Sathya Sai Baba | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Personal | |
| Born | Ratnakaram Sathyanarayana Raju 23 November 1926 |
| Died | 24 April 2011 (aged 84) Puttaparthi, Andhra Pradesh, India |
| Religion | Hinduism |
| Nationality | Indian |
| Sect | Sathya Sai Baba movement |
| Signature |  |
| Organization | |
| Institute | |
| Founder of | Sri Sathya Sai International Organization Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust |
| Philosophy | Love All, Serve All. Help Ever, Hurt Never. |
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Sathya Sai Baba (born Ratnakaram Sathyanarayana Raju; 23 November 1926 – 24 April 2011)[1] was an Indian guru and philanthropist.[2][3] At the age of 14, he said he was the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba[4][5] and left his home saying "my devotees are calling me, I have my work."[6][7][8]
Sai Baba's believers have credited him with miracles such as materialisations of vibhuti (holy ash) and other small objects (rings, necklaces and watches),[9] spontaneous and miraculous healings, resurrections, clairvoyance, bilocation as well as being omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient.[10] His devotees believe these to be signs of his divinity, while other individuals have asserted that these acts were based on sleight of hand or had other explanations and as such, were not supernatural.[11][12][13]
In 1972, Sathya Sai Baba founded the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust.[14] Its goal was "to enable its members to undertake service activities as a means to spiritual advancement".[15] Through this organisation, Sathya Sai Baba established a network of free general[16] and super speciality hospitals,[17][18] free medical clinics,[19] drinking water projects,[20] schools, universities,[21] ashrams, auditoriums, and education technology.[22][23][24][25]
By virtue of his sizeable influence, many feel Sai Baba provides an example of "the phenomenon referred to as mahagurus; that is, gurus with a global reach."[26] Citing the number of Sai Centres (over 2000 in 137 countries),[27] the scope of service and charitable works (free hospitals, drinking water projects), social sphere and influence of devotees (royalty, celebrities, high ranking politicians along with a total number of devotees estimated to be from 6 to 100 million worldwide) as well as being seen as a global "movement extending in some very surprising ways."[26]
- ^ "Obituary: Indian guru Sai Baba". BBC News. 24 April 2011.
Satya Sai Baba was born Sathyanarayana Raju on 23 November 1926
- ^ Babb, Lawrence A. (1983). "Sathya Sai Baba's Magic". Anthropological Quarterly. 56 (3): 116–124. doi:10.2307/3317305. JSTOR 3317305.
- ^ Das, M. K. (2015). "Televising religion: A study of Sathya Sai Baba's funeral broadcast in Gangtok, India" (PDF). Anthropological Notebooks. 21 (3): 83–104.
- ^ Weiss, Richard (December 2005). "The Global Guru: Sai Baba and the Miracle of the Modern T" (PDF). New Zealand Journal of Asian Studies. 7 (2): 5–19. Archived from the original (PDF) on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 5 January 2010.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
kentwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Love, peace divinity". Deccan Herald. 30 April 2011. Retrieved 30 April 2011.
- ^ Singleton, Mark; Goldberg, Ellen (2013). Gurus of Modern Yoga. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199374953.
- ^ Babb, Lawrence A. (1991). Redemptive Encounters: Three Modern Styles in the Hindu Tradition. University of California Press. p. 164. ISBN 978-0520076365.
- ^ Thottam, Jyoti (26 April 2011). "Sathya Sai Baba: The Man Who Was God Is Dead". Time. Retrieved 27 May 2024.
- ^ Datta, Tanya (17 June 2004). "Sai Baba: God-man or con man?". BBC News. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ Johannes Quack (2012). Disenchanting India: Organized Rationalism and Criticism of Religion in India. Oxford University Press. pp. 120–. ISBN 978-0199812608.
- ^ Harmeet Shah Singh (24 April 2011) [Sunday (Easter Day)]. "Indian spiritual guru dies at 85". CNN. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ Palmer, Norris W. "Baba's World". In: Forsthoefel, Thomas A. (2005). Humes, Cynthia Ann (ed.). Gurus in America. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. ISBN 0791465748.
- ^ "SSSCT - Home". www.srisathyasai.org. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
srisaiorgwas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Sri Sathya Sai General Hospital, Prasanthi Nilayam". Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences". Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram". Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Prasanthigram. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Sssmh". www.sssmh.org.in. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "SSSCT - Anantapur Project". www.srisathyasai.org. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL)". Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL). Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini". learning.srisathyasaividyavahini.org. Retrieved 9 December 2022.
- ^ "Thousands flock to funeral of India guru Satya Sai Baba". BBC News. 27 April 2011.
- ^ "Sai Baba's legacy". Deccan Herald. 24 April 2011.
- ^ "'Sai Baba did everything govt could not'". The Times of India. Archived from the original on 1 October 2013.
- ^ a b "Gurus in America". State University of New York Press. 27 June 2005. Retrieved 27 June 2005.
- ^ "Sathya Sai Baba Life and Legacy". Barbados Today. 25 April 2023. Retrieved 25 April 2023.