Sathya sai international organisation

SATHYA SAI INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATION

Shining the Light of Truth

A comparison of Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings

to the claims of the Muddenahalli group
Shining the Light of Truth

A comparison of Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings

to the claims of the Muddenahalli group

Contents

Introduction 4

Context 4

Subtle body 7

What is the subtle body? 7

The subtle body functions only in the dream state 7

Mediums 8

What is a medium? 8

Madhusudan Naidu's behaviour matches description of mental mediumship 9

Madhusudan Naidu is acting as an intermediary between Swami and His devotees 9

Mr Narasimhamurthy passing on dream messages from Swami 10

Mr Narasimhamurthy's advice on intermediaries 11

Swami's advice regarding intermediaries 11

Imitation is human 14

Madhusudan Naidu is an accomplished actor 14

Madhu Baba? 16

Sukshma Baba is a separate phenomenon to Sathya Sai Baba 18

Swami's advice on those who masquerade as Gods 18

Sathya Sai Baba's Mission 20

Predetermined entrance and exit 20

My mission is already accomplished 21

Madhusudan's urgency vs Swami's slow calm pace 22

Avatars leave their bodies once their Mission is complete 23

All Avatars go through the same stages 25

Sathya Sai Baba's physical form 27

Different perspectives on Swami's physical form 27

Did Swami suffer in the last years of His life? 30

Sathya Sai Baba will live as Sukshma Baba until age 96? 33

Did Swami say that He would leave Puttaparthi? 35

Communicating with Swami 38

Madhusudan Naidu alone can communicate with Swami? 38

How to see Swami? 38

How to hear Swami? 40

Experience the Divine within 41

Teachings 42

A different perspective on Love 42

Swami on the importance of unity 44

Is Madhusudan Naidu promoting unity? 45

Criticisms of Sathya Sai Baba and His organisation 49

Sathya Sai Baba and His teachings are only 'primary school'? 49

Madhusudan Naidu on the Sathya Sai International Organisation 53

Unity is the need of the day, not conflict 57

The three disciplines necessary to recognise Divinity 61

Many, many births vs born to be liberated 62

He left the body to teach us that we are not different from Him? 64

Divine vs human perspective 67

The chosen few? 71

Sukshma Baba’s followers are unknowingly Jnanis? 74

Money and property 76

Swami's attitude to property 76

Building new temples and ashrams 79

Swami's attitude to money 82

Sukshma Baba asking for donations by his own admission 82

Madhusudan contradicts both Sathya Sai Baba and Isaac Tigrett. 82

Did Swami publicly praise those who gave land or money? 86

Donors praised as reincarnated saints and sages 88

Sukshma Baba claims Swami is dependent on the donations of rich devotees 88

Sathya Sai on Money and Service 90

Then how did Swami build the hospitals and colleges? 92

Setting Targets for Service? 93

Quantity of service vs Quality of service 93

Publicity and recruitment 96

Publicising service activities 100

Portrayal of those involved with Sukshma Baba 104

Love for publicity? 109

Should we believe Swami or others? 112

Misrepresentation of people's words 115

Exaggerated claims and misinformation 116

Incorrect claims about Swami's early life 119

Muddenahalli the site of Vishwamitra's ashram? 121

End of the Kali Yuga? 122

Prema Sai to be based in Muddenahalli? 123

On Swami travelling to other countries 126

Miracles 129

Madhusudan Naidu and psychic powers? 129

Materialisations 131

Using psychic powers to draw devotees away 134

Col Bose's testimony 135

Swami Vivekananda's experiences 139

Howard Murphet's testimony 141

False predictions 143

Earth changes prophecies 143

Predictions about Prema Sai 148

Conclusion 152

A test for us all? 152

Reference abbreviations 153

Recommended reading list 153

Introduction

Shining the Light of Truth: A comparison of Sri Sathya Sai Baba's teachings to the claims of the Muddenahalli group presents a series of statements made by Madhusudan Naidu, B N Narasimhamurthy and their supporters as compared to the Sai Avatar's teachings.
The intent of Shining the Light of Truth is to provide Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba's clear and direct advice to devotees so that they can offer informed counsel and make informed decisions. The divine guidance of our Loving Lord, bestowed upon us during His physical incarnation on Earth, is a treasure beyond compare and is a supreme touchstone of Truth for all devotees.
This publication is strictly confidential and has been prepared for approved officer bearers of the Sathya Sai International Organisation to privately review and verbally share relevant portions with affected devotees. Only approved recipients are to receive copies of this document. It must not be emailed or distributed in any format to non-approved persons.

Context

When Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba left His body in 2011, it left many devotees in shock and feeling orphaned. It is true that many of us would love to be able to talk with Swami, have His Darshan and receive interviews again. It is understandable that many devotees want to relive these experiences or experience them for the first time.
In the wake of Swami's Mahasamadhi, Madhusudan Naidu, a former Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning student, now staying at the Muddenahalli Campus, has claimed that Swami—in a subtle or light body referred to as 'Sukshma (subtle) Baba'—is communicating through him. To minimise confusion, these communications will be referred to as having come from Madhusudan Naidu, rather than Sukshma Baba, throughout this document.
Despite Swami's consistent declaration, "I do not need media; nor do I need substitutes or subsidiaries or representatives" (SSS 10.35), the Muddenahalli group claim that Swami now needs an intermediary. They have been undertaking an intensive publicity campaign—through word of mouth, the internet, social media, targeted recruitment both in Prasanthi Nilayam and around the world, and visits to multiple countries—to attract and convince devotees that Swami is now living in Muddenahalli and communicating through Madhusudan Naidu. This is despite Swami saying:

I have not come on any mission of publicity for any sect, or creed or cause; nor have I come to collect followers for any doctrine. I have no plan to attract disciples or devotees into My fold or any fold. I have come to tell you of this universal unitary faith, this Atmic Principle, this path of love, this dharma of love, this duty of love, this obligation to love.

SSS 8.22: July 4, 1968, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume08/sss08-22.pdf
However other devotees, believing the words of Madhusudan Naidu and the accounts of some long-term devotees who were at one time physically close to Swami—including former Brindavan Campus Warden, Mr B N Narasimhamurthy, now current leader of the Muddenahalli group—have become involved in their activities.
As devotees of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, we need to have faith in His words, as given to us during His lifetime. We must use His words as a touchstone against which to test the words of any other person, no matter how physically close they were to Baba's form.
In a 2002 discourse, translated by B N Narasimhamurthy, Swami warned against putting our faith in others:

Love everyone. But do not trust everyone without discrimination. One who puts his trust wholly in others is headed for ruin.

SSS 35.9: May 6, 2002, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume35/sss35-09.pdf
Swami’s teachings are the essence of all spiritual knowledge and are incredibly precious:

You think Swami's discourses are very simple. But, the entire essence of the Vedas is contained in them. The essence of all the sastras (spiritual texts) is to be found in Swami's words.

SSS 39.13: September 27, 2006, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume39/sss39-13.pdf
Regarding the attitude devotees should have to His teachings, Swami said in 2007:

If you follow the teachings with firm faith in Swami, you will achieve success in all your endeavours. You should have faith in Swami's teachings; love them, adore them and follow them.

SSS 40.22: December 26, 2007, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume40/sss40-22.pdf
Guided by firm faith in Swami's words and loving guidance, let us examine what Swami says about those who claim to be His intermediaries.