actions, be they good or bad. God is beyond these two opposites as He is nondual. Any water, pure or impure when mixed with Ganga, you will notice, does not affect the sanctity of Ganga. The sanctity never diminishes. Similarly, whatever you put into the fire gets burnt. The fire is in no way affected or polluted by those things that are put into it. Hence, if you offer both good and bad to God, ultimately you will be benefited.

A small example. Suppose you have a five hundred rupee currency note in your pocket, and you need to go out on some business and return later. You will be very careful to see that you do not lose it. You keep your hand on the pocket if you go to a cafeteria for a cup of coffee so that no one will pick your pocket. Even in a theatre, you will be vigilant. But on the other hand, if you deposit that money in the bank, it will be credited to your account and it will be safe. Then, you don’t need to bother about it further. So also, if you surrender all the good you have done to God without attaching any value to the results, what happens is that you will be humble and simple. Here you do not take the credit. You thank God. You are full of thankfulness and gratitude to God. But if you own and claim the results of all your good and meritorious deeds, you will feel that you are the doer, so much so you will become proud and egoistic. Hence, you should surrender the reward of your good actions to God.

Then how about the evil or bad to be offered to God? You may feel that it is not proper to do so. Yet, you will notice that it will help you finally. A small example for you in this matter. Suppose you have with you a spoiled, dirty and halftorn five hundred rupee note. You don’t throw it away as it is a valuable currency note. But you have not been able to use it. No one will accept that note. You are not in a position to buy anything. So, you can neither throw it away nor use it. But, if you deposit the very same currency note in the Reserve Bank, they accept it and give you a brand new note. One thing is very necessary. The number on the currency note should be very clear for them to accept and give you a good note. Similarly, the currency note of your deeds and consequences of your bad action, if offered to God, He will see the ‘number’ of ‘devotion’ on the note and give you in turn the good note or transform you. God is the Reserve Bank. Only God can receive your evil tendencies and misdeeds and transform them into good ones and give them back to you. Hence, both good and bad must be offered to God for your own ultimate benefit.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! All the experiences, which are dual, are obtained due to our mind. Swami says ‘Mind is a mad monkey.’ Pleasure and pain are both due to our mind. How are we to kill the mind (manonasanam), annihilate it?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: The mind never makes you suffer; it all depends upon the way you use it. It is everywhere. It takes the form of that into which it gets. It is deathless. So, it is said that the mind is the world, manomulamidam jagat. Therefore, annihilation of the mind, manonasanam is not correct. What you should desire is the merger of the mind with the divine, manolaya .

Just as the river merges in the mighty ocean, the mind should also merge in the Self. The mind surrendered to God becomes Ramadas, servant of Rama. But the mind full of desires is a slave to the organs, kamadas.

The mind should not be allowed to be lured by what we call in Telugu balimi, strength, kalimi, wealth and celimi, friendship. It should be filled with divine thoughts so that it may become one with God.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! Are there any who attained tadatmya with God? We hear that total identification with God is the highest step in spirituality.

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Yes. There are many who experienced that state of total identification with God. In fact, a devotee should aim at it. There was a Westerner by name, Hen, who was very intelligent. The famous scientist, Darwin, was his guru. He started seeing his guru by contemplating on him continuously. Darwin concentrated his vision on a star and experienced certain vibrations. His student also reached that state.

You also must have heard of Sri Ramakrishna Paramahamsa. At one time, while worshipping Lord Sri Rama, he considered himself Hanuman. It is reported that he developed a short tail during that time.

You also find another illustration in the great epic Ramayana. Bharata wanted Rama to come back to Ayodhya and rule the kingdom. He pleaded with him repeatedly. But, Rama refused to return, since he had decided and vowed to follow the command of his father and follow dharma in toto. Bharata left the place, after Rama promised that he would return immediately after the period of exile. The period was almost over and Bharata was expecting Rama to return at the appointed hour. Unable to bear the anguish at seeing no sign of Rama’s arrival, Bharata got ready a funeral pyre and was prepared to jump into it ready for self-immolation. In the meantime, Rama had sent Hanuman in advance with a message to Bharata in order to avert this situation and to inform Bharata of his arrival as he had promised before. Hanuman immediately dashed off to Nandigrama where Bharata was staying. As Hanuman was just landing, he noticed the scene there. Bharata was circumambulating the pyre into which he was about to jump and burn himself. Hanuman thought, “How is it that Rama is here? Why is Rama circumambulating the pyre?” Evidently, it means that Bharata looked exactly like Rama due to his constant meditation on him. This left even Hanuman confused. This is the meaning of what the Veda says, “Brahmavid brahmaiva bhavati”: Constant awareness of Brahman makes you Brahman.

Towards the end of the Ramayana, after he had killed Ravana, Rama was returning to Ayodhya along with his consort Sita and Lakshmana in a chariot. Bharata himself was driving the chariot. As the chariot was approaching the outskirts of Ayodhya, the inhabitants were eager to receive Rama, Sita and Lakshmana with garlands. Here again, the people were confused since Bharata, holding the reins of the chariot, looked exactly like Rama. When the people were about to garland Bharata mistaking him for Lord Rama, Bharata had to silently and softly point out to Rama with his folded hands as to who should be garlanded. This is again an instance of total identification, tadatmya .

Here is another example. You must have heard of Swami Samartha Ramadas, the preceptor of emperor Sivaji. Like Bharata, Swami Samartha Ramadas also looked for some time exactly like Lord Rama in his form as well as in his manner of walking with the bow and arrow on his shoulders. People, watching this, were amazed, and one of them asked him, “If you are really Lord Rama, can you shoot the bird sitting over there on a branch located on the top of that distant tree?” Ramadas killed the bird with an arrow. It fell on the ground. Someone said then, “You have killed the bird for no reason. It did no harm to you. Rama, known for compassion, never kills anyone without a valid reason. Can you revive it now?” Then, the Swami collected the dead bird with both his hands and lifted it. He prayed for its life. Lo and behold! The wings started to flutter. The bird moved slowly and finally flew away. All present there joined in a chorus shouting in praise of the Swami, “Jai! Samartha Ramadas Ki Jai,” Our praises to Swami Samartha Ramadas! This is an instance of total identification with God.

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! You are referring to anubhavajnanam, practical knowledge. We think we know many things. Is this not wisdom?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Certainly not! The pity is that you do not realise that you do not know. You know very little and what you know is at best negligible. But you think you know everything. What you study is very little and it is a big mistake if you think that you know everything. It is foolish too. There is a lot to be known. What you know is but a fragment, and it is not total knowledge.

Now, look! What is this? This, as you see, is a handkerchief. (At this point, Swami, kept the handkerchief in his grip and held it in such a way that only a bit could be seen outside his fist.) Now, what is this? This is only a piece of cloth. It is not the whole kerchief. (Then Swami spread the kerchief and held it in His hands). Now, what is this? You will say, “It is a kerchief”. Seeing only a bit, you cannot call it a handkerchief. So also, acquiring a little knowledge, you can hardly claim to have attained total knowledge. This is a mistake the educated commit in this modern age. They know a little and claim to know everything. Complete or total knowledge is awareness, and not knowledge of a bit or a fragment. This you should remember. Go in for the whole. Be aware!

Question) Anil Kumar: Swami! When does a devotee get total experience?

Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba: Bhakti finds its fulfilment in mukti. Till then, we can’t say that a devotee has got total experience. Total experience is purnan ubhavam, advaitanandam, a state of nondual bliss, brahmanandam, Supreme bliss, and nityanandam, eternal bliss. A simple example, A river flows incessantly. There may be a number of obstacles in its way. Yet, the river flows on taking different turns. It overcomes the obstacles and proceeds forward. How long and how far? It must reach the ocean and merge in it. The ocean does not permit the merger so easily. It drives away the river or pushes it out. Still the river does not give up its attempt. Finally, as the ocean tides rise the river merges. When layam, sayujyam, merger of the two takes place, there the river finds visranti and prasanti, rest and peace.

Similar is the relationship between a devotee and God. The flow of devotion leading to merging in God is sadhana. The river merging in the ocean is the merger of the individual jiva with brahman, which is known as jiva brahmaikyata; a state of perfect merging or unison of jivatma and paramatma or jiva and brahman.

Upanishad means the “inner” or “mystic teaching”. The term Upanishad is derived from “upa” (near), “ni” (down) and “shad” (to sit), i.e., sitting down near. Groups of pupils sit near the teacher to learn from him/her the secret doctrine. In the quietude of the forest hermitages the Upanishadic thinkers pondered on the problems of deepest concerns and communicated their knowledge to fit pupils near them. The most well known Upanishads are: Aitareya, Brihadaranyaka, Taittiriya, Chandogya, Kena, Isa, Svetasvatara, Katha, Mundaka, Mandukya, Prasna, Kausitaki, Maitrayani, Muktika and Shakta. The Satyopanishad is the Upanishad of Truth (Sathya) but more specifically the Truth as revealed by Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Anil Kumar questions the illustrious Guru and provides us with Sathya Sai Baba’s answers to ponder, ruminate and derive ananda.

With Love Man is God – Sharon Sandweiss Speech

Ms. Sharon Sandweiss (wife of Dr. Samuel Sandweiss) was blessed to have an opportunity to speak in the Divine Presence on the occasion of Ladies’ Day 2009. In a gesture that is normal for any speaker, Sharon, upon coming to the podium, went upto Bhagawan seeking Divine blessings and in that moment of bliss missed out offering the Rose that was meant for Bhagawan. After reaching the mike, upon realizing her “folly”, she rushed back to Bhagawan with an apologetic smile, presenting the rose and what followed was a stream of unsullied love for the Divine. She spoke about Him and His Love sharing glimpses from His conversations with the Sandweiss family in some of the interviews.

Sharon Sandweiss: With deep humility and love I offer pranams at the holy feet of our beloved Sai Baba.

Respected elders, brothers and sisters, and dear students,

I am honored and deeply humbled to stand before you today. I offer my heartfelt gratitude to Sai Baba for His loving compassion.

Thank You, Baba, for Your love. Thank You for this festive, sacred, and meaningful day when we celebrate the sanctity of motherhood and the courage, compassion and amazing capabilities of women.

I PRAY THAT YOUR DIVINE LOVE COMES THROUGH MY WORDS.

Recently, my husband and I tried to express our gratitude. “Baba, You are always serving others. How can we help You?” Baba smiled and said, “I don’t need your help. You help your husband, and he helps you. You’re one. AND I HELP EVERYONE.” “But Baba,” we cried. “We love You so much!” Baba responded, “And I love you more!”

How can one understand this Divine Love?

This DIVINE LOVE is irresistible. It has brought us here from nearly every country and religion in the world. We all love our country, our sacred books, our family customs and special spices. Yet, we hunger for the same thing: We all want peace. We all want to love and be loved.

Once, my husband and I shared an interview with a large group. Baba started asking, “Where are you from?” The answer, “Russia.” He went around the room, asking everyone. Then He playfully asked me, “Are you from Russia too?” I answered, “No Baba”–but then I remembered, “Oh—But my grandparents were from Russia.” Baba smiled lovingly, and said, “See the Connection. ALL are connected. All are One.”

At first Glance, Russia and America seem very distant. Yet, the distance shrinks when compared to the vastness of space. We all inhabit MOTHER EARTH. We share the mighty mountains and great oceans. We are responsible to each other. When a factory belches toxic air, we all suffer everywhere. But when we offer love and work for the good of all in ONE UNITED VOICE, we can hear the UNIVERSE rejoice!

Thirty-seven years ago I was like many others. I worried about life and I worried about death, I worried about our children, and I worried about our pets. I smiled on the outside; but inside I was a sad and fearful soul facing a universe that seemed meaningless.

Fortunately, I married Samuel, who was constantly searching for meaning. In 1972 Sam went to India in search of God, and returned a month later transformed. He exclaimed, “God is on earth in the form of Sai Baba, You are God, I am God. Everything is God! Now our lives will change forever.” What was he talking about? Who was Sai Baba? What would happen to us? I was confused and scared.

WE have to remember that this was in 1972, in the ‘Dark Ages’ before the internet. Today we click a button and instantly connect with our wonderful Radio Sai to hear Baba’s words. But in 1972, it wasn’t easy to find information about Sai Baba, especially in the West.

I watched Samuel closely after that first trip. He was truly transformed–Happier, Calmer, more Peaceful, more Patient, and best of all, he became more Loving!! (Of course, he was always a loving person. He just became MORE loving.)

I was amazed. Can a person change so quickly? I, too, wanted peace. I, too, wanted faith! Within a few months I was on a plane to India with my husband. Baba had spared me a life of despair. He has brought Sanctity and Joy to our family life.

Sai Baba is a living presence in our life. He knows and loves each one of us. He lives in our heart as love, and love is all that’s lasting!
My husband and I were thrilled to tell our daughters—you’re not just the body. —You’re Divinity Itself. You’re pure love. Be Bold, Brave- like lions-and Unafraid, Follow your Conscience, think Sacred Thoughts, do Good Deeds, seek Good Company; You may stumble & fall, but problems are your teacher. Your loving Sai is by your side. Speak to Him—He’s in your heart as love!

Telling our children is not enough; they’re quick to see hypocrisy! We must become the example and show unity in thought, word, and deed. How can we tell our children to speak sweetly, if we’re shouting at our spouse? We must practice and refine, until we sparkle and shine. Following is a brief example of this truth.

When my husband returned from India, he immediately became a vegetarian!! This was unusual in America, where people think a meal without meat is incomplete! At first I was offended —he was refusing my cooking. But within a month or two, I suddenly realized that I was eating an animal, and I immediately became a vegetarian!

But how could we force our 4 young daughters to make such a radical change? Baba says that He is the Source, not the Force. So we told the girls that we would no longer have meat in the house, but that they could eat it outside the home.

But one day our twin daughters, who were about 7 years old, said to us, “Mommy—Daddy–we love animals too much. We don’t want to EAT them!” Their younger sisters chimed in “We too—we don’t want to eat animals either!!”Imagine-7 years old, and they had the PURITY to know that all life is sacred.

THIS small example illustrates several points: First, when we become the example, others will follow.
Secondly, WE ALL hold the TRUTH within us, and it is our duty as parents and teachers to help children manifest this TRUTH.
The third point is that secular life is not separate from spiritual life. When all acts are infused with love, EVERYTHING becomes sacred, including eating habits.

We worry about the State of the World. We want our children to be safe and happy, yet we see greed and disharmony everywhere.

YEARS AGO, we brought our concerns to Sai Baba: “Baba, The world is in trouble.”

Baba responded, “NO, THE WORLD IS GOOD; THE MIND OF MAN IS THE PROBLEM.”

“Baba, What should we do about schools?”

Baba answered, “The schools are the same. You must speak with your children; find out what they’re thinking. You don’t always know what is on their mind.”

Baba was reminding us of importance of good communication, respectful communication. Baba says, “First listen, try to understand, then adjust, or compromise, so as to achieve UNITY.”

As Baba spoke, I had a sudden thought–Where would the world be without the presence of God…

Baba interrupted my thought, and in a strong and serious voice, He said, ‘YES, IF IT WERE NOT FOR ME, EVERYTHING WOULD BE LOST!”

My husband and I shuddered at the urgency in His words—

GOD HIMSELF HAS COME TO SAVE US FROM OURSELVES!

Many years I asked Baba, “Can we do more?”

He responded, “Yes, I will give you the POWER, the STRENGTH, and the BLESSINGS to do more.”

He later said, “HOME AND FAMILY.”

Today, on Ladies’ Day, we affirm that family life is the foundation of life! When there is HARMONY, PEACE, and MUTUAL LOVE in our Family, God is present and the world is HAPPY!

We are ALL members of one Family— OUR ONE DIVINE FAMILY

When we serve our family with love, we SANCTIFY our lives.

When we uphold Justice, we JUSTIFY our lives

When we support the suffering women in the world, we DIGNIFY our lives.

When we preserve Mother Earth, we PURIFY our lives

And when we offer all to God, we GLORIFY our lives.

TODAY is a happy day.

TODAY we are DANCING IN ECSTASY PRAISING GOD’S GLORY

TODAY we pray together, “BABA-KEEP US CLOSE. DON’T EVER LET US GO! Grant us the POWER, the STRENGTH, and the BLESSINGS to earn your grace, and become Your Bliss.”

WE LOVE YOU.

Thank you, and Sai Ram.

Reference

Truth Prevails: Anti-Baba Video Withdrawn By Channel Nine MSN

Within 48 hours of Gerald Joe Moreno (a Pro-Sai Activist) sending Channel Nine MSN a scathing response to their biased and poorly researched Anti-Baba broadcast, the video was promptly withdrawn from their official website.

About the withdrawal of the Anti-Baba Channel Nine MSN video, Robert Priddy (a caustic defamer and critic of Sathya Sai Baba) said on his Anti-Baba WordPress blog:

robertpriddy.wordpress.com/2009/03/12/proxy-defender-of-sai-baba-and-swara
Robert Priddy: NOTE: A reliable source from within the media has confirmed that Channel NineMSN withdrew the presence of its ‘Infiltrating a cult’ segment because the Sathya Sathya Sai cult threats of legal action. Media around the world, including SBS and The Age in Australia have refused to be intimidated by the powerful Sathya Sai Organisation. We will not be intimidated and continue to make available the footage!

Needless to say, a large & national news broadcasting company such as Channel Nine MSN (which is far larger and more viewed than SBS or The Age) would not have removed the video had there not been legitimate complaints about the content and disinformation in their video.

It is also important to note that if Channel 9 MSN was truly threatened with legal action, they (and their world-class legal reps) would not have discussed this information with (or divulged this information to) any casual outsider. This type of legal information (if true) would only have come from someone within the NineMSN company, thus proving (once again) that NineMSN A Current Affair was directly involved with Anti-Baba Critics, contrary to Robert Priddy’s claims that they were not.

Thank you Mr. Priddles for yet another confirmation of behind-the-scenes scheming and subterfuge between NineMSN A Current Affair and Ex-Devotees.

Also see:
- NineMSN A Current Affair Australia, Moiya O’Brien, SWARA, The Sathya Sai Organisation And Cult Accusations

Moiya O’Brien, Kelli Vallis, SWARA And NineMSN A Current Affair

On February 2nd 2009, a 4½ minute segment aired on NineMSN – A Current Affair in Australia accusing the well respected and esteemed Moiya O’Brien and SWARA (i.e., “Sunshine Welfare And Remedial Association”) of being cover-ups for a Sai Baba “underground cult movement”. The following is a complete transcript to the NineMSN program with additional responses by Joe Moreno:

Infiltrating a Cult
February 2, 2009: Exclusive footage behind the scenes of an underground cult movement.
Channel: ACA (A Current Affair) NineMSN

Tracy Grimshaw: Well it was founded as a Government run center for disabled people to learn life skills, now it’s accused of being a front for a bizarre religious cult that started in India.

RESPONSE: Dorothy and Moiya O’Brien (aka “The Pink Twins”) started SWARA in 1975 and have received national recognition, honors and awards in Australia for their dedicated and selfless service to individuals with developmental disabilities (Refs: 01 – 02). Despite vast publicity and SWARA’s open-door policy, the only person in the past 33 years who has accused SWARA of being a “front for a bizarre religious cult” is Kelli Vallis, a disgruntled former employee of SWARA who was also a devotee of the Indian Guru Sri Sathya Sai Baba! In the 8+ years that Kelli Vallis was affiliated with SWARA, she never once voiced any concerns about Moiya O’Brien, SWARA, “cults” or Sathya Sai Baba. Kelli Vallis’ complaints surfaced only after she was dismissed from her position at SWARA.

Kelli Vallis Of SWARA

ACA – NineMSN – A Current Affair: (Confrontation scene with Kelli Vallis shouting “hurry up…hurry up…we have physical violence towards people with a disability”.)

Kelli Vallis Used Disabled Individuals As Ploys For SWARA Publicity Stunt

Instead of addressing Kelli Vallis’ reckless endangerment and exploitation of disabled individuals for cheap publicity, A Current Affair had the audacity to blame the SWARA committee for hiring security guards to protect the premise from an obviously disgruntled and aggressive ex-employee.

It is also significant to note that NineMSN – A Current Affair purposely withheld the fact that the SWARA clients were on their summer holiday (they observe the same holidays as the schools) and had no reason to be at the SWARA compound at the time of their protest (as the compound was closed to them due to the summer holiday).

If Kelli Vallis truly believed that SWARA was a “front for a bizarre religious cult”, why did she return to the “cult compound” and complain about not being allowed back in? Why did Kelli Vallis purposely suppress the fact that she was a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba?

Chris Allen: Is this a cult?

Kelli Vallis: Absolutely. If you look up the definition of a cult, you will find that they fit almost all the criteria of a cult and their behavior, more importantly their behavior, is very cult-like.

RESPONSE: At no time did Chris Allen question Kelli Vallis’ involvement with the alleged “cult”. Kelli Vallis was an ardent devotee of Sathya Sai Baba, visited the guru in India and even sang in the choir at the guru’s ashram. The ACA program made it appear as if Kelli Vallis was a non-cult member who innocently uncovered secret information about “cult” activities at SWARA and attempted to bring public recognition to these secretive “cult” activities. However, Kelli Vallis belonged to the very same “cult” she criticized and thereby possessed and promoted all the alleged “cult” behaviors she erroneously attributed to SWARA and Moiya.

ACA – NineMSN – A Current Affair: (Confrontation scene with Kelli Vallis shouting “Security guards are manhandling our clients and they are physically abusing them”.)

Chris Allen: Ugly scenes as disable people are locked out of a center built for them by the Queensland Government.

Kelli Vallis: They are disgraceful people. They’ve taken away their rights and now they’ve actually physically abused them.

Chris Allen: Kelli Vallis is the manger of the center, or was, until the committee which runs it sacked her after she led this protest.

Kelli Vallis: They have been taken over by a cult.

Chris Allen: This is government funded?

Kelli Vallis: It absolutely is.

Kelli Vallis Used Disabled Individuals As Ploys For SWARA Publicity Stunt

Once again, Kelli Vallis initiated this confrontation by recklessly instructing disabled individuals to disobey the warnings of security officers and by recklessly encouraging disabled individuals to raid the SWARA compound.

After instigating this confrontation, Kelli Vallis went around screaming in the camera mikes that the security officers were physically abusing the disabled individuals.

Kelli Vallis organized a protest outside the Sunshine Welfare & Remedial Association (SWARA) compound and instructed a group of disabled individuals to chant various slogans and wave posters and banners that read:

• “Hear us. Help Us. Free Us.”
• “Freedom + Our Rights”
• “Current Law Does Not Protect Disables”
• “Only 1 Outcome – Sai Baba Cult Out – New Committee In”

The repetitive chants and the large posters and banners (which obviously required a great deal of preparation) strongly suggest that the disabled individuals were instructed, indoctrinated, prepped and influenced with Anti-Sai-Baba messages and Anti-Sai-Baba information. The protest was a planned publicity stunt and Kelli Vallis even had NineMSN – A Current Affair film the event.

If the Sai Baba movement was truly a dangerous “cult”, why did Kelli Vallis belong to it in the first place? Why did Kelli Vallis withhold this relevant information from Chris Allen? Did Kelli Vallis attempt to convert SWARA clients to the Sai Movement when she worked there as a Sai devotee? Why did Kelli Vallis make her “cult” accusations only after she was dismissed from her position at SWARA?

Moyia O’Brien: That is completely ridiculous. That is not true. The Sai Baba Organisation is not a cult, it is not even a religion. It is a service group.

RESPONSE: Moiya O’Brien’s statement about the Sathya Sai Seva Organisation is accurate.

The Satya Sai Organisation is a multi-faith spiritual Organisation that focuses on selfless service and volunteer work for the poor, needy and/or disadvantaged in society. All major religions are acknowledged and respected within the Organisation (as evidenced by their logo). Members strive to uphold five basic human values: Truth, Love, Peace, Right Action and Non-Violence. Their motto is: “Love All – Serve All”. The Organisation’s activities are not meant or intended for conversion, publicity or fund-raising.

The Sathya Sai Seva Organisation has championed various charitable and humanitarian causes in different parts of the world.

Putting into practice the tenets of the Seva Organisation, Sathya Sai Baba built two Super Specialty Hospitals that provide major operations and medical care free of cost to India’s poor and those in need. Sathya Sai Baba’s Super Specialty Hospitals have received national and international recognition (Refs: 01 – 02 – 03 – 03 – 04 – 05).

Putting into practice the tenets of the Seva Organisation, Sathya Sai Baba funded several major drinking water projects in India. The first drinking water project (completed in 1996) supplies water to 1.2 million people in 730 villages in the drought-prone Anantapur district in Andhra Pradesh. The second drinking water project, completed in 2004, supplies water to Chennai (formerly known as Madras) through a rebuilt waterway named “Sathya Sai Ganga Canal”. The Chennai water drinking project was praised by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi. Karunanidhi said that although he is an atheist, he differentiated between good spiritual leaders like Sathya Sai Baba and fake godmen. The third drinking water project, expected to be completed in April 2006, would supply water from the Godavari River to half a million people living in five hundred villages in East and West Godavari Districts. Other completed water projects include the Medak District Project benefiting 450,000 people in 179 villages and the Mahbubnagar District Project benefiting 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, Maharashtra (Refs: 01 – 02 – 03 – 04).

The Sathya Sai University (which provides free education up to the PhD level) is a prestigious educational facility that has twice received the highest grade by the NAAC – National Assessment and Accreditation Council (Ref). Sathya Sai Baba’s educational facilities have been praised for their excellence by:

• Sri Bhairon Singh Shekhawat (Former Vice President of India)
• Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam (Former President of India)
• Sri Atal Bihari Vajpayee (Former Prime Minister of India)
• Rt. Hon. Anerood Jugnauth (Prime Minister of Mauritius)
• Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma (Former President of India)
• Sri P V Narasimha Rao (Former Prime Minister of India)
• Sri R Venkatraman (Former President of India)

Sathya Sai Baba has also been praised by numerous other well educated and well respected individuals (Ref) and even the GuruBusters Documentary (which was highly critical of the guru) conceded that Sathya Sai Baba’s followers comprise much of India’s intellectual elite. Consequently, Sathya Sai Baba and his movement cannot be casually dismissed as a “bizarre religious cult”.

Chris Allen: Moiya O’Brien is Chairman of the committee which runs the center. She’s also a devotee of Sai Baba, the Indian mystic who claims to be a god.

Moyia O’Brien: I am convinced he is part of God. He’s part of who we are. But he is perhaps a bigger part than what we are.

RESPONSE: This section is accurate.

Chris Allen: Skeptics say Sai Baba is also a big fraud. He claims to produce magic dust and jewels from thin air. But look closely and you can see the ash comes from pellets he crushes between his fingers. And the jewels he conjures up are just sleight of hand. Here he produces a necklace. Look again and you’ll see the fumble under the box. While never convicted of a criminal offence, there have been allegations of murder, fraud and sexual abuse of children. At one stage, the US Government issued a warning about visiting his ashram in Southern India. But that hasn’t stopped millions from believing in Sai Baba, including Moiya O’Brien.

RESPONSE: A Current Affair made several inaccurate and misleading claims about Sathya Sai Baba and full responses are required:

Materializations:
Any materialization associated with Sathya Sai Baba’s physical form will be inextricably tied to doubt as magicians are able to duplicate them. However, what magicians have not been able to duplicate are the world-wide cures, healings, visions, dreams, manifestations and materializations typically associated with the name and form of Sathya Sai Baba.

There are literally thousands of international stories and first-hand accounts attesting to paranormal experiences with Sathya Sai Baba.

As a matter of fact, even Barry Pittard (an Australian critic and ex-follower of the guru) still believes to this day (after his defection) that Sathya Sai Baba possesses genuine paranormal powers (Ref).

The following links provide pictures to these international manifestations and materializations that occur in the privacy of devotee’s homes all around the world (thousands of miles away from Sathya Sai Baba’s physical form):

1. Manifestations At Sai Sruti Temple in Harrow, Middlesex, UK
2. Vibhuti Manifestation in a Devotee’s House in London
3. World-Wide Manifestations On Sathya Sai Baba’s Pictures
4. Vibuthi Manfestations In Bali, Indonesia
5. Manifestations In Colusa, California
6. Manifestations At Sri Ragnapatnam, Mysore, India
7. Amazing Vibuthi & Rudraksha Manifestations From Baba’s Picture

Sathya Sai Baba often trivializes these manifestations, referring to them as his “calling cards”. The guru claims that his real power and real miracle can be found in his love, which has the power to transform, illumine, unite and heal.

Video Alleging Sleight Of Hand:
PhD Erlendur Haraldsson stated in his book “Modern Miracles” that he and his associates carried out a careful analysis of the video shown on NineMSN – A Current Affair (which was originally released by the Deccan Chronicle) alleging trickery, sleight of hand and fraud against Sathya Sai Baba:

• Dr. Erlendur Haraldsson: “The quality and resolution of the tape leaves much to be desired and limits the inferences that can be drawn from it. Dr. Wiseman took the videotape to a company which specialises in investigating corporate fraud. This company possesses some of the world’s best equipment designed to enhance poor quality videotape. The technician kindly offered to enhance the videotape in question. The videotape was run through a real time Snell & Wilcox Kudos Noise Reducer. The machine carries out three operations. First, it removes via recursive filters the random noise on the tape caused by repeated copying. Second, it improves the graininess of the video by median filters and finally enhances any edges on the video through edge enhancement filters. After all this the video is certainly easier to watch, and did not contain much of the random noise present on the copy provided by the Deccan Chronicle. However, the resulting tape still did not reveal further information about the incident. In short, the reason for Sai Baba’s hand movements still appears unclear and is open for various interpretations, but the tape contained no firm evidence of fraud. The company also analysed several still frames taken from the video. These were scanned into a computer and run through an Improve image processing system (developed by the Home Office in Britain). Again, the images were enhanced via median filters and certain areas of the frames were enlarged. The resulting photographs show the crucial moment as Sai Baba’s hands touch under the memento, but do not reveal any further information.”
  (Modern Miracles; Chapter 31: Public Reaction; pp 295 – 301)

Therefore, despite the subjective conclusions drawn by A Current Affair, they simply cannot argue with the objective results obtained by the analysis. The allegation of trickery, sleight of hand and fraud in the fuzzy video provided by ACA is completely unfounded. Needless to say, had ACA actually done some remedial research, they would have discovered this widely available and easily obtainable information.

Accusations Of Murder, Fraud & Child Molestation:
A thorough, detailed and full response has been provided in an article entitled: The Sathya Sai Baba “Sex Scandal” Myth. The accusations of “murder”, “fraud” and “child molestation” are made exclusively by critics, skeptics and ex-devotees. There are no credible, verifiable or legal documents, sources or references to substantiate the absurd, erroneous and false accusations of “murder”, “fraud” and “child molestation”. These accusations are based entirely on conspiracies, speculations, gossips and rumors. Sathya Sai Baba has never (ever) been charged with any crime and no one has ever filed a basic police complaint or court case against him in India for any alleged improprieties.

The US State Department Travel Advisory:
ACA incorrectly stated that the “US Government” issued a warning about visiting Sathya Sai Baba’s ashram in Southern India. This amounts to nothing more than a total embellishment of known fact. Apparently NineMSN – A Current Affair cannot differentiate between the U.S. Government and a Consular Information Travel Sheet For India webpage. Ex-Devotees have openly boasted:

1. That they were responsible for an indirect warning that appeared on the USA Consular Information Travel Sheet For India webpage (which did not mention Sathya Sai Baba by name).
2. That Barry Pittard was responsible for an indirect warning that appeared on the Australian Consular Information Travel Sheet For India webpage (which made wide-ranging statements about cults in India).
3. Failed to get Britain to issue a similar warning and encouraged Ex-Devotees to e-bomb the embassy with complaints.

See For Yourself.

As of July 17th 2007, the US State Department Bureau Of Consular Affairs REMOVED all indirect references to Sathya Sai Baba from their official website (Reference).

The truth is finally prevailing and the gutter tactics and smear campaigns waged by Ex-Devotees are finally reaching the ears of high ranking individuals and relevant organizations all around the world. For example, Barry Pittard (an Australian ex-devotee and main spokesperson for the Anti-Sai Movement) wholly distorted the former indirect warning and claimed it confirmed “pedophile accusations” against Sathya Sai Baba (Ref), a gutter, total and malicious untruth.

These types of bold-faced lies and dishonest behaviors should raise serious questions about the integrity and credibility of critics and skeptics of Sai Baba. Instead of focusing on these verifiable facts, NineMSN – A Current Affair chose to focus on rumors, gossips and propaganda from Ex-Devotees.

Moyia O’Brien (taken from a video at a Sai Center): Sai Ram. Life is beautiful with Baba. We are all beautiful because he is changing us.

Chris Allen: Moiya is so devoted, she’s become a sort of Sai Baba elder in Australia.

Moyia O’Brien (taken from a video at a Sai Center): How could you not love him? Baba I love you, love and adore you.

RESPONSE: It is true that Moiya O’Brien’s decades-long selfless service to people with developmental disabilities has made her an icon among Sai devotees and non-devotees alike. It is no secret that Moiya O’Brien has been inspired and uplifted by the love, teachings and example of Sathya Sai Baba. Unlike Kelli Vallis, Moiya O’Brien has never made any attempt to withhold or suppress information about her involvement with Sathya Sai Baba.

Kelli Vallis: People who come here don’t make the choice to be involved in a belief system about an Indian guru who they believe is God incarnate.

Chris Allen: Kelli says five of the seven member committee which runs the center are Sai Baba and that Moiya O’Brien has allowed the group to use the center for prayer meetings.

Kelli Vallis: They have complete control over our service.

RESPONSE: Once again, Kelli Vallis is portrayed as a non-cult member who was shocked, concerned and outraged when she discovered that SWARA and Moiya were allegedly engaging in secretive “cult” activities. Nevertheless, Kelli Vallis was fully aware that Moiya was a Sai devotee because she was one herself! Kelli Valis thereby implicates herself as engaging in secretive “cult” activities because she was a devotee of Sai Baba during the time she worked at SWARA.

Chris Allen: (speaking to developmentally challenged man) Do they try and recruit you, ask you to join up?

Steve (developmentally challenged man): Yeah they did but I said no way.

Chris Allen: Disabled kinds like Steve and Michelle say they’ve been pressured to join up.

Michelle (developmentally challenged woman): Yes they have tried but I’ve just stood my ground and said no it’s not for me.

Moyia O’Brien: That is completely untrue. We have never discussed Sai Baba.

RESPONSE: Why is that in 33 years no one (including clients, parents, guardians, therapists, case managers, visitors, media agencies, etc.) has ever come forward alleging that SWARA was secretly recruiting disabled individuals into a “cult” or feeding them questionable information about a religious teacher in India? These allegations surfaced only after Kelli Vallis was dismissed from her job at SWARA and only after she instructed, indoctrinated, prepped and influenced disabled individuals with Anti-Sai-Baba messages and Anti-Sai-Baba information (as evidenced in the protest). Therefore, the claims made by Steve and Michelle are highly suspect.

NineMSN – A Current Affair did not devote even one minute to the accomplishments and successes of SWARA over the course of three decades. Rather, NineMSN – A Current Affair opted for sleaze and attempted to destroy the reputation, trivialize the hard work and tarnish the selfless service of SWARA and Moiya O’Brien with their biased broadcast. This type of sub-standard and sensationalistic journalism is reprehensible.

Chris Allen: There is evidence that the cult wants to take over this center. This email was found by staff here last week. It’s from Sai Baba members saying they’d like to turn this place into an Ashram like their place of worship in India. It even suggests that they were pink and white to add to the atmosphere.

RESPONSE: What NineMSN – A Current Affair failed to mention is that the Sunshine Welfare and Remedial Association Inc. (SWARA) moved from their old location in Spring Hill to a new location in Dutton Park. As a result, the old SWARA building would no longer be used for SWARA activities. The old building was the one referred to in the email. Of course, NineMSN – A Current Affair did not reveal this relevant information and apparently chose to mislead their viewers with incomplete information.

Moiya O’Brien (switching back to the cult accusation): I completely deny it.

Chris Allen: But you must appreciate that people are going to say this looks like a cult, smells like a cult, it must be a cult.

Moiya O’Brien: Yeah, but it is not necessarily said.

RESPONSE: The word “cult” has many meanings (mostly pejorative) and can be used to describe any group devoted to art, music, writing, fiction, fashion, religion, politics, business, hobbies, places, objects, etc. Anthropologists and sociologists generally agree that there is no unambiguous definition for the word “cult”. In a religious sense, the word “cult” usually refers to exploitive religious or spiritual groups distinguished by excessive member control and that are illegally abusive or destructive. There is simply no proof that SWARA or Moiya O’Brien exploited, controlled, abused or recruited any clients on behalf of the Sathya Sai Organisation.

Chris Allen: Even sadder the sight of disabled clients being manhandled by security guards hired by the committee to keep them out.

Kelli Vallis: These people are not to be left in charge or responsible of this organization or the welfare of these people. It’s just disgraceful.

Kelli Vallis Used Disabled Individuals As Ploys For SWARA Publicity Stunt

The clients would not have been “manhandled” had they not disobeyed the warnings of security officers and had they not been encouraged to raid the SWARA compound.

It is disgraceful that Chris Allen and Kelli Vallis exploited disabled individuals by using them as ploys to incite the security guards into action. After inciting the security guards, the footage was used to evoke sympathy from viewers and cast a negative light on SWARA.

Tracy Grimshaw: And in a statement sent to A Current Affair, the Department of Communities and Disability Services Queensland said it’s now investigating complaints made against that center. We will let you know the outcome.

Needless to say, Barry Pittard and Robert Priddy (both vocal defamers and caustic critics of Sathya Sai Baba) knew about the NineMSN – A Current Affair programme before it aired and knew additional details about the protest that were not shown in the broadcast, thus proving their involvement with the program. Therefore, it most certainly appears that Barry Pittard (an ex-devotee well known for his highly questionable past and incitement of Islamic terrorists) was directly involved in behind-the-scenes collaboration with NineMSN – A Current Affair and Kelli Vallis.

Needless to say, all of the negative media against Sai Baba was the result of critic’s behind-the-scenes subterfuge, unremitting propaganda and “e-bombing campaigns”. Critics even boasted on Anti-Sai websites how they were responsible for and involved with various negative media exposures against Sathya Sai Baba. This holds true for The Secret Swami, The Divine Downfall Interview, The Seduced Program, The Unesco Withdrawal, The U.S. State Dept. Warning, The Guardian Article By Paul Lewis, Michelle Goldberg’s Salon.com Article, India Today and now holds true for the 4½ minute NineMSN – A Current Affair broadcast that aired in Australia.

Reference

DISCLAIMER: The views expressed in this article belong solely to Joe Moreno (a Pro-Sai Activist) who is: 1) Not affiliated with SWARA; 2) Not affiliated with Moyia O’Brien; 3) Not affiliated with the Sathya Sai Organisation; 4) Not affiliated with any Sathya Sai Baba center; and 5) Not affiliated with any Sathya Sai Baba group.

Alleged Hislop Letters Prove Nothing

The alleged and dubious Hislop Letters (which do not reflect Dr John Hislop’s known writing style) are NOT “proof” that Sathya Sai Baba did anything wrong. The alleged Hislop Letters simply document a dubious complaint made against Sathya Sai Baba by Terry Lee Scott (a former student at Sai Baba’s College).

Terry Lee Scott was actually “expelled in disgrace” from Sai Baba’s Hostel (the details of which have never been released by Ex-Devotees or Diana Scott). After Terry Lee Scott was “expelled in disgrace from the Hostel”, only then did he make his allegations against Sai Baba. It is no secret that Sathya Sai Baba has been accused of sexual impropriety by Tal Brooke (whose allegations have been circulating since the mid 70’s at Sai Baba’s ashrams). Therefore, Terry Lee Scott could have simply repeated a rumor pertaining to Tal Brooke’s allegations. The alleged Hislop Letters are not “proof” or “evidence” of sexual abuse. If anything, the alleged Jack Hislop letters are proof that someone complained about Sai Baba. That’s it.

Terry Lee Scott’s mother (Diana Scott) never filed a basic police complaint, public grievance or court case against Sathya Sai Baba in India for any alleged impropriety and is thereby guilty of being an “accomplice in sexual molestation crimes” (an argument repeatedly used by Ex-Devotees, particularly Timothy Conway). Since Diana Scott refused to do the ethical, moral and legal thing by filing a basic police complaint, court case or public greivance against Sathya Sai Baba in India, she is guilty of ignoring her son’s allegations. What kind of mother would ignore the alleged molestation of her child and simply send out complaint letters?

Terry Lee Scott’s Own Father Didn’t Believe Him

It is surprising to note that Terry Lee Scott’s own father did not believe his own son’s allegations against Sathya Sai Baba. This resulted in a divorce! Terry Lee Scott’s father would have known all the intimate and private details regarding the allegations. Terry Lee Scott’s father was not convinced.

Dr John Hislop Investigates

Based on the alleged letters, John Hislop (also called “Jack Hislop”):

1. Investigated the matter most thoroughly.
2. Made explicit inquiries directly to Sai Baba.
3. Made explicit inquiries directly to various individuals who worked at Sai Baba’s Brindavan College (specifically mentioning Jack Hand by name).
4. Obtained information that Terry Lee Scott had actually been “expelled in disgrace” from the Hostel just before he made his allegations against Sai Baba.
5. Was ultimately convinced beyond all doubt that there was no truth to the rumors against Sai Baba.

If it looks like an unsubstantiated rumor, sounds like an unsubstantiated rumor, reads like an unsubstantiated rumor….it’s an unsubstantiated rumor!

John Hislop Letters – Final Thoughts

As already disscussed before, the main people ranting and raving about the alleged Hislop Letters are:

1. Timothy Conway (a Guru promoter, New Age advocate and UFO conspiracist who believes that Sathya Sai Baba may have molested alleged victims like aliens are alleged to do through abductions!)
2. Robert Priddy (an LSD advocate who has openly falsified sexual molestatation claims and who has a history of claiming to possesses telepathy)
3. Conny Larsson (a self-proclaimed Prophet and psychic trance medium for the spirit of Maharishi Vyasa)

All of these facts should rightly raise suspicion and doubt about the alleged integrity of Anti-Baba sychophants who would have everyone infer something sinister through blind speculation and blind belief.