Sunday Times 2
Reflection on the blissful Sai era
View(s):- The 100th Divine Advent of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba falls today
By Sisira Baranage
“Life is a pilgrimage where man drags his feet along rough and difficult paths. With the Name of God on his lips, he will not thirst; with the form of God in his heart, he will feel no exhaustion.”
- Bhagawan Sri Sathya
Sai Baba
Human life is indeed a sacred pilgrimage, a journey of the soul through many lives, evolving gradually towards God-realization. On this long path, man takes shelter in numerous ‘caravanserais’ (rest houses), but however comfortable or alluring they may be, he must remember that they are only temporary halts. The destination is not these fleeting pleasures, but the ultimate union with the Divine.
In this Kali Yuga, we are supremely blessed to have the Sathguru, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba who illumines our path with love and light. Millions across the world have experienced Him as God incarnate, guiding humanity towards the Golden Era, when man will awaken to the divine spark within himself.
Great masters throughout history have pointed humanity toward this same truth. Lord Buddha attained Nirvana — realizing the Buddhahood within. Jesus declared that the body is the temple of God and that God resides within every being. Sathya Sai Baba has revealed that the only difference between Himself and others is that human beings have forgotten their inherent divinity. This is why He lovingly proclaims, “Service to man is service to God.”
We often identify ourselves with the perishable body and transient mind, forgetting the imperishable Atman — the eternal spirit which is a spark of the Divine Consciousness. The mind, lured by worldly attractions, veils this divinity. But when man transcends the restless mind, he rediscovers his true nature — Divine, pure, and blissful.
Swami explains that the Universal Consciousness is Paramathma and the individual consciousness is Jeevathma. The merging of these two, the individual with the Universal is the highest spiritual realization, known as Moksha, Nirvana, or God-realization.
The dualities of life, joy and sorrow, success and failure, good and bad are but divine instruments designed to help man discriminate, seek the good, and yearn for permanent bliss instead of transient pleasures. Through this process, he is drawn closer to God.
Modern science, with all its advancement, still struggles to comprehend the mysteries of consciousness. Scientists and physicians explore the physical body, unaware that the true healer, the Creator Himself, resides within. The Atman, the Divine Spark holds limitless power, waiting to be recognized and embraced. Yet, man continues to seek happiness outside himself, unaware that lasting peace lies within.
Temples, churches, and holy shrines are reminders of the divine presence but true realization dawns only when one discovers that God resides in one’s own heart. The Sai Era has illuminated this truth, dispelling ignorance and showing humanity the path to inner joy.
Lord Buddha declared, “He who conquers the mind conquers the world.”
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba echoed this timeless wisdom:
“There is nothing more useful than knowledge of one’s own Self, the knowledge of the Atman. When you understand your true Self, you will understand Me. For until you discover your own basic reality, why seek to explore the essence of Godhead?”
Swami has also declared that a spiritual revolution is now unfolding, greater than any political, economic, or scientific transformation.
“It is the revolution of Love,” He says, “where love is both the means and the end. It will awaken the springs of compassion across all fields — education, morality, politics, commerce, and science revealing the brotherhood of man and the fatherhood of God.”
To rekindle this divine awareness, God incarnates on Earth. The word Avatar means “descent”, the descent of Divinity into human form. Out of infinite compassion, God comes down to the level of man to elevate humanity to Godhood. Such a descent in no way diminishes His divinity; rather, it is an act of supreme love.
Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is the Avatar of this age, the embodiment of Truth, Righteousness, Peace, and Love come to restore faith in God and righteousness among mankind.
Some may ask, “If the Avatar is all-powerful and all-loving, why does He not make everyone instantly blissful?” The answer lies in the Bhagavad Gita, where Lord Krishna tells Arjuna:
“You are my friend and kinsman, yet you must remove your ignorance through your own effort. I cannot do it for you.”
Transformation must arise from within. The Avatar acts as a divine catalyst, guiding, inspiring, and empowering each soul in its spiritual quest. With faith (shraddha) and surrender (self-surrender), the grace of God flows abundantly.Swami assures us: “Take one step toward Me, and I shall take ten toward you.”Only an Avatar can so tangibly bestow grace and strength upon His devotees. Many have experienced His divine protection and miraculous love, especially in moments of pain or crisis.
Faith, however, is the key. Bhagawan reminds us through the story of Arjuna and Krishna:
Before the Mahabharata war, Krishna pointed to a bird on a tree and asked Arjuna, “Is that a peacock?”
“Yes, Krishna, it is a peacock,” said Arjuna.
“No, it is a crow,” said Krishna.
“Yes, Swami, it is a crow,” Arjuna replied.
Krishna laughed, “Why do you agree with whatever I say?”
Arjuna humbly said, “Swami, what use is my discrimination before You? If You say it is a crow, You can make it one. Whatever You say is truth.”
Krishna smiled and said, “Now you have become worthy.”
Only then did Krishna impart the Bhagavad Gita to Arjuna. God’s teaching begins with faith — unwavering, living faith that is as constant as one’s very breath. So’ham, So’ham — “I am That”, this should be our awareness.
Swami reminds us:
“Mine is no mesmerism or magic. It is genuine Divine Power. Small minds cannot comprehend it. My body is but a temporary habitation, yet My power is eternal, all-pervasive, and ever-dominant.”
The Atman is the source of all strength. Man is no ordinary being; he possesses within himself infinite potential. When awakened, these divine powers can accomplish anything.
Now, more than ever, the time has come to turn our minds toward God and His infinite love, the very foundation of the universe. Each of us has a role to play in this divine plan, knowing that the Lord is not watching from afar, but from within our own hearts.
Bhagawan once said:
“I know your name, your profession, your history, your past, present, and future. But you do not know Me. Therefore, sometimes I show you My visiting card, what you call a ‘miracle.’”
If we strive to live by His teachings, we shall constantly feel His presence, His encouragement, and His grace. Let us practice the religion of love, install Sai in the temple of our hearts, and joyfully journey through this Blissful Sai Era, toward the ocean of eternal peace and divine bliss.
May all beings be blessed with Sai’s divine love.
— Sisira Baranage