Sathya sai international organisation

Building new temples and ashrams

Madhusudan Naidu has begun encouraging people to build new temples and ashrams for Sukshma Baba all over the world:

So, I want to build an ashram here and you have to be prepared for the ashram. I have a plan. You will find a beautiful place on the hill, higher than other places around, and there will be build this ashram.

Madhusudan Naidu, Croatia, April 21, 2015 http://bhajanmusic.info/sukshma-baba-information/JULY-2015-WORLD-QA-ENGLISH#QA005

I bless that this place will grow in the future into a great spiritual centre for the entire country. It will grow into a very big ashram in times to come, and people from all around the country will come here to seek spiritual solace… Start working on building a bhajan temple here, and many rooms for devotees to stay, to come together and have satsang and spiritual workshops. Within a year, there will be significant progress. When Swami comes back next year, there will be a hall here to receive Him, and not this tent. From that root, the tree and all the branches will grow, and when I return as the next Physical Avatar, I will definitely make this My home in Italy.

Madhusudan Naidu, Italy, April 19, 2015

In Singapore there is unity. They are building a new mandir.

Email from Gerald Dominick (Sai Surya), January 18, 2015

Many exciting events are happening. At Muddenahalli, bhajans and discourses will now be held at Prem Deep until the new mandir/auditorium is finished. Sai Anandam will be made into a Temple.

Email from Gerald Dominick (Sai Surya), April 24, 2015

Among the places He visited, Swami also blessed with His Divine Presence the shrine built in His name at Pascarosa (Cisternino). Years ago, He had instructed a devotee to begin a small temple there for Him. During this visit, Bhagawan said the temple would grow to become an important place of spiritual power and pilgrimage for people from all over the world. He also said He would visit the holy shrine every year in His Subtle Form, and even in future, in the form of Prema Sai Baba.

Divine Visit to Italy pamphlet, April 2015

He gathered 8 devotees for the evening interview and asked that I sit on the chair next to Him. Then He gave us the task and very clear instructions for building an ashram which will be called Ananda.

We are not to worry about money, that is His concern. The Ashram will be a large spiritual centre for Europe.

Visit to Croatia, April 22, 2015, p.5

When the time is right, I will personally tell you about the ashram. It is not so close, it is far away. It will be a big place in the village. There will be a 100 acre ashram. That will be one ashram for the eastern side of the world. Where people will come from all over the world, from Japan, from Singapore and that ashram will be here in Malaysia. I will build that, there is time for it.

'Master's Divine Command', Kuala Lumpur, March 13, 2015
But did Sathya Sai Baba ever say He wanted mandirs to be built for Him?

Attempts are being made in many places to build Sathya Sai Mandirs (halls of worship). But Sathya Sai will be happy if He is installed in your hearts; that is the Mandir I like, not those. When you seek to build that other Mandir, you have to go about seeking donations. Religion has declined in this land due to this donation-seeking and donation-granting. Really speaking, the most precious donation is a pure mind; give that to the organisation and it will shine.

SSS 7.18: April 21, 1967, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume07/sss07-18.pdf

Emphasise simplicity and sincerity, more than pomp and show. Make the mind, the shrine. Have mind'irs, not mandirs! Discourage the building of mandirs and halls; try to utilise the temples and halls that already exist. Let the temples that are fast being depleted of pilgrims become once again centres of spiritual vibration. Decorations and detonations tend to draw the mind away from the essential; people indulge in these things more to show themselves off and impress their importance on the public. During the festivals and celebrations, or even in daily life, people should not indulge in exhibitionistic display. If money comes into the picture, it becomes ugly and low.

SSS 11.16: March 8, 1971, http://www.sssbpt.info/ssspeaks/volume11/sss11-16.pdf

Swami does not require any shrines. Swami is not interested in real estate. All that Swami wants is you should serve society with bliss and without selfishness.

Embodiments of Love! Develop love in you. Bhagawan needs no temples or rest houses. The temple of your heart is more than enough. Bhagawan shall stay happily therein.

The news that I get from those so-called temples is highly distressing to Me. The amount of anguish that I undergo because of these is beyond your imagination.

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

SUMMARY 1. Madhusudan Naidu is actively encouraging devotees to build temples and ashrams for him all around the world. 2. Swami said repeatedly that He does not need any mandir, that He is not interested in real estate and that the temple of our hearts is quite enough for Him. He also said that "the news that I get from those so-called temples is highly distressing to Me. The amount of anguish that I undergo because of these is beyond your imagination" (SSS 35.11). QUESTIONS 1. If Madhusudan Naidu is in communication with Swami, why then would he encourage the building of ashrams and temples to Swami?