Sathya Sai Baba movement

Not to be confused with Shirdi Sai Baba movement.

The Sathya Sai Baba movement is a new religious movement inspired by South Indian Neo-Hindu guru Sathya Sai Baba who taught the unity of all religions.[1][2][3] Some of his followers have faith in his claim to be a purna Avatar (full divine incarnation) of Shiva and Shakti,[4] who is believed to have been predicted in the Bhagavad Gita.[5] This means that some of his followers see him as a God.[6] Devotees engage in singing devotional songs called "bhajans" and selfless service (seva).[7][8] Its official organization is the Sathya Sai Organization. However the Sathya Sai Baba movement extends beyond the organization.[9] An important aspect of the faith of adherents is the miracles attributed to Sathya Sai Baba.[10] The number of adherents is estimated between 6 and 100 million.[11][12][13]

  1. ^ Kent, Alexandra (2006). "Sai Baba movement". In Clarke, Peter B. (ed.). Encyclopedia of New Religious Movements. London; New York: Routledge. pp. 545–547. ISBN 9-78-0-415-26707-6.
  2. ^ Kasturi, Narayana, "Sathyam Sivam Sundaram" Volume I, Sri Sathya Sai Books & Publications Trust, ISBN 81-7208-127-8, Available online
  3. ^ Nagel, Alexandra (note: Nagel is a critical former follower) Een mysterieuze ontmoeting... :Sai Baba en mentalist Wolf Messing published in Tijdschrift voor Parapsychologie 368, vol. 72 nr 4, December 2005, pp. 14-17 (Dutch language)
  4. ^ Shiva Shakthi
  5. ^ Bowen, David (1988) The Sathya Sai Baba Community in Bradford: Its origins and development, religious beliefs and practices. Leeds: University Press. Page 212
  6. ^ Sai Baba turns 82, is still going strong - India News - IBNLive
  7. ^ Kent, page 47
  8. ^ Milner, Murray Jr. Hindu Eschatology and the Indian Caste System: An Example of Structural Reversal .The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 52, No. 2 (May, 1993), pp. 298–319 As Babb notes, "The emphasis on social service provides an opportunity for devotees to do good in the world, but Sathya Sai Baba's profound conservatism on fundamentals like caste and gender ensures that doing good is unlikely to challenge his devotees' more basic sense of propriety and order" (1986:200-1).
  9. ^ Kent, page 68
    "The Sai Baba movement in Malaysia falls into two main camps. It has been formalized into a very active Sai Baba organization, renowned among devotees all over the world, but outside the organization are devotees who worship Sai Baba but remain independent of the organization and its ideology."
  10. ^ Babb, Lawrence A. (1983). "Sathya Sai Baba's Magic". Anthropological Quarterly. 56 (3): 116–124. doi:10.2307/3317305. JSTOR 3317305.
  11. ^ adherents.com Adherents citing Chryssides, George. Exploring New Religions. London, UK: Cassells (1999). (retrieved 2 March 2007)
    "[Original source of British figure: email from Kishor Kumar of the UK Sai organization] "I have selected the best available [statistics], providing a range where adjudication is impossible... Sai Baba: Britain: 4,000 active devotees linked to a Sai Centre (1999); World 10,000,000 ""
  12. ^ Brown, Mick,Divine Downfall, The Daily Telegraph, 28 October 2000, Available online
    "The guru Sai Baba has left India only once, yet his devotees across the world are estimated at up to 50 million."
  13. ^ Nagel, Alexandra (note: Nagel is a critical former follower) "De Sai Paradox: Tegenstrijdigheden van en rondom Sathya Sai Baba"/"The Sai Paradox contradictions of and surrounding Sathya Sai Baba" from the magazine "Religieuze Bewegingen in Nederland, 'Sekten' "/"Religious movements in the Netherlands, 'Cults/Sects' ", 1994, nr. 29. published by the Free University Amsterdam press, (1994) ISBN 90-5383-341-2
    English translation: "[the skeptic] Beyerstein (1992:3) estimates the number to be 6 million; Riti & Theodore (1993:31) estimates 30 million, Sluizer (1993:19) writes 70 million, and [the follower] Van Dijk (1993:30) writes "between 50 and 100 million". "
    Dutch original "Beyerstein (1992:3) schat het aantal op 6 miljoen; Riti & Theodore (1993:31) op 30 miljoen, Sluizer (1993:19) heeft het over 70 miljoen en Van Dijk (1993:30) over "tussen de 50 en 100 miljoen.""