Celebrating the 100th Birthday of Bhagawan

As part of our efforts to include more people in the seva of spreading Bhagawan's message, we invited those who would like to join our content team as volunteers. We requested them to submit articles on any one of the two themes: 'Celebrating the 100th Birthday of Bhagawan' and 'The Glory of Chitravati'. We will be sharing some of the impressive entries we received as part of this campaign. We thank all those who participated and sent in their entries, and we pray to Bhagawan to shower His blessings on each one of you.

Certain numbers have great importance placed on them by man. The number 100 is seen as having particular significance.

Water boils at 100 degrees centigrade. 100 is a round number and the sum of the first nine prime numbers: 2, 3, 5, 7, 11, 13, 17, 19 and 23. We applaud a cricketer scoring a century –100% symbolises perfection.

But all of this mathematics pales into insignificance compared to the 100 years that have elapsed since November 23, 1926. These 100 years, for all Sai devotees, are a unique chapter in the story of God and His creation.

In this time, God saw fit to manifest his glory in the form of a divine Avatar who walked among us, talked directly to us and made his presence known to millions of fortunate souls.

In this time, his message has spread far and wide, to people of all faiths and backgrounds. And he has assured us that his Avatarhood is the dawning of a golden age.

Even so, all around we see chaos and destruction. But, our Lord explained this seeming contradiction very clearly, in a conversation with John Hislop. "It is like in the ocean. There is a time of high waves, and there may be some peak waves that crash heavily on the shore, but this is followed by a calm and peaceful sea."

So, as we celebrate 100 years since the birth of Sathya Sai Baba, our duty is to grow in love and be a part of this emergence of peace that we are all praying for. 

And at the same time, it is beneficial to put these 100 years into perspective. When we compare it to the millennia it takes for a mountain to rise and fall, or for the sun to orbit the centre of our galaxy, 100 years is merely a drop in the ocean – but what an ocean of love it has been.

In Swami’s own words:

“What is the use of lamenting over anything? All things are passing clouds. Nothing is lasting. Why then, bewail over any loss? You should not bother about them. This is the teaching of the Avatar. Don't feel distressed over anything that may happen. Every pain is followed by some pleasure. Pleasure is an interval between two pains. It is on this basis that you should lead your lives. 

“There is a vast difference between Divine bliss and momentary pleasure. What is called happiness is incidental to a situation and is not permanent. But Ananda is different. It is lasting.”

Happy 100th birthday, Swami.

- Jonathan Wilcock