November 11, 2004

Focus on Faith

Sri Sathya Sai Center in Almaden

“There is only one religion, the religion of love”—Sathya Sai Baba

By Jeanne C. Lewis
Staff Writer

Many Almaden Valley followers of Sri Sathya Sai Baba attended a free celebration of his life’s work last weekend at the Heritage Theater in Campbell. Sai Baba is the founder of the Sri Sathya Sai Organization.

Attendees browsed the teachings of Sai Baba at Heritage Theater.

Sri Sathya Sai is a worldwide service and spiritual organization that accepts all faiths and recognizes the divinity inherent in all people regardless of religion, sect, status or race and strives to provide its followers with an opportunity to serve all of humanity with love, respect and reverence. The association is established in 145 countries with 200 centers in the United States and 22 in northern California and Nevada. Two centers are in San Jose, one of which is in Almaden Valley.

Sathya Sai Baba’s teachings and life are the inspiration of the movement nurturing the innate human values of truth, right conduct, peace, love and nonviolence. The spiritual leader’s most well known teachings are to serve the needy, quiet the mind and expand the heart.

Sathya Narayana Raju was born in 1926 in Puttaparthi, South India. At age 14, he declared that he be known as Sai Baba and that his mission was to bring spiritual regeneration to humanity by encouraging love for God and service to all beings. For over seven decades, he has inspired people from every religion with his teachings and humanitarian works. Today, Prasanthi Nilayam [abode of the highest peace], his ashram and spiritual oasis in South India, attracts spiritual seekers from virtually every corner of the globe and offers solace and inspiration to all who aspire for peace.

“I was personally brought up Christian, a Methodist,” media chairperson Suzanne Slyman said at the Heritage Theater in Campbell celebrating the life work and message of Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the first time publicly.

“About 20 years ago, I was looking for something more universal. There is no pressure in the organization; [it offers] a real live and let live belief and they value all religions.”

In addition to the video of Sai Baba at the hospitals, schools, colleges, a university, a clean drinking water facility and rural outreach programs he initiated, the free public program at the Heritage Theater included two speakers, Dr. Michael Goldstein and Dr. Narendranath Reddy.

Dr. Goldstein has been a practicing physician for over 30 years and is now medical director of case management at a tertiary hospital in southern California.

As chairman of the Prasanthi Council, he is responsible for the administration of the Sri Sathya Sai Organization in all countries outside of India.

“Faith is like pure water,” Dr. Goldstein said. “Water is the elixir for the body of man. Faith is the elixir of life for the spirit of man.”

Dr. Goldstein described Sai Baba’s humanitarian projects in India: educational systems from primary through accredited doctorate level at no cost to the students, four hospitals, two that provide advanced tertiary care of which thousands of free surgeries have been performed, massive drinking water projects bringing safe water to millions in India and the Sri Sathya Sai Education in human values program. Every year Sai Baba’s University students and staff donate two weeks for distributing food and clothing to neighboring villages bringing comfort and love.

Dr. Narendranath Reddy has been a practicing internist-endocrinologist for over 25 years and is on the faculty of the University of Southern California Medical School.

He is a member of the Prasanthi Council, the governing body of the Sri Sathya Sai Organization and a trustee of groups Book Center of America.

Dr. Reddy emphasized that the word love enshrines Sri Sathya Sai Baba’s works, ideals and lessons to humankind. His teachings exemplify tolerance among all faiths and creeds and the harmony of all religions. Dr. Reddy emphasized the need to realize our innate divinity and manifest it in our lives as the purpose of human life by experiencing pure unselfish love and peace and to share these with all.

Almaden resident Deepak Nettar was born in India and studied the teachings of Sai Baba as a child. He witnessed his father, a businessman, actively involved in service that started a school for orphaned and poor Indian children. Thirty years ago he moved to the United States and lived in Almaden for the past 17 years.

“Sai Baba is about two things,” Nettar said. “Selfless service is most important, and unconditional love. And a love for all livings things. They are all part of natural creation.”

Nettar, a Hindu, commented that he had studied many religions at the Sai Center he attends and that the essential ingredients of all faiths are the same. He is involved in numerous service projects: distributing meals in homeless shelters, dispensing clothing and toiletries, computer literacy training, helping at a medical clinic, cleaning beaches, and visiting seniors. He has seen the two state of the art medical centers and the clinics in India; along with the water project.

Another Almaden resident Teja Singh, a Sikh, became interested in the teachings of Sathya Sai Baba in 1994 by talking to friends and reading books of Sai Baba. He attends the Central San Jose Center along with his wife, Naranjan.

“We cleanse ourselves by service to others,” Singh said of the various volunteer efforts he is involved with. “We share our values, love and affection with others. It eradicates the ego and you are on the path to uplift yourself.”

The Singhs’ are involved in the volunteer effort to open the Ashland Free Medical Clinic [AFMC], which will provide free medical and dental services to needy residents in Ashland and San Leandro. Twenty volunteers from the local community as well as Sai devotees donated many hours to make this dream a reality. The project is lead by Dr. Joseph Phaneuf, medical director, with the assistance of Dr. John Hunter, Alan Kushner DDS, Suzanne Duncan, treasurer and a team of other volunteers. Naranjan Singh is a registered nurse and will help at the clinic when they open. Besides their work at AFMC, the Singhs’ volunteer at homeless shelters, serving meals and sharing love and compassion. The couple have visited India, met Sai Baba and seen his miracles.

“My husband’s father’s mother knew Sai Baba when he was 14-years-old and the family became devotees,” Almaden’s Ranjana Kulkarni said. “They witnessed his miracles, work and philosophy. Baba keeps us in spiritual food.”

Ashok and Ranjana Kulkarni moved to Almaden in 1986 and began attending the center on Springpath Lane. Desiring instruction for her two children in human values education, they helped organize the Central San Jose Center where on Sunday, 100 children attend the group. The adults attend their own study circle, reading Sai Baba literature, discussing religious faiths, prayer, meditating and singing hymns. Their service work includes making sandwiches weekly to distribute to the homeless shelters and visiting convalescent homes offering compassion and love.

Followers suggest that perhaps Sathya Sai Baba said it best: “There is only one religion, the religion of love.”

For more information on Sathya Sai Baba Centers call 268-3651 in Almaden and 996-9525 in Central San Jose or visit info@saicenters.org.