Sathya sai international organisation

Portrayal of those involved with Sukshma Baba

In his book 'Loving God', Baba's biographer Sri N Kasturi talks about an incident that occurred while he was visiting Orissa to speak about Baba. His hosts had printed a programme for his tour of Orissa, one item being marked as 'Interviews with Prominent Personalities'. Although not quite comfortable with this description, Professor Kasturi let the matter go. But what happened as a result? When Kasturi returned to Prashanti Nilayam Swami refused to speak to him for days. When He eventually began talking to Kasturi again, Swami berated him:
"What has happened to you? Your pride is unbearable. Your swollen head will burst some day. What did you do in Orissa? You should get a merciless spanking". When Kasturi pleaded ignorance Swami handed a copy of his Orissa program to him, pointing out entry that read 'Interviews with Prominent Personalities.' Swami asked him "When you saw this announcement did you tell them it was wrong"? "No Swami". "There lies your pride, your bloated ego," He said. Swami then told him to "Send a telegram to those people that if they repeat such nonsense you won't enter Orissa". Kasturi of promised that he would and apologised, explaining that he only kept silent as he hadn't wanted to pain his hosts and create a scene. Swami simply patted him on the shoulder and softly said "Go and send the telegram". Kasturi said "I had been cleansed again. But, what a tunnel of travail I had to crawl through to emerge into the Light of Love"! He swore never again to allow this to happen.
Mr Kasturi later explains:

I must confess that the Orissa debacle happened because the words 'prominent personalities' tickled me as did the word 'interviews' (with the VIP of the Sai Family!). Of course I rationalised the situation and justified my acceptance as an exhibition of good manners or even of disdain. But Baba knew that my ego felt elated and when the personalities where ushered in for the interview. It revealed a deep spiritual flaw and Baba graciously undertook to correct it.

Loving God, pp.411-416
Swami carefully and lovingly protected those around Him from even a trace of pride or ego raising its head. Why?

Now, the question arises, “What exactly is the thick cloth that covers the mirror of one’s mind”? This cloth is made up of the arishad-varga—the gang of six internal enemies of man—viz. kama (desire), krodha (anger), lobha(greed), moha (attachment), mada (pride), and maatsarya (jealousy, envy). Out of the six, pride may be considered as the worst enemy. Pride is of eight kinds: pride of money, learning, caste, affluence, beauty, youth, position or authority, and tapas(spiritual pride).

SSIB 1990.7: http://www.sssbpt.info/summershowers/ss1990/ss1990-07.pdf

Only when egoistic pride is offered as a sacrifice at the altar of the Divine can man discover his true nature. This is the Dedication that is called for as the first step in the spiritual journey.

SSS 21.5: January 16, 1988, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume21/sss21-05.pdf

Pride will transform friends into enemies; it will keep even kinsmen afar; it will defeat all good schemes. Seva will develop in you the quality of humility. Humility will enable you to work in happy unison with others.

SSS 15.32: November 21, 1981, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume15/sss15-32.pdf
If Sukshma Baba is truly Sri Sathya Sai Baba, wouldn’t it be reasonable to expect that he would also protect those around him from developing ego? Do those close to 'Sukshma Baba' adhere to the same high standards that Swami set?
On the Sai Uvacha website we read the description of Madhusudan Naidu:

A brilliant student, an ardent devotee and a most humble servant of Swami, Madhusudhan Rao Naidu deserves all the accolades and grace that Swami has bestowed upon him. Just as a loving mother would bend down to pick up a small child, God descends on earth to forge a bond of kinship with humanity and facilitate its ascend to divinity. While it is true that Sathya Sai Baba does not need any mediums or intermediaries, he does need totally selfless and dedicated individuals such as Madhusudhan Rao Naidu and Sri Narsimha Murthy, willing to sacrifice their entire lives to become the most worthy instruments in the divine hands.

https://saiuvacha.wordpress.com/2015/03/08/who-is-madhusudhan-rao-naidu/
The Truth about Sukshma Baba document describes Madhusudan as ‘Madhu Baba‘:

For over a decade, Sai Baba had been preparing Madhusudhan for this role. He had to undergo austerities until the only thing in his life at all times was Swami. Nothing else exists for him ever. Madhu achieved the ultimate sacrifice of total complete surrender to the absolute which we refer to as Sathya Sai Baba.

If he wanted, he could have merged but chose to remain in his physical vehicle to help Swami complete his mission. There is no difference between the two. Swami and Madhu are one.

When you look into Madhu's eyes you see Baba. The voice that speaks is Baba. The gestures, walking and mannerism are Baba. Even the smell of Jasmine are indications of their oneness. There is only one difference between what is happening with Madhu-Baba and Sathya Sai Baba. Previously, there was a form. Now that is gone but everything else is the same.

Truth about Sukshma Baba, p.1

People are deluded into believing that Sathya Sai Baba communicates through another person. But the Truth is that in a phenomenon unknown to most and used very infrequently in history, a process that remains a mystery. Swami is Madhu. The words are his. The mouth moving is him, the gestures and manner of speaking are completely Sai. There is no Swami and Madhu. There is only one Sai Baba/ Madhu.

Email from Gerald Dominick (Sai Surya) 06/09/15
As previously stated, Madhusudan was known as a skilled actor in his university days and his speciality was imitating Baba's voice and mannerisms.
Sri B N Narasimhamurthy is praised as follows in the same document:

Narasimha has devoted his entire life to Sai Baba. Swami entrusted him with several important positions. His life has been angelic to the point of surrender to Baba. So pure is Narasimha that he had the reputation of being the only person who advice Baba followed.

Truth about Sukshma Baba, p.3
In her document, The Glory of God in Croatia, Connie Shaw describes her impressions of the Muddenahalli team's visit to Croatia. On page 1 and 2, Connie describes herself thus:

Having served Sathya Sai Baba for 34 years in various capacities, my information-gathering collectors were automatically in place…

“Since you have been blessed with the seva of taking 48 groups of sick people to India; have been blessed with many interviews; and Swami has appeared in your house 57 times; and hundreds of times during your thousands of talks in dozens of countries, how did you discern whether the Muddenahalli phenomenon, the Sai “Sukshma” or Subtle Body, was, in fact, genuine? Could you have been tricked?”

Connie Shaw quoted in Glory of God in Croatia, pp.1-2
She then goes on to describe the Muddenahalli team:

Dynamic, forty-ish Sri Ravi Kasturi, Sai’s enormously talented Team Organizer and Envoy, who has the energy of triplets and the charm of Krishna…

Sri Ravi is like a combination of a fast-moving sprite, a circus ring-leader, a Master of Ceremonies, a Field Marshall, and the ultimate Body Guard, all in one.

Connie Shaw quoted in Glory of God in Croatia, p.2

The first speaker was Isaac Tigrett, the venerable white-haired, bearded, distinguished-looking founder of the Hard Rock Café chain and the House of Blues cafes, (plus countless other enterprises). His tall, imposing figure was matched by his charisma and his obvious adoration of the Avatar…

Connie Shaw quoted in Glory of God in Croatia, p.3

White-haired Sri Narasimha Murthy, the warden of the Sri Sathya Sai School at Muddenahalli, who is tall, strongly-built and imposing, looked resplendent in his long stylish kurta and matching pants.

Connie Shaw quoted in Glory of God in Croatia, p.3

When slender, fluid Dr. Srinivas, the very appealing and accomplished physician, ambassador-for- Sai, and speaker extraordinaire, finished his two intimate talks, there was hardly a dry eye each time.

Connie Shaw quoted in Glory of God in Croatia, p.3

During the morning session, I saw, to my surprise and delight, Isaac Tigrett’s subtle body get up from his chair to the left of the stage, facing the audience, and move through the rows of women Vedic chanters while his physical body was still sitting in the chair! Like a kindly grand-father, he lovingly bent over and blessed/tapped the top of each woman’s head, in appreciation for their chanting and their high vibrations.

Connie Shaw quoted in Glory of God in Croatia, p.3
Connie finishes by describing herself as follows:

Ms. Connie Shaw has served Sathya Sai Baba for 34 years and has fulfilled many roles and capacities in the U.S. Sai Organisation. She has traveled (sic) in 60 countries and is the author of “Wake Up Laughing: My Miraculous Life with Sai Baba.” Ms. Shaw has given over 2,000 talks on the Love, Power and Divinity of the Avatar both in person and in 130 venues on Skype, on five continents.

Connie Shaw quoted in Glory of God in Croatia, p.5
In the Visit to Ebe, Nigeria 14th–17th July 2015 document, the main players of the Muddenahalli group are portrayed prominently through many photos and effusive titles.
Yet was this Swami's way? Swami always taught that our main focus should be on God, not on those who through His Grace were fortunate to have a role in His mission. Let us examine the latest information on how the main players at Muddenahalli are allowing themselves to be portrayed:

Sri Madhusudhan, the pure hearted one who transmits His messages through the astral plane; Narashimha Murthy, the Lord’s instrument for the spread of Educare, Isaac Tigrett, the epitome of Divine strength and courage; C. Sreenivas, the guru of selfless healthcare services; Ravi Kasturi, the Lord’s Hanumanji who has the energy of a thousand warriors , and V. Kumar, the angelic voice.

Visit to Ebe, Nigeria 14th–17th July 2015, pp.2-3
Following this were a number of photos of the team, captioned as follows:

• 
  Sri Sreenivas is as Sweet as His Lord
  
• 
  Madhu - Pure humble Instrument of Divinity
  
• 
  Tigrett - The Tiger of God
  
• 
  Sreenivas - Paradigm of Selfless Healthcare Service
  
• 
  Ravi Kasturi - the Lord's Hanumanji
  
• 
  Narashimha Murthy - Educare personified
  
• 
  Madhu, Seated at the Right hand of the Father (this is a reference to Jesus)
  

What did Swami say about publicising devotion?

Devotion is not an acquisition to be advertised; it is a secret gain which has to be communicated only to God. … But, just think for a while: Who granted you the chance, the intelligence, the success? The Lord. You are helpless without Him. He chose, He prompted, He executed, it was done. Be humble, be cordial with all. They are equally devoted and sincere.

SSS 9.32: November 20, 1969, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume09/sss09-32.pdf

SUMMARY 1. In order to save Kasturi from the danger of ego and pride, Swami chastised him for not objecting when another devotee simply wrote that Kasturi would grant ‘interviews’ to ‘prominent personages.’ 2. Madhusudan Naidu and the team he travels with allow themselves to be praised profusely, and be compared to Baba, Hanuman, Jesus and Krishna. Madhusudan also grants 'interviews' and 'discourses' in imitation of Sri Sathya Sai Baba. QUESTIONS 1. Looking at the way Madhusudan and his team allow themselves to be portrayed on an ongoing basis, would Sri Sathya Sai Baba approve of this behaviour? If not, why does Madhusudan’s Sukshma Baba approve of it? 2. Does this kind of behaviour focus devotees on Swami or Madhu and his team?