Video published on: August 11 2012 

To enhance accessibility, this video has been transcribed with the help of AI. This work is offered freely for educational use, honoring the message and the mission of the original creators.

Video Transcript: Sandy Nath – Souljourns (Part 1)

It took place in Yuba City, California in the summer of 1999

Sandy, of Auburn, California, knows both the love and the seeming displeasure of Sathya Sai Baba. It is a compelling story with multiple highs and lows, taking him from the depths of despair to the outer reaches of the universe. This interview was the very first Sai Baba devotee video recorded by Souljourns in the summer of 1999 in Yuba City, California.

The Beginning of the Journey to Puttaparthi

Many, many years ago, when I was in India, I happened to be reading an English periodical where an account of a university professor had been given about his visit to Puttaparthi. I read that article and I had no import to it. I said, "In India, this is the usual thing." But somehow or the other, it absorbed my interest, and I started asking myself how such things are possible. In that article, he had made a reference to a book written by Arthur Osborne on Shirdi Sai Baba. I was at the library at that time, and the book, The Incredible Sai Baba, was immediately available.

It’s a small book, but every word I read about the life of Shirdi Sai Baba was even more incredible than what I had read in the periodical. I asked myself, "I have lived in this country for so long, and if men like Shirdi Sai Baba have been here and I have been totally ignorant about their existence, this merely shows the level of my great dullness." That is how it started. We are always faced with life's problems and personal desires, so I said, "Let’s go to Puttaparthi. If nothing else, let's ask him to fulfill my worldly wishes." I went there primarily for that—to have problems solved. There was no other interest at all.

First Interview and the Materialization

I got onto the train at Kolkata; it was a long, three or four-day journey. I landed in Puttaparthi in the late '60s or early '70s—perhaps 1967. We all used to sleep under the trees; there was no running water. I sat there for 10 or 12 days, and he wouldn't even look at me. I said to myself, "Since I am not getting an interview, let’s see what else he has to say." I bought a couple of books and sat under a tree to read them, but it was like Greek to me—the soul, Karma, it didn't interest me.

Ultimately, Baba takes you to the edge of the cliff and then pulls you back. On my last day, he called me. I went into the interview room, and he was materializing things for others. When it came to my turn, I said, "Baba, what about something for me?" Believe me, I didn't even truly have the desire for a gift. Baba looked at me and said, "You don’t need it." He was absolutely right. I’ve never attached importance to physical manifestations; even when I wasn't spiritual, they held no interest for me.

Questions on Karma and Religion

One of the questions I asked was about the theory of Karma and rebirth. I found it difficult to believe. Baba walked up to me, stood before me, and started breathing very deeply. He said, "The soul comes in, the body stays for some time," and then he would exhale and say, "And it goes out." He explained that the human breath is a replica of the cycle of life. He told me, "Don't worry about it. The mind cannot get the answer. When the right time comes, you shall know. Try to have faith in me."

Then I asked if it was necessary to subscribe to organized religion. I was born into a Sikh family, but I saw only bloodshed and discord in the name of religion. I told him it felt like a barrier between me and other people. I asked if I could give up the notion of religion entirely. Baba raised his right hand and thumped the ground hard with his foot. He said, "That is the true essence of religion. Humanity is the true religion." From that day on, I drifted away from organized religion. I treat all human beings as one family.

Peace of Mind vs. Worldly Future

I asked about my future, and Baba said, "Oh, you have a very, very good future." I was elated, thinking of worldly success. But as I read more of his books about detachment, I began to doubt what he meant. I went back to see him a few years later and asked for clarification. Baba placed his hand on my head, pressing quite hard, and said, "The mind shall be at peace. That’s what I meant." I came out thinking, "If he only means peace of mind and I was thinking differently, I don't know where I am going now."

The "Dream" Encounters and Discipline

After that, things changed. Whenever I went to Puttaparthi, I was told to go away. Sometimes Baba would see me in the crowd and say, "Go away, don't ever come here again." It upset me greatly; I would be in tears in my hotel. But at night, he would come in a "dream"—though it wasn't a dream, it was as real as talking in person. He would hold me to his chest and say, "I chastise those whom I love the most. Don't get upset. I love you very much." He was teaching me that I didn't need to physically go to Puttaparthi because he was always with me.

The Proof of Omniscience: The Hotel Towel

Baba always said he was omnipresent, but my mind couldn't grasp how one person could know the thoughts of billions. Once, during a monsoon in Cochin, I was staying in a hotel. I was planning to visit Baba afterward. I realized I needed a towel for Puttaparthi. It was pouring rain, so I thought I’d just take a hotel towel. I justified it to myself, thinking, "I'm 400 miles away from him. Let him prove he knows what I am doing. It’ll be a test."

Days later in Whitefield, Baba came out for Darshan. On the first day, he smiled and blessed me. On the second day, he passed me, then suddenly wheeled around with a scowl. He screamed, "You thief! What the heck do you think you are doing? Get out! Thief, thief, thief!" I was called a thief in public and thrown out.

At first, I didn't even remember the towel because it was such a trivial, fleeting action from days prior. I prayed, "Baba, what theft are you referring to? I am not a thief!" Immediately, the memory of the hotel towel flashed in my mind. I sat down and wept—those were tears of joy. He had given me the proof of his omniscience. It was a life-changing experience.

The Vision of Shirdi Sai Baba

I used to struggle with the idea that Sathya Sai was Shirdi Sai in a previous life. Shirdi Sai’s austerity appealed to me more than Sathya Sai’s silk robes and cars. One night in the early '70s, Shirdi Sai appeared before me. He looked at me with glowing eyes, put his hand over his heart, took a deep sigh, and said, "Oh, you have no faith in me." Then he disappeared. After that, my doubts were cleared. I knew they were one.

The Out-of-Body Experience and Cosmic Consciousness

In 1985, in this very home, I had the most significant experience of my life. I was never able to meditate, but one morning, while fast asleep and in perfect health, I found myself coming out of my body. It was frightening. I was floating in mid-air, looking down at my physical self. I realized my true self was separate from the body.

I could move through walls. I shot forth into the heavens at a tremendous speed. Then, after a flash of light, I found myself in all creation. I was everywhere. I was within every living thing—every insect, every human, every grain of sand. The whole creation was within me, and I was in the creation. I was omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscient. Whatever I thought, the universe instantly obeyed.

The Law of Love and Thought

It was a torrent of love that gushed forth from me. That love is the only thing that keeps creation together. It is a heavenly, forgiving love that mortals don't know. I realized that as human beings, we are rays of the same Sun—we are creators, we are gods, but we have forgotten ourselves.

The greatest power God gave us is the power of thought and Free Will. Our thoughts affect the ethers and always manifest back to us. We create our future constantly. If you want to change your life, you must change the pattern of your thoughts. I saw the universe as a tightly held system of absolute laws, and the greatest law is the Law of Love.

The Universe as Vibration

The nearest I can come to describing that energy is that the universe is one of vibration. It is a tremendous, pulsating energy that is all-knowing intelligence. All physical matter is just this energy transforming itself into various shapes. Nothing is permanent in the physical world; it is just a form of that great energy manifesting itself and changing forms all the time.

The Cosmic Dance of Matter

Shapes, all these atoms, everything—they come together to form certain shapes, and then they go back to where they came from. Then they come back again; it’s just the cosmic dance that goes on and on. But when man thinks that matter is the reality, that is where we reach a dead end. That is not the reality. As far as physical matter is concerned, we can perceive it with our five senses, but the five senses again are not what truly constitutes reality. We are really groping in the dark with the five senses and the mind. The reality behind them is something different. This world is impermanent; that is why the cycle of life and death eternally changes.

Have you ever thought that at this very moment, all of us—all of humanity, the millions of human beings running around in California and across this world, all the animals, all the plant life—that there will be a time when none of this will exist? Everything will be swept away. If it is all destined to be swept away, the question arises: is this real? Obviously, it is not real.

Space as the Body of God

Where has it all come from? It came from somewhere. We talk of the five elements: earth, fire, water, air, and the fifth element, the so-called ether, which is the most subtle form. All the planets are suspended out there in the ether. The question arises: where did these planets come from? Suddenly, they came out of space. Call it space, call it the ether, call it whatever you like—that’s the only place they could have come from. And when they disappear, that is where they return to.

So, what is that space? Space pervades everything. This very space is the body of God. This is vital energy; this is the energy which is all-knowing and intelligent. This is the body of God. If you were to ask me, "Where is God?", I’d say he is right here. When I wave my hand, it’s right here all around us. This is space; this is God. Perhaps don't even use the word "God," because that often creates a feeling of separation. The moment you come to know the reality, you realize you are a part of that reality, and the feeling of separateness dissolves.

The Immortality of the Soul

It vibrates and pulsates with tremendous energy. It is so powerful, full of intelligence. As I said, all physical matter comes out of this and constantly changes its shape. Nothing ever gets destroyed in life because atoms are not subject to destruction. Even with this physical body, when the process of death comes along, we talk about the soul. Obviously, the soul is not the body; the soul is immortal. But even the body itself is not truly subject to destruction, because these atoms go back and eventually form something else, some other bodies. They just change form.

The Eternal Now: Beyond Time and Space

In that state of consciousness, there is no such thing as space or time. Time stands still. The notion of past, present, and future exists only on the earthly plane. Time took its birth when we started looking at events taking place, like the sunrise and the sunset. That is where the notion of time came from. But in that state, there is no time—it is the Eternal Now. There is no mind, no space, no time. It is pure love and a kind of bliss the likes of which we have never experienced on the earthly plane. Nor is there a way to experience it here, because most of our "happiness" is related to the fulfillment of worldly desires. When a desire is fulfilled, we are happy only for a short time before the next desire takes over.

The Message: Look Within

If I had one message to give to all of humanity, it would be this: Look within yourselves. That is your true reality. We are all one. Since we have different shapes and forms, it gives us the feeling that we are separate, but we are not. The life that animates all these bodies is one and the same. God is not outside of ourselves. Do not run around trying to find Him anywhere else. Do not even try to use the mind; the mind will not unravel the mystery—it is an obstacle. Be calm, be still, and that is where you will find Him.

We cannot compare ourselves to others or judge them. When the time comes, you must have absolute confidence and faith in that higher intelligence within each of us to guide us appropriately.

Returning to the Body and Finding Peace

This experience I shared happened in 1985. Twelve years have gone by. Many times during this period, I was impatient; I wanted to get back to that experience. But it was a gift given to me; I cannot repeat it at will. If I could, I wouldn't be in this body anymore. Being in the body feels like being in prison, but I cannot repeat the experience—it was given to me through His grace.

When the experience was about to end, I felt a certain force pulling me back down toward my body. As I floated over my body, I struggled hard against it. I did not want to go back, but it was an irresistible force. As soon as I was put back into the body, the "lid" came down. Immediately, the mind and the five senses were there. The mind’s agitations returned, and those agitations are what prevent peace of mind.

I opened my eyes and had goosebumps. I felt a very strong presence of Sathya Sai Baba in that room. This experience was given to me by Baba himself. I even sensed him literally floating out of the room. Ultimately, I have found my peace. Even the desire to have that experience again is gone. The only thing I can do now is have faith that, at the right moment, He will take me to the next step. I don't know if I'm ready, but that higher intelligence that has brought me this far will take care of it. It is always with me, it knows what I need, and it will give it to me.

Source:  SAI BABA STARTLED SANDY NAT CALLING HIM A THIEF AND TELLING HIM TO GET OUT OF THE ASHRAM.