Indian guru preaches love to faithful millions

Press, 29 March 1984, Page 26

Indian guru preaches love to faithful millions

NZPA Puttaparthi. India They sit cross-legged in a semi-circle on the sandy earth, their eyes closed and heads bowed in meditation. “Om” chants flow out of the Hindu temple before them. Suddenly, the chanting stops and a tiny 152 cm man with a huge Afro hairdo, red lips, and a full-length orange robe emerges from the shrine.

The hundreds of disciples strain to glimpse their guru. Women kiss his bare feet as he walks slowly among them, sprinkling them with sacred ash that he seems to materialise out of the air.

After collecting letters from devotees seeking his advice, he picks a dozen people for a private audience and disappears into the pastel-coloured temple. It is the typical earlymorning darshan, or daily blessing ceremony, of the Indian guru called Sai Baba. Sai Baba, which means divine mother and father, has, at 57, become the biggest cult figure in India since Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, the Beatles’ guru and founder of Transcendental Meditation. He also commands a greater following in Puttaparthi than Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the guru who left

India in 1981 to set up a controversial commune of about 2500 followers in the American state of Oregon.

This remote south Indian community in Andhra Pradesh state is the site of Sai Baba’s sprawling ashram, or hermitage, called Prashanti Niliyan — “abode of supreme peace.” About a three-hour drive from the nearest city, Bangalore, the commune lies in . a barren valley of rocky ' hills, cactus plants and coconut trees.

The complex includes a university, dormitory-style housing, cafeteria and bookstore. About 1000 people live there, while other guests come for a few days, weeks, or months at a time.

The worshippers pay the equivalent of less than SUSI a day for food and lodging. Most are Indian, but visitors from 40 countries make pilgrimages to the commune.

Ashram officials claim that Sai Baba has 10 million followers world-wide, many from the United States, Europe, Scandinavia, and South-East Asia. The best known is Antonio Craxi, brother of the Italian Prime Minister, Bettino Craxi. He left his job as a businessman to live in the

commune with his wife and four children.

“Six years ago I met Swami here because of family problems,” Mr Craxi, aged 47, said. “Swami solved the problem and I decided to stay here because I was so full of love for Swami.” What does a socialist leader feel about his brother devoting his life to an Indian holy man? “At first he did not agree,” Mr Craxi said. “But he has started to understand and respect my position. Now, I think he is very open to the idea that everything to improve and ameliorate man has to be supported.” Sai Baba claims to be an avatar, the incarnation of a Hindu god. His followers say he is omniscient, can heal the sick and wounded, and perform miracles such as stopping floodwaters or bringing a dead man back to life. But Sai Baba is probably best known for his knack of materialising the sacred vibhuti ash and other objects. In the temple with his select audience, he made a circular gesture with his hand and produced a gold-col-oured ring for one woman and a medallion for a young man.

He denies that it was a trick or sleight-of-hand aided by his long sleeves.

"This is my wish." he said. "I think. I get it." Although a Hindu bybirth, he preaches that all religions are one. "There is only one caste, the caste of humanity, only one religion, religion of love; only one language, language of heart," he said while sitting in a swivelling red velvet throne-like chair inside the temple's small private room. Speaking often rambling English, he reeled off a series of aphorisms.

“Body is like a water bubble . . . Mind is like a mad monkey ... Do not follow the mind ... Do not follow the body . . . Follow the conscience . . .”

“Mind is pure soul. Without soul this body is like living dead.

“Today everyone wants to command but no-one wants to obey . . . Always selfish, selfish, selfish. Fish is better than selfish.

“Love is selflessness. Selfishness. lovelessness. “Removal of immoralities is the only way to immortality. “Start the day with love. Fill the day with love. End the day with love. This is the way to God.”

Sai Baba is an effemi-nate-looking man who sways when he walks. His lips are reddened by the betel leaf he chews. Most of

his followers are women, but he does not preach sexual freedom as do some other swamis appealing to young Westerners. Except for the handful of married couples at the ashram, men and women are not permitted to mix. Even at tl,e daily darshan. the men and women sit apart Also prohibited are smoking. drinking alcohol, and eating meat or eggs. The posted rules advise the adherents to "devote your time to spiritual activities and . . . confine all conversation to spiritual matters as far as possible."

Sai Baba said the ashram is paid for by private donations from devotees. The commune also has a trust, but no-one here said they knew its worth. “There is no money collections,” Sai Baba said. “A big trust is there. I don’t want any help from others." Among his believers are a young American couple. Michael and Faith Hollander, who were married on the ashram and are now considering settling here. They say Sai Baba has taught them the following message: “Where there is love there is peace. Where there is peace there is truth. Where there is truth there is bliss. Where there is bliss there is God.”