Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Sai Ram!

Recently, several charlatans have appeared in various places claiming or implying that they have special powers conferred by Bhagavan Baba.  Whenever and wherever it is necessary, we are taking specific measures to curtail the fraudulent activities of these people including direct communication with Sai Centers, use of Sanathana Sarathi, and, if and when it is necessary, legal measures.  I have included below several specific quotes from the Divine Writings of Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.  It would helpful for those of you who are having experiences with these "false gurus" in your areas to send these very, very powerful Words, written by Bhagavan Baba, Himself,  to the Sai Centers that are experiencing these problems.

Sincerely,

Michael Goldstein

Divine Message of Bhagavan Baba follows:

Units should have no contacts with cheats!

Embodiments of Divine Atma! This Bharath (India) land is the centre of spiritual progress for ages past and the region where Divine incarnations re-establish Dharma for the good of humanity. In order to make known My majesty and My glory as the Divine that has Incarnated, miraculous happenings of an amazing nature do take place in certain areas. Taking advantage of the attraction that those happenings draw upon them, many misuse them for personal propaganda and aggrandizement. They trade for money the vibhuthi (sacred  ash) that the pictures in their altars shower! They go about pretending that they are "superior devotees" of a higher order and conferring boons and blessings on the innocent folk whom they fleece. Others put forth false claims that vibhuthi is emanating from the pictures of Baba in their homes, that amrith (nectar) is dripping from them or that material objects are falling from them, like written answers to questions. Samithis and other Units should have no contact with such cheats and crooks. Any one who is attached to such or who encourages such can be immediately removed.

There are others who claim that I am speaking through them, and answering questions put to them. These people must be either insane or hysteria-affected or they are possessed by some  ghost or by the greed to earn money thereby. I can only tell you that it is not I that speaks through them. I do not need media; nor do I need substitutes or subsidiaries or representatives. There are some crooks who are publicising that I have allotted them some regions for ministration by them on My behalf, because, they say, My devotees have increased so much that I am unable to at-tend to all of them, single-handed! On the face of it, this is an absurd lie. Moreover, consider another aspect.

Evil forces try to draw away aspirants

Even those who cry in pure agonising yearning, Sai Sai Sai, and lead pure unselfish virtuous lives, even these find it hard to realise Me; how then can these low scheming vulgar men who know no saadhana, sincerity, truth and humil-ity, how can these people claim that they have been blessed by me? They may wear the same style of dress, imitate gestures and style of speech but these will only bring their falsehood into greater prominence. That I am supposed to "possess" such people or speak through them or shower My Grace on them is an assumption of which one ought to be ashamed! How then can anyone believe it, I wonder.

Sathya Sai Baba. Sathya Sai Speaks 10, chapter 35.  22 November 1970.