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96-853: Traditional Sathya Sai Baba (born Ratnakaram Sathyanarayana Raju ; 23 November 1926 – 24 April 2011) was an Indian guru and philanthropist. At the age of 14, he said he was the reincarnation of Shirdi Sai Baba and left his home saying "my devotees are calling me, I have my work." Sai Baba's believers have credited him with miracles such as materialisations of vibhuti (holy ash) and other small objects (rings, necklaces and watches), spontaneous and miraculous healings, resurrections , clairvoyance , bilocation as well as being omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient . 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. In 1972, Sathya Sai Baba founded

192-444: A spiritual advisor , or someone who performs traditional rituals outside a temple, or an enlightened master in the field of tantra or yoga or eastern arts who derives his authority from his experience, or a reference by a group of devotees of a sect to someone considered a god-like Avatar by the sect. The tradition of reverence for guru continues in several denominations within modern Hinduism, but rather than being considered as

288-534: A Guru, loving devotion with the Almighty is not possible. Guru Amar Das , the third Sikh Guru says knowledge will have no foundation without a Guru Prasad Prasāda ( Sanskrit pronunciation: [pɽɐsaːdɐ] , Sanskrit : प्रसाद), prasad or prasadam is a religious offering in Hinduism . Most often Prasada is vegetarian food especially cooked for devotees after praise and thanksgiving to

384-614: A bakery, emergency medical services and three food courts – North and South Indian as well as Western canteens. In the encompassing area around Puttaparthi there is an extensive university complex, a specialty hospital, and two museums: the Sanathana Samskruti or Eternal Heritage Museum, sometimes called the Museum of All Religions, and the Chaitanya Jyoti , devoted exclusively to the life and teachings of Sai Baba;

480-447: A global reach." Citing the number of Sai Centres (over 2000 in 137 countries), 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." Sathyanarayana Raju

576-412: A god. Mahaprasada (also called bhandarā ), is the consecrated food offered to the deity in a Hindu temple which is then distributed and partaken by all the devotees regardless of any orientation. Prasada is closely linked to the term naivedya , also spelt naivedhya , naibedya or naived(h)yam. The food offered to the deity is called naivedya , while the sacred food sanctified and returned by

672-438: A good sign. 'Prasāda' is sometimes translated as gift or grace . The prasada is to be consumed by attendees as a holy offering. The offerings may include cooked food, fruits and confectionery sweets. Vegetarian food is usually offered and later distributed to the devotees who are present in the temple . Sometimes this vegetarian offering will exclude prohibited items such as garlic, onion, mushroom, etc. Non-vegetarian

768-567: A great privilege to have an interview and sometimes a single person, group or family was invited for a private interview so they could ask for answers to spiritual questions or for general guidance. Internationally, his devotees gather daily, or weekly on Sundays or Thursdays or both, for satsangs, spiritual discourses and devotional songs , prayer, spiritual meditation, service to the community (Seva), and to participate in "Education in Human Values" (SSEHV) known as " Bal Vikas " (Blossoming of

864-606: A large scale." Many spiritual figures expressed their sentiments at Sai Baba's passing. Mata Amritanandamayi said, "Sri Sathya Sai Baba was the one who opened the path of love and compassion to millions of his devotees. Sathya Sai Baba’s life was his message.” Ravi Shankar , Founder of the Art of Living , issued this statement. "Baba will continue to live in the hearts of millions of devotees... his message of 'Satya Dharma Shanti Prema' which has transcended all barriers of caste and religion ." The Dalai Lama expressed shock over

960-641: A life of study in the Gurukula (the household of the Guru ). The process of acceptance included proffering firewood and sometimes a gift to the guru, signifying that the student wants to live with, work and help the guru in maintaining the gurukul , and as an expression of a desire for education in return over several years. At the Gurukul, the working student would study the basic traditional vedic sciences and various practical skills-oriented shastras along with

1056-937: A lineage of gurus, who would study and focus on certain schools of Hindu philosophy or trade, also known as the guru-shishya parampara (teacher-student tradition). This guru -driven tradition included arts such as sculpture, poetry and music. Inscriptions from 4th century CE suggest the existence of gurukuls around Hindu temples , called Ghatikas or Mathas , where the Vedas were studied. In south India, 9th century Vedic schools attached to Hindu temples were called Calai or Salai , and these provided free boarding and lodging to students and scholars. Archaeological and epigraphical evidence suggests that ancient and medieval era gurukuls near Hindu temples offered wide range of studies, ranging from Hindu scriptures to Buddhist texts, grammar, philosophy, martial arts, music and painting. The guru-shishya parampara , occurs where knowledge

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1152-642: A noun, connotes "teacher" in Sanskrit , but in ancient Indian traditions it has contextual meanings with significance beyond what teacher means in English. The guru is more than someone who teaches a specific type of knowledge, and included in the term's scope is someone who is also a "counselor, a sort of parent of mind ( Citta ) and Self ( Atman ), who helps mold values ( Yamas and Niyamas ) and experiential knowledge as much as specific knowledge , an exemplar in life, an inspirational source and who reveals

1248-507: A personal teacher. Buddha is called as Lokagaru, meaning "the teacher of the world". In Vajrayana Buddhism's Tantric teachings, the rituals require the guidance of a guru. The guru is considered essential and to the Buddhist devotee, the guru is the "enlightened teacher and ritual master", states Stephen Berkwitz. The guru is known as the vajra guru (literally "diamond guru"). Initiations or ritual empowerments are necessary before

1344-669: A project to provide drinking water to 1.2 million people in the drought-prone Rayalaseema region in the Anantapur district of Andhra Pradesh . In April 1999 he inaugurated the Ananda Nilayam Mandir in Madurai , Tamil Nadu. In 2001 he established another free super-speciality hospital in Bangalore to benefit the poor. In 2003, Sai Baba suffered a fractured hip when a student standing on an iron stool slipped and

1440-489: A prophet, the guru is seen as a person who points the way to spirituality, oneness of being, and meaning in life. In some forms of Buddhism , states Rita Gross, the concept of Guru is of supreme importance. Guru is called as Garu in Pali. The Guru is the teacher, who teaches the spiritual and religious knowledge. Guru can be anyone who teach this knowledge and not generally need to be Acariya or Upajjhaya . Guru can also be

1536-530: A role served by Jain ascetics . The guru is one of three fundamental tattva (categories), the other two being dharma (teachings) and deva ( divinity ). The guru-tattva is what leads a lay person to the other two tattva . In some communities of the Śvētāmbara sect of Jainism, a traditional system of guru-disciple lineage exists. The guru is revered in Jainism ritually with Guru-vandan or Guru-upashti , where respect and offerings are made to

1632-534: A teacher of skills, a counselor, one who helps in the realization of one's Self ( Atma ), who instills values and experiential knowledge, an exemplar, an inspiration and one who helps guide a student's ( śiṣya ) spiritual development. At a social and religious level, the Guru helps continue the religion and Hindu way of life. Guru thus has a historic, reverential and an important role in the Hindu culture. The word Guru

1728-449: A vow to lead all who stray away from the straight path, again into goodness and save them... to remove the sufferings of the poor and grant them what they lack." Personally stating, "I do not belong to any place. I am not attached to any name. I have no ‘mine’ or ‘thine’." In 1944, a mandir for Sai Baba's devotees was built near the village of Puttaparthi . It is now referred to as the "old mandir". The construction of Prasanthi Nilayam ,

1824-413: Is a guru who removes the disciples' suffering. Numerous here on earth are those who are intent on social class, stage of life and family. But he who is devoid of all concerns is a guru difficult to find. An intelligent man should choose a guru by whom supreme Bliss is attained, and only such a guru and none other. A true guru is, asserts Kula-Arnava , one who lives the simple virtuous life he preaches,

1920-435: Is available only to men of three varnas, unavailable to Shudra and women. Kramrisch, Scharfe, and Mookerji state that the guru tradition and availability of education extended to all segments of ancient and medieval society. Lise McKean states the guru concept has been prevalent over the range of class and caste backgrounds, and the disciples a guru attracts come from both genders and a range of classes and castes. During

2016-506: Is for everyone, and offer examples of women and people from all segments of society who are guru and participated in vedic studies. The Upanishads assert that one's birth does not determine one's eligibility for spiritual knowledge, only one's effort and sincerity matters. The early Dharma-sutras and Dharma-sastras, such as Paraskara Grhyasutra, Gautama Smriti and Yajnavalkya smriti, state all four varnas are eligible to all fields of knowledge while verses of Manusmriti state that Vedic study

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2112-592: Is high-minded, these teachings will be illuminating. The Bhagavad Gita also exemplifies the importance of a guru within Hinduism . Arjuna when faced with the realization of having to wage war with his kin is paralyzed with grief and remorse. Overwhelmed he lays down his weapons and refuses to fight. Despite his intellectual prowess and skill in warfare he finds himself lacking in Dharmic (moral) clarity. At this moment he turns to Krishna for guidance and in essence seeks Krishna as his guru. This interaction exemplifies

2208-461: Is literally understood as "weighty", states Alex Wayman, and it refers to the Buddhist tendency to increase the weight of canons and scriptures with their spiritual studies. In Mahayana Buddhism, a term for Buddha is Bhaisajya guru , which refers to "medicine guru", or "a doctor who cures suffering with the medicine of his teachings". Guru is the spiritual preceptor in Jainism , and typically

2304-417: Is located) announced a four-day State Mourning period and decided to honour Sai Baba with a State Funeral. From the time Sai Baba was admitted to hospital on 28 March, questions and allegations arose about his care and subsequently the role of his personal aide, Satyajit Salian. Police sources said, "Satyajit did not feed Sai Baba proper food and gave him lot of sedative drugs, resulting in the deterioration of

2400-592: Is mentioned in the earliest layer of Vedic texts. The hymn 4.5.6 of Rigveda describes the guru as, "the source and inspirer of the knowledge of the Self, the essence of reality," for one who seeks. In chapter 4.4 within the Chandogya Upanishad , a guru is described as one whom one attains knowledge that matters, the insights that lead to Self-knowledge. Verse 1.2.8 of the Katha Upanisad declares

2496-582: Is passed down through succeeding generations. It is the traditional, residential form of education, where the Shishya remains and learns with his Guru as a family member. The Hindu texts offer a conflicting view of whether access to guru and education was limited to men and to certain varna (castes). The Vedas and the Upanishads never mention any restrictions based either on gender or varna . The Yajurveda and Atharvaveda texts state that knowledge

2592-425: Is prohibited in some of the temples. Offering of food items forms part of the upachara or services to a Hindu deity in many Hindu traditions but is not universal. The murti (icon) is revered as a living entity who is offered food, fruits, and betelnut among others. Temples usually have stricter worship routines that include offering naivedya multiple times a day. Most temples allow only trained pujaris to cook

2688-564: Is stable and firm in his knowledge, master yogi with the knowledge of Self ( Atma Gyaan ) and Brahman (ultimate reality). The guru is one who initiates, transmits, guides, illuminates, debates and corrects a student in the journey of knowledge and of self-realization. The attribute of the successful guru is to help make the disciple into another guru, one who transcends him, and becomes a guru unto himself, driven by inner spirituality and principles. In modern neo-Hinduism, Kranenborg states guru may refer to entirely different concepts, such as

2784-577: Is the message of the Prasanthi Mandir." In 1954 a free general hospital was constructed in Puttaparthi and soon after a medical hospital was constructed in 1957 inside the ashram. Poornachandra Auditorium was built in 1973. Seating around 15,000 people in its enclosed 60 x 40-metre area, it is where cultural programmes (plays/dance/music), conferences and yagnas during Dasara take place. Sathya Sai Baba's living quarters were upstairs above

2880-774: Is to help others and a desire to impart the knowledge. Adi Shankara presents a series of examples wherein he asserts that the best way to guide a student is not to give immediate answers, but posit dialogue-driven questions that enable the student to discover and understand the answer. Reverence for the guru is a fundamental principle in Hinduism, as illustrated in the Guru Gita by the following shloka गुरु ब्रह्मा गुरु विष्णु गुरु देवो महेश्वरः। गुरु साक्षात् परम ब्रह्म तस्मै श्री गुरुवे नमः। Transliteration: Guru Brahma, Guru Vishnu, Guru Devo Maheshwara, Guru Sakshat Parabrahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namah. Meaning: This shloka praises

2976-500: The Advaita Vedanta philosopher Adi Shankara discusses the role of the guru in assessing and guiding students. In Chapter 1, he states that teacher is the pilot as the student walks in the journey of knowledge, he is the raft as the student rows. The text describes the need, role and characteristics of a teacher, as follows, When the teacher finds from signs that knowledge has not been grasped or has been wrongly grasped by

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3072-832: The Indian way of accounting for age , which counts the year to come as part of the person's life. Other devotees have spoken of his anticipated resurrection , reincarnation or awakening . Sathya Sai Baba's body lay in state for two days and was buried with full state honours on 27 April 2011. An estimated 500,000 people attended the burial. Political leaders and prominent figures attending included then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , Congress president Sonia Gandhi , Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi (who later became Prime Minister of India), cricketer Sachin Tendulkar and Union Ministers S. M. Krishna and Ambika Soni . Political leaders who offered their condolences included

3168-484: The Proto-Indo-European root *gʷerə- , specifically from the zero-grade form * gʷr̥ə- . गु शब्दस्त्वन्धकारः स्यात्‌ रु शब्दस्तन्निरोधकः । अन्धकारनिरोधित्वात्‌ गुरु रित्यभिधीयते ॥ १६॥ The syllable gu means darkness, the syllable ru , he who dispels them, Because of the power to dispel darkness, the guru is thus named. A popular etymological theory considers the term "guru" to be based on

3264-601: The Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust . Its goal was "to enable its members to undertake service activities as a means to spiritual advancement". Through this organisation, Sathya Sai Baba established a network of free general and super speciality hospitals , free medical clinics, drinking water projects, schools, universities, ashrams , auditoriums, and education technology. By virtue of his sizeable influence, many feel Sai Baba provides an example of "the phenomenon referred to as mahagurus; that is, gurus with

3360-524: The bhakti movement of Hinduism, which started in about mid 1st millennium CE, the gurus included women and members of all varna . The Advayataraka Upanishad states that the true teacher is a master in the field of knowledge, well-versed in the Vedas , is free from envy, knows yoga , lives a simple life that of a yogi, has realized the knowledge of the Atman (Self). Some scriptures and gurus have warned against false teachers, and have recommended that

3456-527: The guru , and the guru sprinkles a small amount of vaskep (a scented powder mixture of sandalwood, saffron, and camphor) on the devotee's head with a mantra or blessings. In Sikhism, seeking a Guru (Gurmukhi: ਗੁਰੂ gurū ) is of the utmost importance, Guru Nanak writes in Ang (ਅੰਗ):751 (੫੧ of the Guru Granth Sahib : ਗਾਫਲ ਗਿਆਨ ਵਿਹੂਣਿਆ ਗੁਰ ਬਿਨੁ ਗਿਆਨੁ ਨ ਭਾਲਿ ਜੀਉ ॥ O foolish mind, without seeking

3552-493: The guru . In Tantra, states Feuerstein, the guru is the "ferry who leads one across the ocean of existence." A true guru guides and counsels a student's spiritual development because, states Yoga-Bija , endless logic and grammar leads to confusion, and not contentment. However, various Hindu texts caution prudence and diligence in finding the right guru, and avoiding the wrong ones. For example, in Kula-Arnava text states

3648-524: The meaning of life ." The word has the same meaning in other languages derived from or borrowing words from Sanskrit, such as Hindi , Marathi , Punjabi , Tamil , Telugu , Kannada , Malayalam , Odia , Bengali , Gujarati and Nepali . The Malayalam term Acharyan or Asan is derived from the Sanskrit word Acharya . As a noun the word means the imparter of knowledge ( jñāna ; also Pali : ñāna ). As an adjective, it means 'heavy,' or 'weighty,' in

3744-405: The naivedya food before offering it to the god is strictly forbidden. The food is first placed before a deity and specific prayers are offered with accompanying rituals. Afterwards, the food is considered as having been blessed by the god, and has officially become the sanctified prasada . In its material sense, prasada is created by a process of giving and receiving between a human devotee and

3840-405: The naivedya . The naivedya offered directly to the deity is considered as prasada , the deity having "enjoyed" it. This can be considered to be a symbolic rather than a literal offering. Offerings of food in home shrines are relatively simpler than the Hindu temples. A common practice is to mix the prasada back into the remaining food before partaking it. Tasting during preparation or eating

3936-510: The Baba's assistants to death, injuring two others. Hearing the commotion Sai Baba sounded the alarm and police were dispatched to his residence. Upon arriving, the police report stated the four youths had locked themselves in Sai Baba's living room and the officers tried to break the door down. "The four were shot when they opened the door and attacked the police." Sai Baba remained unharmed during

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4032-782: The Brindavan Campus of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning. In its adjacent areas are the Sri Sathya Sai General and Super Specialty Hospital ( Whitefield ), Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Sai Central Trust and an old age home, Sri Sathya Sai Vriddhashram. All services at the hospitals are still free. Located in Kodaikanal , atop the Palani Hills in south Indian state of Tamil Nadu , Sai Shruti ashram

4128-522: The Child). Devotees still receive Sai Baba's Divya Darshan at his Mahasamadhi shrine, a white marble edifice decorated with flowers, in Sai Kulwant Hall ( Prasanthi Nilayam ), where he was laid to rest. Sai Baba was a lacto-vegetarian for spiritual as well as moral reasons and his followers have adopted the diet. He stated that "meat eating fosters animal qualities in man making him descend to

4224-421: The Guru, identifying them as the creator (Brahma), the preserver (Vishnu), and the destroyer (Shiva), ultimately recognizing the Guru as the supreme reality. Other notable examples of devotion to the guru within Hinduism include the religious festival of Guru Purnima . Traditionally, the Guru would live a simple married life, and accept shishya (student, Sanskrit: शिष्य) where he lived. A person would begin

4320-629: The Shivam Mandir in Hyderabad . He inaugurated the Sundaram, a new ashram and temple in Chennai on 19 January 1981. On 6 June 1993 there was an assassination attempt on Sai Baba's life . While reports vary, the official narrative is that four men (devotees) entered Sai Baba's residence under the premise of wanting to give him a telegram. When their path was obstructed, they stabbed two of

4416-635: The Truth, which is the source, stay and end of the universe." The ancient tradition of reverence for the guru in Hindu scriptures is apparent in 6.23 of the Shvetashvatara Upanishad , which equates the need of reverence and devotion for guru to be the same as for god, यस्य देवे परा भक्तिः यथा देवे तथा गुरौ । तस्यैते कथिता ह्यर्थाः प्रकाशन्ते महात्मनः ॥ २३ ॥ He who has highest Bhakti (love, devotion) of Deva (god), just like his Deva , so for his Guru , To him who

4512-484: The ashram community (after being one of two trust members allowed to sign checks from a multi billion dollar account), as well as from outside, a senior police officer said Sathyajit was provided police protection. On 10 April, direct relatives expressed wonder as to why they were kept in the dark and knew nothing about Sai Baba's state of health. "It is almost two months since Baba stopped taking food [but] we were not told about it." Family members said they were livid about

4608-649: The ashram in Puttaparthi. Established on 25 June 1960, the Brindavan Ashram is located in Kadugodi, a village close to Whitefield and 24 kms from the city centre of Bangalore , Karnataka . It occupies around 50 acres of land and was known as the summer home of Sai Baba as he would spend about three months here every year. Notable features are Sai Ramesh Krishan Hall, where darshan and bhajans were held, Trayee Brindavan, Sai Baba's personal residence and

4704-514: The boy and stool both fell on him. After the incident he gave darshana from a car or his porte chair. After 2004, Sai Baba used a wheelchair and slowly began to make fewer public appearances. On 28 March 2011, Sai Baba was admitted to the Sri Sathya Sai Super Speciality Hospital in Puttaparthi after he complained of giddiness and slowing of the heartbeat. Initially his condition improved and on 4 April it

4800-588: The current ashram, began in 1948 and was completed in 1950. In 1954, Sai Baba established a small free general hospital in the village of Puttaparthi. He won fame for his reputed mystical powers and ability to heal. In 1957, Sai Baba went on a tour of North India, visiting temples in Delhi, Srinagar, Kashmir and Rishikesh. In 1963, it was asserted that Sai Baba suffered a stroke and four severe heart attacks, which left him paralysed on one side. These events culminated in an event where he apparently healed himself in front of

4896-502: The deity as a blessing is called prasada . Prasāda is derived from the verb prasād which consists of the verb सद् ( sad - to sit, dwell) which is prefixed with प्र ( pra - before, afore, in front) and used as finite verb प्रसीदति ( prasīdati - dwells, presides, pleases or favours etc.). It denotes anything, typically food, that is first offered to a deity or saint and then distributed in His or Her name to their followers or others as

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4992-415: The demise of Sathya Sai Baba. In a message he said, “I am saddened by the passing away of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the respected spiritual leader. I would like to convey my condolences and prayers to all the followers, devotees and admirers of the late spiritual leader." The Government of Karnataka declared 25 and 26 April as days of mourning . The state government of Andhra Pradesh (where Prasanthi Nilayam

5088-487: The demoniac level; it is a heart-rending sight to see cows being slaughtered to serve as food for man." Sai Baba and many devotees have heavily criticised factory farming as unethical. Puttaparthi , where Sai Baba was born and lived, was originally a small, remote South Indian village in Andhra Pradesh . It was here that Prasanthi Nilayam (Abode of Highest Peace) was established. After 2 years of construction it

5184-528: The devotees. Offering food and subsequently receiving prasada is central to the practice of puja . Any food that is offered either physically to the image of the god or silently in prayer is considered prasada . In Sikhism, karah parshad is served to the congregation after prayer and reading of scripture. Parshad represents the same values as langar in that it is served indiscriminately. Kurukshetra Prasadam (Channa laddu) in 48 kos parikrama of Kurukshetra , Tirupati Laddu and Mathura peda in

5280-443: The exorcists at Kadiri , a town near Puttaparthi, went to the extent of torturing him with the aim of curing him. Having shaved Raju’s head, he cut three crosses on his skull, then poured acid into the wounds. At this point, his parents called a stop to it. On 23 May 1940, Sathya called household members and reportedly materialised sugar candy ( prasad ) and flowers for them. His father became furious at seeing this, thinking his son

5376-410: The five children of his parents. Sathya Sai Baba's siblings included elder brother Ratnakaram Seshama Raju (1911–1985), elder sisters Venkamma (1918–1993) and Parvathamma (1920–1998), and younger brother Janakiramaiah (1931–2003). As a child, Sathya was described as "unusually intelligent" and charitable, though not necessarily academically inclined, as his interests were of a more spiritual nature. He

5472-460: The following guidance: Gurus are as numerous as lamps in every house. But, O-Goddess, difficult to find is a guru who lights up everything like a sun. Gurus who are proficient in the Vedas, textbooks and so on are numerous. But, O Goddess, difficult to find is a guru who is proficient in the supreme Truth. Gurus who rob their disciples of their wealth are numerous. But, O Goddess, difficult to find

5568-426: The former the etymology of 'guru' in which the derivation is presented as gu ("darkness") and ru ('to push away'); the latter he exemplifies by "guru" with the meaning of 'heavy.' Traditional The Guru is an ancient and central figure in the traditions of Hinduism . Ultimate liberation or moksha and inner perfection is considered achievable in Hinduism with the help of a guru . The Guru can also serve as

5664-497: The god. For example, a devotee makes an offering of a material substance such as flowers, fruits, or sweets . The deity then 'enjoys' or tastes a bit of the offering. This now-divinely invested substance is called prasada and is received by the devotee to be ingested, worn, etc. It may be the same material that was originally offered or material offered by others and then re-distributed to other devotees. In many temples, several kinds of prasada (e.g., nuts, sweets) are distributed to

5760-498: The guru "as indispensable to the acquisition of knowledge." In chapter 3 of Taittiriya Upanishad , human knowledge is described as that which connects the teacher and the student through the medium of exposition, just like a child is the connecting link between the father and the mother through the medium of procreation. In the Taittiriya Upanishad, the guru then urges a student to "struggle, discover and experience

5856-572: The guru is also found in Jainism , referring to a spiritual preceptor, a role typically served by a Jain ascetic . In Sikhism , the guru tradition has played a key role since its founding in the 15th century, its founder is referred to as Guru Nanak , and its scripture as Guru Granth Sahib . The guru concept has thrived in Vajrayāna Buddhism, where the tantric guru is considered a figure to worship and whose instructions should never be violated. The word guru (Sanskrit: गुरु ),

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5952-526: The guru is the means [to awakening]. Therefore, someone wishing to attain the state of Buddhahood should please the guru. There are Four Kinds of Lama (Guru) or spiritual teacher (Tib. lama nampa shyi) in Tibetan Buddhism : In various Buddhist traditions, there are equivalent words for guru , which include Shastri (teacher), Kalyana Mitra (friendly guide, Pali: Kalyāṇa-mittatā ), Acarya (master), and Vajra-Acarya (hierophant). The guru

6048-491: The importance within the Hindu tradition for a disciple to seek guidance from an experienced spiritual guru. Additionally, other references to the role of a guru in the Bhagavad Gita include verse 4.34 - those who know their subject well are eager for good students, and the student can learn from such a guru through reverence, service, effort and the process of inquiry. The 8th century Hindu text Upadesasahasri of

6144-509: The incident, and later in a discourse cleared things up saying there was no bid on his life. Many aspects of the event remain unsolved and ambiguous. Another concern for Sai Baba's immediate safety arose on 17 January 2002 when an unknown man (later identified as Somasundaram) entered the Whitefield Ashram with an air pistol. He was apprehended by volunteers and handed over to police without incident. In March 1995, Sai Baba started

6240-488: The latter has won several international awards for its architectural design. There is also a planetarium, a railway station, a hill-view stadium, an administrative building, an airport, an indoor sports stadium and more. High-ranking Indian politicians such as the former president A. P. J. Abdul Kalam , former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee , Andhra Pradesh former chief minister Konijeti Rosaiah and Karnataka chief minister B. S. Yediyurappa have been official guests at

6336-501: The latter’s health, leading up to Sai Baba's death." Doctors from the Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, who treated Sai Baba, neither confirmed nor denied that sedative drugs were given to him prior to his admission to the hospital following respiratory problems. Later assessment from doctors noted lack of food had led to muscular weakness. Citing death threats and possible harm to his well being from within

6432-566: The one who "dispels ignorance, all kinds of ignorance", ranging from spiritual to skills such as dancing, music, sports and others. Karen Pechilis states that, in the popular parlance, the "dispeller of darkness, one who points the way" definition for guru is common in the Indian tradition. In Western Esotericism and the Science of Religion , Pierre Riffard makes a distinction between "occult" and "scientific" etymologies, citing as an example of

6528-425: The pills after his return from Brindavan at Whitefield, Bangalore , in 2006, he was forced to take them... and within a few months, Baba became sluggish and weak." Satyajit also controlled if and when the doctors would see Sai Baba, and within two days of Sai Baba's passing, The Times of India reported that Satyajit (who was a paid employee of the ashram and "had no say whatsoever in the trust affairs or activities,")

6624-445: The purchase for Sai Baba. "He confirmed the same and told Ganesh not to discuss the matter with anyone." Within two months of Sai Baba's death, Chetana Raju, his niece alleged that she was facing death threats from some trust members. In 2015, Ganapathy Raju, Sathya Sai Baba's first cousin alleged that Sai Baba was murdered. He believes Satya Sai passed away on 29 March and not as officially declared on 24 April 2011. Elaborating, "Baba

6720-478: The religious texts contained within the Vedas and Upanishads . The education stage of a youth with a guru was referred to as Brahmacharya , and in some parts of India this followed the Upanayana or Vidyarambha rites of passage. The gurukul would be a hut in a forest, or it was, in some cases, a monastery, called a matha or ashram or sampradaya in different parts of India. Each ashram had

6816-610: The secrecy around Sai Baba's health and medical treatments and as to why the trust was not allowing anyone direct contact with him except for Sathyajit, his personal attendant. They only saw him from a distance in the ICU on April 2 after raising a furore. It was on 28 March, when Sai Baba complained of giddiness and slowing of the heartbeat that he was taken to hospital. On 21 April, the Deccan Herald reported an allegation stating Sathya Sai Baba had died 20 days prior and that his death

6912-512: The sense of "heavy with knowledge," heavy with spiritual wisdom, "heavy with spiritual weight," "heavy with the good qualities of scriptures and realization," or "heavy with a wealth of knowledge." The word has its roots in the Sanskrit gri (to invoke, or to praise), and may have a connection to the word gur , meaning 'to raise, lift up, or to make an effort'. Sanskrit guru is cognate with Latin gravis 'heavy; grave, weighty, serious' and Greek βαρύς barus 'heavy'. All three derive from

7008-526: The spiritual seeker test the guru before accepting him. Swami Vivekananda said that there are many incompetent gurus, and that a true guru should understand the spirit of the scriptures, have a pure character and be free from sin, and should be selfless, without desire for money and fame. According to the Indologist Georg Feuerstein , in some traditions of Hinduism, when one reaches the state of Self-knowledge, one's own Self becomes

7104-566: The stage area. Sai Kulwant Hall was inaugurated by Sathya Sai Baba on July 9, 1995. The hall can accommodate up to 20,000 people and it was here that Sai Baba gave darshan everyday from that time forward. Sai Kulwant Hall is where Sai Baba was laid to rest. A white marble edifice stands as his Mahasamadhi shrine and devotees still have his Divya darshan here daily. The ashram itself houses a shopping centre, book stores, library and reading room, multiple accommodations such as dormitories and rooms, banking/ATM facilities, media and Radio Sai facilities,

7200-690: The student is permitted to practice a particular tantra , in Vajrayana Buddhist sects found in Tibet and South Asia. The tantras state that the guru is equivalent to Buddha, states Berkwitz, and is a figure to worship and whose instructions should never be violated. The guru is the Buddha , the guru is the Dhamma , and the guru is the Sangha . The guru is the glorious Vajradhara , in this life only

7296-435: The student that are enjoined by the Śruti and Smrti , such as avoidance of anger, Yamas consisting of Ahimsa and others, also the rules of conduct that are not inconsistent with knowledge. He [teacher] should also thoroughly impress upon the student qualities like humility, which are the means to knowledge. The teacher is one who is endowed with the power of furnishing arguments pro and con, of understanding questions [of

7392-415: The student, he should remove the causes of non-comprehension in the student. This includes the student's past and present knowledge, want of previous knowledge of what constitutes subjects of discrimination and rules of reasoning, behavior such as unrestrained conduct and speech, courting popularity, vanity of his parentage, ethical flaws that are means contrary to those causes. The teacher must enjoin means in

7488-480: The student], and remembers them. The teacher possesses tranquility, self-control, compassion and a desire to help others, who is versed in the Śruti texts ( Vedas , Upanishads ), and unattached to pleasures here and hereafter, knows the subject and is established in that knowledge. He is never a transgressor of the rules of conduct, devoid of weaknesses such as ostentation, pride, deceit, cunning, jugglery, jealousy, falsehood, egotism and attachment. The teacher's sole aim

7584-437: The syllables gu ( गु ) and ru ( रु ), which it claims stands for darkness and "light that dispels it", respectively. The guru is seen as the one who "dispels the darkness of ignorance." Reender Kranenborg disagrees, stating that darkness and light have nothing to do with the word guru . He describes this as a folk etymology . Joel Mlecko states, " Gu means ignorance, and Ru means dispeller," with guru meaning

7680-542: The then Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , then Nepali Prime Minister Jhala Nath Khanal and Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa . Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar , whose birthday was that day, cancelled his birthday celebrations. The Hindu newspaper reported that "Sai Baba's phenomenal mass appeal lay in his unswerving commitment to communal harmony, his encouragement of charitable activity and public-spiritedness, and his own example in building educational and health care institutions that focused on meeting basic needs on

7776-580: The third Sai (Prema Sai Baba) in the same gotra in Mandya district of Karnataka State." He stated he would be born again eight years after his death at the age of 96, but died at the age of 84. On 29 June 1968 Sai Baba began his only overseas trip to Kenya and Uganda , returning to India on 15 July 1968. In 1968, he established Dharmakshetra or the Sathyam Mandir in Mumbai . In 1973, he established

7872-482: The thousands of people gathered in Prashanthi Nilayam who were then praying for his recovery. On recovering, Sai Baba stated, "I am Shiva-Sakthi, born in the gotra (lineage) of Bharadwaja , according to a boon won by that sage from Siva and Sakthi . Siva was born in the gotra of that sage as Sai Baba of Shirdi; Shiva and Sakthi have incarnated as Myself in his gotra now; Sakthi alone will incarnate as

7968-717: The various Vedas , the Upanishads , texts of various schools of Hindu philosophy , and post-Vedic Shastras ranging from spiritual knowledge to various arts. By about mid 1st millennium CE, archaeological and epigraphical evidence suggest numerous larger institutions of gurus existed in India, some near Hindu temples , where guru-shishya tradition helped preserve, create and transmit various fields of knowledge. These gurus led broad ranges of studies including Hindu scriptures , Buddhist texts , grammar , philosophy , martial arts , music and painting . The tradition of

8064-494: Was bewitched . He took a stick and threatened to beat him if Sathya did not reveal who he really was, the young Sathya responded calmly and firmly "I am Sai Baba", a reference to Sai Baba of Shirdi . This was the first time he proclaimed himself to be the reincarnation of Sai Baba of Shirdi – a saint who became famous in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in Maharashtra and had died eight years before Sathya

8160-481: Was a victim of a well planned conspiracy and pre-planned hi tech murder" (adding) that the trust members had ordered a glass coffin and two truckloads of flowers even when Baba was unwell." Ganapathy also alleged that trust members were behind silencing the real date of Sai Baba's death in order to buy time to "usurp the huge wealth of the trust fund" asserting that properties worth hundreds of millions of dollars have "changed hands". Dr Aiyar, Sai Baba's personal physician,

8256-400: Was admitted to hospital on 28 March but his condition had officially worsened on 15 April. "The order was placed by Rajendranath Reddy of Bangalore [and] according to sources, the powerful Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust had a role in ordering the freezer box." According to Lakshmi, the owner of Kumar and Co International (freezer box) company, her colleague Ganesh called Rajendranath to confirm

8352-473: Was born on 23 November 1926 to Namagiriamma (Easwaramma) and Peddavenkama Raju Ratnakaram, to a Telugu -speaking Bhatraju family, a community of religious musicians and balladeers, in the village of Puttaparthi in Madras Presidency of British India (present-day Andhra Pradesh , India). His birth was purported by his mother Easwaramma to be of a miraculous conception . He was the fourth among

8448-475: Was born. It was then he came to be known as 'Sathya Sai Baba'. Several months later Sai Baba, on 20 October 1940, told his parents that he had "come to this world with a mission to re-establish the principle of Righteousness ( Dharma ), to motivate love for God and service to fellow man." Further elaborating in a letter (dated 25 May 1947) to his older brother Seshma, he stated "I have a task to foster all mankind and ensure for all of them lives full of bliss. I have

8544-501: Was given authority to sign checks from the multi billion dollar trust account. Sai Baba was known for the quotes, in reference to his universal message, "Love All, Serve All" and "Help Ever, Hurt Never." In Prashanti Nilayam, his devotees believed in seeking the spiritual benefit of Sai Baba's darshan , scheduled for morning and afternoon each day, as a form of devotion. Sai Baba would interact with people, accept letters or call groups and individuals for interviews. Devotees considered it

8640-724: Was heavily criticized for not maintaining any medical records of Sai Baba. Ganapathy Raju's main ideas of interest laid with the medical treatment and drugs given to Sai Baba, primarily by Satyajit Salian. Prof Shyam Sunder, who had been involved with Prasanthi Nilayam since 1968, also raised concerns about harassment and exploitation from Satyajit as numerous allegations by devotees and workers in Prasanthi Nilayam arose saying Satyajit would intimidate and physically abuse them. Like Ganapathy, Sunder also alleged that "Satyajit and his associates had been administering sleeping pills to Sai Baba for over six years. Though Sai Baba resisted

8736-495: Was inaugurated on 23 November 1950, Sai Baba's 25th birthday. It succeeded the "old mandir" which was created in 1944. Prasanthi Nilayam is painted blue, yellow, and pink "communicating the message of the harmony of spirit, intellect, and heart respectively; for blue stands for spirit, yellow for intellect, and pink for heart (love). The rich harmony of the three does result in Santi (peace) and Prasanti (supreme peace); and that really

8832-422: Was not being announced in order to get money from Indian and foreign devotees. On 28 April 2011, four days after the passing of Sai Baba, The Times of India printed a story questioning the time of Sai Baba's death. A firm making freezer boxes claimed the one in which Sai Baba was kept was ordered on 4 April, partial payment was also made at that time. The freezer box arrived in Puttaparthi on 5 April. Sai Baba

8928-418: Was often visited by Sai Baba for a few days in the months of April and May. It holds no accommodations or extra curricular facilities. Guru The oldest references to the concept of guru are found in the earliest Vedic texts of Hinduism . The guru , and gurukula – a school run by guru , were an established tradition in India by the 1st millennium BCE , and these helped compose and transmit

9024-483: Was reported all his vital parameters were near normal, however over the course of the following weeks, multiple organ failure set in and his condition progressively deteriorated. He died on Sunday, 24 April at 7:40 IST, aged 84. Sai Baba had predicted that he would die at age 96 and would remain healthy until then. After he died, some devotees suggested that he was referring to that many lunar years , as counted by Telugu-speaking Hindus, rather than solar years , and using

9120-501: Was stung by a scorpion. He lost consciousness for several hours and in the next few days underwent a noticeable change in behaviour. There were "symptoms of laughing and weeping, eloquence and silence." It is claimed that then "he began to sing Sanskrit verses, a language of which it is alleged he had no prior knowledge." Doctors concluded his behaviour to be hysteria . Concerned, his parents brought Sathya back home to Puttaparthi and took him to many priests, doctors and exorcists. One of

9216-651: Was uncommonly talented in devotional music, dance and drama. From a young age, he has been purported to have been capable of materialising objects such as food and sweets out of thin air. Almost everything known about Sathya Sai Baba's early life stems from the hagiography that grew around him; these were narratives that hold special meaning to his devotees and are considered by them to be evidence of his divine nature. According to these sources, on 8 March 1940, while living with his elder brother Seshama Raju in Uravakonda (a small town near Puttaparthi ) 14-year-old Sathya

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