Satya Sai Baba and His Miracles

By Dr. OP Sudrania

(CHAKRA) Sri Satya Sai Baba of India is well known globally as a Saint, philanthropist, spiritual preacher and healer, a Godman often derided by His doubting Thomases as a magician, trickster, sleight of hand, black magician, cheater, fraud, even call Him a scoundrel etcetera. One always see the same colour as one wear the glasses over the eyes. It is not my theme to counter these Thomases but dwell in some real accounts of experiences which we ordinary worldly people commonly describe them as ‘Miracles’.

To me as a trained physician, a miracle is a supranormal experience observed by our physical senses which is impossible to enact or replicate by us under normal situation. Catholic Encyclopedia states, (Latin miraculum, from mirari, “to wonder”). In general, a wonderful thing, the word being so used in classical Latin; in a specific sense, the Latin Vulgate designates by miracula wonders of a peculiar kind, expressed more clearly in the Greek text by the terms terata, dynameis, semeia, i.e., wonders performed by supernatural power as signs of some special mission or gift and explicitly ascribed to God. Words terata mean wonder and dynameis mean power.

The word dynamis, “power” is used in the New Testament to signify:

• The power of working miracles, (en dymamei semeion — Romans 15:19);
• Mighty works as the effects of this power, i.e., miracles themselves (al pleistai dynameis autou — Matthew 11:20) and expresses the efficient cause of the miracle, i.e., Divine power.

… St. Thomas teaches: “Those effects are rightly to be termed miracles which are wrought by Divine power apart from the order usually observed in nature” (Contra Gent., III, cii), and they are apart from the natural order because they are “beyond the order or laws of the whole created nature” (ST I:102:4). Hence dynamis adds to the meaning of terata by pointing out the efficient cause. For this reason miracles in Scripture are called “the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19, Luke 11:20), “the hand of the Lord” (1 Samuel 5:6), “the hand of our God” (Ezra 8:31).

In this discourse, I hope to detail in brief, the Miracles performed by Sri Satya Sai Baba in His life time; as indicated above in Bible, it is a ‘hand of God or the finger of God’, hence by priori Baba must be God. They have been variously experienced and acclaimed by noted people including myself. Baba used to express that it is my nature, what you call miracles. They are my visiting cards, i.e. by these actions, you remember my whereabouts to come back out of amazement to me and then I feed you like a mother, “What I have come to teach you, i.e. the spiritual wisdom”? It draws your attention to me. Hence they are His visiting cards.

Baba Himself explains, “You elaborate in your lectures the unique powers of Sai, the incidents that are described as ‘miracles’ in books written about Me by some persons. But I request you not to attach importance to these.” He further said, “I use My Shakti (power) to attract people and to draw them towards the Godward path. These miracles are merely baits with which I lure them towards Me. Once their faith is firmly established, they begin to look beyond the miracles and slowly start stretching their hands out for what I have really come to give- Knowledge and Bliss.”

Baba also jests on our amazement of His miracles, “Therefore, when you speak about these miracles, I laugh within myself out of pity that you allow yourself so easily to lose the precious awareness of my reality.” Indeed this is true.

 

Baba sends an Australian back home – through His interview room!

A group of six devotees had come to have darshan of Baba from Australia. Baba called them for a private interview.

During the normal course of the talk, Baba looked at one of the devotees and asked — “Why did you come now? Your mother is not well. She needs you there back in Australia”.

He replied saying– “Yes Baba, I called home yesterday night and this news was conveyed to me. I pray for her early recovery.”

Baba replied —

“Go home soon. She is asking for you. In fact go home now.”

So saying, Baba created a map of the world with the wave of the hand. He spread it on the wall and the following conversation took place: —

BABA: “Where is Australia in this map?”

Devotee: “Here, Baba.” (Pointing to the map).

Baba touched it and the world map changed into an Australian map.

BABA: “Where in Australia do you say?”

Devotee: “New South Wales, Baba.” (Pointing to the map).

Baba touched it and the Australian map changed into the map of New South Wales.

BABA: “Where in New South Wales do you say?”

When the devotee mentioned the place, Baba touched it and the chart changed to show all the apartments in the area.

Then Baba touched the house in which the man was staying and lo! the wall of the interview room became the door of the devotee’s home. Baba opened the door and showed the man his mother sleeping on the sofa. Baba called the man and asked him to go in and closed the door. He rubbed his hands on the door and the door became the wall of the interview room again!

Later when the Australians came out of the interview room, only five came out instead of the six who went in. The students of Prashanthi Nilayam campus saw this. Later they called back the man who was sent to Australia only an hour later, who confirmed his ‘safe arrival’.

Baba said that —

“Time and space exist only in the worldly plane. In the divine plane there is no time and space. I can easily cross time and space as and when I want to. That experience of the Australian crossing space to reach Australia from the interview room was my leela to show you that it is possible for me to do that if necessary. Time and space hold no barrier for GOD

 

Anita Bacha wrote as Guest Editor:

It is my equally proud privilege to narrate this miraculous episode which occurred in the life of my dearest friend Aniji that is highly enlightening and scintillating for all the spiritual seekers to uplift them from mundane to Divine journey.

Richard F. Holmes – I am proud to welcome my latest guest, Author and Sai Baba devotee Anita Bacha to my blog. Anita has a truly wonderous story to share with us.

Anita Bacha was born in 1948 in Mauritius. She studied law in London and trained as a Barrister. She is also a former Public Prosecutor and Senior Magistrate. From 1988 until 2004 she joined the Executive as the President of the National Adoption Council, set up by the Government to stop the sale and traffic of children in Intercountry Adoption. she worked as Legal Secretary in the family firm ‘Bacha and Bacha Chartered Accountants and Auditors’ in Bond Street, London. In 2005, she was called upon by the newly elected Prime Minister of Mauritius, Dr.Navin Chandra Ramgoolam to chair the Central Authority for Intercountry Adoption. In March 2008, she was elevated to the rank of Commander of the Star and Key of the Indian Ocean (CSK) on the occasion of the 16th anniversary of the National Day Celebrations by Sir Aneerood Jugnauth, the President of the Republic of Mauritius. She is married, mother of four grown up kids and grand- mother of five.

She was inspired by Sri Sai Baba to write two books- THE MAKER OF MIRACLES (2006) and MY JOURNEY WITH GOD (2008) where she gives detailed accounts of her experiences of spiritual life as a follower of Baba. She joined the Sai Fold in 1978 as an active member of the Sri Sathya Sai Centre of Curepipe in Mauritius, a voluntary association based on the spiritual teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. In 2007, she was selected as Ladies Convener and Executive Member of the Centre.

“Miracles are my visiting cards” Bhagawan Sathya Sai Baba.

We often hear stories about the miraculous healings and cures of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba. Most of them sound absolutely out of this world. In her book ‘The Divine Leelas of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba’, Srimati Purnaiya, a long-time devotee of Baba, wrote ‘to save the life of a man, Baba operated on him with His bare hands and without anesthesia’. This sounds most incredible and utterly impossible to those who have never personally experienced such a miracle. I was one of them until approximately six years ago when my life was saved by the divine intervention of Baba.

In June 2004, I was living in Mauritius. As far as my memory goes, it was icy cold that winter. I woke up at four in the morning for prayers and meditation. After the recital in my prayer room, I returned to my bedroom for meditation as it was far too cold for me to meditate in there. In my bed, I lay down in “cadaver pose” for meditation. So there I was in my bed and in meditative pose when I felt a long finger poking deep into my left breast. At the same time, I heard a voice calling to wake me up- Heeeeeeeeh! I opened my eyes and lo! Baba was standing by my bedside and smiling at me! Next moment, he was gone…disappeared into thin air.

I forgot all about the incident in the coming days but my heart kept telling me to go to London as I am British citizen.

Finally, in January 2005, I arrived in London. I immediately started to attend to my personal matters which included my mail. I found a letter from NHS inviting me for a routine mammogram which is addressed to all women over 35. The appointment date had expired, having been fixed to a date in June 2004. Nonetheless and by the Grace of God, when I phoned the X-ray department, they agreed to give me a new appointment for the following week. I went for it.

One week after the mammogram, a letter arrived from NHS inviting me for a second one. Puzzled but fearing the worst, I decided to have a second X-ray. This was followed by an appointment for a medical review at hospital. There I was examined by two lady doctors. They inquired about my general health and then asked whether I had a lump in my breast. Which breast, I asked. I was feeling on top of the world and had no problem with my breasts at all. I was told that the X-ray had showed a small lump in my left breast. Hand examination was followed by a scan and finally I was asked to lie on a couch, for a needle test of my left breast. As the needle pierced my skin and flesh, I realized that Baba had poked my left breast with his finger at that very spot.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery a few weeks after. The cancer was found to be very small in size and had not spread to other parts of my body. Matter of fact, only a ‘lumpectomy’ was done to remove the tumor; my breasts were saved.

I recovered very quickly from the trauma and went back to work.

The All- Compassionate and Merciful Lord had stopped the growth of the tumor and guided my steps to London, opening one door after another until my final recovery.

Note: In UK, the standard practice for cancer breast used to be total removal of breast (mastectomy). French had started the lumpectomy as French women were very fastidious for preservation of their breasts. The long term results depend upon various ethnic, biological and individual factors among which a self confidence is highly important. It is here that the case of Anita Bacha becomes highly significant being a spiritual seeker. Such people have their strong body defence mechanisms due to positive neural, humoral and endocrinal internal milieu which guards and generates a good immunological physical makeup. It is this immunological backup, which ultimately becomes a determinant of the long term outcome. Anita has completed eight years successfully free from secondary developments. Satya Sai Baba is a very powerful force and her strongest defence will come from there. I offer my highly respectful salute to both Anita as well as Baba.

 

My personal Experience: Instant Recovery of stolen Bag

I have plenty of my personal experiences relating to some kind of spiritual significance and I have been a devotee of Satya Sai Baba for over a couple of decades. I was travelling to Delhi in around 1996 to attend a Surgical Conference of Asia Pacific region in Rajadhani Express. I slept in my berth in the night and in darkness at about two or three O’clock, my briefcase was lifted away from my berth placed near my head end.

At about four O’clock, I woke up from sleep with urge to pass water. After that I slept back in my berth. I did not notice my briefcase because of darkness, which was stolen. Suddenly soon after I lay in bed, started hearing strange voice in my right ear, hey check your briefcase and it kept going on incessantly. I turned over to put my right ear over the pillow hoping that the nuisance will be guarded by the pillow. To my disappointment, the voice continued unabated in the same tune and intensity disturbing me getting back to sleep. Annoyed, I got up and discovered my briefcase was missing. This jolted me in a whirlwind as I had kept all my conference materials as well as money for my expenses in Delhi inside that bag.

The entire boggy was dark due to lights switched off to sleep except the dim night lamps in the passage. In my vain search, I noticed two gentlemen gossiping idly near the toilets and smoking. On enquiring from them, I was told that a tall waiter had picked it up from near the corner of one toilet about half an hour ago and went in the particular direction. I requested them to kindly help me to spot the fellow.

I said to the culprit pretending him as good fellow. I said, “Kindly give me the bag that you safely kept somewhere; had you not done so, someone would have stolen it and I would have lost it.” This led him being put in in the eyes of his fellow workers as a Good Samaritan; he immediately came with us and gave the briefcase where he had mysteriously hidden it. I checked it for all my articles and money that was safe.

I cannot pinpoint to a particular form of Apostle or God but it was definitely a divine hand behind this episode in that dead night hours; which would have been too late by the morning. I am positive that it would have vanished if the two co-passengers had not seen and helped. How and why were they there at that time which was certainly not an hour for smoking and chat?

It may be difficult altogether to dismiss these phenomenal experiences as mere coincidences or superstitions. There are certainly some unseen forces working round the clock which are beyond our cognizable senses to discern. Call them coincidences, extrasensory perceptions, Psi-Gamma, Psi-Kappa (psychokinesis-PK), clairvoyance, precognition, intuition, or whatever in the terms of Parapsychological terms, is individual choice, it may be hard to totally ignore their scrutiny and veracity. Physical science is still on the path of discovery at the micro-element level as one hears the discovery of Boson or God particle.

Jeffrey Mishlove explains Intuition: A Link between Psi and Spirituality: “One contemporary writer intrigued by this idea is Martin Gardner. Although he is generally known as a hardline debunker of matters psychic and mystical, in 1983 Gardner wrote a fascinating essay titled, “IMMORTALITY: Why I Do Not Think It Impossible.” Here Gardner argues that from the perspective of higher dimensional space, the process that we think of as death may be no more significant than a snake shedding its skin. Perhaps no one has taken intuitions regarding hyperspace and consciousness further than physicist Saul-Paul Sirag. It is generally believed by physicists working on unified field theory that space-time is hyperdimensional, with all but four of the dimensions being invisible. The reason for this invisibility is a major subject of research. Beside space-time dimensions, there are also other internal (or invisible) dimensions called gauge dimensions. The reality of these gauge dimensions is also a topic of controversy and research. If the extra space-time dimensions or the gauge dimensions are real, this provides scope for considering ordinary reality a substructure within a hyperdimensional reality. This idea has, of course, been suggested before — e.g. it is implicit in the Cave Parable of Plato.” Is the world body reawakening to this established ancient Indian epistemology?

Unfortunately today everything is being assessed in the light of Western module as enlightenment in the terms of modernity. Anything that does not fit this definition of ‘modernity’, it is then not acceptable. Long before the era of Plato and Socrates, Indian seers and sages had discovered, described and practiced these spiritual realities which are inscrutable by any scientific physical laws versus metaphysical laws.

 

Endnotes: Peruse the link:

Here are some links for more miracles:

• High Quality Miracle Pictures Of Sai Baba Manifestations
• Sai Baba Manifestations At Sai Sruti Temple in Harrow, Middlesex, UK
• Sathya Sai Baba Vibhuti Manifestations in a Devotee’s House in London
• Satya Sai Baba Vibuthi Manfestations In Bali, Indonesia
• Sai Baba Manifestations In Colusa, California
• Sai Baba Manifestations At Sri Ragnapatnam, Mysore, India
• Sai Sruti’s Sai Baba Miracle Photos Galleries
• Amazing Vibuthi With Rudraksha Manifestations
• Stunning Miracle Pictures And Manifestations As Recent As 2008
• A Gallery of miracles 

 (Dr. O. P. Sudrania is a senior retired teacher in surgery and a medico-legal counsellor; now also engaged in research of spiritual and socio-political analytical science as a part of service to humanity. He retired as Emeritus Professor in Surgery from Edinburgh Royal Infirmary. )