Kissing the ‘holy feet’ of Sathya Sai Baba

The guru-disciple set-up is a master-servant relationship Practically every so-called devoted Sai-VIP has knelt or lain at the feet of Sathya Sai Baba, and many have kissed them in public. The Sai authorities try to keep images of this to a minimum, as they do not wish to alienate the wider public. During my 9 long visits to his ashrams I have seen very many lie flat at his feet, and many kiss them too. (Incidentally, I never did that – it just seemed so wrong). Sathya Sai Baba did once proclaim that this foot-touching should stop as “everyone is God”, but it continued nonetheless, and he accepts it.

Once a person has taken the step of becoming a disciple, the tradition is that the guru’s words and acts should never be questioned. One may sometimes ask questions about them, obviously, but not in a critical or confrontational way. This is very much the case with Sathya Sai Baba too. He invites people to “come, investigate and examine” but then, once having made up their mind and accepted him as their spiritual master, never to question him again. Of course, no one may not really question, investigate or examine him at all, even though this may have been possible to some mild extent several decades ago.

Sathya Sai Baba discipleship is the same as taking a vow to stop all doubting and refuse to take seriously any criticism of him one may subsequently hear. This is drummed into everyone at his ashrams and meetings “Hear, speak, talk no evil”, but it is only strictly applied in the case of criticism of Sai Baba himself.  Relatively, very few who have been involved for some time seem to care whether their initial decision to worship him as God was based on too little knowledge about him or his real human nature.

This requirement of unquestioning faith – able to withstand every test that fact, reason, observation, testimony and even personal experience without ceasing to believe fully in him is no doubt very convenient for hiding his faults – and he has been widely accused of sexual abuse of young men and boys – at least from his disciples.

See some elderly foot-kissing Sai VIPs