Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is revered by millions of faithful devotees all over the world as an incarnation of the Divine, an ‘Avatar’. He is also known as Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Sai Baba, Swami, Bhagawan or simply as Baba. His timeless and universal teachings, exemplified by His life of selfless and pure love, attract seekers of Truth from various walks of life, faiths, and cultures, inspiring them in turn to lead constructive, virtuous, and godly lives. When queried about His identity and divinity, Bhagawan Baba answered, “I am God. And you too are God. The only difference between you and Me is that while I am aware of it, you are completely unaware.”. This fundamental truth of man’s divine nature is at the heart of His message and mission.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba was born as Sathyanarayana Raju on November 23, 1926 in the village of Puttaparthi, in the state of Andhra Pradesh in South India. Even as a child, His spiritual inclination and contemplative nature made Him unique and earned Him the respect and reverence of His peers and others in the village. They called Him ‘Guru’ and “Brahmajnani’ (knower of Brahman or Godhead)! However, it was only at the age of 14, on the 20th October 1940, that He made the historic declaration about His ‘Divine Advent and Mission’ to His family and the people in the village. He was henceforth known as Sathya Sai Baba, and soon the world at large learnt of this divine phenomenon.