Subject: Letter from International Chairman

September 18, 2001

Dear Devotees of Bhagawan Baba,

Devotees of Bhagawan may have been perturbed and disturbed by recent newspaper and Internet news reports of a very scurrilous and mischievous nature against Bhagawan Baba.  While such calumny has occurred in the past, their now seems to be a well-planned attempt and conspiracy to denigrate the Sai Mission.  Certain vested interests are alarmed by the continued and rapid spread of the glory and grandeur of Sai Avathar throughout the world and have therefore embarked on these spiteful efforts which are of course bound to fail.

While Bhagawan takes no notice of these blasphemous reports, devotees must also remain unshaken in their faith and devotion.  It is our sacred duty to protect the fair name of Sai Organisation and to ensure that our sadhana of
service as directed by Lord does not suffer in any way whatsoever.

Devotees are aware that Bhagawan demands purity and discipline from all of us.  He has often stated in his own words – “Unity is Divinity and purity is Enlightenment”.  The transformation of each one of us and the removal of our spiritual defects and shortcomings is not an easy process.  While He showers  His selfless pure Love and Grace on all of us, Bhagawan is a firm
taskmaster, who does not condone insincerity and subterfuge.  It is not that he forsakes us, but those of us who do not come to His standards of purity and commitment are sometimes subjected to what he Himself calls a “corrective treatment”.  In this phase of our spiritual journey, Bhagawan appears to withdraw from us.  When we realize this and correct ourselves, Bhagawan again showers His Love in abundant measure.  Many are not able to understand this, and since their faith is less than sincere, they fall by the wayside.  Some of them begin to criticize  Bhagawan and even spread malicious and baseless stories.  Some others who are mentally very weak take other extreme steps.

We must make no mistake in understanding that Bhagawan is always with us and we can win and keep his love and grace by our commitment to continued personal improvement of our life and personal as also family and community sadhana.

Every Avathar has had false and malicious allegations hurled at Him.  These canards have never and will never cause any blemish in the lives of Avathars.  History does not forgive such perfidious individuals who can stoop so low as to find fault with the divine itself.

We all know how the number of devotees of Bhagawan is increasing by the minute round the world.  We know how Bhagawan conducts his darshans and interviews.  We know how Bhagawan does not spare Himself in the service to
Humanity.  We all know that Bhagavan’s Life is His Message.  We also know that when we have our own experience to rely upon, we have no time or space to pay any heed to the malicious allegations that are innately false and devious.

Devotees however must be careful in interacting with the media, which has a strong propensity for sensationalism.  A whiff of scandal always helps their sales and therefore they do not even pause to verify the truth.  They only need to visit Prasanthi Nilayam once and see the hundreds of unparalleled human welfare projects inspired by Bhagawan around the world.  We suggest that only select office bearers interact with the media, not because we have anything to hide, but to ensure correctness of all facts and statements. All devotees however must brief themselves fully on all that Sai Mission is doing for the society and be capable of communicating this, their faith and own experience to persons who may genuinely want to know more about
Bhagawan.

Let us remain firm in our love and devotion to Sai and pray to Him to make us worthy instruments in His Divine Mission.  Let us always remember that Trust and Righteousness always triumph and Bhagawan is the living embodiment of all human values.