Consequently, I have decided to share with you some of the mystical experiences that took place during my communication with Sathya Sai Baba. I wish not to impose my vision of Sathya Sai Baba but believe that every person should find his or her own Sai in their hearts and build their own image and understanding of this great and mysterious world teacher. For me, I feel the need to share his love and wisdom and the miracles I have been fortunate enough to witness. This book, then, is the story of my personal experiences.
2. Sai-boy sat in the center of the altar
I learned about Sathya Sai Baba at the very beginning of the ‘90s, when I was twenty years old. Almost immediately after that, I arrived at his ashram in southern India. This meeting was preceded by a long spiritual journey. About ten years earlier, I became very interested in meditation and yoga. I learned about Sathya Sai Baba from one of my acquaintances, and then I met a few more people who also told me unusual stories about an Indian philosopher and miracle worker.
One of my friends went to the USA and met several American devotees of Sathya Sai Baba there. Returning from America to Moscow, my friend told me with great enthusiasm about an amazing Indian saint, Sathya Sai Baba. At some point, information about Sathya Sai Baba began to filter into my life literally from all sides.
At that time, I had little information about the life and teachings of Sathya Sai Baba, and so everything I learned about him was fascinating and powerful, alluring and enchanting. I received photographs and the first videos, as well as amazing stories about his fabulous life, incredible miracles, and the deepest philosophical teachings.
One of the stories I remember hearing happened to Sathya Sai Baba when he was a teenager. I learned this amazing story from a Hindu who came to Russia as part of an Indian trade delegation, his name was Kumarji. He was seriously interested in yoga and knew quite a lot about Vedic philosophy. During the conversation, I discovered he was a devotee of Sathya Sai Baba.
One day, the Sai boy went with a teacher from the school and other students on a trip to the ancient city of Hampi to visit the famous temple of Lord Shiva, called Virupaksha. The whole group entered the ancient temple, but the Sai boy, unexpectedly, decided to stay near the entrance. He pleaded that he had an upset stomach. When the clergy in the temple were finishing the service, all those present saw the Sai boy sitting in the center of the altar instead of the deity. The teacher was angry because he did not expect the boy to behave in this way.