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Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Shri Satya Puttaparthi

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(The writer is a retired freelancer. He holds a Ph.D. in Administration and Management in addition to degrees in engineering. He enjoys writing on community related issues.)

Holy Mackerel! What a disappointment reading Sundara Krishnaswami"s comments on my article titled “Puttaparthi Baba dabbles in politics.” I read them on my return from vacation and the read made a disgusting finale to my otherwise refreshing vacation. His comments were padded with out-of-context statements and make-believe concoctions that were irrelevant to the realm and subject of discussion central to my writing. What was the purpose in his stating “I was present at the January 21, 2007 meeting”? Had he used this reference to contradict what I wrote, then it would have served a purpose. But if he used it to stake claim to the wisdom of King Salomon to pass judgement on me, then he is naive. Rubbing elbows with Sai Baba will get him nowhere because modern mind knows that it is an ancient art of conniving. The good news is that he did not dare to contradict what I wrote because they are the media published facts. The bad news is that Sundara couldn"t grasp the crux of my article and that sure made a mess of his thought process. I urge him to reread my article to get to the bottom of the issue, which is “Should holy men dabble in politics?” And I also urge him to keep his future comments within the frame of discussion and not use them to throw abuses at the writer.

For the sake of clarity and understanding, in the discussion from here to the end I will use ‘he" to refer to Sundara and italic text to identify his comment His comments are reproduced in verbatim without spelling and grammar corrections.

An irrelevant comment from him is,

“The fact that millions of people visit Sri Sathya Sai Baba and the fact this includes politicians from India and around the world is not a sinister thing. It is said in the Mahabharatha that Dhuryodhana could not find a single good person in the world and Yudhishtra could not find a single bad person in the world! The one world appeared radically different to them! The world reflects what you are.”

What is the purpose and meaning of this paragraph? What relevance does it have to the issue at hand? Whoever has said visiting Sai Baba is a sinister thing? His adeptness in plagiarizing sentences from Mahabharat serves no useful purpose. Nevertheless, I fathom his real intent. Under the garb of this crude and flippant paragraph lies his sinister motive to call me Dhuryodhana. If he sees in me a bad person, then wouldn"t it be logically correct to call him Dhuryodhana?

I have no quarrel with millions of people visiting Sai Baba but Sundara should have a quarrel with the American Embassy that issued a warning to all Americans not to visit Puttaparthi. He will do an immense good to Sai pilgrimage if he takes this gripe to the American Consulate for resolution. Wouldn"t that help increase the number of visitors?

Here is another topsy-turvy comment.

“It is perfectly alright if Dr. Alankar doesn"t like Sri Sathya Sai Baba. But he should be honest in what he writes. He should not portray his personal dislikes as journalistic truths.”

To be frank, I never saw in person Sathya Narayana Raju or Sathya Sai Baba, as he is otherwise known. But I did see his picture on online during the “Maha Papam” episode. With his Afro hair and attractive saffron robe, I think he looks decent. Nay, he looks as beautiful as Michael Jackson does. That said, I wish to know what was not honest in what I wrote. My writing was based on the happenings as reported in the media. Historical facts can never be the products of likes and dislikes of one man and anyone who thinks so is insane.

His following comment violates the norms for good debate and meaningful discussion.

“May be Dr. Alankar, who "is retired and enjoys writing about societal issues", should consider educating the people and politicians , through his writings, on the exalted adminsitrative systems and practices employed by the likes of Parikshit, Rama and Dasaratha and other great kings and rulers from our past.”

What I do and don"t in my retired life is none of anyone"s business? He should speak for himself. Now that he has violated the norm for good discussion, I have some counter advice for him. As a widely traveled vice President in a Management Consulting company, he will do good for his company by preaching and recommending the so called exalted administrative systems practiced by Parikshit, Rama and Dasharatha to his international clientele in the Middle East and Africa where they are in great demand. But he should be aware of the repercussions stemming from the introduction of Hindu religious concepts into Islamic corporate mindset. How is it that he did not introduce these brilliant brain waves into the Indian Institutes of Management!

Alas, we have among us some minds living in the past and ignoring the present. Bhagvadgita and Ramayana are all that they have to quote for behavioral and managerial sciences and scientific marvels. They find atom bomb in Ram Bhan and supersonic jet in Pushpak Viman. I ask them, “wake up; leave behind the fairy tales of the past and pride on the marvels of the present day science and research.”

Here is another misspelled inconsequential comment from him.

“I have travelled extensively around the world and I"m quite familiar with the advanced medical care provided in developed countries. I can categorically state that there is no other place on earth where such an exemplary quality medical care is available to the needy, absolutely free of cost, in an environemnt of love and unity among people (doctors, nurses, volunteers, staff and others). In fact, this sytem is an exemplary solution to the medical care malaise prevalent in the world!”

Holy smoke! Why do we see so many Indians making the beeline to catch the first flight to America for medical treatment? The line includes VIPs, ministers, actors, rich and the famous. And it grows by leaps and bounds day after day. It included erstwhile chief minister of Andrapradesh, N.T. Ramarao who either didn"t know that there existed a world class hospital in Puttaparthi for heart surgery or Sundari is lying through his teeth on quality care at Puttaparthi hospital. I have a sneaky feeling that he does have his eyes set on the beeline for a future flight.

It is worthwhile to remind him that whisperings of poor quality care, not “all free” care and finagled patient numbers in Puttaparthi are galore. As a management consultant he should endeavor to put a stop to these rumors by producing a credible yearly document of facts on patient care. His claim that he has traveled abroad does not in any way attest to the quality care at Puttaparthi unless backed by credible evidence.

Here is another badly composed paragraph that is irrelevant to the subject of discussion. He should have paid close attention to the grammar and spelling.

“It is a well-demonstrated scientific fact in the medical field that cure results only where there is faith. You"ll never go to a doctor you don"t have faith in, for example. You believe "crocin" will cure your headahce - so you take it. etc. In the same way, Sri Sathya Sai Baba cures the people who go to Him with full faith. For people who are ailing and who have faith in the "allopathic" medicinial system, He has built the hospitals.”

Blind faith is the hallmark of a sick mind, which in turn tries to transplant its faith in the honest, god-fearing, unsuspecting individuals looking for a cure for their diseases. “Have faith in the holy man,” the sick mind says and he will cure you of all diseases.” This is the well-known mantra of the cult of the deceivers. Read the following.

Janakiramaiah was the younger brother of Sai Baba. He had an unwavering faith in Baba and his curative powers. He was Baba"s staunch disciple. He died on October 17, 2003 in Sathya Sai Super Specialty Hospital despite the super care from the medical staff and despite Baba"s sanctified water and divine hand touches. In conveying the news of death to Janakiramaiah"s son, Baba wept. What does this tell us?

Drowning man catches at a straw and those who throw straws at him are the mahapapis.

The following confirms his deficient knowledge.

“Politicians do not manipulate democracy as Dr.Alankar says but rather they use the democratic system and manipulate the receipt of votes to stay in power.”

By definition, democracy is the government by the people. People in this definition connote the elected representatives who are none other than politicians. Consequently politicians create and nurse democracy. Bad politicians manipulate it through constitutional amendments and bylaws to suit their purpose. This does not mean that all politicians are manipulative.

This is an interesting comment I would like to expand on it.

“Every ordinary human being"s happiness and welfare is sacrificed to keep a few politicians in power and wealth. If dividing people and society to achieve one"s selfish end, regardless of what happens to ordinary man"s happiness and welfare, is not sinful, then what is?

Sri Sathya Sai Baba called this as "maha papam" - because that is what it is, a great sin! Someone needs to speak up for societal unity and harmony - someone with distilled moral courage and a real care for the welfare of the people. No politician is campaigning on the basis of unity;”

Keeping two incongruent people together against their wishes is the antithesis to harmony. Exploitation of a minority section by robbing their jobs in violation of Presidential order GO 610 and funneling their abundant revenue to the development of the region of the exploiters is not happiness. Diversion of water resources to the benefit of oppressors by denying the due share to the oppressed is not unity. While the Andhra region enjoys expanded education, the Telangana region suffers from stagnant schools. This is inequality. These are the harsh realities that existed for 50 years without ever anyone uttering “Mahapapam.” Anyone with distilled moral courage will call these inhuman acts as sin and that includes Sai Baba.

A living God must speak for everyone without caste, creed and religion. Where was Mahapapam when Andhra and Kerala were separated from Madras? Where was Mahapapam when Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Uttaranchal were created?

An erudite mind will never stoop low to spew vitriolic indecencies through comments at an author"s righteous views. Sundara did it lowly and that called for a payback in the same way. I do not dispute his status as a vice President in a consulting firm as I believe the word “vice” is an antonym to “virtue.”

In conclusion, I quote Alexander Pope"s reply to his critics. It was a beautiful poem summed up in the following verse.

“A little learning is a dangerous thing;
Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring.”

My reply to Sundari is no different. If you are after knowledge drink it deeply. Don"t just taste.

Gopal Alankar, Ph.D.

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