Why Sathya Saibaba is venerated all over the world?

Fundamentally, any incarnation of the Divine do not belong to any region or religion. They belong to the entire humanity as a whole. For the purpose of taking birth in human form, they have to be born in some place. Once they start their mission, people from all over the world are attracted. Where there is honey, bees are attracted to the flower automatically.

Sathya Saibaba has chosen a remote hamlet in Anantapur District, Andhrapradesh in South India. When he was a teen, he discontinued school education in the middle, stating that "My devotees are calling, I do not belong to you" He was addressing thus to his sister in law when he came back from the school within an hour of going to the school. He has thrown his bag containing books and notes inside the house and left the place. He reached a garden adjoining a house of a government officer. There he sat on a stone.

His first words of instruction to the devotees through a bhajan song which is being sung by the devotees all over the world. The meaning of the song is simple and straight forward. He asked the people gathered there to 'meditate on the feet of the preceptor who will take you across the miserable ocean of earthly life"

Thus started his grand mission. Once he told the devotees, "I have not come to start a new sect or cult or form of worship. I have come to show you the ancient ways, "Sanathana Dharma". The meaning itself is very profound. Sanathana connotes "ancient' and Dharma means "righteousness or right way of living".He clarified that the ancient royal highway is hidden by bushes and shrubs. I have come to show you the highway which will safely take you to the divine. Bushes and shrubs have grown due to non-use. Otherwise, there is no decline. It has to be practiced.

He also clarified that he has not come to promote any particular religion. By following the tenets of their own religion sincerely, a Christian will become a better Christian, A Muslim will become a better Muslim and a Hindu will become a better Hindu. All the religions teach only universal brotherhood, harmony and selfless love towards all. They teach it in different ways. Fundamentally there is no difference between any religions. Just like each country has a different climate, food habits etc., each religion follows a different way of practicing the above tenets. This is the fundamental unity. We are all one race of 'humanity'. This is the common factor. Denominations and distinctions are created by man.

It is a common scene that the birth place of Sathya Saibaba is being visited by people all over the globe from all the religious beliefs. He never ask them to change their chosen god or mode of worship. He asks them to follow their religion sincerely and consciously.He underwent school education only upto eighth standard, But he has clarified the doubts of many seekers of Truth who had doubts in their religious texts. He got constructed one masjid in Puttaparthi for the Muslim population. It is no wonder that many Christians, Muslims, Jews, Parsis and Sikhs follow his beautiful instructions. His emphasize is "All are One, Be alike to every one", Help Ever, Hurt Never; The hands that serve are holier than the lips that pray".

One more revealing incidence is that the so called 'communist countries' have many followers. Chinese new year is celebrated every year by a group of Chinese followers at Prasanthi Nilayam where Baba used to give His Dharsan and discourses. People from Iran, Iraq and many middle east countries throng to his place every year and they pray to him through chanting their religious verses. Majority of his books has been translated in almost all major languages of the world. The spiritual newsletter named "Sanathana Sarathi" is being published every month in many major languages of the world. His followers are in every place of the world and they conduct silent service activities to the local communities like 'Free food distribution to the poor, free medical care, free basic education to the needy.

Many Educational Institutions are run in many third world countries following the principles of Sathya Saibaba. The Sathya Sai School in Zambia is one such institution which has transformed many erring youth into responsible citizens and earned lot of accolades in the media and newspapers. Most of the books written on Saibaba and His Mission is other than in Indian languages. People are attracted by the Universal Love Baba symbolized in his own life!

Sathyasai baba has clarified, "My life is my message! He always followed what he preached. He founded Free educational Institutions which teaches "Integral education" The students are taught, apart from regular curriculum, human values, human virtues, philosopies of the major religions. The life of saints, sages and Avatar from every religion. No fee is charged from any student from KG to PG classes. Also specialized M.Tech courses, MBA and MFM courses are taught to the students. It is no wonder that Sai students are the most sought after in major multi-national companies since they follow in their work place all the values imbibed through Sai educational system. Saibaba has aptly said, education should lead to 'educare' to care for the society, the poor and downtrodden. Free food to the poor is one of the holiest service activities practiced by students and devotees.

In addition Sathya Sai Baba has founded two major super speciality hospitals to offer tertiary care to all free of cost. There is no billing department in the hospitals. Speciality care which is available in many advanced countries are offered free of cost. More than a lakh of surgeries which include cardiac procedures, eye surgeries and other advanced surgeries are conducted free on all patients who require such treatments. In many parts of India, free mobile medical vans conduct sorties to remote and isolated villages and offer health care to the needy.

The free drinking water supply projects executed by Sathya Sai Trust is a grand success. No Government had hitherto attempted to provide such schemes in gigantic proportions. Though Government has not contributed any money for the scheme, Saibaba has spent more than thousand crores of Indian rupees for completing all those projects. To day, Chennai, a major metropolitan city of South India enjoys the benevolence of Sathya Sai water project.

He has said, many devotees from all over the globe are assembling here. I have not sent any invitation to them. They come to partake my pure love! It is no wonder that people from all over the world go there for the selfless love and his divine protection!