Sathya sai international organisation

Swami's advice on those who masquerade as Gods

Sathya Sai Baba spoke in detail about the claims of those who masquerade as Gods. As early as the 1940s, Swami told Karunamba Ramamurthy, author of Sri Sathya Sai Anandadayi, that those who claim that Gods speak through them are being deceived by evil spirits:

Devotee: Swami, what kind of acts should be done and what type of acts should be avoided for self-realisation? We are ignorant of this.

Swami: Do not believe in mesmerism (nb: spiritualism, mediums). Do not try to learn it or practice it. What you see then are evil spirits. God is not that easily attainable. God, who is a form of satvaguna (purity), will never enter into these lowly things and talk. Man is seven steps below God. Evil spirits are six steps below God. God's aura falls on all these steps. Evil spirits have slightly greater strength than man. With this extra strength, they have the power to masquerade themselves as Gods. (Do not get cheated by these spirits. Beware!).

Sri Sathya Sai Anandadayi, p.292 or http://scriptures.ru/jws_exc.htm
In 1970, Swami said:

There are others who claim that I am speaking through them, and answering questions put to them. These people must be either insane or hysteria-affected or they are possessed by some ghost or by the greed to earn money thereby. I can only tell you that it is not I that speaks through them. I do not need media; nor do I need substitutes or subsidiaries or representatives.

Evil forces which design to damage or diminish the faith and devotion of the simple and the sincere do emerge into action and try to attract attention by devious means. They try to draw away aspirants from the spiritual path into worldly paths of avarice and malice. There is a big chasm of difference between the Sai Shakti (Sai Power) and these inferior shaktis. Since the opportunity has now offered itself, this has to be said.

SSS 10.35: November 22, 1970, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume10/sss10-35.pdf

SUMMARY 1. The Muddenahalli group claim that Sukshma Baba is Sathya Sai Baba. However, Madhusudan approved as correct the statement that Sukshma Baba is a separate entity from Sathya Sai Baba and they have separate activities. 2. Sathya Sai Baba warned us that, "Evil forces which design to damage or diminish the faith and devotion of the simple and the sincere do emerge into action and try to attract attention by devious means. They try to draw away aspirants from the spiritual path into worldly paths of avarice and malice" (SSS 10.35). 3. He also said “Evil spirits have slightly greater strength than man. With this extra strength, they have the power to masquerade themselves as Gods. (Do not get cheated by these spirits. Beware!)”. QUESTION 1. In the wake of Swami's Mahasamadhi, what would such evil forces be hoping to achieve and how would they attempt to do it?

Sathya Sai Baba's Mission

Predetermined entrance and exit

Madhusudan Naidu told Isaac Tigrett that Sathya Sai Baba had to leave His body early without completing His mission because:

Tigrett, my gross body was decayed and useless and I had to leave it behind.

Madhusudan Naidu quoted in letter from Isaac Tigrett, May 2014,

http://www.avataara.net/kodaikanal-2014.html

When asked why Sathya Sai Baba appeared to leave His body prematurely, Madhusudan Naidu replied:

When I was young like you, and My body was strong, I physically travelled to many places, met many people and guided them. When the body became a little weak, I stayed in Prasanthi Nilayam, and from there, called people to Me, spoke to them, and guided them. Finally, when the body became weaker, I could not speak or do anything. I could only come for darshan and then return. At least that way, I was able to serve people. Then the body became further weak. I was not even able to come and give darshan. What is the use of such a body which cannot be of any use to anyone? It is better to discard such a body.

Madhusudan Naidu, Padova Italy, April 17, 2015

Every time you write to Me saying, “Swami cure me of this, save me from that,” all these what you had to suffer, somebody in the Universe has to suffer. That is what I underwent, which made Me give away that old car much sooner than I desired.

Madhusudan Naidu, Kodaikanal, May 19, 2014

Swami stayed in the body so long as He could serve others. Body was given to helping others. Swami gave up the body, full of ill health, to take up the subtle form.

Notes from talk by Madhusudan Naidu, May 9, 2015
Thus according to Madhusudan, Swami was forced by ill health to leave His body early, against His will. However, Sathya Sai Baba said that He wrote the script of all characters in His divine play and each character had a predetermined entrance and exit:

He is the puppeteer (sutradhari), the holder of the strings that move the puppets and make them act their roles, but He seats Himself among the spectators and pretends to be unaware of the plot or story or cast. The characters cannot deviate a dot from His directions; His Will guides and determines every single movement and gesture. The varying emotions and events on the stage by which the drama unrolls itself affect the hearts of those who witness the play, but they don’t cause a ruffle in the heart of the puppeteer. He decides what this person should say or that person should do, and He prompts the appropriate words and deeds (karma) in them.

Bhagavatha Vahini, p.41, http://www.sssbpt.info/vahinis/Bhagavatha/BhagavathaVahiniInteractive.pdf

The Play is His; the role is His Gift; the lines are written by Him; He decides the dress and decoration, the gesture and the tone, the entrance and the exit. You have to act well the part and receive His approbation, when the curtain falls.

SSS 10.13: June 9, 1970, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume10/sss10-13.pdf

It is God who makes you play your role in this cosmic drama. It is He who makes you sing, dance, etc. He is the cosmic play director.

SSS 37.23: October 17, 2004, http://www.sathyasai.org/discour/2004/d041017.html
As the cosmic play director, Swami described His own role:

Every step in the career of the Avatar is predetermined.

SSS 03.4: February 5, 1963, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume03/sss03-04.pdf

This task will succeed; it will not be impeded by any obstacle. It will not be limited or slowed. When the Lord decides and wills, His Sankalpa (Resolve) cannot be hindered…

This Body has come through Divine Sankalpa (the Lord's Resolve), to come. That resolve is intended to uphold Sathya. Bhagavath-sankalpa (God's resolve) is always Sathya-sankalpa (resolve that comes true).

SSS 4.49: December 17, 1964, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume04/sss04-49.pdf
In 2003, Swami suffered an injury to His hip and then underwent a hip replacement. While He was recovering from the operation, Swami had two students staying with Him in His room at the Poornachandra Auditorium. One of those students shared a story about his time with Swami which shows that Swami was preparing to leave His body as early as 2003.
After helping Swami back to His bed, Swami asked the student to sit with Him. Swami looked at the student and asked him "What will you do if I leave you all now and go away"? The student looked at Swami and said "Swami, why are you talking like that! The doctors are saying that within three months you will be running so fast that we won't be able to catch you"! Swami replied "I know, I know" He looked directly at the student, His face serious and asked again "But what will you do if I leave you all now and go away"?
The student realised that Swami was seriously considering leaving His body. With tears in his eyes he replied "Bhagawan! I would die! And if I didn't, my life would be living death"! "I know, I know”, replied Swami with compassion. "Before I go I will prepare you" He then pointed to the other student "and him and everybody. It will be a very long preparation".
This is what Swami was doing from 2003 to 2011. He was preparing us for His exit from the stage of life, gradually letting His body go. Swami's departure was a conscious exit, not an enforced departure.