Avatar Declaration Day falls on on Wednesday 20th October and we will recognise this important day on Sunday 17th October with a special programme at Soar Valley and also streaming the programme online on our usual YouTube channel.
On the 20th day of October 1940, Sathyanarayana (Sathya Sai Baba) started for school as usual. However, within a few minutes, He returned to the house. Standing on the outer doorstep, He cast aside the books He was carrying and called out, “I am no longer your Sathya. I am Sai". The sister-in-law came from the kitchen, only to be blinded by the splendour of the halo around Baba's head! He addressed her, “I am going; I don't belong to you; Maya (delusion) has gone; My Bhaktas (devotees) are calling Me; I have My Work; I can't stay here any longer."
Sathya would not step into that building again. He moved into the garden of the Excise Inspector Sri Anjaneyulu's bungalow, and sat on a rock in the midst of the trees. People came into the garden from all directions bringing flowers, fruits, incense and camphor to worship Him. The garden resonated with the voices of hundreds singing bhajans (devotional singing) and following the lines of the first prayer that Sri Sathya Sai taught them: “Manasa Bhajare Gurucharanam Dusthara Bhava Sagara Tharanam“ (O Mind! Meditate on the Feet of the Guru, which will take you across the wearisome sea of Samsara or worldly existence).
A photographer came with a camera to capture a beautiful picture of the young Swami. He wanted to remove a crude stone that was right in front of Him, but Baba did not heed to the prayer. He clicked nevertheless and lo! When the photo was developed, the stone had become an image of Shirdi Sai Baba! An thus Sathya Sai Baba’s mission began…
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