Sai Baba’s fame and name

”

“Detach yourself from the craving for fame…” (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 8, p.235)
“Every act should be done sincerely, with no yearning for acquiring personal profit, fame or benefit.”
(Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 12., p. 246)
“Desire [kaama] is the lust for physical pleasure, for power, for fame, for wealth…”
(Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 13., p.169)

Sai Baba has many times disparaged most strongly those who seek or value name & fame! He said they are “as disgusting as spittle” (p. 147, Sanathana Sarathi May 1987), that world-fame for Sai by publicity is without value (p. 193, My Baba & I, Dr. John Hislop) and has often ridiculed other gurus who seek name and fame (for example p 75, Prema Vahini).

Sathya Sai Baba has also said in a discourse, “I will do anything, even sacrifice my name and fame, if it will lead one devotee towards liberation.” This statement makes it evident that he values his name and fame above all else. He’d “even sacrifice my name and fame“! How transparently self-obsessed can a person get? If name and fame are “as spittle”, what is so huge about this huge sacrifice of his name and fame Sathya Sai Baba would make? The degree of audacious mendacity to which Sathya Sai Baba goes is almost astonishing, but yet more so is the literal acceptance of all he says on this and dozens of other matters by so many followers. How can any of the much-exaggerated good he does cancel or ameliorate the great infamies of which he stands accused by so many young men and other witnesses?

Most people in the Sai movement take all this unquestioningly and for granted! Sathya Sai Baba has condemned himself with his own words time and again, such as when  If Sathya Sai Baba has no need to seek fame (see p. 64, Sathya Sai Speaks Vol. 11 new ed.), why then does he allow his discourses to be broadcast on digital radio world-wide… or build massively-costly huge buildings in his name, some devoted entirely to spreading his name and fame?

“Every man should show his sense of gratitude to society by rendering selfless service. It was for this purpose that the Seva Organization was started. But even here the Seva Organizarions are being used to promote one’s name and fame and not to render service for its own sake.” (Sathya Sai Speaks, Vol. 30., p. 122).

The Sathya Sai Organisation worldwide, however, puts great effort into spreading the name and fame of Sathya Sai. Just witness the number of websites extolling him by official Sathya Sai Organisation centres! Virtually all group meetings are primarily for praising Sathya Sai through devotional singing (bhajans) and talking about him to newcomers, holding public meetings to spread his name and his word! The inevitable conclusion is that it is Sathya Sai baba above all others who uses the Sathya Sai Organisation to promote his name and fame!