Sai Baba is Dead scramble for his $12 Billion Empire

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

Sai Baba is Dead.

http://www.vancouversun.com/news/story.html?id=4669703

Devotees mourn after an ambulance transporting the body of Sathya Sai Baba arrives at the ashram at Puttaparthi village, some around 200 kms norh of Bangalore, on April 24, 2011. Sathya Sai Baba, one of India's most famous gurus, died in hospital April 24, triggering a global outpouring of grief and tributes from devotees across politics, sport and entertainment. He was 85 and finally succumbed to multiple organ failure after being in a critical condition for more than three weeks, his doctors said.
Photograph by: DIBYANGSHU SARKAR, AFP/Getty Images

A scramble has broken out for control of the $12-billion empire of an Indian guru with a worldwide following who died Sunday. Sathya Sai Baba's devotees included actress Goldie Hawn, the Duchess of York and Isaac Tigrett, the founder of the Hard Rock Cafe chain.

Pratibha Patil, India's president, and Manmohan Singh, the prime minister, attended his last birthday celebrations.

Sai Baba had built his empire on the myth that he was the reincarnation of an Indian saint of the same name. He had prophesied his own death at the age of 96. He was said to have died aged 84.

As his health deteriorated in recent months, politicians discussed whether the state should seize his fortune. His nephew, R.J. Ratnakar, and Satyajit, a devotee, who cared for him, are among those reported to be jostling for control over the Sathya Sai organization.

Court documents allege that Sai Baba owned many cars, including Mercedes limousines and a Jaguar, and that the roof of his temple was lined with gold.

Sai Baba was India's most famous, and most controversial, swami or holy man, and one of the most enigmatic and remarkable religious figures of the last century.

To his followers, he was a living god; a claim he did nothing to disavow. He would frequently liken himself to such figures as Christ, Krishna and the Buddha.

From humble beginnings, his following grew until by the end of the 20th century it was estimated to number more than three million people around the world.

Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Scr ... z1KaHorjOo

[bluefete]

I was now going to post this but it seems that my original Sai Baba thread was pulled and deleted!!

[nemisis]

I was now going to post this but it seems that my original Sai Baba thread was pulled and deleted!!

Shocked they took so long to pull it actually by page 15 things got too entertaining

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

Yeah but all in all the man did help plenty people eh. Regardless if any of us liked the man or not.

He was more Genuine than the likes of Benny Hinn. I know people go want to debate how could god die and all that kinda thing but for what its worth atleast he helped a lot of poor people. He built Hospitals and Gave entire villages Pipe Water etc.

RIP

[bluefete]

Anyways - Here goes. The actual reason why I posted this is because it is from a European (British) perspective but it mentions NOTHING about the good works that Sai did. For example providing water, building hospitals and schools and so on.


http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/india/8471134/Sathya-Sai-Babas-death-triggers-fight-for-his-5.5-billion-empire.html

Sathya Sai Baba's death triggers fight for his £5.5 billion empire
The death of an Indian guru who built up a worldwide following of up to 50 million people has triggered an unholy scramble for control of his £5.5 billion empire.


Sathya Sai Baba had built his empire on the myth that he was the reincarnation of an earlier - and much loved - Indian saint of the same name Photo: EPA

Gethin Chamberlain 4:48PM BST 24 Apr 2011

Sathya Sai Baba's claims to divinity, and his apparent ability to magic holy items out of thin air were enough to win him an army of devotees, including celebrities such as Goldie Hawn, Sarah Ferguson and Hard Rock cafe founder Isaac Tigrett.

India's president and prime minister both attended his latest birthday celebrations.

Their devotion was tested to the limits in recent years by persistent allegations that the guru indulged in widespread sexual abuse of young acolytes at his ashram in Puttaparthi in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh.

Yet even when video footage proved beyond doubt that his "miracles" were simple sleight of hand and he was implicated in the murders of four followers, millions still refused to believe the worst.

His death on Sunday, however, is another matter. Sai Baba had built his empire on the myth that he was the reincarnation of an earlier – and much loved – Indian saint of the same name. In doing so, he had prophesied his own death at the age of 96 – and his reincarnation eight years later.

As news of his deteriorating health spread, police were ordered into Puttaparthi to maintain control, with devotees venting their anger and frustration at officials and members of the trust which runs the Sai Baba empire.

With allegations circulating that the trust had neglected Sai Baba's health in recent months, worried politicians held top-level meetings to discuss whether the state should seize control of his vast fortune.

His nephew, RJ Ratnakar and devotee Satyajit, who had taken over responsibility for his care in recent years, are among those reported to be jostling for control over the Sai organisation.

His death also raises questions about the future of his controversial education programme, which had been expanding worldwide in recent years.

In the UK his organisation has exploited the requirement for schools to provide spiritual, moral and cultural development, which was introduced in the 1988 Education Reform Act.

It promotes the lessons as a way to reverse the trend towards anti-social behaviour and the international Sathya Sai organisation says almost 200 schools across the UK have acquired its manuals.

The UK courses were written by Sai Baba follower Carole Alderman, a regular visitor to his ashram and a devout believer. She has no teaching qualification but did run the Christmas play at his ashram for six years.

Asked in an interview with the Sai radio station about the relevance of his teachings to the challenges faced by contemporary society, she replied: "I'm happy! Almost all of the time. And if I have any problems, I can just turn to Him and He'll sort them out for me."

Critics claimed the programme did little more than encourage vulnerable young people to join Sai Baba's personality cult.

With his saffron robes and trademark Afro hairstyle, Sai Baba certainly cut a distinctive, if diminutive – he stood just 5ft 2 ins tall – figure.

He was never slow to proclaim his own divinity, insisting that his arrival on earth was prophesied by Jesus, that he was the one who originally sent Jesus to Earth and that he was clearly the Lamb of God because his name – Ba Ba – is the noise a sheep makes.

He inspired devotion among his followers, who flocked to the ashram just to catch a glimpse of him and maybe to be given a sprinkling of the holy ash he claimed to be able to materialise from thin air. The lucky ones received watches or gold statues, which he would apparently produce from his mouth.

But for his growing army of critics, he was nothing short of a child-molesting fraud who had for years taken advantage of the gullibility of his young male followers to sexually abuse them during private audiences in his rooms.

Victims have told in harrowing detail how they were groped during private audiences and required to take part in sexual acts with the man they had trusted.

So seriously were the claims taken that for many years the US government warned its citizens to stay away from the ashram because of the risk and UNESCO, the UN's Educational, Social, and Cultural Organisation, pulled out of a conference at the ashram citing deep concerns about "widely-reported allegations of sexual abuse".

Sai Baba had dismissed the sex abuse allegations as false and described them as the "cawing of crows".

"All that is written on walls [or] said in political meetings, or the vulgar tales carried by the print media, should not carry one away."

But former devotee Barry Pittard said Sai Baba was a dangerous confidence trickster who should have been allowed to have anything to do with children.

"For the worst victims of his depredations, the victims of murder and maiming and people being beaten by his officers and families being broken up and the boys, some of them very young, their sufferings have been very great."

And former Sai organisation teacher Robert Priddy, who helped set up the teacher training model, said most people teaching the programme were unqualified to do so.

"The aim of embedding 'spiritual' values in children was heavily imprinted with indoctrinating them to believe in Sai Baba's divinity and doctrine," he warned.

Sai Baba had also been denounced by the Indian Rationalists Association, who debunked his "miracles" and pointed to numerous videos available on the internet which show the one-time conjurer producing items from various places where he has concealed them, including his mop of hair.

The negative publicity had little effect on the growth of his fortune, though. Court documents allege he owned two Mercedes limousines, two BMWs, one Daimler, one Jaguar, and plenty of other Indian vehicles.

The documents also allege he had the roof of his temple lined with solid gold. The grounds of his ashram contain a museum, mostly dedicated to his own works and there are numerous statues, including a slightly larger than life gold statue of Sai Baba himself, a gold chariot, a silver chariot and a cricket pitch laid for an international tournament for which he offered as a trophy a solid gold cup weighing 20kg and valued at £150,000.

The battle for control over that fortune promises to be bitter. Family members have already fired the first shots at the trust, and there are suspicions the state government would like to get its hands on the coffers.

Despite Sai Baba having previously assured his followers that he would not die anytime soon, his physical health deteriorated rapidly in recent months.

He was admitted to his own hospital at the end of last month suffering from pneumonia and breathing problems. On Thursday, his condition worsened and doctors said his organs were no longer functioning. He died on Sunday, reportedly of heart failure. His exact age is a matter of debate: his own organisation put his age at 85, while his purported date of birth in 1926 would suggest he was 84. Others suggest he was born in 1929.

Narendra Nayak, President of Federation of Indian Rationalist Associations, said that his failure to reach the age at which he had claimed he would die should be enough to convince people Sai Baba was no God.

Speaking before the guru's death he said: "Sai Baba is a third rate prestidigitator and manipulator who is now paralysed and he cannot cure himself. How can he cure others? There is a saying in English – physician heal thyself. So I would say Baba heal yourself."

[bluefete]

Yeah but all in all the man did help plenty people eh. Regardless if any of us liked the man or not.

He was more Genuine than the likes of Benny Hinn. I know people go want to debate how could god die and all that kinda thing but for what its worth at least he helped a lot of poor people. He built Hospitals and Gave entire villages Pipe Water etc.

RIP

Effectic Designs: Jesus Christ is considered to be the Son of God and he died as well. The major difference is that there is eyewitness testimony that he rose from the dead on his own steam. However, controversy continues to follow that testimony.

Sai said he would die at 96 or thereabouts. If he is/was God then should he not have been more accurate in his predictions about his death?

I do agree that he did a lot of great work for the people in India.

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

I not against criticizing the man for his wrong doings etc or anything like that. We all know his methods of producing gold out of thin air was just an illusion to trick people. And I think we all knew the man was never god. Infact I have a padner who believed the man was god from day one and nothing I did could change his mind. Maybe this will now?

But do you think that they would have written something like that if Benny Hinn did die?

They sure as hell didn't bother to also report the good things he did.

Meh Bias Media, always has and always will be. Don't like to tell 2 sides of the story.

[bluefete]

I not against criticizing the man for his wrong doings etc or anything like that. We all know his methods of producing gold out of thin air was just an illusion to trick people. And I think we all knew the man was never god.

But do you think that they would have written something like that if Benny Hinn did die? (Nah, they might probably mention him walking hand in hand with Paula ... )

They sure as hell didn't bother to also report the good things he did.

[crazychinee]

*yawn*

people does believe in anything yes

I feel we might get a new 'saiborg' account for this new thread yes. Like some people too shame to post from their 2nr account

Yeah but all in all the man did help plenty people eh. Regardless if any of us liked the man or not.

He was more Genuine than the likes of Benny Hinn. I know people go want to debate how could god die and all that kinda thing but for what its worth at least he helped a lot of poor people. He built Hospitals and Gave entire villages Pipe Water etc.

RIP

Do you know Benny Hinn?

[rollingstock]

I know Benny Hill

[turbohead]

you could do the best of good materialistically but with a mere man claiming divinity it all amounts to nothing cause you mislead millions of ppl to worship you instead of the real Sustainer who is God. ppl who are weak in faith and cannot hold firmly to a celestial being as the creator tried to conjure pictures, idols and all sorts of foolishness to seek help from and emphatically try reasoning with themselves that these objects are in fact God incarnate. why not just try to hold firm to the fact that God exists and no matter where you are and pray to him he will answer you if you are truly faithful and not be subjected to believing that these statues or God claiming individuals could possibly save you from any afflictions. every religion preaches one thing, monotheism, if you are a monotheist and really believe in one God then why create idols of different personalities to Him, or believe that he is three personalities in one. no where in the holiest of scriptures attribute these likeness to God. this is not a victimization of any religion but my view on monotheism.

'Say: He is Allah, the One and Only! Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him.'

as for the atheist you are willed to believe what you must and hold firm to whatever you like as long as you are comfortable and living with

[Sumana.00]

From Dr. Goldstein Chairman of Sai Org UK

according to the lunar calendar which has been used by Hindus and others, Swami
lived to 95 years, not 85 years. Perhaps he left us sooner than we expected. However, Our
Beloved Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is not confined by the demise of the Physical Presence
and Identity that he assumed, nor is He constrained by time. He will be with us forever.

[~Vēġó~]

^^^makes sense.....

btw I AM GOD!!!!!

[rossi]

He was never slow to proclaim his own divinity, insisting that his arrival on earth was prophesied by Jesus, that he was the one who originally sent Jesus to Earth and that he was clearly the Lamb of God because his name – Ba Ba – is the noise a sheep makes.

Really...??? come on nah man! That is the best comparison they could have written?

[SaiBorg]

I don't believe he had that much. $12 billion?
To do what with!

[SaiBorg]

We all know his methods of producing gold out of thin air was just an illusion to trick people.

As opposed to the Easter miracles? Why is one automatically a fake?

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

^ All them miracles is fake. Everyone of them from aside. It eh matter what religion you belong to.

[Duane 3NE 2NR]

He was never slow to proclaim his own divinity, insisting that his arrival on earth was prophesied by Jesus, that he was the one who originally sent Jesus to Earth and that he was clearly the Lamb of God because his name – Ba Ba – is the noise a sheep makes.

Really...??? come on nah man! That is the best comparison they could have written?

is bluefete

^^^makes sense.....

btw I AM GOD!!!!!

makes good sense
some believe God is within everything and all things, you are God, I am God, an ant is God, a thunderstorm is God, the universe is God - God is and is in everything and everyone. The sooner we understand that the better this place will be.

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

^ Well Said Duane.

This is a very interesting video. This man talk sense

[~Vēġó~]

EXACTLY Duane EXACTLY!!!!!

[bluefete]

He was never slow to proclaim his own divinity, insisting that his arrival on earth was prophesied by Jesus, that he was the one who originally sent Jesus to Earth and that he was clearly the Lamb of God because his name – Ba Ba – is the noise a sheep makes.

Really...??? come on nah man! That is the best comparison they could have written?

is bluefete

Duane: Really!!
Remember this is a British, colonialist newspaper!!

^^^makes sense.....

btw I AM GOD!!!!!

makes good sense
some believe God is within everything and all things, you are God, I am God, an ant is God, a thunderstorm is God, the universe is God - God is and is in everything and everyone. The sooner we understand that the better this place will be.

If I am God, why must I die?

[bluefete]

Thousands pay respects to the Indian holy man who healed the sick

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 3:57 PM on 25th April 2011


Thousands of mourners paid last respects to Sathya Sai Baba, an Indian religious leader revered by millions for spiritual and healing powers but dismissed by some as a charlatan who passed off magic tricks as miracles.

Sai Baba's death on Sunday triggered an outpouring of grief from followers who included Indian politicians, movie stars, athletes and industrialists. Most remembered him as a pious, selfless person who worked to help others with the billions of dollars donated to his charitable trust.

Within India, the 84-year-old guru was instantly recognizable, with a halo of frizzy dark hair and orange robes - the colour of holiness in India.

Respected: Indian spiritual leader Sathya Sai Baba is instantly recognised with his wirey hair and oranges robes

Devastated: Thousands of mourners laid flowers at the public viewing of the Hindu holy man after he died at the weekend

Grief: A woman can't hide her emotion as she waits in the queue to pay her last respects to the Hindu leader

His photographs adorned millions of homes, car dashboards and lockets worn by Indian and foreign devotees. Many made annual pilgrimages to his ashram in Puttaparti, a town in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh where he was born.

After hearing of his death, thousands flocked to the ashram's main auditorium, where his body lay displayed inside a glass coffin surrounded by flower garlands and devotees in prayer.

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar wiped away tears as he sat with his family and other mourners. Some sang religious songs.

Hundreds of volunteers - men dressed in white trousers and shirts with blue scarves, and women in saris and yellow scarves - guided mourners in an orderly line around Sai Baba's body, above which stood a life-sized portrait of the guru.

Devoted: The spiritual leader's picture was adorned by many and took pride of place in people's homes, cars and offices. Some even wore his picture in a locket around their necks

High-profile: His devotees included India's cricketer Sachin Tendulkar (left) who made his way to the auditorium with his wife

Sad: Cricketer Tendulkar (centre, right) with his wife Anjali struggle to hide their sorrow as they attend the public viewing

Prayers: Sri Lankan followers of the Indian healer put flowers next to his picture before they held a ceremony to pray for his soul

Piles of shoes, discarded by those entering the ashram, lined the road outside the temple complex. Police controlled road traffic and crowds in the town.

The Dalai Lama said on Monday he was saddened by Sai Baba's passing. "I would like to convey my condolences and prayers to all the followers, devotees and admirers of the late spiritual leader," the Tibetan Buddhist leader said in a statement.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, a Sikh, said the country would remember Sai Baba as someone who "inspired millions to lead a moral and meaningful life."

Sai Baba's body will be on display through Tuesday, and hundreds of thousands are expected to visit before his state funeral Wednesday morning.

Sai Baba spiritual centres, or ashrams, exist in more than 126 countries. He was said to perform miracles, conjuring jewellery, Rolex watches and "vibhuti" - a sacred ash that his followers applied to their foreheads - from his hair.

But rationalist critics called him a charlatan and his miracles fake. Several news reports alleged he sexually abused devotees - accusations he denied as smear campaigns.

The allegations and criticism did not reduce the intense devotion from his followers.
Health problems forced Sai Baba to reduce public appearances in recent years and he had been hospitalised for nearly a month before his death.

The trust - estimated to be worth at least $8.9 billion and possibly much more - has no named successor, but a statement said there would be no leadership vacuum.

Sombre: Sathya Sai Baba's body was displayed in a transparent coffin so that people were able to see him

Patience: Police had to control traffic and people as they waited. Some people dismissed the leader as a charlatan who passed off magic tricks as miracles but he was hero to many

Dedicated: Shoes piled up as mourners took them off before entering the auditorium to say their final goodbyes to Sathya Sai Baba

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... z1Ka9w8K4m

[turbohead]

He was never slow to proclaim his own divinity, insisting that his arrival on earth was prophesied by Jesus, that he was the one who originally sent Jesus to Earth and that he was clearly the Lamb of God because his name – Ba Ba – is the noise a sheep makes.

Really...??? come on nah man! That is the best comparison they could have written?

is bluefete

Duane: Really!!
Remember this is a British, colonialist newspaper!!

^^^makes sense.....

btw I AM GOD!!!!!

makes good sense
some believe God is within everything and all things, you are God, I am God, an ant is God, a thunderstorm is God, the universe is God - God is and is in everything and everyone. The sooner we understand that the better this place will be.

[b]If I am God, why must I die?[/b]

we didnt say that thats wat you teach ppl in church about Jesus(pbuh). that he is God incarnate and died for our sins......

[Sumana.00]

He was never slow to proclaim his own divinity, insisting that his arrival on earth was prophesied by Jesus, that he was the one who originally sent Jesus to Earth and that he was clearly the Lamb of God because his name – Ba Ba – is the noise a sheep makes.

Really...??? come on nah man! That is the best comparison they could have written?

is bluefete

^^^makes sense.....

btw I AM GOD!!!!!

makes good sense
some believe God is within everything and all things, you are God, I am God, an ant is God, a thunderstorm is God, the universe is God - God is and is in everything and everyone. The sooner we understand that the better this place will be.

But that's exactly what Swami's said!! We haven't realised the divinity in ourselves and that's why Hindus use the greeting Namaste meaning I see the God in you.

[EFFECTIC DESIGNS]

^ didn't know that. Nice

[- Rovin's car audio -]

ah next thread with d same setta bashing again ....

[badart]

from my understanding of god, everything is in god but god is not in everything, if a bandit comes with a gun to shoot and rob us how can we see god in him?

i have great appreciation for the work sai baba and his organisation has done in india, i personally visited the hospital, schools, university and ashram where everything is free from food, books, education, medical care, surgery's etc and unlike the swami's from india who regularly visit other countries including trinidad to full their pockets, sai baba has hardly ever left india cause there are so many ppl to help over there, he helped his own ppl first unlike the swami's who come to trinidad who want to play to help us, there are so many ppl in india in need of help, why dont they stay there and help those ppl?

i dont believe he is god but if people thinks of him as god i have no problem with that, my way of life clearly states who god is, in any case if i can state who is god and who is not then i have to be greater than god lol

[FullStop]

makes good sense
some believe God is within everything and all things, you are God, I am God, an ant is God, a thunderstorm is God, the universe is God - God is and is in everything and everyone. The sooner we understand that the better this place will be.

you wish...

[FullStop]

But that's exactly what Swami's said!! We haven't realised the divinity in ourselves and that's why Hindus use the greeting Namaste meaning I see the God in you.

No, Namaste does not mean that.

[badart]

namaste meanings i bow to u, or i bow to the divinity within u