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34. Education of God
Starting from 2020, the era of a global reset of human civilization has come, which will lead to the emergence of a new global financial and political system, the emergence of a new cultural environment and communication, and a new spiritual space at the universal human level.
In this difficult situation of global transition, it should be remembered that the most important component is the spiritual transformation of each person. The appearance of Prema Sai Baba is primarily associated with the birth of a new divine humanity.
Due to the lockdown, from the very beginning of 2020 to the middle of 2021, the boy Prema Sai Baba, like all Indian children, was at home and did not attend school; of course, sometimes classes were online. For most children, a break in normal education can be detrimental, but this was of good use to the divine boy.
It was a unique opportunity for temporary seclusion and a period when visitors did not come to the house of the holy family. Even for Hindus, it was not easy to move around the country, which gave Prema Sai Baba time in solitude and preparation for his worldwide mission. Life was secluded and calm.
Prema Sai Baba was “found” when he was two and a half years old. This great mission was carried out by yogis under the guidance of Mata Bijay Devi and Mata Tomba Devi from the Himalayan state of Manipur.
From the age of three, visitors flocked to see him from all over the world, most of all from different parts of India and Russia. During this difficult time of lockdown, I lived in India and worked for a company that allowed me and my wife to still visit the holy family.
In May 2022, ten-year-old Prema Sai Baba transferred to a new school. Prema Sai studied at the previous school from the age of three. I visited this school several times. To be honest, I always felt unenthusiastic about this particular educational institution. Teachers taught basic knowledge and sometimes applied a system of physical punishments to students, including Prema Sai Baba who received reprimands the same as the other children.
Many times, Jaya Lakshmi Amma sent her representatives to the school to explain the unsuitability of such behavior on the part of teachers. The teachers and the rector of the old school were well aware that "this" boy was Prema Sai Baba, but they blatantly ignored the situation.
There are no such situations at his new school. This is one of the best educational institutions with good teachers and a serious program. It has a very good environment, excellent teachers and rector.
The school was very happy when they learned that the boy Prema Sai Baba would study with them. Some of the instructors are devotees of Sathya Sai Baba and enthusiastically received the good news that one of their students would be Prema Sai Baba.
Does a divine child need to go to school and get a formal education? The Avatar is inherently perfect and possesses all the knowledge in the universe, however, some aspects of formal education are still necessary. For example, Rama Avatara and Krishna were educated in many disciplines such as the Vedic philosophy, arts and sciences of the time.
Ancient texts tell us about how the divine incarnations of past ages were trained by teachers. This can be read in such scriptures as the Ramayana, the Mahabharata and the Bhagavatam.
The Prema Sai boy looks much older than his age. How to recognize divinity in a seemingly ordinary child? He plays with toys just like a normal child. Living in his house for a long time, I had the opportunity to carefully observe his behavior and some important divine manifestations.
In particular, his true divine nature manifests itself in the evenings before going to bed. It seems that before going to bed, he takes off the mask of an ordinary child and becomes himself.
It is during the evening hours that he tells us about his mission as Prema Sai Baba and talks about himself in the third person. Late in the evening, when everyone was asleep, he would sometimes talk about the significance of the three Sai Avatars.
Among the issues discussed were the future of human civilization, various levels of enlightenment, the mission of the Kalki Avatar and Mahavatar Babaji.
35. Madhusudan Sai
A very difficult element in the discussion about Prema Sai Baba is the activity of Madhusudan, who (as he claims) gained enlightenment as a result of the subtle body of Sathya Sai Baba allegedly entering and being in him (in Madhusudan).
Madhusudan was born on July 26, 1979, in central India. Some of his relatives were devotees of Sathya Sai Baba, so his parents decided to send him to study at the university founded by Sathya Sai.
From the age of 17 (1996), young Madhusudan became a student at the University at Puttaparthi, which allowed him to be in constant close contact with Sathya Sai Baba. At university, he excelled in studies, regularly receiving gold medals and diplomas as the best student in such specialties as chemistry and management.
Immediately after the death of Sathya Sai Baba in 2011, Madhusudan developed his project at the ashram in the village of Muddenahalli, Karnataka. He claims he is preparing his ashram for the next incarnation of God on Earth – Prema Sai Baba.
From the very beginning, Madhusudan stated that the subtle body of Sathya Sai Baba was not in the tomb at Puttaparthi. The subtle body of Sathya Sai allegedly left the tomb and "moved" to the ashram in Muddenahalli, where Madhusulan himself settled.
This allegedly happened in the summer of 2011, shortly after Sathya Sai Baba left his body in the spring of 2011. For several years, Madhusudan claimed that the subtle body of Sathya Sai Baba was near him. On numerous occasions we saw an empty chair on which the invisible subtle body of Sathya Sai Baba allegedly sat.
Madhusudan stands nearby and voices what he supposedly hears as telepathic messages from this subtle body. I will not comment on this situation, because everyone has the right to relate to such events in accordance with their intuitive choice.
Later, Madhusudan stated that the subtle body of Sathya Sai Baba had entered him and was now inside Madhusudan. Again, how to relate to this is the free choice of everyone.
What is the subtle body of God? How many subtle bodies does God have? Our assumptions about God are based largely on our knowledge of ourselves. According to the ancient tradition of Kriya Yoga, each person has three bodies: physical (sthula sharira), astral (sukshma sharira) and causal (karana sharira).
We see the physical body in wakefulness. The astral body is associated with energy. This body manifests itself in a dream and some types of meditation. The causal body is the body of information.
Such a structure of the inner mind of a person is classical. Adi Shankara wrote about this in his books in ancient times (in the philosophical work of Vivekachudamani), and in the 20th century, Pramahansa Yogananda wrote about this in his Autobiography of a Yogi.
Considering the structure of the inner world of man, we assume the inner structure of God is exactly the same. These assumptions are quite natural, since God created man in his own image and likeness. However, we should not forget the magnitude of God is infinitely greater than that of man.
In many ways, Madhusudan's activities are based on his alleged exclusivity. If we assume that God has only one subtle body and it was first near Madhusudan, and then entered inside him, then this creates an unprecedented situation. In this case, he becomes a Godman, the only one of his kind on Earth.
It is important to understand that God has an infinite number of subtle bodies. This means that even if we assume that one of these bodies is indeed inside Madhusudan, then a huge number of other subtle bodies of God can be anywhere, including inside you, my dear reader.
At the beginning of Mahdusudan's activity, I treated him very negatively and I do not want to hide it now. Over time, I slightly changed my attitude towards this person. At this point I am quite prepared to assume he is indeed in deep union with the Sai Consciousness. However, I want to reiterate that there is no exclusivity in his situation, because quite a few devotees in meditation have similar experiences.
There is another important point regarding the activities of Madhusudan. He tries to speak on behalf of God which is violation of the principle of direct communication between man and God, which was constantly proclaimed by Sathya Sai Baba. Madhusudan has become an intermediary for his followers in their communion with God, which is contrary to the founding principles of the Sai tradition.
If you have any question to God, then in accordance with the teachings of Sathya Sai Baba, each person should learn to independently be able to hear the answer in the depth of his personal prayer and meditation. Why is Madhusudan needed then? Perhaps it can be useful for those who are not able at the moment to establish a strong spiritual connection with Sai.
All these reflections, of course, are solely my opinion and cannot be considered as objective information. It is obvious that many people visiting the Madhusudan ashram receive amazing mystical experiences and insights. For a large number of people, he provides support on the spiritual path, which is undoubtedly good.
From the very beginning of his project in 2011, Madhusudan stated that all his activities are devoted to only one main issue, which is the preparation of the basis for the start of Prema Sai Baba's activities.
The question is who will Madhusudan choose as Prema Sai Baba, since there are several candidates in India right now? There is even an assumption that Madhusudan will proclaim himself as Prema Sai Baba, which is quite possible and logical.
If the subtle body of Sathya Sai Baba is already inside Madhusudan, then it is this body that must be transformed into the new subtle body of Prema Sai Baba. Repeatedly, Madhusudan states that all three Sai Avatars are within him. This prepares the theoretical basis for him to proclaim himself as Prema Sai Baba. There is unofficial information that such opportunities are being discussed on the sidelines of his ashram.
Recently, Madhusudan stated that his task is to awaken the consciousness of Prema Sai Baba in every person. According to this version, every person is basically Prema Sai, which is absolutely true in its essence. All ancient scriptures, including the Vedas and the Bible, say that every person is basically divine, and even more than that, is made in the image of God.
The doctrine of unity and identity of the soul as God is extremely complex. The doctrine that everyone is God can be interpreted in many ways. Such approaches can give rise to the sly idea that Prema Sai Baba is only symbolic.
A situation may arise when the phenomenon of Prema Sai may begin to be interpreted as only impersonal consciousness, which can manifest itself in anyone and anywhere. Speaking about the three Sai Avatars, it should be remembered these are the three teachers of humanity who are quite physically manifested, and not just a philosophical fantasy.
In the context of my interactions with various gurus (both Eastern and Western), I heard the point of view that Krishna, Buddha, and Jesus Christ are not historical figures, but only symbols of higher enlightenment.
According to such views, no Krishna, Buddha or Jesus Christ ever lived on Earth. Stories about them were invented by someone as symbols and examples of the spiritual path. Naturally, I do not agree with this opinion; for me Krishna, Buddha, and Jesus Christ are real, historical personalities.
The theory that every person is Prema Sai Baba confuses the understanding of the Avatar phenomenon being the full incarnation of God on Earth.
According to the official version of Madhusudan, Prema Sai Baba should come to his ashram (Muddenahalli), after which Madhusudan himself should supposedly recognize him and start preparing him for a world mission.
However, in reality, Madhusudan already has a candidate whom he personally trains in secret from his followers. This candidate was born in Karnataka on November 27, 2011, a few months after Sathya Sai Baba passed away.
What is the prospect of this candidate at the moment is difficult to say. It is obvious to me that this boy has a very strong and bright energy. It is only known that this boy studied at one of the colleges on the outskirts of the city of Mandya. I prefer not to name the college; I will only say that this educational institution is controlled by Madhusudan himself. All college teachers know that this boy is a possible candidate for the position of Prema Sai Baba, but this information is kept strictly secret from others.
There is evidence that Madhusudan is well aware of the true Prema Sai Baba, who was born in the village of Doddamallur. I have repeatedly seen people who came to Doddamallur with the blessing of Madhusudan, but at the moment he refrains from official statements.
The activity of Madhusudan causes a serious discussion, some people idolize him, and some people criticize him. Among my friends, there are several people who regularly visit his ashram, having wonderful spiritual experiences. Again, I want to refrain from commenting, and leave it to everyone to make their own choice.
36. Difficult questions
To be honest, I had many doubts about the appropriateness of discussing crisis situations in the Sai tradition in the pages of this book. I think that an open discussion about difficult situations is important, because then we will be able to more effectively go through difficulties and overcome many crises.
Almost immediately after the passing of Sathya Sai Baba, conflicts and splits began among the leaders of the ashram and the international organization. Administrators of different levels could not agree among themselves.
The first major split came as a result of the activities of Madhusudan, which we discussed in the previous chapter. The leaders of the ashram in Puttaparthi have numerous philosophical and financial claims against Madhusudan. The conflict between the Puttaparthi Ashram and Madhusudan has led to a significant rift in the many millions of Sai devotees around the world.
The official position of the Ashram in Puttaparthi is that Sathya Sai's "subtle body" is not inside Madhusudan; in other words, he is a deceiver. The question arises as to how exactly the administrators of ashram in Puttaparthi can verify this?
Even if the ashram administrators hold a negative opinion about Madhusudan, it would be appropriate to respect the huge number of Sai devotees around the world who believe that the "subtle body" of Sathya Sai is still inside Madhusudan.
Some consider him a deceiver, and others perceive him as a great saint. I think it would be right to show culture and tolerance, recognizing the right of people to a personal point of view on such a complex issue.
It is not my job to discuss what is really going on. Whether Madhusudan is a saint, or a deceiver is an individual choice. It is about the elementary respect for alternative points of view.
One more problem is that the ashram in which Madhusudan lives (Muddenahalli), has gone out of the legal control of the ashram in Puttaparthi. Alas, this conflict has clear financial and legal foundations.
Another significant split was the division of the international organization of Sathya Sai Baba. This happened in 2022. Although the conflict itself began to mature immediately after the passing away of Sathya Sai Baba. As a result, two international organizations emerged. The first one is called Sri Sathya Sai International Organization. The second one is called Sri Sathya Sai Global Council.
The devotees of Sathya Sai Baba live in one hundred and forty countries of the world. According to some reports, at the time of Sathya Sai Baba's death, there were about two thousand centers around the world where followers regularly gathered and educational activities were carried out.
The split of the international organization of Sathya Sai Baba into two structures after his death caused a crisis among the followers. Now, in all countries of the world, two organizations function in parallel, which clearly contradicts the fundamental principles of spiritual unity, which were proclaimed by Sathya Sai Baba. Why did this happen? The reason, alas, is obvious – the ambitions of the leaders led to such an outcome.
Some readers may tell me, as the author, not to mention conflict situations. Wouldn't it be better to focus on the positive foundation of the Sai tradition? It was a difficult decision for me to include references to conflicts and divisions in the materials of this book.
If we openly analyze difficulties, then in the future we will gradually learn to overcome them. In addition, it is important for me to mention the crisis situations in the tradition, because the beginning of the mission of Prema Sai Baba takes place not only against the backdrop of world political crises, but also at a time of difficulties within the Sai tradition itself.
In my opinion, in this difficult situation, Sai devotees should show awareness, mutual respect, love and compassion, wisdom and unity. If administrators at various levels are unable to manifest the principles of spiritual leadership, millions of devotees from all over the world must do so. It is not enough to hang a portrait of Sathya Sai Baba on the wall – it is important to follow his teachings about unity and selfless service.
The tradition of Prema Sai Baba is now beginning to take shape, including his organization as a legal structure. The appearance of a legal structure around Prema Sai Baba is inevitable, because any spiritual tradition must be officially registered in order to develop in society.
We should consider both the positive and negative experiences of our predecessors. It seems to me the legal structure emerging around Prema Sai Baba should demonstrate a high culture of communication, respect for alternative opinions, and be the embodiment of the spirit of selfless service and unity.
The emerging tradition of Prema Sai Baba faces several difficult questions. How to interact with ashrams in Shirdi, Puttaparthi and Muddenahali? How to interact with parallel existing international Sathya Sai organizations? How to interact with other Prema Sai candidates and their organizations? In my opinion, the basis for our relations and communication should be mutual respect and the principle of tolerance.
37. Sathya Sai 96th Anniversary Celebration
In 2021, on November 23, an important event was celebrated – the 96th birthday of Sathya Sai Baba. According to Indian tradition, a newborn child is considered to be one year old. From the Western point of view, when a child is born, he is at the zero point, and in a year, he will be one year old. Therefore, according to Indian tradition, the 96th anniversary of Sathya Sai Baba falls in 2021, but according to Western standards it falls in 2022.
This date is very important for all Sai devotees, because all of his life Sathya Sai Baba predicted he would live exactly up to the age of 96 years.
As we know, he left his body twelve years before this date. Many devotees are trying to understand the significance of his early departure. Sathya Sai Baba himself explained why he needed to end his life earlier. He completed his mission and had to quickly reincarnate in his next form as Prema Sai Baba in order to start a new phase of his divine plan to transform humanity.
There is evidence that Sathya Sai Baba, a few years before his premature departure, told his close devotees he would leave the body earlier than planned. It is completely impossible for an ordinary person to "plan" their death, but for an Avatar it is completely natural.
Many devotees have been looking forward to this day, November 23, 2021, Sathya Sai Baba's 96th birthday. Some were preparing for some unknown grandiose events. In the year of 2021, a group of devotees arose who began to spread the idea that supposedly Sathya Sai Baba would physically resurrect on that day and continue his mission on Earth in an old body.
On that day, amazing events did happen in Puttaparthi, but they were not what many expected. There was a big flood in Puttaparthi. Fortunately, no one died, but half of the city was heavily flooded. That is why the full-scale holiday did not work out. It seemed that nature itself canceled the celebration in Puttaparthi (the main ashram of Sathya Sai Baba).
There was also no big holiday at the Madhusudan ashram; for unknown reasons, the administrators did not settle followers in the ashram. Thus, the main place of the festival moved to the city of Bangalore. In the holy presence of Prema Sai Baba, the main celebrations of the 96th birthday of Sathya Sai Baba took place.
