A few days after Vijaya Dasami, Baba took all the devotees at Prasanthi Nilayam to the river-bed of Chitravathi. After Bhajan, Baba spoke on the practice of Sadhana and its necessity. Dr. S. Bhagavantham, Director of the Indian Institute of Science, who was present, informed that many among even western scientists were influenced by the teachings of the Gita, especially its message about the renunciation of the fruits of action. He said that the book, “The Thousand Suns” about atomic explosions was so named, because the author was reminded of the Viswarupa Darshan (vision of Cosmic Form) in the Gita, which is described as “Divi Surya Sahasrasya”, etc. While Dr. Bhagavantham was talking of the influence of the Gita on science, Baba materialised from the sand on which He was sitting, a copy of the Bhagavad Gita, which He handed over with His blessings to the Director!

Later, Baba noticed Sri Kota Reddy from Damaramadugu, who was sitting opposite Him, wearing a badge with a photo on it. He asked him to pass the badge on to Him. Holding it in His Hand, Baba explained that the picture was of Kusuma-Haranath, who had given a great fillip to the Nama Sankirtan movement in North India. Haranath, He said, was considered an incarnation of Gowranga and Kusuma Bai was his consort. He then suddenly materialised from the sand, a charming idol of the couple, an exact prototype of the figures on the badge, except for a three-coiled serpent on which they stood and the hood over their heads! On the forehead of Kusuma could be seen a fresh Kumkum (vermilion) dot! Baba gave the idol to Sri Kota Reddy and asked him to offer Puja to it at his home.

We must, every one of us, grasp the inner significance of these and similar miraculous Leelas (divine sports). Sathya Sai Avatar has come not to destroy but to fulfil. He takes all by the hand from wherever they are at present, and strengthening faith, vouchsafing courage and patience and guiding the Sadhana, He leads them on to the realisation of the goal. He has come, not to establish a new religion but to feed the roots of all religions. That is the reason why that evening, He gave the Gita to Dr. Bhagavantham and the Kusuma-Haranath image to Kota Reddy. That is why He gave a rosary with the image of Christ to a missionary at Kodaikanal, and a picture of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa to a devotee of that God-intoxicated saint at Bengaluru.

Baba has said, one can realise the Lord, whatever name or form one adopts for meditation and Japa (chanting of God’s Name). As a matter of fact, the Lord will be forced, He says, to adopt that very form and name in order to bless the devotee. Such is the power of devotion. We have the unmistakable testimony of the devotees of Baba Himself, for He has assumed the name and form of Ganesh, Panduranga, Padmanabha, Rama, Shirdi Sai, Krishna and Venkateswara in order to bless His devotees who worshipped Him under those names and forms!