Spiritual Guru Sri Sathya Sai Baba
Sathya sai baba centenary celebration: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the birth centenary celebrations of late spiritual guru Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh on Wednesday (November 19). According to the Prime Minister’s Office, PM Modi will pay homage at Prasanthi Nilayam Ashram and ‘Mahasamadhi’ located in Puttaparthi. On this occasion, he will also release a commemorative coin and a series of postage stamps paying tribute to the life, teachings and enduring legacy of Sathya Sai Baba, and address the gathering. On this special occasion of the birth centenary celebrations of Satya Sai Baba, let us know the important things related to his life and his five major teachings, which have inspired the lives of millions of people across the world.
Who was Sri Sathya Sai Baba?
Birth: Satya Sai Baba was born as Satyanarayana Raju on 23 November 1926 in Puttaparthi village, Andhra Pradesh.
Avatar’s proclamation: At the young age of just 14 years, on 20 October 1940, he declared himself the incarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi and dedicated his life to the service of the people.
Prasanthi Nilayam: In 1950, on his 25th birthday, his main ashram ‘Prasanti Nilayam’ was established in Puttaparthi, which today is the center of millions of devotees.
Mahaprayan: After a long illness, on 24 April 2011 he took Mahasamadhi in Puttaparthi at the age of 84. He was given Samadhi in Kulwant Hall of the Ashram with state honours.
Global Impact: Sathya Sai Baba is considered one of the most influential spiritual leaders in the world, with centers in more than 178 countries.
5 main teachings of Satya Sai Baba
The philosophy of Sathya Sai Baba was very simple and humanistic. His teachings are based on five human values (truth, religion, peace, love, non-violence), which he called ‘Panchsheel’.
Love All, Serve All
This was his most important teaching, which calls for living in a spirit of compassion and selflessness. Baba believed that God resides in every living being, hence true worship lies in human service.
statement: “Love everyone, serve everyone. Always help, never hurt.”
adherence to human values
He described Satya (integrity), Dharma (right conduct), peace, love (compassion) and non-violence as the basis of life. He said that only by incorporating these values in daily life, morality and brotherhood will be established in the society.
God is one
Baba taught the feeling of respect towards all religions. His message was that God is one, even though he is worshiped in different names and forms. He emphasized on religious tolerance and unity.
statement: “No religion is better or any religion is worse, we should respect all religions equally.”
selfless service work
Baba did unprecedented selfless service in the fields of education, health and pure drinking water. His trusts established world-class hospitals, universities and water projects, providing free services to the poor and needy. He taught that service should be done without any expectations.
nationalism supreme
Sai Baba also described devotion towards the nation as an important lesson. He said that along with his religious devotion, a person should follow and respect the laws of his nation with complete honesty and dedication.