2. Will HE 'COME BACK' ? A Perspective

One Saturday evening I sat in the Western Canteen in Prasanthi Nilayam, eating a PIZZA with tomato soup and chocolate cake, (yes, deadly combination!) opposite me sat a Russian devotee of Swami, coming here since many years. We have a nodding acquaintance. We ate in companionable silence. 

I remembered how, sometime in mid-2011, a devotee from abroad, currently residing in Prasanthi Nilayam had asked me, "Are you waiting for PREMA SAI (the third incarnation in the SAI-triune) to come?" Those were days of heavy grief, introspection, coming to terms with loss and so on. I hardly spoke to anyone. An atmosphere of gloom pervaded everywhere and we residents and devotees of Bhagawan in Prasanthi Nilayam, walked around a bit like zombies. This state of utter shock somehow started receding after the Veda-Purusha Saptaha Yagna, that October. It was as though life was being infused into the atmosphere of Puttaparthi once again. The heart-throb of Parthi decided enough was enough, it seemed to me.

I was thinking how so many devotees of Bhagawan come here from far away lands, undergoing many hardships. Many of them have a deep love and devotion to Swami and His leaving the physical body suddenly has created a vacuum in many hearts. A lot of devotees were expecting a physical resurrection of Bhagawan but I did not subscribe to this view. In fact, assumptions of His 'coming back' and discussions about the next incarnation somehow put me off. So this query about Prema Sai mildly irritated me. I was in no mood to discuss any topic on 'resurrection'. Why?

Let me explain: prior to Bhagawan leaving the body, we here and visiting devotees had all seen His physical frame deteriorate and Bhagawan seemed to be in great discomfort. My opinion is that if Bhagawan's body suffered, it is because He had taken upon Himself the suffering and mass-karma of not just His devotees, but of the whole wide world. Also, in some way, I believe that we have all contributed to this.

How? Well, if we view karma as consequences (and the related suffering) of actions done in ignorance or otherwise, then the only route of overcoming it is to learn the lessons it teaches us and move on. At least let us not repeat these patterns of misguided behaviour. Let us stop hurting others and ourselves. But do we bother? That is for each one to answer, after consulting the conscience.

We cannot say that we do not know, for all such moral and ethical knowledge is there within reach. Mankind is aware, but chooses not to act on this knowledge. We devotees and students of Bhagawan have an added responsibility. We boast of our association with the Avatar -- how many decades, how many interviews, how many darshans etc. but, HOW MUCH PRACTICE? This does not seem a popular subject of discussion at all. We sat back and allowed our Beloved One to absorb the consequences of our misdeeds. His body shrank day by day, but we went on with our lives. He spoke less and less, we attributed it to the physical infirmity of 'old age'. He threatened to leave early if we did not honour His words; "I value MY WORDS, even if you do not," He said. We called it a Divine tantrum and edited out these words from our pages and our minds. Then now when we got  jolted out of our reverie, we want Him to come back. We had all got so used to the Divine punching bag absorbing all our negatives. Our current dilemna is: what is the alternative now? It is so unnerving when the spotlight turns on our selves and we have no escape route.

Coming back to the lady who asked me about Prema Sai, I told her then, "When we haven't assimilated Sathya Sai and His teachings, Prema Sai's coming is not of much interest to me, right now."  Unless we transform, change in some small way at least, and considering humanity's record of treating God's incarnations down the ages, this topic is best avoided, I felt.  I left it at that.

Now, a year and a half later, my views remain the same, but with a slight difference. The Russian devotee and me  talked about the meteorite that had struck Russia, because this Russian devotee belongs to the Ural mountains. We both agreed how Bhagawan must have saved the earth both from the meteorite and the asteroid that almost struck on the same day; He still continues to do His work! And then she expressed her deep belief, "Baba will come back in the same body." But isn't the Avatar's body a pointer to the OMNIPRESENCE of God?
http://creatinghorizonswithsai.blogspot.in/2013/03/when-he-left.html 
Wasn't His Avatarhood a demonstration of His teaching that we were to realise our own Divinity?

She agreed, but she added: "I know BABA is omnipresent energy. But His body was not like yours and mine. It was and IS DIVINE." I listened to this very different point of view coming from a devotee who loves Him. She continued, quoting Swami who had said, "I was born in a Divine manner and I shall leave in a Divine manner." She remains convinced that these words will come true. 
My reaction?

The impossible is possible with Bhagawan. No argument about that. Speculation on what He might do is endless. But meanwhile the only viable option to me seems to be : 

LIVING IN THE PRESENT.

Let us all respect different views, agree to disagree, and keep our minds and hearts OPEN to any possibility !! Calculations never work with the Infinite One. Stop calculating and start living. 

(NB: After I published this post I came across an article that indicates how Swami takes on Himself, the ailments of the world and what we, as devotees must do.)
Here is the link: http://www.omsaimandir.org/blog/?p=217#.UStOzvKibHF )