Video Transcript of

Living with Sri Sathya Sai: The Incarnation of Divine Love

By Sathyajit Salian

11th World Conference of the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization On the Occasion of the 100th Anniversary of Sri Sathya Sai’s Descent to Earth, November 23, 2025, Sai Prema Nilayam, Riverside, California

Satyajit Salian has been a devotee of Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba for more than two decades and has had many intimate personal experiences with Him. In 1991, Mr. Salian joined the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam to pursue his Bachelor of Science degree with Honors. He went on to complete a Masters degree in Chemistry. As per Bhagawan’s instructions, he also completed his MBA at the School of Management, Sri Sathya Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam. After his MBA, Mr. Salian was blessed to be in the service of Bhagawan from the year 1998. To be able to serve Bhagawan in close proximity is a unique privilege sought by many.

 A Global Celebration of the Century

I offer my most humble pranams at the Divine Lotus Feet of our Beloved Bhagawan. It is a “double bonanza” for me to speak to you today; having recently spoken to the devotees in Vancouver, this marks my second birthday speech for our Lord’s centenary.

I come to you directly from London, where the Sri Sathya Sai Charitable Trust UK organized a magnificent celebration at St. Paul’s Cathedral on the 19th. Imagine a 400-year-old cathedral, filled with centuries of piety, hosting the celebration of our Swami’s birthday in its crypt. There is a photograph of Swami sitting there, overseeing the grandeur of that cathedral, that has become one of my favorites.

Standing here today, the significance of the number “100” is overpowering. In the eternity of Swami's existence, 100 years might seem like a mere drop in the ocean, yet for us, it is an immense milestone. Our logo, showing the “100” followed by the infinity symbol, perfectly captures this: a century of physical existence merged with His eternal nature.

An All-Encompassing Love

The topic given to me is “Living with Sri Sathya Sai—The Incarnation of Divine Love.” I choose to interpret this not as my life with Him, but as our life with Him. Swami is the ultimate warm embrace. Even the architecture of His Super Specialty Hospital in Puttaparthi reflects this—the building has two grand wings that curve outward like open arms, ready to embrace all of humanity.

1926: The Advent of the Silent “Soham”

Let us travel back 100 years to 1926. World War I had ended, and the world was in a state of flux. India was still under British rule. In a tiny, remote village that seemed like a stone's throw away from the Stone Age, a child was born. Unlike other children who enter the world crying "Koham? Koham?" (Who am I?), this child was the embodiment of "Soham" (I am That). He did not cry.

History tells us that musical instruments played on their own in the household that morning. As a poet, I like to think that we were all there in spirit, playing those instruments to celebrate the advent of our Divine Master.

The 10th Birthday: Lessons in Dignity

Can we imagine Swami’s 10th birthday? Long before the grand celebrations we see today, there was young Sathya in his school days. He was impeccably disciplined. He used to iron his one pair of school clothes using a metal vessel filled with hot coals, then carefully fold them under his bed to ensure he was perfectly dressed for school the next day.

While his classmates were disheveled, he maintained his dignity with the small means he had. Did Mother Easwaramma cook a special pudding or payasam that night? Did He go around the village singing the Narayan Mantram with His friends? Let us visualize ourselves as those young children, celebrating that 10th birthday with Him.

The 14th Birthday: From Liberty to Liberation

By His 14th birthday, the world was again at war. In 1940, Hitler’s planes were bombing Buckingham Palace. While the world fought for "liberty," a 14-year-old boy in Puttaparthi was declaring a war for "liberation."

Just one month before His 14th birthday, on October 20th, He threw away His books and announced, “I am no longer your Sathya. I am Sai.” He refused to be limited by the expectations of His elders or the identity of a schoolboy.

Can you feel the solemnity of that 14th birthday? Can you feel the “loneliness” of the young Avatar? He had distanced Himself from the games and classmates of His childhood. He had raised Himself to a level far beyond His peers, standing alone in His mission to liberate mankind.

The Hard-Earned Foundation of Grace

Brother Aravind spoke earlier about the wanderings in the hills. At that time, it was not Mother Subbamma who chased little Sathyam across the terrain; she was already too old for such pursuits. It was the washerman, Subbanna—a man Swami described as Ajanu Bahu (a tall, powerful man)—who would scour the hills at Subbamma’s request. He would find Sathya, lift Him onto his broad shoulders, and carry Him back home.

It was during these days that the famous “Idli vs. Upma” debates occurred, as Subbamma stood ready to serve whatever the young Lord desired. Can you imagine His 14th birthday? He had just left His parents, telling His mother, “I am no longer yours.” He was in a state of self-imposed isolation, with His father angry and His brother suspicious. While Swami Himself was untouched and clear in His mission, we, as the spirits surrounding Him, can only marvel at the “loneliness” He embraced to begin His work for humanity.

The Architect of Prasanthi Nilayam

As the years progressed into the mid-1940s, Swami’s 20th birthday marked the opening of the original Patha Mandir. Those years were physically grueling for Him. While skepticism and negative talk swirled in the village, Swami was single-handedly laying the groundwork for what would become a global spiritual epicenter.

I remember my first year with Swami in Kodaikanal. While I was being trained to provide His handkerchief at exactly the right moment, Swami sat with us and began explaining—with incredible detail—the exact consistency required for lime mortar. He told us that when you hold the mixture, it should hang but not drop. To this day, that image remains etched in my mind: the young Sathya in His 20s, sitting on a pile of stones, overseen by sacks of sand and lime, personally directing every inch of the construction of Prasanthi Nilayam.

The Effort Behind the Ease

If we are sitting today in this beautiful Sai Prema Nilayam, it is because of the Herculeous effort Swami put in decades ago. He did the hard work single-handedly, against all odds, at an age when most are just beginning their lives. He was even experimenting with His “fashion statement” then—sometimes in a robe, sometimes a gown, deciding on the iconic hairstyle we know today.

Even Mother Easwaramma expressed concern. When she saw the size of the original Bhajan Hall, she asked, "Sathya, why do you want such a big hall? Who is going to come to this remote village?" That "stupidity," as some called it then, became the foundation for the inauguration of Prasanthi Nilayam on His 25th birthday, 75 years ago.

Kasturi and the Midnight Vahinis

The subsequent twenty years saw the building of the institutional foundation. We often speak of great builders like Indulal Shah, but we must never forget the role of Professor N. Kasturi. The relationship between Kasturi and Swami was unbelievable.

Swami once described how Kasturi would come and stand at His door, leaning in slightly, afraid to hold the Divine Master accountable to the deadline for the next Sanathana Sarathi. Swami would tease him, saying, “It's on the table, go pick it up.” Kasturi would walk away with awe, his mouth “salivating” with the anticipation of reading the next chapter of the Vahinis.

Swami revealed that He would often write those Vahinis late at night. He didn't want to turn on the main light because the devotees sleeping outside would see the glow and rush to the door, thinking He was awake. To avoid disturbing them, our Divine Master would go into the bathroom, sit on a small, squeaky chair, and write those profound philosophical foundations under a single dim bulb.

Dear brothers and sisters, the wisdom we now receive on a silver platter was written in a bathroom at midnight to protect the sleep of His devotees. That is the depth of the love and the hard work that has brought us to this 100th anniversary.

The Explosion of the Mission: Global Reach and Visionary Leadership

All the challenges we think we face today are small compared to what Swami endured to build this path. We have been handed a complete, magnificent institution "on a platter," and our duty is simply to take it forward. After those foundational years of hard labor, we witnessed the "explosion" of the late 1960s—a period of rapid expansion and historic travel that Swami described with such vivid joy.

Funny Moments on the Path to Badri

Swami often shared humorous stories from His travels, such as the late-60s pilgrimage to Badrinath with Mother Easwaramma, Professor Kasturi, and Dr. B. Ramakrishna Rao, the then-Governor of Uttar Pradesh. Swami would giggle uncontrollably as He recounted the sight of everyone—exhausted and sore—riding on mules through the cold mountain passes.

Upon arriving at the guesthouse, the weary pilgrims desperately craved “Miral Rasam” (pepper rasam) to warm themselves. The North Indian chefs, unfamiliar with the South Indian staple, were told it was “pepper water.” They literally served bowls of hot water with some pepper floating in it! Swami laughed as He described how Mother Easwaramma pushed the chefs aside, took command of the kitchen, and prepared the finest Rasam imaginable.

Living Through Divine Storytelling

This is what “Living with Sathya Sai” truly means. Swami was a master storyteller. Through His words and those of Professor Kasturi, we don’t have to feel we “missed” the first 100 years. We can relive them through these narratives. Reliving this history provides us with the “potential energy” needed to maintain the momentum of the mission. When we understand the effort behind the Rasam, the Vahinis, and the Mandir, we become one with the mission’s heart.

The First International Flight: East Africa, 1968

The journey to East Africa in 1968 was a monumental milestone. Swami recalled Mother Easwaramma’s maternal terror at the prospect. To a lady from a remote village like Puttaparthi, the idea of Swami flying across an ocean to a land of "tall, huge people" was overwhelming. Her fear wasn't about politics or race; it was the pure, simple fear of the unknown for her beloved Sathya.

She clung to the devotees, instructing them to stay close to Swami, protect Him, and bring Him back safely. Swami’s own account of the trip was humble and humorous, famously describing Himself as a “small mosquito” standing next to the towering figures of the region. Through these stories, He takes us on the flight with Him, allowing us to experience the expansion of His message across continents.

The Visionary and the Master Builder

Beyond the “sweet, loving Swami” we all adore, there was a roaring, visionary Master. In the late 60s, He drafted profound documents declaring His monastic order and His detachment from worldly family ties. He wasn't just a spiritual teacher; He was an architect of an organization meant to last for a thousand years.

He anticipated the global explosion of His mission before it even happened. In the 1960s, He founded the Sri Sathya Sai International Organization, followed later by the Central Trust as the mission required a formal legal structure. He gave us these platforms not because He needed them, but to give us the opportunity to feel the power of Sai within ourselves. As we witness the growth of these projects and take on greater challenges in His name, we are the ones who grow.

The Natural Unfolding: Effortless Momentum

When we take on challenges for the mission, we grow. This is especially true for our young adults. I look around and ask: where are you hiding? In my recent work across Regions 1 and 2, I started something called the "OYA and YA"—the Old Young Adults and the Young Adults. The goal is to bridge that gap and draw inspiration from the young Sathya who dared to create a global movement from nothing.

The Stupa and the Logo: 50 Years in the Making

In today’s corporate world, the first thing people do when starting a project is design a logo. But Swami did the opposite. He worked tirelessly for 25 years before placing the Sarva Dharma Stupa and the organization's logo on a firm, solid foundation.

He recalled the 50th birthday in 1975 with such joy. It was a time of wonderment for the villagers of Puttaparthi. During the construction of the Mandir years earlier, they had marveled at the sight of a crane—fearing that if a girder fell, their huts would be "smashed into smithereens." By 1975, they were introduced to a helicopter. Swami loved to tell the story of Karuna Ananda, who, in his eagerness to protect Swami from the sun with an umbrella, got the umbrella caught in the helicopter’s rotating blades! Swami never missed a chance to explain the humor in those moments, highlighting how He brought the simple villagers along on this high-tech, divine journey.

The Exponential Scale of Grace

After 1975, the mission moved to an exponential scale: the massive Water Projects, the Super-Specialty Hospitals, and the Universities. These weren't “projects” in the traditional sense; they were the natural unfolding of His being.

The beauty of Swami is that everything was effortless. He didn’t sweat through His work; there was a Divine ease. Why? Because His work was never an effort against nature. It was simply His love radiating outward. When love expands, projects manifest automatically.

From Karma to Jnana: Effortless Service

This is a vital reflection for us on this 100th birthday. If we approach our work as “Karma” alone, we will be drenched in sweat and exhausted. but if we serve with the understanding that this work is a natural progression of our own consciousness—a desire to be one with our fellow beings—then it ceases to be an effort. It becomes a natural expansion of the self.

One of the greatest lessons I learned is to stop giving too much value to what “he,” “she,” or “they” will say. Whether individually or as an organization, we must be established in our own truth. Are we beautifully aligned with the momentum Swami created over the last century? Can we become one with the “Sai Bhagavatam”—the story of His life?

The Power of Satsang

We spend so much time in study circles discussing the cognitive aspects of Swami’s literature. But do we share the "family stories" of our life with Sai? In our homes, we might discuss television serials or family gossip; instead, we should be having Satsang on the "effective" aspect of Swami’s life—the heart-to-heart stories that move the soul.

To live with Sri Sathya Sai is to make His story our story. It is to move from simply knowing His values to feeling His presence in every breath of the last 100 years.

The Next Century: A Vision Beyond 2125

Can we truly feel one with Swami? Can we imagine the weight of what He carried during those early years? When we meditate on His life, we are not just looking at history; we are tapping into a reservoir of infinite energy. Living with Sathya Sai is a transformative practice. Personally, I find that preparing for Satsang is a spiritual exercise in itself. All it takes is a moment of focused Pranayama to enter a different world—a world where we are truly living with Him.

The Trap of Comparison

I recall a lesson from 1999, when I first began working with the Trust. I was surrounded by elders handling massive architectural projects and global initiatives. I felt my task—managing bank reconciliations and small investments—was insignificant.

When I mentioned this to Swami, He immediately corrected me, calling me a “bad boy” for comparing. He said, “Do you know the burden of the karmas they are taking upon themselves? Never compare yourself with anyone else.” This applies to us as individuals and as an institution. We must be clear about our unique purpose. We are part of the continued legacy of Sathya Sai, but we must recognize that He is a Divine Master who has scattered seeds everywhere. Multiple institutions and legacies will germinate from Him, and that is as it should be. Our focus must remain on our own clarity and our own “Why.”

The Architecture of the Future

As we celebrate this 100th anniversary, the next century is already unfolding before us. The children’s program earlier gave us a glimpse of the year 2125. But we, too, must write our own vision statements.

• What will the world look like in another 100 years?

• Will the message of Sai be celebrated in every church, mosque, and synagogue as a universal truth?

• What is the core essence of Sathya Sai that we are duty-bound to take forward?

We must also ask the difficult questions: What must we let go? Philanthropy and legal trusts were the structures of this past century—tools suited for the time. Neither Rama nor Krishna required such structures. We must look at how we are organized—legally, financially, and spiritually—to ensure we are not just maintaining a structure, but vibrating with Swami’s core principles.

Driving Toward Clarity

The elders and leaders of this organization are looking into these transitions, but every one of us must drive toward this clarity. We are not just carrying forward an organization; we are carrying forward a momentum of consciousness.

Our goal is to ensure that the “Divine Ease” Swami lived with becomes the hallmark of our service. As we enter this second century, let us move away from the “sweat of karma” and move into the “joy of being”—becoming true kit and kin to the Lord, living His story every single day.

The Legacy of Effortless Grace: From 1926 to Infinity

As we conclude this journey through the century, I want to reflect on three specific birthdays—moments that represent the transition from Swami’s physical presence to His eternal residence in our hearts.

The 84th Birthday: A Lesson in Divine Stamina

In the years leading up to the 84th birthday, Swami’s physical form was becoming frail. His Darshans became infrequent; devotees would wait for hours, unsure if He would appear. Sometimes He seemed tired, yet whenever He reached out to a devotee, He would return to His room "supercharged," His face radiant with joy.

Out of a misplaced sense of compassion for His body, I once asked Him, “Swami, can we have Darshan only twice a week—perhaps Thursdays and Sundays—so You can rest on the other days?” Swami looked at me and asked a question that still shakes me: “Do you know how much this body has worked? It has traveled from village to village to village.” In that moment, I saw the immensity of His sacrifice. He had given every ounce of His energy, every moment of His life, for us. I was in my late 30s then, and that realization charged me with a new purpose. I told Him, “Swami, You simply sit and bless us; we will do the work.” This is my message to the young adults today: He has handed us this mission on a platter. It is our turn to take it forward with passion, vision, and tireless energy.

The 85th Birthday: The Joy of Service

The 85th birthday was a pinnacle of fulfillment for me. While serving Swami full-time, I spent every spare hour working on the Sri Sathya Sai Vidya Vahini program. We were a tiny team of “two-and-a-half” people, planning and executing with absolute focus.

The highlight was seeing the legendary Mr. Ratan Tata kneeling like a knight before Swami. With one hand, he reached to touch Swami’s feet, and with the other, he held a laptop, inviting the Lord to inaugurate the Vidya Vahini program. That joy of creating something meaningful and offering it at His feet is a satisfaction I want every one of you to experience.

Remember: if service feels like a struggle, you are doing something wrong. If it is driven by ego or a “mad monkey mind,” it leads to exhaustion. But if it is driven by the true spirit of Sai, work is joy—and joy alone.

The 86th Birthday: The Divine Resurrection

The 86th birthday was the most painful, yet the most precious. It was the first birthday without Swami’s physical form. After He left His body in April 2011, I threw myself into work to drown the vacuum in my heart. I traveled the country, filling every waking moment with activity. But when the festival of Dasara arrived and I saw His empty throne in Sai Kulwant Hall, I collapsed.

For days, I couldn't leave my room or even speak to my mother. Then came November. On the night of the 24th, after putting away the ceremonial swing and thrones, I sat in the Yajur Mandir with a few others. We lit a lamp and chanted. Exhausted, I dozed off near the footrest of Swami’s sofa.

I had a dream so vivid I could see the texture of Swami’s skin and every detail of His hands. In the dream, I saw my own body lying on the floor. Swami was kneeling next to me, His hands interlaced, pressing down on my chest—He was giving me CPR. That “Divine Resuscitation” woke me up. It was a resurrection of my spirit. Since that moment 14 years ago, I have never felt that Swami is not with us.

A Poetry Without End

One hundred years is a powerful number, but in the life of Sai, it is not a destination. It isn't even a comma, let alone a full stop. It is the continuation of the divine poetry He began at age 14 when He declared, “I am no longer Sathya; I am Sai.”

He continues to be the Sai within you—the Indweller who lives above you, below you, around you, and through you. As we enter the next century, let us live as His true instruments, carrying His light into the infinity of the future.

Jai Sai Ram.

source: 100th Birthday Celebrations - Afternoon Program | SSSIO - YouTube

 Note on this Transcript

This marks the completion of the address by Sathyajit Salian given on November 23, 2025. This record has been refined for clarity, grammar, and emotional resonance to serve as a lasting tribute for the 100th Anniversary celebrations.

Sathyajit Salian