Sathya sai international organisation

Publicity and recruitment

Since 2011 BN Narasimhamurthy and Madhusudan Naidu have led a campaign to convince devotees of their claims that Sri Sathya Sai Baba is now living in Muddenahalli in a ‘subtle body’.

This campaign intensified in 2014 with the publication of talks given in Kodaikanal by Madhusudan Naidu, which he claimed were discourses communicated to him by Sri Sathya Sai Baba in a subtle body. These talks were spread all over the world via websites and email.
In 2014 V Kumar contacted several Sai youth in Australia directly in order to recruit them. In November 2014 lists of Australian Sai Youth were drawn up by V Kumar and youth were assigned to approach those on the list to convince them that Sathya Sai Baba was now communicating with Madhusudan Naidu.
Madhusudan Naidu and his team then advised that they would visit Australia. During the Muddenahalli team’s visit to Australia an event was organised and invitations were sent out to devotees asking them to attend.
Youth have also been invited to what they believed to be a social or spiritual gathering only to find that the purpose of the gathering was for a Muddenahalli supporter to attempt to convince them that Sri Sathya Sai Baba has returned in a subtle body and is now residing in Muddenahalli.
In Prashanti Nilayam itself Muddenahalli supporters approach Sai devotees and ask them to go to Muddenahalli. There have been many reports from devotees returning from India that they are being approached in the ashram and told "Swami is no longer in Prashanti Nilayam, He is now at Muddenahalli, so you should go there". Those who visit Muddenahalli are being told the same.
Invitations are sent out to devotees to encourage them to come to events in Muddenahalli such as the youth conference to be held in November 2015, as well as Sathya Sai Baba's birthday celebrations, which Muddenahalli now holds separately to the Sathya Sai Organisation. While in America, Madhusudan Naidu's supporters also sent out invitations to the meeting he held in Encinitas.
Mr B Narasimhamurthy in his book 'Helpline on the Sathya Sai Path', encourages devotees to publicise Swami and His message:

You should definitely cultivate the missionary zeal to propagate the message of Swami for the welfare of the world.

Helpline on the Sathya Sai Path, p.161
Madhusudan also encourages those who follow him to publicise their experiences:

When I asked Swami about sharing my experience with others His answer was:

“Tell fearlessly what you have experienced. If there is a mistake, only then there has to be fear. There is no mistake, so there is no scope for fear. Tell what your heart has witnessed. For those who ask sincerely, ask with feeling, let them know that there is a way to experience Swami still, and that is through the path of humility and open-mindedness. If somebody is humble and broad-minded, definitely he will understand. There is no point in chanting Vedas to buffaloes. They will not understand anything. Teach them to those who will understand. For the others, silence is the best answer.

http://reconnectsrisathyasai.blogspot.com.au/2014_07_01_archive.html
A follower describes how Madhusudan (whom he refers to as Swami) looked at him and told him to write about his experiences after the recent Summer Course in Muddenahalli:

I was running with the car as Swami was returning to Prem Deep. He looks at me and says, "Write". I didn’t quite get it. I ask Him, "Swami?". He says, "Experience". Like a proud father, after the successful completion of Summer Course, He wanted me to share the joy that I had experienced, with others too who were not able to attend for various reasons.

http://preethamsai9.hubpages.com/hub/Summer-Showers-in-the-Foothills-of-Nandi-Hills-An-Exposition
Yet Swami said to Arnold Schulman, an author who wanted to write a book about Him:

“You don’t understand,” Baba said. “I only told you ‘write a book,’ because I wanted you. Understand? You. Not a book. The book is publicity. I don’t need publicity. I don’t want publicity. I want you. I want your faith. I want your love. Everybody who comes here to see Me thinks they have arranged it, but I arranged it...”

Baba, p172, https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/SaiBabaLeelas/conversations/topics/4127
Did Swami ever indulge in publicity or recruitment? Swami Himself said:

The power of attraction is divinity. A small example: Thousands have gathered here today. Who invited you? Has anybody sent invitations to you? No invitations have been sent. Then how have you come here? Your love for Swami is the main cause. Nobody has brought you here by force. You all know this. People are brought in lorries for political meetings. In spite of repeatedly requesting you not to come, you still come here. Attraction of love is Divinity. This is the divine magnet.

SSS 31.43: 23 November 1998 http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume31/sss31-43.pdf

I am not interested in seeing this Hall packed to its capacity. I want only quality, not quantity. One teaspoonful of cow's milk is better than barrels of donkey's milk. It is enough if we have a handful of people with noble hearts.

SSS 35.11: July 22, 2002, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume35/sss35-11.pdf

Swami prefers that additional people come only through observing the virtuous lives of the Centre members, and by word of mouth. Notices and such might start small, but in time they will get out-of-hand. Even such small things as notices will be taken as an advertising of Swami. Other Swamis have to advertise and even provide transport, but Sai does no advertising, yet thousands come. Sai even tells the people here to go home, but they stay. There is this difference.

CWBSSSB p.168 or http://media.radiosai.org/journals/Vol_05/01APR07/02-conversations.htm

Embodiments of Love! I have spoken to you in this manner only out of My immense love for you. Understand what has been conveyed to you and explain to your fellow devotees. Devotion has to be cultivated in a silent and sincere manner. Do not spoil your lives by resorting to untruthful ways. Sathyam bruyath (speak the truth). Truth is God. Hence, lead a truthful life and ultimately merge in truth.

SSS 35.11: July 22, 2002, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume35/sss35-11.pdf

I do not depend on outer manifestation and actions; I am related to you through the inner principle of Love. If you are to be drawn by outer attractions, advertisement is imperative. For example, if such a Conference or such a Celebration is held in any other place, invitations have to be printed and sent out, personal requests have to be made so that this person or that can attend. Considerations have to be held forth to many so that the invitations may be accepted and the function made a success. But here in the Prashanthi Nilayam, no invitation has ever been printed and distributed on any occasion, asking people to come. No one has been specially requested to take part. It is Love, the invitations of the Heart to the heart, that has brought you in tens of thousands to this place. The validity and value of Love are proved by you; Love is the most potent of My powers.

SSS 10.34: November 22, 1970 http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume10/sss10-34.pdf

The Lord has no intention to publicize himself. I do not need publicity, nor does any other Avathar of the Lord. What are you daring to publicize? Me? What do you know about me? You speak one thing about me today and another tomorrow. Your faith has not become unshakable. You praise me when things go well and blame me when things go wrong. When you start publicity you descend to the level of those who compete in collecting plenty by decrying others and extolling themselves.

43^rd birthday discourse, http://www.sathyasai.org/discour/1968/d681123.htm

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

SUMMARY 1. Madhusudan Naidu asks people to write about him and publicise their experiences with him. He tells his followers to share their experiences with those who are likely to believe them. 2. Sathya Sai Baba said that he needs no publicity and doesn't want publicity. He said that He wants quality and not quantity. QUESTIONS 1. Sri Sathya Sai Baba never engaged in publicity and said that He wanted quality, not quantity. If Madhusudan Naidu is in communication with Sri Sathya Sai Baba, why do he and those who support him indulge in publicity against the express wish of Sri Sathya Sai Baba?